Sydney POV

I'm a great multi-tasker but there are some times in life when your mind just focuses on one thing and one thing only. Such as when bullets are flying by your head or you are being chased by 200 pound guards. Well there were no bullets and no guards that morning. However, Vaughn kissed me.

And, yes, I mean actually kissed me. My find froze and raced at the same time. I can't exactly explain what went through my head, but it was something a long the lines of:

"Whoa! Danger, Sydney Bristow, danger!!!.......Okay, calm down. It'll be alright, it's no big deal. It's just Vaughn......Vaughn is kissing me.......holy crap Vaughn is kissing me! This is not good......actually it's feels very good. NO, NO, NO! This is wrong! Very, very, very wrong..........................why is it wrong again? SYDNEY! Get a grip! It's wrong because there's protocol, if the CIA ever found out you'd both be in serious trouble....and he's your handler and it would be heartbreaking because the two of you wouldn't be able to kiss again for a while ...and even though it's very unlikely SD-6 could be monitoring you...and why else? And because you're standing in front of a room full of people, including his mother, who will expect an explanation..........Vaughn, lips, kissing....oh screw it! I'm leaving, that'll be his problem!"

In the end I found my reflexes to be smarter than me. I had already responded to the kiss without even realizing it. I don't know how long it lasted, probably around a minute. The entire time there remained a gap between us that was about a foot wide. One which he made no move to fill. My arms ached to pull him closer and deepen the kiss, but for both of us there was the knowledge that we were in front of people and were not supposed to be kissing in the first place.

He both initiated and broke the kiss first. As we separated I searched for something to say. Not surprisingly, the room had gone silent.
Finally he smiled at me and held out his hand, "It was nice meeting you Sydney."
I nodded shook it, "Nice meeting you too."
With that I turned and walked out onto the porch. I covertly tested what endurance I had left in my knees, and with every step became more confidant that they still worked. I dumped my luggage into the back and climbed up into the driver's seat. Once the door was shut I let out a breath and organized my thoughts.

There was really no point in continuing to Sacramento since Francie would be leaving the next day. I could always use the extra presents next year. So my best bet was to just head back to LA. I half a day's worth of driving with nothing to think about the entire time except kissing Vaughn.......I'd be lucky if I didn't get in another accident.

Vaughn POV

I stayed there in the doorway as I watched her walk to her car. As much as I wanted to grab her hand as she walked out the door and kiss her again, I didn't. The noise from behind me slowly started back up again. Just as Sydney was pulling away from the house I felt a presence beside me. I didn't even have to look to see who it was.
"That was unlike you," she commented.
"How do you know that, Mom?" I asked.
"I know you, Michael, and you're not the type of person who would just kiss some random woman for the heck of it," she said.
She was right of course, but I covered with a laugh. "Maybe I am and I just hid it from you?" I offered.
She gave me a hard look for a couple of minutes before finally sighing heavily, "Okay, fine. Obviously you're not going to tell me so I'll leave it alone for now, but you know you're going to tell me the truth someday right?"
I didn't answer and she didn't wait for one. She turned and went back inside. I looked back to the disappearing speck of Sydney's car and smiled. Yes, I knew I would, and hopefully, with luck, that day would be a day soon.

THE END