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: Okay, I know, it's been a while and I am desperate for more reviews, if you read this, write a review, plz oh plz oh plz. Otherwise, I'll never be able to finish it. Hmmm...anyways, enjoy this, I hope and go and read True Lies if you haven't it's getting more and more S/V by the minute.
Chapter Eight
Vaughn wanted to run after her, but knew he shouldn't, couldn't. It was too dangerous. He'd been cleared by Devlin to leave the house as long as he stayed with in thirty meters and preferably in the dark and only when necessary, a rule with sub rules. Vaughn hated every rule that he had ever come across and in his childhood he had commonly said, "Rules were made for breaking," but now, he knew that no matter what, if he broke a rule, a CIA protocol rule, he could be putting Sydney and him and possibly many others into grave danger, a danger that he would be blamed for even when he was dead. It was far too dangerous to break a rule, and he had promised himself that he wouldn't do it, not ever, not after Sydney's horror story about Danny and the wreck she had been in for some time after that. But now he was, he was breaking a rule, getting people killed. It wasn't a rule that was written down, but it was an unspoken 'don't you dare' to fall in love with an agent who you supposedly had never met.
And he had, and everyone knew he had, anyone that saw them knew it. It was just that no one knew how badly. And now, he'd told her, she'd sort of told him back, and then she'd run off, obviously hurt, not by him, but by everything in her life and things were on edge and dangerous, both literally and in the emotional sense.
Vaughn was tempted to get someone to tail her, just to make sure she was okay, but eventually decided not to, turning to find Francie watching him. He smiled sadly, his brows rising in a sort of temporary defeat before lowering in thought as he frowned. She just continued to watch him, analysing the situation, too scared to join in what was obviously more complicated than any relationship she had ever heard about.
He shook his head and Francie, seeing what he wanted, disappeared quietly back into her own room to wait, patiently, but still extremely worriedly, for Sydney to return. Hopeful of her friend coming to her senses and seeing this as a blessing and not just another nail being driven in to her in punishment for a crime she hadn't committed. Knowing Sydney, Francie suspected she might see this as another obstacle in life, as a bother and something not to be done, still hope was all she had.
Outside, in the living room, Vaughn collapsed on to a chair, a hard, wooden, plain chair that sat just inside the door. Breathing slowly, he began to run over every moment he had ever had with Sydney. The good, though few, the bad, plentiful and the ugly also not lacking in number. He sighed and leaned back wishing they could have met some other way and that they hadn't ever had to hear the word 'protocol' of 'rule' or emotional attachment'. He looked down at his watch, just after eight and he had told Devlin that he would be spending the entire day at her house. He wanted to be there when she returned, to try to set things straight, but he knew he would be in agony as the seconds clicked past.
Vaughn looked at his watch, his eyes stinging for some unknown reason, his hands shaky and the dim light of the moon flickering through the open window as the curtains moved about in the wind. 10.04, a minute after when he had last looked. He breathed deeply and thought about cracking his neck. Deciding against it, his entire body too tired to move unless Syd was involved, he continued to sit and stare at the cream coloured wall opposite. Francie had reappeared just after four, hopefully looking about, and offering him a drink before returning to her bedroom to wait it out.
He hadn't eaten or drank a thing and his stomach felt empty, his tongue dry and brittle, a small crack on his bottom lip would probably have bleed if it had moved at all. He looked back down at his watch, his eyes moving but nothing else budging, 10.04. Briefly he wondered if it was broken but soon realised it wasn't when he saw it tick over to 10.05. He breathed in through his nose and conjured up the first time he'd seen her. Red hair, puffed out cheeks, too much make up and a scowl the he would soon become accustomed to.
He smiled; even then he had thought her special, exotic, unlike anyone he had ever met before. And when she had finished her book sized report he had read it over and over again, wanting to learn everything he could about her. He wished he'd learnt it word for word because he would of been able to think it to himself now, as he thought over his life, the majority of his memories involving the red haired goddess.
He heard the door handle turning, but couldn't find the energy to look around and towards the entrance. He felt like he had gained a couple hundred pounds and was sitting underneath a large animal. Hearing familiar footsteps though, he turned, forcing his body and hearing a few cracks in his neck, back and legs. The memorable scent hitting him, gave him new but, false hope. His head turning towards her as she stopped walking, slightly tilted, ready to deflect any biting words.
She smiled at him, her eyes more empty than usual and her chin low. "I'm sorry," Vaughn's eyes lit up in hope, her words grabbing him with a warm fuzzy feeling as he thought hard about what might happen next. "You tried, I tried. But it didn't, doesn't and never will work." She held out a hand, her body moving away from her own arm. "It was nice to know you."
Vaughn stared, completely bemused. He had no idea what was going on, she was no longer mad at him, nor mad at anyone. She was upset and hollow. He didn't shake her hand, an eerie feeling falling over him and the message that if he did it would be the last time ever. "What is going on?" He sighed as her eyes flew to the ground.
"You have been really great, you're a wonderful person. But I think that if I am to ever succeed I need someone else. Someone who isn't so...easily, um." Obviously she had had the conversation planned out in her head and it was suddenly not going completely to script. "Some one more professional."
Vaughn could only stare for a moment, the word not what Sydney had meant, but the best she could think of. Swallowing Vaughn repeated his question. "Sydney, what is going on?"
"You're being reassigned," Vaughn backed away instinctively. "As of today, I will be getting a new handler. It's too dangerous with you and change is good, it will throw anyone watching if I never see you again," her voice finished with no volume at all, Vaughn only understanding because he was staring at her so hard.
"Why, why am I being reassigned?" He shook his head, confused and angry, "I don't get it."
"You're emotionally attached. You break the rules, you lie, you don't do things by the book. You are a bad influence and as a double agent I can't have anything to do with you." Sydney moved on to facts she thought inarguable.
"No, hang on," he interrupted her, "WE are emotionally attached; WE break the rules, usually together and usually because we need to. WE only lie when necessary and I lie a lot less than you," Vaughn winced as he saw the anger and hurt cross her face momentarily. "WE don't do things by the book because the book is wrong. I am not a bad influence and you saying so is only because you are addicted and you're scared." He finished quickly, seeing Sydney's expression changing to guarded in an instant.
"Vaughn, this is it, I am never going to see you again," She held out her hand again. "This is good bye."
Vaughn glared at her, unbelievingly, "Why do you think it's good bye? Do you want it to be?" He looked at her hand, fear bubbling up inside him.
"No, I don't want it to be good bye, but I am never going to see you again and either you take this chance to say your farewells or we leave each other on bad terms." Sydney glared back, her eyes and face still guarded, Vaughn unable to read anything except the fire in her voice.
"I'm not going to say good bye." She looked at him hurt and anger, rage and shock, mirrored in her eyes as her guard fell before being quickly re erected. She nodded quietly, before moving back to the front door and opening it.
Vaughn stared at her incredulously, eyebrow raised and his mind hopelessly telling him it was all a bad dream and that any second now he would wake up and be able to go to a meeting and see her there, giggle over bad humour, groan over a mission to somewhere too far away or just talk. But, he knew he couldn't, and, stubborn as always, he simply stormed out past her, his blood shot eyes, daring him to walk away without looking back. He held his head high and did, storming across the road and climbing into the car he had driven that morning, when his hopes had been high.
He barely made it around the corner and out of sight before he pulled over and let his head fall, hard, against the steering wheel and his entire body shuddering as he waited for sleep to take him over.
Sydney watched him leave, the front door still open, tears streaming down her face when he didn't even turn back around. She knew this was her only option, that falling in love she would end up dead, or worse: betrayed, but still, she couldn't help but fall down the wall, sliding dangerously out of control, landing in a heap on the floor, small whimpers escaping as the reality hit home; she would never see him again. Ever. Her body quaking with guilt and anguish. When Francie's arms found her, she was wrapped into a small ball, her face tear stained and her back arched in a protective stance as she continued to wait for something, anything to happen on the floor, to tell her that she hadn't just done that.
Still, it had had to be done, and she had done it. She would never see him again and it was for the good of the country.
R & R or else.
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: Okay, I know, it's been a while and I am desperate for more reviews, if you read this, write a review, plz oh plz oh plz. Otherwise, I'll never be able to finish it. Hmmm...anyways, enjoy this, I hope and go and read True Lies if you haven't it's getting more and more S/V by the minute.
Chapter Eight
Vaughn wanted to run after her, but knew he shouldn't, couldn't. It was too dangerous. He'd been cleared by Devlin to leave the house as long as he stayed with in thirty meters and preferably in the dark and only when necessary, a rule with sub rules. Vaughn hated every rule that he had ever come across and in his childhood he had commonly said, "Rules were made for breaking," but now, he knew that no matter what, if he broke a rule, a CIA protocol rule, he could be putting Sydney and him and possibly many others into grave danger, a danger that he would be blamed for even when he was dead. It was far too dangerous to break a rule, and he had promised himself that he wouldn't do it, not ever, not after Sydney's horror story about Danny and the wreck she had been in for some time after that. But now he was, he was breaking a rule, getting people killed. It wasn't a rule that was written down, but it was an unspoken 'don't you dare' to fall in love with an agent who you supposedly had never met.
And he had, and everyone knew he had, anyone that saw them knew it. It was just that no one knew how badly. And now, he'd told her, she'd sort of told him back, and then she'd run off, obviously hurt, not by him, but by everything in her life and things were on edge and dangerous, both literally and in the emotional sense.
Vaughn was tempted to get someone to tail her, just to make sure she was okay, but eventually decided not to, turning to find Francie watching him. He smiled sadly, his brows rising in a sort of temporary defeat before lowering in thought as he frowned. She just continued to watch him, analysing the situation, too scared to join in what was obviously more complicated than any relationship she had ever heard about.
He shook his head and Francie, seeing what he wanted, disappeared quietly back into her own room to wait, patiently, but still extremely worriedly, for Sydney to return. Hopeful of her friend coming to her senses and seeing this as a blessing and not just another nail being driven in to her in punishment for a crime she hadn't committed. Knowing Sydney, Francie suspected she might see this as another obstacle in life, as a bother and something not to be done, still hope was all she had.
Outside, in the living room, Vaughn collapsed on to a chair, a hard, wooden, plain chair that sat just inside the door. Breathing slowly, he began to run over every moment he had ever had with Sydney. The good, though few, the bad, plentiful and the ugly also not lacking in number. He sighed and leaned back wishing they could have met some other way and that they hadn't ever had to hear the word 'protocol' of 'rule' or emotional attachment'. He looked down at his watch, just after eight and he had told Devlin that he would be spending the entire day at her house. He wanted to be there when she returned, to try to set things straight, but he knew he would be in agony as the seconds clicked past.
Vaughn looked at his watch, his eyes stinging for some unknown reason, his hands shaky and the dim light of the moon flickering through the open window as the curtains moved about in the wind. 10.04, a minute after when he had last looked. He breathed deeply and thought about cracking his neck. Deciding against it, his entire body too tired to move unless Syd was involved, he continued to sit and stare at the cream coloured wall opposite. Francie had reappeared just after four, hopefully looking about, and offering him a drink before returning to her bedroom to wait it out.
He hadn't eaten or drank a thing and his stomach felt empty, his tongue dry and brittle, a small crack on his bottom lip would probably have bleed if it had moved at all. He looked back down at his watch, his eyes moving but nothing else budging, 10.04. Briefly he wondered if it was broken but soon realised it wasn't when he saw it tick over to 10.05. He breathed in through his nose and conjured up the first time he'd seen her. Red hair, puffed out cheeks, too much make up and a scowl the he would soon become accustomed to.
He smiled; even then he had thought her special, exotic, unlike anyone he had ever met before. And when she had finished her book sized report he had read it over and over again, wanting to learn everything he could about her. He wished he'd learnt it word for word because he would of been able to think it to himself now, as he thought over his life, the majority of his memories involving the red haired goddess.
He heard the door handle turning, but couldn't find the energy to look around and towards the entrance. He felt like he had gained a couple hundred pounds and was sitting underneath a large animal. Hearing familiar footsteps though, he turned, forcing his body and hearing a few cracks in his neck, back and legs. The memorable scent hitting him, gave him new but, false hope. His head turning towards her as she stopped walking, slightly tilted, ready to deflect any biting words.
She smiled at him, her eyes more empty than usual and her chin low. "I'm sorry," Vaughn's eyes lit up in hope, her words grabbing him with a warm fuzzy feeling as he thought hard about what might happen next. "You tried, I tried. But it didn't, doesn't and never will work." She held out a hand, her body moving away from her own arm. "It was nice to know you."
Vaughn stared, completely bemused. He had no idea what was going on, she was no longer mad at him, nor mad at anyone. She was upset and hollow. He didn't shake her hand, an eerie feeling falling over him and the message that if he did it would be the last time ever. "What is going on?" He sighed as her eyes flew to the ground.
"You have been really great, you're a wonderful person. But I think that if I am to ever succeed I need someone else. Someone who isn't so...easily, um." Obviously she had had the conversation planned out in her head and it was suddenly not going completely to script. "Some one more professional."
Vaughn could only stare for a moment, the word not what Sydney had meant, but the best she could think of. Swallowing Vaughn repeated his question. "Sydney, what is going on?"
"You're being reassigned," Vaughn backed away instinctively. "As of today, I will be getting a new handler. It's too dangerous with you and change is good, it will throw anyone watching if I never see you again," her voice finished with no volume at all, Vaughn only understanding because he was staring at her so hard.
"Why, why am I being reassigned?" He shook his head, confused and angry, "I don't get it."
"You're emotionally attached. You break the rules, you lie, you don't do things by the book. You are a bad influence and as a double agent I can't have anything to do with you." Sydney moved on to facts she thought inarguable.
"No, hang on," he interrupted her, "WE are emotionally attached; WE break the rules, usually together and usually because we need to. WE only lie when necessary and I lie a lot less than you," Vaughn winced as he saw the anger and hurt cross her face momentarily. "WE don't do things by the book because the book is wrong. I am not a bad influence and you saying so is only because you are addicted and you're scared." He finished quickly, seeing Sydney's expression changing to guarded in an instant.
"Vaughn, this is it, I am never going to see you again," She held out her hand again. "This is good bye."
Vaughn glared at her, unbelievingly, "Why do you think it's good bye? Do you want it to be?" He looked at her hand, fear bubbling up inside him.
"No, I don't want it to be good bye, but I am never going to see you again and either you take this chance to say your farewells or we leave each other on bad terms." Sydney glared back, her eyes and face still guarded, Vaughn unable to read anything except the fire in her voice.
"I'm not going to say good bye." She looked at him hurt and anger, rage and shock, mirrored in her eyes as her guard fell before being quickly re erected. She nodded quietly, before moving back to the front door and opening it.
Vaughn stared at her incredulously, eyebrow raised and his mind hopelessly telling him it was all a bad dream and that any second now he would wake up and be able to go to a meeting and see her there, giggle over bad humour, groan over a mission to somewhere too far away or just talk. But, he knew he couldn't, and, stubborn as always, he simply stormed out past her, his blood shot eyes, daring him to walk away without looking back. He held his head high and did, storming across the road and climbing into the car he had driven that morning, when his hopes had been high.
He barely made it around the corner and out of sight before he pulled over and let his head fall, hard, against the steering wheel and his entire body shuddering as he waited for sleep to take him over.
Sydney watched him leave, the front door still open, tears streaming down her face when he didn't even turn back around. She knew this was her only option, that falling in love she would end up dead, or worse: betrayed, but still, she couldn't help but fall down the wall, sliding dangerously out of control, landing in a heap on the floor, small whimpers escaping as the reality hit home; she would never see him again. Ever. Her body quaking with guilt and anguish. When Francie's arms found her, she was wrapped into a small ball, her face tear stained and her back arched in a protective stance as she continued to wait for something, anything to happen on the floor, to tell her that she hadn't just done that.
Still, it had had to be done, and she had done it. She would never see him again and it was for the good of the country.
R & R or else.