(AHHHHH! I can't get ride of these weird formatting things! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!)

Chapter Twenty

All Wrapped Up-

SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Sydney felt the wind on her face and the ground beneath her feet, but she still wasn't sure she was really there, that she had truly done it. Looking down to the base of the rock she saw thousands of tiny slivers of glass. The destroyed recipe for the end of the world. Light from the sun that caught the small flecks shone into her eyes and she blinked to avoid the reflection. SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Unconsciously she took a step toward it, slowly, mechanically, and reached down to run her fingers through the broken pieces.

SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1In that one instant, crouched on her heels, sifting though the desert sand, she was struck by the thought that it had all become so surreal, as if she were watching her life unfold from some far distant place. But suddenly she felt hope – that somehow she had the opportunity to control her own actions, that everything would work out in the end.

But not without Vaughn and her friends.

Sydney cast one last look at the shattered glass before turning and plunging back down the mountain.

When she reached the point where she had left Sark all she found was bloodied sand. Her natural intake of breath came only grudgingly as dread overwhelmed her. "Sht," she cursed out loud. I knew I should have shot him in the leg. Unwilling to waste precious minutes in pursuit she didn't stop, continuing on in the direction of the truck, her speed increasing to match the racing of her pulse. She only hoped they were all still alive to be rescued.

As the truck came into view, however, she slowed. Bruised and battered though they were, Vaughn, Weiss and Natalie were clearly recognizable as they stood together planning what looked to be a rescue mission of their own. Off to one side, Lauren was bound and gagged.

Everyone was still alive.

Her heart was still pounding and her stomach was still tied in knots, but the air that had been clogged in her lungs spilled out in a rush of relief. Thank god they were all okay. The adrenaline that had gotten her to that point suddenly evaporated leaving her trembling. When her knees threatened to buckle from exhaustion Sydney leaned against the nearest outcropping and tried to force herself to breathe normally.

Weiss rushed to meet her. "You okay?"

"I'm alright," she managed, but her voice was distant as her gaze drifted over to where Vaughn stood. "I found the artifact, but I lost Sark."

"Well," he smiled, "you're only superhuman. Can't be expected to save the world and catch the bad guy."

Sydney rolled her eyes and smiled back in spite of herself, just being near them draining her tension away.

"So let's see this thing," Natalie said as she pulled herself to her feet. "Is it as beautiful as Marshall suspected?"

Vaughn laughed. "Leave it to a woman …"

Weiss cut him off good naturedly. "Dude, I wouldn't even go there. The lady can kick your ass. You haven't even heard the whole story yet."

Vaughn raised a questioning eyebrow and turned to Natalie, who just grinned.

"Actually," Sydney spoke up, "the glass didn't quite make it…"

""

Hours later Sydney sat quietly in the cabin of a CIA jet bound for Los Angeles. Weiss and Natalie were two rows in front of her, both sound asleep, with Natalie's head resting comfortably on Weiss' shoulder. Though she couldn't see his face, Sydney guessed that Weiss was grinning like an idiot.

Next to her Vaughn slept as well, slumped awkwardly in his chair. His clothes were dusty, his jacket was torn, and his face was covered in scratches and bruises. For a moment she just watched him. He looked handsome and exhausted, and thoroughly uncomfortable. Well, she'd made a fine mess of things now.

She had been a fool, she realized. Her heart had spoken clearly and she had ignored it – instead listening to the ramblings of some fortune teller who had been dead for five-hundred years. She'd put her life on hold, and for what?

Her eyes strayed again to Vaughn. Maybe it was the exhaustion. Maybe it was that she had almost lost him. But more likely it was the simple fact that her beleaguered willpower was no longer able to control the swell of emotions caused by being this close to him. Before she could stop herself she leaned down and lightly brushed her lips against his. Vaughn hummed contentedly and burrowed further down into his seat but didn't wake.

What was she going to do now? There was no denying it. She couldn't stop it anymore. She loved him. But she was also afraid. Afraid of the feelings swirling around inside of her. Afraid of finding out once and for all which scared her more – the feelings themselves and the fact that they might overwhelm her, or that she might never experience them again.

How could he continue to love someone as hopelessly confused and as her? He simply couldn't. For both of their sakes.

"Vaughn, wake up." Vaughn woke with a start. It took a moment for his eyes to focus, and then soften as he saw her. "Syd," his voice was thick with sleep. "You okay?" he asked, his concern evident as he rubbed at his eyes and shook his head to clear the fog.

Here goes nothing. She steeled herself and spoke bluntly. "Tell me it's over."

His head jerked up at that, his green eyes capturing hers. "What?"

She tucked her lips in, willing herself to go on while he sat and stared at her with an indecipherable expression. Finally she dropped her gaze to her lap and stared at her tightly clasped hands. It was easier; if she didn't look at him she could breathe. "Go ahead. Say you don't love me anymore and we can end this whole thing. I've made too many mistakes, kept you at arm's length for too long… I'm so infuriatingly dramatic that I've driven you away. Just tell me so that I can move on," she demanded.

And then she waited. Waited for him to seal their fate.

He took a deep shuddering breath and studied the play of the dim cabin lights against her silhouette. "I can't do that," he whispered.

She struggled to keep her voice from trembling. "Why not?"

Vaughn risked a glance at her. She was watching him, hope and terror conflicting in her eyes. "Because it wouldn't be true."

The words hung in the air as they stared at each other. "You … you still want me?" she barely formed the question.

"I don't think there has been a moment that I haven't wanted you," he answered with the same unsteady breathlessness.

She tore her eyes away. "That's not how this is supposed to work, Vaughn. You're supposed to turn me away! End this for me because I can't."

A faint glimmer of hope crept through, but he was careful to keep it tightly controlled. "Why do you try?"

She sighed, nearly successful in keeping the waver out of her voice. "I don't know." Turning away from him she stared vacantly out the small cabin window and into the blackness of the night sky. "Because I'm bad for you; a curse on anyone who cares about me." Her words sounded hollow, even to her own ears.

Sydney looked so lost, he realized. Even from this angle, Vaughn could still see the torment in her expression, the firm, tight set of her jaw as she struggled against this with everything that she had. "You wouldn't think that feeling this way would be so complicated," she mused so softly that Vaughn had to strain to hear her.

Finally she forced herself to turn and face him. "I just wish there was some way to make all of this easier. Vaughn, the cost of being with me . . ." She raised her shoulders in a hopeless gesture. "I don't know what to do about this. I can't keep hurting you." Sydney's SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1dark eyes were distant and her voice fell as she struggled for what to say. "No matter what I do, I can never make the right decision," she whispered brokenly.

She glanced away again but his hand on her arm made her turn back. He wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she told him something that made sense. Instead he carefully removed his hand from her and gripped his armrests to hold the temptation at bay while the adrenaline rush from the simple contact with her skin faded.

"This thing between us Syd, it's so powerful. Sometimes it scares me too."

Her eyes flashed. She was angry now, upset that despite all of the barriers she'd tried to erect, that she was so transparent, especially to him. "You think I'm doing this because of fear? What makes you think you know my reasons for anything?" The questions flew out before she could catch them. His presence, his just being so damn understanding causing the edge to her voice.

"Because I know you. Despite everything that's happened, that will never change."

The simple honesty in his statement made her chest ache. In an instant, all the pain, all the fear and all the wonder wrapped up in just being near him flooded her.

She twisted her hands in her lap again, focusing on her white knuckles, digesting everything that he had said. Eventually, she raised her head. There was no longer any anger in her expression. The sincerity and quiet determination in his voice had bled it away. She tentatively reached out a hand but didn't quite touch his knee.

SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Her breath hitched, sounding suspiciously like a sob. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you." She wanted to say more but couldn't make the words come out.

Understanding flickered in his eyes. "I know. And I love you too, Syd."

He slipped his hand down to catch hers. His fingers brushed against her thigh, and she had to force herself to concentrate to get her next thought out coherently. "How did you know?" she asked quietly, tightening her hand in his.

"I didn't, but I had high hopes," Vaughn replied softly, the makings of a smile creeping across his face. He slowly rose to his feet and Sydney rose in response. They simply stood there for a moment, staring at each other, and then he reached out for her. Sydney went to him without protest and Vaughn bent down until his forehead rested against hers. He tried to be gentle, but at the same time he was desperate to never let go. He could feel her breath against his chin, the warmth of her skin seeping through her shirt and into his hands. She buried her face in his chest, and let out a long, shuddering sigh. He moved his hand over her back in slow vertical strokes.

"I didn't know how to stop wanting you," she confessed, her voice muffled by his chest. "Even though I knew I was bad for you, I just couldn't …"

He nodded slowly. "It's all right. I don't want you to stop." He tightened his arms around her, relief seeping into his body. "Just please don't push me away again," he whispered haltingly.

She disengaged slightly to meet his eyes but kept her arms wrapped firmly around him. "I won't. I can't." Swiftly, she tugged him down to meet her mouth. "Not ever again," she managed, against his lips.

Two rows ahead, Weiss wiped at the moisture in his eyes and peered over the headrest, clearing his throat. "Umm, hey guys? You're going to have to break that up now, the 'fasten seatbelt' sign just went on."

"Shush you," Natalie rebuked Weiss lightly, poking him in the ribs. She cast a glance over her own chair to make sure that he hadn't disturbed Sydney and Vaughn. The way they were focused only on each other, she needn't have worried. "I think with those two together we all are going to need to fasten our seat belts. It's going to be quite a ride." She turned back to Weiss, her grin suggestive. "And you may want to take a lesson from Mr. Vaughn over there about proper etiquette while riding in a plane with the woman of your dreams."

"And what should I be gleaning from his example?" he asked, unable to wipe the silly smile from his face.

"This," she said as she pressed her lips to his in a searing kiss.

""

"Seriously, El, you need to work on your poker face," Vaughn laughed as he placed his cards face down on the table.

"Aw, come on," Ella sighed, "how am I supposed to win when you guys fold every time I have a good hand?"

"I think we need to give you a crash course in the art of deception," Natalie volunteered as she reached for the carton of lime sherbet that was currently melting in the middle of the table.

Sydney groaned loudly. "Oh no. I have a better idea. How about we leave her just the way she is? Here Ella." She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet. "I'll pay you twenty dollars to stay as innocent as you are."

The table erupted into laughter as Ella snatched the bill from Sydney's hand. "I suppose that'll do."

Weiss stood up from his chair and made his way toward the kitchen, shooting a long glance over his shoulder. "Hey Nat, want to help me grab some drinks?" He raised a playful eyebrow in invitation.

"Hmm…" Natalie grinned. "That sounds like a difficult task. I suppose you will need my assistance."

As Natalie trailed after Weiss and into the kitchen, Ella blew out an exaggerated sigh and shoved away from the table, slumping in her chair. "I guess we'll put the game on hold for a while. I don't imagine they'll be back anytime soon."

"It's probably better this way." Her husband patted her consolingly. "Even with Sydney's twenty you're still thirty in the hole, my dear," he teased, gathering the cards.

"And it's been thirty dollars well spent," she argued back. "You just can't put a price on fun."

"Wow." Vaughn rolled his eyes. "That was an incredibly dorky thing to say."

Ella remained firm. "But it's true!"

Sydney smiled as she leaned over and wrapped her arms around Vaughn, gave him a tight hug, and then drew back slightly to look at him. "It certainly is," she said softly.

Vaughn eyes darkened with intent. He raised his voice to address the room, though his focus never strayed from Sydney. He couldn't have looked away from her if he tried. "Come to think of it, I'm getting really, really tired." He made a show of forcing a yawn and directed his next comment to his sister. "I think I'm going to head home." Turning back to Sydney he winked and extended his hand as he rose to his feet. "Syd, can I offer you a ride?"

Her grin widened and she began to gather her things. "I would love one, thank you."

Ella shook her head. "Oh, gee. You guys are so tricky. Completely convincing. Very nice delivery."

Andrew tugged at his wife's arm. "Come on Sweetheart, let's go to bed so these nice people can go home."

"Yeah, yeah… just let me get the love-birds out of the kitchen. Too bad it would make a mess if I used the garden hose to shoo them away."

"We'll see you next Thursday, El," Vaughn said before kissing her cheek and escorting Sydney to the door.

"Goodnight you guys!" Sydney called in the general direction of the kitchen, "See you tomorrow!"

A muffled goodbye was their only response.

""

"Would you like to come in? Maybe have a cup of tea?" Sydney asked quietly as they stood on the stoop of her apartment.

"Hmm," he murmured, trailing a finger through her hair, "I think tea sounds perfect."

Both entering the house, Sydney threw her keys on the counter, walked into the kitchen and set the kettle on the stove to boil. Just as she turned the knob to ignite the burner she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist.

Leaning back into Vaughn's chest she signed contentedly. "So it all worked out."

He rested his cheek on the crown of her head and breathed in her familiar scent. "It certainly did. Rambaldi's recipe is destroyed, Lauren is locked away, and your fate is no longer predetermined."

Sydney turned slowly to face him and he watched with wonder as the twinkle in her eye turned dangerous. "Oh yeah…" She leaned into him until her body was almost pressed against his, their lips inches apart, and her voice dropped to a sultry note that he found intoxicating, "That too."

"Why, Miss Bristow," his own voice turned husky but he managed to maintain the breath of space between them. "I do believe you're trying to seduce me."

"Trying?" She smiled wryly and bumped his nose playfully with her own.

"Succeeding," Vaughn conceded before taking a steadying breath. "Definitely succeeding."

No longer willing to deny herself, Sydney brushed her lips ever so gently against his, barely touching them before she pulled away.

Vaughn responded instantly, not allowing her to withdraw, pulling her flush against him so that he could sip at her lower lip before tugging lightly with his teeth.

Sydney moaned against his open mouth when she felt his hand slide up her back to press against the nape of her neck. Her greedy fingers found the hem of his shirt and tugged upward. She grudgingly dragged her lips from his skin for the second it took to draw the fabric over his head and throw it carelessly to the floor before capturing his lips once again.

Anxious to get her closer, Vaughn tightened his grip, drawing her into his chest. His hands ran through her hair before trailing down her back and finally finding the buttons on the front of her blouse. He began to slowly unfasten them, one at a time, as their kisses grew more and more desperate. Before his fingers grazed the final button he stopped abruptly and pulled away.

Sydney's expression immediately turned guarded. "Vaughn, what's wrong? Did you not want … are you having second thoughts…"

Vaughn raised his hand to cup her face, causing her to trail off uncertainly. Almost of its own volition her own hand encircled his wrist and held it, mesmerized by the feel of his palm against her cheek. Vaughn slowly swept his thumb across her soft skin before moving his hand away and reaching deliberately for the stove, firmly switching the burner to 'off.'

"I'm not going to let that whistle stop me this time," he said with a grin as he popped the final button and slipped her blouse from her shoulders.

""

Sydney lay in bed some time later, the moonlight streaming through the windows filling the room with a milky blue glow. She rolled onto her side, tucked her arm under her head and focused on the rise and fall of Vaughn's chest. Taking comfort in the steady rhythm and consistency, she found it impossible to contain a smile.

"What are you grinning about?" he asked without opening his eyes.

His awareness of her actions made her smile wider. "You."

Vaughn slowly opened his eyes. "Do I have something on my face?"

"No."

"Well then what's so funny?"

She leaned up on her elbow and rested her head in her hand. It was then that she decided he was drop dead gorgeous from every angle. "Nothing's funny. I'm just happy… happy that we're… together."

Vaughn turned to face her, suddenly serious. "You say that as if it's temporary."

"Well…"

"Don't even think that," Vaughn said firmly. "You know that I'll never let you get away again." Unable to resist, he reached to let his finger trail across the swell of her cheek before carefully feathering his knuckle along the tender cut across her neck.

"But Vaughn, it's not necessarily within our power to control. Anything can happen. You could be taken away at any moment…"

He cut her off by placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Syd, what did the artifact say again? I think I forgot."

She cocked her head to the side and shot him a grin before answering with monotone delivery, as if she were a child reciting by rote, "You cannot fight fate. You can only fulfill your destiny."

"Unless…" he prompted, tangling her fingers with his.

"Unless destiny grants you the power to choose your own fate."

"So I figure," Vaughn whispered against her skin as he pulled her snugly against him, "that as long as I have you on my side, I've got fate in my corner."

She shook her head, eyes shining. "Oh you do, do you?"

"Yes, I do," he replied confidently.

Sydney stretched to reach his mouth. "Then you, Mr. Vaughn," she said between kisses, "are a very lucky man." With a contented hum Sydney leaned back down and nuzzled into the crook of his neck, wrapping her arm securely across his waist.

"Goodnight, Michael," she murmured into the broad expanse of his chest.

He kissed her forehead softly. "Syd, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

She propped herself up again, waiting for him to continue.

"You said that in the cavern there were hundreds of compartments and that the wrong ones were triggers that caused the walls to collapse."

"Yeah, well, as far as I could tell," she trailed off, pausing for a moment as she traced his collarbone with her fingertip. "I didn't open them all to test my theory."

"But if that's the case, how did you manage to find the right one before the entire wall was destroyed? How did you know which one the artifact would be in?"

Her finger continued the journey down the middle of his chest; she couldn't tell if the action was caused by an effort to distract herself or if she truly just couldn't stop touching him. Probably the latter. Feeling the rise of an uneven breath beneath her hand she looked up to find his warm eyes shining at her though the darkness. She slid her gaze away and bit her lip uncertainly. "I tried hers first. I thought… hoped… but it wasn't." She finally pulled her hand away and shifted uncomfortably before continuing in a hushed tone, "The whole time, Vaughn, it was me. She was right. It wasn't her. It was me."

"Syd, I don't understand."

"It was my birthday."

""""""""""

The End

""""""""""

Well, that's it, with a small epilogue to follow hopefully within the week.

Thanks to all of those who have stuck with me this far on my first attempt at writing anything. To think, all I wanted to do was write that opening wedding scene ... I guess this sort of got away from me.

Anyway, I have appreciated all of the feedback, both supportive and constructive. It really makes the whole process a worthwhile exercise.

Allie