*Still not mine, characters belong to JE.*

~~It has been a while since I have posted anything, but RL has been a real bitch as of late. I hope you enjoy the chapter. And for anyone still following Steph's Secret, I am working on that again as well.~~

~~Let me know what you think~~

Chapter 17

The nurses had left me alone for most of the night, and for that I was grateful. Around 7 am a nurse came in and asked if I was ready for a visitor, I couldn't imagine who would be here this early and that's when I noticed that she was wheeling in a little crib that held my son.

"This little guy was excited to come and see you this morning."

"Thank you for bringing him up, how is he doing?"

"Excellent, the doctors say he is ready to go home."

"Well then I guess that works out well for me, my doctor said I will be released today."

The nurse left and it gave me some time to spend with Jake alone, he looked so much like Lester. I wish he were here to share this with me. Jake started to fall back asleep, so I laid him in his crib and I crawled back into bed and drifted off to sleep while watching him. I awoke sometime later and my mom and Val were in the room with me.

"Hey sleepy head, how are you feeling?" Val asked.

"I will be feeling a lot better when they let us go home, which by the way will be sometime today."

"That's great. Mom, Dad, Jack and I have everything ready for your homecoming."

"Perfect. Mom would you mind if I talked to Val alone for a few minutes?"

"Sure, I'm going to call the house and tell them that you two are coming home today."

"Thanks Mom."

"Okay Steph, what's up?"

"Ranger and I talked last night and he confirmed Lester is alive."

"Why isn't he here with you and Jake?"

"Because he has no idea we even exist, he can't remember the last several years of his life."

"Steph, what are you going to do?"

"I have no idea Val, but for right now I need to get dressed so I can take my son home."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Five days before Christmas

"Daddy, please you need to help me get out of this house for a little bit."

"Steph..."

"No, don't tell me that I need to stay here. I am going crazy, between mom and Val they won't let me do a damn thing. I just need a break, please?" I looked at my Dad and hoped he would give in.

"Where do you want to go?"

"The office, now before you say anything I have some stuff there that really needs to be taken care of. If you don't help me, I am going to find a way to finally sneak out of here."

I could see my Dad's resolve crumbling and I knew he was going to give in.

"So help me God, your mother better not find out about this. What are we going to tell her?"

"She won't I promise, I thought we could just tell her we are going to go for a drive."

"Who's going for a drive?"

My Dad and I both jumped, neither of us hearing my mother enter the room. We both looked at her hoping we hadn't been caught.

"Oh hi Mom, I was just asking Daddy if he would take me out for a bit."

"And just where do you need to go?"

"Nowhere really, I just need to get out of here for a bit. You know me Mom, I am going crazy. You and Val have been doing everything for me and the only time I have gone out is for doctor's appointments for Jake or myself. We won't be gone long I promise."

"Would you mind stopping at Giovinnchi's, I only need a few things to finish off dinner tonight?"

"Sure Mom, no problem. Daddy, I will be ready in a few minutes."

I ran upstairs to change and check on Jake and ten minutes later we were out the door.

"I really do appreciate this Daddy."

"I just hope you know what you are doing."

"What do you mean?"

"Steph, I think you know exactly what I mean."

"Look, I am sure he is not even there. Ranger told me that he isn't back to work yet."

The rest of the ride to Rangeman was spent in silence, I thought about Lester and wanted to see him but I knew that was impossible right now. Hell, he doesn't even know I exist.

My Dad's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "We're here Steph."

I went to get out of the car and noticed that my dad hadn't moved.

"Aren't you coming in with me?" I asked him.

"I will be back in a bit, I am going to run over to Giovinnchi's to get the things your mother needs. I will come up and meet you when I'm finished."

I slowly made my way to the elevator and wasn't so sure this was a good idea after all. Just as I was about to call my Dad to come back and get me the doors to the elevator opened and Tank was standing there.

"Hey Bombshell."

"Hi Tank."

"Are you coming upstairs, or running away?" Tank asked with a smile on his face.

"You know me so well. Were you sent down here to check on me?"

"Yes, and just so you know Lester isn't here." Tank said as we got on the elevator and made our way to the fifth floor.

"Thanks Tank, how is he doing?"

"The same, still doesn't remember anything. How are you holding up?"

"Honestly, I don't know. One minute things are okay and the next..."

"I'm sorry Steph."

"Hey Tank, it's not your fault. I just wish I knew what was going on."

"Well this is our stop, are you ready?"

"Yeah, but first I want to go to my office and take care of a few things. Let the guys know that I will stopping in the Control room as soon as I finish up."

"Sure thing Steph, you sure you are okay?"

"Yup, I just need a few minutes."

"Take your time, we're not going anywhere."

"Thanks Big Guy".

My office looked the same as it did when I left. I spent a bit of time going through files and sorting through the ones that I wanted to take home with me. Once I was finished I gathered my things, locked up and made my way to the Control room.

I was attacked as soon as I walked in.

"Damn Bombshell, it's good to see you."

"It's good to see you Hal, it's good to see all of you. So tell me what's been going on?"

We all sat around and talked for a while when a hush came over the room, I had a bad feeling about why it got so quiet. I turned and saw Ranger, Lester and Jack standing in the doorway, Jack was the first to speak up and he sounded a bit nervous.

"Hey Steph, what are brings you by?"

"Just came in to drop off some files."

"So is anyone going to introduce us?" Lester spoke up.

All I could think was "Hi, I'm Steph and I am your wife and the mother of your new born son", but I just stood there in silence not having a clue as to what to do. I could feel my heart shattering into a million pieces and I just wanted to run out of there as fast as my legs would go, but I just stood there in silence waiting.

Tank broke the silence. "Hey Steph, just wanted to let you know that your dad is on his way up."

"Thanks Tank."

Ranger was the one who finally answered Lester's question. "Lester, I'd like you to meet Stephanie Plum."

He took my hand to shake it and it took everything I had not to cry and pull my hand back.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Beautiful."

I heard my voice crack as I spoke, "nice to meet you as well." Hearing him say the word beautiful just about killed me and I needed to get out of here now.

Jack was now standing right next to me and I think he knew that I needed to get away from Lester.

"Steph, you gotta tell me just how did you sneak out of the house?" Jack wanted to know.

"What are you talking about, Jack?"

"Oh come on, I know that your mom would be a having a fit if she knew you were here."

"Jack, do me a favor and shut the hell up. My mother better not find out I was here today, if she does I will know it was you that told her."

All that statement got me was a bunch of laughs from all of the guys in the room, with the exception of Lester who looked confused.

"You know I'm only kidding with you Steph, I am just trying to figure out how you got past your mother and my wife?"

"She had some help." My dad informed Jack as he walked into the Control room.

"I should have know you were her escape."

"Well guys, I hate to break this party up but we really need to get back before Ellen sends the police out looking for us."

"Yes daddy I agree, but as the mother of her newborn grandson I should be safe from her wrath for a little while longer."

We said our goodbyes and made our way home, neither of us spoke except to get our stories straight as to what we had been doing for the last couple of hours. I couldn't stop thinking how good it was to see Lester healthy and alive. But it hurt like hell that he had no idea who I was. I realized the car had been stopped for a few minutes and looked over to see my dad looking at me.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking. Well Dad, it's now or never. Ready?"

"Sure thing Pumpkin, just remember that we need to protect each other."

And with that statement we both walked into the house laughing and I bumped right into Val.

"What has you two so giddy?"

"Nothing." My dad and I replied at the same time.

"Your both lucky that you are finally back, mom was about to send out a search party for the two of you."

"Frank, Stephanie, is that you." My mom asked as she was coming down the stairs with a blue bundle in her arms. "I didn't think you were ever coming back."

"Mom, we haven't been gone that long." Nope, not long at all. Just long enough for my heart to break a little bit more, I thought to myself.

"Celia called a little while ago, she said she would be here around 7 o'clock. Rachel, Gabby and Miranda will be here as well.

"Thanks mom, they are all coming over so we can finish the party plans."

I was currently helping to plan a surprise 60th birthday party for Grace, I didn't want to at first but the girls talked me into it saying that I needed something to keep my mind off of things. The party was set for January 16th and we only had a few details to finish up.

"Dinner is in the oven and this little guy just woke up from his nap, why don't the two of you get cleaned up and by then Jake will be ready for his bottle and dinner will be just about ready."

A couple of hours later my parents and Val were gone and the girls had arrived.

"So Steph, how are you holding up?" Celia wanted to know

"It hasn't been to bad, but then today..." I couldn't even finish because the tears had started, Celia came over and put her arms around me.

"What happened?"

I told them about what had happened earlier today at Rangeman and they could all see that it had upset me. We talked about it for a little bit and then finished up with the plans for the party. Once they had left I went upstairs to get ready for bed, all I could do was think about what I had lost and wonder if I would ever get it back.

TBC