Me:-Glances at watch- One in the morning already! You know what that means! Alias S3 eppy on ABC!
Brain: Meg finish this chapter, you won't be able to fall asleep until you do. Alias S3 eppy can wait.
Me: No it can't!
Brain: Look, I can't go another day without sleep! FINISH THE CHAPTER!
Me: Okay -waits until brain stops looking then scurries over to TV to watch Alias- Sucker.
You know I really wasn't a fan of season three until after it all aired and I started to re-watch old episodes. I realized how great the angst was and it also help that I knew Lauren was going to die soon.
Chapter Five: Don't Even Take This Bet
His eyes met her brown ones for a split second before Jack swung the door closed on him. Bending over, he retrieved the rings Lauren had thrown at him. He looked at the light reflecting off the gold and diamonds before removing his wedding band and slipping the three rings into his back pocket. Vaughn pulled out his cell phone and moved into a bathroom, where no nurses could tell him to put the cell away. He hit a number on speed dial, still a little numb from the encounter.
"Weiss."
"Hey man it's me."
"How's Syd?"
"She's fine. Stubborn as all hell, but she's going to be fine. Look man, I need to ask you a favor."
"Do you and your dog require the service of my couch?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"I told Lauren where you were."
"That was harsh Eric."
"No it was an accident. She overheard me mentioning something to Marshall and then she threatened it out of me."
"Well we got into a fight."
"Okay, I anticipated that."
"I told her it was over. We're getting a divorce."
"I'm guessing she didn't enjoy the news?"
"She called Sydney a whore and a bitch, threw her rings at me, and told me that she was going to take me to the cleaners."
"I'll have nachos for you when you get here, you really could use some nachos."
"Thanks Eric. I don't know how late I'll be."
"You know where the key is."
They spent a few more minutes in idle chatter, finally ending with traditional see-you-later's. Vaughn waited a few minutes before making the next call, partly because he was unsure how to phrase what he was going to say. He dialed the number and hit send, cursing himself momentarily when he realized it was early in the morning in France.
"Bonjour ? (Hello?)"
"Maman ?"
"Michel ? Quel est erroné, cher ? (Michael? What's wrong, dear?)"
"Je suis désolé de vous réveiller (I'm sorry to wake you)."
"Ne vous inquiétez pas. Vous pouvez m'appeler à tout moment du jour si vous avez besoin (Don't worry. You can call me at any time of the day if you need to)."
"Lauren et moi obtiennent divorcés (Lauren and I are getting divorced)."
"Michel ! Qu'avez-vous fait (Michael! What did you do)?"
"Maman ! Ce n'est pas tout mon défaut ! (Maman! It's not all my fault!)"
"Comment ne peut-il pas être ? Avez-vous été un bon et dévoué mari ? Aviez-vous prêté assez d'attention à elle (How can it not be? Have you been a good and dutiful husband? Have you been paying enough attention to her)?"
"a pensé que vous n'avez pas aimé Lauren (I thought you didn't like Lauren)."
"n'importe pas mon avis de elle, oui j' ai pensé qu'elle avait tort pour toi, mais je ne veux pas voir votre échouer de mariage quand vous pouvez être heureux (It doesn't matter my opinion of her, yes I thought she was wrong for you, but I don't want to see your marriage fail when you can be happy)."
" Maman, celui est la chose. Je ne suis pas heureux avec Lauren. J'ai réalisé que je ne l'aime pas (Maman, that's the thing. I am not happy with Lauren. I realized I don't love her)."
"Vous amour Sydney (You love Sydney)."
"Oui (Yes)."
"Sydney néanmoins vous aime-t-il en arrière (Does Sydney still love you back)?"
"Je ne connais pas Maman. Elle a essayé de se tuer . Je l'ai trouvée et l'ai apportée à l'hôpital. Elle va être bien, mais-mais elle ne veut rien faire avec moi. (I don't know Maman. She tried to kill herself. I found her and brought her to the hospital. She's going to be okay, but—but she doesn't want anything to do with me)."
"Michel, vous l'avez blessée (Michael, you hurt her)."
"JE SAIS que je la blesse. Chacun continue à me dire que je la blesse. Je sais déjà je la blesse et je me suis blessé aussi, je souhaite que les gens CESSENT JUSTE de me dire cela (I KNOW I hurt her. Everyone keeps on telling me I hurt her. I already know I hurt her and I hurt myself too, I wish people would JUST STOP telling me that)."
" N'obtenez pas à une attitude avec moi Michel Christopher Vaughn (Do not get an attitude with me Michael Christopher Vaughn)."
"Je suis Maman désolé (I'm sorry Maman)."
"Maintenant, êtes-vous sûr vous n'êtes-vous pas heureux avec Lauren (Now, are you sure you aren't happy with Lauren)?"
"Oui (Yes)."
"Bon alors je soutiens votre décision. Je ne veux pas vous voir malheureux (Well then I support your decision. I don't want to see you unhappy)."
"Merci Maman (Thank you Maman)."
"Et je me permets de suggérer que vous commenciez à faire des excuses à Sydney ? Fort et souvent avec des fleurs et des chocolats jusqu'à ce qu'elle vous pardonne (And may I suggest that you start apologizing to Sydney? Loudly and often with flowers and chocolates until she forgives you)."
"J'essayerai (I'll try)."
"Et Michel ? Ne pensez pas que je ne suis pas déçu au sujet de mon manque d'enfants pour me corrompre, cependant, nous parlerons demain à ce sujet (And Michael? Don't think I am not disappointed about my lack of grandchildren to spoil, however, we'll talk tomorrow about that)."
"J'attends avec intérêt cette conversation, Maman (I look forward to that conversation, Maman)."
"OH, Michel. Queest-ce que je ferais sans toi (Oh, Michael. What would I do without you)?'
"Trouvez un autre homme pour harceler (Find another man to harass)?" His mother laughed over the phone, a deep rich sound that reminded him of happier times.
"Je t'aime Michel (I love you Michael)."
"Je t'aime aussi, Maman. Puits de sommeil (I love you too, Maman. Sleep well)."
He ended the call and left the bathroom, seating himself in the chair once again. Vaughn planned on staying there a little while longer, until Jack left, so he could sneak in and talk to Sydney.
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It was after nine when Jack finally left, casting a hard glance at Vaughn.
"She's asleep, don't bother her."
He hardly listened to Jack before, and he wasn't planning on listening now. Waiting until Jack was out of sight, he slipped into her room. There was one light on, near the bed, casting its soft glow over her sleeping form. She was tossing lightly in her sleep and Vaughn crossed the room to her bedside. He placed his hand gently on the side of her face. She turned into his touch and immediately settled; her breathing slowed and her movements stopped. He spent a few minutes gently stroking her face before giving her a light kiss. It wouldn't be wise for him to stay, she might wake up and then they would talk. He was quite sure what he was going to say to her, how he was going to address the obvious pink elephant in the room. Leaving was his best option and the one he planned to take.
He walked to his car, still parked in the emergency lot, in the darkness, full of conflicting thoughts. Driving towards his apartment with Lauren, he found himself getting more and more agitated. Vaughn sincerely hoped that Lauren wasn't there when he got home. He wasn't in the mood to argue anymore today, the conversation with his mother kept on replaying in his mind. She had told him to apologize to Syd, but he couldn't figure out how to, he felt as though the divorce with Lauren wouldn't mean anything to her.
Before he knew it he was at his blessedly dark apartment. The only one there to greet him was Donovan. Quickly, Vaughn gathered up all of his clothes and everything Donovan would need. He knew he was going to have to make a second trip, but he would work that out with Lauren later. Right now he just wanted to get the hell out of the apartment. Attaching Donovan to the leash, he managed to get everything in his car without dropping anything. He placed the dog in the front seat and ran back to the apartment to grab the pictures he had forgotten. On impulse, he tipped over their wedding photo, the resounding tinkling of breaking glass echoing in his mind as he grabbed photos of his mother, the one of his father, and the one he kept in his closet of Syd. He left all the photos that contained him and Lauren or someone from Lauren's family and left the apartment without a backward glance.
Donovan seemed excited by all the activity when Vaughn finally got into the car. He petted him on the head before starting the car and heading to Weiss's. He rolled down the window so Donovan could stick his head out, one of his favorite activities.
The ride was short and uneventful, Donovan happily wagging his tail and Vaughn hardly paying attention to anything. In fact, he passed Weiss's place twice, before finally pulling the car in. He unloaded the stuff he would need for the night and Donovan's things and headed to the door with Donovan. He was relieved that the door was open; he wasn't in the mood for searching through the dirt of the planter for a key. Donovan went bounding in the door, tugging the leash loose from Vaughn's hands, and right over to Weiss.
"Hey man, I got nachos and beer!" He called in a way of greeting, prompting Vaughn to drop his belongings by the front door before heading into the living room.
"Thanks Eric."
"No problem."
They spent a few seconds in silence as a sports game played on the TV.
"So do you want to talk about it?"
"Which one Syd or Lauren?"
"Either or both?"
"Neither."
"Mike, come on."
"No Weiss."
"Fine, then I'll talk about them and you can just listen."
"Eric—" he warned. He was in no mood right now to think about either woman.
"Shut up and listen. It's obvious that your relationship with Lauren is completely over. It's also obvious that your relationship with Syd is near to being over. I don't think she is going to care very much that you left Lauren, you hurt her. She's afraid you're going to do it to her again."
"Christ, when did you become a shrink?"
"I didn't. I'm friends with Syd too, remember?"
"She told you that?"
"Yeah."
"I wouldn't do that not again. I couldn't do that to her. I love her. I would kill myself before I hurt her like that again."
"Tell her that not me."
"She wouldn't believe me, Eric. You know how she is."
"Then make her believe you."
"What do you want me to do? Tie her to a bed and tell her she's not allowed to leave until she listens and believes me?"
"No, I am telling you to show her with actions and words that you still care for her. It's going to take awhile. Just make sure she knows you love her."
Oh there is nothing like a little Weiss to drag you back into reality. That's the only reason why I watch the new show Heroes because of Weiss.