Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Stephanie Plum series.

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is doing well. This is a well delayed update, but it's here now. I hope you will enjoy this chapter. Thanks to JessicaRenae for making it so much better.

Chap 16. Ranger's Woman

My mother eyes pierced into mine as she stood there, strong, not willing to be defeated. She was pouting, one hand on her hip, her head tilted ever so slightly to the side.

"What's it going to be Carlos?" she asked me with concern.

"He can't stay with me," I insisted, though I knew it was in vain. "Dad gets bored easily, and when he does he drives my employees crazy. He thinks he's in the army again."

He's driving me crazy.

My mother sighed, her gaze moving downwards as if trying to process her next argument.

"M'hijo, you know I respect you," she said solemnly. "Is this woman worth it?"

"You have not idea," I breathed. My parents underestimated their power over me. They could always see right through me, read all of my emotions, no matter how hard I tried to conceal them.

"It's been a year," she argued. "Carlos, you're hurting. I feel powerless to help you. I'm calling your grandma."

Why couldn't Ella keep quiet? How did she manage to get in touch with my mother anyway?

"Son, I'm thrilled that you finally fell in love," my mother's voice waggled a little when she the word 'love.' "It gives me hope that someday you'll find someone who can make you happy. There is more to life than just work, you know."

"Mom, I…"

"Listen to me," she demanded. "You've work hard to get where you are; you deserve to be happy. I think it's time for you to move on. This woman, Stephanie, is not coming back. You have to let her go."

"No," I said firmly, "I'm sorry, I can't do that, I won't do that. Ever."

"Why?" She asked me, frustration swimming in her voice. "What is it that keeps you going? I don't understand. If she loved you then she would be here now."

"She loves me mamá, I have no doubt."

"Carlos, I want that to be true," she said placing a hand on my arm. "Are you positive? Is this suffering you're going through worth it?"

"Moma, I've been so stupid," I looked into her eyes to make my point stronger. "She loves me, and I love her. I don't care what people think. You can say whatever you want, but I won't give up. I need Stephanie."

I was surprised at my own words. I could see the same shock on my mother's face. That was the moment I realized that I was lost without her. That I had gave in and let my emotions rule.

"What happens when you find her, uhm?" she asked curtly. "What if she doesn't love you? What if she doesn't want to come back?"

"She loves me."

"How do you know?"

"She told me," I snapped without realizing it. I tried to calm before proceeding, running my hand through my hair, taking a deep breath. "She came to my apartment the night before she left, and she said she loves me. Stephanie never lies to me. She wouldn't ever lie to me. I would know if she did. I was being an ass, pushed her away from me, again. Once I'd told her that I didn't want anything serious and that she should marry someone else. She left before I could fix things, before I could tell her that I love her unconditionally."

She was crying this time. This wasn't like when I was a kid. Back then, she could at least send me to my grandmother's house and away from my problems.

"Are you listening to your son?" she asked the person behind me, my father. I looked over my shoulder to see him leaning against the door frame.

"The kid's in love, mujer," he uttered slightly amused. "I thought I'd never see him like this, but I guess I was wrong."

My mother turned around and disappeared into her bedroom. I didn't try to stop her. I was about to leave when she came back outside and placed something shiny on the palm of my hand.

"I know you could buy a hundred just like this," she said, "but it wouldn't have the history of this one. Your grandfather gave this ring to your grandmother when they arrived to this country. He worked double the hours in a full year to pay for this ring. Then, it was given to me. It's the only thing I have of my father. If you find Stephanie, if she truly loves you, then I want you to give it to her. Carlos, can you promise me that?"

I simply nodded, enveloping the ring with my hand. I asked for their blessing like is the norm, and went back to find the sun of my world.

-rs-

I rubbed the scar on my neck out of habit. It was a faint line now, barely visible, but sometimes it burned. As if the scar itself was reminding me of its birthday. The day I almost lost the two best things in my life. Thankfully, they both have a wonder woman complex, and survived the ordeal. I didn't fare as well, but it could have been worst. Julie saved my life.

Today, the scar reminded me of that moment. It wasn't helping my undying desire to reach across the consul and kiss the woman next to me.

Stephanie doesn't know how much I've missed her in my life; it hasn't been the same without her. There were no cars burning and waiting to be replaced, no spark of life, only work. I hated the monotony. My life consisted of only work and people, people that questioned, spoke and laughed at me behind my back. "The Bombshell Bounty Hunter broke Ranger Manoso."

I blamed my mother for forcing me into making that stupid promise, a promise that kept me searching for four and a half years for Stephanie. A promise I fought to remind a secret, even today. I could feel the ring in my pocket.

It felt like we were playing a game, waiting for one of us to cave, and give in to the other's feelings. When I saw her again, I thought kissing her would appease some of the yearning that ignited my soul. The undying desire to make everything right between us again, to make it clear that I love her more than anything else in my life. I was wrong. It made me want to kiss her more, touch her, break the tension between us, hold her against my skin, feel her…all of her.

Control soldier, control.

I love Stephanie with an incredible passion, a passion that is all consuming. However, there's a part of me that hates myself for loving her this much, for letting her have control over me in such an intimate way.

"How is she?" She asked; bring me out of my reverie.

I arched my eyebrow in response knowing she would figure out the unasked question.

"Julie," she said. "You've been rubbing the scar on your neck. It reminds me of her."

"Growing up too fast," I answered, disappointingly. Hopefully, my feelings didn't reach my voice. Steph chuckled lightly.

"I know what you mean," she said, her voice fading at the end of her sentence. "One minute, you're potty training them and then they are suddenly asking you to "give them privacy.""

I smiled and simply nodded. How was I supposed to respond to that? She sighed and went back to watching the men work in the distance.

I turned on the radio. Classical music always seems to help me relax. It was a something I copied from my father, a piano player himself, who loved to play what time I poured myself over my studies.

We watched the men move boxes out of Matta's house waiting for the right moment to go in and investigate, hopefully learning something new.

"Is she dating?"

"She's fourteen."

"And?"

I turned to stare at her, wanting to know what was going through her head. Julie was much too young to date and she knew how I felt about it. Steph smiled as she attempted to suppress a giggle at my reaction. She quickly reached into her bag pulling out binoculars.

"Have you told her about, Ricky?"

"No," I answered honestly.

She stilled, her eyes fixated on the device in her hand as mixed emotions ran across her face. I found myself compelled to explain trying to ease her discomfort.

"I don't know how to tell her," I said, "not sure if I should at this point. Maybe I'll ask Rachel to explain for me."

"It wouldn't make it any easier on her, on your yes, but not her," Steph commented warningly. "She loves you, and she'll understand.

I contemplated the idea of calling her, but what would I say? How do I start?

"If there's anyone who should be blamed, it's me." She whispered to herself. I barely caught it. She looked into my eyes and continued on before I had a chance to reply.

"The day she saved your life, she wasn't happy about leaving your side, you know. You should've seen her holding on to that stretcher."

My eyes softened and the scar burned hotter.

"It was like her life depended on it," Steph continued admiringly. "She's so much like you. Resilient. Protective. Possessive."

The comparison brought a wide smile to my face. Steph was too concentrated in the conversation to notice.

"This is my father. I'm going with him," she quoted, smiling ruefully. "Julie got that from you. She fought off an FBI agent and called out a paramedic for trying to separate her from you."

"I didn't know," I found myself responding softly. I'm an idiot I inwardly groaned.

"Just because she doesn't see you often doesn't mean that she doesn't love you, Ranger… You're an important figure in her life. You are her father whether it says it on paper or not."

We stayed silent after that for a while, watching the scene unfolding before us. A tall, elegant looking woman eased of a Mercedes and started barking orders to the movers.

The song on the radio ended, complete silence fell upon the car. I watched as Stephanie leaned her head on her hand, her arm supported by the window. She looked in control, confident, and determined.

I took a Women and Gender studies class at Rutgers, one of those mindless school requirements; there I learned that the image of Wonder Woman was used to represent America's feminist movement. Those years when the husbands came back home from the war, and women were sent back into their "proper place." Some wanted to put even Wonder Woman back in "her place," too, but the women' movement saved her from such an ill fate.

Stephanie was the Wonder Woman of the Burg. The young Burg generation wanted to be Stephanie while the old struggled to understand why she couldn't conform to her upbringing.

I'm proud of you, Babe. I love you.

How I would love to hear those words again. I fucking love you, Carlos. Hmm… Maybe without the F word this time… Unless we're in my bed…Stephanie in my bed…naked.

Concentrate!

This is what I meant about one of us caving. And I'm afraid that my control and will power will not outlast her own this time.

It took fifteen more minutes for the woman to stop ordering the men around. I stared at Stephanie in surprise when she started snapping pictures of the woman with her camera.

It amazed me at what she could fit in her bag; binoculars, Nikon D90, extra lens for distance shots. She could package an entire military arsenal in her handbag if need be.

Finally, the woman got in her car and drove away after the men.

"All tricks of the trade," she said smugly, answering my unasked question. We accounted for four security cameras in the house. There were two in the front, but those were just for show, too opened, and too visible to be anything else.

We managed to get through the fence and make our way in the house without much difficulty. Once inside, we systematically searched through the house, front to back, without much success. The furniture seem all in order, the house seem in order, normal. It was all too disappointing.

-rs-

Steph's POV

I convinced Ranger to let me go run a few errands by myself. He insisted on not letting me go alone. This was a concern to me. I felt invaded and something told me that it was on purpose. I needed to get grandma and Ranger out of the house. Finally, after Ricky asked for McDonalds, Ranger relented.

"Take my car," he told me.

"Why? You can't tell me that my car isn't traced like any other RangeMan vehicle. What's the difference?"

"Mine's Bombshell proof." Ranger said while flashing me his full on smile while pulling Ricky into his arms. He kissed his forehead and placed him into the Cayenne.

"Don't go crazy, Babe," he said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I could tell that he was genuinely concerned, even if his voice didn't give it away. Ranger's hand lingered on my hair for a few seconds longer than necessary. He was observing me, probably debating if he really should let me go on my own or not.

I stood there, tapping my foot and waiting for keys. If I complained about driving his car, he would worry all day. Finally I ran out of patients and reached for the keys which were clasped to his belt. I struggled a little to unhook them from the front of his pants. Ranger placed a hand over mine stilling my efforts. I looked up at him, slightly irritated until I noticed his gaze had darkened. I immediately felt guilty for man-handling him. I didn't want to make things more difficult for us. There was a small exchange of electricity as he removed my hand, placing the keys in my palm.

"Thanks," I said, trying to control the urge to kiss him and got in the car.

-rs-

We drove to McDonalds for lunch. I tried to calm myself as Ricky chattered on about his afternoon. The place was alive, people yelling, talking, kids crying, and a long line stood before me. I got in line behind a woman in a yellow shirt searching before me to find the reason for the commotion.

"What's going on?" I asked. "I've never seen this place so pack before."

"There's only one cashier," she glancing over her shoulder before turning to face my completely, eyes wide.

"Stephanie?"

"Mary Lou?"

"Stephanie."

"Mary Lou," I choked. She took me into her arms, tears rolling down her face.

"I thought you were dead." Mary Lou placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot, going into mom mode. "What was I supposed to think after all these years? Four letters in four years is not nearly enough! You didn't even tell me that you had a baby. I had to hear it from the Burg. And here I thought I was your best friend."

Mary Lou crossed her arms. She was staring at me with disapproval, her eyes examining me, and finally landing Ricky.

"Ohmigod," she gasped. "This has to be Ranger's son!"

Silence fell on the restaurant and a few people turned to look at us. Talk about not drawing too much attention.

"The line is moving." The man with a wailing baby complained. We hurried over to the register and bought our food before settling into a booth in the corner. Even though Mary Lou was buying food for her family, she sat with me while she drank her shake.

She gripped the cup in her hands and taking measured sips. She kept looking at my son with curiosity. Ricky smiled her way and waited for his food with excitement.

"This is my friend, Mary Lou," I explained.

"Hi," he said supporting himself on his knees, fidgeting with impatience. I finally put his food on the table in front of him and focused on the woman before me.

"I'm sorry, Mary Lou," I said, "truly, truly sorry."

"Were you scared?" She asked smoothly. I nodded and she gulped.

"All these years, I thought you were just being selfish."

I felt a knot in my throat, which quickly traveled up and converted into tears. I wiped them quickly before they had a chance of come out in front of my son.

"It's interesting that you say that. Not everybody sees it that way." I thought about Ranger and how he called me selfish at his apartment when I brought Ricky for the first time. I agreed with his statement, but I also weighed out my actions. I had the right to protect my son and I did what I felt was necessary at the time.

"I'm a mother, Steph. If it was me carrying his child, with his reputation, lack of history, and the things he said to you about children and relationships…." She shook her head, trying to find the right words to explain how she felt. "I'm a Burg woman," she finally said. "I would have been terrified, and I know you're not the typical Burg woman. I always look up to you because of that. But this…. this is different."

"Mommy?" My son patted my shoulder gently. He was looking between us, tilting his head to examine my face carefully. "It's okay mommy."

He kissed my cheek and I chuckled in response. I kissed him and tapped his legs to remind him to sit properly on the chair. I glanced at Lou and shook my head.

Lou and I looked at each other knowingly. We understood each other perfectly and started laughing. The outsiders might think we're crazy, but we laughed at the irony of the situation, at the cuteness of my son's protectiveness, the setting, the way we met, and the sudden smell of garbage brought by the wind when the door was opened.

I glanced towards the door and couldn't believe my eyes. A girl who wore a baseball cap, tank and shorts made her way into the restaurant. She looked around examining the line with frustration drawn on her face. She looked familiar.

"Would you mind staying with Ricky for a few minutes, I'll be right back." I kissed Ricky's head and casually approached the girl.

"Hey," I greeted. "It's Sarah, right? Sarah Federico?

She looked at me with bewildered eyes and took off running out the door. I reacted quickly, chasing after her, afraid I wouldn't be able to catch her.

"Hey, wait!" I called, "I don't want to harm you!"

I followed her into the parking, dashing away from the oncoming traffic. This girl had some legs. The massive number of cars created a maze and I worked hard trying to keep her in sight among the cars. I found her getting into a blue sedan. She slammed the door shut as I approached.

"Please, don't follow me," she begged trying to start the car. "I don't want them to get hurt."

"I just want to help you!" I reached the car just as the engine turned on.

"Who's getting hurt, Sarah?" I asked her through the window, holding on to the door's frame. "Listen, and listen carefully. My name is Stephanie Plum. I'm part of the team looking for Leticia and you. You have to let me help you."

"I can't! I can't!" She cried, her hands shaking on the stirring wheal. "They could be watching. He could hurt them. I have to go. Please just leave me alone." She begged, throwing the car in reverse.

She stomped her foot on the accelerator, causing the car to screech out of the parking lot. I stood there, panting and defeated. Cursing myself because I knew I'd be lucky to remember the drivers' license on the vehicle. It all the rush of excitement, it took me a few seconds to realize the phone in my packet was ringing.

"Where's Ricky?" Ranger questioned. "You took off running out of the restaurant."

"He's with Mary Lou," I panted. "I found Sarah. Well, I found her, but then I lost her. She's said something about not wanting him to hurt them. Then she took off in a blue Toyota… Wait a minute…. How you…?"

My eyes traveled to my shoes. I took one off and looked inside. There was a small wire sticking out from inside the sole. It was a tracker. Certainly, Ricky had a similar tracking device in all of his shoes.

I started walking back towards the entrance, explaining the occurrences to Ranger.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. A little winded but otherwise ok."

There was a small silence between us. This was usually the moment Ranger would come up with a clever innuendo to lighten the mood, but I guess this time it wasn't appropriate. The truth is that I miss it. I have him, but I don't have all of him.

I'll be waiting, Ranger. I'll be here when you're ready for me again. I'll prove it to you, that I love you. I'm never letting you go.

"The results from the photo recognition system came back. The woman at Matta's house is Lorna Alonde. She has been married four times, to men with money, owns various properties. She was arrested a few times as a teen for drunk driving. I remember, Mrs. Mazur mentioned something about her belonging to a book club that Alonde is involved with."

My mind wandered back to that night, "she's the organizer I think."

"Hope you enjoy reading, Babe, cause you're going to have to find a way into this group. I understand that it isn't quite easy to join."

"I'll investigate it. Thanks, Ranger."

"Stephanie."

"Oh c'mon! I'm trying here." Carlos, Carlos… It was in my head, in my heart, but I couldn't say it.

"Call me if anything changes, and try not to get separated from Ricky." He hung up.

Ricky was almost done with his food when I got back into McDonalds. I combed his hair with my fingers.

"FTA," Lou laughed and shook her head. "You're always running."

"It never stops," I said with a smile. "Lou, how would you like to join Lorna Alonde's book club?"

"That woman," she rolled her eyes with disapproval. "She thinks everyone should kiss the ground she walks on. I don't think I'm good enough for her little book club. She created the club so she could surround herself with the who's who of Trenton. You know women with connections or big accomplishments. If she chooses you to join her club, then you're hot stuff around the Burg. The only person I know that has received an invite is Amy Morelli, seeing how she's an exclusive reporter an all."

-rs-

The house looked different from the outside. The grass was mowed. There were even a few lilies growing in the garden. It looked habited. I looked at myself in the mirror and braced myself.

The door opened on the first knock, and Grandma Bella appeared at the door, her nose just an inch from mine.

"You!" She growled, "you left my grandson at the altar. How dare you come here… You… You… Jezebel?"

"Hello, Grandma Bella," I greeted politely, hoping to make peace. Amy Morelli came to the door, belly first.

"Stephanie, it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed and attempted to hug me to her. She seemed genuinely excited about my presence. It took me by surprise.

"Don't go anywhere," she yelled, rushing back inside.

"Angela," Bella called out, "come see who has grace us with her presence. You! Stephanie Plum, I'm going to put the eye on you!"

"Don't talk to my mommy that way," Ricky defended me.

"You brought that child!" She exclaimed, "that child…"

"That child is my son," I snapped, having listened to her rant long enough. "And I didn't come here to create problems, so quit threatening me and take a pill."

"Are you threatening me? I'll have my Joseph arrest you."

"Just try."

"Insolent woman, so disrespectful towards your elders. A woman my age, you should be ashamed."

Seriously?

"I'm ready," Amy sang coming to the door, Mrs. Morelli on her heels.

"Let's go Stephanie." Amy rushed out of the house towards my car. It took me a few seconds to understand what was going on.

"You come back here, Mrs. Joseph Morelli," grandma Bella sneered. The way she talked to Amy made my eye twitch.

Joe's mother rolled her eyes, "Be careful Amy."

I got in front of the wheel and glanced briefly towards her.

She smiled brightly, buckling her seat belt. "The park?" She asked tilting her head to the side. I stomped my foot on the pedal before Grandma Bella could put the "eye" on us.

"What's going on?" I asked in disbelief, laughing at what just happened.

"She has me on house arrest," Amy explained. "I've been trapped in that house for a week, always making excuses for me not to leave. Last night she said she was having a heart attack and that only I could take care of her, something about a bad vision if I refused. I'm a reporter, always in the field, out and about." She shook her head.

I chuckled. Leave it to Morelli to marry a woman whose job requires looking for trouble.

-rs-

"Do you have a baby in your stomach?" Ricky asked Amy.

"Yep, and if you touch it and stay real still you might feel the baby move."

She took Ricky's tiny hands and placed him on her belly. Then, she nudged it a little causing Ricky to jump in amazement. It made me chuckled.

"Mommy, the baby moved," he gasped, eyes wide. "I can feel it. Does it hurt, Mrs. Morelli?"

"No, not really."

I smiled warmly, "Joe said you had a few questions for me."

"Sort of," she laughed. "The truth is, I don't really have any questions. I told him that I needed help so he wouldn't worry. He has been reading What to Expect When Expecting and reciting it back to me whenever he sees fit. At this point, I'm sure he as learned enough to deliver the baby himself."

I laughed at the image inserted in my head. "I'm sure he'd still look hot doing it, too."

"No doubt it, but it's driving me crazy," she said watching Ricky run off to play on a very dangerous jungle gym for his age. "I'm so glad you showed up. I'm not sure how much more I could take."

"Glad to help. I can't believe Bella has you on house arrest. I'm sure she means well, but she could be a little… overwhelming. How do you usually spend your time?"

"I work from home now at days. Although, I still get to go on important trips. I made a trip to the white house last week and interviewed the president. Out of work, I spend my time reading."

"I love to read," I said, taking the opportunity. "Read anything interesting lately?"

"I read a little bit of everything however, I've been reading some of the classics here lately. What sort of things do you like?"

"It depends on my mood… Grandma suggested I join a book club. Seems to think it will get me interested in a wider variety of literature."

"I belong to a club. I was at the salon the other day and Lorna, our club hostess, asked about you," she said excitedly. "Would you like to come with me? Lorna would love to have you."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!"

"Okay then, I'll give it a try."

"I hear you're working on the Leticia case, how's it going? It has been all over the news."

I nodded in reply. "We're working with the FBI and the local police, trying to trace the link."

"You've worked on similar cases before, haven't you?" She asked casually. I glanced her way a little taken back.

"I'm a journalist," she explained. "I keep myself updated about these things."

"I've done similar cases. I can't turn away a case regarding a missing child. It hits too close to home. I can't imagine what I would do if something happened to mine? I try to put myself in the shoes of other people."

She nodded, "I understand that Ranger has an interest for this particular case too."

"Ranger's daughter was kidnapped once," I said, but Amy knew all about it after all she is a journalist.

"It's horrible," she lamented. "An estimate of 1.8 million children are currently victims of human trafficking, either in sex slavery or forced labor. Most of them are never recovered."

"We want to find Leticia before she suffers that fate."

"I hope you do." She sat quietly for a moment. I could see the gears in her head turning as she contemplated asking what she was thinking. "I hope you don't mind my asking," she started, "but how are things between you and Ranger?"

"Good, I think," I said, "we're getting used to this new shared parenthood thing."

"You know he has been looking for you for years, Stephanie. Why didn't you come back sooner?"

We stopped walking and I faced the woman in front of me. Amy asked questions like a true journalist, calculated and straight to the heart of things. Seems that has been the question on everybody's mind lately, they were just too afraid to ask it.

"It's complicated," I sighed. I went about to tell her about my relationship with Morelli. She seemed informed about it anyways. "I couldn't leave without seeing Ranger. Ricky was conceived that night, but it came as a surprise to me two months later. Fear is a paralyzing emotion."

"And you loved him," she added to my sentence. The look on my face must have said it all.

"How do you feel about being referred to as "Ranger's woman"?

"Excuse me?"

"It's how most people refer to you at the Trenton Times," she confessed. "Ranger Manoso's woman. It's the word on the streets. I just wanted to know what a woman as independent and driven as you felt about it."

I sighed. Why wasn't I surprised? It's happened before. I remember Joe making a comment about it when we were dating, something about competing with Ranger.

"I've been called a lot of things by the Times," I said. "Personally, I like Bombshell Bounty Hunter the best."

"Mommy, look!" Ricky yelled to me.

I looked up at him. He was diving into the water fountain with the other kids; his clothes were drenched, including his new shoes.

-rs-

Ricky: Daddy...daddy!

Ranger: uhmm? *whispers* Son, mommy is sleeping.

Ricky: *tears rolling down his face* Daddy, there's a ghost in my closet.

Ranger: *getting out of bed* Son, there's no such thing as ghosts.

Ricky: But there's one in my closet. *grabs the phone*

Ranger: Who are you going to call?

Ricky: *desperately and shaking his head* Ghostbusters!...

-rs-

Ranger: Babes, my son gets his imagination from his mother. I love it though, and I would also love a review... Please... Thanks.