Bright lights and loud noises invaded his incoherent consciousness as he struggled to identify his surroundings. He looked around, realizing that he was in a hospital room, most likely in a CIA hospital. His suspicions were answered when he noticed a confused Weiss sitting in a nearby chair. Their eyes locked, and Weiss gasped, pausing momentarily before he spoke.
"You're awake," he whispered, moving his chair closer to Vaughn's bed.
"Yeah. I have quite a headache too," he said. Weiss merely stared at him.
"Eric," Vaughn began, "What happened?" Weiss hesitated.
"You don't remember anything?"
"No. I have no idea how I got here," Vaughn stated, looking down at his folded hands.
Weiss sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. How am I going to tell you this, he thought, looking at his best friend with concern on his face. He knew he had to tell him the truth.
"Mike, we found you after you were apprehended by our branch in France. You were injured...burns, severe cuts...luckily someone recognized you, recognized you as William's son..." Vaughn shuttered at the reference to his father, "They called us, and here I am."
"Weiss...why would I turn myself in? I didn't do anything. The last things I remember is going after Sark that night that Sydney was hurt," Vaughn stated, looking at his friend. Weiss gasped, standing up quickly and turned his back to Vaughn. He placed a hand over his head, mind absorbing the words his friend had spoken. He breathed deeply, preparing himself to reveal information that was obviously new to Mike. He turned around slowly, face pale.
"What?" Vaughn asked, noting his friend's palor.
"Mike...that night with Sydney and Sark..." he trailed off, hesitant.
"What, Eric?" Vaughn demanded.
"That night...it was two years ago man," Weiss blurted, met immediately by Vaughn's shocked expression, "You were presumed dead. We looked for you...we searched everywhere, but you were dead. That was the only explanation...you were dead," Weiss whispered, remembering his own reaction to the news.
*flashback*
The office wasn't the same without Mike. Things were quiet, too quiet; and sterile. He hated every moment of it...and longed for the day when Mike would return. Things would return to normal - they could harass each other once again about women, missions and whose favorite hockey team would win the Stanley Cup. However, as the days went by, it seemed like word would ever come.
One day, however, changed all that. It had been five months since his disappearance - Five months that Sydney and himself had been searching relentlessly for any sign of Michael. On the last day of the fifth month, he received the news that he had been hoping for, but dreading. Sydney has sauntered in the office, though her confident prideful air was gone. She immediately went to Eric's desk, pulling him up wordlessly, hugging him to her tightly. Eric remembered stroking her hair, waiting for an explanation for her strange behavior. Moments later, it came.
"They found a body Eric," she spoke into his shoulder, then pulled away to look at him, tears filling her doe eyes. Eric could not speak. He had waited for this day, when they would receive any news...closure. This was not the type of closure he had hoped for. Tears began to fill his own eyes as he embraced Sydney again, her sobs drowning out his own.
*end flashback*
Weiss shook off the memory, meeting his friend's eyes once again. He was met with a green gaze filled with confusion and fury. Vaughn breathed deeply before speaking.
"Eric...where was I?" he asked hesitantly.
"We're not sure. We're looking into it. In the meantime, we're going to transport back to the LA office so we can check you out...possibly put you under hypnosis..."he trailed off.
"What Eric?" Weiss hesitated, not sure he wanted to reveal anything more. It had to be said though.
"I missed you Mike...I missed you," he said, tears threatening to fill his eyes. Vaughn looked away, no longer able to meet his friend's gaze.
"Just get me home Eric. Please just get me home," he whispered, before wordlessly laying down to sleep.
*****
He hated the looks he was receiving in the LA office. Everyone...Weiss, Marshall, Dixon, even Jack Bristow looked at him with pity...like they all knew something more...something else that would lead to the destruction of his life. As if it was not already completely demolished. When he asked them any questions...about his life, his absence or Sydney...they all looked at each other, ignoring him. He wanted to scream.
Five days had past since his reentry into society. He had been hypnotized, but they had discovered something. It was almost as if his brain refused to disclose any information from the past two years. He had no idea where he had been...truthfully he did not want to know, not just yet. He only desired once piece of information.
On the fifth day, Weiss, Dixon (who had taken Kendall's position) and Jack Bristow had gathered in his cell to speak to him. They wanted to know if he intended on continuing his career with the CIA.
"Well guys," he started, "this life is ultimately responsible for my disappearance, so excuse me if I'm not exactly jumping back into work," he yelled, eyes blazing.
"No one blames you man," Weiss said calmly, "We just want to know what you want."
Vaughn looked up at them, sighing loudly. This had been the first time in the past few days that they had asked him what he wanted.
"The only thing I want to know...the thing you've all been avoiding - Where is Sydney? And before you interrupt me, I don't want any avoidance, any lies - I want the truth and I want it now," he paused momentarily, his demeanor becoming more demanding, "I mean, is she still alive, is she still with the agency, is she a professor, is she in league with Irina Derevko...just tell me something!"
The three men before him shared glances, only this time he saw truth in their eyes. Jack sighed loudly, before moving to sit next to Vaughn on his bed.
"Agent Vaughn," he began, "Sydney is still with the CIA..."
"Thank God, she's alive," Vaughn stated, resting his head against the wall in relief.
"However, she's currently on maternity leave," Jack finished, looking back to where Vaughn now was. Vaughn's eyes widened in shock.
"What?" he asked, immediately regretting his question.
He did not want to know anything else.