A/N not mine, I own nothing but the plot.

Someone mentioned the Billy Joel song, Just the way you are, and mentioned that it would be a good Babe story. I thought I'd try my hand at it, Cydi here you go. I hope it's what you were looking for.

BTW, this is all from Ranger's POV.

Just The Way You Are

The distraction tonight went off without a hitch, well almost. Joe Morelli and Helen Plum arrived once we had the skip cuffed and stuffed. I watched as they tore her down. They degraded her for her outfit and working with my men. I saw the moment she broke.

She looked up at me with tear filled eyes, begging me to save her with just a silent plea. I walked over and pulled her into my arms. I began to try and soothe her sobs.

As I rubbed her back I whispered into her ear, "Necesito saber que siempre serás. El mismo viejo alguien que conocí. Lo que se tarda hasta tú crees en mi. ¿La forma en que creo en tí?

"Dijo te amo y que es para siempre. Y esto que te lo promemto de corazón. No te amar e mejor. Te quiero tal como eres."

By the time I finished speaking she had calmed down considerably. She took a shakey breath and turned to face the two people who supposedly loved her the most. I watched with pride as I saw her pull herself to her full height, straightening her back and finding the strength I always knew she had.

"Why should I have to change for you to love me? Why should I have to give up who I am for you? Joe, are you going to stop sleeping with every skirt you can find? Mom, are you going to stop telling me about everything you perceive as an embarrassment from me? Are either of you going to change who you are to fit in with what I want?

"Since, I don't see either of you doing that ever, stay the hell out of my life. I never asked anyone to change for me and I'm not going to for anyone, ever."

She turned to me and said, "Will you take me to Haywood tonight?"

"No, but I'll take you there forever," I told her.

I helped her in my car and buckled her seat belt. She grabbed my hand as I began to back out of the car.

"I'm hard to live with, you'll get sick of me too. I'll be in your personal space, you don't want that," she told me with a sad smile.

I shook my head and shut her door. She really doesn't get that I love her, that I don't want her to change anything. I sat in the drivers seat and put the keys in the ignition, but before I cranked the engine I sighed and rubbed my hand over my face. I knew I needed to set things right before we left or I would lose her forever.

"Babe, I don't want you to go changing to try and please me. You've never let me down. I would never leave you in times of trouble, or we never could have come this far. We've had some bad times, now I'll take all the good times. I love you just the way you are."

Her eyes got wide as what I told her sank in. She sat back in her seat and I started the car; over the whine of the high performance engine the radio came on to the classic rock station. The dulcet tones of Billy Joel were playing through the speakers.

Steph let out a giggle when she heard the lyrics.

"I think we found our song, Babe."

"Who knew that Billy Joel could get it right?"

"No, Babe, I finally got it right. He just taught me what love really means and it's just the way you are."

"Carlos, I love you too."

A/N a little short, but I like it. The spanish parts (which are translated below) are from the song Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel. Also, some of the words from the song are scattered throughout the one shot.

translation... ( Thank you to my friend Michelle!)

I need to know that you will always be

the same old someone that I knew.

What will it take till you believe in me, the way that I believe in you?

I said I love you and that's forever

And this I promise from the heart.

I couldn't love you any better

I love you just the way you are