Title: A Case Of You
Author: S@nd
Feedback: sydneyvaughnmailbox@yahoo.fr
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.J, Bad Robot, ABC… blablabla (you know). OK, OK, I don't own anything.
Summary: In the previous chapters, Fran & Will played detectives as Sydney made one of her many visits to 'Joey's Pizza'. They discovered Vaughn...and Fran wanted to meet him! Vaughn and Sydney accepted to have dinner altogether at Sydney's...What is to happen then?
A/N: Hi this is the eighth chapter. So, they decided to have dinner…yep. And I stopped just when they were about to… Well, you're going to find out. Just read. I hope you'll like it. As always, whether you like it or not, let me know what you think about this chapter. I want to know!! Please REVIEW. Thank you. S@nd
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CHAP 8 - I ASK OF YOU
Previously:
They both stood up, and Vaughn blushed as he realized he was still holding her hand. He finally let go of her hand, looking confused. They looked at each other in the eyes…
Your love is like a gentle breeze upon a brand-new day
Your touch and what it does to me - like a flower needs its rain
They both could feel the mounting tension between them. The silence was filled with their awkward and heated glances. And none of them could look away. Time seemed to have stopped going by. They were standing still, in the middle of the kitchen, as if they were hypnotized by each other.
Sydney then averted her gaze, smiled at Vaughn and walked towards the bathroom. She opened the medicine cabinet, and looked for plaster.
She stopped and sighed. "Oh, why on earth did I accept that dinner? Why? Everything sounds so weird! I just don't recognize Will, it's a torture for Vaughn, I feel all the more awkward, and Fran fortunately just seems not to notice anything! Oh my God! Why did all that happen?" she wondered.
Someone coughed. She started and turned to see Vaughn's face, smiling shyly, at the doorframe.
"Fran said the dinner's nearly ready, and asked me to make sure you're alright…" he confessed.
She smiled. He was always full of attention for her, and she loved him so much for that.
"I'm OK… I'm OK, thank you… thank you so much…" she said, sighing again.
She suddenly shivered.
"Are you cold?" he asked softly.
"I…, I better go get a cardigan…"
And so saying, she went out of the bathroom, beckoning him to follow her.
She went in her room and looked for a cardigan in her closet. Vaughn slowly went in, embarrassed to break in on the privacy of her room.
He soon spotted the antique frame on her bedside table. He smiled and went towards the table to grab the frame. He looked at the photo. It was a picture of Sydney, with Fran and Will in a park. They seemed to have fun. He smiled again.
"So, it seems you liked it" he whispered softly.
"I like what?" she asked, turning to face him. "Oh!" She said as she realized he was talking about the Christmas gift. She blushed and smiled shyly. "You doubted it?"
"I told you not to tell me if you didn't like it. And, as you never talked about it, I supposed…"
"Oh, Vaughn! Of course I like it! How can you imagine questioning that?"
They looked at each other straight in the eye.
"Thank you." She simply said.
"Thank you? For what?" he wondered.
"We both know you didn't have to give me such a Christmas gift, but you did give it to me. Perhaps I've never thanked you for that gift, but it's high time I did it now."
"Sydney! Don't!" he almost shouted.
I ask of you, would you love me, if nothing else went right?
And I ask of you, would you hold me, forever in your life?
And don't let me fall, 'cause I can only give my all
Here I am
I ask of you
Then he rushed to hug her. He didn't want to let his feelings show, but he was so touched by her last words he couldn't help it.
"Thank you, thank you for being here, for risking your life for me, thank you…" she said in a dying voice, nestled against his shoulder. Vaughn was rubbing her back with his fingers, wishing that minute could last forever, and trying to make the most of it.
I found the place where I belong, it's right here next to you
And nothing else matters now, with all we've been through
I can't go on, tryin' to deny just what I feel inside
But now before I let go, you gotta let me know
Then they heard a knock at the door and suddenly started. They quickly broke the hug. Will was at the open door, handing Sydney a glass of wine. He stopped, his mouth opened, unable to say anything.
"Um…Fran said the dinner is served…" he finally managed to say.
'Did I interrupt something?' he wondered. He noticed Vaughn was still holding the frame and just wondered why. Then he recalled that day when Sydney had come home with a Christmas present in a bag. A gift a guy from the office had given her. He was just puzzling out. It was easy to recognize now: the mysterious guy from the office must have been him, that Michael!
He couldn't believe it. He was just making the connections, realizing now the implications behind every wrong number phone calls, the Christmas gift, Sydney leaving home at any time, all those mysterious business trips... And from there, after pulling the pieces together, he understood that love affair must have started a long time ago. And she had kept that secret, all this time! It was not a simple crush, there was…more between them!
He felt sick, jealous, and angry at the same time. He had forgiven Sydney for hiding a secret, but he was now confronting a sum of lies, and he didn't know whether he could forgive her for lying so much. It was just hurting him. And he had to deal with that. It was a part of Sydney he didn't know so far, and he didn't know if he was ready to face facts.
He swallowed hard, still staring at them, struck dumb with astonishment.
"Thank you, Will" Sydney finally answered, a bit confused. "Tell Fran we'll be with you in a second, please."
"Okay, Syd" Will replied, utterly shocked, heading to the dinning room. He still couldn't stand it. "It was a nightmare, and I'm about to wake up" he thought.
"Sydney, I…"
"Vaughn, I…"
They both said at the same time. They blushed and grinned.
"Okay, you first" Sydney suggested, awkward.
"Okay, I just wanted to tell you that…Err, I don't know how to say it…." He took a deep breath. "I wanted to say that I didn't know whether it was a good idea to accept that dinner so far, but now I must say I'm pleased to be here. I mean, I almost know everything about you. Well, I thought I did. But all things considered I don't know anything of your everyday life, I didn't know where you live, what your favorite color is, what your favorite dish is, how you feel when you're with your friends...that kind of things. Simple things. You know, we only meet to talk about painful subjects, about things that are likely to make you want to cry. And you know I'm always there for you when you're feeling down, I'll always be. But I acknowledge it's nice to see you when you're happy, when you smile, and you can relax at home…"
Sydney couldn't believe her ears. She had the feeling her heart was about to jump off of her chest. She blushed just at the thought of him noticing she was probably blushing. 'How can I stand so impassive, after such a confession?' she wondered.
The only thing she wanted to do now was rush into his strong and protective harms and kiss him, show him how touched she was by his declaration. She had longed to tell him her true feelings for such a long time, but she had been too afraid to tell him, as she didn't want to discover it was not mutual. Now she had her answer. He cared for her, not simply for his agent, for the woman, for her. She grinned broadly.
I never really thought (I never really thought)
That you'd be all to me (That you'd be all that really matters to me)
I'd give everything and all I am to you
Oh baby, baby, I know you feel this way too
She had wished so often she could spend time with him, but not with agent Vaughn, not with her handler, just with the real Michael. She had thought that would never happen, but he was there, in her room! Just Michael and Sydney. He was quite right, he had never really seen her in a non-spy mode, except when she confided in him for a few minutes at their meetings. She was at home, with her friends, peacefully. But she was not relaxed, no! She just wanted that dinner to end, but at the same time she wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.
"Do you really think I'm relaxed when all I'm dreading is Fran and Will finding out for us both, or having us made by SD-6, the alliance, and having you killed? Not to mention that Fran and Will could be killed too…" she asked, half seriously half jokingly.
She sighed, looking at him straight in the eye. "But I'm happy you're here, too."
'Nothing can go wrong where you're with me' she wanted to add. But she didn't dare. It would be too dangerous to go any further into that matter.
"I think we better go and have that dinner now. If we don't, Fran will probably throw a fit!" she said, smiling.
She turned to leave the room, when Vaughn interrupted.
"Sydney, you wanted to say something, didn't you?…What was it?" he asked shyly.
She smiled. "Nothing, Vaughn, nothing… Just that…even if it's risky, I'm eventually happy you're here too …" she whispered.
'No, Sydney, stop it now, don't tell him you're happy he's here just because you love him, and you want to spend time with him, don't!' she murmured to herself. 'It could be courageous to tell him, but it may be even more courageous to keep the secret. Hold on, Sydney!'
"Now, I think dinner or at least Fran is calling our names, Michael, so we better hurry…"she said, winking.
We are like one of a kind, true love is hard to find
I can't go on another day
Just hear me when I say
He smiled, taken aback as she took his hand to take him to the dinning room. It seemed so natural he just let her do it without balking.
They rushed into the dinning room, and stopped in front of Fran.
"Ah! Sydney! At last! What the hell were you doing?" Fran asked a bit tense.
"I was just showing Michael round the house…" she said, sitting. She was just trying to maintain her composure.
"They were just dawdling in the bedroom" Will couldn't help adding, still jealous.
"Sydney!?" Fran shouted.
"Hey, who do you think I am, Fran? I'm not that kind of girl…Oh, and I don't have to justify myself, after all!" she concluded. "Make yourself comfortable, Michael" she told him, with a smile.
They all sat, and Fran started to serve the dinner.
"Would you like some wine, Michael?" Fran asked.
"Yes, please". It was weird to have dinner with Sydney's friends. It was as if they had known each other for years.
"So, how did you two meet?" Fran asked.
"Well…" he started.
"Let's give a toast!" Sydney suggested, avoiding Fran's questions. "To you, Fran, who had that great idea to bring us together" she said with a wink.
"To Fran!" they all repeated, clinking their glasses.
"Well, let's eat now!" Will suggested, exasperated. Now he just wanted that dinner to end.
"I'm starving, what did you cook Fran?" Sydney asked. "Good idea, Sydney, let's talk about mundane things" she murmured to herself.
"Basque chicken. It's cooked with onion, tomatoes…." Fran answered.
"…garlic, green and red peppers, and chili. 'Poulet Basquaise, in French'" Vaughn interrupted.
Fran was speechless. "That's right, how do you know that?"
"Because I was born in France, and…"
"Really! I can't believe it! Could you just speak French? Oh, say something, please!" Fran pleaded.
"Um, I don't know what to say…" He paused, looking at Sydney, waiting for her to nod and give him the go-ahead. "Well, um…" He cleared his throat.
"Oh! Je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes
Des jours heureux où nous étions amis" he started.
Fran stood up, about to clap, tears in her eyes. 'This man is so perfect, that's incredible' she thought. 'If Sydney didn't have a crush on him, I think I probably would fall in love with him, he's so nice…'
Will shook his head and just wished he was dead. He just couldn't stand that situation any more. 'That man couldn't be that perfect, he must have a weak spot… That's unbelievable.' he thought.
"En ce temps-là la vie était plus belle
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle…" Vaughn continued.
"Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié...
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi…' Sydney interrupted.
Fran and Will gulped, shocked. Vaughn's eyes widened. He sat down and took a sip of his wine. He couldn't believe Sydney knew that poem. And that she dared speaking French in front of her friends!
"Sydney, when did you learn how to speak French!!!???" Fran asked.
Sydney blushed and smiled. "It's not that it is French, it's just a famous French poem, and don't you remember I'm studying literature, Fran?" she pretended.
She just couldn't help it. Vaughn's poem was so romantic she couldn't do else but show him it was one of her favorites too. Once more the man speaking French next to her was not agent Vaughn but simply Michael, a French-born guy, having dinner with her at her home, and nothing else mattered. For a minute, it was just as if they were both alone in the room, as if she was living a dream.
Fran was about to reply when the doorbell rang.
Sydney came back to reality and raised her eyebrows. "Who the hell could come so late?"
"Did you invite someone else, Fran? Did you want to surprise me?" Sydney asked, quite wisecracking.
"Absolutely not, Syd. Who can it be? I have no idea, I swear!" Fran answered, puzzled.
"Do calm down, Fran, I'll go and open the door…" Will suggested. He was tired of it and just wanted to get out of that room. It was perhaps the best opportunity to do it, even if it was just for a minute or two.
Sydney glanced at Vaughn, a bit worried. She was wondering who it was, and for a second was afraid for Vaughn. Anyway it wouldn't be long before discovering who it was.
"Sydney, it's your father!" Will said, coming back in the dinning room, showing Jack in.
Sydney leaned back in her chair, dumbfounded.
Vaughn felt ill at ease, and wished he could disappear.
Jack came nearer and caught sight of him. He couldn't believe his eyes. Vaughn here! That was so incredible.
"What the hell are you doing here, Vau…?!"
"Daddy!" Sydney interrupted.
TO BE CONTINUED…
END OF CHAPTER 8
* - * - *
Credits:
* * Anastacia 'I ask of you' Not that kind (Anastacia Newkirk/Sam Watters/Louis Biancaniello)* *
Whooo
Your love is like a gentle breeze upon a brand-new day
Your touch and what it does to me - like a flower needs its rain
We are like one of a kind, true love is hard to find
I can't go on another day
Just hear me when I say
I ask of you, would you love me, if nothing else went right?
And I ask of you, would you hold me, forever in your life?
And don't let me fall, 'cause I can only give my all
Here I am
I ask of you
I found the place where I belong, it's right here next to you
And nothing else matters now, with all we've been through
I can't go on, tryin' to deny just what I feel inside
But now before I let go, you gotta let me know
I ask of you, would you love me, if nothing else went right?
I ask of you, would you hold me, forever in your life?
Don't let me fall, 'cause I can only give my all
Here I am
I ask of you
Yes I do
I ask of you
Whoa
I never really thought (I never really thought)
That you'd be all to me (That you'd be all that really matters to me)
I'd give everything and all I am to you
Oh baby, baby, I know you feel this way too
I ask of you, would you love me, if nothing else went right?
And I ask of you, would you hold me, forever in your life?
And don't let me fall, 'cause I can only give my all
Here I am
I ask of youOk, I'm sure you want to know what Vaughn said in French, so here is the full poem, which is a song too. The poem was written by Jacques Prévert, a French poet, who used to play on words, that's why it's a bit difficult to translate it in English because some sentences have "double" meaning.
The poem became a song sang by Yves Montand (who played with Marilyn Monroe in "Let's make love") and later Frank Sinatra sang the American version of the song, which is your "Autumn leaves"... Now that's all for the story of this song. Here are the full poem in French, and the translation in English (I did my best) verse by verse, and your American version. Enjoy!
* - * - Les Feuilles Mortes (Prévert/Kosma) * - * -
Oh! Je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes
Des jours heureux où nous étions amis.
En ce temps-là la vie était plus belle,
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle.
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié...
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
Et le vent du nord les emporte
Dans la nuit froide de l'oubli.
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié
La chanson que tu me chantais.
'Falling leaves'Oh! I wish so much you could remember
The happy days when we were friends
That time when life was greater
And the sun hotter than today
The falling leaves are gathering as masses
You see, I did not forget...
The falling leaves are gathering as masses
Memories and regrets too
And the north wind carries them
In the cold night of oblivion
You see, I did not forget
The song you used to sing to me
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
Nous vivions tous les deux ensemble
Toi que m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants désunis
It is a song that is just like us
You loved me and I loved you
We lived together
You who loved me, me who loved you
But life separates those who love each other
Slowly without making noise
And the sea erases on sand the steps of the divided lovers
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle
Sourit toujours et remercie la vie.
Je t'aimais tant, tu étais si jolie.
Comment veux-tu que je t'oublie ?
En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Tu étais ma plus douce amie
Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets
Et la chanson que tu chantais,
Toujours, toujours je l'entendrai !
The falling leaves are gathering as masses
Memories and regrets too
But my quiet and faithful love
Always smiles and thanks life
I loved you so much, you were so pretty
How could you want me to forget you?
That time, when life was more beautiful
And the sun was burning more than today
You were my sweetest friend
But I have nothing to do with regrets
And the song that you used to sing
I will always, always hear it!
And your American version, "Autumn leaves", by far shorter!!!:
* - * Autumn leaves (Kosma/Prevert/Mercer) * - *
The falling leaves
Drift by the window
The autumn leaves
Of red and gold
I see your lips
The summer kisses
The sunburned hands
I used to hold
Since you went away
The days grow long
And soon I'll hear
Old winter's song
But I miss you most of all
My darling
When autumn leaves
Start to fall
* -* - *
A/N: Ok, I apologize twice. First, I'm sorry for the delay, but that chapter was difficult to write, I had research to do, and translation. And I was ill, really ill! So I couldn't write faster.
Second, sorry for writing another 'evil cliffhanger' and ending in the middle of that evening again! Please forgive me! This dinner's in three parts, and you're going to love the third, chap 9!! I think that's why this story's worth reading, uh?
Thank you very much, Kat, for your support, you rock!
And I really wanted to thanks you for your WONDERFUL reviews, you all rock too!!! I was wondering whether to keep writing or not, and you really convinced me to do it. Thanks!
Ryanne, Kaley Bugs, Adelaide Bristow, leolover: I understood you couldn't wait, so I did my best to write this chapter and post it as soon as possible.
Star16: Ryan, you're probably my #1 fan, after my beta, I love your reviews, but you know now you have to be patient, that the rule with this story! Glad you liked Weiss and Will in chap 7.
Serendipity: Thanks for telling me my story's one of your fav! I'm so pleased to hear that! THANKS! You make my day!
Lor: I hope you liked Will in this chapter too ;-))
SarkLover: Thanks for your nice review. Just be patient, Sark will be back soon!!
About THE KISS… Sorry, it was not for this chapter, but…soon... Laura, Adelaide, leolover, please wait!
And to anyone who reads this story, show me love. PLEASE REVIEW!
Stay tuned for CHAPTER 9 – CRAZY FOR YOU…