{A/N – I never expected to get so many reviews!! Thank you people, keep it up and I will too!! Also, do you think that I should refer to jacks beloved wife as Irina or Laura? I don't know... any suggestions would be sooo good!! }

Sydney had long since woken and was sitting on her bed. She could hear her mother crying through the wall and she knew something was wrong. She was an intelligent girl and had sensed that something was not right with her parents. Since the phone call, she had sat there waiting. Earlier, before he left, her father had come to see her.

"Sydney?"

"Daddy?"

"Its ok its me."

"Are you and mommy cross with each other?"

"No..." He was unsure as what to say to her. after all she was only six. "Mommy and daddy are just a little grumpy that's all. Everything is ok. Now be a good girl and get some sleep before you have to go to school." She knew better than to question her father. He was the cleverest person she knew and he would never lie to her.

"Ok daddy." Jack gave his daughter a kiss on her forehead and left the room as she snuggled back into bed. Some time later she was awoken by the sound of the phone ringing and no-one was answering it so she answered it like her parents had told her to.

"Bristow residence."

"Hello Sydney is your mother there?" The warm voice of Emily Sloane replied.

"Yes she is but she can't come to the phone right now."

"Why not?"

"She's in her room. She's been in there all morning. Mommy and Daddy were fighting and now mommy wont stop crying."

"I see. Is your daddy there?"

"No. He went to work."

"I'll be right round. Get ready for school like a good girl and wait for me."

"Ok Aunt Emily. Bye." It was then that she went upstairs to listen to her mother and sit on her bed.

Half an hour later, Emily was at the door tending to a now dressed Sydney. She had tried to put on her uniform. It was a fair attempt and she only needed help with her tie.

"Uncle Arvin is waiting in the car. Go down to him and he'll drop you off at school."

"What about my lunch?"

"I've made you a sandwich. Its in a bag in the car."

"Can I go say bye to mommy?"

"I think mommy might want to see you later when you get back from school. Why don't you wait until then?"

Sloan, who had been waiting in the car was approaching the doorstep.

"Sydney. Hello." {A/N - Eire or what?!!}

"Hi Uncle Arvin." He turned to Emily. "Is everything alright?"

"I can hear her sobs from down here. The poor thing. They must have had one hell of a fight."

"I'll talk to Jack when I get to work. For now though, I'll get this one off to school."

Sydney held his hand and walked towards the car. When they had disappeared, Emily made a cup of coffee and approached Laura's door. She quietly tapped at the wooden frame and entered. Laura was curled up into a ball on the bed looking like she hadn't moved for hours.

"Laura?"

"Emily is that you?" She replied through sniffles.

"Yes. Arvin took Sydney to school and I've made you a coffee."

"How did you know?"

"I rang earlier and Sydney answered. She said she that you were crying and I came straight over." Irina took the cup and sipped. She grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and began to wipe her face.

"Oh Emily, you are such a good friend. Thank you for caring enough to come over."

"Its ok. Laura, what happened? You and Jack never fight. Your like the most compatible couple ever."

"Well..." She was unsure of what to say and so decided to say what was closest to the truth. "I've betrayed him."

"What? You mean you had an affair?"

"No. I mean that I've been deceiving him for a long time and when I finally came clean, it was awful." Emily sensed that her friend wasn't ready to reveal the truth to her yet and so she let it lie.

"I'm sure he's grateful that you came clean rather than carrying on deceiving him and its not like you haven't been through enough deceit and revelations in your life what with our husbands jobs and all."

"Exactly. I thought that with what he does, he'd be able to take it. I knew he would be upset but I had no idea that it would feel so awful. I'm trained to handle worse things than this. I can withstand hours of tourtu..."

"Trained? I don't understand. How are you trained?" Irina realised that she was opening up too much and decided to try and pull herself together. As she stood, a wave of nausea took over her and she swayed as she attempted to get her words out.

"I mean that I..."

Irina fell to the floor as she lost consciousness.

Jack had arrived at the office a few hours earlier than he should have been and so had been catching up on reports when he saw and moved to greet his friend as Arvin Sloane as he entered the office. He was headed towards the bathroom but Jack didn't notice.

"Hi Arvin I was just... What's that on your pants?" He asked as he motioned down to the rather creamy and strawberry smelling stain.

"Sydney dropped her yoghurt all over the car this morning on the way to school. God that girl is inquisitive. She certainly takes after you."

"You took Sydney to school?"

"Yes. Emily called your house this morning and Sydney told her that Laura was in quite a state. Apparently she had been sobbing for hours and Sydney was pretty worried. Emily went round and I took Sydney.... Jack... I could hear her sobs from the porch. What happened?"

"We..." He contemplated telling his friend the truth but decided against it. "We just argued like every couple does. It turns out she was keeping something from me and now I know, I kind of wish I didn't."

"What was she keeping from you?" Jack had no idea what to say but thankfully he was interrupted by Sloan's cell ringing. He moved away to answer it and returned much quicker.

"Jack that was Emily. She was with Laura and she collapsed. The ambulance was loading her into the back as she phoned. Jack... they couldn't revive her on the scene so they rushed her to Mercy."

All of the colour drained from Jack's face as he realised that his wife was hurt and he was out of the door before Arvin could finish his sentence. Sloane went to tell Director Vaughn what had happened.

{A/N – I hope you liked that chapter. It felt so weird with Sloane being good!! I don't know weather to write the affair into it or not but I do know that Rambaldi will be in it but I don't know how...? I mean come on, how could he not be involved?!! Please review with suggestions or comments so I know that my readers are still there!!!}