A/N: So I just got done reading this HUGE fan fic (148 chapters!!) That was SO GOOD… but unfinished.:(Forgive the delay, I've been out of commission for the last week with vertigo! Hoping it goes away and I can go back to work tomorrow!

UPDATE :went back to work Wednesday April 3rd!

Sorry this is kind of a slow chapter. I needed to move the story along but didn't want to just skip to dinner. I'm having writers block. Hope it's ok!

Chapter 21

Stephanie's POV

It was hard to breathe, I felt like I could combust at any second. "Um, you don't like to share?"

Ranger's eyes were a dark obsidian color as he looked me over. "No, I don't."

I gulped and whispered. "You shared your car…"

I saw a small smile appear on his face before he leaned down, close to my ear. I felt his breath hot on my ear as he whispered "You Babe. I don't want to share you." Aaaannnd I need a cold shower.

"Oh, well, it's just dinner."

"I saw him in your bed earlier, before you woke up. You're sure it's just dinner?" His face was blank, I couldn't get a read on him.

Oh hell. " Yes! Literally I asked him if he wanted to lay down with me and I fell asleep within seconds. Lester told me tonight how he felt but like I told you before Ranger, I don't know how I'm feeling right now. You all have been so supportive and kind… maybe we can talk after this thing with Alexander and Anthony is done?"

He pulled back and I felt that bolt of electricity hit my abdomen. "Sure Babe, I'd like that." He then leaned in again and kissed the fire out of me before disappearing out my door. What the hell Batman!?

I retreated to my bedroom, stripping off the robe and pulling on the workout clothes I found in my drawer thank you Ella! I made my way down to the gym to find not only the four Core members, but also a few others going through their routines. Holy Hotness I believe I'll be wearing out that shower massager tonight! I feel my face flush as everyone stopped and looked at me indicating that I yet again spoke that thought aloud, before grinning and continuing in with their activities. Mentally giving my forehead a slap I approach the four Core members. "So, what's up first?" Bobby got that gleam in his eye again and my stomach drops. "Awww hell Bobby, I just got my breathing back to normal from our last adventure together!" Everyone cracks a smile and I hear some chuckles around the room.

"Sorry sweetheart but if you're going to work here you've got to meet and maintain certain goals. I'm just helping you reach them!" I nod, rolling my eyes and make my way to the treadmill to start my run. After 30 minutes there I hop off and turn around to see the men slack jawed and srill in the same spots they were in previously. Bobby and I share a look but my ESP reader isn't working.

"Guys? You okay?"

"Shorts. Very tiny shorts." Lester manages to spit out and Bobby and I laugh.

"Ohhhh! Yeah Bobby has a nice ass doesn't he? If I had him in front of me running I would be speechless too." I couldn't contain my laughter as the guys try to cover up the fact they were staring at me, and Bobby wiggles his behind.

"Thanks sweetheart, at least someone appreciates it! " Bobby laughed and winked at me as we moved to the center ring area. Cal and Woody were in the sparing ring , and I watched in awe as they circled each other, one moving forward as the other evaded, bobbing and weaving around. "You've learned some takedown techniques but you will want to spar with someone, just to get the feel of it. You can use gloves or bare knuckles." I stare at him, my mouth hanging open.

"Are you joking?? You guys are huge! I'll die!" No laughter, but I do see some smiles.

"Babe. We are getting you ready for real life situations. If you're chasing a skip who is Cal's size, how would you approach?" Ranger asked calmly.

I sit and think for a moment. "I need to know the background." They all look at each other, even Cal and Woody stop what they're doing to stare at me.

"Babe?"

I sigh. "You guys have no clue how I catch my skips I take it?" I see shaking heads from everyone. "I am a strategist and planner, at least when it comes to bounty hunting. I attempt to apprehend WITHOUT things getting violent. Does that always work? No of course not. But I do have the highest capture rate of any agent in the state of New Jersey."

I see Ranger walk over to his phone sitting on the bench. He picks it up, says "Confirm" and hangs up. 30 seconds later it buzzes, and he responds with "10-4". He walks back over to the group and nods. "Impressive Babe." I can feel my face light up.

"What's your capture rate Beautiful?"

"98%." I hear the men all whistle. "I would be 100 but I have one that's giving me a bit of an issue at the moment, so maybe that can be one we work on together?" I check the faces of the guys standing around and they all have wide grins. "Anyway, so I run this program that I have access to that collects any and all information I can get on the individual. Things a typical Lexis Nexis search won't find. I dig through their files and find commonalities, and go from there." All the men are watching me intently so I continue. "For example, two of my typical skips I don't even have to try anymore. We were friends in high school, so I just come by when they aren't in the middle of a TV marathon of some sort, scoop them up and get them rebonded again before you can say Star Trek Deep Space Nine! Honestly a good 80 percent of my skips are people I know. If I don't personally know them, the 'Burg pipeline will get me what I need."

I wish I had a camera, their faces were priceless. "What is this search program you use Little Girl?" I can see the wheels turning in all their minds. I shake my head and wag my finger at Tank.

"Nope sorry Big Guy, that's my own personal invention. I will be happy to help you with searches for your skips though, if you have any that are bothering you."

"Wait, you wrote the program you use for searches??" Woody spoke up from the "ring" he was standing in. "Just when I thought you couldn't get hotter , you're a computer genius too?"

I felt my face flush. "I wouldn't call me a genius. I do okay…" I shrug, all of a sudden very uncomfortable with the attention I'm getting. "Anyway, so whose ass am I kicking??" I giggled as everyone raised their hands.

"Woody is a more even height match, take him down first." Ranger commented. I laugh and step in front of him, crooking my finger, motioning for him to come at me.

"Bring it on Tex!"

I went toe to toe with Woody for a good 40 minutes, I even successfully took him down three times! When we were done I moved on to Binkie and took him down twice as quick. I was feeling pretty good about myself until Cal stepped in front of me.

"Okay Angel, how you want me to play this? I can take it easy on you, or…" That's as far as he got before I was flipped upside down onto my back, where I found myself staring at a smiling Hal.

"Geeze Hal, you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet!!" I grabbed his outstretched hand as he helped me back up.

"Sorry Mi- uh… Steph." I smile at him and reach up on my tip toes to give him a kiss on the cheek, causing him to turn fire hydrant red all over.

"Gotta be aware of my surroundings I suppose…" I pointed a finger at him and raised my eyebrows. "We are even now, right?"

I heard the room chuckle and he just smiled at me leaving me to assume I have a few more take downs to endure before we're even. I moved off the mats as Hal and Cal faced off against each other. Looking at them I was in awe, it was like redwood against redwood. I felt Ranger come up behind me, and his hand on my hip. "You did great Babe. Proud of you." Oh lord… those words caused my heart to go pitter patter and my doo dah to heat up to the point of combustion, I needed to move. So I started to walk away from him, going towards the locker room.

"Where you going Little Girl?"

"Hitting the showers Big Guy, I've got a dinner date later." I winked at Lester, ignoring the other men's comments and looks, and made it to the locker room without falling over or self combusting. Something about Ranger's voice when he said those words got to me, and I needed a cold shower to straighten me out.

I turned on the water and stood under the spray, letting my mind wander. I grew up the misfit, the under dog. My older sister Val was the prom queen, the good daughter, never gave mom and dad trouble. She met her wonderful husband and they got married and she popped out two wonderful kids, so she was perfect. Okay maybe not exactly perfect. Her husband cheated on her with the nanny (asshole) and the kids? While I adore my nieces they're kind of a handful, which is why I'm destined to be a hamster mommy only. Val had to move back with mom and dad… but at least mom doesn't iron incessantly because of her. Or get calls from the 'Burg grapevine due to her crazy dangerous job. Yeah, that's not due to Val, that's ALL me.

Mom and Dad love me, I know they do. Dad supports me and my decisions, he just doesn't really understand the whole Bounty Hunting thing. Mom on the other hand, thinks I'm crazy. She believes Joe and I should be settled down by now, and be giving her some more grand kids (HAH!) No matter how many times, or how I say it, it doesn't get through her head all we are is best friends. One of these days I'm going to put a ring on that finger just to mess with her. OH! Better yet I'll bring one of the Rangeman guys over! That should freak her out enough to leave me alone for awhile.

As I lean against the shower wall and think about my life, it dawns on me that the only person I could truly count on to support me is my Grandma Mazur. She's a pip (as she would say). Grandma moved in with my folks a few years ago after my Grandpa went to the big bingo hall in the sky. She consistently drives my dad nuts, and my mom to drink. At least that's what I tell myself so it doesn't all fall on my shoulders. She has a thing for going to the funeral parlor for every viewing, especially the open caskets. It's her favorite pastime, so much so that Constantine Stiva has actually offered to pay me to NOT bring her to any more viewings, but I need a little excitement in my life… well, maybe not anymore!

Apparently I got lost in thought for too long because I heard a loud pounding on the door before hearing a voice yell "I don't care if you aren't decent I'm coming in!" I yelped and quickly turned the shower off, grabbed a towel to wrap around me just as Lester walked around the corner. His eyes got all sparkly like emeralds as he grinned at me. "Sorry Beautiful but the guys were too chicken to come in while you were in here."

I rolled my eyes, securing my towel before stepping out of the shower. "Apparently you don't have that same problem huh?" He grinned slyly at me and I had to laugh. "Tell them I'm sorry, I'll get dressed and be out in 5." Lester gave me a quick kiss on the forehead and walked out one way, as Ranger appeared from the other direction. I knew he was there, I felt that distinctive tingle in my neck. When I looked up we locked eyes and he stalked towards me, until my back hit the wall surrounding the showers, like a cat stalking its prey. He leaned in close and I almost couldn't hear his voice over the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. His fingers skimmed the top of my towel, across my collar bone before running it down my arm, leaving I'm sure a trail of fire behind it, because I felt burned.

"Babe."

I volleyed the idea of getting back into the shower and blasting the cold water around when I heard him make a chuckling noise in his throat. "If you get back in, I'm coming with you and you have dinner plans. Although I'm not opposed to the idea of delaying you if you aren't…" I gulped and ducked underneath his outstretched arm, grabbing my clothes and rushing to the far corner of the room.

"Go!" I held one hand up and pointed towards the door as the other was trying to hold up the towel. He smirked and walked away. After he was no longer in my vicinity I let out the breath I had been holding and plopped down on the bench I was standing next to. Stephanie Michelle Plum, what the hell have you gotten yourself in to?!