Chapter 4

Strike 3 You're Out

Walker, Trivette and Gage had all started down the embankment with Sydney close behind. As she stepped over the guard rail the phone in her pocket began to ring and she stopped in her tracks to answer it.

"Cooke," she said into the receiver only to hear the frantic voice of her daughter Piper. "I'm coming Piper," Syd cried in one breath as she turned to yell down at Gage, "He's at home Gage, Blake's at our home."

Without waiting without thinking Syd was running to their car and jumping behind the wheel. The only thing her mind would focus on was getting home and protecting her family and friends from Hunter Blake.

"Syd," Gage yelled coming to the top of the embankment just in time to see his wife zoom past him headed for home.

"Come on Gage," Walker shouted as they ran towards Walker's truck Trivette right behind them. Sydney had all ready disappeared from sight as Walker squealed the tires turning to head after her and to the Gages.

Syd could see Blake dragging Anna B down the driveway to his car she struggling desperately to get away from him. Pulling the car across the drive Syd was out in a flash and running towards the two of them.

"Let her go Hunter," she shouted out at him momentarily startling him.

"Sydney," he grinned shoving Anna B to the ground and facing Syd. "I'm going to get to teach you a well deserved lesson."

"Come take your best shot Blake," she challenged him taking a stance in front of him.

"I'm going to love this," Blake smiled swinging out with calculated accuracy at her face with his fist.

Syd easily blocked him not once but twice coming back with her foot catching him in the side of the head. He shook his head and swung out wildly at her again once more missing his target allowing Syd to bring her foot sharply into his gut. As he doubled over she lifted her foot above his head bringing her heel down hard on his neck and shoulder taking him to the ground.

Blake fell hard gasping, Syd hesitated for a moment giving him just enough time to reach out with his hand pulling her feet out from under her. He struggled to get on top of her knowing if he could pin her he could prevent her from attacking.

Syd knew his intension she had been in that position more then once in her life. With lightning speed she moved her legs to catch his neck in a scissor lock twisting hard until the roles were reversed and she pinned him to the ground. In a flash she was on her feet again bringing her foot hard into his body over and over.

"You're not going to beat me," she cried repeatedly not noticing that Walker had come to a halt in front of the house. Gage had rushed to her grabbing her around the waist lifting her from the ground and moving her away from the unconscious Hunter Blake.

"Sydney go and look after the kids," Gage ordered holding her tight for a moment before he set her on her feet. Her body was shaking as she slowly nodded her head yes. She could feel Gage's lips gently caress the top of her head before he let the tight grasp he had around her loosen.

"Mommy Daddy," Piper cried out and both looked up to see the child standing there with her arm around her brother whose nose was bleeding.

"Chris," Syd cried breaking away from her husband and rushing to her son.

"It's not that bad Mom," Chris was trying to tell her at the same time trying to force the tears from his eyes.

"It looks that bad Chris," his father sided with his mother who all ready had his head leaning back.

By now the street was filling with DPD cars and emergency vehicles. "Syd I'll stay with Chris if you want to check on Cat," Gage was saying, Syd again nodded as she took off towards the house Piper at her heels.

Mrs. McMurtrie was just trying to sit up as Syd got to her. Seeing Sydney she asked, "Annabelle?"

"She's going to be all right Kathleen," Syd began telling her trying to pull away from her to get to Cat who still hadn't made a sound. "I'll be right back," Sydney cried out wrenching away from the distraught woman as the EMTs came in towards them. Making her way down the hall to the nursery Syd stopped short just outside the door her hand on the doorknob almost too scared to go inside.

"Mommy?" She heard Piper's voice behind her questioning her. Her hand turned the knob and she stepped inside and over to Cat's crib. Her daughter lay quietly cooing to herself unscathed by what had gone on outside her closed door.

Cat smiled up at her mother recognizing Syd immediately. She squealed out Syd scooping her up in her arms held her tight for a moment before placing an arm around Piper too and heading back out to find Gage and Chris.

The EMT's had Kathleen on her feet helping her outside while Syd and the girls fell in behind them.

"Annabelle," she called to her granddaughter who still remained on the ground the emergency people hovering over her. Mrs. McMurtrie pulled away from the people who were assisting her and went to Anna B.

Hunter Blake was in handcuffs Walker not to far from him. Syd pulled Piper closer hiding the little girl's face in her side as Pipe clutched tighter to her Mom. Throwing her shoulders back Syd defiantly walked past Blake towards the emergency vehicle where Gage was with Chris.

Catching sight of her Blake called out, "Hey Sydney I'm not through with you yet not by a long shot."

Before he could utter another word Gage was in front of him grasping handfuls of his shirt pulling him up to look directly in his face. "Strike three Hunter, you're lucky I didn't let Sydney take you out for the count." Gage dropped his hold on Blake letting him hit the ground hard.

Coming up behind him as he walked back to Sydney Walker put his hand on Gage's shoulder and they walked back over to where Sydney was with the children. "Gage we got him on forced entry and assault but we can't connect him with Tex Wilcox and the drugs. With Tex and his cohorts dead we have no way of tying him into it."

Gage was lifting Cat from Syd's arms as Walker spoke to him knowing that Hunter would probably make bail by close of the day and get off with a slap on the wrist. "Walker we are going to have to take some steps to protect Anna B and the kids from him."

"Walker Gage," it was Syd who spoke they both turned their eyes to her. "Before we do anything can you let me speak with Anna B?"

"All right Syd," her husband agreed. Walker trusting both of them nodded his head.

"If you promise to have your doctor check you out again in the next twenty-four hours then we'll let it go at that," the EMT was telling both Anna B and her grandmother when Syd approached them. Both were readily agreeing.

Catching sight of Syd Anna B immediately asked how Hunter was. "I should have just gone with him," she quietly lamented. "Then maybe none of this would have happened."

"Anna B…" Trivette began to say only to be stopped by Syd laying her hand on his arm.

"Jimmy can you help me get Anna B inside I need to talk to her for a few minutes once we get her settled," Syd explained not saying anything more.

"Sure," Trivette agreed happy to leave the task of talking about Hunter to Sydney.

Once inside and Anna B was tucked into bed Syd came to sit down beside her. "There are a few things I'd like to share with you," Syd began.

"Sydney I know what you are going to say that Hunter is bad and he'll never change… But I can't help how I feel about him. I promise we'll stay away from here the last thing I ever wanted was for the kids to get hurt…"

"Shh," Syd tried to quiet her. "Anna B I know exactly how you feel about Hunter."

"Just exactly how you feel about Gage."

"Honey please listen to me," Sydney began again smiling sadly at her. "You don't feel about Hunter as I feel about Gage I know that because I've felt what you do for some one else not Gage and believe me it is not the same.

I had a boyfriend once long before I met Gage his name was Derek. When I saw him the very first time I thought my heart was going to stop. Then when he actually noticed me and came over to me… me the Tomboy, me the one who didn't go to the prom cause I didn't have a date, me who sat home every Saturday night. I would have walked on hot coals to please this man.

I gave everything of myself to him, I was so afraid that I would displease him and he wouldn't want me any more. I'd have to go back to being by myself again, nobody to share things with, no one would ever love me like Derek could. In fact I started believing what he was saying that I was stupid and was lucky that someone like him loved me.

So I would just keep giving and he would just keep taking. I lost weight and sleep; I lost the few friends I had. My mother tried to tell me and I knew in my heart she was right then Derek would show up and all the sense she talked into me would go out the window and I'd go running back to him.

Then there were the beatings; I'd never know what was going to set him off. He'd beat me and leave me tied up to the bed or locked in a closet. It wasn't until he almost killed me, almost beat me to death with his bare hands that I was able to break away from him."

The tears flowed freely now down both Anna B and Sydney's faces alike. "I don't think I'm as strong as you are Sydney," she admitted in anguish clutching tight to Syd's hands.

"I wasn't a strong person, in fact even now I draw a lot of my strength from Gage, but I was determined that I wasn't going to live in fear any more. I relied on the people around me for their strength to help see me through it just like you will always be able to rely on your grandmother, the Walkers, the Trivettes, Gage and I we are all here for you," Syd assured her squeezing her hand tight.

"Sydney how did you know?"

"How did I know what?"

"How did you know that Gage was the one? How did you know that you really loved him?" Anna B quietly asked.

Sydney smiled at her young friend before trying to give her an answer. "With Gage first I wasn't really looking for love at all, we got to know each other as friends long before we ever really knew we were in love. I think that was the key right there we were friends and the rest just sort of fell in place. The love came along naturally; there was never any fear or panic that we wouldn't be there for each other. The pure happiness and joy that our love entails just can't be explained. That Anna B is what Gage and I want for you more then anything we really want you to be able to feel about your guy the way I feel about Gage."

Anna B sat quietly for a few moments letting Sydney's words sink in finally saying, "I think I know how I can get him away from me for a long time but I'll need yours and Gage's help."

"Then maybe I should get him in here?" Syd asked watching the girl smile and nod her head yes.

Later at Hunter Blake's Apartment

"Now remember you have a key and you are just here to pick up your stuff," Sydney told her again as she accompanied Anna B up the stairs. Gage had stayed outside to prevent Blake going inside if he made bail and came back.

Once Anna B was inside she went right to the computer and switched it on bringing up the file. Within a couple of minutes she had the file open and Syd was scanning it almost unable to believe what was in it. All Blake's illegal operations were listed, every deal he had made over the last two years was detailed and laid out on the screen. Anna B got to work copying it as well as emailing a copy to Trivette's computer at Ranger Headquarters.

Sydney immediately pulled her phone and called Alex quickly explaining what she had found. Alex in turn immediately issued arrest warrants for her husband and his partner to act on.

"All most done there?" Syd asked turning back to Anna B.

"Just shutting things down," she replied just as Syd's phone rang.

"We'll be right down Gage," she said into the receiver as she helped Anna B up grabbing her bag at the same time.

Coming down the stairs Sydney could see that Gage had all ready stopped Hunter.

"Annabelle what's going on?" Hunter shouted at her Gage actually having to physically restrain him from going over to her.

"Syd get her to the car and take off," Gage was instructing.

"Annabelle," Hunter was shouting out again, "Annabelle I love you."

"Just a minute Sydney," Anna B said halting to face Blake. "Hunter you don't know what it means to love some one. I may not know either but I do know that love doesn't mean being hit. I can't live on your promises not to hurt me. I do not and can not allow myself to love you," she told him turning on her heel and allowing Sydney to put her arm around her.

"But I love you Annabelle," Blake was crying as Walker's familiar rig pulled up.

Gage handed Blake over to Trivette and Walker joining his wife and Anna B in the car. Sydney held Anna B in her arms as the tears flowed over the girl's battered face. Gage opened the door and slid in beside them. Anna B let Gage put his arms around and she cried into his chest.

"I know I did what was right Gage," she sobbed gasping in a breath, "but why does it have to hurt so much."

"I can't answer that," Gage confessed, "I just know that time will help to heal the hurt."

Gage looked into Sydney's eyes and she wistfully smiled a single tear rolling down her cheek as well. Starting the car she headed for home.

Six Months Later a Dallas Courtroom.

Alex sat waiting for the sentencing to be announced. Sydney and Gage had slipped into the back of the courtroom with Annabelle McMurtrie waiting to hear what Hunter Blake's fate would be.

Suddenly the judge was announcing you are sentenced to ten to fifteen years in the state correctional facility at Huntsville.

Anna B slumped against Sydney her breath coming in short gasps finally getting out, "It's over, it's finally over.

"It sure is," Gage grinned back at his long time friend.

"I want to go thank Alex," Anna B told them getting up from her seat and heading for Alex Walker.

None of them noticed the elderly man who stood just inside the doors having heard the judge pronounce sentence and then their joy that Hunter would be going to prison.

Jonas Blake, Hunter's grandfather who had raised him stood watching and listening coldly muttering to his friend who stood with him, "This isn't over yet it's just starting now."

The End