Alias ficlet
Written for alias500, but might amuse. Set during S5, specifically in the three-month time period between the final two scenes:
Jack visits Arvin in jail at least once a week. During these visits, Arvin struggles not to envy Jack his freedom or his healthy daughter; he needs the information Jack brings, needs it too much to betray his own jealousy.
Nadia's condition does not change; Arvin never expects it to, and yet there is that strange, horrible mixture of sorrow and relief every time Jack says so. Michael Vaughn has died, which doesn't affect Arvin at all, save for concern about Sydney. Jack has assumed control of APO, too, as Arvin had expected.
After two months, however, Jack finally has good news.
"When?" Arvin says.
"Six more months." Jack smiles. Something about him is so peculiar, yet oddly familiar. It takes Arvin a few moments to realize that his old friend is actually relaxed. "Sydney's doing well. Glowing."
"They always say that's a myth, but it's not." Arvin can imagine Sydney, happy and pregnant, recovering from Vaughn's loss through the new life growing inside. "A grandchild - that's a fine thing, Jack."
"Would I sound vain if I said it makes me feel old?"
"Not at all. But that doesn't change the fact that you're thrilled. Don't even try to hide it."
"I'm not." And he isn't - if Jack were trying to hide his feelings, he'd do a better job. Instead he's leaning forward in his chair, elbows on his arms, hands clasped. His smile has a faraway quality that Arvin likes. Jack used to look like this more often.
Jack is off his guard.
Arvin considers his next question carefully. It will wreck the mood, but perhaps the mood needs to be wrecked. "Does Irina know?"
Straightening in his chair, Jack pulls back, becomes himself again. "We aren't in contact."
"Of course not." They probably aren't under audio surveillance, but Jack would be unlikely to admit this to Arvin no matter what. Some wounds don't heal; they simply close over and hide the pain within. Arvin's affair with Irina is one of these - for both men, though Arvin will never be able to tell Jack that. "All the same, she's a resourceful woman. She might have found something out, given something away."
"There's been no sign of her, and Sydney has only begun telling people this past week. So it's unlikely that Irina knows."
Arvin does one of the things he does best: reading between the lines. Jack's reference to Sydney telling people sounds as if he knew about the pregnancy beforehand; the father/daughter relationship is mending, then. That's to be expected, though, the natural waxing and waning of Sydney and Jack.
What is more disturbing is Jack's comment that there has been no sign of Irina. Jack would only say this with certainty if he'd been looking for those signs. Jack's still vulnerable to Irina, then - and that grandchild may be just the tool she needs to win him back, if that suits her purpose.
Arvin feels the tug of envy again, and he's scared to ask exactly why.
Jack visits Arvin in jail at least once a week. During these visits, Arvin struggles not to envy Jack his freedom or his healthy daughter; he needs the information Jack brings, needs it too much to betray his own jealousy.
Nadia's condition does not change; Arvin never expects it to, and yet there is that strange, horrible mixture of sorrow and relief every time Jack says so. Michael Vaughn has died, which doesn't affect Arvin at all, save for concern about Sydney. Jack has assumed control of APO, too, as Arvin had expected.
After two months, however, Jack finally has good news.
"When?" Arvin says.
"Six more months." Jack smiles. Something about him is so peculiar, yet oddly familiar. It takes Arvin a few moments to realize that his old friend is actually relaxed. "Sydney's doing well. Glowing."
"They always say that's a myth, but it's not." Arvin can imagine Sydney, happy and pregnant, recovering from Vaughn's loss through the new life growing inside. "A grandchild - that's a fine thing, Jack."
"Would I sound vain if I said it makes me feel old?"
"Not at all. But that doesn't change the fact that you're thrilled. Don't even try to hide it."
"I'm not." And he isn't - if Jack were trying to hide his feelings, he'd do a better job. Instead he's leaning forward in his chair, elbows on his arms, hands clasped. His smile has a faraway quality that Arvin likes. Jack used to look like this more often.
Jack is off his guard.
Arvin considers his next question carefully. It will wreck the mood, but perhaps the mood needs to be wrecked. "Does Irina know?"
Straightening in his chair, Jack pulls back, becomes himself again. "We aren't in contact."
"Of course not." They probably aren't under audio surveillance, but Jack would be unlikely to admit this to Arvin no matter what. Some wounds don't heal; they simply close over and hide the pain within. Arvin's affair with Irina is one of these - for both men, though Arvin will never be able to tell Jack that. "All the same, she's a resourceful woman. She might have found something out, given something away."
"There's been no sign of her, and Sydney has only begun telling people this past week. So it's unlikely that Irina knows."
Arvin does one of the things he does best: reading between the lines. Jack's reference to Sydney telling people sounds as if he knew about the pregnancy beforehand; the father/daughter relationship is mending, then. That's to be expected, though, the natural waxing and waning of Sydney and Jack.
What is more disturbing is Jack's comment that there has been no sign of Irina. Jack would only say this with certainty if he'd been looking for those signs. Jack's still vulnerable to Irina, then - and that grandchild may be just the tool she needs to win him back, if that suits her purpose.
Arvin feels the tug of envy again, and he's scared to ask exactly why.