Kathleen A. Klatte

“Missing Moments”

Feedback and commentary are most welcome.

Disclaimer: Walker, Texas Ranger is the property of CBS, Top Kick Productions, et al; this is a recreational endeavor, no profit is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.

Sydney/Gage Shipper

An assortment of missing moments from the series finale.

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SYD’S APARTMENT

Sydney smacked at her partner’s hand as he reached around her, aiming for the bowl of potato salad again. “Gage, stop it! This is for the party. If you want some more, get it from the pot!”

Undaunted, he tried to slip around the other side. “There isn’t any more left in the pot,” he replied innocently.

“Well, don’t blame me - you ate it all!”

Gage grinned disarmingly. “What can I say? You’re a great chef.”

“Flattery won’t get you any more,” Syd laughed, slapping his hand away so she could cover the bowl.

“Aw, come on...I peeled all the potatoes for you,” Gage wheedled.

“Yes, you did,” Syd replied patiently, “but the whole point of making this was to take it to the party!”

Her stern tone dissolved into giggles as Gage feinted once more, snitching a carrot curl and popping it into his mouth. Syd took a mock-swing at her partner and he retaliated by tickling her. The two suddenly found themselves face-to-face and breathless with laughter. Acting on a sudden impulse, Gage bent his head and kissed her softly. Syd smiled up at him in gentle wonderment.

“I, ah...I guess we better get going,” Gage muttered, clearing his throat nervously.

“Yeah. We wouldn’t want to be late,” Syd agreed, not moving.

“Yeah...”

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Gage stood at solemn attention beside his partner as C.D. Parker’s coffin was reverently lowered back into its grave. The pastor murmured a final benediction as the casket came to a rest. Syd knelt and dropped a single red rose into the open grave. Gage gave her a hand up and they stood for one final moment of silence before moving away. Almost unconsciously, he offered his arm, and Syd wrapped both hands around it.

“Thanks for coming down on such short notice, Father Donovan,” Gage said gratefully. “It just didn’t seem right to just...put him back.”

“I’m glad I could be of assistance, Ranger Gage,” the priest assured him. He smiled indulgently as he watched the two young Rangers walk towards their car together. Something...or perhaps, Someone...told him that those two had a long road to travel together.

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Gasping for breath, Gage scuttled backwards, away from his fallen assailant. He got shakily to his feet and kicked the ax away, then bent and perfunctorily checked for a pulse. He became aware that the building had grown eerily silent. “Syd! Syd, where are you!” he bellowed. Gage drew his weapon as he looked around wildly, trying to pinpoint the spot where they’d gotten separated.

“Gage!”

“Keep talking, Syd! I’m coming!” he yelled back.

“Over here!”

Gage burst around a corner and saw Syd leaning heavily against a concrete support pillar, trying to catch her breath. A perp, who looked rather the worse for wear, lay in a heap on the floor with his hands cuffed behind his back. He heaved a heavy sigh as he put up his sidearm. “You OK?”

Syd nodded wearily, grateful for the gentle strength of her partner’s arm as he pulled her to her feet. She rested her head against Gage’s shoulder for a moment, relieved beyond words to see that he was all right. A sudden explosion rattled the old windows and sent a shower of dust and gravel down on the two Rangers.

“Walker!” Syd exclaimed, wide-eyed.

“Let’s go!” Gage shouted, his longer stride propelling him ahead of his partner.

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WALKER’S RANCH

Syd smiled gently at the sleeping baby she held cradled in her arms. “She’s so lovely,” Sydney sighed.

“She sure is,” Gage agreed, leaning in close, ostensibly to see the baby.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Syd mused, “With all this death and horror, to see this beautiful, perfect new life...it kind of makes you believe that anything’s possible.”

“Yes...yes, it does,” Gage replied, somewhat hoarsely.

Something in his tone made Sydney look up, a question in her dark eyes. Gage took full advantage of the fact that she couldn’t dodge away with the baby in her arms and leaned in to kiss his partner tenderly on the lips.

In the shadows of the next room, Alex leaned back contentedly in her husband’s embrace, pleased to see that their young friends had finally figured out what had been so obvious to the rest of them for so long. Life was good, and the future had never seemed brighter than it did at that one, perfect moment.

Fin.