Okay, so I made myself type up a new chapter for you before I leave for San Fran on Wednesday (RWA Nationals!)… Now, before you get excited, I apologize if it's a little rough… my muse wasn't really in it and I had to force it out and I didn't really have the time to edit… but I hope it satisfies anyway.
Thanks for everyone's kind words and the loyal readers… without further ado…

Oh... and the usual disclaimers and crap... blah blah blah... my own dream world within the Plum universe...

As the effects of Ranger's kiss, and the resulting hormone overload that accompanies one, dwindled, my new situation was becoming clearer by the second. Ranger was already stalking away with me in tow as my brain slowly took in all the ramifications of my apartment being vandalized… again. The biggest, as already demonstrated, being manhandled and locked away by the ultimate alpha male in protection mode. I couldn't quite hold back the sigh that correlated with that thought, even though it caused Ranger's hands to tighten around me as if he knew the direction of my thoughts… which, knowing him, he probably did. We were halfway down the stairs when I realized this also probably meant the end of my two blissful days of experiencing Ranger orgasms whenever I wanted, because in less than an hour we would be disagreeing on the status of my freedom, putting a big thorn in the side of our newly discovered relationship status.

By the time we hit the parking lot Ranger was speed walking towards the still running black bronco with Tank standing in the open driver door, having either used ESP or just knowledge from the fact that we were standing in front of my apartment building, to gather there was a threat of danger. Something too indistinguishable for my untrained-army eyes passed between the two men and as Ranger opened up the back door for me Tank repositioned himself behind the wheel. Ranger placed a quick, distracted kiss on my lips as he arranged me in the seat, closing the door before I could even think to open my mouth and ask the questions that were jumbling around uselessly in my head. In the next instant, before my brain could catch up and send the message to my mouth to form words, Tank hit the gas and reality suddenly broke through the haze overtaking my brain.

What in the hell had just happened?

I turned in my seat just in time to see Ranger walk through the door of my building with his cell to his ear, assumedly to secure my apartment, before glaring at the back of Tank's head and willing an excuse to come out of his mouth. No such luck of course, so I tried a more direct route.

"Where are we going?" I asked slowly, working hard to control my growing annoyance of having decisions made for me.

"Haywood."

Well, there went the control. I could practically feel the steam start to escape from my ears.

"May I please see your phone?"

Tank shot a worried glance over his shoulder… obviously my attempt at a sugary sweet voice had sounded a bit more hysterical than I planned. Either way, whatever it was he saw on my face caused him to hand his phone over immediately. Smart man… unlike some I could name.

I dialed Ranger's number from memory, squeezing the phone in my hand so hard as I waited for it to connect I worried I might shatter it. It didn't, of course, because I'm sure Ranger only buys indestructible phones for his personnel.

The phone rang once before being cut off as if someone had picked up but not answered. I've been around Ranger enough that this can occasionally be the standard hello when Tank calls, so I got straight to the point.

"Who died and appointed you the director of my life?" Okay, my immature self was showing again, but I could care less… again.

There was a beat of silence and then,

"Babe."

"Don't 'Babe' me Ranger… I wanted to go home damnit!" My Italian genes were working themselves into a frenzy and I kept hitting the seat in front of me with my flailing hands. "I need to feed Rex, and do laundry, and sleep in my crappy sheets, and I definitely do not need to spend another night in your damn Zen apartment smelling like Bulgari for work tomorrow so that everyone and their mother can hound me for measurements and make my life a living hell!" I stopped at that point, realizing I was saying much more than I had meant to. Much more than needed to be said, judging from the silence on the other end.

"Finished?" Ranger calmly asked after a few more beats of awkward silence.

"Maybe for now." Stupid Stephanie shot back, obviously intent on finding out if Ranger really would crate me up and send me to a third world country.

"Babe, your apartment isn't safe… the door won't even close all the way."

"You still could have asked." I replied mulishly; obviously no one taught Batman how to argue, he was being practical and I couldn't argue back at that.

"Sorry, would you rather Tank bring you to your parent's house?"

Damn him. We both knew I would shoot myself in the head if I had to deal with my mother after this past gossipy weekend.

"I hate you."

"Babe."

The line clicked dead and I barely resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at the mouthpiece. I stewed for another few minutes in silence, glaring out the tinted window as we approached the RangeMan building, a thought suddenly occurring to me.

"What about the client emergency?" I asked, not at all happy with the thought of Ranger neglecting important work simply because my apartment was broken into again.

"Hal and Zero were radioed out at the first sign of break in, Ranger will have a car dropped off for him when a team arrives at your apartment and will proceed to the client from there." Tank answered from the front seat. This whole sticking me in the backseat was annoying too, like Driving Miss Daisy does New Jersey.

"Why does Ranger have to go to the break in if Hal and Zero were already radioed out?" I asked, curiosity of Ranger's job momentarily overtaking my annoyance at being manhandled.

"On any system bypass that results in an actual break in Ranger wants to inspect in person." Of course he does, he probably considers it a personal hit.

I watched as Tank fobbed us through the gate, parking in one of the multiple open spaces before I shot out of the backseat. The fire in me stayed simmering, bubbling beneath the surface (impatiently waiting for Ranger) as I considered my next course of action. Before I had even considered my options I felt a warm hand on my elbow. I looked up into Tank's eyes, wary with concern of what I'd do, as he gestured towards the elevator. I frowned but walked towards it with my obedient trailing watchdog behind me to make sure I didn't decide to suddenly burst into a run out of the building (to give him some credit, I had done something similar in the past).

Knowing Ranger I was on official RangeMan Building Lockdown.

I stomped my way into the instantaneous elevator, wondering in the back of my mind how RangeMan always managed quick elevators and primo parking spots, jamming the floor five button with my finger. I noticed Tank's raised eyebrows but he didn't comment on whatever it was that had him curious. The doors slid open in a matter of seconds (heaven forbid anything pertaining to RangeMan not be the quickest or the best) and I made my way to my cubicle that had never been reassigned, ignoring the mass that was Tank trailing behind me. I booted up the computer, turning to Tank and coolly requesting any searches that needed to be done. If I was going to be held hostage I was at least going to do something productive with my time while I waited for Ranger's return.

I lost myself in the searches and before I realized the time, a deafening silence suddenly fell over the room.

Ranger.

I let an almost evil smile grace my lips as I slowly stood, crossing my arms beneath my breasts and turning towards the elevators. Ranger looked like he had just stepped off, his eyes roaming the room, as Tank stood next to him give what was obviously a report of activity. His eyes immediately locked with mine and I answered his questioning eyebrow with my best 'Burg glare… just in case he hadn't realized I was pissed off at him. He nodded at Tank, our eyes still locked, and started to walk over to me without an ounce of emotion on his face.

"So I assume now that you've had sufficient time and resources to secure my apartment you'll be taking me home now." I asked as soon as he was within hearing distance. He didn't answer, only stopped in front of me, crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow.

My eyes narrowed dangerously which only resulted in a "Babe."

"That 'babe' better mean 'of course I'm taking you home now, just as soon as you're ready' Ranger."

Ranger watched me for a moment, still completely devoid of emotion, perhaps gauging how serious I was being.

"No."

I guess the ESP is broken tonight.

"What do you mean no?!"

"I mean you are not sleeping in your apartment tonight, I grabbed Rex and packed a bag for you."

If I had been a dog my haggles would have shot straight up.

"Well, I appreciate the effort…" Not. "…but I think I'd rather sleep in my own bed anyways." Nothing, no response, (except for the slight quirk I noted about the sleeping in my own bed, we both know his bed is so much better than mine, but it's the principle) no raised eyebrow even… just that annoyingly calm 'boss' persona.

"Christ, do you have a patent on the blank face thing or what?" Well that got me a raised eyebrow and a few bold snickers from the peanut gallery who were brave enough to stick around. "Emotionless Blank Face, copyright RangeMan, LLC., designed and perfected by the fucking Man of Mystery himself… proceed with caution, works best while wearing all black and being a domineering ass."

I didn't even see him move, but suddenly I was upside down with Ranger's shoulder knocking the breath from my body as I blinked in confusion at the small of his back. My bitch mode reared its head instantly.

"Damnit Ranger! Put me down!" Silence. "I am not going to a damn safe house, and I am not getting locked up in this building like it's my own personal jail! I don't care what you found there, I'm going back to my apartment" I accentuated every point with a fist in his back, not that it did anything other than hurt my hand – damn man of steel. "I have a life, I have a job, and I have serious issues with being manhandled damn you!"

I heard the elevator's arriving ding and went for a stiff pinch on his ass instead of a punch that would only hurt me. I watched the ground as he stepped in, turned around, and promptly returned the pinch on my upturned ass as the elevator began its assent.

I could do nothing but huff in return, well, as much as I was able anyways with my stomach indented on a hard rock shoulder. Obviously, my punches and pinches weren't doing me any good, and to be honest I was a little lightheaded from all the blood that was filling my head.

I considered the pros of passing out, or throwing up maybe, if I could even force myself to, but the elevator dinged our arrival at the seventh floor before I could attempt anything drastic. I dispassionately watched the marble flooring in the entryway blending into the foyer of Ranger's apartment and finally to the thick carpeting that signaled Batman's bedroom. I counted four steps and then, yup, flat on my back on the bed staring up at an annoyed man in black with his hands on his hips.

I wonder what he's more annoyed with… the fact that I argued back, or that I mouthed off in front of his men…or maybe that I called him a domineering ass. Tough choices.

I laid there waiting for a few minutes, wondering just what Batman would do in this situation. With Joe, I knew exactly how he would react to everything, but the Man of Mystery was just that… a mystery.

I sighed, and even though I wasn't being lectured or yelled at, I can recognize a immovable obstacle when I see one…and Ranger was definitely one. Great, this could only mean my apartment had held something that equaled hazardous to my health. I spied my black duffle bag on the floor near the closet doorway and decided I might as well get comfortable… it was obvious I was stuck here, especially with Ranger looking like he was on bodyguard duty, even if I wasn't happy about it. I shot Ranger a quick glare before standing up and walking around the wall his rock hard body creates, thinking I might take a long (Bulgari free) bath to relax my deliciously stiff muscles as Ranger filled me in on the situation.

I dug through the duffel, curious as to what Batman packed for me, opening my mouth to let Ranger know my plan when my fingers hitting something stiff buried beneath the wads of clothes. My bathroom bag hopefully, I thought as I pulled it to the surface, unless Batman wanted to share his toothbrush again. But instead of asking Ranger for details on my way to a blissful bath I frowned at the cardboard box my search resulted with, utterly confused.

Where was my damn bathroom bag? And why would Ranger stop at the store and buy condoms and then bury the box in my duffle bag… was he trying to tell me something? Except… the box was open… like it had been forgotten about in my duffle bag for a while. I tried to think of the last time I'd packed anything, and the only thing I could come up with was various weekend trips to Morelli's… which would explain the condoms. Aaaah… wait! A flashback of Ranger murmuring 'No black rubber' played out in my head, forcing my feet to move me towards my purse in a blind haze. Shit! We didn't use protection… damnit, where were my pills?

Please let me have remembered to take them yesterday…