Author's Note: Okay, Babes out there, don't hate me. This story is a Cupcake story. I know, I know…I'm a Babe, but why am I writing a CUPCAKE? Well, I have always loved this song and heard recently. While listening to it, I was originally going to write this as a BABE, but when I looked up the lyrics and read them, they fit the perspective of Ranger better. However, in my head, Scrog hasn't happened yet. As the books in canon continue, I feel that Ranger becomes the better man for Stephanie, so I set this book around books 8 or 9. The night of the DeChooch deal happened, and Ranger sent Stephanie back to Morelli. No Scrog, no Hawaii, no Vlatko. Nothing to push Stephanie more towards Ranger. A colleague of mine has recently started reading the series, and she is a Cupcake. When I asked her why she explained all the reasons why Ranger was an ass at the beginning of the series, and how Joe is a good guy. If I am honest with myself, I was Cupcake initially as well. Therefore, if I'm writing this based on an early time in canon, it fits better as a Cupcake story. For any Cupcakes out there, this will probably be the one and only Cupcake story I will ever write, I simple one shoot, songfic. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Anything familiar belongs to JE.

Warning: adult language.

Song: Worst That Could Happen, performed by Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, written by Jimmy Webb/Jimmy L Webb

The Worst That Could Happen

Ranger's POV

Today is the day, the day of the Burg wedding of the year. I have my suit pressed, my shirt laid out, my shoes shined. I called on an old flame to be my date. There's no way I'm showing up to this wedding stag. However, the only woman I want to be with is the one who is getting married. Stephanie Plum, my Eliza Doolittle. She is a beautiful, sassy, crazy white girl from the Burg. She's 5'7", 125 pounds of perfect curves, with beautiful brown hair that is curly, crazy curly, like her personality. But the best feature on my Babe is her eyes, her beautiful, blue eyes. They are the color of the ocean from the Miami shore and turn deep sapphire when she's ready to explode. I know, because I had one glorious night with my Babe, in her bed, in her apartment. That night was the result of a deal made between us for me helping her to bring in a skip, Eddie DeChooch. I almost thought that she wouldn't need me, but he refused to be taken in by a girl.

After that one, terrific, magical night, what did I do? Did I tell Stephanie that I love her? Did I tell her that I wanted to be her man and she my woman? No, the fucking idiot that I am sent her back to her ex-boyfriend, Detective Joe Morelli, who is not the man for her. Joe is a good cop, but he's a traditional husband. He wants her home, barefoot and pregnant, raising his brats and keeping his house. She is a woman who needs to fly, and I clipped her wing. Dios! What a jackass.

Flashback

Six months ago, in the alley by the bonds office.

"Babe, I heard a little rumor that you and Morelli are tying the knot. Is it true?"

"Yes, it is. Joe proposed to me last night at Rossini's. It was wonderful." She answers while showing me her ring. It's a one-carat diamond solitaire set in a platinum band.

"The ring is lovely, Babe, but not as beautiful as you. Are you sure that you are marrying him this time?"

"Yes, Ranger, we are getting married. It's time. I need to stop trying to be a BEA; I'm horrible at it. Joe makes enough money that I can get a job doing something less dangerous, maybe as a receptionist somewhere. He'll keep me safe and secure. Besides, he loves me." She responds.

"Well, if you're happy, then I'm happy. Congratulations, Babe." I kiss her on her cheek, then walk out of the alley, into my Turbo, and drive off.

Maybe her getting married to Morelli is the best thing for her, but it's the worst that could happen to me. Then again, I'm never going to get married again. My life is too dangerous, too unpredictable. My government contract still has three years to go before I'm released. I've made too many enemies over the years, enemies with men who would love to harm any wife of mine, to harm Stephanie. My Babe deserves the chance to be a wife and mother, something that I can't offer now, and maybe not ever.

Besides, if Morelli loves her if he loves her more than me than maybe it's the best thing for her, but it's the worst that could happen to me.

Stephanie deserves to have all her dreams come true, dreams that I can't fulfill for her. I always hoped that someday we could have those dreams together, but someday didn't come soon enough. I finish getting dressed, wearing my black Armani suit, with a black button shirt and black tie. I know I'm going to a wedding, for a happy occasion, but for me, I'm going to a funeral. I'm going to see my heart permanently buried, never to be claimed again. My phone rings. "Yo. I'll be right down." It seems my date is here. Fuck. Now I have to try to entertain Amy for the night. She's going to want sex. I don't know if I'll be in any position to give her that tonight. Amy is beautiful, 5'5", 110-pound Latin sex kitten. Her breasts are ample, about a D-cup, but she's too shallow, too vain. She's nothing but eye candy, not a woman who will challenge me like my Babe. She' wearing a red halter dress that ends about three inches above her knees with four-inch red FMPs. Talk about obnoxious. Well, this is my punishment.

We arrive at the church as the car with my Babe pulls up. I send Amy inside with Lester and his date, Melody. I want one last moment to talk to my Babe before she walks into that church, one last moment to hope that she'll change her mind and come to me. The door opens, and she exits, wearing a beautiful ivory floor-length gown that hugs all of her curves. The sweetheart neckline gives a hint of cleavage, making me want more. She has a pretty veil on, without that cursed blusher. Her hair is up, in an elegant twist with a few wayward curls framing her face. Her make-up is flawless, not that she needs any. I walk over to her, asking to talk to her for a moment. She agrees.

"Ranger, I'm so glad you came. What's up?" She asks. From her body language and the smile that reaches her eyes, I can tell she's truly happy.

"Are you excited about today? Does he love you more than me?" I ask, unsure of her response.

"Yes, Ranger, I'm excited about today. And yes, he does love me more, he's willing to give me my dream of a family someday. I know that you will find the perfect woman for you one day. I'll be on the lookout for her. I want you to be as happy as I am today. Thank you for always having my back and being my Henry Higgins. I will never forget you, Ranger."

"No price, Babe, no price," I tell her, before walking into the church. I know deep in my no longer beating heart that I'll never get married now that my Babe is gone. Maybe it's the best thing for Stephanie, but it's the worst that could happen to me.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note 2: This is a repost without the lyrics bc fanfic took down the original. So now, this meets their guidelines.