Always There

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, but am grateful to JE for inventing them for us to play with. Unlike JE, I am not making any money from them either

A/N: Ok, so apologies for the time lapse in updating. RL has been bedlam but all better now as I'm finished work until January – hooray! As ever, thank you for the reviews, follows, alerts, favourites etc. Sorry too, if I haven't gotten back to you to thank you for your review – apart from the guests because I can't, but thank you too .

I told Margaret I'd have a chapter posted by the weekend and I dare not let her down, so here it is. It's not what I started out to write, but hopefully it works! Thanks as always to my girls – you know who you are Oh, and I don't think tissue warning needed for this one! Enjoy

Chapter 4

Plans

Ranger sat at his desk in his RangeMan office when a knock at his door came. Giving permission for whoever it was to enter, he was marginally surprised at the deputation he saw before him. Lester, Bobby, Ram and Manny stood at parade rest in front of him.

"What can I do for you gentleman?" he started.

"Permission to speak freely sir?" asked Ram.

Ranger kept his smile hidden. Ram had known him the least amount of time comparatively and was also the last one of the four to leave the service. It was hard to knock ten years of protocol out of a man.

"Permission granted."

"Sir, we were talking. Well, a lot of us were talking. About Bomber sir and her grandma," he began, stopping suddenly as he saw the hardening of Ranger's face when Steph was mentioned. RangeMan did not tolerate gossip, especially about their own.

"It wasn't like that Ranger," clarified Lester quickly and surprisingly seriously. "We were actually trying to come up with a way to show Steph our support. You know, something to let her know that we're thinking about her, that we care. Her granny may be the most frightening woman we know, but she's fun and loves Beautiful. Am I glad she's not my abuela? Absolutely. But does she deserve this? Definitely not."

"How is Mrs Mazur doing Boss?" asked Manny. "We haven't heard anything from Bomber for a few days."

Ranger looked at Bobby and gave him a small nod. He spoke carefully.

"Steph's grandma decided to try the radio therapy. At first it was painful and made her really tired. However, it seems like she's over the worst now and she's feeling much better. They've also got her drugs regime on an even keel, so she's doing very well. They're even talking about letting her go home for a while. I've spoken to the oncologist and he's given me a full run down and is happy for me to take over her care whilst she's out of hospital."

"So we'd be good to go with the plan?" asked Manny with a smile.

"We'd have to plan it carefully, but when I checked the Doc said he thought it was a great idea," replied Bobby, a smile crossing his handsome features too.

"Is there a point here somewhere?" Ranger enquired, trying not to show his curiosity.

Ram took up the mantle.

"Well, it's just that we have come up with some ideas for things that Steph and her granny may enjoy – you know things a bit out the ordinary that may make them smile."

"Go on," he ordered.

Over the next few minutes the men outlined some ideas. Ranger smiled.

"Let's do it."

ooOoo

Steph felt as though she'd been living at the hospital forever. Yes, she'd kept in contact with Connie and Lula via text, and had gone out to pick up a few easy skips whilst Frank and Helen were there, but she couldn't stay away for long. She was torn between the deep need to stay with her grandma every minute and the overwhelming urge to run away. It wasn't even Denial Land anymore, but the claustrophobia of the same four walls, the smell, the routine - and the crushing fear and concern.

Initially, it was whether grandma would survive the pneumonia, then it was learning about her cancer and her refusal of the treatment. Lately, it had been the helplessness of seeing her beloved grandma in pain. Even though they all knew it would get worse before it got better, it somehow didn't help with the frustration of being able to do nothing to ease the suffering. No matter how much she willed it could be her instead, she could not help.

If she were honest, brutally honest, there was also guilt. Guilt over the fact that, as scared as she was for her grandma, as much as she wished it could be her, she was also relieved it wasn't her, because in reality, she didn't think she would cope. So she had to get out. Out to breath some fresh air, out to live a different life – her life – even for an hour.

At least they seemed to be over the worst for now. Edna was really looking so much better and more to the point, feeling it. Steph smiled to herself as she replayed the scene yesterday when the dishy male nurse came to do Edna's obs. He clearly hadn't been expecting the sharp pinch to his behind from the frail looking old lady!

Steph looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. Her hair really needed a trim, she was a bit pale and hadn't used any mascara for days. Plus, even she could see that she'd lost weight. Even though Helen had always brought enough food, somehow she couldn't seem to eat in the hospital – it always felt uncomfortable for some reason.

"Well it's good news Edna." Dr Olsen's voice interrupted Stephanie's introspection.

"You mean I can actually go home?" asked Edna.

Dr Olsen smiled.

"Absolutely. I know the radio therapy was hard, but it's worked how we wanted it to. It's contained the disease for now and you look and seem much better. So off you go and enjoy yourself is what I prescribe now – along with your meds of course," he warned.

"They do confuse me," replied Edna, her voice cracking and making Steph's heart crack with it.

"No worries there Grandma. Dr Olsen has explained it all to me and I know exactly what you have to take and when," said Steph brightly.

Edna smiled. Her first real 'behind the eyes' smile for weeks. She was going home.

ooOoo

Ranger angled the shiny black Cayenne expertly next to the kerb outside the Plum's neat house. It was lunchtime so he knew everyone would be there. He was hoping that being home would encourage Babe to eat better; he hated that she looked so tired, thin and pale. She needed to look after herself as well.

"Seems strange that no-one's on the step to meet us," said Bobby.

Ranger just nodded and moved towards the house. He hadn't reached the front door when Steph opened it. For some reason he couldn't fathom he was relieved that she knew he was there. Their connection was still there. The smile she gave him reflected it too. He hadn't seen her in person for the few days that Edna had been home even though they'd spoken.

Bobby broke the silence.

"Hey Steph, we thought we'd just come to see how you and your granny are doing," he started.

Steph smiled.

"You mean you came to make sure I got all the drugs right more like?"

It was Bobby's turn to smile.

"I trust you Steph – but it's always good to have someone else take a look," he said with a wink.

"Actually, I'm really glad. I find it a bit of a pressure to be honest and I keep worrying I'll miss a dose," she added sheepishly, standing back to let them both in.

"No problem. I have just the thing to help with that," he said, holding up a package. "Ranger said you were worried about that so I found you one of these pill boxes with a built in alarm system. I thought it would help Edna be a bit more independent about it and take the pressure off you at bit."

Steph gave Bobby a huge smile as she lead him and Ranger into the kitchen where Helen had placed a plate load of sandwiches and bowls for soup.

"Ranger, Bobby, good to see you. You boys staying for lunch?" asked Edna, not acknowledging Steph's surprised look at the invitation – or the look on her face that her mother had seemed pleased by the idea.

"Not for me thank you Edna, I've just come to speak to Steph, but I think Bobby here may take up your offer," replied Ranger.

"Absolutely!" said Bobby enthusiastically. "Smells like minestrone Mrs Plum."

Helen smiled and ladled her soup into a bowl as Ranger gently led Steph back out into the hall by her elbow.

"What's going on Ranger?" she asked, caution in her voice.

"What are you doing for the rest of the day Babe?"

Steph was caught slightly off guard by his question.

"Um, well staying here with grandma. Why?"

"Well, I think you need to get away for a little while. How about dinner tonight?"

Steph looked at him in genuine surprise.

"With you?"

Ranger leaned against the banister.

"Unless you want to go with someone else…."

"No!" she replied quickly. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that …" She took a deep breath. "I'd love to, but I don't want to leave grandma," she said sadly.

Ranger lifted her chin so she had to meet his gaze.

"Listen to me Babe. You need to get out of here. Edna's doing well, Helen and Frank are here – and Bobby will stay too. It's just one night. We'll stay local and can be back here in minutes if we have to."

He could see her crumbling. Time to play his trump card.

"Please Babe."

Steph bit her bottom lip.

"What time?"

ooOoo

An evening out sounded perfect. As he left, Steph realised that she had some major repair work to do if she was going to look half decent on the arm of a man like Ranger.

First thing was to make an emergency call to Mr Alexander. Thank goodness he had had a cancellation. Then she took a long shower plucking, exfoliating, waxing and polishing every inch of her that she could. Then she moisturised and found her nice lingerie and make up. Once they were taken care of she polished her nails and moved to her closet to pick out the perfect dress. She settled on a sea blue shift dress. It was one of those that she usually had to plan in advance to wear as it meant laying off the doughnuts and food in general for a couple of weeks in order to get in to it, but now it fit like a glove. Four inch heels and a black pashmina – a gift from Ranger – later and she was good to go.

Right on cue, there was a knock on the door and Steph answered to a sight that took her breath away. Much as she loved 'street Ranger' and 'corporate Ranger',THIS Ranger was something to behold. Casual black trousers, charcoal grey silk shirt open at the collar and black jacket were enough to make any woman – or man – walk into a lamp post, but the stunning bouquet of flowers that he held in his arms would make the most die hard cynic wobble. Or possibly the shiny black hair that was just long enough to curl around his nape and ears, daring her to run her fingers through it. Or the impossibly liquid, deep brown eyes that had a look in them she dare not even try to understand.

"You look incredible Babe."

His baritone voice knocked her out of her trance – just.

"Looking good yourself there Batman."

They stood just looking, drinking each other in until a small smile crossed his face.

"We need to be going or we'll miss our reservation," he said softly.

Steph tore her eyes away and shook her head in an attempt to get some sense back into it.

"Of course. Sorry. Shall I take these and put them in some water first though. They're beautiful Ranger. Thank you."

He simply handed the blooms over. He could see that she was struggling and didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Once she returned, he locked up her apartment, took her hand and led her to car, hoping that she would relax soon.

Once they were seated and had ordered, Steph finally felt herself unwinding and the stresses of the past weeks, although not forgotten, could be put on the back burner for a few wonderful hours. Ranger was so attentive, funny and interesting. He kept the conversation flowing and didn't say a word when she let out a long moan on the first bite of her chosen main course. He even took the forkful of tiramisu she offered him – and the teasing about ruining the temple. Most of all, for the first time in weeks, Steph laughed. Really laughed. She was happy.

On the ride home, with his hand covering hers on his thigh as he drove, she realised how much she had needed not just this evening, but this day. To pamper herself had felt great. How simple had it been to get a haircut, and yet how much better had she felt? She looked at Ranger in his zone. And then there was this man. This incredibly handsome, sexy man. She had thought she had seen something different in his eyes tonight, something different about the way he looked at her, held her hand across the table and constantly kept contact. It was all so confusing, after all, he had told her in the most definite way that he didn't do relationships. So it must be the spell that had been woven by circumstance and the perfect evening.

They pulled up at her apartment, having checked in with Bobby who had told them that Edna had been in great spirits and had already gone to bed. Ranger walked Steph to her door and she stood back, not even bothering to argue about him doing the security sweep he always did. She followed him in and found herself spun around, her back to the wall, Ranger caging her in. She said nothing, just inhaled his beautiful scent. She should have felt affronted or turned on or intimidated by this gorgeous man towering over her – especially with that look in his eyes – but she didn't. She just felt….safe.

Steph looked up at him and sighed. She rubbed his cheek gently and was happily surprised when he pushed in to her hand, kissing the heel of her thumb.

"Thank you," she said simply.

He smiled and kissed her hand again, her palm this time.

"Any time Babe, you know that."

She nodded. Strangely, somehow she did know that. She didn't know how or what, but something had shifted. Ranger leaned down and kissed her so tenderly that she almost cried. He pushed away from the wall, stroked her face again and headed for the door. By the time she had realised what was happening, he had gone.

She rushed to her window and looked into the dark parking lot. He was just heading to his car. She grabbed her phone and sent a one word text.

Ranger had just fobbed the Cayenne when he felt his 'phone buzz in his pocket. Checking it he saw it was from Stephanie. It was just one word. He smiled.

'Stay'.