Vaughn's hand kept caressing her shoulder to confort her. Sydney's head was still in his shoulder needing something to support her, needing to tuch him. After some minutes or even hours she raised her head and looked him in his eyes.

Are we going to be okay?

He hesitated for a moment. He didn't know what to tell her. Vaughn's answers were always "yes Sydney, you can do it", "yes Sydney, you'll destroy them", "yes Sydney we'll win". But this time he couldn't answer her that way, it was different, there was nothing she could do… or nothing he could do. It didn't depend on them. Either they were sick or not.

He didn't answer her and just move his eyes to his lap. Vaughn careful took his hand from Sydney's shoulder while she leaned hersefl against the wall, crossing her legs. He noticed she had tensed up and without moving from his position he looked at her.

It is not your fault Sydney.

She faced him with a confused look. Obviously Vaughn knew her very well, for months they had developed a strong relationship, but how did he know that was exactly what she was thinking?

- You were there because of me

She told him without facing him.

No! I was there because I chose to be there. Because it's my job to help to a safer world.

She didn't say anything. After all neither her or him would change their minds,

- You should rest Sydney. You seem tired and this will probably take some time.

- I don't want to… not now.

Vaughn had already learned when to argue with Sydney Bristow… and that wasn't one of those times. Besides, to be honest to him he didn't want her to sleep; he wanted to be there with her just chatting. At least, they were save, which didn't happen a lot.

- My father's audience is today.

Sydney told him in a whisper.

- I know… Your father is an important asset to the agency, Sydney. I think they will have that in consideration. We need him.

- What he did Vaughn … I don't know what to think or what to feel.

She paused for a brief moment and Vaughn didn't interrupt her, he understood Sydney needed to talk about it.

At first I blamed him. I felt angry Vaughn. He had deceived us. He had betrayed us. And he could have got us killed.

Vaughn wasn't certain, but it seemed she was crying, and he hated it, he hated to see her cry.

- But on the other hand, I understand what he did. All this situation is hard for him. I've never seen my father so lost, or so scared Vaughn. I can't even try to imagine what it feels like beeing betrayed the way he was, by the woman he loved, by his wife.

- He did it for you Sydney. He doesn't want you to get hurt again.

- No, he did it for him, to protect him…

- And to protect you…

- Protect me from what? From Knowing what he had done to me when I was a child? That he had used me? That …

She was crying now, and Vaughn could notice the anger growing on her.

- Protect you from getting hurt by her again Sydney. You know it.

- I've lived with her death for years. She already hurt me a lot, now I'm just using her to destroy SD-6.

- Yes you are. But at the same time you're rebuilding a relation with her again.

- I …

- She's your mother, You don't need to feel guity about it.

Vaughn looked her in the eyes as she breathed.

- For years I wanted nothing more than to have a really family. That somehow my father would come back home every night and… and have dinner with me, and I would tell him about my day. My mother … would be alive, cooking for us… reading my favourite books and we would talk about everything…

She sobbed and he stayed there just listning her.

- And now, for the first time… for the first time in years they are here, they are with me. Not the way I dreamt about, but it's almost enough. It's just … after my mom died I was always alone. Even at school, I never had lots of friends. Things just changed when I went to SD-6 … I don't know, I think I became more confident. But still … there was something missing. It was them… and their love.

She paused and looked at her hands. Vaughn did the same thing she had done before. He leaned himself against the wall and positioned him by her side. She looked at him and continued...

- Now they're here again. And without even noticing I'm starting to think that things can be like they were before. And… and I can talk to them and be their daugheter.

There aren't a lot of people I can trust, or that know all the truth about me. I… I trust my father and I'm starting to trust my mother. That's what I'm scared of.

Vaughn didn't know what to tell her, but he didn't have to tell her anything because before he knew it Sydney asked him something.

Why did you do that?

He looked at her confused.

- What!

- Why did you saved her Vaughn? You could have not told anything and she would be dead by now.

He had asked himself the same question. Why had he been so willing into proving that Irina Derevko was innocent? If he hadn't done anything the person he most hated in his life would be dead.

- It was the right thing to do.

- So, you believe her…

- No Sydney. You know how I feel about your mother. But there are some priorities in my life. And in this moment my priority is to help you to destroy the Alliance, and your mother is helping us. She probably has her own endgame… but she is helping us. And since she is in our custody we have acomplished more than we ever did. That's what matters to me. That's what I need to focus.

I never wanted this to happen to your father… and… and I'm not saying that Irina Derevko isn't going to betray us. But what I know is that right to now she is our ally.

- Life is ironic isn't it?

- Yeah… sometimes it is.

- It's hard for you isn't it? Working with her … seeing her alive.

- I'm not going to lie and tell you that's easy to handle it, That I can do it without feeling anything. While she is there… alive… my dad died almost 20 years ago… Bu t … as I told you before I have my priorities. You're safety… the world's safety… is more important.

- How was your relationship with your father?