Chapter 4
Syd was sitting on her bed, a pillow resting on her lap. Vaughn had arranged his blankets on the floor in between the two beds, conveniently more towards Sydney than Lauren. The main light had been turned off, the only light being provided by a small table lamp and the moon, which was shining through the window. Lauren was still asleep, and there were no signs of her waking anytime soon. Vaughn sat on the floor, his elbow resting on the edge of the bed, supporting his head. He knew it was late, but he had to make the most of this time with Syd. Besides he wasn't feeling as tired as he usually was, maybe it was the company that he was in. "Do you remember the last time we were in quarantine?" Vaughn looked up at her, waiting for her response. "Yeah I do. I felt really bad going home, knowing that you had to stay here." Sydney smiled at him, thanking God that nothing had happened to him. The light was shining on the side of his face; his green eyes appeared to be glistening more than usual. "I was so relieved when you walked into that bar after they had let you go." "You weren't the only one." They both laughed together. "Vaughn. Do you remember that morning, we had just woken up, and you were about to say something to me, but somebody came in?" He nodded to her, so she continued. "Well, you never told me what you were going to say." This was more of a request than an observation, and Vaughn felt an obligation to give her an answer. Even though this was over two years ago, he still remembered exactly what he was going to say. "I had been awake all that night, I wasn't really in much of a mood to sleep, considering that I thought we were ill. I was just laying there watching you sleep, thinking about the past two years that we had known each other. I was remembering all the missions we had been on, the troubles we had faced. And I realised that meeting you brought a lot of difficulties into my life. But what was more important was the fact that you made my life a whole lot better." He stopped to check that Lauren was still asleep. "So that morning I was going to tell you all of this, and I was also going to tell you how much I was in love with you." Sydney blushed at what he was saying to her. "I don't quite know what to say..." She was totally lost for words. "What would you have done if I had told you?" Vaughn asked curiously. Sydney looked at the window for a couple of seconds, trying to imagine what she would have done. "I suppose I would have had to confess, and tell you that I felt the same way." "Felt? Past tense!" He almost kicked himself for saying that but it was like her couldn't stop himself. "Vaughn, don't. I can't do this, your married." Sydney's eyes glistened with tears that were waiting to fall. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that." Vaughn tore his eyed away from her, feeling embarrassed about what he had just said. They were silent for a couple of minutes, each thinking about what had just happened. Vaughn rolled up this left sleeve, revealing a silver watch. "I still wear it you know, my father's watch." He held his arm out, providing her with a view of the watch. She studied the watch, remembering the conversation that they had had, over two years ago.
Flashback
"Syd...One more thing before you go." Vaughn waited for her to turn around before her continued. They were both standing in the warehouse where they would always meet. She had just found out her counter mission, and she was leaving as Vaughn called her back. He was undoing his watch, which she had seen him wear countless times before. "This watch belonged to my father. It doesn't work now, but it used to keep perfect time. And when he gave it to me, he said you could always set your heart by this watch... It stopped October 1st, the day we met." He looked relieved to be finally getting this off of his chest. Sydney understood what he was telling her, he was in love with her. Just like she was in love with him. There was a minute of silence, whilst they just stared into each other's eyes. Vaughn had noticed how Sydney's eyes had gone all watery, it was obvious that she was overcome with emotion. She was about to respond to him, when both of their pagers, simultaneously beeped. Both of them looked at their pagers to see who it was. "Kendall" Vaughn stated. He was slightly annoyed at Kendall's timing. Only he would have the ability to ruin what could have been a perfect moment. Sydney looked away from Vaughn, searching for something to say. "Me too." She added, smiling gently at him. It was out, they both knew how the other felt.
End Flashback
"Why do you still wear it, if it doesn't work?" Sydney knew deep down that she already knew the answer to this, but she had to ask anyway. "This watch is a reminder to me, it reminds me of where my heart truly lies." He reached out and took hold of her hand. Linking their fingers together, he continued, "And I never want you to forget that." "So, why did you do it Vaughn? Why did you get married?" Sydney withdrew her hand, from his. She felt bad questioning him like this, but she needed to know the truth. How could he be saying this to her, if he went and married another woman? He sighed, he had been expecting this question for quite awhile, but he was surprised at how long it had taken her to ask it. "Syd, when you went missing, it almost killed me. I lost my best friend, the one person that I loved...my soul mate. I disappeared from the country for several months it was just way too hard for me to stay here. There were just too many reminders. When I met Lauren, she helped me to see that even though you were gone, you would also be a part of me. She was really similar to you, her spirit, her commitment to the job, and to me..." Vaughn please don't compare us like this. I am nothing like that woman." Sydney pointed at Lauren as she spoke, her voice raising slightly in disgust. "I know that you two don't exactly get along well, but deep down, she is a nice person. She just gets a little insecure about certain things. As I was saying I think that the main reason why I married her, was because I could see a lot of you in her, so being with her, reminded me of the good times I shared with you." Sydney moved forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. He responded by pulling her towards him, embracing her in a hug. Sydney was the one to pull apart. "I'm pretty tired now. I think I might try and get some sleep." Vaughn nodded but he remained where he was sitting. Sydney settled in the bed, her eyes feeling heavier by the minute. Vaughn moved, so that he was seated next to where she was laying, their faces not far apart. "Goodnight Syd." He kissed her gently on the forehead, before settling back down. As her eyes began to close she could feel him gently stroking the side of her face, helping her to fall asleep. She felt so safe knowing that she was sleeping next to the man that she loved. She closed her eyes, feeling like everything was just how it should be. Vaughn rested his head on the bed, as he continued to stroke her face. Even though he wasn't completely comfortable, he just couldn't tear himself away from her bedside. So he closed his eyes, and he too fell asleep next to the person he loved.
Syd was sitting on her bed, a pillow resting on her lap. Vaughn had arranged his blankets on the floor in between the two beds, conveniently more towards Sydney than Lauren. The main light had been turned off, the only light being provided by a small table lamp and the moon, which was shining through the window. Lauren was still asleep, and there were no signs of her waking anytime soon. Vaughn sat on the floor, his elbow resting on the edge of the bed, supporting his head. He knew it was late, but he had to make the most of this time with Syd. Besides he wasn't feeling as tired as he usually was, maybe it was the company that he was in. "Do you remember the last time we were in quarantine?" Vaughn looked up at her, waiting for her response. "Yeah I do. I felt really bad going home, knowing that you had to stay here." Sydney smiled at him, thanking God that nothing had happened to him. The light was shining on the side of his face; his green eyes appeared to be glistening more than usual. "I was so relieved when you walked into that bar after they had let you go." "You weren't the only one." They both laughed together. "Vaughn. Do you remember that morning, we had just woken up, and you were about to say something to me, but somebody came in?" He nodded to her, so she continued. "Well, you never told me what you were going to say." This was more of a request than an observation, and Vaughn felt an obligation to give her an answer. Even though this was over two years ago, he still remembered exactly what he was going to say. "I had been awake all that night, I wasn't really in much of a mood to sleep, considering that I thought we were ill. I was just laying there watching you sleep, thinking about the past two years that we had known each other. I was remembering all the missions we had been on, the troubles we had faced. And I realised that meeting you brought a lot of difficulties into my life. But what was more important was the fact that you made my life a whole lot better." He stopped to check that Lauren was still asleep. "So that morning I was going to tell you all of this, and I was also going to tell you how much I was in love with you." Sydney blushed at what he was saying to her. "I don't quite know what to say..." She was totally lost for words. "What would you have done if I had told you?" Vaughn asked curiously. Sydney looked at the window for a couple of seconds, trying to imagine what she would have done. "I suppose I would have had to confess, and tell you that I felt the same way." "Felt? Past tense!" He almost kicked himself for saying that but it was like her couldn't stop himself. "Vaughn, don't. I can't do this, your married." Sydney's eyes glistened with tears that were waiting to fall. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that." Vaughn tore his eyed away from her, feeling embarrassed about what he had just said. They were silent for a couple of minutes, each thinking about what had just happened. Vaughn rolled up this left sleeve, revealing a silver watch. "I still wear it you know, my father's watch." He held his arm out, providing her with a view of the watch. She studied the watch, remembering the conversation that they had had, over two years ago.
Flashback
"Syd...One more thing before you go." Vaughn waited for her to turn around before her continued. They were both standing in the warehouse where they would always meet. She had just found out her counter mission, and she was leaving as Vaughn called her back. He was undoing his watch, which she had seen him wear countless times before. "This watch belonged to my father. It doesn't work now, but it used to keep perfect time. And when he gave it to me, he said you could always set your heart by this watch... It stopped October 1st, the day we met." He looked relieved to be finally getting this off of his chest. Sydney understood what he was telling her, he was in love with her. Just like she was in love with him. There was a minute of silence, whilst they just stared into each other's eyes. Vaughn had noticed how Sydney's eyes had gone all watery, it was obvious that she was overcome with emotion. She was about to respond to him, when both of their pagers, simultaneously beeped. Both of them looked at their pagers to see who it was. "Kendall" Vaughn stated. He was slightly annoyed at Kendall's timing. Only he would have the ability to ruin what could have been a perfect moment. Sydney looked away from Vaughn, searching for something to say. "Me too." She added, smiling gently at him. It was out, they both knew how the other felt.
End Flashback
"Why do you still wear it, if it doesn't work?" Sydney knew deep down that she already knew the answer to this, but she had to ask anyway. "This watch is a reminder to me, it reminds me of where my heart truly lies." He reached out and took hold of her hand. Linking their fingers together, he continued, "And I never want you to forget that." "So, why did you do it Vaughn? Why did you get married?" Sydney withdrew her hand, from his. She felt bad questioning him like this, but she needed to know the truth. How could he be saying this to her, if he went and married another woman? He sighed, he had been expecting this question for quite awhile, but he was surprised at how long it had taken her to ask it. "Syd, when you went missing, it almost killed me. I lost my best friend, the one person that I loved...my soul mate. I disappeared from the country for several months it was just way too hard for me to stay here. There were just too many reminders. When I met Lauren, she helped me to see that even though you were gone, you would also be a part of me. She was really similar to you, her spirit, her commitment to the job, and to me..." Vaughn please don't compare us like this. I am nothing like that woman." Sydney pointed at Lauren as she spoke, her voice raising slightly in disgust. "I know that you two don't exactly get along well, but deep down, she is a nice person. She just gets a little insecure about certain things. As I was saying I think that the main reason why I married her, was because I could see a lot of you in her, so being with her, reminded me of the good times I shared with you." Sydney moved forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. He responded by pulling her towards him, embracing her in a hug. Sydney was the one to pull apart. "I'm pretty tired now. I think I might try and get some sleep." Vaughn nodded but he remained where he was sitting. Sydney settled in the bed, her eyes feeling heavier by the minute. Vaughn moved, so that he was seated next to where she was laying, their faces not far apart. "Goodnight Syd." He kissed her gently on the forehead, before settling back down. As her eyes began to close she could feel him gently stroking the side of her face, helping her to fall asleep. She felt so safe knowing that she was sleeping next to the man that she loved. She closed her eyes, feeling like everything was just how it should be. Vaughn rested his head on the bed, as he continued to stroke her face. Even though he wasn't completely comfortable, he just couldn't tear himself away from her bedside. So he closed his eyes, and he too fell asleep next to the person he loved.