The Cricket

Last Time: There was a knock on the door. Ranger took his eyes off of her for a second to look at the door and when he looked back she was gone. "Enter," he said, voice shaky.

Chapter Three

It was Lester. "Hey boss man. Came to make sure you survived the blackout." He noticed the look of confusion on Ranger's face. "You cool?"

Ranger nodded. "Just thinking."

Lester looked skeptical. "Right. Well, it's my shift, call if you have any breakthroughs."

Ranger nodded.

Lester had almost closed the door when he called out. "Actually Lester, I'm gunna head up and work from the apartment."

Lester nodded. They parted ways and Ranger to the stairs to seven, not wanting to get stuck in the elevator if the power was to go out again. Shaking his head he opened the door to his apartment.

Settling on the couch with a bottle of water he sighed. Was he working too hard? Naw. He'd worked harder and longer hours then this without hallucinating. "Maybe I'm finally losing it."

"I don't think so."

He jumped and looked around. There she was leaning against the breakfast bar. "I actually think you more sane now then you've ever been. But," she shrugged, "what do I know?"

Ranger looked at his bottle of water. "Now I know I'm crazy."

She moved from the bar to sit next to him on the couch. "You don't listen do you." He ignored her. "Great, the cold shoulder. Fantastic idea." She glanced at him. "That's it. What is your problem?"

He turned. "What?"

"What is your problem? You can't talk to me? Listen to me? Even acknowledge me?"

Ranger was nonplused. "My problem? My PROBLEM!" He stood. "Here I am minding my own business and some figment of my imagination pops in and starts hassling me. And you wonder what my problem is?"

He had been gesturing wildly during his outburst. Now that he was finished he faced her again. She looked taken aback.

"Well, sorry." She looked as crestfallen as he felt. What was his problem? Yelling at some woman. Damn he felt like a jerk. "I mean, it's not like I have any control over these things."

"I'm sorry."

She looked up and studied him. "You really mean that. You think that even though I'm fucking up your life that you still shouldn't have gone off like that. You're really sorry, though," she paused, thinking, "You still think you deserve some answers."

It was his turn to study her. "You're really perceptive."

She smiled. "Not really." She patted the seat next to her. "I suppose I should give you some answers."

He sat. "Why are you here?"

She shrugged. "You let me in." He waited for more. "Actually, its been a while since I've been invited in and I couldn't not take the opportunity. Besides," she smiled at him. "You needed me."

"Needed you?"

She nodded.

"How did I need you?"

"You couldn't make up your mind. You need me to help you make decisions. That is my job after all."