After realizing whom her intended victim was, Sydney couldn't calm down. She spent the rest of the afternoon scouring every bit of information she and Sark had gathered on Rambaldi, trying to find a connection to Sloane that would put off the Covenant. She found nothing. Of course she had assumed all along that Sloane was somehow involved in something, he always seemed to be in the middle of all the Rambaldi situations, but this time she had no idea what it could be. After seeing him with Dr. Mateski, she had assumed he was doing his own research on the same thing that the Covenant was looking into, but she had never expected him to attract the Covenant's attention to such a fatal degree.

Why am I having such a problem with this? She argued with herself as she paced the length of her living room. I should be thrilled at the opportunity to kill Arvin Sloane. It's an excuse I've always wanted and now it's been handed to me! She frowned and dropped onto the couch. She knew why she was having a problem with it. She was being ordered to kill him by a terrorist organization and she didn't know their intentions. If it had been under her circumstances it would have been an entirely different matter; but she had no control in this situation. She hated being used. In an attempt to clear her head, Sydney let herself take a nap for a couple of hours that afternoon. She didn't know what she would do yet, concerning Sloane, but she knew she needed to have a fresh mind when she decided.

At seven thirty sharp, Sydney was waiting at the corner of her street, just out of view of the front door of her apartment building. She hadn't been able to get her mind off her assignment, and it had only become more and more frustrating.

"Care for a lift?"

Sydney snapped out of her problematic contemplations and smiled into the lowered passenger side window of the black two-seater Mercedes that had pulled up to the curb.

"You're late." She told him.

He glanced at the Rolex on his wrist. "By two minutes!"

She shrugged. "In our job, two minutes could mean life or death."

"Then I suppose I'm lucky nothing happened this time." Sark winked at her and waved toward the empty passenger seat. "Are you going to get in?"

She glanced around the mostly empty streets and opened the door, quickly slipping into the car. "How's the new partner?"

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "They've put me with Alison Doren."

"Oh…" Sydney frowned and stared out the window, trying not to let Sark see her expression. "So, I guess you just picked up where you left off…"

"No!" He answered quickly and emphatically. "Sydney not at all." He had started driving, but now he pulled over and shoved the gearshift into park, turning to look at her. "You have to understand that what Alison and I had before was nothing…"

Sydney put on a smile and looked at him. "How long were you two together?"

"We were never together as you make it sound." He argued. "Arvin introduced us and instructed us to work together and so we did. Neither of us were in a relationship at the time, so one thing led to another and a relationship formed. It might seem vulgar to you but what we had was purely sexual."

Sydney tried not to be upset with his answer, but she realized that she had expected nothing less from him. Just because we've had some fun together, a couple of weeks isn't going to change what he's been his entire life. At least he is being honest with me. "We've all had relationships we're not proud of."

"Is that so?" Sark asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not that you'll ever hear about any of mine." She informed him. "Anyway, have you and Alison…" She hesitated. "Have you two resumed your relationship?"

"No." Sark answered firmly and quickly. "Sydney, you have my word…"

"Sark, it's none of my business really. You're a grown man. You can sleep with whomever you want…"

"I don't want to sleep with Alison." He insisted. "After she and Arvin murdered your friend without discussing it with me, I intended to end my ties with Alison."

"But you didn't, did you?" Sydney pressed.

Sark shook his head "No, I did not." He shrugged. "As long as Arvin required us to work together I had no reason to make things awkward."

"Maybe this is none of my business, or maybe I just don't understand right, but since you're once again working together, wouldn't it be awkward now if you weren't sleeping together?"

Sark shook his head. "I have no intention of sleeping with Alison. For one, I have absolutely no interest in her, but even more important is that I had hope in us…"

"There is no 'us' Sark." Sydney reminded him.

"Oh, of course not…" Sark nodded and shifted the car back into drive. "What exactly are we doing tonight?"

Sydney sighed. "Now you're mad."

"No, I'm not."

"Sark, stop shutting off. Tell me what you're really thinking." She insisted.

"Alright, fine. I am thinking that I will never figure you out." He continued driving, keeping his eyes focused on the road in front of them. "I want to. I want to understand the way you think, and the way you feel, so that maybe one day I will be able to understand how you feel about me."

Sydney considered how to answer him for a moment, not sure if she was ready to be honest with him yet. He had been so honest with her, and he deserved to hear it. But once I say it, I'll never be able to take it back…am I ready for that sort of commitment?

"Sydney, now I'm curious. What are you thinking?" He was glancing at her sideways, and he had noticed the complicated expression on her face.

She took a deep breath and nodded to herself, mostly, to force herself to speak before she backed out. "These past couple weeks have been surprising."

"How so?" He gripped the steering wheel a little more tightly, nervous and excited to hear what she was going to say.

"Well, last night jumps to mind." She smiled slightly, reliving the kiss.

He nodded. "It was a good night."

"I'm talking about more than just the kiss though Sark. You have surprised me." She informed him. "I feel like I'm finally learning who Julian Sark is, and he is not at all what I thought." She turned to look at him and noticed him clenching his jaw as he listened to her. "You're polite, considerate, intelligent…" She noticed him smiling slightly and couldn't help adding in: "Incredibly conceited as well."

He glanced at her and shrugged. "That is something I will have to work on."

She shook her head. "I don't even mind it any more. You're sweet, and I have to admit that I have really enjoyed every moment that I've spent with you in the last few days."

"Honest?"

"You are a unique man, Mr. Sark."

"Unique?" He frowned. "Is that a good thing?"

She smiled. "Maybe."

"Miss Bristow, if I were to tell you that you are a unique woman, how would you take it?" He asked.

She smiled. "Fine, you have a point. I would take it as a criticism. So, I guess I'll rephrase. You're an interesting man…" Sark was shaking his head. "You are a complicated…" He still shook his head. She sighed. "You're a good man, Sark. You're sweet, and you're fun to be with, and overall, I think you're mostly a good man."

"So, what does that mean to you?"

Sydney sucked in her breath and looked out the window. "I wish life wasn't so complicated. I wish I could throw caution to the wind and follow my impulses, living and loving recklessly without any consideration to the consequences…"

"Love?" He repeated.

She ignored him and continued. "But you of all people should understand that life's not simple. The choices we make affect the lives of others, particularly with our careers. We have to be careful. We have to consider our actions…"

"Things don't always have to be that complicated. Once in a while, it might be good for you to take a chance. Live dangerously."

"Sark, I'm a spy. Everything about my life is dangerous."

"In work, yes, but what about in your personal life? In your relationships? Didn't you ever tire of carefully considering every move you made with Agent Vaughn? Didn't you ever regret how responsible he behaved?"

"Could we not discuss Vaughn, please…?" Sydney begged.

"Sydney, he has been married for nearly sixth months. Eventually you will have to accept it and learn to move on with your life." Sark told her. "I'm sorry if that sounds cold, but I just want to help you if at all possible."

She nodded. "I know. But there's still so much that I don't understand about everything…" She rested her head against the window. "Nothing is easy."

"No, it's not."

"The Covenant has given me an assassination."

"Oh?"

"Arvin Sloane." She told him softly.

"Really? Well, that's a bit unexpected." Sark didn't seem too concerned.

"I know I shouldn't care. I should be ecstatic!"

"Sydney, your emotions are understandable. He has been a part of your life for a long time, and despite all the pain he has caused you, I'm sure that murdering him has never actually been a consideration for you." He took one hand off the steering wheel and reached across to her, touching her arm gently. "That's not who you are." He found her hand and squeezed it softly. "I wouldn't respect you if you didn't hesitate over murder."

Tears had formed in her eyes suddenly and she couldn't make them stop. "This life is driving me crazy." She confessed quietly. "I just want it to be over. I'm so sick of being the Covenant's assassin. How the hell have I made it this far?"

Sark let his thumb slowly rub circles on the palm of her hand. "Because you are an amazingly strong woman."

She smiled and closed her fingers around his hand, holding it tightly. "Thanks."

"Sydney, I know it has been difficult, but we will finish this. We will find a way to destroy the Covenant and let you return to your life…"

"As much as I want to destroy the Covenant, I don't know what I want to return to…" She told him suddenly. "Nothing is the same anymore."

"Oh?" He glanced at her briefly. "In what way?"

"I think you know." She told him.

"I hope I do, but I need to hear it from you."

Sydney paused for almost a full minute, trying to find the courage to admit her feelings to him. He waited patiently. "You have helped me so much…I can't explain how much I appreciate your partnership…" She let out a quick breath. "Sark, I think I'm falling for you…"