48A/N - Hi all! I'm back again! I know I said I'd have this all written out before I posted, but um yeah not so much. Real Life has been crazy and I've had this first chapter mostly done for a couple of months. If I don't go ahead and post, I'm afraid I'm going to keep procrastinating and I'll never finish this. So, here is the Prologue and I'm going to try and get in to a rhythm.
Thanks to all of you who checked in, especially Roscommon and SapphireJ. Love you girls!
As always, to my real life Mary Lou...love you girl!
Please review and let me know what you think. You all know I'm a review fiend!
I'm not sure about this title yet, though. Not sure I like it but it is this for now unless I get some better suggestions!
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing. Any characters you recognize belong to her and not to me. I do own the Santos parents, siblings and sister in law. Love them!
Piecing It Back Together, sequel to Shattered and Broken
Prologue
Sitting on the private beach in Point Pleasant and watching the sunrise on an early October morning, Stephanie couldn't help but think back to the last time she was there with Lester and a tear fell down her cheek. Her love had been gone almost 6 weeks and she missed him more than anything, but had somehow managed to keep living her life while he was gone. The guys had helped, of course. She loved all of the Rangemen like brothers, and they had made sure she didn't wallow in her sadness.
When Ranger, Tank and Bobby offered her a position as the head of Client Services, she was shocked. At first, she didn't believe them when they told her that they'd been discussing this for awhile. It wasn't until Ranger handed her the envelope with "Baby" written across it that she finally believed them.
Once again, pulling the well worn envelope out of her pocket, she began her now daily ritual and gently traced the word on the envelope before opening it carefully to read Lester's words to her once again.
Baby,
I'm pretty sure you are reading this about a week after I left. I told the guys to wait at least that long before they asked you about the position, but sooner if you were moping. I know my Girl, so I know you haven't been moping!
Believe the guys, we have been talking about this for awhile. We all believe in you, Baby. I know you will be unbelievable in this job, but I want you to think about it and decide if it is for you. Don't take it just because we want you to. Do this for you because it is what YOU want.
I love you and just remember I'm thinking of you wherever I am right now.
Always yours,
Les
Stephanie smiled to herself, because the words Les had written were exactly what she had needed at exactly the right time. Lester's letter had convinced her that the new job wasn't a pity offer and helped give her the confidence to not only accept the job, but to thrive in it. After taking a day to think about it, she ended up taking the position and was so happy she had because she loved her new job. The guys were also right, she was good at it and had brought in several new large accounts that Ranger had been after for a few years.
"Proud of you, Babe," Ranger had told her with a huge smile as she handed him each contract she'd secured. Hearing those words didn't hold quite the same weight they once did, but it still felt good to hear them.
Mary Lou and Lenny invited her to dinner at least once a week, and Stephanie giggled as she thought of the two of them. Lenny had taken his new status as an honorary Santos man seriously. The two of them acted more like two people who just fell in love, instead of like a couple who had been married for years. Steph giggled even harder thinking about how much she wanted to gag watching them, but she also realized that anyone who observed her with Lester probably felt the same way. She was glad that her best friend was so happy and the romance had been rekindled in her marriage.
Not only did she have weekly dinners with the Stankovics, she also attended weekly dinners at Casa de Santos. Lenny and Lou were usually at those dinners too along with their boys who loved being spoiled by their adoptive family.
Stephanie loved dinners at the Santos house because it meant almost all of her favorite people were there. Ranger and Tank came with her each week, and of course Bobby was there with Lucia. Bobby was happier than she'd ever seen him, and Lucia gushed about her man every week during the standing shopping appointment they had every Saturday.
Looking out at the ocean, Stephanie remembered last week's family dinner. She smiled as she remembered that night. Ranger had taken Anna and Tony outside to speak with them privately. Just as before, when Bobby had taken Lucia outside to talk to her, everyone tried not to invade the private moment between the three of them. OK, who was she kidding? The only ones not paying a lick of attention to what was going on outside were the Stankovic boys.
Suddenly, Anna screamed, hugged Ranger and then her husband with tears in her eyes. Tony's smile was wide as he did one of those complicated man handshakes with his cousin. When the trio turned to make their way back into the house, all of the adults dashed to the kitchen trying not to let them know they'd been watching.
Ranger stood back with a smile as Anna and Tony ran to the kitchen hand in hand to make their announcement.
"We're getting a baby!" Lucia exclaimed as Tony picked up his wife and swung her around with the joy that was written all over his face.
"Oh Mija, Hijo! How? Carlos what is going on?" Carmen was effervescent, basking in the joy of her son and daughter in law.
"When Tony and Anna decided to try and adopt, they asked me and Les for help. We put out feelers with our contacts to see if we could help expedite a foreign adoption. I got word today that they've been accepted and are on the list for several countries. Hopefully, if all goes well, we'll have a new Santos to spoil within a year!" Ranger explained smiling.
Sunday dinner became a celebration, and even with the joy she felt for Anna and Tony, Stephanie couldn't help but feel sad that Les wasn't there to celebrate with them.
Feeling anxious after returning from dinner, Stephanie had felt a strong pull to go to the beach house in Pt. Pleasant. After discussing it with Ranger and clearing her schedule at Rangeman, she sought refuge in the house where the love of her life had promised to return from his mission and marry her. Letting the memories wash over her, she was able to calm and center herself once again.
Realizing that the sun was fully overhead, she got up from the blanket, shook off the sand, folded it and then began to walk along the beach. All of a sudden, a fear like nothing she had ever felt washed over her and then there was a feeling of anguish that brought her to her knees. Wherever he was, Lester was in pain, Stephanie felt it all the way to her core as she began to sob uncontrollably and fell to the sand folding herself inward.
Hours later and as dusk began to fall, her sobs finally subsided and Stephanie managed to get herself back to the beach house. Just as she walked in, she heard the front lock tumble and before she could grab her gun from the bar she heard a voice call out, "Babe?"
"Ranger, what are you doing here? Oh my God, is it Lester? Something happened, he's dead isn't he?" Stephanie dropped to her knees and began to sob uncontrollably.
"Babe, no, I don't know anything about Les. I swear to you! I just came to check on you because we couldn't get a hold of you all day. I promise, I don't know anything about Lester. I haven't heard a word and remember what I said?" Ranger was kneeling beside Stephanie and rubbing her back.
"No news is good news," she hiccuped. "I'm sorry I lost it, Ranger. I just haven't had a good day."
"What happened today, Babe?"
"I don't know. I was on the beach this morning watching the sunrise, just thinking. I went for a walk on the beach, and suddenly I was….,," she hesitated a moment. "I don't know how to explain it…" she trailed off as she shivered when a shadow of the feeling fell over her again.
"Stephanie, what did you feel? Was it your Spidey sense?" Ranger asked concerned.
"It is stupid, Ranger, I'm sorry I worried you," Steph sighed.
"No, Babe, it isn't stupid, and I'll always be worried about you. I can't help it, even though you decided mi primo is the one for you, you'll always be one of my best friends." It was getting easier for him to be OK with the fact that she would never be his.
"You'll always be one of my best friends too, Ranger," she smiled up at him before turning serious and began to explain. "I was walking along the beach, and this horrible feeling just came over me. I felt this fear and terrible anguish like nothing I've never felt before and I know wherever he is Les was feeling the same thing. I don't know, I can't explain it, once I felt his pain all I could do was sob on the beach for hours. I know something has gone horribly wrong with this mission! Please help me, Ranger! Please, see what you can find out!" she wailed as she clung to the only lifeline she had left.
Of course, Ranger couldn't deny her, because he'd never been able to deny her anything except full access to his life and his heart for the entire time they'd known each other. Yet, now, when he was finally free of his contract and had the ability to grant both, unfortunately it was too late. It didn't matter to Ranger now, because he knew that he'd use all his contacts to find out what was going on and give her the peace of mind she so desperately needed. Ranger gathered Stephanie into his arms and tucked the woman he and his cousin both loved into bed with a soft kiss to her forehead.
"Sleep, Babe, I'll call in every favor I have left. I promise."
"Thank you, Ranger," she sighed as she fell asleep knowing her friend would come through for her yet again.
The next morning, Stephanie woke to the smell of coffee and bacon. Since Ranger was cooking, she knew the bacon must mean bad news. After taking care of business in the bathroom, she went downstairs.
Washington, DC
After the outburst he'd had earlier in the day during his debriefing, Lester was on lockdown in a safe house in DC with a guard outside of his bedroom door. They were scared to death that he was going to go off again.
He was trying to hold it in, but the depth of despair he felt was slowly killing him. Lester had felt it so acutely during his debriefing. His training had allowed him to hold everything in until he could complete his mission, but talking about it had unleashed the horror and the guilt he felt about what happened. Now, the memories washed over him and all he could see was the lifeless bodies of the innocents he'd sworn to protect, but he'd failed.
Now, he was locked in the bedroom with guards in the house, because they wanted him to see a shrink before he could leave and go home to her. He knew he didn't deserve her anymore, but he'd promised he'd return to her. He'd keep that promise and see her one last time before he'd let her go forever.