Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to get this up. Finals are quickly approaching, so I've been pretty busy--I'm sure most of you can relate. :-) - Ashni

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MYSTERIA: Part 3
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Sydney locked her car and walked up to the front door, carefully avoiding the ice that crusted the walkway. True to her word, she'd rented a cabin in Tahoe for the next two weeks and she was determined not to worry about SD-6. When she got inside, she dropped her bags next to the door and looked around, nodding to herself. Her one concern had been that the cabin might be too roomy, but that was quickly assuaged-everything appeared to be well-suited to a single occupant.

Now she just had to unpack her stuff. With a purposeful look on her face and a mischievous gleam to her eye, she set to work.

Some time later, Sydney stretched out on the couch contentedly, a steaming mug of hot chocolate in her hand. She leaned back and closed her eyes, enjoying the comfort of the heat against her palm and the familiar aroma of chocolate. Childhood memories drifted through her mind, free of the bitter sting they usually held.

- Flashback -

"It's getting dark. We should probably go inside," her father said, stepping out from behind the snow fort he'd built with her. Sydney immediately took the chance to pelt him with a snowball, her pigtails bouncing as she darted away. Her giggles echoed through the trees.

Jack looked mournfully down at his shirt and brushed away the clinging slush halfheartedly. Still laughing, Sydney ran into the house, and he followed after a moment.

Her mother greeted them with cups of hot chocolate. Curls of steam melted into the air and made Sydney's eyes water as she gulped it greedily. After stripping off her soaked snow gear, she curled up in a chair, her mother and father sitting together on the couch next to her and a cheery fire warming all of them.

"So, did you both have fun out there?" Laura said at length. She tucked her head against her husband's shoulder, watching the fire crackle.

Sydney only nodded, and Jack replied, "Sure did. Little Syd's got way too much energy, though. I dare say I'm beat. The kid's like the Energizer bunny." He shook his head quizzically, prompting a laugh from his wife and daughter and a smile from himself. Sydney'd never dreamed then that his smiles would become so rare.

"Could anything make this more perfect?" her mother asked drowsily.

Sydney wasted no time in answering, even laying aside her hot chocolate to do it. "If I had a sister," she stated matter-of-factly. "Then we could gang up on Dad. Please, please can't I have a sister?"

"Maybe someday."

The younger Sydney settled back into her chair, satisfied by this answer, but the fire roared up suddenly, filled with images. Even as the family continued to smile and talk, the flames ran rampant with clocks and gears, binary code and golden suns and journals and sketches. Sydney stared into a mirror, and her image stared back, then suddenly broke free from its confines to seize her wrist.

"Soon," it hissed, and her world fell down around her. . .

- End Flashback -

Her cell phone rang just as the memory shattered against the razor-sharp edge of her sorrow. Shaken, she placed the mug down on a side table and set the phone to her ear.

"Okay, why didn't you tell me?"

Sydney smiled to hear the familiar indignant voice. "What do you mean, Francie?"

"You said you were in Tahoe!"

"I am," Sydney replied, puzzled. "Why?"

"I just saw you sitting at a table in Tracy's Diner an hour ago."

Sydney bolted upright on the couch. Her elbow connected with the table, sending pain shooting up her arm and causing the mug of hot chocolate to rock precariously. She reached out a trembling hand to steady it, using the motion as a focus to calm down. "Tracy's Diner?" she asked, her voice level and cool.

Francie sounded put out. "Yeah. So I know you can't possibly be in Tahoe by now. What's up, Sydney? I thought you trusted me."

"I-I do trust you, Francie, you know that. I'm actually in the car right now, headed to my cabin. Traffic's hell over here, by the way," she added lightly, hoping to soothe Francie's hurt feelings. "I was planning to leave this morning, but Dad called me up and I didn't want to miss the chance to have lunch with him. I didn't think it was too important; otherwise, I would have called you. I swear."

There was silence on the other end as Sydney waited, breath held. "Oh," Francie finally said. "Okay, then. It's just, with you sneaking off all over the place, not calling me, I thought maybe there was something going on."

"There's nothing going on," Sydney put in quickly.

"But if there is something going on you will tell me?"

Sydney forced the lie from her lips. "If there is ever something going on, I will tell you."

"Hey, you looked pretty disappointed-don't tell me he stood you up again."

"He did." Using her shoulder to keep the phone against her ear, Sydney looked around the room. She got up and grabbed a pen and notepad from the counter.

Anger and sympathy warred in Francie's voice. "I'm so sorry, Syd."

"It's okay. I mean, I should be used to it by now." She held the cap in her mouth and scribbled quickly, Tracy's Diner, seen 2:00 by Francie. "Look, thanks for calling. I appreciate you checking up on me. There are crazy drivers all around me, though, so I'll talk to you later. Bye!" She dropped the phone back in her purse and collapsed back on the couch. The hot chocolate slowly turned cold, forgotten.

There was one more thing she knew she had to do. Her face stony, she took out her CIA-issue cell phone and dialed Vaughn's number.