"When I saw you fall I thought the worst. Oh God where are you hit? I just got you and I thought that I was going to lose you."

By this time I was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Shhh Babe I'm alright. The bullet just grazed my arm. Really it is just a flesh wound." He gave me a sly smile. "Just needs a band-aid."

"Babe, where's Morelli?"

I couldn't find my voice so I simply pointed to the last place I had seen him. I just couldn't bring myself to look. If I didn't look then it couldn't have really happened. Let no one say that denial isn't powerful. Ranger grabbed his phone and turned to me.

"I have to go make some calls Babe. I want you to stay here and don't move. I wont be far I promise."

All I could do was nod my head. Then he got up and flipped open his phone and started talking as he headed towards the kitchen. That's when I heard the sound of sirens off in the distance. I knew that they would be coming I just didn't realize how fast. Before I could even finish the thought the front door burst in and there were Trenton's finest with guns drawn and looking at me curled up on the floor.

The first one to say anything was my long time friend Carl. He took one look at me and the gun the lay on the floor next to me and his face paled.

"Stephanie we got reports of gun shots. What the hell happened and where is Morelli?"

I burst into tears just as one of the other officers I didn't know came up. "I think that we need to call in a homicide detective here. It appears you have a lot of explaining to do Miss Plum."

Just at that moment Ranger came in from the kitchen. He bent down and picked me up from the floor and held me in his arms. "She saved our lives officer. Morelli shot me before Steph even fired a shot."

I suddenly felt the need to try and explain. I never could just keep my mouth shut. "Carl, Joe attacked me and and and then he shot Ranger. Oh God I think Joe is Dead!" By the time I was finished my voice was a full octave higher than it normal. I wrapped my arms around Rangers neck and broke into earth shattering sobs once again.

Carl gently placed his hand on my arm, "Come on honey I hate to do this but you know we have to go down to the station and get your statement. Manoso I am going to need you to come down as well.

Ranger simply nodded his head to Carl before he turned his attention to me. "Babe I am going to have to put you down. I am sure that they are going to want to take us down to the station in different cars. I called Tank and told him what was going on and he is sending down attorneys for the both of us. It will be ok."

"Alright." I said but then a thought occurred to me. "But Ranger shouldn't you get your arm looked at by a doctor or something?"

Ranger smiled at me. "I told you babe just a flesh wound. Don't worry it will all be taken care of."

Ranger put me down on my feet and turned to look at Carl. "Alright let's go and get this over with so I can have a breakdown with no witnesses." I said with as much bravado as I cold muster. Somehow I don't think anyone bought it.

6 hours, 4 cups of coffee, one enormous headache and no bathroom breaks later I was finally being released. The Rangeman attorney that Tank had sent over said not to worry that this was a clear cut case of self-defense. Somehow that just didn't seem to make me feel any better. I had killed one of my best friends.

I was on auto-pilot as I was walking out of the police station when I ran right into a rather large brick wall. Well not really a brick wall more like a Tank. I stumbled backwards as he grabbed a hold of my arms to steady me back on my feet.

"Whoa there Bomber not looking where you were goin."

"Oh hey there Tank. Sorry I didn't see you there." Even as I said it that sounded just not quite right. So I decided to change the subject. "What are you doing here?"

"Ranger asked me to wait for you here and to make sure you got back to his apartment alright."

"His apartment?"

"Well yeah, he said that you needed a place to stay and since he isn't using it right now he thought that you could."

"What do you mean he isn't using it! Where is he Tank!" Oh my god I told him that I loved him and now he got scared and ran away. I cant believe I did that. Maybe this is because of what happened with Joe. Maybe he thinks I am damaged goods now. I felt the tears starting to well up again.

"Oh geez Bomber don't cry. I never know what to do when you start to cry."

"Sorry Tank. You don't have to take me to his apartment. I guess things aren't what I thought they were. I will find someplace else to stay. I don't want his pity."

"Now just a minute there girl I don't know what you just talked yourself into with those mental calisthenics you were just doing but Ranger loves you and he wants you to stay with him. Don't jump to any conclusions and I will tell you where he is."