Title: Lovers andvendettas

Summary: Alternate end to 'A man of his word'. What if Sark had taken Sydney with him to settle his own agenda when he escaped?

Disclaimer: Don't own Alias, or any of the characters associated to the show.

Rating: PG

A/N: Insinuated femslash, Syd/Lauren and traces of Sarkney.

When the shooting starts Sark knows it's was about him, whoever the shooter is they want one of two things, possibly both. Either to use him or kill him. As Sank'o goes down he knows it is his last chance for what he has silently been planning for months.

The second Sydney goes to handcuff him he turns the tables on her and grabs the cuff she tries to attach to a railing and places it on her wrist. She attempts to grab her gun but he's quicker and his nimble hands already have it from her before she can reach.

Vaughn is too preoccupied with the shooter to notice as Sark forces Sydney out of the club at gunpoint. When they reach the car they arrived in Sark drives for almost two hours as they both sat in silence.

When they finally stop in a desolate place, long after they have seen their last car or building Sark undoes the handcuffs after taking the key from Sydney's pocket. With the gun still aimed at her he leaves the car and opens the passenger door of the car for her to get out.

Once she climbs out he shoves her forward so that she falls to her knees in the dust of the old, unused road. He stands in front of her with the gun aimed at her as she looks up from the ground and in to his eyes.

"Whomever it was that shot Sank'o was obviously after me." Sydney is tempted to say something about his vanity but the twisted look in his eyes warns her to bite her lip. "They may want to kill me, and if not someone else will. And I refuse to end my life without making you answer to me."

"What are you talking about Sark?" She finally spits the words out, despite her fear of the manic look in Sark's eyes.

"Before agent Vaughn, who was the last person you slept with?" He asks, no trace of the usual smirk he gets from unnerving her with personal questions. She falters as she stares him down and her gaze travels to the floor.

"Simon."

He pushes the gun against her forehead, rage shining through his icy pale blue eyes. "Do not lie to me Sydney." She has no idea what to do, he obviously knows everything and only wishes for her to admit it for self-satisfaction. She also knows that if he has been informed of everything that happened she will not be leaving alive.

"Lauren." She finally mutters.

"What? I couldn't quite hear that Sydney?" Sark spits. "Did you say LAUREN? Your ex's wife, my lover and you're enemy?"

"Yes." She mumbles.

"Louder!" Sark barks, his voice raw with hate and anger.

"Yes!" Sydney screams at the top of here voice. "Lauren Reed was the last person I slept with. I won't let Vaughn near me because he makes me sick! Ok?" She slumps to the ground in defeat and begins to cry, the first tears she has allowed herself to shed over Lauren. "I miss her."

Sark lowers the gun at seeing her genuine grief. He had thought Sydney had simply used Lauren for her own ends; revenge on Vaughn for giving up on her.

"So do I." He places the gun down on the car bonnet and sits beside it. Sydney cautiously rises to her feet and studies him. He is pale and his eyes are sullen. He is no longer the man he had been. No longer the young arrogant rogue that had taken pleasure in teasing her with his mind games. He is simply broken. And a grieving lover who misses the only thing that had kept him going in the world. They are no longer enemies or rivals. They are equals. Each understands the other's pain. The pain of losing the blonde woman they both lost their hearts to.

"I can't go on like this Sydney. Not without her. I have my freedom back, but there is nothing in it to keep me here. Money, power, control…not of it matters anymore." He toys with the gun he has picked up and Sydney is all too aware of what he intends to do.

"Sark, don't do this. You'll be ok. We'll be ok. We'll get through this. We both loved her…"

He laughs. It's quiet and hollow. "Do you really believe that?" As she stares in to his gaze she knows she can't fool him. They are like the same person. The same tortured past and seedy occupation, she's known for a long time that just because the government gives her permission to kill doesn't mean she is any different to him. Above all they have both lost the same woman they have loved through countless betrayal and deception.

"No." She finally mutters. Staring at the gun she begins to wonder what she herself really has to live for? A lifetime of pain and deceit, more betrayal and broken promises? Sark's way out starts to seem more appealing by the second. "I guess we are really alike, Julian." She uses his name and a faint smile touches his lips. She's finally acknowledging him for what he is. Exactly like her.

"Thank you Sydney." He stands and walks calmly over to her. A hand cups her cheek as he moves in to kiss her. She doesn't object. If they try hard enough they can both still taste the faint flavour of Lauren Reed. The cause of their mutual pain. "Before Lauren I intended to claim you myself…perhaps had things gone differently…" He sighs as he clutches the gun in his hand. "I won't kill myself in front of you, I wouldn't want you to have to see that."

She holds out her hand for the gun. "Then let me go first." He smiles, and for the first time in a while it actually reaches his eyes.

"You don't need it." He explains. "I had an old acquaintance in the club spike your drink, you shouldn't last much longer. It will be painless, I promise your death, unlike your life, will not painful."

"Thank you." She mumbles as she clings to him for support. She has started to feel the poison's effects. She smiles. He was right, it isn't painful, and for that she is grateful.
"Perhaps we'll meet again in the next life Sydney. You, myself and Lauren." He allowed himself his mischievous and arrogant grin as her eyes begin to close. "Won't that be fun?"

Ten minutes later, as Sydney's dead body lies on the ground a gunshot rings out in to the crisp night air.