Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The copyrights belong to Janet Evanovich. I only own Sofia...I think.

Chap 2. Reconnecting

Thank you Joleen for editing this for me, and thank you all for the amazing reviews.

Steph's P.O.V

I spent the week running around, doing errands, and preparing for our departure. My apartment was packed, cleaned, and ready for the new tenant. Sofia and I went shopping, spending the day before our departure on Thirty-Fourth Street. We shopped all morning until we no longer could take the heat. My style has definitely changed. I dress more like a New Yorker, if such thing exists. New Yorkers have an eclectic taste. I actually think I look better than before. My body has changed little after having Ricky, but that had more to do with all the hard training, exercise, and my work. I threw myself into an intensive training after giving birth to my son. I didn't want him to be an orphan so I knew I had to do something to insure I was always successful. In addition, I work with Sofia now, so I had to step it up a little. We are like the female version of Men in Black, minus the aliens.

I dropped Sofia at her mother's house and drove back uptown to pick up my son. As I pulled up in front of the building that Doña Ana lived in, I called her and told her I'd be waiting outside. Ana is a Cuban woman around her late fifties, light skin, and average height. She baby-sits in her own house, and has a license for it. She takes care of three kids, including my Ricky. The woman is amazing with kids, makes a magnificent flan, and has a rule of only speaking Spanish at her house. It was perfect! My son could practice his Spanish and learn about his father's heritage. Sometimes it makes me cry when I hear him speak Spanish with other kids or especially with adults. It's music to my ears. Its funny when people hear him, they always look at me, and wonder how he knows Spanish so well for a kid his age.

Ana came out the door, and my son ran ahead to greet me. The other two kids, a boy and a girl, came out to greet me as well so I got out of the car.

"Doña Ana, how are you?"

"I'm doing well, sweetheart," she said kissing my cheek. "Your son is always full of surprises."

I glared at my son with disapproval. He gave me his best puppy eyes, and a little quiver of the bottom lip. I wasn't falling for it.

"What did he do?" I asked, expecting the worst.

"Don't worry," Anna chuckled. "Nothing I can't handle. Carlitos (little Carlos) makes my day every day. He's just too smart for his age, and he's a picaro* that one. He's going to be a ladies man."

Yeah, don't I know it? I looked down at my son and could see Ranger in his face. My heart broke for a little more for the love I left behind and the love that Ricky would never know.

"Ana, thank you for always loving my son. Sofia and I are running an investigation in Trenton. We are moving to Trenton for hopefully only a few months."

She looked at me with surprised eyes. Taking a deep breath and she sent the eldest child with some dollars to buy ice cream from the vender stationed in front on the next building. We watched them go, far but not too far for us to lose them.

"Does it this mean you're not bringing me Carlitos anymore?" she inquired. One look in her eyes and I felt guilty.

"Well, Doña Ana," I looked at the floor. It was like talking to my mother. "I am going for an investigation and I don't know how long it's going to take. Then, there's my family. There so many things I have to fix. I don-"

"No, don't worry dear. I think it's good, and I think…" she paused, "well he has been talking about his father more than usual. Maybe he can finally meet him."

"God, I know," I whined, putting my hands over my face. My son asks about his father all the time. I never hid anything from him. I told him about Ranger and about his job, all I know about him. Unfortunately, it's not enough for him. It's never enough.

"He likes to talk about him because the kids talk about their dads," she explained. "I went through the same thing when I was a kid, and I didn't even like my father."

I nodded. She was right.

"I hope you come back," she said giving me a hug. The kids were coming back with little ice cream cups in their hands so she quickly said. "I'll be praying for you and Carlitos. If you decide to come back to the Manhattan, I'll still be here."

Ana gave Ricky a hug and explained to the kids that he was going on a trip. They said their goodbyes and she told me to come back in the morning before I left for New Jersey.

-rs-

The next morning I drove by Ana's house and she gave me a flan, a Cuban recipe book, and gave Carlitos a small black pendant.

"It's an Azabache," she said, "to protect him for the mal-de-ojo, the evil eye."

Great! This means Latin people can get the evil eye too –my poor son. I thanked her. God, I'm going to miss her! At least I was going to share a house with Sofia until the investigation ended. Maybe she could teach me some of the stuff in the recipe book. Sofia had someone drop her car at the house she rented for us. I am not sure of what are house looks like; I just know that it's ten minutes away from Trenton. I wanted to go back home, but I didn't want to be too close to the 'Burg. For his sake, I needed to keep Ricky's existence as quiet as possible. He's going to be the talk of the 'Burg once everybody finds out. I can already see the look on my mother's face. I can hear the rumors. 'Stephanie Plum ran off somewhere to have an unknown man's son.' Or 'Stephanie Plum ran off to have the son of a married man.' It could be worse. I winced.

"Buenos días, Carlitos," Sofia sang as she put her guitar on seat next to Ricky.

"Buenos días, Tia Sofia"

"Buongiorno Steph," she gave Ricky a kiss and claimed to the seat next to me.

I smiled while looking first at my hamster and son sitting in the back seat, then at my half-Arabian/half -Latina friend and kick ass bounty hunter sitting next to me. I am ready. I can do this! I have been driving a used Honda Civic for a while now and I haven't blown it up. I amazed myself with that thought. I chuckled. Sofia glanced at me, totally amused.

"What? I want to laugh too," she whined sarcastically, "tell me what's so funny."

"I haven't blown up a car since I left Trenton" she arched a curious brow.

"Are you planning to blow it up when you get there?"

"That's the thing," I said casually, "I never plan it. It just happens. I probably blew up more than ten cars while in Trenton. I told you about this, they called me the Bombshell bounty hunter."

"Alright, note to self. Do not leave Ricky in the car with Steph while in Trenton," Sofia said. I glanced over at her, she was actually writing it down on her notepad. I couldn't complain though, it was probably the best idea. I tried to shake the thought of Ricky sitting in my car while it burned.

"Good idea, don't leave him in the car."

Uh oh, my usually talkative son was being very quiet. I looked over at Ricky through the rear-view mirror and I couldn't believe my eyes. I stomped my foot on the brake. Sofia gasped in surprise when the car screeched to halt in the middle of traffic. I quickly tried to find a safe spot to pull over.

"Carlos Ricardo! How dare you?" Sofia shifted her body to look at Ricky and started laughing so hard I thought she might have stopped breathing. I pulled into a gas station and stopped the car. Then, I put my hands on my head and banged my head against the steering wheel.

"Did you eat the entire flan Carlos Manoso?" I inquired with demand in my voice. I counted to ten. When I looked up my son had his puppy-eyed face again and tears were pooling in his big blue eyes. Sofia was trying to calm her laughter. Ricky was covered in flan crumbs, and his hands and face were sticky. He even had flan in his hair!

"I saved some for you ma," he half whispered offering me what was left of the flan.

"Ricky, you shouldn't have eaten all of that!"

"But it's so good," he said with his soft, heartbreaking little voice. Yeah it's good. You ate it all and I wanted it for myself. I didn't tell him that though.

"Eh eh, look at you! Te ves pegajoso (you look sticky)," Sofia managed to say. She took her camera out of her messenger bag, and snapped a few pictures of him.

"Ricky, eating too much of that stuff can make you sick!" Gee, I sound life Ranger. I most have said that at loud because Ricky and Sofia looked at me with curiosity. I just ignored it and cleaned Ricky up before driving across the bridge towards Newark.

We stopped at some of Sofia's relatives in Newark for the night before driving to Trenton the next day. I needed one more day to prepare myself. My son and I had one room, and Sofia shared a room with her cousin. I helped Ricky shower and prepare him for bed before making a long over due phone call. I think he had a sugar crash because he dropped fast asleep once his head hit the pillow.

"Dad," I said when he picked up. "Guess who?" He was surprised to hear my voice.

"Michelle. Is this really you?" My dad knew the name I was using to be free. Since he called me that, I knew that my mom was close by. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes dad everything's okay. I just needed to hear your voice. How is everything there?"

We talked for a few minutes while I tried not to give much information. I had sent him letters masquerading as bills through the years, this way we kept updated without my mom finding out. My father knows everything that happened to me. He sometimes would pretend to go work and drive all the way to New York. Even though these visits were a little tricky, we managed thanks to Sofia. She helped me erase my tracks until I learned how to erase them myself.

My father loves Ricky, and it warmed my heart to see them together. Because my son is a Yankee fan and my dad a Mets fan, they often ended up arguing about which team is better. Ricky always won, of course. Granted, Ricky only knows what Sofia and Ana have taught him about baseball. This past year my dad even took Ricky to a few games.

Lester's P.O.V.

The call came in around ten. It was hellishly encrypted. I don't know who Bombshell has encrypting her phone, but that person is good at his job. I never even heard about encrypted lines before I started working at RangeMan. It might take us hours to figure it out, even with all the professionals on our side. The boss rushed to the control table. He looked calm, but the lines in his eyes said otherwise. I felt bad for him. I still admire this man, but I hope I never end up losing the person I love because of my job. Actually, he said it was because of his job, but something told me it was something else. Stephanie didn't care about his job. In fact, her job was even more dangerous than Ranger's was. She worked alone. He has a whole team.

"Dad," I said when he picked up. "Guess who?" Stephanie's familiar voice filled every corner of the room. It has been a long time since the last time we heard her voice.

"Michelle. Is this really you?" My dad knew the name I was using to be free. Since he called me that, I knew that my mom was close by. "Is everything ok? Do you need me to drive you somewhere?" Aha, Mr. Plum is pretending she is one of his clients.

"Yes dad everything's okay. I just needed to hear your voice. How is everything there?"

"Mrs. Plum is fine," Mr. Plum sighed. "Of course her mother is still driving me crazy; you should have taken her with you." Steph laughed softly, her laugh eased everyone in the control room. It was nice to hear it.

"We miss you, honey," he whispered. We miss her too Mr. Plum.

"I miss you too daddy," she responded, "but you won't have to wait long. I think we can arrange something." I saw Ranger's eye widened. He stood straighter, like a watchdog. We were all wanted to hear the plans.

"Really? Honey, I can't wait!" Frank Plum exclaimed. There was a sensation relief in the air.

"How's that man of yours?" Mr. Plum asked few seconds later. Seriously, I think if a pin had been dropped that moment, we would have heard it. We all wanted to look at Ranger. I glanced at him through the corner of my eyes. I think he wasn't breathing.

"He's sleeping," Steph yawned. "I'm not very happy with him. I think he's cheating on me with my co-worker, and he ate my flan. But I think I'm more upset about the flan."

This is sad. It's sad even if the person is cheating on her. Bombshell had moved on. Hell, the cop had moved on, even if though it took him two years. Ranger is the only one still lurking the shadows and dwelling in the past.

"I told you to be careful with him," Mr. Plum sounded amused. "He's a womanizer! Honey, I have to go, your mother is giving me the glare. She might get suspicious."

"You know what, its okay daddy. Tell her I say hello after you hang up. I love you."

"I love you, pumpkin," and they disconnected. When I looked up, Ranger was already hurrying to the elevator.

"Somebody call me when the line is traced," he ordered. "Lester! I want surveillance in front of the Plums' house all day tomorrow, and I want you to follow Mr. Plum wherever he goes."

Carlitos: I'll give you flan if you leave a review.

Steph: What should I tell Ranger? I think my life will be in danger; he's probably going to hate me.

Sofia: Seriously, people, I just want to keep this child alive for a few more years. I'm his Tia.

Steph: Thank you for your appreciation and your lovely comments.

;)