INT. CIA ROTUNDA - DAY
Weiss is working at his desk when Sydney walks up wearing jeans and a sweater and looking very confused.
WEISS
Hey there, birthday girl, it's Sunday and it's your birthday what are you doing here? Did you get called in for something?
She's looking around not really paying attention.
SYDNEY
No. Vaughn left early and told me to meet him here, except now that I'm here he's nowhere to be found. You haven't seen him, have you?
WEISS
Nope. Sorry.
Now she looks at him and her eyes narrow he sounded a little forced.
SYDNEY
What's he planning?
WEISS
What? For your birthday? I don't know. I hardly see him anymore since he moved out and started spending all his time with his girlfriend.
She rolls her eyes and is about to press him further when her phone rings.
SYDNEY
That better be him.
She answers without looking to see who it is.
SYDNEY
Where the hell are you?
We can't hear what's said but her brow furrows before a smile breaks out and she says:
SYDNEY
Wrong number.
It's a complete change from before the call. She's gone from irritated to giddy in no time. Weiss looks at her curiously.
WEISS
What was that about?
She barely hears him and dismissively answers him as she leaves.
SYDNEY
Oh, nothing.
He waits until she's gone before he dials his own phone. We can hear his side of the conversation but not the other.
WEISS
Boy Scout this is Éclair. Operation: Always and Forever is underway. (beat) Okay fine we can call it Operation: Bended Knee. (beat) We have to call it something. (beat) Hello?
CUT TO:
EXT. MICRO SELF-STORAGE
Sydney pulls up and gets out looking all over for Vaughn's car but it's nowhere to be found so she walks in.
CUT TO:
INT. MICRO SELF-STORAGE
She's walking back to their usual cage with an expectant smile on her face.
SYDNEY
I was wondering what you were up to. Although I don't know why you had to send me to work. And I can't believe you found the same agent to make the Joey's Pizza call.
But when she comes to the cage there's no Vaughn. Instead on the table that she used to sit on is a small gift-wrapped box, a tape recorder/player, and a long stem rose. She smiles and picks up the rose first to smell it before putting it down. She considers the tape player but goes for the box instead. Unwrapping it she finds a leather case. When she opens that her mouth drops. It's Vaughn's dad's watch. She turns it over reverently in disbelief before she gingerly places it back in the box. Then she picks up the tape player and notices there's a tape already inside so she presses play. It's Vaughn. The next section cuts between showing him recording it and her listening to it.
We start out with Syd smiling as Vaughn's voice first come out over the speaker.
VAUGHN
Happy Birthday, Syd. I was trying to figure out what to do for your birthday, how to show you how grateful I am to have you in my life and I thought it might be a good idea to got back to the beginning.
Now we see Vaughn wandering around nostalgically, lightly touching a box here and a chair there.
VAUGHN
We spent so much time in this warehouse. Some good. Some bad. You know, back then I used to wish for a time when we'd never have to set foot in here again. But now, the truth is, I kind of miss it.
We see her surprise as he says this.
VAUGHN
It's not that I ever want to go back to you being a double and the two of us having to sneak around just to see you it's just that this was our refuge. It was the one place where we could just be together, look at each other, talk about anything or nothing, whatever we needed.
She's smiling now as we switch back to Vaughn. He's finally stopped and sat down on the table next to the rose and the box with the watch.
VAUGHN
It's where I got to know you and it's where I came to love you.
We switch back to her just as he finishes his statement. Her eyes are starting to tear up and now she sits to listen.
VAUGHN
There are also a lot of good memories in here. Of course my favorite was the time when you forgot the gate was closed and turned right into it.
She makes a face to show just what she thinks of that incident. We go to him to find him chuckling a bit before smiling wistfully.
VAUGHN
I had to remember that one, right? It's just that you're usually so graceful and to see you do something as klutzy as that... I know, you were embarrassed at the time but I thought it was adorable. It made me love you even more.
He pauses and shakes his head obviously wrapped up in the memory.
VAUGHN
God, I wanted to kiss you so bad.
She raises an eyebrow to that one. Then we're back to him as he gets up and begins roaming around again.
VAUGHN
And I'm standing here now thinking, 'Why didn't I?' It's not like there was anyone there to see us or stop us. But I never did. It was probably for the best since that first kiss of ours...
He stops and gets this look on his face while he savors the memory. We cut to her to find her with a very similar expression. His next words are a bit on the husky side.
VAUGHN
Yeah. That was well worth the wait.
She nods in agreement. Damn right it was. Then we're back to him as he stops again this time to lean against the table. He puts his free hand in his pocket and his expression changes to one of regret.
VAUGHN
Still it wasn't always easy. Like after I got sick and you found out I was dating Alice again. I probably should have said something. In fact I know I should have. I never wanted to hurt you but I didn't want to hurt her either. That seems to be a problem of mine.
We then show her also leaning against the table with a look that's in agreement but also resigned. His voice begins again.
VAUGHN
That's why I showed you that watch, why I'm giving it to you now.
She reaches back to pick it up and looks at it. We cut back to him as he glances down at the wrapped box. Now we're back with her as she gazes intently at the watch through this next portion. Vaughn's voice is low and earnest as it fills up the silent space of the empty warehouse.
VAUGHN
I need you to know - then, now, and forever - that since you walked into the CIA that beautiful October day with your swollen cheeks and that crazy red hair you have been the only one for me. And if you ever have any doubts about that, if I do something completely idiotic, which is bound to happen eventually, and you find yourself questioning my love and devotion to you I want you to look at that watch. Look at it and know that my dad was right, that I could set my heart by that watch, because from the first day we met, the day that watch stopped, my heart has been set on you.
Syd just stands there, tears pooling in her eyes and a smile on her face. When we switch to him he nods as if satisfied with what he's said. He takes a deep breath and relaxes a bit as we go back to her. That's when he starts to speak again.
VAUGHN
Now, of course, a trip down memory lane wouldn't be complete without a visit to the final resting place of you dearly departed pager.
She looks confused. We go to him and he's smiling.
VAUGHN
Just think about it.
We cut back to her as she does. And then she smiles and nods. After putting the watch back in the box and picking it up with the rose and the tape player she leaves. For the last shot we go back to him arranging the gifts on the table, walking to the gate, looking back one last time, and then leaving.
CUT TO:
Weiss is working at his desk when Sydney walks up wearing jeans and a sweater and looking very confused.
WEISS
Hey there, birthday girl, it's Sunday and it's your birthday what are you doing here? Did you get called in for something?
She's looking around not really paying attention.
SYDNEY
No. Vaughn left early and told me to meet him here, except now that I'm here he's nowhere to be found. You haven't seen him, have you?
WEISS
Nope. Sorry.
Now she looks at him and her eyes narrow he sounded a little forced.
SYDNEY
What's he planning?
WEISS
What? For your birthday? I don't know. I hardly see him anymore since he moved out and started spending all his time with his girlfriend.
She rolls her eyes and is about to press him further when her phone rings.
SYDNEY
That better be him.
She answers without looking to see who it is.
SYDNEY
Where the hell are you?
We can't hear what's said but her brow furrows before a smile breaks out and she says:
SYDNEY
Wrong number.
It's a complete change from before the call. She's gone from irritated to giddy in no time. Weiss looks at her curiously.
WEISS
What was that about?
She barely hears him and dismissively answers him as she leaves.
SYDNEY
Oh, nothing.
He waits until she's gone before he dials his own phone. We can hear his side of the conversation but not the other.
WEISS
Boy Scout this is Éclair. Operation: Always and Forever is underway. (beat) Okay fine we can call it Operation: Bended Knee. (beat) We have to call it something. (beat) Hello?
CUT TO:
EXT. MICRO SELF-STORAGE
Sydney pulls up and gets out looking all over for Vaughn's car but it's nowhere to be found so she walks in.
CUT TO:
INT. MICRO SELF-STORAGE
She's walking back to their usual cage with an expectant smile on her face.
SYDNEY
I was wondering what you were up to. Although I don't know why you had to send me to work. And I can't believe you found the same agent to make the Joey's Pizza call.
But when she comes to the cage there's no Vaughn. Instead on the table that she used to sit on is a small gift-wrapped box, a tape recorder/player, and a long stem rose. She smiles and picks up the rose first to smell it before putting it down. She considers the tape player but goes for the box instead. Unwrapping it she finds a leather case. When she opens that her mouth drops. It's Vaughn's dad's watch. She turns it over reverently in disbelief before she gingerly places it back in the box. Then she picks up the tape player and notices there's a tape already inside so she presses play. It's Vaughn. The next section cuts between showing him recording it and her listening to it.
We start out with Syd smiling as Vaughn's voice first come out over the speaker.
VAUGHN
Happy Birthday, Syd. I was trying to figure out what to do for your birthday, how to show you how grateful I am to have you in my life and I thought it might be a good idea to got back to the beginning.
Now we see Vaughn wandering around nostalgically, lightly touching a box here and a chair there.
VAUGHN
We spent so much time in this warehouse. Some good. Some bad. You know, back then I used to wish for a time when we'd never have to set foot in here again. But now, the truth is, I kind of miss it.
We see her surprise as he says this.
VAUGHN
It's not that I ever want to go back to you being a double and the two of us having to sneak around just to see you it's just that this was our refuge. It was the one place where we could just be together, look at each other, talk about anything or nothing, whatever we needed.
She's smiling now as we switch back to Vaughn. He's finally stopped and sat down on the table next to the rose and the box with the watch.
VAUGHN
It's where I got to know you and it's where I came to love you.
We switch back to her just as he finishes his statement. Her eyes are starting to tear up and now she sits to listen.
VAUGHN
There are also a lot of good memories in here. Of course my favorite was the time when you forgot the gate was closed and turned right into it.
She makes a face to show just what she thinks of that incident. We go to him to find him chuckling a bit before smiling wistfully.
VAUGHN
I had to remember that one, right? It's just that you're usually so graceful and to see you do something as klutzy as that... I know, you were embarrassed at the time but I thought it was adorable. It made me love you even more.
He pauses and shakes his head obviously wrapped up in the memory.
VAUGHN
God, I wanted to kiss you so bad.
She raises an eyebrow to that one. Then we're back to him as he gets up and begins roaming around again.
VAUGHN
And I'm standing here now thinking, 'Why didn't I?' It's not like there was anyone there to see us or stop us. But I never did. It was probably for the best since that first kiss of ours...
He stops and gets this look on his face while he savors the memory. We cut to her to find her with a very similar expression. His next words are a bit on the husky side.
VAUGHN
Yeah. That was well worth the wait.
She nods in agreement. Damn right it was. Then we're back to him as he stops again this time to lean against the table. He puts his free hand in his pocket and his expression changes to one of regret.
VAUGHN
Still it wasn't always easy. Like after I got sick and you found out I was dating Alice again. I probably should have said something. In fact I know I should have. I never wanted to hurt you but I didn't want to hurt her either. That seems to be a problem of mine.
We then show her also leaning against the table with a look that's in agreement but also resigned. His voice begins again.
VAUGHN
That's why I showed you that watch, why I'm giving it to you now.
She reaches back to pick it up and looks at it. We cut back to him as he glances down at the wrapped box. Now we're back with her as she gazes intently at the watch through this next portion. Vaughn's voice is low and earnest as it fills up the silent space of the empty warehouse.
VAUGHN
I need you to know - then, now, and forever - that since you walked into the CIA that beautiful October day with your swollen cheeks and that crazy red hair you have been the only one for me. And if you ever have any doubts about that, if I do something completely idiotic, which is bound to happen eventually, and you find yourself questioning my love and devotion to you I want you to look at that watch. Look at it and know that my dad was right, that I could set my heart by that watch, because from the first day we met, the day that watch stopped, my heart has been set on you.
Syd just stands there, tears pooling in her eyes and a smile on her face. When we switch to him he nods as if satisfied with what he's said. He takes a deep breath and relaxes a bit as we go back to her. That's when he starts to speak again.
VAUGHN
Now, of course, a trip down memory lane wouldn't be complete without a visit to the final resting place of you dearly departed pager.
She looks confused. We go to him and he's smiling.
VAUGHN
Just think about it.
We cut back to her as she does. And then she smiles and nods. After putting the watch back in the box and picking it up with the rose and the tape player she leaves. For the last shot we go back to him arranging the gifts on the table, walking to the gate, looking back one last time, and then leaving.
CUT TO: