Stephanie stared at Ranger with a confused look on her face. "Your……your leaving? Why?" she whispered softly.
Ranger stared at her with a blank face and was silent. Tears formed in Stephanie's eyes and she was lost as to why he would leave. "I have to." He said in his usual tone. It annoyed Stephanie that he could act so calm right now when she felt like she was going to fall apart. Stephanie had left Morelli for him and now he was going to leave her.
"B-but why ranger, why are you leaving me now that things are working out between us? I thought you wanted to be with me……I mean that is what our whole goal was and now you just want to leave me?" she looked down and tried to fight back the tears that were stinging her eyes now. Ranger didn't move at all. He just stared at her with no expression on his face.
"I know." He said softly this time. He still showed no emotion on his face or in his voice. Ranger turned and headed for the door. Stephanie looked up with shock crossing her eyes and she bolted for him. With her arms wrapped around him and her face buried in his back she cried out "Please Ranger don't leave me! I've given up so much so we could be together and now you just toss me aside like I'm nothing. Don't go!"
He was quiet as he turned around and kissed her passionately. While she was caught up in the kiss he took out a pair of hand cuffs and cuffed one of her hands. She felt the cool bracelet on her wrist and she pulled away only to see him put the other half around a bar that helped support her roof. With a gasp Stephanie started to tug at the cuffs to get free. Ranger left the keys out of reach then headed for the door
"No! Ranger stop! Please!" Stephanie screamed. Ranger turned his head to the side and said calmly "Babe." He then walked out the door and left Stephanie calling out his name and crying. Ranger showed no emotion as he muttered to himself "looks like I did lose to the bastard Morelli."
Ranger dialed up Morelli and told him what was going down. Morelli fought back a laugh and told him he would be over get her. Morelli was very happy that he was going to get Stephanie that he nearly wanted to jump around. Ranger disconnected and then got in a black hummer and was gone. He didn't want to be around when Morelli came by and got Stephanie.
Ranger didn't look back and he only stared out the windshield with a blank expression on his face. Tank wanted to know what happened but didn't say anything as he drove Ranger to the airport.
Morelli showed up after a few minutes and let himself in. he saw Stephanie trying to get the key and saw her nose was red and her eyes were red and puffy. When Stephanie heard his foot steps at first she thought it was Ranger but looked up and saw it was only Morelli. She felt embarrassed by this and muttered "J-Joe......."
He flashed her at grin and said "always getting cuffed to rods huh?" he walked over and got the key. Stephanie gave him a slight glare but Morelli missed it. He continued "anyway don't try to go after Ranger. He is long gone by now." He unlocked the cuffs and Stephanie just collapsed to the floor. She held her wrist to her chest and ignored the physical pain she felt. Only thinking about how calm Ranger had acted and how he just left like that.
She wondered why Ranger left her but knew that it had to be a good reason for it so she knew she wasn't going to bother trying to find out. Stephanie knew she wasn't going to get the information she wanted and knew it would be a waste of time to try anything. Glancing up at Morelli she whispered "What happened? Why did he leave?"