"Do you have any questions about your counter?" It was proving difficult to
remain professional while outlining Sydney's mission, considering
everything between them.
"No." Sydney could tell that something was bothering Vaughn. He was nervous and jittery. "Vaughn, what's wrong?"
"Sydney..." he stopped, cleared his throat. "Syd, I think it's time to consider witness protection." He spat out the words, breathing a sigh of relief.
"No!"
"Syd - "
"Vaughn, no. I'm not running. You KNOW that."
Vaughn wearily rubbed his brow, wrinkled with worry.
"Sydney, it's not just you anymore!" he shouted. Then his voice grew soft. "It's me too...and the baby. There's 3 of us now."
The words rang over in her head. Three of us.
"Vaughn I know that. But Sloane won't let me get away. He'll come after me. You know he'll find me."
"I know Syd. G-d, I know. I think I know why Devlin didn't want emotional attachment," he attempted to joke.
Sydney couldn't laugh. She kept hearing Vaughn's words echoing in her head. Three of us. Me. Vaughn. A baby. Our baby. A family. Three of us. Nursery rooms and lullabies. Fairy tales and gentle hugs. Saturday mornings in the park. Vaughn sneaking in the room at night to watch his precious baby sleep. And suddenly she knew what she had to do.
"Vaughn I'm keeping this baby."
He blinked. Then blinked again.
"What?"
"I'm keeping this baby. I've had enough death and destruction in my world. I've ruined enough innocent lives. This baby is ours Vaughn. We're parents! I'm not taking this life."
Vaughn stared at her, looking into her eyes. He could see the love in them, and also the dream. The dream of a little house with her husband and her baby. The dream of a normal life. A life where the biggest fear would be their son or daughter not wearing a jacket and catching cold. And he knew she was serious, because his dream was the same.
"Ok. Ok Syd. We'll be parents. Parents!" He shook his head in disbelief.
He leaned in and kissed her gently, lovingly.
"Thank you Sydney."
Sydmey was taken aback by his comment. She searched his face, looking for his meaning. And then she understood.
Their dream, their family. She was giving him hope. A baby. A new life, full of beauty and innocence, a reflection of their love. This life would be a new chance, a new beginning.
Sydney grasped his hand firmly and brought it to her lips. She kissed it sweetly as Vaughn gazed at her in wonder. As she wordlessly communicated her love, speaking with her eyes, she pressed his hand against her stomach.
"This is our new chance," she whispered. "This little life growing right here, it will be a new beginning for us."
"Baby Vaughn."
"Yes...come February, baby Vaughn."
"No." Sydney could tell that something was bothering Vaughn. He was nervous and jittery. "Vaughn, what's wrong?"
"Sydney..." he stopped, cleared his throat. "Syd, I think it's time to consider witness protection." He spat out the words, breathing a sigh of relief.
"No!"
"Syd - "
"Vaughn, no. I'm not running. You KNOW that."
Vaughn wearily rubbed his brow, wrinkled with worry.
"Sydney, it's not just you anymore!" he shouted. Then his voice grew soft. "It's me too...and the baby. There's 3 of us now."
The words rang over in her head. Three of us.
"Vaughn I know that. But Sloane won't let me get away. He'll come after me. You know he'll find me."
"I know Syd. G-d, I know. I think I know why Devlin didn't want emotional attachment," he attempted to joke.
Sydney couldn't laugh. She kept hearing Vaughn's words echoing in her head. Three of us. Me. Vaughn. A baby. Our baby. A family. Three of us. Nursery rooms and lullabies. Fairy tales and gentle hugs. Saturday mornings in the park. Vaughn sneaking in the room at night to watch his precious baby sleep. And suddenly she knew what she had to do.
"Vaughn I'm keeping this baby."
He blinked. Then blinked again.
"What?"
"I'm keeping this baby. I've had enough death and destruction in my world. I've ruined enough innocent lives. This baby is ours Vaughn. We're parents! I'm not taking this life."
Vaughn stared at her, looking into her eyes. He could see the love in them, and also the dream. The dream of a little house with her husband and her baby. The dream of a normal life. A life where the biggest fear would be their son or daughter not wearing a jacket and catching cold. And he knew she was serious, because his dream was the same.
"Ok. Ok Syd. We'll be parents. Parents!" He shook his head in disbelief.
He leaned in and kissed her gently, lovingly.
"Thank you Sydney."
Sydmey was taken aback by his comment. She searched his face, looking for his meaning. And then she understood.
Their dream, their family. She was giving him hope. A baby. A new life, full of beauty and innocence, a reflection of their love. This life would be a new chance, a new beginning.
Sydney grasped his hand firmly and brought it to her lips. She kissed it sweetly as Vaughn gazed at her in wonder. As she wordlessly communicated her love, speaking with her eyes, she pressed his hand against her stomach.
"This is our new chance," she whispered. "This little life growing right here, it will be a new beginning for us."
"Baby Vaughn."
"Yes...come February, baby Vaughn."