Rumours in the Night
By Misha

Author's Notes- This is not exactly a Cupcake piece (or at least not a happy one), but it's not very Babe friendly either. It's a very Morelli-friendly piece, he's the good guy here and Stephanie and Ranger don't come off so well. Blame Rock Band for this one. My other half downloaded "Take It On the Run" and commented that the song made him think about Stephanie Plum and Morelli (I've totally corrupted him) and that made me decide to write this song fic. I am normally a Babe fan, but sometimes I really hate how she treats Morelli and that's where this story was born. I hope you like it, enjoy!

Pairings- Stephanie/Morelli, Stephanie/Ranger.

Summery- I heard it from a friend that you've been messin' around...

Spoilers- Definite ones for Twelve Sharp, but up to Finger Lickin' Fifteen to be safe.

Rating- PG-13



Heard it from a friend who, heard it from a friend who
Heard it from another you been messin' around
They say you got a boyfriend, you're out late every weekend
They're talkin' about you and it's bringin' me down

Steph's asleep in the bed next to me and I'm laying here watching her, unable to sleep.

I haven't been sleeping too well lately at all. Every time I try to go to sleep, I just keep picturing her with him and remember all those rumours that I've heard lately and wondering if they're true.

I want to say I trust Stephanie, that I believe she's not running around on me, but I can't help wonder a little bit.

Eddie brought it up a few days ago and he loves Steph, so I know for him to tell me about the rumours means they must be getting serious. Apparently it's all around the Burg, rumours of longing looks and inappropriate touches.

I've heard the stories and I don't want to believe them, but I'm not sure. I remember the look on Manoso's face all the times I've warned him not to cross the line with Steph and I know he doesn't consider me a real threat.

The man's a loose cannon and he's going to do what he want, but I've tried not to let that bother me because I kept telling myself that Steph wouldn't let him get out of line. She's my girlfriend, she shares my bed and my life, no way would she betray me like that.

Yet, I can't help but think about all the late nights she's had to work lately, since she started working for him full-time and laying back on the bonds office. If you'd told me a year ago that she'd cut back her hours at the bonds office I'd have been happy--but now I'd almost rather have her chasing criminals than spending every day with Manoso and his band of thugs.

Especially with all the extra hours she's been working lately. It seems every other night Manoso needs her for a "distraction" or to ride stakeout or a million other little tasks and she never says no. To make it worse every time I protest, she accuses me of being unreasonable and we have a big fight. A couple times, it's been enough to send her back to her apartment for a week or two, so I've learnt to keep my mouth shut.

But I don't like it and as I lay here, thinking about Manoso and his claim on Stephanie, I can't help but wonder if the rumours are true.

But I know the neighbourhood
And talk is cheap when the story is good
And the tales grow taller on down the line
But I'm telling you, babe, that I don't think it's true, babe
And even if it is keep this in mind

I keep telling myself that the Burg loves gossip and that the stories probably aren't true. So Stephanie and Manoso are friends, so they work together, that's probably all there is to it.

I mean, I work with Terri Gilman and despite Steph's fears and the Burg's love of gossip there's nothing there. Oh, there was once, but that was a long time ago, long before Steph. As I told her now, my slut days are over--I'm a cupcake man through and through now.

I don't want another woman, not anymore. The talk about Terri Gilman is why I'm still giving Steph the benefit of the doubt with Manoso, after all there's gossip about me and I know I'm innocent, so Steph probably is too.

After all the Burg loves a good tale and the idea of Stephanie having a hot affair with the man in black is certainly good gossip. So, I keep telling myself that that's all there is to it.

Oh, I don't doubt that Manoso has feelings for Stephanie, that he occasionally pushes the line, but I doubt she lets him get anywhere. I don't have to trust Manoso, just Stephanie and I do. I have to trust her because I love her and love without trust just doesn't work.

You take it on the run baby
If that's the way you want it baby
Then I don't want you around
I don't believe it, not for a minute
You're under the gun so you take it on the run

A month or so passes and I still worry about the rumours, starting to wonder if there's some truth to them, my faith starting to get a little shaken.

The thing is if Stephanie is messing around with Manoso, then it's over with us. I need to trust her, need to know she's true to me, and if she's not... Well then she obviously doesn't value our relationship the way I always thought she did. I can't hang around, letting her play be for the fool, when all along she's involved with another man.

Every time she comes home tired from a "distraction" and doesn't want me to touch her, every time I stop by the bond office and see her hair looking mussed, every time I hear another damn rumour it shakes my faith a little more.

I still want to believe in Stephanie, want to believe that what we have is real and that she wouldn't betray me and I'm going to keep believing that until the day I'm shown otherwise. And I'm going to keep praying that day never comes, because when it's done it's the end of me and Stephanie and I don't know if I could handle that.

You're thinking up your white lies
You're puttin' on your bedroom eyes
You say you're coming home but you won't say when
But I can feel it coming if you leave tonight keep running
And you need never look back again

Another day passes and it's yet another "distraction". This time we have plans, a night out, and Stephanie suddenly cancels on me and doesn't even look remorseful. It's the last straw and I realize we need to have this out.

"Surely Ranger can find someone else." I said, struggling to keep my voice calm. "I'm sure he doesn't expect you to drop everything so you can work with."

I was actually sure that he did. Manoso's a control freak, I'm sure he loves the idea of Stephanie dropping everything to be with him and I doubted he'd care if she cancelled on a date with me to be with him. He probably planned it that way.

"Joe, it's a high bond and Ranger only has two days to catch the guy." Stephanie protested, doing up her shoes. She's all dolled up, too sexy for my tastes. When I came home and saw her, I thought she was ready for our date, I should have known that the effort would be for Manoso's benefit not mine and that's the last straw for me.

"Don't go." I told her quietly. "Joe." She said, the irritation in her voice telling me that she thought I was being unreasonable.

"Steph, we had plans tonight." I reminded her. "Is it too much to ask for one night that's just us, without Manoso interfering like he does with the rest of our relationship."

She turned white and I knew I'd hit a nerve, but it was true, I was starting to realize that Manoso was a constant presence in my relationship with Steph and I don't like.

"Joe, it's my job." Stephanie protested, finishing getting ready.

"If you leave tonight, don't bother coming back." I told her quietly, the words coming out before I really knew what I was saying, but I meant them. I still wasn't sure I believed the rumours, but I just couldn't handle the doubt any more and I'd finally drawn my line--it was up to Stephanie if she wanted to cross it.

You take it on the run baby
If that's the way you want it baby
Then I don't want you around
I don't believe it, not for a minute
You're under the gun so you take it on the run

"Joe, you don't mean that." Stephanie protested, putting her hand on my arm.

"Yes, I do." I told her seriously, looking into her beautiful blue eyes. "Steph, I'm sick of the fact that you go running every time he calls. Is it the money?" I asked her. "Because you know you can move in here and that I'd take care of you."

Stephanie stayed silent, not answering. I wondered what power Manoso had over her.

"Is he forcing you?" I asked after a moment. "Does he have some dirt on you?"

"No." Stephanie said instantly and I knew she was telling the truth and yet... There was something drawing her to Manoso, some invisible pull that I just couldn't understand.

"Ranger's my friend." Stephanie said after a moment. "He's given me help every time I need it and I hate to let him down when he needs me."

I just stared at her, realizing that the mystery had been solved. Manoso played on her feelings of guilt and gratitude. I wonder if he planned it, if every time he bailed her out of some situation or gave her a car or a place to stay, he knew he was turning the screws a little tighter and keeping her more indebted to him.

Probably, since I doubt that there are very many things that caught that guy off-guard. I've never particularly liked Manoso, but in that moment I hated him, when I realized that he'd been sabotaging my relationship with Steph all along and that I'd never seen it coming.

You take it on the run baby
If that's the way you want it baby
Then I don't want you around
I don't believe it not for a minute
You're under the gun so you take it on the run

Stephanie looked at the stove clock. "I have to go, Joe. I told Ranger I'd be at Haywood in twenty minutes." She said, her eyes sympathetic.

"So you're going." I said flatly, knowing that this was the end.

"I have to." She told me. "It's my job."

"I meant it, Steph, if you walk out that door, don't come back." I told her quietly, my voice delay serious.

"Joe, don't do this." She pleaded with me. "Don't throw away everything we have."

"I'm not the one walking away." I told her flatly. "I love you, Steph, but I'm not willing to share you, not anymore."

"I've never cheated on you, Joe." Stephanie told me quietly.

I looked at her face and I really wanted to believe her, but... "I believe that you've never had sex with him when we were together." I told her, I wasn't stupid enough to think that they'd never had sex during one of our off-periods, but that was neither here nor there. I didn't like it, but I couldn't hold it against Steph, as much as I might like too. "But, can you honestly tell me that you've never kissed him, never let him touch you inappropriately?" I challenged.

Stephanie looked a way and I knew then that there was some truth to the gossip. "What happened when he stayed at your apartment during the Scrog incident?" I asked quietly, not sure I wanted to know.

"Joe..." She said, not answering, which was answer enough in itself. "I... I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I know, Steph." I said sadly, wondering how I could have been such an idiot and not see this coming when the signs had been there all along. I guess, I just wanted to believe that Stephanie and I had something solid and that she wouldn't just throw it away.

Take it on the run baby
If that's the way you want it baby
Then I don't want you around
I don't believe it, not for a minute
You're under the gun so you take it on the run

"I love you, Stephanie," I repeated, "but I'm not willing to turn a blind eye anymore. So it's got to be me or him, it's your choice."

I willed her to choose me, to see that we had something good. Despite my earlier resolve, I was willing to forgive her for her indiscretions, to understand that she'd be honestly torn. It galled me to do it, but I loved Stephanie enough to set aside my pride and forgive her, as long as she chose me and agreed to seeing Manoso, even in a professional capacity.

Besides, I still blamed Manoso, more than I blamed Stephanie. I blamed him for playing on her emotions, for putting pressure on her and making her feel indebted to him, sure she was confusing lust and gratitude for something deeper.

I could see the indecision in her eyes and it tore me a part. It shouldn't have been much of a choice, not when she was supposed to love me as much as I loved her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered finally and my heart tore in two.

"Steph..." I whispered, reaching out to her.

She avoided both my gaze and my touch. "Can you pack up my stuff and I'll pick it up tomorrow when you're at work?" She asked quietly. "I'll leave my key at the same time."

I just nodded, still unable to process what was happening. In stunned disbelief I watched as the woman I loved turned and walked out of my life without a backward glance and realized what a fool I'd been all along.

Heard it from a friend who, heard it from a friend who
Heard it from another you been messin' around

Everyone tried to tell me, to warn me that there was something not right going on between Stephanie and Manoso, but...

I wouldn't believe them, I was so stubborn, so sure that Stephanie would never betray me and now I knew the truth. I finally understood that where's there's smoke, there's usually fire.

But more than that, I'd accepted the truth about my relationship with Stephanie, that for as long as we'd been together, Manoso had always been in the picture, always creating a wedge between us.

Stephanie was never really mine, not when part of her belonged to Manoso. I'd always known that he had a strange hold over her, but it wasn't until I watched her walk out my door for the last time, that I understood just how powerful that hold was.

I'd warned him about stepping on my turf with Stephanie, thought I could appeal to his code of ethics, but I should have known that a thug like Manoso, had no morals or ethics, no matter what he might have conned Stephanie into believing. I know now that he never honoured those boundaries and that he was always going to come to try and come between us, but...

As much as I blame Manoso for moving in on my girl, I can only blame Stephanie for the fact that he succeeded, since she was the one who'd made the commitment to me and she was the one who broke it. And I can blame myself for not wanting to see what was in front of me all along.

After all, I can't say I wasn't warned.

- The End