Alias- Forever And Always

16) Who Is Dubey...?

AN: Music for this chapter (on repeat): Leave No Man Behind from Black Hawk Down Soundtrack, Home Movies by Michael Giacchino from the ALIAS Soundtrack, In Dreams by Michael Giacchino from the ALIAS Soundtrack, I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan, Thriller by Michael Jackson, Exit Stage Right by Michael Giacchino from the ALIAS Soundtrack, Walkaway by Thomas Newman from Meet Joe Black Soundtrack, Whoomp! There It Is! by Tag Team, The Ditty by Paperboy, The Journey, Yekeleni Part One, Cry in Silence, Yekeleni Part Two "Carnage" all by Hans Zimmer from Tears of The Sun Soundtrack.

SIXTEEN

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*Leave No Man Behind*

Gyrady, Siberia, Soviet Union

Talia slowly put her knitting needles into her lap, gazing over the railing of her porch believing herself to be seeing a ghost.

"Anya…" She whispered in a voice that only she could hear and when the figure, with arms folded protectively around herself, began to move towards her, she knew. "Irina…" She called out softly with a cracked voice, tears already building in her eyes.

Irina's own eyes blurred with unshed tears as she stepped onto the porch, taking in the sight of the woman.

Slowly, Talia stood and walked the remaining steps to stand before Irina, her eyes scanning the woman before her, looking for the young girl she once knew so well. The light, the spark, the innocence that had been before was now gone when she looked into the familiar dark eyes. Her trembling hand reached out to stroke Irina's cheek and when she did, a lone tear spilled over Irina's lashes and met with her warm fingers there. The first motherly touch Irina had in years.

"For a moment… I thought you were your mother." Talia cried in a strangled voice and engulfed Irina into her arms, both crying; Irina silently while Talia sobbed.

Slowly, Irina returned the embrace and turned her face into the woman's neck crying with her.

The scene faded away and came back with them both sitting on the porch swing, cups of steaming tea in hand, talking and both with tears running down their cheeks.

"I hadn't seen Talia since the day before I left for America more then half my lifetime ago," Lena's voice narrated softly, "After my release from prison… I was ashamed… and I couldn't bare to face her, tell her what happened to her son without facing what had happened to me in that place… For I could not think about one, without the other and that was not something I could afford to do… especially verbalize… but with time, came the ever present need to reach out to her, to tell her exactly what had happened to Mikhail and I had felt confident enough in my ability to compartmentalize to tell his story, while blocking out my own."

Mikhail didn't bother to wipe the tears he knew were now running down his cheeks and glanced down the aisle towards Irina. He closed his eyes and sighed as more tears took over seeing onscreen what she'd done for him, for his family at cost to herself.

"Thank you, for telling me." Talia reached over and patted Irina's hand in her lap with a soft smile through her tears. "I've been wondering for so long, what had happened to my son." She choked back a sob, wiping at her eyes and smiling at Irina again, "Thank you, child." She nodded, and clasped Irina's fingers in her own. "I have something for you, come with me." She stood, not releasing Irina's hand and taking her inside.