Disclaimer: I own nothing of Alias or its characters.

AN: Here's another update, hope you guys like it. I appreciate everyone who has reviewed, and anyone else that wants to review is welcome to do it. I really like the feedback. And now chapter seven.....

"I need to speak to Kendell." Sydney demanded over the phone.

"Kendell here." Kendell answered after a moment.

"Kendell it's Sydney!" Sydney exclaimed.

"Sydney, it can't be." a shocked Kendell answered.

"Kendell listen to me, all you need to know right now is that the Covenant had me. We need to meet, in Rome. Two days from now. That's all I can say right now. I'll call you later with more details. I have to go." she said hanging up the phone. Back in his office Kendell sat in shock. He couldn't believe that Sydney Bristow was alive. Her voice was the same he was sure of it.

Meanwhile Sydney called Vaughn's house to arrange another meeting. Sydney had in her possession a syrum that would help with memory modification. Her plan had been to make Vaughn forget that she was alive. It was painful to think about it but Sydney knew that Vaughn would get in her way, he wouldn't agree with some of the things she had to do and she had to keep him away, safe even if it meant losing him again.

"Hello." a female voice with a British accent answered. "Hello? Is anybody there? Hello?"
Sydney hung up, a look of shock in her face. She recognized that voice. Not as someone she knew before she was taken or someone she knew as Julia. It was during those weeks of torture that she had heard that voice. It was so clear in her mind. This new information meant that her plans were about to change.

She picked up the phone again, this time dialing Vaughn's cell phone.

"Hello." he answered.

"Joey's Pizza." she said.

"Wrong number." he replied.

An hour later Vaughn and Sydney met once again. Sydney was nervous, walking back and forth.

"What is it Sydney?" Vaughn asked.

"Vaughn, Lauren is working with the covenant." she said stopping in her tracks and looking right at him.

"What?" he asked in shock. "What are you talking about, she's Senator Reed's daughter, that's impossible."

"When they took me, they spent weeks breaking me down, torturing me. It was during that time that I met Lauren. Her hair was brown but it was her. Same height, same size, same face. I couldn't really look at her because everytime I looked up Oleg would beat me. But I caught a glimpse of her. I didn't recognize her at first because I only saw her for a moment. But I did hear her Vaughn. I heard her perfectly fine. She and Oleg were talking about her next assignment." Sydney looked up at him.

"Me." he answered.

"She didn't mention your name, she just said she would be keeping tabs on an ex-CIA agent. When I heard her voice this morning I realized that it was her. I started thinking back to that day when I first saw her, like I said it was only for a moment but I know its her. Are you living with her?" Sydney asked.

"No!" he said. "She likes to come by my house a lot. She likes to surprise me and things like that. I never thought it was because she was keeping tabs on me. She's never asked me anything about my time in the CIA. I never thought she would betray me."

"I'm sorry." Sydney said a bit uncomfortably.

"I don't care about her, she was just a girl Eric wanted me to go out with. He said it would be good for me to get out there, so that I wouldn't think about you so much. I just feel so stupid I didn't catch on sooner." he responded.

"Covenant agents are good, they're trained really well. They're very discreet, very professional. They don't have feelings, they just have orders. They're ruthless." she said quietly.

"You speaking from experience?" he asked hesitating for a moment.

"Vaughn, what I did as Julia, you have to know that's all I knew... I didn't remember you, or my life as Sydney. The things I did...."she began.

"Sydney whatever you did, it wasn't you." Vaughn finished for her.

"That's just it Vaughn, I don't know if it wasn't me. The things I did, I knew what I was doing. I didn't know who I was, I didn't have anyone to answer to but that's no excuse. I felt this freedom, having no rules, no boundaries. I did so many things that I'm not proud of but what scares me the most is that a lot of the time I didn't hesitate I didn't feel remorse. I'm so sorry."
she cried.

"Sydney, you were brainwashed into believing you were a killer. You were brainwashed so that you wouldn't feel remorse. It wasn't you." Vaughn said trying to reassure her.

"I wish I could believe that. But I keep thinking that somewhere deep down I wanted to do the things I did, somewhere within me Julia has always existed. I always tried to convince myself that the things I saw, and the things that were done to me and the people I loved hadn't changed me, but I'm not so sure anymore."she said.

"I know you Syd, I know you're a good person and although you feel angry and confused about everything that's happened, don't ever doubt that you are the best thing in my life. Whatever you did as Julia, it was out of your control, you were being controlled by someone else. And maybe you're right, maybe we all have a dark side, but what makes you extraordinary is that you don't let what's happened to you get the better of you." Vaughn said walking to Syd and hugging her.

"When you go back home, act like nothing has happened. Keep track of where she goes and when she goes. Try to go to her house, look for things that can give us information about the covenant and whatever you do be careful." she said kissing him.

"I will." he said.

"I have to go. I'm going to meet Kendell in two days. I'll tell him everything he needs to know except for your involvement. They wouldn't allow it. I need to ally myself with the CIA for now. They can be helpful to me. I'll keep you up to date. For now I don't know when I'll be able to come back, but I will come back. I love you." she said kissing him more passionately.

"I love you too, I'll be waiting for you. Be careful." he said to her as she left. She turned around and smiled at him before leaving.