Title: Her Dream Wedding
Author: sweetsouthernbell
Rating: PG or K+ or whatever.
Ship: Sydney and ?
A/N: I know, I know, I owe everyone an update on my stories that already exist and I'm working on them I swear. But this little plot bunny jumped into my head two days ago and wouldn't leave until I finished it and well, here we are. In any case, enjoy the story.
Summery: Sydney before her dream wedding. One shot.
To say that she was nervous was a grave understatement.
She was not nervous, per se. No, she was a pack of nitro glycerin ready to explode at the slightest jostle. If anything went wrong, then she'd be likely to have a mental breakdown. She spent months preparing for this day. She spent hours pouring over magazines. She spent countless minutes on the phone with the caterers and florists and God knows who else.
She planned this day perfectly down to the tiniest detail and it had to go right.
It had to.
She didn't want to think of what would happen if it didn't.
-break-
This is Sydney Bristow:
When she was nineteen, she was approached outside of her college by a man in black suit, asking if she wanted to work for the United States government. When she asked questions, the man simply replied with 'call the number' and disappeared into the crowd. Thinking it to be something that was just not worth her time –what would the United States government want with her anyway?- she tucked the card into her book and carried on with her studies.
A week later, when she picked up the book again, the card fell out and this time she paused to study it.
It was non-descript, something you would expect to see out of a government official's office. The emblem looked real. The name was real (she found that out after doing a google search on it). So… why couldn't the number be real?
And if the number was real, then so was the offer. Right?
Finally deciding that there was only one way to find out for sure, Sydney went straight for the nearest payphone and called the number. It rung a couple times before a woman picked up. Sydney asked for the man whose name was on the card, an 'Arvin Sloane' and was immediately connected.
She was given an internship in Credit Dauphine, a local bank. While she wondered what this had to do with the government, she took the internship nonetheless. It wasn't until six months later that she learned that Credit Dauphine was a cover for a top secret branch of the United States Government.
SD-6.
She was offered a position as a spy and she accepted.
Six years later, she got engaged.
-break-
Sydney wrung her hands, pacing in a circle around the dressing room in the back of the church. So far, nothing major had happened. The caterer had been five minutes late but offered to cut fifty dollars off the bill after being screamed at by Francie. And the ring boy had broken the zipper on his pants. That had been taken care of by Will's sister, Amy, who always had a little sewing kit in her purse.
But other then that, it seemed as though for once an event in the Bristow family was going to go perfectly as planned.
It seemed too real to be true, and Sydney knocked on her wood dresser top just for good luck as she sat down at it.
Francie noticed and snickered. "Syd, you don't have to do that."
Sydney looked at her friend in the mirror and smiled softly. "I just feel better doing it, that's all."
Another snicker from Francie caused the bride to ask, "What?"
"Nothing."
"It's never 'nothing'," Sydney pointed out. "Tell me."
"No."
"Francie." The bride sighed.
"Sydney." The maid of honor replied, mocking her friend.
"It's my wedding day."
"So?"
"So, that can be your present for me," Sydney paused, putting in one of her diamond earrings. "because I know you didn't get me one."
"I got you one!" Francie protested.
Sydney raised an eyebrow, clasping the back of the earring on.
Francie sighed. "Alright fine, I didn't get you a wedding present," She admitted. "I forgot."
"I've been planning the wedding for six months now," Sydney said conversationally. "My stuff's been all over the apartment. How could you forget?"
Francie gave her a guilty look. "Alright, maybe I didn't forget…"
Sydney's face remained impassive as she picked up her other earring. "Care to explain what happened then?"
Francie continued to look guilty, but silent.
"Fran…"
"Oh alright," Francie threw up her hands and sighed loudly. "I don't want you to get married. There. I said it."
Sydney blinked. "Look, Fran, it you don't like—"
"No, it's not that," Francie interrupted with an impatient wave of her hand. "It's not him."
Sydney raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
"It's not!" Francie repeated. "Seriously, he's a great guy. I'm happy for you. I really am."
"Then why don't you want me to get married?"
To this, Francie fell suspiciously silent. "I just don't," She said finally.
Sydney sighed, threading her other earring through her ear lobe. She studied her reflection for a moment before turning around on the small chair to face her best friend. "Why?" She asked softly.
Francie sighed again, going to sit on one of the chaise chairs. "It's hard to explain."
Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Fran, it's me. I think I'll be able to get it."
The statement earned her a sardonic look. "I don't want you to leave." She admitted softly.
The bride studied her best friend disbelievingly. "But…" She paused for a moment. "We're staying in Los Angeles. I told you that."
"I know," Francie muttered meekly.
"And don't you dare think for one moment that I'm going to let—"
"It's not that!" Francie yelled suddenly causing the bride to jump. She jumped to her to feet, and started to pace.
"Then what is it?" Sydney demanded looking annoyed.
"I don't want you to leave the apartment."
"We can't very well live with you!" Sydney retorted.
"I know that!"
"Then why are you acting like this?"
"Because I don't want to lose you as my best friend!"
The bride stared, unable to believe what she'd just heard. "Fran, you're not going to lose me as your best friend."
"Maybe not now," Francie replied. "But what about in two years when you have your first kid? Hm? You're not going to want to raise them in the city, so you'll move to the suburbs. Of course, we'll keep in touch at first, meeting for lunch and having each other over for dinner but then you start to get friendly with the girls at the country club and then you'll be too busy with the girls and the kids to have dinner with me anymore and then you stop returning my calls and then I'll lose you."
Sydney blinked, halfway convinced that Francie was just being hysterical even though she had a point about her not wanting to raise kids in the city. "I'm not going to join a country club."
Francie gave her a sharp look. "That wasn't what I meant," She retorted.
Sydney raised an eyebrow again causing Francie to add, "I meant you'll eventually meet other women like you."
"Like me?" Sydney repeated. She was a spy working for a secret branch of the government. She highly doubted that she would meet anyone like her in the suburbs. Or any place for that matter. But then again, Francie didn't know what she did for a living.
"Yeah, wives, mothers, homemakers, minivan owners, PTA members, gardening masters, grandmothers--"
"Whoa, Fran, stop." Sydney interjected laughing. "I'm not a mother, or a homemaker, or a minivan owner, or a member of the PTA or a gardening master, or a grandmother."
"You might as well be," Francie retorted.
Sydney gave her a pointed look. "But I'm not and I'm not going to be. You know that I can't make anything grow. I've got a brown thumb, not a green one."
"Alright fine, then you'll employ someone to do your gardening and take care of your lawn for you."
Sydney laughed again. "Sure, if we get the money, then yes, I'll hire someone just because you told me to."
Francie looked at her sharply. "Thank you for that honor."
"I do my best."
Francie nodded moodily letting a silence fall between them. "You're still going to leave me," She announced.
Sydney, who had been busy touching up her mascara, sighed loudly in frustration.
"I am not going to leave you."
"I'm not moving to the suburbs."
"I never said that I was moving to the suburbs," Sydney countered. "I told you, I'm just moving into his place."
"For now," Francie muttered darkly.
Sydney pretended she didn't hear that. "Which is a half mile from where we live now."
"We don't live there," Francie retorted. "I live there. By myself."
"I told you that Will was willing to move in with you," Sydney pointed out. "And you refused."
"I'm not going to live with a boy!"
Sydney laughed. "You sound like you're in junior high."
"Alright let me rephrase that," Francie said. "I'm not going to live with Will."
"Why not?"
"Because…" Francie paused, trying to think of a reason. "I don't want to."
"That's a better reason," Sydney murmured sardonically.
"Well, sorry that I don't want to live with a guy that I'm not romantically involved with," Francie snapped.
"There you go," Sydney replied with an approving smile. "Was that so hard to admit?"
"Yes."
Sydney snorted. "I'm sure it was." She said patiently. "So why don't you tell me what was so funny?"
"Huh?"
"Earlier, I knocked on the dresser, you laughed, what was so funny?"
"Oh. That."
"Yes. That."
Francie shrugged. "You're just far too superstitious."
"I am not," Sydney protested indignantly. "I just don't like to take chances with fate."
"Overly superstitious," Francie corrected.
"Am not."
"Then explain what you're wearing?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your grandmother's bracelet, something old. Your dress, something new. Your mother's earrings, something borrowed. Your garter, something blue." Francie explained.
"That makes me old fashioned, not superstitious," Sydney countered.
There was a silence and then "You're still superstitious."
"Gah!" Sydney exclaimed throwing her hands up. "Fine, I'm superstitious. You're hysterical."
"I am not!"
Sydney raised an unamused eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Then your ranting about how I am going to leave you after two years for the 'girls at the country club' is normal then?"
"See? You admit it." Francie pointed out.
"I was using your words," Sydney shot back. "You're the one who mentioned a country club and leaving. Not me. You brought it up."
"Because it's going to happen, you know that it is."
"No it's not!"
"Yes it is!"
"Sydney, is something wrong? We can hear you two yelling all the way down the hall."
Sydney bit her lip guiltily and looked towards the door and her father. "Everything's fine, Dad."
Jack Bristow didn't appear to accept the answer his only daughter gave but he didn't say anything on the matter. "I'll come back in five minutes." At Sydney's confused look, he added, "That's when your wedding starts."
Sydney frowned slightly, glancing over at the clock. She gasped, looking panicked. "Oh my God." By then, Jack had already stepped back out into the hallway.
"I'm getting married in five minutes," Sydney whispered sounding dazed. "Fran, I'm getting married."
"I know," Francie said, understanding Sydney's shock.
"I'm getting married. I'm not going to live with you anymore. I'm going to live with a boy. I'm going to be too busy for you because of the kids and work and soccer practices. This is it, isn't it? This is the last time it's ever going to be just you and me." Sydney wasn't sure where this had all suddenly come from but she suddenly knew what Francie had been talking about earlier.
"Syd," Francie stepped forward and embraced her best friend, careful to not crease her dress.
Sydney returned the hug, trying her best not to cry. A few tears leaked out of her eyes nonetheless.
"I don't want to lose you, Francie."
Francie's only response was to cling to her harder.
"God, I have to stop crying," Sydney laughed nervousness flooding her voice. "My makeup's going to run." She pulled away from Francie, turning to examine her face in the mirror.
"You know damn well he won't care if your mascara's a little smeared," Francie pointed out.
Sydney laughed again. She still sounded nervous. "Yes, but I care. I don't want to have my mascara smeared in my wedding photos."
"I think it's a tradition to have at least one picture of you crying with smeared mascara." Francie teased.
"Damn tradition then," Sydney laughed.
Francie snickered again.
"What now?"
"You damning tradition."
Sydney raised an eyebrow.
"You weren't damning it before," Francie explained.
Sydney still looked confused. "Right…"
"Nevermind," Francie sighed. "Just forget that I said anything."
"That won't be hard," Sydney murmured mockingly.
"Uh." Francie sent her a glare.
Sydney smiled innocently in response.
"Sydney? We're ready," Jack said, poking his head back into the room.
"Alright Dad," Sydney answered, casting a nervous smile at Francie.
"You look perfect," Francie murmured, giving Sydney another hug. "I'm so happy for you," She added and was gone before Sydney could say anything in response.
Ignoring the impatient look Jack was giving her, Sydney looked around the small dressing room one last time. This was her last day as a free woman. From now on, she would be a married woman.
That couldn't have excited and scared her any more.
"Sydney?"
Sydney looked over at Jack and nodded slightly. "I'm ready," She whispered, swallowing the fear slick in her throat.
Jack's demeanor changed immediately. "You don't have to do this," He told her softly. "You can always back out if you have any doubts."
Sydney shook her head. "I want to marry him," She said firmly. "I really do. It's just…"
Jack waited for her to continue on her own.
"… I want it to last, this marriage. I don't want to go through a divorce and lose him like you lost Mom." Sydney said finally.
Jack stepped forward to place his hands on other side of her face gently. "Don't let the future worry you," He whispered. "You'll forget to live in the present."
Sydney smiled at this. "Dad?"
"Yes Sydney?"
"Will you walk me down the aisle now?"
-break-
A murmur had risen up in the church. Where was the bride? What was taking her so long? Had she run out? Had she gotten cold feet? Did she really love him? What would he do if she had left him at the alter?
The groom tried to ignore the whispers as best he could but he couldn't help but wonder if she had run out on him. Surely it couldn't take this long. He'd started to resign himself to the fact that she had left him when Francie appeared at his side.
"She's coming," She whispered insistently. "She wouldn't ditch you. That's not like Sydney."
He nodded, still unconvinced.
"It's not," Francie repeated. "Have more faith in her."
He looked at her sharply, annoyed that he was being chastised by Francie. "Sorry," He whispered back, not entirely sure why he was apologizing to her. "Of course she didn't run out."
Francie flashed him a smile and went back to her spot.
He licked his lips, sighing softly to himself. Despite Francie's words and his own realization that Sydney would never leave him at the alter, he couldn't help but feel nervous. About what exactly, he couldn't say. Just that he had this gnawing sensation in his lower gut.
Sydney didn't keep him waiting much longer. The doors opened again and there she was, on the arm of her father, smiling broadly at him.
Instantly the groom's entire appearance changed. He stood up straighter, smiling back at her. He looked happy, and no longer worried.
Sydney's hand tightened slightly on Jack's arm when she saw her groom. "Wish me luck, Daddy," She whispered, starting down the aisle towards her soon to be husband….
…Sydney gasped, bolting up in bed. No, she did not just have a dream about… just no. She didn't. She couldn't have. There was just no way. She couldn't dream about getting married to him. It wasn't allowed. It was wrong. Not to mention the fact that she had just lost Danny four months ago. It was far too early to be dreaming about marrying someone else.
Frowning to herself, Sydney glanced over at her bedside clock. Four in the morning. It was far too early to go for a run and clear her head. With a sigh she turned her gaze back to the covers pooling in her lap.
Why was she dreaming about marrying him anyway? Better yet, why was she dreaming about marrying anyone? Danny, her former fiancé, had just died four months ago. She was still grieving and dealing with her own guilt. It was too soon to even think about dating anyone one else, much less marry them.
So why did she have that dream? Why?
What did it mean when you dreamt about marrying your handler anyway?
Review please!