Part 4

The Wesson's Neighbour's Farm

Jeannie Paxton stood with Sheriff Cole, Walker and Gage explaining to them how she had looked out her kitchen window to see Anthony Wesson get in their family car, hot wire it and drive out of their yard with it.

"I know that Wesson bunch," she was explaining, "I just went to the phone and called your office Sheriff."

"You did the right thing Honey," her husband Doug was assuring her. Turning to Walker and Gage he continued, "Those Wessons are just plain dangerous. I've forbidden my kids to go to the north side of the farm just because of them. Fact is I've had a run in with Anthony before, I was licking my wounds for quite a few days after."

"Sheriff," one of the deputies had walked over to join them. "The Paxton's car was spotted on route seventy-seven headed towards town."

"He has to go right by the campgrounds doesn't he?" Gage asked looking at Walker.

Walker nodded knowing exactly what Gage was thinking the same thought and worry going through his mind. Taking out his phone Gage began dialing his wife once again to be met with nothing but a lot of static on the airwaves. He shook his head no to Walker and nervously put his phone back in his pocket.

The sheriff had joined his deputy back at the car both Walker and Gage walked over the same direction. "Sheriff if we are about finished up here Gage and I would like to get back into town," Walker informed him.

"I'm heading that way myself in about thirty minutes if you can hold on," Cole told them.

Gage pulled his phone and dialed again still getting nothing but static on the line.

The Campgrounds

"Mom, Mom," Chris screamed running towards where Wesson had Sydney pinned to the ground.

Alex had quickly gotten to her feet spinning around just in time to see Wesson's knife plummet into Sydney. As fast as she could she grabbed up the branch that Sydney had hit the man with and with out giving it any thought swung it hard smashing Wesson in the head bowling him off of her. Again she hit him and then a third time making sure he wouldn't be getting up any time soon.

"Mom, Mom," Chris was crying he had all ready dropped by her side taking hold of her hand his eyes fixed on the knife that protruded from her and the patch of red blood that surrounded it.

"Syd." Alex was all ready on her other side.

"My phone Alex… in my pocket," she got out biting her lip against the pain.

Alex began reaching in her pockets until her hand hit the phone, before she could dial Syd cried out.

"What Syd?" Alex asked grasping her friend's hand.

"It's the baby Alex," she gasped out.

"Try and relax," Alex said taking charge Sydney could hear her talking into the phone as she closed her eyes grasping tighter to her son's hand.

"This is Alex Walker I need police and emergency medical help at the Wildlife Park and Campgrounds."

Sydney turned to Chris as Alex relayed the details to the emergency people. "Chris we have to tie him up," she said her eyes fixing on Wesson. Tears were rolling down her young son's face as she spoke to him. "Honey if we don't get him tied up he may wake up and try to hurt us again."

Chris looked around the only thing he could see were the two sleeping bags that Alex was going to carry up. Getting up he ran over to where they were intent on bringing them to where Syd lay.

"Sydney," Alex was speaking to her and she tried to focus as another pain began, "The emergency people are on the way but I can't get through to Gage where ever he is his phone isn't working."

"Alex," she cried out.

"Breath Honey, breath," Alex was instructing.

Chris stood silently watching as his mother's pain subsided remembering from when Piper was born knowing this baby was coming soon.

"How bout the strings on the sleeping bags?" he asked.

"Alex we have to tie him up."

Alex looked at Syd and then Wesson nodding her head in agreement. Getting up her and Chris went to the unconscious man and tied his hands and feet using the nylon bindings of the sleeping bags as rope the actual sleeping bags trailing behind him.

"Chris can you go up to the road to watch for the EMT and police so you can bring them down here when they arrive?"

Chris looked over to his Mom and back to Alex. "I'll take good care of her Chris until they get here." Alex promised.

Chris nodded his head to her, getting up he went over where his Mother lay to explain he was going to wait for the police. Spying her phone he grabbed it and put it in his pocket kissed Syd's cheek and took off up the trail.

Half way to the road and parking Chris tried his father's number he could hear Gage's voice say hello but that was it the static took over and he lost the connection. Again he raced for the road to watch for the EMT.

Angela peeked her head up from the back seat of the Trivette SUV for the hundredth time since they had locked themselves in to see Chris at the edge of the road. "You guys stay here," she ordered Danny and Piper as she quickly opened the door and climbed to go to find out from Chris what was going on.

Danny and Piper were only a step behind Angela as they raced to the edge of the road and Chris as all three children started firing questions at once.

"Shh," Chris shouted at them as he dialled Gage's number again with no luck. "Piper Mom got stabbed and she's bleeding and she's going to have the baby. Aunt Alex is with her and when the police and EMT get here I have to take them to Mom." Chris got out in almost one breath finishing with, "Dad's phone isn't working he doesn't know Mom got stabbed."

Again Chris punched his father's number into the phone once more hearing Gage call, "hello Syd," into the phone.

"Dad it's me," Chris yelled into the phone. "Dad Mom got stabbed," he shouted only to hear Gage say, "Chris I can't hear you."

Trying again Chris shouted louder, "Dad Mom got stabbed and she's going to have the baby."

"Chris… your mother… where," Gage's voice broke up over the line being drowned out even more by the screaming sirens. Handing the phone to Piper he said, "Here you tell Dad I got to show them where Mom is." With that Chris raced over to where the deputies and the emergency rigs were pulling in to lead them to where Sydney was with Alex, Angela and Danny on his heels.

Suddenly the phone rang, "Daddy," Piper cried into the phone.

"Chris?"

"No it's me Piper. Daddy you got to come here," she sobbed what her brother had told her sinking in. "Mommy got stabbed and is bleeding and bleeding. She's going to have the baby too."

"Pipe… your Mother… what hap…"

"Hurry Daddy I don't want Mommy to die," Piper sobbed clicking the phone off as she ran after the others down the trail.

Somewhere Between the Wesson Farm And the Campgrounds

With Walker in the front with him and Gage in the backseat Sheriff Cole had just turned onto route seventy-seven towards town when Gage's phone had rang.

"Hello," he had called into the cell phone to be met with nothing more then static. "I really don't like this," he had commented to Walker. The senior Ranger had concurred with him as they headed towards town.

It wasn't a minute later that the phone rang again. "Hello Syd," Gage had all but shouted into the phone again faced with static and the phone cutting in and out. "Chris I can't hear you," he shouted.

"Mom… stabbed… and the baby."

"Chris your Mother where is she? What's going on?" Gage questioned as the line went dead. "Something's happened it sounded like Chris said Syd got stabbed and then something about the baby," Gage was again shouting as he dialled Syd's phone back.

"Daddy." Gage heard crystal clear as well as the sirens of the emergency people.

"Chris?" He shouted back only to hear Piper's little voice, "…me Piper. Daddy… come here," followed by her sobs.

"Piper what happened?"

"Mommy… stabbed… bleeding and bleeding… baby too," followed by more sobs.

Gage's face was expressionless as worry for his wife and children gripped his very being. He attempted once more to find out what was going on. "Pipe where's your Mother? What's happening?"

Once again the phone became clear as his daughter cried out to him, "Hurry Daddy I don't want Mommy to die." The line going dead as before.

"Walker I've got to get to Syd.  Piper just told me she didn't want Mommy to… to die," Gage could barely get the words out. He felt as if someone was wrenching out his guts. Syd was hurt and needed him; his family needed him… and he just wasn't there for them.

"Hang on Gage." Walker's voice was like an anchor in a storm.

Sheriff Cole had the lights on the car flashing now and the siren blaring as he raced towards town. Walker had got on the radio to find out that an emergency call had come in for a stabbing at the campground. "Units are responding, ETA to the hospital is another twenty minutes," the dispatchers voice came over the radio.

"I'll head for the hospital Ranger Gage we should get there about the same time."

Gage merely nodded his head his gaze fixed to the outside as they sped along.

County General Hospital

The ambulance screamed into the emergency bay at County General Alex and the children just moments behind in Walker's ram. Another pain was pressing down on Syd she knew from experience that the baby was going to be born and soon.

"All right Mrs. Gage we need you to breath." Syd could hear them talking to her but all she could think was where are you Gage? She needed her husband she couldn't do this with out him.

There was more shouting and people swarming around her. "Let's get this knife out of her shoulder so we can get her up to delivery."

"My husband," she tried to say as another pain more intense then the last started.

"We don't have time to take her anywhere she's going to deliver now," someone else was shouting.

She could feel them moving her legs into position, a nurse instructing her that they were going to need her to push, another shout went up. "Sir you can't go in there."

"Like hell I can't!"

"Gage," Syd cried out as the doors swung open and he rushed in security not far behind.

Doctor Young who had just come in for the emergency delivery recognized Gage immediately. "It's all right this is the father," he jumped in telling security who began to back off.

"Syd Honey," Gage had hold of her hand.

"Gage I can't do this," she cried grasping tightly to his hand.

"Breath Syd, yes you can do this, you always tell you can't and we have two beautiful kids who tell me different."

"Okay Sydney I need you to push," Doctor Young was calmly saying to her he had taken over the delivery and was assuring both her and Gage that everything was going fine.

"All right one more good push should do it." Syd could hear Doctor Young's words as she concentrated on Gage's face. "And now push."

"Come on Syd push," Gage was yelling at her as she bear down, her hands locked around his like a vise, a loud agonizing scream coming to her throat as Caitlin Anne Gage came into the world.

"A girl Sydney," Doctor Young was beaming at her.

Gage was leaning over her his lips against her cheek in a soft kiss, tears misting his eyes as he whispered, "I love you so much Sydney."

"And I love you Gage," she whispered back tears of love clouding her sight too.

"Sydney I'm going to give your daughter to Gage for safe keeping so they can get you up to surgery to patch up that hole in your shoulder. They'll both be waiting for you when you get down to your room," Her doctor was explaining as a nurse handed their daughter to Gage.

Gage leaned down with the baby so Sydney could see her and touch her tiny face. "We'll be waiting for Mommy won't we Cat."

"Get Daddy to introduce you to your big brother and your big sister," she smiled Gage's hand slipping into hers.

"We'll all be waiting for you Honey," Gage told her again bringing her fingers to his lips.

"We have to get going Mrs. Gage they are waiting for you upstairs."

Nodding her head she squeezed Gage's hand saying "I love you Francis," as they wheeled her out.

Syd's Room Several Hours Later

Gage had been in recovery when Sydney had woke up, she was pretty drowsy, he stayed with her a bit until they shooed him out promising that they would be able to spend time with her a little later.

Chris had pulled a chair over beside Sydney never taking his eyes from his mother, while Piper stood in front of Caitlin's little bed with her father watching the baby sleep.

"Umm," Syd quietly mumbled.

"Dad, Dad, she's waking up," Chris called excitedly to Gage.

Gage gently squeezed Piper's shoulder and turned to his wife. "Hey Sleepy how are you feeling?" he asked gently running his fingers through her hair.

"Not too bad," she told him smiling up at him.

"Mom we've been looking after Cat for you while you were sleeping," Chris informed her all ready adopting Gage's pet name for his tiny sister. "I'm so glad that you are okay Mom," her young son told her leaning forward to claim a kiss from his mother.

"Do you want to hold Cat?" Gage teased his wife knowing how anxious she would be to have the baby in her arms. Watching the smile on her face widen he helped her sit up and prop pillows behind her. Turning back to where Caitlin had begun to fuss he reached for her in her tiny bed only to be met by Piper's protests.

"No Daddy, no," she cried out.

Instead of picking up the baby Gage picked up Piper and sat her on the edge of Syd's bed. "Why shouldn't Mommy hold Cat Piper?"

"I don't know?" the little girl tearfully confessed.

Sydney put her hand on Gage's arm and he looked into her face. That unspoken understanding that they shared so well took over. "Pipe Honey," Syd addressed her young daughter, "Are you mad at me about something?"

"No," she replied stubbornly looking straight ahead and not at her mother.

"Then why don't you come over here and give me a little hug?"

Piper still didn't move she stared straight ahead at her new baby sister a tear beginning to roll down her cheek. Sydney once again reached forward this time putting her hand on Piper's little arm. The child turned scrambling up against her mother crying in earnest now as Syd held her tight.

"Mommy I thought you were going to die," she sobbed tearfully to Sydney.

"Oh Honey," Syd cried looking to Gage who had picked up Chris and held him close now too. "I'm fine Piper, I'm sorry you were so frightened." Piper clung even tighter to Syd as she spoke. "Can I tell you a little secret?" Syd asked as Piper shook her head yes. "It scared me a little too, but I know if I let something like this scare me too much that I'm going to miss chances when I can hug you guys. I'll miss all the great times that we share. I love you and Chris and Daddy so much that no matter how scared or worried I am I'm still going to take the chance to share your lives. Now we have Caitlin and she needs us all to love her and take care of her and not to be too scared."

As if on cue Cat gave out a loud shriek, Gage set Chris down on Syd's bed too and lifted the baby into his arms cuddling her for a moment asking Piper if it would be all right for Mommy to hold Cat now.

Shaking her head yes Piper moved over so Gage could finally lay Sydney's new daughter in her good arm.

A gentle rap on the door turned everyone's heads as Erica smiling face appeared. "Hey everyone is it all right if Jimmy and I come in for a peek?"

"Yes come in," Gage replied the grin of a proud new Daddy displayed across his face.

"We got a new sister," Piper proudly told them.

"You do? Can we see her?" Jimmy quizzed the child.

"Looks like another Gage here," Erica smiled wistfully at the baby noting the blonde fuzz on her tiny head.

"I think she looks more like my mother then the Gage side of the family," Gage mused.

"Maybe some of her Aunt Julie," Trivette smiled his arm tightening around his wife feeling their loss too as they smiled into the tiny face of this child.

"Hey isn't it our turn yet?"

Everyone looked to see Alex peek her head inside the room.

"Alex are you and Walker outside with all the kids?" Syd asked watching her husband walk towards the door.

"Then bring them all in they're family," Gage smiled pulling the door wide for everyone to troop in.

Alex and Walker came over to the bed for a closer look. "She's beautiful Sydney," Alex told her.

Walker leaned forward to lightly kiss her cheek telling her at the same time, "Sorry I missed this one's birth."

"I'm just glad you got my husband here on time, a couple minutes more and he would have missed the whole thing."

The door opened yet a third time to admit the floor nurse. "All right everyone out Mrs. Gage needs some rest," she ordered and from her size and girth no one dared to argue.

"Piper and Chris would you like to come back to the motel with us?" Alex asked the children.

Piper stole a sideways glance at her Mom and Dad before stating, "Sure I'm not scared."

With hands on hips the nurse stood at the door until everyone had marched out with the exception of Gage.

Alex and Walker herded their children along with the Gage and Trivette children towards the elevator as Jimmy walked Erica back to her room. As they neared the door Jimmy stopped her to hold her in his arms. "How about when the doctor gives us the green light we work on having another baby too?"

"Are you sure Jimmy?"

"Very sure Honey."

"I really do love you Jimmy Trivette," Erica whispered to him.

Trivette just drew her a little closer and kissed her once again.

~~~~~

Cat fussed for a bit more until Sydney was able to get her settled at her breast to feed her. Gage had lain back in the bed with his arms around both to help Sydney hold her.

"She may favour your mother in looks but she certainly has the Gage appetite," Syd quipped leaning back against her husband.

Smiling contently Gage watched his daughter whose blue eyes were wide open as if trying to take in the whole world at once. He nuzzled against Syd's neck whispering to her; "I'd put money on the fact there is probably a lot of that Cooke disposition hidden under that Gage façade."

"Is that such a bad thing Francis?"

"No that will be something that makes her extra special just like her Mom."

The End