Disclaimer: Umm… Alias is the creation of JJ Abrams and Bad Robot and ABC… well, it's the creation of a lot of people but I'm not one of them. Don't sue me. Lol. Crash and Burn is a great song but again, but not mine. It belongs to Savage Garden.

A/N: Just a song fic that I wrote as a 2nd part to A Thousand Miles. I thought this song was perfect. I might write a part three, depending on if I get a lot of feedback. ;-)

Archive: I'd love it. Just send a link to the site

Thanks- Everyone who reviews (unless they flame. Lol) and as always, Shannon (alias angel) for your help

Crash and Burn (sequel to 1,000 miles)

       A day after I'd returned from Taipei with Sydney, I was still exhausted. I couldn't rid myself of the image that had, only 24 short hours ago, been a reality. My mind dimming, images around me fading, my lungs gasping for air.... But I'd almost forgotten my brush with death when I saw Sydney's eyes light up and her face break out into a brilliant smile when she saw me on the plane, alive.

When you feel all alone

And the world has turned its back on you

Give me a moment please

To tame your wild, wild heart.

       Now, I sat alone in my apartment, thinking about how much I cared about her and whether she had the same feeling, or if she cared about me only as a friend. Like Dixon...or Will. Unless she did have feelings for Will. Please, no.

       As if planned or timed, the phone suddenly rang out through the silence.

       "Vaughn."

       "Hi. Can we meet?"

       My heart was pained when I heard the shake in her voice, as though she'd been crying.

       "Sure." We hung up.

       What was wrong? I raced as fast as I could to the warehouse to find out, wanting so badly to help her.

I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you

It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold

When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore...

       "Sydney, what's wrong?"  I asked softly as she bit her lip, her warm, beautiful brown eyes glistening with restrained tears.

       "Vaughn...I just feel like... I feel like I... oh, I can't stand this!" still not looking up at me, she paused to blink back the tears, too strong to let them fall. "I came home, so incredibly happy that you were alive. Still wondering if it was all just some wonderful dream, thinking that with you still here, nothing could go wrong."

       She stopped again and I caught my breath and tried desperately not to let myself turn pink after what she'd just said.

       "But, somehow, it did. When I got home, it really was like I'd waken from a dream and was now faced with reality. I saw Will... you can't imagine... bruised and bloody and scarred and his teeth missing.... I found out that Emily was dead... that son of a bitch bastard killed his own wife... how can people be such assholes? Torturing for no reason... killing.... I just can't understand it..."

Let me be the one you call

If you jump I'll break your fall

Lift you up and fly away with you into the night.

If you need to fall apart

I can mend a broken heart

If you need to crash then crash and burn

You're not alone.

       "Anyway, I...I'm sorry for calling. I know I disrupted that Kings' game that's on tonight that I'm sure you were watching. But I just needed to talk to someone. Will's great, especially now that I don't have to lie to him. But I'm sure he doesn't want to talk. He can barely move his mouth after that torture..."

       At the mention of Will's torture, her eyes welled up again. I felt a pang of jealousy but I forced it aside. Sydney really needed me now.

       "Syd, you don't need to apologize for calling me. Ever. I've told you that. I gave you my number for a reason."

       She tried to smile and slowly sat down on a wooden crate. "Yeah, but you probably didn't expect me to be calling 24/7 to "session" with me. I know you're not a therapist, but you're the closest I've got. You're the only one I can really talk to and I'm grateful for that. I don't know what I'd do without you... thank you." The tears she'd been fighting forced their way down her cheek.

       "Syd, everything will be okay..."

       She shook her head and got up silently. Then, throwing her arms around me, she cried freely, letting the teardrops fall. She didn't let go.

       "It's okay...its okay..." I whispered, hoping she believed.

When you feel all alone

And a loyal friend is hard to find

You're caught in a one way street

With the monsters in your head

When hopes and dreams are far away and

You feel like you can't face the day...

       When she managed to stop the flow of tears, she slowly pulled out of the hug. "Vaughn...will it ever end? This...this torture...Hell? Will I ever be free? And Dixon... my father... Marshall...you.... now Will? I've been doing this two years now. When will SD-6 be just a bad memory?"

       I put my hand on her shoulder. "Sydney....honestly....I don't know. I wish I did. And I wish I could help you more. But...Sydney, I don't know what else to do."

       She touched my arm gently and used her other hand to wipe away a remaining tear.

       "Vaughn... Michael, you've done more than enough. These past two years you've been one of my best friends. Just knowing you're here to talk to is the greatest thing you could do for me."

       "I am."

Because there's always been darkness and pain

And when it's over you'll breathe again

You'll breathe again.

       "I wish I'd never gotten into this mess..." Sydney muttered.

       "Syd, you can overcome this. You're just in a bad spot. Your best friend was tortured; your other friend was killed by her asshole husband. I almost died. Your mother came back. You're just in a bad spot. But if you'll be the incredible, strong woman I know... you'll- you'll get through this." How could I have just almost admitted my feelings? Damn, Michael. Don't go getting yourself killed. This won't work.

       She smiled a little. I was so glad I could make her happy.

       Quietly, she replied, "Damn it, Vaughn. My whole career was a bad spot. But I take it back. I don't wish I had never gotten into this. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have met you." She smiled wider and touched my hand. I almost jerked back my hand in response to the electric buzz her touch initiated. I smiled back and look down, holding myself up and praying my knees wouldn't buckle.

When you feel all alone

And the world has turned its back on you

Give me a moment please

To tame your wild, wild heart

       "Sydney..." I began slowly. Now was the time to tell her. I felt it.

       "Yeah?"

       "I...I... I know you'll be okay. And I don't want you to forget that I'm always here for you." I couldn't bring myself to say the words I truly wanted to confess.

       "I won't forget. Thank you, Vaughn." She squeezed my hand.

       That should've calmed me, made me happy. But it made me angry. Reminded me of how I could never tell her my true feelings for fear of us both being killed.

       I cursed under my breath. She heard and pulled her hand back in surprise.

       "What? What's wrong?" she asked her tone full of concern. Amazing. Here she was, crying, upset, depressed. I was supposed to help her. But as soon as her blurry vision cleared and the tears dried from her face, she was the one trying to comfort me.

       "It...It's just not right," I murmured.

       "What?"

       "You realize that just for being in here right now, we could both be murdered? I can't stand it. Not being able to be honest with you."

       Her eyes were on me, locking with mine. "We are. We tell each other everything, don't we?" She took my hand again. I didn't pull away.

       I shook my head sadly. "No..."

Let me be the one you call

If you jump I'll break your fall

Lift you up and fly away with you into the night

If you need to fall apart

I mend a broken heart

If you need to crash then crash and burn...

       I didn't need to say anything more. She understood. I saw it in her perfect, caring eyes. She knew, in that brief moment, she discovered what I'd been holding in. But whether she returned it, what her feelings were about her realization, I couldn't say. Her eyes would give away nothing else.

       "Oh, Vaughn..." she sighed, resting her other hand on my arm but not letting go of my hand.

       "Michael," I muttered, barely audible. But she heard.

       "Michael. I want you know I'm here for you, too. Always."    

       Now it was my turn to be grateful. 'That um... that means so much...coming from you."

       She grinned, the puffiness around her eyes fading and her face becoming bright and happy once again. "Good to know we always have each other."

       "Yeah, it is."

       With that, smiled and very quickly, so fast that I wasn't sure if I had imagined it or not, she kissed me on the mouth, but another glance in her hypnotizing eyes and I knew it was real. And that the feeling was returned. In that split second, dreamlike gesture, I discovered that she loved me too.

...You're not alone.