A/N not mine, I own nothing but the plot.

I thought that since I had so many wonderful reviews I would post this update today. I will continue to update on Wednesdays. Also, Stephanie has a long road ahead of her. While she will have her own HEA there is a lot of hurt to get through first.

What the Heart Wants

The next few weeks Steph found herself increasingly alone, just like she knew would happen. She fills her time with classes, going to the gym and working at Katherman law offices as a secretary. She was able to keep her head down and become invisible. She had quit Vinnie's, because she had run into Ranger one too many times there and the alley had too many painful memories. He seemed to make it a point to ignore that she even existed. It was like a knife twisting into her heart each time he swept right past her.

She was tired of dealing with the daily questions from the girls in the office as well. They were ruthlessly hounding her and when she didn't the give them anything, they started rumors of their own. She was done dealing with their crap. Vinnie often looked at her sadly. She wasn't sure if it was out of pity for her own stupidity, or if he was genuinely concerned for her. Hell, he was family, so he probably thought that she was an embarrassment.

Soon she found out about Ranger and Hollys engagement. You wouldn't believe the number of phone calls she got about that. Mainly it was just people wanting to rub salt in an open wound. Everyone seemed to delight in her heartache. Each person that told her had so much glee in their voices. It was as if they took pride in all the bad shit that happened in her life.

She stopped at the grocery store on the way home. She had begun to teach herself to cook, since she was no longer welcome in her childhood home. She ran into Lester and his wife there. She stiffened up when they attempted to hug her. The last time she had spoken to anyone from Rangeman was when Cal came over to pick up the items she sent back to Ranger.

"Beautiful? God, I've missed you. Where have you been? Why haven't you called or come to see us?" He asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He looked like a child who had a triple shot of extra caffeinated espresso and a ten pound bag of candy as a chaser. He was practically vibrating.

It took everything in her not to cry as she answered him. "I couldn't watch them anymore. I need to move forward and let my heart heal. It hurt when I realized that someday will never be in my future."

"We all miss you," he said softly. He had been caught off guard by the wave of sadness that rolled off her.

"Phones work two ways, Les. Just do me a favor he makes sure he's always happy. Tell him to never give up on the love of his life, because it hurts like hell."

"Steph, what do you mean? What happened? Did you and Morelli split up again?"

Anger flashed in her eyes at his question. She gritted her teeth and answered. "Les, Morelli and I broke up two years ago. Then Ranger, the man who has held my heart since he called me Babe, met the woman he's supposed to spend his life with. All the promises of someday and how I was home to him were nothing more then lines. I get it, I do. I've never had a good relationship with any man, so I'm just not going to ever again. Besides that, the only man I have ever really loved, doesn't love me. So, I would rather be alone then let my heart open back up to someone. Listen, it was good seeing you both again, but I have to get home to study."

She didn't know that he had a call open on his phone while they were talking, but the person who had been listening was pissed. The light was gone from the company and it was one man's fault alone. He had been the only person to dance with her at Lester's wedding. He had noticed her slipping away from them bit by bit, and felt guilty for not trying to stop it.

Steph made it home, before she lost it again. Having such a big heart made it hard to let go, and times like tonight made it feel like someone had torn the scab off a fresh wound. She gathered some fruit for diner, it had to be a light meal, her stomach was to upset. She had lost so much weight over the last year that her clothing was swimming on her. Except for her work clothes. She had purchased a few fitted suits to wear and just mix and matched the items. She really didn't go anywhere, so there was no point in replacing her entire wardrobe.

As she got ready for bed there was a knock at her door. She had no idea who it could be, since no one called or stopped to see her any longer. She checked the peep hole and was surprised even more. She quickly opened the door and looked at him curiously.

"Tank? What are you doing here?" She inquired, the surprise in her voice evident.

"I haven't been a very good friend to you, and wanted to stop in and see you. Can I come in?" He was strong and confident in his request. Like he was in every aspect of his life.

"I guess. Can I get you something to drink?" She moved to the side and allowed him into her apartment. She wasn't up for a fight and it was just easier to listen to whatever he had to say. Then she could give him the envelope she had gathered for him and send him on his merry way.

"Water would be good," he gently replied. It took a bit of the sting out of him leaving her alone for the past few months.

She came back from the kitchen to find him sitting on her couch. Handing him the water she sat next to him.

"Want to tell me why you're really here?"

"I'm going to be honest with you. I was actually on the phone when you were talking to Santos today."

"Of course you were," she said sarcastically. "My life it open to the entire population of Trenton at all times anyway. Why would I even consider that you guys may be different. Tell me, what do you need?"

"We all need you back at Rangeman. Ranger has been an ass since you stopped coming around or calling, and our world has gotten darker. We miss you," Tank nearly pleaded.

"Not gonna happen Big Guy. You guys can always call or stop over. I just can not step foot in that building again. It hurts even going past it on my way to and from work everyday. I'm not strong enough to watch the man I love and waited for to be ready for someday, be so in love with another woman. I don't care how great she is.

"You know the only reason I was with Joe was because he kept telling me to go back to him? Anything he asked of me I did. Hell, even now if he needed something I would be there for him. I just can't let my heartbreak over and over again.

"I finally figured out that I'm meant to be alone. No one bothers with me unless they need something. All I really need is a friend, but turns out that I never really had any of those either." She crossed her arms over her stomach and leaned back against her counter.

"Why do you say that?"

"Let's see, as a child I was molested, as a teen I was raped, my husband cheated on me, Joe cheated on me, my own family has nothing to do with me. People I thought were my friends aren't really my friends. Is that enough or do I need to go on? No one from Rangeman has made even the slightest effort to have anything to do with me until now. You see Tank, unless I behave a certain way or make the first step in anything, no one wants me for who I am. They want the Burg girl, a stay at home wife and mother, someone they can use to their benefit. They want a fuck buddy, a single night, or just to be able to say they got the better of me. Tank, friendship is a two way street, but when I stopped doing what people wanted, I was left on a dead end street with no where to turn."

"You could have called one of us."

She couldn't hold back the snort. Then she asked, "At what cost though? Hearing about Rangers new happy life? Just to be told that they are too busy for even a cup of coffee? I grew up, Tank. I learned a very harsh lesson and know that whatever I did to deserve these things had to of been bad. I'm slowly accepting that I'll be alone for the rest of my life. No friends, no family, and no one who will ever love me for me. Go listen to my voicemail, listen to the messages there. It's every message that I've gotten over the last six months."

He got up and went over to her land-line. Listening to the nasty words and the glee people took in inflicting pain on the broken woman that was now sitting on the couch. the stared in horror at the hurtful words that the people who proclaimed to love her hurled through the machine. There was twenty of them in total. Twenty calls in six months and fifteen of them were about Rangers engagement. He sank down next to her and pulled her into his chest. He had no words for what he had just heard. When that was combined with Rangeman pulling away away from her, it's amazing that she was still here.

"I love him, Tank. I don't know if I'll ever get over that. As long as he's happy, I'll be okay. That's all I want for any of you. If that means I spend the rest of my life in isolation, then so be it. I won't be pitied, I won't be somewhere that I not welcome, and I certainly won't force myself into anyone's life. I just can't fight anymore, there's nothing left to even fight for. Please, just let it go. I've accepted my fate in life. Promise me two things, that he's always happy and that you'll open your heart to the information I have for you."

She handed him a large yellow envelope that was rather thick and heavy. He opened it and was surprised to find what info it held.

"Charlotte..." he whispered. He looked up at her in awe.

"That's all the information I have on her for you. She doesn't live to far from here. Her phone number and address are both in there. Just...just go talk to her."

"How did yo...Why do this for me?"

"Because, despite my crappy life, I want those that I love to be happy. Even if that means removing myself from their lives and finding the one thing that they've been looking for. Think of me as everyone's fairy godmother. The only catch, you can't tell anyone it's me."

"What about Ranger?"

"I gave him what he's been telling me he's wanted all along, a life without me in it."

Tank stood up and hugged her, before leaving silently. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he couldn't let this go. The man he had called his best friend hurt someone very precious to him.