Epilogue
The sunlight shines through the thin satin curtains and plays with Sydney Bristow's lashes, forcing her to open her eyes. Her forehead scrunches in annoyance because she doesn't want to wake up from last night's dream. It was perfection and she wants to savor it forever. The edges of her lips slowly curl into a smile as she remembers that it wasn't a dream. No, it wasn't. It was real. More real than anything she has ever felt. It seemed like forever for her to get here with him.
They had played the game for so long. Timing was never on their side. When he was ready, she was ready to go marry someone else. When she was ready, he was ready to start over half way across the world. Their chance almost slipped away. Almost. But the thought of losing each other forever to memory was too much for either one of them.
As they sat on the plane with their eyes closed, mouths smiling and hand in hand, time seemed to stop. They didn't seem to notice their surroundings. As the plane started to descend into the airport, the sudden realization, that they couldn't just go off happily ever after together, hit. Their brief moment of bliss ended. He had a new job that he couldn't just turn down now; she couldn't just leave the mess of a ruined wedding behind and SD-6 without explanation. As all the people on the plane filed out, they just sat there. Regretting that she didn't take the opportunity to tell him everything and knowing that she was suppose to get right back on another plane, she felt tears coming on uncontrollably.
" Shhhh, I know" he took her in and tried to calm her fears. " Hey," he lifted her chin up to make her look at him. " It's only the beginning for us. . . promise," and he brought her fingers up to his mouth.
And it was only the beginning. She returned home thinking about his promise the whole way. It gave her strength to face all the questions, worries, and confusion from those she left behind for a moment to chase after her own happiness. She was fortunate to have understanding friends who understood not to ask too much. Her father was just glad that she didn't settle in the end. The only truly disappointed one was the man who wasn't quite perfect for her. Her apologizes were no match for his anger from humiliation.
She walked away from her last fight with Andrew filled with guilt and self- loathing. He didn't deserve it. But neither did she. If they did end up married, it wouldn't have lasted. It would have ended up even uglier because her heart would have always been across the ocean. As her shaky hands opened the door to her home, her head hung down because of an overwhelming flood of loneliness. She lifted her head to see an angel statuette on her kitchen counter. How did he always know exactly when she would need a reminder of hope?
The little gifts came in the mail every few weeks. Each one always came with an anonymous letter reminding her that one day, the game will end and they will both be the victors. Whenever she came back from a mission, the day after she would receive a postcard of congratulations and good work. On certain occasions did she actually hear his voice posing as a stranger who dialed the wrong number. Above all, she looked forward to missions to Europe where sometimes there were chances to escape for secret rendezvous. It kept her going. Fighting to bring an end to SD-6 so they could be together. Truly together.
After two years of loneliness during the day, heavenly dreams at night, and hopes for the future, she returned from a mission, but there was no postcard the next day. She started going into panic mode. She waited for the mail the day after and still there wasn't anything. She stayed by the phone wishing for a wrong number, but no luck. She called Weiss; he hasn't heard anything. This must be a cruel joke, and she told herself that she wouldn't forgive him.
By the third day, she hadn't eaten or slept. Everyone started getting worried about her sickly complexion. From the advice of her father, she finally got herself to get up and take a walk. Her body carried her all over the place unconsciously. As her fingers traced the railing of the pier, she remembered their first physical contact. As she slumped down at the big chair at the train station, she remembered him telling her all the places he went to look for her. As she walked on the grass of the park, she remembered the pain, the rain storm, and that first kiss. She closed her eyes as she sat down on the bench trying to remember the sensations.
She sensed someone standing over blocking the sunlight.
" Congratulations."
For some reason, she didn't dare look up.
" Good work."
She swallowed down the lump in her throat.
" It's all over."
A tear simply rolled down her closed eyes and stayed on bottom of her quivering chin.
" Syd." Before he finished her whole name, she suddenly stood up and flung her arms around his neck. She let out everything she had stored inside since the day they met. They held on to each other tightly and stood there until the sun started to set.
Now she can't fight the sunlight any longer and lets her eyes flutter open. She feels his arm flop down around her waist to grab her hand that lay on her stomach. At the same time, he brings his nose close to her neck. He kisses her collarbone and she giggles and then sighs in content.
" I was wondering when you would wake up sleepyhead," he whispers in her ear.
" Hmmmmm?"
" Open your eyes sweetie," he says as he squeezes her hand and brings it up to her face. She slowly opens her eyes only to see her fourth finger sparkling back at her.
" Do you like it?" He sounds a little impatient. She tries to hide her excitement.
" Well . . . I dunno . . ." she teases with an uncertain tone.
" What?!" he is surprised. This is not the reaction he wanted.
" You just put it on my finger without even asking me . . ." she tries desperately to suppress the oncoming smile.
" That's because I already knew the answer . . ." he says confidently and kisses her temple.
" Really . . ." she rolls her eyes at him. When did he get so sure of himself?
" How do you know I would say yes?"
" Because . . ." he brings her body closer to him under the covers never wanting to let her go. " Third time's the charm . . ."
He holds up her arm straight toward the window as they both admire her hand shimmering in the sunlight. Then they both relax a little knowing that third time is definitely the charm.
The sunlight shines through the thin satin curtains and plays with Sydney Bristow's lashes, forcing her to open her eyes. Her forehead scrunches in annoyance because she doesn't want to wake up from last night's dream. It was perfection and she wants to savor it forever. The edges of her lips slowly curl into a smile as she remembers that it wasn't a dream. No, it wasn't. It was real. More real than anything she has ever felt. It seemed like forever for her to get here with him.
They had played the game for so long. Timing was never on their side. When he was ready, she was ready to go marry someone else. When she was ready, he was ready to start over half way across the world. Their chance almost slipped away. Almost. But the thought of losing each other forever to memory was too much for either one of them.
As they sat on the plane with their eyes closed, mouths smiling and hand in hand, time seemed to stop. They didn't seem to notice their surroundings. As the plane started to descend into the airport, the sudden realization, that they couldn't just go off happily ever after together, hit. Their brief moment of bliss ended. He had a new job that he couldn't just turn down now; she couldn't just leave the mess of a ruined wedding behind and SD-6 without explanation. As all the people on the plane filed out, they just sat there. Regretting that she didn't take the opportunity to tell him everything and knowing that she was suppose to get right back on another plane, she felt tears coming on uncontrollably.
" Shhhh, I know" he took her in and tried to calm her fears. " Hey," he lifted her chin up to make her look at him. " It's only the beginning for us. . . promise," and he brought her fingers up to his mouth.
And it was only the beginning. She returned home thinking about his promise the whole way. It gave her strength to face all the questions, worries, and confusion from those she left behind for a moment to chase after her own happiness. She was fortunate to have understanding friends who understood not to ask too much. Her father was just glad that she didn't settle in the end. The only truly disappointed one was the man who wasn't quite perfect for her. Her apologizes were no match for his anger from humiliation.
She walked away from her last fight with Andrew filled with guilt and self- loathing. He didn't deserve it. But neither did she. If they did end up married, it wouldn't have lasted. It would have ended up even uglier because her heart would have always been across the ocean. As her shaky hands opened the door to her home, her head hung down because of an overwhelming flood of loneliness. She lifted her head to see an angel statuette on her kitchen counter. How did he always know exactly when she would need a reminder of hope?
The little gifts came in the mail every few weeks. Each one always came with an anonymous letter reminding her that one day, the game will end and they will both be the victors. Whenever she came back from a mission, the day after she would receive a postcard of congratulations and good work. On certain occasions did she actually hear his voice posing as a stranger who dialed the wrong number. Above all, she looked forward to missions to Europe where sometimes there were chances to escape for secret rendezvous. It kept her going. Fighting to bring an end to SD-6 so they could be together. Truly together.
After two years of loneliness during the day, heavenly dreams at night, and hopes for the future, she returned from a mission, but there was no postcard the next day. She started going into panic mode. She waited for the mail the day after and still there wasn't anything. She stayed by the phone wishing for a wrong number, but no luck. She called Weiss; he hasn't heard anything. This must be a cruel joke, and she told herself that she wouldn't forgive him.
By the third day, she hadn't eaten or slept. Everyone started getting worried about her sickly complexion. From the advice of her father, she finally got herself to get up and take a walk. Her body carried her all over the place unconsciously. As her fingers traced the railing of the pier, she remembered their first physical contact. As she slumped down at the big chair at the train station, she remembered him telling her all the places he went to look for her. As she walked on the grass of the park, she remembered the pain, the rain storm, and that first kiss. She closed her eyes as she sat down on the bench trying to remember the sensations.
She sensed someone standing over blocking the sunlight.
" Congratulations."
For some reason, she didn't dare look up.
" Good work."
She swallowed down the lump in her throat.
" It's all over."
A tear simply rolled down her closed eyes and stayed on bottom of her quivering chin.
" Syd." Before he finished her whole name, she suddenly stood up and flung her arms around his neck. She let out everything she had stored inside since the day they met. They held on to each other tightly and stood there until the sun started to set.
Now she can't fight the sunlight any longer and lets her eyes flutter open. She feels his arm flop down around her waist to grab her hand that lay on her stomach. At the same time, he brings his nose close to her neck. He kisses her collarbone and she giggles and then sighs in content.
" I was wondering when you would wake up sleepyhead," he whispers in her ear.
" Hmmmmm?"
" Open your eyes sweetie," he says as he squeezes her hand and brings it up to her face. She slowly opens her eyes only to see her fourth finger sparkling back at her.
" Do you like it?" He sounds a little impatient. She tries to hide her excitement.
" Well . . . I dunno . . ." she teases with an uncertain tone.
" What?!" he is surprised. This is not the reaction he wanted.
" You just put it on my finger without even asking me . . ." she tries desperately to suppress the oncoming smile.
" That's because I already knew the answer . . ." he says confidently and kisses her temple.
" Really . . ." she rolls her eyes at him. When did he get so sure of himself?
" How do you know I would say yes?"
" Because . . ." he brings her body closer to him under the covers never wanting to let her go. " Third time's the charm . . ."
He holds up her arm straight toward the window as they both admire her hand shimmering in the sunlight. Then they both relax a little knowing that third time is definitely the charm.