CHAPTER 8
6 MONTHS LATER: HOUSE
"Yeah Dad. We're just unpacking. Uh huh. Yeah." Sydney rolls her eyes at Sark, "No Dad."
Sark snickers
"Daddy" Niko calls "Mama"
Sydney lifts her brow
Sark nods walking away
"I'll see you tomorrow Dad." Sydney says hanging up she shakes her head as Sark returns with Nikolai. "Hey sweetie did you enjoy your nap?"
Niko yawns
"I'll take that as a yes." Sydney smiles
"What did Jack want?" Sark asks
"To make sure we haven't killed each other."
"We've been living together for five months and he still thinks we're going to kill each other." Sark grumbles
"Let me remind you that you have tried to kill me."
"Not in a long time." Sark reminds
Sydney shakes her head taking Niko from Sark, "Come on we still have a lot to do."
"I don't see why we don't just hire someone to unpack."
"Sark" Sydney groans
"I hate unpacking... why do you think I hire people to do things for me?"
Sydney sighs, "Come on let's just do this."
LATE NIGHT
Sark and Sydney flop on the couch, "Now I know why I have my homes already unpacked when I arrive." Sark runs his hands over his face.
"See doing normal things good for you."
"Shut up Bristow." Sark mutters
Sydney laughs, "Come on you enjoyed unpacking."
"No... I hated it as much as I hated packing."
"Well now you have a bedroom rather than have to sleep on the couch."
"Hey you could have shared your room."
Sydney glares at him. "We've had that conversation Sark."
"You don't miss it?"
"No." Sydney stands walking into the kitchen.
Sark follows her "Come on Sydney the truth. And I've already checked the house and it isn't bugged. The truth Sydney... do you miss us?"
Sydney sighs "Fine" she crosses her arms over her chest, "Sometimes I do miss what we had, but we can't start up again."
"Sydney"
"I'm going to bed. We have an early day."
Sark watches as Sydney walks away and smirks 'She still wants me.' He sighs 'I still want her as well.'
WEEK LATER: CIA
"What's going on?" Sydney asks as Dixon, Marshall, and Jack enter the conference room where she, Sark, Vaughn, Weiss, and Lauren are already waiting.
"We've been informed that Kristos Cassadine has been connected to some arms dealing." Dixon informs them. "We've been watching him for a while and have determined that its time to make contact with him."
"What?" Sark looks up startled to hear his former father-in-law's name, "Since when?"
"We received information that he had been doing some shady deals." Dixon answers looking at Sark confused.
"From who?" Sark demands
"We're not sure." Dixon pulls up a picture of Cassadine escorting a teenage girl with blond hair wearing sunglasses. "We don't know anything about who sent the information or how."
"Who's the girl?" Sark questions
"Apparently she's Cassadine's granddaughter. It's one of the few pictures of her in existence. I took it off the satellite." Marshall says with pride.
Sark stares at the picture of the girl "That's not possible."
"What's not?" Sydney questions
"Cassadine's only grandchild is dead. He had one child... a daughter. She was killed in a car accident with her daughter."
Sydney's eyes widen, "You mean..."
"Sark, how do you know that?" Jack demands
Sark rubs his forehead taking a deep breath before answering, "Because I was married to Cassadine's daughter, Evangeline. Eva and our daughter Alexa died when Alexa was five." Sark informs them staring at the picture of the girl who has dirty blond hair.
"You were married to Cassadine's daughter?" Dixon says surprised.
"For five, almost six, years." Sark answers staring at the picture, "I was sent to work as her bodyguard by Irina after some death threats."
"Well then you and Sydney have a way in." Dixon says
"What? How?" Sydney demands
"Cassadine knows what you did before?" Dixon asks Sark
Sark nods "He like everyone else probably believes I'm dead."
"Then you and Sydney are going in as buyers." Dixon informs them.
"And what makes you think I won't kill him?" Sark demands
"If we do manage to get Cassadine then you might be able to find out if the girl is your daughter." Dixon replies
"What do you want to know?" Sydney asks seeing Sark stare at the picture.
"We need to know who he's selling to. How he's getting his weapons." Jack answers "The papers and background for Sydney have already been dealt with." Jack looks at Sark, "Can you handle being near him?" He asks Sark.
Sark nods "I won't kill him... yet." He finishes with a mutter.
"We need the information Sark." Dixon warns.
"You'll get it." Sydney assures
"You leave tomorrow." Dixon informs them.
COUPLE HOURS LATER: HOUSE
Sydney walks into the living room where she finds Sark staring at a picture of Alexa and Eva, "You OK?"
"She could be alive." Sark says softly. "I never even thought of that possibility Sydney. I never even kept an eye on him."
"Do you think it's possible?"
"Unless he adopted someone after Eva's death its highly possible that she's Alexa."
"According to what intell says he calls her Sasha."
"Of course... if she is mine he'd erase all possibility she's mine."
"There's no mention of your wife in the file." Sydney informs him as she sets the file on the coffee table. "Are you going to read it?"
"Don't know if I can." Sark stares at the file, "I know what he did to Eva. I don't know if I can go face to face with him if I know he did the same to Alexa."
"The file doesn't say much about the girl. There's no mention of whether or not she goes to school. It's mostly about his dealings and who he's been in contact with." Sydney regards him, "Are you going to be able to handle this Sark?"
"I will Sydney. I can put aside the fact that this man could have ripped apart my life and taken my child away from me... for now. Once this is over he will pay."
"And what if it turns out the girl is your daughter?"
"Then she's coming back with me."
Sydney nods "Wouldn't expect anything less."
"He's not going to be happy to see me. He'll probably want to kill me."
"Then we'll have to give him something that will keep him from killing you."
"Daddy, Mama" Niko runs into the living room.
Sydney smiles "Done playing?" She asks picking him up.
Niko shakes his head, "Break time." He notices the picture, "Sister." He points at the picture and grins.
"Yes that's your sister." Sark sets the picture on the table and lifts Niko onto his lap. "Did you have fun at school Niko?"
Niko nods "Yeah. I colored and painted."
Sark smiles, "I saw the pictures on the refrigerator."
"You are the little artist kiddo." Sydney grins at the boy.
NEXT MORNING
"We'll see you in a week or so Nikolai." Sark assures the unhappy boy.
"Don't go." Niko whines
"We have to go. We'll call and say goodnight." Sydney promises, "Now give me a hug and kiss."
Niko throws his arms around his Mama's neck hugging tight then kissing her cheek. "Love you Mama."
Sydney smiles "Love you too Niko. Now be good for Samantha while we're gone."
Niko nods "I'll be good."
"Thank you." Sydney stands grabbing her bag
Sark crouches before Niko who hugs him, "I love you Nikolai."
"Love you Daddy." Niko grins
"Dad said if you want some time away from the little terror to just call him and he'll take him for a night." Sydney informs Samantha a former CIA agent. "So did Weiss."
"We'll have fun won't we Niko?" Samantha looks at the little boy.
Niko nods grinning "Me and Sammy always have fun."
"Yeah we do." Samantha grins
"Sydney we need to go." Sark says
"I know."
HOUR LATER: JET
"Are you sure about being ready for this?" Sydney asks Sark as she sees him stare out the window.
"I have no choice do I?" He says dryly.
"Sark if the girl is your daughter she's probably not even going to remember you." Sydney reminds gently.
"I know." He looks at Sydney, "If she is Alexa then are you going to be all right with her living with us?"
"She's your daughter I wouldn't expect anything less from you. If you didn't want to bring her back I would have had to kick your ass."
Sark lifts his brow, "Think you could?"
"I've done it before I can do it again." Sydney sticks out her tongue.
"There are times you are bloody childish Sydney." Sark says annoyed.
Sydney grins turning her attention to the file before her.
15 HOURS LATER: GREECE
Sydney steps out of the car and looks at the mansion before her. 'Nice.' She thinks steeling herself for the inevitable meeting of Sark and his former father-in-law.
Sark looks up at the mansion forcing the memories aside and joins Sydney.
"Keep your temper Sark." Sydney warns
"I can Sydney." Sark snaps glaring at her through his sunglasses. "Let's just get this done."
Sydney follows him up to the house as she watches him clench and unclench his fists. She goes up to his side grabbing his hand squeezing.
Sark looks at her then returns the squeeze just as they reach the front door it opens and a man steps out. "Here to see Cassadine."
"Mr. Cassadine doesn't take visitors." The man returns coldly.
"You replaced Kasikistos." Sark returns
"How would you know?"
"Tell Cassadine Sark is here to discuss business." Sark says coolly. "He'll be interested in seeing me."
The man regards them then walks back into the house. A moment later the man returns, "He'll see you." He gestures into the house.
Sark enters with Sydney, "Study?"
"Yes sir."
Sark leads Sydney to the study down the hall and enters the study where Cassadine is sitting at the desk, "Cassadine."
"How dare you come here Sark!" Cassadine says angrily
"This is business not personal." Sark snaps, "If it was personal I would have killed you the moment I found out you lifted a hand to Evangeline."
"Sark" Sydney warns
"But I am willing to overlook that fact for business." 'And for the possibility of finding out whether or not the girl Sasha is Alexa.' "Now do you want to get down to business or not?" Sark demands
Cassadine looks at the man then nods "Fine. What business would you like to discuss?"
"We need these" Sydney removes a palm top from her pocket pulling up a list and hands it to the man.
"Irina said you could help us find these items." Sark says
"And you can't?"
"We could but we need to find them faster than our current contacts can." Sydney explains, "That is why Irina suggested you. He's along out of force." She nods at Sark.
"When do you need them?"
"By the end of the week." Sydney answers. "Can you do it?"
Cassadine nods "I should be able to find them."
"Good. Call us here." Sydney hands him a card, "You have until the end of the week." She looks at Sark who looks furious, "Ready?"
"Yes." Sark glares at Cassadine then follows Sydney out of the study. Once in the car he speaks, "Prick."
"Sark if you can't put it aside then I will finish this on my own." Sydney says annoyed.
"Later all right." Sark starts the car and they drive in silence.
HOUR LATER: HOTEL
Sydney joins Sark on the balcony. "Niko had a good day." She informs him.
Sark nods staring out at the water, "Good."
"Sark you need to control your anger."
"I'm trying Sydney."
"If you can't we'll scrap this and go home."
"NO!"
"We'd still try to find out who the girl is but we can't continue what they want." She touches his arm.
"Let's take a walk." Sark suggests wanting to clear his head before they talk.
Sydney nods
WHILE LATER: BEACH
"Where are we going?" Sydney asks as they walk.
"Somewhere" Sark leads her to the rocks, "I hope its still here." He says helps her onto the rocks. Carefully they maneuver the rocks to into a cave big enough for them to stand but not move around much. "It's still here." He says pleased.
"What is this place?"
"Where Eva and I would hide from him. We would sneak out and come here. Only place we could actually have a conversation." He says dryly as they climb into the small cave. They settle on the cave floor overlooking the ocean and sit in silence.
"How'd you find this place?"
Sark shrugs "She wanted to go exploring one day and we found this place. He never knew."
"Why'd you bring me here?" Sydney asks
Sark shrugs
"You had that look again." At his expression she explains, "The whole 'I want to kill you now' look."
"I want to kill him." Sark says angrily. "I want to make his death painful for all he did to Eva over the years. Worse if it turns out the girl is Lexa."
"You never told me what he did to Eva." Sydney says gently.
"He beat her. He terrorized her. She also told me not until after we were married, that he almost raped her one night when he was drunk. If it hadn't been for the head of security, he would have. I almost killed him that night... but she begged me not too."
"And you didn't."
"I should have. Especially after she told me what happened the night we left."
/16 YEARS EARLIER (Eva's POV through Sark's POV)
Evangeline stands before her bathroom mirror and smiles looking down at her middle, 'Hi my baby.' She hugs herself, 'Your Daddy and I love you so much baby.' She walks out of the bathroom just as her bedroom door slams open and her Dad enters looking furious, "Hi Papa." She greets warily.
"You slut!" He slaps her
Eva yelps in startled pain her hand going to her cheek. She feels her heart pound at the anger in his eyes, "Papa? What is it?" She asks pained.
"You're pregnant." He accuses
'Alexander' "No Papa I'm not." Eva lies only to find herself thrown against the wall. "Papa, please" She cries 'He's going to kill us.'
"You bitch!" He starts hitting her swearing at her calling her names./
"I came in before he could do worse. If I hadn't shown up then" Sark shudders "he wouldn't have stopped until one or both of them were dead." He runs his fingers through his hair, "Now he might have Alexa."
"Do you really think the girl could be your daughter?"
"It's possible. Eva once told me that her mother told her that her father didn't want another child so for him to adopt one after Eva's death and raise another" Sark shakes his head, "I don't see it happening." He looks at Sydney "How did he get her then? I know Eva would NEVER have handed Alexa over to him, she was terrified of him... no matter how mad she was at me she wouldn't have taken Alexa to him." He says firmly.
"So what are you thinking?"
"I'm not really sure. Maybe his spies saw the accident and took Alexa out of her car seat before the car exploded. Maybe he killed Eva then took Alexa. I don't know but I want to know, I want to know what happened to my family. I want to know how my wife died because I know he'd never have gotten Alexa if Eva was alive." He closes his eyes trying to keep himself under control. "I need to know"
"And you will."
"Knowing won't change anything."
"Not the past but you won't have to feel guilty anymore."
"What makes you think I feel guilty?"
"You say you know me better than anyone else does... I know you just as well. We were adversaries for so long that we started to think a like at times. You said I'd feel guilty for not having Niko... I think you would have felt guilty as well if I hadn't had him. You blame yourself for what happened."
"No I don't."
"Why can't you admit things?" She demands
"And you can?" Sark returns
"More than you can. You feel guilty Sark!"
"Fine" Sark says angrily "I feel guilty! I left them alone knowing he was out there Sydney. I shouldn't have left that day! But that guilt is easier to deal with than the guilt I feel over you."
Sydney stares at him "What?"
"You wouldn't understand. . ." he says bitterly as he stands looking out over the water.
Sydney stands as well and grabs his arm, "How could you feel guilty over me?" Sydney demands, "Answer me!"
"Because I want you Sydney!" He says angrily, "I want you more than I've wanted anyone since Eva. I have never felt guilty about the other women, but with you. . . it's different, I never felt as though I was cheating on Eva until the moment I realized I had feelings for you other than as an adversary. I don't know what it is... lust or love or a combination but it's the only time I've ever felt guilty about being involved with a woman since Eva." When he sees the shock pass over her face he reaches out and hesitantly brushing her hair back behind her ear, "Do you have any idea what its like to watch what you want 24/7 and not be able to act on it? To once have been able to touch what you want only to lose it and not be able to touch again?"
"Sark" Sydney swallows
"The nights are the worst. Remembering what it was like when you were pregnant... how we lived... normal. You wanted me Sydney and it wasn't all hormones but you as well."
"I don't know how I feel about you." Sydney admits
"Then tell me do you miss the passion?" Sark asks "The intensity? How it felt?" He asks his voice lowering his thumb brushing across her lower lip, "I remember everything from the moment we kissed at that party to the last time we were together."
"It was just before Niko was born." Sydney whispers shivering at the memories yet not wanting to delve into them she shakes them off, "Don't Sark... don't bring that into the topic."
"Why?"
"Just" she's stopped mid-sentence when he kisses her. She gives into the kiss her arms going around his neck her fingers tangling in his hair. 'NO' she suddenly pulls away looking at him. "We can't." She hurries out of the cave carefully making her way over the rocks and down the beach with Sark watching her. 'I want him but I shouldn't. I can't want him.'
COUPLE HOURS LATER: HOTEL
Sydney looks up from her book as Sark walks into the hotel, "Cassadine called. He wants to see us tomorrow."
"Fine. What time?"
"Brunch at 11."
Sark nods heading back to his room.
LATE THAT NIGHT: HOTEL
Sydney scowls as the hotel door opens and Sark enters with a woman hanging on him. "Sark" she says annoyed. When he looks at her she sighs, "Damn it your drunk."
"Just slightly." Sark smirks
"Who the hell are you?" The blond woman demands
"Someone you don't want to piss off right now so get out." Sydney snaps crossing her arms over her chest her gaze deadly.
"You're not my boss Sydney."
"Fine I'll call Mom and Dad and tell them both your being an ass." Sydney challenges
"I should go." The woman says reluctantly.
As the blond woman leaves Sark scowls at Sydney, "Must you interrupt my fun?"
"We're here for work Sark not so you can get laid." Sydney says angrily.
"Are you mad or jealous?" Sark asks with a smirk.
"I am NOT jealous." Sydney retorts. "You can screw who you want when we're not working." She turns to walk away when he grabs her arm. "Sark don't"
Still sober enough to know what he's doing Sark steps up behind her one hand on her arm the other on her hip, "You know who I want." He says softly his lips inches from her ear, "I don't want anyone else but you."
Sydney shivers as his lips caress her neck, "Sark please don't"
"How long has it been for you Sydney?" He asks huskily. "Do you really want me to stop?" He pulls her close his hand sliding under her top gently stroking her stomach. "Do you not want me?" He demands
"I" Sydney protests then groans giving into the feeling his touch is invoking.
"You want me Sydney... why can't you admit it?"
Sydney suddenly turns her eyes going to his then pulls him in kissing him passionately stifling the battling thoughts. 'Shut up thoughts. I want him.' She gasps as he breaks the kiss his lips trailing over her jaw, "How drunk are you?"
"Not drunk enough for you to blame me for this in the morning so you better say no now because I won't take any blame."
"Just shut up Sark." She hisses tangling her fingers in his hair.
TBC…