{A/N – Hi there! just trying out a new idea. It was meant to be just a kind of venting of all the what ifs that go through my head whenever I watch my season two DVD's but once I started, I just couldn't stop going. Please R&R!!}

Irina lay next to the man she loved and listened as his breathing became heavy and she knew he was sleeping. The sedatives she had stirred into his drink had worked nicely and Jack wouldn't be awake for hours. She silently arose and dressed hastily. Looking at the sleeping man, she packed her things and put them into the family suitcase.

When she had received the order earlier that day to be gone from her temporary family by midnight, she had thought it would be easy, but saying goodbye had been harder than she thought. Her superiors had decided against the death of Laura Bristow as the authorities would not find a body and may become suspicious. They had decided that she would leave her neglectful husband and leave a note explaining how she no longer loved him and had wanted to be left alone.

The trouble was, even though Jack was always rushing off to work and more often than not fell asleep in his den, head deep In some kind of report or other, he was a loving husband who cared both for Laura and their daughter. They had had a conversation just that afternoon about how much they meant to each other. Irina had practically burst into tears there and then but managed to hold them in as Sydney pulled Jack off to play ball with the dog.

Upon the third draft of the goodbye letter, Irina threw the pad across the room angrily. She couldn't break their hearts like this. Jack stirred as the flutter of paper sounded next to the bed but didn't awake. Everything she wrote sounded wrong so she decided to go and say goodbye to her daughter mentally before she found the right lies upon which Sydney's whole life would undoubtedly lie from the moment her father found it suitable to show her the letter.

Sydney looked so peaceful as she slept. They had been to the park earlier that day and the whole family had played football until the only one left standing had been Potty their dog. Even with the CIA training Jack had been through and the KGB training Irina had endured, non of them could keep up with that puppy.

She remembered when Arvin had bought it into the house and handed it to Sydney with a big red bow around its neck. She had words with him later but neither had any intention of removing the lively ball of fluff from Sydney's arms unless they had a death wish. Longing to lay in jacks arms as she kissed her daughters head and returned to her and jacks room to pick up her bags, she suddenly had a thought.

Why not?

She threw her bags down and crawled underneath the covers only intending to lie there for a few minutes but knowing that if he awoke she would never be able to leave.

Suddenly they were both awakened by the loud beeping of the alarm. Irina shot up and pressed the button but she was too late. Jack was staring down at her while she shifted to glance at what he had been staring at. It was then that it dawned on her – she was sitting there fully clothed and shoed. His eyes shifted to the suitcase at the foot of the bed and he looked shocked.

"Laura?"

"Look Jack I know what this looks like its just that..."

"Were you leaving me? Us?"

"No... well yes..." She had no idea what to say to him. He looked like a confused child who's just found their parents putting the presents under the tree at Christmas instead of Santa. She loved this man more than she could ever say yet opening up to him seemed harder than leaving him. At least if she would have left she wouldn't have had too see the pained expression that she was currently face to face with.

"Why? What happened. Just last night you were telling me just how perfect our life is and just how much you care for us all. Was that a lie to get me feeling safe before you took off?"

"No, I meant every word I said last night. That's why I couldn't leave you. That's why I couldn't go."

"It looks like you got pretty far to me. Laura what's going on?" Sydney had heard all of the commotion and sleepily dragged her comfort blanket into her parents bedroom.

"Mommy? Daddy? Are we going on holiday?" She whispered confused at the presence of her parents suitcase out of storage and full of belongings. Her mother who was now removing her coat and standing next to her nearly dressed father, walked over to her.

"No Sydney we aren't. go back to bed. Mommy and daddy need to talk about grown up things right now. Ok?"

"Ok mommy." The perplexed six year old said as she returned to her room and climbed into bed.

"Answer me then." Jack said as he fastened his shirt.

"I cant."

"Why? Talk to me." His face drained from all colour and he looked up. "Is there someone else?"

"No of course not... well there is some one...but not in the way you think."

"Who?" "Her name is Irina Derevko."

"And she would be...?"

"Me."

{A/N – Should I carry on or is it just so unrealistic that its unbelievable? Come on people I need feedback so PLEASE review!! Thanks for reading!}