Pesky school. Getting in the way of my writing. Grrr… So with a bad report card, I present you this. The fruit of my labor. A brand spanking new chapter. Now, this one may seem like it's the end. But its not. I think I have like four to six more, eh, maybe more, chapters left. Depending if I ever decide on an ending. Excuse my Spanish. Between the last time I apologized for it, and now, I haven't become fluent. I'm still using an internet translator.
Thank you to all of my reviewers! This is my first story where I have reached over 100 reviews. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside thinking about it. J
And to my wonderful betas~ you guys rock! Seriously! They not only make sure there isn't anything major missing, but they also help with my mediocre Spanish. These are the people that help bring my stories to life, and make them as realistic as a fan fiction can be! Thanks guys!
And thank you to everyone else. Because it always feels good to be thanked J
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Juliana took Alexandra's hand, and dragged her up to her bedroom. Sydney smiled, as they ran up the stairs.
"Looks like the language thing wasn't as big a barrier as we thought." Vaughn commented as he followed Sydney's gaze.
"Looks that way." It took only a little time for the ice to be broken during lunch. They began their lunch with Juliana clinging heavily to Sydney, and Alexandra to Vaughn. But by the time they were finished, Juliana and Alexandra had shed their parents like jackets on a warm day. They chatted excitedly together, although Juliana talked about one thing, and Alexandra another. Alexandra would point to one object, and have Juliana give the word. On the bus Alexandra would point to the seat.
"Silla." Juliana would answer.
"Silla." Alexandra would repeat. "Chair."
"Chair." They would do this for a while. But the minute they got back to the apartment, where they ran up to Juliana's room.
Sydney and Michael walked into the living room, and nervously looked around. "Can I get you something to drink?" Sydney offered, breaking the uneasy silence.
"Water. Thanks." Sydney walked over to the kitchen, tripping over Vaughn and Alexandra's suitcases.
"Opps." She exclaimed. Carefully, she avoided the suitcases on her way back with the water. Her eyes lingered on the suitcases a bit longer. "I guess I never showed you guys where you'll be staying, did I?"
Vaughn shook his head. "Nope."
"Well then," Sydney picked up the suitcases, and motioned for Vaughn to follow her. She showed him the downstairs, which was pretty much self explanatory. The large loft was open, with nothing more than a table or some chairs to separate rooms. It had a minimal look to it, but still very lived in. It is hard not to have a house that looks lived in when two kids live there. Vaughn spun in circles, as Sydney showed him the different areas. It reminded him a lot of a New York loft. If it weren't for the view of Barcelona, he would have thought that he never left the country. Sydney showed him up the stairs. The feeling of upstairs reflected that of the downstairs, although there were three rooms and a bathroom. Directly at the top of the stairs was Juliana's and Raquel's room. They opened the closed door and looked inside.
What was unfolding in front of them made them smile. Juliana had gotten out her doll house, and had given one to Alexandra. Each was playing their own little fantasy out, but thinking that the other one was playing the same thing.
"*I need to find my keys so that we can go to the store.*" Juliana said as she made her little doll dance around the house.
Alexandra had her doll on top of the house. "Luuuccyy! What have you done?" She said, imitating Ricky Ricardo.
"Alexandra, here's your suitcase, sweetie." Sydney said, setting it down next to the door. Vaughn snuck a peek at the room. The bunk bed was shoved against one wall, while two dressers sat against the other. Toys and dolls littered the floor. The one window over looked the roof of the building next to it, but shed plenty of light on the small room.
"Ok." Alexandra said, her parent's presence, never fazing her.
Juliana looked up, and smiled. "*We're playing with dolls!*" She explained.
They only nodded and smiled. Juliana was kind enough to shut the door for Sydney and Vaughn.
"Do you think that they know that they are playing two very different games?" Vaughn whispered.
"No, but don't tell them. Telling them will only ruin what is going on in there. Besides, I think they would have a problem playing the same game." Sydney said. "Is Alexandra a sucker for classic TV?"
"Yeah. My fault. I am a sucker for classic TV. Alexandra sort of picked up on the same habit."
"Yea well, everything Juliana was doing was just part of daily life for me. Never can find my keys." Sydney led Michael to the far end of the hall. "This is the room you'll be staying in."
Vaughn looked around the room. It didn't fit the décor of the rest of the room. It had more antique furniture, with darker tones. He looked around at the things. "This is your room." He observed, looking at the picture of Sydney and Juliana hanging on the edge of the mirror.
"Yeah. I think that Luis and Rosa would feel a little more comfortable knowing that I'm the one in their bed, and not you. No offense or anything."
"None taken."
"I'm just going to be on the far end of the hall." Sydney threw her hand back to show where her room was, knocking over a vase on the hall table. She quickly tried to stumble to catch it before it crashed to the ground, but to no avail. The vase fell, and rolled.
"It didn't shatter!" Vaughn said, amazed.
"It's not glass. We learned not to have glass on the hall table when Juli was learning to walk." She picked up the vase, and put the dried flowers back into it.
"When Alexandra had really begun to walk around, you would set her on the ground, and she would take three steps, before realizing that she was walking by herself. She would then freak out, and get onto her hands and knees again. But she didn't like crawling. So she would stand up, and start the whole process again. She has since gotten over her fear of walking."
"I hate not remembering this kind of thing. That is the kind of thing that a mother should remember. I can remember that stuff for Juliana. Alexandra should feel left out."
"It wasn't your fault Sydney." Vaughn said, as Sydney began to cry. "There wasn't anyway you could have known."
"What went wrong? How did this happen?"
"Do you really want to know?" Sydney nodded. Vaughn pulled Sydney into the bedroom. "Ok, first off, Alexandra knows nothing of the CIA. So when we talk about it, we need to be quiet. You had come to Barcelona to retrieve a document. The house that it was kept in, was hosting a big party that night. You had gone in as Jessica English. Larson had gone as your husband, Landon English. He stayed behind in the van when you went into the basement to get it. From there, we don't really know what happened. Somewhere between when Rosa found you, and from the time you had last talked to base ops, the KGB had shot Larson, killing him, and zapped him, so his transmitter wouldn't work. They must have zapped you wrong, not only getting your earpiece, but your head too. This is where it was all speculation. You probably fell unconscious, and they thought you were dead, and left. Woke up, and you had no memories or anything."
"There was a fight." She added.
"You remember a fight?"
"No. But their had to be. Rosa found me, and my leg was really cut up. I still bear the scars." Sydney lifted her pants a little to show a long scar that stretched for most of her calf.
"God, Syd. I am so sorry."
"For what?"
"Not finding you sooner."
"You did your best. I should have come second. Alexandra should be first. You have done a good job with her."
"Thanks. You have done a super job with Juliana."
"Thank you." There was an uneasy silence between the two as they tried to think of something to continue the conversation with, or to start a completely new conversation. After several minutes, Sydney spoke. "Do you think I will ever remember?"
"What?"
"Do you think I will ever remember what had happened? Or anything before that night?"
"In LA we have people that can help you." Vaughn lingered on the thought for a minute. He turned to face Sydney, their lips inches away, each lost in the other's eyes. "Come back to LA with me."
"Ok." Sydney said, not putting up any resistance this time. She leaned over and gently kissed him. There was a familiarity in the kiss. It sent a shiver down her spine. Sydney couldn't recall in her few boyfriends that she had had, where there was such passion, such tenderness, such love in one little kiss. It felt natural to be kissing Vaughn. Something she could never remember feeling. But yet, she could remember the feeling of the world in just one kiss. "But after the school year." She quietly whispered.
"What?" Vaughn checked, not believing what had just happened. "You said that you would come with me."
"Yes."
"Sydney, you have just made me so happy." Vaughn said. He leaned over for a second kiss. Vaughn wanted to curl up in his wife's kiss. He couldn't picture himself happier in six years then right then. She didn't know it, but there was so much, understanding in the kiss. Without words, Sydney showed that she trusted Vaughn, that she still loved Vaughn. "I would trade everything in the world for your kiss." He whispered, as they kissed for a third time.
"Me too Vaughn." She quietly moaned.
Vaughn suddenly pulled back. "You called me Vaughn!" He jumped up exclaiming.
Sydney didn't see what was so big about that. "So?"
"Since I came here, you haven't once called me Vaughn. It has just been Michael."
"Before, your accident, you mostly stuck to Vaughn. It was a little thing between us. Even when we were married, you called me by my last name. Confused the hell out people because your name is also Vaughn. But not once have you called me by our last name. It has always Michael."
"So?"
"It's just like when you called Alexandra, Alex."
"A memory?"
"Maybe."
"Probably more like a memory of the head. Everything is happening so fast Michael, from two memories, to this. Promising to go back to LA when the school year is over. I don't know what to think. But it definitely feels good and right."
"Good."
"Daddy?" A little voice said. Sydney and Vaughn tore their eyes away from each other, and saw Alexandra and Juliana standing at the door.
"Uncle Eric is on the phone."
"I didn't hear the phone ring."
"Your cell phone. Juliana and I were downstairs getting something to drink, when your phone rang. I answered it for you."
"Thanks Alexandra." Vaughn got off the bed, and took the phone from his daughter. He excused himself to the hall to talk to Weiss.
"Are you guys having fun? ¿Se estais divirtiendo?"
"Yes."
"Sí." Both girls agreed, nodding their heads.
"¿Qué estais jugando?What are you playing?"
"We got bored with dolls. So I don't know."
"¡Las muñecas!" [Dolls!]
"Alexandra piensa que ya no estais jugando con munecas." [Alexandra seems to think that you're not playing with dolls anymore.]
"Ah, entonces vamos a jugar al parque. Podemos ir al parque? ¿Por favor Mamá? ¿Por favor?" [Oh, then we will play at the park. Can we go to the park? Please Mama? Please?]
"Si. Tened cuidado cuando cruzeis la calle. Y no os quiteis los zapatos." [Yes. Be careful when you cross the street. And leave your shoes on.]
"¡Gracias Mamá!" [Thank you Mama!]
"What's going on?" Alexandra asked, feeling left out.
"Juliana wants to go to the park, half a block from here. You want to go?"
"Yeah!"
"Ok. Watch her for me. And I want you guys to keep your shoes on."
"Ok!" Juliana and Alexandra went running out of the bedroom, and down the stairs.
"Woah! Where's the fire?" Vaughn shouted to their retreating backs. "¡Juliana, no vayas tan rapido!" [Juliana, slow down!]
"Sorry Daddy!" Alexandra said, as she slowed down.
"Sorry!" Juliana answered, in English. Her accent was broken, but the word was clear and concise. They both walked out, giggling.
"Where are they going?" Vaughn asked, as Sydney met him in the hall.
"The park."
"Juliana said sorry to me. In English."
"One of the few English words she knows and uses."
"Really."
"Yea. What did Eric want?"
"Just a work thing. This new agent I'm supervising went on a mission yesterday, and got shot. He's not badly hurt, but I needed to be informed of this kind of thing."
"You seem to have bad luck with your agents. Falling in love with one of them, and letting another get shot…"
"Hey, for my defense. She fell in love with me as well. And Andrew is just an overall klutz. He shot himself in the leg with a tranq gun last week. Wait, you said love was bad luck?"
"Only while you still had to hide it."
"That's true."
"What ever became of those two star crossed lovers?"
"We have plans to live happily ever after." Vaughn said, as the two kissed.
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