She's arrived. He watches as she slowly steps out of the car with none of her usual grace, her movements sluggish, her shoulders shaking. Twenty feet in front of her, hidden in the darkness, a man stands waiting. Vaughn. The child, the one whom he had relentlessly argued against being assigned to his daughter. The one who should have adamantly refused to allow this meeting to happen, but did not.
The one his daughter immediately turned to when her father, inexplicably, turned against her.
This is wrong, he knows. Dangerous. Foolish. Brash. Obvious. Careless.
But does that make it right, in her life of kill-or-be-killed?
He watches, grimly, as she finally gives in and allows all of her pain to spill out, while her handler stands and comforts her. The pain he caused, and would cause again, if it saved her life. And yet he realizes. It should be him.
It should be him listening to her cry and offering soothing reassurances. It should be him with all the right words to say, the empathetic glances, the firm and understanding presence.
But it can't be. Because he caused the pain. And would cause it again, if it saved her life.
Does that make me a good father? he wonders. Or a bad one?
On the pier, his daughter and her handler are finishing. He relaxes, reminding himself to introduce himself to the child assigned to his daughter and make his feelings towards tonight's meeting very clear, very soon.
And then he jerks upright, shock overwhelming his senses. They aren't concluding the meeting.
In front of the world, in front of all who could be watching, Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn admire the stars, their gentle hand-holding far more obvious than any shouting would be.
It's wrong. Careless. Foolish. Brash. Dangerous. Immature. Obvious.
But does that make it right, in their lives of kill-or-be-killed?
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Review Responses
Linda! Giggling is laughing! :P haha. And duuuude. You rock. You hear that? YOU ROCK! That so made my day! I can't understand why my stories like to write themselves from Jack's POV, because I couldn't possibly be any more opposite, so I'm glad it's somehow working!
Em: I can't decide if that teaser was sweet or evil of you. I'm gonna go with evil because: a) MORE! b) The imagery! The prose! You're my idol, ma'am. Seriously. In that one little blurb, you showed just why you're Alias Writer #1. And you know what's really sad? I actually have another fic all ready and started for your reading pleasure. I have a life, really!
Nattie700: As much as I'd like to claim credit for AppearingSmart!Vaughn, that background was actually taken from The Pursuit. Yes, I'm 19 and I read a kid's book. I confess. But it was all the cover picture's fault! :whines: I couldn't just not buy it!
Sarabeth1: No worries! The very first chapter of my newest story, which will be longer than the wedding fic (and is actually my fav out of all of them) has been posted! Check out my profile to read it, if it pleases you to do so!
Ilovemypenguin: :gushes: thank you so much! I so love you! You review like everything! I want you to know I LOVE that!! It's appreciated!! hehe
