We Just Missed Each Other
Author: JuliaAtHeart
Timeline: Set after The Telling. During Sydney's missing years.
Summary: Vaughn finds Sydney, but will he look past Julia to see Sydney? S/V, S/Simon, J/I, V/L. Yay Shippers!
Rating: M for disturbing material, language, and adult situations in later chapters.
Disclaimer: I don't own Alias, or anything close to it. All characters belong to JJ, except the ones I made up.
A/N: Italics are the thoughts and notes, and anything in between are dream sequences! The dreams are told from that character POV. So if I were dreaming it would be from my point of view in first person. Thanks for reading!
A/N: I am having a few issues with Julia/Syd. I can't figure out if I should say, "Sydney stood and walked…" or "Julia stood and walked…" because they are different people, and they switch…. Oh well. I guess this was a way to let you know I don't think that part is very good and bare with me, because I promise this story will get good… eventually!
A/N: One last note to readers waiting for other stories: School started and while I promise to finish Cold-Blooded Killer I don't know when it might happen! And no, I have not forgotten Dark Revenge… but my muse is on vacation in this story!
PLEASE R/R!
Chapter One
The call had come in the middle of the night, the shrilling noise disrupting the sweet silence.
Vaughn shifted and lifted his cell phone, groggily answering it, "Hello..." He said trying to keep the sleep out of his voice.
"Good evening Agent Vaughn, this is Kabual Hertigh. We worked together in India, some time ago."
Vaughn's mind did a quick search, trying to place the voice and name. It was familiar, and suddenly he remembered the tall burly man. Kabual had worked with him New Delhi, and then again a few months ago.
"Oh yes. How can I help you?" Vaughn was puzzled, what could he possibly need?
"It isn't how you can help me, it is how I can help you." Kabual spoke in a hushed tone, and Vaughn pressed the phone to his ear.
"Ok..."
"We need to meet. Tonight if you could manage it."
Vaughn rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Sure. Did you have a place in mind?"
"The pier." And with that the line went dead.
Vaughn stood, and pulled on a discarded blue sweater.
"Where are you going?" He looked down at the bed; Lauren was propped up on her elbow, he hadn't meant to wake her.
"I need to meet a contact, but don't worry I'll be back soon." He bent down and kissed her cheek softly.
Seemingly content she sighed settling down on the queen size bed and turned over returning to her dreams.
Vaughn pulled on his sneakers and headed to the front hall trying to find his keys in the dark. Switching on the light, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror; his face was lined and tired which didn't surprise him. Never before could he remember a time when he was this drained. Shaking his head he grabbed the keys and proceeded out the door to his car.
The pier was deserted, other than a tall man leaning on the rail starring out into the ocean. Kabual hadn't changed, as far as Vaughn could tell; he was still thin and lanky. The only considerable difference was that Kabual, who had always been at the pinnacle of health, looked sallow and as tired as Vaughn felt.
Vaughn approached and stood beside him. For a moment neither spoke nor moved. With the music of the ocean playing in his head, Vaughn began to remember the last time he had meet someone here. It had been Syd... no he wouldn't think of her tonight. It took to much strength the shut that door after it had been opened. If Kabual said it couldn't wait, then it must be urgent; he needed to be able to focus tonight.
"I have some information for you." Kabual said quietly, and pulled out an envelope.
Vaughn reached for it but Kabual held it clasped in his hand, his eyes starring out into the ocean, trying to find the horizon in the night, an impossible task.
"Three months ago, you asked me to help you find a certain agent. So I looked everywhere. But it wasn't until I got back to Los Angeles that I found information." Kabual spoke softly, but Vaughn heard every word. In fact, the words seemed too loud for him to comprehend, the knowledge too delicate for him to begin to consider it.
Moments passed and Vaughn gathered his thoughts before speaking.
"Are you telling me you found Agent Bristow?" His voice caught on her name but he remained alert.
Kabual nodded, "I got my man into the CIA, to try to find out about her past aliases, and special skills. Accidentally he found her, through Director Kendall." Vaughn felt as though someone had hit him and he gripped the railing, his knuckles turning white.
Kabual handed him the envelope, "I hope this cancels any debt left between us."
Vaughn just nodded and starred at the unmarked envelope in his hands. He waited until he could no longer hear Kabual's footsteps before moving to open the envelope.
There were five pictures, all of the same woman. At first glance Vaughn didn't recognize her, she was blonde, her body toned to perfection, however much thinner than Sydney had ever been. But the face was the same, the same eyes.
She was walking on some unmarked street, face in a smile, a grin, a smirk, a grimace. One picture she held a gun, pointing at someone Vaughn couldn't see. In another two men were beating her. In the third and fourth she sat in a café drinking, what looked like an espresso. The last picture made him gasp with confusion; Sydney was dancing with a man, her head resting on his shoulder completely relaxed. None of this made any sense but Vaughn didn't care. What mattered to him was that in each picture he knew, without a doubt, it was Sydney.
Oh god, Syd I found you
It was all he could think and his hands began to shake. Carefully he examined the pictures again, making sure he wasn't mistaken. He let out a breath he had been holding for ten months; since he had gotten the call that Sydney's apartment had been burned down.
Hope and relief were joined by fury. Kabual had said these pictures had been in possession of Kendall.
That bastard had kept information about Sydney secret from him and probably Jack too. He had always known that Kendall hadn't liked him and Jack, but to keep this information a secret was unforgivable. He had a quick urge to dial Jack, but opted not to, at least until he had spoken to Kendall.
Vaughn straightened and before he tucked the pictures into his jacket he glanced at the date. All the pictures were dated two weeks ago. With hate spreading inside, fueling a dark fire Vaughn began walking towards his car. He was going to go see Kendall.
He was halfway home when he realized that Lauren would still be in his apartment. He couldn't imagine even speaking to her. Now that he knew Sydney was alive, he couldn't even think about Lauren in the same way, his heart was Sydney's. He turned the car around and headed toward JTF, fuck it, showering would come later. Right now showering could wait; all he wanted was to talk to Kendall.
When Vaughn arrived at JTF he found it almost empty, except for Marshall who was sleeping in his office on a big pink blowup chair, and a few rookies on computers. Without pausing he went straight for Kendall office, and sat down on the comfortable couch. Hour passed and Vaughn sat, starring at nothing in a coma like trance.
Almost four hours later Kendall walked into his office, carrying a cup of coffee and the morning paper. He jumped, spilling coffee on the floor, barely missing his tie. He glared at Vaughn who just sat there; it took a moment for Kendall's arrival to register in his mind. Vaughn stood abruptly and clutched the pictures in his shaking hand.
"Agent Vaughn you're looking awfully haggard, no time to bathe?"
"Cut the crap Kendall!" Vaughn's voice was gruff, from hours of silence.
"How can I help you, Agent Vaughn?" Kendall looked at him curiously.
"You can start by explaining these to me, and why they were in your possession." Vaughn threw the pictures at him, and waited.
Kendall paused and then looked at the pictures, his eyes darkening.
Kendall took a deep sigh, "Agent Vaughn, I have no idea how you found out about Bristow, but I am telling you right now: You tell anyone, and I will have you thrown into a cell for the rest of your life!" He was starring at Vaughn, who still hadn't moved since he had shown Kendall the pictures.
"I want to know what happened to her, I want to see Sydney!" Vaughn was shaky, but his voice was firm.
"That's the problem Agent Vaughn, Agent Bristow is gone, and this isn't your Sydney." He said her name with a touch of distain. He apparently didn't want to continue, but seeing Vaughn's confusion he was forced to continue. " Agent Bristow has been effectively brainwashed into believing her name is Julia Thorne, a assassin working for a terrorist organization."
Vaughn looked appalled, he had not been expecting anything of the sort, shaking his head he said, "I don't believe you. Syd... Agent Bristow can't be brainwashed, she has extensive Project Christmas training, she has undergone several torture..."
Kendall cut him off, "If you believe that Project Christmas nonsense, you're not half as smart as I had hoped," Vaughn stared at him confused.
"Shit, Vaughn. Project Christmas was faulty at best, which is why we didn't develop it further. That is why Irina left Jack; he had no more Intel, because the operation was nixed..." He took a deep breath, "Project Christmas was a tool Jack used to assure himself that Irina wouldn't get to Sydney. He needed to believe it, to be able to move on. That is why he holds the procedure in such high regard, in his mind it saved his daughter."
Vaughn was dumbfounded, moments passed before he spoke again, "I want to see her! I need to be sure Sydney is gone."
"That isn't an option, if we could get anywhere near her, believe me she would be in CIA custody." Kendall laced his fingers and leaned back in the chair.
"If you don't help me, I will do it on my own and that wont be a pretty sight now will it; especially when Jack finds out you kept this from him." Vaughn's forehead was creased with wrinkles.
"Are you threatening me?" Kendall glared.
"No, I am informing you of my plan of action." Vaughn was leaning on the table, his voice strained.
"And if you see her, and realize Sydney is gone? I would have to fire you; I couldn't take the risk of keeping you around. You know too much as it is, this is level ten information. Anything regarding Bristow would need to be cleared by the Security Council, even if I wanted to send you I would still need to get their approval. And as you have guessed, even Jack doesn't know. Hell only Dixon and I have even seen this information. So what do you propose I do?"
"If you take me to her, let me see her... and I will leave the CIA." Kendall looked up in shock.
"Vaughn, your word won't mean much to a room full of men who want to save their own asses. They would need something full proof, and I have to warn you; What ever it is it won't be good, easy or fair. So now I ask you, do you want me to make the official request?"
"Yes."
"Fine, but you don't say anything to anyone, including Jack and Ms. Reed," Vaughn nodded, "I'll contact you with information." Kendall had adopted a rather grim look, and rubbed his forehead. A few moments passed and Kendall looked up at Vaughn who was frozen looking at the pictures on the desk; he looked like hell, tired and dazed.
"Go get some sleep in the med ward, I want you at work in four hours." Vaughn nodded and turned to go. "And don't forget to shower!" When he was out the door Kendall picked up the phone and dialed Dixon, who answered on the first ring.
"Hello."
"We have a problem, Vaughn has found out about Project Jules…" Kendall was cut off before he could say more.
"How?"
"I don't know, but we need to formulate a course of action. I've been able to stall, but he expects me take this to the Security Council, official request."
"I'll be there within the hour."