A/N: I LOVE you guys. I really do, especially how a lot of you seem to share the same mind and kept asking the same question 'What was Morelli doing there? What's his motive?" Honestly, you guys read way too much into things, since I just... wanted to write a chapter where Steph puts Morelli finally in his place. There was no motive, other than him being an ass. Strangely enough, he wouldn't even get any 'screen time' from here on out, but I just came up with the oddest idea and a bit of a weird twist in chapter 40 to finish this story eventually. Since I had been thinking how to finish the story... i think i finally found my idea, but nothing is set in stone yet - so for unusual things, how about you tell me what you'd like to read or have explained and maybe I make it into chapter 40 since the story sort of is finished at 39 ... I have a feeling I might regret that suggestion slightly, especially since in the Facebook Group 'Ranger should get the girl' someone asked me some questions in regards of previous chapters and unanswered questions :)

The weeks ticked by and nothing exciting really happened. I noticed how my calls to Ranger's cell phone seemed to become less and less over time and I took that as a somewhat good sign. Maybe I finally decided on dealing with it. Or maybe I was just not having time really. Between business meetings and clients, budget proposals and the issues I wanted to solve for the Helena office and Davis, I still was occasionally burying myself into the idea of a possible expansion.

Like with every business there are sometimes bad days happening, stuff doesn't work out, you need to smooth things over with people or just general issues you are running into. The thing with RangeMan that a bad day for that company usually was excruciatingly bad. Because often enough it involved things going terribly wrong. To a point where someone could lose his life.

When I got the call about an operation not going as ideal as it was planned, I was already on alert. This was never a good start. Mainly because RangeMan and the MerryMen planned meticulously and often enough had six alternative plans in case something wouldn't work. There were too many factors that could usually go wrong, so you'd try to eliminate as many things as possible beforehand.

The call came while I was pouring over some budgeting issues and I was honestly only listening partially. But when I heard hospital and that some men were brought there with injuries after a capture has gone south, I was wide awake, alert and not paying attention to anything or anyone else than the person I spoke to.

I grabbed the keys of the Porsche and made my way over to St. Francis, getting filled in by Tank the moment I walked through the hospital doors. The guy they had been after had been in their custody when they transferred him over to Homeland Security and for yet unknown reasons, he had been able to get away, getting hold of a weapon and shooting six people. Four of them from Homeland Security, two of these fatal. Zero and Slick had been in the crossfire between Homeland and the FTA, and so far it wasn't yet clear whether they got shot by friendly fire or whether the bullet from the FTA's obtained gun had hit them. FUCK!

"How are they?" I asked, seeing Bobby walking towards me and Tank.

"Zero just pulled through and will be fine. Slick is a whole different story. From what I was told already the bullet hit a major artery and he lost a shitload of blood. He was supposedly touch and go already on the way over here," Bobby filled us in when I noticed a very tough looking guy walking towards us.

"Stephanie Plum?" he asked and I just nodded.

"Mitchel McConnel, Homeland Security," he went on, offering me his hand.

"What the hell happened?" I asked, not even trying to mask my bitchiness. I already knew this would be paperwork until next year. And there was also the fear about Slick.

"No idea, but we are looking into. This wouldn't have happened if your guys would have suited up."

"Excuse me? Suited up?" I asked, still pissed and not even knowing what he was talking about.

"A bulletproof vest," he explained and I was barely keeping myself back from hitting him.

"I understand you lost two men," I explained and saw him nod sternly. "I guess they were as equally suited as my men. And if your guys hadn't fucked up, we wouldn't meet here, at this hospital, with two fatalities on your end and two of my guys out of commission for the near future. We transferred the FTA into your care, so please, go ahead and explain to me what the fuck you are talking about and how exactly this is our fault. As far as I know he was in your custody and on the way to transportation, being handled by your guys already. So, why exactly is your screw-up my problem other than two of my best guys paying quite a price right now?"

"You don't understand, Plum," McConnel started before I went off again.

"You got that right. He was in cuffs and secured, as standard procedure. So there was no more need for bulletproof vests. He was handed over to you guys, when he managed to escape. Since I don't believe our FTA waited patiently until he was in your care to escape if he had an earlier possibility, I really don't understand. Clearly it wasn't the equipment that was all off a sudden faulty when handed over to you and it certainly wasn't a screw-up on our end since that would have meant the FTA would have escaped a lot sooner – or least attempted an escape. So… explain to me what exactly I need to understand to get the full picture?"

"Do you even know who we are talking about?"

"Of course I do. We are talking about a guy that you guys weren't able to get a track on for the past eight months, and yet we were able to locate him within two weeks of you pawning that case of to us. We did you a fucking favour and did it speedy and efficiently. It isn't my fault that you surround yourself with incompetence and people that don't seem to have a fucking clue about how to do their job. And now two of my guys pay the price, as well as the two on your end that paid with their lives."

"If I were you I'd watch my mouth, Plum," came as a warning.

"If I were you I'd shut up already and get to the bottom of this instead of pushing the blame onto anyone who you think can't fight back," I replied, pushing my way past him. I stopped a moment later and turned around, facing him. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for your loss," and then I walked on, not even caring about a reply. Not that there was any reply worth mentioning.

I waited six hours at that damn hospital, Bobby and Tank not leaving my side once. Six endless hours. Zero woke up after three, and when we crossed the sixth hour we finally heard the news we were all hoping for. Slick would be okay as well. They had managed to stop the bleeding and he would eventually be most likely okay. The doctor mentioned that it had been a few more times touch and go again, but finally he was stable. In that moment, I felt like the biggest weight had been lifted of my shoulder and like I could actually breath again.

"This day has been just…. The worst yet," I mumbled into the receiver that night when I called Ranger's number since I felt I couldn't speak to anyone else. It wasn't like Tank, Bobby or any other Merry Men for that matter hadn't offered for me to talk to them, but somehow I didn't feel like it. I just felt like my monologue with Ranger's mailbox was more what I needed. "We had a case of total FUBAR in regards of an FTA from Homeland Security. And it went…bad, really, really bad. Zero and Slick were hit by a bullet and with Slick it was a very close call and I just… I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't made it. The guy from Homeland was a total asshole, trying to push the blame onto us and the guys, but… wow, did I go off on him. I think even Tank and Bobby might have been scared off me for a second. Hell, I myself am scared of myself when thinking about it," I laughed, shacking my head as if really having a proper conversation. "The longer I have these monologues with your mailbox, the more I realize there are so many things that we never said. Maybe it is because today was really bad and could have ended a lot worse, maybe it is just that I feel vulnerable right now, but…there are so many things that should have been said between us. That I never said to you and that I will never say to you. I just wish… I had a chance of ever saying some of the things I need to say to you. Leaving messages surely helps, but…it isn't the same. One of the few things I should have said to you at some point – apart from thanks for everything you did for me was…," I took a deep breath, not knowing what all of a sudden came over me and why I felt the need of saying it now, but…it felt right. "I lov-" I went on but was all of a sudden interrupted by the mechanical voice telling me I had exceeded the limit of the mailbox storage. Right before I could tell him that I loved him. Right in a moment that seemed so important and also so fitting with such an ending – or interruption. It summed up our relationship perfectly, always the wrong time and circumstances. If I wouldn't have realized all of a sudden that this was it. This was the end of my calls to Ranger's number. The end of us in a way. And all of a sudden I started crying. Crying for something I had lost long ago, but had never admitted to and was just thrown into realization.

And just like that, my bad day became even worse. I didn't lose Slick today, but right now, with the end of this message, I had lost Ranger. In a way I wasn't sure what was worse.

It would take me an entire week of bad moods, crankiness and bitching to unsuspecting people until I actually felt better. Well, not better, but to at least find acceptance in the fact that I needed to close the Ranger chapter finally. And it would take me another week to actually come to terms with that acceptance.

I was just having a discussion with Junior about one thing or another when mid-sentence my phone rang and picking it up I was hearing Binkie on the other end, sounding flustered to some degree. Odd.

"Boss, you… have a visitor who isn't on your schedule," he started and I let out a sigh, knowing that my schedule was packed today and unscheduled visitors could get me into difficulties in regards of my agenda.

"Who is it? My mother? Morelli?" I asked almost annoyed into the receiver. Mentally I went already through every sort of mayhem they might have read about me lately, but drew a blank.

"Um, no."

"Okay, who are we talking about? A client?"

"Not sure she is yet. Marylin Swanson wants to see you…"

"Marylin Swan…?" I started, before realizing my mistake. "Oh fuck, I forgot to call her back. Damn, I… is she with you right now?" I asked confused, knowing that he was on reception duty and reception didn't answer outside client calls.

"Yes, with me and probably half of RangeMan. Do you… do you want me to send her …up?"

It took me a moment to think about the possibilities before I ordered Binkie to send her up with one of the guys – his choosing – to a conference room. I'd meet her there and would probably have come up with everything else until I made it there.

Ten minutes later I was entering the conference room and saw her get up. "I'm so sorry for barging in here without any appointment really…," she started. In that exact moment I had started on my excuse as well.

"I'm sorry I hadn't gotten back to you after your assistant had called. I was just… swamped in work."

We both laughed when we realized we had spoken at the exact same time and neither has heard much of the others.

"I heard that you have a rather busy schedule and I don't want to keep you for long. Maybe we can set up an appointment that suits you better and I won't keep you away from running this impressive company?"

"It only looks impressive and I'm just the face. The magic is done by others," I admitted laughingly. "Until when are you in town?"

I took my phone and opened my calendar, seeing that my coming days were all equally packed. I witnessed Marylin doing the same in regards of the phone and scrolling a few times.

"I'm in town until next Wednesday and apart from Friday I'm always free really."

"Sunday then?" I asked before realizing that maybe she didn't mean the weekend when talking about 'always free'. Her expression also showed me that I had maybe overstepped.

"You want to schedule a meeting for Sunday? Don't you have the day off?" she asked, looking more amused than irritated.

"I don't really have off days in my line of work," I admitted amused and was about to suggest another day during the week, when she surprised me again.

"You were saying what exactly about magic being done by others? But Sunday works perfectly for me."

"Okay, Sunday it is then," I agreed and made a note in my calendar with a reminder for in about 20 minutes so I'd also note it down on my whiteboard. "Can I offer you a coffee at least for getting here? I mean, I sure was not somewhere along the way," I laughed and saw her decline with a shacking of her head.

"I really do not want to keep you. And you can offer me as much coffee as you'd like once Sunday comes around. I also have a few appointments to take care of and really just popped by assuming setting up an appointment would be much easier in person when you can't hang up, run away or forget," she laughed and I needed to laugh as well. She wasn't so far off in all fairness.

And then she got up and left. Just like that. Without much fuss or demands for making time for her now. For a moment I really wondered whether she just really stopped by in order to set up an appointment or whether there was a bigger reason behind it but before I could ask or voice my doubts she was gone and for me it was back to my meetings for the rest of the day.

Something I took immense pleasure in – and though they guy would deny it they did take the same kind of pleasure in it – was sitting in on recruitment interviews. For the first few recruits before Tank and the others were back I left that to whoever wanted in from the MerryMen. I didn't need to be involved in something I had little idea about. I knew the rough requirements and what the job came with, but didn't feel like I could really answer in-depth questions or knew what exactly we really looked for in recruits – other than them being buff and hunky and maybe scary looking. Me and the MerryMen though quickly learned that me not being involved turned occasionally to issues when it came to me – a woman – handing out an order. Now, I knew the military did have woman in it and woman in high places as well. But it seemed like some of our recruits hadn't gotten that memo or never crossed paths with a woman who was higher in the chain of command. It wasn't like they were disrespectful or something but… they couldn't really handle me. Whether that was just because they found me attractive or whether they had other issues was something that was never found out and quiet honestly, I didn't care about the reasons anyway.

For then on it was decided I would take some part in the recruitment process. It wouldn't guarantee for glitches not coming up, but we could already rule out a few people that were clearly uncomfortable with me sitting in.

When I entered the next scheduled meeting I stopped in my tracks for a moment – something that wasn't entirely unusual in all fairness. I mean, some of these men were… whew. Easy on the eye was one word to describe them. None of them of course compared to Ranger, but… well.

"Hemsworth, meet our boss, Stephanie Plum, CEO of RangeMan," Tank introduced me the second I stepped through the door.

"Ma'am," the guy sitting on one side of the long conference table all by himself said and got up. Apparently, that was something almost all of them did. They got up when I entered the room and wasn't already present right from the start.

"At ease, soldier… ahm, I mean, Marine," I ordered half-heartedly. Not sure it was common to say this, but I found it cute and funny and Tank never really corrected me. And the recruits that had proven good so far never mentioned anything either, so I kept going until someone said something.

I took a seat between Tank and Cal and opened the file that had been laid out for me. "Sorry, I'm late guys," I offered my apologies to Tank and Cal and probably indirectly Hemsworth who studied me carefully. "I had an unexpected visitor."

"Morelli or your mother?" Cal asked and I found it interesting that no one was paying attention to our recruit for a moment. Maybe some sort of odd test?

"Neither. Just… um… Marylin Swanson."

"The actress? As in… winner of three Oscars and just everyone's favourite American Sweetheart?"

"The one and only. And before either of you two asks, she left already. I think Bones escorted her downstairs again. So guys, you missed your chance."

Out of my peripheral vision I watched them for a moment looking at each other and clearly waiting for more information from me. Which I wasn't going to give. Not that there was a lot to tell. I myself didn't really know what this was about. I barely remembered the phone call I had with her assistant. What had she said again? A job in Trenton? Or something like that?

I skipped through the file and decided that for the moment I had more important and pressing issues to look at – namely Nolan Hemsworth who was sitting opposite Tank, Cal and me and looked as cool as a cucumber. Good start.

"So, Nolan, it states here in your file you are a Major with the Marines. Why the sudden change? Does the Marine Corps bore you?"

"No, Ma'am," he replied, keeping his eyes firmly on the wall and door behind me. Something I learned very early on is that most of these guys never looked one in the eye. It was a bit unnerving, especially when trying to have a conversation., But years of active duty in various branches of the US Military and the training to be that way was hard to fix within a few moments.

"I have a girlfriend and being in the Marines means being away rather often and for longer periods of time. I was thinking of maybe trying to find something that has me being in Trenton on a more permanent basis."

"According to your files it states that you signed up for the Marines right out of High School and haven't done anything else since. That is quite some change for a girl," I admitted admiringly.

"It's quiet some girl," he replied within a second and I needed to grin.

"Does she know about your plans?" I asked curious and knew he didn't need to reply really. This wasn't a question that was job-relevant. It was just my plain curiosity.

"Not yet, didn't want to get her too excited or to get her hopes up too high just to be disappointed if it doesn't work out."

"And why wouldn't it work out?" I asked and knew I just needed a few more questions and could leave the rest to Tank and Cal.

"RangeMan is quiet a big deal and quite some company to work for. Everyone knows that if you wanna leave the forces you want to work for RangeMan. The requirements are tough, the benefits are amazing and a lot of people that apply get turned down because something didn't fit. Everyone knows you run a tight ship, Ma'am…"

"Me?" I asked a bit surprised with a slightly shrill tone to my voice. "I.. wait, what do you mean 'everyone knows'? Who's everyone?"

"Um… everyone I asked, Ma'am. You have a certain reputation amongst us in the forces."

"I have a …reputation? Oh great. A reputation is never good, isn't it? What do they say?"

Hemsworth looked at me uncertain for a moment – never a good sign. But then he surprised me when he replied.

"That you took the company over from an ex-Army Ranger who put his everything into RangeMan and ran a solid yet tightly-knit crew that was tough to get into and required more than just the muscle to be employed. They say he was tough, yet fair and required your everything when on the job. And that you demand nothing less and run an equally tight-knit and solid crew. That it would be as tough to get a job and that once employed it would be worth everything."

"They say that? Jeez, and here I thought I forgot the weekly bribery cheques in the mail," I smiled and saw him look at me for the first time. Progress, I guess.

"May I ask what happened to him?"

"He's- MIA," I replied and saw a moment later in his eyes what he read between the lines. He confirmed my suspicion a second later though.

"I'm sorry. My… condolences."

"I said he was MIA, not dead," I said sharply and with force and got up a second later, gathering my files I needed for the rest of the day and left.

An hour later, after I had just hung up with a slightly disgruntled FBI agent who asked the impossible from me, I heard a knocking on my door and Tank as well as Cal entered a second later.

"Did you finish the interview after my emotional departure?"

"You call that emotional departure?" Tank asked amused and took a seat opposite my desk.

"Teaches him to ask questions he has no business asking," Cal offered as well and sat down on the corner of my desk.

"What are your thoughts?" Tank asked and again I was confused. They'd never ask me that because I always sent them my thoughts and notes in an e-mail a short moment after I left these interviews. I never stayed til the end, but usually my exits were less dramatic and more under the pretend of another meeting – which occasionally really did take place. And then I realized I hadn't actually sent them an email.

"I… um… yeah, he made a solid impression. Even without the entire questioning about Ranger's whereabouts and the ass-kissing in regards of my reputation."

"You think he was kissing your backside?" Cal asked surprised and I just looked at him confused again for a moment.

"Do you really think I have a reputation with the Marines? Or any other branch of the Military? Most of them probably don't even know about me until they decide on applying and them maybe reading a few details about the company, who runs it and the likes. "

There was silence for a while and then Cal got up from my desk, still not saying anything, opening the door of my office and called for Vince, Junior and Zip. A moment later all three appeared and my office seemed all of a sudden slightly too small with five hunks cramping themselves inside it.

"How often does any one of you speak to your Army, Marine, Navy or the Air Force buddies generally?" Cal asked and I wasn't entirely sure where this was going. Neither did the others, judging by the looks on their faces.

"Um… About once a week?" Junior said, who was as far as I knew ex-Marine.

"Maybe once every two weeks? At least though once a month," Zip replied, who was representing the Air Force in this equation.

"About the same as Junior and Zip. Something between once a week and once a month. Depending whether or not they are diploid somewhere," Vince replied after a while. I wasn't entirely sure from which branch of the military Vincecame, but thought maybe the Army, just like Ranger, Bobby and Tank had been.

"I speak to several people in the Navy once a week. And I can tell you every time I speak to them RangeMan and more interestingly you come up during that conversation. Ever since you made the papers as the first woman in the private security sector my buddies have taken quite some interest in you as my boss. And I can guarantee you, the same can most likely be said about the buddies of Vince, Zip and Junior, correct?"

While Cal asked his question, he turned to the three mentioned MerryMen and all three nodded.

"Definitely. I can tell you, the company and you as my boss come up almost in every conversation," Junior said, seeming almost a little proud.

"Same," Zip and Vince replied a moment later.

"Really?" I asked surprised and saw everyone nod once more.

"Yeah," Junior said almost matter-of-factly. "Though at first it was just general curiosity I suppose. They all knew Ranger and his reputation and wondered how a girl taking over has changed things and if you were up to the task. But when it was quickly established that you aren't just up to the task, but exceed it conversation quickly turned into interest and the likes."

"I actually have friends specifically asking about you. They just seem generally interested. Most of them aren't used to female superiors. It isn't like they wouldn't respect you or the likes, they are just curios in regards of that and what it is like to work with you. Some of them seem disappointed when I tell them you are more often behind a desk than out in the field."

"Well aren't we all secretly happy about that?" I laughed and saw all men nod again.

After that Junior, Zip and Vince left and it was just me, Cal and Tank once more.

"Now that that's taken care of, maybe we could… talk about what… um… happened at the end of the interview?" Cal asked carefully and I looked at him uncertain what to make of this. I knew if I told him to back off, he would. But I also knew he was concerned as a friend. And looking at Tank I could see a certain amount of concern as well.

"Nothing happened," I said almost confidently. With a bit of luck my tactic of denial was going to work. Or…not. I mean, I was talking to Tank and Cal. Though, in all fairness, you have inserted any MerryMen in this equation and it would have equally failed.

They didn't even need say anything for me to alter my course. One look was sufficient.

"I just… I wasn't prepared," I admitted after a long pause.

"Prepared for what? That someone brings up Ranger or that someone questions his whereabouts or rather what happened?"

"Both I guess, though more of the later one. It isn't like I am not aware of what's going on and what happened and that I live in a state of denial that somewhere out there he's still saving the world. But… I'm not sure I'm able to admit to that piece of truth outside… the circle of people and in a way this bubble. I mean… none of us has talked about what happened and while it isn't like people avoid talking about it, sometimes I feel everyone moved on and I'm… stuck in-between, not ready to let go."

"Do you still call his number?" Tank asked and after another long pause I nodded and shook my head equally.

"I call it sometimes to just hear his voice, but can't leave a message since I ran out of storage. I finally reached the end of that road – so to speak," I admitted and saw all of a sudden a certain realisation set in.

"Guess that explains your mood these past few weeks," he said, before looking hard at me. "Are you okay? I mean, really okay? Not just 'I pick up more work in order to avoid dealing with it' okay?"

I laughed at his question. He knew me well, that was for certain.

"Maybe ask me that same question in a few weeks again and I might be able to answer truthfully. Right now, maybe we can agree on a 'I'll get there'? It is work in progress and every day seems to become a little easier, though, it still hurts like hell to be honest. But give it time and I'll be back to my usual happy, cheerful self."

Tank just nodded, excepting my request for now and moved on.

"So… about Hemsworth?" Tank asked after a while of silence and I had already forgotten about their initial reason for stepping by.

"I liked him. Leaving aside his curiosity about Ranger's whereabouts he seemed to have what we are looking for – at least what I can judge by. He didn't seem to have problems with me as girl being his boss technically and his reasoning for leaving the service was plausible as well. Can't judge a guy for wanting to settle down somewhere. From me it's a go if you guys think he'll fit in with everything else."

Three days later Cal mentioned they had made him an offer and Hemsworth had accepted. Good, more men meant more manpower and less stress and double shifts at some point for the existing MerryMen.