A/N: Oh my, reviewing has slowed... :( well, guess you can't win 'em all

Michael walked into the room and saw Sydney, resting. A pang of guilt struck his heart at the sight of her laying in a hospital bed with all the IVs in her arms. I should be by her bedside, he thought angrily. Dixon closed the door and at the sound of it, Sydney looked up. Michael shoved his hands in his pocket, not sure of how he should approach her. Sydney looked at both of them through her tired eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. To Michael, there was no tone in her voice. She just sounded...tired. Defeated. Michael didn't blame her for that. She was shot, and nearly died. Her best friends were gone and she was betrayed. Michael walked over to Sydney's bed but kept his distance. Dixon inched further into the room but still remained close to the door.

"Sydney, we're only here to talk to you," Michael said.

"Well, since I don't think I have a choice," Sydney replied dryly. "Entertain me."

Michael only looked at her. His heart was breaking for her and the position she was in. "Sydney, we have the name of the shooter. Her name is Irina Derevko."

Sydney shook her head. "I don't know that name."

"Well, we were able to get some conversations and meetings between Arvin Sloane and Irina Derevko. Will pulled up her file and found out she was former KGB and has several links to the Alliance," Michael told her.

"Wait a minute. Sloane was having meetings with the woman who shot me? That doesn't make any sense."

Michael looked over at Dixon. "That's what we thought." He turned back to Sydney. " Unless he saw you as a liability and ordered a hit on your life."

Sydney softly chuckled. "This is insane."

"Sydney..."

"No!" Sydney pulled herself up and looked at Michael angrily. "You cannot just walk in here and give me all your excuses and hutches. It doesn't work that way!"

"Don't you realize what you're a part of, Sydney? You're not fighting the enemy...you're helping him! You're working for the very people that you were sworn to bring to justice! Why can't you see that?" Michael asked her.

"See what?" Sydney threw at him. "All of your lies? If this Derevko woman is such a huge threat as you have so boldly pointed out, then how come I've never heard of her?"

"Because she is the enemy," Dixon said. "Just as you are." Sydney raised her eyebrows at him. "And if you don't cooperate and tell us what we want to know about SD-6, then you will be treated as an enemy."

Michael rubbed his face and started getting nervous when Sydney didn't say anything. She regarded Dixon and looked at Michael. "Who is this?"

Michael shook his head, trying to get back on track. "Sydney..."

Sydney ignored Michael and looked back at Dixon. "I swear, if I wasn't in the condition I was in, I would kill you right now."

"You could try..."

"Enough!" Michael shouted. "Sydney, we're not trying to force you into this. You just need to look at the bigger picture..."

"I have, and you want to hear what I have come up with?" she asked. "You are the enemy. The CIA. Sloane will never do anything to harm the people he cared about, whether he is an ass or not. That's not how SD-6 operates. You were the ones who killed my best friends."

Michael looked at Dixon surprised. "What? Francie and Will are dead?"

Sydney ignored him. "I suggest, Mr. Vaughn, that you either kill me right here, right now, because I swear to you when I get better, I will be coming after you and all of your friends, whether I have to go through the whole fucking CIA to do so, I promise you, I will."

Just as Michael was going to reply, the door opened. Laura stood there looking from Sydney to Michael then at Dixon. "Um...I'm I interrupting something?"

Sydney run her hand through her hair and saw it shaking. She put both her hands under the blanket. "No Mom. They were just leaving."

Michael looked at Sydney painfully. "Sydney..."

"Go," Sydney said sternly.

Michael nodded and turned to leave. Just as they were leaving, Julian walked in, carrying sodas in his hand and a bag of chips. He looked at Michael then at Sydney. "What the hell are you doing here?" Julian asked Michael

"We were just leaving." Dixon said

"Yes, I suggest you do so." Julian handed Laura the soda and chips and followed Michael and Dixon out. "You've got a lot of nerve to show up here. If it wasn't a public place, I'd kill you myself."

Michael kept his eyes on Julian. "Dixon, can you get the car?"

Dixon nodded. "Sure," and walked away.

"Listen," Michael started. "You have to trust me."

"Really?" Julian crossed his arms.

"Just listen to me, then act on it." Michael pulled out an envelope from his jacket and handed it to Julian who took it and looked at it suspiciously. "Irina Derevko. That was the shooter. She had several meetings with Arvin Sloane for the past few days. She also has a strong connection with the Alliance and we believe she was the reason that Sloane became part of the Alliance."

Julian looked up at Michael. "What exactly is this suppose to prove?"

"That Sloane ordered Sydney killed. We believe you were next. Look into it, Mr. Sark. SD-6 and Arvin Sloane are not who he says they are." Michael nodded towards Sydney's door. "Take care of her."

Julian watched as Michael walked away. He looked at the envelope again and put it into his pocket and walked back into room. When he walked back in, he closed the door and smiled at Sydney who was laying back down. "Are you okay?"

Sydney nodded. "Yeah."

Laura brushed back a strand of Sydney's hair behind her ear. "What is it?"

Sydney shrugged. "I guess, it's just what they were saying."

"What was that?" Laura asked.

"Just work stuff..."

Julian cleared his throat and pulled a chair next to Sydney. "Let's just forget about it for now." A lazy grin appeared on his face as he handed Sydney the bag of chips. "You know what they say. Junk food is a way to recover faster."

"Really?" Sydney smiled. "I've never heard that."

"Well," Julian said. "It's still a theory..."

-----------------------------

Sloane was sweating. From the moment he sat down in front of the other Alliance members on the subject of SD-6 possible being breached, he was nervous. The head of SD-1 leaned forward. "Sydney Bristow is still alive, Arvin. Why is that?"

"A mistake. She is only alive by inches. Nothing more," Sloane said

"Do we think it is wise to kill Agent Bristow?" SD-4 leader said

Sloane raised his eyebrows at him as the others looked at him, curious. "I only say because if Sydney Bristow is indeed the chosen one in Rabamdli's prophecy and she serves to bring about his endgame, then why kill her? Mr. Sloane has deceived her once, and convinced her she works for the government. Why not hold onto that?"

"Because," the SD-1 leader said. "Ms. Bristow is also the only one who can stop it. In regards to that, Rabamdli is not our main concern."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Sloane asked

"What you were ordered to do. Take care of Bristow, Sark and Vaughn...or we will take care of you and your wife, Mr. Sloane."

--------------------------

Sloane walked out of the room and pulled out his cell phone. After a moment he said, "Get me Irina Derevko."

------------------------

Just as Sydney was finally dozing back off, Laura left the room giving her and Julian some peace. As she was walking back to her car, her cell phone rang. "Yes?"

"Irina," Sloane said.

Irina froze. She knew this was coming. "Arvin, the CIA was there..."

Sloane cut her off. "I don't care about that, Irina. They're threatening my wife now."

"So what do you want done?"

"I will get Sark to take care of Michael Vaughn. I want you to reach out to your contacts. You find someone that will take care of Julian and Sydney permanently."

"I'll take care of it."

Irina closed her phone and leaned against her car and sighed. She pulled out her phone again and dialed. When she heard the voice on the other end, she cleared her throat. "Get me Anna Espinosa."

A/N: Didn't see that comin', did ya? ... well, from the title, you probably did...

If my Friday plans go very very well, then I will give you the finishing chapters to rap up the story and begin the sequel! Does that sound like a nice present? So, keep your fingers crossed and give me good luck for Friday! ;) (it's a test I have to past)