Hey everyone! Thanks to all the people who actually were able to review and decided to leave me a lovely message – Kate, supergirl14, Five Stories Fallen, total vaughn lover, Agent Flamingo and Caz. I know many of you read the story, but couldn't review due to the overhaul. All the more reason to review this one! Tehehehehehe!

Well everyone seemed quite pleased with the appearance of Spy Daddy (almost as much as the image of a muscular Vaughn – naughty Caz!). I think I might let him hang around for a while before shipping him home.

Disclaimer etc see previous chapters


Chapter 17: Dinner and discussion

Vaughn ran his hand nervously through his hair as he entered the mess hall. The room was filled with round tables, with agents crowded around and chatting loudly. Vaughn quickly spotted the table where the highest ranked army officials sat and made his way over that way.

The groups at each of the tables were divisible through work groups. It was just that the people who were in their work group tended to be the people you spent the most amount of time with on the base. There were tables on analysts, ob techs and agents. Vaughn and his three companions made up the more senior group and sat with a couple of other agents who they barely conversed with. The table in the far right-hand corner was always used by the highest ranking members. It was slightly more private than the other tables and was slightly larger as well, sitting up to twelve people.

"Ah there you are Mike! Everyone, this is Michael Vaughn. He is only out here a few months, but his work has been outstanding. Mike, you know everyone?" Phil introduced.

While Vaughn knew most of the people only by face and not by name, he simply smiled and greeted the group before taking a seat next to Logan.

"How goes things in the land of the elite?" Vaughn muttered as he sat down.

Logan smothered a grin. "Incredibly boring. Apparently the weather is a tad hot for this time of year" he muttered back.

Vaughn grinned. "Am I late?"

"Nah, the guest of honor hasn't even arrived yet. Dinner is served in about ten minutes, he better get a move on"

"Maybe he has already heard about how bad the Monday special is"

"Jack!" Phil called out, waving his arm at the tall gentleman who had just entered the mess hall. Almost every agent tried to conceal the fact that their attention was completely on the new arrival to the room. Jack made his way through the room in the way that Vaughn had seen Sydney do on several occasions. Jack's focus was completely on where he was going and nothing would distract him from his goal.

"Philip, sorry I'm late" Jack stated as he reached the table, extending a hand to Philip. Vaughn watched as everyone at the table rose to shake hands with the infamous Jack Bristow.

"Agent Vaughn" Jack greeted him with a nod of the head. Vaughn did likewise and hid a smile as almost every member of the table stared at him, trying to figure out how Vaughn was on such familiar terms with the brilliant agent.

Dinner was simple, as always. Vaughn watched Jack as he chatted to the other agents at the table. Even in such a short period of time, Vaughn watched as the other agents slowly began to cower under the strong man. Vaughn inwardly grinned as he remembered his first, impressionable meeting with Jack Bristow.

"So what is he like to work with?" Logan softly asked Vaughn

"Difficult"

"Yeah, he looks like a pain in the ass" Logan replied, nodding slightly

Vaughn shook his head. "Jack is too useful to be a pain in the ass"

Respect was something which Vaughn didn't give easily. It was something which, to him, needed to be earned over a considerable period of time. He respected his father, for the noble man that he was. He respected Sydney, for her bravery and talent. And he was beginning to realize that he respected Jack Bristow in the same way. His presence was enough to make the toughest man shrink. He was focused at all times. He was an excellent agent. While Vaughn wasn't sure if his respect sprung more from fear than anything else, his respect for Jack Bristow was undeniable. Not that he would ever share that information with him.

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Jack excused himself quickly after dinner before Vaughn had a chance to say a word to him. Sighing and accepting defeat, Vaughn joined Logan in his offer to head back to the bunker.

"Looks just like home, huh?" Logan commented, looking up at the stars

"My dad used to take me star gazing when I was a kid" Vaughn replied, kicking a rock along their path

"Remember any of it?"

"Only enough to impress the pretty girls"

Logan laughed. "I used to sit with my youngest and teach her all the constellations. The older two, they would rather play on their X-Box or surf the net. But Alice and I sit outside during summer and chat"

"How old is she?"

"Twelve. She is a real daddy's girl, has me wrapped around her little finger. I'd do anything for my Alice. There is a strange bond between men and their daughters. You want them to go out into the world and experience it, but at the same time you want to lock them away and not let them grow up"

Logan looked over at Vaughn. "I don't think I will ever truly think my little girl is growing up. To me, she is still the five-year old that used to crawl into my lap, ask me to read her story and fall asleep half way through"

Vaughn grinned. "My sister was only four when my dad died, but it was the same with her. I could do all the manly stuff with my dad, but he would always cover her in kisses. I mean, I know he loved me too, but it was in a different way"

"Dads want their sons to grow up so they can be friends. But as girls grow up, they change" Logan replied simply

"Maybe"

"Jack looks like the overprotective sort"

"That's one word for it"

"Just give it time – someday he will accept you"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because you truly are a decent guy. And you want the same thing that he wants – his daughter's happiness" Logan replied simply as they reached the bunker. "Coming in?"

"I'll be inside in a moment" Vaughn replied. "Hey Logan?"

Logan paused, sticking his head back out the door

"Thanks"

Logan smiled back. "Not a problem"

Vaughn sank down to the ground, leaning back against the wall. The night was so still, not a wisp of wind. He gazed up at the stars. Logan was right; they did look just like home.


Thats another one! Please review!