"Sydney, I repeat. Make the switch now! Two guards down. Dixon is
opening the gate. Make the switch!" Vaughn shouted into her earpiece.
Beginning to breath heavily, she repeated, "I am satisfied with the merchandise."
"Alright! Hand over the solution!" Dixon barged into courtyard, gun pointed strait at the back of Sydney's head.
She couldn't breathe…how could this have happened? She kept wondering? She knew that her only chance was to expose herself to Dixon, hoping he wouldn't do anything drastic. She had to trust him not to.
"The counterfeit solution Sydney, give him the counterfeit, and we'll deal with Sark later." Vaughn said into her ear.
Sydney slowly turned around, still palming the fake solution in her hand.
Dixon's expression changed, but he was either too stunned to say anything, or chose not to.
"Here is the solution." She said in her thick accent, reaching her hand out to him. "Take it and go."
Dixon grabbed the bottle and backed away looking utterly confused. When he was at the gate he turned and left, shooting an attacking guard on his way out.
Sydney turned back towards Sark who did not look pleased.
"I don't know what it was that you just gave that man, but I am pleased with the solution you gave me, so I'll ask you to leave now." Sark said in an eerily controlled voice. But before Sydney could leave he leaned in closely and added "And if by some unlucky twist of fate we ever meet again, you can guarantee that I won't put up with any of this double merchandise shit."
Sydney just nodded her head and walked out, diamonds in hand.
***
Sydney entered the warehouse and found herself staring at the back of her handler's form. The clicking of her shoes alerted him of her presence, and he turned around, a serious expression on his face.
"Hey." She said softly.
"Hey." He replied.
"Vaughn-"
"Sydney-" They both said at the same time.
"Sorry, you go first," said Sydney.
"Sydney, that was too close. Sark could have killed you, and I still don't know why he didn't. And Dixon is MIA right now and I don't know how we're going to fix that. And then we have to get the liquid back from Sark. Plus- " Vaughn started another sentence, but stopped upon seeing Sydney looking at her hands.
"I'm sorry." He said.
"No, you're right. I don't know how this went so wrong." She continued to look at her hands.
Vaughn sighed, and walked over towards Sydney, who was sitting on a crate.
"Hey," he began softly, sitting down on a crate across from hers. He scooted it closer so that their knees were almost touching. "Hey," he repeated, lifting her chin so that he could look into her eyes. "What I should have said was, you did a great job, and I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're safe."
The sincerity of his words, and the way that he was looking at her with those piercing green eyes filled with concern, relief, and something else, melted Sydney's heart, and confirmed once again her true feelings for him.
"Thanks." She said, smiling softly.
"Why don't you go home for now. I know that you just got in, and you're probably tired." Vaughn said, breaking the moment.
"What about the solution and Dixon, and my counter mission and-" Sydney began.
"Don't worry about it tonight. As far as we know, Dixon is still on a plane, and I don't think that Sark will do anything to the solution right away. Get some sleep, and I'll contact you tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay." She replied. She began to leave, but she felt his hand on her arm, stopping her.
"Hey, I really am happy that you're okay. It's just that…well, I…." He sighed, contemplating his next words. "I just get a little crazy sometimes, and there were so many close calls, and still so much work to do. I just don't want anything to happen to you." He knew that he was babbling, and that he had revealed too much, but he just didn't want her to think that he didn't care. Or maybe he did.
"It's okay. Thanks. I'm going to go now, I'll see you tomorrow." Sydney turned and left quickly walking out of the warehouse.
Vaughn sat down again and thought about what a fool he'd just made of himself. Whenever he was around her, he just couldn't get out the right words. He hadn't meant to yell at her, or make her feel bad, he was just worried. He knew that he was getting too close to her, and that sooner or later, something was going to happen, or more likely he would do something stupid, to make her run away screaming. He had finally admitted it to himself that what he felt for her was far stronger than attraction. It was adoration, admiration, respect, and most of all love.
***
Sydney sank down into her bed. What was going on with she and Vaughn? Was he trying to tell her something more that that he was just worried about her? That look he gave her…she couldn't get it out of her head. She felt like she was naked with him, like his eyes could see through her, into her soul. She didn't like being so vulnerable. She knew that she loved him, she had admitted that to herself long ago, but did he return her feelings? And if he did, what would happen. They couldn't exactly have a relationship. She was exhausted, and all this worrying was going to drive her mad. She settled into bed, preparing herself to dream about what could have been, if her life wasn't so messed up.
***
It had been two weeks since Sydney's severely flawed mission with Sark, and things seemed to be calming down. Dixon had not said anything to anyone about seeing her there, until he talked to her. He had simply file put in his report that he got the liquid from a member of the Raslak Jihad. Their conversation had gone well, Sydney explaining about her double agent status, and Dixon was now in the process of being reviewed to be an agent for the CIA. Sark still had the solution in his custody, but it would be moving soon. She and Vaughn were still tense, but they had been keeping to business.
***
Sydney walked into the conference room at SD-6 and took her seat, preparing herself to listen to whatever new mission that Sloane had for her.
"Everyone," Sloane began, "I'm afraid I have some bad news. The solutions that we obtained from Sark in Indonesia were counterfeit."
"So what's the plan?" Sydney asked.
"Well, we must get the real solution. We've traced a phone call from Sark confirming that he has the solution at his home. Your mission is to go to Indonesia and get it." Said Slone.
***
"What's my counter mission?" Sydney asked Vaughn, back at the warehouse.
"Well, basically, you'll break into his house, the liquid is in the vault, and SD-6 gave you all the necessary equipment to break into it." Sydney nodded. "All you have to do it switch the liquid with this one," he held up a small vile, same as the one as he had given her before, "and bring the real solution back to the CIA. It should be easier to make the switch now that Dixon is a double." Vaughn reasoned.
"Okay." Said Sydney. "I better get going."
"Yeah, okay…Wait, actually, I have something for you." Vaughn turned to get something out of his brief case. He pulled out a sealed brown envelope and handed it to Sydney. "This is all that I could get on your mother. As I told you before, all of her files are sealed, but I managed to get these. Just some information that the CIA had on her death, and relationship with your father." Vaughn said. "I know it's not much, but it's all I could get. I'm trying, but it's hard to get things like this."
"I know, thank you, so much. You don't know how much I appreciate anything that gets me a step closer to my mother." Said Sydney, smiling sincerely.
"I just…I just don't think that it's a good idea for you to be asking favors of Sloane." Vaughn said quickly.
Sydney looked up. "What?" she asked.
"I just don't think that you should be asking Sloane for information on your mother. He could give you false information, and you never know when this could come back to haunt you. Sometime, sooner or later, he's going to want you to return the favor, and you'll have no option but to oblige." Vaughn was adamantly avoiding eye contact, and was obviously very uncomfortable telling this to Sydney.
Sydney didn't know whether or not she should punch him or hug him. On the one hand, he was acting like her handler, telling her wisely not to associate with the bad guys, but he was also acting like her friend, warning her of the dangers of asking favors of your enemy.
She decided to go with the latter, and she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you." She whispered.
Vaughn was so taken aback, that it took him a minute to put his arms around her. "You're welcome, but for what?" he asked.
"For telling me exactly what I needed to hear. I know that I can't trust Slone," she began, slowly pulling back, but not losing all contact. "I just really want to find my mother. I need to, and I just didn't see any other options. But I know that I have to talk to him, and somehow find a way to convince him that I don't want to find her." Sydney said sadly, now completely pulled away from Vaughn's embrace.
"Sydney, we will find her. I promise that you will, and I'll do everything in my power to help you." He said
Sydney's eyes started to well, and soon she found herself back in Vaughn's strong arms, his hands rubbing her back in soothing circles. She had never been so grateful to have him in her life as she did at that moment. She started to pull back and she looked up into his eyes. His arms were still around her back, and they were locked in each other's gaze, not able to break that contact. Slowly Sydney found herself leaning in towards him, her lips lightly brushing against his. She leaned back again, not sure what to do. The turmoil that she felt was mirrored back in his eyes. Vaughn leaned forward and tentatively pressed his lips against hers. This kiss was fuller, more complete, gentle, but filled with passion. Sydney leaned into him, and opened her mouth into the kiss, allowing his tongue the entry that it had sought. The kiss became more intense, and Sydney brought her hands up to the back of his head, and toyed with they hairs at the back of his neck. After what seemed like an eternity, they pulled back.
Sydney, slowly opened her eyes, and found she staring into those intense green eyes. Only now they seemed to be alive. She slowly backed out of his embrace and smiled.
"I guess I should go now." She said, still smiling.
"Uh..Yeah." said Vaughn, beginning to smile as well.
Sydney turned around and walked out the door, bringing her fingers to her lips and touching them, where only moments ago, his had been. Never in her life did she think she would ever get the chance to kiss him, or the courage. She had never been kissed like that before. He held her with so much passion, yet so much tenderness, a mixture of things that she didn't expect from him. But his eyes, when she'd looked at them, they were dancing, and the emotion that she saw there was unbelievable. She walked back to her car, and got in. She didn't know what would happen now, but she was too happy to care.
Beginning to breath heavily, she repeated, "I am satisfied with the merchandise."
"Alright! Hand over the solution!" Dixon barged into courtyard, gun pointed strait at the back of Sydney's head.
She couldn't breathe…how could this have happened? She kept wondering? She knew that her only chance was to expose herself to Dixon, hoping he wouldn't do anything drastic. She had to trust him not to.
"The counterfeit solution Sydney, give him the counterfeit, and we'll deal with Sark later." Vaughn said into her ear.
Sydney slowly turned around, still palming the fake solution in her hand.
Dixon's expression changed, but he was either too stunned to say anything, or chose not to.
"Here is the solution." She said in her thick accent, reaching her hand out to him. "Take it and go."
Dixon grabbed the bottle and backed away looking utterly confused. When he was at the gate he turned and left, shooting an attacking guard on his way out.
Sydney turned back towards Sark who did not look pleased.
"I don't know what it was that you just gave that man, but I am pleased with the solution you gave me, so I'll ask you to leave now." Sark said in an eerily controlled voice. But before Sydney could leave he leaned in closely and added "And if by some unlucky twist of fate we ever meet again, you can guarantee that I won't put up with any of this double merchandise shit."
Sydney just nodded her head and walked out, diamonds in hand.
***
Sydney entered the warehouse and found herself staring at the back of her handler's form. The clicking of her shoes alerted him of her presence, and he turned around, a serious expression on his face.
"Hey." She said softly.
"Hey." He replied.
"Vaughn-"
"Sydney-" They both said at the same time.
"Sorry, you go first," said Sydney.
"Sydney, that was too close. Sark could have killed you, and I still don't know why he didn't. And Dixon is MIA right now and I don't know how we're going to fix that. And then we have to get the liquid back from Sark. Plus- " Vaughn started another sentence, but stopped upon seeing Sydney looking at her hands.
"I'm sorry." He said.
"No, you're right. I don't know how this went so wrong." She continued to look at her hands.
Vaughn sighed, and walked over towards Sydney, who was sitting on a crate.
"Hey," he began softly, sitting down on a crate across from hers. He scooted it closer so that their knees were almost touching. "Hey," he repeated, lifting her chin so that he could look into her eyes. "What I should have said was, you did a great job, and I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're safe."
The sincerity of his words, and the way that he was looking at her with those piercing green eyes filled with concern, relief, and something else, melted Sydney's heart, and confirmed once again her true feelings for him.
"Thanks." She said, smiling softly.
"Why don't you go home for now. I know that you just got in, and you're probably tired." Vaughn said, breaking the moment.
"What about the solution and Dixon, and my counter mission and-" Sydney began.
"Don't worry about it tonight. As far as we know, Dixon is still on a plane, and I don't think that Sark will do anything to the solution right away. Get some sleep, and I'll contact you tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay." She replied. She began to leave, but she felt his hand on her arm, stopping her.
"Hey, I really am happy that you're okay. It's just that…well, I…." He sighed, contemplating his next words. "I just get a little crazy sometimes, and there were so many close calls, and still so much work to do. I just don't want anything to happen to you." He knew that he was babbling, and that he had revealed too much, but he just didn't want her to think that he didn't care. Or maybe he did.
"It's okay. Thanks. I'm going to go now, I'll see you tomorrow." Sydney turned and left quickly walking out of the warehouse.
Vaughn sat down again and thought about what a fool he'd just made of himself. Whenever he was around her, he just couldn't get out the right words. He hadn't meant to yell at her, or make her feel bad, he was just worried. He knew that he was getting too close to her, and that sooner or later, something was going to happen, or more likely he would do something stupid, to make her run away screaming. He had finally admitted it to himself that what he felt for her was far stronger than attraction. It was adoration, admiration, respect, and most of all love.
***
Sydney sank down into her bed. What was going on with she and Vaughn? Was he trying to tell her something more that that he was just worried about her? That look he gave her…she couldn't get it out of her head. She felt like she was naked with him, like his eyes could see through her, into her soul. She didn't like being so vulnerable. She knew that she loved him, she had admitted that to herself long ago, but did he return her feelings? And if he did, what would happen. They couldn't exactly have a relationship. She was exhausted, and all this worrying was going to drive her mad. She settled into bed, preparing herself to dream about what could have been, if her life wasn't so messed up.
***
It had been two weeks since Sydney's severely flawed mission with Sark, and things seemed to be calming down. Dixon had not said anything to anyone about seeing her there, until he talked to her. He had simply file put in his report that he got the liquid from a member of the Raslak Jihad. Their conversation had gone well, Sydney explaining about her double agent status, and Dixon was now in the process of being reviewed to be an agent for the CIA. Sark still had the solution in his custody, but it would be moving soon. She and Vaughn were still tense, but they had been keeping to business.
***
Sydney walked into the conference room at SD-6 and took her seat, preparing herself to listen to whatever new mission that Sloane had for her.
"Everyone," Sloane began, "I'm afraid I have some bad news. The solutions that we obtained from Sark in Indonesia were counterfeit."
"So what's the plan?" Sydney asked.
"Well, we must get the real solution. We've traced a phone call from Sark confirming that he has the solution at his home. Your mission is to go to Indonesia and get it." Said Slone.
***
"What's my counter mission?" Sydney asked Vaughn, back at the warehouse.
"Well, basically, you'll break into his house, the liquid is in the vault, and SD-6 gave you all the necessary equipment to break into it." Sydney nodded. "All you have to do it switch the liquid with this one," he held up a small vile, same as the one as he had given her before, "and bring the real solution back to the CIA. It should be easier to make the switch now that Dixon is a double." Vaughn reasoned.
"Okay." Said Sydney. "I better get going."
"Yeah, okay…Wait, actually, I have something for you." Vaughn turned to get something out of his brief case. He pulled out a sealed brown envelope and handed it to Sydney. "This is all that I could get on your mother. As I told you before, all of her files are sealed, but I managed to get these. Just some information that the CIA had on her death, and relationship with your father." Vaughn said. "I know it's not much, but it's all I could get. I'm trying, but it's hard to get things like this."
"I know, thank you, so much. You don't know how much I appreciate anything that gets me a step closer to my mother." Said Sydney, smiling sincerely.
"I just…I just don't think that it's a good idea for you to be asking favors of Sloane." Vaughn said quickly.
Sydney looked up. "What?" she asked.
"I just don't think that you should be asking Sloane for information on your mother. He could give you false information, and you never know when this could come back to haunt you. Sometime, sooner or later, he's going to want you to return the favor, and you'll have no option but to oblige." Vaughn was adamantly avoiding eye contact, and was obviously very uncomfortable telling this to Sydney.
Sydney didn't know whether or not she should punch him or hug him. On the one hand, he was acting like her handler, telling her wisely not to associate with the bad guys, but he was also acting like her friend, warning her of the dangers of asking favors of your enemy.
She decided to go with the latter, and she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you." She whispered.
Vaughn was so taken aback, that it took him a minute to put his arms around her. "You're welcome, but for what?" he asked.
"For telling me exactly what I needed to hear. I know that I can't trust Slone," she began, slowly pulling back, but not losing all contact. "I just really want to find my mother. I need to, and I just didn't see any other options. But I know that I have to talk to him, and somehow find a way to convince him that I don't want to find her." Sydney said sadly, now completely pulled away from Vaughn's embrace.
"Sydney, we will find her. I promise that you will, and I'll do everything in my power to help you." He said
Sydney's eyes started to well, and soon she found herself back in Vaughn's strong arms, his hands rubbing her back in soothing circles. She had never been so grateful to have him in her life as she did at that moment. She started to pull back and she looked up into his eyes. His arms were still around her back, and they were locked in each other's gaze, not able to break that contact. Slowly Sydney found herself leaning in towards him, her lips lightly brushing against his. She leaned back again, not sure what to do. The turmoil that she felt was mirrored back in his eyes. Vaughn leaned forward and tentatively pressed his lips against hers. This kiss was fuller, more complete, gentle, but filled with passion. Sydney leaned into him, and opened her mouth into the kiss, allowing his tongue the entry that it had sought. The kiss became more intense, and Sydney brought her hands up to the back of his head, and toyed with they hairs at the back of his neck. After what seemed like an eternity, they pulled back.
Sydney, slowly opened her eyes, and found she staring into those intense green eyes. Only now they seemed to be alive. She slowly backed out of his embrace and smiled.
"I guess I should go now." She said, still smiling.
"Uh..Yeah." said Vaughn, beginning to smile as well.
Sydney turned around and walked out the door, bringing her fingers to her lips and touching them, where only moments ago, his had been. Never in her life did she think she would ever get the chance to kiss him, or the courage. She had never been kissed like that before. He held her with so much passion, yet so much tenderness, a mixture of things that she didn't expect from him. But his eyes, when she'd looked at them, they were dancing, and the emotion that she saw there was unbelievable. She walked back to her car, and got in. She didn't know what would happen now, but she was too happy to care.