I don't own any of JE's characters! This is my very first fanfic, hope you won't get bored reading it

Ch. 1

So there I was now sitting on the couch on a Friday night. Alone. Again. Watching TV without really paying attention to whatever I was watching. My thoughts have been keeping me away from the presence. Thoughts I could not suppress. It felt like I was not fully me. In fact a part of me felt like missing yet. Joe.

I could just call him, but what if he had someone over? This would be awkward. On the other hand it was Friday night, I was sure there was a game airing he would not want to miss. Go and call him! I demanded myself like a teenager that had a crush on the hottest guy in school. I am over thirty already. An outgrown woman. You can do it! Just go for it! I looked over to Rex who had stopped running in his wheel and was glaring at me.

"It is ridiculous to debate about calling him or better not, isn't it? I asked my cohabitant as if he would reply me. He twitched with his whiskers as a kind of answer though.

I stood up and took my cell phone out of my amply black purse I often tended to take to work. My hands began to tremble caused by nervousness. I braced myself and called him. Since we became a couple for the first time he's been #1 on speed dial.

Realizing I just called him and hearing the ringing I suddenly didn't know what I should say. I am a talkative person; no one ever got me speechless neither in chit chats nor on calls but Joe did make me go out of words.

"What?" He said somewhat annoyed when he picked up the phone. Maybe I shouldn't have called, I thought. "Hope this is no phone prink you dumbass otherwise-"

"Um hey, it's um it's Stephanie." Apparently he did not check the caller-ID.

"Oh, sorry, I thought you um never mind. Why you calling?" It felt good to hear his voice like this was just what I needed. He sounded so cool compared to me.
I smote my forehead so hard I hoped the bash wasn't hearable at the other side of the line. What the hell was I supposed to say why I called?!

"I um I-" My voice cracked and I felt a tear rolling down my face. I did not want to cry so I wiped the tear swiftly away in hope that would stop other tears from forming and following the drop down my cheek. I opened my mouth to respond but shut it because nothing came out.

"Hello? You still there?" He asked.
I sniffed as silent as I could and tried to smile as a kind of encouraging myself to not crave in.

"Yeah, yeah, I am still here. Um I just, I was just bored and thought um why don't you call somebody and hey I thought of how much time has passed by that you last spoke with Morelli so I called ya."
I could sense he was examining my statement inasmuch it took some minutes for him to reply.

"Are you sure you just told me the truth?"
This reminded me of how he must have been feeling lied to for the past few years about me relating to Ranger. A mass of a sense of guilt came up my stomach.

"Why do you still have to bring up this?" I felt more tears finding their way down in silence.

"What?"

I made a noise that was like a mix of sniffing and sighing. "The past. Ranger. You know what I mean!"

"Are you crying?"

"No! And if I was who cares?!"

"Um listen Bob needs to be walked-"

"It's past nine. Bob never needs to be taken out at this time!"
He sighed. "Alright, listen Steph, I had a long day and I would like to relax the time before I head to bed just to wake up tomorrow to just go to fucking work. So-"

I cut him off before he could end his sentence. "I miss you." I said calmly. I am sure I caught him by surprise since there were some strokes of silence. I would be surprised too when I were him. I mean I never really revealed my feelings toward Joe.

Joe's POV

Wow. She never said she missed me before. I know since Dickie the dickhead cheated on Steph it was hard for her and still is to allow any of caring and loving feelings toward anyone, especially me. God a year ago she was not even able to say the L-word! I knew she felt the same but I wanted to hear them though.

And now!? We haven't been a couple again since the incident on Hawaii. This betrayal she was doing she proved me live still made angry. I wanted Stephanie to be mine, only mine. If we only could talk about the thing with Ranger I could even try to forgive her and restart from the very beginning, together.

I went through my hair with my free hand and closed my eyes. How much I would love to have her here in my arms watching the game together while a little chit chat. And then go upstairs and make love to her. Why could life not be just that easy?

"Steph-" I started but did not know exactly how to go on.
She sniffed one more time before she went on. "I am sorry. It just came out without real thoughts."

I wished she would not be crying. I felt horrible whenever she cried. Even when we are not together I still cared about her. "You should go to bed." I needed to do so at least to just think about this damn situation we were in.

She sighed disappointedly. "Yeah, I maybe should, um well, goodnight then."

" G'night!" Cupcake. I hung up and sight frustrated. Bob came along barking.

"Seems it will stay the two of us here in this house. No Stephanie." He barked at this again.

"What? I know I should give us another chance, a last one." I paused. "But I am just so sick of this all!" Jeez! I was having a conversation with a fur monster!

Joe, you're on a good way to become mad. I laughed at this thought.

Switching the TV off I turned off the lights as well and headed upstairs to shower all the frustration off my body and mind I had lately. I don't know for how long I showered but due to the cold water that laved down the shower it must be quite long enough.

Crawling into bed I closed my eyes. Stephanie's face showed up. Her bright smile that never failed to make me smile no matter how bad my day had been. Even just thinking of that made me smile and I might have gone to dreamland with that one thing on my face.

Stephanie's POV

The next morning I was already up at six but did not get out of bed. I was gaping at the ceiling through the eyes of mine with all the heavy bags under them and all the stickiness left from the tears. I did not feel like beginning the day yet. Maybe I should just keep laying here for the entire day, maybe even week, I thought.

Suddenly there was a banging at the door. "I am not home!" I yelled.

The banging did not stop and a female voice was hearable. Lula. "If you ain't open up that friggin' door of yours I'm gonna occurring it! But you'd better not want me to 'cause these shoes were not made for occurring some stupid doors." She shouted.

I got up and went to the door. Removing the safety chain and the locks I opened the door.

"What do you want? Have you watched at the watch yet? Some people still sleep at this time!" I burdened.

"Jeez! Gurl! You look horrible! Your hair's messier than ever!" She came closer.

"And your eyes! It's not Halloween yet, you know?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Let me alone." I wanted to shut the door at her but she made it to come in.

"You a happy gurl you have a friend like me." She took her purse and depleted the content of it on the used up coffee table in the living-room. Like she was carrying around a mobilized beauty parlor in her purse. A dozen of eye-shadow plates, lipsticks in different colors, rouge, mascara in black, mascara in brown, mascara in blue and even in black with silver crystals in it! Besides the make-up stuff there was her stun gun, pepper spray and her gun with munitions.

"Lula-"

"You need to go outside again, to work, Vinnie is going crazy there! I do not know why you being the way you're being. I mean you broke up like hundred times and came back together again!"

Was I the only one that saw it differently? Why could no one understand that we'll probably never get back together after all that happened? And it is all because of me acting so stupid and immature.

I faked a smile. "So why are you already up and what are you doing here?"

"Making you a new girl." She grinned bright and I feared something not so good was coming. "You go shower and I'm gonna prepare everything."

I looked at her confused. She pushed me toward the bathroom which was next to my bed room. I did as I was told and showered until I looked like red lobster.

When I got out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel going to my knees Lula was awaiting me already with a huge grin on her face. I saw bags I was sure of weren't there before.

"You ready to get sexy?" She asked.

I shook my head no but she ignored that and pulled me into my bedroom. She took something pinkish out of one of those bags and held it up to show me.

"What you think of this?" It was a dress that looked a little too short with glitter all over it. The synthetic cloth had no sleeves and was quite exposed at the top.
"Lula, I don't think this is gonna fit me."

"My chin! You go try it on!" She handed me the pinky cloth. "And if this really does not suit you I have a lot of other choices to try." She winked at me.

I put it on and Lula and I looked at me in the mirror agreeing this was nothing for. I had to try on some other things but nothing fitted very well.

"Lula. I can wear some of my clothes-"

"These shabby things you call clothes?" She pointed at my closet. "Hell no!" Putting another thing out one of the bags she held up a red long-top printed with little colorful leaves on it. It looked best of all the other stuff she's been showing me. I tried it on and it didn't look that bad on me.

"You look great! You just gotta add a pantyhose and this." She gave me a bronze-colored blazer. Lula went to my closet and took out a pair of black pumps with four inches heels.

"And what if I'll need to chase a douche bag? I can impossibly chase someone in these shoes!" Besides they reminded me of Joe. I wore them for him on one of our 'dates'.

"Take a pair of other shoes with you if you think you can't run in 'em." I sighed. I kind of hoped she would read between the lines and let me wear another pair of shoes. "And now we gotta do your make up and fix the mess on your head."

"We?"

"Yeah. And now hold still." It took an hour until Lula or how she would call it 'we' were done with my make-up and hair.

"You can look inna mirror and thank me for my work now." She said proudly. I hesitantly looked into the mirror and my mouth dropped open. There a lot more mascara on my eyelashes than ever. My lips were bright red and my cheek bones were accented more than I would like them. I looked like Barbie.

My hair looked like I was energized because of the extreme amount of curls that gave my hair more volume than it already had. "Wow um… wow." I was speechless.

"You look stunning." I wasn't sure if stunning was the right word for that…

On the way to the office we stopped by at Tasty Pastry's to get some donuts and coffee. At the office which was still a van bus since the real office had been exploded in some way Connie was reading some magazine until she heard us entering the office.

"Holy shit!" Her mouth dropped open. "You look like.. um isn't that too much of make-up? And these heels? Seriously, you look like you'd been dressed up by Lula."

"Actually, I-"

"I dressed her up, in fact. Glad you see it." Lula interrupted me.

Connie shook her head trying to not look too amused and took out a profile.

"You can start with this one. Shouldn't be too hard to catch." I looked at the file. Frankie Chester.

"Armed robbery?"

"Don't worry, he's drunk most of the time and by the side of you in these clothes you can probably outsmart him and bam he's at the police station."

I put the file into my purse and headed toward the door. "Wait, I'm gonna come with you." Great, at least I won't have to make a fool out of me alone.

Lula read out of the file where Chester lived and I was hoping for him to be not much of trouble to handle with. I rang the bell. No answer. I rang again and again until a half-naked man I supposed was Chester showed up at the door.

"What!"

I introduced myself the usual way and told him to come with me to rearrange an appointment for court.

"Sure."

"Maybe you should go and don something." I said.

He looked down at him. "Oh no, I'm fine. Plus you can have a good look of me that way." He winked at me. Eww.

Before we reached Lula's Firebird a shooting started. "Duck your head!" I shouted.

After seven shots it stopped I looked around and got up just like Lula. Only Chester didn't get up. I kicked him lightly but he didn't move. I bent down and I felt the urge to throw up as I saw that some piece of Chester's head was missing.

How could I think I would have luck today? "I gotta go. Police is coming and you know how allergic I am to the police!?"

"Wait! You can't leave me here. I need a ride home!"

"But-"

"No buts! You'll wait for me till I can go too!"

"Hunh! Can I at least wait in the car? At the next block?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Woe betide you when you leave!"

She went to her car and I could see drive to the next block.

The first police car that came was that of Big Dog and Carl Costanza.

They looked down at the corpse as they made their way to me. "You did not shoot him, did you?"

"No!"

"Just wanted to be sure." Carl said.

"See you're working. Haven't seen you for days!" Big Dog said.

"Yeah, um needed some time off work and stuff." I replied with a kind smile.

"Have you seen anyone?"

"I'm afraid no, I haven't. It went just so fast."

"It's okay though. We'll try to find it out. You okay?" Carl said.

"Yeah, I had luck what I can't say of Chester."

We stood there with no more words been said while some other cars arrived and some appeared.

"What happened?" I heard someone say whose voice sounded so familiar. Joe appeared and stood next to Carl. The side of him made me even happy. He looked over to me and then talked to Big Dog and Carl.

I didn't really listen to what he said but it didn't really matter to me anyway.

They seemed to be done here since the two left with a 'see ya' to me.

Now Joe was looking at me again. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I um I'm fine."

That was being awkward because we just stood there for several minutes with no flirting, no looking into my neckline, no yelling, nothing. Then he broke the silence. "You look good." He checked my look from the top to the bottom and a grin appeared on his face. "You just used a little bit too much of make-up."
I blushed. "Yeah, I know um Lula just thought I'd need to dress up like this with all that."

He sighed and ran his hand though the black wavy hair of his. It looked so damn sexy. "I can't do this."

"I don't understand-"

"This all!" He paused and lowered his voice while coming closer. "I really wanna be with you."