Again, thank you all so much for your kind words and feedback. I love opening my email and reading all of your responses. It really makes my day.
Em-958: 2 days...like clockwork, hey ;). And in regards to favourites, that other is one of my favourites- they are a lot more which I have a special attachment to.
ILOVEALIAS4EVER: I just wanted to tell you now, so that you are not disappointed later on, that the name of the baby won't be Isabelle. But other than that, thanks for that feedback and those compliments...oh, and yeah, I have pretty much finished writing this fic :)
Thursday morning Vaughn got up early to go for a run. When he got back, Sydney was up and sitting at the kitchen bench with the daily newspaper.
"Morning," he said, getting the orange juice out of the fridge.
"Morning," Sydney replied as she looked up from the paper. "I've been thinking…"
"Why does that sound so ominous?" Vaughn asked, taking a mouthful of drink.
Sydney just poked out her tongue. "Now that we know that everything is ok, I think we should tell our parents. Soon."
Vaughn nodded. "What about our friends?"
"I think we should wait until after Weiss and Ainz's reception thing. I don't want to steal their thunder, you know what I mean?"
"Ok then." Vaughn sat down beside her, his expression slightly pained. "How do you think your dad is going to react to this?"
Sydney laughed. "How do you mean?"
"When he finds out that you're pregnant. Will he go for the passive aggressive or the more extreme?"
"Vaughn, he is not going to be anything other than happy when he finds out." She put a hand on his shoulder. "I thought you got over this unfounded fear of my father."
"Unfounded?" Vaughn scoffed. "This is Jack Bristow we're talking about. Nothing about that man is unfounded."
Sydney just shook her head as she turned back to the newspaper.
"Hey, any more Weiss gossip in there?" Vaughn asked.
Sydney grinned. "No, and I am sure that he is crushed," she replied as the phone began to ring. Reaching across she answered it.
Vaughn watched her side of the conversation curiously. Sydney looked as if she was trying not to laugh.
"Who was that?" he asked when she had hung up.
"Your mum." Sydney replied. "She invited us over for dinner Saturday night. Said that it has been too long since we've all had a chance to get together and talk."
Vaughn looked at her. "Ok, that's freaky."
"I know. Are you sure that she doesn't have some weird telepathic abilities?"
"No." Vaughn shook his head. "That is Aunt Trish's department."
"You do realize that the spirits have probably already told her by now," Sydney said, with a straight face.
"Probably," Vaughn laughed, placing his empty glass down. "I'm going to take a shower."
"And while you do that I'll call dad to see if he's free next week." Sydney smiled. "Because I gravely doubt that he shares your mother's talent for perfect timing."
"No, mum, I am not experiencing any nausea." Ainsley rolled her eyes cradling the phone between her head and shoulder as she sifted through the paper work in front of her. "Or cravings…or…Mum!" she yelled out, aghast.
"What'd she say?" Weiss asked.
Ainsley placed a hand over the receiver. "She wanted to know if my breast were tender," she hissed. Removing her hand, she continued with the conversation. "Look mum, the newspaper was completely off track…because we love each other, that's why…yes mum, I know and I'm sorry…hey, I'm sure Cam will go for the big wedding thing…Mum!" she sighed exasperatedly. "Ok, I promise that if I get married for the second time I'll go the big hoo-hah."
"What?" Weiss jumped up indignantly. "Give me the phone."
"Look mum, I gotta go," Ainsley said quickly. "Love you, bye."
"Second marriage?" Weiss asked as she put the phone down.
"Give us a break. I had to shut her up somehow."
"I tell you now," Juliette said to Sydney and Vaughn Saturday night. "Lil is still in shock from last weekend."
"What about his dad and Alexis?" Vaughn asked.
"They're thrilled- though Alexis isn't happy that she got robbed of bridesmaid duties." Juliette laughed.
"So is Lillian really that mad?" Sydney queried.
"Oh no. Once it sinks in she will be delighted. She honestly thought that the two of them would never get married." Juliette smiled and placed down her knife and fork. "But, now that we have thoroughly dissected that topic, what is new with the two of you?"
Sydney and Vaughn glanced at each other, a look that did not go unnoticed by Juliette.
"Well, actually there is something that we wanted to talk to you about." Sydney started. "Your invitation for dinner could not have been more better- or freakishly- timed."
"Ok, ok." Juliette smiled. "Stop with the stalling. What did you want to talk to me about?"
"I suppose we should just get it out." Vaughn reached for Sydney's hand and clasped it. "Syd's pregnant, maman."
Juliette let out a cry of delight as she jumped up and embraced Sydney and Vaughn in turn. "This is incredible!" she said, sitting back down. "How far along are you?"
"About three months." Sydney replied. "I'm due in the middle of January."
"Were you planning a family?" Juliette asked. "I have never heard you talking about children."
"Well, this was a bit of a surprise," Vaughn said as Sydney let out a small laugh. "But just because this baby wasn't planned doesn't mean it's not wanted."
"All I can say is that I am going to have one lucky grandchild. You two are going to be wonderful parents." Juliette declared. "Does anybody else know?"
Sydney shook her head. "Just you, and dad when we tell him. We want to keep this quiet until the stuff with Weiss and Ainsley has calmed down. We don't want to intrude on their special time."
Juliette nodded. "I suppose that means that you'll want me to keep quiet too."
"Yes maman," Vaughn replied. "Shouldn't be too difficult, I hope."
"Difficult?" Juliette raised her eyebrows. "I have just been told that I am going to be a grandmère and I have to keep quiet!" she said good-naturedly. "Tell me Michael, have you always been this inclined towards torture?"
Vaughn leaned forward. "You keep quiet until we say so, and we'll let you break the news to all the overseas rellies."
"And Trish?"
"And most definitely Trish." Vaughn agreed. "Do we have a deal?"
Juliette nodded as her face erupted into a grin.
"Francie, we can't." Sydney said over the phone Monday night.
"Oh, come on Syd. It's my only night off. It's just dinner at my place. Why can't you and Michael come?"
"Because my dad is coming to ours for dinner." Sydney replied.
There was a moment's silence on the other end of the phone. "Syd, since when do you have your father over for dinner?"
"Since now," Sydney answered lamely.
"What is up with you?" Francie demanded. "I've barely seen you all week."
"I've been busy."
"With what?"
"Stuff." Sydney replied. "Look, I can't get out of tonight. But for the rest of the week, I'm free."
"Fine, I'm booking you in for Thursday lunch. You'll have to come to the restaurant though."
"I will be there," Sydney was relieved that all seemed to have been forgiven.
"We went to Vegas last week," Sydney said in an attempt to keep the conversation with Jack going. Even though that their relationship was probably the strongest it had ever been, making small talk with Jack Bristow was still an exhausting task.
"Oh. Did you enjoy yourselves?"
"It was an interesting trip." Vaughn said slowly.
"What happened?" Jack leaned back in his chair, finished with his meal.
"Two things." Sydney replied. Jack looked at them questioningly.
"Weiss and Ainsley got married." Vaughn put in.
"Who?" Jack's expression was blank.
Sydney sighed. "Ainsley was one of my bridesmaids and Weiss was Vaughn's best man."
"Oh." Recognition dawned on Jack's face. "The one who couldn't sing?"
Vaughn chuckled. "Yeah, the same one."
"So what else happened?" Jack asked, raising his glass to his lips.
"Well," Sydney paused, glancing towards Vaughn for encouragement. "We found out that I'm pregnant."
Jack slowly placed his glass back onto the table. "You're pregnant?" he repeated, his expression, as usual, unreadable.
Sydney nodded. "About three months." She was suddenly fearful that her father was going to ruin this moment for them.
But just then a ghost of a smile crossed Jack's face and Sydney knew that he was pleased by the news.
"Congratulations." Jack's tone was sincere and Sydney felt her face erupt in a grin. Vaughn, beside her, let out a sigh of relief, causing Jack to look at him amused. "Worried about something, Michael?"
"Uh, no." Vaughn grinned, taking a mouthful of drink.
Jack leaned forward slightly. "Michael, I said I would hurt you if you did something to hurt my daughter, not if you gave me a grandchild."
"You said what?" Sydney exclaimed. "You told Vaughn you would hurt him?" She looked at Vaughn. "You never told me this? When was this?"
Vaughn glanced at Jack, who was still looking thoroughly amused by the situation. "Uh, the first Christmas we spent together and when I told him about my plans for proposing."
"I can't believe this." Sydney laughed. She turned to Jack. "So, just how exactly were you planning on hurting him?"
"Oh, I knew that I would never have to carry through," Jack said, picking up his wine glass. "I just wanted to have some fun."
"Fun?" Sydney smiled. "That is your idea of fun?"
"Trust me," Jack said. "If you saw the look on his face, you'd understand the whole fun side of it all, no questions asked."