A/N – note to those who have read (and are reading) my other stories. All, except this one, are on pause. But the next story, after this one, that I will work on is Persistence. So, there's something else to look forward to.
                Oh, info that you need to know. Sydney, Francie, and Will never actually met Eric Weiss. And I don't think they'd really remember his name when they'd heard it, like, 3 times. So, yeah. You'll get why I said this later in the chapter.
                And in my world Eric is allowed to tell that he works at the CIA.
                The song of the chapter is "Anytime" by Brian McKnight.
                Oh, and I have a website, and on that site I wrote that David Anders (Sark) is the cutest guy (or something to that affect) and in my guestbook, someone told me that they went to high school with him. Isn't that cool? Lol.


I can't remember
Why we fell apart
From something that was
So meant to be, yeah
Forever was the promise
In our hearts
Now, more and more
I wonder where you are
 
                Sydney sighed as she unlocked the door to her 'new' apartment. Throwing her jacket on the couch, she made her way into the kitchen. On the refrigerator was a piece of paper.
                Went to help Will with something. Be back soon. Love, Danny.
                She sighed again and pulled out a can of soda. Ginger ale. She usually only drunk it when she had a stomach ache. Something her mother had taught her. But what's the difference between a stomach ache and a heart ache? Her heart ache was making her stomach hurt… so there.
                Sydney took out some dog food and fed Donovan, who barked happily and then ate. She pet him for a minute, then made her way out of the kitchen.
                Taking a sip of her soda, she walked into her bedroom. Their bedroom. She'd have to get used to everything being hers and Danny's. Instead of just hers… or hers and Francie's. Would Donovan be theirs or would he still be hers. I mean, Sydney was the one who got him from---
                Collapsing on the bed, her thoughts wandered to everyone else. Dixon was probably at home with his family. The thought of him and Diane brought tears to her eyes. Them playing with their kids, talking to them with such caring words, because they were everything.
                Will and Danny would probably be sitting at a computer somewhere. Danny messing all the buttons up… because Danny never really liked computers even though he knew how to use them pretty well. Jackie would probably be there too. She and Will seemed to be getting closer and closer now that they weren't at each others throats.
                Francie at a club. Dancing with someone knew. Trying to meet someone who could 'take her breath away', as Francie would put it. And though Sydney always told her there was no such person… Sydney knew there were.
                Sark was probably having a better time then her. He was probably contemplating who's necklace happened to fall at his feet. Sark always did seem like the person who was "all business, no play".
                Suddenly her thoughts slipped to Michael. Where would he be? With his girlfriend? Out at a gorgeous restaurant in one of those 'dinner suits' instead of a 'work suit'. Maybe he'd be alone. Having dinner at home. Maybe spaghetti or something. She laughed at the thought of him slurping up spaghetti.
                Her laughter faded when she saw her last box to unpack. On the top was her notebook. She slid off the bed and onto the floor. Sitting cross-legged, she pulled the box in front of her and kicked it away after picking up the notebook and putting it on her lap. Smiling she ran her hands across the cover again. "Francie's been here!" "Will – the nosy future journalist" "Francie is in love with Chester from LP" "Syd luuuuvvvvs Mike (two of them. Mike from LP and Mike Vaughn, hehe)" "Scooby Doo Where Are You?!" "Girls Boys (hehe)"
                Sydney laughed out loud. Her hand fidgeted and then went to play with her necklace. But before she could reach her neck, she remembered Sark picking up her necklace and looking up towards her. "Shit." She muttered, she didn't even notice the tear fall out of her eye. But then it splashed on the page she'd just opened.
                -I'll always love him.-
                She watched as more tears fell next to the words, but never actually on them. Like they were covered by some invisible shield. Feeling depressed wasn't new… but feeling alone and fake was.
                Sydney closed the book hard and slid it towards the box. Then she broke down, letting her tears fall freely.

Do I ever cross your mind
Anytime
Do you ever wake up
Reaching out for me
Do I ever cross your mind
Anytime
I miss you
 
                Francie smiled a weak smile towards Clark. "I'm sorry, what was that?" She almost had to yell over the music.
                "I was just wondering if you wanted to dance." Clark seemed to not get the hint.
                "Sorry, I don't dance. Not too good." She smiled again, then made her way to get a drink. It was the first time in a long time that she had just wanted to be alone… by alone that meant without Will or Sydney. They just seemed so occupied lately, it was a little strange. But she had things to do on her own. Opening a restaurant for one. But tonight was a free night. Sydney was probably thinking that she wanted to meet a guy.
                "I want a guy who takes my breath away." Francie slapped Sydney playfully on the shoulder.
                "Good luck." She'd replied.
                "Oh, God. I'm sorry." Francie checked to make sure she hadn't gotten any drink on the person she'd smashed into.
                "No, it's my fault. My mind was gone." As if trying to express more then words, his hand flew over his head. "I didn't get anything on you, did I?" He smiled casually.
                Wow. Francie smiled back. "No. I was wondering the same about you…" He shook his head, looking down at himself. Nothing. "I'm still sorry. I'm usually not such a… a…" She searched in her head for the right, non-dorky, word.
                "A spaz?" He tried on for size. "Not that you are. You were just looking for a word and-"
                Francie held up a hand for him to stop. She laughed softly. "It was the right word. I'm Francie Calfo." She held out her hand. The guy took it and held it for a moment too long, then let go.
                "I'm Eric. Eric Weiss." Eric led her over to a seat and sat right after she did. "I know I said sorry about the whole head in the clouds before, but I'm not really." He smiled shyly and shivered a bit. "I never would have gotten to meet you if it hadn't of been."
                "You're sweet and all, but how do I know you're not some stalker person." Francie took a sip of her drink and fidgeted on the seat a bit.
                "Well, I work for the CIA; that should be a clue." His smile was driving her crazy.
                Well, Syd, looks like there is such a guy.
                She took a deep breath. Hell, she needed about a hundred more, but she was getting there. "The CIA? I'm guessing desk work."
                He laughed and nodded. "I'm not into field stuff. I actually got shot the other day, but other then that, it's all deskwork."
                "You were shot?" Eric nodded. Francie shook her head. "Wow, that must hurt. If you say it was only a few days ago… why are you already out in a club?"
                Eric smiled. "I just needed to get out. I don't like being confined for too long." He shrugged and went back to playing with his drink. "This is why I do desk work. I'm not confined to one office, because I usually followed my friend-" He stopped and laughed. "Okay, now I'm babbling."
                Francie laughed too.
                "Hey, you wanna dance?" He stood up and held out a hand.
                Francie glanced around the room and stood up too. "Yeah."

Still have your picture in a frame
Hear your footsteps down the hall
I swear I hear your voice
Driving me insane
How I wish that you would call
To say

                "I have to go catch a flight. I'm going away for two weeks. I told you right." Danny watched Will nod and give his hand a friendly shake. "It was nice meeting you Jackie." He smiled at her. "Tell Sydney I'll see her when I get back." He gave one last nod and then left.
                "He seems…" Jackie made a face. "Nice?"
                "Nice?" Will laughed and grabbed his keys. "Come on. We're going to dinner. Cause I'm starving." He grabbed Jackie's jacket and helped her put it on, before putting on his own.
                "No more McDonalds?" She smiled sweetly and made her way to the door.
                "Actually I was thinking more along the lines of Wendy's." Will and Jackie laughed as she slapped him playfully.
                As they got in the car, Jackie stared at Will. "Instead of just getting Wendy's and eating there, how about we get the food and then go to the pier?" She looked hopefully at Will. Jackie loved the water, and she didn't really want to have to sit on a plastic seat anymore.
                "Okay." Will smiled and pulled the car out of the driveway.
                After getting their food, they made their way to the pier. Staring at the water, Jackie remembered why she had loved L.A so much.
                The silence was too… quiet for Jackie, so she asked, "When was the last time you saw my brother Michael?"
                Will looked shocked at the sudden question. Lost in thought of how he'd ended up on the pier with Jackie, sipping a milk shake. "Um… I think it was when we just turned sixteen. We were at the beach. Michael and I were talking about hockey and Sydney and Francie were playing in the sand." Will laughed at the memory of Sydney and Francie picking shells and making castles. Then Michael and Will had tried to help, but messed it up. Which made Sydney tackle Michael and they were all laughing by the end of the day.
                "Wow." Jackie stared into the water, seeing some of her reflection. The brown hair, you couldn't tell, but her eyes were also green. "Do you think Sydney misses him?"
                "Yeah." That was it. That was all Will could think to say. He hadn't mentioned Michael to Sydney at all. But he knew Francie probably had. "So…" He tried to get off the conversation of Michael and Sydney. Leaning on the railing, he looked in the water and saw his own reflection and next to it, Jackie's. "I'm surprised you wanted to be here. You sure you don't have a hot date that's waiting for you right now?" Will joked casually.
                "Nope."  Jackie looked over to him and smiled sweetly, something gleaming in her eye. "I may be twenty, but I don't go on many dates." She laughed a bit then looked out at the water.
                "Is there a reason for that?" Will asked looking at her, she met his gaze and held it.
                "What time is it?" She asked, dodging the question.
                "Um, almost 10:00, why?" He looked worried, like the question got her upset, or it was something about him that she didn't want to be around. (Poor Will, always self-conscious)
                "Oh, I'm just moving to a new apartment tomorrow, and I still need to pack a few more things." Jackie pulled her jacket tighter and started walking down the pier. "I should really get going."
                "Want some help?" Will followed her to the car, and watched the emotions run on her face.
                Finally, she smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Do I ever cross your mind
Anytime
Do you ever wake up
Reaching out for me
Do I ever cross your mind
Anytime
I miss you
I miss you

                Michael woke up the next morning with a strange headache. "Shit." He looked at the clock. All he had to do today was tell Sydney one counter-mission and then he was off for the day. That's it. "Damn it." He muttered.
                Making his way off the bed and out the bedroom, he spotted his computer sitting on the coffee table. "Jackie…" He muttered, knowing that she probably got their earlier to use the computer and then left in a hurry.
                Michael went over to it and was about to close it when he saw 'yahoo' was open. There was the 'daily quote' and the 'daily horoscope' that Jackie had programmed into it, but Michael never really noticed them. He usually used his computer at the office, and that one Jackie hadn't gotten her hands on. But, being a very curious person he read the horoscope first:
                Sagittarius (November 23rd – December 21st) ::weekly::
                A get-together could include both you and your romantic interest. You'll be happy as usual to see some of your friends, and you could have some great conversations. Someone in a spiritual or artistic field might have some fascinating information to pass on. However, the prevailing celestial transit indicates that you'll probably want to leave early.
                Michael sighed and went to the quote.
                "You are a victim of the rules you live by."  (Jenny Holzer)
                He laughed quietly then closed the laptop. Jackie had left a note on top, with a phone number.
                Mike – call this number – I got a cell phone, yeah, me, the one who hates to talk on the telephone. – Jackie
                Instead of getting into a suit and tie like he normally did. He hurried into a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. Pulling on his leather jacket, he made his way out the door. Three hours until he would have to make the Joey's Pizza call. So, he didn't want to spend it inside his house thinking about Sydney.
                No, instead he'd be outside the house… thinking about Sydney.
                Inside his head there was a nagging memory of them that just wouldn't come out. He knew it had been a small conversation, but it seemed pretty 'important'. It annoyed him.
                Michael flipped out his cell-phone. Dialing Jackie's new number, he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.
                "Hello?" Jackie's voice filled his ear. She sounded tired a little bit, but not tired enough for Michael.
                "You wanna have lunch? I woke up late and I'm starving. Plus I've got three hours until I have to work for an hour." Michael started driving towards Jackie's new apartment before she even answered.
                "Oh, food. Need some of that." Jackie sighed. She laughed softly. "Depends. It's gotta be no Wendy's and no McDonalds."
                He paused for a moment thinking of why the hell she'd be mentioning those two places. "I'd ask why you're telling me, but I don't think I want to know."
                "It's just a little inside joke between me and--" Suddenly a banging sound filled his ear. Two curses were heard barely, right before Jackie's voice came back. "Sorry, dropped the phone. Kit Cat was right behind me and she scared me." Jackie sweet talked the cat for a second, while Michael drove into her driveway. "You're lucky you called my cell phone cause my real phone isn't hooked up." She hung up before he could reply.
                Barely two minutes later, Jackie bounced down the steps and into the car. "Hey bro."
                "You look tired… but not." Michael turned on the radio, but kept it low. Jackie always had this thing of putting it too loud, so Michael did it before her.
                "I just had a long, but good night." Jackie smiled, but didn't continue. He gave her a look, trying to get her to talk more. "What?" Michael gave her another look. "Fine. Me and Will had dinner on the pier and then he helped me pack up my stuff and then, though late at night, we moved it to the apartment."
                "And then…" Michael gave her a smile.
                "And then nothing, we talked; he went home." Jackie smacked him on the shoulder. "For now, just have a nice little lunch with your younger sister. Please?" She gave him the puppy-dog-face.
                "Oh no…" He looked away and continued to drive.

(No more)
Loneliness and heartache
(No more)
Crying myself to sleep
(Don't want no more)
Wondering about tomorrow
Won't you come back to me
Come back to me, oh

                Francie lay on the couch with Donovan. Her with a book in her hand, Donovan with his head on her leg and her petting him slowly. "You are a mellow dog sometimes, you know that?" His ears perked up a bit, but nothing else changed. Francie smiled and continued reading.
                "What are you doing here?" Sydney walked into the kitchen, glancing at Francie as she looked for stuff to make coffee.
                Francie looked up from her book, Donovan jumped from her and went to Sydney, waiting for his breakfast. She got up and followed Donovan to Sydney. "I came here because I didn't want to go home and be alone last night. I met a guy."
                Sydney's eyes shot up. "You met a guy?" She continued to make her coffee, but now she was more attentive. Francie took over the coffee as Sydney fed Donovan.
                "Yeah, he was so sweet." Francie sighed at the thought. She looked around suddenly, wondering. "Syd, where's Danny?"
                "Oh, he's gonna be gone for two weeks. Some medical convention thing." Sydney yawned and took a cup of coffee from her. "So, this guy. What's his name, what's he look like?"
                Francie smiled and gave her the details. "His name is Eric, and he's just plain gorgeous." She got a dreamy look on her face. "And he's a guy who can take my breath away. And you said it couldn't happen. So there." She stuck her tongue out.
                "We're not in high school anymore Francie. Sticking out your tongue gets you no where nowadays." Sydney laughed.
                "Oh, speaking of high school. Will called and said that Jackie invited us to dinner with her and Will. He said that Jackie was getting Michael and his girlfriend to come too." Francie bounced on the seat she'd just taken in the living. As Sydney sat next to her, she added. "We haven't seen those two in so long, I said we'd come."
                "I don't know…" Sydney trailed off, thinking about her necklace and what she thought the night before.
                "You know that you want to see him." Francie retorted. "You've wanted to see him since I told you Jackie was back and was Will's partner." She looked Sydney in the eye and said something Sydney had thought of constantly. "And you've been wondering why he never tried to contact you when he moved back."
                Sydney shook her head. Not in a 'no way' movement, but in a 'how the hell' way. "You're making it harder to say no."
                "Then don't say no." Francie pleaded. "Just come to dinner with us. You, me, Will, Michael, Jackie and what's-her-name." They both laughed. "Who cares about Michael's girlfriend? You can hate her all you want. Plus, you've got Danny."
                "Fine." Sydney whispered. "I'm tired and I've had barely any coffee. So, fine."
                "Oh, thank you. I didn't wanna go if you didn't." Francie leapt up and hugged Sydney.

Do I ever cross your mind
Anytime
Do you ever wake up
Reaching out for me
Do I ever cross your mind
Anytime
I miss you

                Jackie slapped Michael playfully. "You miss her, and you know it." She went back to her bagel and ripped a piece off, popping it in to her mouth.
                Michael smiled slowly and took a sip of his coffee. "You're up to something Jackie. You're just leading into it, instead of putting it right out there." He put his drink down and stared at her.
                "Don't give me that look." She pointed a finger at him. "Fine. I invited Will and the other two to dinner on Saturday." Looking down, she ate another piece of her bagel.
                "Jackie." Michael didn't say anything else. Anyway, her name was enough to make her realize she did wrong… or at least to him she did wrong. "I have a date with Alice that night." He finally stated.
                "Yeah, I knew you'd say that. That's why I asked her this morning if she could just come to dinner with us." Jackie smiled mischievously. "Haven't you realized yet that you can't get anything past me?" She shook her head and looked down. "Besides, Will and I have decided that you guys all need to see each other again. It's the annoying four musketeers, back together again." Jackie laughed.
                Michael smiled. "God, what'd I do to deserve you?"
                "I don't know, but it must have been pretty terrible." Michael playfully hit her. Jackie just chuckled and threw her napkin out.  "You know you love me." She kissed him on the cheek then looked at her watch. "I gotta get going."
                "We have to do this more often." Michael stood up and grabbed his jacket, throwing it over his shoulder.
                "Yeah, sister/brother bonding." She leaned on him and smiled. "You're coming on Saturday, right? Alice said it might be fun to see who you hung out with at school." She and him made their way outside.
                "Yeah. Saturday's good." Michael put his arm around his sister as they walked.

Do I ever cross your mind
Anytime
Do you ever wake up
Reaching out for me
Do I ever cross your mind
Anytime
I miss you

                "Hello?" Sydney's voice shot through his head.
                Michael muttered, "Joey's Pizza?" He could barely make those two words into a question.
                "Sorry, wrong number." There was something in her tone and the loudness as she hung up.
                Michael stared at the phone for a few seconds before pressing the 'talk' button and throwing it on the couch.
                Ten minutes later, somehow he'd made it to the warehouse. A yellow folder in his hands, he threw it on the table and slid into the chair himself to start waiting for Sydney. When the cage door opened, he didn't even look up. Scared of what he might see.
                "Hey?" The greeting from her was in the form of a question. He finally looked up; her eyes searched his for something that would show why he hadn't greeted her like he did the other day.
                "Sorry." He whispered. "My mind's not completely focused today." It's focused. Just not on the missions. It's just focused on her. "Sorry." He said again.
                "You didn't have to say that the first time." Sydney laughed and walked farther into the cage. "So, what's my counter?" She sat on one of the crates. She'd done some moving around. One day she'd sit in the chair, one day on the desk, and this time on the crate.
                "Oh, you just have to take pictures…" He looked on the desk and picked up the camera that was stationed next to the folder. Memorized the folder just a few minutes ago.
                "Ok, simple enough." Sydney's hand itched to play with her necklace, but that'd be hard since it wasn't there. "Did Jackie tell you about-"
                "Dinner? Yeah." Michael looked away from her. "I told her I'd be there… only because my girlfriend told her we'd be there."
                Sydney nodded slowly. "Yeah, Francie begged me to go, so I told her I'd go."
                "What about…" Michael searched his head for the guy's name. "Danny? That's his name right?"
                Sydney smiled brightly. "Yeah, that's his name. But he's going to be gone for two weeks. Some medical convention thing." She shrugged and rolled her neck. "Sorry, I just slept wrong." She laughed.
                Michael smiled (finally) and nodded then looked back up to her. Then he noticed something. "Where's your necklace?" Sydney looked up, shocked. "You've had a necklace on every meeting we've had." His eyes squinted in confusion.
                "Oh." Sydney's hand went straight to her neck. She frowned noticeably. "I... lost it, I guess you could say. On the last mission I had." She sighed. "The clasp broke, I put it in my bag, it fell out and down the steps… and Sark found it." She sighed again, this time more sadly. "That's the cliff notes version anyway."
                "Oh." He muttered. "I was just wondering, cause you were always playing with it. Was it an important necklace?" He was clueless as to what the necklace was from. (Which means he didn't know it was the chain he'd given her.)
                "It was pretty important. I've had it… for years now." Sydney nodded, not knowing if she should tell him. Finally, she decided she should. "It was the necklace you gave me actually."
                Michael looked up sharply. All the times she had started playing with the necklace while around him, he'd thought it'd been a gift from her fiancé or her friends… maybe even her father. But instead she'd worn the necklace that she'd had for ten years. Ten years.
                "Sark huh?" Michael watched Sydney nod.
                "I told you I'd lose it." She laughed, almost happily, but not really.
                "If I could go back in time, I'd still make you take it." Michael looked up at her and caught her eye. She just nodded slowly. Both wished they really could go back in time.

I miss you

                Eric and Michael walked into Michael's house. Michael collapsed on the couch, while Eric 'fell' into the chair. "What'd you say her friend's name was?"
                "Well, there's Will. And then there's Francie." Michael kicked his shoes off and sat up to take his jacket off. "Why'd you wanna know?"
                "Cause how many girls do you think there are named Francie." Eric asked, immediately Michael shook his head in a 'not many' way. "Yeah, so this means that I met Sydney's friend Francie."
                Michael sat up quickly, shock in his eyes. "When did you meet Francie?"
                "Well, I told you the other night that I wanted to get out. I was tired of sitting there just because I was shot and just got out of the hospital…" Michael nodded. "Well, I went to that new club and met her there. And we danced and we talked and we've got a lot in common." Eric finished finally.
                Michael opened his mouth to comment, but the phone interrupted him. He grabbed the phone and said, "Hello?"
                "Michael?" Alice's voice shot through him. Not in a good way for some reason.
                "Hey Alice." Michael looked over to Eric who threw his head back in a very annoyed way. He never liked Alice.
                "I – um – I…" She paused for a second. "I can't make it on Saturday." Alice finally finished after about five minutes.
                You have got to be kidding me. "Why?" Was the only word that Michael could make out. The only reason he'd been going in the first place was because Jackie told him Alice wanted to.
                "I have to have dinner with my boss' family. And believe me Michael; he will fire me if I don't go." Alice's voice was begging him to forgive her.
                "Fine. I'm too tired to even think right now." Michael muttered. He seriously wanted to just lie down and die at that moment, but he was gonna wait until Eric went home for that.
                "Well, I'll call you later." Alice said before she hung up.
                "So?" Eric asked as Michael hung up the phone. "What's going on with Miss Wonderland?"
                Michael just stared at the phone. Finally he muttered something and then stated clearly. "I'm going to dinner with them alone. She's not going." His head hit the arm of the couch again, this time harder though. "Oh, I hate today."
                Eric just laughed.

I miss you

                Jackie looked towards the clock in Will's apartment. 7:00, where is he? She'd told Michael to be at Will's house at the latest 6:45. He's fifteen minutes late.
                A knock on the door jarred her from her thoughts.
                "I'll get it." Will put his glass of wine down and got up, leaving the three girls to talk.
                Michael stood outside, leaning against the railing, waiting for someone to answer the door. He'd sat in his car in front of his own house for five minutes before actually driving. Then he'd sat in front of Will's apartment, thinking about what he was about to do. Then finally realizing that Jackie would kill him if he didn't show, let alone he was already 15 minutes late.
                "Hey." Will answered the door and ushered Michael in. "It's good to see you again." He shook Michael's hand, trying to get a feeling of familiarity, but he couldn't conjure it up.
                The same was going with Michael. "It's nice to see you too, Will." As they walked into the living room, he made sure Jackie could hear the next part. "I'm sorry I'm late, I just got caught up in something at home." Jackie gave him a glare which he ignored full on.
                "Michael!" Francie jumped up and hugged him.
                "Hey Francie. I'm glad to see you again." He genuinely was glad. Francie had been the best at keeping people grounded and just perfectly happy about things. No matter what happened, if Francie was there, there was a smile on anyone's face. "Hey Sydney." Francie had finally let go of him and sat down. He stayed standing.
                "Hey Michael." Sydney pulled him into a tight hug. "It's great to see you again. We all missed you." When she let him go, she looked over to Jackie. "We missed you too, Jackie." She sat down.
                Michael sat next to Will and laughed as Jackie jumped up and pulled Will with her, running into the kitchen.
                He wasn't the only one laughing. "So, you guys wanna bet on when they'll finally get together?" Francie coughed as she sipped her own wine. "I swear, Will and her were at each other's throats when they first became partners."
                "No one would realize that now." Michael sat back, trying his hardest to relax. It was pretty hard to relax with your ex-girlfriend, especially one that you fell in love with the moment you saw her, sitting across from you. Pretend you're in the warehouse. Pretend you're just going over a mission. Except that'd be no different. He'd still be sitting across from her, just this time they weren't alone.
                Two hours later they were all finally 'comfortable' sitting at the table with Chinese food eaten and discarded around them. Fortune cookies were left.
                "You do not want Will to cook. And I swear, if I hadn't watched him dial the phone, he'd have ordered Domino's Pizza or something." They all laughed.
                Sydney took a sip of her wine, Francie just fingered hers. Will and Michael were both holding beer. Jackie was just playing with her fortune cookie, a glass of Root Beer sitting next to her hand. Since she was underage (only 20 mind you, almost 21) Michael wouldn't let her drink any alcohol, wine, nothing. Talk about protective brother.
                "What's it say Jackie?" Sydney nodded toward the fortune cookie between Jackie's fingers.
                Jackie just smiled and ripped the fortune out. "No one is perfect until you fall in love with them." She just smiled, not explaining that she knew what it meant. "Francie?
                Francie opened her cookie and read her fortune. "Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends. I like that one."
                "Adding it to your collection?" Sydney asked as Francie nodded and put it in her purse. "So, Will. Your turn." Sydney watched him carefully open it so as not to break the cookie halves in half.
                "Lead me not to temptation, I can find it on my own." Will smiled mischievously. "They have weird ones, don't they?" He muttered as he slid it into his back pocket. "So, Syd?"
                "When you relinquish the desire to control your future, you can have more happiness." Sydney read aloud. She didn't smile though, she just took a sip of her wine and put her fortune on the table.
                Jackie looked towards her brother who had already opened and was reading his fortune silently. "What's it say, bro?"
                Michael shook his head, he couldn't read it. Not now any way. He slid it into his pocket without anyone seeing.
                "I have to get up early tomorrow, so I should get going." Michael stood up and went back into the living room, everyone followed; they had been about to go in there anyway.
                "Ok." Jackie leaned over to him and kissed him on the cheek.
                "Oh, well, I should go to. I've got a flight tomorrow." Sydney grabbed her jacket from the couch. "I just need a ride."
                "Why don't you take Sydney home, Mike. Her house is on your way." Jackie told him. How she knew that, he'd have to ask her later.
                "I-" But he stopped when he saw Jackie's pleading look. "Okay. Sydney, you'll just have to give me directions." Sydney nodded and kissed Francie and Will on the cheek, then told Jackie how nice it was to see her again.
                When they all said their good-byes, Sydney and Michael made their way out.

I miss you

                Michael tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. He hadn't expected Jackie to ask him to drive Sydney home. Hell, the look of pure shock on his face when Jackie asked probably gave him away at that.
                "Turn left and go two blocks and you're there." Sydney instructed him. He hadn't spoken. Just nodded and gave a little 'sure' 'yes' and 'no'.
                They had gotten to her house, but she wasn't sure whether to just say bye or- "Do you want to come in?" Before he could shake his head, without even speaking, she mentioned. "I'm sure Donovan would love to see you." She smiled and opened the door.
                Without a sound, Michael got out and followed her to the door. The minute she opened it, Donovan came bounding up to her, licking her hand, then traveling to Michael, who bent down and pet the dog softly, smiling when the dog barked happily.
                "Are you gonna talk at all?" Sydney had taken off her jacket, thrown her keys on the counter and crossed her arms all in the split minute that he'd been inside. She wasn't angry, a little sad that he hadn't spoken.
                He was just shocked. And not by the fact that he'd driven her home and was now in her house. But by the feeling he was having just being near her. And somehow, but the look in her eyes mostly, he knew she was feeling the same.
                "I don't know what to say." Michael whispered as he stood up, letting Donovan go run into another room. "I didn't expect to be here. And honestly, I didn't really want to."
                Sydney didn't look hurt. She looked… like she understood.
                Before she could say anything, he continued to speak. "Can we… talk here?"
                She nodded. "Yeah, my dad got this thing that makes all the bugs… 'die'." She smiled, then frowned quickly.
                "Did you know that I wasn't supposed to be your handler?" Michael watched her shake her head. "Eric was supposed to. But he begged me to take over the handler/agent assignments, because of something that happened the last time." He ran a hand through his hair and looked away. "And honestly if I had known that you were the agent, I never would have given in to him."
                Sydney looked away and then finally looked back at him. "Well, I had no choice, so I guess even if I could go back-" She stopped.
                Michael watched her stand there. There was a look in her eyes; a pained expression, but not from him. From herself.
                "I woke up this morning with all intent purpose to go and tell Devlin that I couldn't be your handler anymore. I was going to go right after our meeting. But I couldn't and I have no idea why." Michael was shocked by the way he was just going on and on about how he didn't get off her assignment. "I saw you, and I heard you talk about the necklace and it being important…" He stopped. He'd definitely said too much. Let her talk. If she wanted to anyway.
                Silence came for a few minutes.
                Seemed like she did want to talk anyway. "I was learning to cope with the fact that I wasn't who I told anyone I was… that I was a spy, instead of 'the girl next door'. I didn't work at a bank, hell I was in a different country every week." Her voice cracked a bit and she coughed slightly. "Then David died… then I found out about SD-6 not being CIA and everything." A tear finally fell out of her eye. Only one for now. "Then you came back. And right now I hate you as much as I can for taking the assignment."
                Michael put his head down. His eyes would have shown that he was extremely hurt by her words. Hating him and all. But he picked his head up in time to hear her finish her ranting.
                "But I can't. I can't hate you. That's what I hate the most. God, I love you too much."
                Michael couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Neither could she, as two more tears stained her cheeks. He walked towards her, not sure what he himself was going to do. Before she could say anything else, take it back or whatever, he kissed her; hard.
                Sydney's mind went blank. Her former rant was forgotten. She could taste the few tears she'd cried, and him. He tasted like peppermint toothpaste and the small sip of beer he had at Will's.
                When they pulled away, they only did it for need of oxygen.
                Michael backed away slowly, only two or three feet. "I shouldn't have done that." He whispered over and over again. Shouldn't have done that.
                "Why should you have done that?" Sydney couldn't say 'kiss me'. He'd done more then kiss her; without even knowing it. He'd helped her make up her mind about what she wanted most in this world; Him.
                "Because I have a girlfriend. And you… you've got a fiancé. And I'm not even mentioning the CIA's rules and how-" He stopped short. He couldn't do this, he couldn't stand in front of her, having just kissed her, and tell her why they couldn't be together.
                "Then why did you do it?" Sydney was finally getting her mind back as she wiped her cheeks; she quickly looked him straight in the eye.
                "Because-" Michael sighed and felt as if his heart would break in two right there. He looked at her with a tender expression; she nearly melted at the sight.  "Because I love you too." He whispered. Sydney could practically hear her own heart pound in her chest. "And I hate that I can't spend a moment not thinking about you. That's why I wanted to go to Devlin. If I couldn't have you, then at least when thinking about you, I wouldn't have to worry about seeing you."
                Sydney wished he'd stop. Every word he'd said made perfect since and she couldn't stand it. "Stop." She whispered, sending another tear down her cheek. "Stop making sense. Everything you've said makes sense." He moved closer to her, closing the distance between them. "This feeling doesn't make sense."
                "Yeah, it does." Michael whispered before kissing her again. Now that didn't make sense. Giving her all those reasons for why they couldn't be together, then kissing her. But hey, she'd told him to stop making sense.
                Before anything else could happen, the phone rang, drawing them apart from each other quickly.
                Sydney, trying to get her breathing under control, grabbed the phone. "Hello…" Michael listened as she turned her back to him. "Hi Danny…" His heart broke the moment he heard the name. "Yeah, I'm sure… oh, it's just a cold…" She was lying because of the kiss. The two kisses that never should have happened. Michael turned to the door as she tried to get off the phone. He leaned on the door frame, waiting, he had to see her face before he could leave.
                "Yeah, Danny." She whispered. He could almost hear Danny speaking. "Love you too." She hung up the phone. There was nothing in her last three words. At least, there wasn't the emotion she'd just expressed in those words minutes ago.
                Michael watched her expression dance from emotion to emotion. He turned and closed the door behind him.
                Pulling his fortune from his pocket he let it drop face up on his porch, then got in his car and drove away.
                "Soul mates always find each other."

I miss you