Disclaimer: All belongs to the great one Janet Evanovich.

A/N: I'm being lazy about the chapter titles… don't complain. The chapters are short I know… I'm sorry. I am very busy. I go to school, come home for a couple of hours and then go to work, then come home and do work for class. I do write… but it never gets typed up… so patience!

Born of Stars: Good girl. :pat on the head: Your review has convienced me to update. So three cheers for Born of Stars… hip hip… (this is where someone else says hooray!)

Chapter 3: Mystery Door #2

We were in the car, driving who knows where. I didn't much notice, I was in my own zone. Ranger though wasn't. He kept looking over at me.

"Stop that." I said in almost a growl.

His eye's focused ahead of him and he didn't look at me again until we had stopped in front of Morelli's. Morelli's?

I stared hard at him. He didn't flinch just looked at me clamly.

"You've been refusing to see him."

"And I still don't want to see him."

"He's worried. He hasn't seen you in three weeks."

I felt a little guilty but then I was back to anger. How can Ranger drag me here, it's too soon.

Ranger was out and opening my door. I looked down at him hurt but got out anyway. He guided me to the not so mysterious door number two.

He knocked. There was a moment of silence and Bob began barking. I stiffened a little. Bob, I haven't seen Bob in a while. I heard Morelli move behind the door, probably trying to push Bob back and then the door was open.

Joe was staring straight at me, I couldn't pull my eyes away. He then suddenly hugged me. I tensedat first, then my body gave, I let him hold me, my hands on his chest. I could feel tears but I pushed them back. "Hi Joe." I said into his chest.

"Hey Cupcake."

I think there was some silent communication between Ranger and Morelli right then because Ranger turned and left.

Joe let go of me and I turned to see Ranger's truck pull out and drive away. "Where's he going?" I asked Joe.

He placed his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into the house. "He'll be back in an hour." He led me to the couch and sat me down. He went back into the kitchen.

While he was gone, Bob hopped onto the couch next to me and put his head down on my lap. I scratched behind his ears and he seemed please. ThenMorelli walked back in with a slice of upside-down pineapple cake.

I gave him a smile. "How did you get that?"

"I asked your mom for it." He must have seen panic in my face. "Don't worry, she thinks I'm dropping it offwith you."

He then came up next to Bob, pulled him off of me, sat next to me and handed me the cake, which I gladly took.

I took my first bite and then lost my enthusiams. It just wasn't the same.

"Cupcake-"

"Joe how are you?" I cut him off with a smile.

He looked a little surprised. "I'm fine. How-"

"You don't look fine, you have dark circles." I looked at him closely. And then ran a finger along under his eye. "You should get some sleep you know. If you let that go on too long, those circles will never disappear. My finger was tracing his dark circle. "I was watching opera-" Joe took my hand in his and put a finger over my mouth to shush me.

"Steph." Pause. Our faces were close, we were both staring. I was waiting for him to say something. "Stephanie. How are you?" He asked quietly. He then removed his finger from over my mouth.

I stared at him for a moment and then smiled at him. "I'm fine Joe."

"Steph-"

It was my turn to shush him with a finger. "I'm fine," I said quietly, but I couldn't maintain the smile.

He knew not to push. He leaned back on the couch facing the TV and turned it on. "Ok Steph, I'm here." Then he put an arm around me and pulled me to rest on his chest.

I guess I fell asleep because there was a hand on my face and a voice telling to wake up.

"Steph, time to go." Morelli's voice said.

I cracked my eyes open. I guess I hadn't gotten too much sleep last night because I was drooling on Joe's shirt. I wiped the drools off and pushed myself off of Joe.

Ranger was standing not too far off looking at me. His eyes hard, his muscles tense. I knew that look. That was the angry Ranger. Did I do something? I almost wanted to cry I couldn't take it, but I bit my lower lip and swollowed the tears.

I walked past Ranger to the door, I could feel them behind me doing the Alpha male thing.