Disclaimer: I own nada except for the idea and the nieces :-)
Summary: Most of Dallas is in a blackout during a major thunderstorm. Sydney goes into labor while working a little overtime to finish a case and Gage is there helping her. This is a 'continuation' of Extended Family.
One Hell of a Storm Chapter One
The mid-august sun rose to greet a new day. Gage was already up, returning to the house from his jogging. In the distance, he could see grey clouds and knew they might get some much needed rain. It had been a scorching summer, and he recalled Sydney being very uncomfortable throughout the last month. Her mixture of being pregnant and the heat caused her to be uncomfortable. He felt pity for her, but never told her, and kept her as comfortable as he could possibly have.
Sydney was still in bed when he entered their bedroom. He passed his nieces in the living room watching morning cartoons on his way to the bedroom.
"Good morning beautiful," he greeted her as he sat next to her and ran his hand over her bare arm up to her shoulder, gently waking her. A moment of silence passed but Gage knew she was waking up.
"Beautiful?" she mumbled the word as a question, her eyes still closed. "You must be blind."
"Only blind with love," Gage remarked, leaning down to kiss her gently and lovingly on the corner of her lips.
Sydney finally opened her sleepy eyes and stretched as much as possibly was comfortable to her. Gage smiled and rested one hand on her pregnant belly, caressing it lightly. She smiled back at him.
"I'm going to shower and when I am finished, I expect you to be up," he told her. "Walker wants us to be at work by 8:30. Plus today is your last day at work since Walker told you that you have to go on maternity leave."
"Yeah, yeah," Sydney mumbled dryly. Sydney didn't want to leave work until she had the baby. Though, for the past 3 months, she was assigned to desk duty only, she still enjoyed hearing about the fun and action the senior rangers and her partner had. Walker forced her to make today her last day, so she could "take it easy" until the baby was due, which the scheduled day of delivery was mid September, a month away.
Gage kissed her forehead softly and stood up, stripping off his sweaty clothes on the way to the master bathroom. There were just some mornings Sydney hated her husband. She had a hard time getting to sleep with her 35 week bulge and he had to wake her up, feeling like she only had minutes of sleep instead of a few hours. Her OB/GYN informed her that she was actually carrying small for an average woman that was the same time along. That was when she suspected her child would be a girl. If she was carrying big, she would suspect it would be a boy. She didn't know for sure, but she still had her suspension. She made a small grunting sound as she sat up and then stood. She donned her robe as she heard the shower start up and headed downstairs to fix the girls their breakfast.
When Cheyana saw her aunt, she got up for the floor and went to hug her. "How are you feeling this morning?" she questioned, like every morning for the past couple weeks.
"I'm fine, sweetie," Sydney informed, planting a light kiss on the eight year old's crown and smiling. "What would you like for breakfast?"
"Trix cereal," Chey replied as she went and grabbed her sister so she can also eat. They took their seats at the table.
"Would you like Trix?" Sydney signed to Lily her nodded her head 'yes'.
Sydney poured two small bowls of Trix with milk and sat it down in front of the girls and gave them spoons.
"Are we going to the H.O.P.E. Center again?" Chey asked before she began to eat.
"Yes. And remember, tomorrow, Gage and I will be taking you two to sign up for school," Sydney informed.
"Are we going to the same school?" Chey asked, looking at her younger sister and tapping her to get her attention. Chey signed carefully as she spoke, "We are signing up for school tomorrow. Did you decide on what school you want to go to? Mine or for the deaf?"
Lily shrugged her thin shoulders. She made the sign for 'deaf', telling them that she was strongly considering going to the Dallas School for the Deaf.
Sydney witnessed the action and smiled. Gage would be happy to hear about Lily's decision. Gage joined them shortly at the table, wearing faded blue jeans, black t-shirt, and his hair was spiked in its' usual fashion. He poured himself a big bowl of cheerios and milk and ate it. Sydney joined the girls and Gage and also ate cheerios and milk.
"I'll get the girls dressed while you get ready," Gage offered as he picked up Lily and took Chey's hand. Sydney followed upstairs, but headed to her room as Gage took the girls to their room.
Half an hour later, Sydney was dressed in a pair of beige khakis, a red button up maternity shirt, and pulled her hair back into a low ponytail. Gage and the girls were waiting for her in the living room when she walked down the stairs.
The girls were dressed in blue jeans, with flowers embroider down the sides of the legs, with Cheyana in a lavender cotton shirt with "Angel" in fancy writing and Lily in a pink button up shirt. Since receiving the girls almost four months ago, Gage and Sydney learned how to be parents and Gage prided himself in learning everything he needed to know. He showed his improvement in Chey's hair, which was French braided to keep it out of her face. Sydney loved Cheyana's hair. It was thick and still down her back to her butt. They trimmed it once since they met them. Lily's hair was down and still touching her shoulders. She didn't want her hair any longer than that.
"Let's go," Gage announced as they packed into the car and drove to the city.
When they arrived at the H.O.P.E. Center, Angela was there to greet them.
"You just missed Walker and Alex," she informed as she signed a good morning to Lily and greeted Cheyana verbally.
"That's okay. We'll see Walker in a few," Gage informed. "We just wanted to remind you that today will be the girls last day here. Syd has been put on maternity leave."
"Well, we will miss them," Angela responded. "I hope that you will stop to still say hi."
"Of course," Gage assured. "But it's only temporary. After the baby is born and a little older and Sydney returns to work, we will be back."
Taking the girl's hands, Angela responded, "I can't wait. You have a good day at work and we'll see you this afternoon."
The girls waved and Sydney and Gage waved back, getting back in the car and heading to work. As Gage drove to work, a light downpour began.
"Finally," Sydney remarked. "The heat was killing me slowly."
Gage pulled into an assigned spot and turned off the engine. "Do you want to use an umbrella or make a run for the door?"
Sydney opened her door and walked fast to the door and entered. Gage followed quickly and laughed as he pulled some wet strands away from his wife's face. "You are still daring," he commented as they got into the elevator to take them to the floor where headquarters was.
Gage opened the door for company B headquarters and was greeted by decorations for a surprise farewell party slash baby shower. Sydney stood next to him in surprise as well.
"We will miss you," Walker announced as he walked up to the couple, talking to Sydney. "Just because I forced you on maternity leave, since you didn't want to listen to you doctor, we still want you to return to being a ranger."
Sydney smiled and hugged her senior ranger. "Thanks, Walker," she spoke softly. Gage stood by her as the rest of the company offered the same as Walker. They also presented her with gifts for the baby. Two months ago, Alex held one for her with all her friends, and now, her co workers was giving her one.
"Thank you everyone," Sydney announced as the short celebration ended. Sydney was now surrounded by bags and presents and smiled. She took a seat at her desk and looked across at her husband. "I hope the rain lets up so we can take these to the car."
By midday, the rain had let up for an hour, but hit harder when it came again. Instead of just drizzle or light rain, the rain came down hard and fast. Thunder and lightning chimed in at assigned moments, telling where the storm was and how far away.
By five o'clock, the storm had moved much over Dallas. Along with Walker, Sydney and Gage still remained, working on some important background information. Walker put his hat on and looked at the younger rangers.
"Hey, you two should be getting home," he announced as he approached their desk.
"I want to finish this first," Sydney responded, not looking up from her computer.
Walker didn't like leaving work unfinished, but he had a bad feeling about this storm. "You can finish it tomorrow," he said without thinking.
"Today is my last day," Sydney reminded him. Walker remembered. "Could you pick up the girls? We will pick them up from your house."
Walker looked at the young rangers and didn't argue. "I will but don't be too long. I heard on the radio there's possible chances for tornadoes and some flooding."
"Thanks, Walker," Sydney finally looked up from her computer.
"We won't be too long," Gage continued.
Walker put his hat on his head and headed out, picking up Alex from her work and then the girls, including his daughter, from the center and then he planned to stay in the rest of the night and prayed tomorrow would be better.
"Gage, would you start taking the presents to the car?" Sydney asked, looking across at her husband.
"Sure," Gage responded, finishing off his report that he was working on, saving the data and shutting off his computer. "It'll take a few trips."
Gage picked up some of the bags, leaving a hand free with his keys and for the trunk of the car.
Neither one knew how bad the storm was getting. After putting the first load into the trunk, lightning flashed brightly nearby and Gage ran to the building for shelter. Gage saw the lights flicker and then die before the backup generator kicked on for the building. It wasn't much, but Gage knew he would have to take the stairs. He didn't want to risk getting stuck in the elevator.
Taking the steps two at a time, Gage made it to the floor and entered headquarters, which was eerily quiet.
"Syd?" he called out, looking around.
"Here," Sydney called from near the printer near Walker's desk.
Gage rushed over to check on his wife.
"What happened?" he asked her. Sydney was leaning against Walker's desk, one hand bracing herself on the floor, the other on her abdominal.
"I tripped when the lights flickered off," Sydney grounded out.
"Are you hurt?" he asked her, examining her external. He couldn't see any blood or wounds.
"No…" Sydney groaned, bowing over as pain hit her in her stomach.
"Syd?" Gage questioned, looking at her in the dim light.
"I think…" Sydney began slowly. "I think the fall caused me to go into labor. My water just broke."
TBC
