Hi guys, glad to be back.

Thank you to all you wonderful people who reviewed my last chapter, you humbled me with your enthusiasm for reading more from me, so please find below my next submission...

Enjoy and let me know what you think... please.

o0o0o0o

The door to Ranger's temporary office blasted open, slamming into the wall where it took out a few fragments of plaster which skittered noisily to the floor, and a furious Mungo stormed into the calm and quiet space.

"You Bastard!" he added as he threw the door shut behind him.

Ranger, who had been typing away on his laptop, leant back in his chair, slowly and carefully taking off the rimless compact glasses he'd been wearing, before deliberately placing them on the desk next to his keyboard. As he did so he looked the angry man before him up and down, his stony, blank face emphasising his displeasure at Mungo's outburst.

"How could you make Chase the Head Honcho when you knew you had an effective leader in me! I've kept you abreast of what's been going on in this office. How else would you know what Connor's been up to, huh? I think you know you owe me and this is how you repay me? Instead of manning up you sent that, that... piece of skirt down here to check on us all to verify my reports. To make sure we were all behaving like good little Rangemen. Did you think I wouldn't work out that she's been spying on us, huh? Has she been sleeping with Connor, Chase, hell, even Pike or Robo to get you dirt on the rest of us?" He spat out angrily.

"Sit down." Ranger said slowly and calmly. His voice icy cold.

Mungo looked slightly less confident but stayed on his feet.

"I said. Sit. Down." Ranger ground out slowly.

Mungo sat, like a petulant child who'd been sent to the principal's office but couldn't see that he'd done anything wrong.

"First off, Miss Plum is not a piece of skirt, as you so crassly put it, nor has she been spying on you all. I won't even dignify your allegations about her sleeping arrangements with a response... I have been monitoring this office for quite some time and have been fully aware of what Connor has been up to. I know about his sideline in intimidation and the way he's been running this office. I also know exactly how much he has embezzled from the company he helped form and I understand why. Do you?"

Mungo glared but with less intensity as his bravado started to slip. Ranger could see the hesitation.

"How would you feel if, let's say, your brother, Sam, was killed in a drink drive traffic accident?"

Mungo now looked totally confused, unsure of where Ranger was going with his question. "What the hell does this have to do with anything?" he ground out.

Ranger ignored him and continued. "I'm sure you'd go off the rails, huh?"

Mungo nodded, still completely unaware of the relevance of Ranger's apparently weird line of questioning. His eyes showed his confusion.

Ranger pressed on. "Ok, so you'd want to hurt those that ended Sam's life right?"

Mungo nodded again.

"You'd feel angry, inadequate too, I bet? What if it wasn't just one person that died? What if it was your whole immediate family, plus your pregnant fiancée, but instead of it being a stupid, avoidable accident, what if it had been deliberate? What if a flight they'd been on was turned into a weapon, designed to kill as many innocent people as possible. People who'd just gotten off the elevators to go to work in their tall, tall buildings…"

Realisation hit "9-11" Mungo said, slightly hoarsely as he struggled to swallow.

"Yeah, 9-11. Everyone that Connor loved died as a result of the hate filled actions of a bunch of lunatic terrorists."

Mungo's eyes widened in shock.

"Yeah, precisely. Let's just say that Connor's judgement has been a little off since then..."

Ranger paused so that he could look at the huge man that nearly matched Tank for size, but who would never match him for loyalty or honesty.

"In answer to your question, the reason why you were not given this role is that you have never, in all the time you've worked here, stopped to question Connor's actions. Instead of coming to me and brown nosing in the hope that I would give you his job, you should have confronted him and asked him what the fuck he thought he was doing. I know that if my second in command thought I was doing something stupid he'd call me out on it, after all no one is infallible. You should know by now that there is no 'i' in team."

Bit by bit, Mungo's countenance changed from sullen to surprised to embarassed as the words Ranger spoke sunk in.

"You are ex-marine and yet you have not lived up to the motto of your own regiment. Your fellow comrades would be ashamed if they could see you now. Instead of supporting a leader who is obviously struggling with something, you chose to chip away at him and fuel his distructive behaviour. You have undermined his, albeit inappropriate, authority and encouraged belligerent behaviour in those around him, helping to turn the ship he is running into a sinking one. Why on earth should I chose you to replace him?! I suggest you have a long hard think about what I've said and come back to me to discuss your future at Rangeman and how you wish to proceed."

Mungo looked stunned as he considered what had been described and even he had to admit the picture that had been painted of his character was not a good one. He stood up as soon as he realised he was being dismissed, anxious to get out of the room, and headed to the door. He wanted to apologise but as he opened his mouth the words did not come out. He had no idea how to reply to the accusations that had rightly been lain at his feet so decided to keep walking.

"Oh, one more thing." Ranger added, making Mungo turn round in surprise. "You are a very capable and intelligent man and I anticipate great things from you during the competition. Will I be disappointed?"

"No Sir, no!" Mungo replied, snapping his hand to his head in salute and flexing his jaw muscles as he stood to attention.

Ranger nodded as he studied his face briefly. "Dismissed!" he said sharply.

Mungo turned and fled, relieved that he was not about to be deported to a third world country, after all he'd heard the rumours, right? As he walked away Ranger's words swirled round his head. What had he allowed himself to become?! He was no better than Connor, worse in fact as he had no excuse other than that he liked being in control, using strong arm tactics and because Connor seemed to relish in his bully-boy behaviour.

Spotting Connor and Stephanie huddled over several sheets of paper in one of the smaller, more comfortable meeting rooms he took a deep breath. Now was the time to start thinking like the marine he once was and it was never too soon to start apologising, he realised.

Both heads looked up in surprise as he tapped lightly on the slightly open door and headed in. "Need a third pair of eyes?" he asked carefully.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph looked over the table in the small, intimate restaurant she now found herself in at the beautiful man that was currently studying his menu. Resting her chin on her open palm she took in the relaxed, gentle vibes he was giving off.

"I don't know what you said." She started, causing Ranger to look up in confusion "But for some reason Mungo has been all sweetness and light this afternoon and has deferred to both Connor and me at every opportunity."

"Babe." Ranger replied, a slight smile playing at his lips.

"Don't Babe me!" she replied sassily before smirking at him then darting her amused eyes back to her menu.

"It's all your doing. Always has been. Always will be. I may have pointed out a few things, but everyone around is just drawn to you." Ranger explained as his hand slid over the tablecloth and took hers in his own.

Steph looked up in surprise. "Me? I'm nothing special! You're the one everyone looks up to. You're the one that brings order! I create chaos!"

Ranger sniggered softly "Babe! Everyone loves your 'chaos' as you call it. You accept everyone for what they could be and never judge. Look at me for example. You saw through my dark, remote, sterile exterior to the real, fallible man underneath the hype. Then, in spite of my gross stupidity, you even accepted me back into your life. You took a big gamble at the airport. What if I'd pushed you away?"

Steph looked at him, "I wasn't thinking…" she stuttered out as the enormity of her actions hit her.

Ranger could see the way her thoughts were heading. "Breathe Babe. I'm really, really glad you did what you did." He added with the ghost of a lopsided smirk, as he stroked a thumb across her knuckles reassuringly.

"Then there's Connor. How many men would see past the anger and bullshit to see the man crying out for help underneath and want to get involved? Especially after the cold reception he initially gave you."

Steph tilted her head sideways, nodding slightly as she conceded that perhaps he did have a point.

"Babe, people love that you are straightforward yet always see the best in everyone. You stand your ground and fight your corner and defend anyone who needs your help… Hell, you have half of the men here wrapped round your finger and you've only been here a week – which aint bad as most of the men here are even more closed off that I was." He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of it.

"If you had been anyone else… Lula for example, you'd have been trussed up and left in a cupboard for the spiders to find on day one. You know the rep this office has, or did have till you started working your magic."

Steph grinned. "They'd have to pin her down first." She giggled, imagining what her loud friend would have to say on the matter.

Ranger chuckled then became serious "Babe. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I made my stupid fuck buddy suggestion because I reckoned that with me warming your bed I'd be able to ruin you for all men so that the next time Morelli showed his face you'd think twice before running back to him."

Steph looked at his face and could see the sincerity in his eyes. She turned their still linked hands over and repeated his earlier, reassuring movements with her own thumb.

"I realise that now." She replied. "Rees made me see how badly I'd treated the both of you. I should have called you out immediately and made you explain yourself so I'm just as much to blame if not more so. I must have given you whiplash with the number of times I packed up Rex and my laundry basket! I think I'd stick to actions rather than words though if I were you!" she added playfully.

Ranger took a deep breath before continuing "I just don't want the same triangle to happen with me, you and Rees…"

Steph squeezed his hand to stop him mid-sentence "Ah, well I might have a little confession to make… Ace and I decided that no-one outside Boston was to know about my private life or Rees' either. We did go on a date one time but by 10 minutes in Rees realised that I didn't see us ever becoming a couple. He hooked up with the new girl, Vera, a week or so later with a little help from yours truly and I think they're pretty much tied at the hip…"

"So… you and him… er…"

"No! We slept in a bed together but all we did was talk." She smiled "I was too hung up on some other idiot guy and would have felt guilty…"

Ranger raised a hopeful eyebrow. "So… This other guy… The one you felt guilty about… not Morelli?"

Steph shook her head, looking deep into his smouldering eyes "Definitely not Morelli." She whispered.

"Good to know." He replied as he pulled her knuckles to his lips again to give them both time to gather their wits.

"Ranger… this project you're working on that will keep you in Atlanta. I don't want to sound silly, but if it's got anything to do with me I'd rather know. It's just that I want to earn the respect of the guys on my own, you know…"

Ranger grinned his best wolf grin "S'ok Babe, there is a bone fide and very complex tender that I need to work on so I will be around and about a lot. At various points I will probably even draft in a couple of familiar faces when needed. I will admit that being here will have the added advantage that I can keep an eye on you and be there if you need a shoulder to cry on, but I promise I won't hover over you or undermine you. Instead, think of me as your black knight, hopefully I'll begin to work out when it's appropriate to wave the white flag and admit defeat so that eventually I will win the fair maiden's hand in …"

At that moment the roaring of a violent, wild and caged animal broke the moment.

"Need to feed the beast, Babe." Ranger chuckled as he picked up his menu again, glad that his runaway mouth had been stopped in its tracks. Dios! What this woman did to him! Much as he loved every part of her from her wild hair to the soles of her feet, he didn't want to scare her off with talk of marriage...

o0o0o0o0o

Steph glanced over at the clock on the nightstand, 0630. Ranger's side of the bed was empty but seeing the note that was on his vacant pillow she knew where he was. In the gym. In. the. Gym! She rolled her eyes which was about all the energy she had in reserve right now. How did he manage it! Was he the Duracell Bunny?!

They'd spent the night revelling in each other's bodies. Actually, she'd been determined to wiggle out of him the end of the sentence he didn't finish in the restaurant. Trouble was, every time she planned her attack, he'd kiss her and her brain would turn to mush and talking became the last thing on her mind.

She grinned. She knew she'd probably worked out what he was about to say, but she wanted to hear it. Wanted to know that he was as sure of their future as she was. She wanted him to offer her his Someday. For now she'd leave it but figured she'd get it out of him soon enough if he was serious...

Digging deep, she eventually found the energy to get up to go relieve her aching bladder. As she started to move she realised it wasn't the only thing that ached. Muscles she didn't even know she had protested as she hobbled into the bathroom. If she'd had more energy she would have skipped as thoughts of the night filled her head, but at least on the inside she was doing a really, really big happy dance.

She smiled as she padded back to bed, determined to get at least a couple of hours sleep before her day really began. Bed sheets lay all over the place and even cascaded onto the floor where a couple of the pillows had slipped down to join them. She grinned at the carnage and the actions that had made it all happen.

Snuggling up on Ranger's side of the bed, she hauled the duvet back up and began to relax back into sleep as she planned her day: Unhealthy breakfast. Catch up with Rees and Lester. Kiss the Boss...

Hope you weren't too disappointed with my handling of Mungo - most of you had him down for a trouble maker who'd kick baby puppies just for the hell of it. Don't forget, there's an awful lot of redemption going on right now and who am I to deny a man like Mungo his share of forgiveness...