Dinner that night was quieter than usual. Ryan sat merrily playing with his
corn, while Sydney ate everything she could get her hands on. Meanwhile
Vaughn and Sark sat across from each other, neither sure of what to do or
say. It wasn't your normal "brother-in-law" situation. Sark and Vaughn had
fought in hand to hand combat, they'd shot at one another, they were
enemies, just as Sark and Sydney had once been. But Vaughn and Sark didn't
have the pleasure of sharing the same blood.
Vaughn tolerated a slew of things because of Sydney. He tolerated Irina. He tolerated flying back and forth between LA and Colorado. And the more and more he did for Sydney, the easier the giving became. He'd even grown to love Colorado, and respect Irina. But Sark was one thing, Vaughn was not so sure he could 'give' on. Sydney's brother or not, the man was not Vaughn's friend.
While Vaughn sat eating and thinking about Sark, Sark reciprocated. He was so intrigued by Sydney's choice in Vaughn. Sydney was this incredible woman; strong, stubborn, emotional, and confident. Though Michael Vaughn possessed some of these qualities, it baffled Sark, as to how he and Sydney managed to be so in love with one another. There was no doubt that they were madly intoxicated with the other's presence, or that they were both absolutely committed to one another and making a life together work. But the question still nagged at the back of Sark's mind.
He'd lived in their home for almost three months now. He'd left the confines of the house on very few occasions. Keeping his presence there unknown was a difficult task, that required sacrifice. But in that time he'd learned a lot about Sydney. He thought he had known her. He had assumed he had her figured out. But his sister was a much more complex human being than Sark had accounted for. In the world of espionage Sydney was the best field agent Sark had ever seen. Better than even himself. She was decisive, resourceful, and her instincts were impeccable. Much of this transferred into her daily life. When it came to Ryan she was resourceful, creative, and loving. But she was also extremely patient; something Sark never could have imagined.
Sark and Sydney had always had a bond. He could feel it. He'd never put his finger on it, of course, but now he knew. He found it funny often times, when he realized how similar they were. And he found himself loving her. He felt closer to Sydney than even Irina, his mother. And though Sydney had been hesitant, and unsure at first, she had helped their relationship grow beyond anything Sark could have ever imagined. And she had allowed Sark to form a relationship with her son. Ryan wasn't a hard kid to fall in love with. It was nothing short of brilliant, not to mention cute as a button. And though he new that he was wonderful, and that everyone thought he was so, he was a humble little kid, if a kid can be humble. He never tried to show off or act cute. He just was that way. It was as if he was mature enough to understand that. Sark loved that about him. Sark saw himself in Ryan, or at least wished that he could have been so lucky.
Sark new The Prophesy. Even more importantly Sark knew the players in The Prophesy, probably better than they knew. He was, or so he'd thought, removed from the situation, a fringe player. The fact that he was apart of the Bristow family, made him wonder slightly about his connection to The Prophesy, but as far as he knew he was outside of its scope. The Prophesy was about Sydney. It was about power, love, hate, and things Sark himself couldn't fathom. Yet Sark sat there. Knowing all that he did.
It was amazing the way Sydney could draw people into her life. Not a single person around her, did not feel obligated to protect her; even her own four year old son. Sark laughed at the way life seem to revolve around Sydney, not the other way around. He smiled as he sipped his wine, looked at his sister as she attempted to eat properly, even though it was obvious that she was starving. It was a shame. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was almost time. He could practically feel it in his bones. All that he'd worked for was within his grasp, and it took everything he had not to just go ahead a take it. He'd tried that once before, and he'd almost ruined everything.
The phone rang. He picked it up without a word.
"One more month." Jack Bristow's voice came through the telephone.
"Indeed Jack." Sloane said smiling to himself. "How are you old friend?"
"I've seen better days Arvin."
"Jack, I respect your strength immeasurably."
"You know that if I had any strength, I wouldn't be allowing any of this to happen."
"Well what you lack in strength you, you make up for in sense."
"That's funny, because I would make the same argument for my lack of sense."
"Oh Jack. It doesn't please you at all to see this all come to fruition."
"Arvin, a long time ago we agreed that we would discuss my feeling on the matter. I think we both know that I will forever feel both intense guilt, and intense hatred for myself, over this. I had no choice. And in that context my feelings become chillingly clear."
"We are all forced Jack. But the difference is, that I choose to take pride, and pleasure in its completion."
"No, Arvin the difference is, Sydney is not you daughter."
"No. No, she isn't. By the way, I assume you've seen your son lately."
"Yes, I was curious as to how you came to know about that." "There are no longer many things which I do not know. Or that I do not plan, you know that Jack."
There was a pause.
"I see."
"Jack."
"What is his purpose in all of this. I was unaware that he was even mentioned."
"Things change Jack."
"As far as I knew, Arvin, things did not change when it came to the words of The Prophesy."
"Jack, my dear old friend."
"Don't play that game Arvin. Is there something new I should know about?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing..I see."
Arvin laughed. "We must be getting old Jack."
"Well that's quite obvious. Why do you mention such a painful subject?"
"It has been too long to remember since we stopped being able to lie to each other."
"Yet you still manage to."
"Alright, then a long time ago we stopped being able to deceive each other."
"What are you getting at."
"That's just it, I won't lie. You already know. I can't tell you."
"As per usual, and apropos of entire relationship Arvin, I couldn't have guessed.. Just tell me one thing."
"Yes."
"He read it, didn't he? He was the one."
"What do you think?"
Vaughn tolerated a slew of things because of Sydney. He tolerated Irina. He tolerated flying back and forth between LA and Colorado. And the more and more he did for Sydney, the easier the giving became. He'd even grown to love Colorado, and respect Irina. But Sark was one thing, Vaughn was not so sure he could 'give' on. Sydney's brother or not, the man was not Vaughn's friend.
While Vaughn sat eating and thinking about Sark, Sark reciprocated. He was so intrigued by Sydney's choice in Vaughn. Sydney was this incredible woman; strong, stubborn, emotional, and confident. Though Michael Vaughn possessed some of these qualities, it baffled Sark, as to how he and Sydney managed to be so in love with one another. There was no doubt that they were madly intoxicated with the other's presence, or that they were both absolutely committed to one another and making a life together work. But the question still nagged at the back of Sark's mind.
He'd lived in their home for almost three months now. He'd left the confines of the house on very few occasions. Keeping his presence there unknown was a difficult task, that required sacrifice. But in that time he'd learned a lot about Sydney. He thought he had known her. He had assumed he had her figured out. But his sister was a much more complex human being than Sark had accounted for. In the world of espionage Sydney was the best field agent Sark had ever seen. Better than even himself. She was decisive, resourceful, and her instincts were impeccable. Much of this transferred into her daily life. When it came to Ryan she was resourceful, creative, and loving. But she was also extremely patient; something Sark never could have imagined.
Sark and Sydney had always had a bond. He could feel it. He'd never put his finger on it, of course, but now he knew. He found it funny often times, when he realized how similar they were. And he found himself loving her. He felt closer to Sydney than even Irina, his mother. And though Sydney had been hesitant, and unsure at first, she had helped their relationship grow beyond anything Sark could have ever imagined. And she had allowed Sark to form a relationship with her son. Ryan wasn't a hard kid to fall in love with. It was nothing short of brilliant, not to mention cute as a button. And though he new that he was wonderful, and that everyone thought he was so, he was a humble little kid, if a kid can be humble. He never tried to show off or act cute. He just was that way. It was as if he was mature enough to understand that. Sark loved that about him. Sark saw himself in Ryan, or at least wished that he could have been so lucky.
Sark new The Prophesy. Even more importantly Sark knew the players in The Prophesy, probably better than they knew. He was, or so he'd thought, removed from the situation, a fringe player. The fact that he was apart of the Bristow family, made him wonder slightly about his connection to The Prophesy, but as far as he knew he was outside of its scope. The Prophesy was about Sydney. It was about power, love, hate, and things Sark himself couldn't fathom. Yet Sark sat there. Knowing all that he did.
It was amazing the way Sydney could draw people into her life. Not a single person around her, did not feel obligated to protect her; even her own four year old son. Sark laughed at the way life seem to revolve around Sydney, not the other way around. He smiled as he sipped his wine, looked at his sister as she attempted to eat properly, even though it was obvious that she was starving. It was a shame. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was almost time. He could practically feel it in his bones. All that he'd worked for was within his grasp, and it took everything he had not to just go ahead a take it. He'd tried that once before, and he'd almost ruined everything.
The phone rang. He picked it up without a word.
"One more month." Jack Bristow's voice came through the telephone.
"Indeed Jack." Sloane said smiling to himself. "How are you old friend?"
"I've seen better days Arvin."
"Jack, I respect your strength immeasurably."
"You know that if I had any strength, I wouldn't be allowing any of this to happen."
"Well what you lack in strength you, you make up for in sense."
"That's funny, because I would make the same argument for my lack of sense."
"Oh Jack. It doesn't please you at all to see this all come to fruition."
"Arvin, a long time ago we agreed that we would discuss my feeling on the matter. I think we both know that I will forever feel both intense guilt, and intense hatred for myself, over this. I had no choice. And in that context my feelings become chillingly clear."
"We are all forced Jack. But the difference is, that I choose to take pride, and pleasure in its completion."
"No, Arvin the difference is, Sydney is not you daughter."
"No. No, she isn't. By the way, I assume you've seen your son lately."
"Yes, I was curious as to how you came to know about that." "There are no longer many things which I do not know. Or that I do not plan, you know that Jack."
There was a pause.
"I see."
"Jack."
"What is his purpose in all of this. I was unaware that he was even mentioned."
"Things change Jack."
"As far as I knew, Arvin, things did not change when it came to the words of The Prophesy."
"Jack, my dear old friend."
"Don't play that game Arvin. Is there something new I should know about?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing..I see."
Arvin laughed. "We must be getting old Jack."
"Well that's quite obvious. Why do you mention such a painful subject?"
"It has been too long to remember since we stopped being able to lie to each other."
"Yet you still manage to."
"Alright, then a long time ago we stopped being able to deceive each other."
"What are you getting at."
"That's just it, I won't lie. You already know. I can't tell you."
"As per usual, and apropos of entire relationship Arvin, I couldn't have guessed.. Just tell me one thing."
"Yes."
"He read it, didn't he? He was the one."
"What do you think?"