Just borrowing from JE.

Someday Let Go

Stephanie was so involved in her cleaning; she never noticed the man dressed in black t-shirt and cargos leaning against the doorframe watching her. He had been in and out of the wind so much the last few months he barely had a chance to just say a simple "Hi" to his Babe.

The vacuum cleaner died and Stephanie's progress stopped. He smirked at the song on the radio. It fit her.

"Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high.

There's a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby.

Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue.

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far Behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops, Away above the chimney tops.

That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere, over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow,

Why then - oh, why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow,

Why, oh, why can't I?"

She flipped the switch, nothing happened. She turned around towards the plug and found the reason; Ranger had it in his hand.

"Babe."

"Ranger, when did you get back?"

She took in the man who had absent from her life these long months. His hair was short and he was sporting a finely trimmed beard giving him more exotic, almost sexy savage look. Over these last months, he had been in and out of town so much barely seeing him. She missed him, missed his friendship. Joe and she called it quits over 6 months ago right before Ranger's frequent trips began. The final argument was over none other than her favorite dessert, pineapple upside down cake. It wasn't really an argument. Her mother invited them to dinner; Joe wanted to watch the hockey game.

"Cupcake, why don't you just learn how to bake one?" Joe asked. "Once you get that down, then cooking me dinner will be a cinch each night when we get married. The boys will like that."

Stephanie saw a rainbow of colors in her anger, one of them blue when she dumped the blue raspberry snow cone she was eating down his pants, "I hope the boys turn blue from the cold and fall off!" She watched Morelli hop around trying to get the crushed ice out of his pants, then stomped to her used Jeep and drove off not speaking to him since. He must have got the hint when Stephanie never returned any of his calls as they stopped and ignored him at the police station bringing in skips anytime she was there or at Pino's. Her mother wasn't happy so she's been avoiding her parent's house for dinner. Grandma and her Dad brought her care packages understanding why she was staying away and how busy since she had signed up for evening classes at the Community College. Stephanie had been holding out for Ranger, but with all these comings and goings over the last months, she just gave up on anything between them. She's been working part-time at Rangeman and bringing in skips. Lenny's niece was deaf and Mary Lou enrolled in a sign language course. She cajoled her best friend to sign up with her. It just happened that a young couple moved into her building and the wife was deaf. She practiced her lessons with her and had become quite fluent. Stephanie found she enjoyed it, both enrolled in the advanced course to earn a certificate. It helped also to fill her time and strengthen her acceptance she and Ranger would never be anything more than friends.

"Just got back this morning," pushing himself off the door frame and walking to her. "Babe."

She didn't resist his lips when they claimed hers. She fought within herself. Her brain sending out the message it was just a kiss, nothing more, nothing less. A kiss.

Whispering into her curls, "Missed you, Stephanie."

"I missed you, too, Ranger. It's nice to have my friend back."

He studied her face after that comment. Her blue eyes were warm, but he sensed an apprehension in Stephanie. A holding back. He qualified it to the time apart, but hopefully the 'in the wind' was ending soon and his life would finally be him own.

It's brings a promise their someday was on the horizon.

"Do you want water or anything?" Stephanie asked stepping out of his hold gathering up the cord and moving the sweeper. "The beard, is it part of your 'in the wind?"

His mocha latte fingers outlined it on his face, "Trying to blend in. I have to go back and catch up at Rangeman. Would you be available for a distraction job this weekend in New York? I'm trying to finish up this job."

She was taken back by it. Doing the distraction job wouldn't distance her from Ranger, but she never said 'No'. She had a job with his company, his vehicles were blown up, men maimed, and Ranger always supported her. "OK."

'Thanks, Babe," kissing her quickly before making his exit out the door. "We'll go over everything tomorrow morning. Ella will take care of the outfits. " He poked his head back in the door, "As part of the cover, you and I are posing as newlyweds."

Stephanie stared after him at the closed apartment door. She hoped her heart would survive.