I do not own any of the JE characters. I wish I owned Ranger to do with what I please…but I sadly do not. I make no money off of this.

There is some Spanish in the story. I have provided you translations at the bottom. I hope my grammar isn't too bad!

"You're safe now. I promise nothing is going to happen. I will keep you safe." Stephanie smiled and snuggled deep into his chest. Her world seemed so much less complicated and scary with him. Everything would get better as long as he was with her.

"I love you." Ranger smiled.

"And I love you too. Now, get some sleep. I won't leave your side."

Chapter 4

Stephanie woke up late in the morning. Ranger still had his arms around her, and his eyes were closed. Steph grinned and got out of bed to shuffle into the bathroom. Ranger continued to sleep, but he moved ever so slightly. Steph turned on the bathroom light and nearly screamed when she saw what awaited her.

No stalker, no body part in a box, no dead body could match with this sort of horror. Her own reflection was the most terrifying thing she had ever seen! Steph's hair was BIG. Half of it was matted from her head lying on the pillow, the other half was poofy, curly, frizzy, and EVERYWHERE! How could Ranger want to wake up to this! On closer examination, Steph saw bags under her eyes, which were impossibly red and swollen from the tears of last night's dream. Her make-up (which she had neglected to wash off the night before) was streaked and smeared. Steph sighed and stepped into her hot shower. It was going to take a miracle to get her looking normal again.

Ranger woke up and stretched, yawning as he did so. He heard the shower running, and smiled. Steph up before him? This must be something new. Rolling out of bed, he walked into the bathroom, smiling at Steph's silhouette behind the steamed glass shower panes. Months of hard work had chiseled her body into a model for perfection, and Ranger loved every curve of her. He stripped and joined her in the shower.

"Babe." Stephanie turned to face him and smiled at him.

"Ranger. See anything you like?" She posed like a model, her blue eyes taunting him.

Ranger laughed and stroked her cheek. "If I say yes, do I get a prize?"

"No. I'm getting out of the shower before I get pruney. And then I'm going to try and make my appearance a little bit more attractive. Then I'll head to the office to do some work at the job that you gave me. Remember that? After that, I have to go to my apartment and move out all my stuff. But after that, I'm free for a good ravaging." She grinned. "Is that good for you?"

Ranger's mouth fell open in disbelief. Had he just been turned down? "Babe, did you just turn me down?"

"Only temporarily." Steph left him with that remark and jumped out of the shower, grabbing her towel to protect against the cold. Ranger grinned and finished his shower. By the time he got out, Steph was in front of the mirror, hair done up in big curls, applying some light make-up to her face. She was wearing her black cargos and tee. Ranger kissed her shoulder and walked into the bedroom, his towel hung precariously low on his body. Steph licked her lips as she watched him go. "Ranger? Are you gonna help me move my stuff, or do I have to recruit two of your boys?"

Ranger's voice carried into the bathroom. "You might have to get the Merrymen. I have two meetings that I don't know if I can get out of. I'll call up and let you know." Steph rolled her eyes and walked into the bedroom. Ranger was dressed in black Armani pants and a black dress shirt, unbuttoned at the neck. He looked ravishing. Ranger tied his hair back and smiled at her. "Are you going to the office now?"

She nodded. "After breakfast I will. Are you going to be joining me?" Ranger nodded and they entered to the kitchen and helped themselves to the waiting fruit and toast. Ranger looked at his watch and kissed Steph on top of the head.

"I have my meeting now. I'll try to get out of the second one, but no promises. Please don't go out alone though. It's not safe yet." Steph nodded and kissed him softly.

"I promise." Ranger grinned and left the apartment, headed down to the large conference room for his first meeting.

Steph finished eating and went downstairs to the control room. Lester and Bobby were lounging in the chairs, watching the monitors. Bobby looked up at Steph as she walked in. "Bomber!" He hugged her. "I heard what you did to Morelli. That is fuckin' hilarious."

Lester nodded. "We're so proud of you Bomber."

Steph laughed at her two friends. "It was nothing. I just had a little bit of pent up Burg rage." Her face turned serious. "So tell me about Diego Santos. Any new information?" Bobby's face fell.

Lester fidgeted. Ranger had told them to keep her 100 informed if she asked any questions. But she wasn't going to like the news. "Well…Morelli is on the case. But he doesn't seem to be doing too much…or caring too much. That, and Ranger is investing as much as he can into this one. There's not much else to tell you. We'll get him. Don't worry Bomber."

Steph nodded. "I won't. Hey, if Ranger can't get out of his meeting today, do you two want to help me move my stuff from my apartment?" The two men nodded. Steph thanked them and went to her cubicle to run her searches. Steph ended up finishing the files quickly…which gave her mind an opportunity to think about Diego Santos. She could remember his haunting eyes and how he whispered in her ear. Flashes of her kidnapping swept before her eyes. She remembered waking up, remembered her surroundings, and remembered everything that she had worked so hard to forget. Stephanie jumped as a hand squeezed her shoulder.

Ranger's voice brought her back to reality. "Babe, are you okay?" Stephanie shook her head clear and then nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Her stomach growled. "I'm hungry."

Ranger chuckled as he helped her out of her chair. "How about lunch and then we'll move out of your apartment to…oh let's say, the Batcave?" Steph almost fell over.

"The Batcave…you're actually taking me to the Batcave? Cool. Wait till Lula hears about this!" Ranger laughed.

"I knew you'd like it. So where to for lunch?" Steph thought for a moment. A sly grin crept up her face. Ranger's face paled as he read her thoughts. "Oh no. I love you and all, but that's pushing it." He looked panicked. "Every time I have to go there, your grandma pinches my ass, and says things about 'my package'. She even asked me to come upstairs once."

Amused by his panic, Steph shrugged her shoulders. "We're going to lunch at my parent's house. And you're going to like it." Ranger sighed and kissed her.

"The things I do for you." He grinned. "Well, we're really going to have to drive in style…American made it is." That meant he was going to drive the classy Buick LeSabre. It was the standard black with the chrome. But Steph's father was going to love it.

Steph smiled. "Good choice. Let's go upstairs and change, and then go."

Lunch had been surprisingly uneventful. Grandma Mazur only made one remark about Ranger, but didn't attempt to pinch his butt at all. Steph's father had drooled over the Buick and had asked to take it for a spin. While he and Ranger drove around the neighborhood, Steph and her mother talked. Her mother wanted to know everything.

"Why did you break it off with Joe? He wanted to marry you!"

"Well, apparently he also wanted to have some…side projects…of his own. Terri, Joyce…I wonder who else he was secretly seeing?" Her mother put her hands on her hips.

"Stephanie, I'm sorry. I just thought you two were perfect. But this Ranger really loves you. I can see it in his eyes. And yes, I do agree with your grandmother…he is quite the handsome man." Stephanie hugged her mom.

"Yes he is. And he takes care of me." Her mom nodded.

"Where will you be staying until all this is over? You're more than welcome to stay here."

Steph nodded. "Thank you, but I'm moving into Ranger's house. He's going to help me today…but it's close by…from what I've heard, and maybe we'll have to have you and dad over for dinner."

"It's a deal. I think I hear them on the porch now. You should probably get going. When are you coming for dinner?"

Steph kissed her mom on the cheek. "How does Monday sound?"

Ranger drove quietly to Steph's apartment. She was grinning at him…waiting for him to speak. He wasn't going to allow her that pleasure. Although he wouldn't admit it out loud, he had enjoyed himself at her parent's house. Meals there were always entertaining and Steph was truly cared about there. Her father had talked to him about cars and the military. He also had asked Ranger what his intentions were for Steph. Ranger had answered honestly. 'Mr. Plum, I love your daughter more than I ever thought possible. I would do anything to keep her safe. I want her to be her own person, to make her own decisions. And when the time is right, I would like to marry her…if you permit.' Of course her father had said yes. Ranger had that way with people.

Steph watched Ranger think. She wanted him to say how good of a time he had had, and to tell her what her father had talked about. "Ranger?" Ranger glanced at her, and smiled.

"I'm not saying a thing. Here, we're at your apartment…and look, there's Cal with the truck for all you furniture. Are you ready to say goodbye?" Steph nodded vigorously and looked up at her window.

"I'll gladly say goodbye to go to the Batcave." Ranger nodded and waved to Cal. Cal walked over, dressed in his black combats, shirtless, ready to lift heavy furniture. Tank was there too, and he sauntered over.

"Hey Bomber, are you all done living here? That's good, because watching you in this apartment involves too many explosions and old people." Steph laughed and hugged her two friends. All four trooped upstairs. Steph stopped short in her hallway right before her door. There was a bouquet of blue flowers, and a note attached to it. Ranger picked up the flowers. Stephanie read the note.

"Querido. He soñado sobre usted para tan de largo. Y todavía sueño sobre usted. No he dado para arriba en nosotros. Le encontraré. Y usted será el mío. Goce de las flores." Ranger's mouth was set in a thin line, and Tank and Cal looked pissed off. Stephanie had made it a point to start learning Spanish, but this was too much for her to comprehend. All she caught was 'darling…dream…flowers' Not very helpful. But she knew who it was from…Diego. Her blood ran cold as she thought of her worst nightmare coming to life.

Cal looked over in her direction, worry showing across his face. "Ranger…" Ranger turned, just in time to catch Steph as she fainted in the hallway. Tank opened her door and looked inside, gun drawn. All was clear. Ranger carried Steph inside and gently laid her on the couch.

"Tank, Cal, start packing up all her stuff. I'll pack her clothes. I brought boxes up." The three men began packing up Steph's apartment. Tank smiled at the cookie jar as he wrapped it in paper. That cookie jar had been the butt-end of many jokes over the years. When Steph had been afraid of guns, she had kept hers inside the jar, unloaded. Much to Ranger's dismay and the Merrymen's amusement. There were a lot of good memories in this apartment for Steph…but also a lot of bad ones. Tank smiled to himself. She would be safe in the 'Batcave'.

Steph woke up to the sound of Cal dropping a pot. She sat up and smiled. The men had done a quick job of packing up her apartment. A large black truck was outside, and Tank was currently carrying her table out to it. Boxes were packed and taped up, with neatly written labels on the sides and top. Her grin faded away, and she walked to her bedroom. Sure enough, the whole room was packed and into the truck.

Ranger stepped behind her and put his arms around her waist. "Don't worry; I did the packing of this room. I must say…I like your choice in underwear. I've never seen some of those pieces." His hand ran up her shirt. Steph stepped away and grinned.

"I said I was up for some ravaging later…not yet. Who knows…if you behave, maybe I'll show you some of those 'pieces' up close and personal." She kissed him and nipped at his lower lip for good measure. Ranger smiled and picked up the last of the boxes in the bathroom.

"Babe, you're gonna be the death of me." Steph smiled. But inwardly she was panicking. She might be the death of Ranger, but Diego was going to be the death of her.

TBC (sorry this one was so long…and with no point. I'll have another chapter for you before the 9th)

Translation: Darling. I have dreamed about you for so long. And I still do dream about you. I have not given up on us. I will find you. And you will be mine. Enjoy the flowers.

Thanks to all my reviewers/greatest fans! You guys have offered so much encouragement and ideas. Your input has really helped.

-Rangersgirl

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-Silent me

-MeMs

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