Chapter Two: Something's Up

Around 2:30 that afternoon, Sydney put down her pen and looked over at Cordell Walker, who checked his watch and nodded. Gage and Sydney had spoken to him earlier in the morning, and he knew they had to leave early. "Come on, Gage," she said, shrugging on her jacket.

"Where are you guys goin'?" Jimmy Trivette asked.

"We've got to pick up my nieces at school," Gage explained, pulling his leather jacket over his shoulders. "Julie and David are gone, so they're staying with me."

"Are you sure you're qualified to take care of kids, Gage?" Jimmy asked, his face the picture of seriousness until the younger Ranger threw a wadded-up ball of paper at him. It bounced off the top of his head and he, in retaliation, threw it back.

Sydney caught the paper as it rebounded off Gage's shoulder. "All right, boys, break it up. I had the same thought you had, Jimmy," she said, eliciting an amused look from him, "and so Gage and the girls are staying at my apartment."

Jimmy opened his mouth to say something, but Gage cut him off.

"The couch, Trivette," he said firmly. "I'm sleeping on the couch."

Walker laughed. "You guys had better get going. We'll see you at dinner, right?"

Sydney and Gage nodded. After their conversation in the morning, Walker had called his wife, and Alex had agreed to host a small dinner party to celebrate Bridget, Carmen, and Christina's arrival. It would just be Walker, Alex, Jimmy, Erica, Gage, Sydney, and the girls. And Angela, of course.

"Seven, right?" Sydney asked as she and her partner made their way to the door.

"Right," her boss agreed. "See you then."

------------

They arrived at Morningside Middle School fifteen minutes early, and pulled into a parking space across the street. The girls knew, of course, that their uncle was picking them up; however, they didn't know what his car looked like. So Gage and Sydney got out of the car and stood, together, leaning against the driver's side and watching the school's front doors.

At precisely three o'clock they opened, and students began pouring out. After a few minutes Gage spotted his nieces.

"Bridget!" he called out as they neared the sidewalk.

She looked up, and spotted him and Sydney. "Uncle Francis!"

Sydney giggled, unable to stop herself. "Francis," she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that," Gage told her. "Sydney Gwendolyn."

She shook her head. Ever since she'd told him her middle name, she'd regretted it.

Bridget led her little sisters across the street, and they hugged their uncle.

"You remember Syd, right?" Gage asked them.

They nodded, (Gage had brought her with him to David and Julie's wedding; in fact, Sydney had been one of Julie's bridesmaids), but when she moved to hug them, they stepped back. Sydney dropped her arms and shared a confused look with Gage.

After a slightly awkward pause, Gage opened the back door of the car. "Let's head home, shall we?" Bridget, Carmen, and Christina climbed into the backseat, and he shut the door behind them. Then he went around to the other side and climbed into the passenger seat beside Sydney.

The drive to Sydney's apartment was quiet. When they got there, Gage opened up the trunk and pulled out two big duffel bags. He headed into the building, and his nieces followed him without a backward glance. Sighing, Sydney pulled the remaining suitcase from the trunk and headed up the three flights of stairs to her place. The door was open a crack, and she was about to go in when she heard Bridget's voice.

"Why are we staying here?" she asked.

"Because there's more room here at Syd's," Gage replied, trying to figure out where the hostiliy toward his partner was coming from. They had seemed to like her well enough before.

"But we wanted to stay with you," Christina insisted.

Gage started to respond, but Carmen cut him off.

"Not with you and her."

"Ahem." Sydney cleared her throat before pushing the door open.

Ashamed, the three girls cast their eyes to the ground. Had she heard them?

Not wanting a confrontation, Sydney forced herself to smile. "Would you like to see your room?"

"I guess so," Carmen answered dully.

"Follow me." Sydney led the way down the hall to the guestroom, and opened the door. "What do you think?"

The girls looked around. In spite of themselves, they began to smile.

"Pretty cool," Christina admitted, fingering the royal blue comforter. Lined up along the top were flower-shaped throw pillows in bright colors.

"It's all right," Bridget said coolly.

Sydney shot Gage a helpless look, then laid the suitcase on the rollaway bed. "We're going to a friend's house for dinner," she said. "Please be ready by six-fifteen." Swallowing over the lump in her throat, she left the room.

Gage watched her go, then turned to his nieces. "Look, I don't know what's going on with you guys," he said, "but obviously something's up. I don't get it. Sydney was nice enough to let us stay here, and you're not being very grateful. In fact, you're being downright disrespectful. And it had better stop right now." He started for the door, then turned around. "We'll be in Sydney's bedroom—"

"Ooh, her bedroom!" Bridget interrupted evilly.

"—when you're ready to apologize." He turned and went in search of his hurt partner.