It was now November thirteenth and luckily for Stephanie it seemed that all the bonds her slimy Cousin had wrote had gone south causing Ranger and his men to be very busy. Stephanie was happy for this because with them always being gone she hadn't had to talk to or deal with Ram and Lester.

Tank over the course of the few weeks that had followed Halloween had been watching Stephanie and felt that something was up with her. He knew of the existing and mounting tensions between her, Ram, and Lester but now he had noticed that she wouldn't be around them at all. Stephanie avoided them at all cost and when she did have to interact with them she kept it brief, to the point, polite, and then made some type of excuse to leave and not hang around like she used too.

While sitting at her desk, Stephanie was working on the stack of files that Ranger and his team had worked on, she was making sure all the paperwork and warrants were in there so she could close the file. Tank returned from lunch and headed into his office when he heard Steph's phone ring, hanging back to if it was an important call for RangeMan he listened.

"RangeMan this is Stephanie" she said to the caller

"Hello Stephanie this is your Mother" she said back to her

"Oh hi Mom" Stephanie said and Tank went on into his office to let them talk

"Hi, Stephanie the reason I'm calling you is that I need to talk to you about Thanksgiving"

"Thanksgiving? Oh yea I can't wait to come over for all the food. Do you need me to pick up some pies at the bakery just in case like last year we need more?" she asked

"No there is no need for you to buy any pies. Stephanie your Father, Grandmother, and I won't be in town for the holidays we are going on a cruise" her Mother dropped on her

"Excuse me?" Steph asked as Tank walked out of his office for coffee. Hearing the tone Steph had just spoke he stopped.

"We have all been talking for a long time about how we would love to go on a cruise sometime and then it hit us why not go now? Your Grandmother is elderly and we don't know how long we have with her and we aren't getting any younger so we decided to go so we could enjoy it"

"But we have always been together for the Holidays Mom it was your thing to cook and bake" Steph told her "What about Val does she know they come in from California?"

"Yes she knows I have talked to them already they will be going to her husband's parents for the holidays" She said and Tank saw Steph's smile fade as she stood from her desk

"Well what about me I don't have anyone else to spend the holidays with I don't have any other family?"

"You work with a bunch of people Stephanie do you think that one of your friends would let you tag along, What about Ram couldn't you go to his family?"

"No Mom I can't with Ram we have broken up remember and I don't think it would be fair of me to impose myself on any of the guys here if they have families to go to which I don't even know"

"I'm so sorry Stephanie we can't undo this now we leave in a few days and tickets are non refundable" her Mom told her

"I'm sorry too Mom have a wonderful time" Steph said slamming down the phone. Tanks heart went out to her as he heard the exchange between her and her Mom. Every time things seemed to quite down and look up for her something always came and knocked her back down again.

Everyone on the floor pretty much heard the argument that Stephanie had with her Mother. Lester and Ram both wanted to go over to her and say something comforting but they didn't knowing the wrath of Stephanie very well. Thinking everyone had went into the conference room for their morning meeting with Ranger, Steph laid her head down on her desk and cried into her hands. Tank hearing her went over and touched her shoulder, Stephanie looked up at him through tear filled eyes and feel into his arms crying her heart out.

A couple of days had gone by since Stephanie found out about her family leaving and going on a cruise instead of doing what they always did and have the holidays in Trenton. Stephanie didn't speak much to the guys she just came in did her work and went home at the end of the day. Tank watched her and worried about her and how she had been acting, when she left for the day he sat down with Ranger, Ram, and Lester.

"We need to talk" Tank stated sitting down at the big wooden table

"What about?" Ranger asked his friend and second in command. He was confused as to why Tank would call this meeting ever since Halloween the cat fights between Steph and the two men sitting on his right had virtually stopped.

"I'm worried about Stephanie" he said and all eyes landed on him "ever since that phone call from her Mom she had really been depressed"

"Steph likes the Holidays. Her fave is Halloween" Ram spoke up and everyone nodded their heads knowing this was true "But she likes the other ones too because of the traditions that her Mom did all the time and her family. Steph wasn't really enthused with going out and getting a tree and sending out cards and stuff but the it was what she had always known and deep down I think she did like that stuff"

"Does she have any other family here in Jersey?" Tank asked him knowing he would know about Steph than any of the rest of them

"Sister in California"

"I think I'm going to ask her to come to Shorty's. I know it won't be her home, her family, or her traditions but Shorty makes a turkey with all the trimmings for the Guys who don't have a home to go too and it's just like you would have on your own dinner table. Its won't be with her family but she will be around her friends" he told them of his plan

"She will probably be hesitant but when she learns Santos is going to Miami to be with family and that Ram is heading to Colorado to be with his Mom she just might agree" Ranger said knowing that her stressors wouldn't be around to bother her

"Then its settled ill ask her to join us at Shorty's" Tank said standing letting everyone know the impromptu meeting was over

"Santos my office" Tank barked when he walked out of the room. Lester got up from his seat and walked into Tanks office, he asked him to close the door and have a seat.

"You can deny this and it won't surprise me when you do but I know there is something going on between you and Stephanie, you would have to be blind not to see it" he said and then leaned forward in his chair "you know me and I'm not usually the kind of man that does matters of the heart but I've grown to like that little girl out there. I believe she really needs a friend right now will you be that friend for her?" he asked

Lester sighed "Big guy I can try that's all I can do but you know Steph and me and how we can be like together" He reminded him

"I know that tough girl act she is doing is just that an act, inside she is just scared to be loved again"

"Yea" Lester said getting up from his seat and walking around in front of Tank. He could just kill Ram for all the shit he has put her through, Lester loved her and Ram made it extremely difficult for him to get in.

"Santos go to her"

Lester was done his shift and was packing his bag up to leave. He placed his wallet into his back pocket when he heard the elevator ding and saw Stephanie step out. He wondered what she was doing back there so late since her shift had ended a few hours ago, Les watched her as she bumped into Hal who had a stack of files in his hands.

"Sorry, I just forgot my cell phone" she said helping him pick up the dropped files

"It's ok nothing happening here except shift change" he told her

"Oh ok well let me look for it and I'll be out of everyone's hair" she said walking over to her desk

Passing Lester she didn't even slow down or even acknowledge him. Going to her desk she searched and found her phone in the bottom drawer of her desk.

"Found it" she announced telling Hal as she walked back towards the elevator

"Stephanie" Lester said jogging up to her and taking a hold of her arm so she couldn't leave

"What Lester I'm not in the mood for any of your games" she told him

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked

"No I just want to go back home so I can rest and get ready to come in tomorrow"

"It will only take a minute" he pleaded with her

"Fine whatever" she said when she saw that Hal was watching them

"Come with me" Lester said taking her hand and leading her to the storage room

Stephanie walked in and Lester closed the door behind them, going over to the old couch Stephanie sat down on it and stared at the floor. Lester slowly made his way over and sat down next to her on the couch.

"Steph are you ok?" he asked her

"I'm fine" she shot back

"Steph we are worried about you, I'm worried about you" he told her

"You all can stop I'm fine there is nothing wrong" she told him

"Stephanie just stop ok? I need to know about what you said the other day when you took off" he said and Stephanie's head snapped up looking at him. This was it he had done what he promised in the note she had found on her pillow "And I wanna help you, I know ever since your Mom called everything off you have been hurt"

"Help me? You want to help me? That is a load of shit and you know it"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked looking at her confused

"Do you remember that beach trip we all went on?" she asked him

"Yes it was the one in your pictures that you have on your nightstand" he told her and Stephanie stood and stared at the shelves loaded down with extra paper, toner, and mace.

"I told you that I loved the RangeMan family dynamics and then you asked if I had any brothers and I told you that I didn't. Do you remember what you told me in the truck Lester?" she asked him never moving from his spot

"That from that day forward we all would take care of you and then I personally vowed that I would be there for you" he told her

"You weren't" she softly said

"What?"

"Your "Brother" Ram hurt me Lester; he ripped my heart out when he confessed that he slept with his ex. Not once did you ever come to me and comfort me or say that you were there for me. I needed you and you never said anything to me" she said chocking up

"Oh Steph" he said her words like a dagger to his heart understanding now why she was so mad at him, he had let her down.

"I know he is your friend and buddy and all but I had no one" she said

"Stephanie I am so sorry" he said placing a hand on her shoulder

Stephanie turned around and looked at Lester, she saw in his eyes he was truly hurt to realize that he had failed to be there for her like he had promised he would be. Lester opened his arms and Stephanie cautiously came into them.

"I am so sorry Stephanie please will you forgive me?" he asked her hoping she would now allow him in

Stephanie looked up at him and slowly brought her lips to his, Lester surprised by her move just loved on her back hoping this would heal the rift between them. Lester slowly moved them back to the couch where Stephanie wound her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. Moving his head to the side, Lester nudged her back and came over her.

"Steph" Les said placing his forehead to hers "I think I'm falling for you"

Lester watched as a flash of panic crossed Stephanie's eyes. She moved out from under him and went over to the door.

"I… I need some air I can't breathe" she said tossing the door open and quickly walking out

"STEPH WAIT" Lester called to her but she was done gone disappearing into the stairwell