Jack knocked on the door of Sydney's apartment. Sydney got up from the couch and opened the door.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked concerned.
"Yes. I didn't really sleep well last night that's all." She replied. She ushered Jack in and walked over to the kitchen to begin making some coffee. "I'm going to see Devlin this morning." She whispered.
"What?!" Jack exclaimed. "You can't do that."
"I won't get caught if that's what you're worried about. I'll be careful."
"There are other factors to consider. Think about your career, your position within the agency. There is only so much that he will tolerate." Jack said carefully.
"I have to take responsibility for it. It is all my fault that he died." Sydney concentrated on pouring the coffee, so that she wouldn't begin to cry once again.
"It wasn't your fault." Jack said gently.
"You weren't there! I killed him!" she retorted angrily. "It doesn't matter if I am asleep or awake, all I see is his face in those last moments. I will have to carry the guilt and the loss for the rest of my life."
"I can't stop you." Jack understood the grief she was going through. "But please think about your actions. It can't bring him back."
"I know that." She said quietly. "But I have to do something." She was now more determined than ever to speak to Devlin.
~~~~
Vaughn went in for his meeting with Devlin in the morning. He was told to wait as Devlin had a phone call to answer first. So Vaughn decided to wait in Weiss' office.
"Hey." Vaughn said as he managed to limp across to an empty chair.
"You really did break your leg! I thought it was some elaborate excuse to put off meeting with Devlin." Weiss joked.
"It is! But it didn't work." Vaughn answered.
"Seriously, what happened to you in Taipei?"
"I got trapped after the lab was blown up, but I managed to escape."
"Why did you go?" Weiss asked studying the expression on Vaughn's face.
"My father never questioned the orders he was given. I guess I felt I had to do what I thought was right, even if it meant breaking the rules." Vaughn gave Weiss only one version of the truth.
"You didn't go for Sydney?"
Vaughn didn't reply, instead looking down at his injured leg. But it was enough for Weiss to know that it was nearer to the real truth.
~~~~
Jack quickly left Sydney to get ready for her meeting with Devlin and found the nearest payphone so that he could call Devlin before Sydney spoke with him.
"Jack?!" Devlin said.
"Listen. I need you to know what happened to us in Taipei." Jack recounted everything that happened to Will, Sydney and Vaughn as concisely as possible. "Sydney is on her way over to see you. She wants to explain her side." Jack added.
"I need to speak with her as well." Devlin said.
~~~~
Weiss picked up the phone on his desk after it rang.
"WeissYeah, sure." Weiss hung up the phone. "Devlin wants to see you now." Weiss said to Vaughn.
"Wish me luck." Vaughn pushed himself out of the chair, trying not to put all his weight on his fractured leg.
"Good luck, Michael." Weiss said grimly.
"I think I'll need it!"
~~~~
Sydney stood at the reception desk waiting to hear if Devlin was ready to see her.
"I'm sorry. Can you wait here for a few minutes? He's in a meeting." The woman at the desk answered.
"It's very important." Sydney whispered. "It won't take long."
"His secretary said he will be ready soon."
"Okay." Sydney forced a smile across her face. Her fingers clung to the edge of the desk. She couldn't bear to be idle for even a moment as the despair and sadness she felt was threatening to overwhelm her entirely.
The woman called Devlin's secretary once again and after an agonising wait for Sydney she finally said, "If you will follow me, Mr. Devlin will see you now."
"Thank you." Sydney said relieved.
~~~~
Vaughn walked the few steps to Devlin's office. He closed the door behind him and sat down in the chair nearest him.
"I know what happened in Taipei." Devlin began.
"Sir, I" Vaughn was interrupted by Devlin.
"Although I would like to know your motivation for going on an unauthorised mission, I don't have the time to discuss it now."
Vaughn looked at Devlin in astonishment. He was sure he was in big trouble, that his job was in on the line and yet Devlin was seemingly letting him off the hook.
There was then a soft knock on the door of Devlin's office. Vaughn's turned his head to see who it was and was even more astonished when he saw that Sydney was standing there.