This morning I read Lulubelle09's story Ranger needs a Favour and the challenge to write a oneshot based on 'Babe I need a favour… I need you to marry me'. Here's what I came up with. In this story Ranger and Steph are starting to get involved beyond the occasional closet or alley romp.
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.
I sat in her dark living room for about twenty minutes, waiting for Babe to get back. Another one of her cars exploded and since I wasn't in the area, I sent Bobby to scene. By the time Bobby confirmed Stephanie was safe, I was already in the outskirts of Trenton. I decided to wait at her apartment until she returned, because I need her assistance.
Just as I was getting impatient I heard the locks tumble and her door open and close. I sat still, waiting for her in the darkness. The seconds ticked by, but she didn't come closer. I thought she might have sensed that someone was in the apartment and was probably trying to come up with a mode of action. I reached for the light switch, flicking it on as Babe finally approached.
"Yow!" She shrieked, her hands automatically moving to cover her bare breasts. "Ranger!" She snarled, letting her guard down and dropping her hands to her sides.
"Babe." I eyed her from head to toe, especially enjoying the sight of her breasts and lower regions. I felt my body respond to the sight of her nudity and had to shift to alleviate the growing pressure in my pants.
"Don't scare me like that." She was annoyed, it showed. It was the only reason why she would leave the modesty aside and prance around in her birthday suit. I smiled to myself, because I know every inch of her.
"We need to talk." I needed to fill her in on a very delicate situation.
"It's gonna have to wait." She walked past me towards the bathroom. I followed. "Hello, can I have some privacy?" Stephanie ground her teeth, definitely annoyed. She adjusted the water temperature and told me we could talk after she showered. "I need some me time." Babe said over her shoulder just as her ass disappeared behind the shower curtain.
I stood there for several heartbeats, giving her a chance to scrub out the day's grime. Okay, I'm no Saint. I was also keeping track of her silhouette through the curtain. A grin escaped me as the memory of her cuffed and naked to the shower rod came to mind. That encounter when we were still practically strangers left nothing to the imagination. Stephanie was the first woman to call me over when she was naked and in need of real assistance.
"Mmm…" A moan drifted out, making me decide that business could wait. We had time for pleasure.
I stripped out of my clothing and joined her in the shower, just in case she needed my assistance. Again. Her back was to me and she chose that exact moment to bend over to pick up the shampoo bottle. I couldn't help myself, landing a playful tap on her ass. She yelped as she immediately straightened.
"Babe." I wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing her curvy body against my hard one. Did I mention I'm an opportunist? Babe drives me crazy, elevating a sexual tension that makes me not only need her but also crave her. She may come off as a prude to most, but I know better. We've had sex in an alley, a closet, in Hawaii and I've had her for a whole night from dusk until dawn.
But I've never lived out the one fantasy that's haunted me for years after seeing her naked in the shower that very first time. I tried to convince myself that I was doing this for her sake. She was tense after having a rough day. To be honest, that's not my only motive though. I'm embarking a very dangerous mission and I guess I don't want to have any regrets just in case I don't make it out victorious.
"Are you trying to seduce me?" Babe questioned even as she leaned against me, allowing me to shampoo her wild curls.
"Is it working?" I kissed her left shoulder before turning her around to put her under the water spray.
"Uh huh."
I waited until all the shampoo was rinsed away to finally kiss her on the lips. She tasted sweet and suddenly I found myself wondering if kissing her under the rain would taste the same. When we broke the kiss I found myself staring into the darkest shade of blue I've ever seen. And it's quickly becoming my favorite color.
"Uhm…" Babe rubbed against me in invitation, giving me the opening I was waiting for.
"Orgasm?" I raised an eyebrow at her, already dragging her towards the wall opposite the water spray.
"Yes, please." She gave me that naughty smile she reserves for our private activities. I love when she does that.
We were spent by the time we were done, but I managed to transfer the both of us to her bed. She got comfortable, pressing her body along the length of mine and resting her head on my chest.
"So, what do we have to talk about?" She stifled a yawn, prompting me to hurry up.
"I.." My fingers tangled in her curls. "…need a favor."
"Okay." Stephanie sighed sleepily.
"Babe, I need you to marry me." Her whole body tensed, becoming a rigid column at my side.
"Be kind rewind."
I realized how it must have sounded to her. I was the one that put that line there, talking about not being able to offer marriage or kids. "It's not what you think."
"Really?" Stephanie pushed away, sitting up to look down at me. She wrapped herself with a previously discarded towel.
I sat up as well and got down to business. I told her about Elias Moreno, a drug dealer climbing the power ladder back in the day. "He was one of my first skips." I looked Babe in the eyes and confided in her. "Moreno swore he would make me pay for bringing him." I told her he was back on the streets, in Miami, causing havoc. My jaw clenched as reality caught up with me. "He sent me a message by threatening Julie's safety."
"Oh God." Babe gasped.
"I've already incremented security." I assured her that Julie was fine.
"So…" Babe adjusted the towel in a futile attempt to cover more of her most intimate zones. "…run by me again why I need to marry you."
She was getting defensive and it was my fault. After she and Morelli split I took the opportunity to have her closer, offering her a job at Rangeman. I guess my extra-office activities with her at night might be confusing her. "Moreno said he would strike on my wedding day." And to top it all off asking her to marry me in a fake way is probably, most definitely not what she was expecting. I felt like an ass, but I still told her the plan.
"Okay." Babe was pacing by the foot of the bed now. "Your plan is to organize a fake wedding to lure this guy out?"
"In a nutshell."
"And you want me to be the bride?"
"To make it believable, yes." I did an internal grimace at my words. The very reason why I can't lend myself to relationships is precisely because of my enemies. But that doesn't stop them from taking a stab at your loved ones. I shushed my conscience and returned my attention back to Stephanie.
Her hands rested on her hips as determination etched her facial features. "What do you need me to do?"
S&R
"Everyone's in place?" I asked Tank. He nodded and left to get Stephanie.
I was checking my reflection in the mirror and getting myself ready for what was about to happen when there was a quick rasp on the door. "Yo." Lester entered the room to inform me it was time to get the show on the road.
"What's the word on the street?" I made sure that the news of my private and secretive wedding was 'leaked' out.
"That you're getting married because she's pregnant."
"What!" I glared at my cousin.
He raised his hands in defense. "You said to make it believable."
My phone chirped with a text. I sent a quick reply just as I opened the door to leave. "If Stephanie hears about this, I'll tell her it was all your idea."
"Are you really going to throw me under the bus?!" I heard him yell after me.
I took my place as the fake ceremony began. My attention was divided between keeping up the charade and checking for an expected, but unwelcomed visitor. I don't even want to think about what could happen if this plan doesn't work.
When I spotted Tank approaching I took a calming breath knowing everyone was in place, including two snipers in the surrounding buildings.
And then I saw Stephanie in a cream colored gown that took my breath away. She looked tiny and frail walking next to my friend, but also very beautiful. The Miami sun had already made its mark on her fair skin. For a moment I found myself imagining what it would be like to marry Stephanie for real. She would probably never learn to be a perfect housewife or stop blowing up cars, but at least at the end of the day we'd go to bed together. Ah, you're getting sentimental. Focus. I tried to shake myself out of the fantasy, but I was mesmerized with her presence.
"Hi." She finally reached my side and I found it hard to take my eyes off of her. Without my consent a smile escaped.
"Babe." I reached for her hand, lacing our fingers to continue the ceremony.
The fairytale came to an end, reality quickly checking in a fraction of a second after we were 'officially' married. Gunshots erupted and chaos ensued.
"Ranger!" Stephanie's palms slammed against my chest with incredible force, an unexpected move, shoving me away. I managed to grab her hand just as an ear spitting scream tumbled past her lips.
"Babe!" I wrapped her in my arms and dropped to the ground, using my body to shield hers.
The gunshots stopped. Silence reigned for a few moments until I heard Tank's voice bark out orders a few feet away. I raised my head to make eye contact with him. He pointed towards the fence of the rented house and gave me an all clear sign. I nodded in understanding.
"You okay?" I returned my attention to Stephanie, catching the look of pain she sported. "What's wrong?" I moved away, quickly scanning my gaze over her body. When I looked past her waist I noticed a blood stain on the skirt of her dress. I slipped my hands under the hem of the dress, methodically searching for a gunshot wound.
"Traditionally, you save that for the wedding night." I could hear the smirk in Lester's voice. I ignored him and continued my search.
"Fuu-arggg!" Babe yelped when my fingers skimmed across her behind.
"Call an ambulance and get Bobby!" I snapped at Lester. His eyebrows rose to his hairline as realization dawned on him.
"I'm sorry, Babe." I hated that she got hurt in the process.
"It's okay." She winced. "Did we get him?"
"Yeah." Tank replied. "We got him."
S&R
"Feeling better?" Lester asked.
I told him Babe had already been tended to. "We're just waiting for the release paperwork."
"I never thought I'd be able to say I got shot in the ass not once, but TWICE." Babe giggled, letting us know that the pain medication was doing its job.
Lester handed me a bag with clothes for Steph. I thought it was a shame that her dress was ruined, because I was really looking forward to peeling it off her body. "Uhm, there's something you two should know." Lester looked at me and then at the door, as if planning a quick escape.
I stood by Babe's bedside, placing a protective hand on her right shoulder. "I thought Moreno was taken care of."
"When you say taken care of, I know you mean dead." Babe mumbled.
"That's not it." Lester looked nervous. "Well, it's actually kind of a funny story."
"Santos." I growled at him. Babe is really rubbing off on me.
"I'm not sure how it happened, but…" Lester took a step closer to the door. "It seems like someone made a mistake and… the ceremony was real." And with that he was gone.
"What?" I frowned, processing the news.
Babe giggled. "I married Batman."