A Strong PG rating for a few cuss words.. Because the meeting between Spy Mommy and Daughter is finally here...

Chapter 5

The CIA granted Sydney the freedom of leaving the cell to walk around the Facility but wasn't allowed to leave the premises. When she was informed that her mother requested a meeting and if she had been willing to accept, she had been surprised as ever at the extent of Irina's freedom.

When the elevator stopped three floors before the roof for security purposes, she had been allowed to go up alone. Her escorts of armed guards backed away and left, giving her the privacy to go and meet with her mother. Walking up the stairs, she remembered the past few days, how emotionally spent she was from her teary reunion with Eric Weiss, Marcus Dixon and a few others but the most painful was her heartbreaking encounter with Vaughn and then secondly, finding out about who was Will's wife...

Since she had been given minimal clearance, Will and Eric had made time during the week to supply her with tidbits of information of the recent developments she had missed. They told her about missions for the CIA her parents went on as she pledged her loyalty to the Agency to fight against Sloane and Sark's return, but didn't elaborate too much about either.

They also filled her in about Marshall and Carrie's wacky trek down the alter and their rise up the Agency ladder, Dixon's promotion, Weiss' senior status, her parents standing deals and even Will's marriage.

She was curious to know who was the woman that captivated the former reporter's heart despite his frigid change. It seemed almost like old times, sadly missing one or two very significant people. With a few jokes from Will and the bickering of Eric, she tried to subtly ask about Will's wife.

Puzzled, she noticed as their smiles and comfortable atmosphere deflated immediately while watching Will stand up, rigid as rolled tension into him. He wasn't talking until Eric became the voice of reason and encouraged him to get it out, despite the inevitable fall out.

At Eric's acerbic comment about Will's marriage being the equivalent of her parents, she was on the edge as Will hesitantly began his story about Dr. Markovich's invention of the Doubling Process and the proverbial domino effect when she along with Lennox destroyed the machine.

She blanched as he went deeper into the scientific explain of identity theft and its effects on the person. Although a nagging thought crept into her mind of who it could be, she pushed it away vehemently, not wanting to even dwell on the thought.

For the next hour, he gave her the shortened version of what happened after that fatal fight. He told her that night, she hadn't been the only one to disappear; so did Sark and Francie's double all at the same time.

Then a week after, Vaughn had vanished.

He also told her how the CIA's leads to find any of them kept being dead ends until 16 months back, there was an unconventional walk in. It had been Sark's most trust worthy High Associate and also the only person who knew everything about him down to his name.

"His Judas had been the woman who was his love..." was how Will finished his implausible tale.

Not a word was spoken over the deadly silence. Eric instantly became alert at the body posture and the myriad emotions disclosed on her face but slowly anger, betrayal, shock and disgust were openly displayed. Although his eyes glazed over with rage, he said or did nothing as angry words of one man's whore is another man's bitch left her mouth.

As the tears streamed down her face, she couldn't believe how changed this man became or didn't even ask who his wife was for it became obvious as to whom it really was...


Noticing she'd reached the door, she took a deep breath and shut down emotionally before walking through. It was incredible the deceptive picture her mother created in that meditative position, serene and calm but when she opened her eyes, that was what gave her away. Hidden behind those orbs were years of deception, untruths, and treachery.

Not willing to give her a chance to break down her wall, Sydney opened up to her mother with a wicked grin, "Long time no see," keeping a couple of feet distance, "Can't say that I missed you much."

Her mother didn't even blink or show any emotions. but in the manner she said her name, "Sydney..." said it all.

A moment passed, "Mom.." she hesitantly let out.

She watched her stand up and stretch, a beautifully lithe figure for a woman her age.

Both fell into a deep silence, Sydney overlooking the city of Los Angeles while covertly, Irina watched her daughter from the corner of her eye, noting the changes with the way she proclaimed herself to the world.

At the request of her husband, she had been given the chance to watch the first conversation with Will Tippin. Although she wasn't too happy with the way Sydney was being treated, she didn't want to jump in to cause problems. She had seen the mood swings and the way she snapped at people who walked on eggshells around her, so she decided to just be blunt.

"A lot has happened and changed since you went missing, daughter." Irina said cautiously.

She had seen the footage between her daughter and Vaughn. She was amazed at the clash but realized, in surprise, at how much she in anticipation of seeing them coming so close to kissing, only to both end up in sad tears.

This angered Sydney, "I know that. Every damn person that has come to see me has been saying that but no one is telling me what the hell's happened. What the fuck is it?!? You and Francie's double, Alli- whatever the hell her name is are walking around Los Angeles like free people without a damn care in the world. While Will's married to her, Dad and you are back together. Vaughn is also married but he isn't the same Vaughn. Did I leave anything out?" she spat out.

Irina was shocked at the vicious tone when she said his name, looked at her sympathetic eyes, understanding what she was going through. "That's basically the gist of it.. but who told you Michael Vaughn was married?" Two years may have not sounded like a long time but for someone who went missing and didn't participate during that bleak period only to wake up with no memory with so much missing time was a scary ordeal.

The way her mother rephrased about Vaughn's marriage made her ask the next question, almost unconsciously, "So.. are you saying that he isn't married?

Irina looked at her, catching the hopeful tone, even though she tried to mask it, "I didn't say that, Sydney." She saw the crest fallen look of her daughter, "He is.. in essence."

She started her rampage again, "In essence? Why is everyone trying to protect me from the actual truth about him? Are they worried that I"ll go batty on him or his wife?" she finished while taking deep breaths to clam herself down.

Irina stayed silent for a few minutes to let Sydney ground her anger and then tried to break the tension, "Batty? Should that be a word in the vocabulary of a renowned spy?" she asked with a smirk.

Amusement flashed across Sydney's face, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you just cracked a joke."

Irina huffed in mock anger, "I have been known to joke in my time, although it is so nice to know that your humor is still intact, honey."

Finally a grin flitted across Sydney's face and the tension deflated quickly. Taking this as a sign, she motioned for her to take a seat on the bench near the door of the roof "Sit down.. because I have quite a story to tell you about what has happened for the past two years, Sydney Anne-"

Sydney's head snapped up in shock, "You haven't called me that since-"

"Since your sixth birthday? When you were in your second grade's piano recital at the Little Miss Junior's Talent Show? You were so smart.. even back then." Irina said with a wistful look and eyes full of tears. "Yes, I remember.."

Both women shared a moment of silent tears.

"Please have a seat, Sydney..." Irina repeated.

The way she said it sent chills down Sydney's spine. She nodded and sat down, hugging her knees to her chest.

Irina remembered how many times for the past few days or so that she had observed her daughter in that position, whether dazed while thinking or just sleeping. It seemed this was currently her favorite posture, almost as if drawing her body into a ball so nothing could get in through her barrier to hurt. Maybe this was not the best time to tell her..

"No.." Sydney said in a hard voice. "Now is the best time to tell me.."

Startled, Irina nodded solemnly, "Okay.." She was surprised that she spoke out her last thought because she had never done that before. In the world of spies, a simple slip such as that would have killed her a long time ago. Taking a deep breath, she began, "It was the third month of the day you went missing and I went to Mount Sebacio to clear my head.. to get a new perspective on how to find you-"

Sydney cut in, "Mount Sebacio? Hold it.. you knew about the prophecy?"

Irina gave her a look, "Of course. I also knew of how Jack, Agent Vaughn along with Agent Weiss defied their government to break you out of Federal custody so that you could go there to prove you were not the prophesied woman."

Sydney had an incredulous look, "How?"

"Just because I was MIA from you life did not mean that I didn't keep track of it."

The temporary serene environment was broken when tears of anger and confusion swept back into Sydney's eyes, "What does that mean?!?"

"Figure it out, Sydney. You are a smart woman.." Irina retorted.

"You mean to tell me you had me followed, tagged and my privacy invaded?" Hurt rolled off in waves. "For how long? Months?"

Irina looked down in shame.

Disappointment became evident in Sydney's facial expression. "For years?"

"To an extent.. yes.. but only to have you protected at all times."

With that, Sydney exploded, "Is that how you justify it? You protecting me? Does that twisted version of protection also include shooting me in the shoulder at Taipei all those years ago?"

This time, Irina's temper rose as well, "I had no choice. It was the ultimate test.. either I prove where my alliances lie or you and Agent Vaughn would have been killed instantly.." Tears started to drops, "You cannot fathom how much I regretted what I had done to you.." she said in between her cries, "...that I had to shoot my baby girl. But it was either that or watch you be killed in front of my eyes and I could never handle that."

Sydney was crying as well, "I.. I want to believe you.. but all you've ever done.. is hurt me.."

Irina nodded, and tried to calm herself down, "I know you think I am a heartless, cruel and manipulative ex-KGB bitch but I had to especially make your father and you as well as the rest of the world believe that in order to stay on the inside of the Alliance and Syndicate. I used my position to thwart a lot of Sloane's plans all the while protecting your father and you from getting those bastard's grimy hands on the two of you. If I had not, both of you would have been buried a long time ago."

Irina finished, explaining her overall agenda but Sydney was hearing none of it. Sarcasm took the front role, "You assassinated twelve CIA Agents, one of who was Vaughn's father. Forgive me if I don't buy into this bullshit that you're spewing about being capable of feeling... much less for me." She was furious, "This guilt trip you're using isn't going to work. Are you saying that you left us all those years ago, a woman who was an assassin and trained in the arts who had the skills of cold calculation, to protect us?" It seem the word protect was being thrown out without value.

"Yes, I did leave you in order to save the lives of the two people I loved.. still love the most to this day. As hard as it may seem for you, I do have emotions, feelings of intense regret, guilt and self loathing on my part."

Sydney shut down with the last of Irina's words, turning away from her with indifference in her tone, "Whatever. Remember what you taught me? How actions speak louder than words? Seems you set a prime example of it; first by pretending you were dead and then shooting me."

This aggravated Irina to the point of not being aware that she walked up to Sydney, grabbed one of her arms and twisting it back while shoving her to the wall next to the door. "Snap out of this self destructive path, Sydney. You are not doing yourself or the people around you any favors by jumping down their throats at every time they try to explain themselves to you."

Shocked by the similar words spoken by Vaughn and the sudden moves of her, Sydney snapped back into reflex action a moment later by deftly kicking her in the shin. This caused Irina to loosen in her hold a bit and Sydney took advantage of it by pushing herself backwards, using the walk as her force and knocked her mother off balance. Taking this leverage, she quickly turned around and lashed out a fierce roundhouse kick near her mother's head.

Irina, being a trained spy longer than Sydney had been alive, expected the next move and quickly dropped to her knees while extending one of her legs to perform a sweep kick.

Sydney countered by flipping backwards into a fighting stance, one fist raised in the air while the other in front of her chest, breathing heavily.

As Irina stood up to retaliate, Sydney went on the offensive without warning, launching into calculated kicks and punches. Even surprised, her mother blocked and threw a few out, but not in a threatening manner. She barely fought back but was hit hard a few times.

The last punch, which connected with Irina's side, left her out of breath and in pain as she dropped on the floor.

"That's all it took to bring down the Great Irina Derevko? I've got to say I'm rather disappointed." A spiteful smirk made across Sydney's face as she noticed the grimace on the fallen woman, "Get up and stop acting as if you actually feel the pain."

The ever cool and collected Irina Derevko was seething, "I do damn well know what it is like to feel pain. That night in Taipei, after I had convinced the Alliance and Syndicate of my loyalty, then just got up and left. I was furious and by the time I went back for you, you had already escaped. Unfortunately, Khasinau somehow found out and alerted one of the last leaving Alliance member's security section of your escape before coming to me. I quickly ran to that room and saw the blood trail you had left. I blew out the camera and locked myself in there to make it seem that we struggled. Then I shot myself in the shoulder-" she paused, lowering her voice, "-the same place where I shot you." She then proceeded to lower the left strap of her sleeveless top slowly.

Sydney stepped back, looking at the scar around the same spot where her's were, astounded. "Why would you do that?"

Irina voiced lowered considerably and continued on reminiscing as if Sydney didn't interrupt, "While the place was in chaos, I locked myself in there. I knew the whole place inside out and knew of the numerous ways of getting out of that room alone but decided to suffer the pain of what you went through. I still could not believe that I had finally gotten the chance to see you up close in almost twenty years and the first thing I do is.. is shoot at you."

Her voice cracked even more, "The only thing I though about was.. even as cliched as it sounded, 'eye for an eye'. Close to eleven hours passed until Khasinau and my incompetent minions found me. I bled out considerably and was taken to the medical wing where Agent Vaughn was kept before being transferred to Cap Ferret. With Khasinau's record, I couldn't tell you how relieved I was to find him alive. Immediately the doctors went to work on my wound but I refused the anesthetic. They all thought I wanted to be clear headed while being stitched up but my gaze was on your Agent the while time. I wanted to feel the raw pain-"

Sydney's sharp tone cut through Irina's tirade, "Bullshit.." despite the tears dropping from her eyes.

This explanation of her actions was her last line of defense and Irina could no longer hold back her raw emotions. She fell down onto her knees, crying.. shoulders slumped and her head down.. in defeat.

For some reason, not understanding why watching the fall of calculated and infallible Irina Derevko gave Sydney no pleasure but all the years of hostility crept back up to break the older woman even further. "For two decades, you were dead to me.." Her voice rose as did her temper, "Only when I figured out how you apparently 'killed' yourself.. you suddenly come back, out of the blue, a few years back to reclaim you title as my mother, which by the way, you have no Goddamn right to. I know that I'm damaged goods.." she laughed sarcastically. "And while I may not be the ideal daughter.. I sure as hell did manage fine and go on with my life without your presence." Her next words were commanded, "Look at me-"

A broken Irina obeyed.. looking up through her tears.

"You were right when you described yourself earlier.." the cold glare in Sydney's eyes didn't change but threw back the same words Irina said before, "-a heartless, cruel and manipulative ex-KGB bit-"

Suddenly, the loud bang of the metal roof access door slammed against the wall, cutting off Sydney's verbal assault on Irina. Out of the doorway came five armed guards and they were followed by one extremely angry man with a temper that matched her own.. if not more. "Back the hell off-" he yelled. "That's quite enough, Sydney. You've caused enough grief."

Anger that boiled to the surface at her mother made everything too hazy to notice what was going on but she was able to pick up the tone in which the man yelled at her. Unfortunately though, because of her own tears, she was not able to see him clearly as he went to her mother, almost protectively. This action stunned her to the core that anyone would want to help her...

The guards were smart enough to know that either Irina Derevko or this man could take them out within seconds so they smartly turned away.

Although he knew the guards weren't aware of the whole conversation, they were keen enough to know when act deaf and dumb. He still stood in front of Irina, blocking her from their viewpoint while relaying his orders in an authoritative voice, "Make sure that Ms. Bristow is escorted back down... now." He stressed on the now and the guards scrambled to follow his orders. As two stood by the door, the other three started to walk before her. When she went down the first flight of steps, they other followed.

After going down another one, she stopped suddenly and the guards tensed up. "At ease guys. I.. I just want to go apologize to my mother. Look.... I feel bad enough, so let me just do this, okay? And then I'll willing go down with you."

The guards looked unsure in that course of action.

A spark of anger flared in her and they all look scared.

"We'll wait here for you, Ms. Bristow," One of the guards spoke up and the others reluctantly nodded in agreement.

As she walked back up, she used those few moments to reflect on her unaccepted behavior towards her mother, feeling horrible at the many times she snapped by throwing back harsh remarks and retorts in her face. She also tried to analyze the voice of the man. Even though she heard his forceful command, she wanted to express a sliver of gratitude for breaking the hostile atmosphere between them.

She had expected her father coming to the rescue.

When she reached the roof access, she was totally unprepared for the sight...

She stood still, shocked at what she was witnessing in front of her eyes. By the slight tenseness in which this man held the form of her weeping mother, it was obvious to see an uneasy truce of acceptance had been agreed upon between the two but the man holding the battered and sobbing Irina Derevko was not Jack Bristow.

Out of all the people in the world, it was her devilishly handsome green eyed soul mate that was once her handler, then friend, accomplice, confidant, savior, partner and lastly, lover; not only holding but giving strength to the same woman who coerced the future of this eight year boy into the life of spies by killing his father. As ironic as it seemed, she was in the arms of the man to whom she caused so much pain but yet he was soothing her.

In Russian, she heard her mother, "She hates me, Zyat."

He responded back perfectly in her mother's native tongue, "Dumayu, chto net." I don't think so.. and then switched back to English, "She is afraid of opening up only to get hurt again. She is so closed off that she didn't even give me the chance to explain the ring." He sadly told her with his eyes downcast.

Chalking it up to shear exhaustion, she tried to convince herself that what she was seeing or hearing wasn't actually taking place. She watched her mother go over to him and caress his cheek and although he flinched, his reaction to her closeness was more controlled than it had been since the last time she and Vaughn spoke about Irina.

Sydney watched as her hand moved from his face to his hair, the scene almost as if a mother was tenderly trying to reassure a child.

Almost.

"I don't blame her reaction to me, Michael."

"It is the same with me," He heard her contrite tone, "Every time she sees the ring, she recoils and then shuts me out. She doesn't know how much that hurts... its almost the equivalent of-" he broke off.

She couldn't listen to what he had to say next. More tears fell as she turned to silently walked back downstairs. The guards became worried when they saw her tears and on alert once again followed her compliant form.

Had she stayed instead of running, she would have heard the rest of his painful dialogue, "Sydney believes that I've been unfaithful to her. She thinks that I"m married and every time I try to explain, we keep getting interrupted."

"I know, Zyat," she whispered, "I've seen."

"Then you also know that she has found the scars on my wrist."

"Da, k sozhaleniyu..." Yes, unfortunately...

Both stayed on opposite sides of the roof for another hour, watching the sun go down each with contemplative expressions of how that paralleled their own lives.

Sydney was the brightest spot in both of their lives, for Irina, the daughter who grew into a fearlessly beautiful woman and had the courage to lock head with her.

For Vaughn, she was his 'one in five billion'. When he was younger, his mother told him the about myths and legends, about how people believed that when people came into into the world, they came in pairs for their soul was split.

For each to be reunited with their other half, it was the hardships that they would have to endure and overcome in life that would eventually bind them together.

The were broken out of their moods when her cel phone rang. It was Jack, wanting to know how it went but she couldn't talk through her tears and he caught on.

Both took deep breaths and walked down the back stairs, not wanting to see or talk to anyone...

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As we know, they aren't the ideal mother & daughter, and neither are their meetings. One of them always end up getting hurt or shot.. I'm not Russian so forgive me if I've used the words in any wrong tense. I'm trying to follow the characters as accordingly, and since there had been no mentions of any other Bristow siblings, obviously Sydney's the only child...

By the way, cheers to everyone who knows what the word "ZYAT" means... and for all of you that don't, its Russian for "Son-in-law."

Read and review!!! It makes my day...