Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sydney stared at the bed aghast. The bed. The single bed, in the room she was meant to be sharing with Vaughan. Of all the people she could get stuck on assignment with, why did it have to be him? 

The second object of her frustration entered the room. Blissfully unaware of her scorn, he placed his holdall on the floor and turned to face her with an easy grin. The same grin that haunted her thoughts, tormenting her. "Syd?" He took a step towards her, then stopped short. "What's wrong?"

She hated him. Lie. Hated that he could look at her and see so much, see the parts of her she shoved deep down. Another lie. And she hated, hated that he knew her well enough to know when something was bothering her even as she tried to hide it. Biggest lie of all.

"Nothing," she said. He just looked at her, pinning her with that gaze, the one that saw right through her. An unspoken question in his eyes. She sighed. "Look," Sydney said, pointing at the bed with a frown.

His eyes followed her outstretched hand. She watched realisation settle on his features, for just a moment a frown pulled his mouth down then he was back to himself. "Oh," he said, finally understanding. "You take the bed. I don't mind sleeping on the floor."

Sydney bristled. Take the bed? His words repeated in her head. Like she was soft, like she needed to take the bed, or worse, he thought she needed to. As if he had forgotten all she had been through to get here. "No," she said. "Please, after you."

Vaughan crossed his arms. His eyebrows knitting together. "Don't do this," he said. "You need to be sharp for tomorrow."

"So do you," she snapped back.

"Fine," he said throwing up his hands. He pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand and then let go, calming down, his shoulders dropping. "All or nothing?"

Sydney looked at him questioningly. Was he mocking her now? No. There was no mischief in his eyes, eyes she could get lost in. She pushed that unhelpful thought away. "Sure?"

"Scared you won't be able to keep your hands to yourself?" Vaughan teased taking a step towards the bed. "You wouldn't be the first," he added with a wink.

Sydney laughed. All the tension that she had felt bubbling inside emptied out, Vaughan was just being his usual, annoying, self. "You wish," she said. At least it's a double, she thought taking the left hand side. That's something.

Vaughan looked at her for a moment, their eyes met and it felt like an eternity before he looked away. His attention once more focused on his bag and unpacking.

Sydney felt her face warm as she followed his move and got out a few items from her own bag. An alarm clock, battered and sealed with tape. The little clock had seen her through many a mission and had become something of a good luck charm, she didn't feel right leaving it at home. A paperback joined it on the bedside table, some trashy novel she had picked up in one airport lounge or another. A plain black notebook with a biro completed her collection.

By the time she straightened up Vaughan was sitting on the bed, arms behind his head, watching her. A smile on his face. Smug at having got there first. Sydney pulled a face at him, immature. He started it, she consoled herself and sat gingerly on the bed.

"It's getting late," he said, standing up almost the second she sat down. She kicked off her boots and made herself more comfortable, lying down on the bed. "We need an early night," he added and drew the blinds across the tiny window then returned to the bed.

Right, sleep. Sleep was the furthest thing from her mind right now. Especially with Vaughan right there beside her. The heat from his body warming her side even with the ample space between them. Sydney rubbed a hand over her eyes and left it there, the darkness a balm to her rapidly fraying emotions. It was going to be a long night.

She thought about changing into her pajamas, they sat in her bag on the floor, comfortable and soft. Another piece of home she carried with her. No, she told herself. Not with Vaughan here.

A noise, Vaughan, moving on the bed. She lifted her hand, just enough to dart her eyes over at him then dropped it again. He had removed his jacket and crisp white dress shirt. He lay stretched out, relaxed. Sydney tried not to think about how well his white vest showed off his muscles. Tried and failed. She risked another peak. Her eyes traced every line of his chest, memorising every fold in the fabric.

Her thoughts thoroughly unsettled, she shuffled down the bed until her head nestled into the pillow. She kept her eyes shut, determined to rest. The minutes passed, piling up, until finally sleep claimed her.

Sydney awoke with a start, she had moved in the night and now her leg was trapped by something heavy. Someone heavy. Vaughan, she realised with a jolt.

As she woke up fully she grew aware of just how tangled the two of them had become. One of his legs had trapped hers but she had hooked the foot of her free leg over his ankle. Her shoulder squashed into his and their hands snaked together on the covers between them.

Sydney felt her face heat up, gently at first then blazing as she sought a way to extract herself without waking him.

"What time is it?"

She checked her watch, 6:30. "Early," she answered, holding herself still as his fingers grazed hers. "We should get ready." She silently prayed the tremble in her voice went unnoticed.

He groaned, opening his eyes and finding her face closer to his own than when he last saw her the night before. "Little help?" The question was innocent enough, the way he lifted their entwined hands making his intentions clear.

Sydney felt herself flush at his words. At the thoughts they brought into her head. She hastened to move herself, to free the pair of them from the awkward entanglement. "What time are we meeting your contact again?" She asked, having pulled herself back over to her side of the bed.

Vaughan checked his watch while pulling his shirt back on, "7." He grabbed his jacket and rummaged in his bag. "If we're late, he'll be gone."

Sydney nodded at his back. She fastened her boots and ran a hand through her hair, combing out the tangle as best she could. It wasn't much, but it would do. "Let's go," she said, eager to be out of the room and focused on the mission.

Vaughan nodded his agreement, he crossed to the door and held it open for her with an easy smile. "After you," he said.

With a slight shake of her head, Sydney walked past him. Her thoughts only on the mission ahead. Lie, the voice in her head whispered.