seeley's sweetheart & AMBERLEAH: Thank you for your feedback.

Ok, so once again I am apologising for a delay in my updates. Sorry, sorry, sorry! Many things, Christmas, writers block etc kept me from writing. Thank you for being patient and I hope that you enjoy this chapter.

On a happier note, I got a job! I am so psyched and am looking very forward to my new life as an English/Drama teacher (who moonlights as a fan fic writer!)

Chapter Eleven:
In Our Favour

"I think that we can cross Harmony and her children off," Sydney murmured.

"Are you completely sure?"

She nodded. "Harmony has had nothing to do with espionage. When myself and the rest of the Project children were being recruited, she was getting married and starting a family. I don't think the Covenant would risk this is they had no way of telling whether Project Christmas had been successful on the mother."

xxxxx

"As much as it eats at me, I don't hate my job. I hate the way I was brought into the life, but that doesn't deny the sens eof purpose and accomplishment…but along with that comes a sense of loss." She paused, looking directly at Vaughn. "I want the normal life too. I want what Harmony has."

Vaughn shifted closer to her. "And you will have it."

Sydney let out a little laugh. "You can really see is leaving the CIA and heading for the suburbs one day?"

"Of course. You're not the only one who wants the normal life." He paused. "Though maybe not the suburbs. I was imagining more along the lines of the Italian or French countryside, or on the ocean somewhere…"

Sydney's face turned serious. "Promise me," she urged. "That when we find the truth about Hope, whatever the outcome, that we will start anew. Because whatever we find out will mean a new chapter in our lives. Why don't we make it a new start, full stop?"

"I couldn't agree more," Vaughn said.

"Well then?"

"What?"

"Promise me."

Vaughn smiled. "A new life, a new start and a new home. Sydney Bristow, I will do all in my power to promise you that."

"We found a way to contact Simon Walker through an Internet drop site," Jack said as he sat himself down in Sydney and Vaughn's living room. "A meet has been organised."

"Who does he think he's meeting with?" Sydney asked from the kitchen where she and Vaughn were preparing coffees for the group.

"You." Weiss replied.

Sydney froze. "Me. But Walker knows me."

"Exactly," Jack said.

"But dad, after last time you wanted me to avoid Walker. He knows too much and I know too little."

"And that is why you are going to meet with him," Jack said. "Admit all- that you have no memory and that you need his help."

"We just need to figure out a reason why you would be seeking out Allison," Weiss said. "I can't imagine that Walker would just give her up, given your mutual histories."

Sydney's mind went back to her conversation with Sloane. "I know a good reason," she said quietly. "When is the meet?"

"And so," Lilly said, placing her wine glass back on the table, "that is exactly how I came to work in Intelligence. My sister was oh so jealous. She always claimed that our father favoured me and that he was the one who pulled the strings to get me in. But I swear that I did it all on my own."

Weiss was smiling. Sydney and Vaughn had left for her meet with Walker and when Lilly asked him out for drinks after work, he thought it a good chance for some reconnaissance. However, he was actually enjoying himself. "Wow, I think that I have learnt more about you tonight than I have in the time since you arrived at Operations."

'And nothing you said has given me any reason for suspicion,' he thought, almost guiltily.

Lilly shrugged. "I'm loud and I'm brash, but it takes me a while to warm to people. Those who start spilling their life stories the minute I meet them frighten me, to be honest."

"You make a good point there," Weiss replied. "So tell me, what adventures did you get up to over in London?"

Lilly raised an eyebrow. "If I asked you to detail your coming and goings what would you say?"

"Uh…that most of it was classified."

"Then my answer is the same. However, what I can tell you is that the general goings on are no different than at the JTF." She paused, taking a mouthful of wine. "I just can't get into the specifics. I mean, what if you were some evil double agent?"

Weiss coughed. If only she knew what Sydney thought. "Yup," he said, covering himself. "That's me. I'm truly loyal to the Finns."

"Oooh…I've heard that they're a nasty bunch over there," Lilly said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "All that politeness and friendliness and open welcoming arms is just a ruse, right?"

Weiss laughed. "Completely."

Lilly's eyes lit up. "Oh my. I have to tell you about this one alias of mine. I was—"

"Hang on," Weiss interrupted. "What about all that confidentiality talk before?"

Lilly waved a hand. "I'll fudge the important details. Right now you are going to hear about a wig, leather skirt and weapons- with a few humourous anecdotes thrown in."

"Well then," Weiss said. "I'm all ears."

The streets of Paris were bustling. Sitting at one of the outdoor tables of a small café, Sydney felt uneasy. Simon had told her last time they'd encountered each other not to contact him again, for the fear of his employer. And even thought Vaughn was nearby, Sydney knew that this meeting was not guaranteed to go smoothly.

"Well, well, well," Simon's figure dropped into the chair opposite Sydney. "You've gone back to your old hair do."

She had refused to wear a wig or any semblance of an alias. To pull this off, she had to be completely honest. "The other one was too high maintenance."

"So, why the out of the blue meet?"

"Mr Walker—" Sydney started.

"Hey," Simon blinked. "What is with the formalities? We are former work buddies. Sydney."

Sydney looked straight at him. "Well, you see, I only have you word on that."

"I don't understand."

"I'll get straight to the point. I no recollection of us working together."

Simon shifted in his seat. "Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?"

"This is no joke. This is my life," Sydney replied bluntly. "And two years of it is missing," she added, tapping the side of head. "I pass out in my apartment and when I come to I'm in Hong Kong and two years have passed. The time in which I supposedly encountered you. But do I remember? No. All I have is a big blank where 24 months should be."

If Simon was surprised by this revelation he did not let on. "Why the hell are you telling me this?"

"I need your help. I figured since we're 'old work friends' you'd be more inclined to offer your services."

"My help? To fill those blanks? Look, Syd. We worked on one job together. I can't even fill you in on a day."

"That is not what I need."

"Then what?"

"A source informed me that you would be able to help me contact Allison Doren."

At the sound of that name, Simon's brow furrowed. "Just rewind a bit…what exactly do you remember before that whole passing out thing?"

"That Allison had left my best friend dying in the bath tub and was then trying to kill me."

"Right," Simon leaned back in his seat, chuckling. "I get that you two have a bit of an issue, however she is a valuable associate of mine. What makes you think that I am going to hand her over so you can fulfill whatever vengeance you have planned?"

"I don't want revenge," Sydney forced out.

"Yeah right," Simon scoffed.

"Are you aware of how she came to be in my life?" Sydney asked and Simon nodded. "She murdered my best friend. Stole her life. You may assume that I want to make her pay, but what I really need at the moment is closure."

"Closure?"

"I want to know…how…and what she did with Francie's body. She deserves to be given a proper farewell."

Simon was silent for several moments. "How can I know that you aren't spinning this story? That your true reasoning is revenge and not closure?"

"Because if you spent any time with me during those two years then you would know that my family and friends are what I truly care about- not getting blood on my hands." Sydney stood up from the table, throwing an envelope in Simon's direction. "I'm not asking for you to tell me how to get in contact with her now. Speak to Allison, relay my message and get back to me. The envelope has my contact details. Tell Allison, if she agrees, then the meet will be on her terms."

Simon gave a short nod. "Ok. Give me a few days."

With a faint smile, Sydney turned and started to walk away. 'Well,' she thought, 'that could be called a success—'

"Hey Sydney."

She stopped and turned at the sound of Simon's voice. "What?"

"Did you have any luck locating Hope?"

Sydney fought to keep an impassive face. "No…too many dead ends."

Simon tilted his head slightly. "I would have never taken you to be someone who just gives up."

Sydney bit back a response and simply walked away into the bustling crowds. Give up? If only Simon knew how far she was willing to go to keep the fight alive.

Weiss not feeling all that eager about going to work. He wandered almost aimlessly around his apartment, stretching his showering, dressing and breakfast times as long as possible.

Sydney would be back from her meet with Simon Walker and Weiss knew that she would have questions about Lilly and any possible information she may have relayed to him.

The problem was that Weiss had nothing and there was a part of him questioning Sydney's instincts. Added to that, it was undeniable that eh was really starting to care for Lilly.

And those feelings meant being disloyal to Sydney and then…

He had to wonder. Were his feelings for Lilly clouding his judgement? Or perhaps his friendship with Sydney was making him look for something that wasn't there.

The one thing he knew for sure was, that in all the time he had spent with Lilly, not one thing she had said or done had ever raised his hackles. And he knew that his instincts could be just as spot on as Sydney's.

Cole looked at Simon Walker. "I don't believe that she wants to contact Allison for either of those reasons."

"What are you talking about?" Simon asked.

"We had a defector. I believed them to be ignorant…however they may have some sensitive information about our operation."

"You think that Bristow is after her daughter? What does Allison have to do with that? Bristow couldn't know that she is involved with the organisation."

"She can't know for sure that it is her daughter. Very few know the true identity of Elizabeth…only that she is the offspring of an original Project Christmas test subject." Cole paused. "And I have recently been informed that Bristow made contact with a Harmony Gosbee."

"Who?"

"She was in the program with Allison."

"How did you find this out?"

"We have our eyes and ears everywhere Simon. You should know that."

"Ok then…so let's say that she knows about the existence of the child. And that she is seeking out the other subjects…" Simon trailed off. "Then she has cleared all other possibilities if she's after Allison."

Cole nodded. "Call Allison. Get her here. We are going to need to plan this very carefully to ensure it goes in our favour."