Sequel to Nothin' Good About Goodbye
"So how was L.A.?" Eric asked when he saw Sydney back at work the next Monday.
"Like you don't know." Sydney muttered.
"Did you run into Mike?" Eric asked carefully. In normal relationships, people were awkward after breakups, but theirs hadn't been normal. Eric had been there for Sydney when she needed a shoulder to cry on and they mistakenly thought they should start dating.
It was awkward and weird from the moment it started and it was a mutual breakup. Eric knew she wasn't over Michael and wanted her to move on with her life. He thought his friend would have been more considerate, but apparently he had misjudged him.
"He's engaged." Sydney admitted.
"That sucks." He replied bluntly.
"Tell me about it."
***
"Oh my god, we're getting freaking [I]married[/I] today!" Stacy said excitedly, waking Michael from his slumber. He hated so much noise in the morning and Stacy was always perky, no matter the time. It was sometimes uplifting, but most times annoying.
"Isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?" Michael asked mostly to get her out of the room. He had been getting progressively more annoyed as the date neared. Stacy had been getting more and more hyper and never left Michael's side. He wondered if she would be that clingy after they were married.
"Oh! Don't look at me!" She climbed out of bed quickly, running out of the room. Michael laid his head back on the pillow, catching a few more z's before getting up.
***
"Stacy, can I talk to you for a minute?" Michael asked in the middle of the ceremony. Stacy looked at him indignantly.
"Can it wait?" She said through her smile.
"It's kind of important." Michael rubbed his furrowed brow, not believing what he was about to do.
"Fine." She replied, stopping the minister and pulling him off to the side of the church. Confused whispers spread through the crowd. "What is so god damn important you had to halt my wedding?" Stacy said angrily.
"I don't think this is right." Michael admitted.
"What!?"
"I don't think we should go through with this. I'm sorry, but I can't marry you." Michael looked away, unable to see her hurt expression.
"Fine. You were always a jackass anyway." Stacy said, glaring at him. He knew she was angry, but it didn't seem right.
***
"We gather here today to remember a beloved friend and companion. Eric James Weiss was an extremely kind individual who brought a smile to all our faces. Whether through his magic tricks or stupid jokes, he never failed to get a laugh." Sydney wiped a few tears from her eyes. "He was there for me when I needed him. He was a hero and I'll miss him." She concluded her eulogy and stepped down from the podium. The rest of the funeral ceremony was wrapped up and the people somberly walked back to their cars. All accept two.
"I can't believe he's gone." Sydney muttered. "I can't wrap my head around the idea that he won't be at work next week."
"Nobody told me what happened. How'd he… die?"
"He jumped in front of a bus to save this little girl." Sydney said quietly, staring at the casket. "I never knew he could move that fast." She choked on a sob.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you." Michael told her, stepping closer.
"It's ok." Sydney finally looked at him. He looked just the same as he had back in L.A. "You're not wearing your ring…?" Sydney noticed.
"We didn't get married."
"She called it off?" Sydney asked.
"No, I did. It just didn't seem right."
"Oh." They stood silently side-by-side as they watched the cemetery crew lower the casket into the ground.
"Do you wanna get some coffee?" Michael offered as they turned to leave.
"I'd like that."
***
"So…" Sydney said awkwardly as they sat down for coffee.
"How's New York?" Michael asked.
"It's ok. Eric was the best part." She said softly. "Now I'm gonna have to find a new tequila buddy." She smiled lightly at the many memories of her and Eric's drunken late night chats. "Enough about me, what about you?"
"Nothing much." Michael replied.
"What about your wedding, what's the story there?"
"I felt like I was making a mistake," Michael revealed. "And I realized that I made an even bigger one when I let you go."
"Michael…" Sydney said warningly. "Please don't go there."
"It's true Syd. I'm not happy in L.A." Michael grabbed her hand on the tabletop. "I was wrong to let you walk out that door."
"Twice." Sydney added.
He smiled weakly and agreed, "Twice."
"Why are you bringing this up now?" Sydney wondered aloud. "Why did it take you so long to realize this?"
"I was being stubborn."
"You always were." Sydney smiled back.
"Sydney, I used to think that love wasn't worth the trouble, and I didn't think I should have to follow you all the way here, but Sydney, I see now that I was wrong. I didn't know it until I was walking down the aisle, and I wish I had known sooner." Sydney felt tears prick her eyes. "I love you so much, Sydney, and I can't live without you."
"Michael…" Sydney sighed, "You live in L.A., how can this work?"
"I'll move to New York."
"What about your job?"
"I'll quit." Michael told her.
"I can't ask you to do that."
"You didn't. I offered." Michael smiled and Sydney just shook her head.
"I missed you."
"I missed you too."
***
Five dates later, Michael proposed and Sydney accepted. They had a small private wedding and only invited their parents and closest friends. Six months later, Sydney found out she was pregnant. Nine months after that, Emma Marie Vaughn was born.
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