He sat up carefully, disentangling himself from her body reluctantly. He leaned over and pressed a tender kiss to her abdomen. Slowly he straightened, a very real sadness taking hold of his soul. "I'm sorry, Sam…you really are special…but this can't go anywhere."

She regarded him in utter silence, her breathing just beginning to slow down. "Why?" she whispered. "Is it Nikita?"

He nodded. "As terrible as it sounds, I was attracted to you because of your resemblance to Nikita. But it was more than that, honestly…" He pinched the bridge of his nose again. His head throbbed alarmingly now, as though it were trying to tell him something. Something important.

"Headache?" she whispered, reaching out to rub his temples with her fingertips. He nodded again, feeling as though her touch were soothing in some way.

"I like your spirit. You remind me of Nikita when she first came to Section, all defiant and oppositional. She hated authority, she hated Section…and sometimes, she even hated me." Michael slumped over, holding his head in his hands, feeling as though the pain might very well break his head apart.

"I don't know exactly when that started to change… She hung on my every word. It was as if I were her entire universe." Michael winced. "I don't know when that stopped…"

"Did you ever ask her?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "I've been afraid to find out."

Michael got up suddenly, grabbing his clothes off the floor. "Look, I know this isn't the behavior of a gentleman, but I have to go…I just can't stay here." He began pulling his pants on. "I seem to be cursed to be a one-woman man. There has been no one else for me since Nikita came into my life. You probably think that's funny…"

She shook her head silently. "No," she whispered. "I just wish you'd told me, Michael…"

He stared at her. "Nikita?"

She nodded. "I swapped places with Sam…seems she had a hot Internet date she just couldn't miss. Then I had Birkoff send her off on a fake mission…"

He sat down on the end of the bed, still partially undressed. "Then who called me in?"

"I did. Seems one husky voice sounds all the same to everyone." She laughed sadly, feeling as though her heart would break.

"But why, Kita?" He took her hands in his, gently massaging them as he studied her sad expression.

"I was so jealous…" Nikita bit her lip till it bled. "I couldn't see straight." She looked away from Michael's eyes. They saw entirely too much.

"And you didn't even realize you were making love to me!" Nikita cried out suddenly, wrenching her hands out of his grasp.

He sighed. "That's not true, Kita." He half-smiled. "I admit, my head didn't know, but my body did. I thought about you the whole time…" He reached out for her and pulled her into his arms. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm in love with you, Kita." He searched her face for a long moment.

"Michael, what you said before…about there being no one else…It's the same for me…"

"I know, Kita." He kissed her on the mouth, sighing when he pulled away finally. "Would you like to spend the next two days with me?"

She flung her arms around his neck. "Yes, Michael."

"What do you want to do then?" Michael smiled against her neck, laying his head on her shoulder.

She slid beneath him, tickling his middle with her fingertips. He doubled over, and she slipped a hand inside his pants, freezing as she felt his arousal. "I think we need to stay right here and take care of this…" She leaned forward, kissing him ardently.

"I think you're right…" Michael agreed. "Might even take the whole two days…" He relaxed against her body, feeling her hand gently touching him.

"Michael?" She breathed against his mouth.

He laid his cheek against hers. "What, Kita?"

"I love you…"

He drew back and stared at her, his lips finally curving upwards. "Now can I speak French, Nikita?"

"If you must…" Nikita rolled her eyes.

"Je t'aime, Nikita. Vraiment." He pushed her hair back from her face with his hand. She stroked his face in a similar gesture. "You know it hurt me terribly to see you do this to Sam…"

Michael frowned. "Maybe I was pretending she was you, Kita. Did you ever think of that?"

She looked startled. "No… I dunno if I believe that."

"Well, try harder." He kissed her longingly, nudging her lips apart with his tongue. "It's true."

Sam Saunders arrived outside the dance club with time to spare, thanks to a handy quick pick-up by the mission van. She entered the club and stood just inside the door. Searching. How would she know when she had found him? Her email connection?

Suddenly a hand shot out in front of her and grabbed her, pulling her roughly into an embrace. "I thought you'd never get here."

"You! I never would have guessed it was you!" She laughed merrily. She loved a good twist as well as the next person, and this was a good one.

Operations stepped into the light and extended his arm to Sam. "Did I mention I drive a black BMW?"

END