Disclaimer: I do not own the characters created by Janet Evanovich. I just really really wish I did!! I am just using them in this story. I only own Carmella, but you can have her if you want her!

"Imaginary" By Evanescence

I linger in the doorway
Of alarm clock screaming
Monsters calling my name
Let me stay
Where the wind will whisper to me
Where the raindrops
As they're falling tell a story

Chorus:
In my field of paper flowers
And candy clouds of lullaby
I lie inside myself for hours
And watch my purple sky fly over me

Don't say I'm out of touch
With this rampant chaos- your reality
I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge
The nightmare I built my own world to escape

Chorus

Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming
Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights
Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming
The goddess of imaginary light

I woke up the next morning to the sound of the shower running. I wondered into the bathroom and found Joe stepping out of the shower and reaching for a towel.

"Morning Cupcake." He smiled and planted a kiss on my lips, dripping water over me as he did so. I smiled back and stepped into the shower. He grinned at me.

"Need some help there?" I stuck out my tongue.

"I think I can manage ok by myself thank you, I'm a big girl now." I replied. Joe smiled at me.

"I don't doubt that for one second. I'll see you downstairs." He walked out the bathroom, taking care to leave the door open behind him. I showered and got dressed in my usual uniform of jeans, t-shirt and a pair of boots. I was beginning to think I needed a new look. It must be because of all that shopping yesterday. As far as I could remember, this was always what I'd worn. When I'd been at school, it had been practical and as far as I could tell it still was. I'd never even thought of wearing the kind of clothes Carmella picked out yesterday as everyday wear, mini skirts, halter necks, cut of jeans…but they did look good on her. But then again, she was fifteen. But still, I might ask her for help…but it was a bit sad that I'd be asking a fifteen year old for fashion advice, it would be like…admitting defeat, at the same time, who else could I ask? Valerie? I loved her dearly, but her style was too proper and serene for me. Lula? Hell no! Sally? No, just no! it had to be Carmella. Fine, I would ask her today. I'd have to get some money though since it was unlikely that Joe would fund a shopping spree. I could always go after Simon Pasin, as long as I was careful that I didn't bump his car or wear anything flammable. I trudged downstairs and pulled a cookie out of the cookie jar that I'd insisted on Joe buying. He handed me a cup of coffee and a newspaper. Front page, hit and run. A picture of Carmela kneeling next to Ranger's body with me stood next to her. I didn't know how they'd got the picture but somehow they always managed to get one. I groaned and quickly scanned the article. Well, if there'd been any hope of my mother not hearing about this, it was gone now. The phone on the wall started ringing. I buried my head in my hands.

"I'm not here!" I shouted in a muffled voice. Joe picked up the phone.

"Hello?...oh hello Mrs Plum…Stephanie? Sure she's just here!" he handed me the phone. I covered the mouthpiece and glared at him.

"My child has no father." I hissed. He grinned and drank my coffee.

"Hi mom." I sighed, knowing what was about to come.

"What is all this about a hit and run?" she asked. I knew it. It was actually amazing that she'd gone this long without finding out.

"There was a hit and run last night in the mall car park. Ranger was hit but he's ok. That's it."

"Why me?" she asked "Rita Miller's daughter never has any friends who get run down by maniacs." I sighed.

"Yeah I know, life's a bitch. I have to go now mom, goodbye." I hung up. Joe was grinning at me.

"I cannot believe that you just told your mother life was a bitch."

"I know, I'm a bad daughter." Joe smiled and planted a coffee scented kiss on my lips.

"You're not a bad daughter, you're an…original daughter." He assured me. I smiled at him, then looked at the clock.

"You need to be getting to work." I pointed out. He sighed.

"Yeah I know. Do you want to go out for dinner tonight, we haven't been out for ages." I nodded.

"Sure, you decide where and then ring me with the details." He gave me a kiss that made me wonder if he really needed to leave right now and then left before I could pounce on him. I went upstairs to brush my teeth, then bid Bob farewell and made my way to the office.

Connie, Lula and I were slowly making our way through the day's second box of doughnuts, when Carmella and Ranger ambled in. Ranger had a white plaster cast around his left arm. They were both wearing sunglasses despite the fact that it wasn't particularly sunny and we were, in fact, indoors. Carmella had a bruise above her left eye and a graze on her cheek. She was wearing black jeans and a black army-style jacket. It was obvious that she was Ranger's daughter, they were practically identical. She grinned at me and sent me a finger wave, which I returned. Ranger took a file off the desk and looked at it.

"Um Ranger, you know that you're not, well…expected to be back at work yet. You can take time off if you want." Connie informed him timidly. Carmella sighed.

"That is what I told him, but he was all like 'I can work just fine thank you very much'. It's crazy; I mean he's a work freak. He's got Tank driving him round and a little posse at his disposal, anyone of them could retrieve the FTA's but no, it has to be him, Mr Ricardo Carlos 'I shall and will be the best' Mañoso." She raised her arms and flopped onto the couch.

"Men!" she exclaimed.

"Shut up Carmella." Ranger said, not angry but not joking. She glared at him and pulled a face. He almost smiled, then looked at me.

"Do you want some help getting Pasin?" he asked. I didn't know what to say. I did want his help, but equally, I didn't want him putting himself out on my behalf, especially when he had a broken arm. I glanced over at Carmella, who shrugged.

"Well, he's determined to work anyway so it may as well be with you so I'll have someone to talk to about stuff that isn't bombs, the army or how to survive rapid gunfire, which is pretty much all him and Tank talk about." She smiled. I looked back at Ranger and nodded.

"Sure, help would be good." He grinned his wolf grin.

"Well then I guess I'm all yours." I could see Connie and Lula fanning themselves behind him. The moment was interrupted by Carmella.

"Ewww! Old people, can you please save the sexual innuendos until after the naïve teenager is out of earshot?!" She exclaimed and walked towards the door. "Well come on then, let's get going!" she smiled and walked out the door and got into the black SUV parked outside the office. I shrugged and followed her. Ranger climbed into the passenger seat, while me and Carmella sat in the back. We drove out of the lot in silence. Carmella sighed and leaned forwards, turning the radio on. I saw Tank and Ranger smile slightly.

"Oh wow, I love this song!" she exclaimed. "Perfect by nature, icons of self indulgence, just what we all need, more lies about a world that never was and never will be-"

Do you actually like this kind of song? It's so…depressing." Tank asked. Carmella shrugged.

"They're not really depressing…they're just, like, about human traits and stuff like that. Evanescence rock!" she grinned and went back to singing. I smiled and looked out the window. I tried to remember what it was like to be fifteen. I tried to forget everything I'd learnt in the past fifteen years. I knew there wasn't much, but it was still hard to try and imagine living without everything that had happened. It didn't really seem right that over the years, I'd completely lost any sense of naivety and serious imagination. I used to have my own little world where I could escape to if anything got to tough. I looked over at Carmella. She was still singing. I nudged her and leant close. She looked over.

"Ok, really weird question but did you ever have…a kind of imaginary world to escape to?" she stared at me in what I thought was shock. Then she nodded.

"Yeah, I still do. I know it's weird but living with madre, I had to grow up fast so I created my own little world where anything could happen. Whenever I get upset I just imagine I'm there. So if you didn't think I was weird before, I'm sure you will now!" she smiled. I nodded and smiled back.

"I'm glad I wasn't the only one."

We pulled up outside the club we'd visited yesterday and all climbed out the car.

"Um, I think I speak for me and Steph when I say just what the hell are we doing back in this cursed hell hole?" Carmella asked. Ranger smiled

"This is Pasin's known hangout. It's where he's most likely to be now. You're more then welcome to wait in the car."

"Hey old man, you're the only one who should be staying in the car! With you're broken bones, you're bringing down the whole cool effect" she retorted. He raised an eyebrow, then led us into the club. When we entered, everyone went quiet and stared at us. I glanced over to a corner and saw tattoo-head shrinking into the shadows. Ranger indicated over to the bar, where there was a man who looked about 40 years old and 300 pounds and was haplessly draining a pint of beer. Ranger and Tank approached him cautiously, whilst Carmella and I hung back and tried to be invisible. We saw them speak to him and could just about make out what he was saying. Yes he was Simon Pasin, yes he was aware that he'd met his court date and no he had absolutely no intention of rescheduling. He bolted and ran towards the door, straight at me and Carmella. We both squealed as he pushed past us, then Carmella took off after him.

"Hey, you stupid fuckwit! Stop, bond enforcement, you're in violation of your bond so get your fat ass back here so we can take you to the slammer and get some cash!" she shouted as she ran after him. I was a few feet behind her, but didn't really see to be getting any closer. I could hear the sound of pounding footsteps behind me, presumably Ranger and Tank's. Pasin wrenched the door of a car open and jumped in. Before he could shut the door, Carmella had reached him and put herself in the way of the closing door. She grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and actually wrenched him out of the car. The three of us caught up with her and I cuffed Pasin. Then me and Carmella did a high five and she did one of those complicated handshakes with Tank that I could never master.

We dropped Pasin of at the police station and picked up our body receipt.

"Cool, that was my first apprehension!" Carmella smiled as we piled back in the car.

"You shouldn't have gone after him." Ranger said, his voice tense. Carmella blinked.

"Well, no one else seemed to be going after him. I wasn't about to let him get away." She replied and looked out the window.

"You put yourself in a vulnerable position, which in turn put all of us in a vulnerable position as well. I don't know what the hell you thought you were playing at, but you are not to do it again."

"Whatever" she whispered and went into her own world.

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Thanks to everyone for reading and thank you very much for all the review. I know this chapter is a bit weird and pointless but still! If anyone really understands the whole American school system (junior high, senior high, proms etc and what age you are in each school and year) because I don't really get it and it's different to the English one! Keep all review coming. Arigato!