Like Normal People Do
Author: Chshalogrl aka Ellie
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone. Alias and its characters are the property of JJ Abrams, the lucky people at ABC, and Bad Robot Productions.
Rating: PG-13…and that's a harsh rating.
Summary: The ups and downs of SpyLove following the infamous Phase One kiss. Anything after that kiss is fair game and will probably be AU. This fic is fluffy like a bowl full of marshmallows with a pinch of angst for flavor. I tend to save a lot of angst for my sad little journal, so if you don't like fluff, you're in the wrong thread. :)
A/N:First off, my apologies for this chapter being a shorter one. I decided to go ahead and post it because I had a few people who had questions after the last chapter. Things are kind of explained in this chapter. And I also want to remind everyone…this was my first fanfic. I wrote it a long time ago and only recently decided to post it just for the heck of it. It's not perfect…just bear with me. Thanks for all of your encouraging words. You are all incredible and inspirational! I just hope you understand how much I appreciate your support. So here's chapter 9. Happy Reading!
Reviews are appreciated…good and bad!
~Ellie
Chapter 9 -The Truth Hurts
Not many would have noticed the extreme stress and tension that weighed down the harried pair as they rushed through the terminal of LAX, but it was quite visible to Jack Bristow as he watched Michael Vaughn carefully escorting his daughter through the crowds of oblivious travelers.
Realizing that he had not yet been spotted by his daughter, nor by Agent Vaughn, Jack took the opportunity to observe the interactions between the two. Brilliant spy that he was, the elder Bristow could have kicked himself for not being the first to diagnose the reason for the intensity of the relationship between Sydney and her handler. Sydney, still obviously feeling the effects of Gracia's drug, was moving rather slowly and although she wore an weak expression of defiance at Vaughn's thinly disguised concern, she was leaning into the gentle guidance of his hands as they moved.
Shaking his head in sorrow, Jack hardened his countenance in anticipation of his reunion with Sydney. While no official decisions yet been made regarding Sydney and Agent Vaughn, Jack was fairly certain that the CIA was going to put them in protective custody until Arvin Sloane was apprehended…or until Sloane managed to find Sydney. One thing was absolute. Certain truths were going to have to be uncovered and Jack wasn't looking forward to playing the part of the messenger.
* * * * * * * * *
Vaughn glanced over at Sydney worriedly for the umpteenth time and he wasn't surprised to see her roll her eyes exasperatedly.
"Vaughn! Will you stop looking at me like that? I'm fine!"
Raising an eyebrow skeptically, Vaughn said nothing as he released his hold of Sydney's slim frame and stepped away. Almost immediately, she let out small yelp as she began to keel over and Vaughn grinned triumphantly as she grabbed for him to avoid a face plant into the airport carpeting.
"Ha! Fine? Fine my ass! You can't even stand on your own. Or is it just that you can't keep your hands off me?"
Scowling like a pouting kindergartener, Sydney crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmmph. Think what you like Agent Vaughn. I was drugged. Of course I'm a little bit tipsy. But that doesn't mean you need to treat me as though I'm made of glass." Panning the crowd, Sydney's eyes lit with familiarity. "There's my father. And it doesn't look like he has good news." Rolling her eyes, she scoffed at her observation. "Now there's something you never see. Except for the days when the earth rotates."
Smiling at her encouragingly, Vaughn took her hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "We're going to be okay. As long as it's the both of us, we'll deal with any circumstances the CIA throws our way." Hooking her around the waist with his arms, Vaughn led Sydney towards Jack with a sense of dread at what the older man was about to share with them.
* * * * * * * * *
Sydney and Vaughn were quite disappointed with the lack of information Jack offered to them as they traveled from the airport back to headquarters. While the two had hoped that he would have been able to enlighten them as to the CIA's plans, he had finally admitted reluctantly that he didn't know anymore than they did because things had still been up in the air when he had gone to the airport.
Upon arrival at headquarters, Vaughn was dismayed when a group of CIA-sanctioned physicians closed in on Sydney, practically foaming at the mouth over the opportunity to discover what type of drug Gracia had used on her. Because he had not left her side since the drugging incident, Vaughn had insisted that he be present during her exam, but instead he found himself sitting in one of the CIA's many empty conference rooms. Finally feeling the emotional toll of the danger they had faced that evening, Vaughn found himself wringing his hands with anxiety over being separated from Sydney. While logically he knew that she was safe, he also wanted to be able to see her and touch her to reassure himself that she wasn't still lying unconscious on Gracia's bed.
Drumming his fingers on the smooth oak of the table, he heard the door open and turned to see Jack enter the room. With one look at Jack, he ceased the rhythmic tapping of his fingers and froze in fear. In all of his time at the CIA, he had never seen Jack look as completely overwhelmed as he looked at this very moment. Knowing that whatever news Jack was delivering had to be excruciating, Vaughn braced himself for the worst. But not before choking out one word.
"Syd?"
Jack's faced softened almost imperceptibly for a split-second at the mention of his daughter. Shaking his head, he eased the fears of the younger agent.
"Sydney is fine, Agent Vaughn. At least as far as we know. They haven't finished examining her yet."
Flooded with a sense of relief, Vaughn relaxed for just a moment before tensing once again in anticipation of Jack's news.
"What is it, sir? What's going on?"
Looking pensive, Jack stared Vaughn in the eye before slowly moving to sit across from him.
"You're a grown man now, Michael. So I'm just going to tell you what I know…some of it you may have already heard, some of it may be news. But I'm just going to be straight with you. There are things…things about your father that you may not know."
"I'm sure there are a lot of things I don't know. I was only a kid when he died. But what does that have to do with what's going on right now?"
"Everything, Agent Vaughn. You see, you and Arvin Sloane have more of a history than you realize. You also have a much longer history with Sydney than you may realize."
"My father? Friends with Arvin Sloane? My father was a good man, Agent Bristow. He was not a traitor to his country. He would never have associated with a man like Sloane. He was a hero."
"Yes he was. And he loved you very much. Your father was a good man, Agent Vaughn."
"I know that, but I want to know how you seem to have known him so well."
"We were…friends, Agent Vaughn."
"So why was that such a big secret?"
"Because your father and I were also friends with Arvin Sloane. The three of us. We were very good friends."
Feeling a knot of devastation forming in the pit of his stomach, Vaughn listened as Jack began telling the story.
"Your father and I became friendly when we were assigned as double-agents to a fairly significant trafficking operation in LA. We had both been working the desks, doing light field work, and we were excited about our first serious assignments. Because we were doubling, we were assigned covers as salespeople for a company that imported airplane parts and we both moved out here to LA. That was the year you were born. Once we had finished our first assignments, we maintained our covers to avoid arousing any suspicions, and the CIA kept a steady stream of undercover fieldwork flowing our way. After a couple of years in LA, I met Laura. She also became friendly with your parents and before long, the two of us got married. Your father and I actually met Sloane at a party being thrown by mutual friends, and while we became close with he and Emily, he didn't know what your father and I really did for a living. It was only when Sloane approached us about a "favor" that we began to understand who we were dealing with. He asked us if it would be possible to have some important items smuggled in with one of our company's shipments of airplane parts."
"Rambaldi." Vaughn supplied.
"Yes. Naturally, your father and I grew suspicious of such an unusual request. And naturally we agreed and arranged for his items to be shipped. We intercepted them, discovered several stolen Rambaldi artifacts, and reported the activity to the CIA. We were ordered to maintain our friendships with Arvin Sloane and to keep track of all further activity with the artifacts. You see, Agent Vaughn, this was before the Alliance or SD-6. We didn't understand the true repercussions of what Sloane was doing. If we had…well, you can imagine that we would have done things differently. In 1975, after a couple of years of friendship with the Sloanes, Sydney was born. Both Arvin and Emily fell in love with her. You see, they both had a deep desire to have children but, for some reason, could not conceive."
Jack paused for a moment to allow Vaughn to absorb the information. Clearing his throat after a moment, he continued.
"The Sloanes doted on both you and Sydney. The two of you were playmates when she was just a toddler and Arvin always spoke of a future romance between the two of you. We never knew at the time that he was planning to use the two of you as major pawns in his quest to uncover the secrets of Rambaldi. I believe that that is actually the point where Sloane's interest in Rambaldi became a full-blown obsession. He believes that the two of you are part of a Rambaldi prophecy. You've seen the part that implicates Sydney. Allegedly, there is another page…page 48, that would describe you as the other half of the prophecy. The CIA has yet to obtain evidence of this page's existence. Unfortunately, it was also at this time that Sloane became aware of CIA surveillance being conducted on him. For some reason, he immediately suspected your father's betrayal and, like the sick bastard he is, he chose to use a game of manipulation as revenge."
Vaughn's jaw tightened as he realized where the story was about to go. "And where does Irina murdering my father come into play?"
Jack shook his head sorrowfully. "I wish I could tell you. I assume that somewhere along the line, Irina revealed her true identity to Sloane and the two agreed to work together. If I had known about Irina's despicable actions, I can assure you, I wouldn't have stayed married to her for five more years. All I know is that I received a phone call from the CIA one night. They informed me that your father and several other agents had been killed while away on an op. It was only when Sloane began to make cryptic remarks about your father's betrayal that I knew he had been responsible. Unfortunately, since he hadn't committed the act himself, I couldn't link him to your father's death." Jack paused thoughtfully. "You see, Agent Vaughn, now you understand why the takedown of SD-6 was a matter of vengeance for me as well. Arvin Sloane killed my best friend."
* * * * * * * * *
Though he wore a stoic mask as he made his way down the hall, Vaughn was feeling completely torn up inside. His relationship with Sydney was playing perfectly into Sloane's master plan. And now he realized that both he and Sydney were in danger. Approaching the door of the exam room he had been directed to, he paused and rearranged his facial expression that Sydney had always been so adept at reading. He knocked softly.
"Who is it?" Her voice was soft, but there was definite irritation buzzing from the words.
"It's me, Syd. Can I come in?"
He was answered by an eager voice. "Come in!"
Turning the handle, Vaughn pushed his way through the heavy door and immediately found Sydney in the middle of the small room. Perched on the edge of an exam bed, she had changed from the dress she had arrived in and was now sporting a pair of sweats and a small t-shirt.
Noticing Vaughn's observation of her change in clothes, Sydney shrugged. "Not the most professional clothing I've ever worn to work. But then again, it's not really the least professional either…when you consider my SD-6 uniforms, of course."
Vaughn chuckled softly and said nothing. Jack had said that it was his decision on when or even whether to tell Sydney about their fathers and Sloane. Of course, Sydney had known about her father's friendship with the maniac. But Vaughn didn't want to frighten Sydney more by telling her that their relationship was one of the desired factors in Sloane's master plan.
Sydney watched Vaughn in silence as he battled mentally and questioned him nervously. "Vaughn? What's wrong? What's going on?"
The girlish fear in the voice caused Vaughn's heart to ache because it was a voice he had never heard from Sydney Bristow. They had each faced the direst of circumstances without this level of fear, several times in fact. But they had never, in any of those times, worried so much about losing each other.
Vaughn moved across the small room and Sydney scooted over to make room for him on the bed. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Vaughn pulled Sydney's slim frame closer to his own larger one and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose as she looked up at him.
"What's going to happen to us, Vaughn? Haven't they made any decisions yet?"
"I don't know, Syd. Sloane has the power to find just about any person on this earth. I think they're having a hard time finding a secure location that Sloane won't have under surveillance. Are you still waiting for test results from the doctor?"
Yawning, Sydney nodded before leaning backward to curl up on the bed. Vaughn stayed in his seat beside her and watched as she closed her eyes. Burdened by an overwhelming stab of complete adoration of the woman in front of him, he practically exploded. He had to tell her. He couldn't let her go another minute with knowing.
"Sydney?"
"Hmmm?" Her eyelids fluttered slightly.
"Tonight…I learned something…I realized…when you were…"
Sydney opened her brown eyes in confusion and looked closely at Vaughn before speaking patronizingly. "Honey, are you okay?"
Shaking his head in frustration, Vaughn started over. "When you were in Gracia's house tonight and I knew you could be in danger. I realized what it would feel like to know that your life was over. That there was nothing else for you in the world. I felt that when I considered the possibility that you wouldn't be with me anymore. Sydney, you're the single-most important person, place, or thing I've ever had in my life. All I've ever wanted since I met you has been to keep you safe and to keep you happy. Neither is an easy task, I've found."
Sydney stared at him through the duration of his outburst and smiled at his final sentence. But nothing could have pried the grin off of her face when she heard his next words.
"I'm in love with you, Syd. I love you." Gazing at her with puppy dog eyes, Vaughn silently pleaded for her to say something. He wasn't disappointed.
"I love you too, Vaughn. I have for awhile now."
Smiling like idiots, the two were completely oblivious to the third party that had long since joined them in the small room.
Kendall cleared his throat rudely and effectively stirred both agents from their reveries.
"That's heartwarming. Really. But while you two lovebirds are wooing each other, Arvin Sloane is somewhere plotting both of your deaths. So I'd suggest you'd listen carefully. Here's how we're going to do this…"
And with their mutual admissions of love in tow, Sydney and Vaughn prepared for whatever tumultuous lifestyles the CIA had in store.
TBC…
Thanks so much for reading! Sorry for any nasty little typos. More in two weeks!