I just want to take the time to apologise for how infrequently I have been updating this fic. I try to be as regualr as possible, but things are just a little crazy at the moment, with work and this huge assignment that I have to do. I have the chapters written- it's just a matter of having the time to sit down and type into the computer. So, I am sorry but things should settle down fairly soon.

Muddy Poodle & RoutineRiot: Thank you for your feedback.

Disclaimer: The title of this chapter comes from the song 'Freedom' by David Gray

There's Nothing Good That Lasts Forever

Lauren looked up, her eyebrows raised slightly. "Have you made a decision?"

Summer cocked her head to one side. "All CIA files concerning you are classified."

"Yes," Lauren replied. "To ensure that the wring people do not discover that I am alive—" She stopped short. "How did you get access to CIA files?"

Summer ignored the question. "I don't trust you. I don't trust anybody anymore. But what I do trust is that there is a whole lotta truth out there- truth that I deserve to know."

Lauren gazed intently at her. "Does this mean?"

Summer nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

From where she was seated at her desk, Sydney spotted Vaughn as he walked back into the Operations centre. Placing down her highlighter, she stood and made her way over to him.

"Where did you run off to so fast?" she asked.

"Summer called me," Vaughn replied, looking at her with tired eyes. "She needed to see me…to ask questions about Lauren."

"What sort of questions?"

"Well, it was nothing specific to start, but then she started questioning how Lauren ended up in a coma. She assumed that it had been a car accident, so I told her it was." He paused. "I lied to my daughter."

"Vaughn, you—"

"Now, I have omitted a lot of things about her mother, but I have never lied so directly to her face."

"Vaughn, what choice did you have? Tell her that it wasn't a car accident and that you shot her to stop her from killing both of us?"

"That doesn't make it any easier," Vaughn said. "She looked so…desperate and I refused to help her."

"Look, Summer has gone through these phases before and this one will pass, just like all the others," Sydney said. "Do you have any idea of what could have brought this on?"

"Running into Dr Emery…and she mentioned some genealogy assignment- a family tree."

"Vaughn. Of course something like that is going to cause her some grief," Sydney said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Do you remember what we went through when did a unit on DNA in high school science?"

"Oh, I need no reminders of that," was Vaughn's grim reply. "I guess that I had always hoped that if I raised her, if we raised her, in a warm enough and caring enough environment, then she wouldn't feel the need to poke around in the past."

"Vaughn, regardless of what she did, Lauren is her biological mother," Sydney said. "And there is always going to be a part of Summer who desperately wants to know about her."

"Which means that Summer is going to end up resenting me because I can't tell her everything."

"No, she won't," Sydney said frankly. "Because you have always been there for her. There is not a chance that she will end up resenting you."

Summer nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

Lauren leaned forward slightly in her seat. "Why such a hasty decision, Summer?"

"I know that dad is lying to me about how you ended up in a coma. This is the only way to discover if he is lying about other things…or whether you are the one making up stories."

"Were the files and reports not enough to prove to you that I am telling the truth?" Lauren asked. "Obviously you have, somehow, found out that I was really shot. Does that now show you that my word is strong?"

"Yes, I found proof that you were shot, but nothing on who shot you," Summer replied. "Now, as I said before, I don't trust anybody at the moment."

"Well then, Summer, I can promise you that through your work with Thea and myself, you will be shown immeasurable proof to you father and his wife's true allegiances."

"Or to yours."

Lauren couldn't help but smile. "You speak your mind, don't you?"

"When it is necessary," Summer retorted. "So could you please answer my question? What is it that you want me to do?"

"You know what?"

Sydney jolted slightly, startled as Nadia plonked herself on the edge of her desk. "What?"

"I never thought that I would find taking down terrorists easier than rearing children."

Sydney couldn't help but smile. "What has brought on this revelation?"

"We just had an interview with Luisa's teacher," Nadia replied, referring to her and Weiss's daughter. "It would seem that the practical jokes in the classroom are still yet to cease…this time she managed to get pizzas delivered during maths."

Sydney bit her lip. "That is actually pretty impressive for an eleven year old."

"I know- but I can't tell her that!" Nadia shook her head. "But it is not her acting alone- I am well aware that she is getting considerable aide in all of this."

Sydney let out a snort of laughter. "Who, Weiss?"

"Almost, but no. It's Tomas. It is all the same things that we went through three years ago when he was Luisa's age," Nadia said.

"And who do you think helped him?" Sydney asked.

"Oh, I would be putting my money on Eric."

"Actually," Weiss's voice broke into the conversation. "It was Summer and Mitchell."

"Nice going, Weiss," Sydney shot back. "Trying to pin it on two innocents."

"Those two are far from innocent," Weiss joked.

"Don't remind me," Sydney groaned.

"Just when are the two of them going to get their acts together?"

"Eric," Nadia nudged him. "I don't think that we need to be discussing that."

"Agreed," Sydney added quickly. "Because we need to get back to work."

"Oh goody," Weiss clapped his hands together. "Piles and piles of research trying to connect the thousands of bad guys…I think I am just going to hide somewhere until there is some action."

"Well," Sydney leaned back in her seat. "Given who we're dealing with here, I have a feeling that you won't have to wait very long."

"We need you to basically run surveillance on your father, Sydney and any of their co-workers that you can," Lauren explained.

"That is the only reason that I was recruited, isn't it?" Summer put forth. "It had absolutely nothing to do with that I might be capable of. It had everything to do with who I am in contact with, right?"

"Michael and Sydney were a part of it," Lauren admitted. "But it wasn't only because you had access to them. We recruited you for your protection."

"My protection?"

"You are capable of plenty, Summer. Your test scores proved that and Michael would be well aware of your potential. It was only a matter of time before they tried to recruit you themselves. That is why we are training you as an agent. You have the skills to protect yourself is necessary. You just need our help in realizing them."

"You really think that I can do this?"

"I don't think, I know," Lauren replied firmly.

"Ok then. What kind of surveillance are we talking about?"

"For starters, we only want you to go small. We need taps on their mobile phone, the hard drives of their laptops cloned- along those lines. Things that, if discovered, cannot be traced back to you or anybody. You will not be putting yourself at risk."

"If my parents are who you say they are, then I am going to debate that."

"Well then, how about you just believe me when I say that I am your mother and would never intentionally put you in harm's way."

Summer gave a short nod. "I'll take that."

"Good, now here is what will happen. You will continue your work here, running correspondence and your analytical training—"

"What about field training?"

"Not just yet," Lauren replied. "We cannot risk having you running into Michael or Sydney in the field. For now, your work will have to stay restricted to here and your home."

"Wow- sounds thrilling," Summer said scathingly.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't you the one going on about risks several moments ago?" Lauren asked bluntly. "You will be contacted by either Thea or myself whenever there is something we need done."

Summer thought for a few seconds. "I want to be privy to all information that I retrieve for you."

"Summer," Lauren's tone was controlled. "There will be information that exceeds your classification level and—"

"If you want my trust then you are going to have to start showing me that."

Lauren inhaled deeply. "Fine. I'm sure that something can be figured out."

"Good," Summer said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. I have an assignment to write."

Lauren nodded. "You should be hearing from me soon."

When Summer had left, Thea turned to Lauren. "She is not as accepting as we had anticipated."

"She'll come around," Lauren replied.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I am her mother and whatever she gets from Michael and Sydney can be manipulated to make her believe whatever we desire."

"Are you sure that we aren't taking too big a risk?" Thea asked. "Maybe we should just plant another mole, somebody with experience."

"No. Summer is necessary," Lauren snapped. "There are many things that I hope to achieve with this endeavour, but there is one thing in particular that I want to do more than anything else. And I am going to use that girl in every way possible to ensure that I get what I have been dreaming of for nineteen years."