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Still not mine :(

Chapter 21

The next morning I woke feeling horrible, Ranger knew something and he was keeping it from me. Monday can not get here quick enough, I woke up with the same feelings that I went to bed with...Courtney was the cause of this whole situation. Now I just need to prove it. I spent the rest of the morning doing nothing and now I was just puttering around the house until it was time to get ready for the party tonight.

Val and Jack offered to babysit Jake for me, Angie and Mary Alice were with Jack's parents for the weekend so they decided that they would just watch him here. They were supposed to go to the party as well, but Val is now 7 months pregnant and is not in the party mood. Val is coming over early to help me get ready for the party. At around 1 o'clock I decided to get a shower and as I was getting out I heard Val coming into my bedroom.

"Hey Steph, the beached whale is here."

"Hi Val, I'll be out in a few minutes. How are you feeling?"

"Huge, I can't wait for this pregnancy to be over."

She was settling herself on my bed when I came out of the bathroom, I had a lot to tell her after yesterday so I guess it's good she was getting comfortable.

"Well you don't have much longer to go now, and just think at the end you will finally have your little boy. Once again daddy will be happy with another grandson, and you know that if we are not careful he will run away with both of them just to get some guy time."

We both had a good laugh at that, my poor dad has been surrounded by women and now he finally has his boys. I don't think he could get any happier.

"So tell me what's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean, Val?"

"Oh come on Steph, this is me you are talking to. I can always tell when something is bothering you."

"Your right, good thing you are comfortable, this may take a while."

So I told her everything that happened from the last time I saw Lester and he told me he was engaged up to and including what happened last night.

"Wow, so why is he still with Courtney if he is starting to remember you and your life together?"

"That my dear sister is what I am trying to figure out, I think she has something to do with this whole mess and maybe he does too. Who knows, I just hope that there are no problems tonight."

"Tonight will be fine, now let's get you ready."

Val worked on my hair while I did my makeup, when we were both finished I slipped into my dress. I found a silk burgundy wrap dress that came to just above the knee, it felt like heaven against my skin when I tried it on. I also had matching FMP's, and looked perfect when all was said and done. I heard the doorbell and knew it was Ric and Rachel, so I made my way downstairs and said goodbye to my little man, talked with Val for a few minutes and then we were on our way to Celia's.

"Steph, I talked to Lester this afternoon. When you see him, act like you have been."

"Has he had any more of his memory return?"

"That is something that he wants to talk to you about, but tonight won't be any good. Courtney will be with him."

"So he does think she had something to do with all of this mess?"

"Yeah, and he is not happy at all. Anything he says or does tonight will just be an act, so just go with it."

"Okay."

After that the car became quiet again and I was just ready to have this night over and done with. We pulled up to Celia's and Ric let Rachel and I out and he went to park the car so it will be hidden when Carlos and Grace arrive.

"Hey you two get in here," Celia called from the front door. "Wait until you see the transformation from yesterday."

The night started off beautifully, the guest of honor had finally arrived and by the look on her face she was really surprised. I was standing off to the side talking to Gabby and Miranda when Grace made her way over to us.

"Oh, my girls, I don't even know how to begin to thank you for all of this." Then she pulled the three of us into a hug. "This is absolutely amazing. Stephanie, I..." I had a feeling I knew what she was going to say.

"Grace, don't worry about. I have a feeling that things are going to be okay." I then whispered in her ear, "keep this between us for now, but he is starting to remember."

Grace was called away by a family friend and walked away with a huge smile on her face.

"What was that all about?" Gabby wanted to know.

"Just had let her know something after a conversation we had yesterday."

"Hello Gabby, Miranda, Stephanie."

Oh great, Courtney.

"Hi Courtney." The three of us responded.

"If you will all excuse me, I need to talk to Rachel about something."

"I just saw her go into the house with Celia."

"Thanks Courtney."

I went into the house and found Rachel and Celia chatting, I must have looked like something was wrong because they both stopped talking and looked at me.

"Are you okay?" Celia wanted to know.

"Yeah, just had a run in with my favorite person."

"Oh, and who would that be?"

We all turned around at the sound of the unexpected voice in the room.

"Jesus you scared me, something we can help you with Lester?"

"Why as a matter of fact Celia there is, I need you to keep Courtney out of here while I speak to Stephanie."

"Steph, are you okay with talking to him alone?"

"We'll be fine Celia."

"Come on Beautiful, let's go downstairs so we can talk privately."

We made our way down the stairs and before I could ask Lester what was going on he pulled me into his arms and kissed me, when the kiss was finished I just stood there in shock.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I have been wanting to do that since last night."

"Don't ever apologize for a kiss like that, as a matter of fact I'm here anytime you feel the need to do that again."

"That's good to know, I talked to Ric today, and I know he already told you, but I just really needed some time alone with you. I remember more about us and our time together, especially the night of my birthday party. I know this hasn't been easy on you and for that I am sorry, I think I know what is going on and I am going to need your help and Ric's to get to the bottom of it all."

"Les, I will do anything to help you. When I found out that plane crashed and you were gone, a piece of me was gone as well. But, I knew I had to go on because I still had a piece of you with me. The day I found out you were back..."

"Steph, Les, are you down there." Ric called as he walked down the steps.

"Yeah Ric, what's up?"

"We have a major problem and I am going to need both of you."

"Beautiful, I promise we will finish this later."

"Come on let's go see what is going on, Ric sounded really worried."

We made our way up the steps and found Ranger, Bobby and Tank in the kitchen. They all looked really worried and that had me a little bit afraid of what could be going on.

"What is going on?"

"We need to get back to Trenton, now. Rangeman Trenton has gone completely off-line, and I am going to need all of you to fix this. I have no idea who is doing this but we need to find out and we need to do it quickly. I called Silvio and he is trying to get into the Trenton computers to figure out what is going on."

"Lester, I want you to take Courtney home and then meet us at back at Rangeman. Rachel, Gina and Lula are going to drive back together, Steph you can go with us."

We said our goodbyes and made our way from Princeton to Trenton, once we were on the road I called the house to check on things, there was no answer. I then tried Jack and Val's cell phones and got their voice mail. I cold shiver ran through my body and knew something was wrong.

"Ric, I tried calling the house and Jack's cell phone and there was no answer. I'm worried that something is wrong."

"We should be at the house in a few minutes, try calling the house again." I could hear the worry in his voice.

We pulled up to the house and it was dark, I noticed the front door was wide open. I was trying to get out of the car and into the house but Tank held me back.

"Steph, let us check it out first, we don't know what is going on yet and you are not armed."

"Fine, please hurry!"

I was starting to panic and just wanted to know that my little boy was safe. Tank came running out of the house a few minutes later and he was on the phone.

"I need an ambulance at..."

That was the last thing I heard as I ran into the house to see what the hell was going on. I saw Jack laying on the floor and blood all around him, it looked like he had been shot in the chest. I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, I looked up and it was Tank.

"Tank, what the hell is going on?"

Ric came down the stairs shaking his head.

"Steph, we need to talk."

I was trying to get out of Tank's arms so I could go and check on Jake.

"Calm down and listen to me, Val is upstairs, it looks like she may have been drugged."

"And Jake, where is he?"

He looked me in the eyes and I knew before he even told me.

"Steph, the baby is not here."

That was the last thing I remember before blackness over took me.

TBC