Author's note:

This chapter was inspired by yet another Adele song (When we were young) and was originally meant to be a standalone one shot and not at all related to this story. But within writing the first page I knew I had to write this for 'Hello'.

Any Dialogue written in Italics is meant to be in Spanish.

I also changed a couple of things in the previous chapter. I made it that Steph was first in Miami and then moved to San Diego. Also I fixed the timeline. Ranger came back from his mission 4 years ago and she left 1 year later.

I have now marked this story to 'In Progress'. I have realized keep coming back to it. I am not sure how regularly I will be updating or how many more chapters there will be, but here we go, Chapter 3.

Enjoy!

Ranger's POV

Two weeks later

"She is here" Les says through our ear pieces and my head instantly whips into the direction of the entrance.

"Wow" Slips past my lips when I see her standing there in a red dress and I can hear my guys chuckle through the earpiece in response.

"You gonna get your girl tonight Rangemen?" Bobby questions.

"We are here to do a job" I growl through the mic.

"That's a 'no' then" Tank, who is standing next to me, remarks.

"I am going to kill Les" I say under my breath for the mic not to pick it up.

"He just wants to move things along and I can't say that I am completely opposed to that idea." My best friend informs me.

"He shouldn't have invited her" I say for, what feels like the hundredth time tonight. I only found out about this three hours ago and only because Manny let it slip. Apparently I wasn't to know that she had been invited.

"See it as a good sign that she is here" Hector chimes in. "All might not be lost after all"

"Not when someone else is here too" I let them know, just before Catherine stops in front of me.

"Shit" Les mutters into my ear and I turn my com's off. Tank is right next to me and will let me know if something important comes up.

"Hey" Catherine smiles and kisses my cheek.

"Catherine" I say politely.

Catherine is what you would call your typical High Society Girl. Her family comes from old money and she has yet to work a day in her life. She comes to these events to be seen, gossip and maybe leave a huge chunk of money on behalf of her dead father.

I met Catherine in a Hotel Bar in Miami just shortly after Steph left. I had tracked Steph down, wanted to make her see reason, but I couldn't get over my own ego. She broke my heart after all. So I got drunk at the Hotel Bar instead. Catherine showed up, I got even more drunk and ended up spending the night in her room.

A few days later, after I returned from Miami, I was in New York where Catherine lives and we hooked up again. I made it blatantly clear to her that this wasn't going anywhere but sex.

Now three years down the road, she may have forgotten our deal.

"I haven't heard from you since you came back from your mission" She says with a bit of accusation in her tone. Tank obviously overheard what Catherine said and I can see him raising an eyebrow in question.

"It's just been really busy" I tell her and I am not even lying. When I got back to town, things went to hell and back. There were a series of B&E's at the properties we protect, a hack attack to our servers and one of my men got seriously injured on a takedown in Philly. I had barely time to wrap my head around what happened in San Diego let alone talk to Catherine.

"You could have at least called when you got back to town" Catherine shoots me a hurtful look.

"Don't do this here." I warn her, before I add a little softer "We can talk about this later. Grab some coffee or something after the event."

"I want to do more than…" she starts successively, but stops talking when someone steps up behind me.

"Hello Ranger" a very familiar voice says and I close my eyes in resignation.

"Babe" Slips out of my mouth when I turn around. I can smell her vanilla lotion and a hint of coconut, which I assume is from her perfume. The floor length, glittery, red dress she is wearing exposes her collarbone, has long sleeves and is tight fitted to her every curve. Her makeup has been applied subtly, her usually wild curls were pinned up and she is only wearing a pair of teardrop earrings.

In short she looks amazing and gorgeous.

"You know this person Babe?" Catherine questions and glares at Steph.

"I am Stephanie Plum, an old friend of Rangers" Steph holds out a hand for Catherine to shake without looking at me.

"Ah" Catherine nods with a tight smile, as if that clarifies something when she takes Steph's hand. I never told her about Steph and I wanted to keep it that way. Same goes for everything else in my personal life. I never told her anything that she couldn't Google herself. "Catherine Scott"

"Bomber" Tank smiles over Catherine's head and Steph walks around her to greet him. Another part of my body reacts instantly when I see that Steph's dress doesn't have a back and only starts again just above her well defined behind.

Steph's POV

Why did I do this to myself?

I shouldn't have come here. It was a mistake.

I only received the invitation three days ago to attend this fundraiser in Washington for injured Military personnel and their families. The invitation was sent in a sleek black Rangemen envelope and my heart skipped a beat when I first saw it sitting in my mailbox. It said a Hotel room had been organised for me, with a car to drive me to and from the event.

But as I read the invitation, I instantly determined that I wasn't going to go. But my stupid heart had to overrule my logical mind in the last second. This morning I let my employer know I couldn't make it to work, packed my things and jumped on the first plane to Washington.

Now here I am, in this stupid expensive dress and a fake smile on my lips. I should have assumed that the invitation didn't come from Ranger personally and that he had moved on. Why shouldn't he? It's been three years. And I have to admit his new girlfriend is gorgeous.

Her shoulder length blonde hair is elegantly curled, her tanned skin beautifully offset by the off-white strapless dress she is wearing with a necklace, earrings and a bracelet which I guess cost more than I make in five years combined.

"You ok Bomber?" Tank questions when he draws me into a hug.

"I shouldn't have come here" I acknowledge whisper.

"No you should have. It is time that he faces reality" Ranger's best friend retorts. "Sorry" He adds before turning his head to the opposite side of the room, where I can see Bobby standing by the podium. "Ok...Ranger we have to go" Tank says over my head to the man standing behind me.

Without saying another word they disappear in the crowd. Well as much as Tank can disappear in a crowd with his large frame of a body.

"So you are an old friend of Ranger's?" Catherine questions and takes two glasses of champagne from the passing waiter.

"I am" I nod and accept the glass she is handing me.

"Strange... he has never mentioned you before" She says, obviously on the hunt for information. Part of me is surprised that Ranger hasn't told his new girlfriend about how is Ex left him, but then again Ranger is a very private person.

"You know Ranger" I shrug. "He doesn't talk much."

"Did you two serve together?" She probes.

"Something like that" I tell her and scan the room. "Please excuse me, I see someone I know." I shoot her a smile and make my way over to where Hector is standing.

"You look nice in your tux." I comment when I slide next to him.

"I hate this thing" He grumbles and pulls on his collar. Someone must have said something through the earpiece because a small smile flickers across his face and his eyes look at someone across the room.

"Who is the lucky guy?" I question when he pulls me into a hug. But he doesn't have to answer for me to know who it is. "I am happy for you two." I was hoping for this to happen for years.

"Thank you" He nods. "You look too thin. Have you been eating at all in the past three years?"

I did try to keep in touch with most of the Rangemen, but it got too hard. My heart couldn't take being sent pictures from home, so the contact nearly ceased to exist. But I am sure though that they kept track of my movements once in awhile.

"No. I tried replicating your delicious enchiladas but I nearly ended up burning the house down" I sigh, making Hector laugh. In that moment a bell rings and people are being asked to take their seats. When I reach my table, I realise that I am surrounded by Bobby's family.

"Senator, it is a pleasure to see you again" I smile at Senator Brown.

"Miss Plum" He teases and envelopes me into a hug. "I believe we decided to go by our first names the last time we met."

"Yes we did" I nod. "After all, if a girl spills half of her BBQ ribs down the most expensive suit you own, she loses the right of being formally address by anyone."

He laughs, motions to the table and says. "We are sitting next to each other."

"Oh boy...let's hope there won't be any BBQ ribs. Wouldn't want to ruin your tux as well." I retort and make him laugh again.

"Stephanie" Emma Brown, Bobby's Mother, exclaims and draws me into a hug too.

"Are you responsible for this shindig?" I question when we pull apart. Emma is a gorgeous woman in her 60's and knows how to throw a party. She used to be a lawyer until her husband decided to run for Senate, but Emma claims it was her idea all along.

"Of course I am" She smiles. "Come sit. We are about to get started."

Ranger's POV

"Les" I glare at him.

"All I am saying is, don't waste your chance. She is here that says a lot." Les adds and watches the room with his vigilant eyes.

Rangemen was hired, like every year in the past three years, by Senator Brown and his wife to supply the security for the event. Since there are many high profile Politicians attending including high ranking military personnel, we have to stay alert at all times.

"Cut it out Santos. This is neither your business nor does this subject belong at work" I growl, once again low enough for the mic not to pick it up and broadcast it to my other employees.

That seems to have done it, since my cousin shuts his mouth foregoing any other commentary he was about to make.

Steph's POV

"Are you hoping to get back with him?" Catherine questions when she steps next to me at the bar. The official part of the evening is over and now the band has started to play, drawing people to the dance floor.

"Excuse me?" I turn to look at her.

"I can see the way you are looking at him. He is with me now, so don't get any ideas" She replies with a smile that is anything but friendly.

Instead of replying, I just walk away. As I make my way across the room, a hand catches my wrist and I turn to look at the person it belongs to. "You should know better than to sneak up on a person" I smile at Bobby.

"Want to dance?" He questions and instead of awaiting my answer, he pulls me onto the dance floor.

"I haven't even said yes" I chuckle and let him draw me closer. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"I get special treatment at this event" Bobby smiles and starts guiding me around the dance floor. These dancing lessons that my mother made me take will be paying off tonight. "I am only working if there is need to, otherwise I am here to support my family… It is good to have you here Bomber."

"It is good to be here." I nod.

"I am surprised you came" He comments. "Ranger has not yet divulged what happened in San Diego."

"I shouldn't have come" I tell him. "But when I received the invitation I figured it was from Ranger and that there may be hope after all I have done to him...That we could be friends again"

"Don't give up just yet" Bobby encourages me.

"Did I do the right thing by walking away three years ago?" I question out loud, for the first time to someone else that isn't myself.

"You weren't happy and Ranger couldn't see it. I'd say, yes you did the right thing." Bobby says, before he stops dancing and looks around the room. "I am sorry Bomber, but my presences is requested." and with that he leaves me alone on the dance floor to attend whatever problem has just arisen.

"It was a beautiful party" I say when I walk out onto the balcony, from which I can see the Washington Monument.

"It was" Ranger nods without looking at me. I saw him walk out here and against my better judgement I decided to follow him. "You look beautiful" he adds and turns his dark eyes on me. I am surprised to see his blank face gone and different kinds of emotions playing across his face.

His words put a smile onto my lips and my heart starts beating a mile a minute. "Thank you...so do you."

"I would prefer being called handsome" he teases, still leaning on the balconies stone fence.

I walk over and come to stand next to him. "Thank you for inviting me." I say, even though I am 100% sure that he didn't sent the invite.

"I did not invite you…" he admits, which stings a little. "...But I am glad you came."

"Me too" I smile at him and for a moment it is like it used to be between us. The chemistry is off the charts.

"Babe...there you are!" Catherine says with a bit of surprise in her voice, when she steps through the open doors and Ranger slips his blank face in place. Interesting. "I have been looking for you."

"I had to get some air" He replies tightly. Apparently not impressed with his girlfriend disturbing us.

"Well I am ready to go. Shall we?" She questions and shoots me a gleeful look. I stop short from rolling my eyes and just ignore her.

"I will be right there" Ranger nods, obviously expecting Catherine to leave, but she is staying put. With a sigh he turns towards me "It was good seeing you Steph" and for a moment I think he will hug me, but then seems to decide against it.

We look at each other for another long moment, before I decide to put an end to this. "Goodbye Ranger" I shoot him what I hope is a happy smile.

Ranger just nods at me and follows Catherine of the Balcony.

Ranger's POV

"We have to talk" I tell Catherine when we walk down the steps to her waiting limousine.

"There is no need" She replies flippantly. "The looks you two were giving each all night were more than obvious."

"Catherine…" I start, but she lifts her hand to silence me. I can see that she is having trouble not to cry, even though she is trying to put on a cool demeanour.

"Don't...It is fine." She says and takes a deep breath. "It is my fault. Should have realized that this was going nowhere, but you kept me around so…" She shrugs.

"I am sorry" I tell her and mean it. Last thing I wanted was for her to get hurt. But in the haze I was in after Steph left, I didn't realize what I was doing. Maybe Julie leaving was a good thing. It opened my eyes.

Just as she is about to say something, Steph comes running out of the Building with panic written all over the face and her cell phone in her hand. "It's about Julie!"

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