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

The Innocent

By: Janis


Chapter 1

Ranger James Trivette sat at his desk bent over his keyboard working on his daily reports. He had come in early to get a jump on things so he could finish up early. He and Erika were going to try and get away for a long weekend. He was so absorbed in what he was doing that he didn't notice a young girl walk over to his desk and stand there.

"Excuse me," the small voice said.

Trivette looked up trying hard to hide his surprise, "Can I help you?" he asked.

"Is this where Ranger Cooke works?"

"Yes were you looking for her?"

Before she could answer Gage and Walker came in, both looked over questioningly to the young dark haired girl and Trivette.

"Gage what did you do with Syd?" asked Trivette, "This young lady is looking for her."

"She'll be here in a minute she went to see Alex," Gage volunteered.

"Gage maybe you could keep..."

"Elaine."

"Elaine, company," finished Walker.

"Uh, ya, okay I could do that," stammered Gage, "Elaine did you want to come sit over here and wait?"

She followed Gage over to his desk and sat down as he gazed at the door hoping Syd would be walking in. Elaine sat quietly looking at Gage.

"So Elaine," began Gage, "What do you want to see Ranger Cooke about?"

Elaine leaned forward and whispered to Gage, "Can you keep a secret?"

Gage nodded his head yes.

She whispered to him again, "She's my Mom."

Almost choking on the drink of coffee he had just taken he finally got out, "How bout I give Ranger Cooke a call and see what is keeping her."

Quickly pulling out his phone Gage walked to the hall and began dialling.

**********

Alex and Sydney had been chatting about getting together for dinner over the weekend. When suddenly Syd's phone rang, "Excuse me Alex," she said as she took the call.

"Hey Gage what's up?"

"Syd you'd better get down here."

"Why? What's the matter?"

"There's a young dark haired girl here looking for you," Gage told her trying to read her reaction.

"Who is she?"

"Syd just get down here please."

"I'm on my way," she said.

Turning to Alex she told her that she had to go, "Seems there is some girl down there asking for me, that has Gage all flustered."

"Then I won't keep you," laughed Alex.

Syd left Alex's office and made her way downstairs. Gage was standing in the hall waiting for her. He stood looking at her then pulling her aside he asked, "Syd is there anything you want to talk to me about before we go in? You do know that you can tell me anything? Something that might be in your past isn't going to change how I feel about you."

It was her turn to stand staring at him, "Gage what's the matter?"

Taking a deep breath Gage stood in front of Syd telling her, "Elaine told me you were her Mom."

As soon as Syd heard the name Elaine she knew who was waiting for her, she knew that it would also mean trouble, "And you believed her? Where is she? Syd sputtered out heading for the door.

Elaine was sitting where Gage had left her when Syd flew into the office.

"All right young lady come with me," Syd commanded at the same time taking her by the elbow and directing her out of the office, "Gage would you like to join us." That was more of an order then a question Gage realized following along behind.

"What do you think that was all about?" Trivette asked Walker.

"I don't know, but I don't think I would want to be Gage or Elaine right now."

"The same thought crossed my mind," Trivette agreed.

**********

Syd steered Elaine into the first open interrogation room as Gage entered behind closing the door.

"All right Elaine would you like to tell Ranger Gage the truth now."

"Ya but Syd you are my Mom now," insisted Elaine.

"What do you mean now?"

"You remember Sydney, Mom asked you to look after me if anything happened to her and you told her that you would treat me like I was your real daughter. That would make you my Mom."

"Elaine where is your Mother?"

"I don't know I haven't seen her in three days. Vince her current boyfriend showed up three nights ago. He was mad at her for something, there was lots of yelling and screaming then everything went quiet. I came out of my room and there was no one there. I haven't seen my Mom since."

"So how did you get here?"

"I remembered Mom saying if I ever needed anything or if something happened to her I was suppose to go to you. So I took the money Mom had hidden for emergencies and got on a bus to Dallas. I got in this morning and I came right here."

At this point Elaine began to cry, "She's dead Sydney I just know she is dead."

"We don't know that," Syd told Elaine softening a little as she spoke, "Ranger Gage and I will look into it and see if we can find out what has happened. Right now we have to find a place for you to stay while we do our job."

"I want to stay with you, Sydney," she began pleading.

"You will tonight but for now you will have to be patient while we look for your Mom."

"What if you don't find her?"

"Elaine we will cross that bridge when we come to it," Gage interjected knowing how alone she must be feeling with her Mother gone.

Syd had gone ahead and placed a call to Alex, "Alex says it's all right to bring Elaine over to the H.O.P.E. centre. She says there are lots of things she can help out with over there," Syd announced to the two of them. "So I'll do that Gage if you want to explain the rest to Walker."

"Can't Gage come with us too," pleaded Elaine thinking she had found an ally in Gage.

Syd was about to protest but decided against it. She figured that the drive back to headquarters would give her a chance to explain about Elaine and her Mother. Knowing Elaine she thought it would be a good idea to give Gage a heads up in her regards.

Thirty minutes later they were at the H.O.P.E. centre. Sydney went in the office to talk to Josie while Gage kept Elaine company.

"Keep a tight rein on her Josie," Sydney was explaining to her, "She can find more trouble to get into then anyone I know, with exception of maybe her Mom. If she suddenly disappears call me right away, Gage and I will track her down. Any trouble at all I'll come back."

"Sydney you worry too much," Josie laughed.

"Tell me that when I come and pick her up tonight," Syd challenged her.

Gage was never so glad to see Syd come back. Once Syd had disappeared into the office Elaine had started, "She really doesn't want me here does she?"

"You just caught her off guard that's all," Gage had answered back.

"You're sticking up for her, aren't you?"

"I'm not just sticking up for her Elaine, I know Syd and I know what she is like she'll do everything humanly possible for you."

"You're sleeping with her aren't you? That's why you are sticking up for her isn't it?"

"Even if he is sleeping with me it is none of your business," Syd answered for Gage coming up behind Elaine. "This is Josie and I want you to be nice to her today, I'll be back around six to pick you up."

"Come on Partner lets get to work," Syd told him walking past him and out the door.

When they almost got to the car Syd tossed the keys at Gage saying, "You drive."

Sliding into the passenger seat she waited for Gage to get in. He opened the driver's door and got in; putting the key into the ignition he turned and looked at her.

"Syd I'm sorry," he began.

"Gage start the car I want to talk but not here, all right. We're close to my place let's go there."

A few minutes later found them at the apartment; Gage took her keys from her hand and unlocked the door.

She turned around and faced her partner while he closed the door behind them.

"Gage sit down I've got something to show you," she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek as she spoke.

He smiled back at her breathing a little easier knowing that she wasn't mad at him over what had happened that morning. She went into the bedroom and came back a few minutes later with a big gift box. Sitting the box on the coffee table she opened it and began sifting through the contents. It was a collection of old pictures and memorabilia.

"What are you looking for Syd?" Gage asked.

"Just a minute you'll see," Syd murmured only half paying attention to Gage. "There it is," she exclaimed showing the picture to him, "This is Sylvania Talbot, Elaine's real Mother."

"Pretty girl," commented Gage.

"She was back then," Syd smiled recalling her friend, "We were eighteen when this picture was taken, Sylvania had just found out she was expecting for Elaine and she wasn't even sure who the father was. It was that day she asked me if I would look after her baby if something ever happened to her. Honestly I don't know why something hasn't happened to her before now. I've helped her out of so many jams, helped her get legitimate jobs and tried to help with Elaine. She can't help going back to her old life style. Remember when we moved down here and I had some business to finish up before I could leave?"

Gage nodded his head in recollection.

"It was Syl, one of her boyfriends had molested Elaine. Gage I was so mad at her, she begged me to forgive her. I'm not the one she needed forgiveness from. She promised me things would be different this time, both she and Elaine were going to counselling. Syl promised to keep in touch and she did for a while then it got so I get a card at Christmas.

Elaine always has had a wild streak in her; by ten she knew more about life then most fifteen year olds. She knows how to play people for what she wants so don't get sucked in by her tears and her helpless act, she can turn on you in a second."

Gage sat quietly taking all this in reaching for Syd's hand he asked her, "What happens if something has happened to her mother?"

"Syl has a big family, I doubt that will become an issue."

"Elaine did come here to you not to them."

"I'll worry about that when the time comes for now lets get back to headquarters and see what we can find out."

**********

"Elaine's mother has quite a rap sheet going for her Syd," Trivette commented to her handing the print out to Gage as they approached his desk.

"Did you run Elaine's name through the system?" Syd asked.

"Yeah looks like she is following in her Mother's footsteps."

At this point Walker joined the conversation, "Nobody has reported Sylvania Talbot missing, it looks like if you want to know what has happened you are going to have to go there. Does Elaine and her mother have family in Houston?"

"They have lots of family," Syd confirmed.

"Why don't you two take Elaine home on the first flight out tomorrow and then see what you can find out about her Mom."

"I'll see if I can get hold of her brother then," Syd replied as the partners nodded in agreement.

Their thoughts were interrupted by Syd's phone ringing.

"Ranger Cooke. We'll be right there Josie," Syd sighed and turning to Gage she said, "Let's go she gave Josie the slip."

**********

"Sydney I'm so sorry, you left her in my care, you warned me," cried Josie.

"Josie don't worry, she got me this morning too," Gage admitted trying to make Josie feel better.

"She was outside helping with the daycare, I came in to get the snack ready when I came back out no one knew where she was. Sydney, I know you told me to watch her..."

"It's not your fault I would have been surprised if she hadn't tried something. Did she say anything to anyone?" Syd was trying in vain to let Josie know she wasn't blaming her.

"Only that she had to find a way to make some real money," one of the volunteers told the Rangers.

"I know where she is then," Syd stated heading for the door.

"You really don't think that she is doing that?" Gage asked as they got in the car.

"Her Mother would and she knows that is a fast way to make money, what do you think?"

"Then you are probably right," Gage conceded.

**********

A fifteen-minute drive had them to the centre of the stripe. Gage took one side of the street while Syd took the other. It wasn't very long until Gage caught sight of her talking to a man through a car window trying to strike a deal. Going up behind her and taking her by the arm he nonchalantly asked, "And after we shared so many secrets this morning Elaine."

"Hey back off," yelled the man in the car as he began opening his door.

"No you back off, I'm a Texas Ranger. Unless you want to come down to headquarters and explain why you were trying to solicit sex from a minor you will get back in your car and move on."

The man closed his car door and hastily drove off.

Elaine knowing she was in trouble had all ready started to turn on the charm, "Gage we really don't have to tell Sydney about this do we?" she asked smiling sweetly to him, "I could really make it worth your while to keep it our little secret." She reached up to caress Gage's face as she spoke.

Gage caught her wrist before her hand reached him telling her, "We could except for the fact that I don't keep secrets from Sydney. She is just crossing the street now, so I'd be nice if I was you Elaine, she is mad enough to put you in cuffs."

Elaine had all ready started firing excuses at Syd as to the reasons she had taken off from the H.O.P.E. centre. Sydney didn't care to hear her and cut her off short, "I've heard every excuse before Elaine. Don't you care if we find your Mother or not? Can't you help us out a little? When we have to go looking for you that takes time away from looking for her."

"I'm sorry Sydney," she cried a tear forming in her eye.

Neither Syd or Gage could tell if it was genuine or not.