And it's back!

It's been like two months and about two fits from me about it but it's back!

This is set in season four and I tried to be as general as possible with it. But there are spoilers and if you don't want to be spoiled, don't read. Oh yes and this is the last chapter. No really. It is.

Game rules are explained in chapter two and this chapter as well.

Enjoy!

Sydney wasn't sure whether the worst part about working at APO was her father or Sloane. She couldn't stand to be around her father because he had killed her mother. Yes, he killed Irina to save her, Sydney, but that didn't console her much.

And Sloane… well, he was the bastard who lied to her for six years and killed her fiancé.

She was stuck and she knew it.

The only bright side was that Dixon was her partner again, Vaughn and her were beginning to connect once more, and her sister was living with her. Alright, so the good outweighed the bad numerically, but that was a lot of hurt from the bad.

"We need to take a break," Weiss announced, leaning back in his chair.

Sydney, Weiss, Vaughn and Nadia were sitting around the white table at APO, discussing the best way to find Nightingale (whatever that was). Jack and Sloane were in Prague (for whatever reason, neither had specified) and Dixon had the night off to be with his kids.

So the quartet was left to man things at the fort.

"I second that," Nadia murmured, dropping her pen.

"Third," Vaughn added in running his hand through his already spiky hair.

Sydney was tempted to throw in the hat as well. "We have to figure this out."

"We're not going to do that on fried brains and empty stomachs," Weiss pointed out.

"When's the food going to get here?" Vaughn asked.

"How long ago did you order the food?" Nadia questioned looking a little confused.

"Sydney ordered it," Vaughn answered, "Ask her."

"No I didn't," Sydney defended. "Weiss was supposed to."

"I told Nadia to," Weiss put in.

"And I told Vaughn to," Nadia added.

"And I told Sydney to," Vaughn concluded.

"Brilliant plan guys," Weiss said sardonically checking his watch. "It's too late to order from anywhere."

"Maybe we should go home," Nadia suggested.

Sydney opened her mouth to protest but it was Vaughn who answered. "No, Sloane and Jack left us with this work, we have to get it done by tomorrow."

"It's already tomorrow," Weiss pointed out showing them his watch. It was about fifteen after twelve.

"You know what I mean," Vaughn answered patiently.

"I'm starved," Weiss argued. "And tired."

"There's a fridge here," Sydney stated, pushing back from the table and standing up. The other three watched her as she walked across the office towards Sloane's office.

"Figures," Weiss muttered shaking his head wistfully. "You know what we should do?" He asked, perking up a little.

"What?" Vaughn asked boredly.

"Well, we need a little break, so what better way to get that break but play that game," Weiss explained.

Vaughn sat up straighter, obviously liking that idea.

"What game?" Nadia asked.

"The game," Weiss replied vaguely.

"That's helpful," Nadia muttered.

"A game me and Mike made up in our college years," Weiss explained for her. "He and Sydney used to play it all the time."

"Not all the time," Vaughn defended.

"Only on missions, whatever," Weiss replied.

"You forgot that we need liquor," Sydney said suddenly. She had four sodas, and various food items including popcorn, leftovers, and string cheese in her hands. "And we don't have any here."

Weiss fell silent at this.

"We can improvise," Vaughn piped up. "Like we did with Mexico, when we used the ice cream."

"You used ice cream?" Weiss asked sounding scandalized.

Vaughn shushed him.

"Soda's not really the same," Sydney countered.

"But we can mix soda with other things," Nadia said her eyes taking on a mischievous light.

"Like some nasty concoction thing." So that's what Weiss called it. Very scientific.

Sydney rolled her eyes and placed the soda and food in front of Weiss and Nadia. "You two knock yourselves out."

Weiss and Nadia grabbed the food stuffs and one of the glasses of water off the table and started adding things to it. It looked rancid and was starting to smell like it too.

"Do you have cards?" Sydney asked Vaughn.

Vaughn shook his head. "No… for once I don't."

"You're a failure to all of us," Weiss mocked finally catching a whiff of his concoction.

"Marshall has some," Nadia commented, not looking up. "Or I saw him fiddling with a deck of cards two days ago."

"Knowing Marshall, they're rigged to explode," Sydney joked.

"All the more fun," Weiss answered. "Go get 'em."

"Yes, sir," Sydney rolled her eyes moving to go for the cards.

"I'll get them," Vaughn offered bypassing her.

She threw up her hands and turned back to her sister and partner. "Do either of you realize that you're going to have to take a drink of that at least once?"

Weiss stopped and frowned at the concoction. "That's not a pleasant thought."

"What do you mean, drink it?" Nadia asked. Someone had yet to explain the rules of the game to her but if it involved drinking the concoction, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"You'll see," Sydney answered off handedly.

"Okay, seriously," Nadia said after Vaughn had returned with the cards and Weiss had finished mixing random things into the glass. "What is this game?"

"Vaughn and Weiss made it up in their college days," Sydney started.

Nadia raised an eyebrow. "Okay…."

"Mike, you explain," Weiss ordered.

Vaughn rolled his eyes. "Alright. You get a half or third or fourth or whatever of the deck and you draw a card out of it. You get a card from a two to a five and you ask someone truth or dare? Got it?"

Nadia nodded.

"Draw a card six through ten and you make someone take a shot. Okay?"

Nadia nodded again.

"Any of the face cards, jack, queen, king, and someone has to give you money. Jack you get five. Queen, ten. And king, twenty. Alright?"

Another nod.

"Okay, now for the aces. The ace of spades, diamonds, and clubs are strip cards. You have to strip an article of clothing."

"I know what striping is," Nadia answered.

Vaughn nodded. "Well… Weiss doesn't."

Weiss stuck his tongue out at Vaughn.

"And the ace of hearts is the kiss card. You have to kiss someone."

"Or someone has to kiss you," Sydney reworded to make it sound a little less strange.

Nadia nodded, licking her lips. "So who goes first?"

"You," Weiss answered. "Because you asked."

"Should I feel honored?" Nadia murmured sarcastically.

"Yes," Weiss told her immediately.

"Well in that case," Nadia replied smiling slightly. "Deal the cards."

Two minutes later, Vaughn had the cards shuffled and passed out to the four players. They'd decided that Nadia would go, and then Weiss, and then Vaughn, and finally Sydney in that time.

"Um… nine. Oh, that means you have to drink the concoction, doesn't it?"

Weiss grimaced and nodded as Vaughn laughed and pushed the glass towards him.

"Drink up," Vaughn mocked.

"Shut up," Weiss shot back grumpily, gingerly picking up the glass. At the last minute he pinched his nose to block the taste and took a drink. "Oh, I got a chunk of something in there."

Sydney laughed into the back of her hand. "Then I hope I never have to drink any of it."

"Oh but you will Bristow," Weiss commented vaguely causing Sydney to roll her eyes.

"Just go," Vaughn interrupted.

"Queen," Weiss muttered, taking the top card off of his deck. "Give me ten dollars Vaughn."

"Someone's demanding," Nadia teased.

"He deserves it. He took my money the last time," Weiss countered indignantly.

"No I didn't," Vaughn answered. "Sydney did."

"Oh yes, and you gave me liquor," Weiss muttered. "Now I remember." That wasn't exactly the truth but hey, whatever he wanted to think right?

Vaughn rolled his eyes and reached for a card. "Two. Truth or dare Sydney?"

"That question just keeps getting more pathetic with every year," Sydney murmured sarcastically. "Umm… truth."

"Chicken," Nadia murmured causing Weiss to laugh.

"If you could choose one animal, any animal to keep as a pet, which one would you chose?" Vaughn asked.

"That's an odd question," Sydney commented. "Uh… I'd say an elephant."

"Why?"

"Next truth or dare question," She answered shrugging, turning over a card herself. "Five. Truth or dare Nadia?

"Dare."

"Adventurous," Sydney teased. "I dare you to… say something disturbing in French to Weiss."

"What?" Weiss asked. "I don't speak French. Well, not very well."

"My point," Sydney answered.

"Ummm…." Nadia thought for a moment before saying, "Vous m'allumez."

Both Sydney and Vaughn burst out laughing. It wasn't very proper French and it was pretty primitive but the general idea of it was pretty funny.

"What'd she say?" Weiss asked confused.

"Couldn't tell you," Vaughn answered.

"Oh come on," Weiss grumbled. "You were born in France. Tell me."

Vaughn shrugged. "Dunno. Ask her."

"I forgot," Nadia said innocently.

"Sydney…" Weiss said hinting.

"Nope," Sydney shook her head. "I don't know either. It's your turn again Nadia."

"I hate you all," Weiss muttered.

"I know," Nadia sighed, picking off a card. "Ace of spades. That means Weiss has to strip, right?"

Vaughn nodded as Weiss grumbled under his breath, loosening and removing his tie.

"That's not fair," Nadia protested.

"Technically, I only have to remove on article of clothing, thank you very much," Weiss answered, tossing the tie onto the table. "Eight, ha!"

Vaughn glared at him. That drink was not looking inviting. Especially after Weiss got a chunk of something in his. He followed Weiss's lead and pinched his nose while taking a drink. "Phew… no chunk."

"Rip off," Weiss muttered.

"Quiet you," Nadia murmured teasingly.

"Eight… sorry Syd," Vaughn remarked giving her an apologetic look as well.

Sydney was too busy staring at the glass to notice the look.

"Drink it," Weiss hissed at her.

"Didn't Nadia tell you shut up?" Sydney hissed back grabbing the glass and taking a drink as quickly as humanly possible. She didn't pause to plug her nose either. Gross. "That's disgusting," She coughed.

"You're telling me, I got a chunk of something," Weiss answered.

Sydney coughed again and grabbed a card. "Nine. Tough luck, Nadia."

"You're telling me," Nadia murmured, taking the glass from Sydney and after giving it a reproachful look, she took a drink of it as well. Though unlike her sister, she remembered to plug her nose before doing so. "Alright, whose idea was this to use this for the shots?"

"Weiss's," Sydney and Vaughn answered simultaneously.

"Thanks for the help guys," Weiss quipped.

"Anytime," Vaughn replied.

"Okay, moving on," Nadia said quickly grabbing a card. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"I don't know. Truth," Weiss answered.

"He said truth!" Sydney mocked.

"Yes, yes, now give me the question," Weiss grumbled.

"Vaughn, I'm going to take yours. What kind of animal would you want as a pet?" Nadia asked after a pause.

"A llama," Weiss responded immediately causing three different eyebrows to arch.

"I don't think I want to know," Nadia said slowly.

"Good thinking," Weiss agreed as he reached for his deck. "Eight. Your luck with me just sucks."

Vaughn gave him another glare as he took the glass from Nadia. After he grimaced, drank, and swallowed, he grabbed a card, eager to get his turn over with. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Sydney answered. She wasn't feeling so adventurous today.

"Why would you want an elephant?"

Sydney laughed softly and shrugged. "I don't know. I just would."

"You have to have a reason," He pressed.

She shook her head and smiled lightly. "Nope. Just like them. That's all."

"Can't fight that logic," Weiss put in sarcastically.

Sydney smiled again, rolling her eyes playfully while grabbing her next card. "Another five. So truth or dare Nadia?"

Nadia shrugged slightly before saying, "Truth."

"Question of the day, what animal would you want as a pet?" Sydney answered.

"I used to have this dog, when I lived in the orphanage," Nadia answered. "I don't know what happened to it after I ran away. I'd like to have him back."

"Deep answer," Weiss nodded. "Make the rest of us feel bad."

Nadia laughed and shrugged her indifference. "Three. Truth or dare?" She asked Weiss.

"I'll go with truth since that's the trend these days," Weiss replied.

Nadia laughed again and asked, "Why would you want a llama?"

"Because of the name, duh," Weiss answered. He sounded actually sort of serious there.

"Wait-huh?" Nadia asked.

"Kidding," Weiss said. "I don't know. Sydney's reason. I just like them."

"Can't fight that logic," Sydney repeated.

"Exactly," Weiss agreed grabbing his next card. "Queen. You're in luck, you don't have to drink the chunky goo; you have to give me money again."

"It must be my lucky day," Vaughn answered rolling his eyes grabbing his wallet and handing his best friend ten dollars.

"Why thank you," Weiss mocked. "I think I'll eat out for lunch this week."

"You do that every week," Nadia pointed out.

"Every day in fact," Sydney added.

"For free," Weiss told them. "If you'd let me finish, you would know that."

"I see," Nadia murmured. "Any chance I can get on the free lunch?"

"Only because you're dating me," Weiss answered.

"I feel so privileged."

"Good, that is the plan."

"Alright, I'm going," Vaughn announced, breaking up Weiss and Nadia's conversation. "Three. Truth or dare?"

Sydney laughed at his impatience and rudeness. "Truth."

"Ask her why you two were really late coming back from Russia," Weiss coughed not very discreetly and not in one breath.

"I know why we were late," Vaughn answered. "So why would I ask her?"

"So we know," Weiss explained .

"What if I don't want you to know?" Vaughn asked.

"Tell me," Weiss ordered.

"No," Vaughn answered stubbornly.

"Just ask a question," Sydney suggested.

"Do it," Weiss hissed.

"Fine," Vaughn grumbled. "Sydney… why were we late coming back from Russia?"

"We had dinner," Sydney explained rolling her eyes playfully. "In France."

"I knew it!" Weiss accused.

"Knew what?" Vaughn asked.

"That you two got over your boring phase," Weiss remarked. "Congratulations."

"Shut up," Vaughn ordered.

"Ten," Sydney interrupted, already having turned over another card. "Sorry Nadia."

"It's okay," Nadia assured her, looking apprehensively at the glass. "It's not that bad…" She took a drink and coughed, having forgotten to plug her nose. "I lied. That's disgusting."

Weiss laughed. "Which is why… I'll never drink that actually tasting it," He answered.

"You will," Sydney threatened vaguely.

"Mmmhmm." Weiss answered disbelieving.

"Anyway…" Nadia said interrupting that banter. "Queen. Give me ten of those dollars."

"Yes ma'am." Weiss replied, handing her one of the tens he'd received from Vaughn. "And… it's a four. Darn, truth or dare?"

"I'll go with truth," Vaughn answered.

"I'm going to throw your question back at you, what animal for a pet?"

"A crooked necked giraffe," Vaughn told him almost immediately causing Sydney to smile.

"What the hell?" Weiss asked, completely confused.

"Ask me later," Vaughn answered grabbing a card. "Hmmm… a four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Sydney answered still smiling.

"Um… oddest childhood memory?"

Sydney bit her lip as she usually did when thinking. "I've told you this already but my father used to encrypt my crossword puzzles."

Nadia and Weiss's mouths fell open a little before Weiss asked, "Jack used to encrypt crossword puzzles?"

"I think he still does," Sydney shrugged, grabbing her next card. "Ooh, king. That means twenty."

"Damn," Nadia cursed, handing Sydney the ten she's received from Weiss and then another ten from her purse. "That's not fun giving up the money."

"No it's not," Vaughn agreed.

"Ten," Nadia said turning over a card. "That means you have to take a drink."

"Taste it," Sydney hissed hintingly.

"No," Weiss answered defiantly, plugging his nose and taking a drink. He threw her a look before picking off his next card. "And that would a… Jack. Five dollars now."

"How is it that I always give you all my money?" Vaughn muttered rhetorically, giving Weiss a five.

"Because the cards hate you," Weiss replied mocking seriousness.

"I see," Vaughn mumbled. "Six. Sorry Syd."

Sydney grimaced and took her drink of the chunky goo as it was now called, coughing slightly afterwards. "Four," She said quickly grabbing a card. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Nadia answered.

"Once again, I'm taking Vaughn's question. Oddest childhood memory?"

Nadia laughed softly. "When I was nine… I used to live in a box."

"You lived in a box?" Weiss repeated and she nodded in response. "Now that's just sad."

"Well, I was homeless," Nadia defended. "And it was dry."

"Good reasons," Weiss muttered sarcastically.

"I bet you couldn't spend one night outside in a box," Nadia challenged.

"I could," Weiss countered. "I just prefer not to."

"I'm sure," Nadia murmured, turning over her next card. "Two, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to spend the night in a box outside," She dared immediately. "Tonight."

"Tonight?" Weiss repeated.

"Yes, tonight." Nadia confirmed, "In fact. Right now."

"This minute right now?"

"Yes, come on. I think there's a box on the subway platform." Nadia pushed her chair back and stood up, grabbing Weiss's arm and pulling him too. "We'll see you tomorrow." She added to Vaughn and Sydney.

"Have fun in your box," Vaughn called after them rolling his eyes slightly.

Sydney giggled. "You don't think she's actually going to make him stay in a box do you?"

"Most likely," Vaughn answered. "And he'd deserve it."

"You're so nice," Sydney teased. "And I think it's your turn."

"We're still going to play even though your sister and my best friend just abruptly left us?" Vaughn asked, a definite teasing note in his voice.

"That's the plan," Sydney answered. "Unless you have a better plan."

Vaughn shrugged and shook his head. "Nah… I'd rather not think about Nightingale and my father anymore." She nodded slightly in response as he went for another card. "Jack."

She laughed softly and made the move like she was going to rip the ten in half so he added quickly, "Can I get an actual five, not half of a ten?" Another laugh from her and a nod and she reached into her purse for an actual five, handing it to him nicely. "Why thank you. Your turn."

"Thank you for reminding me," She quipped rolling her eyes. "King. Twenty dollars, ha."

He laughed and handed her a twenty. "And there goes all of my money."

"You have more," She answered dismissively.

"Yeah…" He agreed reaching for a card. "Jack. Ha."

She gave him a look, giving him another five. "See you made ten dollars."

"And gave away about forty," He pointed out.

"That's not my fault," She countered, grabbing her next card. "Seven. There, no money."

"Yeah, but the goo," He grumbled, taking his drink grimacing. "That gets more disgusting each time."

She shrugged and waved her hand towards his deck, silently telling him to go. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"No dares today?" He asked. "And that doesn't count as my question."

She smiled slyly and shook her head. "Nope and yes it does."

"No it doesn't."

"Well, it does now," She explained. "Sorry."

"No you're not."

"And?"

"Just saying."

"Good," She replied, turning over her next card. "Six. Shot… again."

"I think you like me having to drink this stuff," He accused lightly after taking yet another drink.

"Not really," She admitted. "Because I have to kiss that mouth of yours."

"I'll brush my teeth," He told her. "As long as you brush yours."

"You can count on that," She answered laughing softly.

"Good." He nodded. "And… ten. Aww… poor you."

She rolled her eyes at this mocking tone. "Don't sound too upset," She shot back after taking her drink.

"I'll do my best."

"Good," She answered. "King. Huh… the cards must want you to be poor."

"Yes, that's it," He agreed sarcastically tossing her a twenty. "What's Sydney getting this time?"

"A pen that has a hidden knife in it," She replied thoughtfully. "So I can stab Sloane with it if he tries anything."

"You could probably get one of those from Marshall for free," Vaughn pointed out.

"I could," Sydney agreed. "But I'd rather say that I bought one for twenty dollars."

This caused Vaughn to laugh. "Strange woman you are," He murmured, turning over a card. "Ace of diamonds."

"You're enjoying this," She muttered, unbuttoning her suit jacket and slipping it off her shoulders.

"Not as much as I could be," He answered causing her to roll her eyes.

"After you brush your teeth," She responded.

"Same for you."

She nodded and picked off a card. "King. I wonder if the cards really do want you to be poor."

"Finally, someone who listens," He joked tossing her the twenty.

She laughed, rolling her eyes playfully at him. "Just go."

"Yes ma'am," He answered turning over a card. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Have you ever…" He paused, trying to think of a good way to finish the sentence. "… No, scratch that. What do you miss the most?"

"From what?" She asked, slightly confused.

He hesitated, not sure if he should ask her this question but he had wanted to know for a long time now. "From your old apartment, before it burned down. You had a lot of stuff. What do you miss the most?"

She bit her lip and looked down at the table, shifting her weight in the chair. "Umm… I had this picture, of me and my parents when I was like four. Before I found out the truth about my mother, I used to love looking at it. I think it was burned in the fire."

He nodded slowly. "Probably was." He remarked softly.

"I know," She answered. "It's your turn."

He smiled at her suddenly changing the subject and somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered why he always seemed to ask a question that turned everything somber all of the sudden. "Ha!" He murmured, after turning over a card.

"What?" She asked, not having seen the card. His smile grew as he turned the card around for her to see.

Instantly, Sydney smiled as well before she teased, "We are definitely brushing our teeth before we carry out that card."

Vaughn laughed and nodded. "Good idea." He agreed.

Oh yes, this had definitely been a good idea.