Disclaimer: This was written for the soul purpose of my entertainment. I lay no claim on Walker Texas Ranger or any of its characters.

Note to the Readers:

The ages of the children are as follows:

The Walker Children:

Angela – 14 ½ years and Danny – 9 ½ years.

The Gage Children:

Chris – 13 years, Piper – 9 ½ years and Cat – 4 ½ years.

The Trivette Children:

Marcus – 11 ½ years, Torrie – 8 ½ years and Simon – 3 ½ years

"The Understanding"

Janis Boisclair

jboisclair@rogers.com

~Chapter One~

Love Lost

"All right you two your mother isn't home yet so you get it in your bedroom and I'll sneak the rest of the supplies in," Gage was instructing his daughters as Piper stuffed the fur ball under her coat.

"What if Buddy doesn't like him?" Cat was asking.

"I'd be more worried about your mother then Buddy," their father retorted still trying to think up just exactly how he should approach his wife on this one. "Get moving before she gets here and finds out before we are ready to tell her," Gage urged them holding the door open for them to slip inside.

Cat scurried across the kitchen Buddy raising his head up at the same time to watch what was going on. Next came Piper clutching tightly to the squirming kitten that was beneath her coat. The ears on the little Border collie perked up watching her run through the kitchen and down the hall. By the time Gage started across the kitchen with the cat food, dish, litter box and various toys Buddy was up circling his feet and barking.

"Buddy go lie down," Gage ordered the dog who ignored him chasing behind him as he hurried down the hall to Piper and Cat's room.

"Hurry Daddy before Buddy gets in," Cat cried anxiously banging the door shut behind him.

"Oh Daddy he's so cute. I've always wanted a kitty. Thank you, thank you, thank you," Piper was crying standing on her bed so she could wrap her arms tightly around Gage's neck.

"Yeah well you're welcome," Gage told her. He would have wrapped his arms around her too if he hadn't still been holding all the cat's accessories. "Now remember," he continued, "you let me break the news about the kitty to Mom."

Both stood shaking their heads yes just as kitty made a jump and wild leap across the bed sending smiles and laughter to the faces of Piper and Cat. Yes and if the truth be told a smile had come across Gage's face as well.

Buddy had resigned himself to lying outside the girls' door until he had a chance for further investigation, which wasn't going to be that long… In fact his ears had all ready perked up hearing Sydney's car pull in the driveway.

The dog wasn't the only one to hear Syd's car pull up. "Cat Pipe here's Mom now you stay here with Kitty and let me try and smooth this over with her before we show her." Gage could hear Buddy barking knowing that Syd was home with Chris.

"But Daddy what if she doesn't like Kitty," Piper was fretting Mom was tough but fair.

"Leave Mom to me Honey," Gage tried to reassure Piper.

She nodded her head yes letting her father kiss her brow before he moved towards the door. Before he could open the door he could hear his wife calling to their son. "Wait Chris lets talk about it." To which he replied, "I don't want to talk to you Mom," his door near slamming off their hinges behind him.

"What the…" Gage muttered under his breath forgetting about the girls and Kitty as he opened the door and stepped into the hallway almost running right into Syd.

"Angela has a boyfriend and it isn't Chris," Syd informed her husband.

Gage gave a loud sigh and let his eyes travel to the ceiling his mind going to Emily Beckett as if it had happened yesterday. He was eleven and she was twelve and he was totally in love with her. Then she had met Peter Easton and he became yesterday's old news. "I'll talk to him Honey," Gage wistfully smiled at her giving her shoulder a small squeeze.

Returning Gage's smile Syd turned to head back to the kitchen to begin getting dinner ready.

Knocking gently on Chris' door Gage was met with, "Please go away Mom."

"Chris it's me," Gage responded. "Can I come in please?"

"I don't feel like talking Dad," Chris answered tears in his voice.

"Maybe I could just sit with you for a little bit?" Gage persisted.

The door finally opened Chris turning from his Dad to walk to the center of the room and just stand.

Gage walked to the center of the room where his son stood he rested his hands on the boy's sagging shoulders. Chris turned sobbing into his father's arms.

"I'm so sorry Chris I know how close you and Angela are…"

"I love her Dad," Chris sobbed even harder letting his father pull him closer.

"Oh Chris I know that you do."

"But I thought she loved me too…"

"Sometimes people's feelings change Chris even if ours don't…" Gage tried to explain knowing that the words had very little meaning for his son at this point.

"It just hurts so much Dad," Chris said wiping his hand across his face.

Gage had his arm around Chris' shoulder guiding them to the bottom bunk so that they could sit down and talk. Buddy had pushed the door of his master's room open with his nose and had come to rest his chin on Chris' toe.

"At least you still love me," Chris mournfully told his dog.

Gage couldn't help hide a smile even in spite of everything.

"And you know the worst of it Dad?" Chris asked.

"No what?" Gage answered.

"She's bringing David to the picnic on Saturday," Chris explained more tears coming to his eyes.

The Walkers were having a big picnic at the ranch a lot of different people from different ranger companies and the DA's office; it was a big deal for all of them.

"Chris," was all Gage was able to say before they were interrupted by a loud crash and the unmistakeable yowl of a terrified animal.

Buddy was up and barking, Cat and Piper where both yelling but above it all was the distinct voice of Sydney as she shouted out, "Fran-cis!"

"I think Mom met Piper and Cat's new Kitty," Gage said as much to himself as Chris.

Later That Night…

"Is he a sleep?" Syd asked watching Gage pull back the blankets and slide into bed with her.

"Yeah I think the exhaustion finally took over," Gage answered his wife. He lay on his back staring up at the ceiling Syd beside him doing exactly the same thing. Even though they knew this was a part of growing up it was still hard to watch their son go through it.

Chris' mind had been taken off of Angela for a few minutes while he played with the girls and Kitty watching his dad helped his mother put the drapes back up in the family room that the cat had torn down in his attempt to climb them.

Sydney had picked up the cat holding it up against her as she lined up her daughters and her husband before handing out a warning. "This happens again and all three of you along with the cat will be out of here. Understand me?" she sternly warned.

"Yes Mommy," Piper and Cat said in unison Piper running forward to retrieve Kitty from her mother.

Gage went to put his arm around her when her hand shot out catching him in the chest and holding him at arms length. "I know you are behind this Gage," she challenged heated sparks in her eyes.

"But Syd if you had been there…"

"Don't go there Gage, you are going to pay and pay big time," she warned letting him give her cheek a quick peck. She had then turned and gone back into the kitchen leaving Chris and Gage alone again. Gage could tell Chris' thoughts had gone back to Angela with the sad expression that had crossed his face.

Walking over to his son Gage once again put his arm around Chris' shoulder and gave him a hug holding on tight to him. "Would you like Mom to talk to Aunt Alex maybe see if Angela could wait for another time to ask David to a gathering…"

"Nooo Dad please don't let Mom talk to Aunt Alex…" Chris cried out. "It's bad enough she doesn't want me as a boyfriend without Mom butting in."

"I see your point," Gage agreed leading Chris into the dining room.

The girls had talked non-stop about Kitty while Chris had sat quietly pushing his food around his plate with his fork. Finally after about half a dozen bites Chris told them he wasn't hungry and asked if he could be excused. Syd was going to object but caught Gage's eyes before he told Chris that would be fine and to put his plate in the sink.

Cat seeing Chris hadn't finished his plate tried the same ploy hoping to play with Kitty. "No you may not be excused," Syd informed her daughter.

"Chris didn't eat all his dinner," she protested loudly looking for Gage's support on the matter.

"Sorry Puss you got me in enough trouble for one day you are going to have to do as your mother says," Gage replied watching the lower lip hang out.

"It's not fair," she tried her last tactic to get out of eating her dinner.

"No," her father corrected. "What isn't fair would be having to go to bed right now because we were arguing with Mom and Dad."

Looking from her mother to her father and seeing she was in a loosing battle she picked up her spoon to begin shovelling the mashed potatoes home.

Once dinner was finished, the kitchen tidied, the girls and Kitty tucked in for the night Syd had stopped by Chris' room. "Hey Honey can I come in for a minute," she greeted him sticking her head in the door as she spoke.

"Sure Mom," Chris answered her.

"Brought you some brownies," she smiled walking over to his desk with a plate of the squares and a glass of milk.

"Thanks Mom but I'm not really that hungry," he began.

"That's okay maybe you'll want some a little later," she replied setting the plate down. "Hey you know I'm really sorry that this had to happen to you." Getting no response she leaned down behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck before whispering, "Your Dad and I love you very much, we're both here for you okay."

"I know Mom you and Dad are the very best."

Syd had hugged him tighter before leaving him for the night. She had met Gage in the hall he had promised to get him lying down under the covers for the night.

Syd reached her hand over and took Gage's in hers. "Maybe Chris and I could stay home tomorrow," Syd suggested.

"Syd you'll definitely be missed if you stayed home. "Not just that I suggested that you could always talk with Alex about David waiting for another time to get to know everyone and Chris' exact words were please don't let Mom but in."

"Mom but it," Syd cried out sitting straight up in bed turning to stare at Gage.

"Syd I think he meant Alex too. I just think that he wants to solve this on his own without making it look like he came running to us," Gage tried to rationalize things for his wife and himself. "Man you know it has always been Chris and Angela I just never thought this would happen."

"Angela has a year on Chris and she is in Jr. High," Syd sighed settling down against Gage lying across his arm.

"You'd better close your eyes and get to sleep," Gage yawned. "I think we are in for a very long day tomorrow." Gage had never spoken truer words.

TBC