Title: Skeletons in the closet

Summary: Sydney faces her past at SD-6.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Alias related, only the characters you don't know.

Spoiler: 3:17 'The frame' and before, AU after that.

Rating: PG-13

A/N: This part jumps back in time (Pre Vaughn and the CIA etc;) It contains mild-femslash (but nothing graphic) if you don't like it I'm not forcing you to read it.

Present day

"Sydney, they're your colleagues now." Dixon referred to Vaughn, Lauren and Weiss. "I know it was hard back then and things were different, but they have to know."

Sydney nodded. It had been hard enough to tell Dixon all those years ago; she figured her father had found out from Dixon. "Fine."

August 7th 2000

Sydney Bristow rushed to the front door just as Danny answered it. He'd stayed the night again and had taken the day off work so they could spend the morning together and things between them were getting quite serious. He greeted Sydney's colleague and let her into the house.

"Hey." Sydney greeted her. "Is the meeting still on today?" Danny sighed and shook his head.

"Most people start work once they get there. Take it easy, okay? I've booked the table for tonight at the restaurant and I don't want you falling asleep during the main course." Danny teased and hugged her.

"That was one time!" She argued and grabbed her bag.

"Bye sweetie." He kissed her and waved to her as she and her associate drove off. She knew he'd lock up properly.

"Is the mission still on Elle?" Syd asked as they drove to the Credit Dauphine.

"Yup, sweetie it is. Are you sure you can go? I mean ickle Sydney might get tired on such a big mission." She teased and braced for the sucker punch Syd delivered to her arm.

"Quit it." She was already a beetroot red. "He doesn't realize that I fell asleep because of the nerve gas I was getting over."

Sloane briefed them quickly and sent them on their way to Marshal to get their equipment for their Mission. Zac was already getting his communication equipment.

"Morning Syd." He greeted her.

"Good morning Miss Bristow." Marshal was a deeper red than Sydney had been.

"How are my boys today?" She replied and Marshal seemed ready to pass out. Unable to reply he smiled at her.

They were given their costumes (extremely short dresses) and their gadgets. Not that many were needed for the mission. Elle and Sydney had been chosen on two points. The second was that Elle and Zac were the top field agents for SD-6 with Sydney coming a close second, but the main reason was their looks and especially how they look in extremely short dresses. They were the complete opposite of each other. Sydney was dark haired with deep pools of brown eyes and Elle bearing blonde curls and blue eyes. She had the appearance of an angel, with the attitude of an imp.

Once they were ready they drove to a local bar where their target was downing martinis and surrounded by woman. "Good luck ladies." Zac purred in their ears through the receivers. "Especially you ickle Syd. We wouldn't want Danny to worry."

Syd scowled at Elle and mouthed 'you told him?' she smiled her trademark impish grin and Sydney's scowl disappeared. Elle had a way of bending her around her little finger.

She linked into Syd and led her over to the target. Bradley Jessop. He glanced over at the two women who were linking and smiled. The angelic one grinned back and whispered something to the brunette.

"He's watching, but we've got some competition. I think we're in slut central." Elle whispered.

"I'm glad you feel at home..." She fought back a wince as Elle kicked her playfully under the table.

"I have a plan." She mouthed to her and Syd nodded in acceptance. Elle usually thought well under pressure and whatever she came up with would work.

They were sitting at the table next to Jessop and Elle slid around so she was sitting on Syd's knee. "Baby, do we have to stay here? Why can't we go home back to our big fluffy bed and then we can..."

Sydney had to suppress a grin as she played along. "Darling I just got you out of bed! We've been in there all day! I'm exhausted!" The smile on Jessop's face spread. As Elle was about to finish her argument he left his group of adorers and headed over to them.

"Hi, I'm Bradley Jessop, I own this club. Who might you fine young ladies be?"

"Fed up!" Elle complained. "She won't let me take her home and..."

"I overheard that. I think I can solve your problem. There's a bedroom suite upstairs, feel free to use all of our facilities." He slid his hand closer to Elle's knee.

"And what would make you so generous?" Sydney played dumb.

Elle smiled and stood up taking Jessop's hand. "She's not the brightest banana in the bunch, but I'm sure she aggress, three is defiantly not a crowd."

"Oh!" Sydney giggled, still playing dumb.

They went to the bedroom upstairs and Jessop settled himself on the bed. He laid his jacket on the floor and the key card they were supposed to obtain was clearly visible.

"We'll just go freshen up." Elle pulled Syd into the bathroom and locked the door.

"Okay the key card's on the floor by his foot. So get out of your clothes and..." Elle began.

"What!" Sydney hissed. "I am not having a threesome with you and Mr. Hotshot out there!"

"Oh, Syd, I'm hurt." She teased and laughed at Zac's enthusiastic encouragement trough the earpiece. She pulled out her earpiece and removed Sydney's. She clamped her hand over them. "Look, we play along until we can get the key card, trust me Syd, you're not my type." Elle pulled off her dress so she was just wearing her undergarments. Syd paused and did the same. They buried the earpieces under their dresses to stop Zac hearing anything and after a deep breath Syd allowed Elle to lead her out of the bathroom.

"Damn, do you girls work out?" Jessop was still dressed, but definitely liked the way the two agents looked undressed. Elle went behind Syd and grabbed her toned stomach.

"You like what you see?" She asked and nuzzled into Syd's neck. He smiled and nodded, his tongue practically hanging out of his mouth.

"Don't forget to share." Sydney muttered and moved over so she was sitting on Jessop's lap. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her in closer to him. When his lips were centimetres away from her Elle grabbed her gun from her nearby discarded purse.

"Get your damn hands the fuck off of her slime ball!" He let go of Sydney immediately and she scrambled to get dressed. Once she was dressed she pocketed the key card and held the gun while Elle dressed. She took the gun back off Syd and whacked him on the head with the butt of it. He slumped forward onto the floor and lay unconscious. Elle kicked him in the head before leaving.

"Are you okay?" She asked as they got back down into the club and she pulled her into a dark corner. She checked her wrists.

"We have to go." Sydney ordered, but Elle pulled her back.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, now come on." She dragged her out of the club and into the plain black van that Zac was waiting in with a grin on his face.

"Got the key card?"

"Just get us home. I'm going to be late for dinner. "Sydney changed in the back into the longer black dress she'd brought for her date. She sat in silence as Zac tried to get all the dirt on the mission. Elle however ignored him and so after a few minutes he gave up and ended with a single barb.

"The fantasy of every guy at SD-6 and I miss it!"

He felt Sydney's cold glare on his back and shivered. "Somebody just walked on my grave." He laughed.

"Oh great!" Elle replied. "You dug it already Syd?" She grinned as Syd smiled and her face lit up. They dropped her off round the corner from the restaurant ten minutes late.

"Sorry." She apologised as the waiter sat her opposite Danny. "Work stuff ran over. Elle just dropped me off." Danny nodded and forced a smile, but Syd saw right through it. "What's wrong?"

He sighed and shook his head. "You spend more time at work with her than you do with me. You, her and that other guy...Zac. I feel like I'm second best Syd."

She shifted uncomfortably. She'd hate to think what would happen if he found out what she had just been up to. "Danny, honey, you're the only man for me. Promise."

He held her hand and smiled. "I know. I'm just being stupid."

September 3rd 2000

The phone rang at two in the morning and Sydney groaned. Thankfully it wasn't a night that Danny had chosen to stay over. "Bristow." She answered, expecting Sloane.

"Syd. It's me. I really need someone right now. Everything's so fucked up." Elle cried down the phone. Sydney was already out of bed and heading for her clothes.

"I'll be right over."

She knocked on Elle's apartment door and waited in the chilly morning air for her to answer. When she did she had managed to stop crying, but it was blatant that she was upset.

Syd hugged her straight away and they walked slowly into the living room where they both collapsed onto the couch with Elle in tears again.

"She left Syd...she's gone. Amanda left me tonight." She sobbed into Syd's collar. Amanda was Elle's girlfriend and although they'd only met a few times Sydney had thought it would be Amanda who would cling to Elle, not the other way around.

"What happened?" Syd asked. Elle's sobs subsided and she shook her head.

"I really don't want to talk about it. She left and I'm all alone Syd." Her hands were wandering lower down Sydney's back and her mouth had some how found Sydney's. Sydney pulled away, but ended up flat on her back on the floor with Elle on top of her. She captured her lips again, but this time Sydney pushed her away and scrambled to her feet. "Syd..."

Sydney shook her head. "I have to go." She was out the door like a speeding bullet and into her car before Elle could react. Elle punched her hand through the glass coffee table. What had she done?

September 9th 2000

Zac sat in the coffee store waiting for Sydney to enter. She'd taken a vacation from SD-6 and he hadn't seen her in six days. He'd found out what happened with Elle and he knew it was the reason Sydney was avoiding work.

"We have to talk."

"What's wrong?" She asked as she sat down opposite him. He chose his words carefully.

"It's about Elle and how she acted the other night." Sydney was on her feet and he had to grab her hand.

"Sydney, listen to me!" Zac demanded. "She's our partner. You two had an unwanted experience, but that doesn't mean you avoid her from now on! Please talk to her. She's really worried she's lost you as a friend. Sort this out before you go back to work."

"I'm planning to." She left him in the coffee shop and headed home to where Danny was cooking her dinner. She'd given him a key. Lately she felt they should get more serious.

September 10th 2000

Sitting in Sloane's office she was introduced to her new partner. Marcus Dixon. They'd had the odd conversation with him and knew he was a good agent. She'd changed partners insisting that she just wanted a smaller group. After all two's company and three's a crowd.

Zac wasn't happy at losing her. He told her that many times through the day. Elle was just avoiding her. She'd glance over every now and then, but generally she was keeping her distance.

When she did try to talk to her she walked away and started a conversation with Dixon. Zac noticed the gleam in his partner's eyes and shivered. She was up to something.

That night Sydney, Dixon, Zac and Elle were sent on a mission by Sloane to slip into a charity event being hosted by a man who had possession of a new form of truth serum which would prove invaluable to the 'CIA' and so Zac and Dixon were wearing tuxedo's accompanying Syd and Elle around the dance floor. As Sydney danced past Zac she whispered into his ear. "Now." He nodded and he and Dixon slipped off to work on the security system.

She and Elle snuck down a flight of stairs and into the first store cupboard they could find. They changed into guard uniforms and headed off to the underground lab that housed the truth serum.

The lab was empty of guards and only one scientist sat at his desk working on paperwork. Elle nodded towards the safe and then to the scientist. Sydney nodded and took out her gun.

As they approached him he turned around and squinted through his thick glasses. "Ah, good, they sent me a test subject. Well sit down and we'll start."

Syd's face became alarmed as he pushed her down into a chair. "Could you get the serum for me dear?" He asked Elle and handed her the safe key. A grin spread across her face and she retrieved the serum for him.

"Here you go." He rammed a portion of the foul sweet liquid down her throat and she coughed as it put her throat on fire.

"Now, to test how long it works for. We got nine hours yesterday!" The scientist smiled and patted Sydney on her shoulder. He turned to Elle. "Ask her questions frequently and note the time she can lie from..."

He paused when he saw Elle's gun aimed at him. "What are you doing?"

"Steeling the serum." Sydney clamped a hand to her mouth and shook her head. Elle smiled. The doc's serum could be very fun. They tied him up and made their escape.

They joined Dixon and Zac outside in the car and drove to the airport. "Okay, we got two flights. Dixon's and mine leaves in an hour, yours leaves in ten minutes. See you at home."

"But..." Sydney paused as she remembered she couldn't make up a valid excuse for not wanting to be with Elle. "Fine."

Syd and Elle sat in business class, which was surprisingly empty and rested on the comfy seats that were being paid for by SD-6.

"So that went well." Elle teased and Sydney scowled.

"You're awfully quiet. What's wrong? Is ickle Syd mad at me for letting the nasty mad scientist get hold of her?"

"What's wrong with me is that right now I should be at home with Danny, but instead I'm stuck on a plane above France with you!" She slumped back against her chair and sighed. She did not need some serum swimming around her veins right now.

"Why do you want to work with Dixon?" She asked as the stewardess passed. Sydney bit her lower lip, but couldn't help herself answering.

"Because he's not you." She answered. "He has a wife and kids and won't try and..."

"How do you feel about the other night?" She interrupted.

"I hate the way you're making me feel. I hate the fact that everything is different now. I hate that I can't get you out of my head..." She punched the seat in front of her. She knew that would slip out. She repeated punching it until Elle grabbed her arm.

"Syd." She couldn't look her in the eye. "Syd!" She pulled her chin up to face her. "Things don't have to be weird, or different as long as you don't let them be." She pulled away and went to find something alcoholic.

When they arrived they were debriefed and by one a.m. they were allowed to leave SD-6, but Sloane stopped her. "Sydney, with this truth serum you're a liability. I thing you should stay in medical services until it wears off."

"I could keep an eye on her." Elle suggested. "She can stay with me at my place and I'll bring her to work tomorrow."

"Is that okay Sydney?" Sloane asked. She smiled and nodded, biting back her protest. Elle knew what she was doing. The drive to her apartment was silent and Sydney wished she could just curl up in a little ball and block Elle out.

They remained silent until they were in her apartment and then, as Syd went to walk into the spare room, Elle cornered her. "Why did you change partners?" Biting her tongue Sydney could taste the blood that ran from the wound she'd just caused. She wiped it and sighed.

"Here." Elle moved to help her and Syd expected her to hand her a cloth or lead her to the first aid kit, but instead she grasped Syd's lips with her own. Elle tasted the coppery blood and licked her lips as Sydney broke the kiss.

"Now, why did you change partners?" A mixture of truth serum, confusion and the lack of oxygen from the kiss was making it very hard for Sydney to think. She was tired of lying. Tired of fighting the serum, so she told the truth.

"Because I don't trust myself." She replied, avoiding Elle's curious expression. "I don't trust the way I feel about you. I have Danny and I can't risk that..." She stopped as Elle grew closer. Her lips trying to find Syd's again, but she pulled away. "I love Danny."

"Yeah, and I love you." Elle objected. "We've worked as a three for almost five years Sydney. I admit it's not easy now that you know, but we were partners Syd. You, me and Zac. Why change that?"

"Because I lo..." Sydney stopped herself. She wouldn't say it. She loved Danny. "You and Zac taught me everything I know. Every successful mission I do is because of you. Every day that I'm still alive is because of you. I love you and Zac like the brother and sister I never had, but that's it. And I have this stupid stuff in my blood so I can't lie to you."

Her face dropped and she left Sydney alone in the living room. Syd sighed with relief. The truth serum may stop her lying, but an agent like Sydney could easily bend the truth. She owed that to Elle too.

As she headed to the front door, she didn't care about security she just needed to be far away from Elle, she heard Elle shout out to her. "I guess the truth serum stopped working on you."

Summoning up the courage she knocked on Elle's door. She needed to clear things once and for all. She needed to get the angelic woman out of her mind. She loved Danny. Elle was just a distraction.

Elle opened the door and shut it straight away. "Okay, I deserved that." It had been seven days since their conversation. Elle opened the door and finished the phone conversation she was having. "Okay, Zac. See you then."

"Mission?" Syd asked. She nodded.

"What do you want Bristow?" Elle's tone sent a chill through her. She'd only ever called her Bristow the first few months they'd met, when she had no respect for her, when they weren't friends.

"Nothing, this was a bad idea." She left and headed to the office. She needed work to keep her mind off things. She found Marshall in his office and smiled warmly at the man who made sure she was covered in a mission.

"So what gadgets have Zac and Elle got for their mission?" She asked. He looked perplexed at her comment.

"Um, Miss Bristow they're not on a mission. They've taken two days off for a small break...Paris I think they said...I hear it's a nice place...I've never been myself, but..."

"Thanks Marshall."

October 1st 2001

Walking through SD-6 Sydney clutched the file she'd gathered over the past two weeks. She could see Sloane in his office and he watched her as she approached him.

A grim expression on her face she set the file down on the table and barley looked him in the eye as she said, "This is everything I've gathered in two weeks on Agents Zachary Minear and Elliot Gable. I believe them to be working against SD-6 and the US government."

Sloane skimmed over the file. "Sydney, you are aware of the accusations you are making and the ramifications of making such allegations?"

"Yes sir. I am, although they are both my colleagues and my friends they are working against this organisation and our country. It's all in my report sir."

October 3rd 2001

Elliot Gable and Zachary Minear had vanished. They hadn't turned up for work after Sydney's report was handed to Sloane and SD-6 couldn't locate them. Somehow they'd been warned and had fled from SD-6.

Sydney felt hollow inside. Her partners were gone. They'd been working against her and their country for at least the better part of a year. Thinking back Sydney could recall all the little failures they'd had, or the times when they'd insisted on separating to get home. She'd told Danny that Elle and Zac had moved and had been insiders for another bank and he'd accepted that was what had caused her to mope all day and look at old photos of the three of them.

Now she was on a mission in London and was about to steal the schematics for a new weapon that was being made by a covert British terrorist group, when she heard a bullet being loaded into the chamber of the gun that had found its way to the base of her skull.

With the safe unlocked Zac grabbed the schematics and placed them in his rucksack. Elle held the gun. "C'mon Elle." He refused to look at Sydney. Elle didn't budge. "Elle!" She grabbed Sydney roughly by the arm and ignored Zac's protests as they made their way out of the office and into the underground parking lot.

Shoving Sydney into the back she sat with the gun firmly on her temple and Zac drove. "Stop." Elle ordered, as they were half way to their safe house. "Get out." She pushed Sydney out of the car and caused her to fall to the muddy grass below. She tried to retaliate, but Elle pointed the gun at her again. "Give me an excuse Bristow." The hurt in both women's eyes was evident; each felt the other had betrayed them.

"Why?" Sydney gasped through tears and the rain that beat relentlessly down on them. Good old British weather. "Why betray our country? After all that stuff you used to say about patriotism and defending your country! I believed you and you deceived me all this time. I thought you were my guardian angel. You used me!"

Elle fought back her own tears and tucked the gun away into her belt. "You'll never know Syd. How patriotic I am. How devoted to my country I am and how devoted I am to you. We couldn't tell you Sydney. But I never used you. I loved you."

"I hate you." Sydney screamed. "You want to kill me then kill me, because I will never forgive you, nor will I turn my back on my country." Zac looked to Elle as the first tears fell. She nodded and they got into the car, leaving Sydney in the merciless rain.

"I'm sorry Syd." Zac shook his head as they drove off, she'd never understand and she'd never forgive them.

October 30th 2001

Sitting in the CIA office with agent Vaughn next to her, Danny dead and her entire existence smashed to pieces that wouldn't fit together anymore, Sydney Bristow finished writing her statement and listened to agent Vaughn talk about another double. They were probably testing her and she argued as much, but the stranger smiled and reassured her that he trusted her. Something about him made her think of her angelic Elle. Perhaps he would watch over her; but just like Elle he'd probably betray her, but what if Elle and Zac hadn't? What if they knew what SD-6 really was?

"Do you have any agents by the names Minear or Gable?"

Agent Vaughn shook his head. "No. I could check, but there aren't any at this branch."

"Oh. Thank you agent Vaughn." She rose to leave and shook her had to herself. If they'd been CIA doubles she could have forgiven them for keeping quiet, but they'd just been against the people they thought were SD-6. Against her.

Present Day

Vaughn sat stunned by the tale, Marshall seemed to be reliving Zac's betrayal, he and Marshall had been close and, just like Sydney, Marshall still hurt. Here father was blank as usual.

"You're not going." Vaughn said the first word. Sydney rose to her feet.

"Fine." Everyone turned to her with surprised, suspicious and disbelieving looks. "I need some time off work...I feel I need a vacation from work and the memories that come with it."

"Sydney, we both know why you want this vacation..." Dixon began, but Sydney interrupted.

Director Dixon, whether or not I have your permission I am taking the day off." Sydney headed to the door. "What you going to do? Fire me? I'll still get the day off."

Dixon blocked her exit. "Agent Weiss, I believe agent Bristow to be in no fit state to comply with the official secrets act. Arrest her." He stared her directly in the eye as he made the order. Weiss hesitantly approached Sydney from behind.

Sydney's eyes were almost pleading with Dixon. "I've helped you so many times before. It was better when you were just my partner." As Weiss restrained her arm Dixon replied.

"I'm grateful for the help you gave me, especially when I lost Diana. That's why I'm doing this Syd." She nodded in defeat as Weiss led her out of the room and towards the detainment cell both her mother and Sark had once occupied.

"I'm sorry Weiss."

"Hey, it's okay. Bad memories make me cranky too...you're not apologising for in there are you?" He tried to grab her other arm and pin her down but she was quicker and kneed him in the stomach and then once he was down she ran.

She ran past the other agency workers and clear out of the door. Once she'd changed into casual cloths she bought a blonde wig and green contact lenses.

She needed to contact Zac by three and after she phoned him to confirm she'd help them she headed to the one place she could rely on for unopposed help.

She knocked on the door and thankfully he answered, he was home from work. "Can I help you?" He asked as he held baby Mitchell.

"I hope so." Sydney sighed. "Marshall it's me, Sydney."

"Syd? Oh boy...you're...you're supposed to be arrested!" He argued. "Not that I want you locked up or anything, but it's for your own good. You shouldn't break the rules...how can I help?" He smiled and allowed her in.