Chapter Two
Bad Habits
He watches absently as his fingers drum out a rhythm on the crate next to him. He winces when he realizes what he is doing. Bad habit. It really annoys some people, but he still can't seem to help it.
Worrying. That's another one of his bad habits. His mother always said he would worry himself to death. True, and Sydney Bristow would be the death of him, since she seemed to be the source of all his worries. He hadn't seen her in two days, and it was most certainly killing him. The morning after-after that night, SD-6 had shoved her on a flight to another place you only hear of once in your life and soon forget. She didn't even have time to get a counter-mission, but she was intelligent and it was nothing more complicated than get copies for the CIA. But she had been gone two days; two days of no sleep for him. Until he gets a call this morning to meet her, no explanation, none needed.
What ever happened to those nice nine to five jobs they had been promised as kids?
Syd. The worst of his bad habits, and he was addicted. He should have stopped himself long before their night together, but he would have to stop it today. And break both their hearts. Above all he had to be professional about all of this, so she wouldn't get the wrong idea.
He hears her footsteps long before he sees her. He allows himself one raking glance while her back is turned, closing the cage, to check for bruises or any other injuries. There, where the sleeve pulls back to reveal a nasty purple spot. Then he drops his eyes to the floor and pretends he doesn't see it, just like all the others. Sometimes he pretends so much he thinks he might just go blind.
"Hey."
"Hi."
A hand appears, offering him a bundle of papers. He takes them without thinking, their fingers brushing. He stands up, acting like he is concentrating on what she has given him, flipping random pages as he moves to the farthest corner away from her. He tries to read the words, but they blur meaninglessly in front of his eyes.
"...So I just took pictures of the papers and gave SD-6 the originals. That was alright, wasn't it?" Her brilliant eyes look at him, pleading for praise, and his breath catches for a moment.
"Hmmm...? Yes, great job Syd. Soon enough you won't even need me to tell you anything." He tries a smile at his own joke, but it's weak and falls quickly.
"Vaughn? Is something wrong?" Concerned, she steps forward, and he awkwardly sidesteps her advance.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Except everything in this world that makes it impossible for him to have her.
Her brows draw together accusingly. So much for trying to be professional. Is he really that transparent, or does she just know him too well? Something flashes suddenly behind her eyes, and she steps back to regard him from the opposite side of the cage. "Dammit, Vaughn," she says quietly. "We never say what we really mean, and I'm getting really tired of it! Give me the truth just once."
Her anger draws him off guard, and he decides to give exactly what she wants, just this one time. "I'm afraid if I touch you, I'll kill you. Is that good enough for you?' He can't help letting some of his own frustration leak into his response, turning it bitter.
He watches helplessly as the sadness descends over her features, wishing he wasn't the cause. Slowly, she seems to gather her limitless strength around her, putting her walls up. She puts one foot in front of the other as she paces towards him, pinning him under her stare. She comes so close he can't do anything but smell her, breath in her scent, wish could sweep her into his arms and smother her in comfort. He loved how it amazed her that someone would want to take care of her, when she was always taking care of everyone else.
She places her hands on his chest, two small burning fires branding his flesh, marking him as hers forever.
"One last time, to remember you by." She presses her lips against his, and his arms come around her of their own accord.
Before it even begins, she drops her head and he drops his arms. He watches as the world moves in to fill the space between them, separating them more than ever. She casts him one last meaningful look and turns to walk away.
"I'll see you soon, Agent Vaughn," she calls casually over her shoulder, but you could almost hear her heart cracking.
"Goodbye, Agent Bristow." His hands clench around each other, distracting pain with pain.
Now he knows why it is so hard for smokers to quit. Bad habits die hard.
A/N: Okay, so much for happy, huh? I promise, just stick with me for the next chapter! Don't forget to R/R!
Bad Habits
He watches absently as his fingers drum out a rhythm on the crate next to him. He winces when he realizes what he is doing. Bad habit. It really annoys some people, but he still can't seem to help it.
Worrying. That's another one of his bad habits. His mother always said he would worry himself to death. True, and Sydney Bristow would be the death of him, since she seemed to be the source of all his worries. He hadn't seen her in two days, and it was most certainly killing him. The morning after-after that night, SD-6 had shoved her on a flight to another place you only hear of once in your life and soon forget. She didn't even have time to get a counter-mission, but she was intelligent and it was nothing more complicated than get copies for the CIA. But she had been gone two days; two days of no sleep for him. Until he gets a call this morning to meet her, no explanation, none needed.
What ever happened to those nice nine to five jobs they had been promised as kids?
Syd. The worst of his bad habits, and he was addicted. He should have stopped himself long before their night together, but he would have to stop it today. And break both their hearts. Above all he had to be professional about all of this, so she wouldn't get the wrong idea.
He hears her footsteps long before he sees her. He allows himself one raking glance while her back is turned, closing the cage, to check for bruises or any other injuries. There, where the sleeve pulls back to reveal a nasty purple spot. Then he drops his eyes to the floor and pretends he doesn't see it, just like all the others. Sometimes he pretends so much he thinks he might just go blind.
"Hey."
"Hi."
A hand appears, offering him a bundle of papers. He takes them without thinking, their fingers brushing. He stands up, acting like he is concentrating on what she has given him, flipping random pages as he moves to the farthest corner away from her. He tries to read the words, but they blur meaninglessly in front of his eyes.
"...So I just took pictures of the papers and gave SD-6 the originals. That was alright, wasn't it?" Her brilliant eyes look at him, pleading for praise, and his breath catches for a moment.
"Hmmm...? Yes, great job Syd. Soon enough you won't even need me to tell you anything." He tries a smile at his own joke, but it's weak and falls quickly.
"Vaughn? Is something wrong?" Concerned, she steps forward, and he awkwardly sidesteps her advance.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Except everything in this world that makes it impossible for him to have her.
Her brows draw together accusingly. So much for trying to be professional. Is he really that transparent, or does she just know him too well? Something flashes suddenly behind her eyes, and she steps back to regard him from the opposite side of the cage. "Dammit, Vaughn," she says quietly. "We never say what we really mean, and I'm getting really tired of it! Give me the truth just once."
Her anger draws him off guard, and he decides to give exactly what she wants, just this one time. "I'm afraid if I touch you, I'll kill you. Is that good enough for you?' He can't help letting some of his own frustration leak into his response, turning it bitter.
He watches helplessly as the sadness descends over her features, wishing he wasn't the cause. Slowly, she seems to gather her limitless strength around her, putting her walls up. She puts one foot in front of the other as she paces towards him, pinning him under her stare. She comes so close he can't do anything but smell her, breath in her scent, wish could sweep her into his arms and smother her in comfort. He loved how it amazed her that someone would want to take care of her, when she was always taking care of everyone else.
She places her hands on his chest, two small burning fires branding his flesh, marking him as hers forever.
"One last time, to remember you by." She presses her lips against his, and his arms come around her of their own accord.
Before it even begins, she drops her head and he drops his arms. He watches as the world moves in to fill the space between them, separating them more than ever. She casts him one last meaningful look and turns to walk away.
"I'll see you soon, Agent Vaughn," she calls casually over her shoulder, but you could almost hear her heart cracking.
"Goodbye, Agent Bristow." His hands clench around each other, distracting pain with pain.
Now he knows why it is so hard for smokers to quit. Bad habits die hard.
A/N: Okay, so much for happy, huh? I promise, just stick with me for the next chapter! Don't forget to R/R!