Title: Welcome to Normal: Part 5

Author: Steph ([email protected])

Category: Romance/Humor

Pairings: Syd/Vaughn, Vaughn/Weiss friendship

Spoilers: "The Frame", "Unveiled", "Hourglass"

Rating: PG (with a strong PG-13 for an upcoming chapter)

Archive: Sure, just let me know where.

Disclaimer: Alias and its characters do not belong to me. I do this out of

a love for the show and no infringement is intended.

Summary: Vaughn gets a taste of the normal life he craves.

Note: Hey guys! Thanks for the great feedback as usual!   So, this is it, the last part.  I'm kind of sad to see my first real multi-part story to end!  It's been really fun to write.  This last part, of course, is longer and different than it originally was.  I feel like I should put out a fanfic version of a DVD commentary about how this fic has changed since I originally declared it "done"!   (BTW, the majority of your favorite parts, things you mentioned or quoted, were not in the original.  And many of mine weren't either.  Go figure! ) Couple of things:

-I really hope you guys aren't disappointed with how this ends. Like I said, I wasn't trying to come up with a creative explanation for what happened to Vaughn.  You all probably guessed it or considered it a possibility.   That wasn't important to this story.  The important part is what this ends up meaning for him.  This story, more than anything, was about hope.  So, with that said, I hope you'll enjoy how it ends.

-Also, for the purposes of this story, Lauren has not found out about Vaughn knowing the truth about her yet. 

-I confess that I may do another multi-part story.   Nothing's definite, but I have a very sketchy idea for one in my head.  It may turn into nothing, but we'll see.   It'll be exact opposite of this one though.  We're talking dripping with angst and sadness.    

Okay, well, that's about it. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy it and please let me know what you thought one last time!  ~Steph

* * * * Welcome to Normal: Part 5/5 * * * *

       Sydney and Vaughn made a valiant effort to clean up the kitchen before their guests arrived, but it was in vain.  Their family and friends arrived as expected - except instead of being treated to a barbecue, they were asked to join in the pre-barbecue fun of cleaning the kitchen.  

       Marshall, Mitchell, Carrie, Dixon, Jack and Weiss came armed with mops.  The cleaning, which normally would have been a tedious task, instead turned into an activity filled with laughter. 

       Jack glanced at Dixon.  "Apparently, he didn't turn the water off first."

       Dixon grinned.  "There's a reason he didn't start out as a field agent."

       Jack chuckled, having grown a tad softer with age and grandchildren, and continued to mop.  His movement, however, was soon hindered by his grandchildren, who had grabbed onto each of his legs like koala bears. 

       He smiled down at them.  "Hello, you two.  Are you helping Grandpa?"

       They both nodded and then proceeded to get into a fight about who was holding on tighter.  

       Weiss had been left in charge of the water-vac when Syd and Vaughn went to start preparing the food for the eventual barbecue.  This, of course, was a lapse in judgment on their part. 

       He entertained the children by placing the hose in his mouth and inflating his cheeks like a blowfish.   He then attached it to the top of his head and pulled back, leaving him looking like a young Albert Einstein.  Billy and Lindsay laughed so hard they nearly lost their grip on their grandfather.

       Weiss soon grew bored and hungry though.  He dropped the water-vac and spoke to the other guests.  "What's wrong with this picture?  Why are we, the guests, cleaning, while our hosts are not?  I say we revolt.  Who's with me?!"

       His fellow guests ignored him, so he wandered over to Sydney and Vaughn. 

       "You guys really know how to throw a party.  What's next?  We clean your bathrooms and paint the house, after which we can receive a morsel of food?" He paused and then added, "Plus, haven't I done enough for one day?  I helped fix the sink. Well...tried to fix the sink."

      Sydney threw him a look. "Silly Putty?"

       Weiss pointed at Billy. "Hey, that was his idea."

       "You're blaming a four-year old?" Sydney asked with a shake of her head.

       Weiss shrugged.  "If I'm going down, I'm taking him with me."

       Sydney and Vaughn laughed, as Weiss came over to examine the food they were preparing.  He looked at the uncooked hot dogs Vaughn was placing on a plate.  "Beef, right?  Not those crappy turkey ones."

       Vaughn smiled, remembering their conversation.  "Of course."

       He then watched as Weiss dug into a bag of potato chips.  He spoke through a mouth full.   "With ridges.  Nice."

       Half an hour later, the teamwork had paid off.  The kitchen was clean and they all headed outside for the barbecue.   Vaughn cooked on the grill, assisted by Weiss.   They then sat down to a meal of hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob and pasta salad.

       The meal was an enjoyable one.  Every so often, Vaughn looked at his family and friends as they ate, talked, smiled and laughed, and found himself lost in the moment.  Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he tried to savor every minute.  

       Vaughn was thrown from his trance by the feeling of Sydney's hand finding his beneath the table.  He turned to look at her and smiled.   He then watched and laughed with her, as their children imitated Weiss and used hot dogs to do a walrus impression.

       The radio was playing in the background as they ate.  The song changed and a familiar tune began to play.  Vaughn and Sydney turned to each other, realizing it was the song they had first danced to as husband and wife at their wedding.

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart

Without saying a word, you can light up the dark

       Vaughn swallowed hard and stood up, extending his hand out to her. 

       'If I can't have the real thing,' he thought, 'then this is the next best.' 

Try as I may I could never explain

What I hear when you don't say a thing

       Sydney smiled and placed her hand in his as she stood.  He pulled her into his arms and they swayed to the music.  She placed her head on his shoulder, just as she done that day, and closed her eyes.  Her scent filled his senses and he breathed her in, pulling her even closer.  

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me whenever I fall

You say it best.. When you say nothing at all

       Weiss snickered from his seat, saying softly to the others. "I swear, these two don't understand what it means to be married.  They've been married eight years.  They should be ignoring each by now.  Am I right, Carrie?  Marshall?"

       Marshall shrugged.  "Well, I ignore Carrie because, you know, she asks me to, so I may not be the best person to ask."

       Weiss sighed in relief as the song finished.  He stood up and changed the station, smiling as a hard rock song came on.

       He then shook his head in amazement, as Sydney and Vaughn continued to sway to the music, as if nothing had changed.  "I guess I was wrong.  For them, marriage means ignoring the rest of the world."

       As they moved back and forth in each others arms, Vaughn now knew for sure how they must they have felt on their wedding day as they danced...like the only two people on the planet.

* * * *

      An hour later, Vaughn followed Sydney into the kitchen, their arms full of dirty dishes.   She looked at their still-broken sink and then turned to him. 

       "Did I tell you yet what a great job you did on the sink?"

       Vaughn smiled. "Sarcasm really doesn't suit you."

       She stepped forward and placed a kiss on his cheek, whispering in his ear, "Call a plumber tomorrow," before brushing past him and exiting the kitchen. 

       Vaughn watched her disappear from view before setting out to make the messy sink look a little less messy.   He soon heard footsteps behind him and turned around, finding himself face to face with Jack.

      Jack maneuvered around him, placing some more dishes on the counter.   He looked at Vaughn once, as if he had something he wanted to say, but then shook his head slightly, apparently thinking better of it.   However, when he reached the threshold to the kitchen, he turned around and took a few steps forward. 

       Vaughn looked at him curiously.  Several times during the meal, he'd noticed Jack's eyes on him.  It seemed like he had something on his mind. 

       Jack's gaze didn't quite meet Vaughn's as he spoke.  "You once accused me of believing you were not worthy of my daughter.  Well, the truth is, as a father, I don't believe any man is good enough for my daughter.  I expect you understand a little about that now that you have a daughter of your own."  He met Vaughn's eyes as he went on, "However, I have watched you over the last eight years.  I've watched you be a devoted husband and a loving father.  You've made Sydney happier than I've ever seen her.  For that, I am grateful.  A father couldn't ask for more for his daughter."  His voice then grew softer and he lowered his eyes, "So, I thought you might like to know that I don't believe there is another man more deserving of her than you."

       With that he turned on his heel.  Vaughn stood with his mouth open, speechless for a moment, before he finally managed to find some words.  "Jack."

       Jack turned back around to face him.  Vaughn swallowed hard and then said softly, "Thank you."

       Jack offered him a hint of a smile and a slight nod of his head, before leaving the room. 

* * * * 

       Two hours later, Sydney and Vaughn said goodbye to their last guest and shut the door.   She placed her arm around his waist and he draped his across her shoulders, as they made their way to the living room.

       They smiled at their sleeping children who lay on the couch.  Gently, they each moved one, so that they could settle on the couch, too.  Billy's head ended up on Sydney's lap and Lindsay's on Vaughn's.  

       Sydney sank back into the couch, resting her head on Vaughn's chest.  He brought his arm around her shoulder and found her hand, linking his fingers with hers.  

       She yawned, her eyes becoming droopy with sleep.  "Promise me we'll always be like this," she whispered.  

       He smiled and brought her hand up to his lips, lightly kissing her soft skin.

       "I promise," he replied.

       And the truth was that he couldn't imagine a time when they wouldn't be.  To him, this had become his life...and he no longer even entertained the possibility of it all disappearing.

       As he drifted off to sleep, he had never been happier.

* * * *

       Vaughn could feel the warmth of the sunlight on his skin.  He turned over and slowly opened his eyes, expecting to be greeted by Sydney's face. 

       Instead, he found Lauren smiling back at him.

       "Morning, love," she whispered.

       His eyes widened and he moved away from her so quickly he nearly fell out of bed.  He stood up and stared at her in shock for a few moments. 

       He then shook his head, muttering to himself.  "No, this can't be happening.  It can't all be gone.  It seemed so real.  It was real!"

       Lauren's brow furrowed in confusion.  "Michael, sweetheart, what's the matter?  What's wrong?"

       He looked at her once more, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that she was still his wife, not Sydney.  He then shook his head vigorously and moved around the room, throwing on a pair of jeans and t-shirt, and grabbing his keys and wallet on his way out of the room.  He didn't bother saying good-bye.

       "Michael!  Michael, where are you going?!" Lauren called after him. 

* * * *

       Ten minutes later, Vaughn found himself standing outside Weiss's place, knocking on his door impatiently. 

       Weiss threw the door open, a toothbrush in his mouth.  "Were you trying to knock my door down?" he asked, the toothbrush making him a little hard to understand.

       Vaughn didn't bother with a greeting.  He just walked past him.  Weiss shut the door behind him and removed the toothbrush.  "What's going on, man?  You look terrible."

       Vaughn's eyes darted around his place, before landing on him.  "Did we ever try to fix a sink together?"

       Weiss raised his eyebrows.  "What?"

       Vaughn squeezed his eyes shut and groaned.  He then moved to the couch and sank down into, covering his face with his hands.  

       Weiss sat down next to him and tried to make some sense out of his friend's strange behavior.  "We did talk about a kitchen sink needing fixing last night, remember?  We had that whole discussion about what a normal life would be like.  Maybe you just got a little confused."

       Vaughn shook his head, his eyes now rooted to the floor.  "It was all a dream. None of it was real."

       "A dream?  You had a dream about the two of us fixing a sink?  Seriously, Mike, that's just sad.  You, my friend, need to learn how to fixate on women you'll never have and then incorporate them into your dreams."

       Vaughn rubbed at his face.  "No, you don't understand.  I had a dream about a normal life with Sydney.  We were both teachers and we had two amazing kids.  It was incredible."  He paused and then looked up at Weiss, "And it seemed as real as us sitting here right now talking."

       'I should have known,' he thought.  'Everything I discussed with Weiss happened: the errands, the sink, the barbecue.  A dream was the only thing that made sense.'

       It was so strange.  He'd actually spent just hours living in that alternate reality and he'd never felt more at home, he'd never felt more content.  Now, that was all gone...and this was the life that didn't seem real. 

       He rubbed at his face and spoke softly, "I had a son and a daughter.  Billy was four and Lindsay was six."  He smiled at Weiss now, his eyes twinkling like a proud father's.  "Billy loved hockey and had a goldfish named Mr. Goldy.   And Lindsay...Lindsay just lost her tooth," he said, pointing to his mouth to indicate the spot.  He shook his head, the smile fading, and lowered his eyes.  "He looked just like me...and she...it was like looking at Sydney at that age."

       Weiss remained silent, realizing Vaughn needed the time to let this sink in, to work it out in his head. 

       Vaughn ran a hand through his hair.  "And Sydney was this great teacher and an amazing mother." He took a deep breath and met Weiss's gaze.  "We were so happy."

       Weiss stared at him for a long moment, before finally speaking.  "It may not have been real, but that doesn't mean something like it can't happen in the future.  If anyone deserves that kind of happiness, it's you two."

       Vaughn nodded and then sat for a long time in silence, slowly forcing himself to accept the truth.  He then swallowed hard and said softly, "I have to see Sydney."

       He stood and walked to the door, followed closely behind by Weiss.  "You're not going to tell her about the dream, are you?"

       Vaughn's brow wrinkled.  "Of course I am.  Why wouldn't I?"

       Weiss shook his head.  "Listen, man, you can't do that.  Sydney is still trying to process the fact that you went back to Lauren."

       "So?  I know the truth about Lauren now. She has to realize that it's only a matter of time until my marriage is officially over and then we can be together.  That's what she wants.  So why wouldn't she want to hear about my dream?  It'll show her that I want the same thing."

       "No, it won't.  All it will do is show her everything she doesn't have right now.  I know you didn't mean to, Mike, but you really hurt her when you went back to Lauren.  Whether or not it would have been temporary, she saw it as permanent.  She let her hope for you two go.  It was easier than setting herself up to get hurt again.   And even though you and Lauren definitely don't have a future, I don't think she's allowed herself to think about what that could mean for you two yet."

       Vaughn nodded in understanding. "Okay, I won't tell her about the dream...but I have to make her see that I can't imagine my future without her."

       With that, Vaughn left.   Weiss simply shook his head as he watched him go.  "That guy's life's got more drama than an episode of 'The O.C'."

* * * *

        Vaughn slowly approached Sydney's door, taking a deep breath before knocking.  He heard footsteps and, a moment later, the door opened. 

       His eyes landed on her, half-expecting to find her hair shorter and styled closer to her face, bangs gone.  Instead, he found her looking as she had the last time he'd actually seen her. His eyes moved to her left hand, heart-dropping at the absence of a wedding ring.  He realized a piece of him had been hoping he'd woken up in a nightmare and that the life he'd come to love was actually reality.

       "Vaughn. Hi," she said, her tone indicating surprise.

       "Come with me," he said by way of a greeting, gaze focused intently on hers.

       Sydney eyes widened in surprise.  "What?  Where?"

       "Just come with me.  I'll explain when we get there."

       Sydney stared at him for a moment, before nodding her reply.  He turned and she followed him to his car.

       Less than fifteen minutes later, Vaughn pulled up to the curb, put the car in park and turned off the ignition.  The ride had been a silent one.  He looked at her as he pulled the keys out, but didn't say a word. 

       She knew that look.  It said 'trust me'.   And she did.  She always had.

       He then exited the car, moved to the passenger side and opened the door for her.   Their eyes connected for a moment as Sydney got out, before she looked away. 

       Vaughn led the way up the sidewalk toward the small brick apartment building.  He walked up the front steps and opened the door, stepping aside to allow Sydney entrance.  He then closed the door and nodded for Sydney to follow him up the stairs.  They walked up two flights and halfway down a hall, before stopping outside a door.  He reached into his pocket for keys and was just about to put them in the lock, when her voice stopped him.

       "Where are we?"

       He placed the key in the lock and pushed the door open, speaking as he did so.  "This is my old apartment."

       Sydney's brow furrowed in confusion, as they both entered.  She quickly surveyed the surroundings.  The apartment was still fully furnished, a black leather couch and glass coffee table at the center of the living room. 

       She turned to face him.  "What is this?  Why did you take me here?"

       He gestured for her to sit on the couch.  She did so and he then joined her. 

       He focused his eyes on her.  "I never got rid of this apartment, Sydney.  I kept it after Lauren and I married."

       Sydney shook her head. "I don't understand.  Why?"

       "I couldn't give it up.  After I lost you, one of my biggest regrets was that you never came over here.  We were both so busy and you lived closer to work, so we always ended up at your place."  He paused and then nodded toward the hallway, "Follow me." 

       She stood up and followed him down the hallway into the master bedroom.  The queen size bed still had a blue plaid comforter and pillows on it.  He moved toward a mahogany chest of drawers, staring at it for a few moments, before raising his eyes up to hers.

       "That weekend, when we got back from Santa Barbara, I was going to bring you here for the first time.  And then I was going to give you this."

       Vaughn pointed to the middle drawer, silently telling her to open it.  She swallowed hard, before bending down and opening the drawer.  She could actually feel her throat tighten when she saw its contents:  An empty drawer, except for a key.

       She slowly stood back up and looked at him.  His voice grew husky. "I had cleaned out a drawer for you and then I'd placed a key to my apartment in it.  I thought the time was finally right for you to have it."  He paused and swallowed hard.  "The first time I tried to give you the key it wasn't right.  So, I waited for the perfect moment. I waited for the perfect moment to do a lot of things, Sydney.   I was also going to tell you I loved you that weekend.  But I waited too long.   That's the problem with waiting for the perfect moment.  Sometimes you miss your chance."

       Vaughn moved his eyes to the ground.  "I told you I couldn't give it up.  After I thought you died, I'd open that drawer and just stare at it for hours.  Its emptiness mirrored my life without you.  When I met Lauren and we decided to marry, I knew I should get rid of the apartment, sell the furniture because we were getting new things.  But I couldn't.  Something inside just wouldn't let me." He stopped and lifted his eyes to meet hers. "I realize now it was because a little part of me still held out hope that you'd come back to me.  I know, it sounds crazy.  They had a body, a DNA match and I had managed to move on...in theory, at least.   But it's the only explanation.  Something inside of me knew that I'd have a chance to give you this.  It was hope, Syd.   I had it, even if I didn't realize it back then."

       He exhaled deeply, before going on. "When you returned, I knew I'd made the right decision.   It took me a while, but this place came to symbolize my hope for our future."

       Sydney wiped a tear from her face and folded her arms over her chest.  "Does Lauren know about this place?"

       He shook his head. "No, she thinks I gave it up when we got married.  I actually used to feel guilty about keeping it a secret from her." He paused and looked down, "Turns out, my secret didn't compare to hers."  He then lifted his head and looked at her, "I come here sometimes, you know.  Whenever I just need to get away and think...feel closer to you."

       Sydney nodded, as she took it all in.  "Why didn't you stay here when you left Lauren?"

       "I didn't want her to know about this place.  If she needed to call or come visit, she had to know where I was, so I couldn't lie.  I decided to stay with Weiss."

       Sydney looked at him and then shook her head. "Why did you bring me here?"

       He stared at her for a moment before going on, "I know I hurt you, Sydney.  I know when I went back to Lauren after her father died that you thought we wouldn't get another chance.  And I know that makes you reluctant to believe that we'll have another one now that I know the truth about her.   Well...I took you here today because I need you to see why you can't give up on us...why you can't give up hope.  All of this exists because of it.  I know a lot's changed for both of us and I have a lot to deal with because of what's happened with Lauren.  I know that I have to keep pretending with her for a while.  But it will all end, Syd.  It may take some time, but it'll happen.  And when it does, I know we'll find our way back to each other.  I just need you to believe in that."

       Sydney choked back some tears.  "I want to believe that, I do...I'm just scared of getting hurt again."

       Vaughn brought his hand up to her cheek and whispered. "I know you are.  I am, too.  Sometimes just the thought of being with you only to lose you again scares me to death.   The truth is, neither of us knows what will happen in the future. I think life's taught us that lesson well.  But I have to believe that whatever happens, we'll end up together."

       He wanted to tell her why he believed that.  He wanted to tell her that even though he couldn't predict the future, that he'd seen one they could have. 

       Vaughn bent down and picked up the key.  He held it out to Sydney.  "Take this.  It'll help you believe that we'll get back to this point someday soon."

       Sydney took the keys from him and then shook her head, placing them back in the drawer. 

       "Syd-..." Vaughn began, worry in his voice.

       She looked at him and said softly,  "It'll be waiting for us.  When it's time, give it to me and then I'll know."

       He smiled and then took her hand in his, leading her to the bed.  They both sat down on the edge.  He stared at her for a moment, the memories of his dream flooding back.   Even now, he felt an incredible urge to pull her into his arms and make love to her.  He knew that when he was finally given another chance with her, he wouldn't take even one moment for granted.

       He removed his eyes from hers and moved them to the ground. "There's something else I need you to know." He paused and then added, "I wanted to talk to you about what happened in Richmond."

       Sydney shifted uncomfortably.  "I really don't want to talk about that again."

       Vaughn nodded and forced himself to meet her eyes.  "I know, I know.  It's just...there was something I wanted to say to you the other day and, for whatever reason, I didn't."  He paused, inhaling and exhaling deeply before speaking,  "When Lauren said that our wedding day was the happiest of her life and I agreed...that was a lie, Sydney.  Whether or not I ever knew the truth about Lauren, whether or not she really was who she said she was, that wasn't the happiest day of my life.  Not even close.  I need you to know that."

       Sydney bobbed her head, as she fought approaching tears.  He went on, swallowing around the lump in his throat. "Everyday I ever spent with you was happier."  He watched as a tear fell from her eye, but she remained focused on him.  His voice grew softer now, "And I want you to know that I believe the happiest is still to come."

       Sydney smiled and nodded, as she wiped at the tears on her face.  "I needed to hear that.  Thank you."

       Their gaze held for a long moment, before he stood.  "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

       She shook her head. "Not yet."

       "I keep some food here.  How about I make you some French toast?"

       Sydney's eyebrows peaked in surprise.  "I didn't think you made French toast."

       He smiled and shrugged. "I figured I'd start now."

       Sydney grinned and stood, following him to the kitchen.  She sat at the counter and watched as he made breakfast.  He could feel her eyes on him as he cooked, causing a smile to cross his lips.

       He wanted to tell her about wanting to leave the CIA and her coming with him.  He wanted to tell her about the blissfully normal life they could have.  But he resisted, knowing he needed to take this slow.  It was enough for her to know that the future he imagined, had her in it.

       And, truth be told, he was slowly beginning to feel relieved that this was still his reality.  This way, he reasoned, he wouldn't have to miss all of those happy days leading up to the ones he'd dreamt of. 

       He'd get to live them. 

       He'd get to experience their wedding day and the birth of their children and all of the little day-to-day things in between that make a life.

       He was thrown from his thoughts by Sydney's sudden presence at his side.  She looked up at him and smiled.  "I love a man who cooks."

       He couldn't help but smile right along with her.

* * * *

~Two Months Later~

       Sydney was standing at the stove cooking dinner, when she heard a knock at the door.  

       "Coming," she called, as she wiped her hands on a towel and headed to the door.

       She opened the door, brow furrowing at the absence of anyone.  She moved her eyes to the ground, eyebrows peaking at a large, wrapped package that sat on her welcome mat. 

       She stepped outside and looked around for whoever had delivered the package.  Finding no one, she picked it up and brought it inside.  After a quick inspection to make sure it was harmless, Sydney ripped it open.

       She smiled at the sight of "her" drawer with the key to Vaughn's apartment sitting inside.  She could feel the sudden onset of tears, as the phone rang.  

       She blinked back the tears and walked to the phone.  "Hello?"

       "How about we get that cup of coffee now?" the familiar voice replied.

       Sydney now smiled through the tears.   She was just about to answer, when the doorbell rang again.   Brow furrowing, she went to answer it.

       When she opened the door, she found Vaughn standing behind it, phone in his right hand and a carton with two coffees in his left.  

       Sydney grinned and met his eyes for a long moment, before taking a step forward and placing a soft kiss on his lips. 

       He chuckled, as they parted.  "So, is that a yes?"

       She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again.

       Soon, both the phone and the coffees were on the ground, as he snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

       He had only one thought as they kissed, 'This is the beginning of all my dreams coming true.'

******************************************THE END********************************************

Thanks so much for reading!  I hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought!  ~Steph

Song was:  "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss