Disclaimer: I don't own any of JE's characters, although I would like to borrow Ranger!!!

Author's Note: Didn't get any reviews so far but I hope to get some soon! I am also writing another story so check it out if you get the chance. R&R PLEASE!!! I need some inspiration.

Where We Left Off:

"What do you want Joe?"

"I just thought I would let you know that your boyfriend was back in town," he said with an arrogant tone, and then disconnected.

I dropped my phone and the only words that would come out were "Oh shit."

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I clutched my towel to my chest and sat abruptly on the side of the bed. I couldn't think anything besides Ranger thoughts. He was back? Since when? I figured I would be able to deal with it when the time came but I didn't think it would be this soon. I knew I couldn't face him right now. I could always hide out in my apartment and act like I didn't know he was back. I shook that plan off as soon as it crossed my mind. Ranger knew my spidey senses would tingle now if he came within a mile of my apartment building. I figured I would be getting more and more phone calls informing me that he was back. I had the sudden urge to see Mary Lou.

Picking up my cell from the floor, I found her number, pressing the send button. When she answered I smiled when I heard the tone of her voice. "Hey Lou, would you mind accepting an old friend back and some lunch at Pino's?," I said with a grin, hoping she would accept.

"Sure Steph, I'll meet you there tomorrow at noon okay? The kids will be in school so I won't have to worry about getting a sitter."

"Noon would be great! I'm buying," I said with a smile and disconnected. I couldn't wait to see my best friend. I needed to talk to her about Ranger and what to do. She always did know what to do.

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I awoke in my t-shirt, barely remembering changing into it. I took the straightening iron to my hair and the end product turned out very good. I swiped a few layers of mascara on my lashes, sweeped some cherry lip gloss across my lips, and applied a little blush. I was ready to go. I had a pair of low slung jeans on and a white tank top on, with a strapless bra supporting what little I had. I had to admit that I looked pretty good. It was 11:40 and I wanted to get to Pino's a bit early so I headed out to my car and it roared to life. I motored on over to Pino's and ordered a beer, waiting for Lou to get there.

When she arrived I jumped up and hugged her tightly. She gave me a worried look, but a friendly smile and sat down at the table with me, and ordered a beer for herself. I paid the waitress for our beers and ordered a large pepperoni pizza with black olives. We caught up for a bit on all the gossip and how her kids and her husband were doing and I promised to come to the Christmas Pageant for her kids this year, although I wasn't sure if I would still be living in this area at that time. She finally gave me a look that said, 'Okay spill.'

"Steph, seriously, what's bothering you? I know when there is something wrong?," she stated clearly. She was right, I couldn't keep stalling. It was eating me up inside. I explained about everything that had happened over the past six months.

"And then last night Joe calls and he's being an asshole so I asked him what he wanted and he said that he thought I should know that my boyfriend was back in town. He always refers to Ranger as that. He hung up and I didn't know what to do. I tried to think of something all night, and didn't get hardly a wink of sleep. Oh Lou, I just don't know what to do. I wouldn't even be able to function if I were to see him," I said, breaking down crying in my friends arms.

"Shh, Steph, it's okay, I'm here for you hon. Just calm down and breathe. You are slobbering on my shirt, haha," she said with a pause. She sighed and shook her head, placing a kiss to my hair. "I know he has hurt you, but maybe he had a reason for being away for so long. You just have to talk to him when you feel you are ready and tell him how you feel. I know you don't want to and I know you are going to be stubborn as hell about admitting this but you love him. I know you love him. Everyone does. I think that is why it hurt Joe so much," she said sighing again.

I nodded through my tears, wiping them away lightly, making sure I had no mascara running down my face. I laughed a bit.

"I keep making a mess of things. My heart won't seem to stay mended. I've tried to block out my feelings for him for about 3 months now but it's just not working now that I know I will have to face him. I'm scared Lou. I'm afraid I will break, or go crazy or something. I know I'm crazy already but I don't want to be admitted anywhere," I said with a light laugh.

We were interrupted by the door to Pino's opening and the person who had entered was temporarily unable to be seen from the glare coming in behind them. I looked up to see none other than Joe, walking toward me with a crazed look on his face. I groaned and shook my head. He was the last person I wanted to see right now.

"Hey Cupcake," he said smiling in an inhuman way it seemed like. He just didn't look like Joe.

"Don't call me that. I'm not your Cupcake. I will never be your Cupcake again. If you could kindly leave, I would like to finish talking to Mary Lou," I said with a stone cold voice.

"Look, I need to talk to you outside for a minute. A little heart to heart with my one and only," he said, grinning and stuffing his hands in his pockets. What was with this guy?!

"NO JOE! Please leave me alone. I don't want to have to call the police on you," I said, regretting it the moment it came out of my mouth.

"I AM the police honey. They wouldn't do a damn thing to me. Now if you would kindly step outside with me, I need to have a word with you," he said grabbing my arm and trying to pull me out of my seat.

"LET GO OF ME JOSEPH!" I yelled! It seemed minutes before I felt him jerked away from me. Ranger had a hold of the back of his neck and he was walking him towards the front entrance of Pino's.

"The lady said to leave her alone," he said forcefully, opening the door and throwing Joe outside.

"Don't come near her again cop," he said, and slammed the door shut. He turned and looked at me giving me a tight smile, barely visible to the untrained eye, but I knew Ranger well enough he was giving me a forced smile. I laid my head back on Lou's shoulder and started crying again. I felt him take my hand and he placed one finger under my chin and lifted my head up to face him.

"Babe, I need to talk to you, please?," he asked, his eyes showing a pleading look.

I looked to Mary Lou for help, but she simply gave me a loving smile and a nudge. "Go ahead hon. You need to do it."

I grimaced and let him lead me out of the booth and outside to stand beside his car.

"What Ranger? I haven't seen you or heard anything from you in six months? What do you want?"

Author's Note: Okay not many people are taking a big interest in this story so I hope this chapter will kick it up a notch or two. I hope it sparks some interest. Let me know what you think. I think I might do something crazy with Joe. It's sounding pretty good right now!
READ & REVIEW!
Lex