Sydney's POV

Why am I doing this?

I sighed and set down the clothes I was packing to pinch the bridge of my nose. I need to pack. We're supposed to leave for L.A. tomorrow. Vaughn's expecting us in two days. But I need to stop questioning myself before I can do anything.

Up until now, I was sure that I wanted to move to L.A. with the twins to go live with Vaughn. It seemed like the best course of action. No, it was the best course of action. It has to be. No, it will be.

Okay, deep breaths. That's it… in… out… in… out…

"Mommy!"

Or not. I'll think about this after I pull the twins apart from fighting again.

"What do you two think you're doing?" I asked, leaning in the doorway of their room. Both looked like they wanted to strangle the other but couldn't get the other to sit still long enough for that to happen.

The fighting stopped immediately. They looked like deer caught in the headlights. For about twelve seconds.

"Anya took my Legos!" Chris accused.

"Only 'cause he took my Barbie!"

"Well, she kept hittin' me with it!"

"Cause you wouldn't let me play weddin' with her an' your army doll!"

"It's not an army doll!"

"Enough," I snapped. They fell silent instantly. "I told you to pack your things, not fight."

Anya opened her mouth to protest so I added, "Or play with your Barbies." That silenced her effectively.

"Why are we packin'?" Chris asked timidly. "We just got back."

"Because we're going to Los Angeles," I explained patiently.

"We were just there too," Anya pointed out.

Yeah, should've told them that we were moving to L.A. to live with Daddy before I told them to pack their stuff. That would have been smart. But I'm having trouble accepting this, so they probably would too.

"Well, we're going back." There, simple enough answer.

Of course they both chimed, "Why?"

Because I damn well feel like it, seemed like a bad answer. So, I had to tell them the truth. "We're going to live with Daddy."

See, I had been expecting whining, and some bitching and quite possible a tantrum. I underestimated my own children. Huge grins broke out on their faces and they both cried, "Really?"

I should have seen this coming. They had thrown a royal fit after we'd gotten off the cruise ship. Neither one had been willing to let Daddy out of their lives. I don't know what Vaughn told them but after he had talked to them, they came willingly and quietly. Since I had a headache, I didn't question it.

Bad Sydney.

"Yes, really," I confirmed, smiling. "But you have to pack first."

"But we're already packed," Chris pointed out, gesturing wildly towards their suitcases resting on the floor next to my feet.

"Oh and that mess on the floor is going to be the garbage man's then?" Yeah, that was pretty mean but come on, I think they spent the past hour and a half messing up their room rather than throwing their stuff into boxes. I have to motivate them somehow.

A look of horror and disbelief crossed my children's faces as they stared at me. Hmm, I think they actually believed my little lie. Oops.

"Kidding," I added smiling warmly. "I wouldn't give your stuff to the garbage man." That is, if you get off your lazy butts and throw your stuff into the boxes. How hard is that? Well, I shouldn't be talking. I haven't made much progress either.

Yep, that got rid of the panic-stricken faces. But they still didn't start packing. Damnit.

"I'll make a deal with you," I announced, turning their wayward attention back to me. "The sooner you pack, the sooner we go to live with daddy."

"I dun like packing," Anya whined.

Welcome to the club, darling.

"Me neither," I admitted, picking up a doll that was lying next to my foot and placing –well, tossing- it into the box I designated for her stuff. "But we can't leave our stuff here."

"Why?" Chris asked, taking my lead and picking up some of his toys and unceremoniously putting them in his box.

"You wanna go back and forth from River Falls and L.A. every day?" I pointed out.

He shook his head, probably remembering that immensely long trip from L.A. to River Falls. "No, but this is borin'."

"Unpacking'll be much more fun, I promise," I told him, smiling. I can never help but smile around them. Probably because they're my children. And innocent. Don't forget the innocent thing.

"I'm hungry," Anya announced suddenly. Admittingly, I was a little surprised until I caught sight of my watch and then I wasn't at all. It was almost seven. They were used to eating at six at the latest.

"Me too," Chris chimed in though I really didn't need him too.

"I'll go make us some dinner," I informed them, straightening. "Any requests?"

"Sperghetti," Anya answered immediately.

"Spaghetti," I corrected softly. "Okay, ten minutes. You two keep packing."

"Okay," They replied miraculously still throwing their things into their respective boxes like I told them to. I give it about two minutes before that falls apart.

I was halfway done with putting the spaghetti noodles into the boiling water when the phone rang. Good God, why does the phone always have to ring when I'm trying to make food? Or around the time that food is being made in my house?

"Hello?" I said cradling the phone between my jaw and shoulder.

"Hey Syd," Vaughn answered.

I smiled despite my battle with the noodles that was currently going on. How freaking hard is it to get in the pot of boiling water and cook? Very, apparently. I wouldn't know. I've never been a noodle.

"What's up?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," He replied instead of answering. Nice try buddy.

"Well, I asked you first." I countered.

He sighed, chuckling. "Alright, the twins share a room, right?"

"Yeah," I replied not understanding the question. "Why?"

"No reason," He replied a little too quickly. Trying to hide something from me Mr. Vaughn? Not gonna work.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

See, I can't really force him to tell me the truth over the phone. However, in person, there's always that chance that I'll resort to beating it out of him and he tends to cave. Not that I would do that but it never hurts just to have that threat. "Is that all you wanted?"

"I can't just call you for the hell of it?" He teased.

I smiled again. "Sorry, I'm just not used to being called just for the hell of it." Granted, I did have some friends in River Falls but they tended to drop by the house rather than call.

"Well get used to it," He replied. "Cause I'm going to call you and often."

"Is that a promise?" I joked.

"Definitely," He answered causing another smile to cross my face. "Speaking of, where are the twins?"

"I put them to packing," I answered, turning the heat down on the stove a little. Finally, those damn noodles were starting to cooperate. Stupid little bastards.

"How's that going?"

"Their stuff is in the boxes isn't it?" I replied, joking a little.

"They probably inherited their inability to want to pack from their mother," Vaughn teased.

"Oh bite me," I retorted. Huh, I think I've been spending too much time around my students. Oh sh-t, that reminds me. I have to call the principal and tell her that I'm no longer able to work at the school for the rest of the year. Why? Because I'm packing up to go live with my children's father in L.A, something wrong with that?

In so many ways.

"When you get here," He replied. Huh, not sure if he was kidding or not though that might prove to be interesting. Ok, not gonna think about that when my children are running into the same room as me. See, children always seem to know when grown ups are talking about something little children aren't supposed to hear and then they show up.

I opened my mouth to reply when the phone made a soft clicking noise. "Syd, I have another call, can you hold on?"

"Sure," I answered and he switched to the other line.

"Who are you talkin' to Mommy?" Anya asked sitting herself at the table.

"Daddy," I informed them.

"I wanna talk to him!" That was a pretty normal response around here now.

"You wait your turn," I instructed. I had a few things to talk about with Vaughn if he ever got back on the line.

"I wan' dinner," Anya whined.

"Two minutes," I replied stirring the noodles. Seriously Vaughn, get back on the line. Whatever it is cannot be that important.

"Syd?" There we go.

"Yeah?"

"I have to go."

"What?" I did my best not to yell that, but it did come out pretty loudly.

"I'm sorry, Eric's on the other line," Vaughn explained. He sounded sorry but that doesn't he was.

"What does he want?"

"I can't tell you that," He answered.

I frowned. "Why the hell not?"

"Classified," He added.

"Who am I going to tell?" Seriously, two four year olds?

"You know I can't tell you," He sighed. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." Oh no you don't, little mister. You're not getting off that easily.

"The twins want to talk to you," I tried. Okay, getting a little desperate now.

"I'll talk to them tomorrow," He answered. Damnit.

"They're not going to like that…" I hinted.

He sighed. "I know but this is important."

He was starting to sound like my dad. That would be a bad thing. "Alright," I relented. "I'll try to call you tomorrow before we leave."

"Okay," He agreed. I know I'm a little rusty at reading people but I'm pretty sure that he was distracted now. Exactly what was distracting him, I have no idea. "Tell them I love them."

"I will."

"I love you too," He added.

"I know." I shouldn't be so cold to the guy but he's hiding something from me now. This is his punishment. "Bye Michael." With that said, I promptly hung up the phone and immediately there was a loud chorus of 'awww's from the twins.

"I wanted to talk to him!" Anya pouted.

"Me too!" Chris added.

I smiled patiently at them. "Daddy had some business that came up. He'll talk to you tomorrow."

"But I wanna talk to him now," Chris whined. Huh, would've expected that out of Anya not Chris.

"You'll talk to him tomorrow," I repeated this time with a final tone to my voice. Hello, I didn't get to talk to him either.

Chris and Anya gave me their best puppy dog pouting faces but those failed to work on me about two years ago.

"Who wants dinner?" I added, smiling.

"Me!"

Thought so.

-break-

Vaughn's POV

"Repeat that for me one more time."

Weiss sighed heavily. "How many times do I have to repeat it for you?"

"Until you make sense," I replied.

"So forever then?" He joked.

Not funny. Not right now. "You know what I mean."

"I know," Weiss answered. The line went silent for a couple minutes before, "What are you going to tell her?"

Good freaking question. "What am I supposed to tell her?"

"The truth?" He suggested.

"I know that," I snapped. Yeah, shouldn't be snapping at him but right now, I don't really care. "Now, who told you this again?"

"No one told me," He responded. "It was in a report that came across my desk two hours ago."

"What are you still doing at the office?" I asked.

"I'm not at the office," He replied and I'm pretty sure he turned up his TV to prove his point. "I was at the office two hours ago."

"And you just decided to call me now?" Kind of late, gotta say.

"Your line has been busy," He informed me causing me to frown slightly. "I've been calling every fifteen minutes."

"I have call waiting," I replied monotone.

There was definite pause. "Oh," He said finally, "You do?"

"Yes, I do," I confirmed.

More pausing. "Alright fine, I haven't been trying to call you." He admitted. "I had a date."

"With who?"

"None of your business," He shot back. "You're getting off topic."

"And you're letting me," I pointed out.

"You have to tell her," He repeated.

"I know that," I sighed exasperated. Oh yes, definitely going to need an aspirin after this conversation. "I'll tell her when she comes to L.A." I stated. "I'm not telling her over the phone."

"Good thinking," He agreed, "cause she'll kick your ass."

"Why's that?"

"Knowing her," He started, "she'll think you kept it from her on purpose."

"Why is she going to think that?" Where does he come up with these theories?

"Because you told me that you called her earlier," He replied. No, I told him that I was talking to her when he called but whatever. Let him think what he wants. "And she won't believe that you found out about it after you talked to her."

Funny how that was the truth. Well almost. He had just blurted the information to me right when I picked up the phone and then I had talked to her again. But she didn't need to know that.

"She'll understand that I wanted to tell her in person," I reasoned.

He chuckled. "I hope you're right, Mike."

"I am," I defended. "I know Sydney. She'll believe me."

"She used to believe you," He pointed out. "Who's to say she hasn't changed that in the past four years?"

Oh damn, good question. "Of course she's changed," I relented. "Just not that much."

"Again, who says?"

I says. There. Bad grammar and everything. "She'll believe me." I repeated more for my sake than his.

"Whatever you say," He replied dismissively. "Hey, if she kills you, can I have your stereo?"

"No."

"Ooh, someone's in a bad mood." He mocked.

Yeah, I know he meant it good naturedly but he was joking about Sydney killing me. That is not something to joke about. Know why? Cause she could actually do it.

"Only because you joked about my death," I replied.

Silence and then, "I don't get it."

Wow, okay, he didn't get it. Well, that means I can mess with his head a little. "What about my children?" I asked. "Huh? Where would they be if their father wasn't around anymore?"

"Where they've been for the past four years," He replied.

"Exactly," I agreed before I processed what he said. Then it hit me. "Hey, wait a minute."

Too late, he was already roaring with laughter. "Nice one Mike."

"Shut up."

"Sorry." I could tell he didn't mean that. "But you have to admit, it's sort of true."

"How?" Yeah, I know how but I'm messing with his head. That includes playing dumb every once in a while.

"How?" He repeated incredulously. "Do I have to remind you of what happened four years ago?"

I cheated on my wife with Sydney, got her pregnant and she moved to Montana with our children. No, I think I got it.

"I was there," I reminded him.

"You could've had me fooled," He muttered.

Okay, it's time to stop picking on Vaughn. "Can we not talk about how horrible of a person I've been?"

"But it's so much fun," He taunted. "Out of curiosity, how are you going to tell her?"

Subtle change of subject. "I don't really know," I admitted. "Got any ideas?"

"Get her drunk," He suggested. "Very very drunk."

Oh yes, that would just be a brilliant plan. Get Sydney drunk so she wouldn't remember what I told her. "I'm not getting her drunk." I stated firmly.

"Okay then…" He paused. "What if you just sit her down on the couch and tell her straight? Don't beat around the bush."

Yeah, I think that would get me smacked and yelled at it. "Not one for subtly are you?"

"You come up with something then," He admonished. "Stop making me do all the work."

"You've given me two crappy ideas," I pointed out. "I hardly call that work."

"It's work in my book," He replied. "So nyah."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll think of something."

"Good for you."

"Shut up."

Miraculously, he shut up for about minute before, "Got anything yet?"

I wanted to smack him and had we not been on the phone together, I would have. "Sorta," I sighed. I was thinking that I could break it to her gently. Sit her down, maybe watch a movie with her and the twins, put the twins to bed for her, and then gently tell her with lots of 'I love you's thrown in.. Sounds like a plan to me.

"Care to explain it?" He asked.

"Not really."

"Okay then," He replied. "Good luck with whatever you decide."

"Thanks." I was definitely going to need it.

I mean, how often do you have to tell your girlfriend that she has a long lost sister?

-break-

Sydney's POV

Getting the twins out of the house and to L.A. was pure hell. Especially at eight in the morning.

It wasn't the moving of things that was such a problem. I rented a U-Haul and that took care of the boxes and furniture. It wasn't that telling my boss that I was quitting on very short notice. It wasn't that Vaughn hadn't called yet.

They were fighting, the twins. Like banshees.

Is it so hard to just eat your breakfast, get in the car, and sit there for six hours while mommy drove us all to Los Angeles? I mean, is it really? Yeah, do not answer that.

They fought over every little thing.

First it was that Chris got the bathroom this morning.

Then it was that Anya got to have more toys with her in the car because her dolls took up less space.

Next it was because Chris's eggs were slightly cooler than Anya's because he had let them sit for a while.

Then they couldn't decide who would sit in the front with mommy or in the back by themselves.

After I decided that they both would sit in the back because they were fighting, they couldn't agree on who would sit on the right or left side. I finally stuck Anya on the right and Chris on the left and made them switch at every rest stop.

At the rest stops, they'd fight on who went in the damn bathroom first.

During food breaks, they'd fight over who sat next to Mommy.

At the hotel we stayed at because the drive took two days, they couldn't agree on who got what side on the bed.

The process with rest stops and food breaks and switching seat sides continued the next day until finally, the skyscrapers in L.A. came into view. They were too awed by the tall buildings (though they'd already seen them) to fight.

Thank God because I was getting another headache.

It took me about a half hour (okay, so I got lost) to find Vaughn's apartment. I swear, the instant I stopped the car, both children flung off their seatbelts and attempted fleeing from the car. I don't think they noticed that I had locked the doors and I had the child safety lock on. Evil, I know but it keeps little children in cars.

"Mommy! Let us out!"

I laughed and took my time letting them out of the car. By the time they stumbled out of the car, Vaughn (and probably half the neighborhood) had caught wind of the ruckus outside and joined us.

"Daddy!"

The twins tackled him (well, ran into him with force considering he stayed standing) immediately after they were freed from the car.

"Hey," He said disentangling himself from the twins long enough to give me a quick kiss.

"Hey." I smiled.

"Long drive?"

"Two days," I replied glancing towards the twins and then back at Vaughn.

He got the message and looked to the twins. "Did you two behave for Mommy?"

Dead silence. And then,

"No…"

"Don't lie," I chastised softly.

"Chris started it!" Anya protested.

"Not uh!" Chris defended. "Anya did!"

"Alright, no fighting when Mommy has a headache," I said firmly.

"Yes, Mommy." They agreed.

"You okay?" Vaughn asked concerned.

I gave him a smile and nodded. "Just a little headache. I'll be fine."

"I'll get you an aspirin," He replied grabbing the twins' hands while adding, "And feed these two for you."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What's going on?"

"What makes you think something's going on?"

"Because suddenly you're acting like super nice Vaughn," I replied. "And you only do that when you're trying to hide something from me."

I caught him. I could tell by the look in his eyes. "I'll tell you later."

"We have time now."

He sighed and nodded. "Chris, Anya, you see those swings over there?" He pointed towards a swing set about twenty yards away that I hadn't noticed before he said anything. The twins nodded. "You wanna go play on them while I talk with Mommy?"

"Yeah!" The twins cried dropping their father's hand and taking off for the swing set.

That left me and Vaughn alone.

"Well?" I prompted.

"You're not going to like this…" He started.

"Try me." I don't like being kept in the dark so telling me is in his best interest right now.

He took a deep breath and on the exhale said, "You have a sister."

Oh. My. God.

SSB's note: Okay, my darlings, I feel the need to say this. Mostly because of recent trouble that's been brewing here on this site. I own this plot to this story. I did not take it from someone else. If my story sounds like yours, it is from pure coincidence, I assure you. And second, if you think that this story has gone over it's rating (which it hasn't), please tell me this before you go and report me for it. I know of people who have had problems with this sort of thing. If you have no idea what I'm talking about... well, you're probably better off.

This time really, review responses are on my livejournal.

Next chapter: First day blues