Not mine. All JEs characters.

Ranger Comes Bearing Gifts

Week 18 Kathys Challenge

When Ranger went in the wind this last time, he and Stephanie had been growing closer. He was ready to ask her to move into the 7th floor apartment until that one day. The disagreement seemed trivial now after these last few months away in HELL. Everything that could go wrong practically did, the Intel was wrong, a few men assigned to his team were unprepared 'experts' and almost got them all killed numerous times, but somehow Ranger was able to pull it all together. The target was destroyed and to boot, rescued a French diplomats family that was being held hostage. That was one of the reasons for the extra-large paycheck Ranger deposited into his account. He was called away so quickly, he never had a chance to make-up with Stephanie. He's had these hours, day, and months to think about it and it was just silly, he let a cat cause an argument with Stephanie. Cats broke up him and Lula.

They were coming back after dropping off a skip at the police station when Stephanie yelled, "Stop!" He pulled to the curb and she was out of the truck running down the sidewalk and into the entrance of an alley. Ranger heard dogs barking and saw them running off in a hurry. Stephanie was trying to untangle something from a mess of wire hanging from a tree. It was a dirty cat with a dirty white face.

"It'"s OK," getting it free. "I'll help you."

Before he knew it, Stephanie had her Rangeman hoodie off and wrapped the shivering cat in it. It was a cool spring morning so she needed the extra warmth.

"Babe, that's a good sweatshirt. It's a cat."

Those blue eyes shot daggers at him, "And those dogs were going to rip it limb for limb," walking back to the truck. "'Are you going to take me with Oliver to the animal hospital down on Swanson so I can make sure it's not hurt?"

"In my truck?"

There were those eyes again, "That would be nice, but I can walk so we won't get any cat hairs, cat snot, or even cat breath in your freakin' truck!" Her voice rising so it was just below her rhino mode.

This was Stephanie. He drove them there and sat in the lobby with all the other pet owners with their animals while a vet examined the cat.

"Babe, you have the attack hamster. You can't keep the cat."

Ranger's sister had this mean cat when they were growing up which bit him at every opportunity. The cat and he became mortal enemies. Ranger did everything as a boy could to torment the cat when no one was looking and the black cat would seek it's own revenge on him including once using his sneakers for a litter box. After that, animal some how took a leap out his bedroom window one night and never came back. He did help his sister look for it, but not very hard.

So, from that point, he avoided contact with cats.

"Oh, and I should just abandon the poor thing so it ends up at a shelter or maybe a homeless person is cooking it in a pot of stew. Its a living creature, Ranger!"

"I'll leave money with the receptionist to cover the visit and we can go to lunch! I dont mind Rex in the apartment, but no cat," he was trying to get her out of the clinic.

His cell phone rang. That's when Tank told him about the call and he was needed immediately.

Stephanie just said, "Go. I'll wait for the vet. I'll have Daddy pick me up. Just go do what you need to do. I'll be fine. This has taken up enough of your time."

Stephanie gave Ranger a very unceremonious peck and ushered him out. She was upset with him and that's how it was left almost five months ago.

Now he was back and needed to make-up with Stephanie. He also knew it was a possibility that she gave that misfit cat a home. Ranger went directly to Tanks office when he got off the elevator on 5.

"Ranger, you're back," Tank was immediately up from his desk and giving him a hug, relieved he was back. His best friend saw his apprehension about one person. "Stephanie's safe and OK."

He was relieved. "Where is she? Is she seeing anyone?"

Tank indicated to a chair, "Bombshell works here full-time now. She goes after skips still with Lester, but Vinnie's been slow. She has a new place. Her building was sold and is being turned into exclusive renovated senior apartments and she wasnt allowed to have Oliver, the cat. She bought a really nice detached Stucco house. It was an estate sale and her father knew the son who was selling it. Secure. So, she, Rex, and Oliver moved in about a month ago. No, she's not seeing anyone except us. We barbecued on her rear patio for a house warming."

"Is she here?"

Tank shook his head, "She took the day off to finish up painting because some furniture was being delivered." Writing down the address, Tank handed him a piece of paper. "I'm sure youll want to see her. I think you have some groveling to do."

Ranger picked up his bag and took the address, "Thanks." He needed to say he was sorry and hopefully Stephanie didn't slam the door in his face.

A short time later casual Ranger in jeans and Henley shirt was ringing the doorbell next to a heavy wooden door of a light peach Stucco house. A swing hanging from the ceiling on the front porch with soft green cushions. Red flowering baskets to match the door in planters on the banister.

"Coming," he heard Stephanie call.

She unlocked the door and opened the storm door, "Ranger."

"Hi, Babe," handing her a large bouquet of flowers. "I was a jerk. I'm sorry."

"I kept Oliver," she let him know before she held open the door for him to enter.

"I know," seeing the clean grey cat with white face sitting on a bench in the entry. He jumped from his spot walking past her and sniffed the paper bag in Ranger's hand.

Her blue eyes were laughing at the unsure Ranger, "You came bearing gifts?"

He nodded and removed an exquisite crystal vase from another bag. Stephanie took it and opened a door. He heard water so he assumed it was a powder room. The flowers were arranged in the vase when she came back out to him.

"Come in," leading Ranger through a large rounded archway into the living room. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Maybe later," sitting down next to Stephanie on a comfortable cream sofa. Next, Ranger produced a bottle of wine. Then, a chocolate cake. The cat was going crazy batting at the small bag.

"Whats in there? It's driving Oliver crazy."

Ranger opened it and the cat let out a Meow. He handed Stephanie a container of 'Hamster Goodies', then pulled out a pink cloth mouse full of Catnip.

Stephanie watched him, "Are you done? Christmas isn't for a few months."

His eyebrow up, "Yeah."

"I'm supposed to forgive you?"

He let out a sheepish, "Babe," pulling her to him. He saw the mischievousness in her eyes and the love. His lips touched hers softly and Stephanies kissed him back.

"I'm sorry," and claimed the lips he had been apart from these months.

She smiled a little and he felt against his lips. "You are a manipulator."

"NO, I like to think of myself more as an outcome engineer," kissing her again. Hed get a tour later and hopefully the catnip kept the cat busy while they were, too.