Guts Over Fear ◇ NIKITA

Tea?

"Tell me about Noah, Alys," Amanda started, sitting back with her china set that looked new between them. Alys just touched her bracelet and leaned back into the cushions.

"I met him on the beach." She'd only come out to see who was around, she didn't imagine anyone would approach her with more than sleezy ways to get her out of her top for them. But then, that was just Noah from the get go. "He loved the water. His mom called him Little Fish."

"Come down to the water with me, Alys." Her name sounded perfect coming from his mouth, she would never get tired of hearing it. She took his hand and offer of assitance, following him down to the cold water with light banter. He was so in tune with his surroundings, his breathing even in time with the light breeze.

"What made him so different?" Alys's muscles were sore, from keeping herself afloat for so long, but it was so worth it. Her already weak legs were tested further when Noah kissed her. She hadn't wanted this when she drove here, but mostly submerged in the water, a new sense of freedom overwhelming her as she sunk into the taste of him.

"He was nerdy, everyone else just wanted me in bed. Even then he had other things in mind." God, you'll never hear her say that though she wasn't wanting sex when she came here, that she didn't want it with Noah. She didn't even realize it happening until they were both naked, really. He was just too good at mesmorizing her. "I knew what kind of trouble I was putting myself in, I didn't want it to become serious."

"But it did," Amanda confirmed. Alys nodded and took a deep breath. She was so content, slowly running her fingers over the back of his head, pushing through the soft curls. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay on this little island way off the range of the beach with Noah for as long as she could possibly manage.

"Stay with me," he mumbled against her lips, his hands smoothing over her sides. His touch was feather-light, coaxing her into more, her body humming for more than this simplicity.

"He did something to me," Alys tried to explain. "He made me forget about my life for a little bit, like my life was normal again." The blonde gently trailed her fingers over Noah's jaw, a dazed smile on her lips. "You're going to have really convince me," she chuckled, knowing that it probably wouldn't take that much. "There isn't enough stability in my life."

"So we start simple." Alys looked down at their still naked bodies and giggled.

"Yes, because this is simple." Noah got this little smile, his lips parted and his eyes half closed, his admiration clear on his face.

"Text me. If you want to do this again, we can," he instructed, kissing her nose and taking note of the light sprinkling of freckles on her face. "I don't want you to just disappear on me." He kissed her slowly now, smiling when her hands curled around his neck to keep him close.

"I can't make many promises, but I will text you," she chuckled, still trying to kiss him. "And I can almost assure you I'll want this again."

"Oh, really?" Noah stood straighter and Alys couldn't stop herself from curling her legs around his hips. She nodded and took his lip between her teeth, holding his attention as she closed the space between them again.

"Yeah, like, right now."

"Alys," Amanda called, watching her glazed blue eyes focus back in. The Ritalin was automatically out of the window years ago so Amanda simply learned how to work around her spacial brain. When the blonde honed back in to the present, she tried again. "Please, be more descriptive."

Alys took in a deep breath, feeling her chest constrict. "There isn't much to talk about. We had a thing - I didn't think it would get that far but it did. I made a mistake in getting close...and he paid the price."

"That's a lovely bracelet; new, I expect?" Alys frowned and pulled her wrist close to her in defense.

"Yes, and I'd very much like to keep it. It serves as a good reminder."

"Of?" Amanda inquired, a perfect brow raising. The feeling of security in his arms was unlike any she'd known before, the full, satisfying feeling of having him all to herself.

"The limits." Alys hadn't realized she was holding one of the china cups until she brought it to her lips, it's contents mostly depleted. "The times I have taken risks, they're usually all the wrong ones. The wrong people get hurt."

Seeing him that second time solidified her life outside of Division, made it all real, little she had known at the time. She was connecting now, and not just on a physical level. She kept most of the truth a secret, but every now and again there was an inkling of truth. "I was adopted." "I remember my papa, but not very much." "I have a little brother who doesn't know I exist." "Hardly anyone knows I exist anymore." Alys took a deep breath and avoided Amanda's stare. "People are mayflies," she mumbled, remembering her father's words. "Getting attached to something with an expiration date usually leads to unnecessary pain."

Alys finished her tea and set down the tiny cup, giving Amanda a frown of disinterest. "Are we done? I need to take care of Michael soon."

"Of course," Amanda hummed with a small quirk to her lips. "Thank you for seeing me, Alys." Alys didn't even bother in saying anything else to Amanda as she walked out the door. She was too busy trying to clear her head of the saddening thoughts that flew around in her head.

She knew she shouldn't have gotten too close. She knew it was only going to end in pain. But Alys was a masochist when it came to pain; she had to feel it ten times more until she could finally learn. It was only a matter of time. Her habit of breaking rules and generating internal affairs was really going to come back and bite her one day.

When she finally made it to medical, Michael was already shirtless and ready for her inspection. "Sorry I'm a bit late," Alys mumbled. "Had to debrief with Amanda."

"I know. And I'm sorry." Alys looked up from pulling on her lab coat, studying the rarely sincere expression on his face.

"Thank you," she managed to quietly utter. Her voice hadn't really been strong since she got the attitude with Birkhoff, and really all she wanted to do was get done with work so she could sleep and remember Noah. "How does your shoulder feel?"

"A little sore," he informed, watching her careful hands pull back the guaze on his chest. The blonde set down the guaze before grabbing a pair of scissors, cutting the stitch and slowly pulling it from his skin. When it was out, he released a tense breath and leaned away from her as she prepped disinfectant.

"You're healing excellently. You should be back to normal soon." Meeting his eye in silent warning and waiting for Michael to nod before gently cleaning up the healing would with hydrogen peroxide. He hissed as the chemical went to work cleaning away any infection-causing bacteria and letting him adjust to the feeling before motioning him to sit forward and doing the same to his back.

After cleaning up the two slightly scabbed lines and the two dots on either side of each, she covered them with band-aids. In a way, she treated Michael's injury as a gift from Nikita. Alys would be forced to help him, or pass him off to someone less qualified and raise attention to herself. It was a decent wound, he'd still be hurting for a while and she'd keep him in the sling with limitted use, but it just shows that if you challenge Nikita she'll raise above the bar you set.

But now, it was her turn. And right now, Alys didn't want to think about her, or anyone for that matter.