Author – PinPin [mciupin13 at yahoo dot com]
Rating – R : strong language, eventually some violent and sexually suggestive content (no smut)
Disclaimer – I do not own the characters, etc. I am only borrowing them from Janet. (plenty of originals will pop-up later) This is not for profit, just for kicks.
Notes – post EoT, directly following book 11. Babe, but Cupcake respectful.
***SPOILER ALERT*** Spoilers for all books, especially EoT.

** This is an older, multi-POV, multi-chapter story that picks up directly following the end of Eleven on Top. It was originally posted years ago at Y!PlumFanFiction. It's still a WIP, but to date it's approaching 170k words. Since this story's conception and plot outline dates back to '05, Twelve Sharp and later books were not used as canon because they had yet to be published (for example: Tank and Lula were never a couple and his real name was still a mystery, Stephanie was never a suspect in Orr's disappearance, and since there was never a Scrog, we barely know anything about Ranger's daughter or ex-wife, etc...). For anyone who hasn't read EoT in a while and is a little hazy on the details from its final pages, I recommend giving the last chapter a perusal/rereading. **

Stephanie Redux - Chapter 1

"I feel better now."

And I did. Something inside me shifted and relaxed. I'm Stephanie Plum, the Bombshell Bounty Hunter. Step aside Chambersburg, you're in my goddamn way. I may need back-up and the occasional rescue, but no one fights my battles for me. Look out Trenton, I'm ready to kick some ass.

"Babe."

Ranger was wearing his blank face. His voice was tight and his posture was still visibly tense. He looked pissed; controlled, but fuming. For a change of pace, I decided to think before I said anything that might stir-up trouble. Was he angry with me for coming back and destroying Stiva's car and garage? Maybe. Was he pissed at Tank and Hal for not securing me at Morelli's? Probably. Was he burning with rage because Stiva had hurt me and nearly killed me? Definitely. As a matter of fact, so was I. Upon reflection, I guess I didn't really have anything to say.

We were facing each other silently while Tank secured Stiva. He cuffed him and proceeded to none-too-gently kick the old man's ass across the street and into the Explorer. Hal was on his cell phone and moving towards us. A glance from Ranger stilled him, and Hal hung back to wait about fifteen feet from us. As Tank moved to stand beside Hal, Ranger returned his attention to me.

"What are you doing here," he asked quietly. Any doubt I had had before flew from my mind. He was most definitely and royally pissed. And I was positive he was pissed at me.

"You were staying to takedown Stiva. I wanted in on it."

A few more moments passed in an unnerving silence which, surprisingly enough, was broken by Ranger. "I told you I didn't want you here. It was too dangerous."

I felt my own body tense. There was anger building in my chest. This conversation was starting to sound familiar. "I wanted to be here. I have every right to be here."

His face flickered for barely a second. I saw an expression that I hadn't ever seen before flash across his face before it became blank once again. "Why aren't you with Morelli?" He cut his eyes to Tank and Hal.

I'm not exactly sure what it was, but something about this last question had me seeing red. I think steam may have shot from my ears and there was a whistling sound inside my head. I heard my own voice grow sharp and tight. "If you dare say that name to me again tonight, you're going to wish you were Stiva."

All three men snapped their heads to stare at me with wide eyes. Oh, shit! Did I just threaten Ranger! Hal's mouth was hanging open and he had let the hand holding his phone fall from his face to his side. It was the first time I had seen shock on a Rangeman's face. Ranger was speechless, not that he ever said much in the first place. If there hadn't been anger coursing through me like molten lava, I would have collapsed into a fit of giggles.

"After tonight I know exactly how dangerous Stiva can be. Trust me. So if I want to hang around ground zero and wait for the boom that's my decision. I don't need a baby-sitter or a warden. I went with Tank and Hal because you asked. They did exactly what you told them to do. But you're freaking nuts if you thought that I was just going to sit around and be lectured by Morelli while Con was still out there. And if you want to complain about having a rotten day you're going to have to get in the back of the line. Those six bad hours you spent looking, I spent stuffed inside a kitchen cabinet. It was a great evening compared to my afternoon, which I spent locked in a coffin. I was alive and trapped in a casket! I have every right to be here! I have every right to go beat the shit out of Stiva! THE BASTARD LOCKED ME INSIDE A FUCKING CASKET!" My voice kept growing louder and louder. By the end of my rant I was screaming. My face was on fire and my hands were clenched in tight fists and were starting to ache.

The men stood frozen in place, Hal's mouth still open wide. Ranger took one small, slow step in my direction at the exact same moment that we heard the sirens. I turned to see blue and red lights flashing faintly in the distance but growing brighter. They pulled me up and out of my little inferno. I drew a few deep breaths, relaxing and loosening my fists. With a tug on Bob's leash I headed back to the Buick. He jumped in and I shut the doors. I was trying hard not to notice the others still standing on the lawn. Why had I been screaming again? My mind felt cluttered.

Grabbing a baggy I kept in the car, I went to collect Bob's poop. I found a trash can near the garage and once rid of the baggy, I moved toward some lawn chairs that were now thrown in a heap just beyond Stiva's crushed green sedan. I pulled one over near Big Blue to sit and wait for Trenton's Finest to arrive. The adrenaline had faded and as I recovered from my earlier outburst, I was starting to feel just how tired and sore I really was.

Hal seemed to be recovering as well. He had closed his phone and his mouth. I looked around at the entire scene for a moment. The storm of emotions was settling and I was trying to gather a few coherent thoughts. This wasn't going to be easy to explain to the police. I sat back in the chair and absent-mindedly rubbed Bob's ears through the car window. Three sets of wide eyes and raised eyebrows were still glued to me. I took in the sight before me and couldn't control myself. I burst out laughing, holding my sides and wiping at my tears. My entire body shook in mirth. There was no other word for it; they were dumbstruck. Their faces were priceless.

My laughter seemed to break whatever spell they had been under. Tank was the first to react. "Jesus Christ," he muttered as he returned to the Explorer. Hal was on the phone again, and from the barely-there conversation, I assumed he was talking to someone at RangeMan.

Ranger hadn't moved. He still stood frozen facing me. He hadn't taken his eyes off me. His breathing was heavy and his blank face had returned. His eyes were intense with something, but I couldn't tell what. Hal took a cautious step towards him.

"Boss, the teams."

I guess that was supposed to make sense to Ranger. After a few beats he slowly pulled his eyes from me to speak to Hal. True to form, he spoke briefly and with authority.

"Final status reports and cancel. Send the debrief to all points. Notify Brower." Hal nodded and moved back to the Explorer where Tank was waiting. Ranger's head dipped forward to stare at his feet for a minute. I cocked my head to the side a fraction of an inch and felt my forehead wrinkle. I'd never seen Ranger with his head down like that. It was disarming. When he lifted his eyes to me again I almost gasped at what I found there. Pure emotion was etched across his face, more than I had ever seen on anyone. It was a confused jumble of every emotion I could name, and probably a few I couldn't. I sat transfixed as he came towards me. He reached out to brush a curl from my face and tuck it behind my ear before reaching down to take my hands. He turned them over inspecting my wrists. Then he scanned the rest of my body for injuries. He spoke with a low, hoarse voice. "Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm a little miffed though."

That earned me the full 100 watts and the ever popular classic, "Babe."

He shifted his gaze back to my eyes and his smile slowly faded. His expression stole my breath away. He looked almost...sad? This isn't like him. What's happening to him? Ranger dropped my hands and sank to his knees in front of me. He laid his head in my lap and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me to him tightly. Somehow I managed not to cry out in shock.

I could feel his warm cheek pressed against my stomach and his heaving chest rhythmically shifting over my thighs. I reached down to brush his hair from his face and saw his eyes were pinched shut as if in pain. When he spoke his voice shook. "I thought I'd lost you, Babe. I was crazy." He gulped in a breath. "I thought you were gone. I…in the house…and then I saw you. You looked so small. I thought I was too late." He was silent a moment. When he spoke again there was so much pain in his voice, it tore a small sob from my throat. "God, Babe. I thought you were gone. I thought I'd lost you."

"Shh, Ranger," I spoke in a soft whisper. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to stay right here with you."

He tightened his arms around me and I ran my fingers through his hair. We sat like that for a long time, even after the police had arrived. None of them had come over to us. I could see Tank talking to a group of officers, gesturing first towards the house, then towards the Explorer, and finally towards Ranger and I. He quietly approached, clearing his throat. Ranger took no notice of him.

"Boss?" Tank was giving Ranger a strange look. "Ric? ... What should I do about the cops?"

"I'll handle it Tank." I spoke up quickly and more decisively than even I had expected.

Tank studied me a moment and then nodded. "Brower's at the station."

"Who's Brower?"

Tank paused a moment to study me again, the uncertainty apparent in his eyes. "RangeMan lawyer."

"Good. Tell him not to do anything until I speak with him. And make sure no one makes a statement until I've made mine. Hand Stiva over to the police. Tell them I want to press charges. Kidnapping and assault. And tell them to search his home and the funeral parlor. They'll find evidence of grand theft, arson, murder, and various other crimes."

Tank nodded again and walked back over to the crowd of police. I saw Carl and Big Dog standing near an unmarked car that was parked at a distance from the rest of the scene. Carl nodded to me and opened the rear door before he and Big Dog returned to their seats in front.

I ran a hand across Ranger's shoulders and brushed my knuckles along his jaw. His breathing had slowed and his shoulders were more relaxed. "Ranger, we need to go down to the station. I need you to come with me while I make my statement. We'll ride with Carl and Big Dog." I lifted his head so that I could see his face. "Look at me." His eyes locked with mine. "Come with me. We're going to go together."

We stood up slowly, his hands still at my waist. He slid one of his hands to the small of my back as we walked over to Carl and Big Dog, but somehow I felt like I was leading him. I grabbed his hand as I slid into the backseat and he followed. We sat close together, our legs and sides touching. Ranger looked like he was in his zone, except he wasn't. He was somewhere else. I could tell that there was something different. I thought about how strong and secretive Ranger is. I felt destitute. It was terrifying to see him looking so helpless, so lost. Then I thought about how strong he made me feel, about the way his hand on my neck always made me feel safe and gave me courage. I reached up behind him to put my hand on the back of his neck and I rested my head on his shoulder. I felt him relax under my weight. A very small, warm smile appeared on his lips and he hooked a finger through one of the belt loops on my jeans. We sat like that for the quiet ride to the station.

We were greeted by Brower as soon as we entered the building. If he was as good at law as he was at first impressions, I was sure that I'd never see the inside of a courtroom again. A finely made suit and an exquisite briefcase added to the charming strength and dignity that radiated from him. He was just under six feet tall and in great shape. I'd guess he was in his late fifties, and that thirty years ago he was as built as any of the Rangemen. He looked from Ranger to me and then turned to an officer at the front desk requesting a room where he could meet with his clients. The officer looked past him and frowned when he saw us. I had a hand resting on Ranger's shoulder and his hand was once again at the small of my back. We had been in physical contact every second since he had held my hands at Stiva's. Ranger had remained silent the entire time. We stood to the side in the hall waiting for Brower to return. The officer was on the phone with someone and did not look pleased. He told Brower that it would take a few minutes and that we should have a seat. Brower sat on a bench near us while we continued to stand.

I was soon lost in thought, recalling as many details from throughout the day as I could: Joe's note this morning, my conversation with my dad, Con finding me snooping, the silk lining inside the casket, the ache of my body in that cabinet, the look on Ranger's face when I fell into his arms, the car ride with Tank and Hal, the sound of the green sedan crumpling, the weight of Ranger's head in my lap and the feel of his hair between my fingers. I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn't see or hear Joe limp up to me.

"Cupcake, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" His voice was a deadly hiss.

I was so startled I think I literally jumped a foot in the air. As I flinched I accidentally moved away from Ranger. He tensed immediately and quickly reached out to pull me back against his side. I looked up at him and saw the small creases around his eyes, traces of the pain that had been so clear on his face at Stiva's. I ran my hand down his arm and smiled what I hoped was a reassuring smile as I squeezed his hand. He gently squeezed my hand in return. Making my voice as soothing as I could manage I told him again, "I'm right here."

When I turned back to Joe his eyes were wide and blazing. He was flushed crimson and almost shaking with rage. This was not the same calm, friendly Joe I had left at home earlier. He looked from Ranger to me and then down at our clasped hands. "Answer me dammit! What the fuck are you doing?"

As if on cue, Brower materialized beside us. "My name is Edward Brower. I represent RangeMan Enterprises." He handed Joe a business card. "My clients have been brought in for questioning pertaining to an automobile accident."

Joe was so furious he looked like he might very well explode. I was usually cringing at this point, feeling stung by his piercing glare. At that moment though, I couldn't have cared less. Let him be angry, I thought. It didn't matter much to me anymore. I wasn't angry.

I smiled when I recalled the way I felt when I saw Con trapped by his airbag. I felt great. It felt better than finding out that he was the fifth man at Fort Dix. That had been exciting, but watching Stiva flailing in vain at his car door had felt satisfying. It felt like justice. I'm Stephanie Plum. Bounty hunter. Rangeman. 'Burg to the bone. And I had things to do, like clear up this Stiva mess and take care of Ranger. I smiled again when the thought struck me. I needed to take care of Ranger and make sure he was alright. My smile only seemed to further infuriate Joe. He was actually spitting with hate.

"Is that how it is Stephanie? Is it that easy? That cheap? You can be bought with a lawyer who'll try to smooth things over whenever you fuck something up?"

"Excuse me, officer," Brower immediately and fiercely broke in. "You must be mistaken. I represent the entire RangeMan firm. Ms. Plum is an employee and entitled to my services as part of her employment contract. I am here tonight to guide her through the questioning process and advise her as needed. I have already advised her not to answer any questions until we have had a chance to speak in confidence. Therefore, I will have to ask you not to ask Ms. Plum or Mr. Manoso any further questions until we have had an opportunity to confer in private."

If Joe were to get any more upset he'd pass out. Brower was not helping the situation. I could sense disaster looming. "That's alright Mr. Brower, I'd like a moment with Detective Morelli."

Brower seemed skeptical, but moved back to sit on his bench. I smiled at Ranger again as I stepped away from him, but I kept a firm grip on his hand. I turned to Joe with my arm stretched out to Ranger behind me. I looked at him with what was probably the first blank face I've ever managed.

"I've had a very long day Joe. It's complicated. I need to stay here and straighten out some things. Go home and get some rest. I'm sure you'll hear more than enough about all of this tomorrow." My voice was flat and patient. I was exhausted. I couldn't have been angry if I'd wanted to, which only seemed to turn Joe deeper shades of pissed.

"That's bullshit Stephanie! Don't give me that. You run off in the middle of the night to play super-hero with your whack-job pals and then show-up here holding hands and all you can say is that it's complicated and I should go rest? Fuck that Stephanie!"

Ranger's hand tightened on mine and it stemmed the threatening tide rising in me. I kept my blank face but couldn't keep the irritation out of my voice. This routine of his was getting old. "You better take a deep breath and listen to me Joe. I'm not the only person who's had a horrible day. I will not leave here until this accident thing is resolved. Ranger and Tank and Hal aren't just co-workers; they're my friends. I will not leave them. And you are not involved in this. You should go home. I don't have to talk to you Joe, and I'm not going to, so you might as well leave." I held Joe's gaze for a few beats trying to impress upon him how completely serious I was and then turned back to Ranger. I leaned back against the wall and rested my head against his shoulder. I have no idea how I was able to stay on my feet. It probably had something to do with the way Ranger was looking down at me resting at his side.

Joe's anger was reaching record breaking heights as I watched him out of the corner of my eye. I was starting to wonder if we were all witnessing what the courts refer to as 'temporary insanity.' Thankfully, whatever Joe was about to say or do was interrupted. Eddie Gazarra was almost running over to us, and I doubted it was because he had an urgent telegram for me. He knew Joe as well as I did and could see that interference was in order. He was slightly winded when he finally arrived.

"Steph, Ranger, Mr. Brower, if you'll follow me please." He led the way through the station to an interview room in the basement and near the side exit to the parking lot. I let out a mental sigh of relief. Eddie must be handling the questioning if we're being placed in such a private and convenient room. Tank and Hal were already waiting for us. "You can have a few minutes with your lawyer. I'll be back in twenty to file the accident reports and take your initial statements. We've sent people over to Stiva's. You'll have to come back in a day or two for more questions after we know all of the charges. If you need anything Steph you know how to get a hold of me."

We settled around the table, Ranger and I sitting close with our arms linked, Tank and Hal across from us without their arms linked, and Brower at the far end of the table. Brower produced a pad of paper, a pen, and a small recorder from his briefcase and looked between Ranger and Tank. "I need the official version of what happened tonight." He nearly fell out of his chair when I started speaking.

"This afternoon I went to Michael Baroni's memorial service. I had taken my RangeMan Ducati, which has a tracking device on it. The service was at Stiva's. While I was there Con Stiva asked if he could speak to me in private. Recently I've been stalked and harassed by a man who was thought to be Spiro Stiva. I thought Con wanted to talk to me about his son, Spiro. I went with him to his private residence behind the funeral home. Once we were inside he zapped me with a stun gun. When I came-to I was inside a casket. I'm not sure how long I was in there. I thought that I had been buried alive until I could feel that I was being moved." I watched Tank's jaw clench and a muscle in his neck jump. Hal's usually blank, but gentle face was murderous. Ranger had stiffened in his seat and his hands were white-knuckled on the table. All of the men were breathing more deeply than normal. I put my hand back on Ranger's neck as I continued, trying to send him the message; 'I'm still here with you. I'm right here.'

"Eventually we stopped and the lid opened. I was in a house then, one that I didn't recognize. Con told me that he was the man who had been harassing me. He had been impersonating his dead son and trying to pin the Baroni shallow grave murders on him. He said that when my body was found everyone would think that Spiro had gone insane and committed all of the crimes. He told me he had to leave me there for a while and he'd come back to kill me later. Then he must have stunned me again because the next thing I remember is waking up in a small dark space. I was cuffed. I felt around and found a small piece of metal. I spent hours trying to pick the lock on the cuffs." When I spoke about picking the locks the anger seemed to drain from the room, and instead they all wore curious expressions. From that point in the story they should have known what I'd say next. They seemed surprised when they didn't.

"When I finally managed to get my hands free I saw that I was stuffed in one of the kitchen cabinets and that the pick I had used was a loose carpentry staple. I tried to get away in a car that was in the garage, but as soon as I got in the driver's seat Con returned. He was driving my Buick. He rammed the car twice from behind. That's when Ranger, Tank, and Hal arrived. They helped me out of the car and captured Stiva. They told me that they had been searching for me since I hadn't returned to work and the GPS showed that I was still at the funeral home. My Buick, which also had a tracking device, had been parked outside Morelli's house. When the GPS showed that it was moving, they followed it to Spiro's house. Then the police arrived." Brower nodded and stopped the recorder. He was writing notes on his legal pad and replaying the tape of my explanation. Tank and Hal both had huge smiles on their faces. Ranger leaned over and placed a light kiss at my temple. I could see the strength returning to his eyes. He was slowly coming back from wherever he had been at Spiro's. Just as the tape finished playing I remembered something.

"Wait, there's one more thing." Brower cued the tape and pressed record. "My dog Bob was at the scene. Since Morelli broke his leg Tank had been helping me take care of the dog. Bob was in the Explorer when I went missing and no one wanted to take the time to stop searching and drop him off somewhere." All four men looked at me for a silent moment and then erupted in laughter. I was nearly blinded by 400 watts worth of handsome grins.

When the laughter quieted Brower sat up and was serious again. "Well, none of you have committed any offense and you should be able to leave as soon as you give your statements. Ms. Plum, you'll definitely have to return for questioning and give a much more detailed statement before you formally press charges. I'll be sure to have time this next week, so let me know when it is best for you and I'll be here. Also, if you have any evidence in your possession you should report it now and have an officer collect it immediately to ensure a solid chain of custody. So, unless you forgot to clean-up after your dog, you're all in the clear."

Tank spoke up then. "No, we're good. I had a bag. It's taken care of." We were all laughing again as Eddie walked into the room.

Eddie took our statements and filed an accident report, but he said that since Con had used the Buick it had to be held as evidence. My first thought was of how disappointed my dad would be. Luckily, the Merry Men have more practical minds.

Tank interjected, "You'll ride with us tonight and in the morning. We'll have the Duc waiting in the garage tomorrow."

Once that was settled Eddie turned to me with a very serious expression. I'm not any good at ESP, but there are a couple people with whom I can communicate without using words. Eddie is one of those people. "Steph, Con has a very different story about what happened tonight and from what I've heard Joe saying so far, he also remembers things happening differently. He's not going to like these reports much is he?"

"No." I lifted my chin. "He won't like them at all. But it isn't the first time he's been upset with me over something like this. You know as well as I do that his memory suffers when he's upset." I put extra emphasis on that last statement and it was followed by Eddie's appraising silence. I locked eyes with Eddie. After a few more moments, he sighed resignedly and stood up from the table.

"You're free to go. I'll call you tomorrow Steph." Eddie was almost out the door when he turned back. "Wait, there's one more thing. I thought you'd like to know that Carl and Big Dog went back to pick up Bob and they took him back to Morelli's." Confusion spread over Eddie's face when Tank roared with laughter again, but he didn't ask. He just left shaking his head.

We took the side exit and avoided seeing anyone else at the station. Brower left in his own car, a shiny, sexy, new, make-me-drool Bentley Continental GT Coupe. Even the lawyers are badasses. The four of us piled into the Explorer and Tank pulled out into the night. Again, Ranger and I sat close to each other in the backseat. I was distracted for a while as I watched Ranger, hoping that he wouldn't slip into the pseudo-zone he had been in during the ride to the station. As Tank slowed to turn onto Slater I realized he was taking me to Morelli's house.

"No, Tank. I'm not going to Joe's. Can you take me to my apartment?" Tank eyed me in the rearview mirror, but didn't say anything. He switched off the blinker and continued on Chambers. Ranger shifted in his seat and moved a sliver closer to me. I saw that he was watching me intently. It was strange. Usually when I'm in a car with Ranger he's driving in his zone or he's hyper-aware of our surroundings. We never sit together. He had barely said a dozen words since we left Spiro's and he hadn't lost contact with me once. After the interview room at the station Ranger seemed much more like he is normally, but still not quite himself. His eyes were almost dancing with feeling. He looked...grateful? Damn, he's hard to read. His eyes may have been oblique but his body language wasn't. He held on to me and wouldn't let go. As time passed I began to realize that he couldn't let go. Finding me the way he did had been a shock to his system. I had known that as soon as I saw his face. This was how he was dealing with it. He needed the reassurance of physical contact, the proof that I was still here. My heart twinged and my stomach did a little flip at the thought. I wondered if this was what it felt like to be Ranger, to be a hero. Is this what it felt like to be needed?

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt Tank cut the engine. We were in my parking lot. I didn't move to get out right away. Ranger still had his arm around me and there was something I wanted to say. I just couldn't find the words.

Tank turned to look over his shoulder. "Stephanie? Are you ok?"

That's when the first tear fell. I was so overwhelmed by his concern, by everything the Rangemen did for me. All three men suddenly had worry in their eyes at the sight of that teardrop.

"I...I wanted to say thank you, but...but I...I don't have the words." Their expressions softened and it was the final push that had me stumbling over the thin line that separates teary declarations and incoherent sobbing. "You've all done so much for me. Not just tonight, but always. Every time I've asked for help, and many times when I didn't, you've always been there for me. I owe you my life and probably my sanity, what there is of it. I don't know what I would do without you all and I can't even begin to think about how I could ever explain what you mean to me. I just...I just...I...thank you."

In what turned out to be the most unexpected event of the entire evening, Hal got out of the Explorer and opened my door. Without pulling me away from Ranger he leaned into the backseat and wrapped me up in a giant bear hug. I was so surprised I stopped crying almost instantly. He released me without saying a word. Then he moved to the rear of the Explorer to get something out of the back. He returned with a box of tissue and a very sweet smile, handing me the box before climbing back into the front. Wow. All I could do was stare.

I must have been staring for a while because I heard Tank clear his throat. "Steph? You still with us?"

I snapped back into focus and remembered where I was and what had happened. Before I could say anything the sight of their shocked faces on Spiro's lawn flashed in my mind. Again, I couldn't control myself. I broke down into a fit of giggles. And the confused looks they gave me didn't do anything to help the situation. Between breaths I managed to squeak out what I thought was so funny. "You...giggle...should ...giggle...have seen your faces...giggle...at Spiro's when I yelled at Ranger. I'll...giggle...never forget the look...giggle...on Hal's face. Giggle. It was better than when I stunned him!" At that point they all laughed with me again. Even Hal; he was a good sport about it.

As the laughter tapered off I let out a long, deep breath. It had been a very long day, followed by a very intense night. I didn't want to think about it anymore. The only thing on my mind right then was sleep, tons and tons of sleep. I shifted my weight to get out of the Explorer but didn't get far. Ranger still had his arm around me. I glanced back at him questioningly.

"Ranger?" I noticed that Tank was also watching him carefully. I saw that the small lines around Ranger's eyes had reappeared. I was starting to really worry about him. I tried my best at a comforting smile and closed the door on my side of the Explorer. Tank and Hal both shot me a look, but I ignored them. I gave Ranger a push and kept shoving him gently.

"Alright, come on, let's go. Come on, come on. Move it." Ranger looked at me puzzled for a moment, but then opened his door to get out and I slid out behind him. He still held my hand. I leaned into the driver's window to speak quietly to Tank. "Can you send someone over with a car for him. I think we both have sets of keys, so it doesn't matter which one or when it's brought over."

Tank nodded and then replied in the same hushed voice. "Steph, keep an eye on him. I've never seen him like this. Make sure he gets some sleep. I don't know when he slept last. And if you need anything, promise you'll call me."

"I promise. I won't let anything happen. I'll take care of him." Tank pulled away and we headed up to my apartment. I think Ranger might have been as tired as I was because we took the elevator. Once inside, Ranger swept my apartment for intruders. I didn't exactly understand why, maybe force-of-habit? Then he just stood in the living room, watching me. He looked unsure of himself and even a little lost. It was the first time all night that we had separated. I had always been frustrated by that blank face he wore all the time, but seeing the pain and doubt on his face was worse. It was torture.

I crossed the room to him and reached down to unclip his gun belt and set it aside on the coffee table. Then I pushed him to the sofa for him to sit. I took off his shoes for him and took off the weapons he wore on his ankles. He just sat and watched me move around him. I slipped into my bedroom to change into a clean t-shirt and panties. I pulled the blanket from my bed and dragged it to the sofa. I asked if Ranger had set his alarm and waited while he checked his watch. I put our cell phones near his gun belt where we could reach them, but I turned off the ringers of both my house phone and my cellular. And finally, I pulled at Ranger's shirt, removing it with his help. I curled up next to him with his arms around me and threw the blanket over us. I was so exhausted I think I was asleep before my head made it to his chest.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Despite this story's longevity, it's still a WIP. (I work on it when I can.) Please R&R.