Disclaimer: This was written for the soul purpose of my entertainment.
I lay no claim on Walker Texas Ranger or any of its characters.
Family Business
Chapter 1
Syd's Mother knocked on the bedroom door, "Sydney, Gage is on the phone, come and talk to him."
"No, I don't want to talk to him."
"What do you want me to tell him?"
"I don't know, I don't care I just don't want to talk to him."
"All right Sydney, but this makes about the tenth call in two hours you are going to have to give in sooner or later."
Her Mother went back to the phone; "I'm sorry Gage she just doesn't want to speak to you right now."
"Has she said anything that might indicate what's wrong?" Gage hopefully asked Kathy Cooke.
"Nothing, not a word, I'm sorry Gage."
"Thanks I'll call back later," he hung up the phone.
********
Gage handed his boarding pass to the flight attendant as he got on the plane, if Syd wouldn't talk to him on the phone he would go to her.
Two weeks ago, everything had been wonderful between Sydney and Gage. He had finally got up enough courage to ask her to marry him. Syd had thrown herself into his arms, shouting yes, yes, yes between kisses.
They decided to be married in six weeks. Alex and Erika had all ready gladly enlisted to help with all the arrangements. Everything was going along the way it should. The two of them were happier and more in love every day. At least that was how he had felt and he thought she had felt the same way. He would have sworn to it up until yesterday.
The two of them had gone out to pick up a couple of suspects in a case they were working. After checking out a few seedy bars, they finally came across the two of them. One of the suspects Miles Costa had taken off down the alley and Syd had taken up pursuit, while Gage cuffed the other one Brad Dillon, and took him to the car. Syd was gone for quite a few minutes, long enough for Gage to become concerned. Suddenly she appeared from around the side of the building by herself, Costa had gotten away.
"You okay?" Gage had asked her.
"Ya fine," was all she had said.
When they got back she had asked Gage if she minded questioning Dillon with Trivette that she needed to talk to Walker. He didn't question her, just told her okay; he figured they would talk later that night.
By the time they were done the interrogation, Syd had all ready left for home. This was so unlike her that Gage had begun to worry about her and he left for home moments later.
She wasn't there; instead, there was a note with her engagement ring beside it. Gage had read and reread the note several times, he knew it by heart, and it made no sense. He went over it in his mind as the plane began to descend into the airport.
It started out by saying how much she loved him and how sorry she was. That she had asked Walker for an extended leave of absence to figure things out. She had to sort things out for herself before she could consider involving him in her life. Then she asked him please not to hate her because she loved him so much.
The plane touched down and Gage got ready to get off the plane. He was scared, more scared then he had ever been facing a situation as a Ranger. What if she wouldn't see him, he just wouldn't leave until she did.
**********
Last night Kathy Cooke had just finished washing her dishes and cleaning up the kitchen when she heard a rap on her back door. She opened the door and to her surprise, her daughter Sydney stood there.
"Sydney?" It was more of a question then a greeting.
"Can I come in Mom?"
"Of course Sydney you caught me off guard I didn't expect to see you standing there. Is everything all right?" she asked as she hugged her daughter.
"Mom I really can't talk now I just need some time to think. Can I use my old room for a few days?"
"Honey are you all right?"
"I don't know I just need some time to work a few things out."
"Gage is okay?"
"Yes he's fine, Mom I hate to ask, but can you please let me be for now. I'm going to bed we'll talk tomorrow."
Syd had kissed her Mother good night and headed for her old room, leaving Kathy standing there wondering what was wrong.
Gage had called about nine-thirty that night. Kathy had said yes she was there but she had all ready gone to bed. He told her he would call back in the morning. He had called back continuously, what ever the problem was Gage was as much in the dark as she was, finally he told her he was coming there. Kathy was glad, she sensed that Sydney needed him no matter what she said.
**********
Gage paid the cab driver and walked up to the front door of the Cooke home. He had been there one other time with Syd, the time he had met her Mother and her two brothers. He had been nervous that time, but as he looked back on that visit, he realized that had been a piece of cake in comparison to now. He reached out and rang the doorbell.
"Gage, I'm so glad you are here," Kathy Cooke told him as she opened the door for him.
"Has she said anything?" Gage asked again.
"Nothing she has hardly left her room all day. I'll tell her you're here."
"Please let me."
Kathy moved aside so Gage could get by. He walked down the hall and knocked gently on Syd's door.
"What is it Mom?"
"Syd it's me open the door."
"Gage what are you doing here go away."
"I'm not going any where until we talk face to face."
"Gage I don't want to see you right now."
He could tell that she was crying but it didn't matter he wasn't letting up he needed to see her now.
"Sydney open this door or I'll break it down."
She hesitated a minute knowing he meant what he said, then she pulled the door open, she stood there not saying a word. Now that the door was open, Gage really didn't know what to say next either.
Syd didn't move the tears flowed down her face, Gage moved towards her and she fell into his arms sobbing.
"I'm sorry Gage, I love you so much, I just couldn't face you with this."
"Syd, Honey there isn't anything you can't bring to me."
Gage pulled her a little tighter to him and let her cry until there were no more tears left to cry. They moved to the edge of the bed and sat there, Gage waiting patiently for Sydney to tell him why she had run away.
"This started long before I ever knew you Gage, before I had ever thought of being a Texas Ranger. I hadn't been on the job any more then a couple of months when it happened.
I was approached by two men from the Costa family, Paul Durgon and Christopher Armand, they told me they had something I needed to do for them. I guess they had been shaking down all the stores and businesses in certain areas. That area included my Father's business. Over the years, he had worked out an arrangement with them. Instead of paying out protection, weekly he had let them launder money through the business. They had a book with all the transactions recorded in it. They told me that if I wasn't interested in helping them that they knew lots of people who would be interested in looking at this book of my Father's transactions.
My Dad by this time was sick, they were barely keeping their heads above water with all the medical bills, my brothers were trying to keep the business going, this would have killed him. All I had to do was remove two shell casings from the evidence room so the murder case would fall through against Michael Costa.
At this point Syd got up and went to the dresser where an old jewellery box sat. She opened it, pulled up the corner of the lining and pulled out a small plastic bag. Walking back over to Gage, she handed it to him. Inside were the shell casings.
"As soon as the charges were dropped Dad's business was sold for twice what it was actually worth. Dad died shortly after and the money from the sale has taken care of Mom ever since."
The tears were starting to form in Syd's eyes again, as she sat down beside Gage again.
"There's more," she continued, "A few days ago Durgon called me, I hadn't heard from him since I helped them with Michael. He told me they needed this business with Miles taken care of and they were going to need my help again. I told them not this time that Miles Costa would be paying for his crimes. He told me he thought I'd be changing my tune.
Yesterday when I chased Costa out in the alley Durgon was waiting for me. He informed me that once a dirty cop always a dirty cop and my bank account proved it. Then he said that my partner was in on my scams too and he could prove that too. That's when I ran; I just couldn't drag you into this mess. Now they are hanging your career on my decision to help them or not."
"Let me help you with that decision Syd, this ends here."
"Gage I can't let you put your career on the line for my stupid mistakes."
"I don't see it as putting my career on the line. This is doing our job Syd. The first thing we need to do is get home and talk to Walker, Alex and Trivette to see where we go from here. All right Syd?"
Syd knew that Gage was right; she had known the right decision all along. She nodded her head yes and putting her arms around him she kissed him.
"Thank you for coming here for me Gage."
"You mean too much to me Syd to ever let you go without a fight," he smiled as he kissed her.
"I'm going to have to let my Mother know what is going on. I'll do that right now."
"Syd one more thing before you talk to your Mom," Gage had taken her hand as he spoke and reaching into his pocket had brought out her engagement ring, "Think you could put this back on your finger before it gets lost?"
She smiled as she let him slip it on her finger.
I lay no claim on Walker Texas Ranger or any of its characters.
Family Business
Chapter 1
Syd's Mother knocked on the bedroom door, "Sydney, Gage is on the phone, come and talk to him."
"No, I don't want to talk to him."
"What do you want me to tell him?"
"I don't know, I don't care I just don't want to talk to him."
"All right Sydney, but this makes about the tenth call in two hours you are going to have to give in sooner or later."
Her Mother went back to the phone; "I'm sorry Gage she just doesn't want to speak to you right now."
"Has she said anything that might indicate what's wrong?" Gage hopefully asked Kathy Cooke.
"Nothing, not a word, I'm sorry Gage."
"Thanks I'll call back later," he hung up the phone.
********
Gage handed his boarding pass to the flight attendant as he got on the plane, if Syd wouldn't talk to him on the phone he would go to her.
Two weeks ago, everything had been wonderful between Sydney and Gage. He had finally got up enough courage to ask her to marry him. Syd had thrown herself into his arms, shouting yes, yes, yes between kisses.
They decided to be married in six weeks. Alex and Erika had all ready gladly enlisted to help with all the arrangements. Everything was going along the way it should. The two of them were happier and more in love every day. At least that was how he had felt and he thought she had felt the same way. He would have sworn to it up until yesterday.
The two of them had gone out to pick up a couple of suspects in a case they were working. After checking out a few seedy bars, they finally came across the two of them. One of the suspects Miles Costa had taken off down the alley and Syd had taken up pursuit, while Gage cuffed the other one Brad Dillon, and took him to the car. Syd was gone for quite a few minutes, long enough for Gage to become concerned. Suddenly she appeared from around the side of the building by herself, Costa had gotten away.
"You okay?" Gage had asked her.
"Ya fine," was all she had said.
When they got back she had asked Gage if she minded questioning Dillon with Trivette that she needed to talk to Walker. He didn't question her, just told her okay; he figured they would talk later that night.
By the time they were done the interrogation, Syd had all ready left for home. This was so unlike her that Gage had begun to worry about her and he left for home moments later.
She wasn't there; instead, there was a note with her engagement ring beside it. Gage had read and reread the note several times, he knew it by heart, and it made no sense. He went over it in his mind as the plane began to descend into the airport.
It started out by saying how much she loved him and how sorry she was. That she had asked Walker for an extended leave of absence to figure things out. She had to sort things out for herself before she could consider involving him in her life. Then she asked him please not to hate her because she loved him so much.
The plane touched down and Gage got ready to get off the plane. He was scared, more scared then he had ever been facing a situation as a Ranger. What if she wouldn't see him, he just wouldn't leave until she did.
**********
Last night Kathy Cooke had just finished washing her dishes and cleaning up the kitchen when she heard a rap on her back door. She opened the door and to her surprise, her daughter Sydney stood there.
"Sydney?" It was more of a question then a greeting.
"Can I come in Mom?"
"Of course Sydney you caught me off guard I didn't expect to see you standing there. Is everything all right?" she asked as she hugged her daughter.
"Mom I really can't talk now I just need some time to think. Can I use my old room for a few days?"
"Honey are you all right?"
"I don't know I just need some time to work a few things out."
"Gage is okay?"
"Yes he's fine, Mom I hate to ask, but can you please let me be for now. I'm going to bed we'll talk tomorrow."
Syd had kissed her Mother good night and headed for her old room, leaving Kathy standing there wondering what was wrong.
Gage had called about nine-thirty that night. Kathy had said yes she was there but she had all ready gone to bed. He told her he would call back in the morning. He had called back continuously, what ever the problem was Gage was as much in the dark as she was, finally he told her he was coming there. Kathy was glad, she sensed that Sydney needed him no matter what she said.
**********
Gage paid the cab driver and walked up to the front door of the Cooke home. He had been there one other time with Syd, the time he had met her Mother and her two brothers. He had been nervous that time, but as he looked back on that visit, he realized that had been a piece of cake in comparison to now. He reached out and rang the doorbell.
"Gage, I'm so glad you are here," Kathy Cooke told him as she opened the door for him.
"Has she said anything?" Gage asked again.
"Nothing she has hardly left her room all day. I'll tell her you're here."
"Please let me."
Kathy moved aside so Gage could get by. He walked down the hall and knocked gently on Syd's door.
"What is it Mom?"
"Syd it's me open the door."
"Gage what are you doing here go away."
"I'm not going any where until we talk face to face."
"Gage I don't want to see you right now."
He could tell that she was crying but it didn't matter he wasn't letting up he needed to see her now.
"Sydney open this door or I'll break it down."
She hesitated a minute knowing he meant what he said, then she pulled the door open, she stood there not saying a word. Now that the door was open, Gage really didn't know what to say next either.
Syd didn't move the tears flowed down her face, Gage moved towards her and she fell into his arms sobbing.
"I'm sorry Gage, I love you so much, I just couldn't face you with this."
"Syd, Honey there isn't anything you can't bring to me."
Gage pulled her a little tighter to him and let her cry until there were no more tears left to cry. They moved to the edge of the bed and sat there, Gage waiting patiently for Sydney to tell him why she had run away.
"This started long before I ever knew you Gage, before I had ever thought of being a Texas Ranger. I hadn't been on the job any more then a couple of months when it happened.
I was approached by two men from the Costa family, Paul Durgon and Christopher Armand, they told me they had something I needed to do for them. I guess they had been shaking down all the stores and businesses in certain areas. That area included my Father's business. Over the years, he had worked out an arrangement with them. Instead of paying out protection, weekly he had let them launder money through the business. They had a book with all the transactions recorded in it. They told me that if I wasn't interested in helping them that they knew lots of people who would be interested in looking at this book of my Father's transactions.
My Dad by this time was sick, they were barely keeping their heads above water with all the medical bills, my brothers were trying to keep the business going, this would have killed him. All I had to do was remove two shell casings from the evidence room so the murder case would fall through against Michael Costa.
At this point Syd got up and went to the dresser where an old jewellery box sat. She opened it, pulled up the corner of the lining and pulled out a small plastic bag. Walking back over to Gage, she handed it to him. Inside were the shell casings.
"As soon as the charges were dropped Dad's business was sold for twice what it was actually worth. Dad died shortly after and the money from the sale has taken care of Mom ever since."
The tears were starting to form in Syd's eyes again, as she sat down beside Gage again.
"There's more," she continued, "A few days ago Durgon called me, I hadn't heard from him since I helped them with Michael. He told me they needed this business with Miles taken care of and they were going to need my help again. I told them not this time that Miles Costa would be paying for his crimes. He told me he thought I'd be changing my tune.
Yesterday when I chased Costa out in the alley Durgon was waiting for me. He informed me that once a dirty cop always a dirty cop and my bank account proved it. Then he said that my partner was in on my scams too and he could prove that too. That's when I ran; I just couldn't drag you into this mess. Now they are hanging your career on my decision to help them or not."
"Let me help you with that decision Syd, this ends here."
"Gage I can't let you put your career on the line for my stupid mistakes."
"I don't see it as putting my career on the line. This is doing our job Syd. The first thing we need to do is get home and talk to Walker, Alex and Trivette to see where we go from here. All right Syd?"
Syd knew that Gage was right; she had known the right decision all along. She nodded her head yes and putting her arms around him she kissed him.
"Thank you for coming here for me Gage."
"You mean too much to me Syd to ever let you go without a fight," he smiled as he kissed her.
"I'm going to have to let my Mother know what is going on. I'll do that right now."
"Syd one more thing before you talk to your Mom," Gage had taken her hand as he spoke and reaching into his pocket had brought out her engagement ring, "Think you could put this back on your finger before it gets lost?"
She smiled as she let him slip it on her finger.