Title: Putting Aside Differences

Author: BristowBoyScout545 (Tess)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Flangst

Disclaimer: I don't own Alias, and never have. Read, Review, and Enjoy!

Chapter One: Heart to Heart

"Sydney. Vaughn. Sloane wants to see you in the briefing room." Dixon called to them, interrupting their idle daydreams. Sydney and Vaughn stood up to follow him, and they made their way to the conference room.

Once they were seated, Sloane began.

"The rising threat of the terrorist organization known as CRF has caused concern among the agency. They have claimed responsibility for several acts of violence, including the assassination of a Hungarian politician Edgar Potikov."

The view screen flickered to life as photographs of a particularly gruesome crime scene were displayed, causing a few of them to wince.
"Luckily, we have a potential breach into the group by way of a defector. We received Intel via an encrypted chain of data programmed into one of our satellites, and under further analysis, we deciphered a message. It detailed a desired meeting with the CIA to arrange a deal: information about CRF in exchange for the guarantee of a safe stay in the United States."

"The same terms Lysanker demanded when defecting from the Covenant." Sydney interrupted the memory of that incident all too fresh in her mind.

"Yes, the same terms. But this time I think you'll find your mission will be eased by the absence of a mole." He replied, reminding them that when he had been made head of APO, he had been given detailed reports of all missions from the past year.

She didn't need to look at Vaughn to know that he had flinched at the mention of Lauren, even if not by name. She wished she could do something to comfort him, because she knew if he kept dwelling on his past mistakes, he would close up, shut her out to protect her. And she had gone so long without him; she didn't think she could stand it. Just when she thought he was really "Vaughn" again, he let the memory of those horrible three years haunt him.

"Agent Vaughn, you and Agent Bristow will meet her at a café in Florence. The contact signal will be a blue pen on the left hand side of the table. You have only a half hour time frame in which you must contact her. We cannot lose this opportunity. Your plane leaves in three hours."

The three stood up to depart, but Vaughn left the quickest, walking briskly out of the room without a word. Dixon looked at Sydney questioningly, who shook her head dismissively.

"Jack. We need to talk."

He stared at Vaughn, emotionless.

"About what, Agent Vaughn?"

Vaughn gave him a clear look until he said,

"Every time you've felt compelled to speak to me, save for the instances where our occupations have forced us to converse, the topic has been either my daughter or Lauren Reed, so analyzing past situations and occurrences, and judging by the pained expression on your face, I would say it's safe to presume you wish to discuss one of the two. Am I correct?"

"As usual." Vaughn answered, taking a seat across the desk from Jack and fidgeting with his watch until he worked up the courage to say what was troubling him.

"I can't live with the guilt, jack. Every damn time things get back on track, I freeze up. I can't get past what I did to her. Everything reminds me of what we would have been…..what we would have been if I hadn't married Lauren."

He sighed, pushing back his hair.

"And I'm supposed to help you how?" the older of the two agents said coolly.

He had an idea where Vaughn was going with this, but he didn't let on.

"You know that Sydney's happiness is everything to me. But I can't help feeling that she might not be….okay. I can tell she hasn't completely healed, and as much as she denies it, I know she never will. And…maybe it's hurting her too much to be with me. Because I can see it in her eyes, when she looks at me, she's reminded of what I did."

Vaughn sighed heavily again, trying to cope with the emotional battle raging inside of him.

"You're right in saying that Sydney will never fully recover from what she's gone through, but losing you again will only add to her pain. Despite everything Mr. Vaughn, my daughter seems to need you."

He hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"and I won't stand by and watch her suffer that loss."

Jack was struggling to conceal his feelings, something that usually came easily to him. He inhaled deeply, trying to regain composure, but the thought of his little girl going getting hurt even more, that was unbearable.
"However, if Sydney shows signs of needing her space, you will do everything in your power to see that she gets just that. Or I will do everything in my power to see that your actions do not go without heavy consequences."

He knew Jack too well to take him lightly, considering the lengths he had taken to conceal Lazarey's murder.

"There are some mistakes you can't make twice." He answered determinedly.

With that, he left the office without a backward glace at the man who might someday be his father-in-law.

------------------
"Hey, have you seen Vaughn?" Syd asked as she approached Weiss.

"Never fails." Eric shook his head in disbelief.

"Where's Vaughn? Do you know where Vaughn is? I can't find Vaughn. It's not even Weiss, can you please help me locate my absent-minded boyfriend because you are the greatest guy in the world, or Eric, my closest and dearest friend, will you pretty please aid me in my search for the ever elusive Michael Vaughn. No, it's always hey, where is he?"

Syd laughed. "Okay. My best friend in the whole world that's not in witness protection, will you be so kind as to inform me if you have laid eyes on agent Vaughn recently?"

She maintained a straight face as he replied,

"Now that's more like it, although I noted your pretty pleases were in short supply. No, sorry I haven't seen him. Wasn't he just in briefing with you?"

She bit her lip.

"He took off after the meeting."

"Just like that?" Weiss questioned. It didn't sound like mike to him.

She looked down as she spoke, "Sloane mentioned Lauren in the brief today. not in an accusing way, but he just zoned out after that. Weiss, I'm worried about him. One minute he's fine, and the next it's like he's back in the past. And it's not like I can do anything because he won't talk to me about it. Like, he thinks it's a burden for me, to know what's on his mind."
She was frustrated with herself as she failed to help him conquer the demons he was constantly facing.

"I know Syd. I know. But he'll be okay. He just needs our support right now. He needs you now more than ever."

"I only hope it's enough."

"Sydney, you're always enough for him."