The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity. Some mild smut.

Chapter 3

Lester POV

I walk out of Tank's office and I know deep down in my heart that I have lost Stephanie. There is no way she will choose me over Ranger. Ranger is her hero, her mentor, her best friend, and her Batman. I'm just her Robin, her sidekick. I know I never had 100% of her heart, I was lucky if I had 50%. When we were together and made love, it was a great experience for me, and I know it was for her as well, though I know I didn't live up to my cousin. He's legendary. Three times we shared a lover, three times I had her second, and three times I couldn't out maneuver him. The first two didn't really count. They were just one-night stands, but knowing that I could make Stephanie forget Carlos, well, it hurts.

I walk past Tank and Bobby and go into my office. I wonder if this will still by my office now that Ranger's back. I mean, he will take over Trenton again, and I'll go to being third in command. Not that I mind. It will get me out in the field more, but I will miss my office. And now that Steph has my old office, I don't know where I belong. I sit at my desk and look at the picture of us together from the night when I proposed to her. She looked so beautiful in the light blue dress with the sexy v-neckline and flirty length skirt. I had fun taking it off her that night. But, now that I look at the picture, even though she has a huge smile on her face, it doesn't reach her eyes. Damn it, Santos, you gave your heart to a woman who couldn't give you hers.

Bobby knocks on the door and comes in. He closes the door behind him. "Are you okay, bro?"

"No, three years ago I lost Ranger, who was closer to me than my own brother. Last year, I finally got the woman of my dreams, and now, today, Ranger returns and I lose Stephanie. I so glad that Ranger is okay and that he's home, and I know that Stephanie is happy and excited, but while everyone else is celebrating his life, I'm left trying to pick up the pieces yet again. I won't even have an office."

"Lester, you knew that Stephanie was still in love with Ranger. You knew that she will always love him."

"Yes, Bobby, I knew that. I could live the rest of my life a happy man having part of Stephanie's heart if it meant that she was MINE. I know that she was happy and satisfied with me. I know she was thinking about being a mom. I am more than willing to give her what she wants. I'd give her my child in a heartbeat. Even if she didn't want me anymore, I'd give her that gift. But now I get to watch her with Ranger. Kissing him, holding him, loving him. I'm so jealous. Part of me wants to beat the shit out of Ranger for hurting Stephanie for all those years. Do you know she contemplated killing herself that night of Ranger's funeral? That beautiful, sexy, resilient, strong woman thought about taking her life because Ranger was gone from hers. How can I do this? Do I want to do this? Maybe I just need to get away, go work in Miami for a while. Do what Stephanie did and start over. Look, Bobby, I'm going to head home. I need some down time. If Stephanie is looking for me, not that I think she will, let her know where I am."

"Don't you want to hear what happened?"

"Not today." I get up and walk out of my office and down to the garage. I get in my car and drive home. When I get there, I sit on the porch and remember holding Steph in my arms in cry.

Ranger's POV

Stephanie left Tank's office a moved to a chair on the other side of the desk. Tank and Bobby come back in. Lester is missing. "Where's Santos?"

"He went home. He'll be back tomorrow." Bobby said.

"How serious are they?"

"Very. Stephanie bought her wedding gown two days ago."

"Fuck. I glad that Stephanie moved on and that she moved on with Santos, of all people. I'm not surprised. I knew that Lester always had an attraction to her. Damn it. How could things be so fucked up. I left her. She thought I was dead and had to mourn for me. She had to find the strength to move on with her life and live. And finally, when she is happy again, I have to come back and fuck up her life again. I should just leave and go to Miami. Let her and Lester have their happily ever after. I should give them my blessing. I shouldn't have expected her to wait for me or to stay alone forever. I fucked up all those years telling her that I loved her with qualifications. I could never man up to say that I just loved her. I don't even know if I'm good for her anymore."

"Ranger, you just got home. This is a shock for all of us. It's going to take some time getting used to you being home."

"Listen, I'll tell you what happened then I'm going to talk to Stephanie and Lester. After, I'm going to Miami. I'm going to need to spend some time with Julie. Hopefully, that will give us all time to get through this situation."

"Carlos, running way isn't your style." Tank said.

"I won't be running away, Pierre, I'll be letting go."

I tell them what happened to me during my last mission from hell and spare no details. They are as surprised as I am that I am sitting here in front of them. I tell them about my six months in rehab and how I had to learn how to walk again. I told them that it was thoughts of Stephanie that kept me alive and pushing, which is why I must let her go and give her a chance at happiness.

"Are there any apartments open on four?"

"Yes. 4A is open. It's yours if you need it." Bobby replies.

"I'm going to go talk to Stephanie now. Where's her office?"

"Lester's old office."

I leave Tank's office and walk to Stephanie's. Her door is closed, but I hear her crying inside. I knock on the door and open it, making sure to close it behind me. "Babe, are you okay?"

"Why? Why me? Why did I have to go through the hell of losing you and finally giving you up to have you come back home and fuck with my mind. I know it's not your fault, but I feel like I'm trying to decide between you and Morelli all over again, instead this time, I love both you and Lester, and while I am in love with you, I am also in love with Lester. Damn you Ranger."

"Babe, look, I'm sorry that you went through all that. I never wanted to hurt you. I still don't want to hurt you. But I just came here to let you know I'm leaving for Miami in the morning. I need to spend some time with Julie to help her cope with this. I know she will take it much harder that you. I'm glad that you decided to stop living in the past and in the land of make believe and moved on with your life. And if you had to marry anyone, I'm glad that it's Lester who you chose, because he loves you for you. He will never force you to change. Go home to Lester. He loves you." I put my arms around her and hold her for the last time. I promise myself that after today, I will never step foot in Trenton again. I will stay in Miami and run Rangeman there. Stephanie and Trenton are in capable hands. I take in the scent of Stephanie's strawberry shampoo and etch into memory the way she feels in my arms. I kiss her on her forehead. "Be safe, Babe." I turn and leave her office.

I get into one of the fleet cars and drive to Lester's house. I pull in from 20 minutes later. I see him sitting on the porch. I go up on the porch and sit down next to him.

"Lester, you are closer to me than my own brother is. I love you as my brother, and I am so sorry for all the pain that you all went through. I never wanted this to happen. I am so glad that you could help Stephanie heal and live her life again. I am forever grateful to you for that."

"Is this where you tell me to fuck off so you can have your woman back?"

"No, this is where I ask you if you love Stephanie."

"Yes, with all of my heart."

"Are you in love with Stephanie?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm here to tell you that I'm leaving for Miami in the morning. I'll be staying there and taking care of that branch of Rangeman. It will give me an opportunity to get to know Julie better and to help her through whatever she'd going to be dealing with due to my rebirth. I won't be returning to Trenton. I want you to promise me to take good care of Stephanie for me. Make sure that she's happy and has whatever she wants from her life. If you plan on going to a family event, let me know ahead of time. I don't want to interfere in your relationship. I already told Stephanie that I'm leaving Jersey. I just didn't tell her it was permanent. I'm glad that it's you and not Morelli."

"Ranger, you know that you are going to hurt her again."

"Yes, but sometimes you have to learn to walk away and let go of someone you love so they can be happy. As long as Stephanie is happy, it's the right decision. Santos, make sure she's happy."

I give Lester a one-armed bro hug and get back in my car to return to Haywood for the night.

Stephanie's POV

How could my life have gotten so complicated, again? I don't know what to feel or how to feel anymore. I love my fiancé, I love Lester a lot. He has been here for me whenever I needed him. He has held me on those nights when I needed the comfort, he's laughed with me, and he's dealt with my longing for a man who was dead. Now, I find that man is alive and very much well and in here, in this building. But, he's leaving me again. For Miami. He's not taking me with him. Once again, he's pushing me to someone else. Was I stupid to think that he ever loved me without qualifications? I guess I really was just good for the moment but not good forever. I take off the dog tags and the engagement ring that had become my talisman and my crutch. I take out a piece of paper and write a letter to Ranger.

Dearest Ranger,

Three years ago, my world ended and my life became a nightmare. You were dead. I had to come to terms that my Batman, my hero, was gone from this world. It was the hardest thing that I had ever had to deal with. I had so much hope for our future, a future that would include children, our children. I dreamed of us making love morning, noon, and night. I had so many hopes for what my life would have been like with you, Batman. Then that was all gone.

I moved away from everyone I knew to California to try and move on with my life. While I did make new friends, and get a new job, my life was not what it should have been because I was missing you. Lester, Tank, Bobby, and Hector visited me regularly, to make sure I was okay and to tell me how our business was doing. It was great seeing them, because with them, I could remember you without hurting so much. Lester was the first to visit, and came to me to help me get through your first birthday gone. We didn't do anything for two and half days except talk about you, cry, and held each other in our arms. After that, the visits started, but Lester came more often and stayed longer than the others. It was the day that I found out that my mother and grandmother died that Lester came to me and once again, my world was shattered.

When we came back to Trenton, I realized that I had to stay here for my dad, but also because I didn't want to run away from a man who I started to fall in love with. I learned that life was too short and I didn't want to have regrets. In this business, any one of us could be gone tomorrow. The first night that we were together was the first night that I started to live my life.

Don't think I don't still love you, Ranger, because I do. There are so many nights that I wish it was your arms, not Lester's holding me and that it was you making love to me. Lester knows he will never have all my heart, but I have all his heart. He is content to have whatever amount of my heart I'm willing to give him.

Ranger, as much as I want to leave with you and go to Miami, I can't do that. I owe it to myself and Lester to move on with life as it was 24 hours ago. I hope you find the strength to move and that you find another woman to love, even love incompletely. Just know, though, that if you ever need me, I'm a phone call away. I love you, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, which is why I should let you go. Please take the ring back. I can't keep wearing the ring of my ex-fiancé. I'll keep your dog tags, if you don't mind, to remind me to live my life to the fullest each day.

I will always love you, Batman.

With love, Babe

I take the letter and put it in an envelope. I place that envelope in a larger one and put the ring inside and seal it. I knock on the door to Tank's office and walk in.

"Tank, please give this to Ranger when he come back. Make sure he gets it and tell him to please read it."

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"To Lester?"

"Yes."

Tank shakes his head and I leave. I decided to take the stairs to the garage. When I'm between the second and third floors, I am face to face with Ranger. We stand a moment looking at each other before he says, "Babe."

He leans down and kisses me and I feel warmth flow through my body. I instinctively wrap my arms around his neck and he pulls me into him. It feels so right to be in his arms again. Finally, my brain registers what is happening and I pull away. "I can't do this, Ranger, I can't be with you now and then go home to my fiancé. I can't hurt Lester. I got to go." I scurry around Ranger and run down the rest of the stairs and exit into the garage. I heard him say once more. "I'm sorry Babe."

I get into my car and I drive home, contemplating if I made the right decision. Forty minutes later, I pull up in front of my home, our home. I park my car in the garage and walk on to the porch. It's a cool night, but not cold. I'm not ready to go inside yet, so I sit on the swing. I watch the sunset, the colors fading until the darkness. I feel that the sunset is a good metaphor for my life right not. The love that is and was between Ranger and I is fading and tomorrow, the love that is between Lester and I will again rise. I don't know how long I was sitting outside, but I felt Lester with me for some time. I look up at him and motion for him to sit down next to me. He sits in the corner and puts his right leg up on the seat, and pulls me against him. I rest my head on his chest and he wraps his arms around me. We have spent many nights sitting like this on our porch contemplating life. We rarely need to talk. I start to get cold and shiver a little. "Let's go inside, Beautiful, and have something to eat." We get up and I follow him inside.

"I'm going to take a shower and get changed. Then we need to talk." I kiss Lester and head to the bathroom.

An hour later and return downstairs. Lester is sitting in the den, a bottle of beer in his hand. He is wearing his blank face, the face I can never master. It's so frustrating how my men can all pull up this blank, emotionless face. Joe always could, Ranger was the master, but Lester, well I always knew he had the ability but he rarely showed it to me.

"What do you want to talk about, Beautiful."

"Us. Lester, what do we do now? I mean, we have a wedding date set. We've made plans. I purchased a dress. And now, Ranger returns from the dead. I don't know how to deal with all the emotions in my head and my heart right now. I love you. You have shown me how to live again, you made it possible for me to find happiness. And just when I am getting my feet back under me, they get sweep out from under me and I'm on the ground again. I don't know what to do. I'm conflicted, and I'm afraid that I'm going to make the wrong decision, and in the process, hurt one of the two men who I love and in turn, hurt myself."

"Stephanie, Ranger's return has us all reeling. None of us anticipated this, especially after all of these years. I don't know what to tell you, Beautiful. I can't make up your mind for you. I can tell you that I love you, with all my heart. I have never qualified my love for you. I can provide for you, and I can give you whatever material items you desire. I can give you my love and a child if you want one. I love you for WHO you are, for your stubbornness, for your faith in people, your instincts, your beauty, and most of all, for your sense of humor. You have a love of life which is so addicting. That is what drew me to you. If Ranger didn't identify you as 'his woman' I would have swept you up immediately. I never would have sent you back to the shithead Morelli. I know he's a good friend to you now, and I respect him as such, but he was not the man for you. Stephanie, I love you, but if you can't love me back, if you can't stop thinking about Ranger, then I can't do this. I know when you disappear inside your fantasy world when we're making love. I know you are imagining Ranger's lips on you, his hands on you, and him inside you. God knows I've tried my best to give you everything I have to erase him from your memories. But I don't know if I can overlook it knowing that he is alive. You need to say goodbye to your former life and your former lover from your heart. You need to give me your heart, because I gave you mine a long time ago."

The tears are streaming down my face. I know that I've been hurting Lester, but he's right. I need to let go of Ranger completely. I sit down and look out the window. Can I say good bye to Ranger for good? He's already said good bye to me, but then we had that kiss. That's it, stolen kisses. That's what most of our 'relationship' has been based on, stolen kisses. In an alley, in a car, in a fucking stairwell. Does he really want all me? Or is the only reason why he proposed to me was to make sure that I didn't go back to Joe while he was away. Damn him. It wasn't real. If it was, he would've proposed long before. I know that my decision is made. I think I knew it once I put Ranger's dog tags away in my memory box after the shower. "Lester, it's you I want. It's this life that we've started to build here. I choose you."

Lester practically runs over to me and pulls me against him. We kiss, a deep, passionate kiss like we never had before. Lester reaches down and takes off my tank top and starts to kiss my neck and down to my breasts. He stops abruptly and looks at me. "You took them off?"

"Yes. I gave Ranger back his ring, but I kept the dog tags."

"Thank you, Beautiful." He gets back to where he left off, kissing my breasts and teasing my nipples. He moves slowly down my body, it seems like he's kissing every area of exposed skin. He puts his hands under the waist band of my pants, and pushes the down. He pulls off my panties and then gently places me on the couch. There's a tenderness that Lester has that I've never felt from him before. His kisses a gentle and teasing, and I'm not sure where he's going next. He moves down to my core and kisses me only with his lips. I'm feeling myself getting wet with is touch. He uses his tongue to gently lick my lower lips and massage my clit. He is keeping me engaged by building my anticipation. Then, he switches focus back to my breasts. I'm not used to this Lester, but I like it. He continues going back and forth from my breast to my core, driving me up but not letting me go over. Then, he puts two fingers inside me while using his tongue to massage my clit. I feel myself getting close but he once again stops. He repeats this at least five more times. I can't talk it any more. "Lester, please. I need you."

"Soon, Beautiful, soon." He keeps on bringing me to the brink before stopping. He gets up and strips. He goes for his wallet to take out the condom he always keeps there. He rips open the wrapper and starts to put it on when the condom rips. "Fuck, I need to get another one."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Lester takes his hand and rubs my core. He uses my juices to lubricate his cock before he enters me. He's standing and lifts my hips up so he can enter deeply into me. He goes very slowly, letting me feel every inch of him moving completely inside me and almost out of me. The pace is painfully slow, but it's wonderful. I can tell he's trying to last a long as he can. Lester can never be accused of being an early ejaculator. He knows how to last to bring me pleasure multiple times before releasing, but I know he wants to have this moment, right now, together. He starts to quicken the pace and I feel him throbbing inside me. I am getting close again. "Stephanie, I love you." "I love you too, Lester." With that, we both come together. He sits down on the couch and pulls me on his lap, while kissing me. For the first time, Ranger didn't enter my mind, and I truly appreciate just how good Lester is. I lean my head on his check and fall asleep.

Lester's POV

Finally, she's all mine. I can tell that she was completely enthralled in us tonight, with no thoughts of Ranger entering her mind. I think she just gave me more of her heart. I know I'll never have her whole heart, but I'll take ninety percent of her heart. Today is the first day of our new life together. I will do whatever I must do to keep her happy. She is my life. I am surprised to see that she took off the dog tags. I know that that gesture means that she is letting Ranger go. She always said that she couldn't take them off because then that would mean that he was gone from heart. But, now the we know he's alive, she doesn't need to hold on to that hope. I was most surprised that she returned his engagement ring. I know that will destroy Ranger. I hope that whatever he had to deal with for the last three years, that this doesn't break him. I know what it's like to hold onto something or someone to keep you alive, and to lose that, it's difficult.

Stephanie is sleeping on me. I didn't think that she would be asleep so soon. She's probably emotional exhausted. I slowly stand up and pick her up and bring her to our bedroom. I place her in bed and tuck her in. As much as I want to climb in next to her, I need to find out what happened to Ranger. I know Tank and Bobby will know, so I'll call them now. I sneak down into our office, and dial Bobby.

"Hello"

"Hey Bobby, it's Les. What the fuck happened? How was Ranger captured and presumed dead?"

"Les, something weird went on. Ranger asked us to consider it. We were going to brief you tomorrow. We, Tank and I, think that you need to tell Bomber, but we'll leave that up to you to decided when and how you want to tell her. Is she with you?"

"Yeah, she's upstairs sleeping."

"Are things okay between you two?"

"Now they are. I think she finally let go of Ranger and gave herself to me. I wasn't sure if that would be the case. I really thought that she was going to pack up and leave me for Ranger. It may still happen, but at least for now, life is good."

"I'm happy for you, Lester. Do you know that Ranger is leaving for Miami in the morning?"

"Yes. He came and spoke to me. He told me he was letting her go and to take care of her. He won't interfere, and he wants me to let him know which family affairs we'll be going to so he won't be there. I hope that's only temporary though. His mother will kill me if she thinks I'm keeping her son from her."

"Well, I hope it will work out for all of you as well." Bobby stated before getting back to the point of our phone call. "His mission was almost over. He got the target out and was clearing the building. Suddenly, he was knocked out. When he woke, he was locked in windowless room, chained to the ceiling and wall. He was tortured and was questioned about the mission he led after 9/11 in Pakistan. He never gave any information to his enemies. Then, one day, he woke up and was about five miles from the American Embassy. We think the government wanted him out of commission for something, because everything went too well up to his capture. It was our government that found the body, and from looking at the autopsy report, there is no way that the body found was Ranger's. The man was too short. I think the dental records were switch. It was easy enough to get his dog tags, because that was the only think Ranger was missing when he arrived at the Embassy."

"So, the dog tags Steph has been wearing are really his."

"Yes. Lester, the implied that they told him that if he ever told anyone about this, they would kill the people closest to him, starting with Stephanie, then Julie."

"So that's why he let her go."

"No, he was planning on resuming his life with Stephanie and taking her away. He wanted them to start over and live a quiet, normal life somewhere, anywhere other than here. He hoped that Steph would go with him and he could take Julie as well until he could find out what happened to him. Once it was safe, then they could come back here. He let her go because he could see that she wouldn't just leave without telling you, and you wouldn't let him take her."

"Bobby, do you think he loves her, I mean, in the real and true sense of the word?"

"Lester, his world revolves around Bomber. I don't know if he will truly heal from this last mission without Stephanie in his life."

"I was afraid of that. Bobby, I think she is finally ready to give herself fully to me. I don't want to lose her, but I don't know how she will react to this. I can't be the one to explain this to her, you or Tank need to. Damn it, Ranger should tell her. Listen, I'm going to try and convince Steph to take a few days off so we can go away somewhere and decompress. I'll be back in a week, hopefully. Call me on my sat phone if you need me."

"Be safe and be smart. I don't know if Stephanie is safe anywhere."

"I will." I hang up. I go up the stairs and into our bedroom. I climb into bed next to Stephanie, wrapped my arms around her and pulled her on top of me. She stirs a little. "I love you Steph."

"I love you Ranger."

I wake her up. "Hey, Les, what time is it."

"Steph, you just said 'I love you Ranger'. I'm not Ranger. Who do you really want, Stephanie. I love you with all my heart and soul and I will do anything for you to ensure that you are happy. But I can't do this anymore. I can't share you with Ranger. You need to either pick Ranger and give me up or you need to pick me and give up Ranger. I want you to be happy, Beautiful. I think you need to hear from Ranger what happened over the last three years and you need to ask him what he wants from you. Make an informed decision and take your time. I'll bring you to Rangeman to see Ranger."

"Lester, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. And I do love you. Last night was amazing, one of the best nights of my life."

"One of the best nights, not THE best night. Let me guess, your best was with Ranger?"

"Yes." Stephanie admitted. "Our first time together."

"Damn him. Doesn't that tell you something, Stephanie?"

"I'm sorry, Lester, I really am."

"I know, Beautiful, and I'm sorry too. We should try to get a little sleep."

She climbs on top of me and starts to kiss me. "Make love to me again." How can I deny her?

Ranger's POV

I woke up early this morning after a restless sleep. Stephanie's letter has me all worked up. She loves me but wants to stay with Santos. She wishes that she was in my arm and that I was making love to her but she's staying here with Lester. Fuck my life. I wish I could see her one more time and tell her how I feel and how I've always felt about her. If she still picks Lester, then I'll walk away. But I hope that's not the case. I don't want to hurt my cousin, but I do want Stephanie to be happy. So, being that I can't sleep, I decide to work out in the gym like before. I was trying to come to terms with saying good bye to my men here and to Trenton forever. I never intended to stay here. I was one week from leaving for Miami, then I met Stephanie. Now, almost seven years later, I'm leaving Trenton for the last time. I know that I will never see Stephanie again, that I will never have her in my arms, or be able to make love to her. I lost her forever. I should have proposed to her sooner. I'm sure she's thinking I only proposed so she would wait for me, but that's not the case. I was waiting for my contract to expire. At midnight, I was going to propose, when I knew I wouldn't get called away any more. But it didn't happen. I finish my workout and I am about to leave when Lester walks in. He's pissed, and I'm not sure about what.

"On the mats, NOW!" Lester orders me. I follow him over. I have a good 20 pounds on Lester and can easily take him down but he has rage on his side. He punches me in the face. "Why? Why did you have to come back and fuck up my life." He connected again in the ribs. "Why did you have to make her promise to fuck you again? Didn't you fuck with her enough?" He connected again. Then he stopped. "Why can't you just be happy for me and Stephanie. Why can't you just leave her alone. You fucked with her mind for so many years that she can't get you out of it. You know you ruined her life, Carlos. You never showed her who you really are. You let her believe that you were Batman."

"I never meant to hurt her. I never meant to fuck with her life."

"But you did. We made love last night, and I though she finally gave herself to me, and then, in her sleep, she says that she loves you. And once again, you're leaving her behind for us to pick up the pieces."

"Lester, he life is in danger because of me. I wanted to take her away, where we could start over together, where I can say good bye to Ranger and just be Carlos. Where I can give her what she needs and wants from me. But she has moved on. I hope that her being with you will keep her safe. Trust me, cousin, the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you or Stephanie. If I would have known that you were engaged, I would never have come home. I'm sorry, Lester. Please forgive me."

"Carlos, you need to explain everything to Stephanie. You need to let her know what YOU want from her and what you wanted before you left. She'll never be able to choose between us without all the facts. She knows how I feel, but she needs to know how Carlos feels. No blank face, Carlos."

"You know that she may not pick you. Are you willing to give her up?"

"I just want her to be happy. She's shed enough tears to last her a lifetime. I don't want to be the cause of anymore tears for her. I don't want her to wake up one day and regret the choice she made and walk away then. Just don't leave with her without her telling me for herself. She's waiting in your apartment."

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Author's note: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your reviews. I love reading them. If you have ideas or suggestions for how I can move this story along, please share them. For some reason, this story is staying with me. I never planned on a Lester/Stephanie romance, but it kind of makes sense. However, I'm a Babe and this will eventually be a Babe HEA. I just need to help Stephanie get her head and her heart together. I'm also trying to be kind to Lester, because he is a good guy and he really does love Stephanie.