Author's Note: Happy New Year guys. And God bless all those affected by the devastating tsunamis around the world.

Cheeky.

Chapter Nineteen

I smiled slightly at the guard behind the desk, before slipping of my sunglasses. Two days had passed since my confrontation with Sloane, and here I was standing in the middle of the lobby of the JTF. "Director Dixon is expecting us." I told the guard.

"And you are?" the guard asked.

"Sydney Bristow and Julian Sark."

He nodded, a surprised expression on his face, but let us through. Dixon had made it known that Sark and I were not to be harmed or arrested. He'd wanted to see us, at the JFT (I'm not sure why), but had not revealed Sark's status as an agent – or mine as his handler.

Sark slipped his hand into mine as we crossed to the elevator. The second the doors shut, I turned to Sark, a grin spreading across my face. "Did you see his expression?" I asked. "Man, I can't wait to see everyone else's now!"

"Really?" Sark asked, amused.

"Yeah." I walked towards him and slipped my arms around his waist. He was looking particularly sexy today in his black suit. "Sydney Bristow wanted terrorist. Strolling right through the JFT – and accompanied by Julian Sark."

Sark chuckled. "Aren't you rubbing their noses in it?" he asked, teasingly.

"Of course." I replied. "A girl's got to have fun somehow."

Sark's eyes began to heat as he gazed at me. "I can think of a few other things that are fun." He said.

I looked at him and couldn't help but breathe in sharply. Damn, that man was gorgeous! And all mine. "Later." I said, fighting temptation. "Business first."

I dragged my eyes away from him just as the elevator doors opened. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out into the offices of the Joint Task Force. And my friends and colleagues angry and condescending stares.

Silence fell abruptly as everyone caught a glimpse of me. Well, let them look, I thought stubbornly. Let them see how good I look. And I knew I looked good. I was dressed in black, like Sark, and my hair fell loose around my face, my fringe falling slightly over one eye. I wore the Italian stilettos Sark had given me, and a tight black dress under a suit jacket. The only jewellery I wore was the ruby ring Sark had given me on my right hand, my engagement ring on my left and a simple pair of gold earrings that Dad had given me for my birthday a few years before.

"Sydney?" came Vaughn's incredulous voice.

"Yes, Vaughn?" I replied coolly, turning to face him as he walked up.

"What are you doing here?"

"We came to see Marcus." Sark said, knowing that by using Dixon's first name, he would really annoy Vaughn.

"Why?" Vaughn demanded, surprised and annoyed.

"Because he asked us to come." I pushed past Vaughn and continued towards Dixon's office.

Then I grinned and shot Sark a mischievous glance. Pausing, I turned back to Vaughn. "Vaughn." I said. "While I see you, I would like to formally like to invite you and Lauren to Julian's and my wedding. I'll let you know the details soon."

I turned my back on Vaughn as he stared at me in shock with his mouth open and continued walked to Dixon's office. Beside me, Sark chuckled softly. "Don't you think that was a little cruel, Syd?"

"Yes." I agreed. "It was. But he has to learn that I can move on with my life too."

"And you have." Sark said. "Quite successfully."

"Yeah. And I don't regret a moment of it."

Reaching Dixon's office, I raised a hand and knocked on his closed door. "Come in." he called from inside.

I opened the door and walked in, surprised at how nervous I felt. "Dixon." I greeted my old friend warmly.

"Syd." Dixon returned with a smile. "Julian."

I glanced around the room and stopped in surprise when I saw the second man in the room. "May I introduce the Deputy Director of the CIA, Walter Calloway?"

"Sir." I greeted formally.

Behind me, Sark closed the door. "Mr. Calloway." He nodded to the Deputy Director.

"I have to congratulate the both of you on what you have done. Thanks to your efforts we have possession of many new Rambaldi artefacts and the Covenant has been effectively destroyed." Calloway said. "Not to mention Miss Bristow's assistance in destroying the Alliance and SD-6."

Calloway paused and smiled. "And Mr. Sark's help in destroying K-directorate, although he wasn't working for us at the time."

Sark smiled at Calloway, obviously amused. "My pleasure." He said.

I smiled, before glancing between Dixon and the Deputy Director. "Can I ask why you wanted to see us?" I asked.

"That was my doing." Calloway said. "I wanted to offer you a job."

"A job?" I asked, both curious and confused.

"Yes." Calloway smiled. "I want you to head up a new covert task force designed to take down terrorist organisations from both the inside and outside. Naturally, Mr. Sark will be your second in command."

"And if I don't want to?" I asked cautiously.

Looking faintly disappointed, Calloway nodded. "Then we walk out of here and tell everyone you've both been working for the CIA the whole time."

"And if I accept?"

Now Calloway looked amused. "Then as far as anyone knows, you were never here and you use resources unavailable to other CIA agents – like your rogue status for example – to combat terrorism."

I turned to Sark. "Think you could stomach working for me, Julian?"

Sark raised an eyebrow at me and smirked. "I think I could be persuaded." He said.

I turned back to Calloway. "Do I get to pick my own team?"

"Three other agents and two technicians." Calloway replied.

I grinned. "Then I think you have a deal, Mr. Calloway."

He grinned back at me. "Congratulations, Director Bristow." He said.

"Congratulations, Syd." Dixon echoed.

"Thanks."

I was busy for the next few days, arranging the agents I had requested for my new covert department. I still couldn't believe it. I was now Director Bristow. Although, I would still be working in the field – it was one of the conditions that Calloway had outlined and I had wanted. I wasn't ready to give up that yet.

But, finally, everything seemed to be ready. Thank goodness. After everything I had been through over the past few months…if not years, I needed to take a little holiday. Which was why I was joyfully still snuggled under the blankets at one in the afternoon. I smiled to myself. It felt so good.

"All right, Syd. That's enough." Sark's faintly annoyed voice called. "Time to get up."

I didn't reply, instead burrowing further into the blankets. I wasn't getting up.

I snarled in surprise when Sark just dragged the blankets off me, and my nice warm skin was greeted by the cool air of the afternoon. "Julian!" I snapped.

He smiled at me, caught between annoyance and amusement. "Come on, Syd. Get up."

"No." I replied stubbornly. "Now give me back my blanket."

"No." Sark replied, in the same tone I had used. "Get up."

Sighing when I didn't move, Sark dropped the blankets and walked towards the wardrobe. Within seconds, I had snatched them up again and was safely snuggled underneath. I heard Sark give an exasperated chuckle a second later. "Syd." He said.

"What?" came my muffled reply.

I felt the mattress sink slightly as Sark sat down. With quick hands he pulled the blankets down to reveal my face. "Get up."

I groaned. "Give me five minutes."

"Now, Syd." Sark said firmly. "We have a plane to catch."

His words caught my attention. "A plane?" I asked, sitting up. "Where are we going?"

"The Caribbean." Sark replied.

"What for?"

Sark turned and smirked at me. "Our wedding."

"What?!" I exploded, leaping out of bed to tackle him when he danced out of the way. "You didn't just say what I think you did, did you?"

"Don't you want to get married?" Sark asked in a mild tone, although there was an edge to his expression.

"Of course I do!" I snapped, as I spun and began to pace. "But I also would've like to help plan my own wedding!"

Sark smiled, now more amused than anything, I think. "You did. I asked you, remember?"

"You mean those vague questions when I was half-asleep or busy?" I asked.

"See," he grinned. "I did ask."

I let out a sigh, and threw my hands up. "Fine." I snapped.

Sark chuckled. "Don't worry." He said. "If you don't like it, we can just do it again."

I turned to look at him, and saw the seriousness behind the joke. I shook my head. "Only you would say that, Julian." I said.

I sighed again. "How long do we have before the plane leaves?"

"An hour." Sark replied. "And don't worry. I have everything under control."

"That's what I'm afraid of." I muttered.

I stared out of the small tent set up at the end of a small beach. I smiled to myself. I turned out that Sark owned a small island in the Caribbean – and had deemed it the perfect place to marry the woman of his dreams. Although, as I stared out at the pure white sand and tropical blue sea, I couldn't find fault with the choice. I was gorgeous.

I still couldn't believe it. Everyone I cared about was here…except for Francie. I felt sad that she couldn't be here to enjoy this day with me. But I liked to think she was watching down on me anyway.

Sighing softly, I ducked my head back into the tent and walked back to stare at myself in the mirror. I shook my head. Even my wedding dress was prefect. Long and simple, it hugged my waist and hips, before falling straight down to mid calf. I wore my hair loose, with a simple white hibiscus behind my left ear.

"If Julian thinks he can run my life like he ran this wedding, he's got another thing coming!" I muttered.

"Good." My father commented. "I'd hate to see otherwise."

I turned to him and noticed the amused gleam in his eye. I narrowed mine in response. "I bet you think this is funny."

My father simply smiled. "Well, we did think you were fairly busy arranging your new task force and didn't want to interrupt."

I rolled my eyes. "I still can't believe that you, Julian and mom arranged my wedding behind my back!"

"Hey, I helped too!" Charlie said.

I rolled my eyes. "Who didn't?" I snapped.

Then I sighed. "I'd be more annoyed if it hadn't been so perfect." I added.

"I know." Charlie said, walking over to pat me on the shoulder. "Which is probably why we're all still alive."

I laughed slightly at her words. "Guess so." I answered.

Charlie was beautiful in her simple dress. Over the past week I had grown closer to her. We shared many of the same traits and interests. And as a result, I had asked her to be my bridesmaid, as soon as I had found out about the wedding. I had asked my mother and Shannon too, but Shannon hadn't wanted to be part of the fuss as she called it – and my mother was best man, so she couldn't do it.

The dress was a pale gold, which made her blonde hair and blue eyes stand out all the more. It also made her look tall and elegant. There was a pale yellow hibiscus behind her left ear. I have to admit, I was slightly jealous.

My dad walked over to me and gave me a hug, almost as if sensing my thoughts. "You look beautiful, Syd." He said.

"You do." Charlie agreed. "I'm so jealous."

I laughed out loud at her words. What were they, telepathic? "I was just thinking the same about you." I admitted to her.

She smiled and reached over to hug me too. "I knew there was a reason I like you!" she said. "Aside from the fact you can beat up my brother."

I grinned, before turning back to my father. "And you look good, too, Dad."

And he did. The pale blue shirt brought out his tan (newly acquired through having spent a day or so on the island overseeing preparations) and he smile more these days. I guess he had more things to enjoy these days. A pair of white pants rolled up at the ends completed the outfit. He was barefoot too, just like Charlie and me. The reason being that the ceremony was going to be held in the middle of the beach. And I wouldn't change a bit of it.

Charlie glanced up as my mother slipped inside the tent. "We're about to start." She said.

"Well, I'll got take my place then." Charlie said.

She grabbed her small bouquet of frangipanis and walked over to me. "I'll see you out there." She said, giving my hand a quick squeeze.

I nodded. "Yeah. See you soon."

I turned to my mother as Charlie slipped out of the tent. She, too, looked beautiful. She wore a similar dress to Charlie's in pale gold. Her hair was loose and there was a hibiscus behind her ear. But she held no flowers. Looking at her, I was surprised at just how similar we looked. I know I shouldn't be by now, but I was all the same. It seemed I really was my mother's daughter.

"Syd," she said in her softly lilting voice. "I just wanted to say that I love you. No matter what you may think."

"I know that." I told her softly. "And I love you, too, despite everything."

Mom smiled at my words. "I also wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you and the woman you've become." Then her words took on a harder edge. "And I'm trusting you to take care of my boy." She added. "Somehow, in spite of everything, I actually like him. So keep him safe."

"I promise." I told her.

She smiled. "Good." She said. "Now, wait a few minutes before he come out. You should here the cue in the music."

She walked to the small slit in the tent's fabric that served as a door, before turning back. "She's grown up just like you, Jack." She said. "You raised her better than I ever could have."

My dad smiled softly at her words. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, Irina." He replied.

With a brief, almost wistful smile, my mother slipped out of the tent. "What was that all about?" I asked my father.

"Nothing." He replied. "Are you ready?"

"I think I was born ready for this." I replied, grabbing my bouquet. "So, yes, I'm ready."

My dad kissed me on the cheek. "I love you, Syd. And I'm glad you've finally found a man strong enough to be there through everything with you."

I was reminded, briefly, of Vaughn and his new wife. But I no longer felt sadness when I thought of that. I knew that it had hurt me, but that was in the past. Now, all I felt, was simple acceptance. Vaughn had just found someone to love. Just like I had.

As the soft strains of music drifted into the tent, my father offered me his arm. "It's time." He said.

"Finally." I said with feeling as I took his offered arm. I finally acknowledged the feeling of impatience that was curling in my gut.

The two of us stepped out into the bright sunlight. I felt it warm my skin as I scrunched the sand between my toes. The air had the tang of salt and scent of frangipani. A faint breeze ruffled my hair and made my dress slither about my legs. I felt a grin slide over my face and joy warm my heart. Perfect. Today was perfect.

As I began the slow walk down the makeshift aisle between the small parties of guests, my eyes locked onto Julian's. He stood a few meters in front of me next to my mother and the priest. Charlie stood near him on the priest's other side.

He was gorgeous, standing there with the breeze ruffling his blonde hair. The sunlight made it look almost golden. His white shirt was open at the neck and his sleeves rolled up, revealing his strong forearms. I felt a sudden urge to run the rest of the way and fling myself into his arms, but I held myself back. I had to at least appear serious for a little while.

And then, finally, I was there. My father kissed me on the cheek and slipped back to stand next to Charlie. I reached out and took Julian's hand, as the priest began the ceremony. Vaguely, I heard his musical voice repeat the speech, but my eyes were only for my future husband. We had been through so much together. And would go through a lot more. But I loved him and he loved me and that's all that mattered.

Before long, it was time for our vows. Julian looked at me, holding both my hands in his. "Sydney, from the first moment I saw you, you intrigued me. And since then, you've frustrated me, ignored me, hurt me, soothed me and given me peace, trust and your love. And I wouldn't change a second of it, because it led me here, to this moment. I love you Syd, and I always will. Let me spend the rest of my life showing you."

I felt tears slip down my face as his words. They warmed my heart and wove themselves into my soul. And I forgot all the pretty words and phrases I had thought to say, and instead spoke straight from the heart.

"Julian, for as long as I've known you, you've had my respect and my admiration, if grudgingly at first. You were there when I had no one left to give me strength. You saw me at my worst and ugliest and never backed away. You've been there to guard my back and light my way. And you would die to save me. I know that. Just like I know that I love you with all my heart and soul. There is only and was only you. Forever and always."

"Do you, Julian Alexei Sark, take this woman to be you wife?" the priest said, as Irina handed Sark a ring.

"I do." Sark said, slipping the ring onto my finger.

"And do you, Sydney Anne Bristow, take this man to be your husband?"

"I do." I replied, slipping the ring Charlie handed me onto Julian's finger.

"Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife." The priest said, sending a shiver of delight up my spine. "You may kiss the bride."

Smiling at me, Sark kissed me – although it was a lot briefer than I would have liked. But, I suppose you have to make concessions when you have an audience. Sark pulled away and slipped an arm about my waist as we turned to our guests. "May I present Mr. and Mrs. Sark?" the priest said from behind us.

I grinned and let out a shout of joy when I heard those words. I was married to the man I loved! Nothing on Earth could ever be better than this feeling. Laughing with joy, I turned and through myself into Sark's arms. "We're married!" I whispered in his ear.

His laughter joined mine, just a joyous. "Yes, we are."

Then together, we turned and walked towards the guests gathered before us to share our happiness. "Let the party begin!" Charlie said, slinging an arm around each of our shoulders. "Congratulations brother." She said, kissing Sark on the cheek before he disappeared.

Over the next hour, Julian and I received congratulations from Will, my parents, Marshall, Carrie, Dixon and his wife, Weiss, Shannon, Andrew and Kendall. We danced and talked and ate. We cut the cake and drank champagne as the sun sank closer to the horizon, turning the sky a deep gold.

I smiled as I sat and watched the small bonfire grow in height. The breeze still smell of sea and wildflowers, and I breathed deeply as I soaked in the beauty and joy of my wedding day. My thoughts were jolted, however, when Vaughn spoke from behind me. "Syd?" he asked.

I turned, glad he had come but apprehensive over what he would say. "Yes, Vaughn?" I answered.

"I wanted to apologise about how I've acted over the past weeks." He said. "I was petty and cruel and I really am sorry. I guess it took me longer to let go of what we shared than I thought. I want you to know I'm happy you've found someone to love like I love Lauren. I hope one day we can go back to being friends."

I smiled softly at him. "We already are friends, Vaughn." I told him. "We always were. And I have to apologise too. I've been petty and cruel myself. I'm sorry for that."

Vaughn smiled. "Thanks, Syd. And congratulations."

"Thanks, Vaughn."

At that moment, Lauren wandered up. "Sydney." She said warmly. "Congratulations on the wedding. It was beautiful. I wish joy and happiness in your marriage, although you probably won't need it. That man's crazy about you."

I smiled at her, touched by her words. She really was a nice woman, and I haven't given her enough credit for that. "Thank you, Lauren." I said. "And since I missed your wedding, I wish you congratulations too. I'm sorry I missed it."

"Well, if you'll excuse us, Sydney." Lauren said. "My husband owes me a dance."

I laughed. "Of course." I said, and watched in amusement as Lauren dragged Vaughn toward the makeshift dance floor.

I sighed contentedly when I felt Sark's arms slip around me. I leaned back against his chest and watched the sunset in a blaze of glory. "What do you say we bid everyone a fond goodnight?" Sark asked after a moment.

"I'd say that's a very good idea." I replied. "But will they be alright?"

"Shannon and Andrew will take care of it." Sark said. "Beside, their all trained spies. They can handle it. And I want some time alone with my new wife."

I turned in his arms to stare into his beautiful blue eyes, gazing at my in tenderness and love. "Lead the way." I said.

Taking my hand, the two of us slipped away, winding our way to the house that overlooked the beach from the top of the small hill. Taking one last glimpse at the party below, I slipped into my husband's arms and into paradise.