Okay, so this is going to be chapter 2 out of… I have no idea how many. But I do want to thank JenRar for becoming one of the most kick ass people in the world. She decided to be my Beta. And to those of you who reviewed and alerted me… THANK YOU!!! You guys were my guinea pigs, and you responded fantastically. You make me all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Okay I'm done blabbing. Oh, and I'm really sorry for the long update. I'm super busy even though that's a lame excuse.

So, I know I said I was going to change my life… yeah I'm not so sure about that now. I was lying in bed Sunday night, on my back in my thinking position, thinking about what Tank was going to put me through tomorrow. I mean, I wanted to do the change thing, but I didn't want to lose myself along the way. This whole change is for me; no one else. It might benefit some people, but ultimately I'm doing this for me. I'm trying to make myself a better person- not just some family disgrace, someone who messes everything up, a source of entertainment, or even a failure. I am turning over a new leaf.

I ended up rolling over in just enough time to see the alarm clock turn to 12:00 and I fell asleep shortly thereafter. What I completely forgot about was that my training started at an ungodly hour of the morning.

I was woken up that morning to the sound of locks tumbling. I decided to ignore it till the person realized I was asleep and left me alone. I heard multiple footsteps coming closer to the room and burrowed further down into the covers. Next I heard the door open and then I felt the bed dip next to me. If I hadn't known better, I would've thought it was Ranger, but he was in the wind at the moment.

"Bomber…" I couldn't recognize the voice through my sleep-induced haze, but rolled over to my other side, my back to the stranger. I felt my bed shake with the laughter coming from the man in my bed.

"Bombshell, come on sweetie. You gotta get up. We start training today."

"Fuck you. Let me sleep for another hour."

"Stephanie, get up and out of bed before I pull you out." I knew that one was Tank, but I could also hear the smile in his voice.

"I said Fuck. You."

"Alright, you asked for it." I didn't expect him to actually do anything, but he decided to grab my feet and try to pull me off the bed. He twisted me onto my back, and then threw me over his shoulder. I took a guess that he was going to the bathroom.

"Tank!" Before I knew it, I was under a cold stream of water, fully clothed.

The Ass, as I have deemed him, turned off the water and threw a towel in my direction with a smirk on his face. I pulled the towel off my face and glared at him, hopefully making him realizing that payback was a bitch, and she will come full force.

"I will enjoy this until you can learn to follow directions on when to get up," Tank said.

"Fine. I'm up. Are you happy?" I seethed with anger, but at myself, not Tank. He gave me fair warning. I just didn't take it seriously. Now I know that Tank doesn't mess around.

I got out of the shower and looked in the mirror.

I looked like a drowned cat! My clothes were sticking to my body, my makeup from the previous night was running down my face, and my hair was… I couldn't even describe it.

I walked back to the room to see Tank standing by the window and Lester sprawled across the bed. I walked to Ranger's closet to grab clothes, to the dresser for panties and a sports bra, and back to the bathroom for a shower. Before I got to my door, I looked to my clock and saw that it was only 5:00!

"What the hell guys? I thought you said this started at 5:30, not 5:00? Why am I up?"

"I know what I said. Your training starts at 5:30, but we need you up at 5:00 so you can get ready." As he said that, the smile on his face grew more and more. That bastard knew what he was doing, and he was doing it to piss me off.

I stormed off to the bathroom and started the shower. I took care of mother nature and brushed my teeth before I got in. By the time I got out and dressed, it was 5:25.

I walked out into the living room, about to get something to eat for breakfast, but was stopped short when this big black wall came into view.

"Let's go, Bomber. We need to get this show on the road."

"Can I not get something to eat?"

"No."

"But –"

"Unless you want to be puking your guts up afterwards, I suggest not eating till we get back to Haywood. Your trainer is just going to be... someone special. They're not going to be here till later on in the afternoon. Someone may tag along every once in awhile to evaluate, but other that, you're stuck with Lester. Only because we know you don't like him very much." He added the last part with a big, white smile on his face.

"Hey! Everyone happens to love me, thank you very much." Lester added, faking mock hurt and indifference.

"Fine. Whatever you say, Captain," I said.

I walked down the stairs – yeah, that's right, I said it – and into the parking garage, immediately looking for a waiting black SUV; which I didn't find.

"Uh, guys, where's the truck?" I looked at Lester and found him grinning ear to ear. I averted my eyes and glanced at Tank to find him laughing at me.

"You're going to run from here to your old apartment and back," Lester said.

"You guys are assholes. You're actually making me run from Haywood and back to Haywood?! That's at least seven miles. That's crazy!" When I finished, both of them were on the ground, full out laughing, something I've never seen before.

"Fine, then. I'll give you two something to laugh about. You both can kiss my ass when I make it back to Haywood." I started off down the street, and made a left toward my old apartments.

By the time we made it back the building, I was drenched in sweat, panting, trying to fill my lungs with much needed oxygen. I put my hands on my knees and bent over at the waist, trying to breathe. I heard the gates open, and saw Lester standing there with a smile on his face, not looking like he had just run five miles.

"What are you smiling at?" My voice was harsh due to the lack of moisture in my throat. He gave me a bottle of water and a towel to wipe my face.

"Come on Bombshell, we need to start on your weight lifting." I looked at him and just shrugged my shoulders. What I didn't expect was for him to make me run up four flights of stairs. Bastard.

When we made it up to the gym, I was out of breath again. I didn't realize how badly out of shape I was. Damn.

For an entire hour and a half, Lester made me do every weight lift possible and by the end… I couldn't feel any part of my arms. I couldn't lift them up and they felt like dead weight. I knew right now that by tomorrow morning, I would be extremely sore.

After a fifteen minute break for food and water, Bobby walked up to me and said that I was to be in the gun range in five minutes.

I got down to the range and saw Lester already there, loading up every make and model of a gun. He turned to me and gave me his most innocent smile, pointing to the stall next to him. I listened to him as he explained every piece and its function to every gun, then how to load and unload properly, then finally how to shoot one the right way.

We spent three hours down there, going over and over what he had explained to me. When we finished, I was so tired I could barely hold my arms up. And they weren't even up to begin with! My thighs burned like they were being smoldered from the inside out. Every muscle protested any movement that required energy it didn't have. I turned to Lester and found him staring at me with this weird look in his eyes, as if he was amazed at something.

"What are you staring at Lester?"

"I'm just surprised to see you still standing here. I'm sorry to say that none of us thought you would make it through today. Just wanted to let you know how proud we all are of you, Bombshell." He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me tightly, kissing the top of my head.

"See, this is why I love you guys so much." My eyes were stinging with unshed tears. I knew that if I cried now, I wouldn't stop later.

I left Lester in the range and made my way up to the seventh floor; via elevator, might I add. Apparently, Ranger had left a package with Tank for me that I was supposed to get when I came by the office the next day. He'd left me a letter saying that he would try to talk to me when he could and that he was going to miss me. He also left me a key fob, allowing me access to the seventh floor.

I let myself into the apartment and went straight for the bathroom. I ran the bath water as hot as I could get it and jumped right in.

The minute my body hit the water, every muscle instantly relaxed into a pile of mush.

I don't know how long I stayed in there, but soon I heard banging on the bathroom door.

I jumped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around my body before the person on the other side of the door could bust it down.

They stared pounding on the door again before I could get the towel around my chest.

"One second, please." When I opened the door, I almost passed out right then and there. Standing there on the other side of the door stood a spitting image of Ranger, only older, taller, and more gray hair mixed with his long, obsidian black hair.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my son's apartment?" His voice was deep and had a thick Spanish accent. You could easily tell he wasn't originally from here.

"Uh…"

"I asked you a question. Who are you and what are you doing in my son's room?"

I looked behind him to see Tank barreling into the bedroom with Lester and Bobby.

"Pops, its okay," I heard Tank say.

"Senior Manoso," aw shit, I thought, "this is Stephanie. This is the girl you're going to be training." Bobby had to be out of his freaking mind thinking I was going to be working with this guy.

"This also happens to be Carlos' amante secreto. This is the one he's been fawning over for three years now." I didn't know what Lester was talking about, but as he said this, Sr. Manoso lost his cold exterior and warmth took over his eyes. He became less tense and a smile even came to his face.

"Ah, so you're the one who tamed the wild heart of my son." He looked me up and down and then realization came across his features. "Uh, I will leave you to put something more suitable on than just a towel." Then I remembered that I was standing there in nothing but a towel.

"Uh… yeah, okay." I turned around and shut the door behind me. I felt the heat creep across my face when it finally hit me that I just met Ranger's dad, clad in a towel. Great first impressions, Steph. That was a fantastic performance in proving you are so not worth Ranger's time.

I rushed to the pile of clothes that I had brought with me into the bathroom and quickly changed into them. I swiftly ran my fingers through my hair, hoping and praying that it would cooperate with me for at least an hour.

I opened the door and made my way out to the living room, only to be faced with all the Merry Men and Ranger's father. I was so not ready for this kind of meeting. Not only was I not ready for this, but deep inside… I was having a severe heart attack due to the stress and nervousness of standing in front of Batman's father.

"Okay, so you wanted to talk to me?" I looked around the room to see everyone looking at Mr. Manoso, waiting for him to speak. He stood up and crossed the floor to stand in front of me.

"I was called in to do a favor for Tank. He said that there was this cute little spitfire who wanted training. He said that I was her best bet at actually finishing her training. He also said that this was the girl who's got my son wrapped around her little finger. Is that girl you?" He raised one eyebrow, something I know Ranger inherited from him, and looked at me for my answer.

I looked around the room and stopped my traveling gaze on Tank. He gave me his best smile and I just glared at him. That oh-so-sweet 'I'm innocent' smile immediately left his face and I saw cold hard fear pass over his face. That bastard set me up and I just figured it out.

"Mr. Manoso, I'm sorry you had to waste your time in coming out here for no reason. I don't have anything against you- I just don't want Ranger coming home to find out that I've been spending time with his father. I love him too much to have him mad at me for invading the privacy that he has so secretly kept from me the past three years." I then realized that I just confessed my love for Mr. Manoso's son… right in front of him.

I turned to look at Tank and found him trying to be sneaky and walk out the room.

"And you! What the hell were you thinking, getting him up here? Do you not realize how much this means to me? And then you go and call the very least likely person to come down here and help. What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to get me sent to a third world country?" I popped him in the backside of his head and pushed him into the wall.

His shoulder hit the wall, knocking down a picture frame I've never noticed before. I picked up the frame and turned it over, only to stare into the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen on someone. I drop the frame back onto the carpet.

Ranger never has any pictures up. Especially ones of me when I'm not paying attention.

Mr. Manoso came over and picked up the frame as if it would break with the slightest amount of pressure. He turned it over and his eyes said a thousand words.

"Hermosa, this is a beautiful picture. Why are you acting as if it shouldn't belong on Carlos' wall?"

"Because it shouldn't. Ranger- I mean Carlos- never has any pictures on his wall; much less any pictures of me. Trust me, I'm not that special to him."

"Not from what I've heard. Pierre and Lester have told me how he looks at you and how he protects you. Carlos does not do that for just anyone."

"Who's Pierre?" I looked around the room for answers and found Tank with his hands covering his face. No, you have got to be kidding me?

"Are you serious, Tank? Your real name is Pierre?"

He was pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers when he spoke. "I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about that little piece of information. Don't laugh either; it's already bad enough when you got Santos cracking jokes on it."

"Does Lula know?"

"Yes, of course she knows. I wouldn't be with her if she didn't know my real name. But she's also the only one who can get away with calling me that."

That is so not something you find out every day. A big bad ass ex-Army man's real name is Pierre.

"Well, that's not something you hear every day." I turned to look at Mr. Manoso and saw him smiling at everyone. God, he and Ranger resembled each other so much, it was uncanny. It was then that I came to a conclusion.

"Mr. Manoso-"

"Please stop calling me that. It makes me feel older than I am. Call me Ricardo." I looked at everyone and they were all bug-eyed and open mouthed.

"Okay. Ricardo, I would love for you to train me, but on one condition."

"Oh, really? And what's that one condition?"

"We finish my training before Ranger comes home and no one tells him anything; that will be my job. I'm already in enough trouble as it is by accepting."

"Fine. I accept you condition, but on one of my own conditions." I looked him in the eye to see if he was serious or if he was just mocking me. Sure enough, it looked like he was being serious. He walked up to and cupped my face between his hands and looked me right in the eye.

"When my son comes back from wherever, you are to show him what a wonderful woman you are and let him know what he's missing out on. Let him know that he needs to get his head out of his ass and see that his future is right in front of him." By the time he was done, I had tears in my eyes and my arms were wrapped tightly around his neck.

"Querida, I'm going to shape you into the woman you want to be for you. You better not be doing this for anyone but yourself."

"I'm not."

"Good. Well I am actually rather tired so I will see you, hermosa, tomorrow morning at 5:00 sharp. Don't be late or you will be in trouble." I didn't doubt it so I didn't say anything.

"Have a nice evening Ricardo. See you tomorrow morning." I walked to the kitchen to see if Ranger kept real food in his fridge. No, of course he didn't, I thought. I felt someone walk up behind me and turned around to see Ram there with a small smile on his face.

"Hey Ram, did you need something?"

"No, uh, I just wanted to tell you that we're all very proud of you. We know this is going to be hard for you, so if you need someone, you've got an entire family waiting to help. Love you, Bomber."

I ran and jumped onto him and gave him a hug, wrapping my legs and arms around him. This is the kind of family I've always wanted and needed.

I got down off of Ram and walked back out into the living room.

The only ones left in the living room were Tank, Lester and Bobby, all of whom were smiling like idiots at me.

"What the hell are all of you smiling at?" I asked.

"Well," Tank started, "Ricardo sure as hell likes you."

"I see that, and I think it's weird. He doesn't know me and he's already being the nicest person."

"That's not what I'm talking about. I was referring to the fact that he told you to call him Ricardo. He has to have a lot of respect for someone to allow that person to call him that. Trust me, I would know." Bobby explained that whole situation to me and now I understood a lot better than before.

Ranger's father might actually like me.

The next morning was just about the same except for the fact that Ricardo didn't pull me out of bed and into a cold shower. No, he just tricked me with Boston Cremes and fresh coffee, which so was not there when I got out to the kitchen.

Ricardo set the same routine for me but didn't allow me to have those same breaks the guys did.

"Stephanie, if you think you can take a break here, then you'll think you can take a break when you're chasing skips. That is not only something you can't do, but is also very dangerous."

He spent extra time with me on my self-defense moves and gun handling, per my asking and his compliance. By the end of the day, I was just as sore as I was the previous night, only tenfold.

"Stephanie, to end our time together, I want you to take the stairs all the way up to the seventh floor. After that, we are done for the day." I stood up straight, breathing heavy, and looked him in the eyes.

"Are you serious?!" He nodded his head like he had said this kind of statement every day.

"FUCK!" I took off at a dead sprint and even skipped every other step all the way up to the seventh floor.

By the time I made it up to the door, I noticed I was really out of breath and my chest hurt. I put my hand to my heart and felt it beating way too fast for my liking. I tried to breathe in but the air didn't make it to my lungs. I felt for the wall and leaned against it but I didn't stay up for too long. I felt my body slip to the floor and saw black dots swimming in my vision. I tried to call out but I had no air to breathe and the edges of my vision were blurring. By the time I saw nothing but black in my sight, I was on the floor with no one to come for me.