Disclaimer: I own none of this. Although I do accept gifts and bribes...
Location Unknown 2010 Hours
"Tell us where it is! TELL US!!" The rage in the man's eyes as he lifted his hand was chilling. As the fist connected with her face, Sydney groaned softly. Unshed tears threatened to flow. "I will tell you one more time. If you choose not to cooperate then I will start with my straight razor. If you continue this way, then it will be the hammer. Then the scissors. See where this is going? Even if you don't tell me, I'm going to enjoy hurting you. I bet you hurt so well." The Doctor's even tone left no room for doubt. Sydney sobbed once. Then she bit her lip to keep quiet. The taste of her blood filled her mouth as the fist conected again. She bit into her lip. The man raised his hand again when three muffled burst sounded behind her. Shock registered in the Doctor's eyes as he sank to his knees, then fell to the floor.
"Oh God. Sydney!" Vaughn rushed to her and kneeled in front of her. Touching her swollen lips gingerly, he grimaced as she winced. "Hang on Syd." He reached into his boot and pulled out a small knife. Cutting the black ropes the held her hands together, Vaughn wrapped an arm around her and helped her to stand. She sank against him, a low groan escaping again. Vaughn picked her up in his arms and carried her from the room.
Safehouse 2110 hours
The tears the left trails down Sydney's face, worried Vaughn. She hardly cried, even after torture. "Shhh Sydney. I've got you. You're going to be okay." He tried to calm her, took her in his arms. "I'll be right back okay? I promise I'll be right back." He layed her back on the bed and turned to the bathroom. Starting the tap, Vaughn began filling the tub with hot water. When he returned, Sydney was shaking on the bed, in shock. "Syd, I need you to come with me. I've got to keep you warm." When he recieved no response, Vaughn leaned forward and pulled her into his arms again. Carrying her to the bathroom, he set Sydney down and lowered her to sit on the edge of the sink. He stood there for a moment, trying to decide if it was akward or necesary that he was still there. Sydney answered for him.
"Vaughn. Don't..leave me. Please." She reached out for him and he took her hands in his.
"Okay Sydney. I'm not going anywhere. I need you to get into the water. I don't want you to go into shock or I'll have to take you to a hospital." Sydney looked down at her shirt, her fingers lingering over the bloodstains. She bit her lip hard then groaned as she bit down and the split in her lower lip. Vaughn sqeezed her hands gently and reached to pull her shirt over her head gently. He dropped it in the floor and pulled Sydney up, out of the sitting position. He locked his eyes with hers as his fingers fumbled with the closures on her tactical pants. She held his gaze tiredly. Bending slightly, Vaughn pushed the pants down her legs to the floor. As he straighted, his fingers grazed lightly over a large bruise and he frowned. "Oh Syd.." Shaking his head, Vaughn leaned foreward and kissed her forehead gently. Sydney tensed slightly, then relaxed. With a wince, she reached up and moved her hands to the clasp behind her back. Vaughn turned away quickly, and waited until he heard her settle into the water. The steam had fogged the mirror already and gave the room a hazy look.
Sydney reached for a washcloth but hissed when she moved wrong. Vaughn grabbed it instead and knelt down at the tub's edge. Soaking the cloth, he moved it gently over her back and shoulders, places she couldnt get to without injury. Sydney's eyes closed and a sigh escaped. After he had finished, he handed it to her and stood again. "I'll be right back" With that, he turned and walked out. Sydney heard the door of the room open then close. She finished scrubbing her skin the best she could manage. Moving both arms to the sides of the tubs, the tried to lift herself out. She collapsed back, and groaned again.
"Shit..."
The door to the room opened and shut again and in a minute, Vaughn reapeared. "Are you done?" Sydney looked up and nodded. Vaughn looked around, and saw a rack of towels sitting off to the side. He grabbed two and moved to the tub side. Trying to figure out a way to get Sydney out and preserve some decency for either of them quickly went out the window. "Put your arms around my neck if you can." Vaughn bent down and scooped Sydney up into his arms. Her skin was hot from the water and soaking wet. He set her down gently and handed her a towel. "Can you..er...do you need?"
"I think I can get it. The water helped." Vaughn nodded.
"I'll be out here" He motioned over his shoulder. Sydney nodded. When Vaughn left, she finished drying. Pulling a ratty robe from a hook behind the door, she tied it around her waist and walked stifly in to the other room. Vaughn had his back to her. His wet shirt had been replaced by a white t-shirt. There was a small bucket sitting next to him on the night table. "Come here Syd." She obeyed without argument and moved towards him. He clicked on the lamp and moved her so she was in better light. His fingertips traced softly over the bruises and cuts on her face. Her split lower lip. Down her arms to her stomach where a huge bruise had grown. Vaughn turned and picked up a piece of ice from the bucket. "Sit down Syd. Better yet, just lay down if you can. I want to try and head off the swelling." She did as she was told and once she was settled on her back, Vaughn sat on the edge of the bed next to her. Moving his hand to her face again, he gently put the ice against her skin. Sydney winced as he hit a tender spot.
"Thankyou for this Vaughn"
"Of course. God Syd, I can't believe what the bastard did to you." He moved the piece of ice to her lip. Running it over the surface. He reached and brought a rag from behind him. Putting severaln pieces of ice in it, he wrapped it up tighlty. "Can I put some ice on that bruise? It looked pretty bad." Sydney nodded. Vaughn untied the robe and averted his eyes as he set the makeshift ice pack on her stomach. Sydneys sharp intake of breath brought his eyes to hers. Her hands moved to cover the ice pack and she caught part of his hand. He squeezed her fingers gently. "You're going to be okay Agent Bristow. I bet you're just faking to get a vacation." Sydney chuckled softly.
"Damn. How did you know.?"
"I'm your guardian angel. It goes with the territory." They shared a smile. Sighing, Vaughn stood. He pulled the covers up around her and bent to kiss her on the forehead. "Goodnight Syd"
"Where are you going?" She asked, mildly alarmed.
" The floor. You need to rest."
"Vaughn. You're not sleeping on the floor!"
"I'll be fine Syd."
"Vaughn, get your ass back here. I can share." She said in a final tone.
"Yes Ma'am!" He said with a mock salute. Vaughn moved to the other side of the bed after switching of the light. He moved the covers and slid under them. After a moment he felt Sydney moved against him and he lifted his arm so she could settle against his chest. Both of them sighed.
"Thankyou for this Vaughn. You saved me again." She shuttered, remembering the Doctor.
"What else would I do Syd? Saving you keeps me out of trouble.I'm just glad I got to you when I did. That bastard, it turns out, was trained by the SS during WWII. i mean top level interogation techniqes." Vaughn shuddered.
"You're my guardian angel Michael..."
"Thats the first time you've called me that"
"Said what now Vaughn?" She laughed.
"Hahah. Very funny. I like the way you say my name. " They both lay there in the dark silence. Their breathing matched.
"Goodnight Michael."
"Goodnight Sydney Ann Bristow." Vaughn kissed the side of her head and closed his eyes.
Fin
Location Unknown 2010 Hours
"Tell us where it is! TELL US!!" The rage in the man's eyes as he lifted his hand was chilling. As the fist connected with her face, Sydney groaned softly. Unshed tears threatened to flow. "I will tell you one more time. If you choose not to cooperate then I will start with my straight razor. If you continue this way, then it will be the hammer. Then the scissors. See where this is going? Even if you don't tell me, I'm going to enjoy hurting you. I bet you hurt so well." The Doctor's even tone left no room for doubt. Sydney sobbed once. Then she bit her lip to keep quiet. The taste of her blood filled her mouth as the fist conected again. She bit into her lip. The man raised his hand again when three muffled burst sounded behind her. Shock registered in the Doctor's eyes as he sank to his knees, then fell to the floor.
"Oh God. Sydney!" Vaughn rushed to her and kneeled in front of her. Touching her swollen lips gingerly, he grimaced as she winced. "Hang on Syd." He reached into his boot and pulled out a small knife. Cutting the black ropes the held her hands together, Vaughn wrapped an arm around her and helped her to stand. She sank against him, a low groan escaping again. Vaughn picked her up in his arms and carried her from the room.
Safehouse 2110 hours
The tears the left trails down Sydney's face, worried Vaughn. She hardly cried, even after torture. "Shhh Sydney. I've got you. You're going to be okay." He tried to calm her, took her in his arms. "I'll be right back okay? I promise I'll be right back." He layed her back on the bed and turned to the bathroom. Starting the tap, Vaughn began filling the tub with hot water. When he returned, Sydney was shaking on the bed, in shock. "Syd, I need you to come with me. I've got to keep you warm." When he recieved no response, Vaughn leaned forward and pulled her into his arms again. Carrying her to the bathroom, he set Sydney down and lowered her to sit on the edge of the sink. He stood there for a moment, trying to decide if it was akward or necesary that he was still there. Sydney answered for him.
"Vaughn. Don't..leave me. Please." She reached out for him and he took her hands in his.
"Okay Sydney. I'm not going anywhere. I need you to get into the water. I don't want you to go into shock or I'll have to take you to a hospital." Sydney looked down at her shirt, her fingers lingering over the bloodstains. She bit her lip hard then groaned as she bit down and the split in her lower lip. Vaughn sqeezed her hands gently and reached to pull her shirt over her head gently. He dropped it in the floor and pulled Sydney up, out of the sitting position. He locked his eyes with hers as his fingers fumbled with the closures on her tactical pants. She held his gaze tiredly. Bending slightly, Vaughn pushed the pants down her legs to the floor. As he straighted, his fingers grazed lightly over a large bruise and he frowned. "Oh Syd.." Shaking his head, Vaughn leaned foreward and kissed her forehead gently. Sydney tensed slightly, then relaxed. With a wince, she reached up and moved her hands to the clasp behind her back. Vaughn turned away quickly, and waited until he heard her settle into the water. The steam had fogged the mirror already and gave the room a hazy look.
Sydney reached for a washcloth but hissed when she moved wrong. Vaughn grabbed it instead and knelt down at the tub's edge. Soaking the cloth, he moved it gently over her back and shoulders, places she couldnt get to without injury. Sydney's eyes closed and a sigh escaped. After he had finished, he handed it to her and stood again. "I'll be right back" With that, he turned and walked out. Sydney heard the door of the room open then close. She finished scrubbing her skin the best she could manage. Moving both arms to the sides of the tubs, the tried to lift herself out. She collapsed back, and groaned again.
"Shit..."
The door to the room opened and shut again and in a minute, Vaughn reapeared. "Are you done?" Sydney looked up and nodded. Vaughn looked around, and saw a rack of towels sitting off to the side. He grabbed two and moved to the tub side. Trying to figure out a way to get Sydney out and preserve some decency for either of them quickly went out the window. "Put your arms around my neck if you can." Vaughn bent down and scooped Sydney up into his arms. Her skin was hot from the water and soaking wet. He set her down gently and handed her a towel. "Can you..er...do you need?"
"I think I can get it. The water helped." Vaughn nodded.
"I'll be out here" He motioned over his shoulder. Sydney nodded. When Vaughn left, she finished drying. Pulling a ratty robe from a hook behind the door, she tied it around her waist and walked stifly in to the other room. Vaughn had his back to her. His wet shirt had been replaced by a white t-shirt. There was a small bucket sitting next to him on the night table. "Come here Syd." She obeyed without argument and moved towards him. He clicked on the lamp and moved her so she was in better light. His fingertips traced softly over the bruises and cuts on her face. Her split lower lip. Down her arms to her stomach where a huge bruise had grown. Vaughn turned and picked up a piece of ice from the bucket. "Sit down Syd. Better yet, just lay down if you can. I want to try and head off the swelling." She did as she was told and once she was settled on her back, Vaughn sat on the edge of the bed next to her. Moving his hand to her face again, he gently put the ice against her skin. Sydney winced as he hit a tender spot.
"Thankyou for this Vaughn"
"Of course. God Syd, I can't believe what the bastard did to you." He moved the piece of ice to her lip. Running it over the surface. He reached and brought a rag from behind him. Putting severaln pieces of ice in it, he wrapped it up tighlty. "Can I put some ice on that bruise? It looked pretty bad." Sydney nodded. Vaughn untied the robe and averted his eyes as he set the makeshift ice pack on her stomach. Sydneys sharp intake of breath brought his eyes to hers. Her hands moved to cover the ice pack and she caught part of his hand. He squeezed her fingers gently. "You're going to be okay Agent Bristow. I bet you're just faking to get a vacation." Sydney chuckled softly.
"Damn. How did you know.?"
"I'm your guardian angel. It goes with the territory." They shared a smile. Sighing, Vaughn stood. He pulled the covers up around her and bent to kiss her on the forehead. "Goodnight Syd"
"Where are you going?" She asked, mildly alarmed.
" The floor. You need to rest."
"Vaughn. You're not sleeping on the floor!"
"I'll be fine Syd."
"Vaughn, get your ass back here. I can share." She said in a final tone.
"Yes Ma'am!" He said with a mock salute. Vaughn moved to the other side of the bed after switching of the light. He moved the covers and slid under them. After a moment he felt Sydney moved against him and he lifted his arm so she could settle against his chest. Both of them sighed.
"Thankyou for this Vaughn. You saved me again." She shuttered, remembering the Doctor.
"What else would I do Syd? Saving you keeps me out of trouble.I'm just glad I got to you when I did. That bastard, it turns out, was trained by the SS during WWII. i mean top level interogation techniqes." Vaughn shuddered.
"You're my guardian angel Michael..."
"Thats the first time you've called me that"
"Said what now Vaughn?" She laughed.
"Hahah. Very funny. I like the way you say my name. " They both lay there in the dark silence. Their breathing matched.
"Goodnight Michael."
"Goodnight Sydney Ann Bristow." Vaughn kissed the side of her head and closed his eyes.
Fin