Defying the Shadows APO is hit hard when three of their best agents wind up in the hospital, but the intrigue and deception is deepened when it is discovered one of them has dark secrets, and the only one that can discover the truth doesn't remember…
Chapter 6: Nothing To Do
Disclaimer: I don't, nor did or will I ever, own any aspect of Alias. All recognizable characters and plot strands belong to JJ Abrams, not to me. But this plot in this particular fic is mine. And I have no characters to claim all for my own like in some of my other fics. Like Jeffrey…I love Jeffrey!
A/N: intriKate: I just won't show you some of my plots that crashed and burned because I hate prewriting. I have given in to the inevitable necessity of some sort of structure to my fics, as well as my original fiction…
Saturday proved to be just another day at the hospital. Sydney had agreed to go with Weiss to see Nadia. She understood they were only letting family see Nadia, and Weiss seemed to need reassurance that Sloane hadn't taken flight with her to his secret lair.
"We're here to see Nadia Santos," Sydney told the nurse at the desk.
"Family only, miss," she said briskly.
"I'm her sister," Sydney assured. With a glance at Weiss' dejected expression she added, "And this is our cousin."
Weiss' jaw dropped, but the nurse smiled.
"Room 328," she said, gesturing to the hall at her left with a knowing wink.
"Thank you," Sydney said, grinning back at Weiss as he trailed hesitantly behind her.
"Syd, what are you doing?" he asked as soon as they rounded the corner. "Sloane will have my head!"
"Eric," Sydney said, crossing her arms. "So you want to see Nadia or not?"
"Of course I do, but…"
"Then shut up and come on."
Weiss was immediately glad upon walking into the room that he'd come. Seeing for himself that Nadia's color was much better than it had been a few days ago made him feel light years more at ease. She seemed to be so much more comfortable, even though the fingers of her left hand tapped restlessly against the starched hospital sheets.
Sydney smiled as she moved around the bed to hold her sister's hand.
"Nadia, you gotta fight, okay? Get better. I didn't sneak your lover in here for you to sleep."
Weiss laughed and stepped up to the side of the bed to smooth Nadia's restless left hand between his.
"She's right, babe. I want you to wake up and talk to me," Weiss said, trying to muster up a pout. "It's lonely without you, Nadia."
Sydney watched Weiss watch Nadia for a few minutes before making a move toward the door.
"You're a goner," she said, leaning against the door frame for a moment.
Weiss looked back at her.
"What are you talking about?"
Sydney grinned.
"You're head over heals over her. You're a goner."
Weiss grinned and shrugged.
"You going somewhere?" he changed the subject.
"I want to go see Vaughn," she said softly, forcing a smile. "I…I haven't been to see him yet," she admitted.
"So you break me in, then I'm on my own?" Weiss joked.
"Something like that. You can come get me when you're ready to leave, or I'll come back here."
With that she was gone.
Walking slowly toward Vaughn's room, Sydney began to wonder if her lack of memory was why she hadn't done any more than ask after him. She loved him; there's no doubt in her mind as to that fact. But not remembering their engagement scared her. Almost as much as the possibility that Michael Vaughn was not Michael Vaughn.
Could he really be Jacob Mosley's son? Sydney wondered.
She stood at the foot of Vaughn's bed for a long time just looking at him. His bottom lip was split, but after a week it was merely a dark slash across his lip. His left cheek had a yellow tint from the antiseptic the doctors had put on the lass cuts that still looked painful. An ugly bruise spread across his right temple, purple around the edges and where it had settled under his eye. His left forearm was wrapped in white gauze to protect what Sydney knew to be an angry red gash.
"Oh, Vaughn," she murmured, finally moving to hold his right hand. "I know there's something big here. Why can't I remember? Even Eric and Marshal remember more than I do." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Someone would kill to keep something you know a secret." Her voice began to break, and she felt tears fill her eyes. "I love you so much, Vaughn, but I can't even remember you proposing. I don't remember saying yes. I don't care who you are. Come back to me, whoever you are. You have to tell me who you are, Vaughn. Please don't leave me."
The tears began to fall, some dripping from the tip of her nose to land on his hand where she held it. She put her head to her hands where they were intertwined with his, a helpless gesture of a part of her still can't believe she's willing to make in front of this one man.
"I love you…" she sobbed quietly.
"Are you kidding?" Marshal hissed, grabbing onto her arm and pulling her into his office inside APO headquarters. "Sydney, you know I could hack…"
"Marshal, we know Jacob Mosley was based in West Virginia when he died. I need to know the name of his son. I'm going to West Virginia."
"Syd, there are easier ways. If there's someone after Vaughn, you poking into his past life is going to plaster a big red target on your back," Marshal argued.
"But you hacking into most of the files that would have the kind of information I'm looking for would only result in the source agency finding out who you are. I can take care of myself, Marshal, and I have to do this for Vaughn," Sydney said, almost pleading for Marshal to understand.
Marshal stared at her for a moment, then held up two fingers.
"I need you to do two things for me," he said.
"Anything," Sydney responded, happy to have his support.
"One, tell Weiss what you're doing. If anything happens to you, I'm not taking the heat alone," he said with a quick grin. "Two, promise you'll keep me posted, and call if you need anything."
Sydney smiled, then leaned forward and gave him a quick hug.
"I promise. I just feel like there's nothing to do for Vaughn here. I have to find out who he was, what he tried to tell me."
"But what if someone is trying to kill him for his secret?"
A determined look claimed Sydney's countenance.
"Then I need to know why."
Now we get some action. Did I mention that I'm enjoying this fic?