A/N Hey everyone, thanks for the great replies, keep them coming good and
bad! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, it's a little longer than the
others are but I could not split it up. I really enjoyed writing Syd and
Kathryn's heart to heart, definitely one of my most favorite bits so far.
I'm really enjoying this story, I've never wrote anything so fast nor
neglected my school work so much (enough said there I've got a ton to do
starting today--yesterday was my birthday so it was a slack day) Anyways
enjoy! Oh One last Question: I want to integrate a song into a song into a
part of one of my future chapters. The scene will be emotional, yet funny
and will take place with Jack Syd and Kathryn so if anyone has any
suggestions let me know!
Redemption
Chapter Six
Neither Jack, nor Sydney said anything.
"What about my mother?" Kathryn repeated.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jack covered.
"You were talking about my mother." Kathryn crossed her arms over her chest and tried again. "You said my mother might have had something to do with this and then you mentioned another woman's name, Irina." Still with no response from either Jack or Sydney she began speaking to them in a slew of Greek so quick Jack even had trouble keeping up with her.
"Stop," he interrupted and she did mid sentence. "You speak Greek."
"No, really," she said sarcastically. "Now why would my mother have anything to do with this, she's been dead for over ten years."
"Kathryn why don't you sit down," Sydney suggested.
"I'll stand thank you. We made a deal Mr. Bristow!"
"Kathryn Sit Down!" Jack closed his office door, shutting out the curious onlookers. Reluctantly she obeyed and sat next to Sydney.
She remained still barely moving, or even breathing as Jack and Sydney explained to her about Irina Derevko, Alison Porter and Laura Bristow leaving out some of the details that she didn't need to know about. But including the information about SD6, The KGB, The Alliance and how Irina came to know Jack Bristow.
"You're mistaken," she said finally. "My mother died when I was five, in a robbery-"
"I'm sorry-" Jack began.
"No I'm sorry," Kathryn stood up. "Because you're going to have to come up with a better lie than that. My mother died when I was five, I should know, I was there!"
"We don't have records-"
"So you don't believe me!"
"He never said that-"
"I'll prove it!" She raised her shirt and pointed out a scar on her abdomen that stood out amongst the purple bruises. "I was in the hospital for six weeks afterwards, the doctors had to take out my spleen and one of my kidneys! If my mother had been alive she would have come for me."
"Katy, everything we've told you is the truth-"
"I don't believe you."
Her voice was cold emotionless, and it sent shivers down Sydney's spine. She knew that voice all too well. Kathryn was very much like their mother. Before either of them could react Kathryn was gone. Sydney grabbed a file from her father and chased after her but she lost sight of her when Kathryn sneaked in an elevator. "Shit," Sydney watched the elevator lights until it stopped and then took the next elevator to that level.
Jack contacted security and then followed Sydney but Marshall stopped him. "I don't have time Marshall."
"Agent Bristow it's really important, it's well-big."
Jack stopped, Marshall was really stuttering so it must be something.
"Kathryn came over to see Agent Weiss, to apologize for well she hit him I guess, although he was telling everyone something else, caused a little scene when she showed up."
"Get to the point Marshall!"
He handed Jack the file with the coding information. "She saw the code I was trying to break, the one from the Russia Mission last week. It's my fault really I started talking to her and I didn't know it was her, I take full responsibility-"
"Marshall what did she see?"
"That's just it, nothing, at first, I couldn't crack that code. Analysts couldn't crack it, we ran it through every coding program we had, and I worked on it for twelve hours. She wasn't looking at it for more than a minute and she cracked it. Well she told me how, I'd never seen a code like it before and she told me how to break it."
"What did it say?"
"The translation is here," Marshall pointed at the page with the code translation. "Its information on the munitions plant in Prague. She doesn't know what it says though. Some people say that I'm a natural code breaker but she was amazing"
"Thank you Marshall."
Jack took the file and went back to his office. Closing the door he took a seat at his desk and skimmed through the file. Kathryn Sullivan was full of surprises, or so it seemed.
~ ~ ~
Sydney checked with the security guard, but he hadn't seen Kathryn. She stepped outside the building and looked around. The sidewalk was busy, people hurrying to get whereever with no idea as to the dangerous world around them. She turned to go back inside but stopped when she saw her. She almost laughed wondering how Kathryn had gotten past security. She crossed the street and slowly walked around the fountain.
Kathryn sat on the bench hugging her knees. Sydney swore she saw tears on her cheeks but when she looked again, they were gone. She looked so lost and frightened. Sydney knew exactly how she felt, like the whole world was against her. Sydney put a hand on Kathryn's shoulder, but she shrugged it off pulling away. Sydney hid a smile she had expected that. She sat down on the bench beside her, but not too close, Kathryn needed space.
"Katy, believe it or not, it does get better." Sydney said softly. She took a piece of gum from her pocket and offered one to Kathryn, but she shook her head. "I know it may not seem like it right now but the world isn't against you. You and I, we need to learn to trust each other, because right now I believe that the CIA is all that's keeping you alive." Sydney saw Kathryn shudder and knew she hit a nerve.
"You should have just left me in Bangkok."
"Kathryn no," Sydney reached for her hand but again as expected Kathryn pulled away. Sydney sat back on the bench and crossed her legs. "You and I have a lot in common-"
"I don't think so."
"Katy, I've been where you are now. It's a dark and scary place and you should not have to go through it alone." Kathryn lifted her head turning to look at Sydney and she was rewarded with a small reassuring smile. Sydney gently brushed a tear from Kathryn's cheek. "You don't have to be so brave all the time. It's okay to let your guard down. When I found out about my mother, about what she'd done, I felt exactly the way that you do now. Worthless, lied to, deceived-"
"I hate her. I don't think I've ever hated someone so much in my life."
"Don't-," Sydney shook her head. "Don't let your hatred for her consume your life, its not worth it. It eats you up and spits you out and leaves you with nothing."
"How did it happen? When she, when your mother died?"
Sydney reached for Kathryn's hand again, this time she allowed her to take it. "I was six, it was a car accident, her car went off a bridge. I don't remember very much, just my father coming to tell me that she was gone."
"I remember everything," she sniffed. "I was five, I wanted to see my mom so I made the babysitter take me to see her. I wanted to give her this stupid picture I made. As soon as we opened the door, they started shooting- the robbers, I heard her scream and my babysitter was hurt, and mom she was climbing across the counter. She literally jumped on me, but it was too late." Kathryn was shaking, she was reliving it all over again; slowly Sydney slid her arm around her and Kathryn rested her head on Syds shoulder. "I was already hurt and I always thought that, if I hadn't, if I hadn't gone to the store that night she'd still be alive." Kathryn's chin trembled; her voice shook as she struggled to control herself. Sydney had to blink back her own tears as she held Kathryn closer. "She was so scared. Her eyes. I'll never forget them. I used to think it was just a big nightmare and now I know the truth."
"It's okay," Syd said hoarsely feeling Kathryn's tears on her neck. She stroked her hair and wiped away Kathryn's tears. "It'll get better, I promise you, I won't lie to you ever."
"Your mom.. Our mom, she married your dad to get information right, do you think it was the same with my dad?
"I don't know," Sydney replied honestly.
Kathryn pulled away and wiped her cheeks. She rested her chin on her knees. "Your dad is. different."
"Yeah," Syd let out a small laugh. "He's.. complicated."
"He's been nice to me," she picked an imaginary piece of lint off his jacket sleeve. "I wouldn't blame him if he hated me.. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me either. I think I would if I were in your position."
"I could never hate you Katy," Sydney could feel the lump in her throat growing. She looked up and saw her father standing on the front steps of the Op Center, his arms crossed motioning her back inside with a quick nod of his head, before he turned and went back to his office. "We need to go back inside now, it really isn't safe out here."
Kathryn nodded and slowly stood up wiping her eyes, removing all traces of the tears that had once been there. She crossed her arms across her chest as they walked across the street. "I suppose it makes sense," she said softly.
"What makes sense?"
"You and I. Why you look so much like me."
Sydney stopped and had to smile, she knew exactly where Kathryn was going. "Now wait a minute you've got that all wrong," she shook her head and Kathryn looked up at her smiling. "It's why YOU look so much like ME."
Kathryn laughed. "We're sisters, well half anyway."
"Good, cause I always wanted a little sister."
"So did I," Kathryn smirked and ran up the stairs ahead of Sydney.
Shaking her head Sydney laughed and chased after her pausing only when Kathryn stumbled on one of the stairs. "We've got to get you some shoes," she laughed.
"We had a good talk-" Sydney said to her father as she and Kathryn entered his office.
"Close the door and sit down," Jack stood from behind his desk and the Sydney did as he asked. He sat on the edge of his desk in front of Kathryn and reached out gripping the chair handles tightly. Kathryn swallowed nervously feeling the heat of his breath on her face. He spoke again, his voice cold and domineering. "I want to know who you're working for Kathryn. I want to know and I want to know NOW!"
Redemption
Chapter Six
Neither Jack, nor Sydney said anything.
"What about my mother?" Kathryn repeated.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jack covered.
"You were talking about my mother." Kathryn crossed her arms over her chest and tried again. "You said my mother might have had something to do with this and then you mentioned another woman's name, Irina." Still with no response from either Jack or Sydney she began speaking to them in a slew of Greek so quick Jack even had trouble keeping up with her.
"Stop," he interrupted and she did mid sentence. "You speak Greek."
"No, really," she said sarcastically. "Now why would my mother have anything to do with this, she's been dead for over ten years."
"Kathryn why don't you sit down," Sydney suggested.
"I'll stand thank you. We made a deal Mr. Bristow!"
"Kathryn Sit Down!" Jack closed his office door, shutting out the curious onlookers. Reluctantly she obeyed and sat next to Sydney.
She remained still barely moving, or even breathing as Jack and Sydney explained to her about Irina Derevko, Alison Porter and Laura Bristow leaving out some of the details that she didn't need to know about. But including the information about SD6, The KGB, The Alliance and how Irina came to know Jack Bristow.
"You're mistaken," she said finally. "My mother died when I was five, in a robbery-"
"I'm sorry-" Jack began.
"No I'm sorry," Kathryn stood up. "Because you're going to have to come up with a better lie than that. My mother died when I was five, I should know, I was there!"
"We don't have records-"
"So you don't believe me!"
"He never said that-"
"I'll prove it!" She raised her shirt and pointed out a scar on her abdomen that stood out amongst the purple bruises. "I was in the hospital for six weeks afterwards, the doctors had to take out my spleen and one of my kidneys! If my mother had been alive she would have come for me."
"Katy, everything we've told you is the truth-"
"I don't believe you."
Her voice was cold emotionless, and it sent shivers down Sydney's spine. She knew that voice all too well. Kathryn was very much like their mother. Before either of them could react Kathryn was gone. Sydney grabbed a file from her father and chased after her but she lost sight of her when Kathryn sneaked in an elevator. "Shit," Sydney watched the elevator lights until it stopped and then took the next elevator to that level.
Jack contacted security and then followed Sydney but Marshall stopped him. "I don't have time Marshall."
"Agent Bristow it's really important, it's well-big."
Jack stopped, Marshall was really stuttering so it must be something.
"Kathryn came over to see Agent Weiss, to apologize for well she hit him I guess, although he was telling everyone something else, caused a little scene when she showed up."
"Get to the point Marshall!"
He handed Jack the file with the coding information. "She saw the code I was trying to break, the one from the Russia Mission last week. It's my fault really I started talking to her and I didn't know it was her, I take full responsibility-"
"Marshall what did she see?"
"That's just it, nothing, at first, I couldn't crack that code. Analysts couldn't crack it, we ran it through every coding program we had, and I worked on it for twelve hours. She wasn't looking at it for more than a minute and she cracked it. Well she told me how, I'd never seen a code like it before and she told me how to break it."
"What did it say?"
"The translation is here," Marshall pointed at the page with the code translation. "Its information on the munitions plant in Prague. She doesn't know what it says though. Some people say that I'm a natural code breaker but she was amazing"
"Thank you Marshall."
Jack took the file and went back to his office. Closing the door he took a seat at his desk and skimmed through the file. Kathryn Sullivan was full of surprises, or so it seemed.
~ ~ ~
Sydney checked with the security guard, but he hadn't seen Kathryn. She stepped outside the building and looked around. The sidewalk was busy, people hurrying to get whereever with no idea as to the dangerous world around them. She turned to go back inside but stopped when she saw her. She almost laughed wondering how Kathryn had gotten past security. She crossed the street and slowly walked around the fountain.
Kathryn sat on the bench hugging her knees. Sydney swore she saw tears on her cheeks but when she looked again, they were gone. She looked so lost and frightened. Sydney knew exactly how she felt, like the whole world was against her. Sydney put a hand on Kathryn's shoulder, but she shrugged it off pulling away. Sydney hid a smile she had expected that. She sat down on the bench beside her, but not too close, Kathryn needed space.
"Katy, believe it or not, it does get better." Sydney said softly. She took a piece of gum from her pocket and offered one to Kathryn, but she shook her head. "I know it may not seem like it right now but the world isn't against you. You and I, we need to learn to trust each other, because right now I believe that the CIA is all that's keeping you alive." Sydney saw Kathryn shudder and knew she hit a nerve.
"You should have just left me in Bangkok."
"Kathryn no," Sydney reached for her hand but again as expected Kathryn pulled away. Sydney sat back on the bench and crossed her legs. "You and I have a lot in common-"
"I don't think so."
"Katy, I've been where you are now. It's a dark and scary place and you should not have to go through it alone." Kathryn lifted her head turning to look at Sydney and she was rewarded with a small reassuring smile. Sydney gently brushed a tear from Kathryn's cheek. "You don't have to be so brave all the time. It's okay to let your guard down. When I found out about my mother, about what she'd done, I felt exactly the way that you do now. Worthless, lied to, deceived-"
"I hate her. I don't think I've ever hated someone so much in my life."
"Don't-," Sydney shook her head. "Don't let your hatred for her consume your life, its not worth it. It eats you up and spits you out and leaves you with nothing."
"How did it happen? When she, when your mother died?"
Sydney reached for Kathryn's hand again, this time she allowed her to take it. "I was six, it was a car accident, her car went off a bridge. I don't remember very much, just my father coming to tell me that she was gone."
"I remember everything," she sniffed. "I was five, I wanted to see my mom so I made the babysitter take me to see her. I wanted to give her this stupid picture I made. As soon as we opened the door, they started shooting- the robbers, I heard her scream and my babysitter was hurt, and mom she was climbing across the counter. She literally jumped on me, but it was too late." Kathryn was shaking, she was reliving it all over again; slowly Sydney slid her arm around her and Kathryn rested her head on Syds shoulder. "I was already hurt and I always thought that, if I hadn't, if I hadn't gone to the store that night she'd still be alive." Kathryn's chin trembled; her voice shook as she struggled to control herself. Sydney had to blink back her own tears as she held Kathryn closer. "She was so scared. Her eyes. I'll never forget them. I used to think it was just a big nightmare and now I know the truth."
"It's okay," Syd said hoarsely feeling Kathryn's tears on her neck. She stroked her hair and wiped away Kathryn's tears. "It'll get better, I promise you, I won't lie to you ever."
"Your mom.. Our mom, she married your dad to get information right, do you think it was the same with my dad?
"I don't know," Sydney replied honestly.
Kathryn pulled away and wiped her cheeks. She rested her chin on her knees. "Your dad is. different."
"Yeah," Syd let out a small laugh. "He's.. complicated."
"He's been nice to me," she picked an imaginary piece of lint off his jacket sleeve. "I wouldn't blame him if he hated me.. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me either. I think I would if I were in your position."
"I could never hate you Katy," Sydney could feel the lump in her throat growing. She looked up and saw her father standing on the front steps of the Op Center, his arms crossed motioning her back inside with a quick nod of his head, before he turned and went back to his office. "We need to go back inside now, it really isn't safe out here."
Kathryn nodded and slowly stood up wiping her eyes, removing all traces of the tears that had once been there. She crossed her arms across her chest as they walked across the street. "I suppose it makes sense," she said softly.
"What makes sense?"
"You and I. Why you look so much like me."
Sydney stopped and had to smile, she knew exactly where Kathryn was going. "Now wait a minute you've got that all wrong," she shook her head and Kathryn looked up at her smiling. "It's why YOU look so much like ME."
Kathryn laughed. "We're sisters, well half anyway."
"Good, cause I always wanted a little sister."
"So did I," Kathryn smirked and ran up the stairs ahead of Sydney.
Shaking her head Sydney laughed and chased after her pausing only when Kathryn stumbled on one of the stairs. "We've got to get you some shoes," she laughed.
"We had a good talk-" Sydney said to her father as she and Kathryn entered his office.
"Close the door and sit down," Jack stood from behind his desk and the Sydney did as he asked. He sat on the edge of his desk in front of Kathryn and reached out gripping the chair handles tightly. Kathryn swallowed nervously feeling the heat of his breath on her face. He spoke again, his voice cold and domineering. "I want to know who you're working for Kathryn. I want to know and I want to know NOW!"