OK so I can't get the words to co-operate for the next chapter of Broken so I decided to write this to see if it would loosen a few brain cells.

Characters are the creation of Janet Evanovich... just borrowing them for fun not profit.

Joe's POV.

I flagged the hostess down for another drink. Anything to try and drown out Helen's incessant whining. I hoped to Christ she wasn't going to keep this up the whole fucking way back to Trenton. At least Kloughn had asked for a seat further back near the rest rooms, so I didn't have to put up with his ineptness. Let him spill his food and drink all over someone else.

I couldn't believe what a disaster this whole trip turned out to be. It should all have been simple and straight forward. But no, Manoso and his goons had to be there interfering and Cupcake had to be friggin' unreasonable. Hell she even had us thrown out of the hospital and threatened with arrest. Who the hell does she think she is? We fly all the way to Vegas to bring her home and she treats us like trash. Un-fucking-believable.

And that cheap shot with the whole fake doctor set up. Just thinking about it made my blood boil. All I was doing was trying to make her see reason, to return to where she belongs. And she makes me look like a liar and an idiot. It wasn't lying, not really, I was just wanting to help her. She wouldn't listen or let me explain. The same as that night with Terri. If only she would stop and let me explain she would see that it meant nothing. It's a guy thing. There's nothing wrong with having a bit on the side, it doesn't mean you don't love your wife or girlfriend, sometimes we just need a bit of variety. Different women fill different needs in your life.

Hell, Cupcake was the one on my arm in public wasn't she. We were destined to have a future together but she's just being fucking difficult. It's as though she thinks she can just throw it all away. Well the joke will be on her when she realises that she has no one. Manoso doesn't want her, she has no friends outside Trenton. I could feel the satisfaction build inside me, knowing how she would be humbled and humiliated when she had to come crawling back home. Maybe I'd make her suffer and beg some before taking her back. Get a bit of payback for the humiliation she's caused me.

With those thoughts in mind I settled back in my seat and enjoyed the various scenarios I imagined taking place when Cupcake returned to Trenton.

Helen's POV

I'm mortified at Stephanie's actions. How could she have us banned from the hospital? I'm her mother for goodness sakes. I've never been more embarrassed in my life, threatened by security and told to leave or they would call the police. I tried to tell them that Joseph IS the police, but they just laughed in my face, telling me he had no jurisdiction there.

What will everyone think when we get home? I was to return as the caring triumphant mother, that was my entitlement. To bring my daughter home where she belongs and guide her along the right path that would lead to a good life. Why can't she be more like Valerie? Why on earth does she have to be so obstinate? I'm sure she is doing it deliberately just to embarrass me.

And now I will have to face the Burg and all the questions on why Stephanie is not returning. What on earth will I tell them? Certainly not the truth, that she is an ungrateful difficult child who has no respect for her mother or those who care about her. That will not be sufficient to stop tongues wagging. At least I have several hours on the flight to think of something. Thankfully no one will pay any mind to anything Albert has to say, but Joseph, it wouldn't hurt him to help me find a way to handle this. After all, everyone thinks they're engaged and he was the one who said he could convince her to return home. And yet here we are on a plane returning to Trenton without her.

Frank's POV

I'm sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee…. which I had to make myself, wondering if Helen is going to have time to make pot roast for dinner. Her flight doesn't arrive for a few more hours and it will be late in the afternoon when she lands. I'm sure she'll have time to prepare something. Edna's cooking is OK, but not as good as Helen's, and I'm tired of having to make the bed and find which wardrobe Edna has hung my shirts in. What's up with that anyway? Helen always lays fresh clothes out for me each day.

I don't know why, but Helen is all in a flap about Stephanie. I didn't even realise she had disappeared a few months ago. I never really noticed her absence, I suppose I just put it down to her being busy or something. Besides, having Val and her tribe over here every week for dinner is enough to distract anyone.

I don't get involved in the girls lives, never have. Raising the girls has always been Helen's job. Now if they were boys that would be a different matter. But they're not. And Val has only managed to produce girls so I just keep my head down and keep out of the way. I have the cab, and my poker buddies at the lodge, and Helen has her own circle of friends, so life is quiet and routine, just the way I like it.

The sudden need for Helen to rush off to Vegas with that Morelli boy and Albert just because Stephanie was in hospital was very inconvenient and disruptive. But Helen's on her way back now, so hopefully things will return to normal. Apparently Stephanie is not returning with them. I don't know why, I suppose I should have asked Helen, but I'm sure she'll tell me if I really need to know.

Edna's POV

With Helen gone these last few days it's been a real eye opener on just how useless Frank is. I knew he never paid any attention initially when Stephanie disappeared, he lives in his own little world and unless something affects him directly he doesn't tend to take any notice. But tell the man he has to make his own bed and find his own clothes, and you'd think he was asked to donate a kidney.

I'm so proud of my baby grand-daughter. It took a painful and shattering experience for her to do it, but she finally broke free of this narrow minded community and her overbearing mother. Helen may be my daughter but that doesn't mean I have to be blind to her faults. She hasn't given Stephanie a moment's peace since the day that poor child was born. Trying to shape her into something that meets with Helen's and the Burg's approval. Stephanie tried to rebel for many years, even trying to gain her father's approval and interest, but she wasn't a boy, so it was a lost cause.

When I heard she'd been shot I desperately wanted to fly to Vegas to be with her. But I didn't have the money and Helen insisted that I had to remain behind to look after Frank. It's her own fault that he's as useless as he is, the man can't even make himself a sandwich.

Thankfully Stephanie has some wonderful friends through Rangeman, even if she doesn't fully realise it yet. I don't know all the details but apparently something happened there as well, and when she found Joe cheating she felt she couldn't turn to them for help. She'll tell me the full story when she's ready. In the meantime Rangeman has given me my own cell phone, so Stephanie and I can talk whenever we want without Helen or Frank knowing. I know Helen and Morelli were determined to get her to return to Trenton, Helen even conned Albert into drawing up legal papers so Helen could make decisions on Stephanie's behalf. But my baby grand-daughter was too smart for them, and stuck to her guns. I miss her like crazy but she's not returning to Trenton. I'm so proud of her.

Joe's POV.

Finally, we've landed at Trenton airport. I can't wait to get home and put my feet up. I think a beer and a game on TV may help me clear my head and decide what to do next. Everyone is going to want to know why I haven't returned with my fiancé and so I'm going to have to get my story straight.

As we entered the terminal, there was commotion over near the barriers where people were waiting for the passenger arrivals. All of a sudden there were people calling out and camera flashes were going off. It took a few seconds before I realised that the commotion and questions were being directed at me. There were reporters here.

"Detective Morelli, what do you have to say about the photos released of you with a woman at a local no-tell motel ….…."

"Dectective Morelli is it true that your fiancé Stephanie Plum has dumped you….."

"Dectective Morelli is it true that there is an investigation pending on your connections with a local mob family …."

"Detective Morelli …"

"Detective Morelli….."

"Detective Morelli ….."

Oh fuck!