Sydney slammed the door behind her and threw her bags onto the wooden flooring. She sighed deeply and practically ran to the couch. Flopping down heavily on it. She breathed deeply in relief wondering why the beds in hotels were always so uncomfortable.
"Syd, is that you?" a voice called from the kitchen
"Yeah, I'm home," She called back.
"I'm glad your back" Francie said as she walked into the room, with some papers in her hand. "Your dad called and just said could you call him when you got back but it's not urgent."
"I'll call him in a bit. I'm just gonna veg for a while."
"How was your trip?" Just as Sydney was going to answer, the phone rang. "I'll get it" Francie picked up the phone and went in to the other room.
"Dam that girl. Why tonight?" Francie rhetorically asked
"What's up?" Sydney asked raising her head from the pillow.
"One of my waitress' just called in sick. That means I'm two down and I've got a big party tonight. I can cope without one not two."
"I'll come and help you. No arguments. Big parties are good and you gotta keep them happy." Sydney said
"Thanks Syd you're a life saver. We need to leave at 6.30"
"Wake me in an hour then." Sydney hauled herself off the sofa and dragged her bag to the room. Climbing under her duvet into the clean sheets she berated herself for offering to help Francie but knew her friend wouldn't have asked.
An hour later there was a gentle tap on the door
"Syd, we're leaving in 30 minutes.
"Ok" she said pulling back the covers that we so warm. "What should I wear?"
"Black skirt, black top and black shoes. Flesh tights if you want them. Clip your hair back. Thanks so much for doing this Sydney. You have no idea how much I appreciate this. I know you must be shattered after your trip."
"I'm ready" Sydney shouted as she walked out to meet Francie. Even in an outfit so simple she looked amazing.
"Let's go."
********
When Sydney and Francie arrived at the restaurant the chef had opened up and the tables were set. The staff sat chatting to one and other.
"Hey guys," Francie said "we're one down tonight so its an extra table each. Sydney if you do the big party that will ease the load then you can go when they leave. I'll show you what to do."
After a brief run down of the systems Sydney was talking to one of the chefs when Francie came into the kitchen.
"Sydney your parties here. Their seated and their drinks on the bar. Watch out for the blonde she's a bitch!" Francie said smiling encouragingly.
********
Vaughn sat at the table wondering why he was here. He and Alice had had a massive fight and their relationship was basically a charade. He was sure he didn't love Alice and that she felt the same but neither could break away. If it was him to do it, that would be an acknowledgement of his feelings for Sydney.
He was sat right opposite Hadlinki who he hated and Weiss; his only close friend at the table was trapped in conversation with Hadlinki's girlfriend. He sat back in his chair and sighed, he wondered how Sydney had gone on, on her mission. They were meeting at the warehouse in the morning. Their meetings were the high point of his week. He felt a movement behind him but didn't bother to look round.
"Miller?" The waitress asked. Hadlinki nodded to her.
Immediately recognising her voice he looked over at Weiss who was looking at him. His eyes widened.
"Budweiser?" she asked
"Yeah that's mine" Vaughn looked round at her. He was once again awe struck by her beauty. She was all in black with her hair held back by a blue clip. She was balancing the tray of drinks against her hip. Surprise flickered across her face but only quick enough for an agent to see.
"Red wine?" she asked brightly. Her smile ever so slightly larger.
"Professional as always" thought Vaughn as she continued handing out drinks. He heard Alice say something and had to shake his head to listen properly.
"Pardon?" he asked forcing his eyes form Sydney as she walked around the table.
"Have you decided what to order darling?" With emphasis on "darling" she might not love him but she obviously wasn't prepared to let him go either.
"No"
"Are you ready to order? Or do you want some more time?" Sydney inquired politely
"We're ready" Hadlinki piped up. They went round the table ordering. Vaughn had to focus on the menu to stop himself looking at Sydney.
"God she is beautiful he thought."
"Sir are you ready to order?" She interrupted his thought process.
"Yes I'll have the halibut please"
"Would you like to see the wine list" Sydney asked the table
"Yes"
Sydney walked away. Vaughn couldn't help looking over his shoulder at her departing figure. He noted her long stride and shapely calves. Alice reminded him she was there with a quick, sharp kick in the shin. He grimaced slightly and turned his attention back to the table.
********
"Budweiser?"
The guy sat next to her blonde that Francie had warned her about turned round
"Yeah that's mine" She instantly took in his dark ruffled hair and beautiful sea green eyes. The blonde was sat next to him who even if she was a bitch she was pretty, she couldn't imagine her with Vaughn though.
"What his he doing here?" she mused compartmentalising her thoughts so she could carry on serving drinks. "This is so strange, I must pretend I don't know him."
Once she had taken the order she walked back to the kitchen. She could feel his eyes boring into her back. "Is he looking at my ass?" she wondered but when she turned he was back involved at the table. There had been tension between her and Vaughn at the beginning but he was always absolutely professional.
"Syd, do you know the guy sat next to the bitchy blonde?" Francie asked her
"No, Why?
"He was checking you out in a major way. I've gotta engineer a meeting."
"Francie you can't do that!"
"Managers perks baby!" The girls broke into giggles
*******
Half an hour later Vaughn was excruciatingly bored with the conversation. Weiss kept looking at Alice and pulling faces. Hadlinki was just going on with himself.
"Why the hell did I ever come here? Am I mad"
Then he saw Sydney and Francie approaching the table. Syd was smiling and he knew then that she thought this was funny. They began to hand the meals out. Sydney placed his in front of him and Francie went to give Alice hers and knocked over her red wine all over her pale blue cotton dress.
"AHH" Alice screamed, "Look what you've done to my dress you bitch"
"Hey Alice" he interjected trying not to laugh while Weiss silently spilt his sides.
"Hey don't speak to her like that it was an accident." Syd said trying to keep calm.
"She fucking did that on purpose, the stupid cow. " Alice screamed
Sydney stepped up to her. "Madame we are very sorry. It was an accident. We will pay the dry cleaning bill, but you will have to leave now. We can not have staff being abused by customers."
"I'm very sorry" Vaughn said to Sydney and Francie. Weiss had practically fallen of his chair laughing by this point.
"Don't worry I'm going! Michael are you coming" He stood up to leave and they both walked out of the restaurant.
Alice was spitting feathers by the time they got to the car.
"I better go back and pay some of the bill." He said in a level tone as she was getting in the car.
He jogged gently back to the doorway. All Alice could do was watch him go. Entering the doorway. He caught Weiss' eye but shook his head slightly. He walked over to the bar. Sydney was stood there drying glasses.
"I'm really sorry about that." He said softly "She was well out of order" He looked at the bar very sad and ashamed.
"Hey it's not your fault" Sydney replied quietly. She touched his shoulder and she felt so helpless. He knew that he loved her but that if she knew she'd either end up dead or run away from him. He straightened up.
"I'll pay our part of the bill." His professional air coming back to him after a brief moment of vulnerability. He handed her his American Express card. There fingers briefly touching. She disappeared behind the bar to pay his bill and reappeared with the receipt. He dutifully signed and handed her back her pen.
"See you tomorrow Syd" Giving her a sad smile he walked back out of the door.
********
Syd watched his tensed back disappear out of the doorway. He has an air of sadness around him. She loved him but knew he loved his job and she wouldn't let him risk it. He seemed so vulnerable. After her mother had given herself up to the CIA and Vaughn went to see her for information to help her, he'd lost his part of his will. Conscientious as ever he had just lost his spark. When he'd apologised to her she just wanted to embrace him and soothe his worries.
********
"I can't believe that you embarrassed me like that! Those are my work colleagues!" Vaughn shouted, "There was no need to swear at the waitress like that!"
"She spilt wine on my dress!" Alice shouted back
"It was totally inappropriate," he countered
"Well so was staring at the waitress!"
"Staring?"
"Our relationship must be in more of a mess than I thought if you don't even notice your eyeing up some two bit smutty waitress."
"No it's not in a mess its over!"
"Good!" and with that Alice turned and stormed out of the car slamming the door violently behind her.
Vaughn drove home slowly, thinking about his exchange with Alice. He didn't love her he knew that for definite. At one point he thought he was in love with her then he got promoted to be Sydney's handler. That girl had turned his life upside down with out even realising. However even without loving Alice, they had been together over a year and he felt slightly bereft. He arrived at his apartment annoyed with himself. He and Alice had been heading that way for a long time but she deserved better. It wasn't her fault he didn't love her.
********
As Sydney tried to sleep later that night her mind kept drifting back to Vaughn. He looked so tired and almost aged. Meeting her mother had taken a lot out of him. He was close to his dad before he was murdered and the fact that the women who had done it was her mother was an irony lost on no one. He'd been to see a councillor but there were things that needed saying just between the two of them that they hadn't had the courage to say. Sydney felt misplaced guilt and she couldn't ask for his forgiveness because she felt that would be burdening him with two much. She rolled over and shut her eyes his forlorn figure imprinted on her retina.