*dancing scene idea from WATCHING THE STARLIGHT's she's got me dancin'

Hey, everybody. So the past couple episodes of Nikita have been let downs in the Malex department so I felt it necessary to write a fanfiction. Lol. Not to say that the episodes weren't awesome because the WERE, but we didn't have ANY scenes. So I hope you guys like this. It picks up after 1.06, and I'm planning to make it into a chapter by chapter story with its own plot, but I'm not sure yet. Just let me know. :) Thanks and I hope you enjoy.

Fighting

The guilt ate away at him. Every time Michael began thinking about how he betrayed the one person who had trusted him at Division, he wanted to take the hand gun beneath his pillow and press it against his temple. Yes, as he left her room that night he caught a glimpse of forgiveness in her eyes, but for some reason seeing how much he had hurt her for those few hours hurt him so much more. As he lay in the white sheets of his large bed everything from the past two days came back to haunt him; the bruises along her neck, the burn marks of the wires, the slight limp she had from running barefoot through the forest, the way she looked at him with such trust at the gas station. Michael closed his eyes in anger.

Then the lights in his room flashed on, and the alarm sounded. He reached over to his sleek, black nightstand and hit the button to make the horrid beeping cease. He groaned as he sat up and placed his feet on the floor. For a moment, his hazel eyes stared at the monotonous room, wondering when the last time he felt this guilty was. He had suffered guilt. There was no question about that. Friendly fire in combat, Nikita, but none of those measured up to what he felt just then.

….

"Thank you for coming, Alex." Amanda's calm voice carried over to where Alex had just entered the room. She stood expectantly over the white vanity, and the first thing Alex saw was the red dress that had been on display the first time she had visited Amanda. Alex pursed her lips.

"Well, I didn't really have much of a choice." She directed her complaint at the buff security guard now closing the door to the room. He simply smirked and left Amanda and Alex alone.

"I brought you here today because you have been activated for your second mission…" Amanda watched Alex's expression. Confusion took over.

"I…I just finished my evaluation. I had my first 'mission,' if you can even call that a mission, less than a month ago." Alex watched Amanda warily. "Why?"

Amanda raised her eyebrows. "Percy was actually quite impressed with your evaluation even though much of it was setup. You successfully escaped, and that showed us a great deal of promise." Alex bit her lip. "So if you don't mind I need to get you ready for the mission." She motioned to the white chair in front of the vanity. Alex hesitated for a moment, but Amanda's gaze had a magnetism to it that pulled her toward the chair despite her desire to run the opposite way. She staggered over to the seat.

Alex sank into the chair with a slouch and watched Amanda's expression through the mirror.

"You're going to need to sit up."

Really… Alex straightened her back reluctantly. For some reason every time she was around Amanda she felt the need to be disobedient. Maybe it was the way her voice was always level, or the way her hair and makeup were always perfect, or maybe it was the fact that her face was impossible to read. Maybe it was everything about her.

"So what's the mission?" Alex grumbled as Amanda took out her ponytail and began brushing through the tangles of long brown hair.

"Did we not discuss this last time, Alex?"

Alex sighed in agitation. "You must know something if you know what I have to wear."

Amanda smirked beneath her layers of makeup and lip gloss. "You have a point." Alex smiled in satisfaction. "Well, what I do know is that you will be going to an important…gala."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a very fancy dance, Alex."

"…oh." Alex looked away from the mirror for a moment, thinking about the fact that she was not fancy, could not dance, and was still in training. This should go well… she thought sarcastically.

" Percy is trying to get some leverage on a high end group of drug dealers. From what I understand they are amongst the highest volume traffickers in the world. This should be more of a diplomatic mission than anything, but you will be armed, and you will have support." Amanda had finished brushing her hair, and began to pin Alex's hair into a loose, high bun, letting her bangs remain down.

"What kind of support will I have?" Alex asked, wincing as a pin dug into her scalp.

"I don't know exactly, but I do know Michael will be present as you are still in the early stages of your training." A part of Alex felt relieved, another part felt pissed. His presence always made her calmer, and ever since what he had told her in her room she trusted him. It had been a long time since she could even think about the word trust. Then again there was the moment when his words seemed to be nothing but lies. Amanda glanced at Alex's softened expression. "What is it, Alex?"

"Oh," Alex stumbled for words, "nothing." Amanda watched her for a moment too long. For a while there was silence partially because if Alex moved at all she was sure Amanda would berate her for making her mess up on her makeup and partially because Alex could tell Amanda suspected something. It was impossible to tell exactly what, but Amanda watched her with a new light in her eyes, and Alex refused to make her anymore suspicious by continuously speaking.

Alex's mind drifted back towards her evaluation as Amanda worked concealer over her bruised neck. A section of her brain wanted to be angry with Michael for allowing her to nearly be cancelled, but then his words would seep back into her memory, and however frustrating it was the anger would melt away.

Look. We'll make this right okay? I'm not gonna let them do anything to you. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you…I'm not going to lose you too.

"Alright, Alex. You just need to get dressed."

"Okay," Alex replied as coolly as possible. "What am I wearing?" Amanda's smile broadened as she brought forth the red dress.

"This." Alex looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

….

Michael stood in the middle of the extravagant foyer, taking a quick look at his watch. He sighed and rolled his eyes, tugging his black Armani tuxedo jacket in agitation. He looked around at the sea of well dressed people. All adorned by diamonds, Rolex watches, and designer dresses and suits. Michael pressed a finger to the ear bud in his ear.

"Where is Alex? She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago." Michael's low voice came off with a little more edge than he meant, but in places like these he felt more tense than usual.

So much better when I can see who's going to shoot at me…

"Amanda said she'll be there in a minute," Birkhoff responded. He laughed in amusement. "Something about not being able to get Alex into a dress." A twinkle of hilarity pulled one side of Michael's mouth up into a half smile.

"What'd she have to do? Wrestle her into it?" Michael asked sarcastically. He gazed around the room, assessing the situation.

"Hmmm…I'd like to see that." Birkhoff said suggestively. "Hey…" The rest of his words were lost to Michael as his hazel eyes locked onto Alex. She obviously had not spotted him yet as her eyes continued to pan the foyer. She walked through the throngs of people stumbling once in the heels she wore. Michael watched her, simply forgetting for a moment who he was and who she was, and then it all came back to him. A soft smile clung to his lips as he walked briskly over to where she stood. She was facing away from him so he placed a hand on her shoulder. He could feel the muscles of her back tense as she turned around, but when she caught sight of him her shoulders drooped a bit in relief.

"Oh, it's you." She said, cracking a bitter smile.

Michael smirked. "…and you're late," he whispered in her ear. His hazel eyes settled on hers in that intense, brooding way, and Alex could feel the smile slip off of her face as her pulse quickened considerably. It reminded her so much of that night. Michael watched her reaction and removed his hand from her shoulder. She glanced away in distraction at the passing waiters with short glasses of potent alcoholic beverages.

"Corbett is already here." He continued watching her as her fascination with the event obviously grew. Alex took a moment more before responding.

"Well, where is he?" she questioned impatiently. Michael nodded his head subtly in the direction of an extremely well dressed man with two pieces of arm candy clinging to him. "What are we waiting for? Let's get the intel." Alex made several steps in the direction of the man. Adrian Corbett looked up at Alex and winked. Her steps faultered, and she began to feel her face flush red as the man looked her up and down unabashedly. Alex's eyes remained glued to his for a brief few seconds before she felt Michael's hand firmly wrap around her wrist and practically drag her in the other direction.

Michael pulled Alex behind him until they were in one of the smaller less congested rooms of the mansion. "What were you doing?" he hissed, pulling her around to face him.

Alex watched him in frustration with brows furrowed. "I was trying to get the information."

"It's not that simple, Alex," he whispered, watching her face intently.

Alex rolled her eyes, and caught sight of the waiter toting around a tray of drinks on the rocks. She reached out and grabbed one of the beverages.

"Thank you," Alex said fluttering her lashes, sweeping away any doubt in the waiter's eyes as to her eligibility to drink. When he was gone Alex looked straight at Michael, and began to drain the glass of the beige liquid, keeping eye contact the entire time. Michael crossed his arms across his chest, and had to resist the urge to laugh as she winced at the taste.

"Alex…"

"Yes?" she replied in a challenging tone, swirling the drink around in its ornate glass.

"First," Michael gently took the drink from her hand, his fingers touching hers for the briefest of moments, reminding Alex even more of why she needed to distance herself. Michael locked his hazel eyes on hers and drained the remains of the more than half full glass. He set the glass down on a nearby table with hardly a sound. "Second, we need to have a talk." Michael placed an arm around her waist and led her to the dance floor. She allowed him to steer her so as not to attract any attention. A slow classical piece was being played by a live orchestra. Michael settled his hands at Alex's waist, trying to keep his facial features intact and not let his eyes drift to the neckline of her dress.

"Where do I…"

"Around my neck," Michael murmured as he began to sway to the music. Alex did as she was told, and placed her arms around his neck. "Now just follow my lead." Alex grimaced.

"The last time I followed your lead I was almost cancelled or have you forgotten already?" The question bit away at Michael's impassive face.

"No, I haven't," he replied looking away from Alex. She detected the guilt even beneath the mask he wore, and for a moment felt regret. "But I told you in your room that I was telling the truth. I would not let anything happen to you." Michael refocused his hazel eyes on Alex, and attempted to impound his remorse into her. Subconsciously he tightened his grip on her waist as he pulled her closer. Alex's weakened resolve showed on her face. She took a deep breath and felt part of herself give into his words, but she could feel her chest tighten and constrict in retaliation. The other part of her, the part that's entire purpose was to keep her from getting hurt again, would not give in. At least not yet.

The music ended in one final wavering note and the couples on the dance floor came to a slow halt. Michael kept his arms around Alex, and continued staring into her eyes.

"Excuse me," a man's voice interrupted as he tapped Michael's shoulder. Michael tore his eyes away from Alex's to address the man behind him.

"Yes?" Michael's eyes almost imperceptibly narrowed as he recognized the profile of the man. It was Adrian Corbett.

"I was wondering if I could steal a dance," he responded, nodding at Alex. She smiled flirtatiously despite the bile building in her stomach.

Michael cleared his throat and nodded his head uncomfortably. "Of course."

Corbett held out his hand to Alex and she took it, forcing herself not to look back at Michael.