Chapter 15: "Dinner and Secrets"
"What are you smiling about?" Vaughn asked as he grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator and handed one to Sydney.
She grinned happily as she peeled a few sweat-soaked strands of hair from the side of her face and tucked them behind her ear. "Today has been so nice and normal. It's just been perfect."
It wasn't as if she had never spent a day alone with Vaughn before, but she had never felt as domesticated with him as she did today. She'd forgotten how much she loved waking up next to him until she had this morning, for the first time since Fiji. They lounged around in bed for the better part of the morning, talking and making love until they finally rose and went to a late breakfast. They spent the early part of the afternoon curled up on the couch together as she read a book and he watched a college basketball game, and then they decided to go for a jog with Donovan, from which they had just returned. Nothing about the day had been particularly special or remarkable which was exactly why it had felt so special and remarkable to her. It was as if she was getting a brief glimpse of what her every day life could be like in a few months, and she loved it. More than anything, she loved the man who was now leaning in for a quick kiss.
"It's only been perfect because Donovan has been on his best behavior," Vaughn joked. "But don't let him fool you; he's just trying to reel you in."
"I could say the same thing about you," she laughed. Her laugh turned into a squeal when he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder and headed for the stairs.
"Vaughn! Put me down," she giggled as they entered his bedroom.
"What?"
"I *said,* put me down."
"If you say so," he shrugged as he dumped her on the bed and quickly covered her body with his, kicking off his running shoes as he kissed her deeply.
"Do I need to remind you that I can kick your ass?" she smiled once she caught her breath.
"Just the idea of that totally turns me on," he grinned.
"I'll bet." She grabbed his wrists and flipped him onto his back then pinned his wrists to the bed and straddled him, feeling heat shoot straight to her center as she pressed against him. "That's a little more like it," she smirked before she leaned down and attacked his neck and throat with kisses. "How long do we have before dinner at your mother's?"
"Two hours," Vaughn said after glancing at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "But we're all sweaty, so we have to shower."
"We will . . . after we get a little sweatier," she grinned before she leaned down to kiss him again.
*****
"Okay, thanks for calling, Terry. If you find out anything else, just call me on my cell phone. Thanks, you too."
Vaughn glanced at his watch and saw that it was 6:30 as he hung up the phone. "Syd," he called as he walked over to the stairs, "are you ready?"
"Ugh!" came her frustrated reply. "No, I still need a few minutes."
Vaughn smiled and shook his head, looking down at Donovan who looked back up at him with a nonchalant expression. "Women," he smirked. He bounded up the stairs and walked into his bedroom, his eyes widening as he saw all the clothes -- seemingly every item of clothing from Sydney's suitcase -- haphazardly scattered across the bed. He glanced questioningly at Sydney and she shot him a sheepish smile in return. "I know. Your room is a mess. I'll clean it up, don't worry."
"I'm not worried about the room, Syd. I'm more concerned with your mental state," he smiled. "You look like you're on the verge of a nervous breakdown."
"I think I am," she said with a short laugh as she stood in front of the full length mirror on the wall. She smoothed the short, black A-line dress she was wearing and frowned at her reflection, deciding that this outfit, too, was all wrong. She placed her hands on her hips and twisted her body around to study the clothes on the bed when Vaughn's eyes caught hers. He walked over to her, placing his hands on her hips and resting his chin on her right shoulder as he looked at their reflections in the mirror.
"What's problem? You look amazing," he said softly.
"You're just saying that," she sighed.
"Yes, I'm saying it because you look amazing," he said as he swept her hair from her neck and planted a soft kiss there.
She smiled despite herself and snaked her arm around his head to stroke his hair. Even though she didn't think she looked amazing, he made her feel amazing. "This dress is all wrong."
"Not from where I'm standing," he grinned.
"What do *you* know about women's clothes?" she teased.
"Not much, just that you look good in them, and you look really good in that dress. So good that all I can think about right now is how much I want to take it off later."
She turned around and looked into his eyes. "Well that settles it -- this is *definitely* the wrong outfit. I'm trying to make a good impression on your mom, Vaughn. I don't want to walk in her house wearing something that makes you think about sex."
Vaughn made a face and looked back at her. "Sydney, I'm a man. I'm always thinking about sex, especially where you're concerned. You could wear a burlap sack or a suit of armor, and I'd still be thinking about getting you naked." She smiled in response to that. "Seriously, you look beautiful and classy, and you're gonna make a great impression on my mom. I think you should stick with this outfit for two reasons: first, I love the dress and second, if you change one more time, we're going to be late, so let's go," he urged as he took her hand and pulled her towards the door. She quickly grabbed a red button-up sweater from the pile on the bed as he dragged her out of the room.
"Okay, I'm coming," she laughed. "You look really nice, by the way," she said, admiring his grey slacks and black button down shirt as they headed towards the garage.
"Thanks. Believe it or not, it only took me two minutes to pick out *my* outfit," he smirked, earning a playful slap on the back in response.
They were both quiet during the first few minutes of the short drive from McLean to Great Falls. At a stop light, Vaughn looked over at Sydney and saw her staring pensively out the window. He took her left hand and squeezed it gently. "You alright?" he asked, concern evident in his eyes.
She turned and shot him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. Just a little nervous, I guess."
"Syd, there's no reason to be nervous. My mom already likes you, and it's just dinner. I was teasing you last night with all that inquisition stuff."
"I know. I'm just being silly. Don't worry about me." The light turned green and Vaughn turned his attention back to the road as she turned to stare out the window again. In reality, she was more nervous than she let on to Vaughn. She had been on dozens of incredibly dangerous missions and none of them had ever made her as nervous as the simple prospect of dinner at Elise Vaughn's house. It was the first time she was going to get a glimpse of Vaughn's life outside of L.A. and the CIA, and she desperately hoped that she would fit in. Elise was a charming, friendly woman, but Sydney could tell that she was fiercely protective of Vaughn, and she wanted to be deemed worthy of him.
She was lost in her thoughts as Vaughn turned into a long driveway leading up to a large, brick colonial-style house. "Wow, this house is beautiful," Sydney marveled as she and Vaughn got out of the car. "Is this the house you grew up in?"
"Yep," he said, taking her hand as they walked up to the door. "My mom thought about selling it after my father died, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She loves this house."
"I can see why," Sydney murmured. The house was set back from the road and surrounded by trees in a quiet neighborhood. It was peaceful and suburban and she could almost picture Vaughn playing in the front yard as a boy.
Elise opened the door and beamed at her guests. "You're here! Come in, come in," she said, ushering them inside. She kissed Vaughn on the cheek and gave Sydney a warm hug. "Hi Sydney, I'm so thrilled you're here."
"So am I, Elise. Thanks so much for having me." Her nerves were quickly forgotten as Elise made her feel completely at ease. "Something smells incredible."
"My mom is the best cook," Vaughn smiled as he hung his and Sydney's jackets in the closet in the foyer.
"You'd never know it seeing how skinny this one is," Elise cracked, nodding at Vaughn. "But then again, he's been living across the country without the benefit of my cooking. I have something on the stove, so Michael, why don't you show Sydney the house?" Sydney nodded enthusiastically and smiled at Vaughn.
Ten minutes later, Vaughn led Sydney into the last upstairs bedroom. She smiled instantly when she saw that the shelves on the wall were lined with trophies and awards. "This was your room, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. It still is when I come to visit," he said as he walked over and joined her in front of the shelves. She picked up one of his hockey trophies and grinned.
"MVP, huh?"
"That was from little league," he laughed as he took the trophy from her and set it back on the shelf. "I was ten, so it wasn't a big deal."
"Oh, whatever, Vaughn. I know you played in college, so you were obviously good. Why do you always have to be so modest?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't you know how incredible you are? It's okay to acknowledge that sometimes. It won't make you a conceited jerk."
"My mom always used to lecture me on the importance of being humble," he smiled, "so I was never much for celebrating my accomplishments."
"Speaking of . . ." Sydney said with a devilish grin as she moved over to the bed and pretended to examine the headboard.
"What are you doing?"
"Looking for notches," she laughed, "but I don't see any. Did you sand over them?"
He looked at her innocently. "You think I brought girls up here? I would never do anything like that."
"Right, Vaughn. Do I look like I was born yesterday?"
He walked over to where she stood and sat down on the bed, pulling her hand until she was sitting in his lap. "Seriously, there weren't that many girls -- not in here, anyway. The basement was the make-out room," he grinned.
"The basement!" she giggled. "I should have known. So how many girls got to see the Vaughn basement?"
"I don't know, it's not like I kept count. Besides, high school was so long ago that I don't remember any of those girls. I don't remember anyone before you," he said, dropping his voice to the low, sexy tone that always made her heart race. She was just about to tell him he was full of crap when he leaned in and gave her a searing kiss that made her forget about everyone before *him*. She moved her hand to his face and softly stroked his cheek as she kissed him back and lost herself in the feel of his tongue probing her mouth. He gently flipped her onto her back and hovered over her for a moment before diving back down to claim her lips again. She pulled him closer for a moment before she shoved him aside and sat up.
"What?" he asked, drawing himself up on his elbow and looking at her quizzically.
"Vaughn, we can't do this here. We're in your mother's house!" she said with a loud whisper. "I'm supposed to be making a good impression, remember? What would your mom say if she knew we were making out up here?"
"Way to go, guys?" He laughed but forced himself to stop when she shot him a "be serious" look. "You're right, I was getting carried away. You have that effect on me, you know." He stood and pulled her onto her feet, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips before he took her hand and led her back downstairs. "It wouldn't be the first time my mom ever caught me making out with a girl," he cracked. "That's why I switched to the basement."
She laughed and shook her head as he led her into the kitchen. "Vaughn, you're horrible."
"It didn't take you long to figure that out, did it?" Elise laughed as she overheard them.
"Hey!" Vaughn said with mock indignation. "The two of you have a whole evening to gang up on me, so pace yourselves, okay?"
"Aw, we'll try," Sydney said as she rubbed his lower back. "Elise, you have a gorgeous home."
"Thank you. I've thought so many times about selling it, because it's much too big for one person, but I just can't bring myself to let go of it. I have all these memories of Michael growing up here, and I still have the hope that one day the house will be filled with grandchildren running around," she said giving Vaughn a pointed look, which he pretended to ignore.
"You owe me a kiss for every time my mother mentions the word 'grandchildren' tonight," he whispered to Sydney.
"Deal," Sydney smiled, already trying to think of ways to make Elise talk about grandchildren all night long.
Just then Vaughn's cellphone rang and he sighed as he looked at the caller ID. "It's work, I have to take this," he said apologetically. Sydney nodded as he left the room and walked into the living room.
"Elise, is there anything I can do to help?"
"Heavens no," she scoffed. "You're a guest tonight, so the only thing you can do is enjoy yourself. Besides, you may not be a guest much longer, so you should enjoy this while you can."
"What do you mean?"
"I just have a feeling that this won't be the last time you're here, so I'll wait until the next time before I put you to work. Once you're family, you *have* to help, whether you like it or not," Elise laughed. "I'm sorry, I hope I'm not getting ahead of myself. Michael would die if he heard me talking this way," she said with a conspiratorial whisper. "But I have a feeling that you're going to be around for a very long time, Sydney. It's obvious that my son adores you. I've never seen him this way about anyone before."
"Really?" Sydney asked, trying not to appear as deliriously happy as she was to hear that.
"Michael's had several girlfriends, but he's only been serious about a couple of them, and even then, I don't think he was ever in love. But just seeing the way that he looks at you . . . I'm almost embarrassed to be in the same room. I feel I'm intruding, almost."
"Oh no, never!" Sydney said with a frown. "Please don't feel that way."
"No, I just meant that the looks that pass between the two of you are so intimate, like the two of you have a secret that's meant only for you. It's wonderful to watch. I always dreamed that Michael would find someone who cared about him as much as you obviously do."
"I think your son is the most amazing person I've ever known. He's indescribable. Meeting him was the best thing that ever happened to me, even though it took a while to realize it. If I hadn't met him when I did . . . I can't imagine what the last two years of my life would have been like."
Elise studied at Sydney closely, noticing the sadness in her eyes. Though she was young and beautiful, she looked as if she had experienced a lifetime's worth of pain and heartbreak, and the pained expression on her face looked all too familiar.
"How did you and Michael meet exactly?" she asked gently, wanting to know more about Sydney, but not wanting to pry.
Sydney laughed softly and shook her head. "One day I just walked right into the CIA headquarters, and they put me in a conference room and Michael walked in. A little while later, we were in his office and I was convinced he was trying to trip me up, find the flaws in my story and send me to jail," she laughed. "He wasn't, of course, but I wouldn't have blamed him if he had. I was sitting in his office with Kool Aid red hair and a swollen mouth. As far as first impressions go, it wasn't a great one."
"So it wasn't love at first sight for the two of you, I take it?"
"Oh god, the way I looked that day? I doubt it. It wasn't for me, anyway. I lost my fiance a few months before that, so I was in my own world at that point."
"Oh, Sydney, I'm so sorry. I had not idea," Elise said, bringing a hand to her chest. "That must have been just awful for you."
"It was, in more ways than one. Danny -- that was my fiance's name -- was murdered a few days after he proposed, and the circumstances behind his death were what led me to become a double agent. So in a way, his death was what led me to the CIA and ultimately to Michael. It took some time to come to terms with that."
"I understand. A few minutes ago, I saw this look come over your face, and I recognized it well, because it was the same look that I saw staring back in the mirror for the first few years after William died."
Sydney gave Elise a sympathetic smile. "I can't begin to imagine how hard that was. I mean, Danny and I had just reached the point where we were ready to spend our lives together, but you and your husband already had a life. I can't imagine what it was like to have that ripped apart. It seems like it would be so much worse to lose the person you love once you've already known what it's like to be with them all the time."
"It was very difficult," Elise acknowledged, "but on the other hand, I had eleven years with him and those were the best eleven years of my life. And once he was gone, I had a constant reminder of all the best parts of him whenever I looked at Michael. There were so many days that I wanted to just lay in bed and cry, but then I'd think about William and I knew that he'd want me to carry on so I could give Michael the life we always wanted to give him. That's what got me through my grief."
Sydney nodded and looked down at the countertop. She could feel tears forming in her eyes when she thought of the grief that both Vaughn and Elise had experienced because of her mother. It was all so horribly unfair, and she felt an enormous sense of guilt about the fact that Elise was being so wonderful to her when she was more deserving of her scorn and animosity. Not to even mention Vaughn . . . There were times when Sydney simply couldn't understand how he could love her as much as he did, knowing what her mother had done to his father. How could he not see her mother every time he looked at her, she wondered. How could he even contemplate having children with her, children who would carry the genes of both a loving, honorable man, and a deceitful, murderous woman? It was easy for her to forget the horrible intersection of the Vaughns and the Bristows when she and Vaughn were briefing each other or goofing around, but now as she stood in the house of a man who didn't deserve to die at her mother's hands, it was impossible for her to ignore the cold reality of her mother's actions.
"Hey, sorry that took so long. One of our analysts needed some information," Vaughn explained as he breezed back into the kitchen, smiling at the two women who meant the world to him. "Did I miss anything?"
Sydney gave him a tight smile and shook her head.
"Sydney and I were just getting to know each other better, that's all," Elise smiled.
*****
" . . . so I open the door to the bathroom, and when I looked in the tub, there were Michael and Charlie covered in mud, playing with the frogs. It was disgusting, and I hate frogs!" Elise laughed. "And of course, William was out of the country, so I couldn't wait for him to get rid of the frogs. It was a nightmare."
Sydney held her stomach from laughing so hard at the thought of four-year old Vaughn playing with frogs in the bathtub. She looked across the table at him as he tried to choke back his own laughter. For the past two hours, Elise had regaled her with stories about Vaughn's misadventures as a boy and a teenager. She never would have guessed that responsible, sensitive Vaughn was such a mischievous child.
"So I'm telling you now, Sydney, you'd better think twice about whether you want a future with this man. God help him if he has a son who's as much of little devil as he was."
"I was not that bad," Vaughn protested. "I was well-behaved as a child."
"You were well-behaved *in public,* dear," Elise corrected. "At home, you were another story. If you hadn't been so cute, you would have been punished much more often than you were. I suppose you came by it honestly, though. Your father was such a trouble-maker and a joker."
"He was," Vaughn smiled as he looked at Sydney. "My dad used to love to tease my mom and play practical jokes on her. I can't even remember how many times we conspired against her. One time, my dad borrowed a sling from the medical services unit at work, and he made me wear it on my arm. So when my mom came home, she saw me in the sling and freaked out, and my dad told her that I had fallen out of a tree and dislocated my shoulder," he laughed. "I think my mom was angry at him for a week after he pulled that stunt."
"I don't blame her," Sydney said, shaking her head. "I can't believe the two of you let her think that you had been hurt."
"Exactly! Luckily, Michael is not the practical joker that his father was."
"I think Eric would disagree," Vaughn smiled. "Anyway, I think we've heard enough stories about me for one night."
"You're right, sweetheart. I guess I'll save the really sordid stories about you for another time."
"Sordid stories about Michael? I'm going to hold you to that promise, Elise," Sydney smiled. "Speaking of stories, I wanted to hear the story of how you and William fell in love. I asked Michael about it last night, but he said he'd let you tell me."
"Well, it doesn't take much arm-twisting to get me to tell *that* story," she smiled. "After I graduated from law school at Georgetown, I wanted to stay here and work at the French Embassy, but I ended up moving to Paris because I was engaged, and my fiance wanted me to be with him."
"You we're engaged to someone else?" Sydney asked, wide-eyed.
"Yes. When I was in college, my sister moved from Fleury to Paris, and I spent a summer with her. While I was there, I met a young man named Philippe who was from a very wealthy family that was descended from French aristocracy. He was handsome and charming, and he spent the whole summer trying to woo me, and a few weeks before I left to go back to school, I finally gave in and we started dating. We dated for about three years, and he asked me to marry him during my last year of law school. I thought I was in love with him, so I said yes, and when I graduated I moved to Paris, which I should have known was a bad idea. Philippe's family was very traditional and thought that a woman, especially an upper-class woman, should stay at home rather than work, which I *completely* disagreed with. In fact, I almost thought about breaking the engagement as soon as his father sat me down and told me that."
"Why didn't you?"
"My father convinced me not to, which was ironic considering that he raised me and my sisters to be very independent and self-sufficient. But I think he was enamored with the idea of one of his daughters marrying into such a wealthy, and he thought it would be good for business. Anyway, one evening Philippe and I went to a formal party at the American Embassy and I was standing off by myself when a gorgeous American man asked me if I wanted to dance. I was so enthralled by him that I said yes, even though Philippe was just across the room. I think all it took was one dance for me to fall in love with him," she smiled wistfully. "I broke my engagement to Philippe the next day."
"Oh my god, you didn't," Sydney gasped, causing Elise to laugh.
"I did. Of course, I had no way of knowing that William and I would become involved. I wasn't even sure at that point if we would see each other again. But I knew that Philippe had never made me feel as nervous and excited as I did during that one dance with William, and I just couldn't marry him. So I broke off the engagement and he and his family and my father were all *furious,* but I didn't care. I spent the next week loitering in front of the American Embassy hoping that I would see William again, but as I found out later, he had been sent on a mission to Germany, so I never did end up seeing him. Then one day about four months later, I was sitting at a cafe having coffee, and when I looked up, he was seated at a table a few feet away. He came over and joined me, and the rest was history. About three months later, he asked me to marry him and I said yes."
"That's unbelievable," Sydney smiled. "It must have been fate."
"I think so," Elise smiled. "The whole thing was like a fantasy until I took him home to meet my parents. Then it became a nightmare. My mom thought he was wonderful, but my dad couldn't believe that I dumped Philippe for an American. An American who worked for the *government,* no less! He was appalled, and he told me that I would disgrace the family if I married William. I was devastated , but I was so in love that nothing could have stopped me. Thankfully, William's family could not have been more wonderful. We went to visit them in Pennsylvania right after we got married, and they made me feel like I had been part of the family forever. I hope you get to meet all of them one day soon, because you'll love them."
"I'm looking forward to that too," Vaughn smiled.
Sydney smiled back at him, then turned back to Elise. "So did you and your father ever reconcile?"
"Oh, of course. My father pretended to be very gruff, but the truth was that he was a big softy. He was angry about my decision for a while and he refused to get to know William, but everything changed when Michael was born. He was my parents' first grandchild, and my father fell in love with him the minute he was born. He told me that any man who could produce such a fine baby couldn't be all bad, so from then on, he was very kind to William. I think he always felt guilty about the fact that he had never really given him a chance, so he spent the next few years trying to make it up to him. In fact, he paid the down payment on this house, although I had to twist William's arm to get him to accept that gift," she laughed.
"Is your father still alive?"
"No, he died about three years ago, but he was a real character. If you think I have stories about Michael, I could tell you some about my father that would make you cry. He was a good man, though, despite all his faults."
"Well one day you'll have to tell me all of those stories too. I love hearing about Michael's family."
"Do you come from a big family?"
"No. I'm an only child, and my father was too," Sydney's voice broke off as she looked down at the table cloth, "and I don't know my mother's family at all."
Elise could see the change in Sydney's body language and could tell that she was uncomfortable discussing her own family. When she looked at Michael and he shook his head almost imperceptibly, she got the message and decided to drop the topic.
*****
An hour later, Vaughn closed the front door and unhooked Donovan's leash after their walk. He headed up the stairs to his bedroom, surprised to find that the mountain of clothes on his bed had already been refolded and neatly placed back in Sydney's suitcase. He smiled as he remembered how desperate Sydney had been to impress his mom. It was obvious that the two of them had gotten along famously, just as he had expected. He heard water running in the bathroom and he quickly undressed, deciding that if Sydney wanted to take one of her baths, he was going to join her. He made his way over to the bathroom door, and was just about to knock when he heard the muffled sound of crying coming from inside. His heart pounded with fear that something was wrong, and he turned the handle on the door only to find that it was locked.
"Sydney," he called, hoping that his voice didn't sound as panicked as he felt. "Are you okay?" The seconds went by agonizingly slow as he waited for a response.
In the bathroom, Sydney stiffened when she heard Vaughn's voice. She prayed that he hadn't been able to hear her crying; that was why she had turned on the faucet in the bathtub.
"I'm fine," she said quickly.
"You don't sound fine. Can I come in?"
"Vaughn, I'm okay. I just need --"
"Sydney, will you please let me come in?" he pleaded. "I'm worried about you."
The obvious concern in his voice was more than Sydney could bear and she scrambled up from the bathroom floor and moved to unlock the door, quickly turning back around and brushing the tears from her eyes as Vaughn entered the bathroom. He noticed that she was fully dressed, and that water was running but the drain in the tub was open. He reached around her waist and turned her to face him. His heart caught in his throat when he saw her puffy red eyes.
"Syd, what's wrong?" he asked as he enveloped her in a comforting hug and stroked her hair. He couldn't imagine why she would be upset after they had had such a good time at his mother's house.
"Nothing, I'm okay," she sniffled.
"Syd," he said raising her head from his shoulder and holding her face in front of him, "You're obviously not okay. You were crying about something and I want to know what it is. Tell me so I can make it better."
She raised her hand and lovingly stroked his face. "You always want to make things better for me," she said softly.
"Yeah, I do. I can't stand to see you in pain."
She stared up at him, feeling so lucky and undeserving at the same time. "Vaughn, do I look like my mother?"
"What?" he asked as her question caught him by complete surprise.
"Do I look like my mother? Because I think I look just like her."
"Yes, you look a lot like her," he said softly, "but --"
"Then how can you look at me without feeling sick?" she asked in an anguished voice. "How can you think I'm beautiful? How can you love me knowing that I look like the woman who killed your father?"
"This is about your mother? Sydney, I told you once that I don't blame you for what she did to my family."
"I know, but that was back when we both thought she was dead. Now that she's in custody, now that you've seen her, how can you possibly look at me and not hate what you see?"
"Easily. When I look at you, I don't see her. I never have and I never will, Sydney. You know what the biggest physical difference between the two of you is? Her eyes are cold and harsh, sometimes they almost look dead. I mean, you can look into them and see her mind working, but there's no emotion there. But *your* eyes are warm, and expressive. Whenever I want to know how you're feeling -- not what you're pretending to feel, but what you're really feeling -- all I have to do is look into your eyes, and I can tell. That's why, no matter how much you and your mother look alike, I will *never* see her when I look at you. Why are you even thinking about her right now?"
"Because I just came from dinner at your mother's house, the house you grew up in, the house that you lived in when the CIA sent officers to tell you that your father was never coming home because of *her,* because of my mother. And I was in that house tonight, and your mother was being so incredibly kind to me, almost treating me like I was the daughter she never had, and I felt like such a fraud. If your mom knew the truth about who I was . . . she deserves to know, Vaughn," she said looking straight at him.
"She needs to know that I'm the daughter of her husband's murderer. We need to tell her, because I don't think we can have a real future together until we do."
TBC . . .
"What are you smiling about?" Vaughn asked as he grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator and handed one to Sydney.
She grinned happily as she peeled a few sweat-soaked strands of hair from the side of her face and tucked them behind her ear. "Today has been so nice and normal. It's just been perfect."
It wasn't as if she had never spent a day alone with Vaughn before, but she had never felt as domesticated with him as she did today. She'd forgotten how much she loved waking up next to him until she had this morning, for the first time since Fiji. They lounged around in bed for the better part of the morning, talking and making love until they finally rose and went to a late breakfast. They spent the early part of the afternoon curled up on the couch together as she read a book and he watched a college basketball game, and then they decided to go for a jog with Donovan, from which they had just returned. Nothing about the day had been particularly special or remarkable which was exactly why it had felt so special and remarkable to her. It was as if she was getting a brief glimpse of what her every day life could be like in a few months, and she loved it. More than anything, she loved the man who was now leaning in for a quick kiss.
"It's only been perfect because Donovan has been on his best behavior," Vaughn joked. "But don't let him fool you; he's just trying to reel you in."
"I could say the same thing about you," she laughed. Her laugh turned into a squeal when he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder and headed for the stairs.
"Vaughn! Put me down," she giggled as they entered his bedroom.
"What?"
"I *said,* put me down."
"If you say so," he shrugged as he dumped her on the bed and quickly covered her body with his, kicking off his running shoes as he kissed her deeply.
"Do I need to remind you that I can kick your ass?" she smiled once she caught her breath.
"Just the idea of that totally turns me on," he grinned.
"I'll bet." She grabbed his wrists and flipped him onto his back then pinned his wrists to the bed and straddled him, feeling heat shoot straight to her center as she pressed against him. "That's a little more like it," she smirked before she leaned down and attacked his neck and throat with kisses. "How long do we have before dinner at your mother's?"
"Two hours," Vaughn said after glancing at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "But we're all sweaty, so we have to shower."
"We will . . . after we get a little sweatier," she grinned before she leaned down to kiss him again.
*****
"Okay, thanks for calling, Terry. If you find out anything else, just call me on my cell phone. Thanks, you too."
Vaughn glanced at his watch and saw that it was 6:30 as he hung up the phone. "Syd," he called as he walked over to the stairs, "are you ready?"
"Ugh!" came her frustrated reply. "No, I still need a few minutes."
Vaughn smiled and shook his head, looking down at Donovan who looked back up at him with a nonchalant expression. "Women," he smirked. He bounded up the stairs and walked into his bedroom, his eyes widening as he saw all the clothes -- seemingly every item of clothing from Sydney's suitcase -- haphazardly scattered across the bed. He glanced questioningly at Sydney and she shot him a sheepish smile in return. "I know. Your room is a mess. I'll clean it up, don't worry."
"I'm not worried about the room, Syd. I'm more concerned with your mental state," he smiled. "You look like you're on the verge of a nervous breakdown."
"I think I am," she said with a short laugh as she stood in front of the full length mirror on the wall. She smoothed the short, black A-line dress she was wearing and frowned at her reflection, deciding that this outfit, too, was all wrong. She placed her hands on her hips and twisted her body around to study the clothes on the bed when Vaughn's eyes caught hers. He walked over to her, placing his hands on her hips and resting his chin on her right shoulder as he looked at their reflections in the mirror.
"What's problem? You look amazing," he said softly.
"You're just saying that," she sighed.
"Yes, I'm saying it because you look amazing," he said as he swept her hair from her neck and planted a soft kiss there.
She smiled despite herself and snaked her arm around his head to stroke his hair. Even though she didn't think she looked amazing, he made her feel amazing. "This dress is all wrong."
"Not from where I'm standing," he grinned.
"What do *you* know about women's clothes?" she teased.
"Not much, just that you look good in them, and you look really good in that dress. So good that all I can think about right now is how much I want to take it off later."
She turned around and looked into his eyes. "Well that settles it -- this is *definitely* the wrong outfit. I'm trying to make a good impression on your mom, Vaughn. I don't want to walk in her house wearing something that makes you think about sex."
Vaughn made a face and looked back at her. "Sydney, I'm a man. I'm always thinking about sex, especially where you're concerned. You could wear a burlap sack or a suit of armor, and I'd still be thinking about getting you naked." She smiled in response to that. "Seriously, you look beautiful and classy, and you're gonna make a great impression on my mom. I think you should stick with this outfit for two reasons: first, I love the dress and second, if you change one more time, we're going to be late, so let's go," he urged as he took her hand and pulled her towards the door. She quickly grabbed a red button-up sweater from the pile on the bed as he dragged her out of the room.
"Okay, I'm coming," she laughed. "You look really nice, by the way," she said, admiring his grey slacks and black button down shirt as they headed towards the garage.
"Thanks. Believe it or not, it only took me two minutes to pick out *my* outfit," he smirked, earning a playful slap on the back in response.
They were both quiet during the first few minutes of the short drive from McLean to Great Falls. At a stop light, Vaughn looked over at Sydney and saw her staring pensively out the window. He took her left hand and squeezed it gently. "You alright?" he asked, concern evident in his eyes.
She turned and shot him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. Just a little nervous, I guess."
"Syd, there's no reason to be nervous. My mom already likes you, and it's just dinner. I was teasing you last night with all that inquisition stuff."
"I know. I'm just being silly. Don't worry about me." The light turned green and Vaughn turned his attention back to the road as she turned to stare out the window again. In reality, she was more nervous than she let on to Vaughn. She had been on dozens of incredibly dangerous missions and none of them had ever made her as nervous as the simple prospect of dinner at Elise Vaughn's house. It was the first time she was going to get a glimpse of Vaughn's life outside of L.A. and the CIA, and she desperately hoped that she would fit in. Elise was a charming, friendly woman, but Sydney could tell that she was fiercely protective of Vaughn, and she wanted to be deemed worthy of him.
She was lost in her thoughts as Vaughn turned into a long driveway leading up to a large, brick colonial-style house. "Wow, this house is beautiful," Sydney marveled as she and Vaughn got out of the car. "Is this the house you grew up in?"
"Yep," he said, taking her hand as they walked up to the door. "My mom thought about selling it after my father died, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She loves this house."
"I can see why," Sydney murmured. The house was set back from the road and surrounded by trees in a quiet neighborhood. It was peaceful and suburban and she could almost picture Vaughn playing in the front yard as a boy.
Elise opened the door and beamed at her guests. "You're here! Come in, come in," she said, ushering them inside. She kissed Vaughn on the cheek and gave Sydney a warm hug. "Hi Sydney, I'm so thrilled you're here."
"So am I, Elise. Thanks so much for having me." Her nerves were quickly forgotten as Elise made her feel completely at ease. "Something smells incredible."
"My mom is the best cook," Vaughn smiled as he hung his and Sydney's jackets in the closet in the foyer.
"You'd never know it seeing how skinny this one is," Elise cracked, nodding at Vaughn. "But then again, he's been living across the country without the benefit of my cooking. I have something on the stove, so Michael, why don't you show Sydney the house?" Sydney nodded enthusiastically and smiled at Vaughn.
Ten minutes later, Vaughn led Sydney into the last upstairs bedroom. She smiled instantly when she saw that the shelves on the wall were lined with trophies and awards. "This was your room, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. It still is when I come to visit," he said as he walked over and joined her in front of the shelves. She picked up one of his hockey trophies and grinned.
"MVP, huh?"
"That was from little league," he laughed as he took the trophy from her and set it back on the shelf. "I was ten, so it wasn't a big deal."
"Oh, whatever, Vaughn. I know you played in college, so you were obviously good. Why do you always have to be so modest?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't you know how incredible you are? It's okay to acknowledge that sometimes. It won't make you a conceited jerk."
"My mom always used to lecture me on the importance of being humble," he smiled, "so I was never much for celebrating my accomplishments."
"Speaking of . . ." Sydney said with a devilish grin as she moved over to the bed and pretended to examine the headboard.
"What are you doing?"
"Looking for notches," she laughed, "but I don't see any. Did you sand over them?"
He looked at her innocently. "You think I brought girls up here? I would never do anything like that."
"Right, Vaughn. Do I look like I was born yesterday?"
He walked over to where she stood and sat down on the bed, pulling her hand until she was sitting in his lap. "Seriously, there weren't that many girls -- not in here, anyway. The basement was the make-out room," he grinned.
"The basement!" she giggled. "I should have known. So how many girls got to see the Vaughn basement?"
"I don't know, it's not like I kept count. Besides, high school was so long ago that I don't remember any of those girls. I don't remember anyone before you," he said, dropping his voice to the low, sexy tone that always made her heart race. She was just about to tell him he was full of crap when he leaned in and gave her a searing kiss that made her forget about everyone before *him*. She moved her hand to his face and softly stroked his cheek as she kissed him back and lost herself in the feel of his tongue probing her mouth. He gently flipped her onto her back and hovered over her for a moment before diving back down to claim her lips again. She pulled him closer for a moment before she shoved him aside and sat up.
"What?" he asked, drawing himself up on his elbow and looking at her quizzically.
"Vaughn, we can't do this here. We're in your mother's house!" she said with a loud whisper. "I'm supposed to be making a good impression, remember? What would your mom say if she knew we were making out up here?"
"Way to go, guys?" He laughed but forced himself to stop when she shot him a "be serious" look. "You're right, I was getting carried away. You have that effect on me, you know." He stood and pulled her onto her feet, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips before he took her hand and led her back downstairs. "It wouldn't be the first time my mom ever caught me making out with a girl," he cracked. "That's why I switched to the basement."
She laughed and shook her head as he led her into the kitchen. "Vaughn, you're horrible."
"It didn't take you long to figure that out, did it?" Elise laughed as she overheard them.
"Hey!" Vaughn said with mock indignation. "The two of you have a whole evening to gang up on me, so pace yourselves, okay?"
"Aw, we'll try," Sydney said as she rubbed his lower back. "Elise, you have a gorgeous home."
"Thank you. I've thought so many times about selling it, because it's much too big for one person, but I just can't bring myself to let go of it. I have all these memories of Michael growing up here, and I still have the hope that one day the house will be filled with grandchildren running around," she said giving Vaughn a pointed look, which he pretended to ignore.
"You owe me a kiss for every time my mother mentions the word 'grandchildren' tonight," he whispered to Sydney.
"Deal," Sydney smiled, already trying to think of ways to make Elise talk about grandchildren all night long.
Just then Vaughn's cellphone rang and he sighed as he looked at the caller ID. "It's work, I have to take this," he said apologetically. Sydney nodded as he left the room and walked into the living room.
"Elise, is there anything I can do to help?"
"Heavens no," she scoffed. "You're a guest tonight, so the only thing you can do is enjoy yourself. Besides, you may not be a guest much longer, so you should enjoy this while you can."
"What do you mean?"
"I just have a feeling that this won't be the last time you're here, so I'll wait until the next time before I put you to work. Once you're family, you *have* to help, whether you like it or not," Elise laughed. "I'm sorry, I hope I'm not getting ahead of myself. Michael would die if he heard me talking this way," she said with a conspiratorial whisper. "But I have a feeling that you're going to be around for a very long time, Sydney. It's obvious that my son adores you. I've never seen him this way about anyone before."
"Really?" Sydney asked, trying not to appear as deliriously happy as she was to hear that.
"Michael's had several girlfriends, but he's only been serious about a couple of them, and even then, I don't think he was ever in love. But just seeing the way that he looks at you . . . I'm almost embarrassed to be in the same room. I feel I'm intruding, almost."
"Oh no, never!" Sydney said with a frown. "Please don't feel that way."
"No, I just meant that the looks that pass between the two of you are so intimate, like the two of you have a secret that's meant only for you. It's wonderful to watch. I always dreamed that Michael would find someone who cared about him as much as you obviously do."
"I think your son is the most amazing person I've ever known. He's indescribable. Meeting him was the best thing that ever happened to me, even though it took a while to realize it. If I hadn't met him when I did . . . I can't imagine what the last two years of my life would have been like."
Elise studied at Sydney closely, noticing the sadness in her eyes. Though she was young and beautiful, she looked as if she had experienced a lifetime's worth of pain and heartbreak, and the pained expression on her face looked all too familiar.
"How did you and Michael meet exactly?" she asked gently, wanting to know more about Sydney, but not wanting to pry.
Sydney laughed softly and shook her head. "One day I just walked right into the CIA headquarters, and they put me in a conference room and Michael walked in. A little while later, we were in his office and I was convinced he was trying to trip me up, find the flaws in my story and send me to jail," she laughed. "He wasn't, of course, but I wouldn't have blamed him if he had. I was sitting in his office with Kool Aid red hair and a swollen mouth. As far as first impressions go, it wasn't a great one."
"So it wasn't love at first sight for the two of you, I take it?"
"Oh god, the way I looked that day? I doubt it. It wasn't for me, anyway. I lost my fiance a few months before that, so I was in my own world at that point."
"Oh, Sydney, I'm so sorry. I had not idea," Elise said, bringing a hand to her chest. "That must have been just awful for you."
"It was, in more ways than one. Danny -- that was my fiance's name -- was murdered a few days after he proposed, and the circumstances behind his death were what led me to become a double agent. So in a way, his death was what led me to the CIA and ultimately to Michael. It took some time to come to terms with that."
"I understand. A few minutes ago, I saw this look come over your face, and I recognized it well, because it was the same look that I saw staring back in the mirror for the first few years after William died."
Sydney gave Elise a sympathetic smile. "I can't begin to imagine how hard that was. I mean, Danny and I had just reached the point where we were ready to spend our lives together, but you and your husband already had a life. I can't imagine what it was like to have that ripped apart. It seems like it would be so much worse to lose the person you love once you've already known what it's like to be with them all the time."
"It was very difficult," Elise acknowledged, "but on the other hand, I had eleven years with him and those were the best eleven years of my life. And once he was gone, I had a constant reminder of all the best parts of him whenever I looked at Michael. There were so many days that I wanted to just lay in bed and cry, but then I'd think about William and I knew that he'd want me to carry on so I could give Michael the life we always wanted to give him. That's what got me through my grief."
Sydney nodded and looked down at the countertop. She could feel tears forming in her eyes when she thought of the grief that both Vaughn and Elise had experienced because of her mother. It was all so horribly unfair, and she felt an enormous sense of guilt about the fact that Elise was being so wonderful to her when she was more deserving of her scorn and animosity. Not to even mention Vaughn . . . There were times when Sydney simply couldn't understand how he could love her as much as he did, knowing what her mother had done to his father. How could he not see her mother every time he looked at her, she wondered. How could he even contemplate having children with her, children who would carry the genes of both a loving, honorable man, and a deceitful, murderous woman? It was easy for her to forget the horrible intersection of the Vaughns and the Bristows when she and Vaughn were briefing each other or goofing around, but now as she stood in the house of a man who didn't deserve to die at her mother's hands, it was impossible for her to ignore the cold reality of her mother's actions.
"Hey, sorry that took so long. One of our analysts needed some information," Vaughn explained as he breezed back into the kitchen, smiling at the two women who meant the world to him. "Did I miss anything?"
Sydney gave him a tight smile and shook her head.
"Sydney and I were just getting to know each other better, that's all," Elise smiled.
*****
" . . . so I open the door to the bathroom, and when I looked in the tub, there were Michael and Charlie covered in mud, playing with the frogs. It was disgusting, and I hate frogs!" Elise laughed. "And of course, William was out of the country, so I couldn't wait for him to get rid of the frogs. It was a nightmare."
Sydney held her stomach from laughing so hard at the thought of four-year old Vaughn playing with frogs in the bathtub. She looked across the table at him as he tried to choke back his own laughter. For the past two hours, Elise had regaled her with stories about Vaughn's misadventures as a boy and a teenager. She never would have guessed that responsible, sensitive Vaughn was such a mischievous child.
"So I'm telling you now, Sydney, you'd better think twice about whether you want a future with this man. God help him if he has a son who's as much of little devil as he was."
"I was not that bad," Vaughn protested. "I was well-behaved as a child."
"You were well-behaved *in public,* dear," Elise corrected. "At home, you were another story. If you hadn't been so cute, you would have been punished much more often than you were. I suppose you came by it honestly, though. Your father was such a trouble-maker and a joker."
"He was," Vaughn smiled as he looked at Sydney. "My dad used to love to tease my mom and play practical jokes on her. I can't even remember how many times we conspired against her. One time, my dad borrowed a sling from the medical services unit at work, and he made me wear it on my arm. So when my mom came home, she saw me in the sling and freaked out, and my dad told her that I had fallen out of a tree and dislocated my shoulder," he laughed. "I think my mom was angry at him for a week after he pulled that stunt."
"I don't blame her," Sydney said, shaking her head. "I can't believe the two of you let her think that you had been hurt."
"Exactly! Luckily, Michael is not the practical joker that his father was."
"I think Eric would disagree," Vaughn smiled. "Anyway, I think we've heard enough stories about me for one night."
"You're right, sweetheart. I guess I'll save the really sordid stories about you for another time."
"Sordid stories about Michael? I'm going to hold you to that promise, Elise," Sydney smiled. "Speaking of stories, I wanted to hear the story of how you and William fell in love. I asked Michael about it last night, but he said he'd let you tell me."
"Well, it doesn't take much arm-twisting to get me to tell *that* story," she smiled. "After I graduated from law school at Georgetown, I wanted to stay here and work at the French Embassy, but I ended up moving to Paris because I was engaged, and my fiance wanted me to be with him."
"You we're engaged to someone else?" Sydney asked, wide-eyed.
"Yes. When I was in college, my sister moved from Fleury to Paris, and I spent a summer with her. While I was there, I met a young man named Philippe who was from a very wealthy family that was descended from French aristocracy. He was handsome and charming, and he spent the whole summer trying to woo me, and a few weeks before I left to go back to school, I finally gave in and we started dating. We dated for about three years, and he asked me to marry him during my last year of law school. I thought I was in love with him, so I said yes, and when I graduated I moved to Paris, which I should have known was a bad idea. Philippe's family was very traditional and thought that a woman, especially an upper-class woman, should stay at home rather than work, which I *completely* disagreed with. In fact, I almost thought about breaking the engagement as soon as his father sat me down and told me that."
"Why didn't you?"
"My father convinced me not to, which was ironic considering that he raised me and my sisters to be very independent and self-sufficient. But I think he was enamored with the idea of one of his daughters marrying into such a wealthy, and he thought it would be good for business. Anyway, one evening Philippe and I went to a formal party at the American Embassy and I was standing off by myself when a gorgeous American man asked me if I wanted to dance. I was so enthralled by him that I said yes, even though Philippe was just across the room. I think all it took was one dance for me to fall in love with him," she smiled wistfully. "I broke my engagement to Philippe the next day."
"Oh my god, you didn't," Sydney gasped, causing Elise to laugh.
"I did. Of course, I had no way of knowing that William and I would become involved. I wasn't even sure at that point if we would see each other again. But I knew that Philippe had never made me feel as nervous and excited as I did during that one dance with William, and I just couldn't marry him. So I broke off the engagement and he and his family and my father were all *furious,* but I didn't care. I spent the next week loitering in front of the American Embassy hoping that I would see William again, but as I found out later, he had been sent on a mission to Germany, so I never did end up seeing him. Then one day about four months later, I was sitting at a cafe having coffee, and when I looked up, he was seated at a table a few feet away. He came over and joined me, and the rest was history. About three months later, he asked me to marry him and I said yes."
"That's unbelievable," Sydney smiled. "It must have been fate."
"I think so," Elise smiled. "The whole thing was like a fantasy until I took him home to meet my parents. Then it became a nightmare. My mom thought he was wonderful, but my dad couldn't believe that I dumped Philippe for an American. An American who worked for the *government,* no less! He was appalled, and he told me that I would disgrace the family if I married William. I was devastated , but I was so in love that nothing could have stopped me. Thankfully, William's family could not have been more wonderful. We went to visit them in Pennsylvania right after we got married, and they made me feel like I had been part of the family forever. I hope you get to meet all of them one day soon, because you'll love them."
"I'm looking forward to that too," Vaughn smiled.
Sydney smiled back at him, then turned back to Elise. "So did you and your father ever reconcile?"
"Oh, of course. My father pretended to be very gruff, but the truth was that he was a big softy. He was angry about my decision for a while and he refused to get to know William, but everything changed when Michael was born. He was my parents' first grandchild, and my father fell in love with him the minute he was born. He told me that any man who could produce such a fine baby couldn't be all bad, so from then on, he was very kind to William. I think he always felt guilty about the fact that he had never really given him a chance, so he spent the next few years trying to make it up to him. In fact, he paid the down payment on this house, although I had to twist William's arm to get him to accept that gift," she laughed.
"Is your father still alive?"
"No, he died about three years ago, but he was a real character. If you think I have stories about Michael, I could tell you some about my father that would make you cry. He was a good man, though, despite all his faults."
"Well one day you'll have to tell me all of those stories too. I love hearing about Michael's family."
"Do you come from a big family?"
"No. I'm an only child, and my father was too," Sydney's voice broke off as she looked down at the table cloth, "and I don't know my mother's family at all."
Elise could see the change in Sydney's body language and could tell that she was uncomfortable discussing her own family. When she looked at Michael and he shook his head almost imperceptibly, she got the message and decided to drop the topic.
*****
An hour later, Vaughn closed the front door and unhooked Donovan's leash after their walk. He headed up the stairs to his bedroom, surprised to find that the mountain of clothes on his bed had already been refolded and neatly placed back in Sydney's suitcase. He smiled as he remembered how desperate Sydney had been to impress his mom. It was obvious that the two of them had gotten along famously, just as he had expected. He heard water running in the bathroom and he quickly undressed, deciding that if Sydney wanted to take one of her baths, he was going to join her. He made his way over to the bathroom door, and was just about to knock when he heard the muffled sound of crying coming from inside. His heart pounded with fear that something was wrong, and he turned the handle on the door only to find that it was locked.
"Sydney," he called, hoping that his voice didn't sound as panicked as he felt. "Are you okay?" The seconds went by agonizingly slow as he waited for a response.
In the bathroom, Sydney stiffened when she heard Vaughn's voice. She prayed that he hadn't been able to hear her crying; that was why she had turned on the faucet in the bathtub.
"I'm fine," she said quickly.
"You don't sound fine. Can I come in?"
"Vaughn, I'm okay. I just need --"
"Sydney, will you please let me come in?" he pleaded. "I'm worried about you."
The obvious concern in his voice was more than Sydney could bear and she scrambled up from the bathroom floor and moved to unlock the door, quickly turning back around and brushing the tears from her eyes as Vaughn entered the bathroom. He noticed that she was fully dressed, and that water was running but the drain in the tub was open. He reached around her waist and turned her to face him. His heart caught in his throat when he saw her puffy red eyes.
"Syd, what's wrong?" he asked as he enveloped her in a comforting hug and stroked her hair. He couldn't imagine why she would be upset after they had had such a good time at his mother's house.
"Nothing, I'm okay," she sniffled.
"Syd," he said raising her head from his shoulder and holding her face in front of him, "You're obviously not okay. You were crying about something and I want to know what it is. Tell me so I can make it better."
She raised her hand and lovingly stroked his face. "You always want to make things better for me," she said softly.
"Yeah, I do. I can't stand to see you in pain."
She stared up at him, feeling so lucky and undeserving at the same time. "Vaughn, do I look like my mother?"
"What?" he asked as her question caught him by complete surprise.
"Do I look like my mother? Because I think I look just like her."
"Yes, you look a lot like her," he said softly, "but --"
"Then how can you look at me without feeling sick?" she asked in an anguished voice. "How can you think I'm beautiful? How can you love me knowing that I look like the woman who killed your father?"
"This is about your mother? Sydney, I told you once that I don't blame you for what she did to my family."
"I know, but that was back when we both thought she was dead. Now that she's in custody, now that you've seen her, how can you possibly look at me and not hate what you see?"
"Easily. When I look at you, I don't see her. I never have and I never will, Sydney. You know what the biggest physical difference between the two of you is? Her eyes are cold and harsh, sometimes they almost look dead. I mean, you can look into them and see her mind working, but there's no emotion there. But *your* eyes are warm, and expressive. Whenever I want to know how you're feeling -- not what you're pretending to feel, but what you're really feeling -- all I have to do is look into your eyes, and I can tell. That's why, no matter how much you and your mother look alike, I will *never* see her when I look at you. Why are you even thinking about her right now?"
"Because I just came from dinner at your mother's house, the house you grew up in, the house that you lived in when the CIA sent officers to tell you that your father was never coming home because of *her,* because of my mother. And I was in that house tonight, and your mother was being so incredibly kind to me, almost treating me like I was the daughter she never had, and I felt like such a fraud. If your mom knew the truth about who I was . . . she deserves to know, Vaughn," she said looking straight at him.
"She needs to know that I'm the daughter of her husband's murderer. We need to tell her, because I don't think we can have a real future together until we do."
TBC . . .