So here I am again. After weeks of little to no inspiration I just sat down on wrote quickly realizing I really suck at writing missions. So lack of mission writing, just pretend it happened and you know made sense when you get there. So this chapter although it may not seem it at the beginning is very important in the grand scheme of things. You'll start to understand the story a lot more at the end of this chapter, it packs quite the punch. So thanks so much for reading please review and enjoy.

Erica

there is no blood around see no sign of pain

no pain

seeing no red at all, see no rain

Sydney moaned as she opened one eye to the harsh light pouring through the open curtains. She threw her arm over the other side of the bed to find it empty and as she became aware of her surroundings she heard the shower in the small bathroom.

She closed her eyes for another minute trying to absorb everything. It was too much to think of when she had just woken up. It could wait.

Vaughn stood in front of the mirror, humming when he looked up and saw Sydney leaning against the doorframe.

"Hey," she smiled. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Well hello there beautiful. Quite the outfit." He commented on the sheet she had wrapped herself in.

"Right back at you." She replied and pointed at his towel.

"Yeah, but I can see right through yours."

"You're gross."

"Yeah, but you love me." He wrapped his arms around her.

Sydney sighed and relaxed in his embrace. "Yeah, I do. Where are you going so early?"

He laughed and pointed at the clock. "It's 1 'o clock. I actually woke up and made you breakfast but you looked so beautiful I couldn't wake you."

She grinned. "What can I say? I was tired."

"Well, I better get going."

Sydney frowned as she followed him into the living room. "Where are you going?"

"I called Barnett this morning, asked her if I could talk to her. You know just for an hour or so. I just need to tell someone else. It will make it more real."

Sydney smiled when she realized that maybe her nightmare was finally over.

-

Vaughn walked briskly down the front steps of his apartment pulling the cell phone from his pocket. He punched in the familiar numbers and waited for an answer.

"I forget sometimes, why are we keeping him alive?"

"Well good afternoon to you too. Well I figured I should give you a purpose in this."

"Excuse me? Give me a purpose? You don't think I'm important in this plan."

"Of course you are, you look after him."

"I don't think I would call this looking after him."

"Right, well kill him if you can't remember why you're keeping him alive."

"I'm actually kind of growing fond of him."

"Really?"

"Fond in a way that I would love to stab him. I'm not smitten with him like you are with Miss Bristow."

"I'm just playing the part."

"Right, you're just keeping up appearances. I'm sure you didn't get any pleasure from last night at all."

"None at all. We're on track for Monday?."

"No thanks to you."

"You are the mastermind, I'm sorry."

"You better be."

"I'll see you soon."

"Not if I see you first, love."

-

Jack Bristow frowned as he watched his daughter come in with her boyfriend. Her right arm was in a sling supporting a broken hand. He sighed realizing that everything Will Tippin had told him was true.

Jack stood up quickly from his kitchen table and walked to his apartment door. He didn't get many visitors especially at this time. He was surprised when Will Tippin was the face that greeted him.

"Jack, can I come in?" Will pushed past him.

"Apparently. Will, how can I help you?" Jack closed the door slowly confused.

"I was just wondering, well not really wondering. I need to tell you something." Will shifted nervously on his feet.

"Mr.Tippin I would appreciate if you would be straight with me. And this better be important." Jack offered Will a seat.

"I just need to know you won't tell Sydney I told you."

"I don't make promises."

"Vaughn… well he's uh…"

"He's what, Will?"

"Sydney, she's hurt."

"She's hurt? What's wrong? Where is she?" Jack reached for his jacket ready to leave.

"No, sit down, it's not what you think. Vaughn's been hurting her. He's beating her, Mr.Bristow. It's been months. She needs help. She won't listen to me, but I thought maybe you…"

"And my daughter told you this?"

"Yes, last night. Vaughn and I had planned a night for her birthday. I was going to pick her up. She was on the front door step, she was crying, Jack. Her hand, it was,it didn't even look like a hand anymore. I took her to the hospital; she wouldn't let them keep her overnight. She was acting crazy; I've never seen her like this before. It scares me." Will went through the story quickly.

Jack simply nodded.

"We talked, she told Francie and I everything."

Jack just stared at him. How could this have happened? How come he didn't notice?

"I know, it's too much. It doesn't seem real. Sydney just doesn't seem like a woman that would let this happen. She's so in love with him, she didn't even think there was anything wrong."

Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. When his daughter had needed him the most he hadn't even realized.

"Thank you, Will." Jack showed Will to the door.

"You'll take care of it?" Will asked hopefully.


Jack simply nodded again. He closed the door behind Will, leaning against the wood he slid to the floor.

For the first time, in a long time Jack Bristow cried.

-

Jack stared at her as she walked across the office. She laughed, she talked, she seemed unchanged. But how could she be so different? His Sydney wouldn't let this happen. He slid back into his chair. He hadn't been a good father, maybe that's why. He didn't know what to say, how to approach her. Jack's eyes bore into Vaughn as he strode by his desk.

That was when Jack realized that he didn't have to have an awkward conversation with Sydney, he knew the truth. All Jack had to do was deal with Michael Vaughn in the only way he knew how.

-

Sydney hurried along the hallway, she had finished reading over her new assignment. Kendall had decided to change the mission, putting Sydney on comms. She couldn't perform to the best of her ability in her condition. He had been angry but nothing could ruin Sydney's mood. Vaughn had talked to Barnett, and more importantly Sydney and Vaughn were making progress and that's all that Sydney needed. Sydney's mind was wandering when she bumped into the person passing by her.

"Agent Bristow, I'm sorry." Dr.Barnett apologized; stopping to make sure Sydney was okay.

"Dr.Barnett, I'm fine, don't worry about it." Sydney smiled. "I know you can't really talk about it but how is Agent Vaughn doing?"

"Agent Vaughn?"

"Yes. I know you can't say much but a simple good would be enough."

"Sydney, I haven't spoken to Agent Vaughn in months, I don't know what you're talking about."

-

This man was an amateur it makes you wonder how he came upon such an important piece of the Rambaldi puzzle. Vaughn and Weiss had gone in as TV repairmen, it seemed simple, too simple. Sydney sighed as she leaned back on the cold wall of the van. Why did he lie to her? Where did he go when he lied? She screamed, her world was falling apart again. There could be an explanation but she couldn't believe him again. Vaughn blasted into her ear.

"We've got the manuscript. Are we clear?"

Sydney rubbed her temples and checked the outside of the mansion. Champlain himself was outside by the pool. She stared at him for a minute, how had he gotten involved in this life of Rambaldi. She changed the view and that's when she saw them. There must have at least 10 men charging towards the house.

"Vaughn! Weiss! Get out of there!"

"Sydney? What's going on?"

"Just get out, now."

Sydney switched the view on her small monitor again as the men charged through the house. Aidan Champlain was standing by his pool smiling at the man in front of him. Sydney recognized the man she was talking to instantly. It was a face, she could never forget no matter how hard she tried. Arvin Sloane.

"Vaughn, it's Sloane. I'm coming in."

"No, Sydney." Vaughn screamed into her ear again. "We're fine, we'll find out what he wants."

"Vaughn, don't talk to me like that I'm coming." Sydney hauled the door of the van open.

"Sydney, now is not the time to be stubborn. Please, just get to the safe house. We'll find a way there."

"Vaughn, you've got to be kidding me. I'm not just going to leave."

Sydney hopped into the front seat of the cargo van and pushed her foot hard on the gas pedal. She barreled towards the backyard. The last thing she saw was Sloane's terrified face as she crashed into the water.

-

Sydney.

Sydney. Wake up.

Sydney. Can you hear me?

Sydney sat up quickly leaning over coughing hard.

"What happened?" She asked adjusting her eyes to the evening.

Vaughn pulled her into his arms. "You scared me."

"What happened, where's Sloane?" Sydney asked panicking. "I'm sorry; it seemed like a good idea at the time." Sydney said and pointed to the van in the pool.

"It's okay, you're okay. I'll tell you what happened just let me get you in the house."

Vaughn slipped his hands under Sydney and lifted her into his arms. He set her down gently on the couch and pulled up a chair beside her.

"Champlain and Sloane had a deal. He was going to sell Sloane the manuscript. Champlain's dad died when they were searching for the manuscript. That's why Champlain wanted out; he knows what happens in those lives." Sydney shivered and pulled the blanket around her.

"I don't know what I was thinking. I just knew I couldn't defend myself but I had to do something."

He ignored her statement and continued."Sloane saved you. When he saw us he jumped in the pool. He pulled you out of the van, he saved you."

"Why?"

"He ran after he pulled you out. He just shot Champlain and ran."

Sydney shook her head. "It's all my fault. Where's Weiss? Is he okay?"

"Weiss is fine. Sydney, none of this is your fault. Sloane would have killed him anyway. We're leaving soon, Weiss went to go and get one of Champlain's cars. We need to get out of here before Sloane sends more men to search the place."

Sydney slid over on the couch. "Come sit with me." She smiled as Vaughn plopped down beside her.She leaned over and kissed him lightly. "I should have listened to you."

"I know you should have but it's alright. Don't think about it anymore." She opened her mouth to protest but he silenced her with a kiss. The kiss grew more passionate until Sydney stopped, pulling away from him.

"Weiss, where's Weiss?" She asked breathlessly.

"Who cares." Vaughn replied kissing her again.

"Mr.Sark, don't you have any self control. I don't know if Miss Reed was angrier when you were beating Sydney to death or sleeping with her whenever you got the chance."

Sydney gasped at the sound of the voice. Vaughn stopped kissing her and stood up.

"Well I don't think that is any of your business, Arvin."

Sydney jumped up from the couch. "What the hell is going on?"

"You'll know soon enough."

Sydney opened her mouth to scream. All that came out was a whimper as she felt the cold metal and the small sting of a needle slide into her neck. Sloane grabbed her as he knees gave out.

As she slipped into the blackness, she stared up at their faces. The stony expressions of Michael Vaughn and Arvin Sloane were the last images etched in her memory as she gave in.

red rain is coming down

red rain

red rain is pouring down

pouring down all over me