I do not own JE's characters. I just like playing with them.

A/N: My muse fluctuates and this story came out of me trying a twist. I wish I could have a do-over like this sometimes, but I guess I will just make it good for Steph and Ranger.

This fic is a little slow moving as is their relationship. Sometimes, the buildup is better. I am trying to show a new Ranger and a new Steph.

Bear with me and my silly sense of humor. The rating is earned for some language.

Thanks for your messages! Please read and review.


Ranger POV

After yet another night without my Babe in my arms and listening to Damian's snores, we headed to meet our contact at this street fair. The only reason I agreed to this location was for the churros that I was eating as a part of my cover. I would not admit to Demon that they reminded me of Stephanie. He was playing dominos at a table next to me, but against someone else and the conversations were all in Spanish.

A woman sat next to me and she was wearing a bright orange sundress with espadrilles and her wild black hair was flowing down her back. Demon gave me the raised eyebrow and I just ignored him. She was pretty, but she had nothing on my Babe. She had better be following my rules.

"Hola, you look like a man that knows what he wants." Fine, she was our contact and now I had to flirt with her as a part of the cover.

"I like sweet things, Bonita. Tell me where I can find all I desire." She was to tell us where the next cache of contraband was. I was giving her eye contact and eating my churros. I wonder what Babe is wearing today. She leaned in closer and took it from me and licked it. How dare she!

"I can give you what you need, Baby. Meet me at this address tonight. I will rock your world." Great, there would be explosives. This is just what I need. I nodded at her pocketed the paper and she walked away with my churros. Whatever. I did not want any more after she licked it.

I finished my game and drank my bottled water and left. Demon met me at the car and we went back to our hotel to start to pack and change for tonight. When I told him about the explosives he swore. We would just have to be careful. I miss my woman so much, but I will keep my promise to come home to her. Three more days after tonight's drama. All I can think is that I am getting too old for this mierda.

Stephanie POV

The guys had helped me to get the rec room ready for the kids. I cannot believe I am having eight little kids over. I was waiting at the loading dock for them. Joaquin, Mercedes and Reina came first and they ran up to me and tackled me to the ground with hugs.

"What am I, chopped liver over here? I am a fun person, too! I get no respect from the ninos!" Cat was complaining and the kids laughed and hugged her, too. Next, Elena showed up with Serafina, who ran to me and yelled, "Tia!" Wow. They really adopted me.

"She is not our Tia yet, Sera. Wait until Tio Ric gives her a big ring, first." Liliana was nagging her and pulling Dante along. They were so adorable and I loved them already. Woki was holding my hand. I guess he claimed dibs.

I waved to Elena, Portia and Celia and they added the bags to the cart I brought out with me. Ella trained me well. I accepted all of the lists of emergency numbers with a smile. Wyatt took them from me and said he would update the computers. The guys were excited, too.

"Kids, we are waiting for Mary Alice and Angie. They are my nieces and they are joining us." They all gasped and Woki reached out for me to pick him up.

"Estefania, will they like us?" I kissed his forehead and the other kids looked affronted, so I kissed their foreheads too and then we were cool again.

"Yes, Woki. They want friends. They are new here and they used to live in California." My mother's car pulled up and Hector and Manny raced over to her so fast, it was like they had magical powers. When they stepped away from the car, they were carrying shopping bags. She baked for them! They are shameless.

Mary Alice and Angie had their puppies, Pal and Zack with them. They ran over to me and I hugged them as best as I could with Woki in my arms. The kids all clamored around each other and introduced themselves and pet the puppies. I set Woki down with a promise to return and I approached my mother.

"Stephanie, this is such a nice idea you had to turn it into a lunch party and then a sleepover. I gave the boys some things that I baked. I need to run, because I have a shift at the bookstore. Let me know if you need anything or tell Ella to call me. We are double dating with her and Luis tonight at a nice place her nephew owns. I am very excited to taste more Cuban dishes, Stephanie." That was nice.

"Valerie is doing a little better today and did you know that nice Wyatt boy invited her to mini golf? She needs to get out and the place is indoors anyway. Now get these babies inside out of this wind. See you later!" She said all of that in one breath and I turned to see Wyatt inching his way inside. He was hilarious.

I herded the kids into the building after they hugged their parents. Celia was the first one to take off. Since there were 8 kids, the guys let me use the apartment next to the rec room for them. It was on the fourth floor and it had 2 bedrooms, so it would be fine with the guys nearby the whole time. We dropped off their stuff and then we made tacos. Max and Pal and Zack were outside with Hal and the kids were eating.

Tank and Bobby came into the apartment and told me to leave because my meeting was in a half hour and I needed to change. I kissed all of the kids and left them with Tank and Bobby who wanted to play Candyland and Chutes and Ladders. They also had Uno cards. They were so serious about playing with the kids.

I raced back to my apartment and changed into a black skirt that came to my knees and a cream colored sweater that Ella still had time to embroider with the Rangeman logo. She must never sleep. Or she has pixie dust. I kept my makeup minimal and I wore my black boots. In the elevator, Cat go on at the sixth floor in a cream colored wrap dress and black boots. She cracks me up.

"Chica, these are bodyguarding contracts for the Snow Ball that is happeneing the week before Christmas at the Wiltshire Country Club. They sent three women to talk to you. Do you want me in there as backup?" Yup. I smiled and nodded at her.

"Good, because I traded with Wyatt. He took the afternoon off and he will take my monitor shift tonight so I can hang with you and the kids." That was a good trade, too. We entered the conference room after we grabbed our messenger bags to see three socialite types being entertained by Woody, Manny, and Rodriguez. Now, he comes out of hiding? He and I needed to talk about all of his emergency search requests. He looked at me and flinched. Heh heh.

"Ladies, hello. I am Stephanie Plum and this is my associate, Catalina Torres. I see the gentlemen have given you refreshments. How can Rangeman help to make your event a success?" The blonde woman wearing a designer green dress spoke up first.

"I am Felicity Barnes and I love those boots you both are wearing. Did you get them at Sak's?" Nope. We went shoe shopping at a secret location with Steve.

"No, we went someplace else, Felicity." She sighs and drinks her coffee.

"We want to hire you all for event security at our ball, but the guys were just telling us about the charity softball game coming up with the Policemen against the Rangemen. Do you need cheerleaders? Me and the girls used to cheer in highschool and college and we think it would be a hoot! We can also donate as well. We were looking for another charity." Is she serious?

"You don't need me to do my sales pitch for the Ball?" The brunette, who was eating chocolate cake moaned and spoke up.

"Honey, this cake is to die for! I know I am gonna need a new pair of panties before I leave. I am Becky Morgan and no. We already told Marco and Woody and Manuel that we would love to have Rangeman at our event. They said that they would love to have us at theirs. It is just win-win." She went back to her cake.

The redhead spoke up next. "Girl, I am Vivian Huntsley. Are you really seeing Ricardo Manoso and I wore this blue dress for nothing?" I laugh and so does Cat.

"Vivi, I told you he was taken! Mr. Casely told my daddy that he bought eternity jewelry and she is wearing it! I will not help you fight her, either. I just got my hair done and I think she has a gun. I am not a dumb blonde, okay!" I giggled at Felicity.

"Yes, Vivian, I am dating him and actually, we live together now." She sighs dramatically and takes out a notebook and makes some notes.

"Fine, take the dishy Cuban away from me. Who here is single? I need a date to the ball and someone to cheer for at the softball game." The guys all gave me puppy eyes and I smiled at Vivian.

"The guys in this room are single, Vivian." She squeals and grabs Woody and kisses him. He is shocked and he does not move.

"Thank you! I always wanted a cowboy!" Her friends look at her and shake their heads.

"We cannot take her anywhere. She needs a keeper. Maybe the Cowboy can tame her." Felicity drinks her coffee and stares at the chocolate cake that Becky is still eating.

"My Trent will just die when he meets all of the guys! He was in the ROTC but his daddy made him quit because he is his heir and all of that malarkey. That old fogey needs to calm it on down. I love when Trent dresses up in his fatigues. Oh wow! Give me that cake, Becky!" I giggle and cut Felicity her own cake before Becky smacks her. These girls were hilarious.

"Thank you, Stephanie. So, we will show the matrons that put us on this committee that we are a force to be reckoned with. They wanted us to fail! They said that Rangeman would not take the job and that we would be stuck with some weird rent-a-cops that were all stiff and boring. Here are the signed contracts. That nice Marco gave them to us before you came." She eats her cake and looks at her watch.

"We have to go to our waxing appointment and we cannot be late. Get off the Cowboy, Vivi. We have to go now." They all air kiss me and Vivian French kisses Woody. I give Becky a piece of cake to go and she hugs me again. She said she had been on a diet for more than a year. The poor girl. They left and Cat could not stop laughing.

"Chica, they were funny and we got the contract, cheerleaders for the softball game and you know we have to join in, and Woody made a love connection. We are awesome." I shook my head.

"Cat, the guys had already made those arrangements. We could have skipped this meeting."

"I like it my way better. Now let's handle the paperwork so we can get back to the ninos." Just then, my phone rang.

"Hello?" I heard giggles.

"Diana, you have to come and see Tank and Bobby! They played dress up with us!" The phone is taken away and I hear Mary Alice next.

"Auntie Steph, they are so fun. Do you really have a guy here that rides horses?" I grin.

"Yes, Mary Alice. His name is Woody. You can call him. I will be up there soon. Be good, now."

"Oh, right. We were also calling you because we were playing hide and seek and we cannot find Woki." What?! I stand up and race to the control room to have them run back the camera footage.

"I will call you back. Mary Alice." I run the footage of the hallway outside of the apartment where the kids were and I see Woki and the girls and Dante running around and all of them go back to the apartment, but Woki, who gets onto the elevator by hiding in Ella's cart. Ella took the cart back to her apartment. I sigh in relief and call her.

She answers already talking to me. "Does this mean that Woki won the hide and seek game, Stephanie?" I feel the pressure leave my chest. I almost lost my baby! Well, Celia's baby. Whatever.

"Yes, Ella. Tell him that he won and would you please make him promise to stay with the other kids." She giggles at me.

"Of course. He has been helping me with the snacks. We will take them down to the kids now. I took pictures of Tank and Bobby. They are adorable." We hang up and I go back to my office. These kids were going to be the death of me.

I sat back at my desk and reviewed the care package that we were sending to Steve. The dummy still had a P.O. Box that he thought no one knew about. Heh heh. We sent him Bulgari cologne, shampoo and body wash. Only the cologne was real and it was a fake out. The body wash would turn his skin blue and the shampoo would dye his hair red. He would look like a clown and that was just our first delivery. We would be messing with him for a while. That made me wonder how Morelli was doing. I do not miss him at all.

Joe Morelli POV

It has been a day since I woke up from my date with Andrew and I have been thinking. Why would he think I was gay? I have gone to the gym and to the range at Sunny's to get my shooting time in. I have my own personal piece that I have been using for a year now. If the Chief really thought he was leaving me helpless, he had another think coming. I was almost finished my clip when my phone rang. I let it go to voicemail and it was not until I was in the car that I remembered it.

I played the message and it was Andrew inviting me to a poker game tonight with him and his friends. He said I could bring some snacks if I wanted and it would be fun. I debated with myself. If I went, does that mean that I am gay? This was really bugging me, so I went to see my mother. I know, voluntarily. I had barely set foot into the house when she was all over me.

"Joey, tell me all about your date. I heard that he drove you home, but he did not stay the night. Why would you drink so much on the first date, Joey?" Well, she already knows what happened.

"Ma, nothing happened. We ate and watched the game. It was not really a date. We just hung out." She stops ironing and waves me off.

"Nonsense. I heard he was adorable and I have been looking at some things on the internet. You can still get married! And you can adopt and I can have grandbabies that are already potty trained! When will you see him again? You have to let me meet him, Joey. All of this time, you have been holding this secret inside! I should have guessed! You spend so much time doing your hair."

What? Now she was going to plan my gay wedding? My mother was something else.

"Ma, I never said I was gay. I don't think that I am. I have always dated women. This is all just a big misunderstanding. I mean, I got this guy's number from Miss Edna and then he set up the blind date. I thought I was meeting a woman named Andrea or something." She stops smiling and glares at me.

"Do you take me for a fool or something, Joseph Anthony Morelli? I have seen the flags outside your home and the ones on your car bumper. I know what that means. I know about your crush on that nice Ranger! You went on a date and kissed the man and now you want to spurn him. I am this close to disowning you! You will not treat this Andrew like trash! You will be the nice Italian boy that I raised! Now tell me what the next date is."

My stomach hurts. I cannot believe this.

"Ma, he invited me to a poker game with his friends." She claps her hands.

"That is great, Joey. He wants his friends to approve of you. You will go and you will take some of my stuffed shells. I just baked some for you anyway. You will be polite and you will not bring up Mr. Manoso or talk about all of the women you tried to date. If I hear anything negative about this date, I will stop cooking for you for a month!" I think I can feel an ulcer coming on.

"And by the way, Joey, you are not moving away. No one in this town will care that you are dating a man. Most of the women that called me today were proud that you finally admitted your preferences. Helen Plum called and invited me to dinner tonight. She said we should learn to cook Cuban food and she is right. They have some wonderful desserts. She said it would be casual and that I was not going to be a fifth wheel. Wasn't that nice?"

Yes, and it sounds like she is being set up on a blind date of her own. That is just what she gets. I cannot wait to hear her wailing about being forced to entertain some old coot that Helen Plum dug up for her. Ha! I smiled at Ma getting her Karma and she took that as my giving in. Whatever. I would go and play poker. What was the worst that could happen?

Stephanie POV

We had moved our dance party to the gym because more guys kept joining in. The kids had seen the Thriller video and they wanted to learn the dance and Hector and Manny were leading them around. It was cute. I sighed.

"Maybe we can tell their parents that they do not want to come home, Chica." I looked at Cat who was now dressed in black yoga pants and a silver tee shirt that said "Beat It" It was cute. My tee shirt said "PYT". We had come prepared.

"No, we cannot kidnap the kids, Cat." She hugged me with one arm as we watched Lester try to moonwalk.

"You want one, though, huh?" Hell yes.

"Yeah. I really do." She smiles at me.

"Okay, we will make a pact to get pregnant at the same time. We only have to go to two more family dinners before the mothers will have us engaged anyway. Maria called me today to ask if I liked ball gowns or shorter dresses and was I Catholic. I say, we do not fight it, Chica and maybe by next year, we will have ninos of our own. Think of the little clothes!"

I love Cat. We were on the same wavelength. My mother was not slick, either. I knew she was also hanging with Ana. Abuela Rosa had called me this morning and asked what my favorite flowers were and what was our song. I told her white and blue roses and that we did not have a song. She said nonsense and made me name all of the romantic songs that made me think of Carlos before she was satisfied and then she hung up.

After the dance party, we had dinner and we watched Shrek. The kids all went to the bathroom and the puppies had been walked. I told Cat that I would stay with the kids so she could have time with Lester and she said she would take them in the morning so I could do my gym time. She was a cool friend like that. I was just settling in to sleep between Woki and Dante when the phone rang.

It was Steve. The good Steve, not the asswipe that cheated on my sister. He was whispering.

"Honey, you will not believe what I just heard from Andy!" I sat up. This could only be about Morelli.

"What, Steve?" He took a deep breath.

"There is a third date planned and it is to the Amish country! Jo Jo even hinted about the Halloween Ball next week! Girl, I think this is a real connection and Andy is smitten do you hear me?" Oh wow. Did I accidentally make Morelli gay? Diesel popped in. "No, Sweetcheeks. He was always Bi." He popped away.

"Steve, that is great news! How did the date end?" He sighs.

"He met all of the guys and he was not standoffish or nervous. He helped us to clean up and said that his mother made the stuffed shells. Andy walked him to his car and we all watched out of the terrace, okay! They hugged and kissed really sweet. It was like a movie, Girl!" This is unbelievable.

"Thanks for calling, Steve. I will talk to you later." He hung up. I still do not know why he was whispering. Could this be happening? Does this mean that Morelli will leave me the freak alone now? I feel like breakdancing! Oh happy day!

A/N: I still have nothing against gays. I hope my writing is not offensive to anyone. Thanks for reading.