Everybody and everything familiar belong to Janet. The rest is mine.
"I am not a fly," I assured myself.
"Why would you think you are?" Ranger asked, scaring the crap out of me.
"You know, most people knock or ring a doorbell when they visit someone."
"I'm not most people," he said, tugging me away from the window where I'd been busy brooding.
He wrapped his arms around me and just held me for a minute, not saying anything.
"What was that for?" I asked, trying hard to let him go when I really want to hang on.
We're more than friends, but the 'more' still has a big 'ol question mark around it.
"You looked like you needed a hug," he said after a beat.
"What gave you that idea?"
"Spotting your cell on the hallway floor like you threw it there was the first clue. The second was seeing you looking out the window instead of having your head in the freezer or cabinet looking for snacks after a bad day."
It's creepy how well he knows me. He pulled me towards the couch and down onto the cushion beside him. I really should be moving my body without his help, but I was still processing my anger and found it hard to think about doing anything else.
"Now … explain the fly comment," he ordered.
I sighed, wondering how to say what I'd been thinking without him thinking I'm crazier than he'd originally thought.
"I just got off the phone with my mom ..."
"That explains the cell throw."
"Yup. She told me to come to dinner so 'we' can discuss my career options."
"She heard that you told Vinnie to go to hell?"
"Yup again. News travels even faster in the Burg than in the control room. It was a bittersweet moment for her ... family arguing with each other where other people can hear is a big no-no, but now she thinks there's a chance I'll get out of the bounty hunting business."
I had my head resting against his bicep so I couldn't see his face, but I knew he was smiling. "And your response?"
"Well, it wasn't as diplomatic as I'd intended, but I have no regrets about telling her it's my life, and they're my decisions to make, before hanging up on her."
"This is where the insect introspection comes in?" He pressed.
"Yes. I was standing here trying to figure out why my mother is so nice to Val and to Joe, she even handles Grandma carefully despite disapproving of everything she does. Only me and my dad are treated like her employees. It reminded me of how Joe's psycho cousin would pull the wings off of flies before stepping on them. Valerie already left the Burg once to live in California where she had and kept her family. Morelli can always go find another Burg family to force himself on. And Grandma will leave my parents' house at a moment's notice and move in with whoever will take her. They all have the option to say 'Adios' to my mom and hit the road. So, that must mean she believes Dad will never walk out on her and also thinks the same about me. That I'm so pathetic, she can treat me like crap, and I'll still show up at her door bright and early for another round of insults and orders. She thinks she's pulled off my wings so I can never get away and is just playing with me until she decides to crush me."
"You're not pathetic. Or anyone's employee now that you cut Vinnie off at the ... knees."
I lifted my head off him to lean it against the back of the couch. "Thanks for reminding me that I'm currently unemployed on top of everything else."
He turned just enough to lift me up and deposit me in his lap. "You always have a job at Rangeman. You know that."
"I do. And I might take you up on that without any argument or conditions this time."
He kissed my head. "Good. Now about your wing-issue. I originally came over to say 'It's about time' when it comes to Vinnie, and also to ask if you'd like to come with me to Miami this weekend to visit Julie? But I can switch around the dates, and we can leave within the hour if you're interested in getting out of Trenton for a little while."
I looked up at him. "You mean it?"
"Yes. My partners own a jet that can be ready to go whenever it's needed. I feel it's needed right now."
I twisted my body so my knees were sinking into the cushion on either side of his hips as I straddled him. "Thank you!" I said with more feeling than I was supposed to let slip.
I told myself this was just a brief kiss given in gratitude, but the second my lips touched his, Ranger took over and reminded me why it wasn't a good idea to kiss him ... and also why I never want to stop once I do. By the time we ran out of oxygen, he was cupping my check with one hand while the other one was on my butt pressing me tighter against his body which had gotten noticeably harder.
"We shouldn't be doing this," I said out of habit.
"At least not until we get somewhere more comfortable," he countered.
"Like your penthouse in Miami."
He leaned forward and kissed me again. "That works for me."
"Hmmm, speaking of work," I said as a smile started to spread across my face.
"You're looking a little evil, Babe."
"Good. I'm feeling a little evil. Remember when you told me you omit, you don't lie?"
"No."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You just broke your streak, because that's an obvious lie. Anyway, I'm not planning on omitting or lying, just wiggling the truth around a little bit. Where did you say my phone is?"
"On the carpet just outside your bedroom door."
"Don't go anywhere," I told him as I went to retrieve my cell.
My mother, being who she is, let the phone ring three times before she picked up. My punishment I'd guess. Little does she know how little she bothers me now.
"Listen, Mom ..."
She interrupted before I got any further. "It's about time you come to your senses and apologize for being so rude to me. You know I only want what's best for you."
"You want what's best for you, but that's not why I called back. I'm telling you to cancel whatever job interviews you have lined up for me unless you want to look bad when I don't show up. I already landed a new job, effective immediately. Ranger is showing me around the Rangeman building tonight. This one's in Miami and I'm not sure when I'll be back in Jersey."
I hung up again, feeling pretty proud of myself until I caught the look in Batman's eyes. I went from happy to uneasy in the span of a rapid heartbeat.
"While we're on the subject of me not lying, remember when I said once you enter the Batcave, it's forever?" He asked.
"Uh, no."
His smile could only be called predatory. "Now who's lying?"
I cleared the nerves from my throat. "So, ummm, the Batcave is in Miami?"
"No, but there's no reason it can't become the vacation version of it, where the same duration of your stay applies."