Disclaimer: This was written for the soul purpose of my entertainment. I lay no claim on Walker Texas Ranger or any of its characters. Any reference to the Texas Motor Speedway is purely fictional for entertainment purposes.

Rated: R

"Gentlemen… Start Your Engines"

Janis Boisclair

jboisclair@rogers.com

~ Chapter One ~

The shower water began to cool and Sydney reached to turn it off. Pushing her hand past the shower curtain she took hold of a towel smiling to herself nothing had changed since she had lived there as a young girl.

Wrapping one towel around her hair she grabbed a second one to wrap her body then stepped out of the tub onto the mat. Again she smiled seeing the seashell wallpaper that had been there for the last fifteen years or better. Another throw back to when she lived there with her Mom and Dad.

She caught her reflection in the steamy bathroom mirror her smile widening other recollections of her childhood flashing through her mind. Of course she had been home to San Antonio plenty of times it was just this was a little different. This was the first time she had been there since she and Gage had moved into his townhouse together. This was the first time she had brought someone home with her.

She had told her mother about her new living arrangements but she hadn't quite gotten up the nerve to broach the subject with her father. She sighed slightly knowing it would be easier facing a dozen notorious bad guys then facing her staunch catholic father with this revelation.

Giving one last look in the mirror she opened the door and scooted across the hallway to her old bedroom. Like the rest of the house nothing had changed in there since she had left for college.

Quickly closing the door she turned around to find her partner sitting on the bed. Darn near dropping her towel she hissed out at him, "What are you doing here? If my father catches you he'll shoot you."

"Relax Syd your mom and dad went out to pick up some groceries said they wouldn't be back for a couple of hours," Gage smiled at her hooking his finger and beckoning her over to him.

"I don't care if they went for a six month vacation to Mars this is their house and my father will know," she continued to resist him with words yet took a few steps towards him all the same.

"Come on Syd I checked out the room there is no hidden surveillance equipment the only way they will know is if the walls talk," Gage persisted catching hold of her hand pulling her between his legs as he sat on the bed.

"Gage stop it," she cried out his arms going round her at the same falling back with her the old bed creaking beneath their weight.

"Francis Gage I can't do this not here, not in this house, in my bed…" she sputtered out his lips catching hers all the while he held her tight to his chest.

"Your old bed," he corrected his lips teasing her ear, "Your bed is at home in Dallas Syd." His kisses were beginning to trail down her neck his hands sliding under her towel to caress her behind.

"Umm Gage," she moaned her resolve dying the more he began to possess her.

"I'll say Syd," he murmured back pulling her towel open and away from her body.

"Francis… so help me," she cried out lifting herself to straddle him. Leaning forward she locked her lips with his fiercely kissing him.

Pulling back her eyes held his as she felt his hands moving up her sides lifting her so he could catch the hard nipple of breast. His eyes still looked upward watching her as she arched back her face contorting into a deep moan of pleasure. "Oh Gage," she softly cried wanting to have this intimacy with him as much as he did.

Flipping them over Gage slid his hand between her legs rubbing over the small black tuft of curls that were still damp from her shower. Her back arched his fingers sliding inside her teasing her, exciting her, her hand shooting out to grasp the iron bed post of the old bed.

A smile crossed Gage's face as he drank in Syd's body moving frantically beneath his touch.

"Gage," she gasped out his thumb sliding across her clit just before he swooped down on her sending a wild shriek from her lips. Her next words were nothing but a jumble of soft cries and moans ending with a frantic cry of, "Pleasee!"

Standing up it took Gage only a second to drop his pants, falling back on the bed as it moaned and squeaked. He pulled Syd beneath him her eyes pleading with him wanting the pleasure she knew he would give her and lifting her legs to his shoulders he entered her. Instantly they were moving wildly against each other crying out simultaneously in satisfaction. "Honey," Gage whispered gently moving her legs to the bed falling beside her.

"Sydney are you and Francis in there?" came the voice of Joseph Cooke from the other side of the door as he rapped loudly on it.

"Daddy?" Sydney cried making a grab for her robe Gage diving for his pants, "Just a second."

Glancing over at Gage she watched him until he was ready then pulled open the door.

"Daddy we were just…"

"I know what you were just," Joseph cut in, "Francis I need to have a word with you."

"Daddy I…"

"I will speak to you later Sydney," her father cut her off again. "Francis if you could join me downstairs."

"Yes sir," Gage answered squeezing Syd's hand on the way by.

Sydney stepped into the hall watching Gage disappear down the stairs behind her father.

Her mother stepped up behind her putting her arm around her daughter, "Sydney he just has your best interests at heart…" her mother tried to sooth her. Amanda Cooke had always tried to keep the peace between father and daughter by smoothing things over.

"Mother I'm a grown woman not a little girl," she cut in.

"Sydney when you are in his house you will always be his little girl, he only wants what is best for you," her mother firmly told her.

"I know Mom but…" was all Syd got out before she heard her cell ring, turning she went back in the bedroom to answer it.

Joseph Cooke's Study

"Come in Francis," Joe Cooke invited walking behind his desk and taking a seat. "Sit down," he told Gage waving his hand at the chair in front of his desk.

"Mr. Cooke…" Gage began.

"When are you going to do the honourable thing where my daughter is concerned?"

Gage cleared his throat before saying, "I think Sydney and I are quite happy with the arrangement that we have sir."

"Have you ever asked Sydney if she is quite happy with your arrangement?" Sydney's father questioned him.

"Well… I…" Gage began to reply.

"Francis," Joseph continued, "Both Amanda and I like you a lot, we both think you are good for Sydney… I think that you know the time is right and that you do know the right words to say to her."

The right words to say to Syd man Gage would have been happy if he could think of the right words to say right now. "Mr. Cooke…" he tried again pausing trying to think what to say next. "Mr. Cooke…" he started over just as Sydney banged on the door.

"Daddy, Gage this is going to have to wait," Syd shouted through the closed door. "Gage Walker needs us back in Dallas now. The next flight leaves in ninety minutes and I booked us on it."

"All right Syd," Gage called back standing to face Sydney's father. "Mr. Cooke I'll think about what you've said," he told the man offering his hand to him.

Sydney's Dad took Gage's hand in a firm grip to answer him with what he had said earlier, "The time is right Francis the words will come to you. Have a safe trip back to Dallas. I know I don't have to say this but I'm going to anyway… look after her and keep her safe."

That was at least one thing that Sydney's father and he agreed with keeping her safe. "Always," Gage answered him.

"Come on Gage," Syd was calling from the other side of the door.

"Don't keep her waiting," Joseph Cooke smiled knowing how impatient his daughter could be.

Smiling Gage opened the door stepping out into the hall where his partner waited for him. "I'm right here," he told her, "It will just take me a minute to get my stuff together."

"Hurry up," she answered her bags all ready packed and at the front door.

The Trip Back to Dallas

Sydney and Gage had hardly said two words to each other as they drove to the airport. Syd was dying to know what her father had said to Gage she knew it wouldn't have been good… The longer Gage remained silent the worse Syd began to fear what her father may have said to him.

Gage on the other hand was replaying Joseph Cooke's words over in his head. "The time is right I think you know the words to say…" The statement was familiar, he thought back to a few months earlier it had been something that Sydney had said to him, "You'll know what to say to me when the time is right…"

Suddenly his mind went into over drive as he conjured up a picture of Syd in a wedding dress leading him down the isle on a leash a ball and chain fastened around his ankle dragging behind him. Everyone was there watching the Trivettes, the Walkers, Amanda and Joseph Cooke, all of them whispering, "The time was right he figured out what to say…"

"You missed the turn Gage, we're going to miss the flight," Syd jolted her partner back into reality. "Go up to the next exit and turn around," she instructed.

"Yeah okay I was just letting my mind wander a little bit," Gage retorted signalling his turn. Both falling silent again.

Once at the airport Syd left Gage to check the luggage while she took the rental car back. Very shortly after that they were both seated together on the plane as it took off for Dallas. Sydney had begun explaining what Walker had told her about the case. "It seems that accident out at the racetrack wasn't an accident after all," she was telling him, Gage only half listening.

Cutting into what she was saying Gage grasped her hand and asked, "You do know that I love you don't you? I mean… I… what we do is because of the strong feelings we have for each other? I mean I am full filling your needs in this relationship aren't I?"

"All right Gage what did he say to you?" Syd questioned grasping his hand a little tighter.

"It's not so much what he said it was the impression I got from what he didn't say…" Gage hedged.

"What impression was that?" Syd asked as Gage averted his eyes to the window of the plane trying to gather his thoughts in the white puffy clouds.

"He wanted to know when I was going to do the honourable thing where you were concerned," Gage finally said his gaze still fixed out the window as he spoke.

"Gage…"

"I began to tell him that we were quite happy the way things were… but he cut me off he wanted to know if I had ever asked you if you were happy with our arrangement," Gage stated bringing her hand to his lips turning to her at the same time. "And it occurred to me I had always just assumed you were."

"Gage I am happy with the way things have been going," she quickly said bringing her hand to his cheek to gently caress it.

"But the words you wanted to hear that day were me asking you to marry you weren't they?" he asked watching her closely.

"I won't lie to you Gage I've never loved anyone more then I love you. Yes I would love to be married to you but not at your expense…"

"At my expense?" he questioned his voice rising, his eyes wide.

"Will you let me finish please," she told him her hand going to his face again, her thumb caressing his lower lip. "Gage I've never been happier in my life then I am living with you I'd never risk our relationship for the sake of a piece of paper. I believe that some time you may feel differently and want to marry me, when the time is right, for both you and me Gage." That being said she leaned forward her lips catching his in a gentle kiss.

His arm went around her and she lay against his chest closing her eyes. Hugging her close he kissed the top of her head feeling a tear in his eyes. "What's the matter with me?" he thought to himself. He knew that his heart would never belong to anyone else but her… she loved him deeply… just what was stopping him from marrying her?"

He had no more time for speculation their descent into DFW was being announced. Syd had sat up right in her seat to fasten her seatbelt and he did like wise.

Walker's Office Ranger Headquarters

The partner's went straight from the airport to ranger headquarters. "Hey, hey how were the in-laws Gage?" Trivette greeted them.

"Mom and Dad were just fine," Syd cut in to try and get Gage off the hook but Trivette was not giving in that easily.

"So did you make a lasting impression?" he persisted.

"Oh I think you could say that," Gage answered his mind going back over everything that had happened.

"Guys if I could have you in my office," Walker was calling from the doorway. Letting Syd lead the way Gage followed her into their boss' office Trivette right behind them.

As they gathered around Walker's desk he handed a folder to Gage and one to Sydney before he began. "Donnie Maples," he said waiting for a reaction.

"He died out at the speedway this past week," Sydney replied remembering seeing it on the news while they were away.

"Freak accident on the third turn," Gage added flipping open the file his eyes resting on a picture of the twisted wreck of the car.

"Maybe not so freak," Walker stated all eyes going to him. "Tinker Downs an old friend of mine alerted to me to fact that this might be more then an accident. Tinker has worked as part of the pit crew for the Hollander cars for years. Donnie had called in that the car had begun to vibrate and he was bringing it into pits after the next turn…"

"But he didn't make it," Gage said as much as he asked looking up to catch Walker's eyes.

With that Walker lifted an evidence bag from his desk that contained a single lug bolt. "The fire was so hot that it took care of most of the evidence," he continued. "That was with the exception of this bolt."

Taking it from Walker's hand Gage carefully looked it over handing it to Sydney knowing she would draw the same conclusion. "It's stripped, someone killed him," she simply said Trivette taking it from her hand.

"Any ideas on who?" Trivette asked.

"That's for us to find out," Walker told them his eyes once more coming to rest on Gage. "The Hollander team is looking for a driver are you up to it Gage?" he questioned the younger ranger.

Looking up from the file a grin came over Gage's face. "You aren't kidding me are you boss?" he asked the excitement beginning to build in him.

"Trivette set up Gage's cover and bring his partner in as his girlfriend," Walker began laying out the undercover operation. "The Hollander team is staying at the Raceway Hotel you two check in there tomorrow morning then Gage get yourself out to the track to meet Bobby Hollander. If he sees what he likes you'll be in."

"You got it Walker," Gage smiled again.

Sydney And Gage's Townhouse

It was all ready eight by the time Gage pulled the car into their driveway. Gage had talked non-stop about the assignment while Syd on the other hand sat quiet. Getting out ahead of him she made a beeline for the door and inside before Gage had the trunk open to take their luggage out. Bringing the last of it in the house he looked around Syd nowhere to be found. With out putting the suitcases down he headed up the stairs not stopping until he reached the third floor and their bedroom. There he found her curled up in her favourite chair her eyes fixed on the river bellow.

Setting the bags down Gage walked over to where she sat squatting down in front of her. Reaching out his hand he brushed a wisp of hair behind her ear. "Sydney what's wrong?" he asked trying to be aware of everything she was feeling.

"Just tired," she answered taking his hand and holding it against her face letting a smile curl up the corners of her mouth.

"Syd I'm not letting what your father said bother me I know he is just thinking of your best interests…"

"Gage, Gage I'm fine with my Dad I'm used to him trying to run my life and the life of my friends and boyfriends," she grinned at him leaning forward and kissing his lips.

"You're pretty convincing Cooke if I didn't know you better…"

She leaned in and kissed him again this time winding her arms around his neck pulling herself closer to him. She felt his arms slip around her and she let her head rest on his shoulder drawing her lips tight to keep her true emotion in check. She hadn't lied when she said her father's butting in wasn't bothering her. It was old memories haunting her, old memories and fears knowing once Gage was in that car she couldn't protect him.

"What do you say we get these suitcases repacked for tomorrow grab a quick shower and get into bed?" Gage was asking his lips pressing on her temple.

"I'd like that Honey," she whispered holding on tighter to him an unexplainable sense of loss closing in on her.

Gage could sense that something was wrong he assumed it was this whole visit with her parents, the marriage thing… he pulled her a little closer too swallowing hard, "Syd…"

"Come on Francis," she murmured getting to her feet taking his hands in hers leading him towards the bathroom.

Later That Night…

Once they had finished in the shower Syd had set to work repacking the bags. Coming up behind her Gage towels still around his neck and waist grabbed her around the middle yanking her against him. "You know Syd I can hardly wait to get behind the wheel of that car," he stated his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Gage we're there to solve a crime not for you to have fun driving a race car," Syd chided him.

"That doesn't mean that I can't enjoy myself. How many people ever get a chance like this Syd to drive a race car let alone actually race one?" he questioned unable to believe that she couldn't see what an opportunity it was for him.

Turning in his arms she grabbed hold of the ends of the towel around his neck to bring him down so his forehead rested against hers. "Gage I know that this is a chance of a life time for you but can you do me one favour?"

"Syd I promise when I'm standing in the winners circle and all those sexy girls are clamouring to be with me I'll only be thinking about you," he teased getting a punch in the arm. "Oww," he retaliated.

"Gage I'm trying to be serious here," she scolded.

"I'm sorry Honey what's bothering you?" he asked holding her close looking into her face.

"I just want you to be careful out there. I know that drive you have to win but Gage if something goes wrong…"

"Syd nothing is going to go wrong," Gage tried to assure her.

"Gage you don't know that these things happen so fast," she cried trying to escape his grasp.

Not giving in Gage held her tighter still, "Sydney something could happen to us any day of the week. We could take a bullet that's something that happens fast too," Gage told her trying to imagine where this was coming from. Syd loved racing they had been out to the speedway plenty of times not just the two of them but with the Trivettes and Walkers too.

"You're right Gage I know I'm just being silly," she admitted giving him a quick peck and turning back to the packing.

Kissing the back of her neck Gage left her to finish going back into the bathroom to hang up the towels and dry his hair. A few minutes later she was finished and so was he. As Gage lifted the suitcases to the floor Syd pulled the covers down on the bed dropping her bathrobe and sliding under.

Doing like wise Gage slid to the center of the bed taking Syd into his arms both falling asleep almost instantly. That was until Sydney suddenly clasped tight to Gage her nails sinking into his arm her face wet with tears.

Prying her fingers from his arm Gage held her close bringing his hand to her cheek wiping the tears softly whispering, "Syd, Syd are you all right? What is it Honey?"

"No, no it can't be," she cried back once again her nails digging into Gage's arm, her body tensing.

Taking hold of her hand Gage shook her slightly squeezing her fingers, calling her name out to her, her eyes opening wide as recognition of where she was slowly came back to her.

Pulling her hand from Gage's her arm went around him and she cried into his chest. "I'm sorry Honey," she was finally able to manage out to him.

"Sydney just tell me what's wrong," he mumbled softly to her feeling her hurt seeping into his body from hers.

"I killed him, I killed him," she distraughtly wept.

"Killed who Syd?"

"I killed my partner!"

TBC.