The ride to the CIA owned safe house was mercifully short, lasting only
about fifteen minutes. Between themselves, they'd decided that Sydney would
have the only bed, and that Vaughn, who was on a week's leave, would take
the couch. When they arrived at the safe house, she was just about awake
enough to walk unaided into the entrance way. The safe house was cleverly
hidden inside an apartment block. It couldn't be seen from the outside.
She's been fine until Vaughn had tried to take her heavy coat from her to hang in the closet. She'd backed up until she was pressed against the wall and frozen until Vaughn had backed off. As Vaughn had touched her arm, a memory of Artis had flashed through her mind. Every time she closed her eyes it was there. He'd kissed her, hard and fast, brutally bruising the soft flesh of her lips. Syd shuddered violently, forcing the memories away. She sat down on the huge leather couch that almost filled one end of the den.
When Vaughn came back from the kitchen, carrying a cup of coffee, a few minutes later, she was fast asleep. Even in her sleep she was troubled, he noticed, as she tossed and turned, fighting dreams that she didn't want to have. She mumbled something before rolling over. He crossed the room and kissed her gently on the forehead before sitting down on the edge of the couch. He brushed a stray lock of damp hair off her face. The room was cold but had no heating, so he took of his suit jacket and laid it over her. She wore no make-up, which made her look young and surprisingly vulnerable.
He didn't blame her for reacting the way she had, but it had still hurt to think that she didn't completely trust him. He would never intentionally hurt her in any way. After first making sure that Syd was still sleeping as peacefully as she was going to, he made his way back to the kitchen to make them both some food. They hadn't eaten all day and he, at least, was starving. In the small but well stocked kitchen that was at the back of the house, he found just what he wanted- pancake mix, fresh fruit and maple syrup. Just as he was about to put the first batch of pancakes on the stove to cook, he heard a scream from the den. Try as she might, she hadn't been able to bring herself to touch Vaughn. She felt dirty and used. Violated by Artis's actions.
All thoughts of food temporally forgotten, he raced into the den to see Syd in the throes of a nightmare. She screamed once and sat up, breathing heavily. Her eyes darted around the darkened room, looking for enemies waiting to attack.
"Hey, It's okay. It's okay. It was only a bad dream." Vaughn said, taking hold of her hands. She gripped his hand so hard, he flinched. She loosened her grip, apologising with her eyes. She turned and clung to him. He stoked her damp hair and murmured words of comfort as she gradually calmed down.
"What's the matter?" he asked gently. When she didn't answer, he asked, "Is there anything I can do?" she shook her head against his shoulder. "Are you sure?" he asked
"No. Just stay with me, please? Don't leave me." There was fear and exhaustion in her voice. He hated to see her so vulnerable, so unsure of herself.
"You're safe now." he said
"I don't think I'll ever be safe again." she said it as a statement of fact.
Her hands trembled as she picked up his coffee cup and sipped the rapidly cooling coffee as if it was a life line.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Vaughn asked gently, already half knowing what her answer would be.
"Yeah, I think it'd help." She said, surprising him.
"Okay, then, but first I think we need dome food." Vaughn said and lead the way to the kitchen.
She's been fine until Vaughn had tried to take her heavy coat from her to hang in the closet. She'd backed up until she was pressed against the wall and frozen until Vaughn had backed off. As Vaughn had touched her arm, a memory of Artis had flashed through her mind. Every time she closed her eyes it was there. He'd kissed her, hard and fast, brutally bruising the soft flesh of her lips. Syd shuddered violently, forcing the memories away. She sat down on the huge leather couch that almost filled one end of the den.
When Vaughn came back from the kitchen, carrying a cup of coffee, a few minutes later, she was fast asleep. Even in her sleep she was troubled, he noticed, as she tossed and turned, fighting dreams that she didn't want to have. She mumbled something before rolling over. He crossed the room and kissed her gently on the forehead before sitting down on the edge of the couch. He brushed a stray lock of damp hair off her face. The room was cold but had no heating, so he took of his suit jacket and laid it over her. She wore no make-up, which made her look young and surprisingly vulnerable.
He didn't blame her for reacting the way she had, but it had still hurt to think that she didn't completely trust him. He would never intentionally hurt her in any way. After first making sure that Syd was still sleeping as peacefully as she was going to, he made his way back to the kitchen to make them both some food. They hadn't eaten all day and he, at least, was starving. In the small but well stocked kitchen that was at the back of the house, he found just what he wanted- pancake mix, fresh fruit and maple syrup. Just as he was about to put the first batch of pancakes on the stove to cook, he heard a scream from the den. Try as she might, she hadn't been able to bring herself to touch Vaughn. She felt dirty and used. Violated by Artis's actions.
All thoughts of food temporally forgotten, he raced into the den to see Syd in the throes of a nightmare. She screamed once and sat up, breathing heavily. Her eyes darted around the darkened room, looking for enemies waiting to attack.
"Hey, It's okay. It's okay. It was only a bad dream." Vaughn said, taking hold of her hands. She gripped his hand so hard, he flinched. She loosened her grip, apologising with her eyes. She turned and clung to him. He stoked her damp hair and murmured words of comfort as she gradually calmed down.
"What's the matter?" he asked gently. When she didn't answer, he asked, "Is there anything I can do?" she shook her head against his shoulder. "Are you sure?" he asked
"No. Just stay with me, please? Don't leave me." There was fear and exhaustion in her voice. He hated to see her so vulnerable, so unsure of herself.
"You're safe now." he said
"I don't think I'll ever be safe again." she said it as a statement of fact.
Her hands trembled as she picked up his coffee cup and sipped the rapidly cooling coffee as if it was a life line.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Vaughn asked gently, already half knowing what her answer would be.
"Yeah, I think it'd help." She said, surprising him.
"Okay, then, but first I think we need dome food." Vaughn said and lead the way to the kitchen.