A/N: Here's the next part of the chapter. Oh, I'm changing Lauren and Vaughn's apartment to a house in this story (I think they owned a house in the show, anyway.) I'll edit that in the last chapter. Sorry for the sloppiness. Other than that, I'm happy with the way this chapter turned out, so I hope you like it, too!

Chapter 2: Plans Interrupted – Part II

Syd POV

'Lauren? What does he want to discuss with me about Lauren?'
I try to hide the feeling of complete surprise as I ask, "What about her?"

Dixon walks to the chair facing where I am sitting and grips the back of it, looking down at the seat and closing his eyes as he bites down on his lower lip while seeming to search for the words to make this easier.

Needless to say that he has me worried now. "Dixon, what is it?"

He glances up at me, and I find that his previous look of worry has morphed into one of utter betrayal, anger seething from his eyes nearly as greatly as when I tried to talk to him among the remains of SD-6. But his glare is different this time; I feel him looking at me, but it seems as if he doesn't see me, as if he is looking at an entirely different person...Suddenly, I know what he is going to say even before he utters a single word, but that does nothing to prevent the shock from actually hearing him speak.

"She is the mole."

Vaughn POV

As I watch Sydney enter the building, I take a cleansing breath before starting to head back to my house, an unsettling sensation taking residence in the pit of my stomach, providing only a taste of what I imagine I'll feel when I return to my former home.

As much as I love Sydney, my time with Lauren is not something that I can just ignore or forget. She pulled me out of the mess that I had made of myself and made me want to feel again. I did love her and did share a love with her that I will carry for the rest of my life. But the fire has left my feelings for her; its intensity had never matched the eternal flame in my heart lit and fueled by Sydney, and I no longer have either the energy or the patience to attempt to spark the dead embers.

Nevertheless, I am grateful for what Lauren and I shared, and while I still don't regret moving on with my life, there will always be a part of me that will lament thinking that getting married had to be the next step in our relationship.

I pull up into our driveway, relieved to some extent that Lauren is at work, but at the same time, disappointed that even after I have removed the evidence of my life here from this place, all the things that have been left unsaid between us will still need to be resolved at another time. I desperately want it to be sooner rather than later; the fog that had closed in on me when Sydney disappeared was steadily dissipating with Lauren's help, but with everything that transpired in the last few months, I had been abandoned once again to wander my way through the murky mist, receiving help from neither Sydney nor Lauren, opposing women from opposing times – my past and present. I know now that Sydney is my future, but the tumultuous present will refuse to fade to a settled history until the lingering clouds are driven away and Lauren and I both know that our time is no more.

I decide to start with clearing my stuff out of what I believe will be the most emotionally difficult room – the bedroom. I might as well take the plunge into the cold, deep end instead of wading through the shallow waters; I just want to get this over with.

As I take out my couple of suitcases from the closet, I notice that one of Lauren's suitcases isn't where it normally is and some of her clothes are missing – a few of her tank tops and dark blouses, as well as a couple of skirts and pants. I find this a bit odd, seeing as how I'm the one who is moving out, but I don't really think much of it until I put the suitcases on the bed and see that our small wedding photo is missing from the nightstand.

Something definitely doesn't feel right as I pull open a few dresser drawers and find some of Lauren's undergarments missing too. For a few seconds, I think that maybe she had a sudden trip scheduled, but realize that she has taken more clothes than she normally would for a one or two day job. I'm worried that she'll be gone for more than a few days, and we won't have a chance to talk as soon as I had hoped. But that missing picture doesn't fit into any of this...

I decide to call Weiss and see if he has any idea about what is going on.

Syd POV

I leave Dixon's office in a daze, part of me wondering how the hell our world could have ever gotten as screwed up as it is, the other part still spinning dizzily as it attempts to process the horrifying information that Dixon just presented me...

'Lauren's what?!' my mind screamed, the noise in my head outweighing my ability to speak at the moment. I continued to stare at Dixon, I'm sure with an expression of some similarity to that which was on his face, but with a greater level of disbelief. "Are we certain of this?" I finally managed. From the look on his face, I knew that this news was much more than a hunch, but I needed to hear him explain it.

"Yes," he stated simply. "Senator Reed was found dead in his hotel room here. Preliminary forensics declared it suicide, but evidence proving that it was actually murder was uncovered later. Lauren and her mother put on a convincing charade and took immediate leave ostensibly to inform some close friends in London of the Senator's untimely death. We had no evidence at the time against either of them, and it wasn't until this morning that Counterintelligence discovered incriminating evidence of Ms. Reed's work as a mole."

Dixon paused, gauging my reaction, and sat down in the chair that he had been tightly gripping. I could feel deep-seated resentment quickly growing within me – evidence of it probably already showing on my features – of how Lauren could have fooled me so easily, and some anger at myself for allowing her to fool me so easily. 'I was a double agent for nearly two years! I should have seen the signs... I should have known... but I was too hung up with my own problems... with Vaughn... and now... Oh God, what is this going to do to Vaughn?!'

"Sydney, you can't blame yourself," Dixon cut into my racing thoughts. "We were all fooled."

I merely nod, not really hearing him as I ask my next most pressing question. "Dixon, why are you telling me this? Shouldn't Vaughn be the one..."

"Yes, obviously he needs to be informed... From what I understand, you two are becoming close again," he stated almost hopefully, giving me a glimpse of the Dixon I once knew and causing me to wonder at his sudden change of subject.

I hesitated in answering, trying to decipher his meaning. "Yes, but what does this have to do with--Oh... you want me to tell him."

Dixon nodded once, looking grateful that he didn't have to outwardly ask me for this favor. "I thought that he might not take the news as badly if you are the one to break it to him. It could be easier for you two to discuss this at home or somewhere else privately, rather than calling him in to talk about it here. I know that this is work-related, but I also know how personal this is for him... and you."

I found myself looking at Dixon in wonder at his complete loyalty to me and the people I care about. Two years ago, a speech like this coming from him would have never fazed me. But ever since I returned, it was becoming harder by day to not picture him as a certain uncompromising former boss.

"Sydney," he broke in again, noticing my hesitation. "I'm not Kendall. Personal takes precedence over professional in my book, especially in dire times. Becoming the Director of this task force hasn't changed that. But, if you don't feel comfortable--"

"No, I'll do it," I answered quickly. "Thank you," I added more gently, smiling a little.


I wander back to my desk slowly, my mind gradually transitioning from consummate anger toward our most recent traitor to anxious disbelief that I'm going to be the one to tell Vaughn that his wife is more of a bitch than I would have ever thought. Just as I am about to sink into my chair for a minute to get a handle on myself, Weiss approaches me, regarding me worriedly.

"Hey, Syd. You all right?... Oh, you just heard, didn't you." He starts to place a comforting hand on my shoulder, but he quickly stops himself at the sight of my glare.

"You knew?! When? Why didn't you... What... I don't believe this!"

"Whoa, Syd, calm down. We were all informed this morning. Half of the office is already working on tracking Lauren down, and the other half is recalling conversations anyone's had with her, compiling lists of intel that may have been compromised, looking for any possible clues. Just sit down for a second," he says, leaning on the desk after pushing me gently into my chair.

"I'm sorry. This is a lot to take in right now, but... I have to keep it together for Vaughn's sake," I mutter the last part to myself quietly enough that I don't think Weiss hears me. "Eric, Dixon wants me to tell Vaughn about Lauren. I agreed to do it, but only because I don't want Vaughn to be any more hurt or embarrassed than he has to be... but what was I thinking?! How am I going to tell him that his wife is a liar and a traitor and a murderer and..."

"Ex-wife, Syd... Ok, soon-to-be ex-wife. No, wait, future ex-partner of an annulled marriage... Whatever, at least now he'll have reason to really act like a man out of a failed marriage, because he was being way too mature for a guy stuck between two women..."

"Weiss, I'm serious! What am I going to do?"

"I know. But you'll think of something. You always do," he encourages with a small smile just as his phone rings.

"Hey, buddy," he answers, mouthing 'Vaughn' to me. "No, Lauren didn't have a trip scheduled. No, I don't know where she is," Weiss says, looking to me to see how I want to handle this.

I gesture to him to give me the phone, taking a deep breath. "Vaughn, it's me. Where are you?"

"At home... uh, at Lauren's place. Syd, what's going on?"

"I'll be there in a few minutes. Don't go anywhere. We need to talk."

TBC