Title: Last Years: Chapter 1
Rating: R - violence, terrorist acts and some (but minimal) course language. (Also for annoying eight year old blond girls with freckles)
Disclaimer: I do not own Alias. Alias and all it's characters belong to J.J Abrams (The messiah: don't stop throwing in those miracles J.J.), except those that my tired and over work brain conjured up when I wasn't looking. I also don't own the following (I have no idea who does so bare with me): Steve Irwin (or anything that anything to do with it), Barney the Dinosaur, The Wiggles, Kylie Minogue, Homer Simpson boxer shorts, Daffy Duck ties. Also I have nothing against the following people, whom in my opinion are doing a wonderful job of staying tough through this struggle I like to call world politics. Tony Blair: Prime Minster of England, Megawatti Scanaputrie (I'm unsure of the spelling of this): President of Indonesia, and Peter Costello: Deputy Prime Minster and Treasurer of Australia. Keep up the good work. Thanks again.
Chapter summary: When recovering a strange object from Melbourne Australia, the CIA begins an investigation with Sydney and her handler Weiss heading it.
A/N: Yeah well here's another Alias story. If you have chosen to read this then I'm asking you to please review. Constructive criticism would be wonderful. Also the rating of this story is necessary and I'm sorry to anyone who may be offended by the ending of this chapter. My goal is to entertain not upset. Thanks a lot. Proceed to bottom for more A/N.
~*
Sydney's breath was hurried as she scurried over the six-foot brick. Decorative vines grabbed at her clothing and pulled her hair, she gritted her teeth in pain as a sharp stick drove it's self into her left cheek drew blood. Loud ear piercing shots rang out behind her as she jumped from the wall trying to escape. Landing hard on the ground and jarring her knee, she climbed quickly to her feet and ran, limping, for cover.
Dixon was waiting in a light gray van for her return, the engine already started and his foot on the accelerator waiting for the go. He heard the gunfire and knew that she wasn't too far away, he was starting to think that the woman liked the challenge of escaping from dangerous people with guns.
Sydney dived into the van and Dixon sped away from the building. Sydney was quickly fussed over by a Jenny Make with a first aid kit and burn cream. While a M.M. Lark observed the small mobile devise that Sydney just stole from a very high security facility in Melbourne Australia.
It was a small light green object that was similar to a mobile phone with buttons and a screen. It beeped with pleasure when M.M. Lark finally figured out how to turn in on and gained an unappreciated look from Sydney. The buttons however, did not hold digits or letters of any kind but a language that when run through Lark's database, was unidentifiable.
"I busted my ass for a cell phone?" She whined as Jenny's pushed a pad with antiseptic gel onto her bloody cheek causing her to let out a pained yelp. Feeling sheepish for letting her guard down, she shut up and watched Lark with curiosity as he played with the devise.
"You people don't exactly travel light do you?" Dixon said to Sydney as she flicked off a protective jacket and tried to escape Jenny's lotions and potions.
Sydney was slapping at Jenny who was trying to rub a burn gel onto her shoulder, and tumbled into the front seat to accompany Dixon "Welcome to the wonderful world of the CIA!" Sydney laughed and threw her hands up in the air. Sydney had badgered and badgered Vaughn until he spoke to someone and got Dixon under the same authority as she was. She grinned to herself as she remembered how she rewarded him for his efforts.
Jenny was the one who dared to interrupt the laughter of Sydney and Dixon. "Agent Bristow," She began gamely getting an evil stare from Sydney, "Officer Vaughn will have my skin if you go back in that condition. I was sent here to do a job and I would thank you to let me do it."
"Jenny, I can assure you that your job is not in jeopardy and I can handle Officer Vaughn when I get back to the States, if you don't mind I'm holding a conversation with a very good friend and I'll thank you not to interrupt it." Sydney mimicked her and then turned back to Dixon. They both started to laugh and reminisce the old days.
**Sydney Bristow: Former double agent for the CIA. Assisted in the fall of Alliance branch SD-6. Now works for CIA, assisting them in the destruction 'The Man' and K Directorate, currently seeing former handler Michael Vaughn**
**Marcus Dixon: Former SD-6 employee. Played minor part in the destruction of SD-6. Offered a job as field agent for the CIA after being released from jail in 2002 when statement made by Sydney Bristow cleared him of any incriminating evidence**
**M.M. Lark: CIA agent, specializes in field tech. Usually goes on missions to talk agents out of sticky situations and analyzes an tech retrieved from the mission**
~*
**Michael Vaughn: Senior Officer for the CIA, former handler of Sydney Bristow with whom he is currently dating. Occasionally assists fellow Senior Officer and best buddy Eric Weiss with missions and debriefing. Assisted in the destruction of former Alliance branch SD-6**
Vaughn paled when Sydney walked into his office, "What the hell happened in Australia?" He asked jumping out of his seat and rounding his desk to her. He cupped her swollen, bruised and weeping cheek in his hand and rubbed a gentle hand over the wound.
"It's nothing really, I ran into a stick when trying to escape, really it's nothing." She tried to pull away from him but he now had his free arm around her waist, holding her close. She hated it when he did things like that, when he made her feel guilty for doing her job. It made her want to weep for forgiveness but fought the urge.
"Where else are you hurt?" He asked in the concerned voice that always made her fall in love with him all over again. He drew her back and looked her over to see if there were any signs of pain through that plain black suit.
"No," She shook her head, "Nowhere else." She lied as the pain stabbed through her knee and sent a jolt through her whole body. His eyes focused on hers and she just gave in. "The knee is jarred but nothing major just a bit sore from the landing and the shoulder but that's it, I promise."
"Take the jacket off and let's have a look at the shoulder." He said stepping behind her and ready to assist. She had opened her mouth to object but knew by the tone in his voice that he wasn't going to argue. He slid the jacket off her shoulders revealing the sky blue knit that she wore underneath and the burn that had turned a shade of blood red. He ran his tender and loving fingers over the burn, his tongue caught between his teeth to prevent him from saying a word.
For a long time the stood in the same spot, both stared at the floor as though it held a secret in it's deep ocean blue carpet, Vaughn's delicate fingers resting on her red shoulder. Hours could have passed and neither would have moved but.
**Eric Weiss: Senior Officer for the CIA. Currently handler for Sydney Bristow, Marcus Dixon and Jack Bristow. Assisted in the destruction of former Alliance branch SD-6**
Eric Weiss soon came lumbering in the door, files in one hand and a coffee in the other. "Sydney, how do you always manage to escape your statements before they even begin?" He questioned dropping the files on the desk and turning to Vaughn, "The new girl, Jennifer? Whatever is coming in today and you need to debrief and Devlin wants to see you in his office at ten o'clock this morning."
Sydney stared at her handler and blinked dumbly. Escaping from statements was easy, the guy that guards the place was like two hundred years old. "I'm going, I'm going, I had to take care of something first." She picked up her jacket from the chair where Vaughn had laid it and pulled it back onto her shoulders. "You and me lunch." She said to Vaughn before planting a kiss on his lips and heading out the door.
"She's crazy," Weiss said leaning on Vaughn's desk and sipping his coffee. When he gained a confused stare from Vaughn he continued, "She crazy in love with you, has been for ages. Every time she comes here, back from a mission or lunch or arriving at work she comes straight here, she loves you."
"Yeah, I know," He sighed joining Weiss in keeping his desk on the ground, "The thing is that I'm crazy in love with her too." He sighed again and picked the files that Weiss had brought in up off his desk and flicked through them.
"It can work out," Weiss said climbing onto his feet, "Maybe you guys can get a house, with a big backyard, a dog and maybe a pool. You can have a big flash expensive wedding, Honeymoon in Hawaii and have a million children."
Vaughn smiled weekly and shook his head, as if that prospect hadn't crossed his mind a million times, but the happily ever after idea seemed too far away and to difficult to reach. "Maybe."
"Whatever, it's your life man, just don't make a decision that you're going to regret, okay?" He took another sip of coffee and watched Vaughn's week nod. "In the mean time you have the new girl, Jennifer. I'm off to statement's are us." He started to walk out the door when Vaughn stopped him.
"Thanks for the advice," he said and received a nod, "And the new girls name is Jessica."
They both laughed and Weiss walked off shaking his head. Vaughn settled at his desk and readied himself for a hard day's work, between meeting with Devlin, talking to Jessica and lunch with Sydney, it really would be a hard day.
~*
Sydney met Vaughn on the way out the front entrance to the CIA building. Vaughn had just emerged from a board meeting and looked puzzled, whereas Sydney had just been debriefed on her next mission, she looked calm to spite the annoyance she had just sat through.
They met in the center of the room, wrapped an arm around each other and left the building discussing their day so far.
A cold wind snapped at the people and buildings of LA and it smelled richly of rain. They chose a little café at the corner of a street two blocks from the CIA building. It was warm and comfortable with beautiful furnishings.
"So what did Devlin want to see you for?" Sydney asked, carrying her tuna and lettuce sandwich to a small table by the window where she could see the world pass by.
"You name it and he brought it up," Vaughn replied. He followed her back to a table, he knew why she liked the window seats, she spent more time staring out them, making up lives and excuses for the people that passed by. That's why he loved her, he decided, because they were similar in so many ways and it made him smile to know.
Sydney smiled and looked up at him, she was ready for a challenge, "Really? So he's concerned about that state of poverty in Asia? And he wants you to go out there and build houses and teach them to read and write. And he wants me to go with you because he's happy that we've finally got to this point in our complicated relationship."
Vaughn loved her imagination so much but he couldn't smile at this statement, "Not quite, he knows that we have got to this point in our complicated relationship and is not happy about it."
"Of course he's not, why should he be?" Anger flashed in Sydney's eyes. "Because he's unhappy in life because his wife left him caused by him being a pompous asshole, means that everybody has to be unhappy to suit his cynical outlook."
"Sydney," Vaughn waited patiently for her mumbling to stop, "There are also rules and laws about office relationships. For example if we were to break it off and you decided to shoot me or something horrible, the CIA would be down one hard working handsome employee." He beamed at with a grin that could have stretched from one ear to the other.
She looked at him for a moment trying to keep a straight face and then started laughing. "You've got tickets on yourself buddy!" She laughed grabbing his hand that laid at rest on the edge of the table and holding it.
They smiled and looked at each other for a long time before Sydney turned her attention to the window and the people that passed the window on their way to lunch meetings or just lunch and Vaughn knew what was coming.
She pointed to a large man, lumbering past with an umbrella in one hand, a briefcase in the other and a moustache that curled up into little ringlets on either side of his large nose. He wore a black suit and a tie with Daffy Duck on it, his hair was two different shades and it was that Sydney picked up on. "He couldn't handle the fact that her was balding anymore and decided to buy a toupee, while at it he decide that it was time to change the color. So armed with a hat and a twenty he purchased hair that is about four or five shades lighter than his original hair."
Vaughn couldn't help but smile, she was always right when she plucked her victims off the street. Her hand was still in his as he helped her pick out the next person for a fantasy.
~*
After work, Sydney went home to her own apartment and started to pack for her next trip, she was beginning to wonder why she even bothered to unpack, the CIA was even worse with the trips then SD-6 ever was.
That day in debriefing, she and Dixon had met with Weiss, Marshall and some guy that was meant to represent Devlin to detail the mission.
**Marshall: After being released from jail in 2002 for working for Alliance branch SD-6, Marshall was offered a job at the CIA after a statement given by Sydney Bristow cleared him of any incriminating evidence**
"You're going back to Melbourne," Weiss announced and waited for the rolling eyes to subside before continuing. "We think that there's more there then we originally thought, we may have missed something."
"We can't just go back into that facility!" Sydney objected. "They would have tightened security and everything."
"Well they haven't," Weiss informed, "they're holding a seminar on Thursday to inform the rest of the world on their actions."
"What? What actions?" Sydney shook her head and looked from Weiss to the other guy and back to Weiss. "What actions?"
The guy that was representing Devlin at this meeting spoke up, "We believe that Australia is planning some sort of attack against forces in the UN."
"Back up a second," Dixon interrupted, "Do you mean that this has something to do with the war on terror?"
This fact was even news to Marshall's ears because the three of them stared at Weiss and the other guy with suspicion and confusion.
"Australia's right down there in a league of it's own, we don't know who's got their support on this matter and we're putting you two in charge of finding out." He other guy handed Sydney and Dixon a folder, "This is our information folder on the Australian situation, as you can see, it has one sheet in it."
Sydney stared at the sheet, it had three words on it, 'Information currently unavailable'. "What the hell? You found nothing from that little thing? Marshall?"
"Well," Marshall spoke up in his usual stuttering, "The language used on it just doesn't exist. You can go anywhere in the world and you will not find a single person speaking it."
"Except maybe an Australian," Dixon muttered, "Basically what you're saying is that the Australians made up their own language, put it in this tiny little, thing and nobody knows what it says?"
"Yep," Weiss said, "Marshall will you please go and get Jennifer?"
"Uh, sir it's Jessica," Marshall corrected.
"Whatever," Weiss said impatiently sending Marshall scurrying out of the room to fetch Jessica, "Now Jessica's doing the driving, Lark's on coms and you're both going in. Any questions so far?"
Sydney and Dixon shook their heads and Marshall reappeared in the room with this Jessica person. She was tall and slender, she had long red hair that danced in curls around her waist and wore a powder white suit.
**Jessica McMillan: Former British Assias (not relevant at this point but remember it), now CIA field agent**
"Take a seat," Weiss said, "Now Jessica for your first mission with the CIA, you will be driving, easy enough. Sydney you're going in as Diane Nock, Dixon you're the body guard."
"Wait, wait," Sydney stopped him, "Diane Nock, as in the US senator Diane Nock?"
"That would be the one yes. Now Lark is doing coms. Any questions?" Weiss was now standing with his hands on his hips.
"Yeah," Sydney stood matching his temper, "Explain to me what the object of this mission is exactly cause the details are a little fuzzy!"
"Okay then, you're going in to find out exactly where Australia stands in this whole world disaster thing. Do you understand Agent Bristow?" Weiss stood firm, staring her down, he knew he'd hit something in calling he Agent Bristow but ignored it. He was frustrated at the lack of information behind this whole situation.
"Isn't this a job for the FBI?" Sydney asked with out stepping down one little bit.
"Those dick heads can't even organize a bake sale let alone a proper investigation. This meeting is over, you leave for Australia in the morning." He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.
So Sydney packed up her things and prepared to leave again for Australia. She didn't understand the mission at all but would do her job as she always did and would do it well.
~*
She lay restless under the cover of a blood red feather quilt. Francie always worked late at the restaurant and Will always headed over there to help her out after work and she was left in the apartment alone.
When Will and Francie first got together, Sydney always thought that Francie would leave and she'd be left all alone but she had been proven wrong when Will moved in with them. He did all those annoying male things that they do like leaving the towel on the floor and drinking out of the milk carton but Sydney didn't mind (or pretended she didn't) because the house was full like it was meant to be.
**Francie: Runs a restaurant in LA, finding business wonderful, resides with Sydney Bristow and Will Tippin. Francie is an Aries and loves puppies. She is currently dating good friend and flat mate Will Tippin**
**Will Tippin: CIA Officer. Former journalist for a LA paper, lost his job in a dramatic cover up by the CIA. Offered a job with the CIA by Michael Vaughn in 2002**
She stared at the black ceiling, willing herself to sleep never worked and didn't look like it was about to work now.
Suddenly she felt something with five legs crawling up her leg, She screamed, tossed the covers off and sat bolt upright. She stared into the face of someone with five fingers and slapped him over the head with a pillow. "Jesus Vaughn, you scared the shit out of me."
He grinned his big stupid grin and shifted on top of her to nibble at her ear. "I missed you," He told her neck, "And you haven't called me Vaughn for ages."
"Whatever," She murmured utterly seduced, her arms went around his neck and pulled him down on to the bed.
The sun beat through the now open window but it was the smells of a tasty breakfast that pulled Vaughn from his sleep. "I hope there's some of that for me," he said pulling his Homer Simpson boxer shorts over his hips and entering the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen, he was slightly relieved that he had pulled the boxers on before he reached his destination.
Sydney was sitting at the breakfast bar in his T-shirt, sipping coffee. Next to her sat will fully dressed and ready for work in a black suit and tie, Francie was the one in the kitchen cooking the breakfast, she wasn't dressed either.
"Hey sweetie," Sydney said propping an elbow on the bench and leaning her head on her hand. She puckered her lips and he obliged by giving her a quick kiss. "Did you sleep well?"
"Well enough." He said taking a seat next to her. He pulled her stool close to his so he could wrap his arms around her and smell her hair.
"So what are everybody's plans for today?" Francie asked turning the eggs and popping some diced tomato into the pan.
They looked at each other.
Will: "Writing an article on cream cheese."
Sydney: "Trip to Boston with the bank."
Vaughn: "Board meetings with the bank."
"You lot sound like you're going to have lots of fun." Francie said dully, getting plates out of the cupboard and laying them on the bench ready to dish up the breakfast.
When they were all eaten up, Will and his suit left for work, leaving Francie and Sydney to do the washing up and Vaughn to jump in the shower.
"So how are things going with you?" Francie asked wiping up the dishes and putting them into their cupboards.
"Yeah, alright I guess," Sydney nodded attacking the pan that breakfast was cooked in trying to get all the crap out of it. "The head guy at work, like the boss of the bosses and stuff, well he found out that Michael and I are seeing each other and he's pissed off about it."
"Does he know that you and Michael are in love with each other?" Francie put her hands on her hips and looked at Sydney who looked up from the pan in shock.
"I wouldn't say that exactly." She said sheepishly dumping the pan in the drying rack, letting the dirty water drain and peeling the rubber gloves off. "We're just trying it out."
"Yeah, sure you are. I've seen the way you are with each other, it's like there's nobody else in the whole world, just the two of you." Francie let her mind wander away to Will, questioning if she herself was in love or just 'trying it out'.
"Let's not talk about this. I don't want to talk about this." Sydney walked from the kitchen waving her arms in the air trying to dismiss the conversation.
"You're just scared to admit it." Francie teased but backed away when Sydney gave her a death stare. "Okay, fine. Just one thing, don't let him get away. If you know what you want, fight for it, do not let him get away."
Sydney's face softened, she was faced with the real possibility that Francie was right and that she was hiding the whole thing from herself. "Thanks Fran, that's means a lot to me."
"No problem. I'm going back to bed for a while, have a good trip and come back safe." Francie gave her a quick hug. She didn't have to open the restaurant until ten o'clock and was lucky enough to sleep in most mornings. She left the room.
~*
The airport was quite busy for the middle of the week and the flight to Australia was packed. Sydney was seated next to one chatty little Australian girl and her teddy bear.
"My name's Sarah and I'm eight I like jelly beans and I have a brother named Nick, he's staying with my aunt Marge for another week and I have to go home to my dog Barney do you know Barney the Dinosaur? I named him after that but my brother wanted to call him Rex or something stupid like that did you know in April I turn nine? When I was three I ate a crayon my mum cried for ages cause she thought that I would be poisoned do you like snakes? Steve Irwin likes snakes and crocodiles I don't like spiders though." The little blond, freckled girl said with hardly a breath.
She talked so quickly that she had Sydney trying to rub the headache away with the palms of her hands. "Really," Sydney tried to get her to remain on one subject for long enough to make some sense, "I've heard of Steve Irwin and the Dinosaur, Barney. Do you like the Wiggles?"
Sarah screwed up her face, "The Wiggles? That's baby music. I like Kylie Minogue."
"Okay then," Sydney said looking across the aisle to where Dixon listened to the in flight comedy and Lark tapped away at the keys on his laptop, "I have to talk to my friend over there. Lark, swap seats."
Lark obediently climbed to his feet and moved into the seat that Sydney had vacated. He sat and was about to begin his tapping again when he caught sight of a small face beaming up at him.
"Did you know.?" Sarah began.
Sydney grinned as she turned to Dixon, "Any thing good on?" She asked referring to the earphones jammed tightly in his ears.
"Nah, not really," He replied pulling them out, "Bee in your bonnet?"
"Yeah, sort of. Would you say that I am incapable of loving?" She asked trying to get the conversation that she and Francie had had that morning out of her head.
"No, what brought that on?" Dixon's concerned expression slapped her.
"We, me and Francie were talking and she says that I'm in love with Michael and that I don't want to admit it." She said quickly then burying her head in her hands.
"Syd, that's really your choice," Dixon spoke carefully, stroking her hair, "But I certainly think that you are capable of loving, maybe you don't know if you are in love with him yet, and you don't have to know, just feel, you'll know if it's right."
"Thank you." She mumbled. She had managed to worry herself into nausea.
"Sydney," Dixon started again, "You are capable of loving, I love you and you love me. I know you do. You have a beautiful heart."
"Yeah but you're like family, it doesn't count." Sydney muttered and had Dixon laughing at her stubborn point.
~*
Sydney thought that Australian seminars looked more like parties at the White House. There was champagne, orderves, and beautiful dresses.
Sydney wore a black dress that flowed right down to the floor, dancing around her ankles and highlighting her curves. Dixon wore a black dinner suit with bow tie and white magnolias pin.
There was music, Sydney wondered what kind of seminar this was. Music, food, expensive wine? Strange.
"G-day," Said a man with a thick Australia accent, extending his hand to Sydney, "I'm Peter Costello and you are?"
"Diane Nock," Sydney replied sweetly, Weiss had warned her of this man.
Weiss: "Watch out for Peter Costello, he's the deputy Prime Minster and Treasurer of Australia. Slippery as far as they go."
Sydney: "How do you know all this stuff?"
Weiss: "Extensive research done by the FBI and was place at my disposal by our good friend Mr. Weah Smith."
**Mr. Weah Smith: FBI statement analysis guy. Transitioned from FBI to CIA and took all confidential files he had worked on with him.**
"Welcome to Australia Diane, please, make yourself at home." He smiled warmly at her then excused himself to talk to the President of Indonesia.
"Dixon, why are there so many famous world leaders here?" Sydney asked looking around the room. "That right there is Megawatti Scanaputrie, president of Indonesia and that's Tony Blair. How do the Aussies get so many world leaders in the same room? And why isn't our President here?"
"Beats me with a stick." Dixon shrugged and smiled at a passing lady of African origin. "Do you think that they are going to hold this seminar or drink themselves into a stupor?"
"Do you ever get the feeling that you're in a strange dream and you don't know if it's real or not?" Sydney asked looking suspiciously around the room, when Dixon nodded she continued, "This is one of those times."
At that moment a loud explosion echoed through the large room and a large ball of fire knocked both Sydney and Dixon to the floor.
The room was on fire and bits of debris rained down. Bits and pieces of the human attendance were spewed all over the floor and those lucky enough to survive the blast were either unconscious or suffering serve burns.
Dixon lifted his head off the floor and looked around the room, he had been thrown several feet from where he was originally standing, his vision was blurred and a large gash on his head, teaming blood told him why. "Sydney?!?" He said softly feeling the floor around him, calmness soon turned to panic and had him screaming, "Sydney!!!"
To be continued.
A/N: Well yes that's that chapter. Anybody who is angry (or just really pissed) at me cause the Australia's are evil just us the review button to abuse the hell out of me. I'm an Australian, so feel free to insult. My brain's dead so don't look too forward to the next chapter cause it might take a while to write. And anybody here who's also a Harry Potter fan, please jump over to books and read 'Entropy' by my good friend Gryffindor Girl. Thanks a lot.
Chapter thanks: Thank you to my best friends Stephanie and Boo. Steph, thanks for letting me steal your mum's name to come up with the US senator for this story Diane Nock. Boo, thanks for letting me steal your real name to come up with the new CIA agent Jessica McMillan. Extra thanks goes to Briana (Gryffindor Girl) for being on the phone and recommending the ending and to all the people who listened to me winge about writers block. Thanks again.
Rating: R - violence, terrorist acts and some (but minimal) course language. (Also for annoying eight year old blond girls with freckles)
Disclaimer: I do not own Alias. Alias and all it's characters belong to J.J Abrams (The messiah: don't stop throwing in those miracles J.J.), except those that my tired and over work brain conjured up when I wasn't looking. I also don't own the following (I have no idea who does so bare with me): Steve Irwin (or anything that anything to do with it), Barney the Dinosaur, The Wiggles, Kylie Minogue, Homer Simpson boxer shorts, Daffy Duck ties. Also I have nothing against the following people, whom in my opinion are doing a wonderful job of staying tough through this struggle I like to call world politics. Tony Blair: Prime Minster of England, Megawatti Scanaputrie (I'm unsure of the spelling of this): President of Indonesia, and Peter Costello: Deputy Prime Minster and Treasurer of Australia. Keep up the good work. Thanks again.
Chapter summary: When recovering a strange object from Melbourne Australia, the CIA begins an investigation with Sydney and her handler Weiss heading it.
A/N: Yeah well here's another Alias story. If you have chosen to read this then I'm asking you to please review. Constructive criticism would be wonderful. Also the rating of this story is necessary and I'm sorry to anyone who may be offended by the ending of this chapter. My goal is to entertain not upset. Thanks a lot. Proceed to bottom for more A/N.
~*
Sydney's breath was hurried as she scurried over the six-foot brick. Decorative vines grabbed at her clothing and pulled her hair, she gritted her teeth in pain as a sharp stick drove it's self into her left cheek drew blood. Loud ear piercing shots rang out behind her as she jumped from the wall trying to escape. Landing hard on the ground and jarring her knee, she climbed quickly to her feet and ran, limping, for cover.
Dixon was waiting in a light gray van for her return, the engine already started and his foot on the accelerator waiting for the go. He heard the gunfire and knew that she wasn't too far away, he was starting to think that the woman liked the challenge of escaping from dangerous people with guns.
Sydney dived into the van and Dixon sped away from the building. Sydney was quickly fussed over by a Jenny Make with a first aid kit and burn cream. While a M.M. Lark observed the small mobile devise that Sydney just stole from a very high security facility in Melbourne Australia.
It was a small light green object that was similar to a mobile phone with buttons and a screen. It beeped with pleasure when M.M. Lark finally figured out how to turn in on and gained an unappreciated look from Sydney. The buttons however, did not hold digits or letters of any kind but a language that when run through Lark's database, was unidentifiable.
"I busted my ass for a cell phone?" She whined as Jenny's pushed a pad with antiseptic gel onto her bloody cheek causing her to let out a pained yelp. Feeling sheepish for letting her guard down, she shut up and watched Lark with curiosity as he played with the devise.
"You people don't exactly travel light do you?" Dixon said to Sydney as she flicked off a protective jacket and tried to escape Jenny's lotions and potions.
Sydney was slapping at Jenny who was trying to rub a burn gel onto her shoulder, and tumbled into the front seat to accompany Dixon "Welcome to the wonderful world of the CIA!" Sydney laughed and threw her hands up in the air. Sydney had badgered and badgered Vaughn until he spoke to someone and got Dixon under the same authority as she was. She grinned to herself as she remembered how she rewarded him for his efforts.
Jenny was the one who dared to interrupt the laughter of Sydney and Dixon. "Agent Bristow," She began gamely getting an evil stare from Sydney, "Officer Vaughn will have my skin if you go back in that condition. I was sent here to do a job and I would thank you to let me do it."
"Jenny, I can assure you that your job is not in jeopardy and I can handle Officer Vaughn when I get back to the States, if you don't mind I'm holding a conversation with a very good friend and I'll thank you not to interrupt it." Sydney mimicked her and then turned back to Dixon. They both started to laugh and reminisce the old days.
**Sydney Bristow: Former double agent for the CIA. Assisted in the fall of Alliance branch SD-6. Now works for CIA, assisting them in the destruction 'The Man' and K Directorate, currently seeing former handler Michael Vaughn**
**Marcus Dixon: Former SD-6 employee. Played minor part in the destruction of SD-6. Offered a job as field agent for the CIA after being released from jail in 2002 when statement made by Sydney Bristow cleared him of any incriminating evidence**
**M.M. Lark: CIA agent, specializes in field tech. Usually goes on missions to talk agents out of sticky situations and analyzes an tech retrieved from the mission**
~*
**Michael Vaughn: Senior Officer for the CIA, former handler of Sydney Bristow with whom he is currently dating. Occasionally assists fellow Senior Officer and best buddy Eric Weiss with missions and debriefing. Assisted in the destruction of former Alliance branch SD-6**
Vaughn paled when Sydney walked into his office, "What the hell happened in Australia?" He asked jumping out of his seat and rounding his desk to her. He cupped her swollen, bruised and weeping cheek in his hand and rubbed a gentle hand over the wound.
"It's nothing really, I ran into a stick when trying to escape, really it's nothing." She tried to pull away from him but he now had his free arm around her waist, holding her close. She hated it when he did things like that, when he made her feel guilty for doing her job. It made her want to weep for forgiveness but fought the urge.
"Where else are you hurt?" He asked in the concerned voice that always made her fall in love with him all over again. He drew her back and looked her over to see if there were any signs of pain through that plain black suit.
"No," She shook her head, "Nowhere else." She lied as the pain stabbed through her knee and sent a jolt through her whole body. His eyes focused on hers and she just gave in. "The knee is jarred but nothing major just a bit sore from the landing and the shoulder but that's it, I promise."
"Take the jacket off and let's have a look at the shoulder." He said stepping behind her and ready to assist. She had opened her mouth to object but knew by the tone in his voice that he wasn't going to argue. He slid the jacket off her shoulders revealing the sky blue knit that she wore underneath and the burn that had turned a shade of blood red. He ran his tender and loving fingers over the burn, his tongue caught between his teeth to prevent him from saying a word.
For a long time the stood in the same spot, both stared at the floor as though it held a secret in it's deep ocean blue carpet, Vaughn's delicate fingers resting on her red shoulder. Hours could have passed and neither would have moved but.
**Eric Weiss: Senior Officer for the CIA. Currently handler for Sydney Bristow, Marcus Dixon and Jack Bristow. Assisted in the destruction of former Alliance branch SD-6**
Eric Weiss soon came lumbering in the door, files in one hand and a coffee in the other. "Sydney, how do you always manage to escape your statements before they even begin?" He questioned dropping the files on the desk and turning to Vaughn, "The new girl, Jennifer? Whatever is coming in today and you need to debrief and Devlin wants to see you in his office at ten o'clock this morning."
Sydney stared at her handler and blinked dumbly. Escaping from statements was easy, the guy that guards the place was like two hundred years old. "I'm going, I'm going, I had to take care of something first." She picked up her jacket from the chair where Vaughn had laid it and pulled it back onto her shoulders. "You and me lunch." She said to Vaughn before planting a kiss on his lips and heading out the door.
"She's crazy," Weiss said leaning on Vaughn's desk and sipping his coffee. When he gained a confused stare from Vaughn he continued, "She crazy in love with you, has been for ages. Every time she comes here, back from a mission or lunch or arriving at work she comes straight here, she loves you."
"Yeah, I know," He sighed joining Weiss in keeping his desk on the ground, "The thing is that I'm crazy in love with her too." He sighed again and picked the files that Weiss had brought in up off his desk and flicked through them.
"It can work out," Weiss said climbing onto his feet, "Maybe you guys can get a house, with a big backyard, a dog and maybe a pool. You can have a big flash expensive wedding, Honeymoon in Hawaii and have a million children."
Vaughn smiled weekly and shook his head, as if that prospect hadn't crossed his mind a million times, but the happily ever after idea seemed too far away and to difficult to reach. "Maybe."
"Whatever, it's your life man, just don't make a decision that you're going to regret, okay?" He took another sip of coffee and watched Vaughn's week nod. "In the mean time you have the new girl, Jennifer. I'm off to statement's are us." He started to walk out the door when Vaughn stopped him.
"Thanks for the advice," he said and received a nod, "And the new girls name is Jessica."
They both laughed and Weiss walked off shaking his head. Vaughn settled at his desk and readied himself for a hard day's work, between meeting with Devlin, talking to Jessica and lunch with Sydney, it really would be a hard day.
~*
Sydney met Vaughn on the way out the front entrance to the CIA building. Vaughn had just emerged from a board meeting and looked puzzled, whereas Sydney had just been debriefed on her next mission, she looked calm to spite the annoyance she had just sat through.
They met in the center of the room, wrapped an arm around each other and left the building discussing their day so far.
A cold wind snapped at the people and buildings of LA and it smelled richly of rain. They chose a little café at the corner of a street two blocks from the CIA building. It was warm and comfortable with beautiful furnishings.
"So what did Devlin want to see you for?" Sydney asked, carrying her tuna and lettuce sandwich to a small table by the window where she could see the world pass by.
"You name it and he brought it up," Vaughn replied. He followed her back to a table, he knew why she liked the window seats, she spent more time staring out them, making up lives and excuses for the people that passed by. That's why he loved her, he decided, because they were similar in so many ways and it made him smile to know.
Sydney smiled and looked up at him, she was ready for a challenge, "Really? So he's concerned about that state of poverty in Asia? And he wants you to go out there and build houses and teach them to read and write. And he wants me to go with you because he's happy that we've finally got to this point in our complicated relationship."
Vaughn loved her imagination so much but he couldn't smile at this statement, "Not quite, he knows that we have got to this point in our complicated relationship and is not happy about it."
"Of course he's not, why should he be?" Anger flashed in Sydney's eyes. "Because he's unhappy in life because his wife left him caused by him being a pompous asshole, means that everybody has to be unhappy to suit his cynical outlook."
"Sydney," Vaughn waited patiently for her mumbling to stop, "There are also rules and laws about office relationships. For example if we were to break it off and you decided to shoot me or something horrible, the CIA would be down one hard working handsome employee." He beamed at with a grin that could have stretched from one ear to the other.
She looked at him for a moment trying to keep a straight face and then started laughing. "You've got tickets on yourself buddy!" She laughed grabbing his hand that laid at rest on the edge of the table and holding it.
They smiled and looked at each other for a long time before Sydney turned her attention to the window and the people that passed the window on their way to lunch meetings or just lunch and Vaughn knew what was coming.
She pointed to a large man, lumbering past with an umbrella in one hand, a briefcase in the other and a moustache that curled up into little ringlets on either side of his large nose. He wore a black suit and a tie with Daffy Duck on it, his hair was two different shades and it was that Sydney picked up on. "He couldn't handle the fact that her was balding anymore and decided to buy a toupee, while at it he decide that it was time to change the color. So armed with a hat and a twenty he purchased hair that is about four or five shades lighter than his original hair."
Vaughn couldn't help but smile, she was always right when she plucked her victims off the street. Her hand was still in his as he helped her pick out the next person for a fantasy.
~*
After work, Sydney went home to her own apartment and started to pack for her next trip, she was beginning to wonder why she even bothered to unpack, the CIA was even worse with the trips then SD-6 ever was.
That day in debriefing, she and Dixon had met with Weiss, Marshall and some guy that was meant to represent Devlin to detail the mission.
**Marshall: After being released from jail in 2002 for working for Alliance branch SD-6, Marshall was offered a job at the CIA after a statement given by Sydney Bristow cleared him of any incriminating evidence**
"You're going back to Melbourne," Weiss announced and waited for the rolling eyes to subside before continuing. "We think that there's more there then we originally thought, we may have missed something."
"We can't just go back into that facility!" Sydney objected. "They would have tightened security and everything."
"Well they haven't," Weiss informed, "they're holding a seminar on Thursday to inform the rest of the world on their actions."
"What? What actions?" Sydney shook her head and looked from Weiss to the other guy and back to Weiss. "What actions?"
The guy that was representing Devlin at this meeting spoke up, "We believe that Australia is planning some sort of attack against forces in the UN."
"Back up a second," Dixon interrupted, "Do you mean that this has something to do with the war on terror?"
This fact was even news to Marshall's ears because the three of them stared at Weiss and the other guy with suspicion and confusion.
"Australia's right down there in a league of it's own, we don't know who's got their support on this matter and we're putting you two in charge of finding out." He other guy handed Sydney and Dixon a folder, "This is our information folder on the Australian situation, as you can see, it has one sheet in it."
Sydney stared at the sheet, it had three words on it, 'Information currently unavailable'. "What the hell? You found nothing from that little thing? Marshall?"
"Well," Marshall spoke up in his usual stuttering, "The language used on it just doesn't exist. You can go anywhere in the world and you will not find a single person speaking it."
"Except maybe an Australian," Dixon muttered, "Basically what you're saying is that the Australians made up their own language, put it in this tiny little, thing and nobody knows what it says?"
"Yep," Weiss said, "Marshall will you please go and get Jennifer?"
"Uh, sir it's Jessica," Marshall corrected.
"Whatever," Weiss said impatiently sending Marshall scurrying out of the room to fetch Jessica, "Now Jessica's doing the driving, Lark's on coms and you're both going in. Any questions so far?"
Sydney and Dixon shook their heads and Marshall reappeared in the room with this Jessica person. She was tall and slender, she had long red hair that danced in curls around her waist and wore a powder white suit.
**Jessica McMillan: Former British Assias (not relevant at this point but remember it), now CIA field agent**
"Take a seat," Weiss said, "Now Jessica for your first mission with the CIA, you will be driving, easy enough. Sydney you're going in as Diane Nock, Dixon you're the body guard."
"Wait, wait," Sydney stopped him, "Diane Nock, as in the US senator Diane Nock?"
"That would be the one yes. Now Lark is doing coms. Any questions?" Weiss was now standing with his hands on his hips.
"Yeah," Sydney stood matching his temper, "Explain to me what the object of this mission is exactly cause the details are a little fuzzy!"
"Okay then, you're going in to find out exactly where Australia stands in this whole world disaster thing. Do you understand Agent Bristow?" Weiss stood firm, staring her down, he knew he'd hit something in calling he Agent Bristow but ignored it. He was frustrated at the lack of information behind this whole situation.
"Isn't this a job for the FBI?" Sydney asked with out stepping down one little bit.
"Those dick heads can't even organize a bake sale let alone a proper investigation. This meeting is over, you leave for Australia in the morning." He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.
So Sydney packed up her things and prepared to leave again for Australia. She didn't understand the mission at all but would do her job as she always did and would do it well.
~*
She lay restless under the cover of a blood red feather quilt. Francie always worked late at the restaurant and Will always headed over there to help her out after work and she was left in the apartment alone.
When Will and Francie first got together, Sydney always thought that Francie would leave and she'd be left all alone but she had been proven wrong when Will moved in with them. He did all those annoying male things that they do like leaving the towel on the floor and drinking out of the milk carton but Sydney didn't mind (or pretended she didn't) because the house was full like it was meant to be.
**Francie: Runs a restaurant in LA, finding business wonderful, resides with Sydney Bristow and Will Tippin. Francie is an Aries and loves puppies. She is currently dating good friend and flat mate Will Tippin**
**Will Tippin: CIA Officer. Former journalist for a LA paper, lost his job in a dramatic cover up by the CIA. Offered a job with the CIA by Michael Vaughn in 2002**
She stared at the black ceiling, willing herself to sleep never worked and didn't look like it was about to work now.
Suddenly she felt something with five legs crawling up her leg, She screamed, tossed the covers off and sat bolt upright. She stared into the face of someone with five fingers and slapped him over the head with a pillow. "Jesus Vaughn, you scared the shit out of me."
He grinned his big stupid grin and shifted on top of her to nibble at her ear. "I missed you," He told her neck, "And you haven't called me Vaughn for ages."
"Whatever," She murmured utterly seduced, her arms went around his neck and pulled him down on to the bed.
The sun beat through the now open window but it was the smells of a tasty breakfast that pulled Vaughn from his sleep. "I hope there's some of that for me," he said pulling his Homer Simpson boxer shorts over his hips and entering the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen, he was slightly relieved that he had pulled the boxers on before he reached his destination.
Sydney was sitting at the breakfast bar in his T-shirt, sipping coffee. Next to her sat will fully dressed and ready for work in a black suit and tie, Francie was the one in the kitchen cooking the breakfast, she wasn't dressed either.
"Hey sweetie," Sydney said propping an elbow on the bench and leaning her head on her hand. She puckered her lips and he obliged by giving her a quick kiss. "Did you sleep well?"
"Well enough." He said taking a seat next to her. He pulled her stool close to his so he could wrap his arms around her and smell her hair.
"So what are everybody's plans for today?" Francie asked turning the eggs and popping some diced tomato into the pan.
They looked at each other.
Will: "Writing an article on cream cheese."
Sydney: "Trip to Boston with the bank."
Vaughn: "Board meetings with the bank."
"You lot sound like you're going to have lots of fun." Francie said dully, getting plates out of the cupboard and laying them on the bench ready to dish up the breakfast.
When they were all eaten up, Will and his suit left for work, leaving Francie and Sydney to do the washing up and Vaughn to jump in the shower.
"So how are things going with you?" Francie asked wiping up the dishes and putting them into their cupboards.
"Yeah, alright I guess," Sydney nodded attacking the pan that breakfast was cooked in trying to get all the crap out of it. "The head guy at work, like the boss of the bosses and stuff, well he found out that Michael and I are seeing each other and he's pissed off about it."
"Does he know that you and Michael are in love with each other?" Francie put her hands on her hips and looked at Sydney who looked up from the pan in shock.
"I wouldn't say that exactly." She said sheepishly dumping the pan in the drying rack, letting the dirty water drain and peeling the rubber gloves off. "We're just trying it out."
"Yeah, sure you are. I've seen the way you are with each other, it's like there's nobody else in the whole world, just the two of you." Francie let her mind wander away to Will, questioning if she herself was in love or just 'trying it out'.
"Let's not talk about this. I don't want to talk about this." Sydney walked from the kitchen waving her arms in the air trying to dismiss the conversation.
"You're just scared to admit it." Francie teased but backed away when Sydney gave her a death stare. "Okay, fine. Just one thing, don't let him get away. If you know what you want, fight for it, do not let him get away."
Sydney's face softened, she was faced with the real possibility that Francie was right and that she was hiding the whole thing from herself. "Thanks Fran, that's means a lot to me."
"No problem. I'm going back to bed for a while, have a good trip and come back safe." Francie gave her a quick hug. She didn't have to open the restaurant until ten o'clock and was lucky enough to sleep in most mornings. She left the room.
~*
The airport was quite busy for the middle of the week and the flight to Australia was packed. Sydney was seated next to one chatty little Australian girl and her teddy bear.
"My name's Sarah and I'm eight I like jelly beans and I have a brother named Nick, he's staying with my aunt Marge for another week and I have to go home to my dog Barney do you know Barney the Dinosaur? I named him after that but my brother wanted to call him Rex or something stupid like that did you know in April I turn nine? When I was three I ate a crayon my mum cried for ages cause she thought that I would be poisoned do you like snakes? Steve Irwin likes snakes and crocodiles I don't like spiders though." The little blond, freckled girl said with hardly a breath.
She talked so quickly that she had Sydney trying to rub the headache away with the palms of her hands. "Really," Sydney tried to get her to remain on one subject for long enough to make some sense, "I've heard of Steve Irwin and the Dinosaur, Barney. Do you like the Wiggles?"
Sarah screwed up her face, "The Wiggles? That's baby music. I like Kylie Minogue."
"Okay then," Sydney said looking across the aisle to where Dixon listened to the in flight comedy and Lark tapped away at the keys on his laptop, "I have to talk to my friend over there. Lark, swap seats."
Lark obediently climbed to his feet and moved into the seat that Sydney had vacated. He sat and was about to begin his tapping again when he caught sight of a small face beaming up at him.
"Did you know.?" Sarah began.
Sydney grinned as she turned to Dixon, "Any thing good on?" She asked referring to the earphones jammed tightly in his ears.
"Nah, not really," He replied pulling them out, "Bee in your bonnet?"
"Yeah, sort of. Would you say that I am incapable of loving?" She asked trying to get the conversation that she and Francie had had that morning out of her head.
"No, what brought that on?" Dixon's concerned expression slapped her.
"We, me and Francie were talking and she says that I'm in love with Michael and that I don't want to admit it." She said quickly then burying her head in her hands.
"Syd, that's really your choice," Dixon spoke carefully, stroking her hair, "But I certainly think that you are capable of loving, maybe you don't know if you are in love with him yet, and you don't have to know, just feel, you'll know if it's right."
"Thank you." She mumbled. She had managed to worry herself into nausea.
"Sydney," Dixon started again, "You are capable of loving, I love you and you love me. I know you do. You have a beautiful heart."
"Yeah but you're like family, it doesn't count." Sydney muttered and had Dixon laughing at her stubborn point.
~*
Sydney thought that Australian seminars looked more like parties at the White House. There was champagne, orderves, and beautiful dresses.
Sydney wore a black dress that flowed right down to the floor, dancing around her ankles and highlighting her curves. Dixon wore a black dinner suit with bow tie and white magnolias pin.
There was music, Sydney wondered what kind of seminar this was. Music, food, expensive wine? Strange.
"G-day," Said a man with a thick Australia accent, extending his hand to Sydney, "I'm Peter Costello and you are?"
"Diane Nock," Sydney replied sweetly, Weiss had warned her of this man.
Weiss: "Watch out for Peter Costello, he's the deputy Prime Minster and Treasurer of Australia. Slippery as far as they go."
Sydney: "How do you know all this stuff?"
Weiss: "Extensive research done by the FBI and was place at my disposal by our good friend Mr. Weah Smith."
**Mr. Weah Smith: FBI statement analysis guy. Transitioned from FBI to CIA and took all confidential files he had worked on with him.**
"Welcome to Australia Diane, please, make yourself at home." He smiled warmly at her then excused himself to talk to the President of Indonesia.
"Dixon, why are there so many famous world leaders here?" Sydney asked looking around the room. "That right there is Megawatti Scanaputrie, president of Indonesia and that's Tony Blair. How do the Aussies get so many world leaders in the same room? And why isn't our President here?"
"Beats me with a stick." Dixon shrugged and smiled at a passing lady of African origin. "Do you think that they are going to hold this seminar or drink themselves into a stupor?"
"Do you ever get the feeling that you're in a strange dream and you don't know if it's real or not?" Sydney asked looking suspiciously around the room, when Dixon nodded she continued, "This is one of those times."
At that moment a loud explosion echoed through the large room and a large ball of fire knocked both Sydney and Dixon to the floor.
The room was on fire and bits of debris rained down. Bits and pieces of the human attendance were spewed all over the floor and those lucky enough to survive the blast were either unconscious or suffering serve burns.
Dixon lifted his head off the floor and looked around the room, he had been thrown several feet from where he was originally standing, his vision was blurred and a large gash on his head, teaming blood told him why. "Sydney?!?" He said softly feeling the floor around him, calmness soon turned to panic and had him screaming, "Sydney!!!"
To be continued.
A/N: Well yes that's that chapter. Anybody who is angry (or just really pissed) at me cause the Australia's are evil just us the review button to abuse the hell out of me. I'm an Australian, so feel free to insult. My brain's dead so don't look too forward to the next chapter cause it might take a while to write. And anybody here who's also a Harry Potter fan, please jump over to books and read 'Entropy' by my good friend Gryffindor Girl. Thanks a lot.
Chapter thanks: Thank you to my best friends Stephanie and Boo. Steph, thanks for letting me steal your mum's name to come up with the US senator for this story Diane Nock. Boo, thanks for letting me steal your real name to come up with the new CIA agent Jessica McMillan. Extra thanks goes to Briana (Gryffindor Girl) for being on the phone and recommending the ending and to all the people who listened to me winge about writers block. Thanks again.