A/N: First of all, some fics are meant to be one parters and frankly, I'm not the saga-chapter writing type, but I was "inspired" by a new mix I made from songs from season's one-three and a beautiful poem I read which will make an appearance in the next chapter. It made me cry which leads me to apologize to those of you that were ticked I didn't add a tissue warning. :blush: Sorry.. I wanted the ending to really take you off guard and adding the "not what you expect" part was too much already. I really didn't expect to continue this, but I got a few encouragements, so here's my stab at an actual story and many sorries if it's not as good as the original. Everything's the same as fore-mentioned.

Archive: FF.net and eventually COVERme and Allies. E-Mail me at hotmail or IM me, (it's always bubbicup) if you have an archive and for some reason, think my fic is good enough to be on it.

Soundtrack: Well I never do this but, "Be Still My Soul," Lisbeth Scott and "So Are You to Me," eastmountiansouth, (argh.. It's angsty I know) and "Delicate," Damien Rice just because. :P

Dedication: To linz, who left me the most aww-worthy Alias review I've ever received. Hopefully she's reading this.. :D Oh and Wendino, who's a closet fan and hated the first chapter.. (Don't ask.)

Disclaimer: I'm borrowing them mentally for about fifteen minutes or however long it takes for you to read this fic. Michael will not be a good boy and change his mind and stay forever though.. Huhmm..

Chapter 2 - Faith

At this point, she's crying too and I can't stand it; I never could and every time she does, I can't help but think that it's my fault even though it couldn't be farther from the truth. This time though, it is my fault though. There's no second thinking that can change that fact. I had trained for moments like that; they taught us what to do in every possible scenario back at the Langley. Nothing could register at that moment though and only then did I realize that I'm really not all that cut out to be an agent. What kind of agent am I if I can't even protect those closest to me?

Why I believed him, I don't know. I was trusting Sark. Sark for God's sake. He shot me and I almost put his head through a table afterwards; we're not exactly going to exchange Christmas cards anytime soon, but I didn't think about that or care for the matter. If I surrendered, he would let Sydney go and that's all that mattered to me. The cynic in me laughed a little. That isn't how Jack's going to see it.

If there was a way to get revenge, this is how Sark would do it. Kissing Lauren after pulling the trigger didn't do anything to me. Now Sydney was holding on to dear life- literally. She told me right after she was shot to not bother getting her to the medics because she knew almost as well as I did that she wasn't going to make it. I was stunned by those words; was she suffering that much that she didn't care anymore? Right now though, I know why she's crying. It's not because of the pain; that's bull. She regrets what she said.

Suddenly, I hear her speak. "Vaughn.. I want my ashes spread at that beach. My real ashes this time.. It seemed really pretty.." She says softly trailing off.

It kills me to hear her like this. I choke back another sob. "Don't- don't talk like that Syd."

"I want you to speak at my service and for my dad to be there; and Weiss and Marshall. Oh.. Carrie and the baby too..." Even through her tears, she's smiling. So pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts. "I dreamt once that we were married and we-we had a little baby. He looked exactly like you.." She stops and buries her head in the crook of my arm.

"Yeah?" I know it hurts her to talk but hearing her voice assures me that's she's still alive. It's selfish of me, but...

She mummers something into my arm and I can barely hear her now. "Promise that you won't forget about me..."

This statement shocks me more than her deteriorating voice. Before I have a chance to speak, I hear Weiss of all people. I turn my head slightly, and he's there with a group of green agents, more concern on his face than the anger I expected. I look down at Sydney again. She's smiling softly.

"You didn't answer the comm.. How-how is she?" He stammers.

I don't answer and gently pick her up following them back to the van. When we get there, we're greeted by some EMTs and Jack Bristow. The surprises keep coming, don't they?

The EMTs push out a gurney but I'm reluctant to put her on it. Jack hurries to us and spots her. Without another word, he takes her from my arms and with as much tenderness as I've ever seen form him, places her on the bed. In a flash second, she's wheeled inside and someone helps me into the ambulance. All this time, my eyes are on Sydney; hoping that in age that could do so much, can somehow save the woman I love.

She turns from me to look at Jack. "Daddy..."

Jack brightens up a little. "You're going to be okay, sweetheart." He says softly.

It's moments like these that make me think that Jack's actually human but I can see the same fear in his eyes and I know that he doesn't believe this any more than I do. Sydney does nothing but nod slightly.

I take her hand into mine and I'm surprised that it's ice cold. I do my best to warm it and my efforts get me a smug smile from Sydney. "You're always trying to take care of me Vaughn; think of yourself for once."

An EMT taps me on the shoulder, almost afraid of ruining the moment. "Sir. Your, uh.." He mumbles nervously looking at my arm. There's a gash that I didn't even know was there. I take a moment to look at myself; there's blood all over my front. Sydney's blood. I almost break again and she looks on, understanding; her face so serene.

"What about my daughter?" Jack pipes up.

The EMT stutters again. "There isn't much that we ca do here.." Before he suffers the wrath of Jack Bristow, he quickly adds, "In here! In the ambulance!"

He looks at him intently. "Do you have pliers and some gauze?"

-:-:-:-

In all the time I've known Sydney, I've been in a hospital twice and each time, she's been there at my bedside. I don't know how she manages it because it's more than I can bear; seeing beautiful, strong Sydney look so helpless. After Jack and the hospital's surgery, being in a coma is a successful stage for someone in Syd's case.

Someone forced Jack to get some sleep and somehow, I'm harder to convince. No one has been around for about an hour now and the my friends and the staff seem to realize I'm staying. They gave me a some drugs, "for the pain," but what it's really for is to keep me out while Sydney is. My eyes are drooping but I'm determined to stay awake to be here for her. I give in finally, climbing into the bed and place my head lightly on her chest.

My thoughts roam to the day we first met. I suddenly find myself speaking out loud. "Remember your red hair? I think you hated me when we first met. Or else my dentist wasn't good enough." I chuckle softly and all I hear is silence and the steady beeping of the heart monitor. I know she won't answer me, but I don't care. "Hopefully that's changed." I say smiling dimly.

"After we took down SD-6.. And remember our cold dinner?" The memories are circling fast in my head now. "You actually got a goal against me the first time we played hockey."

I didn't want to go on in our little timeline because we both knew that how it ended. My eyelids are getting heavy now, then I remember the moment before we went to the ambulance.

"I would never forget you, Sydney Bristow." I say to her sleeping form. My eyes flutter and close as I trust my faith for once and hope that when I wake up, it'll be next to her again if only for just once more.

TBC

A/N: A little less agnsty but I still don't like this chapter more than the original. :sigh: Hopefully though, you guys liked it and will review/comment because I love, love, to read feedback. You do not have to have an account to review. (Yes that's how much I want responses) The funny thing is that it also makes me update much, much, faster.. Hee.. No, I'm not blackmailing you, just pushing you in the right direction. :P