Woohoo! Last part J Thanks to everyone who read and responded! You all make me wanna write more. *g* Enjoy!

Bleed For Me – Part 5/5

Written by Abby O. (abbyo3@hotmail.com)

"All I ever wanted
Was to be what you needed
'Cause something so strong
It could never be wrong.
And all I can promise
Is to say what I'm feeling
We've made it so long"

                        --"Bleed For Me," by Saliva

Am I seeing things? I squint and stop dead in my tracks. There's a small fire burning about a hundred yards away and I can only hope that it's Sydney. I place my hand on the gun in my holster as I make my way to the tiny blaze of hope in the distance. My heart starts to beat faster and I suddenly develop what I hope is an irrational fear of what I might find. As I walk closer to the clearing and immediately see a body in a fetal position on the ground next to the fading fire.

Sydney!

My legs begin to run over to her and I kneel on the ground, instantly noticing the medium-sized cut on her face.

"Sydney!" I call out, gently rolling her onto her back. "Can you hear me?"

She lets out a groan and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. Her eyes flutter open and those beautiful chocolate brown spheres that I've missed out on are looking up at me. "Vaughn," she says my name in a raspy voice and in that instant, I feel like everything bad in my life has just faded away.

"I'm here," I smile, pulling out the first aid kit from my pack. "Just relax, okay? I'm gonna take care of you."

"How did you...how did you find me?"

I let her drink from my canteen as I wash off the cut on her cheek and bandage it. "I just knew," I answered. "Does anything else hurt?"

She props herself up on her elbows, wincing in pain, and I help her to a sitting position. "I have a few bruises pretty much all over, but you know, nothing I've never had before."

Unfortunately, she was right.

"Listen, I'm gonna call Weiss and set up an extraction, okay? Just stay here."

She gives me that where-the-hell-would-I-go look.

"Right." I stand up and walk a few feet away from the fire, afraid to take my eyes off of her. I may my call to Weiss on the GPS phone and he relays the message to Kendall. I tuck the phone back into my backpack. "There's another clearing a couple miles ahead. They're sending an extraction team to meet us there in about three hours so we have an hour here to rest," I informed her as I threw more twigs into the fire. I take a seat on the ground next to her as she hugs her knees, her gaze focused on the glowing embers. Neither one of us speak for I don't know how long and the tension is threatening to suffocate and kill me.

"Why did you come for me?" she questions, her tone sounding smaller than I've ever heard it.

I look at her incredulously. "Why do you think I came?" I ask softly.

No answer.

"I came because I wasn't going to let you slip away from me again. I've done it once and I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. Especially not with you."

We continue to watch the fire in silence and an eternity seems to pass until I can muster up the courage to delve into the subject that we've been avoiding for so long. I'm tired of there being a huge pink elephant in the room whenever we're fifty feet away from each other. I'm tired of living my life without the one person that can truly fulfill it without so much as lifting a finger.

"We have a lot of things to talk about, Syd."

I hear a sharp intake of air and then, "I didn't think we had anything to say to each other."

"Then you thought wrong."

Her gaze burns into mine with a mixture of challenging and vulnerability. "What is it that needs to be said between us, Vaughn? I went missing for two years and I can't tell you where I've been or what I've done or who I even am anymore. I come back here, to my 'home,' and discover that you've pretty much moved on with your life and have found bigger and better things. Like a wife. So pardon me for not being so damn understanding," she hissed.

I pull my eyes away from her and turn my attention back to the fire. No, I deserve that. From my peripheral vision, I see her burying her head in her hands and rubbing her forehead.

"I'm sorry. I—I just, I expected this to be hard but not entirely impossible."

"What?"

"This conversation that I thought we would never have to have."

"Why would you think we would never talk about this?"

"Because the more we talk about this, the more complicated things get. And...you don't owe me anything, Vaughn. I'm not gonna be responsible for getting in between your marriage. You deserve to be happy," she sighs.

"And so do you, Sydney," I add quietly.

"I'll be fine," she assures me, fighting to keep her tone as convincing as possible but I see right through her.

"You don't have to be fine all the time because you know what? I'm not fine, Syd. I'm not fine! I'm miserable!"

"I'm sorry my return has put such a damper on your life," she mutters.

"That's not how it is and you know it," I say quietly, keeping my frustration in check. "Look at me, Sydney." When she doesn't comply, I reach out and tug on her cheek, tilting her face towards mine much like I did our last night together. Tears are pooling in her eyes but she struggles to keep them from falling. "When I lost you that night, I lost so much more than just you. I lost myself, my direction…everything," I tell her quietly. "I spent everyday looking for you, persuing leads that took me nowhere. And when I wasn't looking for you, I went to the observatory or the train station or the pier...hoping against hope that maybe, just maybe you'd be waiting there for me. On that one night, my life had changed so drastically and for the first time, I couldn't be strong anymore. I didn't have the answers and it drove me insane. Everything had changed so fast."

She begins to turn away, the hot tears seering down her cheeks.

"But Sydney," I reach out once again, gently willing her to look at me. "The one thing...the one thing that didn't change and will never change is how I feel about you. No matter what happened or will happen, I'm never going to stop being in love with you because as hard as I tried to move on, there wasn't I day when I didn't think about kissing you or holding you or watching another hockey game with you...And if I have one regret in my life, it was that I failed to tell you sooner that I love you, Syd. I always have and I always will…and you can try to move heaven and earth to stop me from doing so, but I'm gonna have to warn you that no matter how hard you try, it's a losing battle."

She's crying freely now and I take her into my arms as I had done so many times before. I kiss the top of her head as she tightens her arms around me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, relishing in the feel of her body wrapped against mine.

"I'm so sorry, Syd," I whisper. "I'm so sorry for everything..."

"Don't apologize," she sighs into my jacket.

We hold each other for a while and after her crying settles, she pulls tentatively away from me, unsure of what to do or say next.

"So what happens now?" she asks.

"I think we start over," I reply, offering a hesitant smile.

"But you're...what about Kate?"

I look down at my left hand and slowly pull off my glove, showing her my bare ring finger. I think it's safe to say that she's more than a little surprised.

"Vaughn..." she begins, her eyes wide and her voice shaky.

"I ended things with Kate a few weeks ago. It wasn't fair to her for me to drag it on any further."

"I'm really sorry..."

"Don't apologize," I smile, returning her own words.

I rub her back gently, trying to warm her as much as I can. A huge weight seems to have been lifted from my shoulders. I know that we still have a long way to go, but I'm willing to take it as slow as she needs to. After a few more minutes pass by, I pull away a little to look at her and realize that she's asleep. She's gotta be exhausted. I look at my watch and decide to let her sleep for another twenty minutes before we start our trip to the extraction point. I brush the hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear.


I tell her it's going to be okay, even if she can't hear me, and I gently kiss her temple.

Two hours later, we reach the extraction point just in time as the helicopter lands. We are pulled up into the aircraft and are given warm blankets to wrap around our bodies. Sydney and I sit side by side as we lift off and I breathe a sigh of relief that we are finally safe.

"Agents Bristow and Vaughn, we'll be taking you to Ersta Sjukhus Hospital in Stockholm so you guys just sit tight," one of the men yell to us and we both give a nod.

I look out of the helicopter's window and watch the sunrise. My breath catches in my throat when Sydney takes my hand in hers. I look at her and am surprised to see the same softness and sparkle in her eyes that I used to see before.

I know that we both have a lot to work out, that this is far from over. Nevertheless, now I know that we can do it together. Nothing can keep two people apart when they're fated to be with each other. Not even an agonizing two years. She smiles at me with that endearing dimpled beam and I don't think the sunrise has ever looked more beautiful.

* * * * * * * *

Once again, I find myself sitting outside of a hospital room. Same person, different place, different reason. I seem to have developed a habit of twiddling my thumbs as I wait for the doctor to leave her room and tell me that I can go in. The past day has been such a whirlwind of events and it's just now that I feel the weariness setting in.

"Agent Vaughn?"

I quickly stand up.

"Sydney is just fine," he smiles. "A few minor symptoms of hypothermia, a couple cuts and bruises...but she's alive and kicking."

"Thank you," I say, letting out a sigh of relief. "Can I see her?"

"Go right ahead."

This time around, I don't waste any time. I enter her room and find her laying down on the bed with the back of it tilted up so she can sit up just a little bit.

"Hey."

"Hey," she smiles. God, I love that smile. The woman makes me feel giddy, an uncommon emotion for a man to be having (or admitting). Giddy!

I walk towards the bed and sit on the edge of it, facing her. "How you feelin'?"

"A lot better..."

I can't help but think that her words had a double-meaning, but all I can focus on is her deep brown eyes staring at me. The last time I was in a hospital room with this woman, she couldn't stand to look at me. "When are they letting you come home?"

"The doctor said in a few hours."

"That's good," I beam, pulling the covers up to her abdomen.

She watches my gesture and lays a hand on mine, her expression turning serious. "Vaughn?"

"Hmm?"

"Everything you said back in the woods -- about how you felt. I just wanted to say that...I feel exactly the same. I wanted you to know that."

"I think I knew," I reply, trying to hide my relief and not bothering to conceal my happiness.

"And Vaughn?"

"Yeah?"

She tugs on the lapel of my jacket and pulls my face inches away from hers. "I missed you," she whispers against my lips.

I close the distance between us as our lips meet in a gentle kiss. It's been far too long that I've felt her lips on mine and the feeling is indescribable. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, those are fireworks you hear in the background. Or maybe that's just in my head. She reluctantly pulls away and smiles at me.

"I missed you, too."

* * * * * * *

"There were days, lonely days

When the world wouldn't throw me a crumb

But I kept on believing

That this day would come

And this love

Is like nothing I have ever known

Take my hand, love

I'm taking you home"

                        -"Taking You Home," by Don Henley

It's been a month since our Sweden ordeal and my life has gotten considerably better since then. My relationship with Vaughn, though still fragile, is gradually rebuilding as we try to rediscover one another again. We both agreed to take things slow because we still have many issues to resolve. I don't remember feeling this alive and complete in so long that I almost forgot how fulfilling it felt. I think we both learned not to take anything for granted and now, neither of us are afraid to tell each other how we feel.

After today's debrief is over, which Vaughn was exempt from for some reason or another, I walk across the CIA bullpen to my desk. Before I take a seat, a colored brochure taped to my computer screen catches my eye.

'Bacara Resort of Santa Barbara.'

Needless to say, I'm shocked when I open the brochure and pictures of a strikingly gorgeous hotel slash spa are splashed across the brochure's panels. The suites...the pool...oh my God. My eyes are agape and my mouth hangs wide open as I read the descriptions of what could very well be paradise. Suddenly, I sense that someone is watching me and I look around the room, the brochure still in my hand.

Then I see him.

He's standing at the entrance of the office doors, leaning up against the wall. Dressed in a blue Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts, flip flops, and sunglasses sitting on his head, never has he looked more gorgeous...and more ridiculous considering that we're at work. He grins goofily at me while jiggling the ring of his car keys on his finger. This man is absolutely incorrigible and I love him for it. I can't help but begin to laugh as I shake my head in disbelief.

"Go ahead, Bristow. See you in a week," I hear Kendall say behind me, almost making me jump.

"Thank you, sir," I say happily as he walks away. My eyes meet Vaughn's once again and I walk towards him, trying to hide my smile.

"You ready?" he asks, still grinning.

"I can't believe we're doing this."

"We have some unfinished business to attend to and we really should hurry, Syd. The longer I stand here, the more strange stares I'm getting from the staff," he jokes.

"I still have to pack," I laugh.

"Already taken care of."

"You're serious?"

"Absolutely."

I place my arms around his neck, disregarding the fact that we still are at work. Who cares? "You're amazing, Michael Vaughn."

He leans down to whisper in my ear.

"Not nearly as amazing as you." He places a soft kiss on my neck and—

"HEY, you two! Have fun at Santa Barbara!" Weiss shouts, clapping Vaughn hard on the back. We both jump and pull away reluctantly, sharing a hilarious look.

Some things never change.

* * * * * *

The End.