Disclaimer: belongs to JJ The Great  and the apes over at ABC...etc etc..

Spoilers: what can I say. I was in front on my TV with chocolate and ABC decides to rerun TEWI. No Indicator!  Hope they don't pull fox-stunts like that again.

Note: we got pre-empted for baseball! Another week of waiting for Spy!Daddy's big 'ol dark secret.

Sorry it took so long!! Well the imbecility of ABC last night prompted me to write J

And the main plot will begin soon; it really starts next chap.

PS. Thanks to Maya & Alex for sitting through Alias with me, even if you don't watch it!

 Thanks to Couch for the beta! It really helped a lot ;)

* * * * * * * * *

Sydney and Vaughn had just finished their meeting at the warehouse. They hadn't yet brought up what they had done three nights before, or what Sydney had decided.



Before leaving, she asked him shyly: "would you like to come over tonight? Will and Francie will be there, and you could finally meet her"



He seemed slightly surprised at her proposition, and though aware of the danger, accepted without any hesitations.

-

"Don't be late. And be very careful that no one sees you or follows you there " She added before she turned around.



As soon as she left, he grinned. "Damn, she's nervous. But right. I will have to be very careful."



-Later that evening-

Will, Sydney and Francie were eating chips and talking when the bell rang. Syd jumped to her feet and ran

 to open the door.


There he was, looking as handsome as usual, and holding a bouquet of flowers. This was, after all, the first time he came to her place.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Seeing she wasn't saying anything, Vaughn spoke. "Hey Syd. Can I come in?"

She laughed and dragged him inside.

"Fran, this is Michael Vaughn…he works with me at the bank. Vaughn, this is Francie. And you know Will already."

"She calls him by his last name?" thought Francie.

Vaughn held out his hand. "Nice to meet you. Syd told me a lot about you. Congrats on the restaurant!"

-

While they were eating, Francie asked all the imaginable questions that existed.

"So you two met at the bank right?"

"Yeah. We work together." He responded.

"Isn't there a rule for a hand…I mean against two people working together to see each other beside work?" interjected Will.

Sydney glared at him. But she knew he was only worried about her.

Francie, the only clueless person at the table, asked Will why there would be such a rule.

Realizing his mistake, Will replied "You're right. It's stupid. I was thinking of a movie I saw the other night.

 A police officer working undercover at some sleazy garage, and to protect himself, he wasn't allowed to be with his other coworker."

Vaughn nodded. He desperately wanted to change the subject. Fortunately, the meal was almost over.

While Francie and Will cleared up the table, Sydney excused herself to go to the bathroom, Vaughn tagging along.

"That was close", he whispered before placing his arms around her waist, while she put hers around his neck.

"He's still not used to lying to Francie yet." She looked him in the eye. "Thanks for the flowers".

"Welcome." He bent forward to kiss her, it felt so good when their lips met;  they were engaged in a heavy make-out

session when Francie called out to them.

"Guys, what are you doing?" As she rounded the corner and saw them, she quickly realized the answer to her question. "Oh…ok never mind!"

-

After they all talked about news, weather and other normal topics without incident, Vaughn and Will left.



"So how long have you two been together?" Francie started.

"Er…just a few days. But I knew him for a long time before that."

"A few days? Girl, you were doing some serious lip-locking with him back there!"

The two girlfriends laughed and Sydney blushed. "Well…you know!"

"It's good to see you with someone Syd. And you couldn't have chosen better. He's smoking hot!It's perfect… "

"Yup– perfect." She said with a bitter taste in her mouth. If only she could forget the fact they weren't allowed to be together, and that it was dangerous for the both of them.



-

In the following weeks, they did the same thing without problems. She even went to his place a few times.

 They never stayed more than a couple of hours, to be safe. Closed the blinds and made sure everything was safe before they got intimate.

At work too, nothing changed. No one would've guessed that the two were breaking protocol.

It was 'perfect'. Too perfect.  



Until one day when the couple was kissing in the warehouse. The gate opened and Jack walked in on them.

Sydney let go of her handler immediately and just stood there, waiting apprehensively for her father to say something.

Jack walked right past Vaughn, who was staring at the floor.

"Sydney are you mad? This isn't the time to blow your cover!" he spoke angrily.

"How long have you been hiding this?" he added.

"Dad…" Sydney started.

"It's not her fault", interjected Vaughn.

Jack turned around to face him. " You stay out of this. You've caused enough problems as it is."

Sydney and Vaughn didn't say a word. Jack calmed down.

"Look Syd. As much as you want to be with Agent Vaughn here, it is not safe. Not safe at all Sydney. You too,

 Agent Vaughn, you both should know better. "



"We'll be careful." Sydney stated rebelliously.


Jack sighted. "Please do."





^^^^^^It was almost 3 AM, when Sydney heard a bang against the door. She jumped off her bed silently and went to check on Francie, who was sleeping peacefully.

Then she heard the noise again. Feeling worried, she walked without a sound to the door, and peeked through the hole. It was blocked. Someone was outside. In just a second, before she had the time to think, the door flew open and she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her left arm. She fell to the ground and realized the aggressor had shot her.

 Awakened by the noise and the shooting, Francie entered the room to see her friend, lying shot on the ground ; and a tall hooded man standing behind her with a gun.

"Tsk…careless Bristow." He then aimed the gun at Francie. ^^^^

Sydney woke up panting in her sweat-soaked sheets. A nightmare. It was just a nightmare. She wasn't careless.

 No one had came. She tried, but couldn't sleep the rest of the night.



The next day, Sydney and Vaughn were alone in her apartment. That day, she made sure all the windows were closed. Noticing Sydney's attitude, Vaughn asked her what was wrong. She told him about her dream.

"Michael, [she now called him by his first name] it felt so real. If I blow my cover, SD-6 will send someone out to kill me. And that day they'll get you, Will, and Francie." Tears rolled down her face. Vaughn reached out to hold her.

"Ssh…Syd it was just a dream. With all the precautions we took, no one will discover us, and you'll never blow your cover. Then we'll take down SD-6 and there won't be anything to hide. I want to be with you, and SD-6 or protocol won't make me change my mind."

Feeling stronger, Sydney wiped her tears. "They won't make me change my mind either. You're right Michael. No one will find out."



If only that were true.

* * * *

TeeHee. Cliffhanger!