Disclaimer: Alias is owned by ABC, Touchstone, is the creation of JJ Abrams and Bad Robot Productions.

This is my first Alias fic. I'd love to get feedback! Please review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far.

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The Guardian Angel - Chapter 21

Sydney swung around upon hearing the voice in the dark. She turned on the light to find Sark sitting on the couch, smirking at her.

"What are you doing here?" she gasped.

"Well, hello to you too!" Sark responded in his trademark cocky demeanor.

"How did you get here?"

"I have my ways," Sark answered.

Silence soon filled the room as both of them stared at each other. Neither said a word, because neither knew what to say. Remembering the hospital scene, Sydney reminded herself to steer clear of the question on Sark's honesty. She felt awkward, not knowing how to act around Sark.

The silence was broken when Sark spoke. "I didn't lie to you."

Sydney's eyes widened slightly in surprise. She wasn't expecting Sark to bring this up so soon.

"But then again, why should you believe me?" Sark continued, his voice tainted with bitterness.

Again, Sydney was at a loss for words. A large part of her really wanted to believe Sark but there was still that annoying voice in the back of her head telling her otherwise.

"Anyway, I should go," he said as he got up from the couch.

"Andrew."

Sark chuckled softly, although his eyes betrayed the sadness that threatened to crush him. "She won," he muttered softly as he gazed off into the distance.

"It's not over yet," Sydney answered while asking herself if she even knew what she was saying. As she said this, she once again realized the pure evil that defined Irina. That fact that she could lie to Sark about his identity for all these years made Sydney feel sick to the stomach.

"She played me like the perfect toy. She's probably laughing her head off now."

"Nobody has won anything, Andrew," Sydney continued. "There's still a long way to go before anyone can claim victory."

"Perhaps," Sark answered. "All I know is that she is going to pay for trying to fuck with me."

"That's more like the Sark that I know," she said with a faint smile.

Sark responded with a brief smirk. "Well, you must be awfully happy now."

"Why do you say that?"

"At least you don't have to go around and announce to the world that you have a heartless murderer as your brother," he answered, half-jokingly.

Sydney cringed slightly as she heard Sark's words. "I don't know that much about you," she began, "but somehow, I don't think you'd make too bad of a brother." She wasn't lying. She wasn't able to deny it anymore. She had grown fond of Sark. In fact, she was somewhat glad that Sark wasn't her brother, because she was sure that she was falling in love with him.

Another smirk from Sark. "Interesting," he comments cockily. "Miss Bristow is complementing me. A historic moment indeed."

Sydney could not help but grin at this comment. Although she cared for Vaughn deeply, she could never experience moments such as these with him. Vaughn made her feel safe, but he didn't really make her feel happy. "So what do you plan to do now?" she finally asked as her mind snapped back to reality.

"There's some unfinished business I need to take care of," Sark answered seriously, his blue eyes showing great intensity.

"Don't do anything stupid," Sydney cautioned, although she knew that Sark was probably more level-headed than herself when it came to dangerous situations.

"Is it just me or are you actually concerned for my safety?" he answered as a boyish smirk emerged on his face.

"Don't push it, Andrew," she replied with a mischievous grin.

The sound of a car pulling up the driveway startled both of them. "I have to go, Sydney."

"How can I contact you?"

"I'll keep in touch, don't worry," he answered vaguely. As he walked out the back door, he turned around once again. "Oh, and Sydney?" he began, "be careful of who you trust. Things aren't always as they seem."

He was gone before Sydney could ask him about his mysterious comment. The door soon opened as Francie and Will walked in. "Hey Syd," Francie called out cheerfully. "What are you doing standing alone in the living room?"

"Oh, I couldn't the novel that I was reading," she lied. "I've been looking all over the house for it."

"Silly girl," Francie laughed, "it's right there on the couch!"

Sydney forced a smile at her lame excuses, hoping that Francie would not notice. She breathed a sigh of relief when her roommate began to tell her all about her date with Will. As she began to relax listening to Francie's stories, she was jolted back to alertness by Francie's sudden outcry. "Syd! You're so bad!!!"

A look of confusion was all Sydney could muster as a reaction.

"Don't play innocent with me, Sydney Bristow," Francie answered with a mock angry tone. "Reading a novel indeed!! You really think that I would not notice the scent of this exquisite cologne lingering in the air?"

Sydney opened her mouth to reply but no words came out.

"So who he?" Francie asked with a sly smile. "Is he cute?"

Sydney rolled her eyes and smiled. "He's just a friend from work. No big deal!"

After a few more minutes of prodding for details, Francie decided to make herself a snack. As she disappeared into the kitchen, Will came and sat beside Sydney. "So how did he manage to escape?"

Sydney sighed and shrugged. "I have no idea. He says that he has his ways."

Will chuckled at the response. "Typical Sark answer."

Sydney responded by nodding. "I just can't figure him out."

"Sark is not your ordinary guy, you know."

The two remained in relative silence for a few moments before Will spoke again. "Something else bothering you?"

"Andrew told me something just before he left."

Sydney hesitated as she debated whether to tell Will or not. "He told me that he wanted me to help him find his real family," she replied, deciding to lie and heed Sark's advice about not trusting anyone.

~ to be continued ~