Orlando * :: Orlando, Florida :: Seven PM. Another uninteresting colour scheme, another motel room, another night. A couch, pale green and covered with muted stencils of seashells, accompanied by nothing more than a double bed, a coffee table, a television, and three chairs lined up against the wall next to the bathroom. Everything was green, cream, forest, the colours soothing Sydney as she pulled Vaughn closer, his lips brushing with hers, their bodies close, almost silent in the emerald room. Emerald that matched his eyes. (His old eyes, because they’re blue now. But my eyes are green.) The humour hit her through her clouded haze. (We’re being pursued, and here we are, making out on a couch like teenagers) (… No way am I stopping.) His mouth trailed down her neck slowly, and she once again thanked whichever power allowed him to be there, with her. (Thankyou. Thankyouthankyouthankyou) Her voice was quiet when she spoke, the sunset faded outside the small window. “What time do we have to leave in the morning?” Vaughn pulled back for a second, half-smiling at her, his hair tousled. (I love him. I do.) “To get to Miami… to get there by late afternoon, we should leave about eleven or so.” He moved closer to her again, then stopped at the look on her face. “What?” “Do we have to go?” “Excuse me?” He looked surprised, his eyebrows rising in question. “You’re asking me ‘do we have to go?’ Of course we do.” He shook his head, puzzled, then sighed. “Why do you ask?” “I just thought… maybe we could stay.” Her voice was quiet as she watched his expression turn to bewilderment, almost confusion. “What do you mean, ‘stay’?” he asked slowly, dragging out the ‘stay’. She sat up straighter, her arm still around his torso. “I’ve never been to Orlando before. It’s not as warm as you said it would be, and besides…” she paused, seeing his face grow more bemused than bewildered. “…I always wanted to go to Disney World.” Vaughn grinned (God he’s gorgeous), shaking his head at her request. “You want to stay so we can be tourists?” he asked, amusement radiating from him in waves. “Are you serious?” “Yes, I’m serious,” she replied, miffed. “I happen to think this would be a nice place to visit. Please, Vaughn.” He shook his head. “Syd, we can’t. You have to get extracted –” “– But you have to call them first, right?” she asked, pushing the subject as he sat up slightly, ready to argue. “Well, yeah, but–” “But nothing.” She leaned into him, touched his cheek. “Please, Vaughn.” “Sydney,” he sighed, still trying to put up a fight. “We can’t stay here more than one night. It’s – technically – twelve hours. That’s enough for them to find us. Plus, they’re close. Really close. You know that.” He moved his head on instinct to give Sydney better access as she started to kiss his neck, and she smiled against his skin as he continued. “We can’t stay here longer. We have to leave in the morning.” “No.” She pulled back, still smiling, faint as it may have been. “This is our last chance, Vaughn. Our last stop before… whatever happens.” She looked at him imploringly, grasping his hand as she spoke. “We won’t get another try, Vaughn. This is it.” She leaned forward as he sighed, caught his lips with hers for a long moment. “We have to stay one more day. Just one more.” Vaughn closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers. She smiled, her eyes moving across the small scar on his left cheek to the larger one on his forehead. (He’s been through so much… we’ve been through so much.) She couldn’t just rely on ‘someday’ anymore. She couldn’t hope for happy endings. She had to take her opportunities with both hands. No more waiting. (I have to live. We have to live) She sat silently, waiting for him to speak. “Okay. We’ll stay one more day.” Sydney grinned as she pulled him towards her again, her arms around his neck. “Thankyou.” He mumbled something, and she grinned wider. “It’s just one day.” * “It’s your day, believe it It’s your date with destiny It’s too late to leave it After all, it’s your, it’s your party Call it luck, call it fate, Call me beautiful to my face Call it off to my surprise It’s just how you made it…” * The day was closing; the sun was headed to the other side of the world. Sydney walked quietly beside Vaughn as they turned a corner, brushing past the small palm trees near the gate and heading towards their room. They’d changed motels at Vaughn’s insistence early that morning, moving to a quiet bed and breakfast on the outskirts of Orlando, the Mustang left behind in favour of a black Jeep. Sydney smiled as she glanced up at the sky, the orange light melting into green and midnight blue, stars twinkling down happily. She strolled slowly, relishing the feeling of Vaughn’s hand in hers, breathing in the warm air. Silence save the sound of their quiet footsteps. Vaughn was staring off into the distance, his jaw set, and Sydney sighed as she glanced at him. He’d been so careful all day, looking around, checking everything twice, glancing in the rear view every five seconds to make sure they weren’t being tailed. He hadn’t let himself forget. “What now?” Sydney asked him, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, he was looking at her intently; his eyes were bright with the blue contacts but darkened by his obvious unease. He shook his head slightly. “You’re not worried?” he asked her. “Worried about what?” she replied. She glanced at her feet, kicking a small rock on the concrete as they arrived at the door to their room. Her boots were too heavy for the weather, but she didn’t care. They were loud, and she liked the sound they made. (Less silence when I wear these.) Vaughn stared at her a moment before focusing on his own feet, sneaker-clad. “Aren’t you worried that they’re close?” he asked quietly, his face troubled. “Not even slightly worried that they might be in Orlando?” Sydney shook her head, smiling thinly. “We can outrun them, Vaughn. We have so far. And if they’re here, so what? We got away in Lawrenceville, and in Charlotte…” she paused for a moment, squeezed his hand. “But they’re not here. They’re not. So I don’t see the point of worrying.” He smiled at her, his face still troubled, his eyes still trying to understand. He shrugged one shoulder, shaking his head in bewilderment. “I’m just amazed that you can be so optimistic.” Sydney smirked, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. “Optimistic?” She looked away for a moment, then turned towards him, stopping them on the grass near the room. “I’m not optimistic, Vaughn.” He looked at her, his eyes focusing as the orange light reflected in the blue, almost mixing to make green. She continued, stopping for a moment to tilt her head and smile slightly. “I just – today was our last taste of semi-freedom. You know that, Vaughn.” He looked at the ground, then at her, nodding in silent confirmation. She reached up with her right hand, touching his cheek with the tips of her fingers, enjoying the feeling of the slight stubble scratching against her skin. “I don’t want to leave you again.” Vaughn took that in, focusing on her eyes for a moment. Then he reached for her, pulling her close, his lips near her hair, her head in the crook of his neck. They stood like that for a moment, her hands clinging at the back of his jacket, his arms wrapped around her, the silence almost perfect. He whispered into her hair. “I don’t want you to leave.” They didn’t move, their bodies still until the sun disappeared and the sky was dark, the moon a small sliver of silver above them. Then they pulled apart, Sydney wiping at her errant tears, Vaughn clasping her hand tightly. They walked the last few yards to the room, not switching on any lights, the small mosquito lanterns outside providing slight luminance. The couch was where they found themselves, curled up together, silent as the room grew darker and the stars shone brighter. The clock in the corner ticked. * “Out of my way I’m running I’m gonna catch you if I can Out of my way I’m coming I’m gonna catch you if I can…” * (Pitch black) was the first thing Sydney thought when she woke, before she noticed the lanterns outside the window – tiny specks of orange light in the corner of her vision. She sat up, realising Vaughn was no longer next to her, the feeling of his warmth gone, replaced with the heat of the night. His sweater was still reassuring, and she didn’t remove it. She glanced around, her eyes trying to search through the darkness for Vaughn. (I wonder if that thing about females seeing better in the dark than males is true) A sweep of the room with her eyes (Vaughn?) and still nothing. She could feel the edges of panic begin in her stomach. Sydney stood, quietly making her way to the wall by the door and flipping on the light. The six lamps around the room lit immediately, creating circles of citrus orange light, and Sydney looked around again. No Vaughn. She paused, cocking her head a little to listen for a moment. (Nothing) She licked her lips and swallowed as her mouth suddenly became slightly dry. “Vaughn?” she said, quietly, to the stillness of the room. (Nothing) She flipped her head to where they’d put their bags earlier, relieved to find his sitting next to hers, untouched. And yet… he was nowhere. Her heart started pounding as she heard rustling outside the door. She froze, straining to listen to something, anything. (Nothing) She tried to inhale, her breath catching in her throat. Then a sound, quiet, almost imperceptible. A series of sounds. She paused. Static. Whispers. Quiet footsteps. Then clicks. (What? Clicks? What the fuck?) She heard more clicks, then more static, then a whisper, then silence. Oh God. Sydney dived. The gunfire was startling in the stillness as she crawled quickly behind the couch, breathing heavily, tears streaming down her face when she realised Vaughn was gone. (Gone) The wall was torn up with the shots, the automatic rifles making quick work of the plaster and wood of the door. As the construction became weaker, Sydney stopped moving. It was over. (Oh God, Vaughn. Where are you?) The couch started to shudder as bullets hit its plush cushions, and Sydney moved back, further away towards the opposite wall of the room, heading for the windows halfway up, heading for the only way out. (Why did you leave?) When the hand closed over her mouth, she tried to scream. Berating herself for being stupid (you idiot, you can’t scream) she turned to see who it was. The blue eyes that stared at her (thank God) were strong, determined, resolute. She nodded as Vaughn pulled her up, his body half-in the window as he grabbed her waist and hoisted her backwards awkwardly. Her feet landed on the ground, boots hitting the concrete and jarring her legs. She didn’t have time to think, blindly setting off after Vaughn, his hand gripping hers tightly. “Where’d you go?” she hissed, her breath coming even quicker now. “I thought I heard something,” he explained, his feet pounding a steady rhythm as they ran onto the grass behind the main building. “I went out to see what was up, and saw the Hummers.” Her eyes widened, both in surprise and through the effort it took to see ahead of her as they dodged the trees between the buildings. “You were gone for long?” He shook his head, and she tried to focus on her feet, his hair glinting and almost matching the colour of the sky as the moon struggled to shine. “I must have just left when you woke up or something. I was coming back when I heard the shots.” She noticed how his voice wavered slightly, and she stared at his profile for a moment, thinking. (I told him they weren’t coming. I told him when I knew they’d come –) (Fuck) She fell forward fast, her foot caught in a pothole, dragging Vaughn down with her. (Like I always do) Her cheek made contact with the dewy grass, and she glanced at her watch, not three inches from her face. Five fifty-seven AM. She swore, trying to get to her feet as Vaughn got to his knees. They stood, Sydney looking in front of them, Vaughn looking behind them. He spoke quietly, quickly. “We have to get to the Jeep.” Sydney shook her head. “Vaughn, they would have already –” He cut her off. “They haven’t found it yet. I was just in the lot. They parked out the front, and their men are only on three sides.” He took a breath. “They haven’t found the Jeep.” Sydney nodded, wanting to believe, wondering how he already knew so much about where they were. (He could be helping them) She shook her head, ridding herself of the thoughts (Fuck, Sydney, this is VAUGHN) and confusing Vaughn in the process. She looked at him, then behind them, then to the side. “Okay. The Jeep.” He nodded, turning towards the lot. Sydney grabbed his hand quickly. “We should split up.” “What?” Vaughn was taken aback, and he stared at her for a moment. “Are you crazy?” he finally whispered, his face surprised and slightly angry. “It’s easier, Vaughn. If one of us gets caught, the other can still get away.” She looked at him, starting to move to the right towards the hedge that grew near the bed and breakfast. He shook his head. “No, Syd –” She put a finger to his lips, stopping him. “It’s easier, Vaughn.” She repeated, trying to be more forceful, her voice becoming softer instead. He sighed in reluctance, biting his lip. “I still don’t think it’s a good idea, but fine.” He looked at his watch quickly. “Two minutes, and I’ll be near the building across from the gate. Meet you there, okay?” She nodded, deciding that was definitely enough time for her to get there. “Okay,” she replied, still nodding. Vaughn paused for a moment, then cupped her cheeks and pulled her to him. His lips met hers quickly, harshly, sweetly, taking over her senses as she breathed him in between her lips. Then he was gone, and she was running. * “Out of my way I’m running I’m gonna catch you if I can Out of my way start running I’m gonna catch you…” * Across the expanse of lawn, onto the gravel, then onto the concrete. Sydney’s breaths were short as she raced towards the parking lot, sticking to the edge of the grounds, her eyes set on the reception building near the back gate, a stone’s throw from the parking lot. She came around the corner, a tear slipping from her eye (Where is he?) as she whipped her head around, searching for the Jeep. It was nowhere. The weather seemed to grow warmer as she ran across the asphalt, the sweater was now more annoying than reassuring, and she sprinted towards the gate, hoping Vaughn was outside the grounds, just past the brick wall and the small rainforest garden. The growl. “Stop.” The guns, the men, the black military gear. Surrounded by the assholes of the new SD-6 (Oh God, I actually recognise some of them), her breathing slow as she tried to inhale properly, deeply (in, out) and still no Vaughn in sight. She looked at the sky, at the mocking stars as they disappeared, the sun rising as hope left her. (Vaughn) “Come on,” she whispered to herself. But, looking around, she knew there was no escape from this. None. It was over. * AN: *evil laugh* So, yeah. Song is 'Catch' by Kosheen. Thought it might work. :) Only one more to go, people! (Thankyou Kat. I think I thank you too much. Bah.) < Pensacola > Miami » babblings » home » mail?