I don't own them and I'm not making any money.

So… sorry about the wait for a new chapter! Real life and an absent muse have been teaming up on me, but I'll try to do better. Thank you all who have been reviewing and prodding me to write, I appreciate it. Also, thanks to Haliegh and Melody for their help editing, without them this would have taken even longer!

What Happens in Vegas

Chapter 27

"If you were trying to make things so we could have a relationship, why'd you say we should get a divorce?"

"I still don't have my life to where a relationship will be easy. And we got married because we were drunk."

And before I could stop myself, I had to ask the million dollar question. "So, do you really want a divorce?"

oOoOoOo

"That's not a fair question, Babe," Ranger said, his arms tightening around me.

"Why's that?" I asked in my most innocent voice.

He'd admitted to wanting a serious relationship with me. But he'd also admitted to buying the ring in a fit of confusion. So all I still needed to know was if he actually wanted our relationship to be the marriage kind. And I was really hoping we'd be able to get to the point without talking about me.

"I still don't know what you're thinking about all this,"

Crap.

I chewed my bottom lip for a minute and squeezed my eyes shut. I wasn't sure if I was ready for him to know how much I wanted. I wanted him. I wanted to stay married. I wanted us to have a real relationship and I wanted it to start now. But I was terrified it would be too much.

And then I realized what I was doing. Ranger and I have always had a problem communicating since neither of us are big on feelings, but the only way to get what I want would be complete honesty.

"I want a relationship. With you," I finally whispered.

"Babe."

I shook my head to stop him before he got any further.

"I don't just want a relationship with you. I want us to make this marriage work. While you were missing, I was more terrified than I've ever been in my entire life. I realized I love you, love you."

"You love me, love me?" Ranger asked with a hint of a smile in his voice.

All I could do was nod and squeeze my eyes shut. I couldn't believe I'd just blurted that out.

Eventually, I nodded against his shoulder and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I do. And I know that one of your reasons not to have a relationship is because you don't want someone else worrying about you, but it's too late. I'm in too deep. If you were going to walk away, you should have done it a long time ago."

I felt him take a breath to respond but I reached up and covered his mouth with my fingers. I didn't want to hear him say he didn't feel the same way.

"You don't have to say anything," I said as I removed my hand. "I just wanted you to know the truth."

He slowly raised an arm and lifted my chin so I was forced to meet his eyes. "I was going to say I can't walk away. I tried, remember."

I nodded slowly but didn't say any more.

Ranger held my eyes for a minute longer before a slow smile spread across his face. "So you really want to stay married?"

"Yeah," I said softly. I'd noticed he still hadn't said what he wanted.

"Then we'll stay married."

"Just like that?" I couldn't believe it had been that easy.

"Babe, I decided a while ago that I wanted you in my life. Whether we're married or not doesn't really matter as long as you're with me." He kissed me softly for a minute before leaning back and giving me another smile. "But I have to admit, I've gotten kind of attached to the idea of you as my wife."

"Thank God," I said. "Because I love the idea of you as my husband."

That got me another smile and a few more kisses before Ranger relaxed back onto his pillow again.

"But I guess this means we have to tell our families the divorce is off…"

"And they're going to insist on some sort of reception aren't they?" I asked with a groan.

"Yeah, unless we beat them to the punch."

"Explain," I said, doing my best Ranger impression.

He stared at me with a raised eyebrow until I gave him my best doe eyed look and he gave in.

"We could have a wedding."

"Uh, didn't we do that all ready?"

"Yes, but it was technically a civil ceremony. Abuela Rosa had a point, we're not married in the eyes of the Church."

"You want a church wedding?" I asked.

"Only if it's what you want."

I almost automatically said 'no.' My first wedding was a fiasco with months of planning and stress for a few weeks of marriage and a messy divorce. But then a picture of a creamy dress and Ranger smiling at me from the front of a church popped into my head. I sighed softly and realized I wanted something I could celebrate and remember with Ranger.

"Babe?" he prodded after a minute.

"I do."

"A bit early for that," he said with a smile.

"Yeah," I said and leaned up to give him a kiss. "But can we make the plans ourselves? And keep it simple?"

"Definitely."

The relief in his voice made me laugh and snuggle closer. "I can't believe you actually suggested a wedding," I said, still slightly amazed.

"If we're going to do this, we might as well do it right."

"When should we have it?"

"As soon as possible."

"So everyone will get off our backs and life can get back to normal?"

"Babe, my life hasn't been normal since you walked into that café."

"Well, fine. Maybe I shouldn't marry you."

"You already did. And I never said I didn't like it."

I didn't really have a response so I just kissed the part of his neck I could reach and made a soft, contented sound. It felt great to have stuff settled. There were still things we needed to talk about, but we had the big issues out of the way and the rest could wait.

After a few minutes of lying there, warm and comfy, I let out a huge yawn and felt Ranger do the same.

oOoOoOo

I woke up later and felt Ranger playing with my hand again. He pressed a lingering kiss to my palm and then moved on to each finger. I definitely liked waking up like that.

Once all the fog was gone from my brain, I looked up and gave him a soft smile. We held eye contact until I heard a familiar sound. A stomach growling. But for once it wasn't me. It was Ranger, and I couldn't help laughing.

"Do you want me to call a nurse?"

"Not yet," he said before his stomach growled again.

I looked at him and tried to raise an eyebrow. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Dinner at my parents."

I felt my eyes go wide. That had been three days ago.

"Ranger you need food! Let me get a nurse. Why didn't they feed you?"

"I was unconscious. And you have to wait to eat after surgery. If I threw up, it would make a mess of everything they fixed."

"So they'd rather have you starve to death?" I asked.

"Babe."

"Don't 'Babe' me. You may not have to eat while doing your commando thing but you're in a hospital. How can you heal without food?"

He held up his hand and pointed at one of the tubes attached to an IV. "Getting fluids and nutrients from there."

I rolled my eyes. "You still need to eat."

"I just wanted to hold you a little longer. But you can call the nurse if it makes you feel better."

I felt myself go a little gooey inside when he said he wanted to hold me but I fought it off. If he wasn't going to take care of himself, I'd have to do it for him. I gave him a little smile before carefully moving to reach the call button.

A minute later the door swung open and Fran, the nurse who'd interrupted us earlier, walked in.

"Have you two been behaving yourselves?" she asked with an indulgent smile

"Yes, ma'am," Ranger said, while I rolled my eyes.

"So what can I do for you?"

Before we could answer Ranger's stomach let out another loud growl and Fran laughed.

"Lunch would be nice," I said.

"I can tell. I'll have something brought up." She did a quick check of the things Ranger was hooked up to. When she was satisfied, she left and I smiled up at Ranger.

"Happy now?" he asked me.

"Definitely." I pressed a kiss to his chest and buried my face in his hospital robe. I was so happy after our talk earlier that I could barely hold it in.

"Babe, can I ask you something?" Ranger said.

I tilted my face up to smile at him. "Of course."

"Are you sure about this. About us. Are you positive it's what you want?"

I felt my heart stutter before I picked up on his uncertain mood so I replied as firmly as I could. "Yes, Ranger. Why?"

"I know we already talked about Morelli, but I watched you two together for so long. You two would get serious and then you'd leave him. I need you to know that if we do this, there's no going back."

"I know," I said softly. "And I don't want to go back. With Joe, there was always a part of me that refused to give in. I don't feel that way with you. I want us and that's not going to change."

"Good," Ranger said and I felt him give a decisive nod. "So no more Joe."

"No more anybody else. For either of us." I said. "But you do know Joe and I are still going to be friends, right?"

"As long as he knows you're his friend but my wife."

I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh. Ranger being possessive, who would have seen that coming?

"He knows. We talked about it not long after Vegas. Believe it or not, he actually admitted you were what I needed."

"So he sent you to me?"

"If that's how you want to think about it," I said and decided to end the conversation by moving over him and sealing my lips to his.

I deepened the kiss until I felt one of Ranger's arms sneaking around my back, trying to pull me down onto him. Just before I turned completely to goo, I managed to pull away.

"I love you," I said, amazed at how easily it came out.

And just when I was debating the pros and cons of starting another kiss, I heard the door open again.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw a young cafeteria worker carrying a tray with Ranger's lunch. Or she had been carrying it. When she caught sight of us, she'd frozen in the middle of the room with a blush on her face. Oops.

I moved over to the side of the bed and finally got myself off of it. It felt good to stretch my muscles and the bed would have to be raised so Ranger could eat. It would be much easier without me on there too.

"Um, sorry," the girl finally said. "I have lunch for Mr. Manoso." She just held the tray out to me.

"Thanks." I smiled and took the tray. The man was battered and in a hospital bed and he still had that effect on the female population. I guess I'd have to get used to it.

Once she left, I sat the tray on the table beside Ranger's bed and slowly raised him into a sitting position. Then, I settled myself and the tray back on the bed and gave him my most brilliant smile.

"Broth and Jell-O! Your favorites."

"Babe," he said before giving the tray and its contents a glare.

"But it's got to be better than twigs and bark."

That earned me a raised eyebrow.

"You are going to eat it, right?"

"Maybe with some convincing."

"Such as?" I asked with a laugh.

Ranger pretended to think for a minute before leaning over and whispering in my ear. And I felt my face go instantly red.

"I don't think that's even possible," I managed to stammer.

"We could always find out."

"How about you pick something else for now."

"Okay. I get to pick where we go for our honeymoon."

I thought about it for a minute, trying to decide if he would take me somewhere without malls or indoor plumbing.

"You love me?"

"I love you."

"Then you can pick our honeymoon. Just remember to imagine how much fun we could have in a jacuzzi."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said with a wolf grin before picking up his bowl and drinking his broth.

oOoOoOo

A/N: Sorry again for the wait between chapters. But please review, it lets me know you're out there waiting and I feel guilty about leaving things hanging…