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

Marshall had given Sydney everything she had asked for and she had gratefully kissed his cheek, as she was about to leave. Then Carrie had come home. When she saw Sydney she frowned and placed her hands on her hips threateningly. "Marshall! Agent Bristow is supposed to be under arrest..."

"Carrie...please, no one but Marshall understands why I'd want to take a risk like this, Elliot and Zac betrayed us all. I'm going to make them pay...now get out of my way." Carrie glanced from Marshall, who wore a surprisingly firm expression, to Sydney and stepped out of the way of the door.

"Thank you."

Sydney was dressed in plain black as she sat in the dimly lit bar and waited for Zac and Elliot. When she felt a gun push in her back she stiffened and then heard a familiar, suave, British accent mutter in her ear. "Come with me Sydney."

"This isn't the best time Sark." She hissed, but followed when he dug the gun further into her back. He took her outside of the bar and into an alley.

"Give me the artefact." He ordered as he aimed his gun at her head.

"What artefact?" Sydney was puzzled. "I'm not here with the CIA Sark. I should be under arrest right now. I have no idea what you want..." She stopped as his cold, acquisitive eyes wandered over her form.

"I wouldn't say that agent Bristow. Two years of games and then two years of absence; Absence does make the heart grow..."

"Colder." Sark felt the gun at his temple as the woman behind him spoke. "Do you have what we agreed Sark?"

"I believe the plan was that I got Sydney and then you got your precious file." She struck him over the back of the head. "Actually I want both." She grabbed Sydney's arm and pulled her to her car. They were speeding away from Sark moments later.

"You traded me to Sark?" Sydney's patience had expired long ago and the brunette couldn't get the image of Sark and his roaming eyes out of her mind. The car skidded to a halt in a back alley and Elliot stared out of the windshield as she spoke. "The deal was I got you to turn up for Sark and he gave us the file we wanted, but while he was making his arrangements we stole the file anyway. You were the only way we could get to him."

"What file?" Sydney at least wanted to know what she'd been used for.

"A file Sark had on Zac and I and our employers...I could have called it off, we already had the file. I didn't because I wanted to see you again...I've missed you."

"You wanna' get a drink?" Elliot seemed momentarily stunned by Sydney's question as though she'd just been asked if she wanted to go to Jupiter.

"Don't you have to report in?"

"I should be in a CIA holding cell right now. I need a drink before I go back." Sydney explained. Elliot nodded and started the car.

"My hotel has a good bar."

"How's the room service?"