----------------------It's not as long, but sometimes less is more.-----------------------

Lady Aeval: When Celia's husband left, she changed her name back to Manoso

-----------Thanks to all the reviewers------------

------Ranger's POV------

Stephanie and I flopped back down on the couch. The Super Smash Bro.'s game had been abandoned and Jazz and James had stayed upstairs.

"Now what?" Stephanie asked.

"Do you want to watch a movie?"

"I didn't know you watched movies."

"I do when there's nothing else to do," I said, getting up. I headed for the cabinet next to the TV and opened it, pulling out a plastic container filled with DVDs. I sat on the couch next to Stephanie, and she leaned over and started checking out the movies.

"Hmm…Ghost Busters, Oceans Eleven, all the American Pies…Scary Movies 1,2, and 3, Saving Private Ryan, Care Bears, ooh how about Brokeback Mountain?" She grinned at me.

I wasn't really in the mood to watch two cowboys making out. "How about no?"

"My nieces made me watch the Lizzie McGuire movie…it wasn't that bad."

"No." My daughter idolized Hillary Duff, but I didn't really get what she saw in her.

"Hmm..picky, picky…Monty Python…Eddie Izzard…The Best of SNL….ooh how about Charlie's Angels? There's a lot of shooting and violence plus three times the sexy women in one small package!"

Hmm…Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu…kicking ass inlittle blackspandex suits. "Sure."

I slid the DVD in the player while Stephanie went into the kitchen to start making popcorn. I didn't bother inviting the kids down to watch with us, I figured this would give me some alone time with Steph. She came back a few minutes later with a big bowl of popcorn and two beers, plopping down next to me. I started the movie and relaxed against the couch.

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"So…do you think Drew Barrymore is hot all naked and dirty like that?" Stephanie asked me. We were at the part whereDrew Barrymorefalls out of the bad guy's glass house and rolls naked down a hill.

"Babe," I responded. Little did she know, I was imagining her rolling naked down that hill, and me rescuing her. Every so often Stephanie would pipe up and ask me if I thought one of the women was hot. Mostly I didn't respond.

I let a few moments of silence slide by. "Hey Steph," I said softly.

She turned to look at me and I kissed her. Minutes later I had her on her back on the couch, and my hands in her shirt. She wasn't complaining. At least her moans didn't sound like complaints. I was about to pull her shirt off when we were interrupted by a small voice.

"Whatcha doing?"

I was off of Stephanie in an instant, and she sat up and pulled her shirt down.

"Felix, what are you doing down here? You're supposed to be upstairs with Erin." I asked him. Thank God it hadn't been one of the girls. I never would have lived it down.

"But what were ya doin'?" Felix asked.

"We were…" Stephanie stammered, "Uh…trying to get a piece of popcorn from between the cushions."

I snorted. Stephanie glared at me. Felix just looked curious and climbed up on the couch.

"Didja find it?" he asked, peering between the cushions.

"Um…yeah," said Stephanie.

Felix looked around the room. "Are ya watchin' a movie?" The movie was still going. Charlie's Angels were kicking the crap out of the creepy thin guy. I turned off the movie because I knew Celia doesn't like him watching violent movies.

"Felix, it's ten o'clock, it's way past your bedtime. Go back upstairs." I said to him.

He looked up at me and smiled. "Read me a stowy?" he asked hopefully.

I sent Stephanie an apologetic look and took Felix's hand and led him up the stairs.

"Which book?" I asked, when we got to his room.

"Da litto' engine that cood!" he said happily, jumpingonto hisbed.

I sighed and pulled a colorful hardbound book off the little bookshelf. Every time I babysit these kids I always have to read the Little Engine that Could. He even made me do voices.

Stephanie's POV

I got bored of waiting for Ranger to come back down so I snuck up the stairs. I heard his voice so I crept closer to a doorway and peeked around the doorjamb. There was Ranger, with his back to me, sitting on a little bed reading a book. Felix was tucked under the covers, listening with rapt attention. I recognized the story Ranger was reading as The Little Engine that Could. He was even doing different voices for the different engines and the little clown and even girlie voices for the dolls. I wanted to laugh but the scene was so adorable I held my giggles in, not wanting to ruin the moment.

Ranger was just in the middle of the 'I think I can, I think I can' monologue when he noticed Felix had fallen asleep. He sighed, stood up and put the book on the bedside table. He turned and when he saw me he put a finger to his lips and led me downstairs.

"That was soooo adorable," I said when we got downstairs. Ranger smiled.

"Does that earn me some brownie points?" He asked.

I considered this for a moment. "Yeah but it totally ruins your tough-guy image."

Ranger just shook his head. "Just don't tell anyone," he said and we went back to watching the movie.

--------------------Bowlingforshrimp-----------------