I want you to forget everything you might have against the Backstreet Boys. It's the lyrics that matter, not the band. If you have a mean opinion about them, please keep it to yourself. I just used the song because it seemed to fit how Vaughn was feeling, cause this chapter is in his POV. Since Fanfiction is being mean, I'm taking the lyrics off this chapter. But you can google them anyway:

'Shape of my Heart' by Backstreet Boys.

Vaughn's POV

I shouldn't have turned away from her. I shouldn't have left her standing there. But she needs time. I could see it in her eyes. I can respect that. I know what she's dealing with. I had to deal with it all six years, seven months, and eleven days ago when Irina called me in the middle of the night telling me to pack my bags, I left that night. I knew she was going to extract me soon but I wasn't prepared for the overwhelming pain that tore at my heart when I received that phone call.

It was the last thing that I wanted to do. But I did it anyway. I did it for her and our daughter. I did it so they were guaranteed a future, even if that future didn't include me.

I watched her sleep for probably an hour before I even made the move to take the bags I had packed, get into the car waiting for me outside, and drive out of her life. She had no idea what was going to happen. I think that's what killed me the most.

Irina told me not to leave her a note, or anything that might clue her into believing that I left not entirely out of my own free will. I should've ignored that command and told her what was happening before I left. Not waited until six and half years later to tell her the truth. But the thought that she might be hurt because of my stupid ass decisions was too much to bear and that's what kept me from telling her what was going on.

It was because I had become too wrapped up in finding the truth out about my father and then learning that I had a sister, that all of this happened. I had brought all this crap into our life and I did the only thing I knew to do to fix it. It killed me. It kept me from sleeping at night. But I did it for her. Telling myself that is what allowed me that little bit of sleep I ever got during these past six and half years.

And then when the final roadblock keeping me from her was demolished, I couldn't bring myself to ever approach her.

I waited until she turned the corner to start my car and pull into traffic. I kept a good block of traffic between us as I followed her and Cory to their mystery location. Sydney pulled the car over at a park, close to an ice cream vendor. I smiled to myself. Of course they went for ice cream. That was Sydney's way of bribing people that she loved into doing what she wanted. She used to do it me all the time before I left, especially to get me to go to lunches with her father.

I watched as Cory pulled Sydney up to the vendor and waited impatiently until the vendor handed her mother two coffee ice cream cones. I should've known. Without me around to teach Cory about the wonders of different flavors of ice cream, Sydney had gotten her hooked on coffee ice cream. While I had nothing against coffee ice cream, there were other fish in the sea.

They found a table nearby and sat down to enjoy their treat. I wanted to get out of the car, and walk over to them and just sit with them while they ate their ice cream, maybe having some of theirs if it was offered. And maybe if I had been in their lives, I would've done that. But the idea, while pleasant, was impossible. Sydney would have attacked me, most likely, and Cory would have been scared out of her mind seeing a strange man walk up to them and just sit down with them.

Sydney's cell phone rang halfway through their snack and fifteen minutes later, Eric joined them. I was jealous to say the least, jealous that he was a part of their lives while I wasn't. But that was my own doing and I had to deal with the consequences of my decisions.

Cory ran off to play on the swing set, it seemed, as Eric and Sydney talked about something, most likely a me something. I knew that the CIA had found traces of my existence. I wasn't being sloppy after six years of carefully covering my tracks. I was trying to give them a warning that I was coming back. So during one of my visits to my sister in Switzerland, I used an old credit card issued to my name, and made sure that the store's security cameras caught me on film.

I tried the subtle warning and she went to France.

I turned my gaze from my wife and best friend, to where I had last seen Cory and panicked. She wasn't in sight, anywhere. Ignoring the thought in the back of my head that it was a stupid idea, I jumped out of the car and ran to the park. Sydney noticed that Cory was missing as well, and starting to run around yelling Cory's name. I wanted to do the same, but Cory didn't know me and that would've caused more problems than it solved.

I stopped searching when I noticed that twenty feet in front of me was Sydney kneeling on the ground, embracing our daughter. Cory had just been hiding and thought it was a brilliant idea to be able to manipulate two adults. While it was clever, your child gone missing is every parent's worst nightmare, even for the parent who's been forced to watch their child from a distance.

Sydney didn't see me that day but I think that Cory did. As she and Sydney left the park, she glanced in my direction, noticeably stopping her gaze on me. I don't know if she recognized me, but I do know that she did in fact see me.

Two days later, they went to France. Why, I have no idea. But I followed them, just the same. I arranged a private flight for me from L.A., a perk that I had picked up in the past years, and flew to France along with them. I arrived at the airport, minutes after they did and I did as I did for the past three months, I followed them through the crowds, just watching.

Cory starting yelling about seeing 'Daddy', whom I can only assume meant me, and I panicked at first until I realized that she was pointing to some other man, who did have a likeness to me. Sydney calmed her down and met my mother, and then the three of them drove off towards the home I grew up in after my father died.

I finally told her the truth, and now I have to give her the space she needs to deal with it. I got a safe distance from her, and proceeded to watch her reaction.

She stood frozen to the wall until abruptly she pushed off it and started walking in the direction she was headed in before I delayed her. She bought a roll of bread and I had to smile. Every time she was in France, she always insisted on getting some French bread. It is good stuff but after growing up on it for years upon years, you tend to not crave it. But she did.

She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, and obviously fighting tears, called someone. I don't know who she called. I know it wasn't a boyfriend or new husband because she had never dated after I left. Why she never did was a mystery to me. Not once did she make the impression that she was moving on to another man. It was like she was waiting for me and that only made everything ten times worse. If she had moved on, I might be able to do the same. But she didn't and I can't.

She hung up the phone and shoved it back in her pocket as those long held in tears spilled out. I watched, helplessly, as she sobbed, clinging to a wall desperately, like she depended on it to stay standing. It took everything I had to stay rooted to the spot.

Suddenly, she pushed off the wall and whirled, around looking hopefully for someone. It never occurred to me that she might have been looking for me, until I heard her cry out.

"Vaughn!"

A/N: Mwahahahaha! Don't you just want to kill me even more now?

Agent Flamingo- Yeah, it's supposed to me confusing. I'm hungry too! What's really good is a turkey sandwich. I love turkey!

vaughnbear- yes, truth does take time. My mom saw that ep and now when I ask her something and she doesn't want to tell me the answer, she says 'truth takes time'. lol!

erin- yes, school explains it all. School is evil! the work of the devil, i say! the devil! lol

rainluver- yeah, i like fights too. so good! and the make up is the best part of the whole thing of course ;)

Grouchy- okay, that makes more sense. thanks for clearing that up for me. hopefully he sounds even less evil or maybe he doesn't...i dunno...:D

SammieSpy- yeah they were! it's freaking sydney and vaughn! they define soulmates in my mind. so if you ask me what soulmates are, i say 'sydney and vaughn' honest to God truth.

nattie700- i dunno what happened to her but i want her to come back! i really loved her music! lol! i love the whole maddening circle but seriously, while i love s/v angst, i love s/v fluff even more, so we all know how this story is going to end.

victoria-king- yeah eventually is my plan, it is truly a great plan... i think. and yeah, i want some bread right now. and i have some...so yeah me. lol!

Rach5- yes, poor sydney. and no, that's not meant to be sarcastic.

adpi24- she is going to 'save' him by...well, i guess you'll just have to wait for the new chapter. lol!

alexei04- thank you!