Come Back to Me
Chapter Five
It had taken Jack several weeks to arrange the meeting with Irina privately. Sydney was starting to show, having passed her first trimester, but neither had told Francie. Amazingly, Will had been helpful. Everytime Sydney had a craving, Will had gone to get her whatever she wanted. He was there with her through the morning sickness and the mood swings and he didn't even seem to mind. She wasn't nearly as bad yet, though. Give her time and angry Sydney was going to appear. But for now, Sydney was on her way to see Irina Derevko privately. Sydney had hoped to talk about Sark and maybe about this baby. She saw Vaughn standing by his desk with Weiss. Vaughn approached her. "Hey, Syd. I haven't talked to you in a long time."
It was true. Not since the day they had all discovered she was pregnant.
"Yeah."
She wouldn't look him in the eye. Weiss came barreling over, "Hey, Miss Bristow, how are you feeling?"
"Okay. The morning sickness hasn't hit me too badly yet."
"That's good."
"And the rest of you?" Vaughn asked, hurriedly.
"I'm fine." It was her automatic response. Vaughn knew that. He sighed. She didn't ever want to talk to him anymore. It both hurt and worried him.
"Do you know if it's a girl or a boy yet?"
"No. I don't want to find out until I have it."
Vaughn nodded. "You like surprises."
"If they are good."
"Okay, we have your mother locked up in a room. I can take you to her now if you would like."
"I would."
She followed Vaughn to the room. He unlocked it. Irina stood up and saw the pregnant Sydney entering her room. "Hello, Sydney. You look well."
"Thanks."
"Morning sickness not bother you much? It didn't affect me very often, either."
Sydney nodded, almost afraid to have this connection with her mother.
Vaughn shut the door behind her. He wanted to know what was being said between the two. Little did he know, Jack had wired the room.
"How are you really, Sydney?" Irina asked as soon as they thought they were alone.
"It comes and it goes. Will's been great, actually. He's really helpful to me."
"He doesn't know who the father is."
"You're the only one."
"No wonder everyone has been so kind to me. They're trying to butter me up."
Sydney smiled a little.
Irina put her hand on Sydney's arm.
"I am sorry, Sydney."
"I know. It's Sloane's fault."
"Sloane killed him."
"Yeah. He tried to cover for me. I was doing my countermissions for CIA and Sloane picked up on my recent ones. So, when Sloane asked Sark about them, he said he was the one that did it. And now he's gone."
Neither of the women knew Jack Bristow had just shouted out in anger and caused Michael Vaughn to run into the room. "What is it, Mr. Bristow?"
"I can't believe it."
"What?" That's when Vaughn heard Sydney's voice come in and knew what Jack had done.
"His gravestone is so plain. It just says Mr. Sark and a little quote. They didn't even bother with is first name."
"Not many knew it, Sydney."
"I know. I remember when I asked him what it was. He just told me. I figured I would have to finigle it out of him."
"But he told you."
"Yeah."
Irina studied Sydney.
"How long were you two..."
"It all started on a mission. We were pretending to be a honeymooning couple."
"You took it a little too far?"
Sydney almost laughed. "I guess. He took me out to be a normal person for the night. And it worked. He made me forget everything, you know. It was like when I was with Sark...no, when I was with Andrew, no one else existed. He was two different people."
"Was he?"
"Yeah. Sark was the businessman that he always thought he had to show people. Andrew was the loving man who would have given me the stars if he could."
Irina nodded, but found herself a little surprised to hear about Sark like that.
"We thought it would be safer if no one else knew about us."
"But it didn't help, did it?"
"Not really. He still got killed. Gosh, I'm like posion to all the men I know. Their lives are always destroyed when they get involved with me."
"You know, it's not your fault Sark was killed. He probably would have made a mistake at some point and did it all on his own."
Sydney nodded, trying to accept.
"He loved me, Mom."
"I know he did. I think his fascination with you started when he worked for me."
"What?"
"I had a file on you on my desk. He recognized you immediately as the woman who had been spying on him when he was talking to the K-Directorate head. He wanted to know everything about you from then on."
She smiled.
"He wasn't as evil as everyone thought he was." Sydney commented.
"No, he wasn't. He just did what he had to do."
Sydney nodded.
"Pregnancy bodes well with you, Sydney. You look beautiful even when you're sad."
Vaughn sat down to Jack in the room next to Sydney's. He listened with an eerie fascination. "Sark is the father."
Jack nodded angrily.
"Thanks, Mom."
The two woman stared at each other. Irina reached out and pulled Sydney to her. Sydney clung to her mother and tried to keep her grief from overtaking her again.
"Tell me, Sydney, is it a girl or a boy?"
"I don't know. I think it's a girl, though."
"She'll be beautiful."
"I know."
"Have you thought of names?"
"If it's a girl, definitely Mercy. Sark and I had mercy on each other, which led to the little one. If Sloane had had mercy on Sark, he would still be here with me. Mercy is just such a fitting name. If it's a girl. If it's a boy, probably Jonathan. That was Sark's cover name when we were the honeymooning couple."
Irina smiled, bitterly, "That's your father's name, too."
"I know. But that's not why I would name him Jonathan."
Irina nodded. "But everyone would think that's why you named him Jonathan. After your father."
Sydney agreed. They heard a pounding on the door. "Time's up, Miss Bristow."
It was Weiss. He opened the door.
Sydney stood up and stared at her mother. Irina said hurriedly, "No matter how dismal your life may seem, you've got that little girl or boy growing inside of you. You'll make it through all of this, I promise. Andrew would want it that way. Andrew would want you to be happy. So try, Sydney. Try."
It was one of the best pieces of advice Irina Derevko had ever dispensed. She didn't know Sark as well as she had thought, but she knew that if that man had loved her daughter, he would want her to be happy.
"Thanks, Mom."
"And as soon as you find out what it is, tell me."
Sydney smiled briefly and followed Weiss out the door.
Vaughn leaned against the table. His mouth had dropped open once again in shock from Sydney's comments with her mother. Sark was the father of her baby. Sark was the man that Sydney loved. Sark was the man that loved Sydney. At least in her opinion. It was hard to imagine Sark loving anybody. Jack slammed his fist on the table. "What was she thinking?"
Vaughn couldn't even answer.
"She should have known better than to get involved with Mr. Sark. She should have known better than to have trusted him."
"Jack, I don't think you should tell her that."
"Why shouldn't I?"
"First, she'll know that you were listening. That I was listening. I betrayed her trust. No wonder she isn't confiding in me anymore. Besides, she won't like you attacking him. The father of her baby. And he's dead anyway. So nothing except a darling little kid is coming out of it. We have to be supportive of her. If we aren't, she's going to shut down completely. You've seen the way she's been. She turns her emotions off or they go on overdrive. I'd rather have emotional Sydney than emotionless Sydney."
Jack nodded. "For once, I think you are right, Mr. Vaughn." Jack stood up and went to Irina's cell, Vaughn at his heels. "Jack." Irina said calmly as he stood her up.
"Irina."
"Did you enjoy Sydney's and my conversation?"
"What?"
"Oh, don't act like you don't know. You wired the room."
"I did not."
"You wanted to know who the father was, so you wired the room. Mr. Vaughn knows as well. He couldn't resist listening, even though he feels guilty about it."
Vaughn looked away from her gaze.
"If you thought we wired the room, why did you let Sydney say his name?"
"Sydney needed to talk about it. It's better for her to tell me about it, than keeping it all bottled up. She had a connection with Mr. Sark that no one, not even I understand. And then he fathered her child. She'll love him even more for that. She misses him like crazy and she needs to get it all out. You just happened to get to know who he is. But you won't say anything to Sydney. It isn't wise."
Jack shrugged as he led Irina back to her cell. Vaughn sank down into the chair Sydney had sat in and heard Weiss's voice call out, "Mr. Sark is the father?"
Vaughn nodded in confirmation, unable to do anything else. Weiss sat next to Vaughn and they sat in silence.
Chapter Five
It had taken Jack several weeks to arrange the meeting with Irina privately. Sydney was starting to show, having passed her first trimester, but neither had told Francie. Amazingly, Will had been helpful. Everytime Sydney had a craving, Will had gone to get her whatever she wanted. He was there with her through the morning sickness and the mood swings and he didn't even seem to mind. She wasn't nearly as bad yet, though. Give her time and angry Sydney was going to appear. But for now, Sydney was on her way to see Irina Derevko privately. Sydney had hoped to talk about Sark and maybe about this baby. She saw Vaughn standing by his desk with Weiss. Vaughn approached her. "Hey, Syd. I haven't talked to you in a long time."
It was true. Not since the day they had all discovered she was pregnant.
"Yeah."
She wouldn't look him in the eye. Weiss came barreling over, "Hey, Miss Bristow, how are you feeling?"
"Okay. The morning sickness hasn't hit me too badly yet."
"That's good."
"And the rest of you?" Vaughn asked, hurriedly.
"I'm fine." It was her automatic response. Vaughn knew that. He sighed. She didn't ever want to talk to him anymore. It both hurt and worried him.
"Do you know if it's a girl or a boy yet?"
"No. I don't want to find out until I have it."
Vaughn nodded. "You like surprises."
"If they are good."
"Okay, we have your mother locked up in a room. I can take you to her now if you would like."
"I would."
She followed Vaughn to the room. He unlocked it. Irina stood up and saw the pregnant Sydney entering her room. "Hello, Sydney. You look well."
"Thanks."
"Morning sickness not bother you much? It didn't affect me very often, either."
Sydney nodded, almost afraid to have this connection with her mother.
Vaughn shut the door behind her. He wanted to know what was being said between the two. Little did he know, Jack had wired the room.
"How are you really, Sydney?" Irina asked as soon as they thought they were alone.
"It comes and it goes. Will's been great, actually. He's really helpful to me."
"He doesn't know who the father is."
"You're the only one."
"No wonder everyone has been so kind to me. They're trying to butter me up."
Sydney smiled a little.
Irina put her hand on Sydney's arm.
"I am sorry, Sydney."
"I know. It's Sloane's fault."
"Sloane killed him."
"Yeah. He tried to cover for me. I was doing my countermissions for CIA and Sloane picked up on my recent ones. So, when Sloane asked Sark about them, he said he was the one that did it. And now he's gone."
Neither of the women knew Jack Bristow had just shouted out in anger and caused Michael Vaughn to run into the room. "What is it, Mr. Bristow?"
"I can't believe it."
"What?" That's when Vaughn heard Sydney's voice come in and knew what Jack had done.
"His gravestone is so plain. It just says Mr. Sark and a little quote. They didn't even bother with is first name."
"Not many knew it, Sydney."
"I know. I remember when I asked him what it was. He just told me. I figured I would have to finigle it out of him."
"But he told you."
"Yeah."
Irina studied Sydney.
"How long were you two..."
"It all started on a mission. We were pretending to be a honeymooning couple."
"You took it a little too far?"
Sydney almost laughed. "I guess. He took me out to be a normal person for the night. And it worked. He made me forget everything, you know. It was like when I was with Sark...no, when I was with Andrew, no one else existed. He was two different people."
"Was he?"
"Yeah. Sark was the businessman that he always thought he had to show people. Andrew was the loving man who would have given me the stars if he could."
Irina nodded, but found herself a little surprised to hear about Sark like that.
"We thought it would be safer if no one else knew about us."
"But it didn't help, did it?"
"Not really. He still got killed. Gosh, I'm like posion to all the men I know. Their lives are always destroyed when they get involved with me."
"You know, it's not your fault Sark was killed. He probably would have made a mistake at some point and did it all on his own."
Sydney nodded, trying to accept.
"He loved me, Mom."
"I know he did. I think his fascination with you started when he worked for me."
"What?"
"I had a file on you on my desk. He recognized you immediately as the woman who had been spying on him when he was talking to the K-Directorate head. He wanted to know everything about you from then on."
She smiled.
"He wasn't as evil as everyone thought he was." Sydney commented.
"No, he wasn't. He just did what he had to do."
Sydney nodded.
"Pregnancy bodes well with you, Sydney. You look beautiful even when you're sad."
Vaughn sat down to Jack in the room next to Sydney's. He listened with an eerie fascination. "Sark is the father."
Jack nodded angrily.
"Thanks, Mom."
The two woman stared at each other. Irina reached out and pulled Sydney to her. Sydney clung to her mother and tried to keep her grief from overtaking her again.
"Tell me, Sydney, is it a girl or a boy?"
"I don't know. I think it's a girl, though."
"She'll be beautiful."
"I know."
"Have you thought of names?"
"If it's a girl, definitely Mercy. Sark and I had mercy on each other, which led to the little one. If Sloane had had mercy on Sark, he would still be here with me. Mercy is just such a fitting name. If it's a girl. If it's a boy, probably Jonathan. That was Sark's cover name when we were the honeymooning couple."
Irina smiled, bitterly, "That's your father's name, too."
"I know. But that's not why I would name him Jonathan."
Irina nodded. "But everyone would think that's why you named him Jonathan. After your father."
Sydney agreed. They heard a pounding on the door. "Time's up, Miss Bristow."
It was Weiss. He opened the door.
Sydney stood up and stared at her mother. Irina said hurriedly, "No matter how dismal your life may seem, you've got that little girl or boy growing inside of you. You'll make it through all of this, I promise. Andrew would want it that way. Andrew would want you to be happy. So try, Sydney. Try."
It was one of the best pieces of advice Irina Derevko had ever dispensed. She didn't know Sark as well as she had thought, but she knew that if that man had loved her daughter, he would want her to be happy.
"Thanks, Mom."
"And as soon as you find out what it is, tell me."
Sydney smiled briefly and followed Weiss out the door.
Vaughn leaned against the table. His mouth had dropped open once again in shock from Sydney's comments with her mother. Sark was the father of her baby. Sark was the man that Sydney loved. Sark was the man that loved Sydney. At least in her opinion. It was hard to imagine Sark loving anybody. Jack slammed his fist on the table. "What was she thinking?"
Vaughn couldn't even answer.
"She should have known better than to get involved with Mr. Sark. She should have known better than to have trusted him."
"Jack, I don't think you should tell her that."
"Why shouldn't I?"
"First, she'll know that you were listening. That I was listening. I betrayed her trust. No wonder she isn't confiding in me anymore. Besides, she won't like you attacking him. The father of her baby. And he's dead anyway. So nothing except a darling little kid is coming out of it. We have to be supportive of her. If we aren't, she's going to shut down completely. You've seen the way she's been. She turns her emotions off or they go on overdrive. I'd rather have emotional Sydney than emotionless Sydney."
Jack nodded. "For once, I think you are right, Mr. Vaughn." Jack stood up and went to Irina's cell, Vaughn at his heels. "Jack." Irina said calmly as he stood her up.
"Irina."
"Did you enjoy Sydney's and my conversation?"
"What?"
"Oh, don't act like you don't know. You wired the room."
"I did not."
"You wanted to know who the father was, so you wired the room. Mr. Vaughn knows as well. He couldn't resist listening, even though he feels guilty about it."
Vaughn looked away from her gaze.
"If you thought we wired the room, why did you let Sydney say his name?"
"Sydney needed to talk about it. It's better for her to tell me about it, than keeping it all bottled up. She had a connection with Mr. Sark that no one, not even I understand. And then he fathered her child. She'll love him even more for that. She misses him like crazy and she needs to get it all out. You just happened to get to know who he is. But you won't say anything to Sydney. It isn't wise."
Jack shrugged as he led Irina back to her cell. Vaughn sank down into the chair Sydney had sat in and heard Weiss's voice call out, "Mr. Sark is the father?"
Vaughn nodded in confirmation, unable to do anything else. Weiss sat next to Vaughn and they sat in silence.