Thanks for the well wishes and reviews/alerts on this impromptu short. Still testing negative, and feeling like a really bad cold (which it could be since we've had temps over 100 for two plus weeks. Going into the blasting AC in the office feels nice, but I'm obviously paying for it now. Hot, cold, hot, cold...).
Haven't had a chance to reply to all reviews yet, but def read them. Thanks to PhillyGirl27 for giving an insight into Tastykakes. Much appreciated. In my neck of the woods in So Cal we have Hostess and Marinela, the latter being a Mexican brand and my fave of the two (though the US pastries taste different than the Mexican ones, so I get PhillyGirl27's point).
A lot of you wondered what happened to make Stephanie just up and leave. Tommy14 stated they could see it happening and honestly so could I. It's quite nice to be anonymous, so I would get the appeal for Steph. I think she'd be happier living out of Trenton even if she continued working there.
Here's the continuation. Hope it was worth the wait.
Disclaimer: Plum universe belongs to JE. Typos are my bad.
Ranger's POV
I took a deep breath as I swung into the gas station. Even as I parked at the nearest pump to the door, I could see that my intel was good. It was Babe alright. Her hair looked somewhere between straight and wavy. There was a noticeable tan line on her upper arms every time she moved, causing her T-shirt sleeves to ride up minutely.
"Oh my God!" I heard her voice as I neared the glass door. I couldn't help but smile, holding back for several moments just to be able to hear her voice. God, I've missed her so, so much.
A full blown grin had taken over my usual blank face as I witnessed her so valiantly defending her Tastykakes.
"It's an East Coast thing." She finally settled on, knowing that she had no support for her claim that Tastykakes were actually good.
"And you're in the West, Babe." I interjected when I couldn't hold back any longer. The way her head jerked around to be able to look at me told me that she didn't hear me come in. Good, I was extra stealthy on purpose.
"How can I help you?" Despite her initial shock, Babe bounced back quickly. Rounding the counter to put a barrier between us was a great defense mechanism. I could be an asshole, throw her over my shoulder and take her back home with me. Yet, I know that won't be a solution to her internal turmoil.
As I took in her appearance, she did the same. Despite not knowing anything about her whereabouts for over six months, I always felt that she was safe. Our connection is so unique that for some unexplained reason I simply knew that she was okay.
"Fifty on number one." I finally said, knowing that this was neither the time nor the place to have our talk.
Soon, Babe.
"Alright. Anything else?" Babe moved with ease, meaning that she could probably do this in her sleep by now. Interesting. She seems to have adapted to her temporary new life quite well.
"And this." I smiled at her as I placed her favorite Tastykake on the counter. She scanned the pastry, all while avoiding eye contact. The tension between us seemed to skyrocket as I paid in cash. "Thanks." I flashed her my widest smile as I moved to exit.
"Wait!" Babe shouted at my retreating back. My heart pumped rapidly in my chest, wondering if she was going to be the first one to bridge the gap.
"Yeah, Babe?" I asked over my shoulder as I remained poised to push the door open.
"Uhm, you forgot your Tastykake." Babe muttered as she waved the pastry in the air.
"No." I shook my head. "That's for you. Enjoy, Babe." With a wink, I walked out into the godforsaken desert heat.
As I filled up my tank, I could feel the heat of someone's stare. Yet, the tingling in the back of my neck lied because it wasn't Babe who nearly had her face plastered on the glass to peer out at me.
The day progressed at a snail's pace. I checked in with the control room of each of the Rangeman branches. Well, I could whenever my signal was good. This place is so out in the middle of nowhere that reception can be hit or miss regardless of my top of the line tech.
My intel said Babe usually works the mid shift. Her reliever is set to arrive around 2300 hours, which meant that I had a long wait time. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered, except Babe. So, I hunkered down and waited.
Even as night fell, it was still somewhat warm. As 2300 hours came and no one other soul arrived, I briefly wondered if Babe was working a double today. I grunted in disgust. It'd serve me right if that were the case.
Finally, after 2330 hours another vehicle finally pulled into the station. The truck parked on the other side of the small building before a tall man emerged. It was hard to tell his age in the darkness, but I could tell he worked here because he was swearing the same T-shirt as Babe.
I watched her have a small exchange with the man before she moved away from the glass window, disappearing somewhere in the back. Babe returned a few moments later with a small bag in one hand.
As she walked towards her car, a rusted POS SUV that has seen way better days, I noted the instant she spotted me. She sighed audibly when she saw me leaning against her driver's side door. The crunch of the gravel made my heart race, each crunch marking her path towards me.
"What a shame." She muttered under her breath as she neared the back of the vehicle.
"You should go home, Ranger." Babe said as she opened the back of her SUV, producing a duffle bag from a hidden compartment.
"Babe." I called out to her when it became obvious that she was going to walk away. It wasn't lost on me that she's been preparing for this exact scenario. Although I'm proud of her for taking care of herself, I hate that she feels she has to put distance between us.
"Stephanie." I used her given name to show that I wasn't leaving until we talked.
With an uncharacteristic grunt, she turned around to face me.
"Well?" She asked with an arched eyebrow, her right foot tapping the gravel impatiently. "You came here to talk, so talk."
I hid my smile, because the heat behind her words told me that she still cared about us. I can work with passion. What I can't work with is a detached Stephanie.
"Want to grab a bite to eat while we do?" I lightened the mood by joking that my twigs and berries weren't enough sustenance.
I got the desired effect out of her when she let out a full on laugh. "At this hour, the only thing open is the Mickey D's drive thru." Her merriment was authentic as she told me that it was a good forty minute drive South from here.
"Okay." Fast food would never be my first choice, but I'll take it. "Let's go." I gave her what she not so secretly deemed my panty ruining smile as I suggested she take the lead. "I'll follow." I reminded her that I'd always follow, no matter how hard she made it.
"Obviously not hard enough if you found me." Babe muttered as she mentally debated accepting my offer or not.
"It was difficult." Very difficult. She bolted, literally, without warning. And she made sure to cover her tracks every step of the way. Every crumb I found led me to dead ends.
She'd laugh if she knew that the only reason I found her was because of one of my informant's dumb luck. He got turned around on his way home after a security job. Sanders was running out of gas and it was this deserted stop or being stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. I made it known far and wide with my contacts that I was looking for her. The lucky bastard thankfully recognized her two weeks ago. With the help of a few of my contract men, I got a sense of Babe's routine before I decided to make contact. Despite their training, the men were never able to figure out where she lived. She managed to lose every single one of them. Either she knew she was being watched, or she changed her route home every time. That's impressive considering there's only one major highway nearby.
"Seriously?" Babe eyed me warily, silently assessing the situation.
"There's no tracker, Stephanie." I meant it.
"Mmmm…." Babe leaned her weight on one foot as she considered her options.
"Hey, April, is this guy bothering you?!" The tall man exited the establishment, locking up behind him before ambling over to us. I arched an eyebrow at his pissy stare. I can fling him off with one hand no problem.
I arched an eyebrow at Babe for her use of a different name. I would have never guessed for her to choose April. Ignoring my pointed look, Babe focused on the other man.
"No." Babe shook her head as she told him that everything was okay. "Just an old friend. I'm okay, Mikey."
"You sure?" I had to give him credit for daring to stand up to me. There's no help for miles. He's either brave or really stupid.
"Yes." Babe thanked him and told him she'd be fine.
"Okay. Call if you need anything." He said to her before shooting me a glare. Brave, I decided.
"Fine." Babe unlocked her POS, tossing her bags on the front passenger seat before she angled behind the steering wheel.
As I started the ignition, I noted that she turned away from the highway. Frowning, I followed her down the dark dirt road.
"Are you trying to lose me, Babe?" I muttered to myself as I followed after her. She obviously knows where she's going because it's impossible to see much beyond whatever our headlights illuminated.
Minutes later, Babe made a hard jerk to the left as her car sputtered and died. I followed, parking behind her.
As I exited, I realized that I wouldn't have known that this small shoulder was here. There were parts of the road that had a high wall of sediment on one side and then a steep drop off on the other.
"Hahaha." Babe grumbled as she slammed her door closed. The Jeep's headlights illuminated her beautiful face as she ambled over to me.
"I didn't do anything." I shared before she got the wrong idea. I didn't mess with her vehicle in any way.
"Hmm." Babe didn't sound too convinced, so I opened the back of my Jeep to show her.
"Battery's no good." I stated as she held my flashlight so we could see the readout on my diagnostic device..
"Oh you mean that rust and white/gray-ish dust isn't normal?" Babe joked, sobering up as she confessed that this was the first vehicle that died on her during her traveling times. "Figures it would happen now." Stephanie said with utter resignation.
S&R
Stephanie's POV
"Where to, Babe?" Ranger asked after he secured the hood. Despite not being able to see my frown clearly, Ranger was quick to register my negative mood. "I'm not here to force you to come back." Ranger said, making me snort in response. I'm not naive enough to know that he very well can physically force me to go with him. "But I won't." Ranger proved that he can still read me very well. I know that too.
"Okay." I conceded, allowing him to collect my bags.
I followed after him and watched as he tossed my duffel bag in the back seat, next to his, before he put away his techy tools in the back. By the time he rounded the Jeep and opened the driver's door, I already had my butt firmly planted on the cushy passenger seat.
As soon as Ranger was settled, I spoke. Best not to beat around the bush.
"I didn't know I was going to take off." I shrugged as I admitted that it was a spur of the moment thing. "After everything that happened, I suddenly had the stark realization that I've never been truly alone in my life before."
"Stephanie…" I put up a hand to halt whatever he was about to say. I can read him as well and I can sense that he doesn't get where I'm coming from. Not really.
Taking a deep breath, I forged on.
"Growing up, well you get it." He nodded. "When I went off to college I had the hope that I'd finally be free of my Burg ties, even if just for a little bit." I scoffed, because that didn't really happen. "I had roommates, so not really ever alone." I shrugged, saying that when I returned to the Burg I lived with my parents once again. "Then I married The Dick…" I trailed off, because everyone and their mother knows what happened there. "After the divorce, I finally moved out on my own." A wry laugh escaped. "I wasn't alone. Not really." I explained how during my EE Martin days someone was always watching. "I was under a microscope even before I became a Bounty Hunter and met you." I added, shaking my head. "So, no I've never been alone, alone." I only ever had the illusion of privacy.
From the corner of my eye I saw something flash across his dark eyes. It was hard to tell what emotion was crossing his mind when all I had illuminating our forms was the lights on the dash.
"I wasn't really planning to just leave." Not really. Yes, I packed a bag with some essentials initially thinking spending some time at Haywood would be good for me. "But I just kept driving." The further away I got, the freer I felt knowing that I was by myself for the first time in my life. My previous car had been replaced, so I was driving a new to me car that Rangeman hadn't put a tracker on yet.
"I got your letter." Ranger interjected, signifying that he understood that I wasn't leaving him. No, I was leaving behind all that bullshit baggage that has followed me into adulthood.
"I said I'd be back when I was ready." I reached for his right hand, clasping it between my own before I settled our hands on my jean-clad lap. Ranger didn't point out that I never specified when I'd be back, if ever. I couldn't ask him to just wait for me.
"I heard what he said to you, Babe." His hand squeezed back, his tone supportive. "Lloyd was wrong." Ranger's free hand titled my head to the side so that I would be able to look into his eyes. "You have a lot to live for, Babe."
Two months before I left Trenton, my mother went on another one of her nagging sessions. I was several months fresh off of my final break up with Morelli. My mother made it her mission to somehow wrangle us back together even though I was already officially seeing Ranger. When all her attempts failed, she 'gifted' me a free session with a hotshot new therapist in town. According to my mother, therapy had 'fixed' Marie Carrington's daughter. Honestly, I would have blown her off had she not nagged me about all the money she dished out for said unwanted gift. In retrospect, I could have asked Ranger to loan me the cash to pay my mother back. That would have been a better ending to the whole mess. But of course, I didn't. Ranger bled a lot of money every time I was involved in a disaster. My mother heckling me wasn't an emergency, or so I thought, which is why I didn't bother Ranger with something so mundane.
I broke when my mother hounded me virtually day and night. I was after two medium bond skips at the time and really needed the cash. Nicholas Lloyd had great reviews and people in town swore up and down that he was a miracle worker. I thought it was a little odd that the Burg of all places was talking about therapy of all things. Guess that should have been the biggest red flag. So, yeah I went to the paid for session with Nicholas Lloyd. How everyone thought he was the shit, it was hard to understand in the midst of it all. My Spidey Sense went off the moment I walked into his office. My instincts told me to flee. Never before had I cut a meeting so short in my life. Lloyd gave me the creeps.
Two weeks later, I picked up yet another stalker. It's sad to say that even that wasn't an anomaly in my old life, especially since my new stalker was pretty tame in comparison with his predecessors. Sadly, I had so much going on that I didn't pick up on the obvious clues. One morning I woke up to find that Rex was missing from his usual perch on my kitchen counter. Someone had broken into my apartment while I was sleeping, which really pissed me off. Before I could even process the scene, I stumbled on the abominable scene. Losing my hamster was a low blow.
Days later, I got a call from Lloyd asking when I'd like to schedule another appointment with him. I declined, half listening to him as I headed for my latest POS as I gave Lloyd whatever excuse popped into my head to be able to end the inopportune call. Except, Lloyd captured my attention when he mentioned I could really benefit from learning new coping mechanisms after my recent loss. The only person I told about Rex was Ranger. Not even the Burg knew, so the only way Lloyd had guilt knowledge was if he was my stalker.
I didn't have the chance to digest my newfound revelation, because Lloyd was waiting for me. He pointed a gun in my face, again that wasn't new for me, and ordered me to get behind the wheel of my rust bucket. I resisted until Mrs. Bestler exited the lobby. Lloyd was quick to use her as leverage and on a trip we went. What he didn't know was that I activated my panic button before he made me dispose of my cellphone in the dumpster.
I drove for what felt like an eternity. Lloyd spat his psycho-babble the whole ride, trying his damndest to twist reality to his sick liking. The one time Mrs. Bestler tried to interject, Lloyd inflicted extra pressure on me by hurting her. She told me not to bend, both of them talking at me the whole drive.
Eventually we reached the isolated place Lloyd deemed good enough. In the end, the sick bastard made me choose between saving myself or saving Mrs. Bestler. She was a champ, conveying with one heated look that whatever I chose was good in her book.
In the split second that I had to make a decision, it dawned on me that Lloyd's endgame was to break me mentally before he broke me physically. The bastard knew exactly what to say and how to say it to push me to the edge of my control. Luckily, the self righteous idiot underestimated me just like every asshole that came before him. He never anticipated my next move. He was overconfident about his pseudo power.
"I choose option number three: to end you!" I hollered, giving Mrs. Bestler the heads up to duck out of the way. In an overly exaggerated move that would have made Grandma Mazur proud had she been there, Mrs. Bestler jabbed a bony elbow against Lloyd's gut before throwing herself on the ground.
As we struggled for the upper hand, Lloyd used the only weapon he had left in his arsenal: his words.
"What's so great about the Bombshell Bounty Hunter's life?" The a-hole kept yapping, throwing verbal blows with the physical ones.
Lloyd was a twisted fucker. Why he fixated on me, I'll never know. He's no longer here to say. Not that it really matters at this point. I always did attract every nutso in my vicinity.
"Babe, none of what happened was your fault." Ranger's voice snapped me back to the present. "You had every right to take a break." His support has kept my steam going when I felt like I couldn't hold on anymore.
Despite that, I still needed to fly and walk on my own without any safety nets to catch me. I've learned a lot about myself.
"Do you know how long you'll be in the wind, Babe?" I couldn't help smiling at him. Ah, Ranger humor.
"I've missed you." I reiterated what I wrote in my letter, instinctively wrapping my arms around his neck as I hugged him fiercely. With the awkward angle due to the center console being in the way, I resorted to burying my face against Ranger's neck. Inhaling his unique Bulgari scent, I sighed with content.
"I probably smell like sweat, Babe." Ranger's full of humor tonight.
"Oh, please. Like you didn't blast the AC the whole time you waited for my shift to end." I chuckled into his ear, not willing to break away from our tight hug just yet. Being by my lonesome has been refreshing, sure, yet I meant it when I said I loved him and always would.
"Not the whole time, Babe." Ranger engaged in this banter, saying I smelled good too.
I laughed, really laughed. "Now I know you're full of crap, Batman, because that old AC and ceiling fans barely make it slightly more tolerable than the inferno outside." I'm sure I sweat up a storm in just my last hour on the clock alone.
It was Ranger's turn to laugh, his breath tickling my ear. "I would have never guessed you'd be so far away from the ocean."
"I can go to the beach." I said as we pulled back slightly, our gazes locking as soon as we had a visual. "If I want to drive for like three hours, each way that is." Maybe I was imagining things, but our faces were very close together. All it would take would be one small shift from one of us for our lips to meet.
And they did as we kissed each other with unrestrained fervor.
It was difficult to know how long we indulged in delicious kiss after kiss. Eventually, Ranger pulled back just when I was two seconds away from jumping him.
"Where to, Stephanie?" I could feel that he was giving me all the power. He'd respect whatever I chose, which caused heat to spread across my chest. It was easy to reply.
"Just drive." I smiled as I settled back in my seat, buckling my seat belt as I directed Ranger how to get back to the highway. He probably didn't need it, yet indulged me anyway.
We rode in comfortable silence for over forty minutes going North before Ranger spoke up.
"We're nearing Nevada, Babe." When he threw out that he wasn't allowed in the state, I gasped.
"Oh, shit. I forgot…" I trailed off when I remembered that he cleared up that issue years ago. Since he was feeling playful, I decided to play along. "You can just leave me at the state line then."
"Babe." He knew I was just messing with him, because he asked me where I wanted to go.
"I don't know, Batman. How much time do you have?" My suggestion of embarking on a little joint road trip was met with Ranger reaching for my left hand. The squeeze he gave me was answer enough.
Ranger's on board. Good, because one of the things I've discovered in my time away from Jersey is that home isn't a place. No, it's a feeling.
With Ranger by my side, I'll always be home.