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

"Lost and Gone"

By: Janis Boisclair

jboisclair@rogers.com

Chapter 1

"Young lady go back over there and close that door nicely," Alex, scolded her daughter who had just slammed it hard enough to rattle it off its hinges in a fit of temper.

"Fine," spat out the little girl turning around and stomping to the door. "You are the meanest Mom in the whole world and I hate you," she cried out her tantrum continuing on.

"Angela Walker," her father intervened as he came around the side of the house. "I think you had better take yourself up to your room for a few minutes until you can speak nicely with your Mother."

"But it's true Dad," she began until seeing his face knowing that he meant business. Thinking better of things she turned on her heel and headed through the front door stomping out her displeasure on every step.

Alex let out an exasperated sigh as she stared at the door Angela had disappeared through. "I started out asking her if she could put away her crayons and colouring books from the front porch so she could help me set the table which she said in a minute to," Alex began explaining to Walker. "Fifteen minutes later I asked again getting the same response. I came out here to chase her inside telling her we had to get at it now because the company is on its way. That is when the tantrum started."

Walker put his arm around Alex's shoulder guiding her into the house. "You go and finish getting ready while I go see if I can smooth things over for now. Tomorrow we'll all sit down and see if we can get to the bottom of this," Walker told his wife as he kissed her cheek.

Nodding her head in agreement Alex headed back towards the kitchen. Walker watched her for a few minutes before going up the stairs to confront his young daughter.

Tapping lightly on her bedroom door Walker called her name, "Angela can I come in?" he asked. Getting no response he opened the door and went inside to find his daughter laying across her bed looking at a book.

Sitting on the edge of the bed he pulled the book from her hands and again addressed her asking, "Angela do you have an excuse for the display of temper I just saw downstairs?"

"She is always bossing me around Dad," Angela started.

"I see," her father replied before asking, "didn't Mom ask you to put your stuff away and help her set the table?"

Angela thought a moment before answering, "Well yeah but…"

Walker cut her off before she could continue, "I think you maybe should apologize to your Mother especially if you were planning on joining everyone today. I don't think you will have much fun sitting up here by yourself once Marcus and Torrie and Chris and Piper get here."

Thinking a moment Angela swallowed her pride, standing up she nodded her head in agreement. She would tell her Mother sorry but she wouldn't mean it she defiantly thought to herself.

~~~~~

Piper's shriek, "Mommy, Daddy," is all Gage heard as he rushed to the family room where his children were fighting. He got there just in time to snatch Chris off his sister and prevent him from bringing his clenched fist into her face.

Things may have played out a little differently if Gage had gotten there a few minutes earlier. The two children had been playing video games and as usual Piper was having a hard time making one of the moves. Gage missed the part where Chris had said, "let me show you how to make that move." The part where Piper in her frustration had fired the game control at Chris hitting him hard in the back of the head. Instead of saying she was sorry Piper had continued on with, "that's what I think of you and your stupid game," and standing up she gave the control a kick at the same time. The game control had broken open and Chris lost his temper. He had pushed Piper to the floor jumping on top of her, that is when she knew she was in trouble and shrieked for her Mom or Dad's intervention. Chris had sat poised ready to pound her holding his hand above her face, it was at this point that Gage had raced into the room.

"Christian Francis," Gage yelled, "room."

Chris knew his Father was angry he never called him Francis ever, "But Dad…" he began as Gage cut him off once again ordering him to his room.

Turning Chris muttered to himself, "he's so unfair," almost running into his Mother at the same time.

Piper by this time had both little arms around her Father's neck and sobbing. Sydney eyed her daughter suspiciously and taking her from Gage's arms set her on floor sending her to her room as well.

"I can't believe that Chris was actually going to punch her," Gage started when he thought that they were out ear shot.

"Gage it doesn't matter how old the woman is they can still wrap you around their finger can't they?" Syd questioned her husband picking up the broken game control.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Gage answered with a question.

"Did you even bother to ask your son's side of the story or did Piper's tears just decide things for you?"

Gage's mouth opened then closed as he realized he had maybe not got the full story of what was going on. "What ever it was that doesn't give Chris the right to hit his sister or any other girl," he finally got out.

"I didn't say Chris was a hundred percent right all I'm saying is that we need the rest of the story here."

"I guess I'd better get them out here to grill them," Gage sighed not remembering him or Julie ever fighting like Chris and Piper.

"It's going to have to wait until tomorrow we are expected at the ranch in another thirty minutes. Go smooth things over for now and we will continue this tomorrow," Syd smiled at her husband. Putting her arms around his neck she stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek before sending him down the hall to their son's room.

Tapping gently on the door Gage let himself in. Chris had climbed to his top bunk and sat facing the wall. Climbing up the ladder he reached out and put his hand on Chris' shoulder, Chris shrugged it off.

"Chris I'm sorry I know Piper had something to do with all this," Gage paused for a moment Chris sat unmoving. "We are all going to have a big discussion about this tomorrow but right now we have to get going we are expected for dinner…" he trailed off.

"Yeah sure Dad," Chris answered his father not turning.

Gage put his hand on Chris' shoulder again as much for himself as Chris. He closed his eyes wondering how he was ever going to fix this.

Cartiér Jewellers Hours Earlier

The plaza the little jewellery store sat in was busy for a Saturday but that wasn't a deterrent for the three men watching from the window of their car.

"Ray and I are going to be in and out in a matter of minutes you keep the car running and ready to go," Brent Westman the leader of the group instructed Dale Fraser.

"I'll be ready Brent," Dale nodded his assurances.

"I know we can count on yeah," Brent told him as he and his brother Ray pulled ski masks over their faces and headed inside.

Dale nervously looked around at the people who were at the different shops finally fixing his eyes on the jewellery store the brothers had disappeared in. They had had been there what seemed like an eternity to the young man when suddenly gunshots began sounding accompanied by screaming and the store alarm going off.

The brothers were both running towards the car almost making it when Ray suddenly fell forward a bullet finding its target in his back. Turning Brent grabbed his brother and dragged him to his feet and the car. Within seconds they were speeding out of the parking lot, down the street and out of the city.

Walker Ranch

Marcus Trivette sat with Angela Walker on the steps of the front porch not speaking as Torrie played on the front lawn the grownups watching from where they sat and visited. Marcus' face brightened as Gage pulled the car in and he took off running towards them. Jimmy and Erica's son loved playing with Gage children they were like the three musketeers. Marcus liked to play with both of them Chris and Piper but there was something about Piper you could always count on excitement when she was around. Besides she wasn't really like having a dumb girl around like Angela and his baby sister Torrie.

As Marcus and Piper took off across the yard Chris walked sullenly over to where Angela sat.

"Hi Chris you look as if you lost your best friend," Trivette greeted the boy as he went to stop Torrie from chasing after Piper and Marcus.

"Hi Uncle Jimmy," he replied flopping down beside Angela as Gage and Syd walked past him to sit down on the porch.

"Let's get out of here," Angela suddenly said standing up and looking at Chris who couldn't have agreed more with her at that moment.

"Don't go too far," Alex told them, "Supper won't be too much longer."

"Yes Moth-er," Angela replied trying to sound exasperated while stretching out the word Mother.

"Sounds like you have been having a pleasant day too," Sydney said smiling at Alex as they began sharing children stories.

~~~~~

"Parents!" Angela exclaimed to Chris as they walked across the yard towards the coral and barn.

"I agree," Chris spoke up as if he had an option to disagree with Angela.

"I just don't think I'll be able to live with my Mother too much longer," the child dramatically went on. "She's just so mean…"

"Tell me about it," Chris interjected.

"Your Mom too?" Angela asked knowing she had found an ally in Chris Gage.

"No my Dad he thinks everything is my fault never Piper's. I always get you're older you should know better or Piper is smaller and needs us." Chris lamented. "He just never listens to me I bet he wishes that I'd never been born," the boy sighed deeply wanting nothing more then to have his father's total attention and approval.

"I've got it," Angela suddenly shouted snapping Chris' attention back to her. "If they don't want us around we'll just leave."

"Leave?" Chris questioned looking at the porch catching his father's face knowing he was smiling over some joke not caring about him.

"Yeah find a new place together with no one to boss us around," Angela stated as Piper and Marcus came running over to the two of them.

"What are you guys doing?" Piper questioned her brother.

"Making plans," Angela informed them.

"Plans for what?" Piper persisted.

"To run away and you aren't coming," Angela told the two younger children.

"No you aren't," Piper said looking at her brother for confirmation.

Chris grabbed Piper's arm and dragged her a few feet away from the other two before he spoke to her. "Piper you know that they love you the most and that everyone would be better off without me around," he told her as her little mouth dropped open.

"But Chris," she began as a tear came to her eyes.

"No buts Piper it is the way it has to be," Chris retorted giving her one of their father's stern looks.

"All right Chris," she agreed wiping the back of her dirty hand across her face as she brushed the tear away. "Will I ever see you again?" she asked.

"Maybe but not for a very, very long time."

"But Mom and Dad are good at finding people they found me two times."

"You wanted to be found that is different. Now remember don't tell them anything just pretend you don't know," Chris instructed.

"Okay Chris," Piper agreed staring down at her shoes.

"Piper," Chris paused a second as she looked up at him. "I love you," he told his little sister giving her a hug before joining Angela once again.

~~~~~

Gage stared out over the yard at his two kids as Chris took Piper from the other two. He was hoping that there wasn't going to be any more of the fight that they had been in earlier. He smiled when Chris reached out and hugged his sister but some how it just didn't make him feel any better. Something was up and he knew it the question was, "What?"

They all disappeared out of sight into the barn to have Marcus and Piper reappear about twenty minutes later.

"Is something bothering you Gage?" Trivette asked.

"Hmm sorry what did you say?" he replied turning to see both he and Walker looking at him.

"I asked you if something was bothering you," Trivette repeated to Gage.

"Oh it's just the kids," Gage tried to brush it off. "It just seems we are always in a big fight of some sort."

Walker half smiled and shook his head in agreement thinking about his daughter and his wife earlier on that day.

"Gage?" Sydney broke into their thoughts, "Can you guys find the children and get them cleaned up for dinner? Alex says it's almost ready."

"Sure Syd," he absently replied getting up at the same time Walker and Trivette following suit.

All three men headed down towards the coral where Piper and Marcus were playing.

"Pipe," Gage called out, "where are Angela and Chris?"

"I don't know they didn't want to play with us," she replied with the half-truth not looking up wanting to face her father.

"No idea where they went?" he asked rather sceptically of his daughter again.

"No Dad," she confirmed still not looking at him and swallowing hard. Then she added something that gave her away completely, "I don't care if you believe me or not it's the truth."

Picking her up in his arms he held her close and asked again, "Piper this is serious here not a game do you know where Angela and Chris went?"

"Oh Daddy we are never going to see them again," she burst out in tears flinging her little arms around Gage's neck.

"Marcus what do you know about this?" Trivette was questioning his son too.

"Don't tell we promised," Piper was warning him as she wiped the back of her hand across her face for the second time that day.

"Somebody had better start telling and right now before they find themselves in more trouble then Chris and Angela," Gage warned looking directly at his daughter.

"But we really don't know where they went," Marcus volunteered. "They just said they were never coming back for at least one hundred and one years."

"One hundred and one years," Walker muttered under his breath knowing those would be his daughter's words.

"Gage give me Piper," Trivette was saying as he took Marcus by the hand, "I'll get Sydney and we can start looking they can't be far."

Handing his daughter to his friend he let his lips brush her cheek.

"I'm sorry Daddy," she softly cried.

"We'll talk about it when we find Angela and Chris," Gage told her letting Jimmy take her.

Following Walker towards the barn they stopped short just inside. "What is it?' Gage asked.

"They took Angela's pony, Princess," Walker evenly replied walking to the far end of the barn where the door stood open to see if he could pick up the trail of hoof prints. Squatting down with Gage beside him Walker shook his head saying, "at least I know she listens to me once in awhile."

"What do you mean?" Gage asked.

"They got the pony out to pasture and used a branch to hide the trail in the dust before getting on her," Walker explained.

"Walker," Alex was calling as she ran to her husband Sydney was right behind her going to Gage's side.

"We have to get the horses saddled and go after them," Walker was saying going towards the stalls, everyone jumping into action. With Erica looking after Marcus and Piper the rest were free to search for the children. With Walker in the lead they started out.

~~~~~

The dust cloud behind the car was thick as the vehicle barrelled down the trail that led to the small cabin. Ray Westman had passed out and not regained consciousness since his brother had shoved him in the car after being shot while escaping the bank robbery.

"The cabin is just up ahead," Fraser yelled over his shoulder to the backseat where the two brothers were.

"Yeah okay," Brent called back to Fraser before looking down at his brother and whispering, "It wasn't suppose to happen this way."

Ray stirred ever so slightly calling to his brother. "I'm here Ray and I'm not leaving you," Brent responded Ray gripping his hand.

They came to an abrupt stop and Dale Fraser jumped out of the car to open the back door. He helped Brent to carry Ray inside, once he was settled Fraser came back out for the duffle bag of jewellery they were paying so dearly for.

"We got to get him some help," Fraser began coming back into the cabin.

"I know," snapped Brent, "Shut up and let me think."

"That's what got us into this mess in the first place you doing too much thinking," Fraser returned.

Drawing his gun Brent pointed it at Fraser. "You thought it was all right when we were going to get rich."

"We are still rich," Fraser grinned holding up the duffle bag.

"Yeah rich," Brent grimaced looking at his brother.