Note: Okay, I have to warn you all. The way you expect this story to go is probably not the way it will go. Expect the unexpected. I wanted this story to be different from many of the Sydney/Vaughn fanfics that I've read and written. This story started with a simple idea that I wanted to see if I could carry all the way through. It was a goal and I actually did it. If you don't know what that is yet, you'll probably realize it in this chapter. Anyway, just wanted to let you all know just in case you have certain expectations. Thanks for the great feedback and hope you enjoy!~Steph

* * * Hands of Fate 2/2 * * *

~Sydney's POV~

I want to go over there. I so badly want to go over there.

But I can't. I know I can't and I hate that.

I'd give just about anything to sit across from him and engage in a normal conversation.

I'd give anything to have a relaxing dinner with him.

I'd give anything for the chance to have our hands accidentally brush against each other as we both reach for something.

Such a simple, impossible thing.

I watch him as he raises his glass up and in my direction.

I smile and lift my mug up and do the same.

Well, I guess if we can't physically share a meal, we can separately share one.

* * * *

~Vaughn's POV~

It takes all my strength not to go over there.

My left hand is actually gripping the edge of my seat in order to stop me from doing what I know I cannot do, but desperately want to anyway.

I briefly consider throwing caution to the wind and walking over to her. What are the chances that Sloane put someone on her on Valentine's Day anyway?

But I can hear Devlin, Haladaki, and Barnett's voices echoing in my ears and I know I can't take that kind of risk.

What I would give to stare at her from across a table and smile at every word that comes out of her mouth.

What I would give to sit and talk about nothing and everything.

What I would give for the chance to have her foot accidentally brush up against my leg under the table.

Instead, I sigh and do the next best thing. I raise my glass up and in her direction.

She smiles and does the same thing.

Well, I guess this will have to do.

* * * *

~Sydney's POV~

I have to break eye contact with Vaughn long enough to acknowledge Margie, who has appeared at my side.

She chews on the end of her pen and asks disinterestedly, "What would you like to have this evening?"

I can't help myself and involuntarily look at Vaughn. He's what I'd like to have this evening.

She clears her throat and I look up at her. I'm just about to speak, when she says, "He's cute. You should go over there."

I raise my eyebrows up in surprise. Looks who's my new best friend.

I smile and shake my head, "Nah, he's not really my type."

She scoffs at me. Margie scoffs at me.

"What, you don't like the drop dead gorgeous type? No wonder you're all alone on Valentine's Day."

My mouth drops open slightly. I stammer, "I...I...don't really think that's any of your business."

"Look, honey, I might just be a waitress, but I got eyes. You've been looking at him, he's been looking at you. Stop playing around and go over there already."

Who is she? A Yenta? Chuck Woolery?

A slight blush creeps into my cheeks, "You don't understand."

"What's there to understand? This ain't brain surgery, sweetie. You like him, he likes you. Go for it."

If only it were that easy.

I shake my head. "There are circumstances that won't allow me to do that." She looks at me quizzically for a moment and then I say softly, "Um, I would like the Penne ala Vodka, please. Thank you."

She sighs, shakes her head and takes my menu.

Before she walks away I remember that I wanted to ask about a substitution. "Uh, Margie? Could I possibly have Rotini instead of Penne for my meal?"

She chews on her bottom lip and says dryly, "It's called *Penne* ala Vodka for a reason, you know." I give her my most charming smile and she relents. "Fine."

She then walks always and heads in Vaughn's direction.

Great. Just great.

You know Dr. Ruth isn't going to be able to keep her mouth shut.

* * * *

~Vaughn's POV~

Well, Margie and Sydney certainly seem chummy.

Why does Margie keep looking over at me?

And now Sydney's blushing.

Hm, I wonder what's going on with them.

Hooray, Margie's heading over here.

She offers me a thoroughly bored expression before asking, "What would you like to have this evening?"

And I can't help it. I look over at Sydney. She's what I'd like to have this evening.

I hear Margie groan. Did Margie just groan at me?

I turn my eyes back to her and I'm just about to speak when she beats me to it, "Not you too."

My eyes grow large. "Um, what?"

"You got the hots for that girl over there, right?"

My mouth drops open slightly. "Uh..."

"But the circumstances or some such crap are standing in your way, right?"

I think I'm drooling. Am I drooling? "Well..."

"Look, darlin', I've been married four times and each time I learned something."

Okay, interesting tidbit.

To my chagrin, she goes on, while shaking her pen at me, "I learned that you can't let stuff stand in the way of what you want. If you want somebody, tell them. If you love them, tell them. All four of my husbands died without me ever telling them I loved them."

More than I ever cared to know about Margie. Why can't she go back to bored, mad-at-the-world Margie? I liked that Margie.

I swallow against the lump that has now taken up residence in my throat. "Um...Okay, thanks for sharing. But I don't really think this concerns you."

She sighs in disgust, "No one wants to listen to me. They'd rather be miserable and stare at each other all night."

And the light bulb finally goes on. She talked to Sydney about this, too. She obviously saw Sydney staring at me and thought she wanted to be with me.

But that's ridiculous, right?

Sydney would like to spend time together as friends, but not as more. Right?

The Kings game invitation was offered as a way to show the freedom we would have if she left SD-6...Freedom to be friends.

Nothing more...Right? Right?

Great. That's all I need. It's been hard enough wanting her and knowing I can't have her when I thought that she might not return my feelings.

But now that she might? Great. Just great.

Margie pops her gum. "Look, sugarplum, I don't have all day. If you're not going to take my advice, then at least order."

Did Margie just call me sugarplum?

I ponder that for a moment, before saying, "Oh, yeah, sorry...Um, I'd like the Penne ala Vodka, please."

"Hmph," she says in a triumphant tone, as she writes my order down on her pad.

What the hell was that?

"Something wrong?" I ask.

She shakes her head, "Nope, just that you and the apple-of-your-eye over there ordered the same thing. Coincidence or two people meant to be together?"

Who is this lady? She got all of that from us ordering the same thing? Now we're suddenly destined to be together?

I mean, come on, there's only six things on the menu. We had a one out of six chance. Now *those* odds are pretty good.

I smile and shake my head, "There's only six items on the menu. I don't think it's that unlikely."

She shrugs and is about to turn away, when I remember that I wanted to ask if they could make a substitution.

"Uh, excuse me, Margie. Could I have that made with Rotini, instead of Penne?"

A grin takes over her brightly colored lips.

"What?" I ask.

She cocks her head in the direction of Sydney and raises her eyebrows.

No way.

She simply smiles and shakes her head as she leaves.

Okay, now that was a little weird. I have to admit.

* * * *

~Sydney's POV~

Vaughn and Margie certainly seemed to have formed quite a bond.

Why is she nodding her head in my direction?

Great. She probably just badgered Vaughn about me looking at him.

She leaves and then he looks at me. He smiles and brings his finger up to the side of his head and moves it in a spiral motion, apparently indicating that Margie's got a screw loose.

I laugh and nod my head in agreement.

Or maybe she's the only one of us with her head on straight.

I turn my eyes away from Vaughn, as Margie approaches me with my salad.

I smile at her, as an idea suddenly hits me. I pull a pen out of my purse and quickly scribble something on my cocktail napkin.

I fold it in half, hold it up to her and nod with my head towards Vaughn, "Do you think you could give this to that guy over there?"

Margie rolls her eyes at me. "You gotta do this the hard way, don't ya, honey?"

My cheeks turn red, as I suddenly feel like a twelve-year old who just got caught passing notes.

Okay, so maybe this isn't the most mature form of communication, but it's the best I can think of at the moment.

I smile, "Please?"

She begrudgingly takes the note and slips into her apron.

* * * *

~Vaughn's POV~

Here comes Margie.

She plops my salad plate down in front of me with very little care and then drops a folded cocktail napkin next to it.

I pick it up and look questioningly at her, "What's this?"

"It's an engraved invitation to my Bat Mitzvah...How the hell should I know?"

Whoa, sarcasm thy name is Margie.

She points her head towards Sydney, "Your girlfriend over there gave it to me and told me to give it to you."

I smile and look at the napkin with newfound interest. "Thank you."

"Yeah, whatever," she replies, as she walks away from me.

I slowly unfold the napkin and read what Sydney's written:

~Doesn't Margie remind you of Flo from that diner sitcom, 'Alice'? I keep expecting her to say 'Kiss my grits!'~

I laugh and then look up at Sydney. I nod and she smiles.

I pull a pen out of my pants.

Little quirk I have. Never go anywhere without a pen. I think it comes from watching all of those police/detective shows as a kid. You never know when you're going to have to use a pen to pick up a gun in order to preserve fingerprints for evidence.

I quickly scribble something on the napkin below Sydney's message.

I then go about eating my salad, which is surprisingly good.

A few minutes later, Margie appears at my side again. "You done?"

I nod and push the plate away from me. I then smile and hold the napkin up to her.

She rolls her eyes at me. "Not you too."

"Please?"

"Who the hell do you two think I am? Your damn secretary?"

I offer her a charming grin. "Come on, Margie."

She sighs in defeat and tears the napkin from my grip. She then walks towards Sydney.

I smile proudly and lean back in my chair.

* * * *

~Sydney's POV~

My favorite meddling waitress is on her way back over here.

"You done?"

I nod and hand her my salad plate. She takes it from me and then drops the napkin on the table. "Here, that's from Romeo over there."

I smile, "Thanks."

I quickly unfold the napkin and read his message:

~She reminds me of my Aunt Gertrude. She always wore too much makeup, had bad hair and dispensed unsolicited advice. When I was nine, she told me I'd look great with a perm. I, in all my childhood innocence, believed her and she gave me one. I couldn't step foot outside all summer without being heckled by every kid in the neighborhood. They started calling me Little Orphan Annie.~

I bring a hand to my mouth to keep from bursting into a fit of giggles. My mind is suddenly filled with images of little Michael Vaughn running around with a head full of curls.

I lift my eyes and meet his. He smiles and shakes his head, the pink in his cheeks a sign of embarrassment.

I lower my eyes and pick up my pen. I turn the cocktail napkin over and scribble my message.

A few minutes later, Margie arrives at the table with my meal.

"Thank you," I say with a smile and hand her the napkin.

She groans, but takes the note from me.

I watch as she walks to Vaughn's table.

* * *

~Vaughn's POV~

Margie arrives at the table with my food and sets it down in front of me. She then drops the napkin onto the table, but not before saying, "That's it now. I'm done. If you two want to play your Junior High games, then get somebody else."

"But-..."

"No, buts. You two are fools. I don't care what your reasons are. You're nothing but fools."

With that, she turns on her heel and leaves.

She's right. I'm a fool.

I'm a fool for falling in love with a woman I can't have.

I look at the napkin, my light-hearted attitude nearly gone.

Then I read her words.

And I realize why she means so much to me.

She can brighten my disposition without even trying.

~I can top that hair debacle. You remember my bozo hair, right? Of course, you do. How could you forget? Well, when I was fourteen, my best friend and I decided we wanted to die our hair green. We thought it would look so cool. But we didn't do it right and our hair turned this terrible pea green. I wore a hat for the next two months, but the kids at school still called me Split Pea Sydney.~

I smile and lift my eyes to meet hers. She shrugs, her eyes laughing.

I shake my head, as I realize this is the best date I've ever been on.

It may be far from conventional, but I've never enjoyed myself so much.

I am just about to write a message on the napkin and then devise a way to get Margie to help us again, when I hear the screeching sounds of a microphone.

I look up at the stage and am surprised to see Margie standing up there.

"Okay, listen up everybody. As you know, this is a karaoke bar. That means people get up here and sing songs. Well, usually people go up here voluntarily, but since it's Valentine's Day we've decided to break the rules. Someone can nominate you to go up on stage and sing and you have to."

She stops and her eyes land on me.

Oh, no. Please, no. She can't force me to sing against my will, can she?

Suddenly, I'm not so sure that Margie's powers don't extend that far.

She walks off the stage and comes to stand next to me.

"Come on, loverboy, get up and tell that girl how you feel."

I look up at her with wide eyes and shake my head, "I can't, Margie. You don't understand. I...I can't even sing."

"Look, I get that you two have some weird, crazy thing going on. I get that. But this is gonna kill you if you don't get it out. So, go up there and say how you feel. This might be the only chance you ever get."

Have I gone insane or did Margie just make some sense?

I could tell Sydney how I feel without risking our covers. I wouldn't have to endure an uncomfortable conversation. I could just tell her and then let it be.

I could get it all out in the open. I know nothing can ever come of it, but at least I won't have to live my life in constant regret.

Maybe it's the white wine going to my head, but I slowly stand up and walk up on stage.

This is the new Michael Vaughn. Bold. Unpredictable. Mr. Spontaneity.

I quickly flip through a book before I find the song that properly conveys my feelings for her. I whisper the number to the piano player and he begins to play.

I focus my eyes on Sydney and start to sing.

* * * *

~Sydney's POV~

What is he doing?

What did Margie do to him? Did she slip something into his salad dressing?

My thoughts questioning Vaughn's sanity are halted when he meets my gaze.

Suddenly, I can see and hear only him.

His eyes are focused right on me and he's singing.

He's singing in the most terrible, off-key voice I've ever come in contact with.

And it's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

~Look into my eyes - you will see

What you mean to me

Search your heart - search your soul

And when you find me there you'll search no more

Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for

You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for

You know it's true

Everything I do - I do it for you

Look into my heart - you will find

There's nothin' there to hide

Take me as I am - take my life

I would give it all, I would sacrifice

Don't tell me, it's not worth fightin' for

I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more

Ya know it's true

Everything I do - I do it for you

There's no love - like your love

And no other - could give more love

There's nowhere - unless you're there

All the time - all the way

Don't tell me, it's not worth tryin' for

I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more

I would fight for you - I'd lie for you

Walk the wire for you - Ya I'd die for you

Ya know it's true

Everything I do - I do it for you~

Vaughn finishes and I can feel a tear rolling down my cheek. I pay it no attention.

I can't believe he did this. I can't believe he feels this way.

My heart's beating so fast I think it's going to explode in my chest.

I watch as he hands the microphone back to Margie and then takes his seat.

His eyes don't meet mine.

I can't believe I'm not allowed to pull him into my arms and kiss him...To say the same thing to him without using any words.

He doesn't meet my eyes and I know that things between us have not changed.

He's still the man I can't have.

The only difference is that now I know I'm the woman he can't have.

I'm thrown from my thoughts as Margie's gaze lands on me.

Uh oh.

That's my initial reaction. But, as she approaches me, I find that I want to do this.

I want Vaughn to know how I feel, even if nothing can ever come of it.

He needs to know.

I stand up before she even reaches my table and I smile at her.

She grins and nods approvingly, "Good girl."

I walk to the stage and flip through the song book before finding the song that will convey all of the feelings I have for him. I whisper the song number to the piano player and then pick up the microphone.

I focus on Vaughn's eyes and the world around me disappears.

* * * *

~Vaughn's POV~

I swallow hard. I can't believe she's doing this.

Is she really doing this?

It must be the beer taking its toll on her.

Or maybe she's just decided that she's tired of pretending. Maybe she wants a few moments of truth and this is her way of doing that.

She captures my eyes with hers and I swear that my surroundings vanish.

She begins to sing. Her voice is soft and pure and sweet.

It's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

~Used to be that I believed in something

Used to be that I believed in love

It's been a long time since I've had that feeling

I could love someone

I could trust someone

I said I'd never let nobody near my heart again, darlin'

I said I'd never let nobody in

But if you asked me to

I just might change my mind

And let you in my life forever

If you asked me to

I just might give my heart

And stay here in your arms forever

If you asked me to

If you asked me to

Somehow ever since I've been around you

Can't go back to being on my own

Can't help feeling, darling, since I've found you

That I've found my home

That I'm finally home

I said I'd never let nobody get too close to me, darlin'

I said I needed, needed to be free

But if you asked me to...

Ask me to, I will give my world to you, baby

I need you now

Ask me to and I'll do anything for you, baby

If you asked me to

I'd let you in my life forever

If you asked me to...~

Sydney slowly finishes, her eyes never leaving mine.

I can't believe she feels this way. I am stunned and deliriously happy all at once.

I watch as she goes to sit down and lowers her eyes.

Her gaze won't meet mine and it's in that moment that I realize things between us haven't changed.

The only difference is that now I know I'm the man she can't have.

If I could, I'd ask her to stay with me for the rest of my life.

But I can't.

And now that I know exactly how she feels, it makes it so much harder to resist her.

I thought this would make things better between us...easier.

I was wrong.

I want Sydney Bristow now more than ever.

* * * *

~Sydney's POV~

Our eyes don't meet for the rest of the night.

I thought that this would make our situation easier. I thought that it would help to let him know I feel.

I was wrong.

I want Michael Vaughn now more than ever.

Tomorrow, I'll see him and we'll have to pretend that nothing happened.

But we'll know. We'll both know how the other feels and I wonder how this will change our relationship.

Will it become uncomfortable? Will he ever meet my eyes again?

I sigh and then watch as he gets up and places a few bills on the table.

He's leaving.

He doesn't look my way as he makes his way out and disappears from view.

And something inside of me sinks.

Something inside of me wonders if I just ruined the most honest relationship I have.

I take a deep breath and stand up. I drop a tip onto the table, before picking up my purse and heading outside.

It's cold and I notice how my breath forms a cloud in the air.

I walk to my car and dig around in my purse for my keys. I find them and I'm just about to stick them in the lock, when something catches my eyes.

There's something on my windshield. It's under one of the wipers.

I pick the wiper up and free it, realizing for the first time that it's a cocktail napkin.

I finger the napkin, before slowly unfolding it and reading the message:

~We both know how things have to be right now, Sydney. Could we risk it and secretly see each other? Yeah, I guess we could. But I'm selfish. I want all of you. I don't want stolen moments that come far too infrequently; I don't want pieces of you that can't hope to satisfy me. When we are finally together, I want all of you.

So I will wait and I believe you will too. I will wait and look forward to the day when we can be more...When we are free from the constraints that are stopping us now. And when that day comes, I won't have to ask you to. I already have your answer.~

I smile and place the napkin close to my heart.

Something to look forward to.

It's been a long time since I had something to look forward to.

And so I will wait.

I will wait until I am free to be with him...free to love him.

That day will come, I know it will.

After all, it seems the hands of fates are already hard at work.

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

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought :) ~Steph

Songs were:

"(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" -Bryan Adams

"If You Asked Me To" -Celine Dion