A/N:

I started writing this last August, before the terms coronavirus, pandemic, and stay-at-home orders were common lexicon. I had to put my writing on hold in late September when my busy season at work started. I picked this back up a couple months ago with the realization that there were elements of the pandemic would tie in nicely with parts of my story. It took just a little re-writing here and there to incorporate some of the circumstances of the last few months. I am breaking a rule I had for myself that I wouldn't start to publish a story until it was complete or very close to completion, but I hope to finish this up sometime this summer. I'm about half way through it right now. Maybe I'll surprise myself and wrap this up quicker than I think. I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine and mine alone.

Standard Disclaimer: None of the familiar characters belong to me. I wish they did because having a Merry Man or two around would certainly liven things up.

SPOV

"I'm telling you, Steph. You need to put yourself back out there. It's been four months since you and Joe split." Connie was sitting at her desk, filing her nails. It was 10:00am, and I'd stopped into the bonds office to pick up new files. "You know, I could set you up with my cousin Tony."

"No thanks, Connie." I'd rather join a convent than be set up with any of Connie's family, but of course, I couldn't tell her that.

Lula leaned over the box I'd brought in from the Tasty Pastry, perusing the remaining donuts. "What's Batman's deal? Why hasn't he stepped up to fill the void?" she asked as she selected a jelly-filled and plopped back down on the brown Naugahyde couch.

"I don't know. I guess he's sticking to his 'no relationships' policy. But he seems to have taken 'social distancing' to a whole new extreme where it comes to me." I blew out a sigh of frustration. Ranger had once told me he'd be back in my bed if Joe was absent for too long, but not only has he not invited himself back into my bed, he seems to be actively avoiding me ever since he got back from his last mission. Okay, so the whole 'stay at home' thing delayed any possible reunion for a while, but that's been over with for about six weeks now. The blowup with Joe happened while he was in the wind, but I'm sure he heard all about it. Some of the RangeMen are as bad as the Burg when it comes to gossip. If this dry spell keeps up much longer, I'm going to have to make a trip to Pleasures Treasures. My shower massager just isn't doing the trick any longer.

My back was to the door, but I felt my neck tingle a moment before I heard the door open and knew it was Ranger entering.

Lula's eyes flicked over to the door. "Well, I think you should give one of those online dating sites a try," she said before taking a bite of the jelly donut.

I shot her a death glare, knowing she had said that deliberately since Ranger had arrived.

"Ladies," Ranger greeted us.

I stifled a sigh. No 'Babe' greeting for me. I missed that. For whatever reason, now that Joe and I split, there were no touches, no kisses, and no 'Babes'. It was depressing. It wasn't just that he didn't want to pursue a relationship with me, but apparently, he didn't even want my friendship anymore. I swallowed my disappointment and turned my attention to the stack of files in my lap.

"Any files for us?" Tank asked.

"Yeah," Connie said, picking up a stack from her desk. "Here they are."

Tank took the files and began to flip through them. He cut his eyes towards Ranger for a second, then addressed me. "Anyone you need help with, Steph? You know there are a ton of guys willing to lend you a little muscle if you need it."

"Thanks for the offer, Tank, but I can handle all these," I replied, plastering a smile to my face. With the cold shoulder I'd been getting from Ranger, it would be a cold day in hell before I called RangeMan for help with my skips.

"We haven't seen you around much recently." Tank looked pointedly over at Ranger and didn't flinch when Ranger glared back at him. "We all miss you."

"Yeah, I'm sure you miss your source of entertainment," I mumbled under my breath.

Tank raised an eyebrow at me. Oops. I didn't intend to say that out loud.

"Why would you say that, Steph? I'm serious. We like it when you're around." Tank shot a pissed off look over at Ranger.

"Oh, no reason." I dropped my head, refusing to look at either one of them, and blushed.

"You know what, Tankie?" We should get everyone together for night out at Shorty's," Lula suggested. Now it was my turn to glare.

"Good idea, baby." Tank leaned over to give Lula a kiss. "I'll see you later."

It was nice seeing those two give it another try. It was one of the better things to come out of the pandemic. Knowing that Lula and I were unable to pick up skips during the "stay at home" orders, Tank and the rest of RangeMan made sure we were taken care of. Tank paid our rent and utilities. When I protested, he told me he needed me to continue to help him with the paperwork I'd taken over when Ranger went in the wind, and I should consider his additional help part of the RangeMan pandemic stimulus package. Even now, I roll my eyes when I remember that conversation. But he and Hector set everything up so I could complete payroll, duty schedules, and the other mundane tasks remotely from my apartment.

While groceries and paper goods were difficult to find in regular stores, RangeMan had contracts with the same suppliers that provide food, paper goods, and cleaning supplies to restaurants and other businesses. With restaurants either closed or operating at reduced capacity, the restaurant suppliers had excesses of those things. Ella increased the amount she ordered under the RangeMan account and then made sure the extra made it to whoever needed it. Lula and I were just two of the beneficiaries of RangeMan's excess toilet paper and food.

Tank dropped off groceries for us weekly, along with some frozen meals Ella was putting together for those of us stuck at home. He made sure to keep his distance when making deliveries. Lula was only too happy to share that she and Tank had rekindled their romance over text messages when she first contacted him to thank him for a delivery of toilet paper. Unfortunately for me, she shared a few of the text exchanges between the two of them, and let's just say, I now understand what the term "sexting" means in graphic detail. I really wished I had a way to bleach my brain after that. But it worked for them. They got together in person as soon as the stay at home orders lifted and have been an established couple ever since.

Tank pulled me back to the present as he patted me on my shoulder. "Let us know if you need any help with those," he said, nodding towards the stack of files I was looking through.

And without another word from Ranger, they exited the office.

"Seriously, white girl! What happened between you and Batman? Why's he got a stick up his ass towards you?"

"No idea, Lula. He was in the wind when Joe and I broke up. But he's been avoiding me since he got back. He didn't even stop by my apartment when he got back, and he's always done that before. I thought at first, he didn't come over because of the quarantine, but he's been steering clear of me even since everything got back to normal. It's like he was only interested when he was competing with Joe for me. Now that Joe's out of the picture, he's lost interest."

"What an ass!" Connie exclaimed.

"I think Tankie is about to kick that ass."

"Steph, Lula's right. You should give one of those dating sites a try."

"You know what? I should." I needed to give up any hope I'd been holding onto that Ranger would change his stance on relationships and give us a try.

"Ooh! Let's set a profile up for you right now." Lula was really on board with this. "I keep hearing those commercials for that Heart2Heart site. They say they use all sorts of science shit to match people up. You should try that."

Connie started typing on her computer. "Okay. I've got the site up. Let's get you an account and get started on finding you a man." Lula went to look over Connie's shoulder.

"Alright. Let's get your stats in here. 32 year old. White. 5'7". What are you looking for? You know, besides Ranger?"

I sighed and went to join Lula looking over Connie's shoulder. I guess I was committed to this now.