Title: It's all about living life
Chapter 19: Places to go, people to see
Author: Ann (Chrystalsandsnowflakes)
Rating: (G to NC-17): G
Spoilers/Warnings: Takes place in the future, so after EOT
Summary: …
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, I just play with them. Sorry it took so long to update, here's a short one!

Places to go, people to see

It all went pretty quickly after I boarded the plane. I fell asleep soon after take off and when I woke up, we were ready to land. I hobbled off the plane and booked myself into the closest motel the cab driver could find. When I fell backwards onto the bed I felt strangely relieved and very relaxed. It felt like taking a holiday. Just some time for me. No Ranger, no Joe, no work. Just relaxation and fun.

"What did she say exactly?"

"I told you."

"And that was all she said?"

"Yes."

"And why is she doing it?"

"I don't know."

"I think you do."

"Morelli."

"Manoso…. She was doing fine until she returned to work and you showed up. So you explain to me why she has this urge to leave town suddenly. Because you can be sure this time it isn't because of me!" Morelli's voice was getting louder. A little crowd started to form. People still hoped it would come to a showdown between the 2 most eligible bachelors in town. When Steph made her choice for Morelli, people had lost hope, but now it seemed like all was possible again. And this would be the fight of the century, that was for certain.

Ranger had gone to the police station to ask Morelli about Steph's plans and whereabouts. But Morelli hadn't been able to answer a single question. In stead, he had started to ask him questions. Questions he couldn't answer. And now Morelli was loosing his patience, and his own was wearing thin as well. It was one of those few times when he actually considered letting things getting out of hand. It would give him the opportunity to let off steam. Mmm, on the other hand: they were in the police station, it wouldn't look good to assault an officer here, would it?

"Look Manoso, I'm obviously not the man with the problem here." He had a smirk on his face and the insult didn't go past me unnoticed. I could feel my blood pressure going up a notch. I had the feeling that he wasn't telling me all he knew, which would mean that she actually confided in him before she left. It seemed she confided in everybody except me. And from what I understood from Tank, she was serious about me not coming after her. I knew I could track her down if I wanted to, or have someone doing it for me. But I also knew Stephanie. She had a knack for knowing when someone was following her and she would always do the unexpected. I could sent in my best men, or go myself, and still be found out because she simply would do something so unexpected that you couldn't prepare for that. And the price she set on it, to loose her friendship and respect, was too high for me to be willing to pay…. For now anyway. I knew if she would stay away too long without contacting me, I would get very worried, and might try to find out a few things. Morelli's voice got me out of my thoughts.

" She didn't tell me not to follow her." A few cops smirked and Morelli looked positively angelic at me. I couldn't help but respond.

"Yeah, well, that's a first." Morelli's response was lightning fast and the fist connected with my jaw before I could do anything about it. A lot of things happened all at once then: all the cops drew guns and pointed them at me, my fist went up in the air to strike back, and stayed there when confronted with the guns and behind me I heard a familiar voice. Tank.

"Ricardo." I took a deep breath, shot one last look at the cops and walked backwards out of the police station. On the parking lot, Tank started.

"And what the hell was that about?"

"Fuck off."

He laughed at me and slapped my back.

"Glad I could help, bro. "

By the time we drove into the parking garage at Haywood I had cooled off enough to smile at him.

"Thanks."

"Anytime."