Like Normal People Do
By: Chshalogrl 'aka' Ellie
Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one. Please don't rub it in.
A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay! Really I am. It just took me a little while to get back into the swing of things after my vacation. And then I was having a terrible time writing this chapter because I've been trying to figure out which loose ends to wrap up and which ones to leave for the sequel. I think there's going to be one more chapter after this one…and maybe an epilogue. Then I'll get cracking on the sequel. Any title ideas??? Any at all??? Hehe. Feel free to make suggestions. I'd appreciate it. Thanks so much for all of your support over the past seven months! It's been an amazing experience and writing this fic (and my others) has been a great outlet for a stressful time. I hope you'll enjoy! Happy Reading.
~Ellie
Ch.24-The Edge of the World
By the time the sunshine began pouring through the windowpanes of the temporary Vaughn/Bristow dwelling, Sydney was arching her body to meet the new day. Stretching every limb as though her efforts would squelch any traces of sleepiness, Sydney was disappointed when her flexed toes failed to graze the familiar surface of Vaughn's leg on the other side of the bed. Squirming beneath the sheets, she turned to face his side of the bed and noted the way the covers had been so neatly turned back from the edge of the bed. Feeling her face tense into what she imagined was a fairly heinous scowl, Sydney crossed her arms over her chest and stared grumpily at the ceiling as she tried to decide whose fault it was that she was waking up alone.
What Sydney didn't know, was that as she was attending her solo pity party, Vaughn was standing just outside her bedroom door in a t-shirt and boxers chuckling at his girlfriend's rather childish display. Satisfied when he saw her settle in the center of the bed to stare at the ceiling, he decided to make his entrance. Pushing through the bedroom door, he kicked it closed behind him and managed to swing himself back into bed without spilling a drop from the mugs he was carrying. He was surprised when Sydney failed to acknowledge him. Especially since he was fairly certain that his arrival had jarred the mattress quite a bit. Holding the mug toward her, he frowned until she silently accepted his offering.
"Something wrong?" He questioned.
"I woke up alone. So I'm pouting." Sydney responded evenly.
Well, naturally. He thought. When you wake up alone, you pout.
"Oh." He responded instead. "I'm sorry?"
Sydney shrugged before turning toward him with a smile. "Okay."
Relieved that he seemed to have averted disaster, Vaughn was about to let out a sigh. "Wait."
"What?" Sydney shrugged innocently.
"That's it?" Vaughn asked suspiciously.
Sydney took a sip of tea from her mug. "What do you want me to do?"
Vaughn shook his head in bewilderment. "Nothing…"
Still confused by the entire exchange, he decided to change the subject. Carefully scooting his way across the mattress, he managed to drape his arm loosely across her shoulders before placing a cheerful good-morning kiss into her hair.
"So you have an appointment." He stated casually.
"An appointment?"
"Yeah. With a doctor. Regarding the child you're carrying." Vaughn smirked as he spoke. "I put a call into Medical Services and they're going to have an OB-GYN meet us at Cedars to have a look at you." Recognizing the look of protest on her face, Vaughn held up a hand to prevent her from arguing. "I know, I know. You want to do this the normal way. But a CIA doctor can help to prepare us for any special circumstances you might have to deal with as a result of your work. We can turn to a normal doctor for the remainder of your pregnancy. I'd just really feel better if an agency doctor saw you at least once."
There went the eyebrow. Arching like frightened cat.
Her tone was skeptical. "To 'have a look' at me? I'm not a car, Vaughn. They aren't going to replace this and tighten that."
Frustration. And a sigh. "I know that, Syd. It's a doctor's appointment. Okay?"
Sydney didn't respond. Instead, she leaned over to place the still-steaming mug on the nightstand to her left and rolled her way into a snuggling position at his side. Just as she was craning her neck to place a surprising kiss on his sleepy face, there was a knock at the door. Immediately ceasing her conquest, Sydney slumped back down against Vaughn's side and groaned before answering. "Yes?"
"Morning, you guys." Francie's chirpy voice practically rattled the walls with its cheerfulness.
"Good morning." Sydney grumbled as Vaughn glanced around to make sure they were somewhat decent.
"Come in, Francie." He offered.
Slipping in quietly, Francie took in the scene. Vaughn was looking rather peaceful as he sipped at a cup of coffee while Sydney was sprawled out with her face buried in the thin cotton of his t-shirt. As she tipped her head to one side, Francie's eyes lit up. "Oh, Sydney! Is it morning sickness? Can I get you anything? Is there anything…" Her words trailed brokenly as she watched Sydney heave herself into a sitting position with horror embedded in her features.
"Morning sickness?! I'm a spy! I've been tortured and maimed and shot and kicked…" She began ticking her experiences off on her fingers, oblivious to the look that was exchanged between Francie and Vaughn. "…And I'm pretty sure I can handle a little bit of nausea."
Francie began to inch her way towards the door. "Chill out, Syd. I wasn't trying to imply that you're weak. Just that you're pregnant."
With one hand perched on the door handle, she smiled at the pair. "Will and I are both going to work, but I left some breakfast warming in the oven. Help yourselves. We'll see you later."
"Sounds good."
"Bye, Francie! Thanks!" Sydney called cheerfully. Turning back to Vaughn, she smiled. "I've missed her."
Shaking his head slightly, Vaughn spoke quietly. "I can tell."
* * * * * * * * *
After enjoying the meal of scrambled eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns, both Sydney and Vaughn readied themselves to head to their appointment. The process was rather quick and in no time at all, the couple was headed out the door, and due to their mutual love of khaki were donning embarrassingly similar ensembles. It was in the car and on the way that Sydney happened to notice their matching attire.
"Oh no!"
She cringed as Vaughn tensed visibly before swerving off the road and bringing the car to a stop. He turned to her. "What?! What happened?"
"We're matching." She replied meekly with a guilty expression that begged him to leave her be.
"Jesus, Syd! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"I'm sorry!" She exclaimed. "But look at us!" She gestured wildly at her light colored slacks and her blue blouse before motioning toward his tan, cargo pants and blue t-shirt. Subsequently, she raised her eyebrows in a move that dared him not to laugh.
And laugh he did.
He couldn't help it. Shaking his head at the cackle rattling Sydney's form, he had to agree. "This is ridiculous. And we're not even married yet!"
Breathless from her short laughing fit, Sydney nodded. "We cannot, under ANY circumstances, let Weiss see us like this."
Vaughn flinched as he pictured the exchanges that would take place if they were to run into Eric. "We'd never escape his wrath."
"So we're aiming for a covert entry and exit. To the hospital and back home."
"Roger that, Mountaineer. Let's get this show on the road."
* * * * * * * * *
Their covert entry was a success and the pair was soon sitting in a room that was overwhelmingly bland in its eggshell hue. Sydney had already been subjected to various tests and scratchy paper gown, so as she sat perched on the edge of the examination bed, she pulled her knees up to her chest and gazed at Vaughn as they waited for the doctor to pay them a visit. While Sydney was studying Vaughn, Vaughn was quite perplexed by the shiny tray of frightening tools and the set of metal stirrups that brought images of torture to mind.
"Are we sure that this guy is CIA, Syd? Maybe I should check him out some more before I let him touch any of those." Vaughn gestured towards the tray, his discomfort evident as he squirmed in his seat.
Sydney rolled her eyes and was about to respond when there was a quiet knock at the door of the tiny room. A tall, gray-haired man entered with a smile and nodded at Sydney before extending a hand to Vaughn.
"Agent Bristow, Agent Vaughn. I'm Dr. Travis. It's a pleasure to meet both of you." His greeting was courteous, but somewhat detached as he skimmed the file he had carried in with him. "Well, it seems that you're going to have a visitor in about seven months."
"Yes. We knew that. Now we're just wondering if everything is okay." Sydney prodded gently.
"And we want to know if Sydney faces any extra risks due to her…active lifestyle." Vaughn added.
Understanding the sense of urgency felt by the young couple, the doctor nodded and got down to business with his questions and answers. Last menstrual cycle, estimated date of conception, morning sickness ("Morning sickness?! Ha!"), etc. Vaughn was more than a little bit squeamish during the physical exam even after the doctor had initially suggested he wait outside. He was also somewhat appalled that a doctor's appointment could get so…intimate. Smiling as he screwed his eyes tightly shut, Sydney poked him playfully before whispering. "Now you know why women dread trips to the…" Sydney inserted Vaughn's term, "…women's doctor."
Dr. Travis surveyed the expressions of both anxiety and amusement on the two faces in front of him and chuckled quietly. "I think this would be a good time to do an ultrasound. That should answer some of the questions you have."
Once he had seated himself on a rolling stool, Dr. Travis glided over to a corner and rolled an equipment-loaded cart towards the center of the room before stilling it next to Sydney. The next thing they knew, a petite nurse in pink scrubs had joined them and was squirting a cold, wobbly substance onto Sydney's belly. Feeling slightly uncomfortable with the situation, Sydney reached for Vaughn's hand and together they squinted at the snowstorm on the small screen with the hopes that the doctor would be kind enough to point out just which speck belonged to them. Neither was ready for the humming whooshes that were emitted through the small set of speakers and Vaughn chuckled at the noise.
"Hungry, Syd?"
Sending Vaughn an amused glance, Dr. Travis raised his eyebrows. "That's your child's heartbeat, Agent Vaughn."
Feeling rather foolish, Vaughn glanced down at Sydney when he felt her grip tighten around his fingers. Leaning slightly forward, her head was cocked at an awkward angle and her lips were parted as though she'd frozen mid-sentence. She tugged sharply at Vaughn's hand until he lowered his head to rest it on her shoulder as she continued in her silence. It was several moments before she spoke.
"That's our baby?" Her eyes betrayed her excitement as she glanced up at the doctor uncertainly.
"That's your baby, Agent Bristow." Dr. Travis confirmed.
Turning to Vaughn, Sydney's wide eyes held a sheen of unshed tears. "Vaughn…" She let her words trail off and hoped that a simple squeeze of his hand would let him know that, among the multitude of emotions she was feeling, her love for him was first and foremost.
It worked.
"I know, Syd. It's amazing. I never thought I would be one of those sappy fathers…you know the kind. But now I don't know how a man could feel any other way about his child." Leaning in, Vaughn pressed a kiss to Sydney's temple and turned to face the doctor as the nurse cleaned Sydney's belly and rolled the cart back into the corner.
"Agent Bristow, I would estimate that you're just over 8 weeks along. Which indicates conception sometime in October and a due date of July 15." The doctor smiled genuinely for the first time since he'd entered the room. "Congratulations. To both of you. Make sure to find a permanent doctor as soon as you can. For now, I'll take care of whatever you need." Closing the door quietly, Dr. Travis left a stunned Sydney and Vaughn sitting in the tiny room to process the inevitable reality of becoming parents. They had known…but the ultrasound made the news concrete.
As Sydney went about changing out of the paper gown and into her clothes, Vaughn began to realize just how much they had to do. His mother hadn't even met Sydney yet. Well, that wasn't quite true. Annette Vaughn hadn't seen Sydney Bristow since she and Michael had moved to France following William's death. But she had adored little Sydney Bristow. And Michael had no doubt that Annette would also love Sydney Bristow all grown up. Startled out of his daydream by a cold hand on his cheek, he jumped and gave a small yell of surprise.
"Jesus, Syd. Your hands are like ice!"
Sydney shrugged. "My hands and feet are always cold. You know that."
Vaughn gave her a half-grin before taking her hands between his own and rubbing them furiously in an attempt to warm them. Giving up after a minute of fruitless effort, Vaughn lowered his hands to rest lightly on her narrow hips. Pulling her in closer, he murmured into her ear. "Ready to go?"
She nodded happily. "Where are we headed?"
Vaughn shrugged. "Eh, I just figured we'd play it by ear. Is that okay with you?"
"Fine by me." Sydney assured him.
* * * * * * * * *
After getting into the car, Sydney and Vaughn drove aimlessly around the coastal areas of LA. Sydney was still gazing at the small "photo" of their baby they had received when Vaughn pulled into an empty observing point. Locating the windbreaker he'd packed "just in case", he draped it over Sydney's shoulders as they made their way to the low stone wall that seemed to be perched on the edge of the world. Once the pair had arranged themselves comfortably on the rather narrow surface, they enjoyed the constant roll of thunder set forth by the frothing surf stretched out in front of them.
Vaughn wrapped his arms around Sydney to ensure her warmth and whispered into her ear as strands of her windblown hair tickled his cheeks. "Are you warm enough, baby?"
Sydney blushed girlishly and raised her shoulders to block the shiver that had resulted from Vaughn's whispered endearment. She wasn't sure she would ever get used to feeling so cherished. But it was something she hoped she would have the rest of her life to enjoy. She nodded in response before turning to face his profile.
"What are you thinking about?"
Vaughn continued staring at the horizon as he answered. "I'm thinking about making my mother a grandmother. And I'm thinking about brown eyes. Little, puppy-dog ones." He turned to her with a smile. "If this kid has your eyes, I'm going to be way out of my league."
Sydney laughed at the mournful expression on his face. "I think you'll be okay."
"Thanks." He said sheepishly. "I was thinking…when do you want to get married?"
"Well, that was an abrupt change of subject." Sydney remarked jokingly.
"Yeah. It's just been on my mind. I mean, do you want to wait until the baby is born or…" He trailed off uncertainly.
Sydney chewed on her lower lip slightly before answering shyly. "I'd like to do it before. Preferably before I start showing too much. Just something small." She added quickly. "Our closest friends and family. Maybe then I could finally meet your mother."
"That's what I'm hoping." Vaughn admitted. He was about to continue when he was interrupted by the ring of his cell phone. Sydney glanced away as he held a short conversation and turned her attention back to him when he hung up.
Vaughn shrugged apologetically before sharing. "That was Weiss. They'd like us to come in immediately."
Sydney let her head fall lightly against Vaughn's shoulder and sighed. "Surprise, surprise. All of the most inconspicuously momentous moments of our relationship are shared with the CIA. Maybe you should give them a ring too." She remarked wryly. She allowed Vaughn to pull her to her feet from the wall and was a bit confused when he knelt down to speak to her tummy. He'd spoken to the baby in the privacy of their bedroom once or twice, but never in public.
"Vaughn…" Her tone was slightly distressed as she glanced around to make sure no one was nearby. Satisfied when there was no one in sight, she dropped a hand to his head, and listened to what he had to say.
"Well, that was your first trip to the beach, kiddo. Hope you enjoyed it. Your mommy and I are slightly confused…we don't know anything about being parents. But we'll do the best we can. And we'll love you very much." He shot a grin up at Sydney. "And we'll love you even more if you don't make your mommy really crabby and sick over the next few months." Sydney laughed and continued to watch as he lifted the hem of her shirt, placed a soft kiss just below her bellybutton and stood up to lead her back to the car.
Leaning her head back against the headrest, Sydney turned to look at Vaughn as he maneuvered the car out of the small parking area. "I love you, you know."
Vaughn aimed a crooked smile in her direction. "I know." And he reached over to brush his fingertips casually down her jawline in a gesture that spoke much clearer than words.
He continued cheerfully. "Now. Let's see what the world of intelligence has in store for us today!" And with a swift, right turn, they were on their way.
TBC…
There it is. This hasn't been beta-read…since I don't have a beta. :) So if there are any stupid mistakes that I missed…please bear with me. But I'm off to work for now. I'll be back in a few hours to do a final edit. Hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think!