This Tear
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Note: Okay, the whole chapter is finally here! I know that was a horrible wait and I'm truly sorry, but with the 36 pages in papers I had to write at school, three finals, the trips home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, the quick drive over to Vegas for the Billboard Awards, the holidays, and visiting my grandparents in the middle of nowhere, things have been more insane than I ever remember them being. Thankfully, I'm home for another two weeks and, though I spend a lot of time catching up with my friends, I have much more time here than in school so I really hope that the wait for the next chapter won't even be half as long as the wait for this one. I'm really sorry guys!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Well, I'm going to get this back to the office so that they have this on file. Hopefully that'll aid in their decision," Jack said, ignoring Sydney's comment. "I'll be in touch," he said, as he started toward the door. He was halfway out when he was stopped abruptly by a sudden noise.
Aly, Weiss, Vaughn, and Sydney all looked at Jack, their expressions changing immediately.
His cell phone was ringing.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 36: Preparation
Jack stepped just outside the door before he answered his phone. Everyone in the room was silent, hoping to catch a snippet or two of the conversation, but their attempts were futile. The wind outside drowned out Jack's voice completely. Vaughn sighed in defeat, looking at Sydney to see that she'd clearly given up her attempt as well.
"I'll laugh if that's his dentist," Sydney said suddenly. Vaughn couldn't help but smile, appreciating her sense of humor at such a heavy moment.
"Somehow I don't picture your dad as the kind of person who speaks to his dentist often," Weiss commented. Sydney smiled through the knots in her stomach. She suddenly felt Vaughn's hand covering hers. She looked over at him, turning her hand in his and gripping it tightly. The silence crept quickly back into the room. A few moments later, there was shouting. Jack was obviously moving away from the door so that they couldn't understand what he was saying, but the volume of his voice reached them regardless.
And then, suddenly, the shouting stopped. The sound of footsteps reached their ears and suddenly the door was flung open. Everyone looked at Jack intently, not bothering to hide the fact that they'd all been listening. Sydney's grip on Vaughn's hand had become like a vice. Vaughn tried to take deep breaths to calm his racing heart. The yelling had already sounded like bad news, but the look on Jack's face now was enough to strike fear into anyone's heart. Finally, he turned to them, stuffing his phone back into his pocket.
"That was Kendall," he told them solemnly. "He says that a decision has been made to form a committee to look into the matter. Basically, they'll act as a judge and jury in a trial setting to decide whether or not Sydney receives the solution. They'll gather evidence and call witnesses. They're forming the committee within the next twenty-four hours and the trial should start not long after that."
Everyone in the room clearly took a moment to take this new information in.
"Are they selecting people we'd know? Or are they afraid of people having a personal connection in the matter?" Vaughn asked.
"As far as I can tell, they're going to likely call everyone that has a personal connection in as a witness, so I'm assuming it'll be a panel of strangers," Jack replied. "It's also likely that everyone in this room will be called in at some point." As if on cue, everyone turned and looked at each other.
"It could be worse," Sydney reasoned quietly.
"How long is this trial expected to last?" Weiss asked.
"Well that's why I'm opposed to this method. They haven't set a time-limit on the trial. It could go on as long as the committee wants it to. Should even one member want to preserve the solution for future use, he or she could make the trial last so long that it would end up being pointless," Jack explained.
Everyone immediately understood what Jack was trying to say without actually speaking the words. Sydney could be dead before the committee even reached a decision. The CIA could easily make it look as if they'd given Sydney a chance at life while knowing they would be able to keep the solution away from her. And now it all came down to one nameless, faceless committee. A group of complete strangers now held Sydney's life in their hands.
"I'm going to protest this decision, but I doubt they'll take any notice," Jack told them.
"So what size committee are we looking at here?" Weiss asked.
"It'll most likely consist of six to ten members. The CIA isn't going to want many people to know about this," Jack replied.
As the group continued talking, Vaughn looked over at Sydney to see how she was reacting to all this. He was surprised to see that instead of listening intently to the conversation, she was looking down at the ground. Vaughn noticed that her face had visibly paled. Something was wrong.
In the commotion going on between all the back and forth questioning, Vaughn managed to lean closer to her from his spot on the couch without anyone else noticing. "Hey, you okay?" He asked in a whisper.
"Dizzy," she replied as soft as if she'd simply let out a breath. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "I'm okay, I think I just need to lie down."
Vaughn nodded. Turning back to the rest of the people in the room, he quickly snapped into action. "I think we've heard enough for now," he said loudly, interrupting the discussion and causing everyone to turn and look at him.
"Subtle," he heard Sydney mutter.
"It's too early to start jumping to any conclusions. It's already been an incredibly long day and I think we all need to take a break from all this. We can deal with it when we know more. For now, I don't think there's much we can do. Why don't we talk more tomorrow?" Vaughn suggested. Everyone was silent, and Vaughn wasted no time in waiting for them to object. "Good. In that case, I'm going to take Syd to lay down for a while, as I'm sure tomorrow will be another long day for all of us."
"That's probably a good idea. I'm sure the decision will be finalized soon and the hearing should start any day now. They're already seeking out representation for Sydney. I'm going to head over to ops tonight and see what kind of progress has been made," Jack explained. Meanwhile, Vaughn had already helped Sydney out of the chair and managed to support her left side as they stood and listened to her father talk.
"Will you be back tomorrow?" Sydney asked her father.
"Yes, I'll be back," he replied.
"I'll see you then," she said with a small smile.
"Goodnight, sweetheart," Jack said, surprising just about everyone. Sydney reached her arm out, unable to move toward him. Jack understood and moved closer to his daughter. Sydney reached up and kissed him on the cheek before smiling and nodding at Vaughn that she was ready. Vaughn understood and started to walk with her slowly toward her room. A few steps before they reached the door, he heard her breath hitch a few times, but he decided to ignore it until they were inside her room and away from everyone else.
Once the door was closed behind them, Vaughn began to turn to lead her toward her bed, but Sydney stilled very suddenly and shook her head.
"Bathroom," she managed in a strangled whisper. Vaughn got the message immediately and turned in the direction of the bathroom. Luckily, it was much closer than the bed and a few quick steps brought them inside. By this time her hand was covering her mouth and Vaughn knew she could only hold it in for a few more seconds. Not quite sure how he would support her now- motionless leg if she were on her knees, he quickly opted for the sink, moving partially behind her so he could support her as she leaned over it. It seemed he'd gotten her there just in time as he watched her immediately lean over and throw up repeatedly into the sink. After about thirty seconds, the dry heaves started. Vaughn rubbed her back soothingly and whispered words of comfort that he knew were hollow, but hoped would help her regardless. When her body stopped shaking and heaving, she managed a few shaky breaths before she attempted to straighten back out. Her body didn't quite agree, though, as her knees buckled and she collapsed completely into Vaughn's arms.
"Whoa," Vaughn muttered, holding her up immediately. "It's okay, I've got you. Just relax," he assured her softly. He easily scooped her into his arms and carried her back into the bedroom and over to the bed. He set her down gently before reaching under her legs to pull the covers down. He then helped her settle underneath them before pulling the blankets up to her chest. He noticed her eyes were squeezed tightly shut.
"Syd, you okay?" He asked gently.
"I'm sorry. I think it was just the movement that set it off. I'm just so dizzy," she replied, still somewhat breathless.
"Hey, you don't *ever* have to apologize. None of this is your fault, okay?" He assured her. She nodded briefly, eyes still closed. He reached out and gently brushed the hair away from her face with his fingers. He turned suddenly, though, when he heard the door open behind him. Aly entered, closing the door behind her. Vaughn was surprised to see that she carried a small plate of strawberries in her hand.
"Everything okay?" She asked, approaching the bed.
"She says she's dizzy," Vaughn replied for Sydney.
"I figured as much. Her blood sugar's low. These should help," Aly said, handing him the plate of strawberries. "Have her eat a few."
"I don't know if she'll be able to keep them down," Vaughn told her.
"You know, it's rude to talk about someone when they're sitting right next to you," Sydney muttered sarcastically, finally opening her eyes and pushing herself up slightly on the bed.
"Sydney, you need to try and get your blood sugar back up. Eating these should help the dizziness and nausea so you can keep them down," Aly explained.
"Then I'll try it," Sydney agreed.
"Good," Aly said, nodding. "Any pain?" Sydney shook her head. "Okay then, I'll be back in a while to check on you." With that, she turned and left.
Vaughn turned back to Sydney, handing her the plate. She looked down at them apprehensively. "Just eat them slowly," Vaughn suggested. Sydney nodded and picked one up, taking small bites. Vaughn saw her hand shaking and had to resist the urge to read out and feed her the fruit himself.
A few minutes later, Sydney had managed to eat three strawberries and finally reached over and set the plate down on the nightstand, announcing that she couldn't eat anymore. Some of the color had already come back to her face, though, and Vaughn could tell she was feeling a little better.
"You want to sleep?"
"No, I'm okay. Maybe I'll just watch TV for a little while," she replied. Vaughn nodded and reached over to the nightstand. He grabbed the remote and switched the TV on before handing it to her.
"I'm going to go back and talk to Eric for a bit, but I'll be back soon, okay?" He asked.
"Sure," she said, smiling at him. He leaned down and kissed her gently before pulling back and smiling himself. He kissed her once more on the forehead before finally getting up and leaving the room.
Back in the living room, he was surprised to see that Jack hadn't left yet. The three of them had obviously been talking about something when Vaughn entered the room, but the conversation stopped abruptly. Vaughn sighed and walked over to them, preparing himself to ask the question he knew everyone was waiting for someone to ask.
He glanced back toward the door of the bedroom briefly, as if to make sure Sydney wouldn't suddenly emerge from it. "Aly," he began slowly. "How long would you say Sydney has left?" When all eyes turned on her, Vaughn knew this is where their conversation had been headed.
"Well, it's hard to say. Her health is clearly deteriorating at a steady pace now. I'm a little concerned that she may have caught an infection. Her fever hasn't gone down yet, suggesting that her body is trying to fight something, but the treatments have left her immune system extremely weakened. Now we can potentially treat infections, but only with her permission. And I'm not sure that's what she wants. Either way, the tumor is obviously beginning to put pressure on her brain. She's already lost the use of one of her legs. As the tumor grows more, she'll probably start to lose other functions, though I couldn't tell you which ones. Basically, we're looking at weeks now. Certainly no more than a month," Aly explained sadly.
Suddenly, all the months of tests and treatments and pain had come down to this. It was a race against the clock now. Vaughn quickly realized that there were only three ways this could possibly go: Sydney held out and the committee voted in her favor, she held out and the committee voted against her, or she died before anyone ever knew what would've happened. Right now, he had no idea which possibility was the most probable.
But he didn't like the fact that only one outcome of the three allowed Sydney to live.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Jack returned the next day with the agent assigned to represent Sydney in front of the committee. He appeared to be about the same age as Vaughn and Weiss. He had dark hair and was slightly taller than Vaughn with a similar build. He followed Jack into the condo and offered a friendly smile to Weiss and Vaughn.
"Agent Vaughn, Agent Weiss, this is Andrew Daggett. He'll be representing Sydney," Jack explained. Weiss and Vaughn shook the man's hand.
"Can I ask how you were assigned to this case?" Vaughn asked.
"I was assigned to Paris right out of training and I requested a permanent position there after a few months. Two years ago, I was assigned to be the case officer of an agent inside of SD-3. I'd heard a lot about the work you were doing against SD-6. I'd read Agent Bristow's file and always wanted to meet her, especially after the takedown. When word reached my office about this assignment, I volunteered immediately. I have a Yale law degree and I've seen firsthand what Sydney must have gone through by watching my agent. I want to win this for her."
"Well that's good to hear, but *can* you win this for her? As you probably know, the circumstances aren't working in our favor," Vaughn reminded Agent Daggett.
"So I've heard. Obviously I can't make you any promises, but I have some ideas and I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Agents all over the world owe her their lives. At the very least, she deserves a chance at life," Agent Daggett replied. Vaughn and Weiss both turned to each other and nodded their approval. This man not only seemed prepared to take this on, but his personal connection to the case meant that this was more than just a case to be won.
"When's the hearing?" Weiss asked suddenly.
"Starts in two days," Jack replied.
'Two days? That doesn't give you much time to acquaint yourself with the case," Vaughn commented to Agent Daggett.
"I'll be fine. I'm an expert at all-nighters," he replied, smiling.
Vaughn nodded. "So what now?" He asked.
"Now I'd like to meet my client if you don't mind," Agent Daggett replied.
Vaughn, Jack, and Weiss all looked at each other uncertainly. Agent Daggett obviously picked up on this.
"Look, if I'm going to represent her in a case that determines whether she lives or dies, I should at least meet her once," he reasoned.
"I understand," Vaughn replied. "It's just-" he paused. "How much do you know about her illness?"
"Well, I've read her medical file and several reports made by both Dr. Anderson and Dr. Bentz," he replied. "But if there's anything else you want to tell me, I'm all ears."
Vaughn sighed. "You'll find that she can't usually stay awake for long periods of time. Her energy level is usually pretty low. Sometimes she experiences memory loss. She's on a morphine pump right now, but sometimes she'll experience pain regardless, usually in her head or back. When she's awake, though, she's usually pretty alert," Vaughn explained.
"Is that all?" Agent Daggett asked.
"It's all you need to know for now," Vaughn replied. Agent Daggett nodded his understanding. Vaughn proceeded over to the bedroom door. Agent Daggett crossed the room and followed him. Vaughn paused at the door, taking a moment to glance through the window before turning back to Agent Daggett. "She's awake, you can go on in."
Agent Daggett nodded as Vaughn moved aside. He reached down and opened the door slowly. He walked inside then, closing the door behind him as he went. Immediately, he saw Sydney. She was sitting in the bed, the top half elevated so she could lean back against it. She was pale, a contrast to the dark circles beneath her eyes, but she still very much resembled the picture he'd seen in her file. She was most certainly a very beautiful woman, illness or not.
She looked over at him the second he came through the door. She was obviously confused at seeing a stranger in her room and Agent Daggett half- expected her to throw him out any second. He crossed the room regardless and stood beside her bed.
"Agent Bristow, it's truly a pleasure to meet you. I'm Andrew Daggett and I'll be representing you in front of the committee." Sydney's face changed immediately, shifting from confusion to surprise to something bordering gratitude.
"Agent Daggett, I'm glad to meet you," she said sincerely, offering her hand. He shook it immediately. "And it's Sydney."
"Andrew," he replied. "You should know that I worked with an agent inside SD-3, so I'm somewhat familiar with the work you've done over the last few years. You should also know that I wasn't simply assigned to your case, I volunteered. And I truly believe that you deserve the chance the CIA is capable of giving you with this Rambaldi artifact. And despite your illness, I'd like you to be part of this hearing as much as possible."
Sydney nodded slowly. "You've obviously given this a great deal of thought. I *would* like to be as involved as I can be."
"I figured as much. Right now, I'd like you to help me put together a list of who you'd like me to call to the stand, who you think would be beneficial," Andrew requested.
"Well, the best character witnesses would be Vaughn, my father, and Weiss. The people who have seen me work the most would probably be Dixon and Marshall from SD-6. Though Vaughn can also testify to my work as a double agent. Kendall may be helpful. And my mother is a Rambaldi expert, so I guess she would be a possibility," Sydney replied.
"Excellent. Very similar to the tentative list I'd made while reading through your file. I'd also like to have Aly testify, mostly to give the committee the facts about your illness and what you've been through these past few months."
"Okay," Sydney replied. Agent Daggett watched as she grimaced a little and reached over to hit a button on one of the machines next to her, which he assumed was the morphine pump. He knew it was probably a good idea to wrap up the conversation soon.
"My last question is if you would like to testify yourself," Andrew asked, choosing not to comment on Sydney's actions.
Her expression darkened suddenly and she looked down at her hands. "I won't be able to make it to the stand," she replied softly.
"No, but with the committee's permission, you could testify from here via video feed. If you're up to it."
"Do you think it would help?" She asked.
"I guess it depends. I think that if you did testify, you'd be the last witness anyway, especially with the special circumstances. I suppose we could wait to see how it's going after the others testify and decide then," Andrew offered.
Sydney nodded. "I think that's a good idea. I'm just not sure where I'll be at that point," she added. Andrew immediately understood. She was afraid she wouldn't even be able to testify. And he hated to admit that it was a valid concern. Depending on how long the rest of the hearing took, she could be suffering from severe memory loss, loss of speech, or any number of other serious symptoms by then. It was probably best to simply wait and see.
"Well I think that's all I needed to discuss for now. You should get some rest. You're going to need it, trust me. The hearing starts in two days and I guarantee it's going to take a toll on all of us," he added when he saw she was about to protest. "I'll be back tomorrow to go over some more stuff with all of you."
Sydney nodded. "Thank you," she said softly.
"Agent Bri- Sydney, my former asset is a free man thanks to all of the work you did. I was able to see the work he and I did for years finally pay off. One thing you never have to do is thank me," Andrew told her sincerely.
"I hope I live long enough to meet that agent of yours someday," Sydney commented.
"So do I."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The next two days passed in a blur, sleep hard to come by. Andrew was over at the condo nearly eighteen hours a day, and his dedication was beginning to impress them all, even Jack. Sydney had even commented to Vaughn that she felt her life was being placed in good hands. Andrew had Sydney help with his opening argument and had asked if there were any particular questions she wanted asked to anyone. Vaughn was glad that he was keeping her involved in the process. Though Sydney hadn't said as much, he could tell that having that purpose made her feel stronger.
They all worried, though, because Aly was still concerned about Sydney's low-grade fever. It was nearly impossible to tell if it was developing into more yet without hospital treatment, and Sydney refused to return to the hospital. Aly told him that if it was an infection and she could identify it, she would treat it. Until then, there wasn't much to be done. Sydney slept through the majority of the preparation, but she spent every moment of her consciousness working with them.
And before they knew it, the first day of the hearing was upon them.
Vaughn got up with the sunrise that morning, ignoring the fact that he'd barely been able to sleep. He left Sydney to sleep as he gathered everything he needed and entered the bathroom. There, he showered before very slowly and carefully getting himself ready for the day. His actions were purely automatic, though, because his mind was only on Sydney and the committee that would soon decided whether she lived or died.
When he re-entered the bedroom, Sydney was awake and sitting in the elevated bed. He couldn't help but notice how completely exhausted she looked. He'd felt her toss and turn for most of the night, knowing she was suffering the same insomnia he was. He'd coaxed her back to sleep several times, but he was grateful for the catch-up opportunity she'd get when they were all at the hearing. Aly would remain with her for the duration of the hearing, except the days she was needed for testimony. On those days, it was agreed that Weiss would stay with Sydney. She'd told Vaughn she wanted him to be at the hearing every day so he could come home and tell her how it had gone. He was the one she most trusted to tell her the truth.
She smiled at him suddenly, causing the tired look in her eyes to dissipate slightly. He smiled back. "Good morning," he said softly, walking over and lowering himself to sit on the edge of the bed.
"You look nice," she commented. "That's my favorite suit." She reached out to finger the black material of his jacket. He caught her hand with his own and brought it up to his mouth, gently kissing her fingertips.
"I'm nervous," he admitted quietly.
"Don't be," she said, shaking her head dismissively. "You're not testifying today anyway."
"I know, but the first day is important to a case," he replied.
"Vaughn," she said softly, looking straight into his eyes. "I was prepared to let go before any of this Rambaldi insanity ever came up. And you're right, I think that this is an opportunity I couldn't just sit back and let pass me by, but that doesn't mean I'm going to hang on to false hope. I'm perfectly aware of the reality of the situation. If things don't go well, I'll handle it. And you will too."
Vaughn blinked back the tears that rose suddenly to his eyes. He looked down at their joined hands on the bed before looking back up at her. "Do you know that when I noticed my watch had stopped the day we met, I tried to write it off as nothing. I mean, I already had a career and a girlfriend and wasn't looking for someone or something to alter the way I was living my life. After you had me reinstated as your handler, though, I began to wonder. I think that when you called me your guardian angel, part of me knew. I realized maybe the watch meant more than I'd originally assumed. I started wondering what it would be like to be with you, to possibly spend the rest of my life with you. When I broke up with Alice, I promised myself that I wouldn't waste my time anymore. That I would wait for you, wait till we destroyed SD-6, no matter how long it took. And when we did, I realized my father was right when he gave me that watch all those years ago. My heart had been set by it and I was free to spend the rest of my life with the woman I loved. I still believe that."
She reached up suddenly, tenderly touching his face, tracing the lines caused by the worry that she knew was constantly with him now. She smiled through her tears and was about to reply, when there was suddenly a knock at the door. Both Sydney and Vaughn turned to see the door open slightly and Weiss poke his head in.
"Sorry to interrupt, but Jack wanted me to let you know that we're about ready to head out," he said apologetically.
"Okay, I'll be out in a sec," Vaughn replied. Weiss nodded and ducked out, closing the door behind him. Vaughn turned back to Sydney and immediately closed the distance between them and brought his lips to hers. The kiss was firm and gentle all at the same time and neither ever wanted to leave the temporary bliss. Vaughn eventually backed away though, moving up to kiss her forehead gently before sitting straight again.
Sydney smiled, the picture of serenity next to his mask of concern.
"Knock 'em dead."
To be continued.
A/N: I've never felt such a relief over a chapter being DONE. I don't know why, but that chapter was particularly hard to write. I hope you liked it, though, and I hope my serious delay won't cause you stop reading or reviewing. I'll work really hard to get the next chapter out a whole lot faster, I promise!
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Note: Okay, the whole chapter is finally here! I know that was a horrible wait and I'm truly sorry, but with the 36 pages in papers I had to write at school, three finals, the trips home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, the quick drive over to Vegas for the Billboard Awards, the holidays, and visiting my grandparents in the middle of nowhere, things have been more insane than I ever remember them being. Thankfully, I'm home for another two weeks and, though I spend a lot of time catching up with my friends, I have much more time here than in school so I really hope that the wait for the next chapter won't even be half as long as the wait for this one. I'm really sorry guys!
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"Well, I'm going to get this back to the office so that they have this on file. Hopefully that'll aid in their decision," Jack said, ignoring Sydney's comment. "I'll be in touch," he said, as he started toward the door. He was halfway out when he was stopped abruptly by a sudden noise.
Aly, Weiss, Vaughn, and Sydney all looked at Jack, their expressions changing immediately.
His cell phone was ringing.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 36: Preparation
Jack stepped just outside the door before he answered his phone. Everyone in the room was silent, hoping to catch a snippet or two of the conversation, but their attempts were futile. The wind outside drowned out Jack's voice completely. Vaughn sighed in defeat, looking at Sydney to see that she'd clearly given up her attempt as well.
"I'll laugh if that's his dentist," Sydney said suddenly. Vaughn couldn't help but smile, appreciating her sense of humor at such a heavy moment.
"Somehow I don't picture your dad as the kind of person who speaks to his dentist often," Weiss commented. Sydney smiled through the knots in her stomach. She suddenly felt Vaughn's hand covering hers. She looked over at him, turning her hand in his and gripping it tightly. The silence crept quickly back into the room. A few moments later, there was shouting. Jack was obviously moving away from the door so that they couldn't understand what he was saying, but the volume of his voice reached them regardless.
And then, suddenly, the shouting stopped. The sound of footsteps reached their ears and suddenly the door was flung open. Everyone looked at Jack intently, not bothering to hide the fact that they'd all been listening. Sydney's grip on Vaughn's hand had become like a vice. Vaughn tried to take deep breaths to calm his racing heart. The yelling had already sounded like bad news, but the look on Jack's face now was enough to strike fear into anyone's heart. Finally, he turned to them, stuffing his phone back into his pocket.
"That was Kendall," he told them solemnly. "He says that a decision has been made to form a committee to look into the matter. Basically, they'll act as a judge and jury in a trial setting to decide whether or not Sydney receives the solution. They'll gather evidence and call witnesses. They're forming the committee within the next twenty-four hours and the trial should start not long after that."
Everyone in the room clearly took a moment to take this new information in.
"Are they selecting people we'd know? Or are they afraid of people having a personal connection in the matter?" Vaughn asked.
"As far as I can tell, they're going to likely call everyone that has a personal connection in as a witness, so I'm assuming it'll be a panel of strangers," Jack replied. "It's also likely that everyone in this room will be called in at some point." As if on cue, everyone turned and looked at each other.
"It could be worse," Sydney reasoned quietly.
"How long is this trial expected to last?" Weiss asked.
"Well that's why I'm opposed to this method. They haven't set a time-limit on the trial. It could go on as long as the committee wants it to. Should even one member want to preserve the solution for future use, he or she could make the trial last so long that it would end up being pointless," Jack explained.
Everyone immediately understood what Jack was trying to say without actually speaking the words. Sydney could be dead before the committee even reached a decision. The CIA could easily make it look as if they'd given Sydney a chance at life while knowing they would be able to keep the solution away from her. And now it all came down to one nameless, faceless committee. A group of complete strangers now held Sydney's life in their hands.
"I'm going to protest this decision, but I doubt they'll take any notice," Jack told them.
"So what size committee are we looking at here?" Weiss asked.
"It'll most likely consist of six to ten members. The CIA isn't going to want many people to know about this," Jack replied.
As the group continued talking, Vaughn looked over at Sydney to see how she was reacting to all this. He was surprised to see that instead of listening intently to the conversation, she was looking down at the ground. Vaughn noticed that her face had visibly paled. Something was wrong.
In the commotion going on between all the back and forth questioning, Vaughn managed to lean closer to her from his spot on the couch without anyone else noticing. "Hey, you okay?" He asked in a whisper.
"Dizzy," she replied as soft as if she'd simply let out a breath. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "I'm okay, I think I just need to lie down."
Vaughn nodded. Turning back to the rest of the people in the room, he quickly snapped into action. "I think we've heard enough for now," he said loudly, interrupting the discussion and causing everyone to turn and look at him.
"Subtle," he heard Sydney mutter.
"It's too early to start jumping to any conclusions. It's already been an incredibly long day and I think we all need to take a break from all this. We can deal with it when we know more. For now, I don't think there's much we can do. Why don't we talk more tomorrow?" Vaughn suggested. Everyone was silent, and Vaughn wasted no time in waiting for them to object. "Good. In that case, I'm going to take Syd to lay down for a while, as I'm sure tomorrow will be another long day for all of us."
"That's probably a good idea. I'm sure the decision will be finalized soon and the hearing should start any day now. They're already seeking out representation for Sydney. I'm going to head over to ops tonight and see what kind of progress has been made," Jack explained. Meanwhile, Vaughn had already helped Sydney out of the chair and managed to support her left side as they stood and listened to her father talk.
"Will you be back tomorrow?" Sydney asked her father.
"Yes, I'll be back," he replied.
"I'll see you then," she said with a small smile.
"Goodnight, sweetheart," Jack said, surprising just about everyone. Sydney reached her arm out, unable to move toward him. Jack understood and moved closer to his daughter. Sydney reached up and kissed him on the cheek before smiling and nodding at Vaughn that she was ready. Vaughn understood and started to walk with her slowly toward her room. A few steps before they reached the door, he heard her breath hitch a few times, but he decided to ignore it until they were inside her room and away from everyone else.
Once the door was closed behind them, Vaughn began to turn to lead her toward her bed, but Sydney stilled very suddenly and shook her head.
"Bathroom," she managed in a strangled whisper. Vaughn got the message immediately and turned in the direction of the bathroom. Luckily, it was much closer than the bed and a few quick steps brought them inside. By this time her hand was covering her mouth and Vaughn knew she could only hold it in for a few more seconds. Not quite sure how he would support her now- motionless leg if she were on her knees, he quickly opted for the sink, moving partially behind her so he could support her as she leaned over it. It seemed he'd gotten her there just in time as he watched her immediately lean over and throw up repeatedly into the sink. After about thirty seconds, the dry heaves started. Vaughn rubbed her back soothingly and whispered words of comfort that he knew were hollow, but hoped would help her regardless. When her body stopped shaking and heaving, she managed a few shaky breaths before she attempted to straighten back out. Her body didn't quite agree, though, as her knees buckled and she collapsed completely into Vaughn's arms.
"Whoa," Vaughn muttered, holding her up immediately. "It's okay, I've got you. Just relax," he assured her softly. He easily scooped her into his arms and carried her back into the bedroom and over to the bed. He set her down gently before reaching under her legs to pull the covers down. He then helped her settle underneath them before pulling the blankets up to her chest. He noticed her eyes were squeezed tightly shut.
"Syd, you okay?" He asked gently.
"I'm sorry. I think it was just the movement that set it off. I'm just so dizzy," she replied, still somewhat breathless.
"Hey, you don't *ever* have to apologize. None of this is your fault, okay?" He assured her. She nodded briefly, eyes still closed. He reached out and gently brushed the hair away from her face with his fingers. He turned suddenly, though, when he heard the door open behind him. Aly entered, closing the door behind her. Vaughn was surprised to see that she carried a small plate of strawberries in her hand.
"Everything okay?" She asked, approaching the bed.
"She says she's dizzy," Vaughn replied for Sydney.
"I figured as much. Her blood sugar's low. These should help," Aly said, handing him the plate of strawberries. "Have her eat a few."
"I don't know if she'll be able to keep them down," Vaughn told her.
"You know, it's rude to talk about someone when they're sitting right next to you," Sydney muttered sarcastically, finally opening her eyes and pushing herself up slightly on the bed.
"Sydney, you need to try and get your blood sugar back up. Eating these should help the dizziness and nausea so you can keep them down," Aly explained.
"Then I'll try it," Sydney agreed.
"Good," Aly said, nodding. "Any pain?" Sydney shook her head. "Okay then, I'll be back in a while to check on you." With that, she turned and left.
Vaughn turned back to Sydney, handing her the plate. She looked down at them apprehensively. "Just eat them slowly," Vaughn suggested. Sydney nodded and picked one up, taking small bites. Vaughn saw her hand shaking and had to resist the urge to read out and feed her the fruit himself.
A few minutes later, Sydney had managed to eat three strawberries and finally reached over and set the plate down on the nightstand, announcing that she couldn't eat anymore. Some of the color had already come back to her face, though, and Vaughn could tell she was feeling a little better.
"You want to sleep?"
"No, I'm okay. Maybe I'll just watch TV for a little while," she replied. Vaughn nodded and reached over to the nightstand. He grabbed the remote and switched the TV on before handing it to her.
"I'm going to go back and talk to Eric for a bit, but I'll be back soon, okay?" He asked.
"Sure," she said, smiling at him. He leaned down and kissed her gently before pulling back and smiling himself. He kissed her once more on the forehead before finally getting up and leaving the room.
Back in the living room, he was surprised to see that Jack hadn't left yet. The three of them had obviously been talking about something when Vaughn entered the room, but the conversation stopped abruptly. Vaughn sighed and walked over to them, preparing himself to ask the question he knew everyone was waiting for someone to ask.
He glanced back toward the door of the bedroom briefly, as if to make sure Sydney wouldn't suddenly emerge from it. "Aly," he began slowly. "How long would you say Sydney has left?" When all eyes turned on her, Vaughn knew this is where their conversation had been headed.
"Well, it's hard to say. Her health is clearly deteriorating at a steady pace now. I'm a little concerned that she may have caught an infection. Her fever hasn't gone down yet, suggesting that her body is trying to fight something, but the treatments have left her immune system extremely weakened. Now we can potentially treat infections, but only with her permission. And I'm not sure that's what she wants. Either way, the tumor is obviously beginning to put pressure on her brain. She's already lost the use of one of her legs. As the tumor grows more, she'll probably start to lose other functions, though I couldn't tell you which ones. Basically, we're looking at weeks now. Certainly no more than a month," Aly explained sadly.
Suddenly, all the months of tests and treatments and pain had come down to this. It was a race against the clock now. Vaughn quickly realized that there were only three ways this could possibly go: Sydney held out and the committee voted in her favor, she held out and the committee voted against her, or she died before anyone ever knew what would've happened. Right now, he had no idea which possibility was the most probable.
But he didn't like the fact that only one outcome of the three allowed Sydney to live.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Jack returned the next day with the agent assigned to represent Sydney in front of the committee. He appeared to be about the same age as Vaughn and Weiss. He had dark hair and was slightly taller than Vaughn with a similar build. He followed Jack into the condo and offered a friendly smile to Weiss and Vaughn.
"Agent Vaughn, Agent Weiss, this is Andrew Daggett. He'll be representing Sydney," Jack explained. Weiss and Vaughn shook the man's hand.
"Can I ask how you were assigned to this case?" Vaughn asked.
"I was assigned to Paris right out of training and I requested a permanent position there after a few months. Two years ago, I was assigned to be the case officer of an agent inside of SD-3. I'd heard a lot about the work you were doing against SD-6. I'd read Agent Bristow's file and always wanted to meet her, especially after the takedown. When word reached my office about this assignment, I volunteered immediately. I have a Yale law degree and I've seen firsthand what Sydney must have gone through by watching my agent. I want to win this for her."
"Well that's good to hear, but *can* you win this for her? As you probably know, the circumstances aren't working in our favor," Vaughn reminded Agent Daggett.
"So I've heard. Obviously I can't make you any promises, but I have some ideas and I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Agents all over the world owe her their lives. At the very least, she deserves a chance at life," Agent Daggett replied. Vaughn and Weiss both turned to each other and nodded their approval. This man not only seemed prepared to take this on, but his personal connection to the case meant that this was more than just a case to be won.
"When's the hearing?" Weiss asked suddenly.
"Starts in two days," Jack replied.
'Two days? That doesn't give you much time to acquaint yourself with the case," Vaughn commented to Agent Daggett.
"I'll be fine. I'm an expert at all-nighters," he replied, smiling.
Vaughn nodded. "So what now?" He asked.
"Now I'd like to meet my client if you don't mind," Agent Daggett replied.
Vaughn, Jack, and Weiss all looked at each other uncertainly. Agent Daggett obviously picked up on this.
"Look, if I'm going to represent her in a case that determines whether she lives or dies, I should at least meet her once," he reasoned.
"I understand," Vaughn replied. "It's just-" he paused. "How much do you know about her illness?"
"Well, I've read her medical file and several reports made by both Dr. Anderson and Dr. Bentz," he replied. "But if there's anything else you want to tell me, I'm all ears."
Vaughn sighed. "You'll find that she can't usually stay awake for long periods of time. Her energy level is usually pretty low. Sometimes she experiences memory loss. She's on a morphine pump right now, but sometimes she'll experience pain regardless, usually in her head or back. When she's awake, though, she's usually pretty alert," Vaughn explained.
"Is that all?" Agent Daggett asked.
"It's all you need to know for now," Vaughn replied. Agent Daggett nodded his understanding. Vaughn proceeded over to the bedroom door. Agent Daggett crossed the room and followed him. Vaughn paused at the door, taking a moment to glance through the window before turning back to Agent Daggett. "She's awake, you can go on in."
Agent Daggett nodded as Vaughn moved aside. He reached down and opened the door slowly. He walked inside then, closing the door behind him as he went. Immediately, he saw Sydney. She was sitting in the bed, the top half elevated so she could lean back against it. She was pale, a contrast to the dark circles beneath her eyes, but she still very much resembled the picture he'd seen in her file. She was most certainly a very beautiful woman, illness or not.
She looked over at him the second he came through the door. She was obviously confused at seeing a stranger in her room and Agent Daggett half- expected her to throw him out any second. He crossed the room regardless and stood beside her bed.
"Agent Bristow, it's truly a pleasure to meet you. I'm Andrew Daggett and I'll be representing you in front of the committee." Sydney's face changed immediately, shifting from confusion to surprise to something bordering gratitude.
"Agent Daggett, I'm glad to meet you," she said sincerely, offering her hand. He shook it immediately. "And it's Sydney."
"Andrew," he replied. "You should know that I worked with an agent inside SD-3, so I'm somewhat familiar with the work you've done over the last few years. You should also know that I wasn't simply assigned to your case, I volunteered. And I truly believe that you deserve the chance the CIA is capable of giving you with this Rambaldi artifact. And despite your illness, I'd like you to be part of this hearing as much as possible."
Sydney nodded slowly. "You've obviously given this a great deal of thought. I *would* like to be as involved as I can be."
"I figured as much. Right now, I'd like you to help me put together a list of who you'd like me to call to the stand, who you think would be beneficial," Andrew requested.
"Well, the best character witnesses would be Vaughn, my father, and Weiss. The people who have seen me work the most would probably be Dixon and Marshall from SD-6. Though Vaughn can also testify to my work as a double agent. Kendall may be helpful. And my mother is a Rambaldi expert, so I guess she would be a possibility," Sydney replied.
"Excellent. Very similar to the tentative list I'd made while reading through your file. I'd also like to have Aly testify, mostly to give the committee the facts about your illness and what you've been through these past few months."
"Okay," Sydney replied. Agent Daggett watched as she grimaced a little and reached over to hit a button on one of the machines next to her, which he assumed was the morphine pump. He knew it was probably a good idea to wrap up the conversation soon.
"My last question is if you would like to testify yourself," Andrew asked, choosing not to comment on Sydney's actions.
Her expression darkened suddenly and she looked down at her hands. "I won't be able to make it to the stand," she replied softly.
"No, but with the committee's permission, you could testify from here via video feed. If you're up to it."
"Do you think it would help?" She asked.
"I guess it depends. I think that if you did testify, you'd be the last witness anyway, especially with the special circumstances. I suppose we could wait to see how it's going after the others testify and decide then," Andrew offered.
Sydney nodded. "I think that's a good idea. I'm just not sure where I'll be at that point," she added. Andrew immediately understood. She was afraid she wouldn't even be able to testify. And he hated to admit that it was a valid concern. Depending on how long the rest of the hearing took, she could be suffering from severe memory loss, loss of speech, or any number of other serious symptoms by then. It was probably best to simply wait and see.
"Well I think that's all I needed to discuss for now. You should get some rest. You're going to need it, trust me. The hearing starts in two days and I guarantee it's going to take a toll on all of us," he added when he saw she was about to protest. "I'll be back tomorrow to go over some more stuff with all of you."
Sydney nodded. "Thank you," she said softly.
"Agent Bri- Sydney, my former asset is a free man thanks to all of the work you did. I was able to see the work he and I did for years finally pay off. One thing you never have to do is thank me," Andrew told her sincerely.
"I hope I live long enough to meet that agent of yours someday," Sydney commented.
"So do I."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The next two days passed in a blur, sleep hard to come by. Andrew was over at the condo nearly eighteen hours a day, and his dedication was beginning to impress them all, even Jack. Sydney had even commented to Vaughn that she felt her life was being placed in good hands. Andrew had Sydney help with his opening argument and had asked if there were any particular questions she wanted asked to anyone. Vaughn was glad that he was keeping her involved in the process. Though Sydney hadn't said as much, he could tell that having that purpose made her feel stronger.
They all worried, though, because Aly was still concerned about Sydney's low-grade fever. It was nearly impossible to tell if it was developing into more yet without hospital treatment, and Sydney refused to return to the hospital. Aly told him that if it was an infection and she could identify it, she would treat it. Until then, there wasn't much to be done. Sydney slept through the majority of the preparation, but she spent every moment of her consciousness working with them.
And before they knew it, the first day of the hearing was upon them.
Vaughn got up with the sunrise that morning, ignoring the fact that he'd barely been able to sleep. He left Sydney to sleep as he gathered everything he needed and entered the bathroom. There, he showered before very slowly and carefully getting himself ready for the day. His actions were purely automatic, though, because his mind was only on Sydney and the committee that would soon decided whether she lived or died.
When he re-entered the bedroom, Sydney was awake and sitting in the elevated bed. He couldn't help but notice how completely exhausted she looked. He'd felt her toss and turn for most of the night, knowing she was suffering the same insomnia he was. He'd coaxed her back to sleep several times, but he was grateful for the catch-up opportunity she'd get when they were all at the hearing. Aly would remain with her for the duration of the hearing, except the days she was needed for testimony. On those days, it was agreed that Weiss would stay with Sydney. She'd told Vaughn she wanted him to be at the hearing every day so he could come home and tell her how it had gone. He was the one she most trusted to tell her the truth.
She smiled at him suddenly, causing the tired look in her eyes to dissipate slightly. He smiled back. "Good morning," he said softly, walking over and lowering himself to sit on the edge of the bed.
"You look nice," she commented. "That's my favorite suit." She reached out to finger the black material of his jacket. He caught her hand with his own and brought it up to his mouth, gently kissing her fingertips.
"I'm nervous," he admitted quietly.
"Don't be," she said, shaking her head dismissively. "You're not testifying today anyway."
"I know, but the first day is important to a case," he replied.
"Vaughn," she said softly, looking straight into his eyes. "I was prepared to let go before any of this Rambaldi insanity ever came up. And you're right, I think that this is an opportunity I couldn't just sit back and let pass me by, but that doesn't mean I'm going to hang on to false hope. I'm perfectly aware of the reality of the situation. If things don't go well, I'll handle it. And you will too."
Vaughn blinked back the tears that rose suddenly to his eyes. He looked down at their joined hands on the bed before looking back up at her. "Do you know that when I noticed my watch had stopped the day we met, I tried to write it off as nothing. I mean, I already had a career and a girlfriend and wasn't looking for someone or something to alter the way I was living my life. After you had me reinstated as your handler, though, I began to wonder. I think that when you called me your guardian angel, part of me knew. I realized maybe the watch meant more than I'd originally assumed. I started wondering what it would be like to be with you, to possibly spend the rest of my life with you. When I broke up with Alice, I promised myself that I wouldn't waste my time anymore. That I would wait for you, wait till we destroyed SD-6, no matter how long it took. And when we did, I realized my father was right when he gave me that watch all those years ago. My heart had been set by it and I was free to spend the rest of my life with the woman I loved. I still believe that."
She reached up suddenly, tenderly touching his face, tracing the lines caused by the worry that she knew was constantly with him now. She smiled through her tears and was about to reply, when there was suddenly a knock at the door. Both Sydney and Vaughn turned to see the door open slightly and Weiss poke his head in.
"Sorry to interrupt, but Jack wanted me to let you know that we're about ready to head out," he said apologetically.
"Okay, I'll be out in a sec," Vaughn replied. Weiss nodded and ducked out, closing the door behind him. Vaughn turned back to Sydney and immediately closed the distance between them and brought his lips to hers. The kiss was firm and gentle all at the same time and neither ever wanted to leave the temporary bliss. Vaughn eventually backed away though, moving up to kiss her forehead gently before sitting straight again.
Sydney smiled, the picture of serenity next to his mask of concern.
"Knock 'em dead."
To be continued.
A/N: I've never felt such a relief over a chapter being DONE. I don't know why, but that chapter was particularly hard to write. I hope you liked it, though, and I hope my serious delay won't cause you stop reading or reviewing. I'll work really hard to get the next chapter out a whole lot faster, I promise!