Tank and Ranger Conversation

By: A. Cosentino

The Batcave Challenge #3

I sat with Tank in the dark SUV, listening to Steph work her magic on a FTA. She looked unbelievable tonight, as she always does when we do these damn distractions. Shit, she drives me to distraction.

"When you gonna tell her?" Tank asked quietly.

"I will."

"Yeah, but when?"

"When did you get so damn pushy?" I snapped.

"Ever since Lula has been bugging the shit out of me."

"Give it a rest."

"Nope, can't do that."

"It's complicated."

"And when is anything good not?"

"Getting deep on me?" I asked glancing over at him.

"Just telling it how it is."

We both sat in silence for a long moment. I could hear Steph in my earpiece laying it on thick. Poor Bastard. I almost felt sorry for him.

"You let her get under your skin," Tank said suddenly.

"No shit."

"I ain't seen that happen in a long time."

I didn't reply to that. Just cut my eyes at him and shot him a glare.

"The way I see it is you got two options."

"Can't wait to hear this," I muttered.

"One, you can suck it the fuck up and just tell her how you really feel. Or two, you can back off completely and let her get on with her life. It's not right man, keepin' her in limbo like that."

"Like I said it's complicated."

"You're a complicated man. I get that. Just don't compound that by being an idiot."

"I'm not being an idiot. He's better for her," I said quietly.

"What fucking planet do you live on?"

I turned and looked at him. "What?"

"You know and I know she ain't ever gonna be happy with the cop. Come on man. I know you aren't that stupid. She loves you, dumbass."

"She loves the idea of me."

"Bullshit."

"She loves the idea of Batman."

Tank let out a full laugh. "You don't get it do you?"

"Get what?"

"In her eyes you are Batman."

"I'm not a fucking superhero."

"I know that. She knows that too. She sees you for the man that you are. Not to mention in all the years I have known you, I have never seen you look at someone the way you look at her. How many times has she been the first in line to help you out? Remember the whole Scrog mess? What about when you were FTA? Have you forgotten all of that?"

"No, I haven't forgotten," I said. Shit it was the complete opposite. I couldn't stop thinking about everything that she had done for me. No questions asked, well as few as possible where Steph was concerned. With Steph there were always questions.

"You gotta tell her."

"I will."

"When?"

"What are you a fucking broken record?" I heard Steph say the magic words in my earpiece. 'Wanna get out of here?' "She's coming out. Let's roll," I said hopping out of the SUV. Tank and I proceeded to walk over by the entrance. Within a moment, Steph came strolling out with the skip following her like a puppy. Cal and Hal took him down and had him cuffed in seconds.

"Great job, Steph," Tank said smiling at her.

"Thanks Tank," she said beaming up at him. She turned her bright blue twinkling eyes at me and I felt my heart stop. Tank was right. I had to tell her. No more stipulations, no more bullshit excuses. She deserved to know. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to me.

"Come on, Babe. I'll take you home. We need to talk," I said pulling her over toward the SUV.

"About damn time," Tank said, his laughter echoing into the night.

I couldn't agree more. About damn time.