Chapter 188: Guy Talk

"The secret to friendship is being a good listener." – Unknown

"Many can argue, not many converse." – A. Bronson Alcott

"Discourse, the sweeter banquet of the mind." – Homer

"The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand." – Frank Herbert


She walked off the bedroom and tentatively opened the door. Vaughn was still sleeping and she was happy to see that he looked peaceful. She sat down on the bed and rested her hand on his chest, waking him like she usually did, "Vaughn…dinner's gonna be ready soon…"

He yawned and slowly opened his eyes, "Hey."

"Hi," she said, leaning down to kiss him. "I'm gonna get some clothes for you, ok?"

He nodded and yawned some more, rubbing the sleep out of his eye.

Sydney came back to him and started to dress him. "Vaughn…"

He looked up at her, "Yeah?"

She looked him in the eyes, "Francie knows…"

He looked up at her confused for a minute, "Ok…"

She searched his eyes, "You ok with that? You're not mad are you?"

"No, it's ok…you need to talk to someone too…does she hate me now?"

Sydney put his shirt on and then bent down and cupped his cheek, "No baby…she understands…"

"It's gonna be awkward now…"

"Maybe a little…but we'll figure it out…ok?"

"Yeah, ok…" he let out a sigh.

She smiled and kissed him before helping him sit back on the bed. She was still fixing his pillows when Donovan came bounding in the room, barking loudly.

"Hey buddy!" Vaughn said cheerfully as the little dog jumped up on the bed and started to lick Vaughn's face. "I missed you too…" he said with a smile, the dog's tail in a frenzy as his master bathed him with attention.

Sydney chuckled and smiled at Will as he came in the room.

"Thanks Will," Vaughn said.

"Sure, he's a great dog."

"Yeah he is…aren't ya?" he asked.

Donovan answered with a resounding bark.

Sydney looked at Will, "I'm gonna go see how Francie's doing on dinner, help out…"

Will nodded, "Ok," he said sitting down in the chair next to the bed. He watched as Vaughn and the dog interacted, "How long have you had him?" he asked.

"A little over five years…"

"How was therapy today?"

Vaughn thought a moment, "Productive?"

Will smiled, "Is that a question?"

"Might be," Vaughn said with a smile.

Will's smile turned mischievous; "Break any chairs today? Cause I had sex in a walk-in freezer," he said proudly.

Vaughn smiled and looked at him, "Good for you…and no, no chairs today."

Will watched Vaughn for a few moments, that wasn't the usual way that their sexual banter went. "You ok?"

Vaughn looked over and sighed, "I might as well just tell you…you'll find out anyway."

"Tell me what?"

"What I did…"

"I'm lost – what did you do?"

"I had a nightmare last night, and–"

"You ok?"

"Yeah…well, not then…but now I'm getting there…"

"Ok…so you had a nightmare…that's what's wrong?"

"No…that's only part of it. When I have a nightmare, usually Sydney helps me by making love to me…so she did…and we were…and I got rough with her…" Vaughn said, looking over at Will.

He looked down and then back at Vaughn, "Is she ok?"

"Yeah, physically…and emotionally…she's getting there…"

"Are you ok?"

Vaughn smiled, "No."

"But…it was because of your nightmare right? I mean – you'd never hurt Sydney intentionally."

Vaughn chuckled, "That's what everyone says…"

"Well, it's true man…I know that – you know it too – so it must have been something else…doesn't sound to me like you had much control over it."

"But don't you see that's why it's so hard for me to accept? I didn't have control…"

Will thought again, "Well…then we have to figure out how you stay in control."

Vaughn smiled, "You should be a shrink…"

"Why?" Will asked.

"Because you sound like Barnett…she gave me a bunch of different ways to do that…I just…" he trailed off.

Will watched him scratch Donovan's ears, "It's killing you that you hurt her and couldn't stop yourself…"

"Yes, exactly…and pretty much just the hurting…"

"Ok, well…if it makes you feel any better…I don't blame you either…I understand…and I also get why you don't wanna let it go…but until you do…I mean, man – it's just gonna make things harder. You had no control – you've got it now…I'd say therein lies your answer."

Vaughn looked over at Will, "You sure you're an analyst?"

"Well – yeah – I just analyzed," he said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, you did…thanks…"

"Anytime…"

Sydney walked in a few seconds later, smiling at the two men. "Dinner's ready…you wanna eat out on the couch Vaughn, or in here."

"I think I'd rather stay in here…if it's ok…"

"Sure baby," Sydney said, "We'll bring it in."

"You need help?" Will asked.

"No, we've got it under control."

Sydney and Francie brought in the dinner a few minutes later, making a few trips for drinks and ketchup. Sydney sat with Vaughn on the bed, sharing a plate and handed him a separate plate of ketchup.

He laughed, "That's what Will did yesterday…"

She smiled, "I saw the bowl."

Will giggled, "I thought it was appropriate – you used most of it too."

"Yes, I did." He smiled and looked at Sydney and then risked a glance at Francie as well. She gave him a short and clipped smile, and then went back to her dinner.

Will noticed the way that Francie regarded Vaughn, "So…what are we gonna do tonight? Movie?"

Vaughn looked over at Will, "If you guys want…"

Will looked over at Francie while Vaughn stole a glance at Sydney. She gave him a reassuring smile and then all eyes were on Francie.

"Uh…yeah, we can watch a movie."

"What movie?" Will asked, looking at Vaughn.

"I don't care."

"Me neither," Sydney said.

Will looked again to Francie. She looked up at him, "It doesn't matter Will."

Will sighed and looked back at the couple on the bed. He gave them a shaky smile and looked down at his plate.

There were several minutes of silence; the only sounds the scraping of forks on plates and quiet masticating.

Vaughn cleared his throat, "Why don't we just all talk about this…since everyone knows…it would probably be less awkward."