The Promise of Tomorrow

Thanks to everybody who reviewed my first story. :) I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this story, it was kinda a spur of the moment thing, so it's not really good, but oh well. Hope you enjoy it! Also, it's still short... sorry.

P.S. I don't own Alias or any of the actors or anything like that. Although I definitely wouldn't mind having my own Michael Vartan... :)

"Hey." Sydney greeted him with a smile. He smiled back.

"Hey." He paused. "How was Rome?"

"Oh you know, same old, same old." Sydney grinned. "It was beautiful and all, but I couldn't help but remember the last time I went..." Vaughn grinned back.

"Oh really?" He asked. "What was so special about it?" Sydney paused to think.

"I think..." She paused again. "I think it was the mission. Not everybody gets to break into the Vatican you know? It was a particularly poignant mission."

"Oh." Vaughn said.

"Or..." Sydney grinned to herself. "It could have been the company." She watched as Vaughn's eyes lit up, then shook her head playfully. "No, that wasn't it..." She said.

"It wasn't?" Vaughn asked, curious.

"No. The company was great and all, extremely friendly and fun to have around, but I'm pretty sure it was the mission."

"Oh, OK." Vaughn crossed the threshold to stand directly in front of Sydney. He looked deep in her eyes. "You know, it takes a lot of courage to break into the Vatican." He said. "Especially if you're a devout Catholic who happens to practically worship the pope and would never wish any harm on him or his property."

"Really?" Sydney asked, her voice catching. Vaughn nodded.

"Yeah." He agreed, then paused. "And, of course, that wasn't the only time I did something special for you." He reminded her. "I don't keep just anyone in my trunk." Sydney grinned.

"Oh that was you?" She scolded herself playfully. "I thought it was Will." Vaughn raised his eyebrows.

"Will, huh?" Sydney nodded innocently.

"Yeah."

"Did Will ever save your butt from the people who broke into SD6?" Sydney shook her head. "Did he give you special information that you were never meant to know?" Again, she shook her head. "Did he ever rescue you from the FBI?" Sydney grinned and shook her head.

"Of course as a result of that I nearly drowned." She told him. Vaughn shrugged.

"That wasn't because of me. That was Haladacki."

"Oh." Sydney paused. "Remind me to kick his ass one day." Vaughn smirked.

"I already did." He told her. Sydney grinned.

"Really? Well, then I guess he got what was coming to him." Vaughn nodded. There was an awkward pause. "I knew it was you, you know." Sydney said suddenly.

"What?" Vaughn was caught off guard.

"I knew it was you." Sydney repeated. "Who else would it have been?" She took a step closer to Vaughn, making the distance between them diminish greatly. "You have done so many kind, brave, heroic actions for me that... well I don't know what to say." She took a deep breath. "You're a wonderful, wonderful friend."

"Just a friend?" Vaughn wondered, looking deep in her eyes. Sydney's breath caught and she momentarily faltered but Vaughn steadied her.

"I hope... Someday I hope we can be more than friends." She revealed. "But we can't." Vaughn nodded, understanding.

"Someday." He vowed. Sydney smiled and nodded.

"Someday." She promised. And suddenly she felt an even greater motivation to take down SD6. Not only would she avenge Danny's death and punish the unjust, but she could finally move on with her life with the one person she hoped to spend the rest of it with- Michael Vaughn.