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Chapter 6
«Wow, that was some great dinner. Excellent recipe. Tell your mother.», complimented Sydney as she sank into the couch.
Vaughn sat down next to her, patting his belly, which made Sydney smile.
«Yes, that was good. I’m just glad it turned out okay, I have not made this in ages.»
Sydney’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe him.
«Really? You’re kidding me!»
Vaughn shook his head.
«No, I’m not. My ex-girlfriend was a vegetarian, and we were together seven years, so…»
«Seven years! Wow.»
Vaughn was curious to know more about Sydney, so he took a chance and asked her a personal question, hoping she wouldn’t get too mad.
«How long was your longest relationship?»
Danny. Sydney looked down. For a moment, it was obvious to Vaughn that she was struggling as whether she would answer his question or not. Just as he was about to tell her to forget it, she answered, so low he almost didn’t hear her:
«Two years.»
«You pretty girls are so picky…», he tried to joke, but he immediately realised that that was the wrong tactic. She was serious. He felt she somehow wanted to open up to him.
«Seriously, was went wrong?» he said softly, seeing the pain in her eyes.
Her hands were resting on her lap and she looked intently at them.
«He was killed.»
He was ready for many answers, but not this one. Not really knowing how to react, he reached for her hand and squeezed it. She didn’t pull it away.
«I’m so sorry, Sydney…»
She shook her head.
«It’s okay. It happened five years ago, but so much has happened since then… It seems like a lifetime ago.»
Vaughn didn’t say a thing, waiting to see if she would elaborate. But she continued with a question for him.
«What happened between you and your girlfriend?»
Vaughn let go of her hand and settled back into the couch. For a few seconds he looked straight in front of him, trying to figure out how to answer her question. Finally, he explained:
«I don’t really know. I guess we just grew apart. A few years ago we actually broke up, but a couple of months later we saw each other at friends and… we decided to give it another try. Of course we ended up falling into the same patterns we previously had. I thought of breaking up again, but then her father died… Next thing I knew I was well into my thirties, living with a woman I didn’t love anymore and who didn’t love me either.»
He ran a hand into his tousled hair, lost in his memories.
«That’s sad…»
«Yeah. Now I’m just not sure a thing such as love exists. Maybe we just invented this concept to make us believe we didn’t have to spend our lives alone.»
Sydney nodded, fully understanding what he meant.
«Seems like we both have lost our illusions. When I was a growing up, coming from a very… messed up family, all I wanted was to meet my soul mate, have a nice house and raise a few kids… I wanted to be a teacher… I can’t believe how off target I am…», she sighed.
«It’s not too late, Sydney. If that’s really what you want… »
«Yes, it is too late. I have got too many scars… I’ve seen too much.»
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Her life would forever be as it was right now, full of pain and disillusions. She would forever be lonely. She was convinced of it.
In other circumstances she wouldn’t have even came close to crying. In the last few years she had become a master in compartmentalizing her emotions. But tonight, alone in this house with this man who seemed to care so much, with this man who she never was going to see again, she broke down. The tears began to fall. Seeing that, Vaughn’s heart sank. To see a woman that strong collapse like this…
«Come here…»
He opened his arms and immediately she fell into them. Tightly wrapped in his arms, she let go. She cried freely for a while, just enjoying the feeling of security he gave her.
«Ssshh, Syd, it’s going to be okay… You just have to believe…», he tried to comfort her, gently stroking her hair.
She slowly raised her head to look at him and all of a sudden she felt overwhelmed. She needed him. She needed to draw some strength from him before they split forever. Switching her brain off, not wanting to think, she allowed herself just to feel. And right now, she needed to feel him as close as possible.
At this exact moment, their faces were only an inch apart; their breaths had become one. Sydney closed her eyes and leaned in, capturing his lips. Vaughn was surprised but didn’t resist. The kiss was slow at first but quickly grew in intensity, their tongues getting in action.
When they had no other choice but to come up for air, Vaughn pulled back a little and whispered, breathless:
«Syd, I’m not sure…», he began, but his eyes were full of desire for her.
Sydney put a finger on his lips.
«Please, just kiss me, okay? I really need this right now…»
The thing was that Vaughn needed it too and soon they were in their own little world, Sydney straddling his lap, Vaughn holding her by the waist, his fingers sneaking under her top.
She tugged on his t-shirt, desperate to touch his skin. He broke their kiss, his green eyes locked into hers, silently asking if she was sure she wanted to go down that path. The way she kissed him again answered his question and soon his t-shirt was lying on the floor, joined shortly after by her own tank top.
Their hands running everywhere, their lips hardly ever parting, they got up and made their way to the bedroom, where they fell on one of the beds. They were moving along quickly, in desperate need of one another.
Until they finally collapsed into each other’s arms, exhausted, no words were exchanged. Only their eyes, only their bodies spoke, but they understood each other perfectly.
Tonight they needed each other.
Tomorrow would have to wait.
*****
Later, Sydney sound asleep in his arms, Vaughn was thinking back on the last hours. Never in a million years, meeting Sydney Bristow, he would have thought that less than forty-eight hours later they would be in that position. Carefully turning his head to see her better, he still couldn’t believe it. She was so beautiful, so incredible…
The time they had spent together had been amazing. Both of them were badly in need of something and being with each other helped to fill the void that was inside them.
Vaughn sighed, gently stoking her hair, thinking how after their lovemaking she had naturally just cuddled in his arms, her breathing gradually slowing down.
«Syd…», he had begun, wanting to tell her just how good he felt at that moment. He had stopped, not sure where he wanted to take things between them, and most of all afraid to scare Sydney away.
She had sensed he wanted to say something serious and had cut him off, tightening her arm around his well-built chest.
«Just hold me, okay? We still have a couple of hours before going back to real life...», she had pleaded.
Understanding what she meant, he had kissed her sweetly on the forehead and replied:
«Okay… Sleep tight, Sydney.»
«You too, Vaughn.»
*****