Disclaimer- The characters don't belong to me but the plot does.
Thank you to Skye & Hayden Chode for all of your input and letting me bounce ideas off of you

Chapter 1- Cupcake

"We need to talk" Morelli said as soon as I answered my phone.

"I am dropping off an FTA, we can meet up at Pino's for lunch" I told him.

"I would like it to be a bit more private" He hesitated "Your place or mine?" He asked

Hmmm this sounded interesting. "Yours, I will meet you there in 30 minutes." I told him.

"See you soon." He said before disconnecting.

Now I was intrigued. What did he want to discuss with me that needed privacy? Did he intend to propose? What if he did? What would I say? Before his call I was craving donuts and intending to stop at Tasty Pastry on my way back to the bonds office. I was waiting for my body receipt after just dropping off David Clines who had shoplifted silky thong panties from the mall. Dropping him off wearing just the panties had my stomach upset but I had gotten over it when I thought about the check I would receive for bringing him in. The check would at least be enough to buy some much needed groceries. After the phone call from Morelli I went back to my twisted stomach and decided to skip the donuts today.

"First of all I need to know exactly what happened in Hawaii." He began as I sat on the couch in his small living room and he sat in a recliner to my right. "We never really talked about it. We moved forward like we always do."

"Joe.." I began "That all happened so long ago. I thought we had moved past that. I thought we were engaged to be engaged. " His eyes gave me nothing, he had on the cop face and showed no emotion.

"What exactly is that? Why is it that you can't commit to me? I don't even know what is going on between us." He paused for what seemed like forever. "Hawaii?" he asked

"It's really nothing" I began "I was fine going to Hawaii by myself, I understood you had work. When I arrived at the Honolulu airport, I spotted Tootie Ruguzzi in the terminal" I explained.

"The Rug's wife?" Morelli asked

"Yes" I began

"Can't even escape an FTA on your vacation, a freaking true walking disaster." He shook his head.

"I followed her hoping she would lead me to him. It turns out that they were staying at a high security all inclusive resort. It was married couples only that month and I couldn't get in no matter what I tried." I explained looking into his eyes for some kind of reaction.

"and?" he asked waiting for more.

"I called Ranger for help, he jumped on a flight" I rolled my eyes.

"Of course he did. And?" Morelli was still in cop mode and felt like I was being interrogated.

"He brought wedding rings, we put them on each other and stayed at the resort. We didn't end up catching the rug or his wife and then you were knocking at the door, and you know the rest. " I didn't mention the spa or the King sized bed. I tried to speak quickly like it was no big deal and gave out a big sigh when I realized the mistake I had made.

"You put them on each other?" His eyes were piercing and his jaw was tightened. "So, you exchanged rings?"

"That's not how I meant it." I shook my head.

"Let me get this straight" he began as he sat back staring into my eyes I knew now what it would be like to sit across a table and be questioned by him in the police station. He was intimidating and he wore a face like stone. His eyes were cold and there was no warmth coming from his body at all. He didn't look sexy right now, he looked scary. "You pretended to be married to your sometimes partner who looks at you like you are lunch. You exchanged rings, you stayed together in one room with a king sized bed."

"What is this? Why are you suddenly wanting to know every detail about this?" I asked very confused. Is this what he wanted to talk about? Is this why he called me over?

"I am just trying to tie up some loose ends in my mind. I have been thinking about how I need to clear up this situation. I need the details." he finished

"Okay, so yes we stayed in the cottage on the beach together." I told him expelling along sigh.

"And you were there together and laying in the sun long enough to make a tan line on your ring finger outlining the ring?" He asked without looking away from my eyes.

"Yes, he came the first night I arrived. Yes, I tried to relax and focused on a vacation as much as I could. You arrived, all hell broke loose, and I came home alone. And you? Just days after fighting with Ranger, I wake up to find you in my bed naked and you are happy not to talk to me. You are kissing me like nothing ever happened. " I spoke quickly like one long sentence.

"I thought we could just pick up where we left off. I knew before that there had to be times when you had turned to him. I never asked and you never spoke about it so I pretended it didn't exist." he began "Now I can't stop thinking about it. Can't stop thinking about all of the danger he keeps putting you in"

"He doesn't..." I began

"Let me finish." Morelli interrupted me with his harsh words. "I hate your job. I hate that this job puts you in danger so much that people are always trying to kill you and you can't seem to keep any car longer than a month." he paused for a moment. It was obvious he was carefully gathering his thoughts.

"I'm sorry." I told him sitting up on the edge of the couch.

"Most of all I hate that you work with him. You work for him." he paused and then spoke in almost a whisper "He is always the knight in shining armor rushing in to save the day."

"I like my job." I told him trying to see some kind of emotion. There was no anger, no love, no softened eyes, nothing.

" Stephanie..." He began before shaking his head. He moved forward to the edge of his seat and took my hands in his. He tightened his lips together for a second and then his whole face relaxed and he looked at me with his soft brown eyes. "How many men do you love?"

"What?" I asked. I was stunned.

"I need to know if you don't want to commit to me because of him, because you can't commit at all or because you are not ready yet."

"It was you who not to long ago said there was a you and a me but there wasn't an us" I told him as a tear escaped down my face.

"That was a long time ago and you know things have changed between us. I wasn't ready before but I am ready now. I want a future with you. I want to build a family with you, we already have Bob." he smiled. "Look I know I have not always been the greatest communicator and I will take some blame for allowing us to get here."

"I know talking has not always been our best forms of communication." I added finding myself showing him a small smile back.

" It's finally time for us to talk. I will even stop myself from letting you know how excited I am right at this moment looking at your tight t-shirt." he raised his eyebrows and we both laughed.

"I just didn't expect this conversation and while obviously you have had time to think about what you wanted to say, I haven't. So maybe I am not saying what you want me to say or coming across as I want to." I was stumbling on my own words. I gave his hands a little squeeze.

He stopped smiling and suddenly got serious again. 'I just need you to answer my question, how many men do you love?" He was still holding my hands in his, still looking into my face for answers.

I was speechless. I never expected this question. I never expected this conversation. The most talking Morelli ever did was about a case. We spent most of our talking time eating, watching baseball or in the bedroom when we weren't arguing. I searched my mind for the right answer. I could feel my mouth drying up and the lump in my throat growing. He needed to hear the truth and I needed to say it out loud for myself. I pulled his hands and lifted us both up. I wrapped my arms around his neck. His arms went around my waist and he held me tightly against him. His lips were in my hair kissing the top of my head.

"Two" I spoke in mostly a whisper. I finally managed the courage to say it out loud. His hands tightened for a second and then he pulled them away.

"Jeez Steph!" He yelled jumping away from me waving his hands around.

"I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't plan this. I didn't want this. Someone will end up hurt no matter what I do. I am here with you, I am engaged to be engaged with you. You can't choose who you love." I tried to explain.

"You are right about that." he sighed with a frustrated look on his face "I don't exactly blame you I know I pushed you away many times. I know because of my job I can't always help you on your job and I am not always there to save the day." he spoke as he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand.

"I don't always need saving." I assure him "I just don't know what the hell this conversation is all about."

"That's just it, the whole reason I asked you to come talk." He had one hand in the pocket of his jeans and another was bent behind his head tousling his hair now.

"What reason?" I asked confused.

"I am tired of this whole thing. I need a commitment from you. I need you to choose. I don't want to keep going back and forth." There was some anger and sadness in his voice. "I want to begin a real life with you but I can't do it with Ranger always breathing down your neck, tracking you and your cars. Cars, that's right. I can't stand him lending you cars and not saying more than a word about the way you get them destroyed. It almost seems like he's happy when you destroy a car." He paused for a second and let out a brief sigh. He had been pacing the whole time he spoke and I was getting a headache trying to focus on his quick words and constantly moving feet.

"Well" I began not really knowing what to say. I stood up and froze inplace unsure what to do.

"You know he isn't Batman right?" Morelli said as he threw his hands in the air. "No Batcave, no light above the city of Trenton begging him to come save us. We don't need him here to be our savior."

"I know that." I assure him.

"I have told you so many times about my feelings for you. I was telling you I loved you long before you could get the words out of your mouth. " He shook his head again and took a step towards me. He grabbed my hands and pulled me into him. "How can you love two men at once?"

"I love you" I assure him as he pulled my body against his and kissed my forehead.

"Then make a choice. Once and for all you need to do is decide if you can make the commitment with me. I need you in my life, in my bed and maybe even in a safer job." he smiled pulling back to look in my eyes.

"I don't know what to say to you right now." I admitted slowly looking up into his eyes.

He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. One short, quick kiss on my lips and pulled away quickly. "Is this a fight against commitment? Doubts about me? Or the fact you can't let him go? Do you want to be with me? "

"Yes, of course I do." I assured him as I leaned closer to him.

"and Ranger? Can you let him go? Can you stop working for him? Stop calling him to bail you out? Better yet consider the whole house wife thing. I just want you safe." he asked as he pulled away slightly, a small smile spreading across his face.

I didn't know what to say to this. I couldn't imagine sitting home all day to cook, clean and raise little Morellis. I just didn't know if I was ready for all of that or if I ever would be. I wanted to be with him, I wanted a future with him. At the same time I couldn't imagine my life without Ranger in it. I couldn't imagine not chasing skips or investigating crimes and disappearances. I pulled away from him and sat back down on the couch. I was staring off blankly into space considering all that he had said. He stood there looking down at me, hands on hips waiting for some kind of answer from me, but I was stunned into silence.

"I've already made the decision. I am here with you, I am engaged to be engaged to you. I occasionally live with you. You know I like what I do and you have to accept that." I looked up and into his face. Now relaxed but no more sign of a smile,

"But you can't let him go can you? If you needed a safe place you would turn to him. You occasionally live with him too. You would work for and stay with a man who you lov...have feelings for?" His hands were back on his hips.

Now I was getting aggravated. "You have worked with Terry Gilman quite a few times. Even meeting in motel rooms." I stood putting my hands on my hips. "You had feelings for her before and after high school. Maybe even now for all I know."

"Give me a break. I haven't had my hand in her pants for years. That was a work assignment. When you go to him it's not always an assignment, it's a choice." He stepped back and closed his eyes putting his hands to each side of his nose rubbing them in frustration as he slid his hands up to his head. "I am now adding headache to my heartburn."

I stood for a minute unable to speak. I was angry, I was upset, but most of all I was confused. Where did all of this suddenly come from? I knew he always viewed Ranger as dangerous. It wasn't too long ago that he dumped me while I was still naked in his bed because he worried I was making him sick with stress. He kept me at bay for over a month with no explanation. All of our on and off and all of our arguments.

"Even right now, through all of this I still want to rip off your clothes and have wild gorilla sex with you." He smiled looking up at me interrupting my thoughts.

I smiled at him and shook my head slightly. He always wanted to have sex no matter his mood or mine "Is that all you ever think about?"

"No, I think about marrying you and how I like the sound of Stephanie Morelli." He pulled me to him and held me tightly in his arms.

I had so much swirling around in my head. I didn't even feel the hot rush I always felt when he held me. Everything in my body was completely shut down. So much to think about and I know I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything let alone sex. I stepped away from him. I picked up my bag from the couch and headed towards the door.

I stopped and turned to look at him"I have a lot of things to think about and sort out in my head. I'll let you know as soon as I get everything together." I turned to walk out the door but not before I heard his voice calling out to me.

"Cupcake..."