From A Distance

A/N: I know that everybody's going to kill me over the beginning but I couldn't resist. I had to do one, just one, fan fiction about this. At least I hope I won't get killed over the ending.

Lubbock, Texas

The afternoon sun filtered through the windows but Gage paid no attention. His thoughts were in another place, another time.

FLASHBACK

"Will you marry me, Syd?" Gage asked as he extended the ring toward her.

"Yes I'll marry you," she said.

FLASHBACK

Gage reached into the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a black velvet box. He opened it and gazed at the ring inside. He had had it specially designed with Sydney in mind. A gold band with a red ruby and the words 'Syd-I Love You Forever-Gage'. She had been so happy that day. Unfortunately that happiness had lasted a grand total of three weeks.

FLASHBACK

"How could you kiss her?" Sydney accused.

"Syd, she kissed me," Gage protested but it was in vain. Sydney had seen an old girlfriend kiss him and had jumped to the wrong conclusion and refused to listen to the truth.

FLASHBACK

Gage closed the lid and stuck the box back in the drawer. Sydney had given him back his ring and he had left Dallas a few days later, unable to stand being so close to her yet not able to stray too far from her in case she ever needed him.

He had transferred to Lubbock and talked to Walker once a month just to find out how everybody was doing. He had had to work with them on a case once and that had been…strained to say the least. He could tell that Syd was sorry for being so rash but unwilling to admit she was wrong and he wasn't going to admit anything either, so they had gone their separate ways…again.

He had received an invitation to her wedding three weeks later. He almost hadn't attended but had decided to go at the last minute, just to see his true love walk down the aisle and get married to another man.

He had sat in the back and had to keep from crying. When the minister had said, "If any man knows a reason why this man and this woman shouldn't be joined in matrimony let him speak now or forever hold his peace," it had taken all of his self-control not to stand up and yell that he was still in love with her.

After the ceremony Gage had cornered the groom and threatened to kill him if he even so much as yell at Sydney. The groom had been so terrified that he had taken refuge behind Walker and Trivette who were clearly disgusted with the choice of husband. Gage had rolled his eyes and known that this wasn't the one for Sydney. She deserved a man who wouldn't cower, one that would argue with her, one that would love her for who she really was on the inside and not for just her pretty face and amazing body.

He had kept tabs on her and there had been rumors going around that she and her husband shared separate rooms and that he came home extremely late and had a blonde secretary. But that had been four years ago and they were now divorced.

Even though she was now free Gage still didn't go after her. He couldn't. She had made her choices long ago and he wasn't going to stand in her way. If she didn't want him he wasn't going to force himself on her.

Just then the phone rang. Startled, Gage picked it up.

Before he had a chance to say anything Walker's voice came over the line, "Sydney's been shot."

"What hospital is she in?" Gage wasted no time. After writing down the pertinent information he hung up the phone and ran out of the office as fast as he could

Dallas, Texas

"How is she?" Gage asked.

Walker shook his head. "The doctors said it doesn't look good. She almost didn't make it through surgery. She's in there."

Walker pointed and Gage headed in that direction.

Sydney lay in the hospital bed, listening to the beeps of the various machines that told her that she wasn't doing well. She didn't care if she died. She wanted to die. All she could think about was Gage. His face materialized in front of her and it looked so real that she reached out to touch it and…encountered flesh.

Gage stopped in the door of the hospital room and just looked. Syd, his beautiful amazing alive Syd, was lying still in a hospital bed just barely breathing. He rushed to her side and when she stretched out her hand he maneuvered and she touched his face. Disbelief appeared on her face then happiness.

"Gage?" she whispered. "Gage, is it really you?"

"Yes, Syd, it's really me," he grasped her hand and pressed it to his cheek. "Oh, Syd, I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," she said softly. "I'm sorry for not believing you."

"It's all right," he whispered. "I'm sorry that I ran off."

"You had to," she replied. "You couldn't have stayed here and you know it. At least you stayed close."

"What makes you think I stayed close?" he asked.

She smiled and said, "Who else would have sent me that get well card when I had the flu?"

"It could have been Walker and it could have been me."

"It was you. I love you," she said as she looked deeply into his blue eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too, Syd, and I really am sorry for everything."

"I forgive you."

They locked eyes and he slowly leaned down and kissed her on the lips. Happiness flooded each one of them and they wondered how they had ever drifted away from each other. Sydney wrapped her arms around him and he retaliated.

"Personally I think she's going to be just fine…" Trivette's voice trailed off as he, Alex, and Walker entered the room and saw Gage and Sydney enjoying a rather passionate embrace.

"She's going to be just fine," Trivette said as they left the room.

"I knew what she needed," Alex said beaming.

"Will you marry me again?" Gage asked.

"Is there a priest in the waiting room?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll marry you."

Gage laughed and kissed her again. Seeing her from a distance had been horrible but seeing her up close was wonderful. He only hoped that it would last a lot longer than three weeks this time.

THE END