Julian entered his house and flicked on the light. Sighing, he shut the door. After Sydney had insisted he get some rest, he agreed to do so. But all Julian was going to do was shower and change. He wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing that Sydney was safe. Safe from the CIA, from Michael, her father...even Sloane. He didn't know who to trust, so at the moment, he trusted no one. As he walked into the living room to go into the shower, he noticed a shadow in the living room. Julian flipped on a light switch, and the lights in the room lit up to reveal Michael sitting on the couch. Julian looked at Michael. "How did you get in here?"

"The back door was open," Michael answered. "Very sloppy for such a well known agent, Sark."

Julian rubbed his eyes. "Look, Mr. Vaughn, I am too tired to argue or fight you. So if you don't mind, the door is right there. Don't let it hit you on the way out."

"I'm here to talk."

"About what?"

"Did you read the file?" Michael asked

"No, I didn't."

"Sark, Sydney's life depends on that..."

"I don't think I can trust you. Neither does Sydney."

"Look," Michael said, standing up. "I care about Sydney, very much."

"You got a funny way of showing it."

"Understand something, just like you, I can't go around and tell people what I do for a living, okay?"

"I don't care about that..."

"Well you should. If you love Sydney so much, you would listen to us."

"And why would I ever do that?"

Michael sighed. "Because...have you ever seen what Sloane and SD-6 has done with the weapons and Intel you get from your missions? How many people have you killed? People who were caught in the middle of this, this war? Exactly what does Sloane tell you and Sydney about the missions you go on? How many people does he have you blackmail?" Julian studied Michael and clenched his jaw, but said nothing. "How come Sloane hasn't come to see Sydney? And why haven't you got a call from him regarding who the shooter was? Because he doesn't give a damn! To him, you two are easily replaceable. Think about it, Sark. The SD branches include twelve of them. SD-1 to 12. The Alliance of Twelve?"

Julian thought about it for a moment and it occurred to him, he had never actually thought about the Alliance.

"Sydney needs to know that SD-6 is a lie," Michael continued.

"I'll tell you what," Julian said. "You prove to me that it wasn't you or the CIA who killed Sydney's best friends, and I'll look into it."

Michael shook his head. "I knew nothing about Will and Francie..."

"Really?" Julian questioned. "Because, to me, it seems you do."

"And how'd you come to that conclusion?"

"I came to that conclusion because you were seen entering and leaving Sydney's house around the time that Francie was killed." Julian smirked at Michael's shocked expression. "How's that for research?" Julian stepped closer to Michael. "If you go within a hundred feet of Sydney, I will kill you myself, I promise you that. I cause you more pain than you ever imagined."

Michael stood his ground, not imitated by Sydney's ex-boyfriend. "I think you're misunderstanding me."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. I love Sydney too."

Julian chuckled and stepped away from Michael. "You know nothing about Sydney."

"And how is that?"

"Tell me, Mr. Vaughn...do you know what her favorite ice cream is? What her favorite movie is? Where she is the most ticklish? ... "

"I don't think..."

"You don't," Julian interrupted. "I do. I was there when Danny was killed, I was there with her on her missions. I was there when she got her first car, when she cried at the movies, when she was shot last year. I was there! Not you, not Jack, me! When it comes to Sydney, just because you two were holding hands and you shared coffee together, it doesn't prove a god damn thing when it comes right down to it. You don't know the first thing about her!"

"And what? Is that all you're concerned about? How you look to her?" Michael shot back. "We are talking about her life here!"

Julian pulled out his gun and pointed it at Michael's head. "I am getting overly tired of your accusations in trying to win Sydney over."

"My accusations? Is that why you think I came here? To score with Sydney?"

"I don't care..."

Michael knocked the gun out of Julian's hand and punched him in the face. Julian lost his balance and fell to the floor, holding his jaw. "You hit me!"

Michael picked up Julian's gun and aimed it at him. "There's plenty more where that came from."

Julian swept his leg under Michael causing Michael to fall and drop the gun. Julian then grabbed Michael, and slammed him into the wall. He pulled back his fist and went to his Michael in the face, but Michael moved at the last moment and his fist hit the wall. Michael then grabbed Julian's shirt and swung him around and threw Julian into the bookcase. When Michael went to hit him again, Julian pushed him off and punched him in the gut, then swung him around into the wall. Julian bent down and picked up his gun and raised it at Michael. Michael slowly stood up and looked down at the barrel. He sighed and wiped his nose of the blood. Julian spit out the blood and touched his head where a large wound was slightly bleeding. Just as Julian was about to pull the trigger, bullets started to blaze, hitting everything in Julian's house. Both he and Michael took cover, as the bullets destroyed everything in the room. Julian crept behind the wall where Michael was.

"Is this your doing?"

Michael rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like my own team would fire in with me in here."

As Michael took out his gun Julian poked his head up then ducked back down. "Five shooters. Three on the right, two on the left."

"Are they you're team?"

Julian shook his head. "No, their uniforms are different." Michael looked at Julian who raised his eyebrows, both men thinking the same thing...Covenant.

"Ready?" Michael asked.

"We're not finished," Julian clarified.

"Not by a long shot," Michael agreed.

Julian nodded. "Then yes, I'm ready."

As the firing ceased, the Covenant members reloading and approaching at a closer distance, both Michael and Julian sprang up from their positions and fired their weapons. After several shots, both men stopped and took a deep breath. Michael glanced at Julian, both relieved, and all five men dead. Then, both raised their guns at each other...