Here is the next part. Thanks for the reviews.
They picked up Zara and went around the back entrances careful not to run into Lauren. They took Vaughn's car this time and he drove. Zara sat in silence for the first ten minutes of the journey curled up on the seat, head leaning against the window after that she fell asleep. Sydney kept looking back at her checking on her. Vaughn turned to her at a red light.
"Where are we going?"
"I don't know maybe a mall or something" she said shrugging then nodded at him. He put his foot down as the lights changed.
"Why was she so upset when she found out Syd?" asked Vaughn quietly. Sydney sighed slightly "Syd please"
"Lauren…she…" she looked at him and took a deep breath "She was the one who killed her parents Vaughn" said Sydney looking at her hands. When she looked up at Vaughn he was just staring at the road seeming calm but Sydney could see how hard he was gripping the steering wheel. "Pull over here" she said motioning towards a car park next to a shopping centre. He nodded. Finding one he parked then turned and looked at Sydney. She stared back at him for a moment before looking into the back at Zara's still sleeping form.
"Almost don't want to wake her" whispered Vaughn "Jesus she's so young, too young" he reached into the back and smoothed the hair off her face.
"I know I have to keep reminding myself that she's only 14" Zara moved and opened her eyes blinking several times. She looked up at them.
"Where are we?" she said yawning and stretching.
"At a mall" said Vaughn.
"Ok" she said "What are we doing here?"
"Blending in" said Sydney "Are you hungry?" asked Sydney "We could get some lunch or something"
"Ah yeah I am I last ate…" she closed one eye and thought "Yesterday morning I think may have been the day before"
"Jesus Zara" said Vaughn "You're eating something now" and he got out of the car and Sydney followed his lead then Zara got out as well.
"Look remember we have to act like a family" said Sydney "So you're our kid Megan"
"Okay" said Zara raising her eyebrows.
"Come on Hels" said Vaughn and Sydney smiled.
"Coming James" She walked up and walked next to her 'husband' with Zara who was still slightly wary of Vaughn on her other side.
"Come on" said Vaughn and they walked inside.
There was a pizza hut near the entrance and Vaughn had taken hold of Sydney's hand somewhere between the car and now, not that she really minded, it was to keep from loosing her in the crowds as well as strengthening the married appearance. He had also caught hold of Zara's hand who seemed overwhelmed by the amount of people. She became nervous around other people very easily. She had seemed so jumpy that Vaughn had put his arm protectively round her shoulders. She smiled up at him silently thanking him.
"So where are we going to eat?" asked Zara.
"There Meg" said Sydney.
"Pizza hut" she said "Doesn't serve pizza by any chance?"
"She's too quick for me" said Vaughn ruffling her hair slightly "I mean getting that from the name" he sighed making Sydney and Zara laugh "I'm so proud. Come here" he said and she backed off thinking he was mad. Sydney laughed at them as Vaughn half chased her round for a bit.
"Mum make him stop it" she shouted to Sydney as Vaughn picked her up and started to tickle her "Dad" she said through laughing "Stop it" Vaughn did quite quickly he seemed taken aback as Sydney did by Zara calling them her parents.
"Come on James stop treating her like a little kid" said Sydney smiling at Vaughn.
"Well if she's going to be grown up she should not have to ask us to buy her clothes" said Vaughn "Hey little one"
"Dad" said Zara in the normal teenage shut-up-you're-embarrassing-me voice.
An old woman laughed at their behaviour and smiled at the three of them.
"They grow up fast don't they?" she said to Sydney and Vaughn as they passed her and they nodded.
"They sure do" said Vaughn hurrying them past not wanting to talk.
They got into the restaurant and were seated near the back. They ordered quickly no one gave them a second glance, they looked like a normal family having lunch out. Sydney and Vaughn talked to Zara about lots of things like politics and other things any other 14 year old probably wouldn't have cared about. She had some interesting views and had them both laughing at her wording of what the English Prime Minister was.
"Well Meg" said Vaughn "When did you last go to school?"
"Um 5 years ago" she said laughing slightly "I'm a tad behind on most things but got languages, self defence, interrogating/debating and how to survive on nothing covered"
"Megan" sighed Sydney "You're unbelievable. Do you think this is all a joke?"
"Do you know any other way to put a good spin it? because I sure as hell don't" said Zara looking straight at her with those eyes again.
"We know Meg" said Vaughn quietly putting a hand on hers gently.
"I'm sorry" said Sydney quietly "It just amazes me how you can speak like that about it"
"Because if I didn't I'd go mad" she said.
"Anyway" said Vaughn noticing the dimming in the girls gaze "What languages do you speak?"
"Um English obviously, French, my Mum, Russian, lived out there and my dad was half Russian, Polish, Spanish and Chinese fluently. I'm semi in Italian, German and Africans. I can get by Czech, Hindi and if I really have to Welsh for some reason."
"Uh wow" said Vaughn after a minute "13, yep you definitely have languages covered"
"How did you find the time to learn all of them?" asked Sydney
"Well" said Zara waiting for the waitress to put their food down and go before continuing "We were from all over the place Matthias was German, Helen was American, Olive was Italian, Anya was Russian, Shen was Chinese, Jacque was French and Edek was Polish. I learnt off them as I was the youngest I had no say in what language we should speak in, luckily it was French. I learnt Polish next as Edek appointed himself as my protector and I taught him English. We all learnt each others it was part of it. I had been learning Spanish before that as well don't ask me why"
"Eat something Meg" said Sydney as the two adults started to eat.
"Oh ok" she said looking at her pizza trying to outstare it then she picked her knife and fork and started to eat it slowly and with perfect table manners. Sydney and Vaughn exchanged several looks none of which went unnoticed by Zara. She sighed as she finished one half of her pizza.
"What is going on between you two?" she said twirling her knife round in her hand but making sure she dropped it from time to time to stop suspicious eyes. Vaughn and Sydney looked up at her in surprise.
"Nothing" said Sydney quickly and Vaughn nodded.
"You're worse than teenagers" she said shaking her head. They looked at her "What? I had basically seven brothers and sisters who were, mostly, teenagers"
"Yeah I suppose" said Vaughn "I'll give you that but there is nothing going on"
"Riight" said Zara sarcastically "And I'm the most average teenager in America"
"Just drop it ok?" said Sydney and Zara sighed.
"Ok but if you leave it there I can use it against you" she put on an innocent smile "I'm good at black"
"No you don't" said Sydney and she just laughed.
"I was only kidding Jesus. You're too serious"
"That's our job" said Vaughn and caught hold of her again ruffling her hair.
"Hey let go of me" she said and wriggled out of his grip "What is it with you and ruffling up my hair?" she asked and he just grinned.
"Come here sweetie" said Sydney playing mother as some people stared at them she stood up and Zara followed. They walked into the bathroom. Sydney gave Zara a hairbrush and she brushed her hair. Sydney checked there was no one else in there before she talked.
"You know we have to meet my father and Dixon in about three hours" she said and Zara nodded.
"Who's Dixon?"
"Head of operations"
"Oh uh cool"
"And you have to prove it up to higher up than him" she looked at her "You'll have to tell them everything Zara even what she did"
"I understand" she looked into Sydney's eyes "Just don't expect me to see her in real life. I couldn't handle that Syd I couldn't" she stopped and looked down at her feet keeping the tears at bay.
"Of course" said Sydney "I'll make sure of that" She put a hand on the girls shoulder and smiled at her. Zara's face was fine in a minute and she smiled back. "Come on lets go and rescue Vaughn"
"Ok" she said and they both walked back and indeed Vaughn did look happy to see them and even gave Sydney a kiss on the cheek.
"What was that for?" she said blushing slightly.
"You" he said with a smile "And that woman over there was making eyes at me and she's well over 60"
"Well, well" said Sydney casually looking over at the woman and Vaughn was right she took his hand and nodded to Zara who laughed. Zara couldn't eat anymore so contented herself by either making conversation with Sydney and Vaughn or making fun of them in languages they didn't understand, mostly she just watched the people around her. She had been around a lot of people but not as a civilian she usually had to watch for danger or a contact and now she didn't have to although she was doing subconsciously anyway. She watched a family there were three children two boys and a girl. They were talking to each other animatedly and she was reminded of the way her brothers used to talk to her parents.
Twenty minutes later they were walking along the pavement, Zara in the middle of the two adults. They were discussing what they were going to do.
"Well we have three hours before we have to meet them, so what does anyone want to do?" asked Vaughn.
"What is there to do?" asked Zara
"Uh cinema, bowling and skating" said Vaughn his eyes lighting up at the last suggestion.
"When did you last go skating?" asked Sydney.
"Uh nearly two years ago" he said quietly.
"We're going skating then" said Sydney and his face lit up making Zara laugh. He then went over to Sydney and picked her up hugging her and spinning her round.
"Thank you" he said as he put her down. She laughed and blushed as Zara walked ahead of the two of them shaking her head. Sydney noticed and stopped her.
"Hey Meg wait up" and Zara stopped and looked back at the two of them. They caught up with her quickly then got to the car.
TBC
Hope you like. There won't be anymore updates until at least Wed as i will be asleep after Glastonbury festival. (If you dont know what it is you are deprived but its cool)