Misunderstanding and Heartbreak

Chapter 5 –Airplanes

A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews. I'm so sorry for the delay. I've had a week from hell. They put a trach in my cousin and a permanent feeding tube in place before they moved to a long-term care center. My Aunt is still in rehab but she's hurting please keep them in your prayers. I had a friend from high school pass away last Thursday and Friday I had a different cousin pass away from pancreatic cancer. I've been to two funerals in a week. We tore down a wall in a closet at our house and we are making preparations for our new puppy we will be getting Saturday.

He's a solid black Great Dane. His name will be Dark Knight but we will call him Knight. I'm so excited to add this little guy to our family.

My love and thanks go to my BFF and Beta Jenrar!

The song that went with this chapter is Airplanes by B.O.B.


Steph's POV

Donavon Sandoval tried the door, but thankfully the makeshift wedge held.

I took off running deeper into the store, trying to put some space between myself and the door.

The dispatcher spoke. "The police are two minutes out. Is he in the building with you?"

My voice broke. "N-No. The door held, but I don't know for how long."

No sooner had the words left my mouth when I heard the door slam open.

"Oh, God. He's inside. Hurry," I whispered.

"One minute out," the dispatcher said.

Donavon turned the corner and lunged for me just as I saw red and blue lights flashing in the distance. As soon as the first beam of a spot light spilled inside the building, Donavon took off for the door at the back.

I heard a scuffle at the back of the building before Big Dog's voice rang out. "Stephanie, you okay in there?"

"I'm here. Be out in a minute," I called out.

It took me a few seconds to get myself together. I'd always believed that no matter what happened between Ranger and me that if I truly needed help, the guys cared about me enough to always be there. It seemed that I'd placed entirely too much faith in the guys and their friendships. For the first time in my life, I felt completely and utterly alone.

I walked outside to meet with Big Dog and Carl to give my statement, almost dreading going home to the full answering machine and blinking light that were undoubtedly waiting on me.

A couple of days later...

The fallout from the Donavon mishap had taken its toll on my self-esteem. I'd spent the first couple days holed up on my couch, hiding away from the 'Burg gossipmongers.

I'd watched every movie I owned and slept more than was necessary while keeping my phone on mute to avoid everyone. I'd called my dad's cell phone and begged him to run interference against my mother while I'd laid low for a few days. After everything that had happened, I just couldn't deal with the guilt trip she was undoubtedly waiting to give me.

I picked up my cell phone and noticed that I'd missed a call from Tank. I immediately called my voice mail, listening and deleting each one that started with my name.

The last message was short and to the point. "We need to talk. Pick a place in Point Pleasant. Seven PM. I'll find you." No hello or goodbye.

I looked at the clock and realized that if I was going to meet Tank, I'd better start getting ready.

I pulled up to my thinking spot a little early, needing the time to gather my thoughts and think about what to say.

At seven pm exactly, Tank walked up beside me and sat down in the sand to my left.

"I'm going to start," I blurted out. "This whole situation is a huge misunderstanding."

Tank started to interrupt. "St—"

I cut him off. "Damn it, no! You called my out here; the least you can do is let me finish. Ranger ran off without even letting me speak to him. You have to listen to me, Tank. Please?" I ended up begging because if anyone could help fix this whole clusterfuck that my life had become, it was the man sitting beside me.

He nodded his head, silently letting me have the floor.

"Ranger walked out of Pino's thinking I'd accepted Joe's marriage proposal. I told Joe no. I was trying to let Joe down easy, and in my poor choice of wording, everything went to hell. My exact words to Joe were: 'I'm sorry, Joe. I can't say yes.'" I couldn't keep back the tears any longer.

Tank shook his head. "So you're telling me that Ranger just happened to walk in right as the word yes fell from your lips?"

At my nod, he scrubbed his hand down his face. "You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

After a moment, he shook his head slowly. "I called you here to apologize, and now it seems I owe you an even bigger one. I set this meeting to tell you that I'm sorry Scout didn't connect your call to me the other night during the Sandoval incident. Regardless of Ranger's current orders, if anyone else had answered that call, you would have been put through and I would have provided assistance. As for what I need to apologize for now, I knew you were hanging out with Joe after Ranger left. So when Ranger showed up, saying you were engaged to the cop, I didn't even question it. If I'd spoken up or delayed him a little longer, you'd have caught him."

"It's partially my fault. I knew that, regardless of telling Joe constantly we were just friends, there was always a possibility he was getting the wrong idea about our friendship. I should have refused to hang out with him. But I missed Ranger, and having Joe as just a friend helped."

Tank took out a card. "I don't know how exactly, but somehow, some way, I'll find him and get this straightened out. Here's my new cell number. Call me if you need anything, and I'll help you out."

I felt like a big weight had come off my shoulders until his last words registered. "Wait... You don't know where he is?"

Tank gave me a sad smile before saying, "He's off the grid." He stood up and began to walk toward his SUV.

"Tank..." I called out. "Thanks for listening."

He nodded once and then left.

.-.-.-M&H.-.-.-

The next few weeks seemed to drag slowly.

I'd refused to call Tank, and he hadn't called me. I figured if he found Ranger, he'd call me. Maybe. Hopefully... I was driving myself officially crazy. I'd spent most of my free time by myself, picking up easy skips and lying low.

I'd been to my parents' for dinner, and luckily Grandma Mazur and her new sex toy had kept my mother from saying a single word to me about my last disaster. I pulled into the parking space by the dumpster and grabbed the bag of leftovers from dinner. I was almost to the building when I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me.

I turned around and scanned the area but saw nothing. As I turned back around to go inside, a man stepped out of the building.

He spoke in heavy Middle Eastern accent. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Plum."

Before I could respond, I felt a prick to my arm and strong arms grabbed me from behind.

I tried to scream, but the man who'd spoken placed a sickly-sweet smelling cloth to my face and the world around me faded to black.

TBC...


A/N: Please review so I that I know what you think about the chapter. See you this weekend.