Undying Love

Chapter 2

Strike Two

"Gage," Sydney was shouting at him, "Let him go this isn't the way."

"Please Gage don't hurt him it was just an accident," Anna B's weak voice pleaded with her friend.

Looking into Blake's bulging eyes Gage responded through clenched teeth, "Strike two Hunter." Immediately he released his hand and let Blake drop to the floor. He towered above him, glaring at him wanting to viciously assault him as he had done to Anna B but instead he turned to fix his eyes on her.

"You want to tell me what kind of accident it was that got you beat almost to death?" He asked his eyes boring right through her.

"Is Hunter all right?" She asked ignoring Gage's question concerned only about Hunter's welfare.

"I'm fine Annabelle," Blake gasped out rubbing his neck and struggling to his feet. "You're lucky you're Annabelle's friend," he choked out at Gage as he passed by him to go to Anna B's side.

Blake was lucky Sydney stood between him and her husband. "Gage maybe we should give them a minute…"

"I'm not leaving him alone with her until I know what happened and that nothing like this is going to happen again," Gage persisted.

"Gage I'm going to be all right," Anna B proclaimed the spirit of that little red headed nerdy computer girl that had caught Gage's heart so long ago shining through.

"We know you will be," Sydney told her, "It's just that there will be police reports to be filled out and questions to be answered and well if you can talk to Gage and I now it might be a lot easier then with a total stranger."

"Can Hunter stay?" Anna B asked

Sydney didn't have time to say anything more the door opened and Doctor Merritt entered. "I'm going have to ask you all to step outside while I examine my patient."

Both Gage and Blake glared at each other, Syd walked to the door and pulled it open saying to both of them alike, "gentlemen." Blake leaned over kissing Anna B on the forehead, "I'll just be outside Honey," he told her as both Rangers waited for him and they left together.

"Listen Gage," Blake started as soon as the door closed, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen I love her it's just I lost my temper I'm sure you know what that's like…"

Gage's fist shot straight out hitting Blake square in the face sending him flying backwards onto the floor. He planted his foot in the middle of Blake's chest holding him on the floor exclaiming, "Gee Hunter I didn't mean for that to happen I guess I just lost my temper you know what it's like."

Sydney had moved to Gage's side now and stood looking down at Hunter as well adding, "If it happens again Hunter I won't let my husband be the only one loosing their temper, nor will I try and stop him. Do we make ourselves clear on this."

"Everything all right here?" Walker's voice boomed down the hallway from the elevators where he accompanying Kathleen McMurtrie had just stepped off.

"Walker everything is fine," Gage began to say only to be cut off by Kathleen.

"What is he doing here?" She asked her eyes narrowing on Blake as he picked himself off the floor.

"Kathleen, you know how she can be…" he started to say but Kathleen would have none of it. The feisty seventy year old walked over to Hunter Blake and soundly slapped him across the face.

"Yes I know how Annabelle can be but now I also know how you can be," she spat out at him.

"Sydney," Doctor Merritt had come from Annabelle's room, "she's asking for you."

"Thank you doctor," Syd acknowledged and giving Gage's hand a little squeeze before starting towards the door.

"Hey," Syd smiled as she walked to Anna B's bed, "You wanted to see me?"

"Sydney I hope you don't mind I'll tell you what happened if you don't tell Gage he'll kill Hunter."

"Anna B I can't promise you that I'll keep it from him but I will promise that I won't let him kill Hunter," Syd smiled reaching for Annabelle's hand.

"Sydney he didn't mean any of this, you know how I get I mean I'm just naturally curious and compulsive," she began.

"Let's start at the beginning all right and then we'll try to figure out how we can keep this from happening again."

"I knew you'd understand Sydney," she cried holding tight to Syd's hand.

"More then you know Honey," Syd assured her.

"I was doing the entrees for the business and came across a file I'd never seen before and opened it. It took me a few minutes cause it was pass worded but I didn't get to read a word of it because Hunter was right behind me. He was so mad Syd, I've never seen anything like it before I was so scared," she rambled on and Sydney let her.

"But Sydney I know I was wrong it was pass worded and I had no business going into that file."

"Anna B when has that stopped you before if you are using that reasoning Gage and Trivette would have killed you years ago," Syd stressed to her.

Anna B lay silent a single tear running down her cheek as she quietly whispered out to Syd, "But I love him so Sydney. I love him like you love Gage."

Sydney took the girl in a hug and held her close how could she make Anna B understand what she felt for Hunter Blake wasn't even close to how she loved Gage.

~~~~~

"Mrs. McMurtrie," Syd placed her hand on the older woman's shoulder as she spoke. "Anna B would like to see you now."

"Thank you dear," Kathleen said as Syd helped her up and walked her to the door.

Gage watched the two of them wondering what Anna B had said to his wife that she couldn't tell him. Walker had come to stand beside him while Blake stood off by himself glancing nervously from time to time at his wristwatch.

"If I leave you two alone with Blake will you promise me you won't kill him?" Walker asked Gage.

"I tell you Walker if you could see her and he admitted that he lost his temper with her…" 

"She's not pressing charges Gage and she's the only witness," Sydney told them as she joined them.

"Syd if I talk to her…"

"Not this time Gage it won't help," Syd told him taking his arm.

They all fell into silence for a moment Walker finally telling them that he had to go to back up Trivette who was hopefully going to be able to convince Tex Wilcox that he is taking their place.

"All right Walker keep us posted," Syd smiled.

"You do the same here," he replied taking his leave.

They stood watching their boss get back on the elevator before Sydney turned to look at her husband's profile. "Gage take a little walk with me so we can talk," she asked holding tightly to his arm.

He stood silent for a moment still staring after Walker lost in thought. "Gage?" Syd asked.

"Yeah Syd a little walk," he replied still not moving until she tugged on his arm.

They strolled to the end of the hallway to where there was a big window that looked out into the street standing there for a few minutes until Sydney finally spoke. "She's scared Gage."

"But scared of me?" he asked.

"Scared of your opinion, scared of what you think of her, scared that she will have to make a choice between you and Hunter…"

"Me or Hunter?" He questioned turning to stare at Syd in disbelief.

"Gage listen to me, she loves you she is in love with Hunter. She doesn't want me to tell you what happened because she's scared of what you might do, scared she is disappointing you," Syd was explaining.

"I can't stand and do nothing… even if she was a total stranger Syd he could have killed her," Gage argued.

"I know Gage but you want her to still be able to come to us…"

"All right Syd," he sighed, "I'm just floundering around in the dark on this… seeing her hurt like that… knowing that little…"

"I know Gage we just have to try and support her and help her through it," Syd cried wrapping her arms around him.

"Promise me one thing Syd that some how you can make our girls understand how wrong this is…" his voice cracked slightly as he spoke thinking about Piper or Cat ever having to deal with this.

"I'll do everything in my power Gage," she whispered back.

Gage caught sight of Anna B's door opening and Mrs. McMurtrie coming out of the room. Blake was all ready headed towards Anna B's room, grabbing hold of Syd's arm Gage made a beeline towards them too.

"You don't upset her," Kathleen was warning him.

"Or what?" Blake retorted to the old woman.

"I see we have to extend our warning to Anna B's grandmother too," Gage cut in clamping his hand firmly on Blake's shoulder.

"You people all think you are so smart," he muttered to them.

"We know the difference between right and wrong and live by it that's all," Gage countered back.

Blake shrugged Gage's hand from his shoulder and pushed Anna B's door open defiantly walking in. Gage glared at the door as it closed in his face. "So help me Syd," he mumbled as he stared at the door.

"Ranger Gage," it was Doctor Merritt who had come up to him.

 "Yes?" Gage answered.

"I've just had a look at Annabelle's x-rays I should be able to release her by tonight if she has someone with her," he informed them.

"That won't be a problem at all," Mrs. McMurtrie spoke for all of them.

Anna B's doctor talked to them for a few minutes more then left them to their own thoughts.

"Kathleen why don't you and Anna B come stay at our place for a few days?" Sydney asked.

"Oh I don't want to put you out, you and Gage are busy with work and the kids," Kathleen began to protest.

"We want you to stay with us for awhile at least until we can do some more checking on Hunter don't we Gage?" Syd faced her husband.

"We do Kathleen," Gage agreed with his wife his arm around her shoulder squeezing her to him.

"She wants to see you Gage," Kathleen smiled at him pushing the door open just in time to hear Anna B utter to Blake, "I didn't say anything about the file."

"Something the matter?" Sydney asked.

Blake immediately leaned forward pressing a kiss against Anna B's forehead. "We were just talking over some business that Annabelle was doing for the company. Right Honey?"

"That's right," Anna B weakly agreed forcing a smile to her bruised face.

"Honey I know that you want to visit with your friends and now that I know you are all right I should check in with the office. I'll be back a little later okay?"  Hunter asked kissing her again.

"All right Hunter," again Anna B forced a smile.

Turning to the rest Blake said a quick good-bye and left. As the door closed behind him Blake pulled his phone out and dialled. "Tex I got a job for you I've got a couple of Texas Rangers I need taken care of."

TBC