A/N: Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers! I will hopefully respond soon. I've been focusing on getting more written since this was the last pre-written chapter I have. I'm still hoping to post once a week but it depends on RL. Let me know what you think of this chapter! I am working to get some more Ranger-centric chapters but my muse has other ideas first. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: As always, I own none of the recognizable characters, they belong to JE.

Plum & Prejudice

Chapter 21:

"There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil—a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome."

I wake up with a start, my heart pounding. I feel slick with sweat—another nightmare. Thankfully, I don't remember this one, but it woke me. I'm disoriented and completely in the dark. I panic as I realize I don't know where I am. I throw the sheets off of me and roll out of bed with a thump. I can feel myself start to hyperventilate as I make my way towards where I think the door is. I stub my toe as I clumsily find a wall. I'm hopping on one foot and trying not to curse when I find the doorway. I start searching the wall immediately and feel the light switch.

Blinding light illuminates the room. The memory of the night before all comes flooding back. I slump against the wall in relief. I'm safe. I'm at RangeMan in one of the apartments. Sitting on the floor, I collect myself. I take calming breaths, in and out. Then, when my heart is no longer threatening to beat right out of my chest, I stand up. I wander into the tiny kitchen and fill a glass with water.

When I've calmed down and gotten myself ready for the morning, I see it's five-thirty. I roll my eyes at my inability to stay asleep and decide to venture to the break room to see what breakfast options look like. Then, depending on who I run into, I will either head to Double X for my workout or workout in the RangeMan gym. I have to admit working out with a bunch of ex-military guys does not appeal to me. Sure, they will be hot to watch, but I'm nowhere in shape like they are in, so it's a bit intimidating.

I head out into the hallway and head straight to the elevator. It takes me a minute to remember which floor the break room is on, but I click five before I can talk myself out of it. As the elevator opens to the bright hallway, it looks exactly the same as last night. I hear no chatter, nor do I see anyone around. I walk out tentatively. I see the control room and peek in. I see Cal and another unnamed man inside. I've realized I've started referring to them by a nickname in my head. I'm not sure they would appreciate it, but I've dubbed them the Merry Men. I doubt they'd like the moniker. It's after Robin Hood and his band of merry men. Hmm… I wonder what these guys would look like in tights. Drool. I figure they save the world in their own way, and they follow Ranger. I guess that would make Ranger Robin Hood, but he's definitely more of a dark knight.

Instead of bothering Cal and his partner, I wander further on until I find the break room. I don't know why I'm surprised the space is empty. I notice the counter is full of what seems to be wheat bagels, English muffins, and premade breakfast sandwiches. Next to that are three carafes labeled regular, decaf, and hot water. I peek into the fridge. I see lox, cream cheese (low fat), fresh fruit cups, and hard-boiled eggs. Quite a selection here, and I noticed my stomach rumbles.

I think this is the first time I've actually felt hungry since the attack. Normally, I am well known for my appetite and the monstrous beast that lives within my stomach. I grab some fruit, and then I microwave one of the breakfast sandwiches to start. Next, I fix a cup of green tea and make myself comfortable at a table.

A few men wander in while I'm eating, but I don't recognize them. They're polite but obviously a bit surprised to see me there. I give them all little finger waves as I try to control the nerves I'm feeling. I'd be more reassured if I were seeing guys I know. Of course, most of the guys don't stay, which doesn't bother me.

I'm just finishing up and about to leave when Lester walks in. I feel relief when I spot him. His eyes light up when he catches sight of me, and he shoots me a grin.

"Hey there, Beautiful, I heard you were hiding out here," Les greets easily as he toasts a bagel.

"And I hear you're part of my detail this morning," I respond cheekily. I see the other two RangeMan looking between us but staying silent. Les nods in confirmation.

"Have these two knuckleheads introduced themselves yet?" he questions, shooting the men a look, "I know a lot of them aren't used to beautiful women in their presence, but I've been trying to work on their manners." I can't help but laugh at this. The two gentlemen sitting there have the decency to look abashed. One is a redhead, and the other is a sandy blond. Both look muscular and dressed in all black. Finally, the redhead clears his throat.

"I'm Woody," the redhead says with a lilting Texan accent. I notice his eyes are a sparkling blue. He elbows the man sitting next to him.

"I'm Axle," the blond responds, giving me a grin. I nod at the two of them.

"I'm Stephanie, but you can call me Steph," I greet, "just here until we find out who bombed my car." I give them both a wide grin at this, and they seem baffled. I'm trying to pretend it doesn't bother me as much as it does. It is just a car, after all. Lester laughs.

"I hear we need to register your Granny's fingers as a lethal weapon," Lester says, chuckling as he takes a seat beside me. I feel the blush spread over my cheeks.

"I think Hal will be more careful," I mumble, looking down at my empty plate.

"Hal will definitely be more careful," someone says, sounding strained. I look up to see Hal limping into the room. He has a cut on his cheek, and he's walking like he's bruised all over. He tries shooting me a grin, but it comes out as a grimace.

"Oh my goodness! Hal, are you okay?" I question, suddenly feeling horrible all over again. He plops down beside me and across from Lester.

"Well, I did eight miles this morning and then spent thirty minutes in the ring with Ranger," he explains, "he went easy on me." I can see the effort it takes him.

"It doesn't seem like he went easy," I respond, glancing him over, "let me get you breakfast. Just tell me what you want." He grunts. I carefully arrange a breakfast sandwich, half a bagel, and a hard-boiled egg on a plate. I also grab a fruit cup and set it in front of Hal. Then I go ahead and mix up some coffee. I feel bad since technically, the cookies were my idea, and Grandma is, well, my grandma. I should have known she was going to try something sneaky.

Thirty minutes later, Hector, Lester, and I are in the car as they drive me to Double X. It's later than I usually go, but I don't mind. Hector is one of my favorite Merry Men. Hec's my height, thin and wiry. He is Latino with a dark complexion and many tattoos; his most noticeable tattoos are the two teardrops right below his left eye. Some of the guys told me that Hector is the most frightening RangeMan and is an ex-gangbanger. He's never been anything but sweet to me.

Most people don't know this, but in the seven times he's worked on my rotation, I've learned that he does speak English. He told me I reminded him of his little sister, who was raped and killed by an opposing gang. He earned his two teardrops when he killed the man who did it and his second in command.

Hector told me that after that, he looked for a way out of the gang life when Ranger approached him. Hector is self-taught on computers and a master with knives. If I knew he wasn't on my side, I'd be scared to meet him in a dark alley at night.

From everything that happened with Joe, the most unexpected positive is my newfound friendships with the men of RangeMan. They are all dedicated to their job and Ranger. I haven't found a guy who has uttered one bad word about the man. In fact, it seems that Ranger has saved each of their lives at one point or another, never asking anything more in return other than to do an excellent job at work.

Lester's voice brings me out of my musings, "Beautiful, I still don't get the name of this gym." He's whining, and I roll my eyes.

"I thought you had a brain, Les," I respond cheekily. Lester harrumphs as he turns into the gym's parking lot as one of the regulars is exiting. She's a tall blonde with large breasts, an hourglass waist, and a pretty large butt. She's also five nine and a model. Her name is Jenny. She's super friendly but not too bright. I can tell Lester is ogling.

"I think a more apt name for the gym is Double D," Les says appreciatively, and I can tell he's waggling his eyebrows even from my seat in the back. I roll my eyes. Hector quickly slaps Lester on the back of his head.

"Ponte tu lengua dentro tu boca. Eres un perro o que? Ten respeto por las mujeres," Hector says rapidly to Les in a disgusted tone. I don't speak a word of Spanish, so I have no idea what Hector just said, but Lester looks reprimanded.

"Sorry, Beautiful," Les mumbles as Hector opens my door to let me out of the car, "enjoy your workout." I salute. Hector scans the parking lot, and I press two quick kisses to his tattoos. Then, finally, he smiles and waves me on.

As soon as I walk into the gym, I see Lula on a treadmill. I head over and get on the one next to her. Today she's wearing neon yellow. I resist the urge to squint as I look at her. Instead, she glances over at me and grins.

"So, slept better, huh? You're here at a regular time," she says as she pulls one of her headphones out of her ear. I shrug.

"Well, I lost my car yesterday, so I had to wait for a ride," I explain as I start the treadmill on a brisk walk. Marianne told me the importance of warming up my muscles first. If I just go straight into a run, then I won't be able to go as far and will be more likely to injure myself.

"What happened to your car?" Lula asks as she ups the speed on her treadmill. She's doing a slow jog now. I sigh.

"Someone unknown bombed it," I say resigned, "waiting to find out if it was intentional or an accident." Lula's eyes go wide.

"You best be careful. My Tankie should make sure you have the best security," she replies, "will you still be okay for breakfast tomorrow?"

"I'm actually staying at RangeMan until we find out about the car," I explain, "and I still have my detail, so I think lunch will be doable." She nods.

"You be careful," she says before breaking eye contact. I nod before getting lost in thought. We don't say much else as we each accelerate our workouts.

I'm not much for running. However, Marianne told me that it's an integral part of feeling strong and capable, especially after an attack. So, I usually only run once a week; otherwise, I do other forms of cardio. I think she's right because I never know when I might need to run. So, after the treadmill, I go ahead and take the group kickboxing class. Lula joins, and we partner up.

Two hours later, I emerge sweatily and feel the endorphins running through my body. I'm surprised by how much my body has transformed since working out regularly. I guess my appetite and what I've been eating also helped. I've gone down two sizes, and where I was a bit flabby before, I have toned muscle. Les and Hector must see me because they pull up before I can cross over to the car. I hop in.

"Good workout?" Les asks as he pulls away.

"Yep, I got all sweaty and saw Lula," I reply, looking at the clock. It's now eight, so I'll have to get ready quickly to make it to work on time. I don't know why I care so much, considering it's my last day at E.E. Martin.

I fly through my day, not really doing much work. It seems everyone and their mother wants to stop by my desk to say goodbye as I wrap up several items. The FBI left yesterday, so Marge and Michel are a little less edgy.

Unfortunately, there is a rumor going around that someone leaked something to the FBI. No one knows who or what, but the rumbles are there. It's enough to make me uneasy. Five o'clock rolls around before I know it. I hand my badge and keys to Marge, and she doesn't look so upset. I smile and flounce off to the elevator, where Tina waits. She grins at me.

"I'm so happy for you, Steph! Want to celebrate with a drink with Jared?" she questions as the elevator dings open. We step inside as I debate. I don't want to go considering everything that's happened to me, but this might be the last time we have this opportunity for a while.

"Let me just talk to the guys on my security detail first," I say, "they're my wheels since my car was blown up last night." Tina's eyes go wide.

"What?!" she squeals as her eyes scan me for any injuries. I give her a small smile.

"Yeah, when I took Grandma to a viewing at the funeral home," I explain as we step into the cool air, "I'm waiting to hear back on if it was targeted or an accident." Tina raises an eyebrow and gives me a skeptical look.

"Girl, Morelli is out to get you, and the FBI just finished their investigation into the mob-run E.E. Martin!" Tina whispers harshly, "it's unlikely it was an accident!" I let out a huge sigh.

"Don't you think I know this?" I question, running a hand through my unruly hair, "I hate this, Tina! I have no car. I have a security detail of two men following me at all times. I'm paranoid! I can't even walk to my car without having my anxiety ratchet up so far I can hear my heart in my ears. I'm scared and angry. I'm so angry!"

My chest is heaving, and I realize I was just shouting as we stand in front of the building. Thankfully, no one witnessed my outburst besides Tina. She's looking at me, her brown eyes big and sad. She steps forward and wraps me in a hug. I can feel the tears falling from my eyes on their own accord.

"I'm sorry, Tina," I mumble through my tears, "I didn't mean to yell. It just came out." She rubs my back.

"It's okay, Steph," Tina whispers, "I know it's been a lot for you lately." I sniffle and pull back.

"Hopefully, once the trial is over, then I can start to move forward," I explain, unsure how that makes sense but feeling it to be true nonetheless.

"We'll have drinks another time, okay?" Tina says, hugging me tightly, "I just want you to be safe." I nod, more tears trickling down my cheeks.

"Thanks, Tina," I reply with a watery smile. I guess I know what to focus on in my next therapy session: Anger.

As if psychic, the RangeMan SUV pulls up to the curb as we hug one last time.

"Call me anytime, chicky," Tina says, "I'm here for you." I suddenly can't speak as an uncomfortable lump has made its home in the back of my throat. I feel my eyes fill with unshed tears. I just nod as she watches me get in the SUV. I'm surprised to see Hector and Lester still. Usually, they switch mid-day with another rotation.

"Hey, Beautiful, how does some greasy pizza for dinner sound?" Les asks from the front seat. I feel myself blanching, and my stomach rolls at the thought. I swear I can physically taste the pizza I threw up that night after...after Joe. I swallow a few times thickly and take a deep breath through my nose to remind myself that the taste is not really there.

"How about something else?" I question, hearing the tremble in my voice. A surge of anger rises through me again. Pizza is one of my favorite foods, and I can't even enjoy it. Les and Hector share a concerned look.

"Sure thing, anything in particular?" he questions as he starts to head towards RangeMan.

"I could go for a burger and fries," I say after a moment as I take cleansing breaths to try and get my anger under control. The guys stop at a Checkers, and Hector goes in while we wait in the car.

Usually, I would try to fill the silence, but I don't have it in me. I'm startled when my phone rings from my purse. I pull it out to see Eddie calling me.

"Hey Eddie," I say, answering quickly, "how are you?" He heaves a heavy sigh across the line, and my chest tightens. I doubt this will be good.

"Hey Steph," he greets in response, "I'm okay. How are you holding up?"

"As best I can. You have any news on the bomb?" I question, getting straight to the point. I just want to rip off the proverbial band-aid. I'm not okay, but I'd be better knowing who did this so I can get on with my life.

"Yeah, the bomb squad found the bomb on the undercarriage of your car," he explains, "a remote detonator activated it. Bomb was homemade, so it likely wasn't professional."

"Not professional?" I question, not sure I understand what he's obviously trying to hint. He lets out another heavy sigh. When he speaks again, his voice lowers as though trying not to be overheard.

"It's very unlikely it's Mob related," he replies, "I took a look after the bomb squad finished. My personal opinion, I've seen this type before." He pauses.

"You've seen this before?" I question, my voice going up an octave, "what the hell does that mean?" Eddie sighs again. I swear, I'd slap him if he were in front of me. I just need him to get this over with already. Can't he understand that?

"When we were teenagers, do you remember when old man Hadley's corner liquor store was blown up and vandalized?" I scrunch my brows together. Why would he be bringing this up?

"Of course I remember! It was the talk of high school," I mutter, "and Joe and Mooch bragged about it for days and had a party...why...oh my god!" The reason he brings it up hits me like a bolt of lightning.

"I'm afraid so," he responds, "but the good thing is that they're amateurs." Another thought suddenly occurs to me, and I narrow my eyes.

"How would you even know to connect these two bombs, Eddie?" I ask, an edge to my voice, "you told me you had nothing to do with it!"

"Steph, you know before I married Shirley, I always dreamed of being in the bomb squad," Eddie reminds me gently, "back in high school, we weren't cool...I may have helped them and in return got some street cred and free booze." I sigh. I want to be mad at Eddie, but I can't. He's been one of my best friends since kindergarten. We've always had each other's backs and stuck together in high school. Saying we weren't cool is an understatement. We were the geeks and losers. I wasn't necessarily the geek, but I didn't fit in because I never tried to be 'Burg like my mother and sister. Eddie was small all throughout school and wore thick glasses at the time. He was one of the smartest in our year, but he was teased endlessly. I can understand why he did what he did back then.

"So, you know it was either Mooch or Joe?" I question, "is there any hard evidence?" Eddie lets out an even heavier sigh this time.

"Dammit, Eddie! Quit sighing like this is the worst possible thing in your life! Because it's not, it's mine," I snap at him through the phone, my patience evaporating quicker than I would have liked. I feel slightly bad, but not enough to apologize right now. I can see Lester looking at me in the rearview mirror. His green eyes, typically sparkling with mirth, have a flat quality today. I avert my eyes instead of wondering about his expression. I can't take pity.

"I'm sorry, Steph, but knowing that what I did in high school is being used against you today kills me," he responds, voice sounding pained, "I feel partly responsible. But no, there's no hard evidence that it was either of them. It's just the soldering technique of the remote detonator is exactly the same as Mooch's was in high school. I remember because he's left-handed, and it left a little extra melted plastic at a certain angle."

This time, I let out a long sigh, and I lean forward to rest my forehead on the front seat. I'd bash my head against it if I didn't think I'd worry the Merry Men and Eddie.

"Be careful, Steph," Eddie says, "I'll do what I can." I hang up, forgoing my manners as a homage to the Merry Men I've been spending entirely too much time around. I'm still slumped forward, head resting on the seat in front of me, when Hector returns with our dinner. No one says a word as we drive back to RangeMan. I can't help but think that I'd never be in this mess if I hadn't pressed charges against Morelli. My anger surges again, and a lone tear slips down my cheek.

Translation: "Ponte tu lengua dentro tu boca. Eres un perro o que? Ten respeto por las mujeres" : "Put your tongue back in your mouth. Are you a dog or what? Have respect for women"