Title: If Only Once More

Author: SAG

Disclaimer: See ch. 1

Rating: Officially up to PG-13 (will most likely reside here, though it's probably STRONG PG-13)

A/N: Hey… told you I'd be back. I hope you all love this and well, review! (For my What Was Once Perfection readers… chapter 5 tomorrow hopefully!!)

CH. 2

He had been moving nonstop. Every moment was focused on finding her, nothing else mattered. He rushed through the ops center, a cup of coffee in his hand, making his way towards his desk. He barely noticed any one as he passed them; the sympathetic glances and slight whispers lost all meaning on him as he kept his sight focused ahead of him, to his desk and finding Sydney.

He reached his desk, heavily adorned with papers and folders stuffed to their capacity, all with information on the last mission or leads to where she could be, every one of them coming up empty. Sitting in his chair he began the same searches he had been running for the past 3 days. Sighing deeply, he leaned back in his chair knowing that the first one would come up empty, as would the second, and third. It had been the same pattern for the last 3 days. 3 very long days. Days full of endless searches and paperwork only to be followed by sleepless nights spent at his desk following the same routine as of that in daytime.

Weiss passed Vaughn's desk for the 5th time that evening to find his friend in the exact same position he had been in every other time Weiss had walked by, every other time in the last 3 days. Ever since Vaughn had returned from Spain, alone, he had barely left his desk, only leaving to replenish his coffee or to pick up another folder. The endless dead end searches he ran, running his every thought.

He watched as Vaughn leaned back in his chair, sighing once again as he ran his hands over his tired face. Weiss looked over him sympathetically as he took in the sight of his normally meticulously well dressed friend. His suit was wrinkled and disheveled and the stubble on his face was prominent. He couldn't take it anymore, this was killing his friend. He quickly dropped the documents in his hands to his desk top and strode over to Vaughn's desk, placing his hand on Vaughn's shoulder.

"Go home, man."

"Eric." Vaughn breathed, startled out of his trance. "Eric, I can't. Not until she's back here. I can't leave her with them. I won't… I won't do that to her." Vaughn sighed in anguish, the realization hitting him once again.

"You aren't doing her any good by running the same searches, Mike. They all end up in the same place, no where. Look at yourself, man. Your suit is a mess; you're completely irritable and irrational. When was the last time you got any sleep?"

"I caught some on the plane home." Vaughn replied weakly.

"From Spain!?" Weiss cried incredulously. "Mike that was 3 days ago! Go home, shower, get some food, some sleep and I'll call if we find anything."

"I don't know Eric…"

"Go."

"But what if…"

"Go."

"But…"

"Go!" Weiss ordered pointing to the door. "If I have to I'll make Jack force you to go home."

Vaughn sighed in defeat. "Fine. But if you find anything I expect a phone call." Vaughn demanded as he logged of his computer and tried to organize his desk a bit.

"Will do."

"Anything Eric. I mean it."

"I promise. Now go home."

"Thank you Eric." Vaughn gave him a weak smile as he grabbed his keys.

"We'll find her Mike, I promise."

Vaughn walked into his apartment and threw his keys on the table. Double checking Donovan's food and water supply, he made his way into his bedroom, loosening his tie and shedding his coat as he went. Stripping down to his boxers, Vaughn grabbed a pair of sweats and a white t-shirt before heading into the bathroom. Placing his clothes on the closed toilet seat, he caught a glance of himself in the mirror. He immediately knew why Weiss was so insistent on him going home.

He looked like hell. His face was tired and long, the signs of his last 3 sleepless nights apparent as well as the stubble across his chin. He rubbed a tired hand over his face, wishing he could wipe away the black bags under his eyes. He sighed in frustration as he reached over and turned on the water in the shower. He let it reach the perfect temperature before removing his boxers and stepping in.

He allowed the heat to wash over him as he stood under the showerhead. He braced one arm against the wall in front of him and leaned against it for support as he hung his head. He wanted to cry out in anguish, but he didn't think that he had it in him. His muscles began to slowly relieve themselves of their tightness that had been escalating over the past few days and he breathed deeply, hoping the steam would relieve the tension in his chest, though he knew it wasn't his lungs that were contracting.

When he stepped out, he dried off quickly and dressed in the sweats and t-shirt. He decided on a quick shave and made fast work of the slight beard that had started to form. He was surprised he didn't walk away with a mutilated chin, his focus was clearly elsewhere as he shaved. Deciding to skip eating, he just didn't think he could stomach anything; he stumbled into his bedroom and collapsed into bed, his exhaustion over taking him.

His hand ran along her cheek, tracing the contours of her face before embedding itself into her silky chestnut hair. His lips met hers again and again as his free hand worked at the buttons on her shirt.

She leaned into him as she deepened the kiss, her tongue tracing along his bottom lip. She sneaked her hands between them, unbuckling his belt and reaching for the buttons on his jeans as her shirt felt to the floor. She discarded the belt quickly as she opened her mouth to him. Drinking each other in, he pulled her to the bed, allowing her to softly fall down to the pillows.

The sheets moved above them as they became one. Each movement he made was matched with one by her as they blended together. They breathed in each other's breath as their movements quickened.

She arched herself up closer to him as his hand ran through her hair once again. He kissed her neck softly, leaving a tingling trail as he kissed up to her ear. "You are so beautiful." He breathed as she sighed in reply.

"Vaughn, I love…"

In a flash of blinding white light, she was ripped from him. Shots rang out as she was yanked away, her silent cries deafening. He reached out to her, struggling to free her from her captors when a shrill sound rang out and her body fell limp, tumbling to the ground.

"Sydney!"

Vaughn bolted up straight in bed, sweat dripping down his face as he fought to catch his breath. His cell phone on the nightstand rang next to him as he untangled himself from the sheets. Shaking his head to clear the fog that had settled over him, he reached over and groped for the phone.

"Vaughn." His voice was hoarse.

"Get in here."

"Eric?"

"Get in here."

"What? Why? Eric what happened?!"

"We found her."