A/N: Well This chapter' a little longer than usual. (2588 words) I wanted to end in a nice round even number so I had to get a few things out of the way; that and because it'll be another week before I can update again and I feel guilty. =( I usually write these chapters on weekends but next weekend, my friends are making me go celebrate my birthday. (Bleh..) Isn't seeing 13 Going On 30 enough? Apparently not and god, I feel old. I have to say I didn't intentionally make that assumption abut Pearl Harbor until I sat down to write this. I used Pearl Harbor cause I like Pearl Harbor; I never realized that- well you'll see. And yes, I'm just gonna pretend Lauren fell off the face of the planet.. don't like it? TOUGH. LoL Just kidding... :p

Archive: Allies, COVERme, FF.net and in time, OPR and French Mafia. Ask, me I'd love to see your archive!

Dedication: All the great reviewers.. I can't name you all; (but I will in the last chap) but you make me smile and not feel so old.

Disclaimer: Well, my birthday is this Friday.. :wink wink: :nudge nudge: (Who am I kidding? No I don't own it..)

+Chp. 9 - Back in Place+

There were only ten minutes until six and I'm anything but close to being done and on my way to the hospital. The fault mostly lands on Weiss who spoke to me in a sing-song voice all day after Jack's call, but even he left about an hour ago. My new problem is Mallory who's trailing me with a clipboard as I try to put my files away so I can leave this madhouse.

"Where should I order them?" she says walking behind me.

"Anywhere you want."

"What kind did you say again?"

"Baby's breath."

"And on the card?"

"Doesn't matter."

"How will your wife know-?"

At this point, I'm beyond frustration. I compose a smile on my face before I turn around dangerously. I've had a mantra in my head the entire day: She's just a kid.. She's just a kid...

"Mallory, why don't I order the flowers myself?"

She sticks out her bottom lip and it takes me a moment to realize she's pouting. "Then I won't have anything to do!" She whines.

I raise an eyebrow and think for a moment. "How do you like Eric?"

She looks at me a little confused. "Well, he's funny I guess.."

Another sigh. "Not like that, Mallory."

"Oh! He's nice!"

"Great. You're his new assistant."

She pauses to think about this for a moment. "You can do that?" She says looking at me curiously.

"Weiss looks like he needs a lot of help these days-" I say trailing off, turning to walk again.

After a moment, she starts walking again, hurrying to catch up with me. "You really think so?"

"I know so." I say grinning.

Problem solved.

-=-=-=-=-

Luck's on my side when the freeway gods decide they like me today. I get to the hospital only a few minutes late but as I open the door to the front lobby, I see a nurse wheeling Syd out of the elevator. Jack is behind them with a stern look on his face.

"Uh- Sorry I'm late.." I say meekly.

Jack's face doesn't change but Syd is trying hard to hold back a laugh. I walk over to them as they stop at the desk. "Not funny.." I mumble leaning in to Syd's ear.

Fortunately, Jack and the nurse don't hear me. The nurse is signing some last papers and talking to Jack. To his credit, Jack is taking our new arrangement better than I expected. He looks up from the papers to speak to me.

"There are a few things still in the room."

I nod, and leave taking to familiar route back up to Sydney's room. When I look into the room, I realize it was the understatement of the century. Everything is still in the room and nothing has changed from the last time I saw it; there's flowers still in vases all over the room, stuffed animals, balloons- everything. With I sigh, I start gathering everything into my arms. Maybe this thing with Jack isn't going to be so great.

Surprisingly, I manage to make only one trip but successfully block out the hope of ever seeing where I'm going. I walk in the direction that I know the elevator is and try to feel my way to the buttons.

"Do you need any help, sir?"

I turn around and whole-heartedly thank the candy stripper behind me. I hand over a few of my burdens and I'm actually able to call an elevator. When we get down to the lobby again, Jack looks at the girl and tells her to please put the things in my car.

Okay, well maybe I was wrong about Jack. Or maybe he thinks I'm on my way to the dump with all of Sydney's things.

I get out to my car and with the help of the girl, I get all the things into my trunk. Thanking her, I move to head back to the hospital. The nurse, Jack and Sydney meet me halfway as they too head to my car. Confusion should be my look today.

"What's going on, Jack?"

"I need to get back to the office and I didn't think you would mind driving Sydney home."

I shake my head, a goofy smile on my face.

"Despite what her protests," the nurse says looking at Sydney with a smile, "Sydney's going to need a little help for a while."

"I'll do it." I immediately say.

"That was the idea, Vaughn." Sydney says gently.

I nod again, giving Syd a shy smile as we turn around and walk back to my car. I open the car and help her out of the wheelchair and into the passenger seat.

"Well, it looks like you're all set. Call me if there are any questions." The nurse says smiling at us before turning to leave.

There's an eerie silence as I lean against the open door. Jack of course, brushes it off. "I better be getting back." Pause. "Get rest, sweetheart." He says to Sydney before closing the car door.

As I turn to get into the driver's seat but Jack stops me in the back of the car. "Vaughn?"

I turn around. "Yeah?"

In the most sincere voice I've ever heard from him, he addresses me. "Take good care of her."

I nod again, opening the car door and finally turning to Syd. A brilliant smile on her face, she greets me in the way we've grown used to in the past few days. "Hey."

"Hey." I say returning her smile. Fishing my car keys out of my pocket again, I look over to her again. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." She says wistfully.

-=-=-=-=-

On our car ride to her house, it almost feels like old times again, us chattering away about the most mundane things: anything from Donnovan to the weather to Weiss to music. Not once does the subject of Lauren come up and I'm happy with it staying that way.

"So now Mallory is Eric's assistant."

"Poor Eric.. I wonder how Weiss' fish are doing.." She says suddenly out of the blue.

I laugh at how random the topic is. "They're having fun with Donnovan and my non-existent fish."

"You actually trust Eric with your dog? Why do you think I'm asking? He's over at my place all the time and his poor fish are alone. They would be carted off by PETA if hadn't been for me! "

"Hey, I know him as well as you do." I say smiling. I pause for a moment. "I'm actually staying with him until I get a new apartment."

I don't need to look over to Syd to know that she's not laughing anymore. "Oh.."

There's a silence in the car as I continue driving. "It's not really a big deal. I just- I didn't want to stay there anymore." I say brushing it off.

"Stay with me then." She says, a soft smile on her lips.

I'm a little shocked about how forward she is about this. "Syd- I don't know..."

She nods and we continue driving in silence. I can't help but notice that the smile doesn't leave her face though.

-=-=-=-=-

"You have too many friends, Syd."

"I'll remember to break ties with them before I get shot again." She says grinning mischievously.

"Very funny."

I pull another bag of groceries out of the trunk and hand some more flowers to Syd. Before we went came here, we went to the movie rentals and the store and even though it's first time in two years, shopping with Sydney seems like the most normal thing in the world.

"Where's Eric and why isn't he helping?"

I shrug and throw her grin as I follow her up the steps to her porch. "Maybe he's feeding his fish..?"

Syd laughs. "Fat chance. More like watching TV and eating popcorn." She says juggling her load to open the door with her foot.

When we get inside, Weiss on Syd's couch surprises me more than what he's doing. Sure enough, he's watching a movie but eating ice cream.

"You're a prophet, Syd." I mumble laughing. Eric looks up at the door when we enter. "How's about some help here?"

"SYD!!" He abandons his ice cream and comes over, pulling Sydney into a hug, making her drop all her things. I sigh loudly and roll my eyes as I take the bags to where I assume the kitchen is.

"Get over it, Mike. I'm not moving in on your girl!" He calls from the living room. I hear a loud slap and Eric whimpering in pain, prompting me to laugh again. "Geez.. for someone cooped up for hospital for a month, you sure can hit hard, Bristow."

After a moment, he comes into the kitchen, the rest of the bags in his arms. "You're suppose to be on my side, remember?"

I only laugh in response. "You deserved it; Order the pizza, moron."

He mumbles something under his breath, but does it. I leave a few things out as I start on Syd's dinner. I was never a great cook, but this was my time to shine.

-=-=-=-=-

"Soup?" She says looking at the bowl sadly. "I've eaten hospital food for a month... How come you guys get pizza, and I get soup?"

"Cause Mike spent three whole minutes opening the can and heating up just for you." Weiss says beaming. He pauses. "And cause we're sexist pigs who feel you are unworthy of pizza."

I'm not surprised when he gets a jab in the stomach.

"Vaughn...?" She says miserably. She sticks out her bottom lip like Mallory did this morning and whimpers. "I don't want soup; I want pizza."

"Syd, you just got out of the hospital-"

"And you have a hole in your stomach." Weiss points out.

She ignores him and directs her attention towards me, giving me the puppy dog eyes that I could never resist and probably never will. "Please?"

I finally give up and take the soup back, putting it onto the coffee table. Sydney claps her hands happily like a little girl and I can't help but laugh a little when she grabs Eric's empty plate and puts a slice of pizza on it.

Weiss looks at me betrayed and dejected. "Dude, you are sooo whipped."

-=-=-=-=-

Four hours and two movies later, my eyes are beginning to droop, but Syd who's sitting on my left, isn't fazed- just happy that she's finally out of the hospital.

"That guy's an idiot. Why is he raising a kid that his best friend had while his wife was cheating on him?" Weiss says as the credits roll.

"You're so insensitive." I say mockingly.

"He always loved her and she did believe he was dead; his plane was shot down. She had to move on someday-" Syd said trailing off suddenly.

"Christ, you guys have your own blockbuster movie.." Weiss said in awe. It took me moment to realize what they were talking about. Syd starts to blush furiously. "Well then.. I've made the moment awkward enough for today.. You coming?" He says meeting my eyes.

"I'll be there later on." I say laughing at how seriously Syd is taking this.

"Right." He says giving me a knowing look. "Make me some good-looking nieces and nephews tonight, you two!" He calls, shutting the door behind him.

I'm mortified, but Syd only laughs. "You should see the look on your face..."

"Hey! I'm not the one who thought Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale immobilized her life!" I say picking up trash and putting it into the pizza box.

"Just for that, I'm making you clean up yourself." She sticks out her tongue and sprints into the bathroom before I can catch her.

-=-=-=-=-

A few minutes later, I manage to get the living room to a decent level of clean. Grabbing my jacket, I go over to the bathroom, knocking on the door softly. "Syd?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to get going, alright?" I smile involuntarily. By the sound of it, she's having a bubble bath.

There's a pause before she speaks again. "Come in here,"

For a second I don't move. It's not that I've never seen her naked before- I have. What she's asking me to do is something we used to do way back when we were still together. Behind the door, I hear water sloshing around as I try to block my mind from imagining her getting out of the tub. A moment passes and she opens the door, clad in a bath robe. Her skin and face is pink from the heat of the bathroom. The familiar scent that I can only describe as Sydney is thick in the air.

"I don't have cooties, you know." She says, a grin on her face.

"I-I know." I stammer.

Sydney smiles and notices the jacket in other hand. "So you said you were leaving?" I nod, but I don't know if I can get myself to after this. "Do you have keys to Eric's? He's probably knocked out already."

"I don't have them with me..."

"Then spend the night with me." She answers happily.

I'm concentrating on the amazing smile she's giving me instead of what she's suggesting. After a moment of stupid smiles, I snap out of it. "I'm not sure if that's a great idea, Syd."

"We're mature adults; we can control ourselves." She says, refusing to take no for an answer. I forced to follow her to her linen closet where she begins taking out the things I'll need for tonight.

Sure, speak for yourself.

-=-=-=-=-

She might have gotten me to stay with her tonight, but she could get me to stay with her. Sleeping in the same bed would lead the situation into something I'm not sure we're ready for.

So because of my chivalry and belief in what's just, I'm on the couch.

Thoughts about our not so new relationship keep me awake. I would never complain but I want to savor things with her for once. The first time we got together, it was frenzied and rushed, but never the less, full of love. This time, I want to remember every moment, and I sure as hell don't want to screw it up.

I pull off the covers, sitting up and giving in to my insomnia. I thank my conscience for telling me to change before we started our little movie night. I hadn't put everything back into my pockets but I fish into the shorts lying beside me anyway, knowing what I'm looking for is there.

A diamond looks more beautiful in the moonlight, but Sydney's looks radiant. I finger the little piece of metal and gem and wonder how such a little thing could mean so much. A ring means a new life, a family and above all love with the woman I can't stand to live without any longer.

I hear a rustle coming from Sydney's bedroom and then after a moment, footsteps. A quickly put the ring back into it's box and into my pocket again. Lying back down again, I pull the covers over my head.

The footsteps grow louder until they stop. I feel a warm body lie down and cuddle up next to me. I turn around and gladly pull an arm around her as Sydney buries her face into my bare chest. her breaths slowly becoming even after a moment.

Just like old times.

Maybe things will be okay after all.

A/N: Finally! The fluff I wrote this fic for.. I feel all fuzzy now.. :P So didja like? Tell me what you thought, guys; you know you wanna. You love reviewing as much as I love getting them.. Don't fight it!

I sounded like a drug dealer there, huh?

Well back in sober land, I'm asking you to please review.. better? :D