Disclaimer: JE's Characters—My Version

Author's Note: I want every one of you to know how much I cherish you! I love that you take the time to read what I write even if you don't review. And if you do review—I love those as well. I adore every message I receive and it's great to see so much interest. One thing I do need to be honest about as a writer sometimes the characters take themselves in an unanticipated direction. I hope you bear with me and still enjoy everything I have to write!

And don't forget to always show those you love how much they truly mean to you. Life is far too short to waste a minute of it!

Enjoy!

Also Congratulations to Becky for her performance in Jack and the Beanstalk tonight! Wish I could have been there! =D

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Chapter Eleven

After finishing my piece of peanut butter toast at Morelli's house I decided to head out. Joe still had plans with Aly today and I needed to leave his house before I got myself into any more trouble. My car had only just left Joe's driveway when my phone rang with a call from Ranger. Beads of sweat began to form on my forehead and my mouth went dry. Trackers were placed in everything I owned; there was no doubt Ranger knew I had been with Joe—all night. Maybe he wasn't back in time to find out I stayed the night. Surely the trackers couldn't tell I had kissed him either, but that didn't mean Ranger's instincts didn't already tell him.

"Hello?" I answered finally.

"Babe, I'm back."

Tell him Steph—don't hide this from him. "I missed you." Mental head slap. Bock bock bocccck—sheesh was I a chicken, or what?

"Can you come by Haywood please?"

"On my way." I said with a smile in my voice. Ranger disconnected and I did a mental sign of the cross as I drove toward Haywood.

My knee bounced, my palms were sweaty and I couldn't keep still. Before Ranger left I was nothing but an emotional blob posted up in my watchdog seat. Now I was anxious, nervous, and not to mention—felt guilty as hell. How could I be so foolish with my heart and actions around Morelli? The kiss meant nothing—absolutely nothing.

Right?

I mean the fire and explosive feeling that ignited the moment our lips met was nothing. That was normal and well—yes! I got it—static electricity! There was so much of it in the house and that was all it was between us. It wasn't possible for there still to be any sparks between us. What we had was in the past, and now I was another man's woman. I was Ranger's; I chose him.

So why did my heart ache at the thought of leaving Morelli this morning?

There wasn't time anymore to stew about the foolish situations I get myself into as I pulled my car into the underground lot. In the elevator I tried to regain my composure as I pressed 7. After a finger wave to the boys behind the screen I exited and walked into Ranger's penthouse.

My man in black sat behind the counter on a bar stool with the paper opened in front of him. His eyes shifted up towards me. Folding up the paper he walked in my direction. Don't tell him, Steph. Don't say a thing.

"Everything alright?" Ranger asked as the distance between us closed.

"Yeah—super." A tiny movement of muscles told me he didn't buy it. This was the first time in days I had given him an answer that couldn't have been mistaken as a grumble.

Ranger's hands took my shoulders and held me to him as his lips lowered to mine. The guilt rose up before we kissed and word vomit took over.

"I kissed Morelli." Actually it was said in a single breath so it sound more like, "IkisseMorelli." Ranger got it though no matter how jumbled the words were. He stopped mid-air; his eyes darkened to the defensive, borderline-scary Ranger I knew when we were about to do a take down.

"What?" He growled.

"It didn't mean anything, it just happened."

The knuckles of his fingers turned white at how tightly his fists were clenched now at his side. I remained quiet as I let him process the information I shoved at him.

"I'm going to kill him." Was the first thing he said when he found the words to speak once more.

"You're not." The look in Ranger's eyes said, watch me, but I continued to shake my head. "I told you the truth. I kissed him. It just happened."

"Yeah, you've said that." Ranger stalked away from me. My feet were planted on the ground unable to go after him or flee all together. Terror shot through me as Ranger whipped around to face me, the fire undeniable in his eyes.

"Shit like that doesn't just happen, Stephanie. You went over there. You stayed the night. You kissed him. All of those are choices of free will."

"I'm so sorry—it was wrong, I was just—lonely."

"LONELY!" It had been a long time since I heard out-of-control Ranger and I forgot how terrifying it could be. "I've been going crazy over here trying to give you space even though all I want is to be near you. There is hell going on around us and I would love the chance to feel like I can actually protect my woman. Except, the second I leave you go run into another man's arms!"

"It's not like that! Joe isn't just some other man; he is Aly's dad and has known me my whole life. Everything just hit me all at once and I made a stupid mistake." The words tasted like bitter coming out—why? The kiss was a mistake, so why did it hurt to say?

"Are you in love with him, Stephanie?" The question was like a fist to the gut. Words and air escaped me.

"Why do you even have to ask me that? I could have hid it from you, never shared my secret. I'm not trying to hide things from you, Ranger."

"That didn't answer my question." I walked over to him and held his face between my hands.

"I care about him and I always will. But I love you, and I'm sorry—I'm just so lost right now." Ranger wrapped his arms around me while I buried my face in his chest. The issue was defused for the moment but I knew this wasn't the end of it. He accepted my pitiful excuse with a grain of salt probably wondering the same thing I was. If I didn't love Joe anymore—why couldn't I just admit it?

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The sun reflected in through my windshield as I turned onto my street. After mumbling a few more ridiculous excuses I told Ranger I needed to go home for a while. He didn't try to stop me which only told me just how hurt and confused he was. This wasn't fair for me to put extra stress on him at a time like this. Things were difficult for me but I was under no illusions that they weren't just as—if not more—difficult for him.

Ranger was about control in his life. There were very few times he wasn't in control of a situation. And it seems since meeting me—all moments of an out-of-control life all involved me. Except one—the moment he lost Desiree. To make matters worse in this time in his life he was being forced to relive the moments that left him heartbroken. I needed to give him space—but I needed it as well.

Getting out of my home did help with my ultimately defeated feelings but not to calm my mind of the trouble that awaited me.

Desiree was nowhere to be found when I went inside. Not that I spent the time to find her. Instead I dragged my feet up to my bed, deciding a nap was a much needed thing right now.

My eyes peered open and sitting on the end of my bed was Desiree. An expression I couldn't recognize hung across her face. My body felt groggy but I still managed to sit up and look at my clock—3pm.

"Bout time you woke up." There was stress in her voice, but I was far too out of it to read more into it.

"What's wrong?"

"You have mail." Desiree's tone was serious. A simple mail announcement wouldn't have set off any red flags in my mind. That is—if this wasn't the first time she alerted me. Something was off about this situation. Jumping from my bed I ran down the steps and flung open my door. Reaching my hand into the box directly outside my door I pulled the stack of mail in.

Bills. Junk. Catalog. Nothing special…. Wait… what's this? My fingers fumbled along the outside of a small brown envelope. There was no writing on the outside. Someone had to hand deliver this; no post office would have dropped it off with all the letter requirements. Desiree appeared at my side, the stoic expression told me this letter was something I was searching for. The other letters dropped to the floor and I didn't bother picking them up. To say my mind was preoccupied would be the understatement of the year.

Desiree followed to the living room couch. With my legs curled up under me shaky hands opened the seal. A few newspaper clippings fell into my lap along with a note. The writing was scribbled but I could still make out the words:

If only he knew by destroying all information from that night, he is also the reason my identity has remained a secret. Lucky for you, I'm done with playing games. It's time to end things. You have been watching and waiting for me. Well tonight's your night; come to the address at the back of the letter this evening—alone. Then I shall answer your questions and put you out of your misery.

If you don't choose not to come, don't worry—it will all be over soon anyways.

Desiree watched my face change from fear to downright terror to acceptance. This was what I needed. A face-off with the guy that has slowly taken my life from me. I was going to fight but I needed to go. It was time to make this nightmare go away… permanently. My attention returned back to the newspaper clippings.

A few had pictures of the house; some contained a shot of Desiree from when she was still alive. There was another article that caught my attention. The picture was taken from the night of the tragedy with the house in the background and a shot of a distraught looking Ranger. One hand at his side, the other in his hair, pain laced through every inch of his body and eyes. My eyes slowly raised up to see Desiree's expression as she saw the image before her.

If I had never before known the way she felt about him—I would know now. There was a deep pain that radiated off her and a protectiveness in her eyes. Ranger rarely showed emotion but in this picture you see more emotion than all the years I've known him. Her hand moved to cover her mouth. We both stared at this man we loved. The same person but different to us both. Ranger was to Desiree what Joe was to me…. Is to me.

This time when I turned my attention to the photo something caught my attention. A face in the background amongst many other neighbors. There was something about the man's face that was familiar, but I wasn't sure why. It made no sense to why this man would look familiar. Maybe when Ranger and I were visiting the neighborhood I saw someone and didn't realize it.

I laid the paper back down and stood to process my next move. Except I made only a few steps before it hit me—that man. I snatched the article up again and looked at that face.

The face from my nightmares.

He was there that night; all along the answer to the biggest secret of Ranger's life was right here.

"He is also the reason my identity has remained a secret."

Of course! Ranger had all the articles destroyed! To protect her but instead protected this man too. Desiree stood next to me as she too saw what I was looking at. My eyes scanned the article and a name jumped out at me.

"This is a tragedy of epic proportions. A young couple in love torn apart by some monster. Justice will be found." Neighbor and friend Arthur Leming tells reporters.

Arthur Leming. "That's him, isn't it?" I knew Desiree couldn't answer me if it helped solve the mystery, at least that's what I thought.

"Yes." My eyes shot to her and it was as much a surprise to her.

"What'd you say?"

"Yes, that's him."

"How can you…?" She shook her head, not understanding the rules either.

"The hold on me I can't feel it anymore. It's like since you figured it out, it's no secret anymore."

"Tell me about him—who is Arthur, Des?"

Desiree acted tough on a daily basis but I could see now just how terrified she was at seeing him again. The small picture of his face, the mention of his name and the disgusting comment he made. How dare he say anything about this loss when he is the monster that tore them apart. She took a seat on the couch so I did the same.

"I knew Arthur since I was a child; he was one of the kids that all the other's made fun of. I befriended him and together we grew up still friends. To him I was always much more than just a friend but I felt differently. His feelings were always so intense I didn't know what to do. I never wanted to hurt him, but I didn't love him. So when I was 15 I met Ranger, we started off as just friends but we both fell hard and fast. We started spending every day together then every night; it wasn't long before we were officially together. Well needless to say, Arthur was pissed off. He never liked Ranger and thought I could do so much better. Over the years I never told Ranger about Arthur; I'm sure you know how protective Ranger is over people, he would have totally lost his shit.

"So anyways, one night I made the biggest mistake. Ranger and I had just broke up and it was terrible. I was mad at him and wanted him back but I didn't want to give in that easily, so I went to Arthur's place and we got drunk. That night he took advantage of me and I woke up that next morning upset about what happened. Arthur apologized profusely and kept telling me I wanted it last night or else he never would have done it. Well I didn't want to hurt him because I was really the only friend he had. I went home and basically locked myself in my room for a week straight. Didn't talk to my parents, friends, or anyone else for that matter. I was so mad at Arthur and felt so violated, which only made me more pissed off at Ranger for not being there to protect me.

"One night though Ranger snuck in through my window because I wasn't answering his calls. It wasn't until I saw him there that I realized how much I needed him. He thought I was only hurt because we broke up. I knew if I told him about what Arthur did, he would have killed him. Looking back I suppose that wouldn't have been so bad, but you can't change the past. Anyways, we were crazy in love again. Arthur was pissed but didn't dare come near me when I was with Ranger, which I always was. When we broke up and he eventually met Rachel—that's when things got bad.

"Arthur kept trying to start a relationship with me but I said no. It didn't matter that Ranger left, he was still the only one I wanted. Then Ranger told me Rachel was pregnant."

She paused for a minute to smile, but I could see the pain for him behind that smile.

"It's funny I told myself if I ever saw him again I'd do everything to make him mine again. I'd throw myself at him and not let go. I'd beg for hours, weeks, years—he had to be mine. But when I found out about that sweet child with half his genes all I could do was tell him to do right by them. He wasn't mine anymore and I needed to respect his new family. To say I was depressed watching him leave would make it sound easy. It was like all the air had been knocked out of my lungs. I didn't eat for weeks, I couldn't sleep. I just sat there watching out my window for him.

"One day I received a letter from him telling me they were going to get married. Then he included information about a house he bought for me. Ranger told me in that letter that he would do right by his family, and that included me. He wanted me safe and to know I was taken care of and happy. After moving into the most beautiful house I'd ever seen I took a picture of myself smiling. I wanted to do everything to convince him I was okay. So I sent the picture and a letter just saying thank you. One day I saw the wedding announcement and hated how beautiful she was, but I definitely noticed my love wasn't smiling in that picture.

"I was lonely and so mad that I wasn't enough for him. It's not easily realizing the person you're living for is living with another. Arthur was just there—always there. He kept trying to talk to me and one day I gave in. We dated for a month or so and he took over my nice house. Moved in his shit, treated me worse—like I was this slave. He couldn't touch my skin without my body reacting with a creepy feeling. I told myself it was better than being alone, but it wasn't. Arthur and I got in a fight so I cleared all his shit out of my place and told him I needed a night to myself. Well it was that night that Ranger returned to tell me he couldn't live without me.

"That night he stayed with me and I realized how scary Arthur was. Things seemed okay at first but when Arthur found out Ranger was back, and that he was the reason for our break up—he lost it. Ranger left the house one night just to go work out and that was when Arthur showed up. He chased me through the house and when I saw his eyes I knew there was no reasoning with him. His once green eyes had turned black with rage and I knew right then and there that my life was over. Arthur drug the pain out so I felt just how hurt he was. I took my last breath in our bedroom and he promised me that Ranger would pay for taking me away.

"That was the last memory I had from my human life. But not even that moment of absolute terror could take away how much I hurt when I saw Ranger and how it killed him. Arthur did what he did to hurt Ranger, I was just the only way to get to him. That's why Ranger never knew who he was though, because I never told him."

Desiree stopped, hunching over and pulling her knees into her chest. It wasn't until the story was over that I realized my face was stained with tears as more spilled out. Without thinking my arms reached out for her. Unlike the times before, I didn't go through her body. I was able to hold her the same way I could if she was a friend of mine—which is exactly what she had become.

Her shoulders heaved in deep sobs as I balled right along with her. A few minutes passed before either of us said anything. Desiree backed away and used her thumb to remove the tears from my cheeks.

"You need to stop this Stephanie. Arthur is never going to stop trying to hurt Ranger. You need to be the one to finish this."

My head nodded in agreement—I knew exactly what she meant, and I had every intention to follow through.

"You know—if everything's changed now and I can touch you, hear your story… maybe other things have changed."

Des raised an eyebrow at me. "Like?"

"Maybe you're not stuck here anymore." She knew exactly what I meant and I hoped before her time on the planet was up she could settle her unfinished business.

Before leaving I pocketed the note and articles Arthur left me to find him later. I also scribbled down a note telling all I left behind how much I loved them—incase the plan went astray.

"Good luck, Stephanie. Don't stop fighting until it's over." Desiree said to me as my hand was on the door to leave.

I nodded to her, "I hope you find peace, Des." She smiled to me and with that I left. Desiree was freed from the hold in my home and I knew just where she was going next. Without realizing it, Desiree was a key to me getting away without being detected. My plan was to drive to Tasty Pastry and hail a cab to get closer to the address where I was going to meet my fate. It was time to put this chapter of our lives to rest, and I was the only one who could do it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Ranger's POV

There was work to be done—always. I needed to go talk to Stephanie and make things right once more. I needed to find this sicko, and continue managing the other accounts.

Despite all that there was only one thing I wanted to do right now.

Stretched out on my bed with my back resting against the headboard I held in my hand my favorite picture of Desiree. She smiled back at me in front of the house I bought for her—her pathetic attempt to show me she was okay. I never told her receiving this picture was what gave me the guts to walk away from Rachel. I could never tire of this smile and even after all these years I wanted nothing more than to see it, just once.

Desiree was the only woman I had ever wanted until I met Stephanie of course. But there was something so different about my love for Desiree. This was a feeling that kept me from letting her go even after so long.

My fingers reached out and touched the image of her. As the years dragged on I found myself forgetting the feel of her touch. The way a single look from her could light up my soul in a way all her own.

With Desiree I was alive.

The movement at the entrance to my room drew my attention away from my picture. My heart stopped. My eyes blinked to prove I was only dreaming. The picture fell from my hands as the smile of the woman standing in front of me was one that could only come from one woman. My woman. Desiree.

"Hiya Stranger." This couldn't be real. Stephanie told me Des was talking to her, but it was so much easier to pretend that I believed her. Now there was no denying it—Desiree stood in front of me with a soft angelic glow around her.

I stared at her with a loss for words. It was as if not a single day had passed since she was taken from me. Her outfit was the last I saw her in and her eyes still held mine the way they once did—she was staring into the eyes of the best person. Which I never felt was right for me—I wasn't nearly the amazing creature she was.

"You're here." The smile on her face spread wider as she slowly approached the bed.

"Ricky, you should know by now I would never leave you. I've always been here—you just couldn't see me."

"Why can I see you now?"

She shrugged but held eye contact as she crawled on the bed closing the distance between us.

"I'm not sure." Her hand reached out to touch my face. My eyes held on tight, afraid at any moment that she would disappear again. Even if this was merely an illusion—I wasn't going to miss a moment of it.

The moment I felt her touch a single tear fell for her, she pressed her lips to my cheek to brush it away. A shiver ran up my spine at the contact. My hands reached out framing her face to hold her closer.

"Oh Des." I whispered out. A single beautiful finger pressed against my lips as she shushed me. Every movement of her lips I followed—this was unreal.

"We don't have long, Ricky."

"I should have protected you."

"You did. You protected me from a broken heart and a life of loneliness. I can honestly say I died with the greatest gift of all—love. Your love."

"I miss you so much."

She smiled again, as if this conversation wasn't killing her the way it was me.

"I'll always be here with you. Just promise me you'll keep me in your heart."

"Always Des. You're always there."

I needed to feel her again. Feel the soft touch of her lips, the heat created between us, and to know this wasn't merely a part of my imagination. My hands cupped her face and pulled her close as my lips pressed hard to hers.

The moment swirled between us. Our lips together. Hands holding tight. Even after all these years the fire was still there. I could stay this way for the rest of time if only fate allowed it.

Too soon, Des released me and tears I couldn't reach slid down her cheeks.

"It's time to let me go, Ricky." I began to shook my head; her hands cupped my face between them. "Yes, it's time."

"Desiree, I love you so much." Her lips pressed against mine once more before she stood and moved towards the door.

"You were my first and only love—just know that."

"You can't leave me again." I was off the bed and across the room in half a heartbeat. My hands held onto her shoulders, unable to let her go.

"It's time. Besides, at least this time Stephanie will do what I never could."

"What's that?"

Desiree turned her head over her shoulder to see me. "Protect you." My hands dropped to my side as I watched her disappear in front of me.

What did that mean, protect me? A panic shot through my body. I fumbled for my phone and dialed Stephanie's number—straight to voicemail.

Damnit! She's going after him!

I threw on the essentials for whatever awaited me. Bulletproof vest, guns, knives, cuffs, spray. There'd be more in the car in case it was necessary. The first call I made was Tank.

"Find her!" I growled into the phone when he answered, then disconnected. Over the years Stephanie had come to mean as much to them as she did to me. With those two words I knew Tank would get all the others involved and together we would all find someone we loved.

I hopped in my car and dialed the call I most dreaded.

"Morelli." He answered on the fourth ring.

"Steph's not with you is she?"

"No why?"

"She's going after him." I could hear the panic in the silence. Losing Stephanie would change all of us and we needed to find her before that happened.

"I'm dropping Aly off at her parent's place—pick me up there." I disconnected and pointed the car in that direction. Typically I wouldn't think twice in adding Morelli into my plans—she was mine and I could save her. Except I knew the truth—she wasn't just mine and Morelli would die if I didn't include him on this.

Besides—it gave me a chance to find out more about this kiss that still had my blood boiling.

Morelli was waiting outside when I pulled up. He took off towards my car as my cell phone rang.

Tank.

"Speak."

"Her car's at the bakery. Kid here said he saw her get into a cab once she pulled up. Called the cab company figured out which cab was here and where it was headed."

"Got the address?"

"I do."

"Send it to me."

I disconnected and moments later my phone twirped with the address. Morelli watched me looking for an indication of what was going on. I flipped him my phone and nodded towards the GPS.

"Plug that address in. That's where she's headed."

The address was 30 miles away and by now Stephanie had to be approaching—time to break as many laws as humanly possible.

Nothing was said between us at first. I could see how tensed up Morelli was by the situation but he kept his cop face in place. We rode in silence as I sunk into the protective zone but questions surfaced before I could force them back down.

"Stephanie told me about the kiss." Morelli blew a frustrated breath out through his teeth.

"Don't start with this macho, 'don't touch my girl' bullshit. We stopped before it went anywhere."

"It shouldn't have started."

"I'm serious Ranger, don't say anything right now. So what—we kissed. Yes—I know she's with you but frankly I don't give a shit. You spent the entire time I was with her pushing the limit, so I recommend you drop this shit."

There was more I wanted to say but after a beat of silence I asked.

"You still love her, don't you?" I saw his eyes roll as he turned his head to face me; waiting for me to turn and meet his glance before responding.

"I will always love her." Was the answer he gave, making me wish I would have kept my mouth shut in the beginning.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Stephanie's POV

The cab dropped me off down the block from the little house I was destined to go. It looked run down and gave me the creeps in the middle of nowhere. When I stepped out of the cab he took off as fast as humanly possible—not that I could really blame him. Everything about this place screamed out—RUN. To me that wasn't an option, if I didn't go in, I was never going to escape it.

My heart thrummed against my chest with every step I drew closer to the house. A field of trees surrounded the house with a clearing directly in front of the house. There was a single light on above the door—Right—like that's making it look welcoming. I moved between the trees to get a better look on all sides of the house. Every window in this small house was boarded up so tight I couldn't see any lights on throughout the house.

I paused to see if there was an entrance I could find and not be detected. Take this S.O.B. by surprise. The only sounds I heard was my irregular breathing and pounding heartbeat. A twig snapped behind me; I whipped around and caught a glimpse of a face before something hard hit my head and knocked me out cold.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o 0

"Wakey, wakey—I'm becoming impatient dear." My eyelids struggled to open and my head was pounding. I felt my hands and feet tied together; rope was cutting into my skin. Tears streamed down from the pain before I realized all I felt.

The first thing I saw was that face. Arthur Leming. A sly Cheshire Cat grin spread from ear to ear and I saw just as Desiree had described, black eyes staring back at me.

"Wonderful, you're awake. I told my dear friend not to strike your head so hard, but I was worried he had." That was the first time I noticed someone standing in the corner decked head to toe in black with a black ski mask over his face. Something about him seemed familiar but I wasn't sure why.

"Why are you doing this?" Was my first question to this certifiable sicko.

"Hate is a powerful emotion. And I hate Ricardo Carlos Manoso. He swooped in and she forgot all about me."

"She didn't want you! Why didn't you find someone else!"

"She was mine! He stole her from ME!" I saw his fists tighten at his side and his jaw clench.

"Desiree never loved you—you took her from Ranger!"

"NO!" He snarled; my eyes caught a glimpse of something silver and a slice across my arm followed by a shooting pain told me what it was. The warmth of my own blood quickly began to trickle down my arm. I bent my body over as best as possible to keep in the pain I felt. Arthur didn't deserve to see my pain.

"Why me!"

"You're the only other woman who has meant something to that fool." Drops of spit hit my face as he moved closer. "And I made a promise to destroy his life the way he destroyed mine. I made sure when he saw her for the last time that it was quite a sight. Now, I am under no illusion that he won't find you, but I can promise you girl, the image will never leave his mind."

Another slash of the knife sliced down my cheek and the side of my neck. The blood was no longer a slow trickle as my head became foggy.

"I've haunted your dreams, haven't I, Stephanie?"

I stared up at him through the pain and pounding headache in the dimly lit space. My body was screaming but I kept quiet.

"I've seen you sitting there—watching for me, waiting for me. You looked like a ghost." A glimmer of white snarling teeth appeared upon his face before he cut my thigh. Every time he waited for my scream of pain but he never received one. It was infuriating him, that much I could see. So each new cut of the blade I bit my lip until it bled, holding in all pain.

"Why don't you SCREAM for me, damnit!" His knuckles crashed against my face.

"Damn man, why don't you kill her already. You know Ranger's going to be here any minute and he'll kill me if he sees me here." My head snapped up to the voice in the corner.

"X?" Could it really be—Ranger's newest employee?

"Oh yes, I heard you two have met." Arthur said, as if introducing two old friends.

"But why?"

"Well, how else do you think I was able to get into your house that night? You have my security on you than the frickin president girl."

"Why do you hate Ranger that much?" I kept my attention on him. X pulled off the ski mask, confirming the identity.

"I don't hate Ranger—I hate you. I hate the way we all need to drop everything we're doing because you need help wiping your ass in the morning. Ranger's business is failing because of you. I'm here to help him!"

"I've been wiping my ass just fine for years." Arthur threw his head back; X didn't find the joke quite as amusing. He ran toward me, laid a strong punch against my face then shoved me against the hard cement floor. A shooting pain radiated through the arm I landed on—this time pulling a deep scream from my lungs. There was definitely a snap of a bone but I was in too much pain and had lost so much blood I couldn't get myself to move.

My eyes looked up to X. One instant he was standing there staring at me the next something pierced his chest and red blood spouted out and he dropped to his knees.

"What THE!" Arthur screamed. I turned my eyes to see where the shot came from as best I could. The first thing I saw was work boots I knew to be Joe's run into view.

"Stephanie." He breathed out. I strained my head to see his face but before I could respond a shot came from Arthur's gun and struck Joe in the chest—sending him down.

"JOE!" I screamed with every ounce of energy I had left; tears fell as I tried to pull against my binds to reach him. Joe wasn't moving but I kept screaming his name.

"SHUT UP YOU STUPID BITCH!" Arthur screamed, sending a bullet into my leg. Another shot was fired and this time it was Arthur that screamed.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment." Ranger said, jumping in front of me before darkness consumed me.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Hold on, Stephanie. Hold on!" A soft voice called to me. I couldn't see anything but the voice felt warm and familiar.

"Don't let go! Fight for your life—fight for your family!"

"Desiree?" I answered in my mind.

"I'm here, Steph. Hold on baby, you can't die like this." A light came into focus, next came Desiree's face. Her blonde hair blew around as if we were sitting in a wind tunnel. I felt her hands on my arm and face; eyes pleading with me to stay awake. Fight. Don't stop.

"Don't leave me."

"I'm here for you. Breathe Stephanie, please—you have to breathe."

A soft glow in the distance called to me but Desiree pulled my face between her hands to look at her. "Listen to me, Stephanie Plum. They need you. Just hold on a little bit longer. Promise me!" Her soft voice was filled with hysterics that I couldn't deny.

"I promise you."

"Stay with me. Stay awake. Hold on."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Beeeeep…. Beeeep…. Beeep…. Beeep…

The annoying noises could only mean one thing—I was in the hospital. Before even opening my eyes I felt groggy and the weight of heavy medications keeping my sedated. Still, I fought against it to see where I was.

Sitting next to the bed in an armchair was Ranger. He was silent but stared at me as I struggled to wake up.

"Water." My dry mouth mumbled out. Ranger grabbed a cup next to the bed with a straw in it. After adjusting the bed so I could sit up more he held the glass of water for me.

"What happened?"

"I took care of things." Flashes of the horror came back to me.

"How long have I been out?"

Ranger shrugged his shoulders in the slightest way. "About 32 hours."

"That's not so bad." I tried smiling to lighten the mood.

"Not so bad? You're cut up, scarred and broken, babe. How is that not bad?"

"We're all still alive—the good guys at least." That's when it hit me! I knew two people that were dead; two that were surely alive. But there were 5 people there that night—Joe.

"Where's Joe? What happened to him? Is he okay?" The questions poured out faster than I could stop them.

"He's asleep in the next room. The bullet pierced some vital organs. He'll be in an arm sling for a while but will make a full recovery."

"Oh my—I have to see him." I tried to sit up and move myself out of the bed but Ranger put his hands on me to keep me against the bed.

"I'll take you to see him in a minute, but I want to talk to you first."

"It can't wait?" The last thing I wanted was to get into a couple's dispute moments after waking up in the hospital. Ranger gave his head the slightest shake.

"I'm going to Miami for a little while. It has to be now."

"Oh, okay. What is it?"

Ranger blew out a deep breath and pulled my hands between his. "You're not mine, Stephanie Plum. I think I've known it for a while but after having Desiree taking from me I couldn't bear to lose another. I love you, but I don't think I could ever be who you need."

"What are you…"

"You know who I'm talking about. Tell me the truth right here and now Stephanie. Are you in love with Joe Morelli?"

Was I in love with Morelli? More than Ranger? He's the first person I think about in the morning and the one I want next to me at night. A smile from him and my heart soars. His hands on me makes me skin tingle at the touch. My heart aches for him when we go too long without talking. He's the best dad to my little girl that I have ever before known. And the thought of him in love with any other woman kills me in a way I didn't know was possible.

If that wasn't love—than I don't know what is.

"Yes, I'm in love with him." Ranger nodded his stoic face in place.

"That's who you need to be with Stephanie."

I reached a hand out to hold his arm. "Ranger, I wanted to love you back. You've been there for me for years. You've done so much, it's just. It's just…."

"Not right."

I shook my head, more tears fell. Ranger leaned in and placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Be safe while I'm away. And this doesn't change anything; I'll still be there whenever you need anything."

I grabbed his hand and pressed my lips against his palm. "You deserve better than me."

Ranger gave me a courtesy smile as he lifted me in his arms. He walked me down to the next room where Joe lay unconscious and set me in the chair next to the bed.

"Please don't stay away too long, Ranger. Aly and I will miss you."

"I promise." With that he walked out the door.

Part of me wanted to follow him and express even more the way I hurt for him. But I could never be who he wanted. Hearing about the love Desiree and him shared, I knew it wasn't for us. There was no way I could ever fill her shoes in his heart and there was no way he could fill Joe's in mine.

My eyes moved from the door to the beautiful man lying on the bed in front of me. I grabbed his hand in mine and held it to my lips as the tears poured out.

"You need to wake up, Joe. I know they said you're going to be just fine but I need to see it. I need to know you're not going anywhere; that you're not going to leave me. But also so I can tell you that I'm not going anywhere either. That I can't leave you and that…" I choked on a sob and closed my eyes as more tears poured out. "And that I choose you, Joe. But I hope it's not too late for you to choose me, back."

The soft movements from the bed and rattles from the obnoxious hospital linens made my head shoot up. Joe stared back at me a smile stretched across his face.

"Hi Cupcake."

"You're okay."

Joe nodded. "I am so much better now."

"Did you hear what I said?" He nodded again as his smile became a smirk.

"And if you try and tell me you were just saying that to wake me up…" I didn't even let Joe finish his sentence before I left the chair and climbed next to him in his bed. My body was sore and achy but that didn't stop me. I needed to be next to him. My lips roamed his face; his eyelids, nose, ears, cheeks, finally reaching his lips. A felt a sharp spike in my heart rate as his lips moved with mine—this right here—this was my home. This was where I wanted to be, and where I belonged. How had I never seen it before? And now that I had—there was no way I could let it go now.

"I'm sorry it took so long to come back to you." I said against his lips. He moved my head down to place a kiss on my forehead.

"Cupcake, I'd wait forever as long as I knew you'd come back to me in the end." With his arms around me I sobbed into his chest, letting all the separation from the past few years fade away. This was the only place I wanted to be—wherever this man was.

"Joe…" I sat up to see his face better; he adjusted the hospital bed so he was sitting too. My fingers laced themselves with his good hand and I let myself get lost in those brown eyes I loved so much.

"What is it, Steph?" A flicker of fear crossed his face. Wondering I'm sure if I had already changed my mind.

"I've loved you since I was a little girl and I used to tell myself I was going to marry you. Then I grew up and still wanted the same things but let everything else get in the way and convinced myself that it wasn't you I wanted. But Joe it's you—it's always been you. Since the beginning my heart's been yours and I only hope until the end of time your heart could be mine. I love you more than I did the first moment I saw you and right now there is only one thing I want."

Joe's face held back his grin as he asked, "And what would that be?"

"To be your wife. Marry me, Morelli. Let me show you how much I love you. Let me prove I can be everything you want and I can be the woman you once loved."

"Are you proposing to me?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

"I am."

"Stephanie Plum, you shouldn't have asked me that."

"What…. Why?" My mind became panicked. Have I already lost my chance? Was Morelli going to be forever out of reach? For the rest of our lives we'd share time with Aly and run into each other occasionally but he was going to move on and find another woman to make him happy. Another woman who knew what she had before it was too late.

"Because I was going to ask you to marry me." Tears streamed down my face but a grin spread through the tears.

"Are you being serious, Morelli? Because if you're not I'm totally going to punch your bad arm." He let out a soft laugh that touched my heart. With his good hand he stroked the side of my face.

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life. So Stephanie Michelle Plum—you're the most stubborn, frustrating, wild, amazing, sexy woman I have ever known. Will you marry me and make my life whole again?"

"I will." Our lips found each other and held on for dear life as I found myself happier than I've ever been in my life.

Morelli laid the bed back down and we curled up together. The male nurse came in to check on us and tried to make me return to my room, but Morelli certainly wasn't having that.

"Hey buddy, let me tell you this much. I'm a cop and if you take my fiancée away from me—I'll make your life hell." Needless to say we were left alone after that about our sleeping arrangements. The doctor checked us both over and supplied us with more drowsy meds that put us under once more.

With Joe's arms protectively wrapped around me I felt safe and had my first sleep nightmare free in as long as I could remember. With my future at my side.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ranger's POV

Epilogue:

The Miami sun, scantily clad women and sea-salty air did nothing to brighten my mood. I lost the only two women I loved, both for different reasons.

With Stephanie I loved her as much as I could but hearing about the kiss told me I wasn't the one. Morelli loved her in a way I never could and I trusted he would be take care of them.

Desiree was another story completely. I let her go because I knew I had to—not because I wanted to. I used to say I would be fine if I got just one more day with her. That turned out to be the hardest thing I've ever experienced. Saying goodbye a second time was harder than expected.

That was another reason I knew it was time to say goodbye to Stephanie—she would never replace Desiree in my heart. And now I was beginning to wonder if anyone ever could.

The honk of a horn pulled me from the dark part of my thoughts.

On the streets of Miami it wasn't unusual to hear horns honking, but there was something else that caught my eye. I had to look twice, then once more to be sure. The woman on the other end of the honking car was Desiree. Her long flowing blonde hair, cute petite curvy figure I loved so much. My legs took off for her before I could process the movements.

I caught up to her and grabbed hold of her elbow. She whipped around to see me and the striking blue eyes I loved stared back at me.

"Desiree?"

"No, I'm sorry you have the wrong person." The woman didn't look to recognize me in the slightest—how could she not!

"I'm sorry—you don't know me?"

"No, I don't." My hand released her and she shrugged. "Sorry."

The woman turned to leave but I knew I couldn't just let her go. There was something about the familiarity of her face and eyes that told me she was different—and I had to get to know her.

The End

Author's Note: I really hope you enjoy the ending of this crazy whirlwind of a story! I decided to make the last chapter long enough for it all since you wait so patiently for everything.

For starters—SORRY to all Babes out there. Sometimes the character's choose their own destiny and that's the way it was here.

Which brings me to the second thing—I know I said before that I won't be continuing the series—but if you want to know more about the Desiree look alike with Ranger and Joe and Steph's next step together please tell me that YOU WANT MORE! If not—I won't bother. SO you choose it! =D

Thank you again to everyone who has been following my story (this one and/or ALL) and thank you so much for reviewing! I love writing so much and to share that with all of you is one of my favorite things… ever! =D Please know how much I love and respect you all! A SPECIAL shout out to my wonderful JULIE! For listening to my crazy mind work through all I wanted the stories to be! You're amazing!

Anyways—Please please—pretty please review! Tell me what you thought and if you want more!

THANK YOU AGAIN!

-Meeeeee!