Chapter Sixteen
Sydney was finished worrying. She had done so much of it that there was none left in her. She had moved on to being her usual tough as nails self, with small moments where she lost herself in memories of Chloe. Vaughn was still worried about her, but he knew that she no longer wanted to be held and comforted like a child. She wanted him to treat her as he had before Chloe's abduction.
She was busy working balancing her checkbook; Vaughn was sitting on the couch watching the football game, when there was an urgent knocking on the door. Sydney looked up startled. Who could be at their door so early on a Sunday morning? Curiously, she stood and headed towards the entrance hall. The knocking came again and she opened the door slowly.
A gasp escaped her lips as she stared at her daughter standing there, her face ashen and her arms wrapped around...
"Sark!" Sydney exclaimed. She looked from her daughter to the enemy she had fought so hard against.
"Momma." Chloe's childlike voice gained her mother's attention. Sydney quickly looked at her daughter, who looked like she was about to faint.
"Oh Chloe," Sydney drew her daughter away from Sark and held her close. Tears slipped down her face.
"Mom we have to get off the street." The urgency in Chloe's voice scared Sydney and she quickly pulled her inside. Sark followed, and Sydney glared at him, her eyes pure ice. His wife's exclamation had drawn Vaughn away from his game, and he stood inside the entrance hall, awaiting the feel of his daughter in his arms. He took Chloe from Sydney and hugged her tightly. Chloe cried out in pain and Vaughn pulled away from her.
"What's wrong Chloe?" he asked, looking deep into her eyes. The pain in them, sharp and urgent. It was then that he noticed the blood soaked cloth around her arm. "What happened?" He asked, shooting daggers at Sark, who stood with his back to the closed door, keeping his distance from the small family reunion.
"What did you do to her?" Vaughn asked, ready to strangle the Englishman.
"Julian didn't do anything Dad." Chloe said, glancing from her father to Sark. There was trouble brewing in the Vaughn home, everybody could feel it. Sydney stepped between her husband and Sark, and gently laid her hand on Vaughn's arm. He knew that she wanted him to calm down; he knew that Chloe would explain everything soon. Vaughn tensed as he felt Chloe place all her weight on him.
"Come on," he said, lifting her gently, "you need to lie down." Chloe slumped as he carried her and placed her gently on the couch. Sydney kneeled on the floor beside her and carefully untied the dressing around her arm.
"Oh my god," she breathed, she looked up at Vaughn, her eyes frightened, "we need to get the bullet out Michael. If it stays in there much longer it'll get infected."
"Why didn't you go to a hospital?" Vaughn asked Chloe, ignoring Sark, who had followed them into the living room and was now standing, somewhat awkwardly, beside the couch.
"We couldn't," Chloe said, her voice was weak. "We couldn't risk the Covenant finding us." Sydney and Vaughn exchanged looks. Jack had been right.
"We'll have to take it out ourselves." Vaughn said, sounding calmer than he felt. The Covenant truly was after his daughter. What would happen if they found out where she was? He couldn't think of such things right then, Chloe needed him now and he had to be there for her.
"Michael, we can't." Sydney cried. It hurt her to see her little girl so pale and weak. She hadn't lost much blood, but the bullet was wedged into her arm good. They couldn't take the chance of permanently wounding her. But Vaughn wasn't listening to her. He was in the kitchen boiling water and sterilizing a deadly looking kitchen knife. Sydney hurried into the kitchen.
"We can't do this Michael," she said, grabbing hold of her husband's arm, "We don't have anything to knock Chloe out with." Vaughn's jaw was set in a grim line.
"You heard Chloe Syd; she's not going to a hospital." Vaughn shrugged off his wife's hand.
"I'll call my father," she said, "He'll know what to do." Without waiting for her husband's reply, Sydney picked up the phone and dialed Jack's number.
"Hello?" his voice calmed Sydney and she knew that her father would make everything okay.
"Dad," she said, "you've got to come over quickly. Chloe's here."
"What?" His voice was surprised and questioning at the same time. "I'll be right there." he hung up and Sydney placed the phone back in its cradle.
"He's coming." She said, turning around to look at Vaughn. He nodded, but kept his attention on the water that was just starting to boil.
"Damn it Sydney, why's he here?" He asked his voice distant. Sydney walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I don't know." she said, "But we need to be civil towards Sark. For Chloe's sake."
"After everything he's done?" Vaughn turned to look at her, "I don't think I can do that Syd." Sydney stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.
"Yes you can." She said, "Besides, my father will have plenty to say to him." Vaughn chuckled, but he couldn't stop glancing towards the living room.
"I'll go check on Chloe." Sydney said, sensing her husband's anxiety. He smiled gratefully. Walking back towards the living room, Sydney paused, unable to take her eyes off the scene in front of her.
Sark knelt on the floor beside Chloe, their hands entwined. He brushed the sweat off her forehead with his free hand and was whispering something in her ear. This was not the Sark that Sydney remembered. What had happened to him? Why was he acting like a gentleman towards her daughter?
The front door opened with a bang, causing everybody in the house to jump. Sydney turned and found Jack hurrying into the living room. He caught sight of Sydney, Chloe, and then Sark.
"You!" he cried, walking over to Sark. Grabbing his arm, he hauled Sark to his feet and pushed him against the wall. "What the hell did you do to my granddaughter?" he pushed Sark against the wall roughly.
"Grandpa, don't hurt him, please." Chloe beseeched her grandfather. Her pleading voice seemed to subdue Jack and he hurried to her side. He took her hand in his, his whole manner changing as soon as he was beside her.
"Are you alright Chloe?" he asked softly, "That bastard didn't hurt you did he?" he looked over his shoulder and glared at Sark, who was fixing his jacket.
"No Grandpa, he didn't hurt me." Chloe replied.
"Dad," Sydney walked over to her father, "dad we need your help. We don't know what to do." she lifted the bandage off Chloe's arm and let Jack inspect it.
"It's deep," he said after a little while, "but I can get it out." He looked up at Vaughn who had emerged from the kitchen with the now sterilized knife. "I'll need your help Vaughn." Michael nodded solemnly. Jack picked Chloe up.
"Where are you taking her?" Sark asked suddenly. Everybody stared at him. It was the first time he'd said anything.
"It's none of your damn business." Jack barked, continuing to walk away.
"I think I have a right to know." Sark replied, his voice just as harsh as Jack's.
"Grandpa's just taking me to my room." Chloe's voice came out as a whisper, her eyes were drooping, and she was about to pass out at any moment. Jack cradled her gently and vanished through the doorway that led to the hallway. Vaughn followed him, leaving Sydney alone with Sark in the living room.
Once certain that her daughter was out of hearing range, Sydney whirled around and faced her nemesis.
"You son of a bitch," she cried, punching his jaw hard. Sark clutched his jaw, nursing it gently, his eyes glued to the ground. "What did you do to my daughter?" Her voice was filled with emotion, and Syd didn't know which emotion was more powerful. The hate she felt for Sark or the concern she had for Chloe.
"Nothing," he said quietly.
"Don't you dare say nothing," she screamed, "I saw the bruises on her arm." It had sickened Sydney to see the fading bruises, which were a sickening yellow color, dotting her daughter's arm. Sark looked her in the eye and the emotion in his eyes punched Syd in the gut.
"I'll admit that I beat Chloe the first few days." He said, "But I did nothing that would cause her serious harm." He broke off and glanced around the living room, which was filled with pictures of Chloe and her parents. He turned his eyes back on Sydney's. "I care about Chloe," he said, "and I promise you, I wouldn't let anything hurt her now."
"But you did." Sydney said, her voice had lost the hard edge it held. Sark seemed so sincere that she couldn't help but think he really did care for Chloe.
A loud, shrill scream split through the house. Sydney jumped, and Sark looked as if he was about to run in and save Chloe from whatever her father and grandfather were doing to her.
"She'll be okay," Sydney said, more for herself than Sark. He looked at her.
"I hope you're right."
Yeah, another chapter finished. I got so into this one that I wrote all four pages in no time. Now I know you all were hoping for a huge fight to happen, but I hope you all enjoyed this chapter anyway, and that you will review.
What's going to happen in the next chapter of CONNECTED: Chloe must recover from her impromptu surgery. What will happen while she recovers? Will Vaughn, Sydney, and Jack learn to accept the new Sark, or will they make him leave?
mrs-bristow: Thank you so much for the compliment. I enjoy having new reviewers and I hope you'll continue to R&R.
tropicalwahinil: I love recieving long reviews, thank you for that. I do plan on being a writer someday, if I can finish any of my original fics that is. Lol. Please continue to read this story and send in those lovely long reviews.
Neptunestar: I thought that line would be good to use in this story. It's such a classic Alias line, how could I not use it? Anyway, glad you liked the chapter.
Csk8-20, zeriae, Anna, Masta D, cg's-gal-72689, RedRose121, Eyghon, Rock-Witch, Sarks-Girl-89, wicked-sista, and Ashqua: Thank you all for reviewing this story. I hope that you will continue to be loyal readers.