Author's Note: I know it's confusing, so just a little reminder that Jess and Rory are the same person.

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Chapter Twenty One – Acting!

Sydney looked around the dining room table.  Francie was giving Rory the dirt on Will's past girlfriends.  Will had tried to change the topic, but Francie had refused to be distracted.  So Will gave up and was quietly making his way through a bottle of wine. 

Rory listened to Francie with a mild smile, occasionally offering Will reassurance through a touch or a quick term of endearment. 

Tony relaxed back in his chair and just watched Francie.  He didn't say much, which was probably why he got along so well with Francie.

Sydney smiled cynically.  Three of the five people at the table were acting.  The three of them were many things, but most of all they were skillful actors.  At least there was a balance for once.  Two of the four people at the table knew what she really was.  And two of the four knew who she really was.  Only one person knew both who and what she was.  Will.  And he loved her in spite of them both.

Sydney was so grateful that Will had stood by her.  He never once blamed her for what his life had become – not for what happened in Paris; not for being tortured in Taipei; not for the shabby CIA safe houses; not for risking his life to save her; not for having to join the CIA; not for having to become a stranger in his own life.  One time he told her that he would do whatever it took to keep her in his life.  And he had.  No other man in her life had ever done more for her.

Sydney's heart fluttered, and a blush rose on her cheeks when she realized that Will had caught her staring at him.  He reached and put his hand on her arm reassuringly.  "Are you okay?" he asked softly, not wanting to interrupt the other conversation.

She was surprised to feel tears building up at the corner of her eyes.  She commanded them to retreat.  "Yeah, fine," she said and smiled at him.

"You did not, Will Tippin!" Rory turned to him.  "You dated your assistant?  Who was only 19 years old?"

"I… well, she… you know…" Will was visibly flustered as he was most any time somebody mentioned Jenny.  "19 is legal dating age, I believe.  And, she sure didn't look like she was 19," he said with a salacious smile.

"She may not have looked 19, but she sure acted like she was 15," Sydney said with a giggle.

Will bolted from his chair and took the two steps required to put himself standing at Sydney's side.  By the time Rory was able to ask for an explanation, Will had his hand over Sydney's mouth.  "I think what Sydney was trying to say was that Jenny was uh… very energetic and… uh enthusiastic, which could be a characteristic of a 15 year old.   Right Syd?"  He slowly removed his hand from Sydney's mouth, but she was laughing too hard to reply.

*****

Jess had volunteered to help Sydney do dishes.  Jess washed, Sydney dried the dishes and put them away.  Jess had felt Sydney's eyes on her during the meal.  She was familiar with the tension.  She had been in that position all too often –the receiving end of envious stares. 

It was somewhat different with Sydney, though.  It was much more complex.  Jess was certain that Sydney was envious of her relationship with Vaughn.  Sydney and Vaughn were attracted to each other… Vaughn had all but come right out and said that. 

But Jess sensed that there was something more to Sydney's reaction to her.  Was Sydney jealous of her and Will's relationship?  Will was probably Sydney's best friend.  Jess asked herself if she would be jealous if the roles were reversed and she had to watch Eric with Sydney. 

Jess wondered if it was all about competition.  She had witnessed the side of women where they compared themselves to other women… looking for flaws… examining weaknesses.  Jess glanced at Sydney out of the corner of her eye.  No, Sydney seemed too self confident to be threatened by Jess.

And, as for her own feelings, Jess couldn't help but resent Sydney for her relationship with Vaughn.  Jess loved Vaughn and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.  She knew that Sydney was a very real threat to her happily ever after.  But Jess tried not to think about that.  She seriously needed Sydney on her side.

Jess wanted to ease the tension between them.  She hoped that as they got more familiar with each other the tension would dissipate.  Getting familiar was all Jess could hope for; it was nearly impossible to truly know anybody in their profession.  Jess hoped that doing dishes together would be a step towards familiarity, albeit a small one. 

Jess laughed at herself.  She had thought that working with other undercover agents would be easier than working alone.  But it wasn't.  Now everything she did or said seemed superficial.  And Jess hated superficial.

After the requisite polite chatter on what a wonderful house Sydney had and what plans they each had for the weekend, they fell into an uncomfortable silence.  Jess strained to find a topic that they could talk about where neither one of them had to lie. 

As if Sydney had read her mind, she said, "I really enjoyed your show the other night.  You are very talented."

Their eyes met for the first time ever.  "Thank you," Jess replied.

"Do you like your work?" Sydney asked.

Jess hesitated, "You mean singing at the club?"

"Not just that, all your work."

Jess glanced at Sydney out of the corner of her eye.  Sydney was staring out the window into her back yard.  "All my work?" Jess repeated.

Sydney turned to face her, "Yes, all your work.  Everything you do that results in a paycheck."

Jess smiled, thankful that Sydney had asked the question in such a way that she didn't have to lie.  The corner of Sydney's mouth turned up just a little.  There was and understanding between them.  "Generally speaking, yes, I do," Jess answered.  She returned her eyes to the dishwater.  "There are certainly some days when it can be a nightmare…"

Sydney, looking back out the window, laughed, "I can relate to that."

"But, I feel that my work has value – that I'm making a difference -- and that gets me up each morning."  Jess paused.  Sydney was nodding her head sadly.  "How about you?  Do you enjoy your work?"

Sydney thought for a moment.  "I used to, but now, not so much."  They made eye contact again, and in that glance another understanding had been shared.  Now it was Jess' turn to nod her head sadly.  After a moment, Sydney returned her eyes to the back yard.  "How about Will?"

"How about Will?" Jess asked not understanding Sydney's question.

Sydney put her eyes on Jess, "Do you really like Will?"

Jess met Sydney's stare and tilted her head slightly.  "You mean, do I honestly like Will?"  Sydney nodded.  "Yes, I honestly like Will."

They stared at each other for a while as if sizing each other up.  Finally Sydney said, "Good, because if you hurt him, I'll have to kick your ass."

Jess looked at Sydney's serious expression and knew that she wasn't just showing bravado for the sake of their cover.  She smiled slyly and nodded once, then returned back to washing the plate in her hand.  Sydney looked out the window again.  Jess chuckled quietly.  "That would be something see," she said.

Sydney also chuckled, "It certainly would."  One final understanding.

*****

Will was leaning against the wall, just around the corner from the kitchen, holding his wine glass.  He was on his way into the kitchen to see how Jess and Syd were getting along, when he heard Sydney's question.  He had stopped, out of their view, and listened.  After their conversation was over, a goofy smile appeared on his face.  He raised his glass in the air as if he were giving a toast and whispered, "To Will."