"It was a mistake to say it, Jonathan. Get the hell over it. I have." Lauren snapped angrily as she fought the long blue fabric around her. She was barely clad and still screaming to Jonathan, who stood a few feet away in a similar state. Her hair was standing on end and she was furious. Her lover was doubting her and she did not enjoy this. They had spent the night involved in…well, extracurricular activities.
"You admitted that you still love you husband." Jonathan turned towards her as he grabbed his white button down shirt. "I wasn't expecting that."
She shot him a seductive glare, "I fooled you, didn't I? If I can keep you fooled then I can keep Michael in the dark." She walked over to him, zipping up the long blue dress up as she crossed the space between them. "Come on, love. You honestly think I love that fool? That's like saying Irinia really loved Jack. Michael was my job and I did it well." She tugged on his lapels, straightening them out firmly. Her hands flew up and she dusted off his shoulders, shooing away invisible dirt.
He reached down and cupped her face in her hand, "How do I know that you're not fooling me?"
"You would know. Any fool would."
***
Vaughn sighed and looked at Sydney. She was fussing with the hem of her evening gown and couldn't seem to sit still. He couldn't help but smile. "What's the first thing you're going to do when we get back to LA?" He asked, knowing where he wanted this conversation to go.
She looked up at him and returned the smile, "Take a nice, long bubble bath and have some freshly brewed coffee." She took a moment to reflect on how wonderful that would be. "What about you?" She blinked her blue tinted eyes and suppressed a sigh. She hated to think of what will be. Making promises, even promises of a cup of coffee and a bubble bath made her hopeful. And to have hope in this business, would most likely get you killed.
He took a slow breath and felt his body grow serious, "I'm filing for a divorce."
Sydney felt like the contacts were going to pop from her eyes. "You are?" She managed to cough at last. Her tongue started to swell in her mouth and her entire mouth started to dry out.
"I am." He took a pregnant pause. "I just want to be happy again."
She wanted to lung at him and have him take her in his arms. She wanted to feel his lips pressed to hers and feel his chest vibrate in his chest as he laughed. But there was another man in the apartment that just confessed his love for her. "What?"
He slid closer to her and took her hands into his. "Sydney, I-" Vaughn felt his chest grow tighter and that familiar skipping a heart beat took over. "I was only happy when-." He leaned in closer to her.
She went into a state of shock so quickly that she didn't know if her body was functioning anymore. Her body started to shake and her head started to spin. "Don't, Vaughn." She said. She debated whether or not to remove her hands from his grasp or to pull away all together. She leaned her forehead against his and starred down at their hands still tightly clasped.
"Please, Sydney. I need to say this." He stared down at their hands too, squeezing tighter.
She swallowed and frowned slightly, "You'll break my heart all over again."
"I never meant to." He countered quickly.
She pulled her head up slowly and stared down into his eyes. She reached forward and felt the electricity spark between the two of them. It flowed through her and into him. It sped both of their heart rates and suddenly they were alive with passion. He pulled her body close to his and just hugged her. There was no passionate kiss full of love and lust. There was no quick shedding of clothing or anything else associate with the pent up love. She just hugged him tightly and squeezed tightly. It was as if he was going to disappear forever. She closed her eyes for a moment and just enjoyed being in his arms. It was the most intimate she had felt with anyone since her return.
"Mr. Gates, Ms. Roscoe, we're arrived." The driver opened the door when they had arrived at the destination.
Sydney sat up straight and fixed her clothes slightly, "I'm so sorry about that, sir." She giggled in a heavy Southern drawl. Shay Roscoe was a southern belle straight from the heart of Georgia. "We are just so-"
"Shay, darling, your talking." Vaughn supplied Carter's response. He pulled his body away from her and worked his way out into the cold night air. His body was warm and sweating.
She followed diligently, grasping his hands tightly, "We really are sorry. We know how y'all are about," she hushed her voice and leaned in close to the driver, "public displays of affection." She pressed her hand up to her mouth to hide the shy giggle she emitted as she straightened up. "Carter, darling, are we getting this show on the road?"
"Of course." He pulled her closer and started to walk towards the regale hotel. "We'll be back by morning!" Vaughn shouted as he stared to make his way towards the building with Sydney giggling all the way.
"Bye-e!" She tittered.
The doorman pushed open the doors and inside was a beautiful turned to pace to the lobby complete with fountains, chandeliers, and large bouquets of flowers. Everything was white and gold with just a splash of red every now and then. Her black heels clicked in time with classical music that played throughout the lobby. There was no conversation made between them. Both of them needed to think of what they wanted to say. The perfect looking couple made their way down the hallway, with gold and sage carpeting with matching faux painted walls. Everything was gilded and glowed from the yellow lights against the walls. There was a perfect glow that showed each of their features. The light shined over her eyes and the accents of her face and on him, the wonderful cleft in his chin and that dimple that only showed when he was happy.
"Names?" the hotel clerk asked. Vaughn's hand never left part of her body and took a moment every now and then to pull her closer and whisper into her ear. She in turned, smiled and pressed her cheek against his.
"I don't know if they're under your name or mine, darling. Try mine first, Shay Roscoe" Sydney smiled and rested her arms against the gold brushed counter top. She gladly furnished her newly applied fake nails. The gold nail polish caught the candlelight from the countertop.
"If not, attempt Carter Gates. Vaughn filled in, stepping up to stand next to his "wife."
"Ah yes. You'll be paying in advance, Mr. Gates?" The clerk looked up and began to smile brightly at him. She took her hand and placed it near her jaw line. Sydney couldn't help but feel a ping in the bottom of her stomach….was this Spanish girl flirting with her Vau- Vaughn. Not her Vaughn, just Vaughn in general. They weren't together anymore. Divorce or not, Vaughn and she were no longer an item. She shouldn't get those familiar jealousy pains in her stomach. Why wouldn't women want to flirt with him? Vaughn was cute, sexy, sweet, and Sydney snapped to attention. She needed to focus on what was at hand. And that matter was fooling everyone at the hotel that she and Vaughn were more than happily married.
"Yes, of course." Vaughn sighed and opened his wallet. Someone had put a picture of three children in-computer generated to look like them. He glanced nervously at Sydney, who tried to mask her surprise. There goes the thought of being newlyweds.
"How adorable, what are their names?" The clerk noticed the photo.
Sydney beamed with pride and quickly found three names off the top of her head, "James, Emily, and Sarah." She smiled down at the picture and back at the clerk.
"Beautiful names." The clerk remarked.
"Oh thank you." Sydney smiled sweetly and watched intently the exchange of money when her cell rang. She reached into her purse and pulled it out. "Hello?"
"It's Perkins." Madison's voice was dripping with apprehension.
"Shay, who is it?" Vaughn placed his hand lovingly on her arm.
"Oh, it's the nanny." She shook him off a little bit. Sydney took the phone away from her ear and smiled brightly. "Please excuse me for a moment." She glanced quickly from Vaughn to the clerk and back again.
"Of course." Vaughn nodded at her and turned back to paying with the new credit cards.
Her phone was brought back to her ear and turned to pace to the lobby complete with fountains, chandeliers, and large bouquets of flowers. Everything was white and gold with just a splash of red every now and then. Her black heels clicked in time with classical music that played throughout the lobby. "I'm sorry. I'm back."
"Good. I just wanted to let you know that plans have changed slightly Lauren and Jonathan are bringing another agent." Madison continued. There was notable change in her voice. She was nervous.
"Yes, very well and we're just checking in now." Her accent was so delicate and strong, no one would ever recognize her. She let her head rise up and looked at the gilded ceiling. It was all handcrafted and elegant.
"Be safe."
"Yes, I know and please, tell them I love them too and I'll talk to them very, very soon." Sydney replied, registering the information quickly. He was right, things were becoming a little fuzzy again and she felt the desperate need to sleep.
"Darling, we're ready!" Vaughn called as he walked away from the counter towards Sydney.
"I'm sorry I have to go. I shall call you later?"
"Be safe." Madison repeated, emphasizing her words but not enough to be really noticed by anyone standing near.
"Give the children my love. Bu-bye-e!" Sydney clicked her phone off and put it in bag, slung over her shoulder. She reached over and picked up her suitcase and it was at that moment that she started to feel every heart beat in her head and every breath in her chest.
"Let's go." Vaughn ushered her towards the elevator. His hand were on the small of her back again and his other hand pulled his luggage and she pulled her black case as well. "Everything all right?"
"Just fine, everyone's settling in."
"That's good, that's good." Vaughn attempted to sound like he knew what he was doing and what was going on. The elevator doors shut and they were the only ones in there. Vaughn immediately relaxed and leaned against the back of the way, still facing forward. Sydney smirked at Vaughn's relaxation and stayed straight, watching the doors with an unreadable face. His eyes watched her intently and finally he spoke, "What are you thinking about?"
"How much I love hotels." Sydney smiled, tipped her head at the gilded doors. She never dropped character once. "I love travel."
"Since when? In all the years I've known you, you've hated to fly, hated to sleep in any bed that wasn't your own." He stayed in character too, painfully aware of the security camera pointed at him.
"Since this trip, darling." She turned her body away from the camera, her too aware of its presence. Luckily, there was only one.
The elevator stopped moving and the doors opened. They revealed a beautiful gold table with mirror above it. On either side of the table were two red overstuffed chair and a hallway leading left and right. They exited out, careful to carry all of their stuff out. A bellboy had been refused simply because of security matters. They turned left down the hallway and followed the yellow, gold, and red carpet to room 4358. Vaughn took the initiative and slide the key into the door. It opened with a squeak. There was a large room, complete with couch and small glass table. There were fresh flowers, smelling brightly of tulips and violets. Moving further, there was a slightly narrow hallway. Inside was a hallway with a bathroom on the left and a mirrored closet directly across from it. There was a large king sized bed in the room with a TV in a walnut casing. Attached to the stand was an L shape desk with a phone, computer, and fax machine. At the very edge of the room was a large bay window with gold and white sheer drapes. There was a beautiful canapé over the bed, that draped in beautiful eggplant colored fabric. The bed itself was raised and arched slightly.
Sydney entered the room and threw her stuff down. Her brain barely focused on what the room looked like. Everything was becoming fuzzy. She dropped her bags near the desk. Her hands subconsciously tucked a stray piece behind her ear, "Bug killers?" She walked to the bed and collapsed down onto it.
"I'm way ahead of you." He had already started to rummage through his suitcase and pulled out random objects; a tube of lipstick, a paper clip, a hanger, a shampoo bottle. One was placed in each corner of the room, including the bathroom and closet.
He returned, leaning against the wall and let out a long sigh. His forehead was creased with worry and his eyes were clouded over. Everything was still a little fuzzy to him. He hadn't even heard her speak. His mind was clouded over as well. "I don't know what's going to happen with all of this."
"Yeah, I know." She replied, not bothering to turn around to face him. Her eyes were focused out onto the balcony that overlooked the beautiful gardens and tiled pool. It was dusk and the sun was just barely out of the sky. Her eyes scanned the horizon and her thoughts becoming clouded over by the medication. No thoughts were being processed clearly. "I can't wait to go to sleep."
Things were to fuzzy. Maybe if she closed her eyes, and the medication was still in her system, that dream wouldn't come. "How are you holding up?" She finally asked, rising to her feet and looking back to him, sitting there just as exhausted as she was.
"Well," He began taking his time with each breath, "I guess as well as expected." He sighed heavily and felt his body starting to shake, "I just wish that the adrenaline of all of this would start."
She looked towards him and felt the emotions surge through her. "Do you remember when my mother escaped from us? It was right after you were being investigated and they-"
"Yeah, I remember-why?"
"You told me that I shouldn't be on the taskforce because you thought I would hesitate. And, as much as I hate to admit this, I did hesitate and not only did she get away but it also cost Emily her life."
He took a step towards her but she put her hands up to stop him. "Syd, you can't think that it's your fault-"
She shook her head, "I don't but that's not the point. I need to know, Vaughn; are you going to hesitate?"
He looked like someone had just punched him in the stomach. There was a look of pain in his face that she had never seen before. He looked away from her for a moment and felt his stomach knot up. His chest grew tight and for a split moment, he thought he was going to have a heart attack. "My father never trusted easily. He always said that trusting people could get you killed. And I believe that's what killed him. He trusted someone somewhere along the lines and that's what got him killed. He also never forgave people. I guess you could say that I inherited that. I never forgive."
"You never know what's-"
"Sydney, listen to me." He hissed. "Lauren Reed is nothing more than a target that we need to take into custody. We'll neutralize her, Jonathan Ross, and the third agent. End of story. This is the end of this conversation."