Defeated 5
A/N: Sorry for the delay! You have no idea how busy I am - half-yearly exams are coming up in a few weeks and the teachers are unmerciful. Here's an extra long chapter. Anyway, thank you for all your support! They're the things that keep me going when I feel down - so a mega watt thank you to every single one of you - be sure that I treasure each review.
*********************
'Can you honestly say you don't need me?'. Vaughn looked hurt and distraught. 'Look at me,' he said. When she didn't respond, he shook her shoulders, turning them so that she faced him once more. 'Look at me,' he said again, 'and now tell me you don't need me.'
She said nothing, but turned and sobbed as she threw up again and again. As she gasped for breath in between each wave of nausea, she whispered 'I'm so sorry.. I'm so sorry.'
*********************
'Don't be sorry Syd,' he said reassuringly. 'Whatever you feel, please don't be sorry. You know that I'd do anything for you right?'.
Without hesitation, Sydney used what life was left in her to whisper softly, but confidently, 'I know Vaughn. I know.'
Sydney's head fell against Vaughn's chest and her whole body leaned against him. Her hair was strewn across her sweat glistened face, eyes half opened. She was completely energy drained and relied totally on Vaughn.
'Let's get you back to bed so you can rest a bit more', he mumbled into her hair after a while. And with that, he scooped her up and made his way back to the bedroom, realising that she felt even lighter than the day before. She was lifeless, limp, and her body was now only a fragile frame.
Sydney didn't sleep, no matter how much Vaughn begged her. Instead, she chose to sit there, propped up with pillows, staring off into space.
Every so often she would cough, heaving for breath as Vaughn rubbed her back. He always sat there patiently, ready to help on a second's notice - not that Sydney ever accepted it unless it was absolutely necessary.
Whilst Vaughn had so many emotions evident on his face, Sydney's wore no expression - her blank face often frustrating Vaughn. He had no clue as to what she was feeling, thinking and whether or not he was doing and saying the right things.
__________________________
The next few days carried on in a similar fashion. Sydney's emotional state didn't get much better and nor did her appetite.
On Vaughn's part, sleepless nights were often spent worrying over her and he would often find Sydney huddled in a corner, seeking sanctuary from whatever demons she was facing; he would try to feed her - only to have it refused, or thrown back up minutes later.
The times when she was asleep were used to reflect on his thoughts. He had been so worried when she was missing, but he had thought that once she was back, the anxiety would go, the insomnia would disappear, and his life would be back on track.
He shook his head and laughed quietly to himself. How wrong could he have been? Now that Sydney was finally back, he found himself almost incapable of looking after her properly - he felt that he wasn't looking after Sydney properly; not giving her what she needed. But the problem was, he didn't know what she needed.
Neither of the two got any rest though. They were constantly kept awake because of the nightmares Sydney had, whether it was day time or night time.
However, one such nightmare marked the turning point Sydney's recovery. It in the morning of Vaughn's sleepless nights when he was shaken from his thoughts by a blood curdling scream - a scream which shook him to his very bones - a scream he would never forget.
He immediately threw back his covers, and tripping over Donovan, rushed to her side. Sydney was there - her mouth still open from her scream, her eyes now wide open, her back arching upwards as if she was trying to break free from something.
The kind of emotions and thoughts that ran through Vaughn's mind at that time, were indescribably terrifying. The scream had been spine chilling - but the look on Sydney's face seemed to be the very essence of fear; the one thing that was holding Sydney's mind hostage.
Vaughn gently lifted her up so that she was propped up against her pillows. He spent the next few minutes hugging her, whispering soothing words into her ear, comforting her, and eventually Sydney calmed down and relaxed.
She didn't say anything - she didn't even cry - something which surprised and almost relieved Vaughn; she had no energy left to do anything but keep herself conscious.
He spent the night rushing in between the bedroom and his kitchen, fixing ice-packs for the times when she had an impossibly high temperature, changing sheets when Sydney when she had soaked the sheets in her sweat, and making hot cups of water for her to drink for the times when she was buried beneath layers and layers of blankets yet still had chattering teeth.
Vaughn's hard work through the night, however, did not go unrewarded. Sydney eventually fell asleep on her side, facing Vaughn, with both of her hands wrapped securely in his.
TBC
A/N: please tell me which direction you want this fic to go in - and I'd love to hear what you think! : )
A/N: Sorry for the delay! You have no idea how busy I am - half-yearly exams are coming up in a few weeks and the teachers are unmerciful. Here's an extra long chapter. Anyway, thank you for all your support! They're the things that keep me going when I feel down - so a mega watt thank you to every single one of you - be sure that I treasure each review.
*********************
'Can you honestly say you don't need me?'. Vaughn looked hurt and distraught. 'Look at me,' he said. When she didn't respond, he shook her shoulders, turning them so that she faced him once more. 'Look at me,' he said again, 'and now tell me you don't need me.'
She said nothing, but turned and sobbed as she threw up again and again. As she gasped for breath in between each wave of nausea, she whispered 'I'm so sorry.. I'm so sorry.'
*********************
'Don't be sorry Syd,' he said reassuringly. 'Whatever you feel, please don't be sorry. You know that I'd do anything for you right?'.
Without hesitation, Sydney used what life was left in her to whisper softly, but confidently, 'I know Vaughn. I know.'
Sydney's head fell against Vaughn's chest and her whole body leaned against him. Her hair was strewn across her sweat glistened face, eyes half opened. She was completely energy drained and relied totally on Vaughn.
'Let's get you back to bed so you can rest a bit more', he mumbled into her hair after a while. And with that, he scooped her up and made his way back to the bedroom, realising that she felt even lighter than the day before. She was lifeless, limp, and her body was now only a fragile frame.
Sydney didn't sleep, no matter how much Vaughn begged her. Instead, she chose to sit there, propped up with pillows, staring off into space.
Every so often she would cough, heaving for breath as Vaughn rubbed her back. He always sat there patiently, ready to help on a second's notice - not that Sydney ever accepted it unless it was absolutely necessary.
Whilst Vaughn had so many emotions evident on his face, Sydney's wore no expression - her blank face often frustrating Vaughn. He had no clue as to what she was feeling, thinking and whether or not he was doing and saying the right things.
__________________________
The next few days carried on in a similar fashion. Sydney's emotional state didn't get much better and nor did her appetite.
On Vaughn's part, sleepless nights were often spent worrying over her and he would often find Sydney huddled in a corner, seeking sanctuary from whatever demons she was facing; he would try to feed her - only to have it refused, or thrown back up minutes later.
The times when she was asleep were used to reflect on his thoughts. He had been so worried when she was missing, but he had thought that once she was back, the anxiety would go, the insomnia would disappear, and his life would be back on track.
He shook his head and laughed quietly to himself. How wrong could he have been? Now that Sydney was finally back, he found himself almost incapable of looking after her properly - he felt that he wasn't looking after Sydney properly; not giving her what she needed. But the problem was, he didn't know what she needed.
Neither of the two got any rest though. They were constantly kept awake because of the nightmares Sydney had, whether it was day time or night time.
However, one such nightmare marked the turning point Sydney's recovery. It in the morning of Vaughn's sleepless nights when he was shaken from his thoughts by a blood curdling scream - a scream which shook him to his very bones - a scream he would never forget.
He immediately threw back his covers, and tripping over Donovan, rushed to her side. Sydney was there - her mouth still open from her scream, her eyes now wide open, her back arching upwards as if she was trying to break free from something.
The kind of emotions and thoughts that ran through Vaughn's mind at that time, were indescribably terrifying. The scream had been spine chilling - but the look on Sydney's face seemed to be the very essence of fear; the one thing that was holding Sydney's mind hostage.
Vaughn gently lifted her up so that she was propped up against her pillows. He spent the next few minutes hugging her, whispering soothing words into her ear, comforting her, and eventually Sydney calmed down and relaxed.
She didn't say anything - she didn't even cry - something which surprised and almost relieved Vaughn; she had no energy left to do anything but keep herself conscious.
He spent the night rushing in between the bedroom and his kitchen, fixing ice-packs for the times when she had an impossibly high temperature, changing sheets when Sydney when she had soaked the sheets in her sweat, and making hot cups of water for her to drink for the times when she was buried beneath layers and layers of blankets yet still had chattering teeth.
Vaughn's hard work through the night, however, did not go unrewarded. Sydney eventually fell asleep on her side, facing Vaughn, with both of her hands wrapped securely in his.
TBC
A/N: please tell me which direction you want this fic to go in - and I'd love to hear what you think! : )