Here's chapter 5 after a very long pause. I'm sorry about that. Have been busy with school, the elections and overall writer's block. It sucks I know...

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Not mine, not making money.

Ranger POV

The moment her phone rung I knew something was wrong. Her whole posture went rigid and her breathing more controlled. I knew it was Joe. Nobody else made her react that way. I felt my jaw clench and also I controlled my breathing. I guessed it was one of his sick games, babe was probably told not to tell me at all. I knew she wouldn't, she was too afraid of this sick bastard.

"Really? What's happened?" she whispered to the phone and her grip hardened. I felt the rush to run over there and take the phone away but I resisted that knowing this was our only chance of catching him. As bad as I felt for babe I couldn't tell her that this was a part of a plan. We all knew that Joe would call her and had decided to track him down when he did. I backed away and called Tank.

"It's started." I said to him with a silent voice, not wanting to wake the baby up or that babe would hear it. Tank hung up and I stood for a moment lost in my thoughts. What if this wasn't a good idea? What if she got hurt? I knew I couldn't live with myself if she did. It would be my fault and my fault only. I looked at the little miracle in my life. This little boy had my heart in a firm grip, I knew I would do whatever for him. He had been in my life for a mere week but had me tightly wrapped around his little finger. Who would have known that Carlos Manoso, one of the most dangerous men in the world would be so vurneable when it came to Ric and Babe. They both meant the world to me. I sighed with a smile. Then I put my blank face on and went back to the bedroom doorway.

"Thank you. I'll be over." she said and my heart broke to the sound of her voice. Crying. Her eyes were red and her nose puffy but I didn't care, she was perfect to me. Without any warning she jumped up and rushed towards the door completely surprising me. She was at the elevator before I got the chance to blink. With a couple of large steps I stood beside her, reaching out to touch her arm. She jumped at the touch, the electricity between us. She glanced quickly at me but lowered her glance, not looking at me, hiding her powerful eyes.

"Connie's at the hospital and they need me there. I'll be back soon. Kiss Ric for me" she said to me just as the doors opened. She took one more glance and then stepped into the elevator. She was still looking at her shoes.

"Want somebody to come with you?" I asked even though I knew she wouldn't. This was something that she needed to do alone. I wanted to shield her from this, protect her but I knew that the only way I could do that was to let her go. I didn't let go of her arm, I squeezed it slightly.

"No need. You have your tracking devices. And somebody needs to be with Ric. He's not good with strange men. Don't worry, honey, I'll be back soon."

Her voice could maybe fool somebody else but not me. I heard the fear and shock beneath all that calmness. I looked at the beautiful woman in my life and slowly let go of her arm. I wondered if this was the last time I saw her, if this was the right choice and what would happen to all of us if something happened. The doors closed and pulled me apart from Stephanie. It was almost like physical pain to be separated from her, even more now when I knew she was in danger.

As the elevator made it's way downstairs I was already on line with Tank. He was going to lead this operation on the street. I had everyone of my men, with the exception of Woody who was on monitor duty, out on the street in different cars, following her every move. I knew that Joe would know if the same car followed her all the time so I had multiple cars, different colors and shapes. I was positive that he couldn't know that we were following her.

I was reassured that she was monitored and I hung up. Now there was nothing more than to wait. Before little Ric I would have lead the troops but now my universe had shifted and babe wasn't the only important person in my life. That little boy sleeping in my bedroom had so much power over me that I thought was impossible. Yet still possible. This was different than it was with Rachel and Julie. I hadn't loved Rachel, that was purely a mistake. I loved Julie no doubt of that but this was just so diffrent. It was babe's baby, our baby. Our angel. Our miracle. Back then it had been her thing, I had just started it. I had no hard feelings against her but I love Stephanie with my whole heart.

I made my way back to the bedroom, lifted the baby and laid down on the bed with him. His eyes was softly closed, mouth slightly open, his breathing heavy from the sleep. He hadn't reacted in any way to the change of bed. His small fingers grasped hold of my index finger, fingertips barely able to touch. I smiled as he grabbed on, his grip very powerful for his age. He was my son.

I had known it was my baby since the birth. Something had shifted in my heart even before the guys had told me the rumors. Lester's nephew's girlfriends mother was babe's nurse when she was in hospital. The rumor of a baby to dark to be Joe's. A baby with her eyes and my colour. A baby with our strenght, made from us. At that moment my love to my babe became stronger. Also my worry had increased, the worry about Morelli's abusive history and his possessiveness about Stephanie.

Those day's when I hadn't heard from her had been hell. Every moment of not knowing was pure agony. Not knowing if she was alive and well, not knowing about the baby. Not knowing is a bitch. I hadn't been to much use those days for my guys. I had been a nervous wreck, pacing around my office or apartment. Tank had stepped up and taken the responsibility. He had made me proud, like he always did.

Then she had called me and my heart had broke when I heard her voice. That was nothing in comparison with her looks. She looked like hell. Bruises, hair everywhere, dark circles around her eyes, cuts and the little package in her arms. My eyes zoomed into it, the world faded away for that little moment. Then she moved, ran to the car completely puzzling us. Her frightful expression answered every question, it was Morelli. And yes, it was mine.

I couldn't see him at all before she laid him down on the bed. He was perfect, the perfect mixture of her and me. My heart grew in size, love for them filling me. She fell asleep on the bed soon after that. I sat there looking at the two for a time and noticed that the little guy was beginning to stir. I picked him up and walked to the kitchen, got my phone and rang Bobby. I fed the baby and changed it diapers and noticed that I loved being a father. A real father. With Julie I hadn't had the chance, I was going to take everything out of this experience.

Bobby walked in and checked babe. I remained in the kitchen, after a while moving to the living room and onto the couch. I sat down and started to bounce the little angel in my lap. He giggled and I smiled back at him. Soon Bobby returned looking grim. I got the list of her injuries and felt pure rage towards the bastard. A giggle redirected my thoughts and I smiled down.

"Is this him?" Bobby had asked me and I smiled to him as well.

"Yes, this is Ricardo Mateo. My son."

"He looks like you two." Bobby had answered and kissed the top of his head when he had left, leaving me alone with little Ric and babe. I let her sleep, she was out for nearly 15 hours. I took care of Ric, not really knowing where I had learned all this. I smiled all the time. I was the luckiest guy ever.

Then became the time to make plans. Even though I disliked the plan, I had to go with it. It was the only which might work. She would lead us to him, we would eliminated him and live happily ever after, in the words of Lester. Now I prayed it would work.

My daydreams was interrupted by a phone ringing. I silenced it quickly, glancing down and sighing when Ric didn't stir.

"Yo." I answered and was greeted with a lot of background noise. It sounded like something was on... fire?

"Yo, boss." It was Tank. I became worried about the noise, like burning, people screaming and chaos.

"Report." I barked making my way to the door way. I continued to look at our baby, not wanting to loose him.

"We have a situation here."

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