A/N: lots of thanks this time: especially to DEMON, she was always there trying to help me get through my tough school problems with comic relief. and she helped me figure out the code names when I promptly forgot, and for helping me with some other things that will show up in later chapters. oh... and can you believe she's the one that's making me hold onto the S/V faith? yup.
now this is by far the hardest chapter I had to write. thank you to demon for betaing... especially all my grammar problems. and another huge thank you for helping with all that martial arts terms... because I had no idea what was what... if it wasn't for her, this chapter would be filled with words like "kick" and "punch"... very undescriptive.
demon's definitions of martial arts terms:
straight punch: Self explanatory... you punch straight...
hook punch: punch from the body, hooking it as you get close to the opponent
uppercut: punch from below, usually connects with the jaw, thus making the head snap back
jab - quick powerless punch used for distractions, etc
front snap kick: real quick kick to the front
side thrust- a kick to the side that locks for 1 second, with enough power to knock someone over
flying side thrust- same as side thrust but they have a running start
side snap - quick kick to the side
roundhouse - kick that starts from the side of your body and moves to the front in a rounding fashion... (this is the hardest to explain)
hook kick - used when your back is to the opponent and is much like the roundhouse...
Hammer strike - swing your arm in a circle in front of your body and your fist hits the opponent in the face, usually in the bridge of the nose
chop - an attack used for the neck, attack with the side of your palm...
palm strike - use your palm to hit someone in the face (usually push the nose up, thus killin' them) or at the kidneys or some other weak area...
spear hand - hand is flat and closed, palm facing the side, used to hit the solar plex. Possibly fatal
backhand - fist starts near the arm pit and flips toward the target, hitting it with the back of your hand
elbow strike - usually side attack, using the elbow. Tends to aim for solar-plex, kidneys, etc
back thrust kick - like the side thrust but you kick behind you
Crescent Kick - lift leg up and bring it down on the opponent, usually used if they're on the ground. Hits with the heel. target areas: Head, foot, knees, stomach, groin, and anywhere else you can hit that'll do damage
and to Gabs for helping me figure out Munich. I've personally never been there, and Gabs has she picked out the English Gardens and showed me pictures of them. She also answered all the questions I had on it. thanks!
and Angel for the D---- bashing... because I really needed it, she bugs me... Also thanks for the support you gave me with the whole school thing.
and to Jasmine for answering some stupid grammar questions
and of course to the SMFSSG, all of you guys are amazing. yay! spoiler free for season 3!
the song is "I don't wanna miss a thing" by aerosmith
Thank you to 'sally' for reviewing! Hehe… yup, sloane is just too evil to actually think any good. Just like… why the (blanked) would the Rambaldi device say "peace." Ooh, depends on how you view this mission. It might just not go that wrong … ;)
I think I'm going to blame the lack of reviews on ff.net… ( I know it didn't show up until like midnight PST on my page… and I uploaded it at like… 6AM!) :P
Chapter 15
September 29, 2005
Munich, Germany
English Gardens
7:06 PM, local time
"Mountaineer, Retriever, this is base ops. State your current situation."
"Mountaineer in position."
"Retriever in position."
"Head in. If everything stays on track, dead drop in two hours. Good luck."
Weiss glanced over in Sydney's direction. She was supposed to come down the stone steps and meet him at the bottom in a few seconds. He took this time alone to calm down and check his appearance. It wouldn't be good for the other guests to see a man sweating profusely and think he had a medical problem. He surveyed his surroundings. It was a park with multiple creeks running through it and dense trees on both sides. Apparently, there was going to be a trade off between an operative of Sloane's and one of his contacts.
"Roland?" It was Sydney's voice. His time alone was up.
"Gabrielle." She was beautiful. Dressed in her calf length spaghetti strapped silk dress. It was elegant and perfect for this event. He wished Vaughn was here to see her.
The plan was for them to dance for a while and blend themselves in with the crowd dancing on the lawn. While dancing, they would be searching for Sloane's operative. They had seen the picture while on the cargo plane, however it had been a horrible one. The 30 something man they were to detain was short, around 5 foot 4, had red hair and brown eyes. He would be easy to search out in a sea of brown, blonde, black, and white heads.
Once they detected this man, Sydney was to approach him and lead him away from the crowd. She was to disarm him and retrieve the disk. Typical mission, and yet, countless errors could be made.
"Roland? Hello?" it was whispered. "Weiss!" That snapped him out of his pondering. He reacted immediately.
Holding out his arm, he gently hooked it through her arm. They made their way to the lawn.
The costumes might have made them appear as husband and wife, but the connection, that air, was missing. There was no love of lovers between them and that is what made them not compatible. Only the love of friends.
Weiss knew that Sydney's heart still belonged to a ghost long dead. One who's grasp refused to relent.
~*~*~
September 29, 2005
Munich, Germany
English Gardens
8:00 PM, local time
"Quit tripping over my feet! Jeez, didn't anyone ever teach you how to dance?"
"What? And let my high school friends view me as a dancing pony? Never! I got the girls in other ways."
Sydney snorted. "How?"
"Football does wondrous things, kinda like ice hockey."
Silence.
"I see him."
"Where?"
"He's near the river. He's getting a drink of champagne."
"Careless. Very careless… You think I can get some? I think I'll need it," at Sydney's glare, he quickly added on, "You know. For courage!"
"I'm moving in." He caught her arm before she could move out of his reach.
"Be careful."
A strange look came into her eyes. But she blinked it away. "I always am," she murmured softly. "Com-link is back on."
"Ditto."
"See ya around." And she stepped into the crowd.
"He'll haunt me if you don't come back. He'll make sure I never get a date," Weiss muttered to himself. However, Sydney heard it, and it made her smile.
Vaughn was always able to affect people in ways that were unforgettable, especially if it was related to her in any way.
A man blocked her sight as he passed by and when Sydney looked up again, to try and relocate the operative, he was gone.
She crept closer.
No, he was still there. But behind the thick foliage the bushes created. There was a knife sticking out from his chest.
She put two fingers against his neck, looking for the jugular. There was no pulse.
He was dead.
"Retriever, this is Mountaineer. We have a problem. Operative is dead."
"What?!"
"I repeat. Operative is dead."
"Is the disk still on him?"
She search, but it was useless. His clothes have already been fumbled through.
"Negative. Disk is gone."
"Shit. How is base ops going to handle this?"
Silence on her end. She failed. She was blocked for less than 20 seconds, and the disk was gone. But who else would want that disk? The CIA never expected another agency to be here. There should have been no competition.
Two strong muscled arms came around and wrapped around her frame. One around her mouth to stop her from screaming, and in the process knocked out her com-link. The second arm went around her middle, trying to still her movements.
All she knew was that it was a man, a man dressed all in black.
~*~*~
September 29, 2005
Munich, Germany
English Gardens
8:20 PM, local time
Keep it calm. Keep it calm, Sydney reminded herself. And in the next instant, she stomped the man on the foot, her heel digging into the hard leather. The man refused the budge, so she did it again, and instinctively, the man went off balance when her heel met the rapidly forming bruise on his toes. Before he could regain his equilibrium, Sydney performed a front snap kick to his torso, sending him doubling over. She was about to strike him again when the man reached out and blocked the kick. He grabbed her foot and twisted it, making her body follow through and fall on her back. He extended his hand, trying to help her up.
"Mountaineer? What's going on? Are you okay?" she could hear Weiss bark over the com-link. He was panicking.
What is he doing? Is this some type of trick? Why didn't he kill me? Why isn't he reaching for his gun? I know he has one, on his ankle, and in his shoulder holster. He doesn't want to kill me. If he did, he would have. Why didn't he just knock me out? He could have then taken me to his boss… Why won't he speak? The sky had already turned into a dark blue a few hours ago, and the dense leaves of the trees surrounding them allowed little light to leak through. She could barely make out his form, but his eyes, she could see. They were a cold, crystal clear blue.
"Mountaineer? Hello? State your situation!"
She did a sweep, knocking the man's knees, making him fall to the ground. She did a back flip and landed on her feet. Once she was balanced, she saw that the man in black had done the same as well. She then ran up to him and did a combination: front snap, side thrust, roundhouse, hook kick, and a reverse punch. Feeling the force of each impact, the man fell against a tree, only to push off it and restrain the knee that would have met his groin. She inwardly laughed, This man wants to see children in the future…
The man executed a quick roundhouse kick, one that she easily blocked.
This man is clearly more capable then this. He knew most of her ways of attacks. Why is he holding back? That was the first time he actually tried to attack her, other than holding her against his body. He had managed to repel most of her attacks, but never once tried to hurt her. Who was he?
"Who are you?" she managed to gasp in between breaths. Her breathing was a bit labored; her body was still in recovery from her attempts at suicide, and because she was not eating as much as had before. She was still missing him.
She heard Weiss sigh, relieved that she was still all right.
The man didn't answer.
She tried a quick jab and a uppercut punch along side it. The man caught it; he didn't even blink, just kept staring into her eyes, trying to tell her something. Something that could only be told by the eyes, not by words.
She was tiring.
Drip. Drip.
The back of her dress was wet and sticky. Blood, she slowly realized.
She reached a hand up, and ran it along her back. It came back with red droplets smeared on her fingers.
When did this happen?
One look at the man's face, at his eyes… The eyes… they're the window to the soul.… she could see that he was just as surprised. Maybe this wasn't supposed to be what was happening… maybe this wasn't what he meant to do. When did he even touch my back? And with what? A knife? His blue eyes reflected the worry found in her own.
"Mountaineer?"
The man strode closer to her, lightly touching the deep cut on her back with his gloved hands. He checked it with a critical eye, almost clinical. His eyes were almost loving. His touch was that of a lover's. What is going on? I was just fighting for my life against this man! Why is he trying to save me now?
"Mountaineer? Respond! Please! What's your status?!"
For some reason, Sydney wasn't afraid anymore. Maybe this was how she was supposed to die. Maybe this is how she was going to be reunited with Vaughn. She was on a mission, in a beautiful park, wearing a beautiful dress. About to be murdered by a stranger. But was it even murder?
The man suddenly ran off. Leaving her alone in the woods.
"Retriever?"
"Mountaineer! Thank god! I was about to call you the search team."
"No. Don't do that. I think I'm fine. I will be fine. I don't know who the operative was. He disappeared."
"He disappeared?"
"Yeah. Hold on. Just let me rest a little, okay? I'll be back in at least 30."
"Ok. See you back at base."
She turned off the com-link. Now she just had to wait it out.
Footsteps.
She tensed up.
The man in black operative gear had returned. He gently lifted her sore body off the ground, placing her on his lap.
flashback
"So the mission was a success?"
"Yup, easy in and out. I got the false Intel to Sloane, and he accepted it as the real picture. And here is the real one."
As she bent over, Vaughn spotted a large bruise on the small of her back.
"Syd," his voice held a warning tone. "It wasn't an easy in and out. You're hurt."
"It's nothing, Vaughn."
"It is not nothing. It's huge and it's purplish blue! Stay still. Let me get the cold pack. It'll feel better sooner than later."
She secretly loved it when he did this. Just to feel his hands on her back; it was soothing, calming. Something that she easily wanted to be familiar with.
He came back and made her sit on a crate. Gingerly, he lowered the pack onto the bruise and put pressure on it. She flinched at the coldness.
"Sorry."
"It's okay. Thank you for this."
"It's my job. I need to take care of you."
"Vaughn, you and I both know this isn't in your job description. So thank you for taking such good care of me."
She leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek.
end flashback
The man took out a shot of local anesthetic and gave it to her. She immediately felt the affects. The pain was gone, allowing him to give her more shots painlessly.
He took out some alcohol and wiped out the dirt surrounding the wound. She must have hurt herself when she landed on the ground. Slowly, the wound started to clear up, allowing the man to suture the wound. He did so with loving ungloved hands. Gentle.
Who the hell was this man?
After he was done, he wrapped his arms around her, allowing warmth to seep back into her body.
She turned to face him.
"Thank you. But who are you?" she was beyond confused. She has never encountered a circumstance like this one.
The man reached down and looped his finger through the necklace she was wearing. It was the necklace she had been wearing ever since he died. The white gold ring was always touching her skin, a reminder of what she had lost. He examined the ring thoroughly, as if he had seen it before.
He abruptly whispered out, "Pour mon ange, mon amour," in a choked voice. An ungloved hand reached up and pushed some hair behind her ear.
That voice, that touch…it's haunted me for so long.
"I love you, Syd." His lips touched her forehead. Her eyes widened. Chocolate eyes meeting blue eyes.
"Vaughn?"
~*~*~
September 29, 2005
Munich, Germany
English Gardens
8:47 PM, local time
"Yeah, Syd?" he whispered, relishing her touch.
"Blue eyes aren't becoming of you."
He chuckled. Her eyes watered.
"Take them out. Please," she wanted to see his eyes again. The ones she was so familiar with. The ones that took care of her, that knew her, that helped her, that loved her.
"I can't," his lips grazed her.
"Please," she murmured back, and finally kissed him. Warmth flooded though her body. Revitalizing her heart, her spirit, her mind. She felt it at her fingertips. It disseminated to her stomach, then her toes. He was there. With her. Her mind was still trying to twist around the fact. Desperately afraid that he would disappear, just like the other times when she thought she saw him, watching her from darkened corners. But his lips were on hers and he was solid under her hands. There was heat radiating from him, mingling with hers. He was alive.
She knew she should be angry, screaming at him, asking him why he left, asking him why he would do such a thing to her. But she couldn't. All she felt was relief. The knowledge that he was alive, breathing, here with her, was overwhelming. All the more consuming.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her even closer to him. He kissed her with the knowledge that he would have to say 'goodbye' again, so he memorized the moment. Burning itself into his memory so he could relive it again and again.
Sydney's arms locked themselves around his neck, playing with his hair. After a few minutes, she had to step back, regain her air supply. Her lungs were burning, craving for air. So this is what it's like to feel happiness again.
"Okay."
He released his hold on her, regretting it after the cool air took over the passionate heat from just a few precious seconds ago. He took out the blue contacts and flicked them away.
"Hey," he whispered to her.
Tears overflowed from her eyes. He gently brushed them away.
"Hey." She snuggled her head under his chin. "Where have you been?"
"I've been around."
"It's omega-17 isn't it… that's why they had to make me believe you were dead." Her voice was quiet, tremulous.
"I swear I didn't know they were coming that day, Syd."
Beat.
"You never used to lie to me Vaughn."
He leaned in close and took her hand. He placed her hand behind his ear, and mouthed "com-link."
Her eyes registered her understanding. She also knew that Vaughn would get in trouble for telling her what was going on.
"I didn't even know what Anna was doing there. She wasn't working with us. But apparently the CIA took it as a good enough of a distraction. I heard her taunting you. She wasn't even in the room when the CIA 'shot' me."
"Shh. Don't say anymore…please." She placed a finger over his lips.
He gave her finger a gentle kiss. There were both content to just hold each other.
Flashback
"They don't understand. There still is no living—there is no reason for me to live. Right now, I live to forget. I live this dream, a nightmare really. There is no place for me. I miss him way too much. I loved him. They," she gestured to all the agents out in the main room, "may all say that I will live through it, but as I sit here, I realize that what they say is not true. It never will be true. I will never find another. There is never going to be someone perfect enough, kind enough, gentle enough, loving enough. The faces that pass by, especially the males with their brown hair, all turn into his face. But when I blink, they disappear. Leaving the reality behind, taking the dream away. I will never find that degree of happiness again—not ever as happy as I was with him."
She looked over at Dr. Barnett. Surprisingly enough, she had yet to interrupt.
"This was just another mission, another chance to just disappear and live a new life, but I'm still not sure I'm ready for that. His face will always haunt me wherever I go. There is no hope."
She paused. Recollecting her thoughts, putting them in an order that might make more sense.
"And then I felt this random guy touch my shoulder, and if I pretended enough, it would be Vaughn's touch. All of a sudden, all of my memories of Vaughn collided, and then I realized that I couldn't complete the mission, and that an escape would be the best way out. Running away, and not coming back. But I still wouldn't be able to forget his memory. Escape his haunting presence. A ghost was always following, always watching. I felt his eyes, but whenever I turned around, he was never there. As invisible as he could be, hidden among the crowd, never letting me go. I kept telling myself that he was gone, forever, an eternity, but I always turned around. I always fell for it. Once I swore I saw his eyes, glittering emeralds lost among the crowd, but in a blink, they were gone. I just wish they would disappear sometimes. How I could disappear along with him and allow two souls to intertwine in the afterlife."
End flashback
"Stop thinking, Syd. I can practically feel your mind going a mile a minute. Relax."
"Weiss will be wondering where I am."
A bubble of laughter came deep from his throat. "Too bad for him. He's gotten to see you everyday for a year and a half. I want my moment right now."
Clinging to each other, Vaughn broke the silence. "Let's go dance."
"Vaughn. They'll see you! We can't."
"I don't care. I wanna dance with you."
Sydney let herself be dragged out of the forest. A thought finally hit her.
"Vaughn! What about the operative?"
"Don't worry. My men have taken care of him. He'll be shipped back to his family."
"And the information?"
"I have it. Now, don't worry! Dance."
He pulled her closer. They hadn't been able to let go of one another since Vaughn took out his contacts.
The music flowed around them, surprisingly, not German music.
I could stay awake just to hear you breathin'
Watch you smile while you are sleepin'
While you're far away and dreamin'
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure
They both realized the irony in the situation. Sydney was remembering the night she received the rose and lily. Vaughn was remembering that same night; watching his tears rain on her eyelids and travel down to her hair. And the letter that he had written, only to take it back with him a few hours later.
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
He recalled his sleepless nights, wondering what she was doing. Wondering if she had decided to move on. They always led him back to the house he shared with her. Made him stand right outside the bedroom door and continue to watch over her. Sometimes he would have conversations with her, making them short and light; it was the only way to keep himself sane. It was a risk every time he did it, but he needed her so badly. If she was hurt though, he would have never forgiven himself. She was his everything. And if the very best part of himself was missing, that would mean that only the worst was left. He would have followed her then. No matter what the consequences.
Lying close to you feelin' your heart beatin'
And I wonder what you're dreamin'
Wonderin' if it's me you're seein'
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
And I just wanna stay with you
In this moment forever, forever and ever
She could feel his heart beating underneath his black ops clothes. She had to keep reminding herself that he was alive. A miracle that she couldn't understand. She wanted answers, but knew that now wasn't the time nor the place. Time was against them once again.
He dropped his head and gave her a kiss on each eye. This was another moment that he was memorizing in his mind. If only it would go on forever. But he knew that they only had a few minutes left. Soon his team would be asking where he was. They might even cause a scene which he could not allow them to do. So he held her even closer, tucking her head under his chin, where she belonged.
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm great. Better than in a long time."
"I missed you."
"I know. I missed you more."
And I don't wanna miss one smile
And I don't wanna miss one kiss
Well, I just wanna be with you
Right here with you, just like this
I just wanna hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time
He wanted to know everything that he had missed. When he was with Alice, he had made Weiss promise to take care her if anything happened to him. But since Alice was now out of the picture, Weiss still promised to take care of Sydney if anything happened to him. And although he wouldn't completely regret going away, he regretted not being there for her. To be the shoulder to cry on. But then, if he hadn't gone, she wouldn't have been crying. They would be married, hopefully. Maybe even with a baby on the way.
He slowed his heart beat, just so their heartbeat would be the same. Little things like that made him feel as if he had a closer connection to her.
Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
Cause I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
The song was going to end so soon. If only he could make the song play forever, so he wouldn't have to leave her side. He captured her lips in his. All his thoughts left his mind. He had to make the most of this moment, and damn it, he was going to.
Je veux, je désire, je souhaite, et j'espère.
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah
I don't wanna miss a thing
"Sydney, I have to go."
She knew that all good things had to end. And right now, they had to end it so that they would have a future.
"I know."
He looked at the ring on the chain. He briefly touched it, "I'll be back within 6 months. I promise," and he sealed it with a kiss.
"Be careful." Tears were coming to her eyes again.
"I'll be watching you." They couldn't help but chuckle at the remark.
They both noticed a man that was rapidly approaching them.
"Remember, I'll be back within 6 months. Je t'aime mon ange, mon amour."
"Je t'aime."
She watched him disappear among the crowds. Two jade eyes sparkled and blinked out.
"Sydney!" relief was apparent in his voice, having found her after a thirty minute search.
"Hi Weiss," she was calm, smiling even.
"Who were you just with?" He had a questioning look in his eyes. Suspicious. She was alive again. Like before.
"You saw him too. You know."
"It couldn't have been."
"It was. Now let's go home."
As she started walking, she felt something slip down the inside of her dress. Her eyes widened.
On the floor there was a letter. She pretended to trip, once she was on the floor, she picked it up.
My, my, my, Vaughn's getting good.
~The End~
Epilogue is on it's way.