Chapter 38:  Waking Up

Sark entered an overly bright room where a little girl with beautiful long brown hair sat at a miniature table playing tea party.  She had her back to him but as he moved closer she turned around and smiled at him.  She beckoned him closer.  "Hello, I'm having a tea party, would you like to join me?"  The girl asked in a surprisingly adult manner.

"I'm sorry young lady but I am in a bit of a hurry.  I am looking for Sydney Bristow; do you know where I can locate her?"  Sark asked seating himself in one of the tiny chairs.

The little girl giggled.  "You're so silly!"

"Do you know where she is?"  Sark asked again as he took a sip of imaginary tea.

"I know where she is…and so do you."  The little girl said in a sing song voice.

"Where is she?"  Sark asked.

"She's close, very, very close." The girl whispered as her eyes darted around the room as if afraid.

"Is she in trouble?"  Sark asked worried.

"Not yet!"  The girl said smiling.  "Do you want to play a game?"

"No, time.  I have to find Sydney."  Sark said but he couldn't get up from the chair.  "What is happening?  I cannot move."  Sark said looking to the girl for answers.

The girl looked sad.  "There is only one way to leave my tea party…"  She said shaking her head.  "Stay and play with me a while, I have lots of tea and cake."

"I do not like tea and I do not like cake, I need to find Sydney, her life is at stake."  Sark replied Seuss-ishly.  He was quickly losing control of the situation and he didn't like it.

"But you will insult Jack Bear, Irina the Ballerina, and GI Mike if you leave so soon."  The girl admonished him. 

Sark looked at the bear, ballerina, and GI figures that were sitting around the table.  The longer he looked the more they became the real Jack Bristow, Irina Derevko, and Michael Vaughn.

"Let him leave, we don't need him!"  Vaughn said disdainfully as he shifted his rocket launcher from one shoulder to the other.

"If you leave, I'll only have to bring you back."  Jack said darkly as he crossed his hairy arms in front of him.

"Please stay a little longer; there are so many things I can teach you."  Irina bribed smiling as she raised her arms over her head and tilted her head to stretch out her body.  She looked quite fetching in her ballerina attire.

"I'll stay a little longer if you tell me where I can find Sydney."  Sark compromised.  He looked down and realized that he was wearing a tux and his entire body was quite stiff.  He'd turned into a Ken doll.

Irina, Jack, Vaughn and the little girl burst out into laughter.

"Open your eyes young pup!"  Jack roared between laughs.

"Sark really, have you not figured it out yet?" Irina asked reproachfully.

"You stupid fool; she's right in front of you."  Michael scoffed rolling his eyes and tipped his helmet up.

The little girl giggled as Sark stared at her, enlightened.

"But you're so young!"  Sark exclaimed puzzled.

"And she's going to stay that way!" Jack warned gruffly as he brushed some crumbs from his furry chest.

"She's safer that way."  Vaughn added as Sydney fed him some cake.

"Don't worry; she has us to keep her safe."  Irina said as she did a pirouette.

A face popped out of a box and yelled out "They are coming, there is no escape!"  The face looked suspiciously like Arvin Sloane.  Vaughn and Jack jumped up and stuffed the face back into the box and closed it.

"I don't want to die."  The little Sydney said sadly shivering.

"You are not going to die."  Sark said putting his hand over hers.  "I'll protect you."

"Do you promise?"  Sydney said brightening.

"I promise."  Sark said as he kissed her on the forehead.

"Oh no!"  Everyone cried.  They watched in horror as Sydney began to age rapidly.

There was a loud banging at the door. 

"They've come for me!"  Sydney, who had aged to her adult self, cried out fearfully.

"No!  You're safe, this is only a dream."  Sark said as he woke up.

There was a knock at the door.

"Give me a moment!"  Sark said as he quickly put on a robe.

He opened the door and a few seconds later he was sandwiched in a hug between Irina and Jack.

"We're so glad you're safe darling."  Irina said eyes tearing emotionally.

"Yes, son, you had your mother and I worried sick, you should have called us and let us know where you were!"  Jack admonished gently and gave Sark another half hug.

"Oh Jesus, wake up Sark, wake up!"  Sark whispered under his breath.