I do not own anything from Janet Evanovich, nor do I own anything of the singers who sing Amazed.
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Ranger had one week and one day to find his special song to have played at his and Stephanie's wedding. He was amazed that this day was even happening in the first place. Over two years ago Officer Joe Morelli was shot and killed in the line of duty. Ranger watched as it nearly destroyed Stephanie.
At the Funeral she sat there silent. She never spoke to well wishers, cried during the funeral or at the grave side service, or moved a muscle. Ranger stupidly hung back for months to let her grieve in peace. He never was too far from her though but he didn't let their paths cross. He walked into the bonds office one afternoon returning from Maine to deliver his FTA he got for Vinnie and to pick up his recovery check. Office manager Connie told him how worried she had been over Steph. When Ranger heard why she was concerned he raced over to her apartment building. Slipping inside he was shocked at what he saw.
Everything Stephanie owned was smashed and broken. At first glance you would think a burglar had vandalized her apartment but he knew that wasn't the case because RangeMan would have documentation on that. Ranger heard the creek of Rex on his wheel and walked over to him. He saw that poor Rex hadn't been changed in days and had no food or water. Picking up the animal carefully in his large hands he placed him in a secure spot and tossed out his old bedding. Placing Rex back in his home and feeding him and giving him fresh water he leaned down to him.
"Where's mom?" he asked him Rex looking up at him his whiskers whirring
Ranger walked into her bedroom and found a naked Stephanie lying face down on her bed. Nothing usually bothered the ex service man but seeing her in that state nearly ripped his heart out of his chest.
"Stephanie" He said reaching her side
Looking around her room Ranger saw dirty clothes and underwear just strewn everywhere and then he saw it, a pill bottle on her night stand opened and on its side.
"Oh God no Stephanie"
Ranger quickly rolled her onto her back and placed his cheek on to her mouth praying for a breath to be felt. Feeling a very faint one he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bathroom.
"Stay with me babe" he said to her as he turned on the water and sat with her in the bottom of the tub letting the water hit and soak the both.
"Come on Stephanie, come on Babe don't leave me, you can't leave me. I'm so sorry I left you alone for so long. Please come back and let me make it up to you" He said smacking her face realizing this woman was his everything
A few scary moments passed with no response from her. Ranger was shattered at thinking his Babe was gone. He leaned down and kissed her and she moved in his arms.
"STEPHANIE" he said looking down at her " Steph come on open your eyes" he commanded her
Stephanie opens her eyes to meet his. She studied him for a few moments before she spoke.
"You're wet" she said
"Yea"
Stephanie began to cry as the pain she felt from before was coming back to her. Ranger held her to him and began smoothing her wet hair with his hand.
"Why Babe?" he asked
"I was all alone now" she told him
"You've never been alone, I've always been around" he told her
"No you haven't. I may never have married Joe but now he's gone and you just up and left me too" She cried
Ranger then knew how stupid it was of him to step back from her. He just thought her mom, grandma, Lula, and Connie would have helped her thru her grief, and he didn't know it was himself that she needed most.
A year from that day he kept Stephanie close to him and got her all the help she needed. He would never try to be away from her for long and if he had to go out of town he would constantly call her. When she had gotten better he had rehired her to work for him at Rangeman again.
One day about six months after he had rehired her she was back to being her old spunky self. She was sitting in his SUV on a stake out waiting on their FTA to come to work. She surprised Ranger by asking him why he had stopped kissing her like he used too. He looked over at her and saw she was serious.
"I didn't think you were ready for that yet" he told her
Stephanie leaned over the console and took him by his black shirt and brought him to her and kissed him. Ranger surprised for a moment kissed her back his hear exploding with the love he felt for this woman. Soon after that everyone knew they were together and were deeply in love. Five months after all that Ranger proposed to her asking her to be his wife and partner for ever. Now Ranger was sitting at his desk frustrated over a song he wants to present to Steph.
"How hard can one Damn song be?" he asked Tank who was sitting in the conference room waiting on the rest of the men and Stephanie to arrive
"We all gave you CD's and a list of nice love songs Carlos" Tank said thumping his pen on the table
"I know and what I've listened to which isn't much since Steph is always around isn't what I'm looking for" he told him as Walked in smiling
"Santos" he greeted
"I just think I solved your song problem and don't worry I threatened their lives if word got back to Stephanie" he told him
"What did you do?" Ranger asked
"I called each branch of RangeMan and asked for help" he told the two men
"If she finds out you will be dead" Ranger said cutting his eyes to see the others walk in along with Stephanie
After their weekly meeting and Ranger and Stephanie's make out session afterwards Ranger got a call from his Atlanta office. A guy there he knew told him he thought he had just the song for him. He told him he knew all the struggles Stephanie had recently went thru and thought this song was just right in conveying what Ranger thought and wanted to say to her and that it would make Stephanie melt. He sent over the link to Rangers private Email, opening it up Ranger was sent to you tube and listened as the music began to play. Ranger felt a rush of relief knowing this was infact the song he wanted to give to Steph. Picking up the phone he called his Atlanta office and told his guy thank you very much he just solved his song dilemma.
Standing at the alter in the Cathedral everyone was sitting and waiting on the music to start announcing the coming of the bride. Ranger and his men were standing up front and Stephanie's brides maids were standing on the other side all dressed in black. The formal music began to play and the doors opened and Frank walked into the room with Stephanie on his arm. She was beautiful, Ranger couldn't keep his eyes off her and wanted to run and take her to the alter himself. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Tank silently telling him to have patience she was coming.
Frank Plum handed his daughter off to her soon to be husband and the priest began the ceremony. After a while he asked if Stephanie took Carlos Manoso to be her lawfully wedded husband. She looked deep in his eyes and said those two words he longed to hear. I DO. He declared them husband and wife and Ranger kissed steph with everything he had in him.
Everything about their wedding was elegant. Ranger had spared no expense. When they made their way to the reception Stephanie was blown away at how the large room looked with their colors and decorations.
"Everyone please welcome the Newly Wedded Couple Mr. and Mrs. Manoso" the Dj announced as they made their way to the bridal table to sit in the middle of RangeMen and Stephanie's sister and friends.
After a while they had ate and was greeting everyone who came when the DJ announced the first dance. Ranger found his bride and they made their way to the middle of the room.
"This song was chosen by the groom for his beautiful bride" the DJ said as the music began
Ranger took Stephanie into his arms and began to lead her in the beautiful slow dance with the song playing behind them.
"Steph this is all I've ever wanted to say to you from the moment I met you and the years we've known each other" Ranger whispered into her ear as the man's voice came on in the song
~~ Every time our eyes meet. This feeling inside me, is almost more that I can take. Baby when you touch me, I can feel how much you love me, and it just blows me away. I've never been this close to anyone or anything, I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams.
I don't know how you do what you do; I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better. I wanna spend the rest of my life, with you by my side forever and ever, every little thing that you do, baby I'm amazed by you.
The smell of your skin
(Steph laughed thinking it was HIM she loved to smell)
The taste
of your kiss, the way you whisper in the dark, your hair all around
me, baby you surround me; you touch every place in my heart. Oh it
feel like the first time every time, I wanna spend the whole night in
your eyes.
I don't know how you do what you do; I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better. I wanna spend the rest of my life, with you by my side forever and ever, every little thing that you do, baby I'm amazed by you.
Every little thing that you do I'm so in love with you, I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better, I wanna spend the rest of my life with you by my side, forever and ever. Every little thing that you do, ohh every little thing that you do. Baby I'm. Amazed. By … You.~~
Stephanie pulled back her cheeks wet with tears.
""I love you My Husband" She said as she kissed him a deep and meaningful kiss
THE END.
