In some of your reviews, you mentioned that you didn't think Vaughn would agree to kill Danny if Syd didn't know. Usually I hate it when authors try to defend themselves but I guess I hate myself then.

First of all, you guys are probably right… I just didn't think about it because for this to end the way I want it to, Vaughn NEEDS to do this.

Second of all, Vaughn has worked with Jack behind Sydney's back before… sure she blew up at him and he apologized but he DID think that what he was doing was right and was trying to save her so I'm sure that if Jack said all the right things and reinforced Vaughn's own thoughts, he would say yes.

Third: The same thing that made him agree is the same feeling that made him crumple that letter.


Okay, so now that you all hate me for trying to explain myself…

Maploc: Hmm… creative genius huh? That's fine… I can definitely live with that…

Sarah: YES! Another faithful reviewer… can never have enough of those. (I'm so excited)

DW4L: Sorry it's moving slow… I guess I didn't realize it and also I didn't want it to end :(

miss. Pebbles: I don't know if I've dedicated to you before but I hope I have because you definitely rock.

Becca: thanks so much for your review… I really do appreciate it and hope you continue to do so.

kat~ funny funny stuff… glad you like the story and all the others and thanks so much for saying that I'm one of your favs~ it means a LOT. And whoa about your brother reading my fic…

I heard that ABC and ALIAS are pulling all the stops and making the show so twisty and stuff because they want more ratings because otherwise they might cancel the show… they better not. I will CRY. And then I will write a letter. Maybe not in that order. Or maybe simultaneously.

We should lead a revolt.

But then again, on a lighter and more wonderful note, ALIAS is coming to DVD in September!!!!!!!

*Yes I did see that TEEN PEOPLE… Michael Vartan is definitely hot and I even had a mini-fantasy about running into him while he and Jennifer were riding their bikes :) (And then I got to switch places with Jennifer and I was THE Jennifer… it was all good :) )

Plus: thanks to the people who agreed about the ugliness of Sark thing… nice to know I'm not alone.

Didn't realize the last chapter was so short… I'll try to lengthen…

33.

Danny looked up suddenly, his eyes wide. "No. I didn't mean to say that. I don't even know why I said that," He laughed lightly in hopes of washing away his answer. "Sydney would never betray me. She loves me and I don't even understand why I said that. I didn't mean it."

The old man in front of him nodded compassionately before circling his answer with a big red pencil and moving on.

Strange how these tests seemed to bring out answers that one never even thought of before.

Danny looked at the man in front of him. "Aren't there any more pictures?"

"No, Mr. Hecht, that was the last one."

"I really didn't mean to answer it like that. I've had a rough couple of days."

"I understand, Daniel."

He didn't. He didn't even believe him. Anger was there, standing in the doorway of his heart, waiting to come through and boil over. But he contained himself. Nothing good would come out of it. Sydney did love him. That was his staple; he needed that to be true in order to face the world now.

And it was true. She wore his ring; he had never mentioned it again because she had wanted to start over but he saw it. The glinting gold piece of infinity that wrapped around her finger gave him all the hope he could ever want.

Yet he was a doctor, or had been training to be one anyway, and he knew how these tests worked. It was hard to convince himself of what he knew was true when years of psychology were against him.

Here's my story, it's sad but true.
About a girl that I once knew.

She took my love then ran around
With every single guy in town~

What was love without trust? Nothing. He couldn't expect her to immediately adjust to his reentrance into her life could he? No, that wouldn't be rational.

Sure he had expected a little more joy but that didn't mean she had betrayed him. That was just preposterous. Wasn't it?

I should have known it from the very start
This girl will leave me with a broken heart

Now listen people what I'm telling you

Keep away from Runaround Sue

He sighed a little and leaned back into his chair. It didn't matter after all what the people around him thought of him. Though in their own ways, they knew him better than he knew himself.

All that mattered was what he believed. And he believed in her.

I fell in love and my love still grows.

So if you don't wanna cry like I do,
Keep away from Runaround Sue.


~:~


Moonlight splashed on the bed sheets, illuminating the bottom of the bed in a soft white-blue light. Michael Vaughn was still awake, leaning against the headboard with his arm around the woman beside him.

He could barely look at her without feeling that pangs of guilt. But this was something that had to be done. Wasn't it?

He tried to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages in his mind. His jealously wasn't a factor; he knew Sydney loved him. He could see it in her eyes, whenever he brushed against her or when he spoke.

Danny knew everything. Perhaps he hadn't had time to sort it all out yet but he would eventually. He wasn't as unsuspecting or an unknowing as anyone might think. Given time and the absence of the wonderful oblivion Sydney Bristow presented, Daniel Hecht would be a threat.

That was fact.


Yet he still couldn't go to sleep; couldn't even relish the emotions he should have felt at watching Sydney sleep softly against him; he could only look at the moon. And it seemed to stare back at him; one large circle of endless light, shining until the day came once more, witnessing only the actions of the night before disappearing quietly into the shadow of the sun.

He slowly got up and walked across the room, his eyes flickering at the blinking digital lights of the clock on his bed stand. 2:04

He put his hand on the cell phone lying on the counter, hesitating a moment before walking into the bathroom.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

"Hello?"

He sat on the toilet seat, hunched over his legs. "I can't do it. I can't keep it from her."

The last remnants of sleep disappeared from the voice and Michael knew that Jack Bristow was now fully awake. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I can't keep it from her."

"Yes you can. And you will."

"No. I can't walk around everyday seeing her and knowing that she should know and that the only reason she doesn't is because of me. That is too much of a burden to put on my shoulders; I'm not as strong as you."

"That is the worst piece of bullshit I have ever heard. If you weren't as strong as I needed you to be, then I wouldn't have chosen you. If you can't be near her without saying this, then stay away from her. Two weeks Michael. Less than two weeks. That's all I need and that's all we have to do."

Michael laughed, the sound derisive and tired. "Do you really think that it's all going to end after he's dead? That is just going to be the beginning. Don't even try to convince yourself that Sydney will come to terms with this right away. She won't."

There was a long pause on the phone and Michael wanted to demand an answer but, as a man sitting naked on a toilet, decided to just wait.

"Are you absolutely certain about this?"

"Yes."

"Even if I should tell you about the new intel the CIA have acquired?"

Michael stood still, his knees no longer jumped. "What Intel?"

"A disk."

"What about a disk?"

"It can all be over, Michael."

He shivered slightly from hearing Jack say his name in such a casual manner; he hadn't even called this man by name during this conversation. For safety's sake.

"There is a disk hidden somewhere in Istanbul at the SD base. Though we have been looking for it for the past 5 years, it is only now that we have been able to pinpoint its exact position."

"What's the disk?"

"Talk to me tomorrow."

"No. If you want me to help, you are going to tell me now."

"I don't need your help; it isn't essential to me. I chose you because you were the most qualified and should have had the most motivation to complete this job and I suppose I misjudged you. However, you may not inform her about what I am doing. Even I have to sleep sometime Michael and, if I were you, I would do the same. Just trust me when I say you're going to need it."

There was the sound of the dial tone and Michael knew now where Sydney's attitude came from when she was sleep-deprived.

He was about to walk back out of the room when his phone rang once more.

He picked it up, knowing who it must be.

The voice was gruff and professional. The question uttered so specifically that it was transformed instead into a statement. "Joey's Pizza."



Two rooms away, Sydney Bristow was awaked by the soft hum of voices; one of which she knew instinctively was Michael's.

She sat up in the bed, the sheets dropping from her body before she clutched them to her once again. She sat still, listening for any sound and heard his voice again. Hearing the bathroom door open, she lay back down as she silently watched his movements.

His motions were easy and slow as they picked up a shirt hanging on a chair and his arms were seemingly fluid as they lowered the clothing onto his body. He was standing in the moonlight, the outline of his body highlighted in silver light, his face looking out the window.

But she didn't really get scared until she saw him walk out the door into the foreboding night. Leaving her alone in the suddenly giant bed.

There has to be a reason that he's leaving without me. A good reason. Maybe even a stupid reason.

She closed her eyes, willing sleep to take her once more.

She would give her trust to his man who held her heart; above all and above anyone else, she would give it to him.

TBC…

You know what I found out? If I out a number, you guys always reach it but if I don't, you don't… hmmm… interesting. So If I put 690-700…. Lol ;)

*Does anyone else think that they may be oversimplifying ALIAS just a tad too much? I realize that the complexity of it is what was turning some viewers off but it is also what makes it sooooo good…. It's just like one long plot twist after another.

Okay then~ review~

-Jenn