Disclaimer: I own Kole and nothing else.

Relatively Speaking

By

Kole

Previously…

When we were done at the mall we headed back to the office. I didn't bother to ask Connie to search anything for me, I knew the Red Devil wouldn't be in our files. I also knew that Ranger is going to show up at the bond's office a few minutes after I get there and tell me he's 'going into the wind'.

Chapter 7

On our way to the office, I filled Lula in on Eugene Brown. I told her what I remembered and also about how in the books, we kind of bounced him off the hood of my car. She thought that was kind of funny. I didn't. She also thought it was a good idea that we didn't go to Comstock Street.

On our way there, I got a call from Morelli saying that I could come pick up my gun because they were done with it. We made a quick stop at the police station and I got my gun. I hadn't realized how much I missed it, until I got it back.

When we got to the office, Connie was going through files.

"Hey, where were you guys?" Connie asked.

"At the mall. Steph dropped her phone and needed a new one." Lula told her.

"How'd you do that?" Connie asked, looking at me.

"It was an accident. It fell." I told her. I didn't say anything else, I was too nervous. I knew Ranger was going to come in soon and tell me he was leaving. I didn't get a chance to tell him about being in the next book or to ask him about training me. I was also really nervous as to what he would say.

What if he didn't come and didn't say anything. I mean he has only known me for a little while. I'm not the Steph he used to know, the one he would tell when he was leaving. I mean I hope he cares enough about me to tell me, but what if he doesn't.

I was making myself even more nervous, the more I thought about it. I was going to have to wait to talk about the books and training until Ranger got back. I would also have to confront him about the weird way he has been acting, with the sweet kisses and the way he lets his blank mask slip away. Or well he was acting weird before I told him about me. He still looked at me differently when he thought I wasn't looking and according to Lula I wasn't the only one who noticed it.

My internal freak-out was interrupted when I saw Connie and Lula go still and fix their eyes on the door behind me. I knew Ranger was the only one who could make them look like that. I took a deep breath to calm myself.
A warm hand settled at the base of my neck, and I felt Ranger lean into me.

"Babe," he said, softly.

"Hey, Ranger," I said, my voice surprisingly steady.

Ranger tightened his hold on my neck. I wasn't sure if he was going to say anything else because Vinnie's inner office door opened, and Vinnie stuck his head out.

"What's up?"

"I'm going out of town for a couple weeks," Ranger said. "Tank will be on the job, if you need him." Ranger turned to me. "I want to talk to you...outside."

Ranger's black Ford F-150 FX4 was parked curbside. A black SUV with tinted windows was parked behind the truck. The SUV had its motor running and I knew Tank was the one driving.

I followed Ranger out of the office, glancing first at the SUV and then at the heavy traffic on Hamilton.

"And if I need something? Will Tank help me as well?" I asked, trying to flirt, but at the same time actually wondering. I mean I'm still not sure where me and Ranger are and I don't know if he would still want his guys to help me out.

He ran a fingertip along my hairline and tucked a stray curl behind my ear. "It depends what you need. Did you have something special in mind?"

Our eyes held, and I felt something in me calm. Ranger was flirting back, almost exactly what he said to Steph in the book, but still flirting back. It wasn't love, but it was something.

Ranger pulled a little black box out of his pocket and handed it to me. I was really confused and was pretty much just standing there staring at it stupidly. Ranger hadn't given Steph a box in the book. This was different and I was still standing there staring at the box like an idiot.

I looked up at Ranger, but he had his blank face on. I reached to open the box, but Ranger grabbed my hand and stopped me.

"Don't open it, yet. Wait until you get home." he said. I was a little confused, but nodded and put it in my pocket. Then Ranger surprised me again when he pulled me into the alley, pressed me against the brick wall, and kissed me. It was a very passionate kiss and Ranger was completely molded against me. It was amazing and it left me breathless.

"Wha?" was all I was able to say coherently after that. I was hoping he would realize I was trying to ask him what the hell that was for.

"Just a goodbye kiss. I am leaving for a little while." Ranger answered, as he put me back on the ground.

"Call Tank if you need anything and be careful, Babe." And then before I could try to form words, he was gone.

Lula and Connie were shuffling papers, trying to look busy, when I returned to the office.

"Is he gone?" Lula wanted to know.

"Yeah."

"Lord, he makes me nervous. He is so hot. I got flashes. Look at me. I'm having a flash. I'm not even in menopause, and I'm hot flashing."

Connie rolled back in her chair. "Did he tell you where he was going? How long he'd be away?"

"No, but he never does." I said.

Connie was probably worried because Ranger did most of her high-stakes bonds. I was pretty good at doing high-stake bonds recently, but Connie was still hesitant to give them to me.

"I hate when he does this," Connie said.

"I been noticing the last two times he took off there was a coup in Central America," Lula said. "I'm going home, and I'm watching CNN"

I left the office and headed home. I was just pulling away from the bonds office when I remembered that Sally would be at my parent's house. I debated it for a few seconds before turning towards my parent's house.

I wasn't going to pass up seeing Sally. I really liked him and I was also looking forward to watching my mother go even more insane.

I had to park in the driveway when I got to my parents' house because of the big yellow school bus at the curb.

Grandma was at the door, waiting for me. "Guess who's here?" she said.

"Sally?"

"He came over because he was so excited that the charges were dropped. And he's been real helpful on account of Valerie's still here, and we've been discussing the bridesmaids' dresses. Valerie wants pink, but Sally thinks they should be a fall color since it's fall."

Valerie was in the kitchen, sitting at the table with the baby hanging from her neck in a sling apparatus. My mother was at the stove, stirring a pot of marinara. Sally was sitting across from Valerie.

"Hey, man, thanks for getting the charges dropped," Sally said. "I got a call from the court. And then Sklar called me just to make sure I wasn't gonna go ahead with the lawyer. I didn't know what to say at first, but I just went with it. It was real good."

I sat down next to Sally. "Glad it worked out."'

"So what do you think of the dresses?" Valerie wanted to know.

"So, who's gonna be your bridesmaids?" I asked Valerie, changing the subject away from the hideous dresses. It wasn't my wedding thankfully.

'You'll be my maid of honor. And then there's Loretta Stone-houser. And Rita Metzger. And Margaret Durski as bridesmaids. And the girls can be junior bridesmaids."

"I'm thinking pumpkin would be a good color for the bridesmaids' gowns," Sally said.

I cut myself a piece of cake and sat and waited. I knew it wouldn't be long before the wedding planner would be brought up. Then all I will have to do is try to convince them that pumpkin might clash with something.

"You know what we need?" Grandma said, right on cue. "We need a wedding planner. Like that movie. Remember where Jennifer Lopez is the wedding planner?"

"I could use help," Valerie said. "It's hard to find the time for everything, but I don't think I can afford a wedding planner."

"Maybe I could help plan the wedding," Sally said. "I have extra time between my bus runs."

"You'd be a perfect wedding planner," Grandma said. "You have a real eye for color, and you got ideas about all that seasonal stuff. I would never have thought to have pumpkin gowns."

"It's settled then. You're the wedding planner," Valerie said.

My mother's attention wandered to the pantry. I knew she was thinking about the whiskey bottle hidden behind the olive oil. I loved that Sally was going to be the wedding planner, it was just hilarious. My mom obviously didn't like it, but it didn't really matter.

"You know I don't think we can have pumpkin bridesmaid dress." I said, hoping I could talk them out of this.

"Why not?" Valerie asked.

"Well, pumpkin would be amazing but don't you think it would clash with Rita Metzger's hair?" I said, hoping against hope that luck was on my side. I didn't know anything about Rita Metzger, so I didn't know what her hair looked like.

"Oh my god, you're right. Rita is a red head. Pumpkin would look horrible on her. Thanks Steph." Valerie exclaimed. Her and Sally started brainstorming other ideas and I just sat there in shock that my lie had actually worked.

"Well, good luck with the wedding planning. I have to go. I'll see you all later." I said and then finally I was on my way home.

Once I got home, I got a shower and changed into some comfy sweatpants and a Superman shirt. I had some things to do. I set up my new laptop and got a pen and notebook. I also grabbed the files Ranger had brought over about me and my two friends I asked him to find for me, when I first woke up here.

I haven't read them yet. I hadn't even looked at them again after that day, but I was going to now. I set all my stuff on the table and I also grabbed my gun and set it on the table. I don't know why, but I just felt better having it there.

I made myself a coffee and sat down at my makeshift desk. I was planning on reading thorough the files Ranger gave me and seeing what I could find. I was also going to write down everything I can remember happening in each book, in the order they happened in. I don't want to forget anything really bad later. I was also going to make a list of some of the things that I wanted to do and change.

I started writing down what I remembered from book ten and then started working on the other books. I was only on book twelve, when I remembered that Ranger had given me a box today.

I ran into the bathroom and found the pants I had been wearing and pulled the box out of my pocket. I walked back into the kitchen and set the box on the table.

I just kind of stared at it. I wasn't sure what it could be. I mean what in the world would Ranger give me before he leaves to go 'in the wind' and not want me to open until I was at home, presumably alone.

I stood up and walked away from the table.

"You are being ridiculous, it's a freaking box. It's not that big of a deal. Just open it." I muttered to myself as I paced around my kitchen.

I finally convinced myself I was being crazy and to open the box. I went over and picked up the box.

I opened the lid and almost dropped the damn thing. I was so shocked. I had not been expecting that. I sat down at the table and just stared at it.

Inside the box, was a necklace with a silver Batman symbol pendant with 'Babe' engraved on it.

I honestly didn't know what it meant. I mean Ranger had been sending me mixed signals for a while now, understandably. He had never given the other Steph something like this.

Yeah, Ranger was going to have some explaining to do when he got home. Until then, though, I was going to wear this beautiful and amazing gift.

Once I put the necklace on and stared at it in the mirror for a little while, I went back to work. I wasn't sure what was going through Ranger's head, but his gift had made me feel very loved and special. I would worry about what it meant once I survived book ten.

I sat there for hours writing and reading and making lists. I probably would be doing the same thing tomorrow night as well, but I already felt better knowing that what I could remember from the books was written down.

I had read the files on me and my friends. It still made me feel uncomfortable when I read the 'deceased' part of my file, but everything else in it was stuff I already knew. It told me about my life. It was surprisingly accurate. My friend's files had no information. There were people with their names, but they weren't the right people.

My friends didn't exist here. That made me sad and confused. I mean why would there be a file for me, but not them. Was it because I was technically dead, or because I was the only one who came into this world? I didn't know.

I looked at the time and saw that it was really late. I cleaned up my table and put my stuff in a safe place, or well as safe a place I could find. I was going to have to get a safe, and a security system.

I put my gun on my bed stand, crawled into bed and passed out.