A/N: Thank you so much to alias4ever, valley-girl2 (thank you so much for your uplifting e-mails as well), and sydofthesea for replying. I'm so sorry it's been so long. Epilogue will be up tomorrow.

Thank you so much to Jasmine & Angelbleu.

Big HUGE thank you to Demon who made me laugh when I was down. Especially with the Garfield flower. And again with the beta.

Chapter 4--She Flew Away

Vaughn watched Liana draw a picture. Three stick figures. One was really tall, one that stood just a few millimeters shorter, and a small one. Her family. The two larger stick figures surrounded the small one. Liana took the yellow pencil and colored the tallest one's head. Him. She took a brown pencil and scribbled on the small stick figure's head, then lightened the brown with blond highlights. Herself. Reaching for the brown Crayola pencil again, she shaded the last stick figure's head. Sydney, her mother in every sense of the word except the biological.

Liana had counted the number of days that it had been since she'd seen Sydney. Twenty. Last time they had been together, they had gone shopping. He hadn't gone. He was afraid to disrupt the time that Liana needed with Sydney; he had the chance to see her everyday in the office. Liana came home shouting her glee, went over ever single minute she spent with Sydney, and modeled the clothes she bought for her. He remembered every detail his daughter said about Sydney.

Although he wouldn't admit it to himself, he knew deep down that he was afraid to risk Sydney's happiness. And that that was the only reason why he hasn't done anything sooner to bring her back to him. He loved her enough to let her go, to be happy because she deserved it. He saw her smile, that wide smile that reached her eyes—something he doesn't see when she looks at him. He would only be happy if she was happy, even if she was with someone else. He would do anything for her. He wanted to fight against her decision to stay with her boyfriend, but it was her choice. And he always honored her choice. Liana was again waiting for Sydney to pick her up. She was already packed to go with a kid sized backpack and a blue jacket. Sydney said that she'd pick Liana up at 2:30, which was ten minutes from now.

The day in the park seemed so long ago. The days in between had passed slowly. Sydney had come two days after the walk in the park to explain things to Liana... and why she would not be as available as before. She told both Liana and him that she had decided to get married; she's always wanted the normal life.

["Liana... your dad and I have been talking about something... "

Her eyes had brightened, "Do I get a present?"

Sydney laughed, breaking the tension. Her laugher could always do wonders to the people surrounding her. It always lightened his mood, no matter what the situation. However, in this situation, it pained him just a little more. How many times more will he be able to hear her cheery laughter?

"No, Liana. It's something else." His melancholic mood clearly had an effect on his daughter. Her eyes lost their shine, and she no longer had a happy expression on her face.

"Daddy?" she questioned, almost sorrowfully.

"Sweetheart, why don't you come here." He reached out his arms. Liana got up and walked into her father's arms. Vaughn picked her up and sat her on his lap. "Your Aunt Sydney and I have been talking. And..." he glanced over to look at Sydney, catching the tears glistening in her eyes, "well... Sydney wants to have a family of her own. She can't stay here with us as much as we want anymore." Catching the misinterpretation that was forming in the little girl's mind, he quickly said, "She'll still be here, Liana. Just, she wants to get married..." the words almost quit forming, "to her boyfriend. And that means that Sydney needs to focus on her family now." He finished it quietly.

The tears on Liana's face were mimicking Sydney's. With a shaking voice, she choked out, "Aunt Sydney... do you not want us anymore? I thought we were your family... was I a bad girl so now you have to go bye bye?"

Horrified by Liana's interpretation, Sydney grabbed the girl into a hug. "No. That's not true at all Liana. I love you. I love visiting you and your dad. But right now, I feel like I need to do something to make me happy. You're not a bad girl Liana. You're the sweetest little girl ever." She continued clutching Liana as she finished her statement. After a moment of silence and tears, she said, "I just wish that you were my little girl."

Unbeknownst to Vaughn, tears were streaming down his face while watching the woman he loved proclaim that he wanted Liana as her own daughter. If only that had happened.

Liana whispered, "But you are my mommy."]

Walking over to the window and pulling aside the curtain he saw Syd climbing out of her car. He watched as she took off her sunglasses and pulled out her purse, locked the car doors, and put her keys away. Her engagement ring shone brightly in the winter –almost spring—sun. Calling out to his daughter, "Liana, Sydney's here. You ready to go?"

Scrambling down from her chair, Liana yelled a hurried, "Yes, daddy!" before running to the front door and eagerly opening it. Looking out, she saw that Sydney was coming to their door.

"Liana Stephanie Vaughn, you KNOW you're not supposed to open the door before I'm with you," Vaughn moaned.

"Sorry daddy. I forgot."

"I know you did, you little munchkin. I just get worried that the next time you forget someone will take you away from me."

"I guess I'm the one that's going to be taking her away from you then, Vaughn," the voice drifted in from the open door of the foyer. She walked in and clicked the door shut behind her.

He put his daughter down on the ground and looked up. "Hey Syd," he greeted, a broad smile appearing on his face as he saw her smile. "So you're gonna steal my daughter from me?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Will I get her back before I call the police?" Vaughn teased.

As Sydney opened her mouth for a retort, Liana interrupted, in a fearful voice she said, "Daddy! No police! I don't want them to take Sydney away from me! Don't daddy! Please? Don't take her away from me." She then promptly went on and latched herself to Sydney's leg.

Both Vaughn and Sydney froze when they heard Liana's plea. Kneeling down so that he was at his daughter's eye level, Vaughn said, "Liana, calm down. Please, calm down. We were just joking. No one is going to call the police on Sydney. No one. We were having a little bit of grown-up fun. Shh... calm down."

Vaughn pried her away from Sydney's leg and hand that was soothing her hair, only to bring her tight against his body. He rocked her softly back and forth, the comforting motion calming her down. Her crying finally gave way to gentle hiccups after a few minutes.

"Daddy, you promise you won't hurt Sydney?" she choked out.

"I'm very sure I won't hurt Syd, sweetheart." Vaughn glanced over to Sydney and saw the sympathetic look on her face.

"Prove it, daddy," Liana demanded.

Walking over to Sydney, he gave her an 'I'm sorry that I have to do this' look, and puller her into a tight hug. Vaughn was overwhelmed by the feeling of touching Sydney again. It had been so long since he and she had had any physical contact that lasted more than a few seconds. Maybe a few unintentional graze of her hand or the pulling back of a lock of her hair while she was sleeping. Sometimes, he even slipped in a brief sweep of his lips against her forehead. Moments like this were simply not allowed within the definition of their new relationship.

"Okay daddy, I believe you," his daughter finally said with a mischievous grin on her face.

Vaughn tickled Liana until she was giggling with laughter and screaming, "Daddy, stop! Stop daddy!" over and over again. He, however, wasn't stopping. Instead, he continued his titillation and told her, "You knew I wouldn't hurt her. You knew!" When he ceased his finger movements, Liana gasped out, "Daddy, I didn't know! I promise!"

"Then why did you have that little secret grin on your face? Huh, sweety?"

"Because you and Sydney looked so happy!" she answered, her whole face lighting up.

Sydney just looked on with a grin on her face. She loved the two of them so much, it was apparent in her eyes.

It's too late to start anything with her, Vaughn reminded himself. She's getting married so soon, and then, she won't be mine anymore. No. That's not right. She's never been mine since she returned.

Sensing the tension that appeared, Sydney said, "Liana, I think it's time we go."

Vaughn nodded in agreement. "Have fun, sweetheart."

"Okay. I'm ready. Bye, daddy." Liana leaned into Vaughn for a hug before grasping Sydney's fingers. She waved her other hand at Vaughn as Sydney and she left the apartment.

Vaughn woke up to the feeling of little hands exploring his face. Opening his eyes, he saw Liana leaning over him.

"Hey, sweetheart. I guess I fell asleep. Sorry. How was your time with Sydney?" He leaned over the couch side to turn on the lamp. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he covered a yawn with his hand.

"It was fun! We went to see a hockey game!"

That caught his attention. "A hockey game huh?

"Yeah! Sydney taught me what a hat trick is. She said it was when one man with the big stick in his hand shot the little black thing into the goal three times. But there wasn't a hat trick at this game," she said sadly. She brightened as she said the next part, "It was very exciting! The team with the purple shirts won."

A sound came from the kitchen. Sydney entered the living room with three glasses of water, "I can't believe your daughter has never been to a hockey game, Vaughn. I thought you would have brought her when she was just a month old!"

"Hey."

"Hey."

"When did you guys get back?" Vaughn questioned, while taking a glass from her.

Sydney scooped Liana into her arms and answered, "About half an hour. We figured that when you didn't open the door that you were either out or fell asleep. So, we just kinda... let ourselves in."

"She wouldn't let me see how she let us in. Daddy, I think Sydney has magical powers! She didn't even use a key to open the door. She used her lipstick!"

Vaughn nodded knowingly. "Well... now that I know how you guys got in here... why didn't you just wake me up? Why wait?"

"Oh, I thought you could use the sleep. You work too much, Vaughn. Dad even says you work too much and that you should have more time at home with your little girl. Besides, I wanted some more time with this one before I leave," Sydney said as Liana squirmed on her lap.

Vaughn mentally slapped himself. She's getting married in a week!

"So, why haven't I met Chris yet? It's only a week until your wedding!"

Sydney was silent for a moment, then turned to Liana, "Why don't you go get ready for bed, sweetheart. It was a long day for both of us."

Liana ran off to get changed and to brush her teeth.

Sydney stared at Vaughn before answering. "Vaughn... it hasn't been easy for me to move on. You know that. And I was scared of putting something from my past together with my future. It just doesn't work that way anymore—"

"So, is that what I am? The past?"

"No, it's not like that," Sydney groveled. "Why are we even talking about this now? I thought you understood what I'm doing."

"And what exactly are you doing?"

"I've moved on! I have a life now. You're still in it, but it's just not like it was, Vaughn. And we both have accepted that it never will be again."

"Have we, Syd? Because I still love you," Vaughn shouted, crying inside his heart that she never understood his love for her. And that maybe, she's never even felt it since she came back.

"You know, Vaughn. I would have rejoiced that you said that to me, maybe when I got back. But now, I see it as a low way of trying to win me back," Sydney said while picking her purse and jacket from the floor. "I think it's time for me to leave. I'll see you at work in on Monday."

"No, wait, Syd. I still have one more question. Why did you pick Chris? Why are you so ready to become Mrs. Mills?" Vaughn was scrubbing his face with his hands and then raking them through his hair. It reminded Sydney of the days in the warehouse when he was frustrated with something.

Sydney sighed, thinking before she answered, "Because he loves me, and he was there when I needed that love and support, which I couldn't find anywhere else. He's a kind man, Vaughn, and he will take care of me. Plus, he's good looking, athletic, and a doctor. I'll be fine." With a brief pause, as if considering is she should really say the next part, she barged forward, "And the most important thing is that I love him back." She looked pointedly at Vaughn.

"Syd... were you with him at the park with him at one time?"

Syd's brow wrinkled, mimicking Vaughn's, wondering why he would ask such an odd question, "No, I don't believe I've ever been to a park with him. Why?"

Maybe it wasn't them at the park... I should have known better. She has higher standards than marrying a man with a pot belly. And, she wouldn't have let a man touch her like that in public. It had to be someone else. It wasn't them. Anyways, if she loves Chris, than he would be a good man. Maybe someone I would even be friends with later on. "No reason," Vaughn responded, "Are you happy?" he continued with his questioning.

Sydney sighed with a bit of annoyance at his perseverance of trying to figure out who this man was that was about to take such a huge part in her life. A man who would ultimately replace him. "Vaughn, that's three questions. I think I should go." She walked over toward the door.

Little feet ran over to her from their hiding place before she could leave. "You weren't going to say good night?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Liana, I didn't realize you were still awake. You should be asleep now, sweetheart." Sydney bent down for a hug and a kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you next week. Good night now."

"Good night, Sydney. See you!" Liana exclaimed with childish abandon.

She opened the door, but looked back, "Vaughn? To answer your question... Yeah, I am happy. But not as happy as I was before those two years I was gone, but that's the way it is now. We're both different people. You had moved on, and now I've moved on. We aren't the people we were back then. And too much has happened since then. There's too much history between us. So we'll never be like that again." And with that, she was gone.

Liana felt the uneasiness in the room after Sydney left, and her father's distracted gaze told her that it was something that she'd understand when she grew up. She threw her arms up in the universal language that meant she wanted to be lifted up into her father's hold. "Daddy? What did she mean?"

Vaughn didn't answer. He just scooped up his daughter, and realized exactly what just stepped out of his life.