A/N: Would you look at that! I've reached double digits! This story is up to ten chapters! Thanks to all of you who've reviewed! I couldn't have done it without ya! You are champions!
Disclaimer: I don't own Alias...
Previously on Why Can't I?
"Michael?" A voice called.
"Jack?" Michael squinted into the darkness before him. "Is that you?"
Jack Bristow stepped inside the cabin and indicated to the aeroplane workers to close the door after him.
"What's happening?" Vaughn asked, following Jack to the back of the plane.
"Just wait a second Michael," Jack told him. "Just wait till the people have gone."
"Just wait? Jack, I've been waiting for the past few hours trying to figure out what's happening." Vaughn said, his voice full of frustration. "Please tell me what's going on."
"Before I do anything, there is something you have to see,' Jack said, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket. Producing a disk, he handed it over to Vaughn. "You should have a look at this."
Vaughn took the disk from Jack and walked to the laptop he left on the table. "Any clues? I mean, should I be preparing myself for the worst?"
"See for yourself," Jack said, indicating to the program on the computer.
"What is that?" Vaughn squinted hard at a computer screen. "Who is that?"
"Well, I had the computer techs create a face recognition program to see if my suspicions were confirmed. Look at the next picture, it tells you who it is."
"Arvin Sloane?" Vaughn read, "99 percent chance?"
"Well using an aging process on the last documented picture of Sloane, and one taken from the cameras you planted, we've compared them and it's a 99 percentchance it's Arvin Sloane."
"So basically it's Sloane," Vaughn said. "But didn't we already know that Sloane owned the library?"
"Well, we had heard that he owned the library from a source; one that isn't particularly reliable. And considering the location of the library, it was best to seek if the library was actually a front of his or not. And it is, we have now confirmed it."
"So what does that mean?" Vaughn asked.
"We've also found out, Michael, that Sloane now works out of the library as well. You see, just because he owns it - "
"-doesn't mean he necessarily works out of there," Vaughn said, interrupting Jack. "Yeah, I know that. But what are we going to do now that we've found Sloane? Are we going to run a raid? Is that why you needed me?"
"Not quite," Jack said, looking down. "Take a look at the next picture."
"Oh my gosh!"
"And the next one," Jack told Vaughn.
"Oh jeez!" Vaughn exclaimed. "But it's only a 80 percentchance! It might not be her."
"But there's an 80 percent chance it is. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to find out she's alive than believe she was killed so many years ago. She's my daughter," Jack said.
Flashback
"But she was all I had left," Jack said, breaking down into sobs at the table.
"Jack that's not true. You have us now," Mrs Vaughn said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"It's been two weeks, if she was alive she would know to have contacted me. She would have called me! She should have come home!" Jack cried out, wiping his eyes.
"What about if she can't reach you? I mean she might not have access to a phone." Vaughn said, distraught at seeing such a strong man cry.
"That's right Jack," Mrs Vaughn calmly said. "She might be out of range or something."
"I'm so sorry. I can't believe I was so stupid. Doing what I do, I basically drew a target on Sydney. Why didn't I realise? Why did I realise too late?" Jack buried his face in his hands.
"Don't blame yourself, Jack. Don't…" Mrs Vaughn pulled a tissue from the box and passed it to him.
'Thanks," Jack said, blowing his nose. "I think I know what I have to do."
"What's that?" Michael asked him. "Are you going to search for her? Can I help?"
"No!" Mrs Vaughn and Jack replied at the same time.
"I've learnt my lesson Michael, children and my world don't mix at all. I'm going to search for her, that's a priority. But I think – no, I know – I have to move out of that house."
"Why's that?"
"It's full of sadness, secretsand lies. I mean, Laura my wife died while we were living there, Tracey, she lied and manipulated all of us and now that Sydney's gone, there's nothing left in that house for me."
"Are you going to sell it?" Michael asked.
"No, I think I'll rent it out. Sydney might return one day and feel the need to go back there." Jack scrunched the tissue in his hand up and wiped his nose on his sleeve.
"We understand Jack, we really do," Mrs Vaughn said, forcing a smile.
Grateful, Jack looked up at her and then to Michael. "Thank-you both so much."
Jack wandered to the bin and threw out his tissue, and then was joined for the walk to door by both the Vaughn's.
"So, we'll see you soon?" Mrs Vaughn asked, opening the door.
"For sure." Jack walked out the door and stopped on the doorstep.
"Where are you going to live?" Michael asked.
"Here and there probably. Just till I find a place." Jack shrugged his shoulders.
Receiving a poke from her son, Mrs Vaughn turned and lookedto where Michael discreetly pointed. Catching on to her son's train of thought, she said to Jack, "What do you think of this neighbourhood?"
"This neighbourhood? Yeah, it's ok."
"You'd be close to us," Michael said.
"And it's close to where you work," Mrs Vaughn added.
"Where is this all coming from?" Jack asked in wonder.
"Look," Michael pointed over to the other side of the road. "That house is for sale!"
Jack turned and glanced at the for sale signin front of thehouse and then looked back at the Vaughn's. "Hang on a moment, I'll be right back."
"I'm really sorry about this Jack, but someone has to say it. What happens if she's, you know, gone bad?" Michael asked.
"There is a chance, Michael. But she may not be bad. She may have been manipulated or something. There is an explanation as to why she's there."
"Ok, so what's going on now?" Michael asked Jack. "What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to go undercover at the library."
A/N: Hey, thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I think I may have said it before, but I'll say it again – you people out there are wonderful.
dandan: Cheers for the boost of confidence mate. Ta for your review!
Bonnie: Thanks for reviewing mate!
irionelissa: Hey! Thanks for that! I'm glad you like the jumping ahead! That makes me so happy :D
hay2thelee: Yo! lol! Nah, Sydney's not with her dad. I hope that this chapter filled everyone in a little on the Jack/Sydney situation. Thanks for reviewing, and yes I have seen a kangaroo :P
Rachelle – Your almighty Vampire: Cheers mate!
So if you have any queries, questions or anything you want to talk to me about, feel free to ask or tell me. Other than that, till the next chapter… :D
Next time: Will Vaughn go undercover?