Title: Without Movement
Disclaimer: I don't own the series or characters, although I'd like to have Gage, oops, I said to much. All those big companies get to
own'em all. I'm also not doing it for money.
Synopsis: A drug and gun bust gone bad. A ranger is feeling guilty and remorseful.
PLEASE REVIEW. I LIKE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM!
Rated: PG-13
"Sydney and Gage. You guys go around back and Trivette and I will come through the front," Walker said.
The four rangers split up into their two assigned groups. Walker and Trivette proceeded towards the front and waited enough time for Cooke and Gage to reach their destination, the back loading dock. Almost at the same exact time the Texas rangers shouted out their arrival.
Walker and Trivette easily subdued their criminals. Sydney and Gage broke apart from each other to capture the fleeing felons. Gage took out a gruff looking man with soaring tackle. He stood with his gun outward just in case of an ambush. He crept along slowly, his eyes swept along the scenery.
Sydney took out her guy with a round house kick straight to the face, knocking him unconscious. She drew her weapon and saw Gage's head peeking above a shipping crate. She made her way towards him, going very slowly and checking behind her shoulder.
She directed her view towards the second level. She thought she saw movement. Her fears were confirmed when she could see the glinting gleam from the metal of a small hand gun. She darted through boxes and saw Gage, who was oblivious of the hidden shooter. Ranger Cooke saw the gunman aim his gun, his finger on the trigger. She quickly realized that she could not shoot him in time to protect her partner.
She ran at full speed and leaped in the air taking Gage to the floor with her. The shoot rang through out the warehouse, catching Trivette's and Walker's attention. Her gun flew out of her hands and skidded to a halt.
Walker and Trivette quickly tied up the men who were caught and rapidly went toward the sound. They heard the sounds of quick footsteps coming from above. Walker pulled the trigger on his gun and the convict drop dead before he landed to the cold steel flooring.
"Syd, I guess you fell hard for me. And you said you didn't like me like that! Just like when you said that kiss was because you were happy." Gage said playfully. He enjoyed holding her body in his arms so close to him. After a few minutes he wondered why she hadn't tried to get up yet.
"Gage," she coughed out. "I love you." She flash him a quick smile. She coughed a few more times before meeting total darkness.
Gage shook her, trying to wake her up. He place his hand on her lower back when he found a thick sticky liquid. He placed his hand close to his face and he could see a dark red liquid dripping from his hand. He quickly placed his hand to his face. He knew what it was before he saw it. It was her blood. He gently moved from underneath her and placed her on her stomach.
"Walker, call 9-1-1 NOW!" Gage yelled at the top of his lungs. He placed two fingers onto her neck and felt the her weak pulse. He took his shirt off, folded it up, and then placed it on her back. His once gray shirt was damp and darker from the blood that was seeping from the wound on Sydney's back.
Gage heard Trivette's voice asking for an ambulance. He heard two pairs of speedy footsteps pounding the pavement behind him. He just didn't seem to think that anyone was behind him because of shock. He was stunned at what happened to his partner and friend. He could've been at Wal-Mart on a Saturday afternoon and still be oblivious to all the people.
Walker and Trivette gave Gage space. They couldn't do anything more than Gage was already doing. Gage checked her pulse once again and realized that it was getting weaker.
"Shorty, the ambulance is on the way. You'll be fine. You'll be up in no time," Gage whispered into the young female ranger's ear.
Walker and Trivette went to the front of the building to meet the EMTs. They quickly returned with two more people and a stretcher. The two EMTs carefully loaded Sydney into the ambulance. Gage followed closely behind the ambulance to the hospital. He prayed the entire time hoping that she was still alive.
Walker took out his cell phone and dialed his wife's office number.
"Assistant District Attorney Alex Cayhill-Walker," answered the attorney. Walker could sense the fear in her voice. It was like he could read her troubled voice. She knew about what was going down today with the drug and gun smuggling bust and she knew it would be very dangerous, as was everything else Walker did.
"Honey," Walker began. She heard her sigh with relief. He hated to tell her what happened to Sydney because they are close friends. "Sydney was shot." At that moment he realized how bad it was. Sydney was like his daughter. He tried to protect her, but this time he couldn't and he felt horrible about it.
"Oh my God. Walker, is she…?" Alex stopped. She couldn't say the word she needed to know about. She couldn't ask if Sydney was dead. "Walker, is she…okay?"
"I don't know. She's being taken to the hospital right now," he paused taking a few minutes to decide whether to tell her. He decided to tell her. "Alex, I don't know if she's going to make it."
He heard his wife trying to stifle her crying. "I'll be over to the hospital as soon as I can. I love you."
"I love you, too. Be careful." Walker ended his call and placed his cell phone back in his pocket. He went outside to meet up with Trivette. The cops had come already to pick up the offenders. Trivette and Walker hopped into Walker's big silver truck and proceeded to United Methodist Hospital.
AT HOSPITAL
Gage was hounding any doctor or nurse that went past. Still no one gave him any information. The only thing he got from a nurse was a scrub shirt to replace the shirt he had taken off to help stop the bleeding from Sydney's back wound. He asked well over a dozen people if his partner was ok…and everyone replied that they would tell him soon. But soon wasn't quick enough to him. He need an answer now.
Walker and Trivette showed up at the hospital followed by Alex. The four reunited in the waiting room. All waiting nervously for a report on Sydney.
Trivette, who was actually quiet for once in his life, sat on a wooden chair. He was hunched over twiddling his thumbs and imagining what was going on with Sydney. His stomach flopped in anguish. He wanted to be gone of this place and have a drink with all his friends, including a healthy Sydney, at CD's. He just wished that CD was still alive to give everyone words of hope and a little bit of humor to give a little ease to everybody.
Walker sat on a loveseat holding Alex. Alex sat sobbing, her head resting on his strong shoulder. Walker was frustrated since he had no idea what was happening to Sydney or even if she was still alive. He shuddered to think of Sydney being gone. Sydney was like a daughter the older and more experienced Ranger.
Alex's head was in the clouds. She kept praying to God that Sydney would be spared and back to work in no time, doing what she loved best, arresting criminals.
Gage couldn't sit. He needed to do something. He paced the room, carrying a glazed look over his face. His mind was still on Syd's last words. "I love you, Gage." Those four words rang throughout his mind. He clenched his fists at his side and cursed God and the man who shot her. Blaming both for the unfortunate event that took place. He then quit blaming God and started criticizing himself as a ranger. He realized if he had just paid more attention this would have never happened.
The silence was getting to Trivette. He stood up and asked everybody if they wanted something from the vending machine, that was located down the hallway.
"Alex, please talk to Gage. He's taking it hard," Walker whispered into his wife's ear. She responded with a nod. "Trivette, I'm going to go with you." The two men left, leaving the spacious room to Alex and Gage.
"Gage, why don't you sit down," Alex said interrupting the young ranger's thoughts. She slid over leaving more room for the ranger to sit next to her. She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and tried to gain more of her normal composure.
Gage took a seat and stared at his hands. "Alex, it's my fault she's here. How am I suppose to protect other people if I can't protect my partner," He blared. He quietly added, "or myself."
Alex was taken off guard. She wondered what he meant when he said that he couldn't protect himself. "Gage, it's nobody's fault except the man who shot her." She gently placed her arm around his neck trying to comfort him.
"God-damn-it, Alex. I was there. I'm her partner. Why did she have to take the bullet for me. Now she could be dead because of my stupidness. I should've been dead. I should've been able to watch her back and my own." He chewed on his lip and tried to stop the tears threatening to escape from his eyes.
It dawned on Alex. Sydney took the bullet for Gage. She knew Gage was feeling twice as bad as herself. She couldn't imagine how much guilt he must be feeling. She felt so sorry for him.
Alex gave Gage a warm hug. "Gage, she'll be fine. She's strong." She tried so hard to believe herself, but she had no idea how bad the situation and if Sydney would really be fine. It doesn't matter how strong you were, a gunshot could kill you, if it hit just the right spot.
Gage sprung out of the loveseat. He pursed his lips. "You didn't see her! She's not okay! She was shot!" He yelled, getting Alex's attention very quick. As fast as he got loud he got as soft. "God. Alex, if she dies I don't know what I'll do. I love her so much."
Alex was not the least bit surprised with the last information that Gage had shared with her. It was her woman's intuition that spoke to her when she saw Gage and Sydney in the same room. It was obvious that Gage liked Sydney and she was almost positive that Syd like him back. She wish she could take away Gage's pain about losing the woman he cared deeply about, but she had no clue on how to console him.
VENDING MACHINE
"Walker, I'm worried about Gage," Trivette stated. He pulled out a few coins and placed them in the coin slot on the vending machine. He pressed 'A' then '3'. He was rewarded with a small bag of barbeque chips.
Walker leaned back, being supported by he wall. He closed his eyes then decided to respond. "I'm worried about him too," he agreed. "I think there's to Gage and Sydney then just friends."
"I got that impression too. So, do you want something?" Walker shook his head, indicating he wasn't in the mood to eat. "Do you think it's safe to go back?" Walker gave him a confused look. He said nothing to him about his ulterior motive about joining his friend. "Do you think Alex is done talking to Gage or should we wait a few minutes?"
"Let's go. Hopefully the doctor will be there." The two took off and started briskly walking to the waiting room.
When Gage saw Walker and Trivette enter the room he was flushed with embarrassment. He hated to let anyone see him like the way he was at that very moment, let alone his boss. He had to get out of the suffocating room. He removed himself from the blue loveseat and was about to go out into the hallway until he was stopped by a doctor.
"Are you all here for Ranger Cooke?" The white-haired doctor asked. The four occupants of the room could just nod in response, anticipating the news. "Will you all come to my office, please?"
Walker wondered why the doctor didn't tell them the news in the empty, but easily seen room. Then he realized that it must be bad new if they were going to find privacy in the doctor's office. He just prayed that she wasn't dead, but then again he had a feeling she was dead or close to.
To Be Continued…