I just want to thank all of you for your feedback. It gets me so excited when I read how excited evrybody is getting over this fic! I was a little worried about it, to tell you the truth. I wasn't exactly how it was going to be received...your positive responses have been a massive relief.

Disclaimer: The title of this chapter comes from the song 'Something Else' by Gary Jules

They Never Tell You Truth Is Subjective

"Why not? Will you still tell me what is going on?"

Vaughn shook his head. "Another agent has requested that they be the one to tell you everything."

"Who?" Sydney demanded.

Vaughn did not answer. Instead he just opened the door, allowing someone to walk in. The last person Sydney would have expected.

Inhaling sharply, she took a second to take them in, to make sure that is was whom she was seeing. Finally, exhaling, she spoke.

"Daddy?"

"Hello Sydney." Jack sat down opposite her and Vaughn made his exit, quietly closing the door behind him. Sydney could only stare at her father, her unblinking gaze utterly stunned, yet accusing at the same time.

Jack offered nothing, and after what felt like an eternity passed, Sydney finally spoke, her voice surprisingly steady.

"Is somebody going to tell me what is going on here?"

Jack nodded. "I, uh, wanted to be the one to…explain. I thought that you should hear this from me."

"Hear what?"

"The truth of who you've been working for."

"Everybody, the bride and groom."

Applause rang out as Sydney and Danny made their way to the middle of the dance floor. As they begun to move slowly to the strains of Van Morrison's 'Have I Told You Lately', Danny couldn't help but notice a hint of disappointment behind Sydney's eyes.

"Syd," he said softly. "Talk to me."

"I…it's just…why didn't he come?"

"Your dad?"

Sydney nodded. "I know we don't have your average father-daughter relationship. But this is our wedding day. Would it have killed him to make an appearance?"

"Syd, I'm sure that he has a legit reason." Danny said. Personally, he did not see what the big deal was. In all his time with Sydney he could count the number of times he'd seen her and her father speak on one hand. Besides, the guy was terrifying. The day would be much more festive without the presence of Jack Bristow.

"There is no reason," Sydney replied. "He just didn't want to come. He had no desire to see his daughter get married."

"Syd," Danny pressed his lips into hers. "I know he is your father, but please, don't let this upset you. Everybody who loves you and who make you happy are here. Focus on that."

Sydney gave him a smile. "I love you."

"And I love you…which is pretty lucky given what we just did." Danny added with a cheeky grin.

Sydney laughed, grateful for the distraction from the notable absence on the guest list.

Sydney stared at Jack. "I work for the CIA. What I would like to know is who you work for…because you obviously don't really export airplane parts."

"No," Jack admitted. "I never did."

"So, how exactly do you earn a wage, dad?"

"I work for the CIA, Sydney."

Sydney let out a short, derisive laugh. "Right, we've been working for the same organization for years and never knew it."

"Sydney I have known that you were working for SD-6 for quite a while now."

"What? If you knew that why didn't you say something?"

"Because, Sydney, SD-6 is not a branch of the CIA."

Sydney could hear a faint ringing in her ears. "What are you talking about?"

Jack inhaled deeply before continuing. "Over a decade ago, a pool of agents went free-lance. Russian, Libyan, Chinese, Ethiopian—"

"The Alliance of Twelve." Sydney cut him off.

"What do you know about them?"

"They're an enemy of the United States. They're mercenaries. They're dangerous." Sydney replied. "What does this have to do with me?"

"SD-6 is not a black ops division of the C.I.A. SD-6 is a branch of the Alliance. You work for the very enemy you thought you were fighting."

Sydney shook her head, not wanting or unable to comprehend what her father was saying. "This doesn't make sense."

"It makes perfect sense." Jack replied. "You were lied to, led to believe you were serving your country, when in fact you'd been working against it."

Sydney's eyes narrowed. "Give me one good reason why I should believe you," she demanded. "Come on, dad. For the first time in my life, give me a reason to trust you."

Jack simply stared back. "Sydney, it is obvious that you are loathed to accept anything that I have to say. But if you want I can put you in a plane, take you to Langley and show you personally that you have never worked for the CIA." He paused. "You've never been there, have you? Ask yourself why."

Sydney had to accept that her father was making a strong point. Taking a few seconds to compose herself, Sydney spoke, her voice considerably calmer. "If, what you are telling me, is the truth, how could know that I was working for SD-6? Surely the CIA would not be privy to that information."

"Because I have been working in SD-6."

"What?"

"Undercover at Jennings Aerospace."

"You're a double agent?" Sydney said and Jack nodded. "So you knew the truth about SD-6 because the CIA told you?"

"No," Jack replied and Sydney looked at him, surprised. "I knew the truth because I was one of them. The Alliance."

"You were part of the Alliance?" Sydney said, more to herself. "How?"

Jack paused. "Events, around the time of your mother's death, led me to question the life I was leading. By joining the Alliance, gaining their trust and then turning double for the CIA, I felt that I was taking a more active role in taking down those who were betraying our country."

Inside Sydney could feel a seething anger start to bubble. "How could you?" she asked, her voice taking on a sharp edge.

Jack blinked. "Sydney, I have never been loyal to the Alliance, if that is what you are thinking."

"No, that is not what I am thinking." Sydney snapped. "How could you stand by and watch while I was being recruited into this life? I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but you did. Why didn't you say something?"

Jack's expression seemed to contort slightly, as if Sydney had hit a nerve. "Sydney, by the time I had been informed of your recruitment, it was too late. If I had been to approach you…the consequences would have been catastrophic."

"For who? You?"

"No, for you." Jack hesitated. "You don't know what they were capable of Sydney. If Sloane had doubted you, even the slightest, severe actions would have been taken."

At the sound of her superior's name, something clicked in Sydney's mind. "Sloane. Do you know where he is? Do you have him? Is that why you were able to infiltrate so easily?"

Jack shook his head slowly. "Sloane disappeared. We have no idea where he is or what he is up to."

"So he's gone free."

"Yes."

"I can't believe this," Sydney muttered, though more to herself than Jack.

"Sydney—"

"No." She held up a hand. "I've heard enough. Now, could you please leave? I would like to be alone."

Vaughn stood up abruptly as Jack exited the room. The older man could not contain his disdainful look.

"Is there any specific reason why you are waiting out here?" he demanded.

A year ago, that statement would have been enough to send Vaughn skulking away. However, since their lives had collided so dramatically 12 months ago, Vaughn was developing the ability to stand up to Jack Bristow.

"I was just wondering how Sy- your daughter took the news."

"Her entire world has just been turned upside down. How do you think she took it?" Jack replied, derision dripping off every word.

"So what did you tell her?"

"Is that really any of your business?"

"Well, as the agent processing her, I would say yes." Vaughn said.

"And I would say no." Jack replied, bluntly.

"Jack." Vaughn's voice lowered. "What did you tell her?"

Jack eyed him for a second. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Did you tell her?"

"I told her the truth about SD-6 and myself." Jack said. "And that is all Sydney needs to hear."

"And you don't think that—"

"No." Jack cut him off. "Think about what I just told her. How can I tell her about Derevko?"

"Jack…"

"Why are you so eager for Sydney to know this? I thought that you would want this dead and buried."

"I do." Vaughn replied. "But Sydney deserves to be told the truth. She's had enough lies to last a lifetime, don't you think?"

Jack did not respond, thought he knew that Vaughn was making a valid point. He did not need to give Sydney another reason to resent him. He had to tell her the truth about her mother. As soon as possible.