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Chapter Thirteen - Just the Two (Will, Syd)

Exhausted from the relief of knowing that for once Sydney was going to be fine, Will collapses onto a bench in the hallway, leaning wearily against the wall behind it.

Frantic footsteps snap his attention to the present and he nearly falls off the bench in relief when he recognizes his company. The past few years have made him a jumpy man indeed.

"Syd? Where are you going?"

Startled, she whirls.

"Is everything okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Everything's fine. I just can't find a nail file."

If anything, he feels even more confused.

"Now I've chipped two nails!" she wails, holding up her hand to show him. "When I get my hands on Vaughn…"

"Whoa there," he teases lightly. "Don't want to hear about the honeymoon."

"Funny."

He grins. "I'm supposed to tell you that the groom is in the building. Finally. And how come you don't call him Michael?"

"You know," she retorts. "It's actually very dangerous to annoy me."

"If that were true, you'd have taken care of me a long time ago," he replies smoothly.

They laugh and then fall silent, relaxing in the silent support they bring to each other. Have always brought each other.

"Syd?"

"Yeah?"

"I just… you look… wow."

Self-consciously, she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Vaughn's a lucky guy."

"How come you don't call him Michael?"

He flashes her another innocent look that makes her see red. "I just don't think of him that way."

Her jaw drops. "You… you…"

"Win the verbal fight, I know." His tone is full of humbled accomplishment. Before she can find her voice again, he leans forward and kisses her lightly on the cheek. "I'm happy for you, Syd. You two are it for each other." All I want is to see you happy, even if that's not with me.

"I know," she replies quietly, anger temporarily forgotten. "I'm scared, Will."

"Why?"

"I don't know!" Frustrated, she rises and begins to pace. "I know what we're doing is right. We're right. But I'm just so nervous! And deciding to write our own vows didn't help. I feel like I'm back in high school giving a speech that I didn't practice."

He rolls his eyes. "Come back here," he orders, patting the seat beside him.

"What?"

"Do it."

Reluctantly, she complies.

"All right, look," he begins. "I'm not a shrink. But I can say that everyone is nervous when it comes to this. I've read that, anyway."

She smiles, leaning against him easily.

"Syd, Vaughn is very good at hiding his emotions. I guess you guys are trained that way. But the first time I met him in that elevator and I mentioned your name, I could suddenly read him like a book. When it comes to you, he's so in love he can't think straight. And I know that's how you feel, because I've seen it."

Speechless, she wipes her eyes.

"Oh, Will…"

He reaches over, draping his arm around her shoulders. "Syd, that's not all of it. What's really wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Vaughn asked me how your nails were. Apparently you called him twice?"

She says nothing.

"Now forgive me, Ms. Superhero, but I thought that sounded a little odd. Why would you call him while he was visiting his father for something like that, you know? Doesn't sound like you. So what's really wrong?"

"Francie," she confesses quietly. "She should be here today, Will. I guess I just needed someone to fill the void, you know? She would've loved all this. The gowns… In the dressing room, helping me get ready… she… she would've loved…"

She leans against him, blinking back tears.

"The last time I talked to her about Vaughn, I told her I had a crush on a guy at work, you know? And she… she was so happy for me. So happy. She-" Visibly struggling to collect herself, she wipes her eyes on his suit jacket. "She never even got to meet him, you know? She never got to see what he looked like, even. She never…"

"So you're edgy because France…"

"This wedding has to be perfect," she says firmly into his suit jacket. "Because she would've made it perfect. But she's not here, so I... I didn't mean to call Vaughn, I just… by spazzing over things she would've spazzed over, not really, but the way we used to… it made it seem like she was sitting in the room with me, I guess. Like she was here, like she should be here."

"She's here," Will tells her softly, hugging her lightly. "She'll probably have a better view than any of us. I mean, I'm stuck behind Weiss, who's like twice as tall as me."

"Sydney? It's time, sweetheart. Jack is waiting for you."

They both look up. Irina stands there, and it occurs to Will that he would be hard-pressed to say who looked more nervous, the mother or the daughter.

Her jaw drops. "Oh my God, Will! I'm getting married!"

He grins, standing and offering his arm.

"I would be honored to escort you to your father, Mrs. Vaughn."

"Why thank you, Mr. Tippin. It would be most appreciated."

- to be continued –

Review Responses

Leo's l'il Sista: Argh. Again with a fic that happens after two minutes that didn't! lol

Nattie700: Yes ma'am.

WishingStar: :gushes: You're my favorite star! LOL (Oh, and trust me, both Syd and Vaughn have very definite reactions when they see each other… you know, during The Wedding March).

Reverie: Poor Willage. He really was tapped unfairly with the annoying label. Syd's a Bristow, folks! Remember Jack? If Will annoyed her, she'd kill him! ;)

Kat27: Hmmm. This one's more than three and a half pages in Word, is it better for ya? ;)

:sniffles: less reviews than normal, due to this very annoying site. I'd love to start the wedding with 100 reviews, care to help? ;) (Two more chapters to go until the ceremony begins, folks!)