The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Walker, Texas Ranger". The characters belong to CBS Productions, Top Kick Productions, etc., but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)
"Survival" Chapter 3
by Lorrie
Walker and Trivette arrived at DFW at 5:45 and headed to the private flight area. "OK Trivette, there they are." They approached the two members of 'Prevalent Justice'.
"Can I help you?" One of the men asked.
"Yes, I'm Trevor Holt and this is my bodyguard Michael Sands."
"Can I see some ID?"
Walker took out the fake ID he had had made in Holt's name.
"OK Mr. Holt, you and Mr. Sands can go ahead and board the plane. My associate will be her in a few minutes and we'll get going."
Soon they were in the air. "You can sit back and relax, our flight is about 8 hours."
"Where exactly are we going?" Walker asked.
"An uncharted island in the south Atlantic."
"Are you certain that the Rangers will still be there?"
"There's no possible way for anyone to escape. They arrive on the island in shackles and chains so they have extra weight and are unable to swim. Plus, after two months with virtually no food, they should be withered away to almost nothing by now."
"There's no food on the island?"
"There's one coconut tree, but not many coconuts were left on it when we dropped the Rangers."
"What about fish?"
"I doubt they would be able to catch any with their chain clanking." One of 'Prevalent Justice' stood up. "Don't worry Mr. Holt, you'll get your chance to get even with those two Rangers." Walker leaned back into his seat more concerned now than ever about Sydney and Gage.
**********
Gage and Sydney lay inside their shelter sleeping. Sydney rolled over and put her hand on Gage's shoulder. The clanking of her chains woke him. "Syd, are you alright?" He asked weakly.
"I can hardly move." She replied.
"Yeah, me either." Gage rolled over on his back. Sydney looked at him and gently brushed his hair from his eyes.
"You look so different with a beard." Sydney brushed his chin with her hand.
Gage sort of laughed. "I'm sure. I'm in bad need of a shave and a haircut."
Sydney looked at Gage's face. His eye still looked bad and there was still some bruising on his forehead and cheekbone. "How's the eye?"
"I can see out if, but things are still a little blurred. My head is killing me right now though."
"Do you know that your whole rib cage is showing?" She looked at his torso.
"So is yours." Gage touched Sydney's cheek.
"I don't feel like I even have the energy to get up." Sydney said as she tried to get up.
"Me either." Sydney laid back down. "We're almost out of water."
"Yeah I know. Those coconut shells don't hold very much." Gage started to get up.
"Where are you going?"
"It's my turn to get the water."
"Why don't we go together?" Sydney suggested.
"You're worried, aren't you?" Gage asked. Sydney nodded.
"Besides, it'll be easier with two of us."
Each step took tremendous effort, but they finally made it to the fresh water. Gage was about to fill up the first shell when Sydney stood up. "Listen!"
"What?" Gage stopped and listened.
"It's the plane." Sydney said panicking. "They're back. God Gage, they're back. They're going to kill us."
Gage put his arm around Sydney. "Come on, we need to find a place to hide."
Walker, Trivette and two member of 'Prevalent Justice' climbed out of the plane. "What about the pilot?" Walker asked.
"He stays with the plane."
"Mr. Holt, will Mr. Sands be joining the hunt?"
"Yes."
"Here are your weapons, gentlemen." They were each handed a high-powered rifle, complete with a scope. The two members of 'Prevalent Justice' also took one for themselves.
"I thought only Mr. Sands and myself were going on the hunt."
"We just provide a little back up, just in case you miss."
"I never miss what I'm aiming at." Walker stated.
They walked down the beach, then started inland.
Gage made his way back to the spot where he had left Sydney. "Walker and Trivette are here. I think they're posing as the people who hired the hit men."
"Where are they?" Sydney asked.
"They're coming inland. All four of them have rifles, so be careful."
The hunting party came upon Sydney and Gage's shelter. "Um. Looks like these two have been pretty resourceful." One of 'Prevalent Justice' stated.
"They must be getting water. Let's check it out."
Walker caught site of Sydney and Gage to his left and tried to lead the hunting party away from them.
"Trust me Mr. Holt. They went this way." The lead of 'Prevalent Justice' bent down and showed Walker the freshly broken thorn bushes. "Their chains would have done this." He stood up and listened for a moment. "Listen, I hear them. We're close."
They followed Sydney and Gage. "OK Mr. Holt, they're in view." Walker raised the rifle, as did Trivette and pointed it at Sydney and Gage. 'Prevalent Justice' also had them in their sites. Walker and Trivette turned and pointed their rifles at the two members of 'Prevalent Justice', but not before one fired a shot.
Sydney cried out in pain as the bullet grazed her shoulder and she hit the ground. Gage bent down beside of her and gently lifted her head. "Syd?" His voice cracked. "Sydney?" There was no answer.
Walker took the rifles from the other two men and Trivette handcuffed their hand together around a tree.
"There's one more in the plane. I'll go after him, you take care of Sydney and Gage." Walker instructed Trivette as he ran towards the plane.
Trivette called out, "Gage, Sydney?"
"Trivette." Gage yelled. Trivette followed Gage's voice and found them both in a small clearing.
"She's been hit." Gage said weakly, as he closed his eyes in pain as his head once again began to throb.
"Gage, Sydney?" Trivette was stunned at the site of his two friends. They were both pale, despite the fact that they had been out in the sun for 8 weeks and they were so thin that he could see their bones. It was obvious that they were weak from hunger. He bent down and checked Sydney for a pulse. It was there, but faint.
"Gage, can you walk?"
Gage nodded. "I think so."
"I'll carry Sydney." Trivette easily lifted Sydney and headed through the brush to the plane with Gage following as closely behind as possible, dragging his chains.
Walker had easily subdued the pilot and was readying the plane for take off when he saw his friends approaching.
"Oh my God!" Walker exclaimed when he saw Gage and Sydney.
"She's been hit in the shoulder." Trivette explained.
Walker helped Gage up the steps and into a seat. "Are you OK? Were you hit?"
"No. I'm not hit." Gage answered. "Trivette, how's she doing?"
"She'll be OK. It doesn't look like the bullet hit the bone and the bleeding has stopped."
"We'll stop in Miami. It's the nearest hospital." Walker headed for the pilot's seat.
Gage started to protest, wanting to get back to Dallas, but then thought better of it. He laid his head against the headrest and was asleep in minutes.
Trivette got Sydney settled in and she too was asleep in minutes.
"Trivette, how are they holding up?" Walker called out.
Trivette walked to the front of the plane and sat down beside of Walker. "They're both asleep. I can't believe they're still alive."
"I know. They both must be severely malnourished. They've began to lose muscle mass."
"They're just skin and bones." Trivette replied.
"Did Gage say how his head got so bruised up?"
"No, but I'm betting he has a pretty nasty concussion." Trivette got up. "I'm gonna check on them again."
"OK. We're about 30 minutes outside of Miami."
"Do you have any ideas about how to get these shackles and chains off of them?" Trivette asked.
"No. We'll wait until we get to the hospital and see if they have any ideas."
Trivette checked on Sydney first. She was still sleeping peacefully.
He sat down beside of Gage. "Gage? Are you awake?"
"Trivette?" He tried to bring his hand up to his head but the chain between his wrists reminded him that he needed to move both arms in order to reach his head.
Trivette wet a cloth with water. "Here, let me see it." Gage turned towards Trivette.
"How did your head get so banged up?"
"When those guys first took us in Dallas, one of them hit me with the butt of his gun. I was out from there until they left us on the island."
"I don't know how the two of you managed to survive out there."
"I'm not sure either." Gage closed his eyes. "Trivette?"
"I'm right here."
"We found four bodies out there. They all had ID on them. Two were Feds, 1 CIA and 1 was a US Marshall. This note was on the CIA agent." Gage handed Trivette the note he had found.
"Have a seat Trivette, we're landing." Walker called out to Trivette as he prepared to land in the Atlantic, near Miami. An ambulance was waiting when they arrived at the dock.
**********
Sydney and Gage were both rushed into the ER. "Get someone in here to get these shackles off of them."
"What's the deal here anyway? Who are these two" One of the interns asked.
"Texas Rangers, they've been held hostage for two months on an island. Don't' you read the papers?" Another intern responded.
One of the doctors prepared to remove Gage's shackles. "Ranger Gage, this might burn a bit." Soon, the shackles on his wrists dropped to the floor revealing his raw and bleeding wrists. Gage passes out as the doctor was removing the shackles from his ankles.
In another part of the ER, Sydney's shoulder was being stitched up. The bullet had only grazed her. "Get an IV in her, she's badly dehydrated." The doctor began to remove her shackles.
"Doctor, I can't find a vein. They've collapsed."
"I'm not surprised. Try her leg." The doctor replied with concern.
"I'm in." The nurse was able to find a vein in Sydney's right leg and started the IV fluids.
Gage's doctor ordered and IV for him as well and like Sydney, his veins too were nearly collapsed. The nurse was able to locate one in his right hand.
"I want a full skull series on him and stitch up that cut." The doctor ordered.
When the x-rays were complete, the doctor observed a hairline fracture on the left side of Gage's skull.
"Admit both of them." The ER doctor stated as he stepped out to find Walker and Trivette.
"Rangers, I am Dr. Cordoza."
"How are they doctor?"
"The young man, Ranger Gage. He has a hairline skull fracture on the left side. There is quite a bit of swelling and bruising around his eye, cheekbone and brow.
Ranger Cooke, her shoulder was grazed by the bullet, very little damage. She will probably have a scar.
Both of them are severely dehydrated and malnourished and weak. I've admitted them and they are both on a nutrient rich IV right now and we'll gradually start them on soft solids tomorrow to see what their stomachs can handle.
It's a good thing you found them when you did. I doubt they would have survived many more days without food.
Ah, I forgot to mention, we removed the shackles and have treated their ankles and wrists with an antibiotic ointment and bandaged them. They were raw and bleeding underneath the shackles.
"Doctor, how long will they need to be in the hospital here?" Walker asked.
"A few days, then we can transfer them to Dallas."
"Thank you doctor."
"Trivette, I'm going to call Alex and let her know what's going on. Then I'll stay with Gage and Sydney. Maybe you can get in touch with Agent Sims."
"Yeah, that's a good idea. Gage said that they found four bodies on the island."
"The missing law enforcement agents?"
"Sounds like it. I'll give Sims the coordinates for the island and let them check it out."
Walker called Alex and told her that they had found Sydney and Gage and that they'd be spending a few days in a Miami hospital.
"Are they OK?"
"They'll both be fine. They're badly dehydrated and malnourished, but they'll be fine."
After his conversation with Alex, Walker entered Gage and Sydney's room and sat in a chair near the window. Dr. Cordoza had bent the hospital rules a little and placed Gage and Sydney in the same room, so Walker and Trivette could keep an eye on them.
In the early hours of the morning, Sydney began to toss and turn in bed, calling out for Gage. "Gage, Gage where are you?"
Gage woke up at the sound of Sydney's voice and started to get up. Walker moved between their beds. "Shh. It's OK Sydney. You're OK. Go back to sleep."
"Walker?"
"I'm right here Gage. You're both fine, but you need to rest." Gage laid back down and fell asleep.
The following morning Gage and Sydney were brought a breakfast of oatmeal, applesauce and juice which they both scarrfed down in a matter of minutes.
"You guys must be feeling a lot better." Walker commented.
"I have more energy anyway." Sydney said.
"Yeah, me too." Gage replied.
"Well, the doctor said you should only be in here a few more days, then we can all get back to Dallas."
"That's great news." Sydney said as she allowed the nurse to prop her up in bed. She looked at Gage. "How's your head this morning?"
"It still hurts, but not quite as bad as yesterday."
"You were both very lucky." Walker stated as he and Trivette stepped out into the hallway.
**********
"It's so good to have you both back home." Alex hugged Sydney and Gage as she met them at the airport. She was fighting back the tears as she noticed their weight loss and tattered appearance.
"It's good to be back." Gage replied.
Trivette volunteered to take Gage and Sydney home. "We're both going to stay at my place for awhile." Sydney stated as she and Gage got into the car.
"We are?" Gage asked.
Sydney nodded. "Gage, we've depended a lot on each other during the past eight weeks and well, I need you."
Gage smiled. "I need you too." He hugged her as Trivette got into the car and drove them to Sydney's apartment.
Gage looked at himself in the mirror. "Man ,do I look rough. Syd, do you have a razor I can use?"
"Sure." She produced a new razor from the medicine cabinet and watched as Gage carefully shaved his beard.
"I don't suppose you'd want to cut my hair, would you?" Gage asked.
"I could." Sydney retrieved a pair of beautician's scissors and cut a good two inches off of Gage's head.
"How's that?"
"Wow, if you ever get tired of being a Ranger, I guess you could always cut hair for a living." He smiled.
**********
Later that evening at Sydney's, Walker, Alex, Trivette and Erica were sitting in the living room, along with Sydney and Gage. Alex was talking about some show she had seen on TV the night before.
"It was one of those Reality TV shows, "Survivor, Survival" something like that. They had marooned 4 people on a deserted island for 30 days, bound them in shackles and chains and left them to forge for what little food there was on the island. The network wants us to believe this stuff. No one could survive something like that."
Sydney and Gage looked at each other, then at Walker and Trivette. Gage opened his mouth, as did Sydney, starting to explain their ordeal, but then decided not to. They were finally home and nothing else mattered.
"Survival" Chapter 3
by Lorrie
Walker and Trivette arrived at DFW at 5:45 and headed to the private flight area. "OK Trivette, there they are." They approached the two members of 'Prevalent Justice'.
"Can I help you?" One of the men asked.
"Yes, I'm Trevor Holt and this is my bodyguard Michael Sands."
"Can I see some ID?"
Walker took out the fake ID he had had made in Holt's name.
"OK Mr. Holt, you and Mr. Sands can go ahead and board the plane. My associate will be her in a few minutes and we'll get going."
Soon they were in the air. "You can sit back and relax, our flight is about 8 hours."
"Where exactly are we going?" Walker asked.
"An uncharted island in the south Atlantic."
"Are you certain that the Rangers will still be there?"
"There's no possible way for anyone to escape. They arrive on the island in shackles and chains so they have extra weight and are unable to swim. Plus, after two months with virtually no food, they should be withered away to almost nothing by now."
"There's no food on the island?"
"There's one coconut tree, but not many coconuts were left on it when we dropped the Rangers."
"What about fish?"
"I doubt they would be able to catch any with their chain clanking." One of 'Prevalent Justice' stood up. "Don't worry Mr. Holt, you'll get your chance to get even with those two Rangers." Walker leaned back into his seat more concerned now than ever about Sydney and Gage.
**********
Gage and Sydney lay inside their shelter sleeping. Sydney rolled over and put her hand on Gage's shoulder. The clanking of her chains woke him. "Syd, are you alright?" He asked weakly.
"I can hardly move." She replied.
"Yeah, me either." Gage rolled over on his back. Sydney looked at him and gently brushed his hair from his eyes.
"You look so different with a beard." Sydney brushed his chin with her hand.
Gage sort of laughed. "I'm sure. I'm in bad need of a shave and a haircut."
Sydney looked at Gage's face. His eye still looked bad and there was still some bruising on his forehead and cheekbone. "How's the eye?"
"I can see out if, but things are still a little blurred. My head is killing me right now though."
"Do you know that your whole rib cage is showing?" She looked at his torso.
"So is yours." Gage touched Sydney's cheek.
"I don't feel like I even have the energy to get up." Sydney said as she tried to get up.
"Me either." Sydney laid back down. "We're almost out of water."
"Yeah I know. Those coconut shells don't hold very much." Gage started to get up.
"Where are you going?"
"It's my turn to get the water."
"Why don't we go together?" Sydney suggested.
"You're worried, aren't you?" Gage asked. Sydney nodded.
"Besides, it'll be easier with two of us."
Each step took tremendous effort, but they finally made it to the fresh water. Gage was about to fill up the first shell when Sydney stood up. "Listen!"
"What?" Gage stopped and listened.
"It's the plane." Sydney said panicking. "They're back. God Gage, they're back. They're going to kill us."
Gage put his arm around Sydney. "Come on, we need to find a place to hide."
Walker, Trivette and two member of 'Prevalent Justice' climbed out of the plane. "What about the pilot?" Walker asked.
"He stays with the plane."
"Mr. Holt, will Mr. Sands be joining the hunt?"
"Yes."
"Here are your weapons, gentlemen." They were each handed a high-powered rifle, complete with a scope. The two members of 'Prevalent Justice' also took one for themselves.
"I thought only Mr. Sands and myself were going on the hunt."
"We just provide a little back up, just in case you miss."
"I never miss what I'm aiming at." Walker stated.
They walked down the beach, then started inland.
Gage made his way back to the spot where he had left Sydney. "Walker and Trivette are here. I think they're posing as the people who hired the hit men."
"Where are they?" Sydney asked.
"They're coming inland. All four of them have rifles, so be careful."
The hunting party came upon Sydney and Gage's shelter. "Um. Looks like these two have been pretty resourceful." One of 'Prevalent Justice' stated.
"They must be getting water. Let's check it out."
Walker caught site of Sydney and Gage to his left and tried to lead the hunting party away from them.
"Trust me Mr. Holt. They went this way." The lead of 'Prevalent Justice' bent down and showed Walker the freshly broken thorn bushes. "Their chains would have done this." He stood up and listened for a moment. "Listen, I hear them. We're close."
They followed Sydney and Gage. "OK Mr. Holt, they're in view." Walker raised the rifle, as did Trivette and pointed it at Sydney and Gage. 'Prevalent Justice' also had them in their sites. Walker and Trivette turned and pointed their rifles at the two members of 'Prevalent Justice', but not before one fired a shot.
Sydney cried out in pain as the bullet grazed her shoulder and she hit the ground. Gage bent down beside of her and gently lifted her head. "Syd?" His voice cracked. "Sydney?" There was no answer.
Walker took the rifles from the other two men and Trivette handcuffed their hand together around a tree.
"There's one more in the plane. I'll go after him, you take care of Sydney and Gage." Walker instructed Trivette as he ran towards the plane.
Trivette called out, "Gage, Sydney?"
"Trivette." Gage yelled. Trivette followed Gage's voice and found them both in a small clearing.
"She's been hit." Gage said weakly, as he closed his eyes in pain as his head once again began to throb.
"Gage, Sydney?" Trivette was stunned at the site of his two friends. They were both pale, despite the fact that they had been out in the sun for 8 weeks and they were so thin that he could see their bones. It was obvious that they were weak from hunger. He bent down and checked Sydney for a pulse. It was there, but faint.
"Gage, can you walk?"
Gage nodded. "I think so."
"I'll carry Sydney." Trivette easily lifted Sydney and headed through the brush to the plane with Gage following as closely behind as possible, dragging his chains.
Walker had easily subdued the pilot and was readying the plane for take off when he saw his friends approaching.
"Oh my God!" Walker exclaimed when he saw Gage and Sydney.
"She's been hit in the shoulder." Trivette explained.
Walker helped Gage up the steps and into a seat. "Are you OK? Were you hit?"
"No. I'm not hit." Gage answered. "Trivette, how's she doing?"
"She'll be OK. It doesn't look like the bullet hit the bone and the bleeding has stopped."
"We'll stop in Miami. It's the nearest hospital." Walker headed for the pilot's seat.
Gage started to protest, wanting to get back to Dallas, but then thought better of it. He laid his head against the headrest and was asleep in minutes.
Trivette got Sydney settled in and she too was asleep in minutes.
"Trivette, how are they holding up?" Walker called out.
Trivette walked to the front of the plane and sat down beside of Walker. "They're both asleep. I can't believe they're still alive."
"I know. They both must be severely malnourished. They've began to lose muscle mass."
"They're just skin and bones." Trivette replied.
"Did Gage say how his head got so bruised up?"
"No, but I'm betting he has a pretty nasty concussion." Trivette got up. "I'm gonna check on them again."
"OK. We're about 30 minutes outside of Miami."
"Do you have any ideas about how to get these shackles and chains off of them?" Trivette asked.
"No. We'll wait until we get to the hospital and see if they have any ideas."
Trivette checked on Sydney first. She was still sleeping peacefully.
He sat down beside of Gage. "Gage? Are you awake?"
"Trivette?" He tried to bring his hand up to his head but the chain between his wrists reminded him that he needed to move both arms in order to reach his head.
Trivette wet a cloth with water. "Here, let me see it." Gage turned towards Trivette.
"How did your head get so banged up?"
"When those guys first took us in Dallas, one of them hit me with the butt of his gun. I was out from there until they left us on the island."
"I don't know how the two of you managed to survive out there."
"I'm not sure either." Gage closed his eyes. "Trivette?"
"I'm right here."
"We found four bodies out there. They all had ID on them. Two were Feds, 1 CIA and 1 was a US Marshall. This note was on the CIA agent." Gage handed Trivette the note he had found.
"Have a seat Trivette, we're landing." Walker called out to Trivette as he prepared to land in the Atlantic, near Miami. An ambulance was waiting when they arrived at the dock.
**********
Sydney and Gage were both rushed into the ER. "Get someone in here to get these shackles off of them."
"What's the deal here anyway? Who are these two" One of the interns asked.
"Texas Rangers, they've been held hostage for two months on an island. Don't' you read the papers?" Another intern responded.
One of the doctors prepared to remove Gage's shackles. "Ranger Gage, this might burn a bit." Soon, the shackles on his wrists dropped to the floor revealing his raw and bleeding wrists. Gage passes out as the doctor was removing the shackles from his ankles.
In another part of the ER, Sydney's shoulder was being stitched up. The bullet had only grazed her. "Get an IV in her, she's badly dehydrated." The doctor began to remove her shackles.
"Doctor, I can't find a vein. They've collapsed."
"I'm not surprised. Try her leg." The doctor replied with concern.
"I'm in." The nurse was able to find a vein in Sydney's right leg and started the IV fluids.
Gage's doctor ordered and IV for him as well and like Sydney, his veins too were nearly collapsed. The nurse was able to locate one in his right hand.
"I want a full skull series on him and stitch up that cut." The doctor ordered.
When the x-rays were complete, the doctor observed a hairline fracture on the left side of Gage's skull.
"Admit both of them." The ER doctor stated as he stepped out to find Walker and Trivette.
"Rangers, I am Dr. Cordoza."
"How are they doctor?"
"The young man, Ranger Gage. He has a hairline skull fracture on the left side. There is quite a bit of swelling and bruising around his eye, cheekbone and brow.
Ranger Cooke, her shoulder was grazed by the bullet, very little damage. She will probably have a scar.
Both of them are severely dehydrated and malnourished and weak. I've admitted them and they are both on a nutrient rich IV right now and we'll gradually start them on soft solids tomorrow to see what their stomachs can handle.
It's a good thing you found them when you did. I doubt they would have survived many more days without food.
Ah, I forgot to mention, we removed the shackles and have treated their ankles and wrists with an antibiotic ointment and bandaged them. They were raw and bleeding underneath the shackles.
"Doctor, how long will they need to be in the hospital here?" Walker asked.
"A few days, then we can transfer them to Dallas."
"Thank you doctor."
"Trivette, I'm going to call Alex and let her know what's going on. Then I'll stay with Gage and Sydney. Maybe you can get in touch with Agent Sims."
"Yeah, that's a good idea. Gage said that they found four bodies on the island."
"The missing law enforcement agents?"
"Sounds like it. I'll give Sims the coordinates for the island and let them check it out."
Walker called Alex and told her that they had found Sydney and Gage and that they'd be spending a few days in a Miami hospital.
"Are they OK?"
"They'll both be fine. They're badly dehydrated and malnourished, but they'll be fine."
After his conversation with Alex, Walker entered Gage and Sydney's room and sat in a chair near the window. Dr. Cordoza had bent the hospital rules a little and placed Gage and Sydney in the same room, so Walker and Trivette could keep an eye on them.
In the early hours of the morning, Sydney began to toss and turn in bed, calling out for Gage. "Gage, Gage where are you?"
Gage woke up at the sound of Sydney's voice and started to get up. Walker moved between their beds. "Shh. It's OK Sydney. You're OK. Go back to sleep."
"Walker?"
"I'm right here Gage. You're both fine, but you need to rest." Gage laid back down and fell asleep.
The following morning Gage and Sydney were brought a breakfast of oatmeal, applesauce and juice which they both scarrfed down in a matter of minutes.
"You guys must be feeling a lot better." Walker commented.
"I have more energy anyway." Sydney said.
"Yeah, me too." Gage replied.
"Well, the doctor said you should only be in here a few more days, then we can all get back to Dallas."
"That's great news." Sydney said as she allowed the nurse to prop her up in bed. She looked at Gage. "How's your head this morning?"
"It still hurts, but not quite as bad as yesterday."
"You were both very lucky." Walker stated as he and Trivette stepped out into the hallway.
**********
"It's so good to have you both back home." Alex hugged Sydney and Gage as she met them at the airport. She was fighting back the tears as she noticed their weight loss and tattered appearance.
"It's good to be back." Gage replied.
Trivette volunteered to take Gage and Sydney home. "We're both going to stay at my place for awhile." Sydney stated as she and Gage got into the car.
"We are?" Gage asked.
Sydney nodded. "Gage, we've depended a lot on each other during the past eight weeks and well, I need you."
Gage smiled. "I need you too." He hugged her as Trivette got into the car and drove them to Sydney's apartment.
Gage looked at himself in the mirror. "Man ,do I look rough. Syd, do you have a razor I can use?"
"Sure." She produced a new razor from the medicine cabinet and watched as Gage carefully shaved his beard.
"I don't suppose you'd want to cut my hair, would you?" Gage asked.
"I could." Sydney retrieved a pair of beautician's scissors and cut a good two inches off of Gage's head.
"How's that?"
"Wow, if you ever get tired of being a Ranger, I guess you could always cut hair for a living." He smiled.
**********
Later that evening at Sydney's, Walker, Alex, Trivette and Erica were sitting in the living room, along with Sydney and Gage. Alex was talking about some show she had seen on TV the night before.
"It was one of those Reality TV shows, "Survivor, Survival" something like that. They had marooned 4 people on a deserted island for 30 days, bound them in shackles and chains and left them to forge for what little food there was on the island. The network wants us to believe this stuff. No one could survive something like that."
Sydney and Gage looked at each other, then at Walker and Trivette. Gage opened his mouth, as did Sydney, starting to explain their ordeal, but then decided not to. They were finally home and nothing else mattered.