A/N: Thanks to my two reviewers. I love you guys! Hope you are liking the story! Thanks!

"You and Will?! What? When did this happen?" Anna exclaimed, a big smile breaking over her face as she tossed a few kernels of popcorn at Francie.

Sydney looked expectantly at Francie. "Oh, oh oh yes! Go on Fran, give her the excellent explanation you gave me!"

Francie sighed, falling against the back of the comfortable sofa. "Honestly, it's not a big deal. It was a kiss, that's all!"

"Pssh! That is such a liar. You told me that the two of you 'made out'!" Sydney jumped in, sitting up straight.

"Since when is making out a kiss?! You're logic is warped, my friend!" Anna took another sip of her wine. "Hmm.so I guess this means that I'm the only one who hasn't kissed Will."

"Yeah.well, don't!" Francie said, half-kidding.

"Oooooh.so it is something serious!"

Anna grabbed the popcorn bowl from the table, her forehead creasing in wrinkles. "You guys know what this means? I'm practically a spinster-"

Sydney and Francie rolled their eyes. "Anna, come on-"

"No, no no no." Anna interjected eagerly. "Think about it. Syd-you have Michael."

She watched as Sydney smiled and brightened up just at hearing his name. "You make me sick, you know that!" Anna said jokingly, turning towards Francie. "And you! Tut tut tut.you have Will. God, I feel so alone. Pass the wine!"

Francie filled up Anna's glass to the top. "Honey, I think you need this.you always were the overdramatic one!"

Anna mocked anger. "I am not!" She glanced at Sydney questioningly.

"Only sometimes," Sydney commented, grinning.

"Ugh." Anna sank against the couch, sighing in defeat. "Obviously I'm not drunk enough."

France rose up reluctantly, shaking her head. "Sadly I'm going to have to leave this drinking fest.I've got make sure that night manager actually locked up the restaurant tonight!"

"What and leave all this?" Sydney questioned, motioning with her arms. "It's ok, I'll take care of our little spinster over here!"

Anna lolled her head to face Sydney. "Funny, funny, funny.Only people with boyfriends can say crap like that.see ya Francie."

Francie gave Anna an amused look and rolled her eyes for the second time that evening. "Bye!"

Once Sydney heard the door shut behind her friend, she plopped down beside Anna, an expectant look on her face."Speaking of men.how was your first run with Sark? Cocky son of a bitch, huh?"

Anna perked up, thinking of her successful mission. "For sure. I swear, he's that guy in high school, the one who knows how cute he is! I always hated that guy!" She paused thoughtfully for a moment. "You know I really.hmmm.I didn't know if I'd be able to pull it off. It was just so simple and it all depended on whether or not he responded to me. I took a chance."

"Well, sometimes basic is good. I mean that was the easiest mission I've ever heard of. All you did was strike up a conversation, get him a little distracted, and run into him! To think, you probably ruined a perfectly good suit though!" Sydney responded, smirking slightly at the thought of having one over Sark.

Anna laughed quietly, silently thanking Marshall for his genius. The ring she had worn that day could be reversed into a blade that could cut through anything. And anything included Sark's jacket! "Yeah.I guess I'd have to say it was overall a pretty easy mission. Nothing like those days back at SD-6! I just wish I could've seen Sark's expression when he realized he'd been had. After everything he's done, the crimes he's committed.well, it'll be a sweet day when we get him. And then Sloane!" Anna finished, feeling a sense of empowerment when she thought of getting the man who had tricked her into going against her country.

"We will get Sloane. I know it. Well, I have to believe we will-" Sydney was broken off by the sound of the doorbell. She looked at Anna questioningly as she went to answer it. "Who would be coming here at this hour?"

"God only knows," Anna replied, her mind still on Sloane. She became silent, waiting to learn who was at the door, only hearing muffled voices. "Syd?"

"Anna-it's just Vaughn!" Sydney called out, her voice ringing with happiness.

"Just Vaughn?...hey, Anna" said Vaughn, as he and Sydney strolled into the living room, Sydney carrying a small bouquet of fresh flowers.

Anna watched the two of them, amused at their obvious focus on eachother. "Wow, flowers and everything.a surprise visit! So, right, I'm gonna.leave now!" She grabbed her popcorn and the wine bottle. "This comes with me."

Sydney and Anna exchanged knowing grins as Anna headed out the backdoors and into what they had christened 'the garden'. She stopped for a moment and watched her friend. Sydney was obviously telling a story and making elaborate gestures. Vaughn was attending her so intensely, his eyes betraying his feeling for her, so full of love. Anna watched as he carefully touched her cheekbone, brushing hair from her face ever so softly. Anna couldn't help but feel envy. That was what she wanted. Not necessarily a serious boyfriend. Not even sex. She wanted that look; the look so full of tenderness.and need. She wanted that moment more than anything. That perfect time when you realize that you're in love with that person and when they realize that they need you. Not just a want. A need.

Anna gave herself a little shake, trying to get rid of thoughts of things she couldn't have. She had other things to do first. Get Sark. And most of all, get Sloane. Her mind couldn't seem to forget about the mission. You know it's serious when wine doesn't help the situation, she thought as she settled comfortably into a chaise-lounge.

She hadn't told Sydney that she had not been totally professional in her interaction with Sark. For some inexplicable reason, Anna had let part of herself shine through her character, Isabella. Her mother had worked for an adoption agency and Anna had truly felt sympathy for Sark when he told her about his own experience with physical abuse. He had actually touched her, whatever that meant, and that not only scared her but made her angry. She was supposed to be this professional CIA agent who had an outstanding ability to decompartmentalize. And Anna wasn't able to keep herself separate from her character; from Sark.

From Sark, what am I thinking? David. He was playing a role too. But in the back of her mind she couldn't help but wonder if maybe he had done the same thing. Did Sark let part of himself shine through too?

*****

Sark carefully extricated himself from her soft, dark skin, pulling a pair of sweatpants. He looked down at Allison's sleeping face and felt slightly guilty for what had happened between them as of late.

She had accosted him at the airport in Marseilles much to his surprise. They had ended things recently and messily and he hadn't expected to see Allison so soon. But when she had all but attacked him in the terminal, he had felt that attraction come screaming back to him.

Allison had been sent by Sloane to make sure that Sark had attained the code for the critical location of.something. No one had any idea what was at or in this place but Sloane was adamant about finding out. Needless to say, Sloane was furious when Allison reported Sark had not come through.

Sark left the bed, quietly as to not wake Allison's sleeping figure, and walked through the adjacent doors out onto the deck, watching the waves hit the shore. He shook his head, still feeling slight disbelief that he had not had a successful mission. Rarely did he miss. He knew why he hadn't got the code Sloane too and the thought made him a bit queasy. Because he had been distracted. Isabella. If that was even her name, he thought angrily, stretching his arms against the balcony. When he had run into her in the metal detectors she had managed to cut through his jacket and snagged the paper without him even noticing until Allison had demanded if he had it.

He had been so stupid and felt frustrated at the thought that someone had disarmed him. Especially her. The whole time.she was lying to him! He was supposed to be the one playing a role and instead someone had played him. Sark descended the stairs and let the silky sand touch his feet. He had to admit that he was still intrigued by this mystery woman. Sark wanted to know her identity; her real one. More than that, he wanted to test her. Anyone who could get by him must be something. He had an inkling that she might be CIA and he was certain that Sloane knew but for some reason refused to tell him her identity.

As he walked he couldn't help but let his guilt engulf him. He shouldn't have ever stopped to talk to her. That was a mistake. Sark should've just let things be but for some reason she had called to him; there was something about her. Now he had the advantage of hindsight and knew that she had studied him, knowing that he would come to her; be attracted to her.

She had truly done a superb job. He had spoken truths to her for some reason, something he never really did with anyone, even Allison.

"Allison," he sighed, drawing out her name. She had been privy to the whole incident. She'd watched as he'd been seduced by the power of this mystery woman but luckily, Sark had used his old-standby to get her to forgive him; his charm. Ironically, that was what he had tried to used with 'Isabella'.and look what happened with that, he thought half-heartedly, tossing a few stones into the waves. Rather, it seemed that that she had charmed him.

Sark was unsure what has happening with Allison. They had been together for so long he didn't really know life without her. And he felt confident that she felt the same way. Still, he had lost that feeling for her somewhere along the way. It was true that there was still a sexual attraction between them. He grinned as he thought of the night's events. But something was missing. He didn't need her. Allison didn't make him feel any different. She didn't make him angry or happy, she didn't bore him and she didn't drive him crazy.she just was. And he wasn't really sure if that was enough for him anymore.

"Why am I thinking about this now?" Sark wondered aloud as he headed back to the house. He had more important things to think about. He had a meeting in a week with a member of the Covenant, the new organization on the anti- CIA block, and he had every intention of doing his job this time. He had to be focused and forget about everything else. Nothing else mattered.

As he shut the door behind him and climbed back into bed with Allison, the mystery woman of the airport nagged at him. Her sympathetic face flashed in his mind as he kissed Allison's forehead. He wanted to know her identity. More than that, he wanted to get her back.

And I will, he thought, settling back into the sheets. I always do.