It Was For The Best Chapter 1, an alias fanfic

Title: It Was For The Best.

Rating: I'm not that good at deciding what rating this goes under, but to be on the safe side, I've put it under M. But this story won't really contain any smut - just to let you know.

Spoiler: It picks up in Sovogda when Irina has left. It will contain a lot of the known characters as well as new ones, but it will primarily be a Jack/Irina story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Alias. It belongs to JJ Abrams, Bad Robot Productions, and ABC.

NOTE 1: Everything in the story might not be how the characters on Alias really were or how they might have turned out. Some things might not be rational, some things might be exaggerated, some things might be unbelievable, some things might not be able to happen in real life, and some things might just be downright silly. But please remember that this is a fiction, and that this is just my way of having a little fun.

NOTE 2: This is the first story out of 3 connecting stories.

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Chapter 1

Jack and Sydney stood and watched Irina leave. When they could only see her in the distance Sydney spoke. "You let her go dad".

"Yes, I did".

"Why?"

"Your mother has been locked up and tortured by her own sister. She deserves freedom." They faced each other, and he gave her a small smile, which Sydney returned. Just before Irina was completely out of their sight Jack took one last look at her, and before he turned to leave said, "I'll go check on the others, and explain what happened. We'll tell the CIA that your mother took off when we went around securing the area, and taking care of Nadia."

"You think that'll work?"

"If we all stick to the story it will." When he turned around he came face to face with Vaughn. Vaughn gave Jack a nod indicating that he would go along with the plan. Jack nodded in return, and left to talk to Sloane.

"Are you really okay with that plan?"

"Your mother was put through hell by her own sister, and though your mother is not my favorite person in the world, no one deserves that kind of treatment." Sydney smiled at him and then hugged him. "Besides she's your mother and will be my mother-in-law, so it's probably not the best course of action to not go along with the plan." That earned him a small laugh from Sydney, and a kiss.

"Thank you Vaughn. It means a lot to me." They looked at each other, and hugged again.

The following day Jack, Sydney, and Vaughn were back at APO, facing director Chase, who wasn't happy to hear that Irina didn't return with them.

"Just how did Derevko get away from three highly trained CIA agents? That shouldn't be possible."

"As we already explained to you, Vaughn and I went to secure the area, and Sydney was by her sister's side with Sloane. She is after all Irina Derevko, and quite capable of slipping past even the best trained agents."

Chase was fuming, and turned angrily to Sydney.

"I trusted you, and she's out there running around freely, because of you."

"I know, and it was my responsibility to look after her while my father and Vaughn went to secure the area, and I take full responsibility. But I was concerned about my sister. The important thing is we stopped it, and that was with my mother's help. She did something good."

Jack was a little distracted when he heard that Sydney took full responsibility for her mother's 'escape'. That had definitely not been part of their plan. He quickly focused on the conversation again when Chase's booming voice spoke again.

"I hardly think that justifies anything agent Bristow. Derevko might have been helpful in Sovogda, but now she's out there on her own, doing god knows what. She doesn't exactly have the best track record for doing good things, now does she?"

"No she doesn't."

Sydney wanted to tear Chase's head off. Why couldn't she just be happy that the mission had gone well, and then not care so much about her mother? She didn't however, want to get into heavier waters with Chase, so she kept her cool, but inside she was fuming as much as Chase was fuming on the outside.

"Fortunately for you, Sloane is given the exact same story as you are. I'm not convinced that Derevko didn't have help in her so-called escape, but again fortunately for you, I can't prove it." She looked at them one by one to see if any of them would give anything away, but they didn't. Not that she had really expected anything. Especially not from the Bristows. Vaughn was another thing, but she figured it had to be his love for Sydney that kept him quiet. "Very well. You're all excused and there won't be any further investigation into the matter. But I'm watching you. If you associate with Derevko again in any way, you will be thrown in jail. Solitary confinement. You know what that's like, right Jack?" She was smirking at Jack, a triumphantly smirk. If he wouldn't give up Derevko, she could certainly make him think back to what he went through the last time he worked with her, and didn't give her up.

Jack knew she was baiting him, but he kept his calm. He smirked right back at her.

"Yes, I do."

His smirk had the effect he had hoped for. Chase stopped smirking, and instead put her mad face back on. A small smile escaped Sydney and Vaughn's lips. They looked briefly at each other, and then turned to look at Chase again.

"Get out of here. Write out your report on the mission. I want it by tomorrow morning." Jack, Sydney, and Vaughn left, and walked away from the office. They walked far away, so that no one would hear them.

"Sydney, why did you take full responsibility?"

"I thought Chase would accept it more if I said it was my fault, rather than your fault dad." She put her hand on his arm to let him know that she didn't mind taking full blame for what happened, and smiled at him too.

Jack gave a small smile in return, and nodded.

"Well, I guess we better get started on that report."

Nearly two weeks after leaving Sovogda, Irina returned home. She stood outside of her house in Russia, and she couldn't believe she was seeing it again.

"I'm really here." She saw that the lights were on inside, and a smile spread across her face. "Sergei." She started to shake a little and had to steady herself before ringing the bell. "Hello Sergei."

"Irina? Irina is that really you?" A dark-haired man in his mid-thirties was shocked to see that she stood in-front of him. "My god, it is really you" He took her in his arms and hugged her tightly.

"Yes, Sergei it's really me. I've missed you so much."

He kissed her cheeks and forehead and hugged her again.

"I thought I'd never see you again, and I've missed you too. And I love you. You know that right? Because, I don't want you to ever doubt that."

"I don't doubt that, and I love you too." She kissed his cheeks and forehead just like he had done with her. He let her inside and she looked at the stairs. "Are….?" She had a lump in her throat, and small tears escaped her eyes.

"Yes, right up there in bed and fast asleep. It's late after all." He smiled broadly at her. He knew how much she must have been longing.

"And are….?" Her emotions took over, and she couldn't seem to get the words out.

"Yes, and absolutely fine. But everything will be much better now that you're home. Why don't you go up and see. You need to do that." He wiped her tears away and kissed her forehead again. "After that we can talk if you're up to it."

"Thank you Sergei. I can't believe I get to see….." Her tears took hold of her once again, and she put her hands to her face.

"It's okay Irina." He hugged her again, and once more dried her tears. "Now go on. Get upstairs. Go see for yourself."

She kissed him on the cheek, and walked slowly upstairs. She got to the room she was looking for, and stood outside putting her hand on the door. She gathered herself and slowly opened the door, and the sight that met her made her cry again. She couldn't say anything through her tears, and just stood their looking at the beautiful sight she hadn't seen in over a year, but had longed so desperately for.

TBC