Title: Failing You
Author: Mango
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Rating: G
A/N: Two things: Thanks for the reviews (please don't stop) and it's done! Finally!
The red stain grew on his shirt as his head rolled over and Sloane had the chance to look at Sydney one last time. The woman he created from that girl, had ultimately become his strongest enemy. The only one who had the capability of disabling SD-6 and himself. There was a glint of pride in his eyes just before they glazed over, as if to say, I knew you could be this strong. You only needed the opportunity to show it.
His last exhalation felt like freedom to Sydney. She thought she should have felt badly about taking a life. Especially one that had been so influential. But she didn't. Funny thing, though. She didn't feel relieved because she had avenged Danny's death, or Will's life, or her Dad's lack of relationship but Vaughn. It was all Vaughn. She had to win their life. And she hadn't failed him in that.
Turning she looked through the glass doors and the chaos had calmed. Everything seemed in slow-motion. Agents clambering over the bodies of her coworkers. Weiss walked over to the door and unlocked it. She stepped out of the doors looking around at the office she would no longer be forced to work in hour after lonely hour.
"You okay?" He asked looking concerned. She figured she must have looked like death.
"Yeah. I'm okay." He couldn't believe how good she looked after what she had just been through.
"Vaughn's outside. I expect you want to go see him."
"Yeah, I do. Just … give me a minute." She looked around at her fallen coworkers with a feeling of grief and despair. Some were salvaged, but most fought to the death thinking that they were fighting for their country. To the death. She walked over to Nathan's desk and picked up a photograph of his young wife and small child. She remembered that they had just adopted a son. "Where's Devlin?"
"Right here." The man said stepping out of one of the offices. "How are you?"
"I want these people buried as heroes. Their families aren't to know …" Sydney said determined for a fight.
"As you wish." Devlin responded with a new found respect for Sydney shining in his eyes. "Now, you have a couple of men awaiting your arrival outside." Giving silent approval of the relationship developing between her and Vaughn.
She smiled softly "Thank you."
* * *
She straightened her shirt and removed her blazer in the elevator. If this was going to be a moment she wanted to remember forever she damned well better look good doing it.
Stepping out of the elevator the sun was streaming in the glass windows of the Credit Dauphine building. Opening the door the warmth of the sunlight hit her immediately.
She instantly saw the man that she had loved for years and ran into his arms. "Daddy. It's over." Squeezing her eyes shut tightly trying not to let the tears spill over. She cursed the stubborn ones that insisted on falling down her cheeks to land on her dad's suit.
"Yes, Love, it is." He said, pulling her back he looked into her eyes. "Thank you." He said. He wiped at one of the tears falling and smiled. "Go, now." She smiled at the words he had chosen. Had she not heard them just minutes before?
Jack stepped back to reveal Vaughn standing a mere dozen feet away from her. She began to walk toward him very slowly, and he just stood there enjoying her. He stood clad in his usual suit but the jacket was tossed lazily across the hood of his Jeep and his tie was loose around his neck with the first couple of buttons undone in his crisp white shirt and the sleeves rolled up. He looked at her as if he was absorbing her. Or just the moment.
She stopped just feet from him and looked up into his eyes. "Hey …" She smiled.
"Hey …" He smiled back. Silence had fallen over everybody and all attention was directed toward them. They didn't notice. "I guess you made it."
"Yeah, I guess we did." She laughed nervously. She opened her mouth to say something, she wasn't too sure what. Something about not failing him …
He raised his finger to her lips. "Syd … just … shh." He smiled. Sometimes there are no need for words.
As his lips crashed against hers the world disappeared. The world as they knew it, anyway, and a brand new one was waiting for them. Just beyond that one heart-stopping kiss.
* * *
End.
* * *
