Sydney & Gage: From Partners to Partners
*DISCLAIMER* I OWN NOTHING OTHER THAN MY OWN IDEAS!
The case they had been working on for 3 weeks had come to a close and not a moment too soon. Sydney missed her bed and after spending 3 weeks in that grungy motel, all she wanted was a nice hot shower and to curl up in bed. She was so tired that she even let Gage drive her home, knowing his track record with driving.
"Syd, you look exhausted."
"Wouldn't you be? I've spent the past 3 weeks having strangers grab me while serving them drinks. Not all of us had it so easy to just stand in the back of the room smiling at the waitresses."
"Hey I had my fair share of stuff to deal with."
"What the handful of fights you broke up?"
"Someone has to look out for you pretty women after all," he replied with that boyish smile of his. Sydney loved that smile. That's how she always ended up forgiving him for whatever stupid thing he said or did. That's part of the reason she fell in love with him.
Gage looked at Sydney as he smiled and knew instantly that his comment was forgiven. Sydney never liked being treated as just a "pretty woman" and she never let him forget it. As she smiled back at him, she placed her hand on his leg. He lost count of how many times she had done that while falling asleep in the car, almost like she thought he'd vanish if she didn't hold on. Truth be told, he didn't mind. He had been in love with Sydney for a long time now and always wondered what her hands would feel like on other parts of his body. Just thinking about it, he could feel a fire burning deep inside him. Hopefully it would subside before they got to her place.
As Gage slowed the car in her apartment building parking lot, Sydney made a frowning face when she looked out the window towards her apartment.
"That's weird."
"What is?" Gage asked her.
"The light I leave on in my living room isn't on. I always leave it on while I'm gone in case I come home late at night."
"You sure you left it on when we left?"
"Positive."
Taking the stairs two at a time, Gage reached the door before Sydney. He withdrew his weapon and she followed suit. He took the right while she stayed to the left. Sliding the key in the lock, Gage turned the knob and gently pushed the door open. He moved to the left while Sydney covered the left.
Reaching over, Gage flipped on the light switch and the junior rangers took in the scene in front of them. Everything was trashed - chairs overturned, pillows slashed, broken dishes, etc. Sydney couldn't believe what she was looking at, this was her home and now it was destroyed. She bent down to pick up a broken photo off the floor but Gage stopped her.
"We need to call Walker. You can't touch anything until crime scene gets here."
Nodding her head, Sydney just looked away with tears in her eyes as Gage made the call to their superior officer. Within minutes, the apartment was flooded with crime scene techs, carefully going over every inch of the apartment.
Walker walked over to Sydney and Gage, a sympathetic look on his face before he spoke.
"Anyone with a grudge against you, Sydney?"
"Besides everyone I've ever collared?"
Walker chuckled. "Yes besides them."
"We've been on a case for almost a month. No telling when this happened or how long my place has looked like this."
"Well you can't stay here, this is a crime scene. You can always come to the ranch if you need somewhere to go," Walker said. "I'm sure Alex and Angela would love to see you."
Sydney appreciated the offer but she didn't want to impose on her boss. She knew she'd be safe at the ranch but she also needed some space to process things. Other than her apartment, there was only one other place she felt safe - with Gage.
She glanced his way and tried to read the expression on his face. She had always been able to read him before but this time, she just couldn't get a read on him. She wished her would speak up and offer to take her in.
Gage, meanwhile, was trying to think of the best way to ask Sydney to stay with him without sounding like a possessive boyfriend. He knew that her home was her sanctuary and the place she felt safe the most, but after seeing what had been done to her home, he knew it wasn't safe anymore.
Finally he spoke. "You can always stay at my place, Syd."
She smiled at him, grateful that he seemed to understand her need to feel safe. "Thanks Gage, are you sure it's no trouble?"
"None at all."
"I'll go grab some things from my bedroom, thanks again Gage."
As Sydney disappeared down the hall, Walker looked at Gage. He studied the junior ranger, almost pleased by the way he wanted to care for his partner was very similar to how he cared for Alex. Although Gage and Sydney hadn't yet confessed their feelings, he could see his rangers getting closer. Maybe this was the push they needed.
A scream brought Walker out of his thoughts as both he and Gage ran down the hall, guns drawn and awaiting trouble. They reached Sydney's room and Walker stayed in the hall while Gage cautiously went inside.
Sydney was standing in the doorway, hands covering her mouth as she surveyed the room. Her bed was completely slashed - blankets, pillows, shams, even the mattress. The framed photo of her and Gage at a picnic at the Walkers ranch that she kept on her bedside table lay smashed on the floor.
"You okay Syd?"
"Who would do this?"
"I don't know Shorty. Why don't you get what you need and we can get out of here?"
"Okay Gage."
She was about to go to the bathroom when she stopped dead in her tracks. She motioned for Gage and he looked over to where she was standing. A trail of rose petals were leading to the bathroom door and it was slightly ajar. Gage stepped in front of her and pushed the door open.
Candles covered the vanity, glowing brightly against the mirror's reflections. They gave just enough illumination for the two rangers to see the message on the mirror, seven chilling letters written in blood red: HE'S MINE.
"Walker!" Gage called for the senior ranger. He came into the room and the first thing he noticed was the photo of Sydney in the sink. It had been taken the day she was accepted into the rangers and had a knife sticking out of it right through Sydney's face.
"Whoa."
"What do you make of this, Walker?" Gage asked him.
"Sydney I hate to ask but are you involved with anyone right now?" the red-headed ranger asked.
"Like who? I have no time for a relationship let alone a date. I'm either at the office, at home or with Gage on a case."
"Well clearly someone thinks you're involved with a man that you shouldn't be. Gage, get her out of here. Don't touch anything. I'm sorry Sydney but you're gonna have to leave everything here."
"I have some stuff in my locker at work plus some stuff in my bag from our last case. I'm sure I can make do with what I have. Let's go Gage."
She walked out the door and didn't look back.
They got to headquarters and went upstairs to Company B. Gage hung back and let her enter the office and head to her locker. He knew that it was important to her to be strong and independent but sometimes he wished she would let him in. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and never let go over her. He wanted to shield her from all the evils in the world but with who Sydney was as a person, she would never let him do that.
As Sydney walked to her locker, she thought about all that had transpired in the last few hours. Her home was destroyed, everything she held near and dear was gone and some crazy psycho was after her. It all just kind of hit her and she slumped down in the chair next to her. She wanted desperately to have Gage's arms around her, keeping her safe from whatever was happening to her.
She could feel the tears well up in her eyes and she willed herself to not let them fall. Gage could see her start to tremble and before he could stop himself, he was crossing the room and taking her in his arms. She might get mad at him, but too bad. He needed to hold her. He just didn't know how much she needed it too.
After a few minutes of holding her, he pulled back slightly to study her face. He could see the way her tears had stained her cheeks and how her eyes were growing puffy. But most important were her eyes. As he looked in the big brown pools in front of him, he saw something he had seen in his own eyes many times before - a want, a need, a hunger.
Without thinking, he lowered his head to hers. His lips were mere inches from hers and his breath was warm against her face. It sent goosebumps down her skin and she slowly raised her lips to meet his.
As their lips touched, it sent tingles down both of them. Sydney raised her arms going around his neck, her fingers getting lost in his blonde hair. His arms tightened around her tiny waist and he lifted her gently off the floor. Sydney tilted her head slightly and gasped at his strength so Gage deepened the kiss, his tongue boldly entering her mouth searching for hers.
Her legs wound around his waist and he turned, carrying her in his arms and never breaking the kiss. He laid her down on the first hard surface he came too, which happened to be Trivette's desk. Just as he was about to reach for her shirt, her hands stopped him.
"Gage."
"Syd."
"I think it's time to go," she said barely above a whisper. He leaned back and she sat up on Trivette's desk, smoothing back her hair. He held out his hand and she slipped hers in it. He led her back out of the office and headed towards his car.
Gage had no more sat behind the wheel when Sydney pounced on him, her mouth on his and teasing his lips with her tongue until he parted his lips to deepen the kiss. His fingers got tangled in her dark locks and she climbed into his lap. Her fingers went to the buttons on his shirt, she loved it when he wore button down shirts. As she started to undo the buttons, he stopped her.
"Syd."
"Gage."
"We should get going," he said with a husky undertone to his voice. She nodded and climbed back into the passenger seat as he fired up the engine. Normally it took him 20 minutes to get home but tonight he made the drive in about 10. His heart raced the whole way home and he began to imagine the things he'd like to do with his partner once they got home. But most of all, he hoped this wasn't gonna be a one time thing.
As he led her upstairs towards his front door, Sydney's heart was beating so loudly that she thought it was going to jump out of her chest. She had wondered for a long time if they would ever kiss for real, the only other times they had kissed were after Walker & Alex landed the plane after their wedding and when they had been undercover with the Raptors. But to her those weren't real kisses, not like the ones from tonight. She began to think about the other things she'd like to do with her partner and praying it wouldn't just be a fling.
They got to the door and Gage fumbled with his keys, lost in thoughts of the petite woman standing next to him. He finally got it in the lock, opened the door and let her enter. He followed in behind her and couldn't help himself as he focused on her backside as she walked in front of him. He closed the door and threw the deadbolt before dropping their bags near the hall closet. Sydney had made her way to the living room, almost feeling at home from all the time she spent with him when he had lost his hearing.
She turned to face him as he approached her. He stopped near the edge of the couch and looked at her. They stood in a stalemate, neither one sure of what to say but both wanting each other's touch.
Finally, without saying a word, Sydney reached for the bottom of her t-shirt and gently lifted it over her head and dropped it to the floor. She looked to Gage with that same look she had at the office. His hands went to the buttons on his shirt and soon it joined hers on the floor. He took a step towards her and she towards him.
As they stood inches from each other, she brought her hand up to trace her fingers along the scars on his chest from the bear at Lake Ebby where the guys had gone for Walker's bachelor party. She brought her lips to his chest and began to kiss her way along the scars.
He crooked a finger under her chin and raised her head to gaze into her eyes with his own. He searched her face for sign that she wanted him like he wanted her. He searched for a sign that this wouldn't be a mistake. He searched for a sign that he wasn't taking advantage of her in her current emotional state.
Sydney drew him into her arms, caressing his body with her soft touch. She knew he was trying to be a gentleman, a quality she had always admired in him but right now she didn't need a gentleman. She needed him to make love to her and forget everything that had gone on earlier this evening.
Very quietly she spoke to him. "I know what you're trying to do and while I appreciate it..." her voice trailed off as he put a finger to her lips.
"That's enough talking for now, don't you think?" he asked her. She nodded and his lips replaced his finger on her lips. He drew her as close to his body as he could, cradling her body to him. Sydney responded to his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck while he carried her to the bedroom.
Inside the bedroom, he deposited her on the bed and reached into the drawer of his bedside table. He withdrew a bottle of massage oil and gently rolled her to her stomach. He straddled her body and poured the oil on her back. He worked softly working the oil into her skin, starting with her lower back. She carried most of her stress there and he knew it.
As his hands traveled up her back, he reached her bra. Pausing slightly, Sydney realized he was waiting for permission. She wanted to sound confident and sexy when she answered him, but it came out sounding like she was begging him.
"Please."
One little word and his hands wasted no time in unhooking her bra, sliding the straps down her arms. Then his hands went back to the massage he was giving her. He waited for her to relax completely under his touch and he knew the exact moment that she did.
He leaned forward and began to pepper her back with sweet kisses. Sydney tingled under the touch of his lips and his warm breath on her back gave her goosebumps. She stretched underneath him and then rolled so she was lying on her back, facing him. She finished sliding her bra off her arms and waited as Gage took in the sight of her.
As much as he wanted to keep his eyes on her face, but being that he was a guy, he couldn't stop his eyes from jerking down to the skin she bared in front of him. She saw his eyes leave hers and travel down her body and smiled to herself that at least he liked what he saw. She reached her arms up, clasping her hands around his neck and bringing his head down to her she first kissed his lips before letting him kiss her neck.
Gage couldn't help himself. He kissed her neck, moving to the sweet spot just below her earlobe making her gasp with pleasure. His hands moved to her breasts, where her nipples were aching for his touch. He massaged and caressed her breasts, pausing slightly to take her nipples between his fingers. Slowly he lowered his mouth down to them, teasing her with that tongue of his. His hands had moved to her jeans, fumbling with the button and trying to get them open.
He succeeded and slid the zipper down. He leaned up from her perfect body as he watched her wriggle herself out of the rest of her clothes. As she laid before him, naked as the day she was born, he took a moment to fully appreciate her. Then he looked into her eyes and the fire that burned in those big brown pools sent him back into action. He began to kiss her stomach, working his way down. But by the time he reached her belly button, he stopped. He gazed up at her and again, she realized he was waiting for permission again.
"Don't stop now," she whispered to him and that sent him back in motion. His head lowered down her body again and her skin sizzled under his touch. Her breaths started coming in short pants as he probed her. Feeling him tickling inside of her with what she dubbed "the magic tongue", she began to claw wildly at his bedsheets. She had never felt this way; certainly no other man had ever made her feel like this.
Gage withdrew from her and as she laid waiting for him, she could hear rattling and knew it was his belt turning loose from his blue jeans. Even though she had heard that sound many times before, never did it excite her as it did in this moment. She gazed at his muscular body, feeling tingly and warm as she watched his jeans fall to the floor. She reached for him and took his hand to pull him on the bed.
She rolled him to his back and straddling him, feeling the warmth of his arousal through his boxers. She rubbed her hands up and down his chest and he trembled at her soft touch. Sydney leaned forward and took his lips into her possession while her hands caressed him.
Nibbling at his neck, she heard him gasp and felt him shudder. She had found the sweet spot. She continued to tease him while her hands traveled down his body in search of his manhood. At first her fingers teased him through the fabric of his boxers and he let out a low growl.
"Please don't torture me anymore Syd," he pleaded with her. "You're so beautiful and I need to have you now..." she silenced him with a passionate kiss while her hand still toyed with him. Slowly she slid her hand inside the boxers and he let out a small moan when she touched him.
She slowly slid down his body, pulling the cotton shorts with her. Sending a seductive smile up at him, she captured him inside her mouth and he let his head roll back, closing his eyes. After several minutes, when she thought he couldn't take anymore, she raised herself back up and with his hands on her hips, lowered herself onto him.
What began as slow and tantalizing soon became frenzied. She closed her eyes feeling him inside of her and held onto him tight with her legs. His fingers dug into her hips, trying to bring her closer and to go deeper inside of her. With one final thrust, she cried out satisfaction, his moan coming just a moment after hers. She fell to his chest, bathed in sweat.
He rolled to his side, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and sighed. That was amazing, as he knew it would've been.
"Did I hurt you?" he asked her.
"No Gage. It was perfect."
"Are you sure?"
She rolled over to face him. "It was perfect," she said again. She locked eyes with him and pulled his hand to her face. "It was everything I was hoped it would be."
"Everything you hoped it would be? How long have you been thinking about this?"
"How long have you? Clearly I'm not the only one who's been fantasizing here."
"I've wanted this for as long as I can remember. You have no idea how long I've wanted to be with you, like this. I think I've loved you from the minute I saw you."
Sydney went still as she replayed his words. "What did you just say?"
Gage froze for a minute as he realized what he had said to his partner. Sydney looked into his eyes. Finally he sighed and spoke again.
"I've loved you from the moment I saw you."
"You love me?"
"Yeah. I know you probably don't feel the same and that's something I'm gonna have to live with but it's time I stopped fiddling around and told you..." Sydney put her fingers to his lips to quiet him.
"Knowing that you love me makes what just happened even more perfect. But I have my own confession to make," she said softly. He just looked into those warm chocolate brown eyes of hers and waited for her to continue. "I love you too."
"Glad to hear it."
"Also I'd like you to know I hope this wasn't just a fling or that it happened because of what went on at my apartment tonight. I'd like to think this wasn't a one time kinda thing."
"If I had my way, I'd be making love to you every night but I know how independent you are and I don't want to sound like a possessive boyfriend or something."
She kissed him softly and stroked his face with her hand. "Thank you for respecting my independence and you could never sound possessive."
"I just want to say the right things with you."
"You already do."
"I don't want to mess things up with you Shorty."
"The only way that could happen is if you lied when you said you love me."
"Not possible."
"Good. Now can we get some sleep?"
"Whatever you want."
Sydney snuggled in closer to his chest and Gage wrapped his arms around her a little tighter. Soon their breathing regulated and they both drifted off to a peaceful slumber.
A dark figure stood in the shadows of Gage's apartment building and had watched the junior partners enter his place. It didn't take a genius to figure out they were together again. Damn that Sydney Cooke. She just didn't know to leave well enough alone. She didn't deserve Gage and it was about time she knew it. Grounding out a cigarette butt, the figure got into a car and sped away.
When Sydney awoke the next morning, her body felt sore in all the right places. A smile crossed her face as she open her eyes to Gage's bare chest and she lightly pressed a kiss to his chest. Then she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his nose. Finally she pressed a kiss to his lips and as he awoke, he responded to her kiss.
"Good morning," he said to her.
"Try great morning. Great night too."
"I happen to agree."
"We should talk though," Sydney said, sitting up. Gage sat up next to her and took her hand in his.
"What's wrong? I thought you said you wanted it to happen."
"Oh I did and I would like to see it happen again, many many times," she added with a wink. "What I mean is we need to talk about Walker and work."
"I guess we have to tell him," Gage replied.
"Are you worried about what he's gonna say?"
"A little but I'm not letting anyone or anything come between us now that I have you."
"I feel the same way. I love you Gage."
"I love you too Shorty."
"So what do we tell him?"
"That we had the most amazing sex ever last night," he said with a straight face. Sydney smacked him on the arm and her mouth went open.
"Gage!"
"I was only kidding. Geez, lighten up a bit. We just need to be straight with him. We love each other and nothing is gonna tear us apart. Hopefully he won't have to separate us, but if it came down to being a Texas Ranger or being with you, I'd pick you every time."
She just stared at him, mouth open and eyes wide. Did he really just say he'd give up his badge for her? She could never ask him to do that. She knew how hard he worked to earn his star.
"I can't ask you to do that," Sydney said.
"You didn't but I wanted you to know that I would. Now how about a shower and some coffee?" he asked with a wink.
"You're on Francis."
Tossing back e blankets, Sydney stood and Gage just watched her as he again admired her perfect body. It was so right how they fit together, not just physically but in every sense of the word.
She stood in the doorway of the bathroom, flashed an inviting smile over her shoulder and slipped inside. Gage got up and followed her inside and into the waiting shower.
After they shared a shower and some coffee, they laid back on the bed holding each other. It was nice for them to just be together and not to worry about anything else. But work was waiting for them and they both knew it. Reluctantly, they both got dressed, rinsed out their cups and began to head for the door.
"Hey Syd, I don't want you to worry about Walker or Trivette. I will handle it."
"Gage, I can handle it. You don't have to protect me from everything."
"I know, but I want to protect you from this for as long as I can."
She smiled at him, knowing he would protect her from the world because that's the kinda guy he was and she loved him for it.
He reached for the doorknob and as they opened the door, they both saw the long white box waiting for them on the stoop. Sydney looked at Gage as he bent down to check it out. He didn't hear any ticking so he was fairly convinced it wasn't a bomb, but to be safe, he lifted the lid.
Inside were the most beautiful red roses, about 2 dozen by Gage's count. He looked up at Sydney and he could see confusion and appreciation in her eyes.
"Gage, did you get me roses? When did you have time to do that?"
"Syd, as much as I would love to take credit for this, I didn't order these roses."
"Are we sure they were delivered to the right apartment? Maybe they belong to one off your neighbors?"
"Not unless one of my neighbors was also expecting a dead rat," he said pointing inside the box. Sydney looked over his shoulder and saw the dead rat, lying in the paper next to the roses. It was then that she saw the note.
"There's a note." Gage pulled it out and Sydney took it carefully in her hands. She opened it up and read it aloud to Gage.
My Dearest Sydney, next time the rat won't be the only one dead if you don't leave him alone. He's mine and always will be.
"Nobody knew I was here except you, Walker and Trivette. Who is doing this to me?" Sydney asked with tears in her eyes. Gage just stood up and took her in his arms, resting his chin on top of her head.
"I don't know but I gotta call Walker. Why don't you go lay down and wait for them to get here?"
"Okay," she said in a small voice. She disappeared back into the bedroom while Gage pulled out his cell phone.
About 25 minutes later, Walker and Trivette walked into Gage's apartment. He was sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee and Sydney was nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Sydney?" Walker asked.
"She's laying down. This whole thing has her more spooked than she wants to admit, I think. I just don't get it though; nobody knew she was here but us."
"Do you think someone could be watching her, Walker?" Trivette asked.
"Possibly. If it's the same person who trashed her place last night, they could be watching her. I need to go talk to her, do you mind Gage?" he asked his junior ranger.
"Go ahead Boss."
Walker disappeared down the hall and knocked on the door to Gage's bedroom. He heard Sydney call for him to come in and he slowly opened the door.
"Walker?"
"Hey Sydney. I wanted to talk to you about what happened today. I can understand that you must be feeling after this, but I really need you to think long and hard about it. Are you sure there is nobody in your mind that sticks out that could be doing this to you?"
"Walker, I've thought about it. I really have but like I said before, I'm either at the office, at home or out somewhere undercover with Gage. When would I have time to even meet a man?"
Walker thought about what she said and then turned to meet her gaze. Something finally clicked.
"You don't think that…." Walker started.
"Gage is the guy," Sydney finished.
"Makes sense. You said it yourself."
"So does that mean I'm really the target or is Gage?"
"I don't know but now we have to widen our search. Let's go talk to Gage and Trivette."
The two made their way back to the kitchen and saw Gage and Trivette drinking coffee and chatting quietly. They both turned and saw Walker and Sydney coming down the hall towards them.
"What is it?" Gage asked.
"Gage, I hate to ask because I know its personal, but have you been on a date recently?" Walker asked. Gage just looked at Sydney and then shook his head.
"No. Syd and I were on that case for the last month."
"What about before that?" Walker asked.
"What's going on?" Trivette asked.
"We think we know who the "he" is that this person is referring too," Sydney said.
"Who?" Trivette asked.
"Gage," Walker and Sydney said at the same time.
"Me?" Gage asked shocked.
"Gage, just listen to me for a second. Like I told Walker last night, I'm either at the office, home or we're undercover somewhere. I don't have time to meet anyone so if someone thinks I've taken their man, you're the only man that fits, unless Alex or Erika has suddenly developed an issue with me," Sydney finished.
"It does make sense Gage. You can't think of anyone?" Walker asked.
"Nope."
"So what do we now Walker?" Sydney asked.
"I hate to say it, but maybe you guys should go to safe house."
"Why should we go into hiding?" Gage asked.
"We're Texas Rangers. We know how to take care of ourselves," Sydney added.
"I know that, but until we know which one of you is the real target, it's better to be safe than sorry. Think you guys could manage to get along together in a safe house for a bit?" Walker asked.
Gage and Sydney both looked at each other, each thinking of what had happened the night before in his warm and comfy bed. Then they both looked at Walker and nodded.
"Good. Let's get it set up. Why don't you guys throw some stuff together and we'll be back in half an hour to take you to the safe house?" Walker said, motioning for Trivette to follow him. They left and when he heard the door close, Gage turned to look at Sydney.
"Are you okay with this?"
"What, going to a safe house or some whack job who wants to take me out because of you?"
"Either."
"I'm not crazy about the safe house, but at least we'll be together. As far as the whack job is concerned, she's gonna have to go through me if she thinks she's gonna get you away from me."
Gage reached out, his hands taking hold to the sides of her face and kissed her with all the passion he could summon. Her hands wrapped around his neck, her fingers getting lost in his hair. She parted her lips and Gage deepened his kiss on her, his hands going around her and dancing lightly up her back before scooping her up in his arms and heading towards the bed.
He laid her down and continued his assault on her lips while he hand slid under her shirt. He moved his lips to her neck while she gasped for breath.
"Gage, Walker is going to be back soon. We can't do this now."
"But I need you, I have to have you. We can make it quick."
"Gage, the next time we make love, I want to be able to take our time with each other."
"I'm glad to hear there's gonna be a next time."
"Well, we are gonna be stuck in that safe house together. There can be many times," she added with a coy smile.
"I'm very glad to hear that," he said, his hands caressing the side of her face.
"So why don't you get your stuff ready?"
"Don't you have to get your stuff ready?"
"I didn't have much here and I packed my bag earlier. I had to do something while we waited for Walker and Trivette."
"What, were you planning on leaving me already?"
"Francis, you can't get rid of me that easily," she murmured against his ear, Gage liking the sound of his first name on her lips. He brought his lips back to hers, kissing her ferociously as the doorbell rang.
"That's gotta be Walker. Let's go, Francis," Sydney said standing up and grabbing her bag. She watched Gage grab a duffel from his closet and haphazardly throw some clothes and toiletries in it. He then took her bag and followed her to the door.
Looking out the peephole, Sydney saw it was Walker, along with a couple DPD officers. She unlocked the door and opened it wide for them to enter.
"It's all set. Officers Ashton and Rollins will be escorting you to the safe house. Gage, I want you to take this burner cell phone with you, I'm the only one with the number. We can't take the chance that your cell phones could be bugged. Slightest chance that something is wrong, I want you to check in with me. Day or night, it doesn't matter. In the meantime, Trivette and I are going to do some digging into past cases you've both been involved in where there was also a woman involved. She has to know you both from somewhere," Walker finished.
"Sounds good. Let's roll Shorty," Gage said.
Sydney followed Walker out the door, followed by Gage and then the DPD officers closed and locked the apartment door before coming up behind Gage. Sydney and Gage were loaded into the back of a black SUV and Officer Ashton got in the driver's seat. Officers Rollins got a few more instructions from Walker before getting in. The car pulled away from the curb and Walker kept a watchful eye to make sure they weren't followed.
After they arrived at the safe house, Officer Rollins checked the perimeter before allowing Gage and Sydney to exit the vehicle. He led the way to the door with Officer Ashton following behind the young rangers. Officer Rollins unlocked the door and let everyone inside.
"Ranger Walker would like us to do a check of the interior before we leave," Rollins explained.
"Of course, Officer. Thank you," Sydney said with a smile. Rollins took the upstairs while Ashton searched downstairs. About 15 minutes later, they both came back to report that everything appeared to be fine.
"Thanks again Officers, please let Walker know we'll be in touch," Gage said as he followed them to the door and locked it securely behind them. He turned to find Sydney staring at him, eyes hungry for him. He didn't need to think of anything else, he just needed her.
He crossed the room in three strides, grasping her shoulders and pulling her towards him and his waiting lips. As he crashed against her, his hands again began to roam under her shirt. This time, she didn't stop him but merely put her arms up so he could remove her shirt. He did and his knuckles rubbed against the edges of her breasts, feeling the lacy fabric with his fingers.
Sydney took her hands and planted them on his chest to push him back onto the sofa. Climbing over his legs to straddle him, she kissed him again and began to undo the buttons on his shirt.
When her fingers had finished the last of the buttons, he just sat content as she spread his shirt wide planting kisses all over his chest. His head rolled to the back of the sofa and his eyes closed as she brought her tongue across his nipples. He shuddered under her touch and at that point, he was a slave to her desires.
She reached down between them to his belt. Within seconds, she had it undone and was pulling his jeans open to reach inside. Sydney then stood, unbuttoned her own jeans and slid them down her long legs. Gage watched her with sheer desire as she stood before him in her lacy bra and panties. Slowly, she sank to her knees and pulled his jeans away from his body.
She felt along his boxers, eager to find the prize inside. It wasn't hard to find, already erect and waiting for her. She then slid his boxers down his legs and her light nimble fingers began to tease him.
Gage moaned, his head once again rolling to the back of the sofa. Sydney was truly a woman of many talents and he was grateful to be experiencing that first hand. She toyed with him for a few more minutes with her hands before he felt her mouth on him. He moaned again, he could barely stand it now. If he couldn't get inside her soon, he thought he was going to explode.
Sydney could sense he was almost to his breaking point and slowly stood, reaching behind herself to unclasp her bra. She let it slide slowly to the floor before pushing her panties down and settling herself on top of him. His hands went to her waist to guide her on.
Once inside of her, Gage felt like he was in heaven. He started with slow, careful movements wanting to make this last forever. But Sydney had other ideas. She began to quicken her pace, digging her nails into his shoulders as his fingers dug into her hips. She arched her back as she rode him, his mouth taking the hard nub of her breast. As he teased it with his tongue, Sydney began to pant heavily. Gage switched to the other breast to give it the same satisfaction.
Finally, with one last thrust, she cried out in satisfaction only to be followed by his moan. Sydney dropped her head to his shoulder as she struggled to catch her breath. She looked at Gage and kissed him soft and sweet, even though he was still inside of her. She rolled off to his side and his arm came around her to pull her close.
"That was incredible," Gage said, still breathing hard.
"You weren't so bad yourself," Sydney teased.
"I love you Syd."
"I love you too Gage. Shall we go upstairs?"
"Ready for another round?" he asked, eyeing her.
"I need a shower and some sleep before morning. Today has been one hell of a day," she replied standing and holding her hand out to him. He took her hand and together they went upstairs to the bedroom.
Sydney went into the bathroom and Gage heard the shower turn on. He laid on the bed as he pictured the warm, sizzling water running over her body. The thoughts that creeped into his head slowly made their way down to his manhood and suddenly he was painful but happily aroused.
The water stopped and Sydney emerged from the bathroom, clad in a towel around her waist. She took in the sight of Gage, lying on the bed with his eyes closed and his manhood erect.
Guess I better help him take care of that, she thought to herself as she walked over to the bed and leaned down to press her lips to his. His arms went around her and pulled her on top of him, his hand roaming under her towel. He deepened his kiss, boldly sliding his tongue into her mouth to tango with hers. Her arms went around his neck and pulled him closer.
"Boy Gage, what an insatiable appetite you have tonight," she purred into his ear, nibbling at it.
"Only when it comes to you, Honey," he replied, kissing her again.
"I need some sleep if we ever hope to catch this maniac and go home."
Reluctantly, Gage removed his hand from under her towel and kissed her once more, soft and gentle. "Okay, then I think I'm in need of a cold, cold shower." With that, he got up and headed for the bathroom.
Sydney went to her suitcase and was about to pull out her night shirt when she suddenly reached for Gage's bag instead. She unzipped the bag and rooted around until she found one of his t-shirts. Pulling it out, she slipped it over her head and climbed into bed to wait for him.
Gage emerged from the bathroom and was careful not to look in her direction. He knew they both needed some sleep but it was like he was addicted to her, now that they had revealed their feelings. He craved her touch on his skin, the feeling of her lips on his, her hands tangling themselves in his hair.
Once he pulled on his boxers, he climbed into bed with Sydney. He kissed her cheek before enveloping her in his arms. Her back was up against his bare chest and it was only then that he realized that the shirt she had on belonged to him.
"Why are you wearing my shirt?" he asked her.
"Because it smells like you and you make me feel safe," she replied, stifling a yawn.
"Works for me. I always want to keep you safe Syd. I love you."
"I love you too Gage. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Bright and early at 8:00 am the next morning, Walker strolled in through the doors of Company B, hanging up his hat on the coat rack. He slipped off his jacket and hung it next to his hat. He then sat at his desk and called a hello to Trivette.
Just then, his somewhat newly appointed assistant walked over to his desk. Captain Briscoe had decided an assistant was just what Walker needed so that he could focus on the streets and his assistant could help with the office stuff.
"Good morning Ranger Walker. Where's Ranger Gage? And Ranger Cooke?" she added quickly.
"Rangers Gage and Cooke are currently at an unspecified location, Hilary."
"Oh, can I get you some coffee Ranger Walker?" she asked brightly.
"Thanks, I'd love a cup."
"Coming right up. Ranger Trivette, would you like some coffee?" she asked, turning to face him.
"That'd be great. Thanks Hilary."
Hilary busied herself getting coffee for the two senior rangers as she cast a glance at Gage's desk.
"We've got to be missing something Trivette," Walker was saying as she returned with the cups. She set one cup in front of each ranger and smiled.
"Anything else Ranger Walker?"
"Yes. I need these tapes transcribed so I can get the information to the DA's office as soon as possible."
"Of course." Hilary picked up the tapes and headed over to her desk. She liked working for Walker, he was known quite well for his reputation and almost everyone in law enforcement in the state of Texas wanted to work either with him or for him.
"Trivette, we've got to be missing something," Walker said again.
"We've gone over everything from Sydney's apartment. No fingerprints, no fibers, nothing. It's almost like a ghost was the one to vandalize the place. According to the crime scene guys, the writing on the mirror was done with paint, not blood so that's really nothing traceable. You can buy that paint at any hardware store and there's about 6 of them within the 10 blocks to Sydney's apartment.
Gage's apartment is clean, only fingerprints found inside belong to him, Sydney, us and a few others who have been there from time to time. No useable prints on the flower box except Gage's and Sydney's as well as the florist who packaged the order. The team canvassed the whole block and the only thing they found that they thought might be interesting was a cigarette butt across the street from the apartment building. According to one of the techs, if you were to stand at that spot, you have a pretty good view of Gage's living room and bedroom."
"Who else besides the four of us knew Sydney was staying with Gage last night?" Walker asked.
"Nobody that I know. I didn't even tell Erika when I got home about it. She was asleep and I just followed suit. Did you tell Alex?"
"No. So that must mean that whoever delivered the flowers must have been watching her apartment and saw her leave with Gage."
"Are you thinking that the person who trashed her apartment and the person who delivered the flowers are one and the same?" Trivette asked.
"Yeah, I do."
"So what do we do now?"
"I think we need to take a look at women from Gage's past that have experiences with law enforcement."
"That you Cherokee instincts again?"
"Think about it, Trivette. The person who did this, if it is the same person, left no physical evidence. No fingerprints, no fibers. Either this person is a professional or this person has law enforcement knowledge. Where did Gage work before joining the rangers in Houston?"
Trivette checked Gage's file. "After graduating from college, he did a short stint in the military, followed by the police academy. He worked for Port Arthur PD for a couple years and then joined the rangers in Houston. That's where he and Sydney became partners; they went undercover for almost a year to bring down El Leon. Then we asked them to come to Dallas."
"Maybe we should see if anyone from his past connects to the different times in his life. Clearly whomever this person is thinks that she belongs with Gage and that Sydney is in the way. I think we should concentrate on his time in Houston with Sydney and their time here together. Maybe we can get lucky and catch a break or something. But maybe we should go back to the apartment and have another look around. Fresh eyes can't hurt anything I suppose."
"Okay. Let's go."
"Hilary, do you mind coming with us for a little experiment?" Walker asked the pretty blonde assistant.
"Of course not, Ranger Walker. Anything I can do to help."
"Okay, let's get over to Gage's apartment."
Walker, Trivette and Hilary arrived at Gage's apartment building. Trivette went to the sidewalk where they found the cigarette butt while Walker and Hilary went inside.
"What are we looking for Ranger Walker?" Hilary asked him.
"I need you to come stand in front of the living room window, please." Hilary did as he asked and Walker pulled out his cell phone, ignoring the pile of clothes by the couch that clearly belonged to both Gage and Sydney. He dialed Trivette.
"Trivette."
"Tell me what you see," Walker stated.
"I can see you and Hilary standing in the living room, clear as day. The couch is right behind you facing the TV set and there's a couple mugs of cold coffee sitting on the table."
"Okay, hold on." Walker turned to Hilary. "Come with me."
Hilary followed him down the hallway to Gage's bedroom. Walker ignored the messed up bed and had Hilary stand in front of the window again.
"How about now, Trivette?"
"Clear as day, I see you and Hilary."
"What else can you see?"
"That Gage needs to be a better housekeeper. He could've at least made the bed before they left."
"Okay, thanks Trivette. We'll be right out." He hung up the phone and turned to Hilary. "Thanks for your help Hilary."
"Of course Ranger Walker. If I may ask, what exactly we were doing?"
Walker debated telling her, but knew that he should probably trust her. After all, she was handpicked by Briscoe to assist him.
"Someone ransacked Ranger Cooke's apartment a few nights ago and she was staying here with Ranger Gage. Well, yesterday morning, a box of flowers were delivered here for Ranger Cooke with a dead rat inside."
"How awful for Ranger Cooke. Is she alright?"
"A little shaken, but that's to be expected."
"Is that why Ranger Cooke and Ranger Gage are missing?"
"Not missing, we just moved them to a safe house until we can find out who's doing this."
"Oh, well at least Ranger Cooke isn't alone. She must be happy about that."
"I'm sure she is. Let's head back to the office. I need to make another call."
When Gage heard the phone ringing, he grabbed it up before it could wake Sydney. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned as he answered it.
"Gage."
"It's Walker. Everything go okay last night?"
"Yeah, everything went fine. We got all settled in and there hasn't been so much as a peep."
"Okay, well I wanted to bring both you and Sydney up to speed if you have a moment."
"Yeah, hold on a minute." Gage covered the mouthpiece on the phone and nudged Sydney with his elbow. "Syd?"
"Mmhmm," came the reply from the sleeping brunette.
"Walker's on the phone."
Sydney was suddenly more alert as she heard her superior officer was calling them. She sat up next to Gage and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands.
"What's going on?"
"He wants to bring us up to speed on everything so far."
"Okay."
Gage uncovered the phone and hit the speaker button. "Okay Walker, we've got you on speaker."
"Good morning Sydney."
"Good morning Walker."
"The crime scene techs have been over both of your apartments. Nothing useable at either scene."
"No prints?" Sydney asked.
"Nothing. It's also very likely that the person who trashed your apartment, Sydney, was the same person to deliver the flowers to you at Gage's apartment. That can only mean they were watching you leave that night."
"Then why didn't they come after us when we were at headquarters?" Sydney asked.
"I have no idea."
"So what do we do now, Walker?" Gage asked.
"Well, as far as I can fathom, I believe the person who is doing this is someone from your past. As you two didn't become partners until you were in Houston, it's safe to say that's where this person set sights on you, Gage. Then they followed you both here to Dallas."
"Any ideas on who this person is?" Sydney asked.
"None yet. We're working on it. You both just stay safe and stay alert."
"Keep us posted. Thanks Walker," Gage said.
"Yeah, thanks Walker," Sydney added as Gage hung up the phone. He turned to look at her. "Good morning."
"Good morning to you too," Sydney said, kissing his nose.
"How are you doing this morning?" he asked, searching her eyes for an answer.
"Everything just feels surreal. I mean, one day I'm excited to be going home after working a long and tough case. Next thing I know, my place is trashed and I end up at your place. Then I find out whomever is doing this to me is obsessed with you and it forces you out of your house and now we're both stuck in the middle of nowhere like sitting ducks."
"First of all, there's nobody else I would rather be stuck in the middle of nowhere with. Secondly, just because someone is deranged enough to think there is something between me and her does nothing for me. You are the one for my, Syd. You always have been.
I gotta tell you that when we got paired together all those years ago to catch El Leon, I was skeptical at first working with a woman. Then I found out that woman was you and it made me feel better knowing I was at least working with someone I knew and knew well. Then we started spending all that time together in that dingy, cramped apartment and each day I fell more and more in love with you.
When we got asked to assist Walker and Trivette on that case, I was ecstatic to spend more time with you. Then Walker asked me to stay in Dallas and come to work with him. He asked about who I'd like for my partner, I couldn't think of anyone better than you. I told him I wouldn't come to Dallas without you and he asked you to stay as well. I have now come to realize Walker did the right thing by asking you to stay with me in Dallas."
"Gage, when we got paired together, I knew we would be partners for life. The more time I spent with you, the more I fell in love with you too. There's always been something about you that I've been drawn to, like a moth to a flame. I've never wanted to be with anyone else the way I want to be with you. I love you, Gage and I always have.
I've always felt like I needed to keep my emotions in check when it came to you because even if you didn't feel the same way about me, I knew I could still be with you as your partner and your friend. But now, we've been drawn together by horrible circumstances and all I can really think is how grateful I am."
"Grateful?" he asked, puzzled.
"I'm grateful because it brought us closer together. It has forced us to take a deeper look at our feelings and finally admit what we've both been holding onto for so long. It has allowed me to step down for a minute as Sydney the Ranger to be Sydney the Woman and allow you to care for me and protect me. I've never really had that before and I've always had to push that side of me down because of my job. Being a "weak, defenseless female" does not make for a good Texas Ranger."
"You are an amazing Texas Ranger and I love you very much. As soon as we get back home, I want to do this right. Ask you out on a date and prove to you I can be the man you need."
"You are already the man I need," Sydney said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his close to her. Her lips found his, teasing her way along them until he yielded to her.
"Now that was amazing," Gage said a moment later.
"Thanks, you weren't so bad yourself. But I think we need to find something else to occupy our time today. Let's get some breakfast and maybe we can go for a walk or something," Sydney said, slipping out of the bed and grabbing a pair of shorts from her bag. She slipped them on, knowing full well that Gage was watching her with intense satisfaction.
"Whatever you say, Syd."
"Come on, Romeo," she said with a laugh as she headed down the stairs towards the kitchen.
Walker was sitting at his desk when Hilary came up to him. He looked deep in thought and almost didn't notice the blonde woman standing before him. He looked up with a startled look.
"Yes Hilary?"
"I was just letting you know I was going for lunch. Can I bring you back anything?"
"No thanks. I'm actually going to meet my wife and daughter for lunch today."
"Say hello to Mrs. Walker and that beautiful baby girl for me."
"See you in an hour, Ranger Walker." Hilary turned and walked out of Company B.
Walker had met with Alex and Angela at a restaurant near the office. They talked, laughed and smiled at the little seven month old baby with her blonde hair and green eyes. She was the perfect combination of both her parents.
"Any word on Gage and Sydney?" Alex asked her husband.
"They're at the safe house for now. I keep hoping for a lead, but I can't seem to catch a break. This person certainly is smart. They always seem to be one step ahead of us."
"You don't have any leads?"
"Nothing. I can't even think of where this person would've come in contact with them."
"Well if it's someone who knows both of them, wouldn't it stand to reason that this person might have met them in Houston? That's where they became partners, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I'll have to ask them the next time I talk to them."
Changing the subject, Alex looked at her husband. "How's the new assistant working out?"
"Still taking a little getting used to. I've never had an assistant before. But Hilary is doing a great job. She must be pretty good for Briscoe to personally select her."
"Where did she work before coming here?"
"She worked at Ranger Headquarters in Houston. She was an administrative assistant."
"She worked in Houston? Does she know Gage and Sydney? If she worked at Ranger Headquarters, I would imagine she must know them."
"I never thought of that."
"Maybe she would have an idea of who this is. Being an administrative assistant, she would've known about all of their busts and if anyone held a grudge against Sydney or an attrafction to Gage."
"I'll have to ask her when I get back to the office."
"Well, I don't want this to end, Cowboy, but I have to get Angela back to the H.O.P.E. center and get back to work."
"Let me take her and you can go back now. I need some Daddy/Daughter time with her."
"Sounds great. I love you Cowboy."
"I love you Alex. Come on Angela. Time to go with Daddy," he said with a smile.