Chapter 2

The Lecture

The Gage Residence

Sydney and Gage sat around the kitchen table with both Piper and Chris.

"Piper is the one in trouble I don't see why I need to be here," Chris was complaining to his parents.

"Yes but the situation could have just as easily involved you," his mother pointed out.

Chris gave a deep sigh resting his head in his hands waiting for the lecture he was sure was coming.

Gage ruffled his son's hair smiling down at him before he began to speak. "First we want you both to know that we are proud of the fact that you stand up for your beliefs. And Piper that you stood up for someone else's rights. We are glad to know that you can defend yourself when the need arises."

"But," Sydney cut in before the whole point of the conversation was lost, "the fact remains that is not exactly how the school thinks we should handle things." Turning to her daughter she asked, "What should you have done when David punched Tyler?"

"Mom if I had told my teacher David would have hit me anyway for being a squealer," Piper protested.

"That maybe so Honey," Gage told her, "But the teachers would have been aware what was going on with David and that there was a possibility that he was going to be after you. As it was David still jumped you and you still got a black eye the only difference is you are in trouble at school too."

"Yeah but nobody likes to be known as a squealer," Chris tried to plead his sister's case for her.

"Chris there is a big difference between squealing on every little thing that happens and letting someone know you are being threatened," Sydney tried to explain.

"Guys things may have turned out the same," Gage continued. "Aunt Alex, Aunt Erica and I may have still all had to come to the school but maybe it just would have been David and his pals suspended for three days instead of you, Danny and Marcus too." Gage looked directly at his young daughter as he spoke.

Piper in turn lowered her eyes to the table not wanting to meet her father's disapproving gaze.

"You two understand what we are trying to say here?" Syd questioned.

Both children shook their heads in agreement.

"Then I say we try and talk Mom into some of that cake and ice cream she has hidden in the kitchen," Gage ended the discussion.

"Francis," Syd answered him with one of her looks.

"Please Mom, please," the chorus went up around the table Gage included.

"All right as soon as everyone is ready for bed."

 Chris and Piper took off to hurry into their pyjamas just as Cat put in her two cents worth.

"You can have your dessert once you tend to your daughter," Sydney informed Gage.

"I don't mind Honey," he told her grabbing her from behind and pulling her into a hug as his lips went to her neck. "She's the only one around here who doesn't give me any back talk."

Sydney poked her elbow into his ribs laughing as she said, "Give her time Gage, just a little time."

Walker Ranch Same Time

Walker sat on the front porch swing with Danny arm around the youngster while Alex sat at the kitchen table helping Angela with fractions. Walker's arm was around his son and Danny leaned comfortably against his father knowing that what had happened at school today was going to be discussed. For now though it was just nice being there with his Dad.

The phone rang and Walker heard his wife answer it. It was her father returning her call she had faxed the summons that they had received that afternoon to him and was now relaying all the details to him.

"I'm sorry Daddy," Danny told his father still staring out over the yard as he spoke.

"Uncle Gage told us what happened today did you want to tell your version of the events?" Walker asked his son.

"David Stewart and his friends are always picking on someone and today it was Tyler Blackcrow. Piper was right there and she stood up to David and told him to leave Tyler alone. Then David told Piper he was going to make her shut up but the bell rang," Danny began weaving the tale.

"At recess they waited until we went over to the climbers, Leon and Donnie moved in between Piper and Marcus and me. David jumped out in front of Piper and socked her right in the eye. Well Marcus and I just couldn't let Piper get beat up could we Dad?" Danny asked.

Walker smiled Danny had him there he knew he would have reacted just the same he chose his words carefully before he spoke. "No I wouldn't want you to let Piper get beat up but the fact remains that you can't be fighting at school.

Next time though I think you three should consider getting some teacher involvement before it gets to the point that anyone is socking Piper in the eye. You think you could do that if this happens again?"

Danny shook his head yes feeling his father's arms encircle him in a hug.

Erica and Jimmy Trivette's Home

Erica was sitting in the middle of the chesterfield Torrie sitting on her lap. Jimmy sat in his easy chair Marcus curled up with him. They had just pretty much had the same discussion that the Walker had had with Danny and the Gage's had had with their children.

"So now Mom," Jimmy was saying to Erica, "do you think we can get down to the real good part of this meeting?"

"There's more Dad?" Marcus asked feeling he had been in enough trouble for one day.

"Yes there's more," Jimmy, told him giving him a little poke at the same time. "Mom do you want to tell them?"

Smiling at her husband she shook her head, "Jimmy I know you are dying to tell them so go ahead."

Both children had their eyes on their father who was smiling from ear to ear. "Well it seems that you two are going to be getting either a new brother or sister in the near future."

Neither child spoke a dead silence hung in the air.

"That's good news guys isn't?" Erica asked.

"Does that mean you are going to have a baby like Aunt Sydney?" Marcus asked.

"That's exactly what it means Honey," Erica replied hugging Torrie.

"No Mommy no," Torrie shouted wiggling out of Erica's grasp and running from the room.

Jimmy and Erica were both on their feet running after their young daughter Marcus trailing behind them. She had run up the stairs to her room and into her

closet sitting on the floor in tears. Jimmy reached in and scooped her up in his arms her little arms clamping tightly around his neck.

"Torrie Mom and I thought you would like to have a new brother or sister," Jimmy soothed her. "Wouldn't a new baby be nice?"

"But Daddy I don't want Mommy to get stabbed like Aunt Sydney," she sobbed into her father's chest.

"Torrie Honey just because Mommy is having another baby doesn't mean she is going to get stabbed. That was just an accident that Aunt Sydney got stabbed she likes to worry Uncle Gage Mommy isn't like that," Jimmy assured her.

"So then a new baby isn't such a bad idea?" Erica questioned the two of them again.

"As long as I can get a brother," Marcus proclaimed.

"No a sister," Torrie shouted.

"I guess we just have to wait until the baby is ready to be born," Jimmy told them.

"But what I do know for sure," Erica added, "It's time for you two to climb into bed."

After kissing Marcus and Torrie goodnight and tucking the two children into bed Jimmy slung his arm around his wife walking with her to their bedroom door.

"You are happy about this Jimmy?" Erica asked turning to face her husband.

"For the hundredth time Erica yes. In fact I'm going to show you how happy," he laughed swinging her up in his arms holding her tight. Her arms went around his neck and his lips caught hers as he carried her towards their bed.

The Stewart Home

"David how could you let a girl beat you like that I've taught you better then that?" John Stewart chastised his son reaching out at the same time and slapping him in the side of the head. David knew better then to cry he sat there holding his stare at the picture on the wall.

"It wasn't my fault Dad I didn't know she could fight like that," David tried to plead to his father.

John turned in fury backhanding his son across the face knocking him from his chair his lip bleeding. "That's no excuse," he bellowed at the boy who was too scared to move. "You had better think of something to even the score. Now get out of my sight."

The boy didn't have to be told twice he scampered out of his father's sight as fast as his legs would take him. He could hear his father's phone ringing and stopped at the top of the stairs to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Yes I'm bringing lawsuits against the rangers and the ADA," his angry voice shouted into the phone. "Sam what are the chances of David having a run in with Cordell Walker's son… kill them off, you can't be serious..."

David ran to his room not wanting to know what his father and grandfather were going to do. He pulled out a picture of his mother that he had hidden in a drawer finally letting the tears roll down his cheeks.

"I'm going to find you some day and run away from here and live with you," he solemnly promised her wrapping the picture up hiding it once more in the bottom of his drawer.