Friends : New & Old

Chapter 3 - Dinner and Talk

5:09p.m. Saturday May 11, 2002

Ranger Headquarters

"OK, I'm done," Sydney said closing the file folder in front of her and putting the cap back on her pen.

Gage did the same replying, "Me, too."

"Let's get out of here," Sydney said getting her things ready to go.

Gage agreed grabbing his things and following Sydney out the door, calling to Walker behind him, "See ya Monday, Walker."

Once in the parking garage, Sydney told Gage, "I've got to go home and get ready for tonight, but if you want to go home and change, you can pick me up as soon as you are ready."

"I'll be there in about twenty minutes," Gage told her as he got in his car and speed off.

Sydney stood there staring at his car until she could no longer see it. 'I know something is going on with him, I just don't know what it is yet,' She thought.

5:31p.m. Saturday May 11, 2002

Sydney's House

Sydney had just gotten out of the shower when she heard the door bell. She quickly pulled on her robe and went to answer the door. She opened it, not at all surprised to see Gage standing there. "Hi," She said walking away from the door leaving it open. "Make your self at home. I'm almost ready." She walked into her room to get ready.

Gage came in and shut the door behind him. He went in the kitchen and grabbed a coke from the refrigerator. He went back in the living room and sat down on the sofa, calling out to Sydney hoping she could hear him, "So Syd, who really is this Nick?"

From her bedroom, Sydney called back, "I already told you. He is a very old, very close friend of mine."

"Yeah right," Gage muttered under his breath. He knew there was something she wasn't telling him. "How close?" He asked.

"We practically grew up together. His family and mine were close until my family moved to Houston. I was his friend more than any of his other siblings even though I was closer in age to a couple of his sisters. Nicholas and I have a lot in common. Also, he kind of had a little sister in Lindsey. He being the youngest, he always wanted a younger sibling. He got one with Lindsey."

"Just how many sisters does Nick have?"

"He is the youngest of seven kids. Five girls, then a brother, then him."

"Sounds like someone put too much miracle grow in his Mom's Wheaties."

"Gage, be nice," Sydney scolded as she walked out of her room completely ready.

'Wow,' Gage thought as he saw her. Gage always thought Sydney looked beautiful but when she dressed up for their weekly dinners, he thought she looked especially gorgeous. When they first started their dinners, almost a year ago now, he had to agree not to think of them as dates. Eventually he found out why Sydney had wanted to do this. Evidently, just like other girls, she like to dress up and go out. Not that he doubted that mind you, but he was shocked that she admitted it. Not surprisingly however, no matter how many guys asked her out, and even when she agreed, they usually didn't go past the first date-or when they found out her occupation-which ever came first. With him it was different, when girls found out what he did, they thought it was wonderful. When guys Sydney was trying to date found out she was a Texas Ranger, they found it intimidating.

"Gage, did you hear me?" Sydney asked snapping him out of his train of thoughts.

"Yeah, 'Be nice.'"

"Exactly, so will you?"

'For you, anything,' Gage thought. "Sure," He replied.

"Thanks," Sydney said walking out the front door. "You coming?"

"Yeah, yeah," Gage said setting down his half-empty coke and followed her out the door.

6:52p.m. Saturday May 11, 2002

Pasados

After Sydney and Gage had left her apartment, they went to go run some errands then headed to the restaurant. Once they got there, Sydney went inside and headed toward the hostess. "Table for four, please, non-smoking."

"Of course, right this way, please," The hostess replied. Sydney followed her and was followed by Gage.

Once they reached the table, the hostess told them, "Your waitress will be right with you."

"Thank you," Sydney replied. "Although, there is no hurry. The rest of our party isn't here yet. They should be shortly."

"Of course, when they come in I will let them know you are here," The hostess said.

"Thank you, my name is Sydney Cooke," Sydney told her. The hostess nodded her head and walked off.

Gage looked at her, "You're really happy aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious? I just missed him so much, but after I moved, we kind of fell apart. The circumstances were just so bad at the time."

"I see. You mentioned earlier that his sisters were closer to you're age. How much younger is he?"

"Four years younger."

"Oh," Gage replied. Just then he saw Nick and Sara walk up.

"Sydney," Nick said trying to get Sydney's attention.

Sydney head shot straight up, and she stood up as she saw Nick, "Oh, Nicholas, good you're here."

"Have I ever broken a promise to you?" He asked as he walked closer to the table with Sara right beside him.

"Anyway, Nicholas, Sara, you remember Gage?" Sydney asked as she motioned in Gage's direction.

"Yes, of course," Nick replied as he shook Gage's hand. Then he kissed Sydney's cheek and pulled out her chair for her sit down in.

Gage was getting extremely jealous and very mad at Nick. 'I'm going to ring his neck!' Gage thought.

"Thanks Nicholas," Sydney told Nick. He just nodded then pulled out a chair for Sara.

"Yeah thanks, Nicky." Sara told him.

The waitress walked over toward the table, "Are you ready to order?" They all placed their orders and the waitress walked off.

"So, Sydney," Sara began, "What was Nick like as a kid? I mean if I don't get something on him before I leave, Warrick will kill me."

"Oh come on Sara. I thought we would get at least our meal before we would get into all that," Nick told her.

"Nicky you know it had to be asked. So why not get it over with now?" Nick just smirked at her, and Sara did the same back. "Sydney?"

"I would be extremely happy to tell you. But first, who is War . . . ?" Sydney asked.

"Warrick?" Sara supplied, to which Sydney nodded yes. "We work with him. Along with Catherine and Grissom, and now Greg. Warrick is also a close friend of ours." Sara answered.

"Oh. OK, now what shall I tell you about Nicholas?" Sydney began, "Well, believe it or not he was pretty shy when he was really young, up until about age seven. Then all of a sudden he became a daredevil and bold and way too outspoken. . ."

Gage had started to tune Sydney out, wanting to keep his anger under control. 'I need to be nice, for Syd's sake,' Gage thought.

". . . was priceless." Sydney concluded.

"We always wondered where he got his Texas charm." Sara spoke somewhat softly.

"Texas Charm?" Sydney asked.

"That is the term those at the lab use, I have no idea where it came from or why they say that," Nick said raising his hands as if in protest.

"Yeah right," Sara commented.

The waitress came back with their food and they began to eat. A couple of minutes later Sara spoke up again, "I am sorry but I have been dying to ask you this Sydney. Why do you call Nick, Nicholas?"

Sydney let out a small laugh then told Sara, "I really don't remember why exactly, but when I was little I started calling everyone by their full first name. I thought a person should go by the name their parents gave them. I realized not everyone thought that so I didn't really care if no one else did this to others as long as they called me 'Sydney'."

"Oh, how interesting." Sara replied.

"Yeah, she wouldn't hesitate to kick a person's butt if they called her absolutely anything but Sydney." Nick said.

"Like I said that was a long time ago, when I was a kid," Sydney replied.

"So I take you don't care anymore?" Nick asked.

"Oh, I care, but from some people I don't mind." Sydney told him.

Gage thought smiling, 'I call her 'Syd'.'

"Like who? Does big, bad Miss Texas Ranger have a boyfriend?" Nick teased her. Gage only wished it was so, but her next comment made him think.

"NO! Now cool it Stokes, you know what I am capable of," Sydney replied.

"OK, OK, I surrender." Nick told her trying very hard to keep from laughing. Several minutes passed as they continued to eat. "Gage you have been awfully quiet. I haven't heard from Sydney in seven years. So tell me, is she still the rough and tough show no emotions Sydney I used to know?" Nick asked. He saw Gage glance over at Sydney she avoided his eye.

"Well, like she said before she still is really tough and strong. I don't know about showing no emotions. Sure she tries not to let things affect her, but it's better that way in our line of work. You have care, but you can't let it affect you." Gage said.

'Exactly. Thanks Gage, really,' Sydney thought.

"Nick if you really want to know then you would have to talk to Alex. They are pretty close," Gage told Nick.

"Deal," Nick replied.

"Nicholas, is your mom still a public defender?" Sydney asked.

"Yeah, I am surprised that you don't know that. I mean she's still in Dallas so I am shocked with all the 'bad guys' you bring in, you haven't had to testify in one of her cases," Nick said.

"I am sure Nick's mom is really smart, she probably knew she couldn't defend any one Sydney brought in. She only brings them in if they're guilty. Then there's conflict of interest," Gage replied.

"Yeah," Sydney said. Not telling them the real reason she had yet to talk to Mrs. Stokes.

They finished off their meal and the waitress came back and took their plates and came back to offer dessert. "How many sophapias will it be tonight?" She asked.

"I would love one, thank you," Gage told her.

"Me too," Sydney said.

"Me three," Nick said. Then he continued, "Sara?"

"What is it?" Sara asked.

"She'll have one also," Nick told the waitress and she left.

"Nick?" Sara asked.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"What is a sofa . . . ?" Sara began.

"Sophapia?" He supplied. She nodded her head yes. "It is really good. I promise. You'll love it."

Within a few moments the waitress came back and gave them each a fresh, fluffy sophapia. The sophapia was kind of like a tortilla, fried, that looks like a balloon that has been blown up. There was a huge whole in the middle in which to put, preferably, honey in. The outside was covered with cinnamon sugar. It was really soft and chewy. "Enjoy!" she said.

"Thanks," Nick said as he grabbed the container of honey on the table and began to work on 'doctoring up' Sara's sophapia.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Patience," He told her as he finished hers and began on his. When he finished he handed the honey to Sydney. "Now Sara just eat it."

"It's not going to poison me?" Sara asked and Nick shock his head no. "There is no meat in it?"

"Sara just eat it. And I would never do either of those things to you." Nick said with a smile.

Sara took a small bite out of the sophapia and then a bigger one. "WOW! This really is good," She told them. Gage and Sydney watched the scene with amusement thinking how could anyone be thirty-something years old and not have a sophapia? Gage, Sydney, and Nick all laughed at Sara's reaction.

After the four of them had finished with dessert, the girls went to the restroom and the waitress came back with the bill. Gage took it and got his billfold out of his back pocket. "I'll take care of it," Nick said.

"No that's OK, we invited you," Gage replied.

"Then at least tell me how much for mine and Sara's meal," Nick told him.

"Fine," Gage said as he gave him the total. They gathered up the rest of their things and headed to the front and they each paid the bill. The girls came back out of the restroom and met the boys outside by the vehicles.

Nick gave Sydney a big hug, then asked her, "Do you have anytime off before Thursday?"

"Tomorrow, and every weekday night unless something comes up. Why?" Sydney said.

"Well tomorrow Sara and I have plans. On Monday night we are going over to my parents' house. Dad's in Austin so it'll just be the three of us. She is cooking one of her famous home-cooked meals. Anyway I was wondering if you wanted to come along." Nick explained.

"Are you sure? I mean I know you probably haven't seen your mom in a while." Sydney asked. Thinking that she was not sure whether she wanted to go or not.

"Of course I'm sure," Nick said.

"OK, then. I haven't seen your mom since . . ." Sydney started.

"I know, so how early can you get off?" Nick said, not wanting to get into the past right now.

Glad he stopped her in mid-sentence she asked, "How early are you leaving?"

"I thought around three, but you can meet us at the house later." He told her.

"I am sure I can get off at three. Monday all I have to do is a lot of paperwork. I am fast at that anyway. Gage will cover for me, won't you?" She asked turning toward Gage who was behind her.

"Sure," Gage replied, knowing he did not really have to much of a choice if he wanted to stay on her good side.

"Great," Sydney said turning back to face Nick and giving him one last hug. "Can you pick me up at the courthouse on Monday? I don't think I can get to your parents' home without getting lost. I haven't been there in forever."

"Absolutely," He told her. "Bye!"

"Bye!" Sydney replied.

"Bye." Gage said.

"Goodbye!" Sara told them.

Sara and Nick got in the SUV and Sydney and Gage got in his car and everyone drove off.

9:27p.m. Saturday May 11

Sydney's House

Gage pulled up to Sydney's house and cut the engine. They always switched off who paid, or cooked, for dinner and that person got to pick out the movie. Gage had a movie in his back seat that he was wanting to watch, but after dinner with Nick, he was not in the mood. "Listen, Syd."

Sydney was opening the car door when she stopped and turned to look at him. "What?"

"I have the movie in the back if you want to take it and watch it. I don't feel so good, so I think I'm going to go straight home." Gage did not tell her he felt fine physically, but emotionally he was a wreck.

"Are you OK?" Sydney asked.

"I'll be, I just need to go home."

"Can you make it?"

"Yeah."

"OK," Sydney said hesitantly.

"I'm positive."

"Fine, I'll see you Monday. You want the video?"

"No, that's OK. Bye." Sydney got out of the car thinking something was seriously wrong. She did not mention that she never saw a movie anymore without him by her side. She knew her feelings were changed toward him then when they first became friends, but she would never do anything about it.

Gage made sure she entered her apartment safely then drove off saying, "I will love you forever Syd," Just like he always did after he left her every Saturday.

Back inside, Sydney walk in her living room and saw the coke on the coffee table that Gage had left there before the headed to the restaurant. She picked it up and went into the kitchen to pour the remaining contents in the sink before trashing the can. She smiled thinking how wonderful it felt to know that Gage felt at home at her house. 'Woah, where did that thought come from?' She asked herself. Then she realized she knew exactly where it came from.

To Be Continued . . .