Author's Note: I need to once again thank you guys for those awesome reviews! Your words mean a lot! I can't believe how well you guys are enjoying this story!

Warning: Don't Eat And Read This Chapter! Severe Gross Factor! You have been Warned!

Just Starting

Steph pulled away from Ranger when a throat cleared behind them. Steph turned and blushed when the same nurse whom she told Joe was her fiancee was behind her. The nurse gave her a dirty look and Steph glared right back. The nurse glanced at Ranger and gulped. Her face went from hateful to pleasant in .02 seconds. Steph turned to look at Ranger and almost wet her pants. Ranger's blank face was firmly in place but the look in his eyes was enough to scare even the biggest and meanest bad boy.

"T-T-The doctor i-i-is still i-i-in surgery." The nurse stuttered out. She cleared her throat and tried again. "The doctor is still in surgery with Mr. Morelli. Once the surgery is performed, he'll be out shortly to talk with you." The nurse said in almost one breath. Ranger had scared her. Ha ha, Steph thought.

Steph nodded. "Thank you. Can you please tell me anything about Mooner?" Steph asked. The nurse shook her head. "Are you family?" Steph's shoulders slumped. "No, but he is a friend." Steph told her. The nurse glanced at Ranger than back at Steph. "I'll have his doctor come out and talk to you too, but I don't know how long that will take." Steph smiled. "Thank you very much." The nurse nodded and walked away.

Steph turned to look at Ranger. A yawn caught the better of her than her stomach growled. Ranger smiled. "You need to feed the beast, Babe." She laced their fingers together and pulled him towards a group of chairs. Steph sat down in one leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

Ranger touched her cheek softly. "I'm going to the cafeteria to get you something to eat, Babe. You need to eat." He told her before walking away. He was back within minutes. He called her name and she opened her eyes. He handed her a Styrofoam container and she took it. Ranger gave a smug smile. Steph rolled her eyes at his surprise but relieve expression. She opened the container and wrinkled her nose. "What is it?" She asked him. Ranger laughed. "It's a grilled chicken salad. It's good for you and your intestines." He told her. She nodded and took a bite. It was really good. She continued to shovel bite after bite into her mouth. She crunched down on something and it sent a creamy and nasty substance swirling around her mouth. She grabbed her napkin and spit the food she had in her mouth in it. She went to heaving when she saw a big black hairy spider still half alive in her napkin.

She dropped the napkin and tried to get herself under control. She went to sit the container on the chair next to her and found it too full of tiny black spiders. Steph dropped the container and fell out of the chair. She went to her knees and went to throwing up. Her stomach heaved and heaved until nothing was left. She could hear Ranger in the distant background calling her name but she couldn't answer. She continued to heave. She couldn't stop. She could still taste the spider that was in her mouth. She went to inhale and found she couldn't take a breath. She went into panic mode and started scratching at her throat.

"Babe. Babe." Ranger was on his knees; shaking Steph as hard as he could without hurting her. Tank, Lester, and Bobby were next to him; having just arrived not moments before Stephanie went to emptying the contents in her stomach. "What's wrong with her?" Lester asked. Ranger shrugged. He had no clue, but she was scaring the shit out of him. She went to inhale and he noticed that she was unable to. He had a feeling she was going to have trouble breathing between throwing up and tears running down her cheeks. She begin to claw at her throat; trying to suck air in.

Ranger pulled her into his arms until she was on her back. "Babe. Steph. Stephanie." He was almost screaming now and a crowd of people were surrounding them including the nurse from earlier. She bent down next to them. "She's not breathing, Sir." Ranger glanced at the nurse and glared who in returned glared right back.

"Boss man, she's right. Bomber's turning blue." Bobby told him as he dropped to his knees and pulled Steph out of his arms. He laid Steph flat on her back. He opened her mouth and stuck his finger in as deep as he could get it. "She's not choking on anything." Bobby said. "She wasn't eating anything. She fell asleep. She never woke up even as she went to knees and starting throwing up." Ranger replied back. Bobby pinched her nose and blew five breaths in her open mouth. He waited a minute and did it again. "Steph, wake up honey."

Steph continued to claw at her throat; trying to draw in a breath. She couldn't do it. She couldn't make any air fill her lungs. It was starting to hurt. Her chest was tightening in pain from having no air. No Air, isn't that a song? Snap out of it, Stephanie Michelle Plum. You need to breath. Listen to Ranger's voice. She let herself relax and Ranger's voice seeped in. "Babe. I want to see those beautiful baby blues, Steph. Open your eyes for me. Breath Babe. Please."

Steph inhaled sharply. She heard sighs of relief around her and she opened her eyes. Ranger was the first thing she saw and she threw herself into his arms. He fell back against the chairs and pulled her tight against him. He tried to waved away the crowd and immediately Tank, Bobby, and Lester got busy with clearing the hallway. The nurse stood up and offered to get her a glass of water. Lester called out. "Make it a bottle of water; unopened." He turned to face Steph and Ranger who thanked him silently as he rocked Steph.

Steph clung tightly to her Batman. To her hero dressed in black as she cried herself out. By the time the nurse returned with the bottle of water, Steph had blew her nose and dried her eyes with the tissue that Tank handed her. The nurse handed Ranger the bottle of water and walked away. Steph watched as he uncapped it and handed it to her. She shook her head violently. Ranger nodded and thrust it in her hands. Steph refused to take it.

Ranger took a drink from the bottle and handed it back. She eyed Ranger carefully as she slowly took the bottle of water and took a small sip. "Drink more, Babe. Please." Steph took a few more small sips and handed it to Lester who took it without question. She settled herself back in Ranger's arms and closed her eyes.

"What were you dreaming about, Babe?" Ranger asked her. He really wanted to know. What was going through her head that made her heave so violently that she couldn't catch her next breath. He couldn't wait to get his hands on Mooch Morelli. He would make Mooch sorry for ever getting near his Babe. That was a promise and he knew he could count on his team to help him hide the body.

Steph shook her head. "I don't remember." She told Ranger. There is no way she could tell Ranger what she was dreaming about. It was too horrific. Too horrible. Too terrible. Too nasty for words. How was she ever going to eat again without being afraid of what was in it? She would though because she was a fighter. A survivor and with Ranger by her side, she could do anything. Steph shook her head to clear her thoughts. Don't relay on Ranger. Don't relay on anyone but yourself. Ranger will eventually get on with his life. He's too busy for you. Always will be. You are nothing but entertainment to him and his men. Steph started to pull away from the comfort of Ranger's warm hard chest.

Ranger felt her withdraw. Slowly at first; just emotional but when she started to pull herself out of his arms he held on to her. He wasn't ready to let her go. He knew she was lying about her dream. She's remembers and whatever it was, scared her enough that she can't talk about it. He decided to call her on it. "Babe, you're lying." He said softly while nuzzling the spot just below her ear. She shudder and he smiled at the affect he had on her. She had quite an affect on him too. She just didn't know it. Yet.

Steph shook her head but before she could go back to her old friend, denial; the doctor walked in. Ranger cursed as he helped Steph to her feet. He needed to know what was the reason for the haunted look behind those beautiful blue eyes of hers. They stood in front of the doctor and waited for news on Morelli.

"Is Joe going to be okay?" Steph asked.

The doctor cocked his head. "Are you Stephanie Plum?" He asked her and she nodded.

The doctor than smiled. "Mr. Morelli is asking for you. Once he gets settled; you may go back there and see him. The surgery went well. We got the bullet out easily and it missed all major organs. He lost quite a bit of blood but we're getting him a blood transfusion now. He does have a slight concussion from hitting his head when he fell. But nothing serious there. He may have difficulty breathing for the next couple of weeks, but I can assure you, he is fine."

Steph felt nothing but relief and happiness at the doctor's words. She smiled and shook his head. "Thank you so much." The doctor nodded, smiled and walked away.

Another doctor approached them and they turned towards him. "Are you Stephanie Plum?" He asked her. She nodded. "Can I see Joe now?" Steph asked.

The doctor frowned. "I thought you were here to see Walter Dunphy?" He asked her. Steph's eyes widen in surprise and shock. With everything going on with Joe, she had completely forgotten about Mooner.

"Yes I am. How is he?" She asked.

"He is severely dehydrated and his back and legs are covered in bed sores but other than that he's going to be fine. We will be keeping him in the hospital for a couple of days."

"Was he drugged?" Ranger asked the doctor.

The doctor shook his head. "No he wasn't. He did show signs of having marijuana in his system but the last two weeks, he has been completely drug free." The doctor told them.

Steph frowned. Poor Mooner. He went one hell of a detox and all by himself. She would have to make it up to him and Joe. After all it was her fault. Mooner never would have been kidnapped and Joe never would have been shot if it hadn't been for her and her messed up life.

They thanked the doctor who told them they could see Mooner as soon as he was settled in his own room. Steph turned towards Ranger who pulled her into his arms. "He went through it all by himself, Ranger." She said quietly. Ranger just held her tight.

The nurse from before walked in and smiled. "Joe's ready to see you now." She pointed through a set of doors. "He's right through those doors in room 315." Steph smiled her thanks and begin to pull away.

Ranger kissed her forehead. "Go see Joe, Babe, but remember something." He started out and Steph's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. "What?" She asked. He smiled at her. "You're mine, Babe. And I don't share." He whispered in her ear before pushing her through the double doors where Joe was located. Before she could say anything Ranger was already gone. She looked around spotted him near by with Tank and his core team. He winked at her when he caught her staring. Steph shook her head.

She didn't know what to think, but she couldn't let herself get carried away. Ranger's life didn't lead itself to relationships. She pushed back her shoulders and entered room 315.