Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.E.

This is a song-fic with the song Eternal Flame by the Bangles

Chapter 12: Eternal Flame

Ranger's POV:

I watch as Babe makes her way down the stairs towards where I am standing with our two children. Our 4 year old daughter Caitlyn and our 2 year old son Alejandro. We are celebrating our 5th anniversary tonight. As I watch her draw close I am once again struck by her beauty. I remember the first time I saw her when she walked into that diner. I was there to meet her because Connie had called in a favor. Little did I know that I would owe Connie dearly for introducing me to my beautiful Babe.

Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling
Do you feel my heart beating, do you understand?
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming?
Is this burning an eternal flame?

I didn't want to admit what happened to me that day. I fell in love. Completely and irrevocably. I started to change that day. No longer was I just a shell. On that day, I felt something come to life. That day Babe started my heart beating.

I believe it's meant to be, darling
I watch when you are sleeping, you belong to me
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame?

I watched over her from that day on. I helped her catch skips, loaned her cars, gave her a job when she needed it, and protected her when she needed it. When I finally reached the point when I had to have her or go crazy, I talked her into a crazy deal. I was desperate. I wanted her more than I wanted my next breath. What I hadn't counted on was that having her once would only make me want her that much more. I continued to live my life the way I wanted, not giving a thought to what it was doing to her. I remember that last time before the final mission. She poured everything into our lovemaking that night. Then when I got back from the mission and saw the letter. Then knowing she had been gone for three months and learning one of the enemies from my past had her. I would stop at nothing to get her back. I went after her and took my revenge on those that took her. Never again would one of my enemies use her to get to me. I showed them all what they would look forward to if they thought they could use her to get to me.

Say my name, sun shines through the rain
A whole life so lonely, and then you come and ease the pain
I don't want to lose this feeling

I convinced her I wanted her forever as my wife. We had a beautiful wedding in Vegas and then went to Hawaii for a month on honeymoon. When we returned to Trenton, Babe quit the bonds office and came to work for Rangeman full time. When we found out she was pregnant I was thrilled, even though she was scared to death. I promised her we would do this together, that I would be with her every step of the way.

Say my name, sun shines through the rain
A whole life so lonely, and then you come and ease the pain
I don't want to lose this feeling

When Morelli returned I agreed to go with her but let her handle telling him the news. I knew by the look on his face that he'd come to realize his mistakes and he wanted another chance. I think she knew that's how it would go and she wanted to let him down as easy as possible. My Babe was beautiful inside as well as out. Her compassion for Morelli was a case in point. I saw the pain in his eyes when he looked at us but I couldn't feel sorry. I was glad I was the one with Babe's heart. Without her I had no doubt that my heart would no longer beat. She was the flame that kept my life going.

Close your eyes and give me your hand
Do you feel my heart beating, do you understand?
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame?

I watch her as she reaches the bottom of the stairs and our eyes lock. She walks towards me with a radiant smile on her face. She holds out her hand and I take hold of it and carry her hand to my lips. I speak softly so only she can hear, "I love you Babe."

Is this burning an eternal flame?

Her smile gets even bigger if that's possible, "I love you too Ranger."

An eternal flame?

I will never get tired of the life I am living now. I no longer need the soldiers life I was living. I have enough to keep me busy safeguarding Babe and my family. We are two halves of the same whole. I never knew I could feel this much.

(Close your eyes and give me your hand
Do you feel my heart beating, do you understand?
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame?)

She is the flame that I guard with my life. Without her there would be no meaning to my life. No flame to keep me going. She reaches out and places a hand on Caitlyn and Alejandro. Her eyes snare my gaze and I look into the flame in her eyes that lights a matching flame inside me. We have come a long way from that day in the diner. I have changed from being a shell of a man that lived only for the missions and my business to being a man who lives for the love of my Babe and our children. The flame is eternal and shall never fade or go out. I am so much more than I ever was without her. Her flame feeds my soul.

And they lived happily ever after.

The End

Thank you all for joining me on this incredible ride. I hope that you have enjoyed yourselves as much as I've enjoyed writing the story.