Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong solely to Janet Evanovich. Unfortunately so does all the money. Everyone that you don't recognized, including characters to be named at a later date, are completely made up by me, myself, and I.

A/N: This is, for the most part, inspired by Leona Lewis' Better In Time even though it doesn't follow it exactly. Beautiful Song. Beautiful Melody. Beautiful Meaning.

I know I owe you guys two chapters, one for LTL and one for FB, but this was stuck in my head so to make more room for LTL I had to write it out lol I know I told a few people LTL 7 would have been up last week but I just found out I'm gonna be an almost-aunt so I've been kinda preoccupied lately with the mommy-to-be and work. Forgive me? sticks out bottom lip Please?

Just so you know, Ranger may seem a bit OOC, but think of how this would effect even Batman. Any person can only handle so much.

I hope you like it :)

As Always, Thanks For Reading.
Sky

Better In Time

I tilted my head up to the sky and let the rain pour down on me. I wanted the hurt to run down and wash away with the rain. I was outside on my fire escape with a half empty Corona bottle in my hand and two empty ones somewhere behind me. My legs are hanging over the edge, in between the bars. I kept my head tilted up for a couple more seconds then rested it back against the metal railing.

I don't know exactly how long I've been out here but the sun set a few hours ago before the rain started. A sane person would have went inside as soon as it started to rain. I'm not feeling all that sane right now, though. I haven't felt all that sane in a long time. It's the first rain of the season and it is raining. Its only been a few minutes and I'm already soaked. I don't mind though. Winter has finally ended. Maybe now everything will get better.

Day after day, hour after hour I lasted through winter. I had a routine. Wake up, shower, get dressed, work, head home, shower again, and watch some TV before crying myself to sleep. Every day was the same. So was every night.

In the beginning I had nightmares all the time. I relived the pain he caused me in every waking moment and always in my dreams. I would wake up to an endless scream. That first morning I didn't know why my throat was sore until I realized the screaming was coming from me. I woke up to my own screaming for weeks. Until one night. Ever since then I slept dreamlessly.

I had Ranger to thank for that. I could always feel his presence even in the darkness of my dreams. All he had to do was sit on that old wicker chair I had in the corner and, for a few precious hours, I was peaceful. Although I never talked to Ranger about it, I appreciated how he looked after me even in the night. He never asked me how I was doing, and that was a relief. My answer was always the same anyways, so there really was no point in asking me. He understood what I needed more than anyone, including myself.

We don't talk much more during the day anymore and even then its only work related. I don't talk much period.

A few months ago I started to work permanently for Rangeman. I wasn't paying enough attention to one of my skips and he got the best of me. I spent six weeks in a cast for that day. My first night in the hospital Ranger came in, took one look at me, and told me as soon as I was cleared I would be working for him full time researching again. I didn't even bother to argue.

That thought brought a sigh out of me.

I used to be a lot of things. I used to do a lot of things. I used to think of myself as strong. I used to... I used to... I used to... Seems thats all I've been saying lately.

I used to...

Just then I saw a truck pull into the parking lot right below me. A black truck. Rangers black truck.

I saw him cut the lights, stop the engine, and open his door. Through the rain, he was just a blur of black but I could feel his eyes on me. Dark. Intense. Concerned.

I sighed again and finished the last of my beer as I watched him walk into my building. Just how late is it, I wonder?

A minute later I heard my bedroom door open. I didn't hear him cross the room but the next thing I know he effortlessly dragged me out of the rain and into my apartment. He picked me up and cradled me into his arms. I pressed my face into his shirt so I didn't have to look at him. I could feel his anger rolling off of him.

I was carried into the bathroom and he gently placed me on the counter. Ranger handled me like I was about to break apart at any moment.

Wordlessly he turned the shower on, hotter than I normally had it, and let it run for a moment. Turning back to me, I saw he had his head down. I guess he doesn't want to look at me either. I cant blame him though. My hair was plastered to my head, make-up ruined and running down my face, and wet clothes sticking to my body. I must be a pathetic sight.

I used to be...

Ranger walked up to me and took my hand in his. His hand felt like a furnace and his whole arm was trembling. I didn't think he was that mad at me.

"I'm not mad at you, Babe." His voice was softer than a whisper but I still managed to jump at the sound. "You're ice cold, pale, and shaking." Slowly, as not to frighten me, he lifted my arm so I could see. The arm I saw didn't look like mine. The arm I saw was a sickening shade of white and trembling. It was shaking with an intensity I couldn't feel. I looked down at the rest of my body. The patches of skin were the same pale color and my whole body looked like a train about to come off its tracks. The part that scared me the most was that I couldn't feel it.

I was... numb. Inside and out.

"How long were you outside?" I kept my head down and closed my eyed. I didn't know. No matter what answer I gave him, it would just upset him more.

Seeing I wasn't going to answer, he slowly took my soaked clothes off of me. My eyes stayed closed the whole time. I heard his boots hit the floor with a thud. His buckle clanked against the tiled floor. Moments later the faint sound of his zipper lowering was the last sound he made.

Ranger carefully lifted me and held me against his body. He stepped into the shower and I couldn't help the gasp that left me when the hot water ran across my freezing skin.

We stayed like that, me cradled in his arms, until the shaking subsided and my body was no longer numb. At least not to the cold and the hot water that soaked into my skin.

I was lowered to my feet but when my legs buckled Ranger kept his grip on my arms making sure I wouldn't fall. When he was sure I could stand on my own, he let go of one of my arms to reach for soap and a loufa. We both ignored the hardness that bobbed between us as he gently washed me. Finally finished with the soap, he quickly washed off the suds that clung to me and the few that rested on him.

As Ranger turned the shower off, I slowly stepped out and grabbed a couple towels for us. When I handed one to Ranger he simply wrapped it around his hips, took the one out of my hand, and dried me off himself.

I followed him with my eyes as he left the bathroom. Moments later he came back with clothes in both his hands. He dressed me in one of his black shirts I stole a long time ago and a pair of panties. I went back into my bedroom as he put on a pair of black sweat pants. I wondered where he got them until I saw a black bag against my wall. It must be his workout clothes he keeps in his truck.

While he cleaned up the clothes and towels in the bathroom, I got into bed. Automatically, like every other night, I curled up into a ball. I was afraid if I laid any other way I would come apart again. I'm tired of feeling. I'm tired of all the sympathetic looks everyone gives me each and every day. I'm tired of crying. I'm just tired.

Eventually, I felt Ranger crawl into bed behind me. His arm snaked under my head, his front molded my back, and his legs wrapped around mine. It was like he was surrounding me with his strength. If I couldn't keep myself together, he would do it for me. My shattered heart raced at the thought. He was going to hurt with me tonight.

This time I didn't jump as his soft voiced carried through the air. "Talk to me. Please."

It took a few minutes but I found my voice. "Do you know what happened?" I whispered. "Why he did that to me? How he could do that? Do you possibly know how much it hurt to have to see his face everyday after that? It still hurts to think of what happened. To know that everyone sided with him. Everyone! My own family thought what he did was acceptable." A gave a small, sarcastic laugh. "Do you know what would have happened if the tables were turned? My mother would have disowned me. The whole city would be ashamed and hate me. Why is it ok for a guy to break someones heart like that, but for a girl to do the same, everyone would turn their back on her. So not only do I get to feel the pain of losing him, I get a bonus of having to deal with everyones fake sympathy and sad smiles because they have no idea how I could not forgive him. How could I? How could I forgive that?" I buried my face in Rangers arm and cried again. Then I started to cry harder because I was crying. I was just so tired of everything.

"Te quiero, Stephanie. Duele ver que te gusta esto. Pero ... pero yo no se como ayudarte. ¿Cómo puedo ayudarte?" As much as I tried to stop it, my sobs grew even louder as concern, desperation, love, and pain flowed out with his words.

I felt his left hand curl around my stomach and pull me even closer to him. "Please, Stephanie. Dime. Talk to me. Let me find a way to help you. I need to help you. I just... I just don't know how." By then his voice broke off and he buried his face in my hair.

And then it hit me. Like a shot in the chest. Ranger wasn't hurting with me tonight. He was hurting because of me.

Oh god. Why didn't I see how this would affect him? I know he loves me, but here I am broken by another man. How could I be so selfish as to not see his pain? How could I let this go so far? I don't want him to hurt anymore than I do. I just want it all to go away.

"I used to." I said brokenly between each sob.

"Used to what?"

"Everything." I took a deep breathe and tried to quiet my crying. "I used to be strong. I used to fight. I used to laugh and smile and live my life for myself. And what am I now? Weak, pathetic, and living day by day just because I have to. It hurts, Ranger. It hurts so much. I don't want to be like this anymore. I wanna be who I used to be. I want to be Stephanie again. I don't want to cry anymore. I want to move on. I want to get over him. But I don't know if I can. I deserve to smile and laugh and love. But I don't think I can."

Ranger quickly unwrapped himself from me and turned me to face him. I buried my face in his chest again but he pulled it up towards his. His voice stayed quiet but the power and emotion behind him was overwhelming. "Open your eyes." I tried to keep them shut but out of their own accord, they opened to see the dark chocolate eyes I knew so well. "Now you listen to me. You are still the same Stephanie. You're still the strong, brave, wonderful Stephanie I love."

His eyes became softer. "I love you Stephanie. We've always been there for each other ever since we met. Thats not gonna change now. I know it hurts. As much as I want to, I cant take that pain away from you. It kills me to see you like this. But you're gonna be ok. I know you are because your are strong. You do deserve to love and smile and laugh. You deserve to be happy. I'll make sure that you are."

Minutes passed as my tears slowly started to fade and we both collected our selfs.

"I'm sorry, Ranger. I do―"

"No." I jumped at the harshness in his voice. He sighed and pulled my against him once more. His voice was much gentler now. "No. You have no reason to apologize. I'm here for you. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me Stephanie. Those cars and help with skips that I gave you can never equal the amount of friendship, loyalty, and love you've given me these past few years. I wish you could see yourself as I do. You're going through a hard time right now, but in time it'll get better. I promise you that. You may not be able to forgive or forget him, but with time it will get easier. I will help you in anyway I can. You don't have to feel only the bad now. There are good things and I want to be the one to show you those again when your ready." He took a quick breath. "I'm not asking you to love me. I just want you to be happy again, and I want to help you get there. You brought light, laughter, and love to my life. When your ready, I want to return the favor."

How do I deserve a friend like him in my life? Every step of the way he has been there for me, and now is no different.

I shifted back to my other side and took his hand in mine. He brought our hand back towards my stomach and pulled me further against him. My head was once again pillowed on his arm but my legs were stretched out along side his.

I thought about everything that happened tonight. Every word that was said, every move that happened and I realized something. Every word he said was true. I don't know if I can forgive or forget, but I do know that I want to move on. And I will. I want to smile and laugh, not only for myself, but for the man right next to me. Someday I will be able to love him like he deserves. I just hope by then it wont be too late.

"Everything with get better in time," was last thought before my eyes closed and I slipped into a dream of someday.

Translation - I love you, Stephanie. It hurts to see you like this. But ... but I don't know how to help. How can I help you?

A/N: I should have stretched out the length of the ending but I just wanted to get this up. Yes I realize I didn't say who broke Stephanie's heart or how they broke it. You can all decide who did what, when, how, and why. Of course I have my own thoughts but feel free to share yours. Please review. It might just inspire me to finish LTL and FB faster. :) Thanks again.