Chapter 3: Stained

A/n: Thank you so much for your reviews! You have no idea how happy they make me. I'm sorry to report that I'm going on vacation from the 12th to the 19th so I won't be able to update. But I should get a lot of writing done while I'm gone. So fear not!

Disclaimer: JJ Abrams owns Alias and I do not. But I'll take my credit for the girl and her deceased father.

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Sydney marched into an empty meeting room and slammed the door behind her, hoping its menacing bash would dilute her pounding headache. She had to hide alone in that room, she couldn't bare to face any decent humans, she couldn't even look at her reflections in windows that she passed by. All she could see was her mother's image, grinning smugly with twinkling eyes that suggested she had a special secret. Murderer...

Diving into the first chair, she buried her face in her arms as they rested upon the glossy table. That man was going to shoot Dixon; she had to stop him! She wouldn't let a true friend die on a mission like that. She could almost her the shot of his gun ring out in her head, Dixon's exasperated cry as he plummeted to the ground, the two men in the hallway laughing mercilessly as they pulled Sydney away and arrested her.

There was no way Sydney could let that have become a reality.

Why did she look that man in the face after she killed him? Why? It wasn't like she hadn't killed people before; she had killed Noah, after all, someone she had once loved. Why was this stranger any different? She could still picture it perfectly. His body lay limp on the floor of the elevator, a pool of blood billowing from beneath him, staining both the carpet and Sydney's hands. It glistened brilliantly under the fluorescent light; a dark rouge. His daughter cried helplessly beside him, his blood spilling onto everything, including her.

It all came down to the young girl. There was something in her cry and pain and something Sydney saw in her eyes that made the man's death imprint in her mind. It took over her brain like a virus, gnawing away piece by piece until it reigned over everything. It dwelled in each thought like a shadow, darkening all things in its path.

Sydney couldn't even imagine what the girl could be going through. What would little Sydney have done if she opened the car door and found her mother dead in the front seat, her eyes wide with shock and her body dripping in crimson? True, Irina had never truly died, but Sydney had never seen her body after This girl was also uprooted to America from her home, how could she be dealing? Everything was Sydney's fault. She blamed no one else but herself.

Sydney lifted her heavy head and stared at her hands; her filthy, bloody, killing hands. The hands that pulled the trigger, the hands that ended a man's life. She scoffed and threw her hands off the table to dangle at her side. Such extremities weren't worthy of resting upon a table.

She heard the door behind her creak open, though she didn't turn to see who it was. Go away, she whispered, I don't deserve to speak to you. It didn't matter who it was, no one could help the situation any.

Sydney, please, the deep voice beckoned, Vaughn's. We need to talk.

There's nothing to say, she uttered breathlessly as tears welled in her eyes. I shot him. And his daughter saw his body, blood stained in the elevator. She felt his hand cup her shoulder, a forgiving warmth around it. She brushed it off and turned away from him as much as she could. I'm no better than my own mother.

Vaughn darted around in front of her before she could move, grabbing her shoulders. His face was mere inches away, and her eyes were forced to look into his, swirling with emotion. Don't you ever say that, he hissed, his breath tickling her nose. She closed her eyes. Look at me. She opened them again, slowly. You are nothing like Irina Derevko. You will never be anything like her. There's a real reason why that man is dead. I have to know.

His grip on her shoulders eased, though her breathing grew louder. Why was Vaughn being so supportive? He was about to shoot Dixon. It was my first instinct to pull the gun – I don't know why – I just... That seemed like the only thing that... that... Finally the tears began to fall; prominent rivers that trickled down her cheeks.

Vaughn adjusted his body and pulled her to stand, and he wrapped his arms around her body, letting her head rest in the nape of his neck. He stroked her hair gently as he held her, waiting for her crying to subside to speak again.

After her tears had diminished to whimpers, he said, You have to understand that you saved a man's life. Dixon is a good man, and one day when he learns the truth he can help to do real good. But you had to kill this guard in order for Dixon to fulfill his good to the country. You aren't a murderer, you're a hero.

It doesn't feel like it. She sniffled, looking up into his eyes, not noticing their engagement in a hug. How is the girl?

She's not talking to anyone. We don't know anything, other than that her father's name is Bairn Conor. They want us to try to get her to talk –

Sydney interrupted. You, I can understand. But do you think she would talk to her father's murderer?

She doesn't know you killed him.

It doesn't matter, I couldn't face her knowing that I killed him. Sydney pulled away from Vaughn's arms and leaned against the door.

We can deal with that later, he said, stepping closer to her again. You have got to stop overanalyzing this, because tonight we are bringing down the Alliance. Sydney dropped her arms. How could she have forgotten? Her one goal in life lay rusted in the back of her mind. She'd have to forget about Bairn Conor, there was much more now to worry about that a death from the past. She knew this mission could keep her mind away for a while, but his death, she knew, would haunt her for a much longer time. So will you come with me and confront your coworkers or will you stay in here and rot in your own fears?

He held his hand out to her, and his outstretched hand seemed appealing enough for Sydney. They're hands clasped, and he smiled, then led her out back into the world. When he opened the door, the noise of the bustling CIA pounded against them, almost driving Sydney back in her cocoon. But he persisted on, pulling her through despite her resistance. She saw her reflection off windows and other glass components, but she saw only Sydney; a little less confident than before, but with no signs of a murderer. She sighed. Leave it to her guardian angel to make her feel better.

Vaughn led her into large conference room, where many agents were handed an analysis of the Ingress Codes. They found two open seats and settled into them, reading over the analysis. Finally the directors Devlin and Kendall stood up front and center, waiting for silence. It was quickly granted.

Mr. Sloane, the leader of the SD-6 cell of the Alliance, Devlin began, sent one of our agents on a mission to retrieve the Ingress Codes which had been intercepted by the Hierarchy, a rogue group fronting as the Cork Biotechnology Company in Cork, Ireland. Our agents successfully brought back these codes and made a switch with false codes for SD-6. For those of you who are not familiar with the Ingress Codes, please take a moment to acquaint yourself with the document.

Kendall started in right away. These papers reveal the exact coordinates of a keypad and password that will open the Alliance cells completely for three minutes before going into lock down. If we send teams to each of the cells, then they will not be able to aid each other to resist us. We also have the available codes to take them out of lock down.

Devlin continued. We have contacted our allies worldwide to alert them of the situation. At exactly midnight, Los Angeles time, teams will commence Operation: Exterminate. For three minutes we will continue to send in our agents and bring out the SD agents until the lock down. Then, before inputting the code to end the lock down, we will round up the remaining SD agents for an easy exit out of the facility.

You have two hours to prepare yourselves, Kendall nodded, ending the briefing.

Whispers erupted from everyone around them. Vaughn leaned in towards Sydney. Come with me, he said. She nodded and followed idly, unaware of their destination. She had never ventured to this wing of the Joint Task Force Center before, but there seemed to be just as many agents as the other wings. They came upon a guarded door, and each showed their CIA identification before being allowed entrance. He unlocked the door and held it open for them.

Sydney peered inside. Vaughn –

Please. Just go in with me. I have to talk to her, we have to try to gain her trust so she'll talk with us. You don't even have to say anything if you don't want to.

Sydney stared at the girl from afar. Someone had at least given her new clothes to replace the blood stained ones, and her sandy hair was messily braided down her back. Her rosy cheeks hadn't lightened, and her eyes were rimmed in red, though she had stopped crying for a short while. She looked up nervously from behind a table as Vaughn dragged Sydney closer and closer.

Vaughn said warmly as Sydney inspected the room. The walls were a white brick, and there were several tables throughout the center, and one couch in the corner. Sydney assumed it was a makeshift safe house for the time being. Vaughn gave a final tug on Sydney's hand and she abruptly sat down next to him across from the girl. Has anyone told you anything yet? She stared blankly at him, still deciding whether he was decent or not. There's no need to worry because you're in safe hands. I'm with the Central Intelligence Agency in the United States. We're currently in the Los Angeles branch. The reason we've taken you back with us is because you witnessed an important mission for the safety of our country. Unfortunately, your father lost his life in the struggle.

The girl's eyes darted away quickly to her smaller than average hands resting on the table. She rubbed the pad of her thumb across the back of her hand. After a moment she looked back up at Sydney and Vaughn, straddling her gaze between both of them. Vaughn continued. We were hoping you'd share a little bit of information about yourself. Like your name, your address. What you remember from the elevator. The main thing we want to do is return you back home safely.

She remained silent, but settled her eyes on Sydney. The agent, who had been fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat, finally sat uninterrupted with her eyes locked with the girl's. A strange feeling overcame Sydney, and the girl's eyebrows raised slightly as if she were reading her. She couldn't possibly see Sydney's guilty conscience, but felt some other connection. Vaughn stood up from his chair after sighing to communicate with another agent who had entered the room. What is your name? Sydney whispered to the girl, unable to hold herself back. Vaughn cleared his throat a distance behind them, knocking them from their trance. The girl stared back at Vaughn, biting her lip.

Come on, Sydney. We have to go get ready. Sydney nodded, and awkwardly flashed a quick smile to the girl before standing up to leave with Vaughn.

Both Sydney and Vaughn turned around to find the girl staring at them. My name is Aislin.

Sydney and Vaughn looked at each other before looking back to the girl. We'll come back and talk to you later, we promise. Okay? Vaughn asked, hoping the girl would allow it. Luckily, she nodded. Vaughn smiled at her as he followed Sydney out the door and back to the world of mayhem.

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Sydney squatted on the sidewalk off a small side street near SD-6 as a chilly wind kissed her cheeks. The concealed box was behind the telephone booth just inches away. She held her ear piece in place as she counted down the seconds to midnight. She could see several teams waiting impatiently, scattered across the street and down the block. There were four teams assigned to each cell: one for entering the building, that was Sydney's team, a smaller one for waiting outside the exit in case of any escaping SD agents, another smaller team for wandering around the cell's premises in case of any unknown exits, and a last team to enter the second code to end lock down and help further inside the building.

Sydney herself grew impatient and she recited the code to gain access to the building: K631J047. She tucked a few stray hairs underneath her black cap when the idea finally hit her; this mission would change everything...

All teams are in place. Agents, enter the codes... now.

Sydney flipped open the box as quickly as her nearly numb fingers could and pressed K-6-3-1-J-0-4-7. Eight lights at the bottom of the box blinked green, and it emitted a small beep.' She ran with all her might to catch up with her team as they proceeded into SD-6. Shots rang out ahead of her, and open fire began. People scurried in and out of the building for a while as Sydney battled her way through a series of hallways and rooms, searching particularly for Sloane. When she spotted him she paused a moment too soon, and a bullet grazed her right arm. She winced but charged forward, tackling Sloane to his knees.

Suddenly the room went dark; all became initially silent. Three minutes was up.

The emergency lights turned on, and the fighting started up again. Sydney turned to Sloane, a look of shock overtaking his face. he said solemnly, I never expected –

Shut-up, you son of a bitch, she spat, gritting her teeth. She grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, making sure he could hear her perfectly over the gunfire. The years I worked for you were the most miserable years of my life. Every day you would lie to us all. Every day you would look straight in my eyes and lie to my face. I vowed I would have no more of that; that I would one day be free. And that day has finally come. She slapped handcuffs around his wrists and baby sat him as the second team of agents filed in strongly to take away the SD agents. You will suffer more than you have made anyone else suffer. I'll be sure of that.

Jack Bristow appeared from the rubble and grabbed Sloane by the shoulders, dragging him away from the only life he had known for too many years. Sydney stood up, feeling overwhelmingly proud and accomplished with herself.

She did it, she was finally free!

Her eyes searched around desperately for Vaughn, though he was nowhere. She meandered back outside, the flash of police and ambulance sirens blinding her for a moment, yet she still could see no sign of him.

Her father slammed an ambulance door shut and turned to Sydney. I believe you broke his wrist.

Sydney shrugged. Have you seen Vaughn anywhere?

Jack shook his head, and suggested that she should go home and get some sleep. Tonight had been a big night for everyone. Sydney agreed that she wanted to sleep. She was just hoping that she and Vaughn could finally be together. She wanted to run her fingers through his silky hair, brush her lips across his infinitely, hold him tenderly and never let go...

But perhaps they would have to wait a little longer than expected.

A/n: Wahoo! Down with SD-6, up with S/V! Silly Vaughn, doesn't he know he's supposed to find Sydney from across the room, run over to her, and kiss her like mad!? Sorry if this chapter seems rushed, I was really tired when I wrote it. Oh well. I'll try to type fast when I get back from Lake Michigan. Until then, please REVIEW if you want some S/V in this fic's future.
Whitelighter Enchantress