The small brown-haired girl watched as her home was engulfed in flames. Her mother was dead. Alexander was gone. She was alone.
She was only thirteen.
*****
Adrianna sat up in bed suddenly, her face covered in tears and sweat. She hadn't had that dream in years. The memories flooded her consciousness again.
The fire.
Oh God, she thought. That fire had destroyed her life. That night she had lost her mother forever, and was not sure of her brother's whereabouts. She had lost everything.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices in the kitchen. Great, she thought. Sydney and her brother were having a fight. Her brother. She still could not believe that...
She shook her head. She flung the covers off of her body and pulled on her robe, going to investigate what their argument was about. What can I say, she thought. I'm curious.
*****
Sydney waited for Alexander's next statement with anticipation. He hesitated, but knew he could no longer lie to this woman. He had never spoken the words, but he knew he was in love with Sydney Bristow. She deserved to know the truth about his past.
"Sydney, if you read a file on my father, I'm sure you read about a fire that killed my mother, and allegedly, my sister and I," he said quietly. She only nodded.
"I'm sure that newspaper articles depicted my father as a broken man after that fire, wracked with grief over the loss of his wife and children," he said, looking away from her.
"Yes," she spoke quietly, "but my mom didn't see it that way."
"That's because I told her what really happened that night," Sark answered, still unable to meet her gaze. Sydney looked at him, and she could have sworn that she saw a tear fall down his cheek.
"What happened Alexander?" she asked hesitantly. He sighed loudly, and tears began to fall down his face freely.
"My father...that bastard...he killed my mother that night Sydney. He killed my mother," he said, meeting her eyes. Sydney gasped, immediately framing his face with her hands.
"Alex..." she began, wiping his tears away.
"That's not all Sydney," he said, sniffing. She became quiet again, allowing him to continue.
"My mother discovered that he was still involved in illegal activity. She called him out about it, and they fought, and he killed her. I heard the struggle, and I watched as he killed her," he sniffed again, as Sydney's eyes mirrored his own pained blue orbs.
"I knew he was going to kill my sister next. I knew it. As he lifted his head after killing my mother..I just knew it. So I ran to my sister's room while he tried to clean up the mess he had made. I ran to my sister's room, woke her up, and pulled her out of our house. I made sure she was alright, and then I went back inside," he said. Sydney gasped.
"Alex, why didn't you just leave? You could have gotten away!" He sighed.
"I wanted revenge Sydney. I wanted to kill him. I wasn't thinking straight," he said, "Anyway, I never fought him. I was so blinded by anger that I bumped into a table, and a candle fell off of it. I could have stopped the fire, but I didn't. I let it burn," he said, gazing into her eyes.
"You let the fire burn," she repeated, suddenly understanding.
"I let it burn, because I figured, my mother was already dead, and my sister was outside. Lazarey smelled the smoke and escaped, but he assumed that my sister and I were inside," he said.
"So he thought you were both dead," she said.
"Yes. He thought he eliminated us all," he said, looking down at the floor. Sydney shut her eyes tightly, absorbing all this information.
This, this was the reason for Sark's...Alexander's secrecy. His disconnection from every crime he had ever committed. His numbness. He wasn't numb at all. He was hurt deeply by his own father. Much like she had been hurt by her mother. She opened her eyes and grabbed his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.
"Alex...your mother's death is not your fault," she said, surprised at her own words. That was not what she had originally intended to say, but that's what had come forth. He began to sob, the truth finally hitting him.
"Oh God Sydney, I should have been able to save her...and Adrianna...oh God," he trailed off.
"What, what about her Alex?" Sydney demanded.
"I saved her that night Sydney. But then, I had to stay away from her, for her safety. She had to change her last name, as I did, and she had to take on a whole new life. I took away her life," he sobbed. Sydney shook her head violently, silencing him.
"Alex, you saved her life. Lazarey could have killed her," then she gasped, "Alex, is this the first encounter you've had with your sister since that night?" she asked. He only nodded.
"Oh my God! You risked seeking her out to help me...why?" she demanded. He hesitated, but his gaze remain fixed on her own.
"Sydney, I told you I would do anything to protect you. I meant that," he said, his cries subsiding. Sydney started to respond, but was interrupted by a creaking floorboard. They both looked up to see Adrianna standing in the kitchen.
"Adrianna!" Sark spoke, wiping his eyes and taking Sydney's hands as they both stood up, "I'm so sorry we woke you..." he began.
"You didn't," she interrupted, "I had a dream about..." she trailed off. He nodded.
"You had a dream about the fire didn't you?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered.
"I'm so sorry..." he answered.
"Don't be," she said, "I couldn't help but overhear what you two were talking about. And I agree with Sydney. You saved me that night. Never be sorry for that Alex," she finished. He only nodded, looking down to the floor. A few moments passed before Adrianna ended the silence.
"Sydney, do you have any idea as to how long ago you killed Lazarey?" she asked, directing her gaze to the other woman in the room. Sydney nodded.
"My father, with help from various contacts, believes that I killed him approximately six months ago," Sydney answered. She began to look at the floor, but a reassuring glance from Alexander lifted her spirit. She squeezed his hand and smiled at him. She almost failed to notice Adrianna's gasp. Alexander's sister turned around, placing her right hand over her mouth. Alexander tore his eyes from Sydney to look at his sister.
"What is it Anna?" he asked.
No answer.
"Anna?" he asked. Again, no answer. He hesitantly removed his hand from Sydney's, and placed his hand on Anna's right shoulder, to which she nearly jumped out of her skin.
"I'm sorry," Adrianna spoke, turning to look at them again.
"What is it?" Sydney asked. Adrianna hesitated.
"It's just that...are you sure your father believes it was six months ago?"
"I'm positive," Sydney answered. Despite the darkness, Alexander and Sydney watched as the color drained from Adrianna's face.
"What is it Anna?" Alexander asked, his hand remaining on her shoulder.
"It's just not possible," Adrianna spoke, though to no one in particular.
"What's not possible?" Sydney asked, trying not to sound impatient. Adrianna looked directly at her.
"It's not possible that you killed him six months ago," Adrianna said.
"Why?" Alexander asked. Adrianna's eyes remained on Sydney.
"I went on a mission two months ago, and I ran into Lazarey. He didn't recognize me of course, but it was him. He was very much alive," she spoke.
Sydney and Alexander collectively gasped as they shared a glance. Could it be true?
"So you mean Sydney must have killed him after you saw him?" Alexander asked.
Adrianna shook her head.
"No, if Sydney says that her father said it was six months ago, I believe her" Adrianna said.
"Then what are you saying?" Sydney asked. Adrianna looked at her again.
"I'm saying that I don't think you killed him at all," Adrianna spoke.
Sydney and Alexander shared another glance, their thoughts becoming the same again.
So what did happen?