Disclaimer: See Chapter One: The First Six Months (formerly known as the Prologue).
A/N: This is definitely the second to last installment to this story; that is, the last chapter will be up shortly. I didn't plan on posting, or even writing, this chapter. I had the last one ready to go, but I wrote this in between (and a little during) classes, and I felt that it was important in understanding the Sark/Sydney relationship... well, at least Sark's view of it. Also, thank you from the bottom of my heart to all my faithful reviewers. Your words keep me going. Much love.
"This is the last time I'm going to ask you, Bristow."
"You'll understand soon enough, Sark. Let's not rush it."
"Ah, yes. According to the CIA, I have the rest of my life to sit here and not rush it."
"'According to the CIA'? You have other plans, I pressume?"
"Irina will come for me."
He could see her attempt to keep her face straight. "You have so much faith in a woman like that?"
A smirk. "It must kill you that I know your mother better than you do."
A smirk. "It must kill you that she hasn't come yet."
His jaw clenched involuntarily. "She has her reasons."
"She's abandoned you."
"Believe what you want, but I know Irina. We are exactly the same. I'm the son she never had—a child after her own heart."
"You trust a woman willing to abandon her own child? Who uses any means necessary to gain her end? A woman loyal only to herself?"
He let out a short bark of laughter. "Like I said, Irina and I are exactly the same."
"You didn't break her out of prison."
"Well, she wanted to be in here," he spat bitterly. "She wanted to get to know you."
Sark shook his head angrily. He didn't want to think of that year Irina was imprisoned. He had felt so… lost.
"I was jealous of you growing up. Did you know that, Agent Bristow? Of course you didn't. I've never told anyone. Not even Irina, although she probably already knows. Probably fostered it."
She remained silent, watching him.
"Growing up, Irina would always talk about you. 'Sydney's already mastered three languages. Sydney can run a mile in five minutes flat. Sydney is the fucking Virgin Mary incarnate.'"
He glared at her. "You have always been my rival. The one I competed against. The one I pushed myself to defeat, even before you knew me. I was pleased when I realized we were on opposite sides of this game we play. Pleased because I knew that I would eventually have my opportunity to finally defeat you, mayhap even kill you.
"I had my chance one day. I had caught you unaware. You didn't even realize I was there. I had my gun trained right on your heart..."
"Why didn't you pull the trigger?" she said into the silence, startling him.
He sighed, a bitter smile on his lips. "Because then I realized that if I did, I would have had nothing in life to look forward to. My life would have no meaning. Don't you see, Agent Bristow? Irina and I may be the same, but you and I… well, we keep the balance. And if I had killed you, the game would be over."