Unraveling Truths

Chapter 6

Jack left soon after it was clear that that Sydney was
not going to come out of the trance. He tried talking
to her, as had Vaughn, but nothing helped. It broke
Jack's heart to see Sydney like this. Vaughn still sat
there holding onto her, wishing she would just come
back so that he could help her. He started to rub slow
circles on her back.

"Sydney sweetheart, you're safe. I'm right here. I'm
not going to let anything happen to you ever again.
You're safe. Come back if you can, sweetheart."

Vaughn leaned over and kissed her softly on her lips.
Sydney felt herself come out of a fog. But she was
still scared. She felt Vaughn's strong arms around
her. Vaughn felt her adjust in his embrace and turn to
look at him. Their eyes locked and for a moment in
time there was no one else in the world.

"Sweetheart, do you feel like you want to talk about
what just happened?

"I guess so. I was sitting here reading the third
edition Alice in Wonderland that Weiss gave me after
my first edition was lost in the fire. I was
remembering my motherLaura Bristow not Irina
Derevkowhen the power went out. I felt like I was
back in my holding cell they kept me in. There was
this one time that they completely blindfolded me as a
form of torture. When the power when out my brain went
right to that moment."

"Sydney, I'm so sorry that you keep having to relive
all this, but in a way it's good. This information
that keeps coming up may help get your mother. Plus,
it's helping us work through all these issues."

Vaughn leaned over and cupped her face and gave her
light kiss on her nose.

"Let's go to bed. We have to leave in the morning for
our "vacation." I love you, honey."

"I love you too, baby."

Sydney laid down in bed, and went off into a deep
slumber.

In a dark cell, with nothing but a little bin and some
bit of straw, there is a skinny, bruised woman curled
up. It's completely dark, and the floor is hard, but
she seems to be off in a deep slumber. A tall, strong
woman walks into the scene; Irina.

"Wake up, now!" Irina shouts to the woman in the cell.

She moans and complains, "Why should I listen to you?"

"Ha, you think you can pull this at a time like this?"
Irina asked with squinted eyes.

"Yes," Sydney said stubbornly.

Irina shook her head, "Sydney, all I have to do is
make one command, and you're dead. You're at my
mercy."

"That's not true," Sydney retorted.

"We'll see about that," Irina said walking away after
whispering something into the guard's ear. The guard
came and opened the cell door. He cuffed her arms and
legs and dragged her to an unknown location with a
large pool of water. Then he threw her in.

Sydney eyes opened wide and she started to curl up
into a ball and whimper. Vaughn heard her and moved
over and wrapped her in his arms. Sydney curled up
into his chest and cried.

"Shhh honey, I've got you."

"Vaughn is this ever going to stop? I want a normal
life. I really do."

"I do too sweetheart, so much. Go back to sleep. I
promise I won't let you go."

With those words Sydney fell back to sleep with
Vaughn's arms around her. The next morning they woke
up but felt like they hadn't slept at all. Which
Sydney felt terribly guilty about.

"Vaughn, I'm so sorry about last night."

"Syd, there is nothing to be sorry about. I'm just
glad I was able to help you."

"Do you ever think about what our lives would be like
if we had met under different circumstances?"

"Syd, never."

"I do sometimes. Like what if we had just bumped into
each other on the street instead of being wrapped up
in all this spy crap and web of lies. I mean come on,
our families are pretty twisted. Are you really sure
you want to deal with that for the rest of your life?"

"Sydney, look at me. I've loved you from the first
time we met. Yes our families are weird, but so are
everyone else's. If I didn't have you in my life it
would be like I was living a half life. You are part
of me and I wouldn't have it any other way,
sweetheart."

Sydney looked at him like she did not have the right
to be happy at all.

"Syd, are you all right?"

"What did I ever do to deserve having you in my life?"

"I'm not sure, but I ask myself the same question
every day. Come on Syd, we have to get ready to go. I
promise when we get back from our 'vacation' that
everything will be better."

"I hope you're right."

They got ready to go in silence, both of them too worn
out physically and emotionally to speak. The ride to
the airport was quiet. Ten minutes into the ride,
Sydney fell asleep once again. Vaughn was hopeful that
her mind would finally let her rest. They arrived at
the airport soon after.

"Sweetheart, you need to wake up. We're here."

"Uhhh…. Vaughn."

"Yeah we're here. Come on we have to go."

They made it quickly to the counter at the check in
terminal.

"How may I help you sir?"

"Yes, my finance and I are here to check in for our
flight."

"Yes sir. Names?"

"Nikolas Stone and Emily Wilson."

"Yes here you are. Seats B-1 and B-2, first class."

"Thank you."

They boarded the plane and began their trip away from
pain into paradise. The trip was quiet and peaceful.
They arrived in the Caribbean twelve hours later. They
checked into the hotel under the same names, and went
to the presidential suite, thanks to the CIA. By the
time they had arrived it was eleven o'clock LA time.

"Syd, what do you want to do?"

"Vaughn all I really want to do is curl up your arms
and sleep."

"Sounds perfect to me, sweetheart."

They both got ready for bed and fell asleep in each
other's arms.

The next morning, they woke up around eight thirty.
Vaughn woke first and looked at the angel lying beside
him. He really did hope that someday their life would
be normal. Just then he felt Sydney Start to stir.

"Morning, beautiful."

"Morning, handsome. How long have you been awake?"

"Just about ten minutes. What do you want to do today,
sweetheart?"

"How about breakfast first and then a long walk on the
beach?"

"Perfect."

"I'll go take a shower while you order breakfast. Be
out in twenty minutes."

"What, you don't want me to join you, sweetheart?"

"If you did we wouldn't eat."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"Yes because I'm famished."

"Okay, go. I'll order food."

"I'll be quick I promise."

Vaughn reached for the phone to order the food as soon
as Sydney entered the bathroom. Sydney emerged twenty
minutes later as promised.

"Your turn."

"Ok. Food should be here soon."

Not five minutes after Vaughn left for the shower, and
the food arrived. Sydney accepted the tray and thanked
and tipped the waiter.

"Vaughn. foods here."

"Ok, be out in a minute."

Vaughn finally came out of the bathroom.

"Looks wonderful, let's eat."

They ate quickly and got ready to head for the beach.
They found the prefect spot and sat down. Vaughn
wrapped his arms around Sydney's waist.

"I love you so much. I am so glad you came into my
life. No matter what we have been through I will
always be glad I have you in my life, Syd."

"Me too. I just wish that I hadn't disappeared."

"I know sweetheart. But you're with me now and I'm
never going to let you go again."

Sydney smiled and looked into Vaughn's eyes. They
locked eyes for just a second and then Sydney looked
around the beach, taking the scene in. A specific
person caught her eye. She did a double take and
started to get very, very scared. Vaughn saw Sydney's
eyes get this wild look in them and felt her tense up.

"Vaughn, my…...".

"Syd, what's wrong?"

"My mother's here."

"Where Sydney?"

"Over there to your left."

Vaughn turned to look where Sydney pointed but didn't
see anyone but a blonde mother playing with her two
young children, building a sandcastle.

"Syd sweetheart, I don't see you mother. It's another
woman."

But at this point Vaughn could see that once again
Sydney was a million miles away. She began shaking and
crying. Vaughn wrapped her up in the towel they were
sitting on, lifted her into his arms and carried her
back to their suite. They arrived ten minutes later.
He laid her gently on the bed and wrapped her in his
embrace.

"Syd, I promise you she's not here. It's in your mind,
baby. Come back, I'm right here. All you have to do is
come back to me."

But all Sydney could do was cry. Soon, the crying
turned to screaming.

"No, please!"

"Sydney you're safe, I promise you."

End of chapter 6