Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters. Sorry for the long interval between updates. My muse took off on an unauthorized vacation in the middle of this chapter and left me hanging. I've got the Merry Men hunting her down as we speak! *grin* The sentences in bold are for the weekly challenge on RW & PP. Hope you enjoy!

Another Day, Another Disaster – pt 4

The rest of the Rangeman crew followed as Tank and Lula went out the door, knowing full well they would be returning later when all the excitement died down. With Lester and Bobby staying behind, as well as Ram and Vince on duty, their presence was superfluous.

Besides, they were distracting the nurses.

The black SUV screeched up to the main doors of St Francis Hospital, Ranger exiting before the vehicle came to a complete stop. He disappeared inside even before Junior managed to take his foot off the brake.

Ranger strode directly to the door marked 'Stairs' and flung the door open, ascending the steps two at a time until he reached the third floor where the ICU patients were housed. He paused with his hand on the doorknob, collecting himself before opening the door and walking onto the floor. The nurses who were there immediately looked up, most of them mesmerized by the handsomeness of the man who'd interrupted their duties.

One of them however, didn't seem too affected by his presence, other than to frown with disapproval. She walked out from behind the desk, stepping directly into Ranger's path as he made his way towards his two employees who stood guard at the door of the VIP suite and the patient who had been installed there but a short time ago.

"Visiting hours are from seven to eight thirty PM, and for immediate family members only," she exclaimed haughtily. "We only have six patients here at the moment, and you don't look like you're related to any of them. You need to leave."

Ranger looked at the middle-aged woman confronting him. She must be new here, since he'd never seen her before, and he knew every nurse who worked there, some even by name. He didn't know this one.

He narrowed his eyes at her, his face void of all expression. "My name is Ranger, and those are my men there guarding the door to Ms Plum's room. You need to back off, because I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now." He stepped around her, continuing on his way to the private suite.

Apparently she didn't like him ignoring her instructions, turning and grabbing his arm to stop his progression. "I'm in charge of this unit, and you need to listen to me if you don't want to end up in jail. I'll call security, then the hospital administration. I don't tolerate this kind of behavior on my floor!"

Ranger turned and gave her a blank stare, his gaze going from the hand on his arm to her face. His voice was cold, causing a shiver in everyone within hearing distance. "You can take this to the Pope for all I care. I'm going into that room with or without your permission. I'm her next of kin, so I guess that means I'm the one who makes the rules as far as who's allowed in her room, don't you think?"

The nurse gasped and withdrew her hand as if burned, the color in her face draining to a pasty white as she recoiled away from him. Without another word he continued on to the room, nodding to Ram and Vince as he approached and entered the doorway.

The sight of his Babe laying in that hospital bed, her face and body uncharacteristically still, was almost more than he could stand. Steph was never still, even when she slept. She did everything with abandon; from eating and catching skips, to sleeping. He didn't like this situation one bit. She needed to wake up, and not only for her sake.

He thought about why he was really here. Is it considered stalking if you think about the person all the time? And he did think about her. A lot. Not a day went by when he wasn't wondering where she was, what she was doing, and if she was happy. No, he told himself, because the definition of stalking is that you need to be following them. Thinking about them is not stalking. He almost laughed at himself. No, more like obsessed. And he was obsessed. By her mind, her skin and hair, her scent. Everything about her drove him crazy.

He moved to the side of the bed, ignoring the two men who sat on either side of her. He picked up her hand that was laying on top of the blankets, so soft and white. And still. Please wake up Babe. I'm here. I love you. I need you. Someday is here.

Lester shot a look at Bobby, then brought his gaze back to Ric. Bobby cleared his throat, a look of understanding in his eyes as he began to update his friend and boss on the condition of the woman they all considered a little sister.

"She's resting easy. They've got her stabilized for now, but the coma makes it hard for them to assess her brain function and motor skills. That just might change with you here." He grinned when he noticed his friend's startled look. "She can hear you, Ric. She's aware of everything; her body just hasn't been ready to get back to business yet. I think she'll fight to wake up now." He looked over at Lester, motioning him outside. "We're gonna go get us some coffee. You want anything?" he asked Ranger.

Ranger shook his head, dropping heavily into the chair that Lester had just vacated as they quietly slipped out. He caressed her hand absentmindedly as he went over and over in his head how to approach Steph with the decision he'd finally made today. He began speaking softly to her, telling her about his family and funny stories from his childhood. Things he knew she'd wanted to know for a long time. He told her about the house he'd bought just a few short months ago, hoping she'd move in with him and help him turn it into a home, and that if she wanted, they would fill it with their kids. He talked for hours, telling her anything and everything he'd ever thought, and felt, and worried over.

He eventually fell silent, not knowing what else to say, wondering if she even heard him. Now that he was here with her, knowing that she was at least safe for the moment, the adrenalin rush he'd been experiencing earlier suddenly left him, leaving him drained and exhausted. He closed his eyes in relief, allowing the constant reassuring beep of the machines to lull him into a fitful sleep. It was a short nap.

He didn't realize at first what caused the slight change in the atmosphere around him. It took a moment to register that the hand he'd been holding on to so firmly was ever so imperceptively tightening around his. So much for Mr. Awareness! He brought his startled gaze up to Steph's face, noticing the movement of her eyes underneath the lids as she slowly fought her way out of the heavy fog. He immediately stood up and leaned over her, brushing her lips with his own before settling his mouth near her ear.

"Babe, I'm here. I need you to open your eyes." His whispered plea was almost desperate; for the first time in many years his voice was expressing the emotions he'd spent considerable time and effort tamping down, hiding them from her and everyone else. He brought his left hand up, brushing a wayward curl away from her face as he gently squeezed her hand with his right. He watched as she struggled to open her eyes, a frown marring her now animated features as a whimper escaped her lips. He caressed her cheek with his thumb, brushing his lips over hers again in encouragement. He knew he should be calling the nurses, but right now it seemed more important that he allow her some time before the medical personnel started poking and prodding over her. She always hated that, seeing submission to their attentions as a sign of weakness.

His heart clenched when he saw a tear of frustration leaking out of her eye. She would hate that he had seen that. Very seldom had she ever broken down in front of him, or anyone else for that matter. She preferred to let loose in private, where she could let the tears fall unobserved. Another thing she hated was the inability to do what she wanted or needed to do, so he squeezed her hand again, letting her know he understood. He heard the beeping of the monitors speed up, and knew their time alone was limited.

"Babe, there's not much time before the nurses come. Can you open your eyes for me? I won't leave you, I promise. Please, just open your eyes." He could hear several sets of footsteps making their way hurriedly towards the room and grunted in irritation. Couldn't they just give them a minute?

His irritation melted as he saw her eyelids flicker and start to open, allowing him a tiny glimpse of her blue eyes. He saw the moment awareness registered, then pain as her features clouded over. He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and smiled as her gaze rested on his face. "Babe." The relief in his voice was evident even to her confused mind, and wonder quickly added itself to all the other expressions he read on her face.

Her mouth opened and she tried licking her lips, finding her mouth and tongue as dry as her lips. She mouthed "water"; her throat was so dry there was no sound. He reached to pick up the water pitcher that was sitting on the overbed table that had been pushed to the end of the bed, intending to pour some in a cup for her just as two nurses rushed in, one of them the head nurse who had tried to intercept him on his way in. They were followed by a doctor Ranger vaguely remembered as being on staff here.

"She awake?" the doctor asked, and not waiting for an answer, he went around to the other side of the bed, forcing the nurses to step back out of his way. The head nurse shot a glare at Ranger, put out by his refusal to relinquish his place by Stephanie's side, but also because the doctor evidently didn't mind his presence. The Man in Black simply ignored her.

Stephanie whimpered in pain as the doctor began asking her rapid questions, probing her head in several places and making Ranger clench his fist at his side to keep him from lashing out at the physician. Her mouth was still extremely dry, so she had difficulty answering him. Ranger kept his other hand occupied with hers, comforting her with the firm hold and gentle rubbing of his thumb across her knuckles.

Finally the exam was finished, and she was allowed a few sips of water. The other nurse present, it turned out, was an old high school friend of Steph's, and slipped Ranger a small tube of medicated Blistex, telling him quietly that it would help keep her lips from cracking. He thanked her and immediately turned to apply it to Steph's lips, easing the soreness and earning him a small but grateful smile.

The head nurse had been speaking with the doctor, and when finished turned to Ranger, telling him haughtily that he needed to leave so her patient could get some rest. Before he could react, both the doctor and the other nurse intervened, guiding her out the doorway and whispering as they hastily informed her of Ranger's status, not only with Steph, but with the hospital administration and community in general.

Ranger turned back to Steph, noticing the tears pooling in her eyes. "Babe?" he asked worriedly.

Her eyes fluttered closed, trying to keep them from spilling over. "It hurts," she whispered hoarsely. "I just wanna go home." The tears spilled down her cheeks anyway, and he felt his chest clench. He bent closer, resting his forehead lightly against hers as he wiped the moisture away with the pads of his thumbs.

"I know, Babe, but you need to stay here for a few days. They're going to get you better, and then I'll take you home. Don't worry, I'll be right here. Okay?" He nuzzled her ear, and felt her relax a little.

"'kay." She sniffled a little, then sighed, allowing herself to drift off as the pain meds kicked in. She never even noticed when Ranger shucked his boots and climbed in beside her, gently pulling her close to him. She only knew that she felt warm, safe and content.

tbc

Word count without disclaimer and last chapter prompt: 2064