Janet Evanovich is the rightful owner of the Stephanie Plum stories and characters.

Author's Note: Okay, I know I told you that this would be the last chapter, but it ended up being over 9000 words. So now it's the next to the last chapter. So many of you lamented that this story would be ending today, so you got you're Mother's Day wish and Tuesday will see the final post. A lot happens in this chapter, so let me know what you like.

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there. My favorite kitchen magnet says it all - "Motherhood is an heir raising experience." I hope all your heirs treat you well and give you a perfect day!

A Total Eclipse of the Heart

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Chapter 26

Bright and early Tuesday morning Stephanie found herself in the unusual situation of being tired of sleeping. She felt as if she had done nothing else since early the morning before. After a lengthy make-out session that did nothing but exacerbate her sexual frustration…and his, she pushed Ranger out of the bed, insisting that she didn't want to be the reason for his muscles to atrophy. He reluctantly agreed and with a heavy sigh, he headed down to the gym for a short workout.

Stephanie moved to the edge of the bed and gingerly put her feet to the floor. They were more stiff than anything else, so she decided a nice long hot bath would help, and may relieve some of the bruising aches on the other parts of her body as well. She took her time getting to the bathroom, moving slowly and hissing at the pressure on a few of the deeper cuts, but once she was in the water, she felt much better. The warm water soothed her from head to toe and the quiet respite and billowing steam loosened her mind as well. She decided to make a mental list of all the things she needed to do. At the top, was finishing her recorded statement. She wanted to get that out of the way and felt confident that since she had made the decision to not include the attempted rape by Sandor, she could finish the job without breaking down again.

She was still adding items to her list when Ranger returned from his workout. He hadn't showered downstairs, so as he stepped into the bathroom he was in the middle of pulling off his sweat soaked shirt. It wasn't until he had completely pulled it over his head that he caught sight of Stephanie in the bathtub.

He froze at the image she portrayed. Stephanie was reclined against the back curve of the tub. Her hair was chaotically gathered and pinned up on her head, and several strands had escaped. Moistened by the rising steam, the errant locks had sprung up into loose curls framing her beautiful face, giving her the appearance of a Greek goddess in an erotic classical painting. The upswept draw of her hair lengthened her neck, and Ranger was flooded with a desire to kiss every inch of it from the back of her ear to the sensuous curve of her shoulder just before it disappeared into the steaming water.

Her eyes locked on his. He lowered himself and kneeled in front of the tub, lifting a finger to the side of her face. "Beautiful." The word was not spoken to Stephanie, but rather to the room as if it had been an inadvertent release of a suddenly overwhelming, internal realization.

Intended or not, it was just what Stephanie needed to hear. She gave him a warm smile and lifted her hand from the water to caress the one still holding her face. "Thank you." She leaned toward his face stopping just short of his lips. "You know," she seductively coaxed. "There's plenty of room for two in here."

Ranger was tempted, but he dug down deep and managed to escape the enticement with just a slow kiss. "I'll shower. You stay here and enjoy the bath." He rose and finished undressing. "I've got a call into Jonathon Morgan about visiting Colleen. He's in court this morning. I won't hear back from him until after lunch. I also called Rachel after my workout. She thinks it would be better if I told Julie about you in person. She said Julie's been pretty upset since they brought her back to Miami after the funeral."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"I think that it would be less of a shock if I went there and talked to her first."

"You're probably right. The last thing she needs is to see a ghost standing at her front door. Do you think we could have dinner with her tonight?"

Ranger stepped into the shower and started the water. "I'll see how it goes and talk to Rachel about it when I get there. I've asked Hector and Jack to hang out here this morning while I'm gone. Are you okay with that?"

Talking to Jack was number two on Stephanie's list. "Sure, I can use the time with Jack. I really need to talk to him." She realized that Ranger was now standing under the shower and spoke a little louder over her shoulder so he could hear. "I can have Hector finish recording my statement too."

Ranger turned off the shower and opened the glass door. Water was running in rivulets down his face and chest. "Do you feel okay about doing that without me here? Yesterday was pretty rough on you."

Stephanie shrugged off his apprehension with a light response. "I've told you pretty much everything that happened already. I could get it done this morning while you're gone and have it out of the way so we're free to see Colleen and do something with Julie later."

Ranger hesitated a moment, weighing the concerns he had with the practicality of her reasoning. "I'll set it up," he conceded. "But I want Bobby and Jack with you." He stepped back into the shower. He had no sooner closed the door than it opened again and he added, "And Santos."

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Ranger dressed casually for his visit with Julie and left Stephanie in the capable hands of some of his most trusted men.

It didn't take long for Hector to reset the recording equipment and for Stephanie to succinctly finish her statement. When it was all done, Bobby gave her a kiss on the cheek for a job well done and left to finish some reports of his own about the night in question. Stephanie sat back and let out an exaggerated sigh of relief feeling proud that she had done it with only a modicum of emotional instability.

Lester gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You did great, Beautiful." The information you'll be giving the authorities will help to put Murdock away for a long time."

Although everything he said was supportive and perfectly normal, Stephanie had noticed all morning that Lester was acting a little strange and uncomfortable around her. She was sure that it was because of the information about Megan that she had unloaded on him yesterday. It became more obvious and pronounced as the morning wore on, and she felt the need to try and fix it. He was one of her best friends, and she hated the thought of a rift between them causing a strain on their special relationship. As Hector was packing up equipment and coiling electrical cords, she pulled Lester into the small bedroom Ranger used as an office.

"Lester, I'm sorry I was the one who told you about the awful things that happened to Megan."

"Beautiful, I'm not mad at you. It's just…I thought Megan and I had come to an understanding about what she could tell me." He turned away from Stephanie and started to pace. "The other night it took every ounce of self-control I possess, and Bobby and Tank's physical restraint, not to tear that son-of-a-bitch into a million pieces for what he had done to you and Megan. And that was before I knew about the…"

"The rape?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "When I noticed the cut on her breast, she told me it was from an accident with a piece of equipment at the hospital. It had happened before we started dating, so I didn't have any reason to doubt her. But the fact that Megan didn't tell me about it when she opened up about the rest of it, makes me question what it is we really have together."

"You and Megan are the only ones who can answer that, Lester, and you need to talk to her about it. I can't speak for Megan, but I can tell you that even though Marcus Sandor tried to rape me and thankfully was stopped, it was still very difficult for me to admit to it and talk about it with Carlos. I don't know how to explain it, but I felt a certain amount of guilt about the attack. I know that it sounds illogical, and irrational, but a part of me felt like I'd done something to provoke him. I mean, look at the way I was dressed when I ran that distraction at the bar to catch him the first time."

"That's ridiculous, Steph. You were doing your job!"

She put a comforting hand on his arm. "Part of me knows that, but part of me still listens to that little voice in the back of my head. The one that sounds like my eighth grade teacher Sister Mary Grace, telling all the girls that it only encourages sinful behavior to wear skirts that end above the knee, and only girls with loose morals lead boys on by wearing revealing clothes, and those girls will get what they deserve."

Lester chuckled. "Did that shit actually work on you?"

"Hell no!" she good-naturedly scoffed. "Mary Lou and I used to roll them up every chance we got!" She became serious once more. "My point is, Lester, don't judge Megan too harshly. What Jake Murdock did was…frightening, humiliating, and demeaning for her. When she finds out that you know about it…I can't even imagine how that will make her feel."

"What am I supposed to say to her?" Lester sounded so defeated and lost.

"Do you love her?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation to his response.

"Start with that," she said. "The rest will come. You've always been there for me, and you've always said the right things. I know you will do the same for Megan. Just keep in mind that she didn't keep it from you because of a lack of faith in you. It's because she's struggling with her own self-worth and questions her value to you."

Lester gave her a long, thankful hug. "You're the best, Beautiful."

"You're pretty special too," she replied. "And Megan knows that." They separated from their embrace and Stephanie stepped back. "Have you spoken to her since you've been down here?"

"Yeah, I call her everyday."

"That's good. I can't wait to see her when we get back to Trenton."

"You won't have to wait that long, Beautiful."

"What do you mean?"

"Megan is coming down this afternoon on the company jet. The FBI needs her to identify Jake Murdock in a police line-up and give her statement."

Lester's cell rang and he looked at the caller ID. From the radiant smile that engulfed his face, Stephanie figured it had to be Megan. They were going to be okay.

Lester excused himself and left the apartment for some privacy.

Stephanie remained in Ranger's office a few minutes more; thinking about what she would say when she saw Megan again. Having also been on the receiving end of Jake's knife, she understood the terror and helplessness that Megan must have experienced. The fact that she didn't cave under the threat of personal injury made her a hero of Wonder Woman proportions in Stephanie's eyes.

As she stepped out of the office, Stephanie caught sight of an intimate exchange between Jack and Hector. She knew they valued their privacy, so she silently retreated back into the doorway and dropped her gaze to the floor with every intention of remaining that way until they were finished. Curiosity got the better of her, however, and she couldn't help but play the voyeur. She lifted her gaze toward the enchanting couple. Jack was slightly taller than Hector and held him in an embrace that put his mouth at Hector's ear. She could see Jack's lips reciting words in a tender whisper; a lover's gesture not unlike one she, herself, had received countless times from Ranger. Hector's hands rested on Jack's hips and his face was pressed against his cheek, and though she couldn't see his eyes, Stephanie imagined they were closed, as hers would always be when she absorbed the sheer euphoria caused by Ranger's very private, romantic confessions. Stephanie was stunned by the beauty of the moment. Two very important people in her life had seemingly found total completeness and utter contentment in each other's arms. As they stepped apart, Hector reached a hand to Jack's face and kissed him gently on the lips.

Hector moved most of the recording equipment to the side of the room to be picked up later. He pocketed a small disk and found Stephanie standing next to one of the large windows in the living room. He clasped her hand and entwined her fingers with his with a charming smile on his face. "Perfecto eras, Chica. (You were perfect, little girl) I go and make copies for el jefe." He too then, placed a kiss on her cheek and left the room.

"Stephanie, why don't we sit down?" Everyone had conveniently left Jack and Stephanie with the opportunity to talk, and Jack was wasting no time.

Stephanie took a seat on the couch, and Jack sat across from her in the wingback chair. She grabbed a small decorative pillow and laid it on her lap crossing her arms over the top to hold it in place.

"You know me well enough by now to be able to pinpoint my biggest concern for you. What do you think that is?"

Stephanie looked him with a pained expression. "I imagine it's probably the same concern that Carlos has," she said. "And that would be my emotional declaration yesterday that I feel responsible for a lot of this."

"Do you really believe that?" He looked skeptical.

"I believe what I said yesterday. You can't deny that Jake Murdock's ultimate goal was to get his hands on me. He did all of those terrible things to accomplish that. And the damage didn't stop there. A lot of lives have suffered because of it."

"How?"

"Colleen's baby is dead. Megan's relationship with Lester is in danger. Lester's relationship with Hector is strained." She paused. "I saw the looks that ran between them earlier." She looked at Jack for confirmation of her suspicions, but he remained frustratingly non-committal, so she continued, "And I've seen what it's done to Ranger. I'm afraid of what it's done to him…to us. He'll live in constant fear for my safety. He'll have an ulcer before he's thirty-five!"

Jack leaned forward in his chair. "Stephanie, you forget that Lester and Megan wouldn't even have a relationship if it weren't for you to begin with. Neither would Hector and I, or Bobby and Adria, or Lula and Tank for that matter. It's true; you seem to have an amazing capacity to be a catalyst for some extraordinary events, but you are so quick to forget that a lot of those events are wonderful things."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "An amazing capacity to be a catalyst for extraordinary events?" she chuckled as she repeated it. "Come on, Jack, that's just an expensive way of saying I'm a disaster to be around. That's nothing new, I've been told that before for free."

"By a friend?"

Stephanie looked down to finger the edge of the pillow on her lap. "By someone who I thought loved me."

"Maybe they did, and they just couldn't see what I see. What Carlos sees. What Hector and Lester see. And what all of those women who came down here to help you see."

Stephanie didn't respond.

"Stephanie, wouldn't you say that Emily is ultimately responsible for all that's happened?

Her head snapped up. "God no! She is such an innocent in all of this. She didn't ask to be raped and beaten."

"Did you ask to be kidnapped?"

"No."

"Did you ask to be used as a pawn in Grayson Murdock's grand plan?"

"No."

"Did you ask Marcus Sandor to hurt you the other night?"

"I...I don't know."

"Stephanie, did you push Colleen down those stairs?"

"No!" Jack's provocative, rapid fire questions were irritating, and she snapped at him.

"Then why are you any more guilty than Emily? You simply tried to help. And you did. The rest of the tragedy is on Grayson and Jake Murdock and Marcus Sandor." Jack sighed in exasperation. "Why is it that you find it so easy to forgive everyone else...and so hard to forgive yourself?"

Again Stephanie didn't respond. She had once again lowered her head and Jack could see her shoulders shaking from a silent emotional release. He got up from his chair and sat on the sturdy coffee table in front of her. He leaned close and lowered his voice to a soothing, more intimate tone.

"Stephanie, when I was with you early yesterday in that shed at the house on the beach, and Ranger told you about Colleen, I saw the expression on your face. Why were you so upset about the fate of one of your kidnappers?"

"Colleen wasn't one of my kidnappers. She's a child and was just as much a prisoner and victim in that house as I was."

Jack smiled. "Did you hear what you just called yourself?"

Stephanie kept her head down.

"You said you were a victim." He took her hands. "Stephanie, look at me. You. Were. A. Victim."

"I don't like being a victim."

"I know. I think that's why you insist on trying to convince yourself and everyone else that you're responsible for everything. It protects you from thinking of yourself as a victim. You have to stop treating yourself as the criminal here and face the fact that you were terribly wronged by those men. You'll never fully heal until you do."

"Do you think that it's wrong for me to go visit Colleen?"

"No, quite the opposite. I think that seeing Colleen would be good for you and her. Spending some time with another victim, sharing your feelings and experiences, could be very cathartic for you both. If Carlos can arrange it, I think you should go."

Stephanie felt much better about things with the support she received from Jack. They continued to talk for another hour, and they were just finishing up when Ranger returned from his visit with Julie. He was at her side immediately to claim a kiss. She could feel the angst rolling off of him in waves, and the message that the kiss was not enough was loud and clear.

Jack must have gotten the same message. He mumbled something that Stephanie didn't quite comprehend because she was still focused on trying to figure out what was going on with Ranger. Before she knew it, Jack was gone and Ranger had her in his arms once more.

"Carlos, what's going on? You're upset. What is it?"

Ranger sat down on the couch taking her with him, landing her in his lap. "I'm better now. I just needed to be back here with you."

It wasn't until that moment that Stephanie fully understood the extent to which Ranger was affected by the fears he had faced in the past week. This extreme anxiety at their short separation was something she had never seen from him before. She had witnessed his unease and concern since their reunion, but he was literally shaking when he returned moments ago. She put her hands on both sides of his face and met his eyes with an intense gaze. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere without you. You know that don't you?"

"Dios, Babe I haven't felt panic like that since…since I saw your car explode."

"I know, Carlos, but I wasn't in that car and I am here with you now." She leaned down to his mouth and whispered against his lips. "Make love to me." She encouraged the desired response from him by taking short teasing nips at his lips.

Ranger acquiesced and took her mouth in return. He deepened the kiss and groaned in anticipation of going much further.

The vibrations from his throat spurred Stephanie to slide her hands around his neck and pull him closer and deeper.

Ranger grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it from her body, following immediately with the lacy black bra he discovered underneath. The long imprisoned sensations that were now forcefully building between them broke free and ruled over all caution. As their tongues battled for dominance, he pulled her close; pressing her breasts tightly against his chest. He ran one hand down her back and under the waistband of her pants. The touch of her soft pale skin against his eager hands was another sweet reminder of the gift that had been returned to him. An unbridled ecstasy rushed through his veins. In a manic passion, Ranger untied the string on her pants and lifted her slightly to tug them over her bottom and then down, until they were free from her legs completely. His mouth moved from hers and trailed hungry kisses down the side of her neck working his way to the delicate skin of her throat.

Stephanie took the opportunity to pull his shirt from the waist of his pants. Ranger assisted by pulling it over his head, so she greedily began unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning his pants. She made an effort to remove them and Ranger rolled them both to a prone position on the couch making her job much easier. They lay together skin to skin and Stephanie hesitated for a moment, concerned that budding panic or nascent fear from the awful events of before would ruin their spontaneous, impassioned joining. But found none existed. Instead she was overwhelmed by the wonder and satisfaction that they were back in each other's arms.

Ranger felt her pause and lifted her face to his. Tears were forming in her eyes. "We don't have to do this, Babe, if you're not ready. I love you, and I want to be inside you, but not if it's going to hurt you. Not if it's not right for you."

"It's not pain making me cry, Carlos. I'm just a bit emotional, that's all. I want this," she said with an unexpected strength to her voice. "I need you inside me. I need to feel you all around me. Marcus tried to take me away from you, and I wouldn't let him. Even if he'd been able to finish, I wouldn't have let him take this from you and me. He thought that violent sex gave him ownership and power over a woman, but he was wrong. The way you love me, gives me strength and makes me feel powerful."

"I don't want to hurt you, mi cariña."

"You can't." She produced a slight grin and pushed a lock of his hair from his face. "Please, Carlos, don't be afraid."

The conversation ended. Ranger tempered his original, feverish attack on her body and slowly, skillfully, forged a new level of passion until he had taken her to the edge of rational reason once again with his mouth and hands. When the heat between them became too intense to ignore, he lifted his hips and slid his straining erection into her expectant core.

At that very moment, they both paused at the unprecedented sensation their renewed intimacy brought. Their eyes met and held. The source of heartbeats and breaths became indistinguishable as their individual rhythms blended into one. It was unequivocally evident that their love had become as symbiotic and necessary to sustain each other, as the blood and air that nourished their bodies.

Stephanie resumed her undeniable commands for more, and Ranger braced himself against the couch to strengthen his thrusts and drive deeper toward her womb.

The friction between their bodies was so intense it could have ignited tinder, yet Stephanie's compelling insistence overwhelmed Ranger's more basic instinct to protect her from pain. He rhythmically pulsed in and out of her, continuing his fervent focus on evoking her climax.

With a reverent shout of his name and tightening of her muscles that caused his own release, Ranger succeeded in consummating her desire.

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Stephanie and Ranger met with Jonathon Morgan early in the afternoon. He advised her about how to proceed with the questions she would most likely be asked by the Miami Police and the FBI, and told her that if a question came up that she was concerned about answering, she had the right to stop the process and make a request to consult with him first. When they finished their lengthy discussion, he finally addressed Ranger's inquiry about meeting with Colleen.

"I spoke with the agent in charge of the case before I came here today. He highly doubts that any charges will be pressed against Miss Jamison. You can visit her, but be careful. She has no representation that I'm aware of, but you don't want to be put into the position of her claiming that you're harassing her."

"If they're not pressing charges, does she need representation?" Stephanie asked.

"Anyone in Miss Jamison's position should have representation. She'll be under a great deal of pressure to provide evidence against Jake Murdock, and she still has to be cleared in the death investigation of Marcus Sandor. I don't recommend anyone go through that process unprotected. On top of that, she's very young and obviously, from what I've read about the case so far, very impressionable."

"Could you represent her?"

"Me?" Jonathon was surprised by the question, but he quickly reclaimed his professional manner. "This is a very complicated case, Miss Plum. I'm afraid it would be a conflict of interest to represent both you and her."

"Could you find someone to represent her?"

Again he was taken aback by her request. "Well, I suppose, but our firm is exclusive, and I doubt that Miss Jamison has access to the resources it would take to…."

"I'll pay for it." Stephanie cut him off.

Ranger reached under the table for her hand and grasped it firmly in support. He was surprised but wouldn't have expected anything less of her.

Morgan looked to Ranger for his approval, but received nothing. This was Stephanie's decision to make, and he wouldn't insult her by subordinating her position.

"Well," he hemmed. In all his years working for Carlos Manoso, Jonathon Morgan had never seen him take a back seat to a decision. "It's a little unusual, but I'm sure we could make those arrangements for you. Of course, Miss Jamison would have to agree to it."

"I'll take care of that. Can you give me one of your cards? I'll make sure Colleen calls your office to make an appointment."

At the conclusion of the meeting, the still stunned attorney left the conference room. Ranger had maintained his hold on Stephanie's hand and was rubbing his thumb affectionately across her knuckles.

"Why is Colleen so important to you, Babe?" His question held no hint of disappointment or concern.

Stephanie looked at him for a moment, considering her answer. "I don't really know. I just know that she needs someone on her side for once. I've been there before…and you were there for me." Her voice was resolute when she continued. "I need to do this?"

"Good enough." He kissed her hand. "Let's go visit Colleen."

Stephanie smiled at his unconditional support. "Before we leave, I have a few phone calls to make first."

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