Title: Failing

Author: Mango19

Rating: PG (language)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"You know what? Screw you." She spat bitterly. "You come back after 8 months of my living through hell and you think things can go back to how they were. Well, I'm sorry Vaughn, I don't know how weak I was before but I sure as hell am not going to sit here and pretend that everything is okay."

He stared back at her in awe. He never thought, for a second, that she would be this angry. But because understanding was what he was, he allowed her to scream, vent, degrade as much as she needed to in order to get through this. He had done the same when Devlin told him to go on the mission without letting Sydney know he was alive after the wave of water crushed him against the cruel steel door. Had done the same when he found that nobody was to tell Sydney that he was alive because they wanted to measure her performance without him. Like a lab rat.

"I know Devlin said that you were reassigned as my handler now that your back from your 'confidential mission' but that doesn't mean we have to get along. This will be strictly a business relationship and for the record, all the trust I had in you, is gone. I will never forgive you for this. Never." Figuring this for a good exiting remark she stormed out of the warehouse and made it half way to her car when her phone started ringing incessantly. Sighing she answered "What?"

Vaughn. Was he not 15 feet from her right now? "Lovely speech, really touching. So you're pissed, fine. But don't you think you should come back in here and get your counter? As where it was the reason for us meeting and all." She could hear the humour in his voice which infuriated her. Turning, she saw him leaning against the warehouse door with the phone pressed to his ear and wearing that, once very appealing, smirk. Asshole.

"Shit." She said snapping he phone shut and turning around. How could he always reduce her to crawling back.

Walking toward him his smile grew. Yeah, he still loved this girl. "Now, before I tell you anything about your counter I want an apology, young lady." He said, the statement dripping with patronization.

"Like hell you'll get anything close. I hate the way you're enjoying this. Has anybody ever told you, you're infuriating?" Sydney asked trying to conceal her smile.

"More often then you'd think. Now, let's hear it …"

* * *

Dropping her keys on her kitchen table she had to smile. He was alive. Alive. And he was the same minus a few not so noticeable scars.

She figured she had done pretty well for herself. She gave him a piece of her mind. Despite the fact that she had rehearsing what she was going to say from when her phone rang and she heard the two words she feared she would never hear again, it sounded pretty damn good. Although, she was almost certain they both knew she wasn't mad. So her hard shell had been cracked, but that was nothing she wasn't expecting, but she managed to keep it completely professional minus the one slip of the tongue as she left the warehouse. "I missed you." she had said before leaving. Leaving, just as she always did.

There was a touch of sadness in his eyes when she turned around after she said it. Like there was so much more that he wanted to say that he couldn't. Wouldn't. All she could do was smile her knowing smile, that one day she would make it up to him. Make up for letting him be almost drown, for giving up hope in him, for failing him …

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A/N: Should I continue? Feedback please!