Disclaimer: I don't own this. If you recognize this, I didn't create it.

AN: Kindly words for my kindly reviewers.

Genevra: Querida means beloved in Spanish. A Spaniard, Nathan calls his wife his beloved in his native language to remind her of that always. Thank you so much. Sorry it took me so long to update.

Dork47: I love you penname. It's funny. Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it.

Chapter 5

Sydney looked at me, still laughing. Her laughter was so infectious that I joined in. "So why are you so close? I can't imagine that Michael just forgave you."

"He didn't. He hated me for nearly 4 months. He was too busy missing you to realize that the world was passing him by. So I took a frying pan to his head and basically beat all of his emotions out of him. He started to heal, but it wasn't enough to repair all of the damage that your disappearance had caused. And after awhile, it just became normal. If he was hurting or he needed to talk, he'd call and we'd talk. He used to call me Barnett. And I couldn't decide whether to be insulted, since I've heard all about the woman, or flattered, because he thinks I'm that good at just listening. "

I looked up as I felt my husband's presence just then. "Hmm, what can we help you with, Nathan?"

"He's awake. Exhausted, but awake."

I turned to look at Sydney, gauging her reaction to this news. "And?" she asked, apparently expecting more than Nathan was giving.

"He's asking for you, Sydney."

Sydney was up and gone before anyone had even realized she had moved. Nathan chuckled and came over to me. I looked up at him, kissing him sweetly. "I think she can help him heal better than I can."

"Good. Because its time Mike talked about it with someone other than my wife."

I smirked, getting up to go into the kitchen to start dinner. I laughed as I looked over my shoulder. "Jealous?"

"I am jealous of anything that takes my wife's attention away from me."

Just then a sleepy-eyed Matthew came in, dressed in his pajamas and dragging his beloved teddy bear, Tad, behind him, his middle and index fingers once again firmly lodged in his mouth. "Mama?" he asked, coming to stand beside me and tug on the hem of my skirt with his grimy little fingers.

I laughed at Nathan as he gestured sharply, as if to say, "See what I mean?"

"Speaking of distracting my attention." I bent down slowly, scooping my son into my arms. "What's wrong baby?"

"Nothing. What's for dinner?" he asked, pecking my cheek quickly, before leaning toward his daddy.

I smiled, handing him to Nathan. "I don't know baby, what do you want for dinner?"

Nathan smirked, his mind playing thousands of lewd thoughts through his head. "I know what I want, but I also know that I am no longer first in your affections."

I laughed gaily, turning away from him. "You're the one who got me pregnant, my love. Now you have to deal with the consequences."

Nathan just laughed, playing with Matthew as I started dinner.

Sydney moved to the room she'd seen Nathan carry Michael. She hesitated for a moment, before knocking softly on the door. "Vaughn?"

"Come on in, Syd." Came the voice that she knew so well.

His green eyes were shining as she entered the room and moved to his side. They stayed on her face as she walked to the side of the bed and climbed onto it next to him. Michael reached out slowly, placing a gentle hand on her bruised face. "Are you okay?"

Sydney smiled. Same old Vaughn. Just as protective as ever, even though he was the one that had been shot and was now lying in bed with a fever of 103F. "I'm fine, Vaughn. Technically, I should be asking you that. How are you feeling?"

"Better, now that you're here."

Sydney nodded, stroking her hands back through his hair. "Tell me it hasn't been two years, Vaughn. Please tell me that you haven't been suffering with the thought that I was dead."

She caught sight of the ring on his left wedding finger. "Tell me you didn't forget about me."

"I can't tell you the lie about it not having been two years and I can't tell you a second lie about how I wasn't suffering over your death. But I can tell you a truth at least. I never forgot about you. Forget about you? How can a man forget his heart? How can a man forget his soul? How can a man forget the air that stirred his lungs for as long as he'd known it? Sydney, how could I forget about you? You were everything. I told you once, when you came walking into my office that first time, I thought you were crazy. But you're not. You're just Sydney. My heart, my soul, everything. I was so in love with you….it nearly killed me when I lost you."

Sydney buried her face in his chest and Michael winced as he wrapped both arms around her gently. "I hadn't forgotten about you, Sydney. You are the only woman that I could ever be with, the only woman that I could ever marry."

Sydney lost her temper then, grabbing his hand, completely oblivious to the immediate exclamation of pain, showing him the ring that graced his left hand. "I'm the only woman you could ever marry?" she cried, "If that's true, then what the hell is this?"

"You're right, Syd, I've been married for 2 years."

Sydney gawked, confused by his sudden turnaround. Michael could see that he had thrown her for a loop and so he reached back, shoving himself as far forward as he could manage. Reaching out tentatively, he rested his hand on her cheek. "I have been married to your memory for two years. I swore when I saw this ring, before you disappeared, that you would be the only woman who would ever be my bride all in white. I was going to propose in Santa Barbara. And when you disappeared, I had it resized. It was my reminder to myself that I had made one mistake when I was with you."

"Only one?" she teased, starting to feel foolish for her anger. Smiling at him, she sat down, pulling him back against her chest, stroking her fingers through his short hair. "And what was that?"

He paused, closing his eyes and just listening to her heart beat. He swore to himself and to God at that moment, he would never take the beating of her heart for granted again. "I never told you how much I loved you."

Sydney's eyes closed and she bowed her head over his, her hands holding him closer….tighter. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot better. I'm glad that you know now. I can sleep easier."

Sydney nodded, brushing his hair from his face and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Get some sleep, Vaughn. You need all the strength you can get."

Michael shook his head. "I will, but only on one condition."

"And what condition is that?"

Michael looked up at her, suddenly turning from a 38 year old, ex-CIA agent, to a world-weary 8 year old little boy. "Stay with me." Was all he said, the eyes peering out at her filled with so much pain and so much anguish, she could hardly say no.

She smiled sadly, nodding rapidly as she rested her forehead on his temple. "All right, Vaughn. I'll be right here while you sleep and when you wake up again, I'll be right here again. Waiting for you to get better, so that we can start our future together."

Michael nodded, burrowing into her arms, relishing the feel of her arms tightening around him securely. Sydney stroked his hair, listening to his breathing even out and feeling his body start to relax. Just before he fell asleep, she whispered in his ear the one phrase that caused his heart to thrill in his chest. "I love you too, my guardian angel."

I stood at the door, holding the tray of soup and sandwiches for their dinner. I had heard them talking and had hesitated on going in. I smiled, relieved that I had. Things had been said. Promises had been made. Issues had been cleared away. And now all that could remain was the healing process. And the long, tireless path of starting over.