As I sat staring at the files Connie had just handed me, I blew out a sigh. I had been getting the higher end skips for the last couple of months. They were tougher wrangling, but much better money was the trade-off.

I've made a lot of changes in my life during that time. Joining a gym and working with a trainer three days a week has helped me get in shape. Ordering a veggie pizza instead of pepperoni is my one concession to health food and the only running I do is to the Tasty Pastry. I haven't turned into a health nut after all, I have my priorities.

Hal's been helping me with self-defense training. When hauling in my skips, I don't need back-up as often anymore. I feel better and I'm more confident than I've ever been in my life, except for the loneliness.

Joe and I broke up, for good. It really is the final time. He wasn't happy with my decision to go back to bounty hunting after the Slayer incident, as it's delicately referred to. We never agreed on anything, except sex, so we decided to call it quits and be friends. It was a nice surprise to discover that we could act like mature adults and get along with each other better than ever before.

My thoughts drifted back to the night, about three months ago, when I woke up and found Ranger standing in the doorway of my bedroom. It was only a few nights after the Slayers had kidnapped and beaten me. He stood there for long moments, moonlight streaming into the room, staring at me.

"Hi," I said softly as I scooted over and patted the side of the bed next to me.

He took the few steps across the room and dropped his gun belt on the floor next to the bed before he lay down beside me. Closing his eyes, he reached out and took my hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb back and forth across the back of it.

I lay quietly beside him, soaking up his warmth and breathing in the scent that was uniquely Ranger. His closeness made me feel safe and secure, a feeling that was in scarce supply lately.

After a few moments of lying next to each other and savoring the feel of his body next to mine, he began to speak softly. He told me of a debt that was being called in, an old debt he couldn't refuse. He said that he, Tank, Lester and Bobby would be leaving town, for an indeterminate length of time.

My breath caught in my throat as I thought about not only facing the days ahead without his support but about the danger he was sure to be facing. He told me to call on Hal for anything I needed while he and the guys were away.

A single, solitary tear rolled down my cheek as Ranger shifted and gathered me in his arms. Stroking my hair and holding me tightly within the circle of his arms, he sighed lightly. As he told me he was sorry to be leaving so soon after my problems with the Slayers, I could hear the worry in his voice.

He had stayed with me that night, held me tightly and imparted a sense of peace to my soul. When I woke the next morning, he was gone and so was a piece of my heart. That had been three months, two days and five hours ago. Each moment crawls.

I've missed all of them more than I wanted to admit. Well, I've missed one of them more than I wanted to admit. As I continued to stare at the file in front of me, I wondered how this experience would change him.

"Babe. Ladies."

I jumped and my file flew up in the air, papers scattering everywhere. I looked up and Ranger was standing right in front of me.

My breath caught in the back of my throat as I looked him up and down. Dressed in bad ass black as usual, he looked magnificent. Well defined muscles rippled as he flexed his hands and stood before me.

There seemed to be a few more lines around his eyes than before and his eyes, there was a look in his eyes that I'd never seen previously. His hair wasn't as long. He was wearing it down today and it barely brushed the tops of his shoulders.

He stood directly in front of me, close enough that I could smell the…not Bulgari smell of him. He raked his eyes up and down my body, lingering in spots before lifting them and staring directly into mine. A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Interesting hat you're wearing," he said, lifting a hand to adjust the Seals hat on my head. As I flinched unexpectedly, he slowly lowered his hand and the smile faded away.

"Sorry, Babe, I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay, I've just been a little jumpy lately. I haven't been sleeping well. Hal didn't tell me you were back. I guess I'm just a little surprised."

"I instructed him not to let you know. I thought it would be more fun this way."

Turning slightly, he looked at Connie and asked, "He in?" as he nodded his head toward Vinnie's office.

Speechless, she could only bob her head up and down.

Shifting back to me, he asked, "Wait for me?"

As I searched his eyes for something more than I was finding, I indicated that I would.

He walked into Vinnie's office and shut the door behind him.

"Oh…My…God," squealed Lula as she was fanning herself, "I forgot just how damn hot that man is."

Connie grinned at me and said, "Steph, I thought you'd be a lot happier and a lot more excited to see Ranger when he got back."

I shrugged my shoulders, "Doesn't he seem different to you?"

"Well, the package still looks mighty fine to me," Lula chimed in.

Connie went back to filing her nails and said, "He can still make my heart stop. Maybe he's just tired from being away for so long."

Lula shook her finger at me as she said, "I know what your problem is, girl. You've been spending too much time with that Hal dude. He's got some quirky habits and they're beginning to rub off on you."

I narrowed my eyes and stared at her while I wondered where my spidey sense was hiding. Why didn't I know he was here before he said something? It's never failed me before.

The door to Vinnie's office opened and the man in black stepped out. His eyes immediately sought mine. Nodding once to Connie and Lula, he settled his hand at the back of my neck.

"I need to see you outside, Babe."

"O-okay," I said as I gathered up my files and zipped them into my bag. Slinging it over my shoulder, I followed him.

We walked out of the building and into the alley. He pushed me up against the wall and molded his body against mine. I waited for the tingle to hit me, the tingle of being so close to him again, but it never came.

With my hands pressed against his chest, I looked intently into his gaze. Searchingly, I sought the Ranger I thought I knew so well. But he wasn't there; the only thing reflected back was emptiness.

Thoughts flew through my mind at a breakneck pace. "What could have happened to him while he was away? He's changed. There's something wrong."

I watched as he slowly lowered his head. He was going to kiss me. The thought of Ranger kissing me was usually enough to make me hyperventilate. But, this time, it wasn't doing anything for me.

Just as his lips hovered over mine, I shifted and they grazed my cheek. Slipping out from under his arm that was propped against the building at my back, I took a deep breath and turned to face him.

"So, when did you get back into town?" I asked as he looked quizzically at me.

Sighing, he straightened up and said, "I flew in this morning, Babe. After stopping off at the Haywood office, I came straight here to see you."

"How are Tank, Bobby and Lester?" I continued.

"They had to stay behind a little longer. There was still some cleanup that needed to be done. I was in a hurry to return to Trenton."

He paused for a moment and then continued, "Need any help with your skips today?"

Looking at him as he stood there before me, just like I'd dreamed of night after night, I shook my head and said, "No, I'm used to bringing most of them in by myself now."

"But, thanks for the offer," I added as he turned to leave the alley.

He looked back over his shoulder at me and with glittering black eyes, he said, "Later, Babe."

After endless days of anticipation and incessant nights of longing, I had thought I would be more thrilled to see Ranger when he returned.

Something wasn't right, something just wasn't right.