"It's just another distraction." She had reassured herself as she donned the pre-requisite 4 inch FMPs, a LBD that showed more skin than it covered, and applied copious amounts of makeup. The plan was no different; strut into bar, find skip, seduce skip, lead skip outside and finally, introduce him to the merry men. But, as she felt the knife press harder into her neck and the beefy arm around her abdomen tighten painfully, she knew that this was not just another distraction. Panic threatened to overwhelm her and as the surrounding mass of black watched on helplessly, she knew that she should never have agreed to do this.

Earlier that week

She was screwed. So screwed. Sitting on the couch with her head in her hands, she cursed herself, once again, for getting into this situation. She didn't know how it happened. Well she knew how it happened, but a few months before, she never would have imagined that she would be, could be, in this position. Taking a deep breath and attempting to feel some semblance of calm, she considered her options. She could tell him, but lately Ranger had been increasingly distant. After that night, and the next morning when he left while she was still sleeping, she'd hardly seen him, and when she did, he would barely acknowledge her. No, she decided. She couldn't tell him, as weak as it sounded, she knew that if she told him and he brushed her off like she, like they, meant nothing to him, she would be broken. And after all, how many times had he told her he couldn't offer her a real relationship? She laughed bitterly now, she should have known better, she had no one but herself to blame.

This, of course, left not telling him. Unfortunately, this option had a single flaw. He would find out sooner or later. Heck, everyone would. With that thought, she suddenly sat up straight. Everyone also meant her family, her mother, not to mention the Burg. She would be, well if she wasn't already, the topic of every woman in town's conversation, and the front cover of every Burg newspaper. And while she knew that she could deal with this, after all it wasn't that uncommon, what would happen in a few years? It wouldn't just be her that was subject to this endless scrutiny, and she couldn't consider just her own well-being anymore. With this knowledge, she made a decision. She knew it wouldn't be easy, and her conscience was screaming at her to reconsider, but as far as she could see, this was the only way.

A few days later

'There!' she exclaimed, sealing the last box with tape. Standing up, she stretched before looking around with satisfaction at all the boxes that surrounded her. She had finally finished packing her things and had already organised them into categories: giving to charity, giving to parents for storage, and finally, bringing to new home. The last category was the smallest, she had no idea where she was going or for how long so she was only bringing the essentials. She had even finished writing letters to a few select people: Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, her family, Joe, Ranger and the merry men. She planned to only see the girls and her family in person, and she knew, well hoped, that they would understand. Joe, after their amicable split a few months before, had gone on an undercover case in another town and the others, well, she was afraid she'd start to reconsider leaving if she had to actually speak to them. Not to mention the massive guilt trip she'd feel just by looking at Ranger. The letter was best, she was sure of it. To Ranger and the Merry Men, she had written that she felt it was time to move on; that she'd appreciate it if they wouldn't look for, or track her, and that this was something she wanted to do on her own. Hopefully, this would deter them from finding her in a few months time and getting a, well, nasty surprise. Finally, there was just one other tiny issue: money. Her savings were meager at best and she just hoped that she would be able to find a well-paying job at her new home, though even then she'd be pushing her luck. But what choice did she have? Her pride wouldn't let her ask anyone for money, even him. She sighed. With luck she'd be able to pick up a few more skips before she resigned. That should give her at least a bit more air-space.

Lost in her thoughts, it took her a moment to become aware of her phone buzzing beside her. Picking it up, and seeing Ranger flashing on the display almost gave her a panic attack. He must have he found out! No, she reassured herself hastily, he couldn't have. That would involve him actually looking at me, she added bitterly.

She briefly considered not answering but knowing Ranger, he would get suspicious and she could not have him, or any of the merry men seeing the boxes. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. Steeling herself, she pressed the call button.

"Hello?"

"Are you free for a distraction tonight?"

Just the sound of his voice caused butterflies to erupt in her stomach.

"Steph?"

What she would give to hear him say babe.

"Umm sure! Should be fine, what time?"

"Someone should be by at 10, it'll be at a club."

And then she was greeted with the dial tone. Well, at least his phone manners haven't changed. Still, she couldn't help but feel her heart sink when he said he wasn't picking her up. He always did. That was when he would brief her, attach her microphone and they'd have some, well, intimate moments before she went in for the kill. Trying to alleviate the disappointment and be positive, she comforted herself with the thought that at least she wouldn't have to spend a whole car ride attempting to appear guilt-free and completely normal. He did, after all, have ESP.

As she stood up and headed to the box with her dresses to get started, a thought struck her. Should she really be doing this distraction? Her spidey sense was going off, and, as she was, she shouldn't be placing herself in any dangerous situations. That being said, she did need this money, desperately, and in all the distractions she had done, there had been Merry Men and Ranger surrounding her, protecting her if anything went wrong. No, she dismissed her worries, everything would be fine.