Author's note:
This story is a sequel to Hate Me.
*
As usual Alex was filled with a mixture of emotions as she approached Nikita's HQ, but most notably fear and excitement. Fear that she would find the woman she loved dead or worse that she would lead their enemies to them and live just long enough to see Nikita die. But Alex was constantly haunted by those thoughts and while they got stronger whenever she was about to see Nikita again they were overwhelmed by her feelings of joy at once again seeing the older woman who was her everything.
Her heart pounded ever faster in her chest the closer she got and then it skipped a beat upon seeing Nikita alive and well. However no sooner had a relieved smile crossed Alex's face her training kicked in forcing her to analyse her surroundings. It was then that Alex noticed the totalled computer. Other things seemed in disarray but on further inspection of the room, and Nikita, it was only the computer screen and hard drive which was riddled with bullets.
"What happened to the computer?" Alex asked.
"Michael. He and I had a heated discussion." Nikita said, a tiny smirk briefly crossing her face as she approached the younger girl, "It ended with a trip to Russia to help him settle an old score. That's where I've been the last couple of days."
"With him?" Alex found herself blurting out, hating how blatantly jealous she sounded.
"Yes." Nikita said softly, not missing Alex's tone, "And in case you're wondering, nothing happened. He has feelings for me, he always has, and maybe in another life I might have explored that, but I made it clear to him there was someone else."
"Oh." Alex mumbled, happiness overwhelming her for a second before she asked, "Is that going to be a problem?"
"I doubt it." Nikita said dryly, "We found out that Percy was the one that arranged to have his family killed so he's agreed to help us take the bastard down."
"That's great." Alex said, before quickly clarifying, "Not about what Percy did, that's horrible, but if this means there'll be two of us on the inside-"
"No!" Nikita almost yelled before calming herself, "Michael has almost unlimited access to Division. With him on our side there is no reason for you to go back."
Alex just stared at Nikita for a moment and then asked, "So what do you want me to do?"
Nikita moved so she was standing right in front of Alex, "First we need to remove your tracker. Like I said, I know a guy who can do it, and give you a new identity-"
"I don't want a new identity." Alex snapped angrily, "I don't want to run. I won't. I won't leave you!"
"I don't want you to leave!" Nikita snapped back, somewhat softening her tone as she added, "I want you to stay. I want you to stay here with me, and I want to make this place nuclear bomb proof and lock it down so tight no one could ever get to you. But the truth is as long as Division is around it doesn't matter what I do your life will be in danger. So me and Michael are going to finish this. Finish them once and for all. And I want you by my side for that, but I need you to understand... if you stay I can't guarantee your safety."
"I don't care." Alex snapped again, albeit without a hint of anger this time, "I'm staying."
Nikita half smiled, "I hoped you'd say that."
Alex cautiously stepped forward, "Were you really expecting me to say anything else?"
Again Nikita softly smiled, "You should know by now I always expect the worst, but-"
"Prepare for every potential outcome, I know." Alex said, stepping into Nikita's personal space, "I just don't see how you could ever think me leaving you was a possible outcome."
"It should be. You should leave me. You should hate me. You should-" Nikita snapped, and then when her lover gave her a look she sighed, took Alex into her arms and said, "And I know, I know you don't care how I think you should feel, but honestly Alex I don't deserve you. And for all my careful planning I didn't see this coming. I didn't see falling in love with you as a possible outcome and now I can't sleep, I can't eat... I can barely function because I'm worried they'll take you away from me the way they took Daniel. And I loved him, but not as much as I love you. I've never loved anyone as much as I love you. So please Alex, leave Division. Please leave Division so I can keep you safe. Please... stay with me."
What was possibly the most genuinely happy smile she'd ever had crossed Alex's face as she replied, "With you, is the only place I've ever wanted to be."
Smiling with the same obvious happiness as her protégé Nikita stroked Alex's hair and whispered, "That's good. So good. But we still need to remove your tracker. After you called I contacted my guy but he can't do it until tonight. In the meantime... I'm open to suggestions..."
Alex was a little taken aback by that last comment, particularly the tone of it. Back before they were sharing a bed Nikita had been strictly business with her for the most part, and when they had become lovers Nikita had grown cold as ice. It had been worse during sex, Nikita treating Alex like trash in a misguided attempt to stop the younger girl from falling in love with her. So it was kind of jarring for Nikita to be playfully flirting with her, albeit a little cautiously, the deadly assassin looking a little worried as Alex hesitated to reply.
Refocusing on what was important Alex softly smiled and said, "I could think of a few things."
Then she lent in to kiss Nikita which led to another pleasant surprise for Alex. Namely Nikita leaning in at the same time and with the same slow pace resulting in a kiss which was more reminiscent of strangers than long time lovers. Once their lips met there was still the passion of two people who had thoroughly explored each other's bodies but there was still a cautiousness more associated with a first time kiss and a gentleness Alex had never received before. It was breath-taking. Not that kissing Nikita wasn't always breath-taking because it was, this was just... different. Wonderfully different.
It was different because Nikita wasn't kissing Alex like she was her lover, but like she was in love with her. Of course Nikita had been in love with Alex for a while but she was now embracing those feelings instead of fighting them. Embracing her passion for the young girl, Nikita trying to tell Alex she loved her through the kiss. Which admittedly she had done right after finally telling Alex how she felt, but a hello kiss is different to one given in the middle of sex. Or right after it. Or a reluctant goodbye.
For the most part Nikita enjoyed gently kissing Alex. It brought back a few bittersweet memories of former lovers but fortunately it was difficult to concentrate on anything that wasn't this girl in her arms. The only other thing that was really on Nikita's mind was guiding the younger spy to the bed and stripping them both of their clothes, something she took a great deal of time and care in doing. Nikita used that same amount of care to lower Alex on the bed before gently pushing her into the centre of it and then getting on top of her.