"Hey. You okay?" Sean asked the instant Alex came home. While she and Nikita brought Liza back to her parents, the rest of the team debriefed, reassessed equipment, did paperwork, and handled the typical post mission necessities. The women had planned on rejoining them and helping out. Except, on the way, they changed their minds. They sent a text to the men that they weren't returning for the day, but didn't explain further. Their team didn't question it. Although there was a happy ending, after the mission they had had, Alex and Nikita deserved some time off. A lot of horrible memories and events had surfaced. Sean just hoped they were alright.
"Yeah. Just went shopping with Nikita instead of going back to Division," Shrugging, Alex dumped her shoes and purse at the door and moved to join her boyfriend on the couch. The women's jokes in the car turned into a decision to treat themselves. Part of that was because they didn't want to return to a basement, even if they had power over the space that time. They had spent enough time in hellholes. Paperwork and other post mission activities could be covered by their team anyway. The two could escape and enjoy themselves.
They changed out of the cheap suits they wore to pose as FBI agents before they hit the town. That was the last time either of the women had been home for hours and hours- or texted their partners. Alex and Nikita shopped, ate, shopped some more, and talked. There wasn't a specific topic they stuck to; anything that was on their mind, they shared. It definitely helped with their jumbled emotions. Alex knew she was able to relax in her boyfriend's arms afterwards because of it. Sean, on the other hand, had hardly seen or heard from her. He was concerned about the toll recent events had taken on her, "Yeah. But are you doing okay?"
Alex sighed. She nuzzled in Sean's warmth instead of actually replying. She hadn't been fine earlier. When Nikita first pulled Liza out of Wade's basement, she was terrified. The feeling never went away. She kept thinking about the things that had happened to her- what might've happened to the young girl. The anxiety had a tight grip on her until Liza was returned home, and until she talked to Nikita. By the time she was in her boyfriend's arms, Alex was perfectly alright. She had nothing to worry about anymore, "Liza's back with her family. I'm okay."
"You wanna talk about it?" Shifting into a more comfortable position on the couch, Sean wrapped Alex in a tight embrace. He read a book one of his Navy buddies kept recommending him as he waited for her. Usually, he wouldn't wait up for her while she was gone. He knew he didn't have to worry, and he absolutely trusted her. She just hadn't talked to him all day. He wanted to know what was going on inside her head. They couldn't pretend as though they faced a normal mission. A young girl had been kidnapped, tortured, and hurt. The fact weighed heavily on all their minds, especially the two women who had experienced similar tragedies.
"Sean, I think you're putting more on this than I am," Alex shook her head, pulling Sean from his anxious thoughts. When she said she was fine, she wasn't brushing him off. Yes, she had had terrible thoughts and images racing through her mind earlier. She saw a lot of herself in Liza. But, also just like her, there was happiness at the end of the horror story. That was what they should focus on. Despite the atrocities, there could still be brightness in their lives, "Really. I'm fine. Liza is home and safe. Wade is dead. I was able to do something about that. I had control, and I made sure no other girl ended up like me. I'm good."
"But you're amazing, and awesome, and wonderful. You don't want anyone like you?" Sean squeezed his girlfriend even tighter, peppering kisses along her cheek and temple. She squealed and wiggled in his grasp, but she didn't actually fight him off her. She'd let him adore her and fuss over her for the moment. It wasn't like she'd oppose him kissing her. And she kind of needed the love. It was further assurance that she was alright and she could be happy. After everything, she still had him.
"You know what I meant," When she settled her giggles, Alex admonished. She had meant that she ensured Liza didn't end up as a junkie runaway after the abuse she suffered. She got to skip that horrific step, and go straight home to her loving parents. The preteen could have a normal life again. Well, as normal as she could ever have. That was all because of the team- because of Nikita's and Alex's persistence. They finally did what they swore to do when they continued to keep Division running; they saved innocents and secured freedom.
Sean knew all that. Liza was given a much better chance than Alex had. She was saved before more disasters struck. He should focus on the positives like his girlfriend. No one had to dwell on the past, horrific what ifs, or negative thoughts. The team saved the day that mission. They saved a young life from their fate. If the rest of their operations went like that, they could be done with Division in no time. And they could all be happy, "You're all okay. A girl is back home with her parents. You can be too, and so will everyone else in Division."
"You do understand me," Alex chuckled, kissing Sean sweetly. The couple shifted into a far more comfortable position for them to kiss and caress. Pillows were pushed aside, as was the book Sean had just thrown down when she came home. They had talked and thought about the joy and brightness they could have; it was about time they put it into practice. The passion that soon overtook their kiss wasn't even born from the day they spent apart like it normally would've been. They were simply so happy to be able to kiss and hold and breathe in one another. It was their gift from the universe after all their hell.
"Perfectly," Sean breathed against Alex's lips. The two kissed deeper, their hips settling against one another. They remained like that for a long while. They simply loved each other and held each other with no intentions of letting go. It was the best way to end their day. It was an extension of the happy endings they achieved- the fact that chasing the Dirty Thirty and continuing Division wasn't all doomed. Sean, Alex, and their team were making the world a better place one dramatic mission at a time. Eventually, it'd be the best place for them to live.
"You think I can weaponize my morning sickness? Throw up on someone as a diversion?" Finally exiting the bathroom, Nikita wondered. She kept her hair in the mess of the bun she had thrown it up in and moved to pull on some loose sweats. She was glad she was home; she could be as shabby looking as she wanted. Which, after feeling sick and gross halfway through her day, was a huge need. Thankfully, Michael was there to help her. He handed her an ice cold water bottle and fixed the strands of hair that fell out of the hair tie. His fingers skimmed her cheek as he did so. She instantly canted into his tender touch.
The married couple shared a soft smile. Bumping Nikita's nose with his, Michael kissed her tenderly. The sweet affection didn't last long, however. Her stomach was still rocky, and harsh cramps rolled through her. She regretfully pulled away with a slight groan of pain. Her husband placed a soothing kiss on her temple instead and urged her towards the kitchen. She could grab a heating pad and some medicine in there. He could also make them a sweet dessert to settle on the couch and watch a movie with. Michael knew Nikita had spent all day with Alex to calm her screaming mind. He hoped to calm and soothe her further, "You okay?"
"I just puked my guts out and I'm grabbing a heating pad for these killer cramps. But other than that, yeah," Nikita grumbled as she painfully crossed to the kitchen. The most annoying thing about her pregnancy symptoms wasn't when they crept up on her during missions, or made her go running towards the bathroom; it was the fact that they kept interrupting tender moments with her husband. She just wanted to kiss him and be held by him, not constantly make herself feel better. It was getting ridiculous.
"You know what I meant," Quickly following Nikita, Michael refocused her attention. He knew she hated being nauseous and crampy. He didn't like seeing her sick either, especially when there wasn't much he could do to help. He could only get her water and medicine, and grab the heating pad. Yet, when he wondered about her wellbeing, he was asking about her mindset. After finding Liza in Wade's basement, Nikita had been more stressed and fiercely determined than usual. She had no doubt drawn parallels between the preteen and herself. Michael just wanted to ensure his wife was alright then- that she wasn't too swept away by her past.
Nikita sighed, holding her pained abdomen. Michael helped her hop onto the counter so she could sit and relieve the pressure as the heating pad warmed in the microwave. He then moved to put his dessert plan in action, yet she held him back. She squeezed his hand in hers. Her eyes dropped to their joined fingers, studying the way she played with them. Although her day with Alex had done her good, she still needed a minute to collect herself. The intense emotions she had gone through hadn't been pleasant, "No more girls can end up like that. No one should be trapped in basements."
While the heating pad took its time to warm up, Michael softly caressed his wife's lower abdomen. His hand was warm and sure on her hips as his thumb swept over where their baby laid. Nikita canted forward to knock her forehead against his. Something about his touch soothed her far more than water, medicine, or heating pads ever could. Her husband was her comfort. He was her home. When she was lost and struggling, he knew what to say to ground her to reality, "You have the power to stop that. We can provide a better future. We can break the cycle. Be better and give better. We're well on our way of achieving that."
"I know. I don't doubt us. It's just the world we're in the process of saving," Nikita placed her hand over her husbands. Their fingers tripped over one another as they both sought comfort in their unborn baby. Once their eyes connected again, they kissed. That time, though, they were interrupted by the microwave. They just chuckled and rolled their eyes. Michael got the heating pad for his wife, and helped her place it comfortably on her abdomen. Then, he finally started to make them dessert.
"That's gonna be an ongoing process. But we have help on that front," Smiling over his shoulder, Michael reminded Nikita. She simply watched him make ice cream sundaes, a small grin on her lips. He couldn't help but steal kisses from her every once and a while. Simple affections flowed through the married couple. They didn't need to say anything more; they only had to be together. Though, Michael had to eventually caress his wife's stomach again. He couldn't stop touching their baby. Nor could he stop thinking about the future that was within their grasp, "And maybe we can raise a future superhero."
"Fuck no. They're gonna have the most boring and basic job ever. No more dangerous adventures," Shaking her head vehemently, Nikita negated. She hoped to God, or whoever was listening, that hers and Michael's child was nothing like them. She hoped they were normal and carefree and not at all a secret agent. Their baby didn't deserve the stress or bullshit its parents faced. She and her husband wanted better for their baby, right. That meant no superhero training or anything like that. They were only going to do normal family things. That was it.
"Deal. Just the fun ones instead," Michael chuckled against Nikita's lips. He kissed her sweetly to make up for his joke. She instantly melted into it. He soon broke away to finish their sundaes, but he didn't stray far. Once their desserts were done, he helped her hop down from the counter, and the two moved to the couch. The married couple ended up not watching a movie. But they did talk and laugh as they ate and kissed some more. Despite all their fears, anxieties, and other harsh emotions, the two had one another to help them through. That would always be the case, no matter what.