Still don't own them. I keep hoping maybe next chapter, but probably NOT! Thanks for all the great reviews and positive feedback, I look forward to checking my reviews everyday now. Hope I am still doing it justice. Let me know what you think. Have a great day!

Chapter Seven "Another Talk with the Girls."

After they went to the Tasty Pastry for Boston creams, Pinos for a pizza, and McDonald's for large cokes and fries, which Ranger ate everything by the way, they headed back to the hospital.

When they arrived on the ICU floor, they were met in the hallway by Dr. Bentley. "Good Afternoon. You will be pleased to know that Angie's condition did continue to improve over the course of last night and this morning, so she was moved to the fifth floor with her sister."

"That is wonderful news, thank you."Steph smiled at the doctor and shook her hand.

"I have signed a form stating that the girls are to be checked out in your care, in order to attend their mother's funeral. Angie will need to be in a wheelchair the entire time. Mary Alice will have a walking cast, to make it easier for her to get around in. Try to keep them off their feet as much as possible and as soon as the funeral is over both girls will need to return to the hospital. I would say if everything continues to improve they will be released by Monday, I will administer Tylenol for both girls before they leave and that should minimize their discomfort, they are not on a restricted diet now, so feel free to feed them anything they desire. Are there any other questions or concerns?" she smiled and looked back at her chart.

"No I think you covered everything." Thank you.

"You're very welcome." And she walked down the hall.

"Ranger, would you mind if I went in and talked to the girls by myself. They don't know you too well yet and I don't want them to feel intimidated by you."

"No Babe, not at all, I understand. I have a couple of phone calls I need to make so I'll just hang out in the waiting room." He turned to her in the elevator and took her in his arms. "Do I make you feel intimidated Babe?' his lips were slightly twitching and his eyes were twinkling.

Leaning into his embrace she smiled up at him, "You know you do, Batman. I bet even your own mother feels that way when you walk into the room."

"Babe," Ranger smiled his two-hundred watt smile and then leaned in to place a lingering kiss on her lips. They stayed that way until the elevator stopped.

"See ya in a few, Batman" Steph smiled and walked down the hall toward the girls room, leaving him to his phone calls.

Stephanie suddenly felt a wave of panic as she neared the girls' door. She had been trying to be strong in front of Ranger, but truth be told she was scared to death. What in the world possessed her sister to think that she was capable of raising two girls; she couldn't even walk into their room and talk to them. "Get a grip" she told herself. "There little girls, I was little once, I can handle this." She wasn't entirely sure that was true, but she held her chin high and walked into the room.

When she entered both girls were laying in bed watching a SpongeBob cartoon. "Hey aunt Steph, both girls said at the same time.

"How are you girls feeling today? The doctor told me that you Angie are doing much better." Steph said as she pulled a chair between their beds and sat down.

"I do feel a lot better, but it's still hard to breath." this from Angie.

"Yeah, I feel better to except my chest hurts a lot. Dr. said that would happen until my ribs heal." was Mary Alice's reply.

"The doctor is telling you the truth. I had broken ribs once and it hurt. Just try not to move around too much, and don't take deep breaths.

"Listen girls do you mind if I turn off the television? I need to have a little talk with both of you." Both girls shook their heads no, so she picked up the remote and turned the TV off.

"The reason I am a little late getting here today is because I had to talk to a lawyer. Your mother had let some instructions with him in case something happened to her, and I need to discuss them with you." When they nodded she went on.

"Your mother wants both of you girls to stay with me. She left me her house and some money so that I could take care of you. She wanted you to be someplace safe, and still be able to see your friends. And have your own room."

"I first need to know if you are both ok with living with me and Rex."

"Mommy already asked us that, she said she needed to know so she could write it down. We said yes. We love you Aunt Steph." was Angies reply.

"I love you girls too, are you sure this is what you want?"

"I want to stay with you, but I don't want to live at our old house no more. That is where mommy lived. I want to live somewhere else. We can live at your place?" Mary Alice had tears in her eyes.

"Honey my place is way too small for all of us. I have 1 bed and 1 bathroom. Where would you sleep? Not to mention that my place is too dangerous. Sometimes people break in. I would not want you girls living there. Your mommy wanted you to still have your home so you wouldn't have to move and leave everything, your friends, your school, your house."

"My mommy lived there Aunt Steph, every time I was in the house I would think of her, and miss her and then I'd be sad. Please don't make me stay there."

"I will not make any promises; we can't stay in my apartment. I need to talk to a friend and see if I can make other arrangements, ok? That means we may have to stay there for a while, or at grandma and grandpas."

"Ok, I understand, but please try."

"I promise to try my best. I do have one other thing I need to talk to you about. The funeral is tomorrow and the doctor said you can both go. Angie you will need to be in a wheel chair the whole time. I have a friend who has a van, so he will be driving us there."

"Also, I need to get you both a dress to wear. Do you have one at home in black?" both shook head yes. "Ok, I will stop by tonight and pick them up. I will come by in the morning to help you both dress. Is there anything special you want to take to the funeral home? I thought maybe a picture of you to put in with your mommy."

"We had a picture taken of all of us. Mommy put in on her table by the bed." Angie told her.

"Ok, I will get that tonight as well. I picked out a poem that I want read about a sister tomorrow. Is there something special you want done?"

"Could you find us a poem about mommies?"

"Sure sweetie, I can look some up on the internet and read them to you in the morning, and you can chose which one you want, will that be ok?"

When both heads nodded, she seen they both looked tired. "Listen girls we are going to have a busy day tomorrow and I have several things I need to take care of. I am going to go ahead and leave; if you need me tonight the nurse can call me on my cell. OK?"

"Yeah, sure." Both agreed.

"Ok, you girls get a goodnight sleep and I love you both very much." She walked over to each of them and gently hugged and kissed them before she left.

When Stephanie walked into the waiting room, Ranger was sitting on the couch talking on his cell phone, when he saw her he stood up, disconnected and walked over to her. "Hey babe, everything go alright?"

"Yeah, for the most part I guess. I need to run by Valarie's house and pick up the girls dresses for in the morning, and also grab a family picture. Would you mind taking me?"

"Sure Babe, no problem. Are you sure your okay, seems like something on your mind."

"Yeah, I'm alright. The girls have an issue about the house, I wanted to talk to you about it, but right now I have fifty other things going through my head."

"That's ok Babe, whenever you want to talk about it, just let me know." He smiled and winked.

"Thanks, I also need to go to my apartment and pick up a dress and shoes and feed Rex."

"I'm ready if you are, Babe."

An hour later they were walking into the seventh floor penthouse at Haywood. "I need to run down to my cubicle and surf the internet, I have to find a poem about mommies for the girls. I promised I would bring some in the morning and they could decide which one they liked."

"Steph you can use my laptop in my office same password as downstairs. Its set up to a printer as well. Take all the time you need, and while you do that I am going to jump in the shower."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Are you hungry? Want Ella to bring you anything?"

"No thanks, I'll just grab a bottle of water."

Two hours later, she had found several poems, copied the picture, laid her clothes out and took a shower. Now she was curled up on the couch in Rangers arms. "You know a girl could get use to this." She teased.

"Is that so?" he smiled and then leaned don and nuzzled her neck with his nose.

"Yeah, that's so." She slightly turned her head so he had access to her neck.

"Any girl or just you?" he asked while kissing her neck and moving up her jaw line, stopping just short of her lips.

"Um, what was the question?" she was too distracted by his lips to think straight.

"That's what I thought." and with that he brought his lips to hers and gently brushed them, then pulled back and looked in her eyes. He brought his forehead down and rested it on hers.

"Stephanie, there are a few things I need to talk to you about, but I want to wait until after the funeral to do so." Before she could answer he placed his lips back on hers again, this time the kiss was hot, hard and long. By the time he pulled back they were both breathless, then he wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head on his chest. She fell asleep listening to the sound of his heartbeat.