Title: Failing You

Chapter: 2

Author: Mango19

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Song: Come Away With Me by Norah Jones from the album Come Away With Me.

Sitting listening to Francie's day Sydney struggled to hear what she said. It's really not that she didn't love her, she did, more than life itself, but not more that Vaughn. And maybe that was the problem when she was trying to concentrate on Francie's voice. It had been nearly a week since she heard from him, her mission had been successful, she returned home yesterday and was trying desperately not to wait by the phone.

"Syd … Syd!" Francie interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, Francie. Sorry, I'm just kind of out of it." When the phone started to ring she thought she'd cover herself just in case. "I was thinking about going out to get some … hang on." Turning she lifted the receiver "Hello?"

"Joey's Pizza?" The voice. He could have said anything and she would have known. She would have felt the goose bumps start at the base of her spine and slowly travel in waves across her body. "Umm … wrong number." As she hung up she felt her excitement grow. Man, she really needed to get a grip.

"Listen, I'm going to go get some ice cream, I'm have a craving. You want anything?"

"Nope, I'm good."

Leaving, Sydney wondered if she should have changed out of her jeans. She didn't want to be obvious, but she changed into her favourite black skirt and matching black shirt. Pleased that Francie hadn't seen her change clothing she slipped out the door.

* * *

She made no conscious effort to conceal her heels clicking on the worn warehouse floor so she was sure that he knew she was there. He was standing with his back to her in his suit. She kind of thought of his suit like a barrier. The barrier between them, stopping them from breaching protocol. Trying desperately to make them stop wanting to breach protocol. It's failing.

He turned with one of those smiles on that made her knees go weak. She stopped in effort to steady herself and in need of keeping some space between them. She returned his smile with a cool one of her own. Impersonal, he caught that. "What's going on?" She asked, curious because he rarely smiled at her unless provoked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He said moving slightly so she could see him press play on a CD player.

"Vaughn?" She asked, with a nervous tension growing as he moved toward her. He removed his suit jacket and tossed it carelessly onto a crate.

"Shh." He said taking her hand as the music started. He drew her in slowly as they started to dance.

"Vaughn … what's going on?" she repeated because the closeness to his body was killing her. The heat of his hand on her lower back was making her want to melt into the moment.

He was silent for a while before he laughed slightly and said "Just dance with me, Sydney. Don't think." The sound of her name on his lips made a jolt of electricity shoot from her toes to her brain. She tried to shake it off, but not before he noticed. A smile of satisfaction hinted across his face.

Come away with me in the night
Come away with me
And I will write you a song

Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can't tempt us
With their lies

I want to walk with you
On a cloudy day
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high
So won't you try to come

Come away with me and we'll kiss
On a mountaintop
Come away with me
And I'll never stop loving you

And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I'm safe there in your arms
So all I ask is for you
To come away with me in the night
Come away with me

They continued to dance long after the music ended, oblivious to the silence and dancing only to the beats of their hearts. "Sydney." He broke the silence, clearing his throat hoping to get the huskiness out of his voice.

"Mmm?" Sydney replied trying to savour the moment of his cheek next to hers. The warmth radiating from his body. How long had it been since she felt so … comforted?

"This … charade, Sydney." He whispered in her ear. They both stopped dancing and were standing only a breath apart. She held her breath half anticipating what he was going to say. "Enjoy it while you can, because in three days … it's over, Syd."