Disclaimer: Anything familiar belongs to JE and the creators of Criminal Minds.

Warning: Adult language, adult situations

The Night That Changed Everything

Chapter 1: August 20th, 0500-0600

Joe's POV

Bang Bang Bang Bang

What the fuck is that noise? I roll over to look at my Cupcake, who is sleeping next to me. I hear the banging continuing. She wakes up.

"Joe, who's at the door?" She asks, her voice sexy in her sleep.

"I don't know. I'm going to find out. Stay in here." I tell her, not wanting her to get hurt.

I jump out of bed, grab my gun off the nightstand and head down to the front door. Good thing I already had my sweatpants on; it was on less thing I had to search for before getting the door. I look out the peek hole, cursing as I throw the door open.

"Manoso, Santos, what the fuck are you doing pounding on my door at five am?" I ask, showing my irritation.

"I need to speak with Stephanie, now," Ranger answered.

"Well, she's sleeping," I answer, about to toss in the fact that she's in my bed when I hear her voice calling from the bedroom.

"Joe, who is it? Is everything okay?"

"Babe." I hear Ranger respond.

Stephanie immediately comes flying down the stairs, wearing the sleep shorts and a black t-shirt that she always wears to bed. As I look at the t-shirt, it suddenly hits me that it's Ranger's t-shirt. Fuck.

"Ranger, what's wrong?" She immediately asks him, concern filling her face. I look at Manoso and observe that he's holding on by a thread, but seems to steady now that Stephanie is in the room.

"Can we talk in the kitchen, please," he asks.

"Of course." She answers, taking his hand and leading him through the swinging door into my kitchen. Now, I'm standing in the living room with Santos. Well, at least it isn't Tank. I may get some information from Santos.

"Santos, what's going on? What is so urgent that he has to speak to Stephanie now?"

Santos looks like he's battling with himself, what he should say and how much he should say. Finally, he sighs and tells me.

"There's a problem in Miami, a personal one, not business related. Recently, there has been an increase in home invasions. Some are robberies, some are for destruction, and some to rape women. Miami-Dade PD believes it's a new gang initiation."

"So what's the problem? She can't search for information from Trenton during business hours?" I ask impatiently.

Lester stares me, his lookat telling me I should shut up. "Last night, a gang broke into the Martine residence. The two younger children, a boy aged 8 and girl aged 11, was killed first, knife across the throat. Their father, Ron was hit over the head with a blunt object and knocked out. He was tied to a chair and forced to watch these animals gang-rape his wife, Rachel, and his 14-year-old adopted daughter, Julie. After they finished violating Rachel and Julie, they shot Rachel in the head, then Ron. They shot Julie in her abdomen, but, fortunately, it missed all vital organs. Julie is Ranger's daughter. She went to be last night as an innocent girl with a mother, father, and two siblings, only to wake up from surgery an abused, shot, orphan. Ranger needs to go down to Miami to be there for Julie, to try and gain guardianship of his flesh and blood, and he needs a woman to help him relate to her, at least initially. Stephanie and Julie have a bond, they e-mail regularly and have since Scrog."

Holy Mary, Mother of God! I instantly felt bad for Ranger. How couldn't I? I've seen how rape affects teenagers, and I've been a cop long enough to know that Julie is going to have a long road to recovery. I couldn't imagine how I would feel if monsters raped my daughter.

"Shit. Is there anything I can do?" I ask Lester.

"Don't give Stephanie a hard time about her going with Ranger. He needs her, or Julie will be without her biological father as well."

"I have no problems with Stephanie going to Miami to help Julie, but Manoso better remember that she's my girlfriend."

A moment later, the kitchen door swings open, and Ranger and Stephanie emerge. "Let me go upstairs and change. I need to pack a few things. Can we stop by my apartment?"

"Yeah, Babe, we can. The plane with my brother won't arrive for another ninety minutes. Please don't take too long. If you forget anything, I'll buy it for you in Miami." Ranger told her.

She smiled at him, then ran upstairs. I heard the bedroom door open and within thirty seconds, the bathroom door open and close. When I heard her turn the shower on, I turned to Manoso.

"Don't think that because I'm letting her go with you that I'm giving her up. She's still my girlfriend."

"Morelli, I'm warning you, do not, I repeat, DO NOT go there. I know what you did to Stephanie when you were eight and again when you were eighteen. I know you raped her, though frequent trips into Denial Land won't allow her to admit that fact. You are no better than those bastards who took it upon themselves to destroy my little girl. I will not force myself on Stephanie, that's not my style, but I am an opportunist. She may be your girlfriend right now, but she was wearing my shirt, in your bed. Did you wake up with her in your arms? Was she lying on top of you, make your morning wood even harder than usual? Or were you sleeping back to back, on opposite sides?"

Shit. Manoso had me there, but I can't back down. "What does it matter what Steph's wearing? She was in my bed, in my house."

"You didn't answer my questions, Morelli," Ranger stated, somehow containing his anger.

"We woke up like we always do, lying next to each other."

"When Stephanie and I share a bed, I wake up to find her on top me, or I have her wrapped in my arms. She doesn't wear boxers with my t-shirt when she sleeps in my bed. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to monopolize on her pre-coffee fog, but she has Burg guilt. If she were my woman, I wouldn't be willing to let her go to another state with another man who wasn't her father, brother, or grandfather, for ANY REASON. You're willing to let her go. Tell me, who's going to be in your bed tonight? Terry? Joyce? Gina? Connie? Robin?"

I feel the blood leaving my head. How the fuck does Manoso know about my side activities? Did he tell Stephanie?

Ranger smirks before continuing, "Yeah, Morelli, I know all about your side-pieces. Don't worry; I won't tell Stephanie. I would never hurt her like that. But, if she ever asked me directly, I'd tell her in a heartbeat. While she's with me in Miami, think about what you want. I don't think that it's Stephanie. When you make up your mind, put her out of her misery and allow her to be free to be with a man who loves her for who she is, who doesn't want to change her. That man may not be me, but that's for her to decide."

Santos suddenly clears his throat, and I see why immediately. Stephanie is on her way downstairs with a small duffle bag.

"Joe, I hope you don't mind I'm borrowing your bag. I didn't want to throw my stuff in the laundry basket. I think I have all my clothes and toiletries. If I missed anything, I'm sorry. Thank you for letting me to help Julie."

I walk over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist. "I'll be waiting for you to return. I love you, Cupcake." I tell her before kissing her.

"Me too. I'll call you either later on today or tomorrow. Bye, Joe."

Santos took her bag and left ahead of Ranger and Steph, giving me a nod. Ranger held out his hand to her, "Babe?"

She took his hand, following him out the door to his Cayenne. Why do I feel like the kiss we shared will be our last? I shake my head, deciding to consider everything Ranger told me, to decide if Stephanie is the woman with whom I want to spend the rest of my life.

TNTCE

A/N: Thank you for reading my story, The Night That Changed Everything. This is a Criminal Minds/Stephanie Plum crossover. It is also part one of a 2 to 3 part story. I hope you enjoy reading this story of Stephanie's evolution into a stronger woman. It is full of angst, and also deals with sexual assault. I do describe the assault with some detail, and I have marked off that part for those who would rather not read about it. I do read your reviews, even long after this story is complete, so please continue to review, even if only at the end. Your review fuel my muse to continue writing this wonderful fandom.

Huge thanks to my fabulous beta Susan who catches my mistakes, keeps me on point and allows my story to be the best it could be. Another shout out to HermoineIncarnate who is a fabulous sounding board when I need an additional perspective. You rock, Babes.