Chapter 16
I woke up the next morning still upset and not well rested, I spent most of the night tossing and turning. I rolled over and stared at the celling trying to decided what to do with the day. A quick glance at the clock told me it was only 4:45am. If I went over to Rangeman now I might be catching Ranger as he was coming in from work or he might already be in bed. I wasn't mad anymore but I still wasn't ready to talk. I decided to go with the chance of walking in now.
I got up and dressed thinking about everything that happened again last night, I knew something happened on that phone call. I just wish he had talked to me about it, instead of snapping for no reason. I took a deep breath and walked out the front door, it took me until I got to the parking lot to remember my car was at Rangeman. Luckily for me there was a black SUV sitting in my lot, I guess even mad he was going to protect me. I walked over and tapped on the window, Hal lowered it and smiled at me.
"It's kinda early Beautiful." Hal said with a grin.
I rolled my eyes at him, "Want to give me a ride in?"
"Nope." He said rolling up the window.
I narrowed my eyes at him, then turned and started to walk down the sidewalk.
I heard Hal roll the window down and yell, "I was just joking! Come get in the car."
I flipped him the bird and kept walking, this morning was not the morning. Plus, I was fucking with Hal and it was fun. I watched Hal pull up next to me slowly driving.
"Please get in." Cal said from the passenger seat, "I don't want to have Ranger kill me today."
I kept walking because it was fun to see the fear in Hal's eyes, "Don't worry Cal I will tell Ranger it was all Hal's fault, that he wouldn't let me in the car."
Cal's eyes got huge as he looked back and forth between Hal and I, then grinned when he saw my smirk.
Hal on the other hand was not impressed, he slammed on the breaks hard enough to have Cal slam into the dashboard, "Ouch Fucker." He growled at Hal.
Hal hoped out and ran around to walk in front of me, each step I took forward he took a step back. "Please Steph, PLEASE get in?"
So I stopped and look at him, "What you gonna get me?"
He stopped too with eyes narrowed, "What do you want?"
"McDonalds Breakfast, you pay." I said smirking.
"DONE, if you get in right now…..." he said.
I tilted my head to the side, "I want to drive."
Hal look like I had asked him to hand over his manhood, "Drive?" he asked.
"Yep" I said holding my hand out for the keys, he looked like he was giving up a bodypart as he put them in my hand.
I walked over and hopped into the driver's seat and looked at Cal who was grinning at me like I had just made his day. I watched as he nodded and held up a fist for a bump. I grinned back bumping my fist into his. As Hal got into the back, I cheerily said, "Don't forget to buckle up battle buddy." I listened as he grumbled something and buckled as I pulled back into the street.
"So why are you up so early?" Cal asked
I shrugged, "I couldn't sleep, so decided to start the day. Anything big happen last night?" I asked being nosy.
Cal looked at me with narrowed eyes, "Two break ins and 7 alarms went off one right after another. How did you know something was going on?"
"Ranger got a call last night at dinner and had to go back to work." I said, "I was worried about you guys."
"We are all good, no one was hurt this time, everyone is just frustrated because we can't figure it out." Cal said as I pulled into the McDonalds drive through. After we ordered and started back to Rangeman Hal finally spoke up from the back, "What's going on Steph, its 5:30 in the morning? You never get up this early."
I shrugged and kept driving, "I am just stressed and couldn't sleep. I decided to start the day, I have a ton of stuff to do."
I watched as both men narrowed their eyes at me, "Ok Steph, but if you need anything you will let us know…right?"
I smiled at them as I pulled into the garage, "If I need anything, I promise to let you guys know."
I parked and got out giving the guys a smile, I handed Hal the keys and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for letting me mess with you. I needed a smile this morning." I whispered in his ear.
He gave me a quick hug and smile as I walked into the elevator.
When I made it to five I did a quick look around and saw only a few guys and none from the core team. I went over to my cubical and started my computer. After working for almost 3 hours I finished all my searches and was cleaning up to go when Tank came over to my cubical.
"Bomber." He said as he stood over me.
"Tank." I said with my eyebrows raised.
"Leaving?" he asked.
"Yes." I replied. I was giving him the same one worded statements he was giving me.
"Done working?" he said gruffly.
"Yep." I said tilting my head to the side.
"All the searches." He questioned.
"Yep." I said.
"Coming back." He asked.
"Maybe later, want me to grab your files from Connie?" I asked.
"Yep." He said. He turned to walk away then turned back and said, "Be nice to him, he's stressed." Then he walked away. I narrowed my eyes at his back and finished gathering my stuff to leave.
I grabbed a sandwich from Ella as I was walking to the elevator and as I stepped in I saw Ranger come in from the stairs. I watched his eyes narrow at me as the door closed. As I stepped out of the elevator and walked over to my car I heard my phone ring in my purse but I was still frustrated and didn't want to say anything that I was going to regret. As I pulled out of the garage I heard my voice mail jingle, then my phone started to ring again.
When I pulled up to the Bonds office my phone rang again but this time instead of the Batman ringtone, it was a regular ring. I looked down to see Lester's name, I rolled my eyes and answered.
"Yes Lester." I said as I got out of the car.
"Beautiful, what did you do to Ranger." He said into the phone.
I rolled my eyes walking up to the door but not going in, "I didn't do anything, why?"
"Because he's pissed and taking it out on all of us. I watched you leave without saying anything to him this morning." He whispered into the phone.
"Lester, why are you whispering?" I asked.
"Because I am hiding, Beautiful. I want to live and he is on a rampage." He whispered.
"It can't be that bad Lester." I said.
"Please just call him and calm him down, please." Lester said. "Last night was rough and we are all exhausted and he is pissed, you are the only one that can calm him down." I heard a door slam in the background and sighed.
"Fine Lester, I will call him right now."
"Thank you Beautiful, I love you. Anything you want is yours." He whispered. I heard shuffling then he whispered, "Shit, I have to go."
I looked at my phone as the dial tone beeped and rolled my eyes. I felt like a I had children now who need to be protected from "daddy". I dialed the voice mail wanting to see what I was getting into before I called him.
"Call me." Was all I got and half of me was tempted to ignore him but then I thought of poor Lester hiding, probably in the bathroom, in fear. I am sure the stress of last night along with the stress of our fight was making him a bear. Now I understood Tanks conversation from this morning a little better.
I pressed one and waited for it to ring, it only rang once when he answered, "Stephanie."
I narrowed my eyes, "Ranger."
I heard him breath into the phone for a minute before talking to the guys around him.
"Tank, take over the meeting, I have to take this."
I waited as he walked out and what I assumed was into his office. When I heard the door close and him sigh I realized he was just as stressed as I was.
"Babe, I am sorry ok. I was pissed about the phone call and when I walked in and saw you sitting there smiling at some guy I lost it. Then I heard him ask you out. I could deal with Joe because he was always there, even before we met. But this was a new guy asking you out, I wasn't ready to see that." He said into the phone,
I took a deep breath, "Ranger this is your one free pass ok. I get that we are still learning how to be in this relationship. I get that we are both struggling with things. I was about to rip Mandy's face off last night. But I was mad at her, not you. You need to learn to do the same thing ok."
I paused and laughed, "You are going to be mad at me enough for the things that I do, do wrong. Don't add extra stuff on my list!" I hesitated for a minute then asked, "Was some of the anger because of the things I said at Dinner?"
I waited for a minute giving him time to process. "Yes and No." He said.
I waited not saying anything so he could get out what he needed to say.
"What you said last night, we still need to talk about, and I am not ok with most of it. But it was all of it put together."
"Ok" I said.
"Just ok?" He questioned.
"Yes, I meant what I said. This is your free pass. I know we are both struggling with all of the changes and answering to each other. But in the future..." I trailed off knowing he understood this was the one time I was going to let it go.
"Ok Babe, I need to go. I was hoping to have lunch with you." He said.
"I couldn't sleep so I started work early and finished all of my searches. I am at the Bonds office now getting files and then I have a few errands to run... How about dinner instead?" I asked, "Maybe you can convince me to spend the night with you tonight."
"I think I could do that." He said back. "Is 7 ok, I have a late meeting."
"Sounds good." I replied, "See you at 7…. And by the way our kids called me to tattle on you."
"Babe?" I heard the simultaneous question and irritation in his voice.
"Some of the guys said to be nice to you and asked me to calm you down because you were being a bear." I said laughing.
"Who was it?" He growled into the phone.
"Now what kind of mother would I be if I told on my kids?" I asked still giggling.
"Babe." He demanded.
"No, now go be nice. I love you." I said firmly still laughing.
I hung up and turned to the Bonds office to see Lula and Connie with their faces pressed against the window looking at me.
I rolled my eyes at them and walked into the door. "Really, you nosy Betty's"
"What?!" They both demanded.
I just shook my head. "Any new files?"
Connie leaned on the counter and said, "Any new news?"
I narrowed my eyes, "Nope, everything is normal."
"Then what was with the super long phone call outside?" Lula said.
I grinned, "Setting up a hot date with Ranger." I watched as Lula began fan herself.
"Girlllllllllll, why do you have to rub it in our face that you have a hot man, and get regular hot sex? It's not fair." Lula said with a groan.
"I don't believe you." Connie said with narrowed eyes. "You looked mad as hell getting out of the car."
I raised my eyebrows back. "You are so super nosy. Yes, I was mad, Ranger and I had a disagreement but we worked it out."
"Look at you still being a grown up with men." Lula laughed.
"Lula's right, first you and Joe break up all grown up like. Now you and Ranger are talking things out instead of fighting." Connie grinned at me.
"Ohhhh there was a fight." I said under my breath but luckily the girls didn't hear me.
"So any new files for me or Rangeman?" I asked louder.
Connie shook her head, "Girl all I have for you is Mooner and old man Steven."
"Ahhh man come on, not old man Steven. He always wants to get in the car naked and covered in Vaseline!" I cried out. "That's it seriously? I need to make my rent and I need more than 2 low skips to do that!"
"Sorry Hunny, this is all that's in right now. Vinnies in court right now so I might have more later. Rangeman has 5 here." She said handing over the files.
"Any I could maybe work on?" I said looking at the files.
"Not unless you want a killer or a rapist or this one..." She said pausing to hold up a file. "He's a serial arsonist, burnt down two buildings and 4 cars."
I quickly shook my head. "Never mind, no thanks." I said with a sigh.
"I guess I will go get Mooner and then try old man Steven. Lula want to ride with me?" I asked standing up and shoving the files into my purse.
Lula narrowed her eyes at me. "I will go get Mooner with you and then lunch. You're on your own with old man Steven! Plus, we are taking my car, I can't be seen in yours! The doors are different colors!" She said with a huff.
I rolled my eyes, "Fine, I will just leave my car here. Want to do lunch first? I am starving."
"Girl you are taking my language." Lula said standing up. "Let's roll."
-/-
Lula and I managed to get lunch and Mooner and make it back to the bonds office in under 5 hours. Ok it took 5 hours because we got lunch and watched a Scooby-Do marathon before taking Mooner to get re-bonded. While I was gone I had gotten several text messages that said one thing.
"Thank you."
Evidently my phone call with Ranger this morning gave the guys a little relief. A pissed off Ranger is not someone you want to have to work with. I felt good knowing that just talking to me had him in a better, calmer place. It made me feel like I was important in his life. I knew he told me all the time I was, but to see it in this way just made it even better.
As we pulled back up to the Bonds office I was listening to Lula talk about the hot date she had this weekend.
"Lula you cannot barrow my gold straps sandals." I said for the 3rd time. "We have completely different size feet for one. And two." I said holding up two fingers. "I have only worn them once!" Rolling my eyes.
"Oh come on white girl, I can squeeze my feet in them!" She said with a grin.
"No." I said crossing my arms, "But I will go with you to the mall tomorrow to find a new pair. Will that work?"
We got out of the car and started walking towards the Office, and she crossed her arms. "Fine white girl, I will go shopping with you tomorrow. BUT if I don't find some matching shoes to the new outfit I might have to start over and get another outfit too" She said in a huff.
I rolled my eyes at her, "Ok Lula. We can get a whole outfit." I said to her. "Hay I left my files in your car, can you run and grab them while I grab my phone charger out of my car? My phone is about to die." I said frowning and looking down at the screen.
She narrowed her eyes at me, "Fine but only cause I want the left overs still in the car." She said turning back and walking to the Firebird. I wasn't even paying attention when I walked up to my car and opened the door. I can't even remember what fully happened. I just remember leaning in and grabbing the charger and then slamming the driver's door close. I made it two steps before an explosion lit up the sky around me.
I felt myself flying through the air and my first thought was that I wanted to be Wonder Woman, but not like this. I wanted to fly free and be a hero, not be hurtled across the road like a rag doll.
I didn't even feel the pain as I slammed to the ground and slid a few feet, I am sure tomorrow I was not going to be able to move. I couldn't hear anything but the constant buzzing and ringing in my ears and there was a light fuzz and halo around my vision. I slid my hands forward over the rocks and glass on the ground desperately trying to push up so I could see. I needed to see past the few feet around me and see if Lula was ok, if the Bonds office was ok. But the pain was starting to kick in and when I tried to push up I couldn't straighten my elbows, my vision was starting to fade.
No, I couldn't let go. I couldn't pass out, not yet.
I pushed against the pain and tried desperately to see, I tried to call out. "Lula" but it only came out as a small faint whisper. The ringing in my ears was growing louder and louder and the white haze was starting to close my vison.
Suddenly I was gently being rolled over until I saw Connie's face over mine, "Stephanie," She whispered gently whipping my cheeks, "Are you ok?"
I tried to nod, "Lula, is Lula ok?" I asked desperately my voice fading away.
"I don't know." She said looking up and over at the Firebird, "I don't know."
"Go check, hurry." I whispered, trying to push her away. "Make sure."
I slowly turned my head to the side to watched as she ran over to Lula who was laying on the ground, but everything looked like it was in slow motion. The sounds were starting to fade away but I could hear my phone in the bag next to me. The Batman ringtone was playing over and over, I wanted to reach for it but I couldn't move it.
A slow descending shadow began covering my face until there was someone hovering over me. I watched barely able to move as the man came closer and closer and whispered, "Miss. Plum."
And everything came crashing back at me, I remembered that night from last month. I remembered walking to my car and trying to find the right key. I remember the guy in the reflection of the window as he came up behind me. I remembered him hitting me and whispering my name in my ear. I remember the fear of that night, it all came back like a tidal-wave. The fear came rushing back now, I tried to move away but I couldn't.
Then he was gently picking me up to carry me to the van door I could see open as my head tilted to the side. I wanted to fight, I tried to fight but it was like my limbs were rebelling against me. Every limb was dead weight and all I could hear the Batman ringtone still shrilling but it was getting harder and harder to concentrate. I heard Connie scream but couldn't make out the words, it felt like the entire world was moving in slow motion, I tried to focus on one thing. The panic button in my pocket, if I could just reach it, if I could just get to it.
My entire world tilted as he laid me in the back of the van, "Don't worry Miss. Plum, I will take care of you." He said as he gently brushed my hair off of my face. The fear was back in full force; this man was acting like I was important to him. I turned my head away trying to get away from him as a tear sild down my cheek.
"Please." I whispered. "Let me go."
"I am so sorry, but I can't. I need you to do something for me. I will take care of you if you take me." He whispered as leaned over and kissed my forehead. My panic was growing like the way the darkness takes over a room when all the lights are taken away. I couldn't get away, I couldn't move. More tears slid down my face as I tried to fight my body, I tried to fight him but I could move.
I couldn't move!
I watched as he glanced up at the street and frown, "We have to go right now." He said closing one door then the other until there was no light left in the van. Now the darkness was real and it was taking over everything. I felt like my heart was going to explode with the terror. I slowly moved my hand towards my pocket, inch by slow inch until I could insert my fingers in. I just have to get to the button, I just need the button. I wiggled my fingers until I could pull out the button. The relief when I pushed the button was all encompassing. I closed my eyes letting the darkness take me completely. I couldn't hold on anymore. But Ranger would come for me, he would always come for me.
-/-
Thank you guys for all of your kind words, they literally make my day!
I am going to do the next chapter a little differently. I was trying to figure out a way to keep it in Stephanie's point of View only but there is such a huge part I felt like I would miss if I didn't do a little change. I hope you enjoy it, let me know if it bothers you!