Thank you all so much for your feedback. I hope that you all had a fantastic Christmas...and Happy New Year!

For those of you who asked questions about Lauren, sorry but my lips are sealed...and I'll apologise for the end of this chapter now :)

agent belle: Yes, I have a name for the baby (I actually decided on it before writing this fic).

Natalie: The baby's name will be revealed in the next few chapters.

Chapter Eight:
Affinity and Promise

Sydney scrutinized him for a second. There was something slightly off with his tone of voice. "Well, unless I'm being presumptuous, I thought that I might stay again tonight."

Vaughn blinked. "Really. "It was hard to keep the relief out of his voice.

"Yeah. Nobody should be expected to do this alone. Even with all your extra dramas aside."

Vaughn tried hard to smile. "Thank you."

"Ah," Sydney waved a hand. "You don't have to thank me. I have an ulterior motive."

"You do?"

"Uh huh," Sydney smiled. "I want another night on that couch- it really is comfortable."

Vaughn could only shake his head. "I don't know where I would be right now without you."

"Probably cowering in a corner having succumbed to a nervous breakdown," Sydney quipped. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go brush my teeth."

As she walked off, Vaughn made his way to his bedroom, his thoughts a jumbled mess.

'Probably cowering in a corner…'

He shuddered at Sydney's words. She didn't know just how right she was.

The shrill sound of crying wrenched Sydney from her sleep. Slightly disorientated, it took her several seconds to realize exactly where she was.

About to get up, Sydney stopped when she heard footsteps heading out of Vaughn's room and into the nursery. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to feel a little relief. Even though she had not voiced it to him, Vaughn's behaviour towards his daughter the night before had worried her. It appeared that just the idea of picking up the baby absolutely terrified him.

But now, with the knowledge that he was up and tending to her, Sydney was free to go back to sleep.

However, ten minutes later she was still wide-awake the baby's cries were only getting louder. Groaning, Sydney threw off her blanket and made her way into the nursery.

"Vaughn," she said, rubbing her eyes. "Is everything ok?"

He looked up. The way he was holding the baby, Sydney didn't think that she had ever seen him so awkward. "No," he said, shaking his head. "She doesn't need changing, she won't take a bottle…what else am I supposed to do to stop this- this noise?!"

Sydney yawned. "Maybe she just wants to be held- securely," she added not so subtly. It suddenly occurred to her that Vaughn had mentioned nothing of a name for the baby. But, she also realized that now was probably not the best time to raise that issue.

"What?" Vaughn said. "I am holding her."

"Yeah, like you would a sack of potatoes," Sydney replied, though not unkindly. "Here," she stepped across, taking the baby from his arms. "Like this…I think," she frowned as the baby's cries continued. "Ssh…ssh…" she tried soothingly.

Slowly, the tears started to ebb and Sydney looked up to speak to Vaughn, but found him gone from the room. Any relief she felt earlier dissipated- along with the baby's cries.

"Ah, there we go," Sydney whispered. "Things are kind of tough at the moment, aren't they?" She paused, looking at the baby, unable to deny the affinity that she felt towards her. "You know, you and I have one pretty unfortunate thing in common…our mother's. It's not the best way to start off, I know. And your dad is not exactly helping, but he's had a lot thrown at him these past months. Just give him some time and he'll be able to come to terms. And then he'll start to make it up to you, I promise."

Sydney stopped at that point. She had never intentionally made a promise that she could not keep- ever. And yet, the one she had just make, well, she was not at all confident about its outcome.

It was something that she definitely had no control over.

Sydney's concern over Vaughn's attitude towards his daughter continued to worsen as the day went on. While he would, though reluctantly, feed and change her, when it came to actually just holding her, he backed off completely. Sydney soon came to realize that the look that crossed his face at the prospect held so much more than anxiety or fear.

It also occurred to Sydney that maybe her presence was a hindrance as well as a help. Being there meant that Vaughn had an excuse to back off. Maybe, if she were gone, then he would have to step up. And so she made the decision not to stay there that night. She just had to wait for the right time to tell Vaughn.

"Vaughn," Sydney said, approaching him early afternoon.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going into Operations- I need to finish up a couple of reports. Do you want me to bring back something for dinner?"

"Yeah, that would be great."

"Ok then…oh, and Vaughn?" She paused as he looked at her questioningly. "I was thinking that I should head back home tonight."

"What?"

"Yeah. You and your daughter need a chance to bond without me getting in the way," Sydney said, grabbing her keys and heading towards the door, not giving Vaughn a chance to contradict her. "I'll see you later. Bye."

Sydney had barely settled at her desk when both Weiss and Nadia appeared at her side.

"Syd," he said. "How's he doing?"

Sydney sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I thought ok, but now…I'm worried."

Weiss leaned against the desk. "How bad is it?"

Sydney shrugged. "I honestly don't know. He's detaching. I'm just hoping that leaving him alone might help."

"Detaching?" Nadia asked. "So has Vaughn had nothing to do with the baby?"

"Kind of," Sydney replied. "He'll feed and change her, but just spending time with her or holding her or anything that would result in bonding is just not happening."

"Lauren," Weiss murmured. "You don't think that it's the thought of Lauren making him act like this?"

"The thought has crossed my mind," Sydney admitted. "And if it's the case, then he shouldn't be the one raising this child."

Sydney's heart sank as she pushed open Vaughn's front door. As the loud crying reached her ears, she could not help but wonder just how long they had been going on for. They sounded louder, more intense somehow.

"Vaughn?" Sydney stopped dead in her tracks. He was standing, his hands on the kitchen bench, and his eyes shut. "What are you doing?"

"I am just trying to build myself up…" he muttered. "So I can walk into that room."

Sydney took a step towards him. "Why would you need to build yourself up?" she asked gently.

"I…can't," his reply was barely audible. "I just can't."

"You can't what?"

"I can't look at her without seeing…" he trailed off, running a hand through his hair. "I just wanted my life to be void of her, but now…"

A slow anger was starting to boil inside Sydney. "But now?"

Vaughn looked up at her. "She is a part of Lauren. A part that will be in my life forever. I thought that maybe I could—"

"Stop," Sydney let out, her voice forcibly restrained. "I don't need to hear anymore." With that she turned and walked into the nursery. Before she had even picked up the crying baby, she had already made up her mind.

The cries stoped almost as soon as she was in Sydney's arms- she obviously just wanted to be held and there was not a chance that she would get that from Vaughn. Grabbing a handful of nappies, Sydney shoved them into her bag and then gently strapped Vaughn's daughter into her capsule.

Bag over her shoulder and capsule in hand, Sydney marched towards the fridge to claim the bottles of formula that had already been made up.

When Vaughn saw her, his jaw dropped. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I am taking her home with me tonight," Sydney replied, determinedly.

"But you can't…why?" he spluttered.

"You honestly think that I would leave her alone with you, after what you just said?"

"Sydney, you have no right—"

"I may not, but this little girl certainly does," Sydney shot back. "And she deserves so much more than what she is getting. Do not punish her- she had absolutely no say in who her mother was. Not one."

"Sydney—"

"No, please listen to me. Before she was even born she had lost the chance of having a mother who would love her unconditionally, who would be there no matter what."

It was only then that Vaughn realized the similarities that existed between Sydney and his daughter. Similarities that made Sydney's words all the more personal, confronting and harder to hear.

"No mother," Sydney continued, "and now, by you acting the way you are, you are taking away her chance at a father also. How much is this little girl supposed to lose? She deserves to be loved, no matter who her mother is. And if you can't give her that, then it's time for you to let someone who can give her what she needs."

Without waiting for a reply, Sydney turned and headed towards the door. However, before opening it, she stopped and looked back at Vaughn.

"I suggest that you spend tonight seriously considering your options," she said quietly. "No one will judge you, no matter what you choose. But it's time that you made a decision- for this little girl's sake."

Before climbing into her car, Sydney pulled out her mobile, and pressed one of the speed dials.

"Hello?"

"Nadia, it's me. Could you do me a favour?"

"That all depends on the favour," he sister replied jokingly.

"Do you know the McLachlan's?"

"Yeah," Nadia said slowly. "They're the family a couple of houses down on the left, right?"

"That's them. Could you go and ask them if they still have Charlie's old cot, and if so, could I borrow it for tonight."

"Ok…why?"

"Because we've got a house guest for tonight."

Sydney had barely been gone a minute when Vaughn's phone rang. Still stunned by Sydney's confrontation, he reached across for it, and answered, somewhat absentmindedly. "Hello."

"Agent Vaughn?"

He froze, knowing the voice on the other end too well for his own liking. "Yes," he replied dully.

"This is Dr Emery. I'm calling about Ms. Reed…"

A/N: Just a note to let you know that there is only two more chapters in this fic...