Author's Note: Sorry about the long wait, RL sometimes gets too much handle, thanks to the blizzard in Pennsylvania and school closings I had time to write this chapter. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I appreciate the extra time. I also got a lot of people telling me Gage needs to be with Sydney…don't worry about it. Also for all you fans of damsel (Alex) in distress you'll be happy to know I decided to add a little. Please review! Have a good day.
Disclaimers still apply.
"Ranger Cooke. Ranger Cooke!" the doctor hollered, halting Sydney's train of thought. She refused to look him in the eye and see the look of pity across his face. She refuse to let herself cry, going to all means possible, including biting her tongue, to suppress her sob.
He took a few moments to scribble a few notes down in her patient file before closing it. He covered her back up with the blanket. "Do you want me to get your friends?" She nodded a reply, not trusting her voice. "Do you want me to inform them of your condition?" She shook her head. She didn't want her friends to know that she was disabled, but they'd find out sooner or later. She knew she had to be the one to tell them.
As soon as he was out of the claustrophobic room, Sydney reached over to the nightstand. She opened up the only drawer to see if there were tissues for her watering eyes. She was rewarded with two plastic hospital bags. She grabbed the first bag and dumped the contents out alongside of her. She found the sandpaper-like tissues along with lotion, baby powder, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and other various toiletries. She gathered up everything, but the tissues, and placed them back into the bag. As she placed the bag back into the drawer, she grabbed the other bag to investigate what was inside of that one.
She emptied out the bag in the same fashion. Her gun, badge, and few dollars fell onto her wrinkled blue jeans. She was also pleased to find her favorite black boots tumbling out of the large bag. The shirt she had been wearing had been discarded. She packed the boots, blue jeans, and the money back into the bag. She grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, trying desperately to regain her composure. She wanted to be her old self; to be able to walk. She grabbed her gun and badge; mesmerized by the shiny gold. The two items held within her hands gave her respect and a reminder of how much she had worked to become a Texas Ranger, and now she was about to lose the two objects that almost meant more to her then life itself. She could no longer bear to see her gun and badge any longer. She threw them into the drawer along with her box of tissues.
THE WAITING ROOM
The doctor approached the three smiling people. "You can see her now." As was requested of him, he kept his silence about Ranger Cooke's paralysis. He then excused himself by saying that he had other patients to see. He was relieved that he did not have to explain the situation to the small group.
As soon as the doctor left, Alex was the first person to break the silence. "Walker, tell Syd that I'll be there in a few minutes. I have to use the restroom." Alex didn't tell him what exactly she was going to do in the bathroom because she could just hear him, if she had told him what she was planning to do. She could just hear him say, 'don't interfere with other people's personal life,' but she had to help out her two best friends. Walker kissed her on the cheek and parted ways. Trivette and Walker started towards Sydney's room and Alex went the other way, toward the bathroom.
BATHROOM
As soon as Alex stepped foot into the sterile bathroom, she dug into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She pressed a few buttons and was instantly connected with Gage's cell phone.
"Gage, here," Gage replied over the static. He was driving around, trying to drive his recollection of earlier events away. He drove around Dallas debating whether or not he should go to the hospital to visit Sydney. He was close to the hospital, but unfortunately he also held his guilt close to his heart.
"Gage, it's Alex." Gage griped the steering wheel, turning his knuckles a ghostly white. Alex's voice contained concern and worry, which in turn, made Gage worried.
"Alex, is Syd okay?" Gage managed to putter out. He couldn't concentrate on the road. He quickly pulled off at the nearest gas station. He was worried about Syd's condition even though he did not visit.
"She's awake." She didn't want to lie but knew it may just work. "She really wants to see you." Alex was almost positive the Sydney wanted to see him, so it wasn't really lying.
"Alex, is she mad at me?" His voice got quiet. He would be truly surprised if she didn't hate him.
"Sydney still…" She was going to finish her sentence with 'loves you' if she had a chance.
Alex was unaware of the man who crept inside of the poorly decorated bathroom, until he grabbed her. He held her close to his body while he place the cloth, containing knockout drugs, to her nose. Her body went limp in his strong body. Her cell phone crashed to the floor.
That's when Gage heard a plunk. He knew he had not lost reception because he heard the door of the bathroom slam shut.
SYDNEY'S ROOM
"Hey kid," Trivette said. He took a seat beside Sydney. "I told you she'd be as good as new." If only he knew, she thought.
Walker kept watching her legs for any hint of movement. He finally made eye contact with her. Although he did not ask his question out loud, she could read it in his mind. Are you paralyzed, she read in his eyes. She ignored the babbling of Trivette's new investment ideas. She had to get rid of Trivette. She couldn't handle two pitiful glances at once. She wanted to hid away from the inevitable, but she could no longer run.
"Trivette can you get me some magazines and a newspaper or something." Walker took the hint from Sydney. She needed to talk to him and him alone. She was beginning to babble now.
"Sure, Syd." Trivette was off in a hurry, still oblivious to Sydney's paralysis.
Sydney reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her gun and badge. Walker took the gun and badge from her hand. She offered them to Walker. "I won't be needing these any longer," she said in disgust. "I can't be a ranger anymore because…" she choked the word out, "I'm paralyzed."
It was easy to see the look of torment across Sydney's strong face. He wanted to comfort her but he knew he couldn't. Anything he said could not change what happened and what was to come, but yet he still tried. "Sydney, there are desk jobs at head quarters."
"I can't. The only thing I ever wanted was to be a ranger. To protect and uphold justice. Ever since I was a little girl. If I go to work as a secretary." The looks of pity from her colleagues would kill her, she wanted to add. "I just can't work there anymore."
Walker walked to the other side of her and placed her gun and badge back on the nightstand. "I don't need these yet. You might walk again. You're strong." Where are you Alex? You're the one with the maternal instincts, Walker thought, you're the one whose good at all the cheer up talks, not me.
Trivette entered with a handful of magazines and various newspapers. "I didn't know what you wanted so I got you a variety." He sat down and started looking through a business magazine.
Walker's cell phone blared throughout the silent room. "Walker, someone has Alex." Gage said bluntly. Walker did think Alex was taking to long and Gage's theory would explain why. "She was talking to me then, it sounded as if her phone fell, then the door closed. I'll be there as soon as I can." Gage hung up.
"Come on Trivette." Without questions Trivette followed out the door. Both left without so much of a goodbye.
"What are we looking for, Walker?" Trivette asked walking briskly behind Walker, the business magazine still in hand.
"We're looking for Alex. That was Gage and he said Alex called him then he thinks she dropped her cell phone." They reached the ladies bathroom. Walker pounded on the door to announce his arrival. When he pushed the door open he was greeted by the cell phone lying on the tiled floor.
Trivette dropped the magazine as soon as he recognized the cell phone resting on the blue tiles.
It was easy for the kidnapper to get her out of the hospital. He was dressed like any other orderly, all in blue scrubs. A gurney was placed outside of the door. He easily lifted Alex onto the gurney and covered her with a white sheet, a common practice on the ICU floor after a person expired. He pushed her towards the elevator. He was glad that no one occupied the elevator. The elevator slowly descended toward the basement. He parked the gurney outside the elevator door and carried Alex's lifeless body to his van. He opened up the back of his van and threw Alex inside. He grabbed the duck tape, which was sitting close to the door, and began to bind her feet together, then her wrists, and finished with her mouth.
"Take her to the cabin if I don't come back in fifteen minutes," he commanded the woman in the driver's seat. "I have unfinished business to take care of." He was off again and back into the building. He rode the elevator back to the ICU with his hand in his coat pocket, gripping his hand gun.
A smile snuck on his face when he saw Walker pacing and talking on his cell phone, obviously giving commands to other rangers. He easily slipped into Sydney's room.
When Sydney first saw the large man, she thought she was going to be sent off to get her tests, then she noticed the gun in his hands. She instantly compared herself to a broken down horse who was going to be put out of her misery. Even though she was paralyzed she wasn't going to go down without a fight. She was trying to think of how to get out of her situation. Then she remembered her gun. She took a quick glance and realized how far away it was. She could not reach it from where she was at.
"I know you're paralyzed. Don't worry I'll make sure you're last moments are pleasurable, even though my brother died painfully because of you. You're the one who got him shot." He casually walked closer to her bed. She knew she had to at least try to save herself. She grabbed the edge of her bed and inched herself closer to the nightstand. Occasionally she'd reach out for her gun, but still she was inches short. The man laughed manically. He just stood there watching Sydney wailing on the bed trying to reach her gun.
She kept grabbing at her gun and still she was too short. She inched herself further until she fell. The nightstand toppled over from the impact of Sydney's forehead against the corner of the nightstand. Her gun bounced off the wall as it fell then skidded underneath her bed.
Her head ached, yet she still trudged on. The floor was cold. She was cold. The skimpy robe did nothing to keep her warm. Despite the fact that she was so very cold, she still kept stretching for her gun. She felt blood dripping from her forehead, flowing down her cheek, just like her tears did previously. She could see the gun. It was close, so close, she felt it teasing her. I'm right here. Just grab. You could if you can walk, it tormented. The hysterical laughing continued. The room was spinning.
She heard the gunshot. The air was heavy with the scent of freshly burn gun powder. The room spun faster yet until she fell into unconsciousness.