Title: A stranger's opinion

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger".

This chapter takes place a month after chapter 23 when Edna Todd disappeared. This is the last chapter of "A stranger's opinion" and I'd like to thank you for reading my story. I might write another one about Rebecca in the future and I hope you'll read it and let me know what you think.

Sydney exited the court room with a sense of relief in her heart. After the judge had seen proof that she was Becky's mother he had been more than willing to grant Sydney custody of her daughter.

Ever since Sydney and Gage had decided to move in together two weeks ago Becky had gotten even closer to Gage and the judge considered that a good. He thought it was a good thing that Sydney wasn't going to raise her daughter by herself.

Alex, Walker, Trivette and Becky were sitting on a bench, waiting for them to come out. The adults looked up as the two Rangers approached them. Becky rushed over and gave her mother a big hug.

"How did it go?" asked Walker.

Gage and Sydney both smiled at him. "Fine, we can take her home with us again now. Everything is set and Johnny is to have nothing to do with her ever again." She looked at her young daughter. "Unless she herself wants to see him in the future, when she's older, of course."

"Congratulations Sydney, you too Gage." Trivette said and shook both friends' hands. "And to you too, Becky."

Sydney felt her daughter tugging on her sleeve to get her attention. "Can we go home now, mommy?" the little girl asked and took a bite of the ice-cream she which was slowly melting in her hand.

"Sure, sweetie. Now we can go home." She answered. Gage lifted Becky into his arms and let her ride on his shoulders the rest of the way to the car which was greatly appreciated.

Later that evening:

"What do you think of this one?" Sydney asked and pointed at a text that described a school not far from where they lived. "It's a nice school; I visited it once on a case."

Gage took a look at it and nodded. "Yeah, it seems great. But it's really not up to me, honey."

Sydney shook her head and took his hand. "Yes it is. I want you to be a part of her life...and mine. If you're gonna help me raise her then we should decide these things together."

He gave her a soft kiss on the lips and leaned back on the couch. Sydney yawned and did the same. She was exhausted after the day's events and just felt like following her daughter's example and go to sleep. It felt so good to know that her little girl was asleep in the bedroom and that she was going to be living with her for the next ten years or so, and there was nothing Johnny could do about it. She had her family back, and had no intention of losing them again.

Becky would be starting school again in three weeks, but not the same one she had gone to before. They had asked her if she wanted to go back to her old one and she had said no, said that she hadn't really made any real friends there any way. Sydney hoped that would change this time, in her new school. But Sydney and Gage both knew that they couldn't live in her apartment for ever, it was not big enough for the three of them. Becky needed a room of her own and the only way she could get that was if they moved to another apartment that was a bit bigger.

Lately Becky had had time to meet Gage's sister Julie, Sydney's parents and Sylvia again. She had gotten along with them all, like she usually did with new people and they had all loved her as well. Her new grandmother had played with her for over two hours in the park and then taken her out for ice-cream.

For the first time Becky felt like she belonged some where, and with the people she was with and their friends and family. It was only a week till Christmas and she was so excited to be spending it with her family. Gage and her mother had invited the Rangers and Alex, Julie, Sylvia and her grandparents over for Christmas Eve and she had been talking about it for the past week, wishing Christmas would come fast. Her mother kept telling her Christmas was getting closer and closer and every night she would read stories about Santa Clause and Christmas to her before bed time. According to Becky that was the best part of the day.

"Mommy! Where are you?!"

Sydney opened her eyes as she heard the girl's sleepy voice from the bedroom. She had dozed off and had a weird dream about getting married. She looked at Gage who was asleep next to her on the couch and smiled.

"Mommy!"

"I'm coming!" she got up and walked into the bedroom and found her daughter sitting up in bed.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Did you have another nightmare?"

Becky nodded and let the tears come running down her face as she sobbed. "I saw HIM, my da...Johnny." she cried. Sydney moved closer and took the girl in her arms and started rocking her back and forth, just letting her cry. "I'm scared, mommy." She sniffled.

"Of what? There is nothing to be afraid of, I promise." She helped Becky lie down under the covers again and then lay down beside her. "Tell me what you're afraid of and maybe I can help you."

The girl was quiet a while and Sydney waited patiently for her to start. "If I do tell you, promise you won't laugh." She said and wiped the tears away with her sleeve.

"Honey, of course I won't. Go on."

"He's coming for me... Johnny. I think he wants to kill me, and you and Gage too." She said in a shaky voice and reached for her mother. Sydney took the little girl in her arms and hugged her. They stayed that way for a while and Sydney said nothing. This didn't come as a surprise to her, she had actually been expecting it for quite some time considering Becky's nightmares and how little she had spoken of her father.

"I know you're scared, but you don't have to be. I promise he's not going to get a chance to hurt you or any one else. I won't let him and neither will Gage or Walker, Trivette or Alex." She assured her daughter and gently kissed her on the top of her head.

Becky looked up at her mother "But what if he escapes from prison and comes here? What if he tries to take you away from me again?" she cried.

Sydney wanted nothing more than to make the pain and fear her daughter was feeling go away but she wasn't sure what she could do except hold her and try to convince her that her fears wasn't going to become a reality. She spent the rest of the night doing just that, and when the morning came she had succeeded, Becky was fully convinced she was safe and that there was no way for her father to escape from jail, and if he ever was released they would be the firsts to know.

Christmas Eve:

Everything was ready. The Christmas tree had been decorated with all kinds of beautiful things, the living room had red curtains with little reindeers on and they had put up an extra large table in the living room so that all their guests could sit at the same table at Christmas dinner.

Becky stood in the centre of the room, and it seemed like everywhere she looked there was a little Santa clause or a beautiful white angel or something else that her mom and Gage had put up for Christmas. This was the first time things had really felt like Christmas in her home at this time of year, and she loved it.

Alex and Walker entered the room and sat down at the table. "Becky!" her mother called as she also appeared at the door. "You go ahead and sit down with the others and Sylvia and I will be right in with the food, okay?"

"Sure." She walked over to Alex. "Can I sit next to you?" she asked with pleading eyes and an innocent smile.

"Alright, but don't think that I don't know that the only reason you insist on sitting next to me is so you can steal the leftovers of my desert." She said with a smile. "But since it's Christmas you can have mine."

The girl's face lit up. "Thanks, Alex."

When everybody were seated at the table Sydney stood up and took the time that she needed to look at each person and think about how much she appreciated him or her presence. This was her first Christmas with a complete life.

"Merry Christmas."

The End