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Stephanie's POV

After the gang left, Bobby arranged for my pain medication to be topped up. As a result, I fell asleep. When I finally woke several hours later, a second bed was in the room. I looked over at Ranger's sleeping form and was almost hypnotised by the rhythmic up and down movement of his bare chest as he breathed.

I smiled at the thought of drooling over a man in a coma, but then again it was Ranger. Even when he's seriously injured, he still looks good. He was two days past being clean shaven and I'm sure he'll be frustrated when he wakes up to find the beginnings of a beard. The only other time he allowed his facial hair to grow was when he was on the run when accused of killing that Ramos guy.

If memory serves correctly, Ranger was far scarier with a beard than he is without. He is also a little sexier with a few days worth of growth than he is without. It's a balancing act I suppose. One or two days are sexy. More than that could be considered as scary. I looked at the space between Ranger's bed and my bed and wondered if I could reach out and touch him from here.

I stretched out my arm and if I shifted a little to my right, I could just reach his shoulder. I don't know why, but that little amount of physical contact calmed my nerves and reassured me that Ranger really was going to be OK. All he had to do now was wake up.

I turned towards the door when I heard someone clear their throat. "Hey Bobby, what time is it?"

"It's about 2 in the afternoon. Tank, Lula, Ron and the kids are all outside waiting to come in for a visit. I think Julie is a little scared to see Ranger. She might think he's in worse shape than he really is. I thought it was best to wait until you were awake so you could help me reassure her."

I smiled at Bobby and said, "Let them in. I'd be happy to see them. It will well me pass the time in a more pleasant manner. Before you let them in, could you do something to cover Ranger up? If Lula sees his bare chest, I'm not sure what she'll do. It would be best for everyone involved if he's not so naked."

Bobby laughed and returned a few minutes later with an extra large hospital gown. Bobby quickly draped the gown over Ranger and then went to retrieve our visitors. During that time, I raised the head of my bed with the remote so I was sitting more upright. By the time the kids ran in, I was sitting and smiling.

Little Emma was the first to reach my bed. She climbed up and very carefully sat on the space beside my right hip. She looked up at me and then over at Ranger and said, "You look good Stephie, but Mr. Ranger is still sleepy."

I laughed and said, "I am feeling much better Emma, and you're right. Ranger is sleepy. He'll probably stay asleep for a little while yet."

Diego stayed further back. He didn't seem to want to leave Lula's side. It was actually rather sweet. Lula didn't seem to notice or even mind the attachment the boy had formed for her. She simply held his hand and let him lead her forward slowly.

Julie on the other hand, practically ignored the rest of us as she moved to the far side of Ranger's bed. Bobby had warned the kids that under no circumstances could they jar or bump Ranger or his bed. As a result, Julie just stood beside him and stared down at him. I could see that she was whispering to him but I couldn't hear let alone understand what she was saying. The two words I did hear were in Spanish, so I assumed she was speaking in Spanish.

Julie looked up and caught my eye. She smiled at me and continued her speech at Ranger. After Emma and Diego calmed down a little, Julie made her way over to me and gave me a big hug. "How you feeling Steph?"

"I'm getting there. My leg only hurts if I try to move it, and now that it's tied up in this traction thing-a-ma-jig, it's much harder to jar or move. It's awkward, but it helps. Bobby says that without this, I'd be in constant pain and my leg would take much longer to heal."

Julie nodded and then looked over at Ranger. "He's going to be OK, isn't he?"

"Bobby says he should be. We'll know more in a couple of days when they wean him off of the medication that is keeping him in a coma. In the meantime, we just have to keep talking to him and know that everything will be alright."

Visiting hours lasted until around 8PM so everyone got to witness the horrible food the hospital was serving. In true form, Lula took one look at the tray and said, "How can they expect you to eat that crap. I'm not sure it even qualifies as food."

I laughed at this and said, "That's OK Lula, I don't really have much of an appetite."

"I wouldn't either if I was you. Even with our new diet, I wouldn't want to eat that. Why don't I go get us all something to eat? I'm sure there's something healthy that tastes good around here."

Bobby agreed and said, "That's a great idea Lula. You'll need a hand. I can join you if you want."

"No! I want to be the extra hands."

I looked down to see Diego quickly stand and move over to the door. We all laughed and wished Lula and Diego luck. Ron smiled after his son was gone and said, "I'm going to have to watch that one. If he's as smooth with the ladies when he's a little older, we're in for a world of trouble."

Tank laughed and said, "He's going to learn an early lesson if he thinks he's going to steal Lula away from me."

Ron laughed and said, "I'm sure he'll be fine. Lula is so great with him and I think he just misses Rachel. He's always been so close to her."

When Lula returned with the food, we all ate, laughed and talked. Well, they all ate. I wasn't actually lying when I said that I had no appetite. I did manage to force down the green jello though. While I was eating it, we debated its flavour. I wasn't sure what it was, but Emma was sure that it was lime. I thought it tasted more like apple, but since my appetite was so poor, my taste buds may also have been sub-par.

During our arguments over the flavour, Bobby snuck out of the room. When he returned, he had 4 more pots of jello. Three were green and one was red. He handed the red one to me and the green ones to the kids. "Why don't you find out for yourself whether this jello is lime flavoured or apple flavoured." The kids gratefully accepted their treat and I set mine aside for another time.

When evening visiting hours were over, everyone reluctantly left. I hugged everyone and they promised to come back in the morning to visit. After they left, Bobby returned and said, "I'm going to head back to the hotel for the night. I'll be back first thing in the morning and the hospital has my number in case something happens and I am needed straight away."

"Thanks Bobby, go get some rest. I'm sure we'll be fine here. You know Ranger, ever the conversationalist. I'm not sure I'll notice much of a difference, even if he is asleep."

Bobby laughed and said, "I'll be sure to tell Ranger how you feel when he finally wakes. Good night Steph. Call if you need anything."

Now that I was alone with Ranger, the sudden quiet overwhelmed me a little. My fear returned and I looked over at Ranger to see if he appeared to be in pain. The look on his face was relaxed and calm, so I assumed the drugs were doing their job and he was getting better. I just kept staring at him, watching his chest rise and fall. I was so enthralled or hypnotised that I didn't notice the nurse come in to check on us.

"How are you doing dear?"

I jumped at the question and managed to knock the tray that had been sitting on my table to the floor. Luckily it was mostly empty so it didn't make too much of a mess. I apologised to the nurse, who just laughed it off. "Don't worry. If I had that to look at," she pointed at Ranger, "I'd probably day-dream as well."

I laughed and asked, "Is there any word on him? Do you know when they'll allow him to wake up?"

The nurse shook her head and said, "Not tonight. The doctor will be back tomorrow morning to look at his chart and review the readouts from his monitors. He will have a better idea at that time. Now, how is your leg feeling? Are you in any pain?"

I thought about it for a moment and realised that there was a bit of a dull throb. It hadn't bothered me when I had visitors, but now that I was alone with nothing else to occupy my mind, I could see it getting painful. I relayed this information to the nurse and she topped me up with more pain medication. She bid me goodnight and promised to check back in a few hours. I changed the elevation of my bed so it was more comfortable for sleep and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Ron's POV

Despite Bobby's assurances, Julie really was worried about Ranger. She begged me to let her stay with Steph earlier, but I didn't think it was a good idea. Even if the nurses would have let her stay, Stephanie would have felt obligated to keep Julie company. I don't know Stephanie very well, but I know her well enough to tell that she was exhausted when we left. It took a lot out of her to stay focused and engaged with the kids and us adults for several hours. It was best to leave her to her rest.

At one point during the evening, Tank stepped out of the room to take a telephone call. When he came back in, he looked a bit more relaxed. It wasn't until we returned to the hotel and the kids were put to bed that he explained what was going on to Lula and me.

"I just got off the phone with one of our lawyers. They have successfully acquired a piece of land in Boston that we have had our eye on for at least 2 years. We never really needed it because the Boston office was large enough for our purposes, but now that we need a new office, we jumped at the opportunity to buy that land.

"They have also finally managed to buy the warehouse in Trenton in the adjacent lot to the remains of the current RangeMan building. As a result, we will need some plans drawn up as soon as possible. Now Ron, I know that Ranger offered you the job in Trenton, but would you still consider taking the job if we added a second building to the mix?"

I looked at Tank and asked, "How quickly do you need these plans? I would need lot dimensions, building regulations, RangeMan requirements and a lot of other information before I'd even be able to give you a preliminary set of drawings. With Ranger out of commission, I'd be afraid of doing something wrong."

Tank smiled and said, "The Boston offices would be needed first as the lot is completely bare. The Trenton office can wait because they have to clear the site before any building work could commence. We're looking at a minimum of 6 months before we could start in Trenton. The Boston office can be pretty much a replica of what they used to have downtown, with more space and larger rooms. Ranger actually has some basic drawings back in Trenton about what he wanted for the Boston office."

I thought for a few minutes and said, "I will accept the job with both buildings. It will be good experience for me. However, I do not want to move forward without Ranger's OK. I will come up with structural plans and drawings, but I want him to sign off on them before we start any actual construction work."

Tank nodded and said, "I'm sure we can do that. The lawyers have already submitted a 10-story office/residential building request for the Boston site. They don't foresee any problems since the land was already allocated for that purpose. Trenton may take a little longer because Ranger wants something completely different there."

I could work with that. A 10-story building that was part offices and part apartments. This would be great experience if I ever wanted to start my own company. I looked over at Lula and then at Tank and asked, "Would it be much of an imposition if the two of you watched the kids in the morning when they go over and visit Stephanie and Ranger? I'd like to take that time and go and buy a few supplies."

Tank grinned and said, "Actually, we were hoping you'd say 'Yes' so we've already gone and bought you a few things. Since this is for RangeMan, we also have a corporate card for you. If you need additional computer equipment or software, please use this credit card." Tank handed me a RangeMan card and pointed to a few bags and boxes hiding behind the chair in the corner.

I walked over and found a brand new dual-monitor large screened laptop. It was pretty much top of the line and must have cost over $5000. There was a large printer that could print architectural plans, a roll of paper, pencils, paper and a drafting table and chair that needed to be assembled. I turned and looked at Tank and said, "Wow, I can definitely make a good start with this stuff. My only question is how to get it all to Trenton."

Tank laughed and said, "Don't worry about that. We'll figure out a way."

I smiled and then asked, "Would it be OK if I discussed some of my ideas with Stephanie? I know Ranger relies on her for her keen eye and I'm sure it will be the same for these buildings."

Tank's expression turned a bit more serious and he said, "Actually, I think that would be a great idea. Stephanie is not one to gladly sit idle. With her leg, she can't work her normal job, so I'm sure she'd appreciate it if you involved her in this project."

I had a thought and asked, "How soon could I get the plans from Ranger?"

Tank laughed and said, "They're on their way here now. You should have them tomorrow morning. If you want to review them in peace, we can keep your kids entertained."

"Thanks guys, I might take you up on that tomorrow. I would like to go talk to Stephanie and find out about Ranger, but after morning visiting hours, I'll let you and Lula take the kids so I can get some work done."

When the plans for the following day were settled, Tank, Lula and I discussed watching a film. After flipping through the options on the hotel television, we decided against it. We watched a documentary about castles in Europe and then I headed to bed. The accommodations here weren't as comfortable as the previous hotel, but we did have 3 adjoining rooms. We were watching TV in Tank's room while the girls shared a room with Lula and I shared with Diego. It was a tight fit, but everyone seemed happy enough. I excused myself and said goodnight and headed in to find Diego passed out sideways on our bed. I straightened him up, brushed my teeth and crawled in beside him.

Lula's POV

I was thinking about the destroyed RangeMan building and Steph and my apartment. Ella has confirmed that she was able to rescue some of our clothes, but not much else. This is the first time that I was grateful that I didn't have a lot of personal belongings. You know what I mean, picture albums, keepsakes and the like? I've never had much of that. My mother didn't take many photos and there isn't much about my childhood that warranted reminding. I must have sighed or something because Tank moved over and sat beside me on the couch and asked, "What's wrong Lula?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing really. I was just thinking. I also wonder about the new RangeMan building and all of the possibilities."

Tank grinned and said, "I can guarantee you right now that under no circumstances would Ranger allow a slide or a fireman's pole."

I laughed and said, "Actually, I was trying to think of something a bit more practical. So far I haven't come up with anything exciting, but don't worry, I'll keep my thinking cap on."

Tank smiled and got all serious before saying, "You know what Lula, I don't think we've had the opportunity to be alone together in quite some time."

"I know. I was really hoping that we'd get a chance to spend some time together in Miami, but then all this happened. I'm sad that we missed our chance, but I am glad that I can be here to help Steph and Ranger. And Ron and the kids."

"That's funny. I was hoping the same thing about Miami. I wanted to go for a walk on the beach in my bare feet. The sand there is a lot smoother than what we get at Point Pleasant. Maybe once this is all over, we can go back and you can properly experience Miami."

"I'd like that Tank, but I think we need to survive a few dates first. I know our previous attempt at dating was a bit of a fiasco and I will take the blame there. I was just so surprised that you wanted to be with me, an ex-ho, that I sort of lost the plot."

Tank put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me closer to him. He smiled down at me and said, "I think I should take some of the blame there too Lula. I was afraid. In fact, I still am, but I'm better able to handle it now I think. I've seen how happy Ranger and Bomber are and I've come to realise that happiness is possible for guys like us."

I frowned and said, "Why didn't you think it was possible for you to be happy?"

Tank sighed and said, "In case you haven't noticed, communication for us is rather limited. We needed to be succinct at communication when we were in the army and then the Rangers. As a result, a lot of us learned to communicate with one or two words or even none at all. Now that we're no longer in the army, some of us have a hard time fitting in, in the real world.

"I was also afraid to let somebody in, emotionally. Attachments can prove disastrous in the army, so dating was kind of like using a bunch of unused muscles. It was very difficult."

I smiled at Tank and said, "Well, now that we know the problems, we can work together to get over them. I am now an ex-bounty hunger's assistant and you were pretty good at expressing yourself just now. I'm sure you'll get better over time."

Tank grinned and said, "Well, I think there will be plenty of time to practise. Things will be really hectic and we'll all be busy until we get RangeMan back to full strength, but we'll find some time to go on dates and get to know each other better."

I smiled and said, "At least we don't have to worry about weekly family dinners with our families. We're both technically orphans, and if some of the stories about dinners with Steph's family are true, I've never been more happy about that."

Tank laughed and said, "I know what you mean. I've actually been to Steph's for dinner a couple of times and it was very uncomfortable to say the least. Steph's Granny is a little loony, but at least she's fun. Steph's mother is such a bore, and it's like her father isn't even present. If you didn't hear his cutlery scrape against the plate, you'd never know he was there."

Tank and I stayed up late and talked. In the end, instead of going in and possibly waking up the girls, I just slept on the Sofa in Tank's room. It pulled out and it was in a separate room than the bed, so it wasn't really like we were sharing a room. Tank did however, give me one hell of a goodnight kiss that had me wishing that there were no kids in the rooms next door.

When I finally crawled into bed that night, I realised something for the first time in years. I was happy. I was genuinely happy. I had a new job that was more of a career. I had a potential boyfriend and I was seeing the world. Well, a corner of it at least. I was also helping friends and meeting new people. I probably even drifted off to sleep with huge smile on my face.

Let me know what you think. Next chapter will go up in the next few days.