Chapter 1 – "Secrets Revealed?"

CIA Headquarters Los Angeles

"Lauren's body wasn't recovered," Dixon informed Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn.

"What!" Sydney and Michael exclaimed in unison shocked at what they were hearing.

"How-how is that possible?" Sydney asked.

"We shot her at /least/ four times, Dixon… She couldn't have just walked away from that!"

"I don't know what to tell you two. Who would have been there to save her? Stark is still being held here," Dixon told them. He looked up at a nearby clock, "Look, I have a meeting to attend. We'll find her…"

Vaughn massaged his temples; he could feel a migraine coming on. Why did his life have to be so complicated? His father had been killed when he was younger…and he had found out he was killed by the woman he loved's mother and because he was protecting that same woman's half sister. And /then/ the woman he loved got stolen from him for two years… He married a traitor who was just using him…and who apparently wouldn't die.

Sydney looked worriedly at him. "Michael…" she said quietly placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be okay… Dixon's right, we'll find Lauren."

"Syd-"

"Shh…" she soothed bringing two fingers to his lips. "Let's get Chinese and we'll go to my house, okay?"

Vaughn just nodded.

Sydney's House Los Angeles

"I want us to be completely honest with each other, Sydney…" Vaughn said quietly holding her. He didn't know if he could ever be in a relationship with someone who he could not be completely honest with and where she could not be completely honest with him.

"I can do that," she told him. It was easy…Vaughn knew everything that had happened and she knew she could rely on him no matter what. No matter who her family was or what they had done. Vaughn truly loved her for her.

"I…I have to tell you something…" Vaughn said stuttering a bit thinking about what he had been keeping a secret.

"What?" Sydney asked sitting up and turning to look at Vaughn. He sounded…strange. When he didn't answer right away she got worried, "Vaughn?"

Michael looked down unable to look at Sydney in the eye as he began, "I…well…I think you have another sister…"

"What?"

"A year ago…I met this girl…well young woman… She was rather sick…and your father wanted me to check in on her and her PA. Jack said he was waiting for her to die…I don't know what was wrong with her, but Jack made it sound like she could die any day…" Vaughn took a shaky breath, "Syd…I mean I had Marshall research it because all I knew was her alias… He said he /thinks/ that it's Bristow…"

"I…I have a sister? Another one?" Sydney blinked and tried to take it in. She had another sister…

"I think so…"

"And she's really sick…"

Vaughn took Sydney into his arms again, "I'm sorry…she might not have even survived this long…"

Sydney sniffed, and then her thoughts lingered to her father finding her in the bank with files about her. Her father had made her his project… It was like she wasn't even his daughter… She felt like she had lost everything… Her father…her mother…Nadia…Danny…Francie…Will... But she still had Vaughn…and possibly another sister…and her friends at work… "My father…" Sydney let out a sob just thinking about it made her feel sick. "I found papers in a safety deposit box…Lauren was right…I found classified papers about a project my father headed up…"

"And?" Vaughn asked not seeing the connection.

"/I'm/ the project…"

Dance is Life New York

V. Christopher Michaels watched from the other side of the glass as the woman he had been in charge of keeping safe and taking care of for more than five years now struggled to keep up with a beginning pointe ballet class. Her light features that had been so pale just days before were brighter, her dark brown hair pulled up into a neat bun secured by several bobby pins and a white satin bow. Her deep green eyes focusing on the instructor's every move and instruction. She was a bit shorter than normal…about five foot two or so and hardly weighed anything. He doubted she was even a hundred pounds and if she was it was barely that. He could see her spirit returning, it was a cycle, and it had just started over. His attention turned down the hall when he heard footsteps…but these were not ones he was used to hearing in the building. When you sit in the same building everyday for at least an hour for practically everyday for more than a year you tend to catch onto things like the sound of shoes. In the Dance is Life studio building there were only a few types of shoes worn which made certain sounds and these were none of them… He saw two people in basic civilian attire. He sighed when he realized who the man was…but the woman…he didn't know…even though she did look awfully familiar…

"Valentine," Vaughn said as he and Sydney approached.

Christopher rolled his eyes, "Boy Scout." Although Valentine /was/ his first name he never went by it and Agent Michael Vaughn knew that. Valentine was also one of his call signs…albeit he had a few of them. Valentine wasn't exactly one he got to pick…come to think of it…none of them he got to pick…

"Behave boys," Sydney scolded wanting to know if her sister was there…if she was okay. If this younger man knew anything. The young man had blue eyes and dark brown hair…medium tone skin. He was in his mid to late twenties and was in shape. He was about five foot ten and looked just about as happy to see Vaughn as she expected someone would if they were unexpected.

"Christopher," Vaughn started, "Is Isabella still…"

"Alive?" Chris asked with an annoyed look. "Doing Jack's dirty work now, are you? You could have just called."

"I was going to say /around," Michael frowned. "And no, Jack doesn't even know we're here."

"Please," Sydney pleaded, she needed to know this. She needed /some/ link… Sure she had Michael…but…if she had a sister she wanted the chance to know her… "She's my sister…"

"You must be Sydney then," Chris said looking back into the dance studio. "You're Jack's perfect daughter. The one who's not fragile or going to die."

"I'm far from perfect," Sydney countered. "Is she in there?"

Christopher nodded, "It's her first day back… I /so/ owe her ice cream…"

"Which one, is she?"

"You'll meet her in a few minutes…she leaves earlier than everyone else and it's getting time."

"Why?"

"Because of her EIA."

"EIA?"

"Exercise Induced Asthma. She can't breathe so much when they really get into running around and doing their jumps and spinning and such."

"I didn't think asthma was so fatal…especially now a days…"

"That's not what's fatal."

"She has epilepsy," Vaughn spoke up. "She has the severe kind."

Christopher nodded, "She'll have a grand mal seizure and go into a coma for days…weeks…months… And then she goes through physical therapy and then puts herself back into dancing. She can never be in a recital though…they're too afraid she'll have one of her episodes during a number. If she was fine though…god…she'd be one of the best dancers I bet…"

"Here she comes," Michael said as he saw her silently excusing herself from class and heading for the door.

Chris immediately pulled open his bag and pulled out a large bottle of water along with what looked like a pharmacy. He pulled out a pill organizer and started to drop pills into the slots.

"What are those for?" Sydney immediately asked.

Isabella Bristow walked out of her class and frowned when she saw the two people who she knew worked with her father. "Hello Vaughn…" she said somewhat coldly and then sat down with Christopher and immediately drank almost half the bottle. She then started to reach for the first pill.

"What are those for?"

"/Who/ are /you?" Izzy asked narrowing her eyes at the woman.

"I'm Sydney…Sydney Bristow… I'm your sister… I didn't kn-"

"Yeah not a big surprise. Daddy Jack talks about his angel perfect daughter all the time. You're his life. You're his family."

"Please…I want to kno-"

"I'm dying, so why does it matter?"

"Izz-" Vaughn started to scold.

She rolled her eyes, "Your father will be mad at you if we tried to even /have/ a relationship. So, why not save yourself the hassle?"

"What are the pills for?" Sydney repeated.

"Folate, biotin, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, carnitine, and primidone," Isabella answered quickly taking them one or two at a time. She finished taking her pills and then swallowed the rest of the water in the bottle moving from one foot to the other and then handed the now empty bottle to Chris. He had another bottle waiting for her, which she gladly accepted and started to drink the water in it.

"What for?"

Isabella sighed, "Why do you even care? Why are you even /here? Didn't you get the whole 'Dad would rather we not know each other' part?"

"I don't care."

"Well you should. Don't you know he's dangerous…he's CIA and all that. He's done unspeakable things…fun stuff like that," Izzy told her sister as she set her bottle down and pulled on her jacket.

"I'm CIA-"

"Like I don't know."

"Isabella…please…" Sydney pleaded. She wanted badly for some aspect of a real family life where there was no lies or deception involved. But now…it seemed like the only way that could happen would be with her sister who was dying…

"You never needed me before; you won't miss having me around now that you know you have another sister…half sister…" Isabella said picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

"I did need you…" Sydney said quietly.

"You'll be better off without me," Isabella told her dropping some of the harshness in her tone.

"You're the only family I feel like I have now…"

"How about if we have lunch?" Christopher suggested. "We'll go to that café around the corner."

Izzy glared at Christopher, "You /never/ let me have lunch there!"

"Now I am."

Izzy rolled her eyes. "You're just happy you get to talk to your mentor. The great Michael Vaughn. God, can I just go home? I'll take the subway…"

"Am I really that horrible of a curse?" Sydney asked frowning, her heart breaking. She didn't want to lose her sister… She hadn't even been given the chance to get to know her!

Isabella sighed, "It's bad enough I'm a curse on the Bristow family… You should at least have Dad, even if he's one Satan's henchmen."

"But…I'd have you…" Sydney argued.

"You don't know for how long I have. For all you know I'll die within the next hour," Isabella told her sister.

"Don't say that!" Syd scolded.

"Get used to it," Christopher told the agent while he grabbed his stuff. He headed down the hall, "She /always/ says lovely stuff like that…and /never/ listens to me…"

Izzy smiled and put her arm around Christopher, "You love me, you know you do."

Calleigh's Café New York

Isabella grinned. She was so excited they finally got to go! She immediately started to take in the café when they sat down. It was one of those places that had a décor theme and this theme was France…and she couldn't get enough of everything. "This is so great!"

Christopher just shook his head smiling. "Can you get something that's /healthy/ here? Please?"

Izzy grinned, "Well du-uh…haveta watch my figure!"

Christopher mumbled something about her weighing less than a feather.

"You /need/ some pounds on you," Sydney told her.

"Oh god! Don't get her going!" Chris piped up holding up his hands as if to surrender.

"But!" Izzy began to argue.

"You do and I'll lecture about stuff /you/ shouldn't be doing."

Syd smiled a bit, "Tell me about yourself…please…" She shook her head, "It's so weird…I know nothing about you!"

"You'll have to be more specific or she'll tell you her life story plus the life stories she's made up for her aliases," Christopher warned Sydney.

"She has life stories for her aliases?" Michael asked shaking his head.

"Well duh!" Isabella interrupted. "Haveta know all about my supposed life!"

Everyone just sort of looked at the younger woman.

"Okay then…"

"How about just Isabella…" Sydney said smiling. She felt comfortable. She wanted to know her sister. She didn't feel like she needed to be Agent Bristow…she felt like she could be herself. Just Sydney.

"My mom's Irish…apparently. I don't know anything about her, except her name was Niamh…and that's my middle name. I've been sick for like…always… Chris was assigned to me when I found Dad. Before that, I was in a foster home…or mostly in the hospital and my foster parents hated me because of it. I've been into ballet, but can never be serious about it. I'm just waiting to die…"

"That's…depressing…" Sydney said tears forming in her eyes. This young woman was her sister…her baby sister…and she didn't even know her…and she could just die…

"Way to make a good impression," Christopher mumbled.

Michael sighed, "You know they're always coming out with new medical advances, Isabella…"

"Yeah…shock therapy," Izzy said rolling her eyes.

"It's not /shock/ therapy," Christopher argued.

"It involves electricity and my body…that's called /shock/ therapy."

Christopher sighed.

Sydney decided to change the subject. "So…what /are/ your aliases?"

"Sophia Micari…and Abby Jones," Izzy answered smiling. "I thought, since one of yours is Kate Jones that it was fitting…"

Sydney smiled. "Can I see you again? I mean, I don't care about Dad… Really… We could try to catch up? Maybe? Or just start from here on?"

Isabella had to really think about it… She didn't want to hurt anyone. She didn't want her sister to get disowned either, but she /really/ didn't seem to care. And she didn't seem to care that she could die any day… And she seemed…genuinely…happy to see her… "O…okay…" she answered somewhat hesitantly. She wasn't exactly sure if it was the best decision, but she could decide that later.

"Okay?" Sydney asked.

"Does this mean you guys are coming back to LA with us?" Vaughn asked as if returning back to reality. "Jack is so gonna be pissed."

"I don't care."

"No offence," Vaughn said looking at the two Bristow women, "But we don't want to be on his bad side."

"Too late," Sydney and Isabella answered in unison and then looked at each other.

"Look, he hates me for not being Sydney. He doesn't care about me," Izzy responded. "I really could care less. There's nothing he could do to hurt me. Killing me wouldn't even be considered hurting me anymore."

Sydney /really/ hated her sister talking like that; it was something she'd have to work on with her. "And I'm sorry, but he /knows/ I know I'm his 'project' and I'm sure he thinks I know too much…and I don't care. I'm ready to start having some kind of a life, Michael…"

Vaughn knew what she was talking about. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted to try to regain the life and love they had before… And if Lauren was alive…that would mean taking care of her. He wouldn't let her come back and hurt them… Along, with either getting her declared legally dead or getting a divorce. Either one. He just wanted to be able to move on…and leave his option open…for the right time when he and Sydney could finally be together… "I-I know, Syd…"

"I want to have a family…" she told him, "And a somewhat normal one."

"Well, I'm no where near normal," Isabella piped up.

"No kidding," Chris mumbled in agreement and got himself kicked. "Ow…"

Isabella grinned, "Be nice, Valentine."

He glared at her, "Why must you torture me?"

"Awww…I love your name…"

"I hate it!"

"I know!"

"So? Why must you still call me Valentine?"

"Cause it's your call sign!" she said happily.

"So? I have others…"

"All that the agency gave you. You still haven't explained 'Mini Me'."

Vaughn laughed, "You didn't tell her?"

Chris just glared at the older agent.

"Everyone says he's a mini version of me. So he's Mini Me."

Sydney laughed; Christopher and Michael did look similar.

"Plus, add the fact that you're trying to be like me. I'm Michael Christopher Vaughn. MCV. And you're Valentine Christopher Michaels. VCM. You stole my name."

Chris just shook his head. "I'm so loved within the agency."

"What's the other call sign?" Sydney asked curiously.

"Romeo."

"Why?"

Vaughn pointed to Agent Michaels, "Romeo." He pointed to Syd's sister, "Juliet."

"Awww…that's cute," Sydney said smiling. "We need cute call signs like that…"

"Right…" Vaughn said shaking his head. "Like I don't get enough grief with 'Boy Scout'?"

"Awww…but it fits."

Isabella giggled, "That's cute."

Christopher shrugged, "See…can't just pick on me. Haveta share the love."