La Femme Nikita or the characters does not belong to me, I merely play in the LFN sandbox for fun.

A/N Fans of La Femme Dana, Please Read! Sorry this is not the promised addition with Dana and Daniel, but I want to tell you that I'm currently working on it. I can't say when it'll be done seeing as I'm struggling with figuring out some believable story. I do know I'll post it under LFD, so look there ;) I didn't post this information as an author's note, because I know from experience how annoying it can be, when you think there's gonna be a whole chapter and then it's just a lazy author he he. So as not to be rude to you, my kind readers, I decided to post a one-shot I wrote a few months after LFN's sad end. I hope you'll like it – maybe it's a bit confusing, but I remember being very angry and disappointed over season five, so…Enjoy none the less and forgive me my rambling ;)A Promise

Nikita stopped her car and closed her eyes in preparation for the upcoming day. Getting out of the bed that morning had been even more painful than usual. Something about the smell of the spring and the sound of birds chirping outside her bedroom window had made all her repressed dreams surface again.

Dreams that couldn't come true – at least not yet…

During her morning run and exercise routine Nikita had felt uneasy for some reason, something just wasn't right. Usually she'd contribute that to her ongoing internal torture of being stuck in Section One. But not today.

A sound jolted Nikita back into her harsh reality and she opened her eyes where she saw one of the high level agents exit the before mentioned hellhole. She sighed and grabbed her sunglasses – Nikita didn't feel like showing her eyes today and she knew no one would dare tease her for wearing them inside, there were no teasing going on in there…

A few moments later Nikita entered Section One and immediately fell into character; a character she'd borrowed from the late second in command, Madeline. She walked with a grace that eluded danger and her face held no trace of emotions what so ever.

The old man Walter looked up in habit as she walked by, hoping against hope for a greeting like they'd done so many times before. When Section One's newest Operations walked coldly by, Walter sighed and grimaced his disappointment. Nikita no longer greeted him, because she simply didn't care – the day Nikita had walked through Section's doors as Operations without Michael Samuelle, was the day she'd shut down emotionally.

Walter was the first to admit, she was a damn fine leader – a lot better than the previous one and a lot less sadistic and manipulative, but…Walter sighed as he caught a glimpse of his old and dearest friend behind the windows on the perch, I miss you sugar…

Jason, the spunky twin to Seymour Birkoff strode over with a smirk on his face and Walter tried to forget the past and concentrate on the present. "What's up?" he asked and pulled out a tracking device that a level two operative had claimed was dysfunctional.

Jason crossed his arms and replied," I went on a hot date last night and I'm telling ya, whoa – blondes do have more fun." Walter grinned as was expected and ignored that uneasy feeling in his spine that something was about to happen. "I told you so," he added and looked up at Jason.

But Jason's attention was no longer on the old man, his head was turned towards the perch and Walter followed his gaze. He immediately dropped his tools at the sight before his eyes.

Nikita had slid down on her knees and were by the looks of it wailing desperately. "What the hell…?" Jason muttered in the sudden eerie silence.

Walter swallowed down his fears – he knew what was wrong. Only one thing or rather person could get that kind of response out of their leader. Something had happened to Michael…

Nikita sat on the soft carpet with warm heavy tears streaming down her face; she knew that people would be staring since she hadn't gotten around to darkening the windows yet.

But she just couldn't move. Her eyes were locked on to the small computer screen on the wall next to the door; it wasn't the words she cared about at the moment – they were not unusual. It was the small picture beside them.

A body full of gunshot wounds and a slid throat. Again not something unusual for her to see, but it was the eyes that mesmerized and broke her all at the same time.

Startling green eyes that used to sparkle and glint whenever they looked at her. Now they were dull and unseeing.

Nikita didn't know how long she sat there with her body trembling in grief and disbelief all mixed up in one. The pain from her past – their past suddenly felt like nothing in comparison. This piercing agony in her unbelievably still beating heart tore at her every cell and caused the tear flow to double.

A movement in the doorway managed to get her attention for a nanosecond and Nikita locked eyes with her first real friend at Section One; Walter.

She took a shuddering breath and forced out one whimpering word," …Michael…" It was as though the spoken name made it all the more real and Nikita bit her tongue to keep the broken scream at bay, her hands twisted themselves in her hair and she pulled at the golden locks – desperate for another, more bearable pain to deal with.

Walter stood dumbfounded for a minute, watching the so called cold Operations crumble before him. The pain was touchable in the Spartan office. Memories of a time long ago where the devastated woman before him, had helped him in his grief assaulted the old weapon's developer.

Unable to bear witness without doing anything anymore forced Walter into action and he crouched down before the hurting woman and pulled her into his arms.

Nikita fought against the hold weakly and moaned," No," as the arms circled around her unyielding. To his shock Walter saw blood pour from the female's mouth and he realized she'd bitten her tongue to keep from roaring out her sorrow. "Aw, Sugar," Walter muttered soothingly and grabbed Nikita tighter, when she kept resisting.

The pet name seemed to break through her walls and she relaxed into his hold and groaned out," Walter…I can't do this – I can't bear it…He promised…"

"Shhh," Walter whispered and gently rubbed her back in calming circles, like his beloved Belinda had once done for him after a grueling day.

How long they sat there neither of them knew nor cared. Finally the reality of their business couldn't be ignored any longer and a firm knock on the door interrupted their grieving.

Walter placed his now dry eyed – almost catatonic boss in her chair in the corner and stood up with a silent groan and allowed the intruder entrance.

One of the new level two operatives, John something stared wide-eyed at Nikita's unmoving form before quickly averting his curious eyes over to the older man in front of him, who growled out," what do you need kid?"

John swallowed and hesitantly said," T-There's a problem with Luc and new level four operative named James down in the training room."

Walter nodded briskly and was about to go take care of the problem, when Nikita's now totally emotionless voice startled him from behind. "Send them to White Room – I'll deal with them shortly."

John nodded and hurried away from the dead blue eyes that froze the remainder of his soul. Walter looked over at Nikita and asked slowly," you think that's a good idea honey? I won't blame you for leaving today- to take some time."

Nikita then shocked him to the very core of his being when she stood up and said," If I leave now Walter – I won't come back alive…and then who would they make Operations? I have to stay here and keep you all safe…no matter what…" she couldn't finish and for a brief moment Walter recognized the scared looking kid that had walked through the doors of Section One in Paris all those years ago.

He was gob smacked; here he'd thought that Nikita didn't care about anything or anyone other than Michael Samuelle anymore…And then to find out that one of the reason's she'd suffered in this place was because of him and all the other operatives. I was so wrong; he thought sadly and nodded - unable to say another word, when she commanded him back to his station.

Nikita watched her old friend leave as though watching through a daze. She grabbed her gun and shot the screen – effectively erasing Michael's picture, she didn't need to see it anymore to remember it - it was forever branded inside her mind.

She couldn't comprehend the fact that that strong willed man was dead. He was everything to her and she was everything to him. No longer would she wake up gasping in the night, knowing that she just had to hold on a little longer and then he'd be there. "He promised," Nikita muttered almost inaudible and ignored the frightened looks her subjects threw at her and the smoking gun in her shaking hand when she made her way to the White Room.

The steel door squeaked ominously as it opened and Nikita stopped right after entering the circle room. Two large men sat bound in the steel chairs. One of them looked scared beyond belief and Nikita almost wished she could feel such superficial emotions at that moment. He was the new level four operative, transferring from Section Eleven in England, where he'd been the best. Therefore there'd been some readjusting to do, when he realized that the level of talent in the original Section was far above average. It was after all filled with agents, who'd been trained by Michael Samuelle, Paul Wolfe, Madeline and herself.

Nikita didn't speak as her tear rimmed eyes wandered over to the other man; Luc, a new recruit, who'd shown remarkable skill early on. He'd only been in Section for nine months and except for one brief introduction from across the entrance hall after his first solo mission, Nikita knew nothing about him – only that Oversight had expectations for the newcomer, apparently expecting a new and better Michael.

Michael…The image of those dead eyes haunted her and she took a deep breath to focus.

"You two are facing cancellation for disrupting training – and more importantly interrupting me. Tell me what happened and I might reconsider."

Luc didn't blink and the other man quickly said," I was sparing with one of the other operatives Ma'am. Then Luc suddenly began leaving the training area after checking his watch and I told him to stay where we were ordered to stay. He didn't respond and I ordered him to stand down and when I tried to grab him, he attacked me!" The pure indignation in his voice almost made Nikita want to smile, but like so many other of her facial abilities, this one was lost at the moment.

After a moment of silence, Nikita turned back to the still silent Luc. "Why did you deem it necessary to leave training without specific permission?" Luc met her eyes and Nikita almost stumbled back. In the bright light of the White Room it was as though his brown eyes shone bright green. Again images of Michael assaulted her and she bit down on her already abused tongue to concentrate on the operative's response. "I had to."

Nikita was almost glad that Luc seemed so arrogant and uncooperative; it took her mind of things, if only for a second. She ignored James's mocking sneer and said," Nothing is more important than your training here, it will keep you alive. Being arrogant however will not and you will be killed the first time out," the last bit was added to the now pale James.

Nikita didn't look away from Luc when she pressed a button on her wristband and thereby released James. "Leave and learn from your mistakes," she told the hastly fleeing man. When the doors had closed again she straightened up and said," I don't know you, but let me promise me, you've chosen the wrong day to try and play superior with me Luc. I just had some really bad news...and I will not tolerate insubordination. Now tell me where you were going and why?"

Nikita hated the raw edge to her voice; she was moments away from crying again and she desperately wanted this Michael wannabe to bow to her and leave with his tail between his legs.

Apparently she wasn't the only one to hate her almost touchable emotions, because Luc flinched of all things when her voice hitched during her feeble threat. Then he closed his eyes for a long moment and just as Nikita was about to raise her gun at him in irritation and as an outlet for her grueling internal agony, he opened them and said quietly," I had a promise to keep…"

The gun fell unused to the floor as Nikita whispered,"...Michael?"

A/N Not my best work I admit it, but I wanted to give you something while you wait. Please Review ;)

Ditte Mai