A/N – Alternate Universe. Sydney and Vaughn met when they were in 9th grade, 14 years old. Short but sweet.
Vaughn POV
"This rain sucks." I muttered standing on the steps of my high school, waiting for my mom to pick me up. I never did like rain. Not even now. Rain always reminded me of my parents for some reason.
"It's not that bad." I finally noticed the girl standing next to me. She smiled at me and I watched her long brown hair sway in the breeze. When I didn't say anything she continued. "It's not as bad as something like snow… or hail."
I chuckled. "I think it is. I'll take hail or snow any day." Her smile is sweet, kind.
"Yeah right. I like the rain much better. At least you can stand in the rain and not get pelted." She pushed her hair back behind her shoulder. It was moist with water from the rain. I watched her purple nails wind through the brown, then go back down to hold her books.
"I'm Michael Vaughn." I finally noticed I hadn't told her my name.
"Sydney Bristow." She smiled again.
"Crap. There's my mom." I pointed to a car that had just pulled up. "I'll see you again right?" I asked, hoping that I didn't sound desperate.
"Of course." She waved as I ran into the rain. "Good-bye Michael!"
"Bye Sydney!" I slid into the passenger side of the car and looked in the back at my 10 year old sister Jackie. "Hey Jackie!" She waved her hand and then continued to look out the window. "Hey mom." I pulled my seat belt on as she drove away from the school.
"How was your day?" Mom asked. It was more a reflex then actual concern for anything I did.
"It was fine." I answered the same every day.
"Who was the girl?" Jackie tormented me like this every day. Sometimes I wonder why we all ever even speak to each other.
"Just a girl." I muttered looking out the windshield, watching the rain pelt it.
"We're home." I heard mom sigh as she got out.
I jumped out of the car and ran up the steps, opening the door with the key I kept in my pocket. My room looked dark for some reason as I sat at my desk.
"What are you doing?" I jumped at the sound of Jackie's voice.
"None of your business. Out of my room now." I ordered her.
"It's just you got out of the car so fast…" I watched her leave and then went to what I was doing.
I pulled my backpack to my lap and opened the front pocket. Searching for the picture I came up empty handed. "Thought I put it in there." I opened the others, each time I didn't find it. "Crap." I went back out to the car and looked on the floor, if mom found it she'd kill me.
"What're you looking for Mikey?" Mom asked when I shut the front door.
"Nothing important." I smiled, hoping I looked sincere as I went back to my room. I shut the door and collapsed on my bed. This weekend was going to be a very long one.
Sydney's POV
Michael was cute you
had to admit that. The way his brown hair had bits of blonde and how it was
slightly tousled. Thank God I hadn't started to walk home. The only reason I was
standing there was because I wanted to wait before I got soaked.
I can't believe he hates the rain. Who cares. I have to walk home in it. Don't want the damn nanny picking me up. So, I bend to throw my books in my backpack and see a piece of paper on the ground. I pick it up and glance at it. It's of two people. Father and son probably. They are on a boat, fishing. The kid looks about 6 maybe. I flip it over, looking for name or something when I see on the back: William and Michael, in a neat scrawl. In a different handwriting on the bottom is: Michael Vaughn.
I gasp and smile. A reason for seeing him again. How ironic.
Now all I have to do is find out where he lives… that should be fun.
I run all the way home.
The door is open when I get there. Not very unusual.
"Dad!" I yell.
I watch Theresa, the nanny, walk into the room. "He had to go away on business."
"Again?" I throw my backpack on one of the kitchen chairs and pick the cordless phone up.
"Sorry sweetie."
"Don't call me sweetie." I say harshly as I shut the door to my room. I dial in Francie's number and smile when her brother David picks up. "Hey David. It's Syd. Is Francie there?"
"Yeah." He says and I hear him yell. "Francie, its Brownie for you."
I laugh that he still uses the nickname he gave me.
"Hey Syd!" Francie yelps over the phone.
"Hey Francie." I switch ears and ask her. "Do you know Michael Vaughn?"
"No, let me ask David." She asks her brother and then comes back. "David knows him. They have Bio together."
"Oh, put him on please." I jump onto my bed with a pen and notebook hoping he can help me.
"Hey Brownie. What'd you want?"
"Do you know where Michael Vaughn lives? He left something at school…" I hold my breath.
"Yeah. He lives on Brook Lane. Number 47." He answers with a cough.
"Thank you. I owe you one." I laugh and hang up the phone, throwing my notebook in my bag and running out the door. "I'm going out!" I yell to Theresa.
"You better be back for dinner." I don't answer her as I run out the door and down the street. Brook Lane is almost a mile away, but I'm used to walking everywhere. My dad is never home to drive me and I hate my nanny. I made a list on reasons why I hate her:
1. She tries too hard
2. She is too damn annoying.
3. She doesn't give a damn about me, only about getting paid.
… 4. She's not mom.
The last one I didn't know if I wanted to add, but I did. My mom used to care about me. I was only six when she died, but I remember her and what she did for me. Tucking me in at night, staying with me when I was sick. Everything a mother usually does.
I wipe the tears that have come to my eyes and turn onto Brook Lane. Number 39, 41, 43, 45, 47… I walk up the driveway and to the door.
There's a doorbell, so I ring it. I hesitate after a minute and ring again. After another minute I decide no one is probably home and start to leave.
"Excuse me." I turn around and see a girl, younger then me, standing there. "Sorry about that. Everyone is being lazy… can I help you?"
"Hey, I'm Sydney." I pause. "Is Michael home?" Things go through my mind like I've got the wrong house, little sister… god help me.
"Hi. I'm his sister Jackie. Come on in." The girl, Jackie, opens the door all the way and moves aside.
I adjust my bag as I walk in. "Is he home?" I repeat my question.
"Yeah. He's locked himself in his room as usual… I'll get him." She leaves me standing alone in the living room, I guess.
"Hello." I spin around and find myself face to face with his mother.
"Hi." I don't know what to say. So, let's just start with my name. "I'm Sydney."
"You were the one talking to Michael at school right?" She has a soft, kind voice to me.
"Yes. He dropped something at school and I wanted to return it." I smile at her, trying to calm my nerves down.
"Sydney?" I hear Michael's voice come from behind his mother.
"Hey." I give a small wave. Embarrassed by the gesture I return my hand to my bag.
"Hi." He walks up to me and smiles. Then as if he just notices Jackie and his mom he tells me. "Let's go to my room."
Taking my arm in his hand he leads me down a hallway and into his room.
"I don't want my sister eavesdropping." He shuts the door and asks. "How'd you find out where I lived?"
I laugh. "I have my sources. Let's just say I found you." At the smile I can't help but give a serious answer. "My friend David told me."
"The 'how' question is out of the way. Now I turn to the 'why'. Why are you here?" He picks his backpack off of his desk chair and motions for me to sit.
As I sit in the chair he plops on his bed which is covered by a dark blue comforter. I look around before I answer. There are posters of hockey teams. So many of them. I notice the hockey gear in the corner of the room.
"Earth to Sydney." I snap out of my checking out his room and back to him.
"Oh yeah." I reach into my bag and tell him. "You dropped something outside the school. I thought you might want it." The picture comes up and he grabs it.
"Oh God. Thanks." Before I can say anything he pulls me out of the chair and into a hug. As if realizing what he's done a little too late he breaks it. "You're soaking wet. Did you walk here?" He goes into the hallway and comes back with a towel.
"Actually yeah. I did walk here." I take the towel and start to dry my hair and clothes.
"Why would you walk here?" There is surprise, shock in his eyes and I smile.
I shrug. "Nothing else better to do." My ring gets caught on a loose thread on the towel and I pick it off.
"Nice ring." He comments.
I look at the ring. It's a diamond with two sapphires on the sides. My favorite of all my jewelry. Probably cause it was owned by my mom.
"Thanks." I throw the towel to him and he catches it. "The ring was my moms."
"Why doesn't she have it?" His smile fades. Looks as though he knows he's asked the wrong question.
"She died… when I was eight." I answer him. I don't mind talking about her usually; I'd rather talk about her then forget her.
"Oh. Sorry." He looks down then back at me. He seems hesitant as he takes a breath and tells me. "My dad… he died when I was six."
"Sorry." I say and I'm sincere about it. How can I not be sorry when I know exactly how he feels?
"Yeah. This is the only picture I have of him and I'm glad you brought it back." He smiles again and pins the picture to his cork-board.
"Your welcome." Just then I hear my phone ringing. In the back of my mind I hear Theresa or my dad saying 'Never leave home without it.'
"Hello?" I sigh into the receiver.
"You should get home." I hear Theresa say.
"Why?" I ask… I know what's coming.
"It's almost dinner time." She sounds annoyed at playing this little game all the time with mer.
"I'll eat somewhere else." I answer her. She knows I hate it at home, with her.
"You always eat somewhere else." She counters.
"That's cause I don't like eating dinner there." I tell her truthfully. Why lie to her? She knows I hate her and her food.
"Sydney." She sighs, annoyed, angry, mad…
"Theresa." I shot back in the same voice.
"Fine. I am not cooking dinner for you anymore." Like I care.
"Not like I have ever eaten it." I hang up before she can say anything else. I turn it off too.
"Whoever that was I'm guessing you don't like them that much." Michael tries to joke.
I smirk. "Theresa. My 'nanny'. I'm fourteen. You'd think my dad could leave me home alone for once."
"Yeah. I know what you mean." He hesitates again. "You wanna go get something to eat? I know a great place that isn't too far to walk in the rain."
I tug on my jean-jacket and nod. "As long as your mom is okay with it."
His hand is enclosed on my arm again as he pulls me back into the living room. "Mom. Me and Sydney are going to go get dinner okay?"
"Okay, sweetheart." His mom smiles at me. "Just be careful. Are you sure you want to walk in the rain."
He looks over to me and smiles. "I'm positive."
"Okay. Have fun." She smiles again and Michael does too.
"Bye mom."
"Bye Mrs. Vaughn."
We close the front door behind us and Michael puts his jacket over his head. I just leave my jacket where it is and my bag at my side.
"The rain isn't going to hurt you." I tell him.
"Yes it is." He jokes, laughs.
I laugh too. "Take your jacket down." I am practically ordering him. He does it anyway.
"Talk to me." He says, taking me completely by surprise.
"About what?" I ask him.
"Everything. Your mom if that's alright with you."
"As long as you tell me about your dad." I tell him seriously. He nods, so I start. "What do you want to know?"
"How did she die?" I was afraid of that. I had relived that night over and over.
"She and my dad were on their way home from a movie. It was late and a man, a postal worker, was coming in the other direction. Police and doctors said there was no alcohol involved… the man must've fallen asleep. His car swerved, my dad swerved and both went off the Canyon Creek Bridge. My dad instantly got out of the car and tried to swim to the other side to get my mother, but the car fell deeper. He swam back up, hoping that she would get out on her own… she didn't, neither did the postal worker." I swipe at the tears in my eyes, glad it's raining and there are drops on my face.
"Wow." That's all he can say.
I smile. "Don't worry about it." Then I frown. "What about your dad?"
He takes a deep breath. "My dad used to be a CIA officer. I didn't know until after he died. He was always on a mission. I found out after he died that all those times he was going to places like New York, San Francisco… he was really going to places like Rome, and Italy." He smiled. "He was a hero. I know that." Michael looks down, but continues walking, the rain has already soaked us. "His last mission was to Rome. Supposed to get the Intel then get out of there. He didn't suspect that someone else would be there. But there was. No one knows who it was. They just know that the person shot my dad, his partner and then left."
"Man." I sigh.
"Where here." He points to a small hangout. "Gina makes everything terrific."
"That's good." I looked through the window and saw Francie and David. "Hey there are my friends. Come on." I took his shoulder and pulled him inside.
Vaughn's POV
I like Sydney. She's someone that you would want to have around. To talk to, or just to be there.
"Brownie!" I hear someone yell. Then I see David, kid from Biology.
"Hey." Sydney lets go of me and races over to David and his sister… I think her name is Francie.
"Hey Michael." David plops back in his seat after giving me a wave. "Francie this is Michael."
"Hi." Francie seems cool, like her brother. "Come on Syd. Sit with us." Francie pulls Sydney next to her and then Sydney pulls me beside her.
"What are you two up to anyway, Brownie?" I smile at the name.
"Brownie?" I question Sydney.
"He gave me that nickname. Don't ask." She laughs and David smiles at her. "You don't have any annoying nicknames?" She asks me.
"Not that I know of." She laughs. A real laugh, sweet and irresistible.
"Let's order." Francie pulls a menu in front of her and Sydney.
After getting our food and eating all of us start to head home. The rain has finally let up.
"We'll see you later Sydney. Bye Michael." David and Francie start to walk him, bickering like brother and sister do.
"I gotta get home. My dad will have a fit. It's already 8:30." She starts to walk away but I grab her arm.
"Do you mind if I walk you home?" I ask. The girl has something about her.
"No." She says softly shaking her head. She smiles and pulls me along with her. "Won't your mom mind?"
My fingers twine with hers. "No."
When we get to her house it seems way too soon. "This is it." She whispers as if she'll wake someone up.
I laugh. "Yeah."
She turns around and looks at me. "Thanks." Then she kisses me. A sweet kiss… then more and more. She opens her mouth to me and she tastes like mints and strawberries. She's out of breath when she pulls away, I am too.
"Wow." I whisper and kiss her
softly.
"I'll see you on Monday then." I take walk an inch back.
I smile. "Yeah. See you Monday, Brownie." She slaps me playfully, quickly kisses me then runs into her house.
Me? I walk home. A smile plastered on my face for eternity. Cause I just found the girl I needed. Or did she find the guy who needed her? Maybe… we found each other.
A/N – 1) did you get the whole number 47 thing: Page 47, get it?
2) I might continue this, it's just I'm already in the middle of two other stories so it might take a while.