Sydney and Gage: Brother Makes Three?

DALLAS, TX

Everything was finally going great for Ranger Francis Gage. He had a beautiful wife whom he adored like no other, two beautiful children that were his world and a strong support system of friends he considered family.

Gage sat at his desk, looking at the photo of his wife and kids. He had gone to meet them at the park and couldn't resist snapping the photo as his five year old daughter Andie and two year old son Chris tackled their mother.

His wife, Ranger Sydney Cooke Gage came into Company B headquarters and stopped short when she saw her husband. How she ever got so lucky to have that man as her husband, she may never know.

She stopped by his desk and ruffled his hair, much like she did their son Chris. Chris was the spitting image of his father although he had his mother's disposition and curiosity.

"What you thinking about?" she asked.

"How lucky we are to have two such great kids."

"We did get lucky."

"And I'm also thinking how lucky we are to have such a great group of friends that have become like family. I don't know where we would be without Walker, Alex, Trivette and Erika."

"I know what you mean. It's great that our kids get to grow up with their kids. They have lifelong friends, especially Dallas and Chris."

"It's good that they get along so well."

"Just wait until they get older and start noticing girls. They might not be such good friends then," Sydney said with a laugh.

"Don't even mention that. Chris doesn't need to be thinking about girls," Gage said as he recalled how he was as a teenage boy.

"It's going to happen Gage. And he will probably take right after you unless I can teach him right," Sydney shot back. She sat a file down on her desk and looked up as Cordell Walker and Jimmy Trivette came in. She walked over to them and they began to discuss their latest case. Gage was about to head over to the group when his phone rang.

"Ranger Gage, Company B Texas Rangers. How can I help you?"

"Is this Francis Gage?"

"Yes. May I help you?"

"Are you the son of Colleen Davis?"

"That was my mother's maiden name. Her name was Colleen Gage."

"And she was married to Michael Gage?"

"Who is this?"

"You don't know me, but I think I'm your brother."

Gage stared at the phone in his hand. It took him a minute to find his voice. When he did speak, his voice was shaky.

"I don't have a brother."

"I know this is a shock but…."

"No, I don't have a brother. I have a sister."

"Julie right?"

"How did you know my sister's name?"

"Let me start over. My name is Julian Parker. I was adopted in 1965 to a couple from Pawhuska, Oklahoma. When I got old enough to understand, my parents told me about my birth mother. Her name was Colleen Davis and she lived in Dallas. In January 1978, I received a letter from the adoption agency that told me my birth mother had passed away just before Christmas in 1977."

"What are you driving at?"

"Your mother was my birth mother. She married your father in 1966 didn't she?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I have spent the better part of my adult life searching for you and Julie."

"How old are you now?"

"I just turned 40. I can't believe I really found you."

"Look, I'm not saying I believe this but if I did, why were you looking for us? You have a family, right?"

"Yeah I do, but to know that a part of me was gone, I felt I had to know her. When I turned 18, I went into the army. I wanted to distract myself from the loss I had been feeling for the past 6 years. After getting discharged when I was 25, I knew I had to find out what I could about her and her life. I hired a private detective but there was very little to go on besides her name and that she was from Dallas."

"And what do you want now that you think you've found us?"

"I want to get to know you and Julie. I'm recently divorced and thinking about relocating back to Dallas."

"Sorry to hear about your divorce."

"It's okay. My ex-wife and I are still friendly and we have a schedule to co-parent our son."

"How old is your son?"

"He's 14."

"Why are you coming back to Dallas? You want to be that far away from him?"

"My ex-wife is also thinking about moving to Dallas. The school system is better there and we both feel he could thrive better in a more traditional school environment. But we can discuss this another time. I want to meet you."

"I don't know about that."

"I'm coming to Dallas next week and was hoping we could meet. I'd like to meet Julie too."

"Have you spoken to her?"

"Not yet."

"Don't call her. It's probably better if she hears this from me."

"So I'll call you when I get to Dallas."

"Yeah I guess."

"Great. I can't wait to meet you. Bye," Julian said as he hung up the phone. Gage continued to stare at the phone, oblivious to the fact his boss was waiting for him to join them. Sydney walked back over to her partner.

"You okay?"

"We need to talk. Let's go for lunch."

Sydney looked puzzled. There was a new super drug circulating the streets and he wanted to go to lunch? But the look on Gage's face told her that something was bothering him and he wouldn't be any good at work until he talked about it.

"Let me go talk to Walker, I'll be right back," she said as she walked away. She went to Walker's side and pulled him away.

"What's wrong with Gage?" he asked.

"I have no idea but he needs to talk. I'm going to take him to get something to eat."

"Get back here soon. We need to discuss this case."

"I know, we will."

"In the meantime, I'll have Trivette start going over the autopsies."

"Thanks Walker." Sydney smiled as she headed back to Gage. "Let's go partner."

After grabbing some sandwiches from a nearby deli, Gage and Sydney went to the park near the office. This was one of their favorite spots to be with the kids, friends or to just be alone.

Sitting down near the river, underneath the old willow tree, Sydney looked at her husband. He was sitting right next to her but his face told her that he was a million miles away.

"What's wrong?" she asked, taking his hand.

Gage sighed. "I have a brother."

"No you have a sister."

"He called me today."

"The call you got at work?"

"Yeah."

"Gage, I don't understand. You don't have a brother; it's just you and Julie."

"Apparently, my mother had another kid before she married my dad. The kid was adopted by some couple from Oklahoma."

"Gage, are you sure this guy is legit?"

"I guess I only have one way of finding out."

"You're going to see Mary?"

"It's the only way to get the truth."

"I bet you're glad she found you after Chris was born."

"She wanted to make things right since she thought she had messed them up so bad when we were kids."

"Mary did want you guys, you even said she did but she couldn't afford you both."

"I know. She wants to make up for that and for the hell Julie and I had to endure."

"So go talk to her. It might make you feel better and she's probably going to tell you this guy that called you is some kind of wacko."

"Maybe you're right."

"I usually am, Francis."

"Oh now you're gonna get it," Gage said as he sat up on his knees and leaned over her, pinning her to the ground as his lips sought out hers. Sydney's arms wound around his neck, bringing him closer to her as she parted her lips for him and allowed his tongue inside her mouth.

Gage growled in his throat as he devoured her mouth, feeding off her essence. Had they not been in a very public place, he would've been doing some very nonpublic things with her.

Slowly, he released himself from her and pulled back to look in her eyes.

"We should've gone home."

"We have to get back to work. Or at least, I do. You go talk to Mary and I'll tell Walker where you are."

"Please don't tell Walker about this."

"I won't. I'm just going to tell him that you have a personal matter you need to deal with."

"Thanks babe. I love you."

"I love you too Gage." He kissed her one more time before getting to his feet and offering out his hand. Sydney accepted as he helped her to her feet before slipping an arm around her slight waist and kissing the top of her head. Together they walked back to their car and drove away.

PAWHUSKA, OK

Julian couldn't believe his luck. After all his searching, he finally found his brother. Well, half-brother technically. After he had learned about being adopted and losing his birth mother, he had wanted nothing more than to feel closer to her family. He wanted to know if she had any siblings or other children. He wanted to know where he came from.

There was a knock on the door of the study and it slowly swung open. A petite woman stood there.

"Did you get ahold of him?"

"Yeah. I told him who I was and that I was coming to Dallas next week."

"Did he believe you when you told him who you were?"

"Not at first but I think he's warming up to me."

"What about the sister?"

"He wants to tell her about me."

"Are you sure you really want to do this?"

"Yes, I need to know who he is. All I know about him is that he's a Texas Ranger."

"Just be careful. We may be divorced but I do still care about you."

"Thanks Regina."

DALLAS, TX

Gage arrived at the home of Mary Davis, his mother's sister. Mary had contacted him shortly after Chris was born. She wanted to make amends for the past but to also build a relationship with him for the future. She wanted to be there for his family, to get to know her great-niece and great-nephew. She wanted to know his wife. She wanted to be part of the family.

Gage knocked on the door. It opened and there stood Mary.

"Francis, it's good to see you. Please come in," she said, stepping aside to let him in.

"It's good to see you too, Aunt Mary. But please call me Gage. Julie's really the only person to call me Francis anymore. Well, except Syd, but that's usually when I'm in trouble."

"You will always be Francis to me. I was there the day you were born; I was the first person to hold you after your parents did."

"I know, Mom told me. But Aunt Mary, I came here for a reason."

"Is everything okay with Sydney? With the kids?"

"Yeah, everyone's fine. Can we sit?"

She led the way to the living room where they sat on the couch.

"What is it Francis?" she asked.

"Did Mom have any other kids besides Julie and me?"

Mary went silent. She knew this day would come, she just didn't expect it to be now.

"How did you find out?"

"So that's a yes."

"Francis, you have to understand that things were different back then."

"Did Mom have another child?" Gage persisted.

"Yes, she did," Mary said softly.

"Why didn't she ever tell us?"

"Things were different back then," Mary said again. "It was 1964 and we were young. Free spirits is what your grandma called us. We had gone to a rally one night and your mother fell in love with the guy on the stage. His name was Jacob and he really was handsome."

"So what happened?" Gage asked.

"They spent the better part of the evening in his VW van. She and I finally met up around 4 that morning. We thought we were going to be in so much trouble as we snuck home that night but our parents never seemed to notice we had been gone."

"Did she date Jacob?"

"She never saw him again. We went back to where the rally was held but everyone told us that Jacob had left early that morning to go to some war rally in Idaho."

"When did she find out she was pregnant?"

"About a month after he left. Colleen was so scared; she didn't know what to do. She was only 18; she couldn't take care of a baby. So she did the only thing she could do at the time, she gave the baby up for adoption."

"What did your parents say?"

"She never told them. She moved out after she found out she was pregnant and I went with her. I knew she needed someone in her corner so I wanted to help her. We contacted the adoption agency and asked for an out-of-state placement."

"Why?"

"Colleen wanted to put enough space between her and her decision so that she wouldn't be able to take it back. It usually takes six months for the adoption paperwork to become final and she had until it did to change her mind, if she wanted too. If the child was placed out of state, she knew she wouldn't change her mind."

"Why didn't Mom just keep the baby?"

"Francis, she knew she was in no position to raise a baby. She had her whole life ahead of her. She knew she had no way of providing for that child the way she should have. So she let someone else have what she knew she couldn't take care of."

"What do you know about the baby?"

"It was a little boy. He was placed with a very lovely couple from Pawhuska, Alan and Nina Parker. For the first few years, they sent Colleen letters and pictures. Colleen didn't want Michael to know so she had the letters sent to my house."

"Mom should've said something. Julie and I deserved to know we had a brother out there."

"Francis, your mother did was she thought was right. After giving the baby up for adoption, she felt so lost and alone. I knew it was postpartum depression and for a while I didn't think she was going to find her way out. But then she met your father and she fell hopelessly and completely in love with him. He gave her that cheap plastic ring on their first date and asked her to marry him. He kept asking until she finally said yes. They were married a year after she gave the baby up and a year later they had Julie. Then two years later, you came along. Colleen had the perfect family and she was so happy. But she never forgot about him. Then after they were killed in the car accident, I always wondered what happened to him. I wanted to reach out to him, but I knew it wasn't my place. Colleen had finally put her decision behind her after everything that had happened. Please don't be mad at her for what she did."

"How can I not be mad Aunt Mary? My own mother lied to me, my sister and my father. She kept this huge secret and today that secret called me up."

"He called you?"

"Yeah. He's recently divorced and thinking about coming home to Dallas. He wants to meet me and Julie. Now I have to figure a way to tell her about this without her getting all mad."

"Just be honest with her, Francis. Julie will appreciate the honesty."

"I just wish Mom had been honest with us."

"She did what she could've done at the time, Francis. Please don't be mad at her memory."

"I'm trying Aunt Mary, but it's hard."

"You have Sydney to help you through it, as I know Julie has Eric to help her."

"I guess you're right."

"Just give him a chance. He just wants to know his family."

"Thanks Aunt Mary."

"Anytime, honey. Don't be shy about coming around and next time, bring that beautiful wife and kids of yours okay?"

"I will. I've gotta get back to work now." Gage stood and wrapped his arms around his slightly shorter aunt. As he headed for the door, at least he knew the truth now. But that didn't mean he couldn't do a little digging on his newfound relative.

Back at headquarters, Sydney was discussing the case with Walker and Trivette. The autopsies had confirmed that all 13 kids from the local college had, in fact, died from the new super drug. It was a combination of ecstasy, speed and methamphetamines and dangerously deadly.

"So what do we do now?" Sydney asked.

"Walker, the coroner also wanted you to know that all the female victims had been sexually active just before their deaths, most likely from the male victims."

"So someone is basically doping these kids up to have sex with each other?" Sydney asked.

"That's what it sounds like," Walker said calmly. Inside he was perplexed by this.

"How do we stop this?" Sydney asked.

"Sydney, I want to send you in undercover."

"What about Gage?"

"It's probably better if he doesn't go in too. Two new students might be a little too suspicious."

"You want me to be a student?"

"I think that's the best way to get close to finding out about the drug. We need to find the dealer."

"A lot of the kids we talked too say this one kid, Ralph Wallace, knew all 13 victims and that they wouldn't be surprised if he was the one dealing," Trivette said.

"Okay, Sydney I want you to get close to him. We're going to try and get you in some of his classes. I've spoken with the Dean of Admissions and he has agreed to push your paperwork through and set you up in a single room in the dorm. I think living on campus will be the best way to get close to the students," Walker said.

"When do I go in?"

"A few days. Trivette is going to get you all set with your backstory and new ID. Why don't you and Gage take the next 2 days off and prepare the kids for you being away for a while. Gage will be your contact on the outside. If you find things are getting a little too weird or too much to handle, let him know and we'll try to bring in some backup."

"Okay," Sydney said as Gage came through the door, breathless.

"What did I miss?"

"We'll talk about it at home. Let's go get the kids," Sydney said, grabbing his hand and pulling him back to the door. Gage just shook his head and followed her out.

After dinner that night, Gage and Sydney sat down with Andie and Chris. They had discussed it on their way to the H.O.P.E. center and wanted to break it to them gently, although Gage himself wasn't happy with the arrangement. He couldn't understand why he wasn't going in with Sydney.

"Mommy and I have something to tell you guys," Gage began.

"Is Mom having another baby?" Andie asked.

Sydney laughed. "Not right now but I do have to go on an assignment for a little while at work."

"How long are you going to be gone?" Andie asked.

"I really don't know, honey. I don't want to be gone long."

"Can we come?" asked Chris.

"No sweetie, you guys can't come."

"Is Daddy going?" Chris asked.

"I'm gonna be here with you guys but I'm gonna talk to Mommy all the time," Gage said as he ruffled his son's blonde hair.

"I miss you Mommy," Chris said as he wiggled out of the chair and went to hug his mother.

"I'm gonna miss you guys too. But I'll be back before you know it."

"That's what my other mom said and now she's in prison," Andie said quietly.

"Andie, come here. I want to talk to you alone," Sydney said. Gage took Chris in his arms and headed for the bathroom for his bath.

Sydney took the little blonde girl in her lap and wrapped her arms around her. She smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Andie, I know this is going to be hard for you, but I will be back. Wild horses couldn't keep me away from you guys. I love you and your Dad and your brother so much. I'm going to be thinking of you the entire time."

"You're really going to come back?" Andie asked, a tear forming in her blue eyes.

"Of course."

"Okay. I'm gonna miss you too. Dad is a lousy cook."

Sydney laughed. "I know he is but you also have Aunt Alex and Aunt Erika and Uncle Walker and Uncle Jimmy to help."

"Yeah, Aunt Alex is a good cook."

"So you guys will be totally fine. Like I said, I'll be back before you know it."

"Okay, Mom." Andie kissed Sydney's cheek and slipped out of her lap before heading upstairs. Sydney watched her go and hoped she was making the right choice. But this was her job and she knew if they wanted to break the case, she would have to go.

After the kids had been bathed, read too and tucked in, Gage made his way to the bedroom he shared with his wife. Opening the door, he didn't find her but the smell of vanilla permeated from the bathroom. His nose followed the scent and discovered her soaking in the tub, bubbles all around her and candles flickering away on the sink. He sat down beside the tub and reached in to find her foot.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked, massaging the bottom of her foot.

"Talk about what? This is my job."

"I still don't understand why I'm not going in with you," he said.

"Walker thinks that would raise too many questions. You're still my contact on the outside and I'm going to call every night. Walker got me a single in the dorm and I'll call every night before I go to sleep."

"Something just feels off about this one, Syd. Too many kids have died from it."

"I know, that's why we need to put a stop to it. We don't need any more kids to die from this."

"I know you're right, but I still have that funny feeling," he said as he reached for her other foot.

"What did you Aunt Mary say?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Mom had another kid about a year before she met and married Dad. He was adopted by a couple from Pawhuska and they used to send letters and pictures to Mary's house for Mom."

"Why didn't she ever tell you?"

"Aunt Mary says she was embarrassed because she got pregnant from a one night stand in the back of a VW van by some peace loving rally freak named Jacob."

"That doesn't sound like your mom, at least not from what you've told me about her."

"There seems to be a lot about my mom that I never knew."

"I'm sorry baby."

"Are you getting out anytime soon?" Gage asked as he eyed her breasts playing peak-a-boo beneath the bubbles.

"I do need a towel," she purred to him as she stood and he took in her amazing naked body with bubbles clinging to the wet skin. He stood and grabbed a fluffy towel, wrapped it around her and scooped her into his arms. Her lips went to his neck as he carried her to the bed.

Laying her down, he withdrew the towel and began to ravage her body with his lips. Sydney twisted under his mouth, yearning for his touch, for his skin. He stood and stripped off his own clothes before sinking back to the bed and finding her lips again.

His hand moved between her legs, stroking her womanhood as she arched beneath him. With one smooth motion, he was inside her as she held on for dear life. Gage rocked against her, feeling the momentum building and building until it boiled over and he let out a guttural moan of satisfaction. Sydney's cries followed his and he fell to her, breathing hard as he rolled to his side and pulled her close.

"It just keeps getting better and better," he murmured in her ear.

"Ditto."

"Make sure you come home to me, Syd."

"I'll always come home to you, Gage."