INT. SYDNEY'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUED
Vaughn has apparently stood up while he was relating this to her. He's also turned his back. She's looking at him with incredible empathy and sadness, her eyes wet with tears.
SYDNEY
Vaughn...
He turns around and give her one of those amazing looks of his like he did when he told her all he wanted to do was kiss her in Phase One or how he missed her too in Repercussions. His voice is low and hurried.
VAUGHN
What I wanted to tell them was how much I love the way your nose would crinkle when you were concentrating or how you could withstand unimaginable torture but you couldn't take more than two seconds of me tickling you. I wanted to tell them how you'd mumble nonsense in your sleep like "Don't frost the pie" or how your favorite part of a hockey game was when the Zamboni would come out. I wanted to tell them everything, every memory, every moment, every word, look, gesture. I could feel you slipping away and I was afraid that one day I was going to wake up and wonder if it ever really happened. I needed to tell somebody, anybody, cause for some reason that would make what we had real again.
He turns away again.
VAUGHN
And all I could do was make a stupid comment about my suit.
SYDNEY
The three-button navy blue Hugo Boss?
VAUGHN
Yeah.
SYDNEY
I loved that suit. It really highlighted your eyes.
She says this next line in a lighter tone obviously meant to cheer him up.
SYDNEY
And it made your butt look great.
Vaughn turns around, smiles, and sits back down again.
VAUGHN
It did, didn't it?
SYDNEY
Oh yeah. (beat) So, um, whatever happened to it?
VAUGHN
It's in the back of my closet somewhere. I never could wear it again.
Syd nods sadly at this.
SYDNEY
I did the same thing with Danny. The dress I wore to his funeral I bought for an awards banquet at the hospital. It wasn't a designer gown or anything it's just that I was never one for getting dressed up with him. I did enough of that when I was at work. So when I showed up wearing that dress...
She smiles slightly at the memory.
SYDNEY
He loved that dress.
VAUGHN
How did you do it?
SYDNEY
What?
VAUGHN
Go to class? Get out of bed? Go back to work?
Syd thinks about this for a moment. She's looking out the window as she speaks.
SYDNEY
I loved Danny. He was a good man and when I found him like that... I was numb for a long time. There were days I don't even remember. But I kept myself going because I knew that if I stopped, if I let myself remember, all I'd see was him... like that. (beat) So I went to the gym, I went to class, I read a lot, and I ran even more. Anything to keep from seeing him again.
She looks back at Vaughn with a smile.
SYDNEY
And then I met you and things started to get better. There were even days when I was able to consider being happy again. I like to think that's what he would have wanted.
She realizes what she just said.
SYDNEY
That's how it was with Lauren, wasn't it? After I died...
Vaughn looks down. This is hard for him to say.
VAUGHN
Not quite. (beat) I know that's how it must seem but when I told you that I didn't regret moving on with my life I led you to believe that I was talking about Lauren and I wasn't. I was talking about you.
SYDNEY
Me?
VAUGHN
After you died I couldn't stay in LA. Everywhere I went I saw something that reminded me of us, of you. The worst was at the CIA. I'd sit at my desk or I'd be in a briefing and I'd find myself turning to look at you just to see your smile. But you weren't there and... I couldn't take it. I barely lasted two weeks.
SYDNEY
That's when you left the country?
VAUGHN
I needed to go somewhere that didn't remind me of you.
He chuckles mirthlessly.
VAUGHN
I had no idea how many places you'd been til I tried to get away from you. London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Vienna, Nice... I'd last maybe a week before I'd recognize some restaurant or hotel or sometimes even a trashcan where you made a dead drop and I'd have to leave.
SYDNEY
You did that for 6 months?
VAUGHN
No. I only did that for a couple of months before I gave up and settled in Nice.
SYDNEY
Nice? Not the...
VAUGHN
Yeah. The owner was understandably reluctant given what happened the last time but I must have looked pretty pathetic cause he still let me stay. He even gave me a job washing dishes and he didn't seem to mind when I'd show up late and hung over in the morning. (beat) And then one day a few months later your dad showed up.
SYDNEY
My dad? What was he doing there?
VAUGHN
Looking for me...
CUT TO:
INT. ROUSSEAU'S (NICE) - NIGHT
Vaughn is sitting at the bar cradling a drink and watching a soccer game on TV. He looks gaunt, tired, and pale. Jack comes up and takes the stool next to him. Vaughn glances over briefly and then turns back to the game.
VAUGHN
How'd you find me?
JACK
You're sitting in the restaurant where you and my daughter foolishly decided to have your "first date."
VAUGHN
Ah, so you knew about that then.
JACK
I wouldn't be much of an operative or a father if I didn't.
Vaughn nods and takes a drink.
VAUGHN
What do you want, Jack?
JACK
The CIA closed their investigation into Sydney's death without any concrete results. They feel that their resources are better allocated elsewhere. I have other priorities. I would think that you would too.
Vaughn doesn't respond. He just keeps watching the game. Jack starts to get frustrated.
JACK
Well? Are you going to continue to drown yourself in your grief and self-pity or are you going to help me find whoever is responsible for Sydney's murder?
VAUGHN
I don't know, Jack. I'm comfortable here and this stuff is awfully good. You should try some.
Jack looks at the drink in Vaughn's hand.
JACK
I have. It didn't work.
VAUGHN
(Absently mumbles) So that's why she hated the smell of whiskey.
Jack is tired of this and he stands up.
JACK
Are you going to help me or not?
Vaughn turns on the stool to face him. He's tired too.
VAUGHN
Why? It won't bring her back.
JACK
And this will?
VAUGHN
Sydney's dead and I am not about to face that fact sober.
Jack shakes his head and glares at Vaughn.
JACK
You are so weak and pathetic. I knew you were never good enough for her.
VAUGHN
(Under his breath) Tell me something I don't know.
Vaughn begins to turn back to his drink and the game. Jack continues:
JACK
She needed somebody strong, somebody who would never let her down. (beat) She needed somebody other than you. You never loved her as much as she deserved.
At Jack's last comment Vaughn whirls around on his stool to face Jack.
VAUGHN
How dare you...
In his inebriated state Vaughn loses his balence and falls to the floor. Jack looks down at him with pity and disgust. His voice has a hint of sadness to it.
JACK
If it had been you she would have never stopped looking.
Vaughn looks up at Jack, wiping blood from his split lip. His tone is filled with bitterness.
VAUGHN
Yeah, well, she's dead so that doesn't really matter now, does it?
Jack shakes his head and walks out. Vaughn watches him go and adds quietly, sadly:
VAUGHN
Nothing does.
CUT TO:
Vaughn has apparently stood up while he was relating this to her. He's also turned his back. She's looking at him with incredible empathy and sadness, her eyes wet with tears.
SYDNEY
Vaughn...
He turns around and give her one of those amazing looks of his like he did when he told her all he wanted to do was kiss her in Phase One or how he missed her too in Repercussions. His voice is low and hurried.
VAUGHN
What I wanted to tell them was how much I love the way your nose would crinkle when you were concentrating or how you could withstand unimaginable torture but you couldn't take more than two seconds of me tickling you. I wanted to tell them how you'd mumble nonsense in your sleep like "Don't frost the pie" or how your favorite part of a hockey game was when the Zamboni would come out. I wanted to tell them everything, every memory, every moment, every word, look, gesture. I could feel you slipping away and I was afraid that one day I was going to wake up and wonder if it ever really happened. I needed to tell somebody, anybody, cause for some reason that would make what we had real again.
He turns away again.
VAUGHN
And all I could do was make a stupid comment about my suit.
SYDNEY
The three-button navy blue Hugo Boss?
VAUGHN
Yeah.
SYDNEY
I loved that suit. It really highlighted your eyes.
She says this next line in a lighter tone obviously meant to cheer him up.
SYDNEY
And it made your butt look great.
Vaughn turns around, smiles, and sits back down again.
VAUGHN
It did, didn't it?
SYDNEY
Oh yeah. (beat) So, um, whatever happened to it?
VAUGHN
It's in the back of my closet somewhere. I never could wear it again.
Syd nods sadly at this.
SYDNEY
I did the same thing with Danny. The dress I wore to his funeral I bought for an awards banquet at the hospital. It wasn't a designer gown or anything it's just that I was never one for getting dressed up with him. I did enough of that when I was at work. So when I showed up wearing that dress...
She smiles slightly at the memory.
SYDNEY
He loved that dress.
VAUGHN
How did you do it?
SYDNEY
What?
VAUGHN
Go to class? Get out of bed? Go back to work?
Syd thinks about this for a moment. She's looking out the window as she speaks.
SYDNEY
I loved Danny. He was a good man and when I found him like that... I was numb for a long time. There were days I don't even remember. But I kept myself going because I knew that if I stopped, if I let myself remember, all I'd see was him... like that. (beat) So I went to the gym, I went to class, I read a lot, and I ran even more. Anything to keep from seeing him again.
She looks back at Vaughn with a smile.
SYDNEY
And then I met you and things started to get better. There were even days when I was able to consider being happy again. I like to think that's what he would have wanted.
She realizes what she just said.
SYDNEY
That's how it was with Lauren, wasn't it? After I died...
Vaughn looks down. This is hard for him to say.
VAUGHN
Not quite. (beat) I know that's how it must seem but when I told you that I didn't regret moving on with my life I led you to believe that I was talking about Lauren and I wasn't. I was talking about you.
SYDNEY
Me?
VAUGHN
After you died I couldn't stay in LA. Everywhere I went I saw something that reminded me of us, of you. The worst was at the CIA. I'd sit at my desk or I'd be in a briefing and I'd find myself turning to look at you just to see your smile. But you weren't there and... I couldn't take it. I barely lasted two weeks.
SYDNEY
That's when you left the country?
VAUGHN
I needed to go somewhere that didn't remind me of you.
He chuckles mirthlessly.
VAUGHN
I had no idea how many places you'd been til I tried to get away from you. London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Vienna, Nice... I'd last maybe a week before I'd recognize some restaurant or hotel or sometimes even a trashcan where you made a dead drop and I'd have to leave.
SYDNEY
You did that for 6 months?
VAUGHN
No. I only did that for a couple of months before I gave up and settled in Nice.
SYDNEY
Nice? Not the...
VAUGHN
Yeah. The owner was understandably reluctant given what happened the last time but I must have looked pretty pathetic cause he still let me stay. He even gave me a job washing dishes and he didn't seem to mind when I'd show up late and hung over in the morning. (beat) And then one day a few months later your dad showed up.
SYDNEY
My dad? What was he doing there?
VAUGHN
Looking for me...
CUT TO:
INT. ROUSSEAU'S (NICE) - NIGHT
Vaughn is sitting at the bar cradling a drink and watching a soccer game on TV. He looks gaunt, tired, and pale. Jack comes up and takes the stool next to him. Vaughn glances over briefly and then turns back to the game.
VAUGHN
How'd you find me?
JACK
You're sitting in the restaurant where you and my daughter foolishly decided to have your "first date."
VAUGHN
Ah, so you knew about that then.
JACK
I wouldn't be much of an operative or a father if I didn't.
Vaughn nods and takes a drink.
VAUGHN
What do you want, Jack?
JACK
The CIA closed their investigation into Sydney's death without any concrete results. They feel that their resources are better allocated elsewhere. I have other priorities. I would think that you would too.
Vaughn doesn't respond. He just keeps watching the game. Jack starts to get frustrated.
JACK
Well? Are you going to continue to drown yourself in your grief and self-pity or are you going to help me find whoever is responsible for Sydney's murder?
VAUGHN
I don't know, Jack. I'm comfortable here and this stuff is awfully good. You should try some.
Jack looks at the drink in Vaughn's hand.
JACK
I have. It didn't work.
VAUGHN
(Absently mumbles) So that's why she hated the smell of whiskey.
Jack is tired of this and he stands up.
JACK
Are you going to help me or not?
Vaughn turns on the stool to face him. He's tired too.
VAUGHN
Why? It won't bring her back.
JACK
And this will?
VAUGHN
Sydney's dead and I am not about to face that fact sober.
Jack shakes his head and glares at Vaughn.
JACK
You are so weak and pathetic. I knew you were never good enough for her.
VAUGHN
(Under his breath) Tell me something I don't know.
Vaughn begins to turn back to his drink and the game. Jack continues:
JACK
She needed somebody strong, somebody who would never let her down. (beat) She needed somebody other than you. You never loved her as much as she deserved.
At Jack's last comment Vaughn whirls around on his stool to face Jack.
VAUGHN
How dare you...
In his inebriated state Vaughn loses his balence and falls to the floor. Jack looks down at him with pity and disgust. His voice has a hint of sadness to it.
JACK
If it had been you she would have never stopped looking.
Vaughn looks up at Jack, wiping blood from his split lip. His tone is filled with bitterness.
VAUGHN
Yeah, well, she's dead so that doesn't really matter now, does it?
Jack shakes his head and walks out. Vaughn watches him go and adds quietly, sadly:
VAUGHN
Nothing does.
CUT TO:
