Author: littlepinkstar

Disclaimer: Neither Ed nor Alias belong to me. Which kind of sucks when you come to think of it…

Rating: PG-13, bordering on R for language, but it shouldn't be too bad. No explicit sexuality or any stuff like that…it is set in Stuckeyville after all…


Summary: After Sydney and Vaughn's covers have been compromised, they seek refuge in small town with our favorite bowling alley lawyer.

Distribution: SD-1.com

Authors Note: This first chapter is kind of lame, so I guess I'll have to see what you all think. I definitely have to work out some kinks in the plot. It's meant to be a humorous fic, but we'll have to see how that turns out. More of the tension will be eased when they get to Stuckeyville. But yeah, just as a sidenote: SD-6 is currently on lockdown and Sydney and Vaughn need to leave until it, and all of its relations, have been completely eradicated. For safety measures of course…Of course…

Chapter One - I'll Be Coming Home Next Year

Sydney's Point of View

"Syd, we have to get out of here. Now."

"But what about Will and Francie...and Dad? What about my Dad, Vaughn? His cover has been compromised too and there's no way that I'm just going to leave him and my friends here, in danger."

How could I have been so stupid? I don't know how it happened...to tell you the truth, I don't even know what really happened to begin with. All I remember is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I saw the end of Spy Sydney's life, and I got greedy and sprinted towards it. I was reckless. I got overexcited. I've never done something so incredibly stupid in my life.

It was so uncharacteristic of me. But then again, I always suprise myself when it comes to him. We were there. In Credit Dauphine, that is. We being me and Vaughn. We were ready to shut it down for good. To start the life we both wanted...together. He played it cool...I slipped up. How often do I find myself saying that??

The truth of the matter is that because of my careless actions, we're both in deep sh-t. Vaughn's life is in danger, my life is in even graver danger. And now, Dad's life is in even greater danger. And now we have to leave.

Leave our whole world behind? I don't think so.

Scratch that.

HELL NO.

"Sydney, I understand why you're worried..."

"No you aren't Vaughn, you have no idea...this is my fault. I'm not going to leave and let my actions bring perfectly good people's lives down. If we're leaving, Will, Francie and my Dad are coming with us."

"Don't you think it would be just a tad suspicious if everyone you are close with, and you suddenly disappear from LA, Syd? SD-6 knows. They know. But you know what? That doesn't matter. This operation can still be shut down. It'll be a little harder than it could have been, especially with you and me out of the picture, but the only way it can be done is by Jack. Jack needs to stay, and we need to leave. It won't be for long. Devlin's got an emergency operation in order and we should be able to come back within a few weeks..."

"A few weeks?!"

"Syd..."

There he goes again. Furrowing those eyebrows. He's mastered the eyebrow furrow, he definately need to move on to another nervous tendency. Nail biting, perhaps?

"No, don't Syd me..."

"Sydney!"

Did he just snap at me?

"I'm sorry, but you know this is our only option. You know more than anyone that Jack's our only hope now. We can't bring both of our strongest agents out of this. Yes, Jack's cover may have been comprimised, but at this point, that doesn't matter. The end is within reach, and we need to seize it before SD-6--"

"Okay, Vaughn, okay."

What's up with me? Since when do I, of all people, give in? I don't know. The man does have a point. If this will bring down SD-6 for good...I have to go. That's the only role I can have in shutting it down now. I have to leave.

He looks shocked. Probably as shocked as I am by the justification I just fabricated in my mind. Why does it always come down to me being with Vaughn, in the end? It used to be about Danny. About revenge. For fighting for what's right. And now, all I want more than anything in this world is to be with him. Without those tailored suits and files.

Dirty children! Not in that way! Although it would be nice...

I mean a normal life. Away from this world. Where it could just be me and him. And Donovan of course. And we could hang out with Will and Francie like normal people with normal lives and normal jobs and normal friends.

Woah, way to much normalcy.

"What?"

"I said okay. Will Dad be safe?"

"Of course he will, we've got it all worked out."

"I want to know all the precautions that will be taken to guarantee his safety."

"Not now, Syd, we really need to get moving...it really isn't safe for us to be in this city right now. I fill you in on the plane."

"What about Will and Francie?"

"If you really want, we can bring them where we're going. But we'll have to wait for awhile. Maybe a week or so...Just so that it doesn't arouse any more suspicion..."

HA! As if me completely blowing my cover and disappearing without a trace isn't conspicuous as it is...

"Will they be protected?"

"Of course they will."

"What am I going to tell Francie?"

"I know this will be hard, Syd, but we'll get through it. To tell you the truth, I don't know what you're going to do about Francie. But we have a week to figure it out, and until then, we've got Will to cover for you."

Oh God. How could I do this?

How could I f---ing do this?

And why in the hell do I feel excited to be whisked away by Vaughn? My friends and family all have their lives hanging in the balance, and yeah, I may seem like I care deeply for their lives but...

If you got to be whisked away by a certain green-eyed handler, despite the dangers, wouldn't you be even the littlest bit excited?

Yeah, I thought so.

No! This isn't me. I don't get excited when my friends could die. When I screw up the most important mission of my life. What the Hell has happened to me?

I'm so confused. And frustrated. And extremely angry.

What the Hell?

What. The. Hell.

"Where are we going?" I think I hide my excitement pretty well. All these years of espionage come down to this moment. How pathetic.

"Stuckeyville."

My jaw drops to the grown and I fight back the urge to break out into a fit of hysterics. Now's not the time. Now's not the place.

"Stuckey-what?!"

Vaughn shook his head and waved his hand in my face. Ha, never in my life would I expect to see Vaughn do a John Cage mannerism. What? I don't look like an Ally Junkie to you?

He reaches back and picks up to plane tickets and hands one to me.

"Trust me. This is probably the most secure place we can go. I'll explain everything to you on the plane. Meet at the hanger by the docks in an hour. We'll deal with the Francie and Will situation on the plane."

My face turns serious. I really don't know how. I definately didn't tell it to. It must be that natural mechanism I have that knows when to be serious and when not to act like a giddy, hormonal teenager.

"I'll be there in an hour."

I look down at the ticket. Stuckeyville, Ohio. He's right, this would be the last place anyone would ever look. Quite frankly, I don't think it actually exists...

"And Syd," he looks up at me with those big green puppy dog eyes. This man is amazing. Amazing.

"Be careful."

Our eyes meet. I know he mean's more than a simple "be careful." But there's no need to elaborate. Not now. But there'll be time for that later.

And God knows I'll be waiting.

END CHAPTER ONE