"Cessation"

Email: jch114@hotmail.com

Distrubution: Cover Me and Alias fanfiction list. Anyone else please ask

Summary: Will and Francie's burgeoning relationship takes a pause.

Rating: PG/PG-13

Classification: Drama/Angst/General, AU

Feedback: Constructive crit or positive feedback

Disclaimer: Alias and all it's elements belong to ABC, JJ Abrams, Bad Robot Productions, Touchstone Television and anyone else who gets a check from the show. Alex Cooper is all mine.

A/N are at the end.

****

Will adjusted his suit jacket as he walked up to the apartment that Sydney and Francie shared.  It had taken a number of promises and a pair of front row tickets to The Lion King, but he had been able to convince Weatherspoon to change assignments with him. "Now comes the hard part," he muttered under his breath as he reached the door and knocked.  

"Hey! Will! This is a surprise," Sydney said as she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Syd.  Can I come in for a second?" he asked, half hoping that she'd say no.

"Sure," she responded, stepping to the side to let him in.  "What's up?"

He walked over to the refrigerator and took a bottle of water out. "Is Francie here?" he asked as he took a sip. 

"No, she just left with a friend to go to a reception.  I'm not sure if you know him.  His name is Alex Cooper--he's Charlie's cousin."

"Yeah, we've met," he muttered under his breath. He glanced at Sydney to see if she had heard him.

"He seems nice, and he likes her a lot, so that's plus for me.  You should have seen her; she looked beautiful.  She was wearing this dark purple dress with--"

"Black lace over the top of it," Will finished.

"Yeah, with black lace overlay," Sydney said, glancing at him strangely, with a question in her eyes. "She told me it was new, so how did you know about it?"

Will stared at Sydney, wondering why it had taken him so long to tell her the truth.

"Syd, we need to talk." He sat down at the table and motioned for her to sit down across from him. There was a time when he would have given his left hand to have this time with Sydney, but over the past month, he came to realize that it was Francie that he wanted to be with, not Sydney.

"Will, you have my total attention. What's going on?"

He rubbed his hands together and laid them on the table. "Do you remember a month ago when we went to dinner and you asked me if I had started seeing anyone?"

"Yeah, I do.  I said that the only woman I knew you ever went out with was Francie, and you said that you enjoyed her company, that you were happy being out with friends.  Why?"

He sat back in the chair and interlocked his hands behind his head. "I've been seeing Francie." He waited for her response.

A confused smile appeared on her face.  "You and Francie?  I knew you guys had been spending a lot of time together, but since when are you two dating?"

He watched the confused smile slowly fade as she realized that he was serious, that her joke had fallen flat.

He felt a sappy grin break out on his face, but he didn't care.  "Our first date was a month ago, and we've been seeing each other ever since." It has been only a month, but it's been the best month of my life.

"Why didn't she tell me about this?" Sydney said, looking at him, her brown eyes wide.  "I know that because of my—my trips that I haven't been around that much, that I haven't really had a chance to sit down and talk with you, but I see Francie all the time. I live with her! Why didn't she tell me?"

Will looked at his hands and sighed. "Because I didn't want her to tell you. I wanted to keep the fact that we were dating between the two of us."

"Why?"

Will thought about how easily Francie's hand would slip into his when they were at dinner, and how at ease he felt when she fell asleep on his chest. He missed that feeling but he missed Francie more.  He glanced over at Sydney and smiled slightly. "You know, I don't know."

"You don't know?" Sydney asked as she pushed her hair behind her ear.  She looked at him.  "I don't believe that, Will."

"See, I-I--"

He shook his head.  "Look, I don't--" He laughed and crossed his arms.  He leaned back in the chair even though every muscle in his body was a tight ball.

"I keep acting like it's some big secret.  I used to think that I was in love with you.  Francie still thinks that I am, because I haven't found out how to tell her that she's the one that I'm in love with and that you're a wishful fantasy that I don't even--"

He stopped and put his hand on hers.  "I love you, Sydney.  I'll always love you.  Just like I love Amy.  But what I feel for Francie is different."

"Will, I had no idea that you felt that way," Sydney said, leaning back in her chair. She bit her lip and looked at him.  "So, you and Francie?"

"Yeah, me and Francie," he responded, a slow smile coming to his face. He took a deep breath and relaxed his arms.  It felt good to get it out.

"If you hurt her, Will—" Sydney started to say.

"I won't, Syd, I couldn't. I love her," he said, cutting her off. "I love her."

****

"Without the support of my staff and friends, I'm not sure that I'd be up here tonight. So, thank you all for this honor," he said, smiling. He stepped down from the podium.

Alex couldn't help the big smile that was showing on his face as he walked back to the table he was sharing with Francine. "You were great," she said quietly as he sat down next to her.

"Thanks," he responded and squeezed her shoulder. "It meant a lot that you were able to come with me, Francine."

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world, Alex" she said, glancing at him over her shoulder.  "Thanks again for asking me."

"You're welcome," he said turning his attention back to the band at the front of the banquet hall. A smile came to his face as the band started to play a familiar song. "Care to dance?" he asked holding his hand out to her.

"I'd love to," she responded, taking his hand.

Leading her out to the dance floor, Alex felt like skipping. Not once had Francine mentioned Will or the situation between them. Maybe she's over him.

****

Will watched as Alex and Francie danced closely together. "Another beer, please?" he said to one of the bartenders.

He thought back to all the times where he could have told Sydney about them. That was all she wanted. It was all I had to do.  Looking at them dancing together and seeing Alex's arm wrapped tightly around her waist, he wondered if he had lost Francie altogether. 

"You should be a photographer. You're looking at them hard enough," a familiar female's voice said behind him.

"Hey, Maxine," Will muttered, turning around to face his friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Believe it or not, I actually knew someone who was coming, and I tagged along." She leaned over the bar next to him and motioned towards the bartender. "I'll have Chardonnay, please.  So, no luck with Francie yet?"

"No, I've been thinking that this isn't such a good idea," he answered, taking a sip of his beer. "Look at them."

"I did already. They do look nice together," Maxine said.  Will could see her looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"He's not even holding her right. She doesn't like one arm around her waist; she likes it when I have both of my arms around her," he mumbled, looking at them again.

"That may be true, Will, but who's the one holding her?" She took a sip of her wine.

"Way to be a reality check, Max," Will said, frowning at his friend. He'd never tell her that she was right.

"It's my job," she replied with a smirk. She looked over his shoulder. "It appears my date is looking for me." She sat her glass on the bar top and looked at him. "Try to work this out and bring back happy Will; mopey Will isn't fun to have around the office."

***

Francine shivered as goose bumps appeared on her arm. "Are you okay?" Alex said to her as they moved in sync with the music.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said absentmindedly.  "You ever feel like someone is watching you?"

Alex laughed and said,  "Well, a few minutes ago, I felt like every eye in the room was on me, but you wouldn't know anyone here, would you?"

She smiled weakly at him. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just get these funny feelings every now and then."

"You're having a good time, right?" he asked, looking at her, his eyebrows drawn together in concern.

"Of course, I am. I just can't help but feel like someone's watching me."

"Well, what kind of feeling is it? Scary? It's not me, is it?"

"No, it's not you at all, Alex.  It's just an odd feeling that I'm getting, that's all." Tell him the truth Francie. You feel like Will is here, except that he isn't.

"Whatever it is, forget about it. We are here to have a good time. Got it, young lady?"

"Got it," she said as he spun her around.  She stopped as she saw a blonde man standing at the bar, drinking a beer. Her breath caught as she stared at the man for longer than she intended. "Will?" she whispered.

"What did you say?" Alex asked as he spun her back around.

"That guy at the bar looks a lot like Will," Francine said, a warm flush coming to her face. 

Alex looked over her shoulder and the smile that was on his face froze. "That is Will, Francine."

Francine watched as a myriad of emotions played on his face and felt her heart sink. "Will being here doesn't mean anything," she said looking down at her feet.

"Then why won't you look at me?" he said, sadness echoing in his voice.

She tried to fight the tears that were threatening to fall as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Alex."

"Come on, we need to talk," he said, taking her hand in his.

*****

A/N: Thanks to Robin for the beta per usual. There is one more part after this, and I'm down to two of my summer WIPs.  Do you see the light at the end of the tunnel?  Thanks to Thorne, Celli, Aire, Lara, Karen T., Nanda *yes, I am your minion*, and anyone else who has supported everyone in this growing Alias fandom.