A/N This is a Babe story – not Morelli friendly AT ALL! Some minor language, a little angsty, but no other warnings. Looks like the muse finally got her act together!
Thanks to Jenny and Das for their editing skills. They catch the stupid mistakes that get past me. Trust me, there's a lot of them!
(She owns them – I wish I did. Hey, when you dream, dream BIG!)
THE BROKEN ROAD HOME
CHAPTER 21
Clear!
Thunk!
We're losing her!
Stephanie!
There's no heartbeat.
Stephanie!
She's gone, call time of death.
NO!
Ranger woke up with a start, his heart pounding hard against his chest. He focused on Stephanie and could see that she was breathing.
"It's all right, son. She's still with us. Just a bad dream."
Ranger turned his head and could see Frank Plum sitting on the other side of Stephanie's bed. He was dressed in the same protective gown and mask as Ranger himself.
He turned back to Stephanie and watched her closely, watched her chest rise and fall as she quietly breathed. The sound of the heart monitor blipped in the background; the rhythm was steady and almost hypnotic.
Ranger took a deep, cleansing breath and leaned back in his chair, stretching his back and working out the kinks from being slumped over in his chair for too long.
"Come on. Follow me," Frank said, as he stood up and headed for the door.
Ranger placed a gentle kiss on Stephanie's hand and followed her father into the hallway. He removed the mask and scrubbed his face with his hands, wincing from the bruise that had formed on his cheek. "How long have I been out?" he asked.
"About an hour," Frank replied. "You were asleep when I walked in. Thought it best to leave you be. This day hasn't been easy for you."
"This whole situation is fucked," Ranger mumbled, and then immediately regretted what he'd said. This wasn't one of his men he was talking to; it was Stephanie's father. The man deserved more respect than foul language.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," Ranger apologized.
"No apologies necessary. You're only speaking the truth," Frank replied.
Ranger leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. His mind was still racing from the morning's events. How had everything gone so horribly wrong?
"If you're the man I think you are, you're probably blaming yourself right now," Frank said.
Ranger looked at Frank and started to respond, but the older man held up his hand.
"Don't. I know you feel like hell - we all do - but none of this is your fault."
"I'm responsible for the situation. I could have told Stephanie not to go through with the surgery," Ranger stated.
"And let your niece die? I don't think so." Frank knew Ranger would have never let that happen.
"I could have found someone else," Ranger said, wishing like hell that he had tried harder.
"From what I heard, your niece didn't have that much time to wait. Stephanie was a match, so she did the right thing. It was her decision." Frank genuinely had no animosity toward Ranger. Sometimes, shit just happened.
"I could have tried to change her mind," Ranger replied, again wishing he had done things differently. If only he had applied more pressure against her decision. If only they had widened their search for a match - someone Ranger wasn't connected to. Someone Ranger didn't love.
"Ha!" Frank barked. "You know damn good and well that when Stephanie gets something in her head, there's no changing her mind. She was hell bent on saving Lacey, and nothing was going to stop her. Not even you. You know I'm right."
Ranger let out a little chuckle. "Yeah, you're right. She can be a bulldog when she sets her mind to it."
"My little girl can be stubborn as hell," Frank said with a smile. "She comes by it honestly. Between her mother and her grandmother, the poor girl never had a chance. I swear I don't know how I've survived living with those two women."
"You should be nominated for sainthood," Ranger mumbled.
Frank couldn't help but laugh. He walked up to Ranger and clapped him on the shoulder.
"That I should, son. That I should. Look, why don't you go and get yourself something to eat? At the very least, get some coffee," Frank suggested.
"I don't want to leave Stephanie," Ranger replied.
"I'll sit with her, and if she wakes up, I'll let you know, I promise."
Ranger considered Frank's offer. After all, Frank was Stephanie's father and had every right to be with her. He had to stop being so damned selfish and realize that he wasn't the only person who loved her - not the only person who'd almost lost her.
"I could grab some coffee and check on Lacey. Even though they said she's okay, I'd like to see it for myself," Ranger admitted.
"Good idea. When she's up for more visitors, I'd like to meet her, if that's okay with you and her parents."
Ranger was touched by Frank's request. "I'll run it by Don and Celia, but I don't see a problem. By the way, where is Mrs. Plum?" Ranger remembered seeing her in the waiting room and wondered why she wasn't with Frank now.
"She's sleeping off a sedative. She didn't handle the situation earlier too well. Edna is sitting with her so she's not alone, but she'll want to see Steph when she wakes up." Frank saw Ranger visibly tense. "She'll behave, I promise. I'll see to it myself."
Ranger gave Frank a small nod. He knew Frank would keep his wife under control if it came to that. Frank was a strong and determined man - a trait he'd passed on to his youngest daughter.
"I won't be gone long," Ranger said as he started to remove the gown and booties.
"We'll be here when you get back," Frank said.
Ranger went upstairs and found Lacey's room. Although it was a private room with no other patients except Lacey, it was packed with people. Celia and Donald sat on either side of her bed, while Ric and Maria sat in chairs along the wall by the foot of it. Lester was leaning against the wall, looking positively miserable. They all looked up when Ranger entered the room.
"How's Steph?" Lester whispered.
"Still out," Ranger replied quietly.
"How are you?" Lester asked.
"Under control." Barely.
Lester nodded, and Ranger moved towards Lacey's bed. Maria got up and wrapped her arms around her son. Ranger held her just as tight. She looked up and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. She didn't say a word, but Ranger could see love and concern in her eyes, silently telling him that she was there for him and Stephanie. Ranger placed a gentle kiss on his mother's forehead, before sitting on the edge of Lacey's bed. As if sensing his presence, Lacey opened her groggy eyes and smiled at her uncle.
"Hi, Tio," she said softly.
Ranger choked back tears. She looked so fragile, just like Stephanie. However, her color was good, and she had a slight sparkle in her eyes. Ranger sent a quick prayer of thanks to the heavens that Lacey seemed to be doing well. He picked up her small hand and placed a tender kiss on her knuckles.
"How are you feeling?" Ranger asked.
"Tired and a little sore. The doctor said I did good," she said in a weak voice.
"He's wrong. You did great. I'm very proud of you." Ranger gave her hand a slight squeeze.
"How's Stephanie?" Lacey asked.
There was a loaded question. Fortunately, no one had told Lacey what had really happened after the surgery.
"She's sleeping. She's had a rough day." There was the understatement of the year. Ranger shot a quick glance at Celia and could see the concern in her eyes. Donald placed a hand on Ranger's shoulder for support.
Ranger was overwhelmed by the love his family had for Stephanie. There was no doubt that the Manoso clan considered her a part of their family. They knew how special she was, and not just because of what she had done for Lacey.
"What happened to your face?" Lacey asked, furrowing her brow.
"I just bumped into something," Ranger replied. "It's nothing for you to worry about."
"Well, I'd like to see Steph when she wakes up," Lacey said through a yawn. Stephanie wasn't the only one who'd had a hard day.
"I'll let her know," Ranger replied quietly.
He hoped Steph would wake up soon. Ranger didn't know how long everyone could keep Steph's true condition from Lacey. Lacey was a smart young girl. She knew her way around a hospital, its procedures, and the dangers that came with being there. She would figure out that there was something wrong with Steph before too long.
"Right now, you need to get some rest," Ranger said. He pulled her blanket up under her chin and gave her a tender kiss on the forehead. Lacey was asleep before he left the room.
Donald and Lester followed him out into the hallway, where it was safe to talk.
"Any changes in Steph's condition?" Donald asked.
"No," Ranger sighed. "She's still in a coma. Her father is sitting with her now." Ranger rubbed his face and flinched when his hand raked over his cheek.
"Um, yeah," Lester stammered. "Sorry about that." Lester pointed to the shiner that had blossomed on Ranger's face. "You were a little out of control."
"So I heard," Ranger stated flatly. He really didn't want to have this conversation again, but he knew he owed his cousin an apology. "You've got a hell of a right hook, cousin," Ranger said with a little smirk.
"Well, I did learn from the best." Lester grinned.
"It's because you were too stupid to duck," Ranger said dryly.
"Could you keep us posted on Stephanie's condition?" Donald asked, returning the conversation to a more serious note.
Ranger nodded, taking in his brother-in-law's appearance. It looked like he hadn't slept in days. His brown hair was a bit disheveled, and there were dark circles under his gray eyes.
"Celia and I are praying for her."
"I appreciate that, and I'm sure her family does, as well," Ranger replied.
"You look like you could use something to eat," Lester said.
"I'm fine," Ranger replied.
"Bullshit. You've been through hell today. You're nowhere near fine. We're getting you something to eat, and that's final." Lester never gave Ranger orders, so this announcement stunned both Ranger and Donald. "Look, I don't want Tank or anyone in the family coming down on my ass for not taking care of you. All bullshit aside, you're still family, and I owe you. So let's go."
Ranger couldn't really argue with that. He knew Lester was right. On one hand, it grated against his nerves that the family clown got one up on him. On the other hand, he was happy to know that Lester had his back.
Ranger followed Les to the hospital cafeteria in silence. Not being much of a conversationalist to begin with, he really wasn't in the mood for idle chit chat. Most people found it relaxing and enjoyable, but it always made Ranger nervous. Too much information could be collected from innocent conversation - information that could be used against a person if they weren't careful about what they said. Ranger knew his cousin would never hurt him in that manner, but years of training had been strongly ingrained into him. The only person who had ever managed to break through the thick walls Ranger had erected around him was Stephanie. Who knew a little white girl from the Burg would be strong enough to melt the ice that had encased Ranger's heart for years. She was going to need that strength - and then some - now more than ever.
They moved through the food line, Lester piling food on his plate. Ranger didn't find anything that looked halfway nutritious, let alone appetizing. For a hospital, their choice of food left a lot to be desired. Ranger gave a small smile when he saw Lester's overflowing plate, knowing that Stephanie's would look about the same way.
Ranger settled on selecting a semi-wilted salad, steamed carrots, and bottled water. It wasn't much, but he really wasn't hungry to begin with. He wanted to eat his food and get back to Stephanie as quickly as possible. He'd already been away too long. After Lester paid for their food, they found a table in the corner and sat down to eat.
"Is that all you're having?" Lester asked, looking at the small portion on Ranger's plate.
"I'm not hungry. I'm only eating this to keep everyone off my ass," Ranger grumbled.
Lester grunted and dug into his food.
"Are you really enjoying that?" Ranger asked as he watched his cousin shovel the offending food into his mouth.
"I've had worse," Lester replied around a mouthful of mac and cheese.
Ranger understood that all too well. Out in the jungle, one would be required to eat all sorts of undesirable food in order to stay alive. Sometimes, you wouldn't even bother cooking it first - just pick it off the ground or a tree branch and eat it live. Ah, the good old days.
"I need to get back to Steph," Ranger said when Lester stuffed the last of his cheesecake into his mouth. Still chewing, Lester grabbed his tray and placed it on the nearest trash counter. Ranger followed suit, making a mental note that his next meal would be brought in from the outside.
"Do you want me to come back to Steph's room with you?" Lester asked once they were in the elevator.
"No. You can either sit with Lacey or go home. I'll call you if I need you." Ranger really wanted to be alone with Steph. Just sitting next to her would calm him down.
"I'm not going anywhere until she wakes up," Lester said.
The look on his face told Ranger that arguing would be pointless. Lester could be goof ball most of the time, but when he decided something, there was no changing his mind. Ranger chalked it up to a family trait.
When Ranger finally got back to Stephanie's room, he found not only her father sitting by her bedside, but her mother, too. Ranger stopped dead in his tracks and braced himself for a fight. He didn't trust Helen Plum, and seeing her in Stephanie's room put him on instant alert. Ranger watched as fear momentarily flashed across Helen's face. Good, Ranger thought. She should be afraid, after everything she'd put her daughter through. Then, just as quickly, Helen steeled her expression and straightened her back. Ranger would have been impressed, were she not the enemy.
"You're back already," Frank said, as he stood and placed himself between Ranger and his wife.
Ranger wondered if that had been an unconscious act, or if he was truly afraid that Ranger would rip his wife's throat out - something Ranger secretly wished he could do.
"How is Lacey?" Frank asked, removing his face mask.
Ranger took his time answering, letting his gaze linger on Helen for just a moment longer before answering.
"She's doing well. She's tired and a bit sore, but that's to be expected," Ranger replied, finally turning his hard stare to Frank. "I see your wife finally woke up." Ranger purposely didn't refer to Helen as Stephanie's mother.
"Yes, Helen is feeling better," Frank stated.
"You should probably take her to get something to eat," Ranger urged. He really wanted that woman out of the room and away from Stephanie.
"You know, I am in the room," Helen huffed.
Ranger looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"I have every right to be here. I am Stephanie's mother." Helen's voice rose in pitch the more agitated she became.
"Helen, calm down," Frank ordered, turning to his wife.
"Don't you tell me to calm down, Frank Plum," Helen argued. "I almost lost my daughter today." Then Helen turned to Ranger. "You're not the only one here who loves her, you know."
Ranger didn't know what stunned him more - Helen admitting that she actually loved her daughter, or her admitting that she knew Ranger did. Helen brushed past her husband, removed her protective mask, and got right in Ranger's face.
"I know Stephanie and I have had our differences - you being at the center of most of them. You lead a dangerous life with questionable morals. You're not exactly the type of man I would choose for my daughter."
"Helen," Frank warned, but she just put up her hand to quiet him.
"But I saw your reaction today when you thought Stephanie was dead. I saw what your men had to do to you, the way you fought them to try and get to her. Only a man truly in love would have reacted that way."
Helen's words took the fight right out of him. She was right. Ranger felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest when Stephanie's heart had stopped. The sight of her lying in her own blood had scared him shitless. He didn't even want to try and imagine a life without Stephanie in it.
"It was never supposed to be her in that operating room," Ranger said quietly. "It was supposed to be one of us."
"Well, it wasn't," Helen said calmly. "It was Stephanie, and as much as I would love to blame you for this, I can't."
"Really," Ranger said flatly, feeling his hackles beginning to rise.
"Yes, really," Helen replied, "because Stephanie has this wonderful knack of doing whatever she wants and damn the consequences."
"I don't see how that's necessarily a bad thing," Ranger said.
"Try living with her," Helen huffed.
"I already do." Ranger was becoming more and more pissed off and wasn't sure how long he would be able to control himself, or if he really wanted to.
"Then you should know how hard it is to control that girl," Helen shot back.
"And therein lies your problem, Mrs. Plum. Stephanie shouldn't be controlled. She's a grown woman, who is more than capable of making her own decisions." Even though some of Stephanie's decisions in the past had driven Ranger to the brink of insanity, he wasn't about to tell Helen that. "Clubbing her over the head with your demands on how you think she should live her life is a sure-fire way to get her to do the exact opposite." Ranger's blood was beginning to boil. He wanted nothing more than to rip Helen's liver out and feed it to her.
"Yes, well, I'm beginning to realize that now," Helen admitted, defeat clearly in her eyes. "She's never going to live the life I envisioned for her."
"And she shouldn't have to," Ranger replied, calming slightly.
Helen narrowed her eyes at Ranger. "They say you're a criminal. They say you murder people."
"I'm not a criminal, and I don't murder people." Well, not recently anyway, and most of the people Ranger had killed were sanctioned by the U.S. Government, so they didn't really count. "And I don't beat up women, either." Which was why Helen was still standing in front of him in one piece.
"You're referring to Joe Morelli," Helen said coolly.
Ranger just stared at her.
"Well, maybe if she had married him when she had the chance, that unfortunate incident wouldn't have happened."
"Jesus, Helen. Who the hell are you trying to kid?" Frank spat out. "He's cut from the same cloth as his father: a cheating bastard who likes to slap women around. It would have happened eventually, and you know that. I, for one, am glad she didn't marry him. Steph now has the chance to be with the one man that truly makes her happy," Frank said, pointing to Ranger.
Helen stared at Ranger for a long moment, studying him. "It's clear you love my daughter, there's no denying that." Helen paused again before continuing. "But are you sure that makes you the right person for her? Especially given your lifestyle?"
Now there was a damned good question - a question Ranger had asked himself many times. He looked over Helen's shoulder at Stephanie lying in the bed. Tubes and wires ran from her to machines that monitored her condition. And although he knew he wasn't the one who'd put her there, he still felt responsible. He could still feel the guilt gnawing a hole in his gut.
"Present circumstances aside, I will always do everything in my power to keep Stephanie safe and happy," Ranger said.
"I told you I wouldn't blame you for her current condition, and I meant it," Helen said.
Ranger could see the sincerity in Helen's eyes, and it surprised him.
"She would have helped your niece with or without your consent."
Ranger chuckled. Truer words had never been spoken.
"Do you honestly think you can?" Helen asked. "Keep her safe and happy?"
"Yes," he answered. God, he hoped so.
"And you can give her want she wants, what she needs?"
"Yes," he answered again. As long as it was him that she wanted and needed. Everything else was incidental.
"You seem awfully sure of yourself," Helen stated.
"I am." Bullshit. He was anything but sure of himself where Stephanie was concerned, but he wasn't going to hand over that kind of information to Helen, either. Never give the enemy something they could use against you later.
"Are you really?" Helen asked.
"Jesus, Helen. Quit grilling the man. He's answered your questions," Frank interrupted.
"If he's the man that's going to be in Stephanie's life, then I need to make sure that he's the right man for her," Helen stated, turning to her husband.
"It's not your decision," Ranger and Frank replied at the same time.
Helen looked back and forth from one man to the next, before turning back to Frank.
"I'm still her mother," Helen said, her voice creeping up in volume. "You can't tell me I can't worry about her."
"Of course you're going to worry about her," Frank sighed. "I worry about her, too. But that doesn't give you the right to tell her what she can or can't do, or who she can or can't be with. It's her decision."
"You both sound like the same broken record," Helen complained.
"It's because we know what you should have known all along," Frank replied. "Stephanie is her own woman, and…"
"I know, I know," Helen said, cutting off her husband. "It's her decision."
"Exactly," Frank agreed.
"And you're okay with her being with this man?" Helen said, pointing to Ranger.
"Yes, I am," Frank stated firmly. "Unlike you, I don't listen to grocery store gossip. I form my own opinions about a person, and so far, what I've seen in Ranger, I like. He's a good man, and I've never seen Stephanie happier than she is with him."
Ranger was floored at Frank's admission. He wasn't used to people outside of his own family actually saying good things about him, let alone stand up for him. His respect for Stephanie's father went up a few more notches.
Helen looked at her unconscious daughter, and then turned back to Ranger. "Fine," Helen sighed. "If you think you can make Stephanie happy and give her the life she wants, then I guess I have no choice but to give you a chance."
Gee, nice back-handed support, Ranger thought. However, it was more than she had given in the past.
"Contrary to popular belief, I want my daughter to be happy, too. I thought it would be by getting married, having kids, and living in the Burg. Obviously, Stephanie has other plans. That doesn't necessarily mean they're bad plans - just different from what I expected."
While living in the Burg was definitely out of the question, Ranger was open to the idea of marriage and kids - something he had never considered would be a part of his life until now.
"But first things first," Helen stated. "We need to get Stephanie well."
"Agreed," Ranger said. It was one of the few logical things Helen had said that he completely agreed with.
"And I assume you will do everything in your power to make that happen?" Helen asked.
"Consider it my mission in life." If that wasn't the damned truth. He would hand his company over to Tank and spend all his life's savings if that meant Stephanie would be okay.
"You know, I believe you. I think you really will try everything you can to give her what she needs," Helen stated, a small smile on her face. "This won't be easy for me, but I'm willing to try, too."
"What changed your mind?" Ranger asked.
"You showed me your heart when you had that episode in the hallway earlier today. Like I said before, only a man truly in love would react that way." Helen then turned back to Frank. "I'm hungry, and I want something to eat. I'm sure Ranger wouldn't mind sitting with Stephanie for awhile."
Frank stared at his wife for a moment, completely stunned. He finally shook his head in disbelief. "Fine, let's go."
Before Frank could lead his wife out of the room, Ranger stopped him. "I meant what I said about the hospital cafeteria. I highly suggest you take your wife somewhere decent."
"Thanks for the tip," Frank chuckled. "I'll remember that in the future."
"You know, Stephanie is more like you than you realize," Ranger said to Helen over his shoulder as they were leaving the room. "Not many people have the courage to stand up to me. It's obvious Stephanie inherited her courage from you."
Helen gave Ranger a smile and a wink. "I guess we both have a few things to learn."
Once Ranger was alone with Stephanie, he took a deep, cleansing breath. He felt like a freight train had slammed into him. Given the events of the day, it was no wonder he felt exhausted. The confrontation with Helen Plum had taxed what little energy he had left. He still didn't know quite what to make of the woman. Although she had said that she would give him a chance, he could tell that she was having a hard time letting go of her control.
Personally, he didn't give a rat's ass what the woman thought of him. However, if she was willing to try and get along and play nice, then he would, too - not for himself, but for Stephanie. She'd been through enough pain already, and if getting along with Helen would make things easier on Steph, then it would be worth it, especially if Helen was willing to back off and allow Steph to make her own decisions, without interfering all the time.
Ranger grabbed the protective gown and mask and put them on. In his dealing with Helen, he had completely forgotten to take the extra precaution. He just hoped his distraction wouldn't cost Stephanie.
Once dressed, he pulled a chair up to Stephanie's bedside and sank into it. He took her hand in his and brushed his thumb across her knuckles, willing her to wake up. Her hand looked so frail and helpless in his large, strong one, yet he was the one that felt completely helpless.
"Babe, I'm so sorry," he whispered. "It wasn't supposed to turn out this way."
Ranger took a deep breath and forced back the tears that threatened to fall. When was the last time he'd allowed himself to cry? God, it had been years, before he'd joined the Army. They had taught him to hide his emotions, bury them so deep that even torture couldn't make him crack. So how did this little white girl from the Burg get under his skin? She made him feel emotions that he thought weren't just buried deep, but dead altogether.
"Babe, you've got to wake up," Ranger pleaded. "I need to see those beautiful blue eyes. I need to see your smile." The last time he had seen it was earlier that morning, but he missed it already. Her smile could work magic on him. No matter how bad a day had been, or how moody he got, one smile from her would warm his heart and he would know everything would be okay. He needed everything to be okay now.
"Remember when we were at the beach house and I told you I always had the best of the best? And remember when I said that included you?" Ranger thought back to that weekend. He remembered how they made love several times, how she looked when he brought her to orgasm time and time again, and how her laughter filled the house and filled his heart with love and joy. Had that only been a few short months ago?
"Well, I meant every word of it. You are the best of the best. I had promised myself years ago that I would never become dependant on anyone. I would never need anyone. But God help me, I need you." Ranger could feel the tears beginning to slide down his cheeks. "I need you more than I need air. I crave everything about you." He took a deep breath before continuing. He'd never been this honest with anyone in his entire life.
"I swear on my life, when you get out of here, I will take care of you. I will give you everything you want and need. I just need to you to wake up." Then Ranger whispered, "Please."
The emotions churning inside Ranger were too much for him, and he buried his head in the blanket which covered Stephanie so no one could hear him sob. He stayed like that for several minutes, until he felt a hand stroke his head.
Oh Dios, someone had caught him in a weak moment. He looked up and felt his breath catch. Staring back at him was a pair of blue eyes.
"Ranger," Stephanie whispered.