Chapter 11: Running

Author's Note: So I totally realized that it was the one month anniversary since I started…I know, I'm weird, but it's late, so go with it. Thanks to the five people that have already reviewed, you guys rock!

(hint, all of you will rock when you review…) And I'm rewarding with another chapter!

Not mine, sad.

"Ranger, come on man. We gotta go."

I stayed in the chair. "Maybe she doesn't want me."

"Bullshit."

"Then why does she keep running?" I yelled.

"Ranger, she's just as scared as you are. Did you tell her that?"

"I thought I had."

"Well then keep trying." I just shook my head. I had a gnawing feeling that this was wrong. "What's wrong with you?"

"What?"

"You've turned into a big pussy."

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're scared of a woman."

"Excuse me?" I stood up. I may not have the bulk of Tank, but I could still make him piss his pants.

"You heard me. She's got you sitting here sitting like a little girl, worrying about your feelings. What happened to the mercenary? What happened to the opportunist?"

"She doesn't control me."

"Sure as hell looks like it. When are you going to bake me a cake?"

I clenched my hands. "I'm not a little girl."

"Well then what are you going to do about it?"

I punched him in the face. I did it because it was a manly thing to do and he deserved it for calling me a pussy. I grabbed the keys on the table and headed for the SUV.

Tank's POV

He punched me. There was the Ranger I knew. I knew that his anger would bring him back.

"Thank god that worked." I sighed to myself.

Ranger's POV

I hopped into the truck and saw the folder open on the seat. It looked like my Babe was heading west. I started the car and sped off.

Stephanie's POV

There was a knock on my window. I rolled it down

"You okay?" I woman asked.

"Yes, thank you. I'm just having a little car trouble."

"Do you need me to call anyone? I was on my way home from work when I saw you."

"No, I just called my boyfriend." I lied. She bought it, nodded and went back to her car. I noticed as she drove passed that it had started to rain. Great, just another fabulous start to a day. I laid my head back on the seat rest.

I wondered what Ranger was doing, if he had noticed me missing yet. Probably not. We had worn each other out last night. It was amazing that I was up. I turned on the Metallica CD and tried to clear my thoughts of him. It was no use.

Then why don't you go back, stupid. Smart Stephanie said. Hey, you were the one that said run away. I replied. When do you ever listen to me?

She had a point there. When did I ever listen to her? Great, I think Smart Stephanie and Stupid Stephanie have switched places. I loved Ranger, and now he thought I was leaving him. Again. Well, that's if he knew that I was gone.

Oh, who are we kidding, ESP man would know I was gone.

Deciding that I was going to go back, I turned the key.

Nothing happened.

Great.

Shouldn't have left in the first place… Smart Stephanie sing-songed. Well, you got any more brilliant ideas, genius? This was the moment she decided (in my head, of course) to flip me off and leave. I tried the key again. Nothing. The battery must be dead. Or I ran out of gas.

Or life just sucks.

This is fan-fucking-tastic. The one time I actually decide not to be scared for my life, I can't get back. I pounded my head on the steering wheel for a few minutes and the tears flowed unchecked now. When I looked up, another car was pulling behind me.

I hope it's not a serial killer.

The person got out of the car. He was tall and well built. Hell, as long I got saved by someone who kinda looked like…

Holy shit.

(A/N: I totally thought about stopping here and being really mean, but I'm going to go on because it's totally not enough.)

Holy shit

Tears were flowing faster than ever. Before I could think, the car door was wrenched open.

I turned and faced the man.

"Babe."

That undid me.

I threw myself into him, hugging him closer than I ever had before and blubbering incoherently.

"Babe?" He pushed me back just far enough so he could see my face. I saw his eyes melt when he saw the tears and began to brush them away with the pads of his thumbs. "Babe, slow down, what's wrong?"

"Me, I'm wrong." He raised an eyebrow. "I thought that I needed to leave again. I didn't want to be reminded anything about Trenton. But I couldn't. I didn't want to leave you again. When I realized this, I tried to start the car and it wouldn't start. The one time I try to run towards you, it wouldn't start!" The last part came out as a blubbering mess.

"Babe, oh, Babe, don't cry. No voy en cualquier lugar, siempre voy a correr hacia usted. Tú eres mi vida, mi alma, no puedo vivir sin ti. Detener la ejecución de mí, por favor, Babe, no creo que yo podría manejar te vas de nuevo." (I'm not going anywhere, I'll always run towards you. You are my life, my soul, I can't live with out you. Stop running from me, please Babe, I don't think I could handle you leaving again). "Te amo, te amo, te amo." He repeated over and over into my ear and stroked my hair. I didn't know what he had just said, but I understood the last part.

I love you.

"I love you too, Carlos."

And there we were. Me, sitting half in my car, hugging a kneeling Ranger, and looking like a couple of drowned rats. But we didn't care. Nothing else mattered. I realized that no matter what, Ranger would always find me, but he may not chase me and that thought scared me. I couldn't keep running from him. I needed him to know that I would do anything for him. Whether I liked it or not, he was my life now. And everyone knows that you can't run from your own life.

"Marry me."

"What Babe?"

I stroked his cheek. "Marry me, Carlos."

Author's Note: I know, cliffie, but I'm a little tired and its almost 1 am, and I have class, so...more tomorrow...or wednesday...but not a long time this time...Thanks for reading!