Disclaimer: Anything recognizable belongs to Janet Evanovich, and the rest is mine. I'm grateful she lets us play.

Warning: Dark fic. Adult language, adult content, violence, smut. This is written for mature audiences only.

Chapter 25

Ranger's POV

When Steph told me the four words that I will never forget, Tank set me up, I nearly failed at keeping my beast in check. If it weren't for the fact that my Babe needs me beside her right now as she finishes this damn report, I'd already be out on the streets, scouring Trenton for Enemy Number One. The urge to take down Tank is so strong, a selfish part of me wants to order Steph to stop her research immediately, but I recognize the determined set to her jaw, and so I keep myself in check. Sure, I could physically make her stop, but that would be at the cost of destroying the trust we've built between us this week. We would both know I wouldn't be asking her to stop for her emotional well-being but rather because I want to selfishly exact immediate revenge. No, the best thing I can do right now is stand by her.

Bobby, to his credit, must have recognized the war within me, and not one minute later, Lester and Hector flanked me while Alex was being brought up to speed on Steph so that Bobby could be available to intervene as well. It probably would take all three of them to contain me if I truly lost control of my famed discipline.

I never fully grasped before how quickly Steph can push away her feelings and refocus on the task at hand. After years of escaping to denial land as a coping mechanism for all the shitty things that have happened to her, it makes me newly appreciate the unguarded emotional moments that have passed between us over the years.

Rather than dwell on Tank, I lose myself in the positive memories I have of Steph. I picture the confidence she carried herself with as she entered the diner wearing a poorly fitted business suit and heels to go bounty hunting, not the least bit intimidated by my appearance. I had hoped to scare her away so that I could be off the hook of my promise to Connie, but Stephanie Plum showed the same endearing determination then that she is right now.

I recall Stephanie calling me when Morelli handcuffed her naked to her shower rod. All the Burg connections she has, and she called me, the asshole who did his damndest to scare her away not a couple days before. Steph saw right through me and trusted me, much to my astonishment. Deep down, I knew right then that she would be the only woman for me, but instead, I was a coward. Steph didn't understand how much danger Morelli left her in when he imprisoned her on that rod, but I did. I also knew then he was a bastard who didn't deserve Steph, but I was too chicken shit to act on what my heart already knew.

Then again, for all the things I think I knew, my ability to enter denial land either rivals Steph's or I am a bigger dumbass than I ever imagined. I've done some idiotic things over the years, from not maintaining my relationship with Julie to telling Stephanie I "love her in my own way," it's true. However, I think that misjudging Tank, or rather, ignoring the warning signs that have been there since childhood, may well be my greatest regret.

I see Steph's eureka moment flash on her face, from the flare of her nostrils to the quirk of her lips, and I'm filled with pride and trepidation. Steph truly is the best researcher I've ever seen. She works quickly, and, probably because she has never had any formal training, takes any available resources and puts the pieces to the puzzle together with her unique insights. Her facts will be correct, but as I watch the same haunted look I saw in Steph's eyes when I found her at the park Monday return, I again wonder if knowing the facts is worth the pain it will cause my Babe.

If I weren't so concerned, I would be amused at the look of surprise that crossed Steph's face when she realizes everyone is watching her work. When Steph steps into the restroom, Alex immediately moves to stand outside the door, and everyone begins attempting to look busy in an effort to put Steph more at ease when she returns. Hector, statue-still as he reads something on his tablet, catches my attention when Alex enters the restroom, closing the door again behind her.

"Puta Madre," Hector swears with a hatred to his tone that would make battle-hardened men turn around and walk the other direction. Everyone freezes, and I feel a draw to the bathroom, a need to know that Steph is okay. (Mother fucker)

I stop as close as I can to the door without touching it, and Steph's broken voice drifts through the space around the frame enough for me to hear, "I believed the lie." I raise my hand in a freeze motion, and the room is immediately silent. I know this is a private conversation, but I can't make myself move away. I have to know; what did Steph learn today? Is she okay?

I listen to Steph confess to Alex what happened during the Farro incident, and I note with concern that she is still assuming too much blame for what happened. Then Steph begins telling Alex what she discovered through her research today, and I am gripped with a feeling so foreign to me that I can't find the words to name it. An icy rock settles in my stomach, and a god-awful chill creeps through my limbs.

Tank and Farro. They were friends, and he used Rangeman accounts to pay off a friend to intentionally destroy the person I asked him to keep safe for me. I trusted him like a brother with the things I value most in this life. Tank became so entrenched in his quest for power that he used the very things that are most precious to me, my woman and my company, against me.

"Everything Tank said to me was a manipulation to keep me off balance and believing the lie. And I did," my Babe says, before being lost to sobs and Alex's murmured words of comfort.

I did, too. I heavily lean my forehead against the door as I choke back a lump forming in my throat.

When Steph's voice drifts through the door again, I find myself fighting tears of pride as I hear the resolution, "I'm not going to believe the lie anymore." That's my Babe, and I intend to build her up in every way I can. It's real progress that Steph understands she didn't destroy Farro's wife and kid.

But just as hope swells, it swirls again with horror. Stephanie describes the Tank's malfeasance accurately, I am grateful I returned no later than I did, while Tank was still content to be a ringmaster rather than boots on the ground. I'm afraid of what he might have done had Stephanie continued to foil his plans to have her killed while he bled Rangeman money.

I take a long, slow breath to steady myself and redirect my thoughts to something less volatile – Alex. Alex is hired. She helped Steph open up and heal a little today, but she's also helped Bobby show more compassion and empathy in his role as a primary care provider. I will need to convince her to come aboard, but I doubt it will be too difficult. I hear the water running, and while I know I should move or risk being caught, I'm frozen in place, my thoughts and emotions running uncomfortably rampant.

I was in a dark mood after telling Steph she was "entertainment." My conscious pinged me at the time, but I thought I was the bigger man, keeping her safe from my life and the inherent dangers that come with it. Tank took me to the mats to help me work out my self-loathing, and after an hour of sparring, I confessed to Tank what I said to Steph. I asked him if I did the right thing, and he told me yes, reaffirming that the Core Team is comprised of terminal bachelors for a reason.

The fucker was manipulating me then, and then he took my words and manipulated Stephanie. He stole money from MY company to attempt to destroy, physically and emotionally, the love of MY life.

It will be a cold day in hell before I ever forgive the bastard, and jail is too good for him.

I allow myself the indulgence of imagining dropping Tank in a crate in a remote part of Siberia, Libya, Venezuela, or a Pacific island. However, at the end of each scenario, I see Tank grinning sadistically before returning to Trenton to have his revenge. He's just that good. I could never rest easy with the blind hope that the world would be just.

I consider placing Tank in a holding cell indefinitely, securing him in a prison of my devious creation. It initially feels good, imagining all the ways that I could make him suffer the way Stephanie has. But maintaining a prison takes time and mental stamina, and it would take me away from Steph. And the reality is, do I want to continue to have any responsibility for Tank in any capacity? No. I want him out of everyone's lives as quickly as possible.

Then there's the part of me that wants to terminate him, like Abruzzi. I'm almost set on this course of action when Steph's face, the blank look with the haunted eyes I will never be able to forget, flashes forward. If I kill Tank, she will know. Call it the Spidey sense. I don't believe for a second I would be able to fool her, and I think Steph would take responsibility for me pulling the trigger as though she had. I simply can't be someone who adds any additional pain to her life.

The only answer is to let the system take care of Tank, but that doesn't mean I can't use my influence and connections to ensure the system takes care of Tank. It also doesn't mean I have to like it, but the silver lining is that Tank will hate having his reputation destroyed and his precious possessions stripped away from him.

The door suddenly opens, and with a jolt, I'm brought back to the present. I can't remember ever feeling so emotionally unglued, and a fresh wave of love and adoration for Steph mixed with the knowledge that my lack of judgment and actions contributed to Tank's ability to hurt her so profoundly nearly brings me to my knees.

"Babe," I whisper.

"You heard," Steph states quietly, and I somehow feel even guiltier. What if my selfishness again causes her more pain?

I find myself quickly stumbling through an apology, using too many words as another symptom of how undone I feel. I finish and hold my breath as I wait for Steph's response. I expected silence or an explosion of hand gestures, but I was mentally unprepared for the total faith Steph showed as she collapsed into my arms. My body responded intuitively, and as I cradled my love tightly against my body, I feel my heart rate calm.

Steph is my gravity, my anchor, and my sun. I breathe in her scent, and my head clears. In seconds, I feel my control, mental clarity, and a sense of purpose return. I've got her, she's holding onto me, and I'm not going to let my Babe down.

Her words of forgiveness tickle my neck, and I am made stronger for her faith, trust, and devotion.

"I love you, Babe," I whisper, never meaning the words more than I do at that moment.

Reluctantly, I place Steph down on the bed, not wanting to let go but concerned at how pale she is as another round of coughing causes her small frame to shake. Alex quickly takes over, beginning with Steph before ordering everyone except me out of the room. My Babe once again amazes me with her selflessness and compassion, making sure everyone else is okay before they depart.

Sitting down to dinner alone with Steph, I can't help but imagine us doing the same on seven, and I hope I never eat alone again. They say that laughter is the best medicine. While I'm not much of a jokester, preferring to leave that task to Lester, I'll gladly step outside of my comfort zone just to see her smile. Man, I really am smitten, I think to myself as moan seductively over lettuce and watch Stephanie fall apart in peals of laughter.

Alex returns, and I step into Bobby's office where I'm met with three men unsuccessfully processing Stephanie's report. Lester is trembling with anger, Hector is throwing a knife at Bobby's corkboard, and Bobby hunched over in a chair with his head in his hands. They are a bomb about to explode, and I must diffuse it quickly.

Lester's expression is far from blank as his furious eyes lock with mine.

"Hit me," I direct at Lester, standing with my arms at my side. Bobby's head jerks up, and Hector stills as he appraises me stonily. Lester doesn't need to be told twice and lands a substantial blow to my side that I make no attempt to deflect. It hurts, but I don't so much as blink.

"You're a real fucker sometimes, Ranger," Lester spits furiously before landing a second blow. "Entertainment," he hisses accusingly, and Hector's dark expression glints off the knife he twirls between his fingers.

My eyes widen slightly as I'm taken by surprise that Lester was able to make that connection before a hazy memory of me, drunk off my ass on whiskey comes to mind.

Flashback

"Rangeman, what's gotten into you?" Lester says as he pulls me into my apartment.

"Stephanie," I mumble. "Always, Stephanie."

Lester unceremoniously plants me on my bed, and I lay back, staring at the ceiling.

"What'd you do that's eating you up this bad?" Lester asks, beginning to pull a shoe off.

"Not do, say," I correct belligerently.

"Alright, what'd you say to Beautiful," Lester asks with more patience than I may have had in the same situation.

"She was concerned about how I could afford all the cars and resources I offer her. I told her she was entertainment in the Rangeman budget," I mumble, placing a hand over my eyes.

"You do know it's okay for you to fall in love, be happy, have another kid or just plain be happy, right?" Lester replies quietly, dropping the second shoe on the floor before placing a glass of water on my bedside table, turning off the lights, and leaving me alone.

I nod my head once in agreement at Lester's accusation before directly my next statement at Hector.

"She told you," I state evenly.

"Si," Hector responds. "But I know why you did it. You wanted to keep Angelia safe from men like us, not knowing how close that danger really was. I already asked you about your intentions. I won't hold the past against you, but I do care about what we do now."

Bobby stands, looking confused as he glances at the three of us. "I once told Stephanie that I pay to protect and support her using entertainment funds in the Rangeman budget," I confess, making no effort to defend myself. Bobby's breath catches before he turns and slams his fist down on his desk, his back to me. It's the most emotion I've ever seen from him, and we all still as Bobby collects himself.

"Do you know that I haven't slept well since Farro?" Bobby eventually states quietly, straightening himself but keeping his back to us. "Of course not, but I don't. You three weren't there," he continues, almost as though he's talking to himself. "Steph's voice keeps me up at night, the panic, pain, and desperation she unleashed in the ambulance after Tank called her Little Girl, asking her why she went in alone. Tank played it perfectly, manipulating her even then until she snapped. I tried to keep her calm, but she was in a spiral, screaming and trying to defend herself. Steph's blood pressure and heartrate spiked, and I was worried she would go into cardiac arrest or hurt herself when she began physically attacking Tank in an attempt to flee the ambulance, so I sedated her." Bobby takes a heavy breath and looks down at the ground.

"I failed Steph in so many ways. I was there. I should have recognized and treated her mental trauma, but it didn't even click to me evaluate her symptoms as I would a warrior because I always treated Bomber as entertainment as well. We all did. Ranger was just the one to say it to her face." A heavy silence settles in the room as Hector pockets his knife and Lester's shoulders drop.

"It's because of Steph that I have a relationship with my daughter," I say after a long minute. "Julie and I had a hard time finding common ground. I didn't know what to do. I knew Steph wrote or spoke with her daily, and I was jealous of their easy rapport. I think Steph knew this, and one day at Pino's she told me, 'You can't rewrite the past, Ranger, but you can change the narrative for the future. Julie loves you now, just as she always has. Try engaging on her current interests, and you'll find the conversation will get easier.'

"So, I ended up reading the Harry Potter series with Julie as a father-daughter book club, and it worked like magic, forgive the pun. In doing so, I found this quote in the first book that became the catalyst for my self-reflection and change while I was gone on my last mission. It goes, 'It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.'*

"In any given room, I'm accustomed to being the best. I've built a successful career and business on my abilities. Stephanie, while exceptionally capable, never matched us in raw, militaristic prowess and capability, and so we overlooked the choices she made time and again that are ultimately more important than whether or not she fits our mold. If it were up to me, I would have succeeded at pushing her away from the first time we met. I think that's true of all of us. Stephanie was the one who chose to love us anyway, and she never quit on us. Even after Farro, sure, she locked herself away, but she let Hector in, she let me in after I returned, and she's let you, Lester and Bobby in, the last couple of days as well. That took a level of courage I'm only beginning to fully understand.

"We've depended on our abilities and lived our lives generally shirking away from any real relationships with people. Stephanie has shown us a different, better way. We can make a choice now to be better men. Steph's already forgiven us. Now it's up to us to forgive ourselves and focus on what we want our narrative for the future to be," I finish.

I watch as Lester, Bobby, and Hector all turn to face me with expressions of humble resolution. I match their stares one by one, and each man silently indicates his agreement.

"What's your plan of action regarding Tank?" Lester asks, his face hardening as he does.

I hear the door click behind me as Alex slips into the room and leans against the wall.

"We forward the report Steph generated today along with all supporting documents to Pete. He integrates it into his evidence package that we will present to Chief Feldman tomorrow or Sunday. I'll also be sharing the information with Senator Juniak and my handler, and they will monitor things with their assets to make sure Tank doesn't try to use one of his contacts to get out of the charges. I expect Tank, Vinnie, and Lula will be arrested between Sunday and Monday. Then we let the system take care of them," I say evenly.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Lester explodes again, pushing me as he does so, but this time I quickly pin him to the ground.

"Shh!" Alex and Bobby shush together. "Steph's asleep. Keep control of your volume or take this somewhere else," Alex warns. "She was already on edge about the noise you all were making earlier."

Lester immediately stills, and I release him quickly, knowing Alex is right. Lester, while chastised into silence, is still shooting daggers in my direction.

"There's no other way," I say evenly. "We kidnap Tank and send him to some third world shithole; we leave open the possibility of him returning. We place him in a holding cell, then we have to handle him for the rest of his life, which would be terrible for morale and the survival of this company. We execute him or arrange for his execution, Steph would know. Regardless of how we did it, I believe deep down she would find out and blame herself. If we use the system and all of our contacts in it to place those assholes behind bars, it isn't as satisfying, but it's the safest option overall."

"What about a little retribution before TPD arrests the three of them?" Lester bargains and I see Hector tilt his head in interest.

"We can't," I say firmly. "Tank doesn't know Steph is going to press charges. If he suspects anything, he might do anything to hurt Steph, us, or even our families. He'll be a loose cannon. The best thing we can do is passively monitor him, staying firmly under the radar, until Pete and TPD have the case ready to be turned over to the prosecutor's office. We can partner with TPD for the takedown; Lester, you coordinate the plan. That said, Lester and Hector, if Tank, Vinnie, or Lula so much as fart in the nude, I want to know about it."

Bobby groans, "I did not need that image in my head," and Lester snorts. The mood lightened and our course of action set, we discuss the report in more specific detail for a few more minutes before the rest of the Core Team excuses themselves for the evening.

"How's Steph doing?" I ask, turning my attention to Alex.

"She's healing," Alex says kindly, and know we are both talking about more than her physical health. "Unless anything unexpected happens tonight, she'll be ready to be discharged tomorrow with daily check-ups for a week to ten days. I believe Steph will make great progress with the aid of a therapist and that she's ready to engage in that process. But as much as Stephanie has already healed, she does have a long way to go. Steph is easily triggered and needs extra patience and support as she goes through that process. However, Stephanie is an extraordinary person. I'm impressed with her bravery, courage, and heart. She's scared and vulnerable, but she's trusting you guys despite everything inside of her telling her to hide and protect herself. It's obvious Steph has a special connection with you, but I doubt she's going to make building a relationship easy. I'm guessing she's been burned a few times and that combined with this past year, well, I guess all I can say is be gentle and communicate."

Alex gives me a half-smile and blushes a little. "Sorry Ranger, I don't usually go that deep, but I think Steph's gotten under my skin, too, and I feel a little extra-protective," she says sheepishly.

"I would like to hire you to join our Rangeman family permanently. Bobby has been wearing two hats for a long time as the Rangeman Trenton medical supervisor and responsible for overseeing the company-wide medical program as a Core Team member. I also think that as Rangeman hires more women, you can develop the role of women's health coordinator. You've proven yourself this week to be able to integrate into our team with poise and ease, and my employees already respect you. I respect you. I think you'll find our pay and benefits to be highly competitive. What will it take to convince you?" I ask, a smile playing at the corners of my mouth.

"Do your benefits include education and tuition debt forgiveness? Would I be able to continue doing some rotations at Princeton as I work on hours towards my certificates?" Alex fires back, her eyes wide.

"Yes," I state. "Continuing education is definitely something we can negotiate. Whatever you have worked out with your current job regarding education credits and school debt, we will match or exceed."

Alex beams at me. "Then you have yourself a new Rangeman employee," she declares, holding her hand out to me, and I shake it with a smile. Alex looks slightly stunned. "Thousand-watt smile indeed," I hear her mumble under her breath as I run up to seven to change out of my uniform and get ready for bed.

I feel a pull in my gut to get back to Steph, and five minutes later, I'm sliding into the darkened exam room. I stand in front of the closed door as my eyes adjust to the light, and several blinks later, my Babe comes into focus. As I take a silent step towards her, I frown at the sad sigh that escapes her lips. Another step and I gently wipe away a tear that escaped. Steph's eyes flash open, and in their blue depths, I see the best choice I can make.

I will love this woman with my whole heart. I will support her, respect her, and cherish her. I realize now that I am my best self when I choose to accept the love she has always offered me. It doesn't matter how long it takes for her to say those three words me to me in return, how quickly our relationship moves forward or even if we ever get married. Loving Stephanie Michelle Plum is my priority now.

*Dumbledore to Harry in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling. My handle is HermioneIncarnate – we all knew I'd have to reference HP at some point!

A/N: I get so excited every time I see a review, read a PM, and see how many people read a new chapter after it's posted. Thank you so much for sticking with me after all this time. I NEVER thought I would still be writing this story six months later (and I thought it would be less than ten chapters - ha!), and I'm so glad we are on this journey together.

This chapter is important to me. We've fleshed out a lot of Stephanie's feelings about things, but overall, Ranger has been a rock. He has buried a lot of his feelings for the greater good, but it seemed to me that after returning from a difficult mission only to come home and find that life as he knew it has come completely undone, it would have to hit him at some point. I don't think Ranger would ever be prone to a big emotional scene, and so for me, a wild flash in his eyes IS a big, emotional scene. And I think afterward, Ranger would pull from his strong moral fiber and strength of character to be exactly the leader everyone would anchor themselves in a storm, and that going through some of those emotions would propel him to be an even better leader. I'd love to know what you think. Did I get there? Do you agree? Disagree?

Misty23y has a new story out, A Cop's Wife. It's an AU twist on our favorite characters, and I like her competent Steph a lot. She is also a great beta, and I'm so appreciative of the time and effort she puts into helping me with each chapter.