Thank you all so much for your feedback
aliaschikita47: Big Brat is on my computer too, as well as many many other songs that have appeared on Alias. Awesome soundtracks to go with an awesome show, hey?
kiefer4ever: I got numpce from a scene of Alias (Spirit 1.10)- the one where Syd, Will, Francie and Amy are playing Boggle.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Vaughn!" Sydney pounced on him the second he opened the front door Monday afternoon. "Oh my god."
He blinked, taking a step back. "Ok…you've obviously got news, but could I come inside?"
"Come on," Sydney grabbed his laptop bag and dragged him inside so that she could shut the door. "Have you spoken to Craig today?"
"No, when would I have—"
"Because I spoke to Francie," Sydney interrupted in a singsong voice, " and guess what?"
"What?" Vaughn asked as he opened the fridge. He was starting to feel a little bewildered by Sydney.
"Craig is moving into her place," Sydney announced.
Vaughn's eyebrows piqued. "Really?" he asked, slamming the fridge door shut.
"Yup. You should have heard the way Fran was talking," Sydney replied, her smile dimming slightly. "When I think of how she was after the accident…" she shook her head, not wanting to dwell on that experience. "She just sounds so happy, Vaughn."
Vaughn grinned. "So, who's more excited about this, Syd? You or Francie?"
Sydney laughed. "Oh Francie, believe me. You didn't hear her on the other end of the phone."
"Right," Vaughn said. "So when is he moving in?"
"Sometime this week," Sydney replied. "I think—" she cut off as Emilie started to cry from in her room. "Somebody's awake," she made towards the nursery, but Vaughn stopped her.
"I'll go," he said. "I haven't seen her all day."
Sydney smiled. "Need to cure your case of Daddy pining?"
Vaughn turned back at the nursery door, a grin on his face. "Got in one, Bristow."
"Ainsley. Hey, Ainz."
Ainsley groggily opened her eyes. It was Tuesday morning and she had been cruelly ripped from her slumber by Weiss's incessant voice…and the fact that he had been shaking her.
"Eric," she mumbled, "what…" she caught sight of the time and was suddenly even less than impressed that he had woken her up. "Eric! What the hell are you—"
"Ssh," he placed a finger on her lips. "You're not allowed to be angry."
Ainsley frowned as she pulled away. "And why not?"
"Do you know what yesterday was?"
She sat up. "So this about yesterday? Why couldn't we have this conversation then instead of some ungodly hour of the morning today?"
Weiss grinned. "Because, I didn't realize what yesterday was until a couple of minutes ago," he replied. "So, do you know what yesterday was?"
Ainsley shook her head. "I've got no idea and it's way too early for these cryptic games, so why don't you just tell me?"
"Yesterday was six months since we got married," Weiss said.
Realisation dawned on Ainsley's face as her jaw dropped slightly. "Oh yeah…it was."
"And so we need to do something."
"Why?"
"Because it's been six months since we got married," Weiss stated as if it were the most obvious fact in the world.
"And who celebrates their six month wedding anniversary?" Ainsley asked with a grin. She was already warming to the idea.
"We do," Weiss quipped, leaning down and pressing his lips into hers.
"So then, what are we going to do?" Ainsley inquired.
"I've got no idea," Weiss admitted.
Ainsley laughed. "So why then the urgency to wake me up?"
Weiss shrugged. "I just though that it was important to acknowledge the momentous occasion."
"Eric!" Like a flash, Ainsley whipped out a pillow from behind her and whacked him across the head with it. "Could this acknowledgement not have waited another couple of hours?"
"Ainsley," Weiss gave her a playful pout. "Here I am, excited about our love and all you can care about is your beauty sleep. I am wounded."
Ainsley raised her eyebrows. "Wounded?"
"Yes," he sighed dramatically. "Wounded."
"I tell you what," Ainsley laughed, lifting the pillow again. "You are going to be really wounded in a second."
"Ainz."
"Yes?"
Weiss gave her an innocent smile. "I love you."
"You think that is going to stop me?"
"Um," Weiss paused for a second. "I love you lots."
Ainsley dropped the pillow, a grin on her face. "I'll take that."
"Good," Weiss grinned back as he wrapped her in his arms. "Hey, maybe we could commiserate every six months of marriage with an early morning pillow fight?"
"Ok, now that is pushing it," Ainsley murmured, tilting her head so she could press her lips into his.
Sydney looked between Francie and Ainsley. "Uh, I'm not sure guys," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
It was around noon on Saturday and Francie and Ainsley had shown up, wanting to take Sydney out shopping for the afternoon. However, Sydney was not agreeing as readily as they had thought.
"Come on, Syd." Francie said. "Why not?"
Sydney shrugged. "There are just things that I have to do around the house," she replied. The truth was she was hesitant about leaving Emilie. She had not been separated from her daughter since her birth three weeks ago. Understandably, the thought of doing that was causing Sydney a slight anxiety.
"Those things can wait," Ainsley jumped in. "It's time you took a break, Syd. Go shopping-spoil yourself. You deserve it."
Sydney was still obviously hesitating and so Vaughn came up beside her. "She's right…and Em will be absolutely fine," he said, as if reading her thoughts.
"It's not Em I'm worried about, it's me," Sydney replied wryly. "Maybe next week?"
"No way," Vaughn said firmly. "I have a feeling you could really do with some time off. A few hours, that's all and then you'll be right back here."
Sydney sighed. She knew that Vaughn was right. "Ok. Fine. But," she turned to Francie and Ainsley, "only a few hours, max."
"That's cool," Francie replied. "We can do a few hours."
"And that's enough time for me to start undoing all the work you've achieved these past weeks," Vaughn said and when Sydney shot him a questioningly look, he grinned. "There's some hockey on T.V this afternoon. It's time that Emilie was shown there is more to life than Dirty Dancing."
Sydney laughed as she picked up her bag. "I'd like to see you try."
Vaughn leaned across and kissed her on the cheek. "Game on, Bristow."
"OK girls, we've hit the mother load," Ainsley announced as they stopped in front of her favourite shoe store. She tossed her hair over he shoulder as she turned to Sydney and Francie. "You ready? Coz you know if I go in there, we ain't coming out for a long time."
"Ainsley," Francie replied in a mock-serious tone. "I am right here beside you."
They both looked towards Sydney, expecting an answer from her. But instead all they received was a completely distracted expression.
"Syd?" Francie clicked her fingers. "Earth to Sydney?"
Sydney blinked. "Huh?"
Ainsley laughed. "We are about to enter heaven and you are totally off with the fairies! What is going on in that head of yours?"
"Um…" Sydney trailed off as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Why don't you go ahead? I just want to give Vaughn a call."
"Why?" Ainsley asked.
"I just need to…check."
"Syd," Francie smiled. "I am pretty certain that Michael doesn't need checking up on."
"I know that!" Sydney exclaimed. "It's just that, this is the first time I've been separated from Emilie. I just need to hear that she's ok."
Ainsley smiled. "You do the fretting mother act so well, Syd," she joked.
"Ainz!" Sydney gave her a small push. "I though you were my friend!"
"You know I am," Ainsley shot back, flinging her arm around Sydney's shoulder. "Go and make your phone call, but inly if you promise to relax and have some fun afterwards."
"Yeah," Francie put in. "And no negotiations. That's the final offer."
Sydney grinned. "I'll take it."
"Good," Ainsley nodded and turned to Francie. "Care to escort me into heaven?"
"Of course," Francie replied and as they walked off she looked over her shoulder. "We want to see you in there in five minutes!"
Sydney just saluted as she raised her mobile to her ear, waiting for Vaughn to answer.
"Hey Syd."
Sydney blinked at the sound of his voice. "How did you know it was me?"
Vaughn gave a chuckle. "I had an inkling that you'd be calling. I'm actually surprised that you lasted this long…impressed even."
Sydney had to smile. "Vaughn, I have only been gone forty-five minutes."
"Yeah, I know. Incredible, isn't it?"
"Says he who jumped on the phone at the earliest possibility on his first day back at work," Sydney laughed. "Would you be game enough to say this stuff to my face?"
"No," Vaughn snorted. "What do you think I am? Stupid?" he paused. "On second thoughts, don't answer that."
"Ok then," Sydney replied. "So, how is Em?"
"Oh, she's lying around here somewhere. Not totally sure where…I might have to check under our bed," he said vaguely.
"Wow, you really know how to reassure a person," Sydney shot back dryly.
"I like to think that it's one of my best skills," Vaughn quipped.
"Right…and now seriously?"
"Seriously, she is right here in my arms, absolutely falling in love with the Kings," he said. "I tell you now, Syd, she is definitely a Vaughn."
"Hey, she can love the Kings as much as she wants- just as long as she loves Johnny equally."
Vaughn groaned. "I'm fighting a losing battle there, aren't I?"
"Yup," Sydney replied. "Now, I had better go before Francie and Ainsley come and physically drag me into heaven."
"Heaven?"
"A shoe store," Sydney explained. "I'll see you soon."
"Yeah, see you soon."
"Hey Vaughn," Sydney called out as she walked into the house, shopping bags in hand. "I'm back. You should see…" she stopped short when she entered the living room. Vaughn was stretched out on the couch, dozing, with his arms wrapped protectively around Emilie, who was fast asleep on his chest.
She could only smile at the scene. Her beautiful daughter and amazing husband. Could a person her any luckier than she?
On the couch, Vaughn stirred and opened his eyes with a yawn. Spotting Sydney his face broke into a grin.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself," Sydney replied, sitting down on an armchair.
"Looks like you had a good time," he commented, eyeing off the bags.
"I might have," Sydney said. "I got some things for Em."
"Surprise, surprise," Vaughn said with a chuckle. "Is there anything for you in those bags?"
"Beside the point," Sydney waved off his question. "You are going to love one of them." She reached into one of the bags and pulled out a tiny Kings jersey. "What do you think?"
Vaughn's face lit up. "That is awesome."
"I know," Sydney sounded rather pleased with herself. "I saw it and had to get it. Emilie is a Vaughn after all."
"Yeah," Vaughn sighed, looking down at Emilie, and then moving his eyes back to Sydney. "Hey Syd?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to watch Dirty Dancing tonight?"
Sydney let out a small laugh. "Small sacrifices, hey?"
"Well, you have blessed Em with her first Kings paraphernalia. The least I can do is return the favour."
Sydney smiled. "I would love to…and for the record, I love you."
"I know Syd. There is no way I would subject myself to Johnny Castle if you, or I, felt any different."
A/N: Only two more chapters to go...