Vaughn walked through the medical building.  He had to see Sydney once more, before he left for good.  'She, at least, deserves to know I'm leaving California and the CIA.  How laughable, that Jack thought I would stay.  I have a wife, a job... being here would only destroy that.  Being with Sydney... had been the best thing in my life... and the CIA wanted that destroyed too.  How could Jack want me back now?  CIA would only further destroy me... wouldn't they?'  He stopped outside the door to Sydney's room.  She was the only reason he would ever even consider staying.

There was a knock on her door.  She went to it, but it was locked from the outside, so she could not open it.  "Come In."

Vaughn opened the door.  "Sydney, you should be resting, what are you doing up?"  Sydney smiled weakly.  "How are you feeling?"  Vaughn asked.

Sydney stepped back.  "I'm fine, a little bit hung over... how about you?  Sorry about your eye."

Vaughn touched his swollen cheek, "Yeah... you still have quite a kick.  You haven't lost that in the two years..."

"I was told that you found me.  Thanks.  You know... After I attacked you and all."

"Yeah... just part of the job... I couldn't let you get away... I haven't lost you yet..." 'Misplaced you for a while' he thought.  "Weiss would never let me hear the end of it if you escaped from the middle of the CIA complex."

"Vaughn, sit down, there's something I need to talk to you about."

Vaughn surveyed the small room and picked the corner of the bed to sit on.  "I have something to say too.  But, you go first."

'Always the gentleman.' Sydney thought.  "OK... Well, here's the thing.  Repeating what you told me recently... well, two years ago... You and I work well together.  You have been with me through all my CIA trials and tribulations.  You are my partner, Vaughn.  I don't want that to change.  I need you to continue being my partner.  You keep me calm during tough jobs... you listen to me, you know all my secrets..."

"Sydney..."

"No... Please let me finish.  There is going to be a lot of trials over the next few months.  I need you to be here for me... to be my handler... Who can I go to bitch about Kendall?  Who will be there when I feel like I'm falling over the edge?  Who will catch me and bring me back even when I holler at him?"

"Sydney... It hasn't for you, but my life has changed..."

"I know... and as much as I hate it, I can't fault you for it.  I know what I said in Hong Kong and on the plane, but you... more than anyone I know... deserve to be happy... I'm really glad you found someone who makes you happy.  But... I need you too.  And I know our work together is important to you."

"Sydney.  My life is not my own.  I can't answer you... now..."

"Vaughn... of course not.  You need to talk to your wife... you, of all people, would definitely be courteous... I understand, they don't call you Boy Scout for nothing." 

Vaughn looked at her.  She had started to ramble.  She could not even look at him; she looked instead at her hands which she wrung.  "You can't answer me now... Really... you don't even need to answer to me... because, you know, you don't even have to tell me when you leave."

Vaughn took her by the shoulders and gave her a slight shake.  "Sydney, I would never leave without saying good bye.  You mean a lot more to me than that."

"Thanks Vaughn."

"I'll tell you what.  I will think about it tomorrow.  My flight back to Phoenix is tomorrow afternoon and will at least think about coming back.  Is that OK?  For now?"

"Yes, of course... I couldn't ask for more than that.  Now... you said that you had something to talk to me about.  What is it?"

Vaughn sat back on the corner of the bed.  He was going to tell her he was leaving for good.  He couldn't say that now.  "I... um... I am going to be in the gym tomorrow at 10.  Do you want to meet me there?  We could go through a workout together, before I have to go."

"Vaughn... that would be really great.  It would be great excuse to get out of this little room.  Thanks."

"Great... then, I guess... I will see you tomorrow morning."

"Sure, but why don't you stay?  Will is coming and well, he said that he would be bringing a TV and a DVD and some ice cream.  We are going to have a movie night."

"That sounds like fun, but I wouldn't want to intrude.  You two need to be together..."

"Vaughn.  This is a friend's night.  I know Will won't mind if you stay... and I really want you to stay too.  Please?  Will you stay?"

"Is it that I can't say no to you or is it just something in the female make up that causes a man's mind to turn to mush and automatically say yes to every female request?"

"I think it's you Vaughn."  Sydney giggled. 

 He looked at her and smiled.  He had not seen her laugh in a while.

The left over ice cream, melted and the ending movie credits scrolling, Vaughn used the remote to switch off the TV.  Will, who sprawled on the floor to watch the movie, was now asleep.  Vaughn sat on the foot of the bed with his back propped up by the wall and his feet hanging over the side of the bed.  Sydney, lying on her side, had propped a pillow next to Vaughn, her head close to his lap.  He thought she was also asleep.  Her hair splayed over the pillow and Vaughn stroked the soft lengths almost absentmindedly.  The room was very quiet and Vaughn slightly jumped when Sydney started her quiet questioning.

"Where did you meet her?"

"Meelon?"

Sydney sat up, crossed her feet and spun around until she faced Vaughn.  "Her name is Meelon?"

Vaughn smiled at her brown questioning eyes, her hair slightly disheveled from his mussing.  She looked very relaxed... very beautiful.  He starred, until Sydney woke him up again, "Vaughn, her name?"

"Yes... it's Meelon... It's a family name, from her mother's side.  Her mother is Phillipino and her father is English."

"And... she must be beautiful..."

"Are you saying that I am so shallow that I would only be with the most beautiful women in the world?"

"Well..."  Sydney looks away and blushes; a soft pink tinge fills her cheeks.  "...you were with me... so I just assumed..."

Now Vaughn blushes and smiles.  His eyes close and his head lolls back against the wall.  "Yes, she is beautiful.  She has straight black hair, about shoulder length.  She is only about 5-6, and her frame is slight.  Her skin is this olive color... so smooth and soft.  She has the smallest feet I have ever seen.  Her eyes... they are the darkest brown... almost black and when she looks at me, she fills up my brain.  When she looks at me, we are alone in the world... even in a crowded room; we are only with each other."

Sydney watched Vaughn as he spoke of his wife.  A quiet single tear pooled at the side of her eye, until it gained the strength to splash onto her cheek.  'He really loves her,' was her only thought as Vaughn continued to enumerate Meelon's assets.

Sydney quickly swiped at the tear before Vaughn opened his eyes.  She interrupted him, "Where did you meet?"

Vaughn lifted his head and looked at Sydney.  He internally noted the sadness in her eyes.  "You're going to laugh when I tell you."

"Well, I could use a really good laugh just about now."

Vaughn knew that Sydney was telling the truth, even though she was trying to make him think she was unphased by this line of questioning.  "Sydney, we don't have to talk about this... it's late and..."

"Vaughn.  I need to know about her.  She is a part of you now.  And, if you are ever going to accept me as you partner again, you can't not talk about her... Vaughn, I know you better than you think.  You are in love with her and you will go crazy if you feel as if you have to hide that from me.  Please Vaughn, make me laugh... tell me how you met her."

Sydney's eyes pleaded with him, as if asking him to impart upon her the world's most valuable bit of information.  Vaughn smiled and blushed, "OK, but you will think I'm a dork."

"Not a problem for me!"  Sydney said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Well, I was teaching this class... and..." Vaughn tried to stall.

"Come on Vaughn, spill it!"

"There was this blood mobile parked outside my building.  I watched it throughout the whole class... No one entered.  I was suspicious and after class, I went to investigate.  The door was not locked so I went in and ... well... there was Meelon."

Sydney stifled some giggles, "... and she wanted your blood?  You mean she wasn't there for a briefing?"

"Yeah... I had to actually give blood."

"Poor Vaughn... so you just asked her out after she drained you?"

"No... Actually... we talked afterward and she asked me out."

There was silence again.  "Sydney, I'm going back to Phoenix tomorrow."

Sydney looked at him, "Are you going to tell her... about all this...?"

"Yes."

"Do you think she will be OK?"

"I've lied to her... about my past... about this trip... I don't know what she'll say."

"If she loves you, she will understand.  It took him a day or two, but Danny understood... finally."

"Sydney..."

"No, what I meant was... if she loves you... she will understand... She will still love you after she knows you are CIA."

"She may understand... but she may not want to move."

"Does she love you Vaughn?"

Vaughn looks at Sydney.  'How could this beautiful creature be doing this?  Her life has been torn from her, the past two years missing, I have caused her agony and pain and she is trying to help me.'  "Yes, she loves me..."

Will started to stir.  "Then you can convince her.  What you do here is important and the CIA needs you."  'I need you' she thought.  Sydney looks down at Will.  "Will needs you to take him home."

Vaughn moves off the bed, shakes Will and starts to gather the items that need to be returned.  "Come on Will, we need to go.  Sydney needs her sleep."

Will groggily stands, hugs Sydney and mumbles his good night.  They walk to the door.

"Thanks Syd."

She looks at his green soulful eyes.  "See you at the gym tomorrow, at 10?"

"Yeah... 10 A.M.  See you then."

The two men leave.  Sydney turns her back to the door.  Slowly her body sinks to the floor.  The only noise in the room is her sobs.

~~ To be continued~~