Hey! I was going to put off publishing this fic for a while, but I couldn't wait any longer. So here it is and I hope that you all enjoy as much as you did Meeting Their Match.
Summary: Sequel to Meeting Their Match. The return of all our favourite characters (along with a few new faces) set two years after we last saw them all.
Disclaimer: I do not own Alias.
Sydney Bristow yawned, opened her eyes and attempted to stretch her legs out in the cramped space. She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but judging by the dull ache in her neck, it had been awhile. As she tried to massage the ache out, Sydney turned and looked into the smiling face of Michael Vaughn, who was seated beside her.
"What are you smiling at?" she asked.
"Oh you know," he smirked, "just you drooling in your sleep."
Sydney's hand automatically went to her chin, but when she found no traces of such, she pushed Vaughn lightly. " I do not drool!"
"You keep thinking that Syd."
Sydney poked out her tongue and then peered out of the window. "How long have we got to go?"
"There's about another hour or so before we land."
Sydney smiled. "We're almost home."
It had been nearly three years since Sydney and Vaughn had gotten together, and a littleover two since Sydney had moved in with him. They had, a couple of months earlier, finished their second year of teaching. Both Sydney and Vaughn had been lucky enough to secure jobs that were near their home. Sydney had gotten a position at Ken Olin High School, the local public, co-ed high school. Vaughn's job, however, was on the other end of the spectrum.
Flashback:
"Hey Syd!" Vaughn burst into the house one afternoon. "Syd!"
"Yeah?" she walked out of the hallway leading to their bedroom.
"I got a job."
"Really!" Sydney was all ready to congratulate him when something occurred to her. "Hang on, a job? You never even told me that you had an interview."
"I know." Vaughn said, sheepishly. "But I wanted to wait to see if I got it before telling you. I figured there was no point in giving you and Weiss an excuse to give me grief, if I wasn't going to get a job out of it."
"Why wouldwe give you grief?"
"Because the job is at Abrams College."
"Oh." Sydney couldn't help but grin. Abrams College was an exclusive, all-girls private school. The image of Vaughn teaching French to a bunch of pubescent teenagegirls was an amusing one.
"It's the only school in the area that offers French. I didn't want to have to travel and-"
"Hey." Sydney walked up to him and placed a hand on his chest. "I think it's great."
"You're not going to turn this into a long-running joke?"
"Well, I can't promise that Weiss and I won't make the odd comment, but other than that, no. But, I was thinking…"
"What?"
"That your students will either get the best marks or the worst that that school has ever seen."
"Why?"
"Well, best marks because all those girls will be trying their hardest to impress their spunky new French teacher, or worst marks because, instead of learning, they'll be spending all their class time perving on their spunky new French teacher."
Vaughn grinned. "So if you were in my class, how would you go?"
"Oh, I would be failing miserably." Sydney whispered before placing her lips on his.
End flashbackAll of their friends had also moved on to bigger and better things. Will had gotten a position as a reporter for The Los Angeles Register and Francie had been promoted to a manager at the restaurant she'd been a waitress at for years.
Ainsley too was in a managerial position. About a year ago, Campbell had appointed her assistant manager at Phase One, and as he was looking to open a second club, things were looking as if she would soon be in charge at the original one.
Weiss, who after graduating from university, had no idea on what he had wanted to, had gotten a job at a radio station downtown. It was originally a strictly behind the scenes job, but those in higher places had soon noticed his irresistible combination of humour, intelligence, quick wit and charm. He had started off with an hour-long show on Sunday morning. He now had a regular three-hour time slot from 3.00pm to 6.00pm every weekday.
Sydney's relationship with Jack was still far from perfect, but at least now they were able to function as an average family unit. His relationship with Judith had ended around the time that Sydney had graduated from university, and he hadn't seen anybody since. However, Sydney knew that if it were to ever happen again, she would be ready for it.
Juliette was, well Juliette. Vaughn and Sydney saw her regularly and Sydney had developed a relationship with her that was similar to that she had shared with Emily. Plus it was handy to have her present when trying to decide what movie to watch. Between his mother and his girlfriend, Vaughn didn't have a chance.
Sydney and Vaughn's relationship was still as strong as ever. Sure, they had their moments- and some of them were real doozies- but they still cared for and loved one another as much as they had the day they met.
"I'm a little worried, Syd." Vaughn said as they walked out into the airport terminal. They had just returned from a month long trip to France, visiting Vaughn's family. It was the second time he'd taken her across and Sydney was growing to love them more and more.
"About what?"
"About Donovan. Maybe we should have left him with Marshall."
"Vaughn, Weiss would have been devastated if you did that. He'd think you didn't trust him."
"I don't." Vaughn replied bluntly. "Not when it comes to my dog and food. I just know that I am going to be greeted by a fat dog."
Sydney laughed. "Vaughn, I wouldn't worry. You gave Ainsley strict instructions, remember? I'm sure she managed to keep Weiss in line."
"She better have."
Sydney gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then craned her neck. "Where is he?" she muttered, looking for Will's familiar face in the crowd.
"He did get our different flight plans?"
"Yeah, I called him the other day and he promised he would be here." Sydney let out a frustrated sigh. "I can't believe he forgot."
"Sydney! Michael!" There attention was diverted to their right, where an excited Ainsley was waving and rushing over to them. "Welcome back!" she exclaimed after greeting them with a hug.
"Glad to be back." Sydney smiled. "Where's Will? Is he ok?"
"Oh, he's fine." Ainsley replied breezily as they headed towards the baggage return. "He's at the hospital."
"What? Why?" Sydney asked, alarmed. "You just said that he was ok."
"He is." Ainsley reassured. "Amy had her baby."
Sydney's face broke into a wide grin. "When? What did she have?"
"Last night, and it was a bouncing baby boy." Ainsley paused. "Though, Will sent us a picture of him from his mobile. I don't really get the 'bouncing' part. He kinda looks like a plucked chicken to me."
Vaughn chuckled. "Was that Weiss's observation, or yours?"
"Well, Eric came up with the plucked chicken analogy." Ainsley admitted. "But I totally agree with him."
Sydney shook her head as she laughed slightly. "So what did Amy name him?"
"Zepherelli Joe." Ainsley replied. Sydney's laughter suddenly stopped short. She looked up at Vaughn whose eyebrows were raised.
"Uh," he cleared his throat. "Did you just say his name is Zepherelli Joe?"
"Yup." Ainsley nodded, her expression dead-straight.
Sydney felt a pang of sympathy for this baby boy who allegedly resembled a plucked chicken and now had to grow up with a name like Zepherelli Joe.
She looked at Ainsley, whose face seemed to be contorting a little. A second later she was laughing so hard that she had doubled over.
"Your faces…" she gasped. "Classic." Straightening up, Ainsley took a deep breath to compose herself and then spoke. "Amy didn't name him that."
"Ainsley!" Sydney slapped her friend lightly on the upper arm. "That wasn't funny!"
"Oh, yes it was."
Glancing at Vaughn, who was laughing as well, Sydney couldn't help but giggle as well. "Ok, ok. It was." She paused. "So what did Amy really call him?"
"Harris."
"Oh, that's nice-" Sydney stopped short, suddenly remembering that Amy's partner Troy's surname was Marris. "Ainsley, tell us that kid's damn name before I do something that I'm going to regret."
Ainsley grinned. "His name is Dillon."
"Really?"
"Really." Ainsley affirmed. "Now come on. Let's get your bags and get you home."
"Uh, Ainz." Vaughn spoke up. "Could we drop by your's and Weiss's first. I wanna see Donovan."
"Eric has him at your place now, and," Ainsley patted Vaughn on the shoulder, "he's not fat."
Sydney and Vaughn had barely walked through their front door before being bombarded by Weiss.
"How are you, Syd?" he asked, wrapping her in one of his famous bear hugs.
"Great, and how about you, Houdini?" Sydney replied as they separated.
"Couldn't be better." After greeting Vaughn with a brotherly hug, he walked over and planted a kiss on Ainsley's forehead. "Did you tell them about Chicken Head?"
"Of course I did." Ainsley smiled.
"Don't you mean Zepherelli Joe, Ainz?" Sydney asked. As Ainsley poked out her tongue, Vaughn's voice thundered across the room.
"Weiss, what the hell have you done to my dog?"
Sydney looked towards the sliding glass doors, where Donovan was excitedly jumping up and down, a great big bow around his neck.
"Hey." Weiss held up his hands in mock defence. "That had nothing to do with me. It was all her." He nudged Ainsley.
Vaughn looked at her. "Would you care to explain?"
"What?" Ainsley replied, feigning innocence. "I think he looks cute."
"Ainsley, Donovan is a boy. Boys don't wear bows. Especially big, tough, manly boys like Donovan."
"Yeah, right." Ainsley snorted. "Donovan is as soft as you and Eric- right Syd."
Sydney shook her head. "For once, I'm going to stay out of this."
Ainsley looked at her aghast. "You spend a month with his family and this is how you come back? What have they done with the real Sydney? Trapped her in an éclair back in Le France?"
Weiss's eyes lit up. "Speaking of éclairs, did you bring me back any?"
"Weiss, we go through this every time I go over there." Vaughn replied. "And every time I tell you that there is no way they'll survive the flight home."
Weiss grinned. "Can't blame a guy for trying."
Suddenly Ainsley clapped her hands together. "Ooh, Syd! I have goss about Francie."
Weiss rolled his eyes. "Here we go." He motioned towards the backyard and Vaughn nodded. As the two of them headed outside, Ainsley dragged Sydney towards the couch.
"What is it?" Sydney asked as she gratefully sat down. Vaughn's family had run her ragged this past month.
"Well, there's two pieces of information. The first is major, but Francie has refused to tell us anything until you guys got back."
"Not even a hint?"
"Nup." Ainsley shook her head. "All she would say was that she had big news."
"So what else then?"
"She dumped Thomas."
"What?" Sydney exclaimed and then sunk back into the couch. "No, I really liked him."
"Well, Francie didn't." Ainsley replied matter-of-factly. "And, apparently there is already another possibility on the scene."
Sydney couldn't help but laugh. Since splitting up with Will, any relationship that Francie had formed with a guy was always over within a short period of time.
"I've done the serious thing with Charlie and Will and neither of them worked out," she had explained. "I just want to have some fun while I'm still young."
Sydney admitted that she could see the positives to that, but when she looked at Vaughn and what the two of them had, she knew that she would never want to change a thing.
Outside Vaughn was attempting to untie the bow around Donovan's neck. However, it would seem that Ainsley had had some Girl Guide experience in her life. The damn knot would not come undone.
"Stupid thing," he muttered. "I'm going to have to cut this off."
"Hey Vaughn." Weiss spoke up.
"Yeah?"
"Did you get it?"
Vaughn suddenly stopped tugging at the ribbon and looked up at Weiss, a grin on his face. "Yeah."
"So?"
"What?" Vaughn straightened up.
"When?"
"I don't know yet."
Weiss stared at him incredulously. "You don't know?"
"I want it to be special. Original. Something we'll never forget."
"I wouldn't worry too much." Weiss said. "However you do it, Syd is going to love it."
Vaughn rubbed the back of his neck. "You think?"
"I know."