If you like H/Ellen, Valerie or Morelli you probably shouldn't read this! There'll be a Babe HEA though. And it will definitely be a oneshot! Just getting it out of my head so my muse will get back to the reward I'm supposed to write.
I don't own them, I don't make any money, just for fun, I'll return them... You know the drill.
A big thank you goes to BurumaBabe who beta'ed this for me. Thanks Babe, this short wouldn't be what it's now without your help.
When It Rains It Pours...
By Katrin
Looking up at the sky he saw big dark clouds form and he knew it wouldn't take long to start raining. He could see her outline against the light streaming through her bedroom window, casting shadows over the fire escape. She was sitting on the fire escape, huddled over, trying to make herself as small as possible. Trying to vanish from the face of the earth.
He knew that what her mother had said throughout the evening had hurt her as he could see the huge sobs wrecking her body, even from his vantage point down in the parking lot. When he thought back to the beginning of the evening he felt himself simmer with rage.
It had all started when they had gone to dinner at her parent's. Steph had decided to go over for dinner so her mother wouldn't be alone. He was sure it was one of the things she would regret for a long time. Frank had gone out on a field trip with some of the guys he had served with. He had talked to Ranger about it, reminding him to keep an eye on Stephanie. As if he wouldn't anyways. But Ranger had appreciated it, had felt good knowing that at least her dad supported her no matter what.
When they arrived at 5 minutes to six they had found Valerie and her family already there and Edna about to leave. He would have loved to take a page out of Edna's book and just up and go, but he couldn't do it to Steph. He knew she felt obligated to stay so he would stay with her.
So they had walked in, hand in hand, trying to absorb strength from each other. They had sat down at the table next to each other, opposite Valerie and Albert. Her mother had served dinner and then started in on Steph.
Ranger's presence had comforted her, kept her balanced and calm when her mother had started the oh so familiar lecture. About her job, her choice of lifestyle. Her choice of men. Ellen didn't seem to care that Ranger was sitting at the table with them as she tried to convince Steph to go back to Joe.
It didn't matter that Steph had walked in on Joe almost four months ago. He had been about to get it on with none other than Terri Gilman, and had it even defended his actions, chalking it up to his job, that he was forced to do it. Ellen went as far as praising Joe for doing whatever he deemed necessary to get information out of his snitches, saying it showed just how good a cop he was.
Ranger couldn't understand the woman, but then she had also blamed Stephanie when her first marriage failed, telling her repeatedly she wasn't good enough for her husband, wasn't worth his love and affection. She didn't even notice how much she was hurting Steph.
Valerie had been silent until then, just like the rest of her family, only grunting a few times to offer her opinion. But when she spoke up, he literally felt Steph shatter.
"Maybe she couldn't keep him satisfied."
Looking at Stephanie's face, he had seen her biting her lip, closing her eyes tightly while she breathed deeply a few times. Her whole body was strung tightly, her fists clenched beneath the table cloth.
He had taken her hand in his, letting her know without words that he didn't agree with their opinion and after a moment she got herself back under control and continued to eat, although much more slowly. And he knew she was having trouble chewing and swallowing but she forced herself to finish. Doing anything to keep them from starting again.
Her mother had ranted on and on and they had both tuned her out, nodding occasionally to keep her off their backs, willing the time to go by faster.
Then Valerie spoke up again, this time about him, and they both wished they had just ordered take out and left her mother be. "He's just going to use you for a quick fuck and when he's tired of you he'll throw you away like yesterdays newspaper."
This time it was Ranger's turn to exercise the deep breathing and fist clenching as Steph calmed him with her touch. They both knew Valerie couldn't have been more wrong as they had talked about moving in together. They had even talked about a long term commitment, with or without a marriage. But her comment hurt none the less. Especially from people who were supposed to love and support her unconditionally, no matter what.
Her mother finally served dessert and when she sat down again she dropped another bomb on Stephanie. "I talked to Vinnie today. I told him that you would start working at the button factory now that you're going to marry Joe. And I'm sure it won't be long until you get pregnant."
This had been too much for Steph. She pushed back from the table and got up, leaving the house without another word. She never even took her jacket as she walked out into the cold night.
Ranger stared at Ellen. "What is it you're trying to do? Break her? Trying to get her to follow your example of the most pathetic life one could imagine? Well, looks like you're succeeding. Are you happy now? You might be happy with your life but it's not what Stephanie wants for hers. Don't expect us for dinner again."
He stood and left, never glancing back at the women that had hurt Stephanie so badly. He grabbed their jackets and when he didn't find Steph outside, got into his car. He needed to find Stephanie, getting to her the only thought on his mind. He hoped she wouldn't do anything rash in her condition, but he knew she was hurting terribly. He drove back to her apartment the way they had come, hoping to catch her, but with no success. He drove around Trenton, even calling Mary Lou to see if she had heard from her, but she hadn't.
After two hours, he had gone back to her apartment, hoping against hope that he would find her there. He didn't want her out alone at this time of night as it was getting dark already.
So here he was, contemplating how to approach her, how to help her. While he knew Steph was happy with him, he knew and understood that her mother's opinion and the rumors of the burg still weighed heavily on her mind. He was sure that her mother had called her several times by now, ranting and raving about them walking out during dinner, and the rest of other problems she had with Steph's life. He saw how Steph shrank back into herself, losing a bit more of the self-esteem she had been building up every time she had to listen to her mother, not to mention the burg. The last few weeks had been especially hard on her and he wanted to fix this before she reached a breaking point.
For the first time in as long as he could remember he didn't know what to do. Four months ago he was finalizing plans for him to leave Trenton. He was opening a new office in Minneapolis and Stephanie seemed to be determined to stay with the cop and not only did he not want to interfere in her happiness, it felt like someone stabbed him in the heart every time he saw them together, thought of them together.
When Steph had caught Morelli with Gilman and told him where to put his 'job responsibilities', Ranger had put his plans on hold, deciding to stay just for a little while longer and see if she was willing to try a life with him. Over the past two months it seemed like everything was falling into place for them, except that is, Steph's mother and the burg accepting it.
He was concerned about her, more so than usual. It killed him when she was unhappy. Maybe getting away for a while, a vacation, just the two of them… He stood in the parking lot, contemplating his options when the rain started to fall. He looked up to Stephanie and when she didn't move an inch, he made a decision.
Pulling out his phone, he called Tank. "Get the plane ready." Ranger didn't wait for the affirmative. He knew that his men would take care of it. They all loved Stephanie and wanted her to be happy, she brought light into their, more often than not, dark world. They couldn't stand seeing her upset anymore than Ranger could.
Having set his plan in motion, he went up to her apartment, taking the stairs two at a time. He made his way through the apartment into her bedroom and out onto the fire escape. Sitting down he pulled her into his lap and when he tipped her chin up to look into her face his heart broke at the sight of big fat tears rolling down her face.
They didn't notice the rain pouring down onto them as they found comfort in each others embrace.
Holding her close, he murmured, "Come away with me, Babe."
"I can't," she whispered.
Ranger slipped his hand under her chin and tipped her face up to look at him. "Why not? Why stay here?"
"What about my Dad and my friends?"
He was surprised that she could talk through her tears, but then, she had had a lot of practice these last weeks. He wiped away a tear with his thumb, saying, "They can come and visit us."
"Where are you going to take me?"
"The new office. I need to go and make sure it's running smoothly and would like you to come with me."
"Why?"
"Because I think it would be good not only for us, but for you to get away for a while. I'd like to spend the time with you. We'd probably be gone at least two months. If you like it there, we can stay."
"But what about Trenton?"
"Babe, are you happy here? Not with me or us, but here, in Trenton."
Her brow furrowed as she thought about his question. She sniffled and said, "No, not really. I hate the bets, the grapevine, my mother's nagging. If I don't think about us, then no, I'm not happy here."
He smiled at her and whispered, "Will you come with me then? To the Batcave?"
She looked puzzled at his question. "I thought you were talking about the new office?"
He nodded, "I am, Babe. There is no Batcave—yet. I was waiting for the right woman to make it with, to share it with."
"But you said the Batcave is forever. How could it be forever if it doesn't exist?"
Trust Stephanie to point that out. He cupped her face in his hands. "It's waiting for us to make it. Are you ready for forever, Babe?"
She nodded and he drew her face close to his and kissed her. When they drew apart they got up, heading towards a future together. Apart from the burg but towards their own personal paradise.