Despite Sensible Stephanie screaming at me inside my head, I was frozen to the spot.

Maybe it was better if I just hid from all of them for a while…

I had no idea how long I had been standing there. It could have been a minute or an hour.

Ranger had said to go to him, but who was that talking; Ranger or Nigel?

Besides I didn't want to walk in on him doing who-knows-what to Hector.

He was so angry when I ran off the other day; his warning about other whackos being on the island and the ordeal with Mendez was probably what kept me rooted to the spot.

For a minute, I thought the hole in the fence was mocking me; tempting me to climb through and make another break for it.

I remembered I had stopped caring what their plans were for me. What was the difference between out there and in here?

Out there were the same maniacs I was dealing with who were going to use me as a shield.

The week and a half was almost up. My time was almost up.

I cried out when I felt a hand grab my shoulder.

I was yanked back and met face to face with Ranger; his eyes hard and dark.

Out of pure impulsion, I forced a shaky sigh and threw myself on to him. His whole body tensed when I wound my arms around his waist.

After a few seconds, Ranger held me against him with an arm on my back and his free hand cradling my head.

"I hope you weren't planning on running away again." He said tonelessly.

I shook my head.

His fingers fisted in my hair; I let him pull my head back so I was forced to look him in the eye.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"…hiding." I squeaked.

He blinked at me. "Why?"

"I got scared…" I swallowed. "Ezio started asking questions I couldn't answer…then they suddenly started talking in Spanish…they said our names…I didn't want to interrupt you…"

I tore my eyes away from his as I felt tears forming.

I couldn't take it anymore…

Ranger held me to him again as they started to fall. "I see." He said, turning us towards the villa. "Let's get inside."

As we entered the kitchen with Ranger's arm around my waist, all three of them blinked in surprise.

Ezio's eyes found me and narrowed.

"Stephanie, where did you go?" Pedro asked.

I didn't answer. I kept my gaze on the floor.

"She needed some space." Ranger replied for me. "Our visitor coming over only distressed her. This isn't the first time I've had to tell him to leave Stephanie alone. He's had his final warning."

Teardrops fell onto the floor.

Ezio's hard stare and my pity for Hector were pushing me on the edge of collapsing and sobbing my heart out as well slicing through the final thread that kept my sanity from falling and breaking into pieces.

I didn't want to know what he had done with Hector and I hoped he didn't keep any internal souvenirs.

"I'm interested to know how he got here and how he knew where to find you and Stephanie, Nigel." Ezio said with a cold tenor.

Okay, I've had enough.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" I snarled at him, scowling with my eyes in slits.

He blinked and stared at me with disbelief as did Ranger and the others.

I didn't give him time to answer. "It sounds like that you think I had something to do with him finding the island. In case you haven't noticed, Shades, I've nearly been stabbed by a smack-head and held with a gun to my head by maniac! I suppose that gives me plenty of time to call another guy with Nigel right next to me! And for the record, it's really rude to talk in another language around someone who doesn't speak it."

Cripes, that was exhausting and mentally draining...

My breath came out in heavy pants; making my chest heave. My version blurred slightly as I felt my head spin.

Ranger's arm tightened around my waist when my legs struggled to support me. He took my hand and squeezed it.

"Babe," He said. "Deep breaths."

I did as he said. My head stilled but my outburst had sucked my energy dry.

Ranger pulled me over to the table where Pedro pulled out a chair and sat me down. I let myself lean against the table with my arm cushioning my head.

"Maybe that guy was right, Nigel." Said Cortez. "Look how pale she's gone."

"All this excitement and attention can't have been good for her." Pedro said, shaking his head. "There aren't many ladies in the mafia business."

Oh God…why don't you just kill me already?!

"Yeah." Ranger nodded. "And by the way, hermanos, if you're going to speak in Spanish don't do it around Stephanie. She's right. It is rude."

"Listen to the man, Shades." Grinned Pedro.

Slap!

"Ow…Hey!"

"So what did you do with that guy, Nigel?" Cortez asked. "I take it that you didn't need any witnesses as well as wanting us to stay with Stephanie."

No…

Ranger chuckled lightly. "Nothing special. A stab to the heart. The corpse is soaking in lye so nobody go down into the basement- again."

No…Hector…

I wanted to cry.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted this nightmare to end.

I wanted to keep away from them until it was time for me to be the shield so I shut myself in the bedroom and lay on the bed, curled up into a ball and stared at the wall in front of me. I had no plans to get up for dinner. Eating hadn't even crossed my mind.

If my stomach was empty, I couldn't tell. I was still numb from the shock of what had happened to Hector.

Poor man…

I suddenly thought about home and my friends and family; wondering if they were missing me or knew what was going on.

I had no idea what Valerie would be doing but my mother was probably on the brink of drinking herself to an early grave with her 50th bottle of whiskey right now.

My father wouldn't have been concerned; I knew he had faith in me but it didn't make me feel any better.

Grandma would be dying to hear about my big adventure assisting Ranger with the mission. If only she knew the truth…

Morelli came to mind and a gut-wrenching realisation had me on the brink of another meltdown.

If I had only said yes to his proposal I could have been sitting pretty at home, most likely carrying our first or second kid in a cute little house with a white picket fence, browsing through catalogues for baby clothes and toys and cradles with our wookie-hybrid dog, Bob sitting next to me with his head on my lap.

I wouldn't be hereif I only agreed to move to Idaho and married him.

I wouldn't know about Ranger's dark secret and discover the true horrors of severe criminals up close.

I wouldn't be terrified and fearing my upcoming death.

Morelli never liked it much when I was around Ranger. He always suspected that Ranger was not who he seemed to be.

I closed my eyes and let out a breath.

It turns out Morelli had been right all along…

I heard the door open and close but I made no attempt to see who came in. Considering the circumstances, it had to be Ranger.

Footsteps tapped against the floor until I felt his presence in front of me.

I opened my eyes and I froze.

It wasn't Ranger.

It was Ezio.