So they sat there. Entangled in each other's arms. Holding each other, and
holding out the world. For a long time she just felt him holding her. For a
long time he'd just listened to her heart beat so close to his. Time wasn't
a factor, only emotion, only the closeness between them. They sat there on
a side street, in a little town in Colorado, holding each other, and
thinking about nothing else but the solace of the other's arms.
He could feel her breathe on his neck. Slow and steady, warm breaths. It wasn't long before his breathing matched hers, and their very hearts began to beat in unison. He didn't dare to change anything, the thought never crossed his mind. Why would it? He was content, the most content he'd been in seven long years.
She was the one to break the silence. She wasn't sure how much time had passed but she just started talking. She told him the story. The day she left, the things her father had told her, the news she had received from the doctor. She recanted every detail, every feeling. She told him how her father had admitted to keeping a secret from her, a very large secret. He had told her that he now knew everything; about the Rambaldi device, about Slone's plan, everything. But he wouldn't tell her the truth. He said she wasn't ready. She had pleaded with him, begged. But he wouldn't change his mind. So she'd stormed out on him, vowing never to speak to him again; and she'd kept that promise. Then the doctor called, told her to come to his office. She had, and he'd explained about her pregnancy. She told Vaughn every thought and feeling that had been going through her head at the time. Who was the baby's father? How the hell could she not remember conceiving a child? How? Why? She told him about gathering her meager belongings and boarding the plane. About the bus after that, and the taxi. And then about ending up in Austin, Texas. She told him how she had cried every night for the first few months. How she whispered his name as she wept. She explained every detail. And he just listened.
He never said a word but just listened to her speak. He had begun to cry when she had explained about having Ryan. She could barely remember it herself. Sydney explained to him how the doctors had said she had screamed "Michael, Michael," just before she passed out from the pain. She told him about Ryan's first years, and how she'd supported them. How she'd vowed to make Ryan happier than she'd ever been. She told him about the paternity test she'd ordered and how she'd covertly gotten his DNA from the CIA.
She had never before told anyone everything before. She even explained to him that now that he was here with her, she couldn't even remember why she'd left. Her mind was a blur, but his strong arms were holding her together. She'd waited five years to deal with many of these emotions. She had needed him, more than she could ever know.
He held her for an immeasurable amount of time, and then shifted so that he could look down at her face. She had been so emotionally drained, that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He watched her for a moment while stroking her soft hair. He was drained as well, but decided it was time to take her home. He carefully maneuvered himself out from under her, and set her gently in the passenger seat. He drove carefully, trying desperately not to wake her. When they finally arrived back at the house, he gently lifted her into his arms and carried her up to her bed. After pulling back the covers, with some effort, he laid her down and covered her up. He then sat down at the side of her bed and watched her sleep. He gently stroked her hair, and face, and he too slowly drifted off to sleep.
When he woke it was already three o'clock. He realized he had to go get Ryan very soon. He slowly-carefully pulled his arm out from under Sydney's head, and crept downstairs. He found his cell phone on the counter where he'd left it and dialed his office number.
"Hello," he said in a hushed tone. "This is Vaughn, I need to speak with Director Kendall..hello Sir...no the lead didn't pan out..I would Sir, but I just found out that my mother is very ill..yes Sir, I'm going to need some time off..I know that Sir, but I was hoping I could take a leave of absence Sir.yes I understand that it would be unpaid.yes Sir, thank you Sir.." He hung up the phone. He prayed that Kendall didn't find out that he'd lied. Without thinking he dialed his mother's home number. "Hi it's me.No I'm still out of town, Mom.Is Alex or Damien there?...Yes thanks Mom..Hey bud! how did your hockey game go..awesome, I'm sorry I missed it..no not yet, but soon I promise..yeah, I'll call back in a few days.Is your brother there?....okay well give him my love.and be good for grandma..yeah .I love you. .Okay bye." He glanced at the clock as he pocketed his phone. 3:15, he'd better head out.
When he'd arrived at the pre-school the teacher had been reluctant to let Ryan go with him, even though the little squirt had run right up to him and given him a big hug. He'd even had to flash his CIA badge. Finally she had relented and they were on their way back to Sydney's.
"Michael.where's mommy?"
"She's at home. She was really tired so she's sleeping."
"Oh, okay.can I watch a moo-bie when I get home?"
"Umm.sure little guy. Are you hungry?"
"Mommy, always makes me wait 'till dinner. But there is candy on top of the frid-er-ator." Vaughn chuckled, the boy was definitely his. He glanced at him in the rear view mirror. He was smiling and looking out the window.
When they got home Vaughn put on the movie about the "damn-ations," and explained to Ryan to be quiet because Mommy was sleeping. Leaving the boy to his movie, he headed up stairs to chick on Sydney. Before he reached the top of the stairs he heard her. She wasn't yelling too loudly, but something was definitely wrong.
"No, no! Stop!" she cried as he opened the door. He found her flailing on the bed, kicking off the covers. He ran to her side and quickly scooped her up in his arms.
"Syd, Syd, it's me. You're safe. Everything's alright." He soothed.
"Vaughn," She looked up at him. Once she'd confirmed that it was him she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.
"Everything's fine now Sydney, I'm here."
He could feel her breathe on his neck. Slow and steady, warm breaths. It wasn't long before his breathing matched hers, and their very hearts began to beat in unison. He didn't dare to change anything, the thought never crossed his mind. Why would it? He was content, the most content he'd been in seven long years.
She was the one to break the silence. She wasn't sure how much time had passed but she just started talking. She told him the story. The day she left, the things her father had told her, the news she had received from the doctor. She recanted every detail, every feeling. She told him how her father had admitted to keeping a secret from her, a very large secret. He had told her that he now knew everything; about the Rambaldi device, about Slone's plan, everything. But he wouldn't tell her the truth. He said she wasn't ready. She had pleaded with him, begged. But he wouldn't change his mind. So she'd stormed out on him, vowing never to speak to him again; and she'd kept that promise. Then the doctor called, told her to come to his office. She had, and he'd explained about her pregnancy. She told Vaughn every thought and feeling that had been going through her head at the time. Who was the baby's father? How the hell could she not remember conceiving a child? How? Why? She told him about gathering her meager belongings and boarding the plane. About the bus after that, and the taxi. And then about ending up in Austin, Texas. She told him how she had cried every night for the first few months. How she whispered his name as she wept. She explained every detail. And he just listened.
He never said a word but just listened to her speak. He had begun to cry when she had explained about having Ryan. She could barely remember it herself. Sydney explained to him how the doctors had said she had screamed "Michael, Michael," just before she passed out from the pain. She told him about Ryan's first years, and how she'd supported them. How she'd vowed to make Ryan happier than she'd ever been. She told him about the paternity test she'd ordered and how she'd covertly gotten his DNA from the CIA.
She had never before told anyone everything before. She even explained to him that now that he was here with her, she couldn't even remember why she'd left. Her mind was a blur, but his strong arms were holding her together. She'd waited five years to deal with many of these emotions. She had needed him, more than she could ever know.
He held her for an immeasurable amount of time, and then shifted so that he could look down at her face. She had been so emotionally drained, that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He watched her for a moment while stroking her soft hair. He was drained as well, but decided it was time to take her home. He carefully maneuvered himself out from under her, and set her gently in the passenger seat. He drove carefully, trying desperately not to wake her. When they finally arrived back at the house, he gently lifted her into his arms and carried her up to her bed. After pulling back the covers, with some effort, he laid her down and covered her up. He then sat down at the side of her bed and watched her sleep. He gently stroked her hair, and face, and he too slowly drifted off to sleep.
When he woke it was already three o'clock. He realized he had to go get Ryan very soon. He slowly-carefully pulled his arm out from under Sydney's head, and crept downstairs. He found his cell phone on the counter where he'd left it and dialed his office number.
"Hello," he said in a hushed tone. "This is Vaughn, I need to speak with Director Kendall..hello Sir...no the lead didn't pan out..I would Sir, but I just found out that my mother is very ill..yes Sir, I'm going to need some time off..I know that Sir, but I was hoping I could take a leave of absence Sir.yes I understand that it would be unpaid.yes Sir, thank you Sir.." He hung up the phone. He prayed that Kendall didn't find out that he'd lied. Without thinking he dialed his mother's home number. "Hi it's me.No I'm still out of town, Mom.Is Alex or Damien there?...Yes thanks Mom..Hey bud! how did your hockey game go..awesome, I'm sorry I missed it..no not yet, but soon I promise..yeah, I'll call back in a few days.Is your brother there?....okay well give him my love.and be good for grandma..yeah .I love you. .Okay bye." He glanced at the clock as he pocketed his phone. 3:15, he'd better head out.
When he'd arrived at the pre-school the teacher had been reluctant to let Ryan go with him, even though the little squirt had run right up to him and given him a big hug. He'd even had to flash his CIA badge. Finally she had relented and they were on their way back to Sydney's.
"Michael.where's mommy?"
"She's at home. She was really tired so she's sleeping."
"Oh, okay.can I watch a moo-bie when I get home?"
"Umm.sure little guy. Are you hungry?"
"Mommy, always makes me wait 'till dinner. But there is candy on top of the frid-er-ator." Vaughn chuckled, the boy was definitely his. He glanced at him in the rear view mirror. He was smiling and looking out the window.
When they got home Vaughn put on the movie about the "damn-ations," and explained to Ryan to be quiet because Mommy was sleeping. Leaving the boy to his movie, he headed up stairs to chick on Sydney. Before he reached the top of the stairs he heard her. She wasn't yelling too loudly, but something was definitely wrong.
"No, no! Stop!" she cried as he opened the door. He found her flailing on the bed, kicking off the covers. He ran to her side and quickly scooped her up in his arms.
"Syd, Syd, it's me. You're safe. Everything's alright." He soothed.
"Vaughn," She looked up at him. Once she'd confirmed that it was him she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.
"Everything's fine now Sydney, I'm here."