Chapter Three:
Their Old Life

"Ok. It's another photo of you. By yourself this time."

"Wrong." Sydney said bluntly. "That is not a picture of me. That is a picture of Anastasie Sybilla Mabilard. Ana."

Vaughn's head flew up and he stared at Sydney. "This is your new student?"

"Yes, now do you understand where I was coming from?"

Vaughn exhaled deeply. "I see the resemblance, but that doesn't mean—"

"Look closer," Sydney said quietly. "Just look at her."

"Syd."

"Please." Her tone was earnest, and so Vaughn looked back down at the photograph. He couldn't deny that this child was the spitting image of Sydney. But surely that was a coincidence. But then he couldn't disregard her name and…

Vaughn looked up at Sydney, his eyes wide with utter disbelief.

"Syd, she…"

"I know." Sydney put a hand on his thigh. "Now you understand why I couldn't explain it."

Vaughn's gaze fell back on the photo of Ana to, in someway, confirm what he thought he had seen.

"She has my eyes."

Sydney took the photo from Vaughn's hand. "I thought I was going crazy when Ana looked into my eyes. I tried to tell myself that she just had green eyes…" Sydney trailed off and she looked up into Vaughn's face. "But I just couldn't shake the feeling that they were the same eyes that I've been looking into for years."

"Sydney, this is totally insane."

"You're telling me!" Sydney stood up abruptly. "Let's say that Ana is the child conceived in Patagonia, I could understand her resembling me, but you?" She looked at Vaughn pleadingly. "I, we, have to get to the bottom of this."

Vaughn nodded. "So what do you suggest we do?"

"We need to go back to LA."

Sydney opted to ride in the back of the ambulance with Lazarey. Given what had just happened, the last thing she wanted to do was face any of her friends or colleagues. Looking down at the old man, she felt a surge of sympathy. To be put through all that torture, and by his own son…

"Mr Lazarey, you're going to be ok," she said, soothingly.

Lazarey groaned slightly and pulled off his oxygen mask. "You know about the Descendant?"

Sydney eyes widened slightly. "Excuse me?"

Struggling, he attempted to lean up towards her. "The Descendant."

Gently Sydney placed the mask back on his face. "We'll have time to talk at the hospital."

"So what exactly are we going to tell them when we get back?" Vaughn asked Sydney as they drove towards the airport a few days later.

"I don't know." Sydney admitted. "I spoke to my father and told him I need to speak with somebody at Project Blackhole- preferably Kendall."

Vaughn snorted. "I never thought I'd hear the day when you would prefer to see Kendall over someone else."

Sydney smiled. "I know. But during those two years he was the only ally I had."

"And so what are you going to say to him? 'Oh you know that baby of Rambaldi's? Well I think I found her. And by the way, she has my husband's eyes.' I know we've experienced some pretty crazy stuff over the years, but this about tops it."

"I'm going to tell him my suspicions. I have Ana's file, photo of her. Hopefully it will be enough to convince him to conduct a DNA test."

"DNA test? How are they…" Vaughn looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Don't tell me you've been pulling strands of hair out of your students heads?"

"No," Sydney replied. "I lifted one of her juice boxes…don't you give that look, Michael Vaughn!"

"What look?" Vaughn smirked. "I was just wondering how the school would react if they heard about this."

"Probably the same way if they ever discovered that their grade one teacher used to be a double agent, is quite capable with a firearm, is missing two years of her life and apparently has had a child with a prophet born in the 1400's."

"So much for a 'normal' life, hey?"

"Vaughn, I never expected a 'normal' life. Just the illusion of it." Sydney sighed. "But I guess that was even asking for too much."

"What is this about, Jack?" Kendall asked brusquely.

"Sydney called. She wants to organise a meeting with you."

"Sydney?"

"Yes. She and Vaughn are flying in as we speak."

"Did she say what this meeting is in regards to?"

"She didn't say specifically, but I have a hunch. It would have to be something dire to lure Sydney back to Los Angeles and she was adamant about contacting Project Blackhole."

"She's found the child?"

"Or believes she has." Jack paused. "I want to know if you are going to inform them about the pages."

"If need be yes. Granted Project Blackhole does not like to advertise what we have in our possession, but Sydney and Vaughn are directly involved."

"Ok. I would appreciate it if you could keep me informed."

"I will tell you what I can, Jack."

Sydney and Vaughn had organised to stay with an old friend while staying in Los Angeles. They considered a hotel. But given that they rarely got to see the people from their old life, they decided not to pass up the chance.

Before they had even had a chance to knock on the door, it flew open and a beaming Weiss bounded towards them.

"Hey!" He wrapped his arms around Sydney. "How are you?"

"Glad to be off that plane," Sydney smiled as she stepped back. "How about you? How's work?"

Weiss shrugged. "It's just not the same without you two." He led them inside the apartment. "So what brings you back here?"

Vaughn glanced at Sydney and she nodded slightly. "We have a meeting with Kendall," he replied.

"Kendall?" Weiss laughed. "I haven't seen or heard of him in years. Why do you need to Kendall?"

"Patagonia." Sydney said.

Weiss stopped short. "Are you serious?"

Sydney nodded. "Come on, let's sit down and we'll explain."

Sydney and Vaughn were escorted into the JTF. Given that they were no longer agents there was no way they would have been allowed access to Project Blackhole. Instead, Kendall had organised to meet them at the JTF.

Walking in, Sydney scanned the room. Directly opposite she spotted the familiar figure and headed straight across.

"Dad."

Jack looked up and didn't hesitate in embracing his daughter. It had been too long since they'd last seen each other.

"Welcome back," he said, with a slight smile.

"Thanks. I just wish it were a different reason bringing us back." Sydney replied wryly.

"Is this about what I think it is?" Jack asked.

Sydney nodded. "I was wondering if you would come to the meeting?"

Jack put a hand on her shoulder. "I was already planning on it."

One year earlier

"This is Kendall."

"Agent Kendall, this is Marcus Dixon," the voice on the other end of the phone replied.

"Yes?"

"You asked to be notified if we made any new discoveries."

Kendall perked up. "Is it in your possession?"

"Yes and it appears to be more pages of the manuscript."

"What is written?"

Dixon paused. "Well, if we have decoded it correctly, it would appear that we have not got the whole story in regards to the Chosen One."

"So once again, I ask you what is written?"

"I think you should see this with your own eyes."

After briefing Kendall on her beliefs, he left with the juice box, leaving Sydney, Vaughn and Jack alone in the conference room.

"So," Jack started. "How are things?"

Sydney smiled. "Things are good…given the circumstances."

"Well, I'm happy for you."

"You know," Sydney said. "Australia really is beautiful. You should come and visit sometime."

"Yeah Jack," Vaughn put in daringly. "We could get you out on a surfboard."

"I think I'll pass on that," Jack deadpanned. "But I will try to visit."

They stayed in the conference for a long time- the monotony broken up by visits from Weiss, Marshall and Dixon. Even after such a long absence, both Sydney and Vaughn still felt as if they fit it with all their old friends.

The joy felt from reuniting with their friends was abruptly dissolved when Kendall walked back in.

"We have the preliminary DNA results," he announced. "They are reliable, but not totally conclusive. We'll have to wait until more extensive tests are conducted before we can receive a definite result."

Sydney was nodding impatiently. "I know all this. Can you please just tell us what you know now?"

Silently Kendall handed Sydney the test results. Scanning the paper, Sydney experienced just about every emotion that a human being was capable of feeling.

Because according to the results in front of her, Sydney was Ana's mother.