Chapter Seventeen: A Night At Home

After Michael left her office that day, Sydney allowed herself to spend the rest of the afternoon reveling in the afterglow of his love, choosing not to think about what the next week would bring. Michael loved her, and he believed everything was going to be okay. That was almost as good as believing it herself.

She went home a little early that night, early enough that she was able to spend some time with the children before dinner. Michael got home shortly after her, and after they ate she gave Emily a bath and got her ready for bed while he helped Jack with his homework. Sydney could hardly believe how content she felt as she pulled the covers up to Emily's chin and kissed the little girl's forehead. "Good night, little one," she whispered. There was nothing she liked better than quiet nights at home with her family.

Except maybe not so quiet ones in the bedroom with her husband. She smiled as she entered the living room to find Michael watching television on the couch. She moved to sit next to him, kissing his cheek and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Our angel is asleep," she told him as his arm made its way around her shoulders.

"Good," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Jack's in the bathtub. He finished his homework."

"Good," she responded, moving so she was sitting on her husband's lap. "The sooner he goes to bed, the sooner we can do the same."

"Tired?" he asked with a smile, smoothing her hair back from her face.

"Not at all," she said, leaning over to give him a long, passionate kiss.

"I take it you enjoyed yourself this afternoon," he said, his smile widening.

"You know I love it when you're forceful." She turned so she was facing him, straddling him.

"Do you?" A wicked grin flashed across his handsome face. "You didn't so much at the CIA."

"Oh, I did," she assured him, raking her hands through his sandy brown hair. He was so beautiful. How had she gotten so lucky? "I just pretended I didn't."

"Really? What else did you like about me at the CIA?"

"Besides your gorgeous face?" she asked, leaning over to plant a kiss on his lips.

"Besides that," he said, matching her kiss with one of his own.

"Mmm," she said. It would have been a lot easier to carry on a conversation if she could have kept her lips from his for more than three seconds at a time, but it was as if there were a magnetic force drawing her to him. "I liked how adorably protective you were of me."

"Oh, you noticed that?" he murmured, taking her lips with his.

"Mm-hmm." Another kiss, then another. "And how jealous you'd get when I'd mention the name Will Tippin."

"I did not!" he protested.

"Could have-- AAAH!" she let out a scream at the sight of their son, peeking around the doorway to the room.

"What is it?" If Sydney hadn't scrambled off of Michael, he would have pushed her off, as quickly as he jumped up from the couch.

"Jack, honey, you scared me," Sydney gasped.

"What do you need, buddy?" Michael's eyes were wild, still darting around the room as if searching for his gun.

"I--" Jack hesitated, as if unsure why he was standing there. "I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Oh." Sydney smothered a laugh at the look on Michael's face. "Goodnight."

"I'll come tuck you in, Jack," Sydney said, patting her husband's shoulder on her way past him. "Michael, why don't you get ready for bed? I'll come join you in a minute."

She was pulling the covers under Jack's chin before he spoke again. "What's the CIA?"

"What's the--" Sydney's eyes widened as she realized Jack must have been watching her and Michael for at least a few minutes. "Jack, if you wanted to talk to your daddy and me, you should have said something. It's rude to listen in on private conversations." Conversation. Right. So that was what they were calling it these days.

"I know. I'm sorry." A beat. "What's the CIA?"

"It's a United States government agency, sweetie." Well, honey, years ago the CIA fired your daddy, and now they're going to throw your mommy and daddy in jail if we don't do exactly what they say.

"Did you and Dad used to work for them?"

"Yes, honey." Yes, honey. Right up until your daddy got fired for breaking too many rules to help your mommy, who, by the way, had never even told him she loved him.

"Why don't you anymore?"

Well, honey, that's an interesting story…"We work for your grandma now, sweetie."

"But why?"

Now there was a good question. "Going to work for your grandma seemed like the best thing to do at the time, sweetheart." She pressed her lips to her son's forehead and rose from the bed. "Get some sleep, Jack."

"Okay. Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, Jack." She turned off his light and closed the door behind her, hurrying down the hall to settle into bed with her husband. "We have a very inquisitive son, Michael."

"Mmm." He began to stroke her hair slowly, almost distractedly. "You know who else was inquisitive?"

"Who?"

"Will Tippin."

Sydney let out a peal of laughter, raising her hand to give her husband a playful swat. He caught her wrists and turned to pin her to the bed, his lips crashing down on hers.

She had half a mind to make him get up and lock the door before they went any further.