Starting Over Again Backwards
Chapter 3: Wounded
I'm so tired of being here
suppressed by all of my childish fears
and if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
because your presence still lingers here
and it won't leave me alone
Ile de France, France Irina's House May 2003
The moon shone brightly cascading like silken cords through the large open windows in the living room. They only served to solidify the late hour. Irina quietly came through the door dressed in a black vest, pants, and boots. She closed the door and crossed to the kitchen, going to the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of water. She crossed over to a chair and sat in it, resting her water on the counter. Irina put her head in her hands and sighed, it had been a long day. But at least Jack, Sydney and Vaughn were safe no thanks to that bastard Sloane. Irina had been away from France for a week trying to keep Sloane at bay. It was not the easiest task however, Irina had a fear deep inside that she too would be sucked into that wild obsession that consumed him. But she had an advantage over him; Irina had a very young daughter who needed her and another daughter whose wounds she desperately wanted to heal.
"Welcome home," said a voice from the doorway.
Irina looked at the source of the voice, "Thank you Chantal. Is Jade asleep?"
Chantal nodded, "Just a few hours ago. I tried to reach you but your cell phone was off. Jade has a substantial fever and she also vomited several times today. The fever has gone down a little. She did manage to keep down some 7-up I gave her earlier tonight. But Jade's miserable, she kept calling out for you and Monsieur Bristow."
"I'll go see her now. Thank you for taking such good care of her," said Irina with a smile before going up to see Jade.
Three year-old Jade Seraphina Bristow was curled up in bed clutching her teddy bear. Irina quietly crept into the room and sat next to her daughter on the bed. Only a small bedside lamp illuminated her daughter's small pale face. Irina wiped the hair away from her face, feeling her hot forehead as she did so. Jade shifted slightly in her sleep and whimpered. She slowly opened her eyes.
"Mommy?" said Jade softly.
"Hi sweetheart," said Irina with a soft smile. "How do you feel?"
"Yucky."
"I know, but you'll get better soon," said Irina as Jade scooted into her arms.
"I missed you mommy."
"I missed you too baby."
"Did you tell daddy?"
"Yes I gave daddy your message. He says he loves you too."
"Good," Jade whispered softly yawning.
Irina felt Jade's body relax against hers and held her close.
These wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
Los Angeles Jack's House 3 days later
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me
It had been 3 days since he received the news. It had been 3 long agonizing days since Jack Bristow's world began to come down around him. He had gotten back from Mexico City unhurt thankfully. Irina had gotten him out of the building and they exchanged hurried last words and good byes before they parted ways, he back to Los Angeles and her back to a suburb just outside of Paris. It wasn't too long after he returned that his worst nightmare came true. Agent Vaughn called him at 11:00. He was supposed to pick up Sydney for a last minute trip to Santa Barbara. But Sydney was gone, glass was everywhere and Vaughn had found "Francie" otherwise known as Alison Doren. Not to mention Will, who was still alive by some miracle. But Sydney was nowhere to be found. It was like she vanished off the face of the earth. With all of the technological advances that the CIA had at their disposal, Sydney couldn't be found. Jack crossed over to the bar and poured a small amount of brandy in the glass. He swallowed a sip and relished in the burning sensation he felt as it went down his throat. The guilt was eating at him, just as the alcohol burned down his throat. Jack had failed her again, he had failed Sydney and because that, she might me dead. He went to the house and saw his daughter's blood embedded into the carpet. He had failed her. Just then a light clicked on in the hallway and the door to the study was opened. Light flooded into the room, intruding into Jack's darkened world.
"Jack?" came a voice.
Jack squinted, his eyes adjusting to the sudden light as he looked up. "Irina."
You used to captivate me
by your resonating light
but now I'm bound by the life you left behind
your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
your voice it chased away all the sanity in me
"I came as soon as I could," She replied adjusting the bundle in her arms.
"I failed her," Jack whispered.
"Daddy?" a voice murmured sleepily.
"I'm bringing her home Jack," said Irina rubbing Jade's head.
Jack put his glass down on the desk and crossed over to the door. Irina handed Jade to him.
"Daddy's right here," Jack whispered holding his younger daughter close. He pressed a kiss into her hair. "Go back to sleep."
Jade buried her head in her father's neck and fell asleep. The painful new wounds Jack now bore weren't so painful anymore.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"She needed you as much as you needed us."
These wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
"She's gone."
"For now, we'll find her Jack."
"You sound so confident."
"That's because I am. Now let's go upstairs and try to get some rest. We'll deal with everything else when morning comes."
Jack nodded and kissed her forehead before going past her upstairs with Jade in his arms. Irina looked into the study, her eyes focusing on a portrait on Sydney on the wall behind the desk. She felt a deep stab of pain as she grabbed the doorknob and shut the door quietly. Then she turned and walked down the hall before turning to go upstairs. When she reached the master bedroom, Jade was already in the center of the bed under the covers. Jack was at the foot of the bed watching her closely, almost as if he was afraid that she would disappear. Irina came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Jack turned in her arms so that he was facing her and kissed her softly.
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me
"Are you ready?" She whispered.
Jack nodded, "I'm ready for just about anything now."
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
and though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
Song- My Immortal-Evanescence
Chapter 3: Wounded
I'm so tired of being here
suppressed by all of my childish fears
and if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
because your presence still lingers here
and it won't leave me alone
Ile de France, France Irina's House May 2003
The moon shone brightly cascading like silken cords through the large open windows in the living room. They only served to solidify the late hour. Irina quietly came through the door dressed in a black vest, pants, and boots. She closed the door and crossed to the kitchen, going to the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of water. She crossed over to a chair and sat in it, resting her water on the counter. Irina put her head in her hands and sighed, it had been a long day. But at least Jack, Sydney and Vaughn were safe no thanks to that bastard Sloane. Irina had been away from France for a week trying to keep Sloane at bay. It was not the easiest task however, Irina had a fear deep inside that she too would be sucked into that wild obsession that consumed him. But she had an advantage over him; Irina had a very young daughter who needed her and another daughter whose wounds she desperately wanted to heal.
"Welcome home," said a voice from the doorway.
Irina looked at the source of the voice, "Thank you Chantal. Is Jade asleep?"
Chantal nodded, "Just a few hours ago. I tried to reach you but your cell phone was off. Jade has a substantial fever and she also vomited several times today. The fever has gone down a little. She did manage to keep down some 7-up I gave her earlier tonight. But Jade's miserable, she kept calling out for you and Monsieur Bristow."
"I'll go see her now. Thank you for taking such good care of her," said Irina with a smile before going up to see Jade.
Three year-old Jade Seraphina Bristow was curled up in bed clutching her teddy bear. Irina quietly crept into the room and sat next to her daughter on the bed. Only a small bedside lamp illuminated her daughter's small pale face. Irina wiped the hair away from her face, feeling her hot forehead as she did so. Jade shifted slightly in her sleep and whimpered. She slowly opened her eyes.
"Mommy?" said Jade softly.
"Hi sweetheart," said Irina with a soft smile. "How do you feel?"
"Yucky."
"I know, but you'll get better soon," said Irina as Jade scooted into her arms.
"I missed you mommy."
"I missed you too baby."
"Did you tell daddy?"
"Yes I gave daddy your message. He says he loves you too."
"Good," Jade whispered softly yawning.
Irina felt Jade's body relax against hers and held her close.
These wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
Los Angeles Jack's House 3 days later
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me
It had been 3 days since he received the news. It had been 3 long agonizing days since Jack Bristow's world began to come down around him. He had gotten back from Mexico City unhurt thankfully. Irina had gotten him out of the building and they exchanged hurried last words and good byes before they parted ways, he back to Los Angeles and her back to a suburb just outside of Paris. It wasn't too long after he returned that his worst nightmare came true. Agent Vaughn called him at 11:00. He was supposed to pick up Sydney for a last minute trip to Santa Barbara. But Sydney was gone, glass was everywhere and Vaughn had found "Francie" otherwise known as Alison Doren. Not to mention Will, who was still alive by some miracle. But Sydney was nowhere to be found. It was like she vanished off the face of the earth. With all of the technological advances that the CIA had at their disposal, Sydney couldn't be found. Jack crossed over to the bar and poured a small amount of brandy in the glass. He swallowed a sip and relished in the burning sensation he felt as it went down his throat. The guilt was eating at him, just as the alcohol burned down his throat. Jack had failed her again, he had failed Sydney and because that, she might me dead. He went to the house and saw his daughter's blood embedded into the carpet. He had failed her. Just then a light clicked on in the hallway and the door to the study was opened. Light flooded into the room, intruding into Jack's darkened world.
"Jack?" came a voice.
Jack squinted, his eyes adjusting to the sudden light as he looked up. "Irina."
You used to captivate me
by your resonating light
but now I'm bound by the life you left behind
your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
your voice it chased away all the sanity in me
"I came as soon as I could," She replied adjusting the bundle in her arms.
"I failed her," Jack whispered.
"Daddy?" a voice murmured sleepily.
"I'm bringing her home Jack," said Irina rubbing Jade's head.
Jack put his glass down on the desk and crossed over to the door. Irina handed Jade to him.
"Daddy's right here," Jack whispered holding his younger daughter close. He pressed a kiss into her hair. "Go back to sleep."
Jade buried her head in her father's neck and fell asleep. The painful new wounds Jack now bore weren't so painful anymore.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"She needed you as much as you needed us."
These wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
"She's gone."
"For now, we'll find her Jack."
"You sound so confident."
"That's because I am. Now let's go upstairs and try to get some rest. We'll deal with everything else when morning comes."
Jack nodded and kissed her forehead before going past her upstairs with Jade in his arms. Irina looked into the study, her eyes focusing on a portrait on Sydney on the wall behind the desk. She felt a deep stab of pain as she grabbed the doorknob and shut the door quietly. Then she turned and walked down the hall before turning to go upstairs. When she reached the master bedroom, Jade was already in the center of the bed under the covers. Jack was at the foot of the bed watching her closely, almost as if he was afraid that she would disappear. Irina came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Jack turned in her arms so that he was facing her and kissed her softly.
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me
"Are you ready?" She whispered.
Jack nodded, "I'm ready for just about anything now."
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
and though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
Song- My Immortal-Evanescence