Walker, Texas Ranger
By: Clarise
This story is meant to explain the apparent disaffection between Walker and Alex since Wedding II. Let me apologize in advance to those fans that believe that Walker and Alex do not have a physical relationship and are waiting until they are married to express their love. If it would be too much of a shock to read that they have not waited, please do not continue reading this story. Also, please remember that this is my first attempt at writing fan fiction. My ego is fragile. I would be extremely crushed by excessive flaming; constructive criticism is welcome however. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. My greatest thanks go to Dakota for supplying the WAM at the end of this little story. That's a skill I need to work on so I deferred to a master. She does not disappoint.
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Assistant
District Attorney Alex Cahill was hopping mad at a certain red bearded Texas Ranger. The echo from her
slammed door was still reverberating through the halls.
"Thank the Lord for the privacy of my
office," she fumed to herself, as she leaned back against the door. What
really made her blood boil was that her cowboy seemed blissfully ignorant of
his transgressions! Striding over to her desk, Alex depressed the buzzer on her
intercom and told her secretary to hold all her calls. She was going to need a
few minutes to compose herself. If there were a way to measure her frustration level,
Alex would guess it would read way over the red line and climbing.
When Walker had placed his engagement ring
on her finger and asked her to marry him, it had been the happiest day of her
life. But, almost since that day Walker had been slowly but surely distancing
himself from the relationship.
Alex flounced into her small executive
washroom and stared at her reflection
in the mirror. She turned on the cold water and pulled a cloth off the
towel rack and immersed it in the water's stream. Wringing out the cloth she
carefully applied it to her forehead like a cold compress.
"Relationship, hell!" she thought
angrily. There had been no relationship since that day. It was like Walker
figured he had fulfilled an obligation by asking her to marry him and now… .
Her thoughts trailed off as she dragged a comb through her golden tresses. Her
brilliant blue eyes were threatening to fill up with tears and that frustrated
her even more.
"Damn him! Why couldn't she fall in
love with a normal guy?!" Alex stared defiantly into the mirror as if the
answer was there.
This last time
had been the straw that broke the camel's back. She had been standing at the
elevators, on her way up to a meeting with the DA. When the elevator doors had
parted Walker and Trivette had emerged dragging a reluctant prisoner between
them. Ever the polite one, Jimmy had acknowledged her presence with,
"Counselor.”
Alex had
responded with an equally short missive, "Jimmy."
She had quickly
turned to Walker to catch his eye with her ready smile but he had not met her
eyes. He had grunted a terse, "Alex." and had continued to manhandle
the prisoner down the hall to the interrogation rooms. Even Jimmy had noticed
the slight and had called after Walker for an explanation. Alex had not waited
around to hear the conversation. Thank God the meeting with her boss had been
mercifully short. She had not been able to concentrate and had longed for the
sanctuary of her office the whole time.
"In fact," she reminded herself
aloud. "I'd better get Alice to call the DA's secretary for the notes of
that meeting." For the life of her Alex could not remember what the
meeting had been about!
"Damn him! " she thought again as
she stormed back to her desk and buzzed
her secretary. "Damn him!"
Ranger Cordell Walker sat morosely in a
corner booth at CD's. It was early. The regular crowd had not yet arrived. The
Texas Ranger was alone with his thoughts. He stared straight ahead, his
expressionless face belying the turmoil going on in his mind.
"You're going to lose her," he
berated himself disgustedly. "You have got to get a hold of
yourself!" Walker looked down at his hands. They were shaking. He
tightened them into fists to stop the tremors.
CD appeared at Walkers side. "For a big
man, he certainly moved softly," thought Walker ruefully.
CD cleared his throat and spoke, indicating
Walker's clenched fists as he did so. "Cordell, I'm worried for you son.
Your Uncle Ray, God rest his soul, used to tell me stories about how hard it
was for you to adjust after returning from 'Nam. He said he could always tell
when you were having some kind of delayed stress reaction because your hands
would shake. And, well, Hell. That pretty near looks about what I just saw,
Cordell!"
"Give me a break, CD. 'Nam was almost
30 years ago," Walker rejected. “But," Walker added hesitantly.
"I won't deny there is something wrong with me. I'm hurting Alex and I
can't seem to stop it. What am I going to do?"
"Cordell! You don't mean
physically?!" CD asked in a horrified whisper.
"Hell, no, CD. Of course not!"
spit out Walker exasperatedly. "You know I'd never lay a hand on
her!"
"Well, yeah, I knew that Cordell"
responded CD, chagrined that he could ever think that. To ease the tension that
had suddenly sprung up around the booth CD offered, "Here, let me get you
a drink, Cordell. What will you have?"
Walker hesitated slightly then answered,
"Bourbon straight up"
CD paused, "Cordell?…"
"CD, just get me what I asked for"
urged Walker tiredly through clenched teeth.
CD reappeared with Walker's order and sat
down opposite him and slid the glass over to Walker gingerly. When Walker
reached out to take the glass CD noticed that his hands were still tightened
into fists. "Son, you're wound up tighter 'n a bass drum. Talk to me
Cordell," urged CD sympathetically. "It's unhealthy for you to be
bottling up all this inside you."
Walker took hold of the glass but did not
take a drink. "You might be right CD. This might be some kind of delayed
stress," admitted Walker unsure of how to proceed. He paused as if to
compose his thoughts. He ran an unsteady hand through his sandy red mane and
down to his neck. He began to knead at a knot that had formed there. "God,
he could sure use one of Alex's super massages right now," he thought
ruefully. "Not that she would even give him the time of day these
days!"
"Why do you think it could be some kind
of delayed stress Cordell?" pressed
CD further, interrupting Walker's musings.
"I don't know, CD" explained
Walker. "I'm kind of feeling how I felt when I got back from 'Nam. You
know… at loose ends; out of control; jumpy. There's something else that I can't
quite pin down but… Anyway, to combat it I'm reining in all my emotions - like
you said - winding myself up tighter than a drum. At that moment the glass that
Walker was still grasping, shattered in his hand sending shards of glass and
bourbon spraying.
"Oh, Christ," groaned Walker.
"I'm sorry CD. I'll clean it up."
"Cordell, forget about the glass. Let
me see your hand," a pained CD requested.
"I'm all right, CD," flared Walker
impatiently.
"Son, you need to talk this out with
Alex. Once you all get on the same page everything will work itself out,"
counseled CD sagely.
"You make it sound so easy, CD,"
laughed Walker edgily. "When's the last time you've seen me and Alex
together? I can't even remember the last time we … " Walker trailed off
not wanting to offend the older man's sensibilities. "Well, you know what
I mean. I've just been slowly pushing her away… I know I'm doing it but I can't
stop myself. It's somehow easier to keep her at arms length…"
"All, I can say Cordell is that knowing
what you are doing is half the battle. I'm sure that hashing things out with
Alex is the answer to your problems." Looking up, CD noticed that the
regular crowd was beginning to fill up his establishment. Rising, CD placed a
hand on Walker's shoulder and said, "Things will work out Cordell talk to
Alex. I have to get back to my customers now but I'll send someone over to
clean up this mess," finished CD sighing heavily.
Walker felt the walls closing in around him.
He had wanted to wait for Alex to show but decided to retreat to his ranch to
mull over his conversation with CD. CD was right about one thing though. He
needed to get things straight with Alex or he would lose her for sure. And a
world without Alex, … well that just wasn't something he could contemplate.
Walker stood up, picked up his hat and holstered gun that he had discarded in
the seat beside him when he had sat down. He sauntered over to the bar and
surreptitiously pilfered some napkins to wrap around his bleeding hand. CD was
busy with a customer so Walker skipped his usual good bye and slipped out.
Jimmy Trivette entered CD's soon after
Walker left. He caught CD's eye. "Wasn't that Walker I saw leaving, CD?"
"Not the Walker you and I know
Jimmy," responded CD shaking his head sadly.
"Whoa, Big Dog. Fill me in. What did I
miss?" urged Walker's partner conspiratorially as he settled into a seat
at the bar.
As CD went over what had just transpired
with Walker Trivette was reminded of this morning in the hallway with Alex.
"Hey, man. What's with you and
Alex?" He had challenged Walker.
Walker had shrugged him off with, "I
don't know what you're talking about, Trivette!"
"Walker, you just dissed Alex!" he
had explained. "In fact you've been doing that a lot lately. What
gives?"
"Are we going to stand here all day
chatting or can we get this guy to interrogation?" Walker had responded
irritably.
"And, then the glass just busted in his
hand, Jimmy finished CD breaking Trivette out of his reverie.
"Isn't that what happened when he found
out they had let Ellen's killer out?" asked Trivette.
"Sure 'nuff, Jimmy. I tell you I'm
worried sick about him. It's like he's about to explode," warned CD
feelingly.
"So, how did you leave it with him?
Asked Trivette anxiously.
"I told him he needed to get things
straight with Alex…"
"My ears are burning," laughed
Alex as she settled into a seat next to Trivette. "Are you all discussing
me?"
"Actually, Honey, we were talking about
Cordell and …" CD started to explain.
"Talk to the hand gentleman,"
interrupted Alex holding up her hand at the mention of the object of her
dissatisfaction. "I don't know what has got into that cowboy of mine but
my patience is wearing thin and I would prefer it if we didn't talk about it
right now." To forestall any further discussion of the matter Alex
continued, "CD could I get a beer and a bowl of your veggie chili?"
Rising, Alex motioned to the booth Walker had recently been occupying.
"I'll be in the corner booth."
"Mind if I join you, Counselor"
asked Trivette hopefully, believing that after a while he could persuade Alex
to enlighten him on what was going on between her and his partner.
"Of course not, Jimmy," invited
Alex. "It would be a refreshing change to have some company for
dinner!"
The irony in Alex's voice made Trivette
wince inwardly. "Man, Walker had better fix things up with Alex quick or
he was going to lose her for sure," he thought dejectedly.
Alex and Jimmy talked the night away with CD
watching over them from behind his bar. The night passed without incident.
Trivette was unable to get anything more out of Alex except for the general
acknowledgment that for some reason her fiancée was making it extremely
difficult for her to think of him in loving terms. She had decided to confront
him though. With tomorrow being Saturday she had felt it would be the perfect
time. CD hoped that the morning would bring some kind of resolution for Alex
and Cordell; two people whom he had come to view as part of his family. It had
taken them so long to get together. CD knew that he would take it hard if
things did not work out for his friends.
Saturday morning found Alex ensconced in
Walker's ranch house kitchen, staring vacantly into her steaming cup of coffee
that he had just handed her. "No answers here," she thought
hysterically. Maybe coming over to Walker's this morning without calling had
not been one of her better ideas. Alex raised her blue eyes slightly and
covertly watched her paramour. He was preparing his own cup of coffee. His back
was to her. He was shirtless having just finished his morning workout. Alex's
attention was riveted to the play of muscles along Walker's shoulder blades as
he reached for a clean cup in the overhead cupboard. Choking slightly at her
intense physical reaction, Alex hurriedly averted her gaze.
"You all right, Alex?" asked
Walker half turning to eye his fiancée. "God, she was beautiful," he
thought to himself for the millionth time.
"Must have gone down the wrong
pipe," Alex mumbled distractedly. "Oh, yeah, this was a bad
idea," she thought nervously unaware of Walker's intense scrutiny.
Walker knew that Alex was going to confront
him about his treatment of her these past few months. Truth be told, he had
been expecting this for quite some time. But, in typical fashion he had hoped
that things would just work themselves out. The situation had just gone from
bad to worse, however. Steeling himself for the worst Walker pulled out the
chair opposite Alex at the kitchen table and poured himself into his seat.
"Everything Walker did was so precise
and smooth. Not a wasted movement," observed Alex admiringly of Walkers
decent into his chair.
"Walker, we have to talk," Alex
blurted out suddenly.
Walker tightened the grip on his coffee mug
but said nothing. He raised his eyes to Alex and waited for her to begin. He
noted that she was nervously twirling her engagement ring. The three 1/4 carat
diamonds caught the morning sunlight and Walker knew he had not been wrong
about the direction of Alex's thoughts.
"Yeah, I guess I knew this was
coming," replied Walker shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "But, you
know me and words Alex…" Walker trailed off.
"Kind of like you and operas,"
laughed Alex ironically.
Walker cringed involuntarily at the
additional reminder of his shortcomings. He pasted a wan smile on his face that
did not quite reach his eyes. He nervously began running his hands through his
sandy red mane that was still damp from his morning exertions. Suddenly Walker
stood up and began pacing. Gone was the fluidity of movement; the assured step.
If Alex did not know better she would have said Walker was close to panic.
"Honey, sit down," pleaded Alex.
"You are not making this any easier for me."
"Easy?! Do you think this is easy for
me?" flared Walker.
Anger? Okay, now Alex was confused. Why was
Walker so angry? She was the injured party here! "Look, I think I'm
missing something here. But, just let me say what I came here to say and then
maybe we can go on from there," offered Alex warily.
"I'm sorry Alex," apologized
Walker forlornly as he sat stiffly back into his chair defeat etched into his
expression. He absently stirred at his untouched coffee.
"Okay. It's now or never," thought
Alex gulping nervously. "Listen, Cowboy," she began hesitantly.
"Did you or did you not ask me to marry you a few months back?"
Walker nodded in the affirmative.
"So we are an engaged couple…" Alex
reiterated. Again Walker nodded yes. "Well, then I'm confused Walker.
Because it just seems to me that something is not right between us. You don't
look me directly in the eyes when you talk to me. You barely acknowledge my
existence at the office. And, when we are not at the office it's like going out
with a total stranger. Not that we have been going out that much! You refuse to
introduce me as your fiancée. In short, I feel that you do not want to be
engaged at all. Is it me? Did I do something wrong?"
Drained after releasing all that had been
pent up inside her Alex was close to tears. It did not help that Walker had not
said anything yet. He was staring into his coffee as she had been doing
earlier. "I can tell you there are no answers in there," offered Alex
ruefully indicating Walker's mug.
"Yeah,…" grunted Walker
desperately. "Listen, can we go into the living room and sit?" asked
Walker tiredly.
"Uh…fine. If that's what you
want," replied Alex uncertainly.
It pained Walker to see the uncertainty
cross Alex's anguished face. But he needed to buy himself some time to collect
his thoughts. He was desperate to have the right words come out of his mouth.
The relief he was feeling that Alex hadn't broken their engagement was
conflicting with his ability to think.
He held out his hand to Alex to lead her
into the other room. Alex noticed it was bandaged but made no comment. She did
not want to say anything that might make Walker close up. The fact that he was
willing to talk was a good sign. But, if he did not put a shirt on soon she was
definitely not going to be able to concentrate on Walker's reply. As Walker led
her out of the kitchen Alex noticed one of his black button downs hanging on
the doorjamb. She pulled it from its perch as she passed and draped it
nonchalantly over Walkers shoulders.
Walker misunderstood Alex' actions.
"I'm sorry. I probably need to take a shower, huh?" he asked
embarrassed at his lack of consideration. "If you don't mind sticking
around. I won't be long. I promise, Alex. We will talk," insisted Walker
catching Alex's eyes and holding them with his.
The power of Walker's gaze was almost too
much for Alex after being starved of his attentions for so long. She felt her
face flush and the room seemed to spin. She reached out to Walker to steady
herself.
Alarm shot into Walkers eyes.
"Alex!" he exclaimed in a breathy voice as he picked her up and,
moving hurriedly to the settee, placed her carefully upon it.
"Walker, I'm all right," laughed
Alex a little hysterically trying to cover her physical reaction to him. Go
take your shower. I'll make myself some breakfast. I guess I've been working
too hard or something…." Alex hoped the explanation would suffice because
if he did not increase the distance between them soon she was going to make a
fool of herself!
"If you're sure," wavered Walker
as he backed away toward the staircase. "I won't be long," he shouted
bounding up the stairs in response to Alex's nodded agreement.
Alex stood up to proceed into the kitchen.
Stopping at the sink she turned on the cold water and leaned in to splash some
on her face. "Get a grip, girl," she instructed herself as she shook
her head to expunge the picture of herself running her fingers sensuously through
Walker's chest hair. It definitely had been way too long since they had been
together!
It occurred to Alex that maybe breakfast
would not be such a bad idea. It would certainly help in bringing her wayward
thoughts back in line. "Toast and orange juice maybe," she opined
aloud to the empty kitchen. She found the bread and popped four slices into the
toaster. Opening the refrigerator she saw that she would have to settle for
apple juice.
The hot water beat down on Walker unmercifully.
He leaned his head against the cool tiling and flashed back to a similar
circumstance three months earlier. He had almost lost it in the shower than too
as the vision of Alex getting shot had replayed itself over and over in his
mind. Alex's sudden vertigo downstairs had brought that painful scene roaring
back to him and, again he found himself trying to find solace in a shower.
He turned to face the pounding water and
reached out for the soap. If only he could wash the memories out of his mind.
Walker suddenly realized he had been holding his breath. Letting it out slowly
he began to lather up his chest and biceps. As soon as the soap was applied the
showers rushing water sent rivulets of suds coursing down his body, past his
muscled thighs to pool at his feet. Walker became transfixed by the swirling
mix as it made it's way down the drain. More flashbacks assaulted his senses.
His parents shocking murder, Aimee's painful ultimatum, Ellen's crushing assassination
and Alex's recent near death experience. The overpowering sense of loss was too
much for Walker. He backed up to the shower's tiled wall and slid to a seated
position.
Walker finally realized what he had been
feeling all these months. Everyone whom he had ever made an emotional
commitment to had been cruelly torn from him in some way. His proposal to Alex
had been a catalyst that had sent him into some kind of self-protection mode.
If he could keep Alex at arms length emotionally then it wouldn't hurt so much
when he lost her, had been his un-conscience reasoning. It seemed so obvious to
him now. Although he still felt apprehension about Alex's safety, given the
amount of enemies they both had made over their careers, he realized now, that
happiness with Alex, for however long the Great Spirit allowed, was infinitely
preferable to life without his love. Walker hoped that he could adequately
explain his revelation to Alex.
"What! Did Walker drown in the
shower?" questioned Alex aloud as she angrily tossed her half eaten toast
onto her plate. Taking a sip of her juice as she stood Alex decided to go
upstairs and check on her fiancée. "If he hadn't wanted to talk he should
have just said so! I'm not wasting anymore of my Saturday on him," thought
Alex defiantly as she stomped up the staircase.
Rounding the corner at the top of the stairs
Alex made a beeline for Walkers bedroom. As she opened the door she was met
with Walker just emerging from the master bathroom, towel draped precariously
around his hips, just two of his fingers holding it in place.
"Oh! I'm sorry Walker," apologized
Alex who was suddenly at a loss for words as her eyes became riveted to
Walker's bare chest, his body still glistening from his recent shower. "I
just came up to tell you I was leaving. Maybe we can talk later when you have
more time for me," finished Alex lamely as visions of she and Walker
making mad, passionate love flooded her mind.
Totally misunderstanding what Alex meant by
"leaving" Walker practically lunged at his fiancée, grabbing her with
both hands unconcerned that his towel had dropped away. "Alex. Don't break
our engagement," pleaded Walker desperately.
"I know I can work my problems out. I
love you! Walker's voice was practically a whisper, his eyes insisting on his
sincerity.
To say Alex was in shock was an
understatement. How did Walker get from her wanting to talk another day to her
wanting to break their engagement? And what was he doing standing their naked
in front of her. Didn't he know what he was doing to her emotional stability?
"Darling," Alex began unsteadily.
"I'm going to say this slowly so there won't be any misinterpretation. I
am not breaking our engagement. I did not spend the last seven years trying to
lasso you to let you get away without a fight. Alex reached up to soothe
Walker's furrowed brow and noticed he still had a death grip on her arms.
"Walker, please let go. I'm not leaving," she assured him
emphatically.
"What God, Alex, I'm sorry,"
apologized Walker shaking the confusion from his head. "It seems like ever
since I asked you to marry me I've been waiting for the proverbial other shoe
to drop," explained Walker absently as he knelt to pick up his discarded
covering.
Alex bit her tongue to hold back a smart
remark about being compared to a shoe for fear Walker's nerves would unravel
further. Instead she walked over to his dresser drawer set and opened the
bottom drawer and pulled out a pair of gray sweat pants. Holding them out to
her fiancée she said, "We can talk now if you want Cordell. I have a
feeling that I've been missing some signals you've been putting out. I don't
think I'm going to come out of this looking like such a good choice as your
life partner," sighed Alex heavily as she plopped down on Walker's four-
poster.
Dragging on the proffered sweats Walker
soothed, "Hey, there now Alex. If I were better at expressing myself we
wouldn't be in this mess. Walker moved to sit next to Alex and took hold of her
hands. Turning them over he raised them to his lips and kissed the inside of
each of her palms. "I am the luckiest guy in the world to have you in my
life," breathed Walker sincerely. "I can't believe you've put up with
me the way I've been acting these past few months." Pulling Alex's hands
closer to him he rested them over his heart and continued. "This heart
beats only for you Alex Cahill!" Positioning his face even with Alex's
Walker said again, "Only for you!" Capturing Alex's lips with his own
Walker tried to show her in that kiss what he had tried to say with his words.
As Walker's lips burned with emotion against
her own Alex's breath caught in her chest. She loved him so much, that there
were times; like these, that it actually hurt. Wrapping her arms around his
neck, Alex leaned into his body; pressing herself tightly against his bare
chest. She needed to feel his love, warmth and strength enveloping her as he in
turn wrapped his powerful arms around her, wanting to hold her as close as he
could. Walker responded to her movements by shifting positions so that they
could be even closer, placing Alex securely on his lap. As their kiss continued
to deepen, they re-affirmed their love for each other, as they also drew
strength from each other. As Walker's lips left hers to place little butterfly
kisses on her cheeks and eyelids, he began to speak in a breathless voice.
"I am so sorry for the way I have been
acting Alex. I never meant to hurt you by pushing you away. I didn't even
realize what was wrong with me until a little while ago. Can you forgive
me?"
"Only if you talk to me about what was
wrong." Alex immediately saw the hesitation and uncertainty in his eyes.
"Oh Walker, don't you know by now that we can work anything out as long as
we do it 'together'." Alex said as she placed her hands on his face,
gazing into his gray blue eyes. She could see his love shining for her so
strongly there; but she could also see the turmoil that still haunted him.
Walker inhaled a ragged breath, trying to
get his thoughts in order. Lowering his eyes he whispered, "I was
afraid."
"Afraid of what?" Alex said as she
raised his face, capturing his eyes with hers.
"Of losing you."
Alex smiled softly as she replied,
"Walker...that isn't going to happen. I'm not going anywhere. You are
permanently stuck with me. Nothing or no one could ever take my love away from
you. Not even this" Alex poked her finger into the middle of his chest to
make her point as she continued, "stubborn, closed mouthed, mule headed
COWBOY!"
Walker laughed. "I know. I guess it
just took me awhile to get things all sorted out in my own mind."
"But everything is all right now? You
have it all straight in your head?" Alex questioned as she gently stroked
his beard. She could see and feel the relief as the last of his uncertainties
and worries exited his body.
Walker nodded, smiling. "Yeah."
"Will you promise to always talk to me
when something is bothering you, instead of letting it get out of hand like it
did this time?"
"I promise...to try." Walker said.
Alex smiled at Walker's honesty. Knowing
that talking about his feelings was the hardest thing in the world for Walker
to do, she was pleased he had at least promised to try.
"And will you promise me that you are
never going to try to push me away again?" Alex giggled as she began to
nuzzle his neck and shoulders, kissing and nibbling at them, as her hands
roamed softly and teasingly over his lightly furred and muscular chest.
With one swift,
graceful movement Walker placed Alex upon the bed, lying gently upon her. As he
lowered his mouth to her waiting lips, he replied huskily, "Now that is a
promise I know I can keep."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Now isn't that a sight for sore eyes,
Jimmy?" cooed CD nodding in the direction of Walker and Alex wrapped in
each other's arms on the dance floor. Their eyes never left each other as they
slowly swayed to a soft country love song.
"Sure is Big Dog," agreed the
young black man contentedly. "Maybe now things will get back to
normal."
As the ballad ended Trivette turned from the
bar and watched as Walker placed a lingering kiss on the lips of his intended.
"Way to go Walker," Trivette congratulated his partner silently
knowing that this public display of affection was a turning point. "I knew
you had it in you!"
'Walker Texas Ranger' and its
characters belong to CBS Inc., Norris Brothers Productions and maybe other
copyright holders. This story and the author is in no way connected to those
copyright holders and intends no infringement on their copyrights. The story is
only meant as an entertaining tribute to a great show and it's cast and crew.
This story is part of a mailing ring and may be distributed and copied freely,
in its entirety, for personal use. All original author and copyright
information must remain intact. Any sales or other uses of this document are
expressly forbidden, without the specific consent of the author(s).