AN: Hello readers thanks for your thoughts. This chapter was getting way too long so I made it into two and hurry an edited what I had and posted it the rest I will post chapter 8 after Halloween. I work Halloween so no post tomorrow, but the goal is to still keep up as regular a posting schedule as possible to keep momentum and interest. More action is coming but we have to focus on the human component too and how Stephanie and Ranger form a deeper relationship. I read up to book 16 skipped to 21 then stopped. I never read the Hawaii adventure people mention in posts. The only physical relationship Stephanie had with Ranger that I've read was the famous one night stand from a deal she made with him that was really out of character for Ranger. He always helped her at great expense without asking for anything in return. So I am taking that emotional basis they seemed to have as friends, but that care a lot more, and move them forward. I didn't really see Joe being as accepting and helpful in the books. Ranger was more of a fairytale male lead in comparison in how he would swoop in when she was in dire need, except now he isn't just going to up and disappear into the night. No self respecting male fairytale lead does that! So keep reading through the characters adjusting to life etc. More good stuff is coming I personally can't wait for those chapters ;-)
Chapter 7
After breakfast Ranger takes me to my apartment. I straighten up the chaos left over from the packing and do some basic cleaning like dusting and clean the bathrooms. Chores I would eventually do if I was living here, but I didn't bother to clear up the mail and other clutter that accumulated.
I was too tired and what was the point? I needed it to look lived in clean. Not that wreck of having grabbed my things and ran nor perfectly packed up and moved out clean.
I made the bed and then lay down on top of it on my back in my thinking position, utterly exhausted. I guess I have not recovered despite the multiple blood transfusions. I am not longer feverish from the mild reaction to all the foreign blood, but I still felt blah. I listen to the sound of Ranger vacuuming in the other room. I never thought I'd see the day, but he is the only one that came with me. He didn't bring another guy along.
Bump. I hear the vacuum against my bedroom door and he is here in my room pacing the floors with the machine. I watch him. Wondering how I am going to finish the rest of my tasks when my mind is awake but my body is on empty.
He finishes, turns off the vacuum, and lays down on his back next to me. We stay there is silence for a moment.
"All finished?" he turns on his side and leans up on his arm looking down at me waiting.
"Yep, it's good enough. I just need to go catch Nick. His bond expires tomorrow." But I am sure I couldn't run him down. Right now, I couldn't even chase down old Grady.
"Got it. You don't look so good, Babe"
"Hmmm" I say, my eyes closed. "I can't believe this wore me out. So pathetic"
"No. You just need to take it easy until you fully recover"
He takes my hands and pulls me up. Then calls Lester to go pick up Nick.
"Thanks. But I need to go too. I want to get the bond" Ranger gives me a thoughtful look. I don't feel comfortable having his guys catch the FTA and then paying me for work I never did.
"Cancel that. Contact Charlie team for a rendezvous. Inform the team leader I will text the address." He hangs up, then looks at me expectantly.
I guess he needs the file from the bond office. I go to my messenger bag and pull it out. He scans through it and starts texting.
"I doubt he'll be home now. You'll feel better if you eat." He takes my hand and starts walking
"So..Lets Go?" He nods and keeps walking toward the front door. Obviously, we're leaving and he didn't say were going or where. He doesn't say goodbye on the phone and I may not always get a 'get ready we are leaving or lets go' before we go somewhere. I guess he doesn't say these things because in his mind, why state the obvious.
He also never asked me if I wanted to eat anything or if I wanted help with my skip. Hmmm, I think about it and I realize I can accept this. Some people may be upset with these actions and his blunt words. But it is past lunchtime and I know I will never catch Nick in time. In the important things, I have never seen Ranger be careless. Didn't my grandmother say that the key to peace was to close an eye and ear and let the little insensitive things pass you by?
He takes me to a little Italian place. Once the heavy smell of sauce and bread hits me, I realize I am starved. I am sure he would prefer a place that makes a bunch of salads wraps or vegetable stir fries. We slide into a booth. I order the spaghetti and meatballs, breadsticks and a side salad because yes, over the years, he has worn off on me a tad. He orders some type of vegetable pasta dish with light pesto sauce and grilled chicken. I am pleased we can both get something we can enjoy.
Once we finish, we head over to Nick's house. Ranger parks the SUV three houses away among some other cars and we wait. I am feeling much better after lunch.
"What are we waiting for?"
"His return"
"I could check to see if he is home." There is still a possibility he is already inside.
"That would be a good idea, if you were at 100% but…"
"I feel loads better after lunch."
"You'll need an excuse" We sit in silence for a moment then I turn in my seat and face him to present my idea.
"Free beer tasting coupon" Ranger laughs "I'll search around in my bag and pretend I am out of flyers and then let him know I'll be back with one. Then he is sure to open the door when we knock again. If he isn't home then who cares well?..." I raise my eyebrows in a happy what-do-you-think-of-my-brilliant-ploy questioning look.
Ranger continues to laugh then moves in close I instantly stop breathing and glance at his tempting lips, slightly turned up in a smile, and then at his eyes as he hovers in front of my face his chocolate eyes intense and sparkling with laughter.
"You." He says in an amused rumbling low voice that causes my stomach to flutter in anticipation.
I stay frozen, waiting to see what he will do next when the radio crackles with Lester's voice. Startled, I pull back.
"Charlie Leader to Alpha Lead, we are 3 houses west of the target and ready for orders. Over." I laugh in response to my giddy startled heart. The spell broken, Ranger turns and picks up the radio.
"This is Alpha Lead, I copy Charlie Leader. Hold your position. More to follow. Out." He turns back to me I am now leaning away from him my back resting against the passenger window. I never tire of gazing at him.
"Where were we" He says a devilish little half grin starting form.
"I was going to go check if Nick was home " I say quickly, my heart fluttering. I stubble out the door and cross the street to the weather beaten gray house with peeling paint, a yard overgrown in crab crass and a broken cement walkway.
"Is Nick Tiffington Here?" A woman with flat lifeless hair and steel blue eyes peers at me suspiciously from behind the door.
"No" she snaps. Perhaps he hasn't returned or perhaps he is in there.
"Oh such a shame. We are offering FREE BEER at our new pub. The tops 10 brews will become our regular features. There will be 20 FREE BEERS on the voting menu. But I guess he won't get FREE BEER." I turn to go. I made sure to speak loud enough that if he was in the front rooms he would hear free and beer, But nothing stirs.
The Lady idoesn't bat an eye. She doesn't seem to care.
"Are you much of a BEER drinker? If you are interested, I could give the coupon to you?"
"No"
"Well I have a few more avid BEER connoisseurs to visit, I will come by again to see if he is home later. Do you know when he may be in?"
"Later." she says in a flat voice and shuts the door.
I walk down the street cross it than double back towards Ranger's SUV. I get in and tell Ranger Nick isn't home yet, he nods and points out where the Charlie team SUV is parked further down the street.
About 90 minutes later, Nick shows up sauntering down the sidewalk like he doesn't have a care in the world. Before he even gets to the house Lester is talking to him. I didn't know he was Charlie team leader, until now. Before Nick knows it, the other 3 guys on the team have him surrounded. He is fighting them but they have him almost to the ground and Ranger is halfway across the street to them as he continues to thrash and struggle. Ten seconds later Ranger arrives and with his added power he is subdued and loaded into the back of the Charlie team SUV that has pulled up right next to them. I just sit there and watch like it is some live action show. Their strength and efficiency never fails to awe me.
Ranger Runs back, hops in, gives me a grin, and starts the car.
Off we go following the Charlie team vehicle towards the police station. Charlie team arrives first as we caught a few red lights. They are outside their SUV relaxing. Lester raises his arm and waves his hand in some cool guy wave with the motion more at the wrist moving the hand with 2 raised fingers in the air as one unit at Ranger a few times before we pass. Then he puts his arm down and keeps talking to his team. Ranger parks farther down the parking lot away from Lester's SUV. This surprises me as I though he would pull up right next to them.
I unbuckle my seatbelt and turn to get out but I feel Ranger's hand on my shoulder. I turn and look at him as he shakes his head no.
"It will be a moment" I look at him is surprise but sit back. I guess the guys need a moment to catch their breath. I mean I didn't have to wrestle a screaming kicking man into an SUV.
I look at the guys but they don't seem to be tired out. They are talking and laughing. One is actually smoking. I am sure Ranger hates that. But hey, he can't dictate their lives.
"So what do you think, 5 minutes?"
"Twenty" I look at him surprised again and then back at his men and scrutinize them closer.
"Its not for them, but for Nick. He isn't so happy. He needs a moment to comes to terms with his situation" In other words he is screaming and kicking in the back of the SUV like a demon right now and the guys are waiting for him to tire himself out a little before unloading and walking him in.
So how did Ranger know he was still a hot mess even after struggling in the back the whole ride to the police station? Did he figure out how much fight he'd still have in him based on he acted at the take down? That seems a bit much, but not impossible.
"So Lester signaled you somehow?" I figure, it must have something to do with that cool guy wave when we drove into the parking lot.
Ranger Nodded "1 finger for each 10 minutes" So 2 means he was saying to wait 20 minutes before they went in.
"Ok so 15 minutes…" I whisper to myself. I can just relax or watch the hottie next to me. Both are ok pastimes for me.
"Or finish what we were doing" Ranger says low and soft. He is leaning over the console again into my space. I feel his breath on my cheek. I turn and look at him and his face is centimeters from me, his dark eyes piercing and intense.
"Good work back there" I whisper "you and your men are amazing" I blurt out as I can't help but feel flustered
"Mmmm" he nods then places his left hand at the back of my head tangling his fingers in my hair and gentle pulls me forward to meet the heat of his lips. In the kiss I feel a burst of longing and an ache of loneliness ripple through the edges of fire that raced through my lips and down into my heart. Is it me or you that sent that cry into the kiss?
The kiss deepens until the longing is replaced with just fire in my heart and only he fills my spinning head. I break away panting. Through the corner of my eyes I see a figure in the distance I glance over and see Joe outside the police station looking at our SUV and then at the Charlie team SUV.
Ranger cups my cheeks to turn my attention back to him.
"They're ok. We still have a minute" he breaths then kisses my eyes then my nose then my mouth lightly before pulling back.
Anything you need to get on our way back to 9?" I can't think straight to make any type of list, much less think about shopping!
"uhm, um, later" I stutter and blush. He laughs low and kisses my lips again then my forehead as he lets me go and starts to get out of the car. Time to go I see. I open the door. Lester and his team are serious again and are opening up the back of the SUV and pulling out Nick.
I never thought he would resist so much. Yes, he is FTA but his file made it sound more like he just didn't think and grabbed some beer to party and then he just didn't care to appear in court. But people have more layers and motivations than the simple label: does stupid things, gets drunk a lot.
Nick fights a little but he is clearly tired out and with 4 big guys plus Ranger, what can he do? After he is handcuffed to the bench, he calms down. It's like he accepts his fate. Lester and his team takeoff and Ranger stays to wait for the bond paper work to clear.
After an hour or so it's done. I am on my way out to meet Ranger in the parking lot where he is taking phone calls when I hear someone call my name. I turn and see Joe walking down the ramp outside the police station.
"Hi Joe"
"I haven't seen you around…anywhere, actually. Is everything ok?"
"I'm fine. How are you?"
"I'm here." His face has an usual expression on it as he takes a key out of his pocket.
"Oh thanks" I reach out to take it but he does not offer it to me. He continues to grasp it in his fingers close to his body.
It is the key to my apartment. The one he has always kept since I gave it to him back when he was my official boyfriend. But since then we were just this on and off again vague couple, not anything official. One day it hit me and I thought, why do I want a vague on again off again, but mostly off again not really my boyfriend type of relationship? I don't.
"You changed the locks?" That explains that look in his eyes.
"Yes, you know Uhm…too many people could get into my place" And really it is much easier than finding him and then asking for my key back. I think he would wiggle out of it somehow anyway.
"Makes sense so, the new key?" Joe opens his hand and extends it to me
"Oh it works fine, thanks". I guess he is expecting me to give him one, but we are not a couple. we haven't talked or seen each other since we we met for pizza at the sports bar last month and before than we went at least 2 months with no contact. I 'd say he is definitely a friend now, not a boyfriend.
"Got to go Joe have a good night. It was nice seeing you" I turn and continue towards Ranger who has just finished up his phone call in the parking lot.
"So that's how you do it. Just change the locks without even telling me we're over. Real low cupcake"
"Joe you said there is me and there is you but there is no us. So I don't know why you would need a key to my place. I don't have one to yours." It's true. I left it on the kitchen counter when I moved out last year.
"But…"
"Since then we have just been doing, I don't know what. But I don't want to be just a me with a him but not an us for the rest of my life. That doesn't make sense." I sigh "We don't make sense. But I care about you and I will always help you, if I can." He is my friend. How can I not help him or any of my friends if I can.
I turn again to go. Ranger is here now.
"So you're with him now?!" He sounds angry and his eyes are accusing. Why does he feel he can judge my situation and what is going on? Ranger is currently here to help with me with a skip. But the world likes to judge and decide your whole story based on a few details. I don't need to justify the support Ranger and I have shared over the years.
I turn around look him straight in the eye and snap my head up. I can feel my eyes flashing and my jaw is tight .
"Yes. I am with him." then I grab Rangers wrist turn around and march towards the car. My actions are so sudden and fast he is a few steps behind me for a second before he is by my side and he slides his hand into mine. He gives my hand a squeeze which calms me down a bit. But I refuse to look back. He opens my door once we arrive at the SUV and I climb in. By the time I am buckled up, he is inside and we roar off . I look in the side mirror but I can't see if Joe is still outside the police station watching us and I refuse to turn around and lookout out the back.
"He went inside" Ranger replies glancing in the rear-view mirror
"Even though he is my friend he can still be SO infuriating" I mutter
"Friend?"
"What, you think it's a bad idea?"
"It depends"
"On what?
"If he can be friends with you"
"What?! Am I that difficult of a person?" I furrow my brows in dismay
"No. On if he can be friends. It is not that easy"
"Oh. Yeah maybe it is best to just cut off all contact"
"Maybe"
"What do you think? Would you want to stay friends or completely cut contact?"
"Babe.." and he gives me this why are you even asking me look and then gives me a flirty wink. Damn. I feel my cheeks warm.
But I do know. I've always known. He has stayed around at the edges of my life, always appearing when I need help, all while I was on and off with Joe. He did this even though we obviously have chemistry that is more than friendly. So I can see his point, that being closes friends with Joe really won't work, not like it has with him. Keeping my distance as an ex lover on friendly terms, maybe?
Once we are back at Rangeman I am on my way to the 4th floor and Rangers whispers in my ear before I get off the Elevator "Dinner on 9 at six?" I look at him in pleased surprise and then nod and exit.
I love the view from the 9th floor. The giant floor to ceiling picture windows show stunning views of the twinkling city. Dinner is of course, lovely, and I really didn't want to eat alone in my 4th floor apartment whatever I would have cooked up. Boxed Macaroni and cheese? Ranger is now getting ready to head out for a night mission to follow up on leads in his relentless search of the unmentionable. Rangeman is running teams day and night doing organized searches on leads and well I really don't know the whole operation yet. Today is the end of my 2nd day out of the hospital.
"Stay here tonight Babe" Ranger says as he finishes checking his equipment and straps on his gun belt. I look at him with a questioning look.
"I'll be back later, in case you want a hug" and he gives me a big grin like he is flirting with me but his eyes tell me he is serious. That is a rather nice way of saying sleep here in case you have terrifying dreams again, I want to know about it. I shake my head at him and give him a half grin before playfully punching his shoulder. He laughs low
"Stay safe out there." He nods.
"Will you be here when I return?" I nod and he smiles his lips turn up ever so slightly and he leaves.
Around 10 I settle down for the night. I leave on a little lamp that Ranger got for me so when he comes home in the darkness I don't scream in fright when he walks into the room. Yes, I need a night light, but I don't care. It is better than waking up shrieking and recoiling to the headrest or lunging out of bed fighting when I sense someone moving in the darkness.
I lay there but struggle to sleep. The windows are so large and dark, like empty shining eyes. Someone could look at me through them. I am on the 9th floor no one can look at you, I tell myself. Exactly something can look at you. I close the blinds but it doesn't help. Now I can't see what is on the other side that can burst through at any moment. I open them again and stare at the shining moon and midnight blue sky. The sky hasn't turned completely black yet because of daylight savings. It will as the night progresses.
I lay there thinking and staring at the moon my eyes burn. I close them. I am tired but I cannot sleep.
A dark monster is crashing through the giant window. I try to shriek and fight back but I am pinned in pitch darkness by burning red eyes. I can't scream, I can't move. Panic surges through by body heating in my chest in a heavy iron lump. There is no escape. I have to escape! I start up in bed, covered in sweat. I look around the room. The night light casts a warm glow on an empty room. I realize I was asleep. I heave a big shaky sigh. Just a dream. I look out the window, relief floods me. The sky is now a pitch black and the bright moon is higher in the sky. I look at the clock 1200 am. Sigh. I know I won't be able to go back to sleep. I don't want to, even if I could.
I get up and turn on the television and do my best to ignore the giant dark windows in the living room reflecting its stare back at me. At 2 am Range comes home. I can't help the huge grin that spread across my face. Night patrols usually ends somewhere between 4-6 am so I am surprised when he arrives.
"Babe?" Mild surprise rings in his voice.
"How did it go, anything?" Ranger shakes his head no "Everyone ok?" He nods and then goes to the bathroom and I hear the shower turn on.
He returns raises an eyebrow at me then takes my hands and pulls me up off the couch and turns off the television.
He puts me in bed the goes around the other side and gets in then pulls me to him and wraps me in his strong embrace. I snuggle up into his neck and chest. I inhale his fresh shower smell mixed in with his masculine scent. Ahhh. How can he smell so sweet? I feel my muscles relax and my mind clearing.
"What's troubling you?"
"Dark creatures coming in the windows and red eyes, I can't escape. I have to escape." I mumble as I am suddenly so tired.
"Mmmm" He kisses the top of my head and caresses my arm and before I know it I am winking in the morning sunlight. It is 7 am. Ranger is stirring beneath me. "Go back to sleep, Babe" he whispers, But I am up. 5 hours is enough to reset my mind. I feel the anxious energy churning inside me.
"Aren't you going to rest more?" I ask as I watch his muscles moving beneath his skin
"I'm good" He goes towards the bathroom and I leave and go to the 4th floor.
The day is uneventful. I feel a bit tired every time I exert myself. I got blood transfusion so I am not technically anemic but they are all from many different people plus the trauma on my body they tell me. Whatever. I am exhausted and feel blah but I was assured it would go away in a week or so. I go to the gym and walk on the treadmill just to pass the time and to test things out. Wow. I am a panting mess. I decide to do some light weights instead. Now I am a sweating mess. How pathetic. I was going to talk to Lester about going out during the day with a team but I am too tired. Forget it, I'll do it later. I go back to the 4the floor and take turns laying on the bed or the couch In a stupor. I am a slug. but I don't care. It should bug me, but I don't care that I don't care. I'd take a nap to escape but there is no escape in sleep. Escape in cake? But then I'd have to get up and go find some. The thought of driving to the store and walking around it, even if someone would let me go without an escort, sounds exhausting. Oh Never mind. Sigh. What's the point? I continue to lay on the couch the TV continues to drone on and times stands still, but still ever crawls forward.