SD-Luvalias: Welcome! And nope, this story is nowhere near done (yet :P).

And everyone, thanks so much for the feedback from the last chapter! It was amazing:) Now things are really going to start getting interesting.

Sydney sat anxious at the breakfast bar. Tonight was Game 3 of the Dodgers versus the Cardinals, and she was going with Michael, like he'd promised after their kiss. Since then, they spent every moment together. After school he'd be over at her house working on homework that lasted well into the evening.

"Sydney."

Irina snapped Sydney out of her thoughts, and she looked up to smile at her mother. "Hey mom, what's up?"

"I don't think you will be going to the game tonight. Thunderstorms are supposed to be hitting be game time," Irina said as she filled a large bowl full of water.

"I was beginning to guess that," Sydney said as she looked outside, where clouds were already beginning to form. "You don't mind if Vaughn comes over, do you?"

"Oh no, but I might be gone for a little bit. Call him and tell him to come over now, I'm making spaghetti."

"You rock, mom," Sydney said with a smile as she jumped off the stool, going up to her room to get her cell phone. She called Michael immediately, and he picked answered within seconds.

"Sydney, it's official. You have great time," He said, taking a deep breath. "Well, maybe, hockey practice just ended."

"Well that's good, because my mom's making spaghetti for dinner, and she wants you to come over."

"I'll be right over then!" He said, grinning from ear to ear as he quickly changed into his normal clothes. "Oh, Syd, I don't think the game will be on tonight."

"I've heard, and don't worry about it. Movie night sounds like a good idea."

"Movies with you, oh yeah! Hey, does your mom mind if I take a shower over at your place?"

"Let me ask," Sydney said, placing her hand over the receiver and yelled down to ask her mom. "Yep, just as long as I don't somehow sneak in and join you," She added in with a seductive tone.

"You know how much I'll like that," He said in a playful tone. "Anyway, looks like it's beginning to rain. I'll be at your house in a bit."

"Alright, see you later."

"See you." He said, and hung up his phone.

Sydney went skipping down the stairs to see that it was beginning to pour. She looked into the living room to see her mom standing by the television, watching the news, the weather part of it playing. "So what does it look like, mom?"

"They said it's supposed to rain all through the night, probably into tomorrow," Irina said as she came back into the kitchen.

"Oh man, this is going to suck if it rains during practice tomorrow," Sydney said as she sat back down onto the stool, grabbing a cookbook that was off to the side and started to absentmindedly look through it.

Irina looked at her daughter, concerned. "Sydney, what's the matter?"

"Oh, it's just that I was really looking forward to the game tonight with Vaughn."

"Hey, you'll still be able to see it," Irina said with a smile on her face.

"Yeah," Sydney mumbled, looking up before she smiled. "Have I ever told you about the seats?" She began, her face lightening up. "They're like, perfect. Wait, more than perfect. Two rows behind home base."

"I saw," Irina grinned. "That game that you and Michael went to, I decided to watch at the fifth inning."

Sydney's cheeks flushed, becoming fully aware when she decided to watch. Thinking back to that night, she couldn't help but to sigh happily at the memory.

"You know, that Dodger crowd can be quite rowdy," She said, snapping Sydney out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Sydney grinned once again, thinking of how Michael helped her out with the pathetic drunk. She got so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the knocking, and someone peeking through the door.

"Can I come in? It's like, really pouring out here," Michael said as he showed his head through the door.

"Sure!" Irina yelled, and Michael came bursting in, shutting the door before the rain could come in. He walked in, soaking wet, a cheeky grin on his face.

"I think the rain took care of that shower for me."

"Vaughn..." Sydney warned as he approached. "Don't, even," He decided to take his chances and enveloped her into a large hug.

Besides the shriek that came from Sydney, Michael mouthed 'Upstairs?' to Irina, meaning the shower, in which she nodded. He let go of Sydney, the smile still playing on his face, as he went upstairs and to the guest bathroom.

"He just had to do that," Sydney said through gritted teeth as she looked down at her clothes, then up to her mom who was smiling and trying not to laugh.

xxxxxxx

"Alright, you two, I'll be back in about two hours," Irina said as she put on her jacket.

Sydney looked at the clock, it was six o'clock and a little while after dinner was eaten. "Alright, mom, see you later."

"Have fun," Irina said, grabbing her keys and heading out the door.

Sydney looked to Michael, a sparkle in her eyes, before she laughed and walked over to the large shelf filled with DVDs. "Okay, I don't have a chair that I can strap you to, but let's see," She started searching through her collection, looking for one that would irritate him. Her eyes searched, and she found a perfect one: Grease. She put the DVD in, her back turned to him so he couldn't see, and took a seat next to him.

"What'd you put in?"

"You'll see," She said with a smile, grabbing the remote and started the movie. Once he saw what it was, he let out a large groan.

"Grease? Syd, please, I've put up through enough torture having to watch this with my mom and sisters," He begged, pulling her into his arms and kissing her forehead.

"No matter how much you try to flatter me, Vaughn, the movie stays in."

"Fine," He pouted, and felt her head resting gently against his chest. Despite the agony he was going to have to go through with the movie, he smiled.

Three hours and another movie later, Sydney struggled to keep her eyes open. Besides that she was tired from the school day, the rain always had a calming effect on her. Also that she was in Michael's arms, his scent bliss to her.

"Vaughn?"

"Yeah?" He mumbled out, opening his eyes to look into hers.

"Didn't my mom say she'd be home in two hours?"

"Uh huh, but maybe she's having fun."

"Yeah, she deserves it," Sydney mumbled, as she began flipping through channels, deciding to keep it on CSI.

"Sydney!" Nadia yelled, running through the hall to the living room, with Eric, Will, and Francie behind her. It was an hour later and they had come home from the movies. "Have you heard from mom?"

"No, why?" Sydney asked, bolting upright at Nadia's sudden appearance.

"Traffic was horrible, the storm and all of that passing through. Mom said she'd be home around 8 or so," Nadia said, and walked over to the chair, sitting down and running her hands through her hair. "I've called her phone at least ten times, she hasn't picked up."

"Maybe it's the storm, messing with the signals," Michael said as he sat upright.

"I'm going to call dad," Sydney said as she walked over to the phone, picking it up to call her father. After a short conversation, Jack didn't have any clue on where she could be.

"We would like to interrupt with some breaking news," All of the heads whipped around to look at the television screen. "There has been an accident on the highway this evening. One casualty has been reported. Reporters are at the scene right now."

"Thank you, Diane. As it is known, traffic has been miserable with the storm that has been going on since about six o'clock. Conditions have just gotten worse, and there was an accident involving an eighteen wheeler and a black sedan. The semi truck's brakes failed, and went into the back on the sedan. The woman of the sedan died on impact, the driver of the semi truck was taken to a nearby hospital." The reporter informed, and a picture of the sedan showed on the screen.

Everyone became transfixed, nobody making a sound as the news continued.

"So we remind you all, please be safe while being on the highway."

"Thank you and this is a terrible thing that has happened," The anchor said, and then stopped. "More news has just come in, we now have identity of the woman driving the sedan. Her name is Irina Derevko from Los Angeles."

Sydney and Nadia went numb, and the phone began to ring. No one made the attempt to move after the first two, before Will walked over to get it. After a few seconds, he walked over to Sydney.

"Syd, it's your dad."

She finally tore her eyes away from the picture of her mother they had on the screen. Grabbing the phone, she placed it to her ear. "Dad?"

"Sydney, your mother..."

"I know."

It was then she placed the phone on the table, and began to cry. Silent tears came from everyone in the room.

"So we would like to pay our respects to the family and friends of Irina Derevko."