Disclaimer: I do not own the characters created by Janet Evanovich. I just really really wish I did! I am just using them in this story. I only own Carmella, but you can have her if you want her!

The front door was opened by a woman in her late forties. She looked slightly taken aback when she saw the men on her doorstep. One of them smiled slightly.

"I'm looking for Joanne Cervezo." He said politely. She nodded slowly.

"That's me, how can I help you?" She asked cautiously. Ranger looked at her for a few seconds before asking.

"Your son is Antonio Cervezo?" It was more of a statement. The woman nodded slowly, looking slightly scared.

"Have you seen your son lately?" Tank asked calmly. The woman shook her head, apparently having temporarily lost her voice. She cleared her throat

"I haven't seen him since before he went to jail. Why?"

"We saw your son a few weeks ago. He broke into my building, fractured my arm and knocked me out, shot my colleague and then attacked my fifteen year old daughter and my friend who is pregnant. We need to find him." Ranger growled. There was no point lying, he could see in this woman's eyes that she wanted nothing to do with her scumbag son. She bit her lip.

"Your friend…is she ok?" She whispered.

"Put it this way" Tank replied "She was having triplets. Now she's having twins." He told the woman. She sobbed quietly. Tank handed her a tissue.

"I swear I haven't heard from him in years, I thought he was still in jail. Do you have a contact number? If I hear anything I'll call you." She said earnestly. Ranger nodded and handed her a business card.

"Anything you think of, give us a call." He said. Joanne nodded and they left.

Ranger unlocked the door of the Florida RangeMan apartment. He wondered if he still needed this branch, the only reason he'd opened a Florida office was so he could visit Carmella as much as possible. It hadn't really helped. They'd been in Florida for four days now and they had nothing. The address that they'd been given for the RangeMan intruder turned out to be useless; he'd moved out months ago and hadn't left any information as to his current whereabouts. James didn't have any known associates that fitted the description Steph and Carmella had given about him. He kicked his boots off, sank down onto one of the sofas and closed his eyes. He'd head back home tomorrow in time for Christmas. His eyes snapped open. Shit, Christmas! He jumped up and ran out the door in search of shops.

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Carmella and I were eating cookies wrapping presents for Christmas day, tomorrow, when the intercom bleeped and Hal's voice filled the room.

"The guys just got back. Ranger's coming up to the apartment." He told us and disconnected. Carmella glanced up at the clock; it was three in the afternoon.

"They've been gone five days, it won't have been intimidation. They were looking for leads I'll bet. Have you packed your bag yet? We need to get going to Nanna Mañoso's in a couple of hours." She said. I nodded and indicated my travel bag. "Have you told your family you won't be joining them for dinner yet?" She asked. I froze and shook my head.

"I was thinking of doing it tonight, just running in, giving them their presents, telling them and running out again." I told her.

"Good plan." The front door opened and Ranger walked in. He didn't look angry or tired; I guess it had been a good trip. He smiled and walked over to us, ruffling Carmella's hair and kissing me lightly on the top of my head. I smiled back and pulled him down onto the floor where we were sitting.

"How was Florida?" I asked sweetly. Carmella grinned. Ranger stared at me in shock.

"How…how did you know where we were? Did Hal tell you?" He asked. I shook my head and smiled.

"That's for me to know. What exactly were you doing in Florida?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Nothing really. Just following leads." He replied. Carmella smiled victoriously.

"I told you." She said superiorly and stuck a cookie in her mouth. Ranger looked at her, frowning slightly.

"Carmella found out, didn't she?" He asked me. I smiled; I could be mysterious as well. Ranger glanced from Carmella, to me, then stood and walked into his bedroom.

"Don't forget, we need to get going in two hours." Carmella called. The bedroom door opened and Ranger looked out.

"Going where?" He asked suspiciously. Carmella rolled her eyes.

"To Nanna Mañoso's. You didn't forget did you?" Ranger looked pained.

"I didn't think we'd actually go. I tell her I'll go every year; it doesn't mean I actually will." He murmured. Carmella smiled at him.

"Well guess what? This year you are going."

We pulled up outside my house. My mom wasn't waiting for me, it wasn't six yet so she had no reason to expect me. I took a deep breath and climbed out the car, sending a final pleading look to Ranger. He grinned at me and handed me the bag of presents for my family. I took it and walked up to the front door. My Grandma opened it and looked at me suspiciously.

"What are you doing here? Why is the bounty hunter with the fine package waiting outside? Invite him in!" She instructed. I looked back at Ranger and smiled. I couldn't be that cruel…could I? Before I could work out what to say, Grandma Mazur was walking down the path towards the car. I have never seen Ranger look so scared. She opened the passenger door and leaned in to say something to him. I could see Carmella in the back shaking with silent laughter. Grandma Mazur took a step back and motioned for them to follow her. Ranger looked in pain. Carmella hopped out the car, opened the driver door and dragged him out of the car. They walked up to the front door behind Grandma. As they passed me, I heard Ranger mutter to Carmella

"Expect nothing but coal for Christmas."

Angie was working on the dining table and smiled when we walked in. Carmella sat next to her.

"Hey Angie, what are you up to?" She asked.
"Homework." Angie replied simply. Carmella frowned slightly.

"You got homework in Christmas vacation?" she asked. That seemed a bit harsh.

"I asked for it, its fun!" She beamed. Carmella looked shocked. My mother walked in from the kitchen and looked at us suspiciously.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. I smiled and handed her the bag of presents. She opened it and looked inside, then looked at me.

"Why are you giving me these now? You can bring them tomorrow." She stated. I looked to Ranger, who seemed to be fighting off Grandma Mazur and in no situation to help me.

"Well…we're going to see Carmella's grandparents for Christmas. See you when I get back, bye!" I garbled, grabbed Carmella by the wrist and ran for the door. Ranger noticed us moving, said goodbye to Grandma Mazur and followed us. I almost wrenched the door off its hinges opening it. Carmella was already strapped in the back. Ranger ambled over and climbed in.

"Hurry up! Mom will kill me if she catches up." I squealed. Ranger turned the engine on and rolled away from the curb. Carmella leaned forwards and turned the radio on. Cheesy Christmas songs blared out from the speakers, with Carmella singing along loudly. Ranger glanced at her in the rear view and smiled slightly. We drove for about half an hour until we were just outside of Trenton and driving up a narrow road that was dense with trees on either side. There was a large wrought iron gate in the middle of the road with a numbered pad on the side post. Ranger wound down his window, leaned out and tapped a code in. The gates opened slowly and we drove up a long gravel drive. In front of us was a huge mansion, with ivy climbing up the front. Several black cars were already parked in the driveway. The car rolled to a stop and Ranger climbed out, running round to open the door for me. Carmella was already pulling our bags out of the trunk of the car. The front door had been opened by a middle aged man in a suit. I looked at him as I climbed out the car.

"That's Edward, he's the butler." Ranger told me as he took my upper arm and helped me to the ground. Carmella threw his overnight bag at him.

"Come on, we're late." She said. I grabbed my bag and we walked towards the front door. Edward nodded his head slightly and smiled at us.

"Master Ricardo, nice of you to join us." He said in a traditional English accent. He smiled at Carmella and me and then motioned for us to follow him across the huge marble entrance hall and up the massive sweeping staircase.

"You're staying in your old room Master Ricardo. I trust your lady friend will be staying in there with you. The room next to yours can be occupied by your…" He looked at Carmella, obviously not having a clue as to who she was. Ranger smiled.

"My daughter." He informed Edward. Edward looked shocked, but nodded, smiled and took his leave, pausing to call to us
"Your family are in the parlour Master Ricardo; I shall keep your arrival hush hush." He smiled and walked back down the staircase. We walked down a long landing and finally stopped outside two large oak doors. Ranger opened one of the doors for me. I walked in and froze. The room was huge with the biggest bed I've ever seen in my life in the middle. The walls were painted white and the bed sheets were grey silk. I squealed excitedly and hugged Ranger. He smiled at me.

"Like it, Babe?" He asked. I nodded and jumped up and down with excitement. There was a knock on the door and Carmella stuck her head in.

"Come on folks, let's go meet the family." She instructed. We followed her back down the stairs and across the hall. There were large oak double doors at the end of the hallway which we stopped outside. Ranger appeared to be taking deep breaths. Then he stepped forwards and pulled the doors open. We walked into the room and weren't noticed at first, which was not surprising as there were countless adults and children milling around. Suddenly one of the kids pointed at Ranger and shouted "Look, its uncle Ricardo!" All the children shrieked and ran at us, latching themselves onto Ranger while Carmella laughed hysterically. When the children finally backed off, a woman around the same age as Ranger stepped forwards and stared into his eyes.

"How many years has it been Ric?" She whispered, before bursting into tears and wrapping her arms around his neck. Ranger pulled her into a huge bear hug.

"I'm sorry Cee-Cee but-"
"I know, something came up. Every year for four years." She whispered.

"Four years? Ha, you got it lucky!" Carmella grinned. The woman stepped back from Ranger and stared at Carmella.

"Um…who are you?" she asked. Carmella sighed.

"Honestly, you don't see someone for nearly eight years and they totally forget you. I thought better of you Aunt Celia." Celia looked at her for a few more seconds, then shrieked and pulled Carmella into a hug.

"Oh my goodness, little Carmella! Oh but you're all grown up and so pretty! This is…but what…where's your mother?" Celia asked. Carmella shrugged.

"Burning in hell for all I care, it doesn't matter. I live with dad now, he got custody." The whole room, who had been silently listening to the conversation, all shrieked excitedly and started jumping up and down and hugging each other. A woman in her mid fifties walked over to us and rested an arm on Carmella's arm.

"Welcome home chica, we missed you." Carmella hugged the woman.

"I missed you too abuella." She whispered. The woman then turned and smacked Ranger around the head.

"You! What the hell where you thinking? Not telling us about little Carmella, were you going to leave it another four years before contacting us?" Ranger scowled slightly, prompting the woman to give him another smack.

"Don't you give me that scowl young man, you are already in my bad books and you haven't introduced your lady friend yet." She stated, looking at me. Ranger sighed and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Madre this is Stephanie Plum, she's a friend of mine." He told his mother. She nodded and smiled at me.

"You're pregnant." She said calmly. My eyes widened and I looked down at my stomach. It really was starting to show. I looked back up to Ranger's mother and smiled sheepishly. She looked at Ranger.

"Are you getting married?" She asked sharply. He shook his head and received another smack around the head. She pointed a finger sharply at him.

"You better have a good reason for not marrying her." She hissed dangerously. Carmella seemed to be enjoying this. Ranger sighed.

"I told you Madre, Steph is just a friend." He replied, slowly loosing his cool. His mother looked at me, then to my stomach, then opened her mouth to say something but Carmella cleared her throat and smiled.

"So how is everyone? More to the point, who is everyone? Because I have a limited memory!" She grinned. Ranger's mother gave him a final glare and then started leading Carmella around the large room, introducing her to various people. Celia walked back over and smiled.

"Stephanie Plum, I thought you looked familiar. I've read all about you in the newspaper." She grinned. I smiled back, uncomfortably.

"I didn't mean to blow up the funeral home, I swear." I said defensively. She laughed and smiled at me.

"I'll take your word for it."

We were sat in the largest dinning room I'd ever set foot in eating dinner a couple of hours later, when the door opened and Edward walked in. He bowed slightly then addressed Ranger's mother.

"Mr Mañoso has arrived." He said. I looked at Ranger, confused. He smiled slightly.

"There are quite a lot of 'Mr Mañoso's in the family babe." A man in his late fifties walked in, smiling slightly. I could tell straight away that this was Ranger's dad, they looked so similar, only his dad looked like he laughed more. He looked around the table, nodding and smiling at everyone. When his eyes settled on Ranger, they widened in obvious surprise.

"Well if it isn't the devil himself…Ricardo Carlos, long time no see." He smiled affectionately at his son. Ranger stood and walked up to his father, wrapping his arms around him.

"Hola Papa, good to see you're still alive." He smiled, then took a step back. His dad nodded to him, still smiling, then looked at Carmella. He stared at her for a few seconds, then blinked, his eyes filling with tears.

"My God…little Carmella. It can only be you…" He gasped. Carmella jumped up and ran to her Grandfather.

"Hola Abuello." He whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"My goodness, you're quite the young lady now, aren't you? I'll bet you have to fight the young lads off with a stick." He grinned.

"No, dad does all the fighting for me!" she laughed. They all sat back down and we carried on eating, chatting casually as we did. As we were nearing the end of the evening, Edward walked in again, smiling apologetically.

"There is another arrival, sir." He addressed Ranger's father. Mr Mañoso nodded and Edward motioned for someone to walk in. Enrique Mañoso, Ranger's treacherous cousin, walked in followed by Eva, James and a woman in her sixties. We all stared at them in shock. Carmella found her voice first.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" She hissed. Eva smiled serenely.

"Why, I just came to spend Christmas with my daughter." She replied sweetly. Ranger, Carmella and I all stared at them in complete disbelief. James smiled and picked a piece of bread off of Carmella's plate.

"Thanks little angel, I'm starving." Carmella jumped out of her chair and smashed James around the face with her fist. He fell backwards into Eva and stared up at Carmella from the floor with a look of shock, pain and disbelief on his face. She smiled sadistically.

"I have waited so long to do that." She hissed. James scrambled back to his feet, while Eva and the older woman shrieked at Carmella in Spanish. Ranger stood and went to Carmella's side.

"Go away Eva, you're not wanted here. Take your filthy husband and your mother with you and go." He instructed calmly. The older woman glared at him.

"How dare you talk to my daughter like that! You are a disgrace Ricardo, you and that little whore-"
"It is not my daughter who is the whore, Sheila; it is yours!" Ranger shouted. The room fell into a shocked silence. I'd never heard Ranger shout like that before. He sounded so furious. Sheila was glaring at him with a look that Grandma Bella would have been proud of. Ranger's father stood and walked to Sheila.

"I think you should leave Sheila. I apologize for this; I will have words with my Granddaughter and my son. Maybe we will see you soon." He said calmly. Sheila looked at him, then nodded stiffly and walked out, motioning for Eva and James to follow her. Enrique was still stood in the corner looking smug. Ranger walked up to him.

"You need to leave, now." He commanded. Enrique scoffed.

"I'm family Ricardo, I was invited. You haven't been to a family meeting for four years, what do you think gives you the right to tell me to leave?" He asked.

"You're a traitor Enrique, you are a back stabbing traitor!" Carmella shrieked. Her grandfather turned to her.

"Carmella, please do not be so rude. Enrique is family-" He tried to reason.

"No, I disown him; he is not related to me!" She screamed and ran to her father's side. Mrs Mañoso sighed and buried her face in her hands. Enrique glared at Carmella.

"I know you're mentally unstable, girl, but you should watch your mouth." He growled.

"¡Va la cogida usted misimo!" Carmella shrieked and launched herself forwards, flailing her arms in an attempt to scratch his face, but was stopped by Ranger grabbing her round the waist and pulling her backwards.

"Carmella, leave it! He's not worth it!" He said. His father walked up to them.

"Young lady, would you care to explain yourself?" He said, in the same dangerously calm voice Ranger used in anger.

"He represented madre and James in the custody battle! He told the judge that I was mentally unstable and that dad wasn't fit to look after me!" She screamed as she struggled against her father's grip. Mr Mañoso's eyes darkened and he looked at Enrique. Enrique, sensing the brewing anger, had started to edge backwards. I was considering hiding under the table.

"Is that true" Carmella's Grandfather asked. Enrique gulped and walked slowly towards the door.

"You have to understand Uncle, I needed the money. It was nothing personal-"
"That's a load of crap! He was jealous of Dad and couldn't wait to face him!" Carmella shouted. Enrique gulped again, then bolted and ran out the door. Ranger slowly released Carmella. She smoothed her top and sat back down.

"Could someone please pass the water?"

I woke up the next morning to the sound of excited screaming and footsteps running up and down the corridor. The door swung in and seven small children stampeded in and jumped up onto the bed. They started kicking Ranger in the face and pulling his hair.

"Come on Uncle Ric, wake up! It's Christmas!" A mini-Carmella squealed. Ranger growled and swatted at the small child. The door opened again and Carmella skipped in, shooing all the small children out of her way and out of the room.

"Merry Christmas!" She giggled, throwing a large carrier bag, presumably full of presents, onto the bed and then jumped up onto the bed and sat in the space between me and Ranger. She opened the bag and threw a present at me. I ripped the paper off and pulled out a beautiful black silk camisole.

"It's for after you have the baby, you can look pretty and be happy!" She giggled. I smiled and then caught the second present she threw at me. It was a beautiful gold crucifix necklace. I looked at Carmella in amazement.

"This must have cost…thank you so much Carmella!" I smiled and gave her a hug. She then gave Ranger a pair of Oakley's sunglasses and an expensive looking black shirt. I gave Carmella a long, tiered black skirt with a number of petticoats and a amethyst choker. She smiled, gave me a hug and then looked at Ranger. He gave her a beautiful Gucci watch with a silver link strap, which she pulled on and admired. Then he pulled out a large brown envelope and handed it to her.

"Oops, I forgot about cards!" She said apologetically. Ranger just smiled. She opened the envelope and tipped it up. A black key ring with small purple gems on it and a house key attached fell out. Carmella looked confused as she pulled a number of papers out. On the cover of the booklet was a large colour photo of what was, in effect, the most amazing mansion I'd ever seen.

"That's our new house Carmella. Do you like it?" Ranger asked. Carmella shrieked and threw her arms around his neck.

"It's amazing; it is beyond words I love it!" She laughed. I gave Ranger a gun belt and watch, while he gave me a beautiful bracelet and a pair of matching earrings. We joined the family downstairs where more presents were exchanged. The Christmas dinner was served at 2 in the afternoon and was delicious. The whole family were playing Charades after, when Ranger stood and announced that we were leaving. His parents bid us farewell and smothered Carmella with kisses. We climbed into the car and drove back down the driveway. As we drove back through Trenton, I realised we were going the wrong way for the RangeMan building. I looked quizzically at Ranger, but he just smiled. We drove out of the town and down a secluded lane that I'd never been down before. Halfway down the road, there was a large gate. Ranger wound down his window and tapped a code into the keypad attached to the gate post.

"The code to get in is Carmella's birthday." He told us. Carmella nodded, but I had no idea when Carmella's birthday was.

"20th of May." She mouthed at me. I nodded as we drove up the remaining half of the road. The road widened and Carmella gasped as we looked up at the house that had been illustrated on her Christmas card. She jumped out the car before it had stopped properly and ran up to the front door, pulling her key out of her shoulder bag as she ran. Ranger parked the car and then we joined Carmella as she unlocked the door. There was a huge chandelier in the entrance hall and the floor was covered in marble tiles. Carmella screamed and jumped up and down with excitement. We all went up the staircase to the first landing where Ranger led us to a room in the middle of the corridor with a large purple bow stuck to the door.

"Carmella, this is you corridor. There is a bathroom, a games room, a study and four guest rooms which your friends can stay in." Ranger told her "And this is your bedroom" He indicated the door with the bow. She screamed again and pushed the door open. The walls were painted lilac and in the middle of the room there was a huge antique four-poster bed with purple velvet drapes. All the furniture was antique, matching the bed. She opened the wardrobe and saw all her clothes already hung up. She pulled me and Ranger into a hug, sobbing with happiness.

"Merry Christmas Carmella." Ranger whispered.

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Many thanks to everyone who read this chapter, I hope you all approve! Love it? Hate it? Please Please PLEASE review! As always, any suggestions and/or comments are welcome. Sorry this took so long to update but I was on holiday! I hope you're all having a good summer and I apologize for the randomness of this chapter, but I had the dreaded writers block! Thanks to everyone who reviewed to the last chapter! I'll try to update ASAP. Arigato!

P.S Va la cogida usted misimo means go fck yourself.