Chapter 20 –

The men pulled up to the location in a huge flurry of activity, each man exited their truck with guns drawn and eyes scanning the area. They were in front of a warehouse that was surrounded by concrete; from the outside there was nothing special. But the men knew that inside this building was their greatest treasure, and they were going to make sure that she made it out.

Lester ran over to Ranger and Hector, "It's quite, too quiet….and look up in the corners, there are cameras all over."

Ranger nodded and singled for the men to gather around him, "We are going in fast and hot. She is the highest priority. Anything it takes to get her out…. anything." He said as he looked around. "If you want to stay out here I will understand, once you go in the only thing that matters is Stephanie."

Ranger watched as each man stood a little straighter and raised their guns to the ready point. Not one was even thinking about staying outside, she was their sister and they would gladly give their lives for her.

Ranger nodded to the men, "I am going in the front with Tank, Bobby and Lester. I want Hal to take a few men to the left and Cal to take a few men around the right. Make sure there are no other entrances for anyone to leave from… Hector said that Stephanie is positioned in the basement, the door is at the end of the room."

Each man nodded again and began to fan out to their positions. Ranger slowly made his way to the front door followed closely by his team. He waited to the side for Tank to kick the door in, then the men quickly went in one by one guns drawn. As they entered the main room it was empty with the exception of one table that was full of computers. They did a sweeping motion scanning the room right to left. The room was empty and silent so they started to go towards the only door, the door to the basement.

Ranger's heart was in his throat, with each moment that passed that he couldn't see Stephanie, his fear doubled. He was at the basement door in seconds anxiously waiting for Tank to open it but as the door opened there was no relief in seeing Stephanie because all he was rewarded with was an empty darkness.

As the men pushed the door all the way open and began to descended on the stairs the lights began to flicker on momentarily blinding all of them. And as their vison adjusted all of their hearts stopped in a collective moment of absolute fear as they saw the lone pile of blankets in the middle of the cement floor. The pile made no movement…. no sounds and they all began to pray in that instant that Stephanie was not under those blankets.

Ranger flew down the stairs not aware of his surroundings, putting all of his trust in his men to keep him safe. He slid on his knees the last few feet until he was kneeling right next to the pile. His hands shook as they hovered over the blankets but he paused not able to actually touch them; his biggest fear was that if he moved them he would see Stephanie laying there dead. He watched as Bobby came up and kneeled across from him…then Ranger just stared at him. Bobby looked into Rangers eyes and saw the fear that had paralyzed him. And for one second in time, the world stopped…... everyone froze in anticipation… in absolute fear.

Bobby slowly nodded at Ranger and then deliberately lifted his hands to the top of the blankets. Even Bobby's hands shook as he slowly pulled the blankets down inch by inch gently reveling first curly brown hair. As the blankets continued to trail down they got their first glance of pale porcelain white skin, it was marred with blue and purple scratches and gashes.

Bobby glanced up at Ranger as he continued to pull the blanket down, however Ranger did not look up, Ranger did not even breath. Slowly Stephanie's eyes were exposed, bruised and closed; lashes down framing her high battered cheek bones. Next her lips were revealed slightly open with the top lip split open. Ranger slowly lifted a hand to her mouth desperately praying to feel her breath against his hand.

In those next few seconds the entire room stopped, the men that had followed him down the stairs waited for conformation that she was alive but they prepared themselves to contain Ranger if she was dead. They waited with their hearts in their throats for Ranger to tell them, and when Ranger visibly sagged, his head lowered to Stephanie's face his hands stroking her cheeks, his entire body shaking; the men went ridged in fear.

Ranger felt the light brush of her breath against his hand and when he lowered his face he felt her breath on his cheek and he felt a tear travel down his cheek. He gently rubbed his face against her hair to both feel her presence and discreetly get rid of the tear.

Then Ranger lifted his head and nodded to the guys, their sister, their light was alive. They went back to scanning the room looking for information and the man who took her. Bobby pulled the blanket all the way down and began to evaluate Stephanie's injury's. She had numerus scratches on her face and hands that were tucked by her chin; she was as pale as white snow.

Ranger leaned down and kissed Stephanie's forehead and whispered in her ear, "Babe can you open your eyes."

He watched as her eyes gave a slight flutter but remind closed. "Babe I need to see your eyes; I need you to tell me you're ok…. Babe, open your eyes, please"

-/-

Stephanie could hear a voice calling her from a distance, she could hear it like an echo over the ocean. She strained to hear it again, "Open your eyes." It was Ranger calling out to her, she reached for the voice, reached to answer him. She could hear the desperation in his voice. But the pain she was feeling made her want to fade away into the darkness. She turned to go deeper into the darkness until she heard Ranger again. "Babe, open your eyes…. please."

Crap, she thought as she floated in a sea of pain. Ranger knew she could never deny him anything when he said please, so she turned back into his voice and into the pain. She reached out to him, forcing her eyes to start fluttering until she slowly opened her eyes to see him leaning over her. He was slightly blurry but she could see the relief in his eyes when he was able to see her baby blues again.

She felt him brush her hair back and brush a kiss over her lips, "Babe.' He whispered his voice full of emotion.

"Ranger." She whispered back in a soft broken voice. She blinked slowly as he came into a better focus. "I waited for you."

Ranger nodded as he looked down at her.

"I knew you would come…. I knew all of you would come." She said softly, voice cracking.

"Always Babe, Always." Ranger whispered to her.

As she began to get a better focus on Ranger she also began to get a better focus on the pain throughout her entire body. She felt like she was on fire, like a thousand little fire ants were crawling all over her body. "Ranger." She whispered voice full of pain. "It hurts so badly."

She watched as Bobby came into view and began to ask her rapid fire questions. She shook her head slowly back and forth at him, not able to distinguish the questions.

Bobby nodded down at her and went slower, "Stephanie, can you tell me where it hurts?"

"Everywhere." She whispered, "Like my body is on fire, like there is a burning I can't stop"

Bobby nodded down at her and slowly brushed his hands down her arms and sides looking for major injury's. "Does it feel like it's on the skin or under the skin?"

Stephanie took a moment to think about it, "Under, I can feel it all the way into my bones. Burning and numbness."

She watched as Bobby glanced up at Ranger and give a small shake of his head and Ranger raised an eyebrow back. "What?" she questioned

Bobby looked back down a her, "Have you been down here the entire time, on the floor?"

Stephanie nodded her head at him, "He brought me a blanket to use and when I told him I was still cold he brought me another one. After a while I didn't feel cold anymore."

Bobby shook his head clearly upset, "Are you cold now?"

Stephanie thought about it for a moment, "No I feel like I am burning… like there is a fire under my skin."

Bobby looked at Ranger again, "We need to get her to a hospital right away" then he looked back down at her, "Do you feel pain anywhere else?"

She took another moment to think about it, "The scratches on my face and hands sting."

Bobby nodded down to her, "That's good, it means you can still feel there…. How about your hands and fingers? Can you feel them and move them?"

Stephanie slowly wiggled her fingers around, "It stings a little when they move but I can feel them."

"Good, that's really good, how about your feet?" He asked her.

She tried to feel them but she couldn't think past the pain in her legs, "I can't tell." She whispered

Another glance between Bobby and Ranger had her fear jumping up and her voice hitching as she asked, "What's wrong? Is that really bad?"

Bobby looked down at her with a small smile, "Nothing is wrong right now we are just trying to figure out some things. I know you don't like the hospital but with the bumps and scratches you have and the cold you need to go in and get checked out, ok?"

She nodded softly, "I don't care if it's warm and Ranger goes with."

Bobby grinned at her, "Anything else I should know about before we move you?"

She gave a small smile back, "I really flied when the car bomb went off, I think I have some scratches on my back and on my hands from sliding." She watched as his eyes darken, but he couldn't really see with her jacket on. "Also some of the scratches on my hands and face came from rats, they really sting."

Both Bobby and Ranger reared back in surprise when they heard this. Ranger practically growled, "Rats?"

She gave another small nod, "Yes when the lights went out, they would come out of the walls and come over to me. I tried to keep them away but after a while I got too cold to move, too cold to fight them off. And when I fell asleep I couldn't feel anything, that's why I had the blanket over my head."

She could see both men were trembling in what looked to be rage so she said, "Its ok guys, once I covered myself and it got colder they stopped coming over." Little did she know this only made the men angrier.

Bobby took a deep breath and looked down at her, "Stephanie we need to move you and I need to warn you, between the stiffness in you muscles and body from the explosion throwing you and the prolonged exposure to the cold it's going to hurt." He watched her eyes get big and listened to her reply in a small voice, "I already hurt."

Bobby shook his head down at her and brushed her hair back, "It's going to hurt more, it's one of the reasons I have not fully examined you or taken off your coat. It's going to feel like you are being burned and ripped apart. It's probably going to hurt more than anything else you have ever felt. And as your body gets warmer it's going to feel like a white hot ice burning you. I want you to be prepared, I don't want to tell you it's going to be easy and pain free and then have you surprised by the pain."

The men watched as she nodded while a single tear trailed down her cheek. Ranger brushed it away gently and leaned down to whisper to her, "Do you want me to slowly pick you up or just do it quickly?"

She thought about it for a moment, "I will roll over on my own to my back then you can quickly put your arms under my knees and neck and pull me up without too much movement?" She more asked then told as she looked at Bobby.

He nodded down at her, "I think that a good ideal, I don't want you to move to fast and damage anything so if you are already in the correct positions it would be best."

Ranger leaned over her and asked her gently, "Can I help you, it will make it easier and hopefully less painful to pick you up."

She looked up at him and gave a small smile, "Yes but only if you give me a small kiss first."

He gently smiled at her and brushed his lips over hers.

"I have been waiting for days for that." She said, "OK I am ready now."

She watched as he slowly slid his arm under her neck then gently began to help her slowly turn from her side to her back. The men watched as tears began to stream down her face. She was in pain that she had never before imagined or felt. But she knew if she made even a single sound the guys would feel overwhelmed because they could do nothing to stop her pain. So she held it in in, biting her lips so hard it began to bleed at the place it was split.

It felt like it took a thousand years to go from her side to her back and when she finally made it she was breathing like she had run a marathon. She closed her eyes so tightly not even her tears could get through. Ranger waited until she took several deep breathes and finally opened her eyes to gaze at him.

His face with tight with strain and worry, "Are you ok?" he asked gently, "Do you want to wait a moment before we move anymore."

She shook her head, "No let's get it done, I just want to be out of this place and in a warm bed with you." She said with a small grin trying to make him feel better.

Ranger slid his arm under her knees and gave her a small nod, "Ready?"

She gave him a small reassuring smile and whispered, "Yes."

Then she was screaming in a voice so loud and so raw that it sounded like it was ripped from her soul. The pain was like nothing she had ever experienced and it was more than her mind could take. So she faded into darkness.

-/-

All of the men turned at the first sound of Stephanie's scream, they felt it pierce their mind like a plague they couldn't reach. It literally made their hearts stop and then ache in a way they had never felt before. They began to slowly come closer to see if they could help with anything but all they could see was Booby reaching over her, checking her pulse and responses.

Ranger felt his heart stop in absolute terror when Stephanie passed out and fell limp in his arms. "What the hell happened Bobby?" He demanded.

Bobby was quickly checking her wrist and when he felt her pulse his own heart started again. He quickly began to check her pupils and breathing. "She passed out from the pain, I think. It was too much for her mind to handle. While she is out I want to remover her shoes, if I try to do it when she is wakes up she will probably pass out again."

Ranger nodded at him, "Hurry up before she comes around again." Ranger gently pulled Stephanie closer into his arms trying to force his body heat onto her, into her. He wanted her as close as possible in case she woke up again. He watched as Bobby gently untied and began to pull off one shoe and then the other. When both of the shoes were removed Bobby gently began to remove her socks and gasped when he saw her toes.

Ranger quickly looked down and felt his heart drop when he saw that her feet where a pale snow white and her toes were beginning to turn a light blue. He glanced up to look at Bobby who was shaking his head, "We need to get her as warm as possible as soon as possible, but we have to be careful and do it slowly. I am going to wrap her feet in a blanket then place another one over her so you can get her to the truck. We need to move; I am worried about her Ranger."

Ranger said nothing, just nodded at him and waited for him to wrap her up carefully. After Bobby had wrapped her up as gently but cautiously as he could they turned to go up the stairs. Ranger rolled his shoulder so her face softly moved into his neck; the gentle brush of her breath on his neck slowly began to calm him. He took the stairs two at a time going past the men who had already scanned the room while he had been concentrating on Stephanie. Bobby was close behind him with his medical bags and more blankets.

When they reached the top floor Hector nearly growled at the site of her wrapped in Ranger's arms. He wanted to grab Stephanie out of Rangers arms, only the look Ranger was giving stopped him. He watched as Ranger strode past him and out the front door to the trucks. He wanted to follow but he knew that he was the best chance of getting any information out of the computers left here. He knew that Ranger would let him know if anything happened.

Ranger made it to the truck and gently climbed in never letting Stephanie go, he watched as Bobby slowly and carefully put another blanket under his arms so Stephanie was covered all the way around. Then Bobby put another blanket on top of her and then carefully got in next to them in the back seat. Tank and Lester climbed into the front and within minutes they were on the way to the hospital. Bobby continued to monitor her pulse as they moved, but Ranger didn't concentrate on anything but her face. It was so pale and bruised, her lips were barely parted with each soft puff of air that came out gently every few seconds.

He felt the need to lean down and call her to him, it was like he could feel her pulling away agine. "Stephanie…. Babe, I need you. I need you to stay with me. I need you to wake up. I need you to smile at me again… to kiss me again." His breath came out in a ragged gasp, "I need you to fight Babe, I need you to fight." He carefully kissed her curls and tucked her head under his chin pulling her even closer. "I need you Babe." He whispered with his eyes scrunched closed tightly. "I need you."

Bobby, Tank and Lester could feel their own hearts clench as they listened to his small whispered words. He said everything they felt, she was everything to them and they needed her to fight. They prayed she would fight, they prayed she would wake up and smile at all of them again. The truck was silent as it sped through the streets and when it pulled up to the hospital not one man had whispered a word other than Ranger.

In an instant Bobby was out the door and around the truck opening Ranger's door. Lester lead the way making sure no one was in their path. Bobby yelled once they cleared the entrance for a Doctor and within moments they were being surrounded by staff. When they attempted to pull her from Ranger's arms the entire room went still and silent when he shouted. "STOP!"

They could see the fury in his eyes and hear the rage in his voice. They truly feared him as they took a step back away from him, hands raised. They watched as Lester and Bobby walked up to him and gently and softly began to speak to him as he clenched Stephanie tighter in his arms. It was only the small whimper of her voice that made him blink and look down, he slowly loosened his tight grip on her until she relaxed in his arms.

"Ranger, you have to let them do their jobs." Bobby said.

"I won't let her go." He said back.

"Ranger you have to." Lester said softly.

"What if she wakes up and is looking for me?" Ranger said tightly.

Bobby gently shook his head at him and looked up to see Tank come in.

Tank looked around and in an instant saw what was going on, he quickly walked over and said gruffly. "Ranger, you can carry her back and put her on the bed and the Bobby will stay with her, ok?" Tank said looking over at Bobby.

Bobby nodded quickly, "Yes that is a prefect plan, I will not leave her."

Ranger slowly nodded, "Fine."

Bobby nodded at the Doctors and nurses gesturing for them to come forward. Slowly, cautiously the room began to move again but this time only one Doctor and one nurse came forward. The others went over to get supplies and through the door to get the room and bed ready. Bobby quickly explained what happened and the injury's they believed she had.

Ranger followed the nurse and Doctor back through the door and gently set her on the bed that was put in front of him. He moved to stand at the top of the bed gently brushing her hair as he watched the room fill with more staff. Bobby was still talking to them, answering questions and giving instructions. Ranger began to tune them all out looking only to Stephanie's face, she looked so peaceful, like a bruised sleeping angle.

"RANGER." Bobby called.

Ranger's head snapped up to see Bobby looking at him, "Ranger go wait in the waiting room, I will stay with her." He nodded at Ranger, "I won't leave her, I swear it. I will take care of her."

Ranger nodded slowly, then leaned down to brush a kiss on her curls. "Babe, fight for me." He whispered. "Fight."

Then he slowly back out until the door closed and she was taken from his view. He walked out to see Lester and Tank standing in the waiting room, he looked to the men and he could see the fear and strain on their faces. The last few days weighed on their shoulders like a boulder, but now that they found her a new weight settled down on them. Now they each prayed for her to be ok, they prayed that she would wake up. They prayed that what ever happened in the last few days she had been with the kidnapper would not have lasting effects. But most of all they prayed that their light, their Stephanie would wake up, that she would smile at all of them like she did before. Because that Stephanie, was full of joy and happiness, kindness and caring. She loved the world and had no real pain or fear. And more than anything they wanted her to have no pain or fear.

Slowly the waiting room filled as the hours passed, as men finished clearing the scene she was found at, as men got off their shits and men came to pray. They needed to be there, they needed to as near as possible. She pulled them to her, her light was like a beacon they all followed.

And so the men gathered, they filled the waiting room until there was no chairs left. They filled the room until there was barely any room left to stand. They would look to Ranger who sat leaning forward arms on his knees hands clenched tight together. His back was ridged and his eyes closed, he sat unmoving for hours. And the men prayed for Stephanie and they prayed for Ranger. But most of all they prayed for the light in their world to wake up ok.