Here Without You Chapter 2
Notes: Thanks to Callie2 and twin*muse for reviewing my first chapter. I'm going to give it one more shot. I hope more people read. The character of Chloe Murphy I stole from the Alias book "Alias: The Pursuit: A Michael Vaughn Novel". Please review. Thanks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Here we are," Nate said as he opened his apartment door.
Sydney took in the appearance of the apartment. It was kept clean and tidy. Then again, she expected that from him. She walked around trying to get her bearings. There was a bookshelf with some books, but mostly plaques and picture frames. She took it all in. Each picture told a story, something that Nate had a memory of.
"So, umm . . . you were in the Army?" she motioned to a picture.
"Army? NO!" he laughed. "Navy SEALS all the way." He sat down next to Syd. "I was all set to be a career military guy."
"What happened?"
"There was a complication during the last mission I was on. A bunch of good men died and because of politics, the truth never came out. I couldn't go back and fight blindly and end up dead like my friends. Besides, they booted me because I was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress," he sighed. "If I could, I think I'd go back. I'd leave this new life I've made for myself here and go back to the adventure."
"What is this new life you'd be leaving behind?" Sydney questioned.
"I'd be leaving behind a gym I own and run and a wonderful woman I'm in love with."
"I don't think leaving behind the one you love would be worth it." Sydney smiled. "Besides, you have me now."
"Yes. I do. So, if the Navy comes calling, it won't be so hard to tell them to get lost." Nate stood up. "Well, let's get you settled in."
"Sounds good, but I don't have much to settle in."
"Oh," he chuckled. "Your right. We'll have to do something about that." Nate walked to the phone. "I'll just call Chloe."
"Chloe . . . the woman your in love with?"
"Or you could just call her my girlfriend."
"Or I could call her your girlfriend," Syd laughed. "Is that smart?"
"It's not like I can hide your existence from her. We'll just have to come up with some kind of excuse. She's been gone the last week on business and I haven't talked to her so I'm sure I could come up with something that wasn't too far off." He picked up the phone.
Sydney listened as Nate talked to Chloe. He didn't give details just asked if she could come over. When he hung up he moved to sit next to Syd. They both fell into an awkward silence. She had no clue what he was thinking, but Sydney wondered if he was trying to come with something to tell Chloe.
"Did you come up with anything to tell her? Because I've got nothing," Sydney broke the silence.
"I think this might work. I'll tell her that yesterday a woman came to me and told me that I had a twin sister and that I had been adopted. More than likely that is the case. So, you are staying with me because I am the only family you've got. I think that will work."
"So simple, yet so smart." Sydney looked down for a minute. "You really think your mother isn't your mother?"
"It's either Mary Kellerman who is our mother or Laura Bauer. I wish it were Mary because I don't trust a word Laura says."
"Laura did say I was her daughter."
"Let's not worry about that. Apparently our parents didn't care too much about us, so let's just concentrate on each other." Nate stood up when there was a knock on his door.
"And my memory loss?"
"Umm . . .," Nate trailed off.
"Car accident?"
"Good." Nate opened the door and in walked a beautiful woman who looked a Sydney questioningly. "Chloe, this is my sister Sydney."
"Hello. I'm Chloe Murphy." She extended her hand to Syd. "I'm afraid Nate's never mentioned a sister."
And so the lie began. Well, semi-lie semi-truth. Either way, Chloe seemed to buy it. Sydney instantly liked woman. Before Nate could mention needing to go shopping, Chloe instantly made the suggestion. The three trekked of to get Syd some essentials, despite her protests. She had no money and didn't want to become a freeloader.
"We probably tired you out," Chloe said plopping down on Nate's couch hours later.
"No. It was fun."
"Great." Chloe looked to Nate. "You my boy, have to go to work."
"I was gonna cancel tonight."
"No way, Nathan. I know those kids are looking forward to class." Chloe leaned over to Syd. "He teaches young kids martial arts."
"You do?" Syd questioned. "You can't disappoint them. I'll be fine alone."
"No she won't, because I'll stay to keep her company. I've only been in New York about a year. I'd like to have someone to talk to other than you."
"That hurts," he said jokingly. "If you need anything . . .," he began before being cut off.
"We won't." Chloe got up and shooed him out. "He thinks he's needed all the time." She sat back down.
"So, how'd you two meet?"
"Well, it's really nothing too special but ok . . . here's our story. I met Nate at this little corner deli my second week here. He was arguing with the clerk who spoke no English, only Chinese. I had to defuse the situation by translating for him. We ended up sitting together and the next thing I knew he was handing me his card and telling me to stop by his gym. So, I started going there to work out and next thing I know we're together."
"Wow. That's so . . .," Syd trailed off.
"Boring, plain? I know." Chloe smiled.
"You speak Chinese?"
"Among other languages. I'm linguist at the State Department. I was in Paris before I moved back here."
"Maybe you could teach me some stuff," Syd said. "But, now I want you tell me all about my brother."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vaughn walked into his office after being gone a few days. The few days he had off had been torture. His days were spent thinking of Sydney. His sleep was consumed by the same nightmare he'd had for a month now. It all felt real, but it wasn't. He almost wished parts of it were true. At least he was with Syd.
"Mike, I thought I told you to get some rest," Weiss stated.
"I didn't get much sleep last night."
"The dream?" Weiss sat down. "Mike, you need to talk to someone."
"No. It's just from the mission. I can handle it."
"The mission?! You make it sound like it was nothing. You were missing for a week and then you just show up in the middle of Nowhereville, Germany beaten and bloody." Weiss stood up.
"And I got nothing to show for it! I headed to Berlin to find Sydney. I thought I'd be bringing her home, instead I'm found in some tiny no name village alone. Those men who took me just wanted to make an example. They knew where she was and that caused more pain than the bruises and burns." Vaughn tried to calm down. "So what if in my dreams she's there?! So what if I get to hold her?"
"Once again though, in your dream those men are beating you senseless in front of her."
"But she's alive."
"She wasn't there. You need to talk to someone," Weiss said before leaving.
Vaughn lowered his head. Eric was right. Part of the dream actually happened. Other parts obviously hadn't. Sydney had never been there to hold him and care for him. He tried to get the thoughts to leave his mind. He didn't want to see the pain in Syd's eyes. Someone walked into his office and snapped him back to reality.
"Drop it, Eric," he hissed. He looked up to see his visitor wasn't who he thought. "Agent Bristow."
"Marshall just received a message sent for you and me." He handed the paper over then took a seat.
"Jack. Agent Vaughn. The only purpose behind this is to quell some of your fears. Sydney is alive. She is not a traitor or staying away on her own accord. I have made sure she remains safe. When the time comes that Sydney can be returned safely, I will turn myself in. There is much that needs to be said and explained. Jack, Jonathan is alive and well. All will be explained. Irina," Vaughn read aloud. "Who does she think she is, keeping Sydney from us?"
"Sydney's mother, I'm assuming." Jack took the paper back. "I don't know if we should believe she is looking out for Sydney or if she was the one who took her."
"What's the Jonathan stuff?"
"If it's true it means Sydney's twin brother never died."
"Her what?"
"You heard me correctly Agent Vaughn. When they were born the doctor said Jonathan's heart wasn't strong enough." Jack remained composed although his voice failed him. "He died two days later."
"Does Syd know?"
"No. Why put her through that? If he is alive, I hope Irina didn't raise him in her world." He stood up. "I have to show Kendall this."
"Thanks."
He watched Jack walk away. He could not believe what he just found out. Sydney was alive and safe. There was yet another Bristow in the world, who may or may not know of his parentage. He tried to process everything as he got up and shut his door. He sat back down and closed his eyes.
"Vaughn?" her voice floated in the air. "Vaughn?"
He kept his eyes closed. He knew he was hearing things again. Sydney was not in his office. No matter how much he wanted to be there. Her voice was still calling to him. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Syd smiling.
"Vaughn. I've been calling you."
"Syd? It's you. How'd you . . . I thought . . .," he trailed off as he hugged her waist.
"I came back," she said. "You thought I wouldn't fight to come home?"
"I don't know what to think. I'm just so glad to have you here." Vaughn still held onto her. A ringing noise was heard and Syd started to fade away. "Don't go. Please don't go."
Vaughn's head jerked up off the desk. It had been a dream. The ringing came from his phone. Angrily, he picked it up only to hear Weiss say there was a meeting in an hour. Why did he have to wake up? He had been so happy with Sydney. He wanted to go back. He had to go back.