Disclaimer: Alias belongs to JJ Abrams, ABC and the people at Bad Robot
Rating: PG-13, for language and sexual themes in future chapters
Pairing: Sydney/Sark, suggested Sydney/Vaughn and Sark/Lauren
Summary: When Sydney makes the fatal mistake of trusting Sark with a gun in Man of His Word, Season 4, Sark takes the opportunity to revenge himself on Vaughn for Lauren's murder. However, after spending a prolonged time together, Sark and Sydney begin to develop feelings that neither of them anticipated.
Author's Note: An AU version of the events in Man of His Word. What might have happened had Sydney trusted Sark with a gun during the fight with Anna at the club.
Another ridiculously long waiting period between chapters. School has been insane, but the end is in sight and then I'll be able to sit down and put some serious thought and hopefully chapters into this beloved story.
Chapter: 9/14
Chapter 9- Revelations
London
Nadia had spent much of her life crying in the dark of the night. Cold, bitter nights in Argentina, curled up in an orphanage, weeping over the cruel hand life had dealt her. Over time, she had come to feel somewhat comforted by the enveloping darkness that hid her tear-streaked face. As the newly recruited member of the CIA, or more specifically APO, slipped quietly into a patch of bushes directly underneath a bay window outside of the private London residence of Mr. Julian Sark, she was grateful for her time spent in the night. She was just as easy conducting missions when she could barely see as she was in broad daylight. This was not the case for her current operations partner and boyfriend, Eric Weiss.
When she settled down next to him, he groped around for her hand. He shot her a rouge grin. "Thank God you're here," he whispered in her ear. "I can't see a goddamn thing."
"That means they can't see us either," Nadia reminded him.
"Who?" Eric grunted. "There's no one here. Mike and Jack are just being too bloody optimistic. Your sister and her new boyfriend aren't here."
Nadia said nothing. She was no longer quick to defend Sydney, but nor had she condemned her. Of all the agents at APO, Nadia could appreciate the draw of an attractive agent playing for the other team. She was torn between her sister and her new loyalty to her father, a man Sydney had betrayed, if this supposed relationship was not contrived. Biting her bottom lip, she could not help but wish just once more that they would enter the house to find Sydney prisoner and held against her will.
"Attention Houdini, Eagle, do you copy?" Even over the crackling coms, Nadia could hear the anger and bitterness oozing out of Vaughn's voice.
"Loud and clear, Boy Scout," Eric whispered, eager to not be overheard by any of the house's residents.
"Are you in position?"
"Affirmative."
"Stand by then," Vaughn cautioned. "We're waiting for Lone Wolf to get into position."
Lone Wolf was Jack's code name for the mission, classified as a retrieval of potential hostile. Nadia, who was going in as Eagle, thought the name perfectly suitable for the cold and occasionally arrogant agent who preferred his own company to that of any one else.
"Copy that," Eric replied. "Over."
"Over and out." Vaughn's less than friendly voice was gone, leaving Nadia and Eric to wait in the dead silence. Nadia leaned wearily against Eric, eager for the mission to be complete, or at least to begin in earnest.
"Do you really think Sydney would ever fall for Sark?" Eric asked, clearly trying to break the silence.
Nadia shrugged, but then realised Eric wouldn't be able to see her. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "I know she genuinely cares for Vaughn, and that before she went MIA, there were no fond feelings between them."
"On her part," Eric injected. "There was a committee formed to look into any interaction between Sydney and Sark the CIA was aware of. There were several notable occasions Sark spared her life when in other situations he would have killed."
"My sister is an attractive woman," Nadia reasoned. "And anything is possible."
"Apparently," Eric agreed dryly.
"Eagle, Houdini, ready," Vaughn came over the com again. Nadia shifted her body, pulling out her missile projector. This missile was no explosive, but a bungee rope that would allow Eric and herself to shimmy up to the top balcony of Sark's London estate. Jack would be entering the back door and Vaughn was going in at the front. There were agents hidden on the boundaries of the estate, ready to stop and detain anyone who tried to leave the premises. If Sydney and Sark were still here, they weren't going to escape. Nadia aimed the projector and pulled the trigger. The cord sailed up through the night and latched securely on the ornate balcony. Eric and Nadia waited with bated breath, sure a face would appear over the balcony's rim and begin firing on them in their vulnerable position. There was absolutely no noise and eventually Nadia breathed a sigh of relief, sure they remained undiscovered.
"Cord in place, Boy Scout," she hissed into her com. "We're ready to go."
"Move forward," Vaughn ordered. "We're moving in."
"Going radio silent until ascent complete," Nadia informed Vaughn.
Eric and Nadia latched on to the rope, exchanging nervous glances over it. "Well, I'll go first," volunteered the Argentinean, unable to wait any longer.
"Good luck," Eric nodded. "And be careful."
Nadia gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile and began to climb the rope. It wasn't easy, and there were numerous occasions when she was grateful to the secure clamp that ensured she wouldn't tumble to the ground that was steadily falling behind her. By the time she had flung a leg over the edge of the balcony, there was sweat trickling down her back and her arms were aching. She pulled herself over and immediately whipped out her gun, surveying her surroundings, on the lookout for Sark or a guard. The balcony was larger than she had originally suspected with a table for two set up off to the right. Two glass doors led inside. She tried them and found them unlocked. She swung one open and slipped inside.
Inside was dark as well, but there was sufficient light for Nadia to make out her surroundings. She walked slowly, taking everything in and perfectly poised should anyone try to attack her. The top floor was smaller than the rest of the house and contained a bedroom, office and sitting room. The bedroom and sitting room contained nothing of interest. But in the office, Nadia found confirmation of Sark in the form of a picture that made her stomach turn. It was a glossy photo of Sydney and Sark sitting by a pool. Sark had his arm swung around Sydney and she didn't look the least unnerved by it. They were both wearing rather larger smiles than Nadia would have liked. She angrily shoved it into a drawer in Sark's desk, hopeful that Vaughn would overlook it.
Satisfied that the top floor was deserted, Nadia went back to the balcony and indicated to Eric that he should climb up now. The pudgy agent had a rather harder time of it than Nadia had, and was breathing very heavily by the time Nadia helped him over the railing. "I've really got to lose some weight," he panted, wiping sweat from his forehead. Nadia shot him an amused smile, before contacting Vaughn and informing him they were in the house and that the top floor was deserted.
"Damn. Lone Wolf is on the first floor, and I'm on the second. So far there isn't any sign of inhabitants."
"This floor seems to be Sark's personal quarters," Nadia told Vaughn. "Should I search his desk?"
"Yes," Vaughn decided. "I'm going to take a look around here. Wait for my call before descending to the third floor."
"Affirmative," Nadia agreed. Vaughn said nothing more, so she and Eric moved back inside.
"I'm going to take a look through Sark's desk," Nadia decided, risking the switching on of a light. "Do you want to look through his closets?"
"Sure," Eric agreed nonchalantly.
Nadia retreated to the office and began pulling out drawers. She checked for secret compartments and found none. She began to peruse the documents in Sark's desk. She bit her bottom lip. The Irish spy was clearly up to something serious. Long lists of off shore accounts and maps of known Covenant headquarters pointed towards his involvement with Tai Ichiniwa. There were also several mentions of the Guild, comments that made Nadia think Sark wasn't working for the Guild, but running it.
'It looks as though I may just have found the Guild's front runner,' Nadia thought dryly.
"Has this man ever heard of the Gap?" Eric demanded from the adjourning room. "Its all Italian designers that would cost me a month's pay for an undershirt."
Nadia laughed, and then continued her search. Some of the more important pages she took snap shots of. Finally content that her search was thorough, Nadia replaced all of the documents, sure that they would all be confiscated in the official sweep of the mansion. She joined Eric in the bedroom and found him sitting on the bed holding a wrapt package and reading a small card. "What do you think of this?" he asked, holding the card out to Nadia.
She joined him on the bed and read the small folded piece of paper.
To my American darling,
A small token of my appreciation and fondness. Because of you, my life has become a brighter place.
Love, Julian
"What's in the package?" Nadia asked, confused by the warm words. Since learning Sark and Sydney were somehow romantically involved, she had never even paused to consider Sark might have feelings for Sydney. She had just assumed somehow the Irish charm had pulled the wool over Sydney's usually clever eyes. "A bomb?"
"Should we open it?" Eric asked, uneasily.
"Why not?" Nadia frowned.
"Seems, I don't know…kind of personal," Eric admitted.
"It's a matter of national security, if that will put your morals to rest," Nadia reminded him dryly.
"Right," Eric nodded. But Nadia noticed he opened the packaging very delicately. It was a box from a designer in London Nadia knew made very expensive jewellery. Inside on blue plush velvet rested a silver lighthouse charm on a delicate silver chain. Where the light would have sat was instead a rather large diamond. Eric let out a large breath.
"So…that's absolutely beautiful," Nadia breathed. "Do you think it's for Sydney?"
"No," Eric said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Its for the other American spy Sark's in the midst of seducing for his devious methods."
"Or maybe not so devious," Nadia frowned, fingering the necklace lightly.
"Don't let Vaughn hear you say that," Eric said. But there was a tone in his voice that Nadia knew meant she wasn't the only one suddenly having realizations of a possible mutual affection.
"Speaking of Vaughn," she realized. "Shouldn't we have heard from him by now?"
Eric nodded, then reached up to turn on his com. "Boy Scout? Lone Wolf? Do you copy?"
"Copy," came the sound of Jack. "We're still on floor two. I did recon on floor three. The house is deserted. Meet us on the second floor, the third door on your right after descending from floor three."
"Affirmative," Eric agreed.
Nadia turned on her own com. "Why weren't we contacted after the search was complete?"
There was silence for what seemed an eternity before Jack replied. "Boy Scout has made an emotional discovery. Report here, now, Eagle. Houdini. Over and out."
Feet decidedly quickened by Jack's angry and impatient tone, Eric and Nadia hurried downstairs. The third floor was dark, but if Jack Bristow said it was deserted, Nadia could feel no unease. The second floor's hall, in contrast was well lit. The only room with a light on was the one that Nadia and Eric were looking for. It was more of a suite than a room with a living room, washroom and bedroom. All three rooms had been torn apart, and the frenzy with which the articles had been scattered around indicated it was in rage by Vaughn.
They found Jack and Vaughn sitting in silence. Jack was staring out the darkened window, an unreadable look on his face. Vaughn was much more revealing as to what the discovery might have been. He was sitting on the unmade bed, his face the perfect study of a man who had seen his entire life fall apart in front of him. He was glaring at a handful of photos in his hand, shifting through them frantically as though looking for an answer of some sort.
"What's up, man?" Eric asked, after exchanging a wary look with Nadia.
Vaughn made no answer. Hesitantly, Nadia went to sit beside him. She spotted an opened envelope on the bed with what she recognized as Sark's handwriting. It was clearly addressed to Agent Michael Vaughn. She pulled the photos out of Vaughn's grip. He held on tightly, but made no sign he even noticed they were gone when she managed to wrestle them away. The photos were all, as Nadia had suspected, stills from surveillance cameras. And they were all of Sark and Sydney. The happy couple making some sort of pasta, Sydney offering a spoonful to a smiling Sark. Sark pulling Sydney into an indoor pool. Sark and Sydney dancing on the balcony, Sydney meeting Sark's eyes with her glistening brown ones. As Nadia flipped through the many photos, she couldn't help but notice that, although Sark had undoubtedly planted the pictures, there was a personal weakness in them.
In every single photo, Sark was wearing a look of equal adoration to Sydney's, if not greater. Nadia knew there was a possibility Sark was acting, but somehow she just didn't think that was the case. Immersed in her thoughts, Nadia was even more shocked when she came to the last few photos. Naked pictures of Sark and Sydney in what could only be decently referred to as mid- intercourse. She let out a small cry and hastily handed the pictures to Eric, whose face instantly went red.
"That fucking bitch," Vaughn growled.
"Don't call her that," Nadia immediately stood up for her sister. Any thoughts of Sark being in love with Sydney immediately vanished. His plan was clear now. He was using Sydney as a way to get back at Vaughn for killing Lauren, a woman he had truly believed he loved. "She doesn't realize what she's doing."
"Yes, she does," Vaughn snarled. "She knows what it means to commit adultery. And she's not some rookie who doesn't realize when she's being seduced by the enemy."
"Unlike you and Jack, you mean?" Nadia shot back. Eric put his hands up, clearly wanting nothing to do with whatever argument might ensue.
Neither man said anything, however. Nadia felt like shaking them, and Eric too, just for good measure. They'd spent so much time building Sydney up as this perfect angel of protection, they'd forgotten she was human with human flaws and emotions. She felt an ache for her sister. She half-suspected her sister truly loved Sark. To find out about his betrayal would hurt almost as much as returning to find Vaughn married.
"So…" Eric broke the prolonged and awkward silence. "What happens now?"
"We find Sark and murder him slowly and painfully," Vaughn responded in a voice of cold steel.
"Oh…okay…well, that's positive," Eric gulped.
Havana
Sydney smiled happily over at Sark from her passenger seat of their rented burgundy Lexus. It wasn't exactly the most inconspicuous of cars, but it was a very Sark car. She reached over and brushed his cheek with her hand, unable to go without touching him. He smiled over at her, taking one hand of the wheel and cupping her face gently. "I can't believe you're actually here," he admitted.
"That makes two of us," Sydney grinned. He laughed a little, just for sheer happiness. Sydney couldn't believe how ecstatic he was that she was with him. She was having a little trouble accepting it herself. She was on the run from the CIA with the one man she would have only a few months ago killed with no regrets. And every time she looked at him she got the head rush and sick to her stomach feeling she hadn't felt since Noah Hicks. Sark had that bad boy charm concealing a sweet and touching side of him that made Sydney's head spin. An unfortunate flash back of kneeling beside a dying Noah caused Sydney to cut her musings short. Instead she reached for Sark's hand and brought it to her lips, kissing each of his knuckles individually.
"I'm glad you're here, Syd," he told her. "I just hope you won't regret it."
Pushing away disturbing images of Noah and guilty thoughts of Vaughn, Sydney offered Sark her biggest smile yet. "I won't."
"Good," Sark smiled. "Because we're home." He pulled into a dirt driveway that led to a red and beige house. It was no where near as large as the mansion in London, but Sydney immediately liked it better. Its terracotta Spanish style construction and trim reminded her warmly of the flat she had once shared with Francie and Will. Sark pulled the car to an easy stop and turned of the ignition. He vaulted over the car door and hurried around to open her side.
"Such a gentleman," she teased as he held out his hand. She accepted it though. It made getting out of the car in the beige skirt she had changed into a lot easier. She had paired the skirt with a green bohemian tank top. It wasn't like anything she would wear back in Los Angeles, but she seemed to be leaving that life far behind. Sark was dressed in a casual tan suit paired with a silk blue shirt. He looked just as in place in Havana as he had in London.
They gathered their suitcases from the trunk. Sark used his spare hand to hold Sydney's and then led her towards their new home. Sydney slipped her large dark sunglasses off as they entered the shade of their house, disguising a grin. She liked the sound of 'their home.'
Inside was cool and very classily decorated. There were no servants that Sydney could see, but the house felt more lived in than the London mansion had originally. "You spend a lot of time here, don't you?" Sydney guessed, as Sark closed the door behind them.
"Here and Austria," nodded Sark. "Is it obvious?"
"You're more comfortable here," she observed.
"That could be the company," Sark teased, capturing her lips in a playful kiss. He snatched her suitcase away from her and motioned for her to follow him up the stairs. They entered a large airy room. There was a dark wardrobe, two bedside tables, a duvet and a large bed. The covers on the duvet and bed were white, and very sheer curtains were hung around the bed. Sark heaved the suitcases on the bed and faced Sydney with a self conscious smile. "Do you like it?"
"It's beautiful," Sydney assured him, sitting down on the duvet. Sark crossed and pulled her up.
"I thought you'd say that," he grinned. "There's another room down the hall, but it's not nearly as nice as this one. I thought we'd be more comfortable in here with the balcony anyways."
"We?" repeated Sydney, raising her eyebrows.
"Well…" Sark's cheeks formed a faint blush. "I mean, that is…if you want to. If not, the other room is…really nice too. I can stay there, I mean. Without you."
"Oh, no!" Sydney laughed. "I just…thought you'd want your privacy."
"No…unless you do," Sark said quickly.
"You're staying here," Sydney said firmly.
"Are you sure?" Sark questioned.
"Yes," Sydney said in a voice that brooked no doubt. To make her statement all the more potent, she captured his lips in a rough kiss into which she put all of the passion and longing she had felt on the long plane ride, unable to make love to him. There had been several times when she was sure she was going to die if she didn't drag him into the airplane bathroom that instant.
His mind was clearly on the same thing as his hand slipped up the back of her tank top, possessively caressing the smooth skin on her back. She broke the kisses on his mouth and teased a line of kisses up his cheek to his ear. "I want you right now," she whispered, nipping his ear.
"Well," he said hoarsely. "It would be a shame to not make the bed really ours."
"Then we agree," she smirked. He captured her mouth again in a kiss more heated than the last. Before she knew what was happening, he lifted her up and laid her down on the bed, already sliding her skirt down her legs. She pushed his jacket from her shoulder and began to tear at the buttons on his expensive shirt. She finally relieved him of it as well, revealing the bare, muscled chest. She lightly bit down on his shoulder. He groaned, straddling her and forcing her down on to the mattress.
His hands traced lightly up and down her legs, moving ever closer to her clit. She arched her back in anticipation as he made first contact. But his finger darted back immediately, instead pulling her tank top up and kissing her exposed midriff. He slowly pulled the top off and unclipped her bra, throwing it abandoned on the floor. He began to kiss each breast in its turn, using his spare hand to massage the other. Sydney threw her head back, half-frustrated that he was again taking control, half withering in pure anticipation.
Sark's cock was pressing painfully out against his pants, and he was forced to stop to remove his pants. Sydney took the relapse as her chance to pleasure him. She pushed his hands back and removed the pants herself. When he was stripped as naked as she, she grinned up at him. His eyes widened as he saw her intention. Her long fingers moved dancing up his legs, her thumb coming to rest on the top of his manhood. She slowly traced it down and then, without any warning wrapt his length in her mouth. Sark let out a loud moan and braced himself against the bed. Sydney was gleeful at the immediate effect she had on him. Her tongue licked his cock lustily, while her hands played teasingly with his balls.
"Syd…" he groaned. "This can't go…much longer."
She continued for a few more moments, just to torture him, and then released him. She could see in his glazed eyes that he wanted nothing more than to feel her mouth around him again. But soon he was backing her up on the bed, his hands running up her legs. Each of his touches sent shivers up and down her spine and she knew she was wet and ready for his entry.
He cupped her face and kissed her once more before plunging into her. She let out a gasp, arching her back. He began to pump into her, and she wrapt her legs around his waist, matching his desperate rhythm. Just before they both came, their eyes met and Sydney's heart leapt to see the same love in his eyes that she knew was shining in hers. It was the first time she had ever toyed with the possibility of being in love with Sark, but she knew as soon as the thought came to her, that she was.
They collapsed, tangled up together, spent. Sark brushed gentle kisses from where his head lay on her shoulder. "Sydney," he said, somewhat hesitantly.
"Hmm?" she encouraged, casually twining strands of his blonde curls in her hair.
"We need to talk," he lifted his head, blue eyes suddenly unreadable.
She felt uncertainty spread in her as he rolled off of her. He didn't leave the bed though, and his hand reached for hers. He brought it to his lips and repeated her gesture from the car. "I'm ready to tell you everything."
"About what?" Sydney asked, sitting up and pulling a light blanket over her.
"About what I do. About the Guild…about everything I thought I couldn't tell you," Sark shrugged. "I've realized I have to tell you, even if you do go running back to the CIA and tell them everything. I want you to be a part of my life…a part of every aspect of my life."
Sydney mulled his words over in her head. A part of her wanted him to tell her every single minute detail of his life. But the other, more sensible part of her realized that what Sark was about to tell her was not necessarily going to be the most complimenting addition to his personality. She dearly wished to cover his mouth with a kiss and stop him from possibly revealing information that would make her regret fleeing from her friends and family. She saw in his ice blue eyes that were searching her face desperately that he needed very much to tell her what was on his mind. So, despite her own judgement, she offered him a soft smile. "You can tell me anything, Julian."
He laughed a little. "I promise I haven't killed anyone…recently."
"Oh, good." Sydney resisted rolling her eyes.
Sark shot her a very rogue grin before he began his story. "After escaping CIA custody and, simultaneously, kidnapping you, I realised I could no longer fall back on the protection of the Covenant. They were extremely weak and ready to fall if the CIA exerted even the most minimal effort. I did a bit of background tracing, and discovered that the bulk of the money they stole from me, was still being held. It would be the perfect way to get off the ground. Maybe even get out of this entire world."
"I knew I couldn't rob the Covenant by myself, so I contacted an old friend of the family's- the same man who had helped me rid myself of the CIA tracker. He gave me a few contacts and I used a few of my own. Finally, I was able to arrange a meeting between three substantial terrorists who were looking for a new base. That was the first time I left you for Innsbruck. I promised them each one hundred million dollars of my inheritance should they help me recover the money. We combined our resources, and created what is now being referred to as the Guild."
"Who were the three people you met with?" Sydney asked, wondering exactly how specific she could entice her new lover to be.
Sark sighed. "Joshua Frou, Igor Poladski and Tai Ichiniwa."
"Tai Ichiniwa?" Sydney felt a shock course through her. "Crazy Oriental ECR rebellion leader?"
"The very same," Sark admitted.
Sydney rolled on to her back to reveal a long white scar that stretched across her lower back. "That woman did this to me!" she growled. "Do you really want to be working with a woman like that?"
Sark grabbed her hand and brought it down to his knee, where the scar of an ice pick was still very prominent. "Well, I'm sleeping with one."
Sydney blushed and pulled her hand out of his grasp to cup his face. She ran her thumb lightly over his eyelids, bringing them close so she could kiss them. He grinned, but resisted returning her gesture. "I want to get this out. I want you to understand."
Sydney tried to hide her disappointment as she refocused on him with a more serious disposition. "A little while ago, Tai recovered my money. I have five hundred million dollars sitting in a variety of off shore accounts. It was the little push I needed to be completely financially stable. I don't have to do this anymore."
There was something he wasn't telling her. "There's more, isn't there?" she prodded.
"Yes," Sark admitted. He rolled on to his back, speaking to the ceiling. "The Guild doesn't allow defectors. Tai's been calling me, and she hasn't been exactly friendly."
"Was she the one who phoned you in the restaurant?" Sydney frowned, remembering their first argument as a couple.
"Yes," grimaced Sark. "She was threatening to hurt you if I didn't comply."
"She knows about us?" Sydney asked, alarmed.
Sark shrugged. "She kept hitting on me, love. Wouldn't take no for an answer. And eventually when I refused to have sex with her and I kept staying away from meetings abroad, she did a little snooping. Put two and two together and…" He trailed off.
"One day I'll have to kill that bitch," Sydney growled, feeling fiercely possessive of Sark.
"I've no doubt you will," Sark said, soothingly running a hand up and down her shoulder.
Sydney smiled up at him and snuggled closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his head into her mane of chestnut hair. "I love how you smell," he murmured. "Like rosewater and female."
Sydney laughed into his neck. She could feel her eyes starting to droop. "I'm sleepy," she announced.
"Probably feeling the effects of jetlag," Sark reasoned. As if to accent his words, he yawned. "Mhhhmmm…maybe just take a short nap."
"That's a good idea," Sydney smiled, words slightly slurred as sleep took over her body.
The lovers slept, curled up in each others arm as the warm Havana breeze blew in through the open window.
The familiar ringing of his cell phonewas what finally wokeSark from his slumber. Sydney was still curled up against his chest. He moved slowly and carefully so as not to wake her as he retrieved the phone in his discarded pants. "Sark," he snapped, voice groggy from his siesta.
"Sark, its Frou," came the sharp voice of the Scandinavian agent. "You're in trouble."
"What?" Sark inquired, suddenly far more alert.
"We believe the CIA is tracking you somehow," Frou explained. "They raided your London residence last night."
"I knew that," Sark retorted. "I dispersed the household and headed to one of my safe houses."
"Be that as it may," Frou frowned. "Tai thinks the Guild needs to meet to discuss all of our safety and positions. Igor and I agree."
"In Austria, as usual?" Sark inquired, already intending to blow the Guild off.
"Yes," Frou paused before going on. "Tai told us about the CIA agent…Bristow…and your supposed romantic attachment to her. She says…she says if you don't show in Austria, she's ordering your assassination. Yours and Bristow's."
Sark felt his stomach go cold. He would not have normally been balked by such a threat, but the danger to Sydney just wasn't worth it. "Don't worry," he said more firmly. "I'll leave today."
He hung up before Frou could reveal any other threats. He had a quick shower and had dried off and dressed before he allowed himself to look at the still sleeping Sydney. She was still sleeping innocently, one hand laying underneath her head, brown hair spread out on the white pillow. He gathered his suitcase, still packed, and lightened it by hanging up most of the suits in the wardrobe. He left enough clothes for four consecutive days, hoping they wouldn't need any longer. He rang up a contact and purchased an illegal plane ticket to Austria. Just as he was hanging up, Sydney sat up.
"Hey, baby," she grinned. "You're up early."
Sark came to sit down on the bed, running his hand through her hair. "I have to go," he said softly.
"What?" she cried, anguish glistening in her eyes.
"The Guild…we're in a tight spot," he admitted. "Frou thinks the CIA has caught on to me."
"Can't you just not go?" she suggested hopefully, pausing to kiss his neck.
Her soft ministrations were enough to make him wish he could stay in bed with this woman forever. How had it happened? How had he gone from wanting to use her to being so attached to her it was a constant ache? He felt a guilty pang thinking about the revealing pictures left for Agent Vaughn. If Sydney should ever find out about them, he didn't think he would be able to bear it. Again he chided himself for being a fool, letting his need for petty revenge put at risk a relationship with the most wonderful woman he had ever met. "No," he finally managed to protest. "But if I play it right, it could possibly be the last time I ever have to have anything to do with the Guild."
Sydney rolled out of bed and looked around, finally settling on his silk shirt from last night. It was just long enough to cover her bare bottom and left her long, muscled legs bare. Combined with her tousled hair and morning fresh face, it was an outfit that almost made Sark hard immediately. He tore his eyes from her legs, lest they be there all morning.
Sydney accompanied him downstairs and they sat down in the kitchen to wait for the car picking him up. He had decided to leave Sydney the Lexus so she could go exploring whenever she wished about Havana. Eventually Sydney got up and made him a quick breakfast with the few groceries they had picked up in town. She watched him as he ate, stroking his face and playing with his hair. When he was done, he leaned back, taking a warming pleasure from the domestic feel of their surroundings.
"That was delicious," he announced.
"It was just bacon and eggs," Sydney shrugged.
"And coffee," Sark reminded her. "The coffee was perfect."
Sydney laughed. Sark ran a finger up her leg. "I'm going to miss you, love."
A honking outside signalled the arrival of the taxi. Sark stood up and picked up his suitcase. Sydney followed him to the door. She remained in a brooding silence as he pulled on a light jacket and opened the door. He was about to leave, dying for her to say something, when all of a sudden, she pulled him to her and kissed him roughly, her hands cupping his face close to hers. "I love you," she whispered into his mouth as they parted the kiss.
He felt his jaw drop. He wanted to say a million things that would make her realize he felt the same way, that he always had and always would. He wanted her to know that just the sight of her filled him with enough joy to make him weep. He wanted to show her how she wanted to make him be good and just, so he might never disappoint her. But, eyes glistening, she shoved him out the door. "Be careful," she whispered. "I'll see you when you get back."
He paused at the bottom of the steps. "I am coming back," he assured her. "And when I do, you and I…we're going to talk. Because I…I…"
But she blew him a kiss and then was closing the door. Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he let himself into the taxi, filled with a mix of emotions. She loved him! He was ecstatic, but also upset that he had said nothing worthwhile after that astonishing revelation. But as the taxi pulled off into the dusty landscape and Sark tried to imprint the image of Sydney into his brain, he couldn't help but feel the overwhelming gnawing guilt. He had begun to love after using false pretences to make her care for him. He had left nude pictures of their sex life for her ex-boyfriend. How could any relationship with this amazing woman ever succeed when their foundation was made up of lies? Lies he himself had constructed and put in place.