CIA TASK FORCE HEADQUARTERS – LA
Caroline tried for the forth time to get through to Jack's on his cell phone, encountering only his voice mail. She resigned herself to calling in the next few hours, hoping he had turned his phone back on by then. Irina needed him, wherever she was.
SYROS, GREECE – HOSPITAL
Dr. Yana Milesokva had been alerted to Irina's presence in the hospital the moment her name had been entered in to the computer system. She wasted no time in reaching the emergency room to check on the status of her patient.
"What's the situation?" She asked in Greek upon entering the emergency room facility.
"Is she your patient Dr. Milesokva?" The ER doctor asked her.
"Yes. What are the fetal monitors readings?"
"Baby has a base line heartbeat, 140 beats per minute." The nurse told her.
"I'm going to take care of my other patients if you would like to take over with this one Yana." The ER doctor waited for Yana to nod before leaving the room.
"Was she unconscious when she came in?" Yana asked, taking Irina's blood pressure.
"Yes." The nurse replied.
"Who brought her in?"
"Two young boys. They said she collapsed on the beach." The nurse finished drawing blood.
"Really." Yana smirked at her unconscious friend. "Irina, still stopping the hearts of young boys." She glanced at the readings of her blood pressure. "A little high. I need the results of the blood test." The other nurse responded that she was taking it to be done right away. "What is wrong with you Irina?" She shook her head, sighing in frustration.
CIA FIELD OFFICE – TURKEY
Jack had worked right through the night after uncovering a plethora of other problems with the field office's operating procedures. His back burned with discomfort at the static position he had maintained while he tried to piece together the ruins of the information system.
"Hey Dad, how are you doing in here?" Sydney knocked gently on the door before entering the briefing room her father was working in.
"This office is completely dysfunctional. I don't know how the CIA ever let it get this bad." He dropped his pen onto the files in front of him to look up at his daughter.
"I know. I'm pretty sure it's going to take us longer than three days to give this place some semblance of order." She sunk down into the seat in front of him, grateful to have a moment to rest.
"Sydney, why don't up go check into a hotel. You're still recovering from your ordeal with Sloane; you haven't had a decent meal or a proper sleep in over a week." Sydney smiled at her father's concern.
"I had a nap in their break room here. They have a few cots set up and Vaughn grabbed me something from the cafeteria earlier. I'll be okay for a little while yet." She sighed. "I would like to feel as though we've made a dent in the work before I leave."
"Our time is being wasted here. We should be capitalizing on Sloane's injury, he is not going to be able to escape as quickly with a bullet wound." Jack scowled at the thought.
"That reminds me," Sydney said suddenly. "Kendall called earlier and said he was trying to get in touch with you but you weren't answering your phone."
"I turned my cell off yesterday hoping it would limit the number of distractions. I suppose I forgot to turn it back on." Jack pulled the device out of his pocket and hit the power button. "Did he say what he wanted?"
"Just that he was looking to run a few things by you." As an afterthought she added. "He's being really gracious about your promotion. Not what I would expect from him."
"I know. Sickening isn't it." Jack pulled a face, making Sydney smile. "He's still an ass, but an ass that gets the job done."
"I like this new you." She admitted out of nowhere. Jack looked slightly confused. "It's a good thing Irina Derevko is out of our lives, you've been more relaxed since she vanished." Jack gave nothing away but inwardly ached watching Sydney's eyes brighten considerably.
"My hatred of your mother no longer rules my life." He commented, knowing she would miss the alternate meanings. His cell phone rang as Sydney opened her mouth to discuss the subject further. "Why don't you go get a few more hours sleep. It looks as though we'll be here for another four or five days." He motioned to the door and answered his phone.
"I'll talk to you later." Sydney nodded before leaving him to take the call in private.
"Jack Bristow." He answered sharply.
"Mr. Bristow, is this line secure?" Jack immediately recognized his secretary's voice on the other end.
"Caroline?" He furrowed his brow in bewilderment. "Yes, of course it is, what's wrong."
"I've been trying to reach you for over a day. I received a call early yesterday from a young man telling me that Irina was in the hospital after collapsing." Caroline wished she could have seen the look of Jack's face at that moment.
Blinding white heat danced behind Jack's eyes; the worry over his wife and unborn child assaulting his consciousness instantly. "I don't know what you're talking about Caroline. Irina Derevko hasn't been seen in months and she surely would not have someone calling the CIA to let them know she was in the hospital."
"Just like she didn't call here a week ago and tell you she would set up a meet with Sloane so you could rescue Sydney?" Caroline probed lightly.
"Why didn't you-"
"Irina needed an emergency contact who could get to you at any time in case something were to happen. And apparently something has." She interrupted.
"You work for Irina." He said with surprising calm. "I suppose I should be shocked." He replied dryly.
"We've known Irina for thirty years. Nothing she does should shock us." Jack was obviously stalling for time. Not wanting to hear what had happened to Irina.
"Caroline from the swim team?" This time his shock was evident. "Who called you to tell you she was in the hospital? Is she alright?" He questions began spewing from his brain, once he got a handle on who he was speaking to.
"I don't know most of those answers. The call was short and the boy who called was more than a little thrown off when I answered with a standard CIA line. His name was Jordan. He and his friend Kyle had driven Irina to the hospital."
"I know who they are." Jack felt a margin of relief that Irina was at least being taken care of. "You told them not to mention what happened."
Caroline couldn't tell if Jack had asked a question or made a statement. "Yes." She chose to answer anyway. "I don't know where she is Jack but you had best get to her as soon as you can."
"I'm stuck in Turkey for the next few days and there's no way I can leave without being noticed. Damnit, why does have to be so hard?"
"I'm sure Irina will be fine. She's strong and quite resilient. She's come back from far worse things than collapsing on the beach." She placated, not sure why everyone seemed to be so anxious; Irina was more than capable of taking care of herself.
"Yes but those times she wasn't-" Jack stopped himself before revealing information about Irina's condition.
"Whenever you can, go to her. I'll cover for you as much as I can here." She promised kindly.
"Thank you." He paused to think for a moment. "Not that I don't appreciate your help Caroline but I thought that you hated Irina."
Caroline smiled at that. "I never hated Irina. I hated the fact that she blew most of my times out of the water, literally, but I didn't hate her. She helped my husband and I out a while ago and we've stayed in touch ever since. She's our eldest son's godmother."
"Darius Larkin is your husband." Jack quickly surmised.
"I see she mentioned us." Caroline's smile grew. "Give her my best when you see her."
Caroline ended the call abruptly, satisfied that she had finally gotten in touch with Jack. However, Jack was not feeling as satisfied. His mind raced to come up with a way to tactfully escape the work of organizing the field office and get to his wife's side but he came up empty.
His team had estimated five days until the office was in working order. Five days of waiting and worrying over Irina's health. Five days of wondering if his son was alright. Five days of unadulterated torture.
SYROS, GREECE – HOSPITAL
Yana reviewed the test results as soon as they came in, diagnosing the problem and ordering a treatment seconds later. Once that was complete, she journeyed to the waiting room to talk to the young men who had brought her patient in.
She spotted two boys who couldn't have been any older than twenty sitting anxiously in chairs as close to the administrative desk as they could get. The one boy glanced at his watch twice within a span of thirty seconds. She heard him whisper to his friend as she grew closer to them.
"Is it supposed to take this long Kyle. Something must be seriously wrong if we haven't heard anything yet." Jordan shifted nervously in his seat.
"I don't know, maybe it takes longer to check over a pregnant patient or something." Kyle folded his arms across his chest.
"You must be the two boys who brought in Irina." Yana announced as soon as she was in front of them. "I'm Dr. Milesokva." She held out her hand for both of them to shake, which they did.
"Is she going to be okay? We didn't know what to do." Kyle's voice held little confidence regarding the situation.
"You both made the right decision. She needed to get to a hospital. Thank you for taking care of my patient." Yana watched as their shoulders relaxed simultaneously.
"She's not going to die is she?" Jordan asked morosely.
"No." Yana answered their stricken looks abating slightly. "She'll be just fine. As will the baby. Why don't you stop by tomorrow morning, you'll be able to visit her then and I'm sure she'll want to see you."
"Okay." Jordan smiled in relief. "Here are the keys to her car. We kinda stole it to get her here." He admitted sheepishly.
Yana couldn't help but smile at the two boys in front of her. She took the keys, watching them walk out of the hospital bantering back and forth.
IRINA'S HOSPITAL ROOM
"Are you going to wake you Irina, or am I going to have to resort to dousing you with water?" Yana stood beside the bed Irina occupied.
"You should think twice about doing that again. Remember what happened last time?" Irina mumbled without opening her eyes.
"The hives eventually went away." Yana said seriously.
"What happened?" She finally opened her eyes to look at her doctor standing over her.
"You collapsed on the beach earlier today, gave two young men quite a scare." She raised her eyebrows.
"I would ask it the baby is okay but he's currently practicing his roundhouse so I would guess the answer is yes." She placed her hands protectively over her stomach.
"That's correct but you're still in this bed for a reason." Yana turned the chart around in her hands mindlessly. "You're blood tests were negative for oxytocin which was a relief because I didn't want to combat early delivery today. But you're definitely anemic."
Irina marveled at the way Yana went from friendly teasing to serious health professional in minutes.
"You're iron levels are far too low Irina and you were likely dealing with extreme fatigue on top of that. Sorry darling but you look absolutely horrendous." Yana placed the chart at the foot of the bed and walked around to the IV. "The baby is at a critical development stage and tends to absorb a great deal of iron to store to supplement while it is on a milk only diet. I think we caught it in time before any serious damage was done. It appears as though the baby has taken priority in your body; iron controls the level of oxygen carried in the blood. You fainted because your body didn't have enough oxygenated blood to function consciously after supplying the baby with an adequate amount. I don't want you to take this lightly Irina because if the baby doesn't get proper oxygen there could be serious delays in their mental and physical development." Yana completed her speech with a grave tone.
"I should have been taking better care of myself. I haven't been sleeping well or had much of an appetite for the last little while." She admitted, not mentioning the root cause being Sydney's disappearance.
"Well you're lucky the treatment is simple. I've got you on a ferrous furmarate and saline drip right now. I'd like to keep you here for a day or two and make sure your blood pressure lowers as I believe it will and we get your iron levels under control. I'm going to give you iron supplements to take home with you though. You'll take one every day just in case and I suggest getting rid of your stress. I'm sure Jack would be willing to help you with that." Yana said slyly.
"He had to go back to work and he likely won't be back for two months. I don't have any way to contact him." She sighed sadly.
Yana patted her arm in what was attempted as a reassuring gesture. "Get some sleep. Doctor's orders Irina."
"Admit it, you became a doctor so you could boss me." Irina's eyes closed and her voice became quieter.
"A nice change isn't it." Yana picked up her friend's chart and left the room. "And don't worry, you no long exist in the computer system. I love this country; for the right price anything can be done." She hit the lights on her way out of the room.
NEXT DAY
Jordan and Kyle had been met at the information desk by Yana and directed to Irina's room. She chuckled as she watched them hesitate at the closed door before knocking and entering.
"Um, hi Mrs. Bristow." Jordan mumbled. Irina was alert and sitting up in bed, smiling at the two boys.
"I don't believe you've told me your names gentlemen. Although I understand I owe you a debt of gratitude." She gestured for them to come further into the room and move away from the door.
"I'm Kyle and this is Jordan. It was really nothing though. When we saw you fall we just wanted to make sure you got to a hospital. Is everything alright?" Kyle blushed at her intense gaze.
"I'm fine and so is the baby. I don't know what would have happened had you both not been there to help me. Thank you." She leaned back, placing her hands over her stomach and assessed the young men in her room. Neither were able to hold her eye for more than a few seconds as they shift their weight periodically.
"We ah kinda used your car to bring you here. We're really sorry for taking it without asking and for going into your house and uh well we also kinda looked in your purse for identification for the doctors here." Jordan utter quickly, hoping some of their indiscretions would be lost in his rapid speech.
Irina gave them an easy smile. "As long as you don't decided to make a habit of it, I see no problem. Now, wouldn't you rather be spending time with your friends than in this hospital room with me?" She teased, hoping their tension would ease.
"We don't mind. We just didn't want you to be alone but I guess Jack will be here soon to keep you company." Kyle smiled.
Irina's grin faltered marginally, wishing Jack really were on his way. "Actually, Jack is working and won't be able to get back to the island for a little while yet. I decided telling him about this would just worry him needlessly and frustrate him because he can't be here with me."
"Well we-" Kyle was interrupted by Jordan who stepped on his foot to shut him up.
"When we were looking through your purse, we found your cell phone and used it to call the house to let them know where we were. I don't know what happened but after that call, the phone went dead. We're really sorry." Jordan lied seamlessly.
A flicker of trepidation raced across Irina eyes before she regained control. "I've been having trouble with the phone. Thank you for telling me though. You both should get back to your vacation though, you've only got another two weeks before fall semester begins."
"We're taking the first semester off." Kyle informed her, and received another stomp on the foot by his friend. "What?" He glared at the other boy.
Irina refrained from laughing outright at the boys' antics. "We'll stop by tomorrow to see how you're doing. Is there anything you need us to bring you?" Jordan asked.
"That is very kind of you both. According to my doctor, I've got everything I need right here." She gestured to the room and rolled her eyes. "But I appreciate the thought."
"We'll take off and let you rest." Jordan pulled on Kyle's arm, propelling him out of the room.
She released a chuckle under her breath as she watched the boys leave. Kyle appeared ready to protest the sudden departure and would no doubt be arguing with Jordan on their way out.
"Dude, what the fck." Kyle said once they were away from Irina's door. "Why the hell didn't you want to tell her that we called the fcking CIA and Jack is on the way?"
"Because we're not suppose to talk about anything related to her job. Haven't you ever watched spy movies, someone could be bugging her room or something." Jordan's exasperation earned him a scowl from Kyle. "And it will be a really great surprise when Jack does show up."
"That's if Jack makes it here alive, spies are always dying in those movies." Kyle pointed out.
"Fck you Man. Don't talk sht like that."
"Calm down Dude I was kidding."
"If Jack hears you saying that sht, he'll kick your ass." Jordan pushed a little as they left the hospital.
"What? I can take Jack." Kyle argued.
As they walked back to the town, all that could be heard was Jordan's manic laughter at his friend's overactive imagination.
Irina closed her eyes in an attempt to nap but quickly found the effort useless. Since waking yesterday to Yana's face she had felt horrible. The residual fear of having hurt the baby remained through the night, fueling her guilt at not being able to protect another of her children.
She felt inconsequential knowing that her daughter was in trouble and she was unable to help her. Scenario's crashed into her mind, teasing her with horrors befallen her family. Memories of the first fear she had over Sydney returned, forcing her to relive the terrors of almost thirty years before.
Flashback
Waking up alone was not one of her preferred routines but with Jack away it was how her morning had begun. In her third month of pregnancy she was just beginning to see the changes to her body; the heavier and tender breasts and the tell tale expansion of her waist. She and Jack hadn't told anyone about their impending parenthood after she had explained the first three months were still risky in any pregnancy. In truth she had not discussed her condition with her handler and intended to put it off until the last possible opportunity.
The phone rang as she set the water to boil for her morning tea. Not feeling up to talking to anyone that morning, she debated answering it, eventually picking it up.
"Hello." She summoned all the cheer she could muster.
"Hey Sweetheart. I didn't wake you did I?" Jack asked gently.
"No. I was just making myself some breakfast." Pleased now that she had chosen to answer.
"Have you been sick at all since I left?" His worry made her smile spontaneously.
"My stomach wasn't too great on Wednesday but I've been fine since then and it wasn't anything too awful. How is your trip going?" She moved through the kitchen, pulling the tea from the cupboards and preparing a mug.
"Good actually, I should be home tomorrow afternoon." He paused for a moment and weighed her tone carefully. "How are you really feeling Honey?"
Irina sighed into the phone; secretly pleased he picked up on her mood. "Lonely. Out of sorts. I miss you when you're gone and I just feel worn out today."
"Laura, maybe you should call into the University and tell them you're not coming in. Just rest." His worry returned, cursing his job for taking him away from her.
"I've only got one class today and I've scheduled a guest speaker so I won't have to do too much. But I think I'll come home right after and relax, my thesis can wait for another day." It had taken a second to get over her cringe of hearing him call her Laura.
"Sounds good. I wish I could be there to take care of you." The sincerity in his voice warmed her.
"I don't have any classes tomorrow, you can take care of me when you get home." She chuckled.
"It's a date Mrs. Bristow." He smiled. That name she had no problem with. "I have to go Honey. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."
"I love you too Jack."
It was five minutes before the end of her class that she felt it for the first time; the obvious signs of menstruation. She froze. Her class had been engrossed in something her speaker had been discussing and hopefully missed her little show but as she counted down the final seconds of the class she grew anxious.
"Let's thank Dr. Hamilton for taking the time to share her knowledge of Modernist Literature with us today." The lecture hall erupted in polite applause as the students prepared to leave. "I'll see you all next Tuesday." She finished.
Shaking hands with Dr. Hamilton and thanking her once again for speaking to the class was lost in a haze of fear and anxiety as she bided her time before she could get to a bathroom while in the same thought, terrified of what she might discover.
Measured and sluggish steps took her to the English Department's section of the campus and into the restroom. Locking the door she took a deep breath before pulling her pants down and checking for what she already knew to be there.
Two dark red spots of blood greeter she, knocking the wind clear from her lungs. She dropped her head into her hands in the effort to latch onto one of her speeding thoughts. She hadn't had any cramping during the day and she was not bleeding heavily, just those two spots that glared back at her.
It occurred to her that everything would be much easier if she didn't have to tell her superiors she was pregnant. Her child would never have to know the world her parents lived in and the pain of losing a mother. Not having the child at all could be a blessing. But if it was, its disguise was too good for all she felt was turmoil at the thought of losing her baby.
Pulling herself together, she exited the restroom, retrieved her things and left the school. It was a short jaunt back to the apartment she shared with her husband, thankfully, as she didn't remember any of the drive. Irina took her phone in hand and dialed the number of her doctor.
"Hi, it's Laura Bristow calling for Dr. Goldstein." Her voice sounded shaky even to her own ears. "Is there anything available with him this afternoon?" She waited for the receptionist to check. "That would be fine. Thank you."
A cancellation would put her in the doctor's office in just under two hours. Not ever would she question the presence of her child, no matter what the future held. As she wished for Jack to be with her, she knew once and for all where her loyalties lie.
DOCTOR GOLDSTEIN'S OFFICE
"Laura, how are you doing today?" The middle-aged man asked kindly, sitting in his office chair.
"I've been feeling fine however I experienced some bleeding a few hours ago." She focused on regulating her breathing as opposed to the furrowed brow of her physician.
"Any cramping?"
"No." She shook her head.
"Nausea?"
"No."
"Was the bleeding heavy, light or somewhere in between?" He made notes on her chart ever time she gave him an answer.
"Light, and minimal but it was enough to get me worried." Her shoulders grew tired from the tension coiled within them.
"Well, let's get you up on the table and checked out." He got up from his seat. "I'll be right back, you can the changed into the hospital gown."
As she was changing she thought of how absurd it was that the doctor didn't want to be in the room while she changed and yet in a moment she would be sitting in a most revealing position in the stirrups.
"Alright Laura." He reentered the room and moved to her side. "Is it tender at all if I press here?" He pressed on her abdomen.
"No." She answered.
"Here?" He moved his hand.
"No."
Twenty minutes later Irina was redressed, sitting in his office as he gave her his findings.
"What you've experienced is likely just a little spotting. Some women will continue to bleed marginally while pregnant. Yours was minimal and hasn't seemed to trigger any other problems. If it continues for more than three days I want you to come back and see me but other than that, I don't foresee anything wrong."
"So this is normal?" She inquired further.
"Not normal but not all that uncommon either. The best thing I can recommend for you now is rest. And you should abstain from sex for the next week or so just as a precaution." He told her.
"Thank you, I can't tell you how much of a relief that is to hear." She let out a breath.
"Being a first time mother is enough to deal with, take care of yourself and I assure you that baby will be perfectly healthy." A reassuring smile and a pat on the arm marked the end of their appointment.
End Flashback
CIA FIELD OFFICE – TURKEY (Sixth Day There)
Finally the office was in working order; it had only taken three days longer than the CIA had thought it would. Everyone had learned quickly to steer clear of Jack Bristow, who was a ticking time bomb of fury. He had no patience with anyone in the office or from his own team, taking every opportunity to tell them they were not working fast enough or were merely incompetent.
Sydney appeared to be the only one who remained unscathed through any of his controlled tirades, although just barely. She couldn't remember a time when she had seen her father quite so unhinged, and it served to unnerve her.
Earlier that morning she had caught him staring straight ahead toward a blank wall completely void of expression. He had not turned to address her nor had he covered his uncharacteristic behavior, instead he continued to stare. She had wondered what he was thinking about while he watched the taupe wall although the answer would have shocked.
Jack had trouble imagining Caroline as a friend and confident of Irina's. The two women were constantly a breath away from killing each other thirty years before.
Flashback
Laura had been on the swim team for a little over five weeks; she and Jack had spent every evening together since, sometimes studying, talking or making out shamelessly. They had not been showy about their fledging relationship to the their respective teammates, deciding to not mention it to anyone for a little while. As the men's practice wound down in the water, they moved to the far side of the facility to use the weights and cool down.
Having just returned to the water a week before, Jack felt he had a lot of catching up to do in order to make his trial to compete. He was tentative about doing the weights for fear that the impact would be too much but he wasn't going to leave early and give up the opportunity to watch his girlfriend shine during her practice.
"I'm surprised Caroline's head has exploded yet. Every time she and Laura race she gets so angry. One of these days she's going to attack her." Dave told Jack from his position of the leg press.
"Eventually Caroline is going to have to face the fact that Laura is better than her. It isn't luck or magic, just skill and athleticism." Jack replied from his place doing lat pull downs.
"Always the voice of reason Jack." Dave shook his head with a grin.
They watched as the heat of girls dove into the water moving onto time trials. Coach Smith had Laura and Caroline swimming against each other again with Laura trailing just the slightest bit, no doubt waiting to shoot out and claim victory over her teammate.
"Hey, Jack do you think Caroline would say yes if I asked her out?" Dave asked, looking around to be sure no one heard him.
"You think she's a nut case and now you want to date her?" Jack's eyes widen. "I think you should ask her. If she says no, she'll still be a nut case." He shrugged.
"Yeah, I guess. What about Laura?" Dave glanced in the direction of the pool where Laura had pulled out in front of Caroline by two full body lengths.
"Laura?" Jack said nonchalantly.
"Yeah, do you think she would agree to go out with me?"
"No." Jack stated simply.
"No? You told me to at least give it a try with Caroline. What is it you have against Laura?" Dave frowned.
"Nothing, I just don't think you're her type." He told Dave evenly.
"Well, Tom said that he made out with her last week and she was pretty fun." Dave replied.
"Really. Tom said that did he. When and where did this happen?" Jack asked easily, knowing Laura had been with him just about any time she wasn't at school. She had even taken to sleeping in his office on the pull out couch when they would study well into the night.
"Thursday at McRoy's downtown."
"What was Tom doing downtown? No one goes downtown to go to the bar." Jack rolled his eyes.
"I don't know, but he said that Laura showed up there at about ten and by midnight they were having a nice little time." Dave sighed, looking at where Laura was getting out of the pool, well ahead of the other girls racing. "I don't know why Tom didn't try to make a go of it. I mean, would you give that up after just her lips?" Dave gestured across the room.
No. Jack thought.
"Tom's full of sht Dave. He never made out with Laura." Jack laughed slightly.
"And how the hell would you know?" Dave threw back. "You're never around campus, you come for your classes and are here for practice and then disappear."
"So then explain why Tom wouldn't follow through with her if he this make out session happened? You said it yourself, you wouldn't end it there." Jack inquired.
"Yeah but he says that she's never around. I mean, do you ever see her at the school. I assume she goes to class and I know she come to practice but then she must be hold up in her room or something."
Jack waited to see if Dave would connect the dots but seeing he wasn't making the logical jump, decided to make sure Tom knew that spreading lies would not be tolerated.
"Hey Tom, Dave here was just telling me that you made out with Laura last Thursday night." Jack moved to the mat to stretch and get closer to Tom who was speaking to a few other boys on the team.
"Yeah. It was pretty nice." He said full of bravado.
Jack stifled his chuckles realizing that was proof enough that it never happened. Laura was not someone you would characterize as a pretty nice kisser, she was more of a melt your insides, burn your lips, steals your breath kind of kisser.
"Dave and I were just trying to figure out why you wouldn't try to make something more happen there. I think you should find out why she hasn't mentioned Thursday." Jack pushed a little further.
"I think you should do it Tom. She's the hottest girl on the team, maybe even the entire school." Another guy added.
"Yeah, you're all right. But I don't want to be tied down right now, I want to keep my options open." Jack could see Tom was starting to get nervous about the direction of the conversation.
"You btch!" Came a loud yell from across the pool facility. Caroline was red in the face and staring at Laura.
"I think the sht just hit the fan." Dave muttered.
"What the hell are you talking about?" They heard Laura reply.
"Freestyle is my event, you can't just come in here and take it." She screamed again. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
"My times for freestyle are better than yours, how exactly does that make it your event?" Laura folded her arms over her chest.
"Caroline, that is enough. Another word out of you and you're suspend for a week from the pool." Coach Smith intervened.
"Better than mine?" Caroline said incredulously, disregarding the coach's words. "You fcking ingrate. You don't even belong on this team."
Everyone in the surrounding area held their breath as Caroline wound up and punched Laura across the face. A collective gasp went up from the girls while the guy's eyes widen, intrigued.
Despite what looked like a severe hit, Laura remained standing in the same spot, with her arms crossed over her chest, a bruise already beginning to form on her face.
"She didn't even move." Dave watched carefully, committing the entire scene to memory.
"Was that you're best?" They heard Laura say offhandedly.
"She's going to hit her again!" One on the guys whispered, not wanting to be too loud and break the spell.
Instead of seeing Caroline's fist connect with Laura's jaw once again, Laura moved out of the way and followed it with a right hook to Caroline's cheeks. Like a manic, Caroline kept coming at her but Laura's foot encountered the back of her knees, dropping her to the ground where she promptly knocked her onto her stomach, and restrained her from moving further.
"You btch. You broke my nose." She yelled.
"Are you going to play nice or do you still need some time to calm down?" She leaned over her, still holding her arms down.
"I'm going to press assault charges." She continued to bellow.
"You hit me first and tried to hit me again. That's provocation and defensive motivation on my part. You have no grounds for assault, although I do." Her voice dropped to menacing depths.
"Alright Laura, I think she gets it." Coach Smith said. The men watched as Laura released Caroline. "Practice is over for today. Caroline you won't be swimming for the next two weeks, after that I suppose its all contingent on whether Laura presses charges."
"I don't think that will be necessary." Jack smiled slightly, watching a smile light the face he had grown to adore as she spoke the easy words.
"Tom, you have to get with her now. She's is so hot." One of the rookies on the team said in amazement.
"Tom, why don't you just stop lying and admit you never made out with her." Jack rolled his eyes.
"What are you talking about. I did too." Tom countered.
"Really, last Thursday night, downtown." Jack recited to which Tom nodded along. "Interesting how you were with my girlfriend last Thursday night when I was also with her then. One of us must be mistaken but whom?" His sarcasm served to belittle Tom.
"Girlfriend?" Dave asked in confusion. Tom just looked stunned.
"Excuse me." Jack told them, moving a few feet away to where Laura was gathering her things after the very explosive end to their practice. "Hey. That was quite the scene?" He smiled teasingly.
"What, you didn't want to come to my rescue?" She teased back.
"Nice to know self-defense classes actually pay off." He reached up and touched her darkened cheek. "Although they obviously didn't teach you how to duck."
"I just wanted her to hit me so that there was no doubt that she started it." Laura shrugged.
"Does it hurt?" Jack asked, knowing it would.
"This is nothing." She smiled beguilingly. "Why is it that your entire team is watching us?" She glanced over his shoulder.
"Oh that. Well turns out Tom told a few people that he made out with you last Thursday night downtown at a bar. Which is interesting because we fell asleep together at three-thirty in the morning that night and didn't wake up until noon after studying." He paused and looked curiously at her. "You don't have a twin I don't know about do you?"
Her throaty laughter sent amazed looks throughout the guy's team. "No, can't say I do." Taking another peek around him, she saw they still had the attention of everyone. "Now that I think about it, the bruise is starting to hurt. Maybe you can make it better." She said slyly.
"And how do you propose I do that?" Before she could give him an answer, his lips were devouring her. Leaving no question in anyone's mind as to who belonged with whom. When they finally broke apart, he touched her cheek again. "Come on, lets go home and get some ice on the."
As they walked to the door, Jack stopped and turned back his teammates and more specifically Tom.
"Tom, you continue to lie and spread rumors about Laura and what happened to Caroline will look a slap fight, and then Laura will step aside and I'll get my turn." As the couple left the pool, Laura's laughter floated around the rest of the team.
Five days later Laura had told Jack that Caroline had apologized for losing it with her at the pool and starting the fight. There remained no love loss between the two girls but Caroline did manage to remain civil each and every time Irina kicked her ass in the water.
End Flashback
"Hey Dad, we're all set to go. I don't know about you but I'm anxious to get back to LA." She smiled, hoping to have the Jack Bristow from a week ago back.
"I've got an errand to run for the CIA for the next few days; I won't be returning with you." He stood from his seat.
"Where are they sending you?" Sydney faked a smile.
"Away." Was his only answer. Her face fell slightly but she recovered quickly.
"Okay, well be careful then."
"Sydney." Jack's voice stopped her from walking out of the room. "I'll see you in a few days and take care of your self okay." He told her gently, dropping the ogre act for the first time in five days.
"Love you Dad." Sydney hugged him close.
"I love you too Sweetheart." Jack left the room while Sydney went in search of Marshall.
"Do we have a signal?" She asked when she found him.
"Um, yeah. Listen Syd, I want to help you but ah, well if your Dad finds out, he's going to kill me. Not like a little kill, like a lot. I just- I kinda like being alive so umm, I just need to make sure that my name isn't going to come up should he realize you're following him." Marshall shifted from foot to foot with fear of Jack Bristow's wrath.
"Don't worry Marshall, if he asks I'll just tell him I stole it from you." Sydney reassured.
"That's great. Now that I think about it, why didn't you just- I mean I know you're not like a thief but if you'd stolen it, I wouldn't be part of this whole mess and-"
"Marshall." Sydney interrupted his babbling. "I have to go now. This is the only way to track him right. No one else will be able to." She held up the PDA.
"Yep. Just you and well me if I wanted to cause I know what signal its on but I won't be tracking him. Nope, not me." He held up his hands in silent surrender to her.
"Thanks Marshall."
Now all that was left was to find out what was up with her father and why he lied about having an errand to run for the CIA when he was apparently to get a four day vacation.
SYROS, GREECE – VILLA
After three days in the hospital, Irina had been pleased to be allowed to return to her home. She had difficulty containing the chuckle when she thought of the drive back to the villa. Her newest friends, Jordan and Kyle had arrived every morning like clockwork to check on her and on the final day there had been elected to drive her home.
The car had been at the hospital since the boys had driven her there, and appeared excited to get to drive it one more time. Since she had been home, they had only come to check on her once.
Today, she found herself missing Jack more than ever. There was nothing special about the day except that in between her carefully constructed diet and workouts, she felt more lonely than she ever had before and the fear of losing the baby to her carelessness was beginning to catch up with her.
A knock on the front door startled her from her depressing thoughts. Believing it to be her self-appointed guardians, she moved slowly to the door and opened it. Standing on the other side however was the last person she expected to see.
"Jack?" She uttered in disbelief.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get here faster but I was stuck in Turkey. Which seemed to only make it worse considering I was an hour away and still couldn't get to you." He looked her up and down, searching for anything wrong but noticing instead, the growth of her stomach. "Are you okay? They said you were in the hospital."
"I was but Yana took care of me and sent me home three days ago. They? Whose they." She pulled him inside and hugged him close.
"Caroline called me after she received a call from our more than friendly neighbors who also happened to take you to the hospital." Jack breathed her in.
"Jordan and Kyle?" She felt him nod against her, unwilling to let go just yet. "They came by to check on me every day but they never told me they used my emergency cell to call Caroline. Sorry about not telling you about her by the way." Irina kissed the side of his neck
"I suppose I should be angry but you caught me on a good day. I would like to hear the story about how you two became such good friends though, it should be entertaining." He smiled, relieved she was okay.
"Some day I'll tell you. I missed you so much." She whispered.
"What happened? Caroline said you collapsed." Jack pulled away slightly and kissed her gently.
"Exhaustion and anemia. Yana put me on iron supplements and had me rest for a few days. I didn't realize how little sleep I was getting over Sydney's disappearance before it caught up with me." She squeezed his shoulders tightly and looked him in the eye. "She's okay isn't she?"
"Fine. She was with me in Turkey. Sloane has her believing you had an affair with him though. I did finally get her to believe there wasn't any doubt she's my daughter." He added before she could ask.
"I suppose an affair isn't the worst thing she thinks I've done. I 'm just happy she's safe." Irina sighed.
"I think we might have to deal with the fact that the boys who helped you may know more than they should." Jack continued to hold her to him.
"I don't think they'll be a problem. I have a feeling that had they mentioned anything to their housemates, I would have had plenty more visitors."
"Before I leave, I'll have a chat with them just to make sure." Jack kissed her again.
"When do you have to leave again?" She asked suddenly.
"Not for a few days; I don't want to think about that though." He ceased speaking when he felt the baby kick hard between them. "I missed you too little one." He placed a hand on the larger belly.
"Come on Action. I need your help to relax." Irina pulled him along with her as she moved up the stairs.
"Is it safe for us to-" The words died on his tongue with the look she sent him.
Sydney had almost lost track of her father twice with Marshall's little device. He had made four different trips before finally landing in Athens. It wasn't lost on Sydney that it was the city she had seen her mother in not long before.
Her father didn't stay on the mainland for long, opting to fly to one of the larger islands. She had only been able to track him so far as the device couldn't pin down a location smaller than a five-kilometer radius.
Having left the town, she found herself looking for a silver Mercedes that a man matching her father's description had rented only five hours before. She parked her car at the beach and decided to walk around the small village area. It didn't take her long to spot the car with corresponding license plate parked in the driveway along side a its black counterpart.
She checked the front door and found it to be unlocked. Immediately on alert, she removed her gun and slid through the house quietly. Sudden movement in the backyard caught her eye but before she could ascertain its origins a figure was walking into the living room.
"Don't move." She commanded as she raised her gun.
"Sydney." Her mother breathed in surprise.
Seeing her mother standing in front of her just as pregnant as she had been in Athens had Sydney's head whirl. She was clothed in shorts and a tank top, showing her stomach off nicely.
"I said don't move." She restated when Irina took a step in her direction.
"Sydney, put the gun down." Irina spoke with more calm than she felt.
"Where is Dad? What did you do to him? Isn't it enough you destroyed out lives twice, must you do it a third time?"
"Sydney you don't understand, I-" She was interrupted by her gun totting daughter.
"Every little girl wants to believe their mother is perfect, someone to model themselves after but eventually little girls grow up and some have to face the sad truth that their mother is in fact a lying whore." Her grip tighten on the gun but her arms wavered when she saw the stricken look pass over her mother's features.
"Irina, you're supposed to be relaxing." A voice called from upstairs. "Hey Sweetheart, I know you're hungry but I'll get whatever you-"
Sydney's eyes widened at hearing the familiar voice grow closer. "Dad?" She turned her attention to her father, arriving at the bottom of the stairs in little more than boxers and white tank.
"Sydney, what the hell are you doing?"
"I-"
"Put the gun down right now." Jack ordered, taking a step in her direction.
"No body move!" She yelled at him. "I want to know what the hell is going on!" She focused her attention on her father. "What have you done to my father?" She turned her accusing eye back to her mother.
"We'd feel better discussing this with you if you lowered the gun Sydney." Jack tried again; realizing Irina was frozen to her place on the floor.
"And I'd feel better if I knew what I just walked into!" She yelled again.
"Alright then." Jack placated. "Take the gun off your mother and put it on me then." Two sets of chocolate eyes slid to his face. "Your mother's pregnant Sydney. She's not going to be moving too fast in her condition and isn't much of a threat."
He had to quell the urge to roll his eyes at the snort he heard from his wife.
"I-" Sydney started again, looking back and forth between her parents./I
"Sydney, how did you find me?" Jack asked suddenly, his gaze drifting to the front of the house. "Is there anyone else with you?" He shot Irina an apologetic look while their daughter shook her head. "Sydney, you need to tell me if there is anyone else with you." He stated more sternly.
"No. No one else is with me." She whispered. "I stole a tracking device from Marshall and plated it on you in Turkey, then followed you here." Her arm wavered and the gun began to drop. "I thought something was wrong with you. You've been acting so strange lately. I never thought-" She trailed off, turning to soak in her mother's figure. "What are you doing here Dad?" She asked quietly, the gun falling to her side.
"I got a call saying your mother was taken to the hospital. I had to get here as soon as possible." He spoke cautiously.
"You don't seem surprised to see me like this Sydney." Irina seemed to finally find her voice, and moved slowly to place her hands on her stomach.
"I-I saw you a few weeks ago in Athens, buying clothes."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Jack asked with a little heat.
Sydney blanched at him. "Are we really going to compare withheld information because I'm betting your lack of disclosure far outweighs mine." Both Jack and Irina flinched at that. "Explain. Now." Sydney said firmly.
"The two weeks your father was on vacation, he was here." Irina spoke softly, not wanting to startle her daughter. "We had some things to discuss."
"Understating must be an acquired talent you both have a taste for." Sydney bit out sharply.
"Your mother contacted me shortly after she discovered she was pregnant." Sydney's eyes returned to her father. "After narrowly escaping Sloane's wrath in Russia, she contacted me again and asked for my help." Jack was suddenly very aware of how exposed he was to his daughter's gaze and fought the urge to cross his arms over his chest defensively.
"So, you decided to help her because she's pregnant?" She huffed. "And this child is what, a product of a rekindled affair between you and Sloane?" She threw snidely at her mother."
"The baby is mine Sydney." Jack set his mouth, waiting for her response.
Realization dawned in Sydney's eyes followed quickly by harsh pity. "Is that what she told you."
"No, that is what the DNA test told me."
"Mom was in custody. Really Dad, we covered the making of a baby in grade nine health class and it just doesn't happen unless-" Both parents watched as their daughter's eyes widened.
"I'm in my twenty-ninth week." She told Sydney simply.
Sydney calculated backward in her head. "Panama. You were both in Panama over seven months ago." Dropping in the overstuffed chair in the living room, Sydney closed her eyes briefly. "While you were there you, I mean you two had…" She floundered for the courage to utter the word.
"Sex." Irina supplied. "Yes, as you previously mentioned, it is a vital part of conception after all." Her teasing lilt went unnoticed by her paling daughter.
"When I saw you in Athens I thought….I mean I didn't really think that…but then-" Sydney shook her head in a fruitless attempt to make sense of the situation.
"Jack, could you go get Sydney a glass of water and some juice for me." Irina asked suddenly. As he walked by her to get to the kitchen she whispered. "And maybe put some clothes on, you're distracting me."
Moving slowly, Irina walked to her daughter's side and took her weapon from her, laying it carefully on the table.
"Sydney, I want you to listen to me." She urged her daughter's head up to look at her. "Before your father and I tell you anything else, you must believe that I never had an affair of any kind with Arvin Sloane." Sydney blinked back the tears the feel of her mother's hands provoked. "I've loved your father as best as I could for thirty years. I'll be the first to admit that it wasn't always enough but it's enough now."
"Don't touch me." She pulled from her mother's grasp sharply, missing the look of despair it inspired on the other woman's face. "I don't know how you managed to blind Dad to your heartless intentions but I'm not going to be as easily swayed as last time."
"All I ask is that you listen to what your father and I have to say." Irina whispered throatily, moving away from her seated daughter.
Jack arrived back in the living room, in khaki shorts made for the golf course and a blue t-shirt. Sydney held the proffered glass of water in her hands hesitantly before taking a nervous sip.
"What could she have possibly said to you to make you forgive her? Or even listen to her for that matter?"
"She said she loves me." Jack said sincerely.
Narrowing her eyes, Sydney assessed the two people before her. "That's a very romantic tale but I'm not five years old and I no longer believe love conquers all."
"I told him the truth. Part of that truth was that I've loved your father for as long as I can remember." Irina reached out to grasp Jack's hand.
"What you love is the way you are able to manipulate him at your every whim. That isn't love, that's a narcissistic psychopath in their most dangerous element."
"You waste so much energy making yourself hate me Sydney. Do you refuse to listen to what we have to tell you because you would prefer to believe what Arvin Sloane spouts or is it that you merely fear the truth with as much fervor as you fear the secretes?" Irina's calm, smooth tone commanded Sydney's attention.
Sydney opened her mouth to retort but was cut off by her father, not wanting his daughter to deepen the hole she was digging for herself.
"When your mother escaped in Panama, it was in the effort to infiltrate Sloane's operation and retrieve all the Rambaldi pieces he had acquired. The ones that she contributed to the partnership were all forgeries of the originals, made just before your mother had them destroyed." Jack explained succinctly. "When she vanished in Mexico City, she took Sloane's half of the Rambaldi collection with her, leaving him with the fakes."
"So you're now in possession of all of Rambaldi's works." Sydney nodded along with barely disguised anger surging threw her.
"Within a week, any precious stones or metals from the pieces were disassembled and sold while the rest of the collection was destroyed. If Rambaldi's works had survived, they would have haunted you for the rest of your life." Irina jumped in.
"And you expect me to believe that." Sydney's brow furrowed and her lips set themselves in a pout.
"I expect you to believe whatever you want to believe but bare in mind that Sloane kidnapped you to draw me out. Why would he suddenly want me dead at all costs, including your life; a life he mistakenly thinks he had a part in making." Jack was aware of the subtle changes in Irina, telling him that the conversation and endless refutes were trying her patience.
"You knew Sloane had me, but you weren't going to show up." Sydney put together, not sure whether she was angry or saddened by the thought.
"Your father would never have forgiven me for putting myself in danger while pregnant. I responded to Sloane's message and set up a meet before relaying the information to Jack. Sloane was not expecting a CIA ambush because no one would believe I would cooperate with them." Irina squeezed Jack's hand tighter, hoping they were getting through to her.
"You sent Daddy to get me." Sydney said quietly. At her parents' quick nods she felt the tears forming in her eyes.
"Sydney, your mother has a great deal more to explain but you must understand that all of your preconceptions will be challenged. Although gravely understated, the best term to describe your mother is; misunderstood." Neither Jack nor Irina could help the upturn of their lips at his comment.
Silence engulfed the room while Sydney made the ultimate choice of whether to stay and listen further or walk out the door.
"You're pregnant." She finally breathed, glancing at her mother's straining stomach in awe. "I saw you in Athens but it didn't really register. You're having a baby." She sighed deeply.
Sydney stood; taking the two steps needed to bring her in front of her mother. "How did this happen?" She missed the look of playful shock her parents shared. Both deciding their daughter's acceptance of the situation was still debatable, thus foregoing the joke sitting on the tip of their respective tongues.
"It's apparently not as startlingly uncommon as most would think. But that didn't exactly prepare me for the news." Irina continued to speak in her honeyed tones, allowing for the words to go no further than the three adults standing in the living room.
"I thought maybe you were just faking, for an alias. I wasn't sure whether this was really happening when I saw you in that store." Sydney whispered.
"Give me your hand." Irina ordered gently. Reluctantly, Sydney raised her hand and allowed her mother to take it, placing it at the side of her large abdomen. The moment her hand got settled against the surface, she felt the movement beneath.
Jack watched with love and fascination as mother and daughter experienced the sensations together. Sydney's face softened as the last of the fight drained from her while Irina wore a soft smile, still holding her daughter's hand against the motions of her sibling.
"Boy or girl?" Sydney finally spoke.
"Monkey."
"Jack, I will not permit you to call our child a monkey." Irina pursed her lips in mock dismay.
"But you-" he cut himself off, catching the laughter dancing in her eyes.
"So what is it?" Keen young eyes asked.
"Irina? Are you here? Why is the door open?" A voice called from the front foray.
Sydney tensed under Irina's hand, no doubt calculating how quickly she could reach her gun.
"I told you they were like clockwork Jack." Irina smiled wider.
"Are you okay in here Irina, the door was-" Kyle trailed off when he saw that their patient had company.
"Jack! You finally made it." Jordan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Jordan and Kyle." Jack moved away from his wife and daughter to shake hands with the young men. "Boys, thank you for taking care of Irina while I was gone. I'm not sure if you'll ever understand how much I appreciate the time you took to help her and the baby." His warm smile put both boys at ease; pleased with the praise they had earned.
"It was really nothing. We just wanted to make sure she was alright. We were glad we could help." Kyle said enthusiastically.
"Imagine my surprise when I opened my door today and found my husband standing on the other side. You two have been to see me every day since I was admitted to the hospital and you didn't once mention that you had left a message for Jack." Irina raised her eyebrows and smiled, to let them know she was only kidding.
"We didn't want to get your hopes up in case the lady we talked to couldn't get a hold of him or he just couldn't get back." Jordan explained with a shy shrug. Both boys noticed the back of someone else in the room. "Sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt. We'll come back another time." They started to turn for the door.
"Boys, I'd like to introduce you to our daughter Sydney. Sydney, these are the boys who helped out your mother when she was ill last week. Jordan and Kyle." Jack spoke pointedly to his daughter, hoping to get her to relax and turn around.
As Sydney turned to face both the boys, she plastered a smile on her face that didn't resemble anything genuine. "Nice to meet you Jordan, Kyle." She spoke politely.
With wide eyes, the boys took in the sight that was Jack and Irina's daughter.
"Nice to meet you Kyle, my name is Sydney." Kyle said, turning a deep shade of red. "I mean nice to meet you Sydney." He finally got out.
"Oh yeah, gotta be a spy." Jordan said under his breath, but loud enough to turn four startled sets of eyes his way.
TBC