Author: Duck
Rating: PG-13 for language
Genre: Action/Adventure with Romance squeezed in here and there.
Summary: SD-6 sends Sydney on a mission to kidnap Gaia Moore. Chaos ensues.
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING. JJ Abrams and Francine Pascal have the pleasure of claiming copyright. Although, if the world were perfect, Michael Vartan would belong to me.
Authors Note: Fearless is a series that currently has 23ish books in it. I'm not currently up to date on the last few. I got burned out by 21. This takes place after Sam died, before Ed and Gaia hooked up, and Ed is still in the wheelchair. And he's not dating Heather. That was just weird.
The basic plot of the story is Gaia doesn't have a fear gland. She doesn't fear anything. One of her hobbies is beating up thugs at the local park. She's a good chess player. Loki killed her friend Mary, but she doesn't know it. She thinks Mary's drug dealer did it. Gaia is living with Mary's family because they invited her, and she didn't really have anywhere else to go.
Gaia was living with Tom's CIA friend George, but his wife was in league with Loki and got killed. She was a b**** but turned good last second. She refused to move back in with George. Tom and Gaia had a little French getaway, but she's still all confused about him. She's not sure who's Loki. She knows it's either her uncle or father, but doesn't know which.
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1 : Robbed of Fear

The debriefing room seemed colder than usual; creating an uncomfortable environment for all those who entered. Sydney Bristow was the last person in, her head ducked down and silent.

Jack Bristow eyed his daughter with disapproval, mentally reprimanding her. Promptness was crucial in their line of work; one must never be late when they're living in the world of espionage.

Sloane cleared his throat as Sydney took her seat. "This mission has clear objectives, but I will warn you now it will be more difficult than it appears." A picture of a teenage girl flashed onto the screen behind his head. The girl was tall with brilliantly blonde hair. "This is Gaia Moore. You will bring her into the CIA's custody for questioning. She is highly trained in martial arts. I've seen her take down five well-trained men without breaking a sweat. Sydney, this will be a solo mission for you. Do you have any questions?"

When no one said anything, Sloane nodded. "Good. Oh, just to warn you, she doesn't' seem to display fear. Do not try to use fright to obtain your objective." Sloane rose and left the room. When only father and daughter were left, Jack flipped the pen top and spoke urgently to Sydney.

"I know Gaia's father, Tom Moore. He's CIA. Gaia is very intelligent, but tends to be unpredictable. Tom put her in foster care after her mother's death. Vaughn will fill you in on the rest. I want you to be especially careful Sydney." The pen beeped and he fell silent. Sydney nodded and left room. She ate lunch at a park and dropped her mission in the designated trashcan.

Two hours later she received the Joey's pizza call and drove to the warehouse to meet Vaughn.

Their meetings were always difficult for Sydney. She knew that she had feelings for him, but acting on her emotions could only result in two disasters; his termination or both of their deaths. She wasn't willing to risk his life for her emotional needs. Sydney had come to this conclusion a while ago, but she had to remind herself again and again why she was not allowed to be with that man. The warehouse was always the worst because he could look into her eyes. Every time she met his brilliantly green eyes she had to fight to mask her feelings.

The warehouse was even colder than the debriefing room, but Sydney felt warmth spread from her chest as she greeting Vaughn. There were several folders stacked neatly on a table. Vaughn pulled the top one open and handed it to Sydney. The intel inside was background on Gaia. Sydney's eyes searched the document until they reached her date of birth. "Gaia Moore is only seventeen, and yet SD-6 wants to interrogate her. Why?"

"You've heard of Loki?"

"Yes. He's the head of an organization that is an enemy of the United States."

"Gaia is his niece. He thinks that she's his daughter, so he takes a special interest in her."

"How can he think Gaia is his daughter?"

"Tom and Oliver Moore are identical twins. Oliver has a condition that causes long bouts of insanity. He was a young member of the CIA when his condition escalated. He took over a Russian organization and dubbed himself Loki, Norse god of the underworld.

"Oliver had been hiding his condition when Tom married Katia. There had been a slight disagreement over Katia, both men loved her, but Katia loved Tom back. Oliver drugged Tom before the honeymoon and stole his tuxedo."

Sydney's smile melted into an expression of disgust. "How do you know he's not the father? If he and Tom are identical, they share the same DNA. There's no way to tell."

"Oliver was treated at a clinic in Europe as a child. The treatment made him sterile." Both thought that it was a very good thing that Loki could not produce offspring.

"Does Gaia know anything about her family?"

"The CIA has reason to believe she is partially aware of her family history. She probably doesn't know the finer details, but she has had contact with her father and uncle recently. When Katia was killed, Tom pushed Gaia away to protect her. She has been placed in 6 different foster homes over the last 8 years. Gaia has no reason to trust her father."

"Sounds vaguely familiar. Father pushes daughter away and daughter doesn't trust father. Gaia and I seem to have quite a bit in common. What happened to Katia?"

"Loki snuck into their house in hopes of killing Tom. He missed."

Sydney and Vaughn had gradually sat down while they had been talking. They were now facing each other, trying not to stare. Every now and then a staring contest would ensue, making all participants want to screw protocol. Sydney cleared her throat and glanced at Gaia's picture once more. She was pretty. Not a fashionable dresser, but she had a raw beauty. Natural.

This girl was labeled highly intelligent and well trained. She was probably confused, and that would be her weakness. Gaia matched her in martial combat, but Sydney had all the answers. A medical note attached to the picture caught her eye. She read it out loud, seeking confirmation,

"Gaia Moore is missing the gland that induces fear. No cure can be found." Her mouth hung open in disbelief. "She really doesn't fear anything? I thought Sloane was just trying to tease me, in his own twisted way."

Vaughn chuckled grimly. "The doctors always marveled over Gaia. As long as she was observed, she never exhibited fear. Her parents made sure she was well educated so she wouldn't do anything stupid, but there wasn't anything else they could do."

Sydney shook her head. She had been in intelligence a long time, and she had seen a lot of things, but this was the strangest yet. A girl was brilliant and talented, but she was robbed of the one thing that truly makes any person stronger. Fear. And yet she was apparently living a normal life.

"Well, that's all the background information. The counter mission is to talk to her. Convince her to feed us information about Loki. A double of sorts. You're going to have to be honest with her. She's very good at spotting lies." Something flickered across Vaughn's face. A memory of pushing a little blonde girl on a swing pushed itself into Vaughn's mind.

"Are you alright?"

"Tom Moore was my friend in training. We became very close. The only person closer to him was Oliver. I was at their wedding, and I was the first agent Tom called that morning. I helped him through everything those first years. I was at the hospital when Gaia was born and I went to her baptism. I was devastated when Katia was murdered. Tom pushed everyone away, including Gaia. I haven't talked to him or Gaia in nearly 8 years." Vaughn's face displayed a sadness Sydney had never witnessed on his features. It was the sadness of losing a friend. She squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. No words came to mind to soothe his pain.

"My plane leaves in two hours for New York. Will I have any backup?"

"Me. Gaia trusted me. I never gave her any reason not to. She was like a niece to me, and I think she loved me like an uncle. You just have to get her to Washington Square Park. We'll talk to her together. Good luck."

She nodded in response before turning away. She hoped this mission wouldn't take a huge toll on Vaughn. He did love Gaia; she could read it in his eyes.

It was strange to think in a few hours she would be conversing with this strange girl that Vaughn loved.

She could hardly wait.

2 : A Day with Gaia

The New York air bit Gaia over and over as she played chess in Washington Square Park. She had almost laughed when Ed challenged her, but held back for his pride. The only person her age that could be beat her had been Sam. When that thought entered her mind she almost cried. Sam was dead. This was the first time she had played since he had been murdered, and it was harder than she imagined.

"I can't believe we're blowing off school to play chess. With my luck the principal will decide to eat his lunch here." Ed's joke lifted the corners of Gaia's mouth, but the smile did not reach her eyes. Even Ed had trouble making her smile these days.

The coldness was starting to annoy her, so Gaia decided to end things quickly. In three moves she had Ed in check, the fourth was checkmate. He pouted as he wheeled himself away from the chess table, muttering incoherent mumbles.

"Want some Krispy Kremes?" Ed's expression of defeat was instantly replaced by one of immense hunger.

"I thought you'd never ask." Gaia could eat a dozen of those doughnuts herself, but she wasn't hungry. The only reason she suggested it was for Ed to stop muttering.

She had learned how to walk besides Ed's wheelchair and keep the right speed with him. He had confessed he hated when people walked slow for him, so Gaia never walked slow enough to attract his attention.

Soon wonderful smells wafted around them, mingling with the aroma of trash and gasoline. Not pleasant, but certainly interesting. Ed bought a dozen glazed doughnuts and they wandered back to the park. Benches by a fountain are a good place to eat doughnuts, so Ed and Gaia settled themselves. Within ten minutes all that was left was a glazed filled box, slowly being wiped clean by fingers.

"What do you want to do? We've got about five hours before school gets out."

Gaia pondered as she licked her fingers clean of the delicious glaze. "I could kick your ass at chess again."

Ed rolled his eyes. "My ass is still tender, but thanks for the helpful suggestion."

"What about a movie? I haven't seen the new Star Wars movie yet." Gaia really didn't want to see it, but the theater would be a hell of a lot warmer than the bench she was slowly freezing onto. Besides, she could tune out anything, including that damn surround sound.

"K."

The theater was warm, much to Gaia's relief. She and Ed sat in the handicapped space, which was the perfect height for any movie. Gaia tuned out the movie about the time "A long time ago in a galaxy far far away," popped up. Movies were a time of thought for her. Sometimes it relieved her, more often than not it made her head hurt.

Gaia had one question in her head that no one had been able to answer, or at least prove the answer to.

Who the hell was Loki?

She didn't trust her uncle, there was no way in hell she trusted her father. They were identical in appearance, but one was evil. One killed her mother.

A burning anger made bile rise in the back of her throat. She swallowed it, but was left with a bitter taste the popcorn couldn't wash away.

She had spent a week in Paris with her father, but doubts still arose. She had no proof either way. She couldn't be sure until one of them was dead. At the moment she didn't care either way. If one died and Loki was still at large, only then would she have her proof. Until then she wouldn't listen to either.

The movie seemed to fly by and soon she and Ed were back at Washington Square Park, watching all the regulars play chess. The day passed quickly, neither feeling guilt for skipping school. They both needed a break from classes and the FOHs.

Ed invited Gaia to stay at his apartment since his parents were gone. To a normal teenager this would sound suggestive, but for Gaia is was a place to watch TV and drink milkshakes. She didn't like Ed that way, and she doubted she ever would. Ed was her best and only friend. Nothing more.

Gaia took the liberty of calling Mary's parents, because they would worry if she didn't come home. It was strange having people worry over her. Ella didn't give a damn, and George had rarely been home. Now Ella was dead and George was a wreck. Things changed quickly.

Ed's apartment was a ways from the park, so it took most of the afternoon to get there. Milkshakes were made and an old movie was shoved into the VCR. They both fell asleep contently, Ed stretched out on the couch and Gaia in a recliner.

She had been extremely comfortable when a sound awoke her. Someone else was in the apartment, and they were being stealthy. Gaia waited until the person was directly over to make a move. She kicked hard and was surprised to find herself flipping onto the ground.

The noise of her crashing to the floor was enough to wake Ed up. He was smart enough not to move, and when his eyes adjusted he saw a figure sitting on Gaia's chest. He lunged for her (it was obvious of her sex by the black cat suit she was wearing) and freed Gaia. The woman was wearing a ski mask, so her identity was a mystery. Gaia belted her a kick in her chest that sent her to her knees.

Ed ripped off the mask and was surprised to find a beautiful woman in her twenties. She held out her palm and gasped. When she recovered she looked at Gaia and said, "They were right. I underestimated you." Her voice was warm, which surprised them both. The woman stayed on her knees and continued to talk.

"I was hoping to surprise you so I wouldn't have to explain, but it's my own fault. My name is Sydney Bristow. I'm an agent for the CIA and I'm here to give you a warning."

Gaia's eyes narrowed. "Warn me about what?"

"Your life is in serious danger."



3 : A Walk in the Park

Sydney waited for hours outside the Upper East Side apartment, but Gaia never showed. Getting fed up, she made contact with Vaughn, hoping he knew where the hell she was.

"It's two in the morning and I haven't seen anyone resembling Gaia. Besides, I'm freezing my ass off out here."

Vaughn smiled as he replied, "I've been trying to contact you, but you were on radio silence. She went to her friend's house. It's a few blocks up."

Sydney cursed under her breath. The New York air had slowly been freezing her muscles, rendering her fighting skills useless. She jogged as Vaughn issued her direction, hoping the short run would warm her up. Unconsciously she checked for tails, staying in the shadows. Both agents were surprised by the lack of security, but neither questioned it.

The building was easy to slip into; the lock was even easier to pick. Sydney was used to highly complex locks, but opening them silently was a trick she had never mastered. She winced as the lock finally clicked, but heard no movement inside. Tiptoeing across the floor, she picked out Gaia easily by the glimmering hair that cascaded down the side of the recliner.

To securely knock someone out without waking them up, the assailant needs to hit the pressure points a precise angle. Sydney was positioning herself over Gaia when she felt the air move. Catching the leg swiftly, she flipped Gaia onto the floor with a resounding thud. For all the warnings she had been given, the girl didn't seem to put up much of a fight. Sydney had her pinned, and she hadn't even felt Gaia twitch.

While she was quickly planning how to get Gaia to the park, an object hurled itself at Sydney, dislodging her from Gaia's chest. The girl seemed to pop out from under her and delivered a bruising kick to her abdomen. The kick knocked the wind out of her and sent Sydney to her knees. Her masked was ripped off and her features were revealed to both teenagers facing her. The look on the boy's face was one of surprise, but Gaia's was pure curiosity.

Knowing she didn't have much time, she used flattery as an attempt to win brownie points. "My name is Sydney Bristow. I'm an agent for the CIA and I'm here to give you a warning."

Gaia narrowed her eyes. "About what?"

Sydney chose words that would effectively shock Gaia's systems and cause her to rely on her for questions. "Your life is in serious danger."

"Why should I believe you?"

(* = In Russian)

*"Because I know twisted your family is. I happen to know a lot about you, Gaia Moore."*

"How."* The way she said it posed more as a statement than as a question, almost as if she didn't want to know.

"Your information is stored in a file, locked away in the CIA headquarters. All it took was an access code."*

Gaia clenched her jaw defiantly. "Don't pretend like you know me. You don't."*

"In a way you are correct. I know all the facts about your past and present life, but I don't know anything about your personality, besides a hint that you were unpredictable. But I do know some things that you hide. That's the reason I'm speaking in a language your friend doesn't understand. I'm sure you don't want to bring him into this."*

A red light flashed on Sydney's wrist, causing her to look at Gaia with alarm. "It's not safe for us to talk here. If you have questions, I will answer them. Please hear what I have to say."*

Gaia considered Sydney's plea, and then slowly nodded. As much as she hated to admit it, Gaia was beginning to like Sydney. She didn't mess around with bullshit like most adults.

"Where?"*

"There is a large park near here. That will do."*

Ed had been watching the exchange with growing displeasure. That woman, Sydney, had captured Gaia's interest. Hell, she'd captured his interest when she started speaking in gibberish. Funny enough, Gaia seemed to understand, and responded in the same language. He didn't even know she spoke another language. After a few minutes he recognized the gibberish as Russian. When Gaia nodded, he knew she believed whatever it was that Sydney said.

Sydney got up from her knees, keeping both eyes locked with Gaia. They needed to get out of the apartment quickly: there was an audio recording device in use within 10 yards of her watch. She stared at her flashing watch pointedly, making Gaia start towards Ed.

"Listen, this is going to sound crazy, but I really need you to-"

"Stay here?" Ed interrupted, angry. "Let you go off with some woman you didn't even know existed until five minutes ago? Just sit here and twiddle my thumbs?"

Gaia's eyes flashed. "Yes."

Sydney moved quickly, pressing her fingers deep into the back of Ed's neck. He slumped down onto the ground, unconscious.

"Sorry. You can explain later. We need to go."

Gaia gaped at Sydney. She knew a lot about martial arts, but her father had never taught her that trick.

They reached Washington Square Park in record time, having jogged the whole way. When they finally reached the abandoned chess tables, Sydney's watch had stopped flashing. They both stood there for a minute, unsure of what to say. A figure started approaching them behind Sydney's back, and Gaia took a defensive stand. A light exposed his face, and Gaia's fists dropped down to her sides. He kept coming closer, until he was close enough to talk to.

"Uncle Mike?"

"Hello, Gaia. It's been too long."

"What are you doing here?"

"Sydney and I are here to tell you something. A few things, actually."

Gaia stared at him, trying to figure out if he was lying. None of the usual signs stood out, so Gaia accepted his words. "What do you need to tell me?"

Vaughn nodded towards Sydney. "She can explain far better than I can."

Sydney took a deep breath. "This story is a little difficult for me to tell, but if I stop for a moment, please don't interrupt. During my freshman year in college a man came to me and asked if I would like a job for the government, I hadn't chosen a major yet, and none of my classes interested me, so I agreed. After a long training process, I became a field agent for a section called SD-6. They claimed to be a black ops division of the CIA, so I did my job with pride. I thought I was being patriotic. Seven years after I joined, I fell in love with a man and we decided to get married." Here she paused, drawing in a ragged breath. Vaughn closed the small gap between them and took her hand. "I hated lying to him about my job. SD-6's cover was a bank called Credit Dauphine, and we were not allowed to tell anyone about what we did. I told Danny, and SD-6 found out. They had him killed. I attempted to leave SD-6, but they sent someone after me. It was then that I found out SD-6 was not a part of the CIA, they were the very enemy I thought I was fighting against. I went on a mission to recover SD-6's trust, and when I succeeded, I went to the real CIA and became a double. I was assigned a handle to give me my counter missions. His name is Michael Vaughn.

"I have been a double for a little over a year now, and one most recent mission sparked the interest of the CIA. I was ordered to abduct a seventeen year-old girl and bring her in for questioning. When the CIA found out her identity, my counter mission was to talk to her, and make her realize the danger she is in. That's why we are here."

Gaia's eyes widened as the story unfolded, in awe of the woman standing in front of her. Only one question came to her mind, and she asked it without hesitation.

"Why does SD-6 want me?"

"Your uncle is the leader of one of the largest terrorist organizations in the world. I think he has something my boss wants, something big. You are the only leverage Arvin Sloane can get, and he's trying desperately He could have sent any number of agents to get you, but he sent me, one of his top agents. He needs you badly."

"My uncle?"

Vaughn could see the change as soon as Sydney mentioned Oliver. Gaia did not know he was Loki. She did not know all the terror he inflicted. He wondered if she had even heard of Loki before, and decided to test her.

"Your uncle does not go by his given name anymore. He calls himself Loki."

Gaia's eyes flashed with a burning hatred. The bile was once again rising, but she fought it down. If it hadn't been Uncle Mike saying it, she wouldn't have believed it. But there it was. Her answer. Loki was a terrorist. Loki killed her mother. Loki was Oliver.

Vaughn was shocked by the look of pure hatred in her eyes. She knew the name, but she hadn't been aware of the face. "Gaia, we know that you've had contact with him. We need to know if he's said anything that could help us."

"Nothing relevant. He wanted me to move in with him, but I refused. I'm glad I didn't now. What should I do if he contacts me again?"

Vaughn immediately transformed into the role of handler. He reached into his pockets and removed a cell phone and a penny. "If he ever makes contact with you and wants to meet somewhere, call us on this cell phone. Speed dial 3. Before you go, hide this penny somewhere on your body, preferably in your shoe. We'll record the conversation. You have act normal and don't let him suspect anything. You have to be careful."

A voice filled Sydney's ear, causing her to jump. "Bluebird, do you have the cargo?"

Sydney pressed a few buttons on her watch and replied, "Negative. Subject was not on the premises."

"Copy that."

Vaughn felt her jump because he was still standing right next to her. She looked at him and said, "We need to finish this up. My plane leaves in an hour."

He nodded and then looked to Gaia. "It was good talking to you, Gaia. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances."

She nodded, and then looked at him questioningly. "Can I take a quick walk with you?"

"I'll head back to the van. It was nice meeting you Gaia. I hope we can talk sometime. See you at home, Vaughn." Gaia noticed they looked at each other a little longer than necessary, making her think there was more to their relationship than they let on. As he watched her go, Gaia's suspicions were confirmed. Her Uncle Mike definitely felt something for Sydney.

They started walking away from the chess tables and into the darker part of the park. "How have you been?" Vaughn started out with a normal question, hoping to get the truth.

Gaia hesitated. She hated telling people the worst part of her life, but she had been miserable the last year. And lying in front of Uncle Mike was difficult; it always had been. He saw through every one of her lies when she was little.

"Not so good. In the last year my foster mother, best friend, and boyfriend have all been killed. Murdered." Tears slipped unbidden from her eyes. Vaughn stopped and hugged her. Gaia had lost so many people in her life. No single person had been there her whole life. Loki had killed both her parents, although one was still breathing. Tom Moore's soul had died right along with Katia.

"Everything I touch dies."

Vaughn almost laughed at the irony. "You and Sydney are so much alike it's scary. And I'm going to tell you the same thing I told her.

"You are an amazing person. You've had to go through so much, and yet you have remained strong. You cannot blame yourself for their deaths. If you do that, everyone against you will win." Vaughn took Gaia by the shoulders. "This is the best advice I can give. Stay strong and don't let anyone get to you."

Gaia nodded. They continued in silence for a few minutes.

"Are you and Sydney dating?"

Vaughn froze. Was it that obvious how much he cared for her?

"No. If we were seen if public together we could both be killed. It's not a secret I work the CIA. Anyone tracking her could do a background check and she'd be exposed."

All Gaia could do was nod. There was no bigger obstacle than the threat of death.

They reached the exit and Vaughn hugged Gaia goodbye. "I trust you can get back to the apartment by yourself?"

"I'll be fine. I missed you."

"I missed you too. Goodnight."

He walked away from Gaia, hoping with all his might that she would never have to use that cell phone. Loki was dangerous, and not easily fooled.

A few weeks later he was sitting at his desk, arguing with Weiss to get that damn yo-yo out of his office when his phone rang.

"Vaughn."

Vaughn mentally swore as he heard Gaia's voice. "Tomorrow night at 8."

4 : Migraines

"Ah, Jack. I need to speak to you about something." Arvin Sloane closed the office door as Jack Bristow sat in the chair facing him. "As you know, we've been watching Gaia Moore for two weeks now, and I have reason to believe Loki has made contact with her. I need to know when and where they are meeting. I don't trust anyone else with this, so don't fail me."

"I'll do my best." Jack replied, keeping his eyes trained on Sloane.

"Good man. I know what you're thinking. Why is this meeting so important to me? Why am I following a 17-year-old girl? Because Loki has just been made a full partner of the Alliance. I don't trust him, and I think his intentions are to bring the Alliance down from the inside. He's intelligent and very clever, but I think he has a soft spot for his niece. Gaia is our only hope."

"Do you know how Loki managed to win himself a seat in the Alliance?"

"It doesn't matter how, it matters why, which is what I intend to find out. That will be all."

Jack rose from his seat with a deeper frown etched onto his features. This was not good. Not good at all.

***

Dear Gaia,

I would like to meet you for dinner so we can discuss some family matters. I have a few things to explain to you. Meet me at Rouge Vin tomorrow night at 8.

Your Uncle,

Oliver

Gaia crumpled the note slowly in her hand. Mary's mother told her a man had dropped off a note for her, and she knew before she even read it. Loki wanted to talk. Unfortunately for her, she could barely even think of him without acid rising up her esophagus. This meeting was going to be difficult for her, but Gaia was determined to not let him suspect anything. The cell phone was in her bottom drawer; she pulled it out and pressed 3.

"Vaughn."

Somehow hearing him answer like that calmed her, and she was able to speak in a level tone.

"Tomorrow night at 8."

She had been on her guard for the last two weeks, ever since she had met with Uncle Mike. Seeing him again had made her nostalgic; she had been remembering every meeting with him during the oddest times. The most recent was during Chemistry; she had accidentally let two chemicals mix that created a horrible smell. The FOHs had nearly fainted.

Ed had been upset at being left behind, but he seemed to accept it once he saw Gaia was alive and healthy. She blew it off as a joke that her uncle had pulled, and he pretended to believe it.

Gaia had never really thought that Oliver would contact her again. She was used to her family abandoning her, so his persistence unnerved her.

School was a complete blur, one class melting into the next. Loki stayed on her mind, haunting her thoughts, and revealing painful memories. A shattering glass in Chem sounded just like the bullet that killed her mother. Her history teachers voice resembled that of the scientists that prodded her with needles when she was little. By lunch she was ready to lash out at anyone who came into her path. Ed sensed this, and spoke little to her. Even Heather didn't make any asinine comments about her sense of style.

She found herself in Washington Square Park. It soothed her heated mind, and slowly numbed her to the point where she felt nothing. It was nearly six by the time she reached Mary's apartment, and it was a quarter till eight when she rounded the corner to Rouge Vin, penny in shoe.

The restaurant was different from any other she had been to with her uncle. All the others were small and warm. This one had a spectacular window facing her, enabling Gaia to view her uncle before he saw her.

His appearance suited the role he played. The chiseled features and stone cold eyes gave him the perfect look for the evil bastard he was.

She hesitated before stepping out of the shadows that concealed her from Loki's view. Fear wasn't her problem, but anger would get the better of her. Composure was something she needed. Now.

A second before she started to walk, an older man approached Loki. He was roughly sixty, with thinning hair and a fit appearance.

Even being as far away as she was, Gaia couldn't mistake what she heard.

A silenced bullet.

To the untrained ear, it would only sound like a whoosh. But Gaia knew that sound. A visual confirmed it.

Loki was slumped over the table, blood pouring from his chest. A scream was heard, and Gaia backed away. All thought was gone as she ran. A horrible stench told her she was in an alley, and her only thought before she blacked out was, 'I thought I only did this after I fought.'

***

White. Bright white.

Gaia's eyes fluttered open, only to be squeezed shut once more. A damp cloth was pressed onto her brow, soothing her aching head.

"Don't knock me out, you're safe here." Vaughn's voice woke her fully, and she allowed herself to sit up. The result almost made her pass out.

She clutched her head and moaned, "Aspirin?"

Two pills found their way into her hand, and soon after, her mouth. She didn't speak until the throbbing had started to cease, which was about ten minutes.

"Is he dead?"

"Yes, we have him in our custody to make sure he stays that way."

"Who killed him?"

"Arvin Sloane."

"Thank him for me, but next time, can I get a little warning?"

"He's not CIA, and we didn't know until about five minutes before."

"Wait, that name sounds familiar." She racked her brain. "Isn't he Sydney's boss? The one that was after me?"

"Yes, and you're lucky we found you before he did. Which leads me to a pressing question, why were you unconscious in an ally?"

"I saw Loki get shot, and all my anger took over so I ran. As for being passed out on the street, I have a tendency to black out at unexpected moments."

Vaughn placed a hand on her forehead. It was warmer than usual, but not high enough to show a fever. "You black out a lot?"

"It's usually after I fight, and one time it was after I had to sprint 5 miles. I don't usually get a migraine though." She rubbed her temples trying to end the dulled throbbing. It was then that she noticed the worn cot she was sitting on, and took stock of her surroundings. They were in a small cabin like room. There was a small kitchen area and a card table to her left, and a door to her right. An identical cot was set up directly in front of her.

"Where are we?"

"In a CIA safe house, far away from New York."

"We're not in New York? How long was I out?"

"Nearly eight hours. An agent found you ten minutes after we got there, and you were immediately put on a plane. I came about five hours ago, as soon as they told me."

Gaia smiled at the worry in his eyes. He had always treated her like a real niece, and she had always thought of him as a real uncle. He sure as hell beat Loki in that department.

They passed the next few hours talking about their lives after that night. Vaughn found himself omitting Alice and every other girlfriend as he briefly talked about himself.

Gaia left nothing out, including Heather and Mary, and even Sam. Vaughn felt tears push behind his eyes as she talked about Josh shooting Sam. He held them back though, because he knew how much she hated pity and sympathy.

"So that's what happened to me. You can see what a screwed up family life I have." Gaia joked, trying to lighten the mood. All Vaughn could do was smile. There was no response for that kind of statement.

"So I haven't heard anything about a wife or kids. Is your love life as screwed as my family?" Gaia was very curious about his relationship with Sydney. They seemed to generate that kind of sexual tension. She could feel it after only a few minutes of being in their presence.

"You have no idea."

"Enlighten me. I'm trying to find a more fucked up love life than my own. So far, I haven't."

Vaughn blushed slightly. He'd never imagined talking about his personal life with Gaia. "Uncles" don't talk about those things with their "nieces". How could he explain to her the conflict he felt everyday? Wanting to love Sydney, using Alice to try to forget, and failing miserably?

"First of all, what I'm about to tell you never leaves this cabin, and second, I've never told anyone this before. Keep that in mind." He paused, trying to summon the words to describe everything. "I was dating this woman named Alice. For a long time, until last Thanksgiving. She wasn't right, and I knew it. It just took a little push for me to actually do anything about it."

"Sydney." Gaia whispered.

Vaughn smiled and blushed deeper. "I didn't know I was falling for her until Christmas. I found myself wandering around an antique store. I hate antique stores, but I ended up buying a picture frame for Sydney. The Agency found out I gave it to her, and I was taken off her case because they thought I was "too emotionally attached". She made some threats that got me back on her case, but I knew they were right. I was emotionally attached. Around May I helped her on a mission that compromised my job, and almost cost me my life. I was going to be a subject for an experiment, but Sydney saved me. We trust each other with our lives, and it's hard not to be with her." Gaia took his hand and squeezed it.

"Maybe yours is worse."

"That's not all. I met up with Alice at a party, and things got out of hand. We got back together for a while, but I felt guilty, because anytime I was with Alice, I was wishing I was with Sydney. I'm happy she realized something wasn't right, because I was using her to forget Sydney."

"But it didn't work, did it?"

"No."

"Fine. You win. Your love life is more fucked up than mine." Vaughn managed a very small smile.

"Isn't it hard to work with her everyday?"

"It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life, but I tell myself it's for her own good. I'm willing to take the risks to keep her alive, and acting on my emotions would only endanger her more. I've nearly lost my job more than once because of her, but I'm happy if it means I'm keeping her safe. It's just not a risk I'm willing to take." He glanced at his watch. "It's nearly six in the morning. We should try to sleep for a little while. I don't know when we're being picked up. It might not be for a few days."

Gaia nodded, and lay down on the small cot. Sleep came to her quickly, engulfing her with darkness and soothing away her migraine.

Vaughn had no such luck. He tossed and turned for a few hours, trying unsuccessfully to find a comfortable position. He didn't have to worry about it for long, because at seven in the morning, he was jolted out of the cot by a noise.

A scream.

5 : In the Open

Vaughn jumped off the cot and rushed over to Gaia's cot, where she was straight backed and panting.

"Gaia? Was that you?" He asked alarmed, hoping to god that no one could hear them.

It took her a minute to catch her breath, and she replied numbly, "Yea, I just had a nightmare. Sorry I woke you up."

"What was it about?" Vaughn asked, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

Gaia swung her legs over the edge of the cot so she was facing Vaughn. Sighing, she replayed it out loud.

"I was walking with my dad, and he pulled a gun on me. I looked at him, and then he was Loki. He shot at me, but it went over my shoulder and hit Mary and Sam and Ella. I don't know why I screamed, but I did. And then I woke up." She was stone faced now, no sign of emotion. "Again, I'm sorry I screamed."

Vaughn shook his head. "Don't be sorry, and don't worry. Loki is dead. He can't kill anyone else."

Reassured, Gaia looked at his eyes and was surprised to see emotions flashing across them. The one that surprised her most was love. It was a foreign concept to her; love. The only people that had ever expressed it to her were dead. Shaking her head slightly, Gaia noted the sunbeams trying to make their way through the tiny window.

"What time is it?"

Glancing at his watch, Vaughn replied, "It's nearly 9. Think you can sleep anymore, or do you want me to kick your ass at poker?"

"You think you can take me? I will make you broke so fast you'll be asking you mother for money," Gaia replied, laughing.

An hour later found Vaughn and Gaia immersed in a grueling game of seven-card stud. Large piles of pennies were at Gaia's elbow, since they earlier found that Vaughn only had seven dollars in his wallet, and Gaia had two. The safe house's previous attendant had a large collection of pennies, so that's what they were using.

"You know what, Uncle Mike?" Gaia asked innocently.

"What?"

"You really suck at this." Vaughn chuckled while nodding his head.

"I can usually kick ass. Pokers better, cause I'm trained to read people. I can call anyone's bluff."

"Ever played Sydney?" Gaia taunted.

"No, and I don't plan to." Vaughn replied, losing again. "How about a different game?"

"Blackjack?"

"Sure-" Vaughn was interrupted by someone opening the door to the dimly lit cabin. It was Sydney with bags of groceries.

"Hey, thought I'd bring you guys some food. Safe houses never stock up with the good stuff," she greeted, setting the bags on the floor. "What do we have here? Gambling?"

Gaia smiled sweetly. "Yea, and Uncle Mike is about to give me the keys to his car. He shouldn't be allowed to play, he'd go broke in an hour."

Sydney laughed, patting Vaughn's shoulder sympathetically, "She kicking your ass?"

"Yes, If we had money, I'd have lost it all to a seventeen year-old."

"Ok, Gaia. Let's see how you do against me at poker."



***



They played for an hour until Sydney's pager started beeping in sync with Vaughn's. Glancing at it, Sydney got up and dialed a number on her cell phone.

She listened for a few minutes before closing it slowly. A look of hope crossed her features, and a smile tugged at her lips.

"The Alliance took Sloane into custody. Apparently they didn't want Loki to die. Dad's replacing Sloane as the head of SD-6."

Vaughn rose quickly and embraced her. Looking her in the eye, he smiled. "This is what we've been waiting for."

Gaia saw the way they were looking at each other, and commented, "You two should stop acting like idiots."

The pair looked shocked and a little confused. Vaughn caught on and sent Gaia death glares.

"No, I mean it. Stop acting like two teenagers. And stop giving me those looks, Uncle Mike. You both know what I'm talking about."

Sydney quickly pulled herself from Vaughn's hug, crossing her arms and staring at the worn card table. "I'd better go. I'll see you later." With that she strode from the room, leaving Gaia and Vaughn gaping after her.

"Sorry, Uncle Mike. I remember what you said earlier, but don't you feel it?"

"Feel what?" he asked, confused.

Gaia rolled her eyes. "There's unresolved sexual tension. You just need to get it out in the open."

Vaughn felt his face turn red. This was not something he wanted to discuss with Gaia. "There's a reason it's unresolved. And it's going to be like that for a while. I've just gotten used to it being there."

Gaia shook her head at him. Adults and their inability to fix problems. She certainly wouldn't give a rat's ass about the protocol separating her from someone else. They sat in silence for several minutes before Gaia dealt out a hand of poker.

"I'll go easy on you this time."



***



A Week Later



Sydney strode into the cool warehouse, taking refuge from the sudden heat wave that had struck L.A. Wiping the sweat off her forehead; she sank into a metal chair across from Vaughn. "I wish my mission was in Siberia, or at least a very cold country. Why does it have to be in Africa?"

Vaughn gave her a small smile before handing her a thin file. "Just put the document in and leave it under the bible in the hotel room. An agent will pick it up and have a replacement before you leave."

Sydney took the file lazily, glancing up at him. "Hey, are you alright? You seem sad."

"I'm fine."

Sydney smiled knowingly at his depressed form. "You miss Gaia. How's she doing, by the way?"

"She's fine. I talked to her yesterday, as well as Tom. They're going to try living together, now that Loki's dead."

"Good."

"You know, she's a lot like you. Her mother died when she was young, and her father pushed her away because of it," he commented, slowly bringing his gaze to Sydney's.

They held the gaze for a few seconds, both feeling the air heat up.

"I'd better go, my plane leaves in a couple hours and I need to pack," Sydney blurted, breaking eye contact. She rose quickly, but stopped when Vaughn put his hand on her arm.

"Syd, we can't do this anymore."

She didn't pull away, but looked at him pretending to be confused. "Do what?"

"I think you know what."

With that, he pulled her closer to him, hoping she would get the message. She did, and before he could do anything she kissed him. Gently at first, but then he responded, taking it deeper. They broke away breathless, breathing onto each other's faces. She smiled slyly and whispered in his ear, "Good. I was getting tired of it." She pulled away completely and walked from the warehouse with a giant grin plastered to her face, leaving Vaughn dazed.

Shaking his head bewildered, he muttered, "Thank you Gaia. It's finally out in the open."


END

OMG! vaughn kissed Gaia... holy tamole!!!!!! oh... that's hot! lmao!

You guys should really get Duck's permission to post this here.

i would, if i knew how to contact her, but i did credit the story as her's.

I can get her email. Hold on a sec.

Edited to keep any stalkers from emailing poor Duck. I'll PM it to you tomorrow. I've gotta go.