Thin blue lines

November it was almost Thanksgiving, tonight he was on edge, well as edgy as Ranger ever got, normally he was in control, always cool and calm. In fact you could say that was a motto he tried to live by. But lately he had been feeling the pressure. He was starting to sweat, his clothes were feeling tighter as he thought about the next couple weeks. Whoever came up with the line 'no sweat' didn't know what the hell they were talking about.

He'd never been nervous around women before, never had to be before. Both families wanted them for the big day but whoever they choose the other would be upset. He didn't want Ellen upset, she had a tendency to nag his Babe but then Mami would be hurt if they didn't spend their first Thanksgiving with his family. With all that was going on in his life he was starting to get frazzled. He felt pressure this relationship shit is brutal, that's why he didn't get into them. Life was so much simpler when it was only himself to think about.

Ranger and Stephanie sat on another stakeout. Stephanie had insisted on coming on the stakeout tonight since Simon was a regular of hers but he could feel something was about to happen, but he couldn't feel what it was, Stephanie's Spidy sense wasn't feeling anything so maybe his feeling was wrong. He was a mess.

They had been sitting for what felt like hours but was only an hour watching the pawnshop. As time seemed to crawl Ranger shifted slightly in his seat, no he absolutely was not fidgeting, or squirming or even wiggling He would never do something that unmanly. 'Ay Dios' Maybe Stephanie was starting to rub off on him.

Rumor was Simon Diggery had 'found' a treasure trove in one of his forays into Trenton's version of 'boot hill' the boneyard aka graveyard. He was planning on cashing in tonight. Simon is one of Stephanie's regulars normally easy to catch, if you know where he would be. Ranger was there to grab him if he did turn up, the bond was due among other things.

Ranger remembered back to another time Simon had been FTA, Stephanie and Lula had figured since the ground was frozen. Diggery would wait until someone new is planted and the digging is easier. She had checked the obits and decided he would be digging that night.1 But they had gotten lost, Binkie along with them. He remembered the phone call. 'it's raining and it's dark and I'm cramping. I've got the transmitter thingy in my pocket. Can you get a bead on us?' 2 So he had rescued her. She had been so embarrassed 'Are you laughing? You'd better not be laughing.' 3

He suppressed a grin as he remembered, he had fallen a little more in love with her that night.

Stephanie was fidgeting in her seat again, yup she fidgets, wiggles and squirms and he loved every minute. Even though she hated stakeouts she needed Simon, having Ranger with her was the bonus.

Every move, every sigh reminded him of what it felt like that night in February when they decided to give their relationship a chance. It had been an unforgettable night.

"Babe," he had said, softly, his voice deep and husky.

Their lips had met in a gentle kiss. Normally Ranger's kisses were hot and passionate. This one was gentle.

When he pulled back, they stared into each others' eyes. His hands were cupping her face and his thumbs were stroking her cheekbones.

'We're going to do this, Babe,' he said. 'It's going to be good.' he whispered. And then he kissed her. The kiss deepened, became more demanding, more intimate. 4

Ranger shook his head scattering those memories, bringing himself back to the night and the current stakeout.

Stephanie turned to face him, she was everything he wanted in a woman, wife and partner. Late at night, most of the time they'd laid spooning or facing each other, in a world of their own, while talking about what they wanted and hoped for their in their relationship and life together.

He pulled her to him, in the images from his dream still fresh on his mind. Stephanie in his arms was the most addictive thing he had ever experienced. Thoughts of the outside world were forgotten, awareness of their surroundings a thing of the past.

Remember April, she asked? When she had told him about the thin blue lines he had thought she was talking about Joe, the blue line with the hint. He had worried that she was going back to Joe, their attempt at a relationship short lived.

Turned the thin blue line had been thin blue lines, they were going to be parents, and not April fools.

He thought about last summer when he first felt the swell of her belly.

He pulled her to him, in the images from his dream her hands ghosted up his body and tangled in his hair, dragging his head to her kissing him deeply. He returned her passion fervently deepening the kiss. They embraced clinging to one another with the promise of the intimacy soon to come. As the heat grew between her earlier discomfort, forgotten, having been replaced by the throbbing need within her. As their fervor built thoughts of the outside world were forgotten.

...The groans from the passenger startled him from his memories.

'What's wrong Babe?'

'It's time'

Ranger texted Bobby 'it's go time', glanced glanced up as Ram walked over to their SUV.

After rolling the window down, 'Babe's having the baby, you and Cal stay'

'Bobby you and Tank follow, ¡Ándale!, ¡Ándale!'

He turned to Stephanie started the SUV and said 'St. Francis'.

Five minutes Babe, Diggery forgotten, he headed out from the Pawn shop on Broad, skidded onto Hamilton ignoring traffic, up to Chambers and screeched to a stop. He ran around grabbed Steph and carried her into the hospital. 'Ella va a tener un bebe, she's having a baby'

We can see that they calmly said. Put her down, let us get her to delivery, we'll see how far along she is..

'She's having it now, can't you see that!'

Yes sir but we need to check her progress. How far apart are her contractions?

'I don't know, Bobby! Help...'

It seemed like had waited a lifetime for this.

Now the fight for them on Thanksgiving would be even worse. Oh well.

1 Book 13 chapter 1

2,3 book 13 chapter 16

4book eight chapter 13