So I was going through all my files and I found this little one-shot I wrote a long time ago and I thought it was time to publish it! My next full length story is still in the idea phase (I can't seem to pick an idea!) so hopefully I finally come to a decision and get that started.

Hope you enjoy!

Not mine. Just using it for my own fun, not money.

"Ranger?" I asked sleepily. I looked at the clock and 2:43 glared back at me in red numbers.

There was a shift in the chair across from my bed. "Yeah, Babe."

I rubbed my eyes. "What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer.

"Ranger?" I turned on the light. "What's wrong?"

He still didn't answer, just held his head in his hands, staring at the ground. Not that now was the best time to be thinking this, but he looked hot in his army dress uniform. The usually crisp blues were wrinkled with wear and from sitting in the chair. I got out of bed and came to kneel in front of him and he looked up from the floor and stared into my eyes. Gone was the blank face and his eyes were full of emotions flitting across his face. I cupped my hand on his cheek.

"Tell me." I said. "Please."

"Captain Matt Little," he whispered.

I didn't know what that meant. "Who?" I asked.

"He was…" He swallowed. "He was a Ranger I served with and I looked up to him. He was one of the instructors when I went through Special Forces school and was only a few years older than me. A few months ago he was in Afghanistan when he was shot by a sniper. Came home in a body bag. I stood there and watched them bury my friend. Saluting him one last time."

"Oh, Ranger…" I said.

"He should've stopped. He was hurt a few years back and should've stopped. I should've told him to when he asked. He would still be alive if I told him to stop. If…"

"Stop it, Ranger. This is not your fault." I said. "You didn't cause his death. You didn't tell the sniper to shoot him."

"He shouldn't have been there. That should've been me."

That thought made me shiver. I realized a few months ago that I was in love with Ranger, not Joe. Joe and I were currently in an off stage and I was waiting for Ranger to return from his last mission. That was three weeks ago.

Three weeks ago, we gave each other space, trying to cool off the heat in our relationship. To make sure it wasn't just a sexual attraction that kept us together.

But when he said that, I knew that it wasn't just sexual. The thought of him dead and out of my life forever terrified me.

"No." I whispered.

"It was either me or him."

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. "You would've done different things."

"No, I wouldn't have. I was able to read the report and he did everything as I would do. I should be dead, not him."

"Don't say that."

"It's the truth!" He yelled. I backed up and sat on the bed as he jumped up and started to pace. "You don't understand. I've been to hell and back, Stephanie. What's the worst thing that's happened to you, huh? Missed a sale at Macy's?"

I sat there stunned. Ranger never acted like this. Talked like this. Talked to me like this.

"Christ, I try to keep you safe, but somehow you manage to shoot it all to hell!" He paced some more. "He got the short stick and ended up dead. The problem is that he shouldn't have been there in the god damned first place!"

He paced some more as I felt the tears well into my eyes. He had no right to speak to me like that, but he just lost his friend and needed to vent. One of the steps to accepting death and whatnot.

He stopped pacing and kneeled in front of me, putting his face into my stomach and I began to stroke his hair.

"I don't want to end up like him." He whispered.

I agree.

"I don't want to waste my entire life working for the government. I don't want to wake up one day and realize that I should've retired ten years ago." I could feel his tears staining my tank top. My heart stopped at the feeling of them, falling gently onto the cotton. I knew somewhere that Ranger was human and he was finally showing it to me.

"I want to be out and have a life with you."

I couldn't breathe. Ranger didn't do relationships. He was the job. But if he wanted out and his life was his own…

Wait. He just lost his friend. He was being irrational. I didn't want him to make this big decision and then resent it for the rest of his life. I loved him too much to make him hate me. I pulled on his hand and he just looked at me, confused and a little lost.

"Come on," I said. He mutely stood up and I started to take off his shirt. When it was gone, I had to restrain myself from licking his beautiful chest. His gun belt came next, followed by his socks and shoes. I sat him down on the bed and forced him to lie down. After pulling the covers over him, I climbed into bed next to him.

"Sleep." I whispered.

His response was to pull me onto his chest and sigh.

And then we were both out.

I woke up the next morning with Ranger gently caressing my back and a deadbolt being thrown in the distance. I snuggled deeper into Ranger's chest.

"What the hell is going on?" A voice yelled.

Joe.

I shot up from bed and launched myself at the angry Italian to keep him from killing Ranger.

"Joe," I warned.

He glared down at the floor. I turned and saw Ranger getting out of bed. "Stay here." I told Joe.

"What are you doing?" I asked, coming into the bedroom.

"Going. I got a meeting…"

"Stay. Call Tank and have him handle it."

His eyes flitted to Morelli, and then back to me. "What about Morelli?"

"Let me handle him and then we can go back to sleep. You're taking the day off. You need rest."

He nodded and sat back down.

Sighing, I went back out and faced Joe.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, closing the door.

"Visiting my girlfriend." He spat back at me.

"I'm not your girlfriend anymore." I was trying to stay calm, but it was getting harder with every minute.

"Christ, Stephanie, you needed time to cool off and then you'd be back, good as new."

I bristled. "Well I'm changing my pattern."

"That's blatantly obvious."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"His hand was on your ass!" He screamed.

I blushed at the memory of Ranger's warm hand on the top of my boy shorts, gently cupping my butt. It wasn't a sexual position, but it was more intimate than the friendship I always claimed to have with Ranger.

"He's a mercenary, Stephanie. He kills people for money."

"He kills bad people for money."

"That doesn't matter to him! It's all about money!"

"Sure it does!"

He put his head in his hands. "Look, Stephanie, I'll be willing to overlook this lapse in judgment…"

"Lapse in judgment?" Oh boy, here comes the rhino. "Ranger is not a lapse in judgment. He's my friend. A friend that need me last night. We were sleeping. That's all."

"It looked like a lot more than just friendship." He snapped.

"You're not my boyfriend anymore, so it's no longer any of your concern. I'd like to be friends some day, but I see that's not a possibility right now. Ranger needs me now and you're leaving."

"Cupcake…"

"OUT!" I said, pointing a stiff finger to the door.

"Don't expect me to pick up the pieces when he breaks your heart again."

"Don't expect me to come back."

He sighed once more, and then left. I let out the breath I was holding and turned back to the bedroom.

Ranger had told me that he wanted a life with me. I didn't know if he still wanted it, but considering I just gave up my last hope for a normal life, I sure hope so.

I opened the door and found Ranger sitting with his back on the headboard.

"How much did you hear?"

"Pretty much all of it." He said. He gave me a small smile.

I sighed and sat down on the bed.

He began massaging my shoulders. "It'll be okay, Babe. I don't plan on breaking your heart again."

I looked up at him. "What?"

"I was serious last night. I'm not in denial or rushing into things because I lost one of my good friends. I'm playing for keeps."

"Yeah?"

He pulled me into his chest. "Yeah."

I sighed happily. "Good, because I'm not going anywhere."