The Fugitive (Stephanie Plum series fanfiction)

Chapter 4: Meeting Ms. Plum

Cold water woke me up with a jolt and someone was holding my head down.

I shifted my head and saw Ranger still on his working clothes and I, on the other hand was freaking naked yet again in his bed.

What was with me being naked all the time when I was with Ranger was beyond me, to be honest.

I was pretty sure, I was downstairs when I passed out and not in his freaking room.

"What the hell." I said and slapped his hands, which still holding my face to get off me.

"I'm just waking you up." He said simply.

"Whatever. Out!" I snapped.

I saw him shook his head, then locked the door and went down to his cave.

I couldn't help but smacked my own head on the shower rod.

What the heck was I doing? I was deliberately fooling around with this guy. What was happening was quite alarming. I was going nuts living with him. It didn't work out before and I was sure as hell wouldn't going to work out now. I fucking needed to regroup and I meant it now. I closed my eyes tightly and let the water wash away my thoughts.

When I felt sure I was the Athena, who answers to no one I went out and borrowed Ranger's clothes once again.

"We need to talk." I said.

He stopped and looked at me.

Jesus! Was he cleaning my mess?

"I will do that later. Let's go on the couch because you really needed to sit down for this one." I said and gestured the couch, which smells like the pizza I ate before I passed out.

"I was in a big mess and I needed your help."

"No shit."

I rolled my eyes and continue.

"Eddie was not my favorite person in the world and now he's dead and I was the last person they saw at the crime scene and now there's a contract on me from different directions not to mention the police and your partner Plum."

"You're an FTA for what?" He asked not even surprised.

"Carrying concealed and probably assaulting a cop." I said in disgust.

Ranger waits for my next word.

"The cop wasn't my fault." I added hastily.

"It's never your fault, Babe. What did you do to the cop?"

"I sort of dislocate some of his nerves to slow him down."

Ranger taught me this trick when we're still in the service.

"I told you not to do it on cop's Babe." He said, now smiling.

I narrowed my eyes on him. He better not calling me Babe.

Jesus! He knew how I hated that pet calling. I let it slip for the time being and asked about her partner.

"So Plum?"

"What about her?"

"She's after me. She any good?"

"You're better, but she's lucky." He said matter-of-factly.

I grimaced. That was supposed to make me feel better.

"She's not my real problem. I was here to hide until I figured out who's after me."

It was his turn to grimace.

"You know you can count on me on anything Athena." Ranger said sounded tired.