Author's Note: I don't own anything & not making any money from this. Rating is for language. This story is not friendly toward Joe, not sure how much I'll bash him because I just don't like his domineering way.

Chapter 1: The Nightmare Begins

Joe's POV:

I'm lying in bed next to Cupcake in her crappy apartment. She's been distant lately and refuses to move in with me, let alone marry me. She's been like this since Manoso came back. She insists they're just friends but I have doubts, I don't trust him. One of these days he's going to get her killed. He's a loose cannon. Cupcake's sleeping is restless again, she's starting to mumble and I can't make out what she's saying. This has been going on since Manoso came back too. Then I hear it, she softly whispers "Ranger, please be careful. I'll always love you."

What the fuck, she loves him? I knew they were more than friends. What the hell is going on with them? I can see the way he looks at her; it's the same way I look at her. I mean she's a hot piece of ass. I can't blame Manoso for wanting her but she's mine and I don't share. At least I want to marry her; he just wants to bed her. He'll leave her with a broken heart and I don't want his leftovers. Her moaning is getting louder, it's not like during sex, it's like she's in pain.

I've heard about their chats in the alley, Vinnie was only too happy to tell me about seeing them. He said the kiss was a lot more than friendly but I know Stephanie, she would never cheat on me after what Dickie did. She'll stop him at kisses. Manoso does give her cars to destroy, bodyguards and jobs when money is tight. If he's so rich why doesn't he just pay her rent? I buy her groceries when she's short of cash. When is she gonna realize she needs to be taken care of? Her moaning is getting even louder when all of a sudden she sits bolt upright and screams "Ranger."

Stephanie's POV:

I woke from the nightmare screaming Ranger's name. I was shaking and crying. Joe said "Cupcake what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Oh my god" I said as I grabbed my cell phone and hit speed dial 1 and the phone rings once, then twice and I hear "Yo" but it wasn't Ranger's voice it was Tank's. "Tank, I need to talk to Ranger right now."

"Bomber, fuck, he's been shot multiple times. It's bad, we're waiting for the ambulance to take him to St. Francis" was his reply.

"No, this isn't happening, oh god I can't lose him," I whispered.

"Bomber get it together, I'll send Hal to get you on his way. Are you home?"

"Yeah, I'll grab a quick shower before he gets here," I said and hung up.

Joe sat on the bed while I ran into the bathroom and took a quick shower. I heard a knock at the door and Joe got up and let Hal in. Hal showed no emotion and when I walked out of the bedroom dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, Joe asked "What's going on Stephanie?"

I looked at him and the tears were still streaming down my face "Ranger's been shot and Tank said it's bad. I'm going to the hospital with Hal."

Joe ran his hand through his hair and blew out a sigh "I meant the nightmare."

I looked at him and then at Hal "I had a nightmare that Ranger was shot going after a skip at night. That's why I called him but it happened for real."

Joe looked me in the eye and asked "Are you saying that you had a nightmare that Ranger was shot while it actually happened?"

I looked at him and the tears began to fall harder "Yes, I can't explain it. I can sense when he's near and I know when he's in trouble."

Hal spoke for the first time and said "Boss can do the same thing. He'll call the Control Room to check on you right before your car or trackers go offline. It's weird but we never questioned him about it."

Joe looked at Hal and then he looked at me "Go Stephanie, I know you need to be there. I hope he's okay for your sake."

I walked out of the apartment with Hal and we made our way to the truck and drove to the hospital in silence both of us worried about Ranger.

Tank's POV:

"Ranger, Ranger…" fuck, everyone else reported in after the shots stopped. Then Bobby came up on the com "Call an ambulance, fucking hero pushed me out of the way and he's been hit and they went through the vest." I was already on my way to the front of the house and then I heard it, Ranger's phone began to ring.

There's only one person who would call when Ranger is lying here dying. I picked up the phone and said "Yo" I knew it was Stephanie and I hated telling her, I knew she'd cry. These two fools are head over heels for each other and fighting it hard, I have no idea why. I've never seen two people who belong together more than Ranger and Stephanie. I tell her to get it together and I'm sending Hal to get her so she can meet us at the hospital.

I look down at my best friend, the man who has been closer to me than my brother and his lips are moving, I bent down closer to hear what he's trying to say "Tell her I've always loved her."

"No way Carlos, you have to tell her yourself. Don't do this to her, she already knows you've been shot," I yelled at him. The ambulance arrived and we watched our best friend go off. The cops arrived and luckily it was Costanza and Big Dog. They told us to get to the hospital and they can take our statements there. Bobby and I jumped into the Explorer and drove like a bat out of hell to get there as soon as we could.

The 15 minute drive took about 8 minutes and I was in the Emergency Department as they rolled Ranger in. I saw Stephanie with Hal and he had the folder with Ranger's medical power of attorney in it and all the insurance information. Half of Rangeman was in the waiting room as well. The nurse took the folder from Hal and scanned it and said "Miss Plum we'll let you know his condition after the doctor takes a look. We may need to take him into surgery before you sign the papers to keep him alive."

Stephanie's POV:

Everyone looked at me then at Tank and back to me. I was stunned and I said "What do you mean, isn't Tank the medical power of attorney?"

The nurse looked at me and said "No, you are the one who has been designated by Mr. Manoso. We'll update you as soon as we can."

I saw black spots before my eyes and suddenly I was falling and I could hear voices from far away "Catch her." I woke up a few minutes later with Tank and Bobby looking at me while I was lying on the couch in the waiting room. Bobby looked concerned and said "Bomber? You okay?"

"What happened?" I asked as I sat up.

"You fainted Steph. How do you feel?" Bobby asked.

"I'm fine, how's Ranger?"

Tank looked at me "No word yet, it's only been 10 minutes."

I looked at Tank and said "Why did he change it? When did he do it?"

Tank sighed "The form is dated during the break-ins; you know he only trusted you during that time. He never changed it back because he trusts you with his life Steph."

"Have you called his parents?" I asked.

Tank replied "I never call until he's out of surgery and we have a better idea of what we are dealing with."

I stood up and walked over to the nurse "What is going on with Ranger, can I see him before they take him into surgery?"

"I'll take you back he lost a lot of blood and they will need to stabilize him with a transfusion before taking him into surgery" she said as she led me into the back treatment area.

I walked in and the doctor handed me a clipboard with the authorizations to sign which I did. I looked at Ranger and he was so pale and still. The only other time I saw him that still was when Scrog shot him and he was lying on the floor of my apartment. I walked over and gently took his hand in mine and leaned over and kissed his cheek and whispered "I'm here for you when you get out of surgery. I love you Carlos and I always will. You better fight and come back to me or I don't know what I'll do."

He squeezed my hand, I could barely feel it he was so weak and he barely got out a "Babe."

I began to cry again and the doctor said they had to take him back to surgery now. The nurse took me back to the waiting area where I sat with the Rangemen. I saw Morelli walk in with Carl and Big Dog.