"Mmmmmm…" Stephanie Plum groaned as she heard a knock at her door. She lay there for just another second. Maybe the people would take a hint and go away, but then she heard the incessant pounding again, this time louder. She grumbled and opened one groggy eye to look at the clock. Five forty-freaking-five in the morning! What in the hell did these people want at this deadly hour? Deadly in the sense that if it was someone she didn't know she'd kill 'em.

She opened it ready to bitch, "What the fu….?" She stopped short, "officer…is there something wrong?"

"Are you one Miss Stephanie Plum?"

Her voice faltered, "Yes, I'm Stephanie Plum." Shit. This wasn't good.

"We regret to have a warrant to search the premises."

"Under what grounds?" It went with out saying that she was pissed.

"Possible kidnapping or harboring of a missing person. You're mother told us you might be hiding your sister."

She blew out a calming breathe of air. Thank God for small miracles. "Uh…I don't know if you know this but my mother is kind of a….well let's just say she worries a lot. Over exaggerates things."

"Miss, she says she's been gone since the night of November 3rd."

Her voice was controlled and sharp. Letting the two men know that they had better leave. "If my sister were here. You'd have found her. This apartment ain't big enough for three."

They turned there attention to the bassinet cradling a sleeping baby.

"I'm sorry Miss Plum but we have to ask. Where were you the night of November 3rd? When was the last time you heard from your sister?"

She had to stop and think about that. She hadn't seen any of her family since a rather horrific fight with her mom almost two years ago. Her mom had come on to her again about getting back with Morelli and settling down and quitting her job. The women had made the mistake of making a demand. "No daughter of mine will go around finding dead bodies and getting bombed." Stephanie never did respond well to demands. She'd told her, "fine then don't be my mother", and slammed the door on her way out.

"Not since about 2 years ago." That was the last time she saw her.

They gave her a puzzled look.

"I haven't been around for awhile."

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When the cops were gone she hopped into her black diamondback viper Mclaren. She lost control of her thoughts momentarily in the car and wondered if she shouldn't get back with Morelli. Then she remembered over 19 months ago….

One of her FTA's had placed a smoke bomb in her car somewhere and once she was dangerously out of the drive way and in the street, it went off. She couldn't see anything and she was inhaling putrid smoke. She slammed her car into a hard cement standard and woke up with swimming faces coming into focus and distant voices. "Steph…Stephanie…come on cupcake", wait a minute she knew that voice. She came fully to. "Mmm…not good." He let out a sigh of relief. "Yeah, not good . How are you feeling? Can you focus on me?" She tried to nod. "Shit." Ouch that hurt. Not like a broken neck kind of hurt but like a soar kind of hurt. "How long have I been out?" He frowned, "20 minutes, maybe longer. Maybe you should think about getting a new job." She snorted. Yeah like that was going to happen.

The paramedics okayed her and Morelli took her home. Yes, home. Their home. They'd been living together for several months now. They sat down and he poured them each a steaming hot cup of coffee. "I was serious about finding a different job Stephanie. I want to marry you. I want to have kids. I want to know that my wife is going to die by fire bomb." She sighed. This was a subject they'd been through many times. She wasn't ready. She wasn't sure if she ever would be. She slept with him for the last time that night. Two weeks later she found out she was 6 weeks pregnant .She knew this was just what Morelli needed to try and force a marriage. She also knew that her job didn't exactly lend to having a child or pregnant women for that matter. So she left. She wrote him a note and put it on his pillow for him to find later when he returned home from work. She explained that she was having their baby and that she couldn't stay. She needed to clear her head and lay low for awhile. Just until things settled down in the crazy wacko stalkers department. She'd returned a year and seven months later with their 11 month old, Abre Isabella Plum.

That was why she felt so murderous about being woken up so early. She had just arrived home at a little past 5 yesterday morning and Abre had chosen to cry all night. News travels fast in the burg. How had her managed to figure out she was back and where she was staying in less than 2 days? Another even scarier thought entered her head. That meant Morelli knew and if Morelli knew Ranger definitely knew. He was always the first to know everything. As if on cue her cell phone rang and she recognized her mother's ring tone.

"Stephanie Ann Plum what has happened to your sister!"

"I don't know mom. You should know better than I would. Oh yeah and thanks for the vote of confidence by the way. Do you really think that I would hide Val from everyone!" her voice rose an octave, "I mean sure I can be just a teensy bit irrational sometimes but do you honestly think I'm that big of a bitch?"

Her mom did what any respected house wife would do, she sucked in a breath. "Stephanie Plum you do not speak to me your mother that way. That is not how I raised you!"

She could just imagine how much laundry was going to be neatly starched and creased after this little argument. Just then her cell signaled another call coming in. "Well it's been great mom but I have more important things to do." She glanced at the screen to see who it was and thought maybe she should have stayed in the fight with her mom. Anything would be better than this. She briefly thought about just letting it ring. Then decided it would be best just to get it over with.

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"Yo"

"Babe"

It may have seemed like Ranger was just messing around but Stephanie knew him better than that. His voice was calm, sharp, and low. He was in batman mode. He was pissed. Mixed with a touch of relief and another feeling she couldn't quite place…longing maybe?

"So I guess you found me huh?" She laughed but she just heard controlled breathing on the other side.

"I guess you're mad at me huh?"

"Babe" and he disconnected.

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Vinnie's was her only choice. She dreaded finding Lula and Connie there but she needed to do some bad guy background searching and her only other choice was Rangeman. Ranger was not the wisest choice right now. So she pulled in whatever scraps of bravery she could and stepped inside the office.

Both their chins dropped in astonishment. Lula was the first to try and break the silence.

"Girl where you been? We got a stack of FTA's a mile high that got your name written all over it."

With that Stephanie waltzed over into one of Lula's big bear hugs.

"Connie can you give me some FTA's?"

She nodded without speaking and handed her a piece of the pile. She couldn't believe it. She'd left for nearly two years without a goodbye and they weren't mad at her.

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She was flipping through her files when Connie and Lula went completely still. Aside from the fact that this was highly unusual for the two of them, they had just been talking non stop so she knew exactly who it was.

He placed a hand on her lower back. "Babe. I need to see you" and he led her outside. Before she knew what was happening, she was pressed firmly against the wall locked in a kiss that made her toes curl.

"I missed you." He whispered and she could feel the bulge pressed in her stomach to prove it. Her nipples hardened. "I missed you too."

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"Ranger before you say anything, I'm sorry. I couldn't let anyone know where I was. Morelli might have found a way…"

He interrupted "Babe. I get it. You needed time…space…whatever." He gave me a look that said your mine now.

"Well there a few other things I have to tell you. Lets go back to my place." He raised an eyebrow. "Informative speaking only."

"Babe. We won't be doing a whole lot of speaking." Boy was he in for a surprise.

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They walked out to her car and Stephanie was awarded with another eyebrow raise. "I needed something that would throw off suspicion. No one would suspect that Stephanie Plum would have a Diamondback Viper Mclaren."

They drove most of the way in silence. Ranger in his zone and Stephanie oddly enough in her own kind of zone. They passed the street Stephanie would normally turn on to get to her old apartment but Ranger said nothing. She drove for about another forty-five minutes and pulled into her slot at the "Prosperity Lodge". They stepped out of her car and Stephanie beeped the security on. No one would guess that it included an alarm, motion sensors, bullet proof windows, and a thumb print starter. They passed the service counter and headed straight or the elevator. Ranger gave an almost smile when she pressed seven on the level buttons.

They stepped out and she stopped him before they entered her room. "I should warn you. You may be a little surprised at what's inside."

The corners of his mouth tipped playfully, "Babe. I've been that way for 3 years, seven months, and 16 days."

She was flabbergasted. Wow! He's been counting the days since he made me Higgins!

"Well, here it is", she said as she waved her key pass and threw open the door. Her room was huge. Ranger's mouth never dropped but she figured that this is the closest she could get to one. He took a step back and his eyes got wide for a second, just before he began scanning the room. "Always the mercenary", she said out loud.

She did a quick walk through before he could beat her to it and left him to find his own way around. She started cooing Abre when Ranger walked in. Without missing a beat he stated more than asked, "Morelli's."

"Mine. For now. Morelli hasn't found me yet. Though I'm sure I have a million angry messages from him by now." She walked over to the caller i.d. in the next room and sure enough the light was blinking rapidly. She would play them later. Now was not the time.

"I need a donut."

"Babe your sister's missing, Morelli's pissed at you, and your mother thinks your hiding your sister."

"You're right. I need pineapple upside down cake."

He gave me the 200-watt smile.

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They'd just gotten settled in, when Abre started to cry. Stephanie got up, walked over to the crib, placed Abre on her hip, and started cooing without even thinking about it. She'd always said she liked kids in small doses only, but having her own was different. There was something about having a little life depend solely on you that just brought out a naturally maternal side of her.

"The moment I pick you up you start crying harder. I know what you want. You don't like depending on anyone. Do you? No." With that she sat Abre down by the couch. The crying stopped immediately and Abre pulled herself up into a standing position. "That's okay. Being independent is good. You're mommy's strong girl." Stephanie said as she tipped her under the chin lightly.

The corners of Ranger's mouth tipped slightly. "Reminds me of someone else I know."

"I raised her to be."

"If you raise her to be like you then she'll do fine."

Stephanie let out a sarcastic snort of laughter. "Yeah like getting bombed, shot at, tortured, knocked up by someone who doesn't love you, running from your problems, and barely paying your way through life. What a great mom to be like."

He didn't say much. He didn't have to. He summed it all up in three short words. He walked over to her with intense eyes and brushed a stray curl from her face. "Babe. Your more." Abre teetering in an attempt to walk by herself broke into their moment. Stephanie squatted down and opened her arms, but Abre latched a hand into Ranger's pant leg. He did the almost smile again. He sat Abre on her bottom and handed her a cracker.

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An hour later they were all asleep on the couch when Stephanie's car alarm went off. Ranger woke up with her and so did Abre. Before the toddler could start crying , she placed a finger to her lips. Almost as if in response to her mother, the baby stayed silent.

Stephanie went to the cookie jar pulled out another surprise. She was holding a gun, but it had some modifications to it. Like a fully loaded barrel and a silencer placed at the end of it. She quietly slid the window up slowly and surprise, surprise there was a fire escape.

She stealthily made her way down and landed in a silent crouch. Ranger followed in amazement and she pushed her back to the brick wall. She looked at him and he mouthed "A silencer?" She smiled and one again placed a finger to her mouth. Stephanie pulled out a compact and tilted it towards her car without peeping her head out. She saw the logo on his shirt a cursed. "Shit." She bent low and made her way in between the cars.

She noticed that Ranger had his own gun drawn. All the man hard was the click click of Stephanie's gun. "Who sent you? Who do you work for?" She asked these questions calmly with no anger in her voice.

He turned slowly and his face was contorted in fear. "No. No please wait."

She smirked. "I am waiting. You have ten seconds, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3…"

"Okay. Okay, I was paid to break into your car and get your GPS locations."

She looked at her car and the side of her mouth slid upward. "Why you sly fox. You got the shields down. Did you forget the alarm on my windows?" She teased. The shields were off and her window was cracked opened a little. "I'll say this one more time. Who sent you?"

"I can't tell you that. They'll kill me."

She didn't like cowards. She shot him, but not with a bullet. When she pulled the trigger, a knock out dart came out. Ranger chuckled. " Don't. Say. Anything. Guns scare me."

His laugh became heartier. "Babe. Nice to know some things never change."