Title: Shades of Gray
Author: Carrie (CaReYbEaRy@aol.com)
Disclaimer: I don't own Alias or any of the characters.
Spoilers: Season Finale
Rating: PG, but it will probably change throughout the series
Category: Angst, Romance, little action, little everything
Distribution: Anywhere. Just let me know.
Author's Note: Hey everyone…no real comment on this one, just enjoy…hopefully It'll be a little more interesting than the last one.
CHAPTER 5
Will was slowly coaxed into consciousness by the throbbing in his mouth. He had slept enough that the pain was no longer masked by fatigue. He opened his eyes and blinked them several times, bringing his surroundings into focus. He looked around the large back portion of the plane, surrounded by crates and boxes and other miscellaneous cargo. He looked over to his left and saw two figures sleeping, leaning back on a burlap bag and against each other. He immediately recognized the figures to be Sydney and her 'handler' Vaughn. They look pretty comfortable .Will thought to himself. He looked at them, mesmerized by how at ease they seemed with each other. He wondered how long they had known each other and how Sydney felt about him. Will hated that this Vaughn character knew something, a big thing, about Sydney's life that he didn't. Did they ever talk about him when they were together? His thoughts were interrupted by Sydney shifting in her sleep. She turned so that she was completely facing Vaughn's side, her head resting on his arm now, instead of his shoulder. Will's blood boiled when he saw the content expression on her face. He hadn't seen her look that relaxed in a long time. He tried to tell himself that she always looked like that in her sleep, but a little voice inside him told him otherwise.
Vaughn awoke slowly, but didn't open his eyes. It took him a minute to figure out where he was, but it all soon came rushing back to him. He suddenly remembered that Sydney was next to him. He could feel the warmth of her head leaning against his shoulder, and was surprised when she shifted, so that she was leaning flush against his side. He didn't want to open his eyes. He didn't want this to be over. The feel of Sydney sleeping next to him was nothing compared to the extreme relief he felt that she was okay. He couldn't believe that they'd all made it back alive. Even Will. Vaughn thought bitterly. He suddenly thought of Will and wondered whether or not he was awake. Although he wanted to stay there with Sydney, his curiosity got the best of him. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked them several times to get them into focus. He scanned the room, quickly finding himself looking into the eyes of Will Tippin. Will didn't say anything, he didn't even blink. Vaughn could almost see the jealousy and resentment permeating off of Will. Vaughn wondered how long he had been watching them, but decided that for Sydney's sake, he better move quickly. He shifted slightly and was immediately aware of a stabbing pain in his arm. He looked down at it and saw that the gauze that Sydney had put there was now covered in blood. Vaughn was still too tired to be worried about his arm, so he ignored it for the moment. He looked back over at Will to find him still staring at him. The awkwardness of the situation was killing him. He decided to take pity on Will, and moved over to a crate, gently moving his body away from Sydney's and replacing her head onto the bag. She stirred, but didn't wake up. Vaughn sat back and leaned against the wall of the plane, missing his comfortable spot with Sydney.
"How are you feeling?" Vaughn asked, trying to be friendly.
"Fine." Will said harshly, but then added "Much better, thanks." He didn't want this guy telling Sydney that he was being a jerk.
"Good." Vaughn replied. He looked down at his watch. "We should be landing within the hour." He said, trying to make some sort of conversation with Will. Will simply nodded. Vaughn decided that it was hopeless and turned back to Sydney. She looked so peaceful in her sleep, and he wished that Will wasn't there, watching his every move. He just wanted to look at her for a while. It wasn't very often that he got an uninterrupted view of Sydney. He begrudgingly tore his eyes away from Sydney and looked at a fixed point on the floor. He couldn't bring himself to look at Will again.
Will saw that Vaughn was struggling for things to say, and although he didn't like the guy, he felt that he should be civil, at least for Sydney.
"So what is going to happen when we get back?" Will asked.
"I'm not positive what you will do, but Sydney will go back to her house as usual. The CIA was talking about a protection program for you before, and that will still be an option. There are others to consider though." Vaughn said, trying not to give him too much information.
"Won't Sydney need protection also?" Will asked logically.
"That's complicated. Sydney should probably tell you these things herself." Vaughn said, not wanting to make the decision for Sydney about what she told Will about her life. Will nodded, wanting to know more, and hating that fact that Vaughn knew these things, and that Sydney might not share them with him. They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments and then, luckily, Jack came in.
"Out ETA is 20 minutes." Jack said, pausing for a moment and then walking back out. Vaughn and Will nodded. Vaughn was starting to look at Jack differently. When he told Vaughn that he appreciated the risk that he was taking, Vaughn almost felt like he had earned his approval. Vaughn knew that he shouldn't be feeling like this, like the father of the girl he likes, likes him, but he did.
Vaughn tried to shake away those thoughts, but he kept going back to when he was drowning, and the one thing that he was thinking was that he hadn't told Sydney how he felt about her. But he was desperate then, and he really thought that if he got out, he'd tell her the truth. But now he wasn't so sure. There was just so much at risk. Her cover, her status at CIA, their lives. And he didn't even know how she felt about him. He pretty much knew that she liked him, but how could he be sure.
He tried again to make himself stop thinking these thoughts. He shouldn't want her to feel anything towards him, but he still did. His thoughts were finally interrupted by Sydney shifting positions.
Sydney opened her eyes and frowned slightly, upset that Vaughn wasn't at her side anymore. She looked up, almost sensing him, and was pleased to see him sitting on a crate next to her.
"Hey." She said groggily.
"Perfect timing," Vaughn said, "We're landing soon."
Sydney nodded and looked away from him. She looked around the plane and was surprised to find Will staring straight at her.
"Hey. How do you feel?" Sydney asked, concerned.
"I'm okay, a little sore." Will replied, trying to sound nonchalant, even though his entire face was throbbing.
"We'll get you to a dentist as soon as we get back." Sydney assured him.
"I'm okay, really." Will replied, almost annoyed that she was babying him. He couldn't be too upset though, because she did seem concerned.
Sydney hated to see Will in pain. Mainly because it was her fault that he was in pain. Suddenly she remembered Vaughn's arm.
"How's your arm?" she said, trying not to make her voice sound more concerned than it had with Will. It was horrible having both Will and Vaughn's attention on her, knowing that they were analyzing her every move.
"It's fine." Vaughn replied, purposely turning away from her so that she couldn't see the blood soaked bandage. "As I said, a superficial wound." Vaughn said, trying to assure her that he was okay. In truth his arm was killing him, but he didn't want Sydney to feel worse than she already did. He could tell that she was feeling really guilty about Will.
"Whatever." Sydney said, rolling her eyes, returning the group to an awkward silence. She didn't have anything to say, and she was worried that anything she said would just make things even more awkward.
Again, sorry for the lack of action, but I'm still trying to get everything in that I wanted to. The next few chapters will hopefully come quickly and easily, filled with lots of stuff. I hope you stick with it!
Author: Carrie (CaReYbEaRy@aol.com)
Disclaimer: I don't own Alias or any of the characters.
Spoilers: Season Finale
Rating: PG, but it will probably change throughout the series
Category: Angst, Romance, little action, little everything
Distribution: Anywhere. Just let me know.
Author's Note: Hey everyone…no real comment on this one, just enjoy…hopefully It'll be a little more interesting than the last one.
CHAPTER 5
Will was slowly coaxed into consciousness by the throbbing in his mouth. He had slept enough that the pain was no longer masked by fatigue. He opened his eyes and blinked them several times, bringing his surroundings into focus. He looked around the large back portion of the plane, surrounded by crates and boxes and other miscellaneous cargo. He looked over to his left and saw two figures sleeping, leaning back on a burlap bag and against each other. He immediately recognized the figures to be Sydney and her 'handler' Vaughn. They look pretty comfortable .Will thought to himself. He looked at them, mesmerized by how at ease they seemed with each other. He wondered how long they had known each other and how Sydney felt about him. Will hated that this Vaughn character knew something, a big thing, about Sydney's life that he didn't. Did they ever talk about him when they were together? His thoughts were interrupted by Sydney shifting in her sleep. She turned so that she was completely facing Vaughn's side, her head resting on his arm now, instead of his shoulder. Will's blood boiled when he saw the content expression on her face. He hadn't seen her look that relaxed in a long time. He tried to tell himself that she always looked like that in her sleep, but a little voice inside him told him otherwise.
Vaughn awoke slowly, but didn't open his eyes. It took him a minute to figure out where he was, but it all soon came rushing back to him. He suddenly remembered that Sydney was next to him. He could feel the warmth of her head leaning against his shoulder, and was surprised when she shifted, so that she was leaning flush against his side. He didn't want to open his eyes. He didn't want this to be over. The feel of Sydney sleeping next to him was nothing compared to the extreme relief he felt that she was okay. He couldn't believe that they'd all made it back alive. Even Will. Vaughn thought bitterly. He suddenly thought of Will and wondered whether or not he was awake. Although he wanted to stay there with Sydney, his curiosity got the best of him. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked them several times to get them into focus. He scanned the room, quickly finding himself looking into the eyes of Will Tippin. Will didn't say anything, he didn't even blink. Vaughn could almost see the jealousy and resentment permeating off of Will. Vaughn wondered how long he had been watching them, but decided that for Sydney's sake, he better move quickly. He shifted slightly and was immediately aware of a stabbing pain in his arm. He looked down at it and saw that the gauze that Sydney had put there was now covered in blood. Vaughn was still too tired to be worried about his arm, so he ignored it for the moment. He looked back over at Will to find him still staring at him. The awkwardness of the situation was killing him. He decided to take pity on Will, and moved over to a crate, gently moving his body away from Sydney's and replacing her head onto the bag. She stirred, but didn't wake up. Vaughn sat back and leaned against the wall of the plane, missing his comfortable spot with Sydney.
"How are you feeling?" Vaughn asked, trying to be friendly.
"Fine." Will said harshly, but then added "Much better, thanks." He didn't want this guy telling Sydney that he was being a jerk.
"Good." Vaughn replied. He looked down at his watch. "We should be landing within the hour." He said, trying to make some sort of conversation with Will. Will simply nodded. Vaughn decided that it was hopeless and turned back to Sydney. She looked so peaceful in her sleep, and he wished that Will wasn't there, watching his every move. He just wanted to look at her for a while. It wasn't very often that he got an uninterrupted view of Sydney. He begrudgingly tore his eyes away from Sydney and looked at a fixed point on the floor. He couldn't bring himself to look at Will again.
Will saw that Vaughn was struggling for things to say, and although he didn't like the guy, he felt that he should be civil, at least for Sydney.
"So what is going to happen when we get back?" Will asked.
"I'm not positive what you will do, but Sydney will go back to her house as usual. The CIA was talking about a protection program for you before, and that will still be an option. There are others to consider though." Vaughn said, trying not to give him too much information.
"Won't Sydney need protection also?" Will asked logically.
"That's complicated. Sydney should probably tell you these things herself." Vaughn said, not wanting to make the decision for Sydney about what she told Will about her life. Will nodded, wanting to know more, and hating that fact that Vaughn knew these things, and that Sydney might not share them with him. They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments and then, luckily, Jack came in.
"Out ETA is 20 minutes." Jack said, pausing for a moment and then walking back out. Vaughn and Will nodded. Vaughn was starting to look at Jack differently. When he told Vaughn that he appreciated the risk that he was taking, Vaughn almost felt like he had earned his approval. Vaughn knew that he shouldn't be feeling like this, like the father of the girl he likes, likes him, but he did.
Vaughn tried to shake away those thoughts, but he kept going back to when he was drowning, and the one thing that he was thinking was that he hadn't told Sydney how he felt about her. But he was desperate then, and he really thought that if he got out, he'd tell her the truth. But now he wasn't so sure. There was just so much at risk. Her cover, her status at CIA, their lives. And he didn't even know how she felt about him. He pretty much knew that she liked him, but how could he be sure.
He tried again to make himself stop thinking these thoughts. He shouldn't want her to feel anything towards him, but he still did. His thoughts were finally interrupted by Sydney shifting positions.
Sydney opened her eyes and frowned slightly, upset that Vaughn wasn't at her side anymore. She looked up, almost sensing him, and was pleased to see him sitting on a crate next to her.
"Hey." She said groggily.
"Perfect timing," Vaughn said, "We're landing soon."
Sydney nodded and looked away from him. She looked around the plane and was surprised to find Will staring straight at her.
"Hey. How do you feel?" Sydney asked, concerned.
"I'm okay, a little sore." Will replied, trying to sound nonchalant, even though his entire face was throbbing.
"We'll get you to a dentist as soon as we get back." Sydney assured him.
"I'm okay, really." Will replied, almost annoyed that she was babying him. He couldn't be too upset though, because she did seem concerned.
Sydney hated to see Will in pain. Mainly because it was her fault that he was in pain. Suddenly she remembered Vaughn's arm.
"How's your arm?" she said, trying not to make her voice sound more concerned than it had with Will. It was horrible having both Will and Vaughn's attention on her, knowing that they were analyzing her every move.
"It's fine." Vaughn replied, purposely turning away from her so that she couldn't see the blood soaked bandage. "As I said, a superficial wound." Vaughn said, trying to assure her that he was okay. In truth his arm was killing him, but he didn't want Sydney to feel worse than she already did. He could tell that she was feeling really guilty about Will.
"Whatever." Sydney said, rolling her eyes, returning the group to an awkward silence. She didn't have anything to say, and she was worried that anything she said would just make things even more awkward.
Again, sorry for the lack of action, but I'm still trying to get everything in that I wanted to. The next few chapters will hopefully come quickly and easily, filled with lots of stuff. I hope you stick with it!