Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who reviewed! Just a note to smilez4eva- we poor Australians don't have an Alias day at the moment. We have only seen to the end of season three because our stupid tv network is cruelly making us wait before showing season 4!
"Please Weiss. We only have to spend an hour or so at the court. I need to release my tension through some one-on-one."
"Alright, but take it easy on me."
"I'll give you a five point head start."
"Make it ten and you got yourself a deal." Weiss said as Vaughn grabbed his car keys. Ten minutes later Vaughn had parked his car at the local park and the two of them wereheaded towards the basketball court. Unfortunately it wasn't empty.
"Hey, it's Syd!" Weiss exclaimed.Vaughn looked up.He was right. She looked to be in a fierce battle with her opponent- her boyfriend.
"Great." Vaughn sighed- so much for tension relief.
"Is that him?" Weiss asked carefully, looking at Vaughn to gauge his reaction. He nodded. "Do you wanna go ho-"
"Hey Houdini!" Sydney had spotted Weiss. She saw who he was with and only nodded towards Vaughn. 'That's right,' he thought. "Pretend you don't me in front of your guy.'
"Weiss, this is Will Tippin. Will, Eric Weiss and his friend Michael Vaughn."
"Nice to meet you." Will said offering his hand to both Weiss and Vaughn, who shook it reluctantly. "You guys wanna join us? Me and Syd against you two?"
"Does she play basketball like she plays pool?" Weiss asked looking slightly worried.
"Unfortunately she does." Will answered. Sydney simply stared at her feet. Vaughn looked at her hard. She may have beat him on the pool table, but there was no way she was beating him on the court.
At that moment Sydney looked up and met his eyes. It was as if she was accepting his challenge.
"Let's play." she said.
And so they did. As the apprently fun game continued both Weiss and Will became aware that Sydney and Vaughn didn't seem to be having fun- they seemed to be out for each other's blood. In fact they were playing with such intensity that a passerby could easily mistake the makeshift game for a serious competition.
As the minutes passed, Weiss and Will were gradually phased out. Any idiot could see that this was Sydney and Vaughn's game.
"Is it just me or are you feeling a little left out?" Will asked, watching Vaughn drive past Sydney and score.
"Just a tad."
"There's a burger joint a few blocks over. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be getting into a cheeseburger than watching these two try and kill each other," Will said, wincing as Vaughn blocked one of Sydney's shots with more force than what was probably needed. "Do you wanna go and grab a burger?"
"Are you sure you don't mind leaving Sydney with Vaughn?"
"Nah, she's a big girl, she can take care of herself. In fact I'll drive and Vaughn can give her a lift home."
And so the two of them left, without Sydney or Vaughn noticing.
Sydney was determined to beat him. But so far he'd matched every shot. At the rate they were going they'd be here all night.
"So Bristow, why is it that you are so into playing games?"
"Stop talking it up Vaughn. You're not going to distract me."
"I'm not trying to distract you. It's a question I've been meaning to ask you since Friday night."
"So did you just forget to ask me when you were being Mr Arsehole at uni the other day."
"Oh, so because I didn't pay undivided attention to you I'm an arsehole?"
"No. You're an arse because you were treating me like the world's biggest bitch!"
"Second biggest" he muttered to himself.
"What?" Sydney stopped as she got possesion at the top of the key.
"Nothing." Shaking her head she accelerated, dribbling towards the net. However, as she began her lay-up she felt her left knee give way and she collapsed onto the ashphalt.
"Damn!" Sydney tried to get back up, but couldn't put any weight on her knee.
"Are you ok?" She looked up at Vaughn.
"Do I look like I'm ok?"
"I'm trying to help Sydney. Sarcasm is unnecessary. Here," he crouched down and put her left arm around his shoulders. Helping her stand, he supported her, making their way to a picnic table next to the court. "You need to elevate it."
"What I need is to get home and ice it...Hey,"she said, looking around. "Where's Will and Weiss?"
"Stuffed if I know."
"Great. Will took the car. How the hell am I supposed to get home?"
"Great boyfriend you go there. Abandoning you in the local park." Sydney stared at Vaughn. Where had he gotten the idea that Will was her boyfriend? Could that have been the reason why he was treating her like a pariah?
"Boyfriend? What boyfriend?" Vaughn looked at her in surprise.
"But isn't Will..." he trailed off, suddenly realizing the stupid mistake he'd made.
"No."
"But the way you act around each other..."
"We're best friends, Vaughn. I've known him since high school. Yes, we are very close, but not in that way."
"Oh...I guess I should have listened to Weiss."
"What?"
"He told me I should have asked you if Will was your boyfriend before jumping to conclusions."
"So is that why you were being Mr Arsehole to me on Monday?"
"Yeah. I mean I thought we were having a great time on Friday and then I look over and see you all over Will. It kinda hit a sore spot."
"Sore spot?"
"Never mind. How's the knee?"
"No good. It hasn't done this to me since year 10. If I don't get some ice on it I won't be able to walk tomorrow."
"Come on, I'll give you a lift," Vaughn helped Sydney up and the two began slowly moving towards his car.
"Ouch!" Sydney gasped. She couldn't put any pressure on her knee without pain shooting up her leg.
"Stop" Vaughn ordered. "You're going to hurt it even more ifyou attempt to walk." With that he took Sydney by complete surprise and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. He then continued to walk across the park, carrying her effortlessly. When they reached his 4WD, he opened the passenger door and gently placed Sydney down.
She sat there slightly stunned. Fifteen minutes ago they were ready to maul each other during a game of basketball, and now he was playing doctor to her patient...not that she was complaining.
Vaughn was about to start up his car when his mobile rang. Looking at the caller ID he saw it was his mother.
"Hey maman."
"Hello Michael. I'm calling to remind you about Trish's birthday lunch on Saturday."
"I was hoping you'd forget to remind me."
"Now, now Michael, she may have faults, but she is family."
"Faults? Maman, last time I saw her she tried to tell me that the spirits told her I was Napolean in a former life. She's been trying to convince me to join the army ever since!" He glanced over at Sydney who seemed amused by his end of the conversation.
"Yes, she told me about that, and now I will tell her that you would love to come on Saturday."
"Promise me I can bail if she starts getting too weird."
"I promise Michael."
"You're the best. I'll see you Saturday."
"Yes, see you Saturday."
"Napolean?" Sydney inquired as he flipped his phone closed.
"Aunt Trish is the insane one of the family." He answered, as he started the car and pulled out of the carpark.
"Maman? Isn't that mother in French?"
"Yeah, my mother is French."
"Really? So do you speak French?"
"Yeah, fluently. I was actually born there. We didn't come to the states until I was about 4 when my dad's work transferred him back."
"So is your dad American?" Vaughn seemed to hesitate slightly before giving a short nod.
"What about you?" he asked. "Full, red-blooded American girl?"
"No, actually- turn left here- my mum was Russian." Vaughn was surprised by this. He would have never expected Sydney Bristow to be half- Russian. But there was something else about her statement that intrigued him.
"Was?" he probed, gently, knowing all to well how much pain that question could cause.
"Hmmm...I was six. It was a car accident." Vaughn glanced at her for a second and caught the flash of sadness that crossed her face. She knew what it felt like. Before he could stop himself, he opened up to this girl, who not even an hour ago he had no intention of ever speaking to.
"I was eight when my dad died." Sydney looked up at him in surprise.
"God, who would have thought that we'd be having this conversation?"
Vaughn chuckled to himself. He and Sydney were on the same wavelength- he'd been stupid to believe she was another Lauren. Things were suddenly looking brighter, and with a slight smile on his face, Vaughn continued to drive Sydney home. He only hoped that their interaction wouldn't end when they got there.