Ric had enjoyed the wedding. Enjoyed the time with his family and friends. And Stephanie. God, seeing her again… holding her as they danced… her scent and the feel of her in his arms. It was as if the year they were apart didn't exist. He sang the Spanish ballad and meant every word. But wasn't it too late to start over?

He was tense as he slid the garter up her leg, never liked being the center of attention, but to touch her, he could bear anything. Watching her flush warmed him, as his large hands caressed her calf and touched her knee. He felt the heat rise in his ears.

She felt so good to him. So right.

It was Tank who told him to join the crazy dancing, it was ridiculous, undignified, but watching his Babe laughing out loud, holding her stomach as she snorted with joy as he and Tank danced with the Trenton cop, made the embarrassment worth it.

He walked down the beach and sat in the sand, and drew in the scent of the salty water.

He still loved Stephanie Plum.

Joe Morelli watched the soldier they called Ranger head down the beach. Val had told him about the man's brief time dating Stephanie before he married someone else. Joe had learned as a cop to really study people and he knew the poor guy was in a world of hurt. He had watched as Ranger danced with Stephanie, how he always had an eye on Stephanie as she moved through the crowd. Joe recognized the longing, and a sadness. Like Ranger didn't deserve the happiness Stephanie promised.

Joe knew that pain well. He had royally fucked up any chance of happiness with Stephanie with his poetic ministrations on walls around Trenton. What a dumb bastard he was. The Steph even talked to him…

But he could help now, maybe.

"Hey Steph, come walk with me."

Stephanie, warm and bubbly as ever, slid her hand in his. "Have you decided which of the girls you want to sweep off her feet? I recommend picking one from Newark- less of a commute…"

She talked of the merits of each of Lester's unmarried sisters and didn't notice the destination Joe had in mind.

And then she saw him, alone, sitting on the sand. Watching the waves roll in.

"Steph, I think you will need to help him… give him permission… to be a part of your life again. Because when you two look at each other, it is like the rest of us stop existing."

"Joe, I can't…"

"You can, more importantly, you should. All your friends want to help you too, but are afraid to interfere. I have no such reservations. Go and be happy tonight. Tomorrow will figure itself out."

And then Joe kissed her on the forehead, turned and walked back down the beach to rejoin the party.

Ric heard the couple, but not what they were saying. He was lost in memories.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

Ric looked up and Stephanie was smiling at him. He raised his hand and in a moment, she was beside him. So close to him.

"A penny for your thoughts." She smiled.

His hand went to the side of her face and she leaned in and brushed her lips across his and then they were in each other's arms as he deepened the kiss. He trembled in her arms. And Stephanie pulled back to see Ric was crying. She held him to her chest as a sob escaped. The terror of Les missing, the heartache of losing her, the stress of a marriage he had to be part of, a wife he could not satisfy, sending his team into danger without him, the fear of almost losing Rachel when Julie was born, and the shame of his divorce, before he had even been married a year- all of his pain was in his tears.

"The tears are good, let them come. You don't have to be brave for me. Let them come."

He was safe with Stephanie. He was home. And the pressure in his chest abated.

He sat up, dried his eyes and cleaned his nose, shaking his head. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Her fingers touched his lips. "Ric, sweetheart, you don't own me an apology for having feelings. This year has been a mess. For both of us."

"Stephanie, am I too late? Is it too late for us to try again."

Stephanie answered truthfully. "I don't know. But I am willing to start again if we take it slow."

"Then we should discuss where we should go for our first date as I walk you home."

"Val, sweetheart, you said you wanted to go all natural with no drugs." Lester offered his wife.

"Fuck natural, this is fucking bullshit! I want a fucking epidural, and it is hotter than God damn Hades in this fucking room, somebody get me a fucking fan, you can't tell me there isn't a fucking fan somewhere in this fucking hospital." Lester knew Val would murder him in a heartbeat, given the chance, if he so much as cracked a smile.

Lester looked at Stephanie and Lula for help. Val would go into labor on a day the hospital air conditioning was out. Poor Les. The man had been to war and was completely unprepared for this.

"I will get a fan." Lula disappeared.

Stephanie offered, "I'll get the nurse to page Anesthesia." Lester mouthed "Don't leave me" as Stephanie escaped.

Lula brought back a fan, and the epidural was placed and Val started to resemble a human again, by the time Tank and Hector joined them in the waiting room.

"No baby yet?"

"No baby yet."

"Well, we got all the gifts over to the house and the crib built and the Santos contingent bought out Target- diapers, bottles, and the washer dryer set the Val thought was too expensive, Binkie and Ram are installing it now. Ric and Bobby are still stuck in the debrief in DC- this latest mission must have been something."

Ric had been in the wind for a month. After the wedding, Stephanie and Ric had gone on several dates before he returned to Georgia, and she had made a couple of trips to visit him, as work allowed. It had been six weeks of getting reacquainted, and then he was shipped out. Now, at the end of September, he was back but not home, and the much-postponed baby shower ended early when Val went into labor.

Mary Lou and Abuela Rosa had charge of the babies and the out-of-town guests. Lula and Stephanie were in charge of the hospital duties.

"I just don't see how this is a fair distribution of labor- your sister is like Linda Blair in the Exorcist, 'cept her head don't go all the way round."

"The day isn't over yet."

Val was enraged that she was still in labor at hour 14. Stephanie was spelling Lester in the room while he tried to rest for a bit.

"It was so much easier with Mateo."

"I know."

"What if I don't love her like I love Mateo?"

"Val, you loved her father, even though he never deserved you. Of course, you will love her."

"But Les…"

"Lester Santos is already in love with his baby girl. I already feel sorry for her boyfriends in high school."

Val laughed as Steph described Bobby, Tank, Ric and Lester interviewing the first few boys to come around.

"Poor girl might need to be a nun."

Val relaxed after that and it was soon time to push.

Stephanie came into the waiting area and announced to the assembled group that Rosa Marie Santos had arrived, was ten pounds and eleven ounces and that mother and baby were well.

"How about poor Les?"

Stephanie said nothing.

Tank looked at her directly, and Stephanie was reminded of being in the principal's office. "He fainted and hit his head, he is in the other bed in Val's room so they can monitor him for a concussion." Stephanie rushed, without a pause.

The laughter was deafening- Lester would never live it down.

Lula, Mary Lou, Val and Stephanie sat at the christening, each with a margarita before them. Val pushed her drink toward Stephanie.

"I am breastfeeding, so you will have to have mine."

Mary Lou pushed hers to the center of the table. "I can't drink mine. I am due in March."

Lula flushed and pushed her drink away. "Tank and I will have a baby by Easter."

All the girls looked expectantly (pardon the pun) at Stephanie, who downed her drink in one swallow and then lifted Val's glass and took a sip.

"Don't look at me, I got my Depo on Tuesday."

Thanksgiving dinner in Miami was a series of conversations about Ric and Stephanie, who had opted to stay at Benning for the holiday.

"Tank, Ric say anything to you about asking Stephanie?"

"No."

"So, you don't know if he is planning…"

"If you want to know you should ask him, Lester."

"He grunted when I asked."

"Bobby, sweetheart, do you think he will ask her at Christmas?"

"I have no idea."

Mary Lou grunted, "Really? I find that hard to believe."

"He hasn't said anything to me."

"Lula, do you thin she will say yes right away? She is a little gun- shy…" Val wanted her sister to be happy.

"Val, you were gun-shy and said yes right away."

"Well, that is true…"

Speculation ramped up at Christmas, when Ric gave Stephanie a sliver chain bracelet with a dangling blue glass heart.

"Oh I love it!" She said and kissed him.

"She doesn't seem disappointed that it is not a ring" Abuela said to Tia Ella.

"A bracelet?" Lula was disappointed. Val just shook her head. "She loved it. And was not disappointed at all.

"What are they waiting for?" Lester asked Bobby. "They love each other, she is there anytime he isn't here. I just don't get it."

"Should we talk about it, Babe?" Ric kissed her neck

"Do you want to?" Steph licked his nipple.

"There's no rush."

"Okay." Stephanie kissed him. "But I do have an idea about how…" and she whispered in her lover's ear.