A/N: This is what I picture could be a dialogue between Ranger and Stephanie if it ever came up… setting could be anywhere, really. In her apartment, at seven, or when they're along having a conversation where she kinda asks why they never could be together. (like she is at the end of her rope, wondering why, frustrated when she knows they both love each other)

This may or may not be incorporated into " Where does this lead?"

R: You're not safe to be connected to me. My enemies will target you to get to me. And I can't have you getting hurt!

S: Are you protecting me or yourself? I know damn well what would benefit me, I'm just not sure you know what I know benefits me.

And enemies targeting? Mine are local, untrained and highly unpredictable. You'd be hit with a curve ball bullet that you couldn't account for. Yours? Yes, yours may be internationally connected with many underworld and political ties, but cut from basically the same cloth you were. Thus, you can SEE and PREDICT their next moves.

The way I see it? I can be killed the next time I walk out the door and run into a past skip or be kidnapped by someone I put back in the system. I won't know from what angle but it's highly likely.

You most likely have eyes and ears keeping you informed about enemies you might have gained throughout your years serving this country. Most likely notified if any of them and it's affiliated relations reach the country. You have the opportunity to prepare and come up with action/ contingency plans. Ideally, you can keep me safer if I was yours. You just won't.

You may think you have too much darkness inside you and it would taint me if you get too close. Let me tell you. You won't. I can handle and process things and thoughts. Go to denial land if it gets too real.

Let me remind you. You've served this country with loyalty and valor. Yes, you've killed, most of them in the name of national security. Some may have been for other reasons.

However, the entirety of your time that you've gone at the beck and call of Uncle Sam, you've DONE for your duty to the country and kept its people safe. There is no amount of "thank yous" out there that I, or any of us here in this country can say to truly even express our gratitude to you and all who have served, still serving, and those preparing to serve to continue to keep us safe and having the freedoms we still enjoy to this day.

Most of the people out there see you and the Merry Men as thugs and criminals, not the highly decorated military trained people that you guys truly are.

They do not see the costs you bear for us civilians who do not have insight to the ugliness out there. To be more fair, it's more of an out of sight out of mind sort of thinking.

Most of the time, you come back and yes, you may look fine and normal, but more often than not, you hide the nightmares and flashbacks and triggers of PTSD that haunt you every time something loud pops near you.

Never going to get the psychological help you need because you don't want to appear weak, rather having it eat away at your conscience and losing sleep. Or maybe it is the fact that if you DO choose to speak of your mind to your military security sanctioned psychologist, you won't be able to go on missions anymore because they may think you are mentally unfit to continue missions.

You have so much drive to serve and protect this country. I'd wager a guess that you rarely give more than the happenings of the mission and the conclusion that the mission was a success and you came back. End of story and wait for the next call to be in the wind.

All things bottled up does no one any good. I get that you don't want to talk details to the military psych person. But you can always talk to me about anything you want. I don't need the classified details because I'm sure you would get into loads of military trouble for that. Maybe if you need a listening ear or just a hug. I'm always here for that.

You just won't take the first step.

Maybe we could have something evolve from that first step. But... it looks like nothing more than an elusive pipe dream like when you mention with someday...

A/N: This could go many ways… I am listing a few right here:

1: She could smile lightly and look down as if the dream of someday, like the hope of him taking the first step, is falling through the cracks and she will never have the chance to experience it… just resigning to it after getting it off her chest

2: She looks at him with sadness written all around her face and eyes. Walks away, maybe from him for now, or for forever, after resigning to the possibility that someday is never going to happen. Time to cut her losses and try to find someone out there that she would have a connection with and would be there for her, emotionally and physically.

3: Looks at his chest, gently puts her right hand over his heart, looks wistfully at the heart that will never be hers to keep. Both stood there for a minute, not moving. Stephanie closes her eyes for ten seconds and then opens them while exhaling. She looked up at Ranger, with a small smile but with sadness in her eyes thinking "what could've been" with her eyes. Right hand moves from his heart to his left cheek, gently rubbing it with her thumb while Ranger looks at her with his typical blank face. She then says "Goodbye, Ranger" and walks out. For now, or for life… only time will tell. We look back at Ranger and once her back is turned to him, he lets the longing show in his eyes, knowing that he just let her go, and nothing will ever be the same again.

A/N: Personally, I like option three… maybe they just go back to acquaitances if she chooses to work for Rangeman between jobs. Maybe she ups and leaves the toxic Burg and start new… maybe she reunites with a friend and she leaves and goes on to be mega successful and does not struggle with money anymore.