Chapter 7 – Reunited

Ranger's POV

I came awake fighting wanting to make sure I protected Stephanie from attackers I couldn't see, my brain not completely on board just yet and my eyes wouldn't open but I heard several different voices. I remembered Brett grabbing her and knew that I had to get to her when I felt my limbs being held down by strong hands not allowing me to move. I tried to gather strength, tried to throw the hands off me but my body wouldn't cooperate.

"Captain Manoso, stand down!" Tank's drill Sargent voice stilled my body and forced my eyes open. My body was still on high alert trying to remember everything that happened but knowing that he was telling me to stand down allowed me to stop fighting. He and Bobby were standing on either side of my bed holding my arms and legs down as nurses and doctors stood back allowing the guys to get control of me.

"Stephanie?" I looked at my second in command needing an answer to that question before I could fully let my body fully relax.

"She's in another exam room with Hector and Lester standing guard. She's safe, now relax and let these people check you out." His voice was still firm as was his grip on my arms. "I promise, she's safe and in better shape than you." His voice got softer as my muscles relaxed at the news. He and Bobby let go of me and stepped back allowing the doctor and nurses to do their work. I tried to be patient with them but the delay in seeing Steph, in wrapping her up in my arms was making me unusually edgy.

The cut on my head needed a few stitches and not surprisingly I had a concussion. The doctors wanted to keep me overnight and as much as I wanted to protest Bobby and Tank wouldn't have it. I'd use the night to rest-up because I'd need my energy for the hell I was going to unleash on Brett, Matthews, and O'Leary in the coming days.

Bobby and the orderlies got me settled into a private room. My head was throbbing something fierce but I refused any strong pain medication until I could talk to my Babe. I knew that Tank would take care of posting guards outside my room but until I talked with Steph I wasn't going to allow myself any sleep.

"How is she really, Bobby?" I held his eyes wanting the full truth no matter how horrible.

Bobby gave me a smile. "She's terribly worried about you. She's got a mild concussion and a lot of bruising but overall she'll be fine. You stopped them before they were able to do any of the terrible things they wanted too." His jaw clenched letting me know that he understood fully the plans they had for my Babe. "She's holding together pretty well, there have been some tears but I don't think she'll let it fully hit her until she's with you and knows that you're going to be okay too."

"No one can kill them." I looked at Bobby and recognized my voice taking on one of it's harshest tones. "Anyone who wants a turn at them can have it, but they both need to stay in good enough shape to talk to me when I'm ready." While I knew the guys could easily work over Brett and Matthews making them talk, I wanted that job and would take immense pleasure in it. I also knew that the guys wanted to kill Brett as much as I did for what he did to Steph but that would have to wait.

Bobby nodded. "We worked them over pretty good just getting them into the van. I understand that Cal and Junior have been making sure they'll be pissing blood for a while too."

"They're going to be begging for death and I'll gladly oblige but not before I break them like they were planning to do to Steph. When this is over no one will ever think about touching her again." The thoughts came from my head as more of a growl than actual formed words but Bobby understood. I didn't like to kill and torture as a general rule, none of my men did, but in this case I could confidently say that all of us were looking forward to making sure everyone knew that messing with a certain blue-eyed girl from the Burg meant unleashing a whole new kind of fury from inside RangeMan.

Steph's POV

I knew my grip on Hector's hand was tighter than necessary but I was on edge. He didn't complain or try to make me loosen up but rather just ran his thumb across my knuckles gently passing on security I apparently needed. I could feel myself wanting to break down but was determined to stay strong. The lack of updates on Ranger wasn't helping my anxiety level, either. Seeing him, touching him was the only thing that was going to calm me. I had a ton of questions about the man working with Brett but until I saw Carlos none of it mattered.

The Merry Men were all settled into chairs around the waiting room, everyone was quiet but would smile or ask me if I needed anything from time-to-time. When I needed to use the restroom a bit ago, no less than 4 of them came along, clearing the room, and standing guard outside. Normally the overbearing shadows would piss me off but today I knew they were trying to cope with Brett's betrayal along with the harm that had come to Ranger and I and so I let it slide allowing myself to bask in the security and comfort of their love.

"Little Girl?" Tank's voice as he approached me broke me out of my thoughts. He looked relaxed but also concerned and I couldn't decide what that meant. He reached his large hand towards me. "Come on, I'll take you to his room. He's anxious to see you."

I took his hand and let out a deep sigh at the news. He turned to face Ranger's men and addressed them quickly. "Ranger needed a few stitches and has a concussion. He'll be spending the night, you'll be able to visit him in a while if you want to stay." The Merry Men nodded at him and despite their blank faces staying in place the tension in the room definitely eased.

My head was pounding and I wasn't very sure on my feet just yet causing me to stumble slightly as Tank started leading me out of the waiting room. Tank's reflexes were super fast as usual and he caught me before I fell. Wrapping a strong arm around my back, he anchored me to his body and led me to the elevator.

"Is he okay?" I looked up into Tank's dark eyes and was taken off guard by the depth of concern and compassion I found there.

He smiled but I could feel the edge of his anger just underneath the surface. "He'll be fine but he's not going to relax until he sees your beautiful eyes and knows that you're okay too."

I nodded and felt a tear slip down my cheek. "His head was bleeding so much and then that man hit him."

Tank's thumbs wiped my tears from my face before kissing my forehead. "Like I said, they gave him a few stitches and he has a concussion but he'll be fine. I know it was hard for you to watch him get hit but he's taken much worse than that. It was just as hard, probably harder for him to watch what Brett did and tried to do to you."

"I know. I think I understand his overprotective nature better now." It was true, watching Carlos get hurt gave me a new perspective on how he must feel about hearing me get into trouble with distractions or skips. This experience was going to have me taking my training seriously. The elevator doors opened just as Tank smiled at my answer.

We turned a corner in the hallway and my eyes were instantly drawn to Binkie and Zip standing guard, letting me know just where to go. I wanted to run but forced myself to stay calm, Tank's firm grip on my body probably helping to temper my enthusiasm. The guys nodded at me as Tank knocked and opened the door.

Stepping inside the room, I saw Bobby standing next to the bed but when my eyes landed on Ranger's handsome but bruised face I could feel all the emotion I'd been holding in wanting to break free. Ranger's eyes met mine and his arms opened inviting me to come to him. "Babe."

I ran to him, delighting in the feel of his arms instantly wrapping around me. The minute my head hit his chest the sobs broke free. He found the strength to lift me into bed and settled me against his body as I wept uncontrollably.

Ranger's POV

I lifted Steph needing to feel as much of her body against mine as possible. I knew we were both sore but I couldn't help myself and only hoped that I didn't hurt her anymore. She was letting loose these giant sobs and breaking my heart. Tank and Bobby both grimaced as they listened to her heartbreak.

"We'll be back in a little while. The guys are all going to want to say a few words before leaving the hospital." Bobby's voice was a whisper and I nodded as he and Tank left Steph and I alone.

My hands ran a path up and down her back as she made herself smaller against me, pulling her knees up and hiding her body inside my embrace. I kissed her forehead and did my best to just hold her and allow her to release all she was feeling. Her hands wrapped themselves around my shoulders and gripped tightly before she placed a gentle kiss on my neck.

"I love you, Carlos." My arms tightened around her reflexively. "You saved me."

"We saved each other. I couldn't have done it without you, Stephanie." That was the truth and I was determined to make her see it. "It was because of your fearlessness, your willingness to take on Brett that gave me the moment I needed to subdue them. Proud of you, Babe." She looked into my eyes and smiled wide despite the red and puffy eyes I knew that my words were reassuring her.

I wanted to apologize to her for allowing my life to impact her so harshly. This was one of my greatest fears come true but I meant what I told her this morning, I was a fool for trying to keep her out of my life and apologizing for something I couldn't control was only going to increase my foolishness. "I love you, Babe. We make a pretty good team, don't you think?"

She nodded and ran her fingers around the edges of the bruise on my face from Matthews. I took a quick second to take in her body. Her face and neck were sporting bruises from Brett as well as scratches that I'm assuming came from when the SUV exploded. "Are you in much pain?" Her voice was soft as her fingers continued to explore my bruises and stitches.

"My head is throbbing but otherwise no." I touched the hand-shaped bruises on her neck. "I'll take something in a little while so that I can rest. You?"

"Sore but nothing terrible." She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth before looking me in the eye with determination. "I'm staying here with you tonight."

"Of course you are." I smiled at her. I could tell was bracing for me to fight her or send her away with the core team but that was the furthest thought from my mind today. "I want you next to me every night for the rest of my life Steph." Her face lit up at my words and despite the trauma and bruises of the day her beauty took my breath away.

"Good, because I plan on being next to you for the rest of mine." She giggled from pure joy and I found that to be the best possible healing balm for the tortured thoughts in my mind.

"Does that mean you'll move in with me? Make seven our home?" The timing was off for this discussion but the opportunist in me was going to take advantage of it.

"As soon as possible." Her answer had barely left her lips when my lips crashed down on hers. I knew she and I for that matter would need to process today's events more but for now I just needed to soak her and her compassion and energy up, needed everything she was offering me so that I could do the ugly things I needed to do in the coming days. She opened her mouth for me and my tongue quickly swept inside, I started to move, wanting to lay her beneath me despite knowing this wasn't the right place or time.

My head throbbed instantly at the motion and her hands gripped my back in what I knew wasn't pleasure forcing me to lean back just a bit and look at her face and catch a brief wince pass over it. I chuckled slightly and rested forehead on hers before whispering, "Maybe should wait until we get our strength back."

She giggled and nodded but made no attempt to move out of bed instead just snuggled into me. We rested in silence for a few minutes our hands just touching one another I could tell she was in a bit of pain and my head was killing me letting me know we both needed a little something to take the edge off and some rest soon.

"Who was the man who hit you?" We obviously hadn't talked about our brief kidnapping yet and I knew she would have questions and while I had a few answers, the plan I was formulating to end this threat was just beginning.

"Jason Matthews, he works for Patrick O'Leary in Boston. The guys have him and Brett in custody at RangeMan. We'll work on a plan but not today." I chuckled at myself and realized I didn't want to admit to being in such pain but knew that it was silly and that I shouldn't try to hide from her. She thought of me as a superhero but she loved me for my humanity. "My head hurts Babe and I just can't think as clearly as I'd like."

She smiled and nodded leaning forward to kiss my bruised cheek. I had every intention of making Brett and Matthews suffer terribly for every mark on her body and exacting a revenge like none before on O'Leary but it could all wait until tomorrow. She was safe here with me for now and that was all that mattered for today.

There was a knock at the door which made her jump and grab onto me, it reminded me that despite the lightness of our reunion she was still processing her fear over the days events. It filled me with anger but I controlled it knowing that I could take it all out on Brett later. "Babe, it's okay."

She nodded just as Tank and Bobby came into the room. "We're going to start letting the guys come in so we can get everyone back to work, get you some pain medicine and then get out of your hair." Bobby smiled as he finished speaking and took in my obviously overprotective grip on Steph, okay maybe I was still processing what had happened today, too.

Steph's POV

Tank and Bobby left after Ranger nodded letting them know it was okay for the guys to visit. I'd been in the hospital with Ranger or one of the other guys before and it was unusual for everyone to want to come visit just after the patient was settled. Normally they all left the waiting room once they new the person was going to be alright and visited during their off-hours. "Why is everyone coming up now?'

"I imagine they all feel guilt over not seeing a traitor in their midst. They hate knowing you were hurt by someone we all trusted and I imagine they all just want to express some kind of promise to make it right." Ranger's eyes held mine as he talked and while his voice was calm I could tell this idea that Brett had betrayed them all was a deep hurt and it made my heart ache. "The fact that he betrayed us is one thing the fact that he hurt you so much in the process that's especially hard for my men, for me, to take Babe."

Allowing them to wallow in guilt over something they could not control wasn't something I could do. I moved to sit up on the bed but felt Ranger's grip on me tighten. "Babe?"

"I need to sit up, none of them will hug me when I'm practically underneath you like this."

"They better not even think about it." He replied with a bit of a possessive growl.

I rolled my eyes at him and moved, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed but still resting my back against Ranger. I still needed to feel him against me as my mind adjusted to the fact that we were indeed safe. "I need to tell them to let go of this guilt that I'm okay and that I expect us all to just move on from this." My voice had a bit of an edge as I dealt with my anger at Brett for trying to destroy my RangeMan family.

Ranger nodded but kept his hand wrapped around my waist as the door opened and Binkie and Zip entered. Binkie stood before us looking at Ranger for a few seconds and I knew they were silently communicating. Binkie looked down at his boots quickly before returning his gaze to Ranger, his face was hard and full of anger, a look that I hadn't seen on his boyish face before. "Whatever you need from me to make this right, it's done."

I knew Binkie was promising to do things I didn't want to think about, didn't want him to do for me but also knew that I should just keep my mouth shut. The Merry Men had an unspoken code of justice and while I hated knowing the burdens they carried to protect the innocent I was so glad to know they were willing to do those things and so very proud to have them in my life.

Still, I needed to find a way to lighten the tension and reassure everyone that we were indeed going to survive this massive betrayal. "Well, I need a hug."

Binkie and Zip both looked at me, shock evident on their faces. I wanted to lighten the mood and let them all know that despite what Brett tried to do, we were all more than okay. Binkie stepped forward tentatively, his face looking from mine to Ranger obviously seeking permission before his hands wrapped around my body. I hugged him tightly and whispered into his ear, "Thank you for protecting me, us."

He stood back from our embrace and gave me a small smile before kissing my forehead and allowing me to repeat the process with Zip. One by one the guys came into the room and the scenario was much the same, they silently communicated with Ranger, made promises of revenge and allowed me to hug them before leaving. I knew there was more to do, but I felt lighter than I had in days knowing that my Merry Men were still my heroes.

When the last of the guys left, Bobby came in with a nurse. She gave Ranger a shot of pain medication and me some pills before Bobby said that he'd be back in the morning. The medicine hit both Ranger and I fast making our bodies relax and our eyes droop. I snuggled into his embrace only to feel him kiss my head just as the Sandman pulled me under completely and I knew that we had survived and come out the other side stronger.