Author's Note

So this is the end to The Drive.

Thank you all so, so much for the reviews, comments, kudos, favorites and follows.

This story didn't write itself. It was hard and it took me a long time to finish. I agonized over how to end this for a long time and I am happy how this turned out, that I found the right words in the end.

Enjoy this Epilogue!


Ranger's POV

One year later

I pull on my shorts over my long running tights and a thermo shirt, before giving Steph a kiss on the cheek. She emits a sigh and curls further into the sheets, making me smile in return.

After grabbing my running shoes from beside the door, I quietly open the door and step outside into the misty morning. After making quick work of pulling on my shoes, slipping my ear buds in and covering my head with a beanie, I start off in a slow jog towards the reception building. I wave at Dave, a guy in his forties who comes to Watson Lake every year with his family for spring and autumn break, in passing. He likes to get up early and enjoy the peace and quiet, before his rug rats get up.

Once I reach the Reception building, I turn left and start running along the snow covered trail towards town. This is the second time we have come back to Watson Lake and it never fails to help me relax. It is promising to be a nice day, judging by the sun peaking out on the horizon, even though it is cold as hell.

Much has changed this past year. The guys and I did what we said we would: the four of us have taken a step back from the day to day in Trenton and handed it over to Hal, Manny and Hector.

Tank got to take his break. He took off for four months and travelled the world, without Lula. Neither of them is talking about what happened, but it is clear they are not getting back together.

Bobby finally went back to medical school and is another year away from being awarded his Doctor. Babe is already planning the graduation party.

And Lester, well he made the biggest change. Since he took on the Recruitment and Advanced Field Education branch of Rangemen, he has gotten a lot more serious. He is literally putting his heart and soul into this project, making all of us proud. The ideas he has will bring in a lot of more business opportunities for Rangemen in the future.

My Charity has proven a lot more difficult. The hoops we had to jump through were high and it is still not off the ground properly. I didn't want to burden Bobby while he is back in school, I asked Trainor to help and she has been a godsend. Hopefully by the end of this year we can set up an actual office to get former military personnel the mental health they need.

On top of all of that, not long after Tank returned, we opened another Branch in San Francisco. It was all hands on deck for a while, but it worked out well. The branch is operating in profit in under a year.

Then there is Steph and me. This past year has not been easy on us either, not that we expected it to be. There were setbacks. The first few times she stayed over, I couldn't go to sleep, because I was afraid I would harm her in any way, until Babe caught wind of it. She made me lie down with her and would massage my head until I was asleep. To this day it is still something she does every night and I am not about to stop her. She has magical fingers and I am thinking of getting them insured just in case.

Twice the nightmares with her in the starring role returned and made me want to reach for the bottle. I even did once, but I didn't drink it because Steph caught me. He literally walked in when I was about to bring the bottle to my lips. We fought over me shutting her out again, over breaking my promise to always be honest with her, but we stuck it out.

Every day we fight for each other and it has gotten easier. I haven't seen her in my nightmares in nearly six months, which I count as a success.

Most of her clothes are back on seven and she spends most nights in my bed. She hasn't brought it up and has gone at my pace, but I can tell she would love nothing more than to live with me again. I think after we return home, I will just bring over boxes and help her pack.

We are in agreement that we do not want to get married. We do not need to. And children, well, we have come to the conclusion that if it happens it happens and if it doesn't, we won't be sad about it either. We leave that up to fate.

I round the corner that leads me back towards our cabin and smile when I see Steph already curled up outside in the chair that I have come to think of as hers, with a mug in her hand. She is covered in a fluffy blanket with her red wool socks peeking out at the bottom.

I slow my stride to an easy jog, before coming to stop right in front of her. "Good Morning" I smile and earn one in return. "I thought you wanted to sleep in?"

"Our big friend came back this morning and caused a ruckus. I came out here to watch him again."

I bent down to stretch and spot what she was talking about. The moose knocked over the flower pots Lea put on the deck. "He is persistent, I give him that." The day prior, he had knocked them over in order to get to the bunch of flowers I bought for Steph at the market. I had put them on the table while I ran to the reception to get a vase, but when I returned the moose had already eaten half of them.

"Want some coffee?" Babe asks and puts her mug on the table next to her.

"Nah, but I will need help in the shower. You think you are the woman for the job?" I reply with a grin and hold out my hand.

"I think I can manage that" She retorts as she puts her hand in mine. I pull her up and against me, making her squeak.

"EWWWW you are sweaty" She exclaims and tries to push of me. "Let me go!"

Instead of letting her go, I bent down a little and pick her up. "Never!" I grin and then carry her inside. She catches my double meaning and kisses me hard.

"Good, because I am not letting you go either."

Thank fuck for that, because living without her brought me misery. Life with her in it is far better.