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Chapter Sixteen:
Wonder
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When she woke again, the darkness had passed.
Her eyes blinked open slowly, two dark pools that were blinded by a white light. The world around her was vague and unclear and she waited for her eyes to focus. The pain still lingered in her flesh but it had been dulled, her mind was foggy with painkillers but clearer than it had been before. She looked down at herself, focusing on the small details of the fabric that covered her. She was swaddled in white linen, wrapped up in pure light that seemed to come from every direction. It reflected off stark walls that gleamed in the brightness, bounced off of her pale flesh and seeped into every pore.
Her eyes cleared and the room came into focus, the bare walls and faint hum of machinery. She was lying in a hospital bed, her gaze drifted slowly around the room as she struggled to comprehend it all. That was when she saw him.
He was in a chair beside her that had been pulled as close as possible to the edge of the bed. He was slumped over, his head resting on the edge, the muscles in his back tense. One arm was stretched out, fingers splayed across her stomach. He was holding onto her.
Her eyes filled suddenly with tears as she gazed down at him. He was sleeping lightly beside her, his fingers unconsciously gripping the sheets. His hair was mussed, his shirt rumpled. She could see his tie had been flung across the back of the chair and his jacket had been thrown haphazardly into a ball beside him. She wondered how long he had been here, waiting for her to open her eyes. Praying that she would survive.
She pulled her hand up, it felt heavy in her drowsy state. She reached out for him and ran her fingers gently through his hair. He came awake instantly, his head snapping up off the edge of the bed and eyes seeking her out.
There was a wild panic in his eyes that was familiar to her, but it faded the instant he saw her. A sigh of relief rushed free from his lungs, she knew that it had been held inside all this time. Breath held in anticipation, in fear.
"Syd," her name was a broken prayer that spilled from his lips as he reached up to grip her hand. He moved closer to her and wrapped one arm tightly around her stomach, hugging her to him gently. Lacing his fingers through hers, he brought her palm to his lips and kissed it softly. She smiled faintly at his tender actions and an amazed grin flickered across his lips.
She gestured at him to move closer to her and he obliged immediately. Easing his long body onto the bed beside her, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, careful not to pull free any wires or harm her in any way. He laid his head beside her, nuzzling the curve of her neck, planting soft kisses on the skin there.
Sydney folded herself into him, seeking solace in the warmth of him and he gave freely. She gripped his hand tighter and turned slightly so she was facing him, their noses brushing softly in an eskimo kiss. He sighed softly, the breath whispering across her flesh, eyelids fluttering. She leaned her forehead against his and kissed him softly, grateful for his presence.
"Vaughn," her voice was raspy as it spilled from her cracked lips. "What the hell happened?"
The disbelief in her voice, the knowledge of all that they had endured together only to come to this moment washed over Vaughn. He couldn't help but laugh. The relief that filled him so profound, the rising joy was so overwhelming that he was not sure how to respond to her question.
"Baby, I wish I could answer that question but I don't know where to begin," his brow creased in thought and he studied her quiet eyes. "What do you remember?"
Sydney shook her head slightly and bit her lip, "I remember watching my parents die... I remember the way you wept over their still forms and all I could do was stand there in shock. I remember going through that gateway, and feeling you grab me at the last moment and you went in with me," She frowned and swallowed hard, eyes flickering up to meet his. "And then I woke up in my apartment, as if none of it had ever happened. Like it had all been a dream."
Vaughn shut his eyes momentarily, the memories she spoke of appearing suddenly behind closed lids. It could have been a dream, but it was too real, and he remembered it all too.
"It wasn't a dream," he whispered. Opening his eyes, he brushed his lips across her forehead and shook his head. "I remember it all. I think that somehow going through that gateway brought us back to that night when everything changed. But our memories of that time, the knowledge that it really happened, that we lived through it still remain."
Sydney's brow furrowed as she frowned, "I don't understand."
"Me neither, but I don't care. All that matters is that we were given a second chance, Syd. When I went through that gateway with you, I felt myself falling. I thought that I had lost you, I thought that I was dying." He studied her carefully and then smiled, "And when I came back to myself, I opened my eyes and you know what the first thing I saw was?"
Sydney shook her head, "What?"
Vaughn's smile grew and he chuckled softly, still in awe of everything. "I saw Jack sitting across the table from me in the Ops Center, glaring at me for not paying attention."
Sydney's eyes widened in shock and she stared at him. Vaughn's smile grew even wider at the expression on her face and she could not help but return his grin. A deep laugh rose from within her and she shook her head, burying her face into his chest and giggling softly.
"He's alive!" Sydney smiled, relief washing over her and cleansing her of any lingering pain. Vaughn nodded his assent.
"And Kendall was debriefing us on how Irina got away, they're both alive. I came back to that moment in the debrief and when I looked at my watch, I knew why I had come back to that moment in time. So you know what I did?"
Sydney could only imagine his reaction to that realization, she giggled softly as she imagined what his face must have looked like. "What?"
All mirth fell away now and Vaughn became serious as Sydney looked up at him. He cupped her face in the palm of his hand and she could see a faint glimmer of tears in his eyes.
"I shot out of my chair and ran full-speed out of the Ops Center, Jack and Kendall shouting at me the whole way. But I didn't stop, not until I reached you. I was sent back to stop the Covenant from taking you, I took one of their key players into custody. Jack is interrogating Lauren as we speak. She will give us the information we need to take down the Covenant before it comes to power." His eyes shone as he gazed at her, "You did it, Syd. You brought us back to change the course of the future. A future free of the Covenant and what they would do to us, how they would have destroyed both of us."
Sydney felt tears welling up in her eyes and she swallowed the lump in her throat as she gazed at the man before her. "I didn't do it, Vaughn. You did, you saved me," she said quietly. "You saved me again."
A shadow passed over Vaughn's voice and he kissed her softly, "Syd...When I walked into your apartment, I saw you lying there... I thought 'Oh God, just give me one last chance to tel her how much I love her.' I was afraid that I was too late, that I would still lose you."
Sydney felt the tears spill over and she kissed him gently, "You're never going to lose me again." She wiped away the tears that had spilled over from his eyes and smiled softly, "I wouldn't lose you twice," she whispered, echoing his own words that he had spoken to her twice in another life, and would now never have to. He smiled, recognizing his voice in her words and kissed her.
"I love you," she whispered. "We're going to be okay. It's finally going to be okay." She nestled her head against his and wrapped her arms around him as best she could. They lay entwined, on the hospital bed. Wrapped in wires and white linen, they were newborn into their former lives. All the pain would fade like the scars that had faded in the light as they made the transition between past and future. They were back at the beginning, but in their souls they had matured two years, lived two years and loved one another intensely the entire time. They no longer had any barriers between them, they were free to be together again.
Their moment was suspended by a soft noise from the doorway. They both turned their heads to see a familiar face looking in at them.
"Daddy!" Sydney sat up, Vaughn's arm snaking around her back and easing her up to greet her father. Jack stepped into the room, his eyes flickering between Vaughn and Sydney curiously.
"Sydney," Jack smiled and approached the foot of the bed. His posture was stiff but there was a softness in his eyes that both Sydney and Vaughn had become familiar with. It was a look of paternal love that he had always reserved for his daughter. It was a look that Vaughn had once had the exceeding fortune of receiving as well, but he feared that it would not come his way anymore now that things had changed.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Jack's face was filled with concern as he circled around the side of the bed opposite Vaughn and sat down in the chair beside the bed. Sydney smiled happily and leaned over to give her father a warm hug.
"I'm wonderful now, better than I have been in a long time." Sydney pulled back and looked Jack in the eyes. He was somewhat surprised by what he saw there. A depth of understanding and wisdom infused her gaze that had not been there the last time he had seen her, only hours earlier. Something had changed since then, and he could not quite place what it was.
"I thought that I had lost you," Sydney whispered mournfully, tears filling her eyes. Jack frowned in concern and shook his head, gently wiping away a tear that slipped down her cheek.
"I'm right here, sweetheart. You haven't lost me." He assured her, he was slightly puzzled by her words. After all, she was the one who had almost died tonight, he had almost lost her. However, she seemed to be incredibly relieved by the sight of him and she wrapped her arms around him once more.
"I love you, Daddy," Sydney whispered, her words muffled by the fabric of his shirt where she had buried her face. Her words were spoken in a small voice, as if she were a child again. Jack felt a lump rise up in his throat as a wave of love for his daughter consumed him. He had come so close to losing her.
"I love you too, Sweetheart." He let his eyes slip closed and he breathed in deeply, reveling in the fact that she was still alive.
When his eyes opened once more, he found himself face to face with Michael Vaughn. Sydney was still hugging him tightly, and over her shoulder he could see Vaughn watching the two of them carefully. Vaughn's eyes flickered from Sydney, a soft smile playing over his lips and he met Jack's gaze. The smile faltered slightly, but his gaze did not waver. Jack was surprised by what he saw in Vaughn's eyes. They seemed to hold the same inner wisdom and understanding, the same newfound maturity that Sydney possessed. It was as if the two of them had aged several years in one night.
What shocked Jack the most however, was the affection in Vaughn's eyes as he looked at Jack. Jack had seen what Vaughn had done to the other Covenant agent who had come for Sydney, the way he had killed him without a second thought. That, and the knowledge that this man had saved his daughter's life tonight had brought Jack's respect for him up a few notches. However, as he looked at the younger man now, he felt affection for him for the first time. It was an odd feeling. Sydney pulled away from Jack and turned back to Vaughn, glancing between the two of them cautiously.
Jack cleared his throat and nodded at Vaughn, "Agent Vaughn. I should reprimand you for running out of a meeting the way you did. For ignoring my orders to return." His eyes flickered over the length of the bed and the empty chair that Vaughn had vacated. "And for taking up my daughter's bed space." Sydney scoffed softly but a soft touch from Vaughn on her hand quieted her protest. He was listening to Jack with a quiet intensity that surprised the older man.
"But I won't do that," Jack's voice softened. Vaughn smiled as he watched Jack's eyes soften, maybe this would be better than he thought. "I don't know how you knew that Sydney needed your help, but I thank God that you didn't listen to me and come back to the meeting. Thank you," Jack reached out to grip Vaughn's free hand in an uncharacteristic display of emotion on his part. "Thank you for saving my daughter's life, Michael," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
Vaughn shook his head and squeezed Jack's hand, "You don't have to thank me, Jack. It was what I was meant to do," He glanced at Sydney meaningfully and then turned back to Jack with a smile. "And nothing you wouldn't have done yourself, had you known..." Vaughn bit his lip then and swallowed the rest of his sentence.
"How did you know?" Jack asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. Vaughn glanced away and looked at Sydney. The two of them shared a long look, filled with hidden meaning and silent words that Jack could not begin to understand.
At length, Vaughn shook his head, "I just knew. A gut instinct told me to get to Sydney, something left over from years of being her handler, I suppose." He chuckled softly then, "I always seem to know when she's in danger."
Jack studied the two of them carefully, the way they held onto one another and spoke without words. There was something deeper to all of this, something hidden beneath the surface. He was not sure that he could understand it, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that his daughter was alive, she was safe.
Sydney broke in then as she looked at Jack, "Has Lauren given you any information yet?"
Jack frowned, "How did you know who she was?"
Sydney's eyes widened and she glanced quickly at Vaughn, "Vaughn told me."
"How did-"
Vaughn interjected easily, "I recognized her when I took off her mask. We met last year at a conference. She is Senator Reed's daughter, look it up. She actually works for the NSC," he scoffed. "Its disgusting, they infiltrated the highest levels of our government."
Jack frowned, all of his information was completely correct but he had only discovered it for himself an hour earlier. "Yes, she has been giving us plenty of information. Most of it was false at first, but once I talked to her, she sang like a bird. Started naming people, places, cells. We're still verifying all of the information but it looks like the Covenant will be destroyed within a matter of hours." Jack's eyes gleamed and Vaughn smiled, fully aware of what Jack's idea of 'talking' to a dirty agent was. Yes, Lauren Reed would be getting exactly what she deserved at the hands of Jack Bristow.
"That's good," Sydney murmured, almost to herself. Vaughn glanced at her and swallowed hard, before looking back to meet Jack's eyes. His expression hardened suddenly.
"Make sure that she gets what she deserves, Jack," the tone of his voice made it clear precisely what he meant. Jack raised an eyebrow, surprised by this sudden ruthlessness in Vaughn.
"Of course, I will." Jack assured them. "I am actually due back there soon, I just wanted to come by and see how you were doing." He stood up and kissed Sydney gently on the forehead. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
"I'm doing fine, Dad. Don't worry, I have Vaughn here to protect me," she grinned in Vaughn's direction and he groaned melodramatically.
"I don't know if I can handle that kind of responsibility, Syd," he joked. "We're going to have to get you back to full health soon so you can protect me."
Sydney laughed, a deep throated and joyful sound that was like music to the ears of both Jack and Vaughn. They each grinned simultaneously and looked at one another, the room was suddenly filled with warm and life. Sydney continued laughing and Jack shook his head as he left the room, still marveling at the strange transformation of both Sydney and Vaughn.
As he walked away from the room, he could hear Vaughn's deeper laughter join Sydney's melodious giggle. Jack paused outside of the room and allowed himself to smile, relief coursed through his veins and a strange, giddy joy. Life had returned to all of them.
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