This story is going to be on the more serious side and a bit AU. Janet E. owns all of the characters you recognize – I am only borrowing them and the story line is mine alone. However, if she ever wanted to give them up…..but I digress. I want to send a very big thank you out to Susan for proofing this and agreeing to stick with me while I attempt to write my first full length story. I won't be able to post more than weekly. Any mistakes will belong completely to me. Thank you for reading!

AN: Italics represent thoughts of characters.

Chapter 1

Stephanie's POV

The flash of lightning in the distance combined with the increasing gusts of wind signaled that the weather forecaster actually got it right for once. The wind brought forth the distinctive smell of rain as it made Stephanie's brown curls dance across her face and tickle her nose.

Of all the times to be on surveillance without the benefit of being in a car she thought. She sighed deeply, closing her eyes for a moment as she leaned her head back against the tree in which she was perched. The autumn leaves rustled busily in the wind, covering her soft sounds. She had painstakingly climbed up about twenty feet into the canopy of the old oak tree right after dusk, navigating the low branches with ease. How do I get myself into these situations, she pondered, then paused and sighed again as she realized that her answer was tied to invisible strings that directly led to her heart, and were currently tugging on it without any mercy.

She took a moment to review the events that led to her sitting in a very big, very tall oak tree that appeared to be in the direct path of a very big, very nasty thunder storm. Things had slowed down considerably in the bonds office over the last couple of months. This meant that income for her also slowed down considerably. In fact, as of the beginning of the week, Stephanie had once again started evaluating what nonessential items in her apartment could be sold so that she would have enough money to meet her rent for the month. Talk about déjà vu. She and Joe Morelli were trying unsuccessfully to be in another 'on' phase of a relationship, but after their last very public argument she just didn't feel comfortable asking to move in with him again. Her gut instinct, also known as her spidey sense, told her that wouldn't be an option since she didn't see them making up after that. Not going to dwell on that right now…..it's not like I have many options at the moment. Again, this triggered another deep sigh from her.

Yesterday, she received an out-of-the-blue phone call from Ranger, asking for her help with this stake out. She hadn't heard from him in about four weeks and was missing him. He dangled a paycheck of ten grand for her help, so how could she turn it down? Get real, Stephanie. It's not the paycheck, it's the man you would do anything for. Ranger had assured her that he would be near, monitoring a two story building from the ground level while she would be perched in a tree, monitoring the second story via a wall of windows. She was told there was rumored to be a covert meeting between two subjects of interest that Ranger's company Rangeman held the apprehension papers for. Steph jumped at the opportunity, which led her to where she was right now.

Focus Steph. Daylight had faded to darkness, with the dark clouds that were moving closer and closer casting a glow from the reflected lights of Trenton. She pulled down her night vision goggles that where perched on her head and looked around through them. No movement…wait. No…just a stray dog. Jeez, get it together. At this point a huge flash of lightning snaked its way across sky, lighting up the night. Steph, temporarily blinded by bright flash of lightning while wearing the night vision goggles, startled and lost her balance. Before she could even scream for help, she found herself dangling upside down from one of the tree branches. Taking a quick survey of the situation, she realized she was held in place by a branch that had speared through the lower thigh of her black cargo pants and now had her dangling like a brunette piñata about fifteen feet above a privacy fence that surrounded the building under watch. And of course it would just have to be the fencing that had the freakin' pointy topped spikes….doesn't this just suck…well at least it hasn't started raining.

At the exact moment those thoughts skated through Stephanie's mind, the wind picked up even more and the storm clouds began dumping heavy rain down. Well fuck my life. Let's see, death by drowning or by impalement. Or maybe a broken neck…or hey! How about choose all that apply. She couldn't help it, she snorted and started to chuckle at the ridiculousness of the situation.

Maybe it was the blood that was pooling in her head, but as Stephanie swayed in the wind while being pelted with the pouring rain, she couldn't keep her mind from drifting to the one person that she needed at the moment. Ranger. Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Even in the precarious position she was in, his mental picture brought forth a cascade of emotions that she tried to keep locked away. Ranger was her best friend and had been her lover on a few occasions. The problem was that Stephanie was an all or nothing kind of woman and Ranger….well…..his words indicated he was not interested in being that kind of man. Ranger kept any thoughts and feelings locked down tight, showing the world and Stephanie his blank face. Oh how I wish I could read his mind like he can read mine. Even though Ranger's words told her he was not interested in more than sharing her bed, his actions contraindicated this on so many occasions. However, just when Steph was convinced there was more going on between them, Ranger would disappear from her life for weeks and even months, then just reappear again. And that is why I am so damned confused all the time. I hate that he keeps me in such a state. I hate that I have all of these….feelings….. for him instead of Joe, but he doesn't have them for me. And I REALLY hate that I am stuck in a stupid tree hanging upside down in the stupid rain and this is what I am thinking about.

Just then her pants ripped a little, causing her to drop down a couple of inches. "GAAAHHH!" Shit. I hope I didn't give our position away. "Ranger! Pssssst! Ranger! A moment please….now!" she loud-whispered into her communication unit.

About 30 seconds later, a huge black shape emerged from behind one of the outbuildings to her immediate right. It took feeling the sensation of tingles racing up her neck for Steph to recognize that the tall muscular frame dressed all in black striding quietly toward her position was the one man that she could always count on to save the day in spite of whatever mess she found herself in. As Ranger made his way over to the huge oak, he slowly raised his head until he made eye contact with a very upside down Stephanie.

"Babe. I think we might need to call it a night from where I'm standing." He put his hands on his hips and slowly assessed the situation that Stephanie was in, then shook his head.

Stephanie rolled her eyes and just managed not to put her hands on her hips. Look at him. He shook his head at me….way to go Plum, disappointing him again. "You think? After all, I am getting a little tired of just hanging and chilling here…." she huffed out defensively, wiping the rain away from her mouth and nose. This time she couldn't help it and crossed both arms over her chest as she dangled upside down, giving him her best death ray glare in spite of still wearing her night vision goggles.

Ranger tipped one side of his mouth up as he took her in. "Tone down the glare, Killer. I'll get you down." He reached into the side pocket on his cargo pants and pulled out his phone, texting for assistance. "Tank and Lester will be here in about 5 minutes. I don't want to try to move you by myself and have you fall."

How does he freaking do that!? It is SO not fair he can read my mind, yet he is a blank page to me. Realizing what Ranger just said, the mortification of having two of her friends see her in yet another ridiculous predicament set in. "I really don't need to be the butt of any more jokes right now. Is there any way you can at least pull me upright until they get here? This branch is really digging into my leg."

Ranger thought about it for a minute while looking at a very soaked to the bone Stephanie. "Okay. Let me see if I can get up there on the branch above you and then get you at least upright." The rain continued to beat down in sheets while the wind blustered around them. Lightning continued to lace the sky, followed by loud claps of thunder. He started up the old oak tree toward her, gingerly testing how well the rain slicked branches supported his weight before slowly moving up to the next one, making his way towards Stephanie.

-TBC-