Title: This Tear
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Notes: Wow it feels like forever since I posted the last chapter. Sorry this took me so long! Like I mentioned, tennis season started this week. We had try-outs to make the team (we had to cut it down to 20 girls, ten varsity and ten junior varsity, and over 40 girls tried out) and I made the team so I've had challenge matches the last few days. But yay, I got offered a varsity singles spot! Only the top four players on the team get to play varsity singles. I turned it down to play doubles with my friend, but it was still cool. And I got into a college this week! My first one! I was excited. But after this weekend, I get my 10 page English term paper out of the way and I should have a pretty light work load from then on, so hopefully I'll be able to put out updates more frequently.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Then sleep. You could use the rest." She laughed softly, before wincing a little at the pain it caused.
"You mean more than the 16 to 18 hours I get a day?" she joked.
"Just think of it as catching up for all those sleepless nights when you were on missions," he said, smiling at her. She smiled back before letting her eyes slip shut.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 14: Phone Calls
"I'm going to put her on a new treatment," Dr. Anderson announced to Vaughn and Weiss two days before Sydney was to restart treatment. "It's an experimental type of chemotherapy, but there's been some success with it recently, especially for brain tumor patients. The conventional chemo doesn't seem to be doing the trick. I think this might."
Vaughn and Weiss both looked at each other. It had been a relatively uneventful week. As the doctor predicted, Sydney had spent most of her time sleeping. She had slept up to twenty hours a day. Lately, her sleep patterns had been getting closer to normal, though. She'd been up and around the last few days with only minimal amounts of pain. Dr. Anderson, noting her quick recovery, wanted to get her started on treatments right away.
"How will this be different than her usual chemo?" Vaughn asked.
"Well, the good news is that she probably won't be as sick as she has been with the conventional type. It'll still sap her of a lot of her energy, but she may actually be able to keep her food down with this new type. The bad news is that the drug will leave her susceptible to infections. She'll have to wear a special mask, like the ones surgeons wear, to keep out any germs," Dr. Anderson explained.
"I'll talk to Syd about it when she wakes up," Vaughn said, nodding to the doctor.
"No need," they all suddenly heard. Their heads all whipped around to see Sydney standing across the room, where the hallway opened up into the main room. She smiled at the surprised looks on their faces and crossed the room to join them at the table. "I'll do it."
"You sure? You can have some time to think about it if you want," Dr. Anderson told her.
"I'll do it," she repeated, her voice firm. "I don't need any time."
"Okay then, I'll start you on it in two days."
"Three days a week?" She asked. Dr. Anderson nodded. She looked at them all before returning her focus to the doctor. "Let's do it."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
At around ten that night, Vaughn knocked softly on Sydney's door. She called to him that he could come in. He entered her room to find her sitting Indian-style on her bed. She was writing in a notepad resting on her lap. He walked over to her bed and stood over her, watching her write. He sat down in the chair next to her bed. Once she'd finished her sentence, she looked up at him.
"What's up?" She asked.
"Nothing. I just wanted to see you," he confessed. She smiled at him. "What's that?" He asked, gesturing to the notebook.
"A letter I've been working on the last few days. It's for Francie, just to explain. well, everything. I just hope I can give it to her someday. And I hope she understands," she told him sadly.
"She will. No one in their right mind could ever hold it against you. You had no choice in this," Vaughn assured her. She smiled again at him and he returned it. She put her pen inside her notebook and closed it, placing it on the nightstand next to her bed. She then moved over towards the side of the bed. He understood immediately and moved from chair to sit next to her on the bed, his arm automatically going around her back, his hand rubbing up and down her arm soothingly. She laid her head on his shoulder and he pressed a kiss into her hair, hearing her sigh.
"Do you think this new treatment will work?" She asked so quietly he almost didn't hear it. He thought for a moment.
"I hope so," he said honestly. "And if it doesn't, then the next one will."
"And if that doesn't?" She asked.
"Then the next one," he replied. He heard her mumble something about his optimism, but didn't quite catch it. "Maybe you're just pessimistic."
"No. I just don't want to get my hopes up. I want to be realistic," she corrected him.
"Well the realistic way I see it is that you're going to be fine. You're going to beat this, live to see the takedown of SD-6, grow old, have a family. And when this all ends, we'll go somewhere. Anywhere. Just because we can. Because no one will be after us anymore."
"I can't wait," she whispered.
"Neither can I," he agreed. She sighed again and readjusted her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. "You tired?" He asked.
"No," she said, trying to mask a yawn that immediately followed her response. He chuckled.
"Liar," he accused.
"Okay, maybe a little," she admitted.
"You should get some rest," he said, kissing her again on the top of her head. Before he could move, though, he felt her hand lock around his arm. He looked over at her.
"Stay tonight," was all she said. He looked into her eyes, almost as if he could read her mind just by doing so. He didn't need any further encouragement. Silently thanking himself for having the presence of mind to have changed before he came in, he nodded at her and reached for the quilt. He lifted it from under them, covering their bodies up to their wastes. He reached over and turned off the light on the nightstand before turning back to her and taking her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest, closing her eyes at the feeling of pure safety and warmth that came over her. One arm still holding her to him, he brought the other up so that his fingers could run through her hair. Relaxing into his touch, she drifted easily into sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney awoke the next morning to find herself alone in the bed. When she saw the time read 10:03 AM, though, she wasn't too surprised he was already awake. She stretched her body out before grabbing a hair-band from the nightstand and pulling her hair away from her face and into a ponytail. She rubbed her eyes and got up, heading out and into the main room. Vaughn and Weiss were sitting at the table, both with serious expressions on their face.
"What's wrong?" Sydney asked immediately. They both looked at her, then back at each other. Vaughn sighed.
"You better come sit," he said. She complied, sitting in the chair across from him.
"What's going on?" She pressed.
"We got a call from one of the five agents aware of our location this morning. The one that happens to be in the LA office. He said there's an important mission that's being set up. He wouldn't give me any details, but he says they need intel from your mother," Vaughn explained.
"Well, have they talked to her?" She asked.
"She won't talk," Vaughn replied.
"Why not?"
"Well, she reminded them that her agreement is that she only speaks with you or your father."
"That's ridiculous. She knows neither of us can even be there, let alone be involved in a mission," Sydney said, confused.
"I know. So she's bargaining now. She says she'll give them the intel if they get a secure line so that she can talk to you," Vaughn told her. "They've consulted your father on the situation. He's not sure she's to be trusted. I mean, if she has something planned, if she still has ties to Sloane-"
"She could give away our location," Sydney finished for him. She was silent for a moment, pondering the situation. "What do you think?"
"It's your decision," Vaughn replied.
"What do you *think*?" She asked again. Vaughn was quiet for a moment, just looking at her.
"I don't think she'd sell you out," he replied finally.
"Then I'll do it."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The phone call was set up for noon. Sydney barely had time to shower and get dressed before she was back in the main room, sitting again at the table with Vaughn and Weiss. They waited silently, no one really paying any attention to the other. They were each caught up in their own thoughts. The ringing phone made them all jump slightly. They all looked at it, sitting in the middle of the table. Sydney looked up at Vaughn. He nodded at her, and she reached over and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Agent Bristow?" A male voice asked.
"Yes," she confirmed.
"Okay, let me patch your mother through," said the voice. Sydney didn't reply, just waited.
"Sydney?" She heard her mother's voice ask suddenly.
"Mom."
"Are you all right?" She asked.
"Fine. I'm sorry I never got to see you again before I left," Sydney said softly.
"You had no choice. how's your health?"
"The same. I'm still being treated," Sydney replied.
"Chemotherapy?" Irina asked.
"And radiation," Sydney added.
"How's it going?"
"I start a new type of chemo tomorrow. It's experimental, but the doctor says it's been successful," Sydney told her mother.
"Good."
"How are you?" Sydney asked.
"Much better now," Irina replied. Sydney couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back frantically. "I'm sorry it had to come to this: me threatening to withhold information, but I had to know that you were all right."
"But you'll help them now?" Sydney clarified.
"Of course."
"Thank you."
"My time's almost up. Take care of yourself, Sydney. Be strong," Irina advised.
"You too, Mom," she said softly before the line went dead. She hung up the phone and quickly swiped at her eyes to rid them of tears. She looked up at Vaughn and Weiss who were both looking at her, obviously concerned. She smiled at them, as brightly as she could, before excusing herself to go to her room. Once there, she sat on the edge of her bed and just let out a deep breath and bit her bottom lip. Before she even had time to think about her mother, though, she heard the door open and close. She looked up and saw Vaughn. They stared at each other for a moment before she abruptly turned her head and looked towards the window. He didn't say anything, just walked over, sat on the bed, and took her into his arms. No words were needed.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Vaughn walked into the room quietly, noticing immediately that she was asleep. The paper mask covered her face now, shielding her body from germs. She'd started treatments three days before. Dr. Anderson had been right once again. The treatments made her tired, but prevented her from spending entire afternoons leaning over the toilet bowl. For that, everyone was grateful.
He sat in the chair and watched her for a moment. She looked so peaceful, as if in her sleep, she'd escaped all the things that haunted her in the real world. He hated to wake her up and bring her back to this world, but he knew she'd want to know his news right away. He reluctantly reached out and brushed his hand over her cheek a few times. That's all it took to slowly bring her to consciousness. She blinked a few times, focused on his face, and smiled.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Hi," she responded.
"I'm sorry to wake you, but I have some news I thought you'd want to hear," he told her.
"What?" She asked, immediately waking up a little more.
"Your dad just called," Vaughn said. Her face instantly grew serious and she sat up.
"What'd he say?"
"He said that they finally have a plan to get back into SD-6, and they're going to put it into action as soon as possible."
To be continued.
A/N: Yeah, so that phone call from Irina was totally unplanned for me. I just kind of added it, because the chapter needed something else. I hope you liked it! Please review and fuel me through my ten page English paper I have to write all this weekend lol. It just takes a few minutes, so pleeeeeeeease hit that little button and give me some motivation lol! Thanks!
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Notes: Wow it feels like forever since I posted the last chapter. Sorry this took me so long! Like I mentioned, tennis season started this week. We had try-outs to make the team (we had to cut it down to 20 girls, ten varsity and ten junior varsity, and over 40 girls tried out) and I made the team so I've had challenge matches the last few days. But yay, I got offered a varsity singles spot! Only the top four players on the team get to play varsity singles. I turned it down to play doubles with my friend, but it was still cool. And I got into a college this week! My first one! I was excited. But after this weekend, I get my 10 page English term paper out of the way and I should have a pretty light work load from then on, so hopefully I'll be able to put out updates more frequently.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Then sleep. You could use the rest." She laughed softly, before wincing a little at the pain it caused.
"You mean more than the 16 to 18 hours I get a day?" she joked.
"Just think of it as catching up for all those sleepless nights when you were on missions," he said, smiling at her. She smiled back before letting her eyes slip shut.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 14: Phone Calls
"I'm going to put her on a new treatment," Dr. Anderson announced to Vaughn and Weiss two days before Sydney was to restart treatment. "It's an experimental type of chemotherapy, but there's been some success with it recently, especially for brain tumor patients. The conventional chemo doesn't seem to be doing the trick. I think this might."
Vaughn and Weiss both looked at each other. It had been a relatively uneventful week. As the doctor predicted, Sydney had spent most of her time sleeping. She had slept up to twenty hours a day. Lately, her sleep patterns had been getting closer to normal, though. She'd been up and around the last few days with only minimal amounts of pain. Dr. Anderson, noting her quick recovery, wanted to get her started on treatments right away.
"How will this be different than her usual chemo?" Vaughn asked.
"Well, the good news is that she probably won't be as sick as she has been with the conventional type. It'll still sap her of a lot of her energy, but she may actually be able to keep her food down with this new type. The bad news is that the drug will leave her susceptible to infections. She'll have to wear a special mask, like the ones surgeons wear, to keep out any germs," Dr. Anderson explained.
"I'll talk to Syd about it when she wakes up," Vaughn said, nodding to the doctor.
"No need," they all suddenly heard. Their heads all whipped around to see Sydney standing across the room, where the hallway opened up into the main room. She smiled at the surprised looks on their faces and crossed the room to join them at the table. "I'll do it."
"You sure? You can have some time to think about it if you want," Dr. Anderson told her.
"I'll do it," she repeated, her voice firm. "I don't need any time."
"Okay then, I'll start you on it in two days."
"Three days a week?" She asked. Dr. Anderson nodded. She looked at them all before returning her focus to the doctor. "Let's do it."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
At around ten that night, Vaughn knocked softly on Sydney's door. She called to him that he could come in. He entered her room to find her sitting Indian-style on her bed. She was writing in a notepad resting on her lap. He walked over to her bed and stood over her, watching her write. He sat down in the chair next to her bed. Once she'd finished her sentence, she looked up at him.
"What's up?" She asked.
"Nothing. I just wanted to see you," he confessed. She smiled at him. "What's that?" He asked, gesturing to the notebook.
"A letter I've been working on the last few days. It's for Francie, just to explain. well, everything. I just hope I can give it to her someday. And I hope she understands," she told him sadly.
"She will. No one in their right mind could ever hold it against you. You had no choice in this," Vaughn assured her. She smiled again at him and he returned it. She put her pen inside her notebook and closed it, placing it on the nightstand next to her bed. She then moved over towards the side of the bed. He understood immediately and moved from chair to sit next to her on the bed, his arm automatically going around her back, his hand rubbing up and down her arm soothingly. She laid her head on his shoulder and he pressed a kiss into her hair, hearing her sigh.
"Do you think this new treatment will work?" She asked so quietly he almost didn't hear it. He thought for a moment.
"I hope so," he said honestly. "And if it doesn't, then the next one will."
"And if that doesn't?" She asked.
"Then the next one," he replied. He heard her mumble something about his optimism, but didn't quite catch it. "Maybe you're just pessimistic."
"No. I just don't want to get my hopes up. I want to be realistic," she corrected him.
"Well the realistic way I see it is that you're going to be fine. You're going to beat this, live to see the takedown of SD-6, grow old, have a family. And when this all ends, we'll go somewhere. Anywhere. Just because we can. Because no one will be after us anymore."
"I can't wait," she whispered.
"Neither can I," he agreed. She sighed again and readjusted her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. "You tired?" He asked.
"No," she said, trying to mask a yawn that immediately followed her response. He chuckled.
"Liar," he accused.
"Okay, maybe a little," she admitted.
"You should get some rest," he said, kissing her again on the top of her head. Before he could move, though, he felt her hand lock around his arm. He looked over at her.
"Stay tonight," was all she said. He looked into her eyes, almost as if he could read her mind just by doing so. He didn't need any further encouragement. Silently thanking himself for having the presence of mind to have changed before he came in, he nodded at her and reached for the quilt. He lifted it from under them, covering their bodies up to their wastes. He reached over and turned off the light on the nightstand before turning back to her and taking her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest, closing her eyes at the feeling of pure safety and warmth that came over her. One arm still holding her to him, he brought the other up so that his fingers could run through her hair. Relaxing into his touch, she drifted easily into sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney awoke the next morning to find herself alone in the bed. When she saw the time read 10:03 AM, though, she wasn't too surprised he was already awake. She stretched her body out before grabbing a hair-band from the nightstand and pulling her hair away from her face and into a ponytail. She rubbed her eyes and got up, heading out and into the main room. Vaughn and Weiss were sitting at the table, both with serious expressions on their face.
"What's wrong?" Sydney asked immediately. They both looked at her, then back at each other. Vaughn sighed.
"You better come sit," he said. She complied, sitting in the chair across from him.
"What's going on?" She pressed.
"We got a call from one of the five agents aware of our location this morning. The one that happens to be in the LA office. He said there's an important mission that's being set up. He wouldn't give me any details, but he says they need intel from your mother," Vaughn explained.
"Well, have they talked to her?" She asked.
"She won't talk," Vaughn replied.
"Why not?"
"Well, she reminded them that her agreement is that she only speaks with you or your father."
"That's ridiculous. She knows neither of us can even be there, let alone be involved in a mission," Sydney said, confused.
"I know. So she's bargaining now. She says she'll give them the intel if they get a secure line so that she can talk to you," Vaughn told her. "They've consulted your father on the situation. He's not sure she's to be trusted. I mean, if she has something planned, if she still has ties to Sloane-"
"She could give away our location," Sydney finished for him. She was silent for a moment, pondering the situation. "What do you think?"
"It's your decision," Vaughn replied.
"What do you *think*?" She asked again. Vaughn was quiet for a moment, just looking at her.
"I don't think she'd sell you out," he replied finally.
"Then I'll do it."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The phone call was set up for noon. Sydney barely had time to shower and get dressed before she was back in the main room, sitting again at the table with Vaughn and Weiss. They waited silently, no one really paying any attention to the other. They were each caught up in their own thoughts. The ringing phone made them all jump slightly. They all looked at it, sitting in the middle of the table. Sydney looked up at Vaughn. He nodded at her, and she reached over and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Agent Bristow?" A male voice asked.
"Yes," she confirmed.
"Okay, let me patch your mother through," said the voice. Sydney didn't reply, just waited.
"Sydney?" She heard her mother's voice ask suddenly.
"Mom."
"Are you all right?" She asked.
"Fine. I'm sorry I never got to see you again before I left," Sydney said softly.
"You had no choice. how's your health?"
"The same. I'm still being treated," Sydney replied.
"Chemotherapy?" Irina asked.
"And radiation," Sydney added.
"How's it going?"
"I start a new type of chemo tomorrow. It's experimental, but the doctor says it's been successful," Sydney told her mother.
"Good."
"How are you?" Sydney asked.
"Much better now," Irina replied. Sydney couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back frantically. "I'm sorry it had to come to this: me threatening to withhold information, but I had to know that you were all right."
"But you'll help them now?" Sydney clarified.
"Of course."
"Thank you."
"My time's almost up. Take care of yourself, Sydney. Be strong," Irina advised.
"You too, Mom," she said softly before the line went dead. She hung up the phone and quickly swiped at her eyes to rid them of tears. She looked up at Vaughn and Weiss who were both looking at her, obviously concerned. She smiled at them, as brightly as she could, before excusing herself to go to her room. Once there, she sat on the edge of her bed and just let out a deep breath and bit her bottom lip. Before she even had time to think about her mother, though, she heard the door open and close. She looked up and saw Vaughn. They stared at each other for a moment before she abruptly turned her head and looked towards the window. He didn't say anything, just walked over, sat on the bed, and took her into his arms. No words were needed.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Vaughn walked into the room quietly, noticing immediately that she was asleep. The paper mask covered her face now, shielding her body from germs. She'd started treatments three days before. Dr. Anderson had been right once again. The treatments made her tired, but prevented her from spending entire afternoons leaning over the toilet bowl. For that, everyone was grateful.
He sat in the chair and watched her for a moment. She looked so peaceful, as if in her sleep, she'd escaped all the things that haunted her in the real world. He hated to wake her up and bring her back to this world, but he knew she'd want to know his news right away. He reluctantly reached out and brushed his hand over her cheek a few times. That's all it took to slowly bring her to consciousness. She blinked a few times, focused on his face, and smiled.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Hi," she responded.
"I'm sorry to wake you, but I have some news I thought you'd want to hear," he told her.
"What?" She asked, immediately waking up a little more.
"Your dad just called," Vaughn said. Her face instantly grew serious and she sat up.
"What'd he say?"
"He said that they finally have a plan to get back into SD-6, and they're going to put it into action as soon as possible."
To be continued.
A/N: Yeah, so that phone call from Irina was totally unplanned for me. I just kind of added it, because the chapter needed something else. I hope you liked it! Please review and fuel me through my ten page English paper I have to write all this weekend lol. It just takes a few minutes, so pleeeeeeeease hit that little button and give me some motivation lol! Thanks!