Chapter Nineteen: Something To Think About

Irina Derevko sat back against her office chair later that morning, mulling over the conversation she'd had with her grandson that morning.

"I'm sorry to call so early," he'd said, his small voice hesitant.

"Oh, don't be sorry," Irina assured him. "What's on your mind?"

"I think Mom and Dad are fine," he blurted out. "I mean, they're not acting that weird. We ate dinner last night and Dad helped me with my homework and I came down to the living room after I took my bath and they were talking and kissing--" he finally paused for a breath, and Irina frowned. What had him so rattled?

"Sometimes they talk about stuff, and I don't know what they mean."

Irina smiled. Now, maybe, they were getting somewhere. "Like what, sweetheart?"

"Like the CIA."

Irina's smile widened. Then she heard a scuffling on the other end of the line, followed by Emily's practically deafening cry of, "It's time to get up, Jackie!"

"I am up, Emily." Jack had put his hand over the receiver, but Irina could still make out his muffled voice. "And don't call me Jackie."

"Who are you talking to?" Emily asked.

"Grandma. Go away."

"Grandma! I want to talk to her!"

She heard Jack sigh, then he came back on the line. "Grandma, Emily's here, and I'll bet Dad'll be in here in a minute, so I can't really talk. But listen--" his voice grew very quiet as he asked, "Do you know about the CIA?"

Irina smiled. "Yes, darling. I know all about it."

"Will you tell me?"

Irina's smile widened. "I'll tell you all sorts of things, Jack."

"Good." The relief in Jack's voice was almost palpable. "Can you come get me after school again?"

"Of course, darling." Irina heard a muffled, masculine voice, and she knew that Michael must have entered the room. "I'll talk to you later, okay, Jack?"

"Okay. Bye."

The receiver had clicked on the other end of the line, and now, in the present, there was a knock on Irina's door. "Who is it?" she called.

"It's me, Mother."

Irina smiled. Her meeting with Jack that afternoon would be productive, to be sure. But it would be nothing compared to what she could do with Sydney. "Please come in, darling."

Sydney entered the room, dressed impeccably in a sleek black suit, her hair pulled back in a bun.

"Sydney." Irina pasted a welcoming smile on her face and rose to kiss her daughter's cheek.

"Good morning, mother."

"Please. Sit down." Irina gestured to the seat across from her. She had asked Sydney to come see her for a reason; she wasn't about to beat around the bush any longer than necessary. "So. You and Michael are leaving in the morning?"

"Yes." A smile crossed Sydney's face. "I can't wait."

"I'll bet." Irina smiled. "Mrs. Simmons is watching the children?"

"Yes."

"I would have been happy to stay with them, Sydney." Irina watched her daughter's reaction carefully. She didn't know if Sydney knew that Irina knew about Jack's offer. If she did, she should have been absolutely terrified at the idea of leaving Irina alone with her children.

But Sydney's response was relatively calm. Irina wasn't sure if that was because she didn't know what Irina knew, or because she was a good actress. Irina had never known her to be terribly adept at hiding her emotions. "I know you would have, Mother," Sydney said. "But I know you have a lot of other responsibilities."

"Still." Irina persisted, hoping to get more of a reaction out of her daughter. "I don't get many opportunities to spend with my grandchildren."

"I understand you're doing your best to remedy that situation," Sydney said coolly, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Michael tells me you'll be picking up Jack from school today."

Irina wasn't sure why she was surprised to learn that Jack had revealed that piece of information to his father, but she was. She hoped her surprise didn't show on her face. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am."

"Do you do that often?" Sydney inquired. "Take my children on outings without my knowledge or consent?"

Irina raised her eyebrows. It was a fair question, she supposed. Just not one she'd anticipated. "Not often, no," she responded, "But Jack called this morning to ask me something, and we really didn't have time to go into it over the phone."

"Yes, he told Michael that, too." Irina didn't much care for the look in Sydney's eyes. It said something along the lines of, My children tell me everything-- EVERYTHING. So don't even think about trying to fuck with me through them. "I'm just curious what he could possibly have to ask you that he couldn't ask me and Michael."

"Oh, he didn't tell Michael that?" Irina asked with a smirk. If there was one thing she detested about her daughter, it was the fact that she thought far too highly of herself. She didn't know her place.

"Michael didn't want to pry," Sydney snapped. Ah. There. The emotions reared their ugly head. The girl was so fucking predictable.

"Of course he didn't," Irina said, in a tone she hoped was patronizingly reassuring. "And if you're curious about what Jack's asking me about, well--" she paused for dramatic effect. "He's terribly worried about you."

"He is?"

Irina smirked. "Well, you really haven't been acting like yourself lately, darling."

"I know," Sydney said, biting her lower lip pensively. "I've just been tense about taking over the Organization."

Yeah, that's not all you've been tense about. But Irina decided it wasn't time to play that particular card just yet. "You're ready for the responsibility, sweetheart," she purred.

"I hope so." Sydney sounded so sincere that Irina almost believed that she was going to do the right thing, that she wasn't going to betray the Organization. Well, Irina corrected herself, Sydney wasn't going to betray the Organization. She just wasn't sure if her daughter's silence would be by choice.

"So," Irina changed the subject abruptly. "How's Princess Emily?"

Sydney shot Irina a surprised smile. "Why did you call her that?"

"Isn't that what you and Michael call her?" Or is that just the way you treat her? But Irina knew that wasn't really fair, that Sydney and Michael were doing their best. Emily had been born so small, so early, and now she had the asthma, which was usually easily controlled but sometimes wasn't. It was only natural that her parents would be a bit overprotective of her. That didn't mean Irina couldn't use that particular point to her advantage where Jack was concerned.

"I don't know," Sydney responded with a laugh. "Michael does sometimes. Daddy's little princess." She smiled fondly, twirling a few loose strands of hair around her finger. "He spoils her, I think. But then, he spoils me, too."

"And Jack?" Irina was genuinely curious about the answer. From what she had seen, she thought Michael was an amazing father, to both of his children. But she was curious to know what Sydney thought.

"He's wonderful to Jack," Sydney responded. "Teaching him things, explaining things to him. He expects a lot from him, but it's just because he knows Jack's capable of anything. I get frustrated with Jack, I do, but Michael--" Irina was surprised to see Sydney's eyes actually fill with tears. "Michael believes anything is possible, for any of us. He never just accepts what's in front of him, he sees how he can make it better." She shrugged. "I guess that's why I love him so much."

Irina smiled. She would have almost been touched by her daughter's words. If she still had a soul. "Well, Michael's a good man, sweetheart. Terribly devoted to you. Though not, I'm afraid, to the Organization."

Sydney drew back as if she had been slapped. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, darling." Irina let out a mirthless little laugh. "Your husband was a CIA company man, a straight arrow. He does a good job here because he's smart, because he's a hard worker, because he know it makes you happy. But I see how what he has to do every day sickens him. I don't think he'd even be able to force himself out of bed in the morning, if it weren't for you and the children."

"That's a pretty sad picture you paint of him," Sydney gasped.

"Oh, I don't think Michael's unhappy, exactly," Irina assured her. "Just-- troubled, because he isn't able to do what he believes to be the right thing. And I can't help thinking that if he had a chance to do the right thing and be with you, he'd take it."

Sydney sat speechless before her, eyes wide as saucers.

"Of course, I know that you know that's not possible," Irina continued. "You're so deep into the Organization there's no way you can ever leave. Not without--" She let the rest of the sentence dangle, but she was sure she didn't have to say it: Not without risking your lives.

"I-- I have a lot to do before Michael and I leave," Sydney murmured, rising hesitantly from her chair.

"Of course you do," Irina said, offering her a brittle smile. "And I'm sure you have a lot to think about."

Sydney froze momentarily, but Irina thought it was to her credit that she still managed to walk toward the door. Well. Irina would leave her with one more thing to think about.

"I know you'll make the right decision, Sydney."