P/N: Happy Hollidays!

Chapter 51: A Father's Advice

"Life's greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved." – Victor Hugo

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." – Jane Howard


Jack sat down in the living room with the couple. He noticed the general feeling of uneasiness permeating the room and coming off of the couple before him. He looked pensively at them for a few minutes and then said, "Sydney, Vaughn, I want to tell you something." They both turned to look at him. Jack looked at Vaughn.

"I had a nice chat with my daughter before dinner. I told her some things that I should have said a long time ago, things I should have said to her all along, but didn't. You are responsible for what I said."

Vaughn looked at him confused.

"What happened to you…that's what made me come out of the protective shell I put around myself and tell Sydney want I needed to. What happened to you made me realize that it could have been her just as easily as it was you. And I realized how much I'd left unsaid. Sydney is very determined, always has been, and she'd very stubborn, but those are two of her best qualities. Do you know what her best quality is Michael?"

Vaughn looked at Sydney and then at Jack, "Love," he stated simply.

Jack smiled, "That's right…love…my daughter has an amazing capacity for love, and that's rare considering the lack of it I showed her in her youth. She loves you…and if she wouldn't have told me herself, it wouldn't take an astrophysicist to figure it out. It's written plainly all over her face," he looked adoringly at his daughter, "But…it's also written all over yours. I see how much you love my daughter, and I don't think I've ever seen her as happy as she is with you. She makes you happy too…stay that way…don't let your life or your nightmares drag that down. Let her love you and love her back…completely. Don't question…I didn't and although in my case, I got burned, that's not going to happen in this relationship. It's not a crime to lose yourself in someone else Michael, as long as you still retain yourself. And I don't doubt that Sydney's mother loved me at some point…I wouldn't get too worked up over something like her helping you eat, I'm sure you can think of some way to repay her later." He stopped, amused at the look on Vaughn's face.

"I'll leave you too alone now," he said standing.

Sydney stood and gave him a hug, her eyes teary once again, "Thanks dad, for everything."

"Of course, at least I did it the right way this time," Jack said sadly.

Vaughn looked over at Jack and reached out his hand, "Thank you," he stated.

"You're welcome. Take care of my daughter, she'll take care of you."

"I will," Vaughn said.

Jack smiled at the two and let himself out quietly.

Sydney sat back down on the couch with Vaughn, and he was staring at the door. "Vaughn?"

"Yeah," he said looking back at her, but she didn't say anything, she really didn't know what to say.

Vaughn decided to say something, "I'm sorry…"

"Vaughn, don't be."

"I overreacted…I just don't want to do anything to hurt you…I want to take care of you Sydney."

"You are…"

"No, I'm not."

"Ok, that's enough – if you don't start giving yourself a break and easing off on the self-bashing, I'm going to hurt you worse than you already are. Just stop…Just because you're not mowing the lawn and making dinner doesn't mean that you're not taking care of me. You do, Vaughn, I don't know what I'd do without you, I don't know how I did it before you…just stop blaming yourself for things you have no control over!"

He was surprised at rising tone. "Wow, I really pissed you off didn't I?"

"Yes!" she said.

"I'm sorry…"

"Stop saying that! You have nothing to be sorry for. I like taking care of you…right now, that's my job – I want to help you…I need to help you…it's not like I'm being dragged kicking and screaming! I love you stupid! What do you think love is all about? Now, you've stood by me when I've been moody and distant and everything else, and I won't allow you to blame yourself like this anymore…do you hear me? You always told me stuff like that before, and it worked, you helped keep me out of it…I want to do the same for you…you don't always have to be the strong one…you can lean on me…I'm here…"

"Yeah…I know…"

"Good!"

"You're really cute when you're angry."

"That's not the point Vaughn – did you get the point?"

"Yeah…I know…I'm an ass…just keep telling me."

"That wasn't the point! You're allowed to feel anyway you want, if you're pissed because I don't eat until after you, fine, that's fine, but then we're gonna talk about it…because I'm not going to let you stay feeling that way."

"Ok…ok…I get it…I'm sorry."

"Vaughn!"

"Well, what else am I supposed to say?" he asked.

She smiled and kissed him. "I didn't mean to yell at you, it just makes me really angry when you like take it personally as your fault that I eat after you sometimes…if anyone's to blame, you know who it is…"

"Yeah, I know…but I just don't want to…"

"I know…I know…stop worrying so much, I'm fine," Sydney assured him.

"Ok."

"Ok," she said. "Well, we've got the whole house to ourselves, what do you want to do?"

"Are Will and Francie coming back tonight?"

"Will called me earlier when I was out…he said he and Francie were going out to dinner and wouldn't be in until late…"

"Hmm…what could we do?"

"Wanna make another memory on the couch?"

"Sure…" he said happily.

"Ok! Let's exercise!"

Vaughn groaned, "Oh, you are so mean…that's totally not what I wanted to do on the couch!"

She smiled, "We'll get to that later, ok…incentive for your exercises."

"Ok," he said grudgingly.

She moved the pillows and sat on his legs, laced her right hand with his right and grabbed onto the sling with her left. She gently started easing him up, counted to three and eased him back down. She repeated it three more times and then stopped to see if he could continue.

"You ok?"

"Uh…yeah…I'm tired…but yeah."

"Should we do one more?"

"Ok." She pulled him up one more time and then eased him back, lying down with him once he was flat.

"You ok?"

"Yeah," he said.

"I hate to push, but do you want to try the standing one?"

He groaned again, "Alright," he said in a resigned tone.

"Vaughn, if you're too tired, we can wait until tomorrow…"

"No, it's ok…we can stand…"

"You have to do it for you too, not just because I want you to."

"I know…let's stand."

"Ok." She went to get the exercise sheet and read it aloud to Vaughn, "Ok, we are supposed to first get you in a sitting position, like the one we'd do for the crunches. Then, we swing your legs over the side, and we ease you into a standing position, pulling gently in a similar fashion to the crunches in an upward motion, and then under your arms if necessary. And you're supposed to push off with your feet." She looked down at him and he looked at her warily.

"Ok, Syd," He said.

She moved to sit on his legs again, got him sitting and then got off of his legs and swung them off the couch. Then she retook his hand and his sling and started to pull him up. He pushed his feet firmly on the floor, wincing slightly when his ankle twinged, but Sydney managed to get him standing in front of her. He wavered slightly, and Sydney grabbed onto his waist in an effort to steady him. He closed his eyes and wobbled slightly again.

"Vaughn?" Sydney asked quietly.

"Mmm…wow…yeah…really dizzy here…"

"You ok?"

"Mmm…no…room is spinning…"

"C'mere," she said and pulled his head down until it rested on her shoulder. She held him up, supporting as much weight as he couldn't, and just helped him stand there for a few moments.

He seemed to settle and the wobbling ceased, but he stayed right where he was on her shoulder, breathing heavily because they had to take the oxygen off to get him to stand.

"How're you doin?" she asked.

"M'alright."

"Does it hurt?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I think we can sit you down again…"

"Ok."

She eased him back, hanging on to him the whole way until he was sitting on the couch again. She replaced the oxygen before laying him down. She was slightly concerned because he really seemed to be gulping the oxygen, but then reminded herself that was the first time he'd stood up in over two weeks.

"Easy, honey…just slow down…" she placed a hand on his chest and breathed with him. He watched her intently, as his breathing began to slow and return to normal.

He smiled once he was breathing easily. She smiled back. "You ok?"

"Yeah…"

"Was that really as bad as it seemed?"

"The standing with you part wasn't so bad…"

She touched his face, "I'm sorry honey."

"If I can't say that, neither can you."

"Ok," she said with another smile. She leaned over and kissed him, letting the kiss deepen naturally, tracing the inside of his mouth with her tongue. She leaned back after they had kissed for several minutes.

"Want me to make you come like crazy on the couch? Make another memory?"

"Hell yeah."

"Ok…on one condition…"

"What?"

"You let me love you…with no guilt, no wondering if I had fun too…no worrying that you weren't on top being all macho…ok?"

He smiled, "Yeah, I can handle that."

"Good, then I'll do the rest of the handling."

His smile turned into a contorted face of bliss as she ground herself on his erection. He was sitting slightly more elevated than he usually was and although she was slightly concerned about injuring him at this angle, she couldn't deny him this. She removed her shirt and then got up and moved off of the couch. She stood in front of him again, removing her pants, underwear and bra as well, and then moved down to the end of the couch. Once there, she removed his boxers and slowly ran her hands up the length of his legs. His legs shuddered in response. She continued her trail of touch, up to his chest, where she removed his shirt. Once they were free of the offending clothing, she settled herself in his lap once more and she could feel his erection hot and hard behind her. She traced gentle circles all over his chest before moving up to his shoulders and neck. She gently rubbed any place she could find. His eyes closed, but opened again when he felt her hand move behind her and stroke his hard cock. His cock was hot to the touch and Sydney stroked him with agonizingly light touches. He was moaning for her to stroke harder, but she seemed to enjoy his torment of bliss.

"Sydney, please…" he said breathily.

"Please what?" she asked coyly.

"Harder…please…" he begged.

She obliged momentarily, but then started the feather-light touches again.

"Syd, you're killing me here…"

"I think you'll live Mr. Vaughn."

"Uh…" he said as she stroked him a few times harder. The tip of his cock was glistening with pre-cum and she rubbed it all over the head, taking a minute to rub and caress that sensitive spot. He moaned again in ecstasy bucking his hips up and down. She moved down until she was eye level with his hardness and licked at the secretions she had spread around the head.

She covered his head with her mouth and sucked hungrily, willing more of the warm liquid out of him.

"Oh God Syd, that's so good…"

She smiled evilly, letting his cock fall from her mouth, "What's good honey?" she asked.

"Uhn…Syd…please…"

She smiled up at him and gripped the base hard, eliciting a hiss from him. She took the head into her mouth again and swirled her tongue around the whole area. She kept her grip firm on the base of his cock, stilling his hips and holding him prone on the couch, his whole experience now locked in Sydney's grasp.

She slowly worked her way up his shaft with her hand, keeping the grip tight. Once she reached the head, she pinched the head gently, causing him to writhe under her. She replaced her mouth again and moved her other hand down to his balls, rolling them between her fingers, and applying pressure on them as well.

He thought he was going to implode if she didn't loosen her grip soon. He tried to tell her, but found that it felt so good; he couldn't form the words. She seemed to sense that he was having some trouble…expressing his feelings and smiled and backed off. He looked down at her in lust and she made her way back to his mouth like a cat on the prowl. He smiled when he saw her start; she placed her hands on either side of him on the couch, deliberately avoiding any contact with his erection. Once at his mouth, she sprang on him, devouring his mouth with more passion than he could ever imagine. That was just like Sydney – she could take something so purely sexual and make it completely loving. He eagerly attacked her mouth in retaliation, and she smiled while they kissed.

"Getting into the game are we Mr. Vaughn?"

"I wasn't aware this was a game, Ms. Bristow…"

"Well…not a 'game' per say…"

"Hmm…are you trying to infer that I haven't been in the game up to this point?"

"You've been up, just a little distracted."

"No one could weather that and stay completely composed Sydney."

"Thank you…" she said.

"I didn't say it was a compliment…" he said mischievously.

"You're asking for more…you realize that, don't you?"

"Mmm…can I make a different suggestion for the game?"

"Sure…"

"I think the whole game might be better won with me inside you," he said nodding his head.

"Hmm…well…let me think strategy," her finger moved to her chin as she sat looking off pensively. "I've decided…" she said finally.

"And? What have you decided?"

"I think you're right…" she said with a wink. Before he had time to recover or react to her statement, she was poised, her folds resting on the tip of his cock. She wordlessly and quickly moved the first inch of him inside her, squeezing him in as his head pushed back into the pillows and his hand came to rest on her hip. She could feel the tip of his cock running along the inside of her walls, and every time he connected, little electric shocks filled her entire body. Her nipples were pebbles jutting out, waiting to be caressed, and with the way his body was angled on the couch, he had perfect access rights. She moved up and down on him gently and slowly as she allowed him to stimulate her thoroughly.

"Mmm…Vaughn…that feels so good," she cooed near his ear, and it only served to spur him on further. He moved his hand from her hip to pinch and tease at the nipple even more, and she shuddered with the feelings. She stopped moving momentarily, just enjoying the feeling of him pleasing her erect nipples. She ran her hands through his hair in encouragement. When he stopped, they were both breathless, her body was covered in a light flush, and it reflected off of his face as well. She smiled down at him as she made him relax and set back to work on him inside her. She rolled her hips, sending him to new heights of pleasure, bucking to get deeper inside her. She watched the feelings travel across his face carefully, wanting to know what was making him feel the best so she could repeat it for him and bring him to yet a new height of pleasure. She rode him gently, making him squirm beneath her, grasping at her in an attempt to feel more. Sitting up so she was perpendicular to his angled form, she allowed him to enter her fully before pulling off of him almost entirely and then slowly pulling him back in. She could feel him reach spots he had never before and she had to admit, she hoped his release was close, because hers was threatening to explode any minute. The heat that radiated off of them was brought to a higher intensity with the heat that was building in her core. She felt a rush of more heat as his hips arched upward with his ejaculation, sending him further inside her. She cried out his name as she rolled over into her own orgasm, gripping at him desperately, delighting in the feeling of more heat inside her, wanting all of him that he could give her…and he did. She relished in the sounds of his groaning mixing with her own. Their strokes slowed as they both came down from the paramount, savoring the aftermath of their lovemaking.

Vaughn's breath was thready and Sydney wondered again if their S.H.ing might in fact be doing more harm than good for him.

"You ok?" she asked quietly as she caressed his face.

"Yeah…I'm good," he said, looking particularly satisfied.

"Are you sure this isn't too much for you? Maybe we should slow down or lay off of the S.H. for awhile."

"No," he stated plainly.

"Vaughn…"

"Sydney, I don't think I can handle all of this if I can't be with you. That's not to say that I'm some crazed nympho that can't get enough or you, although I can't, but I just…feel better…I guess I can't really explain it. I said before I feel safe, that's true, sex isn't all about the physical stuff Syd, it's about the emotional connection we make too…you know?"

"Yeah, of course…"

"I can't do this without that emotional connection with you, not that we can't have it like talking or something, but really…it helps…it's not too much…really."

"Ok," she said satisfied with his answer.

She laid her head down on his chest as he drew circles on her back with his hand. She was asleep in no time, and he managed to grab the blanket from the floor and at least haphazardly throw it over her. If Will or Francie came in, at least she'd have some cover. He stayed awake for a while, watching her sleep, wondering how he ever got to be so lucky that this sleeping woman would worry that sex was too much for him. He smiled as he yawned, letting his eyes close, and thinking about what was usually on his mind – Sydney.