CHAPTER 20

THE DEAL

CHAPTER 20

MONTH LATER: BOOKSTORE

Alexa looks at the book in her hand as she walks when suddenly she bumps into a larger body as she walks into the person causing her to drop her books, "Sorry" she mutters kneeling to pick up her books.

"My fault."

Alexa looks up to see a man not much older than her with shaggy brown hair with brown eyes wearing worn blue jeans, a white tank top under a short-sleeved dress shirt "Mine... I wasn't paying attention." She says nervously as she starts to pick up the books.

"Here." He picks up the book nearest him holding it out to her.

"Thanks." Alexa takes the book giving him a shy smile.

"Names Rath." He holds out his hand.

Alexa searches the man's eyes seeing the kindness yet something undefined, "Alexa" she says softly as she shakes his hand.

"A lot of books there."

Alexa shrugs "I like to read."

"Alexa" a voice says worried.

Alexa turns to see Weiss standing behind her holding Niko's hand.

"I was looking for you." Weiss looks at the young man standing beside Alexa, "Did you get everything you wanted?" He asks

Alexa nods

Niko looks at the man "Who you?" He demands

"Niko" Weiss chastises gently "you know your mother wouldn't like you being rude."

Rath chuckles "Its fine." He crouches before the little boy, "The name's Rath. We cool?"

Niko regards the man thoughtfully seizing him up "Don't know you. Daddy said no talking to strangers."

Rath nods "Smart thinking." He smiles at the boy then stands looking at Alexa, "Enjoy your books." He walks away.

"You know your Dad is going to have a fit about you talking to some strange guy." Weiss says picking Niko up.

"Then don't tell him."

"I won't tell him... unless he asks." Weiss assures "Now lets pay for those books and get you two home. I promised Sam I would have you both home in time. Jack is coming over to keep an eye on you two for a few hours."

"Mama and Daddy call soon?" Niko asks hopefully.

"They are supposed to call before you go to bed." Weiss answers as he smiles at the boy.

Rath watches from the shadows as the girl walks away with the dark haired man with the little boy. He removes his phone pressing a button, "Its me. Yeah I found her. What now?" He listens for a moment then nods, "You'll owe me for this... big time." He hangs up reaching up he fingers the tattoo on the back of his neck.

LATER THAT NIGHT: HOUSE

Alexa sits on the bed phone in hand.

"Niko said you spoke with a stranger." Sark remarks

Alexa sighs, "We didn't really talk much. I bumped into him when we were at the bookstore. I dropped my books and he helped me out. That was it... Weiss and Niko showed up before we said much."

"All right."

"Niko didn't have to tell you."

"He's three Alexa. He just rambles and says things"

"I know."

"How was school?"

"It was fine. A typical day at school."

"Good."

"When are you going to be back?" Alexa asks

"Not really sure. Hopefully soon." Sark answers. "Is your homework done?"

"It's always done." Alexa reminds

"True." Sark agrees. "I better go. We'll check in tomorrow."

"OK."

"Sleep well."

"Night Dad." Alexa hangs up setting the phone on the nightstand.

SAME TIME: PRAGUE

"How is she?" Sydney asks

"Good." Sark answers. "Let's get this done." He joins Sydney at the table.

"Who was the guy?"

"Didn't say and I didn't ask."

"Why not?"

"I didn't see the point." Sark shrugs "It was just some guy at a bookstore. It is doubtful she'll ever see him again."

Sydney nods

LATER THAT NIGHT: BUILDING

Sydney lugs an unconscious Sark into an empty rundown building. She looks at Sark's dirt and blood streaked face as he lies on the floor. "Sark... baby wake up." She says softly. She bites her lower lip looking around the empty building. 'I can't leave him here alone.' She sits down her back against the wall as she gently lifts his head onto her lap gently stroking his cheek relieved to see him breathing. 'I need you Sark. Don't leave me.'

SAME TIME: LA

"Jack we have a problem." Vaughn sticks his head in Jack's office.

Jack looks up "What is it?"

"Sydney and Sark haven't checked in. An explosion has been reported but nothing on Sydney or Sark."

Jack frowns standing he follows Vaughn out of his office, "What do you mean they haven't checked in?"

"They were supposed to call after the party but they haven't. Marshall checked the footage of the area and we saw them leave the party but after that... nothing." Vaughn answers

"Their trackers aren't even working." Marshall says nervously.

"How can they not be working?"

"Well they could have removed them" Marshall muses "or someone could be blocking them." He shrugs "It could be anything."

"Find them." Jack orders. "Check all sources in Prague and see if anyone knows anything."

"Yes sir." Vaughn nods

NEXT MORNING: PRAGUE

Sark groans opening his eyes, "What the bloody hell happened?"

Sydney looks at Sark relieved to hear him, "Sark"

"Syd um as much as I like this position why am I like this?"

"You hit your head in the explosion and passed out. I've been waiting for you to wake up." Sydney answers

"What time is it?" Sark asks

Sydney looks at her watch, "5."

"How long have I been out?"

"Since after one."

Sark slowly sits up a wave of dizziness hitting him, "Oh hell"

"Dizzy?" Sydney asks sympathetically.

Sark grimaces "Did you check in?"

"No. I wasn't going to leave you unconscious here."

"Jack is going to bloody kill me."

"I'll handle Dad." Sydney assures "Let me see your head." She moves closer and inspects the gash on the back of his head. "Not too bad."

"I never pass out" Sark mutters

"You hit your head hard Sark. For all I know you could have fractured your skull." She shivers "I couldn't take you to a hospital without being suspicious." She bites her lip blinking back tears.

"I'm fine Sydney." Sark assures wiping away the tear that slides down her cheek. "Don't cry." He gently kisses her forehead.

"Sark" she says her voice trembling.

"Really I'm fine." He kisses her lightly then pulls back searching Sydney's gaze, "Really." He assures

Sydney kisses him back pouring all her emotions into the passionate kiss. 'I almost lost him.' She pulls back looking at him seeing the understanding in his gaze and it hits her, 'I love him. I'm in love with Sark.'

Sark kisses her in return, 'I love her. I love her.'

WHILE LATER

Sark runs his fingers through Sydney's hair, "I can't say it Sydney."

"I know. I don't know if I can either." Sydney lifts her head looking at Sark.

"My reasons are different than yours." Sark gently tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

Sydney kisses his palm, "I know you still love your wife."

"Its not just about Eva." Sark admits. "Its just... saying those words... everyone I've ever said it to I've lost." He brushes his fingers down her cheek "I said it to my Mother, Eva, Alexa... Niko... and I lost them all. I may have Niko and Alexa back but I've lost so much with Alexa. I can't say those words."

"I'm not ready to say them either... doesn't mean they aren't there." She kisses his chest "We'll say them when we're ready." She sits up reaching for her clothes, "We should get moving. Dad is probably on the verge of having a heart attack." She pulls on her panties and bra as Sark grabs his clothes.

"You know he's going to blame me for the fact we missed check in."

"I'll deal with him." Sydney assures as she finishes dressing. "God this is weird"

"What is?"

"I'm now defending the man who used to try to kill me on a weekly basis." Sydney looks at Sark to see him looking at her amused. "How'd we get this way?"

"Who knows" Sark shrugs

"I still think you're an arrogant ass."

"I still think you're a pain in the ass."

"I am not!"

"Yes you are. You always found a way to ruin my well planned plots."

"Because I'm good." Sydney smirks

"That you are." Sark agrees kissing her lightly. "Come on. Let's get this done." He finishes tying his combat boots.

COUPLE HOURS LATER: LA

"Dad"

Jack sighs in relief "Sydney are you OK? What happened?"

"We'll explain when we get back. We just need to change our clothes and we'll catch a flight out. It'll be a few switch flights."

"All right. Just be careful."

"Any evidence of us being the ones who did it?"

"No. The explosion destroyed everything."

"Good."

"See you when you get back." Jack sighs relieved to hear his daughter's voice.

NEXT AFTERNOON: CIA

"How'd it go?" Dixon asks as Sydney and Sark as the group sits in the conference room.

"Fine. Only problem was dealing with the explosion." Sydney answers. "Good think he's so damn hardheaded." She glares at Sark.

"Shut it Bristow." Sark scowls "Head still hurts."

"Wuss." Sydney retorts

"Hey getting knocked out in an explosion isn't like you slamming my head into walls."

"I should slam your head into a wall again." Sydney threatens

"Enough you two." Jack says annoyed. "We're not here to listen to you two pick on each other... like always."

"He started it."

"I did not you bloody started it!" Sark argues

"Stop acting like your five years old." Jack grinds out.

"Sorry." Sydney says sheepishly

"Sorry." Sark echoes

"All right what happened after the explosion?" Dixon asks

"We managed to get away. He was unconscious and I knew dragging him to the hospital wouldn't be a good idea." Sydney explains

SAME TIME: COMMUNITY CENTER

Alexa looks up startled to find the man from the bookstore enter carrying a backpack and a bike helmet. 'What's he doing here?'

"Alexa?"

Alexa tears her eyes away from the man and looks back at the sixth grader she is tutoring, "Yes?"

"Is this right?"

Alexa scans the girl's writing and nods "Yes." She looks up to see the man talking with the coordinator then turns back to the student she is tutoring.

COUPLE HOURS LATER

"So I run into you here as well."

Alexa turns abruptly startled at the voice and looks at Rath, "I was here first so what are you doing here?"

"Working. I'm the new art and mechanics teacher." Rath answers with a shrug. "What about you?"

"My Dad thought I needed something to do with my free time." Alexa shrugs "So here I am." She turns back to her packing her books. "It helps my mind... keeps me from thinking too much."

"Know how that goes." Rath says dryly.

Alexa looks at him thoughtfully, "I suppose you do."

"Alexa"

Hearing her Dad's voice Alexa grins looking up to see him walking towards her, "Dad"

Sark looks at the young man coolly, "Who are you?"

"Names Rath. I met your daughter and son at the bookstore the other day sir." Rath answers

"Rath works here now." Alexa says trying to placate her Dad sensing his protective streak threatening to appear.

Sark nods his eyes going to Alexa, "Are you ready to go?"

Alexa nods looking at Rath, "I guess I'll see you around."

"I guess so." Rath smirks faintly as he walks away.

Sark takes Alexa's backpack "So that's the guy you ran into." He says once in the car.

Alexa shrugs buckling her seatbelt. "You're back early."

"We finished early." Sark shrugs starting the car. "How was your day?"

"Good."

"You like working here don't you?" Sark asks

"It gives me something to do. Keeps me from thinking."

"I know... which is a good thing."

"Yeah."

"How did you sleep while we were gone?"

"OK I guess. I woke up that I know."

Sark smiles wryly, "I remember the first night you slept straight through without waking. We were so happy to finally sleep after two months of you waking every three hours. That only lasted until we got you your first bed."

"How so?"

"Most nights you would wake up and end up sleeping with us. So many mornings I would wake up to find you curled up between us sucking on your fingers or sprawled across us fast asleep. Sometimes you'd wake me up by hitting, kicking or rolling in your sleep." Sark chuckles "You were an active sleeper at times." He muses thoughtfully. "Your Mom loved it. She loved waking up to find you curled up between us."

Alexa looks out the car window

"You and I haven't had a chance to talk in a while. How about we go to the beach for a while?"

"Sure."

10 MINS LATER: BEACH

As they sit on the rocks Sark looks out at the water, "I remember the first time we took you to the beach. It was a few months after your first birthday and we had decided to go France for the weekend. You went to the edge of the water and just sat down laughing whenever the water came up to you. You loved it. You started crying when we left the beach."

Alexa rests her chin on her hands staring out at the water.

Sark glances at Alexa and chuckles, "God there are times that you are so much like your mother."

Alexa looks at her Dad surprised, "I am?"

Sark nods "She was an incredible woman. She'd be proud of you." He says sadly. "I wish she was here."

"You still love her."

"I always will. She was the first woman I ever loved. I never stopped loving her... never will." He slides his arm around Alexa's shoulder and kisses her temple. "She loved you Lex. You were everything to her."

Alexa's silent for a moment then asks, "You love Sydney don't you?"

Sark meets his daughter's gaze seeing the understanding and acceptance he nods "Yes I do. Are you OK with that?"

Alexa nods "I like Sydney. Does she know?"

"Yes." He searches Alexa's gaze, "Just because I love Sydney it doesn't mean I don't love your Mom."

"I know."

"I'm always going to love Eva and Sydney understands and accepts it."

Alexa nods

"Sydney and I have been through a lot together whether as enemies or anything else. I never thought we'd end up this way." He says thoughtfully. "At least you like Sydney. God knows you wouldn't have liked Ali... and she would have hated you."

"Who's Ali?"

"Alison... before and after your mother. She was a little... insane. She killed Sydney's best friend... tried to kill Sydney. Alison was killed in a fight by Sydney's other best friend. She was the closest I had to a best friend as a teenager... before I met your Mom."

"Did you love her?"

"No. Alison wasn't really capable of emotions other than anger, hate, and jealousy." Sark shrugs "The whole thing with Ali was complicated."

"Oh."

"We should get back."

"OK" Alexa stands with her Dad.

"So Rath looks... interesting."

"Dad" Alexa groans, "he is a guy I bumped into at a bookstore, that's it."

"And now he's working at the community center."

"The world isn't all conspiracy Dad." Alexa says amused.

"Just worry when people suddenly appear in my daughter's life."

"Don't... he's just a guy."

"I can't promise anything... you're my little girl and I have to worry."

"I know." Alexa grins "But I'm actually glad you worry."

"That's what Dad's do."

"I'm glad you aren't the stifling type of worrier." Alexa muses

"Not my style." Sark assures "Though if I see something that I need to worry about then you'll know."

"I know."

11PM: HOUSE

"Well that guy Alexa bumped into at the bookstore works at the community center." Sark informs Sydney as they pick up toys.

"What's he like?"

"I didn't stick around to find out much."

"How old is he?"

"He has to be at least 22." Sark muses

"Are you going to run a background check?"

"No, I think Alexa was right about the world not being a conspiracy. If I need to find out more about him I will. Right now he's just some guy."

Sydney nods "So you told her?"

"Yes. She took it well." Sark stops beside Sydney and reaches out brushing his finger down her jaw. "She knows that even though I still have feelings with you it doesn't mean I don't love her mother. I'm always going to love Eva... like you're always going to love Danny and Vaughn."

Sydney nods "We always love who we love."

"So I take it this is going to stay in the house." Sark states

"For now. I don't think everyone else is ready to accept things have changed between us... again."

"I agree." Sark nods

"Maybe when we're ready to say the words to each other perhaps then we'll be ready to tell everyone how we feel." Sydney kisses him lightly. "Thanks"

"For what?"

"For not pushing the subject of telling everyone."

"We'll tell them when they need to know." Sark shrugs pulling her close.

"How's your head?" Sydney asks reaching up to touch the bump on his head.

Sark winces "Not too bad."

Sydney looks at her fingers, "At least you didn't fracture your skull." She muses. "You know when I heard that sound of your head hitting the floor" she shivers "actually scared me."

"I'm fine Sydney." He kisses her forehead.

"I know. Just don't scare me like that again."

"I can't promise anything."

"I know." Sydney rests her head on his shoulder.

NEXT