Title: This Tear
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Notes: Well it's been crazy lately, but I tried to get this chapter out as soon as I could. Like I said, these chapters now are pretty important ones, and I'm sure you'll soon understand why. Anyway, I'm headed home for 8 days for Thanksgiving so I don't know how much writing I'll be able to do since I haven't been home in over four months and have a lot of catching up to do. Then again, I won't have homework, so hopefully I'll be able to do some writing. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"That's fine, she might as well hear this too. I suppose all of you should," Jack said, half to himself. Weiss gave Vaughn a questioning look, both men obviously confused by Jack's odd behavior.
"Jack, what's going on?" Vaughn asked.
"They've found something. I think it's best that Dr. Bentz finish her check- up later. This is something you should hear from me. Right now."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 35: The Decision
Vaughn knocked briefly on the bedroom door before opening it slightly and peaking his head in. Aly had a stethoscope pressed to Sydney's chest, but had turned to look at him, as had Sydney.
"Hey," he said apologetically. "Syd, your dad's here. He says he has something important to tell us."
"Can he come back later? Sydney really needs to get some rest," Aly told him. Vaughn looked at Sydney and knew instantly that Aly was right. Sydney looked as if she were about to fall over. The head of the bed was raised so she could sit, but she was supported entirely by the pillows behind her. She looked pale and exhausted. Vaughn realized that, even though it was only the afternoon, it had already been an incredibly long day for her.
"He says it's important," Vaughn finally said, half-wishing he could ask Jack to come back later.
"It's okay. He can come in," Sydney assured them both. Aly took off her stethoscope and began to put it away. Vaughn took this as a sign of permission and stepped back out into the living room. Jack and Weiss both stood by the table in the dining area. They both immediately looked over at Vaughn. He nodded. Jack walked over, past Vaughn, and into the bedroom. Vaughn followed him and Weiss entered last. Aly stood next to Sydney's bed now, a look of disapproval somewhat evident on her face. Vaughn watched Jack grab a chair and drag it so that it was next to the side of her bed closest to the window. Vaughn opted to squeeze past Aly and sit on the edge of the bed. Sydney immediately reached for his hand when he sat and he took it, no longer caring if Jack noticed. Weiss walked over and stood beside Aly. Once everyone was settled, they all looked to Jack to begin.
"I'm sorry to drive over here without warning, but I thought it best that you hear this from me. As you know, agents have been gathering everything they can from the SD-6 offices. We were finally able to gain access to the vault yesterday and we found a significant collection of Rambaldi artifacts. One of the artifacts we found was a manuscript with three bottles of liquid bound to it. Our analysts worked on translating and testing it and they finally determined what it was. Do you remember that flower we found in India, Sydney? The proof of Rambaldi's ability to prolong life, perhaps indefinitely?" Sydney nodded wordlessly. "The manuscript described a machine Rambaldi had built that produced three kinds of formulas. One supposedly slowed or even halted the aging process, one healed injuries, and one... one cured illnesses. These liquids were to be injected directly into the blood stream once a year. We believe he used this technology to repay favors, such as the clockmaker, Giovanni Donato. The manuscript also describes the destruction of this device so as not to give the people of the future too much power. We believe he injected enough of the solutions into the soil of the flower and then left a year's amount of each solution to siply prove to us that the technology did once exist. We have the solutions, but there's no way, without testing them on a person, to know if they work. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I've put in a request that they be given to Sydney, at least the solution used for illnesses. They're considering the request now. We should know within the next day or two," Jack finished, looking from Weiss to Aly to Vaughn and finally to Sydney.
The entire room was sheathed in silence. Everyone was still, stunned by what Jack had just said. Sydney's grip on Vaughn's hand had become something of a death-grip. After a few seconds of gaping at Jack, he finally risked looking at her. She wasn't looking to her father anymore, her gaze now fixed on her lap. Vaughn realized suddenly that everyone was now looking at her, waiting for her to say something. She seemed completely unaware, though, obviously still trying to take everything in.
"How do we know Sloane didn't plant them? How do we know it's not a fake?" Sydney asked finally, still not meeting anyone's eyes.
"All the tests checked out. As far as we can tell, the manuscript seems authentic. I suppose it's possible that Sloane planted the solutions, but we have no way of knowing unless he decided to cooperate. So far, he's refused to speak a word to any of our agents. That's why they need to be tested," Jack replied.
"I don't know how comfortable I'd feel being the CIA's lab rat," Sydney said quietly.
"Sydney, don't be ridiculous. This is your life we're talking about," her father remarked strongly.
"Yes, it is," she replied seriously, finally looking into his eyes, causing Jack to instantly shut his mouth. "If I were to agree to this, I would only agree to having the one solution tested on me."
"I'll make sure they know that," Jack assured her.
"I'll need some time to think about it," she insisted.
"You'll have until the decision is made. Once it's been decided, you'll need to accept it right away or they'll reconsider quickly. That gives you at least another twenty-four hours."
"Okay," she replied softly. Everyone fell silent again for a few moments.
"I think that's enough for now," Aly announced before turning to Sydney. "You should try to rest for a while." Sydney simply nodded. Jack rose from his chair and headed toward the door, Weiss and Aly close behind him. Vaughn started to rise from the bed, but Sydney quickly gripped his hand.
"Stay for a minute," she requested. He nodded at her and turned to watch everyone leave. To his credit, Jack didn't object or even shoot Vaughn a disapproving look as he left. Aly was the last person out and nodded her understanding, closing the door behind her. Vaughn then turned back to Sydney. Her eyes were already drooping, begging to finally be able to rest. Vaughn knew she'd more than overdone it for the day.
"You okay?" He asked softly. She looked away from him and sighed.
"It's a lot to take in," she replied seriously. She paused a moment before looking back into his eyes. "We need to talk about this."
"Yes, we do, but not now," Vaughn replied. He noticed Sydney about to argue, but cut her off before she had the chance. "Syd, you're exhausted. Just rest for a while. Once you're rested, we'll talk, I promise," he assured her. The look in her eyes instantly told him he'd won this round.
"Okay," she acquiesced.
"Do you want to lay down more?" He asked, feeling for the switch on the side of the bed.
"Can you recline it just a little more?" She requested. He flipped the switch, lowering the head of the bed slightly.
"Good?"
"Yeah," she replied as he leaned over her a little more so she could still look into his eyes. He reached out and cupped her cheek, his thumb running over her smooth skin. She managed a small, tired smile. He leaned down and kissed her softly, pressing his lips to hers with an incredible gentleness. When he pulled back, her eyes opened slightly, gazing at him through heavy lids.
Seeing her this way suddenly made Vaughn realize how fragile her life had become. If he were to catch a cold and pass it on to her, it could very well mean the end of her life. She was like a wilting flower that he was desperately trying to keep watering, fighting to prolong its life. He watched her eyes close and realize that these moments could very well be the last ones of his life with a semblance of happiness. These would be some of the moments he looked back at and, though they were painful, would long to revisit for the rest of his life. All too soon, Sydney would most likely be gone, taking a significant part of him with her. He would go on, of course, because he owed her at least that much. His life would never be whole again, though. He would be forever incomplete.
And here they were being presented a chance, though somewhat desperate, to keep her with them. To keep his world turning. He wanted to respect her decisions as he always had, but he didn't honestly know how he would be able to let this chance simply pass them by. Not when it meant losing everything.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney walked with Vaughn toward Kendall's office. She suddenly couldn't remember why they were being called in, but followed Vaughn anyway, figuring she'd soon find out. Vaughn knocked on Kendall's door and heard their boss summon him inside. Vaughn opened the door and Sydney entered, feeling him right behind her. She stood next to him, waiting for Kendall to speak.
"I was told you wanted to meet with me," Kendall said, looking at Vaughn. Sydney immediately looked at him as well, her eyes questioning. Vaughn had been the one that called the meeting? She didn't understand.
"Yes, sir," Vaughn replied. He handed Kendall a piece of paper. Sydney tried to catch his gaze to get some kind of answer, but he wouldn't look at her. She watched Kendall skim over the contents of the paper, his face falling.
"Agent Vaughn, I really hope you'll reconsider. I've offered an extended leave of absence. I suggest you take it. You're not in the right state of mind to be making decisions like this," Kendall said forcefully. A leave of absence? Why was Vaughn asking for a leave of absence? What was on that piece of paper? Sydney's mind raced as she tried to piece it all together.
"With all due respect, sir, I know what I'm doing. It's what I want. It's *my* decision and I've made it. I just can't do this anymore," Vaughn argued. His voice was filled with such pain and Sydney swore she saw tears in his eyes. Was Vaughn resigning?
"As much as I wish you'd take more time to think about it, you're right. It *is* your decision and I have to respect that," Kendall said, standing. "Good luck, Agent Vaughn." The two men shook hands silently before Vaughn turned and quickly left. Sydney stood there, stunned. She hadn't understood a single thing that had just happened. Why was Vaughn leaving the CIA? Was he leaving her as well? She turned to go after him.
The next thing she knew she was walking behind Vaughn again. They were outside now, the sun hidden completely behind the gray clouds. Sydney couldn't remember how she'd gotten there. She looked back and saw his car parked behind them. She guessed he'd driven them. She watched as he weaved his way through the stone and marble and it suddenly occurred to her. They were in a cemetery.
Vaughn obviously knew where he was going and found it easily, stopping at a small slab of stone. He gazed down at it for a few seconds before crouching down to set some flowers in front of it, blocking the same from her sight. She guessed it was his father. His head was down now, but Sydney noticed his shoulders begin to shake. A sob suddenly broke free of his mouth and Sydney immediately crouched behind him, placing her hand on his back and beginning to rub soothing circles into his skin. Perhaps it wasn't his father he was here to pay respect to. Maybe it was someone more recent. Why couldn't she remember?
"Syd," he said in a strangled whisper.
"I'm here," she assured him. His cries grew stronger suddenly and it broke her heart to see him in so much pain. She wanted to curse God for whatever it was Vaughn had been put through. The strength of Vaughn's crying brought him down to his knees suddenly, allowing Sydney to finally read the first line of engraving. Her heart stopped and her entire body went cold.
Sydney Ann Bristow.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney's eyes shot open, searching the room wildly, her breathing erratic. Suddenly Vaughn was there, in a chair next to the bed, leaning over her. She realized she was still in the room in Malibu. It had all been a dream. Finally, her heart-rate and breathing began to return to normal. She focused on Vaughn, who looked extremely concerned.
"Syd, are you okay? Do you need something for pain?" He asked quickly. She shook her head and reached out for his hand.
"No, I'm okay," she assured him.
"Dream?" He asked knowingly. She didn't respond, but her eyes gave him all the affirmation he needed. "You want to talk about it?"
"Not now. There's too much else we have to talk about," she reminded him. Vaughn nodded somberly. "I know you think I should try it."
Vaughn sighed. "I can't pretend to want you to make this decision on your own, regardless of what it is. I do want you to try it. The possibility of not losing you, of being able to spend my live with you and give you everything else you had on that list of yours....I just don't see how either of us can just ignore it. At the same time, I don't want to force you to subject yourself to more pain, especially if there doesn't end up being any results for it. I want this to be your decision, but I won't deny that I hope you'll include my thoughts when you make that decision," Vaughn explained.
"I just don't want to get my hopes up again... or yours," Sydney said quietly.
"I know. I understand. But, Syd... it would be so much easier to have had one last hope crushed than to spend my whole life wondering if you'd still be with me if we'd tried this."
Sydney looked into his eyes, realizing that her dream was more than likely a dead-on premonition of his future if she died. Although she'd insisted to her father that it was her life and her decision, the truth was that this decision affected more lives than just hers. And as much as she'd been able to accept her fate since the doctor had given her final prognosis, the truth was... she wanted to live.
"Okay. I'll do it."
There was a moment of silence, Vaughn looking into her eyes as if waiting to hear her take it back. She stared back at him, assuring him that she *had* just made her decision, that she was going to keep fighting.
The way his face suddenly broke into a smile and the way he crushed his lips to hers suddenly told her she was doing the right thing.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Vaughn called Jack as soon as he left Sydney's room and told him happily of Sydney's decision. Jack was obviously as relieved as Vaughn and explained that he would come by later to take care of something having to do with the matter. He told Vaughn he'd explain when he arrived. After that was taken care of, Vaughn sat, work out, on the living room couch, where Weiss and Aly already sat. The heavy events of the day were evident on all of their faces.
"This is surreal," Weiss finally muttered, breaking the silence in the room. "Do you think the CIA will let Sydney do this?"
"They'd better. If not for her, they wouldn't even have those solutions. They wouldn't have half the Rambaldi artifacts they have now. She's one of this office's more valuable agents. There's no way they can hang her out to dry like that," Vaughn replied strongly.
"As much as I'd like to share your thinking, you should be aware that they're going to be reluctant to let something so valuable go, especially before it can be thoroughly tested," Aly pointed out.
"Well, they can test it before they give it to her then," Vaughn argued.
Aly shook her head. "Something like this could take months, even years to be tested to the CIA's satisfaction. Sydney doesn't have that time," Aly replied somberly.
"What's the point of testing it if it's never going to be put to use? They can't make more. The manuscript itself said that the technology was destroyed," Vaughn reminded her.
"But the CIA won't accept that. Their scientists will think that if one person can do it, it can certainly be recreated. Look, *I* don't think that's the case. I think that they've got one shot with this and it's only right to use it to save the woman who put it in the CIA's possession in the first place. I'm just trying to warn you that it probably wont be so clear- cut for whatever high-ups are making the decision."
"Who do you think will be making the decision?" Weiss jumped in suddenly.
"Good question," Vaughn muttered. They all looked at each other for a second, searching everyone's faces for an answer.
"Maybe they've put together a committee," Aly guessed.
"To decide in a day or two? I doubt it. They've probably selected one of the directors or something," Vaughn suggested.
"I think you all are spending way too much time thinking about this," they heard suddenly from across the room. They all turned to look at where the voice had come from and saw Sydney standing there, leaning heavily against the doorway. None of them had even heard her open the door. Vaughn was up immediately and walking across the room. He reached Sydney and eased her off of the doorframe, allowing her left side to lean on him. Together, they made their way over to one of the chairs next to the couch. He helped lower her into it before bending down and pulling the lever so that the chair extended into a recliner, allowing her to rest her legs on it. Vaughn then grabbed the afghan that was draped over the top of it the chair and spread it over her legs.
"You okay?" He asked, still leaning over her. She nodded. By this time, Weiss had relocated to the other chair and Aly had moved across the couch, allowing Vaughn the seat closest to Sydney. He took it gratefully.
"I would say I'm sorry for interrupting, but after listening to your conversation for a good two minutes or so, I already know it was going nowhere," Sydney joked before turning to Vaughn. "Did you talk to my father?" She asked.
"Yeah, he's coming by in an hour or two," Vaughn replied.
"Well then that gives us a little while to entertain ourselves," Sydney remarked.
"I guess it does," Vaughn replied.
"Now kids, remember that you're not the only ones in the room," Weiss joked. Vaughn and Sydney both shot him dirty looks.
"Okay, you three, break it up," Aly said, smiling. "Sydney," she said, getting Sydney's attention. "Where's your favorite place in Los Angeles?"
Sydney appreciated the change of topic and smiled at the question. "The pier," she replied. "Yours?"
"Well I've never lived here before. But whenever I visited I always loved to go to Westwood Village. It's a nice little area," she replied. "What's your favorite country?"
Again, Sydney smiled. "France," she answered easily, glancing at Vaughn.
"Yeah, until you two nearly got your asses shot," Weiss remarked.
"What?" Aly asked, surprised.
"You see, these two lovebirds here decided that they were going to completely disregard the fact that if they were not to be seen in public together and go out on a date after Syd's mission was completed in Nice," Weiss explained.
"Oh, don't you go and pretend like you didn't have a part in this. You were the one who told me to tell her how I felt," Vaughn reminded him.
"You what?" Sydney asked. "That whole thing was your idea?"
"No, the dinner was courtesy of Romeo here. I simply told him to stop pretending," Weiss replied.
"So what happened?" Aly asked.
"Well," Weiss began before launching into the story.
As Weiss told a somewhat exaggerated version of the story, Vaughn and Sydney both caught each other's eyes and smiled. They knew they were both thinking the same thing. Maybe now, they would have the chance for more dates. Maybe they would actually get to share the dinner in Tratoria di Nardi that they'd talked about so many times. Maybe they would be able to go out together without a care in the world.
Maybe it wouldn't end here.
Maybe they would have a future.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Jack arrived only an hour and a half later to find all four them still talking in the living room. Weiss let him in and he took a seat with the rest of them. He greeted everyone, asked Sydney how she was feeling, and then got straight to the point. Trust Jack not to waste time with small talk.
"Sydney, I have something that I need for you to sign. Dr. Bentz will need to sign it too," Jack explained.
"What is it?" Aly asked.
"It basically says that you've made your decision. They're still deciding on what to do with the solution, but they want to have this on file should they decide to give it to you. The agency is aware of your condition and they want you to sign it while you're still able to make decisions for yourself. Dr. Bentz, you'll need to sign it to verify that Sydney is still able to do so," Jack explained.
"So what you're saying is that they want to make sure I've made this decision before I lose my mind," Sydney verified somewhat angrily.
"Sydney," Jack began slowly. "You and I are both aware of the reality of your condition. If your illness continues to progress, there will likely be a time when you don't even remember having this conversation, let alone making this decision."
"Why is it so urgent if the decision hasn't even been made yet?" Sydney asked.
"Because should they decide to let the solution be tested on you, they'll want this to already be signed so that they can begin right away," Jack replied.
"When are they supposed to have this decision made by exactly?" Vaughn asked.
"I could be notified any time now. No later than tomorrow," Jack answered.
"Fine, let me sign it," Sydney agreed. Jack handed her the piece of paper and reached into his pocket for a pen. Sydney signed it quickly, not bothering to read over its contents. Jack brought the contract to Aly, who did the same.
"Why do I have this horrible feeling that I just agreed to become the agency's lab rat?" Sydney asked, half-joking.
"If that's the cost of your health, then it shouldn't matter," Jack replied.
"He's right, Syd," Vaughn agreed.
"I know, I just hate to think that people like Kendall might be holding my life in their hands."
"Well, I'm going to get this back to the office so that they have this on file. Hopefully that'll aid in their decision," Jack said, ignoring Sydney's comment. "I'll be in touch," he said, as he started toward the door. He was halfway out when he was stopped abruptly by a sudden noise.
Aly, Weiss, Vaughn, and Sydney all looked at Jack, their expressions changing immediately.
His cell phone was ringing.
To be continued.
A/N: Yes, I'm evil! But I kept my promise, it's out before November 22nd.! And just think, I have like seven hours on a plane to do more writing (although I highly doubt my battery will last that long, but we'll see), so I may be able to get another chapter out quicker than you all think. And everyone remember, the same goes for this situation as did for when she was told she was dying. This doesn't necessarily mean she's going to live, it's just another twist in the story. Everything is still completely up in the air, so don't get your hopes up or down lol. Just keep reading (. And reviewing, of course lol.
Author: SydGillyKC
Author's Notes: Well it's been crazy lately, but I tried to get this chapter out as soon as I could. Like I said, these chapters now are pretty important ones, and I'm sure you'll soon understand why. Anyway, I'm headed home for 8 days for Thanksgiving so I don't know how much writing I'll be able to do since I haven't been home in over four months and have a lot of catching up to do. Then again, I won't have homework, so hopefully I'll be able to do some writing. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"That's fine, she might as well hear this too. I suppose all of you should," Jack said, half to himself. Weiss gave Vaughn a questioning look, both men obviously confused by Jack's odd behavior.
"Jack, what's going on?" Vaughn asked.
"They've found something. I think it's best that Dr. Bentz finish her check- up later. This is something you should hear from me. Right now."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 35: The Decision
Vaughn knocked briefly on the bedroom door before opening it slightly and peaking his head in. Aly had a stethoscope pressed to Sydney's chest, but had turned to look at him, as had Sydney.
"Hey," he said apologetically. "Syd, your dad's here. He says he has something important to tell us."
"Can he come back later? Sydney really needs to get some rest," Aly told him. Vaughn looked at Sydney and knew instantly that Aly was right. Sydney looked as if she were about to fall over. The head of the bed was raised so she could sit, but she was supported entirely by the pillows behind her. She looked pale and exhausted. Vaughn realized that, even though it was only the afternoon, it had already been an incredibly long day for her.
"He says it's important," Vaughn finally said, half-wishing he could ask Jack to come back later.
"It's okay. He can come in," Sydney assured them both. Aly took off her stethoscope and began to put it away. Vaughn took this as a sign of permission and stepped back out into the living room. Jack and Weiss both stood by the table in the dining area. They both immediately looked over at Vaughn. He nodded. Jack walked over, past Vaughn, and into the bedroom. Vaughn followed him and Weiss entered last. Aly stood next to Sydney's bed now, a look of disapproval somewhat evident on her face. Vaughn watched Jack grab a chair and drag it so that it was next to the side of her bed closest to the window. Vaughn opted to squeeze past Aly and sit on the edge of the bed. Sydney immediately reached for his hand when he sat and he took it, no longer caring if Jack noticed. Weiss walked over and stood beside Aly. Once everyone was settled, they all looked to Jack to begin.
"I'm sorry to drive over here without warning, but I thought it best that you hear this from me. As you know, agents have been gathering everything they can from the SD-6 offices. We were finally able to gain access to the vault yesterday and we found a significant collection of Rambaldi artifacts. One of the artifacts we found was a manuscript with three bottles of liquid bound to it. Our analysts worked on translating and testing it and they finally determined what it was. Do you remember that flower we found in India, Sydney? The proof of Rambaldi's ability to prolong life, perhaps indefinitely?" Sydney nodded wordlessly. "The manuscript described a machine Rambaldi had built that produced three kinds of formulas. One supposedly slowed or even halted the aging process, one healed injuries, and one... one cured illnesses. These liquids were to be injected directly into the blood stream once a year. We believe he used this technology to repay favors, such as the clockmaker, Giovanni Donato. The manuscript also describes the destruction of this device so as not to give the people of the future too much power. We believe he injected enough of the solutions into the soil of the flower and then left a year's amount of each solution to siply prove to us that the technology did once exist. We have the solutions, but there's no way, without testing them on a person, to know if they work. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I've put in a request that they be given to Sydney, at least the solution used for illnesses. They're considering the request now. We should know within the next day or two," Jack finished, looking from Weiss to Aly to Vaughn and finally to Sydney.
The entire room was sheathed in silence. Everyone was still, stunned by what Jack had just said. Sydney's grip on Vaughn's hand had become something of a death-grip. After a few seconds of gaping at Jack, he finally risked looking at her. She wasn't looking to her father anymore, her gaze now fixed on her lap. Vaughn realized suddenly that everyone was now looking at her, waiting for her to say something. She seemed completely unaware, though, obviously still trying to take everything in.
"How do we know Sloane didn't plant them? How do we know it's not a fake?" Sydney asked finally, still not meeting anyone's eyes.
"All the tests checked out. As far as we can tell, the manuscript seems authentic. I suppose it's possible that Sloane planted the solutions, but we have no way of knowing unless he decided to cooperate. So far, he's refused to speak a word to any of our agents. That's why they need to be tested," Jack replied.
"I don't know how comfortable I'd feel being the CIA's lab rat," Sydney said quietly.
"Sydney, don't be ridiculous. This is your life we're talking about," her father remarked strongly.
"Yes, it is," she replied seriously, finally looking into his eyes, causing Jack to instantly shut his mouth. "If I were to agree to this, I would only agree to having the one solution tested on me."
"I'll make sure they know that," Jack assured her.
"I'll need some time to think about it," she insisted.
"You'll have until the decision is made. Once it's been decided, you'll need to accept it right away or they'll reconsider quickly. That gives you at least another twenty-four hours."
"Okay," she replied softly. Everyone fell silent again for a few moments.
"I think that's enough for now," Aly announced before turning to Sydney. "You should try to rest for a while." Sydney simply nodded. Jack rose from his chair and headed toward the door, Weiss and Aly close behind him. Vaughn started to rise from the bed, but Sydney quickly gripped his hand.
"Stay for a minute," she requested. He nodded at her and turned to watch everyone leave. To his credit, Jack didn't object or even shoot Vaughn a disapproving look as he left. Aly was the last person out and nodded her understanding, closing the door behind her. Vaughn then turned back to Sydney. Her eyes were already drooping, begging to finally be able to rest. Vaughn knew she'd more than overdone it for the day.
"You okay?" He asked softly. She looked away from him and sighed.
"It's a lot to take in," she replied seriously. She paused a moment before looking back into his eyes. "We need to talk about this."
"Yes, we do, but not now," Vaughn replied. He noticed Sydney about to argue, but cut her off before she had the chance. "Syd, you're exhausted. Just rest for a while. Once you're rested, we'll talk, I promise," he assured her. The look in her eyes instantly told him he'd won this round.
"Okay," she acquiesced.
"Do you want to lay down more?" He asked, feeling for the switch on the side of the bed.
"Can you recline it just a little more?" She requested. He flipped the switch, lowering the head of the bed slightly.
"Good?"
"Yeah," she replied as he leaned over her a little more so she could still look into his eyes. He reached out and cupped her cheek, his thumb running over her smooth skin. She managed a small, tired smile. He leaned down and kissed her softly, pressing his lips to hers with an incredible gentleness. When he pulled back, her eyes opened slightly, gazing at him through heavy lids.
Seeing her this way suddenly made Vaughn realize how fragile her life had become. If he were to catch a cold and pass it on to her, it could very well mean the end of her life. She was like a wilting flower that he was desperately trying to keep watering, fighting to prolong its life. He watched her eyes close and realize that these moments could very well be the last ones of his life with a semblance of happiness. These would be some of the moments he looked back at and, though they were painful, would long to revisit for the rest of his life. All too soon, Sydney would most likely be gone, taking a significant part of him with her. He would go on, of course, because he owed her at least that much. His life would never be whole again, though. He would be forever incomplete.
And here they were being presented a chance, though somewhat desperate, to keep her with them. To keep his world turning. He wanted to respect her decisions as he always had, but he didn't honestly know how he would be able to let this chance simply pass them by. Not when it meant losing everything.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney walked with Vaughn toward Kendall's office. She suddenly couldn't remember why they were being called in, but followed Vaughn anyway, figuring she'd soon find out. Vaughn knocked on Kendall's door and heard their boss summon him inside. Vaughn opened the door and Sydney entered, feeling him right behind her. She stood next to him, waiting for Kendall to speak.
"I was told you wanted to meet with me," Kendall said, looking at Vaughn. Sydney immediately looked at him as well, her eyes questioning. Vaughn had been the one that called the meeting? She didn't understand.
"Yes, sir," Vaughn replied. He handed Kendall a piece of paper. Sydney tried to catch his gaze to get some kind of answer, but he wouldn't look at her. She watched Kendall skim over the contents of the paper, his face falling.
"Agent Vaughn, I really hope you'll reconsider. I've offered an extended leave of absence. I suggest you take it. You're not in the right state of mind to be making decisions like this," Kendall said forcefully. A leave of absence? Why was Vaughn asking for a leave of absence? What was on that piece of paper? Sydney's mind raced as she tried to piece it all together.
"With all due respect, sir, I know what I'm doing. It's what I want. It's *my* decision and I've made it. I just can't do this anymore," Vaughn argued. His voice was filled with such pain and Sydney swore she saw tears in his eyes. Was Vaughn resigning?
"As much as I wish you'd take more time to think about it, you're right. It *is* your decision and I have to respect that," Kendall said, standing. "Good luck, Agent Vaughn." The two men shook hands silently before Vaughn turned and quickly left. Sydney stood there, stunned. She hadn't understood a single thing that had just happened. Why was Vaughn leaving the CIA? Was he leaving her as well? She turned to go after him.
The next thing she knew she was walking behind Vaughn again. They were outside now, the sun hidden completely behind the gray clouds. Sydney couldn't remember how she'd gotten there. She looked back and saw his car parked behind them. She guessed he'd driven them. She watched as he weaved his way through the stone and marble and it suddenly occurred to her. They were in a cemetery.
Vaughn obviously knew where he was going and found it easily, stopping at a small slab of stone. He gazed down at it for a few seconds before crouching down to set some flowers in front of it, blocking the same from her sight. She guessed it was his father. His head was down now, but Sydney noticed his shoulders begin to shake. A sob suddenly broke free of his mouth and Sydney immediately crouched behind him, placing her hand on his back and beginning to rub soothing circles into his skin. Perhaps it wasn't his father he was here to pay respect to. Maybe it was someone more recent. Why couldn't she remember?
"Syd," he said in a strangled whisper.
"I'm here," she assured him. His cries grew stronger suddenly and it broke her heart to see him in so much pain. She wanted to curse God for whatever it was Vaughn had been put through. The strength of Vaughn's crying brought him down to his knees suddenly, allowing Sydney to finally read the first line of engraving. Her heart stopped and her entire body went cold.
Sydney Ann Bristow.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sydney's eyes shot open, searching the room wildly, her breathing erratic. Suddenly Vaughn was there, in a chair next to the bed, leaning over her. She realized she was still in the room in Malibu. It had all been a dream. Finally, her heart-rate and breathing began to return to normal. She focused on Vaughn, who looked extremely concerned.
"Syd, are you okay? Do you need something for pain?" He asked quickly. She shook her head and reached out for his hand.
"No, I'm okay," she assured him.
"Dream?" He asked knowingly. She didn't respond, but her eyes gave him all the affirmation he needed. "You want to talk about it?"
"Not now. There's too much else we have to talk about," she reminded him. Vaughn nodded somberly. "I know you think I should try it."
Vaughn sighed. "I can't pretend to want you to make this decision on your own, regardless of what it is. I do want you to try it. The possibility of not losing you, of being able to spend my live with you and give you everything else you had on that list of yours....I just don't see how either of us can just ignore it. At the same time, I don't want to force you to subject yourself to more pain, especially if there doesn't end up being any results for it. I want this to be your decision, but I won't deny that I hope you'll include my thoughts when you make that decision," Vaughn explained.
"I just don't want to get my hopes up again... or yours," Sydney said quietly.
"I know. I understand. But, Syd... it would be so much easier to have had one last hope crushed than to spend my whole life wondering if you'd still be with me if we'd tried this."
Sydney looked into his eyes, realizing that her dream was more than likely a dead-on premonition of his future if she died. Although she'd insisted to her father that it was her life and her decision, the truth was that this decision affected more lives than just hers. And as much as she'd been able to accept her fate since the doctor had given her final prognosis, the truth was... she wanted to live.
"Okay. I'll do it."
There was a moment of silence, Vaughn looking into her eyes as if waiting to hear her take it back. She stared back at him, assuring him that she *had* just made her decision, that she was going to keep fighting.
The way his face suddenly broke into a smile and the way he crushed his lips to hers suddenly told her she was doing the right thing.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Vaughn called Jack as soon as he left Sydney's room and told him happily of Sydney's decision. Jack was obviously as relieved as Vaughn and explained that he would come by later to take care of something having to do with the matter. He told Vaughn he'd explain when he arrived. After that was taken care of, Vaughn sat, work out, on the living room couch, where Weiss and Aly already sat. The heavy events of the day were evident on all of their faces.
"This is surreal," Weiss finally muttered, breaking the silence in the room. "Do you think the CIA will let Sydney do this?"
"They'd better. If not for her, they wouldn't even have those solutions. They wouldn't have half the Rambaldi artifacts they have now. She's one of this office's more valuable agents. There's no way they can hang her out to dry like that," Vaughn replied strongly.
"As much as I'd like to share your thinking, you should be aware that they're going to be reluctant to let something so valuable go, especially before it can be thoroughly tested," Aly pointed out.
"Well, they can test it before they give it to her then," Vaughn argued.
Aly shook her head. "Something like this could take months, even years to be tested to the CIA's satisfaction. Sydney doesn't have that time," Aly replied somberly.
"What's the point of testing it if it's never going to be put to use? They can't make more. The manuscript itself said that the technology was destroyed," Vaughn reminded her.
"But the CIA won't accept that. Their scientists will think that if one person can do it, it can certainly be recreated. Look, *I* don't think that's the case. I think that they've got one shot with this and it's only right to use it to save the woman who put it in the CIA's possession in the first place. I'm just trying to warn you that it probably wont be so clear- cut for whatever high-ups are making the decision."
"Who do you think will be making the decision?" Weiss jumped in suddenly.
"Good question," Vaughn muttered. They all looked at each other for a second, searching everyone's faces for an answer.
"Maybe they've put together a committee," Aly guessed.
"To decide in a day or two? I doubt it. They've probably selected one of the directors or something," Vaughn suggested.
"I think you all are spending way too much time thinking about this," they heard suddenly from across the room. They all turned to look at where the voice had come from and saw Sydney standing there, leaning heavily against the doorway. None of them had even heard her open the door. Vaughn was up immediately and walking across the room. He reached Sydney and eased her off of the doorframe, allowing her left side to lean on him. Together, they made their way over to one of the chairs next to the couch. He helped lower her into it before bending down and pulling the lever so that the chair extended into a recliner, allowing her to rest her legs on it. Vaughn then grabbed the afghan that was draped over the top of it the chair and spread it over her legs.
"You okay?" He asked, still leaning over her. She nodded. By this time, Weiss had relocated to the other chair and Aly had moved across the couch, allowing Vaughn the seat closest to Sydney. He took it gratefully.
"I would say I'm sorry for interrupting, but after listening to your conversation for a good two minutes or so, I already know it was going nowhere," Sydney joked before turning to Vaughn. "Did you talk to my father?" She asked.
"Yeah, he's coming by in an hour or two," Vaughn replied.
"Well then that gives us a little while to entertain ourselves," Sydney remarked.
"I guess it does," Vaughn replied.
"Now kids, remember that you're not the only ones in the room," Weiss joked. Vaughn and Sydney both shot him dirty looks.
"Okay, you three, break it up," Aly said, smiling. "Sydney," she said, getting Sydney's attention. "Where's your favorite place in Los Angeles?"
Sydney appreciated the change of topic and smiled at the question. "The pier," she replied. "Yours?"
"Well I've never lived here before. But whenever I visited I always loved to go to Westwood Village. It's a nice little area," she replied. "What's your favorite country?"
Again, Sydney smiled. "France," she answered easily, glancing at Vaughn.
"Yeah, until you two nearly got your asses shot," Weiss remarked.
"What?" Aly asked, surprised.
"You see, these two lovebirds here decided that they were going to completely disregard the fact that if they were not to be seen in public together and go out on a date after Syd's mission was completed in Nice," Weiss explained.
"Oh, don't you go and pretend like you didn't have a part in this. You were the one who told me to tell her how I felt," Vaughn reminded him.
"You what?" Sydney asked. "That whole thing was your idea?"
"No, the dinner was courtesy of Romeo here. I simply told him to stop pretending," Weiss replied.
"So what happened?" Aly asked.
"Well," Weiss began before launching into the story.
As Weiss told a somewhat exaggerated version of the story, Vaughn and Sydney both caught each other's eyes and smiled. They knew they were both thinking the same thing. Maybe now, they would have the chance for more dates. Maybe they would actually get to share the dinner in Tratoria di Nardi that they'd talked about so many times. Maybe they would be able to go out together without a care in the world.
Maybe it wouldn't end here.
Maybe they would have a future.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Jack arrived only an hour and a half later to find all four them still talking in the living room. Weiss let him in and he took a seat with the rest of them. He greeted everyone, asked Sydney how she was feeling, and then got straight to the point. Trust Jack not to waste time with small talk.
"Sydney, I have something that I need for you to sign. Dr. Bentz will need to sign it too," Jack explained.
"What is it?" Aly asked.
"It basically says that you've made your decision. They're still deciding on what to do with the solution, but they want to have this on file should they decide to give it to you. The agency is aware of your condition and they want you to sign it while you're still able to make decisions for yourself. Dr. Bentz, you'll need to sign it to verify that Sydney is still able to do so," Jack explained.
"So what you're saying is that they want to make sure I've made this decision before I lose my mind," Sydney verified somewhat angrily.
"Sydney," Jack began slowly. "You and I are both aware of the reality of your condition. If your illness continues to progress, there will likely be a time when you don't even remember having this conversation, let alone making this decision."
"Why is it so urgent if the decision hasn't even been made yet?" Sydney asked.
"Because should they decide to let the solution be tested on you, they'll want this to already be signed so that they can begin right away," Jack replied.
"When are they supposed to have this decision made by exactly?" Vaughn asked.
"I could be notified any time now. No later than tomorrow," Jack answered.
"Fine, let me sign it," Sydney agreed. Jack handed her the piece of paper and reached into his pocket for a pen. Sydney signed it quickly, not bothering to read over its contents. Jack brought the contract to Aly, who did the same.
"Why do I have this horrible feeling that I just agreed to become the agency's lab rat?" Sydney asked, half-joking.
"If that's the cost of your health, then it shouldn't matter," Jack replied.
"He's right, Syd," Vaughn agreed.
"I know, I just hate to think that people like Kendall might be holding my life in their hands."
"Well, I'm going to get this back to the office so that they have this on file. Hopefully that'll aid in their decision," Jack said, ignoring Sydney's comment. "I'll be in touch," he said, as he started toward the door. He was halfway out when he was stopped abruptly by a sudden noise.
Aly, Weiss, Vaughn, and Sydney all looked at Jack, their expressions changing immediately.
His cell phone was ringing.
To be continued.
A/N: Yes, I'm evil! But I kept my promise, it's out before November 22nd.! And just think, I have like seven hours on a plane to do more writing (although I highly doubt my battery will last that long, but we'll see), so I may be able to get another chapter out quicker than you all think. And everyone remember, the same goes for this situation as did for when she was told she was dying. This doesn't necessarily mean she's going to live, it's just another twist in the story. Everything is still completely up in the air, so don't get your hopes up or down lol. Just keep reading (. And reviewing, of course lol.