A/N: I decided to continue Leaving. I just cant get the possibilities out of my head!! lol I'm not completely sure where I will take this or how long it will last so your gonna have to bare with me.

I had wrote this chapter with out really consider how much Stephanie had accepted reality and it couldn't have come out more wrong...so I scraped it. This version fits and hopefully we can all Learn To Live :)

For my own personal purpose, Julie doesn't exist in this time period. Not sure about Morelli though.

Disclaimer: Sadly they are not mine and I'm not making any money from them.

As Always, Thanks For Reading.
Sky

Learning To Live

It feels as though the sky is mourning with me, I thought sadly. The wind and rain had picked up since we started driving. Every few yards thunder crackled through in the clouds and lightning flashed across the sky.

I was in the passengers seat of the Explorer looking out the window as we drove away from the cemetery. I watch a raindrop travel its way down the tinted window, slowly increasing in size as it picked up more water, until it disappeared from my sight.

My right hand was absentmindedly tracing circles over my stomach, while I thought of how I was going to tell three of my friends that I was pregnant by the man we just buried.

Admitting it to myself and saying it out loud were two different things.

Take a deep breathe, Steph. You can do this. They'll help you. They're your friends. They love you and will help you in any way they can.

"Stephanie, are you ok?" I jumped at the sound of Tanks voice. No one had said a word since we left. His voice couldn't have been louder than a whisper but I want expecting it either.

Whisper. Babe.

Oh God. I felt the tears gathering again. A big, hot, tear trailed down my face. Followed by another. And another. And another.

Angry at myself, I frantically wiped them away. No. Stop it. No more crying. I need to be strong now. I need to make Ranger proud. I need to make our son proud.

"Beautiful?" Lester asked from the backseat.

I opened my mouth to tell them but no words came out. Clearing my throat, I tried again. "I...," my voice was hoarse from crying so much, "I need to tell you guys something."

"You know you can tell us anything, Angel," Bobby, who was sitting in the back with Lester, spoke for the first time, soothing me with his voice. "What is it?"

"I don't really know how to say this, so I'm just going to come right out and say it." Taking a deep breath I told them, "I'm...I'm pregnant."

Silence.

Pure, uninterrupted silence. Not even the storm was making noise The thunder stopped. The rain turned into a light drizzle. The wind slowed.

"Guys, please." I half whispered, half begged. "Please say something. Anything. Yell at me, congratulate me. I don't care. Just please same something."

Still nothing. No one spoke. No one moved. It was as if time stood still.

By this time we were pulling into the Rangeman garage. Tank parked in the nearest spot. He didn't even bother to shut off the engine, before he was out the door and opening my door.

His voice was terse when he spoke. "Are you sure Stephanie?" He gripped my shoulders almost painfully hard. "Are you sure?"

I was unable to speak because fear surrounded me from the look in Tanks eyes. I couldn't name it. It was too intense to identify.

When I didn't answer he gave me a little shake. This time when he spoke, his voice was gentler, probing. "Are you sure, Stephanie?"

Now he looked...almost pleading. Pleading for what I was unsure. Did he want me to be pregnant? Or did he wish I wasn't pregnant?

Still unable to speak, but understanding the importance of my answer, I nodded my head.

The next thing I knew I was out of the car suspended in the air. Looking down at Tanks face below me, I saw relief, joy, and ... love. So much love was shining in his eyes.

"I knew that son of a bitch would leave us like that," Tank said as we brought me down into his arms and hugged me.

"I knew it. I just knew it." I don't know how many times he repeated those words but they brought me comfort. He already loved the little miracle inside me as much as he loved Ranger, his brother in almost every sense of the word.

I wound my shaky arms around his neck and pulled my lips close to his ears. "Its a boy Tank. I can feel its a boy."

When I pulled back to see his face, what I saw will stay with me for the rest of my life. Tears were streaming from his eyes.

The concern I felt must have shown on my face because Tank started laughing and said, "These are tears of joy Bombshell. I couldn't be any happier right now." He pulled my head back down on his shoulder and said quietly, "You don't know what this is going to mean to all the guys. Losing Ran...losing Ranger put a huge whole in all of our hearts. The biggest was in yours though. We are all still hurting but this baby, this amazing baby boy, is going to change all that. He will fill our hearts and make them whole again. You wait and see Stephanie. We'll be ok now. You'll be ok. I promise with everything I am, I will take care of you and this baby."

That had to have been the longest speech Tanks had ever said to me. And the most beautiful too. Tears flowed unchecked from my eyes. This time though, just like Tanks, they were tears of joy.

"I will too. We all will," Lester said.

Surprised I looked up and saw what had to have been all of the Merry Men standing around the parking garage, looking at me with love and affection.

A chorus of "Yeahs", "Always", "You can count on us", and "Definitely"flowed out to me.

"Come on Tank. You had your turn. Give the rest of us ours." I'm not sure who said this, Binkie maybe?

"Tank always did suck at sharing." That definitely came from Hal.

Tank started laughing along with everyone else and soon I started laughing too. I don't even remember the last time I laughed.

Gently Tank put me back on my own feet, but no sooner had my feet touched the ground, I was swept into Lester's arms. "I can always count on you to turn a bad day good Beautiful." He smiled at me, but it was quickly replaced by a serious expressions. "I meant it Stephanie. I'll be here whenever you need help. You and Ranger have done so much for me. Its about time I start to pay you back."

Confused I asked, "Ranger I get, but what I done for you?"

Pulling me back into his arms with my head underneath his chin, he whispered "Everything, Beautiful. You've done everything."

I didn't have time to think about that because Lester gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and passed me off to Bobby.

"Congratulations, Angel."

I sighed. "Thank you Bobby, but you know I'm no Angel. How many times do I need to tell you that?"

"Your wrong, Steph. You just proved you are an Angel," he said as he placed a hand on my still flat stomach.

Next was Cal, and so on, and so on, and so on, until I was hugged and congratulated by all the Merry Men.

My co-workers. My friends. My family.

"Now that you told us, its time to tell your family and Rangers family." Lester said with an sly smile on his face.

Everyone broke out into laughing fits from the look on my face.

My tormentors, I added to myself.

TBC