The Missing Piece in Ranger's Life
oOoOo
Chapter 5
Ranger POV
I wait with bated breath, not daring to move, for fear that I might have disturbed her. My thoughts are interrupted as she stirs again, rolling back a bit but still on her side. Another sigh. I hold my breath. And then she pulls the sheet back. I'm still holding my breath. Is she doing this in her sleep? Perhaps she has to go to the bathroom.
"Ranger," she sighs. Oh. Such a sweet sound. Sweet music to my ears.
"Don't just sit there. Get in. I want to hold you."
Yess! Those are the words I have yearned to hear for so long. My chest tightens as my heart stutters with a leaping beat of joy. I make quick work of my sneakers, socks, hoodie, t-shirt and sweatpants, only leaving my boxers on. The smile on my face must have been so evident in the dim light. Her bed feels so nice and warm as she draws me into her warm body and holds me. I sigh and breathe her in. She smells so lovely, that cosy sleepy warmth, that is so Stephanie. I sniff her hair and nuzzle her neck as she snuggles into mine. I hold her and the last strains of any tension in my body escape my system as I allow her to take me into her warm comforting arms. I hum and sigh. I feel her lips smile against my neck. Stephanie also hummed into my neck on a long sigh. It felt so good. It felt so right.
"Sh. Just hold me. Sleep."
With that command, I sighed contentedly with a little nod and gave in to sleep. And for the first time in months I actually slept a wonderful, peaceful sleep.
When I woke up, just before my alarm was about to buzz, I smiled at the sensation. My first impression was that I had woken up from a wonderful dream. But, here I am, in her bed. And here she is. Stephanie. In my arms. Madre Dios. I had to squeeze her to make sure she was real, causing her to murmur softly. Yep. She's real. My Missing Piece. I could feel a smile as her lips kissed my chest. She was sprawled across my body and it was just the most fantastic way to realise how alive I felt, holding her, waking up next to my Babe, half sprawled across my body, one leg locked into mine.
"Ranger? You're real. Not just Dream Ranger?" and she sighed a happy sigh as her hand squeezed my side. I smiled. We both sought that tangible and physical confirmation.
"I missed you. So much. I waited. I always knew you were coming back, even when they reported you were MIA. I kept telling myself to hold the line, and not let go, until you were back, right here in my arms. Despite that MIA status, I felt it in my bones that you were alright. I was hoping that you would come back to me. I said a prayer every night to the stars above."
I smiled at her sweet words, so happy hearing that her wishes were aligned with mine. I too had made a silent earnest prayer each night to the night sky, allowing myself that brief distraction to ground me. I had something worth living for.
As she confessed her thoughts, her hands were roaming my torso, not in a sexual way. Ha. I grinned. I knew what she was doing. She was checking my body with her gentle tentative touch. She gasped when she discovered my newest scar.
"You got shot?"
Her expressive blue eyes were glistening and she sat up for a closer inspection.
"Just –"
"I know, just a flesh wound. You always say that. Really? Are you okay?" she implored worriedly, as her hands were checking further. A tear drop landed on my chest, followed quickly by another couple more. She kissed my shoulder tenderly with such a gentle touch.
I nodded and smiled. I wanted to reassure her but my alarm buzzed, making her jump and I switched it off quickly.
"Only one, Babe. No more. It was a through and through. I was lucky. We all were."
My hands gentled over her arms, up and down, and up her sides, reacquainting myself with her lovely soft warm skin, while looking deeply into her beautiful blue eyes. Madre Dios. How I missed those beautiful blue eyes. I really wanted to stay longer but it was time for me to leave.
I kissed her lovely pouty lips, a soft sweet lingering kiss, my hands holding both her cheeks tenderly. Forehead to forehead, I held her and relished the reality that she was in my arms. She was my Missing Piece. I was home. She was my home. I sighed. She sighed. None of our touches was sexual. Purely and simply, it was validation. And love.
"I missed you. So much, Babe. I couldn't wait to see you."
"You came before. I knew it. I sensed it. I could smell that you had been here, in your chair. That alluring Bulgari. And I know you were there, today, with that meth lab disaster. I could feel you," she smiled with that.
"Tank told me to keep the faith. I did. Omigod. I am so pleased to see you, to hold you like this." She paused, looking at my watch and then my face.
"You've got to go. It's almost light." It wasn't a question, just a statement.
I nodded and gave her one more heartfelt hug.
She kissed me sweetly and pushed me, to encourage me to make the moves, knowing I really, really wanted to stay much longer. Once dressed, she followed me to the door but before opening the door she kissed me once more, with a lot of promise.
"Until tonight. Be safe."
Stealthily, I made my way back to the van by a different route, my senses alert and primed. My heart was light and I was smiling, inside and out, as I drove in the dark, back to the safe house. All my doubts, and fears, were washed away, just with those few hours of glorious sleep, while holding her in my arms. Stephanie. My Missing Piece. No longer missing, but found. Deep down I was scared to think I might have lost her. But, after tonight, I feel reassured. Hopeful and full of anticipation.
The safe house was quiet. Once I was in my bedroom I threw myself onto the bed. I lay back looking up at the ceiling. I couldn't stop smiling. I couldn't wait for tonight, this evening maybe. Somewhere, somehow while I was contemplating those happy thoughts in reflecting and relishing the blissful feelings, I must have fallen asleep.
Getting up a couple of hours later, I found the three of them in the gym, doing their physiotherapy, rehabilitation exercises and weights. Suddenly they all stopped as I walked in. They looked at me, looked at each other and smiled broadly. I raised an eyebrow but that only made them laugh.
"What?"
They resumed their routines, grinning. No questions were asked. No comments made either. I certainly wasn't going to give them any answers or explanations. Shaking my head, I went on the treadmill for a few miles or ten of brisk walking and some short bursts of running, but no sprints as yet. I felt invigorated.
Usually, while I run, my mind goes over things and events, sometimes reviewing, sometimes planning ahead. No need to guess to where my mind was going. My Missing Piece, the woman who owns my heart. Will she want more? Will she want me as much as I want her? Does she want me in her life? Just being able to hold her, so much more than just being near her, left me with such an inexplicable tangible feeling, with a lasting tingling sensation. Being able to hold her so closely for the whole night felt like a gift, a real luxury. The sheer relief and overwhelming peace I felt, left no doubt in my mind that she too was feeling the same. Hope was superseding doubt by the minute.
As things would have it, the day went by so slowly. Ugh! So frustrating. After breakfast we all did some chores. Maintaining the safe house in immaculate condition was important, especially if the need to vacate it at short notice was thrust upon us. Evidence of our presence had to be minimal, and less. It was all part of a necessary contingency plan.
But some other things did emerge from this day. Tank called. I was surprised with the direct approach. That could only mean he had some interesting news. Possibly some new information. I waved the guys over as I put Tank on speaker phone.
"Intel confirms it was not a specific problem with the Handler, per se. Let's say, not a problem implying his direct involvement. He's really pissed off. I decided to take a direct approach with him. He gave me the perfect cue when he hinted at his frustration that your relatively straightforward mission had suddenly turned into such a clusterfuck. Everyone and anyone involved in this mission, including pilots, high ranking officers and personnel in the know, even down to the aides, has been grilled and investigated. Presently, we are following a new lead, an unexpected lead. Recent events close to home lead to the new direction of our investigations."
Well, that's interesting. There's got to be more to it than that. All three of my amigos leaned in with interest and intrigue.
"You're being evasive, Tank. What aren't you telling me?"
He chuckled. Tank. Chuckling? I shake my head.
"Come on. Explain. I need more details than that. We're going stir crazy here and the walls are closing in. We are all suffering from cabin fever. I now understand why, and how, Stephanie feels about being locked in a safe house."
"Ah, yes. Locked in, you say. Hm … Funny dat. Stephanie and safe houses. Yeah. But, admit it, Ranger, you really haven't kept yourself under lockdown, now have you? You know that we know. I understand it, she's your kryptonite, that you are so drawn to her like a magnet. I know you are being careful."
Kryptonite. Yes. Stephanie Plum is my kryptonite, but she is also that essential missing piece in my life. It's like a pure essence, of that quintessential spirit that is Stephanie. That mystical, desirable element of light. I don't essentially feel weak in her presence, for someone as strong as I am both physically and mentally. Yes, he's right, I feel so drawn to her, more than just a moth to a flame. Yes, okay, she is my weakness. But, she's my magnet, where she somehow centres and grounds me, making me feel whole, and worthy. Yes. Worthy. Worthy of being loved. Loved by her. The attraction is so powerful that I really cannot clarify those feelings any better. It goes beyond a physical attraction, which of course is so strong.
"Ranger? Are you still with me?" Again, with the chuckle. What the fuck?
The "gallery" behind me chuckled along with Tank.
"Be assured, she has stayed with Rangeman. She dumped Vinnie and told him to shove it, and do his own skips. While we were right there, witnessing her declaration, I had a few choice words to say to him, as did Hal and Hector. About respect. You know. Asshole Weasel doesn't appreciate her skills. She works her ass off for him, at all sorts of hours, and he still gives her shit. Rangeman still does the medium and high bonds. Stephanie has decided to be actively involved with Rangeman and has been training "to stop herself from going crazy". She's really something, but you've known that all along."
I smiled and nodded my head. That's my Babe. My eyes lit up at the mention of "training".
"She's been assisting with our investigations. The guys are happy to have her input with locating their skips, and many a time she has been able to add a local perspective, as she does so well. Sometimes a backstory to their lives has given us a new lead. They love how she thinks outside the square."
I nodded at that.
"So often she has perceived new angles, new leads for the men to follow, with our skips. Her local knowledge and genealogy is quite amazing, things we have no knowledge about," I explained to Thiago, Rex and Miguel.
Tank continued. "Now, with the updates, or rather, lack of them, Stephanie wouldn't accept anything beyond your status being classified as Missing In Action. "He's alive. I can feel it in my bones, right to my core," she said, when it was mooted that you were likely Killed In Action. It's uncanny. No way was she accepting that. Of course, she doesn't have the higher clearance, Rodriguez and I do, as well as the core team. Her inquisitiveness is one of her strengths, as you well know. Let's say, she perceived a possible connection, purely by asking a few simple questions to clarify the process in relaying information and Intel via the Handler. It was a very plausible consideration."
Of course, she would. I know that feeling that he was alluding to. I sense that with her too, but not as powerfully as she does.
"With these sort of investigations, Stephanie likes to be able to get the big picture," I explained to my three friends, "see how things are related or interconnected." They nodded in understanding.
Process, eh? Now that's interesting, very interesting. It sounds like this was more than just her spidey sense, although be assured, I was not diminishing that at all by saying that.
"So, what did her curiosity cause her to ask?"
"Ah, yes. A leading question. It gave us all pause for thought, since we understand the process and protocols. With that simple intuitiveness and her spidey sense, we knew she was on to something. Simple really."
"Tank! The question?!"
Another chuckle. I sigh and he heard it, resulting in a booming laugh. He was enjoying this. It's not like Tank to draw things out. He's usually curt and to the point, always cutting to the chase. No bullshit. Today he was the fucking story teller. Madre Dios! I rolled my eyes at that image. Stephanie would have laughed at me. The guys know Tank, having worked with him on various missions before he signed off and out for good. They laughed along with Tank at my reaction.
"Alright, Rangeman. Keep your shirt on. She simply asked, "Who else is involved with the Handler? Does he record the details himself? Or does he have someone else do that for him? And where is it stored or filed?"
"That's four questions."
"Yeah. One question led to the others as her mind raced along. You know how she thinks out loud?"
I blinked. Yes, pause for thought indeed. You go, Babe. My heart swelled with pride.
"So, what did this lead to?"
"A tangential change of direction in our investigation. We had already investigated those avenues thoroughly. We saw no concerns, or red flags. However, Stephanie implied something other than what we had already done."
Hm …
oOo
TBC
Tee hee hee. A cliffie. OMG. My Muse doth snigger. Sorry, not sorry.
