Morning Star
Chapter 9
This time when Syd awoke she was confused for a moment about where she was. As she opened her eyes she discovered that she was laying Gage's bed. Her shoes had been removed and injured leg was raised on a pillow. A light cover had been thrown over her to keep her warm. Syd lay there for a while feigning sleep, apprehension about seeing Gage again keeping her committed to the bed. What had she done?
She had finally told him, the best she was able, that his dating bothered her immensely. He had responded by giving up a chance to date a beautiful tall, blonde, athletic football goddess. And then they had kissed. God, it had felt wonderful. She realized now that she had been longing, however unconsciously, to kiss him again since that time she had been 'happy'. She wondered what this most recent kiss had meant to him. Visions of their friendship ending and their partnership becoming unworkable flashed before Syd. What if these feelings she had tore them apart? She valued Gage so much as a friend and partner that the thought of losing him as either distressed her immensely. And now, she had put her heart on the line too. What, oh what, had she done?
Knowing she could not avoid him forever though, Syd crawled out from under the covers. She headed to the bathroom to freshen up before shuffling towards the kitchen area. She stopped in the doorway and watched him, or rather listened to him. He was humming as he bustled around the kitchen. The table was set for two, a bouquet of delicate white flowers in the middle. Where had they come from? Syd almost forgot the emotional torture she had just put herself through and the apprehension she was feeling and burst out laughing. Gage was wearing a pink apron and humming show tunes. Oh! She just had to tell Trivette.
Whipping his head around just as he donned oven mitts and was looking in the oven, Gage looked up at Syd and beamed with a goofy grin, thrilled to see her again. She was so beautiful standing there leaning on her crutches trying hard to control her giggles, his heart began to race. He couldn't believe the enormous step they had just taken in their relationship. He had tried to ignore the feelings of interest that he had harboured for Syd for a long time, assuming that Syd was not at all interested in pursuing anything more than friendship. He valued that friendship and their partnership too much to do anything to jeopardize it. This new step scared him to death but it was also the first time he had felt so alive since learning that he had been accepted as a Texas Ranger.
"What are you laughing about?" Gage asked her, closing the oven door and standing there, oven-mitted hands on his hips.
"You." Sydney managed to squeak out, and then gaining control "You are absolutely adorable." She walked over to him and reaching up with both her hands cupped his face and kissed him lightly on the lips.
As she released him and stepped back his eyes slowly opened in marvel. She tasted so sweet. And then, scooting away from him as fast as her crutches would take her she giggled, "I can't wait to tell Jimmy about your pink apron."
"Oh no you don't." Throwing his oven mitts aside Gage chased Syd until he had her pinned against the wall, each of them breathing heavily though not from physical exertion. Gage met Syd's gaze and then leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, moving slowly to her cheek, her neck, and the soft spot below her ear, pushing her long dark hair out of the way.
"Gage."
"Oh no Syd. Don't tell me to stop, please." Gage whispered to her, almost pleading. "I have wanted to do this for so long."
"Me too." She sighed; giving in to the electric feelings his tender touch was inspiring. 'I just didn't realize it until today.' she thought, as her arms reached up around him and held him close. "Don't stop."
A loud beeping startled both Rangers out of their increasingly passionate embrace.
"My dinner!" cried Gage, donning his mitts once again and pulling a family- sized oven-ready frozen vegetarian pasta dinner from the oven.
"Ahh...another gourmet meal from the kitchen of Francis Gage."
"Hey...this one was your choice!"
Gage served up dinner while Syd located her pain medication, the strain of having been up on her leg several times today making it throb with a persistent and sharp pain.
The dinner conversation was as natural as any of their conversations had ever been. They laughed and they smiled; the banter between them relaxed and unhurried. Syd teased Gage about the huge portion he had on his plate, Gage countered by commenting that maybe if Syd ate more she wouldn't be so short.
That stopped their dialogue in its tracks as Syd put down her silverware and looked down at her plate. Being petite had never really bothered Syd before. Sure her older male cousins had teased her growing up but they had also trained her to be tough. She often thought of what they had taught her when she practiced her martial arts, being little often had its advantages, especially when your opponent was not expecting either your strength or skill. But lately, as she had begun to realize that she hoped for more than friendship in her relationship with Gage, her diminutive stature had begun to bother her.
"Syd, I'm sorry. What did I say wrong? Why have you asked me to stop calling you Shorty?"
"Does it bother you that I am shorter than you?"
"No Syd." Gage was serious and he reached over the table to take her hand in his, rubbing his thumb lightly over its surface. "Why would it bother me? You are strong and tough and a worthy athletic opponent. You know I trust you with my life when we go in fighting somewhere. Your height has never been an issue."
"Why do you tease me about it then?" she looked up to meet his gaze. "You must have some sort of concern about it or you wouldn't keep bringing it up."
"No Syd, no concern. Okay, to be fair when I first met you and we were partnered up, I admit I was surprised because all my other partners had been men and more or less equivalent in size to me. But from the first time I saw you fight, remember the takedown in Houston, I knew that your size and gender were not going to be a problem. You were amazing there, kicking and punching, leaping from the wall and ducking for cover under that old rusty tractor. You amazed me. I think that's why I started calling you Shorty. I never meant anything mean by it. You might be short Syd but you make up for it in so many other ways."
Syd was silent for a moment, then squeezed Gage's hand and let go. "Alright buster, I'll forgive you this time." Inwardly, though pleased with Gage's answer, she still had the lingering concern that although Gage might find her size no obstacle in their working relationship, what about as lovers? Wouldn't he much rather be with someone more his physical equal, like Jennifer with her long legs, model-like features and long blonde hair? But she kept her thoughts to herself. All she and Gage had done was kiss; maybe this was nothing more than some simple pent up sexual frustration. To reveal her deep-seeded worries would be to admit that maybe she wanted something more and she was not ready or willing to do that. "I still don't want you call me that though okay?"
"Anything you want Syd." And they resumed their meal, though this time they were both far more subdued, each hoping with every passing minute they could get their easy-going friendship back on track. Maybe this whole thing was a mistake.
The awkwardness continued as they finished and then cleaned up. Gage was thoroughly confused and disappointed with how things had suddenly turned, even a little angry. First Syd was jealous of his date but doesn't say anything to him, just acts out. Then she admits her jealousy but claims it is only because he has a date and she doesn't and so she encourages him to go out, saying she is fine with it. Then when he runs into Jennifer suddenly Syd tells him she lied and doesn't want to see him dating. Then they kiss, twice, and she admits that she has wanted him to kiss her for a long time. But now, she is sulking about a nickname, meant only in good spirit, that he has called her for years and that she has never objected to in the past, and she is avoiding him as if she thinks that she should never have allowed them to kiss in the first place.
To hell with it, thought Gage. I can't stand how she is messing with my head. I have put everything out in the open to express to her how I feel. I even gave up a chance to be with that sexy cheerleader, for what? For this - to be confined to my apartment with my work partner who is looking and acting as if she didn't want to be here, resigned to sleeping on my couch and missing what could have been the ride of my life with Jennifer. I'm not sure that those couple of kisses, good as they were, are worth all this confusion. I just want my friend and partner back.
"I can't do this anymore Syd. I don't think you should stay here any more. I'm going to call Walker and have him find you a safehouse to stay at."
Syd, who was drying the metal bowl which had contained salad, threw her tea towel down and slamming the bowl onto the counter, turned to face him.
"What are you saying?"
"I am saying that a couple of cheap thrills with you are not worth the misery and confusion that you are bringing into my life. I am saying that until a couple of days ago when you decided to be jealous of my date with Jennifer, everything – EVERYTHING – in my life was going great. And now, well I obviously made a huge error in my judgement when I decided to..."
Gage's tirade was interrupted by a sharp knocking on the door. Without thinking and in the heat of his anger, Gage strode over the door and flung it open without first checking who was there. As he stepped back the apartment was swarmed by five men, all dressed in black and carrying semi- automatic weapons. Before Gage could reach for his gun, he heard Syd scream as two of the men grabbed her and lifted her, kicking and struggling, into the air. The last thing Gage heard before the world went black was Syd calling out his name and her crutches crashing to the ground.
Chapter 9
This time when Syd awoke she was confused for a moment about where she was. As she opened her eyes she discovered that she was laying Gage's bed. Her shoes had been removed and injured leg was raised on a pillow. A light cover had been thrown over her to keep her warm. Syd lay there for a while feigning sleep, apprehension about seeing Gage again keeping her committed to the bed. What had she done?
She had finally told him, the best she was able, that his dating bothered her immensely. He had responded by giving up a chance to date a beautiful tall, blonde, athletic football goddess. And then they had kissed. God, it had felt wonderful. She realized now that she had been longing, however unconsciously, to kiss him again since that time she had been 'happy'. She wondered what this most recent kiss had meant to him. Visions of their friendship ending and their partnership becoming unworkable flashed before Syd. What if these feelings she had tore them apart? She valued Gage so much as a friend and partner that the thought of losing him as either distressed her immensely. And now, she had put her heart on the line too. What, oh what, had she done?
Knowing she could not avoid him forever though, Syd crawled out from under the covers. She headed to the bathroom to freshen up before shuffling towards the kitchen area. She stopped in the doorway and watched him, or rather listened to him. He was humming as he bustled around the kitchen. The table was set for two, a bouquet of delicate white flowers in the middle. Where had they come from? Syd almost forgot the emotional torture she had just put herself through and the apprehension she was feeling and burst out laughing. Gage was wearing a pink apron and humming show tunes. Oh! She just had to tell Trivette.
Whipping his head around just as he donned oven mitts and was looking in the oven, Gage looked up at Syd and beamed with a goofy grin, thrilled to see her again. She was so beautiful standing there leaning on her crutches trying hard to control her giggles, his heart began to race. He couldn't believe the enormous step they had just taken in their relationship. He had tried to ignore the feelings of interest that he had harboured for Syd for a long time, assuming that Syd was not at all interested in pursuing anything more than friendship. He valued that friendship and their partnership too much to do anything to jeopardize it. This new step scared him to death but it was also the first time he had felt so alive since learning that he had been accepted as a Texas Ranger.
"What are you laughing about?" Gage asked her, closing the oven door and standing there, oven-mitted hands on his hips.
"You." Sydney managed to squeak out, and then gaining control "You are absolutely adorable." She walked over to him and reaching up with both her hands cupped his face and kissed him lightly on the lips.
As she released him and stepped back his eyes slowly opened in marvel. She tasted so sweet. And then, scooting away from him as fast as her crutches would take her she giggled, "I can't wait to tell Jimmy about your pink apron."
"Oh no you don't." Throwing his oven mitts aside Gage chased Syd until he had her pinned against the wall, each of them breathing heavily though not from physical exertion. Gage met Syd's gaze and then leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, moving slowly to her cheek, her neck, and the soft spot below her ear, pushing her long dark hair out of the way.
"Gage."
"Oh no Syd. Don't tell me to stop, please." Gage whispered to her, almost pleading. "I have wanted to do this for so long."
"Me too." She sighed; giving in to the electric feelings his tender touch was inspiring. 'I just didn't realize it until today.' she thought, as her arms reached up around him and held him close. "Don't stop."
A loud beeping startled both Rangers out of their increasingly passionate embrace.
"My dinner!" cried Gage, donning his mitts once again and pulling a family- sized oven-ready frozen vegetarian pasta dinner from the oven.
"Ahh...another gourmet meal from the kitchen of Francis Gage."
"Hey...this one was your choice!"
Gage served up dinner while Syd located her pain medication, the strain of having been up on her leg several times today making it throb with a persistent and sharp pain.
The dinner conversation was as natural as any of their conversations had ever been. They laughed and they smiled; the banter between them relaxed and unhurried. Syd teased Gage about the huge portion he had on his plate, Gage countered by commenting that maybe if Syd ate more she wouldn't be so short.
That stopped their dialogue in its tracks as Syd put down her silverware and looked down at her plate. Being petite had never really bothered Syd before. Sure her older male cousins had teased her growing up but they had also trained her to be tough. She often thought of what they had taught her when she practiced her martial arts, being little often had its advantages, especially when your opponent was not expecting either your strength or skill. But lately, as she had begun to realize that she hoped for more than friendship in her relationship with Gage, her diminutive stature had begun to bother her.
"Syd, I'm sorry. What did I say wrong? Why have you asked me to stop calling you Shorty?"
"Does it bother you that I am shorter than you?"
"No Syd." Gage was serious and he reached over the table to take her hand in his, rubbing his thumb lightly over its surface. "Why would it bother me? You are strong and tough and a worthy athletic opponent. You know I trust you with my life when we go in fighting somewhere. Your height has never been an issue."
"Why do you tease me about it then?" she looked up to meet his gaze. "You must have some sort of concern about it or you wouldn't keep bringing it up."
"No Syd, no concern. Okay, to be fair when I first met you and we were partnered up, I admit I was surprised because all my other partners had been men and more or less equivalent in size to me. But from the first time I saw you fight, remember the takedown in Houston, I knew that your size and gender were not going to be a problem. You were amazing there, kicking and punching, leaping from the wall and ducking for cover under that old rusty tractor. You amazed me. I think that's why I started calling you Shorty. I never meant anything mean by it. You might be short Syd but you make up for it in so many other ways."
Syd was silent for a moment, then squeezed Gage's hand and let go. "Alright buster, I'll forgive you this time." Inwardly, though pleased with Gage's answer, she still had the lingering concern that although Gage might find her size no obstacle in their working relationship, what about as lovers? Wouldn't he much rather be with someone more his physical equal, like Jennifer with her long legs, model-like features and long blonde hair? But she kept her thoughts to herself. All she and Gage had done was kiss; maybe this was nothing more than some simple pent up sexual frustration. To reveal her deep-seeded worries would be to admit that maybe she wanted something more and she was not ready or willing to do that. "I still don't want you call me that though okay?"
"Anything you want Syd." And they resumed their meal, though this time they were both far more subdued, each hoping with every passing minute they could get their easy-going friendship back on track. Maybe this whole thing was a mistake.
The awkwardness continued as they finished and then cleaned up. Gage was thoroughly confused and disappointed with how things had suddenly turned, even a little angry. First Syd was jealous of his date but doesn't say anything to him, just acts out. Then she admits her jealousy but claims it is only because he has a date and she doesn't and so she encourages him to go out, saying she is fine with it. Then when he runs into Jennifer suddenly Syd tells him she lied and doesn't want to see him dating. Then they kiss, twice, and she admits that she has wanted him to kiss her for a long time. But now, she is sulking about a nickname, meant only in good spirit, that he has called her for years and that she has never objected to in the past, and she is avoiding him as if she thinks that she should never have allowed them to kiss in the first place.
To hell with it, thought Gage. I can't stand how she is messing with my head. I have put everything out in the open to express to her how I feel. I even gave up a chance to be with that sexy cheerleader, for what? For this - to be confined to my apartment with my work partner who is looking and acting as if she didn't want to be here, resigned to sleeping on my couch and missing what could have been the ride of my life with Jennifer. I'm not sure that those couple of kisses, good as they were, are worth all this confusion. I just want my friend and partner back.
"I can't do this anymore Syd. I don't think you should stay here any more. I'm going to call Walker and have him find you a safehouse to stay at."
Syd, who was drying the metal bowl which had contained salad, threw her tea towel down and slamming the bowl onto the counter, turned to face him.
"What are you saying?"
"I am saying that a couple of cheap thrills with you are not worth the misery and confusion that you are bringing into my life. I am saying that until a couple of days ago when you decided to be jealous of my date with Jennifer, everything – EVERYTHING – in my life was going great. And now, well I obviously made a huge error in my judgement when I decided to..."
Gage's tirade was interrupted by a sharp knocking on the door. Without thinking and in the heat of his anger, Gage strode over the door and flung it open without first checking who was there. As he stepped back the apartment was swarmed by five men, all dressed in black and carrying semi- automatic weapons. Before Gage could reach for his gun, he heard Syd scream as two of the men grabbed her and lifted her, kicking and struggling, into the air. The last thing Gage heard before the world went black was Syd calling out his name and her crutches crashing to the ground.