Michael Vaughn's funeral was not a typical, staunch CIA-issue funeral. No, it was much more than that. Touching stories, both emotional and humorous were told about the wonderful CIA agent, friend, father and man. Not an eye was dry, even those of Jack Bristow, who cried over the loss of a man he had come to respect and admire for his tenacity and expertise on the job. Irina Bristow stood next to her husband, arm around his waist, tearing up as well. She had not known Michael Vaughn that well, and felt guilty that he had assumed that she had murdered his father. She hated that Michael had died this early in life, when it seemed that he so much more to do, so many more memories to make with Taryn, and maybe even with Sydney. She looked over to Sydney, who stood next to Eric Weiss, whose arm was draped lightly around her shoulder. Will Tippin stood on the other side of Sydney, his hand on the small of her back. Will and Eric were both crying, as was Sydney, whose sobs left her shoulders shaking violently.

Michael's mother Delorme held on to little Taryn, whose eyes looked all around in awe. Delorme's spirits were shattered, having lost her husband, and now losing her only son at such a young age. She turned her gaze to where Alice Walker stood, amazed that the girl had cared enough to come to her son's funeral. Delorme took in all the attendants, and paused to wonder where Meg was. Everyone had told her that Meg was gone...she only wished she knew where.

Several hundreds of feet away, Melina Bristow stood in shackles, watching the moves of the people at the funeral. Though she couldn't make out any faces, she knew that her parents, her sister and that Michael's mother was surely there. An anonymous guard prevented her from moving closer to the people, and to Michael, and because of this she began to weep quietly.

She had come to America to deceive Michael Vaughn. She had come to get closer to Sydney, so she could kill a sister that she had never known. She came to achieve revenge against the parents who had always favored their firstborn and had never given her a second thought. She had never expected to love being Meg Porter. She had never expected to even marry Michael Vaughn. She had never expected to have a child with him, and to fall in love with him and the child the instant that Taryn was born. Taryn. She longed to touch her daughter, to hold her when she cried or to rock her to sleep at night. Inwardly she screamed; the guilt she held over killing Michael Vaughn ripped her heart into irreparable pieces. She wasn't supposed to be feeling this way, she wasn't supposed to mourn his death. She wasn't supposed to be wishing that she was with her sister, with her parents, grieving with them and accepting embraces from them. She lifted her shackled arms to her face, grimacing at the heaviness that came along with them, and wiped her eyes slowly. She took one last breath, and motioned to the guard to take her back to her cell. She would rather be there than watch another second of a funeral of the first person she had ever loved.


*****


Will and Weiss were both worried about Sydney. Instead of taking time off to grieve as normal people often did, Sydney has immersed herself into finding her daughter Anna. She went on rogue missions, following leads that eventually led to dead ends. Weiss had trouble sleeping at night, knowing she was away, risking her life. He wished he could talk to her, but knew that she would not listen, for she was a Bristow: stubborn to the end. He was also preoccupied with adjusting to being a father to Taryn, though he had the help of Delorme Vaughn, who lived only miles from his own home.

Will realized that Sydney's welfare was up to him. On a night before she was scheduled to leave for another mission, one that looked promising, he showed up at her house with pizza and beer. She had scowled at his presence at first, but smiled instantly when she had noticed alcohol. She took it from his hands, immediately removing one from the six pack and opening it. He sat down silently with her on the couch, and at first her eyes averted his own, but soon they were looking directly at each other, both wondering what the next step would or should be. It was minutes before either of them spoke.

"Syd...it's okay for you to cry you know. It's okay for you to be angry, sad, confused...whatever. You have a right to," Sydney started to interrupt him but he stopped her,

"Yell at me, cry on my shoulder, break something, just please, show some emotion. You're wasting your life away like this." He took her hands in his and waited. She looked down at her legs, wiping tears away from her face.

"I miss him Will," she said quietly, "I miss him so much. He was my guardian angel...what does that say for me if my guardian angel died?"

"Syd..."

"You said you wanted me to talk, I'm talking," she interrupted, "I want to find Sark and get my daughter away from that monster. I've never even seen her face, my own daughter's face! And what he said..." she trailed off, sobbing, shoulders shaking.

"What who said?"

"Vaughn."

"What are you talking about sweetie?"

"Before Michael died, he told me something really important, and I can't even do it, because I feel like I'd be betraying him!" she sobbed. At this point, she was in Will's arms, clinging to his body tightly.

"What did he say Syd? What did he tell you?" He pulled away from her in order to look in her eyes and waited for her to answer. She breathed deeply before saying,

"He wants me to take care of Taryn," she said, breathing out again. Will was confused.

"But Eric's taking care of Taryn," he stated, and watched as Sydney stared at him, waiting for him to get it. His eyes lit up when he realized what she was trying to communicate to him.

"Oh. He wants you guys to raise Taryn, together."

"Yes, and not just together. Together together," She looked into his eyes, and he realized she wanted him to tell her what to do.

"Syd...I can't tell you what to do. I can tell you what I think you should do though." She waited in anticipation.

"Do what he said. You'll be honoring his last wish, and you'll also be following your heart," she gasped at his blatant honesty, and started to interrupt him.

"Will,"

"Syd, I'm talking now. Look, Eric loves you. He pretty much told me so. And you care for him, maybe even possibly love him. You owe it to yourself, to Eric and to Michael to see where it will lead. That's my advice. Take it or leave it." He looked at her in her eyes, before hugging her. He kissed her cheek softly, thanking God that she had finally opened up to him. She seemed to contemplate his words for a few moments before whispering,

"Thank you."

*****


"I want to see the prisoner," Jack Bristow stated, holding up his identification card. The guard nodded, opening the gates for Jack to proceed through them. He walked slowly, hesitant to see a face he knew would be identical to the daughter he already knew and loved. He walked with his head down, and when he came to a stop, he held his head down for a few more moments. He inhaled deeply, and exhaled as he looked up...to be met with the eyes of Melina Bristow.

For a few moments, they stared at each other, taking in each other's features. Jack noted her brown hair and facial features, identical to those of Irina and Sydney. The only difference were clear, blue eyes; eyes he knew would betray her otherwise angry features. She was beautiful, athletic and elegant; and that was just a visual assessment.

"Hello Melina, I'm..."

"I know who you are Jack. I've been around," she said, rather icily. He took a breath, realizing this was going to be difficult.

"Where's Irina? Too busy with Sydney?" she asked.

"Irina is outside. She couldn't face you yet," he paused, "She didn't know you were alive Melina; and I never knew you existed."

"She could've looked for me. She should've never believed that I died. She should've known," her eyes almost produced tears, but she immediately shoved them away.

"Melina, nothing I can say is a consolation for what you've been through. I'm your father. I want to be your father. But that's your choice."

Melina stared at him, contemplating his words. Somewhere deep in her heart, she had waited for this moment. In her dreams, he had said exactly these things. In her dreams, she had broken down and cried, embraced him, and told him how much she loved him.

That would not be how it was in reality. She had come to far, sacrificed too much to let him, or Irina and Sydney in too easily. She straightened up, pushed her shoulders back and stared him directly in the eyes.

"I don't need a father...and I certainly don't need Irina, or your precious daughter. Get out," she spat out. She turned around, and did not watch him leave. What he didn't see as he walked away were the tears that she had so desperately tried to fight.


*****


Eric sat in his apartment alone, as he had done for several weeks. He had just dropped Taryn off at Delorme's, and breathed in the first air that did not wreak of baby diapers and baby formula. He wondered to himself what Sydney was doing...she hadn't talked to him in weeks. She was probably on some death mission, seeking out Anna. He didn't blame her for wanted to get her daughter away from that slimeball Sark. However, he didn't want her to risk her life. He wondered how many nights Vaughn had spent worrying about her this way. And I told Michael to follow protocol? Geez.

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. He disconnected it from his belt and answered.

"Weiss."

"Eric," he sat straight up when he heard the voice.

"Syd?"

"Eric, I need your help. I found out where Sark and Anna are, and before you interrupt me, it's legit. My mom found out their location using a few old contacts," she sighed, " I need your help desperately Eric. I need someone who understands me there with me. I don't know how I'm going to handle seeing my daughter for the first time. I need you."

Once again, Eric Weiss wondered how Vaughn had felt when Sydney had spoken to him this way. He cracked every time you idiot, he thought, and so will you. He sighed loudly,

"I'll help you get your daughter back Syd," he said before hearing her tearful thank you.

At least now he could protect her.