Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue. Do review.
A/N: Hello. By popular demand, the second chapter is up!!! Loads of thanks and seasonal well wishes to ryan, mary, chocolatechipcookies777, Lizzy, SINTHEEAH, Sakura Avalon, sommer, Kimmers, tennischickGGEA, twin*muse, nana, Intoxicated, nosleep3, Mrs O-Town, Nancy Oroian, plus any anonymous reviewers for their reviews. If you keep the flood of reviews coming, then I'll be inspired to write quicker. Deal? Because of the contradiction over what Francie's restaurant is called, I've had a clever idea. (Several of my friends died of shock, because me and clever is not something which happens a lot.) I've decided to try and avoid naming the restaurant at all. (Chorus of gasp.) I hope I can pull this off. But my clever moment will probably be short lived, when I probably spell something wrong. (Sob) Oh if you like Tomb Raider then check out my little sis, dead-batteries', f/f 'Seven Days.' (Very proud look on face whilst saying "Oh, my lil sis is all grown up and writing f/f.") I'll stop wafferling now and get on with it. R&R and ENJOY!! Merry Christmas - Bex
Vaughn sat behind his desk, playing with a coin between his fingers, lost completely in his own thought. The whole of the CIA building could have collapsed on his head that very moment and he wouldn't have blinked an eyelid. He had a mountain of paper work pilled high on his desk, but he was too distracted to do it. His mind was fixed on the last time he had see Sydney. The last time he would see her for two weeks. The memory kept on playing through his mind, as if some one kept on rewinding it, then playing it over and over again.
*Flashback *
He sat on a crate in the warehouse, waiting. She was late. She always was. But this never bothered him, because he knew that she was worth waiting for, even if he had to wait forever.
A smile spread across his face, as he heard her heals clip along the floor, towards him. He looked at her, their eyes met briefly, then she looked away.
"Sorry I'm late." She apologised.
"Not a problem." He smiled, "By the way Syd, good work in Greece. We have a CIA team decoding the text as we talk. Seriously, some agents have no life outside of work."
'And sadly I'm one of then. My life pretty much revolves around you.' He added silently.
"Great. Sloane gave me two weeks off for Christmas. Unless there's something the CIA wants me to do?" She told him.
"Nope. Devlin thought that you could do with a brake too. You deserve it."
His heart fell slightly, knowing that he wouldn't see her again for two whole weeks. There was an awkward silence.
"So." they both began at the same time.
They blushed.
"You first." She beat him to it.
"I was just going to ask what you were planning to do with your two weeks of freedom?"
"Nothing much. Relax, hang out with my friends, and celebrate Christmas. You?"
"Spending it with my mum. My sisters and brother are coming over as well. My older sister is bringing her husband and their kids. I haven't seen them for ages."
"Oh." She paused, "What about Alice?"
He looked at the ground. "We broke up again."
"Oh. Sorry."
Did he imagine it or didn't she seem that sorry for him? Did she sound sort of happy?
'You imagining it Vaughn.' He told himself. 'She doesn't feel for you in that way.'
His hand tightened on his jacket pocket. He could feel the rectangle present through the material. Underneath the material and the rapping, was a red box, containing a beautiful silver fountain pen. It was covered with delicate carvings and at the end; he had gotten it engraved with a small M.V. So she could remember who it was from. It was a very personal gift. Maybe too personal. His hands were itching to give it to her, but he was too frightened about what she might think. He didn't care if he got into trouble again like last year. What held him back was the fear that she would reject it and him.
"I better go." She broke the silence.
"Oh. I guess I'll you in two weeks then. Happy Christmas Syd."
"Happy Christmas Vaughn."
He watched her walk away. He was angry with himself for not giving her the gift and sad that he wouldn't see her again for two week.
* End Flashback *
' It's only two weeks.' He snapped at himself, ' That's not too long.'
But to him, two whole weeks with out seeing Sydney, would feel like an eternity.
"Well if it isn't the CIA's very own lovesick puppy. So are we moping over the brake up with Alice? Or brooding over your very attractive double agent?" Wiess asked as he entered the room.
Vaughn looked up, "Hey man."
There was a pause, whilst Wiess kept staring at him. Vaughn looked at him, confused.
"Well." Wiess prodded.
"What?"
"Thanks Eric for picking up my sister from the airport, which I couldn't do, because I was working on my manly brooding." Wiess said, doing his best Vaughn impression, "That's what."
"Oh, yeah sorry." Vaughn apologised, "I wasn't with it. Thanks man. How is she?"
"Melissa is great. I took her to lunch. We went to this new place, it's only opened recently, but the food was excellent."
"Well if it isn't the partners in crime." Melissa sated as she entered the office, "So tell me big brother, what was the international emergence, that was more important then picking up your little sister?"
Vaughn nodded at the pile of paper work on his desk. He then got up and hugged his sister. It felt like an age since he had last seen her.
"So I heard you broke up with Gary. I told you that he wasn't good enough for you." Vaughn said, in a 'told you so' sort of way.
"I heard you broke up with Alice again. I told that that she wasn't good enough for you the first time you went out." She teased, "But what can I say, when it comes to who I date, I ignore you're advice and you do the same to me. Speaking of dates," She turned to Wiess, "Have you told him yet, Eric?"
"Told me what?" Vaughn asked suspiciously.
Melissa handed him a red flyer.
"It's for a charity auction, being held at the restaurant we went to. They're auctioning off dates with members of staff. It's on tomorrow evening." Wiess informed him.
Vaughn read the flyer quickly. For some reason, the restaurant name seemed formular, (A/N: Insert guess or real name of Francie's restaurant here.) but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"I don't know." He began, but his sister cut him off.
"Oh no you don't Mike. I'm not putting up with your moping at Christmas. You are going to go with Eric and me. You are going to have fun. And you are going to bid for some girl who hasn't got blond hair and blue eyes, and hasn't got a name beginning with A. Have I made myself clear?" Melissa ordered.
"Yes, mother!" He said sarcastically, as he gave up.
Melissa had a grin stretching from ear to ear on her face. It wasn't often that she'd beat her brother. And when she did, she enjoyed every second of it.
'What have I let myself in for?' Vaughn wondered grimly.
A/N: Hello. By popular demand, the second chapter is up!!! Loads of thanks and seasonal well wishes to ryan, mary, chocolatechipcookies777, Lizzy, SINTHEEAH, Sakura Avalon, sommer, Kimmers, tennischickGGEA, twin*muse, nana, Intoxicated, nosleep3, Mrs O-Town, Nancy Oroian, plus any anonymous reviewers for their reviews. If you keep the flood of reviews coming, then I'll be inspired to write quicker. Deal? Because of the contradiction over what Francie's restaurant is called, I've had a clever idea. (Several of my friends died of shock, because me and clever is not something which happens a lot.) I've decided to try and avoid naming the restaurant at all. (Chorus of gasp.) I hope I can pull this off. But my clever moment will probably be short lived, when I probably spell something wrong. (Sob) Oh if you like Tomb Raider then check out my little sis, dead-batteries', f/f 'Seven Days.' (Very proud look on face whilst saying "Oh, my lil sis is all grown up and writing f/f.") I'll stop wafferling now and get on with it. R&R and ENJOY!! Merry Christmas - Bex
Vaughn sat behind his desk, playing with a coin between his fingers, lost completely in his own thought. The whole of the CIA building could have collapsed on his head that very moment and he wouldn't have blinked an eyelid. He had a mountain of paper work pilled high on his desk, but he was too distracted to do it. His mind was fixed on the last time he had see Sydney. The last time he would see her for two weeks. The memory kept on playing through his mind, as if some one kept on rewinding it, then playing it over and over again.
*Flashback *
He sat on a crate in the warehouse, waiting. She was late. She always was. But this never bothered him, because he knew that she was worth waiting for, even if he had to wait forever.
A smile spread across his face, as he heard her heals clip along the floor, towards him. He looked at her, their eyes met briefly, then she looked away.
"Sorry I'm late." She apologised.
"Not a problem." He smiled, "By the way Syd, good work in Greece. We have a CIA team decoding the text as we talk. Seriously, some agents have no life outside of work."
'And sadly I'm one of then. My life pretty much revolves around you.' He added silently.
"Great. Sloane gave me two weeks off for Christmas. Unless there's something the CIA wants me to do?" She told him.
"Nope. Devlin thought that you could do with a brake too. You deserve it."
His heart fell slightly, knowing that he wouldn't see her again for two whole weeks. There was an awkward silence.
"So." they both began at the same time.
They blushed.
"You first." She beat him to it.
"I was just going to ask what you were planning to do with your two weeks of freedom?"
"Nothing much. Relax, hang out with my friends, and celebrate Christmas. You?"
"Spending it with my mum. My sisters and brother are coming over as well. My older sister is bringing her husband and their kids. I haven't seen them for ages."
"Oh." She paused, "What about Alice?"
He looked at the ground. "We broke up again."
"Oh. Sorry."
Did he imagine it or didn't she seem that sorry for him? Did she sound sort of happy?
'You imagining it Vaughn.' He told himself. 'She doesn't feel for you in that way.'
His hand tightened on his jacket pocket. He could feel the rectangle present through the material. Underneath the material and the rapping, was a red box, containing a beautiful silver fountain pen. It was covered with delicate carvings and at the end; he had gotten it engraved with a small M.V. So she could remember who it was from. It was a very personal gift. Maybe too personal. His hands were itching to give it to her, but he was too frightened about what she might think. He didn't care if he got into trouble again like last year. What held him back was the fear that she would reject it and him.
"I better go." She broke the silence.
"Oh. I guess I'll you in two weeks then. Happy Christmas Syd."
"Happy Christmas Vaughn."
He watched her walk away. He was angry with himself for not giving her the gift and sad that he wouldn't see her again for two week.
* End Flashback *
' It's only two weeks.' He snapped at himself, ' That's not too long.'
But to him, two whole weeks with out seeing Sydney, would feel like an eternity.
"Well if it isn't the CIA's very own lovesick puppy. So are we moping over the brake up with Alice? Or brooding over your very attractive double agent?" Wiess asked as he entered the room.
Vaughn looked up, "Hey man."
There was a pause, whilst Wiess kept staring at him. Vaughn looked at him, confused.
"Well." Wiess prodded.
"What?"
"Thanks Eric for picking up my sister from the airport, which I couldn't do, because I was working on my manly brooding." Wiess said, doing his best Vaughn impression, "That's what."
"Oh, yeah sorry." Vaughn apologised, "I wasn't with it. Thanks man. How is she?"
"Melissa is great. I took her to lunch. We went to this new place, it's only opened recently, but the food was excellent."
"Well if it isn't the partners in crime." Melissa sated as she entered the office, "So tell me big brother, what was the international emergence, that was more important then picking up your little sister?"
Vaughn nodded at the pile of paper work on his desk. He then got up and hugged his sister. It felt like an age since he had last seen her.
"So I heard you broke up with Gary. I told you that he wasn't good enough for you." Vaughn said, in a 'told you so' sort of way.
"I heard you broke up with Alice again. I told that that she wasn't good enough for you the first time you went out." She teased, "But what can I say, when it comes to who I date, I ignore you're advice and you do the same to me. Speaking of dates," She turned to Wiess, "Have you told him yet, Eric?"
"Told me what?" Vaughn asked suspiciously.
Melissa handed him a red flyer.
"It's for a charity auction, being held at the restaurant we went to. They're auctioning off dates with members of staff. It's on tomorrow evening." Wiess informed him.
Vaughn read the flyer quickly. For some reason, the restaurant name seemed formular, (A/N: Insert guess or real name of Francie's restaurant here.) but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"I don't know." He began, but his sister cut him off.
"Oh no you don't Mike. I'm not putting up with your moping at Christmas. You are going to go with Eric and me. You are going to have fun. And you are going to bid for some girl who hasn't got blond hair and blue eyes, and hasn't got a name beginning with A. Have I made myself clear?" Melissa ordered.
"Yes, mother!" He said sarcastically, as he gave up.
Melissa had a grin stretching from ear to ear on her face. It wasn't often that she'd beat her brother. And when she did, she enjoyed every second of it.
'What have I let myself in for?' Vaughn wondered grimly.