Disclaimer: These characters are not mine – they are the property of Bad Robot, Touchstone, ABC, JJ et al
Rating: PG-13 for some mild language
Feedback: Need it like I need water, my running shoes, Alias and fine wine… Please read/review ~ constructive criticism is always welcome!
Author's Note1: Post-Cipher. Assume Sydney has escaped from her icy predicament in Siberia (she is the star of the show after all!).
AN2: Chapters 4-7 all were beta-d by the most fantastic Agent Blakeney. (Thanks for your support!)
Chapter Three – A Sunrise Over the Andes**Sydney POV**
The cabin around me is pitch black and full of sleeping passengers. There are a few insomniacs like me – they are either working quietly on their laptops or just staring straight ahead, begging for some sort of rest before the day begins anew in Santiago.
I can't really place the precise moment my insomnia began. In my first years of flying around the globe for SD-6, I could sleep anywhere. Hell, until six months ago, sleep was my best friend, but somewhere along the way, it became my enemy – something to be fought violently each and every night.
It began around the time I found out the truth about my mother and became worse as the events of the past months unfolded. My once peaceful slumber turned into a hateful place full of death, destruction and hate. I began to wake with horrible images burned into my thoughts – images that would haunt me during my waking hours and shake me to my core. I shudder thinking about them: Vaughn drowning. Will missing. Emily dying. Blood everywhere. Mom! Dad!
Sleep became the equivalent of a horrific death, and I began to fight it with all my might. Only the shear force of exhaustion would compel my eyes to shut, and then I would sleep fitfully, scared of what horrors lay waiting for me in my subconscious.
Then in the last week something changed. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I fell asleep in peace. I didn't even dream – I just fell gently into a black void and woke every morning with a smile on my face.
"What happened tonight then?" I muse. My eyes had shut before the plane even left the tarmac, but then as quickly as I fell asleep, the images were back. I woke up abruptly an hour into the flight, breathing hard with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart. I then proceeded to spend the last six hours reading my book and fighting to keep my eyes open. Looking down at my watch, I realize that we only have two more hours until we arrive in Santiago, and I still do not know the details of our mission.
**Vaughn POV**
I hate the violent temperature swings on planes. One minute you are burning up, the next minute your toes are icicles. I have spent the seven hours since we left LAX trying to get comfortable – blanket on and off; pillow in different positions; fleece pullover as a jacket (when cold); fleece jacket as a pillow (when warm). In those seven hours, I have slept approximately 21 minutes. Seriously - I counted. I have also completed the two crossword puzzles in the inflight magazine, reorganized my Fantasy Hockey Team in my mind and gone over the plan for tomorrow something like a thousand times.
Sydney is sitting a couple rows ahead of me, and at the high point of my boredom, I had myself convinced that I could go talk to her. We were supposed to be strangers, but certainly strangers talk to each other during the middle of the night on flights to Santiago, right? Protocol ended up winning out over my desire, and I remained in my seat.
Looking down at my watch, I realize we have two more hours until we land, and I need to figure out a way to dead drop the mission details to Sydney without anyone noticing.
**Sydney POV**
I stand up and stretch broadly, pushing my hands up to the sky and casually throwing my head back. Taking a quick look around the plane, I realize that most everyone is still asleep. Time to find Vaughn and get the rest of the information on the mission.
I begin to walk to the back of the plane and there he is - only two rows behind me. He is looking down at a folder on his lap. He must really be concentrating because his forehead is creased and he is biting his lip. It doesn't look like he is going to look up anytime soon, so I guess I will have to get his attention in a less subtle way.
I walk to his seat, bend over and whisper playfully in his ear, "Monsieur, care to watch the sunrise with me?" Without waiting for a response, I continue my walk to the rear of the plane.
**Vaughn POV**
I am deep in thought when I feel someone bend toward me.
"Monsieur, care to watch the sunrise with me?" she breathes into my ear and then walks away.
I quickly turn around and see Sydney heading toward the back of the plane.
"Well, that is one way to make contact," I think to myself.
I wait a few minutes – 75 seconds to be precise – and move to follow her. She is standing at one of the windows at the back of the plane staring off into the black nothingness.
For a minute, I just stand next to her, saying nothing. We are simply two strangers stretching their legs towards the end of a long flight.
I look at her and ask the most generically specific question I can think of. "Were you able to sleep at all?"
Sydney turns and smiles at me. "No, not really. But that is really nothing new."
Her nightmares. She has told me about them. Sleep has always been a respite for me – I cannot imagine having to fight the impulse to close your eyes each and every night.
"How horrible," I say.
"Well, it's not fun but it's certainly not life threatening. I actually think I might have found a temporary cure."
"That is good," I reply in a neutral tone, wanting to ask more, but afraid to, knowing that on this flight we are two strangers and personal questions might arouse suspicions.
Sydney obviously feels more comfortable with the situation because she continues explaining. "It turns out that all I needed was a gift from an old friend. My friend was a gardener, and her gift inspired me to begin planting a small garden of my own. I don't know what it was specifically, but once I decided to plant this garden, my insomnia went away."
It all made sense to me now: the project she mentioned in the warehouse; the interesting choice of attire; and, the dirt. The dirt definitely made sense. I feel my heart tighten as I think of Sydney fighting her desperation by planting a garden.
All of a sudden I hear her take a deep breath and say softly, "This is what I love about this flight – a sunrise over the mountains, viewed from 30,000 feet."
Sure enough, the once black void outside the window is now alight with the first rays of the sun. We stand together in silence as the sun quickly begins to rise from behind the Andes. It is an amazing sight. Unfortunately, I also observe the increasing signs of movement around the plane – we need to end this conversation soon.
I lean into Sydney. Pressing my body next to hers, I touch her hand briefly and pass the envelope I had been carrying.
"The sunrise is amazing," I finally reply.
Then I turn to her and do something that went against every part of my training.
"You're amazing," I whisper softly into her ear.
She turns to me, smiling broadly, and says, "It was nice to meet you – I hope you enjoy Santiago and that your travels are successful."
As she walks away, I can feel the touch of her fingers along the back of my neck. Breathing deeply, I walk back to my seat, determined to focus on the day ahead. We have a mission to complete.
**Sydney POV**
I return to my seat and close my eyes. I can feel my heart racing and the blood rushing to my head.
He told me I am amazing…
I order myself to breathe regularly and to focus on the day ahead. We have a mission to complete. I open the envelope and begin planning for Santiago.
~ End of Part Three ~