Title: It's all about living life
Chapter 12: Distraction and attraction
Author: Ann (Chrystalsandsnowflakes)
Rating: (G to NC-17): G
Spoilers/Warnings: Takes place in the future, so after EOT
Summary: What happens to Ranger and Stephanie in the second week after Ranger left for Miami
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, I just play with them

Sorry it took so long. I'm having a bit of trouble with writers block, but I hope to conquer it soon and to update this story more frequently. Please review!

Distraction and attraction

Ranger has been gone for a little over 2 weeks now. I sometimes wonder what it means that I am measuring time in the amount of days that Ranger is gone while I am divorcing Morelli. Does that make me a bad person? Does that make me in love? What does it mean? Does it mean I am simply missing a friend? Does it mean I am looking forward to his return, or dreading it? Or am I just thinking too much…

I sighed deeply and decided on the last. I needed to stop thinking before I made myself nuts. And that if it meant that I could postpone this line of thinking a little longer was only a good thing really. I smiled a little and got up from the couch in the office. Connie had just given me 2 skips, both were easy and both were regulars. Picking them up would just take 1 afternoon, and since Lula and I had just returned from a very greasy lunch in the "Cluck in a bucket", I had no excuse left but to pick myself up from the couch and start looking for my first "customer". During lunch, Lula had told me a little about her dates with Tank, but both of them were very secretive. I told Lula that it wasn't fair, since she had been pushing me for details on both Morelli and Ranger for years. She had just smiled a little and then said: "That was then, and that was you. You're life was practically public anyway, being from the Burg and everything". Imagine this, I couldn't really find fault with that line of thought…

I managed to pick both my FTA's up and had them processed at the police station before 5 pm, so I proudly handed my body receipts over to Connie at 4.45 pm. She smiled and wrote the checks for me. I would go to the bank tomorrow morning on my way to work, because this evening I had planned a little something for myself.

I had let a lot of people know that I was looking for an apartment for myself, now that Morelli and I were officially separated. I had been living with my parents for over a week, and I was going nuts. My mother kept giving me a hard time about breaking up with Morelli and inventing plans on how to get together again, because "after all, the divorce isn't finalized yet, no official harm done. You can just make up and nobody will know it happened"… Yeah, right, didn't think so. My grandmother on the other hand kept bugging me about which guys I wanted to date, now that I was "on the market again". Luckily, I had found a little place for me that was just perfect… Namely my old apartment. After I had moved out, an older lady had moved in, but she had moved into a nursing home about a month ago. I had responded quickly after I found out, and went over to take a look at the place on the same day. Turns out that after I left, the owners of the building had felt it was now safe to renovate without running the risk of having their work destroyed within weeks. So all units were modernized. New paint (nice neutral cream), new windows (modern ones that might actually be difficult to open for a burglar), new kitchen (looked nice, not that I was ever going to use it beyond the refrigerator), new carpets and curtains (deep burgundy red) and what I personally considered the biggest improvement: new bathroom! It was done in white and red accents, and looked modern but nice. I was told that some energy saving heating system was installed which didn't really interest me beyond the information that I would basically never run out of hot water. Also, the rent was slightly higher, but I didn't mind, since I considered the improvements worth it. The fire escape had been painted and I now had an official balcony. As a final touch, the front doors had been replaced with new locks as well… But somehow I still thought that Ranger would manage to get in if he wanted. I had moved all my stuff 2 days ago, and had spent the last couple of nights unpacking. Most of the boxes were empty now, and it started to feel like home again.

But tonight I was going to initiate my bathroom properly. I had planned a night of true pampering for myself. I washed my hair under the shower, scrubbed, shaved and then put a 'hair regeneration mask' in. It smelled nice and promised 'soft and wonderful curls' so I had high hopes. Then I filled the tub with hot water and delicious bath gel and started on my face. I washed it, gave it a gentle peeling and then put on a mask. I had brought my cd/radio player with me in the bathroom, together with some scented candles, and now leaned back in the bath enjoying the smell of Vanilla and the sound of 'relaxation volume 1'. Oh, a woman could get used to this. After 20 minutes I washed my face and my hair and got out, moving myself, cd player and candles into the living room. There I lotioned myself from top to bottom and painted my nails deep pink. I finally felt some inner peace again, after all the emotions of the last couple of weeks. After my toenails became deep pink too, I brushed my hair and it looked like the hair mask might actually do what it promised. I watched some TV and decided at 11.30 pm that it was my bedtime. I fell asleep feeling relaxed and at ease with my new life.

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My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter while I tried to keep my face blank. Jeez, how hard was it for some women to accept that I just wasn't interested without turning them into angry bitches who scared my child! I was in Miami for a little over 2 weeks now, and I was starting to loose some control. Yes, you heard it correctly, I was starting to loose some control. I had been spending a lot of time with Sofia, and I had started to pick her up from school in the afternoons whenever I could to spend some time over a drink before dropping her off at Anna's house. It hadn't taken long for some women to start coming on to me. It had actually taken exactly the amount of time it took for the bruises to heal. After my first week, on Wednesday, I had worn my usual black outfit and mirrored shades and had waited outside the car. This way I had a good view of the whole street and the front of the school. I had been focused on checking things out, so I had almost missed all the looks that were coming my way. Almost. First I had thought that they were probably keeping their distance, thinking about what Anna had said about her ex husband and his lifestyle. But I was wrong; they were simply taking their time checking me out. It hadn't taken long before a woman had come over and introduced herself. I realized I was in a difficult position now, since I couldn't walk away until I had picked Sofia up. Glancing at my watch it would still take about 5 minutes. Damn, damn, damn. The lady was talking about her son, and how difficult it was being a single parent and bla bla bla. Sorry, but I zoned out (as Steph would put it) to give my full attention to the things happening in the street. Since I was wearing mirrored shades, she couldn't see the movement of my eyes. Suddenly I realized she had stopped talking, looking expectantly at me.

"What?" No need to be nicer than necessary.

"I was asking you for a drink, you know, to discuss our children." Yeah, right.

"No, thanks." And just leave, please.

"Are you sure?" Definitely.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Your loss." She said, while she smiled what I suppose was meant as a seductive smile. I don't think so, lady.

Glad to be finally alone again, I took to checking out the street with a little more detail. Three minutes to go. I had the feeling I was being watched, and turned around. There was another lady leaning against my car, not hiding her attraction to my body. Her eyes wandered down and up again, and she licked her lips. What is wrong with women these days? Since when did women become so unafraid of my dangerous exterior? I was wearing a utility belt with gun, pepper spray and cuffs in full view. I was obviously not a cop, so I could be dangerous. I simply turned my back at her again, still registering her every motion, but hoping to give off a clear signal. She walked around the car until she stood at the side. I tried to ignore her the best I could. Luckily I was saved by the bell, and soon Sofia came running at me. I caught her easily and swung her around.

"Daddy!"

"Sofia! How was school?"

"It was great, we will start sex education in Biology next week!" Holy mother Mary of God!

"Really?"

"Yes, Mom gave permission for me to attend the lessons. And I got picked to play in the school play in 3 months." That's my girl.

"That's great. What will you play?"

"We will hear tomorrow after class."

Two day later, at Friday, Sofia has seemed quiet in the car on the way to my house. She would stay with me the whole weekend, and I had a few things planned.

"What's wrong, darling?"

"Nothing, Daddy." But her face said something else entirely.

"Come on, Sofia, you can say anything to me."

She stayed quiet for a while, but I could see her brain working. She seemed to be weighing the options of telling me and risking my reaction or not telling me, but hiding something from me. That was something she didn't want to do either. She seemed to decide she wanted to risk it.

"Daddy, today in class…. Some of the other kids said…. I mean… Ms. Hartley said that you were… That… eh… well…" She looked at me with lost eyes. I parked the car and turned to her.

"What is it that they were saying, Sofia?" I had a bloody good idea what was being said, but I needed Sofia to say it herself.

"They said… They said… that… eh…" Tears were pooling in her eyes. My poor baby. I picked her out of her seat and put her in my lap. She hugged me tight and then whispered in my ear.

"Daddy, is it… is it true that you… killed… people?"