Summary: Twist on Syd's missing two years. She returned during that time and let the last person you would expect in on her secret. Now, after her return, they must work together in order to discover the truth.

A/N: So here it is, another play and twist on the whole missing two years thing. I know that it's been done before (and that I have done it before) but there is just so much that you can do with this storyline! Anyway, I hope that you enjoy my interpretation and please let me know what you think :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Alias. The title of this story, and the lyrics at the start of this chapter, comes from the song 'The Circle Game' by Joni Mitchell.

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game.

Chapter One:
You Were Alive

FOURTEEN MONTHS EARLIER

The knocking on the door was loud and incessant. He stood inside, his hand hovering over the door knob. Drawing in a deep breath, he grasped it and pulled it open.

"Weiss," Vaughn let out a loud sigh, his eyes wide. "I…she's alive."

The smell was the first thing that Sydney noticed. Before she had even opened her eyes the scent of rotting garbage assaulted her senses and she knew…knew that she was no longer in her apartment.

Along with the smell came the somewhat distant sounds of a city that was unfamiliar and, as Sydney opened her eyes, she realized that not only was she no longer in her apartment, she was long longer in Los Angeles.

"Weiss."

At the sound of Dixon's voice, Weiss looked up from his report. "Yeah?"

"My office. Now."

Curiously Weiss followed the Director into his office. He had done nothing wrong but strangely felt as if he were back in high school and being summoned to the principal's office.

"What is it?" he asked, closing the door behind them.

"Dispatch received a call several hours ago," Dixon paused, taking a deep breath. "It was Sydney."

Weiss blinked. "Sydney? Sydney Bristow? She called?"

"You are not the only one in shock about this. The entire Agency is in overdrive, trying to figure out how we could not have known how she was alive."

Weiss hesitated for a second, clearing his throat. "Uh…did she say where she has been?"

"That's the thing. She believed that she was coming to after her fight with Allison."

"What? But—"

"She has no memory of the last two years."

Weiss mind was running at a hundred miles an hour. Just what she been going on in the past—

"Jack is on his way to Hong Kong now. He'll be bringing her straight back here."

Weiss nodded numbly. "Could you let me know when she gets here?"

"Of course…and the answer to your next question is 'yes'."

Weiss cocked his head to one side. "Pardon?"

"Your next question- about telling Vaughn. I am saying that you can. He deserves to know.

"Ok." Slowly Weiss made his way to the door. Sure, he was allowed to tell Vaughn but after…well, he just wasn't sure how he was going to tell Vaughn that Sydney was still alive.

FOURTEEN MONTHS EARLIER

"Vaughn, I know how much you want this to be real, but it's not. It can't be," Weiss said gently. "You scattered her ashes…Sydney is dead."

Weiss was approaching the front steps of Vaughn's when the door flew open and a blonde haired figure flew out.

"Lauren."

"Oh, hi Eric." She slowed her steps as she came near him. "Would stay and chat but I have a meeting to get to."

"Of course. See you later."

"Oh, can you do me a favour?" she called out as she blew past him.

"Sure."

"Tell that fiancé of mine that I wasn't joking when I said that I wanted dinner ready and waiting for me when I get back."

Weiss tried not to cringe at the sound of the word 'fiancé' and only nodded. With what he was about to tell Vaughn he would bet his life that there were two chances that that was going to happen- Buckley's and none.

"Weiss." Vaughn's figure appeared in the doorway. For a few seconds he scrutinized his best friend's face. "What's going on?"

Weiss drew in a deep breath. "You got any beer?"

"I think so."

"Good."

Vaughn paused. "Do you want one?"

Weiss nodded. "Yup- and you…you're gonna need one."

Sydney could only stare at her father in disbelief. "Two years? I have been missing for two years?"

Jack nodded. "There was a fire in your apartment. There was a…body." He swallowed hard, the memories of that night still causing him grief…even with his daughter sitting, alive and well, in front of him. "The DNA matched…you were dead."

Sydney was blinking furiously in a vain attempt to stop the tears that were welling in her eyes. "How…I don't…two years?"

"Sweetheart, I cannot even begin to fathom what you are feeling right now, but I can promise you that we will get to the bottom of this. We will find where you have been."

"Where I've been…" Sydney murmured and then suddenly; sat up straighter. "What about everybody else? What has happened to them? Will- you said that he was ok but where is he? And Francie- my Francie, did you find her? And Vaughn, Dixon, Marshall, Weiss…"

"Will is in Witness Protection, we are still yet to recover Francie, alive or dead," Jack replied. "Dixon is Director of the JTF, for six months now. Marshall is, believe it or not, expecting a baby with Carrie Bowman and Weiss…well, he's Weiss."

Sydney was feeling light headed as she tried to comprehend the massive amounts of information but even so she still noticed the major omission of her father's. "Dad. What about Vaughn?"

Jack paused. "I don't know."

"You don't know? How can you now know? You work—"

"Vaughn left the CIA after your death," Jack interjected. "And you should be worrying about yourself, not him. He is not worth your concern. Instead we—"

"Dad," Sydney's tone was quiet but firm. "What aren't you telling me?"

Jack drew in a deep breath. Why should he be the one to break this news to his daughter? Especially when she had just had two years of her life stolen? "Nothing…you know how reliable office gossip is."

"Dad. Please."

"Fine…from what I have heard he has met somebody else. Sydney, he's engaged."

Weiss started at the short snort of laughter that came from his friend. Ever since Weiss had broken the crazy news, Vaughn had been sitting motionless, silently staring at the blank television screen…until now.

"Vaughn?"

"Right…sorry…inappropriate reaction," Vaughn straightened up in his seat. "I just can't help but see the irony in this."

"Irony?"

"Yeah. What was it? A bit over a year ago we were in your house and you were doing all you could to convince me that Sydney was dead." Vaughn looked directly at Weiss. "And now, here we are in my house and you are telling me that she's actually alive."

Weiss coughed slightly. "Vaughn, I—"

"Don't worry. You didn't know. How could have you known…none of us did."

"Right." Weiss shifted in his seat. "Right."

"Where is she now?"

"Hong Kong. Jack is going to bring her home," Weiss replied. "We're unsure of what state she is in, so she'll be taken directly to the Naval Hospital." He paused, considering what he was going to say next. "I can organise it if you want to visit her."

Vaughn shook his head slightly. "If? If? You know damn well that I want to be at that hospital waiting for her arrival but…"

"Lauren."

Vaughn nodded. "I think that I should probably talk to her before doing anything."

Pushing the door open, Weiss peered into the hospital room. Sydney looked to be asleep and so he went to walk away.

"Hey." Sydney soft voice stopped him in his tracks. "You aren't running away, are you?"

With a smile, Weiss stepped towards the bed. "From you- never."

Sydney returned the smile. "How are you doing?"

"Fantastic- now that you're back. We've all missed you." He paused. "Vaughn said…he, uh…"

"Weiss," Sydney cut him off. "I know."

"You do?" Weiss couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice.

"Yes and at the moment it is a topic that I want to avoid, so how about you sit down and fill me in on everything that I have missed."

Weiss sat down but did not speak, his face a mixture of curiosity and fear.

"Weiss?" Sydney prompted him.

He looked up. "Do you really remember nothing of the past two years?"

Sydney nodded. "The last thing I have is passing out after the fight with Allison."

"Nothing? Not even the teeniest, tiniest idea of anything that you might have done?"

"No," Sydney let out a small laugh at his insistence but cut short when she saw the expression on his face. "Weiss, what?"

"Well, the thing is…" Weiss leant forward in his seat. "I knew, Syd. I knew that you were alive."