~Chapter Five~

It was eight forty-five before Sydney and Gage were heading towards the car. Tinker had taken Gage aside for a few final pointers. "The main thing when you get out there tomorrow Jeff is just keep a clear head and do what seems to be natural to you," Tinker told him. "Just listen to me I'm your eyes to what is going on out there in respect to the other cars," the grizzled experienced man told him.

Grinning from ear to ear Gage nodded his head. "I trust you a hundred percent," he confided in Tinker with genuine affection for the man.

With one too many under his belt Tinker smiled having to fight back a tear he shouted, "Callie come get him out of here will you. Take him home he needs his beauty sleep."

Syd came over to where the two of them stood. "He giving you a hard time?" she asked Tinker.

"I'll say," Tinker retorted, "Good thing I got you to keep him in line for me."

Laughing with the old man Syd laced her arm through Gage's and began walking to the door. "We'll see you bright and early tomorrow," Gage called over his shoulder.

"I'd better," Tinker snarled back to his old crotchety self watching Gage and Sydney slip out the door.

Outside on their own Sydney lapsed into what was becoming a familiar silence between the two of them. It was almost as if she wanted Gage to pry her thoughts from her instead of just volunteering them.

"Everything go all right with Hollander?" he quietly asked.

"Fine," she answered quickly explaining about Willy Mancuso being there.

"So now we know whom Hollander owes big time too," Gage commented feeling he still hadn't gotten to the bottom of things. "Did something happen that you aren't telling me about?" he suspiciously quizzed her. "Hollander didn't try anything did he?" He could feel anger rising at the thought of it.

"He just invited me for a drink," she slightly smiled adding, "But I was in too big a hurry to see you zooming around the track."

"There's something else you aren't telling me isn't there?" Gage asked.

"You've gotten to know me to well," she murmured stopping in front of the car to let his arms go round her.

"You may as well tell me," Gage pressed, "Cause I'm not giving you any peace until you do."

Hesitating a moment Syd finally just blurted out, "We have to go to the Walkers' my mother is there."

"Your mother and father are here?" Gage questioned blankly.

"No just my mother," Syd corrected, "It seems she has left my father because she doesn't want to cut me out of her life."

Sighing deeply Gage pulled her against him and as if the dam had broken Syd began to sob. "As much as I love them Gage… if I ever pull anything like this with our kids…"

"Our kids Syd? I hope that means we are going to get married somewhere in there," Gage couldn't resist teasing.

"I… it was… just a figure of speech… I…" her voice dropped off.

"Let me ask you a question," Gage replied. "Do you love me enough to want to be my wife no matter what your father says or what happens between your parents?"

"Gage… I," she began to stammer out.

"Syd I'm not so gullible to think that I know the future and nothing could ever possibly come between us… What I do know is that I love you very much and I want to spend my life with you. Since we have been living together almost as man and wife it has just opened up such a new world for me.

I knew my father and mother loved each other but when they died I was too young to have a lasting impression of what that love was, to know what their marriage meant to them. I guess maybe that's why it has taken me such a long time to see just what I'd been missing. These last few months have really been an eye opener for the better Honey.

Yes maybe it was your Dad's little chat when we were there that made me realize that I do want more. I don't agree with the hell he has been putting you through to get his point across… and now your mother.

Honey follow your heart it's what I'm trying to do. Give me the answer you would have given me if I had asked you to marry me instead of moving in," he pleaded his case to her wiping a tear from her cheek before bending his head to kiss her.

Letting her hands slip to the back of his head and through his hair she fiercely returned the kiss. With her heart pounding wildly in her chest she felt him lift her from the ground to set her on the hood of the car leaning her back his kisses caressing her neck.

His hand slipped beneath her t-shirt with an electrifying touch she gasped out feeling his hand squeezing her breast. "Gage I do love you," her mind cried out while she voiced a soft mumbled moan. She caught him in a scissor hold pulling his body against her center needing to feel him there.

Lifting her shirt he roughly pushed her bra up to let her breast escape pinching the nub for a second before swooping down on her to grab her with his teeth another moan escaping her as she arched forward towards him and he suckled hard.

With her mind swirling she suddenly felt his hands at the top of her pants pulling them open. "Francis we can't do this here," again her mind screamed silently out while her hands grabbed at the front of his pants fighting to open them too.

"Gage, Gage," she cried out a catch in her voice his hand had slipped into her panties to rub against her melting what resolve she had left. Frantically she moved against him knowing only one thing was going to relieve the ache that had built up inside her. "Umm Ga…ge," she whimpered his lips catching hers, his hands lifting her to pull her free of her pants.

In one quick motion he was inside her and she was totally his. He slipped his hand between them his fingers riding against her crashing her into orgasm.

"Sydney Gage that has a nice ring," he teased listening to her pants and cries as she moved uncontrollable against him again and again before he to was lost to their actions. In one loud moan he came too.

"Gage," she softly whispered against his temple. "We have to get up before somebody sees us."

"I'm not moving until I get an answer," he defiantly told her teasing her nipple once again with his knuckles.

"You have me at a disadvantage Gage," she accused grabbing his wrist and still he didn't move.

"And it had better be the right answer," he continued as if he hadn't heard her.

"Francis all right you win Sydney Gage does have a nice ring to it," she conceded.

"And…?" Gage unrelentingly questioned on.

"Yes Gage yes I'll marry you!"

The Walker Ranch

"Shouldn't they have been here by now?" Sydney's mother questioned Alex.

"Amanda they are working undercover they just can't set a time on what they are doing," Alex tried to sooth the woman.

"I know, I know I'm just glad I don't always know what she is up to I don't think my heart could take it," she smiled although worry showed on her face.

Amanda Cooke is whom Sydney took her looks from. Her long dark hair that was streaked with grey was pulled neatly into a tight french roll off of her face. Her face mirrored Sydney's face the same cheeks, smile and dark captivating eyes. Sydney was taller then her mother by a whole half inch which was a lot in both women's estimates.

"They may not make it out here tonight," Alex began.

"I just don't like putting you out like this," Amanda exasperatedly told Alex her eyes still fixed on the laneway.

"You aren't putting anyone out," Alex replied taking the woman by the arm to lead her to the guest room.

"Do you think I'll be able to talk with Sydney tomorrow?" she asked.

"I really don't know," Alex hedged, "We may know more once Walker gets home."

Suddenly Angela cried out and Alex excusing herself went to tend to her daughter leaving Amanda on her own. Sighing deeply she went into the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed she began to pull the pins from her hair. Opening her suitcase that Alex had set on the chair for her she retrieved her brush and went to work on her hair, something else Sydney had learnt from her.

A few moments later there was a soft rap on the front door and Amanda heard her daughter's voice. "Where is she Alex?" Syd was anxiously asking.

"Right here Honey," Amanda answered for herself coming from the bedroom to greet Sydney.

"Mom are you all right?" Syd asked going to her and hugging her close.

"Yes Sydney I'm just glad to see you and Francis are all right," she answered holding tight to her daughter as if she was a little girl once again.

"As you can see we are both fine so you let me do a little worrying about you," Syd answered. "Now lets get you back to our place and get you settled," she said taking charge of the situation in Cooke fashion.

"You don't have to rush off," Alex had begun to say just as Walker came in the door.

"Yeah we do Alex Gage has qualifying rounds tomorrow," Syd began to explain.

"Honey why don't you help your mother get her things together and I'll update Walker and Alex," Gage suggested walking with the Walkers into the living room.

Clutching Syd's hand they walked together back into the bedroom. "Have you spoken to your father?" Amanda quizzed her daughter.

"Mom I haven't even really talked to you," Sydney told her not knowing what her mother expected her to say.

"Yes Sydney I know and we will talk…" her Mom's voice dropped off and she began to cry.

Syd instantly put her arms around her mother. "I promised myself I wouldn't do this you know," Amanda told her.

"Mom… it's all right," Syd gulped trying to keep her own tears from falling.

"It's just you know how he can be… After you and Francis left he was so upset it was all he could talk about the fact that you had actually been intimate in his house. I listened to it as long as I could and well I guess I had taken all I could because I snapped at him. I just told him for heaven sake Joe what is the crime here they live together at home," she admitted to her daughter.

"Oh Mom I'm so sorry I should have been up front with him instead of dragging you into the middle of things," Syd whispered holding tight to her mother.

"Don't be silly Honey I've always been your confident I'm sorry I failed you this time when it was so important."

"Mother you could never fail me," Syd murmured hugging her mom again.

"Well I didn't do a very good job with this secret. Your father pounced right on me as the words came out of my mouth. I don't know what he thought was worse the fact that you and Francis are living together or that I deceived him with it. That's when he went to the phone and called you with the ultimatum. Then he warned me I wasn't to contact you in any way shape or form until you came around. I just couldn't abide by him this time…" she ended her story feeling Sydney's arms holding her tight.

"Syd?" Gage had rapped gently on the doorframe.

"Yeah Gage if you would like to take Mom's suitcase out to the car we'll be right there," she assured him both wiping tears.

"Take your time Honey," Gage told her rubbing her shoulder as he passed by them to grab the suitcase.

"I'm ready," Amanda spoke up. "I don't want to keep you waiting on my account," she told him taking hold of Sydney's arm so they could walk out together.

Back At The Raceway Hotel

Sydney and Gage had talked on the way out to the Walkers that once they had picked up Syd's mother Gage would go back to the hotel then Syd would drop Amanda off at the townhouse. That way hopefully Gage could get some sleep and be ready for the following day.

Pulling into the usual parking spot Gage opened his door to get out. Syd opened her door as well pulling up the seat so her mother could get out of the back and join her in the front seat.

Sliding over in the seat she put her arms around Gage gently kissing him whispering, "I won't be too long Honey."

Amanda stood up stretching slightly leaning in and pushing the seat back before moving to get in. Suddenly a single shot fired and Sydney's mother fell to the ground.

TBC