Tank's POV, the day of Steph's disappearance

The tick-tock of the clock in the room could have been the ringing of bell, tolling a death chant.

He was lucky there was a damn clock in the room. Usually men got sent to the basement. Rooms of concrete with no comfort, no light and no solace.

At least he got the bland conference room and a chair. True he'd foregone the chair and chosen to lean against the wall arms crossed with his eyes fixed upon the door. He wasn't letting his guard down.

The fact it was his best friend he was waiting for didn't change a thing. If anything it made it a thousand times worse.

His heartbeat was a steady tha-thump pulsing in his ears. If Steph could hear his inner thoughts now she'd make some kind of joke about thumper the rabbit and how he ought to get a spring in his step.

Just thinking about it made him smile and shake his head unwillingly. He could hear her voice as clear as day. It had only been this morning that he'd sent her on her way but it felt like an age.

In the space of an hour he'd gone from absentmindedly wishing her well and trying not to worry whilst getting back to his work to believing his best friend was going to become his murderer and there would never be a body for his mother to mourn.

On the plus side that meant there would never be a gravestone with 'Pierre' written on it.

Then again, Knowing Ranger's sense of humour he'd make sure there was for shits and giggles.

The click of the door brought his attention back to the room, and the man in his thoughts.

Ranger uncharacteristically didn't look at him as he slowly walked in and carefully shut the door before him and then made sure it was locked. He turned to face the room and then Tank.

His face as usual gave nothing away. But Tank knew Ranger and silent Ranger was fucking terrifying. Steph thought he was silent usually but she was wrong. That was quiet Ranger, in the zone Ranger.

The times she's seen silent Ranger she'd been too caught up in whatever mess they were in to really freak out about him.

This was either going to be a very long or very short conversation.

And it likely weren't gonna be the kind of conversation where they used their vocal chords.

Tank straightened up from the wall, facing his friend dead on as they stood like opposites, but didn't say anything. That was for Ranger.

"Did you know?" Ranger's tone was calm, reasonable.

It scared the shit out of him.

He didn't dare ask the obvious question. Not now. "That she was leaving or that she'd accept my help?"

Ranger didn't bat an eye. "Both"

"That she was leaving was obvious. When? I didn't know til she did. I don't think she did either. That she let me help her was a risky bet I expected to back fire until it didn't"

Ranger's mouth twitched but it wasn't with humour.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he stood motionless, eyes void of any kind of emotion or reaction to the words he was speaking.

"What was there to say? Hey Ranger your woman's skipping town but don't bother to mention anything to her" he knew he was playing a dangerous game by being sarcastic but he couldn't help himself.

Stephanie had rubbed off on him way too much. "If I'd said anything to you you'd have confronted her and maybe she wouldn't have gone but it wouldn't have what's best for her"

"What's best for her" Ranger asked, his voice was low and dangerous as he took a step towards me. "How the fuck do you know what's best for her?" He demanded, still advancing his eyes dark and flashing with his anger.

"How the fuck do you" I fired back, tired of this back and forth.

Ranger choked out a low laugh. "You think it doesn't matter that she's off on her own? That I wouldn't be bothered about what you'd done? Wouldn't care?"

"Yeah that's what I thought" the words were out of my mouth before I even had time to think them.

Ranger stopped dead. Only twice had I seen Ranger freeze out of sheer surprise in my lifetime. It wasn't making me feel any better.

"I'm pretty sure that's what she thought too. She's out there running from you. Did you know that?" Ranger stayed silent but his fist clenched as he tried to hold himself back.

I couldn't help a snort of hysterical laughter from spilling out. "She's gonna spend her time hiding and ducking to avoid you cause she thinks you'll chase her, not 'cause you care, not because you want her back in your life but you want your fucking homeostasis. You want your fucking status quo that she ain't never gonna fit into. For a man whos' never wanted a routine life you've sure as hell made a good go of it. Ain't no amount of firestorms and shootouts gonna change that"

Ranger still stood frozen and soundless but suddenly it wasn't as nerve wracking as it was before. I remembered why I'd put us all through this in the first place. Why it was worth not only for me and Steph but also for everyone in her life.

"She cares about you. That's why she left. 'Cause she don't want you hanging round her picking up the pieces when things go wrong. She wants to be your equal. Your friend.

She ain't stupid. She's smart and beautiful and funny and any man out there would give his fucking legs for a conversation with her and you're pissed' cause she decided to stop playing your fucked up mind games"

I rocked back on my heels, only just noticing after my rant that in my anger I'd moved forward until Ranger and I were face to face, every single muscle in my body tense with adrenaline. My once still heart was beating out a fucking samba beat.

Shaking my head I fell back, practically vibrating with energy. Taking a glance at Ranger who was still yet to speak made towards the door.

I'd just unlocked it and swung it open when I heard Ranger call my name.

"Tank" he sounded exhausted. I let out a heavy sigh and turned to look at him. He was still my brothers in arms.

And that was my mistake.

I never saw his fist coming but if I had I might have had time to think 'fucking hell' before he knocked me on my ass and out of consciousness.