Standard disclaimer applies. These characters aren't mine and I will be returning them. All the characters will be returned to JE when I'm finished with them.

All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 6

Joe's plot and foiled attempt.

Steph and Carlos fluff.

Steph POV:

I woke up wrapped around my Cuban sex god. He was playing with my curls. I smiled up at him.

"Morning." I purred stretching against him. I could feel his morning wood pressing into me and I moaned.

"Babe." He said. It was the day after our anniversary. When we got home last night the clothes came off and never got around to talking. I knew he wanted to talk about my mother and Joe. I also knew his main priority was finding out if I did want a baby.

He nuzzled my neck. "We didn't talk last night." I said. He kissed my neck smiling.

"Do you want coffee and a shower first?" He asked.

"No, I would rather talk about the cuddling in bed." I said nuzzling into him. I squeezed him as he pulled me tighter against him.

"Do you want to talk about your mother and Joe or the other thing?" He asked.

I chuckled. "What's to say about my mother and Joe? Joe got arrested for public disturbance and he's also going to be brought up on charges by Internal Affairs. My mother won't poke her head out for a while but when she does we'll be ready."

He smiled. "Alright since you have all that figured out, what about the other thing?" He asked.

I looked up at him. I set my chin on his chest and looked up at him. "I want to have a baby Carlos. A little miniature Carlos. A little boy that look and acts just like his Daddy. I think I could be a good mom and I think you'll be a great dad."

"You'll be a wonderful mom babe." He said stroking my cheek.

"Does that mean you want to try and have a baby?" I asked softly. He grinned.

"I want a little babe running around. With your spunk and stubbornness. She would grow up to be a wonderful woman, just like her mom. Fiercely independent, stubborn, sassy, tenacious. A little girl just like you babe would be gorgeous."

I straddled him and laced my fingers through his and pinned them above his head. "I'm going to find a new Obstetrician. The one I've been going to is the same one my mother and Valarie uses. From there we can talk to them about getting pregnant. It's going to be harder since, well since I'm older and so are you."

"I resent you calling us old." He said. I laughed.

I smiled. "It's harder for women over thirty." I said. He broke my hold and rolled us.

"Babe I will do whatever I can to make sure we can have a baby. We can see a fertility specialist. We'll do whatever it takes." He said before kissing me softly. "We'll do whatever it takes babe."

"And even if we can't have one for some reason, I still will love you. It won't make you any less of a woman or me any less of a man. Your still my woman and I'm still your man. We can always figure something out."

"I just don't want to disappoint you." I said. "I don't want to get your hopes up and it take forever or not happen at all."

"You could never disappoint me babe." He said. He nuzzled my neck and kissed me again. "I'm always proud of you. I will always be proud of you. Proud of you as my wife, proud of what you do for our company, proud of how you help with the men. I will never be disappointed with you babe."

I smiled and tangled my fingers in his hair and stared into his eyes. "You really want this don't you?" I asked.

"I do babe." He said.

A couple of days later

I woke up with a feeling of dread. Carlos knew something was wrong. "What's wrong babe?" He asked in my ear as we laid in the bed.

"Something's gonna happen today Carlos. Something bad." I said softly.

"With the Doc?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No, something else."

"Do you want to take a guard with us?"

"Can Tank come?"

"If that's what you want babe."

"I do." I said. He kissed me softly.

"Then it will be." He said smiling.

XXXXXX

Carlos POV:

I walked into Tank's office and shut the door. He raised an eyebrow. "What I'm about to tell you is top secret, no one, I mean no one can know yet."

"What is it man? Is it Steph? Does she have another stalker?"
"It is Steph." I said.

"What's going on?"

"Steph wants a baby." I said. Tank locked eyes with me and grinned.

"You mean we're going to end up having a little Bomber or Ranger running around here in a few months?"

"We just decided to start trying and she's going to go see the doctor."

"Congratulations man." He said. "How are you feeling?"

"If I'm being honest Tank, I'm excited. I want a little Steph running around here. I never thought that I would want to have kids after Julie. Not that I regret Julie but I wasn't in a place in my life to have a kid. Now that I get to make that decision, To have one of my own. I'm fucking happy Tank. I've never felt like this before."

"It's Steph." He said.

I smiled. "It is. She makes me want things I shouldn't. I don't deserve her but damn it if I won't do anything to keep her."

He grinned. "She's fucking special man. We all know it."

"A kid Tank. Can you see me with a kid?"

"With Steph?" He asked. "Yeah man I can. She really loves you man. She'd do anything for you."

"I know, sometimes it scares the shit out of me. How much we love each other."

"Well congrats man. Let me know if you need anything and let me know when she gets pregnant." He said. I nodded and stood leaving his office.

I walked into mine and sat at my desk. I couldn't focus on my work. My neck tingled and I looked up to see Steph standing in my doorway. She looked so Sexy. After we got married I talked Steph into taking a job at Rangeman and then made her a partner. She still did skips for Vinnie but did more work here. She had been cleared for field work and most of the time partnered with Rage. Rage family was Cherokee.

I was reluctant at first to pair them together. He had only been working for Rangeman for a few months when she passed her test. During her training he had been assigned to help her in the Range. Rage hasn't had a regular partner since he started at Rangeman, normally he filled shifts or did monitors. He was and Ex-Seal and the best sniper that worked for me. He had multiple awards for marksmanship. Something between the two of them clicked during training and when she was asked who she wanted to be partnered with, she automatically said his name. She talked me into it and I couldn't be happier with the results. Right now she had a conflicted look on her face.

"Babe?" I asked. She shut the door and walked into the office, sitting in my lap.

"I made the doctor's appointment."

"Good."

She nodded. I nudged her. "I smell smoke Babe."

"What's gonna happen to Rage if we get pregnant? I know I get pulled off rotation. What happens to him?"

"When Babe, when we get pregnant." I said and kissed her softly on the lips. "He gets to be your guard, but still your partner. Just because your pregnant doesn't mean you can't work. I know if I tried to get you to take time off you would be climbing the walls. Anytime you go out especially with the threated we have now, I ask that you take him with you."

She smiled up at me. "I love you Carlos."

"I love you too Babe." I said kissing her again.

XXXXXX

Steph POV:

Carlos and I walked out of the Obstetrician's office hand in hand. He smiled down at me and kissed the back of it. "We're ready for this babe." He said. I smiled.

"If you say so."

We walked towards the Turbo. Carlos tensed and grabbed his gun as Morelli stepped out of the bushes and fired a gun. Carlos fired twice as he went down. Both hit Morelli but not where Carlos was aiming. He was still standing and taking aim again.

I grabbed Carlos's gun and dropped to my knee nailing him in the chest three times. He fell to the ground. I scrambled the few feet that separated us.

Tank rushed towards us. He had been waiting in and SUV. "No I've got him. Deal with Morelli." I said.

Carlos looked at me. His shirt was soaking with blood. He smiled softly. "Babe." He said.

"Don't fucking smile at me like that Carlos. Your staying with me." I said. I pulled off my jacket and pressed it to his chest.

"Morelli has good aim." He chuckled helping me hold it to his chest.

"That's not funny Carlos." I said. He cupped my cheek.

"I love you babe."

"I love you too but your going to stay with me. We're going to have a baby and we're going to raise it together." I said.

"If I don't make it talk to Tank." He said. He was fading. I pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Carlos stay alive. I need you. Our baby is going to need you. Julie needs you."

"Your playing dirty babe." He said. I smiled.

"I thought that was why you loved me." I said. The ambulance slid to a stop and two EMT's rushed towards me and Carlos.

I sat in the hospital waiting room. I felt the tears in my eyes but I kept them at bay. This wasn't even the worse wound Carlos had sustained. The doc said he would pull through. It went into his right shoulder and pec so more tissue damage than anything else.

Tank sat next to me holding my hand. "Tank?"

"Yeah Steph?"

"Carlos told me that if he didn't make it to talk to you. We were talking about him staying to help raise a baby. Why did he want me to talk to you?"

He sighed. "When Ric first met you he knew he was in love with you. Knew you were the woman he would settle down with. He was still on government contract. He made up his mind, and after talking to Bobby had some of his semen frozen. Just in case anything ever happened to him."

"What?" I asked.

Tank sighed. "He knew that if you two ever were together and something happened to him, he wanted you to still be able to have children from the both of you. He said if you weren't together he had a letter that we were supposed to give you before telling you this."

I sat back. Carlos had always been prepared for everything but this surprised the hell out of me. I never expected this. It looks like Carlos had planned for every contingency but I didn't know how I felt about it.

"Mrs. Manoso?" The doctor said walking out in his scrubs. He had some blood on him, Carlos's blood.

"Yes?" I asked standing up.

"Your husband is in recovery, being move into ICU. You can see him once he gets settled into his room. Your husband has special privilege's here. We'll also have a bed set up for you. This was in his instructions in his file."

"Thank you doctor." I said.

"A nurse will come get you to take you to your husbands room. His condition is stable. He should be waking up by the time you get there. As long as there is no setbacks he should be healed in three to four weeks with minimal scaring. He'll start doing physical therapy then." He said.

"Thank you doctor. Please have someone keep me informed of my husband's condition." I said.

"Yes, Mrs. Manoso. That won't be a problem." He said. He walked away and I pulled out my phone.

"Estefania, querida how are you?" Ricardo asked.

I felt rather than heard myself sob, now wasn't the time to break down. I refused to. "Mija what is it? What has happened?"

"Carlos was shot. He's okay, he's in recovery. I haven't seen him yet but he's okay."

"Dios. Where are you?"

"We're at Princeton General."

"What happened?" He asked.

"Morelli shot him as we were leaving the Obstetrician's office."

"Are you pregnant Estefania?"

"No, Carlos and I decided to try for a baby. We were visiting the doctor to find out if we could have one. Please don't tell anyone. We're not sure if we'll be able to get pregnant so we don't want everyone to know."

"I cross my heart Querida. Maria and I will be leaving. She was at Bella's helping with Manny. I'll pick her up on my way."

"Since Carlos and I won't be there tonight you can stay in the penthouse."

"Maria will refuse to leave the hospital." He said. "I'll find us a hotel room close to the hospital."

"Okay Ricardo. I'm getting ready to head back to his room. Call me when you get here so I can get a nurse to escort you back. I don't know how long they will let you stay."

"Don't worry about it Estefania." He said.

"I'll see you in a little bit Ricardo."

"Soon Querida." He said. I hung up as a nurse called my name.

"Mrs. Manoso."

"Right here." I said.

"I'm here to take you to your husband's room." She said. I nodded.

"Tank." I said. He followed. He walked next to me a few feet behind the nurse. "Morelli?"

"In custody."

"Rangeman or TPD."

"TPD." He said. "They got there too quickly for Les, Bobby and Ram to get him out."

"How the hell did he get out of jail?"

"Vinnie bonded him."

I felt my blood run cold. "Get someone watching Vinnie. Make sure he doesn't run. I'll deal with him."

"Steph."

"Don't worry. You'll be back up. Have you already set up the rotation for Carlos's door?"

"We had men outside the OR. Now there are two outside his door, one inside his door when he isn't with family, you or a core team member and two at each end of the unit."

"When he falls asleep I want Lester sitting with him until we get back." I said. He nodded.

I walked into the room. Carlos was in the bed, his eyes open. His face angry, confused, in pain. I sat on the edge of his bed and he looked at me.

"Carlos, calm down baby." I said softly. I took his hand and used the other to stroke a few stray hairs from his face. His blood pressure and heart rate steadily started to lower. I smiled at him and kissed the back of his hand.

"That's it."

"Morelli." He said his voice raspy.

"In Jail." I said. He glared at Tank. Some ESP going on. He was wondering why Morelli wasn't in Rangeman Custody.

"Not his fault. He secured Morelli. The police got there too quick to be able to get him to Rangeman. The cops that showed up were a sergeant and a rookie. There was no way they would have let us take him."

"I shot him." He said softly. His voice was raspy.

"He was wearing a vest." Tank said. "He knew that you would fire back but he didn't expect Steph too. We're trying to figure out exactly what his plan was because we all know that it wasn't just to take you out."

"He planned this." I said. Carlos squeezed my hand and I turned back to him. "And he had help. We've got to figure out who."

"We knew he was going to try something." Carlos said, his face had hardened. "We just didn't know when."

I shook my head. "I know, but we didn't think it would be this."

He smiled and shifted, before wincing. "Carlos, can you please let me have them give you something for the pain?" I asked.

He looked at me before nodding slowly. I smiled, thankful. I knew he hated to have to take any medication especially if it could impair his judgement. Tank went to go tell the nurse. "Your parents are on their way."

Carlos groaned. I smiled and lifted his cup to his lips and put the straw to it. My phone rang. It was Ricardo, I gave the phone to Tank.

As soon as Maria got into the room she began to fuss over her son. Ricardo pulled me into a hug. "I managed not to tell her Querida." He said.

"Thank you." I said. He kissed my forehead before walking over to his son.

After a few minutes I could see Carlos was getting tired. He wasn't going to tell his mama to get out like he would tell anyone else. I looked at Ricardo who nodded. "Maria, we should go get ourselves a room and let Carlos rest."

"Your right. Let's go Ricardo." She said. She kissed Carlos's forehead and then my cheek. I smiled as I watched her leave.

I sat back on the side of his bed. "I love you. Go to sleep." I said.

"I love you too." He said starting to drift off.

Once I was sure he was asleep I stood. "Let's go." I said.

Les stood outside the door. He went in as we came out. I walked out of the unit with a nod to Hal and Zero. We went to the garage and Tank slid into the drivers seat. Tank lived by the moto that women drive in his bed but not his car.

"Vinnie's Lucile is out of town. I need you to get rid of any skank or animal that he could possibly have with him. You still have that team on him?"

"Yeah." He said.

We pulled up to Vinnie's house. "His company left twenty minutes ago. You should be clear inside. We used the thermal scope and one got one reading. He's in the master bedroom. Alone." Zip told us.

I pulled the revolver from the back of my pants and pulled out my phone. Hector had forwarded me the code to disable Vinnie's alarm. His security was from Rangeman.

I walked into the house and up the stair case. Tank followed. I opened the door into the bedroom and stepped in. Vinnie was sleeping a pair of boxers. I saw more of his body then I have ever cared to see.

I kicked him causing him to flail. "What the hell?"

"Hi Vinnie." I said. I cocked the gun and aimed it at his head.

"What the hell are you doing Steph? Why are you here?"

"You bailed out Morelli." I said. "This afternoon, he shot my husband."

He paled and I could see sweat form on his brow. "Shit Steph I didn't know this was gonna happen."

"Vinnie he fucking shot Ranger." I growled at him shoving the tip of my barrel into his crotch. "Do you understand that?"

"Yes, Fuck yes Steph."

"He's back in Jail. If for some goddamned chance you bail him out you'll be a dead mother fucker."

"I got it Steph."

"Why did you bail him out Vinnie?"

"I figured it would be a safe bond because he was a cop." He said.

"Are you fucking serious?" I asked him. "He was under investigation by Internal Affairs, what the hell makes you believe that, it was a good idea?"

"He offered me the chick he's been fucking, Tina. The chick that was two timing Big Dog with Morelli."

"Tina agreed to that?"

"She did. Hell she's all for it. Just left before you got here."

"Remember Vinnie I have so much on you. Do you really want to mess with me? I can make your life a living hell."

He whimpered. "Come on Steph, I'm family."

I smiled coldly and pulled the trigger. A click sounded through the room as Vinnie sobbed. "Family doesn't mean shit when you betray them. Just let that serve as a reminder." I said.

He pissed himself. I shook my head. "Clean yourself up Vinnie, the gun isn't loaded. This time."

I turned and walked out Tank following me. We locked back up and got into the SUV. "Jesus Bomber. I thought you were going to blow his dick off. You could have told me it wasn't loaded."

I smiled. "It would have taken the fun out of it."

He shook his head. "Anywhere else?"

"True Blue Bonds."

He raised an eyebrow. "Need to get the word out." I said.

He drove me to True Blue Bonds. Parking in the front. We slid out and opened the front door. It was almost time for him to close the office. His secretary sat at her desk but I walked past her. "Excuse me you don't have an appointment."

I opened his office door and Les looked up at me. "Come in Steph, Tank you too." He said sitting back in his chair. Tank shut the door behind him.

"How can I help you Steph? I'm assuming your visit has something to do with Joe Morelli and Ranger."

"I want you to put the word out that any bondsman that bails him out, if he goes up for bond will have to deal with me."

Les nodded. "I'll put it out there. You do know your cousin bailed him out this time?"

"I do. He's been... Taken care of." I said with a small smirk.

Les smiled. "You know people are becoming just as scared of you as they are your husband."

I smiled. "You still owe me Sebring."

"I know." He said.

I turned and walked from the room and outside. "Where too next?" Tank asked.

"Back to the hospital. I want to be there if Carlos wakes up. I'll handle the next step tomorrow. I need to make a phone call."

He nodded and motored out of the parking lot. I dialed the number, it rang three times and I hung up. I called back again and it was picked up on the first ring.

"Is this line secure?"

"You know who my husband is." I said rolling my eyes. There was a pause and a slight laugh.

"What can I do for you Stephanie?"

"Well Harry you could talk to your son in law for me. I've already had a... Discussion with him but I would like for you to make sure that point is driven home."

"I'll make sure it is."

I paused. "Thank you Harry."

"You were always my favorite bounty hunter that worked for him besides Ranger. The only reason your Cousin hasn't been taken care of is because Lucille would kill me."

"I'll let you know if there are any other issues with him." I said.

He hung up and I dialed another number. This one was picked up on the second ring. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I assume you heard about what Joe Morelli did to my husband?"

"Yes I heard."

"He's in county. Can you have him watched?"

"Why do you need that?"

"Let's call it a insurance policy."

"Will you be able to meet me tomorrow to discuss what exactly you want done?"

"I want to stay by my husband's side while he is in the hospital. Would you be comfortable coming to meet me there, and of course bringing your detail."

"That would be acceptable." He said.

"Tomorrow." I said.

"Tomorrow."

I hung up and Tank glanced at me. "He's going to kill you for calling the mob."

"He taught me to always factor in my resources and use everything to my advantage. I'm doing what I was taught. I still have a few more phone calls to make."

"Your going to use his own teaching against him." He said smiling.

"I am." I said smiling. He shook his head.

"But they can wait until tomorrow." I said.

He pulled into the hospital garage and we walked across the bridge that joined the garage to the hospital. We made our way back to Carlos's room. When I walked inside he was sitting up talking to Lester.

He looked at me and raised both his eyebrows. It seems as though he couldn't raise just one when he was on pain medication. I sat on the side of the bed and took his hand.

"How're you feeling?"

"Good other than the fact that when I woke up my woman wasn't with me anymore." He said.

"I needed to take care of some things."

He looked at me skeptically. I smiled and leaned down to kiss him. "Lay with me?"

I kicked off my shoes and tossed my jacket onto the chair Les had vacated. Carlos pulled me into his good side and sighed. Looking up at him, he really did look tired. I kissed his chest through the gown.

"Where did you go?" He asked nuzzling the top of my head.

"I went to see Vinnie to discuss why he bailed out Morelli." I muttered.

"And?" He asked in a neutral tone.

"I went to go see Les Sebring."

"Babe."

"I had him put the word out that anyone who bailed out Morelli would have to deal with me and then you." I said tracing shapes on his stomach.

I could feel him smiling. I looked up at him and locked eyes with the bandage. Half of the gown was pulled down off his shoulder to reveal the bandage for easy access. "I almost lost you today Carlos." I said softly.

His hand that was on my hip rubbed along my side. "I know babe, but you didn't. I'm okay." He said.

"I know that, but its not any less scary."

"It's gonna be okay babe. I'm not going anywhere."

I nodded into his chest. "I can't wait until your out of here." I said.

"I can't either babe." He said. I felt his voice fading and he squeezed my hip before falling into a restful sleep.

I continued to watch him. He looked so young when he was asleep, his face couldn't hide his emotions like he normally did. I loved seeing him when he didn't hide his emotions. Normally they were completely in view when we were alone. I smiled again before I started to drift off to sleep.

Don't hate me. There's a reason for everything.

I wonder what exactly Steph has planned for Joe, especially if he's in jail and nobody will bond him out.

Who else does she need to call?

How did Joe find out they would be at the obstetrician's office at that time?

Maybe part of the next chapter should be in Joe's POV so we can see what's going on in that sick mind of his.

We also get to meet Steph's mysterious partner in the next chapter. What do you think he will be like?

Let me know what you think...

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed the last chapter and the story as a whole. I truly appreciate it