Thanks to all my loyal reviewers and big welcome to all the new people as well!!! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Eight: Sit Down, it's Just a Talk

It had been four months and twenty one days since she had left LA, since she had last saw him. She stood in the crowded, airport, a familiar yet alien sight. Her stomach tightened as she began to feel like a frightened tourist. Being given a plane ticket to LA seemed like an easy mission, but they had rushed her out in such a hurry they neglected to tell her who was meeting her when she got there. She knew Dixon knew about her coming, but from what they had told her back in New York, hardly any one else knew she was here. She had assumed Dixon would send a car or at least a few agents to pick her up, but as she wandered the airport, she realized that her assumptions were wrong. Dragging her luggage behind her, she tried to find a signal on her cell phone, but that proved fruitless too. As she plopped on a nearby bench, she took a few minutes to consider her options. So far the cab seemed like the best bet. Once she got settled in a hotel she would contact Dixon. She decided to rest a few moments as another plane obviously had just unloaded sending a mob of people towards the cabs visible just outside of the airports sliding doors. She watched all the people go past, her heart leaping and her stomach dropping, every time a man who even remotely looked like Vaughn went past. The sightings became more and more frequent and she felt the airport closing in on her. She needed to get out of there.

"Sydney!"

She looked up as her father miraculously appeared through the crowds, making his way towards her bench. Rising, her father drew her into a hug, and she fell into it.

"Hi Dad, I guess Dixon told you."

"Yes. There was no way I was going to let you arrive in LA alone."

"Thanks Dad." He picked up her bags, despite her protest and led her from the throngs of people into the airports parking garage.

"Where did they book you a room?"

"They didn't. I'll just book a room at some hotel."

"I do have a spare bedroom in my apartment. You're welcome to stay there."

"I don't want to inconvenience you Dad."

"Sydney, you're my daughter. You could never inconvenience me."

"Thanks Dad"

She smiled at him as they got in the car. The ride began is silence, Sydney was unsure of a safe topic to talk about. She wanted to ask about Vaughn, the updates from Weiss and Marshall had been suspiciously lacking in that department. All she managed to get from them was "bad divorce" and "incredibly sullen". Her father could tell her how Vaughn was really doing, if he was healing like she was. Unconsciously, she rubbed her wrists, the scars there still prominent. But if she asked her father about Vaughn she would more than likely not get the answer she was looking for but rather a lecture. And she was scared of the lecture because he would be right in everything her would tell her. He would tell her to move on like she said she was going to. But as hard as she tried she kept on finding she couldn't move on from Vaughn.

The car passed by familiar sites, turning her thoughts away from Vaughn and towards the joyous feelings of coming home. New York was nice, but In her heart, nothing could compare to LA. She leaned forward in her seat and rolled down the window, the sight and smell of the they city triggering waves of happy memories. She closed her eyes and breathed in the memories. When she finally reopened her eyes, she realized her father was staring at her lovingly.

"What?"

"That look of contentment on your face…you haven't had that look on your face in a long time."

"It's good to be back in LA. I'd forgotten how many good memories I have here."

"Do they outweigh the bad ones?"

"They're starting too."

"Just don't do anything to hasty. Give yourself more time Sydney."

"Are you afraid that if I move back, I will just go back to him?"

"That's not what I meant."

But the conversation halted when his cell phone went off. Jack answered the call and Sydney turned to enjoy the scenery some more, a little angry that she had been sharp with her father. But as they approached his apartment, she began to clam down. She looked at her father, surprised to see his face in his famous glare, his voice harsh but emotionless. He ended the call, snapping his phone shut as he looked to her, his eyes briefly flashing concern.

"Syd, I have to go out. Do you mind staying alone tonight? I wouldn't leave you, except it is an emergency."

"I'm not ten years old. I can spend the night alone. I have no problem with it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure Dad."

They arrived at the apartment and Jack helped her unload her luggage before he kissed her on the cheek and left. After she unpacked her things, she went to the fridge, hoping to find something to eat. It was empty except for a few bottles of water and Syd instead searched for the phone book to find a good delivery place near by. Fifteen minutes and one talkative delivery guy later, she settled on the couch with her pint of lo mein and her egg roll. Flicking through the channels, she found a chick flick and sat back to watch it, the sappy movie taking her mind off of her own problems for awhile.

Right about the time it was discovered the heroine had cancer, the doorbell rang and Syd reluctantly dragged herself away from the television. She glanced out the peephole before opening the door, her hand freezing on the doorknob. It was him ringing the doorbell and she began to debate whether she should answer it or ignore him. The internal debate lasted all of three seconds and she gave in. She opened the door and came face to face with his eyes for the first time in four months and twenty one days.

"Syd!" he seemed genuinely surprised that she had opened the door and she began to wonder if they had told him yet about the mole and her being here. "I—well I didn't expect you to answer if you saw me." Obviously he did know.

"How did you know I would be here?"

"I'm not an idiot. Jack wouldn't let you stay in a hotel."

"Oh. She folded her arms and leaned against the doorframe, hoping to discourage him. No such luck.

"Can I come in?"

"No."

"Syd we are going on a mission tomorrow and we are supposed to be engaged, maybe we should get a head start with being in each other's presence again."

"It's not that I can't to stand to be in your presence…"

"Then what is it Syd?" he steeped closer to her, making her step back into the apartment. She couldn't let him get to close.

"I don't think it is smart to be alone with you right now. We would do..or say things we'll ultimately regret. And I'm doing so well Vaughn, I'm trying to heal I really am. Being alone will just send us right back to where we started."

"You don't know that." He stepped closer again and she stepped further back, unblocking the door and letting him in.

"There. That wasn't so bad now was it?" he asked shutting the door and looking at her intently. "Where's Jack?"

"Out. But he'll be back soon. How's Lauren?" The words spilt out of her mouth before she had a chance to really think and silently she cursed herself as anger flashed in his eyes.

"I'm not exactly privy to that information anymore." He hissed.

She truthfully did not mean to hurt him by asking him about her, but the words had beat her brain to the finish line. Apologizing, she went back to the couch and sat down. She looked back at him, and he too came towards the couch, sitting next to her, but leaving space.

"I know we're not supposed to talk about it but do you think she could be the mole?"

"Yeah. It's the only thing I have really considered since I found out. I just keep on wondering if our relationship was a…" he faltered and Syd knew exactly what intended to say.

"A Jack and Irina story." She completed. She had also been entertaining that possibility. Somehow the fantasy that Lauren manipulated his love made her feel slightly better.

"Even if it is, it doesn't change the fact that I married her. That I fell for it. That I married someone I didn't love to get over someone I did."

She was stunned by his words. She didn't want to believe what she just heard. He had told her mere minutes ago that this wouldn't happen and now he just opened the can of worms.

"Vaughn please. You promised. You can't say things like that. You don't know how much damage you are causing to both of us."

"I'm sorry Syd it's the truth. It's been four months and twenty one days since I last saw you, since I last talked to you. I miss you and I can't stand it. I feel like a piece of me is missing. It's like those two years again."

"Four months and twenty one days?" She tried to hide her shock over those words. He had been counting.

"Yeah exactly. You've been counting too, haven't you?"

"Vaughn. No. We're over."

"Are we really Syd? Can we ever really be over?"

She didn't know what to say, how to answer. How could she tell him that she stilled love him? They had both been hurt and it was too soon to get back together. Sure the wounds weren't as fresh as they used to be, but they were still there; red, angry and broken. If they tried to get back together now they would tear them open and create new ones. They had to wait. She needed to tell him to wait. But would he wait? Would they still have feelings for each other when the wait was over?

Her thoughts were driving her crazy and his eyes looking for an answer pushed her over the edge. She began to cry at the exact moment the door to the apartment opened. Both their eyes flashed to her father as she jumped up wiping the tears from her reddening cheeks. She felt like a teenager, caught in the middle of a make out session as she looked at her father.

"Dad!!" Her voice cracked as she tried to force normalcy into it.

"Sydney. Agent Vaughn what are you doing here?"

"Oh he's just leaving." Vaughn took the hint and stood up as Sydney all but shoved him out the door, before closing it. She tried not to make eye contact as she turned to face Jack.

"I thought…"

"I didn't call him. He came over to talk Dad. Just to talk. It's over between us. Don't worry."

"Syd I don't want you to get hurt again.

"I know. I don't want to be hurt either. I've been broken enough."

See Syd and Vaughn are civil to each other…most of the time. Next chapter we go on the mission and the first person in this story dies…mystery, intrigue, jealousy, and a good healthy dose of spy stuff!