Chapter 2
Ranger POV
I was still waiting after 2 hours. The waiting room was full of Rangeman employees and people who would give Steph anything. They have already taken a lot of blood from those willing to give, I gave the most. The doctor tried to stop me but I was going to give as much as I could. The doctor came out and looked around the room till his eyes locked with mine. He walked over and I stood up. My head hurt a little but that didn't stop me from standing up and I didn't show it on my face. I was to worried about my Babe.
"Are you here for Stephanie Plum?" I nodded
"Ok well she is in critical condition. She had 4 broken ribs, broke her left leg in 3 places, and she has a major concussion." I immediately sat down, I couldn't feel my legs. She was so helpless. I needed to be with her.
"Are you ok?" The doctor looked generously concerned.
"Ummm, yeah can I see her?" I asked putting a little hope on my face. The doctor nodded and I stood up slowly making sure I could walk. I followed the doctor down different halls till I saw it the scene that would change my life forever.
Steph was laying on the bed hooked up to a bunch of machines. There was a tube in her thought. And 2 IVs one for blood and one for fluids. Plus a heart monitor. She looked so helpless. I sat down next to her and grabbed her hand and caressed her face and hair and kissed every inch of skin I could. Her eyelids were flickering but they wouldn't open, I knew her body was trying but it needed more time to heal.
"Babe I'm here for you and I will never leave."
Steph POV
I could hear beeping and Ranger talking to me telling me I was a fighter and I would make it threw this. I knew is was in deep when I couldn't open my eyes. I missed seeing Ranger and his damn blank face. I miss everything I just wish I could open my eyes. I hate being hurt it puts a fucking spin on my whole day.
Ranger POV
I had been at her side for the last week I have never left her room, I worked from here and I when I did leave it was never for long. I wanted to be the first thing she saw when she woke up. If she woke up. I never liked to think about it but the doctor said there was a 50/50 chance she wouldn't make it. Her blood pressure drooped severely on the 2nd day and she had internal bleeding, turns out there was a shred of glass that was really close to an artery and she had been moved so much that it broke the blood vesicle. It was just a little slice that the doctors were able to repair, they said if I wasn't there she might have died. I am not one to pat myself on the back but I was proud I could help Steph. She meant everything to me. I wish I could tell her that, and have her respond. I have told her over and over that I loved her while she was lying there but she never moved, her eyelids flickered a lot more and more increasingly.
Mrs. Plum and Mr. Plum walked in and asked the usual question. How was she. I told them there was no change. They seemed to accept it they said their words and then Mr. Plum stayed while Mrs. Plum went home to cook dinner.
"Do you love her ummm Ranger is it?"
"You can call me Carlos sir, and yes I do I love her a lot. More then anyone could ever know." I didn't leave my "blank face" on I let my face show my true emotions.
"So Carlos what are you going to do about it?" He wasn't being intimidating he was trying to get me to get my head out of my ass.
"Sir with your permission, I would like you to stay with her while I go buy her the most beautiful ring anyone has ever seen." He nodded and took my hand and took me into a manly hug. With that I went and bought her the most beautiful ring I could find. It was a 14k tow-tone gold 1 7/8 carat t.w. diamond ring. It was beautiful. I payed for it and hurried back to the hospital. When I got to her room her father was still there.
"What did you pick?" He asked. I showed him the ring and he was surprised at the true beauty of it. " How much was it?" I think he was trying to see if I cared which of coarse I didn't.
"It doesn't matter I never looked at prices."
"Good, you must really love her."
"I do sir. Do I have your permission to ask her?"
"Of coarse you do son. Just make sure I get a grandson." I had to laugh
"It will be up to Stephanie." He smiled with approval.
"You pasted my tests. You showed me you truly care about her and that it is her decision to make on things that effect her. You will make her fly. Just don't get careless." He pulled me into another man hug.
"I will sir, thank you. But can you keep this on the DL till I ask her. I don't want her worrying about anything when she is recovering."
"No problem son." With that he left. Valerie and the girls came in next. They were healing wonderfully no permanent damage done. I wish I could say so much for my babe.
Angie walked over to the CD player and put a homemade CD in. It started playing a song that sounded like Miley Cyrus. Julie was a fan. Angie came over to me I never meet her for say I saw her a couple times and I knew her name but I am pretty sure she didn't know my name.
"This was the song we were listening to before someone crashed into us." She nodded towards her mom. Valerie nodded back. Mary Alice started singing along but keeping it quiet. They were singing to Steph. " I don't think Aunt Steph knew it but she was talking to herself the whole song about some guy named Ranger." This caught my attention. She was thinking about me, when she crashed.
"I caused this, I made her crash." I whispered but Valerie heard me. She grabbed my hand and lead me outside Stephanie's door.
"Ranger you didn't cause this a drunk driver crashed into her. She loves you, you can't blame this on yourself. Do you love her?" I looked into her eyes and nodded. I pulled the jewelry box out of my pocket and showed her. She took one look and gasped. She looked at me and pulled me into a hug, it was like a family hug.
"you can't tell anyone. She doesn't need the burg gossip train on her trail while she is healing. Your dad knows I asked his permission but nobody else is to know." She nodded and we headed back inside. The song started over and Angie told everyone that Stephanie said this reminded her of my and her relationship. So I listened and was thinking about it.
Smooth Talkin'
So rockin'
He's got everything a girl's wantin'
Wow Steph was thinking about me what an honor.
Guitar cutie, He plays it groovy!
And I can't keep myself from doing something stupid.
I think she could do that with me there or not but in a good way.
Think I'm really falling for his smile
Get butterflies when he says my name
Steph gets butterflies?
He's got something special
He's got something special
And when he's looking at me I want to get all sentimental.
What the hell is sentimental?
He's got something special
He's got something special
I can hardly breathe, something's telling me, telling me maybe he could be the one.
Stephanie Plum was definitely my one.
He's got something special
He's Lightning
Sparks are flyin'
There are a lot of them when I kiss her.
Everywhere I go he's always on my mind and I'm goin' crazy
About him lately
And I can't help myself from how my heart is racing.
Think I'm really digging on his vibe
This song is so much like my Babe and Me now that I look at it.
He really blows me away
He's got something special
He's got something special
Steph is definitely special. And I love her.
And he's got a way of making me feel like everything I do is perfectly fine
I try to help her fly.
The stars are aligned when I'm with him.
And I'm so into him
He's got something special
He's got something special
And when he's looking at me I want to get all sentimaental
He's got something special
He's got something special
I can hardly breathe, something's been telling me, telling me maybe he could be the one.
He Could Be The One.
I started to get distracted while thinking about it. I definitely need my babe in my life. Angie finished the song and looked at me like she just noticed me.
"I'm sorry but who are you?" Angie was so polite.
"My name is Ranger. You?" She started to blush.
"Angie." I shook her hand
"Nice to meet you Angie."
"You too." Valerie nodded at me and I smiled a small smile at her.
" Well girls time to go."
"Ok mama let me get my CD." Angie walked towards the CD player but stopped and looked at me. "Will you keep it playing please, Aunt Steph liked that song a lot. It is a nice song and she should listen to something nice while being here in the hospital." I nodded at her and gave her my biggest smile. She ran over to me and hugged me, I quickly looked at Valerie who nodded so I hugged Angie back.
"Bye Aunt Steph get better soon." And they left. I left the CD on and started to think about all the good times Steph and I had together.
Steph POV.
I was hearing things again but this time it was Angie and Mary Alice singing to me. I knew they were scared for me. Hell I was scared for me. I heard her say to Ranger that I was talking out loud, I have got to stop doing that! But I was talking about him. I wasn't coming back from this. I heard them leave and I decided that I was going to wake up.
I tried to open my eyes more and more and I was getting tired. But I wouldn't give up I had to open my eyes. Open. Open. Open! I must have opened my eyes because light came flooding in, I shut my eyes quickly and tried to open them again, this time they stayed open. I looked around the room and spotted Ranger in the corner on his phone, talking to someone. I think it was Tank because he growled, "Tank, watch it." Must be something important. I waited till he was done till I heard, "yes that's right I want to be with her for the rest of my life." Ok back-up he wants to be with me, I tried to smile but the tubes in my mouth made it hard and I hurt. Ranger hung up so I faked sleeping and listened to what he had to say.
"Babe I love you, I don't want to let you go. Come on babe wake up. Please wake up." There goes that damn word. I knew I had to "wake up" now I opened an eye to peek at what he was doing. His head was against the bed, looking very sad I couldn't take it anymore. I coughed and made a show of waking up just for Ranger. He looked up instantly and smiled his biggest smile when he saw I was awake.
"Babe, I'll page your doctor." I nodded. He walked to the phone keeping an eye on me the whole time.
"She's up." The doctor came in after about a minuet.
"look who is awake. Glad to have you back Miss. Plum. How are you feeling?" I pointed to the tube an my mouth and she removed it. Ranger gave me water.
"Much better." I said still horse.
"Ok well you are healing just fine and we would like you to stay for another 4 days for observation. Your concussion healed nicely and your blood artery is completely healed after being shredded by a piece of glass." My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. The doctor just laughed. "It wasn't very bad we managed to repair it lucky you had this man with you or you wouldn't have made it. And the only thing left to heal is you leg and ribs." I nodded. "Stephanie you are very lucky to have this man with you." I nodded and then the doctor left. Ranger come over and I motioned him into the bed. He climbed in and I cuddled up to him.
"Babe, Angie said you were thinking about me when you crashed." He looked slightly pained at me crashing. I knew I was blushing.
"Ranger it wasn't your fault. But did you hear the song?" he nodded.
"Angie and Mary Alice sang to you while I was in here."
"It sounds a lot like me and you. This was the easiest way to tell you."
"By you crashing?" He was making a joke, how cute.
"No I was going to tell you when I got there but I never did." I let out a little sigh.
"you are ok now that's all that matters. I am going to call Tank and tell him to let everyone know your awake."
"Thanks Carlos." Oops. He looked at me then laughed.
"Call me whatever you like." I smiled at him. This deserved me a kiss. How I missed them. Carlos went to the corner and called Tank.
"She is up. Tell everyone." He looked at me fast then whispered to Tank but I overheard. "I am going to ask her right now." He walked over to my bed and pulled a box out of his pocket.
"Babe will you Marry me?" I couldn't speak but I nodded and started to cry. He pulled me into his arms and put the most beautiful ring on my finger, this definitely made up for crashing!!!
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This is Steph's ring check it out. .com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product1%7C10101%7C10001%7C-1%7C990386904%7C15051%7C15051.15057