72 HOURS - CHAPTER FOUR

The beeping of the machines had nearly become hypnotic. I was sitting slouched in a chair in the corner of the room not far from the bed, Morelli was standing just inside the door leaning against the wall looking exhausted and worried, and Tank was sitting on the bed by Stephanie's feet. She'd stirred a couple of times, and we'd found that she'd relax if one of us spoke to her. We'd been taking turns throughout the remaining hours of the night and all through the second day. The doctors had removed the respirator to see how she would do breathing on her own. Eight hours later they had changed her condition from critical to stable and moved her to a room. I was ready to insist that she be put into a private room, but one look at the group of us and it really didn't take much persuasion. I think they were worried we'd send some of their patients into cardiac arrest.

I could see light through the crack in the curtains that covered the hospital room windows. I had just pulled the curtain back and saw that the sun was peeking over the horizon when I heard Steph moan.

We all snapped to attention and turned toward the bed.

"Tank?" Her voice, husky from lack of use and the tubes that had been helping her breathe.

"Yeah, Steph, I'm right here." I have to admit I felt a piercing stab in my chest that her first thoughts were of Tank, that he was the first one she'd asked for. I looked over at Morelli and knew instinctively he'd felt it too.

"Don't tell Ranger. Okay? Don't tell Ranger." I watched as Steph started becoming agitated, and I was on my feet in a heartbeat.

"Don't tell Ranger what, Steph?" Tank was looking back at me confused.

"Don't tell Ranger I'm in love with him."

Tank never took his eyes from my face.

I looked over at Morelli and his eyes met mine. He had his cop look in place, showing no emotion.

"I won't." I heard Tank gently answer her.

"Promise me."

"I promise, Steph. I promise I won't tell Ranger you're in love with him."

"Thank you."

When I tore my eyes away from Steph and looked back toward Morelli, he was gone. A part of me felt for him. He was a good man with a sucky job, and I knew he loved Steph. Unfortunately for him, he'd never understood her need for something more than life as a wife and mother. Not that she wouldn't want to be some day, but he kept trying to push her where he wanted her to go without letting her do things in her own way. I realized now that no matter how much it had bothered me, I was right to have let her have whatever time she'd needed with him whether it was intentional on my part or not.

Morelli must have stopped at the nurses' station on his way out, because shortly after the doctor arrived. Tank and I had been ushered out into the hallway while the doctor examined her. I hadn't planned on saying anything, but my curiosity got the better of me.

"Why would Steph worry that you'd tell me she loved me?"

For a minute I didn't think he was going to answer.

"That's the last thing she said before she passed out. She said, 'Tank, tell Ranger I love him."

Knowing that I was the last thing Steph thought of as she was going down suddenly caused emotion to rise up and hit me with such force that I felt my throat slam shut. I nodded at Tank and started to head back towards the room when I felt his hand on my shoulder. I turned toward him and was engulfed in a bear hug. We had been through a lot together and never had Tank expressed affection this way. It made my eyes sting. I returned the hug for a moment and then stepped back.

"Come on. We're going to find out how she's doing and then I have some errands for you to run. The first thing she's going to want when she wakes up is doughnuts. Boston Crème." As Tank chuckled and threw me a smile I knew I was forgiven for almost killing him.