Okay, I'm sorry that it's been awhile but I have been… engaged in my other stories (check them out if you haven't already, just click on the little purple "Jennifer"). Anyway, I hope none of you have been absolutely languishing and I really doubt that you have been so I'm not that sorry after all :)

So… here it is

10.

Sydney got her breath back first. "Uh, yeah. Hi, I'm Sydney Bristow."

He was surprised at how clipped and professional her tone suddenly was. All his doubts about her were suddenly erased when he saw her become a stranger in front of his eyes. This woman could change personalities like a chameleon. "Michael Vaughn. Nice to meet you."

She smiled and then turned to Kendall. "Is there anything I need to be briefed about?"

"Actually, I was thinking that you should get familiar with your handler today; see how you guys work together. Your first mission will be in a few days but until then, we will be using you to monitor SD-6."

Great. She nodded. "Well Agent Vaughn, after you."

~:~

"Sydney, I'm so sorry th-"

Sydney shook her head. "It's done. And it's not your fault. I think that we're lucky to have stopped it now before anything happened... now that we know the truth, we can stick to our professional lives." She hoped she sounded convincing.

Michael felt his eyes widening. "What? Sydney-"

She looked up at him, a strange glow lighting her eyes. "Agent Bristow."

"Sydney. Sydney, I don't know about you but I haven't felt this way about anybody for a long time. And are you just prepared to… to throw it all away just because of-"

"What? Just because of what? Because of the rules and protocol that tells us that we can't see each other? Is that the "just" that you are talking about? Because I'm not ready to break those rules and I WANT to follow that protocol. This is my first day and I am working here to serve my country. Not to find a boyfriend."

When she said it like that, he felt embarrassed. She was right. But to deny the feelings that he was having already for this woman… he could already see how amazing she was. And he thought that she could see something too. He sat down heavily on the crate.

"You're right. You are absolutely right and I am sorry." He paused. "But can you honestly say that they is nothing between us? You really think that we caught this just in time? Because if you were to ask me ten minutes ago how my day was, I would tell you that is was magnificent. And then I would tell you that it was because I met the most amazing woman."

She softened. "Of course I felt something. God, you took me to Happyland. But we can't do this. It's not right. It will compromise your ju-"

"Look, I'm not asking you to engage in a secret love affair. I just think that this is something that we should be pursuing. I think that what we have might be powerful enough to last."

"Michael, we JUST met."

"And that's why I think it will work. We just met each other but the feelings are so powerful- Look, I've never had anyone use a pick-up line regarding milk on me before. And I have never been to Happyland before. And I have never kissed anyone in the middle of the street. This is all new and these are all things that I have never done before that I did because I met you."

She couldn't help but hold her breath, it was too hard to concentrate on breathing when Michael Vaughn was leaning towards her like that, his eyes dangerously intense and pleading, his cologne teasing her senses.

"My judgment won't be compromised."

"Are you telling me that you won't be worried every time I go off on some mission? You wouldn't do things that you normally wouldn't do if I was in danger? That you wouldn't mind if I had to seduce some creep or wear trashy clothes or… murder people?"

He sighed. There were always complications. And it was hard because all of her posed problems were real. Too real. "Of course I would be worried. Of course I would try to help. But those are all things that I would do anyway. Why can't I just care about you?"

She felt her eyes brimming despite herself. "Why are you trying so hard to be with me?"

He smiled. "Because I barely know you and yet you intrigue me. And even though I've only spent the last few hours with you, I can't help but wonder what it would feel like to hold you in my arms or kiss you good night."

"We only met yesterday. Aren't guys supposed to be scared of commitment?"

"Maybe that's only until they meet the right person."

God he was a slick talker. Sydney felt her resolve slowly melting away as she saw him looking intensely at her; as if he could see all her thoughts and feelings. She wanted him. She wanted this relationship.

"I can't believe you want to be with a girl you attacked you in the parking lot," she said with a little grin.

He smiled back, relief spreading across his face. "I've always like independent women."

She arched an eyebrow. "And how many have there been?"

He grinned. "One. If she wants me."

She looked down again. "This is so bad. It's my first day and I'm already breaching protocol. Michael… if only you were someone else or if I had known you longer… or even if you told me this down the road… I don't know."

He nodded, standing up again. "I understand. I'm not exactly the person who usually throws away the rulebook either." He walked across to the fence, intertwining his fingers with the metal for a moment before turning back around. Professional. "So, what do you think? Do you think we can work well together?" He tried to make light of the situation.

He tried not to feel rejected. "Do you accept me as your handler?"

She smiled. "Of course."

Her smile killed him. Michael couldn't get enough of it, of her, of her standing in front of him smiling.  He saw her see him, the sudden uncertainty in her eyes.

She leaned closer and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry Mi-"

He turned his head ever so slightly and brought a hand to her cheek, taking advantage of her position to lightly kiss her mouth. If she didn't feel anything, then this would just be a kiss goodbye. He hoped she felt something.

She closed her eyes after the moment's shock passed her by. This is just a kiss good bye. It doesn't mean anything. We're letting each other go. But despite her mind, she knew it wasn't true. She would never be able to let him go now.

Her hands buried themselves in his hair and she was once again transported to that moment on the street.

He pulled back first, meeting her questioning eyes. "Syd? Doesn't it feel good to break the rules?"

She tried to remember all the arguments she had used before, she wasn't looking for a boyfriend, she didn't need one. She was supposed to be serving her country. But all those melted away. Why couldn't she do everything? Why couldn't she have everything?

Sydney looked up at him. "Yeah. Yeah it does. But it could be awhile. Years maybe."

He nodded. "I know. But I'm willing to wait. I want to take this chance. Don't you?"

She smiled softly and she felt him take her hand. "Yeah, yeah I do."



*****END******

END OF MY FIRST MULTI-CHAPTERED FIC!!!!!! Review~

-Jenn