Author Notes :
First, I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to read my story. I also appreciate the reviews. (
Here are answers to the questions that have been raised about the story.
1. What was with Sark and kissing Sydney like that?
Sark kissed Sydney to throw her off guard and take control of the situation so he could make his offer without her interfering.
2. This isn't a Sarkney story?
Honestly, at this time I am not completely sure what will happen at the end of the story as far as romantic pairings. I may post alternate endings if I am unsure of what is the 'best' outcome. An original character will be introduced, most likely with a rather minor role.
Chapter 2 takes place the night of the events in Chapter 1.
Val sauntered down the aisle of the nearly deserted diner inspecting each booth. Her right hand swept a large, damp, white wash cloth across each table, while the left plunked the salt and pepper shakers against the proper end of each table. There was a stickiness about the air and she could feel the grease from years of cooking house specialties such as over- easy eggs and fried chicken. Yet she felt right at home. It was to be expected. After all, she had spent the last fifty years working the establishment. She let out a heavy sigh as she set down a tub of dirty dishes on the edge of one table, looking to see who remained in the restaurant. She was alone, with the exception of two people, whom had been there for the past two hours. One of them was a woman who could not be more than thirty years old. She had shoulder length brown hair and a face whose beauty was hidden by her stare into a swirl of mashed potatoes and gravy lying next to a thick slice of meat loaf on her plate. The other was a man who bore a resemblance to her, presumably her father. His expression was stern yet gentle and full of concern.
"Sydney..." she finally heard him say.
Val decided to give the pair some privacy, and made her way back to the front of the diner. "Can I getcha anything else?" she asked in a slightly harsh tone, stopping briefly at their booth.
The voice startled Sydney, causing her to nearly knock jump over her cup of coffee, but she quickly recovered. "No thank you," Sydney replied, forcing a smile.
The waitress turned to Jack, who shook his head. "Alrighty... I'll be at the counter if ya'll need anything."
He took his daughter's hand in his, saying nothing, but wanting her to know that he was there for her if she wanted to talk. Despite his veneer of complete calm and control over the situation, hundreds of thoughts raced through his mind. What could have happened over the course of a few hours to make Sydney act like this? Had she gotten into a fight with Lauren? Was the pressure of pretending that nothing had happened between herself and the man she loved too, while maintaining a working relationship too much?
"Dad... dad..." he heard someone call, breaking him out of his thoughts. "What I have to say may come as a surprise to you, but certain events have transpired making my decision a must."
"Go on," he managed to say, locking his eyes with hers.
She took a deep breath before continuing. "I would like to request a transfer to a different C.I.A. office, preferably outside of California, where I will continue serving in any capacity which may be required of me."
Jack's mouth dropped open slightly, trying to comprehend his daughter's statement. Could she have really said what he thought she said? Transfer? Outside of California? He took a few moments to compose himself before speaking. "Sydney, listen to me. Whatever you are going through, we can deal with it here in Los Angeles. I am here to help you. Dixon, Marshall, and Weiss... they are here for you as well. You do not have to leave. It is not the answer to your problems. Trust me."
Sydney shook her head slowly. "No... not after what happened today," she said an expression of pain coming to her face as she remembered how Sark had almost broken her.
"What happened?" he asked gently.
"I... I was at the ice rink, and he came..." she began, not looking at her father, as she tried to steady her voice.
"Who?" inquired Jack in a concerned tone.
"Sark... he... he wanted me to..." she gasped.
"What did Sark want?" he asked, his voice suddenly becoming stern. "Has the Covenant made some demands? Did he threaten you?"
Sydney shook her head. "No...it's not like that at all..." She stopped suddenly again, breathing hard, a far away look in her eyes as if she were reliving the incident. "I thought that I had accepted that things between Vaughn and myself were over, but I didn't realize that I was lying myself until Sark... he tried to convince me to help him break up Vaughn's relationship with Lauren. I... I told him no, but he kept trying to convince me... trying to make me see what life would be like without Vaughn ."
"Sydney," he began in an emphatic tone. "Vaughn was NEVER good enough for you. Would he have given up hope that you were alive if he truly loved you? You know the answer to that question as well as I do."
She let out a sigh of resignation. "While that may be true... I think I could hurt him by staying in Los Angeles... that and compromise my work as an agent."
Jack frowned. "Well..." She did have a point. If her feelings were to get the best of her the results could be disastrous. Not to mention, he was adamant that Sark not have his way. Perhaps a few months in Washington would allow her to see that life would go on without Vaughn. "Are you sure this is what you really want?"
"Yes," she replied, taking her father's hand. "It will be hard leaving you..."
"I know you must feel like you are being forced out, but trust me, everything will work out for you some day. I promise," he said in a fatherly tone, as he reached over the table to embrace his daughter.
"Thank you for understanding, Dad," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "I will return as soon as I feel ready."
"I will make the necessary arrangements in the morning. However, it will be a few days until your transfer will be finalized. Just promise me this... think this through and determine if this is what you really want."
Sydney simply nodded in reply. "I'll miss you," she whispered.
"I'll miss you too."
First, I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to read my story. I also appreciate the reviews. (
Here are answers to the questions that have been raised about the story.
1. What was with Sark and kissing Sydney like that?
Sark kissed Sydney to throw her off guard and take control of the situation so he could make his offer without her interfering.
2. This isn't a Sarkney story?
Honestly, at this time I am not completely sure what will happen at the end of the story as far as romantic pairings. I may post alternate endings if I am unsure of what is the 'best' outcome. An original character will be introduced, most likely with a rather minor role.
Chapter 2 takes place the night of the events in Chapter 1.
Val sauntered down the aisle of the nearly deserted diner inspecting each booth. Her right hand swept a large, damp, white wash cloth across each table, while the left plunked the salt and pepper shakers against the proper end of each table. There was a stickiness about the air and she could feel the grease from years of cooking house specialties such as over- easy eggs and fried chicken. Yet she felt right at home. It was to be expected. After all, she had spent the last fifty years working the establishment. She let out a heavy sigh as she set down a tub of dirty dishes on the edge of one table, looking to see who remained in the restaurant. She was alone, with the exception of two people, whom had been there for the past two hours. One of them was a woman who could not be more than thirty years old. She had shoulder length brown hair and a face whose beauty was hidden by her stare into a swirl of mashed potatoes and gravy lying next to a thick slice of meat loaf on her plate. The other was a man who bore a resemblance to her, presumably her father. His expression was stern yet gentle and full of concern.
"Sydney..." she finally heard him say.
Val decided to give the pair some privacy, and made her way back to the front of the diner. "Can I getcha anything else?" she asked in a slightly harsh tone, stopping briefly at their booth.
The voice startled Sydney, causing her to nearly knock jump over her cup of coffee, but she quickly recovered. "No thank you," Sydney replied, forcing a smile.
The waitress turned to Jack, who shook his head. "Alrighty... I'll be at the counter if ya'll need anything."
He took his daughter's hand in his, saying nothing, but wanting her to know that he was there for her if she wanted to talk. Despite his veneer of complete calm and control over the situation, hundreds of thoughts raced through his mind. What could have happened over the course of a few hours to make Sydney act like this? Had she gotten into a fight with Lauren? Was the pressure of pretending that nothing had happened between herself and the man she loved too, while maintaining a working relationship too much?
"Dad... dad..." he heard someone call, breaking him out of his thoughts. "What I have to say may come as a surprise to you, but certain events have transpired making my decision a must."
"Go on," he managed to say, locking his eyes with hers.
She took a deep breath before continuing. "I would like to request a transfer to a different C.I.A. office, preferably outside of California, where I will continue serving in any capacity which may be required of me."
Jack's mouth dropped open slightly, trying to comprehend his daughter's statement. Could she have really said what he thought she said? Transfer? Outside of California? He took a few moments to compose himself before speaking. "Sydney, listen to me. Whatever you are going through, we can deal with it here in Los Angeles. I am here to help you. Dixon, Marshall, and Weiss... they are here for you as well. You do not have to leave. It is not the answer to your problems. Trust me."
Sydney shook her head slowly. "No... not after what happened today," she said an expression of pain coming to her face as she remembered how Sark had almost broken her.
"What happened?" he asked gently.
"I... I was at the ice rink, and he came..." she began, not looking at her father, as she tried to steady her voice.
"Who?" inquired Jack in a concerned tone.
"Sark... he... he wanted me to..." she gasped.
"What did Sark want?" he asked, his voice suddenly becoming stern. "Has the Covenant made some demands? Did he threaten you?"
Sydney shook her head. "No...it's not like that at all..." She stopped suddenly again, breathing hard, a far away look in her eyes as if she were reliving the incident. "I thought that I had accepted that things between Vaughn and myself were over, but I didn't realize that I was lying myself until Sark... he tried to convince me to help him break up Vaughn's relationship with Lauren. I... I told him no, but he kept trying to convince me... trying to make me see what life would be like without Vaughn ."
"Sydney," he began in an emphatic tone. "Vaughn was NEVER good enough for you. Would he have given up hope that you were alive if he truly loved you? You know the answer to that question as well as I do."
She let out a sigh of resignation. "While that may be true... I think I could hurt him by staying in Los Angeles... that and compromise my work as an agent."
Jack frowned. "Well..." She did have a point. If her feelings were to get the best of her the results could be disastrous. Not to mention, he was adamant that Sark not have his way. Perhaps a few months in Washington would allow her to see that life would go on without Vaughn. "Are you sure this is what you really want?"
"Yes," she replied, taking her father's hand. "It will be hard leaving you..."
"I know you must feel like you are being forced out, but trust me, everything will work out for you some day. I promise," he said in a fatherly tone, as he reached over the table to embrace his daughter.
"Thank you for understanding, Dad," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "I will return as soon as I feel ready."
"I will make the necessary arrangements in the morning. However, it will be a few days until your transfer will be finalized. Just promise me this... think this through and determine if this is what you really want."
Sydney simply nodded in reply. "I'll miss you," she whispered.
"I'll miss you too."