P/N: Just to clear thing up. I have permission from the author to post this here. She is aware of what I am doing and is ok with it. I do not take credit for it, and I never have. I just enjoy it to much not toshare it with others.Please Review!

Chapter 39: Pre Check-Up, Part 2

"All thoughts, all passions, all delights,
Whatever stirs the mortal frame,
Are but the ministers of Love,
And feed his sacred flame" – S.T. Coleridge

"Omnia vincit Amor; et nos cedamus Amori." (Love conquers all; let us too yield to Love.) – Virgil

"Thou wert my guide, philosopher, and friend." – Pope, Essay on Man, IV


Sydney made her way back to the kitchen. Will and Francie were still sitting at the dining room table.

Will noticed her first and said, "Hey, everything ok?"

She sat down in the chair next to Will's, "Um, yeah…we talked over some stuff…here's the thing…he's worried that I'm going to resent him and he thinks he's going to drive me to the brink of insanity because I spend so much time with him. I realized when I was setting the table that he can't sit here with us, and really, we don't ever eat together. He always eats in there, and yeah, Francie makes it, and we all might stay in there for a minute, and you guys have been great, Will – helping me get him to the tub and stuff, but I spend time with you guys…he doesn't. He said he doesn't want to intrude because it's the only time I'm not with him. I told the doctor that he'd have a wider support group at home, but I've been really lax making that happen. He said that you wouldn't want to spend a whole meal with me helping him eat and even though I told him that you guys wouldn't care, he–"

Will broke in, "We don't care Syd."

"I know…but I think he's still embarrassed. It's really hard for him, it's hard for me too, and I know I'm putting a lot on you guys by asking you to help take this on. I want him to feel comfortable here, he was getting that way before, but I think he feels like an outsider here, and really, I haven't done a lot to make him not feel that way. I want this to be his home…but I can't do it alone, and neither can he."

Will and Francie looked at each other and Francie said, "We've talked about this before, Will and I. We want to help, that's why I cook and he helps with getting Michael where he needs to go, but I guess we weren't sure how much help to give. We didn't want to make it seem that you guys couldn't handle it. We'd love to do more, we just didn't know how…"

"I guess I've been a little lax in the communication department all around here," Sydney said sheepishly.

Will offered, "We haven't been real forthright either, Syd."

"I'd really like it if we could eat together…"

"Yeah, that'd be great. It's kind of boring sometimes, just the two of us," Francie said and Will nodded.

"I liked having Mike around to talk to – another guy, you know…we could talk about sports and stuff when you girls were talking about something else. I miss that…" Will said honestly and then added; "Maybe we could watch a movie after dinner?"

Sydney sighed, "I think that'd be great. You guys are the best, you know that…I'm glad to hear that…thanks for being so understanding…" She got up and went over to hug her friends. A few tears were shed between the women, but Sydney noticed that Will was a little misty too.

"Oh, I hope dinner's still ok…" Sydney realized suddenly.

"It should be fine, I just left it on warm," Francie reassured her.

"Ok, I'll go tell Vaughn, maybe we could eat in the living room…I'll ask him. Will, you'll help me get him out here, right?"

"Of course," he said.

"Ok…I'll be right back, why don't you guys start loading the plates."

She ran off to the bedroom, hoping Vaughn would be ok with that scenario.

She came in the room, and was worried instantly because Vaughn was once again staring out the window. It was dark out now though and she doubted he could see anything at all.

"Vaughn?" she asked gently.

His gaze turned to her, "Yeah?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm alright…just thinking…"

"About?"

He smiled, "We don't have to talk about it now…later, ok? How'd the talk with Will and Francie go?"

She smiled back, "Are you sure you don't want to talk now?"

"Yes, I'm sure…it'll wait…"

"Ok, the talk went really well. They actually had been thinking the same thing, and they wanted to help more, but didn't know how, or if they should. They didn't want to intrude either. They'd love if we came out and ate with them in the living room. They thought after we could watch a movie or something. Does that sound ok?"

Sydney asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I just don't want them doing it because they think they have to…I mean, they are your friends…I would do stuff before…but…well…you know…I just don't want it to be for the wrong reason…"

"You mean like pity?"

"Yeah, exactly."

Sydney reached out and touched Vaughn's cheek, "Vaughn, that's not why they're doing it…you don't need to be embarrassed or anything…ok?"

"Yeah, ok…"

"Will's going to come in to help us get to the living room…they're glad to do it Vaughn…"

He smiled at her as she moved out of the room.

Will and Francie were busy moving the dinner into the living room, and trying to get everything in place.

"Will?" Sydney asked.

"Yeah? You guys ready?'

"Uh huh…I think the couch would be best…easier for him to lay down…"

"Couch it is," he said happily as he got up to help.

Sydney and Will entered at the same time, Will piped up, "Ready for dinner Mike?"

He looked a slight bit uneasy, but replied, "Yeah."

Sydney and Will took their time easing Vaughn off the bed and walked slowly with him down the hall. His ankle seemed better today, so he didn't hobble as much, but it was slow-going nonetheless. They aided Vaughn in getting settled on the couch. Sydney ran off to get the oxygen and Will helped prop him up with pillows. When Sydney came back, she almost burst out laughing, Will was being such a mother hen, asking Vaughn if he was comfortable, if he needed any more pillows, if he was cold. "Are you sure you're not cold, cause I can get another blanket," Will said.

"No, I'm good Will…thanks…"

Sydney came back and rescued Vaughn. She smiled a thank you at Will, who smiled back, and she sat down on the couch to hook up Vaughn's oxygen. Once that was done, food was carried in, and they all sat around the coffee table. Will and Francie had thoughtfully moved the coffee table closer to the couch, she noted. Sydney was sitting on the end of the couch with Vaughn, and Will and Francie were on the floor, sitting cross-legged, in front of the fire. A small fire was glowing in the fireplace. They had brought a few candles in and the atmosphere was cozy and comfortable. She couldn't have found two better friends.

Sydney thought things couldn't get any better, then Francie said, "We should do this every night…you know Michael, you've been here for days, and we don't really get to see you enough. Syd wants to keep you all to herself, Will and I figured it out."

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah, she's very possessive…but I like it."

Sydney smiled at her friends and her love and gave him a bite of Francie's delicious meal.

They chatted throughout the meal about Francie's restaurant and joked about Will, the duck man, much to his despair. Sydney loved her friends even more as the night went on, they told Vaughn stories about her, some rather embarrassing, but she was rewarded with more smiles and laughs out of Michael Vaughn than she had seen in a long time. When they were done with the meal, Sydney got up to help clear away the dishes.

Will and Francie jumped up and Will said, "NO! No, you guys just relax, we'll take care of this…you guys pick out a movie…"

They raced off with the dishes before Sydney could protest. She looked down at Vaughn who was smiling at her.

"Those were great stories Syd…"

"Yeah," she said blushing, "Well, now you have to tell me a bunch of your really embarrassing moments…"

He looked over to the fire and watched it crackle for a few minutes. Sydney was getting concerned again, "Vaughn, are you ok? Is this ok? It's not too much is it?"

He smiled, "No, it's nice Syd. Will and Francie are great…they're wonderful…just like you."

"The whole staring off thing is kinda starting to worry me, Vaughn."

"Sorry, I'm just thinking…that's all…"

"Good stuff or not good stuff?"

"Both, but currently it's good…we can talk about the bad later…"

"Ok, I'm going to hold you to that…" she leaned down and kissed him. "Ok, what movie should we watch?"

"Something that will keep me awake, cause you know, I have this tendency to drift off…"

She smiled as she made her way over to the shelf, "What genre?"

"I'd love to say comedy, but I think that might hurt too much at this point…how about Action?" he asked with a hint of mischief and adventure in his eye.

"Such a guy," Sydney muttered. She spent a few minutes reading off titles to Vaughn, "How about 'Lord of the Rings?' That's very action-packed, have you seen it?"

"Yeah, but it's like three hours long, I don't think I'm gonna last that long."

"K, let's see…hey…I didn't know we had 'The Others.'" She yelled out to the kitchen, "Which one of you bought 'The Others?'"

Will poked his head out, "That'd be me…it's a great movie! Fran was seriously scared out of her mind. I think she almost peed her pants!" he laughed.

"I did not Will Tippin!" Francie yelled back, "But it was pretty good…great scary movie."

Sydney turned her attention back to Vaughn, "You wanna watch this one?"

"Sure," he said.

"Ok, is it ok with you guys if we watch that one?"

"Sure," they said in unison.

Sydney moved a few of the pillows so she could sneak behind Vaughn on the couch. When Will and Francie came back, Sydney was sitting behind Vaughn, his head was on her shoulder, and they both looked particularly comfortable in that position. Will and Francie smiled and Will turned off a few lights and started the movie. He and Francie sat in a chair adjacent to them.
They watched the movie in relative silence until it started to get suspenseful. Vaughn and Will smiled at each other when the women they were sitting with shrieked at a certain part and Vaughn could feel Sydney's grip on him tighten. This time, however, he knew it wasn't to offer him comfort, but to comfort herself. He smiled because this was really the first time in a while that he felt that Sydney really needed him. It made him remember how it felt to be with her before he needed her so much.

He managed to stay awake through the whole film, but he knew some of it probably had to do with the jumps and starts that Sydney's body would make when she was startled. When it was over, Will helped Sydney get Vaughn back to the bed, and both Will and Francie came in to say goodnight and to thank them for the great evening.

Vaughn was taken aback and said, "I should be thanking you…it was nice to feel normal again," he said as he smiled at the couple.

Will and Francie said their goodnights, and left Sydney and Vaughn alone.