AUTHOR’S NOTE: All right, having written four conversations with Sydney, Irina has another family member who wants some answers.
I began with these conversations between mother and daughter. However, so many readers asked to have Jack included in the questions and answers ‘forum’. Therefore, I thought it would be fun if you the reader contributed questions he would want to know the answers to. The response was overwhelming. Some were expected (I probably would want to know myself and some were unexpectedly dramatic. Some were duplicates, so I decided to give each member who sent it, shared billing.
This is longer story/conversation than the others are, but then I wanted to set up the scene.
SUMMARY: In order to put Jack and Irina in close proximity, we are going change the storyline a little bit at the end of Season 2, before Sydney disappears. Our two conversationalists are going to find themselves in the same hospital room following the rescue of Jack Bristow and capture of his wife, Irina Derevko. Jack does not know Irina facilitated his rescue. She told Sydney where to find Sark who knew where Sloane had taken Jack.
This is my question. A similar question was received from sidekick of Serenades forum.
RATING: R because some of the stories coming are R not PG-13

The Nearness of You
By Lenafan

Conversation One

Irina hit the building hard. She gasped feeling pain in the right side of her chest. Operating on adrenaline, she pulled herself up to the next window. In the far distance, she thought she could hear Sydney screaming. She blocked it out of her mind, concentrating in getting through the window. She gasped again as sharp knives cut into her right side. She was going to have a very bad bruise in a day. She stood up and sweat broke out on her face. The pain was terrible. Her ribs…she must have done something to her ribs.

“Must get out,” she muttered, holding onto a desk. Control the pain she thought. “Don’t let it get best of you, Irina.” She said this aloud.

She tried taking a deep breath but could not. Swearing, she staggered out of the office, down a hallway half lighted toward the area she thought the elevators might be. She was on the nineteenth floor and there was no way she could go down stairs. She had to get to the street. She punched the down button and watched the indicator lights. She could see there was an elevator going up the right side above her floor. To the left another elevator was coming from the lobby entrance. She would be in it, before Sydney reached this floor. She guessed it was Sydney coming down.

Suddenly the elevator was in front of her, the doors opening.

“Don’t move.” The voice was harsh, commanding. Irina glanced over her shoulder. A CIA strike force agent held a gun aimed at her head. She slowly raised both hands shoulder high. “Get her guns,” the man gave orders to a second agent who had joined him.

Irina kept perfectly still. Pain was now excruciating and radiating from the front of her chest to the back. She felt her two Glock 9s being removed from her thigh holsters. The agent’s hands ran over her back and legs. “Turn around,” said the first agent. She did and the other agent frisked her from the front. Irina was experienced enough not to feel any kind of humiliation. She expected good agents would do their job as she had done hers many times.

She heard the other elevator behind her open. Sydney burst out, almost in shock to see her mother still alive. Irina didn’t move. She waited, but closed her eyes, breathing slowly. The pain had not lessened.

“Mom, are you okay?” Sydney could see something was wrong.

“No.” Irina answered. Talking seemed to hurt.

“Put your arms behind your back, Derevko,” ordered one of the agents. Irina didn’t move. The agent, who stood next to her, grabbed her right arm and pulled it behind her back.

Irina fainted, slumping to the floor. Before everything turned black, she heard Sydney yelling, “She’s hurt…don’t…”


Irina awakened in a haze. She felt like she had been drinking and had a terrible hangover. The ceiling swam in a bright white swirling movement. It made her nauseous, but not enough to make her want to vomit. She couldn’t move. Her right arm was held in a sling and her left wrist was handcuffed to the railing of the bed. She was wearing an oxygen hose. She tried to breathe naturally, but the pain made her quickly discard that action.

She opened her eyes wider, looking around as best she could. On her right, there was another bed. Someone was in it. Beyond it was a window. To her left there was a closed door. She wondered how long they were going to keep her. Where was she anyway? Mexico? Just then, a nurse entered and Irina knew she had been brought back to the United States.

The nurse walked over to the other bed. “How are you this morning, Mr. Bristow?”

“Feeling better. When can I leave?”

The nurse was busy checking his temperature and blood pressure. “Probably tomorrow. They are running some tests today to be sure nothing serious happened, but I can’t tell you any more than that.”

Irina could hear him grumble and smiled a little. Hospitals were not Jack’s favorite place to be. She kept her eyes closed and heard the door swoosh shut. Almost immediately, the door opened again to emit Sydney. Irina kept her eyes closed. She sensed Sydney was at her bedside looking at her.

“Dad, how do you feel?”

“Fine, sweetheart. Thanks for getting me out. How did you find me?”

“Mom told me that Sark knew. We captured him.”

“Irina?” Jack said in surprise. “I thought she and Sloane were working together.”

Sydney laughed, “No I think Mom tried to double cross him and he found out. She was cut out of the game. She almost got him last night. She was there when he escaped, but she did kill two of his gunmen. It freed up Vaughn to go after Sloane and I went after her.” She told Jack about Irina’s amazing jump down the side of the building to gain her freedom. “She didn’t get away though.”

“You have her in custody.”

“Yeah, she’s in the bed next to you.”

Silence. “Pull back the curtain,” asked Jack stiffly.

Sydney did as he asked. Irina didn’t move. She knew he could see her profile as well as the handcuff on the bed’s railing.

“What happened,” he finally asked.

“Hit the building,” she answered, “the doctor said she broke four ribs. One almost punctured her lung. He says she should be in the hospital for a week so they can make sure nothing happens they don’t expect. Listen Dad, I’ve got to go. I’m being debriefed in an hour. Vaughn and I have reservations for the weekend and we want to get our reports done first.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back to see you--both.”

He watched her go. His eyes moved ever so slightly to his left to look at his wife.

Irina, her eyes mere slits, watched Sydney leave. She could feel his eyes on her. There was no way to escape, no way at all. She heard him sigh and imagined him in the bed next her struggling with emotions. He had lived twenty years without her and when she walked in to give herself up to the CIA, Irina could not imagine what he must have felt. Their conversation that day when Sydney was in Siberia was the first between a man betrayed and the wife who betrayed him. It had been a struggle for her. She knew she still had feelings for him and so much that she wanted to tell him.

That night in Panama had been a revelation. She knew a part of her loved him and she gave herself to that emotion without a single reservation. Irina did not have to fake anything. She took Jack into her arms as though they had never been apart. Their love- making had been as exhilarating as it had been for those ten years they had been husband and wife.

Of course, she reminded herself, he knew she was going to leave again and planted the passive tracker. She remembered how angry she felt that he tricked her, but within that anger, she had to admit he hadn’t been fooled again. He knew she was going and he would not be betrayed again…the CIA, yes, but not Jack Bristow. She wondered if he had allowed himself any hope that she would not go through with her plans. She had a feeling that he was hoping. Well, she had dashed those hopes, hadn’t she?

There was a terrible hunger among those Rambaldi hunters to be the first to get all the information about the mysterious 15th century prophet and inventor. She was infected with it and nothing seemed to worthwhile to give it up…unless. Irina made a small whimper in her throat. Her family…her own family had not been worth her giving up the quest. At this moment, she could kill Arvin Sloane. She decided the game was getting too arduous…too dangerous to her entire family. She wanted Sydney to end it, but that didn’t happen when he emptied the warehouse. He had escaped again, but at least Jack was safe for the moment.

“Irina…” Jack’s voice was soft. “I know you’re awake.”

She sighed, “Yes?”

“How do you feel?” The conversation was innocuous and non-invasive.

“Just great,” she answered. “How about you? Arvin didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

“I am completely mystified as to why he needed me. Do you know?” He did not think she did, since Arvin had cut her out of the loop.

“No, Jack, I don’t.” She turned her face toward him. He was leaning on his left arm to look at her.

They stared at one another, each thinking about the past. Finally, she turned her eyes back to the wall in front of her. Jack sighed.

“You know, Irina, I still…” he couldn’t say it…not at this moment.

“You did…what?” She turned her head once more to look at him. Her dark eyes held his in their grip.

“…loved you…” There, he had said it. All these years he had kept the secret deep inside him. Not even Sydney guessed. No one did.

“I know,” she said. “Me too!”

“Then how could you?”

“What?”

“Be my wife and mother to Sydney and still do what you did?”

“It was my job. If I refused, they would not only kill me, but you and Sydney.” She stared at him. “I was a highly placed agent for my country. At that time, I would not betray it. I divided myself into two women. One was a wife and mother: the other a Russian operative. I did all the things that Laura was supposed to do: be a wife and mother, love my child…my husband…teach my classes. And the other woman,” she stared at him, “followed orders.”

She moaned softly as she was beginning to feel the pain in her chest and arm. She closed her eyes willing the pain to go away. “Tell me Jack, if our situations were reversed, everything, what would you do? Would you betray your country?” Irina turned her head to stare at the wall and gave a little moan.

“What’s wrong,” asked Jack? He saw her move cautiously as she sought to get comfortable. She didn’t answer. “What’s wrong?” he asked again harshly.

“I have pain.” She whispered. “Leave me alone. I can use meditation to work through it.” She answered him and hoped he would not insist on talking to her some more. She was trying to get comfortable, but could not.

Suddenly the door opened and the nurse walked into the room, heading for Jack’s bed.
“You buzzed, Mr. Bristow?”

“Yes, my…er…the prisoner there is in a lot of pain. I think she needs a shot.”

The nurse turned to look at Irina who had beads of sweat on her forehead. She was fighting the urge to take a deep breath…to fill her lungs, but knew if she did, the pain would be worse. The nurse felt her pulse. She left the room, returning within a couple of minutes with a hypodermic.

“Thank you,” whispered Irina as the morphine took effect. She closed her eyes and was asleep within seconds.

-_-

ooh :reallyexcited:

first to reply!!

I love it- the couople gets to talk it out and in a place they both hate to be - physcially and emotionally

and revelations like love right off the bat- that is some good morphine LOL

keep me posted

Bren

I just love the way you write these stories. The insight into the characters in the little moments. Excellent. And your take on S2 ending. Wish it was real...
Good job. I'll take a PM for these 'conversations' if I haven't already asked for one. Thanks.

SUMMARY: Irina is in the hospital having sustained four fractured ribs when she jumped off the building in Mexico.(THE TELLING) Jack is in the bed next to her for tests after his release from Arvin Sloane. They are in the same room together.
My thanks to Irinafan_and Lymberley of LenaOnLine for this question. I think this would have been among the first Jack would ask his wife under the circumstances. He hasn’t seen her since their visit to Panama.
RATING: R

THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Conversation 2

Jack stared at Irina who was still asleep. Having spent several hours being tested, he was back in his room. Now he was looking at his wife with emotions that were wildly diverse. He both hated and loved her. He had not divorced her, nor had he had the marriage annulled. Irina Derevko was his wife and the mother to his only child, Sydney. They had gone on an assignment to Kashmir together and miraculously survived their issues to return unscathed to the CIA. Irina had helped with Ariana Kane’s probe of him at SD-6. That led to Kane’s execution for stealing the Alliance’s money. Now, it seemed, that had been Arvin’s doing.

Jack shook his head. If he kept on going down that path…he looked at her again. She was so beautiful. It had been twenty years. When he saw her that day in the cell after so much time passed he had a hard time believing she had changed so little. There was more maturity in her features and some lines around her eyes, but for him she remained the same woman he loved so much…and hated. She betrayed him again in Panama, or at least she thought she did. He smiled, turning his head to look out the window, remembering that night.

He removed the tracker Marshall put into her shoulder. “Are you all right?” He saw her wince as he put the bandage over the wound.

Twenty seconds later, they were kissing and he lost himself in that kiss. It had been building between the two of them since they first saw each other three months ago. He ached to have her and now, they were alone together. Her sensuality was overpowering and he increasingly became aware of it. That kiss…

“Jack,” she whispered, “take off my clothes.”

Of course, those words had kicked him away from any reservations he had prior to the moment. It had been a keystone in their relationship during their marriage. It was their foreplay…their consensual method of moving each together toward the mutual climax both sought and were rewarded with almost every time.

He had peeled off her clothes, one by one, starting with the sleeveless tee and then her bra. He had moved his mouth relentlessly over her body, doing everything he had ever done to her during their marriage. Although it had been twenty years, he never missed a beat in his near perfect remembrance of the ritual. He loved feeling her body respond.

Her eyes were closed when he leaned her back onto the bed. Gently and slowly, he pulled the jeans off. She was wearing red bikini panties. Jack stared at her, wondering if she had known this would happen. He smiled to himself positive she did know and was waiting for him to make a move. She knew he would. She had always been full of self-confidence and she still was. He had put both hands on the bikini and gently pulled them off. He stepped out of his slacks and boxers and settled down between her legs. Leaning on his elbows on either side of her, he began to kiss her under the chin and neck. He forced himself to take the time to get her ready.

“Jack, sweetheart,” she whispered urgently, calling him by the endearment they both used for each other. “Please.”

He remembered saying, “No, my dear, I don’t think you’re quite ready yet.” He kept kissing her breasts, the small mole on the side of the left one, the nipples. Then, he moved slowly down the lean flat stomach, searching every inch with his tongue. She squirmed and he knew every one of her nerve endings were making her ache with desire.

Suddenly, he got to his knees and spread her legs. She was ready and so was he. He took her, plunging himself deep inside, thrusting repeatedly. He felt himself getting ready to release everything. His head was roaring. He felt her legs wrap themselves around his thighs, pulling him as far in as he could go. She had gasped, then cried out, her hips bucking as the orgasm released it. Her eyes glazed over a little. He thrust repeatedly, his eyes never leaving her face.

Jack grinned as he remembered placing the passive tracker between her breasts. It had been quick. Her eyes had been closed as she experienced a second orgasm and she never felt the tiny prick. He had not felt one moment of guilt for doing so. Irina was going to betray the CIA, but not him. He knew he would have the satisfaction of telling them all –I told you so…now…

He swung his legs over and stood up, looking at her. He took two steps and was at the side of her bed. Jack looked at her from head to toe. She was thin, but he knew there was no weakness in her. She was as strong as she had been twenty years ago. Irina had taken good care of herself. Sinewy, he thought, and tough in more ways than one. He had not the slightest doubt Irina Derevko would survive unless she was executed. He sighed thinking it was a distinct possibility.

Jack stared into the face he had dreamt about for the past twenty years. He had loved this woman passionately and he nearly killed himself, because she had so completely fooled him and the CIA. The consummate actress, but was she always acting? He reached down with his right hand and touched her cheek.

Her eyes flew open and they stared at each other, inches apart. “Jack,” she said and the tone suggested a question.

“Irina, how do you feel?” His voice resonated from his chest. He felt like a little boy being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. How stupid is that? “You’ve been out for a long time.”

“I was awake when you were out of the room.” Her eyes watched him carefully. “What were you doing?”

“Just looking at…” He stopped and dropped his hands by his sides.

Irina said nothing, just looked back at him. She seemed to be searching for something in him. Jack felt uncomfortable and yet thought why should he? He was not a terrorist. He was just her husband and, God help him, he had feelings for her.

“About Panama…” he started, for that was when they were last together.

“Jack, I needed you.” Her voice was a bit slurry, She had had a lot of pain medication during the past several hours.

“So you slept with me to satisfy what?”

She sighed, “my memories…”

“Memories of betrayal?”

Irina winced just slightly. “Memories of my life in happier times.”

“So it was to satisfy yourself,” he snarled.

Angry fire lighted up in her eyes and she snapped, “and you slept with me because you needed to put in the tracker! Who was lying to whom?”

He put his hand on her right hand. “I was not going to betray my daughter and husband again!” He almost snarled.

“Then you didn’t get any pleasure out of the sex?” She laughed. “You should know I faked everything!” She sounded sarcastic.

“I didn’t say I didn’t enjoy it, because if there’s one thing we did well, Irina, it was having great sex.” He grinned at her. “I know you too well, even if it had been twenty years since we copulated. You enjoyed every moment,” he leaned closer, staring into her eyes knowingly, “didn’t you?”

She stared at him for a few seconds and then had the grace to blush. “Yes, Jack, I did. I swear I am not lying.”

They stared at each other and each slowly smiled, sharing a secret they would reveal to no one.

The door opened and the nurse walked into the room.

:wub:

SUMMARY: Irina is in the hospital and Jack is about to be released. He has issues about her life with him, with Sydney and especially where and what she was doing for the twenty years she had been missing from their lives. Will she tell all, or as usual be obtuse and evasive?
I’m using two questions in this conversation and credit goes to Kjrsten and Lymberley of LenaOnLine there were many variations, but they came the closest.
RATING: R

THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Conversation 3

Jack finished his dinner. His doctor told him he would be released tomorrow morning. So far, the tests had been negative. Nothing seemed to be wrong. He could have told them that. He felt as good as he ever did. He glanced over to Irina. She had not eaten much if anything. She sat looking down at the plate without really seeing it. The food was going to be cold.

“Don’t feel like eating,” he asked.

She nodded. He didn’t doubt she had pain. Fractured ribs tended to be more painful than the diagnosis indicated. He pushed his table away and stood up. He saw that she was unable to cut her food. The left wrist was handcuffed to the bed. Without being asked, he picked up the knife and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. He buttered the roll after slicing it open. He put cream into the tea she had ordered.

“Drink that tea before it gets any colder.” Jack saw her pick up the cup. Her hand shook a little and the cup danced on the saucer. “Here let me help.” Picking up the cup, he held it to her mouth. She sipped. He pulled it away. “You can eat and you’d better. Those ribs need to heal.”

She smiled hesitantly, “Thank you.” She picked up the fork and started to eat, slowly.

“Tell me, Irina,” Jack said, pulling up a chair and sitting in it, “what were you doing for the twenty years you were out of our lives?”

Irina sighed as though she knew someday she might have to answer the question and now that day had arrived. How much to tell him? Not everything she thought. Still she had inserted herself back into the family matrix. Perhaps she owed them some of what she did.

“I returned to Moscow, was debriefed and then sent to prison, because,” she took another bite of her food, “they thought I was a double agent.”

“You mean your debriefing went that badly for you?”
She shook her head, “No, they just didn’t think anyone would voluntarily return to Russia.”

“Yet you said if you had given yourself up to the CIA, they would kill all of us.”

“It happened in Virginia. I knew the agent. Valenko told me she, her husband and two children were killed. I would not risk you or Sydney. I followed orders.”

“So you didn’t volunteer to return?”

She shrugged eating some of the overcooked squash. “You know the FBI had caught up with me. Valenko told me I had to run. I—I was how you say between a rock and a hard place.”

“So they sent you to prison…” he prodded.

She turned her head to look at him. “Jack, we both must have been imprisoned at the same time. I was,” she looked down at her plate, picking a piece of meat up with her fork, “raped the first night. How about you?”

Jack winced, knowing his incarceration did not include that action. “I’m sorry, Irina.” He put his hand up to her head, pulling her hair back behind her ear. “Was that the only time?”

She nodded. “There was a guard, a big guard who became a friend. He saw to it no one bothered me again. That protection did not go beyond that, however.”

Jack studied her for a long moment, wondering if she was going to say more. “And…”

Irina looked at him again. “Torture, of course, to learn where my loyalties lie.”

He didn’t want to ask what she went through. He knew the Russians used many different physical and mental torture protocols. Of course, she proved her loyalty in the end and obviously she had been let go. “How long were you there?”

“Six months.” She took the cup and drank the rest of the tea. “Then I was assigned to teach.” She smiled. “It was a good time for me. I…” she turned her head to look at him steadily without any guile, “thought about Sydney and…you, truly I did.” She turned back to her plate and ate the last of the meat.

“So how long did the teaching last?”

“Until ninety-one when KGB broke up; when USSR became just Russia.”

“So you became an SVR agent?”

She chuckled. “Jack…no.” She began picking at the roll he had buttered for her. “I took some former KGB friends and started my own organization. You know what we specialized in and did.”

“Something rather unique, guessing your obvious Rambaldi obsessions.”

“Yes,” she answered softly.

“Did you get married?”

She gasped. That question had come from out of nowhere. “No, I was already married to you.”

“You had scrupples…” Jack chuckled sarcastically.

“I was also a mother.”

“You could have divorced.” He persisted. He knew he wanted more information about her personal life.

“Jack what the f*uck are you trying to say.”

He gripped her right arm, pushing the table off to the other side of the bed, “you certainly weren’t celibate all those years.”

“You want to know if I had sex, don’t you?” She felt her heart lurch a little. “I was as celibate as you were.”

They stared at each other.

“Lovers?” He finally asked.

“A few, not many.”

“Were they any good?” He blurted.

She threw her head back and laughed in the low throaty way he remembered so well. She stopped, throwing her right arm across her chest as though laughing caused her pain. “Sorry,” she whispered, struggling to keep herself from breathing heavy. She saw he was looking at her as if waiting for an answer. She reached up and touched him on the left cheek. “Jack, we were married for ten years and they were the happiest of my life. No one ever satisfied me as you did.” She watched him carefully, her eyes never wavering.

“Was Khasinau your lover?”

“Never. He was my second in command. He may have thought he had the right, but I told him at the beginning that I was not interested.”

“Cuvee?”

“Jack, I am not going to name my lovers. I would not ask you to do the same. I am a woman with normal needs and I certainly know you had the same needs as any man would. Just know that you always had a place here.” She touched her chest between her breasts where her heart rested. “I told you yesterday I had divided myself into two women to live the life I did. I haven’t changed my story since then. I know Sydney does this also, especially to do what she does.”

His eyes held hers for a moment. He sighed and stood up. He looked down at her. He would have to live with her explanation. On impulse, Jack leaned down and kissed her. She reached up with her right hand and held him as her tongue explored his mouth.

Neither heard the door open…

“Hi Mom…Dad…”

***

Loved it ! Please update soon, that was awesome !

SUMMARY: So far Irina has been answering some hard questions put to her by her husband (Remember he hasn’t divorced her or annulled the marriage.) Their mutual attraction is so powerful that Sydney caught them kissing. Jack is becoming more ambivalent toward Irina. He knows, deep inside, they love one another, but on the outside they are opponents in this endgame which is not Irina’s doing, but having something to do with the 16th century scientist, Milo Rambaldi, who was so far ahead of his time that his inventions, formulas and predictions are regarded as nearly miraculous. Irina who was captured after her sensational leap from the top of the building where Arvin Sloane was holding Jack captive has not been able to escape the scrutiny of her husband or her daughter. Irina and Jack have been in the hospital two days.
Two people have contributed to this particular encounter: Irinafan_ and Lymberley of LENAOnLINe.
RATING: PG-13

THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Conversation Four

It was nearly six in the morning and it was dark outside. Irina, awakened by pain, lay still, listening to Jack softly snore. She could still feel his lips on hers. That Sydney had interrupted the kiss didn’t matter. She smiled slightly remembering the stunned look on their daughter’s face when she came through the door. Served her right for not knocking. Irina wanted to laugh, but knew it would be too painful. Sydney had turned on her heel and left the room. Jack went after her. At least she didn’t chastise them. Irina knew they had a smart daughter, but her handling of the situation was very mature.

Jack! She felt a tingle of desire cause her heart to race. Damn it, Irina, she thought, I’m a prisoner and he’s going home this morning. I doubt you’ll see each other again at least for a while if ever. She sighed. Her life was a shambles, at least at this moment. Arvin had double-crossed her as she had tried to do to him. Now she was in serious trouble, because she was once more in the hands of the CIA. They tended not to trust anyone who broke their trust. She wanted to give a short laugh, but it would hurt and she wanted not to feel any more than she had to feel.

“Irina!”

She started and turned her head to see Jack standing over her in the dim light. “Damn it, Jack, you scared me.”

“You were someplace else. I made plenty of noise getting out of bed.”

“What do you want,” she asked in a whisper. She knew there were guards outside the door and wasn’t anxious to have them come inside.

“Move over,” he said, motioning to her.

”Are you crazy?” However, she moved to the left. It was a bit difficult because her left wrist was still handcuffed to the bed.

“I want to talk to you before I leave and the doctor makes rounds around seven.” He slid in beside her and pulled up the covers.

Irina’s heart beat so loud she thought he would hear it. “Talk about what?” She whispered.

“Why did you decide to re-enter our lives after staying away for twenty years?” His words though spoken softly seem to resonate inside her head.

“Sydney!”

“Irina, you shot her. In Barcelona, you killed Khasinau in front of her. She was almost in tears by the time she returned to Los Angeles the second time.” He was whispering right into her ear.

Irina felt she was on an emotional roller coaster. His body was next to hers, his mouth near her ear and she could feel his breath on her face. She felt more memories crowding back into her mind. It was increasing the heat she felt between her legs. Her heart seemed to be beating harder. Damn him, she thought, why is he doing this?

She turned her head and dark eyes looked into his cold ones. He was not the loving man she had kissed last night. He wanted to know answers and wanted them before he left her. The heat was gone, cooled by anger.

“I knew by Barcelona that you had trained her in the Project Christmas protocols. You raised her, but I gave birth to her and carried her nine months prior to that. I wanted Sydney to live a decent normal life. I hoped she would fall in love, get married, and have children—everything any mother would want for her child. You changed that dream.

“I shot her to protect her. I’ve told you that. I killed Khasinau in front of her to keep him silent. I could not let him live any longer. The knowledge he had would make my life extremely precarious. He would use Sydney to blackmail me at every opportunity.”

She turned to look back at the wall. “Get out of my bed.” She didn’t want to look at him.
“Now,” she hissed. She felt him leave and stand up. His eyes were on her. She looked up at him. “I don’t want her to end up like this.” She rattled the bar with her handcuff.

A few minutes later, the doctor came in and examined Jack. He told him he would release him and he could go home in a couple of hours. Turning to Irina, he checked her heart and blood pressure. He was sending her for x-ray later in the morning to find out how the ribs were healing. Irina never looked at Jack. She could hear him talking on his cell phone, but he kept the conversation low. Jack left at ten o’clock saying nothing more.

The nurse came in at eleven and removed the catheter and called the male orderly from x-ray to push the bed out of the room. Outside, the marshals walked in front and behind her causing many heads to turn as it rolled to the elevator. It was one o’clock before the parade returned to the empty room. Irina was exhausted, as the process had taken nearly two hours.

When the bed was locked into position, she found cold food on the table. The nurse helped her up into a sitting position so she could eat. Irina picked at her food. It was hard eating with one hand. She drank the cold tea. She spooned some Jell-O into her mouth and tossed the spoon on the tray. She be damned if she would call someone for help. She was tired and the encounter with Jack that morning had drained her emotionally more than she thought. She was given another shot for pain at two and it helped to put her asleep

Irina was awakened by the nightmare. She had dreamed Sydney was dead, killed by an unknown government agency in a country not defined by the dream. Her beautiful daughter had been slaughtered after undergoing heavy interrogation. Irina had, in the dream, watched all of it on a video that had been shot and sent to the CIA. She, herself, was in a prison somewhere. Jack had come to her, hoping she would know the country or the people.

She shot up in bed, moaning. She was sweating. When she opened her eyes, she saw Jack at the foot of the bed staring at her, concern on his handsome face.

“Are you all right,” he asked, moving to the side of the bed.

“I had a nightmare about Sydney,” she said quietly. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.” He picked up her right hand. “I thought about what you said this morning and I wanted you to know I understand.” He looked around and found the chair he used the day before.

Irina stared at him, nodding. “Thank you.”

He sighed. “I do take the blame for her training, but understand, Irina, I—I did not want her to become a victim. I wanted her to be strong mentally. She is extremely intelligent—a genius you know.”

She took his left hand, smiling a little. “Yes, I guessed that when she was growing up.” She stared for a moment at the wall and the television sitting up high. She turned to him. “The past thirty years have taught me more about my life than I could imagine it would be at the age of eighteen. I was a victim—a victim of an ideology for which there was no cure at the time.

“I told Sydney that once that I would never have believed ideology could come between myself and my daughter. It did and I’ve paid for it ever since.”

“—And Rambaldi?” Jack observed quietly.

“Yes, that too!” she answered honestly.

He stared into her luminous dark eyes and believed her. “Now Arvin has cut you out of that game and you’re a prisoner of the United States with a future very much in doubt. So now, what is left? You have nothing.”

She smiled, “I have you, Jack, if only for the moment. I have Sydney whom I hope you will encourage leaving the CIA. I beg you.” Her eyes were solemn, insistent in their stare.

“I think the only reason she has stayed is her desire to beat the stuffing out of Arvin—to kill him even for murdering Danny.” He touched her left cheek. “I will try to get her to leave, I promise.”

“Thank you,” she said softly.

Jack bent forward to kiss her. Her arm moved to the back of his head and she held him as they finished what they were enjoying last night.

*** :wub:

I'm repeating myself, but again, I loved it ; what more could I say, it's awesome... (dreamy face)

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Heck, I thought about more questions and then had an epiphany. Almost all of the ficlets here are rated PG-13 and only a minimally R for naughty thoughts. So, I decided to take a small detour and write a little ficlet having to do with memories of long ago.
SUMMARY: Jack has kissed his wife twice while she is recuperating from fractured ribs. He, too, has divided himself into the CIA agent who knows Irina Derevko cannot be trusted and that she is a terrorist having killed twelve CIA agents, yet the other half of him recognizes he loves her as his wife of twenty years ago and mother of their child, Sydney. Irina has been in the hospital four days
This is my question.
RATING: R

THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Conversation Five

Irina had not seen Jack since they kissed two nights ago. She missed him. Sydney had come by this morning and they had talked. Sydney, of course, had questions, but then the ever-inquisitive Sydney Bristow often had questions that needed answers. Irina answered those she felt were appropriate. Irina, like Jack, had secrets. Some were dangerous to reveal and some needed to remain hidden—never to be revealed.

She did feel better. The doctor told her she was mending faster than he imagined she would and that he would be releasing her though at the time he reported to the CIA, a week after her admittance. That meant she had at least three more days. The bed next to her had remained empty. The CIA did not want anyone else in the room. She asked the doctor if they could move her to the bed next to the window. He had. At least she had blue sky to see. She found herself staring out wondering what the days and weeks would bring.

Irina heard the door open and looked over to see Jack entering. He was carrying a small vase with miniature yellow roses. They were her favorite flower and color. She never saw a yellow rose until she went to Central City and she began her training. Moscow was devoid of much color in the days of USSR dominance. Flowers were decadent—a sign of weakness.

Central City itself was located further south and there was a longer period of growing, not only flowers, but of farm vegetables which were used to feed the trainees. They had to become used to the flavors and textures of these beyond those that they knew. They were going to the United States where vegetables and fruits were common. Those students like her who came from a northern USSR, were less likely to be familiar with many items.

Now here was Jack with flowers—for her. Irina’s eyes lit up and she smiled. “I thought you needed some color in the room,” he said by way of explanation. He placed the vase down on the table in front of her.

Irina reached up and tenderly touched the flowers. Using her only free hand, she brought them closer to smell. They smelled wonderful.

“Do you remember when I first brought you flowers?”

“Yes, I remember—exactly.”

It had been two nights after the first time they slept together. The night when she seduced him, or thought she had. However, looking back on that night, Laura had wondered if it had not been both who had seduced each other. Still, the next day, he called and wanted to take her to dinner that night. Laura said no, but that she was available the following evening if the invitation was still open. That was the beginning of their courtship.

Jack appeared at her door exactly at the time given—seven o’clock. He had made reservations at a very posh restaurant in Arlington, about a half hour away. He handed her a huge bouquet of long stem yellow roses. She had no tall vase, but the flowers were already in one as he anticipated she would not have one.

She smelled the roses. She was excited by the gift. “I love these. They are so beautiful.” She kissed him lightly on the cheek and then carried everything to the tiny kitchen. She added water and set them on the coffee table.

“Laura,” he said huskily, pulling her close to him, and kissing her hungrily. “Night before last was the best night of my life.” He kissed her again.

“You were fantastic yourself, sweetheart.” There, she said it to him for the first time. It would not be the last. “I am hungry. Sex on an empty stomach can be off-putting.”

His eyes widened and suddenly, she found herself being propelled through the door and out to his car. Dinner was superb. Laura knew she could never match this gourmet cooking. In fact, she thought dryly, she might have to spend some time learning how to cook the basics. Jack did not want to linger for coffee and dessert, but Laura insisted. She knew the waiting would make the night that much better for both of them.

It was nine-thirty when Jack pulled into his parking space. He helped Laura out of the car. He again pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I had a wonderful time.”

She kissed him back. “It’s not over,” she whispered.

He opened the door to her apartment. She walked inside and Jack shut the door, locking it. She went into the kitchen. She poured him some scotch and gave herself a shot glass of iced Absolut.
They downed the liquor staring at each other hungrily.

Laura leaned forward and kissed him. “Thank you for the flowers and dinner.”

“You’re welcome,” he answered in a soft voice that promised more to come.

They both put their glasses on the sink. Laura took Jack’s hand and led him to the bedroom. She didn’t switch on the overhead light. Instead she snapped on the lamp on the nightstand. It gave a low light since there was just a forty-watt bulb in it. Jack reached for her.

“No,” she stopped him, “let me take off your clothes.”

Surprised, Jack stood quietly as she removed his coat jacket, tie, shirt, and undershirt. She leaned down and kissed his nipples. She moved up to his jaw line, pressing her lips to his briefly, then to his jaw again. All the while, she stroked the hair on his chest, plying her hands and fingers like feathers floating across his skin. His breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes briefly, swallowing hard.

He felt her long fingers at his waist, unbuckling his belt and drawing it off. She looked up into his face. Stepping close, she kissed him hard. He held her tight to his chest with one hand, his other to the back of her head, as he responded to the seductiveness of Laura’s slow but deliberate movements. The button was next and then the zipper was pulled down. He fidgeted wanting her to hurry. His erection was growing harder and longer every second. Her hands reached down cupping the bulge, gently stroking.

Jack moaned, “Laura, don’t take so long.”

“Sweetheart, patience is a virtue and will earn you rewards beyond your belief.”

She drew his trousers down over his narrow hips, letting them drop to the floor. He had kicked off his loafers and now stood nearly naked. She stepped back and stared seductively, licking her lips in anticipation. He moaned again. Laura left him standing there as she slowly, tantalizingly removed her own clothing, including her panties, dropping them to the floor. She was naked and he wasn’t yet. She stepped close to him again, feeling the bulge next her own nakedness. She kissed him lightly on the mouth. Her mouth moved smoothly over the nipples on his breast. Then slowly she planted wet kisses down his abdomen. Kneeling, she put both hands on his boxer shorts and slowly drew them off his hips, releasing his erection.

“Laura,” cried Jack, stepping out of the shorts, and pulling her up he held her close to him, kissing her on the neck. “I have to have you now.”

He pushed her onto the bed, lifted her hips across his, and entered her. He was not surprised to find her ready. Thrusting hard, he ejaculated almost within a minute but was excited when he realized she had come at the same time.

“Oh my God,” he cried as their bodies exploded. Her long legs were wrapped around his thighs as she bucked. She also cried out. They thrust repeatedly as if unable to get enough of each other.

Laura gasped aloud as she experienced a second orgasm and moaned in ecstasy. She closed her eyes. Jack lifted himself on his hands, looking down at this incredible woman. Sweat glistened on her body, her nipples were elongated, swollen slightly, and her lips were parted as she heaved with the pleasure of their lovemaking.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered, begging him to stay inside her.

Minutes later, he felt himself pulling out. He lay beside her exhausted. She leaned over and kissed him. “That was wonderful, sweetheart.”

He smiled, feeling satisfied. He saw her breast hanging close. He reached up and took it in his mouth, sucking. Jack moved to the other breast, sucked it and releasing it, pulled her head down to kiss her. “You are fabulous. What in the world did I do to deserve you?” He kissed her again, running his hands over her body, and taking her into his arms, fell asleep.

Irina stared at the flowers, remembering that night, exactly. They had made love again, later that night. It wasn’t quite the same, but the result was. She looked up at Jack and found him staring into her eyes. “Do you remember?” He persisted.

“Yes, every detail, Jack. You brought me yellow roses then too.” She leaned forward to smell the roses again, her heart beating so loud she thought he must hear it.

He pulled up the chair and sat down, reaching for her left hand still handcuffed to the bed.

*** :wub:

can't believe I missed so many amazing chapters, especially this last one.
sorry haven't been around much lately, but was having major computer problems, anyhow thanks for all the pm's and I hope to see an update soon.

Thanks for the PM. Enjoyed the flashback in this chapter.

LMAO at this. Nice touch. Hope there are more questions coming.

these little ficlets are like chocolate truffles

decadent rich and the taste satys with you for along time

but you always want one more....



Bren

Thanks everyone for those nice comments.
Unless someone comes up with an absolutely searing question that Jack would want to know from Irina...these are it, but for the finale.
I want to post it tomorrow.

B)

SUMMARY: Irina Derevko, international terrorist, assassin, Rambaldi expert, wife of Jack Bristow, and mother of Sydney Bristow is in the hospital after being captured in Mexico following a spectacular leap off a forty seven-story building. She sustained four broken ribs. She was hospitalized in a CIA hospital in the United States. When the doctor releases her, she will be removed to a Federal Prison. There, she will wait for the courts to judge her fate, imprisonment for the rest of her life or death.
She has spent five days in the hospital and the doctor, amazed at her recuperative power, is going to release her. Jack was with her three days during which they talked about themselves and their lives. Sydney also saw her mother a few times. However, the weekend is coming and she and Vaughn will be going to Santa Barbara. She won’t know until she returns the fate of her mother. Jack has visited Irina twice since he was discharged. The last time he brought her yellow roses.
Now she will be leaving, probably never to see him again.
RATING: Doesn’t matter.

THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Conversation Six

Irina stared out the window. It was getting dark outside…Blue sky fading to gray and soon to black. She had had x-rays again preparatory to being released. The young doctor had come to see her before they brought her food. The shift nurse stood just inside the door.

“You are extraordinary,” he had said, her chart in his hands. He looked down and scribbled something.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your ribs are healing at a faster rate than I’ve ever seen. It takes two or three weeks for this much calcium to appear.” He put the chart on the table and moved to her side. He pushed the button that would raise the bed. “Do you know why?” He moved the covers back, exposing her body. He bent down and gently pressed on her right rib cage. “Feel anything?” That morning the nurse had removed the chest strapping.

She winced. “Yes, some pain. Not as much as last Sunday.”

“Good, I thought as much.” He reached for her wrist, taking her pulse. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

“I don’t know about why, Doctor.” She hoped he’d finish. She was a bit chilly without the covers over her.

“Ummm,” he murmured, writing something in her chart.

“What?”

“Nothing, Ms. Derevko. You’ll be discharged in the morning. The marshals will be moving you out of here.” He smiled. “You’ve been a good patient. Good luck.” He knew she going to be moved to the Federal Prison in San Pedro. “Just be careful for a few more days. Don’t play any football.” He winked at her and left the room.

For a moment, Irina was puzzled by his last remark; then she got it and smiled. He forgot to pull the covers up. She reached down and with only her right hand free, managed to get them up over her body. She leaned back and looked at the left wrist that was handcuffed to the bed. It had been that way ever since they brought her. She pulled at it for a moment, hoping against hope that by some kind of magic it would come apart. It didn’t. She shrugged and leaned back.

It was dark now. She had eaten the food they brought her. She went on a walk, her left wrist handcuffed to one of the marshals. The other marshal walked beside her, his hand on his firearm, as though ready to stop anyone who might try to rescue the prisoner. She found it ludicrous. Irina finished the walk, which had been prescribed by the doctor two days ago. He explained she needed to strengthen her muscles before they atrophied.

Tomorrow was not a day she was looking forward too, but there was no way it wouldn’t happen. She had been in prison before, both in her country and here, so it was not going to be a new experience. She wondered if they would let her choose a lawyer this time. When Jack initiated the attempt to have her imprisoned three months ago, the CIA took her to Camp Harris first. That was not pleasant. Then they put her into the prison. There was a hearing and she had pled guilty. She did not want Sydney to know everything she had done while married to Jack. She even gave up the appeals process. In doing so, the tribunal had sentenced her to Death in spite of Jack’s coming forward to admit he had framed her.

Jack! She smiled, looking out the window and remembering last night. He had initiated the kiss again. His passion had overwhelmed her. He didn’t seem to want to stop. She didn’t want him to stop. They explored each other’s mouth, sucking, pushing, engulfing each other. Irina had felt surges between her legs. Finally, Jack lifted his head up to look at her.

“If we could go back in time, would you repeat your life as it is now?”

“I would not want to repeat any of my life before I met you,” she whispered. She took his left hand in her free one, locked fingers, and kissed the back of his hand.

Jack put his right hand under her chin, tilting it so their eyes met. He saw no guile and no lie. He knew she was truthful about this at least. Their deepening emotions were getting dangerously explosive. He didn’t know what he was going to do now. Irina Derevko was being sent to prison tomorrow. “I wish both of us could go back,” he said. “Things might be different the second time around.

“You will always own a part of my heart, Irina, remember that.” He stood, relinquishing her face. “I’ve got to go. Sydney should be on her way to Santa Barbara, so she won’t be here tonight.”

“I know. We said good-bye this morning.” She smiled.

“Take care of yourself, Irina.” He said standing briefly at the foot of the bed before turning to open the door.

“You too!” She said.

Then he was gone. Irina felt a terrible loneliness descend over her. Jack and Sydney were both gone. She would see them no more. She doubted they would come to see her in prison or would have time. A tear escaped down her cheek as she pushed the button on her bed that would lower it into a comfortable sleeping position.

She was in a deep sleep when a sound intruded on her. It was loud enough to cut through her REM time. She moved a little and then straightened out to fall back into her sleep. Seconds later, someone pulled her forward, slapped duct tape across her mouth, and dropped a black bag over her head. The handcuff was removed from the bed and locked onto her right wrist behind her back. She was pulled out of bed into a standing position. The pain returned to her chest. Behind the bag, tears filled her eyes, tears of pain and terror.

Irina tried to struggle, but was held in someone’s tight grip. A robe was thrown around her and the belt tied to keep it on her body. Slippers were put on her bare feet. Then she felt two hands on either arm propel her forward out of the room past two bodies she could not see and into the elevator across from the nurses station, which was now manned by two nurses lying face down on their desks.

They left the elevator and it was dampish smelling. She didn’t hear any sounds that would indicate they were on the ground floor. There were hissing sounds and little clanking. They had gone to the basement. She couldn’t resist. She was at their mercy, whoever they were. A door opened, they went through it. Two seconds later, she was pushed into the back of a van.

The two men carefully lowered her to the floor of the vehicle, muttering something she could not hear. “Stay put and don’t move.” Someone said harshly in her left ear. Irina had no choice but to accede. She was helpless.

The vehicle moved swiftly off into the night. The hospital was silent also. Irina Derevko had left the building without a trace.

Irina shivered. She had absolutely no idea where she was being taken or why. She certainly had not contacted Arvin or Sark, who was in CIA custody. Her contact in Los Angles possibly had learned something, but she seriously doubted he had the ability to pull this off. Was she going to be killed and buried somewhere. Who was behind it? Why? She shivered again. She thought if she weren’t gagged, she would hear her teeth chattering. As if reading her mind, someone put something warm around her. It had to be a blanket, she thought, and it did begin to warm her. Irina could do nothing. She was still a prisoner, but not of the United States.

The van stopped. She had no idea where she was nor what time it was. Hands reached down and pulled her to her feet. She felt the handcuffs being removed. She almost cried with the relief she felt. Her chest had been hurting ever since the hospital. She might be on the mend, but there was still pain. A door opened and she was pulled out to the ground. She sniffed the air gently and smelled the ocean. She heard a familiar noise as a small private jet’s engines were idling nearby.

What was going on here? She was pushed forward, up some steps into the cabin of a plane. She was put into a seat and the seat belt pulled tight. Thoroughly confused, Irina was unprepared for the sharp prick of a needle into her arm. A blanket was dropped around her body. The drug began to take effect. The bag was withdrawn and someone reached down tearing the tape from across her mouth. Footsteps walking to the doorway told her one of her rescuers had left. She looked up and saw the other man staring at her. She did not know who it was. He had a black bag over his head with small eyeholes cut in it. Things were getting fuzzy.

“Hide,” the voice behind the bag hissed. “Don’t come back.” Then he was gone and she lost consciousness.

The plane taxied out to the runway and in minutes was airborne and heading north toward Canada carrying an unconscious Irina Derevko.

On the ground, the leader handed the other man an envelope with fifty thousand dollars in it, payment for three hours work. He took the money and stuck it into his inside coat pocket. “You know where to find me if you need something.” He turned and drove off in the van.

The leader stood for a moment looking up into the sky where the private plane had disappeared.
“Take care of yourself, sweetheart.” Jack removed the bag from his head.

FINI

Awww...

What a nice ending. Thanks for the PM

an epilogue where they get together would be cool

but honestly this rocked

I love your stuff and keep it all coming

Bren

Hey, read this yesterday but didn't have a chance to reply. Great ending. Nice way to wrap it up. Thanks.

(clapping) what a nice ending ! Wonderful, I certainly wasn't expecting that, bravo ! You couldn't have done a better job with that fic, that was great !!!
And thanks for the pm.

what a beatiful ending, this is definitly one of my favorite stories yet.
you're truly amazing at writing these kinds of little stories, they're so touching.
congrats and thanks for the pm's.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: There I was lying in bed having read the entire 6 part “Nearness of You” and I had another flash…what if…ahhh, just what everyone would like to feel…so without further ado…
By the way, these characters belong to JJ Abrams and ABC-TV.
RATING: R

THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Epilogue

Irina jerked awake. She heard something. She blinked, trying to shake herself into an alert status.

“Mrs. Bristow!”

She stared up at a man standing next to her. “What did you call me?”

“Mrs. Bristow. Listen, your husband said I was to awaken you when we crossed the Canadian border and give you this.” He handed her a manila envelope. “He said to tell you your clothes were in a suitcase in the overhead,” he pointed in the direction, “near the door to the loo.” He had a definite English accent. “I have some coffee and sandwiches up front if you’re hungry.”

“Where are we going?”

“London!” He nodded at her. “I have to land in Newfoundland for gas first. We should be there, London I mean, this evening.” He turned and walked back down the short aisle to the cockpit and closed the door.

Irina threw off the blanket and realized she was still wearing the hospital gown and the robe. She walked a bit unsteadily to the rear of the cabin and saw the small suitcase. Opening it, she saw that Jack had packed slacks, black turtleneck sweater, and a short leather jacket as well as underwear, socks and boots. She dressed quickly and going to the small washroom, cleaned her face, put on some lipstick, combed her hair and braided it.

She closed the case and smiled. She had to believe now that it was Jack behind that mask. Even though his voice was muffled by a voice regulator, it was evident it was he who had taken her from the hospital last night. She put the case in an overhead rack, closing the door. Walking up the aisle, she knocked at the cockpit door and entered.

Moments later, she had a steaming hot cup of coffee and a wrapped sandwich in her hands heading back toward her seat and the manila envelope. She pulled out a tray from the window. After opening the sandwich, it was turkey, and placing the coffee beside it on the tray, she opened the envelope, dumping the contents on the seat next to her. There was a set of car keys, drivers’ license with the name Laura Bristow, and a stack of five hundred pound notes, which she estimated to be about ten thousand. Along with those articles was a passport in the name of Laura Bristow with her picture on it. She studied the picture. When had he had time to get an up-to-date picture of her? Then she remembered the picture the CIA had taken of her back at Langley. The license had her date of birth, weight, height, color of eyes and hair, correctly listed.

Irina picked up the coffee and took a sip, and then ate half the sandwich, realizing she had been very hungry. She looked at the final item in the manila envelope; it was a white envelope, whose contents might be several pages. She held it in her hand as if trying to learn what was inside without opening it. That was not going to work. She sighed and tore the envelope open, withdrawing several sheets of paper.

She unfolded them and began reading.

“Dearest,

I am writing this earlier today before meeting a friend and going to the hospital. I am relieving the CIA of your custody and arranging for you to be flown out of the country. The pilot has been paid extremely well and is a friend of mine. He will see to it you arrive safely.

In the envelope are keys to a car, a BMW, with a right hand drive and an up to date driver’s license with all your statistics neatly catalogued. There is a packet of money, which I’m sure you will find handy and a new passport. You have a room reserved under the name of Laura Bristow at the Clarendon Hotel. You can use it or not, depending on the circumstances. My pilot is not landing you at Heathrow, but at a smaller airport outside of London. Since he is a Londoner and flies in and out of this airport, I doubt there will be any questions.

I want you to hide. You are going to be in a great deal of danger once the news of your escape is published and transmitted. If Arvin thinks you betrayed him, he is going to want to take his revenge or, at the very least, make you pay in some way not to either of our liking. Of course, the entire law enforcement world will be after you also. Therefore, Irina, make wise choices. Buy a computer and set up email accounts just for our use and watch in the London Times and Daily Mirror for a personal ad regarding Handel and Mozart.

Now regarding the past two months since Panama…”

Irina felt her stomach twitch and her heart beat increase.

“I have decided that a piece of my heart belongs to you and our past. I hated you for what you did to Sydney and me, but the conversations in the hospital made me realize that for you the reasons were your only option. Given the seriousness of your crimes against the U.S., I think they would have executed you even if you had given yourself up and agreed to be a double agent.

“It was obvious that your government had its suspicions even when they ordered you home. I was not totally convinced when you told us in Kashmir you had been a prisoner, but then you told me you had been raped and tortured. I do apologize for my own part in the Madagascar affair and subsequent events.

“Did you know it was Sydney who saved our lives? Agent Vaughn merely told me to confess or else he’d tell Sydney the truth. She went to bat for us with Senator Douglas telling him a terrible lie. If he had found out the truth, we both would end up in prison. What a family of prisoners we would be.

“I am not sure you have told me everything, in fact, I’m positive of it, knowing your history of manipulative lying. However, I am convinced you were quite able to split yourself into two personalities: one to be a wife and mother and the other to be a spy and assassin. You are, as a result and also in my opinion, a remarkably talented woman. Given your education and talent as a teacher, I know you have as high an IQ as our daughter. Therefore, you are quick with the lie as with everything else you did when we lived together as husband and wife.

“Panama was a revelation. You and I experienced a moment of history. I was surprised by your memory of our marriage and everything we did to give each other fulfillment of our basic need. I will not forget one moment of our night together as I am sure you will not either—including all the circumstances that followed.

“You told me in the hospital that you slept with me in Panama because of the memories of your life in happier times. I then knew that you must have had real feelings for me as I did for you and still do.”

Irina stared out of the window, looking down at the ground below. My God, Jack, she thought, how stupid can we be? She took a swallow of the coffee and finished the sandwich. She looked back down at the letter sitting in her lap.

“I really didn’t tell you about my own needs and how I met them after I pressed you for your own. Of course, I did have desires, urges, drives and I took care of them within the bounds of a field agent’s expertise. I’m sure I do not have to explain. It was interesting to me to hear you say Khasinau was not your lover. I would have thought he was high on your list.”

“No, Jack, never…he was just a bit younger than my father and not at all attractive,” Irina murmured. “Cuvee, however…” She remembered Cuvee’s delight at seeing her again in the Kashmir prison. He had kissed her with all the fervor of an old lover. She, however, was concerned about Jack and Sydney who were chained and prisoners in the cell block. They were her family.

She took up the letter again. “You told me and Sydney that you returned after twenty years because you learned our daughter was a double agent. You indicated you were not happy with outcome of her education…that you had wanted her to grow up, fall in love, get married and have children. That seemed so strange to come from you—given who you are.

“I have thought about what you said and I, at last, agree with you. We have not been the best role models for Sydney. I promise you I will do my best to persuade her from continuing as a field agent, even though she is better at what she does than either you or I. Still your insistence that I help persuade Sydney to quit—get out makes me think you are a better mother than I thought you to be. However, you should know Sydney is as stubborn as you are and if she thinks there is any chance that she can get Sloane, she might stay.

“I know I never answered your question. It was when you asked me if the circumstances were reversed, what would my choice be. I have to be honest, Irina, because if I lived in Russia, married to you, I would not throw myself on your mercy or your government…I would run, just as you did. It’s funny now that I think of it, because when you ‘died’ and I found out your duplicity and betrayal, I was angry that you had not told me everything.

“There are moments when I wish we both could travel back in time to just before we married, before the betrayals, lies, and murders. That you would be so in love with me you would confess what you were going to do. That probably was the only time you would have a chance of staying out of the CIA and FBI clutches. I was so in love with you then I would have done anything, anything for you.”

Irina closed her eyes for a moment. If she had told Jack before their marriage, would she still be alive. If he had turned her into a double agent, what then? She would never have heard about Rambaldi or become so entrenched with the quest or be so involved with Sloane. “Would they put me in prison, Jack?” She thought.

“I don’t know if you remember, but the week we spent in Hawaii, the week that Sydney was conceived was one of the most beautiful and special weeks of our marriage, at least it was for me. The islands were great, and the weather perfect especially that day before we left. That night when we made love during the storm was the joyful end of that perfect day.”

Irina sat still staring out of the window remembering it so well.

They had spent the evening dining in the hotel’s finest restaurant. They had had a lot of wine, but it didn’t matter to either. They had eyes only for each other. Neither one spoke of this being their last day, free from their jobs and the stress of living in L.A. They had walked back to the cabana, hand in hand, each thinking their own thoughts. The wind was blowing hard. It would get worse. A tropical storm was moving toward the islands and weather reports stated there would be torrential rain along with it.

They entered the cabana and Jack took Laura into his arms. “I love you,” he whispered then kissed her. She threw her arms around his neck, her lips parted. They stood together for what seemed like hours. His mouth devoured her roving from lips to jaw to her neck and back again—slowly and hungrily.

“Jack,” she said breaking away. “Let’s make love under the stars out on the sand.”

He looked out the window. The wind was whipping the black water in the bay with ferocious power. The rain was beginning. It was insane, but then they were so in love, why not?

“Okay,” he said. They tore off their clothes and put on the complimentary robes from the hotel. Laura had less to take off, so she was out the door running to the beach before he was finished. He found her watching the heavy rain move toward them.

“Here I am,” she said, turning into him. Taking his face between her hands, she kissed him. He held her tight to him, feeling his erection beginning. He knew she could feel it also, because she sucked his tongue into her mouth, allowing him to thrust it in an out. He heard the moan from deep inside her.

Jack pulled her down onto the sand and tore open her robe. It was raining harder and the wind whipped the nearby palm trees. Kneeling beside her, he gazed at her: the long slim body, the perfect, though small breasts, the dark patch of hair between her thighs.

“Jack,” she whispered, “take off the goddamn robe, and show me how much you love me.”

He threw the robe back and moved between her legs. The erection was complete and as ready as she was. He pulled her hips up and entered her hard. She moved in concert with his thrusts crying out as each one led to the next peak. Their bodies were pummeled by the rain and the wind, but it didn’t matter they were locked into a sensuous copulation and nothing would stop them.

Laura felt the orgasm building and as he thrust once again, she exploded, trying to cling to him, but failing because both of them were wet with rain and sweat. She felt him let go with his life giving fluid. He covered her with his body and kissed her.

“We’d better go inside,” he cried in her ear. They ran inside the cabana, nude and dripping water and sand on the floor.

“A shower,” she cried. She ran to the bathroom.

They stood together under the hot water, washing each other with soap and sluicing it off.
They held each other for a short time, and then Jack knew he would have to have her again. He stared into her eyes, breathing heavy.

“Here, again, Laura,” his voice rasped. He picked her up and held her against the wall. She threw her legs around his body and he slowly entered her. The sex was even better than out on the sand.

Irina was jerked back into the present by the sound of the engines slowing. She glanced out the window and saw they were on a downward path. Newfoundland she guessed. She picked up the pages to finish Jack’s letter.

“I meant what I said when I left you. Hide yourself. You are in danger from both the Covenant and Arvin, although they could be the same.

“I will be in touch, if only by email.“Goodbye, sweetheart and don’t ever come back.”

Irina put the letter back in its envelope. She put the envelope in the larger one. She took the money, license, and passport and placed it in the small attaché case she found in the overhead where she placed the suitcase.

She promised herself she would write him someday.

***
Now it's over :wub:

Thanks for the bonus. I really did enjoy these short conversations. With this nice epilogue, you could end up going and going, making an epic of it... :lol:

Actually taking this into a serial would be a little hard to do since this all takes place just before Sydney disappears. So...be patient. I'll let you know when something new comes along.

B)

wow (dreamy smile) that was pretty good, now it feels like it's been achieved, loved the end, when she says she'll write him, someday...
Do you have new fics in mind, beside "The Rambaldi Stone", which I totally love ?

have I mentioned how much I love epilogues, especially this one!
very sweet perfect little ending, again. this really made my day, thanks again for writing more and the pm.

perfectly perfect m'dear

I adored this

bren

Great story. It was well written.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: So many of the fans wanted to know what Irina would write back to Jack that I wondered what she would write him myself. I began thinking, thinking, perking and wondering. It did not take me long…
SUMMARY: Sydney was killed burned beyond recognition in her apartment. The only one living is Will who is in the hospital recuperating from a terrible stab wound. It has been a week since the terrible event. Vaughn who has disappeared threw Sydney’s ashes into the ocean. Those who attended the simple funeral have dispersed.
RATED: R


THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Irina’s Letter

Jack sat stonily on his sofa, a large highball glass in his hand, filled with the smoky tasting scotch. He had not moved since yesterday having returned from that terrible scene at the beach—Vaughn throwing Sydney’s ashes into the sea. His daughter, his beautiful, talented, brilliant daughter had been killed by fire in her apartment. Will was barely alive when they found him in the bathtub a deadly knife wound in his belly. He informed them that Francie had done it, only it wasn’t really Sydney’s best friend—it was the double they had been looking for ever since Will had been cleared.

He took another sip. The bottle was almost empty, sitting on the coffee table in front of him. He had another in the cupboard and planned to finish that off too. His grief was palpable to anyone who saw him. Only no one saw him. He had not answered his cell phone or his pager. He was grief-stricken beyond whatever he had thought he could be. The last time he felt this way was the night ‘Laura’ had died in an auto accident.

That night had been terrible for him. The phone call from the police, telling him ‘there had been an accident’ and that his wife was missing. He collapsed into the large chair he called his own. Sydney was asleep by this time. He cried for a long time. The police told him not to come down. The fire department deployed their men down the river to see if her body was retrievable. The second phone call came three hours later. They had not found the body and no doubt it would be found in the harbor soon.

That night it didn’t stop raining. Jack had sat with the scotch in his hand again. He called Arvin, who came over with Emily. They sat with him. Emily held his free hand and he found it comforting. Arvin called the office and informed them of the incident. He left Emily with Jack because the CIA wanted him there. Arvin never told Jack until years later that the FBI had informed the CIA that Laura Bristow was a Russian spy and was responsible for killing eleven agents.

Jack sat back in the sofa. It was only a week ago he had rescued ‘Laura’ from the CIA—only now, her name, true name, was Irina Derevko. She had returned from the dead to enter his and Sydney’s world, to betray them again, and then, to be caught after saving Sydney’s life. She had done it several times while in CIA custody. Panama, he thought, was something he didn’t count on when he set up the trap. She gave him something he thought he’d never have again—her body and soul for one night. Even though he had planted the passive tracker on her, he was amazed at her capacity for that night of love they had together. Neither regretted it for a moment.

Jack glanced at his watch. He’d been sitting here through the night and morning and it was nearly three o’clock in the afternoon. He sighed, stood up, and walked to the kitchen. There was not much to eat, but he managed some bread and peanut butter. At least there would be something on his stomach to sop up the alcohol.

Just as he was about to sit down, he heard a noise outside his door. Then a white envelope slid through the mail slot onto the floor, landing on the mail that had been deposited yesterday after he returned from the beach. He stood for a moment wondering if he should pick it up. Then noticing it was not a bill, bent down. His name was on the envelope and the address, but there was no stamp. He frowned. This was not the usual mail delivery.

Looking at the envelope curiously, he went to the sofa, putting his sandwich down on the coffee table next to the glass and bottle of scotch. He sat down. The envelope felt as though there were several pages inside. He opened it and took out several hand-written sheets of paper. The handwriting was familiar, very familiar.

“My dearest Jack,

“I thought I would write to thank you for what you did. I took your advice. I have new computer and my address is handel4me. I will check every day for messages.

“I used the car to get me to where I am, but it is in the Heathrow parking lot now, Section 4A. The rent is paid up for a month. I enclose parking ticket in case you want to pick it up yourself. You have three more weeks before the car is towed away. I did not go to your Hotel Clarendon, but cancelled the room.

“I do appreciate your kindnesses and considering everything, the generosity toward me seems unrepayable. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the short time we had. I realize our lives have gone in different directions since—since leaving in 1981. As I told you, when I returned to Russia, I was debriefed extensively. I apologize which is, as you may know, not me, but as your wife of ten years, I feel you deserve it. I said what I said because it was what they wanted to hear.

“I knew I had your complete love before we were married. When I was able to steal secrets with impunity I first thought you were a fool, but later, as my own feelings for you grew and when Sydney was born, I was aware of the goodness in you. Russians are known for their love of children, but your love for Sydney and the way you helped every time you were home, made me realize again what a wonderful man you were. I also know that when I--when I betrayed you and Sydney that goodness and love was shattered.

“Jack, for twenty years, I did think about you and Sydney, especially my little girl who was growing up without her mother. I confess I kept track of you and her. There was an agent of mine in Los Angeles whose sole job was to take pictures and to send them to me. I have them all—twenty years worth.”

He put the letter down on the table for a moment. Leaning his head back, Jack closed his eyes. She had pictures of Sydney. He grimaced realizing she did know Sydney was working for Arvin and must have known about her joining the CIA. He frowned, thinking back to what Sydney had reported after speaking to Irina in her cell. She told Sydney she had not told Sark Sydney was a double agent. She had used Sydney; she manipulated her daughter’s need for a mother to realize her own ambition—to own the Rambaldi artifacts. Now she was in hiding from law enforcement officials, the Covenant and Arvin Sloane who knew she’d double-crossed him. Was all that manipulation worth this? He leaned forward and picked up the letter.

“I know, darling, and yes, I did use Sydney to get what I wanted, but that doesn’t mean I do not love her…or you. I knew a long time ago I destroyed any hope of our ever being together again, but that did not mean I did not keep a piece of my heart for you both. No one ever knew about my man in Los Angeles. By the way, don’t bother looking for him. He did his job and I paid for it. I sent him home long before walking in at Langley.

“Langley! What excitement when I told the receptionist who I was and what I wanted.”Jack snorted. “Two agents appeared within two minutes of the woman’s call to the upstairs. I was handcuffed and led to an elevator. It took the three of us to the floor where DCI, I believe you call him, had his office. I told him I was giving myself up; that I would help the CIA take down The Alliance and Arvin, but would debrief only with Sydney. They threatened me, but I threaten back. It would cost them the war with The Alliance if they did not use the information I had. Finally they agreed.

“They processed me. I laugh when I think about it, because it was easy compared to what we Russians would have done if our position were reversed. They took everything from me even some of my blood. DNA I expect. I am given prison clothes, slip-on shoes, and then they put me in a cell for the night. Next morning I am shackled and put on plane to Burbank.

“Your CIA must think I am so powerful I could arrange for my own escape? Christ Jack, I walked in! Why would I want to be rescued? That is not intelligent. Then when plane lands, they put me in a van: my wrists put in hand cuffs attached to wall and my ankles were shackled to the floor. It’s pouring rain and they take me into CIA/FBI headquarters with many guards as though I would run away.

“I often think you came to see me that night. Did you? I think you did. I would if the situation was reversed. I would come to see you.”

Jack stopped reading for the moment, a little smile played across his face. She was right. He had gone in the early morning, about three, he guessed. He had his first look at his wife after twenty years. She was asleep on a steel bunk. She awoke and moved out into the cell a little and then looked back at him. Irina could not see him, but he saw her and marveled at the beauty she had retained over the years.

“Jack, I beg you to help Sydney leave your agency—your CIA. I want her to be happy and I don’t think she is.

“I—I wish I could tell the future, but neither of us can. You trained our daughter to be one of the deadliest agents working for any government. I see her operate and see her strengths—and her weakness. That weakness could kill her. You do know what I am talking about, don’t you? She has one fault that, I suspect, neither you nor I have… empathy for people in trouble.

“There is great danger ahead for this world. If she becomes involved, she might die. I do not want that for her.” Jack suddenly sensed Irina was trying to tell him something he should know. She, for some reason, was hesitant to reveal a secret. He held onto the pages as willing them to talk to him.

She then changed direction. “I am sitting alone in this room and I am feeling your arms around me. It will be long time before I forget. Do you remember the night before Sydney broke her leg? I remember we sit before a big fire. We are up in a forest in mountains above Los Angeles?”

Jack remembered that night quite well. They had spent the day hiking an easy trail. Sydney was always trying to see what was around the next curve first. They had to keep her from getting too far ahead of them. Laura had been upset. She was afraid Sydney would hurt herself. Jack had been less worried. Sydney was a normal four-year old and constantly moving, filled with the energy of the very young.

That evening Jack had cooked their meal and Sydney had almost fallen asleep in her pan of beans and bacon. She barely finished her milk before she was fast asleep in Laura’s arms. Jack asked her to put Sydney to bed in the sleeping bag they had bought her while he cleaned up their dishes.

They sat on a large log by the dying embers of their campfire. Jack put his arm around Laura, while smoking his pipe. They didn’t speak for several minutes. The sky was filled with twinkling diamond-like stars. There was no moon. The air was crisp and cold. A slight breeze was rustling through the pine trees adding to the moment.

Laura leaned her head against his shoulder, staring into the red embers. Her hand was caressing his thigh. She could feel the muscle. She liked to touch him. His arm tightened around her.

“We could make love tonight.” Laura turned her head to look up at him.

“We’d wake Sydney.”

“Jack, nothing can wake her.” She stood up, pulling at his arm.

He stood and turned to her, bending his head to take her lips with his. Her mouth opened invitingly. He held her tightly, while his mouth went exploring. In less than five minutes, she was moaning.

“Please Jack…” she whispered. He had opened her shirt and was working toward the left breast. His right hand reached up and pulled her bra strap down, releasing its hold on the breast. His desire was increasing by the minute and he could hear her heart beating harder and faster. His lips reached the nipple. The skin was milky smooth and soft like a baby’s. He bent her back a little, taking the nipple and slowly sucking on it.

Laura moaned, “Jack, darling…” She was pulling at his Pendleton shirt and then her hands unzipped his pants.

“Inside,” he whispered hoarsely.

They entered the tent and both ripped off their clothes. Laura stood naked first. The light from the dying embers barely able to caste any light on her body. There was enough, however, to give her an ethereal quality. Jack bent down and opened their double sleeping bag. He pulled her to him, kissed both breasts while his hands wandered down to the dark patch between her legs lingering there.


Jack shook himself staring into the darkness as he remembered that night. Of course, the next day was one neither would forget, he thought. Jack and Laura were asleep in the sleeping bag when Sydney woke up, dressed, and wandered outside only to jump off a rock down the trail a bit, hit another rock, twisting her ankle and falling, breaking her leg. Her screams brought Jack and Laura out of their sleeping bag. Laura went racing naked down the trail to where Sydney lay crying. Jack took time to pull on his pants. He grabbed a jacket and was only a minute behind Laura. He gave her the jacket while he checked Sydney over. They had gone to the nearest hospital, but only after Laura put on some more clothes.

For a moment, Jack allowed himself a chuckle and then he remembered Sydney was dead…or was she? He frowned, thinking about it. He realized he was still holding Irina’s letter.

“That night was a wonderful one too. I know you are angry, but it was my job, wasn’t it? How many times have you said the same thing to Sydney? I can hear you say it. Why is it so hard to believe the same of me? That I came to love you to care about you was something neither I nor the KGB thought might happen. I did know however that the orders I followed would be punished by death if I was caught. I did not want to die.

“So, dear Jack, I am now in hiding once more. This time there are many people looking for me. You know how to reach me. I miss you. Irina.

Jack sighed. He folded the letter carefully and put it back into its envelope. He would have to put it in his safe as anyone who read it would know where to start looking for Irina Derevko. She would have to know…know about Sydney. He wondered what her reaction would be. If she loved Sydney as she professed, he guessed it would be devastating. He would tell her in person.

***

Sydney Is Dead, an earlier story I wrote this year would be the follow up to this letter.
You can find it easily below, just copy and paste.
Lenafan

http://s4.invisionfree.com/Serenades/index.php?showtopic=42

lenafan

that was heartbreakingly beautiful

THANK YOU

That was great. It was really well written.