A/N: All the standard disclaimers apply. Anything you recognize belongs to JE. All mistakes are my own as I do not currently have a beta. I receive no payment for these stories, unless of you count your reviews which I will cherish like gold. ;) This is my first FF attempt so I welcome all of your comments and suggestions. Good or bad, as long as they are constructive, I appreciate them.

Prologue

She sat straight up in bed out of a dead sleep. A nightmare? No, that wasn't it because it was her spidey-sense was going hay wire. An intruder? A cursory check of the room told her no one was in there. The well-worn, oversized black tee and shorts she wore to bed were clinging to her damp skin. The cold sweats, the pure panic, the fact that she could sleep through anything, a kidnapping included, were enough of a confirmation. Her worst nightmare had happened. She was sure of it.

She hit speed dial two her pre-paid phone. Dread filled her knowing it would do no good to have dialed one. The phone rang four times before she heard the click of the voice mail. She hung up and called again right away. What the hell? Just answer the damn phone! It hit her. Damn it, it was an unknown number. She prayed that he'd answer anyway.

Right before it clicked over to voice mail again, a menacing voice growled loudly and angrily, "What?!" A weaker person would have hung up. No, probably squeaked, peed themselves and hung up but she just heard confirmation. She knew in that instant and her eyes welled with tears. The menace was laced with something else. Only because she knew him so well did she catch the anxiety, and trepidation. Shit!

Chapter 1: Don't Fear the Reaper

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."

Father Michael spoke the verses with conviction standing beside the dark walnut casket covered in the contrasting and brilliantly bright casket spray. He stood the shade of a beautiful flowering dogwood that offered some relief from the warm late August day as he addressed the mourners. Stephanie sat under the pop-up tent in the first row, seated with her family. She shifted in the uncomfortable plastic chair placed out under the tent in order to glance around. The seats were all full which didn't matter to her, although the occupant of the casket would have been pleased. Behind the ocean of seated mourners, there stood an enormous wall of black. Shoulder to shoulder at parade rest stood her Merry Men. She got choked up seeing them, not that she had much control over her emotions today. They acknowledged her one by one as she made eye contact with each of them in turn. Some offered her a rare smile, like Tank, or simply a nod, like Bobby. Lester, of course, blew her a kiss which earned him a watery half-grin. It meant so much to her that so many of them were here. Her grief-stricken heart constricted when she thought about the one person she needed the most who wasn't there.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," Father Michael said as the brief service drew to a close. Comforted? The only person that could truly comfort me is in the wind. Overwhelming sadness gripped Stephanie's heart like a vice as she turned in time to watch her grandmother be lowered into the ground. Grandma Mazur had a spectacular turn out and send-off. A viewing she would have been proud of, no doubt.

She loved viewings and would have approved of hers. Stephanie revisited it with a small grin.

It was very well attended, especially full of hunky, muscle bound Rangemen. Many of her friends came in support to the viewing. Even Joe stopped in, though they had broken up four months ago for a final time. They were far from being on good terms still, but the effort was appreciated.

The refreshments were top-notch, Grandma Mazur would have insisted on nothing less. Lula managed to make a scene about keeping the casket open because Granny would have a fit if, "y'all closed that shit on her big moment. Ya know I'm right!" If that wasn't enough, a gun went off during the viewing. Not that anyone would admit to who it was though. Although Stephanie suspected that it was Lula and Sally Sweet trying to "stir the pot to make it memorable" because that's what she overheard a snippet of conversation before it started, without knowing that was the intent. Naturally, Helen Plum was appalled though her husband found it slightly amusing given his almost grin and the "crazy old bat," that he muttered. Stephanie took it all in and actually giggled. She had excused herself and walked down the hall and let herself out the back of Stiva's as the emotion started bubbling over. The giggling turned into full-blown laughter until she couldn't breathe for laughing so hard. She had taken a couple a breaths and wiped her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. Her emotions were all over the place; either crying or laughing, or just numb and empty. Mary Lou had been sitting beside her on the back steps grinning, apparently having shown up somewhere in the midst of her gigglefest.

"She would have loved that, Steph. It is more than I think she could have wished for and tomorrow she'll go crazy. I can just see her up there carrying on about all the Rangemen as her pallbearers," Mary Lou had said with a giggle of her own. Stephanie had smiled, nodding in agreement.

She was brought back to the present as everyone stood to leave; a few mourners dropping flowers in the hole. As she approached it, she thought how fitting it was, with the presence of this new hole in her heart. The one person that had always supported, encouraged, and so openly and unconditionally loved her, was gone. Well… there was one other person that always supported and encouraged her, but he wasn't here. She kissed a beautiful rose before letting it fall into the hole where it landed silently with the others. Stephanie looked up and whispered, "Thanks for always believing I could be Wonder Woman and pushing me to fly. I'll do you proud and stay true to myself."

As she moved off to the side to file back to the waiting black limo, she saw the line of black behind her. Each of the Merry Men held a rose of such a deep wine color, it appeared almost black. One by one they dropped a rose before stopping to comfort Stephanie. Every one of her boys, oh how much they'd hate knowing that she referred to them as boys, hugged her fiercely before kissing her cheek or forehead. True to their Rangeman style, not one of them said a word. Actions will always speak louder than words in this bunch.

When the limo pulled into the funeral home, she noticed her car was gone but a shiny black Explorer waited in its place. Tank, who had been leaning against the hood of the car despite the summer heat and wearing head to toe black, came over as she got out. She, uncharacteristically, hugged her parents and sister, waved to Albert, and kissed each of her nieces before joining Tank. He placed his hand on the small of her back to lead her to the car before opening the door and helping her into the passenger seat. Once inside, they settled into their respective driving zones. Well, Tank was in his driving zone and Stephanie was just plain zoned out. She was brought out of her blank stare as Tank put his enormous hand over her small, fidgeting ones. She realized she was back at Haywood.

Tank answered the questions flying across her face. "Please stay on Seven tonight. Even if it is just tonight. Ranger would want you here if he knew. Hell, if Ranger knew, I think he'd have found a way home." Seeing the sadness laced with disappointment, it broke his heart and he added, "I tried Bomber. There is a message to call home when he can but he doesn't have a check-in for a several weeks and even that isn't even a sure thing. This just isn't one of those missions that he has much contact."

"Batman has to save the world. I get it, Tank. Thanks for trying. Really, thanks for everything. I am not your responsibility but you never complain or hesitate to help. You have to know that it means the world to me," she added quietly while willing herself to absorb some of the Rangeman strength through his clasped hand.

"I don't do it out of obligation or a promise I made to him years ago, Steph. You are my family - our family. We don't deserve the unconditional support and love that you give to us. We are a screwed up bunch that have done terrible, terrible things. You are our sister and we care about you."

Stephanie felt conflicted. On the one hand, she was quickly entering rhino mode because of the things Tank said about himself and the other Merry Men. On the other hand, this man had just said more words than he ever had to her and, even rarer, they were full of emotion. She decided to tone down the anger. She squeezed his hand and looking him directly in the eyes, said with certainty, "You deserve the world. You are honorable men. Heroes. I won't let you say different. You're right about this being our family though, because you are more of a family than I have ever had." She had more to say but she knew it needed to wait. She needed time to think; to plan. Tank pulled away his hand and got out of the car. He went around to her side to help her out into the garage and to the elevator. He rode with her to Seven and when she hesitated in the elevator at the sight of Ranger's door, Tank put his arm around her shoulder in reassurance. She knew he wasn't in there and a piece of her didn't want to be there because that too was empty like her heart. Tank fobbed her in just as Ella was coming out of the kitchen to meet her. Her cart was empty, presumably having dropped off food for her to eat. Not that she wanted to eat. Ella hugged her fiercely before telling her everything was stocked for her (including the secret stash of Tasty Kakes that Ranger didn't know about) and she should stay indefinitely. She kissed Stephanie on the cheek and walked out with Tank.

Before closing the door, Tank said, "I know you want to be alone but if you change your mind, any of us would be more than willing to keep you company or distract you." With that, he shut the door softly.

Stephanie started stripping her clothes on the way to the bedroom. She couldn't shed those binding clothes fast enough. She felt like she was going to suffocate in the memories of the last week in them. She looked for what she wanted, hoping against hope she'd find it. In the closet, sandwiched between her own folded Rangeman shirts, was one of his, hiding in plain sight. It was one of his discarded black t-shirts that she had rescued from the laundry. She had folded it in her stack for safe keeping, hoping Ella wouldn't find it. She pulled it out and took a deep breath. Her shoulders relaxed a bit as she gingerly put it over her head, comforted in his scent. She knew he would never truly be hers but she didn't feel at all guilty feeding the fantasy while she was alone in his apartment. She felt safe, albeit lonely, as she climbed into his bed. She assumed her thinking position and was asleep nearly before her head hit.