A/N: This is set before Full Disclosure, so no one knows that Lauren's the mole... yet. Please review and enjoy.
Wearying Thoughts
“All right, I won’t wait up then… I love you too. Bye.”
Vaughn sighed as he hung up the phone. Lauren wouldn’t be getting back from her conference in D.C. until late that night, so he would be going to bed alone. Again.
It seemed that ever since Sydney had returned from the dead, he and Lauren had hardly spent any time together outside of work. Not to mention that things had been tense between them anyway with Sydney back in Vaughn’s life. Vaughn was internally torn between the two women, but of course he stayed faithful to his marriage. However, he couldn’t help the fact that he still had feelings for Sydney, feelings so deep that he started having dreams about her – dreams that he hadn’t had since he had started seeing Lauren. It was plainly evident to Lauren that Vaughn’s mind was constantly on Sydney, and she tried to be fair and respect that they had a history together. Of course, she worried about that history overtaking the present. So, she tried to make the most of the time that she spent with Vaughn, at least when work didn’t get in the way, which wasn’t often. However, during the times that she was with him alone, she felt awkward and angry that she had to stoop to competing with another woman for attention from her own husband.
Alone for the night, Vaughn decided to just relax and catch a hockey game. He turned on the TV, but he soon found that his mind was wandering. His life had never been simple once Sydney had entered the picture – having to allay her distrust of him when they first met, getting to know each other solely through covert meetings, developing a love for each other that neither could outwardly recognize without serious repercussions, that love being set free, but their moments constantly interrupted by their jobs, and finally a supposed death severing their connection. But even all of that paled in comparison to the situation now. Sydney had returned to life like a phoenix out of ashes only to find the man she loved married to someone else. And admittedly, no matter his current marital status, he still loved her too. Talk about complicated.
Despite everything Vaughn had – and lost – with Sydney, he had found love again with Lauren. When he felt like he was dying from grief, she appeared and brought him back to life. She gave his world hope and meaning again. She helped him cope with the pain of his loss and gave him something to fill the hole left in his heart – her unconditional love. However, he had occasionally found himself comparing what he had in his relationship with Lauren to his thoughts of what he would be having if Sydney were still alive. The two were extremely different, there was no question about that. While early in their relationship, he and Sydney had to mask their feelings for each other, he and Lauren had always been open, making things go a lot smoother. However, the enormous amount of tension between him and Sydney had caused its resolution to be that much greater, something that he missed in his relationship with Lauren. He had subconsciously tried to decide which relationship he would rather be in, but he had failed, most likely because in reality, he hadn’t wanted to decide. Sydney was dead, and thinking about what could have or should have been would only serve to torture him. But he still loved her too much. He had been willing to go through the pain of thinking of what he could have had to fulfill his heart’s desire.
And now, with Sydney back again, the question was coming up more frequently. But, even with the difficulties he and Lauren were having, he wouldn’t just up and leave her without a second thought.
Vaughn finally shook his head to clear his thoughts. He sighed helplessly. He couldn’t keep doing this to himself. It was late, and he was tired from all of his thinking, so he decided to go to bed.
He was awakened a few hours later by the sound of the phone. It took him several moments to fumble for it in the dark.
“Hello?” he asked groggily.
“Mr. Vaughn, this is Officer Nielson. I’m sorry to inform you that your wife was in a car accident. She’s at the hospital.”
“Oh my god! I’ll be right there.”
He hurriedly got dressed and quickly made his way to the hospital.
He was informed that Lauren was still in the ER and was directed to her room.
Just as he was about to enter, a doctor came out and addressed him.
“Mr. Vaughn?”
“Yes. How is she?” he asked hurriedly.
The doctor spoke softly. “Mr. Vaughn… She suffered severe head trauma. We did all that we could for her, but I’m afraid she died. I’m so sorry.” He patted Vaughn’s shoulder in brief comfort and then took his leave.
Vaughn stood there in complete shock.
Lauren was dead.
TBC
Wearying Thoughts
“All right, I won’t wait up then… I love you too. Bye.”
Vaughn sighed as he hung up the phone. Lauren wouldn’t be getting back from her conference in D.C. until late that night, so he would be going to bed alone. Again.
It seemed that ever since Sydney had returned from the dead, he and Lauren had hardly spent any time together outside of work. Not to mention that things had been tense between them anyway with Sydney back in Vaughn’s life. Vaughn was internally torn between the two women, but of course he stayed faithful to his marriage. However, he couldn’t help the fact that he still had feelings for Sydney, feelings so deep that he started having dreams about her – dreams that he hadn’t had since he had started seeing Lauren. It was plainly evident to Lauren that Vaughn’s mind was constantly on Sydney, and she tried to be fair and respect that they had a history together. Of course, she worried about that history overtaking the present. So, she tried to make the most of the time that she spent with Vaughn, at least when work didn’t get in the way, which wasn’t often. However, during the times that she was with him alone, she felt awkward and angry that she had to stoop to competing with another woman for attention from her own husband.
Alone for the night, Vaughn decided to just relax and catch a hockey game. He turned on the TV, but he soon found that his mind was wandering. His life had never been simple once Sydney had entered the picture – having to allay her distrust of him when they first met, getting to know each other solely through covert meetings, developing a love for each other that neither could outwardly recognize without serious repercussions, that love being set free, but their moments constantly interrupted by their jobs, and finally a supposed death severing their connection. But even all of that paled in comparison to the situation now. Sydney had returned to life like a phoenix out of ashes only to find the man she loved married to someone else. And admittedly, no matter his current marital status, he still loved her too. Talk about complicated.
Despite everything Vaughn had – and lost – with Sydney, he had found love again with Lauren. When he felt like he was dying from grief, she appeared and brought him back to life. She gave his world hope and meaning again. She helped him cope with the pain of his loss and gave him something to fill the hole left in his heart – her unconditional love. However, he had occasionally found himself comparing what he had in his relationship with Lauren to his thoughts of what he would be having if Sydney were still alive. The two were extremely different, there was no question about that. While early in their relationship, he and Sydney had to mask their feelings for each other, he and Lauren had always been open, making things go a lot smoother. However, the enormous amount of tension between him and Sydney had caused its resolution to be that much greater, something that he missed in his relationship with Lauren. He had subconsciously tried to decide which relationship he would rather be in, but he had failed, most likely because in reality, he hadn’t wanted to decide. Sydney was dead, and thinking about what could have or should have been would only serve to torture him. But he still loved her too much. He had been willing to go through the pain of thinking of what he could have had to fulfill his heart’s desire.
And now, with Sydney back again, the question was coming up more frequently. But, even with the difficulties he and Lauren were having, he wouldn’t just up and leave her without a second thought.
Vaughn finally shook his head to clear his thoughts. He sighed helplessly. He couldn’t keep doing this to himself. It was late, and he was tired from all of his thinking, so he decided to go to bed.
He was awakened a few hours later by the sound of the phone. It took him several moments to fumble for it in the dark.
“Hello?” he asked groggily.
“Mr. Vaughn, this is Officer Nielson. I’m sorry to inform you that your wife was in a car accident. She’s at the hospital.”
“Oh my god! I’ll be right there.”
He hurriedly got dressed and quickly made his way to the hospital.
He was informed that Lauren was still in the ER and was directed to her room.
Just as he was about to enter, a doctor came out and addressed him.
“Mr. Vaughn?”
“Yes. How is she?” he asked hurriedly.
The doctor spoke softly. “Mr. Vaughn… She suffered severe head trauma. We did all that we could for her, but I’m afraid she died. I’m so sorry.” He patted Vaughn’s shoulder in brief comfort and then took his leave.
Vaughn stood there in complete shock.
Lauren was dead.
TBC
thanks