Chapter 3

Sydney's POV

I've granted him three minutes to explain himself. He asks me what I want to know first. Of all the questions he could ask, what one is more obvious than that? "What's your real name?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Before I tell you, I need you to promise me that my family name won't blind you to my real personality. I really don't have much of my dad in me." I'm confused now, but I nod, allowing him to continue. His most recent words shake me to my core. There are only two names that he could give that would cause a foul taste in my mouth should he say them: Sark and Sloane.

"My name is Terry Kendall, Jr."

"What?" I ask, completely blown away.

"Kendall, he's my dad. Well, technically he's not, Bill Vaughn is my biological father, but I grew up with Kendall."

"What happened?"

"Dad will kill me if I tell you."

"What?"

"Kendall has a…problem, and I hope you're catching my drift because talking about my Dad's…um…shortcomings in the sack, isn't exactly comfortable for me."

I try to hold in my laughter. Thinking of Kendall having trouble in that aspect is just too funny.

"Mom really wanted a child. She went to a sperm bank, and the sperm cell that caught and penetrated her egg was that of Bill Vaughn. Technically, Bill Vaughn is my father, but he was more of a mentor growing up."

I speak again. "But you said that depending on who you ask, you could be considered a bad guy?"

"Yes, I did." He pauses, clearly trying to decide how to phrase the next statement. "When we first met, I was undercover for the DSR. As was clear from your experiences with them, the DSR doesn't have to abide by the typical rules that we who work for the CIA must abide by. We…they are given great liberties, including the right to kill in pursuit of a goal."

"The DSR has that type of authority?" I ask, shocked.

"Yeah. They use it quite a bit, too. Especially when it concerns Rambaldi."

The realization of what he had been saying in the car sinks in, and guilt washes over me. I had automatically assumed the worst, when there was a completely logical explanation behind it.

"I'm sorry I was dumping it on you like that, but I figured it wasn't bad enough to make you not agree to marry me."

I know my eyes are wide from shock, but as he stands there, apologizing yet again, I close the distance between us and proceed to shut him up by bringing our mouths together in a long, tantalizing kiss.

I pull away quite reluctantly when I hear Weiss clear his throat. "I see he told you," he says with a nod.

I nod my head enthusiastically, causing him to smile.

"Listen, I'm sure there plenty you two would like to do, but Syd, I'm going to the hospital to see Nadia. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

I look over at Vaughn. Yes, there is plenty of things I'd love to do, but I take Weiss up on his offer, and as I walk away, I remember something. Turning around, I toss Vaughn my keys. "The middle one's the new key to my front door. Make yourself at home." I smile at him softly, and run to catch up with Weiss.

…TBC…