Title- Running Out of Time Author- Stacie Rating- R, just to be safe Classification- SVR-(Syd/Vaughn Romance) Summary- Sloan finds out that Sydney is the mole. AN- Ok, this is the first time I'm writing an Alias fic. Also, I haven't seen all of the first season episodes, so, I'm sorry if any mistakes are made. ~*~*~*~ Prologue- It all started with a phone call. "Joey's pizza?" Sydney smiled when she heard his voice. It was soft and the words seemed to roll out of his mouth. But, she sensed urgency underlining the welcoming words. "Sorry. Wrong number." She answered, hanging up the phone and tucking it into her purse. She grabbed her keys and got into her car. Like always, she drove around awhile before she stopped at the warehouse, just to make sure she wasn't being followed. She pulled into the hidden drive way and got out. When she reached the door, she paused and saw Vaughn pacing. That was never good. She walked in quietly and sat on one of the crates. "What's up?" She asked quietly. He looked up at her, his beautiful green eyes murky with a troubled expression. Hip lips were thinned and he bit his lower one nervously. She noticed a slight tremor to his hands. "Vaughn?" She asked urgently, her eyes searching his. He started, his voice full of fear and slightly shaky, "You've got to get out of town, Syd, now." "Why?" She asked, a puzzled expression placed on her face. "Syd, they know. Sark told them, Sloane. He knows everything." He said, his voice strained. She froze, "What?" "You've got to leave tonight." He repeated. "H-how.? I mean." She stammered, her breathing hitched. "I don't know. Sark told. I'm sorry." He replied, sitting next to her. "You're sorry? For what?" She asked, incredulously. "Because, if I hadn't been sick, you wouldn't have had to make that deal." He said, looking down. "And who got you sick? God, you almost died in Taipei, And because of me." She sighed, "And, if I wouldn't have gotten the antidote, you would have died." Her voice was harsh. Silence. "What about my Father?" She asked, fearing the worst. "He told me to make sure you get out of the city. He already left and said he'd contact you." He answered, taking her hand. "Oh. Where am I going?" Sydney asked in a soft voice. Vaughn pulled out a small, unopened file and put it into her hands. "Its all in here. I didn't open it, the less people who know." He trailed off. Sydney nodded slowly. "You should leave, the longer you stay." The rest was left unsaid. "I don't want to leave you." Sydney whispered. "I don't want you to leave." He whispered back. His lips pressed to her temple gently and tears came to her eyes. 'I love you, Vaughn.' And then he was helping her up and leading her to the door. "Vaughn." She tried to say but was shushed by his finger to her lips, silencing her. He leaned down slowly and his lips brushed against hers. Softly at first, then urgently, desperately, frantically. As soon and shockingly it had happened, it was over. "Sydney, leave. Be safe, and *don't* give up." He whispered pushing her into his car. "Drive, get out of the city and don't look back." He whispered into her ear. "My car." She started to say. "I'm crashing it." He said. "Vaughn I-" "Sydney, you *have* to go!" He hissed, eyes full of fear. Of her getting caught and dying. "Goddammit, will you let me finish!" She cried, "I love you." She finished with a whisper. He paused and looked her full in the eye, "I love you too." She gave him a watery smile as he shut the door. She started his car and pulled out, looking at his figure once more. She could see his face crumpling. He was going to cry. "Oh God." She whispered, tears filling her vision and making her sight blurry. After an hour of driving around mindlessly, Sydney noticed two black Lincoln's following her and gaining speed. "Shit!" She whispered, her eyes tearing again, this time from fear. She sped up and passed two other cars in front of her. The men in the Lincoln's pulled out semi-automatic's and started to shot. The windshield smashed and one bullet struck Sydney in the shoulder. She cried out in pain. 'No, I will *not* die like this!' She swerved as she entered the bridge going over the bay. A quick thought flashed her mind. She opened her door and one of the Lincolns' sped foreword, taking the door with a shaking force. Sydney quickly shifted into autopilot and totally forgot about the curve. Before she knew what was happening, her car was heading for the guardrail. The metal shrieked as it bent, making Sydney scream and clutch her purse as the car carrying her flew off the 101 overpass and into the cold, murky water. * ".and in other news, there appears to have been a major accident on the 101 overpass over the Los Angeles River. A black Mercury could bee seen floating in the water's depth. Police say there were blood stains on the seat and an ID was found. Sydney Bristow is believed to be driving the car. Bullet holes were located in the rear and windshield of the car. While there is no body found as of yet, police are thinking the young women was run off of the road and into the river. This could very well be a murder attempt. Now onto weather." * Vaughn sat in shock as the reported droned on. Sydney was dead. His car was in the river. Bullet holes in the back. Blood staining seat. He ran his hands through his spiky hair, his lip trembling, and his eyes tearing. Sydney was dead. * Sloane watched the news and a sad, sadistic smile crossed his face. Sydney Bristow was eliminated, or so the world thought. This was perfect, everything flowing as planned. With Miss. Bristow supposedly dead, he would capture her, kill Jack, and brainwash Sydney and make her the ultimate SD-6 agent. She would tell him what she knew within the CIA, too. She would be, his greatest accomplishment. * Jack sadly watched the news. It was unnerving to watch your own daughters' death on the news. His heart clenched as he thought of what had and almost happened. Nothing would ever be the same again. Running would take placing of the hiding. Actual living will be a challenge. Next to nonexistent. Maybe for a long time. * Francie and Will stared in horror at the television. "There's no body." Francie whispered, "There's no body, she could still be alive!" Will grabbed her arm and stared at her, his own misery etched in his eyes, "Her car was riddled with bullets. Crashed off the overpass and into the river. Francie, even if she is.there's no way the results will be good." He said in a quiet voice. "So, you're saying that its better our best friend is dead?!" Francie exclaimed. "No, no. You're not hearing me. Even if she is alive, she won't be the same. She'll be hurt and maybe even paralyzed in some way. Do you want that?" He asked. "Its better than her being dead." Francie hissed. "Not for her." Will stated. Then Francie fell crying into his arms, sobbing for a best friend lost. * Irina Derevco watched from the TV outside her cell. Her daughter was gone. Not dead, no. Sydney was as dead as Irina had been 25 years ago. Oh, she was alive. And so was her Father and they were probably heading to Europe. Maybe France or Italy. But, not Russia. It would be stupid and suicide to go there. But, Jack might chance it. He always was like that. * Sark watched on the company television as they reported on Miss. Bristow's death. A slow smile spread across his lips. She was not dead. That he knew for a fact. She was like him. Fake her death and run away. If only she would listen to him, they could rule the world and *own* SD-6 and the CIA. But, she was a free spirit. One that he intended to break. But not now. Soon, he would find her, and together they would be unstoppable. Soon. * Devlin shook his head in mourning for Sydney. She was one of his best agents, and he had never told her. Just yelled and berated her for her and Agent Vaughn's closeness. Truth be told, it's the only thing that kept her alive. He looked into Agent Vaughn's office briefly and saw him crumbling. His eyes were bright with tears. Devlin's mouth twisted. There was a chance she was not dead. Jack was clever. He could have called for that to happen, and gotten his daughter out of there in time. But, only time would tell. If Jack contacted them, then they would know for sure. But, there was that time thing again.