Sydney ran into Cory's room, breathless. She quickly scanned the room. And there was no immediate sign that Vaughn had been there. Her eyes fell on Cory and motherly concern took over her thoughts of kicking Vaughn's ass.
"Cory, what's wrong?" Sydney asked, a winded whisper, sitting next to her daughter on the bed.
Cory sniffled, "I had a bad dream."
Sydney breathed a sigh of relief before taking her daughter in her arms, "It's okay, sweetie. You're okay now. Everything's okay."
Cory sniffled again, and wiped at her tears hastily, "It was awful, Mommy."
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
Cory nodded, "There was this bad man, a really, really bad man and he was trying to take me away and I was yelling for you and you wouldn't come. Then I heard you running down the hall and so did the bad man and he left out the window."
Cory buried her head in Sydney's lap, starting to sob again. Sydney smoothed Cory's hair and whispered reassurances that she would always protect her. A light breeze came over the room, lifting Cory's hair slightly. Sydney looked up from Cory for a second to see where the breeze originated from.
A small gasp escaped her lips, seeing Cory's bedroom window open, the night breeze blowing in and fluttering with the curtains. It wasn't that the window was open that scared Sydney. It was that she could have sworn that she had closed the window before leaving Cory for the night.
It dawned on her suddenly that Cory's "dream" had every possibility of not actually being a dream. It was completely possible that he had been in her room and attempted Sydney's worst fear. More over, it was likely that was what had actually happened.
"Mommy, can I stay in your room, tonight?" Cory asked, picking up her head.
Sydney tore her eyes away from the window and looked down at Cory, her head nodding slightly, "Sure, sweetie. Come on." He couldn't take her if Cory was in the same room as Sydney. She would shoot him, in front of his daughter, before she let that happen.
Cory sat up and took Sydney's hand, letting her lead her towards Sydney's room that used to occupy both her parents. For some odd reason, Sydney had refused to sell the house that she had lived in with Vaughn for a year, eighteen months, three weeks, and four days to be more exact.
Cory jumped onto Sydney's bed and settled down on top of the mountain of pillows. Sydney smiled and folded down the covers. Cory complied with the silent order and snuggled down under the covers, a throw pillow clutched tightly in her hands. Sydney slipped into the bed next to her daughter and with a last glance at the alarm clock by her bed, noting that it was nearing 4:30 in the morning, and let sleep claim her again. This time she didn't dream.
()
Knock, knock, knock
Sydney groaned and opened her eyes. With a quick glance at the still sleeping Cory and at her clock, noting that it was now almost 8:00 in the morning, Sydney slipped soundlessly out of the bed. She glanced at Cory again, just to be sure that she was sleeping. Then satisfied that her daughter was out like a light, Sydney stumbled down the hallway and to the front door.
"Dad?" She asked, blinking a couple times to try and convince her sleep fogged mind that her dad was standing at her front door at 8 in the morning. "What are you doing here?"
"Agent Weiss told me what happened yesterday and I wanted to come by and check you and my granddaughter. Is that okay?" Jack answered in his usual I'm-Jack-Bristow-mess-with-me-and-you-die-but-I-still-love-you-Sydney voice.
Sydney wanted to smile but wisely kept her smile hidden. "Yeah, Dad, that's fine. It's just that it's...eight...in the morning."
"I don't sleep in, you know that."
Sydney nodded, "Yeah, I know." She moved away from the door, "Do you want to come in? I could make some coffee."
Jack nodded briefly, like always, "Sure."
Sydney left the doorway, meaning "come in and make yourself comfortable" and headed into the kitchen. Jack, used to his daughter's lack of manners towards him, followed her inside, closed the front door and joined Sydney in the kitchen. "Caffeinated or decaf?" Sydney asked, holding up two bags of coffee beans.
"Caffeinated." Jack answered.
"Thank God, I need caffeine and I hate making two different pots of coffee." Sydney said, dropping the decaf bag on the counter and proceeding to make the coffee. "So how are you?"
"Fine." Just like Jack Bristow. Never say more than one word unless necessary. "You?"
"Okay, if you take out what happened yesterday." Sydney answered.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I was so scared. I thought she had been kidnapped by someone that I had pissed off years ago before I left the CIA and they taking revenge on me by taking my daughter." Sydney admitted, tapping her fingers on the counter, impatiently waiting for her coffee. "I hate that feeling."
Jack studied her for a moment, "There's something else."
She turned her head sharply towards him, surprised that he had seen through her half-truth, "Yes."
"What?"
"Did you know that the CIA has found traces of Vaughn?" No more Michael. Not after what he did. It was Vaughn.
Jack nodded. He still worked with the CIA after all, "Yes."
"I thought it was him. I thought he took her and I would never see her again. Dad, I honestly thought that her father had kidnapped her and that he would keep her from me forever." Sydney stopped and covered her mouth with her hand in a very Sydney-like move. She always did that when she was trying to keep from crying. Jack stayed silent until she removed her hand and continued talking, "And that thought scared me. I never thought of that possibility before but now that I have, I can't get it to leave me alone. And then with last night..." She trailed off, noticing that they coffee was ready.
"Last night?"
"Cory had this dream, that someone was trying to kidnap her and she was yelling for me to come and help her and at long last she and the man heard me running down the hall and the man escaped out the window." She stopped, shaking her head slightly, pouring the coffee into two mugs and handing one to Jack. "And I was asleep when I heard her yelling for me and of course I ran to her room. That was when she told me about her dream and I noticed that her window was open. And I could have sworn that I closed it last night."
"And you think that her dream wasn't actually a dream?" Jack asked the obvious.
Sydney nodded and took a small sip of her coffee, "Yes. Am I just being paranoid or do you think that he was really in her room last night?"
"It's possible." The truth but not the answer Sydney wanted to hear, so Jack continued, "But in all likelihood, it was in fact a bad dream and the window could have opened itself or you thought you closed it when you didn't."
"Maybe," Sydney gulped at her coffee, trying to forget her fears in the caffeine. It wasn't working. "What do you think?"
"About Vaughn actually coming back?" Sydney nodded. "I think he wouldn't be that stupid. He probably knows that you dislike him greatly and would kill him before taking him back."
Sydney smiled and hastily hugged her dad, "Thanks Dad. I needed that."
"Grandpa!" Cory yelled, running full force into Jack.
Jack smiled but didn't pick her up. He might be in good shape for his age but picking up a six year old was not something he did everyday, "Hey, Cory. How are you?"
Cory shrugged, her arms still wrapped around his leg, "I'm okay. Did Mommy tell you what happened yesterday?"
"Yes, she did and I'm assuming you know not to hide from your mommy again."
Cory nodded, "Yes, I promised Mommy never to do that again." Unsatisfied with the sudden seriousness of the conversation, she quickly changed the subject, "Can we go to the zoo? Please?" Cory begged, complete with puppy dog eyes.
"It's up to Mommy," Jack answered.
Cory turned her attention to Sydney and jutted out her chin a little, "Please, Mommy. Can we?"
Sydney laughed, "Alright, since it's a Saturday anyway. Now go get dressed, cause there's no way you're going to the zoo in your pajamas."
"Thank you Mommy!" Cory cried, abandoning her grandpa's leg for Sydney's and then running into her room.
()
"Vaughn, do you want kids?" Sydney asked, while the pair strolled lazily in the zoo. They had been bored and decided to go to the zoo just for the heck of it.
Vaughn smiled and laughed lightly, "Of course I want kids. I want lots and lots of little Sydneys running around."
Sydney laughed as well, wrapping her arms around his waist. She smiled when she caught a small glimpse of the diamond engagement ring on her finger. "And of course, there will be lots and lots of little Michaels running around with the little Sydneys."
Vaughn put his arm around her shoulder before responding, "Did you say, 'little Michaels'?" Sydney nodded, confused as to why he would ask a question like that. "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! She calls me Michael!" Vaughn yelled, alerting some people's curiosity.
Sydney laughed, embarrassed and starting to blush, "Do you have you yell it so loudly?"
"Hey, if you're ever going to be Mrs. Vaughn, you're going to have to take me and my weird quirks." Vaughn defended.
"As long as you take me and mine," Sydney responded.
"Deal."
"Deal."
"Okay, come on, let's go see the elephants," Vaughn said, excitedly, and taking off for the elephant exhibit, pulling her along for the ride.
()
"Come on, I wanna see the elephants." Cory pulled on Sydney's arm towards the elephant exhibit.
In fear that Cory would eventually pull off her arm, Sydney pried Cory's fingers off. "How about you go see the elephants up close and Grandpa and I will stay back here, okay?"
"Okay," Cory agreed, readily.
"And no disappearing acts." Sydney added.
"I won't." Cory promised over her shoulder, pushing past the people to get right next to the wall surrounding the elephant exhibit to see the show the trainers were putting on with the elephants.
Sydney kept her eyes on Cory, when she said to Jack, "We would see him if he was here, wouldn't we?"
"It's hard to say," Jack answered, keeping an eye on Cory as well. One thing you couldn't say about Jack Bristow was that he didn't care for his family.
"Dad," Sydney said, telling him that wasn't the answer she needed to hear.
"I know, I know. It's unlikely that he's even the United States."
"I know," Sydney took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "But it doesn't stop me from thinking he is."
"Maybe you should leave."
Sydney tore her eyes away from Cory to stare at her father, "What?"
"I mean, maybe you should take Cory and go take a vacation somewhere. You know, get away from L.A. and relax, just the two of you. You don't have any classes right now as it is." Sydney taught English Lit at UCLA. Her constant killing herself over papers instead of just accepting that she would be an agent forever had paid off and had helped her get a good paying job when she quit the CIA after she married Vaughn.
Sydney nodded, turning her gaze back to her daughter. A vacation might be what she needs to clear her mind and get it off the topic of Vaughn kidnapping Cory. "Yeah, I think we could do that. Claire's been begging me to visit with Cory, anyway. And Cory has yet to visit France." Claire Vaughn, Vaughn's mother, had flown in from France several times but for some reason, Sydney and Cory had yet to fly out to her.
"I'll arrange a flight for you. A plane will be ready whenever you want it."
Sydney smiled and hugged her dad, "Thanks Dad."
"You're welcome, Sydney."
"Mommy! Grandpa! Did you see the elephants?!" Cory cried, making her way back through the crowd to Sydney and Jack.
Sydney smiled and stepped forward to meet Cory. Cory happily jumped into Sydney's arms and let her pick her up, "Yes, I did."
"Can I get an elephant?" Cory asked, resting her head on Sydney's shoulder. Unlike Jack, Sydney was able to carry around a six-year-old girl and probably beat up a thirty-year-old man at the same time. Which might come in handy sometime.
Sydney laughed, "No, you cannot get an elephant. Where would we keep it?"
"In the backyard," Cory answered, immediately.
"Oh, I see you've been thinking about this."
"Maybe," Cory answered with a giggle.
"Well, I'll think about the elephant. But for now, how would you like to go to France and visit Grandmere?" Sydney asked.
Cory's eyes widened, "Really?" Sydney laughed and nodded. "I wanna go!" Cory yelled.
"I guess that settles it."
A/N: Holy cow! Hey look my language is better. Yay me. Okay, enough with that subject, I just want to thank you all for my fantabulistico reviews. And if you don't know what fantabulistico means, it means fantastic. I just have to be wierd and make up a new version of the word. hehe.
kay10197- Yay, newcomers are like always welcome. It's just gonna keep on getting more interesting. Can't say more, cause that would be giving stuff away.
Willow Black- You missed 30 minutes of it? That sucks, cause that movie rules! Yeah, I'm a little obsessed with that movie. And the Princess Bride. That is a good movie too.
Sydney Bristow- I hope you have better patience than I do. Cause I really suck at waiting for things and tend to start seeing things. It's kind of scary, if you know what I mean.
hannahbannah- More newpeople. I love newpeople. It tells me that people are finding me humble fic and liking it. Which is cool and I just call it me humble fic. lol, I am in a very weird mood.
neptunestar- lol, sorry but I like how you put that. "what the hell posessed Vaughn to leave Sydney when she was six months pregnant with his child!". It was funny. I laughed. My friend who read that laughed. And all I'm going to say is, you're just going to have to wait and see.
stargirl591- Are you a newcomer? I think you are. I wouldn't know. My memory sucks. Like really badly. Anyway, thanks, updating as fast as I can.
wicked-sista- ::gasp:: A Sarkney(no offense) likes me S/V story? That is so cool. Like super duper cool and don't ask me why I said super duper. I just did. hehe.
adpi24- I have many things "up my sleeve" though I'm not wearing sleeves cause it's summer where I'm at and like ninety degrees. It would be very stupid of me to wear long sleeves. Very stupid indeed.
Julia- Yay, you like my flashbacks. I don't know if this helps but there will be more in future chapters, if I can ever get them written. Right now I have a notebook of short notes and no actual chapter because, well I don't know why.
ProvidenceSea- Yay, another newperson. Sorry, I've been doing this for a while. I like to point out the new people I notice. So yeah, anyway, I like that you called it interesting. I like that a lot.
TheUptownGirl- I think that you are the first person to say that they like Cory. I like her too. Sydney's always been a strong woman and I didn't think that making her weak would have been a smart idea. No, it would not. And I think that you reviewed another one of my stories. Can't remember which though, just one of them.
Charmed-angel4- Well, have no fear, I'm just going to keep making him sound like a jerk. Why? Because it's fun. Is that a reason? No. There are other reasons for doing so, I just don't want to type them all out because I'm lazy and I'm sure that you would rather have my update than a bunch of reasons why I want to make Vaughn sound like a jerk. lol, I like that. Stalkergirl. hehe, very funny. Good to know that you'll read another of my fics if I post another.
olivia- I laughed when I read your review. I know that it's not funny but yeah, I would be bitter too if my husband left me when I was six months pregnant. Most people would be bitter. Lots of people would be bitter. lol. Sorry, it's not funny, but yeah, that's just what was going through my mind when I read that. And I promise to make her less bitter. It just might take a little bit.
Ren201- Ha, more newpeople. Okay now that I'm down with that, yeah, you're right every writer protrays characters differently. I am obviously one of them, cause Vaughn wouldn't leave Syd like that on the show, unless he had a really good reason, which he does, by the way, I might add. It just might take a bit to have his reasons become known to the world.
baby le- Right now, that's when the new chapter's out but I think you can figure that out because, well you're reading this. Yay, you said "bravo" i like that word. I can't really explain why. I just do. :) and new person! lol, don't ask unless you really want to know.
fa-sai- He does have a good reason. I think. It's a good reason in my mind. But that could mean nothing in other people's, you know what I mean? new person! okay, I only do that once. I'm done now.
erin- Yeah, well, if you called the flashback where Vaughn left Syd a sweet one, I would be wondering what's going on in your head. more flashbacks are coming. promise!
ninjaturtle- Now I know your new and that's cool. I want to visit Austrailia sometime. I really, really do. You're the first person to comment on Cory's name or at least her full name anyway. I like that name too and most of the time I mess with names so their spelled differently.
Grouchy- Yes, that is a way to end the chapter, a very cliff hangery one if I do say so myself. lol. don't ask. I am in such a weird mood, it's not even funny.