Standard disclaimer applies. These characters aren't mine and I will be returning them. Ranger and Steph have to be returned to JE in hopes she will pair them together in the series. *Sigh maybe someday, a girl can hope.

All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 5

This chapter is not for anyone who is a fan of Helen Plum or Morelli.

Fluff between Steph and Carlos. Joe and Helen make an appearance. Let's see what they have to say.

Steph POV:

Carlos knocked on his parents door. His arm was around my waist. "You ready?" He asked me.

I rolled my eyes. "You know I love your family." I said.

He grinned and kissed my forehead as Mama Manoso opened the door.

"Look at my little Carlito and his esposa Estefania." She swooned. I was pulled into a hug. She let me go and grabbed Carlos's face squishing it. I smiled to myself. She hugged him and kissed him all over the face.

"Estefania you must make him come home more." She said. I smiled.

"I try Mama. He is just always so busy. Sometimes we can't just make that drive. I barely get to see my husband myself some days." I said.

"Carlito! Are you not spending enough time with your wonderful wife? Do not neglect your duties or you will lose this wonderful woman mijo."

"I am not neglecting my duties mama. Let's get inside." Carlos said. He helped me take my jacket off.

"That was cold babe." He said in my ear.

I smiled at him. "I love you."

"Hmm." He said leaning down to kiss me.

Carlos POV:

My family sat in the living room. My mother, abuela and oldest two sisters were in the kitchen cooking. Babe and I settled on the couch. Her in my lap as I talked to my father, brother and brother in laws.

She was the only woman in here actively. She preferred to stay out of the kitchen even if my mother insisted she be in there. She laid her head on my chest and baried a hand in my hair.

"You awake babe?"

"Mmm. Although it isn't hard when your my pillow." She said smiling at me.

I kissed her softly as Mama called us for dinner. I set Babe down on her feet and we walked into the dinning room. We sat next to each other. After grace was said we all started to serve ourselves.

"Estephana, Carlito." My mother said. Steph froze knowing that tone of voice and I had to admit I did too.

"Yes mama." I said.

"I was wondering how you two would feel about holding a reception to celebrate your marriage and also you anniversary."

I felt Steph let out a breath. She found my hand under the table and squeezed. "What were you thinking?" Steph asked.

"A party for the families and some friends. Nothing huge because if you wanted something huge would would have had a huge wedding ceremony."

I saw Steph smile. "We could be open to it. Why don't you give me some time to work Carlos over and get him open to the idea? You know he doesn't like parties."

I shook my head. I nuzzled Steph's neck. "Your evil." I said nipping at her ear.

She smiled at me. "I leaned from the best."

Dinner was enjoyable. My mother served all of mine and Steph's favorites. I knew that if we hadn't agreed to some level she would have made us feel guilty but saying she cooked all of our favorites and playing the card that we never came to visit and she never got to see her son. Tradition in the house was since the women cooked the men cleaned up after so all of the men were in the kitchen and the women in the Livingroom enjoying coffee and cake. Although Steph had tried to come help since she hadn't cooked my mother refused saying it would break tradition.

She did manage to sneak into the kitchen to see me and I walked over to her smiling. "Babe." I said as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

"So do you really want to have a party for our anniversary?" She asked.

"I want anything you want babe."

"Carlos, this won't be a decision I make alone. I want you to want it also so that you can enjoy it."

"Babe I don't care what we do as long as I'm with you." I said. She blushed. "All i want is as much time with you as I can get. And I'll do whatever it takes including having a party with our closet 500 friends and family."

"500?" She gaped.

"Have you met my Mama?"

""We're doing this but I'm setting a limit and I get to veto whoever I want on the guest list which also means you also have to look at it."
"Alright babe." I said. She reached up and cupped my cheek. She pulled me down to kiss me.

"Estefania! Where are you dear?" Mama called.

"You better get back out there before she smacks me with a wooden spoon." I said kissing the palm of her hand.

"We wouldn't want that now would we."

XXXXXX

That's how we end up here. Steph and I walked into the reception. She wore a pale blue dress. It hung off her shoulders with a slight V that showed a little cleavage. There was a slit that ran the length of the skirt. She wore four inch FMP's and very light makeup. Her hair was in loose curls and was styled in a messy bun with a few curls falling around her face. She was gorgeous. She was always gorgeous but tonight she just radiated it.

I was in a black suit. I wore a navy blue silk shirt with a black tie with one single blue stripe through it. Everyone's eyes were on us as we walked in. We were greeted by friends and family. Although we had said it didn't need to be big there were at least two hundred people here.

We sat down at our table and I wrapped my arm around Babe's shoulders. I watched as the Plum's approached. I saw Babe's jaw tense. She didn't have to many hard feelings against her father, he was trying to make up for what he missed when she was young. She saw her grandmother multiple times a week.

"Stephanie." Her mother said as she stopped in front of us.

"Mom, I didn't think you were invited." She said.

"I assumed since your father and grandmother got an invitation I was invited also. Honestly Stephanie what would people think."

"I don't care what people think. Especially not the burg. The only opinion that matters to me is that of my husband's. You can either leave, be escorted out or sit down and behave. If you decide to make a spectacle I will escort you out myself." She said firmly. She pursed her lips and walked to bitch at someone else.

"She wouldn't take no for an answer." Her father said.

"It's fine." Steph said.

"No it's not." I said. "She wasn't invited so she shouldn't have came."

She hugged her grandmother. "I'll make sure she doesn't ruin tonight." Her grandmother said.

Even though she was crazy Grandma Mazur was my favorite person in Babe's family. Since we had gotten married she vowed to look but not touch anymore. "Thank you. Even though you shouldn't have too, thank you." Babe said.

They went to their table and my mother and father walked over. "I sweat I didn't invite her." My mother said.

"We know Mama." I said.

"I can have Ricardo escort her out if you would like. Estefania I know you didn't want her here." Mama said. Steph shook her head.

"Maria, I told her if she made a scene I would personally escort her out." Steph said. This got a smile. They settled in at our table as they were sitting with us. Tank, Lester, Bobby, Ram, Mary Lou, and Lenny also sat with us.

Steph stood and was handed a microphone. "Can I have everyone's attention?" She asked.

The room went quite and everyone sat down. "Carlos and I would like to thank you all for coming. Today is our one year anniversary and since we never actually had a wedding we decided to go ahead and have a reception and a party for our anniversary.

"Carlos and I have both decided to say a few words about each other." She said. She reached down and took my hand smiling at me.

"Your the love of my life. If I had never met you I have no doubt that right now I would be living a life I never wanted to live with someone I didn't love. You've let me fly, you've supported me in whatever I set my mind too and you've kept me safe and watched my back. You've rescued me more times than I can count and you've been my rock.

"I couldn't imagine being with anyone else. Today is the anniversary not only of the day we got married but the anniversary of a time when I was awake and dressed before you, rushed you out of our apartment and drug you down to the court house to get married. Something I vowed I would never do after my first marriage. I love you Carlos and I'll never stop loving you."

I smiled and stood using the hand she held to pull her too me. I wrapped my arm around my waist and kissed her deeply. I pulled back and rested my forehead against hers. I didn't care about all the people, all that mattered was my wife.

She handed me the microphone and sat down. I kept her hand in my and kissed the back of it. The women in the room swooned.

"Babe, your the only woman who I've ever been in love with. You make my life worth living. Before you I didn't have a life. I never saw my family, never stopped working. All I did was work, but when you came into my life I saw that maybe that could be changed.

"I denied my feelings towards you because I didn't want either of us to get hurt. Once I finally pulled my head out of my ass and reliezed that you loved me and wanted to be with me. I couldn't be happier. I'm not usually a man that talks about his feeling, I'm a man of action but Babe I love you and I want everyone to know that and that your my woman. You make me want things I shouldn't but I'll be damned if I don't want them. " I said. She smiled. I pulled her up and tucked her against my chest.

"Thank you everyone from coming." I said. "Dinner will be served shortly along with dessert and coffee. There's an open bar and a open dance floor, that my wife and I will be taking advantage of."

I turned off the microphone as everyone whistled and clapped. I kissed the back of her hand again before leading her onto the dance floor.

Steph POV:

Carlos pulled me close as a fast paced, sultry Latin song started playing. He led me into the Batcha making me smile at him. "Your always so sexy when you dance." I said in Spanish. He smiled.

"You've been working on your Spanish." He said back in Spanish.

I smiled at him. "Hector is a good teacher."

"And I'm not?" He asked.

"The only time you speak Spanish is in bed and I'm hardly in a position to ask you to translate then." I said. He chuckled.

We moved off the dance floor as dinner was being served. Mary Lou who sat next to me fanned herself as we sat down. "That was hot Steph. Do you think Carlos can teach Lenny to dance like that?" She stage whispered to me.

I laughed, Carlos shook his head and Lenny pulled his wife to him and kissed her passionately. I laughed as he pulled back and left ML dazed. There was chatter at the table as we ate. Lester and Ram fooling messing with Tank and Bobby. After promised matt time from Ranger they both stopped and Bobby and Tank were smirking.

The food served was a mixture of authentic Cuban food along with a few traditional Italian dishes. Guest were allowed to chose between both types. The Cuban dishes to chose from were Ropa Veija, Vaca Frita, and Ajiaco. Dessert was a choice between Tres Leches and Flan. The Italian dishes consisted of alfredo, spaghetti, risotto, and Tiramisu as the dessert.

I got one of every dessert there was while Carlos stuck to his favorite Flan. After he offered me his hand.

"Can I have this dance milady?" He asked.

I grinned. "You may good sir." I said putting my hand in his. He walked me to the dance floor and pulled me close.

"I hope you never doubt I love you babe." Carlos said his breath against my ear.

"How could I ever when you show me and tell me everyday?" I asked smiling up at him. He kissed me softly. We only pulled back because someone cleared their throat. Carlos growled at having to pull his lips from mine.

Joe and my mother stood together a few feet from us. Joe's hair was pink, he was dressed in a black pinstripe suit and red shirt making him look like a mobster. I giggled not trying to cover it. The music was turned off. Bobby was standing next to the DJ booth. Lester, Tank and Ram spread themselves around us to help if needed. All of the Merrymen here were watching and waiting in some way. Tank raised an eyebrow and locked eyes with Carlos.

"Stephanie did you have something to do with the pranks pulled on Joseph? Did you do this to your future husband and father of your children? How could you do this to me? Why did I have to have a daughter like you? You were supposed to be a son. If you had been my life would have been so much easier and I wouldn't have to deal with the way you act."

I felt Carlos tense and he took a step forward. I took his hand in mine and shook my head. I read the expression in his eyes. He was going to kill Morelli and my mother if he got his hands on them. I didn't want him to spend our anniversary in jail.

"Come on Cupcake. You belong in the burg married to me. Poppin' out the next generation of Morelli's." He said.

"Helen." I said. "If I had been a boy you would have just said boys will be boys, just like everyone has done with Morelli. I gave you the benefit of the doubt tonight. You showed up to a celebration you weren't invited too, and caused trouble when you were told not too. What's the burg going to think of that? Your so concerned about the actions of your daughter who doesn't live in the burg' what about your actions?

"I never wanted to be burg proper, that's what you always pushed me to be. When Morelli raped me when I was 16 you punished me. You didn't help me, you didn't press charges. You forced me to marry Dickie and before the ink dried on my marriage license he had already cheated on me. Then you forced me towards the man that raped me when I was a teenager.

"I went along with it, trying to get you off my back. I tried because I didn't want to be a disappointment to you, but then I saw his true colors. Just like every other Morelli man he's a compulsive, abusive drunk. Is that the kind of life you want your daughter to have? Why can't you just let me be happy with the man I love?"

She sputtered. "I am your mother Stephanie. You will not talk to me like this. The thug you are with isn't burg. He might have the money, the cars, but he's going to get bored with you. Then what will you do?"

"I don't have to worry about that because I'm secure in my relationship. I love Carlos. I don't want to be the burg. I'm not you and I'm not the other women of the burg. That isn't what I want."

"Cupcake you've allowed him to brain wash you. When you come home with me I can help you get out of this. He won't be able to touch you. Is he threatening you to make you stay with him?"

"Morelli." Carlos growled. He started to walk towards him but I tightened my grip and tugged him back to me.

"That's strike three Morelli." I said. Carlos glanced at me. He moved to stand next to me, holding my hand. I squeezed his hand and turned to to smile at him.

"I'm sure everybody here had heard about Morelli's strikes at the police station." I said. "Well Morelli strike three and your out."

I paused as everyone focused on me. "The real reason why Morelli and I broke up is quite a big secret. One he was and still is very intent on keeping. Joseph here loves to be on bottom and not the way everyone is thinking." I said. I paused for dramatic effect.

"Morelli loves to be..."

He lunged for me but Tank hit him like a freight train. He pinned his arms behind Joe's back to restrain him. He looked like a rabid dog, spitting and foaming at the mouth. "I swear to god Stephanie if you fucking open you god damned mouth I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!"

"I walked in the day we broke up to Joseph to burg golden boy being fucked by Joyce Barnhardt wearing a strap on." I said. The room was silent. My mother went pale. Then the laughter started with Carlos. He had already knew but every time he heard it he couldn't help but laugh.

"Your fucking dead Stephanie!" Joe yelled. He fought against Tank trying to get to me but there was no way he would get out of Tank's grasp.

"Not for many of years." Carlos said. "And all of them she'll be spending with me."

Eddie broke from the crowd with Big Dog. They placed him under arrest. My mother was shell shocked.

"I recommend you leave Helen before you make an even bigger fool of yourself." Carlos said coldly.

"This isn't over Stephanie." My mother said.

Carlos POV:

The reception had wrapped up a few hours after the incident with Morelli and Helen. Steph was with the women of my family and I was standing with the men at the bar along with a few of the Men that worked for me. They were bullshitting me.

We all watched as Bella, my sister laid her youngest son Manuel who was barely two months old in her arms. I could see Steph's face from where I stood. She smiled down at Manny.

"Steph would be a good mom." Les said. The man standing around all nodded as we watched her.

"Have you thought about kids?" Tank asked. I glanced at the man. He loved kids, but he didn't ever think he would have his own.

I shrugged. "I would love to have a little girl that looked just like Steph." I said. "I just don't know how she feels."

"You would be beating boys off with a stick." My brother Tony said. I glared at him.

"She wants kids." Mary Lou said next to me. She had snuck up on the whole group of us.

"What?" I asked.

"When we went to the mall a while back, when she needed to replace your birthday present, we talked. She wants her a little boy that looks just like his father. She's afraid you don't want anymore kids." She said.

"She told you this?" I asked.

She nodded. "Even though Steph has come such a far way since she's been with you, there are still some things that she is scared of. Kids are one of them but you not wanting them does. That's why she's never brought it up."

"Thank you Mary Lou." I said. She smiled.

"Anything for Steph. Keep my girl happy." She said. Lenny brought her, her jacket and she waved to Steph who smiled back.

I walked away from the group to go to Steph. After hearing that bit of info from Mary Lou I wanted to be with her. I sat down next to her and peaked over at my nephew. She smiled at me. She looked content, holding him. Suddenly pictures flashed through my mind.

Steph's stomach round carrying our child. Weird cravings, her smiles. Arguing over names, picking out baby clothes. I wanted all of that with her. I nuzzled her neck.

"Isn't he cute?" She sighed.

"He is." I agreed. This got two eyebrows to raise. I smiled and kissed her temple. I reached up to adjust the blanket and my nephew wrapped his hand around my index finger.

"So when are you going to bless me with more grandkids?" My mother asked as my father wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Steph looked at me. "We haven't talked about it." I said nuzzling her neck. I didn't much care for the conversation.

"Then you need too. You've been married for a year and I have no new grandchildren." My mother said. I chuckled.

"We'll talk about it." Steph said surprising the hell out of me. Manuel cooed at her and she smiled again rubbing her nose against his.

"Estefania would be a natural." Isabella said. The rest of the family standing around nodded.

"I wouldn't mind a kid from you two running around the building." Ram supplied.

"A kid from Bomber and Ranger would be cute as hell but also a trouble maker just likes it's parents."

"Don't ya know it." Babe said. She kissed Manny on the head and passed him back to my sister and took my hand standing.

"Party is over." She said. "I'm taking my husband home and celebrating our anniversary. Tank he's offline the next three days at least. Ya' know what I'll call you when he's allowed to work again."

This got laughter, especially after she started dragging me to the door. I pulled he too me as I helped her put on her jacket. "So I'm not allowed to go back to work until you tell me?" I asked.

"Yep, got a problem with that Solider."

I grinned and kissed her letting my lips lingered. "No ma'am." I said.

This chapter has been revised so many times, which is why it took me a few days to get it out. I wanted to get it perfect and wrap it in a big shinny bow.

Looks like Morelli is out of strikes. Is this the last of him or will he be back? He reminds me of a fungus. What did you think of Helen? Her attitude towards Steph and Carlos are about right to me for her character.

What would a child from Steph and Carlos look like? A boy or a girl? Curly brown hair or straight black hair? Blue eyes or brown eyes? Either way that child would be gorgeous. Maybe one day soon we will see.

I hope you enjoyed with chapter. I'm holding chapter six hostage for more reviews! Seriously tell me what you think I would love feedback, good or bad.