SSB's note: Ah well, it's been a long time on this story too. I should feel bad, but I'm in too horrible of a mood to do so. Effing family vacations. I hate them so much.

Sydney's POV

I wonder if taking deep breaths and thinking calm thoughts will help me comprehend the words that just came out of Vaughn's mouth any easier.

No, doesn't look like it.

That means I'm going to have a fit in about twelve seconds. Actually make that two. "D-did you just…?"

He nodded slowly, seeming to understand my question before I even asked it.

"And y-you're sure…?"

Another nod.

Okay… let's try the deep breath thing just to see where that takes us. In…and out… in… and out… and this really isn't working.

I have a sister. I have a sister. I have a sister. I have a sister. This shouldn't freak me out considering my family's track record (dad in spy business who lied to me about it for most of my life and mom that well, to put it shortly was a backstabbing witch) but still. A sister.

I wonder how old she is. Or where she is. And what she's being doing these past… well, I have to know how she is before I can get a year number. Wait a minute… how long has Vaughn known about such sister and how long has he decided not to tell me?

"Vaughn?"

"Mmn?" Huh, he sounded a little afraid there. Good.

"How long have you known?"

"About a couple hours," He admitted. Of course, he hesitated before and hesitation means one thing. He was lying. Another clue to the fact that he was lying? He looked left. People look right when they're remembering, they look left when they're creating.

"How many days before those couple of hours?" I asked slowly.

Ah ha! He was staring at the ground and shifting his weight. He was lying the little… "One day."

Huh, not the answer I was expecting. I was expecting something along the lines of a week or three or five days or more than one. Two days even. Not freaking one. I can't be as mad at him now. Not really sure why I would want to be mad at him but whatever. Stop judging me.

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure."

There, I didn't like his tone. That sarcastic 'I'm better than you' tone. I hate it and now I have a reason to be mad at him. Why do I need reason to be mad at him? Alright, we're going to try not being mad at Vaughn and see how that works out for us. I'm referring to myself in plural form now.

"Where is she?" I asked finally.

That question startled him for he gaped at me for a couple seconds. "I don't know," He admitted quietly.

Alright, next question. "How old is she then?"

"I don't know," He shrugged.

Okay… not helping me here any. "Um…h-how… I mean… who…" Damn this question was hard.

"Your mother," He murmured.

I wasn't able to stop my mouth from falling open for two reasons. One because my mother was the one who gave me a sister. I guess that could be expected considering her thirty year disappearance. And then because Vaughn seemed to reading my thoughts. He knew the exact question I was trying to ask. Now that I liked.

"If you don't know her age or where she is… then how can you be sure I have a sister?" I reasoned. Maybe this was just all a big misunderstanding. Yes. I like that answer.

He fidgeted for a couple seconds more before shrugging. "Weiss seems to think you really do have one."

Wait a minute. Weiss knows? How does Weiss know? Why does Weiss know? How come Weiss gets to know before me? I'm the one with a new relative here. I deserve to be told first. "What ever gave him that impression?"

"He's the one with the file," Vaughn answered calmly. "And the one who told me."

Oh.

Damn.

Note to self; find Weiss within the next twenty four hours, demand that he tell me everything and anything he knows about my sister and refuse to let him go until he tells.

"You could have informed me of this earlier," I pointed out. Maybe then I wouldn't have gone through that moment where I wanted to rip out your jugular vein.

"Didn't really give me the chance to, Syd," He replied. Okay, that tone of his was really starting to get on my nerves. He has not right to be calm and collected. Not when I'm about to have a fit. Or was going to have a fit. Not entirely sure anymore. My headache's getting worse.

"Vaughn?"

"Hm?"

"Do you have any aspirin?"

He gave me a soft smile and nodded. "Lots, actually."

I laughed, cringing to myself afterwards. Didn't mean to sound that nervous and high pitched. I must be closer to that breakdown than I thought. "Can I have some?"

It was his turn to laugh as he nodded. "Yes." He replied. "You look like you need it."

I gave him a hard look, silently telling him that that wasn't funny. "Can you get the twins and unpack the car for me?" I asked, turning the look into one of the twins' infamous puppy dog faces.

-break-

Vaughn's POV

"Can you get the twins and unpack the car for me?"

Let me see, I just told you that you have a sister and you neither threw anything at me, yelled (much), nor tried to kill me. I should be on my knees thanking you right about now. But I won't. Because I'll probably get kicked.

I still can't really believe it. She looked like she wanted to kill me… and then all of the anger was just gone. What happened to the Sydney that would yell and attempt to throttle me if I kept information from her? That Sydney I could handle. That Sydney I know how to defend myself against.

But this Sydney, the one that did not yell and did not attempt to cut off my air supply. This one I can't defend myself again. Especially when she's giving me that puppy dog look that I know she had to have learned from the twins. I am defenseless against this Sydney. I can't yell back at her. And I certainly can't grab her wrists and shake her until she stops being so damn… there are no words to describe what she is.

And now she wants me to watch two hyper four year olds, while unpacking her things from her car, while she does what? Sit around, mourning her sore head? Sounds like so much fun, that I think I want to die right now to avoid it all.

I put on a smile and nodded again. "Of course."

Sydney gave me a smile and kissed my cheek. "I'll make it up to you, I promise." She whispered.

"I'm going to hold you to that," I answered.

"Mn, looking forward to it," She replied, giving me a small wink as she grabbed my keys out of my pocket. "Which one are you again?"

"3B."

"Thanks again," She called over her shoulder, heading off for my apartment building leaving me all alone to fend with two four year olds and a car full of suitcases. I wonder if I just leave the suitcases in the car til tomorrow morning, what she'll do to me. It was tempting. But there's probably something in them that she doesn't want to sit in a car in L.A. all night. Damn.

"Mhm," I muttered turning to the car. Well, that looked like one suitcase full car. Lovely. That was going to take me several trips, at least. How am I supposed to watch two four years and do that at the same time?

I considered for a moment calling Sydney back out here to help me. No, she had a headache. And she's been driving with two loud children for two days straight. I'll just do this for her. There'll be a time in the future when she can do something for me.

Now what to do about my currant predicament. Thinking, I tapped my finger against my other forearm, staring at the car. I wonder…

"Anya! Chris!" I called, stilled staring at the vehicle in front of me. "Come here!" I added, this time glancing over my shoulder at them.

"Okay!" came the answer at the two disengaged themselves from the swing set, Anya tripping in the process. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing softly. If she was anything like Sydney (which from my limited time around her, she was) then she would have hit me. Not something I really look forward to, you know?

"Daddy… w'at is it?" Chris asked as Anya came up beside him. Both were looking up at me expectantly.

"Want to help me with something?" I asked, giving them both a smile.

Four eyes lit up immediately. "Yes!" They cried in unison. Twins. They never ceased to amaze me.

"Okay." I replied, putting one hand on each child's shoulder and leading them towards the car. And this is where my plan comes into play. "I want both of you to grab a suitcase and take up it to my apartment, okay?"

Yes, they would have to carry the suitcases up stairs and then drag them down a hallway… and then probably run back down here but I'm desperate. There's no way I can get them all by myself and still keep an eye on them. This way, I'll know what they were doing for sure.

"Okay!" And you can't say that I forced them either. They were willing participants in this endeavor and that's all the proof I need.

I gave them another smile, opening the trunk of Sydney's car. Alright, let's see. Which one of these looked the lightest? See, I'm not a horrible guy here. They'll have light suitcases. Finally I settled on handing each of them a light duffle bag and a pillow. I took two of the bigger suitcases and the three of us headed back towards my apartment.

"You put them to work?" Sydney asked raising an eyebrow when the twins and I came in on our second trip carrying suitcases in. She raised an amused eyebrow at me, a glass of water in one hand.

"Of course not," I replied. "They volunteered."

Sydney laughed softly her eyes on our children who were dumping their loads in my living room. Alright then. New, mild tempered Sydney. Something I need to learn to get used to. "You put four year olds to work," She repeated softly.

"Oh alright fine. I did." I told her as the twins came back towards the small foyer. "And I have no shame about it either."

"Oh no, don't," She replied, leaning in before adding, "I do it too."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Ah, no guilt then."

"No guilt," She repeated.

"How's the head?"

"Better."

"Good enough to help me bring in your luggage?"

She smiled slowly and shook her head. "No. But enough to where you don't have to slave drive the twins anymore. I'll put them to bed."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah," She replied softly. "It's the least I can do for my bag boy."

I laughed softly, giving her a quick kiss. "One question, where's your furniture?"

"Coming on Monday," She replied. "I think I'm going to put it in storage."

"Good plan," I agreed.

"I thought so."

"I'll see you when I'm done with the rest of your stuff."

"If you hurry," She murmured, "You might catch story time."

Something told me that I didn't want to miss story time for the world.

-break-

Sydney's POV

Vaughn was… I don't know, too nice about having to bring in my suitcases for me last night. I know I shouldn't be bitching about him willingly bringing in my luggage for me that admittingly, could have waited until this morning but I'm odd like that. I have to overanalyze everything. It's annoying as hell, I know, but I do it anyway.

He was probably just being nice because my head hurt and I'd just spent the last two days driving his...no,our children to Los Angeles so we all could live there together and be one big happy family (hopefully). Now that is definitely the kind of man every girl dreams of. Maybe not the situation we're currently in, but the thoughtful and nice man.

In any case, his offer to bring the twins to their new preschool to get them registered for me this morning was a complete relief and very suspicious. Maybe I haven't left all of my spy instincts behind.

But, right now, I'm not going to question it. I'm going to use this time to search through his address book for Eric's phone number and hopefully address. The number I had from four years ago doesn't work anymore.

Right, so… where in the name of all that is holy does he keep that damned address book? It's not on the dining room table or by the phone in the kitchen or on the table by his bed or his dresser. It's not even in his briefcase! Yeah, I went through his briefcase. I know that I was probably breaking several federal laws (not to mention the fragile layer of trust we're building) by doing so but oh well. I did it anyway. And it wasn't there. I think that would be karma that's laughing at me right now.

Okay, Syd, think. You used to do this for a living. If you were a middle aged man, divorced once, and with two children where would you keep your address book? Besides the obvious places, of course.

I sighed, tapping my fingers on the counter idly as I racked my brain for any ideas. The bathroom, twins' room, our room, kitchen, and dining room have been eliminated which leaves the balcony (actually, now that I think about it, that one's out too) and the living room. The living room it is then.

After searching it thoroughly and finding nothing and by nothing, I mean not even a scrap of paper with a hastily written phone number on it anywhere. Nothing. It was not in this apartment. So there were two options left. It was either with him in the car which means he probably knew I was going to look for it which makes me think he can read my mind or it's at work. The more logical answer is with at work.

Well, my plan of holding Eric Weiss hostage are not working out as well as I planned. I wonder if he still lives at his old place… probably not. He was talking about moving four years ago. Damn.

The phone ringing distracted me from my foiled plans. That is, until I heard who was on the other end of the line.

"Hello?"

"Syd?"

"Eric?"

Ha. I didn't even need Vaughn's address book. My prey came to me. And that would be me giving karma the bird.

"You're in L.A. already?"

"Yeah…" I replied, not really wanting to talk about this subject. "I need to talk to you."

"Were the twins good?" Eric asked. Oh, so now he was going to be avoiding me now. He's not going to get away with that. Not if I can help it.

"Yeah, they were fine." I answered, gritting my teeth. "But seriously. I need-"

"How's Mike?" He interrupted.

Biting back the urge to growl and then hang up the phone, I answered. "He's good. Now if you'll just shut-"

"Where is he?"

This time, I actually growled. Though, I didn't hang up the phone because I didn't have his number and there was no guarantee that he would ever call back. So I was stuck answering his mindless questions and getting none of mine answered.

"With the twins," I explained. "He's enrolling them in their new preschool."

"Nice guy," Eric commented. "You're lucky to have him." He paused before adding, "Well, if that's all, I'll be going."

"No Eric! Don't you dare--" Argh, damn it all to hell. He hung up on me. That prick actually hung up on me. There was no way that he didn't hear me protesting him hanging up. No way. He purposely hung up on me. That means one thing, he's avoiding me. Damn him. He must know that I'm after him to get answers out of him. "--hang up on me…" I finished dully, putting the phone down.

I don't think it'll be any use to call Vaughn and ask him for Eric's number. He'll probably say that it can wait until later though later'll never come. And I can't call Eric back because I don't have his number.

Well, there was only one thing left to do really. Unpack.

Oh joy.

-break-

Weiss's POV

I should feel bad about hanging up on her. I know that I should. Too bad that I don't. Well, you can't really blame me. This is Sydney Bristow that we're talking about. She's bound to weasel the news out of me.

Of course, there's always the possibility that Mike has already told her about her long lost sister, but I'm not getting my hopes up on that one. Last I heard, he was going to break it to her gently. And breaking to her gently would not be on her first day/night in a new city. No, that completely lacked tact and Mike was tactful. He was a spy, wasn't he?

I know one thing. I definitely do not want to be the one to tell her that she has a sister. No way in hell. There'd be questions I couldn't answer, glares that I didn't deserve, bouts of anger I'm not sure I could withstand. No, leave that to some poor other soul.

Like Mike.

I know, she had said that she wanted to talk to me. Or she had attempted to say that she wanted to talk to me. And yes, I'd heard it. And no, I have no guilt what so ever in hanging up on her anyway. Well, maybe a little guilt because she is an old friend and she is just moving back to town… but then again, the questions and glares and anger were not going to be my problem.

That happy position went to Mike.

True, I do need to talk to Mike. And the sooner the better, and I don't think I can call him on his cell at the moment. He's with the twins at their new school. Daddy's phone ringing and it being work related probably wouldn't make the best of impressions. So… I'll just give it a day or two. Let Mike tell Syd all about her sister, give her a day to sort it all out… and then call back.

See? Simple as that. I amaze myself sometimes with my own plans.

-break-

Unidentified person's POV

It is my job to wait. I was hired to wait, watch and listen. I am paid to report anything and everything related to a Miss Sydney Bristow, a Mister Michael Vaughn, a Miss Anya Bristow, and a Mister Christian Bristow.

And by everything, I mean everything.

If they go to the store to buy milk, I report it. If they have an argument in the parking lot, I report it. If they are late to work or class, I report it. If they eat a piece of cheese in the middle of the night as a snack to hold them over to breakfast, I report it. If one of them even so much as sneezes due to pollen allergies, I report it.

It used to be rather difficult with them living in two different states but that is why I employ other people. One stay in Los Angeles to follow Mister Vaughn while I stayed in Montana to follow the Misses Bristow and Mister Bristow. They never knew (never suspected even) that they were being followed every day for the past three and a half years. They only made it easier and cheaper for me by deciding to move in together.

I am paid good money to follow these four people around. And being a professional, I do my absolute best especially for that amount of money. My employer wanted everything, and it was everything that she got. That is why I am one of the most sought after people of my profession. I am simply the best. And I expect to be paid as such.

As such, I believe that my employer is going to be positively beside herself when she hears that the Bristows are moving into Vaughn's apartment. From what she's told me in our limited contact with each other, she's been waiting for this and nothing else since she hired me.

Admittingly, I'm rather pleased by this new move of theirs. That means I finally get to carry out what I was hired to do. Kill them all.

SSB's note 2: Don't you just love me when I leave a cliffhanger? -cackles evilly to self- Ah, I just love writing them. So much sometimes. Now being one of them of course.

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Next chapter: New school and new job