The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity.
Chapter 1—The End of the World
"Babe, I got the call this morning. They need me for one last mission." Ranger told me when I arrived to work.
"What do you mean, one last mission. I thought your contract was up in two days?" I replied.
"Yes, it is, but up until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, they can call me and now they have. I can't turn it down. Trust me, Babe, I don't want to go. But once I get home from the mission, I'm done for good. No more going in the wind for me."
"What time are you leaving?"
"I have to be in D.C. by 5 p.m. We have about four hours before I have to leave. Let's go upstairs and make the most of our time together."
We go up to Ranger's penthouse on the seventh floor of the building. Once inside, we kiss and embrace each other. We make love against the door, on the breakfast bar, the couch, the dining room table, the bed, and finally the shower. We're getting dressed, and Ranger is putting on his Army dress uniform, which I had never seen him in. Wow, he's so sexy in the uniform. I'm putting my Rangeman uniform back on and I'm trying not to cry. We've been dating for the last year and it's been magical. I'm practically living with Ranger, but I keep my apartment, more for appearances than anything else. I'm rarely there. "You really have to go?"
"Yes." Ranger says before pulling me in his arms. "This is ridiculous. I've never heard of someone being called two days before their contract expired. I don't want to leave you, Stephanie. This is the first time that I ever regretted signing that contract." He let me go and walked to his gun safe. When he closed it, he came back over to me and knelt on one knee. "Stephanie, I hate to do this now, but having your answer will help give me hope and a reason to come home quickly. Babe, I have been in love with you since the first time I laid eyes on you in the suit at that diner when you asked me to help you become a bounty hunter. I never thought that I was good enough for you, but you broke down every barrier. Stephanie Plum, will you do me the honor of promising to become my wife?"
I couldn't hold back the tears. I wanted nothing more than to be Stephanie Manoso, but I didn't think that he would ever want to marry me. "Yes, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, I will marry you." He slipped the diamond and sapphire engagement ring on my left hand, stood up and kissed me senseless.
"I should be home within three months. Once I get back, we'll start planning for our wedding. I love you, Babe. Don't forget that." We kiss one more time before Tank knocks on the door. Ranger opens it up. "Boss, we need to leave if you're going to make the plane."
"I'm ready." He turns and looks at me once last time. "Be safe, and remember, I love you, Babe."
"I love you too, Batman." Those were the last words that I said to Ranger before he left.
Six months have gone by and we haven't heard from Ranger. Tank keeps telling me that everything is probably fine and that there were probably some complications but not to worry. As the time is passing, I see Tank starting to get worried, along with Bobby and Lester. I'm still working for Rangeman and I love my job. I stay in the penthouse at least four nights, just so I feel close to Ranger. Though, lately, it's getting harder for me to sleep. For the last week, I have this feeling of dread whenever I think of Ranger. I'm afraid that he's in trouble. I have to go pick up Mooner again, because once again, he forgot his court date. I go to Tank to tell him I'll be back in a few hours. And I don't need back up.
I leave Rangeman in my cute, baby blue, two-year-old Honda CRV. Thanks to working at Rangeman, I can afford a normal, well running car as opposed to my usual POS. I arrive at the Bond office after stopping at Tasty Pastry for a dozen donuts. Connie, the office manager and Lula, the file clerk and my sometime partner, are sitting there waiting for me. I put down the box of donuts and we each select one to start with.
"I'm going to go get Mooner today, Lula, you want to ride along?"
"Yeah, girlfriend, that sounds good. When are we leaving?"
"In a half hour. Once I finish my coffee." The words were barely out of my mouth when I saw the two black SUVs pull up in front of the office. Tank, Lester, and Bobby got out and were walking towards the door. I immediately knew they heard something about Ranger. Once I saw their faces and body language, I knew it was good.
Lester was the first to walk in and he came over to me on the couch. "Hello Beautiful. I missed you this morning."
"What did you hear?" I try to hide the panic in my voice but the sense of dread was overwhelming. The guys looked at each other and finally Bobby spoke.
"Steph, we just got a call from Ranger's handler, he's not coming home."
"No, you're wrong. He's coming home. He promised me he would return. We're getting married. He has to come home." I'm starting to cry.
"Stephanie, I'm so sorry." Tank said.
"There has to be a mistake. How do they know it's him?"
"Dental records and his dog tags." Lester replied.
"Dental…records? What are you not telling me?"
"They found him in the building where he was supposed to be getting his man, in the burnt-out shell of the building." Tank said.
I start to hyperventilate. It's real, he's really gone. I won't even be able to see him again because he isn't a body, at least not like what he was. Now my sobs are uncontrollable. All I keep thinking is why me? I finally found the man of my dreams and we both realized what we wanted and he's been taken away from me before we could live our lives.
"His remains will arrive here tomorrow. His parents are coming to help finalize his funeral. He made all the arrangements ahead of time. He'll be buried here in Trenton."
Bobby is holding me in his arms and I'm not really hearing what is being said. I just can't bare the pain of knowing I will never see Ranger again. I will never hear him say he's proud of me again, nor feel his body next to mine. He has ruined me for all other men as he promised he would do years ago, and now he's left me. Suddenly, I just remember mentally checking out.
I start to open my eyes, but I'm not in my apartment nor am I in the penthouse. I think I'm in Bobby's apartment. I hear the guys talking.
"She's in shock. I think I may need to medicate her to get her through the funeral." Bobby said.
"I can't believe he's gone. He was so happy to finally have Stephanie. He told me on the way to the airport that he proposed and couldn't wait to return to marry her. He wished he would have gotten his head out of his ass years ago." Tank replied.
"But what is she going to do. I don't see her working here for much longer. I don't know if I can stay here. She was practically living with him and working with him. Every place in the building is going to remind her of Ranger and the life she'll never have." Lester said.
"If she wants to work for the company, we can transfer her to one of the other offices where his ghost won't be felt. But, if she chooses to leave, we will support her and offer her whatever she needs to help her move on with her life." Tank announced.
Bobby looks at me and sees that I'm awake, and once again, I'm crying. "Hey Bomber, are you hungry?"
"No. I'm exhausted. Please tell me this is a nightmare. Please tell me that Ranger is coming home to me so we can get married."
"I'm sorry Bomber, but this isn't a dream, but it is a nightmare."
"I think I'm going to be sick." Bobby puts a bucket by me and proceed to throw up. He helps me to the bathroom where I brush my teeth and rinse my mouth. "What time is the funeral? Is he being waked?"
"No wake. He didn't want that. There will be funeral mass and then the burial and that's it. He's getting full military honors, which will make him proud. Mass is at 9, burial at 10." Tank says.
"I need to go buy something for tomorrow. Nothing I own will work."
"I'll take you wherever you want to go." Lester says.
"Then let's go to Macys."
We arrive at Macys and I go directly to the dress department. I'm looking for a black dress that is classy, but a little sexy. If Ranger is looking down, I want him to appreciate what he is seeing. I find a dress with a high round neck and three-quarter sleeves. It has an empire waist and ends at my knees. I get a pair of two-inch black heels. The dress is appropriate for a funeral, but also makes me feel worthy of being Ranger's fiancé. I make my purchase and I return to Rangeman. I go up to the penthouse and spend the night in Ranger's bed remember all the times we were together, all the time he held me in his arms and comforted me, and told me he was proud of me. I held his pillow in my arms, imagining that my arms were wrapped around his body. I wore one of his t-shirts to bed and had a very restless sleep. At six o'clock, I got up to get ready. I had a cup of coffee and took a shower using his Bulgari shower gel. The smell of the gel reminded me of all the showers we took together, doing more than just washing each other. I couldn't help but cry knowing that I will never have him again.
I get out and get dressed. I wore my hair down, even though it wasn't cooperating. Ranger always said he loved my crazy curls, and loved my hair down, so I wore it that way for him. I didn't bother with make-up, it was only going to be washed away by my tears. At 8:15, there was a knock on my door. I look out and see Bobby. "Are you ready to do, Bomber?"
"Yes." No. I wasn't but I had to go. It took me a moment to recognize Bobby because he was in his dress uniform. In my mind's eye I saw Ranger standing there when he said good bye to me in his dress uniform. The tears started again. Bobby put his arms around me and help me, letting me lose my composure and providing me with strength to face today. When we made it to the garage, I saw most of the Merry Men in their dress uniforms. I knew most were service men, but I never realized how many were still active. Tank held the door to Ranger's Turbo open for me, and I realized that this was part of Ranger's plan. As I sat in the seat, I remembered the day that I made love to him in this car, with the door open and one leg outside the car. I smiled at that memory. Tank was driving. We arrived at the church first, and I realized this was to give me a chance to say goodbye without everyone seeing me. I walked to his coffin and placed my body over where his head would be and spoke to him. "Ranger, why did you leave me. Why did you not come home to me? What am I going to do without my heart? How will I ever love again now that my heart is broken in a million pieces? I will love you forever. Please give me strength to go on, because right now, I don't know if I can, I don't want to face a future without my Batman."
I heard someone behind me. It was Joe. Joe and I broke up about two months before Ranger and I got together. We finally realized we didn't love each other and were actually better off as friends. We would talk at least once a week, usually over the phone or in the cop shop if we bumped into each other. Joe was dating a nice teacher and he was planning on proposing to her. I was happy for him and for Laura, because she was everything he wanted and I can't be. And now, he's here for me. "Are you okay, Cupcake?"
I look at him with my red, swollen eyes and tear stained face and answer truthfully, "No, I'm not okay. I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can or want to go on. He was my life, and now he's gone."
Joe wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. He kissed my forehead. "Stephanie, you are such a wonderful, caring person. You should go on to find a way to honor Ranger's memory and his legacy. You can't give up, or he would have died for nothing. He did what he did because he believe in making the world a safer place, and you must continue doing that, whether you stay here in Trenton or move away, but you can't give up. I won't let you."
At that moment, Ranger's family arrived. They walked over to me and hugged me, pulling me into their grief and their family. His mother said to me, "Mi hija, thank you for giving my son back his light. He finally became the man I knew he could be once he met you. Don't be a stranger. You are part of our family, you are a Manoso."
We waited for everyone else to arrive before we followed the casket down the aisle of the church. Tank, Bobby, Lester, Cal, Hal, and Vince were the pall bearers, all dressed in the perfect uniforms. The flag was draped over the coffin. After the mass, the coffin was carried out and loaded into the hearse for the short trip to the cemetery. Hector was by myside throughout, being my shoulder to cry on and my rock. I had asked to be last one to leave so I could have a few final moments alone with my Ranger. Once everyone left, Hector walked away to give me some privacy. "Ranger, I am so mad at you. Why did you leave me behind? I have some many things I wish I had said to you that I never will get to say. Over these last few months I've been thinking about what it would be like to be a mother, and to have our child. Your child. To be able to keep a piece of you alive, and now that will never happen. Yes, Julie is still alive and she is your daughter, but I have nothing of you. I have your dog tags, which I will wear until the day I die and I have your engagement ring. I will also wear that until the day I die. If I ever fall in love again, I'll move it to chain with your dog tags to keep it close to my heart, but it will always be worn. I wish we had one more night together. One more time to make love with each other. I wish I could feel your arms around me again. I don't think I'm going to stay here in Trenton. There are too many memories of you everywhere I turn. I don't fit in here, and never will and never did, but when I was with you, it didn't bother me. Now, I need to find a place where I belong. Please help to guide me and send me a sign, something that I will know it's you, so that I know that I'm on the right path. Just know that you held my heart since the first day that we met. I love you." I drop my rose on his coffin and turn to walk to Hector. He puts his arm around me and picks me up. He carries me to the car and takes me to Rangeman for the reading of Ranger's will.
I can't believe that Ranger left me a 10% share of Rangeman, his two Porsches, and two million dollars. I don't want Rangeman, but according to his will I can't sell my share until ten years have passed or until I get married, whichever comes first. I don't have to sell at those times, but that is when I could sell. I understand why he did it. He wanted to make sure that I could support myself without having to worry about working, that I could do a job I love for shit money instead of forcing myself to do something I hate for good money. Apparently, the other partners in Trenton, Tank, Bobby, and Lester, knew about it and approved of it. They said I could stay on in Trenton, but I decided on the day of the funeral that I was leaving Trenton behind. They offered to transfer me to Miami or Boston, but I needed a clean break. I decided to move to San Diego, and I am leaving today. It's been two weeks since my world came crashing down around me and I am leaving Trenton with three suitcases. I gave Rex to my Merry Men, because I didn't want to fly him to California. I packed only my clothes, some pictures, and five of Ranger's t-shirts and two hoodies. I returned to the penthouse on the day of the funeral and spent one last night there, saying goodbye to the man I will never see again. I couldn't bear to clean out his apartment, so I left that job to his family. My Merry Men offered to come with me to help me until I got settled, but I couldn't take them up on that offer. They remind me too much of Ranger. Joe has agreed to help me and is flying with me to California.
My mother is pissed off at me and thinks I'm being stupid, but my dad, sister, and grandmother support me and understand why I need to start over. They just wish it wasn't so far away. Joe's girlfriend has been very understanding and trusting. I don't know if I would let my boyfriend go to another state to help his ex-girlfriend get settled. Maybe she's just happy that I'll be out of the picture permanently.
Joe and I arrive in California and check into a hotel, two separate rooms, mind you. The next day, I begin my search for an apartment. We go together looking for a safe place to stay. Joe knows how many people have broken into my old apartment and want to make sure that my new one will be more secure. On day four, we find a furnished two-bedroom apartment in a nice building with a doorman. I love it and Joe approves of the safety of the building. He suggests I ask Tank to find someone to set up security on my apartment like what Rangeman does. I decide to go with Joe's advice. Two weeks later, I have a job as a researcher for a good-sized law firm that specializes personal injury cases. I will be traveling to meet with clients as well as working behind a desk. It is a casual office and pantyhose are not required. After I finish my first week at the law firm, Joe leaves to return to Trenton.
Six months after leaving Trenton I have settled into my new life in San Diego. I still think of Ranger every day, but I don't cry as often. I don't use the Bulgari as much as I used to, I save it for the days when I feel his loss more strongly. I have met three great girlfriends out here, who keep asking me about my fiancé, since I'm still wearing my engagement ring. I haven't shared Ranger with time, though, because I want to keep him to myself. I have a picture of us on my nightstand, so I see him every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed. I keep another picture in my desk drawer from one of my distractions. Kim, Susan, and Kelly have become my California MaryLou, Lula and Connie. We are partners in crime and go out every Friday and Saturday night. We are all in our thirties and single. This particular Friday we are at a hot new club. Kim and Kelly are flirts and always have a great time dancing with lots of different guys. Susan and I tend to hang out and talk and watch the crowd. However, this night, we have a group of four guys who are hounding us. The guys are good looking, California surfer types with blond hair and buff bodies, but they don't come close to Joe or Ranger. I'm not interested in any of them beyond a friendship, but this one guy, Marc, isn't getting the point. I excuse myself to go to the bathroom and when I come out, he's waiting for me.
"Hey Sunshine, why don't you come and dance with me."
"No, thank you. I'm not much of a dancer, and I am not interested in a relationship right now." I answer politely.
"Sunshine, come on, just one dance." Ugh, what is it with guys and nicknames. Cupcake, Sunshine, Bomber, Beautiful…Babe.
"No, thank you." I start to walk back towards the group when he goes to grab my arm. Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice, "Hey Beautiful, what are you doing in a place like this."
I turn my head and see Lester standing ten feet in front of me. I don't even think but react. I run to him and throw my arms around his neck and give him a big hug. "Lester, what are you doing in San Diego, checking up on me?"
"Yes and no. Cal, Hal, and I came out here to pick up an FTA in L.A. After we got him, I couldn't leave California without seeing you. We miss you, Beautiful. Even though you e-mail and tell us you're alright, I wanted to see you for myself." He takes my hands and feels the ring on my finger and looks at my neck to see that chain from the dog tags. "You're still wearing them, huh?"
"Always, Lester, always."
With this, Marc comes over and tries to be all macho. "Excuse me, but I saw her first and she's with me tonight."
"Beautiful, do you want me to take care of him for you?"
"No, Lester, it's okay. I got it." I give him a kiss on the cheek before turning to Marc. "Marc, as I already told you, I'm not interested. This is Lester, he is my business partner and the cousin of my fiancé. He's here to look out for me while my fiancé is away. So, I am not interested, but thank you for your offer. Oh, by the way, we own the premier security firm in Trenton, NJ and know how to hide bodies without leaving any evidence behind."
Marc paled and walked away. Lester laughed. "You never fail to amaze me. Now, who are you here with?"
"My best friends. Come, I'll introduce you, only, I want to warn you, they don't know about Ranger. I haven't told anyone out here. I avoid all questions about him. I'm not ready to share that part of my life with my new friends yet."
"Your secret is safe with me."
"Where are you staying?"
"I'll find a hotel."
"No, come home with me and stay in my apartment. I have a guest room. It'll be nice to have a familiar face around, especially tomorrow." Tomorrow is Ranger's birthday. It suddenly hits me that Lester came here to be with me because he knew that it will be a difficult day for me. "Thank you for coming, you didn't have to come."
"Yes, I did. For me as much as for you, Beautiful."
I walk him over to my friends and introduce him to Kim, Kelly and Susan. He immediately goes into flirt mode and then starts to tell stories about me from NJ and my history as a rather inept Bond Enforcement Agent or bounty hunter. Pretty soon the guys who were trying to hook up with us left, much to my relief.
"The best was, this one time, my Boss and cousin, gave Stephanie a new midnight-black Porsche Boxster. She goes to speak to this guy at a garbage disposal business when Porsche blows up and a garbage truck lands on top of it. We thought that the Boss was going to kill her, but instead, when he got there, he told her that cars are easy to come by and people are harder to replace and asks her if she's okay then takes her to dinner. It was like he was replaced by an alien."
As Lester was telling the story I started to think about him, about Ranger, and how even then I knew I wanted him, that I had feelings for him. Looking back, it was obvious he had them for me as well, though we were too fucking stubborn to admit it. I feel the tears starting to move into my eyes. Lester glances at me and realizes what he did. He quickly changes to the story of when Hal fainted when my sister gave birth. Halosaurus, the fainter. This got a smile from me, but my night was done. Though it was still early, I said goodnight to my girlfriends. They asked if I was still on for tomorrow night but I declined. I told them that Lester and I had some catching up to do and I would see them on Monday. When we got outside, Lester took me to his rental. "I'm sorry Beautiful, I didn't mean to bring him up. I didn't want to ruin your night."
"It's okay. I've been thinking about him a lot this week. To think, tomorrow he would have been 35. God, Lester, we have so many years ahead of us, and now I'll never know what could have been." I can't talk right now so we get in his car and put on the radio. A song comes on that I haven't heard before and I start to listen to the words.
It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen
All dressed in white, going to the church that night.
She has his box of letters in her passenger seat
Sixpence in her shoe
Something borrowed, something blue
When the church doors open up wide
She put her veil down, trying to hide the tears,
Oh, she just couldn't believe it.
She heard the trumpet from the military band
And the flowers, fell out of her hands
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have go
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance,
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now.
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
The preacher man said let us bow our heads and pray
Lord please lift his soul and heal this hurt
Then the congregation all stood up
And sang the saddest song that she ever heard
Then they handed her a folded-up flag
And she held on to all she had left of him
Oh, and what could have been
And then the guns rang one last shot
And it felt like a bullet in her heart.
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have go
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance,
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now.
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
Baby, why'd you leave me, why'd you have to go
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
Oh, I'll never know
It's like I'm looking from a distance,
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now,
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
Oh, this is just a dream
Just a dream (yeah, yeah)
Just a Dream recording by Carrie Underwood
By the end of the song I was sobbing uncontrollably and Lester had pulled over. When he heard me start to cry he started to listen to the lyrics as well and was crying along with me. It was like a sign from Ranger tell me that he still loved me. We sat on the side of the road, holding each other, for an hour before we finally continued to my apartment.
It's been two years since Ranger died and I still miss him tremendously. I told my friends about him on the anniversary of his death, when I arrive at work an hour late with puffy eyes and bags under them that could carry a car. They finally understood why I never flirted with any of the men who tried to flirt with me and why I wore the engagement ring of a man that I hadn't seen in over a year and half. After that day, I put his picture on my desk at work, which made it easier for me to remember without being so sad. Morelli came to visit me a month ago, and told me that his wife, Laura, was expecting their first child. Joe wants me to be the child's Godmother. I can't say no to him, so I agree. He told me that Vinnie sold the bond office to Rangeman and that they were doing well with end of the business. Joe didn't know about my partnership in Rangeman. I only told him about the two million Ranger left me. Lester, Tank, Bobby or Hector visit me once a month, under the guise of updating me on our business, but it's really to make sure that I'm okay. Even though I can talk about Ranger to my girls, it's different when I can share the memories of the man I love with other who love him as well. I haven't returned to Trenton, and have no desire to. I am getting ready to leave work when I get a call from security that I have a visitor. I'm not expecting anyone, so I ask who it is. The guard tells me it's someone named Santos. Lester. What's he doing here. It's Bobby's turn to come next week. I'm so confused. I go downstairs to meet Lester and he has that same expression on his face that he had when he came to tell me that Ranger was dead. This wasn't going to be good news.
"Hi Beautiful. Is there a private place we can talk?" He asks me.
"Yeah, my office. Follow me."
I bring Lester to my office and I close my door. He sits in my chair and pulls me onto his lap. "What's wrong, Lester?"
"Stephanie, your mother and grandmother were in a car accident. A drunk driver slammed into them when they were waiting at the light by Tasty Pastry and pushed their car into the intersection where they were t-boned by a tractor trailer. They didn't make it. Your sister is medicated and unable to function. Your father is alone and holding on, but he needs you. I know you don't want to go back to Trenton, but no one is capable to handling the arrangements. I will fly with you home, and when you want to come back here, I'll come back with you and stay with you for a few weeks until you're settled."
I'm numb. I don't know what to say or think. My relationship with my mom deteriorated beyond repair when Ranger died. She wanted me to stay in the Burg, marry and turn into her and my sister. When I went against her wishes and came out to San Diego, she stopped talking to me. I haven't spoken to her in two years. My grandmother and I spoke at least twice a week, but we weren't as close anymore. Our conversations were more superficial and fluff. Valerie rarely calls, and doesn't understand why I don't want her life. Albert is still doing well working for Rangeman, so she has a good life finally. My dad and I talk almost every day. It turns out he was a Ranger in his day, but never signed on beyond his tour of duty. He told me a lot about the things that Ranger probably did on his missions and he understood why I needed to leave Trenton. I have never been closer to him, and I will go home to help my father. I turn to Lester, "How soon can we leave for Trenton?"
"I can have plane ready in an hour."
"Make it an hour and a half. We'll grab a bite to eat, pack a couple of bags, and be on our way the NJ in ninety minutes." We go back to my apartment. I call Susan to empty out my fridge of perishables and I tell her I'm not sure when I'll be back. She said she'll take care of everything and will hold my mail for me as well. I told my bosses what happen and they told me to take as much time as I needed. Ninety minutes later we were on our way to Trenton. Nothing could have prepared me for how my life was going to change again.
Author's Note: This story just came to me while writing a different story. I had to get it out. It will remain a one shot until I have a chance to develop it further once I finish my current story, Changing Seasons. I promise I won't leave it unfinished. I may work on the two stories together, but I'm not yet sure. Please send your reviews if you want me to continue this story.