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Disclaimer : Not mine. Never have been, never will be.
Notice : Spelling, grammar and any other mistakes are that fault of the author and she apologizes for them in advance but has done her best to proofread.
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Chapter One : Parent's Worst Nightmare
Jack looked at the flames bursting for the house. Blue and orange flames burst out the not broken windows, firefighters surrounded the house, trying to stop the blaze.
As he watched, the grief built up inside him like it had done so many years ago. The anger and pain that only the loss of one you loved so deeply could cause. This was his daughter's house. And she was inside.
Jack had been on his way over to see her only an hour before. They had made a little progress finding out just how A.G. Doren was and wanted to talk with his daughter. Yet no sooner had he turned down her street than he had seen the house engulfed in flames. He knew she was home, and most painful of all, knew he could not do or say anything. He saw the firefighters already on the scene but knew it was to late.
He had been right, after three hours all that had been recovered were Sydney's burnt remains.
Jack spent the night at home, the computer monitor was the only source of light in his study. Ordinary he would sit in front of the fireplace at nights and relax but he could not imagine looking at flames again. He ideally moved his thumb over the people in the picture he was holding. It had been taken last year. Vaughn had given Sydney a surprise party for a mission in London that had gone well and Jack had been invited. He had always objected to having his picture taken, afraid of the danger it could put those in it, in to but this had been different. Sydney had given him her puppy dog eyes and he could never refuse he when she did that.
Now it stood only as a memory of those things now lost. He'd never wanted to be close to his daughter. At first, she had looked to much like Laura but as she became older she did not want to bring her into this kind of life. That was something he would never forgive Sloane for and in many ways himself. He had exposed his daughter to Project Christmas and Sloane and recruited her into SD-6.
Jack abruptly dropped the photo and covered his eyes with his hand. 'What am I doing?' He asked himself. Picking up his glass he took a finally swing of scotch and walked back to his desk.
Jack clicked on the internet icon and waited as his computer went though checks the agency gave him to use as well as his own. Finally the page he wanted came up. He began looking over the pages of the Agency's secure files llooking for anything that he might find to help. After a hour and a half of searching he could find nothing.
Upset, Jack began to close down his computer when a small window popped up at the bottom of his screen. He'd forgotten his Hotmail account was set to auto log-in. Jack looked at the name of the sender and was puzzled. He knew only five people had this address and one was dead.
He clicked on it and was taken to the message. He was shaken when he read the words.
Jack,
I just heard about the fire. What happened? Do you know?
I can't believe she's dead. It's hard for me to even type this.
Please tell me our daughter is all right? I need to know what's
going on. I don't know what you feel towards me since I left but
you must know I've thought about Sydney everyday. I love her Jack.
And you.
I need to know what's going on.
Love,
Irina.
P.S. If you need someone that understands, I'm here.
Jack read and reread the message, making sure it was not a dream. He began to type a reply, began to tell her all he knew, to trust in her as he had in Laura, remembering how much better her felt after talking with her when he realized again she was not Laura. Jack sighed and moved his cursor to delete and clicked
He went up to his bedroom after that. Glancing over at the bedside table he looked at the family photo that had found a home there. Seeing Irina again and stirred-up feeling's he's long since thought were buried. He briefly wondered if Irina had known what was going to happen to Sydney or even if she had a part in it but that thought left his mind as quickly at it had come. He knew what she said in the e-mail was true.
Jack pulled off his shirt and unbuttoned his pants, sliding them off his lean hips and tossing the clothing into a pile. With a deep breath and a heavy heart he climbed into bed. Remembering all those times before, when he had made love to his wife, when she was pregnant with Sydney and the nights of sickness, after she had died and he'd cradled his daughter to him as she wept herself to sleep.
Now he was alone. All alone.