Chapter 46
Stephanie woke up as they pulled into the hospital emergency area. She was wrapped up in Ranger's arms in the back seat. She looked up to see him looking down at her with concern, his eyes widening when he saw her looking at him.
"Hay." She whispered. "I think I passed out for a second there."
Ranger frowned down at her, "No, you passed out for about 23 minutes. How are you feeling?" He asked as the door was opened for them by Tank. He slid out of the truck and began walking her into the hospital.
Stephanie shrugged, "Sore…... mostly my face and neck. The rest of me seems to be ok." She mumbled as she buried her in his neck. She felt Ranger's arms tighten around her, "I am ok. I think I just passed out from the exhaustion. It was like all of the energy just left me."
Ranger nodded as he waited for Tank to get the nurses attention, "Adrenalin rushes will do that. You finally gave out when you know you were safe with us." He whispered.
Stephine's eyes suddenly went round and huge, "Oh my God." She tried to push out of Ranger's arms in a panic, which then made Ranger start to panic.
"What is it." He asked her, tightening his arms so she wouldn't fall. "Are you ok, are you hurting." He looked up to the desk, "I need a doctor now." He bellowed.
Stephanie shook her head at him, "NO… Bobby! Is he ok? He was so hurt when I left." She started to hyperventilate as tears poured down her face. "I can't believe I forgot about him, he was so hurt. Is he ok?" She kept rambling.
Ranger tightened his grip until she hissed in pain, which then made him loosen again, "He was alive and on his way to the hospital when we came to get you."
She paused as a nurse directed him to an empty room, after he laid her on the bed she grabbed his hand, "You have to go find out how he is." She said tears still streaming down her face.
"No, I am not leaving you Babe." He said sitting on the side of her bed.
Stephine started panicking, "NO you have to go find out, Please Ranger. I have to know that he is ok, please. I am fine. I am not going anywhere…. Please." She said starting to cry again.
Ranger closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his thumb rubbing up and down her cheek, "I can never deny you anything, can I?" He asked. He looked up as the Doctor came in and immediately scowled when he saw which Doctor it was. Jimmy, the doctor who had asked her out on a date. Ranger narrowed his eyes at him, then turned to Stephanie, "Nope not leaving now."
She looked up at the Doctor and grinned at Ranger, her face a bloody, swollen, tear streaked mess. "Seriously, oh my god Carlos." She very rarely said his real name so it made him melt a bit as he looked back at her, "I am fine, we are fine. I love you so much… and one of the reasons I love you is because you take care of my piece of mind…. Like finding out about my best friend. Now please, just go ask. You can come right back…. Or even just go ask Tank if he can find out and then come back?" She said reaching out and grabbing his hand.
He sighed, an actual sigh and Stephanie knew that she was becoming a bad influence on all of the men. "Fine." He stood up and said, "You are a pain in the ass and you are stubborn and you are the love of my life, so I will go find you answers." He leaned down to give her a quick soft kiss but pulled back when she hissed in pain, "Also I am locking you up in our apartment. I am going to chain you to the bed and you are never allowed out again."
Stephanie laughed at him, "Sure, you tell yourself that." She reached out and brushed her fingers down his face, "I am fine, I promise…. the only thing stressing me out is not knowing what going on with Bobby. Sooooooooo pleaseeeeee can you go check." She said.
"Ok, I will go check." Ranger said, he turned and looked at the Doctor, "Make sure that she is ok, I will be back sooner than you think." He finished with narrowed eyes and a scowl.
Stephine pushed him gently in the back, "Ohhh stop it and go, the sooner you leave the sooner you will be coming back." She said.
She looked over at the Doctor, who was looking at Ranger with a little fear. "So funny story." She said trying to get his attention. "The man who took me and helped do this." She said pointing to her face. "His name was Jimmy to."
As Ranger left the Doctor finally looked at her and frowned, "Your face seems to get a lot of damage, quiet often."
She smiled at him, "Wasn't my fault." She said.
She watched the doctor jump when Lester said behind him, "Never is Beautiful. Bobby is alive, Ranger went to check on him and get a full update and let him know you were ok. He sent me to keep an eye on you."
Stephanie turned to look at him, "What are you doing in here?" She asked, smiling.
Lester walked over to stand next to her bed, arms folded over his chest, "I was sent to watch…" He trailed off looking at the doctor, "You." He finished with an evil grin.
Stephanie rolled her eyes, "Ohh stop it, sit down." She said, pushing him into the chair. She turned to the doctor, "So the thing is, I am pregnant."
Lester cut her off, "Yes and we are going to kick your ass when you are done being pregnant, for not telling us that you were pregnant. So that we could protect you better while you were pregnant." He said with narrowed eyes.
Stephanie just looked at him with her eyebrows raised, "First of all. How else are you supposed to protect me? Put me in a bubble on the 5th floor surrounded by armed men?" She said in a monotone voice.
Lester grinned, "That is not a bad ideal… but the bubble would have to be bullet proof."
Stephanie rolled her eyes, "Sometimes I wonder how you make it through life. You guys were already doing everything that you could. Hence the massive car accident to get to me." She paused and held up two fingers, "Second you and I both know that you could never actually keep me there." She held up three fingers. "and last I had to tell Ranger before I told you."
Lester scowled, "He did know, he told us."
Stephanie shook her head, "and when Bobby is better I am going to KILL him for telling Ranger because I didn't." She growled.
Lester raised an eyebrow but was cut off before he could speak when Hector came in the room, "No Chica, (I told him)."
The doctor turned and took a step back when he saw Hector, evidently, he remembered him from the last visit.
"Are you fucking kidding, both Bobby and Hector knew, and you didn't tell me?" Lester said looking offended.
Stephanie rolled her eyes, "All of you shut it. Bobby knew because he is medical. He told me I was pregnant and helped me get the doctors appointments. Hector knew because he took me into the doctor's appointments. I was going to surprise Ranger tonight. Now, If I can talk to the doctor I want to make sure everything is ok." She huffed out. She turned to the doctor and tried to smile, "Soooo, yep. Can we do an ultrasound to make sure that everything is ok?"
The doctor looked around and shook his head slowly, "Nooooo, actually I am going to refer you to Gynecology for that. I will have the nurse call them now. I will check out your face though." He walked over and began to tilt her face this way and that way, inspecting the damage. "Any pain."
Stephanie laughed, "Only a lot. Mostly my cheek bone, nose and mouth. My body is sore from the car accident, but nothing to bad. I was buckled in and the air bags made a bubble for me."
The doctor nodded, "Can you take off your top for me?" He asked concentrating on the bruises as he began to write in her chart.
Lester and Hector growled lowly under their breath, but luckily the doctor was so focused on her and the chart he missed it.
"Shut it." She whispered to them, "Sure." she said sitting up, slowly trying to pull the shirt up over her stomach. She hissed at the movement and Lester stood up and help her slowly inch out of the top. They all gasped when the saw the deep dark bruise across her chest and hips. She had finger prints bruised into her throat and scratches across her stomach and chest.
"Fuck, Beautiful." Lester said looking at her, "What happened?"
She laughed carefully, "Well I was in a major car accident when they purposely hit us into on coming traffic. Then the bitch Ash hit me across the face with her gun. Then one of the men tried to choke me until I passed out. He is also the one that punched me a couple of times in the face. All in all, a great day." She said wincing.
The three men in the room just stared at her, two with narrowed eyes and one with wide eyes. Finally, Lester growled, "Which man?"
Stephanie grinned at him, "The one that was out cold because I tasered him in the balls, then I tasered him again in the neck to make sure he was out." She watched as the men's eyes went from narrowed to them laughing hysterically. The doctor looked horrified. She shrugged, "He was on top of me and it was what I could reach. It got him off me and leaving me alone." She said.
Lester frowned again, "They are so lucky they have already been arrested because I would kill them." He muttered.
The statement only made the doctor look more afraid. He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. "Umm yes, so I think you should get a scan to see if you have any internal bleeding or damage to the face, chest and abdomen. You can't have an x-ray while pregnant, so it will be a CT scan. I am going to have the nurse come in and help you clean up and get your face bandaged up. It doesn't look like you need any stiches, but I will check again after she cleans you up. I am going to see how fast we can get you a scan." He smiled down at Stephine, "I am glad you are ok and congratulations. I will have Gyno come in and see you also."
Stephanie smiled at him, "Can you please make sure that NO one finds out I am pregnant, it will spread like wild fire and I want to be able to tell people. I have a gynecologist already her name is Meg, I will call her to come in, if that's ok."
The doctor smiled at her, "Of course. I will seal your file so only I see it; one nurse and I will have the nurse take you to Gyno so no one see them in here with you."
Stephanie smiled, "Thank you so much." She watched as he left the room. She turned to Hector who handed her his phone, it was already ringing. "Hello." She said when Meg answered.
"Miss me already?" Meg said, Stephanie could hear her grin.
"Yep smart ass…. Plus, I am in the hospital." Stephanie said, "I was hoping that you could come check on us."
Stephanie could hear the alarm in Meg's voice, "Oh my god, are you ok? What happened? What hospital, I am on the way." Stephanie briefly explained what happed and told her the hospital. She hung up and handed Hector his phone right as the nurse came in. Stephanie smiled, she was adorable, 5 foot nothing, blood hair, green eyes and a pretty face with a full smile.
"Well your face is looking like it needs some love. I am going to be your nurse for the night. My name is Lily." The nurse said setting up the table. "I am going to clean you up quick and then take you over to gynecology."
Stephanie nodded at her, "Sounds like a plan." She helped Stephanie into a gown and helped her stand to pull her pants off. Then she helped her sit back onto the bed. Stephanie hissed softly, when the nurse began to gently wipe off the blood.
Lily frowned, "Hold on." She pulled out a spray and applied it to all of the open areas on her face, then she pulled out a needle that had Stephanie's eyes widen and had her pulling back. Lily smiled at her, "You will not even feel it, I just put on a topical and this is only a local. It will numb just the surface while I work. Unfortunately, it won't help past topical."
Stephanie nodded and grabbed Lester's hand, Lester chuckled at her and slid into the bed, so he could wrap his arm around her. "You will be fine Beautiful." He whispered, "Even if you are a big baby."
She closed her eyes and laid the back of her head on his chest, "You get needles in your face, after it was used as a punching bag and tell me if you are ok." She whispered.
He laughed at her, "Been there, done that."
"Not surprised." She said keeping her eyes closed as she felt Lily moving around.
"You guys are the cutest." Lily said, "All finished now too."
Lester grinned at Lily, "This is my little sister… so what's your name."
Stephanie watched as Lily grinned, "I already told you my name… so worst pick up line ever."
Lester didn't falter as he watched Lily start to clean Stephanie's face, "Or the best, I mean, look at my face. I don't need pickup lines really."
Lily raised her eyebrows at him, "Does that actually work for you?" She asked.
Lester grinned, "Nine out of ten times." He said with a shrug.
Lily rolled her eyes, "What is wrong with woman? I mean if this is all it takes, we are going to lose as a species."
"Dammmmmmmmm, you have been DENIED." Stephanie said with a grin, making Hector chuckle at her.
Lester frowned but Lily spoke first, "Yes, denied HARD. It will take a lot more then a pretty face and half an effort to get into my pants."
Lester grinned at her, "You think I have a pretty face?"
"Seriously?" Lily said looking at him with a frown. She turned to Stephanie, "Come on, I am going to wheel you to Gyno for your ultrasound." She finished wiping Stephanie's chin, placed a bandage on a nasty cut on her forehead. She walked over and pulled the wheel chair from the corner over to the bed, "In you go, I am taking you for a ride." Lily said with a grin.
Stephanie smiled and slid into the chair, Lester leaned over and whispered, "I can take you for a ride later, Lily."
Lily deadpanned him, "I would rather take a ride on the subway in the middle of the night alone."
Stephanie grinned, "Ohhhhhh I am dead, just DEAD." She laughed hysterically.
Lester wiggled his eyebrows at her, "Can I ride the subway with you?"
Lily gasped with a smile, "You just don't quit, do you."
Lester grinned at her, "It my charm. Quitting is for losers."
Lily began pushing Stephanie out of the room, "No its your inability to understand what hard pass and gross means, but that is understandable since I am assuming that the majority of the girls you go out with are a bit thick in the head." She said. Lester paused a confused look on his face as the girls left the room and Hector followed them.
Stephanie laughed all the way to gynecology.
-/-
Meg met Stephanie and Hector upstairs in Gynecology, she was out of breath from running. She took one look at Stephanie's face and gasped, "What happened?"
Stephanie shrugged, "You know, we were in an accident and then I was kidnapped again. All in all the same day as usual."
Meg frowned and followed them into the ultrasound room, "Wait both you and Bobby were in an accident?" She asked starting to set up the equipment while Stephanie climbed on the table.
"Yes, and before you ask, Ranger is looking in on him and finding out everything. Lester told me he was alive and speaking. He's waiting in my room to let Ranger know I am upstairs right now. I have to go get a scan when we are done in here." Stephanie said.
"Ok let's check you out first, can you guys go in the hallway?" She asked Hector and Lily. Lily nodded and walked out but Hector shook his head no.
Stephanie sighed, "Its fine, Hector just come stand by my head." She said gesturing at him to come over to her. When he walked up to her head, Meg pulled the wand out and said, "Cold." Before pushing it in and turning on the screen.
"You have had more ultra sounds then most woman do in their entire pregnancy." Meg said, pushing buttons and moving dials trying to get the screen clear.
Stephanie was now starting to panic again, worried when she didn't immediately hear the heartbeats. She took a deep breath, trying to push the panic down. "What's going on, why can't I hear anything?" She asked in a small voice, her hand reaching for Hector's.
"Take a deep breath, Stephanie." Meg said moving the wand in search of the first little bean. "I haven't turned the sound on yet.
Stephanie held her breath for what felt like eternity. Then she saw the little bean come into focus and her heart skipped a beat when Meg turned on the sound and the room filled with the sound of a racing little beat. She started to cry again, "Its ok."
"Yep, Bean A is great, heartbeat sounds prefect. Let's see if we can find B." Meg said moving the wand around a bit in search.
Stephanie looked up at Hector when he squeezed her hand, she grinned up at him. "You know that I never do anything halfway." He blinked down at her, "Why have uno when you can have douce." Hector grinned and looked back at the screen.
Stephanie turned to look to as Meg kept searching, but the longer it took, the heavier the air got. The panic starting to set in again. "Meg." Stephanie whispered, "Where is it?"
"Hold on." She said softly, eyes concentrating on the screen. When the room filled with the second heartbeat, there was a collective sigh of relief and grins. "Baby B likes to hide and sleep." Meg said with a grin.
Stephanie laughed, "This explains so much, Bean A is obviously Ranger. Up front and in charge, probably the one making me sick when I want yummy food. Baby B is me, sleeping and is probably in charge of me craving my salt and sugar that Baby A won't let me have!"
Meg took some more measurements of both babies and took a recording of the dual heart beats for her. She finished up a few moments later, helping Stephanie up and back into the chair, "You look good on the inside. The seat belt probably saved all three of your lives. Now you need to relax and heal the outside. And try not to get in any more fights." She pushed Stephanie into the hall to Lily. "I want to see you again next week to double check everything once you start healing and if ANYTHING changes or you are worried call me right away, ok."
Stephanie, nodded and smiled, "Bed rest, relaxing and being spoiled. I can handle that." They both looked up as the elevator opened and Ranger walked out looking worried. He relaxed when he saw Stephanie sitting and smiling.
"You were not in your room Babe." He said as he walked over and kissed her forehead, "But you are starting to look better."
"I feel better, how is Bobby?" She asked quickly.
He smiled at her, "He is fine, broken leg, concussion but nothing to bad. He is going home tomorrow." He narrowed his eyes at her, "How are you really?"
Stephanie smiled huge, "I am feeling better, they cleaned me up and said that everything is ok." Ranger raised an eyebrow at her, so she grinned, "EVERYTHING is ok, Meg is my Gynecologist and she just double checked. Plus, she gave me proof." She said holding up the disk. She watched as Ranger's body relaxed and he smiled down at her, he squatted down and placed his hands on her legs.
"I am so happy Babe, that you are both ok. I know that haven't had a chance to tell you that yet. But I love you and I am happy." He whispered to her. She leaned forward, cupped his cheeks and kissed him softly.
"You sure?" She asked softly so only he could hear it. She didn't notice the others in the hall backing away to give them a moment of privacy, but Ranger did.
He reached up to cup her cheeks, "Remember what I said to you?" He asked her softly.
She shook her head at him, "What time?" she whispered.
"When I said, I want what you want." He said brushing his thumb gently over her bruised cheek. When she nodded at him he smiled, "Do you want this?" He asked, again she nodded. "Well I lied to you." He whispered.
Stephanie's eyes went huge and she tried to pull back from him, but he held her tight. "When I said I would be ok with anything you wanted, I was telling the truth, I want you. But I also wanted a family with you…. To grow old with you, put a ring on your finger and claim you as mine and only mine. But I didn't want to push you or scare you." He said looking into her eyes. "If it was just you and me forever, just as we were I would have been happy, because I had you…. But now I get everything." He leaned in and kissed her softly.
She pulled back and wrapped her hands around his wrists, "What if I still never want to get married?" She asked softly.
He grinned, "I would ask you for one of our compromises." He said brushing her hair back behind her ear.
She grinned at him, "Ok you start." She said and laughed when his eyes widened.
"Now?" He asked.
"Now." She said.
"Ok, I want everything." He said.
Stephanie smiled, "Well you get the baby and me, no wedding though."
Ranger narrowed his eyes, "Fine, Baby, you and you have to wear a ring."
"A ring but no marriage?" She asked confused.
"Sure, it shows the world you belong to me, that we are together. A piece of paper is just a piece of paper." He said shrugging. "But I do want to right to renegotiate later."
She narrowed her eyes at him, "Fine, let me know when you get the ring." But her eyes went huge as he grinned his full 1000%-watt smile and stood up to reach in his pocket. She gasped when he pulled out a sparkling ring. He squatted down and grabbed her hand to place it in her palm. "When?" she asked hoarsely. She cleared her throat and looked up at him, "When did you get this?" she asked
He looked down at it, then back up at her with a smile, "Remember the trip I took right after I picked you up in Point Pleasant?" When she nodded blankly at him. "I was doing a walk through at a Jewelry store we were putting security in and I saw it. The owner said that it was a one of a kind he made. I bought it that day. I had it engraved the next day."
She slowly picked it up and looked inside the ring.
Batman & Wonder Woman Forever was engraved into the platinum ring.
She caught her breath in a sob and looked up at him, "You carry this around?" She asked him, tears streaming down her face.
"Everyday, waiting for you to be ready." He leaned forward and kissed her softly, while taking the ring out of her hands. He sat back and looked her in the eye, "Are you ready?" he asked her.
When she nodded with a watery smile, he slid it on her finger.
"Forever." He whispered to her.
"Forever." She whispered back.