Title: Those bloody questions!
Chapter 7: More questions!
Author: Ann
Rating: (G to NC-17): G
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Summary: Stephanie asks Ranger some questions
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine except Aurelia, I just play with them
More words appeared on my screen! Hope you like it. Please review!
More questions!
Ricardo and Stephanie both stood frozen for what seemed like a long time. They just kept looking at each other. Ricardo was trying to put the pieces together in his memory and Stephanie seemed a bit apprehensive about his reaction once he put the pieces together. After a while Ricardo opened his mouth to speak.
"Follow me." Okay, this was really not what I had expected. Now I wouldn't be able to eavesdrop! Damn!
Ranger left the room and went up the stairs. I didn't think that I had any other choice but to follow him. I had no idea what went on in his head at this moment. I had no idea if he was angry or upset, or maybe his memory was playing tricks and he remembered something completely different from what happened. But for some reason that didn't seem likely. Ranger usually could distinguish between reality and fiction. Mmmm, I was in a way really curious as to what he would say. Probably something like: 'we'll never talk about this again'. That seemed like him. We went into his bedroom and he went to sit on the bed. I opted to stand next to the door. Always handy to have an exit nearby…
"Tell me what happened." That wasn't a fair question, because I had no idea if we were at all talking about the same thing or not.
"What do you remember?" I asked quietly. He looked long and hard at me, and then down at the kitten that he still held in his arms.
"I remember…" He gave a deep sigh.
"I remember you." Okay, that didn't help much.
"That's right, I was here. Aurelia asked me to come by to pick you up." Better divert his attention a little bit away from me.
"Why?"
"She said you were sick and needed someone to look after you."
"Right." Okay, he wasn't in a talkative mood, actually he never seemed to be a talkative person, but I just didn't want to let this go by like nothing happened. I had realised that my feelings for him went a little further than just some fling or physical attraction. I was falling deeply in love with him, and I wanted to know his feelings. I knew he said that his 'lifestyle didn't lend itself to relationships' but I was feeling that that was just an excuse. I was willing to compromise. I mean, hey, my life isn't exactly routine either! He would have to endure many calls about blown up cars and blotched up jobs. I had broken up with Morelli months ago, after I had realised that first of all we simply didn't work as a couple and second of all that I was falling in love with someone else. That someone was sitting in front of me, cuddling a very cute kitten. He had once insinuated that he would pursue me if I would leave Morelli, but so far nothing had happened. Well, nothing other than some heated kisses in the ally, some late night visits and some hot glances. But to be honest, that wasn't out of the ordinary for us. I had no idea how he felt about me. I thought it would be a safe bet to say that he at least liked me, since he spent time with me. He led a busy life, so his personal time was valuable. If he chose to break in at my place, I thought it was safe to assume that he did that because he liked to spent time with me. And he had slept with me, even if it was part of a deal. The night itself hadn't felt like he was just collecting. It had been wonderful. He had waited weeks before he collected, weeks in which he seemed to test if I would be really okay with it. And I was. But now I missed him even more at night. I wanted him, even his dark side if there was one.
"What else do you remember?" His head snapped up, he realised where I was going. He looked long and hard at me. I was hoping that his ESP would pick up on my need to discuss this. That it was time for me to put my cards on the table. I knew I ran the risk of getting my heart broken, but then at least I knew where we were standing.
"Stephanie…" He looked… lost.
"Ranger…" I said softly. I slowly walked towards him.
"Do you remember the conversation?" I asked him.
"Yes, I think so…"
"About looking good, taking care and not leaving?" I said, to make sure he was remembering the same conversation.
"Yeah."
"Did you mean what you said?" I looked him in the eye, hoping to ESP him to shut me out again with some lame excuse.
"I was drugged Stephanie."
"Ranger, answer my question! Did you mean it?" Our eyes held for a long time, and I felt myself freeze up with every second that went by. Suddenly he broke eye contact and looked at Lily again, peacefully asleep in his arms. I felt my heart sink. I got up to walk out of the room, so he wouldn't see the tears in my eyes.
"Steph…" he said softly. See, no more babe. I stopped with my back to him.
"Babe, please!"
"What, Ranger?"
"Yes." Yes? Yes what? Wait! Yes, I meant it? Would that be it? Would he be feeling more than just friendship for me too? I turned around and looked at him. His eyes were big brown pools.
"Yes, I did mean it." He repeated, taking away all my doubts. A smile was playing at the corners of his mouth, and I took two steps towards him. I was feeling many feelings, but all good. I was relieved, exhilarated, in love, happy, everything thing you could think of. And I felt playful. I had Ranger in a unique position here, so I wanted to make the most of it. After two steps I stopped and looked at him playfully.
"So, yes, you feel that I always look pretty?" He smiled, realising what I was doing.
"Yes." I took another step in his direction.
"So, yes, you want me to take care of you?" That was a difficult one for him to answer, because he really was a very independent man.
"Yes, when I'm sick." Sweet. I took another step in his direction
"So, yes, you want me to never leave you?" I almost whispered these words. This was the most important question. This was it. Yes meant that he was serious about trying a relationship. But no…
