9.

She loosened her hand just a little so that he could speak.

"Sydney? What do you think you're doing?" Michael sputtered.

"I think I could and should ask you the exact same question."

"Wait! Why did you knock me down?" His head was still spinning and he was pretty sure that he had just asked an extremely stupid question but that was something he could forgive himself for. After all, he had just gotten beaten up by his girlfriend. Which was embarrassing in itself especially because he was supposedly trained to defend himself.

Sydney narrowed her eyes. "Why? Why did you do that?" She let control take over her feelings. She would not let herself cry in front of him.

"Why did I do what?" He was now thoroughly confused.

"Why did you let me have feelings for you when all you wanted was to follow me?" She couldn't hold it in any longer. She released him and pulled back a fist, ready to beat him for what he was making her feeling.

He grabbed her hand and used the leverage to pull himself up. "Sydney, I have no idea what you are talking about but frankly I'm a little scared and if this is how you always behave after really great dates, then I don't think we should see each other anymore. I mean, aren't you the one who is following me?"

"Don't try to confuse me. I know what you're trying to do. And if you had looked up your information right, you would've noticed that one of you already happened to my family before. Or does the name Irina Derevko not strike a chord?"

"Irina Der-"

"I see you are familiar with that name," Sydney spat. Her eyes were starting to water and she quickly shook her head. She looked up at him, suddenly seeming smaller and a little more defeated. "What was it about me that gave me away? Were you following me at the hardware store too? Did you see who paged me? Why me? I haven't even started yet." Sydney bit her lip. She knew she was talking way more than she should have but she decided to keep trusting her instincts. They were, after all, what had shown her who Michael really was.

"Gave you away? I'm not following you Sydney," he touched her shoulder, worried. Why was he always getting himself into weird relationships? He had thought that she was finally the one. And she turned out to be another who belonged in the loony bin. Then he raised his hand, alarm showing on his features. "Someone paged you and you thought I was following you. . . here? And you haven't started yet. . . here? Here is the CIA. . ." Michael's mouth dropped slightly.

"Sydney. . ." His eyes filled with wonder and a little bit of despair.

"I KNOW that this is the fucking CIA, Michael. But I'm sure you knew that already. Now are you going to let me into your little secrets or am I going to have to. . . I don't even know what I'm going to do."

"Sydney! I'm not following you. I promise."

"Then why are you here? Why were you at the restaurant? Why did you take me to Happyland? Why were you driving right behind me? And back to the first question, why are you he-"

"Sydney! Listen to me. I didn't tell you the entire truth when I told you my father was CIA."

"Oh, have you decided to start telling the truth now? Because frankly it doesn't mean sh-"

"I'm CIA."

Sydney stepped back, confusion lighting her face. "So. . . you work here."

"Yes."

A flush spread from her neck.

"Michael I'm so sorry. . . I thought you were following me because-" She shut up, looking at him closely. Did he know?

"Because your father is CIA."

"And so am I."

"And so are. . . you." Michael said the words slowly, testing them out in his mouth. "So. . . we're both CIA."

Sydney smiled, realizing the humor of the situation. "Yes."

He smiled at her, relief showing on his features. "So it's not my fault that you were able to beat me down because you are trained to do that."

Grinning, she nodded. "And it's not my fault that you were so easy to take down." She looked down at the ground and smiled again, her face a pretty pink. "I'm so sorry."

Michael took her in his arms and laughed slightly. "Well, I guess that's why you like stability in your life."

Sydney smiled into his neck. "I guess we both like a little stability."

Their beepers went off.

They checked their numbers and started walking into the building.

"So what exactly is your job?"

"Well, I'm supposed to get an asset today. My first time as a handler. I used to be a desk man. So it wouldn't worry my mother. Because of my dad."

"Oh."

"And you?"

"Oh, I'm a field agent. Or I'm going to be one. I'm helping the CIA with SD- 6."

Michael stopped. "Wait. You're the double agent."

Sydney looked at him, a little surprised. "Yeah, why, how did you know?"

"That's why Agent Bristow sounded familiar to me. I talked to your father yesterday."

"My father? How-" Sydney stopped, realization flooding her eyes.

"Agent Bristow! Agent Vaughn! I see that you have been acquainted, good. I'm Agent Kendall and, even though you already have, I would like you to meet Agent Vaughn. Your handler for the SD-6 case."

I know it isn't much of a "cliff" or whatever because they kind of figured it out already but there you are anyway. Oh, and I realize that I got my Irina story all screwed up so here is my revision of it: They know that Irina Derevko was KGB but they did not know that her death was faked or that she was the one who killed all those CIA officers. So basically, she is a dead bad guy. Okay then.

Review~ Jenn