A/N: Again, this is Syd's POV.
Together
Another day, another dollar. Well, with everything that I have to deal with, it should be more like, "Another day, another million dollars." Even that amount could not entice me to enjoy my life. Nothing is worth anything without Vaughn.
I sigh heavily as I flop down on my couch after a trying day. Is it not enough that I have to see Vaughn with Lauren everyday, but that I have to see him with her in the "flirting corner?" It used to be *our* flirting corner, where ever since he made clear his feelings for me, we would make sure to run into each other for a few moments each day to be away from everything that was not him and me. They were cherished moments of calming reassurances that we would find Sloane, and later my mother, and bring them to justice. They were moments of tender declarations of love through touch and kiss, rather than words. Everyone in the office must have at some time been audience to our display. We didn't care. The people and walls around us faded away, and we were each other's world.
To have sweet memories as those turned sour by *her* makes my stomach churn. I curse as jealosy floods my mind, washing away the blissful thoughts of the past. But, as much as I want to, I cannot blame her for this mess. Who wouldn't fall in love with Michael Vaughn given the chance? But then again, how can anyone stand in the way of obvious soulmates? I know we make each other complete because I can feel myself slowly crumbling apart without him.
"I need you, Vaughn," I whisper to the darkness. "Can't you feel how much I need you?"
My heart is weeping, but I do not allow a tear to escape. I cannot, for if I do, nothing will be able to stop the powerful stream from flowing, bursting through the walls that I have so carefully built up since my return, leading down into the bottomless pit of depression and despair. I swallow hard as I struggle to keep my resolve. *'I will not cry.'*
Emotional exhaustion is wearing on me, and I allow myself to drift off to Vaughn in my dreams.
****
The warm fire crackles softly in the dim cabin. But its heat is nothing compared to that which is building inside of me simply because I am in the presence of Vaughn. We are lying together on the couch, my head pillowed on my hands on his chest where I can feel his heart beating strongly, his head nestled in my hair. His arms are wrapped protectively around my stomach as we watch the fire in silence. A blizzard is blowing outside, howling in fury, but we pay it no heed as we stoke the quietly growing fire in each other.
"I never want this to end," I whisper longingly, so softly that I don't think he hears me.
He doesn't need to.
"It never will," he answers in equal volume.
I giggle as I feel his beating heart increase its rate when he answers. He smiles into my hair as he presses a kiss to the top of my head.
"You do that to me, Sydney," he breathes.
"You do the same to me, Vaughn," I respond, feeling I have never spoken anything more sincere in my life.
His hand slides up my body until it reaches mine still resting on his chest. He takes it and we thread our fingers together. He holds our joined hands up with our elbows resting on the couch so that they are framed by nothing but the fire in front of us.
"This is us, Syd. Together, we are strong. Together, our fire will not burn out."
"Together," I echo. "Forever."
His hand squeezes mine and the fire pops loudly as both it and the fire inside of us hungrily devour more fuel, the fuel that is never completely consumed to leave ashes in its wake. The fuel is forever replenished and it keeps the fire blazing and our hearts beating in unison, in time to the flicker of its flames.
****
Again, I wake all too soon and remind myself that I cannot live in fantasy forever. I know in my heart that someday I won't have to. Until then, I can keep dreaming.
Together
Another day, another dollar. Well, with everything that I have to deal with, it should be more like, "Another day, another million dollars." Even that amount could not entice me to enjoy my life. Nothing is worth anything without Vaughn.
I sigh heavily as I flop down on my couch after a trying day. Is it not enough that I have to see Vaughn with Lauren everyday, but that I have to see him with her in the "flirting corner?" It used to be *our* flirting corner, where ever since he made clear his feelings for me, we would make sure to run into each other for a few moments each day to be away from everything that was not him and me. They were cherished moments of calming reassurances that we would find Sloane, and later my mother, and bring them to justice. They were moments of tender declarations of love through touch and kiss, rather than words. Everyone in the office must have at some time been audience to our display. We didn't care. The people and walls around us faded away, and we were each other's world.
To have sweet memories as those turned sour by *her* makes my stomach churn. I curse as jealosy floods my mind, washing away the blissful thoughts of the past. But, as much as I want to, I cannot blame her for this mess. Who wouldn't fall in love with Michael Vaughn given the chance? But then again, how can anyone stand in the way of obvious soulmates? I know we make each other complete because I can feel myself slowly crumbling apart without him.
"I need you, Vaughn," I whisper to the darkness. "Can't you feel how much I need you?"
My heart is weeping, but I do not allow a tear to escape. I cannot, for if I do, nothing will be able to stop the powerful stream from flowing, bursting through the walls that I have so carefully built up since my return, leading down into the bottomless pit of depression and despair. I swallow hard as I struggle to keep my resolve. *'I will not cry.'*
Emotional exhaustion is wearing on me, and I allow myself to drift off to Vaughn in my dreams.
****
The warm fire crackles softly in the dim cabin. But its heat is nothing compared to that which is building inside of me simply because I am in the presence of Vaughn. We are lying together on the couch, my head pillowed on my hands on his chest where I can feel his heart beating strongly, his head nestled in my hair. His arms are wrapped protectively around my stomach as we watch the fire in silence. A blizzard is blowing outside, howling in fury, but we pay it no heed as we stoke the quietly growing fire in each other.
"I never want this to end," I whisper longingly, so softly that I don't think he hears me.
He doesn't need to.
"It never will," he answers in equal volume.
I giggle as I feel his beating heart increase its rate when he answers. He smiles into my hair as he presses a kiss to the top of my head.
"You do that to me, Sydney," he breathes.
"You do the same to me, Vaughn," I respond, feeling I have never spoken anything more sincere in my life.
His hand slides up my body until it reaches mine still resting on his chest. He takes it and we thread our fingers together. He holds our joined hands up with our elbows resting on the couch so that they are framed by nothing but the fire in front of us.
"This is us, Syd. Together, we are strong. Together, our fire will not burn out."
"Together," I echo. "Forever."
His hand squeezes mine and the fire pops loudly as both it and the fire inside of us hungrily devour more fuel, the fuel that is never completely consumed to leave ashes in its wake. The fuel is forever replenished and it keeps the fire blazing and our hearts beating in unison, in time to the flicker of its flames.
****
Again, I wake all too soon and remind myself that I cannot live in fantasy forever. I know in my heart that someday I won't have to. Until then, I can keep dreaming.