A/N: I'm so happy that you all enjoyed the last chapter. I was afraid that I had really butchered it or something. And yeah, I do know that Sark is actually a few years younger than Sydney, but in my story they're the same age. Work with me. And I know that Sark told Caplan a few episodes that he went to boarding school in England, but you must remember that Sark didn't say that that was during high school… So here's chapter 5. There's not really going to be much humour in this chapter, but hope you enjoy it anyways!
xoxox Vanessa
PS – yes Sydney is wearing a commlink
REUNION
CHAPTER 5 – flashback confessions
"Let's hear it for our king, Steve Starkson and our queen, Sydney Bristow, er, Vaughn."
Sydney gave a stunned Michael a quick kiss and made her way to the center of the gym. As the music of Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' filled the gymnasium, she met with the man who had been the king to her queen 10 years earlier, and gasped in shock.
"Hello Sydney." He said in a calm voice.
"Sark!"
"Why yes Sydney, it is me." He said in a cool, accent-less voice as he took her in his arms and started to dance with her.
"But… You… How?"
"How did I get in here?" He laughed. "Oh don't worry. I didn't have to assume an alias in the same way Dixon and those other agents over there did." He said, nodding towards where Dixon, Weiss, and Michael stood in shock.
"Then how…?"
"Hmmm. Isn't it amazing what hair dye, colour contacts, expensive suits, and adopting a British accent can do?"
Sydney just looked at him in stunned silence, a million questions running through her head. Other guests at the reunion were starting to make their way onto the dance floor.
"And I assume you're wondering about the name." He questioned. She nodded, mouth agape, in response. "Hmmm, I'd think you could figure that out yourself. Starkson doesn't exactly sound like the kind of name one of the most feared men in the world would have, now does it?" He received no response and continued. "So I shortened it. Sark sounded much more evil."
"I knew you seemed familiar the first time we 'met'. But I never imagined…" Sydney's mind was functioning now. She glanced over to Michael and saw him looking to be talking to himself, but she could hear him talking to her father over the commlink.
"Hmmm. Never imagined that it was Steve? Your boyfriend for the last 3 months of senior year?" He laughed. "I suppose I did do an excellent job of hiding my past. Even from Sloane. Not even he knew my first name. You see, if I had given that information too easily, it would have been too easy for you to figure it out."
"But why?" Sydney asked as she heard her father's voice over the earpiece telling her to keep him talking. "Why did you do this?"
"Do what?" He asked innocently.
"Why did you want to become one of the most 'feared men in the world' as you so put it."
"After the breakup, I'm sure you can understand why I was so bitter." He spat, recalling the memory.
FLASHBACK TO JUNE, 1993
They were at a party at Cyndi's house, celebrating the end of the school year. Sydney was sitting on a couch, drinking a beer, deep in thought.
"Hey Syd." Steve said, making his way to the couch and giving her a quick kiss.
"Hi Steve." She replied, a halfhearted smile on her face.
"What's wrong babe?" He smiled at her.
"Nothing." She replied. They sat in silence for a few minutes. "Wanna go for a walk?" She asked.
"Sure." He replied eagerly. "I'd do anything for you Syd." He smiled nervously at his confession, thinking to himself that he would soon be confessing even more to her.
They made their way outside where many drunken teenagers were having fun. They kept walking until they found a quiet place to talk and sat down.
Steve leaned in to kiss her, but Sydney moved her head and he got her cheek instead.
"Syd, what's wrong?" He asked, concerned.
"Steve, I have to tell you something." She said, a serious tone in her voice.
"Me too." He said, smiling. "I don't think I can keep it in any longer. Can I go first please?"
Sydney smiled and nodded. He always had the greatest manners.
"Sydney… I… I love you." He smiled nervously, pleased that he had finally told her.
Sydney's smile left her face. "Steve…"
"Yes?" He interrupted, anticipating her return of the words.
"Steve, I think we should see other people."
END FLASHBACK
"I tell you that I love you and what do you do? You break up with me."
"Sark, I…"
"And now you only see me as 'evil Sark.' You can't even say my real name. Was I that horrible to you?" He asked, obviously still hurting 10 years later.
"Sar… Steve." She said. "I never meant to hurt you. I just…"
"You just didn't love me like I loved you. Actually, you didn't love me at all."
"Steve… that's not fair. I liked you a lot, but I just didn't want to spend the rest of my life with you. It was just some high school fun."
"That's all I was to you? Some fun? Even now, that's it? After all I've done for you." He was getting really upset now, people were starting to stare.
"What is it exactly that you've done?" Sydney asked tentatively, pulling away from him.
"This. Everything." He yelled. "Everything I've done in the past 10 years has been for you. Because I still love you!"
"Sark, you've done some pretty bad things."
"To get closer to you!" He yelled. He stopped yelling when noticed Michael Vaughn, Marcus Dixon, Eric Weiss and Jack Bristow closing in around him, preventing any chance escape.
"Shit."