Chapter 2
Title: Wish List
Author: Donna donna__rose@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: They're not mine, if you think they are you are obviously either insane or a very dumb lawyer.
Summary: Syd wishes, Vaughn delivers, a happy ending. I dunno, read it and then you can write my summary for me.
Notes: Well, I'm not notorious for finishing fics, but reviews will get me moving. I really like them whether they are mean or nice just as long as I know that someone is reading this. It will have a happy ending, I promise. Um, also I live in Australia so if I make mistakes or spell mom mum (which I won't because on my end of year English exam I spelt mom mom and my teacher just thought it was great.) don't get mad. Also I don't think I'll try to incorporate any of the real show's plot because it's too hard to keep up. Also anyone wanna e-mail me, just do it, I don't mind, I'd actually love for you to, makes me feel wanted. Donna__rose@hotmail.com Anyways, R and R please and enjoy.
Vaughn's legs were spread wide and he was sitting right back in his favourite comfy chair. The television was on, the pictures and muffled sounds of some black and white movie from years before he was even born appearing on the screen. A ceramic bowl of half finished spaghetti balanced on his right knee as he sank even lower into a more comfortable position.
The spaghetti was possibly off, he'd made it a couple of nights ago for him and his mom and left the uneaten majority in the fridge. Vaughn only ever got pizza for take out and he'd realised that buying a whole pizza was stupid considering he was all by himself so he had chosen the weird smelling left-overs. 'Dumb move' he'd decided after having eaten about seven mouthfuls. He'd driven home too fast and stalked into his house half in a rage. The neatness just caused him to become even more upset. It was so unlike him, every room was spotless except for his own bedroom and it wasn't him.
Vaughn, being quite strong, had grabbed the television, ripping the cords out of the wall by accident and lugged it up the stairs into his own room. Large double bed, unmade dull copper sheets with a white valance to hide the mass of old magazines and video cassettes that lay beneath. In the corner his favourite chair sat, an ugly green and no match to the rest of the colour coded room but a piece that had grown better with age and was now in it's prime; a perfect mix of sag and taunt material. Next to the bed a large wardrobe, filled with shoes and clothing, his work suits on hangers, his jeans, tracksuit pants and shirts unfolded in a heap. Outside the wardrobe a small pile of the past few days' laundry clogged the polished floor boards and on the opposing wall a huge full length window gave a view into the secret-like garden his old neighbour kept so perfect. A mirror, desk and lamp completed the bedroom along with paper, pens, ties and underwear strewn everywhere. The room clearly reflected who he really was, at the moment, a mess.
And now he was sadly sitting by himself in his chair watching the television at a couple of minutes past two am. He flicked a few more times before switching the off button and sitting up. He flexed his back muscles, almost spilling the bowl of red meet sauce and white thick strings. Rolling his neck he placed the bowl on his bed and stood up, characteristically he breathed deeply through his nose and stretched, almost hitting the ceiling with the tips of his fingers.
Donovan, a small stout dog with hardly any legs, stood obediently beside him. Vaughn looked down at the dog before turning the light out and walking down the stairs into the kitchen where he found the dog's blue leash. He glanced up at the clock and shook his head as he noticed just how late it was. "Too late for a couple of old men to go walking?" In response of perhaps because the dog had noticed the leash, Donovan ran for the door, skidding slightly on the floor on the way. He jumped up and scratched at the already well defined claw marks. "I guess not."
Poking his head out the door Vaughn saw that the street truly was empty, dropping the leash he whistled through his teeth and Donovan leapt outside, clearing the four steps with one bound and skiddinh to a stop on the pavement, obediently waiting for his master. "Nice one," Vaughn shoved his hands into his pockets and walked slowly down the steps. He smiled dearly at the canine before allowing the dog to stand and then following him off down the deserted road.
The beginning of the walk consisted of very little, one run in with a ragged looking tabby cat and a speeding car, but nothing worth remembering. Vaughn mostly thought of nothing, or at least he tried to. He gave up trying to think of nothing after about fifteen minutes to be honest and, instead, began thinking about his run in with Syd earlier that night.
He hadn't been there to check up on bugs, hell if a bug had been planted someone would have been notified. He just wanted to smell her. Smell the fresh, feminine, strong, harsh, sweet flavour. Hell, all of those things couldn't be in one whiff. Could they? There was no where else that smelt of Syd. He'd tried the park, out on the dirt hills, at the outdoor café, the pier even at the golfing range, but the fragrance was gone. At the warehouse it lingered. He hoped it would stay forever because god knows what he'd do if it left.
By this time the 'it' he was thinking of probably wasn't Syd's smell, it was probably Syd and he willingly admitted this both to himself and to Donovan; "It's her isn't it?" But he continued to wander, not going in any particular direction, just moving, always walking, looking every time he turned at the street sign and registering the name and the way he turned. Donovan just looked back at him every time he spoke, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, just listening. Vaughn no longer felt angry, just sad and almost lonely.
Sydney wasn't meant to be anything to him so why was she?
He turned again into Rose Street heading in what he believed to be a northerly direction and found himself walking headlong into an early morning sunrise. On either side of the street men in aprons and young girls were setting out café tables and the morning menus. Looking to his silver watch, Vaughn realised it had just ticked over six thirty. He sighed heavily and continued on down the street, admiring the way the people went about their work, curiously looking at the man with his dog before smiling and going back to their setting up.
The sunrise was wondrous; the street faced the perfect direction for the event with the reds and oranges reflecting off every window and metal chair. The sun was almost half up by the time Vaughn had finished watching the colours dancing as he wandered down the street. He continued to walk, slower now wanting to take in everything about this street, it was so different and he secretly wanted a distraction.
It was long and all along it were bakeries, chocolatries, cafes, gift shops and interesting little places. This was a street that he had never heard of and he felt his thoughts drift from Syd to the beauty of the hidden strip shopping centre. He had no idea who would turn up for breakfast but after finding no vacant area he sat down outside a café and watched as the first people turned up for their morning meal.
An old woman with long white wispy hair across the street sat down and ordered when the young girl appeared. Seconds later the brunette reappeared with a light blue plate upon which rested a cream filled croissant and a talk mug of coffee. Calling something inside the young girl, obviously already acquainted with this woman nodded to her before leaving for inside the café. For the next ten minutes, Vaughn carefully watched her, all alone, sipping her coffee but not touching her croissant; her eyes down cast as she thought deeply about something.
Vaughn didn't want him or Syd to grow old like that, but at this rate they would, he wanted to be her friend, but he wasn't allowed and anyway, she deserved a proper relationship, not something with a person who only brought forward memories of disaster and her own mother's treachery. He ordered a black coffee and scrambled eggs on toast when a young, perhaps thirteen year old boy walked out to greet him with an over sized apron and white pad.
Vaughn continued to watch her, the thought of such routine and such loneliness that the woman must suffer scaring him almost. She wore neat clothes, cream coloured full skirt with a blue blouse. She eventually pulled out a green scarf from her bag and tied her hair up against the prevailing wind. It was then that Vaughn's breakfast was placed in front of him and he stopped watching, instead looking with interest at the two bits of warm toast topped with steaming egg. The coffee looked strong; a good thing he decided considering her hadn't slept for over twenty four hours.
He rejected the knife and fork that sat beside the plate instead opting for his large but slim hands. Picking up the toast, careful not to lose too much egg over the side he looked up to where the woman sat. His eyebrows creased as he noticed her watching him intently. He expected her eyes to dart away but they didn't instead flaring a brighter green than they had been moments before. She smirked at him and nodded slightly in recognition. Vaughn just looked down at Donovan to find him asleep and unhelpful.
He took a few bites without looking up but did succumb to temptation when he heard a peal of laughter echo across the street. The woman stood alongside a man, a little younger than her, his hand resting on her arm as she stood to welcome him. Together they sat down, the woman looking across to Vaughn and winking before returning to her meal and friend.
Slightly unsettled, Vaughn quickly finished his meal, paying the young boy and giving a large tip before leaving with Donovan at his heals off in the direction where the sun now hovered above the horizon.
Another half an hours' walking and he was again in a residential area, his sneakers thumping against the ground as he slowly accelerated into a jog and then a run, an upset and fatigued dog following him as he continued, over low fences into school grounds and then on, up and down streets until he was dying of thirst and completely exhausted. Continuing his run, but now at a much slower pace, Vaughn moved on until he found a pay phone.
Inserting the money he had he called a cab and sat down on the grass as he waited for his ride to arrive. By the time it did turn up Donovan was dead to the world and Vaughn was sitting back on his hands staring at the sky: the driver had to honk twice just to get his attention. Pulled from his thoughts, Vaughn stood with a smile and climbed into the cab, hauling his best friend in with him and telling the driver his home address.
The drive was long and this made Vaughn proud of his efforts, next time Weiss claimed he never walked Donovan, he had a great story. Of course he couldn't really use it because it would include giving a reason for why he felt the need to walk around at two in the morning. The cab passed through a few streets, most of no interest to Vaughn before entering a main road and then they were home.
The majority of the trip Vaughn's thoughts were circling, trying to find the right answer and by the time he was home, he had his answer and was through the door before he remembered Donovan and turned to find him lying still in the cab.
After retrieving him and paying the taxi driver, he ran back inside and grabbed the phone. Dialling the already well known number, Vaughn heard Syd's familiar voice on the other end of the line, slightly slurred with sleep he noticed causing him to realise it was Sunday and only just after eight thirty. "Hello," she said again, her voice becoming slightly confused and cautious.
"Hi, how are you?" he said without thinking. A confused garble of "Ummm" and "Arrrr" and "Can I help you." came back through the line as she undoubtedly recognised his voice uttering something it wasn't supposed to. Chuckling slightly he replied, "Joey's Pizza?"
Then the line just went dead. Vaughn just sighed, realising that she must still be upset about what ever it was that had pissed her off the night before. Still, that didn't mean she should break protocol even though, he thought, he just had. He turned, his emotional high slowly sinking as he realised that he probably couldn't do this. Still, he grabbed his keys, moved the dead weight that was Donovan from in front of the door and made for the dark blue government car he'd recently adopted that lay parked in the drive.
Title: Wish List
Author: Donna donna__rose@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: They're not mine, if you think they are you are obviously either insane or a very dumb lawyer.
Summary: Syd wishes, Vaughn delivers, a happy ending. I dunno, read it and then you can write my summary for me.
Notes: Well, I'm not notorious for finishing fics, but reviews will get me moving. I really like them whether they are mean or nice just as long as I know that someone is reading this. It will have a happy ending, I promise. Um, also I live in Australia so if I make mistakes or spell mom mum (which I won't because on my end of year English exam I spelt mom mom and my teacher just thought it was great.) don't get mad. Also I don't think I'll try to incorporate any of the real show's plot because it's too hard to keep up. Also anyone wanna e-mail me, just do it, I don't mind, I'd actually love for you to, makes me feel wanted. Donna__rose@hotmail.com Anyways, R and R please and enjoy.
Vaughn's legs were spread wide and he was sitting right back in his favourite comfy chair. The television was on, the pictures and muffled sounds of some black and white movie from years before he was even born appearing on the screen. A ceramic bowl of half finished spaghetti balanced on his right knee as he sank even lower into a more comfortable position.
The spaghetti was possibly off, he'd made it a couple of nights ago for him and his mom and left the uneaten majority in the fridge. Vaughn only ever got pizza for take out and he'd realised that buying a whole pizza was stupid considering he was all by himself so he had chosen the weird smelling left-overs. 'Dumb move' he'd decided after having eaten about seven mouthfuls. He'd driven home too fast and stalked into his house half in a rage. The neatness just caused him to become even more upset. It was so unlike him, every room was spotless except for his own bedroom and it wasn't him.
Vaughn, being quite strong, had grabbed the television, ripping the cords out of the wall by accident and lugged it up the stairs into his own room. Large double bed, unmade dull copper sheets with a white valance to hide the mass of old magazines and video cassettes that lay beneath. In the corner his favourite chair sat, an ugly green and no match to the rest of the colour coded room but a piece that had grown better with age and was now in it's prime; a perfect mix of sag and taunt material. Next to the bed a large wardrobe, filled with shoes and clothing, his work suits on hangers, his jeans, tracksuit pants and shirts unfolded in a heap. Outside the wardrobe a small pile of the past few days' laundry clogged the polished floor boards and on the opposing wall a huge full length window gave a view into the secret-like garden his old neighbour kept so perfect. A mirror, desk and lamp completed the bedroom along with paper, pens, ties and underwear strewn everywhere. The room clearly reflected who he really was, at the moment, a mess.
And now he was sadly sitting by himself in his chair watching the television at a couple of minutes past two am. He flicked a few more times before switching the off button and sitting up. He flexed his back muscles, almost spilling the bowl of red meet sauce and white thick strings. Rolling his neck he placed the bowl on his bed and stood up, characteristically he breathed deeply through his nose and stretched, almost hitting the ceiling with the tips of his fingers.
Donovan, a small stout dog with hardly any legs, stood obediently beside him. Vaughn looked down at the dog before turning the light out and walking down the stairs into the kitchen where he found the dog's blue leash. He glanced up at the clock and shook his head as he noticed just how late it was. "Too late for a couple of old men to go walking?" In response of perhaps because the dog had noticed the leash, Donovan ran for the door, skidding slightly on the floor on the way. He jumped up and scratched at the already well defined claw marks. "I guess not."
Poking his head out the door Vaughn saw that the street truly was empty, dropping the leash he whistled through his teeth and Donovan leapt outside, clearing the four steps with one bound and skiddinh to a stop on the pavement, obediently waiting for his master. "Nice one," Vaughn shoved his hands into his pockets and walked slowly down the steps. He smiled dearly at the canine before allowing the dog to stand and then following him off down the deserted road.
The beginning of the walk consisted of very little, one run in with a ragged looking tabby cat and a speeding car, but nothing worth remembering. Vaughn mostly thought of nothing, or at least he tried to. He gave up trying to think of nothing after about fifteen minutes to be honest and, instead, began thinking about his run in with Syd earlier that night.
He hadn't been there to check up on bugs, hell if a bug had been planted someone would have been notified. He just wanted to smell her. Smell the fresh, feminine, strong, harsh, sweet flavour. Hell, all of those things couldn't be in one whiff. Could they? There was no where else that smelt of Syd. He'd tried the park, out on the dirt hills, at the outdoor café, the pier even at the golfing range, but the fragrance was gone. At the warehouse it lingered. He hoped it would stay forever because god knows what he'd do if it left.
By this time the 'it' he was thinking of probably wasn't Syd's smell, it was probably Syd and he willingly admitted this both to himself and to Donovan; "It's her isn't it?" But he continued to wander, not going in any particular direction, just moving, always walking, looking every time he turned at the street sign and registering the name and the way he turned. Donovan just looked back at him every time he spoke, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, just listening. Vaughn no longer felt angry, just sad and almost lonely.
Sydney wasn't meant to be anything to him so why was she?
He turned again into Rose Street heading in what he believed to be a northerly direction and found himself walking headlong into an early morning sunrise. On either side of the street men in aprons and young girls were setting out café tables and the morning menus. Looking to his silver watch, Vaughn realised it had just ticked over six thirty. He sighed heavily and continued on down the street, admiring the way the people went about their work, curiously looking at the man with his dog before smiling and going back to their setting up.
The sunrise was wondrous; the street faced the perfect direction for the event with the reds and oranges reflecting off every window and metal chair. The sun was almost half up by the time Vaughn had finished watching the colours dancing as he wandered down the street. He continued to walk, slower now wanting to take in everything about this street, it was so different and he secretly wanted a distraction.
It was long and all along it were bakeries, chocolatries, cafes, gift shops and interesting little places. This was a street that he had never heard of and he felt his thoughts drift from Syd to the beauty of the hidden strip shopping centre. He had no idea who would turn up for breakfast but after finding no vacant area he sat down outside a café and watched as the first people turned up for their morning meal.
An old woman with long white wispy hair across the street sat down and ordered when the young girl appeared. Seconds later the brunette reappeared with a light blue plate upon which rested a cream filled croissant and a talk mug of coffee. Calling something inside the young girl, obviously already acquainted with this woman nodded to her before leaving for inside the café. For the next ten minutes, Vaughn carefully watched her, all alone, sipping her coffee but not touching her croissant; her eyes down cast as she thought deeply about something.
Vaughn didn't want him or Syd to grow old like that, but at this rate they would, he wanted to be her friend, but he wasn't allowed and anyway, she deserved a proper relationship, not something with a person who only brought forward memories of disaster and her own mother's treachery. He ordered a black coffee and scrambled eggs on toast when a young, perhaps thirteen year old boy walked out to greet him with an over sized apron and white pad.
Vaughn continued to watch her, the thought of such routine and such loneliness that the woman must suffer scaring him almost. She wore neat clothes, cream coloured full skirt with a blue blouse. She eventually pulled out a green scarf from her bag and tied her hair up against the prevailing wind. It was then that Vaughn's breakfast was placed in front of him and he stopped watching, instead looking with interest at the two bits of warm toast topped with steaming egg. The coffee looked strong; a good thing he decided considering her hadn't slept for over twenty four hours.
He rejected the knife and fork that sat beside the plate instead opting for his large but slim hands. Picking up the toast, careful not to lose too much egg over the side he looked up to where the woman sat. His eyebrows creased as he noticed her watching him intently. He expected her eyes to dart away but they didn't instead flaring a brighter green than they had been moments before. She smirked at him and nodded slightly in recognition. Vaughn just looked down at Donovan to find him asleep and unhelpful.
He took a few bites without looking up but did succumb to temptation when he heard a peal of laughter echo across the street. The woman stood alongside a man, a little younger than her, his hand resting on her arm as she stood to welcome him. Together they sat down, the woman looking across to Vaughn and winking before returning to her meal and friend.
Slightly unsettled, Vaughn quickly finished his meal, paying the young boy and giving a large tip before leaving with Donovan at his heals off in the direction where the sun now hovered above the horizon.
Another half an hours' walking and he was again in a residential area, his sneakers thumping against the ground as he slowly accelerated into a jog and then a run, an upset and fatigued dog following him as he continued, over low fences into school grounds and then on, up and down streets until he was dying of thirst and completely exhausted. Continuing his run, but now at a much slower pace, Vaughn moved on until he found a pay phone.
Inserting the money he had he called a cab and sat down on the grass as he waited for his ride to arrive. By the time it did turn up Donovan was dead to the world and Vaughn was sitting back on his hands staring at the sky: the driver had to honk twice just to get his attention. Pulled from his thoughts, Vaughn stood with a smile and climbed into the cab, hauling his best friend in with him and telling the driver his home address.
The drive was long and this made Vaughn proud of his efforts, next time Weiss claimed he never walked Donovan, he had a great story. Of course he couldn't really use it because it would include giving a reason for why he felt the need to walk around at two in the morning. The cab passed through a few streets, most of no interest to Vaughn before entering a main road and then they were home.
The majority of the trip Vaughn's thoughts were circling, trying to find the right answer and by the time he was home, he had his answer and was through the door before he remembered Donovan and turned to find him lying still in the cab.
After retrieving him and paying the taxi driver, he ran back inside and grabbed the phone. Dialling the already well known number, Vaughn heard Syd's familiar voice on the other end of the line, slightly slurred with sleep he noticed causing him to realise it was Sunday and only just after eight thirty. "Hello," she said again, her voice becoming slightly confused and cautious.
"Hi, how are you?" he said without thinking. A confused garble of "Ummm" and "Arrrr" and "Can I help you." came back through the line as she undoubtedly recognised his voice uttering something it wasn't supposed to. Chuckling slightly he replied, "Joey's Pizza?"
Then the line just went dead. Vaughn just sighed, realising that she must still be upset about what ever it was that had pissed her off the night before. Still, that didn't mean she should break protocol even though, he thought, he just had. He turned, his emotional high slowly sinking as he realised that he probably couldn't do this. Still, he grabbed his keys, moved the dead weight that was Donovan from in front of the door and made for the dark blue government car he'd recently adopted that lay parked in the drive.