CHAPTER ELEVEN – GOODBYES
Sydney was hardly aware of the people who had entered her cell before she was enveloped in the other set of arms she had been longing to feel wrapped around her.
Although she had been feeling much better after coming to an understanding with Vaughn, the emotion in her father's display set her sobbing again. He's here… he came to rescue me… Sydney felt her control give as Jack sat back on his heels and pulled her into his lap. He held her, stroking her hair and mumbling her name as she cried into his chest. She felt like a small child being comforted after a nightmare – not too far from the truth.
Sydney started babbling incoherently, describing her nightmare of waking up in the street… Not remembering the past two years… Michael is married… Francie isn't really Francie – she's a double… She was truly distraught and wanted her father to understand, but the part of her mind that was a CIA agent knew that her breakdown would only aid her cover story – so she let it all out and let her father protect her.
Jack couldn't believe this was his Sydney in his lap. She was so small… as thin as he'd ever seen her as an adult. And she was rambling on about everything in a manner that made her seem – well – crazy. He was torn between just staying where he was and holding her, picking her up and carrying her immediately to the airport and home, and just leaving her with Vaughn while he hunted down the people who did this to her. As much as he wanted to make those people feel every ounce of Sydney's pain tenfold, Jack knew that was not a viable option. Not yet… but soon…
"Sydney, are you ready to go home?" he asked when her tears had subsided.
She pulled her head back and looked at her father's open and concerned face. Home? Where is home, now? Sydney pulled him into a hug, resting her chin on his shoulder, and saw the other people in the room with them, hovering by the door. She surveyed the men quickly before her eyes landed on a sandy-haired man who was clearly not Vaughn.
Vargas did not meet her eyes, instead keeping his gaze planted on the floor until Sydney gave her assent.
"Yes… take me home, dad."
At the sound of his daughter's request, Jack Bristow, cautious spy, returned.
"Mr. Vargas, if you would be so kind as to procure a taxi for Sydney and me… We have impeded on the generosity of your employer for far too long."
Vargas nodded and left the room without speaking. En Kai took a step forward as Jack was helping Sydney to stand.
"Mr. Bristow, I assure you that we would be delighted to accommodate you in any possible way. Are you certain I cannot convince you and your daughter to stay with me tonight in my home? There is no need to stay as strangers in a hotel when you have friends in the city."
Jack's insides shook at the seemingly innocent offer, but his face did not show it. Jack looked En Kai directly in the eye as he responded.
"Again, I thank you, but I believe we must refuse your kind offer. I actually had no intention of remaining here any longer than it took to retrieve Sydney. I have a flight booked for two waiting for us at the airport." He looked down at his daughter for a moment before continuing, "My daughter needs to get home."
En Kai smiled his understanding. "Then I shall take my leave of you. I wish you a pleasant flight. Mr. Bristow… Miss Bristow… Goodbye." With a slight bow, he turned and walked out the door.
------
Vargas had just finished speaking with a cab company when he saw En Kai walk out into the hallway. He turned toward the older man, awaiting the instructions that always came. This time, though, his order was mystifying.
"We will see you this evening."
This evening? Why? Vargas was at a loss, not recalling any meeting or operation that had been planned for tonight. "Pardon me?"
En Kai paused, turning back to face him, "Dinner… with Jie and her mother?"
Vargas quickly looked down, unnerved at having forgotten – again. "Of course. This evening."
Vargas was still studying the floor when a flicker of emotion passed over his father-in-law's eyes. By the time his composure had returned enough to lift his head, En Kai had continued down the hall and exited the building.
--------
Once En Kai left the room, Sydney and Jack were alone. They stood silent for nearly a minute before Sydney spoke.
"Who was that?"
Jack was staring at the door with a look that should have melted it. "Kin En Kai. Vargas's…" He abruptly blinked hard, shifting his gaze to assess Sydney's emotional state. "Vargas's… employer…"
"Oh…" When her soft reply hit Jack's ears, he realized exactly how much Sydney knew. He turned to her, pulling her sagging form to him again. He softly kissed the top of her head and assured her,
"I love you, Sydney."
New tears sprang to Sydney's eyes when she heard those words – the words she had often longed to hear from her father, but which he rarely spoke – reverberate in the empty cell.
"I love you, too, Dad."
--------
When Sydney emerged through the door her father held open for her, she had to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight. When she had blinked her vision back into control, she saw Vargas talking softly to another man in front of a taxicab.
Jack placed a hand on her arm and gently guided her toward the waiting car. As they approached, Vargas turned and opened the door to the back seat.
Sydney paused in front of him without saying a word. When she looked into his eyes, she felt a jolt run through her body. Vaughn was looking at her with a gaze that pulled from the center of her body straight to him, steadying her. He silently held a hand out to her. She timidly accepted it and allowed him to lower her into the car.
"Thank you." Her simple words were all that was spoken before Vargas closed the door.
He looked up at Jack, who had moved to the other side of the car and was standing inside the open door.
"Goodbye, Jack."
"Mr. Vargas, I'll be in touch." As Vargas nodded his head, Jack climbed into the cab and closed the door.
The car pulled away and Vaughn stood, fighting the urge to run after it. The last thing he saw before the cab turned out of the alley was Sydney's eyes fixed on him through the rear windshield.
-------
To my reviewers, yet another big THANK YOU! You have no idea how much getting any kind of feedback helps… it pushes me on! An idea for my next fic came to me a couple days ago & I was so excited I wanted to jump up & down (but I was buckled into the driver's seat of my car on the tollway during a traffic jam, so I didn't). I promise I'll finish this one, first, though. Love you! Please keep R/R!
