Vaughn and Weiss sat at a table in Tony's Pizza Parlor eating pizza. More correctly, Weiss was eating and Vaughn was watching Weiss. After a while, Weiss put down his pizza and looked at his friend.
"She's fine."
"Right." Vaughn tried to look like he didn't care. "I mean, a lot of time has passed. She's probably moved on by now…" Vaughn picked at his pizza.
"She was engaged Mike." Vaughn's head shot up.
"Was?"
"SD-6 killed him because Sydney told him she worked for a black-ops division of the CIA."
"Wow."
"Yeah, and that's just the beginning." Weiss took a sip of his beer. "She's changed a hell of a lot and been through a hell of a lot."
"Like what I put her through." Vaughn let his head fall into his head.
"No Mike. You didn't do anything wrong. Sydney just never got to learn the truth."
"You'd think after nine years someone would have told her."
"Or she would have tired to find out." Pointed out Weiss.
"She's not to blame. I mean what she saw…she had every right to think what she thought…"
"You could try and talk to her." Weiss took a bite of his pizza. "Straighten things out."
"She just lost her fiancé, she learned she had been lied to, her father's true past came out. I don't think she'll be wanting to talk to me right now." Vaughn and Weiss got up, paid and head outside. They started to walk down the street.
"You never know." Weiss looked to Vaughn. "Come on, she's living with Francie and I've got their address." He wiggled his eyebrows as Vaughn. "I'll come, we'll say we wanted to catch up."
Vaughn finally smiled and relented. "Ok."
"Great, come on." Weiss slung his arm around Vaughn's shoulders. "It'll be worth it. You'll see."
"Syd." Francie walked into Sydney's room. "Will's here."
"Okay." Sydney walked out of the joining bathroom. Her hair was freshly washed and back to its natural brown. The CIA dentists had done wonders in hours on her teeth, all she needed was a pain killer every hour for the next few days. She had changed into a pair of loose, black, sweatpants and a red tank top.
"Hey, you okay?" Francie looked at her best friend who looked tired and sad. Losing Danny had been hell on Syd and all she wanted to do was take that pain away from her.
"Yeah, I'm…" Suddenly Sydney couldn't hide it anymore, she just let everything break loose in the form of tears. Her body shook as she remembered Danny's death, her father's betrayal, the truth about SD-6 and everything that had happened through the past few weeks.
"Oh, Syd." Francie rushed to her friend and folded her up into her arms. They fell to the floor as Sydney lost the strength to stand. Francie rocked Sydney back and forth, making shushing noises to her friend.
"Francie, Syd?" Will ventured into the room to find his best friends, but didn't expect the scene he found.
Francie looked up at him with tears running down her face as she rocked a sobbing Sydney while they sat on the floor.
"Oh guys." Breathed Will. He got down on his knees and hugged his two girls. "It' gonna be okay. We'll get through this together."
After a few more minutes of crying, Sydney sat up, wiping her eyes. They all got up and Sydney was squished in a huge hug. They all began to laugh as they looked at each other's tear stained faces.
"Thanks guys." Sydney wiped her eyes once more and the three headed out to the kitchen. "I think I just need to cry. I haven't really been able to do that."
"That's what we're here for." Will smiled and put his arm around Sydney's shoulder. "Of course the part about me crying with two women will be left out of future stories."
"Sure Will." Francie and Sydney shared a laugh, while Will looked like he was about to plead.
"Oh come on guys…"
"You know what we need." Francie opened the fridge. "Beers." She pulled out three and Sydney and Will followed her out to the patio through the living room. They settled on the cushioned seats and began to talk about the past.
An hour later, the three were all respectively drunk, and having a good time for the first time in weeks. Sydney jumped up as she heard the doorbell.
"I'll get it." She left her laughing friends on the living room floor and bounded to the door. She pulled it open and burst into laughter.
Vaughn and Weiss who stood on Sydney's front porch, looked at each other nervously. Sydney was almost on her knees, she was laughing so hard.
"Uh, hey Syd." Weiss made a little wave with his hand. "We just came to say hi, but if now isn't a good time…"
"NO…NO!" Sydney said between laughs. Although she had no idea why, Sydney was all right with Vaughn being there. "It's great. Come in." She calmed down a little and ushered the two into the living room.
"Who is it Syd?" Will was sitting upside-down on one of the living room chairs and fell over as he saw Weiss and Vaughn.
"Omigod!" Screeched Francie. She jumped up and raced over to the guys and hugged them hard. When she pulled back, she smiled warmly at them. "Eric and Michael. Michael and Eric."
"Hey Francie." Vaughn smiled. "It's been a while."
"I know." Francie put her hand on her chin in deep thought. "Haven't talked really since that wedding back like three years ago. Who was that?"
"My sister." Supplied Vaughn.
"Right!" Francie's face lit up. "I love her."
"So do I." Smiled Vaughn.
"France, stop bothering the guys." Will came up behind them and handed Weiss and Eric beers. "Come, sit..."
"Talk!" Yelled Francie as she sat down beside Vaughn on the couch.
"And be merry." Giggled Sydney as she plopped down beside Weiss on the floor.
"Well at least we know the root of the problem." Grinned Weiss as he eyed the empty beer bottles around the floor.
"We've been having a party for Syd." Smiled Francie. "She's been feeling down.
"Her fiancé just died." Said Will. "Ow." He rubbed his shoulder where Francie had punched him. She glared at him and motioned towards Sydney who had seemed to of lost of her happiness.
"I miss Danny." She murmured. "He was gonna be a doctor." She looked over at Vaughn, who looked up in surprise. He had known she was engaged, but to Danny. They broke up in high school, before he and she…
"His little brother has a brain problem, and Danny wanted to find a way to help him." She stared past Vaughn for a minute before she got up. "I need some air, but I don't think I should go alone. Vaughn?"
He looked up in surprise, as did everyone else. No one was quite sure how it was all right he was there, as no one had forgotten what had happened, but he was.
"Uh, sure." He got up and followed Sydney out to the patio. Will watched them go.
"Don't we hate him?" He looked very confused.
"No silly." Francie yawned and laid her head in Will's lap. "Only Sydney does."
"Oh, alright." Will didn't look happy but looked too confused to go on.
"It has been too long." Remarked Weiss as he sipped his beer and remembered the better times of high school.