Okay this is the second part of the fic. Not sure how long it'll be, but I like the idea for this one. The song is 'It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing' by Shania Twain
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Hope life's been good to you since you've been gone.
I'm doing fine now-I've finally moved on.
It's not so bad-I'm not that sad.
Sydney Bristow looked at her watch. Vaughn was ten minutes late. He asked her to meet her here. And the cemetery; she didn't get that part of his bargain. And even stranger, it was the cemetery where Danny was buried. Sydney swore she never told Vaughn where Danny was.
She saw a silver Saab pull up by her and she turned around, smiling lightly.
Vaughn got out and Sydney walked over to him, giving him a hug. He smiled and hugged her back, handing her a bouquet of yellow roses. She smiled and kissed his cheek, admiring the pale yellow petals.
No words were said; no words were needed.
After a few minutes of silence, Sydney spoke.
"Vaughn?" She asked him, smiling softly.
"Yeah, Syd?" He asked her, concerned. She laughed lightly.
"Why are we here?" She asked him. He hesitated then took her hand, and began walking.
He walked to Danny's grave and she gasped in awe. She looked at her fingers entwined with his and smiled, pulling free. He stood rooted to the spot, suddenly uneasy. Maybe this wasn't his place to interfere. But when he heard Sydney's soothing voice talking to Danny, he knew it was worthwhile.
I'm not surprised just how well I survived.
I'm over the worst, and I feel so alive.
I can't complain-I'm free again.
"Hi, Danny. I don't know where to start. I know I've been avoiding this place…but frankly, I didn't know what to say. Life's been too difficult to think these days, and actually, that's how I like it sometimes."
She sighed and took a deep breath, encouraging herself.
"I know I shouldn't be saying this, but your death really has been one of the main things keeping me going. I have a reason to fight; and if avenging your death is the only thing, then let it be a major element. I've done some good work, and I wish you were here to see how happy I am sometimes."
She felt a clog of tears at the back of her throat, but kept going, knowing what she was about to say and knowing that Vaughn was right behind her. But she didn't care. All that mattered was Danny right now.
"Vaughn's here. He's one of the other elements. Danny…you'd like him. In ways he's a lot like you. Maybe that's a reason why we get along so well. But please, keep him safe for me. If I lost him…" Her eyes filled with tears and a lump formed in her throat. But she kept going.
"If I lost him, which I almost did, I don't think I would be able to fight. So please, keep him safe." She pulled a yellow rose from the bouquet and laid it on the gravestone, kissing her fingers and laying them on the stone, letting the tears fall. After a few seconds, she felt hands on her shoulders, pulling her close. She fell into Vaughn's arms, the heart-wrenching sobs consuming her.
And it only hurts when I'm breathing.
My heart only breaks when it's beating.
My dreams only die when I'm dreaming.
So, I hold my breath-to forget.
A few minutes later, she pulled her head up and wiped at her eyes and her black dress. She smiled at Vaughn and hugged him, showing her gratitude. She took his hand and pulled him to the gravestone, looking at the inscription lovingly. Sydney smiled lightly.
"I love you, Danny. Always will. But I needed to let go," she said, turning to Vaughn. He looked at her, an unreadable expression in his eyes. He took her hand and lead her to another gravestone. When she saw the inscription, she gasped.
William Vaughn.
She looked at Vaughn, her eyes filling with tears again. He smiled sadly, walking to the stone and sitting by it. Sydney knew it wasn't her place to intrude, but she needed to be with him.
She sat close to him and surprisingly, he drew her close, putting an arm around her. She smiled and be began talking.
"Hi, Dad. It's been…rough. Especially lately. But it's been good, too," he said, looking at Sydney. She smiled and he kept talking.
Don't think I'm lying around crying at night.
There's no need to worry, I'm really all right.
I've never looked back-as a matter of fact.
He took her hand and began stroking it, needing something to focus on.
"Sydney's mom killed you, Dad. And it's awkward telling people that that happened. But…please. Sydney's not her mother. I understand that, and no one else really does. And no one believes in us, but I do. And I understand that people deny because they're scared. And I'm scared. But I'm not denying. So, I want you to meet Sydney. You'd love her. She's like Mom…a lot like mom. And I know you'd want me to be happy. And I am," he said, kissing Sydney's hair. She let a tear fall and took two roses from he bouquet, giving one to Vaughn.
She set it on the grave and Vaughn did the same. He looked at her, his face full of emotion, and she put her lips on his, kissing him. Not because she needed to. Not because she wanted to.
Because it felt right.
And it only hurts when I'm breathing.
My heart only breaks when it's beating.
My dreams only die when I'm dreaming.
So, I hold my breath-to forget.
Sydney pulled away, looking Vaughn in the eyes.
"I should apologize for that, but I won't…because I'm not sorry for it. We both needed that. And I'd be lying if I said it stunk," she said, a smile on her face.
He laughed and she touched her lip, the buzz still ringing in her ears. He stroked her hair and they looked at the gravestone in silence.
"Syd?" Vaughn asked her, hesitating slightly. She looked at him, eyes still glittering with love.
"Yeah?" She asked him. He took a deep breath.
"Did you mean that? What you said…I mean," he said. She smiled and put a hand on his face.
"Of course. And did you mean that?" She asked him. He nodded solemnly and she laid her head by him, breathing in the smell of his aftershave.
It only hurts when I breathe.
Mmm, no, I've never looked back-
As a matter of fact.
He helped her on her feet and she leaned against him.
"Thank you for showing me this. I realize how private that was for you, and how much it meant for you to bring me here," she said, smiling.
He kissed her forehead and smiled in return.
"I had hoped you'd appreciate it," he said, "I thought you'd know how I felt."
She felt a tear gather in her eye. "I do. And that did mean a lot to me. I heard what you did to Damien…and you did that for me. Your asset. Your employee," she said, in awe. He shook his head.
"Syd…I didn't just do it because you're my asset and employee. You're one of my friends and one of the people I care about. Seeing what he did to you…it was awful," he said. She let the tear fall and wiped it quickly.
"Ugh, I feel like such a softie," she said, giggling.
And it only hurts when I'm breathing.
My heart only breaks when it's beating.
My dreams only die when I'm dreaming.
So, I hold my breath-to forget.
He looked at her, no laughter in his eyes.
"Maybe we both need to be softies right now," he said, thinking. She rubbed his worry line and grinned large.
"No. We need to be strong. But if you ever need someone to be soft with, you've got my number. Who knows, I might have a coupon to Joey's Pizza," she said, a twinkle in her eye.
As they got in the Saab, a new bond had been formed between them. They had just experienced the results of what they'd been through, and did it together.
Together.
Hurts when I'm breathing.
Breaks when it's beating.
Die when I'm dreaming.
It only hurts when I breathe.
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