A/N So this chapter took a few days longer to get out than I thought, just been busy. Thanks for all the wonderful replies, I'm glad to know that people are enjoying the story so much. Nothing real eventful in this chapter just a needed establishing chapter while I get my thoughts and ideas organized.

This chapter is for Egyptian Kat cause she always makes me laugh lol. Please reply Q's, ideas, predictions anything at all.

Redemption

Chapter 14

Sydney stood in the doorway her arms crossed over her chest just watching Kathryn sleep. It was an odd feeling she'd decided, just standing there and watching her sister sleep and feeling peaceful. But Sydney knew that even in her sleep Kathryn wasn't peaceful. She moaned words, phrases, Sydney couldn't understand but assumed they weren't happy ones. Her cheeks were stained with tears; Sydney didn't even know it was possible for someone to cry in their sleep but apparently it was.

Vaughn had brought Kathryn home and put her to sleep, he'd told Sydney that she hadn't even woken up when he brought her in from the car, the medication she'd been given had its effect, she would be asleep for several more hours. Sydney hadn't come home right away; there was someone she'd needed to visit first. Suddenly she felt arms around her.

"You don't have to watch her ever second," Vaughn whispered in her ear wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I know," she leaned back against him relishing the feel of the roughness of his against hers as he kissed her cheek. "It just makes me feel better."

He took her hand leading her away from the room. "Did you have any luck?"

"Yeah," Sydney nodded. She stopped in the hallway holding Vaughn's hand squeezing it tightly. "He-"

"Hey," Vaughn tilted her chin up and thumbed away a tear. "She'll be okay, she's just like you." He gave her a half smile. "You are the strongest person that I know, and she's strong like you. The fact that she's even here today tells you something. Some people would just give up they wouldn't have the will.the desire to live if they'd been through what she has. But she's still here and she's still fighting."

"You always know what to say," she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I'll talk to her about it when she wakes up."

"I'm hungry," Vaughn rubbed his stomach as they continued walking down the hall.

"When aren't you hungry," Syd laughed elbowing him lightly in the stomach.

"When I'm doing this." he suddenly grabbed her hands hooking them around his neck he pressed her against the wall kissing her deeply. She moaned softly against his mouth as a knock on her front door pulled them apart.

"That'll be my father," she murmured softly against his lips.

"I should go. Call me later?"

"Yeah," She got his jacket from the couch and moved towards the door, hearing the knock again. "Thank you for bringing her home.for staying with her.for everything."

"No problem," he kissed her forehead one last time before she opened the door and he left.

Jack walked into Sydney's house without saying even a word. He looked tired she noted. Then again it was no wonder; she'd seen him early that morning, as dawn broke. He'd been sitting in the chair beside Kathryn's bed. The room was still too dark to see clearly and Sydney had gone in to see for sure. She never could have pictured her father this way. He was peaceful and relaxed stretched out on the chair his head tilted in an ungodly position that would no doubt leave him with an ache for the day. Stepping closer, in the soft gleam of the morning sun breaking through the blinds she saw his arm outstretched. At first she couldn't believe her eyes. She was surprised, yet not surprised all at the same time to see her father holding Kathryn's hand. He'd spent the night holding her hand offering her comfort as she slept fighting her way through the nightmares of the days events. Kathryn had slept unwaking, and Sydney attributed that to the strange image of her father holding her sister's hand.

Jack took a seat on the counter stool; his usual poker face revealed nothing.

Sydney closed the door after watching Vaughn drive off and noted the car across the street, a dark blue sedan; obviously CIA agents keeping an eye on the house. Sensing they both needed an icebreaker Sydney pulled out two shot glasses and a bottle of Tequila from her kitchen cupboard and poured them both a glass. Jack drank his quickly and then poured another and another. He'd drunk four shots by the time he even opened his mouth.

"They've agreed to allow her to stay here for the time being until we figure out what to do with her. In exchange she has to see Dr. Barnett tomorrow and Friday and set up a regular schedule. However, if anything happens Lindsey will put her in protective custody-no negotiations."

"Lindsey's an ass," Sydney downed another shot of Tequila.

"Maybe but right now he's all that's standing between having Kathryn with you and having her in a prison." He stood and then searched Sydney's liquor cabinet for a bottle of scotch. He found one and poured himself a glass. He stood drinking it slowly.

"The absolute worst thing would be to put her in protective custody."

"Agreed," Jack poured himself another drink but didn't drink it. "They are going to question her tomorrow, both Kendall and Lindsey, regarding her regression. Agent Weiss and Agent Vaughn will sit in but Kendall felt that you as her sister would be too much of a distraction. Depending on how the interviews, they may want another regression therapy done to see if she can reveal any more details about The Contessa." Slowly he poured the second scotch down the sink deciding that he'd had enough.

"No," Sydney shook her head. "They can't do that. She's already been through hell and back, if she goes through another session."

"I know." Changing his mind, Jack grabbed his glass and poured another shot of scotch. "We'll just hope that for now the information she gave is good enough." He downed the glass and set it in the sink.

Sydney helped herself to another shot and kicked off her shoes. "So Khasinau is her father."

"Apparently so."

"I can't say I've ever understood mom but Khasinau." she shuddered, "he's worse than slime."

"I don't think anyone will ever understand Irina Derevko-" Jack was cut off by the sudden screaming from above.

"Katy!" Sydney pounded up the stairs; Jack following close behind; they entered the room. Kathryn was in the midst of a violent nightmare. Her screams pierced their ears and she thrashed violently on the bed. Cries of No, Mommy, and Daddy were the only distinguishable words Sydney could make out.

"Sydney, hold her arm still," Jack took a large syringe out of his suit pocket and used his teeth to bite the tip off. He climbed on the bed straddling Kathryn's small frame.

"I'm trying-" Sydney said through gritted teeth. Kathryn was much stronger than she appeared to be as Sydney forced her arm to the pillow. Finding a vein Jack attempted to insert the needle but Kathryn jerked her arm up and he missed and stabbed Sydney by accident.

"Sorry sweetheart," Jack looked at her arm to make sure it was okay.

"It's fine," despite using both her hands Sydney was still having trouble keeping Kathryn's arm still. "Is she even awake?"

"In a way," Jack caught Kathryn's chin in his hand and gripped it tightly. "Stop fighting us!" he said in a voice that was almost a low growl. She relented slightly; still unaware of what was going on though her eyes were wide open. Helping Sydney hold Kathryn's arm down he quickly inserted the needle and slowly she stilled, her eyes drooping closed.

"Wow," Sydney sighed shaking her head. "She does not look that strong and I was not going easy on her at all."

"I know," Jack frowned looking down at her. He pulled the discarded blanket up around her shoulders. "She should sleep till morning now."

"I'll stay with her," Sydney pulled the lounge chair over to the side of her bed.

"Sydney no - I'll stay."

"But Dad-"

"You have an early morning brief. I will stay with her."

She knew there was no changing his mind. "Good night Dad."

He didn't answer. Turning she stood in the doorway watching him for a moment. He took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. Kathryn moaned in her sleep eliciting a small cry from deep down in her throat, a cry of anguish. Sydney covered her own mouth fighting back tears. Jack reached for the cool cloth on the bedside table and wiped down her face. "Daddy, Daddy no."

"Shhhhh," Jack passed the cloth over her forehead once more and sat on the edge of the bed. He lifted her broken arm putting a pillow under it.

Turning Sydney left the doorway. She'd never be able to shake that image from her mind. Her life with her father had never been a simple one. He'd always been distant and as she entered her teenage years they'd grown apart. In the last two years they'd begun to forge a relationship of some kind, the lies and the tension between them slowly dissipating but they were not close and she felt a twinge of jealously and guilt. Watching her father now, she could see a side of him that she hadn't seen since she was a little girl, a side that she didn't know even existed anymore. Sydney knew her father cared for her that he loved her even though his emotions were not something he shared. But now as she watched him caring for her sister, the stiffness was gone, his poker face softened and he cared for her sister as he would have done his own daughter, even though she was not. Slowly she walked down the hall; Kathryn's cries growing ever faint.

"Daddy, daddy please," Kathryn was crying again, her eyes were closed but fresh tears escaped staining her cheeks.

Jack brushed her hair back from her face and settled on the chair. He took her hand in his; small fingers interlacing large ones. She reminded him so much of Sydney and seeing her like this, completely helpless, she was just a child in need of reassurance and protection. He swallowed hard as he leaned back in the chair never letting go of her hand. He could have never pictured himself in this position, if it had been Sydney yes but not anyone else. He, Jack Bristow, holding the hand of Irina Derevko's daughter, the daughter that was not his own. The child of a woman he hated, who'd betrayed him over and over again, betrayed his daughter, betrayed Kathryn and abandoned her, but in some way he knew he still loved her, a small part of him that he could not let go. He didn't hate Kathryn, as much as she thought he did - he didn't hate her at all. He didn't understand her, didn't understand why after so many years of pain and suffering she was still here. The answer was simple but he found it hard to believe that even that was enough. She was strong. Her mother was strong and her sister too, they were who she had received her strength from, certainly not her bastard of a father. But as he sat there listening to her call out for her father, he couldn't help but wonder why. She'd only met her biological father a few times and the man she thought was her father had barely been around long enough for her to remember him.

"Daddy, daddy."

"Shhhh," Jack reached over wiped her cheeks. "Just sleep Kathryn, sleep."

And finally she did, but restful it was not.

A/N Please give feedback. Coming up next chapter Kathryn gets some answers and Will gets a good scare!