Again thank-you to all who reviewed. I am so grateful for the feedback- glad you are enjoying the story too.
"Syd, why are you so worked up about this? He's just your dad, surely he can't be that bad." Vaughn said as Sydney navigated the streets to the Sloane's house.
"Just wait to you meet him, then you'll know what I'm on about." Sydney replied, her stomach getting more and more nervous as they got closer to their destination. Things were still so new between her and Vaughn and she didn't need Jack Bristow ruining it. "Even though we don't have the strongest relationship he is still really protective."
"So what? I'll have to endure a few death stares and a 'What are your intentions with my daughter' talk." Vaughn joked. He was surprised at how worked up Sydney was. Could her father possible be as scary as she was making out?
"Joke all you want Vaughn, but don't say I didn't warn you." Sydney said, ominously as she pulled into the Sloane's driveway.
Arvin greeted them at the door and then lead them out to Emily, who was seated in her garden. After informing them that Jack was still yet to arrive, Arvin went back inside, leaving Sydney, Vaughn and Emily alone in the garden.
"Hey Emily." Syndye rushed over to greet her friend with a hug. "How are you holding up?"
"Much better now that I have seen that smile of yours." She looked up and saw Vaughn. "So, am I going to get an introduction?"
"Emily, this is Michael Vaughn. Vaughn, this is Emily."
"Sydney has told me so much about you."Vaughn said, shaking Emily's hand.
"Ah, Sydney has placed me up on a pedstal, so I'm afriad I won't meet your expectations."
"Who said I told him good things?" Syndye teased, sitting down on a chair next to Emily.
"Oh, you always were the cheeky one, Sydney. You watch out for her Michael- she can be trouble." Emily said, smiling fondly at Sydney.
"Can be?" Vaughn scoffed. "Always is , more like it."
"Emily laughed. "Well Michael, it looks as if Sydney has met her match in you."
"I like to think so." Vaughn sat next to Sydney and grasped her hand. " Because I've certainly met mine."
The three of them then fell into easy conversation and Sydney was thrilled to see that two of the most important people in her life were getting along so famously. It was almost enough to make her forget that her father's arrival was not far off...that was until he actually did arrive.
"Everyone, Jack is here." Arvin announced, coming out into the garden, followed closely by Jack. Arvin went and sat on the otherside of Emily, but Jack just stood staring pointedly as Vaughn, whose hand still clasped Sydney's.
"Hi dad."
"Hello Sydney." he continued to stare down Vaughn, his eyes demanding an introduction.
"Dad, this is Michael Vaughn." Sydney started. "Vaughn, this is my father, Jack Bristow."
"I don't believe Sydney had ever mentioned a friend named Michael before." Jack stated.
"That is because we only met about a month ago, dad."
"So how do you know my daughter?"
"We met through a friend at uni."
"What are you studying?"
'Oh great,' thought Sydney. 'Poor Vaughn, here come the Inquisistion.' She looked over at Emily, who smiled sympathetically.
"I'm majoring in French."
"And what do you hope to achieve by studying French?"
"Dad!" Sydney jumped in. Poor Vaughn was beginning to resemble a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. "He hopes to achieve the same with his French as I do with my English and become a teacher."
Jack ignored Sydney and continued his questioning of Vaughn. "How old are you?"
"21. I'll be 22 next month."
"And do you live at home?"
"No, I have my own apartment."
"And how do you support yourself?"
"I have a job at Foot Locker, the sports store in town." Sydney looked on with a sinking stomach, feeling powerless to stop the steamroller that was her father.
"And just exactly how close are you to my daughter?"
"Excuse me?" Vaughn blinked.
"Are you dating? Is it serious?"
"Look, Mr Bristow-"
"Dad." Sydney cut Vaughn off. This had to stop. "Leave him alone. We came here to see Emily, not so you could torture Vaughn."
"Sydney, all I'm doing is looking out for your best interests."
"The just get to know him instead of playing this stupid interrogation game."
"I need to know that he is good enough for you."
"Dad, look at me. I'm happy- that's all you need to know. Or are you so out of touch with me that you can't even tell when I'm happy."
Jack stood for a second and then began to speak in a low voice. "Sydney, I can tell when you are happy, I just wanted to make sure it was for the right reasons. Because if I remember correctly, Noah made you happy and look how that turned out." He turned to Arvin. "I forgot to mention that I got a call from McCullough today and I need to discuss the details with you." Arvin nodded and followed Jack inside.
Sydney sat there, seething. The only thing that stopped her from following her father inside and ripping his head off was the soothing strokes of Vaughn's hand down her back. So instead she took a deep breath and turned to Emily.
"I am so sorry. The last thing you need is a domestic between me and dad."
"Hey, don't worry. You two keep me entertained."
"I am just so sick of him trying to be a dad! Why now, after all these years?"
"Sydney, you shouldn't be so hard on him." Emily said. "He loves you so much. He just doesn't know how to show it."
"I know, but would it kill him to be civil to the people I care about?"
"He's just feeling threatened."
"Of me?" Vaughn piped up, feeling surprised. "Why?"
"Because Sydney is more comfortable with you. You two sit there, holding each other's hand and openly showing affection. Wouldn't you just feel a little threatened if you were in his posistion?"
"I suppose." Sydney agreed, begrudgingly.
The rest of the afternoon was a slight improvement. Jack didn't question Vaughn's motives once during lunch and actaully said good-bye to him when they left. Sydney, as they were leaving, sent Vaughn out to the car so she could have a little face time with Emily.
"It was so good to see you." Sydney said as she gave Emily a hug. "Now if there is anything you need- someone to weed your garden, do some housework or just an ear to listen- please call me."
"What I do need is for you to give me regular updates on that gentleman waiting outside." Emily said with twinkling eyes.
"Oh really?" Sydney smiled.
"Yes, really. That one is a keeper Sydney. I don't even think your father can scare him away."
"Amazing, isn't it. If I were him I would have run a mile."
"No you wouldn't have." Emily stated. "I see something special between you two. Michael is going to be around for a long time, you just wait and see."
"Well, after my little question time, that wasn't so bad." Vaughn commented as Sydney drove them home.
"I guess so. I'm glad you got to meet Emily. She's fantastic, isn't she."
"Yeah. Though she and Arvin seem to be a bit of an odd couple."
"Hmm, I've thought that to. Arvin is just so...ugh." Sydney shuddered. "And Emily is just so sweet. I hate to see her sick. It eats me up when I think about what she is going through."
Vaughn reached over and picked up her hand, kissing the back of it. "She'll get through it, Syd. She's got your support, and that is all anybody needs."
"How is it, Vaughn, that you always know exactly what to say? What is your secret?"
"It's no secret."
"Then how?"
"I get you" he said simply. Sydney smiled. Yes he most certainly did.
Serendipity9: I really liked your suggestion about Jack liking Vaughn- that would have completely spun Sydney out. However, with the direction that the story is going, I needed for Jack to dislike Vaughn. There will be a lot more Jack in the story in a couple of chapters time- I'm trying to bring him in more because he is my favourite character and I love him. Jack is the best:)