Round four! Joys!

I know, in Legacy, Vaughn came straight from the hospital to work but for this chap, I changed it so that he went back to work the night before with Syd and Weiss (some people asked that Weiss play and that was in my original plan so props to you guys). I told you that I'd make it a little AU. In case you haven't figured it out, this is set a little bit before Legacy.

Rules of the game are located on Chapter Two.

Responses to reviews are on my livejournal. Click on the homepage link on my author page to access them.

Oh yes and this chapter is dedicated to Julia, one of my bestest Alias buddies cause it's her birthday! Party at her igloo! You know I'm just kidding, Julia. Happy birthday girl!


"I hate paperwork," Eric Weiss whined, breaking the silence that had enveloped all three agents as they worked tirelessly on a mountain of paperwork that had piled up on their desks.

Sydney laughed and dropped her pen, leaning back to stretch her sore arms. "You're not the only one." She answered lightly.

"I could use a drink," He continued, still whining.

"Is drinking all that you think about?" Vaughn asked from his desk, laughing.

"No…" Weiss answered stubbornly. Like he was going to admit to anyone, best friend or no, that all he thought about was alcohol.

"You know…" Sydney said thoughtfully. "There might be a way to get out of paperwork and get a drink." She glanced over at Vaughn, their eyes meeting. They were both thinking the same thing.

Their game.

"What?" Weiss asked, anxious to hear anything and everything that would delay the work and get him drunk.

Vaughn reached into his desk and pulled out a deck of cards and set it on top ofthe desk. "You still have that bottle of tequila in your drawer, right?"

Weiss stared at the cards for a moment before he realized what was going on. He knew what game they were thinking about. "Yeah," He answered, opening the bottom left drawer of his desk and extracting a nearly full bottle of alcohol.

"Wait…" Sydney put in, confused. How the hell did Weiss know about the game? "How do you...?"

She was interrupted by Weiss asking, "Who do you think helped Vaughn come up with the game?"

She stared at him for a moment before turning to Vaughn. "You didn't tell me that Weiss knew how to play."

"You never asked," Vaughn countered, splitting the deck into the thirds and passing out two of the thirds to the other two people.

"True," She admitted.

"We gonna play or what?" Weiss interjected impatiently.

Sydney chuckled. "Since you're so impatient, you can go first."

"Good," Weiss answered, grabbing the top card of his deck. "Three. What kind of crap is this?" He asked rhetorically. Neither Sydney nor Vaughn bothered to answer. "Alright, let's see…Mike, truth or dare?"

"How did I know you were going to pick me?" Vaughn murmured causing Sydney to laugh. "Truth."

"Dude, you're a chicken." Weiss shot at him making Sydney laugh harder. "And how many one night stands have you had?"

"You always ask me that question." Vaughn answered shaking his head ruefully. "And I always respond with none."

"Well, that's because I think that you're lying." Weiss replied.

"It's truth or dare, I can't lie, you idiot." Vaughn shot back causing Sydney to break into a fit of giggles.

"Laugh it up, Syd. Just wait until it'syour turn." Weiss threatened.

Sydney blanched slightly and promptly shut her mouth.

"Alright…six," Vaughn said, turning over a card. "That means Sydney has to take a shot."

Sydney threw him a dirty look before throwing back her shot.

Weiss on the other hand, well he looked hurt. "Mike, the whole reason we're playing this game is so I can get drunk. What the hell?" He whined.

"I wouldn't say it was the whole reason," Vaughn answered. "You forgot about paperwork."

Weiss made a face while crossing his arms over his chest and saying nothing.

Sydney laughed and grabbed her own card. "Queen. I believe that Mr. Weiss is going to owe me ten dollars now."

"Yeah, yeah." Weiss grumbled, taking out his wallet and tossing her a ten dollar bill. "You're both conspiring against me."

"How's that?" Vaughn asked smirking.

"You're a liar who won't help me get drunk and she's taking all of money, that's how." Weiss replied sounding very immature.

Sydney giggled again while Vaughn smiled wistfully.

Weiss mumbled something unintelligible under his breath –neither Vaughn nor Sydney dared ask him what he said in fear that he would repeat it- and grabbed another card. "Jack…well, hand me five big ones boyscout." They seemed to be going in a circle now. Weiss first to Vaughn, then Vaughn to Sydney and then Sydney back to Weiss. Well, at least it was fair.

Vaughn shuddered lightly and handed Weiss his prize. "I really hate when you do that, you know that."

"Do what?" Weiss asked the picture of innocence.

"Call me boyscout. It's weird." Vaughn informed him, suppressing another shudder.

"How is it weird? It's your code name." Weiss answered knowing what Vaughn was talking about. His friend was too easy to bother and creep out.

"It's how you say it," Vaughn explained. He knew Weiss wasn't innocent like he claimed to be and he hated him for that.

"Boyscout," Weiss repeated just to freak his friend out.

"I hate you," Vaughn muttered angrily.

Sydney laughed yet again. She seemed to be full of laughter today. Not that Vaughn was really complaining. It had been too long since he'd last been able to really hear and enjoy her laugh.

Vaughn gave her a quickglare before he picked off another card. "Seven. Take another shot, giggles."

It was Sydney's turn to glare at him. Both because of the nickname he gave her and the fact that she had to take another shot. Twice in row and they'd only just started! This was going to suck.

After she'd taken the shot, Weiss mused aloud, "How is it that she's the only getting the shots?"

"Next one you can take for me," Sydney offered.

Just as Weiss was about to accept, Vaughn shook his head and put in first, "You can't do that. It's part of the rules."

"Well, the rules suck then." Weiss answered, mirroring Sydney's thoughts.

"You helped create them." Vaughn shot at him. "If you hate them so much, blame yourself."

Weiss muttered to himself and once more neither Sydney nor Vaughn dared to ask what he was saying.

Sydney rolled her eyes and grabbed a card. "Two. Truth or dare Weiss?"

"Dare." Weiss answered immediately.

"Since Vaughn is being such a stickler for rules," She started slowly. "I dare you to take a shot."

"I love you Sydney Bristow," Weiss cried, happily accepting his shot from a disgruntled Vaughn. "Marry me!"

Sydney laughed. "Um…no thanks." She answered as best she could through her giggles.

However, she didn't see the unrelenting glare Vaughn was throwing in Weiss's direction. He'd just gotten rid of the wife from hell; he didn't need his best friend proposing –serious or not- to his ex girlfriend he wanted back desperately.

Weiss, on the other hand, noticed the glare and immediately stopped his joking about marrying Sydney in every form. "Right…so…Jack." He said, picking off a card. "That means Mikey has to give me five bucks."

"Do you really have to call me Mikey?" Vaughn asked, handing him the five dollars. "It's really weird."

"Well, it's either boyscout or Mikey. Take your pick." Weiss told him.

Vaughn shuddered. "Fine…Mikey it is."

"Thought so," Weiss chuckled causing yet more giggles out of Sydney.

Throwing her a look, Vaughn grabbed a card. "Ace of diamonds."

Sydney sighed heavily and shrugged off her suit jacket. Both men looked a little put out. For two very different reasons of course. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to strip in the middle of the office."

"No one's around," Weiss reasoned making Vaughn glare at the side of his head.

Sydney blushed and shook her head, dropping her gaze to stare at her desk. "No." She answered quietly.

"Aww…Syd's no fun." Weiss whined.

"Not every girl is a half drunk college girl and she doesn't have to strip anything else if she doesn't want to." Vaughn shot at Weiss, still glaring at him. "Unless she gets another strip card of course," He added as an afterthought.

Sydney gave him a little smile of thanks and turned over her next card. "Nine. See Weiss, you didn't even have to take my shot." She teased.

Weiss laughed, "Thank God for you, Sydney Bristow." She laughed amused as he downed his shot. He wasn't really the one she wanted to be hearing that from.

"Okay…four. Truth or dare Mikey?" Weiss asked, after revealing another card.

"Truth."

"Chicken shit," Weiss coughed, not very discreetly. Vaughn gave him a tired look while Sydney rolled her eyes. "Fine. How many times have you gotten drunk to the point where you passed out where you were standing?"

"You were there for all of them," Vaughn muttered. "And six."

Sydney raised an eyebrow and looked between the two men. "How stupid were your college days exactly?"

"Very."

"Not much."

Well, that was confusing. Vaughn says they were really stupid and Weiss says that they weren't really that stupid. Somehow, she was inclined to believe Vaughn more.

"Five. Syd, truth or dare?" Vaughn asked, snapping Sydney out her thoughts. She saw that while she had been thinking, he had grabbed another card.

"Truth."

"Chicken shit," Weiss coughed for the second time. This time the other two ignored him completely.

"Exactly how many times have you let Weiss get drunk in your apartment?" He asked.

Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?" She asked.

"Just do, doing some research."

"For what?" She asked eluding answering his question.

"Just answer the question." He told her.

She mentally calculated the times. "Fifteen…maybe sixteen." Her memory wasn't so great when she was drunk as well.

"That settles it. Tomorrow, I'm putting you in an AAA program," Vaughn told Weiss.

"Hey!" Weiss frowned. "I don't drink that much."

Vaughn coughed discreetly while Sydney covered her mouth with her to hide her smile.

Weiss glared at them both. "I told you that you two were out to get me." He muttered grumpily.

Sydney rolled her eyes again and reached for a card. "Ten. A shot should make you feel better."

Weiss gave her another glare for her snide remark but downed his shot all the same. "Right so…" He paused as his fingers grabbed another card. "Six. Finally, Mikey has to take a shot. 'Bout time."

Vaughn gave him a weird look while pouring his shot. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked after downing the alcohol.

"Both Syd and me have taken shots," Weiss explained. "It's about time that you did."

"You're just trying to get me drunk." Vaughn muttered.

"Well, it's been five months since I last saw you drink anything alcoholic." Weiss countered. "'Bout time you drink."

Sydney gave Vaughn a weird look. "You haven't drunk? Anything?" During their short time together, he had no problem with a glass of wine at dinner or in their case, a weird shot game on an airplane.

Vaughn shook his head. "Lauren didn't like me drinking," He admitted without thinking about it first. The look on Sydney's face at the mention of wife who turned out to be a traitorous bitch and whohad tortured him with Sark for information immediately told him that he'd said the wrong thing. "Oh wait, that didn't sound right." He corrected immediately.

"But it's the truth isn't it?" Sydney asked doing a pretty good job at hiding her resentment.

"Well, yeah…" He admitted hesitantly.

"Then why are you covering it up?" Sydney pushed.

Her stare made him look down at his desk rather than her. "I don't know. Can we just forget about this?"

"Whatever," She answered shortly.

Weiss looked between them almost able to taste the bitterness coming from Sydney. Not that he really could blame her. The man did pretty much ditch her after less than two years for an evil witch.

"Mikey! Go!" He whined, hoping to break the tension. It worked because Sydney smiled in amusement.

Vaughn welcomed the distraction gratefully and made the mental note to thank his friend later. "King." He said, upon revealing his next card.

Sydney threw him a twenty without comment. While that was nice, he sort of missed her snide remarks when she had to give up money.

"Two," She said after turning over a card. "Truth or dare, Weiss?"

"Dare," Weiss answered a little too enthusiastically.

She laughed. "You know I'm not going to dare you to take a shot, don't you?"

His face fell. "Aww…come on Syd. I'm like your best friend, aren't I?"

"Unfortunately," She muttered loud enough for him to hear.

"Ha. Ha. Come on…dare me to take a shot!" He prodded.

She shook her head. "No…I dare you to…not flirt with that secretary you like so much for two full weeks starting tomorrow."

His expression proved it could fall further. "What? Two weeks? No secretary? Syd!"

She laughed harder. The secretary in question had approached her a few days ago and asked her if she knew how to stop Weiss from flirting with her for at least two weeks. Sydney told her that she'd take care of it. "That's your dare. Learn to live with it."

Weiss mumbled something under his breath and Sydney was sure she had heard him curse her several times in German. This only proved to further her laughter. "Mikey! Make her stop laughing at me!"

Vaughn was too busy watching Sydney laugh with a nostalgic smile on his face to comply with the order. Good Lord had he missed her laughter. It'd been too long since he'd heard it, that much he'd already decided on already that evening. But hey, it never hurt to repeat such a sentiment. "Just draw your next card," He answered.

Weiss cursed him in German as well before drawing another card. "Eight! Ha ha, Mikey has to take another shot!"

Vaughn rolled his eyes and downed his shot. "And you still don't have another one." He reminded.

Weiss narrowed his eyes. "Don't remind me." He muttered.

Sydney was still laughing so Vaughn had to repeat his card that he drew for her. "Syd! I said ten!"

"What?" Sydney asked, stopping in her laughter. "Oh right…give me the shot."

"No fair!" Weiss mumbled irritated.

"Oh, quit your complaining," Sydney chastised after swallowing her shot. "Let's see…four. Truth or dare?"

"Guess I'm going to have to go with truth cause you won't dare me to take a shot," Weiss answered, obviously still pouting.

Sydney rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time. "Out of curiosity, how many one night stands have you had?"

"Yeah, Weiss, how many?" Vaughn put in, smirking knowledgably.

Weiss glared at him before lowering his head and answering in a low but very audible tone. "Three."

Sydney erupted in giggles. From the way he carried on, she would have thought that would have been a higher number.

"Just wait…karma will get you Sydney Bristow," Weiss threatened. The threat fell on deaf ears. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed another card. "Ace of the clubs…aw, man I don't want to see Mikey strip."

Vaughn rolled his eyes and loosened his tie, tossing it onto his desk. "There, just my tie. You can open your eyes now."

Weiss did and shrugged impassively while Sydney looked a little bit disappointed. When Vaughn glanced to her, she lowered her gaze in an attempt to hide her disappointment.

Vaughn smiled and drew another card. "Five. Truth or dare, Syd?"

"Truth," She answered softly.

"The question of the hour: how many one night stands have you had?"

Sydney raised her eyebrow slightly. "None. Just like you."

"You two shame me," Weiss commented sarcastically.

She laughed again and picked off another card. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Umm…dare."

Sydney took a moment to think about it. "This is a pity dare. I dare you to take another shot."

"Yes!" Weiss cried excited. "You are the best woman on the face of the planet Sydney!" He declared before downing the fiery liquid.

"Don't let your secretary friend hear that," She told him.

He shrugged. "She has yet to give me alcohol. You have done so at least four times." He reached for another card. "Nine. Shot for Mikey!"

Vaughn shook his head warily and threw back his shot. "You're taking too much pleasure in me taking shots."

"Yeah, I am." Weiss answered.

Vaughn shook his head again as he grabbed a card. "Queen. Ten dollars, Syd."

Sydney dug around in her purse for a ten but came up with nothing. However, she did come across a twenty. Grinning evilly, she ripped the twenty in half and tossed him the half.

Weiss stared in shock. "You just ripped a twenty."

"Yes." Sydney answered calmly.

Vaughn caught the money and stared at it nostalgia running ramped again. That was one of her fetishes, he remembered. Ripping money. Looking back up at her, he almost asked if she still had the halves of bills from the first three times they'd played the game together. Thankfully he caught himself. Of course she wouldn't still have them. Everything she owned had been burned in the fire.

Maybe he better not mention that he still had his. Even after marrying Lauren, he couldn't bring himself to get rid of them. For that he was very thankful of today.

"She has a fetish for ripping money," He stated.

Weiss frowned. "How the hell do you know that?"

"She told me." Vaughn answered simply.

"Is that true, Syd? You really have a fetish for ripping money?"

Sydney was smiling at Vaughn, the same nostalgia running through her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah, I do. Among other things."

"Other things?" Weiss repeated interested.

"Another truth or dare question," Sydney replied avoiding the issue.

"Mikey, you have to ask her that." Weiss commanded.

"Why?" Vaughn asked evenly. "I already know what her other ones are."

Sydney blushed and tore her gaze away from them.

However, Weiss caught her blush and raised an eyebrow. "I take it they're embarrassing?"

"Hey, it's my turn," Sydney said changing the subject abruptly. She turned over a card before either could get a word in. "Ace of spades. I really don't want to see you strip."

"Course you do," Weiss countered shrugging off his suit jacket. "At least I'm willing to lose the jacket unlike some people with their stupid ties." He added.

"I thought you didn't want to see that," Vaughn answered.

Weiss shrugged. "Wasn't talking about what I wanted." He left the other two to contemplate that as he grabbed another card. "Two. Truth or dare?" He asked monotone.

"Don't sound too excited," Vaughn joked.

"I'll try not to," Weiss answered. "Now…truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Weiss perked up. "Dare you say? In that case, I dare the chaste Mikey to take a shot."

"Seriously?" Vaughn asked though he was pouring the shot nonetheless.

"Yes, now take your dues like the rest of us." Weiss told him.

Vaughn rolled his eyes and took his shot. "I hate you sometimes."

"I know you do." Weiss answered off handedly.

Vaughn decided to ignore him and grabbed a card. "Seven. Shot, Sydney?"

Sydney had been watching their banter with a raised eyebrow. She associated with strange people, she concluded when she downed her shot dutifully. "King, that means Mr. Weiss owes me twenty big ones." She smirked after turning over her top card.

Weiss grumbled and tossed her a twenty. "See? I told you. It's a conspiracy."

"But you're gotten some liquor," Sydney pointed out.

"And some money," Vaughn added.

"Oh, like five shots and ten dollars. Big whoop." Weiss grumbled.

"Stop whining and draw your next card," Vaughn commanded.

Weiss threw him a look but did as he was told. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Dare because you're pouting again."

"I knew pouting would get me something one day," Weiss deadpanned. As if getting Vaughn to say dare because of his pouting was any big catch. Maybe it would be for Sydney but he had his sights set on something higher. Like his secretary friend. "I dare you to…" He paused thinking over his several options. "Ah heck, I'm in mushy sort of mood when I'm drunk. Give Sydney a kiss."

Sydney's eyes widened slightly at the unexpected dare. Her eyes darted back from Weiss and Vaughn rapidly, silently wondering how Weiss could dare Vaughn to do that.

Vaughn noticed her surprise and what looked like nervousness and had to take a deep breath to calm his own nerves. The last time he'd kissed her was…well, it was in North Korea when they thought they were going to die.

Weiss threw him a look that Sydney didn't catch and Vaughn got out of his chair to close the short distance between their desks. She looked up when he approached and their eyes locked.

"On the lips," Weiss coughed.

Sydney smiled a little when he made his remark and helped close the distance between hers and Vaughn's lips. The kiss was simple, short, almost friendly. Almost because neither one wanted to pull back when they did. But with Weiss in the room and the over powering tension about Lauren barricaded between them, that really wouldn't be a good idea.

"You two kiss like nuns," Weiss said sardonically.

"Well, you're in the room." Vaughn told him, returning to his own desk and sitting back down. "Kind of a mood killer."

Weiss gave him a dirty look. "Gee, thanks."

"Anytime." Vaughn responded off handedly as he turned over his next card. "Jack."

"First you kiss her crappily and then you take her money," Weiss admonished. "Shame on Mikey."

"Weiss, do me a favor and shut up." Sydney commanded, tossing Vaughn a five dollar bill. No ripping money this time around.

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Weiss said.

Sydney raised an eyebrow at him, giving him a very Jack-like glare. That glare must be a Bristow thing. "Good." She said when he didn't say anymore. "Eight. That really ought to shut you up."

Weiss grinned and took his shot. "Can't argue with that logic."

Sydney smiled. "Thought so."

"Alrighties…" He said drawing another card. "Nine. I think drinking makes Mikey more talkative."

"I think drinking makes you an ass," Vaughn muttered taking his shot.

"I love you too Mikey," Weiss said sing song like.

Sydney laughed. "I think drinking makes you more friendly."

"See? That's the kind of support that I want," Weiss said beaming at Sydney.

"I don't think she meant friendly in a good way," Vaughn pointed out.

Weiss frowned, never thinking of this possibility before. "Well, that sucks."

"Only for you," Vaughn responded as he grabbed his next card. "Queen."

"Someone's greedy tonight," Weiss put in.

Sydney laughed while handing Vaughn his money. "Somebody's making a lot of snide remarks tonight."

"It's the alcohol," Both Vaughn and Weiss answered her at the same time causing her to laugh harder. The two men exchanged a look, both smiling.

Sydney slowed her laughter enough to grab another card. "Four. Truth or dare Weiss?"

"Truth," Weiss answered without thinking about it. "No wait! I mean dare!"

"You can't change your mind," Vaughn informed him.

"Damn." Weiss muttered.

Sydney smiled triumphantly. "Alright. Who taught you how to drink like you do?"

"No one," Weiss answered proudly. "Unless you can't a whole bunch of college frat parties."

Vaughn chuckled. "The sad thing is, he's not lying."

Weiss gave him a tired look and turned over a card. "Eight. Ha!"

Vaughn raised an eyebrow after taking his shot. "What? It's just a shot." He asked nonchalantly.

"I hate when you do that," Weiss muttered.

"Do what?"

"Act like nothing's a big deal to you," Weiss replied. "It's annoying."

"Well, I hate when you call me Mikey. We're even." Vaughn answered.

Sydney's laughter was interrupted by her cell phone starting to ring. "Hello?...Oh hey Marshall…that was tonight?...of course I didn't forget…I'm on my way…tell Carrie hi for me…see you soon." She hung up and looked at the two men with a guilty smile. "I promised Marshall that I'd watch Mitch for him while he and Carrie went out for their first dinner date as husband and wife."

Vaughn nodded. "That's nice of you."

"It's Marshall," Sydney shrugged. "His gadgets have saved my life countless times. This is my way of paying him back." She stood up and gathered her purse and coat. "You two can clean up right?"

They both nodded.

"Thanks," She smiled.

"Word of the wise, don't drive yourself over there," Weiss called after her. "Take a cab!"

"I was planning on it!" Sydney called back. Then she was gone.

Weiss turned to Vaughn and smiled. "Turn over your next card."

Vaughn frowned. "Why?"

"Just do it."

Vaughn sighed and turned over his next card. "The Ace of hearts." He mused wistfully.

Weiss was silent for a moment before he asked, "Now that your wife is a backstabbing bitch who tortured you, you're going to go after Syd right?"

Vaughn smiled and started to clean up the mess on his desk. "Soon," He answered softly just loud enough for Weiss to hear and he did.


A/N: My plans for the next and final chapter is for it be during season four. I know that some people haven't gotten the fourth season yet. I heard that Australians get it in like April. (can someone give me a more exact date perhaps?). I imagine that a lot of people want to stay spoiler free, so because of that, I'm putting this story on hold for a little while until I'm sure that I'm not spoiling anyone.