Disclaimer: The characters you recognize belong to J.E. The song is Forever by Fireflight.
Spoiler: Anything from books 1-18
Forever
Stephanie's POV:
I sat there on the curb watching my latest POS car as the firemen worked to put the flames out. I had my knees drawn up and my arms wrapped around them with my chin resting on the top of my knees. I sighed as I looked at the scene before me. My name is Stephanie Plum, Aka Cupcake, Aka The Bombshell Bounty Hunter, Aka Bomber, Aka Babe. I'm a 30 year old Bounty Hunter for my cousin Vinnie's Bonds company. Since I blackmailed my cousin into giving me a job I have lost countless vehicles to all sorts of situations. My all-time favorite was when there was a bomb attached to Ranger's boxter which he'd loaned me and it was hit by a garbage truck. Lula and I had managed to get out and then the bomb went off blowing up the Porsche boxter and the garbage truck went up as well, lifting up in the air and coming down on top of the boxter and squashing it like a pancake.
Usually within minutes of my cars exploding the fire trucks, police cars, and Rangeman vehicles were on the scene within minutes. The fire trucks were self-explanatory, as well as the police cars. However, there was usually a non-descript unmarked car when Joe Morelli was working that would find its way there as well. At one time Joe was my on again off again boyfriend for years before we had wised up and realized we made better friends than lovers. Now a days Morelli and I were friends only and he no longer felt the need to check on me after every car explosion. As for the Rangeman vehicles, they are owned by the other man in my life, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, Aka Ranger, Aka Batman. He was my mentor, sometimes partner, and on several occasions my lover. He was the reason Joe and I had agreed friendship was all we could have together. I loved both men, but Joe knew it was Ranger I cried out for in the night. It was Ranger that I couldn't live without. I was so desperate to have him in my life that I was willing to be his friend if that was all I could have.
Sometimes I feel so cold
Like I'm waiting around all by myself
Loneliness gets so old
I'm in the lost and found sitting on the shelf
Been stuck for way too long
But I hear Your voice
You're who I'm counting on
I was lost in thought as I watched the fire that was my latest POS car burn. I'd gone after Horace Wheeler this morning. The only thing wrong with that was there was no mention in his file that Horace had a penchant for setting things on fire. I'd managed to cuff him eventually, but when I stood up and hauled him up; I noticed that my car; which we had passed 5 minutes before as I was running after Horace, was now engulfed in flames. I knew I wouldn't need to worry about the fire because the sirens could already be heard making their way towards us. Carl and Big Dog were next on the scene and they took Wheeler off my hands.
Suddenly I reached back and rubbed the back of my neck. It felt like I'd touched a live wire. There was only one thing that made me react that way. I looked up and started scanning the area in front of me when from behind me I heard, "Babe."
Oh, tell me You're here
That You will watch over me forever
Oh, take hold of my heart
Show me You'll love me forever
I turned and my heart was there for all to see as I looked on the man that held my heart. I went into his arms and closed my eyes as his arms closed around me.
I know that You can tell
When I start to let my hope fade away
I need to catch myself
Open my ears to hear You calling my name
Been fighting way too long
But I hear Your voice
You had me all along
So many times he has saved me. When I was after uncle Mo, Ranger held off the men who had come after uncle Mo so Lula, Mo and I could get to safety. He killed Abruzzi because he knew the man wouldn't stop until I was dead. He gave me a safe place to hide by telling Tank to let me stay in his apartment when the Slayers and Junkman were after me. When Stiva kidnapped me and stuffed me in a cupboard, planning to come back and kill me Ranger had taken a little old lady at gunpoint and made her find the connection to the house where Stiva was holding me. I was never so happy as when Ranger opened that cupboard door and I fell out into his arms.
Oh, tell me You're here
That You will watch over me forever
Oh, take hold of my heart
Show me You'll love me forever
I snuggled closer and clung to Ranger as I tried to fight the emotion that was pulling at me. Ranger put trackers on me, gave me a job when I needed money, he tried to train me so I would be better at my job; even going so far as to put bullets in my gun and giving me cars whenever I needed transportation. When I feel like I'm in over my head he's always there to keep my head above water.
When I'm starting to drown
You jump in to save me
When my world's upside down
Your hands, they shake me and wake me
No matter what I need you are always there. You've told me your life doesn't lend itself to relationships that your love comes with a condom and not a ring. But I think those are the excuses you use to distance yourself so you don't get hurt. Just like my slipping into denial land is my way of coping.
Oh, tell me You're here
That You will watch over me forever
Oh, take hold of my heart
Show me You'll love me forever
I need to know. I need to know if my feelings are returned. I don't need marriage. I don't need children. What I do need is you. Now for the hard question. Do I take a chance or do I stay quiet and leave the status quo? How can I go on if I lose you? How can I go on just being just your friend when I want so much more?
Oh, tell me You're here
That You will watch over me forever
Oh, take hold of my heart
Show me You'll love me forever
I want to spend a lifetime with you. Please tell me you want the same thing. I opened my eyes and tilted my head back so I could get a better look at Ranger. I swallowed hard and tried to smile. "I love you Batman."
I couldn't pull my eyes away from him. His gaze narrowed on me for several seconds before he smiled that million watt smile of his and said, "Babe." as his arms tightened around me.
Ranger led me over to his Porsche Turbo 911 and helped me into the passenger seat. He got behind the wheel and drove us to Haywood. He fobbed his way into the Rangeman garage and after parking; he got out and came around to help me out of the car. He led me to the elevator and we rode up to 7 in silence. I was a little scared that my world was about to end. When we entered the penthouse apartment there was a locking sound I'd never heard before. I turned to Ranger with a question in my eye.
Ranger's face gentled and his gaze snared mine. "I told you. The Bat Cave is forever Babe. I'm claiming you. There's no going back now."
There was shock, hope, joy and a few other emotions I had no clue how to define. I threw myself in his arms and cried out, "Oh Batman! I'd die if I lost you!"
Ranger wrapped his arms around me and held me close before saying, "I love you in every way there is Stephanie. I wouldn't want to live in a world without you Babe."
"I feel the same way about you. My world would be barren without you. I wouldn't want to live without you."
Ranger put a finger under my chin and lifted my face so we were looking in each other's eyes. "Stephanie Michelle Plum, will you live with me and love me forever?"
I smiled and nodded. "Yes! I will love you forever. Ricardo Carlos Manoso…Ranger…my Batman, will you love me forever?"
Ranger's eyes darkened, "Babe, I already have loved you forever. I've loved you since the day you walked into my life. I tried to let you have the life I thought you would want. You've shown me that isn't what you need. You've shown me you need what I can give you."
Ranger took out a ring box and opened it. "This ring belonged to my great great grandmother. Her husband gave the ring to her when they married. It's called an eternity ring in Cuba. There's an inscription on the inside of the ring. The closest translation is, 'A love like ours will last through eternity and forever.' It's how I feel about you and I want you to have this as a symbol of the love I have for you."
Tears streamed down my face and I told him, "I love you so much."
Ranger leaned down and gently kissed me. "I love you Babe. Forever."
Ranger's head lowered and covered my mouth as he slid the eternity ring on the third finger of my left hand. He gently lifted me in his arms and carried me through to the bedroom. He laid me down on the bed and followed me down.
In between kisses Ranger said, "I will love you forever. I will watch over you forever. I will hold your heart next to mine forever. We are forever Babe."
I opened my heart and body to the man I loved more than my own life and said, "Forever I am yours, heart, body and soul."
And they lived Happily Ever After!
THE END