Disclaimer: Janet's character's are not mine.

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"You hit her too damn hard!" a voice growled somewhere around me.

I was beginning to wake up somehow. The first thing I noticed was that I was sitting, the next was that my hands were tied behind me against the back of the chair, the third was that attempting to lift my head was NOT a good idea.

The pain made me gasp as a wave of nausea flooded over me.

"Good, you're conscience," a man said in a brisk business voice.

It would have been nice to be able to see the face of the voice, but that would have required lifting my head.

"Where can I find Veronica Manaso?" the question was poised almost good-naturedly and it took me a few moments to hear it – being distracted with the agonizing pain in my head and all.

"Wha-" I found that it was as hard to speak as it was to lift my head. I felt as if I were floating above the ground and listening to a movie.

The man reacted violently, grabbing my hair and craning my head back so that I could see him – it was the blonde guy.

I cried out in pain and his mouth twitched with amusement – asshole.

He was speaking and actually expected me to be paying attention to him instead of the excruciating pain at the back of my skull. My vision was cloudy, little black spots and white blurs danced around, and I felt the bile rise up in my throat. The first instinct was to hold it back, then I remembered this asshole was amused, so I didn't.

"UGH!!" he screamed, before jerking back.

I had a brief moment to feel amused myself, before a backhanded slap threw me to the ground, chair and all.

My shoulder took the most impact and I felt it send a sharp pain through me. My head slammed against the floor and I bit the inside of my cheek.

I lay there gasping for breath, feeling wave after wave of pain crashing into me, when suddenly I was hauled upright again.

I cried out this time, unable not to, wishing with all my might that I could pass out.

"I will ask you now, Ms. Plum," another man said, his tone soft and threatening, "Where can I find Veronica Manaso?"

I sobbed; I hadn't even realized I was crying, but now I was sobbing.

"I… I don't kno- know…" I stuttered out, it was hard to form the words, my tongue felt like lead, I could hardly move it.

"Ah, but we think you do."

Well you're freakin wrong!

Too bad I couldn't summon up the motor skills necessary to make my thoughts known.

"She was with you last night, and this morning, her father picked her up himself. We will release you, if you simply tell us where to find her."

I tried to shake my head, the pain didn't let me do that. "I don'-" I didn't finish the word, before he backhanded me and again the chair – with me on it – toppled to the ground.

It was the other side though, I didn't know whether to be thankful for this or not. Smacking the other side of my head on the floor wasn't exactly fun, but I don't think I would've been able to go through falling on the same side again.

My entire face felt on fire, I'd lost the feeling in my hands, and my head ached so much I wished – truly and really – that someone would just chop it off.

Everything was hazy; things, objects, people, words, they all became rather surreal; moving in something like slow motion.

I was hauled upright again, roughly, before the man bent down and peered into my face, it wasn't the blonde man. This one was dark haired, and dark skinned, and had dark eyes, and I knew instantly that he'd been the one to hit me from behind.

"I will ask again, Ms. Plum, where can I find Carlito and Lisa's daughter?"

I didn't know what he was talking about.

Who the hell were those people?

Carlito and Lisa?

I was seriously disoriented… hadn't I just gotten home?

"Please…" I tried weakly, "I don-" again he didn't let me finish. A blade was flashed in front of my face.

He grabbed me by the hair, the way the other guy had and yanked my head back so he could see into my face.

I screamed, pain tearing through me, I couldn't breathe, my breath was hitching and I knew I was going to lose conscience any minute now – prayed for it.

He was talking again, these guys actually thought it was possible to feel like my brain was imploding and still listen.

His words were nothing, but background noise compared to the incessant pounding in my head.

Suddenly though, he was up close in my face, I could feel his hot breath on me, "But killing people is overrated… I much prefer to leave a reminder… maybe a nice once right here on the side of your face…"

The blade was pressed to my temple, I could feel it begin to dig, felt the blood start to drip.

I screamed in terror, finding the strength from somewhere to struggle.

At first I thought it was my struggling, I thought I was the reason why the man suddenly vanished and I once again fell to the floor.

I realized soon though, that I wasn't.

The room was suddenly full of people, and noise.

Tank's face floated above me.

"Boss!! She's over here!!"

Ranger was standing over me an instant later. I felt myself being lifted – someone had cut me loose…. when I wasn't sure… all I knew was Ranger was here.

Ranger.

That meant safe.

I was safe.

The sobbing started again, I couldn't stop it. If I'd had the strength I would have ranted, but I didn't -- all I could do was sob.

He lifted me into his arms, very gently, I hardly felt any pain at all… but I still felt some. I couldn't help the gasp that escaped me, every iota of movement hurt.

I wanted to put my arms around his neck, but I couldn't seem to find the strength for that either. I just lay there limply, against him. I'd stopped sobbing. Not enough strength for that either.

He was looking at me with those dark eyes, and I saw in them something completely new.

Emotion.

A lot of it. In fact, I could almost swear I saw fear.

Must be the concussion.

But just in case, I summoned up all my energy and prepared to make him feel better, "Ranger."

I'd meant to reassure him.

Instead it sounded like a whimper.

Not reassuring.

"Babe," he said, pressing kiss to my forehead.

The black spots and white blurs were getting bigger, but that was okay. I wasn't scared anymore… Ranger was here.

I know it's pathetic, but with Ranger there I knew it was safe.

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Soft.

That's the first thing I noticed.

I was lying on something very soft.

The next thing was that I couldn't move.

I tried opening my eyes and found that very hard, then I tried turning my head and found that impossible.

The panic made the eye opening easier.

I must have made a sound or something, because when my eyes opened I found this woman standing over me.

She was about my age, maybe a little older, but not much she had dark hair and kind eyes and looked faintly familiar.

"Shhhh," she said, "Relax, I've immobilized you for a while until the swelling goes down, that's all."

Immobilized?

Swelling?

What are you talking about?

Where am I?

Who the hell are you?

Where's Ranger?

If only I could get my mouth to formulate the things my brain was wondering. Most important, where's Ranger?

I wanted Ranger.

Now.

I couldn't express it though, could only feel it. I was scared. I wanted Ranger. Yeah, I'm wimp, so what?

I still wanted Ranger.

"Ra-" I tried, it wasn't working.

She frowned a little, "Huh?"

"Range-" that was it; that was the best I could do.

She looked a little lost for a moment, before her face cleared and she disappeared.

I think I was starting to hyperventilate, when his face appeared in front of mine. "It's okay, Babe, I'm here. You're safe."

I believed him… instantly I could breathe.

Yeah, I know – pathetic.

He looked exhausted…

His hand touched my face, I wanted to talk to him… but I just couldn't… my eyes were sliding shut…

I felt his lips at the corner of my mouth, they were warm and wonderful, and almost turned me on; considering I'm pretty sure I was practically unconscious that's a big thing.

"I love you so much, babe."

Huh?

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