Sawyer Brown – The Walk

Cause I took this walk you're walking now
Boy, I've been in your shoes
You can't hold back the hands of time
It's just something you've got to do
So dry your eyes I understand just what you're going through
Cause I took this same walk with my old man
Boy, I've been in your shoes

Mildly altered, these lyrics inspired this story. It is a chapter story, but I don't intend for it to be a hugely long full length fic. Note – I don' INTEND for it. We'll see.

As always, I don't own any of the characters.

This story is brought to you by the letters B, for Babe, L, for Lisa who is owed many thanks for the current (and likely future) medical advice, and finally by the letter S, for STAYCE, for whom I owe an immeasurable amount of thanks for all the ass-kicking and help in structuring my drivel into the work that it is now :)

I definitely would like to know what everyone thinks of this. Is it worth continuing? I think this is a story which will be motivated largely by reviews :)


WALK WITH ME

CHAPTER 1

I knew as soon as I woke up that something was terribly wrong, but I couldn't, for the life of me, remember what it was. It was obvious I was in the hospital, from the beeping of the monitors to the stark, perfectly bleached ceiling above me. I knew I should know what was going on, but it was eluding me. I wasn't sure what to do, so I started to take stock of my body. I couldn't seem to turn my head, but couldn't figure out if it was braced or stuck. I tried to wiggle my toes, but I couldn't find them. It hit me with startling clarity that my whole body was non-existent. And that's when I remembered.

In my mind I screamed, but in reality my throat was dry and it came out as little more than a squeak. Before I could try again, two large hands framed my face, exerting gentle pressure at the same time as two midnight-black eyes bore into mine. I tried to avert my eyes, my mind still screaming, but my gaze was locked in his.

"Breathe, Babe." He whispered. His breath washed over my skin, and I gulped a breath as my heart -- I could feel my heart -- leapt erratically against my chest, radiating pain through my body as it did. "Shhhh. Breathe." One of his hands trailed downward to press into my neck, where my pulse was jumping. I could feel that, too. "Just breathe." he whispered again as he lowered his forehead to mine. He rested against me for a second before moving back to meet my eyes again. I was still gulping breaths, trying to control them. His thumb started rubbing circles over my pulse point as he held my gaze.

"Better?" He asked. He started to pull away and I whimpered. He didn't come back, though. Instead, he moved away so I could see his whole face, but no further. His hands were still against my cheeks and neck and he kept his eyes trained on mine until my breathing had steadied enough that I wasn't almost hyperventilating. I broke away from his gaze first, and let my eyes roam his face. He looked different, and my mind was just fuzzy enough that it took a little while to registered that there were added lines around his eyes, and mouth. His face wasn't blank, at all. Exhaustion, strain, and worry were written across it plain as day.

"Better?" He asked again. I wanted to touch the lines around his eyes, massage them away, wrap my arms around his neck and never let go...but I couldn't lift my arms.

"What-" I gasped, and he put his fingers to my lips.

"Shhh." he said, before offering me a glass with a straw. I didn't want water, though, I wanted answers. I couldn't feel my body. Was it even there? I didn't know, and I needed to know. I mentally screamed again, and it came out as another squeak.

"Steph." Ranger said sharply. He got my attention, at least. I stared at him, my heart beating so hard it was ramming its way up my throat. "Take a drink, Babe." He softened his voice and stroked my cheek with two fingers. "Then we'll talk." I looked into his eyes and focused on his touch until I felt I could swallow. He offered me the straw again, and I took a small sip, letting the water trickle down as it soothed my parched throat. He kept stroking my face as he held the glass for me to drink. As long as I could look into his eyes, I was ok. If I could see in his eyes, I was alive, and he could fix everything for me.

"Better?" He asked when I was done drinking.

"What- Why?" I croaked. My throat wasn't as dry, but it was still sore and I felt like I hadn't spoken in weeks.

"Do you remember Hayes?" He asked me softly. He sat on the edge of the bed, his hand still tracing patterns on my cheek and forehead. I remembered Hayes. I remembered being shot. And the fire in my back before I died. At least, I thought I had died. Now, though, it was obvious I hadn't. Or, at least, my brain was still functional. I wasn't sure if I about my body.

"Yes. Where's the rest of my body?" I asked.

"It's all here, Babe. What do you remember about him?"

"He shot me. Why can't I move my body?" I demanded. My voice was finally cooperating and it was shrill enough to hurt even my own ears. My heart was beating in my throat again, and I felt like gagging on it.

"Breathe, Steph. Slow breaths." Ranger reminded me. "The bullet hit in close proximity to your spine. It grazed your spinal column." He continued a moment later, when I had myself under control again. "The swelling from the injury has created a temporary paralysis."

"Is it forever?" I fought through the fog of hysteria that was rapidly taking over, trying to focus on Ranger's eyes. If I lost them, I was pretty sure I'd be lost forever.

"Temporary, Babe. You're going to be fine. Stay with me this time." There was a note of pleading in his voice that caught me, and jolted me back.

"This time?" I gasped. Then, the last piece of the puzzle fell together, and I remembered the last time I'd been awake. The all-consuming panic, Ranger's voice coming from so very far away, and so many people all around me, before I fell back into darkness. "Don't leave." I tried to reach for him, and tears filled my eyes when I couldn't, again. His other hand came up to my face, and then he leaned forward to kiss each of my eyelids.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Why can't I move my head?" I asked. Ranger's fingers had found their way into my hair and were massaging my scalp. It soothed me.

"You don't have much ability to move anything right now. The injury is severe, but your doctors are confident that there will be no permanent paralysis."

"But there might be? I might never be able to walk or move again?"

Before Ranger could answer me, Joe's voice filtered in. "I thought the doctors said she shouldn't know yet." The accusation hung like lead across the room.

The fear and panic were still very real, and the only reason they weren't consuming me was because of Ranger. The funny thing about fear, though, is it can be replaced by anger. And Joe managed this instantly. The very thought that he would have left me in the dark, not knowing, that he would let me drown, to suffocate on my own hysteria did nothing but piss me off.

"She needed to know. The doctors don't know everything. Not knowing would have been more upsetting than knowing." Ranger said, and the cold finality of his tone made goosebumps break out on my head. He looked down at me and raised one eyebrow. "Take it easy. Concentrate, and you should be able to move your head." He softened as he continued to rub circles in my scalp.

I focused all of my energy on it, and managed to turn my head slightly to the side. "That's it, Babe." Ranger encouraged me. Knowing I could move at least one part of my body was a relief."

Joe came over to the other side of my bed, and I'm pretty sure he took my hand in his, but I couldn't feel it. "You can go now." He told Ranger.

"No!" I couldn't handle it if Ranger left. Not if he was the only person who would be straightforward with me.

"Cupcake, what're you saying?" Joe's voice went dark, and I could tell he was getting ready to fly across my bed at Ranger, no matter that I was lying helpless in it at the time.

"Morelli." Ranger's voice was cold again. "I suggest, for Steph's sake, that we work together. The last thing she needs right now is some macho bullshit. And I'm not leaving."

"Of course not. Gotta make sure she recovers enough to pay you back. I don't even want to know what payment plan you're going to work out." Morelli snarled under his breath, then sighed. "You at least call the nurse and let them know she was awake?"

"Not yet. And Steph owes me nothing."

"For what?" I asked Ranger, as Morelli moved to hit the call button.

"He didn't tell you?" Joe cut in before Ranger could answer. "He's got the best doctors in the country at your beck and call."

"The..." I looked into Ranger's eyes again, searching for an inkling of what he was thinking.

"We're going to get you better, Babe."

"How much is it costing you?" I asked. I wasn't sure I wanted to know. I wasn't sure I could handle being indebted to Ranger like that.

"Pocket change." He said simply.

Joe gave a wry laugh. "Must be nice to have enough money to consider ---" He was interrupted by the nurse bustling into the room. I was lost in a haze of confusion then, as doctors and nurses swarmed in, poked, prodded, and asked questions. Most of the questions were directed at Ranger and Joe. When the room finally cleared and it was just the three of us again, I was hardly able to keep my eyes open.

"Morphine's kicking in. Sleep, Babe." Ranger said softly.

"Will you still be here when I wake up?" I asked. It was imperative that I know I wouldn't be left alone. I couldn't say why, I just knew that I needed them. "Both of you?"

"Not going anywhere, Babe."

"I'll try, Cupcake. I'm on call, but I don't plan on going anywhere."

Reassured, as much as I could be, I let the morphine take me away, spiraling me into warped and restless dreams.

The pungent smell of alcohol, sweat, and smoke flooded my senses as I walked into the seedy bar. A chill ran down my spine, and I forced back a shiver. Focus, Stephanie. I took a casual look around the room, and spotted my skip.

"I'm on." I told Ranger. Devin Hayes was a tough, nasty character whose file should never have landed on my plate. Ranger took the file over to bring him in, but then determined he'd need me for distraction anyhow. As a result, Hayes was my skip as much as Ranger's and Ranger was my backup.

"Go get 'em, Tiger." He said into my ear. "Be careful. Remember, he's a mean son of a bitch. No taking chances."

I nodded towards Lester, sitting in a corner with two blondes. He mouthed 'hot' at me, referring to me, of course. I was barely dressed, wearing an outfit designed to lure the most disgusting of characters out with ease. I felt like I was naked, the skirt so short the wind was kept blowing on my ass cheeks. And they were cold, frigidly so. It felt as if I had ice packs strapped to my ass. My top was so skimpy it was barely there also, showing belly and cleavage. I was surprised my breasts stayed covered. I hoped I screamed sleazy, because I couldn't wait to get Hayes out of the bar so that I could slip into Ranger's delicious jacket and burrow myself in it.

I surveyed the scene a moment longer, before swaying over to Hayes and sliding onto the stool beside him. I slanted him a look. "Hey Handsome." I slurred. "How's it goin'?"

He glanced over at me with little interest, then did a double take and openly leered. I wanted to cringe and run away, but I steeled myself and leaned into him.

"Looking better by the minute." He answered with a slimy grin before peering down my cleavage. "What's your name, Princess?"

"Tiffany." I offered, pushing my chest into him. Let him get the hint so we can leave.

"Tiffany. Like the jewelry. Suits you, princess. You like wearing jewelry?"

"There are better things to wear." I suggested, eliciting a bark of laughter from him. I repressed the urge to shudder.

"Let me buy you a drink." He suggested. No No No, I didn't want a drink. But I agreed, who knows why. Margarita for Princess Tiffany, he had said, and then the drink magically materialized in front of me. I took a slow sip, not liking the new nickname but unable to do a thing about it. I would forever after avoid the word Princess, after this man. I went to take another sip of the margarita, but as I tipped it back the glass emptied until there was nothing left, depriving me of my drink. I was dying of thirst, and every time a glass of water appeared in front of me, it drained before my eyes. And why was I being handed water in a bar?

Hayes was hanging over me, his breath on my neck as he continued to look down my shirt with interest. He tipped his head up and trailed his tongue along my jaw line, from my ear to my chin. "I get the feeling you're up to something, Princess. You wanting to take this someplace more private maybe?"

"Private?" I opted to play coy. I had always found that being TOO easy just made it take longer to get out of the bar with the skip.

"Well, if you're partial to public displays, I must say sliding into you on the dance floor has some distinctly arousing possibilities." he said, as his hand slid from my knee up to my hip, his fingers grazing over places I desperately wanted to protect.

"You mean you're ready and willing, Big Boy?" I whispered, leaning into him and shifting slightly in attempt to move away from his fingers without being too obvious.

"I could take a pretty piece like you over and over, sweet cheeks." He said, then stood, pulling me up with him. "Dance floor, or somewhere else?"

"I have just the spot." I told him, infusing as much velvet seduction into my voice as I could. He thrust his pelvis into me and I could feel him, and I could feel him inside of me, but when I looked down we were still both clothed. I had the sudden urge to run, but I couldn't get my legs to work. He was leading me from the bar, and I remembered that this was the goal. I was almost done, and Ranger's warm jacket waited.

My legs weren't working properly as he led me from the bar. They felt like lead, and I just knew something bad was going to happen. I didn't flinch or turn when I heard my name called from behind me. Some guy I didn't recognize calling for "Stephanie Plum?" He came into my peripheral vision and I recognized Mike Lawson, a guy I had dated when I was in college, but I didn't let on that I knew him. We kept walking, and then we were at the door. Three more steps and we were home free, but suddenly the door was miles away and we were never going to get there, and there was a gun at my back.

"Stephanie Plum, huh? The bounty hunter? Thought you'd play me for a fool, Princess?" He whispered so quietly in my ear I knew the wire under my breast would never pick it up. He had one hand over my mouth, and I couldn't scream. I tried to kick him and struggle, but my body wasn't cooperating. Invisible ropes bound me. And then he swung the door open, staying beside me. I don't know how it looked normal, but it must have. Bobby and Ram were in wait, ready to grab him the instant he stepped into open air. This allowed me to duck back if necessary, but now I couldn't move, couldn't get my feet to work, couldn't struggle. My heart quit beating and I couldn't breathe. I knew this, remembered this. This happened before. This is where I died. I tried to bite down on his hand, to scream at Bobby and Ram that he had a gun, but he leaned into me and licked my ear. "This isn't how it went, sweetheart. And this time, you can't struggle, and I won't miss. This time, you'll be dead." He said at the same time as Bobby and Ram grabbed him by the arms, and the gun went off.

I felt the bullet tear through my skin. My body wanted to stagger, and fall, but it felt like I was tied to the ground. I looked down and my feet were bolted to the cement. I was going to die, standing up, and I knew it with certain clarity. And then as suddenly as I saw the bolts in my feet, they disappeared. Then I was floating above the parking lot, and I saw myself lying on the ground. And Ranger was standing over me, arms crossed, face hard and disproving. And then he spoke, but it wasn't his voice. It was Joe's.

"You screwed up, Stephanie. I always told you this would happen, that you are you disaster of a bounty hunter. You should have quit the first time I told you to find a new job. You chose this fate, and now you will die for it."

I tried to scream that he'd always supported me, when a light flashed so bright my vision when black. Next thing I knew, I was in a white room, and the light was blinding me. I couldn't move my body, and I couldn't find my toes. I had no fingers, no arms, and no legs. I started to scream Ranger's name over and over, but I had no voice and my screams went unheard.

I could hear screaming, but until it jarred me awake I didn't realize it was mine. My head was heavy, and it took a minute to realize it was weighted by Ranger's hands. It took another moment longer for me to recognize that Ranger was speaking to me, repeating over and over again that I was ok, and was going to be ok.

"When did you tell me this would happen?" I asked him, gasping as I tried to breathe.

"It was just a dream, Babe."

"You told me I was a disaster of a bounty hunter. When?" I switched questions.

"You're not a disaster, Babe."

"You said -"

"You were dreaming." I focused hard on his fingers rubbing circles in my scalp again, and took a couple of steadying breaths. "Hayes?" He asked, and I nodded.

"I can move my head." I noted instantly, my voice sharp as I left it an open question for Ranger to confirm.

"That's good." Ranger smiled gently at me as he rubbed a soothing circle on my neck. "The morphine skews stuff. It's normal." He reassured me.

"I'm still paralyzed." I whispered to him. "I can maybe feel my hands, though."

"It'll be a while, Babe."

"Where's Joe?"

"Right here, Cupcake." I turned my head and met Joe's eyes. He looked back at me with a mixture of sadness and anger.

"I'm sorry." I told him. I told both of them, really.

"It's okay, Cupcake. You should try to sleep some more. You need it."

"We'll be here." Ranger added softly, as Joe bent and placed a loving kiss on my lips.

As I drifted off to sleep, the last thing I heard was Joe's accusing voice, berating Ranger for ever encouraging me to think I could be a bounty hunter.


So...what should happen next? Is there a next? Maybe this should be the end? Let me know!