Stephanie decided they should stay in New Orleans for another week. The traffic was chaotic, and she couldn't book a flight to save herself. It was probably for the best.

Bobby was like a different person. With Stephanie and Edna's support, he realized what he had done for his friend, although difficult, was honourable. Sid would rather die than become a burden to his friends and family. Stephanie and Edna held him during the nights he struggled to sleep. His nightmares disappeared after he shared the story. Though, he wondered if meeting Stacy would trigger them resurface.

"It's not going to happen," Stephanie said. Stephanie wrapped her arms around Bobby's chest from behind. She pressed her face into his back, between the shoulder blades. "You haven't had a nightmare in weeks, Bobby. Have you called Stacy?"

"Not yet. Where are you and Edna going next?" he asked.

"Since Stacy lives in California, I figure we could go there. Grandma and I want to visit Disney," Stephanie replied. She had located Stacy Dalton. After her parents died, she moved to Pasadena for work. Stephanie figured they could travel the coast for a few months before Cinco de Mayo. She knew Binkie would be joining them soon.

"Sounds like a plan," Bobby said. He borrowed the laptop to check flights. "We can leave in two weeks. It's the only flight where I could find three seats in first class."

"Bobby, grandma and I don't need expensive seats. We could sit in economy class," Stephanie said.

"Nope. Not going to happen. We travel in comfort. Besides, do you think I can squeeze into those seats?" Bobby asked. He motioned down his body as though showcasing himself.

"I see your point," Stephanie replied as she laughed. Edna didn't know what they would do. They had seen all the parks and museums.

~~~~~~~~~~

Binkie sat in his Rangeman apartment with his head in his hands. He got informed his trip to LA, California was in a few weeks. How was he supposed to visit LA? What did he do to deserve the punishment? Ranger must be off his rocker.

A knock on his apartment door pulled him from his misery. Binkie sniffed the blanket before tucking it back into the box. He took a few deep breaths as the knocking continued. "Give me a minute," he shouted. Binkie blinked the tears from his eyes. "Please give me strength."

Lester shifted from foot to foot on the other side of the door. He wanted to talk to Binkie, to see if he was ready for his trip to California. Even though Lester didn't know when he'd join the women, he was in a better frame of mind than the others. Lester coped by sleeping his way through the female population.

Binkie opened his apartment door. "What do you want, Lester?" Binkie asked.

"I'm doing a wellness check," he replied. "Are you okay?" Binkie opened his door wide, letting Lester inside. Lester glanced around the living room, settling his eyes on the box. "Binkie?" Lester asked, pointing to the box.

"Why do I have to visit LA?"

"Binkie, nobody said anything about California," Lester said. Binkie passed Lester his phone. "Oh. You're going to the same venue."

"Yeah. I'm not sure how to feel about it," Binkie confessed. He went to his refrigerator to grab a couple of beers. "Why is Ranger doing this to us?"

"I asked Bobby the same question. He told me that Stephanie and Edna helped him face the demon infiltrating his dreams. I had never heard Bobby sound so… resolved," Lester replied.

"Resolved? What does that mean?"

"It's been a long time since Bobby's been that relaxed. He got messed up on a mission. We thought Bobby was lost forever. Whatever happened at Mardi Gras fixed Bobby. He's back to the man I met back in basic training," Lester explained.

"I fail to see how anyone could help me. Nobody could bring him back," Binkie said. He took a long drink of his beer. How could Stephanie and her grandmother help him?

"I'm sorry, Binkie. I understand where your head is at. It shouldn't stop you from living life to its fullest. Trust me," Lester said. Binkie drained the bottle of beer and glared at Lester. How on earth can man-whore Lester Santos understand what he went through? Nobody could understand.

Lester stayed with Binkie until midnight. He reluctantly left his friend. "If only you knew," Lester whispered as he left. Lester wiped a tear from his face. He wondered how long it would be before facing his demons. If anyone could help him, it would be Stephanie.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ranger couldn't wait to see his Babe. They started video calling when the need to see each other got too intense to ignore. "Hey, Batman. What's shakin?" Stephanie asked. She could see Ranger's shoulders shake from her greeting. "Never mind. I can see it's you."

"Babe," Ranger replied. Stephanie rolled her eyes. She knew Ranger found her amusing. For a brief second, it brought back the hurt when he referred to her as entertainment for his men. She smiled at Ranger, hoping he missed her thought. Ranger didn't miss the change in her expression.

"So when does Binkie get dispatched?" she asked before she commented on the entertainment line from a previous conversation.

"He should arrive in LAX a few minutes before you and Edna," he replied. "You should find him waiting at the baggage carousel."

"Awesome," she said. "We leave early tomorrow. Oops. I forgot. You already have our flight details." Ranger was amused by Stephanie's banter. He examined Stephanie's face. Her sun-kissed face was makeup free. Dios! Stephanie was beautiful. Why couldn't he be with her?

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Ranger asked, though he already knew she was.

"Of course," Stephanie replied. However, she would have more fun if he went with them. "Did you receive our itinerary?"

"I have. Are you really going to spend a week at Disney?" Ranger asked.

"You bet I am, Batman. Hey, do you think Julie could join us? I think we're going while she's on spring break. It would be fun for her," Stephanie suggested. Stephanie tried to think of when Spring break was that year. She knew it was near the end of March, but she was confident it was after Julie's birthday on March 20th.

"I can ask Rachel and Ron. Her bodyguards would have to accompany her."

"Hmmm… let's ask first, then plan the rest. I hoped you and Lester could join us. We have almost seven weeks before Cinco de Mayo. Surely the boss could afford to take a vacation to spend time with his daughter," Stephanie said. She was in contact with Julie. They had emailed several times per week since she got kidnapped by Scrog. Ranger noticed Stephanie had rubbed her chest when she mentioned spending time with his daughter. He wondered why she made that motion.

Ranger messaged Rachel, asking about the probability of Julie vacationing with him, Stephanie and Edna for a week. He smiled when Rachel replied. "Babe, Rachel gave you the green light."

"Grandma, she said yes," Stephanie screamed over her shoulder. Ranger laughed when Edna gave a whoop in delight. "Any conditions?" Stephanie asked Ranger.

"Julie's bodyguards accompany her regardless of who I assign to the detail. Rachel wants lots of pictures," Ranger replied. Stephanie wasn't surprised. She had expected Rachel to organize extra guards to watch Julie while she was on the other coast.

"When should Binkie and I expect you?" Stephanie asked. She was excited to see Julie.

"March 19th," he replied. "I'm using the Rangeman jet to collect Julie and her guards, Rick and Tom."

"We'll have Julie for her birthday? Doesn't she want to spend time with her friends? Julie's fourteen turning fifteen. I'm sure she should have time with her friends," Stephanie said. She didn't realize March break would be during Julie's birthday. Stephanie felt selfish for wanting Julie to be with her.

"Babe, stop!" Ranger ordered. "Julie's birthday sleepover party is happening the weekend before March break. Most of her friends travel with family during the holidays. Rachel and Ron didn't have other plans for the day of her birthday."

"Oh. I guess that's okay then," she sheepishly said. Stephanie yawned. Ranger grinned as Stephanie stretched her arms above her head, exposing the few inches her sleep top didn't cover. He suppressed a groan when he noticed the definition in her abs. It was evident in the photograph he received, but to see them ripple as she stretched made him harder than nails.

Stephanie noticed Ranger's eyes had darkened. "See something you like, Batman?" she teased.

"Babe," he moaned. Stephanie decided to tug the tiger's tail and lifted her shirt. She traced her fingers over her abdomen, making Ranger moan louder. She laughed before pulling down her shirt.

"I have to go, Ranger. I'm tired. Bobby said we had to leave at butt-crack o'clock to catch our flight in time. Take care, Batman," Stephanie said before ending the video call. He knew she would catch her flight at 0800 hours and land in LA at 1215.

Ranger sat in his apartment, staring at the dark screen. It was the first time Stephanie had ended the call before him. He thought about Stephanie stroking her abdomen with her long fingers, making goosebumps erupt across the tanned skin beneath the tips. Ranger imagined following her fingers with his tongue. He closed the laptop to take a cold shower.

When the cold shower didn't work, Ranger turned on the hot water, then rubbed one off as he fantasized about Stephanie. He erupted on the tiles and proceeded to wash. Ranger went to bed after he rinsed off the tiles. Ella didn't need to clean up that mess. He doubted it would be the first time he took matters into his hands.

~~~~~~~~~~

Julie woke up early for school. She brushed her long hair before pulling it into a ponytail. Julie grabbed her gym clothes from the hamper her mother placed in her room during the night. No matter how often Julie offered to wash her laundry, she got told to concentrate on homework and school. Julie knew how smelly her soccer socks could get.

Her sister, Sophie, and brother, Benji, were sitting at the table eating pancakes when Julie entered the kitchen. "Morning," Julie said.

"Morning," Rachel replied, smiling at her daughter. "Can you tell your father that breakfast is ready? I think he's in the den."

"Sure," Julie answered. She smiled at her siblings before leaving the kitchen to find Ron. Julie walked through the living room to the door on the left. She knocked and waited for Ron to permit her entry.

"Shut the door and take a seat," Ron said. Julie squared her shoulders. "I have some bad news for you." Ron watched Julie for her reaction. He was proud of her for not showing any fear. "You're not going to Disney with us for March break."

Julie fought back the tears. She would not let Ron see her cry. "Okay. Thank you for telling me," she calmly said. Inside, Julie was screaming and crying.

"Ranger is picking you up on the 19th, and you're flying to California to spend a week in Disney with Ranger, Stephanie, Lester and Edna. Of course, your bodyguards, Tom and Rick, are travelling with you. I believe Binkie is also attending. Ranger said to pack light," Ron replied.

Was he pulling her leg? She would spend a week at Disney with Stephanie and Ranger? Julie could barely contain her excitement. "Are you serious?" Julie asked.

"Yes. Ranger will contact you with the specifics closer to the date," Ron said. Julie grinned, then jumped into Ron's arms.

"Thanks so much, dad. I'm so excited to see Stephanie again," Julie replied.

"Jules, we plan to tell the others that you're visiting your biological father's family," Ron said.

"I understand," she replied. "Mom said breakfast is ready."

Ron smiled when Julie practically skipped from the room. He shook his head, then followed his daughter to the kitchen. Ron sat beside his son, where Rachel placed his coffee mug.

"Here's your breakfast, dear," Rachel said. She set a plate of scrambled eggs, ham and toast in front of him. Rachel kissed his cheek before grabbing Julie's food.

"Thanks, mom," Julie accepted her serving of eggs, toast and fruit. She happily ate her breakfast. Sophie and Benji couldn't understand why Julie liked eating a healthy breakfast. Benji licked the syrup off his fingers before eating the last piece of pancake.

Julie quickly ate breakfast. She rinsed her plate and put it into the dishwasher. Sophie and Benji passed their plates to Julie. She ran water over them before adding them to the other dirty dishes. "Wash up for school, children," Rachel said.

Rachel waited for the children to leave before asking Ron, "How did she take the bad news?" She was curious if Julie maintained her exterior calmness.

"Cool as a cucumber. But she picked at her fingernail," he replied.

"So she does have a tell," Rachael said. She noticed Julie pick at her fingernails whenever she got stressed. Julie was likely unaware that she had given herself away.

"I bet a week with Ranger would cure her of the habit," Ron joked.

Rachel smacked his shoulder. "You better pray Ranger doesn't notice." She looked at Ron for a few seconds before they broke out in laughter. "Ya. I knew it was ridiculous the moment I said the words. She's so much like her father that I don't know if I should be proud or scared," Rachel confessed.

"Whenever you have to decide between the two, always choose pride. Fear paints you into a corner. Pride allows you to fly. I'm proud of the young woman Julie has become. I know part of it is from nurture, but you should never discount nature. I can't wait to see the amazing woman I know she will become," Ron replied. He stood up from the table and added his dishes to the dishwasher.

"Neither can I, Ron." Rachel hugged Ron after he dried his hands on the dish towel. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, then kissed her.

"You're as beautiful today as you were fourteen years ago. Happy anniversary, my love." Rachel was surprised Ron remembered the anniversary of when they met. "I will never forget the day I met my soulmate."

"Eww," Benji yelled. "Mom and dad are kissing." Julie laughed before telling her brother to put on his shoes for school.

~~~~~~~~~~

Binkie pulled his passport from his safe. He probably didn't need it, but he never travelled without it. "Scott Bradley Banner," Binkie read. "I should have changed my name." Binkie wiped the tears from his eyes, then removed the blanket from the box. His fingers stroked the soft blue blanket. Binkie carefully folded the blue cloth and added it to his luggage. "I miss you, buddy."

Early the following morning, Binkie woke up to catch his flight. He turned off the alarm and groaned. Binkie went through the motions to get showered and dressed, then grabbed his suitcase to meet Lester in the garage.

Lester was worried about his friend. Binkie was one of the quieter men, but he usually joked around with him. "Are you okay?" Lester asked. Instead of answering, Binkie turned to look out the window. Binkie didn't talk to Lester as he drove to Newark airport. "Safe flight, Binkie," Lester said when he stopped in the loading zone.

"Thanks," he mumbled. Binkie grabbed his bag from the trunk. He slapped the roof, letting Lester know it was safe to leave. In eight hours and fifteen minutes, he would land at LAX where the torture would begin.