The Trouble with Bach
Chapter Four: Black Coffee in Bed
3:30 a.m. Sydney Bristow's Apartment, Living Room
Sydney was holding the recently discovered envelope up in front of her face, disbelief and confusion evident there.
"Espinosa?" Sydney said. "I don't think I can take too many more surprises. Do you think my mother had connections with Anna's family?"
Vaughn took the aged manila folder and inspected it carefully. "It is possible. You said yourself that Anna was one of the last of the KGB babies." He handed her back the envelope. "You going to open it?"
"No." She took it from him and tossed it on the dresser. "I can't take any chances. I've got to assume Anna wants it intact. I can't risk Francie's life out of curiosity."
Vaughn looked at a very worn and tired Sydney, then with one secure hand at the small of her back, guided her toward the cluttered bed. "We've got some time. Why don't you try and get a little rest before we have to leave?"
Sydney raised her eyes to him, a mixture of weariness and gratitude there. "Maybe we should just go to the pier and wait."
Vaughn gave her a small push toward the bed and brushed the photographs, paper and jewelry to the side. "Get a cat nap. I'll make sure we get there on time."
She gave a small nod and sank into a sitting position onto the waiting mattress.
"All the way," he ordered and again, gave her a gentle push until her head fell into the waiting pillows.
Vaughn began to make his way out into the living room, when he was halted by Sydney's voice.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"I'll make some coffee. I think we could both use some before we meet up with Anna."
She raised her arm, a simple but grand gesture, beckoning to him. "Stay."
Vaughn stood in the doorway; the demons fighting within him clear in the expression on his face. The woman he admired…desired more than any other was asking him to do something he had only managed to accomplish in his dreams. She wanted him by her side in her bed. Granted, it was a bit different than he had envisioned it.
It was for comfort, he told himself. It was simply providing her with the warmth of a friend, the knowledge that there was someone there for her. He could do this. Her hand fell gently back to her side and her eyes dropped slowly closed. She was asleep for the love of god; it wouldn't hurt anyone if he did what she asked. She was asleep…she'd never know if he slipped out to make coffee.
Coffee could wait a little longer. Slowly he made his way to the bed. Though he couldn't bring himself to lay down beside her, he sat vigil over her, his back propped against the headboard, one foot firmly planted on the floor at all times. "I'm here," he reassured her.
As she slept, he marveled at the expression of peace on her face. He had never seen her so content… her face so free of worry. She was even more beautiful in slumber, if that were at all possible. A tentative finger reached out to brush a stray lock of hair away from her cheek. You deserve that peace, Sydney. He wondered when was the last time Sydney Bristow was truly happy? When was the last time that fear and doubt and sadness didn't plague her every minute? For that matter, when was the last time he had found such tranquillity himself?
He had experienced a few moments of it earlier, holding her hand at the opera. And he hadn't felt such levity in years as he did when they talked on the phone the other night. Maybe their small moments of happiness could be enough until they had done their jobs well enough to earn a lifetime of it. "Someday," he whispered. "Someday I'll get you out of this and you can finally start living."
Sydney woke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and for a split second thought that Francie must be up early this morning. She stretched and turned in her bed and jumped when she saw Michael Vaughn sitting beside her. She steadied herself as recollection flooded in and quickly put away the awkward sensual feelings that were surfacing. "It's time?" she asked.
"We should get going, yes." He handed her a travel mug of coffee. "I made it for the road."
"Thanks," she smiled and tentatively accepted the mug. "For everything, Vaughn…this is beyond your responsibilities as my handler." She rose from the bed and picked up the envelope off the dresser.
Vaughn followed, stopping to place unsure hands on the tops of her shoulders. "Sydney…though psych would have me suspended for saying this…whether it's advising you on counter-missions for SD-6, listening to you talk about school or your dad, or helping you save Francie…I'm your friend first. Some would say that makes me ineffective as a handler. I think it makes me all the more effective. You're important to me."
She turned quickly and wrapped her arms around him. At first, his hands remained poised in midair where they had rested on her shoulders, the shock of her contact not yet sinking in. But within moments he relaxed into it and wrapped his arms around her back, his hands brushing through the long silk of her bed-disheveled hair.
Though it pained him to say it, they had to leave. He pulled her away enough to look her in the eyes. "It's time, Sydney. Let's go get Francie back."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was still dark and there was a crisp cold in the air, the January Pacific waters lapped lazily against the wooden supports of the pier. It was deathly quiet, save a few warning bells of sailors getting an early start.
"You see it?" Vaughn's voice whispered in her ear. Thankfully, she'd had a few spare surveillance items around the house, cleverly hidden. It comforted her to know that her partner on this case was so close, in more ways than one.
"Yes, it's just a head. Houseboat…next to the small sailboat with the royal blue sails. Got it?" she asked.
"I'm centering in on it….now. Got it." He checked the meter he held in his hands, a small makes-shift unit that measured body heat. "I'm reading two of them. Anna must be on her own."
Sydney walked purposefully toward the houseboat, over the long gangplank until she was standing on the deck. "Stay with me," she whispered.
"I'm right here," he promised. He dropped the meter and picked up a pair of high-powered binoculars. There she was, looking confident and stable. God, he'd never know how she always managed to keep it so together. Nothing shook her…well, nothing dangerous, at least.
Sydney opened the nearest door and peered inside, the cabin was nothing but dark shadows and very little light. "Anna?" she yelled. "I brought what you were looking for…you ready to make a trade?"
"Show me," she heard her nemesis order. "Hold it out in the doorway so I can see it."
Sydney pulled the envelope from inside her jacket and held it out so that the early signs of daylight could make it visible to the woman inside. "What's all this about Anna?"
"I heard you had some bad news recently?" Anna stepped out into the thin ray of sunlight that was filtering through the cabin, her gun aimed at Sydney. "You shouldn't take it so hard, Sydney. Every family has a black sheep. Yours just happens to have two."
"What do you know about my mother?" Sydney asked.
Anna smiled wickedly. "As much as I'd love to be the one to tell you… I must save it for another time. Your friend waits and the drugs I gave her will be wearing off soon. I graciously gave her something to make her forget her experience here. If you get her home quickly enough, she'll think she just had a nice, long sleep in the comfort of her own bed."
Sydney tried in vain to see around Anna to where she was sure Francie was lying. Anna walked towards her and grabbed the envelope, sliding past Sydney and offering her, yet again that duplicitous grin. She leaned in, until her lips were hovering just over Sydney's chest and she said, "Why don't you be a darling and come out help dear Sydney get her valuable parcel home?"
Sydney looked up in shock as Anna sidled past her. "I like him… he's much cuter than your *other* partner. Does your new job come with fringe benefits?"
Sydney was speechless.
"No? You should really renegotiate." With that she was gone.
In the cabin, Sydney could hear Francie's soft moan. She ran in and found her friend, slumped over unconscious and tied to a wooden chair.
"Vaughn, get in here, I need your help."
"How did she know I was here?" he asked as he entered the cabin. Obviously, he had heard Anna's comments and decided to make himself known.
Sydney shook her head, as she untied Francie. "I don't know, but now that K-Directorate knows I'm working with you, things are going to get a lot more interesting."
(Sorry this chapter was short, but I wanted to get something out to you… more coming soon -- ps. Thanks for the GREAT feedback! Anything in particular you'd like to see happen next?)
Chapter Four: Black Coffee in Bed
3:30 a.m. Sydney Bristow's Apartment, Living Room
Sydney was holding the recently discovered envelope up in front of her face, disbelief and confusion evident there.
"Espinosa?" Sydney said. "I don't think I can take too many more surprises. Do you think my mother had connections with Anna's family?"
Vaughn took the aged manila folder and inspected it carefully. "It is possible. You said yourself that Anna was one of the last of the KGB babies." He handed her back the envelope. "You going to open it?"
"No." She took it from him and tossed it on the dresser. "I can't take any chances. I've got to assume Anna wants it intact. I can't risk Francie's life out of curiosity."
Vaughn looked at a very worn and tired Sydney, then with one secure hand at the small of her back, guided her toward the cluttered bed. "We've got some time. Why don't you try and get a little rest before we have to leave?"
Sydney raised her eyes to him, a mixture of weariness and gratitude there. "Maybe we should just go to the pier and wait."
Vaughn gave her a small push toward the bed and brushed the photographs, paper and jewelry to the side. "Get a cat nap. I'll make sure we get there on time."
She gave a small nod and sank into a sitting position onto the waiting mattress.
"All the way," he ordered and again, gave her a gentle push until her head fell into the waiting pillows.
Vaughn began to make his way out into the living room, when he was halted by Sydney's voice.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"I'll make some coffee. I think we could both use some before we meet up with Anna."
She raised her arm, a simple but grand gesture, beckoning to him. "Stay."
Vaughn stood in the doorway; the demons fighting within him clear in the expression on his face. The woman he admired…desired more than any other was asking him to do something he had only managed to accomplish in his dreams. She wanted him by her side in her bed. Granted, it was a bit different than he had envisioned it.
It was for comfort, he told himself. It was simply providing her with the warmth of a friend, the knowledge that there was someone there for her. He could do this. Her hand fell gently back to her side and her eyes dropped slowly closed. She was asleep for the love of god; it wouldn't hurt anyone if he did what she asked. She was asleep…she'd never know if he slipped out to make coffee.
Coffee could wait a little longer. Slowly he made his way to the bed. Though he couldn't bring himself to lay down beside her, he sat vigil over her, his back propped against the headboard, one foot firmly planted on the floor at all times. "I'm here," he reassured her.
As she slept, he marveled at the expression of peace on her face. He had never seen her so content… her face so free of worry. She was even more beautiful in slumber, if that were at all possible. A tentative finger reached out to brush a stray lock of hair away from her cheek. You deserve that peace, Sydney. He wondered when was the last time Sydney Bristow was truly happy? When was the last time that fear and doubt and sadness didn't plague her every minute? For that matter, when was the last time he had found such tranquillity himself?
He had experienced a few moments of it earlier, holding her hand at the opera. And he hadn't felt such levity in years as he did when they talked on the phone the other night. Maybe their small moments of happiness could be enough until they had done their jobs well enough to earn a lifetime of it. "Someday," he whispered. "Someday I'll get you out of this and you can finally start living."
Sydney woke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and for a split second thought that Francie must be up early this morning. She stretched and turned in her bed and jumped when she saw Michael Vaughn sitting beside her. She steadied herself as recollection flooded in and quickly put away the awkward sensual feelings that were surfacing. "It's time?" she asked.
"We should get going, yes." He handed her a travel mug of coffee. "I made it for the road."
"Thanks," she smiled and tentatively accepted the mug. "For everything, Vaughn…this is beyond your responsibilities as my handler." She rose from the bed and picked up the envelope off the dresser.
Vaughn followed, stopping to place unsure hands on the tops of her shoulders. "Sydney…though psych would have me suspended for saying this…whether it's advising you on counter-missions for SD-6, listening to you talk about school or your dad, or helping you save Francie…I'm your friend first. Some would say that makes me ineffective as a handler. I think it makes me all the more effective. You're important to me."
She turned quickly and wrapped her arms around him. At first, his hands remained poised in midair where they had rested on her shoulders, the shock of her contact not yet sinking in. But within moments he relaxed into it and wrapped his arms around her back, his hands brushing through the long silk of her bed-disheveled hair.
Though it pained him to say it, they had to leave. He pulled her away enough to look her in the eyes. "It's time, Sydney. Let's go get Francie back."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was still dark and there was a crisp cold in the air, the January Pacific waters lapped lazily against the wooden supports of the pier. It was deathly quiet, save a few warning bells of sailors getting an early start.
"You see it?" Vaughn's voice whispered in her ear. Thankfully, she'd had a few spare surveillance items around the house, cleverly hidden. It comforted her to know that her partner on this case was so close, in more ways than one.
"Yes, it's just a head. Houseboat…next to the small sailboat with the royal blue sails. Got it?" she asked.
"I'm centering in on it….now. Got it." He checked the meter he held in his hands, a small makes-shift unit that measured body heat. "I'm reading two of them. Anna must be on her own."
Sydney walked purposefully toward the houseboat, over the long gangplank until she was standing on the deck. "Stay with me," she whispered.
"I'm right here," he promised. He dropped the meter and picked up a pair of high-powered binoculars. There she was, looking confident and stable. God, he'd never know how she always managed to keep it so together. Nothing shook her…well, nothing dangerous, at least.
Sydney opened the nearest door and peered inside, the cabin was nothing but dark shadows and very little light. "Anna?" she yelled. "I brought what you were looking for…you ready to make a trade?"
"Show me," she heard her nemesis order. "Hold it out in the doorway so I can see it."
Sydney pulled the envelope from inside her jacket and held it out so that the early signs of daylight could make it visible to the woman inside. "What's all this about Anna?"
"I heard you had some bad news recently?" Anna stepped out into the thin ray of sunlight that was filtering through the cabin, her gun aimed at Sydney. "You shouldn't take it so hard, Sydney. Every family has a black sheep. Yours just happens to have two."
"What do you know about my mother?" Sydney asked.
Anna smiled wickedly. "As much as I'd love to be the one to tell you… I must save it for another time. Your friend waits and the drugs I gave her will be wearing off soon. I graciously gave her something to make her forget her experience here. If you get her home quickly enough, she'll think she just had a nice, long sleep in the comfort of her own bed."
Sydney tried in vain to see around Anna to where she was sure Francie was lying. Anna walked towards her and grabbed the envelope, sliding past Sydney and offering her, yet again that duplicitous grin. She leaned in, until her lips were hovering just over Sydney's chest and she said, "Why don't you be a darling and come out help dear Sydney get her valuable parcel home?"
Sydney looked up in shock as Anna sidled past her. "I like him… he's much cuter than your *other* partner. Does your new job come with fringe benefits?"
Sydney was speechless.
"No? You should really renegotiate." With that she was gone.
In the cabin, Sydney could hear Francie's soft moan. She ran in and found her friend, slumped over unconscious and tied to a wooden chair.
"Vaughn, get in here, I need your help."
"How did she know I was here?" he asked as he entered the cabin. Obviously, he had heard Anna's comments and decided to make himself known.
Sydney shook her head, as she untied Francie. "I don't know, but now that K-Directorate knows I'm working with you, things are going to get a lot more interesting."
(Sorry this chapter was short, but I wanted to get something out to you… more coming soon -- ps. Thanks for the GREAT feedback! Anything in particular you'd like to see happen next?)
