Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'll try to get the updates up more regularly...again. I'm thinking of writing a new story. It would be Steph and Carlos in high school. The big question about it would be, would Carlos join the army if he had met Steph? Yep. So, tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: I don't own the ones you know.
Enjoy!
Steph's POV
Micah and Charlie drive me to the hospital. The doctor checks out my pulled stitches. I don't pay much attention.
We get back to the office an hour and a half later.
"Raph's in, right?" I ask. They nod.
"He wanted to talk to you," Charlie tells me. He doesn't give me any hint on what it's about.
"Great. I need to talk to him about some stuff," I say. "see you guys later." I walk to Raph's office and knock.
"Come in!" he yells. I walk in and sit down in one of the chairs that is in front of his desk.
"Glad you're here Steph. I wanted to talk to you," he tells me with a small smile. "Just to make sure you know, you're on desk duty for a while. Until you're fully back and have had a psych eval." I groan. I'm going to go stir crazy. Oh well, I can't exactly argue. I'm in no condition to be picking up skips.
"I wanted to talk to you as well," I say, "you can go first." He nods.
"I heard some interesting news from one of my sources. They said you're not signing back on for missions," Raph says with one eyebrow raised.
"That's right," I say crossing my arms. After the last FUBAR mission, I'm not going back.
"Why?" he asks.
"Ranger asked me to marry him!" I all but shout. Raph smiles.
"That's why you're not signing back on?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes...well no. I got tortured on my last mission, Raph. I don't want to go the next time and not come back at all. Ranger's not signing back on either," I tell him.
"So I take it you said yes?" he asks, not being able to keep the grin off his face.
"Yes!" I tell him. "I haven't told the guys yet so don't tell them." He nods.
"I know Michael will want to know," Raph says, "but, I'll keep your secret." I nod. I am slightly worried about telling him, but I know he will be happy as long as I am.
"I guess I should go tell him, huh?" I ask with a small smile.
"Probably should," he tells me. I nod.
"I'm happy for you, Steph. You deserve this," he says with a grin.
"Thanks Raph." We both stand up and he gives me a hug, mindful of my injuries.
"Go tell Michael and then the others," he encourages me. I nod and walk out to find Michael. I find him in his office. I guess I can take the heat until Carlos gets here.
"Hey," I say leaning against the door.
"Hey, Steph. Come on in," he tells me with a grin. I come in and sit down on the edge of his desk.
"You do know I'm gonna get you back, right?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. He chuckles.
"I know," he said, "so what do you want to talk to me about?"
"Well, you may or may not know that Ranger and I had been going out," I tell him pausing. "well he asked me to marry him!" Michael looks shocked for a moment then he breaks out into a grin.
"Since you're so happy I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you said yes," he says.
"Yes! I did say yes," I tell him smiling. He picks me up in a bear hug and spins me around. I gasp in pain and he lets me down quickly. Everyone's going to have to get used to this for now.
"Congrats Steph!" he tells me as he gives me a kiss on the cheek. He grabs my hand and pulls me out into the hall.
"Hey guys!" Michael yells. They all file out into the hall.
"What?"
"Steph, here, is getting hitched!" Michael shouts with a grin. "You know what that means! Bachelorette party!" I blush and punch him in the arm. He acts like such a woman sometimes.
"Congratulations Bombshell!" Seeley says wrapping an arm around my shoulders, avoiding my back.
"Thanks," I reply, smiling.
"I'm guessing it's you and Ranger," Seeley says stepping back.
"You guessed right," I tell him. I can't believe this is happening to me. I am getting married to the man I love.
"Way to go Steph," Hank says giving me a hug also being careful of my back. They all took turns giving me hugs and congratulating me.
"When's the wedding?" Charlie asks.
"I don't know yet. It's not like it's all planned out," I say biting my lip. He laughs.
"It's okay Steph. You have plenty of time to plan it all out," he says rubbing my arm.
"Crappity crap crap! I have to tell my mother," I blurt out, my eyes widening. They all laugh.
"You could always elope and then spring the news on your mother," Micah suggests with a grin. They have all met my mother and they all know how that would go over.
"You know very well how that would go." They grin and laugh heartily.
"That I do. That I do," Micah laughs.
"She'd freak out and probably cut you off from all deserts for the rest of you life," Hank says laughing. I roll my eyes. They are so right.
"She probably would," I say sighing. I could hear her voice already. "Why me? Donna Ricci's daughter May would never bring a man home once and then announce she's engaged." The ringing of my phone brings me out of my musings.
"Have fun telling your mom, honey," Charlie says as he gives me a kiss on the forehead. He then walks away. The others file out as I answer the phone.
"Hello?" I ask tentatively. I hadn't checked my caller ID and it could be anyone. Maybe even my mother. I shudder at the thought.
"Hey Steph," Carlos says cheerfully. He sounds happy, that can be a good sign.
"Carlos!" I say happily. I miss him. I just want him to come home.
"Babe, I'm on my way. I'm taking a plane, courtesy of the government," he informs me.
"That's great!" I exclaim extremely excited.
"Yeah. I'll see you in a little. I just wanted to check in and tell you I love you," he says thoughtfully.
"Well, that's good because I love you too. Also, I need to break the news to my mom about our engagement and I really want you to be with me," I tell him.
"Alright, babe. I'll land in a couple of hours. They're calling my flight now. I have to go babe," he says. "Love you."
"Love you too. See ya," I reply before clicking the end button.
I decide to go home to relax before Carlos and I go to tell my mom the news. I park and head inside. I'm in the mood to be lazy and watch movies. I run my finger across the spines of movies that are on a shelf. I decide to watch Footloose because it's a classic, and it makes me happy. I put the DVD into the player and pop some popcorn. When it is done I settle onto the couch careful to not hurt my back. When the movie finishes I have a goofy smile on my face. I had bought the soundtrack a couple years ago and I really want to listen to it. I put it in the CD player and jam out. Not that I can dance with my injuries, but I can pretend. I am head banging(it's the best I can do) when I hear the phone ringing. I hurry over to it, not bothering to turn my music off.
"Hello?" I ask wishing I turned down the music.
"Stephanie Plum?" a man's voice asks. I move into the other room, away from the blasting speakers.
"Speaking." I wonder who this is. Not many people have my house phone. I barely use it anyways.
"You should look into Ranger. He's in a gang," the man says mysteriously.
"Who is this?" Not many people know this number and it's unlisted. I assume that one of friends gave it out if someone I don't know calls.
"A friend." I hear the dial tone after that. Well, that is strange. I have a feeling Ranger had been in a gang but I get the impression he is done with that life. I plop down on one of my bar stools, just listening to the music and thinking. I am startled when a pair of mocha arms wrapped around my waist. I bump my back into the chair and wince. Luckily, he wasn't too close to my stomach wound.
"Jumpy much?" Carlos asks looking down at me with a worried smile.
"I didn't hear you come in," I tell him as I stand up. He just smiles.
"Probably since 'Hurts So Good' by John Cougar is blaring out of your speakers," he chuckles. I head over and turn it off. When I turn around Carlos is looking at me curiously. I have to ask him about the call.
"I got a call a little while ago," I mention casually. This is no big deal. Just some creeper that I can deal with. Plus, Carlos isn't in a gang...anymore(?)
"Oh?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. He has no clue, I just know he doesn't.
I bite my lip nervously. I wonder if he is still in a gang? I mean, it's not like it will really matter if he was in a gang, right? I was so happy right here with him. Does that have to change? Why did that guy have to call and make me question Carlos? I get a sick feeling in my stomach. The feeling where you're so nervous that it makes you feel like throwing up. That's me right now.
"Babe, what's wrong?" he asks coming closer. "Who called?"
"This guy, I don't know who, called and said you're in a gang," I tell him, my eyes begging him for it to not be true. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. I suck in a breath, he is? Tears spring to my eyes. I love him so much that it hurts. I know I don't know everything about him, but I figured he could have told me about something this big.
"Listen, Steph, it's not like that," he explains. "I'm part of RangeMan, and we bring in skips and all sorts of other things and we need connections in gangs." He wraps his arms around me.
"I love you, Babe. That's not going to change because I'm part of a gang. I had joined it foolishly when I was younger. I grew up and joined the army. I changed, but I realized that I still need ties to gangs to make my job easier," he tells him as he rubs circles on my back. I cling to him as the tears leak out slowly. I don't trust my voice to speak.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have, I know, but I was afraid of your reaction," he says quietly, pulling back to look me in the eyes. I can understand why he kept it a secret, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Even I have my own secrets. The whisper of the past that likes to creep up. I lean up and kiss him. Our mouths fuse together, and it feels so right after being apart for a while. We are wrapped up in each other. Carlos doesn't take it farther than just heavy petting and kissing. He knows that I need to take it easy. That doesn't make it less frustrating!
"I love you," I tell him as I trace his abs. "I want you." He squeezes me.
"I love you too, Babe," he says. He gives me a look. "The doctor said no strenuous activity."
"Please," I beg softly. I straddle his lap and he makes love to me gently.