Thank you all for your feedback

specialfrog: Exams, ugh. I can totally relate. Hope that they all went well for you.

agent belle: A Powderfinger fan, hey- great to hear. It's my (if somewhat bised) opinion that Australia has some of the best rock bands ever.

Muddy Poodle: I'll let you know that the last chapter won't be the only time that Sydney 'tells it' to Vaughn :)

Chapter Three:
What Friends Are For

Vaughn was not in the mood for small talk, especially as he was well aware why she was really there. "Do you have the results?"

Dr Emery nodded. "Yes, and they were positive. You are the father of this baby, Agent Vaughn."

xxxxx

"Hmm…" Vaughn sighed and then broke off into a large yawn.

Sydney's brow furrowed. "Vaughn, when was the last time you got a decent night's sleep?"

"Sydney, please don't. I am fine."

"Yeah, well, no offence, but you are kind of resembling the living dead."

That comment did what she had hoped to achieve, and elicited a small smile from Vaughn. "Nothing that a good shave won't fix," he said, rubbing his stubble.

"You wish."

"Enough about me," Vaughn said, picking up his folder. "as easy as this op is, let's run over this one more time."

Tucking a strand of her curly black wig behind her ear, Sydney swivelled slightly, glancing around the dark, jazz club. Vaughn was loitering around upstairs, by the exit, as a back up in case she could not get images of all the players in the meet.

"Got them," she murmured into her comms. "Table in the corner to my right." Reaching up, she made it look as if she were adjusting her black-framed glasses. Really, she was activating the camera that Marshall had installed in them.

In quick succession, she managed to get pictures of all but the two who were seated with their backs to her. Sighing, she leaned back on her stool. The position of the table, right in the corner, wouldn't allow her to circle it. She would have to wait until the meet was over and they turned to leave.

"Vaughn," she said into her comms. "Got all but the two in the grey and blue. We'll need to get them on their way out. Stand by."

"Got you. Ready and waiting," was his reply.

It was several minutes later that there was movement at the table- those involved with the meet were standing up. Bringing her hand back to the glasses, Sydney sat up slightly. However, before she got the chance to take a shot, a large group of people approached the bar, blocking the view.

"Vaughn, I can't get the shot. It's up to you." Sydney paused but there was no conformation on his behalf. "Vaughn, targets are approaching." She jumped off the stool and made her way to the staircase. The group from the table were already at the top. "Vaughn, they're right by you. Get the shot now!"

Still, there was nothing, and Sydney's heart sank when she saw their targets walk out the door. She dashed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Glancing around, she finally spotted Vaughn slumped at one of the small tables.

"Vaughn," she walked across. "Did you get them?"

He shook his head. "I…didn't…"

"But why…" Sydney trailed off, spotting something behind Vaughn. Suddenly, she understood.

"Coming," Sydney called, as she ran to her front door. Flinging it open, her face broke into a smile. "Hey Weiss."

"You weren't busy, were you?" he asked, stepping inside.

"Nope." She paused, taking in the serious expression on Weiss's face. "What's going on? Is it Vaughn? Is he ok?"

"He's fine," Weiss reassured her. "Physically, anyway."

Sydney frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's to do with Lauren.

"What about her?"

Weiss drew in a deep breath. "She's pregnant, Syd. Somehow the baby survived."

For a second, it felt to Sydney as if the Earth had just shifted under her feet. "She's…"

"I know what you're thinking, Syd. It completely spun me out when Vaughn told me."

"But…is Vaughn the father? Lauren was sleeping with Sark, and he probably wasn't the only one. Maybe he—"

"Vaughn's the father, Syd. He demanded a paternity test. The baby is his."

"Oh my god…" she placed a hand on the kitchen bench, steadying herself. "What the hell is Vaughn going to do?"

"I've got no idea," Weiss shrugged. "And I don't think that he does, either."

Peering over the balcony at the club, Vaughn was more than grateful of the particular style of music. There was no way that he would have been able to handle any pounding dance mixes. The mellow undertones of the jazz suited his mood perfectly.

"Got them," Sydney's voice came across his comms. "Table in the corner to my right."

Vaughn's eyes followed in that direction. There were six men seated around the table, all incredibly engrossed with whatever they were discussing.

"Vaughn. Got all but the two in the grey and the blue. We'll need to get them on their way out. Stand by."

"Got you," Vaughn replied. "Ready and waiting."

Taking a step back from the balcony, he turned slightly, his eyes falling on the entrance/exit of the club. He stiffened slightly when he saw a pregnant woman enter the club, and had to grab onto the rail of the balcony as his stomach rolled threateningly. The same thing happened every time he came across a woman who was expecting a child. It was like a cold shower of reality washing down on him, cruelly reminding him of what his life was about to become.

But, for some reason, this woman was having a greater effect on him. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her blonde hair and…

'That's what she would be looking like now,' a voice taunted Vaughn from the back of his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut. Until this moment, the image of Lauren pregnant had never crossed his mind. In all this time his only focus had been the baby.

Spotting an empty table nearby, Vaughn collapsed into one of the chairs. The floor no longer felt stable under his feet.

"Vaughn, I can't get the shot. It's up to you." Sydney's voice came across Vaughn's comms. He opened his mouth to reply, but found he couldn't. The nauseating rolls of his stomach were much to threatening. "Vaughn, targets are approaching."

The woman walked past Vaughn at that moment, sitting herself at the table behind him. He could hear Sydney's voice in his ear, but did not comprehend it at all.

"Vaughn, they are right by you. Get the shot now!"

'That is what she looks like. You got involved and now look where you've ended up. That is what she looks like- just try and get a good night's sleep now.'

"Vaughn." He looked up to see Sydney approaching his table. "Did you get them?"

He shook his head. "I…didn't…" was all that he could manage to say.

Sydney looked less than impressed. "But why…" she trailed off, glancing over his shoulder. As her frown increased even more, Vaughn realized that she knew exactly what was going on.

Sydney paused at the doorway hesitantly. Vaughn had his back to her, as he shrugged on a jacket, a small overnight bag on the bed before him.

Taking a step forward, Sydney cleared her throat, causing Vaughn to turn around.

"Syd." He smiled at her, but it did not reach his eyes. He walked towards her, wrapping her in his arms, which she allowed. However, when he moved his face closer to hers, Sydney found herself backing away.

"Stop," she said quietly.

"What…" Confusion crossed Vaughn's expression, but then suddenly disappeared. "You know about…"

Sydney nodded. "I do."

"And so what?" Vaughn's voice took on a slight edge. "Because of it, we're done? We don't have a chance?"

"No," Sydney replied. "I just don't think that, considering recent revelations, now is a good time for us to try and start anew."

Vaughn's shoulders slumped. "I can't say I blame you. If I could, I would want to be as far away from this whole…'thing' as I could."

Sydney's brow furrowed slightly. "I never said that, either. Vaughn, there is not a chance that I am going to sit back and watch you go through this alone. I will be here…only, just as a friend."

Sydney was fuming and Vaughn was feeling more than a little uncomfortable on the tip home, a result of the vibes that she was sending in his direction. He knew that it was up to him to ease the tension.

"Syd," he spoke up quietly. "I'm sorry for not getting the images." He waited for a response, but received none. So, he tried a different tact. "On the bright side, at least it wasn't a task of great national security," he said, trying to get a smile from her.

The effect was the direct opposite. Sydney turned to him, eyes flashing. "That's just the thing, Vaughn. We were given a simple task and you couldn't even do that without getting distracted!"

"Sydney, I—"

"No!" she yelled. "I don't want to hear excuses. Think about it. What if things had turned nasty in there? Out in the field I need a partner who has my back!"

"Sydney, you know that I would never endanger you- in the field or out."

"I used to believe that," she replied. "But after tonight…"She paused, chewing her bottom lip. "Vaughn, I told you that I would be your friend in all of this, right?" He nodded. "And being a good friend means that I should be completely honest with you."

"Sydney, where are you going with this?" Vaughn asked.

She drew in a deep breath. "I cannot even begin to fathom what must be going on in your head, but let me be blunt. Vaughn, it is time for you to pull your head out of the sand and start to deal. Now, I don't know how exactly you are supposed to do that, but you are going to have to. There is an innocent baby in this equation, Vaughn. A baby that you played a very big part in creating. You are going to be a father, Vaughn and it's time for you to face up to that fact."

Vaughn's expression had hardened. "You've got no right."

"I am only trying to help."

"Did I ask for your help?" Vaughn asked through gritted teeth. "No, I didn't. So let me be blunt, Sydney. When I want your god damned help, I'll ask for it." With that he stood and moved down several rows behind her.

Sydney slumped back in her seat. 'That's what friends are for,' she couldn't help but think.