We're Going Where?

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing with them.

A/N: Well, I intended to start another new story, before working on this. But, my muse seems to be on an angst kick lately, and honestly I needed some happy to balance out all the other things I'm working on. So Surprise, it seems like we are off on another crazy adventure with our favorite couple. We have several stops that they will be making along the way and I'd love to hear your suggestions for crazy locations for them to visit.

Please Note: All locations, situations, and drama are researched to the best of my ability. If something happens that seems more like a made for TV movie, remember its fiction and allow me creative license where needed.

Thanks go to my super rockstar Beta, Jenrar, for everything she does. To Angie, girl I love you more than cake. And like Steph, I could build my food pyramid around cake, so that's really saying something. Also to Jennifer, girl you crack me up, I can't wait to see what you think about this. LOL

Fasten your seatbelts, I promise you a crazy wild, funny adventure. Now on to the madness that is, We're Going Where?

Ranger's POV

I glanced over at my wife and smiled. God, what the word, wife, did to me. "Omo Valley, Babe."

"But … but … why are we going, on our honeymoon, to see some old employees that probably are not going to be happy to see you?" Her brows were furrowed in concern and unhappiness.

Maybe I was wrong, and this wasn't the best place to start this adventure. "Babe, do you remember Brett?"

"Yeah, he's the Merry Man that got squirrel bombed."

"Well, he transferred down to Miami about a year ago and met a girl who worked for the Miami office. Her name's Angie. She was an Army trauma copter nurse, before she got out and came to work for the Miami office. They started dating and got married a short time later.

"Her parents run a Christian mission in Omo Valley, and about four months ago, they started having some security problems. Brett came to me and asked if we could help in anyway. I took a team over with Brett and Angie, and we secured the area and helped train some of the residents to better protect themselves."

"That's why you were gone a few months back? You were here helping them?" She smiled at me when she realized I was sharing information with her.

I don't know why I didn't tell her about the trip at the time. Hell, I should have invited her to go with me the first time.

"When it was time for us to leave, Brett and Angie decided they were staying, and they gave me letters of resignation. I tried to get them to take an extended leave of absence and come back to Miami eventually. They refused, saying it wouldn't be fair to take advantage of my generosity. That was the disagreement I was talking about. I was giving you a hard time."

She sighed in relief.

"Angie's parents invited me here to stay with them anytime, and I figured this would be a good first stop for us."

She tried to quirk her eyebrow at me and snorted, causing the pilot to laugh. He shook his head. "Son, you are either really brave or really stupid. I can't believe you didn't tell her you were coming here."

I ignored his obvious statement about my sanity and looked Steph in the eyes. "Babe, you'll see why I brought you here in a little bit. Trust me?"

She nodded her head, and I crashed my lips to hers.

Sometime later …

Steph was dosing on my shoulder. It seemed that even sleeping most of the flight had not caught her up on her missing sleep from Vegas. I finally got her to wake up and motioned for her to look outside. The pilot was dropping our altitude to prepare for landing.

Steph gasped as the Nech Sar Park came into view. We could see a herd of elephants pushing down small trees to eat the leaves. We flew over a large group of gazelle, grazing in the hot sun. "Oh my God, are we going on a safari?"

I nodded my head, and she kissed my check. "See, Babe. I told you to trust me."

We landed on a small airstrip a few miles from the compound. Angie and Brett were waiting for us. We climbed off the plane, and Angie wrapped her arms around me. "It's about time you made it back here."

I chuckled. "It's only been a few months."

She stepped back and quickly turned to Steph. "So you're the one who exploded a squirrel bomb on Brett, broke Tank and Cal and stunned Hal."

"It wasn't my fault," Steph immediately replied, causing Brett and me to laugh.

Angie smiled at Steph. "Oh, I know. I was only teasing. Besides, you're good for them. You keep them all on their toes." She stuck her hand out. "I'm Angie, by the way. Nice to finally meet the woman who stole Ranger's heart."

Steph blushed momentarily, but shook Angie's hand. "Nice to meet you, Angie."

Brett had stuck out his hand to shake mine in welcome. "Boss man, good to see you."

"Technically, I'm not your boss anymore, but that could change if you two have decided to amend your resignations," I stated rather hopefully. Brett was a good employee, and I knew the guys in Miami were praying he'd come back.

"Maybe sometime soon, but honestly, we both really love it here," he said as he picked up our backpacks and threw them in the back of an open cab Jeep.

We drove a short distance down the road and pulled up to a gated compound, where an armed guard opened the gate.

"Ranger, why do they need an armed guard?"

Angie answered before I got the chance. "The government here is corrupt, and while they hold elections for the people to vote, the voters are intimated and threatened into voting for who they are told. While my parents run the compound under the UN's World Food Program, with partial UN and World Bank funding, the Ethiopian government thinks that the supplies received here belong to them. They keep trying to overtake the compound, even though the UN has told them that our center is UN sanctioned."

Brett turned around to give Steph a small smile. "We could pull out and let them overtake it, but if we do, the people here will starve to death. The government will take the food and sell it on the black market to the highest bidder. They will line their pockets, while the tribes die a slow and agonizing death."

We pulled up to a small house, and I swear Steph sighed in relief. I guess she thought we'd be staying in a tent. We spent the next few hours meeting the workers and eating dinner. Angie's mother fretted over Steph, and it warmed my heart. Another mother taking her into their heart and showing her how a real mother treats their child.

After dinner, we built a fire outside in the fire pit and sat around talking about everything we would do here for the next few days. Angie and Brett had arranged for us to stay with the Surma tribe for three nights, and while there, Brett and I were taking the girls on an overnight safari. Brett had secured two SUVs for us to use. Each couple would make beds and sleep in the back of the trucks, out on the reserve. The SUVs had reinforced plexi-glass roofs, so while we slept securely inside, we would still get to enjoy sleeping under the stars.

You could hear the animals off in the distance. I leaned down and whispered to Steph, "So, am I out of the dog house yet?"

"Ummm hmmm," she mumbled as she snuggled closer to me.

A little while later, both Angie and Steph were having a hard time keeping their eyes open.

Brett looked at me. "Did you ever think you could be so happy?"

I shook my head. "I knew I could be this happy, I just never dreamed it would happen."

The girls were almost asleep. Angie tried to scoot closer to Brett, and almost fell out of the chairs we were sitting on. Brett and I chuckled, as we each stood up with our wives in our arms.

As I got to the door to mine and Steph's room, Brett called out, "I don't think I said it earlier, but congrats."

I glanced down at Steph and smiled, before looking at Angie asleep in his arms. "You, too, man. You, too."

I had just gotten Steph settled in the bed, when I heard a small knock and Angie's mom quietly speak my name. I walked over and opened the door.

"Carlos, sorry to bother you. I just wanted to make sure you close up your netting tonight. The bugs have been bad this week."

I nodded my head. "Thanks for letting me bring Steph here," I told her sincerely.

"You're more than welcome. You are welcome here anytime. I don't know what we would have done without you and your men." She patted my cheek and turned to go. Stopping and turning back to look at me, she said, "Don't forget to tell Steph about the spiders."

"I will, I promise," I told her, before she walked back towards her bedroom down the hall.

I quickly shut the door and stripped, then climbed into bed and secured the netting. Steph was sound asleep, and I knew I'd wake up before she did, so I could tell her about the spiders then.

The next morning …

I woke to a blood curdling scream coming from the small bathroom attached to our room.

Oh shit. I was in serious trouble...

TBC …

A/N: I would normally ask if I should continue, but that kind of seems like a silly question 3 stories into a saga.

So, hit the little review button and tell me what you think? Is it a spider, some other animal or a huge bug? What do you think? Should she still be mad about Ranger taking her to Ethiopia for their honeymoon? Do you like it so far?

Inquiring minds want to know.

P. S. Sneak peeks go to reviewers.