I don't own anything, and I'm not making any money. Also, a big thanks to Haleigh.l and Harmne for their help editing this… And thank you all for reading. I'm sorry about the massive wait between chapter, real life got a bit busy.

What Happens in Vegas

Chapter 19

With a last squeeze to my hand, Ranger was moving across the room towards the door. I caught up with him just as he was reaching for the door knob and slid my body between him and the door, wrapping my arms around him. I barely registered his shocked look before I pressed my lips to his and lost myself in the kiss as he took control of it.

When we finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine while our breathing slowed to normal.

"What was that for?" he asked after a long minute.

"You forgot your good luck kiss," I said, blushing a little at my behavior.

"Then thanks for remembering," he said before pressing another soft kiss to my lips.

When we pulled apart this time, he'd turned us so I was no longer between him and the door. And he slipped out of it before my senses had fully recovered.

I took a deep breath to prepare myself for going back to the kitchen to face Abuela. By myself, this time.

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Ranger had barely been gone two minutes when I heard the door swing open again. I turned quickly, half expecting him to come back through, saying he'd decided to stay. Instead, it was Ram, who simply gave me a polite nod.

"So, you're in charge of my safety now?" I asked, teasing slightly to cover up any disappointment that may have shown on my face.

"Yep," was Ram's only answer. He wasn't looking overly thrilled about that.

I really did feel bad about making the Merry Men nervous, so I cast around my mind for something that would reassure him. "You probably don't have anything to worry about. Ranger probably has some state of the art security system installed in this place and I'll be on my best behavior. I promise. In fact, I'm going to go back into the dining room right now and see what Gloria made for dessert. Why don't you come, I'm sure it'll be great."

I was babbling, but it had the desired effect, because Ram nodded again and followed me back into the dining room.

"Um, Ranger left for a bit," I said as the eyes of Ranger's family turned towards me. I wasn't sure, but more than likely they were used to the disappearing Ranger routine.

"We'll just have to have dessert without him. And Elton, it's nice to see you again," Gloria said, before heading back into the kitchen.

"Elton?" I asked, turning to Ram.

"Real name's, uh, Elton Ramsey," Ram said, coloring a bit.

I thought for a few seconds about teasing him, but decided against it. He was already uncomfortable enough. "Ram fits you better," was all I said instead.

No one had a chance to say anything else before Gloria came back out of the kitchen carrying dessert and served us with a practiced hand. It was some sort of cake with a Spanish name I can't remember, and it was wonderful. So wonderful that it even took my mind off the fact that Ranger was off doing the Batman thing and that I was alone with his family.

Ram kicking me under the table brought me back to reality so I turned a glare on him. Then, I realized why he was trying to get me attention. Abuela was planning.

"It will be so good having Carlos married. We can finally get him settled into that big house of his and then the nino's will start coming."

I actually paused my fork, holding my last bite of dessert, when it was half way to my mouth at that comment. I didn't know much Spanish, but I did know that nino's meant kids. And my heart started thudding in my chest. How was I going to talk my way out of this one?

"Um," I started, deciding to wing it before realizing I had nothing.

Manuel came to my rescue though. "Mama, let Carlos take care of his own life. You should know by now that trying to do it for him doesn't work. Now why don't we all move into the living room where it's more comfortable?"

I shot him a grateful look for his help, but I was still afraid Abuela would start up again once we moved. I was frantically trying to think of a safe topic for Ranger's grandmother when I noticed Gloria beginning to clear plates.

"Let me help with those," I offered, shooting her a look that begged her not to argue.

"Thank you," was all she said with a knowing smile.

It wasn't until we were half way done clearing and everyone else had left the room that I realized what I'd done. I'd avoided Abuela, but I'd gotten myself alone with Gloria. Rolling my eyes, I contented myself with thinking up painful punishments for her son since he'd left me here alone.

"Sorry about Rosa," Gloria said while we scraped dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher.

"What?" I asked, looking up quickly.

"I didn't know she'd bring up all that about kids and you and Carlos not being married in the Church. I should have realized she would, since I didn't tell her you weren't planning on staying married. I just wasn't sure how to go about explaining…"

"Don't worry about it," I said. "I'm involved in this mess and I still don't know how to explain."

"It is quite a situation."

After she said that, we spent the next few minutes in awkward silence and the only sound in the kitchen was the scrape of forks against plates and the soft sound of dishes knocking against one another. And then all of my irritating, insecure thoughts began to swirl and one slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.

"You don't hate me do you?"

"Hate you? Why would I hate you?"

I took a deep breath, realizing I may have started a conversation I wasn't up for with escape unless I wanted to face Abuela again. I decided to stick with the awkward conversation with my mother-in-law.

"Um, I got married to your son and I'm going to divorce him. And even if we were going to stay married, a wife from a dru- accidental, Vegas wedding can't be what you wanted for him…"

"I think we need to talk," was all she said before coming around the dishwasher to take my hand and lead me over to the bar where we both took a seat on a stool. "First, I don't hate you. I know my son well enough to know that this can't be entirely your fault. And second, I've only seen you with Carlos twice and it's been enough to see that you make him happy, so you're exactly what I would want for him in a wife."

"But we're getting divorced."

"Which I regret for both of your sakes, because from what the boys tell me, not only do you make him happy but he makes you happy too."

"Yeah," I said softly, unable to lie. "He does."

"And he loves you," she pushed on.

I felt my chest tighten at that before I whispered, "In his own way."

"Is that something my idiot son told you?"

I only nodded, willing my eyes not to fill up with tears. I'd never talked about any of this with anyone, not even Mary Lou. And Gloria's sympathetic, motherly manner was doing funny things to my emotions.

"And let me guess. He told you he doesn't want to have a relationship."

"Not recently, but yeah."

"So there is more to your relationship than friendship and a fling in Vegas?" Gloria finally asked knowingly.

"Maybe. I don't know."

"But, you want there to be more?"

I slowly nodded my head, terrified because I was finally admitting this to someone other than Rex.

"Does Carlos know any of this?" she asked, taking my hand and squeezing it in a reassuring manner.

"I don't think so."

"It's incredible you two have made it as far as you have," she said in a somewhat awestruck voice.

"He doesn't think it's safe," I said, feeling the need to defend him.

She muttered something in Spanish at that and raised her eyes towards Heaven in a way I'd seen my mother do too many times to count. "You need to change his way of thinking then."

I was about to ask how, because that was something I would really like to know, but Gloria started speaking again.

"Now enough of this. Rosa's going to come see what we're up to soon, so I'm going to get the coffee started. Why don't you get mugs down? They're in the cupboard to the right of the sink."

I sat, slightly stunned, for a long moment after she'd gotten up from the table before shaking my head and getting the mugs. By the time I placed them on the tray Gloria had directed me to, I was recovered and maybe ready to go out and face Abuela again.

I was wrong.

When we walked into the sitting room, it was clear what Abuela was talking about. She was quizzing a very uncomfortable looking Ram on when he thought she would be a great-grandmother again. And Manuel obviously didn't feel the same need to help Ram as he did for me, because he was simply leaning back in his chair with a look nearly identical to the one Ranger wore when he was amused.

"Would anyone like coffee?" Gloria asked, saving Ram from answering whether or not he thought there was a chance I was already pregnant. I actually saw him sigh in relief and had to smile that there was something besides my Grandmother that frightened the Merry Men.

"That would be wonderful," Manuel said, accepting the mug that Gloria handed to him.

Meanwhile, Abuela had fixed her eyes on me. I squirmed under her stare while Ram was passed a mug and was grateful for the distraction when Gloria held the next one out to me. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like whatever was about to come out of Abuela's mouth.

"So, Stephanie," she said after she'd been handed her own mug. "When will you expect your next monthly cycle to begin, so Gloria and I will know when to ask whether the family is getting another little one."

I heard Ram choke on his coffee at that and barely saved my self from doing the same.

"What?" I sputtered.

"Unless you already have news for us."

"What?" I managed again before my brain caught up. "No. Definitely no."

"Then you and my grandson have not consummated yet," Abuela said with a slightly skeptical look.

I saw Ram fighting a smile at that and shot him a glare as my face began to flame. Looking at Abuela, I decided that maybe she was more like Grandma Mazur than I had thought. And like Grandma Mazur, only bluntness and honesty would work.

"No, actually I'm on the third day of my period. So, no baby."

We all sat in stunned silence after that. It seemed like no one knew what to say and not even Abuela had a response. Maybe I overdid the honesty thing…

I was trying to think of something to say to snap us out of the awkward silence, but not bring back awkward conversation when my phone rang, making me jump.

"Yo," I answered automatically without looking at the caller ID.

"Steph," I heard Tank's deep voice say. And little red flags started going off in my brain. Tank hardly ever called my phone and he never called me by my name.

"What's up?"

"Um… Damn, telling you this is just as hard as telling the boss. Bomber, Ranger seems to be missing."

"What?" I shrieked into the phone, drawing all eyes to me, so I snapped mine shut. "Tank, tell me you're joking. Tell me this is some sort of practical joke you and the guys are playing."

"Sorry, Bomber," he said, and I didn't hear anything more.

Eventually, I registered Tank alternately asking me if I was still there and if I was okay.

"Yeah," I managed to force out. I'm not sure which I was answering, but if I said I was okay I was lying.

"Bomber, can you please pass the phone to Ram. And stay with him."

"But…" I said. I wasn't sure what I was going to say, but I knew I needed to start doing something to find Ranger.

"No buts. Ranger would want you to stay put and stay safe until we had a plan. Can you do that?"

"Yes," I said with a sigh.

"Good. Now can you pass me to Ram?"

Without answering Tank, I held the phone out in Ram's direction. "Tank wants to talk to you."

As soon as I handed over the phone I realized I forgot to ask Tank what they knew so far, so I tried to get info from what Ram was saying. But all he said was 'yes,' 'yes,' and 'all right' before snapping my phone shut and handing it back to me. Not very enlightening.

I wanted to ask what he had found out, but I couldn't make my lips move. As long as I didn't ask, nothing bad could have happened. I was practicing denial at its finest.

Gloria was the one who finally broke the silence in the room. "What's wrong?"

Ram shot me a look, but when it was obvious I wasn't going to answer, he began to report.

"Ranger's MIA. He confirmed with control that he, Hal and Zero were en route to check the downed security system, but he never sent the call saying they'd arrived on site. Control couldn't reach his cell, so his GPS tracker was activated and checked.

"That showed him heading back towards Trenton before he dropped off the screen near Exit 9 on I-95 South. Tank, Lester and Bobby are heading here, ETA eighteen minutes. No contact has been established with Hal and Zero, but their transmitters place them at the building they went to check."

Gloria didn't say anything to that, but crossed the room, sat down in Manuel's lap and buried her face in his chest. I understood the feeling. I wanted nothing more right now than to curl into someone safe and warm. But he was the one missing.

"Don't worry," Abuela said, coming to stand in front of me. "My grandson is strong and smart, and he would not want it."

"I know. But, I…" I trailed off, because I didn't know what it was I wanted to say.

My voice seemed to catalyze Ram, though, because he moved from where he had been frozen, awkwardly watching the family scene.

"Um, Mr. and Mrs. Manoso, Tank wanted me to get Steph into the house's safe room until he and the guys got here. He said it was in the basement. And he also said it wouldn't be a bad idea for the rest of the family to go too."

I was about to protest that I didn't need locked away in a safe room and that I wanted to be doing something to help find Ranger. I'd go crazy locked away, but Manuel moved first.

"Of course," he said, standing and helping Gloria to stand also.

Then, he gently pulled me up form the couch before wrapping an arm around Abuela's waist and herding us all towards the basement. I was on my way before I knew what was happening.

I followed the family down some stairs into a finished basement and watched as Manuel keyed a long series of numbers into a keypad next to a door. After a minute, I heard locks disengage and a high-pitched beep before he pulled the door open and we all moved inside.

I was genuinely curious now, but Ranger's family wasn't acting like this was anything too out of the ordinary, and I had a sudden realization. For the people that Ranger let into his life, this wouldn't be out of the ordinary. He would do everything in his power to keep his loved ones safe and they would go along if they wanted to be a part of his life.

Taking a good look around the room, I wondered if I could actually deal with this being a part of my life. Materially, the room had everything a person would need for a long stretch of boredom. There was a large screen TV, a shelf of DVD's and another of books, a couple overstuffed couches that would be perfect to nap on and even a mini fridge and microwave. There were a couple of doors which I assumed were closets with supplies, probably a bathroom and maybe a bedroom. No, a safe room like this wouldn't kill me.

But if I were honest, I wouldn't go to it every time I was told or without a fight. Just like I didn't usually listen when Ranger tried to send me to a safe house. But if it was criteria for having a relationship, I'd learn to live with it when it really was necessary.

"Come in and relax," Gloria said, pulling me out of my thoughts. "We're in here at least until the boys arrive."

I followed her to the couch and sank into the cushions with a sigh. Looks like I'm on lockdown. I glanced around the room at everyone else and saw Maneul and Ram looking at a monitor and occasionally pushing buttons. Abuela was sitting in a chair, knitting and looking like the stereotypical little-old-lady for now.

Everyone seemed calm enough, but I was on edge. Ranger was missing. Ranger didn't go missing, though. He found people who were missing, and was always in control.

"Relax," Gloria repeated, cutting through my thoughts. "Trust me, the only way through this is to believe that he's going to be okay."

"How?" I asked. I had been trying to distance myself, like Ranger had described while we were looking for Julie, but it wasn't working. I was really hoping that Gloria had a more effective method.

She didn't get to answer though, before we heard the locks disengaging and the guys came in looking ready to take over a third world country.

"Anything new?" I asked as soon as they were all in.

"Hal and Zero checked in," Tank said. "They came to about fifteen minutes ago and called control. They made it to the building they were checking, but were hit with tranquilizer darts as soon as they got out of the car. At this point, we are assuming Ranger was hit too. Hal remembers him swearing and swatting his neck before things went fuzzy."

"They're both okay?" I asked, hoping that if they were, and Ranger was hit with the same thing, he'd be awake by now and working his way out of this.

"Yeah. A bit embarrassed, but overall okay," Lester said.

"Good," Gloria said, trying to appear positive, but I could see the worry on her face. "Do you have any other leads on Carlos?"

"No ma'am," Tank said. "But we're working on it."

"Then what are you doing standing around here for?" Abuela asked, rising from her chair and coming to stand beside me. "I know you came to get Stephanie, now you get back to work. Just let me say good bye."

She reached up and wrapped her arms around me and I awkwardly hugged her back. "It was nice to meet you, Abuela," I said.

"And you to. My Carlitos is a lucky man to have found you."

I didn't respond to that, but Abuela didn't seem to expect me to, because she released me to Gloria and Manuel to say their goodbyes. Gloria told me once again not to worry too much, but I could see her own worry and fear was there, only hers was controlled by years of experience.

Squaring my shoulders, I followed the guys out of the safe room and out of the house, determined to learn to be strong like her since this was the life I'd chosen… Even if Ranger didn't know that yet.

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A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it! I promise to try to get the next chapter posted much more quickly… Please review and tell me what you thought :)