Chapter Twelve – Trenton, NJ.

Ranger's POV.

He glared at the papers on his desk. Finance wasn't something he enjoyed. Normally when it was this time of year, he would take a break half way through and spend some time with his favourite pass time: watching Stephanie sleep. But that was not possible.

She had been gone months. Long, long months. It was astounding how long she had been gone, and that he couldn't find her. He had figured after two months that she had someone helping her. No one was unreachable to him, so he knew it was a matter of time before he would see her again. It was just the searching that made him tired.

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Running a hand through his rapidly growing hair, he stared at his desk. He had tried everything he could, or well, anything that was plausible enough to try – and then some. He had resisted the urge to call in some favours with his informants in government. It was overkill. But strangely, it was becoming more and more likely to happen. He missed his Babe, and as much as he hated to admit it, he needed her.

Keeping a straight back, he tried to continue with the invoices on his desk. He had to get his head in the work. If… no, when, his Babe came back, he didn't want to have to say: "Sorry, gotta go now, paperwork stuff, y'know?" He may be a man of few words, but when it came to Steph, he would happily blow off some work. After all, what were accountants for if not for the stuff he didn't want to do? He would leave this work to accountants, if he trusted them enough to properly get the job done, but as he didn't he would do it himself. He had the knowledge, it was just a painstakingly slow and long winded job.

A knock at the door interrupted his scratching pen as he scribbled out another invoice done.

He leaned back in his chair again, he waited for the door to open.

"Ranger. Just got back from Jameson's security breach. It's settled," Tank said. Ranger slightly nodded his head, indicating that he heard. Tank stared at the papers strewn across his desk, and Ranger held back the urge to shuffle them into neat piles. It was easier if they were all able to be seen, but it was very messy.

"Anything else?" Ranger asked his second-in-charge. Tank had been with his since he started this business, he trusted Tank with more than his life. He trusted Tank with Steph's life.

"How long you been doing this?" Tank gestured at the desk, shutting the door behind him as he took a seat across the desk from Ranger.

Ranger flickered his gaze to the clock, "Four hours."

"Have you had a break?"

He minutely shook his head.

Tank got as close as he could to sighing. "You need a break. Go get some dinner. Go get an FTA. Heck, go buy a new gun! You need to get out of here for a while, Ric."

Ranger quickly thought that if he was that sort of person, he would have rolled his eyes. As it was, when his Babe was around, he liked it when she thought of him as 'not-'burg'.

"I will."

Tank looked at him for a moment, then leaned his hands on the table.

"Ric, we both know Bomber is safe. If something had happened, it would be all over the news, probably. She'd go out with a bang," Tank joked before he saw the deadpanned face of his boss. He detected a flicker of pain in Ranger's eyes. "Ric, what would you do if I told you that I've seen Steph?"

Ranger looked hard at him, his gaze thisclose to a glare. "I would ask you why the fuck you haven't told me before now. Then I'd ask a more important question," he stood up and stared even harder at Tank, "Where?"

Tank noticed his stance, and knew that Ranger meant it. His voice was menacing, even to himself who stood almost more than a head taller and weighed far much more. Ranger wasn't just asking, he was demanding. Tank mentally shook his head.

"I can't tell you. It's not mine to tell, Ric. But I saw her, talked to her, hell I even went to her house! She's fine Ric, far better than fine. She's safe, she's happy, and she's even financially stable," Tank inched his shoulders up and down, and Ranger considered it a shrug.

"While that's good to know, what I need to know is where she is," Ranger said through gritted teeth.

Spotting the dead serious (quite literally) tone in his growl, Tank started talking again. "I can't tell you, man. Told her I wouldn't. She gave me a whole speech about her need to be away, and how she was much better off where she is. Told me that when she was ready she would be back, maybe not for long. She'll let you know if she needs you, Ric, you should know that."

Ranger did know that. His Babe was independent, but she didn't mind help if she recognized she wasn't seen as a pity case. Unlike the cop, Ranger knew when enough was enough for Steph.

"Then what else can you tell me? Living arrangements, friends, continent, spouse, anything." Ranger leaned forward, folding his arms on his desk.

"I'm not going into specifics Ric. I'm not telling you the continent or her environment. I'll tell you what I can. She has two close friends, like she had here. Her boss is a good person, as are her fellow workers – bar one whom no one approves of and two you wouldn't approve of. Lives in a nice place, she still has Rex. No serious partners when I saw her. She's happy. Got a good car. She's doing something she enjoys. No serious monetary problems that I saw. I think that she knows a few people from where she lives now from when she lived here. She's talked to Lula, but didn't tell her where she lives. She's got a new phone and number, and a new name. She wants to talk to you, but when she's ready. And, she misses you."

Ranger sat there for a few moments, and Tank could see him cataloguing everything he just said. Tank himself went over what he said, making sure he said nothing that would directly lead Ranger to her. A promise was a promise.

"Okay."

Tank stared at Ranger for a moment, then asked, "Okay?"

Ranger gave a tip of his head, "Okay."

Tank nodded, "Okay." He got up, reminding Ranger to go and eat something and take a break, before he walked to the door.

Opening the door, he half slipped through before telling Ranger something he probably shouldn't have.

"She's not in America, Ric."

With Tank's parting advice, Ranger got thinking. He'd though she would stick closer to home, but obviously not. She had more courage than he'd given her credit for. His oversight.

Ranger scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to rub away his exhaustion. What he wouldn't give for Steph to be there, right then. She had a habit of lighting up his life, and making it a little easier. But right now, she was the one complicating it. He couldn't begrudge her her freedom though, after all she had done for him.

He looked at the papers once again, but they held just as much appeal as they had when started, perhaps even less. What he would have liked would be to go upstairs and find Stephanie in his bed, sleeping again like she was during the gang incident. His mind gave a scoff. Incident. It wasn't the only 'incident' that had set his heart racing in fear. His Babe knew how to get into trouble and do it well. He wouldn't have it any other way. But he considered the thought of buying stock in relaxants – whenever he heard of a new danger to Steph, his heart raced, his breathing stopped, and his muscles tightened. He didn't like it when his Babe was in danger. Never had, never would.

He rolled his shoulders, taut from just thinking of her in danger. It rubbed on his nerves that she got to him like this – like no one had before. It also rubbed his ego that she left without a proper goodbye – or see you later would have been better. Instead, a letter was sitting on his desk the day after she left.

Dear Batman,

Lines on the paper told him of how many times she had changed this sentiment.

I've left. You're probably already running around (or, well, driving at least) Trenton looking for me. I hope this reaches you before you realize I'm not there, but we all know how the postage system is. I left it as late as I could to send this, wouldn't want it to arrive too early and leave time for you to stop me.

And he would've stopped her. He would've grabbed her and not let go.

I'm not telling you where I'm going, or how long I'm going to be there. Things have been arranged, don't worry I'll be fine (not like that's going to stop you, but I have to try, right?) Truth is, I don't know how long I'll be gone. I do know that you won't stop looking for me, so I won't bother to ask you not too. In fact, I wish you luck, because you'll need it.

Lucky guess. He did need the luck, because he was out of ideas.

I haven't really told anyone where I'm going, I mean, my dad knows I'm gone but I didn't tell him exactly where, so don't go bothering him! Joe doesn't know, either, but he too has his own letter. He has the same information as you, maybe a little less, after all, I'm not really worried about him finding me. He hasn't got the right connections like you have.

Yeah, and a good lot of jack-squat came from those connections.

So, this is where I say, goodbye for now or see you later. I'll be back, I think. Maybe. Perhaps. Something to that effect.

I wish you all the best, Ranger. Thank you for all you have done for me – you wouldn't believe how extremely grateful I am to have had you in my life. You're the best, Ranger, you're my best friend (even if we don't paint each others nails and gossip!)

Sincerely and with love,

Babe xox (Stephanie Plum)

With love, rang through his head. Oh, when she got back he'd show her 'with love'. And she'd deserve every minute of it! Cheeky. That's what she was! Not only did she not believe he would find her, she had the nerve to wish him luck! And those little notes in the brackets? He held back an eye roll. She knew him well. Probably the only reason he wouldn't drag her back to him – damn the consequences.

Ranger shook his head, standing up from his desk. He should eat and take a break. These thoughts of Steph were not at all good to think when he was trying to work. Disastrous mix, he found out. The time she worked for him in his building, wearing clothes with his name embroidered on them (knowing it was also on her underwear), it wasn't good for his head (thoughts were not nice to him), his hands (wanting to strangle any man who looked at her), and his anatomy (it was only good behind closed doors, and without cubicle cameras) at all.

Thinking of her riding into the garage, wearing as little as possible to piss off the cop, was one of the best and worst days at work for him. It set his hormones to go and his brain to stop. Her sugar-free period was at the top of his fantasies, just below the one where she actually wears a gun and knows how to use it against the people hurting her. Safety was his ideal fantasy for her, but still… his name on her fucking underwear!

Groaning, he wiped his hand over his face and through his hair again. It was no good. He was forever doomed to think about her. For a girl from the Burg, she was just about it's opposite. If the Burg ever heard of their night together… he could imagine more than a little red faces.

As he walked out the door, he entertained himself by imagining the look on Morelli's face if he told the cop about how he knew every place on his Babe's body that made her moan. The shine in her eyes just after. Oh, would he have to watch out if Steph's mother ever knew about it. He almost grimaced thinking about what would happen if he faced her grandmother.

Oh yeah, when she got back, he'd show her a proper 'xox'.

&&&

I laughed at the shocked face of Dani as she thought about Jackie's little slip up.

"You know, Lee, things never work out the way their supposed to with you, but they do work out," she said after a moment. "At least, we won't have to chicken him."

"I don't know, I was kind of looking forward to it," Lester put his two cents worth in.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm sure we'll get the chance to chicken someone one day. Perhaps it will even be Clair."

Dani's face lit up in a smile, "And we can make sure to use yellow and pink feathers, because then it will clash horribly!"

"And make sure that we use extra honey, make sure she really has to work for it to come off!"

"And we'll make sure it happens somewhere popular so everyone will see!"

"Oh, oh, oh, and we can't forget we have to make sure we get pictures. Lots and lots of them."

"And did you forget the fact she's in New Jersey?" Lester butted in.

Dani and I looked at each and sighed exasperatedly.

"We know that, but she won't be there forever! We'll get her eventually!" Dani nodded enthusiastically.

I got a little teary eyed, and sniffed out, "Omigod, Dani, you've grown so much since I met you!"

Dani smiled at me, "And it's all thanks to you, Lee. You know what you're doing, I'll give you that."

I smiled thankfully, but thought, do I really know what I'm doing?

I didn't know when I would talk to anyone in Trenton. Didn't know if I would talk to anyone in Trenton. I didn't know whether or not to try using Lester's phone, or what would happen if I did.

No, I didn't know what I was doing. But that didn't matter. If it happens, it happens. For now, I've got my friends here, and connection to Trenton through Lester. Better than I had hoped when I first considered leaving Trenton. It wasn't a split second decision to leave, contrary to what most people thought about me and my thinking habits (or lack thereof). No, I had thought about it, and all I needed was a little push in the right direction. Talking to Ty had been what really made me serious about leaving, and I couldn't forget why I left.

Here I was appreciated, and although there was some betting on my next car explosion (My 'Stang is still going strong!), it was lighthearted and I knew that if I asked it to stop it would. Besides, my mother would be proud of me. I'm going to church, I'm not living in sin, and I don't roll around in garbage (…as often). Grandma Mazur would be a bit disappointed, sure, but I did have a couple of hunks around for a few months. I'm sure my dad misses (almost 100 percent certain), but I think he would be secretly glad my mother was no longer ironing whenever I got into trouble. He said he didn't like the feeling of freshly ironed underwear – felt like wearing it straight out of the packet when it was all stiff.

So, although I didn't know what I was doing (Almost 100 percent not sure), it didn't matter. Or at least, I don't think it mattered.

&&&

Trenton, NJ.

What Steph didn't know was that it did matter. A lot. To him.