Alias- Jack & Laura

1) Stood Up

October 1981

Irina Derevko, aka Laura Bristow, walked into a Los Angeles hotel and registered under the name Karen Green. In the room, she sat down and waited for her handler. She was surprised when she didn't see him immediately; he was usually right on time, and she'd been ten minutes late today—a student had been unhappy with her grade on her research paper and had gone on about it for what seemed like forever before Irina could convince her that she wasn't going to change the grade.

After a few minutes, she glanced at her watch, annoyed. This was a bad time for Igor to be late. Hell, it was a bad time for a meeting at all, but she had no way to let him know that. Sydney was home sick with a stomach bug, and she'd been left with a babysitter all day. Jack was out of the country all week, and so Irina needed to get home. She'd contemplated skipping the meeting, but it would have been a bad idea—she'd already skipped the last one when Jack got home from a trip early. A part of her hoped that Igor wouldn't show up. He'd been hinting about the possibility of her "going home soon." She couldn't let him know, of course, that after ten years here, Russia wasn't home anymore. But she knew that she would eventually be recalled, and she was trying to prepare herself to leave her family, difficult as it was.

A few more minutes passed. Irina turned on the television and tried to get interested in an inane talk show. It didn't work.

When her handler's lateness hit the half-hour mark, Irina knew she couldn't wait any longer. She turned off the television and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Lou Harris, the retired woman from across the street who was staying with Sydney, answered the phone.

"Hi, it's me," Irina said. "How's Sydney?"

"Better," Mrs. Harris said. "She hasn't gotten sick since lunch time. She's been asking when you're going to get home."

"There was a minor incident at school that kept me late, but I'm getting ready to leave now."

"I'll see you in a little while, then."

"Thanks so much, Lou. Bye." Irina hung up the phone, glanced at her watch one last time, and left. She settled the bill and left a note for Igor in case he should show up, then headed home.

Twenty minutes later she walked into the den and smiled when she saw Sydney on the couch, watching a video. "Mommy!" Sydney cried when she saw her. "You're late."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I had to stay late at school today. Mrs. Harris said you're feeling a little better."

"My tummy doesn't hurt so bad, but I still have a headache and I'm tired. Do I have to go to school tomorrow?"

Irina put a hand on Sydney's forehead. "You don't have a fever anymore. We'll see about school in the morning."

"Okay, Mommy."

Irina paused for a moment, then leaned over and hugged her daughter. "I love you, Sydney," she whispered into the child's hair.

"I love you too, Mommy."