Title: This Tear
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Note: So I'm trying to lessen the wait in between chapters. I didn't have much time to write last weekend because I was a seat-filler at the Teen Choice Awards. And trust me, that was an all day affair lol. But I did get to see a lot of celebrities and even sit in the celebrity area for part of the show, so it was fun. I've also been in acting workshops non- stop with casting directors. The guy from "Malcolm in the Middle" last night asked me what phone number he could reach me at, so I have my fingers crossed. Anyway, the story is winding down to the final chapters. I'm not quite sure how many, probably still at least 5 I'd say, but not too many. And I promise you, this story is not going to be predictable right up until the end. So please keep reading and reviewing and I'll keep the chapters coming as fast as I can (.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"That Dixon came back with a way for the CIA to get backdoor access into the Alliance computer system. It's still disguised as a CIA network, because agents only need pass the lie-detector test Dixon had to access it. They don't need to actually know the truth. But the CIA is downloading all the information now. They say there's pages of it, enough to make a small book. They're going to analyze it all over the next few days. And if there's enough there, they're going to plan the take-down of the Alliance."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 28: This Tear
"Well when will they know?" Vaughn asked anxiously.
"They're not sure yet. They're not even sure how much is there. As soon as a decision's made, though, we'll be contacted," Weiss replied.
"This is probably Sydney's last chance," Vaughn thought aloud.
"I know. And I also know that there's more pressure to do this because of that fact," Weiss added.
"What do you mean?"
"People have been made aware of Sydney's condition. Agents she knew, Dixon, Kendall. If possible, they would like this to happen for her," Weiss explained.
"You're kidding yourself. Kendall and the rest of the higher-ups don't give a damn. They'll play it safe regardless of Sydney's condition if they feel it's even slightly too risky," Vaughn argued.
"I think you underestimate how much everyone cares for Sydney. Not to mention how valuable she was to the agency. I've been in constant contact with Jack and trust me, everyone is pulling for her just like we are."
Vaughn nodded slowly. "I hope you're right," he said sincerely. A slightly uncomfortable silence fell over them.
"So what are you waiting for?" Weiss asked, breaking it. "You should go tell her."
"I can't," Vaughn replied. "She's out."
"Painkillers?" Weiss asked. Vaughn nodded. "Headache?"
"No, her back." Both men suddenly shared a knowing look. "If everyone really is pulling for her," Vaughn started, pausing before he was able to continue. "They'd just better hurry."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Vaughn debated whether or not to share Weiss's news with Sydney yet. He worried about getting her hopes up. He sat by her bed for an hour, arguing with himself over what would be best. When she awoke and smiled up at him, though, he was suddenly very clear on what he had to do. She'd been so open and honest with him about her condition lately, and there was no way he wanted to jeopardize that by keeping things from her.
"Hey," she whispered sleepily.
"Hi," he replied. "How'd you sleep?"
"Good," she answered, stifling a yawn.
"You want to go back to sleep?" He asked.
She immediately shook her head. "No way. I'm sure you already let me sleep for too long," she told him, but smiled to let him know she wasn't really angry.
"How's your back?"
"Better." She paused for a moment, studying him. "What's up, Vaughn?"
"How do you know something's up?" He asked.
"Your forehead wrinkles when you're worried about something," she replied. He couldn't help but smile, resisting the urge to reach up and touch his forehead.
"You know me too well. Weiss got an e-mail from your dad."
"About Dixon," Sydney guessed.
"Yes. He's back from his long-term op. He got the CIA backdoor access into the Alliance computer system. They're analyzing all the data now. They say if there's enough, they'll start planning the takedown," Vaughn told Sydney.
"You're worried about letting me down," Sydney said suddenly.
"Syd, are you sure you're not reading my mind?" Vaughn joked, recovering from his shock.
"Don't be," she said, ignoring his joke. "I've been skeptical about the whole thing from the beginning. I'm well aware it may not work out. But it *is* good to have hope," Sydney admitted softly.
"It is," he agreed.
"You must be anxious to get home too."
"I just want you to be able to see the end of SD-6. To know all the work you did finally paid off."
"All the work *we* did," she corrected him.
"Well, I'm not sure if I deserve much credit, but I do very much want to see them go down myself," Vaughn admitted.
Sydney sobered suddenly. "Promise me something, Vaughn," she said softly.
"Anything," he replied.
"Promise me that if things don't go well and SD-6 still exists after I'm gone, you'll make sure they go down. Make sure that no one else has to live this life because of them," she requested. She saw the emotional struggle on his face, knew that hearing her talk about her impending death was hard for him, but watched his eyes return to hers clear and determined.
"Of course, Syd," he assured her, reaching out and taking her hand.
"Say it."
"I promise."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The next day was the first true day that Vaughn classified as one of the "bad days" the doctor had warned them about. He had woken up to find Sydney awake, laying on her back and staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. When the sleep cleared from his eyes, he noticed that sweat shone on her forehead. He wondered instantly if she had a fever, but didn't want to startle her by reaching out to feel her forehead, since she hadn't even seemed to notice him awake yet.
"Syd," he said softly, getting her attention. She turned her head slowly, looking at him. She managed a small smile, but he barely noticed, thinking only that she looked white as a ghost. "You okay?" He asked, reaching out to touch her face. He was surprised to find that it felt normal.
"I don't have a fever, Vaughn," she replied, causing him to smile. Trust Sydney to figure out exactly what new worry was on his mind.
"Any pain?" He asked. She shook her head. "How long have you been up?"
"About an hour," she replied softly.
"I'm surprised you're not out of bed yet. You're usually so antsy when you wake up," he commented. She didn't reply, just gave him a blank sort of look. Vaughn knew something was up, he just couldn't figure out what. "Come on, let's go get some breakfast."
A look of intense sadness passed quickly over her face before she suppressed it. "Not today, Vaughn," she said, her voice almost wistful.
"Syd, you have to eat something. I know you may not be hungry, but you should at least try. Come on, we have new groceries, there should be something good. At least come and see," Vaughn persisted. Sydney closed her eyes and shook her head.
"Not today," Sydney repeated slowly, emphasizing each word. And suddenly Vaughn understood. Suddenly everything fell into place. Why she looked pale and exhausted, why she hadn't gotten out of bed already, why she wouldn't go now.
It was because she couldn't.
Vaughn sat up and nodded slowly in understanding. She closed her eyes again, allowing a single tear to escape and trail down the side of her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Vaughn felt as if his heart was breaking.
"Syd, it's okay. It's not your fault," he said soothingly, reaching out and cupping her cheek. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Dr. Anderson said you'd have good days and bad days. I'm sure you'll feel better soon," he assured her. She managed a small nod. "I'll bring you some food."
"No, that's okay," she said quickly. "I know I should eat and I will later, I promise, I just really don't have an appetite right now. But you should go eat. I'll be fine."
He looked at her for a moment before nodding. "You want anything?"
"Maybe some water when you're done," she replied.
"Okay." He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. "I'll be back soon."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Eric!" Vaughn called out as he entered the main room, seeing his friend sitting on the couch. Weiss turned, surprised, and looked at Vaughn.
"What?" He asked.
"I need a favor."
"What kind of favor?" Weiss asked, muting the TV and giving Vaughn his full attention.
"It's for Syd, really," Vaughn said. "Would you go out and buy a small TV from wherever? Since I'm now allowed out of the house, you're the only one who can do it."
"What's wrong with this TV?" He asked, gesturing to the television set in front of him.
"Nothing, but I wanted to put one in Syd's room," Vaughn replied.
"Is she okay?" Weiss asked, confused by Vaughn's sudden request.
"She, um, she's not feeling great."
"What's wrong?"
Vaughn sighed, rubbing his eyes. "She can't get out of bed."
"Shit," Weiss said, shaking his head slowly. "Is it a permanent thing?"
"I don't think so. Dr. Anderson said she'd have good days and bad days," Vaughn reminded him.
"Let's hope it's just a bad day then," Weiss said. "Let me go change and I'll go get that TV."
"Thanks."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Vaughn managed to force down a piece of toast before returning to Sydney's room with a glass of water and a deck of cards. She turned toward him and smiled when he came in. He smiled back and set everything on the nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed. Sydney glanced at what he'd set down.
"Cards?" She asked softly.
"I thought we could play some. That is, until Eric comes back with the TV he's out getting," Vaughn told her.
"Vaughn, you didn't-" but the look on his face told her all she needed to know. "You didn't have to do that."
"I have selfish motives. I get to enjoy TV in bed now too," he joked. She rewarded him with a smile as she shook her head.
"You're impossible," she told him.
"I know. Now, let's get you upright so we can play some cards." He stood up and turned to her, debating on the best way to get her sitting. He leaned down and put both his hands on her waist. "Okay, you push up with your hands and I'll pull you up," he instructed. She nodded. He counted to three and pulled her up. She was soon easily sitting, but Vaughn knew she'd need help staying up. He quickly reached behind her and to her side, gathering all the pillows and stacking them against the headboard. When he was finished, she only needed to lean back slightly to be against them.
"Good?" He asked. She nodded.
"Thanks," she whispered.
"No problem," he replied as he grabbed the cards and moved around the bed. He sat next to her and opened the cards, shuffling them quickly. "What do you know how to play?" He asked.
"Ummmm... Go fish?" She suggested.
"Go fish?" He asked incredulously. "That's it? That's what you play when you're like ten."
"Hey, I like that game. I guess I was never really that into cards. I never found poker that interesting."
"Okay, how about gin rummy? Do you know how to play that?" Vaughn asked. She shook her head. "Well then I'm just going to have to teach you."
They gave up on cards an hour later when Weiss returned with the television. Vaughn helped him carry it into Sydney's room and they set it down on the floor as they debated where to set it up. They ended up moving her dresser from the side wall to the wall across from the bed so they could put the set on top. Sydney watched from her bed, and Vaughn could tell by the look on her face that she wanted nothing more than to be up and helping them. He found himself wishing for the same thing. He was relieved when the television was finally in place and working.
"Jeez! Who knew installing a TV was so much work? I'm starved!" Weiss said quite animatedly. Vaughn chuckled.
"When are you not?" He joked. He swore he saw Sydney smile out of the corner of his eye.
"Hey, don't even get me started on you," Weiss warned. This time Sydney laughed aloud. The sound was so beautiful to Vaughn he wouldn't have even minded if Weiss continued, but he left to eat before Vaughn could even reply. Vaughn shook his head and reclaimed his position next to Sydney on the bed, handing her the remote to her new TV.
"Why don't we see if something's on?" He suggested. She smiled and nodded, turning on the television. After scanning the channels for a good three minutes, she finally stopped on a station that was playing "A League of Their Own."
"God, I haven't seen this movie in forever," she commented mostly to herself as she set the remote down. "Is this okay?"
"This is fine," he assured her. She smiled at him and moved so that she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. He smiled and settled in to watch the movie.
Less than halfway through the movie, Vaughn turned to see Sydney sleeping soundly on his shoulder. He didn't know when exactly she'd dozed off, but he figured she'd sleep for a while. He switched the TV off and carefully reached over to remove some pillows from the pile behind her. He moved some over to his side and threw a few on the floor before gently laying her back onto the remaining ones. He was relieved when she didn't stir. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before getting up and quietly leaving her to sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney was still sleeping when Vaughn and Weiss sat down to have dinner. Before they could start eating, though, the phone rang. Figuring it was probably Dr. Anderson calling to check in, Vaughn got up and answered it.
"Hello?" He asked into the phone.
"Vaughn, it's Jack," came the reply. Vaughn was not only surprised by the identity of the caller, but also how uneven his voice sounded.
"Jack, what's going on?" Vaughn asked.
"I need to speak to my daughter, Agent Vaughn."
"Is it something I could tell her? Because last I checked she was sleeping and-"
"No," Jack said suddenly, cutting Vaughn off. "This is important."
Vaughn sighed. "Okay, hold on." He gave Weiss a confused look before carrying the phone down the hall and into Sydney's room. He opened the door to see that it was pretty dark, but he could see Sydney in bed, still sleeping. He hated to wake her up, but realized he didn't have much of a choice. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, facing Sydney. He set the phone on the nightstand before moving his hand up and down her arm, shaking her lightly and leaning in close to her face.
"Syd," he whispered. "I need you to wake up for me." It took a little more shaking, but her eyes finally drifted open.
"Vaughn?" She asked, confused.
"I'm sorry to wake you. Your dad's on the phone. He says it's important," he explained to her. She blinked a few times, obviously trying to wake up completely.
"Okay. Can you help me up?" She asked.
"Yeah, let's get you sitting," he replied. Repeating the same process as earlier, she was soon sitting against the pillows. "You ready?" He asked. She looked up and nodded at him. He picked up the phone and handed it to her before moving to leave so she could have some privacy. Before he could make it two steps, though, he felt her hand around his wrist. He turned back to see her looking up at him.
"Stay," she requested. He nodded and sat back down on the edge of the bed. She looked at him another moment before finally picking up the phone and putting it to her ear.
"Dad?" She continued to look into his eyes as she listened to her father speak. "I'm okay," she said, obviously responding to her father's question. There was more silence. "Okay, go ahead," he heard her say quietly. There was a long stretch of silence on her end then. He tried to read her eyes, watching as they grew slightly wider and filled with a thousand emotions. Just as he was trying to analyze the emotions he saw there, her eyes closed. Whatever Jack was telling her, Vaughn knew it was important. He knew it probably had to do with SD-6. It was probably something that would affect the rest of Sydney's short life. As he realized this, he saw a tear sneak out from beneath her lids, trailing ever so slowly down her cheek.
Since Sydney had been diagnosed, there had been thousands of moments like this, dozens of important decisions, and more tears than he could possibly count. But now, he suddenly found his entire life revolving around this moment.
This decision.
This tear.
"Okay," she whispered suddenly into the phone before removing it from her ear and hanging up. She didn't look at him then, instead dropped her head to her chest and covered her face with her hand. Vaughn hesitated for a moment, surprised and worried by her reaction. After a moment, he reached out and gently pulled her hand away from her face. She continued to look down for only another few seconds before finally meeting his gaze. Her eyes were full, her lip quivering. The silence was almost deafening. It seemed like ages until she finally spoke.
"We're going home."
To be continued...
A/N: I was going to leave you with a mean cliffhanger, but I decided to add that last line so as not to torture you. Please review and don't make me regret it lol. I hope you liked the chapter! I'm sorry I couldn't get it out sooner. Our internet was out for more than two days, it was insanely frustrating lol. But it's back now, so hopefully it stays that way. Now please please please review! They mean so much to me. Thanks guys!
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Note: So I'm trying to lessen the wait in between chapters. I didn't have much time to write last weekend because I was a seat-filler at the Teen Choice Awards. And trust me, that was an all day affair lol. But I did get to see a lot of celebrities and even sit in the celebrity area for part of the show, so it was fun. I've also been in acting workshops non- stop with casting directors. The guy from "Malcolm in the Middle" last night asked me what phone number he could reach me at, so I have my fingers crossed. Anyway, the story is winding down to the final chapters. I'm not quite sure how many, probably still at least 5 I'd say, but not too many. And I promise you, this story is not going to be predictable right up until the end. So please keep reading and reviewing and I'll keep the chapters coming as fast as I can (.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"That Dixon came back with a way for the CIA to get backdoor access into the Alliance computer system. It's still disguised as a CIA network, because agents only need pass the lie-detector test Dixon had to access it. They don't need to actually know the truth. But the CIA is downloading all the information now. They say there's pages of it, enough to make a small book. They're going to analyze it all over the next few days. And if there's enough there, they're going to plan the take-down of the Alliance."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 28: This Tear
"Well when will they know?" Vaughn asked anxiously.
"They're not sure yet. They're not even sure how much is there. As soon as a decision's made, though, we'll be contacted," Weiss replied.
"This is probably Sydney's last chance," Vaughn thought aloud.
"I know. And I also know that there's more pressure to do this because of that fact," Weiss added.
"What do you mean?"
"People have been made aware of Sydney's condition. Agents she knew, Dixon, Kendall. If possible, they would like this to happen for her," Weiss explained.
"You're kidding yourself. Kendall and the rest of the higher-ups don't give a damn. They'll play it safe regardless of Sydney's condition if they feel it's even slightly too risky," Vaughn argued.
"I think you underestimate how much everyone cares for Sydney. Not to mention how valuable she was to the agency. I've been in constant contact with Jack and trust me, everyone is pulling for her just like we are."
Vaughn nodded slowly. "I hope you're right," he said sincerely. A slightly uncomfortable silence fell over them.
"So what are you waiting for?" Weiss asked, breaking it. "You should go tell her."
"I can't," Vaughn replied. "She's out."
"Painkillers?" Weiss asked. Vaughn nodded. "Headache?"
"No, her back." Both men suddenly shared a knowing look. "If everyone really is pulling for her," Vaughn started, pausing before he was able to continue. "They'd just better hurry."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Vaughn debated whether or not to share Weiss's news with Sydney yet. He worried about getting her hopes up. He sat by her bed for an hour, arguing with himself over what would be best. When she awoke and smiled up at him, though, he was suddenly very clear on what he had to do. She'd been so open and honest with him about her condition lately, and there was no way he wanted to jeopardize that by keeping things from her.
"Hey," she whispered sleepily.
"Hi," he replied. "How'd you sleep?"
"Good," she answered, stifling a yawn.
"You want to go back to sleep?" He asked.
She immediately shook her head. "No way. I'm sure you already let me sleep for too long," she told him, but smiled to let him know she wasn't really angry.
"How's your back?"
"Better." She paused for a moment, studying him. "What's up, Vaughn?"
"How do you know something's up?" He asked.
"Your forehead wrinkles when you're worried about something," she replied. He couldn't help but smile, resisting the urge to reach up and touch his forehead.
"You know me too well. Weiss got an e-mail from your dad."
"About Dixon," Sydney guessed.
"Yes. He's back from his long-term op. He got the CIA backdoor access into the Alliance computer system. They're analyzing all the data now. They say if there's enough, they'll start planning the takedown," Vaughn told Sydney.
"You're worried about letting me down," Sydney said suddenly.
"Syd, are you sure you're not reading my mind?" Vaughn joked, recovering from his shock.
"Don't be," she said, ignoring his joke. "I've been skeptical about the whole thing from the beginning. I'm well aware it may not work out. But it *is* good to have hope," Sydney admitted softly.
"It is," he agreed.
"You must be anxious to get home too."
"I just want you to be able to see the end of SD-6. To know all the work you did finally paid off."
"All the work *we* did," she corrected him.
"Well, I'm not sure if I deserve much credit, but I do very much want to see them go down myself," Vaughn admitted.
Sydney sobered suddenly. "Promise me something, Vaughn," she said softly.
"Anything," he replied.
"Promise me that if things don't go well and SD-6 still exists after I'm gone, you'll make sure they go down. Make sure that no one else has to live this life because of them," she requested. She saw the emotional struggle on his face, knew that hearing her talk about her impending death was hard for him, but watched his eyes return to hers clear and determined.
"Of course, Syd," he assured her, reaching out and taking her hand.
"Say it."
"I promise."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The next day was the first true day that Vaughn classified as one of the "bad days" the doctor had warned them about. He had woken up to find Sydney awake, laying on her back and staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. When the sleep cleared from his eyes, he noticed that sweat shone on her forehead. He wondered instantly if she had a fever, but didn't want to startle her by reaching out to feel her forehead, since she hadn't even seemed to notice him awake yet.
"Syd," he said softly, getting her attention. She turned her head slowly, looking at him. She managed a small smile, but he barely noticed, thinking only that she looked white as a ghost. "You okay?" He asked, reaching out to touch her face. He was surprised to find that it felt normal.
"I don't have a fever, Vaughn," she replied, causing him to smile. Trust Sydney to figure out exactly what new worry was on his mind.
"Any pain?" He asked. She shook her head. "How long have you been up?"
"About an hour," she replied softly.
"I'm surprised you're not out of bed yet. You're usually so antsy when you wake up," he commented. She didn't reply, just gave him a blank sort of look. Vaughn knew something was up, he just couldn't figure out what. "Come on, let's go get some breakfast."
A look of intense sadness passed quickly over her face before she suppressed it. "Not today, Vaughn," she said, her voice almost wistful.
"Syd, you have to eat something. I know you may not be hungry, but you should at least try. Come on, we have new groceries, there should be something good. At least come and see," Vaughn persisted. Sydney closed her eyes and shook her head.
"Not today," Sydney repeated slowly, emphasizing each word. And suddenly Vaughn understood. Suddenly everything fell into place. Why she looked pale and exhausted, why she hadn't gotten out of bed already, why she wouldn't go now.
It was because she couldn't.
Vaughn sat up and nodded slowly in understanding. She closed her eyes again, allowing a single tear to escape and trail down the side of her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Vaughn felt as if his heart was breaking.
"Syd, it's okay. It's not your fault," he said soothingly, reaching out and cupping her cheek. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Dr. Anderson said you'd have good days and bad days. I'm sure you'll feel better soon," he assured her. She managed a small nod. "I'll bring you some food."
"No, that's okay," she said quickly. "I know I should eat and I will later, I promise, I just really don't have an appetite right now. But you should go eat. I'll be fine."
He looked at her for a moment before nodding. "You want anything?"
"Maybe some water when you're done," she replied.
"Okay." He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. "I'll be back soon."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Eric!" Vaughn called out as he entered the main room, seeing his friend sitting on the couch. Weiss turned, surprised, and looked at Vaughn.
"What?" He asked.
"I need a favor."
"What kind of favor?" Weiss asked, muting the TV and giving Vaughn his full attention.
"It's for Syd, really," Vaughn said. "Would you go out and buy a small TV from wherever? Since I'm now allowed out of the house, you're the only one who can do it."
"What's wrong with this TV?" He asked, gesturing to the television set in front of him.
"Nothing, but I wanted to put one in Syd's room," Vaughn replied.
"Is she okay?" Weiss asked, confused by Vaughn's sudden request.
"She, um, she's not feeling great."
"What's wrong?"
Vaughn sighed, rubbing his eyes. "She can't get out of bed."
"Shit," Weiss said, shaking his head slowly. "Is it a permanent thing?"
"I don't think so. Dr. Anderson said she'd have good days and bad days," Vaughn reminded him.
"Let's hope it's just a bad day then," Weiss said. "Let me go change and I'll go get that TV."
"Thanks."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Vaughn managed to force down a piece of toast before returning to Sydney's room with a glass of water and a deck of cards. She turned toward him and smiled when he came in. He smiled back and set everything on the nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed. Sydney glanced at what he'd set down.
"Cards?" She asked softly.
"I thought we could play some. That is, until Eric comes back with the TV he's out getting," Vaughn told her.
"Vaughn, you didn't-" but the look on his face told her all she needed to know. "You didn't have to do that."
"I have selfish motives. I get to enjoy TV in bed now too," he joked. She rewarded him with a smile as she shook her head.
"You're impossible," she told him.
"I know. Now, let's get you upright so we can play some cards." He stood up and turned to her, debating on the best way to get her sitting. He leaned down and put both his hands on her waist. "Okay, you push up with your hands and I'll pull you up," he instructed. She nodded. He counted to three and pulled her up. She was soon easily sitting, but Vaughn knew she'd need help staying up. He quickly reached behind her and to her side, gathering all the pillows and stacking them against the headboard. When he was finished, she only needed to lean back slightly to be against them.
"Good?" He asked. She nodded.
"Thanks," she whispered.
"No problem," he replied as he grabbed the cards and moved around the bed. He sat next to her and opened the cards, shuffling them quickly. "What do you know how to play?" He asked.
"Ummmm... Go fish?" She suggested.
"Go fish?" He asked incredulously. "That's it? That's what you play when you're like ten."
"Hey, I like that game. I guess I was never really that into cards. I never found poker that interesting."
"Okay, how about gin rummy? Do you know how to play that?" Vaughn asked. She shook her head. "Well then I'm just going to have to teach you."
They gave up on cards an hour later when Weiss returned with the television. Vaughn helped him carry it into Sydney's room and they set it down on the floor as they debated where to set it up. They ended up moving her dresser from the side wall to the wall across from the bed so they could put the set on top. Sydney watched from her bed, and Vaughn could tell by the look on her face that she wanted nothing more than to be up and helping them. He found himself wishing for the same thing. He was relieved when the television was finally in place and working.
"Jeez! Who knew installing a TV was so much work? I'm starved!" Weiss said quite animatedly. Vaughn chuckled.
"When are you not?" He joked. He swore he saw Sydney smile out of the corner of his eye.
"Hey, don't even get me started on you," Weiss warned. This time Sydney laughed aloud. The sound was so beautiful to Vaughn he wouldn't have even minded if Weiss continued, but he left to eat before Vaughn could even reply. Vaughn shook his head and reclaimed his position next to Sydney on the bed, handing her the remote to her new TV.
"Why don't we see if something's on?" He suggested. She smiled and nodded, turning on the television. After scanning the channels for a good three minutes, she finally stopped on a station that was playing "A League of Their Own."
"God, I haven't seen this movie in forever," she commented mostly to herself as she set the remote down. "Is this okay?"
"This is fine," he assured her. She smiled at him and moved so that she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. He smiled and settled in to watch the movie.
Less than halfway through the movie, Vaughn turned to see Sydney sleeping soundly on his shoulder. He didn't know when exactly she'd dozed off, but he figured she'd sleep for a while. He switched the TV off and carefully reached over to remove some pillows from the pile behind her. He moved some over to his side and threw a few on the floor before gently laying her back onto the remaining ones. He was relieved when she didn't stir. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before getting up and quietly leaving her to sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney was still sleeping when Vaughn and Weiss sat down to have dinner. Before they could start eating, though, the phone rang. Figuring it was probably Dr. Anderson calling to check in, Vaughn got up and answered it.
"Hello?" He asked into the phone.
"Vaughn, it's Jack," came the reply. Vaughn was not only surprised by the identity of the caller, but also how uneven his voice sounded.
"Jack, what's going on?" Vaughn asked.
"I need to speak to my daughter, Agent Vaughn."
"Is it something I could tell her? Because last I checked she was sleeping and-"
"No," Jack said suddenly, cutting Vaughn off. "This is important."
Vaughn sighed. "Okay, hold on." He gave Weiss a confused look before carrying the phone down the hall and into Sydney's room. He opened the door to see that it was pretty dark, but he could see Sydney in bed, still sleeping. He hated to wake her up, but realized he didn't have much of a choice. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, facing Sydney. He set the phone on the nightstand before moving his hand up and down her arm, shaking her lightly and leaning in close to her face.
"Syd," he whispered. "I need you to wake up for me." It took a little more shaking, but her eyes finally drifted open.
"Vaughn?" She asked, confused.
"I'm sorry to wake you. Your dad's on the phone. He says it's important," he explained to her. She blinked a few times, obviously trying to wake up completely.
"Okay. Can you help me up?" She asked.
"Yeah, let's get you sitting," he replied. Repeating the same process as earlier, she was soon sitting against the pillows. "You ready?" He asked. She looked up and nodded at him. He picked up the phone and handed it to her before moving to leave so she could have some privacy. Before he could make it two steps, though, he felt her hand around his wrist. He turned back to see her looking up at him.
"Stay," she requested. He nodded and sat back down on the edge of the bed. She looked at him another moment before finally picking up the phone and putting it to her ear.
"Dad?" She continued to look into his eyes as she listened to her father speak. "I'm okay," she said, obviously responding to her father's question. There was more silence. "Okay, go ahead," he heard her say quietly. There was a long stretch of silence on her end then. He tried to read her eyes, watching as they grew slightly wider and filled with a thousand emotions. Just as he was trying to analyze the emotions he saw there, her eyes closed. Whatever Jack was telling her, Vaughn knew it was important. He knew it probably had to do with SD-6. It was probably something that would affect the rest of Sydney's short life. As he realized this, he saw a tear sneak out from beneath her lids, trailing ever so slowly down her cheek.
Since Sydney had been diagnosed, there had been thousands of moments like this, dozens of important decisions, and more tears than he could possibly count. But now, he suddenly found his entire life revolving around this moment.
This decision.
This tear.
"Okay," she whispered suddenly into the phone before removing it from her ear and hanging up. She didn't look at him then, instead dropped her head to her chest and covered her face with her hand. Vaughn hesitated for a moment, surprised and worried by her reaction. After a moment, he reached out and gently pulled her hand away from her face. She continued to look down for only another few seconds before finally meeting his gaze. Her eyes were full, her lip quivering. The silence was almost deafening. It seemed like ages until she finally spoke.
"We're going home."
To be continued...
A/N: I was going to leave you with a mean cliffhanger, but I decided to add that last line so as not to torture you. Please review and don't make me regret it lol. I hope you liked the chapter! I'm sorry I couldn't get it out sooner. Our internet was out for more than two days, it was insanely frustrating lol. But it's back now, so hopefully it stays that way. Now please please please review! They mean so much to me. Thanks guys!
