THE LOST BRISTOW

"Oh, right." Jan said and reached for the nearest seatbelt he could find. He
still couldn't
believe his thirst for Mischa's blood was the cause of this, Mischa being
treated.

Mischa smiled as Jan put his seatbelt on, but she still did not let go of his
hand. She was
glad he had agreed to stay with her- but still, she could see the guilt he felt
in his eyes
every time he looked at her. "I'll be ok," she said softly as she felt the
plane descend. She
squezzed his hand and added, "Thank you for not leaving me Jan. I don't want to
be
alone."

Jan saw her smile... how could one still be so beautiful in a situation like
this? Jan felt the
squeeze Mischa gave him. "I know. If it were me...." Jan trailed off, slowly
letting a smile
cover his face.

"I'd stay by your side," she said with a smile. "Thanks, Jan." She felt the
plane begin to
taxi down the runway, then come to a stop. Sydney opened the curtain, looking
at the two
of them. "As much as I hate to break this up," she said with a smile. "We have
to head
back to APO. And you, Miss Mischa need to get to the hospital." Mischa tried
to
sit up. "No hospital, really, I'll be fine.... we need to figure this all out."

Jan's thoughts and this happy moment were interrupted by.... none other than his
mother.
"APO? What's APO? What's it stand for?" Jan asked. He knew about the CIA and
Covenant
and all, but APO? To be honest, such an organization or word never had crossed
his ears
ever before.

"It's.... a long story," said Sydney with a smile, turning and shaking her
finger at Mischa.
"You need to go to the hospital, Mischa, I can handle things at APO." Mischa
smiled,
seeing how confused Jan was, and looking him in the eyes as she said, "Before we
tell you
anymore, we need to take you in and fully clear you to hear all the classified
details." She sat up on the edge of the bed, trying desperately to hide the
pain she was
feeling as she did so. "I'm not going to the hospital when that bastard is
still out there-
and for all we know he has the bioweapon." She shook her head, shaking off the
pain and hiding it to try to keep the others from arguing. "I'll be fine," she
insisted,
hoping it was true.

*Right.* Jan thought as he heard his mother speak, sort of explain what APO
was... more
like a shorter than short cliff notes version. "Okay, I have to tell my story to
more people
than just you and Mischa?" Jan asked. Mischa and Sydney had trusted him.... but
what
would the others think?

Mischa smiled. "Yes, but don't worry, I'm NOT going to the hospital," she said,
looking
pointedly at Sydney, then turning back to Jan, "so I will stay by you while you
talk to
Sloane." She hopped down off the bed, wincing a little as she did so, and
hoping Sydney
wouldn't notice. Sydney raised her hand sin mock surrender, and looked at Jan.
See
if you can talk some sense into her. I give up," she said, heading to the front
of the plane
to gather her things before getting off the plane.

At APO, Marshall Flinkman was in a panic! "Oh man... wait till Sydney hears
about this!!
Heya Syd, how ya doin', well, guess what? Prodigal, much?" Marshall said as he
dialed the
phone. . .

Sydney was gathering her things as she heard her cell phone ringing. She looked
toward
the back, seening Mischa grabbing her clothes in a pathetic attempt to hide her
pain and
shook her head as she answered the call, "Agent Bristow."

"Syd! Heya Syd, uhm... how ya doin'? Well, guess what? Are you alone right now?"

Marshall's voice rang through her ears.
"Mischa... thank you so much. How about you go with me and stay while I talk to
Sloane,
and after that I go to the hospital with you?" Jan offered.

"I'm alone, Marshall, what's on your mind?" Sydney asked, packing up her things
and
preparing to leave the plane. Mischa looked at Jan and smiled. "I'm staying
with you, and
after you talk to Sloane we need to find a place for you to stay. I am fine- I
do not need a
hospital," she said, smiling. "I'm just a little sore. Nothing a good night's
rest
and a hot bath won't cure," she insisted. She playfully pointed to the other
side of the
curtain. "Now let me get changed," she said, smiling so she made clear she
wasn't upset,
but flattered at his concern for her.

"Well, remember the chips name? Natchios? Well, the thing is I typed in the info
you've given me and... are you ready for this?" Marshall asked, plopping down in
his
inflatable couch that he had managed to save when at SD-6. Or had he
gotten a new one?
"Oh, alright. Didn't mean to map out your plans." Jan said smiling, and walked
towards
the other side of the curtain. As Jan stood there, he wondered how she would
look....
clothless.

"Yeah," said Sydney, grabbing her bag and heading to the front of the plane,
waiting for
Marshall to continue. Meanwhile, Mischa stood behind the curtain and dressed-
for a split
second wondering why she had asked Jan to leave, then shaking her head and
remembering that thoughts like these were not appropriate for an agent. "No
peeking, Mr.
Natchios," she said with a smile as she slipped into her bra and panties, and
unable to
resist the thought that his peeking may not be such a bad thing.

"Well... I did come up with the names Jan and Michael, but the last name wasn't

Natchios....in fact, it's actually one you know very well...." Marshall said,
thinking how to
say this. *Bristow? Sloane? Vaughn?* He thought. "Also, those chips are really
tasty, you
know... maybe we should ask Sloane if it's okay to bring some to the office?"
Marshall
said. "As tempted as I am, I'm not gonna, Miss Vaughn." Jan replied.

"Marshall," said Sydney, trying not to lose her patience but wanting Marshall to
tell her
what he knew. "Spit it out." Meanwhile, Mischa laughed at Jan's words as she
slipped into
a pair of jeans and a sweater, and slipping a pair of black boot on her feet.
She opened
the curtain and smiled at Jan. "If you ever call me anythign other than Mischa,
I'll take you out, and believe me, I have the CIA training to do it," she said
with a smile.
moonie442001: "Sydney, erm... Agent Bristow, are you REALLY, I repeat, REALLY
ready for
this? You're right.... I.... I shouldn't beat around.... uhm what's that saying
again? Beat
around the bush. Yeah, that's it! Well.... It's Bristow." Marshall finally told
Sydney through
the phone at APO, in connection to Syd's cell on the plane that had previously
landed,
while rubbing the sweat from his forehead. "Duly noted, Mischa." Jan said
smiling. "Are
you ready to move out?"

"WHAT?!?" cried Sydney into the phone. "Thanks Marshall, I'll talk to you at
APO." she
managed to say into the phone before slapping it shut,throwing it on the ground,
breakig
it into a million pieces and dropping her bag on the ground outside the plane,
watching
for Mischa and that little liar to come off, angry that he hadn't told her the
truth and
trying to let the reality set in that he was.... her son. Tears formed in her
eyes but she
blinked them back, refusing to give into that kind of weakness. Mischa nodded
and
grabbed her carryon bag. She carefully slipped her bag on her shoulder, walking
slowly off the plane, forcing herself to hide the pain as she got off the plane
with Jan.

Jan walked off the plane with Mischa, while several thoughts were battling it
out in his
mind. The first one was to get Mischa's bag so she wouldn't have to hold onto
that while
walking. "Syd? SYD?! Oh Oh, we lost Bristow..." Marshall muttered as he too shut
off the
connection. The second thought of the young Bristow came when he saw his mother
doing
something he never thought she would... then again, he HADN'T ever seen her do
something, let alone this. "Mo..... Agent Bristow, what's wrong?" Jan asked her
as Mischa and he met up with Sydney.

Mischa smiled as Jan took her bag from her, and didn't fight him on it, happy to
have the
help. She was just about to say something about it when she saw the expression
on
Sydney's face. "Sydney, what is it?" she asked, concerned. Sydney
folded her arms in front of her and looked at Jan. "Anything else you want to
tell me, Jan?"
she asked pointedly, her tone indicating there was something she
knew, but not betraying what that might be.

*Uh-Oh... am I in trouble? Am I compromised?* Jan thought as he now saw that
Mischa
had joined in with Sydney's stare. "I.. I don't know what you're talking about..
I told you
everything I know." Jan lied. There was a part of him that wanted to tell her so
bad, but
there was one thought that prevented this to be said: What would Mischa Vaughn
think if he was the son of Sydney Anne Bristow?

Sydney glared at him, the way only a mother could glare at her son. She shook
her head,
saying, "I see you've grown up nicely, since your father snatched you from me,
and it looks
like you're too old for me to send you to your room." Mischa looked from Sydney
to Jan,
completely confused. "I don't get it," she said, wondering what Sydney was
talking about.
Sydney did not take her eyes off of Jan, and said, "Tell her Jan. Tell her your
real last
name."

Jan bit his lip to prevent from breaking down to tears or worse, start hitting
his mother.
"Well... mom... I thought you never wanted me and that you left us." Jan
suddenly revealed.
"At least that's the version I heard."

"Then let me tell you the real story, since I see you've learned a bit about who
your father
really is today," she said angrily, wondering how her son could ever have
trusted Michael
Bristow- his father or not. "You were a baby- my baby- and you were only 6
months old
when your father disappeared with you. I searched for you for 6 years after
that,
before finally having to give up or I would have lost my sanity! I would have
given my life
for you- I still would- and it pains me to think you so easily believed the
worst of me from
a man you never should have trusted." Mischa stood, her jaw open, but not
saying a word, just backing up a bit, taking all this information in.

Jan reached for his mother and hugged her. "I'm so sorry, if I had known...."
Jan said
softly, only for Sydney's ears to hear. He felt a tear touch her jacket that she
was wearing. .
. totally forgetting about Mischa. Then suddenly he thought of her... but didn't
move his
face to look at her. "It's true, Mischa."

Mischa watched, unable to speak, trying to let the truth of Jan's identity sink
in. Sydney
hesitated for a moment, then wrapped her arms around her son, finally allowing
the tears
to fall. "I never gave up on you," she said simply, holding her son
close.

"I thought you both wouldn't believe me if I did tell you... I think you would
have the most,
Mischa." Jan said, still in the comforting arms of his mother, even though he
was an adult
now. He slowly looked into his mother's eyes....

Mischa still looked shocked. "Jan," she said slowly, "You could have told me.
But I
understand why you didn't." Sydney looked into her son's eyes and slowly a
smile spread
across her face. She looked into her son's eyes, and said softly, "We need to
get back to
APO. I'll fill you in on what that is on the way. I'm hoping maybe you'll
join our
team, son?" she asked tentatively.

"After what the lies that bastard of a father kept feeding me, I hope I will."
Jan said, not
apologizing for being so blunt and quick-to-the-point. He listened to Mischa.
"Yeah,
that's a good idea." Jan said to his mom.

Sydney let go of her son and picked up her bag, heading over to a car waiting to
take them
to APO. Mischa gently took hold of Jan's hand. "Are you ok?" she asked softly,
walking
with him towards the car, her worry for his well being obvious in her tone and
in her eyes
as she looked at him.

"I'm so sorry I kept this from you... I don't really know... I think I am." Jan
said to Mischa
as he felt a renewed connection to her because of their joined hands. Jan then
carefully
hugged Mischa. "And to think I almost was about to do terrible things to you a
while ago."

Mischa smiled. "Don't even think of that," she said, as they climbed into the
car and
headed to APO. "I'm here for you no matter what you need," she said, embracing
him
carefully. Sydney smiled seeing the obvious connection between Mischa and her
son, and
glad that he had formed a bond with someone as wonderful as Mischa Vaughn.

"Yeah..." Jan said, sighing. "That chapter's officially closed now. Thank you,
Mischa
Vaughn." Jan said, and couldn't help but feel a jolt in his heart as he was
carefully
embraced by Mischa. "Time for a fresh start." Jan said smiling.