Okay, I'm here to pull you back off that cliff. And the mystery phone voice is. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Michael's cell phone began to ring inside his jacket. Sydney fished it out and didn't recognize the number on the display.

"Hello?"

"Hello Sydney." Michael glanced at his wife to figure out who called, slamming the car to the side of the road as he saw her face go pale.

"Syd?" he was glad he hadn't hit anything pulling over so abruptly, but all he cared about was the dazed expression on Sydney's face. "Honey, are you okay?" She slowly turned to face him as she turned the phone off.

"Michael, that was my mother. She's coming over for dinner tomorrow."

"What?" he could feel his face going red. "That's ridiculous. We need to call someone."

"She said she wants to explain, to talk. Don't you understand, she knew to call your phone. She knew we were alone. She knows where we live. We have to have been watched, monitored. She's got a plan and once again, we're right at the center of it."

"Sydney, the rules are different this time. We're not agent and handler anymore. We're a family and Irina Derevko doesn't get to control this."

Sydney gave a quivery laugh. "I feel like I should make a mother-in-law joke." He could see she was more confused by all this than he was.

"Sydney, what do you want to do?"

"I don't know. It's been a year. But she wants a chance to really explain and damn it, Michael, but I really want to give her that chance. I want to hear once and for all who and what she is. I want the history of my family resolved before we meet the future." Sydney lay a protective hand over the small bulge in her stomach.

"We have to at least call Jack. If your dad were to find out we met with her-let her into our house-without telling him first, the outcome could endanger all of Southern California." They both smiled at his small joke.

"Yes, I'll call dad. It will be better to have him there. They can handle each other."

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

The phone conversation with her father replayed in her head as Sydney placed silverware around the dining room table. Michael was watching over the pasta as it boiled and Jack was preparing a loaf of garlic bread. Both men had taken the day off from work to stay with her, even though she had insisted that was unnecessary.

Jack had been expectably incensed at Irina's audacity in contacting Sydney. But he also understood, perhaps better than even Sydney herself, the need to understand the past. He agreed to not involve the CIA-yet-so that Sydney would have one true opportunity to talk to her mother. He also insisted on coming over that night to search the house for anything Irina might have been using to track them. Memories of the bugs in her apartment were painfully close as some gadget of Marshall's that Jack had brought found three listening devices and motion sensor piggybacked onto their own security system. The work was delicate and clearly professional, which was only that much more unsettling. Part of Sydney hoped it was her mother who had been listening because the alternatives were even more unnerving.

Michael had been amazing throughout that evening and the day that followed. Though he was shaken and nervous too, his first thought was always for Sydney and the baby, insisting that she sleep, eat and shower so that the mental strain would create minimal physical problems for either of them. The day had seemed interminable as Sydney seemed to just be waiting for evening, so around noon when Michael appeared with her tennis shoes, she was more than willing to take a long walk through the neighborhood. She knew he wanted to talk about everything that was on her mind but she loved him for not bringing it up. Instead, they checked out a neighbor's remodel job, examined the landscaping of other homes and talked about the small pond they wanted to add to the backyard. Finally, as the rested on a bench in the small park a few blocks from the house, she leaned against his shoulder and sighed.

"Tired?" he asked.

"No. Worried. Are you going to be okay with this?" Her brown eyes locked on his with concern.

His hand came up to stroke her hair. "Syd, I made my peace with your mother a long time ago. I'll be okay. I'm more worried about you. About what she might have come here to tell you."

"That is what I find simply amazing about you, Michael C. Vaughn. You have been hurt so deeply, but you still forgive and move on. I'm not sure I can do that."

"I can only forgive Irina because I love you so very much. She isn't allowed to be obstacle in our relationship. And I know that she hurt you, but maybe you need this chance to find peace with your mother so that you're completely ready to be a mother yourself."

She beamed up at him. "Amazing and wise. I knew there was a reason I married you."

"Hey, don't forget I cook too." And as they laughed on a sunny park bench, Sydney felt herself begin to relax a little.

And now she was setting a table for four, waiting for the doorbell to ring. She was ready but her nerves still jumped as she smoothed her dress for the tenth time as she walked back into the kitchen. Michael caught her and took her hands in his,

"It will be fine. Jack and I won't let anything happen." His eyes met Jack's as the older man came to put an arm around Sydney's shoulders.

"I know, but this is just so weird. Normal families do not have internationally wanted terrorist escaped cons coming for dinner uninvited."

"Screw normal," Jack said with a kiss to her forehead.

"Dad!" Sydney said in disbelief and began to laugh just as the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," both men offered.

"No. I need to," Sydney said, knowing that they would both be close behind her. She took a deep breath as she walked over and opened the door.

"Hello Sydney," Irina's greeting was identical to that on the phone the evening before.

Sydney took in the sight of her mother, clad impeccably in black linen, before she noticed the man standing slightly behind her.

"Hello mother, hello Sark. Come in." She turned to allow them to enter and caught masked anger in Jack's expression and disbelief in Michael's.

"I'm sorry to bring Alek along without warning, but I was afraid that announcing both of us as visitors when we spoke yesterday might have had results that were unpleasant."

"Well, you promised to explain," Sydney seemed to be the only one able to speak to Irina as they made their way into the living room, "this will simply be another story to relate."

Irina caught the touch of sarcasm. "I think Alek may want to explain for himself."

Sydney looked at Sark again as he took the chair next to Irina. He had aged some, but he still looked much as she remembered him, except that now he had traded in his expensive suit in favor of a shirt and jeans. "Alek is it? I did wonder if you had a first name."

"Everyone has a first name, Sydney." He stated, his countenance carefully controlled as he took in the range of emotions in the room. "I simply chose to eradicate mine from business proceedings. You know, minimalism and such."

Jack finally joined the conversation. "And this isn't business?" He asked the question to Sark, but it was clear his words were directed at Irina.

"No Jack," Irina answered him, "this is family." Sydney looked at Sark in surprise then turned to meet Michael's eyes where he sat beside her on the couch. They were both clearly thinking the same thing: how was Sark family?

Jack was quick to reply. "You never were good on separating the two before. What makes tonight different?"

"Tonight, Jack, we are setting straight the past so that we can proceed with the future." Sydney was surprised to hear her own thoughts so closely mirrored. "Sydney, how is the third month going? Still getting nauseous?" The change in Irina's tone indicated that the subject was closed for now.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Alek had been dubious when Irina wanted to proceed with contacting Sydney so soon, but new intel on Sloane had forced their hand. Not only was it time for Sydney to learn about her family history, it was also time to involve Jack and Michael in protecting them from Sloane's plans. He hadn't been surprised when the operative on surveillance detail reported that the bugs in the house had been deactivated, instead simply asking the man to step up visual and physical watch for the time being.

Walking up to Sydney's front door had been almost surreal. After month's of trying to be invisible and years of always keeping just out of her sight, to actually come up to Sydney's house like an invited guest, regardless of the fact that he was an unwelcome enemy, was counterintuitive and odd. Irina, regal as ever, was the only thing that kept him from turning around and leaving. She smiled at him as she rang the bell. "This is right Alek."

He repeated the words to himself as he sat in the living room and listened to the terse small talk, gaining confidence from the fact that this was awkward for all of them. They moved to take seats around the dinning room table. Sydney had quickly procured another place setting for him and he sat at Irina's left, facing Jack with Sydney to his left and Vaughn at the other end. They had just finished passing around the pasta, salad and bread when Irina raised her glass and spoke. "To our first true family meal."

Alek smiled as they politely tapped glasses, realizing that this seemingly normal experience was something he hadn't experienced in over twenty years. Irina's toast opened the conversation of their past again and Sydney couldn't resist the opportunity.

Her eyes met his as she asked, carefully enunciating his first name, "So Alek, how are we related?"

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~* Ahh! All the gang together at once. I hope I'm doing them justice with my characterizations, but they're a lot to juggle and there is so much for them to talk about. Vaughn is definitely my husband of the year. Sorry this is kind of short, but that seemed like a good place to stop.