Notes & Disclaimers: Anything you recognize as familiar belongs to Janet Evanovich. I am just borrowing her characters for fun and am not making anything from the story. Enjoy.

(I can't believe the positive encouragement I have been receiving for this story. It's my first attempt at fanfiction, and your encouragement has warmed my heart and made me want to keep writing. Thanks again! )

Tank's Point of View

"Come on, Ranger, pickup!" I growled as I tried to call Ranger for the 10th time. Hector was driving again, and had pointed the Escalade back towards Haywood. As we pulled into the garage, we were met by almost everyone in the core team that was on duty. Everyone had concern etched on their faces. I had known them long enough, worked with them long enough, to know exactly what they were all thinking. But none of them uttered a word. Everyone had a deep respect for Ranger. So I knew that was part of the concern. But Stephanie had a way of endearing herself to each and every one of us. I knew there was nothing that these men wouldn't do for her. Not only for Ranger, but because they genuinely cared about her. She was part of Rangeman family. I slid from the supple leather and looked around. "Core meeting in 10. Control room."

I pulled Silvio aside and asked him who was going to Atlantic City. He looked at me and replied, "I am. I leave in 20 minutes. I'm packed and ready to go."

I nodded and patted him on the back. "Sit in on the meeting before you go. Ranger will need an update when you get there, in case I don't get in touch with him before then. He needs to know the gravity of the situation."

Silvio nodded, understanding, and turned to me. We both stopped walking, wanting to put some distance between us and the rest of the group. "Is she ok? Will she be ok?"

I looked at Silvio trying to put on a strong face. But I'm sure he could see the concern in my eyes. I wasn't sure. I wouldn't lie; I wouldn't promise everyone that everything was going to be ok. But I knew we had to remain positive. Despite the fact that none of us knew about it prior to a couple of hours ago, this child was already part of Rangeman. If something happened to it, or to Stephanie, Ranger would be devastated. Heck, we all would.

"I'm not sure man. Let's just hope and pray for the best."

Silvio and I turned and started walking again, heading for the garage elevator. I started to ask if Ranger had called to check in, but thought better of it. I knew that he wouldn't call Haywood. If he called…no, when he called, he'd call me. I was beginning to really worry about why he wasn't calling back. This wasn't like Ranger. But then again, normally, when he was in the wind, he wasn't available at all. Sometimes his government jobs kept him away for weeks, even months. I was used to being in charge while he was gone. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that normally I wasn't dealing with a 23 week pregnant woman in preterm labor! I had no idea what to do and uttered a silent thanks to God that I wasn't the one that found her. I was also thankful that Bobby had been here. Mental note- put a word in for Bobby during his next review. Not that it would be needed. Stephanie would probably talk to Ranger when this was all over and make sure that he was well compensated. Yeah, that's it. Stephanie would get better, and she'd make it through this just fine, and things are going to all work out ok, right? I willed myself to believe this, but the growing anxiety in the pit of my stomach wasn't helping the cause.

The elevator opened on the control room floor, and we stepped out. Everyone was in place, quietly waiting for the meeting to begin. Silvio took his seat, and I stood in front of the room.

I quickly looked across the faces in the room. Ranger was a very private man. I wasn't sure he would want everyone knowing what was going on. But I felt like most of them knew already. They had already seen Bobby carrying her from the penthouse to the elevator. They had watched the monitors as Hector pulled the car around, we got in, and sped from the garage. "Men, as most of you know, Ranger is in Atlantic City working on a case. Normally, we wouldn't have contact with him when he's doing a government or treasury case, but because Stephanie had been sick, and because we are currently in negotiations with a large potential client, he made arrangements ahead of time to be able to be contacted in case of an emergency. Bobby found Stephanie in her apartment this morning. Long story short, she's not doing well. She's 23 weeks pregnant, has lost a lot of blood, and may lose the baby. Bobby tells me that this is very serious. They are currently on their way to Newark NICU by chopper. Thus far, Ranger has not been able to be contacted. Silvio will head out to Atlantic City after this meeting to try to make contact with Ranger and Lester. He plans on trying to get himself into the inner circle at the casino, and arrange for Ranger to be able to leave. He will take Ranger's place. That's all we know right now." I started to dismiss the men, send them back to work, but I stopped abruptly.

"Oh, and…if any of you could pull any favors out from the good 'Man Upstairs', I'm sure Ranger and Stephanie would appreciate it. Dismissed."

My phone rang as everyone was clearing out, and getting back to work. I jerked it open, hoping that it was Ranger. "Hello?"

"Hi Mr. Tank. This is Stephanie's grandmother. We've been trying to get in touch with her this morning, and she hasn't answered her phone. Do you know where she is? Estelle Bartalucci's viewing is this afternoon, and I wanted to see if she'd take me. "

I let out a silent, inward sigh. I wondered how she had my number, but figured Stephanie had given it to her. I had no idea what to tell Steph's grandma, but I was pretty sure that she didn't want her herd of a family barging in right now. She needed some time to adjust and get used to the baby idea. She needed to focus on staying alive. And keeping the baby alive.

"Ms. Mazur, I believe Stephanie is working today. And she's currently….indisposed." My mind was searching for the right words. "She's undercover."
Ok. That was a lie. Technically, she was working on keeping the baby alive. Keeping herself alive. And I guess, technically, she was 'undercover' at the hospital. I was sure they'd arrived at Newark NICU by now, and she'd been given a blanket or something, right?

"Isn't that a pip! I told Ellen and Frank that I figured as much. Do you know when she'll be finished? I really wanted to go to Stiva's tonight. I will have to tell everyone at the viewing that Stephanie is working a big case and…"

I interrupted, fearing that Grandma Mazur would tell everyone that Stephanie was on a case. I was sure that the Burg gossip mill would explode, and I would be willing to bet my underwear that someone in the Burg worked at the hospital. We did our best to keep Stephanie's medical information private at the hospital, and I even checked her in under a different name. I asked for a privacy alert to be on her record, and no one except me, Bobby, and Ranger are listed as contacts on her emergency forms. Of course I know that all hospitals are required to follow standard federal HIPPA protocol, but that doesn't always keep wagging tongues in place. For Pete's sake, this was the Burg! And I knew that where there was a will, there was a way. Someone could have seen us taking Stephanie in the hospital. The less people knew about the situation right now, the better. Ranger needed to know first, and Stephanie didn't need any distractions right now.

"Ms. Mazur, this case is very….ummm…special. Private. You can't leak a word out about it. How about I send a driver over for you around 5? That way you can make it to the viewing on time, and he'll drive you home when you're ready to go. But you have to promise, not a word about the case, agreed?"

"Will it be a stud muffin? Wearing those tight black pants you guys always wear?"

I thought to myself. I was gonna owe someone big time for this. Correction, Ranger was gonna owe someone big time.

"Yes 'mam. I'll make sure of it."

"Ok then. I'll be ready by 5. Tell Stephanie we're having pot roast tomorrow if she wants to drop by. You and Ranger can come too."

"Well, I think they will probably still be on this case then. But I'll have Stephanie call you as soon as possible."

Grandma Mazur seemed satisfied with my answer. She hung up and I wondered who I was going to get to pick her up tonight. Just then, Binkie was making his way down the hall. Binkie was the newest guy at Rangeman. He took a lot of ribbing for it too. He was often at the receiving end of jokes, but he took it well enough.

"Binkie, I have a job for you tonight." I wrote down the address, and told him to take the town car. "You're picking up a very important client, and you will be her chauffer for the evening. Make sure she's happy. And take her where ever she wants to go. Got it? Don't mess up."

"Got it man." Binkie took the address, smiled, and said "Is she pretty?".

"Well, let's just say you'll have your hands full!" I smiled and turned the corner. It wasn't a lie. He needed to earn his chops, and I had a feeling that he wasn't going to be smiling quite as much when he returned tonight.

Bobby called to let me know that he and Stephanie had made it to Newark. Stephanie was being settled into a room, and being examined and evaluated.

"How's she doing Bobby? Any change?"

Bobby sighed. "She's still bleeding. They are giving her blood. They've hung steroids for the baby, and several medications. And the contractions have stabilized at about 8 minutes apart. I can tell she's in a lot of pain right now, but she's holding up. You know Bombshell…she's tough."

"I know man. I know. Did Ella make it there? You need anything?"

"Yeah, she's here. She brought Steph's things. She's in with her now. Were you able to get in touch with Ranger?"

"Not yet. Silvio has the file and is going to find him and Lester in Atlantic City. Hopefully, Ranger will be back soon. "

Bobby replied, "Yeah, I hope so. The whole ward assumed I was Stephanie's husband. I got pulled into the room during another exam and everything. Ranger is going to seriously kill me when he finds out I've seen Steph in such a, well….personal way. But she's crying, man, and so upset. I didn't know what else to do. She's really in a lot of pain."

I would probably be uncomfortable myself. I silently uttered another "thanks be to God" under my breath that it was Bobby in there and not me. "You know, Bobby, Ranger is going to be back soon. We'll find him and get him back here. And he won't be mad. In fact, he'll appreciate what you've done. Hell, we all do. She needs you there, man."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Bobby replied. I've seen a lot of crap in my life. But today was different Tank. Today…", his voice trailed off. "Today I was scared."

"Me too, man. Me too."