Chapter 2:

Part II

In Venice- (3 weeks later)

God I was tired. It was still strange getting up this early, although I admit its starting to grow on me. My room was beautiful and it looked out onto the lagoon. With the early morning sun and a light breeze, sometimes I could lay in bed and actually think it was heaven.

The aroma of amazing Italian coffee was rising from the kitchen, which I know now is exactly 223 steps away from my bed. I was very sore but its not nearly as bad as the first two weeks I was here, that was hell.

Like every morning I got into my running clothes and headed for the kitchen. Whatever else about me may change, I still need a coffee in the morning to feel human. My routine in the last few weeks hasn't changed much. I get up at 6am, and go running for five miles with Antonio and Carmella (cousins of a sort). This is followed by an hour of weight training, I can now proudly bench press, well lets just say a hell of a lot more than I ever used to. Then it's a big Italian breakfast before I hit the showers.

Celia has been a godsend these last weeks, feeding me to within an inch of my life. For some reason she is convinced that I don't eat enough. I can tell you that has never been a complaint before!

After breakfast the real work begins though. I have target practice, computer lessons, and first aid. The computers are my favourite, I am learning how to be quite a hacker. Target practice is getting better but I am still kind of afraid of my gun. I left my Smith and Wesson back in Trenton, and am working with some larger and frankly a hell of a lot scarier guns.

In addition to the scary guns, I have also been learning knife fighting and "street fighting". Basically this is about inflicting as much damage as possible with as few weapons as possible. I like the whole no weapons part, there is less to be afraid of there. Though I still seem to end every session with an uncomfortable assortment of bruises and scrapes.

But by far the hardest lesson, should have been the easiest. It was my first week and Antonio sat me down at the giant dining table.

"Steph there is something serious we need to work on."

"What?"

"I don't know if you know this but every emotion, every thought you have shows on your face. You need to learn to hide what your thinking if you want to survive in this world."

"So Batman didn't have ESP then?"

"Huh?"

Shit I hadn't actually meant to say that out loud. "Nevermind."

"Whatever."

"So how do I go about learning to do this?"

Celia came in and said something that has been stuck in my head ever since. "Cara, think of yourself as a castle. You don't change who you are but you build strong walls around you to protect yourself. The outside world can see you as strong and powerful. They don't get to see what is going on inside. You will still feel and think all the same things, its about changing how you appear to others to protect yourself. Just remember cara, don't forget to let some people into the castle too. Sometimes when we build walls to protect ourselves we forget that when we are shut in like that the people we love can't really get to know us." Reminding me of anyone yet?

I have been practicing in the mirror, and I think I've almost got it. But its hard. Most things don't come through anymore, but last night I thought about Ranger and it was like every memory of him came back and even I noticed the change in my face. Gonna have to keep working on that then.

But other than last night, I haven't really thought much about Trenton. Life is so busy and I am learning so much. My regime in very exercise heavy which is great, in just three weeks, I have become a total exercise convert.

There was something to raw and elemental in the sheer physicality of my workouts. It took all my energy just to keep my body going through the motions. I don't have the energy to think about anything else. It was bliss to have a few hours of true peace and quiet.

My nights with the family were anything but quiet. In addition to my activities during the day, at night I am learning all about the family and the business. I was a bit skeptical about this at first, but I am warming to the idea. I have learned a lot about these people in the last few weeks and they aren't nearly as hard or scary as I thought. They are thoroughly devoted to each other.

Like Ranger (the comparison is new to me to be sure) they seem to have redefined legally and morally wrong. I don't necessarily like everything that the family is involved in but Celia promised that I could participate as my conscience dictates.

Next week my training changes, and I am going to be actively working with Celia and the boys, mostly Antonio and Marc. I don't know what I will be doing exactly yet. I can tell that there is something big in the works though. I couldn't sleep last night, and went in search of some food. Celia always has leftovers lying around. On my way to the kitchen I heard people talking in Italian. Being of the nosy sort (and whose not in Jersey?) I listened around the corner. (Thank god my Italian has gotten so much better since I got here. But its not perfect, so I missed a bit of the conversation.)

"Non penso che sia aspetti."

"Non sono sicuro neanche ma se non ci muoveremo presto stiamo andando perdere tutto. Non possiamo lasciarli continuare le loro attività."

"So"

"Avete sentito qualcosa?"

"No, ma il relativo ritardato possiamo comunicare più domani quando il leo arriva."

I don't know exactly what they are talking about, but I damn well meant to find out. I am just too curious for my own good. But I have a sneaking suspicion that they were talking about me. Hmmm.

Meanwhile In Trenton- Ranger's POV

"What the hell do you think you're doing? This is ridiculous! I am not here to get manipulated like some child!"

"Ric, calm down man." Tank whispers as Ranger goes off at the third cop to come down on him this month. It been tense to say the least around the Rangeman offices.

" Go to your office and calm down. I'll finish up here."

I didn't mean to lose my temper. I really didn't. I guess have just been on edge. But I know that's a pretty shitty reason to treat my friends like that. Collapsing on the leather chair behind my desk, my head in my hands, I remember why I have been such a maniac for the past few weeks.

I tried to ignore it at first, then I tried to work through it. Nothings worked. I miss her. I think I may have really lost her this time. She's married Morelli, they're off somewhere having a romantic holiday. She's smiling and laughing and oh god I don't even want to think about all the sex.

Tank storms in not a minute later, thankfully, saving me from my thoughts.

"What the hell was that! You have been a pain in the ass to absolutely everyone for weeks? And you haven't mentioned Steph once? What happened?"

"This has nothing to do with her." Liar, liar pants on fire!

"Yes it does. Don't lie to me man. I know you better than that. I haven't seen her call you in weeks. And you haven't done one of your midnight visits in as long, you guys have a fight or something?"

"How did you know . . ."

"Don't be an idiot Ric, all our trucks have GPS tracking, and I'm not a complete fool."

"There was no fight."

"So what is it? Morelli?"

I think he saw the flash of anger in my eyes at the mention of him, cause the next thing he said was "they're back together?"

"Yes."

"Oh, for real this time?"

"They're getting married."

"When did she tell you?"

"She didn't."

"Then how do you"

"I saw him propose."

"Oh"

"Yeah."

"I'm going up to the seventh floor for a while. Sorry about before."

"No worries man. See you in the shooting range later. I'm sure I got a picture of Morelli around here somewhere we can use."

"Thanks."

Stalking up to my apartment, I let my mind wander to Steph. When we met in Pinos, I knew she was different. And I wonder, if I had known how thing would turn out, would I still have gone?

I can still see her face when she told me she was leaving, when he asked me not to look for her. I saw fear, and joy. She was excited and scared but ever so determined. She was my Babe. Past tense of course.

"I have to let her go. I have to move on."

A/N: I apologize my tardiness in updating, my only excuse is a ridiculous amount of work for university and exams etc.

My focus is going to remain on Steph for the next few chapters. She is going to have lots of adventure in Italy which will hopefully bring out a new side in her character. I know Ranger here is a bit OOC but I was thinking of him as the person inside walls he builds against the rest of the world. I think he is just as vulnerable as most people, maybe even more so because he is so scared to let anyone in.

All translations are Babelfish (yes I know it unreliable but its all I got).

Non penso che sia aspetti- I don't think she is ready.

Non sono sicuro neanche ma se non ci muoveremo presto stiamo andando perdere tutto. Non possiamo lasciarli continuare le loro attività - I am not sure either but if we don't move soon we are going to lose everything. We cannot let them continue their activities unpunished.

Avete sentito qualcosa - Did you hear something?

So- I know

No, ma il relativo ritardato possiamo comunicare più domani quando il leo arriva - No, but its late we can talk more tomorrow when Leo arrives

Also I am currently without a beta for my story. If anyone would like to edit/have input please let me know.