Disclaimer: I love the Stephanie Plum series, but I don't own them and I don't make anything off of them. I'm just having some fun with them.

This one is for Margaret. I hope everything is going well and thanks fro all of your support. Enjoy! Partially inspired by the songs 'Let's Give Them Something To Talk About' and 'Independence Day'.

July 4, 2011

Wow, I can't believe that I could be this happy. Never in my wildest dreams had I expected this turn of events in my life. I stood in front of the Justice of the Peace, with the man that I had spent the last six months getting to know better than anyone else. He was my partner in more ways than one. He was the person to encourage me with the slightest touch, his words telling me it would all be okay after a bad dinner at my parents. He was the one that let me cry on him and waited to let me speak when I was ready. This man was everything that anyone could want in a husband. I never saw myself getting married again, but then again, I couldn't see myself without this man in it for the rest of my life either.

As my father stood with us, one of the biggest smiles on his face I had ever seen, I knew he couldn't have been happier with any man that I had chosen to spend my life with. He accepted us as we were and he knew that we completed each other. I couldn't help think how we had gotten here.

I used to be a bumbling bounty hunter, someone who everyone used as their entertainment, well everyone but a select few. That had changed a little over six months ago when I decided that I had had enough of the laughs and jokes at my expense. I guess having my hair singed and some second degree burns on my arms really put things in perspective. I had one of those days from hell. Yeah you know the kind, a skip got the better of me and blew up my car while I was a bit too close to it, but I still got him in the end when the explosion blew me right into him, breaking my fall and knocking him unconscious underneath me. Yeah that's right, the dumbass didn't even have the smarts to run from his own bomb. Well, while I was sitting on him after I had flipped him over on his belly and cuffing him, he was still unconscious when Morelli arrived and started laying into to me about my job, yet again. Nothing I hadn't heard before really. Yeah and the ass never asked if I was even alright. Was that really knew? No, not really. I had tuned out his rant until something different was said than the usual, '…going out of town on a job, when I get back you better be ready to settle down and get married. You won't be doing this job once I get back.' For the first time since my car blew I was actually happy for a minute. The thought of not having to deal with him was like heaven to my ears.

Before Morelli could finish his rant completely Ranger strolled up and simply said 'Babe' shaking his head. As usual mister one word had arrived on scene. 'You okay?' Alright, make that two words, but at least he had the decency to make sure I was alright. He may have found me amusing, but at least I knew he cared about me, right? I would say that he at least cared more than Morelli. I think the most defining moment that day though was when I looked passed Ranger and Morelli doing their stare down, and seeing the cops and firefighters were exchanging money, yet again, on my latest car-tastrophy. In that moment I knew I had had enough.

After getting the medical attention I hated, at least Bobby was kind enough to treat me back at Haywood, and heading back home, I really began to think about my life and what I wanted. I loved my job, I just wasn't very physically fit for it. Could I do the training it required? Yeah I could, but I hate exercise. Am I good at finding people? Hell yeah. Even for someone as inept as I am with the takedown, I always get my man. I have this knack for finding people, hell half the time I find people I don't want anything to do with. Do I go away for training or stay here and ask Ranger for help? I'd miss my family, well maybe not my mom, but everyone else, you bet. The Merry Men would help, that's for sure, they've offered enough times, I just never took them up on it.

As I thought about it some more the locks tumbled on my front door and in walks Ranger. He joined me on the couch and tucking a loose curl behind my ear and stares at me for a moment, and tells me, 'Leaving town for a while Babe. Call Tank if you need anything.' Without waiting for a response he kisses my forehead and is gone, like the wind. How normal for him!

This brought a whole new round of thinking, about the men in my life. Did I really want to continue going between the two men in my life? Did I really love them like I should? Morelli, I decided could kiss my ass since all he ever does is yell at me, try to change me and give me orders on who I can see and what I can do. Yeah right, like I am good at doing anything I'm told to.

Ranger, Man of Mystery, Batman, Mr. Emotionally unavailable. I don't think he would ever be willing to have more than causal sex, and that's not me, and I'm not willing to change that either. He loved me, but in his own way. What does that mean? A relationship with either men would require me to change in someway. Am I willing to do that? No, no I'm not.

So with Ranger and Morelli out of town I really had a chance to take a good look at my life and unfortunately I saw a lot of things that I didn't like. With this new knowledge I was more than ready for a change, so I called Tank. To say that he was excited with my decision was an understatement. That night a group of Merry Men were at my apartment packing me up moving me into the building and a schedule for training that started the next morning.

To say that the last six months were grueling would be an understatement. But then again they were the most fun, challenging and defining moments of my life. I was given a partner for work that I adored, I was successful at a job that I loved, and there were no more every Sunday dinners at my parents house. After my mother found out that I had moved into the Rangeman building she just about had a stroke. My partner and I went for a few more dinners after that until he got sick of hearing my mothers' complete disrespect for me. He told her off and we haven't been back since. He stood up for me when no one else would, not even my own father. Still to this day I receive phone calls telling me that I'm a disappointment, but they all go straight to voicemail. So I could just delete them without having to listen. Grandma and my Dad come to have dinner with my partner and I once a week at a restaurant outside the burg so we can feel free to speak our minds. My dad had thanked my partner for doing what he should have done a long time ago, and apologized for not sticking up for me. Apparently mom was still talking like I was going to marry Morelli. Yeah like that was ever going to happen. From what I was hearing he was still out of town on assignment. Boy would he be in for a shock.

Grandma said she couldn't be happier for me and that she has been enjoying seeing all the man steak around me as of late. Winking at my partner, who moved closer to me in the both we sat in and grabbing my thigh as if in request for protection. I smiled at him and told Grandma that I was very happy about it as well. It was at this dinner that we made our announcement to Grandma and my Dad and he agreed to come to Atlantic City with us to be our witness. Grandma said she would keep mom busy and make sure that she heard nothing until we wanted her to. No one else knew what was going on, and no one else knew that we were dating. We have decided to keep it to ourselves for a while.

Looking from my proud father to the man standing in front of me I could only feel the happiness for how things had turned out. I wanted nothing more than to marry this man in front of me. He was my other half. He made me want to be a better person. He accepted me for who and what I was regardless of what others thought about me. As the Justice of the Peace drew closer to our vows I wanted to make sure that I said everything from my heart. I wanted him to know exactly what he meant to me. With tears in my eyes I started when it was my turn.

"I love you with all my heart, and I have never been able to say that to anyone else. You've been there for me and supported me in ways that no one else ever has. I hope to be able to show you the same type of support every day for the rest of our lives. You are the first person that has truly accepted me for who I am and what I believe, without question. There is nothing that can't be said between the two of us, we may not always agree, but we never seem to have trouble working our differences out. You are everything that I have always wanted and never thought I would find. I thank god every day that he brought you into my life, even if it was in a rather unconventional way. From the moment we met you were my husband, and I was your wifey. We are now only making it legal in the eyes of the state. I hope that I can show you over time just exactly what you mean to me. I love you with all that I am and all that I have Manuel Ramos. And that will never change."

We were pronounced Husband and Wife and as soon as the word 'you may kiss you bride' were spoken our lips fused together forgetting the rest of the world. When we finally broke apart it was to the clearing throats of the JP and my father, both having very large smiles on their faces. We signed our marriage certificate and the three of us walked out of the chapel.

"Well Pumpkin, I should head back before your mother begins to get suspicious. You two have fun and don't forget that you should come and announce this happy news to the rest of the family when you get back. Congratulations Pumpkin, welcome to the family son, I couldn't have picked a better man for my daughter. Now don't worry about what everyone else thinks, just do what makes you happy. I love you both." And with a few kisses to the cheek and hand shake between Manny and my dad, and 'thank you's' we separated and went our separate ways.

Manny grabbed me from behind around the waist and leaned into my ear, "Wifey, since we have that big hotel room upstairs how about we go have some fun." He was nibbling my earlobe and my knees were going weak.

"Well hubby, I like your plan, but I need some wedding cake. Should we go to a bakery or order room service? Anything your in the mood for?" I asked.

"All I need is you, but if you order something for me I'll be eating it off of you." He said and spun me around to kiss me good and hard right in the middle of the hotel lobby for all the world to see.

We were both breathing heavy when we separated and saw that we had gained quiet a crowd that was cheering us on. Luckily when I looked around I didn't see anyone that I recognized. I blushed and whispered, "Let's get to that room before we give them a really good show. I don't want to share you with anyone right now."

To that he laughed, lifted me up bridal style and headed fro the elevators. We were going to have a good time tonight.

So what do you think? This was my first attempt at a Merry Man story. Should I keep going or end it here? I hope you enjoyed it.