Thank you all so much for your feedback.

dancerindisguise: Got it on one. Vegemite is that black, gooey stuff that smells funny and tastes awesome (oh, and alias-mydrugofchoice, definitely so try some :D)

obsessed101: Hey, I'm a Melbournian too. It's good see another fellow Aussie Alias fan.

Vaughn had just let himself into the house after school late Tuesday afternoon when the phone rang. With no sign of Sydney, whose car was parked in the driveway, he dumped his bag and reached across the kitchen bench to pick up the receiver.

"Hello."

"Michael? It's Francie."

"Oh hey. How are you doing?"

"Great. Is Syd there? I need to talk to her about something."

"Hang on a sec. She's home but I'm not sure where." Placing a hand on the speaker end, Vaughn headed down the hallway. "Syd," he called. Walking into the bedroom, he located her, fast asleep on the top of the covers, with Donovan curled up near her feet.

With a smile, he gently shook her shoulder. "Sydney."

Opening her eyes, Sydney frowned for a second, as if she weren't sure where she was. As she sat up, she looked at Vaughn. "Was I asleep?"

He nodded, holding out the phone. "Francie's on the phone."

"Oh, thanks." She took it from his hands. "Hey Fran," she said, blowing a kiss at Vaughn as he headed out of the room, Donovan on his heels. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to give you a heads up," Francie replied. "Do not plan anything for Saturday."

"Francie…"Sydney started slowly.

"Don't worry. It's not a baby shower." Francie said. "I swear."

"Then what is it?"

"It's a surprise."

"Ok then." Sydney smiled to herself. "Does Vaughn need to keep Saturday free as well?"

"Nope. Saturday is just for the girls- us, Ainz, Amy and I asked Michael's mum too."

"Juliette?" Sydney said, a little surprised. "What have you guys got planned?"

"You'll find out," Francie said mysteriously.

After hanging up, Sydney got up and walked out to the backyard where Vaughn was mucking around with Donovan. "Hey…how long was I asleep for?"

Vaughn shrugged. "I only just got home. I had basketball training at Abrams."

Sydney shook her head, laughing softly. "I sat on the bed to take my shoes off…next thing I know, you're shaking me awake."

Vaughn smiled, walking towards her. "A little tired, hey?"

"Oh, just a bit." Sydney replied. "I cannot wait for my last day. I love my job, but everything is just wearing me out lately."

"Well, you won't be worn out around here." Vaughn said kissing her gently. "Why don't you go put your feet up and I'll start dinner."

Sydney smiled. "I think that sounds like a great idea."

"Come on, Syd." Ainsley called out Saturday morning. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Sydney came out into the lounge room. "Though I wish I knew what I was getting ready for."

Ainsley grinned. "We'll tell you in the car. Francie, Juliette and Amy are waiting for us out there."

"Ok," Sydney grabbed her bag off the bench and looked at Vaughn, who was sitting on the couch with Weiss. "Hopefully I'll see you tonight."

Vaughn laughed. "I'm sure that maman will keep you safe."

"That's what you think," Ainsley said, as she twirled her keys around a finger. "What have the two of you got planned for today?"

Vaughn and Weiss glanced at each other. "Nothing specific," Vaughn replied.

"But I'm sure that we'll be able to fins something to occupy us." Weiss added.

Ainsley laughed as she and Sydney headed towards out the front door. "Ten bucks you come back to no house…or at least a house that is partially destroyed."

"Ok," Sydney said the second she had buckled her seatbelt. "Where are you taking me?"

"Sydney, honey," Juliette spoke up from the backseat. "Patience is a virtue."

Sydney couldn't help but laugh. Juliette talking to her about patience. Turning slightly in her seat, Sydney looked at her mother- in-law. "Hey, Juliette. Do you want to know if it's a little fille or garçon I'm carrying here?"

Juliette, too, started laughing. "Ok, ok. I think we should tell her."

"Fine." Francie relented. "We are taking you to Paradise."

Sydney snorted. "Paradise? Right. And where might that be?"

"No, we're really going to a place called Paradise." Amy said. "It's a day spa."

"Oh," Sydney stopped laughing. "We're going to a day spa?"

"Yup." Ainsley said. "Massages, facials, pedicures…"

"Oh," Sydney sighed. "A pedicure…I haven't seen my feet in so long." She looked around the car with a smile. "Thank you guys. I can really do with a day like this."

"Who couldn't?" Amy commented.

Weiss and Vaughn surveyed the equipment in front of them, both feeling a little daunted.

"Right…so what exactly do we have to put together?" Weiss asked, scratching his head. When Vaughn had asked him to help set up the nursery, he had agreed without a second thought. He had assumed that they would be moving furniture, not assembling it.

"Um, the chest of drawers and rocking chair came assembled. But we'll need to do the cot, the change table, the bassinet and there's a small bookcase somewhere in there." Vaughn replied.

Weiss looked at him. "A bookcase? What do you need a bookcase for? Babies can't read."

"Yes, but babies can be read to and Syd already has a pile of books that need to be put somewhere." Vaughn said. "Now, how about we get stuck into this? I want it done by the time Syd gets back."

"Have I mentioned how much I love you guys?" Sydney said, a huge smile on her face. They had all just sat down for lunch, after a morning of pampering.

"Not enough," Ainsley replied.

"Well then, I love you." Sydney said again.

"What if we hadn't taken you out for the day?" Francie asked. "Would you still be declaring your love for us?"

"Definitely not," Sydney said. "Because the alternative to this day out was you throwing me a baby shower."

Amy turned to Juliette. "How annoyed at her are you? A daughter-in-law who has robbed you of a day when you get to shower your soon to be grandchild with gifts and play the role of doting grandma."

Juliette laughed. "I was considering disowning her, but that massage I just had has put me in a complete state of bliss. I really don't care about anything at the moment."

Vaughn and Weiss's task of assembling all the baby's furniture was not exactly going to plan. The instructions that came along might as well have been written in Russian. The two of them had no idea where everything was supposed to go.

"Vaughn, dude, we have to get this stuff put together right." Weiss said. "Ainz and Syd will never let us hear the end of it if we don't. They'll be calling us stupid males for a month…maybe more…most probably more…oh god, they'll be saying it for years."

"Well, if they do, we'll just hand over these instructions and see how well they go at deciphering them."

Weiss looked at the pages in front of him. "Maybe we should just toss the instructions. We could wing this."

"Weiss, there is going to be a real, live baby sleeping or lying on this stuff. Winging it doesn't sound like a good idea."

Weiss threw up his hands. "Well, then what do you suggest we do?"

Vaughn shrugged. "Prepare ourselves for the acid tongues of our wives."

"No," Weiss straightened up. "No way am I going to give up that easily. There has to be a way out of this. All we need is some insane genius who can read what is written and then we'll be ready…" he trailed off as Vaughn's face brightened. "What?"

Vaughn just grinned. "Marshall."

"Vaughn," Sydney laughed later that night as he guided her through the house, his hands over her eyes. "What is going on?"

"You're about to find out," he said, stopping her. "You ready?"

"Yes!"

"Ok then." Vaughn removed his hands and Sydney's jaw dropped when she saw what was in front of her. All the furniture that she and Vaughn had brought for the nursery had been assembled and was no in place. No longer was it their spare room; it was now their baby's room.

"Vaughn…" Sydney sighed.

"Surprise," he whispered into her ear.

"It's…it's…" Sydney couldn't help it. She burst into tears.

"Hey," Vaughn's voice was concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Sydney shook her head. "It's perfect…you're perfect." She wiped furiously at her eyes. "I'm just being a silly, emotional woman." Through her tears she let out a laugh.

Vaughn smiled. "Emotional, yes. Silly, no."

Sydney smiled back. "So this is what you and Weiss got up to today?"

Vaughn nodded. "It kept us pretty occupied."

"But how?"

Vaughn's brow creased. "What do you mean?"

"I had a look at those assembling instructions when all this got delivered. It looked like in was written in Ancient Greek or something." Sydney said. "Did you and Weiss actually understand it?"

"Well…we had a little help from Marshall." Vaughn admitted. "A lot of help actually."

Sydney laughed, and then sobered a little, placing a hand on her stomach.

"You ok?" Vaughn asked, his hand on the small of her back.

Sydney nodded. "Yeah, it's just that in a little over a month…"

Vaughn smiled, pulling his arm tighter around her. "I know," he said. "I know."