Disclaimer: This was written for the soul purpose of my entertainment I lay no claim on Walker Texas Ranger or any of its characters.

A Continuation from Back To Black Bayou

Rated: R

"Memories Old And New"

Janis Boisclair

Chapter One

Standing at the bathroom doorway Gage leaned against the frame his eyes sweeping over the bed where his fiancée lay sleeping. She turned slightly a slow mumble escaping her as the rays of the morning sunlight fell across her slowly waking her up.

Smiling broadly Gage began walking towards the bed chanting the words, "Here comes the bride…" Syd joining in with, "All fat and wide."

"You're not fat and wide Syd, you're beautiful and look exactly like you should being with my child," he told her sitting on the edge of the bed enfolding his arms around her.

"Well your child could cooperate just a little I've been in for alterations on my dress three times all ready. If I gain another ounce before Saturday I'll be walking down the aisle in my bathrobe," she groaned out a tear forming in her eye.

"Syd Honey you're going to be beautiful," he tried to appease her pulling her a little closer. "Just two more days the dress is going to fit fine."

"But what if…"

"Hey, hey, hey Syd you're borrowing trouble here," Gage cut her off laying her back against the mountain of white fluffy pillows she had just sat up from to gently hold her there.

Syd's mouth opened to return comment Gage leaned in planting his lips on hers, "Francis," she mumbled out her lips curving into a smile.

"Yes Miss Cooke?" Gage teased stretching himself beside her on the bed his hand roaming beneath the blankets to her tummy.

"We don't have time for this right now," she murmured her arms circling his neck.

"We've always got time for this," Gage murmured back nibbling her neck and ear sending rapturous chills through her.

"Says who?" she questioned moaning slightly as she leaned back deeper into the pillows feeling his hand wander up beneath the old t-shirt she wore.

"I do and there is no time like the present to start love, honouring and obeying me," he teased knowing he was opening a can of worms.

"Love, honour and obey," she playfully laughed. "Well two out of three isn't bad," she quipped back.

"Syd," Gage answered just as the shrill ring of the phone cut in. Shaking his head at her he reached for the receiver answering simply, "Gage."

"Mom," he exclaimed a moment later realizing it was his future mother-in-law on the line. "No, no you're not bothering us Syd's right here," he sputtered out almost guiltily trying to untangle himself from her. Suddenly his cell phone rang, "Saved by the bell, literally," he thought to himself hastily putting the phone in Syd's hand to grab up his own.

"Hey Mom," Gage heard Syd greet her mother as he answered his own phone once again with, "Gage."

Even though Sydney was carrying on a conversation with her mother she was only half listening her eyes were on her partner. She had watched Gage's face become sober and pale upon hearing the voice on the end of the line, then he had turned his back to her and walked to the far end of the room phone at his ear listening.

"Yeah Mom that sounds fine… Can I give you a call back?" Syd asked only half hearing her mother's reply before she hung up. Throwing back the covers she got out of bed to walk to where Gage now stood staring out the expanse of windows to the river below. Putting her arms around him she leaned into him resting her cheek against his bare back.

"You all right?" she quietly asked hoping he would elaborate on the call.

"Yeah fine," he answered turning to put his arms around her a forced smile on his face and saying no more.

"You don't look fine, care to tell me who was on the phone?" Syd persisted bringing her hand to his cheek to softly caress him and hold his face.

"Really Syd it's nothing to worry about just a voice from the past that's all," he replied trying to stay light hearted still unable to fool his partner.

"Hmmm and just what did that voice say that upset you?" she lifted her eyebrows as she questioned him.

"Nothing Syd…" he paused pulling her close to him in a hug his head resting on the top of her head, his eyes staring blankly across the room as he fought off threatening tears.

"What Gage? What is it?" Syd pursued.

"You don't want to hear this," he solemnly told her holding her tighter swallowing hard.

She pulled her upper body back without letting go her belly pushing against him that she might look into his face. "Francis please tell me seeing you this way is just as upsetting to me," she gently coaxed.

He remained silent a few minutes more as if in deep thought the recollections falling into place before he cleared his throat and began. "Mattie Winslow. It was Mattie Winslow on the phone," he finally got out.

Again an uneasy silence fell between them as if Gage was trying to put the pieces together. Taking his hand Syd lead him to her chair at the window where he sat down and she curled into his lap. Laying her head against his chest she softly whispered, "It's all right Honey you can tell me. What ever it is we'll get through it together."

Gage stared out the window the memories flooding back to that horrific night so very long ago. With his eyes still fixed on the river below he began to speak as if relating the whole thing aloud to himself…

All day was freezing cold a light drizzle falling just enough to keep Julie and Gage inside and under foot of their Mom. Colleen Gage was busy trying to do Christmas baking and decorate the house so finally out of self defence she had sent Julie and her brother out to the workshop where their Dad was.

"Daddy Francis won't leave me alone he's sprinkling sawdust on me and Miss Puss," Julie cried out trying to shelter the calico cat from the raining sawdust that Gage was spreading like confetti over the two of them.

The eight year old quickly dropped the whole hand full of dust in a clump right in his sister's hair to thrust his hands out open wide to proclaim, "Am not. See I don't even have any in my hands."

"Francis come over here, sit down and leave Julie alone," his father commanded.

Gage could tell by the tone of his voice that his father meant business so he didn't hesitate to do as he was told. He gave a quick look over his shoulder where Julie was brushing the sawdust out of her hair and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Now Francis," his father re-enforced placing his hand firmly on his young son's shoulder. Turning to his daughter he addressed her, "Why don't you go back in the house and see if Mom could use a hand while Francis and I finish up out here."

"Okay Daddy," Julie had smiled adoringly at her father turning on her heel to go back into the house Miss Puss and all.

Turning back to his son he shook his head saying, "And with Christmas this close Santa is really paying close attention and yet you still torment your sister."

Gage's eyes had all ready fallen to the floor where he scuffed the toe of his shoe into dust.

"You do know better don't you?" his father continued.

"Yes Dad."

"And this isn't going to happen again?"

"No Dad."

"That's what I like to hear," his father smiled at the antics of his son. "Now come over here and give me a hand piling up this wood," he told the boy ruffling his hair at the same time.

Smiling Gage had readily agreed quickly going to work on neatly stacking that wood.

They had just about finished the task when his mother had appeared at the door. "Mathew," she had called out to his father. "Are you about ready to drive me to the church?" she asked.

"Yep Francis and I have just finished up here," he had lovingly answered her.

"I told Mattie Winslow we could pick her up on the way and her husband will give us a ride home that way you won't have to go out again tonight," she told him.

Mathew Gage had given a slight groan, the Winslows lived down 'Old Canyon Road', an old dirt road that lead to a dead end. Mattie and George with their three boys were the only ones that lived out there. With this weather the driving was going to be treacherous.

"Well we had better get a move on then," he had answered before turning to Francis. "Now remember your promise and try to get along with your sister until I get back," he warned as Gage nodded his head yes.

Julie was standing in the doorway too her mother catching sight of her called out, "That goes for you too Julie. You are the older one its up to you to take care of your little brother."

"Yes Mom," Julie begrudgingly agreed.

"I shouldn't be too long," Mathew Gage had called out opening the car door for his wife before hurrying around to his side.

Both children stood in the doorway waving good-bye as their father backed the car from the driveway never suspecting that would be the last time that they would ever see them.

"Oh Gage," Sydney murmured, she knew that Gage's parents had died in a car crash but he had never divulged any of the details of what had lead up to it. No wonder it had weighed heavy on him to hear Mattie Winslow's voice come across the phone line after all this time.

Clinging a little tighter to her Gage told Syd the rest of the story, how Mattie had come with the Sheriff to break the news to him and Julie. They had been on the way out to pick up Mattie but the car had hit a patch of ice and skidded out of control. Colleen and Mathew Gage had died instantly.

"I had a lot of hate for Mattie when I was younger," Gage confessed. "I always felt it was her fault that Mom and Dad had died. If she hadn't wanted a ride to the church… of course as I got older I came to realize that it was just fate. It didn't really matter Julie and I had lost touch with everyone from that time in ours lives by then."

They sat silently together again neither stirring, each in their own thoughts until Sydney asked, "What did Mattie want?"

"She wants to meet with me. She says she has something to tell me about my Mom and Dad's deaths," he blankly told her.

"Are you going to see what she wants?"

"Yeah in about an hour," Gage absently replied.

"Then we had better get a move on," Syd took charge untangling herself from his arms to go and get dressed.

"Sydney aren't you supposed to meet with your mother this morning?"

"That can wait Gage this is more important…" she started to say until catching his face, "Unless this is something you'd rather do alone."

"I'd like it very much if you were there," Gage simply stated his mother's smiling face materializing before his eyes. She ran her fingers through his hair felt her lips against his forehead… he opened his eyes realizing it was Sydney. Slowly he let go of her and she slid from his lap to pad to the closet to go about getting dressed.

Sitting in thought he wondered what Mattie Winslow could possibly have to tell him after all these years. With that thought in mind he too got up to head to the closet for clothes and to get dressed.

The Yellow Rose Outdoor Café

The partners had been sitting for forty-five minutes past the hour waiting for Mattie Winslow to appear, Gage gripped tightly to his third cup of coffee. "I should have known this was a waste time," he stormed.

"Gage lets give it a few minutes more," Sydney tried to sooth reaching out to take hold of his fingers and draw his hand into hers.

Squeezing her hand Gage remained silent turning his head to the street just in time to see a cab door open on the other side and Mattie Winslow step out. The woman was exactly as Gage remembered her a little older but still the short cropped hair and the stocky build.

"There she is," Gage told Syd letting her hand slip from his as he stood up to wave the woman over.

Catching sight of Gage Mattie looked from right to left before starting to cross the street. She stepped into the street getting half way across when suddenly out of no where a black van came barrelling down on her hitting the woman with enough force to send her flying into the air never stopping.

"Nooo," Gage shouted all ready running to where Mattie had landed. By the time he got to her side she was dead.

He could hear Syd on her phone all ready calling it in, "This is Ranger Cooke we need medical emergency people and I need you to run a make on a partial plate." Her voice fading into some sort of surreal dream as he stared down into Mattie Winslow's vacant face his mother's dying face somehow taking the place of Mattie's.

"You'll be all right, come on wake up, you can't die now," he crooned as if his words would make a difference and his mother would be with him again through this woman.

"Gage, Gage she's gone Honey," Syd had crouched beside him trying to pull him away from the woman he had once known.

Her voice brought him back to reality. He nodded his head mumbling to Mattie, "What was it you had to tell me? What were you going to tell me about my Mom and Dad?"

Back At Sydney And Gage's Townhouse

The door closed silently behind them Gage stopping to lean against it his eyes closing. Instinctively Syd stopped turning around to look at her fiancée, she smiled slightly going to him. "You all right Gage?" she asked slipping her arms around his waist, leaning back and looking into his face.

A momentary smile passed across his lips and he leaned down kissing her as he pulled her close. "Yeah I'm fine I don't know why I'm letting this get to me it was so long ago."

"You wouldn't be you if it wasn't bothering you," she smiled up at him.

He sighed deeply still holding her close. "I've got an idea might make you feel a little better," she grinned up at him.

Gage remained mute his hands loosely holding her his eyes staring off in the distance across the room. Pulling back she took hold of his hand to lead him to where the couch was giving him a little push so that he fell back on it. Lifting her leg she swung herself over him so she was straddling him her arms going round his neck.

"All right Gage we are getting married in just over forty-eight hours. I'm not saying that what's happened this morning is not important it's just I'm hoping we can set it aside until I'm Mrs. Francis Gage," she told him.

"You're absolutely right Syd, I'm sorry I'm being such a wet blanket here. Where were we this morning before all this started?" Gage questioned only to answer it himself. "I remember you were arguing with me that we didn't have time…"

"You almost had me convinced though that we always have time for that," Syd cut back in.

"I'm going to do more then convince you," Gage proclaimed. "I'm going to show you."

Before Syd had time to comment Gage's arms were around her and his lips on hers kissing her as only he could. She could feel her heart beating faster as her mouth opened giving him entrance the kiss deepening her grasp tightening, her want and desire smouldering. "Yes Gage always time," she murmured his lips caressing her neck sending chills of cravings through her, his hands clenching the bottom of her shirt to pull it over her head.

Tugging gently he pulled her free of her top appreciating her beauty once again his eyes coming to rest on the small bump that was her abdomen, the place their child lay safe until he or she would be born.

"What is it Gage?" she questioned.

"Nothing Hon I was just thinking about the baby and how truly amazing it is that our child is growing there," he told her the same time as his hand slid over her belly in a soft stroke.

Her smile grew wider as she held her hand over his the baby giving a small kick. "You feel that Syd?"

She shook her head yes answering with, "She's quite a little tigress."

"Yes he is a real tiger," Gage replied swooping her into another kiss before the argument could get started.

"Fran…cis," she moaned out her eyes closing and her head going back his kisses attacking her neck once again his hands unclasping her bra. She could feel him lifting her to lay her on the couch the sensations of his touch heightening her anticipation.

Leaning down Gage captured her nipple his teeth clamping down gingerly on the hard nub his tongue washing over the tip. Her back arched her body pushing up to him her center coveting for him.

Gage looked up to her face taking pleasure from her pleasure his hand meandering over her tummy catching in the top of her pants and pulling her free of both them and her panties.

"Umm Gage," she whimpered softly trying to reach for him wanting him as naked as he had her unable to succeed before his hand slipped between her legs sending her skyrocketing.

Again Gage smiled watching her his hand moving expertly over her, his fingers slipping in and out of her. He pounced once more on her breast sucking greedily on its nipple, teasing it for a moment with his tongue only to suckle it hard again until he heard Sydney's pleas. "Now Gage, please now."

Reluctantly letting go of her he quickly stripped away his own clothes to sit beside her on the couch. That was Syd's cue in an instant she was on him, pushing him back she grasped his hard cock first in her hands before engulfing him in her mouth.

"Syd," Gage shouted out to her but it fell on deaf ears Sydney not relenting for a moment. Now it was his turn to plea with her as he cried out, "Please Syd… let me have you."

Slowing she slid up his body to straddle him, to even more slowly lower herself on him, teasing him, enjoying every sensation their coupling brought to them, knowing full well the wild explosion they were both about to experience.

With a wild ecstatic crash of emotion they came filling each other to the fullest. Syd fell forward twisting slightly to her side letting Gage hold her close. "I always think this can't get any better Gage but it always does," she sighed feathering kisses on his chest.

"I know exactly what you mean Syd," Gage told her kissing the top of her head and hugging her close. The mornings goings on had slipped from his mind for now and he contently lay with his wife-to-be.

She hugged him too before beginning to untangle herself from him stating as she did, "This is really nice but my mother is going to be wondering what happened to me."

Kissing the top of her head once again Gage laughed slightly helping her to sit up just as the phone began to ring.

"See there she is now," Syd exclaimed reaching for her clothes as Gage reached for the phone.

"Hello," he absently said into the receiver watching Syd scurry into her clothes. "Yes this is Francis Gage."

"Francis, Francis its really you after all this time I've found you," a woman's voice at the other end of the line gushed out.

"I'm sorry you have me at a disadvantage," Gage began to say only to be cut off by the woman.

"Of course its been over twenty-five years I can't expect you to remember right away you and Julie were just children," she paused a moment as if trying to get up the nerve to continue. "Francis its me Mom."

"Who are you?" Gage's words were a low growl, "My mother and father died in a car wreck who are you and what do you want?"

"Francis I know this is hard to believe… I can't talk right now they're after me… I'll be in touch I won't loose you again," the woman cried the line going dead.

TBC.