Chapter Eighteen...
Jack just stood in the doorway, amused by watching his daughter and her boyfriend have fun. He remembered the times like this before "Laura" died when the three of them would set the table by throwing the plates to each other as if in an assembly line.
"Okay, okay, you had your fun, but can we pleeeeeeeeease have dinner now, I'm starving!?" Weiss asked whining.
"Yes Eric! We can eat!" Francie said laughing.
An hour later they were all still around the dinner table, full from what they realized was the second dinner that night.
"Hey, don't look so full. We still have the fruit salad and some ice cream coming up. Jack said we should try to finish all the food in the place before we leave," Francie said looking at Jack for help from all the glares she was receiving from everyone.
"Francie, I didn't actually mean ALL the food," Jack said laughing.
Sydney just watched her dad with a amused look on her face. Vaughn leaned in towards her ear and whispered, "It is weird to see him this happy isn't it?" She smiled as he read her mind.
"Yeah...I just hope he's like this when we get back. Hope he's this comfortable with our relationship. I'm just afraid being back in LA will turn him back into his old "happy" self and kill you for touching his only daughter," she said whispering back but kissed his cheek as she saw the scared look come onto his face. "Don't worry...I can take him, he won't touch you," Sydney laughed.
"Hey hey over there. No whispering. We can't hear you when you do that," Weiss said whining playfully.
"Well...yeah Eric, that's kinda the point of it," Vaughn replied as he took Sydney's hand under the table. She squeezed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Well...I'll get started on the dishes. Vaughn...could you care to join me?" Jack asked as he rose and started taking people's plates towards the kitchen. Vaughn turned and gave Sydney a questioning look, but squeezed her hand before getting up and going into the kitchen, which a door separated from the dining room.
"Before anyone interrupts us, I would like to speak with you about something," Jack stated as Vaughn started to dry the dishes he washed. "As you know...I am a very well trained agent. I know something is up, and I know it involves your relationship with my daughter. Wait let me finish," Jack said as Vaughn opened his mouth to speak. "My guess is you bought a little gift to give to her, that would then lead to marriage. Now before you tell me if I am right, which I already believe I am from the look on your face, I just wanted to say that I could not pick a better man for her, and wouldn't want to."
As Jack finished, Vaughn just about dropped the plate he was drying. "J-Jack...you're...you're really okay with it? You don't think it's too soon or anything?"
"No I don't believe it's too soon. I truly believe that when two people are in love, there is no "right time" for marriage, no 'too soon' or even 'too late'. I'll quote the song, for "All you need is love."
Meanwhile, Sydney and the others were still around the table chatting.
"So what do you think they are talking about in there?" Sydney asked her friends.
"Don't know...probably guy problems," Weiss said trying to keep a straight face.
"Yeah right, there's nothing wrong with that man in there!" Sydney joked while everyone gaped at her. "Vaughn! Eww, not my father," Sydney said laughing at herself, as well as along with everyone else.
Just then the kitchen door swung open and Vaughn and Jack came out laughing. Everyone stared at them, especially Sydney.
"What's so funny?" Sydney asked.
"What? Oh, nothing...your father was just telling me about the time you got loose in the grocery store...naked," Vaughn said laughing.
"What!? Dad! You told him!? I was three! I didn't like clothes!"
"Yeah...I could see that," Vaughn said still laughing.
"Well...since our flight is at three, I suggest we get some sleep," Jack said as he started up the stairs.
"Uh...does he know it's only ten o'clock?" Will asked once Jack entered his room.
Jack just stood in the doorway, amused by watching his daughter and her boyfriend have fun. He remembered the times like this before "Laura" died when the three of them would set the table by throwing the plates to each other as if in an assembly line.
"Okay, okay, you had your fun, but can we pleeeeeeeeease have dinner now, I'm starving!?" Weiss asked whining.
"Yes Eric! We can eat!" Francie said laughing.
An hour later they were all still around the dinner table, full from what they realized was the second dinner that night.
"Hey, don't look so full. We still have the fruit salad and some ice cream coming up. Jack said we should try to finish all the food in the place before we leave," Francie said looking at Jack for help from all the glares she was receiving from everyone.
"Francie, I didn't actually mean ALL the food," Jack said laughing.
Sydney just watched her dad with a amused look on her face. Vaughn leaned in towards her ear and whispered, "It is weird to see him this happy isn't it?" She smiled as he read her mind.
"Yeah...I just hope he's like this when we get back. Hope he's this comfortable with our relationship. I'm just afraid being back in LA will turn him back into his old "happy" self and kill you for touching his only daughter," she said whispering back but kissed his cheek as she saw the scared look come onto his face. "Don't worry...I can take him, he won't touch you," Sydney laughed.
"Hey hey over there. No whispering. We can't hear you when you do that," Weiss said whining playfully.
"Well...yeah Eric, that's kinda the point of it," Vaughn replied as he took Sydney's hand under the table. She squeezed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Well...I'll get started on the dishes. Vaughn...could you care to join me?" Jack asked as he rose and started taking people's plates towards the kitchen. Vaughn turned and gave Sydney a questioning look, but squeezed her hand before getting up and going into the kitchen, which a door separated from the dining room.
"Before anyone interrupts us, I would like to speak with you about something," Jack stated as Vaughn started to dry the dishes he washed. "As you know...I am a very well trained agent. I know something is up, and I know it involves your relationship with my daughter. Wait let me finish," Jack said as Vaughn opened his mouth to speak. "My guess is you bought a little gift to give to her, that would then lead to marriage. Now before you tell me if I am right, which I already believe I am from the look on your face, I just wanted to say that I could not pick a better man for her, and wouldn't want to."
As Jack finished, Vaughn just about dropped the plate he was drying. "J-Jack...you're...you're really okay with it? You don't think it's too soon or anything?"
"No I don't believe it's too soon. I truly believe that when two people are in love, there is no "right time" for marriage, no 'too soon' or even 'too late'. I'll quote the song, for "All you need is love."
Meanwhile, Sydney and the others were still around the table chatting.
"So what do you think they are talking about in there?" Sydney asked her friends.
"Don't know...probably guy problems," Weiss said trying to keep a straight face.
"Yeah right, there's nothing wrong with that man in there!" Sydney joked while everyone gaped at her. "Vaughn! Eww, not my father," Sydney said laughing at herself, as well as along with everyone else.
Just then the kitchen door swung open and Vaughn and Jack came out laughing. Everyone stared at them, especially Sydney.
"What's so funny?" Sydney asked.
"What? Oh, nothing...your father was just telling me about the time you got loose in the grocery store...naked," Vaughn said laughing.
"What!? Dad! You told him!? I was three! I didn't like clothes!"
"Yeah...I could see that," Vaughn said still laughing.
"Well...since our flight is at three, I suggest we get some sleep," Jack said as he started up the stairs.
"Uh...does he know it's only ten o'clock?" Will asked once Jack entered his room.