Okay, so who missed me? I certainly missed all of you and your great reviews! I have had some real issues with my muse. My entire writing muse went out the window and I almost couldn't write a final paper! (Thank God that came back in time) Unfortunately, my fan fiction muse is not completely back yet, so bear with me. I may be good and have chapters out relatively quickly or they may be few and far between. I keep getting busy or have a really good idea and can't get it down or (my personal demon) I start with a great story and run head on into a wall with it and start to second guess myself. So please continue the wonderful support and I'll try to be a good updater.

Not mine, but I wish that Ranger was...and did you see who they picked for the movie? I didn't picture that guy at all.

All mistakes are mine.

"Hello?" I asked groggily into the phone. Currently, it was two thirty in the morning and I was dreaming about cake. Whoever's calling is dead. I love dreaming about cake. Joe moaned and rolled over, facing away from me, trying to get back to sleep.

"Stephanie, this is Hal from the control room at RangeMan."

"What's up?" I said, leaning on my left elbow and tucking a curl behind my ear and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I figured this was the safest considering that Joe wouldn't be happy to hear me ask about Ranger at two thirty in the morning while we were still in bed. The less he hears, the better.

Hal paused. "Look, I'm not supposed to be telling you this…"

"Just spit it out Hal, it's early."

"Ranger went to the hospital..."

I sat up straight. "What? Is everything okay?"

Joe rolled back over and looked at me, confusion written all over his face.

"He's fine, but he drove over there like a bat out of hell."

That could mean anyone. Family, friend…girlfriend.

I didn't think about the last one. Ranger technically didn't do relationships. That and the thoughts were too hard to bear. Even though we were never a couple, I still considered him mine in some way.

"Why call me?" I asked, trying to keep the anger out of my voice.

"Because he needs you."

"If that were true…" I stopped. There was no easy way to say this. Joe would know the truth. "If it were true, he would've called me himself."

Joe sat up this time, his face darkening. I could tell that Joe knew exactly who the he I was talking about.

"He's too proud to call you. He's acting like an ass." I was shocked that Hal would say 'ass'. "Tank's words, not mine." I could feel him blushing through the phone now.

Okay, that made a little more sense. I could see Tank calling Ranger an ass. Tank could kick Ranger's ass.

I thought about it for a moment and realized he was right. Ranger was too proud and acting like an ass. He should've at least taken Tank with him. He was in no state to drive or be alone.

Which was why Hal was calling me. I guess I was the only other person besides Tank who could knock some sense into his head.

"What hospital?" I whispered.

"University Hospital in Newark. Do you need directions?"

"No, I know where it is." I hung up and went to take a shower.

By the time I got out, Joe was pacing.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked.

"For a drive."

"You're driving to him."

I sighed and didn't answer. It was true. No need to add fuel to the fire.

"Answer me!"

"Why should I when you already have the answer!" I yelled. "Yes, I'm going to Ranger. He needs me so I'm going."

I could see Joe's face redden a little more.

"So what, you're screwing him too?"

I rolled my eyes. "God Joe, believe it or not, I can have guy friends. Besides there's not a whole lot of privacy at the hospital. I don't see us screwing there."

"Someone put him in there?" He actually looked a little…happy about that. I felt my blood pressure rising.

"No, someone close to him is sick."

He laughed. "God Stephanie, how can you be so stupid! Did it ever occur to you that it could be a girlfriend? That he's been stringing you along trying to get you to leave me? Can't you see that he's only in it for the chase?"

Yes, but I was living in denial at that moment. If it was a girlfriend, I'd turn around and leave. My pride would be a little hurt, but I'd get over it. Eventually. "I'm not a cheap prize you win at the carnival, Joe."

"You will be if you run to him."

I didn't answer him since I knew where this was going.

"You go to him, don't come back."

And there it was. The ultimatum that would make or break our relationship. I slowly turned to look at him.

"Are you sure you want to say that, Morelli?"

"I don't want him in your life anymore. If we're going to be together, you need to cut him out."

By this point, I was feeling numb. I grabbed my purse by the bedside table. "You know Joe, the only man who's made me feel like a cheap toy was you. Pack up my things and give them to Dillon. I don't want to see you again." And then I left.

As I was driving down the highway, I contemplated what I had just done. I gave up my one true chance at happiness. Joe was the sure thing and I broke up with him for what, a man that may want me for more than a fuck every once in a while? What if Joe was right and was only in it for the chase. If he knew that I had chosen him, he could get bored real fast and I wasn't sure I could handle that. I felt five again, jumping off the garage.

Except this time, I hoped that Ranger was there to catch me.

I loved Joe, I did, but it just wasn't enough anymore. I wanted the all consuming love. Love where your insides burn in passion when you think about them. Pretend to like his taste in music, let him eat the last Tastykake (if he actually ate them), hold a radio over my head outside his window love. The kind of love that comes with a condom now and maybe a ring later…

Way later.

Like when I'm eighty.

When I pulled into the parking lot, I sat there for a minute. How the hell was I supposed to find him? This was a huge hospital. Okay, let's consider the facts. He ran out of the building like he was on fire. Okay, that could mean the Emergency Room. Any other place would've been planned and he would have gone out calmly.

Unless it happened before it was planned and they were already there. Like someone went into labor.

Like his girlfriend.

I shook those thoughts from my head. Hal wouldn't have called me if it was his girlfriend. I'd think Tank would at least know that. I'll try the emergency room and go from there.

Holy crap this place was huge! It was way bigger on the inside. Damn deceptive hospitals. I got lost getting to the emergency room twice! When I found it, I went up to the nurse at the desk.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a patient with the last name Manoso?" At least I hoped the last name was Manoso. It could be a sister that got married.

"You family?" She asked, not even looking up at me.

"Yeah, I'm family."

This time she looked at me. "How?" She asked, confused. I figured she had seen Ranger and I didn't look anything like him, being white and all.

"Ummm…" I said, feeling flustered.

"She's married to my cousin." I heard a voice behind me. I turned and saw Lester. He winked. "Hey Beautiful."

I gave him a finger wave and smiled. "Fifth floor, cardio." The nurse said, sounding bored again.

"Thanks." I turned and looked at Lester. "What's up?"

"I'm surprised to see you here."

"Why?"

"Cause I know Ranger didn't call you."

"Hal did."

"Ah, Hal." He smiled as if he knew some inside joke.

"Is it serious?"

"We don't know yet." He smirked. "Get lost?"

"How did you…?"

"I saw you lap the building twice."

"And you didn't stop me?" I was getting mad.

"I needed a good lift in spirits and you did it. Thanks, Beautiful." He then turned serious. "Ranger's up there now, and I'm sure he's not going to be happy that you're here. Give him time and don't leave the waiting room. He'll come around."

"Why wouldn't he want me here?"

"He's not so blank-faced. His emotions are coming out and he doesn't want anyone to see them. I'm going back for my shift, but I'll be back as soon as I can."

I nodded and headed up to five. Taking a deep breath, I waited for the doors of the elevator to open.

Let me know what you think!

If anyone recognized it, the thing about love, I altered it from the original quote that Meredith said to Derek in season 2 of Grey's Anatomy.