You guys… I met the HOTTEST guy the other day… and he was even hotter because he was nice and he could sing like no other… (Yes I go for guys with voices). Anyway… he was a part of the Stanford Mendicants and he had a solo and I was basically swooning in my chair because of the afore-mentioned weakness of mine.

So, he's a lot older than I am but it's not like anything is going to happen anyway so I can dream right? Like I do with Michael Vartan… J

Damn he was hot… I'm listening to the CD right now. New favorite song: Two Princes.

Back to my story:

Who am I trying to kid? My updates may come with bigger waits in betwen but they'll come... maybe even faster because the only thing I want to do when I give myself a break is write and when I write, I have to update or I feel weird.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN SLACK ON THE REVIEWS!!!!!

Because I love them and they give me inspiration.

To:

All the people who reviewed my last two chapters.

Dream Writer 4 Life- you know it already but I truly value your reviews and all your insight and comments on all my stories. It's nice to know that you read everything and then feel the need to tell me how you feel about what I write too. Thanks for all your kind words, constructive criticisms, and e-mails.

And here is 26.

26.

Daniel Hecht walked past the flower shop, peering at the roses that peeked out from the corner; seducing him, trying to get him to come into the store.

It was as if they were speaking to him. Buy me. Buy me! He shook his head. Maybe the torture had affected him more than he thought.

But he stopped himself again. He wouldn't allow himself to think about the torture. Those were times he never wanted to live through again.

Strange though, how he wasn't sure that this life was so much better. Looking at the roses only reminded him of Sydney. Which would have been delightful if she loved him back.

But he could only think about the roses that had covered the room; filling the entire space with their sweet scent and color. He loved her that much too. He would do that too. But she wouldn't let him.

She had already let him go.

So he walked past the store; past the beckoning flowers that still called out to him as he walked away.

I have no one to buy them for.

And against his will, he felt his rage growing once more.

She was dead to him. He could control himself. He didn't have to be a slave to love; there was no such thing as love.

No such thing. It had died when he did; died when Sydney had turned her back on him; died the minute the door had opened and she had nearly screamed at the sight of him.

God, he wished it was alive though.

She should have died hereafter.

There would have been a time for such a word.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time.

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death.

Out, out brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow,a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more.

It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury

Signifying nothing.

What was that? Shakespeare? That's right. William Shakespeare, Macbeth Act 5.

Profound guy that Shakespeare.

Sydney had loved that passage; had memorized it in seconds and then recited it to him, her eyes even tearing a bit as she told him how beautiful it was.

He had told her that it was as beautiful as she was.

And she had laughed and kissed him.

What an idiot. What an idiot's tale. Life was indeed a tale told by an idiot. It was full of sound and fury but, in the end, Shakespeare was right.

It signified nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

But even that desolation and sudden epiphany didn't keep him from shouting in surprise and fear as he felt himself being suddenly grabbed and pulled into a parked car in the street.

Hands roughly grabbed him, pulling his hands behind his back while another pair got the shot ready.

He felt the undeniable feeling of cold steel against his neck and he stopped stuggling. He had felt the force of that gun slamming across his head too many times to count.

He started babbling again; he had always babbled at this moment. This suspended second in time when everything stopped and the only thing that he could see was the slow spurting of the clear yellow drops erupting from the end of the needle.

And though he fought furiously against what he knew would happen next, Sydney's face popped in front of his eyes again anyway, lips gently smiling as her eyes twinkled with laughter.

Silently giving him strength and sanity.

And then it exploded as another broke through it.

The face lowered itself until it was a mere inches above his own.

"You have been a very bad boy."

And then he felt the familiar fire rage through his veins, coursing through his system and grappling with his heart. And then he felt nothing.

~:~

Vaughn smiled as he heard Sydney step beside him, the door gently closing as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Sydney, can't you see I'm shaving?"

A slow grin grew across her face. "I'm sure I saw more than that a few minutes ago when you were in the shower."

Vaughn blushed hotly but stoicly kept his own and attempted to change the subject. "Well, your mood has certainly gotten a lot lighter since yesterday."

She grew more serious. "You do that to me. You make me happy."

He grinned. He loved getting compliments.

"Don't think I don't know what that look on your face means."

Vaughn raised his eyebrows. "I don't know what you're talking about. My mind is completely and totally blank at the moment."

He felt the breath of her soft chuckle on his neck and shivered slightly. "Really? Because I thought you were gloating and telling yourself how much you love getting compliments."

He turned towards her, razor still in hand. "Wrong."

Sydney raised her own eyebrows, a slightly puzzled expression on her face. "Really? Pray tell then Mr. Vaughn. What exactly were you thinking about?"

"Kissing you."

She rolled her eyes. "You are such a cornball did you know th-"

He shut her up with a method she wasn't really opposed to.

Except for the fact that she now had shaving cream on her face.

She burst out laughing but stopped at the sudden exulted look on his face.

"What's so great?"

"You're laughing. I just realized I haven't heard you laugh since yesterday morning. I didn't know how much I missed it until I heard it just now."

She shook her head. "See? See what you do to me? You go ahead and say things like that and then I can't even pretend to be mad at you anymore for messing up my face."

He grinned. "Your face isn't messed up. Besides, isn't that a good thing? Then we'll never fight."

"True."

She wiped out the shaving cream with a finger and then transferred it onto Vaughn's shoulder.

"Syd! I just took a shower."

"I know. Now you're dirty again. I guess you'll just have to take another one."

"With you watching I suppose."

"Of course. I might even feel inclined to join you."

He shook his head at her and smiled. "I can't believe I'm going to marry you."

Sydney stiffened as she was suddenly blown into a memory.

"What are you doing?"

"Will you please stand up?"

...

"Remember the loud guy? At the lounge?"

"Oh no..."

"BUILD ME UP! BUTTERCUP BABY THEN YOU BRING ME DOWN AND MESS ME AROUND AND THEN WORST OF ALL YOU NEVER CALL BABY WHEN YOU SAY YOU WILL. BUT I LOVE YOU STILL..."

...

Danny traced the freckles that were splattered all over her back as she lay beside him, reading a book.

"I can't believe I'm going to marry you."

She turned from her book, looking at him curiously. "Why is it so hard to believe?"

"Just because... Well, look at you. And then look at me."

"What am I supposed to be seeing?"

"The fact that I love you."

"Oh, is that it? That's obvious."

"I know. The amazing part is that you love me back."

She smiled and pecked him on the cheek. "I will always love you. But leave me alone right now, I'm trying to read."

She shook her head, banishing the memory from her mind. She would have loved Danny forever but he left her.

Maybe not intentionally but leaving was leaving.

Though was she creating a double standard for herself? For hadn't she left him as well, intentional or not?

It didn't matter. Who left who and why was not relevant.

There was only one thing that was relevant.

And he was standing right in front of her.

"Syd? Are you okay? You went into kind of a daze."

"No. No... I'm fine. I promise. I just got a little dizzy, that's all." She smiled wanly at him and exited the bathroom, letting her head clear away from the steam.

Leave me alone. Danny. Please just let me be with Michael. No more memories.

Vaughn came out of the shower, a puzzled look on his face as he watched her sit on the couch and stare out the window. He wasn't sure of what had just happened.

She had been fine a moment ago.

He wrapped the towel(!) more securely around himself and walked slowly over to her, still judging how much he could help her.

And that's when his pager went off.

Checking the number, he cursed quietly and looked quickly at Sydney before turning to the phone.

"This is Agent Vaughn."

"Vaughn get your ass over here right now. We have a situation."

TBC...

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