Disclaimer: This was written for the soul purpose of our entertainment. I lay no claim on Walker Texas Ranger or any of its characters.
"Little Boy Lost"
By: Janis Boisclair
jboisclair@rogers.com
Part 1
"Come in," Alex called looking up from the files she was reading.
"Got a minute," Sydney asked poking her head in the door.
"Syd come on in," Alex replied getting up and coming around from behind her desk. "So what did the doctor say?"
Pausing a moment Syd smiled saying, "It looks like Gage is going to get his wish."
"Congratulations," Alex smiled pulling her friend into a hug for a moment. "How far along are you?"
"Six weeks," Syd chirped, "I'm going downstairs to tell Gage want to come?"
Alex hesitated a moment then smiled again as she opened the door telling Syd, "Let's go."
~~~~~
Gage was sitting at his desk doing paper work he glanced at the clock and then at the door nervously waiting for his partner to return. The phone rang, "Syd?" he asked snatching it up. "Ranger Trivette yes he's here one moment." Gage put the call on hold and motioned to Trivette, "for you."
"What's with Gage today?" Trivette asked Walker as he reached for the phone.
Walker didn't have time to relay his thoughts Sydney had just come in the door with Alex. Gage had all ready stood up and was coming from behind his desk. "Syd?"
Smiling at him she shook her head yes as Gage gave out one loud cry grabbing her up and swinging her around in his arms. They stopped right in the middle of the floor and Gage very passionately kissed his wife.
"What the?" Trivette asked setting the phone down.
"Gage just found out he's going to be Daddy again," Alex replied joining her husband and his partner.
"Daddy?" Trivette grinned going over to where Gage was setting Sydney back on her feet.
Walker put his arm around his wife as she wistfully smiled at their friends, genuinely happy for them yet sad all the same.
"How are you holding up Alex?" Walker asked knowing that she was wishing that they could be them. That she could walk into the office telling him they were expecting another child. When Angela was born because of the complications and the fact that both she and the baby could have died they were told it would be very high risk for Alex to attempt to have any more. Two years ago Alex had gone to see if anything had changed with her situation only to be told if anything things had deteriorated even more.
Though Walker would have loved more children he was quite happy and content with just having Angela and never for an instant blamed Alex. She on the other hand never stopped blaming herself for not giving Walker a son.
Putting his arm around Alex they walked over to where a small crowd had gathered around the expectant parents.
"Congratulations guys," Walker said kissing Sydney's cheek and slapping Gage on the back.
"Yes Gage congratulations," Alex smiled giving Gage a hug and kiss as well quickly saying she had to go she had to be in court.
Squeezing Gage's hand Syd looked up and smiled before going after Alex.
"Morning sickness Syd?" Trivette called after her as everyone including Gage smiled and chuckled.
"Alex wait up?" Syd called to her friend who stopped without turning around.
"Sydney I'm fine," Alex told her sighing deeply and leaning heavily against the wall.
"Come with me," Syd replied putting her hand under Alex's elbow and leading her into the bathroom.
"Sydney I'm fine really I am," Alex insisted.
"I know you are," Sydney smiled.
"I really am happy for you and Gage," Alex tried to reinforce.
"I know that too Alex," Syd smiled again and took Alex's hand.
"Oh Syd thanks for understanding," Alex cried hugging her close.
"It's all right, hey what are best friends for if we can't share everything."
Giving Syd another quick squeeze Alex whispered, "Now I really do have to get to court and you just told your husband some fantastic news so go be with him."
The girls exited the bathroom Alex heading for the elevator and Syd heading back in the office.
Gage came over to Syd as soon she came in through the door, "You okay?" he asked worried over her in light of their news.
"I'm fine Gage I was…" Syd didn't have a chance to finish Walker was calling their names.
"You two want to go over the Hanover apartments we have a murder over there that fits the profile of a couple more murders in the area," Walker was explaining.
"Walker?" Gage half questioned.
"You aren't starting that all ready are you Gage?" Syd asked looking up at her husband.
"Don't worry Gage," Walker smiled reading Gage's mind, "Your partner will be perfectly safe and it will give me time to rearrange things so she can work at her desk again."
Gage looked sceptically at both of them before reluctantly agreeing.
Hope Center Daycare 3:15 PM
Danny Munro stood off to the side by himself not saying a word. His stepfather had dropped him off there early that morning but he knew he couldn't leave with the man if he came back for him. After what had happened between his mother and this man… the five year old shivered a tear springing to his eye.
"Hey Danny," Piper Gage shouted coming through the gate into the playground. She had run a head of her brother Chris who had stopped to carry Angela Walker's knapsack for her. Angela was becoming a real pain.
It wasn't that Piper didn't like her it was just well she never wanted to do the things the rest of them were doing. She preferred to read, and do her homework; she never did anything that involved getting dirty. The thing of it was she was swaying Chris over to her side and ruining a lot of her and Marcus Trivette's fun.
"Piper," Marcus called to her coming out the side door with his mother and sister Torrie to join her. "Where's Chris?"
"Carrying Angela's knapsack," she replied as Marcus rolled his eyes skyward and she continued over to Danny.
"Hey Danny Munro I'm talking to you," Piper repeated putting her hands on her hips standing in front of the boy Marcus flanking her side.
"I don't want to play today," Danny informed her.
Piper wasn't letting him off that easy. "Why what's the matter?" she demanded to know standing her ground.
Danny looked at her and Marcus answering with a question, "You promise not to tell anyone ever?"
Piper looked to Marcus and Marcus looked to Piper before looking to Danny and shaking their heads yes in promise.
Looking all around the playground to make sure that no one was listening Danny let his eyes drop to the ground before he began, "My step dad had an awful fight with my Mom last night he just kept hitting her and hitting her. My Mom fell on the floor and she hasn't moved again. She was bleeding and she was still there when my step dad brought me here this morning. I asked him what was wrong with Mom and he said she was dead and I'd never see her again. I just can't go back there with him I don't know what I'll do if he comes to get me."
Danny was crying and Piper put her little arm around his shoulder. "It's all right Danny my Mom and Dad and Marcus' Dad are Texas Rangers they'll arrest your step dad and put him in jail," Piper declared.
"No you can't tell them," Danny begged.
"Why not?" Marcus asked, "They will find out when no body comes to pick you up today."
"Trevor, said he would kill me and anyone I told," the boy was pleading.
By now Chris and Angela had made their way over to where Piper and Marcus stood with Danny. "What's going on," Angela asked seeing that Danny was crying and figuring Piper had probably hit him.
"Danny isn't going to tell you cause you can't keep a secret," Marcus spoke up standing up against Angela.
"He'd better tell me or I'm going to get your Mom and tell her you and Piper were being mean and making him cry," Angela declared.
"You have to promise Angela you can't even tell your Dad. You too Chris," Piper stated looking at the two of them.
"We promise," Chris, replied answering for both he and Angela.
Piper nodded her head at Danny and he reluctantly told the story again.
"So where are you going to go?" Chris asked as the story came to an end.
Danny shrugged his shoulders not really knowing what he was going to do.
"I know," Angela, piped up, "You can stay at my place."
"How is he supposed to get there?" Chris asked.
"I have a plan," she informed him.
Chris cringed when she said those words Angela's plans had got them into trouble more then once.
Hanover Apartments 4:00 PM
Francis Gage pulled the car into a convenient parking spot and reached over to grab his partner's hand before she could jump out of the car. She turned to face him his little speech all ready playing in her head.
"Syd."
"I'm not going to take any chances Gage," she said cutting him off.
"I'm glad but that isn't what I was going to say," he retorted pausing for a moment holding her hand a little tighter.
"Then what Gage?" she prodded him.
"It's just… I know the baby was my idea… but you are all right with it aren't you? I mean you are the one having the immediate change in lifestyle and, and…"
Her fingers were on his lips silencing him and she leaned over close to him teasing him with a gentle kiss. "Gage if I wasn't all right with this we wouldn't be having another baby. In fact I'm more then all right I'm very content and happy to be having another child with you."
Gage sighed in relief a smile coming across his face. "You're incredible Sydney," he said kissing her cheek.
"Yeah remember that when you are delivering this one and I'm calling you every name I can think of," she laughed opening the car door.
"Can't we have your doctor deliver this one?" Gage asked opening his door to catch up to her.
Sydney was all ready showing her ID to a police officer by the time Gage came to stand behind her.
"Detective Lewis," Syd said extending her hand remembering him from other cases.
"Glad you guys are here," Lewis greeted them filling them in as they walked, "this makes the fourth victim with no leads."
Walking over to the body Gage squatted down pulling back the tarp to see a woman who had been severely beaten and lay in a pool of her own blood. Syd had come up behind him and peered over his shoulder suddenly resting her hand heavily on his shoulder.
"I need some fresh air Gage," she told him as he stood up and helped steady her. They quickly headed outside and Syd took a deep breath Gage wisely keeping quiet.
"I know her Gage," she finally spoke.
"You know her from where?"
"The Hope Center, that friend of Chris and Piper's Danny Munro," Syd paused watching her words register with her partner.
Gage waited for her to go.
"That woman is Danny's mother," she flatly stated.
"You're sure?" Gage asked never having met the woman watching Syd sadly nod her head yes. "You all right if I go back inside?"
"I'm fine Gage," she told him pulling out her phone and dialling the center getting Erica on the line.
"Hey Syd Jimmy tells me congratulations are in order. How are you feeling?"
"Thanks and pretty good," she told her friend. "Erica is Danny Munro there today?"
"Yeah actually he is outside with our kids right now why?"
Sydney explained about his mother and asked who had dropped him off.
"Just a minute I'll have to ask Josie I didn't come in until noon," Erica advised her putting her on hold.
"Got a positive ID from the superintendent it is definitely Nancy Munro Ross. He has no idea where her husband Trevor Ross is or her son Danny," Gage informed her coming back outside to join her.
Syd put her hand over the receiver and began explaining what she had learnt to Gage. "Danny is at the center playing with the kids Erica is checking with Josie to see who dropped him off…" she was cut off in mid sentence as Josie came on the line.
"Josie don't surrender him to his stepfather Gage and I are on our way," she said hanging up the phone.
As Gage drove Syd called Walker to let him know what they had found out and where they were heading.
"I have to pick up Angela tonight so I'll meet you there," Walker informed them before hanging up the phone.
Hope Center 4:45 PM.
"Quick Danny hide in here," Piper was instructing as she held the door to the tool shed open. "Now when Angela's Dad comes to get her today one of us will come to get you. Okay?"
"All right Piper," Danny agreed.
"Now member be very quiet and hide in here until then," Piper told the boy closing the door. She was worried about Danny being found, she was an expert at this sort of thing but her Dad was even a bigger expert at finding her. She didn't have any more time to speculate Marcus was calling her.
"Hurry up Piper your Mom and Dad are here," he hissed as he looked around the corner of the house to see what was taking her so long. As she joined Marcus she could already see Chris talking with their Mom and Dad as she went running to them calling, "hi," at the same time.
Gage bent down catching his daughter in his arms while she reciprocated by hugging his neck tightly.
"Guys your Mom and I have some business to attend to inside with Josie and Aunt Erica think you could stand to play a few minutes more?" he questioned as he set Piper back on the ground.
"Your friend Danny wouldn't be around here anywhere?" Syd asked looking over the play ground for the child.
"He was here just a few minutes ago," Chris answered. "Maybe Angela knows, want me to ask her?"
"No we'll find him in a minute," Syd smiled at her son leaning down to kiss him.
"Mom," he complained his hand immediately going to his cheek, "everyone is watching."
"Sorry Chris," she said taking a step back as both children took off back to the playground.
"Gage I need another baby boy who'll let his mother kiss him in public," Syd lamented as Gage put his arm around her.
"There's a fifty-fifty chance of you getting your wish," he reminded her as they walked towards the door.
Erica was standing at the door waiting for them with another woman. "Gage Sydney this is Sara Tompkins from social services," Erica introduced them.
"Pleased to meet you," Syd replied extending her hand feeling Gage stiffen beside her.
"What's going to happen with Danny?" Gage asked.
"We've made arrangements that he stay right here for the next few nights," Sara began to explain, "until we can see if he has any other family and make permanent arrangements."
Before anything else could be said Walker joined them.
~~~~~
As the grownups talked the children sprang into action. Marcus and Piper stood as lookouts, Piper preferred to say, "We're just watching your backs," as Chris and Angela snuck Danny into the back of Walker's truck.
"Now remember stay under the tarp until I come and get you," Angela warned Danny again.
"Okay Angela," Danny said letting her pull the tarp over his head.
"Come on Angela," Chris was calling her; from where he stood he could see his Mom, Dad and Uncle Walker talking to Piper and Marcus.
"Is it time to go?" Chris asked as he and Angela came running over to the rest.
"Not quite Honey," Syd replied as Chris made a face at being called Honey.
Gage smiled at his son's reaction to his mother's words and asked if he had seen Danny.
"He's around here somewhere," Chris retorted looking off in the other direction
and not at any of the grownups.
Looking at his wife Gage raised his eyebrows as Syd nodded her agreement something was definitely up with the children.
"Syd why don't you take Pipe and Chris home and I'll catch up with you later," Gage suggested.
"Okay Gage," Syd agreed, "Come on kids." Chris and Piper dutifully marched out ahead of their mother.
Walker squatted down in front of his daughter, "Angela how bout you do you know where Danny is?" Walker asked.
"No Daddy. He was playing with us and then he just disappeared," Angela replied dramatically shrugging her shoulders raising her hands palm side up into the air.
Walker looked upward at Gage who shrugged his shoulders at the senior Ranger. Standing up he addressed Gage, "Alex has already left for home I'll take Angela home and meet you back here." Reaching for her hand Walker turned to leave hoping to get the story out of the child on the ride home.
"Gage Walker," Syd had sent Piper and Chris to the car returning to have a word with the guys.
"Angela can you get your book bag?" Walker asked the seven year old as she scampered away to get it.
They watched her run inside then both men turned to Sydney. "I don't know what is going on but I think if you look beneath the tarp in your truck you may find our missing boy. I saw some rustling and his little hand as we passed by."
"I'll look after this," Walker told them and turning to Gage told him, "Go ahead and go home with Sydney."
Taking Sydney's hand they said good-bye just as Angela appeared with her knapsack.
"I'm ready Daddy," the child sang out eager to be on their way home.
"Let's go then," her father smiled taking her hand in his. As they neared his rig Angela began to eye it nervously. "Something the matter Honey?" he quizzed.
"Uh no Daddy there's nothing the matter," she replied as he opened the door and helped her inside.
Fastening her seatbelt he smiled at her and asked, "Wouldn't Danny be more comfortable sitting in the truck with us then under a tarp in the back of the truck?"
Angela sat silently while her father waited for an answer finally replying, "I guess so Daddy."
Leaving the door open Walker reached in the back to lift the tarp and reveal the boy. "Danny Munro I presume?" he asked the child.
Danny shook his head yes awed by Walker's black Stetson and ranger badge.
"I'm Ranger Walker, Angela's Dad," he told the child offering his hand and helping him to stand up. "I think we have a few things we need to talk about."
The boy hesitated until Angela spoke up, "It's alright Danny my Dad can protect you from your step dad."
"Okay Angela," the child answered barely above a whisper as he stood letting Walker lift him into his arms.
Sydney and Gage's Home 6:25 PM.
The ride from the center had been painfully quiet the children not being able to decide exactly what their parents knew while Gage and Syd tried to determine what their children had to do with Danny hiding in the back of Walker's truck.
"So Mom what about we order out for pizza tonight?" Gage was asking Syd eying the children in the backseat at the same time as he pulled in the driveway.
"Pizza," the kids yelled in unison hoping that Danny had been forgotten.
"Not so fast Dad," Syd replied picking up on Gage's lead in. "I think we have a little business to take care of before we order pizza.
"That's right, Piper and Chris need to tell us what is going on with Danny Munro," he replied as he put the car in park and both he and Syd looked over the seat at the kids.
"We promised Dad," Chris spoke up. "Do you want us to break a promise?"
"Besides Danny's step dad will kill him and anyone he tells," Piper, added tears coming to her little blue eyes as she repeated the young boy's words to her parents.
Syd reached over taking hold of her daughter's little hand, "Piper no one is going to kill anyone Dad and I are not going to let that happen."
"But we do have to know everything that is going on so we can do our best job at protecting you," Gage told them both. "Let's say we go into the house and we can sit and talk about things."
Looking at Piper Chris nodded his head in agreement with his Dad saying aloud, "Angela is going to be so mad."
"I think Angela has enough explaining of her own to do to be mad at you two," Sydney told them as everyone got out of the car.
Once inside Gage called for the food and they all sat down to discuss what had transpired with Danny while they waited for dinner to arrive. Syd called the center and talked to Erica who told her they had got the same story from Angela and Marcus. She also let Syd know that Walker had taken Danny home with them for the night and an all points had been out on Trevor Ross for the murder of Danny's mother.
Gage was passing out the pizza as Syd came back into the kitchen and took her place at the table. He smiled at her and she nodded at him like she had earlier that day saying, "Go ahead Honey tell them."
"Tell us what Mom?" Chris asked immediately picking up on what his Mom had said.
"Mom and I found out some exciting news today," Gage began.
"We're getting a pony like Angela," Piper interrupted.
"Are we really Dad?" Chris excitedly asked taking up the conversation.
"Guys, guys no pony," Gage cut in quieting them. "We found out that you guys will either be getting a new brother or sister."
Gage had taken Syd's hand, as he spoke not noticing that the kids weren't quite as excited about the baby as they had been.
"Another baby?" Chris asked, "I thought Piper was enough."
"Hey I'm not a baby," Piper cut in.
"You used to be and you cried all the time."
"I did not."
"Did too."
"Okay, okay," Gage cut in again. "We have a few months to get used to the idea and I'm sure everyone is going to love the new baby," he finished as Syd got up and left the room. "Eat your pizza," Gage told them getting up to follow his wife.
Syd had gone to their bedroom and was sitting quietly on their bed when Gage found her. He sat down beside her putting his arm around her. "They'll warm up to the idea," he told her holding her close and kissing her.
"I hope so," she replied trying not to let her emotions get the better of her.
"I know they will. I'm as happy about this as I was when I found out about Chris and Piper. I love you Sydney Gage," he reaffirmed to her pulling them to lie across the bed.
There was a knock on the door interrupting them and Chris' voice sounded, "Mom and Dad can we come in?"
Sitting back up Gage invited the children in.
"We are glad we are going to have a new brother or sister," Piper started to say as Chris interrupted her. "And we are going to love the new baby too."
"You guys are the best," Syd cried out opening her arms to them and hugging them close.
Gage put his hand on Syd's face holding her for a moment his thumb caressing her cheek as he whispered, "the very best."
Walker Ranch 7:15 PM.
The front door opened wide and Alex came out on the front porch to greet them as the truck pulled up the laneway.
"I thought you guys would never get here," Alex told them giving Walker a quick peck before turning to Angela and Danny. "And you must be Danny," she continued as the young boy stood there clutching on to Walker's leg. "Angela would you like to show Danny where he can wash up for dinner?"
"Okay Mom," Angela replied turning to Danny. "Come on," she said, "Mom's real big on hand washing."
Both Walker and Alex chuckled as they watched the pair head into the house.
"How's Danny holding up?" Alex asked.
"Not too bad considering what he has been through in the last twenty-four hours," Walker replied putting his arm around Alex and pulling her close remembering how his own father and mother had died.
"We're ready Mom," called Angela.
"And so is supper," Alex called back as Walker held the door open for her and himself.
Supper was quiet afterwards Walker volunteered to clean up while Alex got the children ready for bed. He came into the spare room just in time for Alex to ask if they were ready to say their prayers. Angela jumped off the bed and knelt down by the bed folding her hands in front of her as Danny sat quietly watching.
"Come on Danny don't you want to say your prayers?" Angela asked.
Without a word Danny slipped on the floor beside Angela folding his hands in front of him the same as her.
"Do you want to start?" Angela asked looking over to her friend.
Danny stayed quiet for a few minutes finally looking at Angela and crying, "I don't know how?"
"That's okay Danny," Alex told him kneeling down putting her arm around the distraught child, "We'll help you. Angela," she addressed her daughter, "Could you please start?"
"Now I lay me down to sleep," she began as her mother and father joined in, "I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake. I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen. Then you say your God blesses," she instructed.
"Maybe you could show Danny how that is done too Angela," her father who had come to the end of the bed told her.
"Okay Daddy," she agreed, "God Bless Mommy, Daddy and Grandpa and God Bless Danny."
"Did you want to try Danny?" Alex asked the boy.
"God Bless, Angela and Angela's Mom and Dad and God I hope you let my Mommy into heaven."
Both Alex and Walker had trouble choking back the tears as they listened to the young boy. "I'm sure he did Danny," Walker spoke. "Now I think it is time everyone got under the covers."
"Night Danny," Angela smiled getting up giving her Father a hug and a kiss as he lifted her into his arms.
"Night Angela," Danny told his friend.
Alex stood and gave her a daughter a hug and kiss promising to be up in a little while as Walker carried her to her room. Turning back to Danny she pulled back the covers and helped him into bed.
"Mrs. Walker."
"Yes Honey?"
"Can you sit with me for just a little bit? My Mom used to sit with me for a little bit," he confessed a tear springing to his eye.
"Of course I will Danny," Alex said sitting beside him and putting her arms around him.
"I miss my Mommy," he cried.
"Of course you do," Alex told him holding him tight. "She's still here Danny she's in heaven now and watching over you.
"You really think so Mrs. Walker?"
"I know so Danny," Alex smiled at the boy.
Walker stood in the doorway watching his wife comfort Danny his heart filled with love for her all over again.
TBC
