Chapter 14: Anonymousness

"So you do you want to call first or should I?"

Breakfast lay half eaten on the table on the other side of the room and Sydney and Vaughn were wrapped in each other's arms in the couch. Sydney realized that she had never let someone else protect her. It was usually the other way around. This was a good feeling.

"Umm, let's see. It's 9. I'll call first. Devlin's probably going crazy right now." Vaughn picked up the phone next to him while his other hand lazily traveled in circles around Sydney's back. He pushed the familiar numbers and waited.

"Devlin."

"Sir, this is Agent Vaughn."

"Where the hell are you?"

"I'd like to request a sick day, sir."

"I'm sure you would. . . are all right?"

Vaughn grinned. Devlin was showing concern for his health? He suddenly wanted to record the conversation. "Yes, sir. I've just been feeling swamped with work lately and because Agent Bristow is in Germany and does not require my services today-" He glanced at her and she grinned slightly. "I figured that today would be a good day to rest and make sure that these recent work hours won't affect my performance."

"Well, you haven't taken a sick day yet so I suppose it's about time. I just hope that you are taking a sick day in spite of Agent Bristow's absence and not BECAUSE of it. Do you understand my meaning, Vaughn?"

"Everything is crystal clear sir. I will see you tomorrow." Vaughn hung up the phone and smiled at Sydney. "Devlin just wanted to remind me that I should steer clear of having feelings for you."

Sydney's eyes lit up. "Well, I certainly hope you are capable of distinguishing between good and bad advice."

He touched her face, "I can't distinguish between anything right now Syd. You're the only thing on my mind."

She took the phone from the stand. "I suppose it's my turn."

The person on the other line picked up immediately after the first ring. "Hello?" She sounded worried. Sydney felt a pang of guilt.

"Francie? I'm so sorry I couldn't reach you earlier-"

"SYDNEY! Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine Francie. My flight got canceled and it was really late so I decided to just stay at a motel and completely forgot to call you. DO you forgive me?"

"Of course, Sydney, I'm not angry. I was just worried out of my mind. When I woke up this morning and you weren't home but your nags were still here. . . I don't think I have ever been so worried in my life."

"Jesus, Francie, I am so sorry. I'll be back home later today okay?"

"Alright."

"Okay, Bye."

Sydney sighed. "Nothing like a little guilt in the morning." She smiled at Vaughn.

He was worried for a second, wondering if she was only talking about Francie or if she was telling him about the slightly guilt-trip thing he had put on her this morning. But he pushed it out of his mind. Sydney loved him and that was it. Happiness was so close he could taste it.

For no apparent reason, he thought suddenly if this what was Jack had felt when he married Irina Derevko. But that thought didn't even make sense. After all, Sydney worked for the CIA and he knew she would never do what her mother did even if she was ordered to. Instinctively he tightened his hold around her.

She looked up at him, a dimpled smile forming on her face. "What do you want to do now?"

*I could think of a couple things* Vaughn thought but he didn't say it. When he and Sydney. . . well, he wanted everything to be perfect. Not hiding from anyone. He placed his head next to hers, smelling the sweet scent of shampoo in her hair. He wondered if his hair smelled like that. After all, Sydney had used his shampoo. . . he hadn't realized it was so feminine. "I just want to spend the day with you."

Sydney was slightly relieved. She had thought that if they had sex, everything would be too rushed; that it would be two people trying to make everything happen just in case somebody them rather than two people merely being in love. She nestled her head in the crook where his neck met his shoulders. Her torso rose and feel as he breathed and soon, their whole bodies were synchronized.

Sydney was afraid to blink, afraid that if she closed her eyes and then reopened them, she would find herself in her bed, waking up from the most glorious yet torturous dream she had ever had.

But everything was too real. This hand lying on her stomach, she could feel it. She could smell him around her, she could hear his voice murmuring into her ear and felt the wind of his breath brush across her ear as he spoke. She shivered. Life was good.

"I want to take you out to dinner tonight."

She looked up at him, suddenly startled. She opened her eyes wide. "Vaughn! Someone could see us! Someone might find out. . ." *Why the hell am I saying no? Because I have to. Just because I love him and want to say yes with every fiber of my being doesn't mean the rest of my doesn't exist anymore.*

Vaughn hushed her, placing a finger to her mouth. "Don't worry, Syd. I wasn't asking for a date-"

Sydney looked up at him, puzzled.

"I mean I was but not a formal one. I was just going to mention that I was going to make a one person reservation at some elegant restaurant in the city and that if I happened to see some strikingly beautiful woman who also seemed to be alone. . . I might risk a conversation."

Sydney's face burst into a smile. "I hope you find that woman. And even if you don't, I have a feeling she'll find you."

Vaughn continued to talk softly into her ear. "Well. . . if you see her. Tell her that she is already amazingly gorgeous and that she doesn't have to dress too sexy. . . I wouldn't want any man horning in on her before I could. Oh. . . and tell her I really liked the little black number she wore in Austria." Sydney looked at him.

"You had feelings for me in Austria? Vaughn, that was a year and a half ago!"

"Sydney, when have I not had feelings for you? I think that would be the easier question to answer."

"Okay. . . I'll pass the message along," she replied, blushing.

"I don't know about her but I eat dinner at eight. And I love Italian food."

"She does too."

"Well, there's this great little restaurant on Peach Street. It's about 15 minutes away from here and it's so well known that it doesn't even have a name. It's absolutely fantastic though."

"An anonymous restaurant? It sounds perfect."





Okay. . . just as a warning, this is going to be the second to last of what was (I hope affectionately) dubbed "corny part" The flashback will end pretty soon and we will be back in present day LA. Wahoo~ Jenn.