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For the next three days, Sydney showed Alexandra and Vaughn around town. Sydney began to find herself falling in love with Vaughn. Vaughn discovered a new Sydney, a Sydney that wasn't plagued with fear that someone would try to kidnap her daughters. The sweet song of Sydney's laugh filled Vaughn's heart with joy. Sydney began to find the little things more important than the big things, as she held Vaughn's hand when Alexandra wasn't looking. At night, after the girls went to bed, they stayed up late talking, with the TV softly reporting the news in the background. But the news was only in case Juliana came down the stairs and asked what they were talking about (the CIA was the topic that night), as she did on Monday. With the news, they could use the stories that they only half, actually, less than half, paid attention to.
"Do you believe in soul mates?" Sydney randomly asked one night.
"I'm sorry. What did you say?" Vaughn asked. The sports had just started, and Vaughn turned to see the soccer results, seeing as they wouldn't be posting his scores on the TV.
"Do you believe in soul mates?" Sydney asked again.
"Yes. I believe you're my soul mate. I love you Sydney."
Sydney smiled, and blushed turning away slightly. "I was thinking the same thing." She leaned over, and passionately kissed Vaughn. He only smiled, and grabbed her chin, to kiss her back. Unbeknownst to either, at the top of the stairs, two little girls giggled; as they watched their parents kiss. The older, motioned for the younger to return to the bedroom, where they continued to giggle at the sight they just witnessed. The Wednesday morning, Vaughn rolled over smiling, at his sleeping wife quietly laid next to him.
Sydney silently slipped downstairs Thursday morning. Vaughn was asleep in the bedroom down he hall, and she didn't want to wake him. Alexandra and Juliana were still sleeping. "*Juli, time to get up sweetie. You've got school.*" Sydney gently shook her youngest daughter awake.
"*No Mama. I want to stay home today.*"
"*Not an option. We'll see about tomorrow though, ok? Now get up, and get into your uniform.*"
"*Ok.*" Juliana stepped out of bed, and walked over to her dresser. Satisfied, Sydney turned to leave before a small voice called her to turn around.
"Mommy?"
"Yes?"
"Where are you going?"
"I have to take Juli to school, just like I have every morning."
"Can I come?"
"You want to go to Juliana's school?"
"Yah huh."
"Are you awake?" Sydney asked. She looked at Alexandra's face, where her eyes were open, and awake, although they looked very tired.
"Yup, I'm just not moving yet."
"*Juli, do you mind if Alexandra goes to school with you today?*"
"*She wants to go?*"
"*She sure does.*"
"*Ok, but tell her my teacher is mean. Tell her that Mama.*"
"*Alright.* Alex, Juliana would love to have you come to school with her, but wants you to know that she thinks her teacher is mean."
"So I can go?"
"As long as her school doesn't mind. Come on, get up, and wear that skirt you brought, and your white blouse so you will blend in better. I want you two downstairs for breakfast in 20 minutes. Veinte minutos."
"Sí Mama."
"Ok, Mom."
Sydney walked into Vaughn's bedroom, and sat down next to him on the bed, and tenderly shook him awake. "Michael."
Vaughn woke up to his angelic wife gently calling to him. "Hi Syd."
"Hi. Alexandra is going to school with Juliana, so it will be just you and me today."
"That doesn't sound like Alexandra. Who suggested it?"
"Alex actually."
"Ok."
"So I am going to run them over to school, and then you and I can spend your last day in Barcelona together. And its Thursday so Shana's mother Deloris takes care of Juli and Raquel until six. I'm sure a simple exchange of Raquel for Alexandra won't be a problem."
"Shana?"
"Oh, I work late on Thursdays generally. Shana is one of my coworkers. Her mother watches her son, Philip every day. Thursdays I work late, Luis has the night shift at the hospital, and Rosa visits her mother. I'll call Deloris about it when I get back."
"Ok, but don't eat breakfast now."
"And why not?"
"Because I'll have breakfast waiting for you."
He reached his hand up, looking for something. His target wasn't hard to miss, and Vaughn's hand found Sydney's face straight away, and began to softly stroke the side of her face. Sydney's lips found Vaughn's hand, and she laid her gently lips on the palm of his hand as it came around her mouth. "Sounds heavenly." She whispered. The shutting of the bathroom door caused Sydney to turn. "I have got to make breakfast for the girls. I'll be back later." Sydney promised before leaving. Vaughn could only beam as she left. He had a surprise up his sleeve. While the girls were getting dressed upstairs, Sydney paused in the hall to call Deloris, who of course was thrilled to watch Alexandra.
Sydney opened the fridge door as two bouncy girls jumped down each and every stair. To her dismay, she found nothing to cook, and instead pulled out a gallon of milk to feed the girls cereal with. It concerned her, the lack of breakfast food, because Vaughn was going to cook her breakfast, but Sydney figured he could manage on his own. The girls ran to the table and sat quietly upright, waiting for their food to be placed in front of them.
"*Why so proper Juli? You jumped down the stairs.*"
"*Because its funny.*" Sydney placed two bowls of cornflakes in front of the girls, and Juliana began to eagerly eat it up.
"I hope you like cornflakes Alex." Sydney said. "We are out of everything else. I just haven't had time to go to the store this week."
"Do you have any sugar?"
"Do you want desert with lunch?"
"Yes."
"Do you want sugar on your cornflakes?"
"Yes."
"You can't have both. Pick one."
Alex scrunched up her nose at the thought of having to pick between a good breakfast, or a great lunch. "Choose quickly. Your cornflakes are getting soggy." Sydney advised.
"I'll have desert." Alexandra reluctantly decided.
"That's what I thought." Sydney went to the kitchen and began to make two lunches. "Juli, don't forget about Deloris after school today, ok? You and Alexandra are both going. I already called Deloris and she is ok with that. Watch out for Alex, ok? You know that Philip and Deloris don't speak a word of English, so help out your sister as much as you can, ok?"
"Sí Mama."
"Finish quickly; we have to catch the bus in a minute. *Eat faster.*" Juliana and Alexandra began to scarf down their breakfast as Sydney grabbed their spring jackets, and Juliana's day pack.
Sydney posed as a translator as Juliana explained to Alexandra all about her school, on the bus. The school, nor teacher had no problem with Alexandra staying, provided that Juliana wouldn't get over excited about it. Sydney made it very clear with both girls that they needed to be on their very best behavior, to which they both agreed. "Ok, I'll see you guys at 6. Véalo en 18:00." Sydney said, kissing each on their head. Juliana, had no problem with this statement, and skipped happily to her cubby, to put her day pack away. She ran back, and tugged at Alexandra's arm, but Alexandra wasn't moving. Her eyes were wide with fright.
"Six! I thought school was over at three!" She cried to her mother.
"You guys are going to spend the afternoon with Deloris, on of my friends, just like Juliana and Raquel do every Thursday. Is that ok?"
Alexandra, though still looking very frightened, silently nodded. Sydney gave an encouraging smile, and sent them on their way. On the bus ride home, Sydney only sat there day dreaming about what was waiting for her back home. She drifted into a haze and was rudely awakened as she in a half daze watched her apartment building pass. Sydney scrambled out of her seat to catch the next bus stop two blocks down the road.
Sydney took her time unlocking the door, because she could hear Vaughn scrambling to hide something from inside. She opened the door to the aroma of eggs frying. "Mmm… smells better than what I served the girls." She replied, keeping it to herself that she knew that he was hiding something from her.
"Omelets."
"How? There was nothing even remotely breakfast-y in the fridge when I left."
"I sprinted three blocks to the corner market. Got some eggs, and mushrooms, and cheese, and peppers, and ham, just the way you like them, and some bread, because growing up at my house, when we had omelets for breakfast, my mother always bought a loaf of bread to go with it."
"Did you do that when we were married?"
"Generally not actually. Most mornings we both would dash off to work with a cup of coffee, and a kiss. When there was time for breakfast, you always seemed to prefer pancakes, and waffles. So we didn't have all that many omelets."
"That's too bad. I like omelets."
"Good."
The small round table was set for two, with two candles lit. It seemed over done for breakfast to Sydney, but Vaughn pointed out since them going out to a nice romantic dinner was out of the question, that a candle lit breakfast would have to do. Sydney only laughed. She smiled as they ate breakfast, and talked about nothing important. As she was finishing her last bites, and they were talking, about nothing at all, Vaughn suddenly stopped talking about which kind of cheese was best on home made pizzas. "Syd, I want to ask you something really important now."
"Ok." Sydney said, not sure where the conversation was going.
"I've been thinking about this all week. I know its fast and all, but I just can't stop thinking about you. You are my universe, my sun, upon which my Earth revolves around. You have blessed me with the two most wonderful daughters anyone has ever had. These past six years have been one long night, without you there. I need you to breathe." Vaughn got out of his chair, and took Sydney's hand, before bending down on one knee. Sydney held her breath, now know knowing exactly where Vaughn was going. "I love you Sydney. Sydney Bristow Vaughn, will you marry me again."
Sydney gasped, and knew exactly what to say.
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