Title: You're Under My Veins/ Fandom: Alias
Genre/Type: Hurt/Comfort/Gen / Characters/Pairings: Sydney/Vaughn
Series: None / Rating: G / Warnings/Spoilers: None / Setting: Season One 'A Broken Heart' / Written For: Prompt Personal Thoughts
A/N: I don't own Alias etc.
The waves gently crashed against the pier. The brightly lit Ferris wheel went slowly around in a graceful circle off in the distance as couples and families passed by. A gentle breeze filled the air, just enough of a chill in it to make him shiver. It was a beautiful night. But he didn't care about any of that. All he cared about was the crying woman next to him. He swallowed hard and glanced away as she told him why she'd called him that night. It was a sad tale, a tale that many agents could tell he guessed, with a few different twists thrown in. Sob stories he'd heard some of the older and harder agents call them. Then why was this one hitting him where it hurt? He glanced up at her, tears streaming down her face, falling from those beautiful deep eyes. It wasn't as if they were close. Hell, he hardly even knew her. He was just her handler, someone she could call when it got tough, someone she could rely on, someone she could work with and trust. Then why did he feel like taking her in his arms and never letting go? He glanced down again, staring into the nothingness below. She stopped talking as her pager sounded, glancing at it briefly before hurling it into the ocean bellow. He watched as she cupped a hand over her mouth, probably more to stop herself from sobbing aloud then from shock. He should probably say something right now, as her handler of course. Something profound, moving. But what had he said? Some lame crack about her throwing her pager into the Pacific. She'd given a small laugh, turning away as she agreed. And that had done it. He told her what he thought, not all of what he'd thought though, just the safe parts, the parts he was sure of. The other parts he'd left out...for now. What she should do, to never loose herself in her work. Never forget who she was, never, ever to do that. Then he'd offhandedly threw in that she could call him anytime. Because you know, she had his number. She'd looked at him and he'd swallowed again and looked down. Had it been enough, him telling her what he thought? He didn't know. One thing he did find out, she'd understood every word. And maybe even the things he hadn't said. She grasped his hand which sat on the railing, and tucked her fingers under his as she stared out into nothing, tears still coming slowly. He looked at her and down at his hand, afraid to move in case she took her hand away, taking the warmth that was spreading through him with her. Because one thing he was sure of, he never wanted her to do that.