Okay, first update in forever but it is very long so please enjoy.
Thank you astacia, Jade, Sarah, X, nat, Hermione512, Mandy@TTU,.
J.Turenne, jen, sorry you guys didn't get it totally, basically what I have done is said that everything that happened after Irina left and went down to the pool never actually happened. Vickie here is some S/V and I have to admit you are one of the first ppl I've met who's grossed out by J/I.
Intel, thank you for not killing me.
Halley good to know I am unpredictable and here is your S/V.
star , Colly E , addicted2alias, Sk8er Chick, hehehe, glad to see you enjoying this, here is your S/V.
Samantha , great review, thanks for that and yes, I am evil.
Chapter Twenty Eight
The game was slow, Irina's eyes bright as she tried her best to win and Jack's eyes anywhere but on her as he tried to make the game go quicker, or so he told himself. It was almost an hour later that they found themselves, a few odd letters left on each side, board sitting between them on the bed as she waited for him to make his last and final move. She sat cross legged, elbows on her knees and her chin resting on her hands. Across from her, Jack's body faced away form her, sitting on the edge of the bed, as he fiddled with the three letters left, trying to find just one last place to put them.
Sighing heavily, Irina watched him intently, waiting for him to makes his move, thinking he was out of luck and that there was no move left to make, but not really interested in that. She was most intrigued by the way his hands moved over the letters, his eyes over the board, flickering from square to square, not taking in her scrutiny at all and giving her a rare chance. It was unbearable that she should have to deal with this, her own mind skeptical of relationships and never before had she had to ignore her own passions. But this dream, it had forced her to recognized that perhaps it wasn't just part of her 'plan' that made her play with him, entice him. Maybe she was doing it because she wanted him to entice her.
She was slapped from her thoughts as Jack placed a single letter below another, making a two letter word. She stared at it for a moment before lifting her eyes and shaking her head, "There's no such word."
"What?" he asked, shocked she would bother challenging him.
"You made that word up, what the hell does aa mean?"
He shook his head, a ghost of a smile gracing his lips, "No, I didn't. It's on the Oxford dictionary so it counts." She looked at him incredulously so he quickly continued, "It's a type of lava."
"What?"
"Yeah, it's a special type of lava, as in form a volcano."
"You are sure?"
He nodded, "Positive."
Irina shrugged, "Okay," she glanced at her watch, yawning as she noticed it was well after one am.
She was about to state so when she looked up to find his brow low. Looking up he asked, "You don't want to check?"
Seeing what he was really asking, she answered, letting a smile grace her lips, "No. And anyway, where would I find a complete oxford dictionary at this time of night?" The conversation lapsed into a companionable silence with both pairs eyes locked, not to scrutinize, just to watch.
Jack eventually broke the tension, "You think it'll be safe to go to sleep now?"
"Yeah, I do."
It was about at the time that Irina closed her eyes that, on the other side of the wall, Sydney opened hers. She felt Vaughn's strong arm around her completely bare waist and smiled broadly as she snuggled backwards, glancing at the clock on the other side of the room she realized it was only just ticking by one am and yet she felt more refreshed than she had in forever.
She grinned as wriggled just for effect and was happy to find the arm pulling her even closer, his hot breath on her ear and her almost bare back against his very bare chest. "Syd?" he asked, the air on her ear and the husky sleep filled voice sending another shiver up her spine.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"What are you awake for?"
She smiled, "I just woke up. It's only one thirty."
Vaughn nuzzled into the back of her neck before kissing her shoulder, "You know how many times I've wished I could do that?"
"What?"
"Just kiss you, whenever I want."
She grinned, life had improved more than she could have imagined in the last twenty four hours. "I mean, a few days ago, I wasn't even supposed to look at you."
"And you still aren't supposed to."
"I know, but, I mean, I wouldn't have imagined. I mean sure, fantasized, but...you know?" He snuggled closer.
"You fantasized about me?"
He kissed her back again, "What did you expect?"
Carefully, she turned in her arms so that she was facing him. "We're going to be happy right?"
He smiled, his face becoming serious, "Yeah, no matter what. I promise. If you want to keep this quiet, I can do that, if you want to break this off until there's no more Alliance, we can do that. Whatever you want, I can do it. Okay?" Seeing she looked close to tears he asked, slightly worried he'd done something stupid, "What?"
"Were you always this sweet?" He smiled, kissing her on the forehead as he listened intent on memorizing every word. "There is no possible way I am ever going to put this on hold. I just want you to promise me that you'll never hide your feelings from me. No secrets, I already have enough."
"Deal," he told her, closing his eyes and pulling her to him in a warm embrace, "No more secrets." She smiled, letting her hands wander over his toned back as she shut her eyes and instantly fell back into a peaceful and entirely happy slumber.
Irina shifted in her sleep, feeling cold despite the warm summer rays beaming in through the window. Carefully she lifted her arm and looked at the time. Happy to see it was only just after seven, she sat up, silently saddened to notice that the reason for her chilliness was that Jack was nestled, back to her, on the other side of the bed. She shook her head, trying to dispel the feelings of misery before wandering, clad only in the slip, over to the window. Looking down her lips lifted slightly as she found her daughter laughing happily below.
Sydney and Vaughn had woken almost simultaneously just after six and, unable to go back to sleep had agreed to go for an early morning swim. Of course, this had been less swimming, more making out than the day before but no one was complaining. Turning away from the glass pane, Irina turned to find Jack watching her and immediately she felt her eyes widening and subconsciously she crossed her arms over her chest. Nodding curtly to him she said, "We're going to the beaches today?" He nodded, not speaking from where he lay in the bad. "Right...We'll have to leave soon so I'll go and take a shower."
Jack watching silently as she gathered clothes form the suitcase and made her way, eyes down, to the bathroom. Just as she was about to close the door his voice pierced the air, "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" Irina said having gathered most of her composure but still aware that she was disadvantaged due to her feelings for the man.
"Something's going on. What is it?" His voice wasn't harsh but it was demanding; it was the kind of voice that you answered fully and truthfully.
"Nothing is going on." She moved to hide in the bathroom but was stopped again.
"I don't believe you." He paused, "What's happened?"
She had no idea how he had caught on, but he obviously had. He wasn't accusing her of plotting to escape which, in her mind would have been better, and he wasn't getting angry, therefore, she surmised, he was slowly but surly going to work out what was on her mind. He was far too intelligent and perhaps that was what made her react so unlike she should have. "Jack, please just leave it alone. I really don't wan to discuss it."
For a moment his brow creased but then he just nodded and allowed her to move away. He liked to think that since the night before he had the upper hand. He'd seen her vulnerable, and that had to be good but now. Now and ever since he'd hauled her up to their room, something had been off balance between them. But he didn't want o push her, if there was one thing he could be sure of, it was that Irina could wait, she was patient when she wanted to be but then, when she wanted to say, it came out quickly. Either way, pushing the issue, which, he had to say wasn't apparently important to National Security, was going to simply be a waste of time.
Sitting by himself on the bed Jack took time to look over the scrabble board where they had left it the night before, sitting on the ground. Carefully and with a single finger he moved the letters away one word at a time, his brow dipping lower and lower as he realized that many of the words meant something to him. Sighing, he flipped the board and fell back onto the bed. He was exhausted; living with Irina was slowly killing him.
No matter what he told everyone else he knew that ten years with anyone always ended up with memories, most of them, for him, good ones. And any word that had anything to do with those ten years that he had lived with her lies, ay time someone said it or he saw it, he had to remember, the memories coming back through as slide shows, or tiny little clips, idealized and hailed. Shaking his head to clear the images a word he himself had put down, 'floor' which she had then added to 'boards' to summon images he had long since deemed forgettable and even when he had been under the idea that she was a purely good woman, they had both agreed that they should try not to think about those very hard floorboards until they were alone and guaranteed to be so for at least an hour.
He couldn't help the sad little grin from creeping onto his lips as the memory refused to depart until he heard the door slam shut and Irina re- enter.
Down by the pool Sydney had Vaughn pinned against the edge, both of them treading water up the deep end of the warmer pool. Grinning wildly, both pushed thoughts of what would happen to them once they returned home and concentrated on what had, in both minds, already been a two year courtship. Kissing down Sydney's neck, Vaughn had to pull back as his laughter threatened to spill over. Sighing at him, Sydney planted an overly sloppy kiss on his lips and pulled back, swimming away from his and his latent mentioning of Doug the grasshopper. The joke, it seemed was both getting worse and worse while at the same time, funnier and funnier.
Chasing after her, Vaughn soon caught up with her and grabbed her around the waist, whispering in her ear oblivious to the couple standing just outside the elevator, "Where is it you think you're going?"
Sydney grinned, "To cool off." She kicked away form him, wriggling out of his grasp and pulled herself gracefully out of the pool, the image of the water falling from her body making him hesitate long enough to lose his chance to capture her. Scrambling out after her, he chased her across the few meters between the warm pool and the cold before turning, shocked to find Vaughn already within a few feet when she had expected him to still be trying to get out of the warmer pool. He smiled before plowing head long into her, wrapping his arms around her waist as they fell together into the freezing cold pool.
Giggling they surfaced together, swinging around each other as they spluttered incoherently. "It's freezing in here," Sydney said, clinging to Vaughn as she realized that he could stand while she couldn't.
"You think?" he said, sarcasm sticking to his words even while his mouth lifted into a grin that set fire to every inch of Sydney's body. "We really need to warm up."
The grin grew as Sydney understood and moved closer to kiss him again on the lips, her hands leaving the water and running into his hair as her legs lifted to wrap securely around his waist, his hands moving around to keep her from slipping under the water. Grinning she moved her lips down his throat as he mirrored her movements with her, smiling and letting a loose chuckle escape every few moments.
A brisk cough alerted them to the fact that they were no longer alone and, intent on telling whoever it was to bugger off, Sydney forced Vaughn to continue via the hand in his hair. Of course seeing her mother watching them, her lips twitching upwards and her father's eyes gleaming in a very threatening way, she was quick to release his hair and push away, her face burning but the smile refusing to leave.
Vaughn looked up as he felt her stiffen and push away, "Mr Bristow," he exclaimed and then realizing what was going on he tried again, "I mean, Jack, you're up early." He bit his lip and turned away form them to look to Sydney for help. He was unsettled to find her glowing pink, huge smile threatening to break through her professional façade.
"Agent Vaughn," Irina said, "Nice to see you keeping an eye, among other things, on my daughter." She grinned at him before turning to collect the two towels she had spotted over near the other pool. Both she and Jack had arrived just in time to see Vaughn chase Sydney across the grass and into the cooler pool, both having good ears, neither thankful for them at the moment, they had heard the brief exchange and had hoped that it wouldn't go too far.
Vaughn ducked his head and began swimming towards the steps out, he timed it perfectly so that he was close enough to whisper to Sydney, "How long were they there?"
"I don't know," she hissed back, "God, it's like being caught by your parents."
"That's what just happened," he said as he made his way out, careful to avoid touching her while her father was about. Irina grinned at the pair, her eyes glinting with laughter.
"Your towels," she threw the larger black one to Vaughn and the smaller redone to Sydney. "How long have you been out here?"
"Since early," Sydney explained as she let her eyes slide to her father who continued to watch, arms crossed over his chest. Irina's eyes followed and she smiled broadly, not surprised at his resistance to the happiness of their daughter.
"Jack," Irina's voice was low with warning. "Lighten up." It wasn't a playful tone but it wasn't threatening either and for a moment Jack couldn't place it but then he realized it was genuine seriousness, something rare for her.
He scowled as Vaughn did his best to avoid looking at Sydney as she dried herself off. "I mean it Jack, you initiated this." He made no move to disagree or agree he just continued to watch Vaughn like an evil history professor watches the quiet boy with the stutter down the back. "Jack..."
It was a word with a warning, he should have seen it and probably did but he then chose to ignore it, concentrating solely on Vaughn and where it was his eyes were darting. Sydney just watched her parents with interest from her spot, glancing to Vaughn every few seconds to make sure her father's gaze didn't start to burn holes into him.
"It is a very rare occasion for you to admit that I am right," she began, rattling the speech off as though she was addressing an assembly of people. "Honestly, you hardly ever seem prepared to say, 'Yes Irina, you are right'. But it has happened."
Sydney snorted, trying to break the tension, "Really, I never would have thought." Unluckily this only upped the fire filled atmosphere.
"It has happened, but only a few times. Now Jack, think back," for the first time he let his eyes flicker to his wife who continued to stare intently at him, her eyes forgetting the rest of the area and concentrating only in making her step down and let Sydney decide. "Our conversation with Michael, only a few days ago, what did you say?"
He turned completely, Vaughn sighing in relief as his eyes left him and turned on his wife. "I said a lot of things that day."
She nodded, smiling, "Remember Jack I have a very good memory." She paused, wanting to give him the chance but he said nothing, "Michael, do you remember."
Smiling under the pressure of her demanding gaze and Sydney's more questioning one, "Not exactly."
She nodded, accepting the answer and turned to raise her eyes at Jack, "Jack, you said and I will be quoting you so don't deny it, ', Irina's right, again.' And while I could take this as a compliment I'd rather bring the family back to the fact that you were referring to Michael confessing to Sydney that he loved her which would, you and I both presumed, result in her professing back and then eventuate into a relationship. Is this what happened?"
He glared at her, ironically wondering why she had never pursued law, "Yes, that' what I said but I have to admit that with you around a lot of my words come out wrong."
"Care to give any particular occurrences?" He stared at her, trying to find one that wasn't totally humiliating. "Didn't think so. Now I'm sure everything would be much better if you would just get over it." He refused to back down, still glaring around him, "Jack, whatever it is you think is going to go wrong, you're wrong and don't bother dreaming that he's a double agent because I had that checked out ages ago."
Vaughn stared at her, Sydney pulled a hand to her head as she slumped back into a chair, feeling like she was stuck in 'Meet the Parents' only ten times worse and Jack stared at her eyes questioning, "Yes I know, bad Irina. But I had him checked out right back when he was assigned as her handler, not then and never before or after has he been a double so lay off."
Taking a deep breath he hesitated before answering.
Well, that is a very long chapter, you gotta admit that. So please read and review cause the last time that I updated Escape and No gift I got like two reviews for each and that was sorta depressing bit. Anyway. Please. Review. I need something good to wake up to.
Thank you astacia, Jade, Sarah, X, nat, Hermione512, Mandy@TTU,.
J.Turenne, jen, sorry you guys didn't get it totally, basically what I have done is said that everything that happened after Irina left and went down to the pool never actually happened. Vickie here is some S/V and I have to admit you are one of the first ppl I've met who's grossed out by J/I.
Intel, thank you for not killing me.
Halley good to know I am unpredictable and here is your S/V.
star , Colly E , addicted2alias, Sk8er Chick, hehehe, glad to see you enjoying this, here is your S/V.
Samantha , great review, thanks for that and yes, I am evil.
Chapter Twenty Eight
The game was slow, Irina's eyes bright as she tried her best to win and Jack's eyes anywhere but on her as he tried to make the game go quicker, or so he told himself. It was almost an hour later that they found themselves, a few odd letters left on each side, board sitting between them on the bed as she waited for him to make his last and final move. She sat cross legged, elbows on her knees and her chin resting on her hands. Across from her, Jack's body faced away form her, sitting on the edge of the bed, as he fiddled with the three letters left, trying to find just one last place to put them.
Sighing heavily, Irina watched him intently, waiting for him to makes his move, thinking he was out of luck and that there was no move left to make, but not really interested in that. She was most intrigued by the way his hands moved over the letters, his eyes over the board, flickering from square to square, not taking in her scrutiny at all and giving her a rare chance. It was unbearable that she should have to deal with this, her own mind skeptical of relationships and never before had she had to ignore her own passions. But this dream, it had forced her to recognized that perhaps it wasn't just part of her 'plan' that made her play with him, entice him. Maybe she was doing it because she wanted him to entice her.
She was slapped from her thoughts as Jack placed a single letter below another, making a two letter word. She stared at it for a moment before lifting her eyes and shaking her head, "There's no such word."
"What?" he asked, shocked she would bother challenging him.
"You made that word up, what the hell does aa mean?"
He shook his head, a ghost of a smile gracing his lips, "No, I didn't. It's on the Oxford dictionary so it counts." She looked at him incredulously so he quickly continued, "It's a type of lava."
"What?"
"Yeah, it's a special type of lava, as in form a volcano."
"You are sure?"
He nodded, "Positive."
Irina shrugged, "Okay," she glanced at her watch, yawning as she noticed it was well after one am.
She was about to state so when she looked up to find his brow low. Looking up he asked, "You don't want to check?"
Seeing what he was really asking, she answered, letting a smile grace her lips, "No. And anyway, where would I find a complete oxford dictionary at this time of night?" The conversation lapsed into a companionable silence with both pairs eyes locked, not to scrutinize, just to watch.
Jack eventually broke the tension, "You think it'll be safe to go to sleep now?"
"Yeah, I do."
It was about at the time that Irina closed her eyes that, on the other side of the wall, Sydney opened hers. She felt Vaughn's strong arm around her completely bare waist and smiled broadly as she snuggled backwards, glancing at the clock on the other side of the room she realized it was only just ticking by one am and yet she felt more refreshed than she had in forever.
She grinned as wriggled just for effect and was happy to find the arm pulling her even closer, his hot breath on her ear and her almost bare back against his very bare chest. "Syd?" he asked, the air on her ear and the husky sleep filled voice sending another shiver up her spine.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"What are you awake for?"
She smiled, "I just woke up. It's only one thirty."
Vaughn nuzzled into the back of her neck before kissing her shoulder, "You know how many times I've wished I could do that?"
"What?"
"Just kiss you, whenever I want."
She grinned, life had improved more than she could have imagined in the last twenty four hours. "I mean, a few days ago, I wasn't even supposed to look at you."
"And you still aren't supposed to."
"I know, but, I mean, I wouldn't have imagined. I mean sure, fantasized, but...you know?" He snuggled closer.
"You fantasized about me?"
He kissed her back again, "What did you expect?"
Carefully, she turned in her arms so that she was facing him. "We're going to be happy right?"
He smiled, his face becoming serious, "Yeah, no matter what. I promise. If you want to keep this quiet, I can do that, if you want to break this off until there's no more Alliance, we can do that. Whatever you want, I can do it. Okay?" Seeing she looked close to tears he asked, slightly worried he'd done something stupid, "What?"
"Were you always this sweet?" He smiled, kissing her on the forehead as he listened intent on memorizing every word. "There is no possible way I am ever going to put this on hold. I just want you to promise me that you'll never hide your feelings from me. No secrets, I already have enough."
"Deal," he told her, closing his eyes and pulling her to him in a warm embrace, "No more secrets." She smiled, letting her hands wander over his toned back as she shut her eyes and instantly fell back into a peaceful and entirely happy slumber.
Irina shifted in her sleep, feeling cold despite the warm summer rays beaming in through the window. Carefully she lifted her arm and looked at the time. Happy to see it was only just after seven, she sat up, silently saddened to notice that the reason for her chilliness was that Jack was nestled, back to her, on the other side of the bed. She shook her head, trying to dispel the feelings of misery before wandering, clad only in the slip, over to the window. Looking down her lips lifted slightly as she found her daughter laughing happily below.
Sydney and Vaughn had woken almost simultaneously just after six and, unable to go back to sleep had agreed to go for an early morning swim. Of course, this had been less swimming, more making out than the day before but no one was complaining. Turning away from the glass pane, Irina turned to find Jack watching her and immediately she felt her eyes widening and subconsciously she crossed her arms over her chest. Nodding curtly to him she said, "We're going to the beaches today?" He nodded, not speaking from where he lay in the bad. "Right...We'll have to leave soon so I'll go and take a shower."
Jack watching silently as she gathered clothes form the suitcase and made her way, eyes down, to the bathroom. Just as she was about to close the door his voice pierced the air, "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" Irina said having gathered most of her composure but still aware that she was disadvantaged due to her feelings for the man.
"Something's going on. What is it?" His voice wasn't harsh but it was demanding; it was the kind of voice that you answered fully and truthfully.
"Nothing is going on." She moved to hide in the bathroom but was stopped again.
"I don't believe you." He paused, "What's happened?"
She had no idea how he had caught on, but he obviously had. He wasn't accusing her of plotting to escape which, in her mind would have been better, and he wasn't getting angry, therefore, she surmised, he was slowly but surly going to work out what was on her mind. He was far too intelligent and perhaps that was what made her react so unlike she should have. "Jack, please just leave it alone. I really don't wan to discuss it."
For a moment his brow creased but then he just nodded and allowed her to move away. He liked to think that since the night before he had the upper hand. He'd seen her vulnerable, and that had to be good but now. Now and ever since he'd hauled her up to their room, something had been off balance between them. But he didn't want o push her, if there was one thing he could be sure of, it was that Irina could wait, she was patient when she wanted to be but then, when she wanted to say, it came out quickly. Either way, pushing the issue, which, he had to say wasn't apparently important to National Security, was going to simply be a waste of time.
Sitting by himself on the bed Jack took time to look over the scrabble board where they had left it the night before, sitting on the ground. Carefully and with a single finger he moved the letters away one word at a time, his brow dipping lower and lower as he realized that many of the words meant something to him. Sighing, he flipped the board and fell back onto the bed. He was exhausted; living with Irina was slowly killing him.
No matter what he told everyone else he knew that ten years with anyone always ended up with memories, most of them, for him, good ones. And any word that had anything to do with those ten years that he had lived with her lies, ay time someone said it or he saw it, he had to remember, the memories coming back through as slide shows, or tiny little clips, idealized and hailed. Shaking his head to clear the images a word he himself had put down, 'floor' which she had then added to 'boards' to summon images he had long since deemed forgettable and even when he had been under the idea that she was a purely good woman, they had both agreed that they should try not to think about those very hard floorboards until they were alone and guaranteed to be so for at least an hour.
He couldn't help the sad little grin from creeping onto his lips as the memory refused to depart until he heard the door slam shut and Irina re- enter.
Down by the pool Sydney had Vaughn pinned against the edge, both of them treading water up the deep end of the warmer pool. Grinning wildly, both pushed thoughts of what would happen to them once they returned home and concentrated on what had, in both minds, already been a two year courtship. Kissing down Sydney's neck, Vaughn had to pull back as his laughter threatened to spill over. Sighing at him, Sydney planted an overly sloppy kiss on his lips and pulled back, swimming away from his and his latent mentioning of Doug the grasshopper. The joke, it seemed was both getting worse and worse while at the same time, funnier and funnier.
Chasing after her, Vaughn soon caught up with her and grabbed her around the waist, whispering in her ear oblivious to the couple standing just outside the elevator, "Where is it you think you're going?"
Sydney grinned, "To cool off." She kicked away form him, wriggling out of his grasp and pulled herself gracefully out of the pool, the image of the water falling from her body making him hesitate long enough to lose his chance to capture her. Scrambling out after her, he chased her across the few meters between the warm pool and the cold before turning, shocked to find Vaughn already within a few feet when she had expected him to still be trying to get out of the warmer pool. He smiled before plowing head long into her, wrapping his arms around her waist as they fell together into the freezing cold pool.
Giggling they surfaced together, swinging around each other as they spluttered incoherently. "It's freezing in here," Sydney said, clinging to Vaughn as she realized that he could stand while she couldn't.
"You think?" he said, sarcasm sticking to his words even while his mouth lifted into a grin that set fire to every inch of Sydney's body. "We really need to warm up."
The grin grew as Sydney understood and moved closer to kiss him again on the lips, her hands leaving the water and running into his hair as her legs lifted to wrap securely around his waist, his hands moving around to keep her from slipping under the water. Grinning she moved her lips down his throat as he mirrored her movements with her, smiling and letting a loose chuckle escape every few moments.
A brisk cough alerted them to the fact that they were no longer alone and, intent on telling whoever it was to bugger off, Sydney forced Vaughn to continue via the hand in his hair. Of course seeing her mother watching them, her lips twitching upwards and her father's eyes gleaming in a very threatening way, she was quick to release his hair and push away, her face burning but the smile refusing to leave.
Vaughn looked up as he felt her stiffen and push away, "Mr Bristow," he exclaimed and then realizing what was going on he tried again, "I mean, Jack, you're up early." He bit his lip and turned away form them to look to Sydney for help. He was unsettled to find her glowing pink, huge smile threatening to break through her professional façade.
"Agent Vaughn," Irina said, "Nice to see you keeping an eye, among other things, on my daughter." She grinned at him before turning to collect the two towels she had spotted over near the other pool. Both she and Jack had arrived just in time to see Vaughn chase Sydney across the grass and into the cooler pool, both having good ears, neither thankful for them at the moment, they had heard the brief exchange and had hoped that it wouldn't go too far.
Vaughn ducked his head and began swimming towards the steps out, he timed it perfectly so that he was close enough to whisper to Sydney, "How long were they there?"
"I don't know," she hissed back, "God, it's like being caught by your parents."
"That's what just happened," he said as he made his way out, careful to avoid touching her while her father was about. Irina grinned at the pair, her eyes glinting with laughter.
"Your towels," she threw the larger black one to Vaughn and the smaller redone to Sydney. "How long have you been out here?"
"Since early," Sydney explained as she let her eyes slide to her father who continued to watch, arms crossed over his chest. Irina's eyes followed and she smiled broadly, not surprised at his resistance to the happiness of their daughter.
"Jack," Irina's voice was low with warning. "Lighten up." It wasn't a playful tone but it wasn't threatening either and for a moment Jack couldn't place it but then he realized it was genuine seriousness, something rare for her.
He scowled as Vaughn did his best to avoid looking at Sydney as she dried herself off. "I mean it Jack, you initiated this." He made no move to disagree or agree he just continued to watch Vaughn like an evil history professor watches the quiet boy with the stutter down the back. "Jack..."
It was a word with a warning, he should have seen it and probably did but he then chose to ignore it, concentrating solely on Vaughn and where it was his eyes were darting. Sydney just watched her parents with interest from her spot, glancing to Vaughn every few seconds to make sure her father's gaze didn't start to burn holes into him.
"It is a very rare occasion for you to admit that I am right," she began, rattling the speech off as though she was addressing an assembly of people. "Honestly, you hardly ever seem prepared to say, 'Yes Irina, you are right'. But it has happened."
Sydney snorted, trying to break the tension, "Really, I never would have thought." Unluckily this only upped the fire filled atmosphere.
"It has happened, but only a few times. Now Jack, think back," for the first time he let his eyes flicker to his wife who continued to stare intently at him, her eyes forgetting the rest of the area and concentrating only in making her step down and let Sydney decide. "Our conversation with Michael, only a few days ago, what did you say?"
He turned completely, Vaughn sighing in relief as his eyes left him and turned on his wife. "I said a lot of things that day."
She nodded, smiling, "Remember Jack I have a very good memory." She paused, wanting to give him the chance but he said nothing, "Michael, do you remember."
Smiling under the pressure of her demanding gaze and Sydney's more questioning one, "Not exactly."
She nodded, accepting the answer and turned to raise her eyes at Jack, "Jack, you said and I will be quoting you so don't deny it, ', Irina's right, again.' And while I could take this as a compliment I'd rather bring the family back to the fact that you were referring to Michael confessing to Sydney that he loved her which would, you and I both presumed, result in her professing back and then eventuate into a relationship. Is this what happened?"
He glared at her, ironically wondering why she had never pursued law, "Yes, that' what I said but I have to admit that with you around a lot of my words come out wrong."
"Care to give any particular occurrences?" He stared at her, trying to find one that wasn't totally humiliating. "Didn't think so. Now I'm sure everything would be much better if you would just get over it." He refused to back down, still glaring around him, "Jack, whatever it is you think is going to go wrong, you're wrong and don't bother dreaming that he's a double agent because I had that checked out ages ago."
Vaughn stared at her, Sydney pulled a hand to her head as she slumped back into a chair, feeling like she was stuck in 'Meet the Parents' only ten times worse and Jack stared at her eyes questioning, "Yes I know, bad Irina. But I had him checked out right back when he was assigned as her handler, not then and never before or after has he been a double so lay off."
Taking a deep breath he hesitated before answering.
Well, that is a very long chapter, you gotta admit that. So please read and review cause the last time that I updated Escape and No gift I got like two reviews for each and that was sorta depressing bit. Anyway. Please. Review. I need something good to wake up to.