A/N – Okay, everything's good from the last two chapters. Everyone is feeling better about the whole Syd/Vaughn/Will thing right? Good, good.
Can you believe Sunday's episode! I can't believe it still!... Will… shot… One big blur… whatever. Now onto the fic right?
To all Nysnc fans: I am sorry about the small bashing in this chapter. I used to be a Nysnc fan, but now… not so much… just… sorry ahead of time. No flaming just for that.
Vaughn's POV
I don't know what to think… I don't know what to do. Looking over at Sydney, Will and Francie, just sitting there, chatting… I don't think I can do this.
"Hey honey." Aunt Sara put her hand on my shoulder.
"Hey Aunt Sara." I whispered as I watched my friends.
"You okay?" The suit I'm wearing is itchy and hot in this sun and I wish I was at home, alone in my room with nothing but music as my company.
"Yeah." I shrugged off her hand. "I'm fine." I walked over to the other three and sat next to Sydney who put her arm around me. (Oblivious to Will's jealous, but 'happy you're happy' gaze)
Sydney kissed my cheek and pulled me into a hug.
"We gotta go, my mom is here." Francie gave me a quick hug and Will shook my hand. They both set off to Francie's mom and me and Sydney just sat there watching.
"I'm not gonna ask you… but I really do want to know…" Sydney's voice trailed. Everyone had asked me, so I wasn't surprised by this.
"I'm…" I stopped before I said the word 'fine'. I looked over to Jackie. She was playing with our cousin Melanie.
*~*FLASHBACK*~*
I reached for my beeper that had started vibrating.
A Sara – 911911911
Aunt Sara? She didn't know my beeper number only… Eric… only Eric knew.
From where I was I could see a pay phone a block away. I ran to it and dialed my aunt's cell phone.
It rang three times. "Pick up… pick up." I muttered. Finally she did. "How'd you get the beeper number?"
"That's not important." Her voice was choking. There was something wrong…
"What happened?" I switched the phone from my right ear to my left.
"Michael… your mom… she didn't… she's gone…" Aunt Sara finally said. It took me a minute or two to register that she was still talking. "I tried to call home, but you weren't there… then I called a few of your friends… finally Eric knew your beeper number… he told me and I called." She stopped and took a long shattering breath. "You should get to the hospital now." She stated clearly.
*~*End*~*
"I'm not too good." I finished my sentence from earlier. Sydney pulled me into a hug and I let a few (two or three) tears fall to her shoulder. "I don't know what to do anymore…" I whispered into her hair.
"You'll be fine." She whispered into my ear.
I pulled back and leaned on my chair. "You don't know that…" I looked over to my Aunt and Uncle. I nodded toward them. "They don't know where we are going to live yet… they want to go back to San Francisco, but they know that me and Jackie want to stay here." I shivered at the thought of leaving Sydney…
"Talk to her. Tell your aunt how much you want to stay here." She argued back.
"Michael! Sydney!" My aunt called to both of us. "We have to get going!"
I got up and pulled Sydney up. My arm wound around her waist and her hand rested on my shoulder.
Sydney's POV
God… I thought that I was broken up when my mother died. But Michael has had both parents leave him suddenly and I don't think that I can tell him how sorry I am, or how much I care about him.
Later, it's dinner time, and we are all sitting in McDonalds… by popular demand (mostly from Jackie).
"What do you two want?" Sara came over to me and Michael. We had our own separate table… to talk.
"Just a cheeseburger and a Sprite." Michael muttered as I leaned back against him, we sat next to each other.
"What about you Sydney?" She smiled at me and it brightened my mood.
"The same please?" I noticed I was way too polite. After Sara left I made a choking noise. "I'm too polite."
Michael just smiled at me and pulled me closer.
*~*FLASHBACK*~*
Michael ran into the hospital quickly and ran to the room he had left his mother.
"Jackie!" He yelled down the hall. His little sister turned her tear stained cheeks and ran to him. He picked her up effortlessly and felt her tears slip through the fabric of his shirt.
Michael continued walking to his Aunt and Uncle who were still crying. He put his sister down, but she clung to him tightly, almost cutting off his air.
"Honey… I'm sorry." Aunt Sara cried to him. "I'm sorry… so, so sorry…" She repeated that until she didn't know the meaning of the words.
Michael just stood there. His sister sobbed at his waist, his own tears falling silently.
*~*END*~*
"So…" I sighed. How do you start a conversation with someone whose mother just died?
"I don't know what to do…" He whispered into my ear softly. "I don't know if I can get through this…"
"I know… but we will get through this… together. You still have me." I whispered and he pulled back to look me in the eyes.
"I don't know… how to tell you how much you mean to me…" He whispered.
"Doesn't matter." I kissed him softly, smiling against his lips.
Vaughn's POV
"Why?" I complained to my aunt. After dropping off Sydney, Aunt Sara and Uncle Ben took us back to my house to sleep.
"Michael…" Aunt Sara hated it when people complained. "Your Uncle and I can't live here and commute to San Francisco."
"But what about all our friends? And what about school?" I argued right back.
"You can still call, visit and write your friends here. Plus, you can make new friends too." She ran a hand through her hair. "And you'll finish this year in San Francisco."
"Michael?" Jackie walked into the room, followed by our Uncle who walked straight to Aunt Sara. Jackie's hands held a sheet of paper. "Where's Donovan?"
"Donovan?" My Uncle questioned.
I ignored him. "Donovan's outside, Jackie. Go to bed okay? I'll bring him to your room." I left the room quickly. The door to the backyard was dark when I opened it. For the couple of days we had been gone, I told Eric to take care of Donovan. Feeding him and leaving him in the back when he left. I felt Donovan brush past me, then start jumping on me. "Go to the living room. There are people in there." I ordered. Surprisingly he listened.
"A dog… you have a dog." Aunt Sara petted the puppy as he jumped on her leg.
"Yeah." I muttered. "Donovan, come on." I called to the puppy. He followed me into Jackie's room, then leapt on her bed and curled at her feet.
"Michael?" Jackie turned around in her purple blanket. "Can you sing me Baby Girl?"
"The song mom wrote? Yeah, sure." I muttered. I love my sister. She's the best, just I don't like singing to her… especially with people watching. But I did it anyway:
"Close your eyes
Baby girl
Rest your head
Little boy
Dreams will come
Soon enough
Go to sleep
Little girl
Hold on tight
Little boy
I'll stay here
I love you…"
The song went on and on till I finally stopped singing, because my sister fell asleep. Getting up, I turned to the door. My aunt and uncle smiled at me, but I just past them and went to my own room, shutting the door before they could say anything.
Sydney's POV
"We'll see each other. We'll write. You know that." I smiled softly and kissed Michael.
"Yeah, I know. And next week you are coming out there, and me and you are gonna celebrate my birthday… just me and you." He kissed my forehead and smiled.
"Yeah." I whispered in my baby voice. "You know I wouldn't miss it for the world." I looked up at him and got up. "Come on. We'll be late for school. And you have to pack your locker up…" I pulled him up and he wound his arms around my waist.
"Fine." He whispered and I backed towards the door, grabbing my backpack along the way.
"This is… damn it… I was never good with the whole Pop music crap." I muttered as I threw a picture of his sister and a music poster, of some boy-band that I couldn't care less about, to him.
"They are called Nsync… don't ask me what she sees in them, cause I have no clue." Michael smiled softly and continued to tear the pictures out of his locker.
"Lucky Mr. Nac let us do this instead of play gym." I whispered slowly, while taking out his text-books and note-books.
"Ok…" Michael threw the last picture into his backpack. "Were all done here. I'll see you at my house later right?"
"Right." I kissed him, waved good-bye and then raced back to the gym.
Michael's house was very busy with his Aunt, Uncle and sister getting ready to leave.
"Jackie, you're gonna be okay for the drive? It's gonna be a few hours…" Sara handed Jackie her backpack.
"I'll be fine." Jackie left the room and went to sit in the car.
"We'll meet you outside." Ben smiled at me and Michael, then left with Sara.
"I wish that I could stay here…" Michael ran a hand through his hair.
"Hey." I said and he looked away from me. "Look at me." He turned back. "I am going to talk to you on the phone… I am going to write you everyday… And visit you whenever I can get up and drive to you…" I pulled his head down and kissed him.
"I love you." He whispered, then pulled back as if he said the wrong thing.
I pulled him back down and smiled as I kissed him. "I love you too." He smiled and it widened as we stared at each other. "Now get going." I kissed him again and then followed him outside.
"You'll take care of Donovan right?" He yelled as he ran to the car.
"Forever!" I yelled back and smiled as I tugged the little puppy's leash. I waved as they drove off and then pulled the puppy in the direction to my house. "Come on Donovan… we are going to be roommates for a long time." I smiled and walked down the road.
'I love you' whispered over and over in my head.
A/N – the next chapter is going to be many (a few) years later… I have this great idea and can't wait to get it down on paper, so I'm gonna stop typing.
Please review and I'll get done even quicker!