Standard Disclaimer: Not mine, not making money, yadda yaddacakes. I didn't put this in part one, but spoilers up through LMT.

Overheard Part 6

Early morning just before sunrise

Joe came slowly awake, savoring the warmth of the woman wrapped in his arms. Bob was sitting next to the bed with his head laid on Joe's knee. The hopeful look in his eyes along with the quivering of his body let Joe know that he needed to go outside. Carefully untangling himself from Robin, he got out of bed and pulled on a pair of ratty sweats that were lying on the floor. Stuffing his feet into a pair of sneakers, he headed downstairs to take Bob for a quick walk. Bob practically danced down the stairs in his excitement.

At the bottom of the stairs, he grabbed a couple of plastic bags and Bob's leash. "Come on boy; let's take a really quick walk. I want to go back to bed." Once the leash was snapped on and the door opened, Bob bolted for the sidewalk, dragging Joe behind him. Bob seemed inclined to linger at every bush and tree but Joe dragged him to his favorite spot. Once there, Bob dutifully hunched over and did his business. With a grimace and a wrinkled nose, Joe collected Bob's fairly considerable offerings. "Man Bob, what the hell did you eat yesterday? It's really stinky today." Bob looked at Joe with a lolling tongue and twinkling eyes as if to say Why nothing special master. Just my usual. You know dog poop, dog food, and a couch cushion. Oh and a pair of mistresses panties. They are almost as yummy as Bombshell's. Joe shook his head and followed Bob back to the house. Once inside, he filled Bob's bowls with fresh water and dog food. "Okay Bob, amuse yourself for a couple of hours but do not under any circumstances eat anything other than the food in front of you."

Joe climbed the stairs and pushed the door to his bedroom open. Smiling at the picture Robin made as she curled around his pillow, he kicked off his sneakers, pushed down his sweats and climbed into bed. Robin grumbled slightly as Joe gathered her back in his arms. "It's way too early, go away."

Joe laughed. "Well I was going to go back to sleep, but since you have issued a challenge, I will have to rise to the occasion."

Downstairs, Bob heard a squeal of protest coming from his master's room. He lifted his head, ready to spring to the rescue but the sounds of laughter and love let him know that all was right in his world. He finished scarfing down his breakfast and headed into the living room. Pushing on the remote on the coffee table, Bob jumped up on the couch and settled in to watch Sportscenter.

Across town

Ranger woke slowly. Despite taking that hot shower last night, he was stiff and sore. As he was getting out of bed to get dressed to go grab Steph and go running he thought to himself that it was a good thing that he was done with his government contracts. It was getting harder and harder to recover from injury. He knew that if he had continued, one day he wouldn't make it back. Grabbing a windbreaker to conceal the gun at his back, his cell and keys, he headed out the door. Steph was going to be surprised when he showed up to make her go running with him. He hoped that once he told her that he was ready for someday, she would forgive him.

The streets of Trenton were deserted this morning. Sunrise was still a half hour away but the sky was lightening with every minute. Pulling into the parking lot of Steph's building, Ranger noticed that her car was parked over by the dumpster. With a smirk, he pulled into a vacated spot right in front of the door. His Babe always remarked about his parking karma. He figured she would probably still be half asleep when they came back down and wouldn't notice. When she did notice, she was sure to roll her eyes and have a smart remark.

Quickly climbing the stairs to the second floor, Ranger was feeling both excited and nervous. Nervous was a new feeling for him and he wasn't sure he liked it. In the back of his mind he was half afraid that he had waited too late. Joe and Steph were in an off again phase but it had been a while. He was afraid that pressure from her mother had driven her back to Joe. Since Joe's jeep wasn't in the parking lot, he knew he would find Steph alone. That was slightly reassuring.

Ranger picked the lock and let himself in. In his eagerness to see Steph, he didn't notice that Rex's cage was gone. When he pushed open her bedroom door and took a step inside, he stumbled over a pair of her shoes. Managing to catch himself before he fell, Ranger looked at the floor. It looked like a hurricane had hit. Clothes were strewn about and hanging out open dresser drawers. The half open closet looked like a bomb had hit it as well. Ranger looked over at her bed. Seeing it neatly made he swore quietly. It meant that she hadn't slept here last night.

He went into the bathroom and it didn't look much better. There definitely were makeup and hair essentials missing. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he went out to check if Rex was still here. He was half afraid that Steph had been kidnapped but mostly that she had moved back in with Joe. If Rex were gone he could reasonably assume Steph had moved back in with Joe. His heart cracked when he saw that Rex was gone.

Sinking down on the couch, Ranger put his head in his hands. Christ if only I hadn't gotten that call from Tank. I could have stopped her. In a fog of despair and recriminations, Ranger sat there for over an hour. Suddenly the phone rang, startling him aware.

"Hey, I'm not here at the moment. Leave a message to entertain Rex and I will call you back." Beep.

"Steph, it's Joe. You never called me back and I really wanted to tell you in person. But since I know this has hit the 'Burg grapevine, I figured hearing it from me was better than from anyone else. I've asked Robin to move in with me. I mean, I know you are okay with us dating. I just thought that since everyone thinks we are going to get back together I would give you a head's up so when the questions started you wouldn't feel ambushed."

Ranger looked blankly in the direction of Steph's answering machine. He couldn't believe what he just heard. It had to have been a dream. Hitting the play button on the answering machine, he listened to Steph's messages.

Beep. "Yo white girl. Have you heard the news? Joe is steppin' out with another woman."

Beep. "Stephanie, this is your mother. What is this I hear about Joe dating another woman? If you would quit that job with that man, Joe would take you back and marry you."

Beep. "Stephanie can you take me down to the Clip and Curl. I have some juicy gossip to spread."

Beep. "Cupcake call me please. I need to talk to you."

Beep. "Babe"

Beep. "Oh my god Steph, you will never guess what Lenny told me. While he was fixing Mrs. Brodskey's pipes, he saw Robin Russell going into Joe's house. She has her own key!! I hope it is really over between you and Joe. I love you and don't want you to get hurt. Call me."

Beep. "Stephanie, this is your mother again. I know you are there. It's five thirty. I'll expect you at six for dinner."

Beep. "Steph we are still playing phone tag. Call me when you get this, it is very important."

Beep. "Steph, it's Joe. You never called me back and I really wanted to tell you in person. But since I know this has hit the 'Burg grapevine, I figured hearing it from me was better than from anyone else. I've asked Robin to move in with me." Ranger smashed the off button on the machine so hard that it skidded off the table and broke apart when it hit the floor.

Christ, Steph isn't at Joe's and wasn't kidnapped. She was so hurt by Joe's rejection she ran away. God damn that Morelli.