Chapter Three

Ranger Headquarters

Ranger Cooke wasn't at her desk when Gage and Sumner came into the office, Ranger Webb lost no time in making a beeline to the door to greet Gage. "Can I have a minute of your time?" she asked looking directly into Gage's face.

"Sure shoot," Gage answered absently wondering where his wife was.

"It's personal," she persisted.

"If you two will excuse me," Sumner smiled using the chance to head for his desk and make that call to his wife.

"Yeah all right," Gage mumbled leading the way to the first available interrogation room. With the door closed behind them and the table between them he asked, "What do you want?"

She stood gawking at him for a moment not believing he could be so abrupt with her. "I just thought we had become pretty close. That kiss last night didn't mean anything to you?"

With his hands on the table he leaned forward saying, "That kiss last night was a mistake it never should have happened."

"Are you going to stand there and tell me that kiss meant nothing to you?"

"Sam I had no business going upstairs for a beer with you. I'm sorry if I led you on in anyway or you thought that there would be more but there just isn't. Sydney and the kids are my life and I've all ready done enough to jeopardize that. There is nothing between you and me," he firmly told her.

"Gage I could give you so much more…"

"Sam don't go there you can't win, Syd is the love of my life, one little kiss isn't going to change that. From here on out our relationship is purely professional. I apologize for letting you think other wise."

"We'll see," she muttered heading for the door.

"Sam wait," Gage called after her as she swung the door open to dart into the hallway almost running right into Sydney.

As Sam hurried down the hall Gage stopped dead in his tracks in front of his wife. "Syd!" he exclaimed watching that look of hurt crossing her face once again.

Sydney stared at Gage in disbelief her silence spoke volumes to him. "Syd it isn't what you think…"

"Thinking for me again are you Gage?" she snapped out the question.

"That's not what I mean," Gage tried to back track. "I was just…"

"Save it Gage," Syd cut him off again spinning around to walk away.

Grabbing her wrist Gage held on tight, "Syd let me explain…" he pleaded his wife trying to pull free.

"Problem here?" It was Walker's voice interrupting them.

"Walker… I… we…," Gage began to stumble over his words.

"He thinks we're still at home," Sydney took over the conversation for her husband.

Walker looked thoughtfully at both of them before letting it pass. "You two taking off now until tonight?" he asked.

"I thought we would," Gage answered. "I just need to check a couple of things in the office and we should be set."

"All right Gage let me know if anything develops tonight," Walker told him before turning to continue up to Alex's office.

"Are you about ready Syd?" Gage asked turning his attention back to his wife deciding he would wait until they were in the car to offer any explanation to why he had been talking to Sam Webb.

"When ever you are," she retorted.

"Let me talk to Sumner for a minute and I'll be ready too," he told her as together they headed for their desks. A few minutes later they were headed home. Sam had been at her desk but Gage had only spoken to Sumner letting Sumner fill Sam in with the details.

The partners rode the elevator down to the parking garage in silence. It wasn't until Sydney was about to put the key in the lock of the car door that Gage said anything. Putting his hand over hers he asked, "Mind if I drive?" With out speaking Syd let him take the key from her hand and moved round to the passenger side of the car.

Quickly exiting the parking lot Gage headed out in the opposite direction from home. "Where are you going Gage?" Syd questioned mildly annoyed.

"You'll see when we get there," he retorted.

"I'm not in the mood Francis," she came back turning in her seat to face him.

Figuring that his wife was mad at him anyway Gage decided he would risk it. Smiling at her he replied, "I know you're not in the mood and I know it's my fault but you are going to have to put up for just a longer."

Syd turned her whole body to stare out the window. Her emotions had her on edge she didn't want to go on some site seeing tour. All she wanted to do was go home, go home and give into the tears that she had been fighting back for the last hour or more. Silently she bit her lip saying nothing more clutching tight to the handle of the door.

Gage glanced over to where Syd sat he could see a slight tremble in her shoulder and knew it was his fault. Reaching out he put his hand on her arm only to hear her mumble, "Gage please." He squeezed her shoulder and let his hand drop. His eyes went back to road and he concentrated on where he was going.

Another fifteen minutes went by in agonizing quiet until Gage finally saw the gate of the small park where he was taking Syd. He stole another glance at her watching her stiffen as she realized where they were going.

"Gage…" tears had sprung to her eyes.

"I just want to talk Hon," Gage spoke up reaching for her hand.

"We could do that at home," she put up the feeble argument.

"This way we won't be interrupted," Gage assured her taking her hand Syd letting him. He felt her relax slightly and allowed himself to do the same.

Finally he came to the spot he was looking for and pulled the car over. "Gage…" Syd began.

"Uh, uh come on Syd out of the car," he had all ready opened the door and had one foot out.

"Gage, come on I just don't feel like…" Syd complained as her husband pulled open her door.

"Come on Syd we're all ready here," he argued taking hold of her hand again and tugging.

"I know what you're doing Francis and it isn't going work," she complained letting him lead her along all the same.

"I'm not doing anything Syd," he replied letting a smile come across his face.

"Yes you are and you're not fooling me, my memory is as good as yours," she retorted coming to a stop under the willow that hung over the stream. He had brought her to the exact spot when he had asked her to marry him.

Putting his hands around her waist he lifted her to the low hanging branch of the old willow as he had done before planting himself firmly in front of her all the while still holding her. "Humour me Syd," he told her his blue eyes taking command as they looked deeply into her face.

Her protests ceased and she lowered her brown eyes to the ground waiting for him to go on. Cupping her chin he pulled her face up so he could look in it before he spoke. "Sydney today at the office it was Sam who wanted a word with me in private."

"You don't have to tell me this," Syd began to object again.

"Yes, yes I do need to tell you," Gage persisted. "I told her the kiss was a mistake, that you and the kids were my life, that anything from this point on was to be purely professional."

"Gage, I…"

"Please Syd let me finish," he continued. "I know the first time I brought you here I made some promises to you and well up until yesterday I think I did a pretty good job of keeping them.

Syd's eyes averted to the side. "Hey look at me Honey," he commanded once again gently taking her chin in his hand to move her face to look into his. "Sydney Cooke Gage I love you. I loved you the day I met you and that love has grown more every day that I've been with you…"

"Then why Gage? Why did it happen? If you love me that much why did you have to go upstairs to her apartment? Why did you kiss her?" Syd fired the questions at him as if she was interrogating a suspect.

Leaning his head back Gage let his eyes rove skyward tears coming to them. He cleared his throat before being able to speak. "It wasn't you Syd it was me… Sam asked for this assignment to work with me and well I was flattered when I found out. She's one sexy lady I'd have to be blind not to notice that but it was more then that…"

Syd had begun to cry as she listened to Gage's words. "I'm sorry Syd," he whispered pulling her close. "It's just that she gave all her attention to me, she didn't have kids and one of them a baby to fit into her life too. She was easy to talk to and was interested in me… and well to tell you the truth it felt good to know that I could still interest someone like Sam," he finished his confession.

His arms had gone around her to hold her tight the same as her legs had wound around him and they stayed that way for quite a few minutes before Gage continued. "As soon as that kiss happened I knew it was wrong, I knew I didn't want her, I knew I was betraying you and the trust you had in me. Syd I couldn't get out of there fast enough, I wanted to be with you but what I had done was eating me up. You know me so well though that you knew something was wrong…" Again silence fell between them the only thing that encouraged Gage was the fact that she didn't pull away, in fact she held tighter.

"So…" he began once more, "I brought you out here today to ask you if you could find it in your heart to keep being my wife. I'm not making you any promises that this will never happen again only that I love you and will try with every fiber in my body to be true only to you.

"Oh Francis," her arms had gone around his neck so she could hold on for dear life. "I love you too," the words poured out between sobs.

His lips were suddenly on hers as he kissed her fiercely, one hand moved to her hair playing through it while the other rubbed up her back. He could feel her hands tearing at his shirt pulling it loose from his jeans a low moan escaping her.

He kissed her again trailing a path down her neck eliciting a soft murmur from his wife, "Don't you wish you had taken me home now?"

"I don't know Shorty this spot was good enough when I proposed to you," he teased lifting her in his arms to lower them both to the tall soft grass on the bank of the stream.

"Francis Gage," Syd uttered before her husband took her into another passionate kiss.

Later On At The Gage Residents

The three oldest Gages were all ready home by the time Syd and Gage got home with Cody. The baby had drifted to sleep on the car ride home both parents smiled at each other and then at the child his father carrying him in the house in his little car seat.

"You go ahead Shorty and warn the kids Cody is sleeping then why don't you go run that hot bath you were talking about earlier," Gage directed leaning down to caress her brow with another kiss.

"You talked me into it," she smiled opening the back door to go in ahead of him.

Gage watched as Syd disappeared inside his throat tightening his eyes clouding again. Forcing a smile to his face he looked down at his son. "Cody you don't know how lucky you are to have your Mom, in fact I'm still learning how special she really is."

The back door opened and Chris stuck his head out, "Coast is clear Dad you guys can come in," he told his father.

"Thanks Chris," Gage answered walking past Chris with Cody.

"Dad have you got a minute to talk?" Chris questioned.

"Sure Chris just let me get Cody settled," his father replied.

Chris stood patiently at the nursery door watching Gage lift his baby brother into his crib and pull the covers around him. Coming back to the door Gage asked, "What can I do for you?"

Leading the way to his room across the hall Chris waited until his Dad had entered too. Stepping behind Gage he closed the door. "This must be important," Gage commented.

"It is Dad," Chris faced his father before asking, "Is everything okay with you and Mom? I mean that is a pretty good number on your face and well your bathroom door…"

Paling at the question Gage took a deep breath, he hadn't realized how deeply his actions had cut. Swallowing hard Gage stood silent for a moment more before beginning, "Chris Mom and I had a bad fight last night." He paused again as if in thought. "I'm not going to tell you what we were fighting about that's between the two of us suffice it to say that it's over. We've talked it out and made peace but you're right it was no way for me and Mom to be acting. The fight was my fault and I don't want you blaming Mom in any way."

"So you deserved the punch in the nose?" Chris half smiled at Gage.

"Yeah well maybe I did," Gage agreed.

"So you're sure everything is all right?"

"For now things are all right and I'm going to work real hard at keeping it that way."

"Then you had better have a talk with Piper and especially Cat. Cat's best friend Summer her parents are getting a divorce and you know Cat," Chris fore warned.

A smile came across Gage's face thinking of his little drama queen. "Mom and I will talk to the girls, thanks for the heads up," he told Chris. "You may have my looks but lucky for you, you have Mom's smarts," he added giving his son a hug.

"The best of both," Chris agreed.

A Few Moments Later…

Entering their bedroom Gage looked over to where the bathroom door used to be. Shaking his head he headed for the bathroom where he knew he would find Syd. There were half a dozen candles burning and the scent of vanilla permeated the air. Syd was leaning back in a luxurious bath her eyes closed. Walking up behind her Gage squatted down dropping his hands to her shoulders to gently massage them.

"Umm that feels good Hon," she softly sighed.

Leaning down he kissed the top of her head. "We have a problem that needs our immediate attention," he told her.

"And what might that be?" she inquired.

"We need to speak with Piper and Cat," he explained telling her the problem.

"Oh Gage," Syd cried pulling herself up to get out to the bath at the same time.

"Take it easy Shorty we just need to put on a united front and let them know everything is all right between us. That we are both going to be here for them even though from time to time we make mistakes and have fights."

"Is it that simple Gage?"

"For the kids yes. Me… I know I still have a lot of things to make up for…

"You're not the only one Gage, besides hitting you in the nose, I can see where I'm a to blame too. I've got to find a way to balance things a little better, I've got to make sure that you don't feel that I'm neglecting you ever again."

"Syd I… please don't blame yourself I did this not you. We just need to make it right with kids for now."

She nodded her head yes before asking Gage to hand her, her towel. He held it up for her wrapping it around her as she stood up and then holding her in his arms. She leaned against him drawing energy from his embrace as his lips caressed the top of her head.

TBC