Okay, as I promised, here is the next chapter, let's just say it's enough
fluff to give you a toothache, or a cavity, but I had to put some fluff in
it before the angst train starts rolling through.
So this chapter is to celebrate only a month and thirteen days until I graduate from high school, I so can't wait, honestly.
Anyways, thanks for all the reviews and to the two people that asked about the title, the reason I named it The Good Stuff was because originally I wasn't even planning on writing a sequel because I didn't want to start something I would end up giving up on, so one day me and my mom are sitting there watching a Kenny Chesney concert on CMT, and he starts singing The Good Stuff, and this idea just came to me, the entire thing just planned out in my head, and I decided to name it this because of that.
The next update will be Saturday, the next chapter is hand-written, I just have to type it up, once again thanks for all the wonderful feedback, thanks to the super-fab Screech for beta'ing, and let me know what you think of this!
THE GOOD STUFF
[1]
...got down on one knee, all the while still holding the microphone and speaking his proposal into it.
The black velvet box was snapped open.
And she sniffled, wiping at her eyes.
He smiled before gulping, and biting the bullet.
"Sydney Anne Bristow, I love you more than I ever thought I would be able to love anyone, my dog loves you, my mother loves you, my family loves you, everyone loves you, will you make me the happiest man in the universe and marry me?"
Still, the tears refused to stop pouring down her cheeks, they continued to cascade down, clouding her beautiful brown eyes.
And she shook her head, she couldn't believe this was really happening, that Vaughn was really kneeling in front of her down on one knee, and that he was really proposing to her, and that this was happening.
'Oh wow,' she thought, 'Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow, oh wow...is this really happening? Or am I just having a wonderful dream?'
She closed her eyes and pinched herself, really thinking that she was dreaming, but when her eyes opened, and cleared, he was still kneeling in front of her, the most beautiful diamond engagement ring displayed to her.
And she knew what she had to do.
She had to spend the rest of her life with this man, she wouldn't be able to live any other way, her life was over, it would be nothing without him, he was her guardian angel, her life, her world, her everything.
"Yes," she breathed, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I'll marry you."
His smile was amazing, brighter than she had ever seen it before, with the promise of what was to come in the future, in their future together.
It was now that they both realized the entire crowd in the restaurant was holding baited breath, and at her answer, they broke out in applause, as Vaughn pulled Sydney to him in a passionate kiss.
Before they could get too far, Vaughn pulled away and pulled the engagement ring out of the box, slipping it on her finger and kissing it gently, "I love you Syd."
She beamed, "I love you so much it hurts when we're apart."
"I love you so much that when you're feeling down, I feel down too."
Sydney smiled, "I love you so much that words could never describe to you the intense feelings I harbor for you."
He smiled at her, and lightly kissed her again, "I have another surprise for you."
"What could be better than this?" she questioned, happily sighing and staying in his embrace, she never wanted to be away from him again.
"Hold on a minute, I'll go get your surprise."
She pouted, "Can't I come with you?"
He picked her up by her arms and gently set her in her chair. "I'm sorry, it wouldn't be a surprise then, but I'll be back in one second, I promise."
"Fine," she sighed, "It better be worth it."
"Don't worry, it is."
Vaughn scampered off towards the back area of the restaurant, and Sydney took this time to really digest what had just happened.
She was engaged, she was going to get married to the most wonderful man in the world, someone whom her father approved of, which was a miracle in itself, someone that her entire family loved, someone that she loved.
There wasn't one thing that she didn't love about him: his personality, his ability to love her unconditionally, his smile, it didn't take away that he was completely gorgeous and had an awesome body, his intoxicating eyes that she lost herself in every night before they went to bed in each other's arms.
His dog was now theirs, had been since the first time he had brought Donovan over, claiming that he needed to leave him at her place, because his best friend had been watching him while he was on Sydney's assignment, and Donovan had gained at least ten pounds in that three week span.
She loved that little dog as if he were her own, as if she had known him since he was a puppy and not for only the last three months.
And so lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear or feel Vaughn approaching her again, until he knelt down in front of her, and she smiled eagerly, "Where's my surprise?" He really had given her everything she wanted tonight alone, so she didn't know what he could possibly give her that she didn't already have.
She had him.
A dog.
A wonderful apartment they shared.
His love.
The ring that lay nestled on her finger.
She had everything she would ever need.
"Close your eyes," he told her, "And I'll give it to you."
Sydney did as she was told and closed her eyes, putting her hands out in front of her, thinking that she would be able to hold it in her hand.
Boy, was she wrong.
"Okay, open your eyes."
His voice sounded farther away, she observed as she opened her eyes, and gasped, clearly in shock, before jumping up and embracing the person in front of her.
Elise Vaughn.
"Oh my dear Sydney, Michel told me his plan, I just had to fly out here from France to see him propose to you," Elise told her, as she held Sydney in her arms, feeling the younger woman's tears soaking her shoulder, but she didn't care.
Over the last three months, Elise had become the mother Sydney never had, she had accepted her merely because Vaughn loved her, and the two of them had immediately become close.
"Elise, I'm so glad you're here, I can't believe you came all the way here for this."
Elise continued to hold her in the death-lock of a hug, "Of course I came, mon cheri, how could I miss the most important moment in both of your lives?"
Sydney continued to cry, the moment itself just making her feel so happy, and to have two of the people she loved the most in the world there, well it was too much for her to take.
Vaughn stood behind his mother, watching the two of them with a satisfied smile on his face, happy that his mother loved Sydney the way that she did, because if she didn't, he didn't know what he would do.
"And you want to know what?" Elise asked quietly, as Sydney brought her head up to look into the older Frenchwoman's eyes, "I've been thinking that I need to stay around here, maybe find an apartment around here so I can be around you two more, because I assume you're going to need help planning the wedding?"
Sydney nodded happily.
"Plus I want to be here to be sure that I will get grandchildren from my one and only son very, very soon," she patted Vaughn's cheeks lovingly over her shoulder, "So what do you think? Will you have me living in LA?"
"Of course Elise!" Sydney exclaimed, pulling the older woman to her again, "How could we not want you here? With school, I'm going to need all the help I can get."
"Well it's settled then," Elise replied, "I will now take residence in LA. But if you'll excuse me, I'm going to leave the two of you alone, I need to make some calls for favors to get me an apartment around here, plus I know you two want to be alone, so call me tomorrow Sydney?"
"I'll call you," Sydney answered, "I love you."
Elise smiled, "I love you too sweetheart." She turned around to look at her son, "Thank you for letting me be in on this moment in your lives Michel, I love you, and I'll talk to you soon."
"Bye maman," Vaughn smiled, kissing his mother on the cheek, "We'll see you soon."
TBC...
&&
Hope you liked it!
Nicole
So this chapter is to celebrate only a month and thirteen days until I graduate from high school, I so can't wait, honestly.
Anyways, thanks for all the reviews and to the two people that asked about the title, the reason I named it The Good Stuff was because originally I wasn't even planning on writing a sequel because I didn't want to start something I would end up giving up on, so one day me and my mom are sitting there watching a Kenny Chesney concert on CMT, and he starts singing The Good Stuff, and this idea just came to me, the entire thing just planned out in my head, and I decided to name it this because of that.
The next update will be Saturday, the next chapter is hand-written, I just have to type it up, once again thanks for all the wonderful feedback, thanks to the super-fab Screech for beta'ing, and let me know what you think of this!
THE GOOD STUFF
[1]
...got down on one knee, all the while still holding the microphone and speaking his proposal into it.
The black velvet box was snapped open.
And she sniffled, wiping at her eyes.
He smiled before gulping, and biting the bullet.
"Sydney Anne Bristow, I love you more than I ever thought I would be able to love anyone, my dog loves you, my mother loves you, my family loves you, everyone loves you, will you make me the happiest man in the universe and marry me?"
Still, the tears refused to stop pouring down her cheeks, they continued to cascade down, clouding her beautiful brown eyes.
And she shook her head, she couldn't believe this was really happening, that Vaughn was really kneeling in front of her down on one knee, and that he was really proposing to her, and that this was happening.
'Oh wow,' she thought, 'Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow, oh wow...is this really happening? Or am I just having a wonderful dream?'
She closed her eyes and pinched herself, really thinking that she was dreaming, but when her eyes opened, and cleared, he was still kneeling in front of her, the most beautiful diamond engagement ring displayed to her.
And she knew what she had to do.
She had to spend the rest of her life with this man, she wouldn't be able to live any other way, her life was over, it would be nothing without him, he was her guardian angel, her life, her world, her everything.
"Yes," she breathed, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I'll marry you."
His smile was amazing, brighter than she had ever seen it before, with the promise of what was to come in the future, in their future together.
It was now that they both realized the entire crowd in the restaurant was holding baited breath, and at her answer, they broke out in applause, as Vaughn pulled Sydney to him in a passionate kiss.
Before they could get too far, Vaughn pulled away and pulled the engagement ring out of the box, slipping it on her finger and kissing it gently, "I love you Syd."
She beamed, "I love you so much it hurts when we're apart."
"I love you so much that when you're feeling down, I feel down too."
Sydney smiled, "I love you so much that words could never describe to you the intense feelings I harbor for you."
He smiled at her, and lightly kissed her again, "I have another surprise for you."
"What could be better than this?" she questioned, happily sighing and staying in his embrace, she never wanted to be away from him again.
"Hold on a minute, I'll go get your surprise."
She pouted, "Can't I come with you?"
He picked her up by her arms and gently set her in her chair. "I'm sorry, it wouldn't be a surprise then, but I'll be back in one second, I promise."
"Fine," she sighed, "It better be worth it."
"Don't worry, it is."
Vaughn scampered off towards the back area of the restaurant, and Sydney took this time to really digest what had just happened.
She was engaged, she was going to get married to the most wonderful man in the world, someone whom her father approved of, which was a miracle in itself, someone that her entire family loved, someone that she loved.
There wasn't one thing that she didn't love about him: his personality, his ability to love her unconditionally, his smile, it didn't take away that he was completely gorgeous and had an awesome body, his intoxicating eyes that she lost herself in every night before they went to bed in each other's arms.
His dog was now theirs, had been since the first time he had brought Donovan over, claiming that he needed to leave him at her place, because his best friend had been watching him while he was on Sydney's assignment, and Donovan had gained at least ten pounds in that three week span.
She loved that little dog as if he were her own, as if she had known him since he was a puppy and not for only the last three months.
And so lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear or feel Vaughn approaching her again, until he knelt down in front of her, and she smiled eagerly, "Where's my surprise?" He really had given her everything she wanted tonight alone, so she didn't know what he could possibly give her that she didn't already have.
She had him.
A dog.
A wonderful apartment they shared.
His love.
The ring that lay nestled on her finger.
She had everything she would ever need.
"Close your eyes," he told her, "And I'll give it to you."
Sydney did as she was told and closed her eyes, putting her hands out in front of her, thinking that she would be able to hold it in her hand.
Boy, was she wrong.
"Okay, open your eyes."
His voice sounded farther away, she observed as she opened her eyes, and gasped, clearly in shock, before jumping up and embracing the person in front of her.
Elise Vaughn.
"Oh my dear Sydney, Michel told me his plan, I just had to fly out here from France to see him propose to you," Elise told her, as she held Sydney in her arms, feeling the younger woman's tears soaking her shoulder, but she didn't care.
Over the last three months, Elise had become the mother Sydney never had, she had accepted her merely because Vaughn loved her, and the two of them had immediately become close.
"Elise, I'm so glad you're here, I can't believe you came all the way here for this."
Elise continued to hold her in the death-lock of a hug, "Of course I came, mon cheri, how could I miss the most important moment in both of your lives?"
Sydney continued to cry, the moment itself just making her feel so happy, and to have two of the people she loved the most in the world there, well it was too much for her to take.
Vaughn stood behind his mother, watching the two of them with a satisfied smile on his face, happy that his mother loved Sydney the way that she did, because if she didn't, he didn't know what he would do.
"And you want to know what?" Elise asked quietly, as Sydney brought her head up to look into the older Frenchwoman's eyes, "I've been thinking that I need to stay around here, maybe find an apartment around here so I can be around you two more, because I assume you're going to need help planning the wedding?"
Sydney nodded happily.
"Plus I want to be here to be sure that I will get grandchildren from my one and only son very, very soon," she patted Vaughn's cheeks lovingly over her shoulder, "So what do you think? Will you have me living in LA?"
"Of course Elise!" Sydney exclaimed, pulling the older woman to her again, "How could we not want you here? With school, I'm going to need all the help I can get."
"Well it's settled then," Elise replied, "I will now take residence in LA. But if you'll excuse me, I'm going to leave the two of you alone, I need to make some calls for favors to get me an apartment around here, plus I know you two want to be alone, so call me tomorrow Sydney?"
"I'll call you," Sydney answered, "I love you."
Elise smiled, "I love you too sweetheart." She turned around to look at her son, "Thank you for letting me be in on this moment in your lives Michel, I love you, and I'll talk to you soon."
"Bye maman," Vaughn smiled, kissing his mother on the cheek, "We'll see you soon."
TBC...
&&
Hope you liked it!
Nicole