A/N : Everything is not as it seems, remember that. And that I don't own a thing, remmeber that too. R/R!
A few days later, Sydney was in an apartment. A new apartment, as she had been told that her old one had burnt down. Apparently there had been a fight, but she thought she had finished that, and Allison was dead, and it had only been yesterday. But no, they told her she had been found living in Florence, Italy, and they had brought her home. They didn't know what had caused the sudden memory loss, but they were working to figure out what it was.
She had been moved into this apartment yesterday, by Eric. She was told what had happened, that she had been gone for three years, and that her thought boyfriend had gotten married. None of this suited to her likings, so she was currently refusing to see anyone but her father, Eric and Dixon.
Tomorrow was the day in which she was going to return to work. And she was ready, she wanted her life to go back to normal. Part of her hoped that it would just magically change back into what she had left. But the sensible part of her knew that it would never happen. Sydney had been gone to long for things to go back to normal. And that is the way it would remain.
Sighing she looked bitterly around her new apartment. It was near the beach, and right next to Weiss'. She had a feeling that it was being watched, by the CIA of course, because, it was rather suspicious that she had lost her memory, and they wanted to keep her under observation, which made her wonder more why they didn't just keep her in the hospital longer. Looking around at the boxes she thought about unpacking, but decided against it. She didn't want to look through things that would remind her of what was lost.
Not knowing what to do, she just stood there, looking out the window, at noting particular, just looking to look. She just couldn't shake the feeling that it was wrong, she belonged somewhere else. Somewhere not here, not in this house, not in this life. Years later she would tell herself that she was right, she didn't belong, it wasn't her life anymore.
Lost in thought, she hardly heard the doorbell ring. After a few minutes, it ran again, pulling her out of a dream world, and back into reality.
Walking to the door, she unlocked both of the locks she had locked and relocked before even thinking about looking around the house.
"Michael?"
-Two Hours Before –
"I don't care what you say Michael! I told you I didn't want you to go on that mission, and yet you went anyway. I don't see how you can't see the problem here!" Lauren was shouting at Michael for going to rescue the love of his life, Sydney. Although Lauren didn't want to call her that, she knew it.
"The problem is that she was gone for three years, Lauren, three fucking years. You can't just expect me to not go and see if it is really her. If she hadn't been dead all these years. I don't understand the problem here, because if it had been one of your friends, you would have done the same thing!" Michael yelled back, he was getting tired of this. Lauren hadn't talked to him since Sydney had gotten back, until today.
"But she wasn't your friend, she was your girlfriend!" Lauren made an excellent point. "You went out, you almost asked her to marry you! If she hadn't of disappeared, I would not be married to you. It makes all the difference, Michael, and you can't seem to see that." She screamed at him, furious that he couldn't see her side of this. He had always seemed so understanding, until his precious Sydney had actually come back.
Michael didn't know how to answer that. All that she said was true, and he really could see where this was coming from, but he didn't want to accept it, so he pushed it away. Not wanting to accept the fact that Lauren felt threatened by her returning, because she had felt threatened by the very memory that hung around him like a dark cloud. One that affected everyone she worked with. It was hard for her, but hard for all of them, he took this as her being selfish, being that she couldn't just accept him wanting his friend back. Even though she knew he was still in love with her, had loved her and it had almost killed him, several times.
"This conversation is over, Michael," she told him and a warningly calm voice. He knew that he would need to give her some time to calm down. It would be best if he left, giving her time to do this alone, so he did, when she went to go take a shower, he left her a note saying that he had gone to talk to Weiss, someone who would help calm him down. But he was really going to see her, she knew it, had waited for it. She was just going to have to accept it.
-Present—
"What are you doing here?" Sydney asked him. Rather startled as to why he was here, but knowing the answer at the same time. He had been fighting with Lauren, his wife, and had come to see her. As if to make it all better. It wouldn't be better though, it was only going to get harder.
"Can I come in?" He asked, cautiously, as she hadn't spoken to him since she got back. And she called him Michael, which was never good.
"S-Sure," she replied timidly, opening the door wider for him to pass through, before closing it behind him, and following him into the living room.
Turning he smiled at her, a smile that almost made her knees go weak, and she almost ran and hugged him, wanting to kiss him like she had before she had gone away. But she stopped herself, knowing that she couldn't do this. And it was almost as if he knew that, because the smile faded to a softer one.
"Did you need something?" She asked, her voice cool, hurting him, intentionally or not he couldn't tell, neither could she.
"No, I just," he paused, not being able to think of a good reason for having come over, "just wanted to see how you were." He told her quickly, thinking that it was a god enough reason for coming over.
"Oh, I'm alright," Sydney told him, her head telling her that it wasn't the real reason he came over.
"Okay, that's a lie. I wanted to know how it was going to be. Between us, I mean, I know there are a lot of things that need to be said, but I want to know where we stand." Vaughn just blurted it out. All of it just came rushing out, things he had wanted to say when he first saw her picture, first saw her laying in her bed back in Italy.
Sydney didn't know what to say, how was she to respond to that? He was married, her Vaughn was married, to someone that wasn't her. And that hurt most of all.
"Where do we stand?" She repeated his question in a shaky voice, "You got married Michael, married. To someone else," no need to add 'who isn't me' he knew it already, "and that's not the worst part. You got married, apparently I didn't mean that much to you, because if I had, you would have waited. Maybe my love meant nothing to you, it was just a game for you, 'Let's mess with Sydney Bristow's heart, make her think she's loved'. Were do we stand? I don't know, Michael, where do we stand? How about you go ask your wife that question then get back to me." She told him bitterly. Finally letting her emotions out. The people watching these tapes of her apartment would get a free soap opera scene without expecting one. "I think you should go," she told him firmly, saying this conversation was over, and that he had no right coming over here and asking her that after all they had been through together.
Stunned, all he could do was nod, without meeting her eyes, Vaughn walked out side with his eyes glued to the floor. Hearing the door slam behind his retreating from, he knew that he had lost Sydney forever. All he could do now was go home to an angry Lauren. Something he wasn't particularly looking forward to doing.
-Back at the Rotunda-
Eric had been watching the whole thing. He had been assigned to desk work, currently watching Sydney, since Dixon knew she would want him doing this rather than someone she didn't know. And the only reason he was currently watching this was because Lauren had come into the office and was biting off the heads of anyone who crossed her path. So rather then being yelled at, Eric retreated back to his office to watch over his best friend.
Just as it had Sydney, Michael's coming didn't seem of a shock to him. He knew why he was there, and that nothing good could come from it.
He could hear everything, security had really improved in the last three years. He heard what Vaughn had said, and wanted to shoot him for asking her that. The poor girl had been through enough in the last three days. And he was not shocked in her bitter answer. Actually, he had expected it, and even though Michael was his other best friend, thought that he had deserved it.
I could write a damn soap opera, Eric thought to himself before turning his attention back out into the Rotunda through his window. Seems Lauren had made someone cry. Oh, what an interesting soap opera it would be.
Looking back at the screen on his desk, he saw that Mike had left, and Sydney was relocking the doors, seemed that she had gotten a little paranoid during her time away. It was to be expected though, after all, she did wake up and had lost all memory of the last three years. Or so she said, not that he was about to not believe her, it was just a little strange.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn't jump out of them until Dixon walked into his office, slamming the door behind him and sitting in front of him. "Lauren, it seems, is angry about something, and it taking it out on every aid in this building," Dixon informed Eric, sarcastically. Both of the men knew what had gotten her so upset. No doubt she had fought with Michael and seemed to be that it was a pretty bad fight.
Eric sighed, "Yeah, well, at least she isn't talking it out on any of us. Knock on wood." Eric knocked on his desk so he wouldn't jinx their luck so far.
Dixon chuckled, but couldn't reply, he was watching the screen. "It's good to have her back." He said softly. Since his wife had been killed, it seemed that his kids and Sydney were the only strong links to his old life. The one where he was ignorant, but happy, and he was glad to have him back. It was almost as if he felt safe again, knowing that Sydney was back made him feel better. He couldn't explain it, but he knew several people in this office, and those in Washington felt the same way.
Sydney Bristow, the single woman who held so much power that she was able to bring the entire spy world to it's knees, all she had do to was disappear. Keep people guessing, Dixon knew as well as anyone that they had not been the only ones looking for her. It had almost seemed as if the secret word they weren't allowed to speak of had gone on a hiatus. For about a year things were slow, noting of major importance. All hopes were put on finding this one girl.
It was scary almost. Saying that one person held that power, scary in the thought that she could do it again. So many sleepless nights had been the cause of her, how many more were going to happen until her fiery soul had been made content? No one could answer that, nor could they prevent it, and everyone knew that. Kendall, Dixon, Vaughn, Eric, Jack, Lauren even Lindsay knew that, and they feared what this woman could do. Just like they had feared her mother.
The thoughts that had taken over Dixon and Eric were interrupted by a sound of yelling. Dixon turned to look out the window, and Eric tilted his head to see what was going on. Seems as if Vaughn had decided to come into work today, much to Lauren's dismay. And apparently, Lauren had gotten hold of the security tapes from his and Sydney's confrontation earlier. Never could, she was currently screaming at him, as he was retreating to his office. Following him, Lauren shut his door to muffle the screams. Everyone in the Rotunda looked scared, knowing this wasn't the end of the bad mood they had just encountered with Lauren, and fearing it.
Dixon turned back to Eric and sighed, "Well, we better go do some damage control," Eric silently agreed, and pushed himself out of his chair, following the Director out of his office.
-Later That Evening-
Sydney had sat around her apartment for the majority of the afternoon. Thinking, and sometimes talking to the people she knew were watching her. They never answered back, but then again they couldn't. Didn't matter, she just asked them what she should have for dinner, things like that. Nothing in depth, in depth was to much for her, she just needed to simplify things right now.
After having a simple dinner, Mac and Cheese the best thing in the world, Sydney found it was online eight. Too early to go to bed, but there was nothing else to do.
Then she got an idea, there was club, one that someone had told her about, she wasn't sure who, but she needed some adventure in her life right now. Not wanting to wear anything she owned, she got into her car and drove to a nearby boutique that specialized in this kind of clothing, those that you would wear to a club.
Picking out a short back skirt, she bought that and a back corset like top to go with it. Finishing off the outfit with a pair of spiked heals. Knowing that she would also need make-up, she walked next door to get some. Picking out, and then going into the bathroom, she changed and made up her face. It scared her hoe much she looked like someone else. Stuffing the clothes she had been wearing into the bag, she walked back out to her car, with a new air surrounding her, ignoring the looks she got from the people on the street.
It took her a half an hour to find the club she was looking for, but then she found it, tucked into an alley. Parking out on the street she didn't need to check her make-up before taking long strides to the club door. It was hidden, but she knew it was there, she pulled open the outside door and loud music assaulted her ears. Looking up she saw a neon sign labeling the club Slankster's. Not wanting to have to pay, she latched arms with a man who had just paid to enter, ducking behind his big form, not noticed by the bouncer she got in. It was an underground club, there was a balcony. She took the stairs up there and stood at the banister. Looking down at the masses of people dancing together, grinding their bodies against one another as if this was the last human contact they would get for a while. Looking towards the bar she saw a dark head, sensing that it would be familiar, she walked slowly down the steps, ignoring the men she knew were staring at her.
Making her way over the bar, she pushed next to the dark haired man, "Buy me a drink," without looking at her, he nodded to the bartender who put a shot in front of her. Taking the shot in her hands, she smiled and greedily drank it. "Thank God, Simon, I thought I was going to go insane." She smiled at him with a wicked grin as he turned to her with a smile that matched her own.
Before he could say anything, Sydney pressed her lips against his, in a passionate kiss. Simon put his hand on her back and pulled her closer, she put her hand on the back of his hair, pushing her fingers in his hair. After a few seconds they both came up for a breath.
"Well, hello to you, too, Julia. I've missed you."
