Disclaimer: Nope - don't own a thing, except for the ideas for these little
fanfics that are so deliciously fun to play around with.
Title: Much More to Tell
Summary: Immediately post-"The Telling". Syd and Vaughn go back to Los Angeles and are forced to confront the truth of living their lives with and without each other.
** Please R & R ** I gain momentum and inspiration from any and all opinions.
******
Chapter One: Revelations
For the second time in 48 hours, Sydney Bristow awoke uncertain of her surroundings. She rolled from her back to her side, blinking away remnants of sleep as the room came into focus and memory came sliding back with crushing authority. Sydney audibly moaned.
She sat up slowly, her back stiff and painful from a night spent on a metal slab padded with nothing more than a thin, well-used mattress. Sydney dropped her feet to the tile floor and gingerly stood up. Once upright, she sighed as she caught her reflection on the wall of bulletproof glass before her. The gray sweatpants and matching sweatshirt she wore hung on her slender frame and her hair was dull and uncombed, chestnut strands loose and free from a messy French braid.
Sydney turned away, her eyes darting around the familiar space. The last time she'd been in this cell at the CIA ops center, she had been visiting her good friend Will Tippin. And before that, she'd come here to see her mother. Her mother - what had become of her mother? The questions were relentless, pounding her mind like stormy surf on the ocean shore.
Sydney shuffled silently to the small, stainless steel sink in the corner of the cell and ran some cold water into her hands. She involuntarily gasped as she splashed her face, her pale cheeks immediately coloring a deep pink. Sydney hoped the water would clear her head and sharpen her senses, but one question repeatedly capsized her thoughts and waylaid her emotions: Where had she been and what had she been doing for the past two years?
Between bouts of fitful sleep during the plane ride back to Los Angeles, Sydney had asked this question, each time her shock and confusion deepening. She asked it of herself and of Vaughn, who started out by saying "I don't know" before eventually falling mute and simply shaking his head. He answered nothing and even refused to discuss "that night" with her, telling her plainly that she needed to be debriefed and evaluated before the answers, if any, could be given to her.
Vaughn. His name, just his name, was enough to force Sydney to dunk her head into the sink, her face turned to the faucet, the glacial water pouring over her cheeks and nose. When all at once it became too much, she jerked upright and snapped off the faucet before leaning over the sink, water dripping from her chin. Slowly raising her eyes to the mirror above the basin, Sydney was startled to see a reflection of Will Tippin as he stood behind her at the glass wall, watching her with wide eyes.
They both spoke at once.
"Will-"
"Syd-" Will caught his breath. "Oh my god, Syd, they said you were dead. I thought you were dead!" His voice was loud, echoing his shock and relief.
Sydney rushed to the wall and pressed her hands to it, her fingers splayed as if she were trying to reach right through the glass. Tears mingled on her cheeks with the water that dripped from loose strands of her hair.
"I thought YOU were dead!" Sydney forced the words past the lump in her throat. "Vaughn told me you were okay, but I could hardly believe it, after seeing you in the bathtub," She sobbed. "Oh, Will."
Before Will could speak again, an officer appeared with the secure key card that allowed entry to the cell. Will impatiently waited while the officer swiped it through. The door was barely open before Will pushed his way into the cell and rushed to encircle Sydney in his arms, crushing her to his body.
Sydney fought the urge to wrap her legs around him and never let go. Tears of relief tumbled down her cheeks. Being able to feel Will and smell him and hear his warm voice was nearly overwhelming to her, but she was glad for it. She felt reassured now, the familiarity of her friend grounding her for the first time in two days.
It was wonderful, and yet troubling. There still remained this problem of two missing years.
"That night," Sydney managed when Will finally released her. "I saw you in the bathtub and I - I just-" Unable to go on, Sydney turned away, biting her lip.
Will gently took her hand. "I was alive, barely," He replied, his voice low. "Allison couldn't bring herself to finish me off. Apparently she had grown fond of me," Will chuckled ruefully. "But I've had two years to get past that. Although I don't think I'll ever get past-" He stopped short, mute with emotion.
"Francie," Sydney whispered, turning back to meet Will's eyes. He nodded silently, his brow furrowed in pain. "I know," She said. "I've only had 48 hours to try to process it, and I - I can't." Sydney reached up to wipe away fresh tears. "I can't figure any of it out. I don't know anything."
"I want to ask you so many things," Will blurted desperately. "I want to know where you were and what you were doing and why you didn't contact us. Everyone thought you were dead, even Vaughn," He withdrew his hand as Sydney visibly winced. "He held out the longest, Syd, if that means anything."
"How long?" She asked bitterly, her voice hard. "It's not even been two years and he's married? How does that happen?"
"I was convinced, in my heart, that if you were still alive you'd find a way to contact me," A quiet, firm voice sounded from behind Will and Sydney and they turned, startled by Vaughn's presence. He looked imploringly at Will.
"I can take a hint," Will said with a small smile. "Syd," He turned back to her and embraced her once more. "I'll be back. We'll talk more."
"I'd like that," Sydney told him, squeezing his hand. She gently kissed his cheek and then watched him leave, sidestepping Vaughn on his way out.
Vaughn took a couple of tentative steps into the cell and stopped, sliding his hands into the pockets of his navy blue suit. He looked remarkably well for having been on a late flight from Hong Kong; Sydney noticed this immediately, her dark eyes searching his emotionless face.
Uncomfortable under her gaze, Vaughn nervously withdrew a hand from his pocket and stroked his tie before he finally spoke.
"How did you sleep?"
"Apparently not as well as you," Sydney answered too quickly. Aware that she sounded flippant, she struggled to recover. "You must be used to those late night flights."
"More than you know," Vaughn replied, his eyes on the floor. He raised his head just in time to catch Sydney trying to better her appearance as she raked her fingers through her tousled hair. "I'm sorry about the lack of facilities," Vaughn said, nodding towards the small sink. "I'll try to get you moved to a safe house with a shower and more comfortable sleeping arrangements."
Sydney bit her lip in a futile attempt to hold back tears. "Thank you," She breathed, sniffing quietly. She fidgeted with the hem of her sweatshirt, twisting it between her fingers as tears slipped down her cheeks. "Why can't I just go home?"
Vaughn took a deep breath, his brow furrowed as he searched for a delicate answer.
"You don't have a home anymore, Syd," He told her, watching helplessly as the words struck her like blows and caused her to sink down onto the cot in the corner of the room. "After Francie- well, after she-"
"Died," Sydney whispered, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Yeah," He nodded. "Will moved out. Your things were put into storage - we didn't know what else to do with them."
Vaughn quietly walked over to the small metal desk and pulled out the chair. After he was seated, he looked up at Sydney once again, watching as she struggled to control her emotions. Deciding it was best to be as professional as possible, Vaughn launched into an explanation of the meetings and tests she could expect throughout the day.
"You'll be meeting with Dr. Barnett at one," He told her. "And then with a couple of impartial CIA investigators, Agent Barnes and Agent Miller. I've met them both, I think you'll be comfortable with them."
"You won't be there?" Sydney asked suddenly.
"No," He replied. "The idea is for you to be interviewed by agents who don't know you personally, so they can be as objective as possible."
"You're not impartial," Sydney nodded as she stated the obvious.
"Right," Vaughn said, his voice dropping. "I'm not."
There was an tense silence before Vaughn cleared his throat.
"Dr. Barnett mentioned that hypnotic regression might be helpful," He said, studying Sydney's face carefully. "Since you can't remember."
Sydney met his eyes, unsure of what she'd heard. She hoped she had imagined the trace of disbelief in his voice. "Will you be there for that?" She asked, pushing back a rush of doubt.
"No. We think it's best that I stay as removed from the process as possible- "
"Who's 'we'? Kendall?" Sydney interrupted, anger flashing in her dark eyes. "Do you agree?"
Vaughn took his time before answering, gathering his thoughts carefully. "I can make sure that Will is there, if you'd like," He said, avoiding Sydney's eyes. "If it would make you more comfortab-"
"Is it Alice?" Sydney blurted, the force of her words causing Vaughn to wince.
"Who?"
Sydney drew back slightly, her voice dropping, her face crumbling. "Your wife."
Vaughn exhaled loudly, dropping his chin to his chest and studying the simple gold band on his left hand.
"She was there for me," He said slowly, quietly. "You were missing. We thought you were dead. I was - I was crushed," He met Sydney's eyes as tears once again dampened her cheeks. "I needed someone to comfort me and I called her, and, well," Vaughn squeezed his eyes shut, fighting his own conflicting emotions. "Syd," He breathed. "I thought you were dead."
"What about now?" Sydney couldn't stop herself from leaning forward and clutching Vaughn's hands. "Now that you know I'm not?"
"You've been gone two years!" Vaughn jerked back too quickly, letting a sudden flash of anger get the best of him. He got to his feet and turned away from Sydney, staring sullenly at the glass wall.
Sydney stood up slowly as her mind interpreted his anger and used it to fuel her own. "You feel betrayed," She surmised, taking a step towards him. "You want to know where I've been and who I've been with. Well, you know what? So do I, because I DON'T REMEMBER!" She shouted those last words, her frustration punctuated by her clenched fists.
Vaughn turned back to her, watching her carefully, prepared for anything. He hadn't expected her to raise her voice like this; it wasn't like her. But then again, he reasoned to himself, it wasn't like her to just disappear without a trace, only to resurface with no memory of ever having been gone.
"I know this isn't easy," Vaughn said evenly, his voice soothing. "I have no idea how I'd react if I was being told the things you are, if I had to try to figure out what happened to 24 months of my life."
"It's not easy, you're right," Sydney nodded, crossing her arms over her chest, hugging herself tightly. "It's excruciatingly difficult, Michael."
Upon hearing her speak his name, Vaughn's heart leapt into his throat and unexpected tears burned the back of his eyes. He blinked hard, looking away from her.
"People around you have moved on," He murmured. "That must be hard to understand."
"Impossible," Sydney pursed her lips as her chin quivered, a sob lodged in her throat. She swallowed it, forcing the tears from her eyes instead, watching as Vaughn's image warped and blurred. Finding her voice, she came to Vaughn's side. "For me it's only been hours since you dropped me off in front of my apartment and told me you'd be back to take me to Santa Barbara. My memory only recalls the feelings I had for you at that moment, the kiss you gave me before we parted."
"Syd, don't," Vaughn turned his back to her, unwilling to let her see how her words affected him.
"I can't just turn it off, Vaughn. Even if I wanted to," Sydney sniffed. "All I can recall is that one minute we're together and we're happy and the next I wake up and, well," She paused and reached out to him, letting her fingers trail down his back. "I don't remember not loving you."
Vaughn closed his eyes for a moment, old feelings ebbing through him, his heart and mind locked in an age-old struggle. He knew Sydney's feelings; they were similar to ones he had muddled through when she had first disappeared, back at a time when he had been convinced they'd still end up together.
He shuddered to think how time, and circumstance, had changed absolutely everything.
Vaughn gently turned back to face Sydney, his voice low. "Syd, she's pregnant."
Sydney inhaled sharply, a flicker of pain darkening her eyes. "Oh," was all she managed before the full weight of her heart being torn in two propelled her away from him. She sank onto the metal desk chair, facing away from Vaughn, her face in her hands.
"Syd-"
"Just go," Sydney requested in a muffled voice. "Please."
Vaughn sighed and hung his head, turning in the doorway on his way out, his hand on the doorframe. "If you need anything," He said helplessly. When there was no response, Vaughn simply walked away, his heart considerably heavier than it had been when he'd arrived.
Minutes passed in silence as Sydney pulled her hands inside the sleeves of her sweatshirt, her fingers aching with cold. It seemed an eternity before she heard footsteps again and Will's cheerful voice punctured her solitude.
"Great news, Syd," He poked his head into the doorway of the cell. "I got security clearance to take you home with me. You'll get a chance to take a shower and freshen up," Will paused, expecting a reaction and getting none. "Syd?" He walked over to the cot and sat down facing her.
She was crying, large tears spilling over and splashing the front of her sweatshirt. "Will," She moaned, pitching forward into his arms, grateful that he readily accepted her and held her tightly.
"Oh, Syd," Will stroked her back, his fingers trailing over the end of her braid. "I'm so sorry for all of this," He said tenderly.
"I can't wrap my head around it," Sydney groaned, pulling back suddenly and looking at Will with sodden eyes. "I'm a smart girl, Will, but I just can't grasp this one. It doesn't make any sense. How can a person go missing for two years and not remember it?"
Will shook his head, momentarily speechless. The answer to that eluded them all, even the most logical of the CIA's thinkers, many of whom had spent most of the night trying to understand what Agent Bristow had been through. Will had been one of them; as a senior analyst he had been assigned to research the location where Sydney "woke up". So far he had uncovered nothing that indicated how she had come to be there, or why.
"C'mon, Syd," Will grabbed Sydney's hand and stood up, pulling her to her feet as well. "Let's go to my apartment. You can get a hot shower and a hot meal and then be ready to face Dr. Barnett. I'll come back with you, if you want, for the hypnosis."
Sydney sniffed and tried to smile despite the tears. "Thanks, Will."
Will and Sydney made their way out of the cell and walked side by side down the wide, tiled corridor leading to ops center. When they came close to Sydney's old workstation, she couldn't help but stare at the agent who sat there, oblivious to Sydney's presence or the pained expression on her face.
Sydney paused for a moment, lightly tapping Will's arm. He stood quietly as she gazed at the desk she had once occupied, a time to her that felt like nothing more than a couple of days ago. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught of glimpse of Vaughn as he stood in the center of the room talking quietly with an agent Sydney did not recognize.
Vaughn glanced up suddenly, meeting Sydney's eyes. She smiled weakly, and he returned it, the grin on his lips a betrayal of the sadness in his eyes.
An agent nearby suddenly perked up, calling out in Vaughn's direction. "Hey, Mikey, your wife is on the phone." Vaughn looked at Sydney a moment longer before dropping his eyes and picking up a nearby receiver as the agent shouted out the extension number.
Sydney turned back to Will, unwilling to overhear Vaughn use terms of endearment he'd once spoken to her, sweet words that still echoed in her mind from their last night together.
As Will lightly rested a hand on her shoulder to guide her toward the door, Sydney gave in to her bewilderment as she felt exhaustion seeping into her bones. Everything in the past two days had been unexpected; she'd been blindsided with truths that she could not comprehend. But nothing had surprised her more than what she had just found out: how stunningly easy she was to replace.
****** A/N: Thanks for indulging me. Please take a minute to review me, if the spirit moves you.
Title: Much More to Tell
Summary: Immediately post-"The Telling". Syd and Vaughn go back to Los Angeles and are forced to confront the truth of living their lives with and without each other.
** Please R & R ** I gain momentum and inspiration from any and all opinions.
******
Chapter One: Revelations
For the second time in 48 hours, Sydney Bristow awoke uncertain of her surroundings. She rolled from her back to her side, blinking away remnants of sleep as the room came into focus and memory came sliding back with crushing authority. Sydney audibly moaned.
She sat up slowly, her back stiff and painful from a night spent on a metal slab padded with nothing more than a thin, well-used mattress. Sydney dropped her feet to the tile floor and gingerly stood up. Once upright, she sighed as she caught her reflection on the wall of bulletproof glass before her. The gray sweatpants and matching sweatshirt she wore hung on her slender frame and her hair was dull and uncombed, chestnut strands loose and free from a messy French braid.
Sydney turned away, her eyes darting around the familiar space. The last time she'd been in this cell at the CIA ops center, she had been visiting her good friend Will Tippin. And before that, she'd come here to see her mother. Her mother - what had become of her mother? The questions were relentless, pounding her mind like stormy surf on the ocean shore.
Sydney shuffled silently to the small, stainless steel sink in the corner of the cell and ran some cold water into her hands. She involuntarily gasped as she splashed her face, her pale cheeks immediately coloring a deep pink. Sydney hoped the water would clear her head and sharpen her senses, but one question repeatedly capsized her thoughts and waylaid her emotions: Where had she been and what had she been doing for the past two years?
Between bouts of fitful sleep during the plane ride back to Los Angeles, Sydney had asked this question, each time her shock and confusion deepening. She asked it of herself and of Vaughn, who started out by saying "I don't know" before eventually falling mute and simply shaking his head. He answered nothing and even refused to discuss "that night" with her, telling her plainly that she needed to be debriefed and evaluated before the answers, if any, could be given to her.
Vaughn. His name, just his name, was enough to force Sydney to dunk her head into the sink, her face turned to the faucet, the glacial water pouring over her cheeks and nose. When all at once it became too much, she jerked upright and snapped off the faucet before leaning over the sink, water dripping from her chin. Slowly raising her eyes to the mirror above the basin, Sydney was startled to see a reflection of Will Tippin as he stood behind her at the glass wall, watching her with wide eyes.
They both spoke at once.
"Will-"
"Syd-" Will caught his breath. "Oh my god, Syd, they said you were dead. I thought you were dead!" His voice was loud, echoing his shock and relief.
Sydney rushed to the wall and pressed her hands to it, her fingers splayed as if she were trying to reach right through the glass. Tears mingled on her cheeks with the water that dripped from loose strands of her hair.
"I thought YOU were dead!" Sydney forced the words past the lump in her throat. "Vaughn told me you were okay, but I could hardly believe it, after seeing you in the bathtub," She sobbed. "Oh, Will."
Before Will could speak again, an officer appeared with the secure key card that allowed entry to the cell. Will impatiently waited while the officer swiped it through. The door was barely open before Will pushed his way into the cell and rushed to encircle Sydney in his arms, crushing her to his body.
Sydney fought the urge to wrap her legs around him and never let go. Tears of relief tumbled down her cheeks. Being able to feel Will and smell him and hear his warm voice was nearly overwhelming to her, but she was glad for it. She felt reassured now, the familiarity of her friend grounding her for the first time in two days.
It was wonderful, and yet troubling. There still remained this problem of two missing years.
"That night," Sydney managed when Will finally released her. "I saw you in the bathtub and I - I just-" Unable to go on, Sydney turned away, biting her lip.
Will gently took her hand. "I was alive, barely," He replied, his voice low. "Allison couldn't bring herself to finish me off. Apparently she had grown fond of me," Will chuckled ruefully. "But I've had two years to get past that. Although I don't think I'll ever get past-" He stopped short, mute with emotion.
"Francie," Sydney whispered, turning back to meet Will's eyes. He nodded silently, his brow furrowed in pain. "I know," She said. "I've only had 48 hours to try to process it, and I - I can't." Sydney reached up to wipe away fresh tears. "I can't figure any of it out. I don't know anything."
"I want to ask you so many things," Will blurted desperately. "I want to know where you were and what you were doing and why you didn't contact us. Everyone thought you were dead, even Vaughn," He withdrew his hand as Sydney visibly winced. "He held out the longest, Syd, if that means anything."
"How long?" She asked bitterly, her voice hard. "It's not even been two years and he's married? How does that happen?"
"I was convinced, in my heart, that if you were still alive you'd find a way to contact me," A quiet, firm voice sounded from behind Will and Sydney and they turned, startled by Vaughn's presence. He looked imploringly at Will.
"I can take a hint," Will said with a small smile. "Syd," He turned back to her and embraced her once more. "I'll be back. We'll talk more."
"I'd like that," Sydney told him, squeezing his hand. She gently kissed his cheek and then watched him leave, sidestepping Vaughn on his way out.
Vaughn took a couple of tentative steps into the cell and stopped, sliding his hands into the pockets of his navy blue suit. He looked remarkably well for having been on a late flight from Hong Kong; Sydney noticed this immediately, her dark eyes searching his emotionless face.
Uncomfortable under her gaze, Vaughn nervously withdrew a hand from his pocket and stroked his tie before he finally spoke.
"How did you sleep?"
"Apparently not as well as you," Sydney answered too quickly. Aware that she sounded flippant, she struggled to recover. "You must be used to those late night flights."
"More than you know," Vaughn replied, his eyes on the floor. He raised his head just in time to catch Sydney trying to better her appearance as she raked her fingers through her tousled hair. "I'm sorry about the lack of facilities," Vaughn said, nodding towards the small sink. "I'll try to get you moved to a safe house with a shower and more comfortable sleeping arrangements."
Sydney bit her lip in a futile attempt to hold back tears. "Thank you," She breathed, sniffing quietly. She fidgeted with the hem of her sweatshirt, twisting it between her fingers as tears slipped down her cheeks. "Why can't I just go home?"
Vaughn took a deep breath, his brow furrowed as he searched for a delicate answer.
"You don't have a home anymore, Syd," He told her, watching helplessly as the words struck her like blows and caused her to sink down onto the cot in the corner of the room. "After Francie- well, after she-"
"Died," Sydney whispered, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Yeah," He nodded. "Will moved out. Your things were put into storage - we didn't know what else to do with them."
Vaughn quietly walked over to the small metal desk and pulled out the chair. After he was seated, he looked up at Sydney once again, watching as she struggled to control her emotions. Deciding it was best to be as professional as possible, Vaughn launched into an explanation of the meetings and tests she could expect throughout the day.
"You'll be meeting with Dr. Barnett at one," He told her. "And then with a couple of impartial CIA investigators, Agent Barnes and Agent Miller. I've met them both, I think you'll be comfortable with them."
"You won't be there?" Sydney asked suddenly.
"No," He replied. "The idea is for you to be interviewed by agents who don't know you personally, so they can be as objective as possible."
"You're not impartial," Sydney nodded as she stated the obvious.
"Right," Vaughn said, his voice dropping. "I'm not."
There was an tense silence before Vaughn cleared his throat.
"Dr. Barnett mentioned that hypnotic regression might be helpful," He said, studying Sydney's face carefully. "Since you can't remember."
Sydney met his eyes, unsure of what she'd heard. She hoped she had imagined the trace of disbelief in his voice. "Will you be there for that?" She asked, pushing back a rush of doubt.
"No. We think it's best that I stay as removed from the process as possible- "
"Who's 'we'? Kendall?" Sydney interrupted, anger flashing in her dark eyes. "Do you agree?"
Vaughn took his time before answering, gathering his thoughts carefully. "I can make sure that Will is there, if you'd like," He said, avoiding Sydney's eyes. "If it would make you more comfortab-"
"Is it Alice?" Sydney blurted, the force of her words causing Vaughn to wince.
"Who?"
Sydney drew back slightly, her voice dropping, her face crumbling. "Your wife."
Vaughn exhaled loudly, dropping his chin to his chest and studying the simple gold band on his left hand.
"She was there for me," He said slowly, quietly. "You were missing. We thought you were dead. I was - I was crushed," He met Sydney's eyes as tears once again dampened her cheeks. "I needed someone to comfort me and I called her, and, well," Vaughn squeezed his eyes shut, fighting his own conflicting emotions. "Syd," He breathed. "I thought you were dead."
"What about now?" Sydney couldn't stop herself from leaning forward and clutching Vaughn's hands. "Now that you know I'm not?"
"You've been gone two years!" Vaughn jerked back too quickly, letting a sudden flash of anger get the best of him. He got to his feet and turned away from Sydney, staring sullenly at the glass wall.
Sydney stood up slowly as her mind interpreted his anger and used it to fuel her own. "You feel betrayed," She surmised, taking a step towards him. "You want to know where I've been and who I've been with. Well, you know what? So do I, because I DON'T REMEMBER!" She shouted those last words, her frustration punctuated by her clenched fists.
Vaughn turned back to her, watching her carefully, prepared for anything. He hadn't expected her to raise her voice like this; it wasn't like her. But then again, he reasoned to himself, it wasn't like her to just disappear without a trace, only to resurface with no memory of ever having been gone.
"I know this isn't easy," Vaughn said evenly, his voice soothing. "I have no idea how I'd react if I was being told the things you are, if I had to try to figure out what happened to 24 months of my life."
"It's not easy, you're right," Sydney nodded, crossing her arms over her chest, hugging herself tightly. "It's excruciatingly difficult, Michael."
Upon hearing her speak his name, Vaughn's heart leapt into his throat and unexpected tears burned the back of his eyes. He blinked hard, looking away from her.
"People around you have moved on," He murmured. "That must be hard to understand."
"Impossible," Sydney pursed her lips as her chin quivered, a sob lodged in her throat. She swallowed it, forcing the tears from her eyes instead, watching as Vaughn's image warped and blurred. Finding her voice, she came to Vaughn's side. "For me it's only been hours since you dropped me off in front of my apartment and told me you'd be back to take me to Santa Barbara. My memory only recalls the feelings I had for you at that moment, the kiss you gave me before we parted."
"Syd, don't," Vaughn turned his back to her, unwilling to let her see how her words affected him.
"I can't just turn it off, Vaughn. Even if I wanted to," Sydney sniffed. "All I can recall is that one minute we're together and we're happy and the next I wake up and, well," She paused and reached out to him, letting her fingers trail down his back. "I don't remember not loving you."
Vaughn closed his eyes for a moment, old feelings ebbing through him, his heart and mind locked in an age-old struggle. He knew Sydney's feelings; they were similar to ones he had muddled through when she had first disappeared, back at a time when he had been convinced they'd still end up together.
He shuddered to think how time, and circumstance, had changed absolutely everything.
Vaughn gently turned back to face Sydney, his voice low. "Syd, she's pregnant."
Sydney inhaled sharply, a flicker of pain darkening her eyes. "Oh," was all she managed before the full weight of her heart being torn in two propelled her away from him. She sank onto the metal desk chair, facing away from Vaughn, her face in her hands.
"Syd-"
"Just go," Sydney requested in a muffled voice. "Please."
Vaughn sighed and hung his head, turning in the doorway on his way out, his hand on the doorframe. "If you need anything," He said helplessly. When there was no response, Vaughn simply walked away, his heart considerably heavier than it had been when he'd arrived.
Minutes passed in silence as Sydney pulled her hands inside the sleeves of her sweatshirt, her fingers aching with cold. It seemed an eternity before she heard footsteps again and Will's cheerful voice punctured her solitude.
"Great news, Syd," He poked his head into the doorway of the cell. "I got security clearance to take you home with me. You'll get a chance to take a shower and freshen up," Will paused, expecting a reaction and getting none. "Syd?" He walked over to the cot and sat down facing her.
She was crying, large tears spilling over and splashing the front of her sweatshirt. "Will," She moaned, pitching forward into his arms, grateful that he readily accepted her and held her tightly.
"Oh, Syd," Will stroked her back, his fingers trailing over the end of her braid. "I'm so sorry for all of this," He said tenderly.
"I can't wrap my head around it," Sydney groaned, pulling back suddenly and looking at Will with sodden eyes. "I'm a smart girl, Will, but I just can't grasp this one. It doesn't make any sense. How can a person go missing for two years and not remember it?"
Will shook his head, momentarily speechless. The answer to that eluded them all, even the most logical of the CIA's thinkers, many of whom had spent most of the night trying to understand what Agent Bristow had been through. Will had been one of them; as a senior analyst he had been assigned to research the location where Sydney "woke up". So far he had uncovered nothing that indicated how she had come to be there, or why.
"C'mon, Syd," Will grabbed Sydney's hand and stood up, pulling her to her feet as well. "Let's go to my apartment. You can get a hot shower and a hot meal and then be ready to face Dr. Barnett. I'll come back with you, if you want, for the hypnosis."
Sydney sniffed and tried to smile despite the tears. "Thanks, Will."
Will and Sydney made their way out of the cell and walked side by side down the wide, tiled corridor leading to ops center. When they came close to Sydney's old workstation, she couldn't help but stare at the agent who sat there, oblivious to Sydney's presence or the pained expression on her face.
Sydney paused for a moment, lightly tapping Will's arm. He stood quietly as she gazed at the desk she had once occupied, a time to her that felt like nothing more than a couple of days ago. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught of glimpse of Vaughn as he stood in the center of the room talking quietly with an agent Sydney did not recognize.
Vaughn glanced up suddenly, meeting Sydney's eyes. She smiled weakly, and he returned it, the grin on his lips a betrayal of the sadness in his eyes.
An agent nearby suddenly perked up, calling out in Vaughn's direction. "Hey, Mikey, your wife is on the phone." Vaughn looked at Sydney a moment longer before dropping his eyes and picking up a nearby receiver as the agent shouted out the extension number.
Sydney turned back to Will, unwilling to overhear Vaughn use terms of endearment he'd once spoken to her, sweet words that still echoed in her mind from their last night together.
As Will lightly rested a hand on her shoulder to guide her toward the door, Sydney gave in to her bewilderment as she felt exhaustion seeping into her bones. Everything in the past two days had been unexpected; she'd been blindsided with truths that she could not comprehend. But nothing had surprised her more than what she had just found out: how stunningly easy she was to replace.
****** A/N: Thanks for indulging me. Please take a minute to review me, if the spirit moves you.