Hey everybody! Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews, they really make my day!
And again, sorry for the slow update, I've been having some computer problems.
Anyway, I reeeally hope you enjoy this part because this is the last andfinal part! Yep, this is the ending of Happy Birthday Babe. Feels a bit sad since it's my first story and all, but you can't keep going for ever, people get tired of the story and I have absolutly no ideas left. So I hope you like the chapter!
Take care/ Sanna
"Well feel free to do it again sometime." He bent down and kissed my lips softly and then got in his car and drove off.
I watched him drive away, mostly because I needed a second to brace myself for what was coming. I know Lula and Connie always suspected something had happened between me and Ranger but I'd always denied it. This time I couldn't deny it... I would have to tell them a thing or two and I wasn't sure I would come out alive. When I opened the door they still sat frozen in their seats with their jaws dropped not saying anything. I pretended like nothing and started flipping through files. After a while Lula shook her head as if to wake her self up.
"Okay stop right there girlfriend! What the hell was that all about? You just KISSED batman!" she said with a pitched voice.
"Uhm… yeah I guess I did" I don't really know why I was trying to avoid the subject, I already knew they wouldn't let this one slide, not in a million years.
"And not only that but he kissed you back! YOU JUST MADE OUT WITH THE WIZARD!" Connie shouted.
"Jeez, take it easy, it's not like it's the first time" Ouch! What did I just do? Oh god no! It just slipped out of me... FUCK!
They both stopped and starred at me again not saying anything for a few moments.
"WHAT!" They finally cried out at the same time
"You've kissed him before? How come we don't know about this? Okay I mean we've always known you guys have had the hots for each other and that he looks at you like you're lunch… but we never thought you actually did anything" Connie said.
"We thought you were too chicken" Lula continued. "So you kissed him before?"
"Mostly it's the other way around but yeah" Their eyes got big
"Oh you lucky son of a bitch!" Connie said shaking her head.
"Okay tell us everything girl! And I'm talking details, all the dirty facts…" Lula stopped in her tracks and gasped for breath "OHMIGOD! Have you SLEPT with him?" Great, just the question I didn't want to answer.
"No… I haven't" Liar, Liar pants on fire! Second time I lied about sleeping with him this weak, but come on, some things are private and I cherished the memory of our night too much for it to be dissected by Connie and Lula. Plus they would never be able to look at Ranger again. Suddenly Vinnie's door opened and he stuck out his sleazy head
"Yeah right!" Then he quickly locked the door again. Okay so I'm guessing Vinnie didn't buy my lie. Connie and Lula quickly flicked their eyes at me to see if he was right.
"No really, I haven't slept with him." They let out a breath and started fanning them selves. After that they interrogated me for a LONG time, pushing me for details about everything from his kissing skills to what his ass felt like. And they both acted like some freakin' teenagers, they screamed and went totally crazy over every little word I said. Finally I realized I needed to get out of there before my brain would start to boil.
"Okay I've given you more than enough details now! And just so you guys know, this doesn't leave this office! I don't want you to go babbling about this to anyone, 'cause if you do I swear to god I will never tell you a single thing about him again and not give one little detail if I actually would sleep with him." Sometimes you got to threaten a little bit. Also I know how much Ranger appreciates his privacy… and to be honest this town knows so much about me that I kind of appreciate the few things they don't know.
"Okay, say no more, our lips are sealed." Connie said assuring.
"So have you got someone for me?" I was desperate to change the subject.
"Yeah, I have one... but he's a pretty bad one. I don't know why Ranger didn't pick this one up but since he hasn't I guess he's yours." This surprised me a bit, Ranger usually didn't like it when I was assigned to the bad and really bad FTAs even if he didn't go crazy over it like Joe. He helped me instead. I figured that this guy couldn't be that bad if he had left him for me. I picked up the file and flipped through it. John Mendez, 38, wanted for rape, murder and attempted murder. Yikes! I picked up my phone and called Ranger.
"Yo" He answered.
"Yo yourself. Hey Since I got a lift with you this morning I haven't got a car and I kinda need it… do you think you could get one of your men to drop it of?" A while ago I would never have made this phone call, thinking that I would be asking for too much and that he would see me as a burden. Now I knew that he wanted me to make this calls, truth is he got annoyed when I didn't, since that usually meant that I ended up in more trouble then I would have.
"It'll be there in fifteen" He said and hung up.
I looked up and saw Connie and Lula both starring at me.
"What?"
"You got a lift with him this morning?" Lula asked rising her eyebrow.
"Trust me, it's not what you think. We picked up grandma" They both burst out laughing.
"Hey it's not funny!" I tried to sound serious but failed miserably.
Ten minutes later my phone rang.
"Hello"
"Your car's delivered Bomber"
"Thanks Bobby, you're the best!" I could actually hear him smile through the phone.
"Least I could do. Just don't blow it up okay?" he teased.
"I'll try but I wont make any promises" Even though it sounds like a joke the sad thing is that it's true.
He laughed and disconnected.
"Okay I'm off to try and get this guy" I said waving the file
"Oh it's not enough that she gets to kiss batman oh no, she's got his entire army asking 'How High' if she says 'Jump!'. It's just not fare, you should learn how to share girl!" Lula said.
"Hey I don't mind if you guys make out with Tank, Bobby or any of the other guys, you just go right a head" I said laughing as I exited the office.
I checked the file; John Mendez lived on Grove Street, the street next to Stark Street, not as bad but still bad. Maybe I should have my gun for this, yes it still spent most of it's time in the cookie jar. I decided to take a chance and check him out anyway, I mean there's gotta be a reason that Ranger left him for me, he just couldn't be that bad. I drove past Stark Street and slowed down as I got onto Grove Street to check for the right house number. He lived in 67. Just as I slowed down in front of the house, about to park on the curb, I heard gunshots. On instinct I ducked down to get out of the line of fire. Only the shooting didn't stop and all of a sudden a bullet hit my trunk and I realized that it came from nr 67. I guess Mendez had figured out that I wasn't stopping by for a social visit. I stepped on the gas and drove off a fast as I could. My heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to jump out of my chest. I hate getting shot at. After a few blocks I stopped the car to catch my breath and calm down. Okay I would definitely need my gun for this one. I decided picking up grandma, being interrogated my Lula and Connie and being shot at was enough action for one day so I drove back to my apartment.
Just as I closed the door behind me, my phone rang.
"Hello"
"Stephanie Plum, explain right this second why my mother went to jail this morning!" My mother shouted out. Oh god no, this was the last thing I needed right now.
"Mom, this has nothing to do with me. She was showing one of her friends her gun and it accidentally went off and just so you know, I have not under any circumstances encouraged her to have a gun. I hate guns."
"But she wouldn't have got it in the first place if it wasn't for you and your job! You inspired her! Oh god, why me? My phone as been ringing like crazy all day, it's enough I have to deal with the phone calls I get for your escapades, but now my own mother as well! Do you know what people will think about me? Do you know everything they say about us"
"I know about most things mom and to be honest, I don't care, let them gossip it doesn't bother me" Maybe it did bother me just a teeny tiny bit, but I wasn't gonna let her know.
"But I care Stephanie! Oh god why can't you be more like Mary Lou! Settle down with Joseph and quit that terrible job of yours. Who would want to marry someone with your lifestyle? You're lucky to have Joe that's for sure."
"Joe and I broke up mom, for good this time. He's found somebody else." For the first time during the conversation my mother was quiet. For a moment at least.
"Why me? Why me? Stephanie, are you doing this because you're angry at me? I don't understand why you keep punishing me like this. Blowing up cars, getting shot at, running around with big dangerous army men and now your dragging your grandmother with you as well, let me tell you Stephanie, she had a bad enough reputation as it was without adding this to it." She kept screaming at me for another 15 minutes. I tuned out as much as possible but couldn't help but overhear some of the things she accused me of. I was too tired for this. When she was finished screaming she did her duty as a mother as well.
"Oh and I want you to come to dinner on Saturday night." For once I was mad enough at my mother to tell her the truth.
"You know what mom, I don't think so"
"Why not?" She asked surprised
"Because I don't want to" I disconnected and threw the phone away from me. GOD she drove me crazy! A good mother is supposed to support her child no matter what! Even if it decides to be in the mob, work as a clown or be a transvestite, a good mother is supposed to say 'Do what makes you happy, I will love you no matter what'. Look at Sally Sweet and his mother, they have a great relationship, the only conversations I have with my mom are either about food or she's complaining about all the things that's wrong with me. Even though my father doesn't say much we have a better connection than me and mom. He doesn't complain, he lets me do what I want and trusts me. Maybe it's not so weird that I'm drawn to Ranger, the big silent guy clearly seems to be my type. Come to think about it, that's probably it. My mother and Joe always complain about my lifestyle, my work, begging me to get married and points out all the things that's wrong with me, even if they still love me. My dad and Ranger on the other hand, never complain about what I do, they only want me to get better at it and instead of nagging, they help me when I need it. Maybe Ranger is the man for me after all.
As I was sitting there with my mind on overdrive, my stomach began to growl. Maybe I should get something to eat. I got the phone and ordered home delivery pizza from Pino's.
I sat down on my couch and started to contemplate what to do with my skip. The man was wanted for rape and murder, I usually didn't handle these guys, they were a little out of my league. On top of that, he had already shot at me and I hadn't even got close to him. I need help in this one... and I don't mean Lula by that. I just have to swallow my pride and ask Ranger. I picked up my cell.
"Yo"
"Yo yourself. Are you busy?"
"Not really. What's up Babe?" At the same time my door bell rang, the pizza was here. I stood up and walked to the door.
"I kind of need your help." I grabbed five dollars and opened the door. To my big surprise was it the pizza but not the pizza boy. Instead it was Ranger holding my pizza in one hand and his phone in the other. He snapped his phone shut and grinned at me.
"I have to say I'm bit disappointed that your not cuffed naked to your shower, needing my help getting loose" I had to smile at the memory… and blush slightly.
"Sorry, but no. So what's up with bringing my pizza? Earning some extra cash?" I teased and his lips twitched.
"Nah, I ran into the pizza boy and took over." I opened the door for him and he stepped inside.
"So it is you I'm supposed to give this to then" I waved the five dollar at him with a grin. He leaned into my face.
"Keep the change Babe" He brushed a light kiss against my lips and handed me the pizza. We went into my living room and sat down on the couch.
"So, you wanna tell me about your shooting accident today?" First I was taken by surprise and wondered how the hell he knew about that. Then I remembered that he IS Ranger after all.
"Yeah, I was going to check out John Mendez but just as I stopped my car outside his house he started shooting at me. So I drove off and decided to go back when he had calmed down… and I had a gun… and maybe you to help me out."
"Is that why you needed my help?" I nodded my head. "I'm glad your pride didn't get in the way" He smiled and put a stray curl behind my ear.
"Why did you leave this guy for me anyway?" I wanted to know.
"I didn't. I didn't know he'd come in, Connie must have thought she had showed him to me. If I'd known I wouldn't have left him, he's no good at all. Witch is why I'm so glad you decided to call me instead of going after him yourself. "He smiled at me.
I picked up the remote and turned on the TV and grabbed a slice of my pizza.
"You want some?" I asked him. He smiled and shook his head "Aah, a temple-day, I see" He chuckled and grabbed my waist, pulling me close to him. I snuggled up against his chest and we watched TV. After a while he reached down and kissed my temple.
"I gotta go Babe" he breathed against my ear.
"Okay." I sat up so he could get up.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow around noon okay?" I nodded my head.
"And I want you to have your gun, stun gun, cuffs… and all that" I guess this guy really was bad. I gulped.
"Are you sure you want me in on this? I can just hand him over to you and the other guys if you want" I hate to admit it but some times you gotta see your limitation.
"No it's okay, this is your guy now, besides I'm there with you."
"You sure?"
"Yeah… I'm sure" I smiled at him. When Ranger said he was sure, anything seemed possible. Then he was gone. I turned off the TV and headed for my bedroom.
Next day I woke up at ten, good, that meant I had time to shower and get ready without having to stress. I jumped in the shower and took my time, trying not to think about when I was cuffed naked to it and rescued by Ranger. Wow hot flash!
When I got out of the shower I put on black underwear, black cargo pants and a tight black t-shirt. I pulled my hair back in a ponytail and put on just enough make-up for it to look like I'd just rolled out of bed and looked good anyway, you know, the "natural" look. I looked at myself in the mirror. Yes I was a female Ranger. Without the muscles… or the mocha-latte skin… or the Bulgari… or the ability to make people faint by my sexiness… or the ability to move fast and without making a sound. Okay I wasn't female Ranger, I was a lame Ranger-wannabe. But that'll do for now. I put on my belt, attaching my gun, stun gun and cuffs to it. After that I grabbed some Captain Crunch for breakfast and watched some TV as I waited for him to show up.
At ten to twelve my locks began to rattle and a second later Ranger stepped into my apartment. When he saw me sitting on the couch waiting his lips curved into a surprised smile.
"Well I'll be damned. I thought I would have to throw you out of bed."
"You really thought you'd have to do that at twelve?" I know I'm not a morning person but come on!
"It hasn't stopped you before. Let's go." He motioned for the door. I got up and but my bowl in the sink before we went down to the parking lot.
During the drive Ranger filled me in on the details, apparently he'd had this guy a couple of times and if we were lucky we'd catch him off guard but if we didn't he tended to put up quit a fight. We were going to go in through the backdoor, not giving him a chance to get away. No more Mr. Nice Guy in other words.
We parked a couple of blocks away so my shooting accident from yesterday wouldn't repeat itself. We snuck into his backyard. Ranger didn't make a sound and I was trying as hard as I possibly could to follow his example. When we reached his backdoor Ranger put his ear to it and listen, I didn't make a move since I didn't wanna make noise. He turned to me and nodded and I stood back. I opened the door and stepped inside. We walked into the living room where Mendez was sitting watching TV.
"Bond Enforcement" Ranger said and Mendez jerked around and starred at us, apparently he hadn't hear us come in. "John Mendez you've violated your bonds contract and we are here to bring you back to the station… again." I guess the 'again' was Rangers way to say 'so we meat again punk' or something.
"What the FUCK! I'm watching TV here, I ain't going nowhere! Jesus can't you even watch some fucking TV anymore!" He stood up and started screaming and waving his arms. Ranger took a few steps towards him.
"Listen, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, it's up to you, but either way you're coming with us." Ranger said in his tough-business-guy-voice.
"Well I guess it's the hard way then" Mendez said and pulled out a gun and pointed it at Ranger. I was just going to grab my own gun when I felt two hands grab me and throw me down on the floor. I winced as I hit the ground and Ranger snapped his head around and looked at me. Mendez saw his chance and launched himself on Ranger who, caught of guard, fell to the ground too. The person who attacked me was a man about the same age as Mendez and I'm guessing a friend of his. He tried to hold me to the floor but I kicked, bit and wriggled the best I could. Luckily I got my elbow free and hit him hard in the stomach with it. When he winced I quickly stood up. Ranger had got up easily and was putting cuffs on Mendez who was screaming and kicking like a little kid. Ranger put his knee down on his arm and he squealed in pain.
"You're only making it worse" Ranger said in a superior voice. He stood up and I was just about to say something when I got a hard blow to my head, I screamed in pain and fell to my knees. I felt the blood coming down my neck and ear. I saw Ranger jerking around, looking at me in fear. After that everything went very fast. I felt the rage grow in me and turned around to the man behind me. I kicked him as hard as I could in the knee and the then put my boot to his crotch. Now it was his turn to squeal in pain as he fell backwards. The pain from my head overvelmed me put I tired to concentrate. I turned around and saw Ranger looking at me with deep concern in his eyes while he was keeping Mendez pinned to the floor with his foot. Then something behind him caught my attention. A woman's head had popped out from behind a door. Suddenly she pulled out a gun and pointed it at Ranger. Shit, Ranger didn't see anything since his attention was on me. I realized she was going to shoot him and my heart stopped. I heard someone scream 'No', I think it was me.I got up and grabbed my gun and threw myself over Ranger, as we fell to the ground I shot towards the woman. The bullet hit the door and the woman quickly disappeared behind it. Everything was still for a second. I was lying on top of Ranger, I looked down at him and felt relief floating through my entire body as I realized we were both still alive. I kissed him quickly on the lips and blurted out;
"I thought I'd lost y…" I cut myself off as I realized what I was doing. Ranger looked at me seriously.
"I know... but you did good." His voice was warm. I pushed myself off him and he and went to the see if the woman still was in the house as I put cuffs on the man who had attacked me. I must have kicked him pretty good since he was still moaning and holding his hands over his crotch. Ranger came back into the room.
"She's gone" he said and I nodded my head.
We dragged Mendez and his friend out the car and threw them in the backseat. Just as I was about to go over to the other side of the car, Ranger grabbed me and pulled me into a hug.
"You did good" He whispered one more time against my head. Then he released me and got in behind the wheel. We drove to the station and dropped them off. On the way back to my apartment neither off us said anything. Ranger kept glancing over at me, I guess my unusual silence worried him. As I sat there, legs up and my arms wrapped around them, biting my thumbnail I realized something and I knew I had to talk to Ranger.
When we pulled over on my parking lot Ranger turned off the engine and looked over at me.
"You okay Babe?"
"I need to talk to you... do you have time to come up with me?" I turned to look at him. He nodded his head in answer. We rode the elevator in silence. When we got into my apartment I kicked off my shoes and clipped off my belt before I sat down on my couch. Ranger sat down on the other side of the couch, leaving some space between us. I was going to need it.
"So what's on your mind?" He asked softy. I took a deep breath.
"I don't really know how to say any of this or where to begin... but I'll try."
"Just start from the top..." I closed my eyes again and took another deep breath. Then I decided not to care about what exactly I was going to say and instead just let the words flow.
"I need to say a lot of things to you, and one of them is thank you. You agreed to train me for reasons I don't understand when you really didn't have to and for that I'm eternally grateful, I know I'm not a very good bounty hunter but without your help I would be dead by now. Ever since that you've always been there for me, whenever I called needing help or if I was to drunk to stand on my own legs, no matter what, you've always been there helping me out. Helping me without demanding things or asking for anything in return… you've always accepted me for what I am… even though I've driven you almost insane most of the time have you never let me down and for that I want to thank you." I took a deep breath, starring down on my hands, not daring to look at him.
"But I also wanna say I'm sorry, sorry for never giving anything in return and always taking you for granted, never ones when I have called for help have I asked if you where busy with other things. I'm sorry for being such a pain in the ass and most off all I'm sorry for not appreciating you the way I should. Every time you kissed me I should've kissed you with the same passion instead of feeling guilty over Morelli… and I'm sorry for going back to him over and over again even though deep in my heart I knew that we'd never have a future together. But most off all am I sorry for never telling you that I love you, 'cause I really do." I felt my voice beginning to crack and the tears burning in my eyes.
"I love you Ranger… in all the ways. I love you for sticking by my side when I have been a pain in the ass, for letting me make my own decisions, for not pushing me on the Joe subject and I really love you for not leaving me even though I kept going back to him. I love the way you smile and they way you always now what I'm thinking. Or the way you make me feel and I really love your shower gel. But most of all I love you for never trying to change me, for the way you always cared for me just the way I am. After tonight I realized I had to tell you, 'cause the thought of losing you without telling you all these things made my heart stop. I don't even know how long I've loved you but probably a lot longer than I think… but tonight I realized just how much." I made a small pause, looking him in the eyes. They were full of emotions and for the first time they looked vulnerable.
"But I understood something else tonight as well. I realized you were right, your life doesn't lend itself to relationships and now I understand why. You almost got shot tonight, because of me. Because you were worried and your attention was on me. The thought of you getting killed because of me makes me feel like I can't breathe. I finally realize why it can never me you and me, it's too dangerous. Not only would you get distracted but some people would probably use me to get to you. So you where right Ranger. I understand that know… but I couldn't do this without telling you how much I love you and how much I appreciate everything you've done for me. And I'm not sure we should see each other anymore. Not completely cut each other off, I will still be there if you need help for distraction and other work things. But I don't think we should see each other like this any more. I don't think I could handle it… sitting here on the couch, snuggling up against you or kisses in the alley… it would be too much for me. That's what I wanted to tell you… and… thank you for listening." I didn't bear to look at him and slowly wiped the silent tears from my face not knowing what to do next.
Ranger sat quiet for a while just starring at me. Then I heard him take a deep breath.
"You wanna know what the deal with your grandma was?" What? What did that have to do with any of this?
"Uhm… yeah… I guess" I hoped to god he had a point with this and wasn't just trying to change the subject.
"She said that the only way she would come down to the station was if I told you what she'd known for a long time. "
"And what was that?"
"That I love you... and I need you. She said that it was time for us to stop wasting time, get a grip of our selves and realize the truth. That we should stop playing these games and realize that this is it. And for the first time I think your crazy grandmother was completely right. After listening to you tonight I came to see that not only did you say some things that I didn't even know needed to hear. But as soon as you said them I felt that that was just what I've needed to hear. It also made me realized what a fucking idiot I've been. A while ago, that night you where drunk, you said that I said one thing but meant another and you couldn't be more right. I sent you back to Morelli but kept on pushing, I don't blame you for being confused… Fuck, I don't even know what I'm doing most of the time. But I realized that I should never ever have sent you back to Morelli after our night, I should have never let go of you… just like a wanted to. But instead I chickened out and convinced myself that you only slept with me because of that stupid deal I made with you. I was so sure you would turn me down and go back to Morelli again that I didn't give you a chance to do it… I did it for you instead." He turned towards me and took my hands in his.
"And for that I'm sorry, I should have told you straight up how I felt. The few times it slipped out of me I covered it up with some lame excuse like 'in my own way'. I don't even know myself why I agreed to train you after that day, but there was something about you that caught my attention… now I can't imagine life without you in it. But just as you said… my life doesn't lent itself to relationships and now you understand why. And you're probably right… we shouldn't see each other more than necessary. We should keep our distance… that's the right thing to do." He let go of my hands and I felt my heart sink. He rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. This was is I thought to myself… no more Babe and Batman.
"But you know what… it's just not good enough" Ranger finally said and looked at me again. "Steph I need you… now that I've had you in my life for so long I don't wanna go back to the way things were."
"What are you saying Ranger?" I felt my heart beginning to beat again.
"I'm saying that even though it's completely wrong and irrational, I wanna give this a chance... I wanna give you and me a shot." I felt my face crack up into a big smile.
"Then let's do it" I crawled over to him, put my hands around his neck and kissed the living daylight out him. I snaked his arms around my waste and pressed me tight against him. I don't now for how long we were kissing, could have been seconds, minutes or hours, but suddenly he broke it off and wolf grinned at me.
"You wanna have a second birthday Babe?"
"Why?" I asked surprised and a little dazed from the kiss. He scooped me up into his arms and carried me to my bedroom.
"Because there's something I forgot to give you" he whispered against my neck.
"And what is that?"
"Me" he answered in a husky voice. Oh boy.
The end
I hope you've enjoyed reading my first story, I've had a lot of fun writing it at least :)