Summary: Set a little over two years since the end of Steady As They Go. Another pregnancy, another wedding and anything else that comes along with all our favourite characters.

A/N: Well, I did say that I was done with this fic, but I soon realized that I was far from ready to let these characters go :). However, I won't be writng another massive fic, instead I've decided to structure this so that each chapter serves as a stand alone one-shot story, so I can write when inspiration hits and not be under pressure trying to sustain a long plot. I just hope that I can pull this off as I did with Meeting Their Match, All That They Need and Steady As They Go.

Disclaimer: I do not own Alias. The title of this chapter comes from the song 'Homeland' by Carpark North

You Are My Homeland

With a sigh, Sydney stood up and headed towards the front door, brushing her hands on her jeans as she walked. Flinging open the door her face broke into a wide grin.

"Juliette. Hey." She stepped forward, wrapping her in a tight hug. "You're early," she said when they separated. "And I am a mess."

Juliette just waved a hand as she stepped inside. "Young family, moving into a new house- you look fine," she said breezily. "And as for the early part, I just thought I would come down and offer any services needed for tonight."

"Well, dinner's pretty much organised. But," Sydney smiled. "I've been unpacking boxes all afternoon and am long due for a distraction. Coffee?"

"Sounds perfect," Juliette said, falling into step beside Sydney as they headed down the sunny hallway. "Boxes, hey? The saga of moving continues."

"Tell me about it," Sydney said, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "We've been here close to a week and the boxes seem to be multiplying." She shook her head, stepping over one of Emilie's toys and into the kitchen. "But then again, it took Vaughn and I over a year to get ourselves organised and buy the bigger house we needed, so why should I expect the move to be over quickly?"

Juliette smiled. "Speaking of which, where is that son of mine?"

"He and Emilie took Donovan for a walk. Or perhaps I should say that Vaughn took Em and Donovan for a walk, trying to expel the energy that has had her running rings around us all week."

Juliette let out a laugh. "Amazing how much energy a three year can have, isn't it?"

"Amazing is not the term that I would choose," Sydney said wryly, and then grinned. "It could be worse. She's not some out of control terror, she's just…lively."

"Well," Juliette raised an eyebrow. "With her parents, was Emilie ever going to turn out any other way?"

"Touché," Sydney said, fetching a carton of milk from the fridge.

"Maybe you just need to start getting her involved in something structured?" Juliette said. "You know, I was speaking to a friend yesterday and she said that her daughter was staring up some ballet classes, specifically for young children. Maybe you could get Emilie into those?"

"Good idea," Sydney said, placing a mug of coffee in front of Juliette. "But I don't like your chances there."

Juliette's expression turned to puzzlement. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, haven't you heard the latest news?" Sydney asked lightly, blowing into her own coffee. Juliette shook her head. "Emilie is going to be a hockey player- just like her dad."

"Oh really? And when was this revealed?"

"Sometime last week."

"You know, that doesn't surprise me one bit. It's that Vaughn gene pool. Bill, his father, Michael and now Emilie. It is never going to end."

Sydney laughed. "Don't give up hope yet. You never know, Ava may just break the cycle."

Juliette perked up. "Is she asleep?"

Sydney shrugged. "She might be. Lately, she's been waking and quite happily entertaining herself in the cot. Not so much as a peep for fifteen, sometime thirty minutes."

"Well perhaps, I should go check. We can't have her in her room all by herself, can we?" Juliette could not keep the eagerness out of her voice and so Sydney waved a hand.

"Don't let me be the one to stop to you, Grandmère."

Like a shot, Juliette was up and down the hallway. A minute or so later, she returned, the newest addition to the Vaughn household in her arms.

It had been six months ago, on October 11th, that Sydney and Vaughn welcomed their second child into the world, another daughter who they named Ava Juliette. Much to Sydney's delight, she was growing to be the spitting image of her father, from her dark blonde hair, to her eyes and even the looks of deep concentration that she expressed occasionally.

"And how are you, my belle fille?" Juliette cooed. Ava, easily amused, broke into a grin, before cramming her fist into her mouth and starting to gnaw on it. "Oh Sydney, she is getting so big…too quickly. You need to put a stop to this whole growing up thing."

"Maybe- but growing up does have its merits." She paused. "Being toilet trained comes to mind."

Juliette chuckled. "You make a good point."

At that point a loud commotion at that front door interrupted their conversation. Seconds later Donovan came barrelling down the hall, Emilie right on his tail.

"Donny, Donny, Donny!" she was laughing.

"Emilie," Vaughn appeared from the hallway. "I think Donovan needs a break- oh, hey maman." He walked across, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Emilie, suddenly realizing that there was a visitor in the house, stopped chasing the dog and instead threw herself at Juliette's legs.

"Grandmeer!"

"Hello my petite princesse," Juliette said, handing Ava over to Vaughn and then pulling Emilie into her arms.

Emilie cocked her head. "What that mean?"

Juliette leaned in. "You forgot already?"

"Yup."

"It means little princess."

Emilie's screwed her face up. "Me not a princess."

"Why not?"

"Princess don't play hockey."

"What did I tell you?" Sydney said, a grin on her face.

"And before," Vaughn held up his hands, "you blame this on me, this was all on her own accord."

Juliette snorted. "Yeah right. After what the two of you have subjected her to since the day of her birth, she was either going to wind up thinking she was a character in some romance film or that she was a hockey player."

"Grandmeer," Emilie said, sounding confused. "What you talking about?"

"Never mind," Juliette said. "So you want to play hockey?"

Emilie nodded. "In the backyard."

"Uh, hang on a second," Sydney spoke up. "The backyard? How will you do that, Boo?"

"Daddy gonna build a rink," Emilie replied. "He said so."

"Did he just?" Sydney said, her eyes landing in Vaughn. "When?"

"Uh…" Vaughn's expression resembled a deer caught in headlights. "I was just joking…with Weiss…was that the doorbell? I'm pretty sure that was the doorbell." He looked down at Ava in his arms. "We should check- it might be Jack. We can't keep Grandpa waiting…"

As he disappeared down the hallway, or more like escaped, Sydney turned back to Juliette, who was displaying a bemused expression.

"As I said before, Sydney, it doesn't surprise me one bit."

A couple of hours later Jack really did arrive, and the family was able to sit down to dinner- a somewhat makeshift housewarming for Sydney, Vaughn, Emilie and Ava.

"So, your mother tells me that you're in trouble," Jack said to Vaughn, midway through the meal. "Over some new construction project."

"Oh god," Vaughn groaned. "I am never, ever, going to say anything in jest again."

"Well, with three year old ears hanging around that is probably a wise decision," Juliette mused loudly. "They tend to interpret things literally."

"Hmm…but I have a feeling that Weiss also needs to be held accountable for this," Sydney said.

Vaughn laughed. "What are you going to do to him?"

"I'm sure I'll come up with something tomorrow," Sydney replied. "Speaking of which," she turned to Juliette. "You're still ok to look after the girls tomorrow night?"

Juliette nodded. "Fine…where are you going again? Is it that school production thing? The one that your old neighbour does?"

"No, that's in a few weeks," Sydney said. "Dad's got the duties that night. Tomorrow is a sort of wedding reception."

"Sort of?" Jack queried.

"Well, it is one, it's just that there is no wedding beforehand."

Juliette's eyebrows rose. "Not another Eric and Ainsley…their poor mother's…"

Sydney laughed. "Not quite. We all knew about the wedding. It's just that, with Will and Nat, all his family is here and all of her family are in Australia. So that nobody missed out, they went for a private ceremony on a beach in Tahiti, filmed it and are having two receptions, in Melbourne and here. They'll show the video and then do the whole reception thing. That way everybody gets to be a part of it."

Juliette nodded. "That sounds—"

"Finished," Emilie announced and then looked up at Jack. "Grandpa."

Jack swallowed his mouthful of food. "Yes."

"You wanna see my room. It's new."

"Hey Boo," Vaughn said. "How about we let Grandpa finish his—"

"No, that's fine," Jack said, standing up and taking Emilie's hand. "We'll be back for dessert, though?" he asked his granddaughter.

Emilie nodded fervently and then led, or even dragged, Jack down the hallway.

"Right," Weiss said the following morning, and then drained the last of his coffee. "We should head off. You know what Fran is like."

Sydney nodded. "All too well," she replied wryly as she grabbed her bag and looked at Amy. "You ready?"

"Have fun," Vaughn called from the dining table, the newspaper spread out in front of him.

"Remind me again how he gets out of setting up for tonight," Weiss grumbled.

"He gets out of it to stay home and look after Em, Ava, Dillon and Mitchell," Sydney replied.

Vaughn had been nodding gleefully, but suddenly stopped. "Hang on…Mitchell? When did he come into the equation?"

"Didn't I mention that? I could have sworn that I told you," Sydney said, playfully.

"No, you didn't," Vaughn said. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Carrie's got Saturday rehearsals and Marshall has to work. I said that you'd be more than happy to help."

"That's four kids under the age of five, Eric," Amy pointed out. "Now, would you rather stay here or shall we just head to Deep Inside?"

"And I should add," Sydney broke in, "that Vaughn has to break the news to Emilie that he won't really be building a hocky rink in the backyard. You could always do that."

"Restaurant," Weiss said without hesitation. "Now."

"That's what I thought," Sydney laughed. As the three of them made their way out of the kitchen, she couldn't resist looking back at Vaughn. "Have fun," she smiled, blowing him a kiss.

"Let me take that," Craig swooped by Francie's side, taking the box of glasses out of her arms. Sydney stood by and watched- intrigued. Firstly by the fact that Craig thought is necessary to monitor his wife's every move and secondly by the fact that Francie was him take over. Francie just didn't allow that to happen.

"Hey Amy," Sydney motioned her over. "Check out Fran and Craig."

"What do you mean?"

"Just watch them…you'll see."

"Oi," Weiss said as he walked by them, holding a mass of silver and white helium balloons. "I believe we are here to work and not just stand around gasbagging."

"We are working," Sydney replied. "We are discussing the aesthetics of the centrepieces in conjunction with the crockery and whether the knives need to be perpendicular to the flowers and should we risk having lit candles in the same room as balloons," she rattled off, as if what she had just said was perfectly logical.

"Uh…ok," Weiss said and then walked off, looking completely bamboozled.

Sydney laughed as she nudged Amy. "He can't possibly think that's what we were really discussing, can he?"

Amy shrugged, her eyes still on Francie and Craig. "I think I see what you…" she paused. "You don't think…"

"Of course that's what I think," Sydney said. "But should we ask her?"

"Should? There is no should. We are definitely asking," Amy said firmly, watching as Francie headed into the storeroom. "Right now." Grabbing Sydney's arm, she dragged her across the restaurant, into the store and shut the door.

"Wha—" Francie jumped slightly. "What are you doing?"

"How's everything going, Francie?" Amy asked.

"Uh…fine."

"Anything you want to share with us?" Amy pressed.

"No," Francie frowned. "What is going on?"

"Francie," Sydney started. "We want to ask you something and you are more than welcome to tell us to mind our own business, but—"

"Ok, the two of you are acting really freaky," Francie cut in bluntly. "Out with it, now."

"Fine," Sydney sighed. "Are you pregnant?"

Francie visibly stiffened. "What makes you think that?"

"The fact that Craig won't let you pick up anything heavier than a salt shaker," Amy pointed out. "And that you are letting him get away with doing that."

Francie's eyes had widened. "Wow…" she trailed off as a large grin formed on her face. "Nothing much stays a secret around here, hey?"

"Francie," Sydney said. "Does that mean…"

Francie nodded. "But you cannot say anything. It's still really early days. We haven't even told our parents."

"Oh my god!" Both Sydney and Amy stepped forward throwing their arms around Francie.

"Ssh," Francie laughed. "Or Eric'll be in here to see that all the fuss is about- and we all know what happens when he hears big news."

"Yeah," Sydney said nostalgically. "But I wouldn't worry too much. He's still trying to comprehend the aesthetics of the centrepieces."

"Ok, I am just going to have a showe—" Sydney stopped short as she stepped out of Ava's room and into the hall. "What are you doing?"

Vaughn looked up from where he was standing, piggybacking Emilie, with hockey stick in hand.

"Hockey!" Emilie exclaimed gleefully. "Go Daddy!"

Vaughn gave a sheepish grin. "Just a bit of a muck around."

Sydney shook her head. "We should have moved into a rink…just be careful," she warned good-naturedly. "I want to try and keep this house intact for as long as possible."

Tying up her dressing gown, Sydney stepped from the en suite and into her and Vaughn's bedroom. Something wasn't right. The house was too quiet. Instincts on edge, she headed into the lounge area, finding Vaughn and Emilie sitting on the couch, nothing being said.

"Ok," Sydney crossed her arms. "What did you do?"

Emilie glanced sideways at her mother and then at her dad. "Oh, oh," she said, her voice low.

"Oh, oh what?" Sydney asked, taking a step forward.

"We, ah," Vaughn cleared his throat. "We might have made a small dint in the wall in the hallway."

"A dint?"

"Ok, a hole…but nothing that can't be fixed…" he trailed off.

Emilie was looking between her parents. "Does daddy have to go to his room?" she asked, entirely serious.

Sydney couldn't help it, she had to laugh. The two of them looked so contrite that it was actually funny.

Vaughn's face broke into a grin. "So, do I?"

With a wink, Sydney turned and walked back towards the bedroom. "I'll have to think about it," she called out.

"Ok," Vaughn crouched down in front of Emilie. "You be good for Grandmère."

Emilie pursed her lips. "Can I come with you?"

Juliette glanced at Sydney. "Should I be offended?" she asked jokingly.

Sydney grinned. "I probably wouldn't be taking it to heart."

"Afraid you can't, Em," Vaughn was saying. "But how about mum and I bring you back some cake?"

Emilie's face brightened. "Promise?"

Vaughn held out his pinkie. "I promise," he said, allowing his daughter to claps the finger with her own. Placing a kiss in her forehead, he stood and turned to Sydney. "You ready?"

She nodded. "Yup…bye Juliette."

"You two have a great time," Juliette said. "I'll see you when you get back."

"Hey Syd," Vaughn said as the two of them headed to the front door.

"Yeah?"

"Do not let me forget the cake," he replied. "Emilie forgave me for the whole hockey rink situation, but I don't know what she would do if I forgot the cake."

With a laugh Sydney pressed her lips onto his cheek. "That is something that I don't even want to have to witness…I'll make sure you don't forget."

Deep Inside was already fairly crowded with Will's family and his and Nat's friends when Sydney and Vaughn walked in.

"Hey!" Weiss's voice rang over the din. "Over here, you guys."

Moving their way through the crows, Sydney and Vaughn slowly made their way over.

"So," Weiss said when they got there. "What do you think of my decorating job?"

Ainsley shot him a look. "Your decorating job?" she repeated.

"Yes, mine," he affirmed. "Because when Syd here disappeared into the supply room with Francie and Amy, I was left on my little lonesome."

Sydney laughed. "What about Craig?"

Weiss paused for a few seconds, obviously stumped. "Craig doesn't count," he finally said.

"Oh Eric," Ainsley pat a hand on his shoulder. "I think that you need to get a drink."

"I'm not going to argue with that," Weiss grinned. "How's about it, Vaughn?"

As the two of them walked off, Sydney turned to Ainsley. "So, how have you been?"

Ainsley held up a hand. "I am not talking to you, Syd."

Sydney blinked. "What?"

"I am not talking to you- you make my life too difficult."

"Huh?" Sydney was completely confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I had lunch with mum today. When I arrived, Lillian was there also. My mother and Eric's mother, all alone with little old me."

Sydney tried not to laugh. "Don't tell me they started on you again?"

Ainsley threw up her hands. "They've moved on from the subtle hints straight to the 'when are you gonna pop us out a grandchild?' questions."

Sydney grinned. "And how is this my fault?"

"Oh, they just like to pepper the conversations with 'Oh Emilie and Ava are so beautiful'… 'Juliette was telling me about babysitting the other night'… it's their way of saying 'Hey, Syd and Mike are doing right by the world, why can't you?'"

Sydney cracked up. "I promise you, Ainz, that it was never in mine or Vaughn's intentions to provide your mother's with ammunition. I swear."

Ainsley let out a snort of laughter. "I suppose they're harmless, really. It just got a little full-on without Eric for back-up."

"Hmm," Sydney said. "Renee and Lillian are really quite a team when they get together, aren't they?"

Ainsley stared at her. "A team?" she said. "More like an atomic bomb."

"Ok, to finish off Nat and I would like to thank each and every one of you for being her tonight," Will said to the crowd in front of him. "You are all the reason why we decided to do things this way- because there was not a snowball's chance that we were going to celebrate our marriage without those we love surrounding us. So please, all drink and have fun…and I mean that literally. After the party we just had Down Under, you all have a lot to live up to."

As the music started back up, and the crows started to disperse, Sydney made her way over to Will and Nat, grabbing the first chance she had that evening to speak to them.

"Hey," she said, giving them both a hug. "That video- the ceremony looked incredible."

Nat grinned. "We're not going to argue with that."

"Yeah," Will agreed, looking around. "And you guys did a pretty incredible job with this place as well."

"Don't let Weiss hear you say that," Sydney warned.

Nat nodded. "Yeah, I heard him claming all the hard work."

"Well, he actually did do most of the work," Sydney admitted. "Amy, Fran and I sorta—"

"Yeah, we all know what happened when you lot get together," Will snorted.

"What lot?" Vaughn asked, walking up with Craig and Francie.

Will glanced around, taking in the expressions of Sydney, Francie and Nat. "Um…any one of our better halves," he answered diplomatically.

Nat let out a laugh as she threw a hand around Will's shoulders. "I've got you well trained, don't I?"

"Hey, what is all of this?" Weiss's voice boomed into the conversation. "You were just going on about the need to party, Mr Groom and now you are all just standing around in the corner."

"Yeah," Ainsley chimed in. "A slight contradiction if you ask me."

Francie looked at Will and Nat. "They have a point."

"A damn good point!" Nat exclaimed, grabbing Will's hand. "Shall we?"

"We shall," he replied, looking around at the group. "Everybody?"

Sydney spoke for the rest of them. "Right behind you."

Vaughn was grinning as he closed the front door behind him. "Maman is off," he said quietly to Sydney.

She cocked her head to one side. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing really…maman just said that she thinks she needs a week to recover."

"I can only imagine what she and Boo got up to," Sydney smiled as they made their way into Emilie's room. She was fast asleep, spread out in the bed, taking up as much space as a three year old possibly could.

"Yeah, the total fun that makes up the inner sanctum of grandparent and grandchild," Vaughn commented as he gently adjusted Emilie's doona cover.

"In credibly powerful inner sanctum," Sydney said as they stepped out of the room. "After all, it does manage to bring the playful side out of my father."

"Yeah, it does," Vaughn chuckled as they went to check on Ava. Like her sister she was sleeping soundly, though not as quietly.

"It doesn't matter how many times I hear it," Vaughn said, "but the snoring kills me."

Sydney shook her head, checking that the baby monitor was switched on. "If she can turn you to jelly with her snores, what are you going to be like when she actually starts to talk?"

"Oh, I imagine that I will be as gone as you were when Em's first word was 'mama'," Vaughn said as they headed back into the hallway. "Would I be right in saying that?"

"Maybe…" Sydney trailed off as her eyes fell upon the hole in the wall. Stopping her steps, she looked up at Vaughn, an eyebrow raised.

He cocked his head to one side. "It's not that big…and I'll have it fixed tomorrow. You won't even know."

"You know," Sydney mused. "I don't think that's enough to make up for it."

Vaughn's face was blank. "Then what else?"

"Hmm," Sydney gave a slow smile, cupping his face with her hands. "I think that I am going to have to send you to your room."

Vaughn's eyes lit up. "Oh really?" he grinned.

Sydney nodded, leaning up towards him. "It's only fair."

"Sounds perfectly fair," Vaughn murmured, pressing his lips into hers.

"So," Sydney said when they had broken apart. "Are you going to do as you're told?" she asked with a nod in the direction of their bedroom.

Vaughn grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Oh, I think I might, Bristow," he whispered into her ear. "But how about you gove me the order once more, so I don't forget?"

Sydney just laughed, pulling his arm tighter around her as they made their way to the room. "For you, Vaughn, anything."

"You know what, Syd?" Vaughn asked, his lips brushing against her ear.

"What?"

"Ditto."

THE END

Well, the end of this story, but I have the next few planned out already. What can I say- I can't help but love writing pure lighthearted fluff:)

However, while I have the stories planned, from the 5th January to the 1st February I will be on a highly anticipated trip around Europe, and I don't believe that I will have time to put these stories to paper while over there. So, if you don't hear from me in regards to this fic, it's not because I have abandoned it, I am just simply enjoying the sites of Italy, France, Finland and Russia (another Alias crazy friend is coming to...I can just see us breaking into spy mode...).

Anyway, as soon as my break is over, I will be back. You will be hearing from me, and I hope to be hearing back from you.

Melissa