Author's Note: Man, I must be on to something here. Never have I had such a positive response just off of a prologue before! Usually, it takes about 10 chapters. It's pretty awesome. Okay, I want to say thank you to the people who suggested a little bit of tweaking with the details (5 hours of sleep certainly isn't healthy and I can't believe I got one of my favorite characters name wrong) and to all the reviewers and alerters and just the ones who took the time to read. It's really encouraging.

This story is going to in first person POV (a fanfic first for me) and the POVs will alternate where needed. Mainly, it's going to be in Steph's or Ranger's because this is their love story. Well, once I get Steph through the drama with Morelli, her mom, and the Burg, it's their story. Like I said before, this is very Morelli/Helen unfriendly and I have no shame in that.

Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"

Stephanie's POV

The alarm clock barely got through its first beep before I shut it off gently. The red numbers read 5:00 and out of habit, I let out a pitiful groan as I headed for the shower. Although I loved running with Ranger ( and what woman wouldn't? The view was excellent…), getting up before the sun still chafes on me a little. That doesn't mean that I'm not gonna do it but still, a little bit of bitching goes a long way…

Oh, let's do the basics real quick. After all, this is Chapter 1. Exposition ahoy!

My name is Stephanie Plum. I'm 32 years old, have crazy brown curls and big blue eyes, I'm Hungarian/Italian-American, and I'm a part time Bounty Hunter. I used to be a full time bounty hunter but after one too many car explosions (I have the worst car karma EVER) and a couple of irate messages from people who claim to love me the most (I got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you if you're interested…), I decided to make some changes. Changes in employment, changes in my personal life (we'll get into that in a minute), and just needed changes.

Before I decided to change, I was a laughingstock. I was known as the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, a haplessly efficient source of caught FTAs (Failure to Appears, in the King's English) and of explosions, garbage rolling, and I was the epitome of Dumb Luck. For some reason, I always managed to get out of extreme situations alive even when people like that Les Shroud guy would not. Betting Pools in the Trenton Police Department and gossip in the Burg (my old neighborhood) were regular occurrences in my dark screwball comedy of a life and I was sad. …Yeah, I know. Sad, Stephanie? After all these years of misadventures, that's the best you can come up? Well, honestly, yeah.

At the time, my self esteem was in the toilet. I barely made enough money to feed my beloved hamster Rex, much less myself. I got outran by 89 year olds and tased with my own taser. My apartment was a shithole that anyone with half a brain and a toothpick could break into and the man I loved (or thought I loved) only appreciated me when I was flat on my back, ankles in the air. Now, if that's not sad, I don't know what is.

But, like a phoenix from the ashes, I have risen above all of that nonsense and I've made something of myself. I'm a full time RangeMan (well, RangeWoman), I'm much better at Bounty Hunting (I've haven't blown up a car since that Day six months ago), and I have the best of the best in my corner: a band of sweet and sexy Merry Men and their illustrious leader. Oh, their leader…

Ricardo Carlos Manoso AKA Ranger AKA Batman AKA That Bounty Hunter with the Nice Package (I love my grandma to death and beyond) AKA…The One. My feelings for Joseph Morelli (1/2 of The Irate Message Brigade and the Ankles in the Air Guy) paled in comparison to the ones I have for him. Not only is he a 6'0, 200-ish pound Cuban-American hunk of USDA Prime Man Steak but he is the only man (other than my dad) that has backed me 110% with no ulterior motives. Well, there was the DeChooch deal thing but hey, I wanted him just as badly as he wanted me and although he booked like Flo-Jo the morning after, I don't regret that night. I can't. Not to mention that I love the way he calls me Babe. Unlike Cupcake, Babe had meaning and substance and oomph to it, just like his overall presence in my life.

And even though he says that his life doesn't lend to relationships (his actions scream otherwise), I know that he loves me just as much as I love him.

Once I bite the bullet and truly resolve things with Morelli (and my mother and the rest of the Burg), I'm gonna go for it. Lay all my cards on the table and all that good shit because even though Ranger and I are close (he's my best friend in the World), I want more and these last six months have taught me a valuable lesson:

If you want more, you're gonna have to work for it. A better life isn't going to fall out of the sky. You gotta make it happen, cap'n or you're gonna languish in misery and woe until you're dead.

And if I keep waiting for him to make a move, I'll be as old as my Grandma Mazur and with my luck, half as horny!

Enough introspection. Time to go fetch Batman from upstairs…

/

Now, this isn't fair. How can he be sexy and adorable at the same time, even when he's sleeping? Not cool, Beauty Gods! Not cool! Ranger was sprawled diagonally across his bed with his long dark chocolate hair all in his face and his sheet covering him from the waist down. His naked waist down. Unless he was working, Batman was allergic to clothes, something that I've grown to appreciate. Hmm…decisions. I could leave him be and go find Lester or Tank or someone else to run with. They'd probably fight over who gets to do it. All the Merry Men (especially the A-Team) loved me and Bombshell Duty was far from a chore (unless of course, I'm taking my randy granny out, then they run away like those dudes from Monty Python…) and they'd welcome my company, something else that I'm not used from men unless I'm naked…

On the other hand, though, running together was me and Ranger's special time. Sometimes, we talked but mostly, it was quiet companionship. And like I said before, the view…woof! Just the idea of him in front of me, all those muscles working sent lava fire straight to my doodah. And…he was always waking me up! Before I moved to 4, he'd break into my apartment all the time and just sit there, watching me sleep like a sexy Creeper or dragging me out on a mission. This was a prime opportunity for some paybacks and I will take those opportunities. I'm a naturally vengeful person. Just ask someone to tell you the story with Morelli and the Buick…

With a sly grin, I toed off my Champions and climbed into bed with him, nearly moaning at the scents of Bulgari and Ranger musk. Damn, he always smelled good…focus, Steph! Gently, I settled on the small of his back and made sure my nails weren't too sharp before smirking.

All right, Batman. It's wake up time.

/

Ranger's POV

I could feel nails gently scratching at my back and smirked into my pillow. I knew she'd go for it. My Babe never let an opportunity for paybacks pass her by. Just ask someone about the Cop and the Buick…mmm…

A shiver went down my spine as her lips brushed against my ear, blowing warm air into it.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey, Ranger…oh, wait, you don't eat bacon. Um…wakey, wakey, eggs and soy bran? No… ugh…just get up!"

"I am up, Babe." I leered with a little arch of my hips, making her giggle.

"Not that kind of up, Soldier Boy! We're supposed to be running right now!"

I turned onto my side and she held onto my back like a baby koala, resting her chin on my shoulder. It took every ounce of control I had not to drag her into a kiss but now was not the time. It really wasn't. She had made remarkable progress these last six months but she still needed to resolve things with the Cop before we could be together. And despite my words, I wanted us to be together. I needed us to be together. This woman had run off with my heart like a wide receiver the day she walked into that Diner and I was sick of fighting it. That's why when the Powers That Be asked me to renew my contract, I showed them the door.

After all, I can't very well be her man if I'm gone for months at a time, not knowing when or if I'll come back…

"I never thought that I'd see the day that you'd be nagging me to exercise." I remarked as I reluctantly got out of bed, knowing that her gaze would be on my ass. Steph never hesitated to let her appreciation of my body show, even when she didn't mean to. Her thinking out loud moments never failed to amuse me…

"Well, things change. Now, hurry up! We're burning daylight here!" she urged as she shooed me to the bathroom.

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" I called over my shoulder, making her wing a pillow in my general direction.

"Damn Skippy! I'll be in the lobby!" she hollered back before slamming the door.

I shook my head fondly and sighed.

Only you, Babe…only you…