No Happy Ending
By Misha

Disclaimer- I don't own Stephanie Plum or any of the other characters (though I wish I owned Ranger). They belong to the incredibly talented Janet Evanovich and I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making any money off this, so please don't sue me.

Author's Notes- This is Babe angst and I wouldn't recommend a Cupcake read it. It's not unfriendly to Joe, but it's certainly not kind to him either. This is definitely Babe and it's definite angst, tissues might be needed. Not sure what compeleld me to write this one, but I just couldn't resist. I keep meaning to write happier stuff, but hasn't it happened lately. Soon, maybe. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one and remember, feedback is always appreciated!

Pairing- Stephanie/Ranger, Stephanie/Morelli.

Summery- On Ranger's wedding day, Stephanie watches and thinks about how it should have been her.

Spoilers- Up to "Finger Lickin' Fifteen", I guess.

Rating- PG-13

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. He wasn't supposed to marry someone else and I wasn't supposed to let him.

I never really saw him as the marrying kind, but whenever I tried to see him that way, I always pictured him marrying me.

I think he did too. But that didn't happen. And as I sat in the church watching him marry another, I realized it never would.

You would have thought I'd have come to that realisation a year before, at my own wedding, but... This felt more final.

Maybe, because my husband had always been in the picture, I'd always been torn, where as he'd been mine alone. Or at least, as far as I knew he had been. I

'm sure there was always other women, after all, he didn't owe me anything, but he'd kept them away from me and I'd never had to face that fact. Not until the day he told me he was getting married. I wanted to die that day, but it wasn't like I really had any right.

After all, I'd had my moment and passed it by. I made a million excuses, like it was too late, I'd made a commitment, but really I was scared. Scared of what we could be together. So I let him go. And now I sit here watching him marry someone else and I regret it with every fibre of my being.

As I sat there, beside my husband, listening to his vows, I couldn't help but remember how different it could have been, if only I'd said yes the night he'd put himself on the line for me.


"Don't marry Morelli."

I turned around in surprise to see Ranger standing in my darkened living room. This place really needed better locks, but it wasn't really my concern, in another few weeks I'd be married to Joe and living with him.

"What did you say?" I asked, unable to believe my ears.

"Don't marry Morelli." Ranger said again, approaching me.

I had to be dreaming.

"I...." I began, not sure what to say.

"I love you." Ranger said, putting his hand on my arm and staring deep into my eyes.

"In your own way right?" I said softly, wondering why he was doing this.

I was marrying Morelli in less than a month. I'd quit working for Vinnie, I'd put some distance between myself and Ranger. I'd finally accepted that it was never going to happen and moved on, but he certainly wasn't making it easy.

"No. In every way." He answered. "It hit me that I can't let you marry him, because I love you, I need you. I can't let you walk out of my life."

I stayed completely silent. This was a dream come true, it was everything I'd ever wanted to hear and yet... It was too late. I'd agreed to marry Morelli and I had to go through with it. I couldn't hurt him, couldn't break his heart just because Ranger was now saying everything I'd ever wanted to hear.

"Please, Babe, don't marry Morelli, I know I waited a long time to speak, but please don't let it be too late." Ranger pleaded.

I never thought I'd hear the day when Ranger pleaded for anything. He was the original man of mystery, but he was putting himself on the line--for me. It killed me to have to reject him, but what else could I do. I'd made a commitment.

"I can't." I told him quietly. "I already agreed to marry Joe. It's too late Ranger, I'm sorry."

He stared at me for a long time, silently begging me to change my mind. A part of me wanted to, more than I can ever say. But I'd made a promise to Joe and I couldn't hurt him like that. Finally he nodded.

"I hope Morelli makes you as happy as you deserve." He told me and pulled me close to him for one last forbidden kiss. I poured my heart and soul into that kiss, letting it say everything I didn't dare say.

"Good-bye, Babe." Ranger said and walked out of my life.

I knew that the good-bye was final. Oh, I'd see him again, but it wouldn't be the same. Never again would he be my Ranger, but it was for the best. That was the way things had to be.

I married Morelli a month later and I tried not to regret it. Joe's a good man and he loves me. I knew I'd have a happy life with him, if I let myself.

But it was hard. It was hard to see Ranger in the back of the church, his dark eyes watching me as I made my vows to another man.

It was harder still the day I met Gina and he told me was marrying her. Even as he said it, I could see him silently dare me to say something, but I didn't. I couldn't. All, I could do was smile and say I was happy for him, even though we both knew it was a lie.

I'm pregnant. Joe and I are having a baby. Yet, despite that, despite my husband and child on the way, despite the fact the vows that make Ranger someone else's husband, it suddenly hits me that I love him. That he was the great love of my life and that I let him go.

It makes me feel like a bad person for thinking that, because Joe deserves better, but... I should never have let Ranger go.

When he came to me and offered me everything I'd ever wanted, instead I was a fool and let it go, thinking it was too late. Now, my eyes meet his across the church and I see the sadness there, despite the fact that it's his wedding day.

It really is too late now. He belongs to someone else and so do I and there's no turning back.

I stand as the priest announced the new Mr. and Mrs. Manoso and all I can think is that it should have been me. I meet Ranger's eyes once more and I know that he's thinking about it too.

This is the worst day of my life, but it didn't have to be. I could have had it all, if only I had the guts to take it.

However, as I stood there in the church, I knew it was too late to regrets, too late for anything. I'd made my choice and I'd live with the consequences of my actions and just concentrate on making Joe as happy as I could.

Ranger wasn't mine anymore, he'd never been, and I only had myself to blame for it.

- The End