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Post by Sw on Jul 22, 2021 18:51:38 GMT -5
Chapter Fifteen
Michael Vaughn rubbed his hand through his head turning from the computer screen to look at his friend and co-worker Eric Weiss and asked "Can you go get me some coffee it looks like we might be here all night"
They had been here over two hours already looking at different camera feeds of the London airport from different angles so far they hadn't found the video feed contenting any feeds of Vaughn himself yet. The airport was huge and Vaughn wasn't sure which camera feeds came from which cameras so hopeful soon they would find the right location.
"Sure I'll bring us both ex-large cups" Weiss replied with as he slid back his chair. "Maybe grabbed us a few bags of chips or a candy bar too"
"Thanks man that sounds good" Vaughn returned still looking at the screen in front of him it was time stamped the right time, but this wasn't anywhere near where his plane landed. So he tapped the computer in front of him remembering how to change camera feeds from earlier when another agent had taken the time to show Weiss and him how to do it.
Only a few minutes pass by and Vaughn has changed the feeds twice more when Weiss returned to the room turning Vaughn was confused when he saw no coffee cups in his friends hands. "They ran out of coffee?" he joked but the smile on his face fall when he saw the look on Weiss face. Something was wrong.
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There was blood on his hands Jack knew how and where he had gotten it, but he wasn't paying much attention to it at the moment. All his focus was on his daughter she was so pale laying on a hospital bed. They had taken her clothes off that were covered in blood she was wearing a hospital gown now. The Doctor had told Jack they did not think Sydney was having a heart attack more like a panic attack or psychological shock. Who could blame her at what she came home to find.
Jack was trying not to think about that, he was in Director Bristow mode, he wanted an answer about whom, how, and why, someone had broken into his daughter's home and shot and killed her fiancé whiling the man was taking a shower. Was this a hit had Daniel Hecht been the target or was someone after Sydney? Or was this just a crime of opportunity?
The police were going to be here soon, Jack was sure to question him he had already called in to the CIA to let them know he was involved in a crime scene. He was to tell them his cover story of being an airplane parts salesman, thankful he had time to reholster his gun before the E.M.T. arrived on scene. He had spoken only a few words to the two officers at the scene before he had left in the ambulance with Sydney.
Jack would have liked to stay at the scene and checked the place from top to bottom, but Sydney needed him. She had been screaming and crying like a wounded animal rocking Daniel back and forth in her arms when he had entered the bathroom. Sydney had looked up and stopped screaming just long enough to say "Daddy, I tried CPR, but it didn't work there is just to much blood it keeps coming out when I push on his chest"
Sydney had then looked down at her hands that were covered in blood back to Daniel who she was holding and started to cry and scream "No, No, No" over and over again. "You can't leave me, we're getting married"
Jack could not let himself go back to that moment he could not let himself be just Sydney's Father at this moment he also had to be a CIA agent and put all his feelings into a box in the corner of his mind he had to stay focus if this wasn't a random act of violence someone could be after Sydney.
Sydney herself had no known enemies, and from the background checks he had run on Daniel he did not have any as well. So that left someone who could have a grudge against Jack himself or against Irina Derevko. Was someone trying to draw her out by killing her soon-to-be son-in-law or perhaps the real target had been Sydney herself.
Had the same person or persons who had leaked those old KGB files be trying to see if Derevko was faking her brain injury? Right now though there was no proof of that Jack might just be letting his imagination run away from him, because he did not want to face all the feelings he was bottling up. He did not want to think about having to make the call he had been putting off for the last ten minutes since Sydney had been put to sleep by a shot she was given of a sleeping aid.
He did not want to call up his wife and tell her that all those plans she had been making with Sydney and Daniel were all for naught now. Furthermore, he didn't want to have to think about seeing the young man he had accepted into his family laying lifeless being cried over by his daughter he didn't want to have to remember what happened after that.
Jack did not want to remember calling 911, or having to hold Sydney back as they took Daniel's body from her arms. He hadn't been able to search the other rooms for clues because Sydney was crying and screaming so bad he had to hold her and try to keep her from throwing herself into a panic attack which Jack was sure he had failed at.
Jack knew any minute the Police would be coming to interview him, but he did not want to leave Sydney alone. A nurse walked in she looked Jack straight in the face there were tear tracks falling from her eyes. "Hi I'm Amy, I work, well worked with Doctor Hecht. We met at his engament party. But I'm sure you don't remember me there were alot of people there."
"Is this his hospital?" Jack asked he hadn't known which hospital Sydney was taken to in the haste of everything going on all Jack wanted was her to be seen right away. The ride over in the ambulance hadn't clued Jack in on which hospital they were being taken too, Sydney had kept crying and holding his arm asking "Why?" over and over.
Amy the nurse nodded her head as more tears fall from her eyes. Turning her head she looked at Sydney, and she let out a sob. "We just had lunch the three of us last week, right here in the cafeteria in between shifts" she mumbled out. "I just can't believe this it's so unreal"
"Could you set with Sydney for a few minutes while I call my wife?" Jack asked standing up from the chair he had been setting in. Not knowing what to say to this young woman who knew both Sydney and Daniel but was a stranger to him. "I know they gave her something for her to sleep, but I just don't want her to be alone right now"
"Of course I can" Amy said turning to look at Jack again "I just got off so take all the time you need for your call."
"Thank you" Jack replied then headed for the door. Dreading the call he was about to make.
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Laura Bristow was a mess frosting was covering her arms and hands she had just packed up all the cupcakes and her co-worker had picked them up. All she wanted to do was get to Sydney, but she was waiting for JJ's friend's Father to pick him up. How Laura wished that Emily Sloane still lived nearby, that woman would have dropped everything to come and watch JJ for her at a moments notice like she always had done with Sydney.
JJ did not understand what had happened only that Sydney was in the hospital and that Danny had died somehow. Laura couldn't really give her son any more details because she herself hadn't gotten any more than that from Jack. Tears kept falling from her eyes unchecked. JJ was packing an overnight bag for his friends house, so Laura did not bother to wipe them away.
It just did not make sense how could Danny be dead? He had so much to live for all those plans that Sydney, and he had been making. Plans of a life together, getting married, making Laura a grandmother soon. All those things just disappeared with the good Doctor's death.
Laura could tell from Jack's tone of voice the second she answered her phone something awful had happened. He couldn't talk long it seemed the police were wanting to talk to him, Laura wasn't sure about why that was. He hadn't even been able to tell her how Danny had died and why Sydney was admitted to the hospital. Only that their Daughter was in the hospital that she wasn't taken Daniel's death well, and they had to give her something to clam her down and sleep.
Laura wiped her eyes as she heard JJ as he closed his bedroom door, she did not want JJ to see her crying afraid it would set her little boy off crying too. When she wouldn't be around him to offer comfort.
"Can't I come to the hospital" JJ pleaded "I want to see Sydney"
"Sweetheart, it's getting late and I don't know how long I will be at the hospital tonight" Laura told her baby boy as she opened her arms to him. He dropped his overnight bag and walked into his mother's arms. "I promise to call once I get to the hospital and see Sydney to let you know how she is doing"
"You will tell Sydney I love her right Mom" JJ pleaded "and let her know I'm sorry about Danny"
"Yes" Laura replied holding her son a little tighter thinking about how she just lost a young man she thought of as being another son. She kissed the top of JJ's head something that was going to be impossible to do in a few years she was sure when he grew taller. Hearing a knock at the door Mother and Son pulled apart, Laura went to answer the door walking a littler faster than normal wanting to get JJ all settled, so she could get to her daughter as soon as possible.
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Jack was drained of all energy his talk with the two detectives left him irritated that he wasn't handling the investigation into Daniel's death. Their questions were all about what time he arrived home with Sydney to why he entered after she didn't return to the car, they had all but accused Sydney of killing Doctor Hecht herself then faking her breakdown. They wanted her clothes to check for gun powered residue. They also had his hands checked for it as well, it turned out to be a good thing he hadn't washed Daniel's blood off his hands. Likewise, they also requested his shirt along with his jacket, and they wanted to search his car that was still parked in front of Sydney and Daniel's place.
Jack had locked his car doors before leaving in the ambulance with Sydney, so he knew they had not gotten into his vehicle as of yet without a warrant. He was not about to give them permission the CIA would frown upon that without getting their consent first, mostly because Jack like a lot of other agents carried an extra gun in his glove compartment. One which was registered through the CIA.
Jack had told the two detectives he did not see a reason for them to search his vehicle he played the innocent Parts' salesman to a tee. He asked a passing by nurse if he could get a scrub shirt because the detectives needed his shirt and jacket for testing. The nurse replied she would be happy to help and Jack left the two officer to follow the nurse in search of a new shirt. As soon as the nurse gave him the scrub top he entered the men's restroom thankful it was just one big room. Jack pulled out his cell phone he had a few calls to make.
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Laura's hand went automatic to cover her mouth as a sob came out of it, as she saw her daughter laying in the hospital bed. A nurse was setting next to Sydney which was a little weird because usually nurses did not set down while they were working. The nurse looked up and slowly left her chair next to the bed.
"I'm Amy I'm a friend of well.. was" she said as tears filled her eyes and she fought them back "Doctor Hecht, Danny was a good friend"
"Danny was a good man" Laura agreed as she turned to look at Sydney again and asked "Are you visiting with Sydney?" wondering where Jack was.
"I meant to just check in on Sydney after my shift ended but Sydney's Dad asked me if I could set with her while he called you I believe" Amy said not wanting to sound like she was put out by having been setting with Sydney so long she added. "Then before he could return two officers came in wanting to talk to him, so I decide to stay I know Danny wouldn't want Sydney to be alone right now"
"No he wouldn't" Laura replied as picked up and held Sydney's hand. "Do you know how long Sydney will be in here?"
Amy nodded her head, although Laura wasn't looking at her to notice, "I asked a another nurse who came in here a few minutes ago, they told me tomorrow morning Sydney should be able to be discharged"
"What's wrong with Sydney, Jack didn't to say much on his phone call" Laura asked.
"She's being treated for shock, I just can't imagine what she went through finding Danny like that" Amy responds with as tears fell from her eyes. "They were just so happy planning their wedding"
"I better be going" Amy said not wanting to add her grief onto the already grief stricken family. "If Sydney needs anything or any of you please let me know. Sydney knows my number."
"Thank you for setting with her" Laura comment back "I'm sorry for your loss as well"
"It's all of our loss, the whole world's really Danny was a great man and would have been a outstanding pediatric cardiology" Amy stated then left Laura alone with her sleeping daughter.
Laura now alone with Sydney took in her daughter's pale skin and the read-out from the heart monitor that beeped once in a while. Her poor baby girl, how could this have happened? How could they lose Danny so suddenly like this? Laura still wasn't sure what had happened but thought it wasn't a nature death if they police were questioning Jack over it. None of that matter though right now all that did was getting Sydney better. Laura knew Jack hadn't done anything to Danny, so she wasn't worried about the police keeping him any longer than they needed for him to answer their questions.
Laura herself wanted all her questions answered as well mainly what on earth had happened to Daniel Hecht that cause his death and her strong daughter to go into shock? It had to be something awful.
Hearing the room door open behind her Laura turned her head and saw Jack standing there in a borrowed scrub shirt. The expression on his face told her of the sadness he was feeling. Putting Sydney's hand down Laura walked the small distanced between herself and Jack wrapping her arms around her husband as tears fell from her eyes with snobs coming from her as well. After a few minutes of Jack running his hand down her back giving her the strenght to pull herself together Laura asked "Jack what happened to Danny? How did he die?"
"He was murdered Laura, shot while taking a shower" Jack mumbled into his wife's hair "Sydney found him she was getting that perfume for you and found him"
"No" Laura denied "No that can't be true"
"It's true Laura" Jack stated keeping himself in check using all his training to not let his anger and hurt through "I found Sydney holding Daniel's body she had tried CPR, but it didn't work" at letting that memory return tears filled Jack's eyes and Laura could hear the emotion in Jack's voice as he continued "there was nothing she could do he was already gone by the time she got home"
"Why would someone kill Danny?" Laura couldn't stop herself from asking knowing Jack didn't have an answer at least not yet.
"I have no idea, but trust me Laura I will find out who killed Daniel, and they will be punished" Laura nodded her head in agreement with what her husband just said. Whoever had killed Danny needed to pay and Laura was thankful she knew Jack wouldn't stop until they found out who had done this.
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Post by Sw on Aug 9, 2021 12:00:31 GMT -5
Chapter Sixteen
Michael Vaughn felt dreadful that he wasn't allowed to help Director Bristow when the call came in that an agent had to go retrieve the gun in Jack's car. First they had to stop by the hospital and get the keys from the Director. Vaughn had been relieved when Weiss had volunteer to go retrieve the gun from the glove compartment. Weiss was to wear gloves and only take the gun to leave everything else all alone in the car. He was to wait until it was dark outside and the police all left the scene then unlock the car door get the gun then lock the car again nothing else was to be taken from the car. Weiss then was to bring the gun back to the CIA headquarters to be locked away.
Then if that wasn't enough Weiss had to return Jack's car keys back to him, so that the Director could give them to the local police, so they could search the car. It seemed their Superiors thought letting the local authorities search Jack's car would lead them to clear him faster and let them search for another suspect. If they had found Jack's gun though, it would lead them to the CIA and blow Jack's cover.
Vaughn thought they were likely also wanting the gun to make sure it wasn't the murder weapon in this cast of whomever killed Jack's almost son-in-law.
Vaughn knew the only way he could offer any help to Jack right now was to find the man who had been following him in London. To see if someone else was looking for information on old KGB agents.
After Weiss left Vaughn was stuck watching the video feeds all alone for what seemed like hours but might have only been for an hour. Until he finally found the right camera feed then looking at the time stamp Vaughn fast forwarded until the time his plane landed then he waited until he saw himself on CCTV feed right after him, he saw the man who had been following him. Once Vaughn was certain he called for another agent who was better with computers to see if he could enlarger the video feed to get a clear picture of the man following him, so they could I.D. him.
That kept Vaughn busy for the next few hours long enough not to worry about Director Bristow or at least appear not to be worried about Jack and his family after what just happened to them. More than you would for a colleague who had just had a tragedy happen in their family. Daniel Hecht wasn't someone that Vaughn had ever met in person and really other than looking into his background for Jack when Sydney and the Doctor had started dating he knew nothing about the good doctor. The check it's self showed that Doctor Hecht was a good man who wanted to help kids. Michael thought he sounded on paper like the perfect son-in-law. It was a shame that his life had been cut short.
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Weiss hadn't known what to say to Director Bristow when the older man had met him with the latter's car keys. Weiss was sure he had given a generic I'm sorry for your loss then had taken the offered keys and making plans to meet back in the same spot two hours from now to return said keys.
Getting the gun from the glove compartment had been easy he used the passenger side door looking around making sure no one seemed around just hoping he wasn't being watched got it and used gloves the whole time. Then locked the doors for the car, returning to headquarters to drop the gun off then, Weiss returned to the hospital parking lot at the designated time returned Jack his keys and remembered to ask the man how his daughter was. To which the reply was she was to be getting out of the hospital the next morning.
Weiss had been briefed on what was known so far of the case, Dr Daniel Hecht had been shot while taking a shower to be found by his fiancé who was Director Bristow daughter whom he for some reason had been driving home today from work.
Bristow's daughter hadn't reacted well to finding her fiancé killed and was spending the night in the hospital because of it. Weiss did not want to imagine having to live through something as awful as finding the love of your life dead, but then finding them having been murder that just added to the awfulness. Director Bristow looked wore out, he had been dressed in a scrub top with his usually dress pants that looked to Weiss to have blood spots on them. Seeing that made a mental note in Weiss mind that the murder scene must have been blood filled, poor Miss Bristow.
Weiss had no clue just how many children Director Bristow had he had known from the ring on the older man's finger he was married but little else about his family. The Director kept work away from his family at all cost. The rumor around the office was years ago Bristow's wife had been hurt in an accident that was pointed out to be caused from his work. If that was true or not Weiss did not know and would never ask around. No one wanted to get on the bad side of Jack Bristow.
But someone had just done that hadn't they? They had just killed the man who was going to be Director Bristow son-in-law. Weiss was sure that the Director was going to want to investigate this murder personally and who could blame him. In fact Weiss would volunteer if they needed an agent to look into this murder it was the least he could do. It just seemed so wrong for Miss Bristow to be robbed of all her dreams in such a cruel way.
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Jack had called the detectives who questioned him earlier and told them he hadn't been thinking clearly, of course they could search his car. That he was still at the hospital with his daughter, and they could come pick up his car keys there if they wished. Also, he asked if it would be okay if they could enter Sydney's home to pack a bag of clothes for her. The detectives offered to pick him up at the hospital and drive him back to Doctor Hecht's place, so they could escort him in and let him pack a few days worth of clothes for Sydney. Jack read between the lines of, so they could watch him the entire time to make sure he didn't take anything but clothes. Jack agreed not wanting to go but knowing he could not ask Laura to go in his stead because of the CIA tails following her, also he did not want his wife to have to see the crime scene.
Plus this way the detectives would not get to question Laura in the car ride there and back. Laura had been close to Daniel and Jack knew she would not take well to the bathroom where he had been killed. It would give Jack himself nightmares he knew, finding Sydney like that holding her lost love.
Jack planned to ask Laura before the detectives got there just want of Sydney's he should pack for their daughter. He knew the basics of pants, shirts, underwear, maybe a few pairs of pj's. Because Sydney would not be able to live in that place again, even if she wanted to some time in the future right now the police had not released the scene and who knows how long that was going to take.
No, Sydney would be coming back home to stay with them for a little while. Jack any other time would have been over the moon with his little girl coming to live back home, but not now. Not because of Daniel's murder. But there was nothing that could be done for that now other than for all of them to just be there for Sydney and Jack thought to catch whoever had killed Daniel.
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A young Detective who picked Jack up wasn't one of the two who he had seen last night. The younger man was nicer than the other two had been and took the car keys from Jack and let him know how sorry he was for his loss and asking about the condition of Sydney. Jack seen right through this as good cop / bad cop they wanted him to trust this new cop and maybe revealing something that could lead them to charge him or Sydney with murder.
Jack instead said very little to the new detective playing it off as him being tried and exhausted from everything that had happened that day. It was still dark out and Jack just wanted to get to Sydney's place and pack her a few things and get back to the hospital to his wife and daughter. Pulling up to his car, Jack couldn't believe just a few hours before he had been setting in that car thinking of just leaving when he couldn't get a hold of Sydney. Thank God he hadn't, what type of shape would his daughter have been in if he hadn't of found her only minutes later. As of now Jack wasn't sure if Sydney would ever be the same again.
The detective had given Jack a clear plastic large bag to pack Sydney's items in. Jack had painstakingly made sure to wrap his daughter's underwear and bras up in the two different PJ's he packed. There was no need for anyone to see his daughter's undergarments. He also packed her five pairs of jeans and ten different shirts, he grabbed as many socks as he could fit in the bag. Knowing Sydney would need more things there he was able to fit into the bag. He was also being watched the whole time by the detective, so Jack just wanted to get in and out as fast as possible, so he could get back to the hospital. Jack didn't even ask to be allowed into the bathroom to retrieve Sydney's toiletries, they would have to buy her a new toothbrush and anything else she would need.
Jack had asked about her laptop but was denied taking it until it could be searched. Once that was done the detective told Jack they would call and Sydney could pick it up at the police station. Jack had to bite his tongue from yelling out they needed to search for Daniel's killer, not torment his grief-stricken fiancé. Jack knew once they cleaned Sydney which should be soon they perhaps they would allow her to take more things from her home. After he was done packing Jack declined the detectives offer of driving him back to the hospital instead Jack called himself a cab it took over twenty minutes before the cab pulled up, but Jack had waited outside the whole time he could not stand to be in that place he kept reliving finding Sydney with Daniel in her arms over and over.
Jack had been in awful situations before but never did they affect him like this did. Seeing his daughter so tore apart trying so hard to save the man she loved. Knowing there was nothing he could do to help her. That no one could help Sydney save Daniel, that he was already gone. Jack felt he had failed as a Father today or was it yesterday it was early morning by now. He had not be able to keep his daughter from having her heart broken. In fact, he hadn't been able to keep his whole family from having all their hearts broken.
Daniel was a part of their family, and he was gone now, why did this have to happen? Whoever did it will pay, Jack thought as his cab pulled up to take him back to the hospital.
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Post by Sw on Sept 14, 2021 12:52:40 GMT -5
Chapter Seventeen
Three-Months later
Nothing was the same any longer, Sydney Bristow felt like her life was out of control. That somehow she had been turned back into a child and lived under her parents rules. The days after Danny's death were mostly a blur to her, her hospital stay she didn't remember at all. The first clear memory after finding Danny was waking up in her old bedroom at her parents house. She couldn't remember why she was there, it had been her Father coming checking on her just looking at his face everything had come back to her, and she had started screaming “No” over and over as tears ran down her face.
Sydney was thankful that JJ hadn't been home at the time to see and hear her break down. It was hurt enough facing her Father and Mother who came running when she heard the screams. For a few weeks after that Sydney could see the uncertain look in her parents eyes when they were around her not wanting to do or say anything to set her off. She had pulled herself together enough to make it through Daniel's funeral she owed it to him to be the strong woman he thought she was.
It was afterwards that she fell apart in Francie arms, both had tears running down their faces. Her parents had to clam down JJ who had started crying and couldn't stop this was the first death in the young boy's life, and he was blaming himself for not liking Danny at first. Laura Bristow had to walk the young boy outside and hug him until he had stopped crying. Jack Bristow was torn between going to comfort his son or staying and giving comfort to his daughter. Francie had whispered to Jack to go check on JJ that she wouldn't leave Sydney's side. After ten minutes Jack had returned and hadn't left his daughter's side until it was time to leave for the reception and Sydney had let Francie drive her.
JJ was red eyed at the reception, but he did not cry again he was trying to be strong like his Dad was and not make Sydney sadder. It was all like a nightmare to Sydney, living through something she had thought perhaps might happen in forty-years after having been married to Danny and having spent a life-time together. Not to happen before they even got to speak their vows.
It was hard to not think of Danny, but Sydney knew she could not let herself go there. She had cried more tears than she thought was possible. After the police had released their place Sydney with the help of her family and friends had packed away her things, along with Danny's.
Talking to the detectives had been hard because Sydney wasn't stupid she knew they were thinking she had something to do with Danny's death. But after her two-hour interview they let her go and hadn't bothered her again. She knew that her Father had talked to them since then. And Sydney was fine with letting Jack Bristow handle them. She just wanted to know why her love had been taken from her.
So far from what her Father had said they thought it was a break-in that Danny was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But Sydney had the feeling her Father did not buy that. Sydney did not want to know the details on the case because all it did was bring back the awful scene in the bathroom back to her.
Sydney was now second guessing everything in her life, did she really want to be in physical therapy. Every time she went to work all she could think was of all the plans she and Daniel had made. Going to school was hard as well because she was getting closer to finishing it, and now she wasn't sure if that was what she wanted.
Maybe instead Sydney thought I could fall back onto my dream of being a teacher like Mom. Not working with five and six-year-olds, but she could see herself teaching English to teenagers. Right now anything medical just brought up memories of Danny and Sydney was trying to not fall apart. She needed to pull her life together maybe the first step would be to get her own place. But Sydney did not want to live alone. Francie had been asking her to move in with her for over a month now maybe it was time to spread her wings and stop hiding at her parents house.
Of course Sydney laughed knowing that JJ would hate it, her little brother loved all the time he was getting to spend with her. He even some night would sneak in to her room and sleep next to her, the first night he did it scared Sydney when she woke to find someone sleeping next to her until she realized it was just her baby brother.
But Sydney knew she had to live her life again Danny would not want her to shut the world out, he was such a wonderful loving man he would want her to live and be happy. It just hurt so much thinking about any future without him being there. Sydney had no want of a new relationship and wasn't sure she would ever want another one. How do you get over the love of your life being murdered? It's just something Sydney wasn't sure one could ever really do.
It was something she did not want to do. It seemed to Sydney as being unfaithful to Danny to even think of one day having a relationship with something else. Not only that, but it would be a betrayal of all the plans that she and Danny had made. Of the life they had dreamed of having together.
Sydney was just grateful no one had mentioned dating to her right now she was afraid of the response she would have to such an absurd idea. Her heart had died with Danny, and she wasn't sure it would ever start to beat again.
Sydney knew she needed to move out of her parents house though, or she might never get up the nerve to do it before JJ left for college. It would be hard to leave the comfort that her parents house held for her. But Sydney knew she had to stand on her own two feet and not hide away from the world, just because she wasn't planning on dating anyone did not mean she should stay hidden away.
It might be fun once again moving back in with Francie, it would be hard to see Charlie and Francie together because it used to always be the four of them together but hey Will Turner their friend could be the fourth, so they would have an even number, and he wouldn't feel the odd man out anymore.
Hearing a knock on her bedroom door followed by her Father's voice asking “Is it okay if I come in?”
"Yes" Sydney answered then almost laughed when she saw what was in her Father's hands. A teddy bear with a red bow wrapped around its neck. It looked like one she had when she was little but had given to JJ when he was born.
"I thought you might like this to hug at night" Jack told his daughter as he held out the brown bear to Sydney. He knew JJ had been sneaking in at night to sleep by his sister, when Jack had asked the young boy about it, he had been told by his son "I don't want Sydney to get lonely at night"
So Jack thought why not give Sydney something to hold on to and hopefully that would also deter JJ from Sydney's room at night. It wasn't heath for either of his children, Jack was sure. JJ feeling like he had to sleep by his sister at night to keep her from crying and being alone. And Sydney because Jack was sure one day she would want to move out on her own again and needed to be used to sleeping by herself before then.
Sydney took the offered bear and hugged it to her chest, she smiled softly at it. Knowing her Father was just trying to help cheer her up. "Thanks" was her reply for the brown bear. "But you do know I'm over twenty-five and don't need stuffed animals to sleep with at night" "Or pesky little brother's" Jack added taking a seat on Sydney's bed.
"His not being a pest" Sydney defended her brother with "JJ is just being really very sweet" she stated with tears in her eyes "He doesn't want me to be alone"
"None of us do" Jack said then added as he patted the bed "come set by me" Sydney followed her Father's orders and set next to him.
"You're Mother and I flipped a coin to see who got to have this conversation with you" Jack had thought both of them should just share this conversation, but Laura did not want to gang up on their daughter, so it was decided by him calling heads that he would get to have this talk with their daughter.
"Sounds serious than" Sydney replied knowing that she was joking hoping this talk wouldn't be serious at all.
"First off myself and your Mother both of us want you to know that we want you to stay with us here at the house forever"
"Daddy" Sydney wined knowing that if anyone other than JJ wanted her to stay at the house indefinitely it wasn't her Mother.
Jack give her a sheepish look "Okay I want you to stay living with me forever because you will always will be my baby girl. But I know that someday hopefully many months or even years for now you will one day move out again"
"Daddy, I don't want to move out" Sydney stated she could see in her Father's eyes he knew what was coming next though "but I can't stay hiding away from my life here. I know you and Mom love me and want what's best for me."
"Yes we do" Jack replied "I just want you to know staying here with us isn't you hiding away from the world. But what is hiding is you not going out with your friends only having them come over here to visit. And let's not even start about how you have cut back your hours at work"
It was turning into that serious conversation Sydney was afraid it was going too. Her Dad wasn't going to let her slide by life anymore. This conversation was one Sydney would have bet her Mother would have loved to have with her.
"Sweetheart, I love you, but you have to live not just close yourself off from the world? Daniel would not want that for you" Jack said hating have to use the late Doctor's name he saw the pain in Sydney's face when he did. "He was a good man that would want you to live sweetie"
"I know Daddy" Sydney answered as tears fall from her eyes "I just don't know how to live without him" Jack pulled his daughter into his arms and just held her letting her get the tears out.
"You just take it one day at a time" Jack told his little girl when he pulled away from their embrace. “And while it doesn't seem like it today, someday far, far into the future you will find love again. Because that is what Daniel would want for you. He would not want you to waste your life mourning for him and not have some of those dreams the two of you share from happening."
More tears followed those words from her Father, but Sydney found that she wasn't angry at him. It was all true what her Father just said. Danny would not want her to live a life shut in, but right now she needed that. Or maybe she didn't?
"I'll leave you to think about what I've just said" Jack said as he got up off Sydney's bed "And I meant what I said about you not having to move out for years if you want" Hearing that Sydney laughed through her tears watching as her Father walked out of her room.
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Laura Bristow had asked her husband how the talk had gone with Sydney, Jack had said he thought it went well. She had wanted to have the talk herself but knew Jack wanted to do it he felt responsible for all of Sydney's unhappiness because he couldn't protect Danny from being killed. Just because Jack was with the CIA did not mean he could stop crime from happening. Daniel's murder was not Jack's fault or his responsibility to stop it from happening, Jack wasn't an all powerful superhero and even Superman couldn't save everyone.
So Laura had let Jack talk to Sydney about her hiding away in this house. She knew he would not push their daughter to move out, but he would tell her to get out more and right now Laura thought Sydney still needed her family around here before she ventures out into the world again.
Or maybe it was Laura that still needed Sydney to stay around the house for a little longer before she felt ready for her daughter to be out of her site for longer than the work day. Losing Danny had shaken something inside of Laura, she had pictured their future together was helping plan their wedding. Laura had already dreamed of what her future grandchildren were going to look like. So when they lost Danny they also lost all those plans as well.
Laura herself knew losing Jack the way Sydney had lost Danny would have killed her and made her lose her mind finding him like Sydney had Danny. It was just so sad and senseless, Danny was going to be such a great Pediatric Cardiologist to help so many. And he was killed for what? The Police had not found anything missing, it was just a crying shame a good man died for nothing.
Laura knew Jack was looking into the case but so far every time she asked Jack said they hadn't found anything. Since Danny's death and Jack taking it so hard he seemed to be pulling away from her more and more.
Laura just hoped they caught whomever it was that killed Daniel, perhaps then Jack would start to act like himself once more.
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Post by Sw on Oct 11, 2021 13:09:43 GMT -5
Chapter Eighteen
Director Bristow felt like the last few months of his life had been like a very poorly written play, you never knew what was going to happen next. It had taken a week to get his car back from the local police, once it had been returned Jack had it swept for bugs. It had been clean of course but being in the CIA you could never be too careful.
It had taken the police a few months before they fully dropped Sydney as a suspect in her fiancé's murder. Her taken his death not, so well actually played a part in them believing she had nothing to do with it. Which Jack was grateful for, Sydney did not need to be interrogated any more then the one time she had talked to the detectives. Jack himself had talked to them twice more and was relieve when he too was informed he wasn't a suspect any longer as well.
What the CIA had learned was a hit had been put out on the good Doctor, the who, why, were still a mystery. One Jack prayed was answered soon without anyone else he knew having to pay with their lives to answer.
Jack hated how this played out so far his daughter's life was destroyed, she wasn't acting like herself at all. He was thinking of suggest to Sydney that perhaps she should take up kick boxing again something to keep her busy plus it was a good thing to know in case someone tried to hurt her.
JJ was almost back to normal, but the young boy had now seen death and would never be as innocent as he once had been. It hurt Jack that he couldn't protect his children from this senseless crime. Sydney was heartbroken and JJ now looked at strangers as if they could hurt him. Because of that Laura, and he had decided to learn JJ how to defend himself. He had learned about gun safety along with how to shoot a gun if he needed to protect himself.
That was something he had taught Sydney at a young age as well, but Laura hadn't wanted the kids to learn. But since Daniel's death she had relented and let him teach JJ. The first thing he taught JJ was that guns were not toys to be played with at anytime. They were only used to defend one's self from a threat of life or death. That you never touched a gun unless it was to protect yourself or family. JJ knowing that Daniel had been shot to death already knew just how dangerous guns could be in the wrong hands.
JJ had taken learning about how to protect himself serious as well because he wanted to be able to also protect his Mother or Sister if need be. The young boy's world of innocence cracked when Daniel had been killed showing him just how uncertain and heartbreaking this world could sometimes be.
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Micheal Vaughn hated that he had been ordered to keep certain things from Jack Bristow, but this was one time he was following orders. Arvin Sloane was not a man you wanted on your bad side, and for some reason that no one yet knew it seemed that Mr. Sloane had decided to order the death of one Dr Daniel Hachet. Getting that information hadn't been easy Vaughn was sure, and he wasn't completely made aware of how they had gotten it. Only that it was true and that for some reason Director Bristow former friend seemed to be responsibly for the good Doctor's death.
They had also learned from this source that Dr. Hachet had been the intended victim, which put Vaughn's mind at ease only as far as it meant that so far Director Bristow's daughter wasn't marked for death.
His Superiors all thought the same thing this had something to do with Derevko it had too, after all these years of her being under the radar then to be flushed out like she had. It had to be related, everyone thought Vaughn was sure that Jack thought it as well if he was being honest with himself.
Also, now that they knew that Arvin Sloane was a member of SD-6 are would you call him the head of it well at least here in the U.S. ? It had everyone wondering if Sloane had known all along who Lauren Bristow truly had been. Were the two working together had he been the person she gave the kill orders to? Had Arivn Sloane murdered his Father? Micheal thought silently to himself knowing he would most likely never get a clear answer to that question of who actually did it.
They did know though that Sloane was planning something with help from an outside source something to do with Derevko. Vaughn was almost pulling his hair out over this he wanted to tell Jack to be on the looked out, but he had been ordered to tell Director Bristow nothing on this. Micheal knew that Jack was still watching over his shoulder after Dr Hachet's murder, but it felt like betraying him not telling him he had more reason now than ever to watch his back and that of his family.
And that's why Vaughn had called Jack early telling him that everything was fine, and he had no reason to worry about anything that Dr Hachet's death had been ruled a robbery gone wrong nothing to worry about whatsoever. He laid it on especially thick knowing that Jack would pick on a cover-up when he heard one.
Vaughn had kept the secret about Arvin Sloane from Jack thinking it was better for his friend not to know, so he would not be poking around where the CIA didn't want him. Or to get caught up in what ever Sloane was doing at the moment. But this was different now Sloane was gearing up to attack perhaps Jack's family again he needed to be warned. And that was something worth losing your job perhaps even freedom for Vaughn thought.
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Sydney had been happy to get out of the house and bring her brother to hockey practice. She had made sure to walk him to the door, JJ was busy chatting with his friends as she was leaving, but made sure that she knew to pick him back up in an hours time. Which Sydney had already known, she was just going to grab a cup of coffee and study at the coffee shop that was a few blocks down from the rink. She wasn't in the mood for all the happy chatter or the looks of sympathy she would get from JJ's teammates parents.
JJ on the way over was hoping that Coach Mike would be the one on duty tonight he hadn't been lately, and JJ was upset with thinking maybe Mike wasn't going to be coaching anymore. Sydney had told her little brother not to worry, that she was sure hockey would still be fun with his favorite coach there.
JJ had agreed but Sydney knew he was just saying that to not upset her. The little guy was always trying to cheer her up lately. It made Sydney feel bad thinking that her baby brother thought it was his job to make her happy. It wasn't, but she couldn't help but love JJ all the more for trying to cheer her up.
Sydney got to the coffee shop, ordered her cup and took a table, so she could unpack the books she had brought in using her backpack. Her cell phone was on the table in case JJ needed to be picked up early from practice. She was there for perhaps ten minutes when a couple holding hands came in, kissing then pulling apart to order all smiles. Seeing them and how happy they were brought the pain of Danny not being here with her all flesh to her mind. Before she even knew what she was doing, Sydney had packed up all her books and was heading for the front door passing by the deeply in love couple wishing that her heart wasn't breaking ever step she took. That tears weren't running down her face and that she wasn't running away from the ghost of happiness that, she was sure, would never be hers again.
Driving back to the rink, Sydney set in her car for a good ten minutes, let herself cry. For the first five, then pulled herself somewhat together and decided to go into the rink bringing her backpack she could use her books as a buffer, so she didn't have to make small talk with anyone else. Getting into the stands and going all the way up to the top, Sydney saw all the players and the coach on the ice, but couldn't make out any features of the team on the ice. She had seen JJ's number on the back of his jersey, he looked to be careful as she skated around the ice.
That brought a smile to Sydney face, JJ was just a little boy he needed to have fun and not worry all the time about his sister. He needed time to just be a kid, so Sydney stayed up in the stands, not waving or making any noise so that JJ wouldn't realize she was there. She wanted him to just be carefree a little while. Wishing she could be as well, if only her heart wouldn't remind her with it's every beat of what she had lost. They said only Time could heal a broken heart, Sydney hoped that saying was true.
Because she knew time was something she was going to have a lot of on her hands without Danny there to brighten it up.
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Laura was keeping herself busy making dinner for Jack and herself. Nothing elaborate, just some grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup with a few chips on the side. Since Sydney was out with JJ tonight, something that the young boy and his father had cooked up. They felt that Sydney need to get out of the house, and what better way then to have JJ plead with his sister to take him to hockey practice. Laura herself thought it was a good idea, Sydney needed to get out and hopefully not brew all night about losing Danny.
It was awful what happened to Danny and for Sydney to be the one to have to find him. But it was time to stop Sydney from crawling into a dark hole and letting life past her back. Laura wasn't pushing Sydney to start dating again, but it would not hurt for her little girl to go out and socialize with her friends. Sydney might feel like her heart died with Danny's murder, but that wasn't true. It would take a long time, Laura was sure before Sydney would be able to date again. Laura herself knew it felt wrong thinking of Sydney dating anyone who wasn't Danny, so she knew it would feel unbelievable to her grief-stricken daughter. But Laura hoped time would help with all those thoughts, and that Sydney one day would find another worthy young man to call her own.
Finishing the last grilled cheese sandwich, Laura put the plate of sandwiches on the table in the kitchen, no since eating in the dinning room when it was just Jack and her tonight. Heading back to the stove to get the soup into bowls, Laura thought maybe she and Jack could have a nice quiet evenly without worrying about getting Sydney out of her room. Jack had reassured Laura that Danny's murder was being ruled a break-in gone wrong and had nothing to do with Danny or Jack's jobs. So maybe now they could all let their guard down a little and not look over their shoulders thinking someone was out to get them.
But Laura couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen, that feeling had been following her all day. It probable just was because the kids were out of her sight and away from the house. Something which hadn't happened since Danny's death, usually one of her two children were in the house at all times.
Laura was just getting both bowls completely filled up with soup when she heard what sounded like backfire from a car outside. It was only a few seconds later when she heard Jack's voice yelling "Get down on the floor" and then more sounds that now Laura was sure wasn't backfire from a car because she could hear glass breaking. Doing as she was told, Laura hit the floor and crawled away from the stove where she had just been not wanting to take the chance of the hot soup spilling down on her if it was hit with whatt Laura believe were bullets going through their house.
“Jack” Laura yelled as the firing stopped, she was hiding under the kitchen table feeling like a coward. But she didn't have a weapon to defend herself and no bulletproof vest, so under the table she would stay until she heard back from Jack.
Jack had heard Laura calling out his name, but at the moment was busy looking through the broken window in their living room. Trying to see if he had gotten the two men that had been firing shots into his house. As soon as the bullets had started flying, Jack had run to his office and retrieved his gun after yelling to Laura to get on the floor. He had returned fire as soon as he entered the living room through what once had been their picture window. Making sure to stay down and slowly crawling to look into their yard from said window, Jack could see two bodies laying in the front yard.
There didn't seem to be any more people standing around the yard, Jack then carefully pull his cell phone from his pocket and dialed the emergency work number. This was a mess, there was no way to hide what had just happened here. Not when, who ever these goons were, attacked his house in broad daylight in the early evenly when all their neighbors were home.
As soon as someone picked up the other end of the line, Jack told them his house had been attacked, that he had killed two assailants, and he wasn't sure where the agents assigned to be watching said house were. Also, he couldn't guarantee that there were not more assailants, that he needed help right away. After being told help would be sent to his address, the line went dead.
"Laura, are you okay?" Jack called out as he slowly backed away from the picture window, still on his knees. When he didn't get a reply back right away, he crawled as fast as he could away from the window and stood up running towards their kitchen. He froze in the doorway at the site before him.
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Post by Sw on Oct 11, 2021 13:13:52 GMT -5
Chapter Nineteen
"Don't come any closer Jack" the voice was one Jack had once thought was from a friend, one he hadn't seen in years. One he wished he had the good fourture to have never had to see again.
"Why are you doing this, Arvin?" Jack asked as he took another step into his kitchen.
Laura let out a small HSS of pain as the knife that Arvin Sloane was holding to her knife cut into her skin. Hearing that stopped Jack mid-step he backed away half a step still holding the gun in his hand raising it to point it at Sloane's head.
Laura was wishing she had been playing more attention to the door from the kitchen that lead to their backyard. Instead of the door from the living room into the kitchen because of her fear for Jack she hadn't noticed that that door had opened. And was surprised when she stood up to try to enter the living room she was pulled back into the chest of a man who had a knife to her throat.
She was even more surprised when she recognized the voice at her right ear whispering to her "As long as you come with me, I will leave Jack alone"
Laura was about to agree when Jack came running into the kitchen, she was relieved knowing Jack would do everything in his power to protect her from Arvin Sloane. But she was fearful for her husband, because it was obvious Arvin wasn't working for the government any longer.
"Really, Jack, you're asking me why I'm doing this?" Sloane asked laughing, causing the knife at Laura's throat to press in harder making a thin line of blood run down it. "I would think you would be thanking me, for taking your wife off your hands for you."
"Let Laura go" Jack stated with no room for debate "in a few minutes this place is going to be over run with police officers and CIA. So if I were you, I would let Laura go and leave while you still can"
"Really Jack you think I'm just going to let Irina Derevko go, when she is needed to finish Rambaldi's great plan" Sloane pronounced as he pulled Laura back towards the kitchen door he had entered in. "I'm really doing you a favor Jack, this way you and your kids can move on with your lives without worrying how everything with Derevko plays out"
"Just like you did me a favor by killing Doctor Hecht?" Jack asked, keeping Sloane's attention on him stalling for time. "Did you think taking away Sydney's fiancé was helping me?"
Sloane laughed at that as he pushed the knife into Laura's throat again. Jack raised his gun, causing Sloane to pull Laura closer, so he could use her as a human shield. "Sydney did not need that Doctor he was holding her back, besides it was all a test for Derevko"
Laura had no idea who Derevko was, but she had a feeling that Arvin who she believed had lost his mind thought she was this Derevko. Laura tried to push herself out of Arvin's hold, but all she ended up doing was causing the knife to be pushed deeper into her throat. Hearing Arvin admit to having Danny killed sent a shiver down Laura's spine, this man holding her was dangerous and had killed and could easily kill again.
"Derevko is dead" Jack said as he once again took a step towards Laura and Sloane, gun still pointed towards him. "She died years ago, let my wife go"
"I can't do that Jack, I need Derevko for Rambaldi's plan to work" Sloane stopped for a moment then continue almost like he wasn't sure if he should say what he was going to or not then decided to. "Besides, wouldn't you rather be saving your children then your treacherous wife"
Laura's blood ran cold as she heard Sloane's words about her children being in danger. All fear for her own life forgotten." Let him take me Jack, go save our kids"
"Listen to Derevko, Jack, Elena has no need for your son and won't reframe from hurting or killing him." Sloane added as he noticed Jack's hand start to drop a little as he dragged Laura towards the door behind him "All she cares about is getting Sydney" Sloane finished with as he pulled Laura closer to the exit.
Jack let his gun drop and Sloane's smiled, figuring that his old friend had decided to let him have Derevko in favor of saving his young son's life. Of course that would be the last thought Arvin Sloane ever had as the gun behind his head fired and Jack lunged for Laura, throwing them to the side out of the bullet's way and away from Sloane's knife.
Hearing a second shot, Jack was already up and grabbing for his dropped gun, he had it in hand and pointed at the woman who had just shot Sloane twice. He had seen her the moment she entered through the kitchen door. She had held one finger to her lips, letting Jack know not to make Sloane aware of her presents. She wasn't dressed in police gear and having shot Sloane twice, both times in the head, seemed to indicate she wasn't with the CIA either. Jack wasn't taking any chances on who she was working for, he wasn't going to allow her to harm his wife.
"Dropped your gun" Jack ordered, pointing his straight at the mystery woman who had just saved his wife.
"Is this how you thank someone who saved you're life?" was the replied he received, the gun still being held in her right hand as she kicked Sloane's body, making sure her bullets had done their job.
Laura who was still laying on the kitchen floor her back was to their guest slowly getting to her knees "Jack are you okay?" she asked as she stood up, turning she was shocked at the sight of the woman before her. "Nurse Kat?" she asked.
"I'm fine" Jack asked then questioned back to the woman before him, "Nurse Kat?"
The woman laughed at the husband and wife before her "It's one of the many names I've been called"
"Would Yekaterina be another?" Jack asked as he pulled Laura behind him. Looking at the woman before him he could see a bly of his wife in this strange woman's face.
Nodding Yekaterina smiled and said allowing her native accent through "She said you were smart, I personally did not think so, but perhaps she was right"
"I don't understand what's going on, why did you save me?" Laura asked as she stood behind Jack but peeked her head from behind his shoulder.
"I would always save you mladshaya sestra" Yekaterina stated with what looked to be tears shining in her eyes. "But we do not have time for questions, we must get to the children. Sloane was right, Elena is after Sydney and would use JJ to get her. We must hurry and get to them before Elena does"
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Sydney had study, which she found comforting in a way because she didn't have time to think of the state of her life at the moment. She would look down at the ice rink every few minutes and see the kids all skating around looking like they were having lots of fun. The Coach would come out on the ice with them, and he seemed to be enjoying it as much as the surrounding children where.
It was nice to just let all her troubles goes for a few minutes and pretend everything was fine. That this was just another hockey practice that JJ when finished they would be going to get pizza and ice cream and that Danny would surprise her by showing up so that he could get to know JJ better.
But that wasn't ever going to happen again. Sydney knew she had to stop thinking of Danny all the time it wasn't going to help her get through the day without wanting to bury herself in bed and never come out. A picture of Danny's body in his casket came flashing into her mind, and she had to close her eyes and force it away. Danny would not want her to live her life the way she had been, he would want her to be the person he fell in love with, not the shell of herself she was currently being.
Danny loved to help people, that's why he became a doctor, and he would've wanted to help her if he was still here. She could almost hear him whispering to her that he wanted her to be happy, to stop living as if she had died along with him. And that if she truly loved him, she was to live a full life for the both of them. Wiping away a stray tear, Sydney knew she had just turned a corner on her grieving. If she wanted to remember and honor Danny, she needed to start living a life he would approve of.
That meant she had to stop hiding away and start truly living the life they had planned, she needed to finish her degree to get a full time job either in teaching English or Physical Therapist. Danny would laugh at her sometimes having two majors and acing both, but still not sure which one would be her career path. Sydney wanted to do both, it was hard to decide, or it had been at one time. She could remember all the Therapists her Mother, had, had. How much they had helped Laura Bristow learn to walk again, among other things. She had wanted to be one since then, but she had before that always wanted to be an English teacher, just like her Mother had been. Now though, just the thought of a medical setting had Sydney feel like someone had punched her in the chest. All she could think of was Danny and how he should still be at the hospital saving kids instead of in the ground buried.
Sydney probable would have kept on that line of thought for a while longer, but hearing the shouts of the kids all saying yes as it looked like the Coach was handing out something to each one of them. Sydney hadn't realized that practice must be over, and the Coach was giving the kids candy, as JJ once let slip that one of the Coaches would do if they all behaved at practice.
Sydney knew she could not get lost in thoughts about Danny any more today, not while she was responsible for watching JJ. Little boys tended to get into trouble if they were not properly observed, and Sydney did not want anything to happen to her baby brother. He was the light of her world, as he had been, still, the day he was born. But now he was that light even more, he was someone she did not want to let down. Someone who loved her unconditionally, JJ looked up to her so much and Sydney did not want that to stop, she wanted to be the woman JJ thought she was. She knew since Danny died, JJ had taken it upon himself to try to cheer her up, and she loved her brother even more than before because of that.
Sydney watched as the kids started heading towards the locker room, she saw JJ following all his hockey friends into it. Looking at her watch she figured she had an at least ten minutes before JJ would be finished changing clothes, so Sydney read some more of her book, she would look up once in a while when she heard voices and see other kids and their parents leaving. Noticing that almost everyone else had left, Sydney left her seat leaving her books behind, worried about where JJ was at.
She had just gotten down to the locker room door, having passed by two sets of children with their parents when she heard JJ voices talking to someone. "I really want you to meet my sister Sydney,” Sydney heard JJ say.
"I would love to meet her, you've talked about her a lot" was the reply she heard from who Sydney believed had to be one of JJ's Coaches.
"Great, I'll go get her" JJ answered but was stopped by his Coach calling him back.
"How about I walk you out, and I can meet her then. I think were the last ones here"
“Okay” JJ replied, happily and then a big smile came upon his face when he looked up to see his sister a few feet ahead of him.
"JJ" Sydney said as she walked the rest of the way to the pair.
"Sydney, this is Coach Mikey" JJ stated then turned his head and told his Coach "and this is my sister Sydney"
"Nice to meet you Miss Bristow, your brother here talks about you all the time" the Coach replied then added quickly "I was sorry to hear about the loss of your fiancé"
"JJ talks about you all the time too" Sydney answered back not really sure how to reply to his condolences about Danny having gotten so many of them she was getting numb to them, but she did not want to appear rude to someone that JJ liked so well she replied "Danny was a good man, and we be missed by a lot of people'
"JJ here sure seem to think so as well" was Coach Mikey's respond.
Seeing how this meeting of two of his favorite people wasn't going the way JJ had always wanted, he spoke up "Sydney, is it time for pizza?" knowing right now Sydney wasn't in the mood for company, or he would have invited Coach Mikey along.
"Sure is I just need to go get my bag I left in the stands" Sydney affirmed "Coach Mikey nice meeting you" she said looking at him.
"It was nice meeting you too, I actually go " but Coach Mikey didn't get to finish because his phone started ringing looking down his eyes rose in surprised "I have to take this call so see you next week JJ and hope to see you again Miss Bristow"
As the brother and sister were walking back towards the stands, JJ stated "I forgot my hat in the locker room, I'll be right back"
"I'll meet you right here once I get my bag" Sydney voiced then watched JJ turn around heading to the locker room. Once he made it there, Sydney finished her way to get her books and bag. She just had gotten all her books together when she heard a sound like a backfire, she hit the floor when she heard that sound again, followed by a voice yelling. Keeping her body low but her head just above the seats in front of her, Sydney looked down onto the ice and see three men with guns and what looked to be a man laying on the ice who had been shot, with blood under him on the ice.
Fear like Sydney had never felt before run through her body, her baby brother was down there with those men who had guns and had just shot someone. She had to get to JJ and protect him. Having no weapon sure sucked at the moment, Sydney thought. She lowered herself back down and crawled towards the end of the row of seats, listening as the men talked they were too far down for her to make out what they were saying, but she did know they were not speaking English.
Slowly as not to draw attention to herself, Sydney crawled out of her spot and made it to the row in front of her hiding behind the seats again. Having brought her bag with her, Sydney found her cell phone knowing she had to call for help. Knowing that her parents were staying home tonight, she called their house and didn't get an answer which alarmed her. Why weren't they answering? So she hung up, looking up she saw the men where separating they hadn't seemed to find JJ, yet she kept praying they wouldn't. Staying as calm as she could, Sydney dialed her Father's cell phone after two rings he picked up and instead of his usually greeting he asked "Are you okay?"
"Dad there are men at the hockey rink with guns" was Sydney's answer "there are three that I see they've shot someone he's laying on the ice bleeding"
"Where are you, Sydney? Are you hidden?" her Father asked, sounding the seasoned agent he was.
"I'm up in the stands hiding behind a row of seats, it's not me we need to worry about JJ is down in the locker room they are going to find him soon their splitting up" Sydney whispered not wanting to drawn attention with her voice to herself.
"I need you to listen carefully to me Sydney," her Father began, "I'm on my way I should be there in a few minutes. Do not leave where you're at they are searching for you"
“Me” Sydney asked a little above a whisper, taken by surprise that armed men were looking for her.
"Yes, you so stay hidden, I will be there soon" Jack informed his daughter.
"I can't Dad I have to save JJ" Sydney replied looking down seeing the men all start to walk away from each other.
"Sydney, JJ is fine, I just talked to his Coach, he got him out. It's just you, we have to worry about now"
Relieved flooded through Sydney hearing that her baby brother was okay. Nothing else matter if she got caught and shot by these men it would be okay now because JJ was safe. Of course her family would miss her if she were killed,, but then she could be with Danny again. Shaking her head, Sydney realized how selfish those thoughts were. Her parents and brother loved her, and it would hurt them badly if they lost her.
"Why are they after me?" Sydney whispered as she saw one of the men start to enter the stands down below.
"I'm not really sure" was the reply she received, but she could hear someone in the background speaking something in Russian that sounded like 'tell her the truth'.
"Dad who is with you that is speaking Russian?" Sydney asked, knowing that her Father worked for the US government not the Russian. Was this tied to some of his work? Were she and JJ being hunted for something the Russian wanted from their Father?
Sydney was surprised when he answered she received back from her Father was in Russian almost as surprised as the answer it's self. "Она утверждает, что является вашей тетей. Старшая сестра вашей матери, и что их другая сестра после вас" (She claims to be your Aunt. Your Mother's older sister, and that their other sister is the one after you)
Sydney's mouth opened and closed a few times before she could ever think, when her thoughts finally became solid again she whispered back "Could she be telling the truth?"
Sydney knew her Mother had lost all memories before her accident, there was no way to know if this woman who was apparently with her Father was telling the truth or not about who was trying at the moment to find her.
"Да, я думаю, что она говорит правду" Sydney heard her Father's voice say through her phone. (Yes I think she is telling the truth)
"So I just set here in hide while you and my new Aunt come find me?" Sydney asked getting anger over finding out that everything she ever believed about her Mother was turning out to be a lie and could cost her, her life. "And why are you speaking in russian?"
"Потому что твоя Мама с нами машина и не знает. Потому что твоя Мама с нами машина и не знает. О вашей тетушкеО вашей тетушке." (Because your Mother is the car with us and doesn't know. About your Aunt.) Jack rattled off as he pushed his foot down on the accelerator, wanting to get to his children as soon as possible. It seemed that Sloane and Yekaterina both were right Elena was after Sydney and JJ, Jack would not feel better until he had both with himself again and away from harms way.
"And Mom can't speak Russian, although it sounds like she might be one" Sydney quietly said as she crawled back, seeing one of the men walking through the rows of seats at the bottom of her row.
"Мы можем поговорить об этом позже. Прямо сейчас вытащить вас из этого хоккейного ранга в целости и сохранности является самым важным." (We can talk about that later. Right now, getting you out of that hockey rink safe and sound is most important.) Jack said as he looked at the freight face of his Wife in the rearview mirror. Yekaterina had taken the passenger front set as she was busy looking through her weapons, a few knifes and a few different guns how she had carried all of them all her body Jack did not know but wasn't really caring at the moment just glad the woman had weapons they could use.
“You're right Dad" Sydney replied, "what do you want me to do?"
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Post by Sw on Oct 11, 2021 13:15:52 GMT -5
Chapter Twenty
All Laura could think about was getting to her kids, knowing that they were in harms way had her heart racing a mile a minute. Nurse Kat being in the car talking in a foreign language wasn't helping matters at all. This woman she had known for years as a nurse had somehow saved her from being taken by Arvin Sloane,, and then she had killed him.
All those awful things that Arvin had said about her, and Jack had not defended her once. Of course, Laura had thought Jack was just humoring the name who was holding her hostage at the time. But now Laura did not know what to think, who was this Elena that Nurse Kat had told them was after Jack and hers children? Then there was the whole thing of Jack calling Nurse Kat Yekaterina, he seemed to understand what was going on, whereas she didn't at all.
Any other time, Laura was sure she would have thought this whole affair was Jack's fault, that once again he had caused them to be targeted because of his work with the CIA. But as much as Laura wanted to believe that, she couldn't seem to make herself. No, it seemed that this had more to do with her, had she been mixed up in something before she lost her memories? Or was this just a case of mistake identity, that Jack just happened to know about and was playing along with.
It really didn't matter at the moment, all that did was getting to Sydney and JJ. At least she knew that JJ was out of the building and hiding until the police or more CIA officers came to respond. But Sydney was still inside the rink with who knew how many men with guns searching for her.
It was one of every parent's worst nightmares, their child in harms way and not being there to protect them. It seemed like it was taking days to get to that skating rink. After this was all said and done Laura hoped to never see this skating rink again, perhaps this whole episode would have JJ re-think his love of hockey. Of course, it wasn't her son's fault this had happened or even hockey it's self fault. But right now Laura was going crazy and needed something to blame since she had a feeling it wasn't Jack's fault.
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Sydney had been as quiet as she could as she slowly made her way away from the man who was searching the rows of seats below her. She had wanted to go down, but she had instead been forced to go up on her hands in knees. A voicing yelling to the man had him turned his back, which gave Sydney the opportunity she had been waiting for, she crawled to the next row of seats in the enjoined row across from where she had been before. Now the man looking for her would not be searching the same row she was in.
Sydney heard more yelling as she kept crawling about “she's coming”.
The “she” in question would most likely be her new Aunt, she knew nothing about other than she really did not want to meet her. What kind of women sent armed gunmen after her niece and nephew? It was someone Sydney knew she did not want to meet. Sydney was trying not to think about the fact her Mother was it seemed to be Russian, or that fact that it seemed her Mother did not know that. It was all so confusing that Sydney knew she could not focus on that right now she had to be aware of her surroundings, if she wasn't she just might end up meeting Auntie dearest.
Just as Sydney was making her way to the end of an aisle a pair of legs were in front of her, before she could crawl backwards a hand was pulling her up by the hair of her head. "What do we have here?" a male voice taunted as he pulled her hair harder.
In the next second the man would wish he hadn't of pulled her hair so hard as all of Sydney's karate and kickboxing lesson proved their worth. Sydney was in fight or flight mode and was free within seconds, and her captor was out cold on the ground in front of her. She heard other male voices yelling at her, so now wasn't the time for stealth. So Sydney took off running at full speed ahead down the stairs, hoping to get to an exit before she was caught again.
She did make it down the stairs and onto the ice not by choice, but because she was being chased by two men with guns who seemed not to want to shoot her. Which in Sydney's book was a good thing. But trying to run on ice was not a good thing, she kept slipping and not making much progress of getting away from her would be kidnappers. On the bright side, they also were having trouble on the ice, so it at least they had not gotten to her yet.
Sydney knew she just had to stall for time, her Dad and new Aunt would be coming soon to save her. She had to keep thinking that if not she would be paralyzed with fear. This wasn't something she had ever imagined happening to her. She was not trained for something like this, could one be ever trained for someone like this? Of course her Dad would be, Sydney just knew if there was training for being chased through an ice rink without skates on, Jack Bristow would have gone through it.
Hearing shots being fired, Sydney let herself slide down onto the ice and then turned to see both men who had been following her were also laying on the ice but didn't seem to be moving. Looking up, Sydney smiled, her Dad must have finally gotten to the rink. Looking up there standing right outside a corner on the rink wasn't her Dad but instead with a gun in his hand was “Coach Mikey” Sydney stated with a question in her voice.
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Jack and Yekaterina had gotten in the skating rink through a back door that was only being guarded by one man who did not have his gun showing, not wanting to alert anyone what was going on inside the rink. Laura had wanted to come as well, but once they had gotten to the rink and found JJ with Agent Weiss, Jack had been able to talk Laura into staying with her freight eleven-year-old son.
Also, Jack had ordered Agent Weiss to look after his Laura and JJ. Jack wasn't happy that Agent Vaughn had left JJ with Weiss and gone back into the building to try to retrieve Sydney alone. Jack had been counting on Vaughn's knowledge of the rink to help him get in and out without being caught. But it seemed the younger man did not want to risk Sydney's safety any longer, by waiting for her Father to get there. Weiss had said they saw more men enter the skating rink, and Vaughn was worried about not being able to get in undetected if they waited.
So far the police had not arrived on the scene and only Weiss had gotten there because he was waiting for Vaughn to go eat with him after practice was over. The rest of the CIA agents should be showing up soon, along with Jack was sure the local police. Taking a deep breath he turned to look at Yekaterina knowing he was having to put his trust into this woman he did not know. She had saved Laura from Sloane and alerted them to JJ and Sydney being in trouble so, so far, she seemed to be somewhat truthful.
But being that she was a Russian, Jack wasn't going to put all his trust in her. She did seem to care about Laura, so hopefully if she was indeed Laura's sister she would not betray them to this other sister.
It had taken them a few minutes getting around without being spotted, but they finally were at a point where they could see the ice rink and Jack's breath caught in his throat there on the ice and being followed was Sydney slipping and sliding just ahead of two men with guns that were chasing her.
Jack was getting ready to run after them when Yekaterina had grabbed his arm, holding him back. He looked back at her, getting ready to pull himself free and give her a piece of his mind, when she let his arm go and put her finger to her lips then pointed in front of them. Jack could see three other men going towards Sydney and the others on the ice. Then he saw Sydney and the men following her fall down with the sound of gun shots. Jack's heart stopped beating until he saw Sydney start to move, knowing she was alive made Jack's heart start up again.
Jack saw who he believed to be Agent Vaughn holding a hand out to Sydney from the corner of the ice rink, trying to get her off the ice and back on solid ground. Jack could only hope that Sydney would know to trust Vaughn and let him help her off the ice and hopeful out of the rink.
Yekaterina grabbed his arm again, getting Jack's attention away from his daughter. The three men were getting closer towards Sydney and since Vaughn had already fired shots there was no use not using their guns they had to get to Sydney and the sooner, the better. Soon the three men when taken care of and Jack and Yekaterina were getting closer to their goal of getting to Sydney.
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“Coach Mikey” Vaughn cringed at hearing Miss Bristow call him that. The kids loved calling him that, so it didn't seem so bad coming from them,, but he truly hated being called Mikey. Also coming from a beautiful woman like Sydney Bristow it just seemed so wrong.
"Actually I go by Micheal the kids like calling me Mickey" Vaughn informed Sydney "I work with your Father. We need to get out of here" this was said as he held his hand out towards Sydney.
Sydney decided to trust Coach Mikey or Micheal as he liked to be called, he had a trustworthy face, so hopefully she wasn't making a mistake as she made her way towards him.
Sydney couldn't help but think wasn't Coach Mikey supposed to have gotten JJ out already. So what, had he just dumped her brother outside by himself then returned for her? That didn't sound like someone who would work with her Father. Which hopefully meant that there was more help than just Micheal here to get her out.
He had just grabbed her hand and help off the ice when a shot rang out again looking behind her, Sydney saw a woman walking towards her with a gun in her hand. She also felt Micheal beside her fall forward.
Vaughn pulled himself straight up within a few second his arms felt like he had been burned, and it hurt awful, but he could not let whoever shot him get to Sydney. He pulled her behind him as he felt his shirt rub against his wound, knowing that Jack would never forgive him if he let someone hurt Sydney.
"Next time I aim for the head dear, Come to Auntie Elena if you want this man to live" Elena told her niece in a stone-cold voice that told of just what would happen if she didn't comply. Sydney nodded her head slowly, coming from behind Vaughn.
“No” Vaughn said as he held up his unharmed arm with his gun in hand. "Stay behind me"
“So brave” Elena said then fired another shot that would have hit Vaughn square in the head if it wasn't for Sydney pushing him to the side. "Yet so stupid, come here now if you want him to live"
Sydney's side stepped Vaughn and walked towards her newly acquired Aunt, not wanting to anger the woman farther. Knowing the next shot would end up being a kill shot.
Grabbing Sydney by her arm, Elena laughed looking her over she looked so like her younger sister Irina such a shame what happened to her sister, that she hadn't been able to help her as she should have. Irina should have been with her now helping her achieve Rambaldi end game, not being turned into a kindergarten teacher.
But all that matter was that Rambaldi prophecy would be coming true very soon. Elena had spent what seemed to be her whole life waiting for the moment it would come true. It didn't matter if losing her younger sister or really either sister was the cost for the prophecy to happen. All that mattered was that it did happen.
Having a gun to her niece head as she dragged her towards the front doors of the building, her car with a driver was out front just waiting for them. Elena knew she had to get them out there before the police showed up. She had hired a group to reroute the 911 calls to a call center of her own. Making sure that no calls about the skating rink would get through, but other emergency calls did.
Sloane was supposed to be getting Irina at the same time she got the children. But she had not heard from the man since right before he entered the Bristow household. Which either meant he had double-crossed her, or something had gone wrong with their plan. Knowing just what type of man Sloane was, either could be possible.
But Irina wasn't that important to the plan, no she needed Sydney, so a smirk came upon Elena face as she opened the front door using her back and dragged her niece through it. All the while watching the young man she shot earlier following after them. She had to give the man credit as blood was dripping down his arm, he kept coming. .
Perhaps that's why she never saw it coming, but felt the bullet rip through her left knee. Standing a few feet behind her was Weiss with his gun raised, having seen the woman dragging her victim out the door and hearing Mrs. Bristow scream that's my daughter she's got sent him into action.
Pulling Sydney down with her, Elena wasn't going to allow anyone to take away what she had to fight so hard and long for. If she couldn't have Sydney, no one would. So Elena put her gun up to her niece terrified head, Sydney heard the shot and closed her eyes knowing she was about to be hit, trying to will herself not to be afraid to die.
But a few seconds went by and all she felt was the grab her supposed Aunt had on her fall away. Opening her eyes, Sydney took a deep breath and jumped away from the now dead woman's embrace.
Vaughn having following them out the door was now next to Sydney silently checking her over for any wounds but seeing none he relaxed just in time to see a car speed away. Looking up, he was happy to see Weiss there with a gun in his hand, but was surprised to see Laura Bristow standing off to the side of Weiss with a gun in her hand as well. And from the shocked look on the older woman's face, Vaughn had a good idea of who shot that last round off.
Sydney turned and looked at Elena and seen a sight she had never wanted to see again, flashes of finding Danny run through her mind. There was an exit wound coming out of Elena's forehead. She was truly dead and Sydney couldn't help but be relieved that even if this woman had been her blood Aunt, it was a good thing she wasn't alive any longer.
“Sydney” Laura called after the shock of what she had just done to save her daughter I left her. “Sydney” was called again from the front of the skating rink as Jack Bristow made his way out, seeing his daughter laying on the ground had almost given him a heart attack. But he could see Agent Vaughn was beside her, and she seemed to be talking to him. The woman next to Sydney looked to be dead which was good, at least to him, he wasn't sure how Yekaterina would feel on that subject.
"Are you okay?" Vaughn asked Sydney, she just nodded her head 'yes' not trusting her voice at the moment until she saw her coming up to them.
“Daddy” Sydney said trying to get herself up off the ground "Micheal needs medical attention he's been shot"
Jack took his eyes off his daughter then and looked at his younger friend and did notice the blood covered sleeve. "Where is the police at? You need to be looked at?"
Vaughn just shook is head then looked at Weiss who was at the moment heading back towards the Bristrow vehicle where JJ was safety inside. Vaughn just hoped the little boy had seen what had just happened in front of the Rink.
Laura had stepped over the body of the woman she had shot and hugged her daughter. Sydney looked like she had been through the ringer. Her poor little girl did not need this, she had been through so much already. Turning to see Jack and Coach Mike, Laura saw the blood on the younger man's shirt and the gun he held, just the way Jack and Mike were standing gave off a vibe that they knew each other well. That was something Laura knew she would be asking about later.
Yekaterina slowly made her way to her fallen sister, tears lining her eyes. How had this come about, she had seen Irina shot their sister. How could life become so unfair that one sister had to shoot another to save their child's life? How could Elena have done such horrible things? How could she have tried to kill their niece like that? Where could have Elena's heart have gone? Yekaterina cried her heart out now for the woman her laid dead before her, but for the girl she had once been.
Yekaterina cried for the three sisters that once had loved each other dearly, and now only one of them remembered that. Looking up through her tears though, she could see Irina holding onto her daughter and knew not everything was lost. There would be life after this.
Epilogue
Jack Bristrow was grilling outside the beach house they had rented for the summer. So far he had grilled a package of hot dogs and a dozen hamburgers and was now working on some pork chops. The kids should be getting here any minute now. He couldn't wait to see them, ever since JJ moved out, it seemed to Jack he didn't get to see either his daughter or son enough. Laura would remind him that both of their children were adults now with their own lives to live.
That didn't matter to Jack though, he wanted to see more of his children, especially seeing as he was retiring now he had the spare time to spend with them. JJ was just finishing up college and would soon be following into his Father's footsteps, joining the CIA.
Sydney had decided to do physical therapy full time, it might have had something to do with helping Vaughn make sure he could use his arm fully again. She had felt it was her place to help the younger man after he was shot, protecting her from her crazy Aunt.
Sydney seemed to really enjoy her job, so Jack was happy for her. His daughter had been through so much and to see her happy was all he wanted for her. Of course, it wasn't his job now to see to Sydney's happiness as much since she had gotten married over five years ago.
Never in his wildest dreams did Jack Bristrow ever think that one Micheal Vaughn would one day be calling his Father-in-law. But then again, stranger things had happened in his life. Like marrying a Russian spy, having your wife almost die and lose all her memories. To fall in love with her all over again. That part right there, falling in love with Laura all over again, was what saved their marriage.
Because when it came right down to it, Jack could not, not, love the Laura he had spent the last twenty years with. The wife that was faithful, that gave him a son, along with being a wonderful loving Mother to their daughter.
She was also a wonderful Grandmother to their two grandchildren Isabel and J.D. . To say Jack was surprised that Sydney and Micheal had named their son after him and JJ would be putting it mildly, he had no idea they were going to do that. Jonathan Daniel Vaughn was such a joy to have around, he was just starting to really get into things at almost two.
Yekatrine was also going to be making an appearance today, she kept in touch now and there. Laura and she talked once in a while as well. Which was something Jack hoped the CIA never learned. Jack himself actually liked his sister-in-law, she had proved herself to not be crazy like Elena had been. She also kept an eye out for any trouble.
"Jack, is the food done yet? I see the kids cars pulling in" Laura yelled out the window as she tried to finish getting all the side dishes done. She could wait until she got her hands on her grand babies.
"Just finishing up right now" Jack said as he told off the last pork chop and headed inside, so he could spend time with his family and the woman he loved.
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