Title: This Tear
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Note: Ok, well, thanks again for all the reviews. Assuming you all saw "Phase One" on Sunday, you know what a difficult position I'm now in. My story no longer makes any sense with the show whatsoever. So you know what? Oh well! In this world, "Phase One" never happened, although in the real Alias world, THANK GOD it did!!! Oh my God, that was the most amazing episode ever! Every bit of it had me screaming and gripping the arms of my friend's couch. It was unbelievable. And that kiss. I don't even have to go into that, you guys know how amazing that was. And for any of you who were wondering. 41 seconds. I timed it hehehe. Such a good first kiss!
Dedication: This is for whoever wrote in that kiss in "Phase One." THANK YOU! * * * * * * * * * * * *
"So, doctor, what exactly are my chances?" Sydney asked, knowing that this was the one thing she simply needed to know.
"Well, it's a little early to tell. Your odds mainly depend on how well you respond to treatments," the doctor said, not quite making eye contact with her as he took down the X-ray and put it back in the folder.
"I know you must have some idea. Please," Sydney pleaded. He looked at her, the look in his eyes very grim. Sydney suddenly felt her heart speed up a little and her breath seemed to be caught in her throat as she waited for the doctor's reply.
"Generally, given your type of tumor, the rate of survival is around 50%."
For the second time in as many days, Sydney felt like the breath had been knocked out of her. Her life had suddenly been turned into a game of chance and luck. Almost like a coin toss.
Heads: she lived.
Tails: she didn't. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 3: It Begins
It was probably a full minute before Sydney could tune back in to what the doctor was saying.
"We're going to want to keep you here for a little while in order to start treatment. We'll probably have to try a few different kinds of chemotherapy, different combinations, before we settle on the right one. And yes, they will make you pretty sick. Once we get you settled on a treatment that works without making you too sick, you'll be able to go home and continue treatment as an outpatient. Do you have any questions?" Unable to speak, Sydney merely shook her head. "Ok, well I've scheduled your first treatment for later this afternoon. A nurse will come and take you down to the treatment room. I'll check in on you again later today."
"Thank you, doctor," Sydney managed to get out before the doctor left the room. She took a deep breath to compose herself, knowing it was important she maintain a positive attitude, at least for Francie's sake.
It was mere seconds before Francie re-entered the room, but Sydney was surprised to see Will come in behind her.
"Look who just dropped by," Francie said, gesturing to Will.
"Hey, Syd," Will said, walking over and giving Sydney a quick hug. When he pulled back, he looked at her very seriously. "So what's the word?"
Sydney took a minute to look at both of them, considering exactly how much to tell them before it hit her. She'd had to lie to them about so much in her life. Even now that she could tell Will certain things about her secret life as a spy, she was still forced to withhold so much. But this. She didn't have to hide this from them. If anyone would be there for her through this whole ordeal, it was going to be the two of them. This was one thing, no matter how hard it would be for them to hear, that she needed to be honest about. No lying this time. So she told them everything.
When she'd finished, there was a long silence. Both looked as if they were frantically wracking their brains for the right thing to say. It almost made Sydney want to laugh. Had the situation not been so serious, she probably would've.
"Syd, I am so sorry," Will finally said, his voice painfully sad. "Is there anything we can do?"
"You guys have already done so much. Thanks for being here," she said to both of them, her gaze landing on Francie, waiting for her to say something.
"What time's your first treatment?" She finally asked.
"Later this afternoon," Sydney told her.
"Okay, well, I'm staying," she stated, setting down her stuff on a chair near Sydney's bed as if to emphasize what she was saying.
"No, Francie, absolutely not. You have so many things you could be doing that would be a much better use of your time than sitting here with me while I'm sick. I won't even be good company," Sydney argued.
"Forget it, Syd. You're not arguing me out of this one. I already let you come in for testing by yourself. I'm not your best friend to abandon you during difficult times, you know. I'm staying. That's final," she said, the look in her eyes all but daring Sydney to argue with her.
Sydney sighed. "Fine, you win. But you are absolutely not staying overnight. I don't care how long I'm sick for, you are going home and sleeping in your own bed."
Francie looked as if she was about to argue for a moment, but instead, she simply nodded. "Deal," she said. "In the meantime, I'm going to go get some of your things from home and check in real quick at the restaurant. I'll be back soon, ok?"
"Great. Thanks, Francie." Francie walked over and hugged Sydney tightly. When she pulled back, they both smiled at each other. She then walked over to Will and gave him a quick hug.
"See ya, Will."
"Bye," Will replied, watching Francie leave and then going over and sitting next to Sydney's bed. "So."
"So." Sydney repeated.
"What are you going to do about work?" Will asked.
"The bank already knows. I'm on medical leave," Sydney told him, putting the slightest emphasis on the word "bank." Will, nodded, understanding her meaning. They weren't safe to talk here.
"So, how do you feel? I mean, how are you taking. everything?" Will asked cautiously.
"I don't think it's really all sunk in yet. I guess I'm still kind of in shock," she replied.
"Understandable."
"Let's talk about something else. How's work?" She asked him.
"Good. it's good. It's nice to be doing something real again, you know? Not waiting tables at the restaurant. I finally feel like I have a purpose again," he replied.
"Will, that's fantastic. I'm so glad they gave you that job. I think you're perfect for it. The travel magazine is lucky to have you," Sydney said, wishing she could fully express how glad she was that Will was now with the CIA also, but she knew that was impossible given where she was.
"Speaking of which, I actually have to get back there. I came on my lunch break, I'm supposed to be back in about fifteen minutes. I'm sorry," Will said, obviously wishing he could stay with her.
"That's fine. That'll actually give me some time to get some work done for school."
"You're going to try to keep up with your classes?" Will asked, slightly surprised.
"I've been able to so far while working at the bank. This can't be too much harder," she said, smiling at him.
"Very true," Will said, getting up. "Ok, well, I'll stop by sometime tomorrow and see how you're doing."
"Okay," she said as they embraced. Will smiled at her and then turned to walk away. "Will, wait," she said, stopping him. "Um, let me write down the phone number here so you can call me and let me know when you're coming tomorrow, ok?"
"Yeah, sure," he said, walking back over to her bed. She reached over to the table next to her bed and got out a notepad that was sitting there. She tore off a piece of paper and started writing. When she was finished, she folded it once and handed it to him. Will took the piece of paper and looked down at it quickly and read it.
Please tell Vaughn everything.
Will looked up at her, quickly hiding his surprise. He nodded at her. They said their goodbyes and he left, leaving Sydney alone with her thoughts. She suddenly remembered that she hadn't yet told her father anything. How in the world was she supposed to tell him something like this? Having absolutely no idea, she simply picked up the phone and dialed his cell phone number, deciding she'd just say whatever came to mind. She never got the chance, though. The phone rang and rang, but she only got voice mail. She knew she couldn't tell her father that she had a brain tumor over his voice mail, so she hung up. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Half an hour later, Sydney had books and notebooks open on her lap. She trying to get as much school work as she could done before Francie came back. She was still writing something down when she heard the door open. She didn't bother looking up, already knowing it was Francie coming back with some of her stuff from home.
"Hey Francie," she said, finishing her sentence in her notebook.
"Hello, Sydney." Sydney quickly looked up, surprised at the male voice.
"Dad! What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" She waited for him to answer, but instead found herself watching as he took something out of his pocket. She quickly recognized it as a bug killer. He clicked it on and walked over to her bed.
"What's going on, Dad? I just tried calling you a little while ago."
"I know, but I was already on my way here. I'd rather discuss this in person," Jack said, his voice very serious.
"Dad, what's going on?" Sydney asked, incredibly confused.
"If you're asking how I found out, Sloane told me. He was under the impression I already knew," Jack explained, obviously angry with her.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I just found out yesterday. I didn't want to tell you until I knew everything. Sloane certainly didn't give me much of a chance," Sydney told him, her voice full of disgust.
"We have to talk quickly. We only have another 90 seconds. We are going to have to be very careful about this. I know you've probably questioned how much you can trust the doctors here. I have, too. There's a doctor, he's CIA, and I trust him. I'm having him go over all of your test results. He's going to verify that the doctors here are giving you the right treatments-" Jack was cut off when the bug killer beeped, signaling the end of their time to talk freely. "So, Sydney. how are you feeling?" He asked her, his features softening.
"I'm feeling fine," Sydney said, realizing the conversation was quickly growing awkward.
"When do you start treatment?"
"My first session of chemo is this afternoon," she responded, looking into his eyes. They looked so sad all of a sudden.
"Do you, um, do you need somebody to stay with you?" He asked, surprising her.
"Oh, um, Francie offered to stay. She should be back here any minute," she replied, thankful now that she had agreed to let Francie stay. Though her and Jack had been growing closer lately, she certainly wasn't ready to let him see her in the state she knew she'd be in after chemo.
"Oh, well, just so long as you have someone with you. That's good. Well, I should get going. It was good to see you," he said, leaning over somewhat awkwardly and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"You too," she said as he started towards the door. "Dad?" She called, catching him just as he was about to walk out. He turned around and looked at her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome, honey." And with that, he left. * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey. Thanks for coming," Will said as Vaughn entered the back room of the post office.
"No problem," Vaughn said, walking over to Will and shaking his hand. "What's up?"
"It's Sydney."
Instantly Vaughn's face changed. His forehead wrinkled and his eyes took on a look of pure terror. "What about her? Is she okay?"
"Oh, no, she's fine. I mean, at least for the time being she is. She just had all that testing today, you know, and she asked me to tell you the results," Will explained. There was an awkward silence.
"They weren't good, were they?" Vaughn asked, easily reading the look on Will's face.
"No, not really. Um, they told her that the tumor was cancerous and that they couldn't operate on it until they'd treated and shrunk it. She has to stay in the hospital for her first few sessions of chemo. After she adjusts, they're going to send her home and have her continue treatment as an outpatient."
Vaughn bit his lip and looked down at the ground. Will could see that he was obviously stricken by the news. "How's she taking it?"
"You know Syd. She's pissed that she can't work, but she won't cry about it. Honestly, I think it hit her pretty hard, but she'll be okay. She's strong like that," Will said.
"Yeah, I know," Vaughn said sincerely. Will nodded in understanding. "So, um, did the doctors say anything about the success rate of the treatments? I mean, do they have any idea of her chances?"
Will closed his eyes for a second, knowing that this news would be particularly hard to deliver. "Yeah, they did actually. They said the survival rate was around 50%."
Vaughn felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach and had the wind knocked out of him. He suddenly found himself backing up and lowering himself in a nearby chair, because he felt as if his legs could no longer hold him up. He leaned over and buried his face in his hands. Will watched him sadly, understanding completely what Vaughn was feeling. They both cared for Sydney very deeply.
It was a few minutes before Vaughn looked back up at Will. While he wasn't crying, his eyes clearly reflected the pain he was feeling. "Can you just tell her. tell her I hope everything goes well. I know you can't actually tell her it's me, because of the security. Just um. Tell her it's from a friend at school, Joey. Say that you ran into me at a pizza place. She'll understand."
"I'll tell her," Will assured him.
"Can you keep me informed? You know, on how she's doing?" Vaughn asked.
"Of course."
"Thank you." * * * * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, Sydney had just finished her first chemotherapy session. When she'd arrived back in her bed, she'd slept for about an hour. She woke up feeling horrible. Immediately, she'd grabbed for the basin that the nurse had left for her and thrown up repeatedly. Francie sat with her, holding her hair back and getting her water. The nurse checked in frequently, assuring her that her symptoms were perfectly normal. Sydney wasn't sure if that was meant to be assuring, but it certainly wasn't when she was heaving into a basin.
When there was nothing left in her stomach, she was finally able to fall back against her pillows, her energy completely spent. Francie fussed over her, asking her if she wanted more water or another blanket or a washcloth. Sydney shook her head.
"Syd, is there *anything* I can do? I just feel so helpless. I hate seeing you so sick," Francie said, obviously upset.
"It's okay, Francie. You're being here helps more than you know. Just- just talk to me about the restaurant or something. Take my mind off all this," Sydney suggested.
"Okay, um- oh! I didn't tell you about the asshole that came in the other day, did I? Oh Syd, you wouldn't *believe* this guy!" Sydney closed her eyes and listened as Francie told her very animated story. She tried to focus on Francie's voice instead of the nausea that seemed to consume her entire being. Finally, she succeeded and started to drift off. The last thing she thought before sleep overcame her was:
*Why* did this have to happen to me?
To be continued.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Please please please review!!! I've been sick all week and reviews would make me feel soooo much better hehehe. Ok, so I know there hasn't been much S/V yet in the story, but trust me there will be. There's going to be a major plot thing soon that I'm sure most of you will like, I just have to work my way there. So don't fear, they will see each other again soon. And I promise I'll try to have the next part up this weekend. Of course, if I get some reviews to fuel me, I might even have it up tomorrow sometime. Hint hint lol.
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Note: Ok, well, thanks again for all the reviews. Assuming you all saw "Phase One" on Sunday, you know what a difficult position I'm now in. My story no longer makes any sense with the show whatsoever. So you know what? Oh well! In this world, "Phase One" never happened, although in the real Alias world, THANK GOD it did!!! Oh my God, that was the most amazing episode ever! Every bit of it had me screaming and gripping the arms of my friend's couch. It was unbelievable. And that kiss. I don't even have to go into that, you guys know how amazing that was. And for any of you who were wondering. 41 seconds. I timed it hehehe. Such a good first kiss!
Dedication: This is for whoever wrote in that kiss in "Phase One." THANK YOU! * * * * * * * * * * * *
"So, doctor, what exactly are my chances?" Sydney asked, knowing that this was the one thing she simply needed to know.
"Well, it's a little early to tell. Your odds mainly depend on how well you respond to treatments," the doctor said, not quite making eye contact with her as he took down the X-ray and put it back in the folder.
"I know you must have some idea. Please," Sydney pleaded. He looked at her, the look in his eyes very grim. Sydney suddenly felt her heart speed up a little and her breath seemed to be caught in her throat as she waited for the doctor's reply.
"Generally, given your type of tumor, the rate of survival is around 50%."
For the second time in as many days, Sydney felt like the breath had been knocked out of her. Her life had suddenly been turned into a game of chance and luck. Almost like a coin toss.
Heads: she lived.
Tails: she didn't. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 3: It Begins
It was probably a full minute before Sydney could tune back in to what the doctor was saying.
"We're going to want to keep you here for a little while in order to start treatment. We'll probably have to try a few different kinds of chemotherapy, different combinations, before we settle on the right one. And yes, they will make you pretty sick. Once we get you settled on a treatment that works without making you too sick, you'll be able to go home and continue treatment as an outpatient. Do you have any questions?" Unable to speak, Sydney merely shook her head. "Ok, well I've scheduled your first treatment for later this afternoon. A nurse will come and take you down to the treatment room. I'll check in on you again later today."
"Thank you, doctor," Sydney managed to get out before the doctor left the room. She took a deep breath to compose herself, knowing it was important she maintain a positive attitude, at least for Francie's sake.
It was mere seconds before Francie re-entered the room, but Sydney was surprised to see Will come in behind her.
"Look who just dropped by," Francie said, gesturing to Will.
"Hey, Syd," Will said, walking over and giving Sydney a quick hug. When he pulled back, he looked at her very seriously. "So what's the word?"
Sydney took a minute to look at both of them, considering exactly how much to tell them before it hit her. She'd had to lie to them about so much in her life. Even now that she could tell Will certain things about her secret life as a spy, she was still forced to withhold so much. But this. She didn't have to hide this from them. If anyone would be there for her through this whole ordeal, it was going to be the two of them. This was one thing, no matter how hard it would be for them to hear, that she needed to be honest about. No lying this time. So she told them everything.
When she'd finished, there was a long silence. Both looked as if they were frantically wracking their brains for the right thing to say. It almost made Sydney want to laugh. Had the situation not been so serious, she probably would've.
"Syd, I am so sorry," Will finally said, his voice painfully sad. "Is there anything we can do?"
"You guys have already done so much. Thanks for being here," she said to both of them, her gaze landing on Francie, waiting for her to say something.
"What time's your first treatment?" She finally asked.
"Later this afternoon," Sydney told her.
"Okay, well, I'm staying," she stated, setting down her stuff on a chair near Sydney's bed as if to emphasize what she was saying.
"No, Francie, absolutely not. You have so many things you could be doing that would be a much better use of your time than sitting here with me while I'm sick. I won't even be good company," Sydney argued.
"Forget it, Syd. You're not arguing me out of this one. I already let you come in for testing by yourself. I'm not your best friend to abandon you during difficult times, you know. I'm staying. That's final," she said, the look in her eyes all but daring Sydney to argue with her.
Sydney sighed. "Fine, you win. But you are absolutely not staying overnight. I don't care how long I'm sick for, you are going home and sleeping in your own bed."
Francie looked as if she was about to argue for a moment, but instead, she simply nodded. "Deal," she said. "In the meantime, I'm going to go get some of your things from home and check in real quick at the restaurant. I'll be back soon, ok?"
"Great. Thanks, Francie." Francie walked over and hugged Sydney tightly. When she pulled back, they both smiled at each other. She then walked over to Will and gave him a quick hug.
"See ya, Will."
"Bye," Will replied, watching Francie leave and then going over and sitting next to Sydney's bed. "So."
"So." Sydney repeated.
"What are you going to do about work?" Will asked.
"The bank already knows. I'm on medical leave," Sydney told him, putting the slightest emphasis on the word "bank." Will, nodded, understanding her meaning. They weren't safe to talk here.
"So, how do you feel? I mean, how are you taking. everything?" Will asked cautiously.
"I don't think it's really all sunk in yet. I guess I'm still kind of in shock," she replied.
"Understandable."
"Let's talk about something else. How's work?" She asked him.
"Good. it's good. It's nice to be doing something real again, you know? Not waiting tables at the restaurant. I finally feel like I have a purpose again," he replied.
"Will, that's fantastic. I'm so glad they gave you that job. I think you're perfect for it. The travel magazine is lucky to have you," Sydney said, wishing she could fully express how glad she was that Will was now with the CIA also, but she knew that was impossible given where she was.
"Speaking of which, I actually have to get back there. I came on my lunch break, I'm supposed to be back in about fifteen minutes. I'm sorry," Will said, obviously wishing he could stay with her.
"That's fine. That'll actually give me some time to get some work done for school."
"You're going to try to keep up with your classes?" Will asked, slightly surprised.
"I've been able to so far while working at the bank. This can't be too much harder," she said, smiling at him.
"Very true," Will said, getting up. "Ok, well, I'll stop by sometime tomorrow and see how you're doing."
"Okay," she said as they embraced. Will smiled at her and then turned to walk away. "Will, wait," she said, stopping him. "Um, let me write down the phone number here so you can call me and let me know when you're coming tomorrow, ok?"
"Yeah, sure," he said, walking back over to her bed. She reached over to the table next to her bed and got out a notepad that was sitting there. She tore off a piece of paper and started writing. When she was finished, she folded it once and handed it to him. Will took the piece of paper and looked down at it quickly and read it.
Please tell Vaughn everything.
Will looked up at her, quickly hiding his surprise. He nodded at her. They said their goodbyes and he left, leaving Sydney alone with her thoughts. She suddenly remembered that she hadn't yet told her father anything. How in the world was she supposed to tell him something like this? Having absolutely no idea, she simply picked up the phone and dialed his cell phone number, deciding she'd just say whatever came to mind. She never got the chance, though. The phone rang and rang, but she only got voice mail. She knew she couldn't tell her father that she had a brain tumor over his voice mail, so she hung up. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Half an hour later, Sydney had books and notebooks open on her lap. She trying to get as much school work as she could done before Francie came back. She was still writing something down when she heard the door open. She didn't bother looking up, already knowing it was Francie coming back with some of her stuff from home.
"Hey Francie," she said, finishing her sentence in her notebook.
"Hello, Sydney." Sydney quickly looked up, surprised at the male voice.
"Dad! What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" She waited for him to answer, but instead found herself watching as he took something out of his pocket. She quickly recognized it as a bug killer. He clicked it on and walked over to her bed.
"What's going on, Dad? I just tried calling you a little while ago."
"I know, but I was already on my way here. I'd rather discuss this in person," Jack said, his voice very serious.
"Dad, what's going on?" Sydney asked, incredibly confused.
"If you're asking how I found out, Sloane told me. He was under the impression I already knew," Jack explained, obviously angry with her.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I just found out yesterday. I didn't want to tell you until I knew everything. Sloane certainly didn't give me much of a chance," Sydney told him, her voice full of disgust.
"We have to talk quickly. We only have another 90 seconds. We are going to have to be very careful about this. I know you've probably questioned how much you can trust the doctors here. I have, too. There's a doctor, he's CIA, and I trust him. I'm having him go over all of your test results. He's going to verify that the doctors here are giving you the right treatments-" Jack was cut off when the bug killer beeped, signaling the end of their time to talk freely. "So, Sydney. how are you feeling?" He asked her, his features softening.
"I'm feeling fine," Sydney said, realizing the conversation was quickly growing awkward.
"When do you start treatment?"
"My first session of chemo is this afternoon," she responded, looking into his eyes. They looked so sad all of a sudden.
"Do you, um, do you need somebody to stay with you?" He asked, surprising her.
"Oh, um, Francie offered to stay. She should be back here any minute," she replied, thankful now that she had agreed to let Francie stay. Though her and Jack had been growing closer lately, she certainly wasn't ready to let him see her in the state she knew she'd be in after chemo.
"Oh, well, just so long as you have someone with you. That's good. Well, I should get going. It was good to see you," he said, leaning over somewhat awkwardly and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"You too," she said as he started towards the door. "Dad?" She called, catching him just as he was about to walk out. He turned around and looked at her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome, honey." And with that, he left. * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey. Thanks for coming," Will said as Vaughn entered the back room of the post office.
"No problem," Vaughn said, walking over to Will and shaking his hand. "What's up?"
"It's Sydney."
Instantly Vaughn's face changed. His forehead wrinkled and his eyes took on a look of pure terror. "What about her? Is she okay?"
"Oh, no, she's fine. I mean, at least for the time being she is. She just had all that testing today, you know, and she asked me to tell you the results," Will explained. There was an awkward silence.
"They weren't good, were they?" Vaughn asked, easily reading the look on Will's face.
"No, not really. Um, they told her that the tumor was cancerous and that they couldn't operate on it until they'd treated and shrunk it. She has to stay in the hospital for her first few sessions of chemo. After she adjusts, they're going to send her home and have her continue treatment as an outpatient."
Vaughn bit his lip and looked down at the ground. Will could see that he was obviously stricken by the news. "How's she taking it?"
"You know Syd. She's pissed that she can't work, but she won't cry about it. Honestly, I think it hit her pretty hard, but she'll be okay. She's strong like that," Will said.
"Yeah, I know," Vaughn said sincerely. Will nodded in understanding. "So, um, did the doctors say anything about the success rate of the treatments? I mean, do they have any idea of her chances?"
Will closed his eyes for a second, knowing that this news would be particularly hard to deliver. "Yeah, they did actually. They said the survival rate was around 50%."
Vaughn felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach and had the wind knocked out of him. He suddenly found himself backing up and lowering himself in a nearby chair, because he felt as if his legs could no longer hold him up. He leaned over and buried his face in his hands. Will watched him sadly, understanding completely what Vaughn was feeling. They both cared for Sydney very deeply.
It was a few minutes before Vaughn looked back up at Will. While he wasn't crying, his eyes clearly reflected the pain he was feeling. "Can you just tell her. tell her I hope everything goes well. I know you can't actually tell her it's me, because of the security. Just um. Tell her it's from a friend at school, Joey. Say that you ran into me at a pizza place. She'll understand."
"I'll tell her," Will assured him.
"Can you keep me informed? You know, on how she's doing?" Vaughn asked.
"Of course."
"Thank you." * * * * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, Sydney had just finished her first chemotherapy session. When she'd arrived back in her bed, she'd slept for about an hour. She woke up feeling horrible. Immediately, she'd grabbed for the basin that the nurse had left for her and thrown up repeatedly. Francie sat with her, holding her hair back and getting her water. The nurse checked in frequently, assuring her that her symptoms were perfectly normal. Sydney wasn't sure if that was meant to be assuring, but it certainly wasn't when she was heaving into a basin.
When there was nothing left in her stomach, she was finally able to fall back against her pillows, her energy completely spent. Francie fussed over her, asking her if she wanted more water or another blanket or a washcloth. Sydney shook her head.
"Syd, is there *anything* I can do? I just feel so helpless. I hate seeing you so sick," Francie said, obviously upset.
"It's okay, Francie. You're being here helps more than you know. Just- just talk to me about the restaurant or something. Take my mind off all this," Sydney suggested.
"Okay, um- oh! I didn't tell you about the asshole that came in the other day, did I? Oh Syd, you wouldn't *believe* this guy!" Sydney closed her eyes and listened as Francie told her very animated story. She tried to focus on Francie's voice instead of the nausea that seemed to consume her entire being. Finally, she succeeded and started to drift off. The last thing she thought before sleep overcame her was:
*Why* did this have to happen to me?
To be continued.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Please please please review!!! I've been sick all week and reviews would make me feel soooo much better hehehe. Ok, so I know there hasn't been much S/V yet in the story, but trust me there will be. There's going to be a major plot thing soon that I'm sure most of you will like, I just have to work my way there. So don't fear, they will see each other again soon. And I promise I'll try to have the next part up this weekend. Of course, if I get some reviews to fuel me, I might even have it up tomorrow sometime. Hint hint lol.