After Life

By Lomeinie

Rating: PG-13 (For angst)

Spoilers: Through the so called series finale 5x17 "All the Time in the World"

Summary: My take on how it should have ended.

Disclaimer: I don't Alias but oh how I wish I did after what happened to it at the end. Instead it belongs to J.J. Abrams (blech), Bad Robot Productions, and ABC Network (blech) (blech) (blech) - no money has been made off of this fanfic and please don't tick me off further by suing me for this!

Also I am not a doctor so please excuse any and all medical inaccuracies!

Chapter 1: Critical

Several hours after her fight with Irina ended Sydney Bristow boarded the United States aircraft carrier USS Nimitz . With Vaughn at her side, she was escorted to the infirmary where the ship's Chief Medical officer met them. He was still dressed in scrubs as he offered his hand first to Sydney and then Vaughn.

"Agent Bristow, my name is Dr. Robinson, and I've been attending your father since he was brought onboard."

Sydney nodded, "How is he?" Tears flooded her eyes as she thought about the last time she had seen dad.

"I won't be anything less than honest with you, Agent Bristow. Your father is in critical but stable condition. He lost a lot of blood before the medics arrived and found him unconscious. They managed to stop the bleeding but didn't have the necessary supply of blood to immediately start the transfusion he needed," Robison paused breathing in before he continued,

"As for the gunshot wounds your father sustained, they were very serious, but not as serious as they could have been."

Sydney was surprised at this, "Didn't at least one of the bullets penetrate his lung?" She vividly remembered how her dad was having difficulties breathing.In fact he was wheezing for breath Sydney thought but waited for the doctor to explain.

Robinson shook his head, "No they didn't. By some miracle neither entered his lung but rather lodged themselves in between the lung and the wall of his chest cavity. When that happened his lung collapsed and that is why he appeared to be having difficulties breathing. Now we've removed the bullets and inserted a chest tube to help reinflate the left lung. The good news in this however is that your father is breathing on his own and he is also resting comfortably in our infirmary."

"How long before he can be moved to a hospital at home?" Vaughn asked.

"It'll be at least another 3 days before I recommend it, and only then if his condition improves dramatically," the doctor answered.

"Can I see him?" Sydney asked.

"Of course, I think it would help in his recovery to have you nearby, Agent Bristow."

"Please call me Sydney," she said.

"All right, Sydney, there is one thing I have to insist on is that you change into some scrubs before you go in. You too as well, Agent Vaughn."

"It's Michael or Mike if you prefer," Vaughn replied, "But I'm not going in just yet as I think you should see Jack alone first, Syd."

Doctor Robinson then introduced Sydney to a nurse, "Just tell Lieutenant Leahy when you're ready to go in and she'll take you to a room where you can get changed. If you'll excuse me, I have a few other patients I need to check on now."

"Thank you, doctor," Sydney said, and watched him leave before she looked at the nurse, "Could we have a few minutes alone to talk please?"

"All right, I'll be back in a few minutes," the nurse said leaving them alone.

"What's wrong?" Vaughn asked as soon as they had semi-privacy.

"Isabel," Sydney replied. "Vaughn, I don't want to leave her alone with the babysitters for however long it takes before Dad can be moved to a hospital."

"Yeah I don't either and I was already thinking about that," he said, "Maybe I should fly home, get her, and come back."

"I don't think bringing her on an aircraft carrier is a good idea."

"Then why don't I fly home, stay with her, and then we can both come to whatever hospital they move Jack to," Vaughn suggested.

Sydney nodded, "I don't like the idea of us being apart but I can't leave Dad right now, Vaughn. When we left him there in Mongolia I really believed that would be the last time I ever saw him alive."

"I know, Syd," Vaughn replied, vividly remembering how she had cried until they had reached Hong Kong to confront Irina. He knew it had nearly killed her to leave Jack behind like that. "I know, Syd, which is why you should stay here with him until they're ready to move him. I understand completely." He smiled, "Besides if I fly home now I'll get a few days alone with Isabel and that won't be such a bad thing. We can do a little father, daughter bonding."

"Yeah," Sydney said, "It'll be good for you to have some time alone with Isabel, though I'll miss you both like crazy."

"I'll miss you too," he said before he kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

A minute later Vaughn was making arrangements to return to Los Angeles while Sydney followed Lieutenant Leahy to the area where she could prepare to go in to see her father.

-

The USS Nimitz is a real ship in the U.S. Navy and the reason I used it is because I know someone who used to be an officer on it.