Sorry it took me so long! I apologise! I was bit with the Writer's Block, but hopefully you'll like this! Thanks for your patience and reviews! :)
Chapter Four
Jack continued to bring boxes of Sydney's things from the closet. After her disappearance, Jack had gone to Sydney's apartment and gathered a majority of her belongings. Will and Francie were told of what had happened, and were advised to enter into witness protection- which they reluctantly did.
Sydney sat on her new bed, Luke in her arms, watching her father bring in box after box. She stopped watching when she felt a light tug on her hair. Luke's small fingers were tightly wrapped around a strand of her hair. A gummy smile appeared on his face as he pulled the strand up and down.
Sydney rolled over onto her back, lifting Luke into the air. She brought him down and gently laid him on her stomach. Placing his fingers up to her lips, Sydney pretended to eat them. This caused Luke's smile to enlarge, as well as Sydney's.
She looked into his happy blue eyes. Sydney adored him. She loved the way his eyes would sparkle and his toothless grin would appear. He would never have to try to win her heart, she had lost it to him from the beginning.
As Sydney thought about Luke and how much he'd grown in the month they had spent at the hospital, her father re-entered the room.
"This is the last one," he informed her, smiling as he caught sight of Sydney and Luke's smiling faces.
Sydney sat up. "Thanks, Dad."
He nodded in acknowledgment. "Do you want me to watch him for awhile so you can unpack?"
"Actually, if you don't mind, I'd like it if you stayed here for awhile."
Realizing this to be more of a plea than a request, Jack immediately agreed to stay. He unfolded a blanket on the floor and began to help Sydney unpack.
Sydney was happy to see her belongings. Her favorite clothes were all safely tucked away in a few boxes. In another box were some of her favorite books, CDs, and a book of photographs.
A smile spread across her face when she saw the captured moments. Included were some pictures of Sydney with Will and Francie, a few old photos of her with one of both of her parents, and even a couple of ones with Danny. The last filled in pages held pictures of Sydney and Vaughn.
She shut the book then, gently setting it aside. For a few moments she fought back tears. The memories the pictures held, while precious to her, were painful all the same. So much had changed since she'd been away. Too much had changed. It was overwhelming her, and she was sure it was noticeable.
"Sydney," her father's voice penetrated her thoughts. "I have a meeting with Kendall tomorrow to discuss your visit to the house."
It was then that Sydney realized that tears had begun to fall down her face. She gently wiped them away, only to make way for more tears to fall. Her foggy gaze turned from the floor to her father. Seeing the concern in his eyes, she tried to assure him, "I'm fine- really."
"No, Sweetheart, you're not. But you will be," he pulled her into his arms, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. "You will be."
The meeting between Kendall and Jack had gone relatively uneventful. There had been little yelling, no quarreling- only understanding. However, Kendall continued to protest.
"I can't allow her to go, Jack."
"After all she's done for this agency, after all she's been through- how can you deny her the one thing she needs to move on with her life?"
"It's not that simple. There are rules, Jack. Rules that I have to follow. I wish I could help Sydney, but-"
"You know she'll go with or without your permission." Jack gave Kendall a glare before exciting the room.
A sigh escaped Kendall's lips a few seconds later. With a small shake of his head he pulled out a pen and wrote on a small piece of paper. He then excited his office in search of Jack.
After scanning over the room a few times, Kendall's eyes caught sight of him leaving. Kendall began to walk faster. Once Jack was in sight, he called out his name. Jack stopped walking and looked expectantly toward the man.
"You left this in my office," he explained as he stepped close enough to hand Jack the paper.
With a glance down at the scrap in his hand, Jack nodded his thanks and agreement.
Sydney wasn't clear about what was going on. All she knew was that her father had told her Kendall's decision was a no, but to pack a few days worth of clothing for her and Luke. She had attempted to get more information from him, but he wouldn't give anything away.
"Are you ready to go?" Jack stepped inside the room, Luke in his arms.
Sydney wanted to inquire where they were going, but decided against it. With a nod, she shut the two suitcases she had packed and slowly stood. She began to pick up the suitcases. When she looked up at where her father stood, she knew what he was thinking. The doctor's orders about carrying anything. Even holding Luke was near crossing the line. With a sigh, she dropped the suitcases.
"It's only for two more weeks," Jack handed Luke to Sydney as he spoke.
This initiated another sigh to spring from her lips. "They can't come fast enough."
Her father smiled as he led Sydney and Luke outside to the car. Once they were inside and situated, Jack began to explain. "Kendall gave me this," he handed her the scrap of paper as he continued, "We're going to meet him."
Sydney looked down at the small paper. Hastily scribbled onto it were packing instructions, an address, and a time. She let this be enough of a reason to allow hope to resurface in her heart.
Chapter Four
Jack continued to bring boxes of Sydney's things from the closet. After her disappearance, Jack had gone to Sydney's apartment and gathered a majority of her belongings. Will and Francie were told of what had happened, and were advised to enter into witness protection- which they reluctantly did.
Sydney sat on her new bed, Luke in her arms, watching her father bring in box after box. She stopped watching when she felt a light tug on her hair. Luke's small fingers were tightly wrapped around a strand of her hair. A gummy smile appeared on his face as he pulled the strand up and down.
Sydney rolled over onto her back, lifting Luke into the air. She brought him down and gently laid him on her stomach. Placing his fingers up to her lips, Sydney pretended to eat them. This caused Luke's smile to enlarge, as well as Sydney's.
She looked into his happy blue eyes. Sydney adored him. She loved the way his eyes would sparkle and his toothless grin would appear. He would never have to try to win her heart, she had lost it to him from the beginning.
As Sydney thought about Luke and how much he'd grown in the month they had spent at the hospital, her father re-entered the room.
"This is the last one," he informed her, smiling as he caught sight of Sydney and Luke's smiling faces.
Sydney sat up. "Thanks, Dad."
He nodded in acknowledgment. "Do you want me to watch him for awhile so you can unpack?"
"Actually, if you don't mind, I'd like it if you stayed here for awhile."
Realizing this to be more of a plea than a request, Jack immediately agreed to stay. He unfolded a blanket on the floor and began to help Sydney unpack.
Sydney was happy to see her belongings. Her favorite clothes were all safely tucked away in a few boxes. In another box were some of her favorite books, CDs, and a book of photographs.
A smile spread across her face when she saw the captured moments. Included were some pictures of Sydney with Will and Francie, a few old photos of her with one of both of her parents, and even a couple of ones with Danny. The last filled in pages held pictures of Sydney and Vaughn.
She shut the book then, gently setting it aside. For a few moments she fought back tears. The memories the pictures held, while precious to her, were painful all the same. So much had changed since she'd been away. Too much had changed. It was overwhelming her, and she was sure it was noticeable.
"Sydney," her father's voice penetrated her thoughts. "I have a meeting with Kendall tomorrow to discuss your visit to the house."
It was then that Sydney realized that tears had begun to fall down her face. She gently wiped them away, only to make way for more tears to fall. Her foggy gaze turned from the floor to her father. Seeing the concern in his eyes, she tried to assure him, "I'm fine- really."
"No, Sweetheart, you're not. But you will be," he pulled her into his arms, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. "You will be."
The meeting between Kendall and Jack had gone relatively uneventful. There had been little yelling, no quarreling- only understanding. However, Kendall continued to protest.
"I can't allow her to go, Jack."
"After all she's done for this agency, after all she's been through- how can you deny her the one thing she needs to move on with her life?"
"It's not that simple. There are rules, Jack. Rules that I have to follow. I wish I could help Sydney, but-"
"You know she'll go with or without your permission." Jack gave Kendall a glare before exciting the room.
A sigh escaped Kendall's lips a few seconds later. With a small shake of his head he pulled out a pen and wrote on a small piece of paper. He then excited his office in search of Jack.
After scanning over the room a few times, Kendall's eyes caught sight of him leaving. Kendall began to walk faster. Once Jack was in sight, he called out his name. Jack stopped walking and looked expectantly toward the man.
"You left this in my office," he explained as he stepped close enough to hand Jack the paper.
With a glance down at the scrap in his hand, Jack nodded his thanks and agreement.
Sydney wasn't clear about what was going on. All she knew was that her father had told her Kendall's decision was a no, but to pack a few days worth of clothing for her and Luke. She had attempted to get more information from him, but he wouldn't give anything away.
"Are you ready to go?" Jack stepped inside the room, Luke in his arms.
Sydney wanted to inquire where they were going, but decided against it. With a nod, she shut the two suitcases she had packed and slowly stood. She began to pick up the suitcases. When she looked up at where her father stood, she knew what he was thinking. The doctor's orders about carrying anything. Even holding Luke was near crossing the line. With a sigh, she dropped the suitcases.
"It's only for two more weeks," Jack handed Luke to Sydney as he spoke.
This initiated another sigh to spring from her lips. "They can't come fast enough."
Her father smiled as he led Sydney and Luke outside to the car. Once they were inside and situated, Jack began to explain. "Kendall gave me this," he handed her the scrap of paper as he continued, "We're going to meet him."
Sydney looked down at the small paper. Hastily scribbled onto it were packing instructions, an address, and a time. She let this be enough of a reason to allow hope to resurface in her heart.