First off, I know I haven't updated anything in what feels like ages. I currently have two jobs and on weekdays I have them back to back. I can't even believe it's March already! Second, thanks for the support on this one. Steph seems to have a good thing going on with Ben, unfortunately with Ranger around who knows if it will last…

I had the first half of this chapter just sitting on my computer since the longest. Because it has been a while since I've posted, I decided to hold off on the Steph POV and the S&R meeting until next chapter.

Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.

My ride to seven on the elevator felt strange, eerie even. I'm strictly stairs… well, mostly. I often made exceptions whenever Babe was with me. Maybe that's what this elevator ride was missing: Babe.

A loud sigh escaped my lips as I unloaded to enter my apartment. Everything looked the same. The same little silver bowl was there waiting for my keys. The furniture and even the atmosphere seemed to be the identical. It seemed like it was all the same, except it wasn't. Without her things will never be like before.

Deciding to be productive instead of pitying my luck, I padded towards my bedroom. Bypassing the bed, one that saw more than one night of heated passion with Babe, I zeroed in on the bathroom. A hot shower sounded heavenly. And it was. The nearly scalding water soothed my tired body, providing both warm and comfort. At least once I'm done with the cleansing my physical body should feel somewhat better.

I can't be sure how long I stood under the water spray after I did all the hygienic stuff, just feeling the pulse of the scalding hot water on every inch of my skin. When I finally turned the water off and stepped out of the glass-enclosure, I had to navigate through the slight fog in search of a towel. Not bothering with a very thorough dry, I wrapped the towel around my waist one-handed as I used the other to wipe the mirror.

The man staring back looked like a beat up version of my old self. I'd lost a lot of muscle mass during my time away, which made me look a lot less deadly. It's going to take a lot of training to get my previous body type back. The bruises scattered on my torso won't take as long to disappear, though. As I leaned forward for a closer inspection of my reflection, I decided that spending effort on taking care of myself was a good idea. I know I need to be better before I anything else. Although, the mental and emotional sides will need more work than the physical aspect, they're necessary in order to really regain my life. Plus, this weak looking version of myself can't be good for business.

Dressed in comfortable sweats, I padded barefoot out of my bedroom in search of food. My mind might be revolving around the current situation with Babe, but it seems my body will really hold me accountable on the whole getting back to health bit. The smell of food hit me as soon as I reached the living room, alerting me that Ella had brought me a bite to eat not too long ago. And to prove that she really knows me as well as she does, she dropped off the food while I was in the shower so I could savor being alone for now.

Alone. That was definitely not the thought that kept me focused all this time, fueling me to continue holding on so I could come back in the flesh versus in a pine box.

I was eating in comfortable silence when I heard the front door open and close. Before I knew it my hand was reaching for the gun that should have been wedged in the waistband of my pants at the small of my back. Realizing my Glock wasn't where it should made me anxious and activated my defenses.

"Hey! What the fuck!" Lester easily slipped from my grasp, which was not reassuring for me. Either he's gotten better or I lost my touch. "It's me!" He waved his empty hands in the air for me to see that he was unarmed. "It's me. Horny Les, Fucking Santos…" He added for clarification, slight grin in place.

"Asshole." I grunted as I retook my seat. He knows better than to show up unannounced, especially after a mission as dark as the one I just came out of.

Unaffected, Lester took the seat across from mine. "Ella went all out with the Cuban goodies." He mumbled as he reached for the congri bowl. "How you holding up?" Those four words once again shifted the atmosphere between us, going from tense to annoyance to personal in the two minutes he's been here.

"Fine." I muttered as I continued eating, not wanting to go into details with him. Or anyone for that matter. I want to, need to forget so I can move on.

"Heard you bumped into Beautiful already." My cousin really knows how to push someone's buttons. He wants me to talk and he knows the only way he'll get me to do so is by bringing her up. She became my weakness right from the start.

"What do you got for me?" I was no longer interested in food. Not when he has what I'm really dying to know.

"I didn't know if and when you'd be back, so I've been keeping an eye on Beautiful."

I nodded to show my appreciation. All the guys love her and it's all been her doing. She has this ability to wedge herself in your heart. It's something no other woman has been able to do for me, not even the mother of my daughter.

"The first couple of months were pretty standard. Well, you know, pretty standard for her." Les said something about Babe's car of the week going up in flames about a year and a half ago, and how it was due to a mechanical failure more than being the target of one of her skips. "But her luck didn't last long. Two weeks after her car blew up, her skip Jim Miller shot her." Before I could ask for details, Les continued. "It was non-life threatening. Bullet lodged in her perfectly round butt, but she still dragged Miller to the cop shop and then drove her bleeding ass to St. Francis."

"Santos." I growled, annoyed at his oh so correct description of her ass.

"What? I told you I have been keeping an eye on her." He grinned just before he stuffed his face with more food. God, he's a bottomless pit when it comes to women and food. "Don't worry. Miller never lived it down with the wannabe gangbangers on Stark, so he makes sure to stay very far away." After he finished his plate, Santos reached for mine. "During the whole 'I got shot on the ass again' fiasco, Beautiful met Doctor Hottie."

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise and my jaw clench tight at the mention of Babe's new beau. Lester was quick to pick up on it. Rolling his eyes in a very Babe fashion, Les reached for his cell phone. With a few quick swipes on the screen he revealed the previously nameless, faceless 'Dr. Hottie'.

One look at the photo and I hated everything about him. The doctor was anything but ordinary. In fact, the man could pass off as actor or model. Hell, this guy made Lester seem average. My eyes quickly committed every last feature to memory. Dark hair, handsome features, day old stubble, and blue eyes just this side of lighter than Babe's. Instantly, the image of Babe and her little blue-eyed children and a white picket fence popped into my mind. My gut clenched in sync with my jaw at the realization of how perfect this guy was. Hell, this stranger was more Burg-ish than Morelli ever was. I bet everyone loves him, Babe included… Fuck!

I must have cursed aloud, because it prompted my cousin to resume his yapping.

"A couple days later she tore her stiches going after one of Vinnie's usual customers. And guess who treated her again at St. Francis?" I ignored the bait, eyes still fixated on Mr. Fiancé. "No one knew there was anything going on between them until much, much later when they were seen together in public."

"Name?" I will strangle Lester if he keeps going into so much detail. I rather run a search and soak the information on my own. Alone.

"Ben Winchell."

Dr. Ben Winchell.

Having a face and name to associate did nothing to help. In fact, all I gained was the realization that this situation is real. Very real…