Chapter Four

"Chris where's your father?" the words tumbled from his mother.

"He went with Uncle Walker. Uncle Jimmy got a call about where this guy was so they all took off to get him," Chris answered. "Why what's wrong?" he questioned seeing the panic rising in his mother.

"I… I just need to speak to your father," Syd tried in vain to make up a plausible excuse.

"Mom the baby?" Piper asked both her and Cat pressing closer to her.

"No I just need to talk to Dad," she replied biting her lip the ache in her back beginning to plight her again.

"I'll try and get him on the phone," Anna B volunteered just as they heard the back door open.

"Dad?" Chris called down the hall heading towards the kitchen.

"Chris wait," Syd called after him struggling to get up out of bed to go after him fear gripping her.

"Syd what is it?" Anna B cried out trying to help her friend up.

Ignoring Anna B Syd cried out for Chris again as she made it to the door grasping the frame. "Chris," she cried out.

"Mommy, Mommy," Cat was crying trailing behind her.

"Mom," Piper too was calling to Sydney.

With her mind focused on her son's safety she ignored the girls to start to make her way down the hall.

"Syd?" Gage had come around the corner in time to see her fall heavily against the wall tears flowing down her cheeks. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded once again lifting her in his arms to take her back to their bed.

Anna B was all ready ushering Cat and Piper out of the room Gage stopping long enough to tell Piper that Kenzie was here.

Gently depositing his wife on the bed he sat down beside her his strong arms pulling her to him to hold her against him. Waiting patiently he brushed a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. "I hate this," she mumbled.

"How bout you tell me what is going on," he quizzed her feeling her hand move into his to hold tight.

"He called Gage, Wilson called here. He said this was all Pipe's fault and we were all going to pay for it," she told her partner as she rattled on. "I was just so terrified that…"

"Wait just a minute Wilson called here?" Gage could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up at the thought of Ron Wilson once again threatening his family.

"Then I found out you had gone out and I just panicked. Chris heard a noise and went to see if was you but all I could think was he's here," she whispered more tears washing down her cheeks.

"Syd you know we'll get him," Gage tried to soothe, tried to keep his anger and hate for this man in check, to hide his worry for his wife and family from his voice.

"Gage," it was Anna B's voice on the other side of the door. "Dinner is here."

"We'll be right out," he absently told her to suddenly call out, "Is Walker still here?"

"He's just leaving," she called back. "Did you want me to ask him to wait?"

"Yeah I'll be right there," he called back before turning to his wife. "Please stay right here Syd I'll help you out to the dining room in just a minute."

Nodding slightly she lay back against the pillows her eyes closing allowing Gage to go talk to their boss.

Walker stood with Trivette and Sumner when he entered the kitchen. "Syd all right?"

"Wilson called here threatening her and our family, it caught her off guard," Gage began to explain through gritted teeth. "I want him bad Walker."

Putting his hand on Gage's shoulder Walker nodded knowing the agony his ranger was going through wanting to protect his family… "We'll get him Gage," Walker tried to assure him.

"I just don't want him near Syd and the kids. Syd isn't suppose to have any stress right now this isn't helping," Gage adamantly emphasized to his boss and co-workers.

"Just stick close to your family tonight we'll dig our heals in on finding him tomorrow," Walker promised before leaving.

Later That Night…

Instead of bringing Syd out to the dining room Gage fixed up two plates and went back down the hall to their bedroom. "Hope you don't mind it's just that I wanted you to relax a little more and well I wanted to be with you a little just you and me," Gage had all ready started making up excuses.

"Now what aren't you telling me?" Syd gave her husband a sideways look reaching out at the same time to take the plate from him.

Sitting down beside her he put his feet up and leaned back on the pillow picking up his fork before he spoke again. "MacKenzie is here…"

"I gathered that from what you said to Piper," Syd answered giving him a side ways glance her eyes staying focused on his face. "Care to tell me what happened?" she asked.

Setting his plate to the side he stared off at the ceiling for a couple of minutes the recollection of that scared little girl preying on his thoughts. It wasn't until Syd touched his hand that he was able to continue. Slowly and painfully he told his wife how they had found the little girl in the trunk of that car. "Syd the man is an animal. We're pretty sure he killed this Brandon Lane and took his car… now he's threatening us. The sooner I catch up with him the better."

"Gage I want him off the street too but don't let your anger cloud your decisions," Syd warned him.

"And what is that suppose to mean?" he asked defensively.

"Your passion and emotion proceeds you Gage," she smiled. "That's one of the reasons I love you so much. "That and you make such beautiful children," she told him rubbing her side as the baby kicked. "Your son is wanting to be born Francis."

"How can you be so sure it will be another son?" Gage asked secretly hoping that it was another boy. As much as he loved his daughters and he wouldn't trade them for the world he still longed for another boy.

"Just a feeling I have," she smiled at him setting her plate aside struggling to move her leg over him and straddle him her arms going around his neck. Leaning in their lips met she could feel Gage's hands move slowly up her back catching the back of her neck the kiss becoming deeper.

A soft moan escaped her, her head going back to let him caress her throat with more gentle kisses. Pulling her a little closer he could feel his son kicking wildly at his mother's side. With a grin on his faced he kissed her cheek saying, "He sure is active tonight."

"That's every night Gage this one gives me no peace," she told him looking into his eyes a little grin of her own spreading across her face.

"The ruckus he's kicking up this one must have a lot of Cooke in him," Gage teased her more.

"Hey his father can be a little hot headed you aren't putting this all on me," Syd shot back.

"I don't know Honey…" Gage's voice trailed off as his wife's lips met his again.

"Mommy, Daddy I cleaned my teeth and I'm ready for bed," Cat called from the other side of the bedroom door.

"Come in Honey," Gage called helping Syd to sit back down beside him again keeping his arm tight around her.

It wasn't just Cat all the troops including Anna B and Sumner converged into the bedroom. Cat scrambled up on the bed beside her father while Piper began her pitch to her parents to let her go to school in the morning.

"Mom Kenzie and I just have to work on this project Marcus has his part almost all done," she pleaded.

"Tell you what," Gage cut in, "Lets wait until tomorrow to see how you are feeling before we make any decisions."

"All right Dad," she conceded knowing his word was final on this.

"On that happy note," Anna B began, "I think that Matt and I should be going. Erica called and said she would be over about eight…"

"What's Erica coming over for Francis?" Syd asked giving him the evil eye as she spoke.

"She volunteered to come keep you company that's all," Gage replied not giving in an inch on this one.

"That's definitely our cue," Sumner laughed his hand going under Anna B's elbow to usher her out the door.

"The rest of you say goodnight to your mother," Gage cut back in not wanting to give Sydney time to protest any.

As the kids began filing out MacKenzie turned around to address both Syd and Gage, "Thank you for letting me stay here," she told them barely above a whisper. "And thank you for rescuing me," she told Gage.

Gage had all ready gotten up to tuck the girls in stopping when he heard Kenzie speak. "You can stay as long as you need to," he told her.

"I'll call first thing in the morning to see how your Mom is doing," Syd assured her watching a wistful smile cross the young girl's face.

With that promise Piper called, "Come on Kenzie," her friend scampering to catch up to her.

"I'll be right back," Gage told his wife with a smile.

"That's good we have a few things to discuss," she called after him.

"Sorry can't hear you," he teased back.

"Yeah right," she mumbled to herself smiling after him.

The Next Morning

Gage had been up early yet Piper was ahead of him waiting to get his decision on school. "Please Dad it hardly hurts… I've had black eyes before…" she declared Kenzie standing by her side.

"All right I'll make you a deal," Gage told her explaining the deal. "Aunt Erica is going to be here with Mom today if you aren't feeling well at school you are to call her to come and get you. You got that?" he questioned.

"Yes Dad you have nothing to worry about," she grinned knowing she had him wrapped around her finger.

"Make sure it stays that way I don't want your mother to have anything to worry about," he answered a stern frown creasing his brow.

"Dad what can happen?" she sweetly smiled reminding him of his wife.

Gage just shook his head before leaning down to give her a quick kiss doing the same thing with Cat. "See you tonight," he told them before calling to Chris to get a move on if he wanted a ride.

"Morning Gage," Erica greeted him coming up the driveway as he and Chris headed for his car the girls all ready on the way to the bus stop.

"Morning Erica," he answered. "Syd is still sleeping, she gave me her word that she would lay back and rest today…" his voice trailed off.

"I'll see to it that she does," Erica laughed knowing how protective Gage was of his wife even thought she seldom needed any protecting from anyone.

"Thanks," he called getting into his car a feeling of worry beginning to hang over him.

~~~~~~

Syd had been awake for a few moments listening to everyone as they got ready for the day knowing that dreaded silence was about to descend on her. Staying out of the action with her feet up was not something that Sydney Gage did well. She knew that she wasn't going to be alone but still… she also knew Erica would fuss over her.

She was suddenly brought out of her thoughts by her phone ringing. Reaching out she grabbed up her cell phone and brought it to her ear. "What is it Gage?" she answered it.

"It's not your ranger husband," a voice came over the phone, she recognized it immediately to be Ron Wilson.

"What do you want?" she demanded struggling to sit up.

"Just wanted you to know that someone in your little family is headed for a whole lot of trouble unless you can get to them in time," he snidely remarked.

"What are you talking about?" her voice was low as she questioned Wilson.

"Let me see," Wilson toyed with her. "Could it be your husband and your son? Or maybe it is your girls after all they are catching the bus with MacKenzie today."

"You touch any of them…"

"I all ready have," his voice had stopped teasing and become vicious and cruel. "The question is how much does your family mean to you? I guess we will see," he laughed out loud.

"So help me…" Syd was beside herself she could feel the gnawing pain in her back once again as she tried to concentrate on what Wilson was saying.

"All you have to do lady ranger is come save them. Of course the usual rules apply. No alerting anyone you come alone," he told her.

"Come where?"

"You have an hour to get out to Claxton Corners, take the second road on the right the one that is the dead end to the old farm house be quick or you won't be able to save them," he instructed the line going dead.

Throwing back the covers Syd began to swing her legs out of bed stopping at the sound of the back door opening. "Erica," she thought aloud she had all but forgotten that Gage had asked her to come by to keep her company. Grabbing the comforter she lay back down just a moment before the bedroom door opened a crack and Erica peeked in. Satisfied that Sydney was still asleep she quietly closed the door retreating to the kitchen to tidy up from breakfast.

As the door clicked shut Syd once again threw back the blankets to struggle out of bed. Quickly dressing she went to the door to open it a crack she could hear the water running in the sink. What she needed to do was to move down the hallway to the study to retrieve her gun then back to the bedroom so she could sneak out the patio doors and to the car. Slowly she took a step into the hall her heart all ready racing when the shrill sound of the phone ringing startled her more.

She stood unmoving listening to Erica speak. "Hi Gage… she's still sleeping I'm just going to let her sleep while I do the dishes then I'll check on her again. Okay I'll have her call when she wakes up. Bye."

Gage had called that meant it had to be the girls in trouble she thought to herself slipping through the study door a new panic setting in. Going to where her gun was she checked her watch she had all ready lost eight minutes. Snatching up her keys she once again moved into the hallway retracing her steps to the bedroom. Quietly closing the door she went to the sliding doors and let herself out to go to the rescue of Piper, Cat and MacKenzie.

Ranger Headquarters

"Everything all right at home?" Sumner asked watching Gage put the receiver down to stare aimlessly at the phone. Not getting a reply Sumner asked a little louder, "Gage everything all right?"

This time hearing Gage looked up at him to answer, "Yeah fine Erica is there and Syd is sleeping."

"But…" Sumner began waiting for Gage to fill in the blank.

"But what?"

"You tell me Gage you are the one worrying here," Sumner told him smiling at his friend.

"You just wait Sumner your turn is coming," he returned the feeling that something was wrong still crowding in on him.

"Matt there is nothing to worry about when Gage is around he's delivered two of his own and one of mine he can always deliver one for you and Anna B if he needs to," Trivette spoke up butting into the conversation.

"Yeah and thank God there were no complications for any of them," Gage retorted.

"Weren't you a little nervous?" Sumner questioned not really knowing if he could deliver a baby or not.

"Sydney was lucky I had Walker to help me with ours and Erica well after Chris and Piper I knew what to do…" Gage told the junior ranger his phone beginning to ring. Reaching out he picked it up expecting it to be Sydney. "Hey beautiful how you feeling?" he answered the call only to be brought to attention by the voice on the other end of the line. "Erica what do you mean she's not there?"

Both Trivette and Sumner were looking at Gage now trying to gather what they could from the one sided conversation. "I'm on my way home," Gage declared hanging up the phone to begin dialing again.

"What's up?" Trivette questioned.

"My wife for some reason gave Erica the slip," Gage half answered as the line connected. "Syd where the hell are you?" he roared into the receiver.

"Your such a good ranger you figure it out," came the voice from the other end of the line. "You had no business sending your kid to spy on me and my family so now you are going to pay. You have until six o'clock tonight to find her or your wife and the one she is carrying will pay for your incapability."

"Wilson I swear…"

Gage's words were met with the sound of unbridled laughter before the line went dead.

TBC