Thank-you everyone for your reviews, and here it is- the camping trip part one.
Mizzle fo' Rizzle: I love interaction between Sydney and Weiss too- I think he's a fantastic!
"Where exactly are we going?" Vaughn asked, glancing at Sydney who was seated behind the steering wheel of her car.
"I told you I was taking us out for a picnic tonight- to celebrate today being the last day of classes for the year."
"But why are we going so far?"
"Because it is just going to be the two of us. I don't want any chance of an interruption."
Vaughn seemed satisfied by this answer and Sydney let out a small sigh of relief. She and Weiss had planned the whole camping trip, to take place from Friday night to Sunday morning, without Vaughn knowing.
Weiss, Francie, Will and Craig had gone up to the camping site earlier that afternoon to set up so everything would be ready when Vaughn got there, and while he'd been showering before their supposed date, Sydney had hurridly packed him a bag which was now safely hidden in her boot.
Looking at their surroundings Sydney realized that they would be at the campsite in a few minutes. She couldn't believe that she and Weiss had managed to pull this off andshe couldn't wait to see the look on Vaughn's face when he realized what they had done.
Vaughn on the otherhand was a little confused. He was watching Sydney while she drove and she was acting strange. Every few seconds her face would break into a grin- as if she was excited about something. He was about to ask her what was up when she pulled off onto a dirt track.
"Wow." The remoteness of the road distracted him. "You weren't kidding when you said you didn't want any interruptions."
Sydney didn't reply. In a few seconds they would be there...She smiled slightly as the three tents came into view. There was no sign of anybody. Good, everything was going to plan. Quickly she wiped the smile from her face.
"Damn! Somebody is already here." she said, slowing to a stop.
"Well, we can go somewhere else." Vaughn suggested. It didn't bother him where they ate, just as long as they were together.
"No. I wanted to eat here, so were are going to eat here." She climbed out of the car. "I'm going to tell them to leave."
"Syd- wait!" Vaughn jumped out of the car. "You can't do that."
"Watch me." Vaughn stood stunned as he watched Sydney stride towards the tents. What had come over her?
"Excuse me!" she called. "Excuse me, but you are in our spot."
"Sydney." Vaughn hissed, an embarrassed flush rising on his cheeks.
"Excuse me!" she yelled even louder. "But you have to move."
"Listen lady." One of the tents moved as someone inside unzipped it. "We ain't going anywhere."
"Oh you think?" Sydney retorted, her hands on her hips. "Come out here and say that."
"Oh god." Vaughn groaned. "Sydney, I think..." His voice trailed off as Weiss, Will, Francie and Craig poured out of then tent. What was going on?
"Surprised?" Sydney asked, coming back to stand beside him.
"What, did my face give it away?" Vaughn joked. "What is this?"
"I guess you could say it's a birthday gift and celebration in one. Your mum told me you loved camping, so Weiss helped me organise this."
"But what about Tuesday night?"
"After all that you have been to me, did you really think I would only celebrate your birthday witha few balloons and streamers?" Sydney smiled and then pulled him in for a long kiss which resulted in wolf whistles from Weiss, Will, Craig and Francie. When they broke apart Vaughn grabbed Sydney's hand and dragged her over to where the others had gathered. After greeting them all, he turned back to Sydney and embraced her in a tight hug.
"Thank-you. This is the best. You're the best." he whispered in her ear.
"Well it couldn't have happened without Mr Houdini." Upon hearing his name, Weiss headed over to the two of them.
"Thanks mate." Vaughn said.
"Yeah, well, just remember this when my birthday rolls around." Weiss said, nudging Vaughn. "I'm going to be expecting a very big cake."
"You expect a big cake every year." Vaughn pointed out.
"Ah, Mike, you have missed my point. I meant a cake big enough to fit a woman inside."
Sydney rolled her eyes and groaned as Vaughn cracked up laughing.
"We'll see, Weiss, we'll see."
"Hey, I don't believe we've officially met." Craig said, coming up to Sydney after she and Vaughn had put their bags in their tent.
"Yeah, it's nice to put a face to the voice." Sydney replied. She'd spoken to Craig briefly over the phone on Wednesday, detailing the trip.
"So you're the one that Mike was going on about last time we spoke."
"When was that?"
"Just after Halloween. Sounded like it was a great party."
"It was." Sydney smiled, remembering that night- in particular the way Vaughn had looked in his costume. "So how long have you known Vaughn and Weiss?"
"First year of high school. We were on the school basketball team together and have been mates ever since.It's been hard to keep in touch since I moved, though."
"Yeah, Weiss said that."
"Hey Craig!" Weiss bellowed from the otherside of the camp site. "Overhere, for a sec!"
"Looks like I'm being summoned. It was nice to meet you Sydney."
"Yeah, you two, Craig."
Later that night Sydney and Francie sat by the fire while the guys tried to cook their tea. Even though Francie, an amazing cook, had offered to do it, the guys were adamant.
"Barbequeing is a man's job, sweetie." Will said. "So let us men do it."
Instead of biting back Francie had quite happily relented, choosing to join Sydney for a good chat.
"This was a great idea, Syd."
"Hmm." Sydney smiled, watching the guys joking around the barbeque. "I was surprised that we actually kept it from Vaughn. I can't believe that he didn't notice all the running around these past few days."
"Sydney, he's male. They tend not to notice a lot of things. Plus, all his attention has been focused on worrying about you."
"I am so lucky, Fran. I must have done something incredible in a former life to be rewarded with a guy like Vaughn."
"Yeah, I think you hit the jackpot with him."
"Speaking of which, how are you and Will going?" Sydney asked.
"It's great, Syd. He's great. It's still a little surreal to me, though."
"Why?"
"Because it's Will! Our best friend since high school and now we're together."
"Is it weird?"
"No, it's not. That's the best part." Francie smiled moonily and Sydney put her arm around her in a hug.
"This is great. You have a great guy, I have a great guy."
"Well after our last choices, we deserve great guys!" Francie exclaimed.
"Damn right." Sydney agreed in a loud voice, while slapping her thigh. She looked at Francie and the both of them couldn't help but giggle.
Hearing Sydney's voice, Vaughn looked up to see her laughing with Francie. God she was amazing. To have organized something like this after the week she'd had, well talk about incredible. It also worried him a little. If Sydney had been so focused on this camping trip, then was she really dealing with what happened to Emily?
"Here you go, Mike." He looked up as Craig tossed him a can of beer.
"Thanks." He opened it and took a large mouthful.
"I had a little chat with Sydney earlier on." Craig said.
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah. She's seems really great. I mean any girl who can organize a camping trip in a matter of days has my respect."
"You should only flip them once!" Weiss's voice interrupted.
"What is the big deal?" retorted Will, brandishing a pair of tongs like a weapon.
"What is the big deal?" Weiss repeated, aghast. "The big deal is that burgers should be cooked in a certain way to maximise their taste."
"It's just a barbeque at a campsite. It's not a five star restaurant."
"Burgers deserve the same care wherever they are prepared."
Vaughn and Craig looked at each other.
"Wanna get over their before our meal ends up on the ground?" Craig suggested.
"I'm right with you."
"Hmmm, this is nice." Sydney murmured as she snuggled into Vaughn's arms. It was late that night and everybody else had retired to their tents. Sydney and Vaughn, however, had stayed up talking by the camp fire, wrapped in the same blanket. It was a goregeous night, the clear sky displaying millions of twinkling stars and neither were ready to go to bed just yet.
"Yeah," Vaughn agreed, kissing her softly on the cheek.
"We should do this regularly. Every few months just pack up and spend the night under the stars."
"I think that is a great idea. I've left it too long between camping trips."
"What made you stop?"
"Well camping wasn't exactly Lauren's thing. She definately was a person of comfort and electrical appliances."
"Couldn't you have gone with Weiss?"
"I did at the start, but Lauren would get upset if I was away longer than a night. I justified not going by saying that people in relationships have to make compromises." Vaughn paused, brushing his lips across the top of Sydney's head. "It wasn't until we split that I realized I was the only one making all the compromises."
Sydney turned around so she could place her hand on Vaughn's cheek. "Compromises are one thing, but stopping you from doing what you love is another. The things you love are what make you who you are. And I love the person who you are."
Vaughn stared at Sydney for a few seconds, digesting the enormity of her words, and then pulled her tightly into his warm embrace.
"I love you Sydney Bristow. Don't you ever forget that."