Disclaimer: I do not own JE's characters, I just like playing with them. Thanks for reading.
I snapped out of my shock and took stock of my surroundings. My little apartment was playing host to guys from Rangeman, emergency personnel, police and several spectators. Julie was standing sentinel over Ranger as they worked on him and the guys from the coroner's office were dealing with Scrog.
Lula and I had always joked when we went after FTAs, "What Would Batman Do?" and I watched them wheel him away on a stretcher. Forget that, look what Batman just did. I knew that if that was me on that stretcher, he would be next to me, holding my hand even if I was not conscious. I moved forward and grabbed his hand, while at the same time shaking off Morelli who was trying to pull me away and calling me Cupcake.
Doesn't he know that I know he was not brave enough to come through that door? He is always willing to let Ranger do the rough things, the jobs that are in the grey area and I am starting to realize that it has nothing to do with the fact that he is a cop. It has to do with him using people. How long have I let him use me?
I looked back at him and glared. I hope he has ESP because if he pushes me, the same group of cops, EMS personnel and Rangemen will hear a declaration that I know he would rather is kept quiet. I take Julie's hand with my other hand and nod to the guys pushing the stretcher and we take the elevator to the ground floor.
We are not bothered on our journey to the waiting ambulance. I look back at the apartment building. Besides one or two good memories, I am about tired of living here. I looked down at the small hand clutching mine and squeeze it. Julie came through for both of us, but she killed a man and that has to be bothering her.
I take a deep breath and sit next to the stretcher in the ambulance. I could hear Morelli calling me Cupcake through the crowd and I sighed again.
Maybe I could pretend I don't hear him. No. Maybe I could change my name. If being Cupcake means dealing with his selfish attitude again, then I am changing my name to Babe. I could feel a squeeze on my hand. I look down and Ranger is looking at me.
"Did I say that out loud?" He squeezes my hand again and I smile and squeeze his hand back.
"Good." I watch him fall back to unconsciousness knowing I made the right choice. This is where I belong.