TITLE: Chat
AUTHOR: Jennyfer
CHAPTER: 15.1 (1/2)
DEDICATIONS: To my ZAP-ers, readers, reviewers, delurkers (kate ), my friends… to all y'all~ you rock my world!

But thanks especially to Katiqua and Speedy who were my okay-ers/betas for this chap… you guys ARE SO AWESOME!!!!!!

LYRICS: "Cruisin'"

The Calm


Titles:

15.1 - The Calm
15.2 - The Storm


("The Calm" before "The Storm" get it? Haha… I crack myself up…)


Previously:
He's standing in her cell, frozen in place as he looks at her.

Looks at how fragile she seems, lying there. Motionless.

His breaths ragged and uneven, he kneels down to her body ever so slowly, turns her battered body over so that she's laying in his lap. Tenderly moves the hair out of her face with gentle fingers.

Felt her slow faint pulse throbbing somewhere deep within her, threatening to flicker out.

Nothing else matters anymore.

"Sydney." His whisper is soft, a warm breath across her cheek. "Sydney... wake up. Please. I'm here... I'm here for you... please."

His thumb strokes her cheek, taking away the dirt that smudges her face.

He bends down and lighting touches his lips to hers... it's almost a kiss.

"Syd..."

He places a hand on her heart, jostles her slightly, wills her to stir.

Her cracked lips part slightly. "Va- Vaughn?"

"Yeah."

"Are- are you really here?" Her voice cracks, breaks. Her eyes open slowly as if scared that what she thinks is there will disappear.

"I'm here."

"I'm sorry."

"No... don't be sorry," he kisses her cheek, "It's not your fault- it doesn't matter..." he kisses her eyelids, "we got you back. I have you back..." he kisses the tip of her nose.

"And I'm never letting you go. I promise."

He kisses her mouth.

And she kisses him back.


:::

The chair was hard.

But it didn't matter.

He sat and watched in wonder as a peace, one he had never seen her have… one that he couldn't even begin to explain, lit her face.

It matched the lightness he felt in his heart; a feeling that he hadn't felt in a long time.

He loved her. She loved him back. Even the words rolling around in his head filled him with a happiness that he could barely believe. He wanted to wake her up, watch her blink the sleep from her eyes (aggravated at first but then), smiling sleepily at his expectant face.

Saying "Hey," softly before bringing his face down to her.

But even stronger than that desire was the one telling him that he had to keep her safe. That no matter what… he had to keep her safe.

She was too precious to lose, too beautiful to hurt.

Kept him amazed that she had chosen him.

Him.

She turned a little in her sleep, tousling the white hospital sheets with her movements, a tiny smile alighting her features.

"Mmm… Vaughn."

He froze, watching her, as she turned back to face him, her eyes slowly opening.

She blinked the sleep from her eyes.

Watched him watching her.

Smiled softly, tentatively, as if she couldn't believe that he was still there, that he was watching her, waiting for her, saving her, loving her… here with her.

"Hey."



Baby, let's cruise.

"Hey," He smiled at her, loving the safety of the words, the familiarity of them.

He had said them to her a thousand times before and most likely would a thousand times after today… yet they would never again hold the same emotion that they did now.

It blew him away.

Away from here~

"I can't believe it," she paused, as if she had accidentally let slip something she had meant to say only in her head.

Don't be confused.

"Believe what?"

The way is clear.

She blushed, tried to turn her head away, winced, faced him again… and grinned- if a little ruefully. "Well… I can't believe that- that you're here. With me."

And if you want it, you got it.

Forever.

He inched his chair closer to the edge of the bed and took her hand in his. Looked at the delicate lines that made up the strength that they carried. Kissed her fingertips.

I love it when we're cruisin' together.

"I'll always be here with you, Syd. I'm not going to let you go again… how stupid do you think I am?"

I wouldn't let you get away… not again… not ever.

She smiled a little, intertwined their fingers and looked at their laced hands. "I dunno, Vaughn… you've caused me a lot of grief… I mean, I had to be lost, tortured, rescued, and confined to a hospital room for you to finally kiss me."

He flushed but hid it with a small grin. "Actually… I kissed you before they confined you."

She smiled back, a glow taking over her entire face. Bathing him in it. "Of course. How could I have forgotten?"

Music is played for love.

Cruisin' was made for love.

I love it when we're cruisin' together.

"Vaughn?"

"Yeah?"

She pulled at his hand, bringing him to his feet and closer to the edge of the bed.

"Kiss me."

Kiss me.

I don't want to forget what it feels like.

I want to memorize the texture of your lips.

I want to believe that it happened.

That my life has started.

With you.

He grinned, kissing her softly on the lips… still reeling from the fact that he could.

Her hand lay on his cheek. "Come here. Lie down next to me."

He paused for a second.

Shook his head, still unbelieving.

And then complied to her request.

He lay close to her, feeling the length of her body along his... feeling her warmth emanating off of her body and onto- and into- him. Her hair lay spread over the pillow, warm and lustrous. He ran his fingers through it, marveling that he was here, lying next to her... that he was allowed to do this to her.

Her eyes fluttered open, a lazy smile settling in her features. "Do you know... how long I've waited for this?"

He grinned, sheepishly. "How long you've waited for what? You mean you've actually wanted to be stuck in a hospital room in a too-soft bed and a television with bad reception?"

Shaking her head, she adjusted herself, laying her head on his arm, inches closer to his face. "No."

There was a pause of complete and utter silence that filled the entire room. A moment in time where nothing moved, nothing breathed, nothing lived. Only realization was present.

Things had suddenly gotten more serious.

His words were a whisper. "Then what?"

"Lying here in your arms... knowing that this isn't a dream that I can wake up from... hoping that my knowledge is correct."

He could barely breathe. "Really?"

"Yeah. I love you... did you know that?"

He lifted his fingers and brushed away the strands of hair that lay on her cheek. "How do you know?"

She sighed softly, burrowed a little deeper into the crook of his neck. "You know you're in love when you don't want to fall asleep because your reality is better than any dream you could have."






tbc…

more???

Lemme know… 15.2 is kinda painful…. *eep* hides

Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated

-jennbeanie