DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters (except the original ones. They are the figment of my twisted imagination); I'm just borrowing them. They will be taken care of and will be returned home without any scratch. Thank you.
A/N- I will only have one chapter for the alternate reality... thing. Thanks for the reviews. (oh, and if Syd or any of the characters sound a bit stupid, sorry...)
CHAPTER TWO
Another World… and I don't want to leave.
"Okay, now close your eyes and I want you to breathe evenly. Think about happy things because this will help you relax." Hector said. He then started to murmur in another language.
Little by little, Sydney felt drowsy and in no time at all, to the men watching the whole scene, her father, Vaughn, Dixon and Marshall, she fell asleep.
-x-x-x-
Sydney was transported in the front door of their old house.
'This is weird.' She thought as she surveyed her surroundings. It looks a bit different.
She pressed the doorbell twice. After a few minutes, the door opened.
"Hi, Syd. Your early." Greeted a teenage girl. She was tall, slim and dark, in a tanned kind of way. She has brown hair, which was pulled up in a ponytail and gray eyes. She looked a lot like her mother.
Sydney looked at her, a bit puzzled. But Hector did say that she would be transported to another 'reality'.
"Syd, if mom happens to pass by the house and sees me in the doorway, she will get suspicious." The girl said.
Sydney gave her a puzzled look. The girl made a face and pulled her in and closed the door.
"Suspicious?" Sydney asked.
"Have you forgotten that dad and I are supposed to be in a meeting with the teachers? That's how we fooled mom into thinking that the we'll have the birthday dinner on Saturday."
"Oh, right. Where's dad?" Sydney asked in pretending to know what the girl is saying. 'Wait, we have the same mom and dad?' she asked herself.
"In the kitchen." The girl answered as they walked in the living room. Streamers and balloons were all over the place. A banner that says 'Happy Birthday, Irina/Super Mom' can be seen at the center of the wall.
"Isn't mom's birthday last March?" Sydney asked.
"Today's is March twenty-second. Dude, are you okay?" the girl asked jokingly.
Sydney looked at her. "Isn't it May?"
"I wish." The girl answered. They then smelled a delicious aroma. "Dad's finished with the sauce." She said and hurried towards the kitchen.
Sydney watched her go. 'I don't even know her name.' She thought and looked around. There were a couple of picture frames. Sydney walked towards the nearest and looked at it.
It was a family picture. There were four of them. The girl who opened the door, her mom (as in Irina), her dad and herself. They looked so… happy.
'I have another sister.' Sydney said to herself as she looked at the frame next to the family picture. A baby was in the image. And it looks like it was taken recently.
She looked at the other picture frames in the room. There is a wedding picture, her graduation picture, her 'sister's graduation picture, her mother and father's picture together and a baby picture. She was wondering whom the baby is when she heard a shriek coming from the kitchen.
Sydney ran to where the scream came from and found the girl under a headlock thanks to their father.
"Sydney, help! Daddy's choking me." The girl said in mock terror. She was laughing.
"Dad… let her go." Sydney said to her father. Jack smilingly looked at her.
Sydney was taken aback. Her father looked younger and happier.
"You're early today." Jack said as he let go of the girl. Her sister, who was tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear smiled at her.
"Maybe Michael left early. Wait, you did invite him to the party, right? Together with Francie and Will?" her 'sister' asked.
Sydney creased her brows. When Hector said that she's going to be transported to an alternate reality, she didn't expect it to be this different.
"You didn't? Oh no, mom will be disappointed." The girl said. Their father was fixing the food for the party. And the food was so overflowing.
"I know what dad's going to give mom for her birthday." Her 'sister' teased.
"What is it?" Sydney asked.
She smiled widely at her and then looked at Jack. Jack shook his head.
"I can't tell you. You're going to tell mom." She said to Sydney and smiled again. Sydney noted that her 'sister' also has a deep set of dimples on her cheeks when she smiles.
The doorbell rang. They looked at each other.
"That must be Arvin, Emily and Nadia. They're always early." Jack said as he looked at his watch. "Go open the door, Syd. If by any chance that's your mother, don't let her in." Her father instructed as he washed his hands.
Sydney obeyed him and went out of the kitchen. She turned off the lights in the living room, just in case it is her mother, and proceeded to open the door.
Like her father said, it was Arvin, Emily and Nadia.
"Sydney, hello. Its nice to see you again." Emily greeted as Sydney let them in.
"Its nice to see you too." Sydney answered as she smiled at Emily. Sloane took Emily and Nadia's coat and placed them on the coat rack.
"Why is it dark?" Nadia asked.
"Oh, I thought it might be mom. Don't want to ruin the surprise." Sydney answered as she looked at her. She still resembles her mother in this reality.
"Here is a little gift for inviting us." Sloane said to Sydney as he gave her a bottle of wine. Sydney looked at Sloane uncertainly before taking the bottle of wine.
"Where's your father?" Sloane asked as they went to the dark living room.
"He's in the kitchen." Sydney said. "With my sister." She added, so that they will be able to tell her, unknowingly, her 'sister's name. She turned on one of the lamps, and the room glowed and Sloane went to the kitchen.
"Ana is in the kitchen? She's cooking?" Nadia asked. She sounds a bit surprised.
'Ana?' Sydney thought as she looked at Nadia. "No. She's… tasting." Sydney answered and gave her a little smile.
"Tasting. I should have known." Nadia said as she joined Emily. Emily was looking at the pictures.
"Your baby brother is really adorable." Emily remarked as she turned to look at Sydney.
"Brother?' Sydney blurted out. The baby in the picture is her brother?
Emily smiled, a bit amused with the answer. "You sound like you don't know that you have a brother." She said.
"I sort of forgot." Sydney lied. 'I have a baby brother in this universe?' she thought as she smiled uncertainly at them.
"I can't thank your mother enough for agreeing to be a surrogate to Nadia. She has done a lot for us." Emily said to her
Sydney hid her horror. Surrogate mother? Meaning her mother and Sloane…?
The doorbell ran again. Sydney looked at the door and knew that she is the one who's going to open it.
"Excuse me." Sydney said as she hurried to the front door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see Marshall and Carrie.
"Hi." Sydney greeted as they hugged. "Where's Mitchell?" Sydney asked, crossing her fingers just in case they didn't name their child Mitchell.
"Oh, we left him with my mom." Marshall said as they stepped inside. "We figured that… you know it's a bit late for a baby to be up this hour…" Marshall said. "Why is it dark?" he asked.
"Mom might pass by and get suspicious." Sydney answered as they went to the living room. Emily and Nadia were talking.
"Hi, Mrs. Sloane, Nadia." Marshall greeted. "Where's Ana?" Marshall asked to Sydney.
"She's in the kitchen."
"Oh, tasting." Carrie remarked as Sydney motioned them to sit down.
They talked for a while until the doorbell rang again. This time, it was Will and Francie. Sydney was really happy to see them again, alive and well. The next guests were Kendall then Devlin then Weiss and then Sark. The house is getting crowded.
"Syd, Dixon called. He said that your mother is going to leave the office." She heard her father say. She was sitting on a chair near the doorway, waiting for more guests to arrive.
She turned around and saw her father holding a baby. Sydney's eyes widened.
"Fetch your mother first before you hold your brother." Jack said to her.
"Are you blackmailing me?" Sydney asked, half joking. In truth, she really wants to hold the baby.
"Yeah, a bit. Don't tell your mother about the surprise and don't forget to call my cell phone when you're nearing the house." Jack instructed.
"Yes, okay. Uh… where will I fetch mom?" Sydney asked.
"In the office. Act like you're really… bummed out that Ana and I are in that meeting." Jack answered.
Sydney nodded her head. She understood the stress on the office. They're still CIA.
"Okay. I'll call her up." Sydney said as she took her coat from the rack. She stole one last look at the baby and went out
-x-x-x-.
"Hi mom." Sydney said as she kissed Irina on the cheek. "Happy birthday."
"Thank you, honey. Where's your brother?" Irina asked.
"Oh… dad took him to the meeting." Sydney answered nonchalantly.
"Hmm…" Was Irina's reply.
"How are you?" Sydney asked.
"My goodness, we've only been apart for four hours and you ask me that question." Irina good-naturedly answered.
Sydney smiled at her. They were passing by UCLA.
"I hope your father doesn't harass Ana's teacher. The teacher sounded really angry that Ana refused to play for the Governor's ball." Irina said.
"She did? Why?" Sydney asked. Her 'sister' intrigued her in this reality. 'And what will she do in the Governor's ball?' she thought as she steered the car to the right.
"She still hadn't told us the reason." Her mother answered.
"Really?" Sydney said, acting like she knew that. After a few minutes, Sydney made a missed call to her father, to signal to him that they were nearing the house.
"Mom, I was meaning to ask you this, but how did you become Nadia's surrogate mother?" She asked when they stopped in the intersection.
"Oh, I just donated some of my eggs for Emily. They did the fertilization in the lab. You used to ask me that when you were little. Then you stopped asking." Irina said as she looked at Sydney.
Sydney just smiled at her. But deep inside, she breathed out a sigh of relief. 'Will that be the same explanation in my real world?' Sydney asked herself.
They finally reached home. The whole house was dark. Her mother seems to have no clue that they planned a surprise birthday party for her.
They chatted as they walked up the front door. Her mother looked more relaxed and happy. Her family in this reality seems to be much happier than in her own.
Irina opened the door and went in. She opened the lights and was surprised with the loud shout that greeted her.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Irina laughed as everybody approached her to give a hug. She looked at Sydney.
"You were into this." She said, smiling as she kissed Sydney in the cheek.
"Yeah. Dad and Ana sort of prod me to do it." Sydney said. She was sure, that it was her father who planned all of this.
Jack walked through the sea of people to get to his wife.
"Happy Birthday, super mom." Jack whispered and kissed her. Sydney just stood in her place, wondering if her father will do that in her reality, in front of a lot of people.
She then saw Vaughn coming towards her. She then tried to meet him halfway.
"Hi." Sydney greeted as Vaughn kissed her in the cheek.
"Hi." Vaughn said.
Sydney was looking at him. He was still the same.
"Why are you looking at me like we've not seen each other for a long time?" Vaughn asked.
"Nothing." Sydney answered. She was starting to like this reality. 'I wish I could stay.' She thought as they walked towards the living room.
"Okay, people. The food that you were eyeing a while ago can now be eaten." Jack said cheerfully. A sigh of appreciation went through the guests.
"Where's Ana?" Sydney asked.
"There." Vaughn pointed. Sydney looked at where he was pointing. She was with their parents, carrying their little brother.
"I'll just go with them for a while." Sydney said.
"Okay." Vaughn answered and smiled at her.
Sydney joined them and was immediately enveloped in jealousy and happiness. She envies the Sydney in this alternate world. Because in here, she has a complete set of parents (who are not into each other's throats), Vaughn, a sister, a baby brother and friends that are near her and still alive. But, she still doesn't trust Sloane here.
"Hi, Syd." Ana greeted. She seemed to be always smiling.
"Hi again." Sydney said. "May I?" she asked, meaning may she carry the baby.
"Of course. He's been looking for you." Ana said as she handed the baby to her.
"Hello, little boy." Sydney cooed. She called him little boy since she doesn't know his name.
The brother gurgled.
The baby has the same skin color of their mother and Ana. But his eyes were the color of melted milk chocolate. His hair is black and wavy and his cheeks are rosy.
"You're so cute." Sydney murmured, realizing that the baby resembles Jack.
"Sydney, where's your fiancé?" Irina asked.
'Fiancé?' Sydney thought as she turned to look at her mother.
"Michael?" she asked.
"Yes, where is he? You did invite him?" Irina said. Jack has his arms around Irina's waist.
"Yes, he's here." Sydney answered then smiled nervously.
"Irina, happy birthday." Arvin said as he and Emily approached them. Irina smiled.
"Thank you."
The doorbell rang and Ana opened the door. It was Dixon and Dianne. They greeted Irina a happy birthday before being led by Ana to the kitchen. The house is bustling with people.
Sydney walked to the kitchen a little while later and found Ana and Nadia talking.
"Hey, guys. Have you eaten?" Sydney asked casually.
"We're still eating." Nadia said and Ana slightly pushed Nadia when she heard the tongue in cheek answer. Sydney gave a little smile as she took a plate and took the serving spoon.
Sark walked in the kitchen.
"Hello, Sydney." He said. He still has the British accent.
"Hello." She greeted back, uncertain on what to call him.
"Oh, Nadia, I didn't know you're here. You seem to blend in the background." Sydney heard Sark say in a teasing tone.
"And you seem to be too arrogant to be in here." Nadia retorted.
They continued to trade barbs when Ana interrupted them.
"Guys, can you please be nice to each other?"
"Ana, why are you always protecting her?" Sark asked, half-joking.
"I'm protecting you two from each other. And besides, if I have to defend somebody and have to choose between you two, I'll choose Nadia." Ana said sweetly and made a face to Sark.
Sydney gaped at what her sister said.
'I found the Protector.'