~Gage's POV~
"Gage, I'm sorry," she handed me the engagement ring that I had only given her a couple weeks ago, "I have to go, and I hope you can forgive me someday."
"I love you, remember that," I whispered pulling her close, "I'll always be here," I placed my lips on her forehead holding her close not wanting to let go.
"I love you too," she pulled away turning around and walking to her car she got in and drove off never once looking back.
~*~8 months later~*~
"Trivette what's up with you man?" I asked watching him as he almost fell asleep for the fifth time that morning.
"Ethan's not sleeping through the night, and I finally decided that Erica deserved to sleep so I stayed up," Trivette answered smartly pulling his hat over his eyes and leaning back.
"Whatever man," I laughed looking at my watch deciding that it was lunchtime, "I'm going for lunch, want anything?" He shook his head not even looking up or opening his eyes.
Waiting at the new diner on the corner, I noticed that it was getting dark and that it would probably be raining soon, hopefully after I finished eating. I sat watching everyone pass by even noticing the tall gangly man dressed in all black, scars covering one side of his face from his left temple all the way down to the corner of his mouth. My instincts kicking in I kept one eye on him observing everyone else in the crowd of people on the Dallas streets.
The scream coming from the middle of the crowd brought my attention back to the dark gangly looking man I had seen earlier, now standing over a dark haired woman holding a knife to her neck almost daring her to move. Making sure his attention was firmly on the woman I hit him with a roundhouse kick knocking the knife to the ground along with the man allowing myself enough time to pick up my cuffs and secure him to the street pole and I went to check on the woman.
"Gage?" I immediately recognized Syd's voice, "What are the chances of that happening?"
"Well you are in Texas, near a restaurant gee Syd I don't know what are the odds?" I asked before even turning around, "And since when do you scream instead of fight?"
"Well if you turned around and looked at me it would be painfully obvious why I screamed instead of fought," came her harsh voice, I turned and was completely shocked at the sight before me, Sydney Cooke...pregnant.
"Is that why you left?" it was the only question I could think of, "Is it even mine?"
"No and yes in that order, now do you mind helping me up?" she spit back just as fiery as ever. I couldn't help but smile that was my Syd, ordering me around as always and keeping me in line.
"Sorry so...where are you staying, you are always welcome home," I really hoped she would stay with me; I needed her to stay with me.
"Well I was kind of hoping you would say that because we have a lot to talk about, starting with why I left and why I'm back, but first we have to stop by headquarters and let everyone see me," she answered going over to the dark gangly man, " and question this guy."
"Whatever you say Syd, whatever you say," I placed a couple of bills on the table just as the rain started to fall, noticing Syd didn't have a jacket I slid out of mine wrapping it around her she smiled slightly.
~Syd's POV~
"Gage, man I thought you were going for lunch not to hit on a pregnant woman?" I heard Trivette joke from behind me.
"James Trivette, you'll never change will you?" I asked turning around just in time to see the shocked expression come across his face.
"Syd, what are you doing here? We didn't think we would ever see you around here again?" Trivette asked reaching out to hug me.
"Well I took care of everything I needed to, and decided that Francis here deserved to know he was going to be a Dad," I smiled when the next two people I saw were Walker and Alex coming into the office.
"So Walker how would you feel about a new Ranger in a couple of months?" Gage asked off handedly as he stepped in front of where I sat.
"Gage, you know I have to know them personally and that we are still looking for a replacement for Sydney," Walker stated as Trivette's face showed a huge smile.
"Well maybe I can help with that although like Gage said it will have to be a couple of months," I kicked the side of his leg so he would move out of the way to reveal me to Walker and Alex, "I would get up and hug you but I can't get out of the chair."
Alex laughed apparently the memories very well known to her as she reached over to hug me followed by Walker, "So you're here to stay then?" I nodded watching Gage, although he seemed to accept me back, I knew that something wasn't quite right with him.
"Gage take her home, catch up and you can have paternity leave as soon as you like," Walker said knowingly and now I regretted letting Walker know the whole story, before anyone else.
"Okay Walker...how did you know?" Gage asked already knowing the answer.
"Just go home and talk."
~Gage's POV~
"Chinese right?" I asked remembering that it was her favorite.
"Actually no, don't touch the stuff, pregnancy and all," she replied pulling out all the take out menus I had collected since she left, "When did CD's get take out service?"
"About a month ago, one of the kids we busted does it as community service," I answered pulling the cordless from the stand, "So what do you want?"
"A bowl of chili and a steak," she looked over the menu one more time, "and some Chocolate cake."
"Sure just give me a second, you know where everything is," I rounded the corner to make the order, and came back to find her laying on the couch her hand resting over her large stomach.
"Gage, give me your hand," she ordered pulling me to the floor, placing my hand under hers on the right side of her belly and I felt the smallest poking feeling, "meet your son."
"Really...I have a son?" she nodded and moved her hand letting me rest my head against her hearing the soft thumping of a heartbeat.
"Gage, eight months ago I had to leave, it had nothing to do with you trust me, and I didn't even know about this when I left," I pulled myself up from the floor sitting on the end of the couch resting her feet in my lap, nodding for her to continue.
"My mom had called the week before I left, told me that Dad was dying that he wanted me to be there, I argued with her for a week that both of us would be there by the end of the month after the wedding. The next thing I knew she had Dad on the phone talking to me, begging me to come home and not get married and he was dying there wasn't anything else I could do...god look at me I'm a blubbering mess," she sobbed taking the tissue I offered her when the door bell rang.
"$20.22, Ranger Gage you must really be hungry tonight or do you have one of your 'friends' over," I could tell by the tone in his voice that he was insinuating things, that weren't true, he had dropped food off often the month that Julie had stayed with me.
"Gee, Gage what happened to 'I love you, I'll always be here,'" Syd's voice called from behind me and I realized she had heard the last bit of what the delivery boy had said and she rushed out the door.
I rushed out after grabbing my jacket off the hook following her into the rain, "Syd, Syd, what...where are you going?"
"Away from here you obviously moved on, and rather quickly I might add," she snapped continuing down the sidewalk in the rain.
"Syd the only woman I had over at my apartment was Julie and that kid made an ass of himself assuming things about the two of us that weren't true," I reassured catching her arm as she tried to move away, "I know right now you are really high strung and your emotions are on overdrive, but come back inside and trust me when I tell you that it was Julie, there was no one else, there is no one else," I reassured pulling her towards me, wrapping my arms securely around her waist.
"Promise?" her muffled voice came from my chest.
"Promise, now let's get you inside, the last thing we want is for you to be sick," I pulled my jacket off for the second time that day wrapping it around her shoulders as we slowly walked through the cold rain to the apartment.
"Where was I...oh yeah so after I talked to Dad I told him that I would come and visit him, he died last week and I told Mom that I was coming out to see you, that I needed you only you would be able to comfort me, and at the very least after she tried to make me get an abortion you needed to know you were going to have a son," Syd was crying now as we continued the walk back to the apartment.
"What do you say we take a bath and then put on some warmer clothes and then we can get some sleep, okay?" she nodded as I pulled her towards the bathroom.
I let the water run and helped her get into the tub and then turned to leave, "Gage stay, please," she begged pulling my shirt from my pants and helping me out of it.
After a long bath just relaxing against each other I pulled her out of the tub of course we were all prunie and I went to find an old pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt that would fit her.
We both settled in for the night in the bed that we hadn't shared in over eight months but felt like it had only been yesterday that we were there together, "Gage, why are you wearing this around your neck," Syd asked pulling at the chain that held her engagement ring on it.
"I had planned to give it to the woman I love when she returned, it's just here for safe keeping until it can go back where it belongs," I replied taking the necklace off and holding it where she could slip her finger through, if she chose to. Her hand ever so slowly slid into the ring placing it where it had rested eight long months ago.
"I love you."
"I love you too, both of you." I whispered pulling her close her head resting on my chest, my hand resting on her belly, glad to have my family with me.
~Syd's POV~
"Hey baby, wake up," I heard Gage's soft voice whisper, "hey you, well rested?"
"Yeah, I feel a lot better than yesterday and I'm glad that you know everything that's going on now you have to catch me up on everything around here," I took the mug from his hand and noticed that he was also drinking hot chocolate.
"Well Trivette and Erica have a son, Ethan, and since you've kept in touch with Walker I assume you know that Angela is going to be a big sister and well there is a new rookie that is your biggest fan because you made it possible for her to become a Ranger, but I don't think you'll even get to meet her because she just transferred back to Houston, and that just leaves us," He smiled taking a sip of his hot chocolate leaving a light brown mustache across his upper lip. I took the opportunity and licked his upper lip pulling him down to where he lay across me.
"Syd...Syd," he mumbled between kisses trying not to lean on top of me so I rolled us over and he pulled closer to me letting his hands run up and down my spine eventually going under my shirt letting his hands roam around over my swollen stomach, until he found where our son had been kicking wildly.
"He's taking after his father already," I smiled when Gage pulled back. Gage gave me his famous smirk and continued on with his task.
~Gage's POV~
If sex was that good with Syd pregnant, what is it going to be like after she has the baby? Although it was quite difficult with limited positions and all there wasn't a whole lot we could do.
Syd lay asleep with a content smile on her face, subconsciously tracing circles around my belly button just like she used to do, and her other hand rested above mine over our baby.
"Umm...that was nice," Syd commented tilting her head up to look at me.
"Thank you, weren't so bad yourself," I kidded letting her roll over and then spooned up behind her.
"I was supposed to go to lunch today down at the Walker Ranch, care to join me?" I asked once again letting my hands rest over the baby.
"Don't mind if I do, although Erica will probably be thrown for a loop, if Trivette didn't tell her," she commented burrowing herself in the covers and my arms.
"He probably told her, he is whipped," I laughed at the thought of how he got in more trouble with Erica then Walker and I got with Syd and Alex, although I had mine coming to me.
"Really? And you weren't, if I do remember correctly and I do, you would run to do whatever I asked of you no matter how stupid, and you always did it with a smile," she looked accusingly at me, letting me know she was right.
"Okay, so maybe I was a little," I conceited knowing it was easier than fighting her, "Syd, I want to marry you before we become parents, and you haven't told me your due date yet so I'm going to assume you are at eight/eight and a half months, so why don't we go down to the courthouse tonight with Alex, Walker, Trivette, Erica, Angela, and Ethan and get married?"
"I would love to marry you tonight, and my due date is actually a week from today, but by my simplistic math it's not possible, although tomorrow lines up perfectly," she smiled knowingly towards me, "Yes, I'll marry you tonight."
~Syd's POV~
"Alex, Erica, you guys in here?" I asked peering through the swinging door to the kitchen and saw Angela and a little boy who I assumed to be Ethan sitting in the middle of the floor, while Alex and Erica quickly worked to make lunch.
"Syd, my gosh look at you Jimmy wasn't kidding when he said you were pregnant," Erica replied giving me a hug and placing her hand on my belly.
"No he was definitely not kidding, how would you to feel about being maidens of honor tonight at eight o'clock?" I asked showing them the ring again.
"We're in, Gage sure doesn't waste anytime does he?" Alex asked taking everything to the table, and called the rest of them in.
"They're all go, I'm glad I didn't return those rings after you left," Gage smiled patting his pocket.
"Well are you at least going to get the proper outfits?" Erica asked handing her son over to Jimmy who put him in the high chair, while Walker got Angela to her booster seat.
"Actually, we want to be comfortable and ready for anything so I think we are sticking to jeans," Gage answered leaning down as Angela tugged on his sleeve, "Angela, you don't remember Aunt Syd do you?" she shook her head slightly, "Well Angela Walker, this is your Aunt Sydney."
"Hey Aunt Syd," Angela stuck her hand out and I grasped it in mine.
"Well Angela Walker how would you feel about being a flower girl?" she nodded her head vigorously and continued to eat every thing Alex had placed on her plate.
~Gage's POV~
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride," The judge said his final line and I took my cue leaning down to kiss Syd, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Gage."
~*~One Week Later~*~
"You okay?" I asked watching Syd readjust her position for at least the hundredth time in ten minutes.
"He keeps kicking me," she answered moving again.
"Hey you in there," I began talking to her stomach as she stopped moving and sat still on the couch and I squatted in front of her, "calm down, we want to see you too," I started to gently rubbed my hands over her stomach continuously until the kicking ceased, but only for a moment before her stomach visibly clutched.
"GAGE," she yelled, grabbing my hand, "my water just broke."
"Okay, come on, nice and easy, just lean on me," I opened the apartment door grabbing her suitcase and helping her down the steps to the car.
"Just breath Syd, in through the nose out through the mouth, easy," I talked to her the whole way to the hospital, and held her hand gently reassuring her through the whole thing.
And it all paid off at exactly 12:00a.m. December 1st, Benjamin Francis Gage was born, 9 lbs. 15 oz. I was not very happy about his middle name but decided no one would ever have to know.
Now I sit here on the porch of the Walker Ranch Ben asleep in one arm and Syd lying gently against the other on the porch swing while everyone admires the new life that we created.
"I love you," Syd whispered quietly into my ear while everyone cooed and cawed at Ben.
"I love you too."
"Gage, I'm sorry," she handed me the engagement ring that I had only given her a couple weeks ago, "I have to go, and I hope you can forgive me someday."
"I love you, remember that," I whispered pulling her close, "I'll always be here," I placed my lips on her forehead holding her close not wanting to let go.
"I love you too," she pulled away turning around and walking to her car she got in and drove off never once looking back.
~*~8 months later~*~
"Trivette what's up with you man?" I asked watching him as he almost fell asleep for the fifth time that morning.
"Ethan's not sleeping through the night, and I finally decided that Erica deserved to sleep so I stayed up," Trivette answered smartly pulling his hat over his eyes and leaning back.
"Whatever man," I laughed looking at my watch deciding that it was lunchtime, "I'm going for lunch, want anything?" He shook his head not even looking up or opening his eyes.
Waiting at the new diner on the corner, I noticed that it was getting dark and that it would probably be raining soon, hopefully after I finished eating. I sat watching everyone pass by even noticing the tall gangly man dressed in all black, scars covering one side of his face from his left temple all the way down to the corner of his mouth. My instincts kicking in I kept one eye on him observing everyone else in the crowd of people on the Dallas streets.
The scream coming from the middle of the crowd brought my attention back to the dark gangly looking man I had seen earlier, now standing over a dark haired woman holding a knife to her neck almost daring her to move. Making sure his attention was firmly on the woman I hit him with a roundhouse kick knocking the knife to the ground along with the man allowing myself enough time to pick up my cuffs and secure him to the street pole and I went to check on the woman.
"Gage?" I immediately recognized Syd's voice, "What are the chances of that happening?"
"Well you are in Texas, near a restaurant gee Syd I don't know what are the odds?" I asked before even turning around, "And since when do you scream instead of fight?"
"Well if you turned around and looked at me it would be painfully obvious why I screamed instead of fought," came her harsh voice, I turned and was completely shocked at the sight before me, Sydney Cooke...pregnant.
"Is that why you left?" it was the only question I could think of, "Is it even mine?"
"No and yes in that order, now do you mind helping me up?" she spit back just as fiery as ever. I couldn't help but smile that was my Syd, ordering me around as always and keeping me in line.
"Sorry so...where are you staying, you are always welcome home," I really hoped she would stay with me; I needed her to stay with me.
"Well I was kind of hoping you would say that because we have a lot to talk about, starting with why I left and why I'm back, but first we have to stop by headquarters and let everyone see me," she answered going over to the dark gangly man, " and question this guy."
"Whatever you say Syd, whatever you say," I placed a couple of bills on the table just as the rain started to fall, noticing Syd didn't have a jacket I slid out of mine wrapping it around her she smiled slightly.
~Syd's POV~
"Gage, man I thought you were going for lunch not to hit on a pregnant woman?" I heard Trivette joke from behind me.
"James Trivette, you'll never change will you?" I asked turning around just in time to see the shocked expression come across his face.
"Syd, what are you doing here? We didn't think we would ever see you around here again?" Trivette asked reaching out to hug me.
"Well I took care of everything I needed to, and decided that Francis here deserved to know he was going to be a Dad," I smiled when the next two people I saw were Walker and Alex coming into the office.
"So Walker how would you feel about a new Ranger in a couple of months?" Gage asked off handedly as he stepped in front of where I sat.
"Gage, you know I have to know them personally and that we are still looking for a replacement for Sydney," Walker stated as Trivette's face showed a huge smile.
"Well maybe I can help with that although like Gage said it will have to be a couple of months," I kicked the side of his leg so he would move out of the way to reveal me to Walker and Alex, "I would get up and hug you but I can't get out of the chair."
Alex laughed apparently the memories very well known to her as she reached over to hug me followed by Walker, "So you're here to stay then?" I nodded watching Gage, although he seemed to accept me back, I knew that something wasn't quite right with him.
"Gage take her home, catch up and you can have paternity leave as soon as you like," Walker said knowingly and now I regretted letting Walker know the whole story, before anyone else.
"Okay Walker...how did you know?" Gage asked already knowing the answer.
"Just go home and talk."
~Gage's POV~
"Chinese right?" I asked remembering that it was her favorite.
"Actually no, don't touch the stuff, pregnancy and all," she replied pulling out all the take out menus I had collected since she left, "When did CD's get take out service?"
"About a month ago, one of the kids we busted does it as community service," I answered pulling the cordless from the stand, "So what do you want?"
"A bowl of chili and a steak," she looked over the menu one more time, "and some Chocolate cake."
"Sure just give me a second, you know where everything is," I rounded the corner to make the order, and came back to find her laying on the couch her hand resting over her large stomach.
"Gage, give me your hand," she ordered pulling me to the floor, placing my hand under hers on the right side of her belly and I felt the smallest poking feeling, "meet your son."
"Really...I have a son?" she nodded and moved her hand letting me rest my head against her hearing the soft thumping of a heartbeat.
"Gage, eight months ago I had to leave, it had nothing to do with you trust me, and I didn't even know about this when I left," I pulled myself up from the floor sitting on the end of the couch resting her feet in my lap, nodding for her to continue.
"My mom had called the week before I left, told me that Dad was dying that he wanted me to be there, I argued with her for a week that both of us would be there by the end of the month after the wedding. The next thing I knew she had Dad on the phone talking to me, begging me to come home and not get married and he was dying there wasn't anything else I could do...god look at me I'm a blubbering mess," she sobbed taking the tissue I offered her when the door bell rang.
"$20.22, Ranger Gage you must really be hungry tonight or do you have one of your 'friends' over," I could tell by the tone in his voice that he was insinuating things, that weren't true, he had dropped food off often the month that Julie had stayed with me.
"Gee, Gage what happened to 'I love you, I'll always be here,'" Syd's voice called from behind me and I realized she had heard the last bit of what the delivery boy had said and she rushed out the door.
I rushed out after grabbing my jacket off the hook following her into the rain, "Syd, Syd, what...where are you going?"
"Away from here you obviously moved on, and rather quickly I might add," she snapped continuing down the sidewalk in the rain.
"Syd the only woman I had over at my apartment was Julie and that kid made an ass of himself assuming things about the two of us that weren't true," I reassured catching her arm as she tried to move away, "I know right now you are really high strung and your emotions are on overdrive, but come back inside and trust me when I tell you that it was Julie, there was no one else, there is no one else," I reassured pulling her towards me, wrapping my arms securely around her waist.
"Promise?" her muffled voice came from my chest.
"Promise, now let's get you inside, the last thing we want is for you to be sick," I pulled my jacket off for the second time that day wrapping it around her shoulders as we slowly walked through the cold rain to the apartment.
"Where was I...oh yeah so after I talked to Dad I told him that I would come and visit him, he died last week and I told Mom that I was coming out to see you, that I needed you only you would be able to comfort me, and at the very least after she tried to make me get an abortion you needed to know you were going to have a son," Syd was crying now as we continued the walk back to the apartment.
"What do you say we take a bath and then put on some warmer clothes and then we can get some sleep, okay?" she nodded as I pulled her towards the bathroom.
I let the water run and helped her get into the tub and then turned to leave, "Gage stay, please," she begged pulling my shirt from my pants and helping me out of it.
After a long bath just relaxing against each other I pulled her out of the tub of course we were all prunie and I went to find an old pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt that would fit her.
We both settled in for the night in the bed that we hadn't shared in over eight months but felt like it had only been yesterday that we were there together, "Gage, why are you wearing this around your neck," Syd asked pulling at the chain that held her engagement ring on it.
"I had planned to give it to the woman I love when she returned, it's just here for safe keeping until it can go back where it belongs," I replied taking the necklace off and holding it where she could slip her finger through, if she chose to. Her hand ever so slowly slid into the ring placing it where it had rested eight long months ago.
"I love you."
"I love you too, both of you." I whispered pulling her close her head resting on my chest, my hand resting on her belly, glad to have my family with me.
~Syd's POV~
"Hey baby, wake up," I heard Gage's soft voice whisper, "hey you, well rested?"
"Yeah, I feel a lot better than yesterday and I'm glad that you know everything that's going on now you have to catch me up on everything around here," I took the mug from his hand and noticed that he was also drinking hot chocolate.
"Well Trivette and Erica have a son, Ethan, and since you've kept in touch with Walker I assume you know that Angela is going to be a big sister and well there is a new rookie that is your biggest fan because you made it possible for her to become a Ranger, but I don't think you'll even get to meet her because she just transferred back to Houston, and that just leaves us," He smiled taking a sip of his hot chocolate leaving a light brown mustache across his upper lip. I took the opportunity and licked his upper lip pulling him down to where he lay across me.
"Syd...Syd," he mumbled between kisses trying not to lean on top of me so I rolled us over and he pulled closer to me letting his hands run up and down my spine eventually going under my shirt letting his hands roam around over my swollen stomach, until he found where our son had been kicking wildly.
"He's taking after his father already," I smiled when Gage pulled back. Gage gave me his famous smirk and continued on with his task.
~Gage's POV~
If sex was that good with Syd pregnant, what is it going to be like after she has the baby? Although it was quite difficult with limited positions and all there wasn't a whole lot we could do.
Syd lay asleep with a content smile on her face, subconsciously tracing circles around my belly button just like she used to do, and her other hand rested above mine over our baby.
"Umm...that was nice," Syd commented tilting her head up to look at me.
"Thank you, weren't so bad yourself," I kidded letting her roll over and then spooned up behind her.
"I was supposed to go to lunch today down at the Walker Ranch, care to join me?" I asked once again letting my hands rest over the baby.
"Don't mind if I do, although Erica will probably be thrown for a loop, if Trivette didn't tell her," she commented burrowing herself in the covers and my arms.
"He probably told her, he is whipped," I laughed at the thought of how he got in more trouble with Erica then Walker and I got with Syd and Alex, although I had mine coming to me.
"Really? And you weren't, if I do remember correctly and I do, you would run to do whatever I asked of you no matter how stupid, and you always did it with a smile," she looked accusingly at me, letting me know she was right.
"Okay, so maybe I was a little," I conceited knowing it was easier than fighting her, "Syd, I want to marry you before we become parents, and you haven't told me your due date yet so I'm going to assume you are at eight/eight and a half months, so why don't we go down to the courthouse tonight with Alex, Walker, Trivette, Erica, Angela, and Ethan and get married?"
"I would love to marry you tonight, and my due date is actually a week from today, but by my simplistic math it's not possible, although tomorrow lines up perfectly," she smiled knowingly towards me, "Yes, I'll marry you tonight."
~Syd's POV~
"Alex, Erica, you guys in here?" I asked peering through the swinging door to the kitchen and saw Angela and a little boy who I assumed to be Ethan sitting in the middle of the floor, while Alex and Erica quickly worked to make lunch.
"Syd, my gosh look at you Jimmy wasn't kidding when he said you were pregnant," Erica replied giving me a hug and placing her hand on my belly.
"No he was definitely not kidding, how would you to feel about being maidens of honor tonight at eight o'clock?" I asked showing them the ring again.
"We're in, Gage sure doesn't waste anytime does he?" Alex asked taking everything to the table, and called the rest of them in.
"They're all go, I'm glad I didn't return those rings after you left," Gage smiled patting his pocket.
"Well are you at least going to get the proper outfits?" Erica asked handing her son over to Jimmy who put him in the high chair, while Walker got Angela to her booster seat.
"Actually, we want to be comfortable and ready for anything so I think we are sticking to jeans," Gage answered leaning down as Angela tugged on his sleeve, "Angela, you don't remember Aunt Syd do you?" she shook her head slightly, "Well Angela Walker, this is your Aunt Sydney."
"Hey Aunt Syd," Angela stuck her hand out and I grasped it in mine.
"Well Angela Walker how would you feel about being a flower girl?" she nodded her head vigorously and continued to eat every thing Alex had placed on her plate.
~Gage's POV~
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride," The judge said his final line and I took my cue leaning down to kiss Syd, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Gage."
~*~One Week Later~*~
"You okay?" I asked watching Syd readjust her position for at least the hundredth time in ten minutes.
"He keeps kicking me," she answered moving again.
"Hey you in there," I began talking to her stomach as she stopped moving and sat still on the couch and I squatted in front of her, "calm down, we want to see you too," I started to gently rubbed my hands over her stomach continuously until the kicking ceased, but only for a moment before her stomach visibly clutched.
"GAGE," she yelled, grabbing my hand, "my water just broke."
"Okay, come on, nice and easy, just lean on me," I opened the apartment door grabbing her suitcase and helping her down the steps to the car.
"Just breath Syd, in through the nose out through the mouth, easy," I talked to her the whole way to the hospital, and held her hand gently reassuring her through the whole thing.
And it all paid off at exactly 12:00a.m. December 1st, Benjamin Francis Gage was born, 9 lbs. 15 oz. I was not very happy about his middle name but decided no one would ever have to know.
Now I sit here on the porch of the Walker Ranch Ben asleep in one arm and Syd lying gently against the other on the porch swing while everyone admires the new life that we created.
"I love you," Syd whispered quietly into my ear while everyone cooed and cawed at Ben.
"I love you too."