-I'm in a good mood so you get two chapters tonight. This ones not stellar, but I have to let Syd in on what has happened in the past two years before I throw her into a whole new life of secrets and lies. So please, R/R, the next chapter will pop up soon.

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Watching you wanting me . . . I can feel you pull me down . . . Fearing you loving you . . . I won let you pull me down . . . -Evanescence, Haunted

*

After destroying nearly everything in sight the screaming stopped, and the tears began to fall. She fell down on the bed, the pain of the events of the day tearing at her heart. In the midst of her anger she had not stopped to consider what else had happened during her disappearance. The memory of the past two years of her life had been erased, as if they had never existed.

Two years.

So much could happen in two years, she knew this from experience. It had been nearly two years since she got involved in the CIA, and in that time she had seen more than anyone should. Her mother was alive and kicking, was never a mother at all, and had killed countless CIA agents, including Vaughn's. She was part of a prophecy that led people to believe she would bring the end of the world. She ruined her best friend's life and tarnished his reputation as a good standing reporter. SD-6 had been destroyed, only to unleash an even greater evil. Emily Sloane and Diane Dixon had been murdered. Her best friend had been killed and replaced by a double. And the truth that hurt the most right now was that she had fallen in love with her handler.

If all that had happened in her first two years as a double agent, how much had occurred in her absence? She wanted to know so much that it hurt, but the only path to discovering the answers would cause even more pain.

Her sobbing had finally ceased and she made her way over to the mirror to take one last look at herself. She now knew why she had looked so different; she was thirty-two years old. Her eyes were blood shot and her face red with tears. She did everything she could to clean herself up, yet her face looked no better than it had before. Finally she let out a loud sigh and made her way back to the bed, only to be stopped by a slight rapping on the door.

"Sydney?"

She heard the pain in his voice, his voice scratchy from the tears she knew he had cried. She did not want anything to do with him at the moment, but realized she had no choice.

"Come in."

She was impressed by the coolness of her voice, at her ability to hide the pain. Slowly he opened the door and she came face to face with something she had never wanted to see. His face was pale and streaked with tears, and his beautiful green eyes were surrounded in dark circles. Someday she would regret that she had done this to him. But that day was far off, for the pain he had caused still burnt.

He stood there for a moment, surveying the room and then her. She could sense the regret in his eyes as he was reminded of the pain he had caused her, that his was *his * fault.

"When's the extraction?"

"There is a plane waiting for us. They will provide you with a change of clothing. It will be a long flight . . ."

"Just because I have temporary amnesia doesn't mean I'm an idiot Vaughn. Are we the only two on the flight?"

"Yes."

"Great."

"Look, Syd, I know you are upset, furious with me right now, but I know you have questions. I can answer whatever you want to know."

"No, I don't think you can."

He winces at the comment, and her eyes drift to his left hand only to find it bare. Furious, she lashes out again.

"Where is your ring."

"Syd . . ."

"Where is your ring, Vaughn?"

"It's . . .it's in my pocket."

His voice is in a whisper, trying to ignore the fact that she noticed.

"So, what, did you think that if you weren't wearing it, it would all just go away? Because it doesn't, it doesn't change the fact that you fell in love with another woman. If you loved the girl enough to marry her you shouldn't feel the need to hide it."

He didn't reply, because he didn't know what to say. He just looked at her, wishing that somehow she would understand, yet still aware that she wasn't going to let this go easily.

"Put it back on."

"What?"

"You will not dishonor your wife on account of your pity for me. Put the ring back on."

He winced again at her tone. He was sure of it now; all she felt for him was hate, anger, resentment. And the worst of all, betrayal. Slowly he reached into his pocket and retrieved the band, placing it back on his finger. She nodded, and looked towards the door. He sighed once again and led the way out of the building.

*

The flight was . . .long to say the least. And one of the hardest things she had ever done. It was a rather small plane and she was mere feet from him the entire time. She felt his eyes on her the entire time; they were boring into her as if they were pleading for her forgiveness. She wanted to ask him about what she missed more than anything, but would not allow herself to. Because she knew the answers would only bring more tears and she was not about to cry in front of him. There was only one person who she had allowed herself to cry in front of in the past two years.

This was not that man.

So she slept, or at least attempted to sleep. With everything running through her head it was difficult. And after what seemed like forever, the plane finally landed. She awoke from her "sleep" and adjusted her eyes to the light, only to find him staring at her still. He shook his head and proceeded to attempt to help her up, only to have her resist his touch once again.

When the door finally opened she found her self immediately encompassed in her fathers arms. After remaining that way for a moment or two, they pulled apart.

"Oh, Sydney, you have no idea how much I've missed you."

"I would say the same but . . ."

She trailed off, and he understood. From what she could remember they had spoken just yesterday.

"I wanted to be the first to see you but I was on assignment and . . ."

"Its ok, dad."

"Are you . . .ok . . .that they sent Vaughn?"

"No. I'm not. But I doubt I'll ever be."

"Sydney . . ."

"Not now, dad. I just want to go home."

"Alright. Wait here a moment."

She nodded and watched as he retreated towards the other agents. Collapsing on the seat of the car, she took note of the bottle of water and sandwich lying on her fathers seat, and the realization hit her that she hadn't eat in, well, she had no idea how long ago she had eaten her last meal. Smiling at the fact that her father had known this, she took advantage of it and eagerly unwrapped the sandwich.

~

"Vaughn, I assume that you have means of transportation."

He shuffled his feet a moment and then nodded in the direction of the parking lot.

"Yeah, this is the same landing I left from."

Jack took a moment to study the state of the man he had grown so close to over the past two years. He had obviously gone through hell that day, his eyes were hidden behind black rings and his whole body looked as if it no longer had the strength to stand. He knew that his daughter would have unleashed her fury on him for what he had done, but he also knew that he could not be mad at Vaughn. He had been there to watch as he had begun to fall apart, her disappearance took as great a toll on Vaughn as it had on him. While he did not condone his marriage, he also did not disapprove of it. He needed some sort of escape from the life she had dragged him into, and supported him the best he could. And now Jack was stuck in a position. His daughters' heart had been broken and he wished to torture the man who caused this pain on her by any means possible, yet he knew that he had not betrayed her love willingly.

"She can't ignore the feeling of betrayal."

"I know, Jack, I know."

"She'll forgive you eventually though."

"I seriously doubt that."

"Right now she is blinded by confusion, she doesn't know what to think. You were the only person she trusted, the only person she had left. Francie was gone and Will was going through his own problems, her mother had betrayed her again and I, well I am not the worlds best father. She had expected you to always be her rock. And while it may take a good amount of time, she will regret whatever she did, or said to you. Even she knows that."

Vaughn was surprised at the compassion the man had shown him. During the time she was missing, they had grown close due to the love they share for Sydney. But he would never have expected him to actually support him after causing her so much grief. He knew how hard it must be on Jack, and he respected his encouraging words.

"Jack, thank you."

"Of course."

"Take care of her until I can."

"You don't need to ask."

He nodded and then made his way back to her. For the first time in the past two days, his life had been hell. And Jack had given him a sign, no matter how small, of a word he thought he would never find again. Hope.

~

They had been driving for around ten minutes, and the car was filled with a comfortable silence. He knew she wanted to talk, but was going to let her ask in her own time. And finally, she did.

"He said that Will was ok."

"Yes, he was lucky. When you didn't return his calls Vaughn had driven to your house and found him in . . .in the bathtub. He had severe blood loss and countless other injuries, but they were able to help him."

"And now?"

"He is no longer Will Tippen. We put him into the witness protection program. Sloane was still no where to be found and his life was at risk. He went willingly, now that both you and Francie had disappeared. He works as an analyst for the agency, under the cover of a travel consultant as before."

"You said Francie had disappeared."

"Vaughn found no trace of you or Francie when he arrived at your home, only a broken glass and stray bullets. Whomever took you must have taken her as well."

"Not Allison, *Francie *."

"We never found her."

And again, silence filled the car. It's better off that way, she thinks. It still hurts to know that her two best friends had their lives ruined because of her. Everyone she knew had been infected, if not already. Danny, Will, Francie . . .It was all because of her. She tried not to dwell on it before, but now it was staring her in the face.

"I won't go see him. I don't want to turn his life around again, he has been given a new life, and I don't want to ruin that too."

"I figured you would feel that way."

"What about everyone else? Dixon, Weiss, Marshall?"

"At first everyone was so drowned in trying to find you that our lives seemed to stand still. I think it allowed Dixon to move past Diane's death, and the kids are doing fine as well. Marshall . . ."

He lets out a small laugh and her interest peaks.

"Marshall and Carrie got married in Vegas about two weeks after you disappeared."

"You're kidding me!"

"Not at all. After what happened, with the talk of the prophecy and all, they both decided that they didn't want to end up alone if the world did end and like eachother enough to tie the knot. And oddly enough, they seem to have fallen quite deep in love. It's . . .cute, actually. To see the two of them bumbling around the office stealing glances at eachother. Carrie's two months pregnant as well."

"Wow. I can't imagine what it will be like raising a little Marshall. Boy or girl?"

"They aren't sure yet. But Marshall firmly stands next to the though of naming her or him as the case may be Sydney, either way. You should have seen him when they announced you had been found, he hasn't frowned since."

She smiled at the thought, seeing Marshall again was certainly something she was looking forward to. And a ring she might actually enjoy seeing.

"Weiss has been everyone's rock it seems. He was always the optimistic one offering a smile. We all appreciate that. Vaughn the most."

"Dad . . ."

"Look, Sydney, I know you feel as if you hate him at the moment, but you have to understand that this was hard on him too. The anger will pass eventually, you and I both know that. I know you don't want to talk about it, but when you do . . ."

"I know, dad. Thank you."

"Of course."

She soon decided that she had enough answers to let herself sleep for a while, so she laid her head back and closed her eyes, allowing sleep to take her over for the first time in nearly two days.

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-I know, this chapter wasn't all that great. But before we can get to the good stuff we have to go through the boring stuff. There are so many ideas swirling around in my head right now that I could type up a few more chapters at this rate, but lets face it. I do have a life and don't really have the time at the moment. Tomorrow I will update though, I promise. And I will try to make the next chapter a little more exciting.