Some people asked out how smart Anya was, so I'll explain that. I kinda based her off of my friend's sister's kid. The kid was three and reading like high school level books and understanding them! Made me feel rather stupid, ya know. So yeah, that's why Anya's so smart.
Okay, here's a question: What the hell happened to the 07 on the end of my penname? One day it's there and the next it's gone! WTF! I tried fixing it but it wouldn't work. Gosh darnit! Well, that's my little rant for now. Happy reading!
Vaughn's POV
"Why are you putting cinnamon on your pancake?" Anya questioned.
"Because it tastes good," I answered. I'm doing pretty good at this fatherly thing if I do say so myself. "Want to try it?"
Anya studied the cinnamon before shaking her head.
"I do," Chris piped up.
I smiled and handed Sydney the cinnamon shaker. She put some cinnamon on his pancake and he took a tentative bite. "It really is good." He said happily. "You should try it, Anya."
"I don't want to try it," Anya answered curtly. Whoa…someone has major mood swing problems. Her teenage years are going to be a bitch. It's been a long time since I've been around teenage girls but I remember how they act. No man could ever forget that.
"Anya…" Sydney sighed. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing," Anya replied still in her little mood.
"Then apologize to your brother for snapping at him." Sydney said firmly.
Anya sighed and looked at Chris. "Sorry," She mumbled before going back to her food.
Sydney sent Chris a look and he sighed as well and mumbled, "You're forgiven, Anya." Twins scare me. Have I not said that? The same link thing is starting to scare me.
I glanced at Sydney. So what was that all about? We ate in silence for about ten minutes before Sydney asked.
"Anya. What is the matter?"
"Nothing," Anya answered.
"Don't give me 'nothing', young lady." Sydney replied, sounding a lot like her father. That man scared me.
Anya put her fork down and looked up at Sydney "Vaughn's our father, isn't he?" She asked, simply.
Holy fricking crap! That girl is like four. How the hell did she figure that out? Well, I did read about this three year old that was reading high school level books once. But still, it's a bit creepy when your own four year old does it.
"Yes, he is." Sydney answered. Well, at least she doesn't lie to them.
Chris seemed pretty happy. I can see why. Every little boy idolizes his father. I sense many easy times between him and me. Anya on the hand seemed to be struggling with the news.
"I thought he left us because he couldn't handle being a father," She said seriously.
Excuse me? I left? As in I left her? What kind of crap was Sydney dishing out these past four years? Not being able to handle being a father? I'm not expert but I think I'm doing pretty good with being a father. True, it has been about a day but still.
"What?" I asked.
Sydney looked panicked. She was obviously doing some very fasting thinking. So, she had been lying about that. That was different. What was wrong with the truth? You know what, that was a stupid question, don't answer that. I know what was wrong with the truth but still. To tell our children that I'm a scumbag? That's low Syd.
"No, Anya, he didn't leave us," Sydney answered finally.
Anya's eyes narrowed. "So you lied?"
"Yes."
Well, I have to give her props for telling the truth. Now at least. The past four years, well, we're working on that. Jesus, I still can't believe that she told my own children that I ditched them. True, I have had about five minutes to process it but it's the principle of the thing.
Anya surprised me by pushing her chair away from the table suddenly and running from the room. Apparently I'm not the only one having problems dealing with Sydney's lie. Of course, Anya is like four. Four year olds tend to believe that their parents would never lie to them and then to have Sydney openly admit to lying. That has to be a tough blow to Anya. That girl is too smart for her own good.
I glanced over at Sydney before letting my gaze wander to Chris. He seemed to be having problems with Sydney's admittance but at least he wasn't leaving the room anytime soon. Or he didn't appear to be leaving anytime soon. Frowning, he looked up at Sydney and asked, "Why did you lie?"
Sydney bit her lip and stole a quick glance at me. My expression must have shown my confusion and disbelief because her eyes took on a panicked look and she looked back to Chris. "It's complicated."
"How?" Chris asked.
Oh, that's a tough question. Why is it complicated. It's complicated because Daddy wasn't married to Mommy when you two were born and to add some flavor to the story, he was married to someone else. Somehow, I don't think telling a four year that they were conceived from an affair is a very smart thing to do. I don't think they even know what an affair is but that's beyond the point.
"It just is," Sydney sighed.
Chris must have sensed the frustration in Sydney's voice and he stopped asking questions.
I'll be the first to admit this. I have a weak spot when it comes to Sydney. I can't stay mad at her. It's impossible for me to hold a grudge against her. The time she stabbed me I forgave her within three days if that. Course, that was to save my life but still. A normal person would have been bitter about it and never have forgiven her. Me on the other hands, I'm whipped when it comes to Sydney. The pained look on her face felt like someone had just knifed me in the heart and was now twisting the blade. Pleasant, don't you think?
"I'll go talk to her," I offered quietly, making the move to get up and follow Anya and explain for her. And then get her to apologize to Sydney and then live happily ever after. Or close to it.
"No," Sydney protested beating me to the punch and getting up from the table. "I will." She said.
After she left, Chris and I looked at each other. This is just a tad bit awkward.
"Anya's always throwing fits," Chris informed me like it was no big deal. Gee, he's nice to his sister.
"Good to know," I answered. How the hell are you supposed to reply to a statement like that? Somehow, 'no shit' didn't seem appropriate.
"Are you coming with us on the cruise?" He asked.
I nodded. I'm a little surprised that after his sister's little outburst that he still remembers the cruise and wants to know if I'm coming with. "Mommy asked me to come last night." Why couldn't Anya's temperament be like Chris's? Then we would all get along so freaking wonderfully.
He nodded his understanding and went back to eating his pancake. "You really are my daddy?" He asked suddenly.
"Yes," I answered. "Yes, I am."
Chris smiled. "I'm glad." He answered vaguely before going back to his breakfast and leaving me mystified.
I wonder if Sydney's having the same luck with Anya.
-
Sydney's POV
Out of the corner of my eye, I say Vaughn look at me briefly before looking to Chris. God, what am I going to do? First Anya figures out my lie and now Chris is frowning. "Why did you lie?" He asked.
I bit my lip and glanced to Vaughn. Did he have to have that look on his face? That look that said he was just as confused as Anya and having the same trouble with accepting my lie. Just the thought of Vaughn mad at me made me panic and I looked back to Chris, masking the panic as best I could. "It's complicated." There, that's hopefully a vague enough lie to keep him from asking more questions.
"How?" Chris asked. Okay, maybe not. Damnit.
Okay, how to phrase this answer. I can't exactly tell him that it's complicated because he and his sister were conceived as a result of an affair. I'll be damned if I ever have to tell them that. I'd rather try to get my parents to reconcile. You know what; I'm just going to go with the vague answer again. "It just is."
There, Chris took the vague answer this time around and stopped asking questions. Thank God. Now if only I could say the same for Vaughn. God, I wish I knew what he was thinking.
"I'll go talk to her," Vaughn offered suddenly. As sweet and nice as that would be, I need to talk to her. I need to be the one to sort her out.
"No," I answered, getting up from the table. "I will." I trust Vaughn enough to keep Chris entertained for me while I talk to Anya. Besides, Chris was so much more receptive to the idea of Vaughn being his father than Anya.
I found Anya sitting on my bed with a picture of me and the twins when they were babies in her lap. She looked up when I sat on the edge of the bed for a split second before going back to the picture.
"Anya…" I started, not sure where I was going to go with this. "I'm sorry." I sighed. Yeah, like that would ever make up for me lying to her for her entire life.
"How come you lied?" She asked.
Okay, what the hell. Both of them asking me the hardest question in the world? Twin connection thing again.
"I just did." I answered.
"I don't like that reason." She replied. Unless I'm horribly mistaken, that's Anya speak for 'you're forgiven for now anyway'.
I laughed and she smiled. That's good. That means I wasn't wrong in my assumption. Like I said, she changes her moods fast enough to give even the best psychiatrist a headache. This little incident is probably going to end up coming back to bite me in the ass but right now, I don't care.
"Well that's too bad," I answered. "Cause I'm not going to give you another one."
"What if I behave on the plane to the cruise?" She asked.
"Then you get to have desert every night," I replied.
Anya's eyes lit up. "Really?" She asked.
"Yes, really. Now can you do me a favor?"
She couldn't resist that and nodded rapidly. "Uh huh."
"Go brush your teeth, get dressed, and then bring your suitcase downstairs for me. Can you do that?"
She nodded. "Yep." Then she ran out of the room towards the bathroom.
I know I should be glad that I got out of a fight with Anya but something keeps telling me that we should've fought it out. I would sleep so much easier at night if I knew for sure if Anya hated me or not. None of this I think I'm forgiven but not really sure crap. I need to know. No, I take that back. I really don't. I need to get everybody out of the house and to the damn airport. We have a family cruise to go on.
-
Weiss's POV
I'll never forget the day that the memo saying Lauren Reed was going to be executed by lethal injection in seven months. Probably the second best day of my life. The best day of course was that time I got wasted on a beach in Florida and woke up next to a gorgeous girl. But enough about that. The woman who ruined Mike's life is going to die.
If that doesn't deserve a drink I don't know what does.
Too bad it's about ten in the morning on a Saturday. Here's a question, why am I at work at ten in the morning on the weekend? Oh yeah, Jack said he had paperwork for me to finish up. I think he made that up. But whatever, he's here too so I'm not a complete idiot. Maybe.
"Apparently, paperwork means solitaire to you," Jack said suddenly.
Goddamnit, did he have to catch me playing this game, not once but twice? I clicked the x quickly and looked up. "Umm…well…you see…"
"Just get back to work," He said simply before disappearing again.
Whoa…that was very un-Jack like. Normally, I would have gotten a lecture. Maybe it's because I told him that his daughter and grandchildren might be coming back with Mike yesterday. Note to self; always give that man good news.
Just as I was about to get back to my stack of papers, my phone starting ringing. Someone up there must really be against me doing any work. Not that I'm complaining. "Weiss," I said after picking up the phone.
"You're in the office?" Mike asked sounding very surprised. "It's Saturday."
"I'm aware of what day it is," I answered indignantly.
"It's also ten in the morning," He added.
"Yes, I know." I replied, getting a little annoyed.
"You finally got that secretary to agree to go out with you, didn't you?" He asked next laughing.
"Stop interrogating me," I commanded. "Why don't you tell me why you called?"
"I was just going to leave you a message," He answered vaguely.
"I can take the message now. I'm not busy." Yeah, don't let Jack hear that.
He exhaled slowly. "Right. Just tell Dixon that I'm going to be taking my vacation time now."
"Why?" I asked frowning. Either things went really well with Sydney and he was never coming back or they went very horribly and he was recuperating. And if it was the second one, he should come back to L.A. so we can get some good drinking in.
"Because I'm going on a Disney cruise with Sydney and my children, that's why." He answered trying to make it sound like no big deal. Yeah right.
He was going on a vacation with the woman and his children. That means they made up and are going to get married and all that fun stuff. I'm going to be an uncle! Whenever they get back that is.
"You are, huh?" I asked leaning back in my chair and propping my feet up on the desk. "Very interesting."
"Don't even keep going with that," He commanded. "I just called to give you the message. Syd's giving me that look, so that means I have to go now."
"Syd's with you? Let me talk to her." Oh my God, I've forgotten what it was like to badger him about his relationship with Sydney. Almost seven years now. Way too long.
"No," He answered.
"Come on, you're on your cell, I can tell. I'll just keep calling until you do." I pressed.
"Then I'll turn my phone off." He countered.
Damn him. That would only keep me from badgering him for about half a day. I'm a spy. I have connections. I'd find him. "That won't stop me."
"You're relentless," He sighed before his voice grew fainter but I still heard what he was saying. "Weiss wants to talk to you."
"Why?" Sydney asked sounding rather confused. Good.
"Hell if I should know," Mike answered impatiently.
I heard Sydney sigh before her voice became clearer, "What do you want?"
"That's a nice welcome for someone who taught you the ways of drinking til it hurts," I joked.
She laughed. "Can you ever just not think about drinking?"
"I'm working on it." I replied. "Now…tell me about your make up with Mike."
"Now's not the time." She answered after hesitating.
"Why?"
"Stop asking questions," She ordered lightly.
"If you answer the question, I'll let you go."
She sighed. "Alright fine. We're boarding the cruise ship and it looks like I'm some kind of business freak mom with a cell phone pressed to her ears at all times on a cruise with two children and a husband that I only ever see once a month." She answered in one breath.
"You married him? Already?" I teased. Good God was that a long explanation. And specific too. Well, the woman is an ex spy. It was in her job at one time to come up with detailed scenarios like that.
"No," She answered patiently. "It was a metaphor."
"Too bad." I said grinning. "I wanna be an uncle already damnit."
"How is me and Michael getting married going to make you an uncle?" She asked.
"Well, me and Mike are like brothers." I started to explain but then changed my mind half way through. "You know, just forget it. The sooner you two get back here with those twins of yours, the happier I'll be. Your father too."
"What?" She asked, surprised. "My father?"
"Oh look at the time, I have to go." I said quickly, realizing that I said the wrong thing. I hung up listening to her protests. That was close. Too close. I should have not told her about that. Oh well, if she really wants to know, she can call me back.
"Get back to work!" Jack called from right outside my office.
"Yes, sir," I answered, glad to have an excuse not to tell him about the call. I'm not sure if he knew who I was talking to or even if he knew I was on the phone but I'd like to keep it that way.
-
Sydney's POV
"Eric Weiss! Don't you dare hang up on me!" I yelled into the phone. What the hell had he meant by that? My father would be happy when I came back to L.A.? How did my father even know about any of this? The dial tone buzzed in my ear and I sighed. "Or not."
"What did he say?" Vaughn asked, taking his phone back.
"My father knows about us somehow." I answered low enough so the twins didn't hear us.
Vaughn's eyes widened slightly. "Your father?" He repeated.
"Yeah," I sighed. "What room do we have again?"
"This one," He answered stopping our little clan in front of a door. We exchanged a smile as he opened the door and let the twins in first. They ran laughing straight for their beds and started jumping on them. Oh well, it's not like I'm paying for those beds. Let them do what they want.
It had been hectic to say the least getting out of the house. First, I had to call the airline company and arrange another ticket for Vaughn. The money wasn't an issue, just getting it. After some fighting, we managed to get him the last ticket for the flight. Then of course, actually getting the twins in the car and ready to go was a royal pain in the ass. They were forgetting something they wanted to bring along every five minutes. So Vaughn and I had to run back and forth from the house to the car to get them what they wanted until finally I said no more. If they forgot something, then I'll buy them a new one. We had to go.
The rest of the journey had been simple. The drive was nice, the plane had been easy to catch, the twins behaved on the plane, everything went according to plan. Well, almost, Vaughn realized that he had to call Dixon and tell him that he was taking some time off right as we got the cruise ship. And that of course let to my very weird conversation with Eric.
"I want to see you two in bed in three minutes sharp!" I called into the twins room. "The sooner you get to sleep, the sooner we'll start doing stuff tomorrow!"
"Okay!" The twins yelled back.
I smiled and shook my head wistfully. "Wanna help me tuck them in?"
Vaughn nodded. "Yeah, I would."
After being a read a story by their father, the twins settled into bed and were quiet the rest of the night.
Vaughn and I sat on our bed, watching TV idly. There wasn't anything on that either one of us really wanted to watch. I could tell Vaughn wanted to ask about this morning but was holding himself back from asking. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and grabbed the remote, shutting the TV off.
"We need to talk," I stated simply.
"Yeah," He answered with a sigh. "We do."
I nodded. Well, here goes nothing.