Chapter 2

My past – Now, that's something I have dreaded talking about all my life. No matter what it has been, from my younger days, or to the orphanage; no matter which time in my life. I look over and I watch as Sydney meets the new guy – what's his name again? Oh, right, Benjamin Chagai. He just transferred here, and he's kind of cute, I suppose. Is my sister flirting with him…? No, I'm seeing things - she doesn't flirt with anyone but Michael Vaughn. (dives for cover from the flying tomatoes) He looks kind of her type but heck if I know what her type is.

I walk over and I smile at the both of them. Oh boy. She's doing her hair behind the ear bit again. Definite sign she likes him. I smile. "Benjamin, is it," I say.

He nods, almost stiffly but he looks friendly all the same "Benjamin, yes, but my friends call me Ben and you must be Nadia, right? Your sister pointed you out to me," he says, smiling softly at Sydney. Oh yes; total flirt mode. He seems rather sweet but that perhaps is on the outside. I wonder what he's like outside the agency.

I nod.

"I am Nadia, yes," I say. I notice Syd staring at me pointedly and I get the hint. She wants to be alone with Mr cute guy. She's always the lucky one. I walk away and over past Vaughn's desk, and I notice him watching them and I roll my eyes as I see the jealousy there. Like, Sydney Bristow would really do anything with another guy right in front of her boyfriend. I walk over to Weiss and I sit down on his desk. "So have they got anything new for us?"

He looks up suddenly from what he's doing and smiles. "No, nothing at all," he says. He then looks back at his computer and I look down at a picture frame and I pick it up. It's a picture which Syd, Weiss, Vaughn and I had taken at Weiss's birthday party. I smile and trace his face with my finger. I have the exact same picture; it's sitting on my bedside table in my room at home. "So what brings you here, fair Ms. Santos?"

I smile at him. "I came to invite you to lunch if you have spare time."

He looks at me and then back at his computer I have a feeling that it will be the same answer I have gotten all week – No, he doesn't have time or No, he has too much work. I sigh and look down at my hands, and I play with the hem of my skirt. "It's alright, maybe dinner."

He takes one of my hands and squeezes it "I'm sorry, Nadia, but this is what its like working for APO; I guess lots and lots of work which may have something to do with your father not wanting me to see you," he smirks. I shake my head and smile slightly at the joke. Yes, my father doesn't approve of me seeing Eric but of course me being his daughter doesn't phase me one little bit.

I roll my eyes at him. "It's okay I'll see you later," I smile slightly and walk off. I sit back down at my desk and I start working again I look over and see my father watching me, but I turn away not wanting to meet his eyes. While I don't try to search out acceptance from him, I know I'm a long way from getting it. I look at my computer and notice I have to meet someone called Diego tomorrow to bring him here. Oh, fun, that's all I need.

I get up a few hours later and head home, and I start making dinner for myself since Syd told me she wouldn't be home tonight. For whatever reason I didn't ask. More than likely something to do with Vaughn than the new guy.

So I set about making myself some pasta and I sit down to eat it when the doorbell rings. I sigh, got up and open the door and there standing is someone I never thought I'd see again.

Diego Fernando Esteban.

We stand there looking at each other in stunned silence. I shut the door in his face.

I hear the doorbell again but I just stand there, every known thought going through my head - How did he find me? Why is he here? I think of just walking away but this guy has been persistent all the time I've known him. I don't need this; I don't even want this. I have a whole entire life away from that life I had, so why can't they just leave me alone? Running is a definite option but then I would just be running for the rest of my life. Running from what… I'm not exactly sure.

So how can a person run from something she doesn't even know what she's running from? I suck my breath in and open the door. He doesn't look the least bit phased that I just shut the door in his face.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. He just looks at me in a quizzical way.

"Did you really think you could get out of it that easily, Nadia?" he sneers slightly. I just stand there staring at him. This isn't the same man I knew back. He's changed but why? It couldn't be because I left him without even a goodbye. Yeah right, he never used to care about that before. I cross my arms expecting more than that.

"Aren't you going to invite me in to see your home?"

I shake my head "I don't think so, Diego, whatever you can say, you can say it to me out here," I smile at him slightly. He just pushes past me and I roll my eyes as I close my door. "Do you mind?"

He turns and I see a gun pointed at me

"Not at all," he says.

He shoots me with a tranquillizer gun and that's all I remember before I black out.

PS: oooo I love cliffhangers