Teaser: In an effort to support Sydney's new lifestyle, an extremely jealous Vaughn and curious Weiss meet up with Shane and Marina for drinks.
Series: Nothing to Write Home About, Story XI
Crossover: Alias/The L Word
Characters: Marina, Shane, Sydney, Weiss & Vaughn

--

"You're being a damned baby."

"Shut up."

Weiss adjusted the rifle, squinting through one eye to peer through the scope, keeping his target in sight before he settled against the weight of the rooftop.

One hundred feet directly below, Michael Vaughn waited casually on a corner, wearing sunglasses and a smile, thumbing through a German to English translation guide, looking the picture of a confused, happy tourist.

"You know we owe it to her," he murmered.

"I'm not ready," Vaughn chirped in his ear, barely visible from the distance. "She's late."

"She'll be here. She's always here. She'll break radio silence when she's ready," Weiss said dismissively, keeping his focus on the guard in front of the great hall. "Just listen-"

"Stop pushing me."

"All I'm saying is that she endured nearly six months of watching you make kissy faces to your wife after she found out you were married. You're a wuss."

"Shut up."

"And a weenie."

"Shut up."

"And you know I'm right."

The static in his ear went silent for half a beat, but Weiss didn't dare look down, shifting his rifle and glancing at his watch.

"We owe it to her," he said finally. "She needs to know that we support her. That we still love her."

The audible sigh made it clear that Vaughn was certainly aware of the weight of the 'L' word.

"She knows I love her," he responded tersely, and said no more.

Radio silence was broken by a raspy, calm voice. "Mountaineer to Chubby Redneck."

Weiss blinked, shifting the gun on his shoulder before he managed, "Chubby Redneck?"

Sydney sounded amused. "Figured I'd try it. I'm out and on my way to the rendezvous point."

"Copy that, Mountaineer," Vaughn clipped below him. "We'll meet you there."

Carefully, Weiss eased back from the rooftop, quickly at work dismantling the gun, glancing warily about him.

In and out in five minutes, nothing gone wrong, no gunshots fired.

It was almost disappointing.

--

"Ask her now."

"Will you back off?" Vaughn snapped, shoving at him roughly, eyes shifting in panic to Sydney's direction. "Don't push me on this."

Weiss clucked his tongue, watching Sydney furtively as she pulled off the faux diamond bracelet that doubled as a transmitter and dropped it in her briefcase.

The plane shifting slightly, jostling them both and causing Sydney to look back, catching their stare. Immediately Weiss plastered on a wide, nice smile.

She smiled back uncertainly before she went back to work, carefully tugging at the reddish-hair wig covering her normally brown mane.

"You guys okay?" she asked frankly.

Weiss elbowed Vaughn again, and his best friend cast him a dirty look in response. "You'd do it if you loved her," Weiss answered in a low, sing-song tone, pretending to be distracted by the big nail bolt on the side of the cargo bay.

It was a trump card, but an effective one. Vaughn gave another angst ridden sigh before his shoulders straightened and he walked forward. "Sydney," he said. "We were... Weiss and I were thinking..." He stalled, and Weiss elbowed him again. "Oww- kay. How about drinks tonight?"

"Oh," Sydney's mouth twitched in a sincere smile before it faded into a frown as she struggled with her wig. "I would love to, but I have plans with Marina."

At the mention of his rival's name, Vaughn's face nearly went sour, but another shove from Weiss and he managed to sputter, "Well, we were thinking maybe she could come. The four of us, you and her, me and Weiss, kind of like-"

Sydney's lips slowly widened into a teasing smile. "A double date?"

Weiss's face quickly turned to stone. "Funny," he cracked dryly.

She gave him a wink.

"Sure," she said smoothly. "I'll run it by her and see what she thinks," she answered. Picking up her change of clothing, she slung the hanger over her shoulders and said partingly, "She's just a friend, guys."

With that, she click-clacked her way to the bathroom, leaving Vaughn with his forehead furrowed in lovelorn melodrama and Weiss sighing dramatically.

"See?" he said. "We did a good thing. If she's not comfortable being out with us, then she can't be comfortable with anyone."

Vaughn looked tortured, as he fingered Sydney's wig and sank down onto a wooden crate. "Yeah," he said heavily. "I guess you're right."

--

Shane closed her eyes, pushing her foot up to press her boot against Marina's dashboard, taking a moment to admire Cherie's gift before Marina brusquely pushed it down again.

She glared, but Marina glared back, and Shane could only shrug, tapping her fingers against the edge of her car door.

"Explain to me again why you're dragging me to a fucking straight bar?"

Marina cast her a look. "You spend half of your time frequenting gay boy bars, but this you have a problem with?"

"Hey," Shane answered with a huff. "At one point I WAS a gay boy."

Marina's eyebrow furrowed in confusion, and it was only then that Shane realized her slip. Marina and her secrets had infected her, and her mouth positively dripped with her own. Shit.

Snapping her mouth shut, she let her hand hang over the side of Marina's convertible, watching glibly as the wind hit it.

"Sydney asked me to meet her friends, remember Vaughn and Weiss? The two cute boys at the Planet that one day?"

"Yeah..." Shane drawled out the words, squinting in annoyance. "So if it's all double-datey why am I going?"

Marina visibly stifled her smirk, slowing down at a red and checking her watch. "If you must know the truth; You've been so insufferable since Cherie went on her shopping trip. Dana and Alice begged me to take you with me."

At that, Shane's head swiveled over to the other side of the car, eyebrow arching in ill-suppressed irritation. "Excuse me?"

Marina shook her head. "They do it because they love you. You're ruining your reputation-"

She snorted, sinking further down into her seat, crossing her arms and looking at the passing Hollywood streets. "Why," she snapped, "Because I'm not fucking every girl within ten blocks?"

"That's part of it." Shane shot her a glare, and Marina laughed, nudging her shoulder affectionately. "Come on - Sydney will want to see you. And you and I haven't spent any time together lately, with Cherie and the Dinah Shore weekend."

Shane harrumphed.

"It might be fun," Marina teased.

"Fuck you, all right?"

Still, Marina seemed unfazed by Shane's grouchiness, and nudged her again, like a twelve year old. It was enough to sneak a smirk on Shane's face, before she shoved back, and glanced away, tangling fingers in her hair.

What Marina said next froze the smile completely. "How did it go with Jenny? At Dinah Shore." Her tone was deceptively casual, but Marina was losing her touch. There was a strained uneasiness, and when Shane glanced at her, she caught Marina's stare, the unspoken questions asked.

"Good," she said flippantly, carefully forming her words. "Watched out for her. She was like a kid in a candy store." Marina's jaw hardened, her fingers tightened around the wheel, and she didn't meet Shane's gaze.

"That's good," she managed, in that fake tone she had used before.

Shane took in a longer, firmer breath. "She had a good time," she continued. "She met someone. This trapeze artist."

"Why are you telling me this," Marina said suddenly, voice low, eyes on the road.

"I'm just saying," Shane pressed on, drumming her fingers along the leather interior of Marina's hand rests. "She was pretty cool. You might have to... you know, get used to seeing her around."

Marina's stare was pure ice.

Shane and Marina always had a way of accepting things, even if they didn't agree with what the other one did. There was always an understanding that neither was in any place to judge, even when Alice or Bette or Tina all felt it was in their right.

This was the closest either had come to what Shane was trying to say, and she nearly regretted it when she saw the conflict on Marina's face.

Whatever it was about Jenny, it had affected Marina. Fuck. Maybe they were all going soft.

"I'm a big girl," Marina enunciated, irritation creeping into her tone.

"Didn't say you weren't."

"I'll handle it."

Shane nodded slowly, glancing away. "Good."

--

The phone rang, upsetting Vaughn, and nearly tipping over his whisky.

"Will you watch that?!" Weiss reached forward, grimacing as the alcohol spilled over his fingers. "You are acting like such a spaz right now."

"Shut up." Vaughn realized that his now habitual use of that phrase was probably not the most amazing comeback he could have used, but at the moment, he didn't care much. Scooting off the bar, he grabbed for his phone and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Darling, how are you?"

Lauren. For some reason, the sweet-tempered tone of his significant other did not provide the calming affect it used to. He was unnaturally hot, and his eyes kept shifting toward the door of the bar when he answered distractedly, "Hey."

"Listen, I know I said I'd be back this week but things have taken a rather chaotic turn here."

"It's all right," he said quickly, roughly.

"Just a day or two, I promise."

"It's your job," he answered mechanically, wiping sweaty palms against his pants.

"I miss you."

He closed his eyes, took in a haggard breath, and blew it out slowly. "You too," he answered. "Love you."

"Bye, love."

The phone clicked shut.

"So how's the old wifey?" Weiss asked, grimacing as he tipped his shot into his mouth, voice going husky as a result. "Still stuck in the good Ole' South?"

"She's delayed," he answered. "Weiss, I don't think I can do this."

"Vaughn, stop it."

"This is the woman I love!" Vaughn snapped. "And I'm supposed to make nice to the woman who stole her away from me?!"

A neighboring barfly tossed him a questioning glance, and Vaughn rolled his eyes, quickly turning away from him.

Weiss, however, looked simply bored. "That's a nice thing to say after you just hung up with YOUR WIFE."

The recrimination buried a knot in Vaughn's stomach, and he lurched forward, burying his face in his palms. "I know. I’m terrible. I'm a horrible person."

"No, you're just disturbed. And a little drunk." Strong palms wrapped around his wrists, and with some effort, Weiss managed to pry his hands open. "You can do this."

"I can't-"

"You can. You are going to do this because you love Sydney-"

"I love Sydney-"

"-And you care about her happiness..."

"And I care about her... fuck... happiness," he managed.

Weiss glared at him, eyes narrowed in his quest to be assured of his sincerity, before he shook his head and turned back to the bar. "Maybe we should get you another drink."

--

"Her ex-boyfriend."

"Yes," Marina answered, stepping up the curb.

Shane paused, staring after her with a dumbfounded expression flitting across her face. "Who thinks you two are dating."

"I have no idea what he thinks," Marina said dismissively.

Shane contemplated this, and suddenly found a smile lilting across her face. "Fuck this, man - I'm glad I came."

Marina turned, ready to respond when her cellphone rang, piercing into the conversation.

"Allo?" Shane waited, nodding her hello to a straight couple who gave her leather pants and shredded Van Halen T-Shirt an odd look. "Hi! Oh... all right. Shane and I will - No - Yes. Well, I didn't- Okay... Are you all right? Okay... Good-bye."

Waving with a twiddle of her fingers, Shane kept her gaze on the girl, watching as she nearly tripped getting into the door. "Who was that?"

"Sydney. She's going to be late."

The smile fell. "Oh."

"What happened between the two of you?" Marina asked flatly.

Shane blinked, shoving hands in her pockets and stepping back. "Why?"

"Because every time I mention you she turns into a rambling idiot - and that’s very telling for a spy."

Shane scratched at her face, a rather desperate attempt to avoid Marina's glare. "It was nothing."

"Shane..." Marina began, voice going low.

Fuck. "Fine," she said, head popping up, expression as casual as she could muster. "I kissed her."

For a minute, it was like it didn't even register. Marina gave her this unfazed, simple stare. Her eyes, if possible, just got icier.

"You kissed her?" she repeated.

"It was nothing," Shane said quickly. "It was stupid."

"You kissed my cousin."

"She was crying, man!" Shane said, arms out now, gesturing emphatically. "And you know I hate when chicks cry-"

"So you kissed my cousin," Marina surmised.

Shane glanced around the street, eyeing the entrance to the bar with, to her surprise, longing.

When she glanced back, Marina was still glaring.

FUCK - Marina was scary when she was like this.

"Hey, you have sex with married straight girls!" she managed, a loud outburst that came out of her just as another crowd of people passed by, causing one guy to trip and another to whistle.

Marina barely paid them any attention, only glanced for a second before shifting her glare back to Shane. "So do you," she clipped.

Okay, she was pissed. For any number of reasons, Shane could think of. In fact, at the moment, she supposed it didn't reflect very well on her that she couldn't pick just ONE reason Marina wouldn't want her sticking her tongue down her cousin's throat.

"Look," she said finally, voice lower, stepping forward. "It didn't mean anything. She's not gay, I know. And - Cherie."

Marina said nothing, did nothing, for about five seconds, before her shoulders dropped, her head shook with something close to resignation, and she nodded toward the bar door. It was no small relief. Shane managed a smile, following as Marina held open the door.

"Don't do it again," she said, as soon as Shane passed her into the bar.

"I won't," Shane insisted, glancing back. At Marina's stone-cold face, she couldn't resist a small attempt at humor. "Though she is a big girl."

Marina rolled her eyes. "Big girls don't cry."

"That's just an alibi," Shane said mechanically, and when Marina grinned, she knew it was gonna be okay.

--

"Okay, there they are." Weiss plastered on a smile, heart jumping at the sight of two women pushing through the crowd, one taller than the other, dark eyes roving around the place like she owned it. "God," he said, whistling low, "That girl is beautiful."

"She looks like an Amazon," Vaughn snapped.

"Shut up," Weiss answered, lifting his hand in a wave that caught Marina's attention. Behind her was a smaller, familiar woman with a shaggy, rock-star hair-cut and a mellow expression.

"Eric, right?" Marina said, smile wide as she gathered his hand in both of hers, squeezing.

"Yeah," he said, "And you remember Michael Vaughn-"

"Hey," Vaughn muttered, jerking his head in a nod before turning back to the bar, motioning for the bartender.

Marina quirked an eyebrow, but gracefully ignored the rude gesture, instead thumbing behind her to bring her friend around. "This is my friend Shane."

"Hey man," Shane said, nodding her head and smiling tightly, grabbing his hand in an effortless firm hold. "Nice to meet you."

"It's good to meet you," Weiss said. "Can I get you ladies a drink?" He paused, ears tingeing pink when both Marina and Shane exchanged amused glances. "Wait, is that all right? Can I - I didn't -"

Marina placed a palm on his forearm, grinning widely. "I will never say no to a free drink," she said, the words rolling off her tongue. "Thank you."

"Yeah, man, but I got the next round, all right?" Shane said, smacking him lightly on his shoulder before she pushed her way beside him, resting her elbows on the bar.

Weiss laughed, nodding. "I won't say no to that."

Marina, back straight, posture perfect, examined the bar, resting her gaze once on Vaughn before she said, "Sydney called, she said she would be late."

"Fuck, it's crowded in here," Shane said, eyes glancing furtively around her.

"It's a government bar," Weiss answered, watching out for the bartender out of the corner of his eye. "Lot of ... you know..." He found himself in a stutter, as Shane's eyes narrowed slightly, puzzled at his sudden hesitation.

Marina's palm squeezed around his bicep again, and she shook her head slightly, eyes dancing. "She knows," she mouthed.

"So, tell me, Marina," Vaughn said, swiveling back around on his stool. "How did you and Sydney meet?"

Great. The fourth drink wasn't probably the best idea. Eric considered pinching his slightly inebriated friend, but Marina held her dignity.

"She came into the Planet one day," she said, a little loudly, in an effort to be heard above the noise of the jukebox and the crowd. "And we hated each other."

The frank, playful tone forced a chuckle from Eric's voice. "She has a way of making an impression," he agreed.

"Obviously that changed," Vaughn said flatly.

Expression freezing slightly, Marina regarded him. "Obviously," she responded easily.

Beside him, Shane's mouth twitched, eyes dancing from Marina to Vaughn.

Tugging at his sleeve, she motioned for him to lean forward, and when he did, she whispered in his ear, "Girlfight," before turning back and plucking a lime from the concession tray, popping it into her mouth to suck on the rind.

Weiss pressed his lips together, arching his neck at Marina, who simply seemed content to wait for Vaughn to react.

Girlfight. Shane wouldn't be wrong.

"So," he said suddenly. "I'm glad we're doing this!" It might have been a little too loud, but at least now Marina had a hint of a smile dancing on her lips, and Vaughn just looked annoyed again, instead of ready to kill. "Because we all love Sydney, and you know - maybe we should like, form a club."

"The We Love Sydney Club?" Marina repeated, laughter coloring her tone.

"It'd be a big club," Shane answered, distracted by the couple salsa dancing in the middle of the floor.

"Too big," Vaughn snapped, and this time they all looked at him, Eric's eyes narrowing in recrimination.

"What'll it be?"

The bartender. Finally.

"Uh... give HIM a water," Eric enunciated, patting Vaughn on the head. "And for the ladies?"

"Just a beer," Shane said, fingertip in her mouth. "Whichever."

Marina considered, before she locked eyes with Weiss. "Care to join me for a drink?"

"I'll have whatever you're having," he answered.

She accepted the challenge with grace, nodding to the bartender and speaking with perfect dication, "Tequila Blanco, Herradura." She held up two fingers. "Two shots. Chilled." When he blinked at her, she explained, "I like it smooth."

"I can imagine," he answered.

"The lady has taste," the bartender answered, giving Marina a thumbs up before heading for the other side of the bar.

A poke in the side of his ribs distracted him from Marina's playful smile. "What?" he hissed, leaning in when Vaughn jerked a palm around his bicep and pulled down.

"Stop trying to get into her pants," Vaughn hissed. "She's schtupping Sydney."

"What is the matter with you?" Eric whispered. "Stop it. Behave! You're here because you're support Sydney. Because you love Sydney!"

"I'm here to get drunk," Vaughn snapped. Louder, he banged on the bar. "Where's the bartender?!"

Shane jumped slightly, lifting her chin off her forearms to stare quizzically at Vaughn. "So... that's the ex-boyfriend?"

"How'd you guess?" Marina asked, somewhat dry in her tone.

"He's just had a little bit to drink," Eric explained, patting Vaughn on the back, "He's just... you know-"

"Hey, WAITER!"

"Not taking this well at all," Marina answered flatly.

"Hey, Marina!" Vaughn teetered back on his stool, staring at her triumphantly. "I know eight languages! How many do you know?"

Marina crossed her arms, eyebrow arching. "Ten."

"DAMN," Vaughn snapped, nearly tipping off the chair. "I canNOT win."

"Fuck." Shane's grin was wide, shaking her head as she slid around Marina and helped Eric steady his friend. "Aren't you married?"

"You know, I was thought she was DEAD at the time!"

Eric's eyes widened. "He means in her heart. Like, you know - dead as in not capable of love."

"Shots!" The bartender interrupted, handing Shane her beer and placing two shots of clear tequila on the table. "Limes, salt - go for it!"

"All right," Eric said, smiling at Marina. "You ready?"

Marina, however, didn't have her eyes on him. Instead, she only shook her head slightly and nodded at the counter.

Shane, hand plastered over her mouth, was fighting giggles.

Vaughn had already emptied one glass and was knocking back the other.

"I don't think I'm a very good influence on him," Marina said dryly.

Eric sighed, plucking the glasses away from Vaughn. "You're not making a good impression here," he snapped, low and somewhat frustrated.

"What's the point?" Vaughn asked, thick and melancholy. "I've lost the love of my life. Not once, TWICE. I've lost the love of my life to a GIRL!"

"Oh my God," Shane whispered, glancing between them both. Marina looked mildly embarrassed. "Dude," Shane said, tugging at Marina's elbow. "Maybe we should just go."

"No," Vaughn said sharply. "No. I'll go. I'm the one that's... you know... being all..." he tipped his palm one way, then the other.

"Look, Michael." Marina seemed tired, fingers dragging through her hair before she crossed her arms, "I understand that this might be difficult, but for the sake of Sydney, don't you think-"

"I'm drunk," he snapped. "You cannot talk rationally to me at this moment. I'm sorry."

Eric sighed, shrugging at the exotic woman.

Shane cleared her throat. "Look, a pool table just opened up. Why don't you and Eric go play a while, all right? I'm gonna... I'm gonna sit here with Michael."

"I don't think I should leave him," Eric said, but Shane cut him off with a wave.

"Seriously, just go. I'll talk to him."

Marina didn't argue, just threw her hands up and moved through the crowd, heading for the table.

Eric's frustration was mounting, but Shane's pat was friendly. "Look, he's hurting. It's cool - go have fun. I'll take care of him until Sydney gets here."

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Eric said finally. "He's got a lot of feelings-"

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry about it."

With a final glance at Vaughn, Eric turned away.

--

Had she not have been gay, currently involved with one of his best friends, and so incredibly out of his league, Weiss could believe that Marina Ferrer would have been his type.

She was leaning against the pool table, holding a cue in her hands, laughing with two men in suits, each handsome, built, muscular. The men were crowded around her, and for a split second in time, it was like she was holding court, a royal lady addressing and dismissing her knights.

Eric found himself pausing, stuck between Shane and Vaughn, and Marina and her obvious admirers.

It was a familiar situation, and he wondered ruefully how this even happened to him with a woman who was gay.

He wavered, an unfamiliar rapid beating in his heart causing him to breathe slightly irregularly, as he glanced back uncertainly.

Marina's eyes shifted, locked on him. "There you are," she said, waving him over, pushing at the chest of one of the men gently, giving herself room. "We have a game," she told them both.

"Maybe we can join in," said the blonde one, with about a pound of gel in his hair.

"No-no-no," she said, shaking her head. "This table is reserved. Tonight is it just me and Eric." Her smile to Weiss was beautiful. "But you can get him a beer."

Eric's mouth twitched, but Marina gave him a slow wink, flashing him a brilliant smile before tangling his fingers in hers, pulling him to her side and resting her head on his shoulder.

Whether or not she was a mind-reader didn't matter. What did was that Weiss found himself suddenly jealous of Sydney.

Squeezing her lightly, he played the part of the gentlemen, nodding to the dumbstruck men.

"Heinekin," he said pleasantly.

--

She settled onto the stool next to the pretty boy, hands crossed, fingers tangled together.

For a minute, she only considered him, watching the sad blue eyes, the frown on his face, the very real conflict emanating from him in waves.

"I'm usually much more charming than this," he mumbled into his water.

"I believe it," she quipped.

"I'm sorry I was rude to your friend. I don't know what's happening to me."

"I do," she said, nodding her head slightly. "You're fucking heartbroken, man. And you're jealous as hell, and you're not taking this whole... thing very well."

He managed a grim smile. "Funnily enough, I've been through worse. A lot worse."

"According to who?" she asked.

"I loved her," he whispered, staring hard at Shane. "I mean, I LOVED HER. She was ... she was - it was like when I was with her, NOTHING mattered. Nothing but her. I remember wondering if it was real, you know? Because love like that - does it really happen? Can it really happen?"

Shane blinked. "Dude, are you always this intense?"

"Do you believe in true love?"

Shane shrugged, glancing from Vaughn's stricken face to the wedding ring on his finger. Tina and Bette, Marina and Jenny, Dana and Lara. Cherie, with her 'what the fuck' attitude and her warm lips. "Yeah... I can dig it."

"So what happens, when the women you're meant to be with, is suddenly meant for someone else?" he asked. "And everyone thinks so. Except you?"

There was so much heartbreak in his face, in his tone. Leaning back, Shane craned her neck, caught Eric and Marina, laughing together over something, Marina rolling the cue between her fingertips. She had always liked games.

It wasn't her place to tell Vaughn the truth, she knew that much. Even if the lies were fucking killing him.

Shane blew out her breath, nudging Vaughn's water toward him. "Marina's not the devil, you know," she said matter-of-factly. "It's not her you're mad at."

"Oh, it's her," he said, nodding resolutely. "It's absolutely her. She's the one that's kissing her."

A slight flush of guilt slipped through Shane, forcing her to look away, bite her lip in an uncomfortable smile. "Yeah, well, you know, man - she was single-" she was rambling, which was new. "And you know, honestly? Sydney's a great girl! She's pretty and she's smart, and you should have known she wasn't going to stay single for long-"

"I know," his eyes closed, his chin fell to his hands. A moment of despair, then his head rose again. "It's just... it's never felt... over, you know? Even when she was... when we were broken up- it was like she was with me, always with me, to the point where I thought that I would go insane- and now? She's not with me anymore. It's over."

Shane, in an affair with a married woman, fought the bitter smile on her face, shook her head slightly. "Doesn't sound like it's over to me."

"I didn't think so either," he mumbled.

"As long as you got that ring on your finger, you have no right to talk, man," Shane said frankly. "If you're really this beat up about it, maybe you should think about taking it off."

She tapped at the gold, and Michael had nowhere else to look, but the gleaming band, wrapped carefully around his ring finger.

--

"You know, if I had known you were going to hustle me, I wouldn't have agreed to this bet."

Marina quirked an eyebrow, self-satisfied smirk floating onto her lips as she rose from the table, keeping her gaze on the striped balls. "I never said I wasn't good."

"No, but you let me think you weren't good."

"Your prejudice wasn't my fault," she argued, shoving him aside to arch over the table, sizing up her shot.

"Prejudice?" he repeated.

She managed a mock glare out of the corner of her eye. "Because I'm a girl."

"Lady, I work with Sydney Bristow, remember?" he shot back. "Any 'I Tarzan, You Jane' moments I had were long gone the third time she saved my ass." Her response was a small, knowing smile, and the spy inside of him cringed a little. Her shot was fluid, straight, and the ball sank easily. "So," he began tentatively, coming closer, trying to get the words as low as he could. "How much do you know?"

She stiffened slightly, before tossing him an even stare, hips resting against the wooden grain of the table as she regarded him. "I know enough," she answered. "To keep my mouth shut."

Some would say even that was knowing too much.

She must have seen his hesitation, because her palm slipped around his and she squeezed gently, reassuringly. "It isn't her fault," she remarked. "How I found out. But I promise you - Sydney's secrets are mine to keep. Just as mine are her own."

It was the promise of a spy, not a café owner, and Eric found himself smiling, unable to stop his hands from moving to Marina's waist, dipping down just to get a sniff of her perfume.

"That could be a serious security breach, lady."

It came off flirtatious, inappropriate, and the stalled smile on Marina's face felt like ice water being dumped over his head. A flush crept over his cheeks, as Marina placed a firm palm on the center of his chest and pushed him lightly away from her, until his palms dropped and he felt like an over-grown teenage boy.

"Sorry," he said after a uncomfortable beat.

"It's okay," she said immediately, in this tone that meant it really wasn't but she was willing to pretend it was. She glanced away, down at the table, and pushed away from it. "Your shot."

"Actually, it's yours."

She nodded, and kept her gaze on the table, as if appearing in heavy thought before she turned and glanced up at him. "You're a good friend and a good man," she said gently.

Staring into the beautiful face of the woman who was currently involved with one of his best friends, he couldn't appreciate that just yet. But he knew he would, eventually, when the feelings and lust dwindled and the fourth beer passed through his system. It was a speech he had gotten hundreds of times, but one Marina meant.

He was suddenly glad she was gay.

"Yeah," he said, "Back atcha." Her mouth pursed, and he blinked. "But with a girl."

She let loose a short, hearty laugh.

--

Sydney Bristow nearly tripped over the curb, glancing back at the offending invisible rock that caught her shoe as she struggled with her phone, her purse, and her gun, which had a habit of slipping out at the most inopportune moments.

Being a closeted straight person playing the role of a gay person was getting a little tiring, but it did have it's amusing moments. Her dad thought it was funny as hell, well, at least he seemed to think so whenever he was allowed to show any emotion. His curiosity over Marina was getting toward gargantuan, and only the fact that they never seemed to catch a break with the Covenant kept him from paying his own visit to the Planet.

Truthfully, Sydney didn't know what she was more nervous about - tonight or the fact that her dad had it in his head that Marina was more of a liability than an asset.

Her life was a chaotic whirlwind, but for the first time in a while, she found she appreciated that. It kept her mind from processing too much, allowed her to view life-altering events and pass them along, never absorbing them or what they meant.

Still, there were times when it would catch up to her, force her breathless and make her chest ache with the realization that things would never be the same.

Opening the door to the crowded bar to find a perfect view of Vaughn and Shane sitting together at the bar, was one of those times.

For some crazy reason, her eyes lingered on Shane - rewound with a flash of a heartbeat to a moment when she had experienced one of the softest, unexpected kisses she had ever received.

Vaughn and Shane wore similar bittersweet smiles, Shane's lanky body almost a mimic to his own, face profiled against the light, and it struck Sydney, just for a moment, how beautiful they both were.

And she SO did not need to be thinking that. About EITHER of them.

She turned abruptly, and another, less disconcerting sight came to her, Marina and Weiss, laughing together at a pool table.

THAT she could appreciate.

Carefully ducking her way to the crowd, she caught Marina's attention with a wave, saw her cousin's face light up and immediately strode into her arms.

"Finally!" Marina said, characteristic gentleness taking over as she smoothed back Sydney's bangs, pressed a kiss to both cheeks.

"Hey!" Sydney said, arms loosely about her waist, "Hey, Weiss!"

"Took you long enough," he quipped, handing her a chilled beer. "Where the hell were you?"

--

"She's here," Shane said, nodding toward the other end of the bar. Vaughn's eyes quickly swerved in that direction, and took in the sight of Sydney, eyes shining, holding onto Marina as she drank a long swig of beer, face erupting in laughter when Weiss said something that was undoubtedly 'Weiss'y.

"God," he whispered, eyes suddenly going wide. "I made a complete ass of myself, and Marina knows. She'll tell Sydney-"

"She won't tell Sydney," Shane assured him, squeezing his shoulder. "Marina can be a bitch sometimes, but the girl's subtle."

"She's beautiful," he whispered, drowning in the sight of Sydney, face glowing, crystal laughter heard from even this area. "Isn't she beautiful?"

There was a beat beside him, a pregnant pause. "Yeah," Shane agreed. "She is."

--

"I think Marina's hustled me enough," Weiss said, tossing the cue on the table. "I already owe her a hundred bucks-"

"And they're all going on drinks tonight," Marina interrupted, pushing them both in the direction of the bar. "So let's get to it."

"Okay, but some of us have to work tomorrow," Sydney said, glancing apprehensively to the corner of the bar where Vaughn and Shane watched them approach.

"Sissy," Marina remarked.

"Hey guys," Sydney said, frozen smile on her face when she finally saw Vaughn's expression. "Are you okay?"

"He's a little drunk," Shane explained, ruffling his hair affectionately before nodding at Sydney. "Hey," she said, a lower, easy tone.

The fact that this was Shane, a woman, Marina's friend, and well A WOMAN, made the fact that Sydney felt incredibly uneasy, almost stupid.

Shane was perfectly cool, composed, smiling at her as if nothing happened and nothing DID happen, because all she had really gotten was a pity kiss from an obviously gay woman - it was perfectly clear Shane had no intention of pursuing her, and this was SHANE, so it made sense, since Marina had mentioned something along the lines of Shane being a super stud-

It was just giving her a headache, and the fact that Vaughn still managed to give her flutters when he stank of alcohol and looked like a hobo was NOT helping.

She was just going to get over it.

"Hi!" she said, maybe being a little TOO chipper, as she gave Shane a kiss on the cheek that felt a lot more awkward than it probably looked, and then managed a squeeze of Vaughn's hand. "Have you guys been waiting long?"

"Long enough to get a little sloshed," Vaughn said, looked more tired than drunk, putting his forefinger and thumb together to emphasize his point.

And suddenly no one had anything to say.

No, this wasn't awkward at all.

"Well, Eric here owes me a hundred dollars," Marina said, filling the void with a playful slap on Eric's back. "I say we try for one more shot. What do you say? Michael?"

She was missing something here. Vaughn's face visibly constricted when Marina addressed him, and Sydney felt suddenly lost, holding tightly to her cousin's hand, watching the silent exchange.

Whatever cheap thrill she had first gotten from this farce - it was gone with the physical look of pain in Vaughn's expression.

"Yeah," he said finally, forcing a smile that broke her heart. "Let's do it. As long as Weiss is paying, I'm down for anything."

"All right," Shane said, a beautiful smile floating on her face as she reached out with her hand, a familiar gesture that Sydney remembered distinctly, the first time she had experienced Marina's gay bar. Taking in a breath, she laid her palm on hers, letting Shane wheel her in and motion for the bartender, feeling Marina behind her and Weiss slapping her shoulder.

Marina whispered something in Italian in her ear, but she missed it. Her attention instead was on the hesitant smiles of Vaughn, the real smiles coming from Shane was she tapped Marina behind her and motioned at someone with her eyes, on Weiss' amazing groan as he reached for his wallet.

Romantic complications aside... it seemed like it was gonna be a good night.

--

The curb was cold.

His butt had gone numb about five minutes ago, but Vaughn was at the moment past caring. Instead, he held a beer loosely between his fingertips, eyes cast on some unseen memory that haunted him, like his father's watch, hidden in his drawer, ready for the heartache to begin again.

He heard the heels clicking against the pavement directly behind him, but he didn't move, until a slender, European woman settled down beside him, taking the half empty bottle from him, an depositing a plastic one filled with water in it's stead.

"Thanks," he said gruffly, glancing up to stare into the face of Marina Ferrer. Her own face was intense, dark, somber eyes that reminded him of a panther narrowed at him. It was a beautiful, striking face, enigmatic and so completely different from his own. "Do you love her?"

She considered him, swallowing once, before she let out a breathless sigh and glanced over the street, rubbing absently at her thighs. "Of course I do."

His eyes closed, his heart sunk lower in his chest. That was it, then.

"Vaughn." She called to him, a low, softer tone. "It doesn't matter," she said, when he opened his eyes. "If you love her-"

"It's too late."

"Why?" she asked firmly. "Because you have a ring on your finger?" She reached forward, taking his hand firmly in hers, studying the way his ring shimmered in the light. Like a child, she played with it, fingering the gold band before tugging sharply, until it slid into her palm. "That was easy, wasn't it?"

He sucked in his breath, studying with open pants as Marina held his wedding ring against the moonlight.

"I was taught that marriage meant something," he said slowly, angrily. "You don't give up just because things get hard."

"Hard," she repeated, rolling the word on her tongue as if it was new, foreign to her. Cocking her head, she narrowed her eyes, studying him studiously. "Perhaps it is wrong of me, to question American ethics. I have always been taught to take what I want and want what I need. It comes with a measure of instinct."

He snorted, a bitter laugh. "That's bullshit."

"Vaughn, there is only one question that is of any value." She held the ring between her fingers, letting it shimmer in the moonlight. "Does this make you happy?"

He studied it, eyes shifted to hers. "Not anymore."

She held his gaze, nodded shortly, and dropped the ring in his palm. "Then it is all you need to know."

Her sentence hung in the air, and he met it with incredulous laughter. "Are you giving me permission to steal your girlfriend?"

A smile, mysterious and he would admit, sexy, slid onto her lips. "I'm giving you permission to make someone we both love very happy."

She slapped his knee, pushed up and left him there, on the curb, staring at his wedding ring, before his fingers closed around it.

--

"Have you heard about Rambaldi?"

In the wee-hours of the morning, the Planet café took on a surreal aspect, with soft sounds of cars and the melting rays of sun, peeking through the shadows.

Sydney's question seemed to break some of the tranquility, as she lounged on one of the chairs, interrupted Marina and Sydney's casual conversation.

Sydney glanced at Marina, and the woman hesitantly nodded. "Yes," she said, "I was forced to learn."

"Do you believe in it?" Sydney asked.

"In the prophecy?" Marina clarified. Sydney nodded. She studied Marina, her calculating eyes, the way she pursed her lips, before she finally shook her head slowly. "I believe it has a measure of truth, I do not believe destiny does not involve choice."

Sydney considered what that meant, fingers tracing her coffee cup, before she glanced up. "I found a box. A Rambaldi box with my mother's name inscribed on it."

Marina's expression didn't change, but it was clear that her brain was working, shifting ideas, sorting them through. She placed the coffee cup down. "Did you?"

"It seems every time I feel closer to my mother, closer to understanding her, she drives me further away."

Marina said nothing.

"I'm not going to write to her," Sydney said, thickly, glancing up. "I want her to seek me out. To explain things."

Marina's eyes returned to hers. "And if she cannot?"

Sydney sighed, closed her eyes, and thought of her life, of her complications, of her mother's beautiful face, and her father's expression when he found out about the box.

"Then there's nothing to write home about."

FIN