Author's Note: Sorry this took so long! And after someone told me this was one of the fastest updated stories on the site- I should be ashamed of myself. Does final exams count as an excuse? It better, cos it's my one. Anyway, here's the next chapter- things are heating up…

Sydney pulled away from Vaughn, her dark eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" she asked, shocked. Vaughn looked at her seriously.

"What I should have done a long time ago," he said solemnly. Sydney frowned at him, her face full of emotion.

"I'm sorry…I cant do this right now," she said, her lower lip trembling. Then she stood and ran to her room. Vaughn sat still on the couch, cradling his cast. He frowned pensively out the window. After a minute he reached out and grabbed a notebook and pen. Then he began to write, pausing ever so often to chew on the pen.

*

Silence fell in the car, and Francie lay her head against the window to watch the landscape go by. It was strangely soothing, and she found herself drifting off…

Weiss shook her awake gently, not really wanting to wake her. She looked around blearily.

"Where are we?" she mumbled.

"At a petrol station about an hour away from L.A," Weiss replied. Francie sat up straighter and tried to look alert.

"Coffee?" she asked. Weiss nodded towards the drink holder. Francie looked down at a steaming cup of coffee. She smiled.

"Thank you," she said, sipping at it. It was hot enough to scald her tongue, but she didn't care. Weiss let her drink for a bit, then cleared his throat.

"I have to fill you in on what's going on," he said regretfully. Francie sat up attentively.

"I told you earlier that we were setting Sloane up- we still are. We need you to report to the Alliance and fill them in on the details," he said. Francie looked nervous, but nodded.

"I know it'll be hard, but I'll be there for you all the way. The story is this: you've been watching Sydney for any potential signs of her not being loyal when you started to notice some discrepancies in Sloane's work. First you confronted him, but he placated you, and all evidence of that meeting was destroyed. Jack is saying that Sloane asked him to destroy records of that meeting. You let it alone for a few months, but you couldn't ignore it so you went to Jack. He confronted Sloane, and Sloane denied everything. Then he began to set Sydney up as a scapegoat, but you knew Sydney was clean. Sloane couldn't handle the pressure anymore, what with the death of his wife, and now setting up the daughter of one of his lifelong friends to be executed so he took his own life," Weiss said.

Francie fiddled with her hands, looking down at her lap.

"Are you alright?" Weiss asked. She nodded, her hair falling over her face.

"Where's the meeting?" she asked.

"Montreal," Weiss replied.

"And you're going to be there?" she asked. Weiss nodded. Francie looked up, then smiled at him.

"Okay," she said bravely. Weiss reached over and hugged her, then started the engine of the car.

*

Sydney lay on her bed, her face conflicted. She liked Vaughn…maybe even loved him. But why did he have to make a move now?! She had too many other things on her mind- Sloane's death and her father's potential role in it, Francie being placed in danger again, everything was all happening at once. She buried her face in her hands.

A folded piece of paper appeared under her door. She looked at it curiously, then climbed off the bed to read it. She unfolded it impatiently.

To Sydney, she read.

I'm sorry for that. I know it wasn't the right time, and I don't know what came over me. If you want to talk, you know where I am.

Love,

Michael.

She clutched the letter in her fist, pushing her hair back behind her ear. Then she took a deep breath and walked back outside. Vaughn looked up from the television, then switched it off. She walked into the lounge and sat primly on the couch. Vaughn waited for her to say something.

"You just took me by surprise, that's all," she said. Vaughn nodded, remaining silent. She leaned back further into the couch.

"But whatever it was that came over you…any chance of it coming back?" she asked demurely. Vaughn grinned devilishly.

"That can be arranged," he murmured, then leaned over to kiss her again. She reached up and placed a slender finger on his mouth.

"What about protocol?" she whispered. Vaughn started to pull away, but she drew his face to hers and kissed him. 'Stuff protocol,' thought Vaughn.

Author's Note: I know. Short. I may not be able to write much for awhile, but I can always be encouraged by some reviews…hint hint.