A/N - I haven't done this for awhile...not mine, they are hers. She is rich, I am not.

Thanks for all of the reviews on the last chapter! I'm glad you really liked it!

Thanks as always to XxTartLoverxX! You get me through sweetie and you mean the world to me!

Thanks to all of you for reading my story. I hope you don't want to hurt me after this chapter...Please read and review even if you want to come after me with pitchforks!

Chapter 25 – Ranger

Upon hearing the laughter in the background, Ranger took a deep breath as he responded to her greeting, "Babe."

"Ranger, what can I do for you?" Stephanie asked.

"I'll be back in Trenton tomorrow, so I wanted to make sure we were still on for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Yes, Ranger, and we need to talk," Steph held firm.

"I know, Babe, I know. Let Ella know if there is anything you want to eat in particular. I'll see you tomorrow," Ranger disconnected the phone and hung his head. He REALLY didn't want to have this conversation.

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One Week Earlier

Ranger was on the command center floor and saw the monitor showing the elevator through the glass wall of the control room when Stephanie and Lester left for their date. He felt his heart sink as he saw how beautiful his Babe looked and how happy she seemed with his cousin.

He took off to Tank's office and told his second in command that he was offline for the rest of the evening and headed up to seven.

Ranger grabbed a bottle of 70 year old GlenFidditch scotch and a glass from his bar. He'd had quite a few shots when there was a knock at the door an hour or so later. He wasn't surprised to see Tank when he opened the door. Ranger just left the door open and went to the bar to get another glass.

"Carlos, you need to face this," Tank said as he entered the apartment. "She's happy with Lester," he took the shot Ranger offered and downed it as he sat down on the couch.

"My cousin will never settle down with just her, it isn't who he is anymore, not after what happened with…." Ranger ran his hand through his hair as he poured more shots.

"You can tell yourself that, but we both know you are wrong," Tank interrupted. "Santos hasn't been a playboy in several years. Seeing Tony with Anna changed that for him. It helped Les realize he could have the same thing they do, the same things his folks do. Meeting Stephanie just reinforced it for him, even though he thought she could never be his," Tank pounded his shot, poured two more and they both downed them.

"But I know Babe loves me, Tank, I just need to get her to see it," Ranger replied as he poured more shots sloshing the expensive scotch on the table as he tried to pour.

"Yeah, Carlos, the thing is she does know it, but you fucked it up! You never let her in. She loved you and you held her at arm's length. You didn't let her love you like she needed to. It looks like Santos has fully let her in and just based on seeing them in the elevator, she's happier than I've ever seen her. You've taken Les' place in the 'friend zone' now, man!" Tank looked in his best friend's eyes and wondered just how many shots he'd had.

"Buut, I'm her Baatman, Pierre!" Ranger slurred.

"Yeah you are," Tank replied as his friend closed his eyes and started to slump over. "But, being Batman isn't enough, Carlos," he stated as he hauled his friend off the couch and put a drunken Ranger to bed.

He felt like shit when he opened his eyes at 5 am the next morning as the alarm went off. It had been years since Ranger had drunk enough to be hung over. He remembered some of his talk with Tank the night before, and Tank agreed with him that he was Babe's Batman. That is what he needed to be for her now. He needed to figure out who was threatening her and eliminate that threat. Then things would get back to how they had been. Morelli was out of the picture and he was sure that his Babe and Santos would end up having an argument just like she always did with the cop. Once that happened, he could finally make Stephanie his. First, he needed to deal with the blinding headache from his hangover. A little more sleep couldn't hurt, right?

Ranger finally drug himself out of bed around 10 am, after taking a shower, he packed a duffel bag and headed to 5. "Tank, my gut is telling me that Eagle has something to do with the threats against Stephanie. I'm heading to Boston to do some recon. I'll check in with you later. Keep an eye on my Babe like always."

Tank shook his head when Ranger left his office as soon as he finished talking. Looks like Stephanie isn't the only one who likes to visit Denial Land.

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Ranger had been in Boston less than an hour and had just started watching Eagle's apartment when his phone rang. "Report," he barked knowing it was Tank.

"Hector reported in that Santos and Little Girl found a vase of black roses and a note in her apartment. There were prints, we're running them now. The roses have been traced to a flower shop in the Burg and were a special order. It proves the explosion at the Tasty Pastry wasn't meant to kill her. This bastard is toying with her," Tank's voice was even but Ranger knew just how upset his second in command was by the slight strain he heard as Tank spoke the last sentence. His Babe was truly loved by all of his men and they would do anything to protect her.

"What did the note say?"

"Basic stalker crap, that she and her man fucked up his life and he might as well be dead and soon she would be," Tank summarized.

"Like hell!" Ranger punched the dash of RangeMan Explorer he was using. "I'm going to keep eyes on Eagle for now; my gut says he's involved. Let me know what the prints show. Try to keep Babe in the building. I don't want this asshole getting to her," he barked.

"Well, Santos has already requested Hal and Cal as backup tonight; they are going to dinner at the Plum house," Tank replied.

"Shit," Ranger muttered as he hung up the phone. Is Babe introducing Santos as her boyfriend to her family? How the hell did this happen? He sighed with frustration, knowing he screwed up while in Boston. She'd given him a chance and be blew it by letting work get in the way of talking to her and opening up at least a little. Ranger had relegated talking to his Babe, the most important person in his life, to an item on his To Do List. Dios, I'm an IDIOT!

Several hours and much contemplation later, Carlos convinced himself that it would still be OK and everything would work out. He'd get the stalker or stalkers, be her hero again and then when she and Santos had a fight, that would be when he'd swoop in and make her his. There was no way he'd end up on the back and forth merry go round with Lester like he had Morelli. Ranger was sure that once he got that chance, he could convince Stephanie that he was the one for her, not Santos.

A small grin returned to his face when his phone rang again, "Report."

"Shots were fired outside the Plum house. Little Girl is ok, she got grazed on her ass," Tank advised as he heard Ranger hit the dash of the car and swear loudly.

"The prints come back yet?" Carlos was barely hanging on to his last thread of control.

"Yeah, they are Fish's prints. Hector found the gun still in his sniper's nest too, going to check to see if the prints match. Word on Stark is he's hiding out there somewhere. Hector's about to head out to rattle some cages."

"I'm headed back. I'll join Hector; between the two of us we should be able to flush this fucker out. Tell Boston to setup surveillance shifts on Eagle. He's probably using Fish as his pawn."

Ranger hung up and headed back to Trenton. It was time for Stark Street Ranger to come out and play.

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Wednesday Night (the night before the takedown)

Hector and Ranger were in the shadows watching a building where Fish was possibly hiding. They'd almost caught up to him a few days before, but so far he'd managed to elude them. For an idiot, the guy seemed to at least be able to hide himself fairly well. It wasn't like Stark Street was trying to hide or protect him, everyone down there knew not to mess with either Hector or Ranger alone, but together, they were an unstoppable force that no one would stand against.

"You go get some rest, Boss. I'll stay and watch," Hector whispered.

"No, I'm not resting until we catch him."

"Boss, I know what you are doing and it will not work. I've told you, Angelita has made her choice. Playing the hero will not change that," Hector sighed as he figured once again he'd have to face Ranger on the mats to help him understand.

"Hector, I won't discuss it,"Ranger growled.

"I have seen them together while you have been out trying to be Batman and avoiding the situation. I watched over them at Havana de Libre, the way they looked at each other…"

Ranger grabbed Hector, held him against the wall and growled, "Not another word, Hector."

Any other man but Hector would be afraid at the look of rage in Ranger's eyes, "Face it, you need to come out of denial, Bossman, for your sake as well as hers." Hector's eyes turned menacing as he broke out of Ranger's grip, "Grab me like that again, and I will not hesitate to pull my blades."

The two men settled into an uncomfortable silence as they returned to watching for Fish. Deep down, a part of Ranger knew Hector was right. He just wasn't ready to face it.

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Thursday Night (Takedown)

Ranger stood before his men, "Tank, Hector, you're with me in the front. Ram, Zip and Zero you have your positions on the roofs front and back. Hal, Cal, Lester and Bobby, you have the back. You have your assignments, move out!"

Tank met his partner's eyes and raised his eyebrow. Santos in the back?

Ranger shook his head at Tank's thoughts. He didn't want to think about it. They had a job to do.

Crashing through the front door of the building, Ranger grabbed Fish before he could head out the back. Throwing Fish against the wall, Ranger punched him several times before cuffing Fish, calling all clear, and hauling him to the SUV.

"Well, at least now I can tell Beautiful that she can meet my parents without a platoon of Rangemen watching us," Les told Bobby.

"Can I still go tomorrow? You know how much I love your mother's cooking," Bobby asked.

"Sure no problem, you know Mama loves you and I'm sure Steph will appreciate the support. I can't wait for her to meet them, Bobby. Plus, I have a surprise planned for the weekend for Steph. It is going to be even better now that it can be the two of us!" Santos was excited about his plans.

Ranger overheard Bobby and Lester's conversation. When he couldn't stand to listen any longer, he got in the SUV and punched Fish after he closed the door.

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The conversation between Santos and Brown caused rage to course through Ranger even as Hector's words rang in his ears, "I have seen them together while you have been out trying to be Batman and avoiding the situation. I watched over them at Havana de Libre, the way they looked at each other…"

It didn't take long to break Fish and for him give up the Eagle connection, which disappointed Ranger. He wanted to work out a little bit more of the rage he was feeling; unfortunately it wouldn't be on the piece of shit who decided to stalk Babe.

Ranger left the interrogation room and announced he was headed to Boston to deal with Eagle. He couldn't allow himself to even glance at his cousin or else Ranger knew he'd punch Santos. Ranger needed a target and although his cousin would be a convenient one, it would piss Stephanie off if he used her boyfriend as a punching bag.

Fuck, he's her boyfriend. She's introduced him to her family; he's taking her to meet his parents. He took her to Havana de Libre. I've wanted to take her there for years. Why didn't I? Fuck.

Ranger's thoughts were tumultuous the entire drive to Boston and he couldn't really get into his normal driving zone. He was out of sorts and this wasn't a feeling Ranger was used to. Hector's words from almost a week ago came back, "It's time to do the right thing and let her go. She is happy now. Don't ruin it."

But, how could he let her go? She was his everything, and she meant the world to him! How could he walk away from that?

Dumb fuck, I never told her any of that. How could I have been such an idiot? She could have been mine, but I've been too stupid and stubborn to let her know. I'm too late.

Fuck. I'm too late.

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Friday (day of Santos family dinner)

Ranger got Eagle easily and made him pay before turning him over to the Boston PD. He knew it would take a few days to sort through the red tape with the BPD. So, he decided to call Steph and see if she'd have dinner with him when he got back to celebrate. He cut her off when he knew she was going to say they needed to talk. Ranger knew they needed to, but he just didn't want to hear her say it.

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Labor Day

He returned to Trenton and went straight to his apartment on 7. He'd talked to Steph the night before and knew she was coming to dinner and she'd been firm that they needed to talk. Ranger had given his Babe shit numerous times about hiding in Denial Land, but he could see the irony of it now since he'd been hiding in it for over a week.

How the hell did he, bad ass Ranger, start hiding in Denial Land? He'd laid out how he felt and thought she'd jump at the chance for a relationship with him, but she didn't. Tank warned him that his Babe had changed. He hadn't really listened or understood.

The knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. Ranger walked to the door and opened it.

Fuck.

"Santos."

A/N 2 - This chapter was hard to write. Ranger in Denial Land is difficult to write but I thought it explained a lot of his behavior and Mary Lou totally called it and so did Hector. He just didn't want to admit that he lost Steph. He's a little bruised but he'll be OK, I promise. So, the next chapter is THE TALK.

I think I have about 7 more chapters for this story before we get to the next one. I've been plotting it out in my mind and with XxTartLoverxX. I have two scenarios for what happens to Les on the mission that messes him up. One, he's battered and bruised pretty good emotionally. The second, well he's basically tortured emotionally. I'm back and forth on which way I should go. Should I put up a poll?