Part 3

Michael and Brad were just exiting the den when DeLeah and Nikki walked back in laughing together. When they both saw Michael's serious face Nikki instantly became worried. "What's wrong darling?" she asked.

"Nothing." Michael replied. "Kita" Michael said taking her face in both of his hands. "Brad says he's my brother"

"What?" Nikita exclaimed. DeLeah's eyes widened as well. Of course they were both faking the surprise but they had to be convincing.

"What are you talking about?" Nikita demanded. "I thought you said you were an only child" Nikita said stomping her feet and faking her anger at her husband.

"I thought I was ma cherie" Michael spoke in a whisper catching her eyes with his. "My Mere never told me I had a brother" Michael said.

"Then how do you know he's really your brother?" she asked calming down a bit.

"He knows things about me that he wouldn't otherwise" Michael explained.

"I see" Nikita said coldly as she walked away going upstairs to her room. It was all part of the profile of course but Nikita had always hated being angry with Michael. Pretence or not.

Michael was going to go up after her but DeLeah put a hand on his chest to prevent him from doing so. She shook her head at him, "Let me talk to her"

Michael nodded his agreement and DeLeah made her way upstairs to talk to her 'sister'.

Michael looked back at brad and gave him a small smile.

"You're sister in law and wife? They are very close non?" Brad asked.

"Oui" Michael replied. "I've never seen two women closer than they are" Michael explained.

Brad nodded. "Your sister in law, DeLeah; is she seeing anyone at the moment?"

Michael shook his head, "she was hurt awhile back and has sworn off men a little. It will be a special man that can open her heart up again" Michael explained.

Brad smiled, "I see" he replied. "Well, I will say goodbye for now Michael. I know it will take some adjustment for you all to come and realize this is real" Brad said. "I'll call you in a couple of days"

Michael nodded his head, "Fine"

As soon as the young man was gone Michael sprinted upstairs to make sure his 'wife' was alright. He found Kita laying down on the bed with DeLeah laying next to her and both were giggling. Michael smiled at the sight. He was always happy whenever Kita was and he was glad that Kita had a friend like DeLeah. All those years ago when Carla had betrayed her he'd been sure she'd never open up to anyone else but these two had formed a special bond quickly.

"Are you alright?" Michael asked in a whisper coming over to the bed.

"Yes, I'm fine" she replied.

Michael raised an eyebrow but let the comment slide. "DeLeah I think we have a window opportunity here with Brad" Michael began.

"What do you mean Michael? DeLeah asked sure she was not going to like what was coming.

"Brad genuinely likes you. I want you to play along" Michael said.

DeLeah started getting upset, "Are you telling me you want me to play the part of valentine op?" she asked.

Michael looked down, "oui" he replied.

Nikita who had been quiet until now finally broke in, "Michael! How can you ask her to do this? You know her personality is like mine. She can't do valentine operations"

"How?" Michael asked blankly. "Because she's an operative just like you and me" Michael said. "He'll be back in a couple of days. I told him you'd been recently hurt and had sworn off men so it won't be neccessary to sleep with him." Michael said passively as he got up and left the room shutting the door with more force than was normal.

Nikita let a lone tear slide down her cheek, 'She had upset him with her inquires. She'd only been trying to do what was right though.' Nikita layed back down and curled herself into a protective ball. DeLeah sat there and stroked her hair just letting her know that she was here for her until she fell asleep.

DeLeah finally snuck downstairs after staying with Kita for an hour and she fell asleep. She saw Michael sitting in a recliner reading a book. He looked up when he heard her come down.

"How is she?" Michael asked.

"Not well. You shut yourself off from her just now and as a result she's shutting her body down" DeLeah said coldly. "She won't even talk right now. All she did for an hour was sit and stare at the floor crying. She's asleep now though"

"Good." Michael said.

DeLeah started to get angry, "Do you even care about her Michael? Sometimes I wonder" she yelled slamming her fists down on the desk nearby.

"All she wants is someone to love her. You. You're that someone but you are so cold at times that I think you're not even human! You're not even going to go up and check on her when you're the reason she's shutting herself down! Nikki was right when she once told me that you're not human, you're an animal!" DeLeah spit out and stormed out the door.

Michael sighed, he knew she was right. Whenever Kita started shutting herself down it had always been because of him. He should go and make sure she was alright. He went up the stairs slowly almost afraid of what he would find. What he saw almost brought tears to his eyes. There she was his angel, his light laying on the bed. Her beautiful blonde hair framed her innocent, and angelic face. She was resting peacefully on her side with her legs curlled up in a protective ball and her face tucked into her knees. She was so beautiful and she would be his if only he would claim her.

Michael felt a sadness drift over him. He knew he could never do that until he took over section at which time he would name her as his second in command. Michael slowly walked over to the bed and scooted onto it easily. he wrapped his arms around her sleeping form protectively his nostrils filled with the sweet scent of her hair. He nuzzled his face into her hair and that's how Nikita awoke.

As Nikita awoke she felt a pair of hands around her waist. As she looked down she knew they were Michaels. 'But why?' she thought. 'He was angry with her wasn't he? It didn't make sense.' As she slowly tried to scoot off the bed without waking him 'chances of that are slimmer than me, a dead person, winning the lottery' she thought but she was going to try she felt the arms tighten around her.

"Stay" he asked her.

Nikita turned over to look into his hansome face. What she saw made her heart bounce. His eyes were regretful and sad and he had asked her to stay not told her which meant he was being careful with their relationship. She brought up a hand to caress his face gently. She ran her fingernails down his cheek and over to his jaw tracing down to the pulse which beat rapidly in his neck. Michael took her hand from his face and turned it over bestowing a butterfly kiss on each of her knuckles. She smiled brightly. He leaned up and began kissing over her face. He kissed her forhead and her eyelids, down her nose and off the curve of it to her cheeks all the way down to her mouth. When he got to her mouth he started at one side and began bestowing tiny kisses on every spot of her lips driving her wild with desire until she could resist no longer and claimed his mouth in a demanding and passionate kiss. She thrust her tounge inside their mouths not able to get enough of him. She pulled him roughly to her wanting more. Her hands ran up his chest to his shoulders to tangle in his hair once again. Michael finally pulled back for air knowing that he had to do it or she wouldn't at this point.

"Forgive me mon coeur" he asked.

"Done" she said as she claimed his mouth once more pulling herself fully on top of him. The clothes were a minor barrier but one that she needed to get rid of soon. "I love you Michael" Nikita whispered as she let herself experience Michael's magic once more and gave herself up to it.

4 hours later the couple went downstairs. "Where's DeLeah" Kita asked worried about her friend now. She had been terribly upset at Michael's order. Or so it had seemed.

"Perhaps in her room" Michael suggested.

Nikita nodded bouncing up the stairs. "DeLeah" Nikita called as she knocked on the door. With no response Nikita opened the door and walked in. No one was there. Something was wrong. Nikita could feel it.

"Michael" she called as she went downstairs. Michael appeared out of the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" he asked taking her hand gently.

"She's not in her room." Nikita answered worried. "When was the last time you saw her?" Nikita asked.

Michael looked guilty, "After she stormed out of here yelling at me for the way I was treating you" Michael winced.

Nikita looked angry but took a deep breath, "but you didn't go after her? Your insesnitivity is unbelievable" she fumed.

"I was worried about you!" Michael defended himself for once.

"oh so you just let my sister storm out of here when she was so upset about me that she yelled at you" Nikita demanded. "I'm going to look for her" Nikita announced.

Michael grabbed her hand, "Don't be stupid. You can't go out looking by yourself you'll get lost."

"Don't be ridiculous Michael. I've been a trained operative for nearly 10 years now. I've found my way out of things without your help before and I'll do it again."

Michael pulled back, there was no talking Kita out of this. She had her mind made up and nothing was going to change that. "Let me go with you" Michael pleaded.

"NO" Nikita said without even thinking. "You're the reason she stormed out of here and I've got to talk to her"

Michael withdrew into himself as he watched Kita leave the house. 'Damn! She was soooo stuborn sometimes.'

4 hours later Michael was pacing the house. He was worried about Kita and with good reason. He hadn't heard anything from her in nearly 3 hours now. All of a sudden he heard laughter and giggling outside the door.

Michael flung the door open with extreme forcefulness glaring.

"What's wrong with you?" Nikita asked. Her hair was a sloppy mess and wet from the drenching rainfall which had started just after she left. DeLeah looked the same way.

Nikki and DeLeah went into the house and upstairs to take showers and change. DeLeah was the first one back downstairs.

"Where were you?" Michael demanded curtly.

DeLeah gave him a cold stare, "Michael I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"Did I say you couldn't?" Michael asked. "However I am the team leader and I need to know where you're at at all times" Michael stated.

"Oh pulling rank are we Michael" DeLeah sneered. "I was in no danger of compromising the mission if that's what you were worried about. So glad to know that you care about my well being as well" and she walked off to the kitchen to find something to eat.

Michael sighed in the living room. How did things get so strained here. He only wanted to make sure Kita and DeLeah stayed safe but somehow things had gotten turned around. Just then the phone rang.