Surviving Stephanie Chapter 35

Disclaimer: And I'm back to stealing Janet's plot. Profitlessly of course. And with complete respect. Mostly.

Note: Thank you to everyone for reading! Stick with me, it's almost through.
Nathan's Raven: If you can outwit the rest of us Babes to get to him first, he's all yours, lol.

Webster: Thank you, that's a very high compliment. Poor Janet, I think she's in constant danger of rabid fans chasing her down with nerf bats. I shall write on, and hope I don't disappoint. :D

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"Don't you dare tell anyone!"

"Babe," he was still laughing.

"Please?" I wailed, feeling vaguely desperate. Odd where my priories were- I could handle being insane, threatened, stalked, killed, but someone brings up my stupid name and I'm whining like a 12-year-old. "Would you like being named Moonbeam? How the hell will anyone ever take me seriously. You can't even say with without grinning!"

I turned to look at him across the console and put on a stage smile. "Hi!" I said in my brightest, bubbliest voice. "I'm Moonbeam, I'm here to take you to the pokey! So be nice and I won't kick your ass."

Ranger was trying valiantly not to laugh. "Pokey?"

Of course. That entire tangent and he picks up on that. "I was going for effect. Now, I ask you. What would you do if I showed up looking for you?" Ranger's eyes slid away from the road to look me over and his smile was pure wolf. I swallowed and tried not to think for a minute as my body started to get its own ideas. "If you weren't you."

"At least you can be pretty sure they'll underestimate you."

He did have a point. "Okay, fine. But do you honestly want to admit you have someone on the employment roster at RangeMan named Moonbeam? They'll think you're in a prostitution ring."

"More likely Green Peace."

"Same thing. Ruins your image either way."

Ranger's head moved in a negative manner but he stayed quiet. I was learning to appreciate his quiet moments. I never had the urge to kick him when he was quiet. Well, mostly never.

We pulled into the parking lot of the apartment and I was about to climb out when Ranger's hand caught my shoulder.

"The guy in the gray sedan. He belong here?"

I followed Ranger's gaze and bit my lip as I tried to remember. Crap. We were at this sequence? I thought I might have avoided it…

"No. I don't recognize him."

His face turned grim then went emotionless and he inclined his head even less than normal. "Follow my lead."

I grabbed my gun out of the ugly Coach purse and trailed Ranger over to the sedan, a sick feeling of dread washing over me. It wasn't cold outside but suddenly my hands were icy as he tapped the driver side window and it rolled down. The man inside was bald, with beady eyes and somehow reptilian. My skin crawled just looking at him.

"Waiting on someone?" Ranger asked.

"What's it to you?"

Ranger moved fast, grabbing the guy by his jacket and pulling him halfway out the window. I swallowed and kept my jaw shut. This wasn't my scene anyway.

"I need you to take a message to Eddie Abruzzi for me, can you do that?"

Reptile Guy nodded.

Ranger let him slither back into his car. "Remind him he's lost the war and he needs to move on."

We watched the sedan drive off and I pretended my hands weren't numb as they gripped my gun a little too tightly. Ranger relaxed a little as the car disappeared, but he was still on alert.

"We'll give the rest of the team a couple minutes to get out of your apartment. I don't want to shoot anybody. I have a tight schedule this afternoon, I don't have time to fill out the police forms."

"Team? There's a team?" I choked on that news. "I need a drink." Ranger just looked at me. Probably he didn't see any reason to get upset over a little thing like a hit squad. "You know he isn't going to listen right? He's not the moving on type. He's the burning-at-the-stake type."

Ranger shrugged. "He doesn't have an option."

"Sure he does. Kill me."

"Babe."

I just looked at him this time. My mind was reconsidering my current predicament. Mom was here now. Somehow it made things different. I wasn't sure how except that she was still exactly Mom. Her name wasn't Ellen or Helen and she wasn't married to Dad. She was torturing poor Derek.

"Time enough?" I asked Ranger, since I was perfectly aware I didn't have any answers and even fewer clues.

We took the stairs. Yes, the alarm confirmed there had been a security breech. Ranger went in first, but found nothing. I already knew he wouldn't. Instead of bothering to follow him like a lost puppy I checked to make sure Hamtaro was still kicking, then stood next to the phone to wait.

I didn't have to give it long. Sure enough, it rang and there was an annoyed Jersey guy on the other end.

"Where's Manoso?"

I sighed. "Good afternoon, Mr. Abruzzi. Just a moment, please." Ranger stepped out of the hall, looking extremely pissed. I handed him the phone and wondered if Abruzzi would die in a third would country or become its dictator.

My vote was on the dictator option.

Ranger hit speaker phone.

"Stay out of this," Abruzzi hissed. "This is a private matter between the girl and I."

"You involved me, Abruzzi. Your guys hit my car the other night."

There was a string of Italian.

"My apologies. We will replace the car."

"You know it don't work that way."

"Then we are at war as well. I suggest you look out the window at the parking lot." The line went dead. I eyed the window and debated whether I wanted to look or not. I like the Mercedes. I didn't want to see it die.

But like a good little actress I took my stage cue and followed Ranger over in time to watch the spectacle as somebody tossed something out the window of an suv. The something hit the Mercedes and there was a very large, ear-rattling explosion.

I looked at Ranger, feeling a little worried. Sure, losing a truck was one thing, but another Mercedes? That was going to hurt.

"I liked that car," Ranger said as the sirens got closer.

"Me too."

I sniffled, and watched the flames licking through that lovely leather interior. I sniffled again. I was shaking, and my stomach felt like I'd been eating Mexican jumping beans that were still jumping. Another sniffle.

Suspicious, I lifted a hand to touch my nose. Oh, frabjous joy, bloody nose. I hated Abruzzi. I put my other hand on Ranger's shoulder in mute apology then dashed for the bathroom and the tissues.

The next few hours were full of me trying to play familiar with various policemen who apparently knew me or knew of me and Ranger filling out paperwork. I was betting if he could have managed it, whoever invented the idea of a form would have found themself in Sudan.

Morelli showed up as they were hauling the remains of the Mercedes away on a flatbed and the crime scene was beginning to disperse. Thankfully my nose had quit bleeding an hour beforehand, but then again I rather wished it would start again. Any excuse to avoid him. The Morelli Guilt welled up, twisting my stomach a little tighter than it had been.

"Cupcake," Joe said. I gritted my teeth and felt a small little bit of the guilt disappear. "Want to tell me about this?"

I bit my lip and thought about it. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Ranger looking our way. He didn't look happy, in fact, he looked even less happy than he had looked. I focused back on Joe's puppy dog brown eyes and his disheveled hair. God he was hot. He also looked a little worried. But on the other hand, I had my orders.

Some girls don't listen to their parents, and generally I was one. But when dad gave a direct order, I was disinclined to ignore it.

"Sorry, Detective. I already gave my report to Constanza," I said gently.

"Steph," Joe's eyes widened a little and I could see the hurt in them. "I know I was a bastard the other day—Look," he sighed, and glanced to Ranger and back at me. "We need to talk. Can we just step outside for a second?" He was about as close to pleading as Italian male genetics came, I'd guess. And he was using the puppy dog eyes. Damn it.

"Just for a second. A little privacy would be a good idea."

We walked a short way down the street and turned the corner, putting a few extra yards between us and the chaos zone before we squared off. I kept my arms hugged tight around me, suddenly feeling even more sick than I had. Maybe it had been bad tofu… yeah, that was it. It was bad tofu. Nothing to do with the overwhelming sense of doom.

"All right, Joe. Talk."

He ran his hands through his hair and looked at me, his eyes suddenly lost. "I'm sorry, Cupcake. I fucked up… I really fucked up." Gee, you think? And they say detectives aren't smart… "I guess I'm out of chances now, huh?"

"Yeah. That would be a safe guess, Joe."

"Your dad—Your dad said I—" his eyes were on my arm. I considered pulling up my sleeve but decided against it. Cruelty to boys was well and good, but not if one was at least attempting an apology.

"Yeah. You did."

"Christ." He looked like he wanted to throw up.

"Just take it as an object lesson," I suggested. "You didn't mean to, I know. But you have to be more aware of stuff." I had almost said 'your surroundings.' I really needed to spend less time stealing Ranger's lines.

Joe didn't look convinced. "So, you and Ranger are an item now?" He kept his voice remarkably clear of resentment. I almost didn't catch it at all.

"Maybe," I shrugged. "We'll see what happens."

There was a long silence. He looked sad, and far away. He was looking at a future that might have been, disappearing. "I think that was the problem. You never—"

I never heard what he said next. There was an explosion of noise and the sound of tires squealing. I turned in time to see Reptile Man jumping out of an SUV, running straight at us.

"What the hell?" Joe was reaching for his gun there was another movement off to the side.

"Run!" I yelled at him and took off, heading back toward the apartment. I made it two steps before something hit me in the shoulder. Another four before my legs gave out. I fell hard, right on my injured side. I forgot to breathe as the pain hit. But my eyes were open. I heard someone curse and looked up. The Lizard was leering down at me in triumphant glee.

If I'd been able to breathe I would have screamed. If I'd had enough time I might have managed it anyway, but he touched my arm and all the noise I made was a small gasp before I blanked out.