Chapter 9: Departures

A/n: OH MY GOSH I'M SO SORRY I FORGOT TO UPDATE! I feel really bad! And even worse is that you can't expect me to update on Sunday nights anymore because I'm barely home. And I'm going to camp for two weeks leaving on the fourth. I could update weekly before because I was home every Sunday night during the school year and I had so many chapters prewritten. But the numbers are dwindling... A note for p3: a half birthday is six months before/after your real birthday. Like when you turn a half a year old.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Alias even after all these fics. Crazy, I know. Come on, JJ, when are you going to realize that I should have Vaughn?

0

Vaughn leaned back in his swivel chair as he reflected on the hectic morning. It was just after noon and already this day was horrible. Shortly after he took Sydney back inside the cottage, two black cars pulled into the driveway. Mandy had clung to his free hand as he led everyone outside.

Francie was the first one to enter one of the cars. She glanced nervously at Sydney before kissing Weiss's cheek, but hurried into the first car. Weiss darted his eyes to the ground as he noticed his wife's face contorted in confusion. But he reminded himself; he would see her soon, and she would understand there were certain aspects of Jason's disappearance she couldn't know. Chloe mindlessly followed her mother, too shocked of the situation to do otherwise.

Mandy, however, stood close to her mother and stared reluctantly at the car with an eyebrow raised. She stepped back slightly and grabbed her mother's arm, and Sydney remained motionless. Vaughn had told her to get into the car with Francie and Chloe, but she took a firmer stand on the ground and held her mother's arm tighter. Amanda – Vaughn had beckoned with a slight raise of his voice.

No! I wanna go with you!

I'm sorry, we're going into the Joint Task Force Center, you can't come.

But I wanna help! she screamed. I wanna find Jason too, I just... I just... She broke down in tears, finally feeling the capacity of the problem; a weight which sagged her shoulders and repressed all other feelings. Her hand slowly slipped from Sydney's arm, only to dangle inches away from her body as if lost of what to do.

Weiss had taken Mandy's weak moment as an opportunity to lead her to the car. He placed his hand on her shoulder which she immediately brushed off. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground in cries of grief and frustration, and Weiss picked her up and carried her towards the car. her voice echoed throughout the area. Her arms wriggled as she struggled under Weiss's hold, but the battle was lost within her, and finally she was locked inside the black car.

Vaughn had led Sydney to the second black car as the first one pulled away. And even though the car's windows were darkly tinted, Vaughn could see his daughter's tear-streaked face pressed against the window, an unforgiving look set deep in her chocolate eyes. Vaughn sent a look back that said we'll see you soon.' He knew Mandy had received the message, but he doubted she'd accepted it.

Mandy's sobbing face was all he allowed to occupy his thoughts for the time to distract himself from Jason. He stared around his office – from the mahogany door to his wall of filled bookshelves, and from the gray file cabinets to his empty desktop – his head heavy from a jumbled mind. Sydney lay on the leather couch in the far corner, seemingly unaware of her surroundings. He knew she hadn't realized that she was back in the CIA; the very place she thought she'd never return to again, in a life she thought she'd left behind. Perhaps these thoughts evaded her mind too, though Vaughn couldn't tell. Her eyes were endless black holes...

He closed his eyes briefly, attempting to calm the ever-growing headache just behind his forehead. It was the roaring silence that caused it. he asked softly, his voice cracking in the whisper. He proceeded with no reply. We'll find him, you know. He's okay. He was only trying to distract Sydney and himself simultaneously, though it wasn't working. A faint sigh was heard from her direction, and that was enough of a distraction for him. What exactly Sydney was concocting in her head, he'd never know.

The phone rang, startling Vaughn from his thoughts and he answered quickly as his heart beat paced.

It's Leo Francesco, the man began; Vaughn's contact from Italy.

Thank God, have you heard anything? He sat up straighter, his eyes focusing hard on Sydney's trampled form on the couch.

Nothing yet. But I do have few possible leads. Though I can't guarantee anything...

Pursue every lead no matter how unlikely it seems! He slammed the phone back into its cradle and settled his forehead between his hands. None of the contacts had pulled through yet, not one! Not a single contact in Turkey, Russia, India, England, France, Hungary, or Italy knew of his son's whereabouts, and Vaughn could no longer suppress the anger that he could before.

A knock at the door sounded followed by Weiss's entrance. I just finished with my contacts in Spain and Mexico, he said. We got nada. You have any luck?

he grumbled through gritted teeth. He ran his fingers back and forth along his slightly receded hairline until he grasped the front tips of his hair and tightened his grip. But we'll hear back tomorrow.

Weiss paused, noticing how Vaughn could potentially rip the hair from his scalp. You don't look so good –

Really? Cause I feel just dandy.

Go home! Get some sleep. You've had a long day and you'll have an even longer one tomorrow. He looked at his friend with pity. You and Syd should head out to Camp Harris to talk to Sloane and Tracy; see if they know anything.

Vaughn nodded as he stood from his seat. He tugged gently at Sydney's arm and tried to gain composure for her. Slowly, her eyes opened one at a time before, in a daze, she stood from the couch and leaned on Vaughn for support. Vaughn helped to guide her out, and Weiss grabbed Vaughn's free shoulder. I'm really sorry about Jason.

He looked at Weiss straight in the eye. Me too.

A/n: Yeah, that was pretty depressing. Dang, it's so short, my apologies for it's shortness. I'm having length issues with this fic, but we're going through therapy and we're dealing. But don't worry kids, I think a divorce is out of the question. Please review even though this chapter sucks!
Whitelighter Enchantress