Chapter 9

Ranger and I spent the rest of the day on 5 working. Well he was working, I was doing searches and thinking. What the hell was going on with us, he seemed to be more "involved" then normal. I mean I know he was concerned with the fact that I was almost killed in a parking lot, but he seemed to be more vocal and "couplely". I didn't want to complain but I also didn't want to get my hopes up.

I decided to stop thinking about it because my head was killing me and I still had no clue on how to find Mikel, I had searched his past employment which held nothing that was legitimate; unless you counted being a street "pharmacist". His girlfriend wanted nothing to do with him, his family was all gone or dead. That left me with a big blank on where to find him.

I decided to look up Vinnie the creeper and got a little better results. He was a mama's boy through and through and after a few calls I found out he had been seen at his mother's house every few days taking her groceries. It was actually kind of sweet if you forgot what disgusting things he had been arrested for. If he kept to the schedule he would be at his mom's house tomorrow. Looks like I was going to a stake out.

Since I did all I could do on my skips I decided to be useful and do some searches. When I opened my inbox I cursed out loud. I hated Ramirez, doesn't he ever get tiered of sending me work. My inbox held 12 searches, way too many to finish today but I could do a few. After 4 my head felt like it was being pounded on and I decided to call it quits. Time to go lay down I thought, since I had 2 hours before dinner I decided a nap would be prefect.

But when I stood up to leave I had a wave of dizziness, nope have to sit back down I thought. I sat heavily and laid my head on the desk. I was taking deep breaths when I felt a hand on shoulder, "Fuck" I yelped in surprise, I looked up to see Hector standing over me with an expression that clearly expressed concern. "Que paso?" He said.

"Does that mean; am I ok?" I said my head laying sideways on the desk so I could look up while I still head down.

He nodded down at me. "I got dizzy when I stood up." I said rotating my finger in a circle to imitate how I felt. He nodded again and said, "Ayuda?"

I shook my head and gave a small smile and waved him off. I watched him walk off and replaced my head on my hands on the desk. A few minutes later I heard Bobby come over, "Steph are you ok?" He crouched down next to me. I turned my head to look at him, "Hector told on me, didn't he?"

He gave me a small smile and nod. "What's going on?"

"I got really dizzy when I sat up and my head had a burst of pain" I said my eyes misting because the pain was so intense.

"How long has your head been hurting?" He asked with a small frown.

"A few hours", I said back with a small grimace. I know he asked me to tell him when it started hurting but I ignored the pain and kept working. He shook his head at me and looked less then pleased. "Stephanie" he scolded, "You have a major head wound, you need to take it easy. I am going to give you some meds and I want you to go to bed." I saw him look up at Rangers office, "Is Ranger in?"

"I was going to go upstairs and lay down when I got dizzy, Ranger is in a meeting please don't bother him. I just need to sleep." I begged with a few stray tears falling down my cheek, but since I was sideways they rolled over my nose and onto the desk. "I need to run home and get cloths and Rex." I murmured but the pain was becoming more intense so I didn't speak louder than a whisper.

"Come on I will help you upstairs then go get the rat, you have enough clothes here for now." I gave him a small nod." I won't bother Ranger now but as soon as he's out of his meeting I am talking to him." I knew Ranger was not going to be happy with my choice to work instead of resting.

He grabbed his bag off the floor and stood to help me slowly get up, after I was on my feet he helped me walk to the elevator slowly. I could see some of the guys look to see me their eyes full of concern for me. I tried to give them all a smile but I was sure I looked like a crazy tie-dye black and blue wild person. I saw my reflection in the elevator and grimaced, yep I looked crazy, this was really not my day.

When we got to seven I crawled into the bed; clothes, shoes and all. I heard Bobby chuckle then felt him take my shoes off. It was quite for moment when he walked out to get water, when he came back in the room he softly called my name. "Stephanie, you need to sit up and take these pills. They will help with the pain and sleep. I don't have to wake you up like last night." He handed me pills and then a small cup of water. "I want you to try and drink more water if you can. I will get Ranger after his meeting."

"It's ok Bobby, he is supposed to come up at six for dinner. Let him finish work." I replied already half asleep.

"Oh no Bomber I need to tell him because he will kill me if he hears it from someone else." He chuckled

I heard him leave after he draped a blanket on me, I slowly drifted as the pain faded. I wasn't sure if this was my new normal, being curled up in Rangers bed waiting for him to get off work or if this was just temporary until we found out who hurt me, but I liked it. I liked working in the building on my skips and waiting for Ranger after work. A girl can hope right, hope that she was as important to Ranger as he was to her. My last thought was that it wasn't the Burg normal but personally I thought it was pretty great here.

-/-

It was dark when I opened my eyes again; Bobby's pills had been miraculous because I felt almost normal and my head only slightly ached. I decided to stay completely still and take stock of the room. It was mostly dark with a gentle light coming from behind me. I felt Ranger shift next to me in bed, his legs brushing my back. He must be sitting up since he wasn't curled against me. I slowly rolled over to see a vision of perfection. Ranger was leaning against the head board shirtless. He was typing away on a computer, there was a sheet that was laid across his lap and if I had to guess he little to nothing on under it…Yummy.

I must have made a noise because he looked over and raised an eyebrow, "Babe, like what you see?" he said with a mischievous smile.

Fun Ranger, I liked this version, "Its ok", I said with a small smile gently shrugging my shoulders.

This earned me a full 1000-watt smile from him. I folded my hands and tucked them under my head on top of the pillow, "What you working on."

"Just a contract, you hungry?" He asked when he heard my stomach grumble.

I raised my shoulders a little, "A little, but I don't want to get up again, the pain always rushes when I move to fast or stand up."

I watched as he frowned, and closed the laptop. After he set it to the side he looked at me again, "I am going to get Bobby."

"NO, I am ok!" I said gently shaking my head. "I just needed rest."

Ranger frowned again, "That's not what Bobby told me."

"Yes well Bobby has a big mouth and he is an over exaggerator" I said rolling my eyes.

I watched as Ranger raised his eyebrow at me again then reach over to his phone and dial, "Bobby she is awake and is still hurting." After he hung up I looked at him with a look of disbelief.

"I dint say I was hurting!" I exclaimed.

"Babe you didn't have to, I could see it in your face and I know you better than anyone else. You are in pain."

"Just a little, I am more scared to sit up then hurting."

"That's fine, you can tell Bobby when he gets here." As he finished his sentence the doorbell rang. I watched as he slid out of bed and walked buck naked over to the closet. He came back out with a pair of pajama bottoms riding low on his hips. I think I may have started drooling, he smiled as he walked past me to go open the door. "You are too easy Babe." He called from the hall.

I rolled my eyes again and slowly began to sit up, ok no rushing dizziness, that was good. Only a slight pinch of pain. I felt a lot better actually, way better than this afternoon. By the time I made it all the way up and scooted to lay against the head board Bobby walked in.

"Awwwww my most beautiful female patient", he exclaimed with a smile. "I am so glad to see you sitting up and smiling.

"I am your only female patient, "I laughed at him as he sat down next to me on the bed, "I really do feel fine, Just a little pain now, a slight headache." I glanced over to see Ranger leaning on the door jam, his face was now blank while he was taking in everything that was being said and done. I instantly felt bad for making him worry about me, I always felt like I was his Achilles heel. He never worried, or never showed his worry unless it was for me.

"That is for me to decided, I am going to ask you a few questions, ok." Bobby said rummaging through his bag. "Are you dizzy at all?" I shook my head. "Are you hurting?" I nodded. "On a scale of 1-10 where is your pain level?"

I took a moment to decide wanting to be honest but not worry Ranger, "A 3 or 4 in my head, but the rest of me feels fine."

Bobby looked at me and started taking my vitals, after a few moments he nodded. I hope it was a good nod. "Ok sweet heart I have one final question…. are you hungry." He asked with a grin. Before I could answer my stomach rumbled. "That sounds like a yes. I think you are going to be fine, you just need to take it a little easier. Don't stare at a computer screen for 5 hours, no running or rushing. Get up slowly from sitting and laying. I am going to give you some pills for the headache. When your head starts to hurt take one pill, if it doesn't start helping within the first 20 min try to lay down and rest, ok?"

I nodded, "Can I work tomorrow?" I questioned.

He frowned at me, "I would say that you can work so long as you don't do too much or anything that can aggravate the pain. If you feel overwhelmed, then take a break." I nodded, "I mean it, don't push yourself like you did today!"

"I was going to do a simple stake out to get info, I probably won't even leave my car."

His frowned deepened, "I would take someone with you but strictly speaking you don't have to. I would just like to remind you that you have a lot of people that love and care about you, don't do something you know we would be frustrated with."

I rolled my eyes, "Subtle Bobby, real subtle. I promise I will be good and I promise to ask for help if I need it." I watched as his eyes narrow but after a moment he nodded and stood up to leave. "I am glad you are feeling better Bomber, but I would be more excited if you take care of yourself and don't get hurt again."

"Sir, yes Sir" I said as I saluted him smiling.

"Smart ass." He mumbled as he turned to leave.

"I love you Bobby." I called out to his back.

He turned to look at me from the door way, "We all love you to, so be good."

"I promise" I said with a genuine smile.

I watched as he and Ranger walked out the door probably talking about me and how to put me on lock down or in a safe house chained to the bathroom sink. I rolled my eyes to the empty room and slowly stood up, after I made my way into the bathroom to freshen up I walked back to the room to see Ranger walking in with a tray.

"Food in bed", I questioned, "I can go to the table"

"Take it easy means dinner in bed," He said as he followed me, after I had fixed the covers he set the tray over my lap. When he lifted the lid I about died and went to heaven. Ella's homemade chicken noddle soup with fresh homemade bread. "Something simple so it's easy on your stomach."

Around mouths full of soup, I said, "I am moving in… Forever…. then Ella can cook for me every day, all day long." I closed my eyes and groaned as I bit into a piece of savory chicken.

"Any time Babe, you already have half my closet." He murmured as he watched me.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Sure Ranger and the sky is green, full of flying pigs."

"Well it's not green today but it is sometimes….. Maybe it will be tomorrow." He said looking intently at me. "And I believe there was a pig named Wilber that could fly."

Now I was looking at him like he was crazy because I didn't know if he was joking or being serious. He was really confusing me the last week. Ever since he picked me up in Point Pleasant I felt like I was on a roller coaster and I couldn't see what was around the next corner. He just looked at me with a half smirk as I finished the soup. When I was done he handed me a water bottle, "Finish it." He said as he carried the tray out of the room, "Bobby's orders."

"Of course it is", I muttered to his back, "Maybe I should just dump it into the sink that would teach all of you to stop being so bossy."

"I heard that, drink the water Stephanie." He called from the kitchen.

I pulled off the lid and started to chug, "Of course you heard it, you hear everything because you are freaking Batman." I said softly to myself.

As he walked back in he looked at me with a slight smirk, "Not Batman, just have great hearing."

I rolled my eyes at him and handed him the empty bottle, "Satisfied?" I questioned.

"With the water, yes…with other things…. not yet." He said with a slight smirk.

I looked at him with narrow eyes, "I have a headache." I said, I wasn't sure where we stood yet and anything that would satisfy him would…well also satisfy me physically but emotionally I might have a panic attack.

He looked at me with narrowed eyes, "A headache, isn't that an excuse the wife uses."

"Yes if I was a wife." I replied, "Luckily for you I am not your wife and it's not an excuse, my head is still lightly hurting."

He tilted his head to slightly to the side "Would you use that excuse if you were my wife?" he questioned me.

My eyes narrowed at him, "Only if my head really hurt. You should know by now I never say no to you." His questions really were making my head swirl in confusion, which must have shown on my face because he frowned at me and asked, "Did Bobby give you pill while he was here."

I shook my head no and watched him walk out, after a moment he returned with another water bottle and a small pill. "Take this then lay down" he said stroking my hair.

After I settled down under the covers I felt him slide in the bed next to me, he pulled me close and I rested my head on his chest. He started to stroke my head and hair. The gentle massaging made me relax and right when I was about to fall asleep I gasped, "Rex, I forgot to ask if someone got him and I need to feed him."

"Relax Babe, Bobby went personally to get the rat and I fed him dinner earlier."

I relaxed against Ranger again, "Tomorrow I need to do some surveillance, do you think I can take one of the guys?" I mumbled into his chest half asleep from the gentle caresses he was giving me. "I promise to return them in the condition you give them to me."

"Babe that is a question that you will never need to ask, ok." he whispered into my hair, "No price and no limits, whatever you need, whenever you need it. Now go to sleep." My last thought was that I might love Ranger, like the forever-after kind of love. Then when he gently kissed the top of my head as his hand brushed up and down my spine, I knew it. Ranger would be the only man I would ever really really love. The only man I would ever think about maybe marrying and building a life because he always helped me fly and never held me down. Yet my heart broke almost in half when I realized that it would probably never happen, and a tear silently fell down my cheek as I drifted off to sleep.