-1Rating: Little smut--kissing, swearing
Disclaimer: J Evanovich characters. I don't own them.
I'm Going Home
I'M STARING OUT INTO THE NIGHT,
TRYING TO HIDE THE PAIN.
I'M GOING TO THE PLACE WHERE LOVE
AND FEELING GOOD DON'T EVER COST A THING.
AND THE PAIN YOU FEEL'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF PAIN.
Looking out the airplane, the sky was still dark. It would still be a few hours before sunrise.He's couldn't wait to land so he could go home. Home was where ever his Babe was, but he couldn't imagine the pain she must be in. He had left four months ago on his final mission, but only found out less than 12 hours ago, the government reported he died in a plane crash one month ago. He had missed the plane and just found out in the debriefing the airplane crashed. Tank would have been contacted by a Government official,and Tank would have broken the news to Stephanie.
Ranger hailed a cab at the airport to take him to Rangeman.
I'M GOING HOME,
BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE I BELONG,
AND WHERE YOUR LOVE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ENOUGH FOR ME.
I'M NOT RUNNING FROM.
NO, I THINK YOU GOT ME ALL WRONG.
I DON'T REGRET THIS LIFE I CHOSE FOR ME.
BUT THESE PLACES AND THESE FACES ARE GETTING OLD
SO I'M GOING HOME.
WELL I'M GOING HOME.
He beeped for the elevator, hopefully Tank was in his fifth floor office as he wanted to see him before shocking Stephanie with his very alive being. It was quiet as not many employees were at work yet, so hopefully no one would see him, but his best friend. As he approached the office, he saw the lights were on and Tank was sadly staring into space, unaware of the form in the doorway.
His eyes started to focus back on the office as he felt a presence. When Tank's eyes settled on the doorway, on the figure, he never believed in ghosts, but what else could it be.
"I'm seeing you now when I'm awake, Ranger. It's bad enough, you invade my sleep. I must be more exhausted than I think." Tank thought he said to himself.
"Tank, I'm alive." the figured said as it moved slowly into the office light.
Tank's eyes grew wide and he dropped the coffee mug in his hand.
"You're dead. Ghosts don't talk, do they?"
"Tank, it's me. I'm not dead. I never made it on the plane."
Ranger took a few more steps slowly toward the desk. He picked up the mug and set it on the desk. Tank looked at the mug on the desk, then at the face looking at him. He stood up and reached out one of his long arms. His fingers touched Ranger's arm. It was solid and warm.
"Ranger, it's really you, right?"
"Yeah, it's me. How's my Babe?"
Tank took a step and gave Ranger a hug. He was really here and not a figment of his mind.
"Stephanie's not here. After your Memorial Service, she left. She was devastated. It was too much for her, you were everywhere, but not."
"Tank, tell me what happened. I know the plane I was supposed to be on went down in Africa. I just found out yesterday that I'm dead. When I made my way to back to the General in charge of the mission, he thought I was an imposter. So, start to tell me what happened so I can go get my Babe."
"When I went to the apartment and woke her after I got the call bout the plane crashing and no survivors. She was screaming and crying, of course, then she told me to leave her alone. Stephanie locked herself in your bedroom for two days. When she finally came out, she was eerily calm. She started asking about your body and having a funeral. I never left the building because I didn't know what she would do because she was in shock. The only person, besides me, Stephanie talked to was her father. I had Bobby and Lester go to your parent's house and tell them. Stephanie insisted you had to have a funeral even though there was nothing but charred ashes left of the plane."
Ranger nodded for Tank to continue when he stopped to get more coffee.
"Don't tell anyone I'm here. I need to see Stephanie first."
Tank nodded and went to the company kitchen. Coming back to his office, he expected it to be empty, and that is was a dream, but Ranger was sitting in the same position. Tank closed the office door.
"Go on, Tank" Ranger told him.
"The next thing I did was contact your attorney. I told him about Stephanie wanting to plan a funeral. I know she hadn't slept much or eaten, but her father did get some food in her and sat beside the bed, when she would fall into fits of sleep. We were walking around like zombies. Your attorney talked with Stephanie, and made your arrangements. I don't know how she did it. She made all the arrangements and picked out a casket and a plot. So, one week after your supposed "death", we had your funeral. She came back to Rangeman and locked herself away again. Barely, coming out to eat. Frank Plum was practically living here because Stephanie wouldn't leave the apartment. She slept with the folded flag on your side of the bed that the Army presented her at your funeral. The general told her she listed as your wife on your documents so the flag was hers. Is that true? The reading of your will was in the apartment last week, because Stephanie still refused to leave it."
"It's true, Stephanie's my woman, my partner, and my wife. I may not have a marriage certificate, but in my head and heart, it's official. What happened at the reading of the will."
"Well, Harrison, told Stephanie all your personal assets and bank accounts were transferred to her and she owned 25 of Rangerman, along with Bobby, Lester, and I. Once, everything was finished, Mr. Plum tried to convince Stephanie to come home his him to stay for awhile, but she refused. She just holed up in the apartment until four days ago. She came down to my office and told me she had to get away. Stephanie couldn't think here. There were too many memories here and all over Trenton. Stephanie told me she rented a house at the beach. So, she got into the Turbo and drove off. I've talked to her everyday, and went to see her yesterday. Stephanie looks lost. She told me she was sleeping more, and doesn't look like she lost anymore weight. She gets up and sits on the beach until she can't stay awake anymore."
"Tank, give my the address in Point Pleasant. Is the GPS on the Turbo still connected?" Ranger asked.
"How did you know she's in Point Pleasant?"
"For some unknown reason, of all the places in the world, Point Pleasant is her favorite and when she was "low on happy" as she called it, that's were she went."
"The GPS is still intact."
"I don't know when we'll be back. But, call Harrison so he knows I'm alive and he can fix things."
"Ranger, all your banking, credit cards, and deeds are all upstairs on seven. Stephanie never opened anything."
"That's my Babe, she's doesn't care of monetary or tangible things, but I wanted to take care of her if anything would have happened. I'm taking the truck. Thanks Tank. I'm going to get my Babe."
"Here's the address, Ranger. Go bring Bombshell back."
"HOME" by Chris Daughtry
