Disclaimer: (I'm not really sure why you guys write these- I mean, it's not like we don't already know we "weirdos-with-enough-time-on-our-hands-to-compose-a-parody/story/whatever you call it-to-our-favorite-work-of-literature, movie, television show, play etc…" and that we don't actually own the rights to do anything with our "stories" other than post them on and allow other obsessed fans to peruse them at their will.)

But you never know what people do these days to work up a reason to sue and get a couple bucks (trust me, my dad has to go to court all the time because they "trip, fall, and become seriously injured" next to the dairy isle, claiming the milk just "jumped" out of the carton, spilling all over the floor, and try to sue the grocery store)

So anyway…

I DO NOT own Alias or are associated in any way with ABC Network, Touchstone Television, Bad Robot Productions, or Buena Vista Entertainment. (I think that covers it)

"So… do you want to tell me what's going on?" asked the young woman knowingly, "Or are you just here for free chili-cheese fries?" she teased.

The shy teenage girl who sat across from her at the counter smiled awkwardly, she was obviously mulling many things over in her head.

"Give me a couple of minutes, I'm actually supposed to be off by now- I'm covering for a friend who had to leave early. Go find our booth, Izzy, then we'll talk," said Robin.

Isabelle Vaughn walked the block from the McLean Conservatory of Music and Dance to Sal's Diner faithfully every Sunday afternoon to meet medical school student Robin Dixon as she went on her lunch break from her part-time waitressing job.

The two girls had an odd relationship, but a strong one nonetheless. The 15 year old Isabelle viewed the last year graduate as a mixture of sister, cousin, aunt, and friend.

Their parents were old friends and colleagues- in fact, it was partially because of Robin's father, Marcus Dixon, that Isabelle and her family; her mother, father, and younger brother and sister moved to McLean, Virginia when her parents accepted jobs working for the Central Intelligence Agency.

It was Robin, who Isabelle always had a relationship with, although it was long distance for many years, who showed Isabelle and her younger sister, Nadia, the ropes of a town full of government employees. Robin's younger brother, Stephen took Isabelle's only brother, Jack, under his wing as well. When they were all together, which often fell on holidays and special events, they acted as close as any cousins would. It was harder for them to get together nowadays-now Stephen attended the University of Pennsylvania, and Robin, Georgetown University.

The children of Sydney and Michael Vaughn, their long time colleague, Marcus Dixon never talked about what their parents did for a living; it was just too strange to even wonder what their parents did when they went to work. They weren't particularly curious either- they were both raised to understand that some things were meant to be told "when they were older". It wasn't like half of the students of Langley High School, where Isabelle attended, weren't in the same boat.

Although Robin and Isabelle's domestic life was confusing, it was also very painful. Although they were assured by their parents that they no longer worked in a dangerous situation, the occasional "business trip" or periodic absence of their parents worried them. What troubled them the most was the fragmented stories of their parents' past and their missing aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They associated that and the deaths of their various family members (including Robin's mother), and their parents' sacrifices to their line of work. It was because of all of this that Robin and Isabelle had an unspoken passion to make something else for themselves other than a life in espionage. It seemed to becoming through for Robin-for she was about to earn her doctorate at the end of the year.

Still clad in her tacky black and pink uniform, Robin slid into the girls' usual booth at the far corner of the diner, sliding across a banana split sundae over to Isabelle and took two spoons out of her apron.

"Where's Nadia?" inquired Robin.

"She has an extra hour and a half of ballet, they have a recital next week." replied Isabelle.

"Isn't your piano recital next week too?"

"Yep- we're both going to be at the same performance, so it works out for my parents- except for Jack- he gets kind of rammy."

Robin laughed, and the two girls became quite for a moment, eating. Robin looked up, trying to read Isabelle's emotions. "Now do you want to tell me what's going on?" she asked.

"I'm just nervous for my recital next week; I don't think I know my piece enough." Isabelle said unconvincingly.

They continued eating, their spoons scraping the bottom of the bowl, fishing out the last few walnuts among the melted pool of ice cream.

Isabelle cleared her throat, and trying to sound nonchalant said, "You know Mitchell…"

"The oldest Flinkman boy, Mitchell?"

Isabelle nodded.

"So…?" inquired Robin, sounding a little worried (she was quite a worrier, a trait that Isabelle and Robin shared, for they were used to disconcerting news about their friends and family), "Is something wrong?"

"No." Isabelle responded quickly. "But you can't tell anyone, ok? Or at least, not yet."

"What!" implored Robin, laughing now that she could almost predict what Isabelle was going to say next.

"He sort of asked me to the Frosh/Soph Hop." she said quietly.