Title: A Second Chance - chapter 2
Author: Agent Pigtails
Genre: Angst/Romance
Rating: PG
Summary: When SD-6 is finally taken down, will Sydney and Vaughn admit how
they feel about each other before its too late?
Disclaimer: I own no part of Alias. All created by J.J. Abrams, Bad Robot,
ABC, etc. Not intended as copyright infringement.
A/N: This is my first fanfic, so any feedback, good or bad is appreciated. Feedback at agent_pigtails@yahoo.com. Hope you enjoy the ending!
Michael's POV
Even after Sydney's letter, I was dreading talking to Devlin. After all, asking for the new identity and location of a person in Witness Protection was an egregious break in protocol, and while I was more than willing to break protocol, Devlin probably was not. So I enlisted the help of Weiss. At first he was stunned at the receipt of the letter, but after getting over his initial shock, Eric immediately helped me plan ways to convince Devlin. We had yet to come up with a truly convincing idea when Devlin called me into his office two days later. "Agent Vaughn, come in and please close the door. I need to speak to you about a very sensitive matter. As you know, the Witness Protection Program is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, so the CIA has very limited information and involvement. However, over the last month, four former SD-6 employees have been murdered. With the large number of casualties, it has become clear that SD-6 has had help tracking down these people. Somewhere in the Program, there is a mole. I spoke with the director today, and while he is acting, the mole has not yet been found. I know you're worried about Sydney, I am too, frankly, but sending in an extraction team from the Program is the wrong thing to do. If the mole reports this back, his bosses may try to go after Jack and Sydney before we can retrieve them. So we can't do that." Did he just say Sydney's in danger? And that he won't act to save her? I'm on my feet before I realize it. "Sit down, Mr. Vaughn, sit down and let me finish. We ARE NOT leaving Sydney and Jack there. Since the mole is in the Witness Protection Program, we're sending in extraction teams from the CIA. We're going to pull everyone in two days, the teams acting simultaneously. You are in charge of Sydney's extraction team. She is in Seattle right now, and you, with Weiss as second-in-command, will immediately fly down there to begin preparation." Two days. Her brown eyes, like limpid pools and dimpled smile flash through my mind. Two days. Horrifying images of what can happen if SD-6 gets to her first. Hold on, Sydney. Two days.
Sydney's POV
I hate teaching. Absolutely hate it. I mean, for many years I imagined myself doing just this. But that was before I found out that my mother wasn't a professor, she was a secret agent for the KGB. Besides, I never imagined this would be my job in the Witness Protection Program, that I can't even tell the students or my coworkers the truth about myself. Frankly, it's not the job or the lying that's bothering me. I miss Vaughn. Vaughn, my guardian angel, the one person I always knew would be honest with me. The serious intensity of his gaze as he listened, the way he could coax a smile out of me that I had no intention of giving, and most of all, the way he was there for me. I don't question the choices I've made. Letting Michael go was the right thing to do. I just wish it didn't hurt so much.
Vaughn's POV
At least I know now where Sydney is. However, I don't know how this will end. Sydney and I can't live a normal life until the Alliance comes down, so until then Sydney must go back into hiding. The entire time I've known Sydney, she's been in danger. But I've always been there with her, either behind the scenes or out in the field, working to protect her. Having no way to help her, only supervised visits a couple times a year, is simply unthinkable. Sighing, I open the manila envelope Devlin gave me containing my mission instructions. Aside from the sheaf of papers, another envelope falls out. My name is written on the front. Curious, I tear it open and several documents fall out on my lap. Access numbers for Swiss bank accounts. Two passports. Two birth certificates. Two Canadian citizenship papers. Two. One for Sydney. One for me. Devlin never ceases to amaze me.
Sydney's POV
Change is in the air. I don't know what it is, but I can feel something. The school day passed quickly, and as I drove home, I contemplated what this strange feeling was. Shrugging it off, I parked and strode up the walk to the house. Suddenly gloved hands were thrown over my mouth, and before I could free myself, I was dragged backward into a van, and the door was slammed shut. I threw random punches, but a voice quickly broke in, "Sydney, stop it! It's Weiss. Stop!" I stopped struggling, and the arms released me. Turning, I stared at Weiss but could find no words. Weiss just grinned at me. "I know, you're wondering what I'm kidnapping you. I'm part of a special CIA extraction team. A leak was discovered within the Witness Protection Plan, so we came instead. While you were at work, your personal items were packed, and have been transported to your new location. You will be taking a CIA helicopter to a location disclosed only to me, your handler." My mouth falls open to protest the replacement of Vaughn, but Weiss shakes his head to silence me. "Here are the papers to your new identity. Along with vital identification documents, the basic facts of your new identity are included. Any questions?" {Where's Vaughn?} sits on the tip of my tongue, but I bite back my words. Further involvement will only hurt him, and if I see Michael, I don't know if I can keep my feelings silent. We pull up to a helicopter pad, and I get out of the van and hug Weiss. He looks intently at me and says, "It's all going to work out, Sydney. I promise you." Not the same as when Vaughn says that, but oddly reassuring. I smile at Weiss one last time as I step into the chopper.
************************* Nova Scotia, 13 hours later
I pull up to a two level Victorian house. The house is a soft blue color, and it feels comfortable, an old house with a happy history. I hope for a happy future, too. Digging out my keys, I push open the door to an entryway and comfortable living room. Sitting on the coffee table is a midnight blue bottle with a unique sculptured contouring. My breath catches in my throat, as I stare at the bottle. The very bottle I sent the letter to Michael in. Lifting the bottle, I see a single piece of paper inside. Pulling in out, I see one sentence printed on it.
Do you believe in fate?
For what seems an eternity I stare at the paper, disbelieving. Finally, the doorbell rings, and in a daze I move to the front and open the door. A smiling Michael Vaughn stands at my door. And he is holding flowers. I run into his waiting arms.
A/N: This is my first fanfic, so any feedback, good or bad is appreciated. Feedback at agent_pigtails@yahoo.com. Hope you enjoy the ending!
Michael's POV
Even after Sydney's letter, I was dreading talking to Devlin. After all, asking for the new identity and location of a person in Witness Protection was an egregious break in protocol, and while I was more than willing to break protocol, Devlin probably was not. So I enlisted the help of Weiss. At first he was stunned at the receipt of the letter, but after getting over his initial shock, Eric immediately helped me plan ways to convince Devlin. We had yet to come up with a truly convincing idea when Devlin called me into his office two days later. "Agent Vaughn, come in and please close the door. I need to speak to you about a very sensitive matter. As you know, the Witness Protection Program is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, so the CIA has very limited information and involvement. However, over the last month, four former SD-6 employees have been murdered. With the large number of casualties, it has become clear that SD-6 has had help tracking down these people. Somewhere in the Program, there is a mole. I spoke with the director today, and while he is acting, the mole has not yet been found. I know you're worried about Sydney, I am too, frankly, but sending in an extraction team from the Program is the wrong thing to do. If the mole reports this back, his bosses may try to go after Jack and Sydney before we can retrieve them. So we can't do that." Did he just say Sydney's in danger? And that he won't act to save her? I'm on my feet before I realize it. "Sit down, Mr. Vaughn, sit down and let me finish. We ARE NOT leaving Sydney and Jack there. Since the mole is in the Witness Protection Program, we're sending in extraction teams from the CIA. We're going to pull everyone in two days, the teams acting simultaneously. You are in charge of Sydney's extraction team. She is in Seattle right now, and you, with Weiss as second-in-command, will immediately fly down there to begin preparation." Two days. Her brown eyes, like limpid pools and dimpled smile flash through my mind. Two days. Horrifying images of what can happen if SD-6 gets to her first. Hold on, Sydney. Two days.
Sydney's POV
I hate teaching. Absolutely hate it. I mean, for many years I imagined myself doing just this. But that was before I found out that my mother wasn't a professor, she was a secret agent for the KGB. Besides, I never imagined this would be my job in the Witness Protection Program, that I can't even tell the students or my coworkers the truth about myself. Frankly, it's not the job or the lying that's bothering me. I miss Vaughn. Vaughn, my guardian angel, the one person I always knew would be honest with me. The serious intensity of his gaze as he listened, the way he could coax a smile out of me that I had no intention of giving, and most of all, the way he was there for me. I don't question the choices I've made. Letting Michael go was the right thing to do. I just wish it didn't hurt so much.
Vaughn's POV
At least I know now where Sydney is. However, I don't know how this will end. Sydney and I can't live a normal life until the Alliance comes down, so until then Sydney must go back into hiding. The entire time I've known Sydney, she's been in danger. But I've always been there with her, either behind the scenes or out in the field, working to protect her. Having no way to help her, only supervised visits a couple times a year, is simply unthinkable. Sighing, I open the manila envelope Devlin gave me containing my mission instructions. Aside from the sheaf of papers, another envelope falls out. My name is written on the front. Curious, I tear it open and several documents fall out on my lap. Access numbers for Swiss bank accounts. Two passports. Two birth certificates. Two Canadian citizenship papers. Two. One for Sydney. One for me. Devlin never ceases to amaze me.
Sydney's POV
Change is in the air. I don't know what it is, but I can feel something. The school day passed quickly, and as I drove home, I contemplated what this strange feeling was. Shrugging it off, I parked and strode up the walk to the house. Suddenly gloved hands were thrown over my mouth, and before I could free myself, I was dragged backward into a van, and the door was slammed shut. I threw random punches, but a voice quickly broke in, "Sydney, stop it! It's Weiss. Stop!" I stopped struggling, and the arms released me. Turning, I stared at Weiss but could find no words. Weiss just grinned at me. "I know, you're wondering what I'm kidnapping you. I'm part of a special CIA extraction team. A leak was discovered within the Witness Protection Plan, so we came instead. While you were at work, your personal items were packed, and have been transported to your new location. You will be taking a CIA helicopter to a location disclosed only to me, your handler." My mouth falls open to protest the replacement of Vaughn, but Weiss shakes his head to silence me. "Here are the papers to your new identity. Along with vital identification documents, the basic facts of your new identity are included. Any questions?" {Where's Vaughn?} sits on the tip of my tongue, but I bite back my words. Further involvement will only hurt him, and if I see Michael, I don't know if I can keep my feelings silent. We pull up to a helicopter pad, and I get out of the van and hug Weiss. He looks intently at me and says, "It's all going to work out, Sydney. I promise you." Not the same as when Vaughn says that, but oddly reassuring. I smile at Weiss one last time as I step into the chopper.
************************* Nova Scotia, 13 hours later
I pull up to a two level Victorian house. The house is a soft blue color, and it feels comfortable, an old house with a happy history. I hope for a happy future, too. Digging out my keys, I push open the door to an entryway and comfortable living room. Sitting on the coffee table is a midnight blue bottle with a unique sculptured contouring. My breath catches in my throat, as I stare at the bottle. The very bottle I sent the letter to Michael in. Lifting the bottle, I see a single piece of paper inside. Pulling in out, I see one sentence printed on it.
Do you believe in fate?
For what seems an eternity I stare at the paper, disbelieving. Finally, the doorbell rings, and in a daze I move to the front and open the door. A smiling Michael Vaughn stands at my door. And he is holding flowers. I run into his waiting arms.