After showing her mother to the guest room, Sydney had passed out in bed.
When Vaughn found her she was simply strewn out on top of the covers. As
she quietly closed the door behind him, and crept toward their bed, he
tried to be as quiet as possible. When he reached her he carefully lifted
her legs and slid them under the covers. He pulled them up to her shoulders
and then walked around to the other side of the bed. Vaughn pulled off his
shoes, and took of his shirt, and slid himself into bed next to her. After
settling in, he looked at her in the darkness. The small amount of light
provided by the moon, was enough to illuminate her face. She looked
beautiful in the moonlight. The soft glow seemed to suit her.
Slowly he took his hand and reached to touch her face. He wanted to feel that she was there, to touch her beautiful skin, to make sure she wasn't a dream. He did this often. After so many years of searching, so many might of being alone, he could barely believe that she was actually there with him. When his fingers finally reached her cheek, Vaughn let out a sigh of relief. Though he did not wish to wake her, he had the sudden urge to pull her into his arms. Quickly but carefully, he slid her arm underneath her and pulled her to his chest. She made a soft noise of acknowledgement, but didn't wake.
For several long moments, Vaughn just held her. His arms were gentle but firm, and as he lay there as close as he could possible get to her, he still felt that there was so much distance between them. He fought the urge to tighten his grip, but refused to wake her.
Vaughn had always hated himself so very much for losing her in the first place. He'd left her alone, let her be taken, allowed "them" to do what they did to her. But what killed him was the fact that when she'd returned he'd let her slip away again. And now The Prophesy threatened to take her away again, to take away their happiness, to take their child. Though Vaughn knew with every fiber in his body that he would never let anyone or anything hurt Sydney, he had this ever increasing doubt in his mind. It grew with each moment. He felt himself losing her. She was right there in his arms, and he could feel her drifting away.
After several moments of fighting, Vaughn finally let a tear slip from his eye. 'She needed you to protect her and you weren't there. How will you be able to be there now? What difference can you make?' Vaughn couldn't stop the doubts from flooding through his brain. "There is nothing you can do. You have to accept it." Was that what he was meant to do? He didn't know which path would be his downfall. Was he to protect Sydney and their children at all costs? Was he to accept that The Prophesy had already outlined what was to happen?
All he could think about was taking Sydney and everyone they loved and whisking them away to some remote planet, where no one would ever find them. But reality quickly melted his fantasy away. Vaughn hated to admit it, hated to feel it, but he was so scared.
"Vaughn?" Sydney's soft voice broke his thoughts.
He struggled to compose himself. "Yeah Syd." He said loosening his hold on her, so that he could look down into her eyes. She was only half awake. Her eyes were puffy, and barely even open, but they were beautiful, as always. She looked up at him, almost disbelievingly.
"I love you." She said closing her eyes and pulling him close to her once again. He words, as ordinary and everyday as they were, hit him profoundly, and again he let a few tears escape. He tried to speak to tell her that he loved her as well. But every time he opened his mouth, no word would come. After a moment of desperately trying to find his voice, he resigned himself, and kissed her softly on the head. Another moment passed, and Sydney's breathing became slow and heavy. Vaughn again loosened his grip and looked down at the woman he loved.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"But I don't understand. Why have you done this to me? How did you do this to me?" Sydney was furious. What Sloane had implied was preposterous. So why did she believe him?
"Sydney what is the last thing you remember?" Sloane simply sat there smiling.
"I remember.. I remember being here with you. when we were working on the manuscript. I remember. what does it matter."
"Sydney it matters. Please go with this man." Sloane said motioning toward the man who was now standing in the doorway. "Everything will be settled very soon."
"Damn, it. no." Sydney said as the man came and took hold of her arm. "Where are you taking me? What is going on."
"Sydney, do try to remain calm. It's almost over, and soon you won't remember any of this."
"No.NO."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Slowly he took his hand and reached to touch her face. He wanted to feel that she was there, to touch her beautiful skin, to make sure she wasn't a dream. He did this often. After so many years of searching, so many might of being alone, he could barely believe that she was actually there with him. When his fingers finally reached her cheek, Vaughn let out a sigh of relief. Though he did not wish to wake her, he had the sudden urge to pull her into his arms. Quickly but carefully, he slid her arm underneath her and pulled her to his chest. She made a soft noise of acknowledgement, but didn't wake.
For several long moments, Vaughn just held her. His arms were gentle but firm, and as he lay there as close as he could possible get to her, he still felt that there was so much distance between them. He fought the urge to tighten his grip, but refused to wake her.
Vaughn had always hated himself so very much for losing her in the first place. He'd left her alone, let her be taken, allowed "them" to do what they did to her. But what killed him was the fact that when she'd returned he'd let her slip away again. And now The Prophesy threatened to take her away again, to take away their happiness, to take their child. Though Vaughn knew with every fiber in his body that he would never let anyone or anything hurt Sydney, he had this ever increasing doubt in his mind. It grew with each moment. He felt himself losing her. She was right there in his arms, and he could feel her drifting away.
After several moments of fighting, Vaughn finally let a tear slip from his eye. 'She needed you to protect her and you weren't there. How will you be able to be there now? What difference can you make?' Vaughn couldn't stop the doubts from flooding through his brain. "There is nothing you can do. You have to accept it." Was that what he was meant to do? He didn't know which path would be his downfall. Was he to protect Sydney and their children at all costs? Was he to accept that The Prophesy had already outlined what was to happen?
All he could think about was taking Sydney and everyone they loved and whisking them away to some remote planet, where no one would ever find them. But reality quickly melted his fantasy away. Vaughn hated to admit it, hated to feel it, but he was so scared.
"Vaughn?" Sydney's soft voice broke his thoughts.
He struggled to compose himself. "Yeah Syd." He said loosening his hold on her, so that he could look down into her eyes. She was only half awake. Her eyes were puffy, and barely even open, but they were beautiful, as always. She looked up at him, almost disbelievingly.
"I love you." She said closing her eyes and pulling him close to her once again. He words, as ordinary and everyday as they were, hit him profoundly, and again he let a few tears escape. He tried to speak to tell her that he loved her as well. But every time he opened his mouth, no word would come. After a moment of desperately trying to find his voice, he resigned himself, and kissed her softly on the head. Another moment passed, and Sydney's breathing became slow and heavy. Vaughn again loosened his grip and looked down at the woman he loved.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"But I don't understand. Why have you done this to me? How did you do this to me?" Sydney was furious. What Sloane had implied was preposterous. So why did she believe him?
"Sydney what is the last thing you remember?" Sloane simply sat there smiling.
"I remember.. I remember being here with you. when we were working on the manuscript. I remember. what does it matter."
"Sydney it matters. Please go with this man." Sloane said motioning toward the man who was now standing in the doorway. "Everything will be settled very soon."
"Damn, it. no." Sydney said as the man came and took hold of her arm. "Where are you taking me? What is going on."
"Sydney, do try to remain calm. It's almost over, and soon you won't remember any of this."
"No.NO."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++