Hey, thank you all so much for your feedback.

Em-958: Yes, I have finished writing this fic, which is why I am able to update so frequently.

"I'll see you tonight," Sydney said to Vaughn as the two of them headed out to their cars Monday morning. I'm not sure what time I'll be back. I want to go by the hospital after school."

Vaughn nodded, stifling a yawn. He'd woken up in the middle of the night and discovered Sydney doing the ironing. Still concerned over her, and Francie, he'd been unable to go back to sleep, and his tired and unshaven look did not go unnoticed at Abrams College.

"Look at you, Michael," the vice-principal joked. "It's only the first day. What are you going to look like on the last day of school year?"

When he opened the door to his office, he was thankful that it was empty. Sitting at his desk, he lay his head down on his arms. How on Earth was he going to get through the day?

Unfortunately, the peace did not last for long. In her usual fashion, Keely Adams burst through the door.

"Ok Michael," she said, dumping her bags on her desk. "I was speaking to Lydia yesterday, who heard from Shelley, who heard from her daughter, who bartends at Phase One that Sydney is pregnant. What I want to know is, is it true and if so, why am I only hearing…whoa." She stoped short as Vaughn looked up at her. "What the hell happened to you?"

Vaughn rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't really sleep well last night…or for the last few nights to tell the truth."

"Why…don't tell me Syd has already had a baby! How could I not know about this? I tell you what—"

"Keely!" Vaughn cut her off. "Sydney has not had the baby. She is just over four and a half months gone."

Keely's eyes widened. "So she is pregnant? Michael, that is fantastic!"

"Yeah, I know." Vaughn managed a smile before breaking out into a yawn.

"So what's going on? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Some friends of ours were in a car accident last week."

Keely inhaled sharply. "Oh my god. Are they ok?"

"Will and Craig are, but Francie, one of Syd's best friends, is still unconscious."

Keely shook her head. "That's…well, what I can say?" she paused. "Those names sound familiar. Do I know them?"

"You might have met them at the wedding. Craig and Will were my groomsmen and Francie was Syd's maid of honour."

Recognition dawned on Keely's face. "The one who gave the speech? The one who owns that awesome restaurant?"

Vaughn nodded. "Yup, that's Francie."

"Sydney must be beside herself. How is she holding up?"

"Just barely. I've never seen her so down."

"Michael, her best friend is unconscious in hospital," Keely said bluntly. "I think Sydney has a right to be down."

"I know that, Keely. But it is almost like she is keeping herself like that. It's like she won't let herself smile or enjoy herself, even for a second."

Keely stared at him. "Has anybody ever told you that you're pretty astute for a male?"

Vaughn blinked, trying to comprehend the sudden change in the conversation. "Uh, you'd be the first."

"Well you are."

"Only when it comes to Syd."

Keely smiled. "Look, I wouldn't worry too much. It is probably just Sydney's way of dealing. You know, situations such as these can be harder to face than death. The unknown is something almost impossible to deal with."

Vaughn nodded slightly. "I guess."

"Now, back to our original topic." Keely said with a grin. "So you're going to be a daddy."

"Yeah, I am." Vaughn shook his head. "I can't get over how weird that sounds."

"Well, why don't you get up off your butt so I can give you a hug?" Keely demanded.

"Aye, aye captain." Vaughn saluted as he stood.

"Congratulations," Keely said wrapping her arms around him. "And I hope things get better for you and Sydney soon."

"Me too," Vaughn said as they stepped back. "Me too."

"Sydney. Syd."

Sydney jumped slightly in her desk chair. It was lunchtime and she hadn't even realized that she had been staring into space until Dixon's voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"Huh? What?"

"Sydney, you look exhausted. Why don't you go home?" Dixon suggested.

"Dixon, it's the first day of school and I'm not even sick. I can't go home." Sydney protested.

"What you've been through this past week justifies time off."

"Dixon, I'm fine." Sydney said firmly.

Dixon just looked at her, a wry smile on his face. "That ain't gonna work on me."

"What do you mean?"

"Sydney, I don't mean to insult your appearance or anything, but the bags under your eyes are kind of giving it away."

Sydney sighed. "Fine, so I am a little tired. But doesn't everybody get that way every now and then?"

"Ok," Dixon threw his hands in the air. "I give up…it's like arguing with a brick wall."

"Thank you," Sydney said, standing. "Now if you would excuse me, I have some photo-copying to do."

As per usual the grape vine at Abrams College was running right on schedule. And as per usual, Vaughn was the main topic of conversation.

"What was up with Mr Vaughn today?"

"I know. He looked awful…well as awful as he can look which, let's face it, ain't that bad."

"Yeah…hey, maybe there are problems at home. You know, the honeymoon finally being over."

"I don't think so."

"Why?"

"Yeah, what do you mean?"

"Sheridan got sent to the staffroom and in there she heard Mrs Adams talking. Mr Vaughn's wife is pregnant."

"What?"

"No way!"

"But if things are all good at home, why did he look all stressed?"

"Maybe it isn't all good. Maybe he doesn't want the baby."

"Or maybe the baby isn't his!"

The conversation was cut off at this point. After all, it was a maths class they were sitting in, not the schoolyard.

Life continued the same for Sydney and Vaughn as the week passed. The only difference was that Sydney now had something extra, her job, to help fill in her days. Vaughn was yet to see her mood lighten, even the slightest, and what was worse, it appeared that she was sleeping less and less.

When he questioned her about it, all Sydney would say was that she would sleep when she was tired. Wisely, Vaughn let it go. Getting into an argument with Sydney would not help the situation, and he knew that sooner or later she would have to let her body get the rest it needed.

He could live with that. What he couldn't live with was going through each day without the glimpse of the smile that he had fallen in love with.

It was Friday afternoon when things finally cracked. Vaughn had gotten a call from Weiss, inviting him and Sydney out for dinner. Vaughn had decided then and there that he and Sydney would go. He wanted to see her out of the house and socialising again.

Walking into the house after school, he found her curled up on the couch, her nose buried in a book.

"Hey," he said, sitting beside her. "Weiss called today. He and Ainz asked us out for dinner."

"I can't." Sydney replied. "I need to finish this book for school."

"You can finish it tomorrow or Sunday." Vaughn said. "Let's go out tonight. It'll give you a chance to escape."

"I don't need to escape." Sydney shot back. "What I need is to finish this book- tonight. I have other things that I need to do this weekend."

"Sydney, please. What if we just go out for an hour or two?"

"Why are you pushing this Vaughn?" Sydney asked. "Why are you so adamant for us to go out?"

"Why are you so hell-bent on staying home?" Vaughn retorted.

"Because I have things to do."

"Well, I think it's time you gave yourself a chance to relax."

Sydney snapped the book shut. "I don't need to relax."

"I think you do."

"And since when do you know what's best for me?" Sydney demanded, standing up. "Do you think I have no clue in regards to what I need?"

"I never said that." Vaughn replied, trying not to sound exasperated. "I just…I just want…"

"What? What do you want?"

"I want to see you relaxed. Just for a second, I want to see you smile."

Sydney stared at him for a few seconds before turning on her heel and heading to the kitchen. "A smile? You think that forcing me to go to dinner is going to make me smile."

Vaughn shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Let me tell you something, Vaughn. My best friend is in hospital, balancing somewhere between life and death. Forgive me if I don't feel like smiling."

Vaughn shook his head. "There is more to it, Syd. This isn't about feelings. This is about choices. You are choosing to feel this way. You are choosing to spend all the hours of your day doing something. You are deliberately eliminating any chances of enjoyment on your behalf."

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Sydney yelled. "For once could you please just stop psychoanalysing—" Suddenly she stopped short, letting out a small gasp as her hand flew to her abdomen.

"Sydney." Vaughn was up and by her side in a second. "Syd, are ok? Is everything alright?"

Sydney nodded.

"What's wrong?"

"The baby…" Sydney trailed off as she looked at him. "I think I felt it move."

Despite the fact that they were in a middle of an argument, Vaughn felt his face erupt into a grin. "Are you serious? You felt it move?"

Sydney nodded as she motioned for him to come closer. "Here." She grabbed one of his hands and placed it under her own. His eyes widened as he too felt the slight fluttering movements.

"Well, now we have to go out. This is something that needs to be celebrated," he said.

Sydney just shook her head, her expression still passive. "No."

"Sydney." Vaughn tried to keep his tone calm. "This is ridiculous."

"Vaughn, please don't."

"No. Look, I understand how concerned you are feeling over Francie, I'm feeling it too, but think about what just happened. I would assume that it would illicit some joy or excitement out of you…do you truly feel none of that?"

Sydney just stared at him, but there seemed to be a slight change in her demeanour. So Vaughn made the decision to keep going, it looked as if he may be getting somewhere with her.

"Why are you refusing to go out with me, or our friends?"

"I can't." Sydney mumbled.

"Why can't you?" Vaughn asked. Sydney did not respond straight away. "Why Syd?"

"How can I?" Sydney burst out. "How can I smile and enjoy myself when…when…when Francie can't!"

Vaughn blinked. "Syd—"

"Don't." Sydney held up a hand. "I feel so guilty every time I feel like laughing or contemplate going out. Francie can't go out. Francie can't laugh. I am just trying to as best a friend to her as I can at the moment." Sydney paused. "Going out and forgetting what's happening to her is not a way to do that."

"Sydney enjoying yourself doesn't mean that you're forgetting about Francie." Vaughn said, his voice gently. "Can I ask you a question?"

Sydney nodded.

"If Francie had been standing next to you just before, when you felt the baby move, how would she have reacted?"

"Francie wasn't standing beside me, Vaughn. That is my whole point." Vaughn simply raised his eyebrows and Sydney sighed. "Fine, she would hug me, scream and jump up and down, probably cry and then set about organising some over the top way to celebrate."

"And now, tell me truthfully, even though Francie couldn't be here, how do you think she would want you to react?"

"She want me to laugh and smile and scream and jump up and down and…" Sydney trailed off as she began to choke up. "And cry and join her in some over the top way of celebrating."

"Then why don't you?" Vaughn whispered, pulling her into his arms as the tears started to fall.

"I want to…I do, but…" Sydney faltered.

"Ok then." Vaughn stepped back and cupped her face with his hands. "Let's stay home, order in a pizza and just curl up with some movies." Sydney nodded as he used the pads of his thumbs to wipe the tears. "I'll even agree to us watching Dirty Dancing."

"Ok then." Sydney replied giving him a small and watery small.

"Ah, there we go." Vaughn said pulling her back into his embrace. At that moment the phone rang and Sydney automatically reached out and picked it up.

"Hello," she answered, stepping back out of Vaughn's arms.

"Is that Sydney?"

"Yeah."

"Sydney, it's Eva."

"Eva." Sydney looked up at Vaughn, their eyes connecting. "What's wrong?"

"I'm at the hospital. It's Francie…"