Chapter 17Vaughn followed Jack as he walked into the hospital room. Vaughn saw that the TV was on. Glancing at it, he recognized the one soap that Sydney indulged in.

"So, what's going on with Gavin and Ruby this week," Vaughn said, trying to make the situation of seeing the woman that he loved, the woman he had always thought of as indestructible, laying in a hospital bed with her right leg suspended by a metal bar. The cast that was on her leg was covering it all, and there were several tubes into her arm. Her left eye was purple and her right one was swollen shut.

He heard her shift a little bit, in order to look at him, and she responded. "Last week, Gavin found out that the person he thought was his father wasn't and that he's actually Sheri's brother."

"Who's Sheri again?"

"Sheri is Gavin's girlfriend who is secretly a lesbian sleeping with Ruby."

"But I thought Ruby was a transsexual"

"She is, but Sheri doesn't know that yet."

Jack looked weirdly at Vaughn. "You didn't know she liked this show?"

"I didn't know you liked this show," Jack said, giving the faintest hint of a smile.

"Funny," Vaughn said sarcastically. "So how are you doing, dear."

"I don't hurt," Sydney stated and then laughed. "Of course I am on a ton of drugs."

Vaughn laughed out of pity. Jack stood there with his well known stoic face, but even Vaughn could recognize the worry that was evident through his eyes.

Sitting down, Vaughn took Sydney's hand. Jack walked closer. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Just stay with me," Sydney said.

Sydney could feel Vaughn's thumb rubbing back and forth over the back of her hand, and giving him a weak squeeze, she smiled at him.

Coroner Jacobs wheeled the gurney down the hall and into the morgue. Three people were waiting for him when he got there. Quickly flashing IDs, they identified themselves as CIA.

"What can I do for you," Jacobs asked.

"We need that body."

"This one?" he asked.

"That one."

"We're going to need you to sign it out." The man in the middle nodded, and then looked at the other two. Pulling out his gun, he shot the coroner. Pushing the gurney out, they met up with Anna. Uncapping a vial of red liquid, Anna poured the contents through the hole in Allison's head. Watching in shock as the hole sealed up, Anna smiled when Allison gasped for air. "She's alive," Anna called out to the driver.

The last thing Allison had remembered was driving with Sydney in the passenger seat. It only felt like a moment when she saw Anna hovering over her, and then moving her mouth like she was saying something, but nothing came out. She felt the van move, and laid there in the total silence.

Anna looked at her, smiling. Allison saw Anna trying to talk, but no sound came out. Speaking for the first time since opening her eyes in the van, Allison tried to say, "Can you hear me," but she couldn't hear if she did or not. The realization sunk in a few minutes later. I'm deaf, she realized.

Sydney smiled Vaughn. "Hey Syd?" Vaughn asked.

"Yeah?"

"Did they say anything about our baby?"

"Yeah. He's doing fine."

"Wait; our kid's a boy?"

"It's just easy to refer to our baby as he. It's usually around the third month when the sex can be determined."

"So we have about a month left?"

"Yeah. We should discuss names, though."

"Okay," Vaughn said and looked at her.

"What should we name it if it's a female?"

Vaughn thought about that

"Lucy?"

"Lucy Vaughn," Sydney said slowly. "What do you think, Dad?"

Jack was surprised to be asked that question. "Lucy's…Jack paused a bit before continuing, "Lucy's fine."

"Katie," Vaughn said, throwing out another possibility.

"Katie Vaughn," Sydney said slowly, testing it out. "Dad?"

Jack looked at Sydney. "This is a choice between you two," Jack stated emotionlessly. "Pick what you want."

"Elizabeth," Sydney said, tossing another name out.

"Katie Lucy Vaughn. Katie Elizabeth Vaughn. Elizabeth Lucy Vaughn. Lucy Elizabeth Vaughn. Elizabeth Katie Vaughn," Vaughn said stating the possibilities.

"Lucy Elizabeth Katie Vaughn," Sydney said, and then started to laugh.

"What?"

"Leigh," Sydney said stating a common name.

Vaughn wrinkled his forehead in confusion. "Leigh Vaughn." Understanding danced across his face. "Leave on."

Sydney startled Vaughn when she started singing. "I'm Leigh Vaughn on a jet plane." Laughing at the stupid joke she had made, Vaughn turned to Jack.

"She was right. She is on drugs." At that remark, Vaughn, for the first time in his life, saw Jack smile.

…TBC…