__
Chapter Five:
Fire in the night
__
Sydney pressed her ear to the door of the vault, listening carefully for the telltale click of the tumblers. "You knew this safe was here, but never questioned what was inside?"
Vaughn shook his head, a part of him still continued to marvel at the fact that she was here. He watched her turn the dial slowly, memorizing the sounds faster than he could imagine, all the while still speaking to him. "I havent been in this house for years, and I never saw my father open it. I assumed that if I ever needed to know what was inside, my mother would give me the cominbination. I never imagined that there was a Rambaldi artifact here in my childhood home." He shook his head in disbelief, "We just cant escape him can we, Syd? My father was hiding Rambaldi artifacts, your mother was stealing them."
"Yes, but why was your father hiding this painting from the CIA?" Sydney shook her head and spun the lock one more time. The lock snapped into place and the door swung open.
"I wish I knew," Vaughn shrugged. "My father always went by the book, this is as much a mystery to you as it is to me."
"Well, maybe this will give us some answers." Sydney peered into the vault curiously, retrieving a large flat wooden box from inside. She looked up to meet Vaughn's eyes, the curiosity that sparkled there was reminiscent of a young boy. She fought off the grin that threatened to overtake her, along with the overwhelming urge to forget everything and rape him where he stood. Instead she moved over to the bed and set the box down. Vaughn checked the vault one more time to make sure it was empty, before closing it and setting his mother's ornate mirror back over it.
Syd was running her fingers along the edge of the box, eyes narrowed in concentration. Vaughn joined her on the bed, slipping on arm around her waist and settling his chin on her shoulder. He watched her actions quietly, she knew what she was doing.
After a moments, she seemed to find what she was looking for. A smile lit up her face and Vaughn heard a faint click. The lid of the box swung open, revealing what was inside.
A swirl of brilliant color assaulted her eyes as the lid opened. She gasped softly as a wave of dizziness swept over her, closing her eyes against the sudden brightness of the dimly lit room. Sydney could feel Vaughns hand rubbing her back, his concern on her even as his eyes were transfixed by the painting.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw just the painting. Similar to the style of all the Rambaldi paintings so far, this one seemed vaguely familiar. The painting showed a vivid sunset splashed with red, gold and pink. The ominous shape of a mountain loomed in the foreground of the painting, the stark black shape against the warmth of the colors gave Sydney chills.
"I've been here before," she murmured, lifting the painting out of the box. Vaugh looked at her curiously, recognizing the far away look in her eyes. He knew better than to interrupt her when she was caught in the moment like this but he couldn't help himself.
"When?"
"Two years ago after the F.B.I had me in custody. I went here to prove the prophecy wrong, this is a painting of Mt. Subasio." Sydney narrowed her eyes as she studied the painting closer, murmuring to herself. "Never having seen the beauty of my sky behind Mt. Subasio." Frowning, Sydney turned the painting over. On the back, a title was written in flowing script she had come to associate with Rambaldi.
"Sky behind Mt. Subasio," Vaughn whispered the words aloud, the import of what this could mean hitting him suddenly like a slap in the face. "What does this mean?"
Sydney looked up at him, the painting falling from her nerveless fingers. "I don't know," there was a look of cold fear in her eyes that sent chills racing up Vaughn's spine. There was too much here to be coincidence, something much greater than them was at work here and clearly had been for many years.
A grim knowledge settled in Sydney's head, clicking into place as though she should have caught it much earlier. She shook her head, the fear that was creeping into her heart was too cold and unsettling to be ignored. Something was very wrong here.
"The prophecy wasn't talking about the actual sky. Rambaldi said 'my sky behind Mt. Subasio.' We never questioned his wording, he was talking about this painting." Understanding washed over her like icy water, prickling her skin. "I never saw this, we thought we had beaten the prophecy by sending me to Italy. Thought we had proved that I wasn't the woman he spoke of. But I am, don't you see?" Sydney's voice was rising, heated with anger and a deep pain hidden inside. Her cheeks were flushed, fists clenched, the sight was familiar to Vaughn but there was something different about the way she held herself. Her shoulders were set too low, head bowed, she was weary of fighting.
"The reason the Covenant wants me, the reason they faked my death! Unless prevented at vulgar cost." She quoted the ancient prophecy. Vaughn could only watch her in silence, fear growing in his heart, he could not stand it if he lost her again.
"Perhaps a single glance could have quelled her fire," Vaughn whispered into the silence that followed her outburst. His hand gripped her's suddenly and he felt his mouth go dry. "Your apartment was set on fire…"
Something inside of Vaughn broke. He stood up, the lack of him leaving her cold. Pacing before her, he shot angry glances at the painting on the bed. "What does it all mean? Why are our lives be wrapped in riddles? My father was connected to this somehow, your mother, sd-6, everything that's happened has already been predicted." He ran his hand through his hair, pulling at the pale strands in frustration. "This could have been prevented if we had studied the prophecy more literally, taken every word into account."
Sydney stood, pushing the painting away from her in disgust. She crossed over to him and laid her hand on his chest. His anger quieted as his tortured gaze fell on her. He had been fighting his own demons for so long that he had forgotten about the true fight.
"Vaughn, we don't know that. We don't know if any of our guesses are the truth and even if they are, it's too late to go back. We can't change what has already happened." She looked down at the painting and a grim resolve settled over her. "But we can change what will happen."
Vaughn slowed to a stop in front of her, "What are you thinking?"
She looked into his eyes for a long time, the emotions that swirled there were battling for precdence. Fear, love, anger, devotion, desperation. They mirrored what she felt in her heart.
"We should destroy it."
Vaughn looked to the painting, his forehead wrinkling with thought. "Are you sure, Syd? There must be something more to it."
"Something the Covenant wants," his eyes filled with fire at her words. "I will not let them have it."
He looked back to her and studied her for a long moment. He had been so broken without her and with every passing moment in her presence, he could feel the wounds healing, the cracks sealing. Nothing was more important than her.
"If you say we should destroy it, then I will trust you." He drew close to her and laced his fingers through hers. "I don't want this to run our lives anymore, Syd. I want it to end. I want the life that we talked about for so long, free of danger and pain. Together."
Her eyes filled with tears at his words. Bringing their hands to her lips, she kissed his hands gently. "You don't know how long I've dreamed about that life. Alone, in the darkness, with only my memories of you and our dreams. I love you, Vaughn. Nothing will ever be strong enough to break that."
He pulled her close to him, she was shuddering with emotion. Wrapping his arms tightly around around her, he kissed the nape of her neck. "I'm not going to lose you twice," he whispered into her skin.
His skin absorbed her tears as the two of them clung tightly together. "You're never going to lose me again."
Their lips met in mid motion, hungry for each other, filled with passion neither had known for far too long. His hands slid beneath her sweater, smoothing over the flesh. They stopped when they reached the scar on her stomach. He tensed momentarily, tracing it gently with his fingers. Sydney winced at the touch, it didn't hurt but it was a reminder of what had happened to her.
"Syd, what…?"
She shook her head and took his hand, "I don't want to remember, Vaughn. I don't want to remember the pain. I only want you."
They came together slowly, tenderly, their motions increasing with passion. Falling onto the bed, they shoved aside the the painting that had inadvertantly brought them to this moment. It fell with a soft thud to the carpet, neither paid it any heed.
They fell into each other for what seemed like the first time again. There was no pain or fear, only the strong bond of love that held them together, even through death.
Neither wanted to think of the danger they were in at this vulnerable moment of passion. The shadows were free for now, but they could not guess at the darkness that would come their way.
__
