Standard Disclaimer. Characters and lines you recognize are JE's. All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 3

Payback Part 1

Ranger and Steph Fluff. No smut.

Ranger POV:

I woke up Monday morning not wanting to get out of bed. Steph was curled into my side and moved with me as I turned off the alarm clock. We had stayed locked in the apartment the whole weekend. This had been my best birthday ever although I was tired as hell.

It was 0500 and I wasn't getting out of bed. I cuddled back into my babe and she moaned pushing herself closer into my side. I smiled and kissed her forehead, drifting off back to sleep.

I woke up a while later hearing my front door open. Steph was still curled up beside me and Ella didn't come up without calling first. I slid my hand into my nightstand and pulled my gun. I rolled slightly to cover Steph's body with mine. No matter what she would be protected.

The door came open slowly and a figure stepped in the door with two others right behind it. "Stop right there." I growled.

"Boss put the gun down." Lester said.

I yanked the sheet tight over Steph, she would be pissed if they saw her naked. "What the hell are you doing in here?" I growled.

Steph stirred. "Carlos why are you yelling?" She started to sit up and I pushed her down. She saw the guys and squeled pulling a pillow over her chest.

"What the hell? Carlos what are they doing in here?"

"I just asked the same thing." I said to her pulling her close to me.

"Get out." She said pointing to the door. "Wait for us in the living room."

"Oh shit. Bombshell's mad." Ram muttered turning around.

"Damn right I'm mad." She yelled throwing a shoe at them. Where the hell did she pull a shoe from? A stelleto too. The door was closed quickly after and she wrapped the flat sheet around her body as she climbed from bed. It had taken me months to get her to walk around without covering up and I'm pretty sure this just set her back.

"Do you know why they're up here?" She asked walking to the closet. I could imagine the steam coming out of her ears.

I watched as she pulled on a bra and a pair of boy short cotton panties. She yanked on a pair of my sweats and one of my t-shirts and threw her curls up in a pony tail. I had pulled on a pair of sweats and one of my t-shirts, Steph however looked delectable in them.

I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the back of her neck. "I'll help you hide the bodies." I said. I heard her laugh softly.

She turned in my arms and wrapped her's around my neck. "That's why your such a great husband." She said brushing her lips across mine. "But it'll be to hard to replace them. You hate interviewing people, and the paperwork."

I chuckled and kissed her. "Let's go babe." I said linking my hand with hers.

We walked into the living room. Ram, Lester, Tank, Bobby and Cal lounged on the couches. "What are you doing up here?" Steph asked putting her hands on her hips.

"It was Lester's idea." Cal blurted. I shook my head.

"Santos." I said.

"It's almost eleven o'clock and you hadn't come down to five. We wanted to make sure you two were alive."

"It's eleven?" Steph said walking to the kitchen to look at the clock on the over. "Shit." I heard her say in the kitchen.

"Why weren't you up at five?" She asked me.

"I was. I just shut the alarm off." I said. She grinned and wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm rubbing off on you." She said. I chuckled and leaned down to kiss her.

"I told you it was a bad idea to come up here." Tank said.

"Then why did you do it?" Babe asked turning in my arms to glare at them. She leaned back against me and I wrapped my arms around her waist.

"Because we were worried." Les said.

"Cut the shit Santos. What's going on?"

"Alright." He said. "Damn Beautiful you've turned into the Bosslady."

She grinned. "And damn proud of it. So spill."

"So boss Morelli wants to talk to you and Steph." Bobby said.

I felt Steph still in my arms. "Why?" I asked.

"Well apparently one of Bomber's skip filled a assault charge against her and you." Tank said.

I felt Steph start laughing. "Call Morelli back and tell him we'll be at the station in two hours. He better be ready to talk then. Now get out." With command in her voice.

"Yes ma'am." Tank said, he had even stood up and saluted her. They guys laughed and Babe smirked.

"You guys can't blame me. Little Bomber has really come into herself and could be a drill sergeant now. I caught you saluting her last week, Bobby."

They laughing died down as they walked out. I smiled down at my Babe. "Shower then breakfast." I said.

"You go get the shower ready and I'll call Ella."

I kissed her and started to walk away. I felt her hand smack my ass and I turned to give her a look over my shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "You have the best ass in Trenton." She purred.

"Payback's a bitch babe." I said. She bit her lip grinning and picked up the phone to call Ella.

After we got out of the shower and ate, me in my boxers and Steph in my bathrobe we went to the closet to get dressed. "What's your plan babe?"

"Make yourself look hot." She said. I raised an eyebrow at her. She laughed. "Normal clothes. Where is that Navy blue Henley we bought together? Wear that, a pair of bootcut jeans, your combat boots and your black leather jacket."

"Dressing me now babe?" I asked chuckling. She smiled.

"When we get home I'll let you undress me." She purred. I started to cross the dressing room and she shook her finger at me and backed away.

"No, save it for later."

I sighed and she smiled. I watched as she pulled on a pale blue sundress, a set of three inch wedges that matched. That particular dress tied around her neck so she couldn't wear a bra. I watched as she pulled a very tiny lace thong out of one of her drawers and pulled them on.

She walked into the bathroom to do her hair. I was picking up my birthday present when she came in. Her hair was down falling in waves, framing her face. She saw what was in my hands and smiled. I turned it over to read the inscription again.

Don't get shot, and I won't go crazy ~Babe

She walked over and took it from my hand. She smiled looking down at it before putting it on me. I pulled her close to me. "Thank you babe. I really do love it. I understand why you were so upset about the Boxster."

She smiled and kissed me softly. "I thought you would. Your impossible to shop for by the way."

I grinned at her and kissed her again. "Did you call Stan?"

"I'm calling him." I said pulling out my phone. She rolled her eyes and walked out of the room. I called him told him to meet up at the cop shop in twenty minutes. He said he would be there in fifteen.

Steph's POV:

Carlos and I walked into the station holding hands. Robin was behind the counter and looked at us. Stan Holt, one of Rangeman's lawyers was with us.

"Morelli wanted to see us, Robin." Carlos said. She buzzed Morelli who's lip curled seeing us when he came out. Carlos put his hand at the small of my back as we walked to the conference room.

We settled into our seats and Morelli started the tape recording. "Mrs. Manoso." He said with a disgusted look on his face. "Do you know Michael Docket?"

Holt looked at me and nodded. "He was one of my skips."

"He's made a few accusations."

"Such as?"

"Assault by both you and Ranger. He also said that you sexually harrassed him."

"Detective Morelli I would like to think you know better than those accusations considering Mrs. Manoso's case closure is highest in the state.

I felt myself start to raise out of the chair. "We're done here detective Morelli. If he want's to charge us with something have the Captain contact me." Holt said.

I stood to walk out of the room. I knew if I hit Joe I was going to spend time in jail and I had to keep Carlos from hitting him. "Running away like normal Cupcake, take your lapdog with you too."

"Shut your mouth Joe. Do you want your dirty little secret getting out?"

I watched as he paled. By now he had followed us to holding. Big Dog and Carl stood their talking and I grinned. I boosted myself to sit on the counter and Carlos leaned against it crossing his arms.

"What's Joe's dirty little secret?" Eddie asked grinning. I kicked my legs smiling.

"Do ya really want yo know?" I asked. There were a few weary looks but nobody left the room. Big Dog and Carl looked interested. Robin had a cop face on but you could see that she wanted to know.

"Cupcake." Joe growled.

"Strike one." I said. "A strike for a secret. I'm going to ruin the Italian Stallion rumor. He doesn't have much stamina, he's only good on dry land, and he doesn't know the definition of foreplay."

Robin blushed behind me as I looked at her and I raised both eyebrows. "Just ruined that fanatsy for you doesn't it Robin?" I said.

She bit her lip and nodded. "Oh honey, he's been trying to get into your pants hasn't he?" I said.

"But he won't be now." She said. I smiled at her.

"Stephanie!" He yelled, the vein in his forehead throbbing.

"What Joe, Don't like being gossiped about?"

"Shut the hell up Stephanie." He growled. Carlos tried to take a step forward and I put hand on his shoulder.

"Get ahold of your lapdog." Joe said. I smiled.

"Secret number two. Big Dog I was at the mall on Friday your never gonna believe who I saw there." I said. He swallowed.

"What did you see Steph?"

"Tina with Joe. Turns out he's fucking her during the day and she's in your bed at night." I said. I saw Joe turn red and Big Dog took a step towards him. Carl held him back and Eddie shoved Joe back.

"Go find yourself something to do. Steer clear of Big Dog." He said. Joe huffed and started to walk away.

"You should know better than to mess with Steph now." He said. I grinned.

"Take this to the 'Burg Eddie and run with it. I'm sure Shirley would love the inside scoop." I said. He smiled.

"Carlos." I said. He took my hand and helped me down. I walked over to Big Dog.

"Thanks for letting me know Steph." He said.

"Not exactly the way I intended on telling you." I said. He nodded.

"Will you help me get them both back?" He asked. I grinned.

"Let's go to Pino's and talk." I said. Carlos shook his head.

"I'll call Lester and Ram." Carlos said.

I took his hand and pulled him to the turbo. I pushed him against it and leaned up to kiss him. He grabbed my hips in his hands and deepened it.

"This is going to be fun." I said against his lips. He smiled.

"We're going to do this babe and it's going to be good."

This chapter is short because it is a two part. Everything will come together in the next chapter.

This was more of a layout chapter for the next one.

What did you think of the inscription? Cute right?

There's a reason why I made Big Dog find out this way and you'll see it in the next chapter.

All things that didn't quite make sense in this chapter will have an explanation in the next.