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. Also, I don't have a Beta, so any mistakes you see are mine.

WARNING! This story is rated M. It has violence and angst in it. Please use your own discretion at reading because this story is not Morelli friendly. Major angst! Remember that this is fiction, so I have taken some creative liberties. This is not a Cupcake story so don't read if that bothers you.

Previously:

Step didn't respond and they wheeled her bed down the hall towards the elevator. I sank to my knees there in the hall as tears rolled down my face. I didn't even hear Tank walk up beside me until his large hand clamped down on my shoulder.

"Bomber's gonna be fine man. You've got to have faith and trust. Believe in your heart that she's gonna be ok. Come on, let's get you a chair in her room."

I stood and followed my friend into the room where Stephanie had just been. It seemed so cold and dark and lonely without her in it. I sat in the chair in the corner and looked at the clock on the wall. It was 4am in the morning. Tank sat down beside me as we began the longest wait of my life.

I have paced around the room for the past 4 hours. The waiting is killing me. It's tearing out the life in my very soul. I feel like all of the breath is being sucked form my body and I am totally at a loss as to how to make things better. Usually I'm the king of waiting. Normally, I can sit for hours on end on a stakeout and never move a muscle. I can lie in the jungles of the worlds' most vile places, in extreme heat and humidity, waiting for the perfect sniper shot without so much as a twitch. I've waited for years, to end my government contract, to have Rangeman up and running with plenty of staff and backups in place, so that I can have the life I want with Stephanie. I waited for her to be comfortable with the idea of living with me. Sure I asked her many times. But we moved on her timetable, not mine. That's not something that I normally do, but I was willing to wait for things to be perfect. But this waiting is different. My life hangs in the balance. If something were to happen to her, Dios! I can't even imagine my life without her. I am the type of man that is used to making things happen. If there is a problem, I solve it. If there is a mission, I accomplish it. If there is a need, I provide it. And yet, here I stand in a small hospital room, and I am totally and completely helpless. I have no way to make things better. I can't fix this. I can't make it go away. And I can't make her better. I've never felt so empty in my life.

"Come on man, sit down. You're freaking me out."

I sigh and run my fingers through my hair while sitting down, only to stand right back up and walk to the doorway. "What do you think is taking so long, Tank? Why haven't they told us something?"

"Because they are taking care of her. She's gonna be fine, but they've got to give all their attention to her. She's going to pull through this, Ranger. She's strong and brave and has more gumption than anyone else I know- including you. She's the only that that could ever give you a run for your money. Plus she's got more to live for now than ever before. You know that. She's waited a long time for you to pull your head out of your ass, and if I know Bomber like I think I know her, then she's going to fight with every ounce of determination that she has to stick around for you. She's not going to let you get off that easy, man."

Tank's words sink in. And I realize he's right. I've been so worried that she was going to fall apart, but I realize then and there that I need to trust her to fight for us. For our someday.

"I know you're right Tank. It's just that…well…I love her. I can't imagine my life without her. We …well, I…. I wasted so much time. I should have taken her as mine years ago. I should have told her how I felt. "

"Yeah, you should have. But all that matters is now. You can't change things. But you can look forward and make things better. That's what you have to concentrate on now. Help her to find something good in this. Help her to not be a victim. Help her survive. Hell, that's what Lula tells me anyway. She said with Ramirez, she had to keep her thoughts on surviving and being a survivor. She said that being the victim was too exhausting and would only let him win. She said he didn't deserve to win and that he'd taken enough from her already. I admire her for that. And I admire Steph. She'll pull through this just like Lula did."

Tank has a point. There's a reason he's my second in command. He's my friend and partner. And he always knows just what I need to hear…even if I don't want to hear it.

"Tank, do you think you could call Lula for me? I'm thinking maybe Steph needs her here when she gets back from surgery. She's been where Steph is, and I think it would help her. Do you think she'd keep it quiet?"

"Yeah, man. For Bomber she would. She'd do anything for her. I'll go call her now."

As Tank walked down the hall to make his phone call, I noticed Bobby and Dr. Savalas coming down the hall. They both looked exhausted, but Bobby's gaze met my eyes and he smiled slightly.

"How is she? When can I see her? Is she ok?"

Bobby spoke first. "Calm down Ranger. You need to be strong for her and she is already asking for you. She's awake."

Dr. Savalas spoke finally. "Stephanie is a strong woman, Ranger. Her blood levels were critically low. If you didn't get her here when you did, I'm sure that we wouldn't be having this discussion. I'm 99% positive that we'd be in the morgue right now. As I said before, she has some broken ribs, and a slight hairline fracture of her skull. All of that will heal in time. The bleeding from her kidneys was significant, and was the reason for the surgery. We've repaired the bleeders, and I think she's out of the woods. We'll continue to monitor her closely. And I want her here for at least 4 or 5 days. Then you can take her home under Bobby's care. She's in recovery right now, and as Bobby said, she's asking for you. Your name was the first word from her mouth when she woke up. Bobby can take you to see her now, and I assume you'll be staying with her some in her room? I'd like a list of those that are approved to see her. I'll coordinate a private nurse for her if you'd like."

His words were like balm for my soul. Stephanie was going to be okay.
"Yes! Please! Thank you so much Eddie! Bobby, I want to see her now. I'll also be staying with her the entire time."

Dr. Savalas chuckled lightly. "Bobby told me to expect as much. I have no problem with that, and from what I hear, the only way we'll be able to keep her confined to the hospital any period of time will be if you are here with her. Ranger, I think you've found your match. She's a fighter. In all of my years practicing medicine, I've never seen anyone woman violated in such a way. I hope you catch the person that did this. For her sake."

I nod in understanding, acknowledging that I had heard the stressed 'you' in his statement. Eddie lived by the same code of justice that I did. "Trust me Eddie, I'll take care of it."

Eddie nods his head also, in understanding. The words are unspoken but I know that he understands the rage I feel inside for the person that did this to Stephanie.

"Please let me know if I can do anything else. You have my number, and if you need anything just ask her nurse. I'll check back in with her later this evening."

I shake Dr. Savalas' hand and start to follow Bobby to the elevator. Tank is back from his phone call by now, and Bobby gives him a quick update as we walk to the elevators.

"Lula will be here shortly. She's not scheduled to work at the Bond's office today, so no one will suspect anything with her not showing up for work. "

I nod slightly. Tank continues. "Boss, I know you don't want to think about this right now, but what do you want us to do with Morelli. I can take care of it if you'd like."

"Keep him where he is. No food. Only enough water to keep him alive. When you go back to Haywood, you can have a turn at him. Lester can too. But I want him alive when I get back."

"Understood."

We stepped out of the elevator, and I followed Bobby to a small room that was dimly lit. A nurse was sitting at the foot of Steph's bed, monitoring her vital signs. She looked up at me and smiled. The faint beeping of a heart monitor could be heard, and the steadiness of it soothed me. Steph's eyes were closed and she was hooked up to several IV lines.

The nurse spoke. "I assume you are Carlos? She's been asking for you."

Stephanie's eyes flittered open and she smiled. Dios! What she could do to me with just a smile. I've never felt such relief in all of my life. Bobby and Dr. Savalas told me she was awake and would pull through. But there was just something about seeing it for myself with my own eyes. I fell to my knees beside her bed, and took her hand in both of mine as I kissed it. I laid my head gently at her side, careful not to jar her. I didn't even realize it at first, but suddenly I was crying. I had never come so close to losing something so precious in my entire life. My face was hidden from everyone's view, but I heard Bobby and the nurse step out of the room. I didn't care what they saw. Sheer relief flooded my soul. Stephanie ran her other hand through my hair. Her voice was dry and raspy when she finally spoke.

"I love you Carlos. We will pull through this. You and I are no stranger to pain, and what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. I know that now."

I looked up into her blue eyes, and knew that we would indeed survive. Stephanie would survive. "I love you Babe. I've never been so scared in my life. I can't lose you. I can't imagine if…"

"You won't lose me Carlos. You're stuck with me."

I stood up and bent over to gently kiss her lips. "Rest now amante. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

She nodded slightly and closed her eyes, while intertwining her fingers in mine. I pulled up a chair that was nearby and stared at her. Even with all of the bruising, she was beautiful. And she was mine. Whatever was to come in the days ahead wouldn't matter, as long as we had each other.