Thank you all so much for your feedback. You all seemed so disappointed that Syd decided not to work with the CIA (though I suppose that I was already expecting that reaction). Anyway, I just wanted to tell you, don't give up on Syd: Superspy just yet...
Disclaimer: The title of this chapter comes from the song 'Trouble' by Cat Stevens
And There's Nothing Much Left Of Me
"How is she doing?" Will asked Francie, as the two of them sat at his desk eating lunch. Naturally, their conversation was centred on Sydney and the recent split from Danny.
"I don't know," Francie replied. "Syd really isn't open to discussing it."
Will shook his head. "I can't believe what that jerk did."
"Hang on a second," Francie said diplomatically. "We don't know the situation."
Will stared at her. "You cannot honestly think that Sydney was the reason behind this? The guy just up and left."
"I realize that, but until we find out exactly what went on, I don't think we should be passing any judgements." Francie replied. "I think that we should just make sure that we are there to support Syd."
Will fell silent as he chewed silently. "Fran?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you think that Syd and Danny would last?"
"Yes," Francie said. "I really thought that they had what it took. Even when they were fighting…this is why this situation is such a surprise." She took a mouthful of drink. "I just hope that they are able to figure this out."
"Hey, come in," Sydney smiled the following afternoon as she opened the front door to Francie.
Francie held up a bag. "I brought ice cream."
"Ah, you read my mind." Sydney grinned as she headed into the kitchen for spoons. Francie followed, but stopped when she saw a newspaper opened up on the classifieds, sitting on the bench.
"What's this Syd?"
"Oh, I'm just looking for a job." Sydney replied, handing over a spoon.
Francie frowned. "Why?"
"Um, I, uh, lost my job at the bank."
"What! How could you lose your job? With the hours you put in?"
Sydney shrugged. "They're doing some major downsizing."
"Man, the economy sucks," Francie sighed and then looked back down at the paper, her expression puzzled. "So then, why are you looking at waitress positions when you have just received a Masters in English Literature?"
"I'm not sure if I really want to teach anymore," Sydney replied. It was the only way she could try to explain to Francie. There was no way that she could give her real reason for not wanting to teach. "I just want to sit back, have a little me time and concentrate on salvaging my marriage before committing myself to another career."
Francie paused as she lifted a spoonful of ice cream to her lips. "I guess that makes sense." She suddenly grinned. "Though it will be interesting to see you as a waitress."
"And just what do you mean by that?" Sydney asked indignantly.
"Oh, come on Syd. You've spent the last 8 ½ years working for a bank. Not exactly dirty work, hey?"
Sydney just smiled, as she licked her spoon. She'd leave that comment alone.
After a few interviews, Sydney was offered a job at a nearby coffee shop. She loved the laid back ambiance of the place, with it's warm lighting and couches scattered within. The total opposite to the steely, warehouse like SD-6.
After working there for about two weeks, Sydney started to think about contacting Danny. She couldn't just sit back and let her marriage disintegrate without a fight. But she knew that she had to get her own life in order before that could happen. And this job was allowing that to happen.
"Ok girls. Decision time." Bridget, one of Sydney's co-workers announced. "Are we going with Beck or Coldplay?" she asked, holding up two CD's.
"Coldplay," Jaz replied at the exact moment that Sydney said, "Beck."
"Great," Bridget rolled her eyes as the other two dissolved into laughter. "I guess that I'm making the decisions around here."
As she turned to put a CD into the stereo, Sydney went back to wiping down the front counter. Glancing at her watch she saw that there was only an hour until the end of her shift. She felt a tiny knot in her stomach. She had made the decision, that morning, that today would be the day to call Danny.
Bridget had decided on Beck, and Sydney found herself humming along as she went about her work, until she heard the bell on the door ring as somebody entered.
"Sydney?"
She looked up and almost did a double take when she saw Agent Vaughn approaching.
"Hey," she replied. "How are you?"
"I'm fine." Vaughn paused. "What are you doing here?"
Sydney let out a small laugh as she looked down at her apron. "I'm working."
"Here?"
"Gotta earn a wage somehow."
"But…"
"But what?"
"Well, I've read you're files. Seen what you are capable of. I just never imagined that you…" he trailed off. "I mean, I am positive that I heard your father say that you wanted to teach Literature."
"I did." Sydney admitted, while wondering just how this man and her father had gotten onto the topic of her career aspirations. Just how much did they have to do with each other? "But the reason I wanted to teach was because my mother was a teacher. Since finding out...I just can't."
Vaughn nodded. "So, how is everything going?"
Sydney shrugged. "There's a lot to work through. I'm doing the best I can."
"Well, at least you don't have to do it alone."
"What do you mean by that?" Sydney asked.
"I was just talking about your husband." Vaughn replied. Sydney did not reply and Vaughn got the inkling that he had said something wrong. "I'm sorry. I just assumed—"
"No, it's ok." Sydney reassured him. "It's just that Danny wasn't really accepting to the fact that I had not been working for a bank."
"Oh." Vaughn wasn't sure of what he could say. "So…"
"We're working through it," Sydney replied, her tone telling Vaughn that the subject was over. "So, what can I get you?"
Sydney felt a small flame of hope ignite when she saw Danny sitting in the restaurant. He'd shown up. He hadn't blown her off. Surely, that meant something.
"Hi," she said, sitting opposite him.
"Hello." His reply was terse.
"Thank you for coming." Sydney started tentatively.
"I figured that there were some thing we needed to discuss." Danny replied. "It will be a lot easier if we are civil to each other."
"What will be easier?" Sydney asked, knowing all to well that she did not want to hear his answer.
"Come on, Sydney." Danny's expression softened. "You know what. Things like whether you want to stay in the apartment. If so, we'll need to change the details on the lease. And stuff like who takes the TV, who takes the couch…"
Sydney blinked furiously as she felt a familiar prickle behind her eyes. "But…" Her heart was pounding so loudly that it wouldn't have surprised her if the other restaurant patrons had started to complain.
"But what, Sydney?"
"You're really giving up on us?" Sydney asked. "You don't want to even try and figure things out?"
"Sydney, I thought that I had already made myself clear?"
"But those words were spoken in anger, in the moment. Are you telling me that nothing has changed in the past month?"
"Sydney, I love you, but I don't trust you anymore. The extent to which you lied, the damages that those lies caused, it just can't be repaired."
Sydney struggled to fight back tears. "I don't want this to be over, Danny."
"But it is Sydney." Danny stood up. "I don't want to be married to you anymore. We finished, for good."
Sydney could only watch helplessly as he walked out of the restaurant. Her eyes blurring, she fumbled though her bag for a tissue, but instead she came across her mobile.
After considerable amount of deliberation, Sydney took a deep breath and started to dial.
"I am so sorry," Sydney said. "I shouldn't have called you."
"Hey, don't apologise," Vaughn said, his voice concerned. He had to admit that when he had answered Sydney's call that he has been a little shocked. Nevertheless, she sounded upset and so Vaughn had made his way to the pier as fast as possible. Even through her voice, he knew that she shouldn't have been alone.
"But you gave me your number for if I wanted to reconsider a job at the CIA," Sydney was saying. "But I didn't know who else to call. I can't talk to anybody else. My friends don't know the truth. Only you…and my father. And I can't talk to him." Sydney knew that she was rambling, but was powerless to stop it. "I am so sorry."
"Sydney, stop apologising." Vaughn directed. "Now, what's happened?"
Sydney inhaled deeply, raking a hand through her hair. "It's this trying to keep a charade that I'm ok. But I'm not. A month ago, everything fell apart and the one thing, the one hope I was clinging to…well, that's fallen apart as well."
"Your husband?" Vaughn prompted gently.
Sydney nodded, biting her bottom lip as her eyes started to well up.. "He says that he can't trust me anymore. That because of me our relationship was built upon a lie. He's right, but he's not even…" Sydney trailed off, shaking her head. She hated the fact that she was crying in front of Vaughn. He was practically a stranger. "You don't need to hear this."
"Well, I did keep you confined in that pokey interrogation room," Vaughn said. "Let's call this Sydney's Revenge."
Sydney let out a small laugh through her tears. "I can't help but think that there is something seriously wrong when the only person I can confide in is somebody I met a month ago."
"Your friends? You didn't tell the truth?"
Sydney shook her head. "No, which means that I can't tell the truth behind mine and Danny's split."
"What are their names?" Vaughn asked, surprising Sydney a little.
"Uh, Will and Francie." Sydney paused. "They are my best friends and in this time of absolute insanity, I can't even talk to them."
"You can talk to me," Vaughn said simply.
Sydney looked at him. "You mean that?"
"You got my number." Vaughn replied. "You're more than welcome to use it."
Sydney gave him a small smile. "Thank you."