AN: Thanks to everyone that's been reviewing my fic. It means a lot to me. Sorry, I know I've been really spacing out my chapter updates than usual, but I seem to have a lot more stuff going on than before. Also I'm not exactly sure yet about what I want to do for the ending. Anyways, enjoy and please review!

Just wanted to give a shout out to my wonderful beta, Michelle!

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Chapter 12

Irina's POV

"I had to see her at least one more time, Jack."

"I'm just going to leave the two of you alone now." Sark started out of the room. Irina almost laughed. He had met Jack before and was scared to death of him.

Jack didn't even seem to notice or acknowledge Sark's departure at all. All she could see was Jack visibly clenching his teeth.

"We had an agreement. I wouldn't tell anyone about what I knew about your organization, and you would leave Sydney alone. You purposely broke that agreement, and you kidnapped her!"

"You say it as if it's a bad thing." All she wanted to do was see her daughter. Why is that such a crime? It's not like she hurt her or anything.

Jack seemed to be getting angrier by the minute. If she didn't know him so well, she would say that he was acting out of character. To the world, Jack Bristow was a calm and somewhat cold man. He rarely ever showed any feeling at all. Irina guessed that she was partly to blame for that.

"What do you mean? You kidnapped my daughter!"

"She's my daughter too." Just because Jack raised her, doesn't mean she's any less of Irina's daughter.

"No, Sydney was never your daughter. She was Laura Bristow's daughter and that woman died a long time a go." Even though she understood Jack's anger and resentment towards her, it still hurt her when he said cruel words like that.

"No, Jack. That woman never existed. I always was - and always will be - Irina Derevko. Who I was back then was me. It was just a different side of me I rarely show to people."

Jack laughed bitterly at her. "You expect me that believe that bull? It wasn't a different side of you. It was all an act. Laura Bristow was just someone you played to get what you wanted."

"That's not true." How could she make him understand? That during the time she was with him, she was herself. Maybe herself for the first time. In this business, you had to be strong and ruthless. There was no room for kindness and love. When she was Laura Bristow, she was able to show that side of herself that she had hidden away for so long.

"I'm tired of your lies, Irina. Don't expect me to keep your secrets any longer. We had a deal, and you broke it."

Irina's voice was quiet as she spoke again. "They won't find me, Jack. You know as well as anyone that they won't. CIA may be smart, but I've outsmarted them numerous times. I will prevail once again."

"Not this time you won't." Irina saw Jack grab his gun out of his holster and aim it at her. She couldn't believe Jack was that naive. Of all the things she had learned over the years, one of them was to have a backup plan.

Sark crept up quietly behind Jack and knocked him unconscious.

"Can I kill him?" Irina shook her head.

"No, leave him. We must go." She grabbed Sark's arm and they ran out of the room.

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Sydney's POV

Sydney closed the door and leaned her head back against it. She saw Francie walk by and stop.

"Sydney, what's wrong?" Great. Just what she needed. Another person to worry about her.

Sydney put on a fake smile. "Nothing, Fran. I'm just tired from work."

Francie sighed and shook her head. "I still don't understand why you haven't quit that bank job already. I mean all the trips they send you on are just ridiculous especially that one that lasted two weeks."

"Francie, you know I can't do that. My job means a lot to me."

"Whatever, Syd. Will and I were going to watch a movie. Do you want to join us?" Sydney thought about it for a minute and decided some time with her friends would do her some good.

"Sure, why not? What movie are we watching?" Sydney asked as she followed Francie into the living room.

"Moulin Rouge." She almost laughed as she saw Will roll his eyes.

"I don't know why you always want to watch this movie. You must have seen it as least 12 times." Francie grabbed a pillow and playfully wacked Will with it.

"Hello? Ewan McGregor?" Sydney and Francie laughed together while Will rolled his eyes once again.

"Whatever. Let's just watch the movie and get it over with." They sat and watched the movie, occasionally making jokes and having a good time. It had been a long time since she had just hung out with her friends and relaxed. So many things had been happening lately that she didn't have the time.

It wasn't until the end of the movie that she started getting a little depressed. Luckily, Francie was too busy crying, and Will was too busy being annoyed by the movie to really notice Sydney's sadness.

The movie sort of reminded her of her own life. If she tried to have a non-platonic relationship with Vaughn, it could end up in her death or both of their deaths. What was it worth? What exactly were her feelings for him? She knew there was something there. She had some feelings for him, but did she love him? Sydney was pretty sure she did, but she didn't want to admit it. It would just make things harder on her and him. How could they just see each other every day and just try to deny that there was something there? That they had deep feelings for each other? Sydney wasn't sure if she could be that strong. If she was willing to wait that long.

"Sydney? Earth to Sydney." She realized that Will was talking to her and pulled out of her thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go out for dinner?" Sydney thought about it and decided she just wasn't up for it anymore.

"No thanks. I think I'm just going to go to sleep. I'm pretty tired."

"Alright, we'll see you later then."

"Bye you guys. Have fun." She led them to the door and locked it behind them after they left.

Just as she did, the phone rang. Sydney searched for the phone and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Joey's Pizza?" What was Vaughn doing calling right now? It was pretty late.

"Sorry, wrong number." She hung up the phone and grab her keys from the table. Hurrying out the door, she wondered what was going on.

*only a couple more chapters to go!