Scarlet Crystal
Bibbity Rabbity
The One I Love
by Me
Rating: PG
Genre: Angst, Romance
Disclaimer: to JJ, yes yes.
Summary: Sydney and Vaughn finally reunite fully after Sydney gets a few things off her chest. Post Season 3.
THE ONE I LOVE
Vaughn pushed his way through the crowd, wanting to break into a run but not having room. Sydney could be yards ahead of him, and he wouldn’t be able to get to her. He frowned as a woman slowed and nearly stopped walking in front of him. “Move, woman! Excuse me…” she stepped aside, making a haughty noise and clutching her purse. She muttered something about young people always in a hurry. Vaughn nodded and rushed onward.
He felt angry with himself. Sydney had told him that he’d messed up, that he hadn’t waited. Even though he’d thought she’d been won over after he shot Lauren, apparently she’d had some sort of revelation. All Vaughn knew was that he was desperate to get to her and tell her how much he loved her. That was all he had. He sighed as he forced his way past two kids clinging to their mother. That morning, Vaughn had gone to her house, bringing flowers. Sydney had opened the door, eyes puffy and red. Vaughn thought maybe she was depressed.
“I brought you flowers,” he’d said quietly, unsure of how to react. Her face had gone rigid, and she’d slammed the door in his face. Vaughn was so surprised, it took him a while before he knocked again. This time, Sydney didn’t open the door.
“Go away,” she’d yelled from inside.
“Sydney, please, just let me in,” Vaughn had begged. She’d considered, and then given in. The door swung open. She didn’t invite him into the living room to sit. Instead, she’d shoved the door shut once he’d stepped inside. “What’s wrong?” he’d asked, trying to be comforting. She glared at him.
“Well, I’ve been thinking. About us,” Sydney had said, staring him down. “I’ve thought about what I’ve been through. How hard I tried to get you. The bad decisions that I made.” Vaughn didn’t understand.
“What do you mean?” he’d said, confused, but slightly annoyed that she wasn’t getting straight to the point.
“Vaughn, I’ve been through hell!” she’d exclaimed, angry that he hadn’t figured it out. “While you’ve been fooling around with Lauren, with me, I’ve been clinging to you because I thought I needed you. I’ve been struggling every day just to keep going. Do you remember the time that we were in Korea, and almost died? You kissed me, and I didn’t care because I thought we were about to die anyway. And you know what the worst part was? I thought we had gotten somewhere. Then, we get out alive, and go home. And what do you do? You go straight to that crazed wife of yours, and leave me in the dust. I don’t know how you didn’t manage to figure this out Vaughn, but you can’t have two people at once. I don’t know why I stuck with the hope that you’d leave Lauren for me. I realize now that you were just happy that way. More for you, right? Well, what about me? And… and what about Lauren, for God’s sake? For all I know, you could have driven her to what she did. It’s just… just too much! And now that I think about it, I shouldn’t have held on to you. I should have let you go when I first got my memory back. I should have let you go when Lauren was dead. I’m sorry now that it took me so long, but Vaughn, I’m ready to let you go.” Silence had followed her angry speech. A lone tear streaked down her face.
“Sydney…” Vaughn had said, hurt.
“Get out, Vaughn.”
“Just let me say-“
“Get out!”
“No, Sydney, just one thing!” Vaughn had reached for her. Seeing no other option, Sydney had run out the door, headed for the busy street a few blocks away.
Vaughn pushed a man aside, thinking that he should have stopped her during her speech.
Meanwhile, Sydney was a few yards ahead of him, making her way away from him. Her breath came in gasps as she pushed people aside. Seeing a corner coming up, Sydney moved to the right, then turned out of the stream of people on the sidewalk. Once she was around the corner, she leaned back against the wall, panting. Why couldn’t she shake him off? She knew why. It was because he was a spy, too, and trained almost as well as she was. Closing her eyes for a moment, she didn’t see Vaughn turn the corner. He reached for her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Sydney’s eyes snapped open. She glared at him. “Why are you following me? Why are you making it harder for me than it already is?” she said loudly. This only seemed to urge him on.
“So it is hard for you, then? It’s hard to let me go?” Vaughn looked too hopeful. Sydney hardened. She didn’t need this.
“Back off,” she hissed, throwing his hand off of her. He got that hurt look in her eyes that was so hard to resist.
“Please, Sydney,” he said forcefully. Sydney turned to face him head to head.
“What is there to talk about, Vaughn? You screwed up! You tried to do something that no sane woman would have fallen for. Oh, but luckily for you, I wasn’t in a perfect state. I was vulnerable. You took advantage of me, is what it comes down to. I don’t even want to hear your excuses. They don’t mean anything to me. I’ll leave the CIA, Vaughn, if that's what it takes to make you leave me alone.” With this threat, she turned and began walking away. Vaughn didn’t follow. After a few steps, when Sydney realized that she was alone, she turned. She’d expected him to come after her.
“Maybe you’re right,” he said hoarsely. She nodded, her throat suddenly closing. She had thought he might resist more. He looked at her once, a slow, mournful gaze, before turning his back.
“Wait!” she cried out before he could take three steps away from her. He turned, carefully, measuring the damage that had been done. With a strangled sob,
Sydney launched herself into Vaughn’s arms. Wrapping them around her, he held her against his chest, willing her to never let go. Feeling her shaking, he buried his face in her hair. “It was a mistake,” she whispered, still holding him.
“I know.”
“I just wanted to- to make you sorry for what you did. I’m so, so sorry…”
“I forgive you.”
“I would have gone crazy without you.”
“I messed up, it’s all my fault-“
“No, Vaughn, I’ve been too hard on you. I never meant any of it!”
“It’s okay, Sydney, all that matters is that we’re together now…” He stepped back, took her hand and looked deep into her eyes. She smiled at him. At last, they were past their problems. They loved each other, and they knew it. There was only one thing left in the way…
“Sydney… one thing. What happened after I shot Lauren? 1062? Where did you go?”
Sydney looked at him, then realized that if they were going to be together, they might as well be honest. “I found out about a Project, called SAB 47. I was a project! And my father oversaw it…” Vaughn took one look at the wounded look on her face and pulled her into a second hug.
“If you want, we can both leave the CIA. We could forget about all of this!” he exclaimed. Sydney shook her head.
“With Sloane on the loose? And Nadia is missing!”
Vaughn knew she was right. “Then we’ll track them down. Together.” Sydney grinned, looking more like her old self than she had in a the past few days.
“I love you, Michael,” she said softly. Vaughn was surprised, but happy, because she had called him by his first name.
“I love you, too, Sydney,” he replied. He kissed her cheek gently. Sydney looked at him, then raised her eyebrows innocently.
“So… how about that trip to Santa Barbara?”
THE END
Song is “The One I Love” by R.E.M.
by Me
Rating: PG
Genre: Angst, Romance
Disclaimer: to JJ, yes yes.
Summary: Sydney and Vaughn finally reunite fully after Sydney gets a few things off her chest. Post Season 3.
THE ONE I LOVE
Vaughn pushed his way through the crowd, wanting to break into a run but not having room. Sydney could be yards ahead of him, and he wouldn’t be able to get to her. He frowned as a woman slowed and nearly stopped walking in front of him. “Move, woman! Excuse me…” she stepped aside, making a haughty noise and clutching her purse. She muttered something about young people always in a hurry. Vaughn nodded and rushed onward.
He felt angry with himself. Sydney had told him that he’d messed up, that he hadn’t waited. Even though he’d thought she’d been won over after he shot Lauren, apparently she’d had some sort of revelation. All Vaughn knew was that he was desperate to get to her and tell her how much he loved her. That was all he had. He sighed as he forced his way past two kids clinging to their mother. That morning, Vaughn had gone to her house, bringing flowers. Sydney had opened the door, eyes puffy and red. Vaughn thought maybe she was depressed.
“I brought you flowers,” he’d said quietly, unsure of how to react. Her face had gone rigid, and she’d slammed the door in his face. Vaughn was so surprised, it took him a while before he knocked again. This time, Sydney didn’t open the door.
“Go away,” she’d yelled from inside.
“Sydney, please, just let me in,” Vaughn had begged. She’d considered, and then given in. The door swung open. She didn’t invite him into the living room to sit. Instead, she’d shoved the door shut once he’d stepped inside. “What’s wrong?” he’d asked, trying to be comforting. She glared at him.
“Well, I’ve been thinking. About us,” Sydney had said, staring him down. “I’ve thought about what I’ve been through. How hard I tried to get you. The bad decisions that I made.” Vaughn didn’t understand.
“What do you mean?” he’d said, confused, but slightly annoyed that she wasn’t getting straight to the point.
“Vaughn, I’ve been through hell!” she’d exclaimed, angry that he hadn’t figured it out. “While you’ve been fooling around with Lauren, with me, I’ve been clinging to you because I thought I needed you. I’ve been struggling every day just to keep going. Do you remember the time that we were in Korea, and almost died? You kissed me, and I didn’t care because I thought we were about to die anyway. And you know what the worst part was? I thought we had gotten somewhere. Then, we get out alive, and go home. And what do you do? You go straight to that crazed wife of yours, and leave me in the dust. I don’t know how you didn’t manage to figure this out Vaughn, but you can’t have two people at once. I don’t know why I stuck with the hope that you’d leave Lauren for me. I realize now that you were just happy that way. More for you, right? Well, what about me? And… and what about Lauren, for God’s sake? For all I know, you could have driven her to what she did. It’s just… just too much! And now that I think about it, I shouldn’t have held on to you. I should have let you go when I first got my memory back. I should have let you go when Lauren was dead. I’m sorry now that it took me so long, but Vaughn, I’m ready to let you go.” Silence had followed her angry speech. A lone tear streaked down her face.
“Sydney…” Vaughn had said, hurt.
“Get out, Vaughn.”
“Just let me say-“
“Get out!”
“No, Sydney, just one thing!” Vaughn had reached for her. Seeing no other option, Sydney had run out the door, headed for the busy street a few blocks away.
Vaughn pushed a man aside, thinking that he should have stopped her during her speech.
Meanwhile, Sydney was a few yards ahead of him, making her way away from him. Her breath came in gasps as she pushed people aside. Seeing a corner coming up, Sydney moved to the right, then turned out of the stream of people on the sidewalk. Once she was around the corner, she leaned back against the wall, panting. Why couldn’t she shake him off? She knew why. It was because he was a spy, too, and trained almost as well as she was. Closing her eyes for a moment, she didn’t see Vaughn turn the corner. He reached for her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Sydney’s eyes snapped open. She glared at him. “Why are you following me? Why are you making it harder for me than it already is?” she said loudly. This only seemed to urge him on.
“So it is hard for you, then? It’s hard to let me go?” Vaughn looked too hopeful. Sydney hardened. She didn’t need this.
“Back off,” she hissed, throwing his hand off of her. He got that hurt look in her eyes that was so hard to resist.
“Please, Sydney,” he said forcefully. Sydney turned to face him head to head.
“What is there to talk about, Vaughn? You screwed up! You tried to do something that no sane woman would have fallen for. Oh, but luckily for you, I wasn’t in a perfect state. I was vulnerable. You took advantage of me, is what it comes down to. I don’t even want to hear your excuses. They don’t mean anything to me. I’ll leave the CIA, Vaughn, if that's what it takes to make you leave me alone.” With this threat, she turned and began walking away. Vaughn didn’t follow. After a few steps, when Sydney realized that she was alone, she turned. She’d expected him to come after her.
“Maybe you’re right,” he said hoarsely. She nodded, her throat suddenly closing. She had thought he might resist more. He looked at her once, a slow, mournful gaze, before turning his back.
“Wait!” she cried out before he could take three steps away from her. He turned, carefully, measuring the damage that had been done. With a strangled sob,
Sydney launched herself into Vaughn’s arms. Wrapping them around her, he held her against his chest, willing her to never let go. Feeling her shaking, he buried his face in her hair. “It was a mistake,” she whispered, still holding him.
“I know.”
“I just wanted to- to make you sorry for what you did. I’m so, so sorry…”
“I forgive you.”
“I would have gone crazy without you.”
“I messed up, it’s all my fault-“
“No, Vaughn, I’ve been too hard on you. I never meant any of it!”
“It’s okay, Sydney, all that matters is that we’re together now…” He stepped back, took her hand and looked deep into her eyes. She smiled at him. At last, they were past their problems. They loved each other, and they knew it. There was only one thing left in the way…
“Sydney… one thing. What happened after I shot Lauren? 1062? Where did you go?”
Sydney looked at him, then realized that if they were going to be together, they might as well be honest. “I found out about a Project, called SAB 47. I was a project! And my father oversaw it…” Vaughn took one look at the wounded look on her face and pulled her into a second hug.
“If you want, we can both leave the CIA. We could forget about all of this!” he exclaimed. Sydney shook her head.
“With Sloane on the loose? And Nadia is missing!”
Vaughn knew she was right. “Then we’ll track them down. Together.” Sydney grinned, looking more like her old self than she had in a the past few days.
“I love you, Michael,” she said softly. Vaughn was surprised, but happy, because she had called him by his first name.
“I love you, too, Sydney,” he replied. He kissed her cheek gently. Sydney looked at him, then raised her eyebrows innocently.
“So… how about that trip to Santa Barbara?”
THE END
Song is “The One I Love” by R.E.M.
heh thanks... i just thought i'd throw some rocks at vaughn for once :sly: