They belong to JE pouts and I'm not making any money…
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Catch a Falling Star
Chapter 2
"No, Mom, I'm not pregnant," I stated for what felt like the hundredth time.
"And you promise you're not eloping with this 'Ranger' character?" she asked.
"I promise. I'm helping him with a job, that's all."
"You'd tell me if you were skipping town for a weekend of sin with the hot bounty hunter, right?" piped up Grandma.
"Yes, Grandma," I said. It's not like it's gonna happen any time soon.
"It'd beat working," she replied, before heading to the living room to fight Dad for the remote.
"What about Joseph?" Mom asked, once we were alone.
"What about him? We're not together."
"Stephanie! You had a fight, that's all. He deserves to know you're going out of town."
It's not like he ever felt the need to tell me when he was leaving, I though. Guess that makes me the better person since I was heading over to his house as soon as I escaped my mother.
"Which is why I have to go now," I replied. "I still need to talk to him and I'm leaving in an hour."
"You can't stay for dinner?"
"Nope. Sorry Mom. I'm just gonna go say bye to Dad and Grandma."
Wandering into the living room, I found a heated dispute over the Weather Channel vs. the Game Show Network. Sighing, I slipped into the war zone, hopping to get out quickly.
"So, I'm heading out," I interrupted.
The fighting stopped and a temporary cease-fire was called so they could both give me a hug and 'goodbye.'
"Have a good trip and be safe, Pumpkin," Dad said. He'd been content with one assurance that I was neither pregnant nor eloping.
"I will."
"Have fun with the hot bounty hunter," Grandma said, before whispering, "You sure you don't want a care package?"
"Yes!"
Taking that as my cue to get out of there, I headed back through the kitchen to say my goodbyes to Mom, and then was out the door. A quick time check showed I had about a half an hour to see Morelli before I had to head back to my apartment, so I pulled away from the curb and started the two minute drive to his house.
"Hey, Cupcake," he answered the door three minutes later.
"Hi, Joe. Can I come in for a minute?"
"Sure. What's up?" We hadn't spoken since our fight and I really hoped he didn't think I was here to make up.
"Just wanted to let you know I'm going out of town for a while."
"Oh? Taking a vacation?"
"No, working," I said, putting of telling him I was working with Ranger. I knew he wasn't going to like that and I didn't want there to be enough time for a full fledged fight before I had to leave.
Running a hand through his hair, he lifted his eyes to mine. "Please tell me you're not doing a job with Ranger."
I just bit my lip. I felt kind of bad, I'd been ready for angry, but he just looked… resigned.
"I'm sorry," was all I could say.
"I know, Cupcake," he replied, wrapping his arms around me and tucking my head under his chin. "We can't keep this up."
"What should we do?" I asked, even though I wasn't sure I wanted the answer.
"I don't know," he said, tightening his arms a bit more.
"I do love you," I whispered.
"And I love you too, but it doesn't seem to be enough."
"No," I sniffed.
"I think we need to be honest now," Joe said, steering us towards the couch. "Cupcake, do you think you'll ever settle down and want a home and kids?"
"Maybe someday," I started, "but I'll never be a Burg wife. I'll still be me, just with the home and kids."
"I want to do the Burg thing," Joe admitted. "I never thought I would, but I do."
"I know. I'm sorry I can't be who you need."
"Me too, Cupcake," he said, holding me against his chest.
I just snuggled in and we stayed like that for the rest of my visit. It was what we needed now that we'd finally come to an end. I was sad, but I had to admit that it felt right, we hadn't been going anywhere for a long time. I really hoped Joe could find someone who he could settle down with and be happy with, even if it wasn't me. As for myself, I had no idea what I wanted for now.
"I have to get going," I said after a while as I sat up.
"Okay, call me once in awhile to let me know you're okay."
"I will."
"You know, this was not how I ever saw us ending," Joe said with a slight smile.
"What, so peacefully?" I countered.
"Yeah," he admitted.
"Well, the upside is we can still be friends," I said, really hoping we could. I did still love him.
"Wouldn't have it any other way, Cupcake," he replied as he opened the door for me. "Just do me a favor and don't run straight to Ranger."
"What?" I asked. What was that supposed to mean?
"Cupcake," he sighed. "I know you love me, but I saw you when Ranger was shot. You love him too."
"I'm sorry," I said. I really hadn't wanted Joe to find out about that.
"It's not something you can help," he said, hugging me. "I just liked to hope I was the right guy."
"Way to make me feel shitty, Joe," I said, trying to joke.
"Don't Cupcake. I know you can't control it."
"Yeah, I've tried."
"Thanks," he said, giving me another squeeze. "Now you need to get going. Be safe."
"I will. Bye Joe."
"Bye Cupcake."
With that I headed for the Buick and took off for my apartment. My mind was reeling with what had just happened. It was really over. I felt the first tear slip down my cheek as I pulled into my spot beside the dumpster and I just stayed slumped against the steering wheel crying until I heard a knock on my window.
"Babe, what's wrong?" Ranger asked opening my door.
"N-nothing," I sniffed, as I wiped the tears from my face.
"Babe your eyes are all puffy and your steering wheel's soaked," he replied as he took my hand and pulled me from the car.
Sniffing again and wiping at my eyes, I let him. I'd turned the car off and I was getting cold anyway… Now I just had to come up with a way to avoid telling Ranger what was wrong. Somehow, I didn't see that happening.
"Okay, Babe, what's wrong?" Ranger asked once he'd deposited us safely on my couch.
"I went to tell Joe about the job… Wait! We were supposed to be leaving," I said, suddenly realizing Ranger was here to pick me up.
"It's okay, Babe," he reassured me. "Did you and Joe have another fight?"
"No," I said, shaking my head. "We broke up, for good."
"Babe," Ranger said, pulling me to himself, as I cried some more.
"I know we were split up, but this is different. I always thought we'd get back together, even though we're not right for each other. I just can't believe it's over."
"I know, Babe," Ranger said, stroking my hair. "It's hard to admit you don't love someone the right way."
I snuggled into his chest and he let me cry some more before it finally died down to an occasional hiccup. Joe had told me not to run straight to Ranger, but I didn't think this counted. He was just being an amazing friend, and he'd come by to pick me up for the job. Then I remembered again that we were supposed to be leaving.
"Sorry," I said, dragging myself upright.
"It's okay, Babe," he replied, giving me the half smile. "Are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah. So, are we leaving?" I asked, hopping to forget about my crying spree.
"In a minute. Why don't you go to the bathroom and clean up while I get your bags?"
"Okay," I said.
In the bathroom, I almost had a heart attack when I saw my face. My eyes were puffy, my face was blotchy and I had mascara streaks. Waterproof my ass, I thought. Splashing cold water over my face, I rinsed the mascara and applied a new coat. Then, taking a couple deep breaths, I exited the bathroom ready to face the world again.
In my living room, I found Ranger with one of my large suitcases in each hand. Giving him a weak smile, I took a tour of my apartment checking that I hadn't forgotten anything. Everything was off, my fridge was empty of anything that would spoil and Rex was at Mary Lou's. I was ready to go.
In the parking lot, I was surprised to find a Bronco sitting with the guys in it. I hadn't known they'd been waiting. I was glad of it, however, when I climbed into the already warm vehicle and settled into my seat between Lester and Bobby.
"Bomber, what's wrong?" asked Tank, twisting in his seat.
"Nothing," answered Ranger for me and I shot him a thin smile in gratitude. I knew the guys wouldn't take a 'nothing' from me, but if Ranger said it, they'd know it was taken care of.
Ranger climbed into the driver's seat, and we were off. He went into his driving zone and the guys disappeared into their own zones. It takes about an hour and a half to get into New York City from Trenton if you don't get stuck in traffic, I wasn't sure if I could last that long in a silent car.
I made it a total of seven minutes before I was ready to explode. I was tired and had a headache from my crying jag and needed some distraction. Staring at the guys, though, I didn't think I would get it from them. What I wouldn't give to be able to lie down in my thinking position and take a nap… With that thought, I eyes Lester and Bobby once again and decided Lester's shoulder looked pretty comfy, so I leaned to the right and rested against him.
When his only response was to drop his eyes to me, I gave him a small smile before closing my eyes. I was out in seconds.
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I felt myself being lifted and made a superhuman effort to open one eye. Once I succeeded at that, I found myself cuddled against Ranger's chest as he carried me away from the Bronco.
"Hmmm?" I eloquently asked.
"We're here, Babe," he said.
"Can walk," I murmured, struggling a bit.
"Okay," Ranger replied, setting me down gently.
Turning, I saw that the Bronco was mostly empty and the guys were carrying the last load of gear and suitcases. It was thoughtful of them to let me sleep, I decided, even thought they'd been ready to carry me inside like our luggage.
"Where are we?" I asked, looking up at what appeared to be an apartment complex.
"Rangeman safe house," Ranger said.
"Safe house?" I asked. I wasn't very fond of safe houses…
"There's no Rangeman New York, Babe, so this is where we'll be staying. It's secure, we'll all fit and there won't be messy questions about some of our luggage and gear."
"Okay," I replied. I guess I was okay with safe houses when I wasn't being forced into them.
"Good," Ranger said, before wrapping an arm around me and leading me inside.
We all climbed onto the elevator and it was a tight fit. As I watched Tank press the button for the sixth floor, I caught sight of the elevator thingy that tells the weight limit. Staring at it, I did some mental math and wondered if we were under 1,500 lbs. The guys were all over 200 and Tank was probably near 300… Add my 130 and all our gear and I feared falling to my death.
"We're good, Babe," Ranger said softly into my ear.
"Stupid ESP," I muttered, earning a smile.
Once we were safely off the elevator and on the sixth floor, I found we exited into a large open living area. To the right was an open kitchen and I could see doorways back a hall. It looked like the entire floor of apartments had been converted into one large 'house.'
"So, Bombshell, what do you think?" Bobby asked, coming behind me.
"You are not going to get me to admit I like the safe house," I said, smiling.
"Damn," he laughed, before disappearing back the hall.
"Come on, Babe," Ranger said. "I'll show you around."
The living area had giant, over-stuffed couches and comfy chairs, a large TV, a shelf full of DVD's and books and a stack of board games. Basically, it was stocked for a long boring stay. The kitchen was the type my mother would dream of with chrome appliances, every utensil you could think of and a well stocked fridge and pantry. Back the hallway, there were about eight bedrooms and three bathrooms. I was in the room beside Ranger and the guys were across the hall. I also got my own bathroom while they shared the other two.
"It's nice," I finally admitted once the tour was over.
"So you won't protest next time I want you to stay in a safe house," Ranger asked grinning.
"Unlikely," I replied.
"Didn't think so."
"It'll make a good bet, though," said Lester coming up behind us.
"What would it take to get you guys to quit betting on me?" I asked.
"Well," Lester said, giving me a teasing up and down look.
"Santos," Ranger growled.
"What, she asked the question," Lester said.
"Babe, I know I said no more stunning my men, but Lester you can stun. In fact, I encourage it."
"Shit," Lester muttered, "I'm gonna go write my will or something."
Once we were alone, I let out a laugh and looked up to see Ranger with a real smile on his face.
"Can I really stun him?"
"Probably you shouldn't. We need him for the job…"
"Okay. Is there anything we need to be doing now?" I asked.
"Not tonight. We have a meeting with the guys who have been up here tomorrow morning."
"I think I'm gonna go get settled in then," I said.
"Alright, Babe, I'll call you for dinner."
"Thanks."
Wandering back the hall I made it to my room and explored a bit. It was a good sized room with a double bed in the middle. It was painted a soft blue and decorated in darker blues and greens. The overall effect was very relaxing, which I figured was a good thing for a safe house.
There was a decent sized closet, and I immediately unpacked all my clothing and shoes and put them away. I made sure that the dress Lula had picked out for me was shoved all the way in the back. I don't know what I was thinking with that one. All I can say is Lula is a bad influence.
That done, I grabbed the bag with my cosmetics and toiletries and headed for my bathroom. It was the smallest of the tree, but it was still good sized and nicer than the bathroom in my apartment. The fact that it wasn't brown and orange easily put it in the lead of that competition. It also had a shower stall with multiple shower heads and a spacious vanity. I wasted no time spreading my stuff all over the vanity and when I was done and stepped back to admire my work I understood why I got my own bathroom. I couldn't see the Merry Men getting ready in the morning amid all this.
I on the other hand may be needing to sneak into Ranger's bathroom to 'borrow' his Bulgari. That would be a downside of not sharing his bathroom.
Once I was done putting my stuff away, I headed back for my room and decided to test out the bed. I stretched out in my thinking position and the bed immediately passed inspection. Safe houses really aren't that bad, I caught myself thinking.
The next think I knew, someone was gently stroking my hair away from the side of my face. Opening my eyes, I found Ranger lying on his side facing me. I'm almost positive he wasn't there when I fell asleep.
"Hey, Babe," he said, when he saw I was awake.
"Hey yourself," I answered in a sleep roughened voice.
"You ready for some dinner?"
"Sure. What're we having?"
"I'm not sure. Bobby cooked," Ranger said.
"Should I be concerned?"
"Not in the least. I probably should, though."
"In that case, let's go."
We got up off the bed and headed for the kitchen where I was assaulted with a wonderful smell. On the table was a plate heaped full of grilled cheese sandwiches and a giant pan of tomato soup. While I was still staring at the plate of my childhood favorite, I saw Bobby exit the kitchen with a pan of tater-tots and a bowl of salad. I assumed the salad was for Ranger.
"Thank God," I heard Ranger say. "I wouldn't last a week eating like you four."
From that comment, I assumed Lester would be joining Bobby, Tank and I in our meal rather than Ranger.
"You should try it. It's good," I said.
"It'll kill you, Babe."
"I like to live on the edge," I teased. I may live on the edge for the Burg, but these guys outdo me by far.
When Bobby sat the tater-tots and salad down he picked up a large spoon and Ranger grabbed my head and covered my ears. I started to protest until I heard the reason. Bobby was banging the spoon on the soup pan and yelling 'dinner.'
"Was that necessary?" Ranger asked once he stopped.
"Probably not," Bobby replied as Tank and Lester wandered into the room.
I'd nearly swear I saw Ranger give him an eye roll before we all sat down if it wasn't so out of character. I nearly forgot about that though when I started eating. It was wonderful. Bobby made better grilled cheese than my mother… not that I'd ever tell her that.
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A/N: Please review and let me know what you thought! I love getting feedback and it feeds my muse. Also, I was half way through this chapter when I realized I've only been to New York City once and it was for a trip in high school… so I'll be making this up as I go, but please correct me if I get anything major wrong.
