Michael had a cut over his right eye, but was otherwise unhurt. Niko, on the other hand, was beginning to favor his left leg, undoubtedly from attempting to sweep Michael off his feet. Michael refused to go.

Operations strode towards the two operatives and the crowd parted automatically, reforming in his wake, so as not to miss a single moment. Operations barked at Michael. "What's going on?" He banished the crowd back to their respective work places, and with the wave of one hand, they went. Reluctantly.

Michael started to walk towards Operations, but Niko had already chambered up a flying roundhouse kick. The kick clipped Michael's side and took him down. Operations turned to Niko and glowered. "What's wrong with you?"

Nikita gave a tiny cry and flew to where Michael lay, groaning. "Are you all right, Michael?"

Niko laughed. "Hey, what about me, baby?"

Nikita shot him a look that would have killed a lesser man. "What about you, Niko? Your ego needs to be fed so often, you're dangerous."

Operations' eyes flickered at the way Nikita appeared to be favoring Michael over Niko now. He would have cursed Madeline for her machinations, but he conceded defeat. He had never liked Niko anyway.

Operations turned to Niko and ordered him to report back to Section's HQ in South America. "You're disturbing the balance here, Niko. Go back to where you came from. Now." It wasn't a request, it was a definite command. And Niko recognized it for what it was. He had lost his challenge, of Michael, of Nikita, of Section One. But not being of a particularly philosophical nature, Niko shrugged and went on his way.

Operations watched the operative walk away and faced Nikita and Michael. "Michael, I want you to go to Medlab. Nikita, if you could accompany him, I would be grateful." He smiled, but as usual, the smile did not quite reach his eyes. He glanced at Madeline. "And you, I'll deal with later."

Madeline smiled, knowing she would find yet another psychological trick to manipulate Operations with by the time their next encounter took place.

"How is Michael, Nikita?"

"Michael…" She bent over him, gingerly pressing his side, and he grimaced.

"I think he might have broken ribs, Madeline."

Madeline considered this. "Perhaps a couple of days off would help ease the pain."

Michael stared at Madeline blankly. "Perhaps…"

Madeline smiled enigmatically at Michael. "I would take full advantage if I were you, Michael. You never know when another opportunity will come along."

He nodded slowly. "Sure."

Madeline turned, chuckling as she said, "Bedrest for two days straight, Michael. Oh, and Nikita? I think I owe you some downtime as well, don't I?"

Nikita glanced at Madeline, hopelessly confused by the turn of events. "If you say so."

She helped Michael into a sitting position, and Michael groaned anew, clearly favoring the side that Niko kicked. "Do you think you'll be able to stand, Michael?"

He frowned. "With help."

She reached out her hand to him, and managed to pull Michael to his feet with surprisingly little effort. She touched his forehead, almost unconsciously, smoothing his hair back from his face. "Does it hurt very bad?"

"It did," Michael answered, and for a moment, Nikita wasn't sure if he meant the pain in his ribs or his losing her to Niko.

Nikita helped Michael down the corridor and into the elevator, pressing the floor button for Medlab. She giggled nervously, "Guess Niko is in exile now."

Michael nodded. "Yeah. You must be upset."

She nodded. "I am. He had no right to treat you that way."

Michael registered a startled glance. "What?"

"He could have…killed you, Michael." Nikita's bottom lip quivered. She wasn't going to cry, not here. But her heart seemed to disagree.

"That would have been one ending to it." Michael winced as he shifted his position.

The doors opened on Medlab. He waved her ahead of him, and she left the elevator. She stopped in front of the first cubicle, indicating he should stay there while she got the doctor to evaluate him.

"Nikita," he called, when she moved away from him. "Would you have cared at least a little that I was gone?"

He couldn't believe he had asked her that. He had no right second-guessing her choices. He knew she would have preferred to stay with Niko. That was that.

"Yes, Michael," she dutifully whispered. She closed her eyes. "I would have missed you."

"More or less than you're missing Niko now?"

Nikita's smile was bittersweet. "Much, much more." She gave in, she was hopelessly attracted to Michael, and she would wait however long it took for him to realize that he cared as much as she did.

He stopped leaning on the cubicle behind him, gently pushing himself towards Nikita. "I thought you wanted to tango, Kita."

"I just remembered how much I like to slow dance, Michael." She went into his arms, careful not to touch his injured side, and he wrapped his arms around her.

He asked, "You sure you're not just used to me?"

She laughed gently. "I could be with you a million years, Michael, and never get used to you."

He looked into her eyes, jade meeting sapphire. "Dance with me, Kita."

She lay her head on his shoulder, and they swayed very slightly together. "Like this?"

He kissed her neck. "Just like this." He closed his eyes, and they moved rhythmically in a circle. There was no music, no sound of any kind, but the beating of their hearts.

"Do you remember last night, I said I wanted to tell you a secret?"

Nikita nodded slightly, enjoying the feel of Michael's skin against her cheek. She pressed a kiss to it, and he pulled her away from his shoulder so he could look at her.

They almost stopped moving altogether as they gazed at each other, their hearts speaking in ways they could not. "The whole time you were with Niko, I was wishing I was him," he whispered.

She smiled knowingly. "Well, the whole time I was with Niko, I was pretending it was you."

She grasped his hand and kissed the palm. "I wouldn't have waited for you as long as I have if I didn't care, Michael."

"I thought I was too late…I know what you think, Kita. You think I don't care."

She tried to stop him from continuing, but her protests fell on deaf ears. He lay his head on her shoulder, his hair falling into his face, hiding his eyes. She felt him kiss her cheek, so gently, so softly, and so tenderly. "But I love you, Kita."

Her fingers tangled themselves in his hair involuntarily, tensing as he said the words she had longed to hear for so long. "I love you, too, Michael."

She felt his arms hold her that much tighter, as though he would never let her go now. "Kita…"

"Yes, Michael?"

"When I said I would give you up? I lied." He chuckled as he buried his face in her neck.

"Michael…"

"Yes, Kita?"

"When I said I wasn't yours to give…I was wrong." Their lips met in a kiss so sweet, they both felt bereft when it ended.

"Then I don't need to learn to tango?" Michael smiled against her mouth.

"Not as long as you can slow dance." Nikita smiled back.

END