Risky Business

Sydney entered the restaurant at exactly one thirty, and her father was already there. It was the same restaurant they always met at, a little Italian place tucked out of the way. The food wasn't bad, but was by no means great, and she didn't know why her father had suggested it in the first place. He stood as she approached, and stood silently as the waiter seated her. AS she sat he started to speak, making small talk about the weather, but she quickly cut him off. "Dad, what is this about? If you're still worried about Vaughn, I don't want to hear it…"

"This is not about Agent Vaughn. It's about you."

"Me?" Something about the tone of his voice worried her.

"Sloane called me into his office yesterday. He thinks the CIA is getting too close to SD-6."

"And he thinks there's a mole?" She didn't know if she could survive another of Sloane's witch hunts.

"No, it's nothing like that."

"He doesn't suspect me? Or you?"

"No Sydney, listen. He wants to get someone on the inside to see what the CIA knows, what moves that they make regarding SD-6."

"He wants me to join the CIA, and work as a double agent for him?" Maybe she was wrong about her life getting worse.

"No. He doesn't want any agents actually joining the CIA, because then they are likely to learn the truth about SD-6, and turn on him."

"That makes sense. So does he want you to join, since you already know?"

"Sydney, I was a CIA agent with Sloane before he went rogue, remember? He thinks I left, and the idea of me trying to rejoining is ridiculous!"

"Then what? Just tell me damn it!"

He paused, looking a little reluctant. "He wants an agent to…become involved with a CIA agent. To gain their trust," he cleared his throat. She had never seen him so nervous. "Et cetera, and steal intel from them."

"That doesn't make any sense! It would require a massive amount of cover up for SD-6. It hardly seems worth it!"

"I know. It's a very risky move for Sloane, as well as for the agent who undertakes it. I couldn't talk him out of it though. It's very dangerous for us too. If someone working for SD-6 saw us at the CIA, or heard our names mentioned, our cover would be blown."

"And that's why you suggested me" she said. It wasn't even a question. She knew the answer.

"If there were any other way…"

"No, no, I totally understand. It makes perfect sense." She shook her head "just tell me about the mission."

Jack shook his head as well, then began. "Sloane would have you pretending to work at Credit Dauphin, like always. I'm supposed to find a CIA agent who is working on bringing down SD-6, and you would…" he cleared his throat again "become involved with him, gaining access to any information."

"But since I work for the CIA, I'll give him fake information, not letting him know the CIA knows so much" she concluded, things clicking in her brain.

"Exactly." He looked slightly relieved she seemed to be taking this so well.

"But Dad, Sloane assumes I don't know SD-6 isn't part of the CIA. How does he expect you to explain to me spying on someone I'm supposedly working for?" This was thoroughly confusing, and seemed like a very bad idea to her.

"I'm to tell you this LA branch of the CIA you're spying on is actually a rouge group posing as the CIA."

"And he expects me to believe that?! I'm a spy for God's sake! He thinks I won't figure out the truth?"

Her voice had raised significantly, and Jack gave he a warning look. "I know. It's the worst idea Sloane has ever had. But he thinks it will work. I tried my best to convince him otherwise, but he was hell bent on this." He shrugged "and really, we have nothing to lose by going along with it, along as we're very careful. It could actually come in handy by throwing SD-6 off with the fake information."

"I guess." She digested this. It still sounded crazy. "What does the CIA have to say about it?"

"They agree having you do it really isn't so terrible, again, as long as we are extremely careful. So they approve."

She ran her finger nervously around the rim of her water glass, staring intently at it. "So, who's…who did they choose to be my…partner?" She couldn't believe she was going along with this. This could be a long-term operation, and she knew it. All she could think about was Vaughn. Not that things were going particularly well with them. Trying to pretend she didn't want him every time she saw him was pure hell, but at least she knew he felt the same way. She didn't dare entertain the idea it could be him. She highly doubted the CIA would allow that.

"Actually, they left it up to me to decide." He stared at her, waiting.

Her heart skipped a beat. Her father would be choosing him? He liked Vaughn, or at least respected him. It seemed like a logical choice. They worked well together, were comfortable together. He was single. But, than, her father had always been worried they were getting too close, and it was affecting their work. She had to face the reality; he would never approve of Vaughn. She steadied her voice, and tried to act calm. "So, have you decided who it's going to be?"

"I have a few people in mind."

He's playing with me she thought. Why? But she kept her cool, asking "may I ask whom?'

He eyed her steadily. "I know you're thinking about Agent Vaughn."

Well of course I am! she wanted to scream, but instead began "we are friends, and we work well…"

"Sydney" he broke in "I may not be the worlds best father, but I can see how you feel about Vaughn. And I don't know him all that well, but I see the way he looks at you. The way he acts when you on a mission."

She felt herself blushing, and looked away. Composing herself, she looked back to meet his eye. "Like I've said all along, we're good friends. That's it." It had been true enough a few months ago, but it certainly wasn't today.

"Sydney, I'm not a fool. But you must understand whom ever it is you'll be working with; it could be long term thing. If it's with Agent Vaughn it could become very awkward for you. Sloane may want you to marry him long before the two of you are ready. Or, you could be ready to get married, but Sloane's not. It's not you decision. The same thing applies for starting a family. All your decisions are taken away from you, and that's going to be much harder to deal with if this becomes a real relationship. This may seem like the answer you've been waiting for, because we all know it can't happen for you any other way, but you must think about the future. What's going to happen five, ten years from now when you're happily married with a family and Sloane decides your job is done?"

"I know you're thinking about Mom."

"Of course I am!" he nearly shouted, but then his voice softened. "But I'm also thinking about me, and you. Think about what it was like for you when your mother left. For her, I'm not sure it was all too difficult to leave. It was just a job to her. But for you, if you were with Vaughn, it wouldn't be just a job. It will be the life you want. How easy will it be to walk away from that?"

No way that would be easy, but she just couldn't drop the idea until she knew for sure. "So you're saying it can't be Vaughn?"

"And I'm not saying things couldn't ever work out" he continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Sloane may want to keep this up forever. Or SD-6 could be obliterated by then. The point is we just don't know what could happen."

"So, what than? Is it Vaughn, or not?" This was killing her. He was allowing her just enough room to hope. She wanted to kick somebody.

"That's not up to me Sydney. That's up to you and Vaughn. I'm going to let you make this decision yourself because it's you life. You understand all the risks. You know there are risks you can't foresee." He eyed her meaningfully.

"Dad…" she gulped. The tears in her eyes slipped down her cheeks, and he reached his hand slowly across the table to grasp hers.

"Go home and sleep on it. I'll arrange a meeting for you two tomorrow, and you can talk it over with him. Tell him how you feel, tell him the good, but most of all tell him the real dangers of doing this. Then decide together. But Sydney, you only have until tomorrow night to decide. If you decide it's not worth it, call me and I'll send someone else to meet you right away. If you decide on Vaughn, well, you mission starts tomorrow. You could leave with him if you like." He squeezed her hand. "I know this is the most difficult decision you have ever faced, but I know you'll make the right choice." He stood to leave, and she followed suit. She moved around the table and hugged him. Gingerly, he hugged back.

Still crying she whispered "thank you." He held her for a moment more, then left, glancing backward only once. She sat back down heavily, signaling to the waiter. "I'm going to need a bottle of red wine."

It was four thirty before she left the restaurant, and she was definitely drunk. At that moment there was very little she did know, but she was sure she didn't want to go home. She signaled a cab, and without really knowing why, instructed the driver to take her to the warehouse. He looked a little reluctant, but eventually dropped her there. "Would you like me to wait miss?"

"Nah" she stumbled a little getting out of the car. "I'm a secret agent. I'll be okay."

"All right" the cabby chuckled, and drove away.

It took her quite a while to get the door open, and wander into the maze of cartons. The door had just thudded shut behind her when it hit her. "Oh no" she managed to mumble before proceeding to throw up all over the floor.

***

He didn't know why he liked it here so much. His house was just as quiet, and a lot more comfortable. Maybe because it reminded him of her, but that wasn't saying much. Lately most things reminded him of her. He had been sitting in the near darkness for half an hour when he heard the banging on the door. He leapt off the chair where he had been sitting and stood perfectly still. Yes, there it was again. It sounded like someone was trying to break in. Grabbing his gun from his shoulder holster, he silently began moving towards the front of the warehouse. He was quite prepared to fight someone off, but he certainly was not prepared for the sight of Sydney Bristow kneeling on the floor in front of him. "Syd?" he gasped, quickly putting his gun away. He knelt down beside her. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

She blinked up at him with slightly glossy eyes. "Vaughn?" she mumbled " that you?"

"Sydney, what happened? Are you okay?" He looked at her a moment, then his eyebrows raised slowly. "Syd, are you drunk?" Slight amusement took the place of worry in his voice.

"Noooo" she glanced away, then back, grinning. "Maybe."

He helped her to her feet, and gently guided her to the middle of the warehouse, where she could sit down. "What happened?" He put his arm around her waist, steadying her.

"I had lunch with my Dad. I drank a whole bottle of wine, and then some tequila, but then I think they cut me off." She squinted her eyes, trying to remember.

Uh-oh, he thought, this could be big trouble. "Your father? Did you tell him about us? What did he say?"

"Vaughn" she said in a loud whisper, leaning closer to him. "Can I tell you asecret?" her words ran together slightly.

"Yeah, Sydney. Anything."

"I think I'm going to be sick again. She was right, and he just made it out of the way.

"Okay Syd, you'll tell me about lunch tomorrow." He wiped her chin gently with his sleeve. She closed her eyes and leaned her head on his chest. "I'll call you a cab. I'd take you home myself, but Francie may be there, right?" She didn't answer. "On second thought…" he reached for his phone, and dialed the familiar number. It rang fifteen times before he was satisfied. "Okay, I will take you home. Come on." He eased her gently off the crate, and she leaned heavily on him. He led her through the boxes slowly, out into the cool early evening air.

"You smell so good" she breathed, and he had to smile. Drunk Syd wasn't so bad when she wasn't throwing up he thought as he helped her into his black Mercedes. She was asleep by the time he sat down behind the wheel. He gazed at her for a moment, worried. What could have happened at lunch to make her drink so much? He guessed he'd find out tomorrow, and started the car.

It was quite an ordeal to get her out of the car and into the house. He felt bad for going through her purse for the keys, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"Where are we?" she asked as he slowly moved her through the dim house.

"We're at home baby. We're gonna get you into bed." They entered her bedroom, and he sat her gently on the bed. He glanced around for her pajamas, and saw his shirt draped over a chair. He couldn't believe she still had it, and smiled as he picked it up. She had lay back on the bed, and was sleeping again. "Come on, just a few more minutes" he coaxed her into a sitting position, and started to remove her clothes.

"Vaughn, are you staying over?" she asked sleepily. "Cause, ya know, that was fun."

He was tempted, but knew he couldn't. "It was fun" he agreed, "but not tonight. It's not my style to take advantage of drunk girls."

"I'm not drunk." She was lying down again, her eyes closed.

He smiled, and tucked the blankets around her. "Good night Sydney." She didn't reply, and her turned to leave.

"Vaughn?" she called quietly.

He turned quickly back to her "yeah?'

"I want you to be my husband." She sighed, rolled over, and was once again asleep, leaving him standing silently in the doorway.

"I'd like that too" he whispered to himself. He turned off the lights as he left, locking the door behind him.