Sydney made it all the way to the Land Rover before she felt the familiar
sting of tears burning her eyes. She cranked up the radio, trying to drown
out the sound of her own tears.
She loved the little life inside her, she loved Vaughn. She was thrilled that they were going to have a baby together. But she wanted to share that. To announce to the world that she and the man she loved were going to be parents. Sje wanted to stop telling lies about who the father of the baby was and having to pretend that she loved someone else. She wanted to go shopping with Vaughn and pick out wallpaper for the nursery.
Sydney couldn't wait until the baby was born. But it was only eight more months. SD-6 wouldn't be gone by then. Vaughn wouldn't be there. He wouldn't be able to witness the birth of his own child.
She needed him now.
She called his cell phone, she could talk, and not in code.
"Vaughn...I, I need you. C-can you meet me at the warehouse?"
"Yeah, sure. Are you okay?"
"No."
"I'll be right there."
***
Vaughn got to the warehouse before her and nervously paced across the concrete floor. He felt absolutely terrified. Having two people to worry about nearly had him undone.
When she finally walked in, seemingly a lifetime later, he rushed to her and grabbed her by the shoulder. He anxiously scanned her body, searching desperately for injuries, any indication she was hurt. She just stood there and cried.
When he was satisfied that she was unharmed, he drew her close.
"What's wrong Sydney?"
"I just want to be happy about this Vaughn! I don't want to have to lie to everyone I know and care about!"
"What happened?"
Sydney sniffled and sucked in her breath. "Will called me. He wanted to know who the father was."
A heavy sense of dread welled up inside Vaughn. He had to ask...but he had a sinking feeling he didn't want to hear the answer. "What did you say?" he inquired softly.
"Noah," she sobbed.
Vaughn felt as if she had plunged a knife in his heart. He knew she wouldn't be able to tell the truth, but somehow using Noah, an assassin...a man she had cared about...a man she had slept with, tore at his heart. He stepped back. He could feel the anger rising inside of him. He didn't even know he was mad at. Sydney, himself, Noah, God. But he knew that no matter who his anger was directed towards, he could not contain it.
"Noah?!" he shouted angrily. "You told him our baby is the child of a murderer? An assasin?"
"Vaughn," she pleaded, crying harder now than before. "I'm sorry! What did you want me to say?"
"Anything but that!"
"Why does it matter Vaughn? What's the difference between one lie and another?" she choked out bitterly.
"Because!" he cried out. "Because you slept with him! You slept with him didn't you, Sydney?" He was breaking. His voice cracked and tears of anger and grief began to flow down his chiseled face. "You slept with that bastard. You could have gotten pregnant with his baby...and you could tell people. You wouldn't be suffering if it was him, instead of me."
Vaughn dropped his head in shame. "I'm sorry. G-d Syd, I'm sorry." He could feel guilt and remorse already eating away at him. He couldn't believe his own terrible words.
She said nothing. He couldn't blame her, but he needed her to be ok.
"Syd, say something!" he pleaded.
"I'm sorry Vaughn! I'm so sorry. I...I didn't mean to hurt you. G-d I'm so sorry!"
"No! Sydney, I'm not mad at you! I'm sorry. This is just so hard, and thinking of Noah...I just got so mad and you're the only one here. I'm sorry Syd. You didn't do anything wrong. I took it out on you. Forgive me, please." He enfolded her in his arms once more.
She buried her head deep in his chest. He buried his head in her hair. And they stood there, together. They knew that this would never be easy. Nothing could change this. They would have to lie, they would have to hurt. But they would do it together.
She loved the little life inside her, she loved Vaughn. She was thrilled that they were going to have a baby together. But she wanted to share that. To announce to the world that she and the man she loved were going to be parents. Sje wanted to stop telling lies about who the father of the baby was and having to pretend that she loved someone else. She wanted to go shopping with Vaughn and pick out wallpaper for the nursery.
Sydney couldn't wait until the baby was born. But it was only eight more months. SD-6 wouldn't be gone by then. Vaughn wouldn't be there. He wouldn't be able to witness the birth of his own child.
She needed him now.
She called his cell phone, she could talk, and not in code.
"Vaughn...I, I need you. C-can you meet me at the warehouse?"
"Yeah, sure. Are you okay?"
"No."
"I'll be right there."
***
Vaughn got to the warehouse before her and nervously paced across the concrete floor. He felt absolutely terrified. Having two people to worry about nearly had him undone.
When she finally walked in, seemingly a lifetime later, he rushed to her and grabbed her by the shoulder. He anxiously scanned her body, searching desperately for injuries, any indication she was hurt. She just stood there and cried.
When he was satisfied that she was unharmed, he drew her close.
"What's wrong Sydney?"
"I just want to be happy about this Vaughn! I don't want to have to lie to everyone I know and care about!"
"What happened?"
Sydney sniffled and sucked in her breath. "Will called me. He wanted to know who the father was."
A heavy sense of dread welled up inside Vaughn. He had to ask...but he had a sinking feeling he didn't want to hear the answer. "What did you say?" he inquired softly.
"Noah," she sobbed.
Vaughn felt as if she had plunged a knife in his heart. He knew she wouldn't be able to tell the truth, but somehow using Noah, an assassin...a man she had cared about...a man she had slept with, tore at his heart. He stepped back. He could feel the anger rising inside of him. He didn't even know he was mad at. Sydney, himself, Noah, God. But he knew that no matter who his anger was directed towards, he could not contain it.
"Noah?!" he shouted angrily. "You told him our baby is the child of a murderer? An assasin?"
"Vaughn," she pleaded, crying harder now than before. "I'm sorry! What did you want me to say?"
"Anything but that!"
"Why does it matter Vaughn? What's the difference between one lie and another?" she choked out bitterly.
"Because!" he cried out. "Because you slept with him! You slept with him didn't you, Sydney?" He was breaking. His voice cracked and tears of anger and grief began to flow down his chiseled face. "You slept with that bastard. You could have gotten pregnant with his baby...and you could tell people. You wouldn't be suffering if it was him, instead of me."
Vaughn dropped his head in shame. "I'm sorry. G-d Syd, I'm sorry." He could feel guilt and remorse already eating away at him. He couldn't believe his own terrible words.
She said nothing. He couldn't blame her, but he needed her to be ok.
"Syd, say something!" he pleaded.
"I'm sorry Vaughn! I'm so sorry. I...I didn't mean to hurt you. G-d I'm so sorry!"
"No! Sydney, I'm not mad at you! I'm sorry. This is just so hard, and thinking of Noah...I just got so mad and you're the only one here. I'm sorry Syd. You didn't do anything wrong. I took it out on you. Forgive me, please." He enfolded her in his arms once more.
She buried her head deep in his chest. He buried his head in her hair. And they stood there, together. They knew that this would never be easy. Nothing could change this. They would have to lie, they would have to hurt. But they would do it together.