It wasn't their first op together. Nor it would be their last. But it
became an important milestone in both of their lives. The days were getting
tougher to deal with for both of them. Everything was going wrong at the
same time. There weren't enough hours in the day and the evils in the world
were becoming crueler and crueler. Life was more difficult now and his
feelings for her were becoming more and more evident. She couldn't catch
onto him; things with her mother were too crazy. Irinia, Sydney's mother,
was sentenced to death within the week and Jack, had made his point by
humiliating Sydney at the Joint Task Force. He had told her that if she
wasn't careful she would become a woman like Irinia. "Why did you have to
say that?" Sydney remembered screaming at him.
"Because that's why I tested you for Project Christmas!" He screamed back.
He had trained her for the life she now hated. He stole her life. He had explained why he had done what he had and told her how much he cared for her but there was a part in her heart that just couldn't forgive him. "I don't want you turning into your mother's daughter." He sighed.
"Well, since she almost killed you and killed 12 CIA agents, including Vaughn's father, I don't think you have to worry about that! You lied to me - again! You told me you tried Project Christmas was to protect me, not to protect you from being..being, I can't even bring myself to say it! You did it so you wouldn't have to deal with another woman like mom."
He lied to her. One of her two allies had lied to her for almost twenty seven years and it was too much for her to take in. She had forgiven him after she found out how much he loved her but when new details had risen about Project Christmas, how he knew that she would become CIA and how Sloanee would want her. He hadn't acted fast enough to stop Sloanee but he still knew that he would want her. He knew about the plot for Danny's murder.
Her work became more focused as she channeled her fury. One more confusing element in her life was that the anniversary of Laura Bristow's death was coming closer. For some reason, Sydney mourned her death even though Irinia was still alive. She rationalized it by thinking her real mother, the one that loved her died that fateful day. Complications were running high with everything in her life, including her guardian angel. Something was going on with Vaughn but she didn't want to ask and he would never tell. To make matters even worse, there were two ops that would practically overlap each other.
"We leave now for Paris." Vaughn sighed in the warehouse one day. The stress of his job was beginning to show on his scruffy face. The luster was gone from his light green eyes but he still managed to come alive as soon as he heard the clicking on Sydney's healed shoes against the cold pavement of the warehouse. It was the one time of his day that he felt alive, things were in color. Everything seemed sweeter when she was around. It could just have been a crush or puppy love or whatever you wanted to call it but it was real and it made each day worth living. It was like High School all over again. She was the girl that he could never ask out because he'd die of embarrassment if she said no but every morning; she was the first thing he thought of every morning and every night before he fell asleep. Today, she made life worth living. She told him her problems with her friends, family, job, dreams, or whatever happen to distress her. He was there to look out for her and there were so many times that he would take a bullet for her.
Now, he sat on the table with one leg resting on the table and the other on the floor. The poor lighting still highlighted her exhausted eyes and toned body. The love of his life had just come from SD-6 and wore her boat neck black dress that reached the edge of her knees and black pumps. Her hair was pulled behind her eyes and dried pin straight.
"Okay.okay. Are we working together on this?" Sydney asked. Her mind sifted through thoughts of her crazy life and all those in it. Her eyes and her contemplation rested on Michael Vaughn. Everything felt so lazy. She felt so tired and jet lag was setting in from her op in Japan only three days ago. Maybe things would get a little less crazy. Sloanee was away for a month. She was almost glad Vaughn had called her cell phone. They had lost touch for about two weeks and began to worry if everything was still going okay. The chaos of her life was almost worth applying a new alias with a wig and a dress she would never wear. She was allowed to forget things for a few hours. It was almost worth lying continually to Francie and to Will for so many years.
"Yes. Is that okay?"
"Oh, yeah." She smiled and her whole face light up for a second.
"Good." Vaughn smiled. Maybe their lives would calm down yet.
They sat together on the plane together, just dressed in their street clothes. The plane was cold and set eerie chill throughout the entire plane. Their aliases were that they were married, happy and in love and going on their honeymoon. Sydney had fallen asleep against the chilly window and Vaughn sat starring at her. The seat next to him was empty, so he leaned against it. Everyone around them had fallen asleep. He was the only one awake.
His eyes rested back on her. Why was she so beautiful? He has fallen so hard in love with her and knew in that same heart that he couldn't. He was her handler: her guardian angel. There was no room for romance unless by some chance their operation of bringing SD-6 down came quickly. It wasn't, so the romance that would ever happen between them was doomed from the start. But all the same, he couldn't help but watch her eyes flutter as her dreams soared and all of her dreams were coming true, at least in her dreams. Her head rested against the cold plane window. Vaughn took the pillow from the seat next to him and nudged her head onto it. She was so tired that she didn't even resist. Her skin was so soft under his hands. As he returned his hands from her face, she shuddered a little. "Shh. it's okay, go back to sleep." She shifted her weight quickly and leaned away from the window and onto his shoulder.
"Oh, Danny." She sighed softly.
There was the other problem. He knew that she was still in love with her dead fiancé. He would never be able to take Danny's place and part of him never wanted to. Danny was a part of Sydney's past and he wanted all of her, past, present, and future. "Syd." But then again, he was suppose to be in love with Alice.
None of that matter right then. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and save her from horrible people like Arvin Sloane and Sark. She didn't need protecting physically, no. She could probably kill him if she wanted to. She just needed to be held every once and a while. Vaughn closed his eyes and pictured what it would be like, if they ever got together. Sloane would be gone and the alliance would be dissolved. Sydney would receive some sort of an award and he, well, he would be right at her side. It was just be wonderful. They would be in love and maybe even got married but how would they ever explain their pasts?
They arrived at the CIA safe house with no glitches or problems. It was a relief to both of them. The worst thing was to have to think of their feet after being on a flight for so long. They were picked up by another CIA officer and brought to the house that would be their home for the next three days. It was set in the French countryside, surrounded by woods. It looked abandoned from the outside but inside there was a large assortment of firearms and weapons there. No one would ever guess what was inside the house. The look of it was very similar to the SD-6 one. There was a large bed with a simple headboard with a pile of heavy blankets sitting on it, on the wall across from the door with a couch on the left wall and a fireplace across from it. There was a coffee table by the couch covered with papers. On the wall with door there was a firearm cabinet.
"It's not much but it is home." Vaughn sighed as let his black duffle bag hit the ground as he shut the door inside the house.
"I've never been here." Sydney replied, standing right inside the door. "It looks just like the one for SD-6." Her eyes softly scanned the room and finally rested on the bed. It seemed so warm and inviting.
Vaughn glanced over to her and laughed softly. "I guess the architects think alike."
"Yeah." She walked in a little bit and sat down the bed and plopped the bag down from her shoulders. She watched him scan the room slowly and finally rest his eyes on her. It was hard to resist his gaze. "Where do you want to sleep?"
"You take the bed." He replied quickly. All he wanted was for her to be comfortable.
"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out or anythi-"
"Syd, take the bed." It was too exhausting to have a fight with her.
She simply nodded and swung her body to the side of the bed on the floor disappearing from view. "I'm just gonna get changed. I'm exhausted." She quickly explained over her shoulder. Her hands reached up for her black bag, still sitting on the bed and pulled out a pair of black sweat pants and a black sports bra. It was uncharacteristic of her to walk around in just a sports bra but she had completely forgotten to pack a T- shirt.maybe because the anniversary was coming up so fast. Her mind was elsewhere and she needed to focus for tomorrow's op. Changing quickly, she stood up, her back still to Vaughn. "You dressed?"
"Yeah."
Sydney turned around; Vaughn had changed out of his stuffy suit to a white T-shirt and flannel pants. She couldn't help but smile at him. "I've rarely seen you out of a suit." He looked so sexy and if he would only smile, her legs would have collapsed beneath her. Her prince charming made her strong body so weak.
He smiled again and his eyes traveled quickly up and down her body but he quickly caught himself. He would never let her know how he felt for her. "Yes you have."
She pulled her hair into an elastic from her wrist. "Yeah.you're right..I guess you're right. But still I...I forgot that." Her voice trailed off a little.
"Are you okay?" He came towards her. The moments passed so slowly to the point that he felt like the other side of the room was yards away. In reality, he only took about two seconds and reached side of the bed opposite of Sydney. He stood there, waiting in the eerie silence for her to answer. "Sydney, I need to know if your mind is on the game one hundred percent. What's going on?"
Her feet brought her to the front of the bed, meeting him in the middle. "It's coming up." She said unwillingly.
"What is?"
She glanced at the watch fastened tightly around her strong wrist. "It's 10:23. In an hour and thirty-seven minutes it will be the anniversary."
It felt like a truck had hit him at that moment. Buried emotions came back from beyond and came surging back into his brain. Flashes of his anniversary, pictures, images, everything flooded his mind. He knew it was coming up but he had blocked it out of his mind for a few hours.
"Because that's why I tested you for Project Christmas!" He screamed back.
He had trained her for the life she now hated. He stole her life. He had explained why he had done what he had and told her how much he cared for her but there was a part in her heart that just couldn't forgive him. "I don't want you turning into your mother's daughter." He sighed.
"Well, since she almost killed you and killed 12 CIA agents, including Vaughn's father, I don't think you have to worry about that! You lied to me - again! You told me you tried Project Christmas was to protect me, not to protect you from being..being, I can't even bring myself to say it! You did it so you wouldn't have to deal with another woman like mom."
He lied to her. One of her two allies had lied to her for almost twenty seven years and it was too much for her to take in. She had forgiven him after she found out how much he loved her but when new details had risen about Project Christmas, how he knew that she would become CIA and how Sloanee would want her. He hadn't acted fast enough to stop Sloanee but he still knew that he would want her. He knew about the plot for Danny's murder.
Her work became more focused as she channeled her fury. One more confusing element in her life was that the anniversary of Laura Bristow's death was coming closer. For some reason, Sydney mourned her death even though Irinia was still alive. She rationalized it by thinking her real mother, the one that loved her died that fateful day. Complications were running high with everything in her life, including her guardian angel. Something was going on with Vaughn but she didn't want to ask and he would never tell. To make matters even worse, there were two ops that would practically overlap each other.
"We leave now for Paris." Vaughn sighed in the warehouse one day. The stress of his job was beginning to show on his scruffy face. The luster was gone from his light green eyes but he still managed to come alive as soon as he heard the clicking on Sydney's healed shoes against the cold pavement of the warehouse. It was the one time of his day that he felt alive, things were in color. Everything seemed sweeter when she was around. It could just have been a crush or puppy love or whatever you wanted to call it but it was real and it made each day worth living. It was like High School all over again. She was the girl that he could never ask out because he'd die of embarrassment if she said no but every morning; she was the first thing he thought of every morning and every night before he fell asleep. Today, she made life worth living. She told him her problems with her friends, family, job, dreams, or whatever happen to distress her. He was there to look out for her and there were so many times that he would take a bullet for her.
Now, he sat on the table with one leg resting on the table and the other on the floor. The poor lighting still highlighted her exhausted eyes and toned body. The love of his life had just come from SD-6 and wore her boat neck black dress that reached the edge of her knees and black pumps. Her hair was pulled behind her eyes and dried pin straight.
"Okay.okay. Are we working together on this?" Sydney asked. Her mind sifted through thoughts of her crazy life and all those in it. Her eyes and her contemplation rested on Michael Vaughn. Everything felt so lazy. She felt so tired and jet lag was setting in from her op in Japan only three days ago. Maybe things would get a little less crazy. Sloanee was away for a month. She was almost glad Vaughn had called her cell phone. They had lost touch for about two weeks and began to worry if everything was still going okay. The chaos of her life was almost worth applying a new alias with a wig and a dress she would never wear. She was allowed to forget things for a few hours. It was almost worth lying continually to Francie and to Will for so many years.
"Yes. Is that okay?"
"Oh, yeah." She smiled and her whole face light up for a second.
"Good." Vaughn smiled. Maybe their lives would calm down yet.
They sat together on the plane together, just dressed in their street clothes. The plane was cold and set eerie chill throughout the entire plane. Their aliases were that they were married, happy and in love and going on their honeymoon. Sydney had fallen asleep against the chilly window and Vaughn sat starring at her. The seat next to him was empty, so he leaned against it. Everyone around them had fallen asleep. He was the only one awake.
His eyes rested back on her. Why was she so beautiful? He has fallen so hard in love with her and knew in that same heart that he couldn't. He was her handler: her guardian angel. There was no room for romance unless by some chance their operation of bringing SD-6 down came quickly. It wasn't, so the romance that would ever happen between them was doomed from the start. But all the same, he couldn't help but watch her eyes flutter as her dreams soared and all of her dreams were coming true, at least in her dreams. Her head rested against the cold plane window. Vaughn took the pillow from the seat next to him and nudged her head onto it. She was so tired that she didn't even resist. Her skin was so soft under his hands. As he returned his hands from her face, she shuddered a little. "Shh. it's okay, go back to sleep." She shifted her weight quickly and leaned away from the window and onto his shoulder.
"Oh, Danny." She sighed softly.
There was the other problem. He knew that she was still in love with her dead fiancé. He would never be able to take Danny's place and part of him never wanted to. Danny was a part of Sydney's past and he wanted all of her, past, present, and future. "Syd." But then again, he was suppose to be in love with Alice.
None of that matter right then. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and save her from horrible people like Arvin Sloane and Sark. She didn't need protecting physically, no. She could probably kill him if she wanted to. She just needed to be held every once and a while. Vaughn closed his eyes and pictured what it would be like, if they ever got together. Sloane would be gone and the alliance would be dissolved. Sydney would receive some sort of an award and he, well, he would be right at her side. It was just be wonderful. They would be in love and maybe even got married but how would they ever explain their pasts?
They arrived at the CIA safe house with no glitches or problems. It was a relief to both of them. The worst thing was to have to think of their feet after being on a flight for so long. They were picked up by another CIA officer and brought to the house that would be their home for the next three days. It was set in the French countryside, surrounded by woods. It looked abandoned from the outside but inside there was a large assortment of firearms and weapons there. No one would ever guess what was inside the house. The look of it was very similar to the SD-6 one. There was a large bed with a simple headboard with a pile of heavy blankets sitting on it, on the wall across from the door with a couch on the left wall and a fireplace across from it. There was a coffee table by the couch covered with papers. On the wall with door there was a firearm cabinet.
"It's not much but it is home." Vaughn sighed as let his black duffle bag hit the ground as he shut the door inside the house.
"I've never been here." Sydney replied, standing right inside the door. "It looks just like the one for SD-6." Her eyes softly scanned the room and finally rested on the bed. It seemed so warm and inviting.
Vaughn glanced over to her and laughed softly. "I guess the architects think alike."
"Yeah." She walked in a little bit and sat down the bed and plopped the bag down from her shoulders. She watched him scan the room slowly and finally rest his eyes on her. It was hard to resist his gaze. "Where do you want to sleep?"
"You take the bed." He replied quickly. All he wanted was for her to be comfortable.
"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out or anythi-"
"Syd, take the bed." It was too exhausting to have a fight with her.
She simply nodded and swung her body to the side of the bed on the floor disappearing from view. "I'm just gonna get changed. I'm exhausted." She quickly explained over her shoulder. Her hands reached up for her black bag, still sitting on the bed and pulled out a pair of black sweat pants and a black sports bra. It was uncharacteristic of her to walk around in just a sports bra but she had completely forgotten to pack a T- shirt.maybe because the anniversary was coming up so fast. Her mind was elsewhere and she needed to focus for tomorrow's op. Changing quickly, she stood up, her back still to Vaughn. "You dressed?"
"Yeah."
Sydney turned around; Vaughn had changed out of his stuffy suit to a white T-shirt and flannel pants. She couldn't help but smile at him. "I've rarely seen you out of a suit." He looked so sexy and if he would only smile, her legs would have collapsed beneath her. Her prince charming made her strong body so weak.
He smiled again and his eyes traveled quickly up and down her body but he quickly caught himself. He would never let her know how he felt for her. "Yes you have."
She pulled her hair into an elastic from her wrist. "Yeah.you're right..I guess you're right. But still I...I forgot that." Her voice trailed off a little.
"Are you okay?" He came towards her. The moments passed so slowly to the point that he felt like the other side of the room was yards away. In reality, he only took about two seconds and reached side of the bed opposite of Sydney. He stood there, waiting in the eerie silence for her to answer. "Sydney, I need to know if your mind is on the game one hundred percent. What's going on?"
Her feet brought her to the front of the bed, meeting him in the middle. "It's coming up." She said unwillingly.
"What is?"
She glanced at the watch fastened tightly around her strong wrist. "It's 10:23. In an hour and thirty-seven minutes it will be the anniversary."
It felt like a truck had hit him at that moment. Buried emotions came back from beyond and came surging back into his brain. Flashes of his anniversary, pictures, images, everything flooded his mind. He knew it was coming up but he had blocked it out of his mind for a few hours.