Disclaimer: The characters are property of Janet Evanovich and I am not making any money from this story. The story line is mine.

The Upside of Down

Part One

By, Elissahara30

Morelli parked in a small lot reserved for emergency vehicles, and we went into the ER together. The waiting room was filled with guys in black RangeMan uniforms. There faces were grim, and a few heads were bowed. I fist sized lump formed in my throat and I felt the urge the throw up came over me again. I knew something deeply wrong had happened.

I looked over and saw Tank holding a sobbing Julie and my legs began to wobble. Morelli put his arms around me to steady me, as we made our way to Tank. The room seemed too bright; it was at odds with somber atmosphere.

Tank looked up at us, and that's when I knew for sure. Ranger was gone. I felt the panic start to bubble in my chest again, and I clung to Morelli, and my breathing started coming in sharp painful pants. Morelli, sat me down, and tried to get me to focus on him. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't.

When my vision cleared, I stared straight at Joe, and with great effort I said, "I need to see him."

"I don't think that would be a good idea Stephanie." Morelli tried to reason with me. I wasn't going to have any of it. I had to see Ranger again, I had to be sure.

I turned my attention from Joe to Tank, "Please, Tank I need to see him. Please, please," I choked out as I began to shake, "Please, this last time, please let me see him." I felt the tears run down my cheeks, but I didn't care. Tank looked over at Morelli and I knew they were having a silent ESP debate going on, and when I felt Joe let out a frustrated sigh, I knew Tank had won.

I waited for thirty minutes before I was allowed back to view the body. I tried not to think of it that way, I couldn't. Joe had wanted to go with me, but I insisted I needed to do this on my own. I stood by the gurney and carefully pulled back the sheet, and I choked back a sob.

I looked into the face of the person I had fallen in love with, and I felt like a part of my heart that was reserved just for Ranger die. I touched his face, and it felt so cold. All the time that I had known him, I always felt his presence like physical force. When he came into a room, he filled it, with confidence, power, that air of mystery and most importantly he filled me with that. That presence was missing now, taken away from some crazy who wanted to be Ranger. I felt my chest begin to burn, and I sucked in a breath, not even realizing I had stopped breathing.

I carefully laid my head on his chest, "I love you," I whispered. And I cried, and I felt like chasm that had just cleaved its self into my very soul.

I was vaguely aware when Joe had come for me; I don't really remember him taking me out of the hospital. We drove, and I had no idea in what direction. In my mind, I was still by that gurney holding onto Ranger.

We pulled up to my parents' house, and Morelli escorted my limp form into the house. It was odd, there no chastisements, no demands for detail from my grandmother. My mother not telling me that Judith Frensky's daughter never had someone shot and killed in her apartment. Nothing, just quiet sympathy. My mother had thanked Joe and she guided me up the stairs to my old room, she carefully helped me clean up. And did something she hadn't done since I was a small child. She tucked me in and held my hand until I fell asleep.

I woke up the next day feeling like a barbell was firmly seated on my chest. I opened my eyes, and realized that I wasn't in my old bedroom at my parents' house. I was in a hospital room, and someone was holding my hand. I turned my head and sucked in my breath, which caused pain to course through my body.

"Babe, you're awake. Damn, you had me worried." Ranger smiled at me as he leaned forward and brushed a kiss across my forehead.

TBC . . . .

A/N: For the time being my story From Afghanistan with Love is on hold. Thanks for reading. Please review or comment. Hugs.