Grr. Agh. Gah. Grawr. Arrrrg. Dang. Crap. Growl. -kicks my computer-

Well, I was true to my word, and I was writin this chapter.. when my computer decided to die, which caused me to lose the whole thing.. and I was so close too :(

But anyway, that's why it took so long for me to update (because I got in the shower after that.. sue me, i smelled.) ahh made me wanna kick somethin.. and i did.. i hope i didn't give my brother too big of a bruise.

Anyway, for your viewing pleasure, I give youuuuu...

Dinner.

With the Batfamily.

I was screwed.

"Dinner?" I said weakly.

Carla's grin got wider.

"Dinner." She turned back to the Halmark Cards she had been looking at, picked one up, and headed over to the small check-out area.

"Dinner," I whispered.

Ranger put his hand on my shoulder. "This shouldn't take too long.. We'll eat and get out."

"Dinner."

He flashed me a full on grin. "Dinner with my family won't kill you, Babe."

Oh yeah? One Ranger is scary enough.

I wonder if they're are any more guys..

"I have two sisters and three brothers," he said calmly.

My eyes widened.

Oh shiiiit.

"Okay, come on you two." Carla, fitting into the bossy-big-sister role perfectly, pulled Ranger and meout into the parking lot.

"Don't daretryand get away," she told Ranger strictly.

I couldn't believe it.

This might be more fun than I thought..

Ranger took off driving, following Carla's silver convertible, when all too soon we were at a two-story white house. Not too big, but probably about four times bigger than my apartment.

"Let's get this over with," Ranger muttered, more to himself than to me.

I grinned at his.. normalness.. and jumped out.

Carla grabbed me with one arm, and Ranger with the other.

"Let's go, Stephanie, Ricky."

She led us through the chain-link gate, and up the walk.

"In," she commanded Ranger.

She allowed me to come in, then slammed the door loudly.

"I'M HERE!" She yelled, "AND LOOK WHO I BROUGHT WITH ME!"

Several things happened at once.

First, a boy of about five ran out from the kitchen, yelling "Uncle Ricky!". A woman ran out after him, smiling. She had a toddler attatched to her leg, but she did not seem to notice. Following her was a handsome man, probably not any older than Ranger.

"Hey Ricky," the man grinned, flashing that familiar 200 watt smile. He and Ranger did some kind of complicated hand shake that I have never been able to get the hang of. Then, while Ranger was hugging the woman, the man turned to me.

"You must be the infamous Stephanie." He held out his hand. Hesitantly, I shook it.

"Stephanie, this is my brother Diego," said Ranger. "This is Chris-" He waved his hand at the little boy, "and Lissie." He pointed to the little girl, still clinging to the woman's leg.

"And this," he said, wrapping his arm around both my and the woman's shoulder, "is my little sister, Tia."

Tia smiled at me and gave me a friendly hug. "Chris and Lissie are mine," she explained.

I instantly liked Tia at once.

Who would have thought it.. Batman had a family.

"Let them in, let them in." Carla all but shouted to be heard over the noise. Ranger's brother -- Diego -- helped us clear a path to the kitchen.

"Hola Madre," Ranger called out.

An older woman, the spitting image of Carla, ran out of the kitchen, apron in place. "Ricky!" She enveloped him in a hug, that he quickly returned, glancing over her short head at me to see how I was taking all of this.

I loved it.

"Stephanie, this is my mother. Madre, this is Stephanie Plum."

Something -- surprise? -- dawned on Ranger's mother's face as she took my head in her hands and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Hello, my dear," she said kindly. "You may call me Bella," she smiled.

"Stephanie, would you like to help me prepare for dinner?" Tia asked, ignoring Ranger's sharp look.

I knew I was going in for evaluation.

"Okay," I replied, smiling slightly at Ranger's expression.

Let him be the one who worries, for once.

"So, Stephanie," Tia said, after directing me on how to stir the ladle. (I'm not the greatest cook.)

"Steph," I corrected her.

Tia smiled. "Steph," she agreed. "How long have you known Ric?"

Here we go.

"Um, about three years." (A/N : I have absolutely no time line on when this takes place, and it doesn't really matter what book it's after, because you don't need to've read them to understand this, really, so three was a random number.)

Tia's eyebrows shot up. "Three years?"

I nodded. "How old are you?" I asked her suddenly. She didn't look a day over 22, but I knew she had to be older, for Chris to be hers.

She laughed, and when she opened her eyes they were sparkling. "I'm twenty-seven, but I feel like I'm about fourty." Her eyes, still sparkling, turned curious.

"And you?"

I bit my lip. "Thirty-three," I said unwillingly.

Tia grinned. "Has Ricky told you how old he is?"

Our discussion was cut off by Diego sticking his head in. "Craig is here, and we're hungry, woman. Feed us!"

Tia laughed and flung an un-used wooden spoon at him. "We're coming." She rolled her eyes and grinned.

"Ric has told us a lot about you," she said, watching me closely as I turned the ladle absently.

"Like?" I was curious.

Batman told his family about me?

Tia's grin grew to its full 200 watts. "Well, the cars, the funeral home, the crazy family.."

"That wasn't my fault," I said automatically, but I still wasn't over the shock.

Batman

told his family

about me?

Tia let out her musical laugh and looked up when Bella entered the room.

"Well, Tia, Stephanie, I believe the boys are ready to stampede us," she said, her lightheartedness similiar to Tia's. She handed me a platter to carry out, while Tia carried a huge bowl.

"Is it only Diego, Ranger, Carla, the kids and us?" I asked, curious at the word 'boys.'

Bella laughed. "Oh no, dear, my other two sons, their wives and children, and Carla's husband are also here."

Oh shiiit.

A houseful ofBat-People.

And a Bombshell Bounty Hunter.

This oughtta be interesting.

"Well, let's get this show on the road," Tia said brightly, smiling at me, though her eyes were examining me.

I nodded vaguelly ("Let's..") and followed her out to the waiting roomful of Bat-Family.

Again, sorry it took so long, and I know this chapter wasn't really that funny, but it was a building-up chapter, ya know? Anyway, don't murder me for taking so long.. I need some suggestions for the other two brother's names, cuz i'm stumped. My own lil brother made up "Diego" and "Craig".. who is, by the way, Carla's husband..

Anyway, Review review review!

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