Title: Meeting Sara
Author: ReeCee
Feedback: If you'd like to give it, then I'd love to get it. lol No pressure.
E-mail: dangerous_angel@2die4.com
Distribution: Here! lol I'm not sure if my stuff is really up to par with everyone else's so I have no idea WHY you'd want to. . . but if you do. Thanks! Just email me and tell me where.
Disclaimer: Do I really need to? . . . (sigh) NOT MINE. Capiche? Besides, JJ Abrams is God to my Alias world.
A/N: Umm, I run the risk of receiving/reading less reviews by posting this chapter so soon after the last (because, you know, reading reviews is like.. food for thought. Or like... whatever. It's a good feeling lol) But it's done, and a people want to see it. I had no idea how to write this chapter, I really didn't. Now I have absolutely no clue where this is going. Feel free to give me direction, thought I already know what most of you want. :) This chapter's been edited QUITE a few times before i even considered it being remotely ready to be posted. So uh, go on now... take a look. (thx for the sweet reviews! u guys rock!!)
He was unbelievably nervous.
He was so unprepared for the prospect of dating that he didn't even have anything other than his (work) suits and old mission clothes in his closet.
He had raided Max's (classy neighbor and running partner) home in hopes of finding something appropriate to wear, claiming that he needed a favor.
"Hot date?" Max asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. Mike laughed as he continued to rifle through his closet. "Something like that."
An hour later, he was washed, dressed and sitting in his car using his spy skills to lay low. He didn't want to be the first to show up.
//At least this way, if I want to back out, no one will know.//
He waited patiently till he saw Matt and his wife walk inside the expensive looking Italian restaurant, accompanied by a tall, brown-haired girl. Almost immediately, his mind shot to Sydney. He sighed and shook his head. He was supposed to be moving on (sort of).
He got out of his car and straightened the clothes he had stolen from Max (a navy blue, short-sleeved, button up shirt with black slacks), checked his pocket for his wallet and cell, then slowly crossed the street to the restaurant. He locked his car doors before cautiously pushing the door open. He nodded to the hostess, who simply smiled and pointed him in the right direction.
He glanced over and saw Matt looking at him, a smirk on his face. The look clearly said "You can't spy on a spy," and he had the courtesy to blush.
The whole table stood up as he approached. He shook hands with Matt, kissed his wife Alyssa, and left Sara for last. He turned to her then and his green eyes met a similar pair. She smiled brightly before sticking out her right hand. "Sara Stevens."
He smiled back at her, saying, "Michael Vaughn."
They all sat down and fell into an easy conversation. It was clear to everyone at the table (Michael included) that the blind date was going well, but to what extent no one knew.
***
//Sue me, I like her.//
He smiled to himself as they settled down for dessert. The air filled with slow ramblings about nothing in particular. After Michael had paid the bill, with much protest from the Stevens' ("I get paid a little too well for my liking"), it was agreed that Michael would bring Sara home.
After saying their goodbyes and goodnights, both couples (loose term) rose to leave. Now that it was later in the evening, the crown had come in, leaving the restaurant more crowded than it was earlier. In single file they left, Michel grabbing onto Sara's hand to make sure she didn't get left behind. He made himself feel normal. He made himself understand that this was what he wanted.
He made himself think he wanted Sara (for all the wrong reasons). It wasn't hard. She was a great girl, with beautiful green eyes, and a quick wit to match. If had continued on in the world of lawyer-ism, he was sure he would have met his match in Sara (in more ways than one).
He was so lost in his dream of normalcy with Sara that, when he pushed the main door open and walked out into the street with Sara in tow, he blindly hit someone with the door. He peeked around it to come face to face with Sydney's brown eyes. "I – I'm sorry…" he apologized, his shock registering on his face as he looked at her.
Her eyes were glued to where his hand held Sara's. A man suddenly steeped in front of Sydney, blocking her. Watch where you're going," he said, before pushing Sydney ahead of him and into the restaurant. Michael frowned when he saw the man's hand rest on Sydney's waist.
"You didn't have to be so mean, Will," he heard her say. "He apologized. It was an accident…" Her voice faded out as she walked further into the restaurant.
He faintly heard Sara calling out to him and he looked down at her.
"Do you know her?" she asked. He nodded. "Yeah, I do."
"Then why didn't you stop to talk to –"
He raised their hands and kissed their union. "Don't worry about it."
The two made their way to his car, and got in. He put his key into the ignition and turned to Sara. "Where do you want to go?"
With no hesitation, she replied, "Take me to the beach."
He nodded, and he drove off without another word.
When they got there 15 minutes later, she got out. His eyes followed her out onto the sand and watched as she disappeared into the shadows. He found her standing in the tide as it rolled in.
He came to stand next to her. "Is there a specific reason you wanted to come here?" he asked her gently.
She turned to smile at him, then looked up at the moon. "Yes, actually. I knew that we could talk here."
He was quieted by her words, so she continued. "I know he shouldn't have, but Matt told me about your situation. And I know that… well, we have to be careful about what we say and where and I figured the tide makes a good cover noise…"
His jaw clenched at the breach of trust (softened at her precautions), but still Sara continued. "Don't be mad at him. He just didn't want me to say the wrong things tonight. He cares a lot about you."
He sighed as his jaw relaxed. "I know he does."
"So that was her, huh? The infamous heartbreaker?" He nodded.
"She's beautiful," Sara sighed. "I wish my hair looked as good as hers."
Michael smiled in response, shaking his head slowly.
"It's hard to fall out of love with someone who's been such a big part of your life, Mike. I know you want to move on. But who are you to say that you won't be moving on with her?" She took his hand and held it tightly. "You owe it to yourself to talk to her, REALLY talk to her about everything that's happened. Everything that you are feeling."
Her gaze swept back and forth between him and the stars. "It's beautiful tonight, it really is. You should be with her, not me."
He sighed softly. "I really did want to move on and meet someone new, Sara," he said defeated. "I'm sorry that you had to waste a night on me."
"Wasted?" she said incredulously. "I wasn't looking for romance, Mike. Granted it would have been nice to fall in love with someone like you…" she smiled shyly in the moonlight. "But above all I, I was looking for a companion tonight. Someone I could talk to. And I found that. I don't think I wasted a thing."
A few minutes later, Michael dropped Sara off at Matt's house, promising to call her with an update. "She's a lucky girl, this Sydney. She's getting a great guy," she had told him, before exiting his car.
He drove home, pulling out his phone as he pulled into the driveway. Walking up the steps, he saw a figure sitting on the top step.
She looked up: "Hey."
Stunned, he stopped walking and uttered a quiet "Hi."
"We need to talk," she said, and he nodded.
"I was about to call you," he said, pointing to his phone and then shoving it back into his pocket. He turned to walk back down the steps and she got up and followed him.
"She's pretty, that girl you were with."
He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she is."
"Can I ask who she was?" she asked quietly, not meeting his eyes as they walked down the street.
"She's my friend's cousin. We were set up on a blind date tonight."
"I wasn't aware that you, uh… that you were dating," she told him, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear.
"I'm not… she's in town for a couple days; Matt invited me to dinner with them. She graduated law school and took a year off before taking her board exams. Now she's here for a couple months, scoping out the place. He thought I'd make her comfortable. I graduated law, too."
She nodded. "I didn't know that."
"Apparently, there's a lot you don't know," he said resentfully. He took a deep breath before he began again. "You were with Will tonight."
"Yeah, he was bugging me to get out of the house. It's the end of the semester… I had a lot of work to do and I didn't get out much." She smiled suddenly. "I teach grade 4." Then it melted and disappeared, continuing with her original story. "Umm, so yeah. Will doesn't let up, so I finally said yes."
"I see…"
She skittered in front of him, putting up her hands to get him to stop walking. "You have every right to hate me right now, you really do. And I'm sorry I walked away. I'm sorry. I was so scared. I was thinking about what you said. Dying for you because I loved you. I finally understood. I didn't want you to die for me when we got back to L.A."
He shook his head angrily. "So you took what you could get and left me? That wasn't fair, Syd. You practically used me."
He pushed past her and continued walking down the street. "I know it wasn't fair!" she cried out as she caught up with him and grabbed his arm and spun him around. "I didn't know what else to do. I'm not good with this… this—" her arms were flailing around for effect, "this TALKING thing! I always say the wrong thing."
He stopped walking again and watched as the tears streamed down her face. "I did hate you… for a long time after New York. I hated thinking about you. I hated when Weiss called me, because I knew had just finished talking to you, or seeing you. You represent a lot of pain in my life, Sydney."
She sobbed softly, nodding (apologizing).
"I had no idea what to do, Syd. The woman I loved was the same woman who broke my heart. What do you do when that happens?"
"I'm tempted to say start over," she hiccupped, laughing at herself. "But that's just me talking backwards. God, I'm pitiful. I must look absolutely terrible." She was crying uncontrollably by then. "I shouldn't have come here, I should have just stayed at home and watched TV or something… " She continued to babbled, and he continued to watch her.
"Syd… Sydney. Stop. Stop talking." She sniffled loudly and turned to leave.
He chuckled softly before reaching out for her. "Where do you think you're going? We're far from done here."
"I thought it'd be best if I go…" she replied shyly, looking down at her feet. "I'm not exactly in my best state of mind right now."
He took her hand and began walking back to his place. "Let's get you cleaned up, then we'll see where we go from there."
She nodded and let him lead her.
He felt complete for the first time in a long time. Pain or no pain. He wasn't about to let walk away just yet.
Author: ReeCee
Feedback: If you'd like to give it, then I'd love to get it. lol No pressure.
E-mail: dangerous_angel@2die4.com
Distribution: Here! lol I'm not sure if my stuff is really up to par with everyone else's so I have no idea WHY you'd want to. . . but if you do. Thanks! Just email me and tell me where.
Disclaimer: Do I really need to? . . . (sigh) NOT MINE. Capiche? Besides, JJ Abrams is God to my Alias world.
A/N: Umm, I run the risk of receiving/reading less reviews by posting this chapter so soon after the last (because, you know, reading reviews is like.. food for thought. Or like... whatever. It's a good feeling lol) But it's done, and a people want to see it. I had no idea how to write this chapter, I really didn't. Now I have absolutely no clue where this is going. Feel free to give me direction, thought I already know what most of you want. :) This chapter's been edited QUITE a few times before i even considered it being remotely ready to be posted. So uh, go on now... take a look. (thx for the sweet reviews! u guys rock!!)
He was unbelievably nervous.
He was so unprepared for the prospect of dating that he didn't even have anything other than his (work) suits and old mission clothes in his closet.
He had raided Max's (classy neighbor and running partner) home in hopes of finding something appropriate to wear, claiming that he needed a favor.
"Hot date?" Max asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. Mike laughed as he continued to rifle through his closet. "Something like that."
An hour later, he was washed, dressed and sitting in his car using his spy skills to lay low. He didn't want to be the first to show up.
//At least this way, if I want to back out, no one will know.//
He waited patiently till he saw Matt and his wife walk inside the expensive looking Italian restaurant, accompanied by a tall, brown-haired girl. Almost immediately, his mind shot to Sydney. He sighed and shook his head. He was supposed to be moving on (sort of).
He got out of his car and straightened the clothes he had stolen from Max (a navy blue, short-sleeved, button up shirt with black slacks), checked his pocket for his wallet and cell, then slowly crossed the street to the restaurant. He locked his car doors before cautiously pushing the door open. He nodded to the hostess, who simply smiled and pointed him in the right direction.
He glanced over and saw Matt looking at him, a smirk on his face. The look clearly said "You can't spy on a spy," and he had the courtesy to blush.
The whole table stood up as he approached. He shook hands with Matt, kissed his wife Alyssa, and left Sara for last. He turned to her then and his green eyes met a similar pair. She smiled brightly before sticking out her right hand. "Sara Stevens."
He smiled back at her, saying, "Michael Vaughn."
They all sat down and fell into an easy conversation. It was clear to everyone at the table (Michael included) that the blind date was going well, but to what extent no one knew.
***
//Sue me, I like her.//
He smiled to himself as they settled down for dessert. The air filled with slow ramblings about nothing in particular. After Michael had paid the bill, with much protest from the Stevens' ("I get paid a little too well for my liking"), it was agreed that Michael would bring Sara home.
After saying their goodbyes and goodnights, both couples (loose term) rose to leave. Now that it was later in the evening, the crown had come in, leaving the restaurant more crowded than it was earlier. In single file they left, Michel grabbing onto Sara's hand to make sure she didn't get left behind. He made himself feel normal. He made himself understand that this was what he wanted.
He made himself think he wanted Sara (for all the wrong reasons). It wasn't hard. She was a great girl, with beautiful green eyes, and a quick wit to match. If had continued on in the world of lawyer-ism, he was sure he would have met his match in Sara (in more ways than one).
He was so lost in his dream of normalcy with Sara that, when he pushed the main door open and walked out into the street with Sara in tow, he blindly hit someone with the door. He peeked around it to come face to face with Sydney's brown eyes. "I – I'm sorry…" he apologized, his shock registering on his face as he looked at her.
Her eyes were glued to where his hand held Sara's. A man suddenly steeped in front of Sydney, blocking her. Watch where you're going," he said, before pushing Sydney ahead of him and into the restaurant. Michael frowned when he saw the man's hand rest on Sydney's waist.
"You didn't have to be so mean, Will," he heard her say. "He apologized. It was an accident…" Her voice faded out as she walked further into the restaurant.
He faintly heard Sara calling out to him and he looked down at her.
"Do you know her?" she asked. He nodded. "Yeah, I do."
"Then why didn't you stop to talk to –"
He raised their hands and kissed their union. "Don't worry about it."
The two made their way to his car, and got in. He put his key into the ignition and turned to Sara. "Where do you want to go?"
With no hesitation, she replied, "Take me to the beach."
He nodded, and he drove off without another word.
When they got there 15 minutes later, she got out. His eyes followed her out onto the sand and watched as she disappeared into the shadows. He found her standing in the tide as it rolled in.
He came to stand next to her. "Is there a specific reason you wanted to come here?" he asked her gently.
She turned to smile at him, then looked up at the moon. "Yes, actually. I knew that we could talk here."
He was quieted by her words, so she continued. "I know he shouldn't have, but Matt told me about your situation. And I know that… well, we have to be careful about what we say and where and I figured the tide makes a good cover noise…"
His jaw clenched at the breach of trust (softened at her precautions), but still Sara continued. "Don't be mad at him. He just didn't want me to say the wrong things tonight. He cares a lot about you."
He sighed as his jaw relaxed. "I know he does."
"So that was her, huh? The infamous heartbreaker?" He nodded.
"She's beautiful," Sara sighed. "I wish my hair looked as good as hers."
Michael smiled in response, shaking his head slowly.
"It's hard to fall out of love with someone who's been such a big part of your life, Mike. I know you want to move on. But who are you to say that you won't be moving on with her?" She took his hand and held it tightly. "You owe it to yourself to talk to her, REALLY talk to her about everything that's happened. Everything that you are feeling."
Her gaze swept back and forth between him and the stars. "It's beautiful tonight, it really is. You should be with her, not me."
He sighed softly. "I really did want to move on and meet someone new, Sara," he said defeated. "I'm sorry that you had to waste a night on me."
"Wasted?" she said incredulously. "I wasn't looking for romance, Mike. Granted it would have been nice to fall in love with someone like you…" she smiled shyly in the moonlight. "But above all I, I was looking for a companion tonight. Someone I could talk to. And I found that. I don't think I wasted a thing."
A few minutes later, Michael dropped Sara off at Matt's house, promising to call her with an update. "She's a lucky girl, this Sydney. She's getting a great guy," she had told him, before exiting his car.
He drove home, pulling out his phone as he pulled into the driveway. Walking up the steps, he saw a figure sitting on the top step.
She looked up: "Hey."
Stunned, he stopped walking and uttered a quiet "Hi."
"We need to talk," she said, and he nodded.
"I was about to call you," he said, pointing to his phone and then shoving it back into his pocket. He turned to walk back down the steps and she got up and followed him.
"She's pretty, that girl you were with."
He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she is."
"Can I ask who she was?" she asked quietly, not meeting his eyes as they walked down the street.
"She's my friend's cousin. We were set up on a blind date tonight."
"I wasn't aware that you, uh… that you were dating," she told him, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear.
"I'm not… she's in town for a couple days; Matt invited me to dinner with them. She graduated law school and took a year off before taking her board exams. Now she's here for a couple months, scoping out the place. He thought I'd make her comfortable. I graduated law, too."
She nodded. "I didn't know that."
"Apparently, there's a lot you don't know," he said resentfully. He took a deep breath before he began again. "You were with Will tonight."
"Yeah, he was bugging me to get out of the house. It's the end of the semester… I had a lot of work to do and I didn't get out much." She smiled suddenly. "I teach grade 4." Then it melted and disappeared, continuing with her original story. "Umm, so yeah. Will doesn't let up, so I finally said yes."
"I see…"
She skittered in front of him, putting up her hands to get him to stop walking. "You have every right to hate me right now, you really do. And I'm sorry I walked away. I'm sorry. I was so scared. I was thinking about what you said. Dying for you because I loved you. I finally understood. I didn't want you to die for me when we got back to L.A."
He shook his head angrily. "So you took what you could get and left me? That wasn't fair, Syd. You practically used me."
He pushed past her and continued walking down the street. "I know it wasn't fair!" she cried out as she caught up with him and grabbed his arm and spun him around. "I didn't know what else to do. I'm not good with this… this—" her arms were flailing around for effect, "this TALKING thing! I always say the wrong thing."
He stopped walking again and watched as the tears streamed down her face. "I did hate you… for a long time after New York. I hated thinking about you. I hated when Weiss called me, because I knew had just finished talking to you, or seeing you. You represent a lot of pain in my life, Sydney."
She sobbed softly, nodding (apologizing).
"I had no idea what to do, Syd. The woman I loved was the same woman who broke my heart. What do you do when that happens?"
"I'm tempted to say start over," she hiccupped, laughing at herself. "But that's just me talking backwards. God, I'm pitiful. I must look absolutely terrible." She was crying uncontrollably by then. "I shouldn't have come here, I should have just stayed at home and watched TV or something… " She continued to babbled, and he continued to watch her.
"Syd… Sydney. Stop. Stop talking." She sniffled loudly and turned to leave.
He chuckled softly before reaching out for her. "Where do you think you're going? We're far from done here."
"I thought it'd be best if I go…" she replied shyly, looking down at her feet. "I'm not exactly in my best state of mind right now."
He took her hand and began walking back to his place. "Let's get you cleaned up, then we'll see where we go from there."
She nodded and let him lead her.
He felt complete for the first time in a long time. Pain or no pain. He wasn't about to let walk away just yet.