OK, so maybe I started this story to procrastinate. LOAP wasn't going the way I wanted so I started a new fic. But then all your reviews happened and I HAD to continue. I didn't want to seem rude.

Thank you all so much for your kind feedback, I appreciate each and every one of them.

I wasn't sure you guys would like what I made Ranger say, so I'm really grateful you let me know how you felt.

So now it's time for Joe's answers, then Steph's decision (if any) in the next and final chapter. Unless you suggest otherwise, I welcome all reviews and suggestions.

Rating: T so far. Let's see what happens…

Spoilers: TS to some extend

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Clueless in Trenton

Chapter 3

I was a lot more nervous than I would have liked as I waited for Joe that evening.

I'd done the grocery shopping and some other errands, but I'd been too wired to go after FTA's. Helpful Helen had me in a state!

I'd taken the sheet with Ranger's answers and put it on top of mine, only Joe's was missing now. Just like I'd done for Ranger, I copied all the questions on a blank sheet of paper. Ranger'd been easier, since he'd heard the premise on the show and was prepared. Okay, so it had been embarrassing that he'd also heard me complain about the two men in my life, but at least I didn't have to explain anything.

Probably Joe would think I was crazy.

He was 50 percent of the reason I'd gone and gotten snockered with Lula the night before. So also half the reason I'd called Helpful Helen.

It was because I was in love with him and Ranger that I was in this predicament. So I'd just have to suck it up and ask him.

I jumped when he knocked on the door and told myself to get a grip before I went ahead and answered it.

"Everything okay, Cupcake?" He greeted me. He looked yummy in his dark green t-shirt and faded blue jeans.

But then, physically, there was nothing wrong with either of 'my' men anyway. There wasn't anything wrong with them otherwise either, the problem was me.

I smiled at Joe and stepped aside so he could come in.

"I'm fine. Sorry if I alarmed you." I said lamely as he passed me.

I took a deep breath and followed him.

"I just have a favor to ask. Well, two favors…" I said.

Joe turned to look at me and raised his eyebrows. His eyes were the color of molten chocolate and they looked soft and tired now.

"Anything, Cupcake, you know that." He said.

I smiled. "It's not that kind of favor…it's silly, actually…" I picked up the sheet of paper.

"I'm gonna give you some time to answer a couple very personal questions. I won't share your answers with anyone."

Joe looked puzzled. I had to admit I wasn't making much sense. Probably Joe didn't do many of the Cosmo questionnaires to find out where his erogenous zones were and stuff. This would have been a lot easier to explain to a girl. I sighed.

"Have a look." I said and handed him the paper. Joe took it and started reading. He looked back up at me a couple minutes later and he was smiling.

"Is this something Dr. Phil suggested?" He asked and winked at me.

"No," I explained, "But close. Helpful Helen. She said your answers would help me understand you better." Close enough, anyway.

To Joe's credit, he just shook his head slightly and took the pen I offered.

"Beer?" I asked and he nodded. I knew I'd needed beer to finish the questions.

I got two bottles out of the fridge and gave Joe one, then I left him alone as I'd promised. To keep myself occupied, I got Rex out and put him in the sink to clean his aquarium.

Since I hadn't heard from Joe when I was done with that, I started cleaning my fridge by throwing out food that had started to look like a science class experiment.

After that, I grew restless. I checked the clock on the microwave, it'd been a half hour. I didn't know how long exactly it had taken Ranger, but it wasn't longer than a shower.

Just then, Joe put his arms around me from behind and I gasped in surprise.

"That was fun, Cupcake, now can we move on to the interesting part?" He asked and started nuzzling the skin right under my ear.

I knew exactly what his idea of interesting was and I had to gather up all my self control to take a step forward out of his arms.

"Sorry," I said, "I'll need to go through your answers and…"
"Nice try." Joe cut me off as he closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me again. Then he lowered his mouth to mine and demonstrated once again why I was so confused and was unable to choose one man over the other.

Hours later, I peeled myself away from Joe's naked body as carefully as possible so I wouldn't wake him. I had to read his answers!

It was 2 in the morning, my usual hour lately. I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and settled on the couch with it, the sheet of paper with Joe's answers on the coffee table in front of me.

1. What are the three items you would take with you to a deserted island?

'Matches, football, water bottle' was what Joe'd put down. Guys were so practical, I thought. But did that say anything about them?

2. You can ask any person a question, any question, whether they're dead or alive. Who would you ask and what's the question?

'Steph: Will you marry me?'

I sucked in air and almost choked on my beer. Was he serious??? Oh my God! How do you ask someone if they meant that without giving away what you feel? Did I want him to mean it? Was I scared he meant it?

It took me a while to calm down enough to continue.

3. Did you ever apologize for something that wasn't your fault? Why?

'No, but I need to learn to apologize when it IS my fault.' Huh. Go figure. Joe'd done some soul searching, it would seem. He usually blamed being Italian for flying off the handle. Apologies had never been his strong suit.

4. If there was one event in the past year you could get undone, what would it be?

'Putting Bob on diet' Joe'd written. I had to laugh at that. Of all the things he'd said and done and that happened to him, this is what he chose to undo? Men.

5. Write down the three most influential people in your life, past and present. But not more than three.

I didn't know which question had taken Joe the longest, but there were a few names crossed out under this one. What he'd finally left was 'Mom, Mooch, Det. Steller'. What was it with guys and their work buddies or superiors? It was very interesting to see how very similar and yet so very different Joe and Ranger were.

6. If you'd won the jackpot a year ago, what would you have done with the money?

'Buy Mom new house and car, buy self new house, new car and insurance' Joe'd put down. It was sort of what I'd expected and sort of not. I wasn't surprised Joe would buy his mom a new house, but I wouldn't have thought he'd want to buy insurance for himself. I'd have to ask him about that. Right after I'd ask him if he was serious about question number two, I figured.

7. If a genie granted you one wish, what would you wish for?

'Ivisibility' Joe'd written. This time, I sprayed beer all over me as I laughed out loud. No doubt Joe wanted to be invisible to sneak in somewhere, like the bathroom when I was in it. This was the old Joe writing, I decided, a glimpse of the boy he'd been. I didn't think he was serious about this one, but it was too cute.

8. You have the power to forever eliminate a natural disaster. Which one would you choose?

'Since I can't hope to tame you, I'd go with blizzards' was what Joe'd put down. Again I was giggling. He'd often compared me to a natural disaster. I was glad he hadn't put down that he wanted to eliminate me, joking or not. But still, his answer was sweet.

9. You are given the chance to alter one thing about your physical appearance or character, what's your choice?

'Increase patience' was Joe's choice. He definitely knew himself, that's what I would have liked to change about him, too. Our tempers usually got the best of us when we were together.

10. Did you answer the preceding nine questions honestly? If not, would you like to change an answer?

'I'll tell you later'.

Oh great. I'd been looking forward to this last question to maybe shed some light on how serious he'd been about question number two, now I was as clueless as before.

I scoffed. Some help Helpful Helen had been. What the hell was I supposed to do with these answers, how would they tell me who Mr. Right was?

I chose to try and get some more sleep before I spend hours trying to figure it out, so I emptied my beer and crawled back into bed.

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A/N: Not really a cliffhanger because you got all the answers, right??