Chapter 67: Bonding
"Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities." – William Bridges
"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance." – Bruce Barton
"They deem me mad because I will not sell my days for gold; And I deem them mad because they think my days have a price." – Kahlil Gibran
Sydney left for parts un-yet-known, leaving Vaughn and his mother. They had decided they should move him back inside before Sydney left though, in case of, say, rain. So, the two moved Vaughn to the couch. Sydney took Donovan for a short walk and then left.
Once Sydney was once again in her car, she had a strange feeling. Vaughn was completely fine in his mother's care, but she felt strange about leaving him, just as she had last time.
She started the car and sat in the driveway.
"Well, here I sit," she said out loud, "where should I go?"
She pondered options for a few minutes and then decided on the gym. She took one last glance at the house, put the car in reverse, and pulled out of the driveway.
Vaughn heard the car start and pull out of the driveway. He looked over to his mother who was sitting across from him.
"So what are we gonna do now?" he asked.
She smiled, "What do Sydney and you do when you're out here?"
He replied with a guilty grin.
"That's not what I meant Michael!" she looked at him disapprovingly.
She shook her head, "Well…let's talk then…"
Vaughn looked at her warily, "What do you want to talk about?" he asked guardedly.
"How did you get kidnapped?"
He winced, he'd been waiting for that, knew it was coming, "It was actually pretty silly," he began, "I left for work before Sydney and I went to get coffee…"
Flashback
Vaughn popped his head into the room, leaning in the doorway, "Syd? I'm gonna stop for coffee before I go in to work. You wanna come or you want me to bring you something?"
Sydney smiled as she moved to the doorway. She reached out her hand and played with the buttons on his light blue oxford shirt.
"No, I'm good…I don't need eight cups before I'm awake," she chided.
He smiled, "Well, maybe if I got more sleep during the nights I spend here, I'd be more rested and then I wouldn't need the eight cups. But until that happens…" he trailed off.
"Don't plan on that happening ANY time soon," she assured him.
She moved her hands to the tips of his collar.
"What tie are you wearing?"
"Why?"
"I wanna tie it…"
He smiled again and moved out of the doorway. He came back with a navy blue tie with a cerulean checkered pattern on it.
"Ooo! Good choice!" She jumped childishly as she grabbed the material and turned his collar up. She could see the tip of his white undershirt as she was getting ready to button the last couple buttons on his shirt.
"You know that drives me insane," she smiled evilly, "You have no idea the affect you have…"
"I do…but all of that because of a shirt and tie?"
"No silly, the shirt and tie are bad enough, but when you have that undershirt peeking out at me on top of that…God if you put on your holster, I'd be a goner!"
He smiled and kissed her forcefully. Just when she was about to rip the shirt off of him, he pushed her away gently and moved out of the doorway. She let out an unsatisfied moan and he chuckled as he heard her from down the hall. He came back a few seconds later with his hands behind his back.
She looked at the childish look on his face, "Whatcha got there?" she asked with an equally innocent tone.
He raised an eyebrow, "What do you think it is?"
She tried to look deep in thought, "Hmm…"
He smiled, "Why don't I give you a hint?"
"Ok" she smiled naively.
He moved out of her line of sight and she was tempted to move to look but she forced herself to keep up the game. She could here some light rustling and then she saw his hand emerge. He moved it slowly, and soon an arm appeared as well. Her slow smile turned into a huge grin when she realized he was going to make her wait until he was good and ready to show her the "surprise."
The other hand shot out into her line of view, followed by the rest of that arm. She was giddy with excitement and after a few more minutes of teasing, she couldn't wait any more.
She grabbed onto his hands and pulled him back into the room. He laughed when he saw the desire in her eyes. What wasn't funny was that his eyes shared the same desire.
"No fair, you cheated…too impatient…"
She could tell though by the matching look in his eyes that he was just as turned on as she was.
"You're wearing your holster…" she stated as her hands moved up to trace the leather now partially covering his shoulders. The tie was still loosely hanging around his upturned collar.
She smiled and reached out to tie the tie. He smiled his acceptance and lifted his chin so she could have enough room to work.
Once she had finished tying the tie, she turned the collar down again and adjusted the knot so it was in the middle of his shirt. Then she traced the tie down the front of his shirt. Where the tie ended was dangerously close to the top of his pants. He closed his eyes and she smiled; the game was started again, but this time, she was playing.
She traced the top of his pants around the front and then stopped. His eyes opened and he looked down at her. His eyes were hazy and filled with desire for her.
She moved her hands to the sides of the holster and traced the top before working her fingers underneath the straps and pulling on them until his lips met hers. She kissed him passionately, her tongue tracing his bottom lip and his teeth. He moaned into her mouth as his semi-erect penis connected with her center through the fabric of their clothes.
"Sydney," he gasped between kisses.
She continued the kissing for a few more minutes and then pushed him back gently as he had done to her before. He looked at her confused.
"Well…you need coffee and I need to finish getting ready, so I'll see you at work." She smiled letting go of the holster and smoothing his shirt. She leaned up, kissed his cheek, and positively skipped out of the room.
He stood in the doorway, mouth open, in confusion and utter unsatisfaction.
"Aw, come on!" he exclaimed and he heard her laugh from the bathroom. He took a moment to compose himself…and settle down…leaning his head on the door jam. He smiled as he finally felt composed enough to move; she'd won that round. He grabbed his keys and wallet from the table, grabbed his suit jacket from the back of the chair, and went into the bathroom.
She smiled when she saw his reflection in the mirror.
He smiled in answer and she saw and felt him wrap her in his arms from behind. He kissed her neck before saying into her ear, "You'll pay for that later…"
She turned in his embrace, "I hope so…wear that tonight," she said fingering the holster.
"I will," he said, "See you later."
She smiled, they kissed and then he was gone.
Sydney mused, they were getting to be really domestic…she sighed and went back to getting ready, waiting in anticipation of that night.
If she'd only known that would be the last she'd see of Vaughn for almost three weeks, she would have played the game very differently.
Vaughn got in the car in a very cheery mood. Although he and Sydney hadn't been able to consummate their teasing this morning, he smiled evilly when he anticipated the goings-on of the evening ahead. He wished he could wake up that way every morning, although possibly with more of the consummating. Now all he had to do was make it through the day…
When he arrived at the coffee house, he put on his suit jacket, concealing his holster and weapon, and bounced into the establishment.
He ordered, got his coffee and was out the door again in under five minutes. He wasn't particularly attentive to his surroundings; chalk it up to his relationship bliss, but he wasn't in Taipei after all, and there weren't any hostiles that he had to worry about, so he didn't think he was in any danger.
However, it seemed today was going to be the day that coffee turned dangerous. He was rounding the corner of the alleyway alongside the coffee shop where he parked the car when he saw the first man, standing next to his car.
He was about to say something but was blindsided by a second man that seemingly came out of nowhere. Vaughn put up a valiant effort, but the two assailants plus two more that came out of hiding proved too much for him. He was knocked unconscious and shoved into another waiting car shortly after the coffee had landed and spilled all over the ground.
The car sat motionless, partially hidden by the alley, doors unlocked.
Michael Vaughn was missing…but no one knew it yet.
His last though before unconsciousness overtook him was of Sydney. He wished they'd stopped teasing earlier…
End Flashback
