Alternate Ending for Ten Big Ones

by imp01

A look a little further beyond the ending of Ten Big Ones...a little bit of fun with our characters. Not beta'd at this time.

I didn't like the way Ten Big Ones ended. I thought it was too abrupt and that Janet missed a wonderful opportunity to develop the characters and their relationships further. Here is my take on what might have happened next from end of Ten Big Ones. I tend to be a Babe but this story is neutral. Both men have their good points and both have their issues.

I do not make any money from writing. This is just for entertainment purposes. Janet Evanovich owns these wonderful characters.

"It's important to accessorize properly," I said.

"Fudgin' A," said Sally

Morelli shook his head and smiled at me. "I'm glad you're okay, Cupcake. I'm going to check in with Robin and see if they need any help cleaning up this mess. I'll talk with you in a bit."

While Joe had been talking, I had wrapped my arms around myself. I felt cold, nauseous, my face hurt like hell, and I was starting to tremble. Once he had walked away, I felt like I was hearing things around me from a distance. The sirens and lights were fading and I felt detached from the scene around me. I was trembling more and my knees felt spongy.

Ranger must have noticed something was wrong because next thing I knew, he was picking me up. He yelled for something, but I didn't hear what he said but I felt a blanket being draped over me as I was being lowered to a gurney. I closed my eyes and whispered, "Safe...Ranger'll keep me safe."

I remember hearing voices around me saying shock, possible concussion, and recommending an overnight at the hospital. At that point I reached out for the hand that I knew was close by, even with my eyes still closed. "Babe." I knew he hadn't left me. "Open your eyes for us." It was a soft command given by Ranger. I struggled to open my eyes and when I did, I looked right into the concerned faces of Ranger and Joe Morelli.

Joe was the first to speak. "Steph, you gave us quiet a scare. We need to get you to the hospital for observation."

"No hospital, not safe there," I whispered. It hurt to talk but I wanted to go home, not the hospital. I wanted to be someplace quiet with no questions, someplace that felt safe. "Home, I want to go home." Both of them looked at me and understood that I wasn't going to the hospital tonight.

Joe looked at Ranger. "I'm going to be here for a while still." He sounded frustrated and tired. "I don't want her going back to her apartment with Valerie still living there and I don't think she should stay at my house alone." Joe ran his hand through his hair agitated. "Christ, I don't even know where she's been staying for the past few days… Steph, would you go to your parents if…"

I must have given him a pretty decent glare because he never finished the question. I looked at Ranger and then over at Joe. My voice was stronger but I didn't trust myself to say much more than, "Rex…home is where Rex is." I stated it simply and clearly, letting both guys know I was serious. I could feel Ranger's soft laughter through his hand, which I still held.

I closed my eyes, or I guess I should say the one eye that wasn't already swollen shut. I knew I looked like a mess. Probably a couple of black eyes and some serious bruises but at the moment, all I wanted to do was go home and take a shower. I felt Ranger let go of my hand and tuck it back under the blanket that was covering me. I could feel him moving away. I listened to the noises around me and realized we were still in Slayerland.

I heard Joe ask Ranger if he knew where Rex was and if he thought it was a safe location. Ranger answered affirmative to both questions. Joe took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Can you make sure she is safe tonight while I help clean things up?"

God. That must have been painful for Joe to ask. "Joe," I called softly. He bent down low and put his head close to mine. I opened my eye and looked at him. "I'll be fine. Good as new after a shower, some sleep and a couple of Boston Crèmes." My eyes pleaded with him to understand. "I know you have to work. It's okay. I'll see you in a day or two." Joe kissed my forehead and looked at me. "Call my mom, please. She'll be worried. I need a couple days rest before dinner on Sunday."

"Yeah Cupcake, I'll call her. But I think we're going to miss Sunday dinner. I don't think your mom should see the shiners you have right now." I smiled a little. Joe understood the rules of the burg and would try to cover for me this weekend. "I've already talked with your dad tonight, but I'll let them know you will call them tomorrow."

I smiled again. "Thank you." I felt Ranger return.

A gentle hand was placed alongside my cheek. "Babe, you ready to go?"

"Yeah." I struggled to sit up and move my legs to the side of the gurney. I was slow and movement was painful. Before I was able to get my legs over the side, strong arms were picking me up carefully. Joe draped the blanket over me. "My bag…"

"Tank retrieved it already and the Buick is back at your parents." Ranger walked with me in his arms back towards his truck.

Leave it to Batman to be two steps ahead of me already. "Oh." I sighed and then remembered Sally. "Sally! What happened to Sally?" I started to panic for my friend. He saved my life and I needed to know that he was okay.

"Sally's fine. He's home and resting, like you should be. Everything will be taken care of tomorrow." Again, leave it to Batman to clean up the mess.

I sighed with relief, "Ok." Joe opened the truck door for Ranger. "Joe, I'll call you tomorrow when I'm more awake."

"I'll be waiting," Morelli responded. Ranger placed me carefully in the cab of the truck, rearranged the blanket, and then buckled me in. He handed me a small can of Coke and instructed me to take slow sips. I took one while he watched. He softly shut the door.

I heard Joe speak, "Ranger, you know that I don't trust you like she does. God only knows why she trusts you. You'd better take care of her for me or so help me..." I saw Ranger's head nod and he stuck his right hand out. Morelli glanced at it, glanced back at me in the car, and then shook Ranger's hand. I laid my head against the window, closing my eyes.

Joe spoke with Ranger for a few minutes longer but I didn't pay attention to what was said. I knew Joe cared deeply for me. But right now, Joe wasn't what I needed. I needed the security of Ranger's friendship and the quiet solitude of his apartment. I was a mess and I knew Ranger would watch over me and help me pick up the pieces.

A few minutes later and I felt the driver's side door open. Ranger got in the truck and let out a deep breath. "Babe. Home is where Rex is?" He took the can from my hands and placed it in the cup holder. I looked over at him and gave a tired smile to him. He smiled and started the truck, pulling away from the playground and its chaos.

I must have been more tired than I thought, because I don't remember the drive back to RangeMan. I vaguely remembered Ranger using his cell phone once we left Slayerland but otherwise, I remember nothing. I woke up as Ranger parked in the garage. The opening of his door was enough to wake me fully. I undid the seatbelt, pulled off the blanket, and was opening my door when he came around. "Let me help."

I looked at Ranger's eyes which showed concern, but shook my head no. I needed to get up on my own. I swung my legs down and out of the truck and started to stand on my wobbly legs. Damn, this was hard to do. I pulled myself up and looked at the strong man in front of me and smiled. "Home. Rex lives in the bat cave tonight." His lips twitched in response..

I took a few steps on unsteady legs but kept going, moving towards the elevator under my own power. He closed the door. In a few swift strides he met me at the elevator and stood next to me. His hand rested on my shoulder. "Proud of you tonight."

The elevator doors opened and we stepped in. Both of us were quiet on the ride up to seven. Ranger opened the door and we stepped into Ranger's apartment, my sanctuary. I suddenly felt very dirty, like I didn't belong there. I took a deep breath and shivered violently. "I need a shower," I whispered.

"Go ahead. You know where everything is." Ranger's hand gently propelled me towards the bathroom. "I'm going to make some calls but I'll be here if you need something."

I moved stiffly to the bathroom and glanced at myself in the mirror. My hair was wilder than usual from the gang members pulling on it. My shirt was torn and I had scratches all over my arms and neck. The right side of my face was red and swollen and my lip was split. My right eye was swollen shut and my left eye was black. God, I look awful. I started the shower and peeled off my clothes slowly. My jeans snagged on my knees and I looked down. I noticed they were bruised and scraped.

Everything hurt. I finished undressing and stepped into the shower, whimpering as the hot water hit my back. I reached for the shower gel and started to wash. I scrubbed hard, hoping to wash away the hands that were grabbing at me, wash away the fear I had felt from the moment I was shoved into the trunk of the car, and most of all wash away my insecurities.

I must have been in the shower too long. When Ranger walked in, I was sitting on the floor of the shower with my arms wrapped around my knees and chest, crying. He turned off the water, looked down at me, grabbed a big towel and wrapped it around me. Ranger picked me up and settled me on his lap, while he sat on the toilet. I was shaking and crying. He reached for another towel and started to dry my hair, talking quietly to me in Spanish. "Shhh…Estás seguro. No llores….Shhh. Estás seguro."

I had no idea what he was saying, but it was soft and calming. Ranger stopped drying my hair and held me while I hiccupped and sniffled. Carefully he picked me up and carried me to the bedroom, setting me on the bed next to some clean clothes. I sat quietly for a moment and then looked at Ranger, "Put some clothes on. You're tired." Ranger left me sitting on the bed and headed towards the kitchen.

I pulled myself together and grabbed my clothes. A couple minutes later, I emerged from the bedroom, dressed in a black t-shirt and underpants. Ranger was standing at the breakfast bar, talking on his cell phone, but he smiled gently at me and tipped his head towards the couch. There was a gel pack and a first aid kit waiting on the coffee table for me, along with a coffee mug. He had some soft acoustical guitar music playing on the stereo. I had no idea what the music was, but it screamed sanctuary to me. Yeah, this is definitely better than my parents right now.

I sat on the couch and pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I rested my chin on my scraped knees and let out a deep sigh. "God, I screwed up big time tonight. I never should have left until Ranger said it was okay to leave." Shit, did I just say that out loud?

"Babe, you didn't screw up." Ranger was kneeling on the floor in front of me, watching me. Guess I did. Damn. "I should have called to let you know what was going on and to make sure you didn't leave until we had confirmation." He had the gel pack in his hands and gently placed it against my face. I reached up with my hand and held it in place, allowing his hands to be free. "Babe?" Ranger asked, meaning "will you let me help you?"

I fidgeted a bit under his stare before answering, "Yeah." I didn't really want to have him see all of the scrapes and bruises but I knew I wasn't going to win an argument and to be honest Ranger was a better choice than going to the hospital.

Ranger was very gentle. He checked over the scrapes and cuts on my arms and knees. A couple of band-aids and some Neosporin later, he took the ice pack from my face and placed the coffee mug in both of my hands. I took one sip of the hot chocolate and just about melted into the sofa. Heaven. I'm in Heaven. I moaned with pleasure as I drank the rest of the sweet chocolate. "You don't drink hot chocolate," I stated looking over the mug into his dark eyes.

"No. I don't. But you looked like you needed something tonight. Ella didn't have donuts at this hour, so I asked for hot chocolate instead." Ranger smiled as he brushed a damp wayward curl out of my face. "How you feeling?"

"Sore. Like I was hit by a truck, but I'll survive." I yawned and felt my body relaxing further. "Ranger…" my voice trailed off. I wasn't sure how to ask but I needed to know.

Ranger sensed my hesitation and came up along side me on the couch, carefully placing his right arm around my shoulders. "Babe."

I turned my face towards him. "Are you okay with me…here? Really?"

He gave me a gentle squeeze and kissed my forehead. "Yes." It was a simple answer but his actions gave a more complete answer.

"You are a good friend." I felt a bit braver and decided to ask one more question before I gave into the need for sleep. "Am I hopeless?"

"Stephanie…you are not hopeless. I'm proud of you. You kept yourself safe while I was gone. I told you to call Tank but you did things your way and yet still managed to stay alive. That's important." He gave me another kiss on my head. "You're strong Stephanie. Never doubt yourself and never let anyone tell you anything different."

That was the most I'd ever heard Ranger say and when he finished I had silent tears running down my cheeks. I didn't know what to say in response other than a quiet, "Thank you Ranger, for everything." He kept his arm around me and gave me a gentle squeeze.

I yawned and winced. "Babe, it's late and you need some sleep." There was a knock at the door. Ranger got up quickly and went to the door. I heard him talking quietly with one of the guys. I assumed it was Tank

I reached for the afghan that was draped gracefully over the back of the sofa. I covered myself with the throw and curled into a corner off the sofa. Cashmere…only Ranger would have a crème colored cashmere throw that probably costs more than my entire shoe collection lying around. Cozy and drowsy, I closed my eyes and listened to the music softly playing and the hushed sound of Ranger's voice.

A few minutes later, the lights in the kitchen were off and the living room was dark with exception of a small lamp on the desk at the far end of the living room. I could feel Ranger moving about in the apartment and before long I could feel the additional weight of another blanket being draped over me.

I opened my eyes and looked into Rangers' eyes. He cupped my face with his hands and kissed me, gentle. He sat on the edge of the sofa, brushing the hair from my face, softly murmuring in Spanish. "Cierras ya tus ojitos. Duermete sin temor. Cuando tu despiertes, yo estare aqui." I knew that Ranger would keep me safe and I drifted off to sleep.

*******
The next morning I woke to the smell of coffee and the sound of the shower running. I lay quietly and took inventory of my surroundings and how my body felt. It took a few minutes for me to remember where I was and why I was sleeping in cocoon of blankets on the bed. I remembered falling asleep on the couch, not the bed. At some point, Ranger must have placed me in the bed. A few minutes later Ranger came out of the bathroom, moving quietly towards the living room.

"Yo." I called softly as I sat up.

Ranger reversed his direction and returned to the bed. Looking down at me he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." I looked up at him and he could see the questions in my face that I hadn't voiced.

"Nightmares. You had a few on the couch and I decided to bring you in here before you fell off the couch." He sat on the bed next to me and pulled me into a warm embrace "You didn't sleep much."

"Sorry if I kept you awake…" I had my face buried into his chest and was embarrassed.

"Nothing to be sorry about Babe. We all have nightmares from time to time…" He pulled out of the embrace and reached over the night table. He opened a bottle of Advil, shook out two tablets and handed them to me. I took them in my hand and stared at them. He handed me a bottle of water that had been on the night table. "Take them."

While I took the pills, Ranger stood up and walked to the kitchen. He came back in less than thirty seconds with the ice pack wrapped in a dish towel. He handed it to me. "Babe."

"That good, huh?" I placed the icepack on the side of my face and winced a bit. "I suppose my hair is frightening too."

"It's been worse." Ranger sat on the bed next to me, placing his arms around me again. We just sat there for five minutes, Ranger with his arms around me, offering me comfort and security. He planted a gentle kiss on the top of my head. "Plans for today?"

"I need to make a few calls. Probably need to make a statement since I don't remember doing one of those last night. And I probably should pack up my stuff and head back to Joe's since Valerie is still in my apartment."

"Take your time. If you need some quiet and some space, feel free to crash here for a couple of days." Ranger stared at me with his rich dark eyes and I could feel myself melting. "I'll be downstairs on five today, but let me know when you want to make your statement and I'll take you to the station."

He took the ice pack from my face. "I'll have Bobby send up some salve for your face. It'll help reduce the bruising before dinner with your parents. Not much we can do for the black eyes though." He kissed my forehead setting the ice pack back in place and then was gone.

Taking that as my cue to get ready, I headed to the shower, leaving the cashmere throw on the bed. I looked at myself in the mirror and cringed. Yup, I was officially a mess. I had two black eyes, puffy face and a split lit. My hair, while not as bad as the night before, was still bad. On the bright side, with the black eyes, you couldn't see the bags that were under my eyes.

After thirty minutes in the shower I was feeling better. I dressed in comfy yoga pants and one of Ranger's soft t-shirts. I honestly tried to deal with my hair. Ponytail day…the hair was a lost cause. Maybe a hat if I go out later. I decided to find breakfast so I headed to the kitchen. I grabbed a half of bagel and started to nibble on it when I noticed that a small jar of some homemade looking goop sitting on the coffee table. No labels on the jar, just a hand written note telling me to put it on my face a couple times a day. I opened the jar and took one whiff of the salve and decided to pass on the salve. Nice thought, but no way was I going to put that on my face.

I was still tired and I wanted a nap already, but I knew it was Saturday and I had promised to call Joe. I picked up my phone and dialed. He picked up on the third ring.

"Cupcake?"

"Hi," I answered softly.

"Are you okay?" There was note of concern in his voice.

"Yeah. I'm sore but okay." This conversation was awkward and I didn't know what to say. I wasn't ready to face Joe or the Burg yet…I didn't have a place to call home yet. Joe's was nice, but right now I felt like I needed my space, my own space and Valerie was in my space. True I was staying in Ranger's space, but he gave me my own space at the same time. I sat down on the couch and wished I had the cashmere throw with me.

"Steph…Stephanie..." Joe called softly to me through the phone

"Sorry. I musta spaced out for a minute. I'm still really tired but thought I should let you know that I'm okay."

"You coming home today?" He sounded worried. Home. Was Joe's house my home?

I sighed deeply. "I'm going to stay here a couple more days and sleep and forget last night happened. I'm not…." I swallowed hard and whispered, "I'm not ready to be out yet."

"Cupcake, where have you been? I'm worried about you. I know Manoso said it was a safe place. Just tell me where you are and I'll come get you." Joe sounded more like an overly protective parent than a boyfriend at that moment.

"Joe, I'm staying with a friend. It's quiet here and no one asks questions. I just need some time to sort things out and then I'll come back." I spoke quietly and it was the best answer I could give. "I'll be back on Monday…Please try to understand that I just need some time to myself right now."

"Are you with Ranger?" Joe demanded suddenly, sounding mad and asking the one question I really hoped he wouldn't.

"Yeah…but it's not what you think Joe." I sighed deeply again. "He's just a friend and I needed someplace safe and quiet to hide this past week. I stumbled onto this apartment which he happens to own. It's a secure location and he hasn't been here for most of the time. He's letting me stay until I'm ready to face the world…"

"Jesus Steph! Don't you think I could have protected you?" Morelli was yelling now, in full lecture mode. I had tears streaming down my face. "Come home and we'll work though your issues together."

"I can't…not yet. Please, try to understand that I left in order to protect you. It wasn't safe for anyone to be around me. I'm still not sure it's entirely safe for my family and friends…"

"And it's safe for you with Ranger? How is it that he is a better bodyguard than your own boyfriend? I'm a cop for Christ sake" Joe was ranting and I was crying. "God Steph, you know I don't like you working for Vinnie and I really don't like you being near Ranger. I don't trust him. Please come home. I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Joe…" I whispered quietly. "Give me until Monday…please." I hung up the phone and shut it off. I knew he'd try to call back but I really wasn't ready for another discussion.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. It was becoming too much of a habit to sit in this position but I needed to feel warm inside. I felt cold and lost. Tears continued and I was rocking back and forth on the couch trying to warm myself. I was screaming at the coffee table, "Why? Why do I always have to screw things up? Why can't he understand that I just need space? I needed a friend, not a damn lecture! Damn him! Why does he have to act like an ass?"

Ells must have heard me during my rant because about ten minutes later, I had a warm pair of arms wrapped around me and cradling me against a warm chest. Ranger…picking up the pieces yet again. I cried a bit more on his shoulder and then was quiet. I really was exhausted, physically and emotionally. I was cried out.

"Babe?" It was his concerned as hell Babe voice.

"Sorry," I mumbled into his chest. "I called Morelli…" I didn't think I needed to say anything more. Ranger would figure things out.

He hugged me a bit tighter and then pushed me back into a sitting position on the couch. He lifted my chin so he could look into my face. "I take it he figured out where you were staying and wasn't happy."

"Yeah," I mumbled. "He wants me to come home so he can deal with my issues." I sighed. "I don't have issues. I need time to…"

"Decompress."

I looked up at Ranger and smiled sadly. "Yeah… Monday?"

"Babe. Take all the time you need." He picked me up and carried me into the bedroom and laid me gently on the bed. "Sleep."

I rolled onto my side and mumbled, "I need to call my mom still."

"It can wait. Sleep." Ranger covered me with the cashmere throw and sat on the bed next me. He began rubbing circles on my shoulder. It was comforting and I felt myself relaxing further into the warmth of the bed.

I was drowsy but not asleep when I felt his hand stop moving. Another minute later, I felt him get off the bed. I sighed and a tear slid down my face. He was back in about thirty seconds and sitting on the bed next to me again. "Shhh. It's okay. I'm just going to put the salve on your cheek."

I didn't want the smelly salve on my face, but I didn't think arguing with Ranger was going to help. I heard him open the jar, and seconds later I felt his fingers gently rubbing some of the salve onto my cheek. "It smells," I whispered.

I felt him vibrate with a low chuckle. "Home recipe. The smell goes away quickly. Trust me."

"I do."

He finished quickly, gently pushed a piece of hair out of my face, and kissed my forehead. He lay down along side me and pulled me into his arms. I could hear his heart beating and felt his warmth. Within minutes I was drifting off to sleep.

When I woke later, Ranger was not in bed with me. I sat up slowly and stretched. I looked at the clock and realized it was after 1 pm already and I really hadn't done anything yet. I got up and walked into the living room. Ranger was sitting at a desk on the far end of the room with a laptop and his cell phone. He was talking to someone quietly but motioned to the kitchen when he saw me. I looked over at the kitchen and saw a plate with a sandwich, fresh fruit, and a bottle of water waiting for me. I looked back at Ranger and smiled as my stomach grumbled. Guess my stomach agreed with Ranger. I sat down at the breakfast bar and started eating.

A few minutes later Ranger finished his call and came over to me. "Sally made his statement this morning. His lawyer…"

My head jerked up and I practically yelled at Ranger. "Sally can't afford a lawyer. He's in trouble because of me. I can't let him stay in jail because of me…"

"Relax. Sally's not in jail. Sally has a good lawyer and everything is okay." Ranger put his arm around me and gave me a gentle hug. "Trust me."

"He's really okay?"

"Yes. Finish your lunch then we'll head down to the station to give your statement."

I took another bite of my sandwich and pushed it aside. Ranger looked at the sandwich with a total of maybe four bites missing and then back at me. I shrugged my shoulders. "Not hungry."

"You didn't eat much for breakfast either. Eat the fruit at least." I glared at Ranger and picked a piece of cantaloupe. It was sweet and juicy. I ate a couple more bites under the watchful eye of Ranger but I couldn't finish the fruit. "Good enough. You will eat a better dinner tonight."

"I'll try…"I looked up into his eyes. "I really don't want to do this yet."

"I know, but you need to do it while it's still fresh in your mind." Ranger reached out his hand to me. I took it and he pulled me up and gave me a hug. "Go get ready. I'll let them know we are coming in. I'll see if Robin Russell can be the one taking your statement."

"Stay with me?" I know I sounded pathetic, but I really didn't want to relive the events of that night. I had been stressed and scared for so long that I really was at the end of my ropes.

Ranger must have sensed my unease because he held me against his chest and kissed the top of my head. "If you need me, I'm there. You'll be fine."

About four layers of mascara later, I was as ready as I was going to get. Ranger rubbed more salve on my cheek, grabbed a sweatshirt, and we headed out of the apartment. I hid in Ranger's side for most of the elevator ride down to the garage. I wasn't ready for anyone to see me yet. I knew it was irrational since Tank had already seen me at the scene last night, but still I didn't want to look like a raccoon when I saw him next.

We arrived in the garage and things were quiet. Ranger led me to the Cayenne and got me situated inside. Fifteen minutes later we were pulling into the parking lot at the station.

I noticed Morelli's truck in the lot and cringed. "Babe?"

"Joe's here." I whispered while staring out the window at his truck in disbelief. "I can't do this yet."

"Babe, you faced Junkman and the Slayers. You can face Morelli. He's just concerned about you." Ranger got out of the Cayenne and opened my door. I reluctantly got out, placing my small cold hand into his bigger and warmer hand.

Together we walked into the station. I kept my head down and let Ranger guide me through the station. We arrived at Robin's office and she quietly guided us to a conference room. A tall guy in a suit met us in there and Ranger shook hands with him and introduced him to me as his lawyer, now my lawyer. Ranger guided me to a chair and Robin placed a bottle of water in front of me on the table. Ranger sat in the chair next to me and the lawyer sat next to Ranger. Robin sat across the table from me.

"Ms. Plum, are you ready to give your statement with regards to the events of last night?" Robin looked at me with sympathetic eyes. I could see her looking at my face and assessing the damage herself.

"Yeah," I whispered looking at her. "Can Ranger stay?" I reached for his hand in support.

"Yes. Mr. Manoso may remain in the room." She pulled her notepad out and turned on a tape recorder that I hadn't noticed in the room earlier. "Ms. Plum, can you tell me what happened last night?"

I looked at Ranger for a moment and he gave me a nod and squeezed my hand. "Well for starters…." I proceeded to tell Robin about the threats, the fact that I had been hiding, and that I had received the call from Lula and Connie telling me that the coast was clear. I told her how I wanted to go to my sister's bridal shower, leaving out the bit about stunning Hal with his own gun. I told her about the Buick and how Val had driven it, and how I was moving it to a secure location because I was afraid that the Slayers had seen it. I paused in my tale and took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I focused on the bottle of water in front of me and kept going.

"They grabbed me and I began screaming, trying to make some noise hoping someone would notice. I was shoved into the trunk of the car and driven around, banging, kicking, and screaming the whole time. My hands hurt and I was pissed. When we got to the playground I was dragged out of the car and thrown into the center of a white circle painted on the crumbling asphalt. Junkman said I was the enemy."

I stopped speaking for a moment and then confessed in a quiet voice, "I was pissed and terrified but didn't want them to see my fear. I tried to be defiant and confident, figuring if I was going to die then I wanted to take at least one out with me. Funny, because I had no weapons, no way to contact anyone to tell them where I was. I was on my own and terrified."

I must have paused for too long because after a moment Ranger was handing me the open bottle of water and giving me a look that said to drink. I took a sip and set the bottle down.

"Ms. Plum, what happened next?" Robin asked in a soft but steady voice.

A few tears were making slow tracks down my face and I was shaking slightly. Ranger draped the sweatshirt he had brought from Hayward over my shoulders and I continued. "Junkman hit me and I flew to the edge of the circle where they started grabbing me, trying to drag me into the mob. I struggled and pulled myself back to the center. The object of the game was for me to get beaten by Junkman to the point I couldn't fight the mob as they dragged me out of the circle…where they would r-r-rape me and kill me if I got out of the circle… I made it back to the center just in time to have him hit me again knocking me out of the circle. I was dragged into the mob and came face to face with Eugene Brown. He wanted to rape me for running him over. I kicked him so hard in the crotch that he went down. I didn't want him raping me or any other girl ever. I probably pissed off a lot more of the gang by doing that, but my plan was to go down fighting. I expected to die but then the group seemed restless as they saw lights coming towards us."

My hands hurt and when I looked down I realized I had been clenching my fists so tight that my hands were white and my finger nails had dug into my palms. I released my grasp and swiped at the tears on my face. I continued to talk, staring at the bottle of water. "Next thing I know is there was an old school bus coming straight for us and Slayers were scattering. They were running and shouting. The bus came to a stop on the circle and Sally Sweet stepped off the bus. I remember looking at him and then bullets were flying and I dropped to the ground and covered my head, hoping it was just a really bad nightmare."

I lifted my face and looked at Robin. "Things quieted down for a moment and then I heard sirens and saw you pull up. Robin, you were the first one I saw and then Ranger and Joe. I saw Sally and vaguely remember talking about him being my hero but everything is kinda fuzzy after that…I'm sorry, I don't think I have much more detail to give you." I had more tears making tracks on my face and was still shaking. Ranger ran his warm hands up and down my back, calming me.

Robin looked at me and asked, "Did you see who fired first?"

Ranger continued to rub my back as I shook my head and answered, "No. I didn't see who it was but it was definitely someone from the gang because the shot ricocheted off the bus. They were shooting at Sally."

Robin Russell was busy writing some notes while Ranger handed me the bottle of water, indicating I needed to drink some. I took a couple of small sips and held the bottle in my hands hoping to calm my nerves. I had my head down and was hunched over in a defensive position.

Ranger's lawyer finally spoke. "Officer Russell, do you have any further questions for my client."

Robin looked at me and said, "No, I think we have everything that we need. Pretty clear case of kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder by the gang. Her rescue story matches with what Mr. Sweet indicated earlier." Robin turned off the tape recorder and looked at me with true concern. "Stephanie, are you really okay?"

"Yeah…just tired" I whispered looking up at her, "Can I go now?"

"Yes. Go home and get some rest." Robin looked at Ranger and he gave her a small nod.

I looked over at Ranger. He was already standing and pulled me up, slowly. He took the sweatshirt off my shoulders and pulled it over my head. I automatically rearranged my arms. My body was warmer but I still felt cold inside. Ranger wrapped his left arm around me and propelled me towards the door, stopping momentarily to shake hands with the lawyer.

Another minute and we were headed towards the main door of the station when Joe stepped in front of us. I hadn't been paying attention to my surroundings but Ranger pulled me to a stop and I looked up into Joe's eyes.

Joe scanned the bruising on my face and the way I held myself. "Cupcake, are you okay?" He asked softly. His eyes were tired and full of concern.

I swallowed hard and tried to smile. "I'm okay…just tired." I shivered again and Ranger rubbed his hand up and down my arm trying to give me warmth and support. "I'm sorry Joe, but I need to go." I didn't want to see the hurt in Joe's eyes so I turned my head into Ranger's side, indicating I was done and needed to leave.

I heard Ranger quietly tell Joe, "Give her time. I'll watch over her."

"You'd better."

Again, Ranger was guiding me towards the door and to the car. My face never left his side and his arm never left me until he opened the car door. I crawled in and buckled myself, while Ranger closed the door. I stared out the window, tried to keep my composure, and to forget the last two days had happened. I was the queen of denial and wanted to stay in "Denial Land" for another day.

It was quiet the entire ride home and as soon as we reached the apartment on seven, I made my way to the bathroom. I needed a shower. Ranger seemed to sense what I needed and allowed me the time and space for which I was thankful. When I came out of the shower, there was my grey pair of sweatpants, a pink t-shirt, and a black Rangeman sweatshirt sitting on the bed, waiting for me. Comfort clothes. I quickly changed into them and dug into my laundry basket looking for a pair of socks. As soon as I had socks in hand, I went out to the living room. It was almost dinner time and I still hadn't called my mom.

Ranger was sitting at his desk working on his laptop when I came into the living room. He looked up at me. "Babe?"

"I'm okay Ranger," I said sitting on the couch and putting my socks on. "I need to call my parents."

"Dinner will be here in about 45 minutes."

I gave Ranger a small smile and picked up my cell phone. I stared at it for a moment, took a deep breath and dialed. It rang two times before I heard my dad answer and ask if I was okay. "Daddy, I'm fine. Can you tell mom and Val that I'm sorry to have missed the shower?" Of course he asked if I needed anything and asked me if I wanted to talk with mom. "No, I'm okay, really Dad. I'm staying with a friend and everything is okay. I don't really want to talk with mom right now. Just tell her I won't be at dinner tomorrow. I need some space but I'll stop by next week to see you…." Now my dad really doesn't say much but he listens and always seems to know what I need to hear. I listened to him talk and responded, "I love you too Daddy. See you in a few days."

I ended the call and looked up at Ranger. "Mom's been ironing all day and Grandma has been on the phone most of the morning. Dad's answering the phone now, trying to stop the rumors. He told me to take my time and dinner would be there whenever I was ready."

"Smart man."

"Yeah. He and grandma understand me more than my mom does."

I reached for the cashmere throw that was back on the couch and wrapped it around my legs, which were drawn up on the couch. I had the tv remote in hand and laid my head down on the arm of the couch. Flipping through the channels, I found the old Audrey Hepburn movie, Sabrina, to watch. Ranger remained at his desk working on whatever it was he was doing.

It felt good just to sit in the quiet solitude of Ranger's apartment. Ranger gave me space but was still near if I needed him. If I had been at Joe's, all I would have heard from Joe is that I should give up my job or that I should have stayed with him. If I'd gone to my parents, I'd hear how so and so's daughter never was kidnapped or how nice it was that Valerie was getting married. I didn't need to hear any of that non-sense now.

Ranger never pushed me to talk which was good because I had said more than enough at the police station. Tonight, all I wanted to do was sit in front of the tv and then get some sleep. I watched the movie for a bit before there was a soft knock at the door, announcing dinner was ready. Ranger was in the kitchen helping Ella set the meal out on the table. I stood up nervously and smiled at her. Ella just smiled back at me and said to call her if we needed anything else.

Ella had made a chicken and rice dish that looked way too healthy but smelled heavenly…not the normal Cuban or Indian spices that I was familiar with. I smelled it a moment longer and poked at it with my fork. Ranger must have noticed my dilemma and offered a short explanation. "North African."

I'll admit, I was skeptical but after one bite of the rice I was hooked. There was a bit of cinnamon and cardammon in the rice and the roast chicken was moist and tender. The vegetables, while they were tasty, I only ate to appease Ranger. I ate about half the rice and chicken before admitting I was done.

As I pushed my plate away, Ranger smiled at me. "Better." He picked up my dishes and headed to the kitchen. I was about to get up when he looked at me, indicating I should remain at the table. I waited and when he returned he was carrying a plate with a large chocolate brownie sitting n the center of it. He placed the plate in front of me and said, "Ella thought you could use something sweet tonight."

"Does it come with ice-cream and hot fudge?"

"No."

Ok, I'll admit I was a bit disappointed. "This is good." I took a small bite of the brownie and let it melt in my mouth. I groaned from the taste of caramel mixing with the chocolate. It didn't need ice-cream or hot fudge. "Mmmmm." Ranger smiled and left me to finish my dessert while he cleaned up in the kitchen.

Later that evening, I was back to sitting on the couch with my ice pack and a bowl of popcorn watching a movie. The cashmere throw wrapped around my legs. Rex was running on his wheel and Ranger was down on the fifth floor doing whatever it is that he does. It was quiet in the apartment and my mind wondered from the movie to the events of the previous night.

It was a horrible experience and I know that I could have been killed. But thankfully I have great friends like Sally, Ranger, and Joe. I also realize that it's not enough to make me stop doing my job. I mean, heck, I was involved with the Slayers because of what I witnessed, not because of my job. It was a case of being in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Granted, my job does have its own set of risks but I have Ranger to support me if need be. Maybe I should consider getting some additional training…but I'm not going to think about it too much right now. Right now, I was going to spend one more day in Denial Land and then return to the Burg to face the family and their questions. I'd live to fight another day…or so the saying goes.