May 20th, 2009

Stephanie sighed as she glanced around the bustling café. At least it was busy to help distract her. Today was the worst day of the year. It had been the worst day of the year for 5 years, since Tank showed up in her apartment. She had felt like her world was ending when he had told her Ranger was missing and a terrorist cell was claiming to have killed him. Steph remembered the walls closing in on her and feeling like she couldn't breathe. The last time she saw him still haunted her.

April 2nd, 2004

She woke up to the feeling to the familiar feeling that someone was in the room with her. Since she didn't immediately panic it could only be one person. She rolled over to find him sitting in the chair always open for him.

"Babe" he slowly unfolded himself and stalked across to sit beside her on the bed.

"Ranger" she paused searching his face. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going away."

"In the wind?"

"Babe" the corners of his lips turned up slightly. "Call Tank if you need anything." He leaned down and pinned her to the bed, his mouth devouring hers.

"Be safe"

"You too Babe."

Current Day

And just like that he was gone. Stephanie hadn't realized that would be the last time she would see him alive. If she had there would have been a lot more said that night. Like how much she loved him, and how her life was barely worth living without him in it. How much she needed him and how empty she felt when he wasn't there.

But she had not said any of that and now lived regretting it every single day. Since there hadn't been a body recovered she had held onto the fact he might be alive for more than a year but she finally accepted that he wasn't coming home. That day was almost as bad as Tank telling her he was dead. Steph had felt all her passion, all her desires leave her and at the time it had taken all of her willpower to even get up in the mornings. She was a shell, a walking corpse and she had caught herself sometimes wishing one of her stalkers would finally finish her. That was when she quit bounty hunting. Since she had no passion for life spending time near those who wanted to kill her seemed too close to suicidal. As much as continuing on hurt Steph knew Ranger would be disappointed if she gave up.

Shortly after he was declared dead by the government Steph found out Ranger had left her quite a bit of money but she couldn't even look at it and hadn't considered spending it. She had placed it in a separate bank account and never touched it not wanting the reminder of him, keeping it a secret from everyone but Tank who Ranger had told before he died. Her mother and Joe had resumed hounding her to settle down and marry Morelli and a year and a half after Ranger disappeared she finally gave in. The only thing that had stopped her before was gone so Steph decided to try and make the best out of what she had. She convinced herself she could be happy with him someday.

June 12th, 2006

Steph pulled into Rangeman for the first time in over two years. The building held too many reminders and even now being here was agony but there were some people she needed to talk to. Exiting the elevator she walked towards Ranger's old office where she knew Tank could now be found. A few of the guys waved at her but everyone looked apprehensive as if she might burst into tears at any time.

Steph knocked on the door slowly pushing it open when she heard Tank acknowledge. He looked up in surprise.

"Bomber, it's good to see you. I didn't think you would have time for social calls right now. Getting married in three days must be hectic." Steph glanced at her bare finger before looking back at Tank.

"I can't marry him. I left him a letter and the ring. It would make both of us miserable because he will always be my second choice." Tank looked very concerned by this point. He moved around his desk and pulled Steph into a hug.

"Ranger's gone Steph, and as much as I know you miss him you can't put off the rest of your life forever."

"I know" Steph said softly pulling back to look into his face. "But I've tried to live, to move on. I can't live this life without him. I came by to tell you I'm leaving Trenton." She pulled out a stack of letters from her purse and handed them to Tank. "I'm hoping you'll hand these out for me. I left the one for Joe at his place, there's one for my mother, father, grandmother, Lula, Mary-Lou, Connie and the rest of the Rangemen in there. I wish I could say my goodbyes in person but then I might not be able to leave and I'll never live again if I don't get out of Trenton."

"I'm going to miss you Bomber. The whole town will miss you. Will you at least call me once in a while so I know you're alright and can tell everyone you're still alive." Steph gave a weak smile.

"Of course. I came here because I trust you and I know if someone in Trenton should know where I am it's you. I realize this will cause problems with you and Lula but please don't tell her more then what's in that letter. I love her but I need a clean break." Tank nodded and pulled her back into another hug.

Current Day

So she had left everything behind. It had been surprisingly easy, even more so since Rex had died shortly after Ranger. Armed with only the money Ranger had left her and a passport claiming her name was Stephanie Prince she had climbed on a plane and never looked back. For a year and a half she was aimless going wherever the closest plane or train would take her. She saw things most girls from the Burg never got the chance to. She didn't feel any real desire to stay anywhere until she happened upon Cayo Largo off the coast of Belize. From the moment she set foot on the island she felt a sense of peace she hadn't experienced since the night Ranger left. Walking along the streets she found herself outside an old rundown café that was advertised as for sale. Steph had no idea what had compelled her to do it but she had immediately walked in and bought the place. Keeping with her promise she had kept in touch with Tank and when she told him about the place he insisted on coming down to help her get it into operating condition. It had only taken two weeks for the two of them and a few locals to replace and refurbish the restaurant and on December 20th, 2007 Café Ric had opened its doors for the first time.

In the beginning Steph hadn't had the first clue about running a café but soon found she loved the work and the people it brought in. The tourists were an eclectic bunch from all walks of life and she would often spend hours drifting around the café listening to their stories. Her employees loved her and were all willing to follow her only rule. Never ask about the past. Steph realized she couldn't forget Ric but nonetheless refused to talk about it with anyone but Tank who still visited every couple months.

Tank had wanted to be there today but Steph had refused. She had a hard enough time holding herself together around strangers who had no idea what today signified but if he were here there would be no way to hold herself together. So Tank was in Trenton carrying on Ranger's business while Steph did her best to act like it was any other day. Denial was still her best friend.

She was standing at the edge of the café deck looking at the ocean when she felt it. The tingling on the back of her neck was unmistakable and had only ever occurred in the presence of one person. She closed her eyes and shuddered wondering why it she felt it today for the first time in 5 years. She froze when she felt a hand settle on the back of her neck.

"Babe" Ranger's breath was hot against her ear and she felt him turn her in his arms. Steph could scarcely believe what she was seeing as she stared up into his warm brown eyes. She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with five years of repressed emotion and longing. The kiss was desperate and frantic both unwilling to believe the other was there. They both pulled back breathing heavily when their lungs screamed for air. Ranger rested his forehead against hers wiping the tears she hadn't noticed from her cheeks, his hands framing her face.

"Ric?" her voice sounded weak and laced with need. His face was full of joy at the sound of his name on her lips.

"I'm here Babe. I'm here and I'll never leave you again. I'm so sorry Babe I came back to you as soon as I could." Steph studied him a little more closely. He had lost a lot of weight and had more scars then before but he was definitely alive and in her arms.

"It doesn't matter, you're here now. I love you Ricardo Carlos Manoso. I have regretted not saying that every day since Tank told me you were dead. I love you so much." His face broke out a 200 watt smile and Steph felt her insides turn to mush.

"I love you too Steph. I was held captive for 5 years and the only thing that kept me alive was the promise of seeing you again someday. Someday is today." Steph gasped as Ric dropped to one knee in front of her. "You are my other half, the reason I'm still alive and I don't want to spend another day away from you in my entire life. Marry me Babe, make me the luckiest man alive." He held out a Lucida diamond solitaire set in platinum.

"Yes" she threw herself at his still kneeling figure peppering his face with kisses. "Yes, yes, yes" Steph could feel the void inside her fill and she felt whole for the first time in 5 years.