A/N This is a Babe story – not Morelli or Helen Plum friendly AT ALL! Although the first chapters don't have smut, it is forthcoming. Language is rough in some areas.
Thanks to Jenny and DAS for their editing skills. They caught the stupid mistakes that got past me. And a BIG thanks to Dee who gave me the encouragement to put myself out there!
(She owns them – I wish I did. Hey, when you dream, dream BIG!)
THE BROKEN ROAD HOME
CHAPTER 2
She sat on the hood of her car and watched. She was far enough away to not be noticed but close enough to be able to clearly see what was going on. The fact that the drapes were paper thin and not completely closed helped in identifying the room's occupants and their current activities.
She had happened upon this place completely by accident four days prior.
She and her mother were driving to some hole-in-the-wall dress shop just outside of Trenton to look at some wedding gowns. Steph really didn't want to go but her mother insisted, telling her they had a good variety and decent prices.
Steph was sitting in the passenger seat while Helen drove and yammered on about the seating arrangements during the reception. Steph had tuned her mother out about ten minutes after getting in the car and had no idea what she was saying when they passed a 'no-tell' motel on the way.
Stephanie would have normally ignored such a dive if it hadn't been for the very familiar truck in the parking lot.
Traffic was fairly heavy which gave Stephanie the opportunity to watch two people exit one of the rooms of the motel. They passionately kissed then walked to their separate vehicles.
The woman she knew as Terry Gilman, the high school sweetheart of Joe Morelli. The man was none other then Joe himself.
Stephanie sat there, completely stunned. She couldn't believe what she just saw. Did she see what she thought she had seen? Had that really been Joe?
If sort of looked like him from this distance, but then, was she really sure? But she had recognized his truck before she even saw Joe. It had to be Joe, right? After all, a man who looked like Joe got into a truck that looked like Joe's truck. If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck….
But he wasn't kissing Stephanie because she was in her mother's car heading towards some dress shop a few blocks away. So that couldn't have been Joe because he wasn't supposed to be kissing anyone else but her.
Then the reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks.
"Mother, I can't do this. Take me home now, please!" Stephanie started to panic. She couldn't believe this was happening.
"What do you mean take you home? I'm not taking you home. We're almost there. My God Stephanie, what is wrong with you? You need to pick a dress for this wedding. And you still haven't decided on what flowers you want, and were you even listening to me about the seating…"
"Mother! Take me home now! I think I'm going to be sick!" Stephanie interrupted her mother in mid sentence. She had one hand on her stomach and one on her forehead. The nausea building in her gut was beginning to roll over her body in waves.
"Don't you dare throw up in this car! Do you know what kind of mess that will make? Do you think I want to drive all the way home with that smell?" Helen was shouting at Stephanie now, ordering her not to be sick.
"Mother! Pull over now!" Helen did as Steph flung the door open and vomited. When she was finished, Steph leaned back in her seat, eyes closed, tears streaming down her face, and tried to catch her breath.
"For God's sake, Stephanie. You don't have to cry. It's just the flu. You don't have to get all dramatic…. Oh my God, it's not the flu. You're pregnant, aren't you? How could you do this to me? What are the neighbors going to say? Or the wedding guests? You can't get married wearing a white gown with your belly sticking out. What were you thinking?" Her mother began to cross herself at the thought of the newest scandal her youngest daughter had bestowed on her.
"Mother, I am not pregnant. I'm just sick. Now, will you please just take me home?" Stephanie begged. Helen finally conceded and took Steph home, telling her that if she wanted any chicken soup, she would have her father bring some over. Food – her mother's cure-all for any problem large or small.
Stephanie went upstairs and crawled into bed and stayed there for the rest of the day. She woke up some time later to Joe softly stroking her hair.
"Hey, Cupcake. Your mother called me and said you weren't feeling well today. Are you doing any better? Do you want me to bring you anything? I stopped off at your parents' and got some of your mom's soup. Do you want me to fix you some?" Steph couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes. She was afraid of what she might find there, or what she wouldn't.
"Cupcake?" he asked again. Funny, he almost sounded concerned, she mused to herself. Almost.
"I'm fine, Joe. I just want to sleep." Stephanie snuggled deeper under the covers, hoping that Joe would get the hint and leave her alone. Apparently, her mother didn't tell Joe where they were when she got sick or he would be questioning her more about it.
"Okay, Cupcake. I'm just going to take a quick shower and I'll sleep on the couch so you can get some rest," he said, getting up and heading for the bathroom.
'How thoughtful of you, asshole.' Stephanie thought to herself. 'Wash her scent off of you then sleep alone, just in case.'
When she woke up the next morning, he was gone. He left a note in the kitchen stating that if she needed anything to just call him.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll just come a running as soon as you tear yourself from her bed, you bastard!" Steph spat out to herself. She wondered how long this had been going on. Did it really matter? The damage had already been done. She could never trust him again. And she sure as hell wasn't going to marry him now. With that revelation, the weight of the world she didn't realize she was carrying had been lifted from her shoulders.
Steph needed to figure out what she was going to do next. Did she just blind side Joe with the truth about his affair or should she gather more evidence first? Being a cop, Joe understood hard evidence. Otherwise, it was her word against his and Joe had a reputation for being able to sweet-talk himself out of most anything, or into most anything depending on what he wanted at the time.
So it looked like Stephanie was going on a recon mission. She wouldn't need much equipment, just her cell phone, binoculars and her digital camera. She checked her camera, making sure that it had a fresh battery and enough available memory. She grabbed an extra memory card, just in case.
By the time she was cleaned up and ready to go, it was just after noon. Steph drove by the police station to find that Joe's truck was not in the lot. She pulled out her phone and dialed his number. Voicemail.
"Hey, Joe. Just wanted to call and let you know that I was feeling better. Call me when you get a chance. Later, bye." She snapped her phone closed. Lately, Joe hadn't been taking her calls right away. Now she knew why.
After cruising by Pino's and a few others of Joe's haunts, Stephanie decided to revisit that seedy little motel outside of town.
She hit pay dirt. His truck was there. So was Terry's BMW. Stephanie parked across the highway and angled her car behind some trees, efficiently camouflaging her from anyone who may be looking in her direction.
She leaned up against the front of her car, pulled out her binoculars and searched for their room; she figured it would be one of the two rooms from where their cars were parked. Focusing on the windows, she finally found what she was looking for. The curtains were so old and threadbare; they might as well have not been there at all.
She sat on the hood of her car, watching and waiting, gathering the evidence she needed.
-----
His cell phone rang. He looked at the caller id – the control room.
"Yo," he answered.
It was Lester. "She's there again. This makes three days in a row, Ranger. Somebody should put a stop to this." Lester was pissed and Ranger knew why.
"Fine." He sighed and disconnected. He turned to Tank and shook his head.
"Let's me guess, she's there again." Tank could feel his blood beginning to boil.
Ranger didn't say a word; he just turned and stared out the windshield of the truck.
"Are you going to do anything about it now?" Tank asked through gritted teeth. He knew how long this had been going on and he'd had enough.
"Yeah, let's go." Ranger finally answered. He'd had enough, too.
"It's about fucking time, man." Tank made a u-turn and headed towards a seedy little motel just outside of Trenton. 'Just hang on, little girl,' Tank thought to himself. 'The cavalry is coming.'
------
The sound of another vehicle approaching caught Stephanie's attention. She wasn't very surprised when she realized who it was. His cars were always black, always shiny and always expensive. Even his trucks were fully loaded with every bell and whistle known to man. Ranger spared no expenses on anything.
Tank parked the truck next to Stephanie's car and both men got out. Ranger walked up to Stephanie while Tank stayed by the truck.
"Babe." Ranger studied her face. Her expression was blank, worthy of any RangeMan. 'Must be a new talent she's learned in the last six months,' he thought to himself. But he knew this woman well. He knew the emotions running rampant under the mask. Pain, anger, fear, hurt, not to mention disgust and the need for revenge. Emotions he knew all too well but very seldom ever showed himself.
"What are you doing here, Ranger? Shouldn't you be out saving the city, a country or the world or something?" Stephanie's voice was bitter cold. A shiver ran down Tank's spine, not something that happened on a regular basis. This woman was pissed.
"I'm here saving a friend, Babe. You can't keep doing this to yourself. You should cut your losses and move on." Ranger's words were matter of fact, but his voice was soothing.
"You've been keeping track of me? How? Why?" She wasn't really surprised. Tracking people was what Ranger did. And he was very good at it.
"GPS on your car, Babe. And like I said before, you're a friend." She was one of the rare few to be bestowed that honor. Most people didn't get close enough to Ranger to even be considered an acquaintance. But Stephanie had gotten in and gotten close; closer than Ranger would have like to admit.
"Cut my losses, huh? Move on? And just exactly where am I supposed to go? I'm not going back to Joe's house and I gave up my apartment months ago. And I'm sure as hell not moving back to my parents. I can just hear my mother now. She'll find a way to make this all my fault. 'Stupid Stephanie screwed everything up again. What will the neighbors say?'" By this time, tears were streaming down her face but she managed to keep her voice steady. It took every ounce of strength she had, but she managed.
Ranger pulled her close and held her. He recognized contained rage when he saw it. And allowing her to blow right now was not an option. He needed to maintain control over Steph and the situation long enough to get her away from it. But it wasn't going to be easy.
Tank quietly watched from the side of the truck wishing like hell he could just have five minutes alone with the cop. He'd gladly teach him a lesson for hurting her.
As Tank was running through ways of exacting payback, his gaze went to the motel across the highway and saw a door open. When he saw Morelli and Terry emerge, he cleared his throat to get Ranger's attention.
Ranger looked over at Tank. He nodded toward the motel. Ranger turned around just in time to watch Joe and Terry kiss goodbye before getting into their cars. Steph watched too, debating whether or not to grab her camera. No, she had all the evidence she needed. After all, she had spent the last three days in this same spot gathering all she could. She had enough pictures saved on her memory card to make a scrapbook. Not just of them kissing in the parking lot. Oh no, Stephanie had pictures of a half naked Joe fondling and sucking on Terry's breasts; pictures of Terry going down on Joe; pictures of the both on them in the throes of passion. The motel should really consider replacing their old curtains.
As the two lovers got in their cars and drove away, Ranger turned back to Stephanie. "Babe, let me help you."
"Why would you want to, Ranger? After all, I'm the one who walked away from you. I turned my back and never gave you a second glance. Why would you want to help me now after what I did to you?" Her words were cold and bitter. The anger wasn't directed at him. Instead, it was directed at herself. She had walked away from one of the best friends she'd ever had and for what? To trade her individuality for a predetermined, cookie cutter life that she never wanted anyway? For a man who thought a wife and kids were great as long as he could have a nice piece of ass on the side?
"We've all done things that we regret or can't take back, Babe. The trick is learning from it and moving on. This isn't the end of the world, just the end of a chapter of your life. You can survive this." When did Ranger become so damned philosophical?
Just then, Stephanie's cell phone began to ring. She wiped away the tears and read the caller id. It was the devil himself. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she answered.
"Hey, Cupcake. Just thought I'd check in with you. I should be home for dinner. Are you cooking or do you want me to pick something up at Pino's on the way home?" The bastard had the nerve to sound sincere.
"Actually, you and the Bob-dog are on your own for dinner tonight. Mary Lou called a little while ago. She's having a meltdown over something Lenny did so I'm heading over there right now. I'm sure I'm going to have to get her out of the house for a while. I may even have to stay the night because she didn't sound all that great." Is Steph a great best friend or what?
"Wow, that bad? What happened?" he asked.
Like you care, asshole. "I don't have the full story yet. Could be nothing or it could be earth shattering. You just never know with Mary Lou. I'll catch up with you tomorrow and fill you in on all the gory details, okay?"
"Okay, Cupcake. Be careful and I'll see you tomorrow. I love you," he replied.
She couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. "I just bet you do, sweetheart. Bye," she said with a smile, a smile that never reached her eyes, then snapped her phone shut.
'Damn' Tank thought as another shiver ran down his spine. Her performance was so believable that even he would have been fooled if he didn't know the truth.
Ranger watched her, waiting for her next move.
Steph thought for a minute, then opened her phone again and dialed Mary Lou.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Lou, it's Steph. I need a big favor." Still, her voice was calm.
"Sure, Steph. What's up?" Mary Lou asked.
"If Joe or anyone else asks, I spent the night with you, okay? Just tell them that Lenny did something stupid and you needed to get it off your chest and I ended up staying all night. Could you do that for me, please? I really need this." Still calm, but Mary Lou would know something big was going down.
"Of course, Steph. I would do anything for you, you know that. Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you?" Mary Lou was concerned. Steph didn't usually ask for these kinds of favors. But they had been friends for most of their lives so she really would do anything for her.
"I'll be fine, Lou. I can't talk about it now, but soon… I promise." Stephanie's voice slightly cracked. She took a deep breath to regain control.
"Alright, Steph. Just let me know what you need and it's yours. I love you, kiddo." Steph knew Mary Lou meant that whole-heartedly.
"Thanks, Lou, love you too," she whispered and snapped her phone shut again. She looked down at the ground, then closed her eyes and started to shake.
Once again, Ranger wrapped his strong arms around her and just held her. He glanced briefly at Tank, barely nodded his head for him to leave and returned his attention to the sobbing woman he was holding.
He stood there holding her like that for damn near a half an hour, rubbing her back or caressing her head. When she finally calmed down, he spoke.
"Babe, let me take you home." His voice was soft and soothing.
"Weren't you paying attention, Ranger? I don't have a home anymore," she said into his chest. She was tired and her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Not his. Mine." His hold on her tightened slightly when he said the word 'mine.' Steph had noticed and it was all she needed to know that she would be safe. More importantly, it was all she needed to know that she had been forgiven.
