NOTE: Thank you to all of you who have been reading my story and sending in positive reviews...I haven't forgotten Francie, as you will see in this installment. This one is long, guess you can say I got inspired. Don't give up hope when it comes to Agent Weiss, I have some surprises up my sleeve...mwuhaha...thanks again! God Bless!


"For the last time, I don't want to talk about it Meg!", Michael shouted. This was the third or fourth fight they'd had since the incident in the grocery store. Michael would not say a word, and Meg could not seem to let the situation die.

"For the last time Michael, you can't keep changing the subject! We're going to have to talk about it sometime...."

"Why? Why do we even have to mention her name?" he demanded, in tears.

"Because of this Michael! We're arguing! You and I both know we rarely fight, and because you are sobbing your eyes out, and we're not even talking about this in detail! It disturbs me Michael, and I want it to stop!"

"Or what Meg?" Or..." she interrupted,

"Or our marriage won't survive." She stated blatantly, looking directly in his eyes. With tears filling her own, she turned her back on him and walked out the door.


*****


"What do you mean he's working with us?" Sydney demanded.

"Before you have a seizure, he's not doing field work anymore, he quit a while ago. He's going to be back here communicating with us while we're in Dublin," Eric stated.

"So I'm going to have to hear his voice?" she squeaked.

"Oh My God Bristow, get over it! You're a professional or at least you're supposed to be!" She immediately became silent, and could not meet his gaze. He sighed loudly.

"Syd, is there something else going on? You're acting insane today." He looked at her questioningly, and realized she was contemplating sharing potentially important information with him. She placed one hand on her hip, the other on her forehead and turned to him, tears in her eyes.

"I called Francie's mom today...to tell...to tell her I'm so sorry. She was so angry. She screamed at me, telling me I was the reason Francie was dead."

"Syd..." Eric started to interrupt,

"I couldn't argue with her Eric. I am the reason she's dead. If I had told her the truth, she could have went away from here...she never would have got gunned down in her own restaurant. I mean what kind of friend am I, that I didn't even notice that I wasn't living with Francie anymore, that I was living with a complete stranger?"

By now she was sobbing, and Eric felt completely helpless. He closed the space between them, wrapping his arms around her, and began stroking her hair. He held her as she cried, but released her when her sobs began to subside. He held her at arms's length, looking into her eyes.

"Syd, it's not your fault. You did what you had to do. Yes, you had to lie, but that kept her safe. How could you have known that someone was planning on taking Francie's life as their own?"

"But..."

"Don't interrupt me. You couldn't have Syd. You couldn't have. You need to accept that and move on. Francie was your friend, and she loved you. She wouldn't want you to dwell on her death. I didn't even know her and I know that."

She looked up at him and smiled through her tears. He reached up to her face to wipe them away, held her face in his hands for a few moments, and looked her in the eyes and smiled.

"Eric, thank you. Don't take this the wrong way, but we're in the middle of the CIA headquarters and..."

"No, totally, you're right!" He said, laughing nonchalantly (or at least he hoped) and awkwardly removing his hands from her face. She wiped the remaining tears from her face, smiled once more, and walked away from him. She smiled to herself, thanking him again silently for the sweetness of his gesture. She only hoped it went unnoticed.

Luckily, the higher-ups of the CIA had not noticed...there were other issues to be dealt with. Only one set of green eyes had seen every move his best friend and former asset had made.


*****


"We're in." Sydney stated into her comlink, as Eric followed her into a small pub in Ireland.

"Copy Mountaineer," Vaughn's voice came back over the com. He cringed as he heard Sydney refer to Eric as 'honey'. He was struggling to remember that it was just part of their cover, and that nothing was going on...or was it? Like he had a right to...

"Boy Scout, do you copy?" a voice hissed in annoyance.

"Copy."

"The disk we have isn't working. Any bright ideas?"

"Yes, see if you can locate any other disks..."

"Boy Scout, we've got company, going radio silent."

"Syd..."

"Out, Boy Scout." With that, a click was heard, and Sydney's voice was gone.


*****


He wasn't sure how he'd gotten here. Five minutes ago, he was pounding on a computer, yelling obscenities in attempt to work the blasted disk. Suddenly, a sound was heard, a guard was yelling and he was kissing Sydney Bristow. That last bit was the part that had him the most baffled; what was weirder was that he didn't even initiate it. Before he had time to react, her lips were off his own, and she was profusely apologizing to the guard, who glanced over her with amusement. Eric was fuming; of course the idiot was checking her out. He snapped out of his anger quickly, only to realize Sydney was buying him time to casually slip in another disk she had found. He did so, moving slowly, saving the vital information and removing the disk before Sydney was even finished explaining their reason for being in the room. She glanced over her shoulder, realizing the transfer was complete, and knocked the guard out cold with one swift kick to his head.

"Nice Bristow, nice."

"Thank you. Let's get out of here." They climbed up a set of stairs, and exited the pub casually, before climbing into a black rental car.

"You better get Mike back on, he's probably flipping out."

"Yeah...," she switched on the comlink, "Boy Scout, this is Mountaineer do you copy?"

"Mountaineer, yes I copy, what's your situation?"

"Successful Mountaineer. We're on our way home as we speak.

"Copy. You alright Syd?" Sydney stiffened at the nickname.

"Yes Michael, we're both fine. Out." She switched off the comlink again, only to turn on her cell phone. She dialed a familiar number.

"Tippin."

"Will, It's me."

"Syd, oh thank God. Mike was freaking out!"

"I'm aware. We're on our way home now, just wanted to let you know, in my own words, that we're alright."

"I knew you guys would be. Let me talk to Weiss."

"Okay, love you."

"Love you too Syd, bye." She handed the phone to Eric, who struggled to steer the wheel with one hand.

"Hey," Eric said.

"Hey, you alright?" Will asked.

"Yeah, we're both fine."

"Yeah, thanks to Syd," Will said.

"How would you know man? I could've kicked some serious..."

"Whatever man...there was video you know."

"Oh crap I forgot. Oh God, did Mike see..."

"Yeah. Yeah he did. And you know him, no visible reaction, but those who know him know..."

"He's pissed."

"Yeah, that's an understatement," Will said dryly. Weiss looked over at Sydney, who was staring at him questioningly. They arrived at the airport, and Eric pulled the car to a stop, turning off the engine.

"Alright man, I'm getting off here...we have a plane to catch." Eric said.

"Yeah man, see you when you get home."

"Bye." Weiss flipped the phone shut, and looked at Syd again.

"What's going on?" Sydney asked. Eric was quiet for a moment, not sure what to say or do in this current situation.

"Eric..."

"Syd, there was video," he said quietly, watching as the blood drained from her face.

"Oh God Eric," she gulped, "We're going to have some explaining to do." He looked directly in her eyes. How was he going to explain something that he didn't even understand?


*****


"What happened?" an angry voice hissed over the phone.

"I didn't get there in time. I'm sorry Mr. Sark."

"I don't want your apologies, I want the disk. I'm beginning to think you don't want what you say you've wanted all along."

"I want this, you know that."

"Then get the disk."

"I'll be risking my cover."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," he hissed and slammed his phone shut.