Title: Trying Normal Chapter 7
Author: UConn Fan (Michele)
E-Mail: LoveUConnBasketball@yahoo.com
Story Summary: "Can I be normal?"
He shrugged, "what does normal mean anyway? You can be happy though, and that's about as close to normal as anyone can hope for." (Sequel to "Coming to Terms")
This Chapter: The wedding & newlywed life
DISCLAIMER: I don't own ANY of these characters; they belong to Bad Robot, ABC, and the brilliant J.J. Abrams. Nor do I own anything remotely recognizable.
A/N: There is no Jack/Brigitte meeting - frankly I forgot about writing it, so I'm considering going back & writing it as a seperate piece (i.e. "About Alice . . ." accept this one will not be put into TN). My girls WON the National Championship! Woohoo! UConn did what only TN has done and gone two straight years! I feel bad for Kara Lawson, BUT I'm happy happy happy we won!! Let's see . . . Jake Voskuhl's getting a contract extension, so yay! Oh, in here I mention Sloane starting another organization but that it didn't materlize. That's all your going to hear about it in this story. Sloane's "Other organization" is going to pop up (maybe?) in a different story, set twenty something years from now centering around Jackie. I'm not sure I'm ever going to post the Jackie story, but if there's interest I won't post it until after I'm done with TN. Maybe 4-5 more chapters of this; it's going to go quicker from now on. By the end of the next chapter (I'm not sure) there might be a new baby on the way :)
Please Review. Oh, and I'm working on "The Lightkeeper". Has anyone seen "Havana" with Lena Olin? She's so beautiful in it! I mean I sit and drool openly over Michael Vartan, but I have no shame in saying that Lena Olin is beautiful and definitely was in Havana. Okay, anyway, I just wanted to mention that - it's a long movie but she's fantastic in it. That's all.
Sorry this is so short.
Sydney wore an off-white linen column dress and matching cardigan when her father walked her down the makeshift aisle. There was no denying her beauty that day, with her hair curled along the bottom, with a light dusting of make up to accompany the slight glow she still carried from her pregnancy. The dress was simple for the ceremony held on Brigitte's terrace on a breezy Friday in June. Francie stood up as Sydney's attendant, with Eric serving as her counterpart. Maya was the oh-so-careful flower girl, resembling an angel preceding her on her journey to meet her groom. After placing her hand carefully in Michael's, Jack kissed her cheek and sat down. His young namesake was already sitting on her Grandma Brigitte's lap, half asleep by the beginning of the festivities. Donovan and Brigitte's tiny Bison Phoebe, both curled up at the back of the terrace, sound asleep, shared her lack of interest.
Michael's uncle proudly performed the ceremony; the elderly priest had long ago given up any hope that his nephew would marry at all, never mind to another Catholic. Perhaps the ceremony was a year and a half later than he would have liked it, but he was glad that his nephew was entering a marriage that he truly wanted, as opposed to being forced into it. There was no doubt in his mind, after decades of performing weddings, that his nephew was deeply in love and devoted to the woman he was taking as his wife.
Charlotte stood up and smiled at her cue. Her brother and future sister-in-law had asked her to perform the first reading; the honor had been unexpected and it was one she appreciated. "This is Helen MacInnes, from 'Friends and Lovers'. 'Every day I am away from you, I keep imagining you as I last saw you. I keep remembering how wonderful, how truly wonderful, you are. Then I meet you again, and you look the way you do, and you speak, and your eyes light up for me; and I realize that when I was thinking of you, wanting you, I never had imagined how wonderful you really are. You are better than any dreams of you.'"
Green met brown as their hands remained joined and they smiled joyously at one another. Will had been put in charge of the second reading; with Francie as her only attendant and Eric Weiss stepping in as best man, it was the only role that they could find for him on such short notice. That was fine with Will; he handled words better than any role as best man.
"An excerpt from George Eliot's 'Adam Bede'," he cleared his throat, suddenly anxious at the pairs of eyes that were on him. "'What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life, to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?'"
The smiles on the faces of the bride and groom softened to ones of understanding. In that moment in time, neither believed a pair of people could understand the meaning of Eliot's words more deeply than they did. The priest said a few words before they prepared to say their vows. Given the nature of their relationship, and the personification of their wedding, they had decided to write their own vows. Nothing they could find summed up the significance of that day for them. Still holding her right hand, his eyes met hers and he spoke the vows he had so carefully memorized.
"From the day we met I've been your ally, and I'll always be your ally, friend and husband until the day I die. You came into my life, and from that first day, I knew I could never again live a life without you in it. You twisted me and changed me and I love you all the more for it. There's no pretense here Syd, you know everything I can and can't offer you, but everything I have and can offer you is yours. No matter what else comes our way, you'll never have to face it alone. I'll continue to listen, respect, cherish, love and take care of you for the rest of our lives."
Sydney smiled at him, glad that the tears hadn't fallen down her cheeks yet. She cleared her throat and spoke the words she had so carefully prepared. This was a vow she intended to take only once in her life, and she was determined to make it perfect.
"You came into my life and brought with you the last thing I was looking for. For that and for so many other reasons, I will always love you. Not only because of what you bring into my life, but for how you make me feel about who I am, and what I do. For so long the only thing I dreamed of was the day that I'd get to be with you, and now I promise to love you and support you and everything you believe in. I'll trust and respect you. I'll do everything I can to not let a day go by without letting you know how blessed I am to have you in my life and to be able to love you. I promise to turn to you before all others, to put you first in my life. To love you, respect you, and to watch the Kings -"
"And the Mets," he softly added, bringing a moment of levity despite the tears welling in his eyes.
"And the Mets," she laughed and agreed before her eyes softened. "Until the day I die."
Michael silently accepted the gold band that Eric discreetly slipped into his palm. With his other hand he reached for Sydney's left hand, his eyes never leaving hers. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my constant faith and abiding love. With it I wed you, and give you my body, soul and heart," he vowed as he slipped the ring easily over her finger.
Unshed tears sparkled in her eyes as she took the matching band from Francie and took his hand. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my constant faith and abiding love. With it I wed you, and give you my body, soul and heart," she promised, aware that he'd held all three for far longer than even he realized.
Charles spoke the concluding rites, blessing them and the community. Francie had arranged for the guests to blow bubbles as they departed from the Vaughn estate. The only problem with that was that Eric and Michael had to strain to keep from laughing at the sight of Jack Bristow holding an infant and blowing bubbles.
The wedding reception that followed was the simplest in any of the guests' memories. There was a radio for music, a couple of Francie's kitchen staff on duty, and a white sheet cake that Francie had insisted on picking up. The bar was open and people mingled casually before dinner was served. Sydney and Michael sat with their small bridal party at the table at the very front of the restaurant. As she nibbled at her meal, she studied her father and Brigitte. Considering they'd met only a short time ago, they got along amazingly well and both shared an obvious adoration towards Jackie.
"Syd," Michael leaned over to whisper into her ear, grabbing her attention. "Look at Amy and Eric," he suggested. When she looked over, she was surprised to see Amy and Eric obviously flirting. They were laughing; Eric's face was a shade redder than it normally was and they were lightly slapping one another.
"Now that's a pair I never would have imagined," she confessed as he laughed.
"He's been telling me I'm the one who's going domestic, maybe he should look in the mirror," he chuckled as she rolled her eyes.
"She's not that much younger than he is. It might just be harmless flirting," she suggested.
"There's no such thing as harmless flirting Syd," he pointed out. "So if they end up together do we get some sort of reward?"
"For what?" she laughed. "It's not as if we set them up, we just happened to invite both of them to our wedding."
"Does she like dogs?"
"What?"
"Does Amy like dogs? Because Alan is ultra sensitive."
"Alan? His dog?" Sydney couldn't contain her laughter when he nodded. "I know Eric is your best friend, but he's just a little bit insane."
"We work for the government Syd, insanity is a prerequisite." He grinned as he captured her lips. He stood and looked down at her. "Dance with me."
Silently, she smiled and placed her hand in his, allowing him to whisk her to the dance floor. The radio played "Unchained Melody" as they danced to what they would both realize was their first dance as husband and wife. Later, Michael took his daughter from his mother's arms, swaying his little girl back and forth as he watched Sydney and Jack's Father/Daughter dance to the familiar notes of "My Girl". Eventually his new wife all but pushed him onto the dance floor with his mother to share a dance to the notes of Elton John's "Blessed".
As the evening progressed they took pictures, lots and lots of pictures. In the years to follow, Francie would complain that there were just *so* many of them that it was impossible to get a good group shot. Mike would be looking in the wrong direction, or Jack's eyes would be briefly fluttered shut. At such a young age it was impossible to get Jackie to stay quiet or certainly smiling for so long, making it even more challenging to get a good photo. There were single shots - shots of Mike looking bored or not looking at the camera at all, instead, looking down as his daughter slept soundly in his arms. Not surprisingly, his face showed no signs of concern that she was drooling over his newest suit jacket. Pictures that surprised Sydney most when developed were of Will and Mike laughing, acting as though they were best friends - which in time they would prove to be. The only thing to develop that was more of a shock to her, was the serious relationship that Eric and Amy started shortly after the wedding.
At the end of the evening Jackie returned home with her parents to their new home, despite Brigitte's and Jack's protests. No matter how much she enjoyed being alone with her new husband, their first night as an official family wouldn't have been complete without her baby girl. Michael rested his daughter in the crib as his new wife changed into something more comfortable. He was so enraptured with watching the tiny little face that he was surprised when he felt Sydney walk back in and rest against his arm.
"Did you check your band?"
"Excuse me?"
"Inside your band, did you check?"
"You put something there?" He smiled as she nodded. "I did the same for you."
"Really?" A smile bloomed on her face as they each went to take off their bands.
"'My Guardian Angel'," he read aloud as she nodded. "You remember that?"
"It wasn't that long ago," she teased before she was sober. "Of course I remember. It wasn't as though our conversations were that numerous, I remember every important thing we've ever said to one another."
Quickly he kissed her. "Read yours."
Twisting her rings off of her finger, she turned over the wedding band and studied it closely. "'In Heaven, too, you'll have my hand and heart'." She looked up at him, blinking away the tears as they kissed again.
"We have a baby monitor," he whispered against her lips. "We'll hear her if she needs us," he assured her, taking her hand and leading her into the bedroom.
Michael used nearly all of what remained of his paid time off, spending the next week in his new home with his family. In the mornings he'd sit on the front porch, Jackie sleeping on his chest as Sydney eagerly plucked away at her new garden. The two of them would work together on the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. Their competitive nature had each of them write in different colored ink to see who could get the most. Together they'd walk the beach, holding hands or go jogging together. In the afternoons the young family would fall asleep together before they'd take turns making dinner for each other.
As the weeks progressed, it became a constant that where you found Donovan you'd inevitably find Jackie. The dog would eagerly kiss her face, showing more energy around the baby than he had in his entire life. When they'd prepare to leave for Saturday morning story time, he'd cry, recognizing the signs of their departure, but his tail would eagerly wag when they walked back in the door.
Jacqueline Michele Vaughn was baptized on the last Sunday in June. The ceremony took place in the church where Sydney had been raised and where Charles had friends. The aged priest performed the ceremony over his young grandniece, with Francie and Will in the honored roles as godparents. Michael held his colicky daughter in his arms, softly cooing to her as she was blessed and welcomed into the Catholic Church. Afterwards, everyone was invited to a party at Brigitte's house, including cake and more picture taking. Judging by the photos in Brigitte's house, Sydney estimated that she was very skilled with a camera and always had one on hand.
Shortly after Independence Day Brigitte left to spend a week with her sister Trish in France. In her departure, Sydney and Michael agreed to take young Phoebe, the hyperactive white Bison. Since Phoebe cried nonstop when left alone, even briefly, the arrangement worked out perfectly, particularly since Michael suspected that Donovan had the hots for the white dog. Having another dog around was no extra trouble, particularly when Jackie seemed to like the young dog too. Phoebe was two years old that month, with the energy level of a puppy.
In the wake of their wedding, the newlyweds had kept busy. Their friends were over a few times a week, and more often than not, Eric and Amy were with the previously established couples, holding hands and smiling at each other. Even at work it was obvious that he was happier in his home life; he was spending less of his time trying to get an invitation to dinner at Brigitte's. Aside from that, Sydney was helping with the beginning stages of planning Will's wedding to Jennie. They had decided to be married in early February, ten days before Valentine's Day. Even though they hadn't been friends long, Francie and Sydney had already been chosen as her bridesmaids, an unexpected honor.
Even with the windows open, it was a warm day in the middle of July at the Vaughn home. Jackie was soundly sleeping in her room, a miraculous feat due to Donovan and Phoebe's incessant barking. That weekend they planned on having everyone over for dinner, an idea that frightened and excited Sydney to no end. In her preparations of her home, vacuuming all the rooms was a necessary step. One thing Brigitte had failed to mention was that Phoebe shared Donovan's need to bark whenever someone vacuumed.
"Shh," Sydney murmured under her breath, attempting to vacuum the living room as the dogs continued to make a ruckus. Lunch had already come and gone; she expected Michael home within a few hours and she desperately needed and wanted to shower before he came home. Still, Jackie was scheduled to wake up shortly and she knew it wasn't likely that all her vacuuming would be done. Before she could even consider that things could get worse, the doorbell rang. "I'm coming," she called. The barking silenced instantly when she kicked off the vacuum. With the dishtowel she had slung over her shoulder, she wiped her dusty hands and opened the door. Briefly, her jaw hung open when she saw Emily Sloane.
"Hi Sydney, I hope this isn't a bad time," she spoke cautiously with a warm smile.
"Emily... No, of course not, come in," she said as she stepped out of the way.
"You have a very lovely home," she complimented. "Congratulations on your nuptials, I'm very happy for you."
"Thank you." She smiled and pulled her hair back into a makeshift ponytail. "How... How are you?"
"Arvin's been gone for a few weeks... It's not getting easier, but I'm learning to cope," she smiled. In a softer tone she added, "I know you have some experience with that."
"Would you like to see Jackie?" she offered awkwardly.
"That would be lovely," she agreed as Sydney turned to leave. "Sydney?" The younger woman paused to look at her. "Please forgive me for not coming sooner, and I hope this isn't a bad time -"
"No," she smiled and shook her head. Arvin Sloane's sins were not those of his wife, just as her mother's sins did not run over onto her own hands. "I'm glad you're here. Please make yourself at home," she gestured.
When Sydney returned to the living room, Emily stood studying the numerous portraits that hung over the television, including the recent one of Jackie, Michael and Sydney on Brigitte's terrace after the wedding. "He's a good man Sydney, your husband, isn't he?"
"Michael's amazing," she agreed, handing the infant over to Emily. "I'm so sorry, about everything. And I'm sorry that he's gone," she sincerely spoke. As relieved as she was that Arvin Sloane was gone, she was sorry not only for the justice that would never be imposed upon him, but for the anguish it pushed upon Emily's otherwise innocent soul. You could not judge her by the man she had fallen in love with; that was one silent lesson her own parents had unwillingly taught her.
"She's so big," she said in soft awe. In fact, Jackie was nearly three months old, smiling and laughing at every silly thing in her existence. To her parents' relief, she was also sleeping more at night, and most of Sydney's post-labor pains had disappeared. Instead, she was unable to remember what a life without Jackie was like, and despite the exhaustion and worry, she was in no hurry to return to such an existence. "You are very lucky to have such a beautiful baby," she wistfully spoke.
"I thought you never wanted children." Sydney was instantly confused. Emily's eyes turned glassy as she shook her head.
"I always wanted children. Arvin... He always had one excuse or another," she shrugged. When she looked up at the brunette, her eyes were glistening. "You were there sweetheart, and I love you just as I would have loved any child I ever had on my own."
"I love you too," she whispered, leaning over to hug the older woman while not crushing her daughter. "You missed so much... I have photo albums, if you'd like to see."
"I'd love that," Emily agreed. Sydney returned and began to organize the albums when she spoke again, "I hope you don't think less of me because of who I was married to."
The brunette stopped moving and looked over at her. "No," she shook her head. "Never. You can't control whom you fell in love with. One of his... better qualities, was how much he loved you."
"I know he was a horrible man. . . And I won't be the excuse for his crimes, no matter what he said . . . but I still loved him. Even when I didn't want to, I loved him, and I still do."
"The man you knew. . . No one would ask you not to love him anymore." She gently reached for Emily's smaller hand. "In an unusual way, the only picture of a happy marriage that I really have, is of the two of you. Regardless of what happened around you, when you two were together . . . He loved you." She gulped back the nausea in her throat, struggling to speak without judgment. Emily deserved as much. "You loved him. Maybe that's what love is about, judging and loving a person for who they are to you, regardless of what they are to the world. In the end, I think that's really all that matters . . . " she trailed off as images of a happy young Laura Bristow popped to mind.
"Your mother loved you too," Emily spoke, reading her mind. "Right before Arvin died, I found out the truth about your mother . . . I can't imagine what she did, and I don't imagine that it will ever be okay in your heart, but when she was here, she loved you whole-heartedly. The type of love on her face when she looked at you was not the type you could materialize out of thin air. Given the opportunity, I like to believe she would have stayed as Laura Bristow forever."
"Thank you," Sydney whispered, leaning over and hugging her before they turned to the albums.
They were still on the couch, Jackie sitting in Emily's arms, when Michael returned from work. The visible shock was brief, before he warmly greeted his wife and their guest. Begrudgingly, he excused himself and his new wife from the room, dragging her into the kitchen.
"Michael, we have a guest -"
"We figured out how Sloane knew," he whispered, as she grew silent. "At the hospital, when they gave her the normal vaccinations, the took a DNA sample. As a government field-graded agent I have DNA on file. Apparently someone hacked into some government mainframe and got a match between Jackie's DNA and my own. They also swept the warehouse and found bugs -"
"Bugs? I thought they were sweeping it regularly -"
"They were, before every one of our meetings, but this bug . . . It was so advanced that the Tech guys were speechless. Marshall was the only one who recognized what it was, and he's claiming he didn't manufacture it."
"Marshall has no reason to lie, which only means. . . "
"We think Sloane might have been working on forming another organization outside the Alliance," he explained, mindful to keep his voice low. "Right now we've frozen all of his assets, allowing only Emily access to it. We can't trace any of his activities or track down anyone he might have been working with . . . "
"So it's a dead end," she sighed.
"He's gone Syd, whatever he may or may not have been working on went with him. We're going to monitor every miniscule lead we have, but it looks like it might actually be over."
Silently, she reached over and leaned against him, relieved to feel his arms circle her. "We're safe."
"We're safe," he agreed, gently kissing the top of her head. "I'll go change and then I'll meet you and our guest in the living room." He squeezed her hand.
"Do you mind if I invite Emily to dinner?"
"Everyone else is coming, what's one more?" he teased, lightly kissing her lips before disappearing into the bedroom.
Author: UConn Fan (Michele)
E-Mail: LoveUConnBasketball@yahoo.com
Story Summary: "Can I be normal?"
He shrugged, "what does normal mean anyway? You can be happy though, and that's about as close to normal as anyone can hope for." (Sequel to "Coming to Terms")
This Chapter: The wedding & newlywed life
DISCLAIMER: I don't own ANY of these characters; they belong to Bad Robot, ABC, and the brilliant J.J. Abrams. Nor do I own anything remotely recognizable.
A/N: There is no Jack/Brigitte meeting - frankly I forgot about writing it, so I'm considering going back & writing it as a seperate piece (i.e. "About Alice . . ." accept this one will not be put into TN). My girls WON the National Championship! Woohoo! UConn did what only TN has done and gone two straight years! I feel bad for Kara Lawson, BUT I'm happy happy happy we won!! Let's see . . . Jake Voskuhl's getting a contract extension, so yay! Oh, in here I mention Sloane starting another organization but that it didn't materlize. That's all your going to hear about it in this story. Sloane's "Other organization" is going to pop up (maybe?) in a different story, set twenty something years from now centering around Jackie. I'm not sure I'm ever going to post the Jackie story, but if there's interest I won't post it until after I'm done with TN. Maybe 4-5 more chapters of this; it's going to go quicker from now on. By the end of the next chapter (I'm not sure) there might be a new baby on the way :)
Please Review. Oh, and I'm working on "The Lightkeeper". Has anyone seen "Havana" with Lena Olin? She's so beautiful in it! I mean I sit and drool openly over Michael Vartan, but I have no shame in saying that Lena Olin is beautiful and definitely was in Havana. Okay, anyway, I just wanted to mention that - it's a long movie but she's fantastic in it. That's all.
Sorry this is so short.
Sydney wore an off-white linen column dress and matching cardigan when her father walked her down the makeshift aisle. There was no denying her beauty that day, with her hair curled along the bottom, with a light dusting of make up to accompany the slight glow she still carried from her pregnancy. The dress was simple for the ceremony held on Brigitte's terrace on a breezy Friday in June. Francie stood up as Sydney's attendant, with Eric serving as her counterpart. Maya was the oh-so-careful flower girl, resembling an angel preceding her on her journey to meet her groom. After placing her hand carefully in Michael's, Jack kissed her cheek and sat down. His young namesake was already sitting on her Grandma Brigitte's lap, half asleep by the beginning of the festivities. Donovan and Brigitte's tiny Bison Phoebe, both curled up at the back of the terrace, sound asleep, shared her lack of interest.
Michael's uncle proudly performed the ceremony; the elderly priest had long ago given up any hope that his nephew would marry at all, never mind to another Catholic. Perhaps the ceremony was a year and a half later than he would have liked it, but he was glad that his nephew was entering a marriage that he truly wanted, as opposed to being forced into it. There was no doubt in his mind, after decades of performing weddings, that his nephew was deeply in love and devoted to the woman he was taking as his wife.
Charlotte stood up and smiled at her cue. Her brother and future sister-in-law had asked her to perform the first reading; the honor had been unexpected and it was one she appreciated. "This is Helen MacInnes, from 'Friends and Lovers'. 'Every day I am away from you, I keep imagining you as I last saw you. I keep remembering how wonderful, how truly wonderful, you are. Then I meet you again, and you look the way you do, and you speak, and your eyes light up for me; and I realize that when I was thinking of you, wanting you, I never had imagined how wonderful you really are. You are better than any dreams of you.'"
Green met brown as their hands remained joined and they smiled joyously at one another. Will had been put in charge of the second reading; with Francie as her only attendant and Eric Weiss stepping in as best man, it was the only role that they could find for him on such short notice. That was fine with Will; he handled words better than any role as best man.
"An excerpt from George Eliot's 'Adam Bede'," he cleared his throat, suddenly anxious at the pairs of eyes that were on him. "'What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life, to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?'"
The smiles on the faces of the bride and groom softened to ones of understanding. In that moment in time, neither believed a pair of people could understand the meaning of Eliot's words more deeply than they did. The priest said a few words before they prepared to say their vows. Given the nature of their relationship, and the personification of their wedding, they had decided to write their own vows. Nothing they could find summed up the significance of that day for them. Still holding her right hand, his eyes met hers and he spoke the vows he had so carefully memorized.
"From the day we met I've been your ally, and I'll always be your ally, friend and husband until the day I die. You came into my life, and from that first day, I knew I could never again live a life without you in it. You twisted me and changed me and I love you all the more for it. There's no pretense here Syd, you know everything I can and can't offer you, but everything I have and can offer you is yours. No matter what else comes our way, you'll never have to face it alone. I'll continue to listen, respect, cherish, love and take care of you for the rest of our lives."
Sydney smiled at him, glad that the tears hadn't fallen down her cheeks yet. She cleared her throat and spoke the words she had so carefully prepared. This was a vow she intended to take only once in her life, and she was determined to make it perfect.
"You came into my life and brought with you the last thing I was looking for. For that and for so many other reasons, I will always love you. Not only because of what you bring into my life, but for how you make me feel about who I am, and what I do. For so long the only thing I dreamed of was the day that I'd get to be with you, and now I promise to love you and support you and everything you believe in. I'll trust and respect you. I'll do everything I can to not let a day go by without letting you know how blessed I am to have you in my life and to be able to love you. I promise to turn to you before all others, to put you first in my life. To love you, respect you, and to watch the Kings -"
"And the Mets," he softly added, bringing a moment of levity despite the tears welling in his eyes.
"And the Mets," she laughed and agreed before her eyes softened. "Until the day I die."
Michael silently accepted the gold band that Eric discreetly slipped into his palm. With his other hand he reached for Sydney's left hand, his eyes never leaving hers. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my constant faith and abiding love. With it I wed you, and give you my body, soul and heart," he vowed as he slipped the ring easily over her finger.
Unshed tears sparkled in her eyes as she took the matching band from Francie and took his hand. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my constant faith and abiding love. With it I wed you, and give you my body, soul and heart," she promised, aware that he'd held all three for far longer than even he realized.
Charles spoke the concluding rites, blessing them and the community. Francie had arranged for the guests to blow bubbles as they departed from the Vaughn estate. The only problem with that was that Eric and Michael had to strain to keep from laughing at the sight of Jack Bristow holding an infant and blowing bubbles.
The wedding reception that followed was the simplest in any of the guests' memories. There was a radio for music, a couple of Francie's kitchen staff on duty, and a white sheet cake that Francie had insisted on picking up. The bar was open and people mingled casually before dinner was served. Sydney and Michael sat with their small bridal party at the table at the very front of the restaurant. As she nibbled at her meal, she studied her father and Brigitte. Considering they'd met only a short time ago, they got along amazingly well and both shared an obvious adoration towards Jackie.
"Syd," Michael leaned over to whisper into her ear, grabbing her attention. "Look at Amy and Eric," he suggested. When she looked over, she was surprised to see Amy and Eric obviously flirting. They were laughing; Eric's face was a shade redder than it normally was and they were lightly slapping one another.
"Now that's a pair I never would have imagined," she confessed as he laughed.
"He's been telling me I'm the one who's going domestic, maybe he should look in the mirror," he chuckled as she rolled her eyes.
"She's not that much younger than he is. It might just be harmless flirting," she suggested.
"There's no such thing as harmless flirting Syd," he pointed out. "So if they end up together do we get some sort of reward?"
"For what?" she laughed. "It's not as if we set them up, we just happened to invite both of them to our wedding."
"Does she like dogs?"
"What?"
"Does Amy like dogs? Because Alan is ultra sensitive."
"Alan? His dog?" Sydney couldn't contain her laughter when he nodded. "I know Eric is your best friend, but he's just a little bit insane."
"We work for the government Syd, insanity is a prerequisite." He grinned as he captured her lips. He stood and looked down at her. "Dance with me."
Silently, she smiled and placed her hand in his, allowing him to whisk her to the dance floor. The radio played "Unchained Melody" as they danced to what they would both realize was their first dance as husband and wife. Later, Michael took his daughter from his mother's arms, swaying his little girl back and forth as he watched Sydney and Jack's Father/Daughter dance to the familiar notes of "My Girl". Eventually his new wife all but pushed him onto the dance floor with his mother to share a dance to the notes of Elton John's "Blessed".
As the evening progressed they took pictures, lots and lots of pictures. In the years to follow, Francie would complain that there were just *so* many of them that it was impossible to get a good group shot. Mike would be looking in the wrong direction, or Jack's eyes would be briefly fluttered shut. At such a young age it was impossible to get Jackie to stay quiet or certainly smiling for so long, making it even more challenging to get a good photo. There were single shots - shots of Mike looking bored or not looking at the camera at all, instead, looking down as his daughter slept soundly in his arms. Not surprisingly, his face showed no signs of concern that she was drooling over his newest suit jacket. Pictures that surprised Sydney most when developed were of Will and Mike laughing, acting as though they were best friends - which in time they would prove to be. The only thing to develop that was more of a shock to her, was the serious relationship that Eric and Amy started shortly after the wedding.
At the end of the evening Jackie returned home with her parents to their new home, despite Brigitte's and Jack's protests. No matter how much she enjoyed being alone with her new husband, their first night as an official family wouldn't have been complete without her baby girl. Michael rested his daughter in the crib as his new wife changed into something more comfortable. He was so enraptured with watching the tiny little face that he was surprised when he felt Sydney walk back in and rest against his arm.
"Did you check your band?"
"Excuse me?"
"Inside your band, did you check?"
"You put something there?" He smiled as she nodded. "I did the same for you."
"Really?" A smile bloomed on her face as they each went to take off their bands.
"'My Guardian Angel'," he read aloud as she nodded. "You remember that?"
"It wasn't that long ago," she teased before she was sober. "Of course I remember. It wasn't as though our conversations were that numerous, I remember every important thing we've ever said to one another."
Quickly he kissed her. "Read yours."
Twisting her rings off of her finger, she turned over the wedding band and studied it closely. "'In Heaven, too, you'll have my hand and heart'." She looked up at him, blinking away the tears as they kissed again.
"We have a baby monitor," he whispered against her lips. "We'll hear her if she needs us," he assured her, taking her hand and leading her into the bedroom.
Michael used nearly all of what remained of his paid time off, spending the next week in his new home with his family. In the mornings he'd sit on the front porch, Jackie sleeping on his chest as Sydney eagerly plucked away at her new garden. The two of them would work together on the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. Their competitive nature had each of them write in different colored ink to see who could get the most. Together they'd walk the beach, holding hands or go jogging together. In the afternoons the young family would fall asleep together before they'd take turns making dinner for each other.
As the weeks progressed, it became a constant that where you found Donovan you'd inevitably find Jackie. The dog would eagerly kiss her face, showing more energy around the baby than he had in his entire life. When they'd prepare to leave for Saturday morning story time, he'd cry, recognizing the signs of their departure, but his tail would eagerly wag when they walked back in the door.
Jacqueline Michele Vaughn was baptized on the last Sunday in June. The ceremony took place in the church where Sydney had been raised and where Charles had friends. The aged priest performed the ceremony over his young grandniece, with Francie and Will in the honored roles as godparents. Michael held his colicky daughter in his arms, softly cooing to her as she was blessed and welcomed into the Catholic Church. Afterwards, everyone was invited to a party at Brigitte's house, including cake and more picture taking. Judging by the photos in Brigitte's house, Sydney estimated that she was very skilled with a camera and always had one on hand.
Shortly after Independence Day Brigitte left to spend a week with her sister Trish in France. In her departure, Sydney and Michael agreed to take young Phoebe, the hyperactive white Bison. Since Phoebe cried nonstop when left alone, even briefly, the arrangement worked out perfectly, particularly since Michael suspected that Donovan had the hots for the white dog. Having another dog around was no extra trouble, particularly when Jackie seemed to like the young dog too. Phoebe was two years old that month, with the energy level of a puppy.
In the wake of their wedding, the newlyweds had kept busy. Their friends were over a few times a week, and more often than not, Eric and Amy were with the previously established couples, holding hands and smiling at each other. Even at work it was obvious that he was happier in his home life; he was spending less of his time trying to get an invitation to dinner at Brigitte's. Aside from that, Sydney was helping with the beginning stages of planning Will's wedding to Jennie. They had decided to be married in early February, ten days before Valentine's Day. Even though they hadn't been friends long, Francie and Sydney had already been chosen as her bridesmaids, an unexpected honor.
Even with the windows open, it was a warm day in the middle of July at the Vaughn home. Jackie was soundly sleeping in her room, a miraculous feat due to Donovan and Phoebe's incessant barking. That weekend they planned on having everyone over for dinner, an idea that frightened and excited Sydney to no end. In her preparations of her home, vacuuming all the rooms was a necessary step. One thing Brigitte had failed to mention was that Phoebe shared Donovan's need to bark whenever someone vacuumed.
"Shh," Sydney murmured under her breath, attempting to vacuum the living room as the dogs continued to make a ruckus. Lunch had already come and gone; she expected Michael home within a few hours and she desperately needed and wanted to shower before he came home. Still, Jackie was scheduled to wake up shortly and she knew it wasn't likely that all her vacuuming would be done. Before she could even consider that things could get worse, the doorbell rang. "I'm coming," she called. The barking silenced instantly when she kicked off the vacuum. With the dishtowel she had slung over her shoulder, she wiped her dusty hands and opened the door. Briefly, her jaw hung open when she saw Emily Sloane.
"Hi Sydney, I hope this isn't a bad time," she spoke cautiously with a warm smile.
"Emily... No, of course not, come in," she said as she stepped out of the way.
"You have a very lovely home," she complimented. "Congratulations on your nuptials, I'm very happy for you."
"Thank you." She smiled and pulled her hair back into a makeshift ponytail. "How... How are you?"
"Arvin's been gone for a few weeks... It's not getting easier, but I'm learning to cope," she smiled. In a softer tone she added, "I know you have some experience with that."
"Would you like to see Jackie?" she offered awkwardly.
"That would be lovely," she agreed as Sydney turned to leave. "Sydney?" The younger woman paused to look at her. "Please forgive me for not coming sooner, and I hope this isn't a bad time -"
"No," she smiled and shook her head. Arvin Sloane's sins were not those of his wife, just as her mother's sins did not run over onto her own hands. "I'm glad you're here. Please make yourself at home," she gestured.
When Sydney returned to the living room, Emily stood studying the numerous portraits that hung over the television, including the recent one of Jackie, Michael and Sydney on Brigitte's terrace after the wedding. "He's a good man Sydney, your husband, isn't he?"
"Michael's amazing," she agreed, handing the infant over to Emily. "I'm so sorry, about everything. And I'm sorry that he's gone," she sincerely spoke. As relieved as she was that Arvin Sloane was gone, she was sorry not only for the justice that would never be imposed upon him, but for the anguish it pushed upon Emily's otherwise innocent soul. You could not judge her by the man she had fallen in love with; that was one silent lesson her own parents had unwillingly taught her.
"She's so big," she said in soft awe. In fact, Jackie was nearly three months old, smiling and laughing at every silly thing in her existence. To her parents' relief, she was also sleeping more at night, and most of Sydney's post-labor pains had disappeared. Instead, she was unable to remember what a life without Jackie was like, and despite the exhaustion and worry, she was in no hurry to return to such an existence. "You are very lucky to have such a beautiful baby," she wistfully spoke.
"I thought you never wanted children." Sydney was instantly confused. Emily's eyes turned glassy as she shook her head.
"I always wanted children. Arvin... He always had one excuse or another," she shrugged. When she looked up at the brunette, her eyes were glistening. "You were there sweetheart, and I love you just as I would have loved any child I ever had on my own."
"I love you too," she whispered, leaning over to hug the older woman while not crushing her daughter. "You missed so much... I have photo albums, if you'd like to see."
"I'd love that," Emily agreed. Sydney returned and began to organize the albums when she spoke again, "I hope you don't think less of me because of who I was married to."
The brunette stopped moving and looked over at her. "No," she shook her head. "Never. You can't control whom you fell in love with. One of his... better qualities, was how much he loved you."
"I know he was a horrible man. . . And I won't be the excuse for his crimes, no matter what he said . . . but I still loved him. Even when I didn't want to, I loved him, and I still do."
"The man you knew. . . No one would ask you not to love him anymore." She gently reached for Emily's smaller hand. "In an unusual way, the only picture of a happy marriage that I really have, is of the two of you. Regardless of what happened around you, when you two were together . . . He loved you." She gulped back the nausea in her throat, struggling to speak without judgment. Emily deserved as much. "You loved him. Maybe that's what love is about, judging and loving a person for who they are to you, regardless of what they are to the world. In the end, I think that's really all that matters . . . " she trailed off as images of a happy young Laura Bristow popped to mind.
"Your mother loved you too," Emily spoke, reading her mind. "Right before Arvin died, I found out the truth about your mother . . . I can't imagine what she did, and I don't imagine that it will ever be okay in your heart, but when she was here, she loved you whole-heartedly. The type of love on her face when she looked at you was not the type you could materialize out of thin air. Given the opportunity, I like to believe she would have stayed as Laura Bristow forever."
"Thank you," Sydney whispered, leaning over and hugging her before they turned to the albums.
They were still on the couch, Jackie sitting in Emily's arms, when Michael returned from work. The visible shock was brief, before he warmly greeted his wife and their guest. Begrudgingly, he excused himself and his new wife from the room, dragging her into the kitchen.
"Michael, we have a guest -"
"We figured out how Sloane knew," he whispered, as she grew silent. "At the hospital, when they gave her the normal vaccinations, the took a DNA sample. As a government field-graded agent I have DNA on file. Apparently someone hacked into some government mainframe and got a match between Jackie's DNA and my own. They also swept the warehouse and found bugs -"
"Bugs? I thought they were sweeping it regularly -"
"They were, before every one of our meetings, but this bug . . . It was so advanced that the Tech guys were speechless. Marshall was the only one who recognized what it was, and he's claiming he didn't manufacture it."
"Marshall has no reason to lie, which only means. . . "
"We think Sloane might have been working on forming another organization outside the Alliance," he explained, mindful to keep his voice low. "Right now we've frozen all of his assets, allowing only Emily access to it. We can't trace any of his activities or track down anyone he might have been working with . . . "
"So it's a dead end," she sighed.
"He's gone Syd, whatever he may or may not have been working on went with him. We're going to monitor every miniscule lead we have, but it looks like it might actually be over."
Silently, she reached over and leaned against him, relieved to feel his arms circle her. "We're safe."
"We're safe," he agreed, gently kissing the top of her head. "I'll go change and then I'll meet you and our guest in the living room." He squeezed her hand.
"Do you mind if I invite Emily to dinner?"
"Everyone else is coming, what's one more?" he teased, lightly kissing her lips before disappearing into the bedroom.