CHAPTER 15

MONTH LATER: HOUSE

Sark stops at Alexa's open bedroom door to see the girl sitting at the desk doing her homework. He smiles faintly, 'My little girl has made great progress.' He knocks on the door

Alexa looks up "Hi"

Sark enters the bedroom, "How is your homework coming?"

"Good."

"Any harder?"

"No. It keeps me occupied though."

"Well that is a good thing." Sark picks up the framed picture he had recently given Alexa of he and Eva. "How was your appointment with Dr. Tyson?"

"Fine." Alexa shrugs watching her Dad thoughtfully.

"I received a phone call from Ms. James today"

Alexa frowns "About what?"

"I asked her to call me and let me know how you're doing."

"I'm doing fine." Alexa shrugs

"That's what she said... except you aren't socializing with the other students."

Alexa shrugs

"Lexa, will you at least work on dealing with the other students?"

Alexa nods "I'll try."

"That's all I ask." Sark drops a kiss to Alexa's head, "Now finish your homework."

"I will." Alexa returns to her homework as her Dad leaves her room.

MIDNIGHT

Sydney breaks the kiss and reaches over grabbing the ringing phone from the nightstand, "Sydney" she says in greeting "Oh hey Eric. What's up?" She looks down at Sark smiling faintly at the feeling of his fingers running through her hair.

"Syd I uh just finished drinks with Vaughn... I thought I should give you a heads up."

Sydney frowns sitting up. "For what?"

"Well he was slightly drunk when he told me. He told me that Lauren ordered him to tell you tomorrow. Look you can't tell him I told you... but I thought you should know ahead of time so you two don't get into a fight."

"Weiss out with it!" Sydney growls

Sark watches as Sydney pales while she listens to Eric on the phone. He frowns when he sees her expression.

Sydney bites her lip, "Yeah I'm fine Eric. It was going to happen sooner or later. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. Thanks for telling me. Yeah I promise I won't tell him you told me." She hangs up taking a deep breath. She runs a shaky hand through her hair.

"Syd?"

Sydney glances at Sark then lies down curling up on her side her back to him

"Sydney what did Weiss want?" Sark questions trailing his fingers down her arm.

Sydney closes her eyes, "He um... he wanted to warn me of a conversation I'm supposed to have with Vaughn tomorrow." She says softly.

"About?"

Sydney takes a deep breath, "Lauren's pregnant." She says shakily.

"And that bothers you?" He asks softly

"No. Michael and I are done... I've accepted it." Sydney says stiffly.

"Have you Sydney?"

"Yes!" Sydney snaps turning to glare at Sark. "I'm as over him as I can be." She sits up hugging her knees.

"You still love him." Sark says coldly.

"You still love your wife."

"That is different Sydney and you know it!" Sark hisses angrily.

"Is it really Sark?" Sydney demands. "A person just doesn't stop loving who they once loved. We both know how complicated love is. You still love your wife and Alison. I still love Danny and Vaughn. No matter what happens in life and where we go we still love who we love. I love Vaughn yes but not like I did." She hugs herself "We're done and I've accepted that."

Seeing her pained expression Sark touches her shoulder, "Then why do you look like you're about to break down?" He asks softly.

Sydney lifts her shoulder, "I don't know."

Sark pulls her back against his chest, "I'm sorry Syd."

"I'll be fine." Sydney says softly. "I knew this would happen sooner or later. I never thought it would surprise me."

"Or hurt." Sark murmurs

"A little." Sydney admits after a moment of thought. "Maybe now he'll know how hard it was for me to tell him about Niko." She says with slight bitterness.

Sark kisses her shoulder

Sydney rolls to her back and stares at the ceiling.

"What's on your mind?" Sark asks after a moment of silence.

"That's what you asked me the day after we had sex."

"Yes and I recall you didn't answer me then."

"You want to really know what I was thinking that day?"

Sark nods "I remember how scared and confused you looked when we were alone."

Sydney sighs, "You've always been able to cause my world to go from semi sane to upside down in moments."

"Good to know." Sark smirks

"Its just... that night confused me."

"It confused me as well. No one has ever confused me as much as you have." Sark sighs. "One moment I hated you... the next I wanted you." He trails his fingers down her cheek, "It was the first time since Eva that a woman has ever confused me. With Eva I wanted to be good and do nothing to ruin things. With you... you know everything and don't scare when you learn more."

"The reason I loved Danny was because he didn't know about what I did."

"And you loved Vaughn because he knew."

Sydney shrugs "In a way... he didn't know everything though. He knew what I allowed him to know. Despite what he does he's still on the outside, you know?"

"Mmm" Sark nods

"He never fully understood me... and I never really let him." Sydney sighs "You knew me better than he did back then and we were enemies."

"We studied each other... we know how each other thinks... to a point. You and Vaughn... wouldn't have lasted."

"Why do you say that?"

"He's... weak. He couldn't handle you."

"Oh really? And you can?"

"I have this long." Sark smirks

Sydney smiles faintly "Yeah you have."

"What are you going to do tomorrow when he tells you?"

Sydney shrugs "I'll deal."

"Yes you will." Sark leans in kissing Sydney's forehead, "Its late... get some sleep."

EARLY NEXT MORNING

Sydney smiles sleepily as she feels a very light yet familiar touch on her abdomen. She opens her eyes to find Sark watching her his fingers brushing over her scar. "Morning" she murmurs sleepily.

"Morning."

After a few moments of silence Sydney speaks, "OK what are you thinking about?"

"Not much."

"You're thinking about something because you're doing that again."

"What?"

"When you're worried or trying to figure something out you have this habit of tracing my scar." Sydney says amused lifting her head to look at his hand. "You did that a lot when I was pregnant."

"I had a lot on my mind then."

"So what is on your mind now?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." Sark leans in kissing her briefly.

"What is with you and my scar?"

"I like it."

Sydney snorts, "You're weird Sark."

"So I am." Sark moves down brushing his lips over the prominent scar and the very faint one just below the other. "The doctor did a good job stitching you up after Niko."

"Yeah he did. Too bad the Covenant didn't find a decent doctor for the other one." She says bitterly.

Sark brushes his lips over the prominent scar, "If they had done a better job with this then I wonder where we'd be? Would Niko be here?"

"Good point. I hate the scar though... it makes me remember... wonder."

"Wonder what?"

Sydney touches the scar, "What they had planned..."

"And?" He prompts

"If we destroyed everything in the lab."

"I'm sure we did. If we hadn't we would have had some clue about it by now. Irina still has people keeping an eye on the remainder of the Covenant the CIA doesn't have evidence on. If there was anything she would have said something by now."

"You're right. Its just that prophecy... I really don't want to find out one day that some unknown kid of mine is going to do what the Covenant had planned."

"I highly doubt that will happen. If by chance they managed to do that we'll figure something out."

Sydney nods "Come on we need to get a move on. We'll be late if we don't get up." She rolls out of bed walking across the room to her bathroom, "Going to join me or just stare at my ass?"

"I'm doing both." Sark retorts

SAME TIME: VAUGHNS HOME

"Are you going to tell her Michael?" Lauren Reed demands as she walks out of the bathroom into the bedroom.

"I said I'd tell her Lauren. I'd rather have her hear it from me than through the rumor mill." Vaughn says glancing at his wife.

"Look I know you don't want to hurt Sydney but I think she's over you now. I think she's really starting to like Sark."

"Like she keeps telling me... it's none of my business what's going on between the two." Vaughn grinds out.

"If she's happy with Sark despite what he's done in the past I think you should be happy for her. I know she's moving on and I know it's hard on her." Lauren says softly

"Yeah I know." Vaughn mutters. "I promise I will tell her today."

"Good." Lauren walks out of the bedroom.

Vaughn sighs rubbing his forehead.

9AM: CIA

As Sark pulls into the parking spot Sydney notices Vaughn waiting, "Great, just how I wanted to start my day."

"Do you want me to stay?"

Sydney shakes her head, "No." She gives him a faint smile "I'll be fine."

Sark reaches over squeezing her hand, "Know where to find me if you want me to beat the daylights out of him." He offers

Sydney laughs, "I think you'll have to join the line behind Dad."

"I get second beat down rights." Sark smirks

Sydney shakes her head, "You really don't like him."

Sark lifts his shoulder "He broke your heart." He says as he turns off the ignition.

"I'll be fine." Sydney says again as she removes her seatbelt. "I'll see you inside." She opens the car door and steps out. "Hey Vaughn"

"Sydney" Vaughn smiles faintly then nods at Sark. "Can we talk?"

"Sure." Sydney nods joining him "So what do you want to talk to me about?" She asks once Sark is out of sight.

"I wanted you to know first" Vaughn pauses "Lauren's pregnant."

Sydney remains calm, "Congratulations." She gives him a small smile. "When's the first Vaughn-Reed going to be here?"

"Six months."

Sydney nods "You'll be a great Dad."

Vaughn looks at her cautiously, "Thanks."

"I better get in. I have a report to finish for Dixon." Sydney walks away leaving Vaughn staring after her surprised by her lack of response.

EVENING: HOUSE

Sydney sits on the porch watching as the sun goes down.

"Sydney"

Sydney turns "Hey Dad. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see how you're doing with Vaughn's news." Jack joins her at the table.

"I'm fine." Sydney assures "For the first time in a long time I don't feel like running away." Sydney says awed. "As odd as it sounds I think this is what I needed to hear." She turns looking back into the house where Alexa is playing with Niko while Sark picks up a few toys. "For the first time in a long time I think my life is better. Its not perfect but its... decent. I know Sark isn't the type of guy you'd approve of but at least with him there is no worry about keeping secrets."

"True." Jack agrees. "How are things going around here?"

"Good. Alexa is adjusting."

"And how are her memories coming along?"

"She still has trouble with that. Its frustrating to both of them. She's still a little skittish about being touched. She'll carry Niko around but still won't let Sark close enough to hug her unless she's upset."

"Are you two getting along?"

Sydney nods "She's a good kid. She and Niko get along great."

"That's good."

"Yeah." Sydney looks at her Dad, "Staying for dinner?"

"No. I just wanted to check in on you before I leave."

"Where are you going?"

"Mission to Prague. I should be back in a few days."

"Be careful." Sydney hugs her Dad. "Thanks Dad."

Jack nods walking into the house.

Sydney takes a deep breath, 'I'm really OK.' She smiles closing her eyes.

TBC…