Sark wore a half smile on his face as he watched her sleeping peacefully in his hotel room. He had decided a long time ago that Sydney was the only woman who could induce that look on his face. The crime world was fast-paced, rapid...cutthroat. It was quite a change to sit in this armed chair and watch this beautiful woman as she breathed in and out.

In and out.

In and out.

Damn, she was so beautiful.

He hated feeling this way about her. Things were much easier when she was merely his adversary. Who was he kidding? This woman wasn't merely anything. She was everything. The truth was, everything had changed when they were taken by the Covenant.

He slapped his hands over his face, shaking his head in defeat. He would have to tell her what her precious CIA had neglected to tell her, and he would have to do it soon.

While he was lost in thought, Sydney had begun to stir. When she noted who her companion was, she decided immediately not to freak out. Sure, she was trapped in a room with an assassin. But this assassin happened to be plaguing her dreams. If she wanted answers, she had better play nice.

"Hey," her voice interrupted her thoughts. He looked over to her, to see her stretching out, taking in her surroundings. Her eyes grew wide and she sat up slowly.

"What am I doing in your bed?" she asked, crossing her arms. He smirked.

"I don't know. You tell me," he asked, raising an eyebrow. She smiled. Then, something completely surprising happened. She laughed.

"What's so funny?" he asked, pretending to be offended. She threw her legs over the bed, sitting up completely.

"You are," she said, smiling at him. Her eyes grew wide when she took in his facial expression; a completely sincere half-smile. "You're actually very funny. A pain in the ass, but funny."

He laughed and she joined in, but soon they were sitting in silence once again, staring at one another. Sydney was the first to break the silence.

"Sark?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"I need you to tell me the truth. I can't believe I'm even asking this of you, because God knows you've probably never been honest a day in your life...but this time, I need you to be." He stared at her for a moment in stunned silence. He cleared his throat, nodding slowly.

"Okay," he said finally. She didn't hesitate.

"We were together during those two years weren't we?" she asked quietly, "That's why I don't have the urge to kill you right now. Things have changed between us, and I can't even remember." He watched in silence as she lowered her eyes to the floor, and he stood up slowly, walking over to the bed to sit next to her. He sighed loudly, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"We were together," he said.

"How?" she asked quickly, throwing her hands up in the air. "You were in CIA custody."

He hesitated, not wanting to reveal the CIA's closely guarded secret, but when he looked in her eyes, he knew he could no longer lie to her.

He was sick of lies.

He sighed loudly, putting a hand over his face.

"Sydney," he said quietly, "I wasn't in CIA custody the entire time." Her eyes widened, but she did not speak. She only waited for his next statement.

"Somehow, and I have no idea how, the Covenant sprang me out of prison. They used me, just like they used you," he said. She looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean they used us? How?" she asked, searching his eyes.

"Let me ask you something first Sydney. Do you remember anything from that time period?" he asked. She cleared her throat, hesitant to reveal that all she could remember about those two years were moments with him.

"I remember you," she said tentatively, looking toward the floor again. He waited for her to continue.

"I was so angry with you last night for stealing the cube. When I came after you, I resolved to forget what I had remembered, and just do business as usual. But I couldn't get it out of my mind..." she trailed off.

"Get what off your mind? Sydney, what did you remember?"

"I've been having dreams Sark. They've been plaguing me for the past two weeks. I've only been back a month. I can't keep living like this," she said, rubbing her hand over her forehead. He reached up, pulling her hand away from her face, taking it in his own.

"Sydney," he whispered, " I need you to tell me what you remember, so I can help you be rid of these dreams." She snorted.

"What?" he asked. She smiled at him.

"First I want to know what you've been doing. Why were you helping the Covenant? If we were together, as you say we were, then why have you been helping the enemy?"

"I shouldn't have to lecture you on the truth Sydney. You and I both know nothing is at it seems," he said. When she remained silent, waiting for him to elaborate, he sighed loudly.

"When the Covenant took me out of your custody only a few weeks ago, they took me to a vault, where I gave them access to my inheritance," he stopped for a moment, and she nodded for him to continue, "They gave me two options - death or employment. The second choice was obviously more appealing," he said.

"So you have been working for them? Why?"

"They've always considered me an asset, just as they considered you an asset," he paused, looking at her pointedly, "Sydney the only way we can take down such a powerful organization is from the inside. The only way you can destroy them is with my help," he finished. She sighed loudly.

"You're the last person I would have ever chosen to help me," she said.

"Well, guess we're stuck," he said, smirking at her, "I didn't know at the time of my reentry into the Covenant, but Allison was working for them the entire time. She lied to me, about everything. She claimed she was loyal to Sloane, but was not. I was royally pissed. I decided that if lies were what our relationship was based on, we might as well continue in the tradition..."

"And?" she asked.

"I decided to use her. She's a cold-blooded killer, but she can't boast intelligence. She told me everything...every operation the Covenant was working on."

"What are they working on?" she asked, her eyes growing wide. He squeezed her hand, and proceeded to grab the other one, alarming her for a moment.

"Before I tell you that information, you need to tell me about those dreams you've been having Sydney. That's the only way I can tell you what truly happened," he said, his eyes filling with concern. She didn't know why, but suddenly she understand why she had trusted him, possibly even loved him as Julia Thorne. She shook the thought.

"Well..." she began, "the most vivid one is of you and I, standing together in a hallway. Much as I am embarrassed to say this, I was..." she trailed off.

"What? You were what?"

"I was propositioning you," she said, her eyes leaving his, but immediately back on his face when she heard his sudden laughter.

"This is not funny," she said, her cheeks flushing.

"I'm sorry Sydney. I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at the memory of it, that's all," he said. Her eyes widened.

"So it is a memory? It actually happened?"

"Oh yes, it did indeed. Quite a few times actually," he said. He watched as she contemplated that for a moment.

"Sark..."

"Yes?"

"Please don't take this personally, but why was I coming onto you? Isn't it usually the other way around?" she asked. He smirked, rubbing his thumb against the outside of her hand.

"Yes, usually. This wasn't a normal circumstance," he said, his voice becoming quiet.

"Sark...what happened to us?" she demanded suddenly, her eyes welling with tears. He looked at the floor, his own eyes becoming clouded. He took his right hand and wiped his eyes, not wanting her to see him in this way. When all was clear, he looked at her again, and wiped tears from her face. Instead of the usual disgust she felt at his touch, she felt comfort.

"It's simple, really. We were brainwashed Sydney. The Covenant stole our lives, our identities, our memories...they turned us into two completely different people."