smilez4eva: Just to respond, it's so bad for my school work that I'm addicted to writing these stories.

Em-958: Yeah, I am studying to be a teacher. Only a year and a half to go before I'll be in a classroom.

Disclaimer: The title of this chapter comes from the song 'Give You Back' by Vertical Horizon

I Need To Know If You Were Real

"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.

Sydney looked around her surroundings. She figured that it was a good sign that she had been moved from that depressing interview room. She didn't know exactly what this new area was, but it had a couch, so she wasn't complaining.

She hadn't spoken a word since ending the conversation with her father. In all her years Jack Bristow had never given her a solid reason to trust him, yet for some reason she believed everything that he had told her about SD-6. She knew that he would never fabricate such a story to his own daughter.

And so, she had started the massive task of comprehending what she had been told. Never before had she experience such anger. Anger at those who had lied to her and brought her into such a life. And then anger at herself for being so gullible.

Her thoughts had also turned to Dixon and Marshall. Dixon, she knew, would be handling things. That was what they were trained to do- to cope in stressful situations. But Marshall? She couldn't even begin to imagine how he would be reacting.

The door opened at that point, causing Sydney to jump slightly. She gave Agent Vaughn a small smile as he entered, but it soon dropped when she saw Jack walk in after him.

"So?" she asked. "When can I go?"

"Soon," Vaughn replied. "But there is one more matter that we want to discuss with you beforehand."

"Oh god," she sighed. "What now?"

"It's about your mother." Jack replied.

Sydney's heart skipped a beat. "What about mum?" she whispered.

"Ten fingers, ten toes," Jack smiled at the tiny bundle in his arms. "She's perfect, Laura. Beautiful, just like her mother." He looked at his wife. Her smile was not as bright as he would have expected and it did not reach her eyes. "Is everything ok?"

Laura nodded. "I'm just tired."

Jack smiled. "Of course you are." He settled himself on the edge of the bed. "So, what are we going to name her?"

Laura shrugged. "I haven't' really thought about it."

"What about Anne?" Jack suggested. "After my grandmother."

Laura's nose crinkled. "It doesn't seem right."

Jack looked down. "You're right. After all, I don't know about you, but I have the feeling that our daughter is not going to be your average little girl. She needs a special name."

"What about Sydney?" Laura murmured.

Jack met her eyes. "What was that?"

"Sydney. What about the name Sydney?"

"I love it. Sydney Bristow. Has a ring to it." Jack ran a hand down his daughter's velvet cheek. "Sydney Anne Bristow. You are one lucky girl. You are going to have the best mother in the world."

"What about mum?" Sydney asked again, her voice urgent. She looked at Vaughn. "Do you know what he is talking about?"

Vaughn nodded shortly, and finally Jack spoke up. "Sydney, I honestly hoped that this day would never come."

"What day?"

"The day when you would find out the truth about who your mother really was."

Sydney went to retort, but in seeing Jack's expression, stopped to let him continue.

"I'm just going to come out and say it. Your mother was not a Literature professor named Laura. She was Irina Derevko, a KGB agent, sent to the Untied States to marry a CIA officer." He paused for a loaded second. "Me."

Sydney could only stare as an icy cold feeling ran through her veins.

"During our marriage, Derevko fed the KGB secrets of the United States government, as well as carrying out the execution of over twenty CIA officers."

Out of the corner of her eye, Sydney saw Vaughn shift in his seat as he ran a hand through his hair. But her focus remained mainly on Jack.

"She was KGB? My mother was an agent?" she asked. She tugged at the collar of her shirt. The room suddenly seemed smaller and the air she was inhaling felt like cotton wool.

"Yes," Jack replied.

Sydney bent over, resting her head in her hands, her breaths shaky. She could take this. Her life had been turned upside down enough that day. She just couldn't.

"Sydney," Jack spoke up. "You can't lose control over this."

"You know what, Dad?" Sydney looked up. "This is not the best time to start lecturing me."

"I know how this feels." Jack's voice was quiet.

"Not exactly. You've had a lot longer to make sense of this than I have.

"There was a time when this was news to me, too. Your mother was sent to the United States to steal secrets from a ranking officer of the C.I.A. How she and I happened to meet, how she supposedly fell in love, I thought it was all true. But it was just a set-up."

Sydney's expression turned to one of pain. "Even her wanting to have a family? Was that just part of the plan, too?"

"Sydney—"

"Go." Her voice was forceful.

"Please."

"No. It's not as if you're going to let go somewhere to be alone." Sydney snapped. "So go. Now."

Francie slammed down the phone with a frustrated sigh. There was still no answer at Sydney and Danny's place, and Sydney's mobile kept going to message bank. Where was she? Danny had called late the night before, worried because Sydney hadn't come home from work, and nor, early the next morning, Francie still hadn't heard from her. Grabbing her address book, she turned to 'H', looking for Danny's mobile number.

"Hello?"

"Danny?"

"Yeah."

"It's Francie. Have you heard anything from Sydney yet?"

"Yes, she called me a couple of hours after I spoke to you. She's on another business trip."

"Oh," Francie let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

"Yeah, thank god." Danny echoed her dully. "If you don't mind, Francie, I have to go. I start a shift in half an hour and need to get ready."

"You're not at the hospital?" Francie asked feeling a little confused. "I thought you were- there's no answer at your place."

"I'm at my brother's," Danny replied, his tone telling Francie that this was the end of the subject. "Look, Francie, I really have to go. I'll speak to you soon."

Sydney's face darkened when Vaughn walked into the room once again. "If you've got some more revelations for me, you can just turn around right now."

Vaughn just held up his hands in mock defence. "Nothing, I swear. I just came by to tell you that you are free to go."

Sydney's expression changed to one of surprise. "For real?"

"For real," Vaughn nodded, holding the door open. Sydney wasted no time and was out in a flash.

"There is something I need to bring up with you," Vaughn said as he escorted her out of the building.

"What?" Sydney asked warily.

"The CIA would like to offer you a job."

Sydney couldn't help but snort with laughter. "Heard that one before."

"I'm serious. I've seen you operational files from SD-6. Regardless of who you were working for, your talents as an agent are phenomenal. The United States would be love to have you on their side."

Sydney brought a hand up, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Look, I don't know," she started slowly. "There's some…stuff that I need to figure out."

"Of course, Vaughn replied. "Take all the time you need. The offer will still be on the table."

Sydney nodded as they stopped at the front entrance. "Um…" she paused, unsure of what to say. "I feel like saying thank you, but given the situation, it just doesn't seem right."

Vaughn chuckled. "I understand."

Sydney smiled. "How about just bye?"

Vaughn nodded. "Good bye, Sydney," he said, opening the door. "I hope that we'll be hearing from you soon."

On that note Sydney stepped outside. It was time to go home. Time to start moving on. Time to talk to Danny…about everything.