Title: Beyond all limits

Summary: When Elliot's cover is blown and Syd joins Lauren, Elliot has no choice in how to deal with them.

Disclaimer: I don't own alias, I only own the character you don't know.

Timeline: AU after the first one

Rating: R

Chapter Eight

As Elliot watched Lauren and Sydney through the camera she had implanted in Lauren's room she felt sick in her stomach. They had both knew that if ever the chance came for one of them to be with Sydney then they would give up the other in a heartbeat, and even though Elliot had been betraying Lauren from the start, pretending to break down and turn to Lauren while still working for the CIA, she had started to develop feelings again for her ex lover and seeing her betrayal hurt her deeply.

She gathered the few essential belongings she could take and headed for the garage with her gun ready in her hand, she may have been hurting but she had heard Lauren admit that she knew of Elliot's loyalty to the CIA and she wasn't about to wait for Lauren to act.

A few hours later Elliot entered the CIA base of operations and was greeted with applause from the agents around her. She had spent months away from her family and friends, forced to work for an enemy she had despised while recovering from Sydney leaving.

Weiss hugged her tightly as she walked up to him and Vaughn. "Welcome back Elliot." She smiled weakly as Vaughn stared at her.

"Lauren knows?" She nodded.

"Apparently she's known for a while, she just wanted me around until she got Sydney back…"

"You left Sydney in her hands?" Vaughn shouted, his disgust evident in his voice.

"No. She stayed by choice…Lauren messed with her head again…she's joined Lauren."

"Fuck!" Vaughn roared and shook his head in disbelief. "How did this happen?"

"That's a question I'd like answered myself." Kendall added from behind Elliot. She turned to find a frown on his face. "What happened?"

After debriefing Kendall, Vaughn, Weiss, Jack and Dixon, Elliot informed them of the spies planted in the agency by Lauren and left to visit Zac at his apartment. When he opened the door and saw the grave expression on her face he silently moved aside to let her in.

"Lauren knows?" He asked.

"Yup."

"Sydney joined her didn't she?"

"Yup."

He wrapped his arms around his partner and sighed. "I miss her." He muttered. "I miss the old days, me, you and her working as a team…"

"Working undercover, deceiving her and putting her in danger because of our choices…Sometimes I even have to think if there was ever a time when I didn't lie to her…"

"You didn't lie when you told her you loved her." Zac replied as he wiped the tears from Elliot's cheeks.

"Lauren needs to be stopped, she's still going for her big finish and Kendall's still intent to stop it, Sydney's just a glitch in the plan…and I know how to deal with glitches." She pulled out her gun and loaded a new cartridge into it.

"You can't be serious…" Zac objected.

"Kendall gave me clearance…Sydney broke into the CIA, stole and tortured one of its prisoners and attacked two CIA officers…she's out of control and she is way past redemption Zac…"

"You don't know that!" Zac objected. "The Syd we knew was so pure and moral that I can't believe that no part of her still exists inside of her…she's been through so much pain, she just needs help."

"I'm going to help her Zac…after I've dealt with her she won't feel anymore pain ever again…it's the only way. Our Syd was dead long before the empty shell she is now came back to us…it's the only way and you know it!"

"How can you kill her?" Zac asked, tears in his eyes and anger and fear in his expression. "I thought you loved her." Elliot's gaze dropped to the floor momentarily to hide the pain that flashed on to her face, but moments later she stared into his gaze defiantly.

"I'm doing this because I love her…it's the only way we can save her. If you really still care about her then you'd help me."

She took out her wallet and after opening it threw it on to the coffee table that separated them. "You'd help her." Zac stared down at the old photograph of Elliot, Sydney and himself from their SD-6 days. He nodded in defeat and hung his head.

"When's Lauren scheduling to put her plan in to action?" He asked, a sulking tone in his voice.

"Tomorrow. We're going in with Jack's team and they'll take care of Lauren…we have to handle Sydney." He nodded in agreement.

"It has to be painless for her." He added.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"What about Jack?"

"He…he was the one who asked if I could be the one to deal with Sydney…he knows I'll do what's necessary as painlessly as I can."

Zac nodded and looked at his hands as he spoke. "Can you really do this?" Elliot shook her head.

"In less than twenty-four hours I have to kill the woman I have loved for over seven years…as her friend I can't do that…but as an agent I have no choice."