~*One Night in Rio*~

My first ever Alias fic and if no one likes it I'll just keep writing Passions and Days. This is a one-chapter fic; it's just something I thought of today at school because Chem. is boring. It's just a little bit of fun and it's mostly S/V. It takes place after Double Agent. Evil Francie isn't around, she doesn't even exist. Read on and enjoy!

Disclaim.
Sydney Bristow was one of those people who always bounced back. She'd been hit with a lot in her life but she'd gotten through it with a clear head and an open heart. She'd lost the man she'd thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with because of a stupid mistake, she'd found her mother and even started to form a relationship with her and she'd even fallen in love with someone very unlikely. Love. It wasn't something she thought she'd ever feel again. But it wasn't something she was allowed to feel. Protocol. She hated that word. Protocol was the only thing standing in their way.

Sydney winced as the burning liquid descended down her throat she thought back to her wake up this morning and realized that her first thoughts of the day were not very encouraging. She laughed bitterly at her thoughts, more like fantasies of what her life would have been like after SD-6's destruction. She and Vaughn would finally be happy; they'd date, hopefully eventually get married and have children. But, she'd forgotten one small aspect. Protocol. How she hated that word. She took another shot of Vodka and tried to block out all thoughts of him. His perfectly sculpted chest, his green eyes, his tattoo, his smile, his cute little forehead wrinkles. Time for another shot, she thought.

"Are you sure you want more? You've drunk almost half the bottle." The bartender asked, concerned.

"Look, when I want another shot, I'll get one. If not here then in another bar." No longer sober Sydney growled.

"Alright, alright. Why don't I just give you the bottle and a glass?" The bartender who is going to be named Steve said sarcastically.

"That's the best idea I've heard all day! Sounds good to me!" Sydney smiled cheerfully.

Steve rolled his eyes and did as he was asked, "You know it's a little early for you to be here. Usually we only have alcoholics and ugly people. What's your story?"

"Protocol." She spit out bitterly.

"That makes no sense." Steve poured the clear liquid into a regular glass and watched as his newest patron drank it like it was nothing more then water.

"It would if you were me. But, since you're not it doesn't." Sydney continued getting more and more drunk, not noticing the time.
~*~

Michael Vaughn woke up that morning feeling happier and better then he'd ever known. He was sleeping next to the most amazing women and he was in love. He knew she felt the same way, whether they'd told each other or not, he knew. He kissed her tenderly and watched as she smiled in her sleep. Even then it was stunning. He could have stayed in bed all day, watching her sleep, but duty calls. He got up and took a quick shower, realizing he had nothing to wear; he threw on the clothes he'd worn over. He glanced at his watch and he knew he had to get to work or Devlin and Kendall would eat him alive. He kissed Sydney once more, wrote her a quick note and was on his way out when he heard a quiet, "Michael?"

He turned around and walked back towards her room, "Morning."

"Hi." She smiled back sleepily, "Where are you going?"

"Work, duty calls." He smiled grimly.

"Skip it today. I won't tell. Promise." She'd gotten off the bed and begun pulling him towards it.

"I can't, you know that." He sighed.

"Why?" She pouted.

"Millions of stupid reasons. Meetings, files, criminals, SD-6, protocol," As soon as the word slipped out of his mouth he instantly regretted it.

"Protocol?" She spit the word out like it was something dirty, "I HATE protocol. Screw it."

"Syd," He tried to calm her and she simply glared. He knew that his word wasn't what set her off, it was something more.

"It's always going to be there, isn't it? It's like a cloud of doom. Unless one of us quits the CIA or we go to Devlin and tell him we'll never be able to be together." She sighed, she sounded almost defeated.

"Look, Syd, we will get past this. It's not like we'll get kicked out of the CIA for dating or anything. We will find a way. Just, for now all we have to do is wait. We can be together, just not at work. It'll be ok Sydney." Vaughn was talking and Sydney didn't seem to hear him. She was in her own little world.

"Vaughn, you should go to work. I'm going out. I'll see you." She walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.

"Sydney!" He knocked on the door and he was ignored.

"Please, I want to be left alone. I'll leave my cell on ok?" Sydney yelled through the door.

"Alright, but I will call you." Vaughn said as he left.

--------

That was hours ago. He'd tried her cell when he'd gotten to work and figured that she'd forgotten to turn it on. He left message after message on her machine and it was now 6. She had disappeared and he was more then a little worried. He left work and drove straight to her house. He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. Francie opened the door and smiled one of her 500-watt smiles.

"Michael from the bank, right?" Francie invited him in.

"Is Sydney around?" He asked, worried.

"No, she left a note, here." Francie searched the counter and handed Vaughn a scribbled note.

F-

Out. Call Will if you need me.

Love-S

"Can I have Will's number, it's really important." Vaughn asked.

"I'll call him for you. If you and Sydney are fighting she won't talk to you." Francie dialed Will's familiar number and waited. "Hey, is Sydney around? I really need to talk to her."

"No, but I know where she is." Will sounded upset.

"What do you mean? What happened?" Francie asked. Vaughn's ears perked up.

"*Sigh* I just got a call from a bar owner telling me to come and pick Sydney up. She's falling over drunk and she was trying to drive home."

"What?! Oh lord. Are you going to go pick her up?" Francie asked.

"Yeah, of course. I'm leaving in a minute. I'll bring her back home, ok?" Will was about to hang up when Vaughn grabbed the phone out of Francie's hand.

"Will? Where's Syd, is she ok?" He demanded.

"Mike? Oh, yeah she'll be all right. She's just a little drunk. I'm going to go pick her up from the bar now."

"I'll go. Where is she?" Vaughn demanded.

"She's at Rio, it's a bar on 8th. Take good care of her, ok?" Will asked.

"Thanks. I will, bye." Vaughn threw Francie the phone, thanked her and ran out.

"What just happened?" Francie asked, confused.

"Eh, I'll tell you over dinner." Will said.
Vaughn drove like a madman to get to Rio. He parked and found himself at a skanky looking bar, right in between three or four nice looking clubs. Why Sydney wasn't in one of them worried him. How long had she been drinking? He walked in and found her slumped over in a booth. "Syd? Are you alright?" He walked towards her concerned.

"Whoa, whoa, back off mister. That's not for your entertainment." Steve glared at the young man who ran over to Sydney.

"I know, she's my girlfriend." Vaughn explained.

"You're not the guy I talked to earlier." Steve recognized the big difference in voices.

"No, that was Will. I called him and he told me where to find Sydney." Vaughn tried to explain.

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" Steve surveyed the guy, sure he looked ok and quite relieved when he saw Sydney, but he could be a very good liar, "Sydney, you know him?"

Sydney was half awake, and drunk, but even in her liquor-induced state she recognized him, "Vaughn?" She squinted and tilted her head a little bit.

Vaughn smiled, he walked over and showed Steve his ID, "Michael Vaughn, I told you." He walked over to Sydney and kneeled down, "Are you doing ok?"

Sydney glared at him, "For your information MICHAEL I'm NOT okkkk. I'm freaking drunk an an it's all cuz of you and your StuPId protocol. Yeah."

"Sydney, let me take you home, ok? You are going to have a hell of a hangover tomorrow and I'd like to get you in bed before you start puking, ok?" Vaughn took her hand and she smacked it away.

"No, yOu CAn'T! PROtocOl." She tried to stand up, but she sort of wobbled and fell into his arms.

"Come on." HE lifted her easily and she fell asleep in his arms.

"Wait, she owes me $35." Steve stopped him.

Vaughn rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet, he threw two twenties on the counter and left with Sydney in his arms.

~*~

Next morning. . .

Sydney woke up with a killer headache and no clue as to where she was. She quickly surveyed her surroundings and slowly got out of bed. She could barely stand up and she couldn't remember the events of the previous day. She heard someone walking and she hid behind the door, they walked into the room and stopped, obviously wondering where she was. She took this opportunity to pounce; she threw her "kidnapper" on the floor and turned him over. "Vaughn?" Before he could respond she felt a wave of sickness hit her and she ran into the bathroom.

2 hours later. . .

Still a little hung over and a lot tired she made her way into Michael's kitchen. A chubby, but cute dog walked up and sniffed her feet. He licked them happily and woofed, Vaughn stuck his head around a corner and saw Sydney in one of his dress shirts, it was one of the most enticing things he'd ever seen. She looked up and saw him; she smiled shyly, "Hi."

"Hey." He felt like a teenager again when he was around her.

"What happened to me last night?" She asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Liquor. Lots of it." He smiled at her as she blushed.

"I'm sorry about blowing up at you yesterday morning. It wasn't fair to you and I shouldn't have done it. I just, I hate this." Sydney sighed.

"Well, not for much longer. And besides, what does it matter that we can't kiss in the office or go to parties together, we have each other and that's all that I care about. I love you and I want to be with you no matter what. Protocol or not. Screw protocol." Vaughn smiled at Sydney's surprised expression, "What?"

"What'd you just say?" She asked.

"Screw protocol?" He was confused.

"No! You just told me you loved me." She smiled slyly.

"I did?" Sydney nodded, "Well I guess I did. But, it's true. I do. I love you Sydney Bristow."

"Good, because I love you too. Protocol or not." They kissed with all their pent up passion and when they pulled away a frown-marred Sydney's face.

"What's wrong?" Vaughn asked, worried.

"Did we go to Rio?" Sydney asked.

"Yeah Syd, we had this one crazy night in Rio. But don't tell anyone, ok?" Vaughn said joking as they walked towards the kitchen to get some much needed nourishment.

"Really?" Sydney asked incredulous.

"Yeah." Vaughn said laughing.
~*~

It's been years since that night at Rio and to this day, Sydney still isn't sure if she and Mike went to Rio or not. In her mind though, they'll always have that one crazy night in Rio.
Ok, what do you think? It was just me being bored and having fun. But, I would still love to know what you thought. Am I nuts? Did you hate it? Please tell me!!! Please!!!