Ranger walked past the snickering in the conference room knowing full well that the room was full of men who were talking about a fuckin baby shower. If someone had told him a year ago that this would be happening he would have laughed in their face.
Now all he could do was shake his head and let it go, Stephanie was not even five months pregnant and the men in his office had already changed. Since she had been kidnapped not once but twice since becoming pregnant they created a bubble around her that was nearly impenetrable. While that made Ranger sit back and be able to breath without a constant fear, it was driving Stephanie up a wall and he knew that she was about to snap.
He still remembered the moment that he found out she was pregnant, he was so worried about just getting to her and getting her to safety, that it didn't truly register. It wasn't until he got her to the hospital and the doctor told them that everything was going to be ok, and that she was fine did it click. She was pregnant… he was going to be a father again. He was once again terrified, he knew that if anything happened to Stephanie he was lost, but now he had another piece of her. He felt panic like he had never felt in this life time, it was like nothing he had been through had prepared him for this feeling of helplessness and worry. He had started reading baby books on his phone, hiding it from everyone. Within two days he had finished two books and his panic had become a tri-fold. Because now he was worried about someone hurting Stephanie, Stephanie not making it through her pregnancy with the million conditions he read about in the book and he was worried something would happen to the baby.
He had been doing a good job hiding his worries from everyone, especially Stephanie, not wanting to stress her out any more. Until she made the announcement to the team that she was having twins. He had walked out of the room in shock, nothing registering as he made his way to his office and just sat. He couldn't breath, he remembered the chapter he read on multiple births and the dangers to both the mothers and babies.
He could still remember Stephanie walking into his office, looking lost and scared.
"It finally clicked with the photo, didn't it…. That there is going to be a baby…. And you realize that you didn't sign up for this." She whispered.
He could still remember how she looked down at her hands, twisting them nervously. "Its ok, you know. I understand. When I first found out I was having one, I freaked out. I mean, it was not in my plan and I am probably going to be a crappy mom. I can't even keep a car safe…." She whispered.
He had just shaken his head at her because he couldn't process that it wasn't that he didn't want the babies or her, it was that he couldn't get past the fear. He had never in his life dealt with this kind of fear. Not on any mission. Not on any steak out. This rolling fear of everything being out of his control…. it felt like a tidal wave pulling him under.
Stephanie took a deep breath, "I mean maybe it would be better if give you a few days to think about everything…...to processes it and figure out what you want to do?" She asked him.
He looked up at her with his blank face but stayed silent. She gave a half watery smile and nodded at him. "I think I will go stay with Lula for a few days, give you some time and space."
It took a moment for the words to process and filter through his panic, but then an entirely different panic rushed over him, "NO." He had shouted at her, making her jump in surprise. He could still remember the way she looked at him wearily and he felt his heart pause. "I am sorry." He said softly. "Can you close the door and come over here?"
She had paused for a moment looking at his face carefully before relenting and closing the door to walk over to his desk. When she stopped right in front of it, he held out his hand for her to come over to him. When her hand slid into his, some of his fear began to settle. So, he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. He pushed his face into her hair and hugged her tight, one of his hands settling on her still flat stomach.
She could feel how tense that he was, how much he was worried. So, she just waited for him to breath through it and calm down. She laid her head back on his shoulder and relaxed into his arms, letting him get whatever he needed from her.
After about 5 minutes he took a deep breath and sat back in his chair, pulling her with him. "I'm sorry." He whispered.
She nodded sleepily against him.
He started rubbing her stomach in small circles, "That has never happened before to me." He said, eyes closed cheek resting on her head.
"What?" She asked softly, reaching a hand to cover hers on her stomach.
"I think I had a fucking panic attack." He said with a snort. "All I could think about was how I was going to keep not one, not two but three of you safe. About all the things that could go wrong with a pregnancy and how the problems and complications more than double with multiples." He sighed and moved his hand from her cheek to her face, turning her head to look up at him, "I can not lose you or the babies now." He whispered as his thumb moved back and forth over her cheek, "I love you."
His eyes widened in surprise when she burst out laughing, "What?" He asked with narrowed eyes.
She grinned up at him, "No it's just that I am having a panic attack that you didn't want me anymore after I told you there was going to be twins. When all along you are just falling off your God like pedestal and having a human panic attack with me."
She shrieked when he smacked the side of her ass, "Yes smart ass, I too can have a panic attack, especially when I learn that I have zero control over your pregnancy." He took a deep breath, "I am going to have to fight against everything inside me to not put you in a bubble and lock you up in a room." He whispered, his hand going back to her stomach.
She grinned up at him, "Do not worry, because I am also worried and taking better care of myself. Plus, I won't let you lock me up and I know no matter how much you want too. … you wouldn't unless it was life and death." She said reaching up to give him a small kiss. "Don't ever do that again, I was really thinking that you didn't want me anymore."
Ranger shook his head, "No it was more along the lines of I couldn't think. I couldn't get past the fear for a moment. I don't think it helps that for the last few months your life has been constantly in danger, and you have been attacked and kidnapped twice."
She sighed, "I know, I am sorry…." She whispered. "I think I am gonna relax and just work for a while now." She laughed at his expression of disbelief, "What I can stay out of trouble."
Ranger snorted, "No you can't, and if our children are anything like you… I am fucked. I will be a constantly stressed…... I am going to go gray." He said
She laughed while pulling him down for a kiss, "You are not wrong, but I will be good from now on…. Promise." She whispered.
And so far, she had kept her promise, working like crazy in her new office. He still loved that he could look up and see her working away. Whenever he would have that feeling of worry, most of the time he could look up and see her and it would pass. She was going to see Meg once every two weeks, eating mostly healthy. She swore one of the babies was mine and one was hers. She craved both salads and junk food, however is was a crap shoot on what would make her sick and when. She joked that it depended on which baby was awake on what she would keep down. The men had also added things like yoga to the gym down stairs. If she came down to exercise, they would all stop what they were doing to walk with her, talk with her and make sure she was ok.
Tank, Lester and Bobby were in love with the changes she had put in including the systems for inventories in both the medical bay and the arsenal. Tank was both irritated and excited about the schedule system she installed that rendered paper useless. Now the men logged in when they started work either at their computers or their phones. And when they need time off or a block schedule, Stephanie added it into the computer generator and then let the computer do the rest. Took less than a minute. Tank was still irritated that he had spent the last few years doing it all by hand.
Overall Stephanie was sliding into her new role at the company with ease, doing everything they asked of her and more. He could see the way she was starting to handle things with confidence, talking with the men, working on the contracts. She took it all in stride, the only thing she was struggling with was when she talked to new male clients, she still looked to who ever she was with for direction. But that was because she was still learning the system and the different types of security they used. He had no doubt that once she got a handle on that, she would not even need the core team to sell.
Ranger rounded the corner to look the men gathered in the conference room, "What are you doing?" He said in his stiff quiet voice that made the room pause to look at him.
The men froze, eyes wide at being caught by Ranger who was supposed to be out for another few hours. Lester being brave or stupid depending on who you ask took a step forward. "Well we were talking about what to get for the babies and Stephanie, you know for the baby shower. And you guys can buy anything you want and you both never ask for anything…. So, we had an ideal."
Ranger raised an eyebrow, "You know the babies are not due for another 4 month's, right? You need to talk about this now?" He asked, voice monotone.
Bobby stood up, his leg finally out of the cast and foot into a boot, "Well yes because our gift is also something very very selfish." He said with a shrug, he continued on when Ranger raised an eyebrow, "We know that right now your apartment has one bedroom and one office. Your office is not that big and making into one bedroom might work but not two. Plus, then you don't have an office. And Lester heard you talking about buying a house….. and frankly we don't want you to move out of the building. … Soooooooooooo, there is that massive storage space along the kitchen and dining area of your apartment. We want to turn it into two bedrooms and another bathroom. So your apartment would be a three bedroom with and office and 2 and half bathroom."
Ranger looked on in surprise, this was a conversation that he and Stephanie had been having and gotten no where on. They knew they would not be able to keep two babies in the office but as of right now neither one of them wanted to move out of the building. It was safer in the building and they would have the support of the entire team here.
Ranger nodded at them carefully, "I think that might be the best present you can give us…. We have been trying to figure out what we were going to do, but I think we might make this a bigger project. I am going to take the entire 7th floor and revamp it to a massive apartment so we never have to worry about leaving unless we want to. A bigger bedroom for Steph and I, with a larger closet, bigger kitchen with a play room area for when the kids get big, large dining area and office. You guys can be brilliant….. Why don't you guys find an architect I can call and help us pack up and start demolition this weekend. It will take a few weeks or even months to finish and I would rather it be done before the babies are born."
Bobby's eyes got big, "Where do you plan on going when you can't be in the apartment? We figured if we did an addition, we can work around you." He asked.
Ranger nodded, "I am going to talk to them about getting our room done first, so we have a place to sleep and relax and we will build around that. I would rather do one massive renovation, and have it finished then to keep adding and changing things later."
Bobby grinned, "So you want to add more rooms…. For more babies later?" He turned to the room, "I told you we would get at least 3 babies around here, 4 would be better."
The room froze when they heard Stephanie from the door way, "I hope your children will like playing with my children Bobby. Because the only babies coming out of this belly are currently in it." She said with narrowed eyes, "But does Meg know about your baby plans?"
Bobby snorted, "Can you imagine me with a kid?"
Stephanie snorted right back, "Can you imagine me with a kid?" She asked.
Bobby paused and looked at her closely, but before he could speak Ranger cleared his throat, "I would tread carefully if I were you." He murmured.
Stephanie turned to look at Ranger, "Ohhh honey, why do you take all my fun away… I wanted to hear what he was going to say." She grinned her evil grin at him.
Ranger gave her a slight tilt of his lips, walking over to place a hand at her back, "You look dressed up, what's going on?"
Stephanie rolled her eyes, "I look like I am fat….. not even pregnant yet just fat." She murmured looking down. At 17 almost 18 weeks she had finally popped but only slightly. She didn't fit into her jeans any more, but she didn't look like she needed maternity pants yet. "I look like I ate too many subs and became Santa."
Ranger gave her a small smile, lifting a hand to rub her stomach gently, "Two little subs, Babe." He took in her black dress and knee-high black boots, with sheer black pantyhose and a black blazer. "And we can't even see the little Subs unless you show your belly. With the flowing dress you look the same as you did 4 months ago." He said gently.
Stephanie turned to him with narrowed eyes, "So what you are saying is that 4 months ago I looked fat?" She growled, stepping to the side out of his reach.
Ranger took a deep breath, "No… Babe that is not what I meant." He said gently.
Stephanie rolled her eyes, "Sure, I just look the same now as 4 months ago and since I am fat now… you do the math."
"Tread carefully." Bobby said with a snicker to Ranger.
Stephanie rounded over to him, "Do you have something to say Bobby because I will take your crutch and beat you with it." She said pointing to the one crutch he carried for his foot.
Bobby's eyes went wide, and he shook his head, narrowing his eyes at Ranger who was grinning behind Stephanie. The room held their breath, knowing that whatever they said they were going to go down in this pregnant woman's wrath. Hector was the only one brave enough to step forward to murmur into her ear. The room sighed when she gave a small smile and nodded.
She looked at the room and sighed, "I am sorry, I am feeling sick today and my back is killing me and I have to go to a meeting. I should not be taking my frustrations out on you." She said looking around. The men started to smile and her and murmur that it was ok.
She looked over at Hector, "I have to go to a meeting with a new client. He speaks mostly Spanish. Will you go with me?" She asked him in Spanish. He gave her a quick nod, walking out to go change quickly. She turned back to Ranger who raised an eyebrow at her, knowing silence was his best bet at this moment.
She walked over to wrap her arms around his waist, "I am sorry." She murmured, "I know that I am driving you crazy."
He wrapped his arms around her but didn't say anything, so she went on, "I know I am driving you crazier than normal." She said, taking a deep breath, "I just spent the last hour looking for something to wear that fit me, but still looked good and not be pajamas. Only to get to stressed and hot, so then I threw up on the top I had finally picked. So, I had to start over."
Ranger narrowed his eyes at the men who were trying to hold back snickers, "Babe, maybe you should go shopping for some clothes, make it a girl's day. Take your sister and Lula, maybe Mary Lu?"
She leaned back to look at him with a sigh, "I am going to have too, I can't keep spending this much time figuring what to wear before work…. I did just get paid." She said.
Ranger went to offer her a credit card and then thought better of it, knowing it would only piss her off. "You did, why don't you take tomorrow off. We only have one meeting and Tank and I can handle it. We have had this client for years, it is just going over his contract and having him resign a new one."
Stephanie shook her head, "I can go Saturday or Sunday." She said stepping back and taking a breath.
Ranger gave her a grin, "I made plans for you this weekend…. it's a surprise."
She raised an eyebrow at him, "Fine, I will see if they can go…. It would be easier to just order off line though."
Ranger shook his head, "Go to the mall Babe, take the day off. You have been working since…." He paused not wanting to point out the last kidnapping.
She shrugged, "Fine but I am sleeping in first." She looked over at Bobby who gave her a grin. She narrowed her eyes at him, "AND I am telling Meg that you are stressing me out." She said pointing at him.
Bobby's eyes went huge, "Ohh come on, what did I do?" He said.
She gave him a mean grin, "One…. saying that I was going to have more babies when I don't even have these ones out yet….. two for being a smart ass…. three your aftershave makes you smell like a hooker and the babies don't like it. Hell, even Lester has learned to scale back on the smells."
Bobby looked truly offended, "You know, you used to be my favorite…. But you are so mean, that I changed my mind…. By the way a bunch of mail and packages came for you."
Stephine raised an eyebrow at him, "It's not my fault your smell makes me want to vomit, do you bathe in the cologne?" She rolled her eyes, "Water and soap… that's all you need. "She said with a grin, "Just throw the mail in my office, I will deal with it Monday. It's just stuff I have been waiting on."
When he didn't laugh, she frowned, "I am sorry Bobby, maybe my nose is just being sensitive …. Again, I am being bitchy…..." She murmured looking guilty.
Before Bobby could say anything, Lester leaned over and took a sniff, "Nope, he smells like a hooker." He said with a grin.
Stephanie snorted, and Bobby rolled his eyes, "This coming from the man who uses Axe Body spray like he is a preteen." He said.
Lester grinned and shrugged, "What can I say, the ladies love it." He said with a grin.
Bobby snorted, "Yes because you date hookers. Date a real woman and she will not love your teenage smell."
Lester shrugged, "A real woman would expect commitment, my dates know its only for fun." He said.
Stephanie snorted, "One day Lester…. You are going to find a woman that will get you to settle down…. An I hope that she is just like me." She said grinning at him.
Lester wiggled his eyebrows at her, "You mean crazy beautiful, funny and smart?" He said, "Don't threaten me with a good time."
Stephanie shook her head, "Yes to all of those things…... but also, slightly crazy, stubborn and a little mean so she can keep you in check." She said with a shrug.
Bobby and Ranger laughed at he horrified expression Lester gave her, "Well that was just mean, why would you say something like that?" He asked.
Stephanie grinned, "Are you saying that I am not pretty prefect and if you had to find a woman and she was like me, you wouldn't be lucky?" She asked.
Lester shook his head, "I mean I guess, if I am going to be stuck with someone for the rest of my life, I would want her to be a little like you… I mean you are ok, overall." He said looking thoughtful.
Stephanie laughed at him and turned to Ranger, "Is that how you see yourself…. stuck with me?" She asked.
Ranger tilted his lips at her, "Yep…. Just like you are stuck with me…. And I wouldn't have it any other way." He whispered in her ear.
She looked at him with a grin, "Good answer…." She turned to look at Lester, "You on the other hand need to work on being a grown-up man and not a man child." She said rolling her eyes.
Lester snickered, "You know that you love me."
Stephanie sighed as Hector walked back in the room ready to go, "Alas you are right, for some reason Lester…. We all love you just as you are. But you love me as I am, and I know that I am a challenge sometimes… sooooooooo I guess we are both good."
Ranger gave her a smile, "You are a challenge, but that's one of the reasons that we love you." He pulled her closer and kissed her temple, "The men wanted to give us a surprise for the baby shower gift…. I think that you are going to love it." He said looking over at the guys, including Lester who began to bounce up and down in excitement.
Tank rolled his eyes at him, "Go ahead. I know that you are like a child wanting to give the gift." He said crossing his arms.
Lester grinned, "We are giving you a new apartment…. So, you can stay here forever." He said quickly.
Stephanie looked at Ranger in confusion, "What?"
Bobby cleared his throat, pushing Lester to the side, "We know that right now there is not enough room on seven for you and both babies and we know that you don't really want you to move out…. And to be honest, we don't want you to move out because we know we can keep you safe here. So we are going to tear out the apartment on seven and add more rooms and area with the storage space that is not being used." He said with a grin.
Stephanie just stood there, her face frozen to the point where the men started to panic. So Tank hurry up and spoke. "We are thinking 3 bedrooms and 2 and half bathrooms along with a bigger office for you guys and a play area." He mumbled. "You can work with us and pick everything that you want, colors and cabinets and all of that stuff."
When she still didn't say anything, Ranger reached over and pulled her close, "It was just an ideal Babe, we can still look for a house if you want." He whispered.
Stephanie started shaking her head and tears began to stream down her face, "NO I LOVE it." She said finally smiling, "I didn't want to leave… I have been freaking out about leaving because I want to be here with our family for now… maybe forever. And now you guys are making it possible." She started crying harder, "I love you all so much…. How did I get so lucky to have you guys as my family?" She whispered.
The men let out a collective sigh of relief and then grinned, "We don't want you to leave either." said Tank. "Honestly I wanted to put you in a big bubble for the next few months, but Ranger said that wouldn't work."
Stephanie rolled her eyes at him, "I would like to see you try…" She grinned up at Ranger, "Did you have a part in this?" She asked him.
He shook his head at her, "Nope, this was all the guys ideal." He said.
Stephanie frowned, "Are you ok with it? I know you were talking about a house…" She said softly.
Ranger raised an eyebrow, "No…. for now, I like the ideal of us being here, I know that you and the babies will be safe here." He said. "Maybe in a few years we can re-think a house, but I am good here if you are."
Stephanie grinned, "I am more than good, I am great." She said, "But now I have to go to work…. Some of us still have stuff to do." She said to the men, "Come on Hector, I want to get a snack on the way." She finished in Spanish.
The men laughed at her as she reached up and kissed Ranger, "Can we talk over dinner… I should be home about 8." She said.
Ranger gave her a nod, "Anything you are wanting?" He asked her, knowing she changed her mind on food every few minutes.
She shrugged, "Not really…. Just no vegetables today… especially green stuff…... it smells weird." She said shuttering.
Lester snickered, "like green beans?" He asked
Stephanie shook her head, "NO broccoli and asparagus…." She gagged a little, "I can't." She gagged again. "I don't want to talk about it, I just stopped throwing up." She said looking green.
Bobby's eyes got big, "Are you going to throw up just from talking about food?" he asked.
She nodded at him, "That and your smell… it kind of reminds me of your cologne." She said.
Lester snickered and Bobby step back in horror as Stephanie threw up on his shoes.
"Why is it always me?" He asked looking down and the room exploded in laughter