A/N: I'm sure you'll start to realize that this story becomes less about the gifts and more about their burgeoning relationship. The gifts are still there (and there are some pretty important ones coming) but I didn't think it was necessary for the story to revolve around them like it did in the earlier chapters. Well, tell me what you think!

Just as a heads up - I am not sure when tomorrow's chapter will get posted. Either really early or really late! I have a business trip to Tennessee (just for the day...ugh) and my flight leaves at 5:30. In the morning. I'm not sure how they expect me to function all day when they drag me out of bed that early and then ship me back at 10pm, but we'll see, I guess ;)

Hope y'all like this next installment!

There wasn't a big, mind-blowing shift in Stephanie and Ranger's relationship. There were no announcements to the company, no proclamations of love, nothing like that. Instead, there was just the underlying hum of contentment from both of them.

Stephanie knew it wasn't over. She knew that one kiss – no matter how awesome it was – didn't mean that they were suddenly in the clear and devoid of all the problems that plagued them before. But it did mean that she had gotten a kiss, and that was a good enough start for her.

She sat in the bond's office, feeling proud that while she wasn't divulging everything about her and Ranger's relationship, at least she had something to tell Lula.

"Oh hell naw!" Apparently that wasn't good enough for Lula.

"That's all that happened. I swear."

"I heard y'all were getting cozy out at Shorty's last night!"

"Yeah," Connie agreed. "Heard there was some hand holding going on."

"How do you even know anything?!" Lula, she could understand knowing stuff from Tank. But Connie?

"Uncle Frankie was having dinner at Shorty's last night," Connie shrugged while filing down her talons. Er…nails. "Said he saw Manoso getting cozy with some white chick and I knew it had to be you."

"Hey, I am not just 'some white chick.'"

"You kind of are," Lula said around a mouthful of powdered donut, causing a miniature snowfall on her chest. "Least you not as a white as Connie."

Stephanie accepted that graciously while Connie protested vehemently. At least!

"So what's today's gift?" Lula asked as she hunched over the box of donuts, choosing her next victim.

"Oh, it's a stupid gift that I actually don't foresee him using. Ever." She actually smiled when she thought of what she left in his stocking this morning. "A black Santa hat."

"Girl, where you even be finding these things? Since when does this shit even come in black?"

Stephanie just shrugged. Dollar store was the way to go for her budget, and she wasn't about to question such a perfect gift.

"Used to be just red. Made for interesting gifts to the Capistrone family," Connie added. They all shuddered.

"I don't know how I feel about this as an African American! I think I am offended!"

"Is your Santa black?" Connie asked.

"What do you mean is my Santa black?!"

Stephanie could see this spiraling out of control quickly, so she decided to take her leave.

"I will see you guys soon, I promise," she said to deaf ears, as Lula had already worked herself up into a tizzy of civil rights. She's pretty sure she was talking about a john she once had that looked like Santa as she slipped out the door, confirming that she made the right decision.

"Babe."

She almost slipped on the icy walkway as she grabbed her chest to try and slow her heart. Ranger had appeared out of nowhere in front of her, and he reached out to steady her, letting his hands linger.

"You scared the daylights out of me!" His lips twitched, but he offered no apologies. "Right, right, aware of my surroundings. Got it."

"You picking up any skips today?"

She waved a file in the air, smirking. "Mooner and Dougie. They really want to ride in the reindeer."

"Of course they do."

"Don't worry," she told him, digging in her purse before pulling out two huge candy canes. "I'm providing them with the full Christmas experience."

"I'm starting to get concerned, Babe." His eyes were slightly crinkled and she knew he wasn't serious.

"You weren't before? Rookie mistake, Ranger." They shared a smile for a long minute before Stephanie realized she was standing in front of the door to the bond's office. "Sorry, I'm just standing here like a dope. I'm not sure if Connie has anything for you, but…"

"Bobby already picked up our skips this morning. Saw your car, thought I'd say hi."

"Thought you'd say hi?" Who was this Ranger and what had he done with the old one?

"And maybe do this," he said softly before closing the distance between their lips.

This was the first time he had ever kissed in her a place that wasn't the alley next to the office. While she knew that wasn't exactly covert, it certainly was not the out-in-the-open scenario that was happening currently. She never really felt as if she was hiding before, but compared to the feeling she was having right now, the alley felt like a dark and dirty secret.

The kiss continued (did she moan, or did he?) for a good couple of minutes before a honking car forced them to break apart. Looking around for the culprit, Steph watched as the tinted passenger's side window on Rangers F250 rolled down.

"You guys are going to get a ticket for public indecency," Lester called to them, half hanging out of the window. And on his head was none other than Ranger's black Santa hat.

"Is that…"

"Yeah."

"But why…"

Ranger sighed. An actual sigh came from his lips.

"I put it in my truck, but Tank got called out to do some damage control for a contract. I got stuck with this clown instead."

"It'd look better on you," she blurted out. Her eyes instantly widened and she had to physically control herself to not clap her hand over her mouth.

"Glad you think so, Babe." She could hear the smile in his voice, even if his face remained neutral, with the occasional glare towards Lester, who was now making kissy faces at the two of them.

"I'll let you go then, to keep Lieutenant Libido in line."

He did smile at that, tucking a curl behind her ear. Lester had progressed to actually making the smooching noises, which drew Ranger's attention.

"At ease, Lieutenant."

"You guys both suck," Lester pouted, but he did relent and roll up the window.

"Are you free for lunch?"

"Mooner and Dougie will probably suck me in for a show or two, but it's only 10 now. I'm sure I'll be free in time for food."

"Pino's? 12:30?"

"Sounds good."

A smoldering kiss later that completely ruined her panties, and he was gone. A tapping at the door behind her showed Lula and Connie with their noses pressed against the glass, fanning each other.

With an eye roll, she got in her reindeer car and took off, now looking forward to this afternoon for a whole different reason. Although a Christmas-themed Gilligan's Island episode wouldn't go unappreciated.

She walked into the station with Mooner and Dougie dressed as Santa and an elf, respectively. They were passionate that their suits required only minor changes from their Super Suits, and Stephanie believed them wholeheartedly. That was the tightest Santa suit she had ever seen.

"Ho ho ho!" Mooner bellowed upon entering the station, leading Stephanie to think that those snacks they had before were not the innocent Christmas cookies she had been led to believe. Thankfully, she had learned her lesson a few months prior and no longer accepted any baked goods from these two.

She was grinning ear to ear as they sat and waited to get rebooked and then bonded out again (Connie said within the hour) and she watched them judge every police officer that walked by them as naughty or nice.

"Naughty," Mooner grumbled as Gaspick walked by.

"Nice!" Dougie pointed out Robin Russell across the station.

"Nice," Mooner pointed to Gazarra and Costanza. "Kind of nice, but I bet he eats all of Santa's cookies."

"So, Cupcake, does this make you Santa's little helper as well?"

Steph had her coat draped over an arm, as she resigned herself to waiting for Connie with Mooner and Dougie, and underneath was wearing tight black jeans, high heeled black boots and a black scoop neck top with red buttons. She was hoping those would slip by Ranger later. She certainly didn't resemble any of Santa's helpers.

"In the sense that I helped Mooner and Dougie, then yeah."

Things between the two of them were frosty at best, although she heard that Joe had a new girlfriend and was on his way down the path to domestic bliss. Since the last encounter in the police station had left Stephanie shocked and deeply chastised, she was both optimistic that this couldn't be worse than the last time, and pessimistic, because when had her life ever been that easy?

"Saw the reindeer car outside. Very nice."

She smiled a real smile at that. It may be ridiculous (her mother threatened to disown her for it) but she did like it.

"Thanks!"

"Very festive." Joe stepped forward and reached to trace the neckline of her shirt. "Very fest-"

She swatted his hand away and took a step back. Same old Joe.

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing soprano for the rest of your life," she said sweetly, giving his crotch a pointed look.

"Careful, Babe, or you might end up on the naughty list," Joe bit back. "Or does that not matter anymore since Ranger's pockets are deep enough to cover everything?"

"He is so going on the naughty list," Mooner pointed out, drawing Joe's attention.

"What are these two even doing out here? Someone put them in lockup."

"Joe!" Stephanie stood protectively in front of her friends who were waiting on a bench peacefully, waiting to be bonded out. They were absolutely no threat to anyone, and putting them in lockup would only be a hassle to everyone here. It might not be protocol, but no one ever dragged Mooner and Dougie down to the cells, not even Picky.

"Gazarra, take these two down to the tombs."

"That is so unnecessary, Joe," Stephanie refused to back down. "Just cause you had your stupid pride hurt, doesn't mean that you can just –"

"Look, Morelli, we don't usually take them downstairs," Gazarra tried to reason.

"And when they commit a felony due to being unrestrained while waiting to be rebonded, it is on our head, Gazarra."

Just then, Stephanie spied Connie walking in.

"Look, Connie's here! She's going to bond them out. No one needs to go anywhere."

"I don't know, Cupcake, I think there might be a paperwork build up right now. Probably won't get to them for another hour."

"You are being such a dou-"

"Okay!" Costanza interrupted what was sure to be a scathing insult from Stephanie and clapped Joe on the shoulder. "You're needed in interrogation 3, Morelli. Gazarra, you make sure these two get bonded out and don't commit any crimes in the process?" Not waiting for a response, he herded Morelli away, giving Stephanie a pointed look.

"Sorry guys," she apologized to Mooner and Dougie. "That had nothing to do with you."

"He is not very jolly," Dougie muttered.

"Maybe we should bring him some cookies?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Steph said under her breath, walking to meet Connie.

After arranging for Connie to take the two hardened criminals home, she was on her way to get lunch with Ranger, looking forward to getting out of that damn station and all the drama that came with it.

"Heard you might be on the naughty list, Babe," Ranger smirked as he held the door open for her.

"How?" She asked incredulously. "How do you know about that? It happened twenty minutes ago!"

"He's Batman, duh," Lester pointed out as he trailed behind. She guessed that he couldn't shake the shadow for lunch, even though she knew he had to have tried.

Ranger led her to a booth in the back, allowing her to slip in first before following suit, with Lester across.

"Had a guy there signing a statement about the Stark shooting. Called me as soon as Morelli walked over to you, thought there might be a problem."

"Yeah, well, go figure, where there's me and Morelli, there's a problem." She realized that she sounded sassier than intended, so she tried to apologize, but Ranger and Lester both waved it off.

She felt herself return to normal as she bit into her meatball sub. Well, that, and the presence of Ranger's hand on her thigh helped to bring her back down to earth.

Lunch was amicable and more, with Lester's running commentary keeping it from ever getting too heavy.

"…And that's why manatees are called 'sea cows.'" Lester looked proud.

"Jesus," Ranger muttered.

"That's so…interesting."

"I'm filled with fun facts," he boasted.

"You should really let other people tell you they're fun."

Ranger laughed aloud at that, and Stephanie could audibly hear the level of noise in Pino's lessen as everyone's attention focused on their table (as if it had been anywhere else in the first place). She figured not that many people had seen – or heard – Ranger laugh before, and as it was a pretty awesome sight, she didn't let it bother her too much. He was a beautiful man, and she was starting to think that maybe he was all hers.

"See you back at the office?" Stephanie asked Ranger as she sat half in her car, half out, staring up at him.

"Not sure. Got a few more loose ends to tie up out here. You free for dinner?"

"I wish," she sighed. "I still have some…Christmas stuff to do. Will I see you tomorrow?"

She conveniently left out how it was Christmas stuff for him.

"Our day is pretty booked for tomorrow night's op, but maybe."

"Oh yeah, I remember Tank saying you guys had a job tomorrow night, and that it might take a few days to decompress." She looked up from beneath her eyelashes. "Dangerous?"

He shook his head. "Just a redecorating job."

That didn't answer the question at all, but she decided to let it go.

"You know, you could always come work out with me in the gym tomorrow. I might even be willing to push it back to 6." Ranger briefly ran through his schedule and decided that if Stephanie wanted to work out (and he hoped she did, if nothing more than to just see him) then he could definitely push back their morning meeting. He was going to be meeting with the guys all day anyways.

"Yikes. I usually reserve 6 am for sleeping."

A look flickered across his face and she couldn't read it properly, but knew that he was sharing something with her.

"This is important to you, isn't it?"

"Your safety is important to me." She raised an eyebrow (or two). "I need-" He corrected himself, "I want you to be able to take care of yourself if something happens."

He knew if he started putting words like 'need' and 'have' into his Stephanie jargon, then it was only a matter of time before their relationship deteriorated. She didn't like being told what to do, and that was one of his favorite qualities of hers.

She mulled that over in her head for a second, but Ranger must've taken that for a signal that the conversation was over, because he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I'll see you at the office tomorrow, Babe."

"Yeah," she murmured, slipping her legs inside and allowing him to close the door for her. "Bye."