Note: Sorry for not updating. I had a speech to write and some things to catch up on. Thanks for the reviews, I really enjoy reading them! Anything you recognize isn't mine. Enjoy!


Later that afternoon, Ranger and I headed up to the apartment for lunch. I was a bit sore from the guys' bear hugs and from having an ear to ear smile on my face for hours. Still, I was relieved. Now that all of Rangeman knew, it felt as though a heavy burden was lifted from my shoulders. They know shared the secret with me. Much of the worry was gone too. I felt safe knowing Rangeman was on the job.

We stepped into the apartment, only to find that were not alone. I looked to Ranger, expecting to see homicidal rage in his eyes. Instead he was calm. Clearly he knew whoever had dared to enter his sanctum. He turned to me and said, "Babe, this is my sister, Maria. She's a makeup artist, and she specializes in cases such as yours. She's helped Rangeman before and is a great help."

I looked at him in confusion. Why would I need a makeup artist? Was something wrong with the way I look? Just as I was starting to get angry, Ranger smiled at me. His smile completely erased all of my thought, but, then again, most of what he does will do that. This one, though, was a full 200 watt, heart-melting grin. One that made me catch my breath and caused my heart to stop beating. A smile that could brighten the darkest of hours.

"Babe, you know that I love you just the way you are," I snapped out of my daze. Love? Did he just say love? "But you can't hide forever, no matter how much I would like you to, to keep you out of danger. I know by now that's not an option. So this is the next best thing. Follow Maria in to the bathroom. She'll explain it to you." I still wasn't sure. "Please." He got me there. If that man says please, I can't help but comply.

I walked into the bathroom to find bottles and makeup on every flat service. What exactly was she going to do? Maria must have heard me enter. She turned and said, in a voice as wonderful as Ranger's, "To put it simply, I'm giving you a new identity by completely changing your looks. None of this is permanent, so no worries. Here in Trenton, you'll be posing as a family friend, but in other situations, you may have to be a sister, cousin, or even his wife. Therefore, you need to look like my brother and I. That's what these bottles for, they're dyes. The first is for your skin, the second for your hair." She held up a third bottle. "Once this is all over, you can use this to go back to normal. At the very worst, it'll look like you have a light tan. Now let me work my magic."


An hour later, my skin and hair were very close to Ranger's in coloring. She had used a perm to tame my hair, banishing my curly lock. She even gave me some colored contacts, a dark shade of brown, and some makeup to compliment my new skin tone. I must admit, I looked good. I could get used to this.

Maria looked at me and smiled. "This is my best work yet. Of course, it helps tremendously that you were gorgeous to start with. It can be a problem with the guys at times." I smiled back. Maria and I were on the fast track to becoming friends. "Let's see what Ranger thinks."

Maria stepped out first, making my entrance all that more dramatic. Now for my turn. I took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing," I mumbled. I took the final step.


---- I'll try to update everyday during the week. It all depends on how the week goes. It's unlikely that anything will be posted this weekend, as we are going out of town. Next week's a bit iffy too, considering I'll have practice every night for a concert that weekend, but I'll try my best. Thanks for reading!