PART 16

It was after eight when Ranger's eyes snapped open, and he realized he was alone in his bed. Stephanie was gone.

He sat upright and looked towards his en suite bathroom. The door was open and the light was out. She wasn't in there.

He stepped into the living room and saw her standing by the double-glazed window, staring outside. She was wearing his bathrobe. He moved quietly behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

She didn't look at him, and her voice was quiet and flat. "Snowed in, huh? Guess you're stuck with me for a while."

"Could be."

She remained silent for a few minutes, then took a deep breath. "Last night, you drugged me?"

Shit. She's upset. "No, not exactly. Well, technically yes, Babe, but…"

Stephanie could feel her hurt and anger bubbling up inside her and could do nothing to stop it. She turned around to face him.

"Which is it, Ranger? You bring me here and then you DRUG me to keep me here when I'm already vulnerable? I may have been injured and you may have saved me but that doesn't give you the right… And it's not as if I can go anywhere with a raging fucking blizzard going on out there."

Stephanie waved her arms towards the narrow window. Shit, that hurt. What am I doing? She felt tears behind her eyes but refused to let them out. She glared at him. I have a headache and I'm hungry and my arm's about to fall off and I can hardly stand up straight because my hip is killing me and I was rescued by my best friend yet again even though he had every right to hate me for ruining his Christmas Eve plans and he's just standing there with that damn blank face and letting me yell at him.

"Stephanie." That got her attention. He spoke calmly.

She continued to glare at him, and pouted like a petulant child. In her injured state, she knew she couldn't pull off the hands-on-hips, pissed-off posture she would normally assume.

"You went into shock, and you threw up the pain meds. Bobby gave you a mild injection of Demerol instead, to ease the pain so you could sleep comfortably. There's no way you could have taken any more pills and your body needed to rest." Please understand.

"Oh." She looked thoughtful, and a little sheepish. "Sorry. I just…" She moved to the sofa and sat down. I'm a first-class bitch. I don't deserve to have him as a friend. What makes me think that…

"No problem. How's your arm?" he asked.

"Umm, it's throbbing a bit. It's like it's… it's a reminder that I did something stupid." Again. I'm such a screw-up.

"Babe." Ranger took her injured arm in his hands, turning it over gently as he held her gaze. He squatted down in front of her, flinching slightly as he felt a dull pain in his knees.

"Ranger, are you hurt?"

She noticed that? "I'm fine, Babe."

Stephanie stared at him, puzzled. "Last night, Bobby told me what you did for me. You came looking for me, even after I…" She paused, turning her head away. "Thank you for taking care of me. You're always watching out for me, and taking care of me."

"No price, remember?"

"I ~" Stephanie's stomach growled, and she blushed.

"How about we talk more over breakfast?"

"Ummm, can I use the bathroom first? I need to freshen up," she asked. Delay tactics.

"Right hand cupboard will have everything you need. I'll fix some food for us."

"No Ella?"

"It's Christmas morning, Babe. Ella has the day off."

"Christmas. Sorry, I forgot." Good one Stephanie, there's only a six-foot spruce right in front of you, with twinkling lights and an angel. How could you forget it's Christmas? Christmas is what got you into trouble to start with...

Ranger raised his eyebrow. How does he do that?

"Right, umm, I'll just…" She walked to the bedroom doorway, wincing with each step.

"Need a hand?"

"Umm, no. No thanks."

He nodded, but continued to watch her as he filled the coffee pot. She disappeared into his room, and Ranger turned to open the refrigerator. He was placing breakfast ingredients on the counter when he heard Stephanie scream.

"Babe?" he asked, as he stepped into the bathroom. "Are you ~"

"Ranger? Why didn't you tell me I'm a disaster? Look at my hair! My eyes are puffy and swollen and I'm a mess. Why didn't you tell me how awful…"

"You had a rough night, Babe. You were hurt and you were unconscious, and you're still in pain and still not well. There's no need to be embarrassed." He reached out and tucked a curl behind her ear. You're still beautiful.

She took a slow, deep breath, trying to clear her mind. Batman looks amazing without trying, and I need a miracle just to look human.

"I was just going to wash my face, but I think I'll feel better if I take a shower. Is there time before breakfast?"

"Take your time. Do you need me to turn the water on for you?"

"Er, I think I can manage – I can still use my right hand," she said.

"You sure, Babe?" He leaned towards her, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Ranger…" Do you know what it does to me when you touch me like that? I wish I could just ~ "I'll manage. I'm feeling a bit, umm, I just need a shower, okay?"

He watched her face closely, and leaned towards her. Stephanie held his gaze, and his eyes darkened. He placed his lips against her ear, and she shuddered slightly. "Let me know if you change your mind," he said, in a low voice, almost a whisper.

Oh God, his voice. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn he was flirting with her. Ranger doesn't flirt. Ranger is an opportunist; he's told me enough times. He takes what he wants. And he doesn't want me like that. She pushed him gently away with her good hand. "Thanks Ranger. Now go get us some breakfast," she said, trying to lighten the mood and disguise her renewed confusion.

Should I smile because you're my friend or cry because that's all we'll ever be? Pondering that question, she closed the door and started to undress.

**Prompt is from Xy's 'April Fools in Love' challenge at Babe Squad**

PART 17

Ranger enjoyed making breakfast. Not that he took the time most mornings. He usually rose early to run or work out, and went to the office soon after, so he didn't have time to cook. Ella's housekeeping services were absolutely critical to his way of life. Today though, his kitchen was stocked with essentials, and he had only to assemble the ingredients to make a hot breakfast for two. He was placing a small bowl in the microwave when Steph appeared in the doorway of his room.

Her hair was wrapped in a towel, and she was wearing a pair of his sweat pants with a long sleeved black t-shirt, sleeves pushed up. "Umm, Ranger, do you have my clothes?" Steph asked.

Ranger looked her in the eye. "Promise not to get mad, Babe?"

"Okay."

"They got damaged when I, when we were helping you last night. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Batman never apologises.

"It was necessary. But I'll replace ~"

"Ranger, stop. Do you have any idea of how many clothes I have destroyed since I started bounty hunting?" She didn't wait for an answer. "I've wrecked seventeen pairs of jeans in the past six months and God-knows how many shirts. And don't start me on how many cars I've destroyed in the past few years, including yours. Whatever happened to 'no price'? You will NOT replace my clothes."

"Babe."

"I've got a Rangeman uniform in my locker downstairs. But I don't really want to wear my uniform on Christmas… so if you don't mind me wearing these," she gestured down at herself, "I'm good for now."

"I can live with it," Ranger grinned. "Feel better after your shower?"

"Yep. I got my bandage wet though. I probably should've taken it off first, but I was too focused on other things."

"Do you want me to change it for you now? Bobby left some extra bandages and pain meds for you." He watched her face carefully. "Or I can call out Bobby if you prefer."

"No, don't do that ~ can you feed me first? It can wait till after breakfast."

He nodded. "Almost done here, Babe."

She smiled, and disappeared back into the bedroom. She emerged a few minutes later with the towel gone, and her damp hair braided loosely at her neck.

Steph looked around the kitchen. Her eyes stopped at the dining table, already set for two, with coffee poured. There was a jug of fruit juice in the centre of the table with two glasses. Ranger had made buttermilk pancakes for her, and an egg white omelette with spinach on rye bread for himself. He placed a bowl of warm blueberry sauce next to her plate.

"You can stop staring, Steph. It's just breakfast."

"I've never seen Domestic Ranger before. I didn't know you cooked. This looks amazing."

"I wasn't sure if you had your usual appetite so I only made two pancakes, but I can make more if you're still hungry."

Steph blushed, as she sat down. "My usual appetite? Am I that bad?"

"Nothing about you is bad, Babe. I'm just glad you're feeling well enough to be out of bed, let alone have a hot breakfast."

"Thanks Ranger. Now let's eat before it gets cold."

Ranger ate quietly and continued to watch Stephanie closely as she tipped the blueberry sauce over the pancakes. She rested her injured arm in her lap and proceeded to cut the pancakes with the edge of her fork, and ate slowly, expressing her appreciation with a throaty moan. She gulped the coffee as if she was dying of thirst.

"Mmmm… I really needed this. You made it with just the right amount of cream and sugar."

"I remember how you like it, Babe," he answered. "Do you want some juice?"

"No thanks. I'm actually feeling kind of full already. I don't think I can finish this," she said, motioning to the remains of the pancake apologetically. She slid her plate gently to the side. "It was delicious though," she added quickly. "I just ~"

"I could tell how much you enjoyed it. Don't push yourself Babe." He poured himself a glass of juice.

"Ranger, can I ask you something? What would you usually be doing on Christmas morning?"

"Tricky question, Babe. Depends on what's happening at work. But I try to see my family at some time during the day. Sometimes it's in the morning, but it could be for lunch or dinner."

"What about this year, Ranger? I'm guessing you didn't figure a blizzard into your plans. What would you be doing if you weren't stuck here with me?"

"Stephanie," he said, "I'm not 'stuck' here with you. You're my guest, and I enjoy your company." He reached out a hand, placing it over her right hand that held her coffee mug. He lowered his voice, and she had to strain to hear what he said next. "I didn't mean to take away your choices. I'd like you to stay."

Her eyes widened. First, whenever Ranger used her full name, it meant he was deadly serious. Second, he wanted her to stay? "You want me… to stay?"

"You're welcome here anytime Babe."

"I won't be ~ umm, I won't be in the way… of anything?"

"Babe, you said it yourself. There's a blizzard out there. The whole city is snowed in. Nobody's going anywhere. And don't you think it's a good chance for us to talk?"

She nodded. We need to talk. "I'll just call my mother, and let her know I won't be over. At least I can blame the weather. I'll never hear the end of it if she finds out about the hypothermia," she said. "Why me?" she started to mimic her mother, "Josie Stamerovic's daughter doesn't ~"

"Sooner or later we all quote our mothers," Ranger smiled. "Use my phone," he said, handing it over. He stood and silently started to clear the dishes from the table. He put on a fresh pot of coffee as Steph moved to the sofa.

"Hi Daddy," he heard her say, "Merry Christmas."

He slipped into the bathroom to shower and change while she finished her conversation.

**Prompt is from the May challenge at Babe Squad**

PART 18

When Ranger stepped back into the living room, Stephanie was curled up on the sofa, her head on a cushion, staring at the Christmas tree. Ranger pulled up an ottoman next to the sofa, and sat directly in front of her.

"Everything okay at home, Babe?"

"All good. I spoke to everyone. Val and Albert and the girls stayed overnight, so they were already there. They're having a nice time." She smiled, but still looked a little sad. "This is the first year I've ever been organized enough to have nice presents for everyone, and somehow it doesn't even feel like Christmas. Not that it's always wonderful. Whenever I'm with my mother, I feel as though I have to spend the whole time avoiding land mines. But I thought somehow, that this Christmas might be different and I might ~ I don't know… I can't really explain it. But it turns out that this is just another Christmas that I managed to mess up."

"You didn't mess up Babe." He motioned for her to extend her injured arm, and started to unwrap the bandage. Changing the subject, he said, "Bobby brought up the portable x-ray while you were sleeping last night. There's no fracture. He said it looks like a Grade 1 sprain, so you'll need to keep it strapped for a few days." He held her arm carefully, and gently massaged arnica ointment from her fingers to her elbow. Stephanie flinched a little at first but relaxed into his touch.

"You okay Babe?"

She nodded. "You have magic hands, Ranger."

He didn't answer, but continued to gently massage her skin until the ointment disappeared. Then he expertly applied a new bandage, checking the circulation in her hands as he went.

"I have an idea," he said. "Tell me what you think."

"Okay."

"It's a few options, actually. Option One – We can act like it's not Christmas. We hang out here together, we can talk, watch some DVD's, you can sleep, whatever you like. Maybe we treat today like Christmas Eve, and we start fresh tomorrow morning with the real Christmas Day. Option Two – We can hang out here this morning, then go to the Rangeman Christmas lunch down on Five. Ella and Luis will be there, and some of the guys that are on shift, and all the guys on Four who are off-shift. You can see what a Rangeman Christmas is like. Option Three is a variation on Option One – We can hang out here, just you and me, and make our own Christmas Day."

Stephanie sat up and stared at Ranger. He's speaking in entire paragraphs. Wow. And he's offering me choices.

"Ummm, I'll think about it. But first, I need you to answer something for me. And I need you to be totally honest with me, okay?"

Total honesty. "Sure Babe," he answered, hiding his wariness. He watched her face carefully as she chewed her bottom lip. She was nervous, and didn't want to look him in the eye.

"How did you hurt your knee?"

He laughed. Of all the things she could ask… "You want to know how I hurt my knee? It's okay, really, nothing to worry about. Just a bruise."

"Maybe, but I noticed ~ when you knelt down before, when you were standing in the kitchen, and just now when you sat on the ottoman ~ You're not putting any pressure on it. Did you hurt it last night when you…" Is it my fault?

Ranger stood up from his lower position, and sat on the sofa next to Stephanie, turning to face her. "It's not your fault. Last night, when I found you on the pavement, I landed heavily on my knees when I ran to check on you. I didn't even notice until later that it was a bit tender."

"Bobby told me that you rescued me last night, but he didn't tell me the full story. Will you tell me?"

"Babe ~"

"Please, Ranger?"

How much do I tell her right now? "After you left, I called you to make sure you got home safely," he began. He explained about finding her cell phone in her coat pocket, leaving a message on her home answering machine, and learning from Cal that her car was stopped on Haywood. He told her about making inquiries with her friends, and about mobilizing Rangeman teams to look for her. He explained how he teamed up with Bobby to search for her, giving Bobby credit for coordinating the search. And, taking her hand, he gently told of how he found her on the snowy sidewalk, unconscious and blue with cold. He watched her face carefully before continuing. He explained about the deteriorating weather conditions, Bobby's diagnosis of hypothermia, and their decision to bring her back to his apartment.

Stephanie listened to every word, overwhelmed by the array of emotions she was experiencing. She felt embarrassed about her foolish foray into the storm, and humbled by Ranger's response to her disappearance. She felt bad about causing everyone to worry, and grateful for being found alive. She had dozens of questions, but she refrained from interrupting. Ranger's voice was hypnotic, and she felt a little like a child listening to a fairy tale. She was the damsel in distress, and he… he was her hero, yet again. Only, this is real, she told herself, and this hero doesn't fall for the girl. She was certain he was leaving out parts of the story, but decided that she would press for the missing details later.

She deflected her curiosity, asking, "Did you let Bobby take a look at your knee for you?"

"No. There was no time. I've had much worse, Steph. Ex-soldier, bad-ass bounty hunter, and security expert, remember? This is nothing."

"I know you're a tough guy Ranger. But you getting hurt isn't nothing to me," Steph said. "If I hadn't been so stupid, it wouldn't have happened at all," she added quietly.

"Stephanie, stop," he said, placing a finger on her lips. "If anyone is to blame, it's me. I wasn't aware of my surroundings. I shouldn't have let you walk out like that. I should have noticed you didn't take your coat, I should have noticed you were upset, and I should have told you about ~"

I'm not ready to hear this. I need a distraction. "Ranger, I've decided."

"Babe?"

"I've decided. I want Option Three."

PART 19 "Option Three"

"Option Three? You don't want to go to the Rangeman Christmas lunch?" he asked.

Stephanie shook her head slowly. "I love all the guys, you know I do. But, I'm in a bit of pain and I'm not really feeling very festive," she explained. "And a Jersey Girl can't go to a party dressed like this," she joked. She was quiet for a moment, then frowned. "They won't think I'm being rude will they? Because I wouldn't want to offend ~"

"Nobody will think that, Steph. They'll understand. You had a traumatic night and you still need to take it easy."

"Oh, wait," she exclaimed, turning to face him.

"What's wrong?"

"Ranger, I don't want you to miss out. Why don't you go and enjoy the lunch, and maybe I can have a nap while you're gone? You don't need to babysit me."

"Babe, I always host a surprise lunch for everyone who's working on Christmas Day, but I wasn't planning on attending this year. I was originally going to be in Newark for lunch at my sister's place. I'm sure the guys will relax and enjoy themselves better without the boss around," he added.

"If it's a surprise lunch, how come Cal knew about it?"

Ranger laughed. "It's the menu that's a surprise – Ella comes up with a different menu every year, and she even decorates the conference room. She and Luis don't have family nearby, so it's something she loves to do. It's her day off, and she still looks after everyone. I give her a big budget and she organizes everything. And I always make sure she gets a generous Christmas bonus."

"Wow," Stephanie said.

"Yeah, she's an amazing lady."

"No, I mean, wow ~ you're a good man, Ranger. You really look after your employees."

He shrugged. "I can be difficult to work for. I'll go down at 1300 hrs and wish everyone a Happy Christmas, and I'll bring us up a tray of food for lunch. It's still a few hours away. Plenty of time for us to talk, Babe."

He poured a fresh cup of coffee for her, and brought it over to the sofa, dragging the coffee table a bit closer. He had a bottle of water for himself, which he opened as he sat down again.

"Comfortable?" he asked. He leant forward and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "You look a bit more relaxed now."

She nodded, took a sip of the coffee, and placed the mug on the table. Relaxed, but still confused.

"Ranger, will you tell me about your sister and her family?"

He didn't speak for a minute, and Stephanie started fidgeting. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I know you don't like to share personal stuff. You don't need to tell me if you ~"

"Steph, it's okay. I'm not a big talker, you know that. But I'm happy to tell you about my family. Not many people are interested enough to ask."

"I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen," she replied. *

He adjusted the cushions and shuffled up to one corner of the sofa. He drew her across his chest, holding her carefully to avoid bumping her injured arm. He breathed deeply, noticing the scent of his Bulgari body wash on her skin. Her hair had a faint scent of something tropical, mangoes? She relaxed into him, fingering the fabric of his long sleeved t-shirt.

"I like your shirt Ranger. It's ~" Soft. Sexy. Grey. "It's not black."

He laughed, and she felt the vibrations from his chest touch her cheek and travel through her body to her abdomen. Butterflies again.

"No, it's not black. I have a few other colours in my wardrobe. I keep them at the back and I save them for special occasions," he answered. Ranger humour.

"Is this a special occasion?"

"It's Christmas," he said.

"Oh." Stephanie Plum, Sparkling Conversationalist Extraordinaire.

"So, what exactly do you want to know about my sister?"

"Is this the same sister you mentioned once before? Or do you have lots of sisters? Is she older or younger than you? Does she have kids? Do you look like siblings? How well do you get along?"

During the Scrog incident, Stephanie had learnt a little about Ranger's family, but she was curious to learn more.

"Different sister. Marta is younger than me, by just one year. We get on great now, but we fought like cat and dog when we were little," he said. "She used to tease me a lot, and I used to tease her back."

Stephanie asked the occasional question, but for the most part Ranger spoke about Marta and other family members without any encouragement. They sounded like a close and loving family, and Ranger's voice showed he was proud of them. She absently stroked his arm.

"Ranger, have you spoken to Marta this morning?"

"Not yet. Though I'm sure they've all heard that most of the city is snowed in," he explained. "They're used to me cancelling for one reason or another," he added softly.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't nagging or anything. I just, it must be, I mean, I didn't realize ~ You never talk about your family, but just now, you sounded like ~ " Stephanie stammered. She sat up, and shivered at the loss of contact. Quickly, she reached for the coffee and took another sip.

"Babe, it's okay," he answered, sitting up too. His leg brushed against hers as he leaned forward.

He stood, and Steph's eyes were drawn to the way his faded jeans clung to his hips and backside. She groaned. Damn hormones.

"Ummm… You said that Bobby left some pain pills for me?"

Ranger nodded. "Stephanie, I'm going to ask him to come up and check you over first. Then, we talk." He took a step forward and helped her up from the sofa. He drew his face nearer, and spoke in a voice that was almost a whisper, "We've both been avoiding this, but I think it's time to be honest with each other, don't you?"

"Ranger…" she started to object, but decided against it. "I have a headache like you wouldn't believe, and my hip is bothering me too. But you're right. I'll ummm ~" she gestured towards his room, "take care of things and be back in a minute, okay?" She walked into Ranger's room and through to the bathroom, wincing at the pain as she moved.

Ranger spoke briefly on the phone with Bobby, and cleared away the remaining breakfast dishes. It's almost time.

* Prompt from Babe Squad July challenge

PART 20

Bobby's visit was brief. He checked on Stephanie and agreed that her current pain was at an expected and acceptable level to be managed by the medications.

"I'm still a bit concerned about your headache, but it's not unusual following a concussion. We can't do anything more for the moment. Promise me you'll rest up, and sleep when you need to."

"No need to worry about that, Bobby," she grinned. "I love sleep."

He produced a cardboard box from beside the sofa. "Hey, I brought you something," he said.

"Really? All my presents for the Merry Men are at my apartment. I ~"

"No, sorry Steph, it's not a gift. It's your purse, ear-rings and boots. They were in the Cayenne and I thought you'd like me to bring them up."

"Oh, okay," she said, peering into the open-topped box. "Thanks."

"Any time, Steph. I just need you to promise me one more thing."

"What's that?"

He stepped forward and gave her a hug, and lowered his voice. "Talk to Ranger, Steph. I mean really talk," he said.

She hugged him back, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "I will. Thanks for taking care of me. Merry Christmas, Bobby."

She turned to see Ranger watching the exchange, blank face in place.

"I passed my exam," she said, "but Bobby still thinks I need to be supervised. Are you okay with that, Batman?" She smiled when she noticed his lips twitch a little.

"Babe."

Stephanie went to the kitchen for some water and took her pills, while Ranger walked to the door with Bobby. They spoke for only a few seconds and Ranger appeared behind her again, leading her back to the sofa. She sat down and stared again at the Christmas tree.

"It's nice," she said quietly.

"The tree?" he asked.

"The tree, the lights, the angel. Was it Ella?"

"No. I did it myself. I wanted to make the apartment feel… more personal."

"Oh," her eyes widened. She wasn't sure what to say. "I, umm, I wanted to tell you last night. It's warm and welcoming. And, er, the music was lovely too. Classical, right? But I like the twinkling lights best of all. It's been a while, but you used to have a lamp on that other table? I prefer the tea lights. I can imagine how beautiful it would look if all the candles are lit."

He nodded.

Stephanie couldn't read Ranger's face. She kept talking to fill the silence. "Bobby brought me my things from last night," she said. "Everything's here, except maybe my scarf is still in my car. But I lost the Christmas card I bought for you. It must've fallen out of my bag in the snow."

Ranger's face showed a flicker of… something.

Steph took a deep breath and continued, "Ranger, last night when I arrived, um… uninvited, I came to deliver my Christmas present. I got you a card, really I did. It took me ages to find just the right one and I spent a lot of time getting the words right but… the card was only the first part of the gift. The real gift is ~ um…"

She blinked back a single tear that escaped from her eye, and clasped her hands together to keep them from shaking.

"You've given me so much, and I want to be totally honest with you," she continued. "That's my gift – Stephanie opens her heart and lets you see what's inside. But only if you want to."

Ranger sat down next to her, and took her hands gently. Steph looked into his eyes, still unable to read the expression there. "Merry Christmas Ranger," she said quietly.

"Babe," he replied. "It's a beautiful gift, and I would love to accept it. But~"

Play it cool, Steph. "I know it's not much, but I thought about it a lot. And it's totally optional. If you don't want ~"

"Stephanie," he said, "Listen to me, please. Don't second-guess yourself. "

She nodded, and looked down at their joined hands. "Okay."

"Will you look at me, Babe, please?"

"Please? Twice in two sentences? You're playing hard-ball, Ranger," she smiled.

"I mean it, Babe. It's a beautiful and precious gift, and I do accept. Thank you." He leant over and kissed her cheek.

She nodded again. "But?"

"But before I unwrap your gift, and examine it more closely," he explained, "I need to be totally honest with you too."