*
'Twas the night before Christmas, and all threw the house, not a creator was stirring
-- except for Vaughn and his mother who are putting presents from "Santa" (sorry
folks hate to break it to you, there is no Santa Claus) under the tree. She finally
asks, "So how's work."
"It's fine."
"That's good, darling. Haven't nearly died on me lately, have you?"
Vaughn never told his mother what he did or who he worked with. She only knew he
worked in the Los Angeles office and was aiding his country. Catherine never asked
for details. She knew William was the same when he was alive, and as long Vaughn
comes home to her healthy and safe, that's all that mattered. In actuality, not
knowing was better; if she knew he went out of mission every week it would worry
her more.
"Few close calls, but I'm fine." He flashes a huge smile at her, as she silently shakes
her head.
"And how is, what's her name? Alice." Vaughn knew his mother knew Alice's name,
however Catherine didn't like Alice. At all.
"We broke up."
"That's wonderful darling, I'm so happy for you." She says in a motherly voice,
"Anyone new?"
Vaughn debates whether to tell his mother. Logically, he knows he should say no,
nevertheless, he likes the idea of telling his mother, because he knows that
Catherine will like Sydney.
"There is, isn't there?"
Cautiously he tells her, "Yes."
"But what's the problem?"
Vaughn kind of stares at her.
"I'm your mother darling, you can't lie to me. I know these things. Don't worry,
I'm not working for the KGB or going to say anything."
Vaughn sighs, "I'm a case officer."
"Good, you work behind a desk, that allows me to sleep sounder at night. She's
your agent, right."
"Are you sure you didn't meet Dad at work?"
"Haha, no darling."
"Yes, she is."
"Protocol is keeping you apart."
"Yes."
"But you're not following it, are you?"
"No."
"Good boy, you definitely do have a little bit of me in you, even if you are
your father's son."
Vaughn is touched by the compliment, "Thank you."
"Do you love her?"
"Yes." he answers without hesitation..
"What's her name?"
"Sydney."
"Sydney." Catherine smiles, and looks as if she's plotting a grand scheme.
"Jack's daughter?"
"What?" Vaughn's mouth fell open.
"Is she Jack's daughter?"
"How did you know that? How do you know Jack?"
*
The Tippins leave and Will agrees to clean the kitchen. When he finishes, he
says goodnight and leaves Jack and Sydney to spend the rest of the evening
in peace. Sydney pours her father and herself a drink and hands her father
his scotch.
"Dad," she settles down and asks the question that's been hovering all night,
"Why didn't your tell me about Vaughn?"
Jack raises his eyebrow, "What about Vaughn? I told you he brought me to
my sense tonight."
Ready to say, that's not what I meant, stops because she wants to hear, "How?"
"I called Vaughn, telling him not to return to Los Angeles. He asked if I was
coming tonight. I hesitated when I answered and he," -- Jack pauses,
choosing his words, -- "reprimanded me, in a coerce manner, about the spirit
of Christmas."
"Did he," Sydney snickers, she'd love to have seen that.
Jack slips his glass, not responding.
"That's not what I meant though. Why didn't you ever tell me Vaughn and I
knew each other when we were kids?"
"What is there to tell? Until his father died, you and he were inseparable.
Went everywhere and did everything together, or should I say he went
everywhere and you followed."
Embarrassed, Sydney puts her hand to her forehead and turns a deep shade
of rouge.
"And the CIA knows this; last year Vaughn was removed from your case
because you needed a "move experienced agent". That was a false pretext,
we knew you and Vaughn would become "emotionally attached" and wanted
to break up the duo before things got to serious. Unfortunately, they already
were."
*
Catherine just kind of snickers to herself and pulls Vaughn up, on his feet and
leads him off to the attic.
"Mom, tell me Goddammit."
"Don't use that language, Michael."
"Yes Mom."
"My son's in love with Little Miss Sydney Bristow," She says to herself,
"William would be so ecstatic."
"Mom!"
"No, I have to show, not tell. Now up the ladder."
Vaughn has no idea what's going on, but just silently climbs knowing if he follows
orders, she'd tell him.
"Now, where are they?"
"What?"
"The old photo albums."
"Aren't they all downstairs?"
"No. When your father died, I went through the albums and kept only a few of
the pictures I wanted. I put the others away in the attic. I didn't want to be
reminded of your father's job, so all the pictures of his friends I didn't keep."
"Jack and Dad were friends?"
"Yes."
"Then that means…"
"Found it."
*
"Sydney, Vaughn's a good man and a good agent. He has a lot of his father's
best characteristic in him. Officially, you're foolish and irrespondable, taking
such rash actions in your situation for nothing more than an infatuation with
your handler. If Devlin were to ever discover you'd never see Vaughn again,
and I don't want to think about the predicament if Sloane discovered. I do not
support your relationship and exhort you to end it."
He brightens his solemn face, "Unofficially, I'm extremely happy for the both of
you. But let it be known, if he hurts you in any way, shape, or form I'll kill him
myself."
*
Catherine opens an old photo album and shows Vaughn what's inside. Jack and
his dad sitting in the backyard, smiling and drinking a beer. He flips the page to
see photos of Christmas, everyone laughing and drinking eggnog. There was a
picture of William smiling with his arm around Irina, like they were best friends.
He hates Irina; he wants to slam the book shut. He would have, if his mother
didn't turn the page. She was cute even then.
"Why don't I remember this?"
"You were young, and I didn't want you too."
"Mom, I know you don't want to hear this, but that woman. Laura."
"You mean Irina?"
Vaughn gasps.
"That's part of the reason. I didn't want you to remember her as a person. And if
your wondering how I know, your father and Jack aren't the only people I know
at the CIA. One of my contacts told me."
"You have contacts?"
"To keep tabs on you of course. What type of mother do you think I'd be.
Nevertheless, your father loved Sydney. He always was trying to get you two
together. We laughed, 'William, they're so young!'. I guess he saw something
no one else did." She points to a picture of Sydney giving Vaughn a kiss on
the check under the mistletoe. "He made her do that, you didn't forgive him
for about two weeks."
Vaughn didn't know what to say. He flipped through the pages more, until he
abruptly stopped, "Mum, is that?"
"Arvin Sloane? Yes. He was your father's partner."
*
'Twas the night before Christmas, and all threw the house, not a creator was stirring
-- except for Vaughn and his mother who are putting presents from "Santa" (sorry
folks hate to break it to you, there is no Santa Claus) under the tree. She finally
asks, "So how's work."
"It's fine."
"That's good, darling. Haven't nearly died on me lately, have you?"
Vaughn never told his mother what he did or who he worked with. She only knew he
worked in the Los Angeles office and was aiding his country. Catherine never asked
for details. She knew William was the same when he was alive, and as long Vaughn
comes home to her healthy and safe, that's all that mattered. In actuality, not
knowing was better; if she knew he went out of mission every week it would worry
her more.
"Few close calls, but I'm fine." He flashes a huge smile at her, as she silently shakes
her head.
"And how is, what's her name? Alice." Vaughn knew his mother knew Alice's name,
however Catherine didn't like Alice. At all.
"We broke up."
"That's wonderful darling, I'm so happy for you." She says in a motherly voice,
"Anyone new?"
Vaughn debates whether to tell his mother. Logically, he knows he should say no,
nevertheless, he likes the idea of telling his mother, because he knows that
Catherine will like Sydney.
"There is, isn't there?"
Cautiously he tells her, "Yes."
"But what's the problem?"
Vaughn kind of stares at her.
"I'm your mother darling, you can't lie to me. I know these things. Don't worry,
I'm not working for the KGB or going to say anything."
Vaughn sighs, "I'm a case officer."
"Good, you work behind a desk, that allows me to sleep sounder at night. She's
your agent, right."
"Are you sure you didn't meet Dad at work?"
"Haha, no darling."
"Yes, she is."
"Protocol is keeping you apart."
"Yes."
"But you're not following it, are you?"
"No."
"Good boy, you definitely do have a little bit of me in you, even if you are
your father's son."
Vaughn is touched by the compliment, "Thank you."
"Do you love her?"
"Yes." he answers without hesitation..
"What's her name?"
"Sydney."
"Sydney." Catherine smiles, and looks as if she's plotting a grand scheme.
"Jack's daughter?"
"What?" Vaughn's mouth fell open.
"Is she Jack's daughter?"
"How did you know that? How do you know Jack?"
*
The Tippins leave and Will agrees to clean the kitchen. When he finishes, he
says goodnight and leaves Jack and Sydney to spend the rest of the evening
in peace. Sydney pours her father and herself a drink and hands her father
his scotch.
"Dad," she settles down and asks the question that's been hovering all night,
"Why didn't your tell me about Vaughn?"
Jack raises his eyebrow, "What about Vaughn? I told you he brought me to
my sense tonight."
Ready to say, that's not what I meant, stops because she wants to hear, "How?"
"I called Vaughn, telling him not to return to Los Angeles. He asked if I was
coming tonight. I hesitated when I answered and he," -- Jack pauses,
choosing his words, -- "reprimanded me, in a coerce manner, about the spirit
of Christmas."
"Did he," Sydney snickers, she'd love to have seen that.
Jack slips his glass, not responding.
"That's not what I meant though. Why didn't you ever tell me Vaughn and I
knew each other when we were kids?"
"What is there to tell? Until his father died, you and he were inseparable.
Went everywhere and did everything together, or should I say he went
everywhere and you followed."
Embarrassed, Sydney puts her hand to her forehead and turns a deep shade
of rouge.
"And the CIA knows this; last year Vaughn was removed from your case
because you needed a "move experienced agent". That was a false pretext,
we knew you and Vaughn would become "emotionally attached" and wanted
to break up the duo before things got to serious. Unfortunately, they already
were."
*
Catherine just kind of snickers to herself and pulls Vaughn up, on his feet and
leads him off to the attic.
"Mom, tell me Goddammit."
"Don't use that language, Michael."
"Yes Mom."
"My son's in love with Little Miss Sydney Bristow," She says to herself,
"William would be so ecstatic."
"Mom!"
"No, I have to show, not tell. Now up the ladder."
Vaughn has no idea what's going on, but just silently climbs knowing if he follows
orders, she'd tell him.
"Now, where are they?"
"What?"
"The old photo albums."
"Aren't they all downstairs?"
"No. When your father died, I went through the albums and kept only a few of
the pictures I wanted. I put the others away in the attic. I didn't want to be
reminded of your father's job, so all the pictures of his friends I didn't keep."
"Jack and Dad were friends?"
"Yes."
"Then that means…"
"Found it."
*
"Sydney, Vaughn's a good man and a good agent. He has a lot of his father's
best characteristic in him. Officially, you're foolish and irrespondable, taking
such rash actions in your situation for nothing more than an infatuation with
your handler. If Devlin were to ever discover you'd never see Vaughn again,
and I don't want to think about the predicament if Sloane discovered. I do not
support your relationship and exhort you to end it."
He brightens his solemn face, "Unofficially, I'm extremely happy for the both of
you. But let it be known, if he hurts you in any way, shape, or form I'll kill him
myself."
*
Catherine opens an old photo album and shows Vaughn what's inside. Jack and
his dad sitting in the backyard, smiling and drinking a beer. He flips the page to
see photos of Christmas, everyone laughing and drinking eggnog. There was a
picture of William smiling with his arm around Irina, like they were best friends.
He hates Irina; he wants to slam the book shut. He would have, if his mother
didn't turn the page. She was cute even then.
"Why don't I remember this?"
"You were young, and I didn't want you too."
"Mom, I know you don't want to hear this, but that woman. Laura."
"You mean Irina?"
Vaughn gasps.
"That's part of the reason. I didn't want you to remember her as a person. And if
your wondering how I know, your father and Jack aren't the only people I know
at the CIA. One of my contacts told me."
"You have contacts?"
"To keep tabs on you of course. What type of mother do you think I'd be.
Nevertheless, your father loved Sydney. He always was trying to get you two
together. We laughed, 'William, they're so young!'. I guess he saw something
no one else did." She points to a picture of Sydney giving Vaughn a kiss on
the check under the mistletoe. "He made her do that, you didn't forgive him
for about two weeks."
Vaughn didn't know what to say. He flipped through the pages more, until he
abruptly stopped, "Mum, is that?"
"Arvin Sloane? Yes. He was your father's partner."
*