I woke up to the ringing of my phone. I reached for it tiredly hoping it was Manuel or Woody with information. It could even be my mother as long as it wasn't Brian. I wasn't going to be so lucky.

"Are you calm now," Brian said softly.

"I'm very calm. You woke me up."

"I'm sorry. But you're easy to talk to when you first wake up and you're all warm and sleepy."

"Don't try to sweet talk me," I yawned. "We broke up."

"You broke up. I had nothing to do with it."

"You so had something to do with it," I shook my head.

"I didn't break up with you though."

"It doesn't matter…we're broken."

"You were right," he sighed.

"What," I blinked.

"You were right. You were right about everything."

"What are you talking about," I sat up in the bed. I didn't want to miss this. I didn't have people tell me that I was right all that often. I certainly didn't get to hear them say that I was right about everything. I didn't want to miss any of this one.

"The lawyers really lit into dad about not disclosing the affair to them. They said it would be one of the first things the DA would bring up to prove that he wasn't what he said he was. They're trying to figure out how to do damage control before it hits the media."

"I'm not going to release the information to the press Brian."

"I know that. They know that," he sighed. "They really gave my father hell. They told him that attacking the people who were on your side was never a good idea. They thought you should quit and tell him to stick it up his ass."

"I thought about it," I smiled.

"Then mother took him upstairs for a while and when he came downstairs he was quite contrite. He's going to call Ranger and apologize. He'll apologize to you soon as well."

"Hmmm," I slid back down in the bed. I wasn't sure I wanted him to do that. If he apologized to me I'd have to apologize to him and I wasn't really sorry.

"And of course…you were right about Christian. He gave me hell after you left. He said you were the best thing that had ever happened to me and if I was too stupid to realize it he'd change his spots and marry you himself."

I grinned, "He'd make a good husband. We could shop for shoes together."

"The sex would suck…"

"For both of us," I agreed.

"And I'm sorry."

"I know," I said softly.

"Are you going to forgive me?"

"Of course," I said softly. Inside I was pleading with him not to expect us to try again. I was all out of trying with him. It wasn't going to work. I knew it. He should accept it and go on.

"So…you'll take the ring back," he said softly.

"Brian," I sighed and the tears began to slip out of my eyes.

"I'm really sorry. I love you."

"I know you're sorry," I said softly. "But as for you and I…I don't think it's a good idea."

"Why," he whispered.

"Because…we're too different for starters," I said softly. "I'll never be able to forget that your father called me a slut and a whore. I'll never be able to forget that you didn't defend me. I care about you Brian. I don't think you're ready for a relationship outside your family. You have to fix that before you can go on to a wife and kids."

He was quiet for a few minutes, "there's nothing I can say?"

"I don't think so," I said softly. "I wanted it to work," I said tearfully. "And it just won't. We can't force it. Either it works or it doesn't."

"And it doesn't," he sighed.

"Do you really think it does," I said softly.

"Some parts of it do," he said sadly.

"Yes and I'm really glad you were in my life. You've made me so much stronger than I ever imagined I could be. It took me three years to walk away from Joe and he was so much… You're a better man by a million times than he is. You've convinced me that I deserve it all."

"You do," he said quietly.

"And that's what I want."

He was quiet for a few minutes, "God…this kills me to say, but you should give Manoso another chance Steph. I mean it."

"How many chances does he need," I laughed. "Look…we're great friends. We truly are good friends. We do have chemistry…but that's all."

"You love him," he said softly, "and I believe he loves you."

"In his own way," I said tiredly. I was really getting tired of saying that.

"Just think about it," he said softly.

"I'll think about it," I said. Of course I would think about it. It was in the back of my mind all day every single day. Why would it stop now?

"If you change your mind…any time…call me."

"Maybe you should consider therapy," I suggested.

"Do you think Gary Sinise would treat me over the phone?"

"I'll ask him," I smiled.

"I could do that," he agreed. "If you change your mind…"

"If things change drastically for you…"

"Would my father have to die first," he said in amusement.

"It wouldn't hurt," I laughed.

"Then I'll keep it in mind," he sighed. He started to say something else then sighed. "Christian is right."

"About what," I frowned.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me," he said softly.

"Well…that's a first for me," I said softly. "You were good for me too."

"Thank you Stephanie."

"Thank you Brian…and…I do love you."

"I know," he said hoarsely. "But you're in love with Ranger."

"Yea…I am," I agreed.

I hung up the phone and stared up at the ceiling. I was actually sorer today than I had been the previous day. I wondered how that could possibly be.

There was a tap on my door and a golden brown hand came through with a steaming cup of coffee goodness in it.

"You may enter," I said and sat up with a smile.

"How are you," Ranger asked strolling to my bed wearing light sweats and a tee shirt.

"Sore," I said taking the cup from him. Oh God, he was barefoot. You know…I'm not really a foot girl. I don't have a fetish or anything. But that man had some damn sexy feet. I have no idea why. I don't know what made them particularly sexy. I just know that his feet were sexy. Sue me.

"You're going to take it easy today," he asked.

"I am," I agreed. "And you're going to take a call from the Judge today."

"I am," he blinked.

"You are," I agreed. "And he's going to apologize to you for being an ass."

"That must have been some dream," he chuckled and shook his head.

"You'll see," I laughed.

I heard ringing and Ranger cursed and jumped to his feet and ran out of the room. He returned a few minutes later with the phone to his ear and a look of incredulous disbelief on his face.

"Of course sir, I do understand. You're under an awful strain," he said coolly. "We'll continue to dig for a solution sir. Keep your chin up." He closed the phone and blinked at me. Then he walked over to my bed and started pulling the covers aside and looking underneath.

"What are you doing?"

"Manuel is right," he said seriously. "You have a fucking crystal ball in here somewhere."

"Or Brian could have called me and given me a heads up this morning," I said sweetly.

"And," he raised a brow and sank to the edge of the bed adjusting my covers.

"And he said I was right about everything," I grinned.

"You must have loved that," he laughed taking my cup of coffee away and sipping the hot brew.

"I did," I agreed.

"And you're back together?"

"No," I shook my head sadly. "We're not. I think we're too different and I'll have a hard time forgetting the things his father said."

"I understand," he nodded and gave me back my cup.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to buy a printer fax machine combo. Woody says he's found some information and as soon as he can see it to prove it, he'll fax us copies."

"Cool," I smiled.

"So that hunch paid off," he nodded.

"Good," I said with a yawn.

He grinned and took the cup away from me. "Go back to sleep Babe," he grinned and leaned over to kiss me.

"I think I will," I said and snuggled down. "This bed is really comfortable."

"Yea it is," he lay back for a second. "It's better than mine. If you're still in it when I get back, I may get in with you."

"Sure," I yawned again. "Just bring donuts."

"Babe," he shook his head and left me alone.

The next time I woke up he was in the bed with me. He was warm and he smelled good and he was the best cuddler on the friggin planet. I didn't ever want to leave that bed, especially if he could make it even nicer. But I had to pee. And pee waits for no man and it definitely waits for no sex. I sighed and pulled out of his arms and headed for the bathroom.

"Donuts are on the dresser," he mumbled.

I grinned, "Thanks," and went on to the bathroom. I peed and went ahead and took a shower and when I exited the bathroom he was sitting up in bed reading through a file.

"What's that," I asked scrounging through my wardrobe in a towel.

"That is the newest deposition from your friend the Judge," he said sipping coffee.

"And that," I pointed to the cup.

"Is Caramel Drizzle," he waved his cup toward another cup on the nightstand.

"You're a dream come true," I sighed sipping the warm liquid.

"Are you talking to me or the coffee," he asked as his brow went up.

"Whichever one of you is giving me pleasure at the time," I winked and went back to the bathroom.

"Not fair," he groaned after me. "That is so wrong," he muttered.

I guess he thought I couldn't hear him. But…I could. I grinned in the mirror as I brushed my teeth. This could be a very good day.

"Is everyone having a down day today," I asked joining him on the side of the bed with my coffee and donuts.

"Everyone needs a day off," he said seriously. "We're just waiting for information now so we'll know where to go next."

"What kind of information?"

"The kind that comes from Woody, Manuel, the Rangeman super computer or your brain," he raised a brow. "Do you have anything yet?"

"Nope," I leaned back so I could read the file over his shoulder. "He came clean."

"Yea…he said he would. He sent it to the office."

"Good," I nodded. "So…are we going to sit up here in bed all day?"

"We could. Or we could go and see a movie later or something."

"I'd like that," I smiled. "What do you want to see?"

"How about Quantum of Solace," he raised a brow hopefully.

"Bond…James Bond," I teased.

"It's a guy thing," he said and I swear he blushed.

"Uh-huh," I nodded. "Okay…you went to see Benjamin Button with me."

"Thank you," he smiled.

"You're welcome," I grinned.

Hours later after a dinner of Italian Food, which you can find everywhere, we went to the nearby theater to see Quantum of Solace. I hadn't seen Lester and Ram all day and I was beginning to suspect they'd gone home for a couple of hours.

We found seats in the nearly empty theater and sank down with our shared buttered popcorn (I'm still reeling from Ranger eating buttered popcorn) and our shared Slurpee. He even let me have cherry. Yippee!

"I actually think you like Bond," he raised a brow at me.

"What's not to like? They're always good looking guys who are willing to take their shirts off," I shrugged. "They kick a little ass too."

"Yea," he raised a brow. "Which is your favorite?"

"I've always been partial to Pierce Brosnan," I grinned. "But I like the new guy Daniel Craig too."

"Because he looks good without a shirt," he said dipping his hand into the popcorn.

"Oh hell yea," I laughed.

"You said it honey," the woman behind me laughed.

"Don't get her started," the man with her laughed. "She knows the Bond movies are out before I do. This is our fourth time to see it."

"Is it win-win," Ranger asked the guy.

"Oh it sure is Buddy," he grinned and winked at Ranger suggestively.

"That's all I'm asking," Ranger grinned and turned back around in his seat as the guy clapped him on the shoulder and the lights went down.

"You guys are so smooth," I shook my head. "I'll never figure out what that meant."

"Shhh," he hissed. "The movie's starting."

"Ass," I whispered.

"Movie," he whispered back.

I just shook my head and grinned at the screen and the dancing hot dogs.

After the movie we left the theater chatting about the action. "You'd make a good Bond girl Babe," he grinned.

"I think I'm too old and my bra size is too small," I grinned.

"Oh come on, Halle Berry was your age."

"Halle Berry is Halle Berry too," I reminded him.

"You'd be a good Bond girl," he reiterated.

"Thanks Ranger," I smiled.

"You're welcome Babe," he said opening the car door. "Do you need anything else before we head back?"

"No, I'm good," I smiled.

"Oh crap…I left my coat."

"You need your coat," I said seriously.

"Wait here for me?"

"Sure…I'll warm the truck up," I agreed.

"You'll stay in the car?"

"I won't go anywhere," I promised.

"Okay," he tossed me the keys and turned around.

I turned the key and the engine just clicked.

Ranger stopped still in the parking lot. "Babe…get out of the car. Jesus Christ Stephanie get out of the car," he said running toward me.

I blinked at him and opened the door, "What?"

"Get out," he pulled me out of the car running. The blast of the car bomb knocked us down even though we were a good thirty feet away. Ranger landed on top of me.

I felt bits of metal in my leg through my pants and knew it had to be worse for him. He didn't even have a coat on.

"Ranger…Ranger," I pleaded for him to answer me. We heard sirens almost immediately.

"I'm okay Babe," he hissed. "It's just a little shrapnel."

I wiggled out from under him as people poured out of the theater and ran toward their cars, the flames and us.

The manager saw me with Ranger and sent an employee back to get his coat.

I got on my knees and looked at his back. He had a couple of pieces in his back. Neither looked too deep, but I wasn't willing to take the chance it wasn't holding blood in a vital organ. His legs had the same small pieces that mine did.

"The ambulance is here," the manager said.

"I sure hope we get Dr. Funny Bone," I told Ranger as they loaded us into the ambulance.

"Dr Funny Bone," he winced.

"Yea," I smiled and reached for his hand. "He'd fit in Trenton."

"Okay," he nodded. "Then we'll request him."

"Good idea," I said as the tears slipped down my face.

"Babe…we're alive," he said gently to reassure me the moment he saw the tears.

"They're still trying to kill us," I sighed.

"It's probably just you," he said softly.

"Oh I feel much better now," I sighed.

He smiled. "Babe…it's your spidey sense. People are starting to get scared."

"You think they were scared before, now I'm mad. I'll find out who did this Ranger…and they're going to pay."

"I know Babe," he said tiredly. "I know."