These characters belong to Janet I am just borrowing them for my amusement. Although I would love to keep Ranger and the merry men for myself!

This story does contain violence, and touches on dark subject matters. This story is not friendly to Morelli or Helen Plum so for Cupcake fans you have been warned.

I want to thank everyone who writes a review for my story. I enjoy reading them and I love ideas they give me so keep them coming! You do my soul good! I am sorry I was unable to reply to the reviews with this last chapters but real life is kicking me with a project at work that is taking all my time so I spent all the time I could spare on the chapter I thought you all would appreciate that more. Again thank you all for your reviews! They mean so much to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

I have a website that I have created to give you all something to explore to dig deeper into the story "What does it mean to trust". Please go and check it out!

www(dot)fanfictionstoryinfo(dot)webnode(dot)com

Chapter 54: Matt's Decision

SlyderPOV

I had been testing with Acer while Stephanie was testing with Demon so I hadn't been able to see how she had done. I was hoping she was doing well. The guys were quiet except for one outburst from Lester which I missed part of. I caught him basically yelling fuck you to Matt. But I wasn't sure what it was over but figured it had something to do with my Incendia. I only hope she was passing the tests.

I had to be on my toes with Acer but in the end I had succeeded and felt good about my performance with the test criteria. I didn't feel they had any reasons for failing me. I just prayed that they would pass my Incendia with me.

If for some reason she didn't pass I wouldn't accept my passing either and I would retest with her. I wasn't moving on and leaving her behind she was my partner even if she didn't know it yet and partners never left each other behind and I would never leave her behind partner or not.

I saw Matt walk out of the building and I walked back over and joined the group of guys. A few of them patted me on my back for a job well done. Stephanie was still standing in the ring her eyes locked on the door that Matt had walked out.

I walked up to Lester "so what's the deal?" I asked and nodded in the direction Matt had walked off.

Lester shrugged his shoulders and added "he had to go think before he made his decision." He said, I could tell Lester wasn't happy about it but there was little he could do about it. It was all wait and see now. Either we passed or we didn't.

It reminded me of when a jury went back to deliberate and then come back out and let you know their verdict guilty or not guilty but in this case instead of twelve it was just one and instead of a guilty or not guilty it was a pass or fail. I briefly wondered like in cases with jury if it was a good or bad thing the longer he stayed out of the building.

Stephanie finally let her gaze fall from the door and she walked over to us standing in Ranger's arms. He kissed her temple and spoke up "Babe I am proud of you, you never disappoint." He said and you could see the beam from her face from outer space she lit up so bright. It was as if she just found out that she had won a multimillion dollar lottery, or in her case, it would be more like she had just learned that she would be given free Tasty-Kakes for life I somehow think she would think that was the better prize.

You could also see how tired she was as she leaned against Ranger letting him take some of her weight off of her feet. I walked over and offered her my fist to bump after all we had both finished the test. Now if we passed that was another thing but we had both finished it and that says a lot. I can only imagine how exhausted she must be because I know how exhausted I feel.

While I am exhausted on one hand and I am happy and excited on the other I finished we both had and we could both be proud for that.

RPOV

Matt had to go outside to think about the testing before making his decision. So help me fuck whatever it is he has to think about he better for his own good and his own preservation of life come back through those doors with both having passed. I won't accept anything short of that.

He may run the Boston office and I may respect and trust him in doing so but I owned this company it was my rules, my say, and my law in the end that ruled. I wasn't accepting anything but pass from him but I wanted it to come from him that she had passed and not me telling him that I wasn't accepting anything short of that.

For one I wasn't certain how my Babe would handle me getting involved like that if she would take it and understand that she did pass the test in fact her performance was incredible. I knew what his issue was I knew when I saw the blips I knew what he was having trouble with. I also knew that even though I told him to ignore the fact that she ran out of the vehicle and into my arms I knew he was also factoring that in to his decision.

I motioned to Lester and silently told him to distract my Babe. I needed to slip out and have a private conversation with Matt so that he understood everything there was to understand about the testing.

I didn't want my Babe to think that I was going behind her back and making him pass her. Until he forced me to do that I was going to refrain from doing that out of respect for my Babe I knew how important it was to her to pass the test on her own merits.

Lester walked over and snatched her out of my arms saying "I think it is time you shared." I growled at him.

"Santos you should know I don't share." I told him just evenly as I could. He spun her around several times and dipped her pressing his lips against hers making a popping sound. I knew he was just doing this to piss me off after all I asked him to distract her, fucker.

"Mats zero five hundred." That made him straighten up a little at least he righted her and then decided to do what I ask him to do.

"Come on Beautiful, you know if you had seen me first you would have picked me over him." He said, only in his fucking dreams. He continued to carry on with her, her laughing at him as I snuck out the door.

Matt was standing not too far from the door. Good I didn't have to track his ass down. He looked at me and I knew he knew why I was out here.

"I don't want you to tell me your decision. Your decision is yours and it is a decision you need to make. However I want to tell you something you may have not known. Today when you were on the streets with her there was a real threat to her. Morelli he was out there." I told Matt.

Matt looked at me giving me a incredulous look "man say what you want he is always on the street somewhere every time she steps foot out of Rangeman that could be said that Morelli is out there." I looked at him I could feel my eyes harden as his words pissed me off with each echo I heard.

"Matt I typically respect you and trust you to run Rangeman and I trusted you testing her but honestly do you think I am a fool? When I said he was out there I didn't mean in the grand scheme of things I meant he was there right there on the street with her. Stephanie senses when she is in danger just like you and I on a mission but she doesn't have the training we have to know how to handle it yet. She will eventually have that training through Rangeman but right now it isn't there. Out there today she sensed she was in danger but because of events that happened she didn't know where the threat was."

I hated having to explain fucking shit that he should have just known but he wasn't getting it so I decided to just lay it out for him so there was no misunderstandings.

"She didn't know whether the threat was you, the men following her or something else. I should have postponed the testing but honestly I didn't think about it from that perspective I have always trusted you and I assumed she would too but after Doug she was having a difficult time trusting a stranger." I told him.

I hated bringing up Doug's name. He died too easy I should have made it more painful for him. I should have made him suffer more.

"Ranger you know I want to consider that and give her the benefit of the doubt but you know as well as I do regardless if I was the threat, the guys the threat, or it be Morelli it doesn't matter. What matters is how she handles her emotions. If this was any other tester we wouldn't be having this conversation if anything you would kick my ass for not failing them." He told me.

Fuck I knew he was right but this wasn't any other tester this was my Babe. Part of me wanted to fucking punch his ass out but part of me knew he was right and had a point emotions could get you killed. I had lived it, I had said it, I had trained it, and I had instilled it in my men time and time again. But it was never my intention of my Babe not having emotions like the rest of our damned souls. It was never something I thought would come back and bite me in the ass but karma can be a bitch.

"Man I know you are right, and you are right I would kick your ass if you didn't fail another tester but Stephanie has feelings, she has emotions, she isn't deaden and blackened like we are and I think that needs to be taken into account. She doesn't come from our world but she belongs in our world." I told him and I turned and walked back in the building.

When I reached the door I yelled back to him "Matt you and I have a meeting on the mats at zero six hundred tomorrow."

"What the fuck for?" He yelled back to me.

"You weren't aware of your surroundings, you didn't see Morelli today. You put my Babe in danger and no one puts her in danger. But if you want to think it is for questioning me just now then it can be for that as well." I told him in a no nonsense voice. I just wanted him to know that we had our meeting on that mats before his decision. Depending on his decision would be how well it went for him.

"Ranger my plane is scheduled to leave tomorrow at zero six hundred." He told me I just smiled.

"I have it on good authority the fucking plane will wait for you." I told him leering the whole time I was opening the door.

It was better to already have the meeting set for the mats than staying and beating the fuck out of Matt to get my way. I walked back over to the guys and my woman and she was laughing just as she was when I left. I couldn't help but smile at them my lips betraying my normally blank face. But seeing her happy, listening to her laughing I couldn't help the response that it caused in me.

I walked over and pulled her to me wrapping my arms around her. I heard her sigh against me. We were back to waiting for Matt to make his mind up. I could only hope that he decided the way I wanted him to decide. I wanted her working for me. I wanted her to have a full time partner, and truth be told I wanted to get her away from that job with her sick fuck of a cousin, Vinnie. This was one way I knew to always be able to keep her safe. The fact that she wanted to work with us just made life so much easier.

I would never tell her to stop anything. I would never try to rule her life and will always try to take her feelings and wants into account when I make decisions. I will always try to support her in everything she wants to do. I haven't always been successful in those areas but I promised her I would try and I will try not to fuck it up.

I sometimes struggle between keeping her safe and taking her feelings, wants, and wishes into account especially when they don't always coincide with each other. Her safety was my top priority I would do anything lose anything to keep her safe including my life.

JPOV

Fuck I saw her on the streets today and didn't get a chance to talk to her. I wanted to apologize for my actions. I wanted to let her know that I was sorry for how I had treated her and the things I had done to her. I wanted to let her know that she had nothing to fear from me that I was letting her go and I was moving on.

But the fucking bitch ran instead I was almost to her vehicle and she just pulled off and went down the street. I mean it wasn't bad enough that I got two flat tires how the fuck I ruined both of them I had no idea but they managed to get sidewall damage. I guess I hit the sidewalk or something on the sidewalk like a drainage ditch.

Anyway I thought I would at least get to say something to her but no she had pulled away. She wasn't going to make it easy on me to pull her in. I would just have to work harder. I needed to convince her that she could once again trust me. After all, the greatest feat the devil ever performed was convincing the world he didn't exist.

I had left marks on her mother today I did that in part to just see what Frank would do when he saw them but I also did it in part to make her mom mad at me. I knew I had to sever ties with her if I was going to gain back Stephanie's trust and friendship.

I was going to miss fucking her but I could use Joyce more, or pick up some whore down on Stark to fill my needs. It wouldn't be forever it would just be long enough to win Stephanie over.

I needed to gain back her friendship to get close. She needed to not fear me she needed to lower her guard around me. I wish I had thought about this sooner but I didn't have my head in the right place. I was under the illusion that I could just force her to come back. I have since seen the error of that logic.

Now I would be her best friend. I would suck her in and beg of her forgiveness she would never not be able to forgive me this was Stephanie we were talking about she didn't know how to not forgive someone regardless of what they did to her. I mean look at our history.

So I knew if I could get the chance to ask her for forgiveness and beg her to trust me again that she would. That would give me exactly what I needed, access to her. It would give me the access I needed so I could do them both in and end their perfect little world they were building with each other.

FrankPOV

My wife, Helen, came in from the grocery store she had been out for a good portion of the morning visiting and helping a sick friend of hers and then stopped by the grocery store on the way home. When I heard her come into the kitchen I got up from my chair and came into the kitchen.

She was putting some things away in the refrigerator and when I saw her ass sticking out I thought I would let her know of my desires. So I pressed myself into her letting her know that I would like to take her to bed and make love to her.

She had been such a different woman lately. It was like night and day. It was almost like we had been transported back twenty years with how forward she was being in our love making. It had rekindled our marriage in a way that I couldn't even describe.

Her mother no longer living with us also gave us a freedom we hadn't had in years. We could make love any time of the day or night without having to fear that some sex crazed loon was listening to every sound made. That always made me uncomfortable knowing the old hag was listening.

She always made a point to mention it the next morning at the breakfast table. Like I would want to discuss our sex life with her mother which I did not so much so that I had backed off making love to Helen.

It wasn't because I didn't want to make love to her I did it was because I didn't want to deal with her mother, now with her mother gone it gave us the freedom we needed. The freedom I needed to make love to my wife the way I wanted.

When I pushed into her I thought I felt a jolt of panic run through her. "Honey come on let's go up stairs for a little while." I said to her.

She still had her head in the refrigerator rearranging things "Frank, honey not right now I need to get dinner going. Besides I haven't been feeling really well today got a bit of a headache and half feel like I may have a slight fever I feel flushed. If I am sick I don't want you to get sick too." She said.

I felt bad that she was getting sick she had been helping her sick friend, she probably caught whatever it was from her. "Honey, why don't you just forego cooking dinner tonight and just go get in bed and get some rest it will make you feel better." I told her.

"Frank, that sounds great but what about dinner?" She asked me.

"Helen honey I can pick something up how would you like Pinos?" I asked her. She smiled and nodded. She did look a little flush. I put my hand on top of her head and felt but she didn't feel hot. But she did just have her head in the refrigerator.

"Okay go on up and get in the bed and get some rest I will take care of dinner. I will wake you when it is ready." I told her. She nodded, smiled at me almost sheepishly and then kissed me on the lips before heading up stairs to our bedroom.

I sat back in my chair and turned the volume of the TV down so it wouldn't disturb her.

Hopefully she would feel better later tonight after she got some rest.

LPOV

When Ranger got my attention and let me know that he needed Stephanie distracted for a little bit I couldn't have been happier and just to piss him off I twirled her around dipped her and laid a lip lock on her. Popping my lips against hers it earned me mat time but it was so fucking worth it.

Yeah he would kick my ass but trust me it was worth it. He wouldn't break me he would just kick my ass to show me whose boss and who Stephanie belongs to. Sort of like dogs humping only he didn't hump me to show dominance he would just kick my ass to prove he was alpha and well I was some other number of the Greek number system.

He needed a challenge to keep him on top of his game so in a way I was doing him the fucking favor. I made a comment about if I had met Beautiful first she would be my woman and she laughed smacking my chest. I don't know if it is true or not but I like to think it would be.

I moved her away from him and into the crowd of her brothers. Cal grabbed her and hugged her telling her how proud he was of her. Tank then wrapped her in a hug and told her how well she had done on her test. The rest of the guys were following suit and while her smile brought me joy there was turmoil mixed in.

It pissed me off that Matt had to go outside to think about his decision because I knew Matt was out there debating to pass her or not. I knew it was all because of what happened during the driving test and I knew why. But I didn't like it.

I willed him to walk through those doors and pass her. If he didn't pass her after we told her what an awesome job she had done it would crush her. The more I stood there and waited for him to come and give his decision the more I wanted to beat his ass.

I tried to not let Beautiful see me upset and I tried to keep the smile plastered on my face and I think for the most part I did a good job. Laughing when necessary and coming up with one liners to keep her laughing the whole time I really just wanted to run out the doors and beat the fuck out Matt while I was trying to clear my mind of thoughts of my Beautiful being disappointed.

She trusted us so when we told her she did an awesome job she believed us and us saying awesome job, good job, etc in her eyes would mean she passed the test. I don't think the other guys realized what Matt was doing or why. I knew Tank and Bobby did because they had performed tests before and knew this wasn't typical for the tests this was only done when there was decision to be debated and most of the time those decisions ended in failing the tester.

When Ranger walked back over to us basically just reappearing as though he had never moved I caught his eyes and he moved his head in a way that let me know he had done what he could do. I also saw a hint of excitement in his eyes so I knew he had already called Matt to the mats and I wanted to yell out hell yeah. But I refrained I didn't need to explain that exclamation because I didn't want to draw further attention to Matt being outside the building debating Beautiful's status on her test performance.

I could only hope that I would be around to watch the ass kicking. Hell it would be even better if I got to join in on his ass kicking.

Ranger walked over and pulled her to him and I heard her sigh as her body touched his and I couldn't help the wave of jealousy that washed through my body. I wanted to be the one that brought that reaction out in her but in the end I knew it was him and not me she wanted like that.

That is what they gave each other peace, safety, love, and total acceptance. I briefly wondered if there would be another woman in the world like her for me that I could have that with.

MattPOV

Fuck, I should have known this was going to end with me meeting Ranger on the mats. Stephanie had excelled on all of the tests but because of the panic and her inability to control her emotions during that one portion of the test it had me concerned.

She had actually pulled it together and successfully completed the test object at the last second. I knew if I failed her I would have a whole building of pissed off mercenaries all gunning for me but yet on the other hand they weren't with us in the vehicle to see her reactions on the street.

Maybe Ranger was right maybe it was because of what happened to her that had her panicking, maybe it was because Morelli was there on the streets, or maybe it was something else all together different.

I felt like Ranger was probably right in the cause but I stood behind my defense of regardless of what it was it shouldn't have fucking happened and passing her wasn't necessarily the right thing but yet failing her also seemed liked it wasn't exactly the right thing either as she had completed the test objectives.

I needed to come up with a solution to this problem because standing out here wasn't going to give me the answer I needed. It was time to face the music and go back inside and talk to the group. Turning toward the building I was reluctant to open the door but it was time. What could be worse than Ranger taking me to the mats?

Acer had handed me the scores for Slyder and gave him the thumbs up so I knew he had passed the Rangeman tests and would become a full time Rangeman no questions asked.

It was Stephanie that my verdict was still out on well at least until I got inside the building. I was hoping some peril of wisdom would fly in my head before I reached them with my decision.

TankPOV

My little girl had made me extremely proud. I knew she would do well. I knew she was ready for the test. I was ready for this to be over and her to be a full time Rangeman or I guess Rangewoman in her case. I didn't know what was taking Matt forever.

I knew he was outside debating about passing my little girl. I knew he was questioning her falling to pieces and having to run into Ranger's arms. I knew Ranger was upset and not happy with Matt at the moment you could see it in his eyes.

I heard her confession about panicking out during the driving portion of the test. It wasn't like we all didn't have moments in our lives of panic fuck every time her car went off the grid we all fucking panicked and couldn't get there fast enough to make sure she was okay.

She had pulled herself together and completed the objective that is all Matt should focus on. Fuck the rest. I saw Ranger slip out when Stephanie was distracted. I figured he had a talk with Matt hopefully he would knock some fucking sense into him but when he walked back into the building I could tell by the uneasy look that he hadn't accomplished his objective all though something was making him happy.

I assumed he had already scheduled a time to meet on the mats that is one thing that would make Ranger happy is meeting him on the mats. I briefly wondered how that would go and decided it would go better if Matt passed my little girl than if didn't.

I heard the door open, we all did and we all turned to look as Matt made his way back into the building and over to us. I could tell by the feeling in the room Matt wasn't the most like individual at Rangeman. In fact I would venture to guess right now he was the least like human being here.

This should go well for him I thought as a leering smile came over me. I couldn't help but direct it his way. If Matt failed her he would have a whole building just waiting for his ass on the mats.

SPOV

I heard the door and saw Matt walk back in. I stepped away from Carlos' arms. I was ready to hear the decision he had made. Say what he wants I know he was outside trying to make up his mind if he was going to pass me or not. I knew it wasn't because of Slyder it was because of me.

Slyder had passed I knew that. It was me he had concerns about.

I watched as Matt made his way to us and I could feel the air shift in the room. I didn't want the guys mad at Matt if I didn't pass. That wouldn't be fair to Matt he was just giving me the test he wasn't the enemy if I failed the test it was because of me, solely me no one else's fault.

Before he had a chance to reach us I spoke up "Matt I want you to know that I don't hold a grudge or I will say I won't hold a grudge. If you have decided to fail me because of my moment of panic on the streets I understand. I understand that I put both you and myself in danger. I didn't think about it when I pulled into the parking spot I just needed a moment to get myself together but when I saw they had surrounded me and blocked me in and were advancing on our vehicle I figured it out. That is why I did what I did and got us out of there." I explained to him.

Matt spoke up then "Stephanie they weren't going to hurt us but if you were in that situation with the bad guys yes, you would have been in a dangerous situation. You would have put both yourself and your partner in a dangerous situation. I would be lying if I said that wasn't bothering me." He said.

I nodded I couldn't argue with that he was right but I couldn't help the feelings of disappointment that washed through me. I had tried so hard and I had done well all but the panic attack.

"Well I wish I could say that I would never have another one that I could and would always be in check of my emotions like my brother's and Carlos here but that isn't a promise I can make and keep because like today it just came over me. I can however promise to work on my emotions and work on controlling them." I told him.

Hoping that something I said would change his mind and he would just fucking pass me.

"Stephanie no one can promise they will never panic, or that they have never panicked in the past. Every one of us in this room has panicked at one point in their life. We have also all come from some formal training such the Military, Police, or even Gangs that have taught us to learn how to control our emotions. I realize you don't come from any of those backgrounds." He said.

He took a breath and then said "Stephanie can you take a walk with me?" He asked me. I was at first reluctant to go with him but decided that this was the very thing he was testing me on. So I nodded stepping out of Carlos's arms I gave him a squeeze on his arm to let him know that I had this.

He stepped back and motioned for me to go first and we both made our way to the door leaving my family and Carlos behind.

Once we got out of building we started walking and Matt started talking.

"Stephanie I wanted to walk with and talk to you because I wanted to tell you a story. Everyone well minus Slyder and who knows maybe even Slyder knows this story. It is why I am the way I am." He says. Just hearing his voice I felt my heart pulling to want to comfort him.

I didn't say anything I just kept walking looking ahead figuring it would make it easier for him. It wasn't like many of the Merry Men just shared stories from their past with me often. Most of them were a little more closed off with stories from their pasts.

"I am telling you this because it is relevant and you need to understand the dangers and why I have he concerns I do. When I first went into the Army I was a wild buck. My twin brother Andrew was as wild as me if not wilder. You can imagine that when we met Lester the trouble we got into but that is stories for another day." I smiled when he mentioned Lester because I could only imagine how wild Lester must have been. Hell he was still wild and it had been around ten years ago.

"We all went to the Rangers and we all pulled each other thru that training. That training pushed us to our limits it tried us in every scenario they could throw at us. Our CO kicked our asses every way from Sunday. It was all done to prepare us for battle to make us total bad asses. Our training made us capable of killing, made us capable of fighting, made us capable to pave the way." He told me. I couldn't help but sense a but coming and this but was going to be a huge but.

"We all thought we were invincible we thought we were indestructible and we thought we were untouchable we thought we were the shit. We were young, we were all alpha males, we all had enlarged egos, and we were all stupid. We took nothing serious everything was taken for granted by all of us we excelled and we did kick some ass. We had no idea what the real world was like, what the real world would actually throw at us when we were turned lose. We weren't the only ones guilty of that. Fuck the military is practically full of that at least those in training. Those who have experienced war experienced the reality of what having that training meant or those that had experienced action it sobered them quickly and they realized where they really fit in the world." He told me.

"For a bunch of gun ho Army trained Rangers this was our story. We were all itching to put our training to use our band of brothers, our band of indestructible, invincible, untouchable badasses that had just graduated Army Ranger training. In truth we were nothing more than a bunch of blind backwoods hillbilly pecker head fools."

"It's funny how the Army can put together twenty men from varying backgrounds, varying lives, push us shove us to the point that a brother hood is formed with those that survive to the point that they are more than blood related but when one of those men is your actual brother it makes that bond even stronger. It is more than you just trusting them and them trusting you with their lives. That is just the beginning."

He took a deep breath and I knew the story he was telling me was getting harder for him to tell me. I found myself doing something that I didn't even think about until I touched him. I reached out and took his hand in mine. It was to offer him comfort to give him whatever he needed to continue because he couldn't stop now. I was hooked.

MattPOV

I was working hard to try to figure out how the fuck to tell her what I wanted to tell her and still have some form a dignity in her eyes. This story wasn't one that I shared with strangers, it took me time to trust someone well enough to share the secrets of my past. It took even longer for me to share the dark ones and this one well this is one of the darkest from my past.

But it was something I wanted her to understand, I needed her to understand because I feared if I didn't share it with her that history would be destined to repeat itself and if I could stop another human being from carrying around what I had for the last almost ten years I would do anything including sharing my story with a stranger.

When she reached out and grabbed my hand and started holding it I was shocked. I almost tripped but hopefully I caught myself soon enough that she didn't notice my moment of clumsiness.

Way to go smooth dude. That move would have me having to cash in my player card but this story had my mind in a different state not in my player state of getting the girl. Besides I already had one appointment with Ranger on the mats I didn't need a second one for trying to get his woman.

"Our bunch of young guns finally got the orders we were waiting for, we were all so excited, we were all so psyched that we were going to get our taste of the action. Boy were we fucking stupid. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Fuck we were kids."

I knew I was stalling and needed to just rip the fucking band-aid off and move on but that was easier said than done and a hell of a easier said.

"I can't tell you the details but they picked our team of six members, that is how they broke up the larger group, I can't tell you all the names, but you already know three." I told her hopefully she would know those were Andrew, Lester, and me.

"They dropped us in hell with our mission and it all went to shit. I wish I could share more of the details but I can't but it is sufficient to understand it was hell and everything that could go wrong went wrong for our group of six."

I saw her nod but she didn't say anything. I took it that she understood I couldn't share any details with her.

"Something happened, what isn't really important, but we were in a tight spot none of us were ready not really for what we were facing. Fuck none of us were over the age of twenty one. We could barely buy alcohol but our government trusted us with firearms, trusted us with explosions, allowed us to walk into situations where our lives were on the stake but buying alcohol or cigarettes weren't allowed because they were bad for our health, go figure." I told her and couldn't help but smile at her at the logic of our government. I was also putting of the inevitable.

"Shit went bad, things got hot and something happened that none of us expected in all of our training no matter how hard they pushed us, no matter how much they scared the shit out of us it didn't prepare us for the panic we would experience. I know they thought they were but when you are training in your protective safe zone even as scary as they make it, it wasn't anything like the real life of what we were facing out there."

"We thought we were prepared, we thought we were ready boy were we wrong. In that moment of panic we placed the whole team in danger only this danger cost us lives. In the end one guy on the team controlled his emotions and saved some of us in the end our six man team ended up being a three man team."

"Three of us now work for Rangeman two of the names I have already said the third one I am sure it wouldn't be hard to guess but I won't say his name. We all panicked and it cost of three men one of those men was my actual blood brother Andrew and two other men who were my brothers in arms."

I hope she understood why controlling your emotions was so important. Why controlling the panic was so important. Why I was having trouble ignoring her panicking today which could have cost her, her life.

"I am sorry" I heard her say her voice horse I ventured to look and saw her eyes wet with tears that had yet to fall down her face. I didn't mean to make her cry it wasn't my intention to make her cry, fuck I hate it when women cry.

"I didn't mean to make you cry." I told her. "The only reason for telling you this is for you to understand why I am concerned with your panicking it could put you in danger and it could put your partner in danger. I know you aren't going to war like we did but in a way the streets are a form of combat. I also understand that no matter how much you prepare you are never prepared for every situation hell even we aren't prepared for every situation. When you set off your panic button I assure you several of those men back there fucking panicked before they got to you. No one is above panicking you just need to understand the dangers of it. The consequences more importantly I never want you to have to live with what I have for almost ten years and I sure as fuck don't want them to have to live without you." I told her hoping she would see why I struggling. Why my concern. It was all about her all for her.

"I know my brothers back there say I am mr by the book and I am when it comes to Rangeman business and missions I am on I am. It all comes from that first fucked up beyond any repair mission that cost me more than I ever was prepared to pay. I try to never step into a situation without a plan without being prepared and hopefully ready for anything that could happen." I told her.

She was quiet taking it all in.

"I also have an apology I didn't know Morelli was on the streets today. I didn't see him close to the vehicle I fell down on my job and wasn't aware of my surroundings I was focused on the screen for your testing and not aware of our surroundings as I should have been and I am sorry for that. I put you endanger and for that I am sorry." I confessed to her.

"It's okay I saw him, and I got us out of there." She told me.

"Okay lets go back I have to announce my decision." I told her. She smiled at me as we turned to walk back to the building she was still holding my hand as we walked.

RPOV

I heard the door open and my Babe and Matt walked through I could see her eyes shining from tears and I came within an ace of calling Matt's ass to the mats now. If he said something that hurt her out there while they were talking I wouldn't be able to control the way I would kick his ass we would need Bobby standing by with an ambulance running and waiting to save his fucking life.

She made her way over to me and I could see she was calm so I calmed. I looked at Matt and he gave me a nod. I couldn't help but smile even though I tried to keep my face blank so he could make his announcement.

Matt started speaking "Slyder has passed the test, after talking to Stephanie I have decided that Stephanie too has passed the test. Welcome to Rangeman Stephanie and Slyder." He said and the building erupted.

We had all been betting on who would reach Matt's ass first if he failed her while I was boss and called first dibs if I were a betting man I would have bet my money on Hector. He was protective of his Angelito and well if I had been Matt I wouldn't have slept tonight had I failed her.

I hugged her whispering in her ear "Babe I am so proud of you." I started to tell her that I was looking forward to celebrating tonight but she was ripped out of my arms by my dumb fuck of a cousin Lester.

"Beautiful I have something to show you in a show of strength and I don't know what maybe his own desire to be known as a super hero he ripped his shirt off showing the shirt underneath. She started laughing and I couldn't help but smile at my cousin his shirt read 'My Best Friend is a Badass Rangewoman'. I hated to admit it but his dumb ass antics made her laugh, made her smile, and made her happy so I would tolerate them. I just had to remind myself every now and then not to kill him because it would piss her off.

She was passed among the guys there each giving her a hug and welcoming her to Rangeman. Telling her how well she had performed on the test objectives. How proud they were of her seeing her smiling seeing how proud she was of herself made me smile. It also confirmed how much I loved her.

She finally made her way back around to me taking her in my arms. "Babe it's time to celebrate." I told her. "Ella knew you were going to pass and has set something up in the pool area. You feel up to it?" I asked her knowing the answer before I asked it. The test was exhausting but the boost for having passed was giving her energy.

"Hell yeah I feel up to it." She said laughing as Lester and Bobby hoisted her up on their shoulders carrying her to the pool area like she had just been handed the VIP player award at the Super Bowl. Slyder who also passed had basically been forgotten I looked his way and he was just smiling happy for her.

"Good job man." I told him and he nodded to me.

"Thanks Rangeman but I am just happy to see that he passed her. I was beginning to worry he was going to ask for a retest and if so I would have asked for a retest as well." He told me. I couldn't help arching my eyebrow at him questioning for him to explain.

"I want her to be my partner provided she wants to be and I wasn't going to leave her hanging having to retest alone. I don't leave a partner behind." He told me. I nodded understanding what he was saying. We never left a man behind. I offered him my fist to bump in understanding the gravity of what he saying.

We made our way to the pool area. Ella had a huge banner hanging up saying Welcome to Rangeman.

I walked over and picked my Babe up off of the shoulders of clown one and clown two. Carrying her to the dressing room I clicked the lock on the door walked across and clicked the lock on the second door before Lester could make it there and open the door. I no more engaged the lock that I heard his dumbass bounce off of it.

Smiling I carried my Babe into the shower area. "They are going to know what we are doing, we can't do this." She said. I didn't give a fuck let them know it wasn't like they had the balls to say anything about it.

"What difference does it make? They will think what they want to think. But they sure as fuck won't say anything." I assured her, not unless they wanted their asses handed to them. They would never be that disrespectful of her like that.

I pulled her shirt up and off of her letting it fall to the floor. I pulled the strap of her bra down trailing kisses down her neck and out across her shoulders. I knew I didn't have time to pay all the attention to her I wanted but I wanted to give her a taste of what was to come tonight once we got home.

I pulled her to me her body close to me my lips finding hers. I felt her hands lift my shirt pulling it free from my pants and then her small hands running up my back my muscles twitching at her touch, God, how I loved that feeling the feeling of her touching me and my body's response to her touch.

I would like to say I was in control but I wasn't. I needed her too much. Clothes were torn off and I had her up in arms pressing her into the wall of the shower area while I was pressing myself deep into her hot wet core.

Feeling her ready for me just about pushed me over the edge I was so ready for her. I was hard, throbbing hard for her. Control was something that neither of us had at the moment I felt her nails dig into my shoulders and back and she held on rubbing herself against me as I was pumping in and out of her. My heart racing I could feel her heart racing along with mine as she pressed her chest against mine.

Her wetness running down me with every thrust God how much I wanted to just bury my face in her and drink from her fountain but right now I needed to just take her and make her mine again. It was almost feral in the way we were mating. This was both our need and desire for each other coming to the surface and we were both taking from and giving to each other what we wanted.

I heard a growl and assumed that came from me as well as a scream I assumed came from her but fuck it could have been the other way around. We were both so close to having what we both needed yet we were both holding on to the last possible second to feel it because we didn't want to give up the now feelings just yet. We let the feelings build and build pushing us further up the edge that we knew we would eventually fall over but we weren't ready for that we weren't done with each other's bodies just yet.

I felt my balls tighten further I felt the quake in my legs. I felt her shiver in arms and her walls start to clamp down harder on my hardened dick as it pressed in further and further with each thrust. My lips finding hers and then releasing hers to work her neck and shoulders only to find her lips again to allow my tongue to mimic what that of our bodies were doing.

Her legs wrapped around my body tighter her heels digging into my back as she was pressing me into her tighter and tighter with each thrust into her body. I wanted to scream at the feelings I wanted to yell out but I refrained and controlled myself as best I could. "Damn Babe what you do to me I could never have you enough, get enough. Feeling me inside of you with you so wet with desire, feeling you so hot your walls milking me you have no idea how feeling you like this just drives me crazy with need." I whispered to her in her ear.

She didn't answer but her partial moan scream and the tightening her legs around me along with the walls of her sex that were pulling me in further and holding me tighter let me know she felt the same she was struggling to hold on and I think had she taken the time to speak she would have fallen over the edge falling into her orgasm that was building higher with every movement. It was all she could do just to hold on.

"Oh God Carlos I love you." I heard her exclaim as I felt her body shiver and shake and her walls clamped down on me milking me. It was all that was needed to give me that final push off the edge of the cliff.

I pumped in and out two times before I came with her telling her "Babe I love you too." As we slid down the wall still connected unable to stand any longer as wave after wave of orgasm crashed through our bodies draining us.

After a few minutes I pulled out of her my body protesting leaving her body. I stood up gathered our clothing and moved them out of the way of the water from the shower head. Helping her to her feet I turned on the shower to wash away any evidence of our love making and hopefully any smell of sex in the room.

While I knew no one would say anything I knew the hound dog Lester was would be like a bloodhound on a scent trying to find the smell of her sex.

Touching her body under the shower was all I needed to be ready for her again but I refrained. I knew it would be a while tonight before I would have all of her hell that was every night there wasn't a time I didn't want to be buried inside of her feeling her walls pull me in clamping down on me. If anything I needed to be sure that I didn't make her sore in how many times I claimed her a night.

Once we finished rinsing our bodies off I grabbed a towel and wrapped my Babe in it as we made our way to the dressing area. She pulled on one of her Bikinis, Black in celebration of being a Rangeman I guess as I pulled on a pair of my black swimming trunks.

"You ready for this?" She asked me nervously and I just smiled.

"Babe" I knew why she was nervous but I also knew the guys wouldn't say anything to embarrass her. If they did then they would meet me, well maybe I would let them meet Tank on the mats as I already had a schedule of people to meet me on the mats and I already had planned on using most of my energy celebrating with my Babe later tonight.

I clicked the lock on the door and opened the door there was no one in the hallway they had given us our privacy. We made it out to the pool area to join everyone in celebrating my Babe's victory in passing the tests.

Everyone knew we had started celebrating without them but no one made mention of it. We walked over and got in the pool the music was flowing and the guys slowly made their way to change into their trunks.

She was on my back trying her best to dunk me when the guys came back out and started getting in the pool. Thankfully they distracted her and she stopped trying to dunk me because I was holding on for all I could hold on to keep her from dunking me. I don't know how much longer I would have been able to prevent it.

Some things I just couldn't cave to and being dunked was one of them I was about to pull out the heavy artillery but the guys thankfully came in just time.

I heard her scream and saw Lester throwing her up in the air.

Hal was setting up the basketball hoop at one end while Cal was setting up the other one on the other end. They were going to get a game of pool basketball going.

These guys could be such kids at time but it kept them happy, it kept them sane. Laughing and having fun even doing stupid shit like pool basketball was one of the ways these guys decompressed and let go of stress and the bad shit they dealt with day in and day out.

My Babe being part of their life just made their life even better. I knew tonight would be a night of celebrating her being officially recognized as a Rangeman. I knew how proud of her I was and I knew they felt the same we were all proud of her accomplishments and we all looked forward to seeing her grow, seeing her confidence soar, seeing her embrace the new life that she has created for herself.

A life where she was in charge, she made her decisions, where she had a family that would support those decisions accept her for who and what she was and love her until they day they all die. I found myself for the first time looking forward to my life with a partner that wasn't Tank a partner that was going to be my wife, a partner that was my best friend in a way no one else had every been or ever could be.

Watching them playing in the water seeing her happy laughing having fun I couldn't help but thank God for everything I had. I had walked through hell but I had somehow landed in heaven at least a life that I could only see as heaven with a wife that I would love until the day I die, with family that I trusted and loved, though I would never admit it those fuckers, and with a successful company that provided a service that I could be proud of.

Matt brought me out of my thoughts when he swam up beside me.

"Rangeman I never thought the day would come. When I first heard stories of the bombshell I couldn't believe my ears. I couldn't believe that you of all of us allowed yourself to get tied to your emotions." He said.

I understood what he meant but I also felt the sting of it but honestly had someone told me four years ago I would be here I would have bet against them and swore they were fucking crazy. I have seen the error of those ways even though hearing it almost made me wince thinking about the cold almost heartless son of a bitch I was I could only thank God once again for Stephanie warming my heart and bringing back a man that I hadn't known in a long time.

"Shit happens. I was stupid back then and didn't realize what I had cut out of my life it was only having Stephanie that I can see that now." I confessed to him.

"Man she is special. I can see how she would have quickly stolen your heart and given you a reason for breathing a reason for living fuck even a reason for dying." He said while we both watched her bobbing up and down in the water trying to make her way to the net with the ball without it being snatched out of her hands by her brothers.

"She means everything to me." I admitted and only half believed that I was talking to him about this let alone admitting this shit to him but he was one of my closest friends.

"What changed your mind? When I spoke to you outside it seemed you were pretty adamant to fail her." I asked him. I really didn't c are the reason but I was curious what was the changing decision factor.

He looked at me "You want to really know why?" I nodded.

"Well we talked and walked. I told the story. The fubar mission that none of us will ever forget. I explained my concerns and in telling the story, no real details and never mentioned your name, but just focused on what panicking can mean and why we control our emotions." He told me.

That was one story he didn't need to tell me I had lived it and we all almost lost our lives on that fucked up hell hole of a so called mission. We were all green we trusted the government had made us ready boy were we fucking fools and it cost us three of our brothers from our unit. It was however a mistake that was never made again.

"I would think that would even further solidify your reasons for failing her." I told him. I couldn't believe part of me was questioning this as all I wanted was for him to pass her and he had. I guess I just wanted to understand what had changed his mind. Why had he done the one eighty. I didn't feel like it was because of anything I said to him. I figure it happened when they went on their walk.

"Well in part it did but I took some of what you said to heart about her being a civilian never having formal training to heart. Then in telling the story I remembered how in all our training we weren't prepared and I realized that for us it came with experience. I figured I would cut her the same slack that was cut for us. I only hope nothing happens that she has to live with every day knowing there is no way to go back and fix it. That is what I want to spare her from."

I nodded I understood what he meant and I would be lying if part of me was a little worried what working at Rangeman fulltime was going to do Stephanie. I worried how it may change her or possibly harden her in some way but regardless I knew we would love her. I just loved her light and I hoped and prayed working here wouldn't dim it. It would be my biggest regret but I couldn't and wouldn't let her go to prevent it I knew that was selfish but I just couldn't and wouldn't live without her any longer.

He looked at me "I apologized to her for not seeing the threat of Morelli on the streets. When I told her she told me that it was okay. She had seen him and gotten us out there. I couldn't help but smile at the irony. It was her telling me that which actually caused me to change my mind and solidified in my mind that she had in fact passed the test. Even in her panic she had been more aware of her surroundings than I was. Rangeman her performance on the test outside of the panic was nothing but stellar. I have tested men on my team that didn't test as well as she did." He told me.

I couldn't help but smile or the bubble of pride that rose through me. I knew that, hell we had men here in Trenton that didn't test as well as she had. She had blown us all away by her performance. But I had no doubts after all she was my Babe, she never disappointed and she never knew how to fail.

Please take a moment and leave a review. Let me know your thoughts…I love every review it does wonder for my soul and wonders for my fingers! Don't forget to check out the accommodating website and my writer's journal…I put sneak peeks into the chapters in them!

You can find it all at www(dot)fanfictionstoryinfo(dot)webnode(dot)com There are playlists there for the party and songs that are mentioned through the different chapters, pictures of the characters along with their bio as I see them in my head, as they are in my story. There are pictures of some of the clothing, and places that have been in my chapter, as well as pictures of cars, trucks, motorcycles from the Rangeman compound. I hope you enjoy it Leave a comment there as well if you wish!