[I]Once again as in olden days, happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were near to us, will be dear to us once more
Some day soon we are we be together if the fates allow
Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now[/I]
"Judy Garland is the only one who can do this song justice." Sydney mutters
into Vaughn's chest, as they lay on his couch.
"Agreed." The CD ends and Vaughn reaches over to find the remote; he finds
it and turns on NBC to discover they are playing, [I]It's A Wonderful Life.[/I]
"Leave it, I like this movie."
"Jimmy Stewart is great."
"He really is."
Sydney asks, "You ever wonder what it was like if you were never born?"
"No, you?"
"Once or twice."
"I'm glad you were born; I'd probably hate my job and be miserable."
Sydney blushes, "Ditto. I'd probably be in some insane asylum or dead."
"Don't say that," Vaughn becomes uncomfortable, the thought of Sydney
being dead or discovered sickens him.
"Why, it's the truth." Now, Vaughn's the one who's blushing.
Sydney continues, "I wish we had a fire."
"Syd, it's like seventy degrees out."
Musing, "a roaring fire, and snow."
"And we roast chestnuts, and…" Vaughn retorts sarcastically.
Playfully slapping his arm, "Stop it! Wouldn't you want that? I've never had
Christmas out of LA, it'd be great."
"I grew up in Washington D.C. It's nice on Christmas, but hell the other three
months."
"So you're from D.C.?"
"No, I was born in France and moved to Los Angeles shortly after. We lived
here until Dad died, and then moved to D.C.."
"Going back home for Christmas?"
"Leaving tomorrow morning."
"Have a nice time."
"Oh, yah, I will." Vaughn says mixed with sarcasm and honesty. "You going to
spend it with Will and Francie, or you dad?"
"Why do you say that?" Sydney asks, and answering his question, "Francie is
going away to visit her parents, but Will's family is coming over and I invited
my father, but you know him. I doubt, even though I hope, he'll come."
"Because even though, I love my family, my sisters drive me insane. Your
dad'll come, he's warmed up over the years and he loves you."
"I hope so. Family drives you insane? I know the feeling."
They both chuckled, "The difference between your family driving you insane
and mine, mine does it in a very subtle way. Your mother and father have"
Vaughn's voice trails off, "issues even they don't even comprehend and yes,
stressful. However with mine, it's consist nagging and trying to one up each
other between my sisters."
"Really?"
"Yes, it's awful. I'll walk through the door, put my stuff away, go downstairs
and it will be, 'Hi Michael. Glad to see you had a nice flight. So no girlfriend?
Michael, you're thirty-something, you're in your prime. You're handsome
enough, you must have women lined up, why don't you settle down?' It's an
endless blah blah blah. Then Mom tells them to sod off, and they start
comparing their children and husband and bank account; it's a headache."
"Why doesn't your mother tell them to leave you alone sooner?"
"What and give up the dirty looks, eye rolls, and suppressed giggles she and
I share during the entire visit. Naah, Mom thinks its funny. The first word
out of her mouth is always jokingly, 'Where's my grandchildren?'"
Sydney half laughs, "Your mother sounds great."
"She is. She always liked me better and is more proud of what I've
accomplished than my sisters. And they know that. And it severely pisses
them off." Vaughn kind of smirks.
"Does she know?"
"Yes, she's the only one."
"You know that Christmas tree is weak." Sydney points out Vaughn's little
fake, Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
"I'm leaving in a day, and I am never here. Plus, I think it's cute."
"Well, then that's what matters, right? It's cute."
"It's perfect for one gift too." Vaughn gets up, goes to the tree and picks up
the rectangle box which was hiding end the branches.
"I thought we said no gifts, because the shopping would arise suspicion of
those around us." Sydney mockingly says.
"Yah, we did, but I did my shopping on EBay."
Sydney gets up and goes to her purse, she pulls out a square box, wrapped
in silver paper, "Ditto."
"I love Ebay."
"Oh me too. While jetting off to once again that week try not to get myself
killed, I can do all my Christmas shopping. It's perfect for the on-the-go spy."
"Bet Sloane would love that, 'Syd go steal this Rambaldi artifact.' 'Yah, when
bidding closes.'"
Handing him his gift, she smiles, "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," He kisses her on the cheek and hands her hers.
"Open it," She tells him.
"You first."
"No, open your gift."
"Ladies first."
"This lady is passing her right off to you."
"How about we open them simultaneously?"
"No, I want to see your reaction, and I'll be too busy reacting to mine to fully
enjoy the moment."
"Stop being difficult and please open your gift."
"Don't ruin the moment with your attitude."
Vaughn shakes his head, "I see I'm not going to win, fine, but you have to
open yours first next year."
"Deal."
Vaughn picks up the small box and carefully (and cunningly) begins to unwrap it.
He slowly opens the top, turns it around and opens the bottom. Knowing Sydney
is losing her patience, he slows down to a paint drying pace. He smiles inward,
payback is always satisfying, even if this is borderline cruel; she looks like she is
going to burst. Frustrated, she leans over and makes a big rip in the paper, "Oh
just rip it!"
Vaughn laughs and winks at her.
"You're so mean! Do you think you're funny when you do that? Your not!"
"Then why are you having a hard time suppressing a smile."
BUSTED! Sydney blushes.
"Wow, Sydney. Thank you."
It's a mint condition LA Kings Gordie Howe trading card, in a collectors case, and
autographed. Vaughn tries to speak, but words fail him; looks at her, smiles, and
kisses her. "Thank you. Whoa, how…"
Sydney's overjoyed; he's truly touched and really likes it. "I remember you said
Donovan destroyed the one you had." -- Vaughn mutters something about a stupid
mutt under his breathe -- "And you were unable to replace it, so I checked around
on Ebay, called in some contacts, surfed around and found one."
"Your beautiful, you know that."
Sydney chuckles.
"My gift seems like kind of lame compared to this. May I have another day to return
it and start over?"
"No! I'm positive I'll love it. The other two years were lovely." Sydney starts to open
the package. It's actually two small packages stacked onto top of each other; it's in
silver and blue snowflake wrapping paper, and a lace ribbon tied them together.
"Nice wrapping."
"Thank You."
"Did you wrap it?" Imagining Vaughn wrapping this with Donovan stepping all over it,
and destroying everything brings a grin to Sydney's face, however Vaughn tells her
the truth.
"No, I got it gift wrapped. What don't think I could wrap like that?"
"Oh, no, it's just… A little Martha Stewart."
"Yah think? See, I think Martha Stewart would probably have made her own wrapping
paper."
"True, very true."
Sydney finishes unwrapping the first gift; It is another picture frame, carrying on the
tradition. This year it's smaller, holding a 3X5, and made of a modern pewter, very
sleek and elegant. Letting out a small aw and kissing Vaughn on the cheek, "It's
lovely. I know exactly what picture I'm going to use, been waiting all year."
"That obvious to you?"
"No, it's tradition." She picks up the other package and begins to unwrap, "It's good. I
don't have a lot of traditions and it's about time you and I start forming our own."
Smiling at him, she rips off the paper in one motion. This gift elicits the same reaction
as Vaughn's; Vaughn had gotten her a mint condition, First Edition American version of
Shakespeare's [I]Much Ado About Nothing[/I].
Nearly squealing, "Vaughn, it's beautiful. How on Earth did you… this must have…
Vaughn, how…
"I checked around on Ebay, called in some contacts, surfed around and found one." He
winks at her, "Don't fret about it, Syd, I know you said this was one of your favorites
and one of the only ones your didn't have."
Sydney kisses Vaughn, smiles, puts it down on the table and runs into the bathroom.
She returns with latex gloves, "I don't want to get my fingerprints on it!" Vaughn as
stares like she's crazy.
"I love it AND love you, thank you."
"You're welcome," he tells her, however she barely hears; she's so engrossed in trying
to find a her favorite passage.
*
Faithful friends who were near to us, will be dear to us once more
Some day soon we are we be together if the fates allow
Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now[/I]
"Judy Garland is the only one who can do this song justice." Sydney mutters
into Vaughn's chest, as they lay on his couch.
"Agreed." The CD ends and Vaughn reaches over to find the remote; he finds
it and turns on NBC to discover they are playing, [I]It's A Wonderful Life.[/I]
"Leave it, I like this movie."
"Jimmy Stewart is great."
"He really is."
Sydney asks, "You ever wonder what it was like if you were never born?"
"No, you?"
"Once or twice."
"I'm glad you were born; I'd probably hate my job and be miserable."
Sydney blushes, "Ditto. I'd probably be in some insane asylum or dead."
"Don't say that," Vaughn becomes uncomfortable, the thought of Sydney
being dead or discovered sickens him.
"Why, it's the truth." Now, Vaughn's the one who's blushing.
Sydney continues, "I wish we had a fire."
"Syd, it's like seventy degrees out."
Musing, "a roaring fire, and snow."
"And we roast chestnuts, and…" Vaughn retorts sarcastically.
Playfully slapping his arm, "Stop it! Wouldn't you want that? I've never had
Christmas out of LA, it'd be great."
"I grew up in Washington D.C. It's nice on Christmas, but hell the other three
months."
"So you're from D.C.?"
"No, I was born in France and moved to Los Angeles shortly after. We lived
here until Dad died, and then moved to D.C.."
"Going back home for Christmas?"
"Leaving tomorrow morning."
"Have a nice time."
"Oh, yah, I will." Vaughn says mixed with sarcasm and honesty. "You going to
spend it with Will and Francie, or you dad?"
"Why do you say that?" Sydney asks, and answering his question, "Francie is
going away to visit her parents, but Will's family is coming over and I invited
my father, but you know him. I doubt, even though I hope, he'll come."
"Because even though, I love my family, my sisters drive me insane. Your
dad'll come, he's warmed up over the years and he loves you."
"I hope so. Family drives you insane? I know the feeling."
They both chuckled, "The difference between your family driving you insane
and mine, mine does it in a very subtle way. Your mother and father have"
Vaughn's voice trails off, "issues even they don't even comprehend and yes,
stressful. However with mine, it's consist nagging and trying to one up each
other between my sisters."
"Really?"
"Yes, it's awful. I'll walk through the door, put my stuff away, go downstairs
and it will be, 'Hi Michael. Glad to see you had a nice flight. So no girlfriend?
Michael, you're thirty-something, you're in your prime. You're handsome
enough, you must have women lined up, why don't you settle down?' It's an
endless blah blah blah. Then Mom tells them to sod off, and they start
comparing their children and husband and bank account; it's a headache."
"Why doesn't your mother tell them to leave you alone sooner?"
"What and give up the dirty looks, eye rolls, and suppressed giggles she and
I share during the entire visit. Naah, Mom thinks its funny. The first word
out of her mouth is always jokingly, 'Where's my grandchildren?'"
Sydney half laughs, "Your mother sounds great."
"She is. She always liked me better and is more proud of what I've
accomplished than my sisters. And they know that. And it severely pisses
them off." Vaughn kind of smirks.
"Does she know?"
"Yes, she's the only one."
"You know that Christmas tree is weak." Sydney points out Vaughn's little
fake, Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
"I'm leaving in a day, and I am never here. Plus, I think it's cute."
"Well, then that's what matters, right? It's cute."
"It's perfect for one gift too." Vaughn gets up, goes to the tree and picks up
the rectangle box which was hiding end the branches.
"I thought we said no gifts, because the shopping would arise suspicion of
those around us." Sydney mockingly says.
"Yah, we did, but I did my shopping on EBay."
Sydney gets up and goes to her purse, she pulls out a square box, wrapped
in silver paper, "Ditto."
"I love Ebay."
"Oh me too. While jetting off to once again that week try not to get myself
killed, I can do all my Christmas shopping. It's perfect for the on-the-go spy."
"Bet Sloane would love that, 'Syd go steal this Rambaldi artifact.' 'Yah, when
bidding closes.'"
Handing him his gift, she smiles, "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," He kisses her on the cheek and hands her hers.
"Open it," She tells him.
"You first."
"No, open your gift."
"Ladies first."
"This lady is passing her right off to you."
"How about we open them simultaneously?"
"No, I want to see your reaction, and I'll be too busy reacting to mine to fully
enjoy the moment."
"Stop being difficult and please open your gift."
"Don't ruin the moment with your attitude."
Vaughn shakes his head, "I see I'm not going to win, fine, but you have to
open yours first next year."
"Deal."
Vaughn picks up the small box and carefully (and cunningly) begins to unwrap it.
He slowly opens the top, turns it around and opens the bottom. Knowing Sydney
is losing her patience, he slows down to a paint drying pace. He smiles inward,
payback is always satisfying, even if this is borderline cruel; she looks like she is
going to burst. Frustrated, she leans over and makes a big rip in the paper, "Oh
just rip it!"
Vaughn laughs and winks at her.
"You're so mean! Do you think you're funny when you do that? Your not!"
"Then why are you having a hard time suppressing a smile."
BUSTED! Sydney blushes.
"Wow, Sydney. Thank you."
It's a mint condition LA Kings Gordie Howe trading card, in a collectors case, and
autographed. Vaughn tries to speak, but words fail him; looks at her, smiles, and
kisses her. "Thank you. Whoa, how…"
Sydney's overjoyed; he's truly touched and really likes it. "I remember you said
Donovan destroyed the one you had." -- Vaughn mutters something about a stupid
mutt under his breathe -- "And you were unable to replace it, so I checked around
on Ebay, called in some contacts, surfed around and found one."
"Your beautiful, you know that."
Sydney chuckles.
"My gift seems like kind of lame compared to this. May I have another day to return
it and start over?"
"No! I'm positive I'll love it. The other two years were lovely." Sydney starts to open
the package. It's actually two small packages stacked onto top of each other; it's in
silver and blue snowflake wrapping paper, and a lace ribbon tied them together.
"Nice wrapping."
"Thank You."
"Did you wrap it?" Imagining Vaughn wrapping this with Donovan stepping all over it,
and destroying everything brings a grin to Sydney's face, however Vaughn tells her
the truth.
"No, I got it gift wrapped. What don't think I could wrap like that?"
"Oh, no, it's just… A little Martha Stewart."
"Yah think? See, I think Martha Stewart would probably have made her own wrapping
paper."
"True, very true."
Sydney finishes unwrapping the first gift; It is another picture frame, carrying on the
tradition. This year it's smaller, holding a 3X5, and made of a modern pewter, very
sleek and elegant. Letting out a small aw and kissing Vaughn on the cheek, "It's
lovely. I know exactly what picture I'm going to use, been waiting all year."
"That obvious to you?"
"No, it's tradition." She picks up the other package and begins to unwrap, "It's good. I
don't have a lot of traditions and it's about time you and I start forming our own."
Smiling at him, she rips off the paper in one motion. This gift elicits the same reaction
as Vaughn's; Vaughn had gotten her a mint condition, First Edition American version of
Shakespeare's [I]Much Ado About Nothing[/I].
Nearly squealing, "Vaughn, it's beautiful. How on Earth did you… this must have…
Vaughn, how…
"I checked around on Ebay, called in some contacts, surfed around and found one." He
winks at her, "Don't fret about it, Syd, I know you said this was one of your favorites
and one of the only ones your didn't have."
Sydney kisses Vaughn, smiles, puts it down on the table and runs into the bathroom.
She returns with latex gloves, "I don't want to get my fingerprints on it!" Vaughn as
stares like she's crazy.
"I love it AND love you, thank you."
"You're welcome," he tells her, however she barely hears; she's so engrossed in trying
to find a her favorite passage.
*