Disclaimer: All the characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich.

A/N: This story isn't beta-ed. Any grammar faults or spelling errors are not to be considered flaws or defects but inhence the individual beauty :)

Chapter 11

Slowly awakening from the depth of her dream Steph stretched languorously in the coziness of the bed. Outside in the old trees birds were chirping, extra loud it seemed, teasing her not to fall asleep again. Next to her a deep grunt could be heard from beneath the blanket.

"Did we miss the alarm clock?" Steph mumbled with her eyes still closed.

Another grunt.

"That was really helpful," Steph shook her head and rolled onto her side.

Cautiously opening one eye she peeked at the clock just as it started to beep. With a grown she rolled back onto her back.

"OK, I'll go first; but you better be up and moving when I come back," she patted the sleeping form next to her.

Today was a special day so Steph pampered herself with conditioner and body scrub in addition to her normal shower procedure. When the steam in the bathroom started to settle, she mopped the mirror and looked at the woman smiling back at her. God, she had changed and she couldn't wait to see the reaction of her merry men in Trenton. Her body looked firm and trained, her complexion was sun-kissed, the tips of her brown curls were sporting a golden hue and her smile was carefree and infectious. She wore her own version of the guys' high-and-tight with the sides of her head trimmed down to 0.4 inch and the soft corkscrew curls on top being a hand long and bouncing cheerful over the short sides. It looked sassy and cool and Steph loved it.

It's been four and a half months since Roque had left and she'd become a different woman in that time. There was no longer a need to hide behind mascara or childish stubbornness or polish herself with extravagant clothes, lingerie and shoes to overcome her insecurities. Thanks to the help of a therapist and her new friends she was her own person now and loved herself.

Quickly brushing her teeth and blow-drying her vibrant curls, Steph went back into the bedroom and shook her head at the sight of the bunched up sheets and comforter.

"Get up, lazy-ass, or you can forget about breakfast."

That got a reaction. Slowly the blanket started to move and a sandy muzzle appeared, sniffing. The muzzled was followed by an equally sandy head with chocolate brown eyes, two black dots as eyebrows and finally two smoky black ears.

"That's right Chance," Steph grinned at the dog. "You stay in bed, you starve."

With a huge bounce the Staffordshire Terrier sat in front of her, frantically scrubbing the floor with his tail. Smiling Steph sat down onto the floor and let the brawny dog climb onto her lap.

"Hey big guy," she rubbed his ears, eliciting a languorous growl from him. "What did you dream about last night? I heard you whiff while you were sleeping."

Instead of answering Chance got comfortable and buried his face into the crook of Steph's arm, snuffling satisfied. His once shredded body had healed nicely and thanks to the nearly daily physiotherapy and underwater treadmill at the vet clinic in Atlanta there was no restriction to his severly broken hind leg. Roque and Steph didn't have to think twice before deciding to give the battered dog a new home and naming him Chance. Once their honeymoon week was over and Roque was gone Steph and Chance sat down for a serious talk about not scaring Rex, reminding her when he needed to potty and dealing with take-out from time to time when she forgot to buy his dog chow; so far he'd never complained. Chance even shared her love for peanut butter olive sandwiches; everything was peachy in Pérez-land.

Getting dressed, Steph sighed as she stepped back into the bedroom. Today she'd fly back to Trenton and she had more than mixed feelings about it. The last four and a half months at Patman had been wonderful. A week after Roque had left and Steph had decided to stay in Texas for the time being, Rex took a ride in Rangeman's privat Jet when Ranger had business to attend in Atlanta. The first few days the boys eyed each other suspiciously; but soon enough Rex and Chance got along just fine. Steph found new friends in the wives of Roque's team members and nearly every evening and even some nights she spent over at Jake and Timothy's. Tim made it his mission to teach her some basic cooking and baking so she could care for herself and Steph had to admit she had fun with him and Jake in the kitchen. But the most impact on her life had her friendship with Frog. They made a deal that she'd help him with the school's office stuff and therefore he'd train her in self-defense and skydiving. A month ago she'd successfully gained her skydiving license and her body was more trained, her reflexes and awareness better than ever before in her life. Steph ate healthier and felt better; she loved her life at Patman with Rex and Chance. But there'd been a constant nagging in her mind reminding her she couldn't hide forever, that one day she would have to go back and face her old life with all its problems and recently that voice had grown louder.

Sitting on the kitchen counter, absentmindedly chewing on her granola with honey, fruits and yoghurt, Steph nearly missed the ringing coming from her notebook in the den.

"I'm here, I'm here," she shouted, rushing over to the dining table, activating the screen and hitting the Skype connect button all at once.

"Hey Darling," the most wonderful voice in the world greeted her. "You sound like you run a marathon," Roque smiled.

"Nah, just rushed from the kitchen to the den; you caught me by surprise. How's my husband doing?" Steph smiled. Roque loved to be called her husband and she couldn't stop making him happy with those two small words.

"Same ol', same ol' – rushing around and saving lives. I'm calling to tell you that there was an incident and I don't want you to freak in case it makes the news."

Instantly, Steph tensed and grabbed the dog tags hanging around her neck. "What incident?"

The deep breath on the other end of the line didn't help to calm her nerves.

"Though we are sharing space with the Red Cross, have a small field hospital and are marked as humanitarian facility, our outpost got attacked last night. There were a lot of civilian fatalities. My team and I were on a search and rescue mission. When we got back the whole camp was reduced to rubble."

"How are you dealing?" Even though the connection was bad Steph could hear the strain in his voice.

"So far, so good. I'd love to lie in your arms and let loose; but since that's no option I'll just go on; one step at a time. For the time being they've pulled us back to Bagram Airfield; but I guess the reconstruction will start soon and we'll be back in Jalalabad," Roque sighed.

Steph squeezed her eyes shut against the tears and made sure her voice sounded strong and sure. As much as she loved to have video conferences with him, today she was glad it was 'just' a phone call.

"Shall I call any wives or girlfriends?"

"No, we are good," this time the exhaustion was obvious in Roque's voice. "We all got time to call home. Steph?"

"Yeah, Baby."

"It was horrible. All those civilians, children, most of them Afghans. They are killing their own people."

"I wish I could be there for you," she comforted him as good as she could. "I can't begin to imagine what you've been through last night, how much blood, death and destruction you had to witness; but I know for sure that my husband is one of the strongest persons I know – physically and mentally. I know this will haunt you, will chip another small part away from your soul; but you will deal. You will look forward and see all the good you've brought into this world over the years, all the people that thanks to you are still alive, all those babies you've helped to be born who thanks to you have a chance to make this world a better place. You are an amazing man, Miguel Roque Pérez, and I believe in you, unconditionally. I love you and once you are back I will get out the superglue and put all those chipped away pieces back together."

The shuddering breath at the other end of the line told Steph exactly how close Roque was to loose the battle with his tears and it broke her heart; but she needed to be strong for him.

"You ready to leave Texas?" He obviously wanted to change the topic.

"Yup. Everything is packed; Chance, Rex and I are just having breakfast and then we'll wait for Nelson to pick us up," she answered cheerful.

"I'm glad you aren't driving. I couldn't have dealt with worrying about you in addition to all the shit going on here."

"I know. That's why I agreed when Ranger offered to have someone else drive the Mercedes to Trenton while the guys and I take the Jet," she smiled lovingly into the microphone of her headset.

"Thank you," Roque sighed. "Darling, I have to hang up. I just had ten minutes and those are over. Be safe and I'll call again as soon as I can."

"Roger that, Baby. Be safe yourself and stay strong. I believe in you."

Two seconds later the line was dead.

Looking at the rest of the granola that was waiting for her on the kitchen counter, Steph no longer felt like eating and put the bowl down onto the floor for Chance. Chance could always eat; anything, anywhere. His appetite amazed her.

The flight was unspectacular. Rex and Chance both took a nap while Steph worried her bottom lip about what would await her in Trenton once she was back. Her grandma had sent her a letter with a note from her dad that they were happy for her and hoped she'd come back soon; but aside from that nothing. The merry men missed her terribly and continuously called and checked in once she gave them her phone number. She missed them, too. They had proven to be her real family. Conny and Lula? A few calls right at the beginning; but when she didn't give them anything to gossip about, the calls stopped. That had hurt; but on the other side she had made new friends she was sure she could count on. Steph had a lot of time to think about her life those past months, what she wanted it to look like, and she knew she wouldn't continue where she left of.

When the Jet came to a stop and the pilot opened the door for her, Steph couldn't stop the smile at the side of Ranger waiting for her. He leaned casually against his Cayenne, aviator glasses on, arms crossed over his chest, legs crossed at the ankles and looked all street. Four months they hadn't seen each other, just talked on the phone and now she was running into his arms and sobbed as his warmth and well-know Bulgari scent enveloped her. She felt his arms tightening around her and him burying his nose into her curls. Yeah, he'd missed her, too.

After a couple minutes of them just enjoying the other's embrace, Ranger pulled back and eyed her up and down.

"Babe," he finally almost smiled at the sight of her short wild bouncy curls.

"What?" Steph grinned back at him. "This is the new and improved Steph."

"I see that," he pulled her back into his arms and rubbed her back. "And I also feel muscles where I know for sure there were none before."

"You'll be in for some surprises, Batman; but they are all good, I promise."

"Babe."

"What?"

"Babe."

"Duh, I so didn't miss this," Steph rolled her eyes at him. "I had the tiny glint of hope that in my absence you'd learned how to build complete sentences."

"Babe," a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Come, let's get you to Haywood before the building bursts with excitement upon your return."

Steph froze on the spot and looked incredulous at him. Confused Ranger raised one of his eyebrows.

"You can talk," she grinned brightly.

"Babe." This time he couldn't hold back the chuckle. His Babe was back and just like that his world felt right again.

"Wait, I have a surprise for you," Steph turned on her heel and rushed back into the jet. Oh yeah, Batman was in for a surprise.

She freed Chance from the leash with which she'd tied him to one of the table legs and then took Rex's small travelling cage. Yes, now that Rex was a globetrotter he had an extra travelling cage. Mainly, because the huge jungle habitat that Roque got him had to be dismounted for the transport. With Rex cage in her hands and Chance at her heels she went back down the stairs and couldn't get enough of Ranger's futile attempt to keep his blank face on.

"Babe."

Steph smiled brightly and pressed a quick peck on the lips of his still stunned face.

"Ranger, please meet Chance. Chance, this is Batman."

When Ranger raised one of his eyebrows at the dog and Chance cocked one of his in return, Steph had to sit Rex down onto the tarmac and doubled over laughing.

"Guys," she gasped between laughter, "I think you two will get along just fine."

They were waiting at a red light when Ranger took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Did you hear what happened last night?" He asked cautiously.

"You mean the ambush on the outpost in Jalalabad? Yes," Steph answered somber. "Roque called this morning to tell me that he and his team are fine. They were in the air when it happened."

"Yeah, my contacts told me so," Ranger again squeezed her hand.

"You called your contacts for me?" Steph looked at him stunned.

"I worried something happened to him, Babe. In case you didn't hear about it I wanted to be able to give you as much information as possible."

"You would have told me? Didn't keep it secret from me?"

"Babe. We have history, a complicated history; but that is over. You are now another man's wife and I respect that. It doesn't change that I still love you and will always do; but it's now in a best-friend's way and friends look out for each other. I missed you so much these last four months. I want to have my friend back in my life and I realize that I might need to adjust some of my strict rules for that."

There was no reply to so much straightforwardness so Steph leaned over the center console and pressed a loving kiss onto Ranger's cheek.

"Thank you, Ranger. I'll need you the coming months."

"You have me, Babe; day and night. Whenever you need someone to talk to, to hold you or to simply spend time with – I'm there for you."

Ten minutes later they drove down the ramp of the Rangeman garage. Two trucks were missing; but otherwise the parking spaces were packed.

"Not much to do, eh?" Steph smiled; but just got a blank face in return.

She should have known that something was up; but with all those thoughts tearing through her mind and Chance standing on his hind legs, his front paws on her stomach, demanding to get scratched, Steph wasn't exactly up to par with her surroundings until the elevator door opened.

"WELCOME HOME, BOMBSHELL!" The building shook under the shouts and calls and hoots and whoops of the assembled merry men.

Steph doubted she'd ever seen so many of them all at once; the otherwise big hall was packed with black. Before she had the chance to say something, Les had her swooped up into his arms and squeezed her so tight she had trouble to breathe.

"I'm so glad you are back, Beautiful. I've been just a half person with you gone," he whispered with his nose buried in her hair.

"Man, let go of her. It's my turn," Bobby laughed and pulled her in another bear-hug. "Bomber," he sighed. "Bomber, Bomber, Bomber. Please tell me you'll stay for a while. I missed you so much; this place was lost without you."

"Hey Steph," she heard Ram's voice from somewhere to the left. "He's yours?" Ram asked and Steph saw he was rubbing Chance's tummy who laid on his back and grunted with joy.

"Yep. His name is Chance. He wants to apply for honorary merry man," she smiled at the sight.

"Well, he likes to get laid so I'd say he has a good chance," Zero grinned while holding Steph in his arms. "It feels so good to have you back here," he bend his knees to be on eye-level with her and caressed her cheek. "We all missed you like crazy."

Woody and Cal nodded fervently next to him.

Steph quickly had to realize that the merry men took special joy in ruffling the short unruly curls on top of her head. It seemed to be a never ending stream of hugs and kisses until Junior picked her up and stepped into the big conference room in which Ella had set up a banquet.

"Welcome home, Steph. Our lives weren't the same with you gone."

"Shit," she sniffed. The whole time she'd been strong and kept her emotions at bay; but what was too much, was too much. "Guys, that's so wonderful. I don't know what to say," she sobbed short of words … until Chance took a flying leap at the smoked turkey.

After they all feasted on the delicacies Ella had conjured up, Steph looked around the room and realized how content she felt. Yes, she had been happy at Patman, very happy; but these men were her family and she hadn't realized how much she'd truly missed them until now.

"Guys?" She looked around the room to make sure she had everybody's attention. "First of all, thank you so much for the wonderful warm welcome. I didn't realize how much I've missed you until you all stood in front of me," she wiped the lone tear away that threatened to slip.

"Secondly, stop mussing up my hair," she glared at them with a smile.

That had everybody laughing out loud.

"Thirdly," Steph continued seriously. "You all know I got married and that Roque is a PJ. He's stationed in Jalalabad." Steph heard the audible gasps of some of the men. "Yes, the Jalalabad that got ambushed last night. He's fine; I talked to him this morning; but," she let go of a deep breath, "I'm scared for him and I will need your support if I want to make it through the next four and a half months until he comes back. I mean, Chance has been a huge help these past months; but dog-ish can get you just so far when you are in need of a serious banter and I have to realize that it's getting harder and harder with every week that passes."

Wordlessly several of the men stood up and came over to hug, kiss and caress her. They had definitely gotten more touchy-feely since she left.

"Babe," Ranger spoke up. "I think I speak for all of the men in this building that we are here for you and will love to help you through the struggles ahead. Do you have any plans what you want to do to distract yourself?"

"Yes, about that," she smiled a little shyly. "I'd like to give up my apartment. At first I thought to ask your for help finding something better, more secure; but then I realized I'd just be here for a bit more than four months before Roque comes back and I'll move to Texas for a half year. It doesn't exactly make sense to search for an apartment that will then be vacant for six months. So I wondered," she shrugged, "whether I could perhaps move into Rangeman?"

Whatever Steph had expected, it wasn't the ecstasy that broke loose in the conference room. She was barely aware of the bone-crushing hug she got from Lester, Cal's whoops or the silent bear-hug from Tank until Ranger folded his arms around her and encased her in his Bulgari-smell.

"Of course you can move in here," he whispered into her ear. "You make me a happy man with that decision."

"What about Chance?" Steph looked up at him.

"Well," Ranger looked over to where Chance laid upside down, snoring, unaware of the turmoil around him. "I'm not really into dogs; but the men apparently have already adopted him so he can stay."

"Thanks Ranger," Steph crushed him as well as she could.

"There's more," she turned back to the guys once they had quieted down. "I started training while I was away. Roque has a friend, Frog, a former SEAL and he gave me lessons in self-defense and general fitness. I'd like to continue that with one or two of you provided that they won't go stir-crazy on me."

"Babe."

Steph gave him a huge grin as answer.

"The same goes for eating. I'm eating healthier; but I won't become a health nut so don't try morphing me into one. And don't even think about babe-ing me, Ranger," she glared playfully at him.

"Frog also trained me in skydiving and last month I got issued my license. I'd love to continue flying here and hope the one or the other of you will accompany me. And," this time Steph looked directly at Woody and Hal, "Roque's parents and siblings took me horseback riding a few times and I loved it. I thought that perhaps the two of you could help me find a place where I can learn that myself."

"Darling," Woody drawled at her with his southern accent. "Forget about a training stable. We'll teach you ourselves." Next to him Hal blushed but nodded fervently.

"Babe."

"What?"

Ranger just cocked an eyebrow at her.

"I told you I've changed."

"You did; but this is major, Babe. I'm proud of you. We are all proud of you."

There were nods all around the room.

"Thanks," Steph blushed slightly. "Last not least, I have to work." This time she turned toward Ranger next to her. "I don't want to go back to Vinni's. They didn't care one bit about me when I was away. But I'd still like to do bond enforcement work so I wonder whether I could do that for Rangeman."

Ranger opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something.

"Before you object," Steph quickly put her index finger over his lips. "I know I'm not qualified to go after high bond skips; but I thought that perhaps you'd be willing to accept the occasional lower bond for me so I could pay my rent to you. Aside from the BE work, and provided you agree, I'd like to apply for an internship at Rangeman that would give me the chance to work consecutively in all departments. I really like the BE work; but Roque and I," she blushed adorably, "we want to build a family when his contract is finished and I thought that perhaps something less dangerous could peek my interested and," she worried her bottom lip, "I could take some college classes or so."

"Babe," Ranger spoke against her finger still resting on his lips. "May I talk now?" He took her hand and kissed her palm.

"Firstly, there'll be no rent for the apartment. Period," he glared at Steph, daring her to disagree.

"Secondly, you will accept a partner, no matter how high or low the bond is. No discussion."

Steph smiled. She wouldn't have objected him; but Ranger still seemed to think the old Steph was sitting next to him.

"Thirdly, I'd love to have you in my company so of course you'll get your internship. And should you find something that as you put it 'peeks your interest' you are eligible to Rangeman's common college funding for its employees, whether it will be here in Trenton or in Atlanta," he pulled her into his arms. "I'm so, so proud of you."

"Ranger, how about I shock you?" She grinned up at him when he let go of her.

"Babe," he looked at her down his nose as though saying there's nothing you can shock me with.

"Let's just assume I shock the hell out of you. Would it be worth Pizza at Shorty's for all of us?"

"Babe," he smiled, confirming the deal and asking where she planned to put the pizza after all she'd eaten so far.

With the hugest smile on her face, Steph turned to Ram the in-house sniper.

"Ram, I'd like to get comfortable with my gun. Frog tried; but failed. Do you feel up to the challenge?"

Ranger stared at her and didn't even try to hide the shock on his face. Shaking his head, he finally started to smile. "Who are you and where is my Babe?"

It was nine p.m. when Steph, Rex and Chance finally settled into their new apartment at Rangeman. Without further ado the Merry Men had decided that it wasn't worth the effort to lug everything she brought home from Texas up to her old apartment just to move it out the next day. As it turned out Ram as many of the other guys loved dogs so he'd taken her and Chance to a park nearby for some serious leg stretching and when they came back Cal and Binkie had remounted Rex's enormous jungle habitat. Steph fell from one emotional moment into the next over the sweetness of these guys who loved her so much more than her biological family ever had. Tomorrow they'd pack up the remains in her old apartment and Tank had offered to take care of the termination of her lease.

Tired, Steph let herself fall onto the couch just to become aware of the huge box standing next to the coffee table. It was addressed at Rangeman, for the attention of Mrs. Stephanie Pérez. On top of the box lay an envelope that made her freeze. There, in the most beautiful script she knew, stood:

For my beloved wife.

Tearing into the box, Steph pulled a blue, red and white backpack out that she immediately recognized as parachute bag. Squealing, she frantically ripped the letter open.

My dear Darling,

when you read this letter you've reached Trenton safely and I no longer need to worry. Perhaps I'll feel a load falling of my mind – who knows. I apologize for being overbearing; but you are my happy thought in the darkness and despair that rule here and the idea of something happening to you nearly kills me.

I got an email from Frog with pictures of you holding your skydiving license and I can't tell you how proud I am of you. Not just because of that license but because of everything you've achieved over these past four months. Whenever I see you on the webcam or when someone sends me a picture of you, you are sparkling with energy and zest for life. I love you so much. You are my soul, my heart, my everything.

The chute I ordered for you has Wonder Woman with her lasso of truth weaved into the nylon because that's your idol and that's what you are for me. You are my Wonder Woman.

Fly, Darling. Live your dream. Once I'm back I'll join you and we'll soar together.

With all my love,

Roque

06:00 hours in the morning, 6,800 miles away, Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul, Afghanistan

Coming back from the showers, Roque sat down on his makeshift cot bed and put the necklace with the locket back on. It was forbidden for them to wear personal jewelry; but for some reason he couldn't explain he put it on last night. Hadn't he done so, it had been lost in the rubble that once was their outpost. Smiling he opened it and let his fingers trace over the pictures of Steph and Rex. They were his love, his family.

One hundred thirty days and eighteen hours more to go.

A/N: That's it - the story is complete. Thanks to all of you who read and reviewed it - getting so much support was a completely new experience for me. For those of you who wonder whether there'll be a sequel: I first have to finish Silent Cry and then Hal will get his sequel falling in love with Steph. Either I will continue Roque and Steph's way through life with little one-shots in between or I will implement them in one of the other stories I plan after Hal/Steph.

Thanks again everybody - YOU ROCK!