Note From The Author: This is just a short little thing about my two favorite partners as they spend a day at the ice rink. I went ice skating recently and got inspired to write this. Read and review!

"Syd, Gage, you two busy?" Walker asked them at the office.

They both approached his desk and Gage answered,

"No Walker, do you need us for something?"

"Yes as a matter of fact. It appears that Joe Martin is in Dallas."

"Joe Martin? Hey! Isn't he that big time drug dealer?" Syd asked.

"Technically, no." Walker replied, "He's been suspected of it for a long time but no one has ever been able to find solid evidence on him."

"Which is what you want us to do, right?" Sydney guessed.

Walker smiled at them and answered,

"You read my mind. You two won't be doing much today. But I want you two to find out where he'll probably spend most of his free time and then take a visit there. See if anyone there can give you information on him. Here's a picture of him you can show people."

Walker handed Gage a photo as Trivette entered the room with some papers in his hands.

"Get this!" Trivette said, trying not to laugh, "Martin is apparently a hockey player! Every time he relocates he join a low key team."

"Really?" Gage asked, "I'd never picture a drug dealer to play in community sports."

"I know," Trivette replied, "but apparently he's pretty good. Also, every time he leaves a few players on the team get arrested for drug dealing. Funny coincidence."

"Yah, funny." Walker sarcastically said.

"So where does he usually hang out?" Sydney asked Trivette, "Clubs? Bars?"

"Actually, he spends most of his time at the ice rink. Supposedly training."

"Well he sure picked the wrong place to come!" Sydney laughed.

"Why do you say that?" Gage asked.

"Gage, think about it," she gaped, "it's the middle of summer in Texas!"

"There's a thing called indoor skating Syd." Gage laughed.

"Well, yah I guess. But-"

Walker cut her off by saying, "Okay then, it's settled. Sydney and Gage will check out some likely skating places. Try to blend in and act casual. Pretend you're just some friends going skating, don't attract attention to yourselves. Be subtle and discreet. We don't want to scare Martin away."

"Do you think we'll see him there?" Gage asked.

"I doubt it, but be ready to act if you do." Walker shrugged.

"Okay then, let's go Shorty." Gage said as he began to walk out the door.

Syd stayed frozen for a moment.

"Syd, you coming?" Gage asked.

"I'm coming." Sydney said as she followed Gage out to his car.

After stopping at both their apartments to pick up some warmer clothing, they headed out to the ice rink. In the car Gage asked Sydney,

"So do you have your own skates or do you need to rent some."

"Oh, um, I'll guess I'll have to rent some." Syd mumbled, unusually quiet.

"You okay Syd?" Gage asked.

"Yah, fine." Syd answered a bit louder this time.

Gage decided to let it go as they continued to the rink. Once they got there Gage rented his own pair of skates and then stepped aside to let Sydney rent hers.

"Uh, you know Gage. I'll think I'll just pass on this one." she said casually.

"Sydney, what are you talking about?"a confused Gage asked.

"You go ahead, I'm really not in a skating mood. I'll take a look around elsewhere." Sydney insisted.

"Syd, come on. It will look weird if I'm skating alone and we came together."

Sydney sighed before grudgingly giving in and renting a pair of skates. They both sat down on the nearby bench and put on their skates. Gage stood up a minute later and saw that Sydney was still, slowly, putting on her shoes. He gave her a funny a look, but when she didn't look up, he let it go again.

Once she finally had her skates on, they headed out to the rink. It wasn't very crowded, but there were a few people skating here and there. As they approached the entrance to the rink Syd suddenly stopped.

"Gage, you know maybe I should stay here for a bit. There's got to be people around the refreshments area and gift shop. I'll meet you later."

"Sydney, come on! We can talk to them later. Walker said we had to blend in, people will get suspicious. You know, you're acting really weird today. Come on, let's go."

He grabbed her arm as to pull her to the rink but she pulled it away. Gage turned around in surprise and looked at Syd. She sighed and said,

"Listen Gage, I have a confession to make. The truth is . . ." she took another deep breath before quietly saying, "you see, I don't exactly know how to skate."

"Are you serious?" Gage asked. She nodded and shrugged, Gage laughed,

"So you're telling me that in all your life you've never been skating? Not once?!"

Sydney nodded again and Gage cried,

"Wait till Walker here's this!"

Sydney then gave him her evil glare and said with an authoritative voice,

"Shut up Gage."

"Okay, okay I'm sorry." Gage said, holding his hands up in surrender.

He then reached for her hand and said,

"Okay, come on Syd. I'll teach you how."

Syd's eyes suddenly got very big and she said,

"NO way Gage!"

"Sydney, come on. It's easy, trust me. I won't let you fall, it'll be fine!"

Syd stubbornly shook her head and then Gage burst out laughing,

"Oh! I get it, you're scared! Oh! Oh this is rich! Just wait till the guys get a hold of this. Sydney Cooke, afraid to go ice skating!"

Although he was joking Sydney was very serious when saying,

"Fine Gage, go ahead and tell them. But just remember who gets scared when we work out in the gym."

Gage made a face but then continued,

"Come on Sydney, it's not that hard."

He hadn't expected her to be so serious when she told him she was scared. So he was surprised at how she swatted his hand when he tried to pull her out the rink.

"Gage, there is NO WAY I'm getting on that rink!"

Gage then said more gently,

"Come on Syd, I won't let you fall, I promise. Please?!"

When Sydney shook her head and didn't move, Gage suddenly got a brilliant idea. He shrugged his shoulders and pretended to give in, he took a few steps towards the entrance. After Syd had let her guard down he spun around, charged at her, picked her up, and threw her over his back.

"Gage!" Syd yelled, "What on earth are you doing? Let me go!!!"

Gage merely laughed and walked over to the rink.

"I swear Gage," Sydney yelled, "if you don't let me go this instant you'll regret it! If I didn't have skates with blades on the bottom I'd be kicking you so hard right now."

Gage smiled, for that had been part of his plan. He knew that Sydney could escape from his hold easily, but considering the skates she was wearing, she wouldn't kick him.

"Francis Gage put me down right now!!!" Syd screamed.

"Not yet Shorty." he told her.

Syd continued to yell and threaten as he walked onto the ice. Gage didn't put her down until he had skated good and far away from the entrance. The second Syd's feet touched the ice she began to scream. Only this time not out of anger, but out of fear. She began to slip and slide all over the place. Since Gage had brought them to the middle of the rink, there was no railing to cling onto. So instead, about five seconds after he let her go, she began to cling on to him while she tried to keep herself from falling.

Gage laughed and said,

"Relax Syd, I have you."

She looked up at him and glared. But she didn't have a change to say anything to him because a moment later she began to fall again. She grabbed onto his jacket as she slid to the ice below, throwing him off balance and causing both of them to fall onto their butts. Gage laughed again, but Sydney was too terrified to do anything.

Gage stood up, and then helped Sydney up. Once she was up she grabbed onto his arm to keep from sliding and falling in all directions.

"Gage," she said through gritted teeth, "when I get out of here-"

"You'll thank me." Gage smiled as he cut her off.

Sydney didn't have a comeback ready because she was too busy clinging onto Gage like a frightened child.

"Sydney, relax. Let me show you how to skate." Gage soothed her.

"Keep your knees slightly bent and your feet apart. Here, like this."

Gage showed her how to stand and she nervously, without letting go of him, followed his example.

"Now glide, one foot at a time."

Gage then turned to face her, grabbed both her hands, and began to skate backwards.

"Loosen up Syd." Gage commented. Her stiff arms and legs were barely moving. Not only that, but she was holding onto his hands so tightly he was beginning to lose circulation in them.

"Copy my movements." Gage told her.

Syd nervously began to slightly moved her legs, bit by bit she improved.

"See Syd?!" Gage said, "You're doing great! You've already found a sense of balance!"

Syd didn't answer him, but she did begin to slowly begin to relax. Gage could even feel his fingers again! About ten minutes into it, Sydney was starting to get the hang of ice skating. She even had the smallest hint of a smile on her face.

"Okay Syd," Gage said to her, "I'm going to let go now."

"What?!" she exclaimed, her face panic stricken.

"Don't worry so much," he sighed, "I'll be right next to you."

"Gage! Don't you dare let go of me!" Sydney yelled at him.

Gage ignored her and let go of one of her hands and move to her left. She yelped and began to tilt back and forth.

"Keep your balance!" he told her.

"Easy for you to say!" she cried with a crack in her voice.

Once she regained her balance, Gage loosened his grip on her hand. As he began to slide away Syd freaked out again.

"Gage! Don't even think about it!"

Gage ignored her again and completely let go of her hand. Her face was pale and had a mixture of fear and panic for a moment. Sydney managed to keep her balance for about a minute until she began to fall backwards.

"Gage!!!!" she yelled.

Right before she hit the ground she found herself in Gage's arms.

"Told you I wouldn't let you fall." he smiled at her.

"What about earlier?" Sydney asked.

"That wasn't falling," he grinned, "that was slipping."

She stuck her tongue out at him as he helped her up. Though secretly, she was thankful he had been there. They skated for almost three and a half hours. . And though for most of it Syd was clinging uncontrollably to Gage, she did manage to balance by herself for a good five minutes.

When they got off the rink Gage said to her,

"Admit it."

"Admit what?" she asked him, trying not to smile.

"I was right." Gage stated.

"Was not." Syd told him.

"You know you had fun, say it. It wasn't that hard, was it?"

She rolled her eyes but admitted,

"Fine Gage, you were right. Happy?"

"Very." he said with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Well, . . . so am I." Sydney said as she looked beyond his shoulder.

Gage turned around to see what she was staring at. A few yards away he saw a man putting on ice skates, a man who looked an awful like Joe Martin.

"You think that's him?" Gage asked.

"Who else?" Sydney smiled.

They walked over to talk to him, Gage introduced himself first,

"Hi there, my names Sam. This is my friend Charlotte."

Sydney smiled and waved at him. But as she moved her hand so did her blue scarf, which revealed her badge from underneath. The minute Joe Martin saw it he began to run in the opposite direction. But considering her had one skate on and one foot with nothing but a sock, he didn't get far.

Syd jumped on his back from behind as Gage approached him from the front. It was a surprisingly easy fight that was over in two minutes. After they had him in handcuffs Sydney complained to Gage,

"Come on Gage! Charlotte? Next time I come up with the names."

Gage chuckled and replied,

"Think of it as your alter ego. Charlotte: ice skating champion!"

"Not in this lifetime." Syd told him.

But as they were leaving the ice rink Gage offered to Sydney,

"Hey Syd, how about we come here again next week? I swear I won't let you fall . . . or slip."

"We'll see." she told him.

Gage then began to sing in a bad voice his new version of Dancing Queen,

"Skating queen! Has trouble balancing! On a kick butt team! Oh yah!"

She punched him lightly and said,

"We'd better go. Walker will be waiting for us."

They started to walk to the car when Syd asked,

"Hey Gage?"

"Yes Syd?"

"How about we come here again next week?" she asked.

Gage smiled, "Sure, that sounds like fun Syd."

THE END