Please see parts 1-4 for all disclaimers.

Thanks to Jen for the beta. Wonderful as always. J

Sorry this part is so short and has taken so long. Hopefully the ones that will follow will make up for it.

Thanks for reading!

Becky

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I stare at the screen, silently pleading with it to do something. Another moment passes and still nothing happens. I exhale slowly, continuing to stare at the monitor.

I hate waiting. For my newspaper in the morning, in line at the Starbucks three blocks from my apartment, in traffic. But this is the worst. This is like being in a hospital waiting for news about a friend or loved one where all you can do is pray for everything to be okay even though you anticipate the worst.

I hazard a glance at Sydney, watching briefly as she wraps her hair around her finger over and over and over again. I can't even imagine what this is like for her. I don't really want to. Just one look at Mike and I can tell that he is doing enough of that for everyone in the Ops Center.

Honestly, I don't know how Sydney is able to function right now. On more than one occasion, I've been amazed at how she can push everything back, focusing only on the objective at hand. But even she has a limit. I just don't want to be there the day she realizes it.

On the way back here, I thought I'd seen the worst. Just listening to her talk about what had happened with Dixon had me wanting to pull over and just hold her and try to make it better. But she has Mike for that.

As hard as it was hearing her talk about Dixon's reaction, I think the worst came a few minutes later. And not just for Sydney but for Mike as well. At the mention of Danny's name, I glanced in the rear-view mirror and I saw Vaughn's reaction. But he, once again, pushed his feelings aside and just continued to hold her until there were no more words. He held her until there were no more tears. And then he helped her pull herself back together so that she could go on.

So now, here we are. Still waiting. Waiting for information we may never receive. I glance at Sydney and then at Mike and I just pray that, whichever way it goes, we don't have to wait much longer.

********

"Can't they just have burgers and fries like a normal restaurant?" I ask as I glance across the table.

"Will, couldn't you, just this once, be a little adventurous? Try something new."

I hold my menu up a little to hide my face. "Try something new," I mock.

"Did you say something?"

I look back up quickly, glad the restaurant is not very well lit. "I said I think I'll try the chicken."

She looks at me and I know she's not buying it. "Uh huh. Sure that's what you said." And then she flashes that smile and suddenly room service is sounding like one hell of an idea.

I'm about to suggest just that when our waiter appears.

"Good evening. My name is Brad and I'll be your server tonight. Would you like to order a cocktail or perhaps some wine to begin?"

Before I can say anything, Francie asks for the wine list. So much for that idea…

"Can we have a few minutes to look this over?" she asks as she looks at me, suddenly concerned..

"Certainly. Take your time," he answers before moving across the room to check on another table.

"Fran? Is something wrong?"

"I…"

"What?" I ask worriedly.

"I'm not comfortable asking you this, but…" she begins quietly.

Oh God. I swallow hard, leaning closer and taking her hand in mine. "Ask me what?"

She squeezes my hand before continuing, "What kind of stuff do you need for your review? Are you on a budget or something like that?"

I laugh. A loud, robust, hearty laugh. I can't help it. "That's what you are worried about?"

"Well, excuse me for thinking that something as trivial as what you need for your article might be important," she whispers angrily before she lets go of my hand and sits back in her chair.

"Fran, I'm sorry." I try to get her to look at me. When she won't, I just decide to continue. "I was just afraid it was going to be something, oh I don't know, really serious." Or more likely about the problem I supposedly had/have.

"Well forgive me if I think your first assignment for your new job is important. I just…"

I watch as she closes her eyes and shakes her head. I get out of my chair, moving to the one right beside her. Turning her so that she faces me, this time I wait until she is looking me before I speak. "Okay, I'm sorry." I reach over and grab her hand again. "When you asked for the wine list and then asked for a few minutes, I figured it was going to be about what happened last year."

"Will, I wasn't even thinking about that." I must not have been able to conceal my skepticism as she leans a little closer. "Really, I wasn't." She pauses briefly before continuing. "I don't think you know how proud I am of you."

"Huh?" I think I've missed something.

"Will, you admitted that you had a problem, you completed the program, did your community service, and you turned your life back around. How could I not be proud of you?"

"Fran…" She stops me from doing something really stupid with a shake of her head.

"No. You know what?"

I'm almost afraid to ask, but it doesn't stop me. "What?"

"Tonight we are going to celebrate because we can."

She smiles again, a little mischievously this time and I'm scared. REALLY scared. "What's that look for?"

"You said no budget, right?"

Oh dear God…