Author: I'm guessing Meat Loaf is out then too?

Summary: Sydney said if she'd been the one left behind she would have waited for him. This is what her life could have been if Vaughn had been the one to disappear.

Disclaimer: Same thing!

Author's Note: Wow! I was amazed by all the great reviews. I'm so glad that you like it, and I promise that while it seems like it now, the story won't be going in the same vein as season 3. I'm writing this fic because in the immortal words of Michael Vaughn; "Last year sucked!" I hope you enjoy this and please review!

To answer one reviewers question; yes Sydney is wearing an engagement ring, but there's a wedding band on there too. I thought I made that pretty clear, but I changed a few things in the Prologue to make it more obvious after noticing some grammar and spelling mistakes.

Chapter One

After a few quick calls to LA, Sydney was ready to go home. She half dragged, half carried a very unconscious Vaughn to the cab, and then on to the jet the CIA had loaned her for the op, and basked in the wonder of the non-commercial flight. After a few fruitless minutes of work, Sydney settled into the seat across from Vaughn and watched him sleep.

As they began their descent into LA, Sydney bolted awake from a sleep she didn't remember falling into. The lights stretched for as far as she could see. And the city seemed to glow with life in the dead of night. Just like expected, there was a CIA team waiting on the tarmac to take Vaughn in. Sydney insisted on waiting for Weiss to arrive before she allowed his still unconscious body to be carted away.

"Is it really him?" Weiss asked, staring at the sleeping form of his oldest friend.

"I told you he wasn't gone," Sydney said barely above a whisper.

Seeing her distress he wrapped a companionable arm around her. "How are you doing?"

"I really don't know," she answered truthfully, sinking deeper into his embrace.

They slowly followed the CIA team towards the small terminal, both still too shocked to see Vaughn after all this time to say anything even halfway intelligent.

Weiss said he'd drive home when it became clear Kendall wasn't going to make them sit through debrief tonight. Sydney was in no shape to be driving across town to their apartment building after the night she'd had.

The whole ride home they both remained completely silent. When they pulled into their building Weiss was surprised to see Sydney hadn't actually fallen asleep. Their silence continued through the garage, into the elevator, and up to the ground floor where both their apartments were located.

It was only as Weiss was unlocking his own door that Sydney popped her head back into the hall and broke the silence. "You'll let me tell him everything?"

He could tell she wanted him to say no, but he couldn't. "Of course, it's your news to tell," he said with another small smile. "G'night Syd."

"'Night Eric."

The familiar sense of calm that always enveloped her when she stepped in her front door was suspiciously absent as she entered her apartment. Instead a bone deep weariness set in and her only thought was of sleep. But as she passed the living room, the two bodies sprawled across the couch gave her a pause. Francie had obviously had a long day, she was still wearing what she'd worn to work, and she seemed to be in a deep, peaceful sleep. Sydney didn't dare wake her for she knew only too well the dangers of disturbing her slumber. Sydney's heart gave an almost painful squeeze when her eyes fell upon the second form. Billy. He looked so peaceful, so perfect. She had no idea what her life would be like if he hadn't come crashing into it when he had, and she didn't want to. As he lay there, so peaceful, she couldn't help the few tears that fell from her eyes. Things were so good, but with Vaughn back, who knew what was going to happen.

Sydney turned off the muted television and knelt next the Billy's head. "Ready for bed?" she whispered into his ear.

His eyes fluttered open and he murmured his consent. He slipped his hand into hers and led her down the hall.

Sydney crawled in to bed next to Billy, not bothering to change. Right now all she wanted was to sleep. After a few minutes it became that the events of the long day were too much and sleep evaded her. It wasn't until Billy laid a gentle hand on her face and opened his eyes just long enough to give her a sleepy smile that Sydney was able to find enough peace to fall into a calm sleep.

Waking for the second time in a row with no idea where he was or how he got there was a very unsettling feeling. At least this time, the pain was gone and the strong smells were slightly less nauseating. Blinking open his eyes, his suspicions that he was in a hospital were confirmed. The brilliant white of the room blinded him for a moment as he struggled into a sitting position.

"And Sleeping Beauty finally awakes," came a familiar voice from the other side of the room.

Mike turned to smile at his best friend. A simple, "Mm hmm," was all he could muster in respond.

"Lucky for both of us; 'cause I was starting to wonder if you didn't need a kiss from a handsome prince to wake you up! And honestly you've never been my type."

"Thank God for small favours," Vaughn said smiling. "How long have I been out?"

"Since Hong Kong man, it's been like two days! They've been running every test in the book on you. Eventually the great minds of Medical Services here at the CIA were finally able to deduce what is wrong with you."

Mike Sure nothing could be worse than losing two years; but Eric's grave tone made him brace himself for more bad news. "And what would that be exactly?"

"They say that you are dangerously fatigued and considerably dehydrated! Can't doctors just say 'sleepy and thirsty'? I mean all those great medical minds to figure out you over did it? Ridiculous!"

A small laugh escaped at his friends familiar antics. It seemed some things never changed.

"But seriously man, how are you feeling? Now that Medical Services has run every test known to man, animal and fungus on you and found nothing, Dixon can't see why we'd let something as trivial as unconsciousness get in the way of your debrief."

"Dixon?"

"Oh right, that would be Director Dixon these days. You think you're up to it?"

"I guess. I'm not really sure what I can tell them. Has it really been two years?"

"Twenty-six months, thirteen days," Eric said sadly. "I should have known something as inconsequential as death couldn't keep you away from Sydney!"

He winced at the sound of her name. He'd lost her; she was out of his reach now. "What's he like?" Mike asked.

"Who?"

"Her husband, I saw the ring. What's he like?" he persisted.

A smile flashed in Eric's eyes so quick Mike was almost sure it had never existed. "It's really not my place. I'm sure she'll tell you everything when she gets a chance," Eric assured him.

"Where is she? Mission?"

"Naw, she's not CIA anymore. She's a teacher now. She's a high school English teacher," Mike could hear the pride in his friend's voice.

"I didn't think she'd ever actually leave. I knew she always wanted to 'some day.' I just never thought that would actually happen."

"After you, she just couldn't do it anymore. And then with Billy—" Eric stopped cold, offering only a distant smile in lieu of an explanation.

So his name was Billy, he thought to himself. Sydney's husband's name was Billy, and he didn't want her to be a spy. How ridiculous was the name Billy? He thought caustically. What male over the age of twelve hadn't dropped the 'y' at the end of their name? Then again, she had nearly married Danny. Maybe it was a pattern with her. Should he start going by 'Mikey' and give that theory a shot?

It was nearly an entire week before Dixon let him out of debrief. They kept their sessions short because they both got very fed up with Vaughn's inability to answer questions or give any insight into his missing time.

When he wasn't locked in a room with people demanding unanswerable questions, or being subjected to yet another test down in Med. Services, he was usually wandering uselessly around Joint Task Force. People seemed glad to see him alive, but no one was all that surprised, even though Weiss had told him his name was in the book under glass at Langley and his star was carved into the marble wall. It seemed that Sydney wouldn't allow anyone to give up on him. They'd been searching the whole time he was missing, even when word had come from Washington to stop.

This news both delighted and confused Vaughn. She never gave up on him, even after leaving the agency she continued to pressure them to search. She obviously cared, but then how could she be married? How could she be sharing her life with someone who wasn't him if she knew he wasn't really dead?

No one would answer his questions, on or off the record. People, while kind and friendly, seemed to treat Vaughn almost as if he'd left Syd willingly. As if she were the injured party in this situation, and he the big bad villain.

The only additional information he'd managed to squeeze out of Weiss was the name of her school, Notre Dame Secondary. A quick search on line had yielded the address, but no additional information on Sydney herself. Figuring it wasn't a good idea to perform any illegal hacks from a government computer; combined with his complete lack of security clearance didn't make things easy. But he had so many questions that she had to answer.

That is how he found himself wandering through the halls of a small catholic high school little more than a week after waking up in Hong Kong. Somehow a simple high school proved to be more difficult to navigate than he'd thought. He didn't want to run the risk of someone warning Sydney he was here—he figured surprise might loosen her tongue—so he couldn't ask at the front desk. But it wasn't long before a group of girls proved to be very helpful and lead her directly to Sydney's class. A few gushed about 'Mrs. Bristow being the best English teacher ever!' While a few others just hung back a few steps and giggled in that way which is unique to high school girls.

"Thank you very much ladies," he said with a large smile when he arrived outside her door just in time to hear the final bell ring.

"OK, class I want you ready to discuss Iago's psychotic behaviour for tomorrow, and remember that, 'Well it just wasn't cool,' won't suffice," Sydney called as her class scrambled from their seats. Vaughn stepped aside as students flooded from the room, and ventured inside carefully hoping for a few more seconds of anonymity.

It seemed luck was on his side, a small group of students were gathered at her desk hoping to get their questions answered. There were a surprising—or not—number of male students gathered around; the few questions he heard them ask all seemed like weak juvenile excuses to flirt with the hot English teacher. The girls weren't much better; they all talked to her like she was their best friend; begging confidences and making excuses playing heavy on the 'us girls against the world' angle. Sydney managed to answer all the questions and grant the extensions that came with a viable excuse, without stepping on any toes or hurting any feelings.

He got a few more strange looks as the last students headed out, spirits lighted by the thought of no more school until tomorrow. "You have a minute Mrs Bristow?" he asked. Too caught up in seeing her again to remember how complicated this conversation was bound to get.

Years of super spydom went a long way to disguise the shock she felt at the sound of his voice. But he knew her too well to miss the slightest change in emotion.

"Vaughn," she breathed quietly. "What are you doing here?"

Instantly all playfulness fled his mind. "I have a few questions. Everyone seems to think you're the only one who can—or should—answer them, so here I am."

"Maybe this isn't the best time. Or place," she said hesitantly.

"Maybe, but I don't think I have it in me to wait any longer. What the hell is going on Syd? How the hell did I wake up missing two years of my life, to find you married?" he demanded gesturing angrily towards her left hand.

"Vaughn, I don't know what happened to you. I don't know where you've been. They told me you were dead!"

"But you wouldn't believe it! You made sure the CIA was still looking for me even after you left to be with Billy!"

There was a sudden in take of breath when she heard him say the name.

"You didn't believe them. You knew I was still alive yet you married someone else!" he continued furiously.

"It's not like that. There—"

"What the hell is it like then? Why can't you just tell me what happened?" suddenly the anger disappeared and all she could see in his eyes was pain and confusion.

"I—I—God Vaughn it's just so hard!" Then her phone was ringing. She thanked which ever deity was looking out for her for the moment to pull her self together.

Glancing quickly at the screen Sydney let out a deep sigh. Then again, maybe thanks were too great. Some one was obviously having a lot of fun at her expense. This difficult conversation just got a hell of a lot more complicated. "Hello?"

Vaughn took a deep breath as Sydney answered her phone. He hadn't meant to go off on her like that. But after a week of everyone dodging his questions, he was all out of patience.

"Yes Amélie….Sorry about that, but we really should talk," Sydney's voice came floating into his mind. Amélie? Why was his mother calling Sydney? They'd never met. He'd never had a chance to introduce them. "Now, if you have the time…Can we meet for coffee? I'm going through serious caffeine withdrawal…No, Billy can't come although I'm sure he'd love to see you…Yeah, the little place near school. À plus. Bisou!"

She was definitely speaking to his mother, but what was she talking about 'meeting for coffee?' His mother lived in France, how was that—

"Merde! J'ai pas parlé avec maman! Elle va me tuer!" Vaughn began mumbling quietly to himself in French and for a moment forgot Sydney was in the room at all.

"Yeah, that was your mother. Don't worry I'm sure she won't kill you, she'll just be happy to see you alive."

"You don't know maman," Vaughn said skeptically.

"Actually I do, quite well in fact. And believe me when I say that you'll be getting off easy for not calling this one time. She'd been waiting for today for the past two years."

"She knew I wasn't dead? But the CIA did it all. Weiss said there was a service."

"I talked to your mother, she knew all along you weren't dead. I believe your memorial had the lowest attendance rate in CIA history. No one believed you were dead. But you know the Agency, when they believe something there is nothing else. Not even the truth."

Once again Vaughn was struck by the fact that Sydney had known he was alive and still moved on. It just didn't fit with the idea of the woman he had known.

"I've got to go if I don't want to be late," Sydney said gathering her things.

"Where are we going?" he began following her out of the classroom.

"'We?' Vaughn I don't know if that's such a good idea," Sydney hesitated.

"You can't be serious. I want to see my mother!" Suddenly Vaughn felt very much like a spoiled child.

"I get that. I really do. But at least let me talk to her first. You know soften the blow. She knows you're alive but if you just go walking in there, well I don't know if she could handle it."

He knew she was right. Of course she was. But that didn't stop the sting. He wanted to see his mother, and it seemed as if he now had to share her with Sydney.

As they were walking out of the class room, a strange thought hit him. Sydney had told his mother that Billy couldn't come although she was sure he'd love to see her. That meant his mother had asked for Billy. But why would his mother be such good friends with Sydney's new husband if she knew that Vaughn was still alive?

A/N: So there's another chapter. If there is anything you want to tell me, any ideas for the story. Feel free to hit that little purple button.