A/N: Yep don't own a thing. Hope you guys like it! I'm not sure how many more chapters I'm gunna write, but it should be a few more. Have fun with this new chapter. Sarkney! Yay! R/R please!

Sydney had been put in a CIA based hospital, Sark and Simon stayed for only five minutes after making sure that she would be cared for, being wanted most everywhere. Vaughn stayed by her side, she stayed unconscious for a day, the doctors saying she'd been under extensive torture for the last eight days. Robert Lindsey had been removed from his position, as torture was not allowed under any means, and was pending a trial to see if he would go to jail for it. Lauren Reed had done nothing, or so they thought, so nothing happened to her.

No one questioned Vaughn on how they got her back, they were just glad to have her back. People now had questions about the bullet wound on her left arm; there was no mention of that on the files from Lindsey. But those would have to wait until she was fully healed for that. The burn marks on her arm were all bandages up, they were 3rd degree burns, so they had to take special care for them.

Vaughn made regular calls to Sark, keeping him updated with Sydney's progress, which other than waking up, there wasn't anything report. She wouldn't talk to anyone, she just stared at the ceiling all day. The doctors thought it was because of shock, but with her, no one could tell.

Sydney stayed in the hospital for four days before Vaughn convinced the doctors to let him take her home. There were strict rules that she was not to be left alone; Vaughn said that he would move in with her for the time being, because so far, she had been most comfortable with him. She let him hold her hand while she was lying in the hospital bed, while everyone else she flinched away. No one could tell why, but they figured that it was better for her to stay with Vaughn.

On the day Vaughn was going to bring her home, Lauren showed up at the hospital. She went unnoticed by everyone until she stood in the doorway of Syd's room. It wasn't Vaughn who noticed her first, but Sydney, as Michael's back was to the door. The most reaction she had shown since she was extracted from the hospital was then; she visibly got paler as Lauren walked into the room. Michael took one look at her face getting paling and stood, whipping around to the face.

"What are you doing here Lauren?" He said angrily.

Lauren didn't look at him, just stared at Sydney. "I came," she started, but she honestly didn't know why she had come. She felt that she had to come see what she had ultimately caused. She hadn't known that Lindsey would take it that far.

"I'm sorry," she said in a small voice, timidly, talking another step forward, "I should have stopped him, but I-" She was silenced by Sydney.

"Get out," she said in a dry voice, and even though it was small and scratchy it was demanding, and rather scary. Lauren's eyes widened as she swiftly backed out of the room.

"Couldn't of said it better myself," Vaughn muttered as he turned around to see Sydney visibly calm down. "Ready to go?" He asked her, as she had been brought clothes and had changed before he had gotten there.

She nodded, sitting up slowly at first, and then swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Michael held her arm as she stood up on her legs. He put an arm around her waist to help steady her as they walked out of the hospital room. Many of the doctors who had worked with her came to see her off. Giving her a hospital chair to sit in, hospital protocol. She smiled weakly at them as they passed, but still said nothing.

Once they had reached the door, they discarded they wheelchair and walked the remaining way to Vaughn's car. Once he had placed Sydney in the passenger seat, Vaughn walked around the car to the driver's seat.

"You ready to go back home?" He asked her softly as they pulled out of the parking lot. Sydney kept her eyes on the road the entire road home, made for a very quiet ride, but Vaughn had gotten used to it over the past four days.

When they arrived at Sydney's house, Michael took the key from Sydney's bag, which he had gotten from Eric, and Sydney's bag and walked her to the front door. She hesitated at the door before entering, then a second later she shook her head and walked in. As if she were convincing herself that she wouldn't be taken this time.

Michael let her wander as he put her bag in her room, setting it on the chair beside her bed. Leaving her room he found her in the kitchen, looking in the refrigerator. Sitting down on the barstool he watched as she pulled out a bottle of water, like she had never left. "Want one?" She asked him, before she closed the door.

"No thanks," he shook his head, even though she wasn't looking at him. "So," he began as she sat on the counter, appearing much more comfortable here then she had at the hospital, "I told Sark you were coming home today."

She nodded and took a sip of water, "Good," she mumbled, not really hearing him. She was still in her own world. "I think I'm going to go sleep," she told him, jumping down off the counter. "You can set up the guest room if you'd like, or whatever, the stuff is in the hall closet." She told him as she left the room. "And I know, you're here if I need anything," she called to him as she reached her doorway.

Vaughn watched her with mixed feelings as she shut the door behind her. He knew that she wasn't feeling well, but he wouldn't press the matter. He couldn't, she was the only one who she would feel safe with until someone else came, which he knew someone would soon.

Abandoning the stool he sat on he walked around the house and into the guest bedroom, it wasn't set up, so he grabbed some sheets out of the hall closet, like she said.

After having gotten himself situated he walked back out into the living room and flopped down on the couch. Flipping through the channels he settled on a made for TV movie about spies. He enjoyed pointing out what they did wrong in these movies so he stayed with it.

Two hours later the movie had ended, Michael found himself incredibly bored. He didn't want to get up so he stayed there and flipped through the stations. Glancing at the clock he saw that it was just past eleven thirty. Sighing he stood, but as he was beginning to walk into the guest room, he heard the front door swing open. Now, he knew that other than Sydney had a key, he had asked around her friends and family, so he was a bit worried.

Walking out into the main hall he relaxed, but only slightly. It was Sark, "You know, I think we should be worried that wanted terrorists hold keys to the houses of our loved ones," Vaughn said sarcastically.

"You should be, yes," Sark told him as he shut the door and locked it behind him. "How is she?" He asked, taking off his coat and hanging it on the hook by the door. Vaughn wondered how many times Sark had been here, for his guess a lot, he had a key.

"She's fine, she went to sleep," Michael told him, walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge.

"Are you staying?" Sark asked, from the hallway still.

"Yeah, the CIA wants someone with her at all times, and I was the choice," he said, pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge. "I was the only one she would let touch her," he said sadly, remembering the way she would shrink away from everyone else. Shaking his head he opened the bottle and took a sip.

Just then, both men heard a loud crashing noise from the other room, Sydney's room. Both set off at a run, Sark got there first, and he almost ripped the door off the hinges trying to get it open and into the room. They didn't see Sydney, but the bathroom door was open, and they both rushed over. Sydney was standing in front of the shattered mirror with a bloody fist at her side. She had bare feet and they were surrounded by shards of broken mirror.

She looked at them with a sad smile, turning she walked past them, her feet going over the glass, and drops of blood coming off her hand, she sat on the middle of the bed. The bandages on her arm were off, and lying on her table. She looked down at her arm; the burns were on her lower arm, as the bullet wound was on the top.

Sark first walked over to her and sat on the bed next to her, "Syd?" He asked timidly, it was the first time Vaughn had ever seen him remotely scared of something. Sydney didn't answer with words; instead she just shook her head. Sark didn't do anything, he didn't want to risk touching her, no just yet, so he scooted a bit closer to her and laid a tentative hand on her shoulder when she didn't move away.

She shifted her gaze from Sark's hand, to Sark and then to Vaughn. And then she looked down at her arm. And then the tears came; heart-wrenching sobs filled the arm around her as she doubled over into Sark's open arms, sobbing into her shoulder. She was shaking badly and Sark fought to keep her safe. Vaughn didn't know what to do, so he just stood here, shocked, he had never seen Sydney act like this. He had this impression of her burned into his mind, she was perfect in his mind and this was a new view of her.

Vaughn watched as Sark murmured things into her ear, then looked to him, "Get a glass of water." It was a question, and it wasn't a demand, it was this cold-blooded man's soft attempt at helping someone. Vaughn admired it in many ways as he went to go get the glass of water.

After about twenty minutes Sydney's sobbing had subdued into silent tears, and Michael walked out into the living room, closing the door behind them. Sark looked down at the crestfallen woman in his arms, "Sydney?" He asked softly, knowing that she would tell him what was wrong on her own time.

She didn't answer for a while, just let the tears fall, "I'm sorry," she mumbled against his neck. "I just," she sniffled, "I was so scared Julian, so scared." She kept on crying and Sark held her tightly.

"I'm tired," she said after a bit longer. Sark nodded and gently lay her down on the bed. His lips rested against her forehead. "I want you to stay here," she told him, he looked down at her and nodded. She needed him, and he, like any other human being, longed to be needed.

"Just let me go talk to Vaughn, I'll be right back," he promised her as he left a kiss on her lips and stood. Before leaving he pulled the covers around her, tomorrow morning she would need to re-bandage her arm. But he would let it go for right now.

Walking out into the living room he saw Michael sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. When he heard the other man walk out of the room and shut the door he looked up. "Is she alright?"

"Yes, she will be fine," he answered softly. "I'm staying here tonight," Sark informed him as he went into the kitchen, Vaughn following him.

"Does Syd know?" Vaughn was a little nervous about spending the night with a wanted terrorist.

"She asked me to stay," well sort of, he was staying anyway, she just asked him to stay with her. Two different things completely.

"Alright," he said hesitantly. "How long do you think you'll stay?"

Sark looked at the CIA agent, wondering how he felt about Sydney. "I don't know," he answered honestly, pulling a glass down and filling it with water. "But you should get some sleep, you look like you haven't in a week," oh, how true that statement was.

All Vaughn could do was nod, Sark walked out and back into Sydney's room, closing the door, and Vaughn walked into the guest room, he did need sleep. And maybe he would get it.

Sydney was curled up in a ball under the covers when Sark came back. Sighing he put the glass of water on the table beside the bed and shrugged off his shirt, throwing it onto the pile. Kicking off his shoes he took off his socks, then his pants, adding them to the pile. He slipped into bed behind Sydney and she turned and looked at him, as if to make sure it was really he. When she assured herself that it was, she turned back over but took his hand and held it, pulling it over her waist. He moved closer until his chest pressed against her back, and just held her.

Sydney sighed and began to fall into a restless sleep. It was as if she was taken over by nightmares, she cried out more than once and Sark struggled to keep her calm. She never fully woke up, but he was scared all the same. She rarely stayed quiet for more then ten minutes and never seemed to rest. Her eyes darted around under her eyelids, and Sark was hopeless.

A few minutes after one Sydney finally woke up. Sark was awake, and lying in the bed, quietly staring up at the ceiling. "Julian?" Sydney called out in a small voice beside him.

"I'm here, love," he told her, turning over on his side to look at her. "Are you alright?" He asked her, a frown coming onto his face, she was sweating, and had a terrified look in her eyes.

"Yeah," She said softly, wincing as she turned onto her bad arm before rolling off of it again. "It was just a nightmare." She told him, but it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.

"Do you want to try and go back to sleep?" He asked her, running a hand up and down her stomach.

"No, I can't sleep now," She shook her head, and sat up. "I'm hungry," it was rather sudden, and caused Sark to smirk.

"Want me to make you something?"

"Spaghetti?" She asked hopeful. It made Sark laugh.

"Alright, love." Sark pushed himself out of bed and slid on his pants, ignoring her gaze.

"I'm coming," She told him, and pushed herself off the bed. She had pants on, and a tank top, so she didn't need to put anything else on. She ran off the bed and held onto Sark's outstretched hand as they walked out. Aw, they looked like a happy couple, holding hands and walking through the house. No matter that one was a terrorist and the other supposedly worked for the CIA. And no mention that there was a potential jealous ex-boyfriend in the other room. But they could ignore all that.

Sark sat Sydney on one of the stools and began rummaging around in the cupboards for a box of spaghetti and a pot. One he had set up the pot with water and put it on the stove did he look over to her. She was watching him with a strange look in her eyes. "What?" He asked, frowning, not knowing if it was a bad thing, or a good one.

"Nothing," she said smiling.

A few minutes later he placed a plate of spaghetti in front of her, and sat down next to her, with on in front of him as well.

"Yum" she mumbled, "Thank you," she leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek before she looked back at her plate. "Who knew you could be so sweet," she mocked him.

"Yeah, well, just don't let anyone else know," he winked at her. "Eat up, before it gets cold," you didn't need to tell her twice.

She took a bite and smiled. "This is good," she told him, taking another bite.

"It's just pasta, Sydney," he laughed and bite into his own.

"Having a feast without me?" Vaughn asked from the door to his room. He was dressed in an undershirt and a pair of pants. He ignored Sark's naked torso, and walked into the kitchen, leaning on the counter.

"I was hungry," Sydney said blushing. She ignored the worried look Vaughn gave her and shrugged.

"It's okay," he smiled, and watched as they ate. Jealousy started to rear it's ugly head, but Michael swallowed it down, mostly it was because Sydney seemed so… happy with Sark. Like she had once felt happy with him.

But he couldn't think of that now.

No one was tired after they ate, it was just one of those things about eating pasta. It made you not tired, just full. Michael sat on the leather chair, and Sark and Sydney sat on the couch, Sark had his arm around her protectively. She had begun to get that scared hollow look in her eyes again and neither of the men wanted to see her break down again.

They sat quietly for a while before Sydney stood, "I need," she muttered before walking off, they were so startled that neither of them made a move, and they wee about to but then they heard the shower go on.

Both men relaxed visibly, feeling much better that they didn't hear sobbing instead.

"Well," Sark said, unsure of what to do now, not good at small talk, actually he wasn't really good at any talk, not with the CIA at least.

"So," as it would appear Michael wasn't either. So they sat there, listening to the water run in Sydney's room, and they both realized that this wasn't normal. Them, sitting there, not trying to kill each other. Had to say it was more fun when they did, but they knew they couldn't.


Both of them knew that the shower should not have been on for an hour. Girls liked their long showers, but they both knew Sydney would never be in the shower for an hour. Michael followed Sark into the room, but didn't enter the bathroom after him. Figuring that if she were in the shower, it would be a little awkward. "Bloody fucking hell!" Sark yelled exiting the bathroom with an extremely pissed face.

"She's not here!" He yelled to him, and looked around the room. Both of their eyes settled on the open window in the back of the room.

"Damnit," Michael swore, this wasn't good, and she wasn't strong enough to be out by herself.

Sark pulled out his cell phone, he first tried the number Sydney never shared with the CIA, they could hear it ring, looking around they saw it sat on the bedside table, next to her discarded bandages.

Canceling that call Sark called her other one, she didn't know that he had this number. "Who are you calling, now?" Michael asked from behind him.

"The phone she uses for the CIA," he answered, he would explain later.

It rang three times before someone answered. "Hello?" Sydney's voice filled his ears.

"Sydney, where the bloody hell are you?" He demanded, trying to keep his voice calm.

She didn't answer him at first. "I went for a drive." She answered simply. He could hear the traffic in the background.

"Why did you sneak out?" His voice stressed.

"Because you wouldn't have let me gone by myself." She was right, he wouldn't have, he wouldn't have let her out of the bloody house.

"When are you coming back?"

"Later."

"Sydney," he said, sounding more threatening than he had intended to.

"Sark," she replied, meeting fire with fire.

Sark couldn't talk to her, instead he just held the phone out for Michael to take and looked at the floor. He was liable to start yelling at her.

"Hello?" Michael took the phone, unsure about what to say.

"Vaughn?" She sounded confused.

"Yeah it's me, look why don't you just come home and we can forget about this."

"Nope, sorry, look tell Sark not to worry, I'll be fine. And you don't worry either. I'm fine, I just needed to get away." And she hung up.

"She's not coming back is she?" Sark asked him from where he stood, still looking at the floor. But when he looked up he looked incredibly defeated, almost like a small child.

"No," Michael told him, handing him back the phone, which he pocketed.

"I should have known something like this would have happened," he muttered to himself raking his hands through his golden curls.

"How? It's not like she's been with you all that long," he said bitterly, uh-oh. This might not go well. Damnit got to have feisty men

"Excuse me?" Sark said, rather scarily, drawing himself up to face him.

"Nothing," Vaughn muttered, looking away.

"No, you said something about her not being with me that long. In what ways do you consider being together, Agent Vaughn?"

"I said nothing, leave it alone," Vaughn said angrily, not wanting to get into this fight right now.

"If you mean how long have we been working together? Then it had been quite a while, as you were there when it all began. But if you mean how long have we been together intimately, then I'm sorry, Agent Vaughn, I won't be saying anything. Don't be upset that she picked me over you," he told him snidely. Here was the Sark Vaughn knew and loved.

But then again he hated him, so the reaction to that was completely called for, in his mind. Sark didn't expect Michael's fist to come flying to his face though. The punch caught him off guard, but not for long. He quickly gained the upper hand and punch Michael in the stomach. Taking out the gun he had in his pocket, he always had one in his pocket, he pointed it at Michael's head. "Are you sure you want to fight me, Agent Vaughn?" He asked in an icy voice that made Vaughn shudder.

"No," he answered honestly, and not only because he had a gun pointed at his head.

Sark shook his head and pocketed the gun again, "Good, because neither do I."

Sark shook his head and left him there, walking out of the room. Michael sighed and went and turned off the water in the shower.

This was going to make for an interesting story to tell one day.


Sydney didn't stop when she passed the You Are Now Leaving LA sign on the highway. In fact she hardly noticed it. She wasn't tired, but she wasn't paying attention. She felt indifferent to everything that had gone on. The empty feeling made her feel whore, at least more than caring had.

She knew it she was becoming her mother. All she wanted was herself to be happy, even if that meant hurting others she loved. But she couldn't think about that, and she knew that the feeling would go away soon enough, and she would revert to the same old Sydney Bristow soon enough.

She didn't stop until it was five thirty in the morning. Finally feeling the affects of not having slept in a while. She stopped at a small motel outside the highway. It was a dirty motel, but one with beds. So she didn't care, and she knew that it wouldn't cost her all that much.

Throwing her jacket over her arms she cringed as the burned flesh pulled, but quickly got over it. She walked into the main office and waited for someone to come and help her. When no one came five minutes later she became impatient and walked back behind the desk. She took a key from the wall and put twenty bucks on the counter, as that was the going rate for a room, the sign said so. Taking the key, she found that she had gotten the room the furthest away from the building so she drove down there. No one else seemed to be here, but that was because it was early. Judging by all the cigarette butts lying on the ground she figured that this was a great place for whores to take their conquests for the night.

Rolling her eyes she unlocked the door to find a bland room, it wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be, at least the best looked clean. She shut the door behind her and locked it, making sure no one had followed her. Walking into the bathroom she saw that it was less clean than the rest of the place, but she didn't mind, she was used to dirty places.

Sighing she sat on the bed and threw her jacket on the other side. No way in hell was she going to take off anything else save maybe her shoes. And she was not going to get under those covers. No matter how good the room looked.

Sighing she picked her cell phone out of her pocket, dialing the first number that came into her head.

"What?" Answered the gruff voice of Simon Walker.

"Simon, it's me," She said, stifling a laugh. He never was one to like getting calls from numbers he didn't know.

"Oh," he chuckled, "Hey Jules. How're you?"

"Oh I'm fine, all things considering."

"Sark there?"

"No, actually I'm not at my house."

"What?" He yelled, "But you, your not well, I mean, I thought." He paused, "Did you run away again Jules?"

"I've never run away from them, that was only you." She smiled, remembering the last time she ran away from someone taking care of her. It had been last year, and she had been stabbed, but she didn't want to be left out of anything, so she locked Simon and Mark in a room so she could get out.

Simon sighed, "Oh alright, but can I at least call Sark and tell him not to worry, that you'll be home soon?"

"If you want," she chuckled, "Good night Simon," she told him before hanging up the phone. She wasn't going to risk getting Sark angrier with her so she didn't turn it off.

Instead she put it back into her jacket pocket and closed her eyes. She was in for a long day. She drifted off to sleep, one of the best nights rest she had had in a long time.


She awoke several hours later to the sound of banging on her door. Grumbling she got up from her resting place and padded over to the door, pulling her fingers through her tangled hair. She expected to find an angry manager when she opened the door, but no, she got a better surprise.

It was Sark, oh yes, an extremely pissed off Sark, which amused her greatly. He didn't say hello, just pushed past her into the motel room and started looking around. She shut the door gently behind him and rested her back against it. "So, what brings you this far away from LA," she said in a dismissive manner.

Sark turned and faced her, his fists balled at his sides. "What did you think you were doing?" He said in a frighteningly even voice. When she had run from Simon he had been angry, and this reaction startled her.

"I needed to get out," she shrugged, not moving form her position on the door.

"Yes, but running away? God are we in high school?" He asked her, cold laughing coming from him.

"Could be, you never know," she told him tilting her head. "How'd you find me?"

"How'd I find you? Hmm, well, one I knew what your car looks like; I've seen it enough to recognize it anywhere. And two, I just got lucky driving."

She shook her head, "Did Simon call you?"

"Yes, I found it rather interesting that you seem to have a habit of doing this."

She shrugged, not really wanting to play this game with her. She pushed herself off of the door and brushed past him and walking into the bathroom. He followed her, "I'm not letting you slip out of the damn window again," he muttered when he caught her look.

"Fine," she said and shrugged, stripping. She needed a shower, and so she was going to take one, him watching or not. "Perv," she muttered, laughing as she saw him look up and down her naked body.

If Sark heard he said nothing, instead he stood and stepped closer to her. They had been close enough already in the cramped bathroom, but now they were closer, their chests brushing against each other's lightly. He looked down at her; his angry subsiding not that he was this close to her.

Before either of them knew it they were kissing, hands running along the length of their bodies. She pushed off his shirt with such passion he had never experienced before. They didn't think they had ever wanted each other as much as they had at that moment.

Pulling back and grinned Sydney stepped into the shower; she kept the shower curtain and ran her hands up and down her body under the spray. Sark wasted no time in getting the message, within seconds he was naked and in the shower, covering her with kisses. His hands never leaving her body as he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

He pushed her up against the wall of the shower and thrust into her. Not gently, because he didn't want to and he knew she didn't either. She met his thrusts with small ones of her own with equal passion. Her mouth was latched onto his neck and he took one of her breasts into his mouth, nibbling on it gently.

She was almost over the edge and so was he, he sped up, she thrust down harder and they came together, climax rushing through their bodies as they cried out each other's names. The climax leaving them both gasping for air and sagging against each other. Neither had experienced anything like that before, and they both had liked it.

It was then, after such rough sex did they both realize the exact same thing; they were in love, with each other. Truly, madly and deeply in love, with the person who had once been their biggest enemy. And they were scared, sure they had been in love before, Sydney with Danny and Sark with Allison, but this love surpassed those. They didn't know what to do, it wasn't like they could just up and leave the spy world and live happily ever after for the rest of their lives.

No they had made to many enemies in their lives, and not to mention the people who would be angry with Sydney for leaving with who she left with. Mainly her father, one man whom Sark didn't want to have after him. Not that he wasn't already just that would be different.

They clung to each other, the forgotten shower beating against Sark's back. Sydney wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, pressing her lips against his. Not as forcefully as before, but just as passionate.

Sark reached behind him and turned off the shower, it wouldn't be needed. He carried her into the other room and they all but fell onto the bed clawing at each other. They didn't bother with sheets, but instead Sydney rolled them over so she was on top. Straddling his waist she grinned down at him before she sat down on him and started thrusting up and down.

Reaching up his held her breasts in her hands and kneed them together, all the while meeting her thrusts. Just before he was pushed over the edge she stopped and rolled off of him, causing him to whimper.

She just smiled at him devilishly and kissed his lips. He took the opportunity to roll over on top of her, causing her to giggle. He thrust into her rather quickly, and she gasped, and then grinned, biting down onto his shoulder. He came a few thrusts later, and she followed him. He collapsed against her, and rolled off, she came with him and winded up laying over his chest, planting small kisses along his chest.

A while later he let out a satisfied sigh, "Are you still mad at me?" Sydney asked him, resting her chin on his chest.

He shook his head, "I'm all anger free," he said, bending down to kiss her lightly on the lips.

"Good," she smiled, hugging him tighter. Sark looked over at the clock; it was almost six o'clock and beginning to get dark.

"We should go soon," he murmured softly, looking wistfully out the window. Sydney scrunched up her face but didn't say anything. They lay there for five minutes before Sydney pushed herself up.

She walked into the bathroom and returned carrying her clothes and his clothes. She set her on the bed nicely, but his she threw at him. Laughing. "Oh, that's mature," he said, and shot up off the bed and before she knew it he was tackling her and tickling her.

"Stop!" She squealed, laughing hysterically as he tickled her.

He finally did stop and stood, still naked and held a hand down to her, "But seriously, we should get going." He grinned and grabbed for his pants, slipping them on.

They got dressed and left the motel, it looked used now, and all the whores that had gathered around the entrance were shooting glares at them. "Where's your car?" She asked him when she saw only his.

He shrugged, "I didn't drive," he said mischievously, winking at her, as they got into her car, not bothering to go return the key, but just leaving it in the doorway. They settled into her car, Sark behind the wheel and his hand on Sydney's knee. They didn't talk all the way back to LA, but they were content, figuring out what they needed to say, and how to say it.

They reached Sydney's house faster with him driving than they would have with her driving, mainly it was because he drove like he was a madman.

Before they had a chance to open the door it swung open with an angry looking Vaughn behind it, "Where the hell have you been?" He almost yelled at them. It was as if they were teenagers who had just been caught by their father.

Shrugging Sydney walked past him into her house and pulled Sark along behind her. "We got caught up," she said happily. Sark laughed and shook his head.

Michael paid no attention, but didn't say anything else. "Your father called," he told Sydney, "I told him you were sleeping." He didn't like lying to Jack because frankly Jack scared him.

"Thanks," she told him, sitting down on the couch. Sark sat down next to her as she reached for her phone and dialed her father's number.

"Bristow," he answered curtly.

"Hi, dad, it's me." Not that anyone else would call him dad, but okay.

"Sydney," he said, his voice becoming less angry, "How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Vaughn said you called earlier."

"Oh yes," he paused, "It's about Lindsey," hearing that name she instantly got stiffer, paler, and Sark pulled her closer to him.

"What about him?"

"He was imprisoned, I wasn't given details, but they found enough evidence about him to find him guilty."

"That's really good, dad," she said, trying to sound happy about this, even when she thought he should be dead. "Is that all?"

"No, there was one more thing," he paused and it sounded like he was shuffling through some papers. "Have you seen or heard from Sark at all since we released him?"

Sydney looked directly at Sark and lied to her father, "Nope, haven't seen him."

"Oh," he seemed disappointed.

"Why?"

"No reason, we just were wondering, we thought he would have shown up somewhere, but he hadn't not really. We are worried he might be the next big thing after the Covenant."

She shrugged, even though he couldn't see it. "Nope, sorry."

"Oh well, we'll just have to wait and see. We still need to find out who Simon Walker's employer it," Sydney grinned when her father said this. "Oh yeah, there was one more thing, Dixon and I think you should take a break."

"A break, how long of a break?"

"Two weeks,"
he said, looks like they had already planned this out.

"Ah, two weeks, can I leave the country?"

"If you want to, we just think you should have some down time before you start working again," he didn't have to add before you start working with Lauren again.

"I want to go to London," she told her father.

"Alright, I can get you a flight, and you can decide where you want to stay. I'll get you a flight for London tomorrow." He really was a good father; he just didn't know how to deal with a daughter that was potentially not well that much.

"Thank you dad." She faked a yawn, "I think I'm going to go back to bed."

"All right, I'll drop off your ticket later tonight, give it to Vaughn or you, who ever is awake. Sleep well," he said before he hung up.

She set the phone on the table and tucked her legs under her, "I'm going to London tomorrow, for two weeks," she told them.

"Why?" Vaughn asked, Sark didn't need to know why he was just happy that she was going back with him. Not that he would have left her there.

"Because I need a break," she shrugged, "That's what Dixon and my dad decided. So I'm not to go into work for two weeks." She looked around and stretched, "He's bring the ticket he gets me over tonight."

Sark wrapped his other arm around her, "Are you going to sleep tonight? Or do you want to stay up?"

She nestled into his arms and shrugged, "I don't care, a mixture of both, I guess." She looked up at Vaughn, "You don't need to stay here," she told him and he understood she wasn't being mean or anything, "You can go back to Weiss's."

Vaughn thought it over and nodded, "Yeah, I think I will." He stood when the doorbell rang. Both Sydney and Vaughn looked at Sark who looked towards the door.

"I think I'll go be in some other room," he told them both as he walked into Sydney's bedroom, shutting the door behind him. Vaughn walked over and opened the door and saw that it was Jack.

"That was fast," Sydney remarked from her spot on the couch.

Jack shrugged and walked into her house, "Yeah well, you find the CIA has their good qualities." He said as he held up the ticket, "Eight thirty flight," he said as he put the ticket on her hall table. "It's an open ended ticket, so you can come home whenever.

Jack walked over and planted a kiss on his daughter's forehead. "Have fun," he told her, "I'll see you when you get back," he told her, straitening out and walking back towards the door. He nodded at Vaughn on his way out and shut the door behind him.

"That man scares me," Sark said, coming out of the bedroom.

Sydney giggled, "He has that affect on people," she told him, looking at Vaughn too.

"Well, I'd better get going," Vaughn, said suddenly. He walked into the guest room and grabbed his wallet and cell phone, "Need me," he said walking towards the door, "I'll be next door, literally." He waved to both of them as he walked out, leaving them alone.

It was only eight and neither of them knew what the wanted to do. They were hungry, "Want Chinese?" Sydney asked him as she stood and walked towards the kitchen.

"Sure," he said following her, holding onto her waist.

She got out the menu and handed it to him, "Order whatever you want, and I'll be right back." She told him, kissing him on the cheek.

Nodding Sark looked over the menu and ordered several things of food, knowing that she ate a lot.

She came back a few minutes later, having changed clothes. "It'll be here soon," he told her, as she came out.

She nodded and walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. He returned the favor by snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her closer, they stayed that was for a while, listening to each other breathe and holding each other.

She looked up at him and rested her chin on his chest.

"I love you," she whispered rather suddenly, but it didn't faze him at all, instead he smiled down at her.

"I love you, too," he said quietly and leaned down to kiss her. Looking back down she rested her cheek on his chest. Starting tomorrow they would spend two weeks together, and she wished she could stay like that forever.

A/N : Don't make fun of it... I can't write the sex sences very well >>