"Are you sure you don't mind staying here on your own?"
Francie frowned in concern at her best friend's newly multi colored ankle and resisted the urge to ask Sydney if she was ok for the hundredth time. The aforementioned friend was presently deeply involved in what Francie could only presume were fanatical reports, doggedly ignoring the injured limb suspended on the sofa.
Sydney closed the folder and surveyed her friend in surprise. Francie was dressed in a leather jacket and jeans. Her face was complimented with very little make up. The effect gave her a look of relaxed happiness that Sydney hadn't seen on Francie's face in a long time. Sydney fought hard against the impulse to suspect this new "friendship" was moving too fast. Her friend was happy and everything she had heard about Matt Coleman was good.
If she wasn't who she was she might whole heartily believe it.
"You look good." Sydney complimented, inwardly debating if her sprained ankle would withstand walking her friend to the door.
"Thanks, do you think you'll be up to meeting Matt tonight?" Francie asked, suddenly overcome with nervousness. She really liked Matt as a friend and possibly more but a lot of that hinged on her best friend's hard won approval.
Sydney grinned. "Francie, I've got a sprained ankle. I'm sure I can deal with meeting Matt, and besides, I need to check this guy out to make sure he's worthy of you." She duck as a cushion was hurled playfully in her direction.
"Don't terrify him, ok?" Francie half-joked.
"I promise." Sydney agreed, wincing in pain as she unconsciously tried to move her ankle.
"You ok?" Francie asked instantly dashing to her friend side.
Sydney waved her off with a gentle hand. "I'm fine honey. It's my own stupid fault for using that rusty stepladder in the bank's archives" For once she hadn't lied. Her sprained ankle was a result of tripping in the CIA's extensive resources library.
"Are you sure you don't want me to get Will to check on you?" Francie asked noting with some apprehension that she had 15 minutes to get to the stadium.
"He's on a date with Jenny," Sydney said happily "I don't want to interrupt them." She genuinely liked Jenny and a selfish part of her secretly hoped the girl would deflect Will attention from her.
Francie smiled gently, "I have a feeling he would drop it all for you." Francie had known for a long time that Will was in love with Sydney. It was obvious in the way his eyes lit up every time she entered the room or his poorly concealed jealousy of Danny and "picture frame guy", now known as Michael.
Sydney laughed nervously and urged her friend to go. She promised to call if any of the doctor's carefully listed side effects actually eventuated.
"I'll call you at half time," Francie promised, kissing Sydney on the forehead before heading to the door.
Sydney turned her attention back to the folders, which contained the complete records of the Roman nobility for the 1400's, specifically during the time of Pope Alexander, Rambaldi's benefactor. Her reason for doing this was not entirely clear. The people at DSR had sent a recently decrypted phrase to Davelin.
To bring an end to the aforementioned tragedies read and implement the scrolls of the one who holds all.
The typically cryptic phrase had been found in a seemingly worthless parchment that the CIA had found after SD-6 had collected their primary goal of a genuine Rambaldi artifact. Had Rambaldi ability to see the future enabled him to realize that his work would one-day fall into the wrong hands? Did he take his characteristic obscurity to the next level in order to protect the world from the evils his devices could potentially inflect?
As far as the CIA could determine SD-6 did not have this intel or if they did they were too focused on recovering the vile and finding the Rambaldi manuscript to decrypt it. It was only through the use of the contents of the vile that they had been about to see through what were apparently designs for a water feature designed for the Pope's cousin.
So thus Sydney was looking through the painfully extensive records, trying to discover anyone with a possible connection to Rambaldi. A connection so deep they would "hold all."
"Needle in hay stack." Sydney muttered as she slammed down another useless report.
***
Francie was buzzing.
The music was loud and pumping. The apparently evenly divided crowed was altering between wild cries of joy and despairing moans as both teams excruciated what even Francie with her limited sporting knowledge were brilliant plays. Beside her Matt was offering enthusiastic commentary with almost childlike delight.
When half time was called Matt turned to Francie, suddenly acutely aware that he had been completely wrapped up in the game and offered her sheepish smile.
"Are you having a good time?" he asked.
Francie didn't want to admit that her enjoyment primarily came from watching his handsome features light up in a brilliant smile. Matt could never be called classically handsome. He was slender and his unruly brown hair seemed to fall perpetually in his eyes. His intense eyes were almost too bright for his delicate facial features. Francie found that for the first time in her life she was falling for someone without the slightest regard for how they would look together. Her ultra strict matriarchal aunt had tried to instill in her that appearance counted for a lot. She personally didn't hold the opinion of her aunt particularly high, but the old lady had gotten the family out of money trouble before so Francie felt she owed the woman some level of respect, even if it was strained.
She'll have a fit over Matt, Francie thought ruefully. Then she considered the track her mind was going. She hadn't even kissed the guy and she was already planning the big family introductions.
'Too deep girl!'
Her revive was interrupted by Matt's gentle teasing.
"Earth to Francie?"
Francie turned to Matt, offering a smile "I'm having a great time," she reassured with a genuine smile as she dragged him from the seat. Leaning close to him she said, "Lets go and get some food." She had to shout over the noise of the crowd, who were moving in various directions towards the many different attractions offered.
As they moved through the pressing masses Matt absentmindedly took her hand to keep them form getting separated in the huge, if orderly, masses of people. Francie was slightly surprised by the gesture but did not let go of his hand even when the crowd thinned at the top of the stairs. Francie was just contemplating what fattening snack she would indulge in when a heart wrenchingly familiar form came into view. Leaning against the wall, deeply involved in their own version of hockey was Charlie and his blonde singer.
Francie trembled with rage. Apparently Charlie had found something to do between his pleading phone messages. The ever-astute Matt tried to pull her from the scene but a sobbing Francie broke away. She brushed passed the lovers as she fled to the woman's toilets. Neither of them looked up at the slight intrusion.
The sound of the door slamming echoed in the blessedly empty room. Staggering to the last booth Francie wrenched open the door and closed it behind her before she slid to the floor and sobbed.
She had actually started to believe his constant claims that it was only she he loved; that the other woman meant nothing. She had dreamed of the wedding again, surrounded by her approving family. Even Aunt Denise had given praise of the dashing charmer.
Her scattered thoughts turned to Matt.
Now I don't even have that sort of dream.
There was no way Matt would want anything to do with her now. All she could do was cry.
The light footfalls indicated that someone had intruded on her misery. She was just about to plead with the person to use some other restroom when a gentle voice called.
"Francie?"
Matt!
Francie suppressed a fresh sob "Go away Matt, enjoy the game."
Matt crouched down outside the stall "There is no way I'm leaving you like this." he said softly, trying desperately to overcome his impulse to murder the man who had done this to her.
"All men are bastards."
"At the moment I'm not particularly inclined to defend my sex." Matt replied wishing that he could erase the despairing note in her voice. He had seen too many people self-esteem's destroy by wayward partners.
"Come on Francie, I'll take you home." He rapped on the door.
"Am I ugly or do I have some other gaping imperfection?" she asked softly ignoring his plea
Intellectually Matt knew what was going on. It had been two months since she had found out about Charlie's mistress and while she was gradually recovering she was nowhere near ready to face such a graphic depiction of his cheating. He still wanted to shake her for thinking she was to blame.
"Of course not Francie!" he exclaimed.
"Then why did he do it?"
"Because he's a bastard who didn't deserve you!" Matt said emphatically.
"You sound just like Syd." Francie said, and Matt could hear the slight amusement in her voice.
"That's because we both care about you." Matt chuckled.
"Could you call her?" Francie asked, needing the comfort of her best friend.
"Of course."
***
"Is this Sydney?"
Sydney raised a quizzical eyebrow and the hesitant note in the caller voice.
"Yes."
"It's Matt Coleman."
"Hi, is everything ok?" Sydney asked, wondering why Francie's date would be calling her.
Matt cleared his throat. "We encountered Charlie," he said softly. The sharp intake of breath told him that Sydney feared the worst.
"How is she?" Sydney asked, mentally running through the options of torture that would inflict the most pain on the ex boyfriend, soon to be without limbs if Sydney had her way.
"I'm really worried about her," Matt confessed "She asked me if her ugliness was the reason he did this." he didn't bother to kept the rage from his voice.
"I'm going to kill him!"
"Can you come down here?" Matt asked, before Sydney could lunch into graphic descriptions of where Charlie's body parts would end up.
"I can't drive on my sprained ankle." Sydney cursed softy.
"Damn, I'll get my friend Michael to pick us up, I think it'll be best if two people were here," he continued, "I've got to go."
"Get her to call me."
"I will."
Matt ended the call and turned around. He was surprised to find Francie beside him. Her make up was smeared but she offered him a weak smile and clasped his hand lightly.
"Let's
get out of here."
