Everything
Hey all, So there I was listening to Everything, and this scene came to me. This is a Lester/Stephanie story, if you don't like it, don't read it. Reviews are always appreciated. For now it's a one shot, I don't know if I can make it an actual story or not!
I own nothing. Not Ranger or Lester or any of the other characters. Or Michael Buble :(
My name is Stephanie Plum...also known as Cupcake, Babe, Beautiful, Bomber, Bombshell and Steph. I am known for blowing things up; cars, funeral homes, Porche's, just to name a few (which, by the way, is how I got the nicknames Bomber and Bombshell. I'm also classed as the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, from a few of my favourite critics.) I had a very long on and off relationship with Joe Morelli, a man who had taught me to play choo-choo in my garage, took my virginity behind the eclair case at the Tasty Pastry when I was sixteen, and who would have married me, had 2.5 kids, a dog and a white picket fence in about 2 seconds given half the chance. But that wasn't me. I want to fly. I want to be my own person, but Joe didn't understand that. He didn't see that that is what I needed, so he tried to force me, with ultimatums, with arguments, screaming, and at the very end, violence. When he started that, I decided that it wasn't what I needed, at all. I left and have not spoke to him since. I refuse to. I would have liked to be friends, but aparently that just wasn't in the cards.
I also had a...would I call it a relationship? with Ranger. There was one spectacular night, one that I couldn't help but compare the rest to. Ranger is like smoke. He's there, then he's gone. He can slip in and out of pretty much anywhere. Ex-Ranger, and a man who doesn't do relationships. At all. I'm damn lucky I got to know him at all. After the violent end with Joe, I went to Ranger, stayed with him for a couple of months. We never did anything but kiss. Not that I didn't want to, but he never would. And then I found out why.
Yesterday I sat in my office at Rangeman, doing searches as usual, when the elevator doors opened. I felt that familiar tingle I get when Ranger is close, so I stepped out to see him. I was going to tell him that I wanted a relationship, I wanted the Happily Ever After. But all that came to a screeching halt when I saw the scene in front of me. He was walking out of the elevator with another woman. Not a sister or mother or cousin or aunt. Obviously someone special, as he had his tongue down her throat. He couldn't keep his hands off her and was smiling like an idiot down at her. I felt jealousy stab at my stomach. He was telling the truth. He really didn't love me. And that's when I saw it. The huge glitering rock on her left ring finger. They were engaged. So he didn't do relationships with me, but he will her? I had to admit she was beautiful, more beautiful than I could ever be. She had long silky blonde hair, gorgeous green eyes and a body that many would work hard all their life for. It became obvious to me that I was never what he wanted, I was the exact opposite. Then Ranger looked up at me.
"Babe" was all he said, which was enough for me. I looked at her, put on a brave smile, and replied "Ranger."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Amelia, this is Stephanie. She's another of my employees. Stephanie, this is my fiance, Amelia." 'Amelia' looked up at me with an sincere, warm smile that only made the hurt worse. It reminded me that, yet again, someone else got my happy ending. Hell, if she had of been a bitch, it would have made me feel better. But no, she was an apparent sweetheart. Fantastic.
"Stephanie, oh I've heard so much about you! So glad to finally meet you! Oh I know we'll be just great friends! After all, you and Ella are just about the only other women I have seen in this building!" She laughed, which was not loud and obnoxious, but a cute little tinkling sound. And she was nice to boot. Great. I doubt we will ever be good friends, but whatever. I smiled, said hi, and scampered off to the break room with tears threatening to fall. Lester was in the break room and smiled when I came in until he saw the tears running down my cheeks.
"Beautiful? What's wrong? Steph, look at me, what's happened? Are you hurt" Yeah, just not physically.
"Ranger's engaged to a woman called Amelia. She's beautiful. Everything I'm not." I blurted out before I could help it. I stared wide-eyed at Lester and slapped my hand over my mouth. More tears fell, as he wrapped his muscular arms around me. I could always talk to Les. He was one of my best friends. He was the flirty one who could always make you feel better about yourself.
"Oh Steph, He's such an asshole. Don't listen to anything he says, or does. He doesn't deserve you, and you shouldn't be crying over him. Obviously, he can't see what you are, and he's missing out. Everything happens for a reason, sweetie, and maybe the one you are supposed to be with is right in front of you." Leave it to Lester, to be so optimistic. He was exactly what I needed. Which brought us to tonight.
"Would you like to dance, Beautiful?" I looked up and saw Lester smiling down at me. I looked at the drink on the table and then back at him, shrugged my shoulders and said "sure". Tonight was a night to forget. Forget the heartbreak, the hurt, the tears. Lester was a welcome distraction. Just then I heard a Michael Buble song come on. I wasn't familiar with his music but I knew who he was.
You're a falling star, you're the get away car.
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you're the perfect thing to say.
Lester wrapped his arms around my waist and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He smelled so good and as it turned out was a pretty good dancer to boot.
And you play it coy but it's kinda cute.
Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend that you don't know it's true.
'cause you can see it when I look at you.
He held me tight, his thumbs rubbing small circles in my back, occasionally running his hands up and down my spine, making me shiver. Then I heard Lester singing the chorus in my ear;
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
"I mean it, Beautiful. You are my everything. I know you are hurting right now and I realize that you will take time to get back to normal, but I needed you to know, that...that I love you". I gasped and looked up into his deep, soulfull green eyes.
You're a carousel, you're a wishing well, And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man,
And you light me up, when you ring my bell.
You're a mystery, you're from outer space,
You're every minute of my everyday.
And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.
Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,
And you know that's what our love can do.
"Oh, Les," I managed, I had tears rolling down my face, and it wasn't even because I didn't get the Happily Ever After with Ranger. What I was going to tell Ranger at the office was that I wasn't wanting a relationship with him...it was Lester. I had began to see a different side of him from the playboy that he portrayed on a regular basis to the serious but funny guy who doesn't need a different girl on his arm every single day. We had some fantastic talks, laughed, and got to know each other in ways I never had with Ranger or Joe, or even the Dick. No, with Lester, it was easy. We could fight like cats and dogs, but bounce right back. There was no ultimatums, or "My love comes with a condom, not a ring"s. He never doubted me, or laughed at my lack of ability, like so many other people did. He was my perfecet other half. He completed me in ways that Ranger or Joe never even came close to. Ranger will always be my best friend. Don't get me wrong. And I may even become friends with Amelia. But for right now, it was me and Les. And the Michael Buble song that brought us together.
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're every song, and I sing along.
'Cause you're my everything.
Yeah, yeah
"I love you too, Lester Santos. I wasn't going to tell Ranger that I was wanting a relationship with him. It was you. I was crying because I had been losing sleep over what his reaction would be. You know Ranger, the strong silent one. He never really has anything to say, but I didn't want you to be shipped off to Siberia with a One Way ticket. And tonight, I was trying to figure out the best way to tell you what you wanted to tell me." And with that I reached up and touched my lips to his softly. He respoded with fervor, more passion in that one kiss than in any of the other relationships I had been in. My toes curled and there was no one else in the room, just me and Lester, swaying to a beat that only we knew. And I knew that I had made the right decision. I knew in that moment, that we would last. We would be together for a very long time, because we were so compatable. I couldn't explain the calm that washed over me when we broke apart and he touched his forehead to mine, breathing heavily. Yes, all was perfect in the world again. I had found my happy ending.
Well there ya go folks! I finished this in record time! Hope you liked it, and as always, please review!!!
Thanks for reading!