Thank you so very much for your reviews, you really make my day. I appreciate all your comments!

This is lucky 13…and it wouldn't have happened without the tireless efforts of my dearest Stayce, who provided essential insider information about the Jersey Shore and her expert opinion. Thanks Babe!

The title is borrowed from Bon Jovi, they're as Jersey as Steph

Disclaimer: All characters are JE's and I don't earn a penny borrowing them

Rating: R for adult language and situations. They're all adults and they talk and act like it…read at your own risk.

Living on a Prayer

Chapter 13

Since I didn't know where we were going exactly, I looked out of the window excitedly when Ranger drove us through Point Pleasant. It had never occurred to me to ask where we were going to stay, I'd just assumed Ranger would take care of it. So much for being part of the plan, I thought. Ever since I was a kid, Point Pleasant had meant vacation to me. My parents took us here in the summer; I had worked on the boardwalk during school vacation. I knew every inch of the beach and loved it. It was November now, and most of the businesses near the beach were boarded up for the winter. There was a lot less traffic than during the summer and only a few locals on the streets. Neat bungalows, most with porches, lined both sides of the streets. The vacation houses were locked up tight, waiting for the families that will descend on them next summer.

Ranger took Ocean Avenue to Arnold Avenue and pulled into Ye Olde Carriage House, as a sign announced. I'd never heard of it.

I turned to him. "A hotel?" I asked, "Aren't we a little exposed in a hotel? And what about the other guests? Is it safe?"

Ranger pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine before he turned to me, smiling. "Point Pleasant is not that popular in November, Babe. It just so happens that we have the carriage house in the back," He nodded towards the back of the large guest house, "And the only other guests happen to be employed by RangeMan. It's not a hotel so much as a guest house, two apartments"

Mental head slap. I should have known he would pick the right place.

Ranger flipped his cell phone open and dialed. "We're at location." He said. He listened for a few seconds, then he disconnected.

"Ashton followed us to Point Pleasant. Cal is on him. Bobby is in the main house with full view of the Carriage House. We're all set." He said and got out of the car. He took his time getting my bag and his suitcase out of the trunk and then he walked around the car and opened the door for me.

We could see Arnold Avenue from where we were standing, and I caught a glimpse of a black SUV driving by. RangeMan, I assumed.

Ranger had parked the Cayenne where it could be seen from the street, so that if Teddy or his accomplice drove by, they could find us. I could hear the ocean; we were about three blocks away from it. Ranger put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close.

"Our first vacation as a couple." He said and smiled. I swallowed hard. I knew this was part of the plan, but it hit just a little too close to home.

Ranger noticed my reaction. "Sorry, Babe. You know what I meant." He cupped my face in his hands and kissed my forehead.

"Yeah, I know. It was just…to hear it was…I don't know." I sighed. "It'll all be over soon." Ranger said and leaned his forehead against mine.

"No, I didn't mean it that way," I protested, "I love being here with you."

"I know what you meant." Ranger said softly and led us down the gravel path that started to the left of the house and wound its way to the back. The main guesthouse was a two-story Colonial, painted in pastel pink. Shrubs were planted in the front and around it, and they added a touch of green to the overall gray of the day.

The Carriage House was in the back; it was a small cottage, detached from the main house. It looked like it had been converted from an actual carriage house, the front door and two windows on either side looked like newer additions. Like the main house, it was pastel pink and looked like it had been painted not too long ago.

Ranger cut his eyes to the second floor of the guesthouse without moving his head. If I wasn't standing right next to him, I would have missed it. He nodded almost imperceptibly and pulled a key out of his pocket.

He took a step towards the door so he was standing right in front of it, blocking it, and pointed a key fob at the doorknob. A tiny LED light in the knob turned green and I heard the locks click. My eyes widened. Ranger opened the door and motioned for me to enter first.

I walked past him and into the small sitting room. There was a love seat in a floral pattern and two white rattan chairs around a white rattan coffee table. The sitting room ended in a kitchenette at the far side of the room. The kitchen cabinets filled the entire width of the room, a fridge stood at the right wall next to a stove. The dining area consisted of a small table with two chairs. To the right of the front door was a small corridor, leading to the bedroom and bathroom, I assumed.

I turned to Ranger when he had closed the door. "The house didn't come equipped with RangeMan security, did it?"

Ranger smiled. "No, the men did overtime to put it all in before we arrived. We have the perimeter monitored, motion sensors in the front and back and an alarm system." He pointed towards a small rectangular device on the wall.

Ranger pulled his cell phone off his belt again and dialed to give the rest of the team an update. I sauntered over to the hallway in search of the bathroom. On my way, I walked past the two bedrooms. One was a little bigger than a closet, with a twin bed and a nightstand. The bedspread was a colorful patchwork quilt that gave the room a warm touch. There was a small green rug on the floor and a lamp on the nightstand. Two pictures on the wall depicted colorful ships. Next to the small bedroom was the master bedroom with a queen sized four-poster bed made of light oak. It had a similar bedspread as the small bed and three decorative pillows. My mom would have loved the room with its old-fashioned comfort.

Actually, the room kind of reminded me of my parents' bedroom. Two nightstands held a table lamp each and on the wall next to the window was a dresser. The room was furnished for function, but it clearly had a woman's touch, right down to the wallpaper with faded roses on it.

Off to the left was the tiny bathroom, barely wide enough for a shower stall. I could tell all of the rooms had been created well after the house itself, but it was cozy and clean.

Ranger's voice drifted to me but I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. I knew he'd fill me in afterwards.

I took care of business and freshened up. Now I was hungry. I'd had a good breakfast, but the stress of the drive over had used that up. I needed comfort food.

I came back into the front room just as Ranger was ending the call. "Anything new?" I asked. "Hold on." Ranger said and he picked up our luggage and disappeared towards the bedroom. He came back moments later with a laptop in his hands.

"Still no confirmed sighting of Gardner. But the Civic is back and Lester is on it."

"What about Ashton?" I asked. "Cal followed him here. Currently, he's cruising the streets of Point Pleasant in search of us."

"And we're just following him? Why don't we stop him?" I asked. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"It's not him we want, Babe. We want him to find us and hopefully tell Gardner where we are. If we're lucky, they're meeting up here. The fact that he was able to follow us here in the first place tells us he's pretty smart. We have to keep our distance or we'll tip him off."

I sat down on the love seat, chewing my lower lip. I didn't like the idea of Ashton or Teddy so close to me.

Ranger sat down next to me, booted up his laptop and signed in. "I'm having a picture of Ashton sent, maybe you recognize him as the second guy." He said. I shook my head. "I never saw the guy, only heard his voice."

"Maybe you've seen him somewhere before though." He pointed out and turned the laptop around so I could see the screen. In the picture, a dark-haired man was smiling at the camera. He was wearing a tux and half of the picture had been cut off, probably a wedding picture or something. His blue eyes stood in contrast to his almost black hair, and he seemed familiar, but I couldn't place him. "Does he work with Teddy?" I asked. Ranger nodded. "He's also an orderly at St. Francis, but he keeps showing up for work, usually. Took a few days vacation starting yesterday, unplanned, according to the supervisor. "I don't know him, he just looks sort of familiar." I said. Ranger had turned the laptop back to him and was typing and without looking up.

"Cal is gonna keep following him. The Cayenne is out there, and Gardner knows that's my car. We're staying put until he finds us." "Like sitting ducks?" I asked sarcastically.

"Like well monitored and armed sitting ducks." Ranger said, smiling.

I picked my purse off the floor and tucked it in next to me. "Can never hurt to have extra weapons, Babe." Ranger said and he winked at me. I stuck my tongue out at him, because I knew he was making fun of my fear of guns.

"So we're staying here?" I asked. "Wouldn't it make sense for us to explore the town or walk on the beach? Be out there?" I waved towards the front door.

Ranger finished typing and closed his laptop. He put it on the floor and leaned back. "We're going out. Just waiting for the next update, I'd like to know who to look for."

"Did you bring any food?" I asked. Ranger barked a laugh and tousled my hair. "I had the fridge stocked."

"Is there ice cream?" Now Ranger was smiling. "I'll buy you an ice cream on the boardwalk, Babe. Only you would want ice cream when it's 50 degrees outside…"

Probably he didn't know that craving ice cream had nothing to do with the temperature outside. It was the ultimate comfort food for me.

"There's no TV." I said. I had just noticed that I was staring at a large painting of a ship at sea when I looked straight ahead. "No, there's no TV," Ranger said and put his arm around me, "The idea is for people to find their own entertainment." I grimaced at that. I knew it wasn't unusual for vacation cottages to just be functional, and I'd never spent much time inside when I was in Point Pleasant. But I'd never been forced to stay in a hotel room before either.

"You really think he's gonna show?" I asked. We both knew who I was talking about. "Absolutely," Ranger said, "He's gonna want me out of the picture."

My breath caught in my throat and tears were stinging my eyes. Ranger was right. Teddy would want him out of the picture just like he had taken Joe out of the picture. Out of the picture. Forever. The reality of it hit me so hard, I wailed.

It took Ranger by surprise, I could see his eyes widen for a split second before he wrapped his arms around me.

I knew Ranger hadn't meant anything by it, but all of a sudden, I had the image of Joe shot down in my head, and I couldn't push it away. Tears were running down my cheeks. I was scared, I was sad and I was lonely.

I'd been able to keep it in the night before, but now it was coming out with a vengeance. I pulled away from Ranger and fled to the bathroom. It felt like I spent more time in bathrooms than any other room these days. I sat down on the toilet and grabbed a handful of toilet paper to wipe my eyes. I was breathing air in big gulps, and the tears were finally drying up. I washed my face and sank down to sit on the floor. I didn't know what to do next.

I was expecting Ranger to knock on the door to ask if I was okay, but he was giving me my privacy. I leaned against the cool wall and closed my eyes to gather my thoughts. I had to get over this! For the rest of my life, Joe would be mentioned. I could not break down every time I thought of him!

I had no idea how much time had passed and was still trying to pull myself together when I smelled something familiar. I was sure my mind was playing tricks on me. There was no way I could be smelling…no wait, it was too real. I smelled chocolate chip cookies baking!

I got up and slowly walked back to the sitting room. The smell was getting stronger. I turned the corner and, sure enough, there was an empty package of Toll House cookie dough on the table, and Ranger was checking the oven.

"You're baking?" I asked and Ranger turned around. "I couldn't get ice cream here fast enough, and I thought you'd like the place to smell like home." He said as he turned around.

I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him. "Thank you. Again." I said, leaning against his chest. "There's nothing fresh baked cookies can't fix."

Ranger threaded his fingers through my hair. "I thought you might think that." I could hear the smile in his voice.

I couldn't believe he'd done this for me. Besides my mom or Grandma Mazur, no one had ever baked cookies for me. And just when I really needed them, too. I felt better already. The right food had that effect on me. I pulled back to look up at Ranger's face.

"You bake on every undercover job?" I teased. Ranger chuckled. "Only when my partner hides in the bathroom." He said and kissed my nose.

"How much longer?" I asked when I pulled away to check the oven. Ranger held me back. "Ten more minutes! Have a seat, I'll get them!"

I ate the first cookie before it was cool enough to hold in my bare hands. I closed my eyes and enjoyed every bite. In addition to the taste, the smell filled the whole house and made it a lot homier to me, I felt comfortable. I smiled at Ranger when he placed a glass of milk on the table in front of me and grabbed another cookie.

"I have something for you." Ranger said when I had relocated from the kitchen chair to the loveseat and I was full with cookies. He handed me a small box and for a second, I hesitated. Why would he give me a box that is only big enough for jewelry?

Ranger sensed my confusion and opened the box for me. Inside was a cute golden pin, a dragonfly with colorful wings. Next to it in the box was a piece of beige plastic that looked like discarded chewing gum.

"That's your new microphone and ear piece," Ranger explained. "We don't need you wired so much as part of the team. From now on, we're gonna have our meetings online, so to say, directly." He pointed at his ear and then at his collar, where I assumed his microphone was.

I looked from the pin to him gratefully. Usually, I only ever got to speak and was listened to, I never got to hear RangeMan's part of the conversation.

"I'll go change ant put it on." I said as I got up. I'd been meaning to change for our trip outside anyway.

"Let me know if the ear piece is comfortable, we can always change it." Ranger said before I turned the corner to the bedroom and I nodded. Really, I could have just as easily put the pin and the earpiece on in the main room, but I didn't want Ranger to see how touched I was. We hadn't talked about it, he had picked a 'girly' microphone for me on his own, just knowing I would like it. Actually, I loved it. I changed into my sky-blue cotton sweater and attached the little dragonfly to the V-neck, then I let my fingers slide over it. When I moved, the light reflected in all colors of the rainbow on the little wings. It was beautiful. I knew it was not a present, but it felt like one and it was certainly one of the most beautiful things I'd ever been given. I knew Ranger saw only the functionality in it, so I didn't want to gush in front of him.

The earpiece would take some getting used to, put it fit pretty well. Even if I tucked my hair behind my ear, it was barely visible.

I lowered my head to I'd be closer to the pin. "Testing. Testing. Steph to team. Can you hear me, guys?" I said and felt rather stupid doing it.

"Loud and clear!" Tank's voice boomed in my ear and I smiled. I was wired and ready to go!

I put on my jeans jacket and joined Ranger in the sitting room. "I'm all set," I announced, "Can we go now?"

Ranger's face lit up in a 200-Watt smile. "You'll never cease to amaze me, Babe." He said and pulled me closer by putting his hand around my neck. "Just waiting for the next sitrep, then we're off."

I sat down on the couch with a sigh; waiting had never been my favorite pastime. Ranger joined me and started the 'meeting'. "Target has a case of cabin fever," He said, winking at me, "Can we get a position report?"

"Control room here." Lester spoke up, "No more phone calls from the perp or the suspect. Steph, your mom called." I groaned at that and heard the men's laughter in response. "Everything is five by five on this end." Lester finished up.

"Team guest house." Bobby said. "I have a clear visual of the location entrance and the feed from all cameras is clear."

Cal was next. "Suspect found target's car about twenty minutes ago. Passed and pulled into the next motel, the Amethyst. Checked in at the office and got room 102 on the ground floor, overlooking the street. I'm in room 104 next to suspect, no movement. Suspect has cell phone that wasn't registered on his background check and made several calls en route. Unable to determine number or origin. So far, no movement."

"Alpha team is in position outside of location, on Arnold." Tank said, "Five by five."

"Transcript to follow." Lester said and Ranger ended the meeting. It was a weird thing to have a conference call without picking up a phone; it had seemed surreal, like a radio play.

Ranger adjusted his utility belt and put on his black leather jacket. He extended his hand and pulled me off the couch, then he grabbed my purse off the couch and kissed my temple before he led us to the front door. "We're leaving now?" I asked, "What if Ashton sees us?"

"That's the idea, Babe," Ranger said, "We're supposed to lure him out, remember?" I did remember, but it felt just a little too risky. I was about to ask Ranger if he was sure, but I bit my tongue. Of course he was sure. He knew what he was doing, I reminded myself.

"Leaving location, follow on foot." He told his collar and I jumped at suddenly hearing his voice from two directions. This earpiece really took some getting used to!

"10-4," Came the response, I think it was Bobby. Probably he was watching us from upstairs. Ranger beeped the door locked and took my hand. Right, I reminded myself, we were a couple. A couple that is very much into PDA's, apparently. I knew we had to overdo it a little to hopefully get Teddy to become careless. I didn't mind, it was nice to feel Ranger so close. I just wasn't used to walking hand in hand with him.

It wasn't as cool as a few hours ago when we arrived, the sun had come out, but I was still glad I'd remembered the jacket. We took the gravel path back to the street and continued on the sidewalk towards the beach. We walked past the closed up summer cottages in all different pastel colors. In the summer the porches would have hammocks and chairs, gliders and rockers, kids' bikes and toys. They were cold and empty now, actually sad looking. Kind of lonely.

There weren't any big trees around this close too the salt water, but a few evergreens added some color. Every fourth house or so seemed occupied year-round, there were cars parked in the driveway, but overall, the area seemed deserted, with the empty flagpoles next to the front doors and dead leaves piling up in the front yards.

"We'll be passing the Amethyst in a few minutes," Ranger said, both to me and the rest of the team, "In case he follows us, one man stays behind to set up the room, one man follows him." Another 10-4 acknowledged Ranger's order.

"In position." Came another report, I wasn't sure which Merry Man had said it. My curiosity winning over, I pretended to tie my shoe and risked a glance back. About 100 yards behind us, Junior was leading a black lab on a leash. They made a cute picture and the distraction worked well, I thought. Just a man walking his dog.

Ranger took my hand again and pulled me close. "This is it," He said and nodded towards the two-story block of beige stucco that just screamed 'cheap beach motel, "The Amethyst."

He cupped my face with his hands and lowered his lips to mine. His mouth felt warm on mine, and I let my hands snake around his waist. Catcalls and whistles filled my ear and I could Ranger smile against my mouth. I knew it was a just-for-show kiss, and there was no tongue involved, but I still felt a little uncomfortable. I was reminded of the night in Ranger's kitchen when he had rejected me. Probably I'd picked the wrong time to remember that embarrassing moment, but I couldn't help it. I pulled away from Ranger and continued our walk.

"Suspect is making a phone call." Cal reported. I raised my eyebrows at Ranger in a silent question. Ranger lowered his head and said, "Report the conversation."

There was silence for a minute, then Cal came back online. "Suspect is talking to the perp to report your position in front of the hotel." I could hear the smile in Cal's voice when he continued. "Suspect is calling you a 'tonsil-hockey' playing couple." Ranger smiled at that and I felt the heat creeping into my face.

"The plan is working, Babe." He said and put his arm around my shoulder while we were walking. We got to the corner of Ocean Avenue and Arnold, crossed the street and took the steps up to the Boardwalk.

"Suspect is leaving hotel, following target." Cal said, "I am keeping a visual. Hal is equipping room with surveillance gear."

Ahead of us was the wide white sand beach, the wide wooden boardwalk with benches looking out toward the water. The moment I saw the beach and the ocean, I felt lighter, happier.

The sound of the waves breaking on the beach was deafening, the foam was running up the sand. Sea gulls were flying overhead, calling back and forth to each other. The beach was deserted this time of the year, I could only make out one lonely walker about half a mile ahead and a dog jumping and chasing sea gulls.

We leaned on the metal railing that separated the boardwalk from the beach and looked out at the ocean. I took deep breaths, enjoying the salt smell from the ocean.

I could see surfers in wet suits making the most of the surf and farther out, there were a few fishing boats. It was like a picture postcard. Most snack places and souvenir stores on the boardwalk were closed and locked but a few joggers and elderly couples holding hands were enjoying the nice weather, oblivious to the 'closed for the season' signs.

The smell of the ocean mixed with the smell of popcorn from somewhere down the boardwalk, and I could hear music faintly in the distance.

I let go of Ranger's hand but he stayed close behind me as I made my way across the sand and we were laughing when we got so close to the water that it started lapping up our shoes. This close to the water's edge, the foam was making sizzling sounds as it hit the sand.

It was freezing, but I didn't care. "This was a great idea!" I said, "I didn't realize how much I missed the ocean!"

"You were in Atlantic City four days ago." Ranger pointed out. Oh right, how could I forget? "I didn't get to feel the water." I explained. Seeing the waves from the 50th floor and standing ankle-deep in them was a major difference. To make my point I bent down and splashed some water at Ranger. He jumped back and grinned.

He kept walking backwards, away from the water and me. I don't know what came over me, but suddenly, I was running at Ranger full speed and I jumped him when I was mere inches away. It took him completely by surprise and he was unable to keep his balance, we tumbled into the sand.

Ranger landed flat on his back with a 'whoump' and I fell on top of him. "Thanks," I said playfully, "I needed that. Now I can say I felled the mighty Ranger!" Barks of laughter rang in my ear. Shit, I'd forgotten all about the microphones in the moment.

Ranger was grinning from ear to ear as he pulled me up with him. "Glad you're feeling better." He said sarcastically and wiped sand from my face. "You're dirty, wet and freezing, but you're feeling better. Go figure." I smiled up at him, brushing sand off his shoulder. He was right about the freezing part.

"Suspect has target in view, keeping his distance." Cal said. "Position?" Ranger asked. I tensed. The light mood was gone. "At store front." Cal reported.

"We have boardwalk in full view," Tank said, "No visual of perp so far." Ashton must be Teddy's eyes and ears, I figured. He was too smart to confront me right away; probably he was still planning his next move.

"Suspect is making phone call." Cal said. "Keeping Teddy up to date." I added and Ranger nodded.

"Shit!" Cal exclaimed. "Suspect is armed. Can't make out the model, but unmistakable bulge under jacket." I sucked in some air and Ranger put his arm around my shoulders. "Let's move on." He said.

"Because it's harder to hit a moving target?" I joked, but the look Ranger gave me in response wiped the grin off my face. Looked like I'd been right.

I looked around and realized we were totally exposed standing on the beach like that and I let Ranger take my hand and lead us back to the boardwalk. We were now about 100 yards further down, were the next set of stairs led back up.

"Report!" Ranger barked and my eardrum all but exploded. "Suspect is en route." Cal responded. So he was still following us. It had been uncomfortable but manageable before I knew he had a gun, now I was getting scared.

"We're heading back." Ranger said and pulled me closer. I felt a little safer back on the boardwalk, but I still made sure I had my free hand in my purse, in case I needed to grab my gun.

"Slow down," Ranger said, his mouth close to my ear as if he was whispering sweet little nothings, "We're just a couple out for a stroll, remember?" I hadn't even realized I was walking a lot faster now that I had the solid wood of the boardwalk under my feet again. We had been walking slower in the sand. "Sorry." I murmured and Ranger squeezed me.

"Now do you want that ice cream?" He asked. All I wanted was to get back to the carriage house and barricade myself inside it, but I knew we had to keep up the appearance. "Sure," I said and searched the storefronts for an open vendor.

Ranger ended up buying me a an ice cream at one of the arcades that was open year-round but declined to join me for the pleasure. Cal was keeping us up to date; Ashton was still following us, his cell phone always at his ear.

"Trace that call already!" Ranger said. He sounded impatient. "On it, boss." Lester confirmed from the control room. I had no idea how he was supposed to do that, but I knew that if it was possible, RangeMan had the resources to do it.

We looked like any of the other couples out on the boardwalk. Ranger stopped us in front of a couple store windows that weren't boarded up as if we were window-shopping. The whole time, he spoke to me softly, assuring me everything was under control and we'd be back at the hotel in a few minutes.

Cal kept updating us about Ashton's movements, apparently, he wasn't coming any closer, he was moving at the same pace we were. "He's just here to observe." Ranger told me. I really wanted to believe that, but the truth was I was terrified.

Hal reported he had installed the camera and microphone in Ashton's room and was getting a good feed in their room next door. I knew that Tank was watching us from somewhere close by, and Junior couldn't be too far behind either. I relaxed a little when we had made our way back to Arnold and I could already see the guesthouse.

Bobby confirmed he could see us and was ready to give us cover if necessary. I felt more like I was walking the streets of Bosnia than Jersey, but I didn't say anything. I just kept my eyes on the guesthouse as we were slowly getting closer.

When Ranger unlocked the door and let us in, I rushed past him and plopped down on the love seat. "Thank God!" I exclaimed.

I could hear Lester laughing in my ear. "You don't know how to have fun, Steph!" The other RangeMen laughed at that and I stuck my tongue out at them, even though they couldn't see us. Ranger was smiling. "You have a weird sense of fun, Santos!" I said, but I couldn't help smiling at his teasing.

"Target back at location." Ranger said and all Merry Men confirmed they were back on their posts.

"Did you bring hot chocolate?" I asked Ranger. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question. "I'm frozen solid, this definitely calls for a hot chocolate." I explained and got up to search the kitchen cabinets. I could hear Ranger chuckling behind me and I knew without looking he was shaking his head. If I was amusing him again, we were back to normal, even if only in my state of denial.

TBC

What do you think? Do you think Steph and Ranger should get cozy? Or is it too soon for her? What would you like to see happen to Teddy?? Leave your answers in your review!

I welcome all suggestions, chapter 14 isn't written yet!