Alias- Forever And Always

14) Assassination Attempt

AN: Some of my most favorite chapters have just begun. And they are detailed and LONG, so hold on and enjoy! You really WANT to listen to the music as you read these! Trust me! You can find most of it for free on youtube if you don't have it already :) If you can't find them all, find as many as you can or you'll really be missing out on the 'feels' here!

Music of this chapter (on repeat): Stranger in Moscow by Michael Jackson, Fond Memories by Michael Giacchino from the ALIAS Soundtrack, Nara by E.S. Posthumus, Exit Stage Right by Michael Giacchino from the ALIAS soundtrack, He's Got the Look by Michael Giacchino from the ALIAS Soundtrack, Like Toy Soldiers (Instrumental) by Eminem, Do What You Have To Do by Sarah McLachlan, Sing, Swing, Sing by Benny Goodman, I'll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday, Cut By Plumb, Dirty Little Secret by Sarah McLachlan, The Approach by Michael Giacchino from the ALIAS Soundtrack, In Dreams by Michael Giacchino from the ALIAS Soundtrack.

FOURTEEN

o

Los Angeles, California- Absolution Part II. Film Premiere

Jack adjusted Lena sleeping against his chest and looked over at Irina who was staring seemingly off into space as they waited for the film to begin. He glanced down at her hands rubbing circles over her belly through her dress, obviously nervous and seeking comfort. With one hand against Lena's back, he reached over and carefully threaded his hand under Irina's, catching her eyes with a smile when he threaded their fingers.

Irina couldn't stop her heart racing in her chest and smiled when she felt Jack's warm hand slip into hers, knowing exactly what she needed. Sydney was once again on her right and Jack on her left and she inhaled a slow deep breath as the lights went down and the slogan of Miramaxcame onto the screen.

The black screen once again announced, "The following film is based upon actual events" before fading into picture.

*Stranger in Moscow*

It was summer in Moscow and according to the date on the bottom, 1984, about a year after Irina's release from prison. The camera panned down from St. Basil's cathedral and dollied through the crowd in the Red Square where Lena, as Irina, suddenly came into view, running on the sidewalk in the early morning hours. Her long hair was pulled up into a tight bun, the strict regimen of military discipline obviously back into her life. Her eyes were hollow and showed no emotion as she continued to pound the pavement, running hard like a machine on autopilot.

When she ran through a group of small children in uniform on their way to school, the audience held their breath waiting to see what reaction would come out of Irina after Kashmir; and when she ran around the edge of the group of laughing children without blinking, as though she hadn't even seen them, everyone tried to swallow the massive lump in their throat realizing just how 'different' this woman was from the film they'd last seen, before she was broken.

As she continued to run towards the Projects, a mass of apartment buildings, the camera angle pulled back so that she was still in view though now the audience was watching her through the windshield of a car, two KGB agents obviously assigned to 'watch her,' tail her and report back to their superiors.

Irina pulled open the run down buildings front door and slowed her gait to walk up the many flights of stairs.

The building was loud with complete chaos surrounding her, babies crying and people screaming in Russian at each other in arguements, people sitting on the steps smoking and laughing, and some passed out drunk that Irina navigated through with the same expressionless face, while others looked at her and immediately scrambled to get out of her way.