Alias4ever: Um yeah!! I was hyperventilating when I saw that Lauren freaks
out at Sydney and then Sydney freaks out at Vaughn!!! Hey about Lauren and
Jonathan.you think they're evil now; just wait until later on.
Mary Kate113: I'm sorry about the formatting problem.it's all fixed now!! Glad you like the story so far and that things with Madison make sense :o)
Kay10917: Yay!! Glad you're enjoying and just wait.Lauren only gets worse..
Total Vaughn lover: yeah, this is a little bit darker than I usually write..the next few chapters get really really dark but there will be some fluff thrown in there..if it's too dark, lemme know and I'll lighten it up
Ruli: Thank you!! I'm sorry about the formatting.it's all fixed now...don't worry.there's another chapter like that coming down the road and I'll used the **** to separate it! Thanx for letting me know it was a problem!
Stardust89: Okay..about 47/End of Her World.I got into major writer's block over that story.it's my baby and I really do love it but I think when I'm doing with this story, I'm gonna take some time off and try to finish it..I'm really glad you like it.I wasn't sure how the sequel was going to go over with people.thank you!!
**************************************************************************** **
Madison pushed the door open, balancing her little daughter on her hip. "I wished I could have warned you about Layla but for security reasons-you understand." She wrinkled her brow in concern as she tried to gauge Vaughn's reaction. "No one really knows about her." She opened the door and walked into the cold apartment. He had barely said two words since they walked down the block to see Ms. Anastasia, who was more than pleased to see Natasha, well Madison being Natasha. She introduced Vaughn as her brother, Tobias Polchek and all was right with the world. They looked somewhat related and it worked all the way around. But Vaughn's eyes had grown wide when he saw the toddler. "I really wish you would say something. I don't know if this is you being polite to me or whatnot but I wish you would say something."
His rapid thoughts stopped for a moment and he looked at the agent, who wore more hats than he ever imagined, "She's beautiful, Ms. Perkins. She's absolutely perfect."
"Thank you and please call me Madison, Mr. Vaughn." She smiled softly, trying to overcome her pride over the little girl that was hers.
"Then stop calling me Mr. Vaughn, Madison."
Madison smiled as she pressed her side into the door and groaned slightly as she tried to push it open. "It's sound proof. That's why it's so heavy." Madison explained softly as they both struggled to open the door. She adjusted the baby on her hip and walked into the warmth of the tiny little apartment. As the door gave into its hinges, they both groaned slightly. "Thank you. Kilmer, we're back!"
"That was fast." Kilmer bounded out of the kitchen and took his little girl into his arms. "Hello Miss Layla. Did you have fun at Ms. Anastasia's? Hmmm?" Something glimmered in his eye. It was the proud father looking into the beautiful blue eyes of his daughter. He adjusted her weight and allowed her to lie against his muscular chest. Sydney watched little Layla adjust to her father's form and coo, a smile spreading over her chubby face. He started to bounce her slightly, producing another burst of coos and giggles from the baby.
Madison pealed her coat from her body and deposited on its respected hook. She shook her long black hair from the confines of the hat and threw that down too. "It's gotten colder out." She remarked, reflecting on her words. She turned back towards the rest of the room and saw it like a picture frame. Sydney was starring in near the entry to kitchen. Kilmer was cuddling with his ten-month daughter with Vaughn standing, still bundled up from the cold standing near the closed wood door. "What is everyone standing around for? Mr. Vaughn, Ms. Bristow, come in and sit please. I just need to put Layla down and we'll all talk for a bit."
Sydney walked in from her post and stood over Kilmer's shoulder, "She's perfect, Kilmer." She ran her fingertip, warm from holding the hot cup of tea, over the tiny girl's face, memorizing her features. This was the little girl she and Kilmer were supposed to have before things got complicated. Her biological clock started to tick so loudly that she was not sure if she was still breathing or if he heart was still beating. She loved this pain as much as she hated. She had felt this way since she got back. Maybe if she had a baby, this aching pain for a normal life would go a way.
"Thanks, sweet pea." He replied, glancing back and forth between the three women..his past, his present, and his future. "I'll put her to bed, Maddie. Why don't you pour yourself something to drink and I'll meet you in the living room?" Without much thought, he turned went into the second room, the one to the right of the fireplace.
Madison cleared her throat uncomfortably, "So, Ms. Bristow-" She had this sudden distrust of Sydney and she wanted to get rid of that feeling as soon as possible. She hated feeling this way. Sydney was a good person; she tried to assure herself repeatedly.
"Sydney, please." She held up her hand in slight protest.
"Sydney, yes. You and Robbie knew each other before?" She tried to make her voice sound casual as her body was seething with jealousy. She desired to be warmer and walked towards the fire, taking a blanket thrown over the side on the newer look couch and wrapped it around her body tightly before collapsing down into the aged material.
"We worked together at SD-6. We were partners." Sydney turned and walked back to the fireplace, following Madison's lead.
"Oh." Madison replied, trying to sound convincing. "Well," she swallowed hard "that was a long while ago, wasn't it?" She shivered again and rubbed her hands together more reverently, trying to shake the cold from her tiny frame.
"It feels like yesterday." Sydney gazed off for a moment but quickly found residence on the tattered couch. She curled her feet up underneath her and she looked to Vaughn for support. She was trying to stay together as much as possible but was waiting for that one moment for her pins to snap.
"So, you were there when he faked his death?" She watched Sydney's reaction carefully. Her blue green eyes watched her nod. "I only ask because he refused to speak of his days before the program and I want to know. He would probably have my head if he knew that I was asking."
Sydney smiled weakly, "What would you like to know?"
"Everything."
"Everything?" Sydney's eyes drifted towards the second bedroom and almost waited for Kilmer appear.
Madison nodded her head, "Don't worry about Robbie. He takes forever putting Layla down." She shook her hand in the general direction of the other bedroom. It was as if she was reading her thoughts. "Come Agent Vaughn. Come warm yourself by the fire."
Vaughn moved slowly, feeling the cold move out of his limbs. His head was a jumble of thoughts but suddenly, none of that mattered. He didn't know anything about Sydney and Kilmer that he was from SD-6. Sydney had never mentioned him in any of her debriefs. He didn't know anything about this and was so curious that his veins were about implode. Curiosity killed the cat. He sat beside Sydney and he knew that to anyone else it would look like a person just sitting down to rest his body but oh no. Nothing in his life was ever that simple. It was him sitting down next to his ex-girlfriend. It was him sitting down to his ex-asset. It was him sitting down to his partner. It was him sitting there for moral support.
Sydney started to laugh nervously, "I don't know where to start."
Madison leaned forward and hushed her voice slightly, "I want to know what Robbie was like before he was put into witness protection. I'm his partner, in more than one sense and I need to know what he was like."
Sydney knew how she felt. She wished she had known what Vaughn was like before the CIA and before he met her. "He was one of the most competent men I've ever worked with. He was the best I've ever worked with in terms of ad-libbing. He-he was headed straight for the top. A great shot. He could hit anything with any type of gun. He knew every language under the sun and then some." She smiled as she lost eye contact with all parties in the room. "We were partners. He was my first at SD-6. We were uh-we were in Chile. It was simple mission."
She was suddenly back to that hot and humid Chile night. She was a baby, just at the legal drinking age and in love with her partner, who she thought felt the same way. Her hair was long and strawberry blonde, reaching the middle of her exposed back. Her frame was tucked closely to Kilmer's, a sturdy agent of 24 with five years of experience under his belt. They were both dressed for a steamy nightclub where they were meeting a new player on the scene in weapons sale. They were just going to meet with him as potential customers. It was so simple. However, as they entered the club, a man came up behind both of them or at least Sydney assumed it was a man. She struggled, there was no doubt of that but there was chloroform involved and the last thing she remembered was the man's arms around her, preventing her from moving and a rag went over her mouth and nose. She hit the ground hard and blacked out.
She awoke days later in LA. She didn't know how she got there or exactly what happened. But when she came into work that Monday, Sloane asked to see her in his office. There she was the pictures of Kilmer. He had been kidnapped and killed. They never knew who his kidnappers were.
Until she joined the CIA and she knew. It was all faked. She later learned that her attackers were CIA agents and they returned her safely to LA. The new player on the scene wasn't at all. He was CIA. It was all a front to get Kilmer out of there. He was going to be killed on his way home from LA. Actually, they saved Sydney too. The plane was going to have a malfunction and crash, killing anyone on board-her included.
"Why did he call you sweet pea?" That was what she really wanted to know. In all honesty, she could care less about what he was really like before SD-6. She would take him as is and love him even more for it.
Sydney swallowed a lump in the back of her throat and looked around desperately, or trying not to appear desperate. She looked to Vaughn for support, his eyes wide with surprise. She didn't tell him and understood why he looked so shock. She cleared her throat rather uncomfortably and shrugged her shoulders. "He's a wonderful man, Madison. You two will be so happy together. He'll keep you safe and keep you happy. You and Layla both." She tried to smile but failed rather miserably. The emotions were taking over her and she just wanted to be home back in her safe, little bed in the apartment that she hated and actually wanted to be back home in her safe, little bed in the apartment that she lived and loved before she disappeared for two years. Yes, her life officially sucked. She finally looked up and saw the emotions in Madison's eyes.
"You never answered my question." Madison spoke coldly.
"I know." Sydney replied matching her tone.
"Well." Madison whispered without conviction. All color had drained from her face and that look crossed over her alabaster features. It was the same on that Lauren had when she first met Sydney. Sydney knew she had just lost a valuable ally.
"She's asleep." Kilmer walked out of the bedroom and smiled at his fiancée.
"That's good." Madison replied, not taking her eyes off Sydney. She licked her chapped lips, blistered and broken from the cold.
"I guess we all need to talk." Kilmer walked out of the bedroom and to the back of the couch, placing both hands on the couch. "Go over everything?"
Madison straightened up and continued to glare at Sydney. She didn't like not getting the answers she wanted when she wanted them. It was a definite flaw and became a problem when she was on missions but she raised her eyebrows slightly at Sydney, still annoyed that she never got her answers. It was going to be a long night for Kilmer. "Whatever we have to say can wait until tomorrow. They've been through enough for one day, Robbie." She finally broke eye contact with Sydney and looked at Kilmer. "Besides," she spoke softly, "we need to talk."
He pretended not to hear this or see that look in her eyes. "That sound good to you guys?" Kilmer asked, his lively spirit coming back to his eyes. "Why don't we all get settled and then tomorrow, first thing, we'll get started with going over the mission specs and everything else?"
Sydney looked around the room and her eyes settled on Vaughn and tried to gauge his reaction. He closed his eyes and nodded gently, "I think a good night's sleep would due best for all of us. It'll be a long time before we get to again."
"I agree." Sydney conceded. He knew that they both should get to going over the missions specs but saw something desperate hidden beneath the honey brown color.
"We only have two bedrooms, so I hope it's alright that you two share a room? CIA doesn't exactly fit the best accommodations." She smiled sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders.
"It's fine. Really. Thank you." Sydney smiled once again, getting to her feet. "Good-night."
****************************************************************************
"I guess we've been in worse." She tried to sound optimistic.
"Yeah. Yeah. This isn't so bad." He replied, dropping his duffle bag at his feet. His green eyes drifted along the small, decrepit safe house and their little bedroom.
Vaughn turned around and shut the door firmly behind him, hoping that they would not have to stay in this hellhole for too long. He reclined against the wall, the heavy soundproof wall, and watched her. It was a guilty pleasure of his. He loved watching her every movement. She had the grace of a dancer with every movement mattering more than the next. "Well, I guess we better make ourselves at home?" He cleared his throat softly.
Sydney replied, "I think we need to go over the specs, whether Madison and Kilmer want to or not. We need to go over the missions specs before we do anything else." She tossed her bag, standard black nylon, down at the foot of the bed. Her hands went to her hips almost instantly went through her hair and down to her hips.
"Why don't we do it tomorrow morning? We're both exhausted and need sleep more than anything else." He shot her that look, the same look that he had shown her when he asked her to dinner. "Hmm?"
She didn't know exactly to what to do. Her heart told her to go over the specs for the mission tomorrow night but her head told her to go to bed. Sleep was a necessity. "Sure." She relented. They didn't need to change; they were both dressed in sweatpants and comfortable tops. She dragged her body over to the bed and slipped beneath the large blue comforter with the flat white line pillows. Her brown eyes were starting to flutter softly at Vaughn who had taken to looking around to room. "What's wrong?"
"Looking for a place to sleep."
"The bed?"
"I can't do that to you."
"With all due respect Vaughn, just get into the bed."
"Syd" he protested, shaking his head slightly back and forth.
"Vaughn, don't test me on this. Just get into bed!" She lifted her body up slightly, propping herself on her sore elbows. He looked away, letting his brow wrinkle in concern. He couldn't do this to himself. This was the first step down a dark road. "Besides, where else are you going to sleep? On the floor? Friend, boyfriend, partner or not, I won't let you sleep on this floor. You'll catch your death." She pulled part of the blankets aside, exposing the worn beige sheets.
She watched him comply with her demands and lay stiffly in the bed. This was so wrong for both of them. He stopped breathing in a regular pattern and it was if he was trying to hold his breath. Why? She had no idea.
"You know you never answered the question." He directed his voice at the crumbling ceiling as he lay back beneath the comforter.
She flipped over to face him and look harshly at him, "Do you want to know the answer?" Her tone was harsh and her mannerisms mirrored this.
"Why did he call you sweet pea?" He asked, the warmth draining from his voice.
"We were together for two years." She judged the look on his face. "And then he faked his death and I moved on. Eventually. Does that answer your question?"
He didn't have a comment for that right away. He could say something soothing and sweet or cold and bitter or something all together random. "It's a tough feeling, isn't it? You don't know what to do with yourself?" He watched her exhausted look change to something more of confusion. "Finding out that that the dead is alive?"
"It's sickening." She replied coldly, still curled up on her side.
He turned more to face her, "I hate seeing you like this." He admitted. "What can I do to help with everything? This can't be-"
"Don't do this, Vaughn. Don't be the superhero that comes in to save me from myself." She hissed with a disdain in her voice that she hadn't let show in a while. "Don't pretend that we're going through the same thing because we're not."
"I'm not trying to be." He snapped back.
"What Kilmer and I-what happened with us, that was nine years ago. I'm nearly thirty years old. I can deal with it. Really." She flipped back over and felt the mattress squeak as Vaughn flipped on his side. She scowled and curled her body closer. Her arms were coiled against her chest, her chin resting on her twisted hands and her body wrapped into the fetal position. The only thing left to do was fall into a fitful sleep and be numb.
Mary Kate113: I'm sorry about the formatting problem.it's all fixed now!! Glad you like the story so far and that things with Madison make sense :o)
Kay10917: Yay!! Glad you're enjoying and just wait.Lauren only gets worse..
Total Vaughn lover: yeah, this is a little bit darker than I usually write..the next few chapters get really really dark but there will be some fluff thrown in there..if it's too dark, lemme know and I'll lighten it up
Ruli: Thank you!! I'm sorry about the formatting.it's all fixed now...don't worry.there's another chapter like that coming down the road and I'll used the **** to separate it! Thanx for letting me know it was a problem!
Stardust89: Okay..about 47/End of Her World.I got into major writer's block over that story.it's my baby and I really do love it but I think when I'm doing with this story, I'm gonna take some time off and try to finish it..I'm really glad you like it.I wasn't sure how the sequel was going to go over with people.thank you!!
**************************************************************************** **
Madison pushed the door open, balancing her little daughter on her hip. "I wished I could have warned you about Layla but for security reasons-you understand." She wrinkled her brow in concern as she tried to gauge Vaughn's reaction. "No one really knows about her." She opened the door and walked into the cold apartment. He had barely said two words since they walked down the block to see Ms. Anastasia, who was more than pleased to see Natasha, well Madison being Natasha. She introduced Vaughn as her brother, Tobias Polchek and all was right with the world. They looked somewhat related and it worked all the way around. But Vaughn's eyes had grown wide when he saw the toddler. "I really wish you would say something. I don't know if this is you being polite to me or whatnot but I wish you would say something."
His rapid thoughts stopped for a moment and he looked at the agent, who wore more hats than he ever imagined, "She's beautiful, Ms. Perkins. She's absolutely perfect."
"Thank you and please call me Madison, Mr. Vaughn." She smiled softly, trying to overcome her pride over the little girl that was hers.
"Then stop calling me Mr. Vaughn, Madison."
Madison smiled as she pressed her side into the door and groaned slightly as she tried to push it open. "It's sound proof. That's why it's so heavy." Madison explained softly as they both struggled to open the door. She adjusted the baby on her hip and walked into the warmth of the tiny little apartment. As the door gave into its hinges, they both groaned slightly. "Thank you. Kilmer, we're back!"
"That was fast." Kilmer bounded out of the kitchen and took his little girl into his arms. "Hello Miss Layla. Did you have fun at Ms. Anastasia's? Hmmm?" Something glimmered in his eye. It was the proud father looking into the beautiful blue eyes of his daughter. He adjusted her weight and allowed her to lie against his muscular chest. Sydney watched little Layla adjust to her father's form and coo, a smile spreading over her chubby face. He started to bounce her slightly, producing another burst of coos and giggles from the baby.
Madison pealed her coat from her body and deposited on its respected hook. She shook her long black hair from the confines of the hat and threw that down too. "It's gotten colder out." She remarked, reflecting on her words. She turned back towards the rest of the room and saw it like a picture frame. Sydney was starring in near the entry to kitchen. Kilmer was cuddling with his ten-month daughter with Vaughn standing, still bundled up from the cold standing near the closed wood door. "What is everyone standing around for? Mr. Vaughn, Ms. Bristow, come in and sit please. I just need to put Layla down and we'll all talk for a bit."
Sydney walked in from her post and stood over Kilmer's shoulder, "She's perfect, Kilmer." She ran her fingertip, warm from holding the hot cup of tea, over the tiny girl's face, memorizing her features. This was the little girl she and Kilmer were supposed to have before things got complicated. Her biological clock started to tick so loudly that she was not sure if she was still breathing or if he heart was still beating. She loved this pain as much as she hated. She had felt this way since she got back. Maybe if she had a baby, this aching pain for a normal life would go a way.
"Thanks, sweet pea." He replied, glancing back and forth between the three women..his past, his present, and his future. "I'll put her to bed, Maddie. Why don't you pour yourself something to drink and I'll meet you in the living room?" Without much thought, he turned went into the second room, the one to the right of the fireplace.
Madison cleared her throat uncomfortably, "So, Ms. Bristow-" She had this sudden distrust of Sydney and she wanted to get rid of that feeling as soon as possible. She hated feeling this way. Sydney was a good person; she tried to assure herself repeatedly.
"Sydney, please." She held up her hand in slight protest.
"Sydney, yes. You and Robbie knew each other before?" She tried to make her voice sound casual as her body was seething with jealousy. She desired to be warmer and walked towards the fire, taking a blanket thrown over the side on the newer look couch and wrapped it around her body tightly before collapsing down into the aged material.
"We worked together at SD-6. We were partners." Sydney turned and walked back to the fireplace, following Madison's lead.
"Oh." Madison replied, trying to sound convincing. "Well," she swallowed hard "that was a long while ago, wasn't it?" She shivered again and rubbed her hands together more reverently, trying to shake the cold from her tiny frame.
"It feels like yesterday." Sydney gazed off for a moment but quickly found residence on the tattered couch. She curled her feet up underneath her and she looked to Vaughn for support. She was trying to stay together as much as possible but was waiting for that one moment for her pins to snap.
"So, you were there when he faked his death?" She watched Sydney's reaction carefully. Her blue green eyes watched her nod. "I only ask because he refused to speak of his days before the program and I want to know. He would probably have my head if he knew that I was asking."
Sydney smiled weakly, "What would you like to know?"
"Everything."
"Everything?" Sydney's eyes drifted towards the second bedroom and almost waited for Kilmer appear.
Madison nodded her head, "Don't worry about Robbie. He takes forever putting Layla down." She shook her hand in the general direction of the other bedroom. It was as if she was reading her thoughts. "Come Agent Vaughn. Come warm yourself by the fire."
Vaughn moved slowly, feeling the cold move out of his limbs. His head was a jumble of thoughts but suddenly, none of that mattered. He didn't know anything about Sydney and Kilmer that he was from SD-6. Sydney had never mentioned him in any of her debriefs. He didn't know anything about this and was so curious that his veins were about implode. Curiosity killed the cat. He sat beside Sydney and he knew that to anyone else it would look like a person just sitting down to rest his body but oh no. Nothing in his life was ever that simple. It was him sitting down next to his ex-girlfriend. It was him sitting down to his ex-asset. It was him sitting down to his partner. It was him sitting there for moral support.
Sydney started to laugh nervously, "I don't know where to start."
Madison leaned forward and hushed her voice slightly, "I want to know what Robbie was like before he was put into witness protection. I'm his partner, in more than one sense and I need to know what he was like."
Sydney knew how she felt. She wished she had known what Vaughn was like before the CIA and before he met her. "He was one of the most competent men I've ever worked with. He was the best I've ever worked with in terms of ad-libbing. He-he was headed straight for the top. A great shot. He could hit anything with any type of gun. He knew every language under the sun and then some." She smiled as she lost eye contact with all parties in the room. "We were partners. He was my first at SD-6. We were uh-we were in Chile. It was simple mission."
She was suddenly back to that hot and humid Chile night. She was a baby, just at the legal drinking age and in love with her partner, who she thought felt the same way. Her hair was long and strawberry blonde, reaching the middle of her exposed back. Her frame was tucked closely to Kilmer's, a sturdy agent of 24 with five years of experience under his belt. They were both dressed for a steamy nightclub where they were meeting a new player on the scene in weapons sale. They were just going to meet with him as potential customers. It was so simple. However, as they entered the club, a man came up behind both of them or at least Sydney assumed it was a man. She struggled, there was no doubt of that but there was chloroform involved and the last thing she remembered was the man's arms around her, preventing her from moving and a rag went over her mouth and nose. She hit the ground hard and blacked out.
She awoke days later in LA. She didn't know how she got there or exactly what happened. But when she came into work that Monday, Sloane asked to see her in his office. There she was the pictures of Kilmer. He had been kidnapped and killed. They never knew who his kidnappers were.
Until she joined the CIA and she knew. It was all faked. She later learned that her attackers were CIA agents and they returned her safely to LA. The new player on the scene wasn't at all. He was CIA. It was all a front to get Kilmer out of there. He was going to be killed on his way home from LA. Actually, they saved Sydney too. The plane was going to have a malfunction and crash, killing anyone on board-her included.
"Why did he call you sweet pea?" That was what she really wanted to know. In all honesty, she could care less about what he was really like before SD-6. She would take him as is and love him even more for it.
Sydney swallowed a lump in the back of her throat and looked around desperately, or trying not to appear desperate. She looked to Vaughn for support, his eyes wide with surprise. She didn't tell him and understood why he looked so shock. She cleared her throat rather uncomfortably and shrugged her shoulders. "He's a wonderful man, Madison. You two will be so happy together. He'll keep you safe and keep you happy. You and Layla both." She tried to smile but failed rather miserably. The emotions were taking over her and she just wanted to be home back in her safe, little bed in the apartment that she hated and actually wanted to be back home in her safe, little bed in the apartment that she lived and loved before she disappeared for two years. Yes, her life officially sucked. She finally looked up and saw the emotions in Madison's eyes.
"You never answered my question." Madison spoke coldly.
"I know." Sydney replied matching her tone.
"Well." Madison whispered without conviction. All color had drained from her face and that look crossed over her alabaster features. It was the same on that Lauren had when she first met Sydney. Sydney knew she had just lost a valuable ally.
"She's asleep." Kilmer walked out of the bedroom and smiled at his fiancée.
"That's good." Madison replied, not taking her eyes off Sydney. She licked her chapped lips, blistered and broken from the cold.
"I guess we all need to talk." Kilmer walked out of the bedroom and to the back of the couch, placing both hands on the couch. "Go over everything?"
Madison straightened up and continued to glare at Sydney. She didn't like not getting the answers she wanted when she wanted them. It was a definite flaw and became a problem when she was on missions but she raised her eyebrows slightly at Sydney, still annoyed that she never got her answers. It was going to be a long night for Kilmer. "Whatever we have to say can wait until tomorrow. They've been through enough for one day, Robbie." She finally broke eye contact with Sydney and looked at Kilmer. "Besides," she spoke softly, "we need to talk."
He pretended not to hear this or see that look in her eyes. "That sound good to you guys?" Kilmer asked, his lively spirit coming back to his eyes. "Why don't we all get settled and then tomorrow, first thing, we'll get started with going over the mission specs and everything else?"
Sydney looked around the room and her eyes settled on Vaughn and tried to gauge his reaction. He closed his eyes and nodded gently, "I think a good night's sleep would due best for all of us. It'll be a long time before we get to again."
"I agree." Sydney conceded. He knew that they both should get to going over the missions specs but saw something desperate hidden beneath the honey brown color.
"We only have two bedrooms, so I hope it's alright that you two share a room? CIA doesn't exactly fit the best accommodations." She smiled sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders.
"It's fine. Really. Thank you." Sydney smiled once again, getting to her feet. "Good-night."
****************************************************************************
"I guess we've been in worse." She tried to sound optimistic.
"Yeah. Yeah. This isn't so bad." He replied, dropping his duffle bag at his feet. His green eyes drifted along the small, decrepit safe house and their little bedroom.
Vaughn turned around and shut the door firmly behind him, hoping that they would not have to stay in this hellhole for too long. He reclined against the wall, the heavy soundproof wall, and watched her. It was a guilty pleasure of his. He loved watching her every movement. She had the grace of a dancer with every movement mattering more than the next. "Well, I guess we better make ourselves at home?" He cleared his throat softly.
Sydney replied, "I think we need to go over the specs, whether Madison and Kilmer want to or not. We need to go over the missions specs before we do anything else." She tossed her bag, standard black nylon, down at the foot of the bed. Her hands went to her hips almost instantly went through her hair and down to her hips.
"Why don't we do it tomorrow morning? We're both exhausted and need sleep more than anything else." He shot her that look, the same look that he had shown her when he asked her to dinner. "Hmm?"
She didn't know exactly to what to do. Her heart told her to go over the specs for the mission tomorrow night but her head told her to go to bed. Sleep was a necessity. "Sure." She relented. They didn't need to change; they were both dressed in sweatpants and comfortable tops. She dragged her body over to the bed and slipped beneath the large blue comforter with the flat white line pillows. Her brown eyes were starting to flutter softly at Vaughn who had taken to looking around to room. "What's wrong?"
"Looking for a place to sleep."
"The bed?"
"I can't do that to you."
"With all due respect Vaughn, just get into the bed."
"Syd" he protested, shaking his head slightly back and forth.
"Vaughn, don't test me on this. Just get into bed!" She lifted her body up slightly, propping herself on her sore elbows. He looked away, letting his brow wrinkle in concern. He couldn't do this to himself. This was the first step down a dark road. "Besides, where else are you going to sleep? On the floor? Friend, boyfriend, partner or not, I won't let you sleep on this floor. You'll catch your death." She pulled part of the blankets aside, exposing the worn beige sheets.
She watched him comply with her demands and lay stiffly in the bed. This was so wrong for both of them. He stopped breathing in a regular pattern and it was if he was trying to hold his breath. Why? She had no idea.
"You know you never answered the question." He directed his voice at the crumbling ceiling as he lay back beneath the comforter.
She flipped over to face him and look harshly at him, "Do you want to know the answer?" Her tone was harsh and her mannerisms mirrored this.
"Why did he call you sweet pea?" He asked, the warmth draining from his voice.
"We were together for two years." She judged the look on his face. "And then he faked his death and I moved on. Eventually. Does that answer your question?"
He didn't have a comment for that right away. He could say something soothing and sweet or cold and bitter or something all together random. "It's a tough feeling, isn't it? You don't know what to do with yourself?" He watched her exhausted look change to something more of confusion. "Finding out that that the dead is alive?"
"It's sickening." She replied coldly, still curled up on her side.
He turned more to face her, "I hate seeing you like this." He admitted. "What can I do to help with everything? This can't be-"
"Don't do this, Vaughn. Don't be the superhero that comes in to save me from myself." She hissed with a disdain in her voice that she hadn't let show in a while. "Don't pretend that we're going through the same thing because we're not."
"I'm not trying to be." He snapped back.
"What Kilmer and I-what happened with us, that was nine years ago. I'm nearly thirty years old. I can deal with it. Really." She flipped back over and felt the mattress squeak as Vaughn flipped on his side. She scowled and curled her body closer. Her arms were coiled against her chest, her chin resting on her twisted hands and her body wrapped into the fetal position. The only thing left to do was fall into a fitful sleep and be numb.