Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews! You guys are so awesome! The response to this story is so amazing, I've already got my next story idea!

Second Opinions

They entered the over decorated lobby of Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital. Steph was in awe of the beautiful features spread out through the hospital; inside and out. Ranger laced his fingers through Steph's and pulled her towards the nurse's station. The red-headed nurse looked up, saw Ranger and smiled. Steph rolled her eyes as the nurse touch her hair in a touch up fashion and gave Ranger a come hither smile. Ranger didn't smile back; he kept his blank face on.

"I'm here to see Celia Manoso." He told the young nurse.

She immediately flashed a huge grin at him. "You must be Carlos Manoso. Your sister told me you were expecting her."

Ranger once again didn't smile back. "It's kind of an emergency." He growled at her. She jumped at the deep huskiness of his voice or it could be that his voice went about two octaves deeper in annoyance.

The nurse picked up the phone. "I'll call her now." Ranger nodded his head and turned towards Steph.

"She likes you." Steph whispered low. Of course there wasn't very many women who could look at Ranger and not fall flat on her face. He was hot, but he was hot in the kind of way that even though he knew it; it wasn't something he liked to use to his advantage. In other words, he didn't relay on his looks to get him through life.

Ranger flashed his 200 watt smile. They heard a crash and looked over at the nurse who was now laying on the floor; her face beet red. Steph giggled and Ranger dropped his blank face and gave her a glare which only made her laugh harder. Ranger pulled her close so his mouth was against her ear. "Paybacks are a bitch, Babe." She pulled away and gave him a look full of innocence.

"I didn't do anything. You made her fall out of the chair, not me." Steph teased him.

Before Ranger could comment, a voice coming from behind them spoke out. "Brother, you always did know how to wow the ladies." They turned to face Ranger's sister who was having trouble keeping her laughter at bay. The poor nurse stuttered out something about needing supplies and she took off in the opposite direction.

Ranger turned in the direction of his sister. "Celia, how are you?" He smiled at his sister before pulling her into his embrace. Steph smiled as they hugged. "I'm good, Little Brother, how are you?" She asked him once they pulled away.

Ranger grabbed Steph's wrist and pulled her towards them. "This is Steph." He told her; turning the subject away from him.

Celia shook Steph's hand and smiled. "Carlos told me everything over the phone." She motioned towards the elevators. "Come on, lets get some blood work done with some x-rays and an ultrasound and see what's going on, okay?"

Steph felt comforted and at ease around Ranger's sister and she quickly nodded. "Thanks a lot for doing this." Steph told her. Celia shook her head as they walked towards the elevator; Ranger behind them.

"It's no problem. Some doctors are just assholes and don't look at anything outside the box." Celia told her. They stepped off onto the fifth floor. "Steph, welcome to my world." Celia announced with a smile.

They settled Steph into a room and gave her a green hospital gown to change into. After waiting a few minutes, a nurse came in and took Steph's blood. This time they took only vial. Ranger squeezed her hand and whispered in her ear as they did. She hated needles and this time was no different.

The nurse capped the vial of blood and smiled at Steph. "We'll be back with results shortly." Steph nodded and leaned back against the table as the nurse walked out.

"Morelli called earlier." Ranger spoke.

"And?" Steph wanted to know if they had found anything.

Ranger shook his head. "So far nothing, but they are still fingerprinting everything." Steph nodded and Ranger continued; speaking more now than he ever has. "Babe, they found traces of heroin in all the empty food containers in your trash."

Steph looked at Ranger; wide eyed and a little shocked. "Joe and Lester brought that food to me." She told him.

Ranger nodded. "Some of it they did, but not at all of it."

"So the guy was drugging it after they dropped it off?" She asked him. Ranger again nodded. Steph shivered and curled into herself. Would she ever feel safe again? This stalker went far beyond any other stalker had before. Putting drugs in her food that her friends had dropped off for her is low and so scary. Would she ever be able to eat again without being worried that her food had been tainted or messed with?

A tear leaked out the corner of her eye and a sob torn out of her throat. She felt herself being pulled into Ranger's arms and rocked. She faintly heard the door open, she felt Ranger shake his head and then the door shut again. She didn't cry, but she couldn't make herself sit up and pull herself together. She loved food. Any and all food. Sweet foods, spicy foods, salty foods, hot or cold; she loved it all.

How could anyone want to mess with someone's food? Not knowing what it would do to that particular person. How could anyone be that cruel? To hate someone so much to have them drugged without their knowledge.

Ranger pulled back enough to cup Steph's face between his hands. He brought her eyes up to meet his. "Babe, you'll get through this. You're tough. You're a fighter, a survivor. I'll be there with you ever step of the way. No matter what the struggle. It's not just Steph's struggle, it's our struggle, our fight." He swallowed hard at the sight of Steph's eyes welling up with tears. She kissed his mouth softly and Ranger felt his heart melt at the tender touch.

"Thank you, Ranger. I love you." Steph confessed. Ranger yanked her close; holding her tightly. He knew that small confession of her love for him was hard for her. She hated expressing her feelings and for her to share that; he knew it wasn't easy.

The door opened once again and Celia stepped in. "I hate to interrupt but we need to get those x-rays and that ultrasound done." Steph pulled away and looked at Celia. She planted a smile firmly on her face. "Well, let's get started."


Ranger watched as Steph slept. His sister came in and took some ultrasound pictures. She then took Steph down to the Radiology and did some x-rays. Steph came back up; quiet and withdrawn. He hated seeing her like this. He heard her stomach growling for food more than once and she never acknowledged the fact that she was hungry.

He hated it even more when Celia offered to bring her something to eat and Steph turned her down. It had been over four hours since Celia brought Steph up from Radiology. Almost twelve hours since he found Steph asleep on the counter with her half-eaten sandwich beside her. He knew she had to be hungry and her growling stomach just confirmed it.

Celia had called a few minutes before and said that they had emergency and she would be up at soon. So here he was watching Steph sleep. She was curled up into the smallest ball possible as if she was protecting herself against the world. He hated seeing her like this. He hated that all he could do was watch her slowly withdraw into herself.

He couldn't wait to get his hands on the bastard that would do something so cruel to his Babe. To the woman he loved. Ranger smiled. Yea he loved her. In his own way; in every way that mattered. She was his. She belonged to him. Only him. Now that he knew that Morelli was now out of the picture, he was going to make his Babe his permanently. His contract with the government was almost over so it was finally time that he made sure Steph understood that he wanted her in his life for good and forever.

He heard the knock on the door and went to answer it. He smiled at his sister. "I didn't want to wake her up. Is she still sleeping?" Celia asked. Ranger nodded. "She's still sleeping, but if you have the results, I'll wake her up." He told her.

"No need, I'm awake." Steph said from the bed. Both Celia and Ranger turned toward her. Ranger went and helped her into a sitting position. He laced their fingers together and waited for Celia's news.

"Well I do have good news and bad news." Celia started out. "The drug that the doctor previously found is correct. The new drug Venom was found in your system and it did reek havoc on your stomach and intestines. Normally taking it orally it wouldn't have hurt anything internal but since it was laced in your food, the drug sat in your stomach with the other natural acids in your stomach. So it did some damage. The good news is that you do not need any surgery on your stomach. If you watch what you eat for the next couple of months, which means no spicy foods such as anything with tomato sauce, your stomach will heal nicely."

Steph smiled and nodded. "The bad news?"

Celia gave her a small sad smile. "You will need surgery on your intestines." Steph gulped and Celia continued. "But it's a simple procedure. We'll just cut out the damage area and pull the end of your intestines together then sew it shut. Simple, quick, and easy. With no lasting effects."

"So the surgery is not life threatening?" Steph asked.

"Now I can't tell you that. All surgery is life threatening, but it is a simple procedure that has been performed before."

"How soon can we schedule it?" Steph asked.

"We'll have to wait until after the drug is completely out of your system."

"How long will that take?"

Celia shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know. I would say within two weeks or so, give or take a day or two."

"Will you be performing it?" Steph asked her.

"Yes she will." Ranger interrupted. Celia nodded in agreement.

"I will perform the surgery."

Steph nodded. "Good, I'm glad."

Their conversation was interrupted by Ranger's phone started beeping. Celia said her good byes and left. Ranger answer his phone. "Yo." His face went blank. "Explain." He turned his back to Steph. "Report." Another pause and Ranger nodded. "We'll be there in thirty." He hung up his phone and turned back to Steph.

"Babe, they know who your stalker is." Ranger started out. "Who is it?" Steph asked. "Your stalker is Mooch."

Steph's eyes went wide. "Joe's cousin Mooch?" She questioned out loud.

He pulled Steph close. "Babe, Joe's at St. Francis Hospital. Mooch shot him in the chest and he's in critical condition." Ranger told her softly.

Steph's breathing got swallow and she started to pull away. "Is he okay?" She asked Ranger. Ranger shook his head. "I don't know, Babe. We need to go to the hospital." Steph started to back away from him and grabbed the back of her neck to stop her. "Come on, Babe. Let's go."