CHAPTER FOUR

SPOV

Damn I hurt! How did I get underwater? Maybe if I swim up toward that light the pain might get better. Strange though, I don't remember being able to breathe underwater. What's up with that?

Okay, no more water, just light and sand. I am freezing so I will just lay back – so tired – and let the sun warm me up…I wish Ranger was here…Sleep sounds good…

The doctors and nurses worked on Stephanie for hours. She had gunshot wounds in her head, chest, neck, left arm and back. It appeared that she'd turned her head away from the driver's window and started to throw herself toward the passenger seat when she saw the gun. The explosion and impact with the brick wall did the worst damage. There were multiple fractures of her ribs, broken elbow, fractured tibia, cracked skull and severe concussion. Amazingly, she had survived surgery but had lapsed into a coma during the operation.

RangeMan posted guards at her door to keep out the curious, the dangerous and the press. Hal consulted with the doctors since RangeMan held her medical insurance policy and Ranger, or his designee, was listed as her next of kin. Hal wished repeatedly that Bobby was here; but he'd already spoken to him several times by cell.

Unfortunately, Bobby was half a world away tending to Ranger, who was also dangerously wounded. According to Tank, the surgeons at the AFB trauma center were trying to repair his lung, his head wound, his right thigh and the arteries in both his chest and leg. His blood loss was severe and they had trouble stabilizing him. During his operation he slipped into a coma.

RPOV

Where am I? Why is there so much pain? If I'm in pain, maybe I'm not dead. Don't want to be dead…Need my Babe…

Tank had been on the phone with Hal for what seemed like days. His second question after asking for an update on Steph was to ask if he could speak to Lula. Hal handed Lula his cell phone.

"Baby, are you all right?" Tank asked.

Lula's voice was shaky. "Sugar, white girl's really bad. Hal said Ranger is, too. Is it true?"

"Yeah," Tank said with a sigh. "His wounds are so massive, especially with the blood loss; I'm worried, but don't wanna think he might not pull through."

"I know," Lula responded, "don't wanna to think that way about Steph either. I wish you were here."

"Me, too. As soon as Ranger can travel we will be. I've moved heaven and earth to have him transferred to Trenton into a private hospital instead of being taken to DC, and I want to transfer Steph there as soon as she is able. If they're alive, they need to be together. I'll call when I know more. Bye, Baby."

CHAPTER FIVE

The ICU waiting room was pure bedlam. There were members of Stephanie's family, Trenton PD, RangeMan, as well as Steph's and Lula's friends. There were even former skips Stephanie and Lula had brought in like Mooner, Dougie, and Sally Sweet. Also present and creating the greatest disturbance were Joe Morelli and his family. Finally, it became necessary for the hospital to call in security to escort some of the more "vocal" people off the premises. A time or two it almost got ugly between Stephanie's Grandma Mazur and Morelli's Grandma Bella.

The surgeon stepped into the middle of the chaos and whistled for silence. Amazingly, it worked. He told them all that if the noise didn't stop immediately, the room and hospital property would be cleared – police or no police!

After the crowd calmed down he updated them on Stephanie. "Her condition is presently critical. We were able to repair her head wound and remove all the bullet fragments although the one near her carotid was difficult. She slipped into a coma during surgery which is both good and bad."

Mr. Plum, Stephanie's father, asked, "Why is that, doctor?"

"Stephanie has deep wounds that need time to heal. She is a difficult patient to control and often doesn't give her body time to do that. The best situation would be if she were in a medically induced coma. Because she is not, we are unsure when she will reawaken. Also, she has a severe concussion so we have no idea what brain damage there might be and won't know until she does wake up."

"Can we see her?" Mr. Plum asked.

The doctor nodded his head and said that only the next of kin or immediate family could see her for a short period – no more than ten minutes – and two at a time. If her condition improved in the next 24 hours, others would be allowed to visit her briefly. The surgeon turned to Hal and said, "Since you are designated as her next of kin, you may go in now, sir." It was at that point all hell broke loose.

Joe Morelli stepped into the doctor's space and growled, "What do you mean he gets to go in first? I'm her fiancé and her parents are right here! Why should some…'co-worker'…get to see her now?"

Grandma Mazur turned to Joe with an arched eyebrow and hissed, "If you're her fiancé, where's the ring, Officer Hottie?"

Turning quickly to hospital security the surgeon told them to conduct the next of kin, Mr. and Mrs. Plum, Mrs. Mazur and Detective Morelli to the nurses' station. Otherwise, everyone else was to be cleared from the hospital at once. Hal pulled the doctor aside and asked if Lula could come into Stephanie's room with him since she was her partner and was present when she was injured. The doctor simply nodded and made his escape.

CHAPTER SIX

Tank and Bobby breathed a sigh of relief as the doctors told them that Ranger had survived the surgery and was presently critical and comatose. He was to be moved to ICU with guards. Tank explained to the doctors that their team would provide the guards for him since they had more expertise regarding any known enemies. That arrangement was already cleared with General Shepherd, Ranger's superior.

Asking if they could see him, the primary surgeon said that it would be all right as long as they didn't stay long. Tank told Lester to contact Hal to let him know the outcome of the surgery, get an update on Steph's condition, and learn the final transportation plans for going back to Trenton.

"Should I call the family?" Lester asked.

Shaking his head, Tank said, "No, I would rather wait until morning just in case."

RPOV

"Babe, are you there? Where are you? Why can I hear your voice but it's so far away? It feels cold and hot at the same time. Pain's awful. Have to concentrate…"

SPOV

"What happened to me? Ranger, are you here? Is that you so far away? I need you…the pain…please help me…"

Lester came into Ranger's room to report what he had found out from Hal. "It seems they are both in comas and survived surgery in critical condition. Hal says that it's a mob scene in the waiting room; but the surgeon and hospital security have it under control for the time being. Lula asked that you call her, Tank, as soon as you can. She saw Stephanie and is really frightened. She'll wait for your call."

Tank nodded, flipped out his cell and left the room.

Lester and Bobby looked over at Ranger, who was shrouded in bandages with multiple tubes entering his body, and prayed he and his lady would live to see each other again.

CHAPTER SEVEN

SPOV

I sat up on the hot sand and looked around. The sky was blue, the sand was white, and the ocean was powerful. Far down the beach was a dark object on the sand. Since the pain had subsided some, I decided to wander down to see what it was. Curiosity has always been both a blessing and a curse for me. I don't know where I am or how I got here but exploring might help me figure that out.

Hearing a voice that sounded like Ranger calling my name, I answered, "I'm here, Ranger, but I don't know where 'here' is." Suddenly the dark object shifted in the sand and stood. It looked like him but how could that be. When did we go to the beach and why were we naked?

Tank had a busy day teleconferencing with General Shepherd, Ranger's chief surgeon, Bobby, and the Chief Surgeon at the private hospital in Trenton. Afterwards he had another teleconference with Stephanie's chief surgeon, Hal, Bobby, and Mr. Plum. Although Mr. Plum seemed to be a stoic individual, his great concern for his youngest daughter was very evident. When the conference was concluded, Tank called Mr. Plum directly and explained why he felt that moving Stephanie to the private hospital to be near Ranger was important.

"Mr. Plum, I don't make this request lightly. I assume you are somewhat aware of Ranger and how he cares for Stephanie. To be honest I am not sure if any of us, including Steph and Ranger, know the depths of his feelings for her. Many of us at RangeMan have witnessed their connection time and again. Ranger always goes to her rescue, expends time and money to keep her safe, somehow knows when she needs him and will stop at nothing to help her in any way. Stephanie, for her part, never refuses to help Ranger and seems to know when he is near. Frankly, Mr. Plum, I suspect they combat their feelings for each other; but I don't know why."

Frank Plum took a deep breath. "Yes, I've seen it. I also know that you, Ranger and your team members have saved my baby girl many times. Therefore, I agree with your decision. You do know, however, that my wife and Joe Morelli will be the most difficult obstacles, don't you?"

"Mr. Plum," Tank sighed, "if you can handle Mrs. Plum, I'll take care of Morelli."

"You have my word," Frank soberly agreed.