Disclaimer: The characters you recognize as J.E. are hers, and I am only borrowing them. There are some original characters that are mine, and I claim them as mine.

Spoilers:Anything from books 1-19 might be used, so if you haven't read them all, you might want to wait to read this story.

This is an AU story, with a mix of characters in canon as well.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who review as guest, as well as those of you who don't allow PMs. I love the reviews and want to tell you that I read and appreciate them all. Thank you all. Special thanks to JenRar for coming along as beta on this one. I appreciate all your help. Any mistakes are mine.

A/N: I ask for your patience in allowing me to develop the story. I guarantee the end result will turn out if you can just keep believing.

Warning for violence. Some scenes may give a graphic image.

Chapter 37: Dealing With The Trash

Stephanie's POV:

Ranger and I made our way down to the lobby to see his ex-wife and that creature she had with her. I was anxious to get a look at the bitch that had been willing to send her daughter off to a monster who intended to do unspeakable things to her. We stepped off the elevator, and I had to clench my hands at my side to make sure I didn't give in to the temptation to slap her silly before she could say anything.

Once we were stopped in front of the group, Ranger motioned with his head to Junior, who moved off to one of the side rooms.

I smiled at Carl and Big Dog as I leaned against Ranger, asking, "What brings you guys here, Carl?"

I could see the twinkle in his eyes as he replied, "Well, this woman here brought a paper down to the station that shows she has custody of a Julie Manoso. She claims that Ranger is holding Julie here and not letting her see the child."

I nodded my head. "Ah." I bit my lip and looked concerned for a moment before continuing. "Did you know that she knew when she let Julie come here that there was a plan in place to use Julie to hurt Ranger? She knew Gaspick was going to do unspeakable things to her daughter, and she was okay with that as long as she got back at Ranger."

I could see by the expressions on their faces just what they thought of Rachel.

Carl clenched his jaw, and I knew he was royally pissed. "She has a custody paper, Steph."

I nodded. "I'm sure she does. The custody agreement from when she took Julie to Germany. I guess she failed to tell you that in order to get Julie back to the States, she had to sign over all her rights to Ranger, didn't she?"

Carl and Big Dog turned to Rachel, the glares on their faces telling their own story.

Big Dog asked, "That right, ma'am?" The ma'am was spoken with such derision that it was a wonder Rachel didn't catch on that these guys were looking for any reason to get rid of her.

Rachel's eyes narrowed as she took a step forward. "Listen here, bitch. I don't know who you are or what business this is of yours, but Julie is my daughter, and I've come to collect her."

I smiled at her, but the smile in no way reached my eyes. It was the smile of a shark catching scent of its lunch. I looked up at Ranger and noticed the slight nod he gave me, telling me it was okay for me to handle this any way I saw fit. I winked and leaned up to kiss him thoroughly before taking a step away. I stood with my legs slightly apart, hands on my hips, and my best 'Burg-girl glare, complete with attitude, as I said, "Like hell you will be collecting her, you good-for-nothing bitch! Julie is no longer your daughter. You signed away your rights to her, and you will never get her back."

Rachel copied my stance and tried a glare of her own that failed miserably.

I rolled my eyes at her pitiful attempt and waited for what she was going to spew next.

She gave a haughty flounce of her head before saying, "You have no say what happens to my daughter."

I winked at her and replied, "Actually, I do. Ranger has asked me to marry him, so I will be adopting Julie just as soon as the vows are said."

Rachel sneered. "Ranger wouldn't be interested in trash like you."

I threw my head back and laughed for several seconds before batting my eyes at her and saying, "Not only is he interested enough to ask me to marry him—" I paused for effect, laying a hand on my abdomen before continuing "—but he has also given me a baby."

Rachel looked shocked. She turned to Ranger and demanded, "Why? Look at her! She's nothing special. I was Miss Florida, and you only wanted one night with me."

I spoke before Ranger could. "He didn't even want one night with you. The only reason he was with you was to help his friend to see what a rotten witch you were. If the condom hadn't broken, he would never have married you. Apparently, he's had your number all along."

Rachel lurched toward me, but Big Dog stopped her with an arm around the waist. He glared at her and said, "The next time you try to attack her, I won't stop it."

Rachel kicked him in the shin and turned back to me. Big Dog shook his head and turned to me with a wink. I knew then that neither of the guys would stop me from mopping the floor with her if I felt it was necessary.

Rachel sneered, saying, "Apparently, I wasn't trashy enough for him."

I shrugged. "I don't know. I think you were probably more trash than he'd seen in a lifetime."

Rachel's face was turning redder the longer we talked. She thrust the paper out and said, "This says I have custody of Julie."

I looked at the paper and noticed there was a small flame in one of the corners that was growing. I lifted an eyebrow and noticed that Randy Briggs was stepping back from Rachel, and he had a lighter in his hand. He winked at me, and I couldn't stop my smile.

Rachel became aware that the paper was on fire and started flapping her arms up and down, trying to put out the flame. She only succeeded in making the paper burn faster. When she finally decided to drop it and stomp on it, there was nothing left but ashes. She screeched shrilly and turned on me. "You did that!"

"I didn't touch it."

Rachel clenched her hands and said, "I'm taking Julie."

I shook my head. "You aren't touching my daughter."

Rachel's face officially went from red to purple as she roared, "She's not your daughter! She's mine! I can do anything I want with her, and if you think what Timmy had planned for her was bad, then you don't know anything! Robert has plans that will make us a fortune."

That was all it took. I was on her like white on rice with a right hook to the jaw. She went down, and I didn't wait for her to get up as I let her know just what I thought of a witch that would allow those awful things to happen to her own flesh and blood. I wasn't sure what all happened after that, because once I hit her, it seemed as if my body took over and started pummeling her.

The next thing I knew, Ranger was cradling me in his arms and caressing me, telling me everything was okay and Julie was safe now.

I was vaguely aware that Carl and Big Dog were assisting Robert and Rachel from the building, and Tank and Lester were following them to make sure the two left.

Bobby knelt down beside me, checking me over. When he finished, he smiled and said, "Damn! We need to put out a warning for people not to piss you off." When he grinned, I knew he was teasing me.

I snuggled into Ranger and yawned. "I'm a little tired. I think I'll take a nap. That way, I'll be ready for the next fight when we get to the safe house."

Just before my eyes closed, I heard the squeal of tires, like some sort of big vehicle was trying to stop. Before I had the chance to look out the lobby window, Ranger scooped me into his arms, and my eyes closed as I felt his love and warmth surround me. I was aware of nothing else for some time.

Lester's POV:

I stepped out of the elevator in time to see Bobby and Tank exit the stairwell and step into the lobby. I had more reason than the rest to hate Rachel. I hadn't been thrilled when I'd learned Ranger was planning to marry her. I'd known he'd give his child his name, though. I wished he could have taken Julie when she was born and kept her away from Rachel. I clenched my jaw, thinking of the night she'd tried to seduce me into her bed.

It was just after she'd finished saying her vows to Ranger. We were at Ranger's parents', and she'd come to my room in a robe with next to nothing under it. She'd told me she'd seen how I'd been looking at her during the wedding, and she was willing to give me a go. I told her to get out, that I wasn't interested. At first, she'd thought I was just putting on a show because Ranger was my cousin, but she'd finally got the message, and she'd sworn I'd be sorry. She'd said she was going to destroy Ranger, and now she just had all the more reason.

I was brought back to the present when Rachel went after Steph and Big Dog stopped her. There were more words back and forth, but Rachel pushed Stephanie too far when she talked about the plans Robert had for Julie.

All of a sudden, Stephanie closed her right hand into a fist and slugged Rachel in the jaw. The next thing I knew, Stephanie was on top of Rachel, slugging her with both fists. She landed blows to the face, and then she grabbed Rachel's head and began pulling her hair before standing and using it to pull Rachel to her feet. When Rachel resisted, Stephanie yanked harder on her hair, and Rachel let out a cry of pain. By that point, Rachel was sobbing and begging Robert to help her. She didn't realize that when Stephanie went after her, Robert went to kick Stephanie in the mid-section. That was all it took for Ranger to step forward, and he was currently bashing the bastard. One look at Ranger, and I could see he'd let the beast out to play.

When Rachel started begging Robert to help her, Stephanie used the hold she had on Rachel's hair to force her head down as Steph brought her knee up. Rachel screamed in pain and started tossing out threats. Stephanie got in one last vicious kick before Rachel went to the ground and stayed there. Ranger had finished with Robert and had made his way to Stephanie, wrapping his arms around her.

I looked over at Tank and Bobby, seeing a gleam in their eyes. I knew there was an answering flicker in my own. That's when Bobby moved toward Stephanie and Ranger, while Tank and I followed Carl and Big Dog, who had helped Robert and Rachel to their feet and were now assisting them from the building. The last thing I saw before exiting was Ranger pulling Stephanie off her feet and into his arms.

Once we were on the street, I noticed there was a big semi heading our way. From the sounds of it, the truck was traveling way too fast for this part of town. Within seconds, I'd taken everything in, and I looked at Tank. There was a fire in his eyes as well, and I knew our inner monsters were getting ready to act. Tank called out to Carl and Big Dog, and they turned to look at him. Rachel glared at the two policemen as she and Robert made their way toward the street. I watched, saying nothing as the two of them stepped into the street, directly into the path of the semitrailer closing in on their position.

They were nearing the middle of the road when I finally spoke up and said, "Hey, Rachel."

Rachel stopped, causing Robert to stop beside her, and they turned to where I was standing. The pause was just long enough. The sound of squealing brakes was heard, and Carl and Big Dog turned around in time to see Rachel and Robert standing in the middle of oncoming traffic. I heard their muttered, "Oh shit!" in the seconds before the semi crashed into the pair in the road. The driver lost control and careened into a building a few yards farther on. Fortunately, the building was empty at that time of day.

Carl went to their squad car and called it in. Then the two took our statements and told us we would be contacted if they needed anything more.

Tank and I headed back inside the Rangeman building.

As we entered the building, Tank spoke softly to me and said, "Nice, man. Perfect timing on that call."

Once we'd entered the lobby, I told the others what had just happened.

Ranger's POV:

When Robert tried to kick Stephanie in the stomach, I took the opportunity to do what I'd been wanting to do for a long time and beat the shit out of the fucker. Once he was down and I was sure he wouldn't be getting up on his own, I went to Steph, knowing she needed me, and let the guys see to Rachel and Robert. I watched Tank and Lester walk out behind the cops as they hauled the garbage out of the building. Knowing I could trust my men to handle them, I turned my attention to my Babe. I held her in my arms while Bobby took a look at her. When she went to sleep, I was a little concerned, but Bobby looked her over thoroughly and said she was just fine. He'd just finished his exam when Tank and Les walked back into the building. I lifted an eyebrow, silently asking them for a report.

Lester grinned before saying, "You won't have to worry about either of them again. Apparently, they decided to stop in the middle of oncoming traffic, and they were both hit by a semi going over the speed limit. The driver couldn't get stopped in time. The funeral home is going to have to piece them together."

I nodded before continuing to the elevator. We headed to the penthouse, and when I walked into the apartment, I was surrounded by Steph's kooky friends. They started chanting, and I felt the weirdest sensation as I carried her to the sofa.

Bree joined us, along with the others.

There was a look of fear on Julie's face as she asked, "Will she be okay?"

Bree smiled and said, "Yes. She just exerted a lot of energy, and her body needs to recuperate."

Julie turned to me. "Will I have to go with that woman?"

I frowned slightly before it clicked that she was referring to Rachel. "No, baby, you won't have to worry about her anymore. There was an accident when they left the building, and they didn't make it."

Julie looked up at me with surprise. "They're dead?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Julie looked down at the ground and sighed before looking back up at me and asking, "Does it make me a bad person that I'm not upset about them dying?"

I pulled her over to me and hugged her close before replying, "No, baby. It just means you're human."

Julie leaned into me and asked, "Do you think Stephanie would want to adopt me?"

Stephanie moved on the sofa, and although her eyes remained closed, she smiled and said, "Just as soon as your daddy and I get married, honey. Then I'll have two daughters and whatever the baby turns out to be."

Julie looked at Bree and frowned. "You won't mind that Stephanie will be my mom too, will you?"

Bree grinned at Julie and shook her head. "No. I won't mind at all. You won't mind that your dad will be part of my life too, will you?"

Julie looked as if she were giving the question serious thought for a second, and then she shook her head. "No, I won't mind. It'll be nice having an older sister."

Bree laughed. "I'll remind you that you said that."

Julie giggled.

Mooner stepped forward and whispered, "Not to intrude, but we need to move to the castle now. We need to get there before the Fallen One sends his minions."

I nodded and looked at Tank.

He gave a slight nod and said, "I'll get things ready, Rangeman."

Two hours later, we were heading toward the safe house. I looked in the rearview mirror and was amazed at the cavalcade of vehicles following us. Not only was the group that was originally along on our first journey going with us, but we also had half the guardians, as well as Lula, Mary Alice, Bella, and Frank Plum with us. The rest of the guardians were back in Trenton, protecting what they'd coined as the "Normals" in the bunker. I shook my head and sat back, pulling Stephanie more fully into my arms. Julie was asleep in the back of the vehicle, and Tank was driving with Bobby in the front passenger seat.

When Tank pulled into the parking area near the castle, I climbed out of the SUV and lifted Stephanie into my arms. Tank reached into the back and lifted Julie out, and we made our way inside.

Lester, Tank, Mr. Plum, Micha, and I stayed in the entryway with the sleeping girls while the rest of the men fanned out and went through the castle to make sure there were no unexpected surprises.

When Hector came back, there was a look on his face that told me he'd run into something. Shit! I'd wanted Stephanie and the others to get a good night's sleep before we had to think about another fight. It looked like things weren't going to work out that way.

Unknown POV:

I felt the change in the air around me and knew the Demon had been vanquished. I sent out the word and knew my master's followers would be joining me soon through the passage of the Ancients. I smiled as I thought about how we were going to use what the others had left behind to destroy the "Golden Ones." The Fallen One was coming and would be at the castle by sunrise. My job was to make sure there were a few surprises for the Golden Ones and that the castle was secure for my master. I smiled as I thought about her. Soon, she would be mine. Soon…

I heard the cars approaching and frowned. They were early. My eyes narrowed as I thought about the traps I'd set. I didn't think there were enough, but it would have to do. I couldn't let them find me, because if they did, I might be destroyed before I could claim her. I felt the presence in my mind and knew the Fallen One was opening the first door to start the journey through the secret passage. I smiled with joy as I felt them coming to join me. The door closed, and I watched in my mind as they moved forward. That was when the first scream started, and I had my first inkling that not everything was going our way. I felt the rage as they were forced to deal with one trap after another and their numbers dwindled drastically. Several of them were muttering, and for the first time, I felt threatened by them joining me instead of rejoicing in their arrival.

The passageway lit up, and there was writing on the door they would need to pass through. The Fallen One moved forward, and I could see the message there written clearly for all to see.

Enter at your own risk. Till this point, we have merely been playing. Once you cross this threshold, all playing shall cease. From this point forward, we will be out to destroy you, as we know you are trying to destroy us. Turn back now and you might make it out alive. But if you continue to come for us…there will be no mercy.

The Fallen One looked to me, and the smile on his face was not pleasant. The look in his eyes made my skin crawl. I saw his lips move, and even though I couldn't hear what he was saying, I was able to read his lips.

"You have led us into this channel, and so what befalls us shall also transpire for you when we meet again."

I closed my eyes and clenched my hands into fists. Somehow, someone had made me look like a traitor. My eyes narrowed in annoyance as I thought about how I could find out who had done that so I could pay them back tenfold.