CHAPTER 2
The next thing I knew I was slapping at the alarm that was buzzing by my head. I rolled over to check what time I had set it for and groaned when I saw it was ten after eight. That only gave me a little over half an hour before I had to leave for work. Oh well, I thought as I hauled myself out of bed and into the shower. Guess that means I have to put off the housing problem a little longer.
At nine on the dot I was strolling out of the elevator towards my desk thinking that the commute from the 7th floor gave me more time to sleep and/or get ready when an idea hit me. I remembered that Ranger had a bunch of apartments on the 4th floor for Rangeman employees, I should ask him if any of them are available. Yeah, I thought, I'll do that as soon as I see him.
Suddenly in a better mood I headed for the break room to get my morning coffee before tackling the load of searches I knew the ex-military, early-morning freaks had left me. I was just waiting for the search to run on Harold Wildfell when I took my first sip of coffee. It made it about half way to my stomach when it came back up and I felt like the pop-tart I had at my apartment was going to join it, so I scrambled to the bathroom. I spent the next ten minutes hunched over a toilet fighting intense nausea before I felt good enough to go back to my desk and get back to work.
Once seated again, I pushed the offending coffee away and began compiling the information on Harold. It seems he caught his wife and twin brother having an affair and decided to end it by killing them both with a lamp he used as a club. Nope, don't miss those psychos at all.
Two hours later, I was done with the urgent files and a few of the others when I felt a tingle on my neck that announced Ranger.
"Babe," I heard just as expected when the tingle had run down my spine.
"Hey, Ranger," I said, turning to find him leaning against the wall of my cubicle.
"What's with the coffee?" he asked, indicating the cup of now cold coffee that had been banished to the far back corner of my desk.
I related to him the incident I had had when trying to drink it earlier and got a half smile.
"Other than that, how are you doing?" he asked. I assumed he was referring to the Joe thing, but I had dealt with that in my own way…denial, repression, breakdown, move on. I did decide that this was a good opportunity to bring up my current living arrangements.
"Not sure. Do you still have any apartments available on the 4th floor?"
"Babe?" he asked, clearly confused by where I had gone with that, so I explained my current housing problem. "So that would leave you about a week to find somewhere to live," he said.
"Yeah, actually it's six days."
"I'll check into the status of the fourth floor and get back to you this afternoon."
"Thanks Ranger," I said with a smile and got a tug on a wayward curl before Ranger disappeared.
I went back to my searches and had gotten through about three when Lester knocked on my wall.
"Hey, Bomber. You might want to get lunch. You have an appointment with me at the gun range in half an hour and defense lessons with Tank after that."
"Ungh," I groaned thunking my head on the desk. I had forgotten it was one of those days. How had I let Ranger talk me into three defense and gun lessons a week?...Oh yeah, he had tricked me, kissing me until I forgot my name then asking me to have the lessons. That got me thinking it had been awhile since my last Ranger kiss. He had been very hands off since our whole chat about my breakup with Joe, doing the curl tugging rather than the usual touching and kissing. Wonder what that's about?
"Bomber? You there?" asked Lester.
"Yeah," I said, coming out of my musings. "I'll see you in thirty."
"See you then," he answered sounding way too happy about an hour with an assortment of firearms.
Well, I better eat, I decided since I'd need my strength for the two hours of Hell ahead of me. I went into the little kitchen area of the break room and found Ella stocking the fridge there.
"Hey, Ella," I said enthusiastically. She was a sweet lady and I was always glad to spend time with the only other female employee in the building. It helped me avoid testosterone poisoning…
"Hello, Dear," she said smiling. "Would you like me to fix you up something for lunch?"
"That's okay, I can get it," I said.
"Oh no, let me. I hear you're going to have a busy afternoon. Besides I was just going to take a break so I'll fix something for myself and we can have a nice visit."
"Alright. Thanks," I gave in. I just couldn't stand up to Ella.
While she worked I pondered my lack of domestic skills and decided Joe and I never would have worked. We would have starved without takeout…
"Oh, thankyou," I said suddenly snapping back to reality as Ella placed my lunch in front of me.
"It's no problem Dear," Ella answered. "To tell you the truth, I love taking care of the boys and now you, too." We chatted a bit more when I decided to ask her how she got the roll as 'mother' to all these big, tough army guys.
"Ooohhhh, Booommbsheeellll!" I heard in a singsong voice before Ella could reply.
"Yes, Lester?" I said as he came into the break room.
"Gun range time! Today we do long range rifles."
"He is way too excited about that," I said to Ella.
"Come on, Bomber," he said, tugging my arm before sending Ella one of his charming smiles. "Sorry to steal your lovely companion Ella, but she has an appointment I think she's trying to avoid."
"That's quite all right Lester," Ella replied. "It was nice talking to you Stephanie."
"You too, Ella. And thanks for lunch."
With that I resigned myself to an hour of Lester and his over enthusiasm for guns. We went to the range and I got a quick lesson on how a rifle is different from all the other guns he had taught me about before I was allowed to shoot it. When I did the thing kicked…hard. Lester had told me it would kick, but I wasn't prepared for anything like this.
"Owwww," I yelled when the gun slammed into my shoulder. At least I didn't drop the gun, I had learned that that is a big no-no with these army guys.
"Bombshell, I told you it would kick."
"I didn't know it would be that hard," I complained.
"Here, hold it like this," he demonstrated, "and brace yourself for the impact.
After that the gun didn't hit quite as hard and I was able to fend off the worst of it by holding the gun properly. As the lesson progressed, however, I started to get tired with the heavy gun and was getting kicked harder and harder. I finally was wincing at every shot and missing the target, so Lester called the lesson done ten minutes early.
"You did a good job, Bomber," Lester said, carefully massaging the back of the sore shoulder, avoiding the area that had been bruised.
"Thanks," I said. I really was thankful for the lessons and Lester had turned out to be lots of fun, if a little too fond of guns. Oh well, the guys had come to be like big brothers and I loved them, quirks and all. I think they felt the same way about me.
After saying goodbye to Lester I went to the 7th floor to change then made my way to the gym on the 5th floor where I had to meet Tank for self-defense lessons. I was just walking through the door when Bobby stopped me.
"How's the shoulder?" he asked.
"Sore," I said, not wanting to complain that I could barely move my arm.
"I bet," he said. "Lester told me you were doing long range rifles and I figured they'd kick so I grabbed you some muscle cream. Rub some on now before Tank starts throwing you around on the mats and then add some more tonight and until the soreness is gone. It'll speed the healing up."
"Thanks, Bobby," I said. He takes such good care of me.
"You bet, Bomber."
I quickly rubbed some on my shoulder before Tank grabbed me and expected me to defend myself from his 6' 6", 270 lb person. It is not an easy task.
"Hey, girl," he said when he spotted me as I made my way further into the gym.
"Hi, Tank," I said, already dreading using my shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
"Shoulder's sore. Lester taught me how to use a long range rifle and it kicked the shit out of my shoulder."
"Well, then we won't be using arms today. We'll just have to focus on kicks. That'll even work out since we haven't spent much time on them."
"Oh, thanks Tank" I said, suddenly with more of the usual energy I had during these lessons. I really was loving all that the guys were teaching me.
An hour later Tank and I were laying side by side on the mat. He had barely broken a sweat and I was exhausted.
"You did great today," he said. "You're improving very quickly, especially given how little you knew when we started."
"Ungh, that makes being two inches from dead almost bearable."
"Come on, Bomber," Tank said standing and reaching down to give me a hand up.
"Thanks, big guy."
"Anytime. Now off with you to the showers and remember not to run the water too hot or your muscles will get sore," he said pointing me at the door and giving me a swat on the butt.
Once in the 7th floor apartment I took a moment to enjoy the silence and cool calm of the place. It always reminded me of the time I hid out here from the Slayers and the safety I felt only here. After a minute I decided I needed to head for the shower and get the sweat off…I could enjoy later. Besides I could also use the shower gel I discovered during that stay…
Twenty minutes later I was clean and had my Bulgari fix. I was just changing into my Rangeman clothes when I heard the front door open.
"Ranger?" I called out.
"Yeah, Babe," he answered.
"Just checking," I said. "I'll be out in a minute, I was just getting cleaned up after defense training."
"Take your time," he said.
When I walked into the kitchen he was leaning against the counter drinking a glass of water. A normal behavior, but he looked drop dead gorgeous. He was in urban commando mode again today and looked like he had just gotten back from a job. Yum.
"I checked out the status of the 4th floor," he opened.
"Yeah?'
"Nothing's open."
"Oh," I was starting to sound like him with the one word sentences.
"You're welcome to stay here, if you like," he said, sounding cautious.
"I couldn't do that," I told him, not really sure what to make of the offer.
"Babe, you moved in here before on your own and after that we stayed here just fine for a few days."
"Ummm, can I think about it?"
"Sure," he said, but when I looked at his face I saw a tiny amount of tension around his mouth. Wonder what that's about?
"Well, I'm gonna go down and get some more searches done before calling it a day," I stated awkwardly, heading for the door.
"Alright, Babe. Think about my offer."
"Will do," and I was gone.
I hadn't even made it to my desk when I realized I was going to take him up on sharing his apartment. I knew there was no way I could find another place in five days and my only other option was my parents. I really didn't want to stay there.
I finished my last search a little after five and decided to head home thinking that it wouldn't be home for much longer. I started thinking about living with Ranger. He had been acting very funny the last few days. No innuendos, no touching, no anything that would be considered inappropriate at any other companies…it was weird.
After eating some leftovers from dinner at my parents, I decided it was probably a good idea to start packing up some thing, since I now had five days to be out of my apartment. I found some boxes and began boxing the things that I wouldn't need at Ranger's, they could be put in storage. The furniture I decided to sell, I could just get new whenever I needed it.
It didn't take long before my neat packing broke down into haphazardly throwing things into the box labeled 'STOREAGE' or 'GO.' I was just piling the meager amounts of food from my cupboards on the counter, thinking I should go shopping more often…when the nausea from this morning hit me again.
"SHIT!" I yelled as I dashed into my bathroom. I barely made it to the toilet before I lost my dinner and continued to dry heave for a good ten minutes. Once back on my feet I opened the medicine cabinet and swigged some Pepto Bismol, figuring it would settle whatever stomach bug I had.
Sure that I would be okay, I picked my head up from the cool tile where it had been resting and wandered back into the kitchen. I was almost done with the kitchen when I was interrupted so I thought I'd finish, then I could go to bed.
With the kitchen done, I wandered into the bathroom, answered nature's call, rubbed some of Bobby's cream on my shoulder, and gave my teeth another good brushing, all the while thinking that packing my bathroom and bedroom would be the hard part. They're where I actually kept all my stuff. I wonder how Ranger's going to deal with all my clothes? And the girl stuff in his bathroom? Oh no, I have to share a bathroom with Ranger…mental head slap.
'Oh, God,' was my first waking though as waves of nausea stronger than anything yesterday coursed through me. I jumped from my bed and made it to the bathroom just in time. I was cleaning up my mouth and wondering what time it was when I heard my alarm clock start going off. Guess that answers that question.
I walked into my bedroom and shut it off. I was heading back to the bathroom to get ready for the day when my stomach began to roil again. Shit. I wonder if that day off Ranger offered was still good. With that in mind I pulled out my cell to call him, knowing I wouldn't get anything done if I kept feeling like this.
"Yo," he answered on the second ring.
"Yo, yourself."
"What's up, Babe?"
"I was just wondering if the day off you offered earlier this week was still available?"
"Of course. Is everything okay?"
I knew he thought this was about Joe, but really I had hardly thought of him since I had had my crying jag. If he wanted out of my life, fine. I decided I wasn't going to let him get me down and I hadn't. I was still hurt by what he had done, but it was his choice and I had a life to get on with.
"Everything's fine, Ranger. I just don't feel well. My stomach's still acting up."
"Okay, Babe. Don't worry about anything here, you just rest."
"Thanks."
"I'll check up on you later," he said. Then I heard the dial tone before I could protest.
I was still feeling queasy and I didn't have any energy so I hung up the phone and flopped on the couch. I channel surfed for about half an hour without finding anything to watch and couldn't find the ambition to dig Ghostbusters out of the box where it was packed, so I took a nap. I woke up about three hours later feeling more energized, but still not ready for food.
Bored with napping, I headed into my room and began to pack all of my clothes into suitcases and pack my shoes in yet another box. I was weeding out some clothes that I didn't like anymore when my stomach protested the lack of food, guess that means lunch time. Making my way into the kitchen, I looked warily at the pile of food I had stacked there the night before. I wasn't sure what my stomach could handle, my mom had always made me toast…but I packed my toaster. Giving up, I settled on eating the half pack of saltine crackers I found.
Thoroughly dissatisfied with my lunch, I took another nap figuring I deserved it since I was sick. My head had barely hit the pillow and I was out. I was having a wonderful dream filled with flying and caped crusaders when I heard something banging in my kitchen.
Crawling out of bed, I started looking for a weapon since my gun was in my cookie jar in the kitchen. I found a four inch spike heel and decided that would work. Creeping carefully out of my room I rounded the corner and smacked into a brick wall. Brick wall? I felt a pair of arms go around my waist to steady me and looked up to see Ranger smiling at me.
"Easy, Babe," he said.
"Ranger," I gasped. "You scared me half to death."
"Sorry. I was just coming to wake you up. Are you feeling any better?"
"Ummm, yeah," I said after taking stock of how I felt.
"That's good. You feel up to some dinner? Ella made you chicken soup."
"Dinner?" I asked. It had only been about 1 in the afternoon when I laid down for my nap.
"It's 5:30, Babe. How long have you been asleep?"
"All afternoon," I admitted. "But since it's dinner time…"
"Babe."
"What? All I ate all day was half a pack of crackers. I'm sick of throwing up."
"Come on then, lets eat."
I went into the kitchen and was going to help Ranger dish up dinner, when he grabbed my shoulders and steered me to the table and pushed me into a chair.
"Babe, Ella gave me strict instructions to take care of you before she handed over the soup. She's gonna ask if I did and I don't want to lie."
I just laughed and let him do his thing. I had noticed in the month I had been at Rangeman that none of the big, though, ex-army men could stand up to Ella's sweet, motherly ways.
I was drifting along with this thought when a bowl was placed in front of me. The soup smelled wonderful and my stomach actually growled and I felt hungry for the first time all day.
"So, how was your day," I asked, when I couldn't take the silence anymore.
"Went after a bad guy," he said, knowing the short answer would tick me off.
"And…"
"We got him."
"How?"
That brought a wicked grin to Ranger's face and I knew this must be good.
"The guy's a drug dealer and was working so Lester went in acting interested, saying he wanted to deal in the alley out back. The dealer gave him some stuff to sample and Lester was setting up a later meet when Bobby and I grabbed the guy." Here Ranger stopped and his eyes were sparkling with amusement. Ranger never shows emotion so either I was reading him better or this was pretty funny.
"And…" I prodded.
"We got the guy to the station and were unloading him when a drug dog went haywire on Lester. It found the sample on him and Pickey was the first officer to respond, he charged Lester with procession."
I giggled and it quickly turned into full on laughing. I was remembering the time Lester told me I was no fun since I didn't like to be arrested or shot. We'd come a long way since then and I'd found he was proud to have the longest rap sheet at Rangeman…most of which were from his days as a street punk, but every once in a while he added to the list.
"Did you get it all sorted out?" I choked out when I got somewhat under control.
"Yeah. The Chief came in and explained to Gaspick again, why he shouldn't arrest us without making sure he knows what's going on," Ranger said, shaking his head. He had had is own run in with Pickey over a concealed gun. Everyone knows Ranger carries concealed and no one cares.
We lapsed once again into silence and I savored the soup Ranger had brought. It was delicious and what was more, it was staying in my stomach. I was almost done eating and was about to break the silence again, when I looked up and saw Ranger glancing around my apartment. This time he spoke first.
"I see you started packing."
"Yeah," I answered, "figured I might as well get the stuff boxed up since I know I'm leaving."
"Did you think any more about moving in with me?"
"Ummm, yeah. I think I'll take you up on that if the offer still stands."
"Of course, Babe. I'll send some guys over tomorrow to get your stuff if that's okay."
"That'd be great. And I'm selling my furniture instead of storing it, so could I borrow the guys and a truck to take it to the used furniture mart?"
"They can do it while they move the rest of your stuff."
"Okay, I'm almost done packing," I said. I wasn't sure where else to go with this conversation. What do you say when talking to your mentor turned one time lover turned boss about moving in with him. The last time we had cohabitated the air had been charged with sexual tension, but my relationship with Joe had held us apart. Now there was no Joe, but things weren't as charged between us. The sexual tension was still there, don't get me wrong, but it was like we had both backed into a corner watching to see what the others next move would be.
"Do you need any help finishing up?" Ranger asked, interrupting my search for something to say.
"I just have to finish my bedroom and the bathroom, but if you want you can help move heavy stuff," I said with a flutter of eyelashes.
"Sure, Babe," Ranger said, grinning.
"Thanks. I over filled some of the boxes and can only move them by pushing really hard."
That just got me a 100 watt grin so I started pointing out which boxes were for storage and which were going with me. If he was going to laugh at me he could at least be useful. While he was doing that, I finished up my bedroom and was randomly throwing mass quantities of hair and beauty products from the bathroom into a box when Ranger poked his head through the door.
"All done, Babe?" he asked.
"Yep, just a few things left that will need packed tomorrow morning and I'll be done."
"Is all that coming with you?" Ranger said, eyeing the box I had just finished.
"Yeah. Do you think the distraction look is an accident?"
"No. But you need all that?"
I just smiled and shook my head. Men.
Once that moment passed I started to feel awkward again. It was starting to hit me that this would be my last night in my apartment and then I would be moving in with Ranger. What was I thinking? I couldn't control myself living with Ranger and I couldn't do the casual sex thing he seemed to want. I'm in trouble.
"Deep thoughts?" he asked and I realized I had been quiet for awhile.
"Ummm, it's just hitting me that this is my last night here," I said quickly before the truth could slip out.
"You may miss it," he said, pulling me into a one armed hug, "but I'll be glad not to have to worry about you and those scraps of metal you call locks."
I just gave him a weak grin as he slipped his arm down to my waist and steered me into the living room. We stared at each other for a moment before he spoke again.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Babe. Get a good night's sleep and feel better. The guys missed you today."
"Okay. Goodnight, Ranger."
"Night, Babe," he said, running a hand through my curls and giving them a soft tug at the bottom. I was still focused on the feel of his hand in my hair when he slipped out the door, leaving me wondering once again what was up with that curl tugging. A month ago he would have snuck a bone melting kiss in there.
I found myself yawning despite the excess napping I had done during the day, so I got myself ready for bed, taking one more tour around my sad little apartment before tucking myself in. I really was going to miss the place. I had been attacked here, killed a man here, been left bodies and body parts, not to mention the incident with the snakes, but it was mine and I had also had a lot of good times here.