It was almost four in the morning when the jet landed at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Both Sydney and Vaughn were desperate to get off the plane. The small confines of the jet combined with the revelations of the past few hours had them both claustrophobic and desperate for fresh air. The last hour and a half of the flight had been particularly awkward.
After Vaughn had told Sydney that he would be with her less than a day after getting her to the safe house, she had asked if he couldn't stay just a little bit longer. What was the big hurry getting back to Alice and his new identity. He would have them for the rest of his life. All she got was now. Vaughn had countered that he was no longer CIA, no longer had the clearance to be part of her debriefing and briefing on the status quo. This had been an exception the agency had been willing to make. He couldn't be missing too long from his new life. He couldn't afford to draw suspicion. She would understand, later.
As they disembarked the plane and walked across the tarmac, Vaughn started guiding Sydney to the small boat launch. The crisp night air felt good in her lungs, helping her to clear her head. She was amazed to find that the air station was humming with activity even at this early hour. When Vaughn had referred to an old naval air station, she had envisioned some decommissioned military facility with a skeleton crew to assist the occasional flight in and out, not this.
Just then a young Lt. Commander approached them, flanked by two MPs. He addressed Vaughn, "Sir, we've come to escort you to the boat launch."
"That won't be necessary officer, I know the way", Vaughn replied.
"I beg to differ, sir, but my C.O. and Director Kendall disagree. As you can see, this is an active base and we need to take potential terrorist threats seriously."
"That's ridiculous. This woman is not a threat to your facility."
"I have my orders, Sir".
Vaughn knew arguing further was futile. He gave an apologetic nod to Sydney and took her arm. The Lt. Commander led the way as the MPs flanked the couple. A ten-minute walk across the airfield and down a steep flight of steps led them to a small marina. They were escorted to the end of a dock where the navy officer and MPs stopped. The officer motioned them down the crowded dock.
As they walked down the dock, Vaughn asked, "So do you want the good news or the bad news?"
Sydney stopped and turned to stare at him incredulously, "there's more bad news?"
"Sorry', said Vaughn as he let out a small laugh, "Let me rephrase that. Would you like the good news or the petty and annoying news?"
Sydney relaxed and answered immediately, "petty and annoying".
"We still have a 90-minute boat ride."
Sydney groaned inwardly. She just wanted this trip to be over. "So what's the good news?"
"We get to ride in style", he said motioning toward a sizable yacht at the end, "and we get to watch the sunrise on the water in the San Juans."
She had to admit that it was a beautiful boat. It was a 75-foot cabin cruiser and fairly new by the looks of it. "So what's with the boat?"
"The cover that the CIA created for the island is that it is an executive retreat for a Seattle software company. It would be suspicious if we traveled back and forth in military craft or standard government issue. So, we get to cruise in this baby. Not bad, eh?"
He escorted her up the gang plank and they were greeted by a tall heavy-set man with a crew cut. "Vaughn", the man said with a laugh in his voice as he shook Vaughn's hand heartily and clapped him on the back with the other, "How are you doing? Certainly didn't think I'd be seeing you again anytime soon."
"I'm doing great, Jenkins", Vaughn responded. "How are you? I'd like you to meet Sydney Bristow, your new guest. Sydney, this is Agent Thomas Jenkins. He runs the enclave"
Jenkins eyed her warily, "So you're the legendary Sydney Bristow. Rumors of your death have been greatly exaggerated…"
Sydney took a deep breath and tried not to roll her eyes. Something told her it wasn't going to be the last time she heard that line. However, she had expected Weiss to be the one to deliver it, although this guy looked like he could be his cousin. "Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you".
Jenkins escorted them to the main cabin and offered them some coffee. He then excused himself so that he could inform the crew to cast off. Sydney and Vaughn settled in as the boat got underway. Sydney looked over at Vaughn who was pouring himself a cup of coffee. She could see how tired he was. "What are you doing? Why don't you just stretch out? You look exhausted. I promise that I won't take the crew out while you nap."
"What, and miss a sunrise on the water?"
"Seriously, Vaughn, your bags have bags. Did you get any sleep on the plane?"
"I did for that one stretch", Vaughn said, replaying in his mind the feel of her nestled up against him. "I catnapped on and off after that", he lied. "Anyway, I'm too keyed up to sleep. I'll be able to relax more once we get you there safely and settle you in."
"Did you even sleep on the way over to get me?"
She knew him too well. She always did. He'd been running on adrenaline and little else for days. But there would be time to rest once they got there. He'd have the rest of his life to rest. "Syd, I'm fine. I'm sure neither one of us has had enough sleep the past couple of days, but we're almost there."
Sydney nodded and went to grab herself a cup of tea. Then, she told Vaughn that she was going to walk the deck and get some fresh air. He'd asked if she wanted company, but she declined saying she still needed to clear her head. He told her that he would be on the bridge with Jenkins if she needed him and they both headed out.
It was still dark outside, but you could just see the first light breaking at the edge of the horizon. The air was crisp in comparison with Hong Kong, but still mild for this time of year in the Pacific Northwest. She leaned against the railing on her elbows, steaming cup of tea held in her hands, and watched as the world slowly emerged from darkness, hoping that she would soon do the same.
She had been there for some time when she spotted something in the water, or thought she did. The sky was taking on rosy hues in the east and there was just enough light to make out the shape of the islands in the distance. A light mist danced over the water and gave everything an ethereal quality. Vaughn was right. This was worth staying up for. Just then, she thought she made out something in the water once again. She was probably seeing things. She was still a little bit jumpy.
Vaughn came down from the bridge quickly and joined her. He was scanning the water just where she thought she had seen something. "What is it? I thought I saw something out there. Are we being followed?"
"Just wait", he whispered.
She looked to his face to gauge his emotions, but instead of finding it etched with concern, it looked like a child's on Christmas morning.
"There. There they are. Off to the left", he said while pointing.
Sydney looked over to see two long black shapes streaming through the water. One was about forty feet long. The other was about half that size.
"What are they, Vaughn?" she asked.
"Orcas. They picked them up on the sonar a couple of minutes ago. It looks like a mother and her calf. This is great! I've only ever seen them once before, but that was from a distance. There was a small pod last spring, but they were only just returning to the area. They're usually here only from May through September. These are probably about to migrate." His words tumbled over each other in his excitement. His childlike glee brought a smile to Sydney's face.
"Who knew that you were an amateur oceanographer?" she quipped.
"Look at them, Syd! You don't have to be a scientist to be impressed. You don't get to see these kind of things in LA!"
She had to admit that he was right. They were pretty impressive. They were now following along side the boat with their fins and flukes clearly visible.
Jenkins came down from the bridge and joined them. "So you get to see your friends again, eh Vaughn?" Then, turning to Sydney, he continued, "You should have seen him last spring when he saw one of the pods from the island. There must have been a dozen of them. He just sat there mesmerized until they were out of sight. You city folk are easily impressed. Me, I've lived around here all my life. See them every summer. It takes a gray or a blue whale to knock the pins out from under me. You don't get to see them very often."
Sydney was enjoying the banter. It was good not to think about current events for a few moments. Then, something odd struck her. "So, you were up here last spring? I thought you said that you had taken a leave before you went into witness relocation?"
The mood of the men immediately grew somber. "Yeah, I did. Your dad arranged it so I could spend some time up here. Recharge my batteries, so to speak."
She was sorry she had brought it up. One of the few light moments of the past few days and she had ruined it. "I'm sorry, Vaughn. I should have kept my mouth shut. It's just that I'm so desperate to know what's been going on…"
"It's OK, Syd, but let's just enjoy the rest of the trip. We'll be there soon enough. Once Kendall's gotten all the confirmation he needs, you'll be brought up to date. Don't be in such a hurry to return to his 'fun and games'. Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss."
With that, Jenkins excused himself to return to the bridge. They would be arriving shortly and he wanted to radio ahead. Sydney and Vaughn went back to watching the whales in silence, but the light-heartedness of the moment was gone.
The yacht started to approach one of the islands. Its rocky shoreline rose up out of the water and was sprinkled with shrubs and evergreens. The rocky crags continued to rise up until there was a heavily timbered plateau. A few buildings could barely be made out amongst the cover of the towering pines. One was a large contemporary-looking structure, full of glass and amber wood, facing the water. The others were similar, but slightly smaller in scale, flanking and facing the main house. The rooflines of the three buildings reminded her of the Sydney opera house. Each had a central raised arch in the center where the large picture windows were. It fit Vaughn's description of an executive retreat to a T. It was breathtaking.
When they got closer, Sydney could see the dock with several smaller vessels along one side of it. The other side was open, obviously reserved for the boat they were on. She could see several people on the dock waiting for them. She was trying to make them out when she heard Vaughn mutter, "Crap, he couldn't even wait until we walked up to the house."
Kendall was waiting on the dock along with Dr. Barnett and two other men that Sydney didn't recognize. Once the yacht had docked and they had disembarked, Kendall and his entourage walked up to greet them. "Mister Vaughn, I trust the rest of your trip went uneventfully."
"Yes, Director Kendall. It was delightful."
"Agent Bristow", he nodded eyeing her skeptically, "how nice to see you again."
Gauging his former superior's suspicions, Vaughn added, "It's her."
"I'll let science be the judge of that, Vaughn. Show me the data and then I'll believe." Out of spite, he added, "Emotions aren't clouding my judgment."
Vaughn looked as though he might actually hit Kendall. However, Sydney intervened, "Some things never change. I see that you're as abrasive as ever."
"So, I see that you picked up Mr. Vaughn's nasty little attitude problem."
"One could argue that I had it first."
This actually caused Kendall to smile. "This is true. Let me introduce you to the others. You already know Dr. Barnett. This is Dr. Kramer. He'll be conducting your physical exams. Over here, this is Agent Morganetti. He assists Agent Jenkins in running this facility. Let's get you up this hill and get the show on the road."
Vaughn interjected, "We've been traveling for close to 24-hours straight. Could she at least have a chance to clean up and rest a little bit before you start the third degree?"
"Mister Vaughn, do I need to remind you that you are no longer a part of the CIA. Your work here is done. Your country appreciates your cooperation. After you've been fully debriefed, you'll leave immediately as per our agreement."
Before things could escalate again between the two men, Dr. Judy Barnett intervened. "Mr. Vaughn has a point. I'm not going to be able to conduct a reasonable polygraph or regression therapy session if Agent Bristow is exhausted."
"Fine, have it your way", said Kendall with a wave of his hand. "Despite appearances, we aren't running a resort here, but a CIA facility. She can rest after she's given us some of her blood and had an ocular scan."
With that, the group ascended up the steep set of stairs to the compound passing several other agents along the way. Once up top, Kendall ordered, "Ms. Bristow, follow Dr. Kramer and Agent Morganetti to the lab over there on the right. Mr. Vaughn and Dr. Barnett, join me in the main house. Vaughn gave Sydney's hand a quick squeeze and whispered, "It's okay. You actually got the better end of the deal. I'll see you in a little while." Sydney gave him a small smile and headed off with the men.
After her preliminary exams, Sydney was brought over to the main house by Agent Morganetti. It was beautiful on the outside, but the interior was stunning. The bottom level consisted of four sizable bedrooms off of the central dining/living area, 2 ½ bathrooms, and a large kitchen which was open to the common area. The dining and living rooms looked out over the water through a set of large two-story windows that went to the roofline. The second floor had a loft area which overlooked the first floor. Off of the loft were three more bedrooms with private baths.
Dr. Barnett, who was apparently alone in the house, greeted her and brought her upstairs to her room. It was the central one overlooking the first floor. "Here you go, Sydney. Why don't you get settled in and get some rest. If you need anything, I'll be right next door."
"Dr. Barnett?"
"Please call me Judy. We're going to be together for a while."
Sydney nodded, remembering what Vaughn had said. Then, she continued tentatively, "Judy, where's Vaughn?"
Judy Barnett smiled at her. "He's not gone if that's what you're worried about. He's downstairs getting some rest. He would never leave without saying good-bye."
"Thank you", said Sydney as tears welled in her eyes. "I still can't believe everything that's happened – that he's going to leave and I'm never going to see him again."
Barnett took Sydney by the upper arm. "I know that this must all be very confusing and painful for you right now. Michael's filled me in on what he has told you. Everything will make much more sense once Kendall has gotten his proof and we can fully brief you. Until then, get some rest. When you're ready later this afternoon, we can try a regression therapy sessions to see if we can help you find those missing years."
"Thanks again and, before I forget, thank you for helping Vaughn, my dad, and my friends while I was gone. He said that you really helped them all get through it.'
"It was my pleasure. I'm glad they finally let me do my job. Now, get some rest." With that Judy Barnett took her leave and went into the room next door.
Several hours later, Sydney awoke to the sound of laughter coming from the living room. She got herself dressed and headed out to the loft. When she looked over the railing, she saw Vaughn sitting with Will and Weiss. She couldn't help but let out a joyful shout, "Will!". "Syd!" he yelled back and they immediately started running towards each other. They met on the landing halfway to the first floor and embraced.
"I saw you in the tub that night. I thought you were dead", she said sobbing as she held him tight.
"Ssshhhh, sweetie, it's alright. I'm right here. I've got one heck of a scar on my belly, but so do you from what I hear. As for dead, the feeling was mutual. You had to see me when Eric told me the news."
They went downstairs and joined the others. After giving Weiss an embrace, they all sat down, Sydney sitting down next to Will on the sofa while Vaughn and Weiss sat across from them in armchairs. Will set about catching Sydney up on all their mutual friends outside of the CIA.
Several minutes later, Kendall entered with Jenkins and Morganetti. He faced Sydney, holding up a clipboard in his hand, and stated, "Some intel just came in from Hong Kong that I'm sure will interest you, regarding the identity you were living under." He asked Morganetti to get Dr. Barnett so that they could begin the briefing. The four of them just sat there stunned. Vaughn got up and went to leave, but Kendall stopped him. "No, Mr. Vaughn, you can actually stay. This information is a matter of public record, straight from the Hong Kong police." Vaughn immediately sat down.
Once Dr. Barnett joined them, Kendall started. "Apparently", he began, "you've been living under the identity of Suzanne Lawton, an English and Literature teacher at Saint Bartholomew's, an international high school run by the Jesuits up in the New Territories north of Kowloon. It's a school where many of the executives from Western companies doing business in Hong Kong and the New Territories send their children. It's also acts as an arm of the Jesuit Charities, servicing Hong Kong and the neighboring Chinese provinces."
"What? How do the police know this? How long was I there?", Sydney sputtered.
"Patience, Ms. Bristow, I'm getting there."
"You were reported missing to police on the morning of October 2 by your live-in boyfriend, a Mr. David Allerby, who is also a teacher at the school. Apparently, you've been working at the school for over 18 months." He paused and smiled pointedly at Vaughn, "you moved in with your boyfriend 10 months ago."
"There has to be some kind of mistake. This has to be some kind of set up…" Sydney started, unable to believe that she would simply walk away and forget about her old life, her family and friends.
"I'm afraid not Ms. Bristow. Agents in Hong Kong have verified the story. They've interviewed the headmaster of the school, Monsignor Timothy Shea, checked out your employment and banking records, searched your home, and sent us a digital copy of this picture. We've checked it. It hasn't been altered".
Kendall handed Sydney a picture of herself with a man looking to be in his early thirties, over 6 feet tall with blond hair and blue eyes. They appeared to be on the summit of a small mountain. The scenery was beautiful and seemed familiar, like the hills surrounding Hong Kong. They were wearing hiking gear. They had their arms around one another and were smiling for the camera. They seemed happy. It was the man who had called her 'Suzanne' in Hong Kong. Sydney was too shocked to speak and handed the picture back to Kendall who then turned and gave it to Vaughn.
"I find it amazing that you were living a normal life, right out in the open, for almost two years. It's very amusing really. What do you think, Vaughn?"
Vaughn looked up from staring at the picture, his face showing a mixture of shock and anger. "You find it amusing that the world's foremost intelligence agency was unable to find one of its own for almost two years?? Oh, that's right, the CIA refused to allot any resources to the search unless it related directly to Sloane or Derevko!"
As the men's tempers flared, Will and Weiss grew increasingly uncomfortable. Sydney stared off into space, still unable to comprehend what she had been told. Dr. Barnett rose up and stepped in, "Director Kendall, may I speak with you privately for a moment?!"
Director Kendall rose and followed Dr. Barnett into one of the downstairs bedrooms. After the door shut, the others could hear muffled shouting. What was being said was unclear, but what was clear was that it was Barnett who was doing most of the shouting. Will leaned over to Sydney, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's just a little much to take in at the moment."
"Syd, it's not your fault," Will said as he put his hand around her shoulder. "Dr. Barnett told us about her theory. You had no control over it, especially after what happened that night."
Sydney looked over to Vaughn, who had gone back to staring at the picture. "Vaughn?" she said softly, her voice barely audible. He looked up and she noticed that the anger in his eyes had been replaced by the pain which Kendall had been obviously hoping to inflict earlier. "He's right, Syd. We talked about this 'fugue' stuff on the way over. You had no control." His words said one thing, his voice said another.
Eric Weiss leaned over, slapped his friend on the shoulder, and asked, "Why don't we go out and get some fresh air? I haven't been out of LA in months and it'd be a real treat to breathe air you can't see." Vaughn nodded his assent and put the photo on the coffee table in front of Sydney. "We'll be back in little while, okay?"
"Promise?" was all Sydney could say. Vaughn nodded, gave her a small smile, and then went outside with Weiss and Jenkins.
"How could I do this? How could I do this to all of you, Will?"
"Syd, it was a long time coming. I can't believe you lasted as long as you did before something like this happened. You've been able to deal with an amazing amount of stuff, but what happened that night was more than enough to put anyone over the edge in and of itself. Why do think we were all able to believe that you'd actually killed yourself?"
Sydney picked up the picture and shook her head. "I don't even remember him, Will. I mean, he seems vaguely familiar, but how can you forget someone you must have been sleeping with for months."
Will shrugged, "you're going to have to save that one for Dr. Barnett. I have no clue."
A few moments later Dr. Barnett and Kendall emerged from the other room. Kendall actually appeared cowed. Judy Barnett addressed Sydney, "I'm sorry that you had to learn about things so abruptly. I'm only glad that what you apparently experienced was a fugue as opposed to something more nefarious. I'm sure it's disconcerting to you nonetheless, but it makes me feel much more comfortable about using regression therapy on you to help you remember. At least the memories we will be trying to reclaim shouldn't do you any harm. I know it may seem a bit soon, but would you be willing to have a brief session with me now. It may help you assimilate some of this information."
"Yes, I'd actually like that", she said, surprised by her own admission.
"Good. Why don't we head up to your room."
Not wanting to be left alone to endure Kendall, Will rose and said, "I'll see you later, Syd. I'm going to try and find the guys outside."
Dr. Barnett and Sydney stopped their session about an hour and a half later, the smell of food wafting up from the kitchen calling to them. They came downstairs to find Agent Morganetti in the kitchen and an enormous lasagna cooking in the oven. "Sorry ladies, but my repertoire is limited when cooking for a crowd. There's a bottle of wine on the counter if you're interested." Sydney looked to Dr. Barnett who simply said, "Go ahead, you've certainly earned it." Sydney grabbed a glass of wine and headed into the living room with Judy Barnett.
Kendall and Vaughn were on the deck outside the living room. They were arguing yet again. Vaughn was becoming incredibly agitated. "We've finally just got settled in there. She's almost six months pregnant. Is this really necessary?"
"I believe so, Mr. Vaughn. We can't take any chances on anyone discovering that Agent Bristow is alive just yet. Moving you and your wife is the safest thing to do for all of you in case anybody has become suspicious due to your absence."
Vaughn reluctantly nodded his assent, "At least give me a few days to break the news to her."
"Just till the weekend then."
The two of them returned to the house. Kendall asked Dr. Barnett to join him in the other room to discuss the therapy session while Vaughn went over to Sydney. "Hey, how did it go?" he said as he gently clasped her shoulder.
"It actually went well", she stated. "I only got bits and pieces – kids in a classroom, an apartment – stuff like that, but it helped to make this all a little more real. I remembered who the other man in the alley was too. It was the headmaster for the school, Father Tim. But most of it was weird, like watching a movie that I'd never seen before."
Just then, Will, Weiss, and Jenkins came in and joined them. "By the smells of it, dinner's almost ready", joked Jenkins. "You're in for a real treat. Morganetti makes a mean lasagna, but his stews are to be avoided at all costs".
"Hey, I heard that!", Morganetti piped from the kitchen. "Dinner in five minutes!"
"How did your talk with Kendall go?" Weiss asked Vaughn.
"Not so good", he replied, "We're being relocated over the weekend."
"Sorry, man", was all Weiss could say.
"I'm sorry too, Vaughn", Sydney added.
"It's okay, really. It's not your fault."
"If it's not, I'd like to know whose it is..."
Vaughn started rubbing his temples. "Seriously, Syd, it's alright. It is what it is. Please don't worry about it. You've got enough on your plate."
"Dinner's ready!" Morganetti yelled from the kitchen. Everyone in the living room got up and started to head toward the dining area, except for Vaughn who stood still, apparently lost in thought, an odd look on his face. Eric Weiss turned to his friend and asked, "Are you coming, or what?" "In a minute", Vaughn replied absently, "I have to get something in my room". Then, he headed off. Will and Sydney had turned when they heard the exchange. Will and Weiss exchanged curious glances and Will motioned Eric to follow Vaughn. Then, Will took Sydney's arm and escorted her towards the dining table.
Will and Sydney had not even sat down before they heard a panicked yell come from one of the bedrooms. "Dr. Barnett, come quickly, it's Vaughn!" Judy Barnett leapt from the table with the others following swiftly behind her. They found Eric Weiss bent over the motionless form of his friend who had apparently collapsed on the floor.
"What happened", asked Dr. Barnett, kneeling beside Weiss and turning over an unconscious Vaughn.
"I'm not sure. He was acting a little strange. So I followed him in, just in case. He keeled over as soon as he got in here."
Suddenly, it was as if every muscle in Vaughn's body tensed. "Oh, God", Judy Barnett breathed. "Jenkins, run to the lab and get Dr. Kramer. Tell him to grab his meds kit and an oxygen canister and come here immediately!"
"What's happening?!" cried Sydney as Will held her back. Before Dr. Barnett could answer though, Vaughn had started convulsing. Dr. Barnett and Weiss were holding him on his side. Dr. Barnett yelled to Kendall, "Grab me a pillow from the bed!" Kendall quickly did as he was told. Barnett placed the pillow under Vaughn's head.
"He should be okay in a few minutes, Sydney."
"What are you talking about? Look at him! What the hell is going on?"
"He's an epileptic, Sydney. He's having a grand mal seizure. It should be over shortly."
"What? How? Since when?"
Just then, Jenkins and Dr. Kramer returned with the things Dr. Barnett had requested. "How long has he been seizing", said Dr. Kramer.
"About three minutes", said Barnett.
"That long? Do you want to start him on something?"
"No, not yet. I'm not sure what he's taking. If it doesn't stop shortly though, we can try some diazepam, 5 mg."
Dr. Kramer opened up his meds kit and prepared a syringe, but before he could offer it to Barnett, the convulsing had stopped.
"Thank God", whispered Barnett. Then, she began gently shaking Vaughn's shoulder. "Michael? Michael, can you hear me? What medication are you on? When was the last time you took it?"
Vaughn was rousing as if from a deep sleep. His speech was all drowsy and confused and he was still lying prone on the floor. "Stopped taking it on the way over…. Can't take that stuff in the field… What if it's a trap? What if it's her? Have to be able to think straight…"
"Michael, what were you taking? Is it the same medication or did your new doctor switch you to something else?" Dr. Barnett's voice was becoming tinged with panic.
Before he could answer her, he lapsed back into unconsciousness and the cycle repeated itself. This time, however, the seizure was even more violent. As Dr. Barnett contemplated her next move, Sydney shouted at Kendall, "What's his name?"
"What?!"
"What's his name now?! On the plane, I saw a bottle of medication for someone named Evan Markham! Is that his name?!"
Everyone looked at Kendall while the seizure continued and Vaughn's skin took on a bluish appearance. "Dammit Kendall, is it?" Judy Barnett bit out."
"Yes"
"Dilantin with phenobarbitol, 2 capsules, twice per day", Sydney yelled to the doctors.
"Okay, Dr. Kramer give me that syringe and set up an IV drip for him with ten more over the next two hours", she said as she injected the drug into his vein. "He's gone into status due to withdrawal. Once we get him under control, we'll start him on oxygen."
Within a minute the seizure had ended, everyone in the room was looking at Vaughn and the doctors, not knowing what to do.
"Everyone, it's probably all over. Please let Dr. Kramer and I handle this and go out into the other room. We'll come out and update you shortly. Mr. Weiss, could you stay and help us get him into bed."
"Of course"
With that, the others filed out of the room, although Sydney had to be pulled away by Will. "Come on, Syd. We can't do anything for him right now. He'll be Okay." She reluctantly allowed herself to be pulled away.
Once back in the living room, Sydney immediately launched into Kendall. "Tell me exactly what's going on and don't give me any more of your 'Omega-17' crap!"
"Agent Bristow, a lot has happened while you were off on holiday! If you were so concerned about your old boyfriend, then where the hell were you ten months ago!"
"What? What are you talking about?"
Kendall immediately shut up, realizing his error. He fixed her with an icy glare.
Will Tippin finally broke the silence. "Syd, he was injured ten months ago during an operation. The seizures are related and started a couple of months after that."
"What happened?"
"For that, you're just going to have to wait until tomorrow when the blood tests come back", Kendall cautioned.
Sydney had never liked Kendall, but at that moment she wanted to rip his face off.
Judy Barnett emerged from Vaughn's room about an hour later. "He's going to be fine", she announced. "He'll need to stay a little longer so that we can get him stabilized back on his medication without incident, but then he can leave."
"How much longer does he have to stay?" asked Kendall.
"Probably just another day or so." She paused briefly before continuing, "Did you tell him to stop taking the medication?"
"Of course not! Had I known about it, I would never have sent him after her."
"He's been taking this medication almost from the beginning! Didn't you look at his file?"
"There wasn't time. I asked him if he was still having the seizures and he said he hadn't had one for several months. I assumed he was off the drugs. I felt it was worth the risk."
"He wasn't having seizures because of the medication! And who are you to analyze medical risks! Or did you even care!"
"That's enough, Dr. Barnett! Vaughn obviously made some choices here and what's done is done."
Sydney was tired of their arguing. She had only one thing on her mind. "Is he awake? Can we see him?"
Her questions took Barnett and Kendall by surprise, essentially ending their argument. "He's not awake, Sydney," said Dr. Barnett. He's fairly heavily sedated to prevent another episode. He'll be taken off the IV and the oxygen in about an hour. He'll probably sleep right through until tomorrow morning, but then he'll probably be back to his old self."
"Can I see him?"
"The best thing you could do for him is to get something to eat and get some sleep yourself. The last thing that he would want is for you to make yourself sick worrying about him. He's going to be fine."
"Please, I just need to see that he's okay. I won't stay long."
Dr. Barnett nodded in understanding, "Just a few minutes then."
"I don't think that's a good idea", Kendall interjected.
"You think she's a danger to him? If she'd wanted to hurt him, she needn't have told us about the prescription she saw."
"Fine, but if he starts saying anything under sedation, I want her out of there. I'm serious about waiting for final confirmation".
Judy Barnett led Sydney back to the room where Eric Weiss was reading a book in an armchair off to the side, keeping an eye on his friend. Barnett explained to him the terms of Sydney's visit and then returned to the others.
Sydney went over to the bed and took a good look at Vaughn. He was breathing easier and his color had returned. If it weren't for the IV and the oxygen, one would have thought he was enjoying a peaceful sleep. She knelt down beside him and took his hand in hers. It was the first time she got a good look at the chain around his neck and the Medic-Alert tag glistening on his chest.
She felt so stupid for not having figured out something was wrong earlier. The necklace. The prescription. His insistence on her wearing the helmet and jacket in Hong Kong. Then, Kendall's words echoed in her head. That's when she put all the pieces together. "Vaughn, I'm so sorry", she whispered. "I didn't know. I swear I didn't know."
"Syd", said Eric Weiss softly as he came up behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder, "he's going to be fine." "I know it looked pretty scary. It scared the crap out of me the first time I saw one. But he's going to be okay. You'll see in the morning".
"I'm not just talking about that."
"What then?"
"I didn't put it all together until just now. He told me how Sloane had abducted that operative, trying to flush me out. He just didn't tell me it was him."
Eric Weiss simply looked down at the floor.
"What the hell did he do to him, Eric?"
"You know I can't tell you that until you've been cleared, but take your favorite Sloane-Rambaldi worst-case scenario and you're not even halfway there."
