A/N: So it's been a while since I really wrote anything. This idea struck me when I read Court's challenge last week but I couldn't do anything about it at the time. It's kind of crappy but this idea wouldn't shake me and I need to start writing to entice the muse back. And since TBC is the safest place in the Plum World, I've decided to post it here warts and all. So let me know what you guys think, okay?

Her Eyes Met Mine Challenge

By

MiamiBabe

I walked down the hallway towards the room I'd come to hate. It was going on two weeks since Stephanie camped herself in Ranger's hospital room and it didn't look like she was going to leave any time soon.

I knew that her family and even Ranger's men had tried to convince her to go home and get some rest, but she'd stood her ground and told them she wasn't budging until Ranger woke up.

I hadn't said anything up until now because I begrudgingly accepted the fact that Ranger was a good friend to Stephanie and he'd sacrificed himself to save her and Julie. But enough was enough. She needed to come home. I missed her and the longer she stayed at the hospital the more distance I felt creep between us.

I reached Ranger's room, I nodded at one of his goons guarding the door and was ready to go in, but when I looked into the glass observation window, I froze.

I was mesmerized by the sight of Stephanie sitting next to Ranger's hospital bed gently stroking his hair with one hand and holding tight onto the other. She was leaning forward with her forehead against his left temple and whispering into his ear. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but her body language told me all I needed to know.

No!!!! I can't lose her, not when she finally admitted she loved me. That's supposed to be me that she's caressing and whispering lovingly too.

I wasn't going to let this happen. I knocked before opening the door but she didn't move or let go of Ranger's hand. She didn't even look up.

I needed to get my shit together so I tried to put on my cop face but when I heard my voice crack, I realized I wasn't as in control as I thought. "Hey Cupcake…how are you doing today?"

"Hey Joe," she sighed, "I'm fine."

I knew she was lying, but I didn't have the heart to call her on it…yet. "How about him?" I asked as I tipped my head towards Ranger. Not that she'd noticed.

"The same... No progress." She wearily replied, "The doctors don't understand why he hasn't woken up yet. At first they weren't too worried, saying it happened sometimes when a body went through a lot of trauma. Sort of like a defense mechanism, but now they clam up when I ask them anything. He should have come out of it by now."

I could hear the worry in her voice and it broke my heart. But in the same instance I wondered if she would be this torn up if it was me in that bed? Fuck I'm an asshole!

"I can tell they're starting to give up, but I'm not going to let them." Her voice was filled with a quiet determination he had never heard before.

I didn't want to hear about him anymore. I just wanted to comfort her and take her away from all of this, so I ignored her comment and gently teased her in hopes that she'd leave the room, even if only for a little while.

"Cupcake I don't want to be rude, but you look like shit," I said without any heat and a hint of a smile to let her know I was teasing her.

She nodded her head in agreement and shrugged to let me know she didn't care.

"Why don't you let me take you home Steph? You can take one of your long hot showers and do your whole bath routine, put something comfortable on and after that you can try and get some rest."

She stubbornly shook her head. "I'm fine. I get plenty of rest here."

I gently chided her, "Real rest Steph. Look at you. You haven't slept right in weeks. The circles under your eyes could give a raccoon a run for its money and it looks like you haven't eaten in days."

"I can't leave Joe. I have to be here."

"You can't or you won't?" My tone was harsher than I had wanted it to be.

She hadn't looked up at me once during our whole conversation, but now she looked up and her eyes met mine. And everything in that moment changed.

The harshness of his voice caused something to snap in her and it broke the little control she had left. For days now, she had been holding on by a thread. But she had hit her limit, she couldn't hold the pain in anymore and with tears streaming down her face she whispered, "I can't. I need to be here when he wakes up."

In a moment of pure jealousy, I lost my temper. "Well Stephanie, I don't understand that reasoning. I know he's your friend and that he's always been there for you, but he's got enough people to watch over him. When am I going to get my girlfriend back?"

I mentally cringed as the words came out. Shit. I knew better than to lay out ultimatums to her. It was like waving a red cape in front of a bull.

I began to apologize, "I'm sorr…" but she put her hand up and stopped me.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she softly said, "I know this hasn't been fair to you Joe and you've been great…really, but I'm not leaving here until he wakes up. I need to be here when he wakes up."

I heard the desperate plea she was sending me to understand, but the asshole in me wouldn't listen. I was lonely and frustrated and instead of giving her some room, I barked out, "That's bullshit Stephanie. You need to be home with me." Fuck. I'm such a prick. This isn't the way I wanted this conversation to go.

Get a hold of yourself Morelli or you're going to blow it. I took a deep breath and said, "Look Cupcake. I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated. I've waited three long years to hear you say you love me and now I feel like I'm losing you."

She looked up at him surprised. He was letting her see his vulnerability. Joe kept his emotions and feelings pretty close to the vest. It wasn't that he hadn't told her he loved her because frankly he was able to verbalize his feelings way better than she was, but candor and vulnerability weren't usually his style.

In that moment she knew what she needed to do. She'd been thinking about it for the past two weeks, but she didn't have the energy or desire to go twelve rounds with Joe so she'd put it off. But it was time now. She had to stop the vicious cycle they were trapped in. She had to be honest and true to her feelings. She couldn't keep playing a game that she knew wouldn't end well.

I had lowered my face and was staring at my feet with my hands rammed into my pockets. I was trying to regain control of my emotions and I didn't want her to see how much this conversation was affecting me.

"Joe, look at me please?"

I raised my head and looked into her watery eyes. "Yeah?"

She swallowed hard as she tried to push down the lump in her throat. While she gathered the courage to say what she needed to tell him.

I watched her and patiently waited while she seemed to struggle with herself.

"You know what's so ironic about this whole fucked up situation?" She asked abruptly.

I knew she didn't expect a response, so I waited for her to continue.

"Scrog was able to accomplish the impossible…he yanked me out of denial and has made me face my life head on."

"What exactly does that mean?" I asked knowing that I wasn't going to like her response. I could see it in her eyes.

"That I love you Joe. I think I've loved you off and on since I can remember. You're a part of me. We get each other, and I honestly can't imagine my life without you."

My heart leapt in my chest. I was wrong. She wasn't going to break up with me. Relief began to seep through my body. She was finally ready for a real relationship. A grin began to creep onto my face until she started speaking again. Tears were rolling down her face and her voice cracked. "But you see, what I've come to realize is that if I have to I'll survive without you."

My stomach clenched as if I'd been punched in the gut. Deep down I knew this was coming to a head. I'd hoped that the Scrog fiasco would make her grow up and see what was important. I guess what they say is true, 'Be careful for what you wish for…'

I must be a glutton for punishment because I pushed her. "What are you trying to say Steph?"

She looked at me with regret in her eyes. "I know this isn't fair, but no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I fell in love with him. I need him like I need the air I breathe … I can't live without him." Her crying had turned to sobbing. "I'm so sorry Joe that I didn't realize this sooner," her breathing became ragged from her tears. "I…I didn't mean to lead you on or waste your time. I really thought we had a chance for a good future but I can't lie to you or myself anymore. You deserve better than that. You deserve to have someone love you unconditionally but that someone just isn't me."

My pride was kicking into gear and right as I was going to let her know how fucked up this situation was, she gasped.

"What's wrong?"

"He squeezed my hand." She stroked his hair and whispered in his ear, Ranger, can you hear me? Please say something. Please come back to me."

He cracked his eyes open said the one word that meant everything to him, "Babe?"

So what do you think?