Disclaimer:- I do not own Dark Angel or any of the charactyers, blah blah blah, you all get the jist!

AN:- Last chapter. And it's just a little one with Alec and Nikki. Just may way of ending them two, so read on and, hopefully, enjoy!

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Trust Has to Be Earned

Chapter Nine: Epilogue

Soon after leaving White's base of operations, Alec and Nikki arrived back at Alec's. They walked into the apartment, Alec leaning slightly against Nikki to keep the weight off his wounded leg. Without saying a word, Nikki dropped Alec on the couch and moved into the kitchen. After a few seconds she walked back in with towels and bandages, not a word spoken while she walked.

"Pants off," Nikki said simply as she stepped up to him. When he didn't move, she finally looked up at him to find him staring at her, eyebrows raised.

"You were shot in the leg. The only way I can see the wound is if you take off your pants."

"Yeah, sure," Alec joked disbelievingly, but he still obliged. Nikki bowed her head and knelt beside Alec as he sat down, trying to hide a smile.

"I saw that," he said cheekily, and Nikki hid another smile. Instead, she examined his wound gently, all her years of medical training kicking in.

"The bullet's in quite deep. I can take it out but it's gonna hurt." Nikki looked up at Alec again and found him smiling down at her.

"What?" Nikki finished, watching him. As an answer, Alec bowed down, took Nikki's face in his hands and kissed her. Nikki felt herself being gently lifted off her feet, falling into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as Alec slowly pulled out of the kiss.

"Wanted to do that since we escaped," Alec said, his forehead pressed against Nikki's as they stared at each other. Nikki smiled shyly, not hiding it this time. As if realising what she was doing, Nikki cleared her throat to wipe away her smile, turning her attention back to Alec's wounded leg.

"So, about this bullet. It's…." But Alec didn't let her finish. He held his hand under her chin, turning her eyes up to him.

'What's wrong?" Alec asked, staring into her dark eyes.

"Nothing. Why do you always think there's something wrong?" Nikki replied, trying to pull out of Alec's grip. But Alec held tight, keeping her face in position.

"I know there is. You keep avoiding holding eye contact with me. So let's not go into this again. Tell me."

"Why?" Nikki asked finally, her eyes glistening slightly. "After everything, why are you still acting like none of this happened?"

"Because that's what I want it to be like," Alec said truthfully.

"But it happened. You can't change that."

"But I don't care about that," Alec said, holding her face a little gentler. Nikki stared at him, shocked.

"I know what you're going through, remember," Alec continued. "When I told Rachel, I just wished that she would have turned round and told me she forgave me."

"So you're saying this to take away your own pain?" Nikki asked, disappointment in her voice.

"Partly," Alec answered honestly. "I'm not gonna lie to you. Forgiving you is helping me. But that's not why I'm doing this. That's not why I came to save you tonight. I did it because I don't want to make the same mistake twice. I don't wanna lose someone who means the world to me. I don't wanna lose someone I love."

Alec watched Nikki's face, waiting for a reaction. And it came as she smiled sweetly at him, a single tear leaking from her glistening eyes. Forgetting about her doubts, Nikki leaned forward and kissed Alec sweetly and innocently. This was just a quick and simply kiss, but beneath it was hidden all the love and emotion Nikki could let out. She pulled away, stroking her hand softly through his hair while he smiled at her.

"All this, everything I've done, it was all to show you," Nikki said. "All to earn your trust."

"And you've done that," Alec said, cupping her face in his hands. "You've earned my trust, and a whole lot more." Smiling widely, Alec pulled Nikki into a loving hug.

"Same for you," Nikki said into Alec's ear, leaning against his shoulder. She clung tight to him, never wanting to let this moment go. It was perfect. It was they way Nikki knew life should be. And the way she felt in his arms, it was all she needed. If this now, this feeling of love, and warmth, and security, was all her life was gonna be from now on, that was all she wanted. She had everything anyone could want. Good friends, somewhere to run to, and someone to run with. To any person, whether a genetically engineered super soldier or not, this was the perfect life.

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THE END

AN:- Awww. No more Nikki and Alec. I'm gonna miss writing them. But I ended on a good note, leaving them two together, which seems to be an achievement for me! What do you guys think. The stories over now, and I wanna know what you guys think about the ending.