"Humph." Sydney flopped down on one of the stone benches and sipped her beer. Vaughn sat down beside her. For a few minutes they said nothing. Then Sydney turned and examined Vaughn's face before talking. "Well, you were right about one thing."
"What's that?" Vaughn was so happy to be back around Sydney but couldn't help but remember all the things between them. He wanted to ask about Danny but was afraid to spoil the moment.
"You said that where ever I was, you would be too."
"Yeah, I guess it turned out like that." Vaughn studied Sydney. She looked more tired than she used to, older, and definitely more beautiful.
"Don't." Sydney's face turned dark.
"Don't what?" Vaughn, on reaction, moved to tuck a stray hair behind Sydney's ear. As he did he caressed her cheek and was surprised when she leaned into his hand. Then she suddenly pulled away and jumped up, pacing and fanning herself.
"It's really hot." She muttered. Sydney pushed her hair back from her face and Vaughn couldn't help but smirk. "You're doing it again."
"Doing what Syd?"
"That!" Sydney pointed at him accusingly. "Acting as if nothing has changed…as if…as if you didn't…" Silent tears started to spill from her eyes.
Worried, Vaughn jumped up and covered the distance between them. His forehead creased as his worry grew. Sydney sighed and ran a small hand over the wrinkles in his brow almost lovingly, as if she always did. Vaughn's eyes widened a little, as he realized, not for the first time, that his feelings for Sydney had never changed nor faltered.
"I'm sorry." Whispered Vaughn. "I'm sorry you've had to go through all this, I'm sorry for not telling you the truth, for letting you believe for nine years…"
"What?" Sydney looked confused. "Vaughn…?"
"No, let me explain." He sat Sydney down on one of the benches, and sat beside her. "Do you remember the week after the prom…?"
"Oh, Vaughn." Sydney tried to get up and leave, but he pulled her back down.
"Sydney, please, just let me explain. Then if you want you will never have to see me again…"
"Vaughn…" Whimpered Sydney. Fresh tears sprung to her eyes "Don't…"
"It was a week after prom, a week after we first made love…"
Flashback
"Hey." Vaughn rolled over onto his side and smiled as he saw Sydney. She was on her stomach, watching him. They were in her bed, since her dad had gone away on a business trip, they had the whole house to themselves.
"Hey." Sydney smiled. "I like this." She turned on to her side as Vaughn moved to support his head with his arm.
"What?" Vaughn reached over with his free hand and pushed a stray hair from her face.
"Waking up next to you."
"I know." Sydney grinned and the two leaned in to kiss. Just before their lips met, a sharp ring sounded. Each slumped back in defeat.
Vaughn rolled out of the bed and hurried across the room in his boxers and pulled his cell phone out of his pant's pocket. "Hello?" He turned and smiled at Sydney who had gotten out of bed and was pulling on shorts and a tank top.
"Mike, hey. Where are you?" Weiss's voice sounded hurried over the phone.
"Eric, hey." Sydney's head shot up at the mention of his name and she smiled, and then signaled she was going downstairs. After she left, Vaughn started to get on his clothes and spoke to Weiss. "Hey man, what's up?"
"Oh I don't know…Alice's dad's funeral."
"Shit." Vaughn searched frantically around for his wallet and keys. He took a quick look at the clock. "It's nine already. Jeez, Syd and I must have…"
"Mike, normally I would love to go into a long discussion of your…extracurriculars." The sarcasm was evident in Weiss's voice. "But now is not the time."
"I know." Vaughn sighed angrily. "Look, can you pick me up at my house in…" He checked the watch his father gave him, then remembered it was broken. "Thirty minutes?"
"Sure." Weiss sighed. "Have you told Syd where you're going?"
"Not exactly." Vaughn hurried down the stairs. "I gotta go, meet me at my house. Bye."
"Mike…" But Weiss was cut off as Vaughn turned off his phone. He walked into the kitchen and kissed Sydney on the mouth as she was pouring coffee. She grinned.
"Hey, I know you."
"Hey." Vaughn smile and sat down at the table, pulling on his shoes.
"I'm gonna make pancakes…hey where are you going so fast?" Sydney frowned at Vaughn's freshly tied runners.
"I'm sorry baby, I gotta go." Vaughn got up and kissed Sydney goodbye. "I'll call you." He hurried out the kitchen door.
"Bye." Said Sydney dejectedly as she slumped into a chair and cringed as the door slammed.
Vaughn was uncomfortable. He had been at the funeral for over three hours, longer than he had expected. Finally he got up and followed the line of people who were paying their respects and heading out. When he finally got to Alice, his heart broke.
Alice looked terrible, all torn up and her eyes were red from crying.
"Michael?!" Alice looked up in surprise. "I didn't know you were coming."
"You father was a great man." Was all he could get out.
"Thank you." Alice smiled and looked around. "Do you think we could go somewhere and talk? Maybe have a coffee, catch up?"
Vaughn wasn't sure. He wanted to go home and call Sydney, to apologize for running out on her. But Alice looked so sad and hopeful at the same time.
"Sure."
"Great." Alice's face considerably happier.
"So he just left?" Francie and Sydney were walking around Main Street after they had finished shopping.
"Yeah." Sydney sipped his coffee. "But I'm sure he has a perfectly good reason, that he will tell me…"
"Syd, honey." Francie was staring across the street, eyes wide.
"Wha…" Sydney turned and dropped her mocha in shock. Across the street Vaughn, dressed in a black suit, was kissing a woman in a black dress. "Omigod. Francie?" Tears sprung to her eyes
"Let's go sweetie." Francie cast one more look at Vaughn then hurriedly ushered a sobbing Sydney away.
"Syd?" When no one answered the Bristow's front door, Vaughn opened the door and walked in. "Sydney?" He walked further into the house and found Sydney curled up on the couch, staring at the fire. Vaughn walked over and knelt in front of her. "Hey Syd…Syd?" She kept looking at the fire, and for the first time, Vaughn noticed her red and blotchy face.
"I saw you." Was all she said. Sydney's voice was laced with pain, anger and hate.
"Syd, what?"
"Today, with your little slut." Sydney got up and started to push Vaughn backwards. "How long, huh Michael? How long have you been seeing her and me at the same time?" When he didn't answer, Sydney got louder. "I can never forgive you for this Michael." Vaughn cringed as Sydney said his name. Tears were running down her face as she got worked up.
"Syd, baby, I…"
"Don't Vaughn, this time you've gone to far. I trusted you and you betrayed me."
"Sydney if you would let me explain…"
"No Michael." Sydney let her guard down and she seemed so small and venerable to Vaughn. "It's over." With that Sydney turned and walked away, forever.
Vaughn stared after Sydney as she ran upstairs. He had no choice, he walked out of her house and out of her life. Half way down the street he collapsed on the curb, crying.
EndFlashBack
"Of course I remember Michael." Tears flowed freely down Sydney's face. "How could I not remember the day you broke my heart into a thousand pieces."
"Syd… you never found out what happened that day. I should have told you where I was going that morning. I shouldn't have rushed out the door. I should have done so many things differently, but I didn't." Vaughn breathed in. Sydney's face had gone from tears to intense curiosity in a matter of seconds. That's my girl. He thought.
"Vaughn, what do you mean?"
"That day Sydney, was the day of Alice's father's funeral. She was my girlfriend before…well before you came into my life. Her father had been like a father to me and I felt that I needed to pay my respects. Not to Alice, but to her father. Sydney, she asked if we could go out for coffee. She was in so much pain. I didn't realize how big of a mistake I had made till we were walking.
"All I wanted to do, the only place I wanted to be…was with you." Sydney's eyes softened. "I told Alice that I had to go, that I had someone waiting. Sydney, she said she understood, but only asked one thing, a hug. That's what you saw. Not me kissing her, I would never betray you. Sydney I loved you then with all my heart…" Vaughn took a deep breath. "I have never stopped loving you."
TBC