Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Alias is not mine. It belongs to that guy who
bought the rights to it. I will give Sydney, Vaughn, and the rest of the
characters back right away. Well… I might keep Vaughn for a little while
longer… ;)
Reviews: I have only seen one or two episodes of Alias, so any reviews would be really appreciated. Because this is one of many chapters, I really need your reviews on this. I'm writing half blind without any background knowledge of the characters. Any scrap of info would be greatly devoured. Thankyou.
Category: Sydney/Vaughn Angst
Thanks: To anyone who reviewed 'sparring partner'.
Note: This is the first chapter of a few which I have wanted to do for a while. I will write the second part within the next week.
CHAPTER ONE
Sydney wasn't ready to go home just yet. She was still exhausted from Barcelona, and wasn't in the mood to answer questions about the injuries she had sustained. The large red cut above her eyebrow was enough to arouse suspicion, but with her arm bandaged up under her coat, it would be pushing the boundaries of trust with her friends.
She stood outside the airport, pulling her coat around her to protect feebly from the wind whipping up around her. There were no taxi's in sight, as she stood at the main entrance to the airport. The suitcase she had taken on the trip to Barcelona, was sitting beside her. She stared blankly at the sidewalk, waiting for the next taxi to come. Some white dots began to appear on the suitcase, as she felt droplets of water tickle her face. It had begun to snow. She looked up to the sky, the grey clouds above her were growing darker by the second. She felt a rush of air, as a taxi pulled up to the entrance of the airport. The driver opened his door, and lifted the case for Sydney. Just as she was about to enter the taxi, her mobile rang. Shifting positions, she managed to pull her mobile from the pocket of her coat.
"Joey's Pizza?"
Her face fell. Not right now. She was too tired to sit and listen to whatever it was the CIA had for her now. And she didn't want Vaughn to see her this way. It wasn't often that she was hurt, and she seen it as a sign of weakness. She wasn't in the habit of showing her weaknesses.
"Wrong Number."
It was her job. She had to go see him. In spite of herself, she smiled. Getting into the taxi, she gave the driver directions to the warehouse.
*****
The driver pulled up a few minutes from the warehouse. Sydney didn't want to attract a scene. The driver looked concerned, but she reassured him when she took her suitcase by the handle, and began to drag it down the street. Speeding off, the driver left Sydney alone, walking down the short route to the warehouse. The case was quite light, which Sydney was grateful for. As she neared the dark building, she noticed Vaughn's car parked inconspicuously at the side, out of sight to the passer-by. He was early, yet again. She struggled to pull her suitcase into the warehouse, dragging it through the door with one hand. It gave a loud scrape along the floor, which echoed around the dark empty building.
She cursed under her breath, and sat it still. So much for 'under the cover of darkness'. Sydney heard footsteps behind her, and turned just in time to bump into Vaughn.
"Ow!"
She pulled back, cradling her arm.
"Sorry! I was coming to help you with the suitcase. What's wrong?"
Vaughn peered at her bandaged arm in the darkness. His eyes moved from her arm, to her face, and back down.
"Are you ok? When did that happen?"
She shrugged, and started to pull the suitcase behind her.
"Sorry i made so much noise. I couldn't get it in the door."
Vaughn took the case gently from her good hand, and guided her to a chair. "What happened to your arm?"
Sydney just shrugged. "It's nothing. I had a fight with one of the guards at the museum in Barcelona, and he was better than i expected."
Vaughn looked at her, now with more light. He noticed the cut on her forehead. "Oh. That's not what i heard." Sydney looked at him cooly. "According to Weiss, you ran into the KGB." He looked back at her just as neutrally.
"Weiss wasn't there. He doesn't know what happened." She sub-consciously rubbed the bandaged arm. "It was a security guard." Vaughn simply looked at her, trying to read what she was thinking. His green eyes scrutinized her. If Sydney wasn't so intent on having nothing made out of it, she would have broken down right there. Trying not to look him straight in his eyes, she seen the manila folder sitting out on the crates. "New assignment?" Vaughn shook his head.
"Not with the state you're in." Sydney's eyes went wide. "I'm not putting you out there with an arm like that. Did you get a doctor to check you over?" She shook her head. "You might be concussed from that gash on your forehead. I don't want you fainting on me." He put his hand softly on her forehead, careful not to touch the open wound. "You're burning up."
"I'm not ill, Vaughn." She swatted his hand away. She was, however, blushing from his intense gaze. She couldn't help it. "Look, i came down here for an assignment, so can you just give me it?" He shook his head. "Oh for god's sake. I'm not a porcelain doll." At this, Vaughn started to laugh. He stood up, and reached for the folder.
"It's not a mission." He stated simply. He looked down at the folder, keeping it shut. "When Weiss told me about your run in with the KGB, i was asked to check on you."
Sydney was confused. "You never check on me. SD-6 would get suspicious, you know that." He held on to the folder tightly. "What is it, Vaughn?" He was strangely silent. "Don't look at me that way. What's wrong?" He lowered his eyes and spoke quietly.
"I've been informed... been told... we, that is, the CIA, has..." He hesitated, not knowing what to say. "We've got a leak. Someone has threatened to expose your identity as the mole to SD-6." Vaughn let out a breath. "We don't know who it is." Sydney just stared at him, shocked.
"What? When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me sooner, Vaughn?" She blinked, and sat back in the chair. "Does my dad know?" She closed her eyes. This was going to be a long night.
"Yeah. He was briefed a few days ago." Vaughn shifted uncomfortably, waiting for her to shout.
"Days ago?!? How long have you known this!" Sydney stared at Vaughn, shaking with anger. "I've just been to Barcelona with half of SD-6, and you didn't think to tell me? What the fuck did you think you were doing?" She tried to stand up, instead clutching her arm in pain. "I'm getting out of this. Where's my Dad?" Vaughn stepped forward as she stood up. "Owch." Her arm was beginning to throb painfully.
"You have to sit down. You aren't well. Did a doctor check you over, or did you bandage that yourself?" Vaughn looked at her seriously. She didn't look very healthy. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were beginning to look wild. "You can't go home right now. He's likely to know that you'll be there." Sydney sat down again.
"It's not me he's after…" She seen the look on his face, and closed her eyes.
"Well… We have a team looking for him right now. If I was honest, Syd, I think he is after you. You have to go somewhere he's not likely to know about."
"I have to go home, Vaughn! I have to make sure Francie and Will are ok." She looked around frantically. "I have to make sure they're still…" She stopped herself. Vaughn dropped to his knees in front of her. "I can't have them hurt, Vaughn. Not again. I can't go through this all again…" She covered her face with her free hand. He took it in his own, rubbing it reassuringly. Sydney couldn't look at him. He searched her face for something, he didn't know what.
"Do you have somewhere you can go?" He knew her answer before she said anything. "We can't have you stay with any of the SD-6 agents, so your father and Dixon can't help. Is there anyone else?" Sydney just stared at the floor. She didn't want to put anyone else in danger.
"I could go to a hotel. I don't want to stay with anyone that doesn't know. I can't believe this."
"You can't stay in a hotel. You have to be somewhere that I… we can protect you. I can set up a safe house for you." He pulled out his phone. "It'll have to be as far away from SD-6 as possible. The CIA has expressed their concern over it. Where you are will be a need-to-know only."
"Will you know?" She looked at him expectantly.
"I have to know."
"Because it's your job?"
"No. So that I know where I'll be going, too." He looked down at the floor, as he dialled a number. "Hey, it's Vaughn. We're going to need one of the lesser-known safe houses." He lowered his voice, and turned his back to her. "Yeah. I don't want to leave her alone right now. Right. Don't forget to feed my dog."
*****
Chapter two will be up soon… Please come back! :)
Reviews: I have only seen one or two episodes of Alias, so any reviews would be really appreciated. Because this is one of many chapters, I really need your reviews on this. I'm writing half blind without any background knowledge of the characters. Any scrap of info would be greatly devoured. Thankyou.
Category: Sydney/Vaughn Angst
Thanks: To anyone who reviewed 'sparring partner'.
Note: This is the first chapter of a few which I have wanted to do for a while. I will write the second part within the next week.
CHAPTER ONE
Sydney wasn't ready to go home just yet. She was still exhausted from Barcelona, and wasn't in the mood to answer questions about the injuries she had sustained. The large red cut above her eyebrow was enough to arouse suspicion, but with her arm bandaged up under her coat, it would be pushing the boundaries of trust with her friends.
She stood outside the airport, pulling her coat around her to protect feebly from the wind whipping up around her. There were no taxi's in sight, as she stood at the main entrance to the airport. The suitcase she had taken on the trip to Barcelona, was sitting beside her. She stared blankly at the sidewalk, waiting for the next taxi to come. Some white dots began to appear on the suitcase, as she felt droplets of water tickle her face. It had begun to snow. She looked up to the sky, the grey clouds above her were growing darker by the second. She felt a rush of air, as a taxi pulled up to the entrance of the airport. The driver opened his door, and lifted the case for Sydney. Just as she was about to enter the taxi, her mobile rang. Shifting positions, she managed to pull her mobile from the pocket of her coat.
"Joey's Pizza?"
Her face fell. Not right now. She was too tired to sit and listen to whatever it was the CIA had for her now. And she didn't want Vaughn to see her this way. It wasn't often that she was hurt, and she seen it as a sign of weakness. She wasn't in the habit of showing her weaknesses.
"Wrong Number."
It was her job. She had to go see him. In spite of herself, she smiled. Getting into the taxi, she gave the driver directions to the warehouse.
*****
The driver pulled up a few minutes from the warehouse. Sydney didn't want to attract a scene. The driver looked concerned, but she reassured him when she took her suitcase by the handle, and began to drag it down the street. Speeding off, the driver left Sydney alone, walking down the short route to the warehouse. The case was quite light, which Sydney was grateful for. As she neared the dark building, she noticed Vaughn's car parked inconspicuously at the side, out of sight to the passer-by. He was early, yet again. She struggled to pull her suitcase into the warehouse, dragging it through the door with one hand. It gave a loud scrape along the floor, which echoed around the dark empty building.
She cursed under her breath, and sat it still. So much for 'under the cover of darkness'. Sydney heard footsteps behind her, and turned just in time to bump into Vaughn.
"Ow!"
She pulled back, cradling her arm.
"Sorry! I was coming to help you with the suitcase. What's wrong?"
Vaughn peered at her bandaged arm in the darkness. His eyes moved from her arm, to her face, and back down.
"Are you ok? When did that happen?"
She shrugged, and started to pull the suitcase behind her.
"Sorry i made so much noise. I couldn't get it in the door."
Vaughn took the case gently from her good hand, and guided her to a chair. "What happened to your arm?"
Sydney just shrugged. "It's nothing. I had a fight with one of the guards at the museum in Barcelona, and he was better than i expected."
Vaughn looked at her, now with more light. He noticed the cut on her forehead. "Oh. That's not what i heard." Sydney looked at him cooly. "According to Weiss, you ran into the KGB." He looked back at her just as neutrally.
"Weiss wasn't there. He doesn't know what happened." She sub-consciously rubbed the bandaged arm. "It was a security guard." Vaughn simply looked at her, trying to read what she was thinking. His green eyes scrutinized her. If Sydney wasn't so intent on having nothing made out of it, she would have broken down right there. Trying not to look him straight in his eyes, she seen the manila folder sitting out on the crates. "New assignment?" Vaughn shook his head.
"Not with the state you're in." Sydney's eyes went wide. "I'm not putting you out there with an arm like that. Did you get a doctor to check you over?" She shook her head. "You might be concussed from that gash on your forehead. I don't want you fainting on me." He put his hand softly on her forehead, careful not to touch the open wound. "You're burning up."
"I'm not ill, Vaughn." She swatted his hand away. She was, however, blushing from his intense gaze. She couldn't help it. "Look, i came down here for an assignment, so can you just give me it?" He shook his head. "Oh for god's sake. I'm not a porcelain doll." At this, Vaughn started to laugh. He stood up, and reached for the folder.
"It's not a mission." He stated simply. He looked down at the folder, keeping it shut. "When Weiss told me about your run in with the KGB, i was asked to check on you."
Sydney was confused. "You never check on me. SD-6 would get suspicious, you know that." He held on to the folder tightly. "What is it, Vaughn?" He was strangely silent. "Don't look at me that way. What's wrong?" He lowered his eyes and spoke quietly.
"I've been informed... been told... we, that is, the CIA, has..." He hesitated, not knowing what to say. "We've got a leak. Someone has threatened to expose your identity as the mole to SD-6." Vaughn let out a breath. "We don't know who it is." Sydney just stared at him, shocked.
"What? When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me sooner, Vaughn?" She blinked, and sat back in the chair. "Does my dad know?" She closed her eyes. This was going to be a long night.
"Yeah. He was briefed a few days ago." Vaughn shifted uncomfortably, waiting for her to shout.
"Days ago?!? How long have you known this!" Sydney stared at Vaughn, shaking with anger. "I've just been to Barcelona with half of SD-6, and you didn't think to tell me? What the fuck did you think you were doing?" She tried to stand up, instead clutching her arm in pain. "I'm getting out of this. Where's my Dad?" Vaughn stepped forward as she stood up. "Owch." Her arm was beginning to throb painfully.
"You have to sit down. You aren't well. Did a doctor check you over, or did you bandage that yourself?" Vaughn looked at her seriously. She didn't look very healthy. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were beginning to look wild. "You can't go home right now. He's likely to know that you'll be there." Sydney sat down again.
"It's not me he's after…" She seen the look on his face, and closed her eyes.
"Well… We have a team looking for him right now. If I was honest, Syd, I think he is after you. You have to go somewhere he's not likely to know about."
"I have to go home, Vaughn! I have to make sure Francie and Will are ok." She looked around frantically. "I have to make sure they're still…" She stopped herself. Vaughn dropped to his knees in front of her. "I can't have them hurt, Vaughn. Not again. I can't go through this all again…" She covered her face with her free hand. He took it in his own, rubbing it reassuringly. Sydney couldn't look at him. He searched her face for something, he didn't know what.
"Do you have somewhere you can go?" He knew her answer before she said anything. "We can't have you stay with any of the SD-6 agents, so your father and Dixon can't help. Is there anyone else?" Sydney just stared at the floor. She didn't want to put anyone else in danger.
"I could go to a hotel. I don't want to stay with anyone that doesn't know. I can't believe this."
"You can't stay in a hotel. You have to be somewhere that I… we can protect you. I can set up a safe house for you." He pulled out his phone. "It'll have to be as far away from SD-6 as possible. The CIA has expressed their concern over it. Where you are will be a need-to-know only."
"Will you know?" She looked at him expectantly.
"I have to know."
"Because it's your job?"
"No. So that I know where I'll be going, too." He looked down at the floor, as he dialled a number. "Hey, it's Vaughn. We're going to need one of the lesser-known safe houses." He lowered his voice, and turned his back to her. "Yeah. I don't want to leave her alone right now. Right. Don't forget to feed my dog."
*****
Chapter two will be up soon… Please come back! :)