This is going to be a fairly short story. Prompted when I was wondering if there was anything Stephanie wouldn't do for Ranger?

Alibi

Chapter 1

I was having a lazy Sunday. I'd done the cleaning this morning and put on several loads of washing. It was cold and wintery and a duvet day seemed like a great idea. My flat was sparkly, Rex's cage was clean, so I could relax guilt free.

I popped on Princess Bride to watch, microwaved some popcorn and snuggled down on the sofa. The movie was nearly over when my phone beeped. A txt from Ranger.

"Flamingo." It said. My heart started to beat rapidly, oh shit, oh shit. I hoped Ranger was ok. "10-4" I txt back.

It all started about 3 months ago. Ranger and I were on a stakeout together and as usual he was holding his silence and I was filling it. I had told him all about Joe and I finishing forever (for which I had received a glance full of doubt). I had told him all about Valerie's trip to the sexy gynaecologist, which was received with a glance which suggested he was already trying to burn that story from his brain. Now I was telling him a story about one of my skips who had been stupid enough to get a "sex alibi" from someone who later transpired to be gay.

"I mean," I said, rolling my eyes, "who would be dumb enough to get such a bad alibi?"

Ranger shifted his eyes to me, "you'd be surprised. Desperate people do stupid things."

"Well," I shrugged, "if ever you get desperate just txt me Flamingo or something and I'll alibi you."

Ranger's eyes warmed up and a slight smile tugged his lips, "flamingo?"

I grinned, "not something you're going to txt me by accident."

He was out and out smiling now. "True. But I think the cop might have an issue with you Alibiing me."

I sighed, "I've told you, Joe and I are just friends now. We're done. He's already dating a nurse. He says it's a logistical nightmare; their shifts never match."

He didn't touch that, he just looked at me in all seriousness. "You'd lie to the police for me?"

I slugged him in the shoulder, "I'd do anything for you, you know that."

Our eyes met and we were having a moment. Ranger parted his lips to reply and then his eyes shifted and sharpened. "There's our man," he was out of the car before I had even unbuckled my seat belt. The man was magic.

We hadn't talked about it again, but here I was, with a txt that read Flamingo. Oh shit. I hoped he was ok.

He didn't leave me waiting long. Less than 10 minutes had passed before Tank, Ranger, Manny and Hal walked in.

Ranger didn't mince his words, "You're sure?"

I rolled my eyes, "when for?"

"From 3pm today for me, from 5pm for Tank, Hal and Manny."

I nodded, "no problem. I've had a cleaning day. I've been in all day."

"Morelli called." Ranger said softly, "He asked my whereabouts. I said I was here. He'll be swinging by soon to check."

I nodded again. "No problem. We'll say we were hanging out here from 3 Ranger." I chewed my lip, thinking. "I'll imply we're dating," I finally said, "Joe always loses his cool if he thinks I'm involved with you so he'll probably get too worked up to look too loosely at your alibi." Ranger was smiling.

"You're giving me a sex alibi?"

I rolled my eyes again, "not a sex alibi. This isn't my "I've just had great sex" face. Everyone can always tell when I've had some and I'm in a spot drier than the sahara. If we say we've had sex Joe won't buy it. So…dating. You came by to hang out and whisper sweet nothings in my ear."

Ranger's eyes were looking warm and friendly, "We'll have to date in public a bit after this Babe, to substantiate."

I smiled at him, "oh the hardship." Ranger was thinking about smiling again.

I turned to the Merry Men. "Ok, so you guys came over because we were talking in the office on Friday about Rambo vs Die Hard and I invited you all over here for a movie marathon. Everyone knows both those movies?" Nods all round.

"Ok, so we were watching Die Hard since 5. Get comfy." I gestured to the seats. I put Die Hard into my dvd player and skipped forward an hour and pressed play. I turned the sound up plenty.

I hopped into my kitchen and grabbed a load of full beers and poured a bunch away. I put the empties on the coffee table in the lounge and handed each man a fresh beer to chug.

I'd already had some popcorn with the Princess Bride so I left the empty popcorn bowl out. I popped into te kitchen and called Shorty's and ordered 5 pies for delivery pronto. I preferred to eat out at Pino's but Shorty's delivered. I had become a very regular customer. I explained I had an odd request and I asked if the pizza delivery guy could apologise for the delay in brining the pizza. Could he act as if it had been ordered at 5? I received an affirmative and no indication that the phone guy thought this was a weird request.

I popped out to the Mr Lewosky across the way and knocked on his door. I left my own front door open so he could see the guys.

"Hi, sorry to bother you. But me and the guys have been arguing for over an hour now. What's better? Die Hard or Rambo?"

My Lewosky grinned at me, "no competition chicky! Die Hard all the way."

I laughed, and thanked him for weighing in and headed back. Probably if Joe knocked Mr Leowsky would say the boys had been there an hour.

I looked round the guys, "Ok who wants to be on team Die Hard?"

Hal and Manny raised their hands. "Ok" I said, "so Tank and Ranger are Rambo fans. I'm supposed to be watching the two movies with you and I cast my deciding vote at the end."

Ranger was smiling, "HUA."

I looked at all the guys critically. "Weapons off guys, try and look comfy."

Ranger sent me a smirk and he kicked off his boots like he padded round barefoot in my flat all the time. He put his boots by the door, like he had taken them off when he came in.

I disappeared into my bedroom and headed back with one of Ranger's hoodies. I passed it to Ranger to swop out for the windbreaker, it helped the causal look. He pulled it on and sent me an almost smile. "Smells of you Babe." I blushed a bit.

"What?" I protested, "It's comfy." The smile widened.

I hung his windbreaker by the door. I cast a critical eye over the scene, nothing stood out. Manny and Hal were in the seats, Tank and Ranger were both on the sofa. The sofa was a three person but no way I was going to fit between the two of them. Ranger opened his arms to me and I went to climb on his lap.

"Careful of the knife would," he advised, gesturing to his left shoulder.

"What?" I hissed, jumping back. "Ranger! Do you need the hospital?"

"Negative, just a band aid injury."

"Do you need a band aid? I've got a first aid box in my bedroom."

"I'm all good," he assured me, "dealt with it on scene. Morelli will know the suspect got knifed so moving around like I haven't been will help too."

I sighed, "I hate when you get knifed."

Ranger gave me a soft kiss, "I'm fine." He reached out and tugged me onto his lap. "watch the movie." He murmured. I reached forward to the coffee table and got a beer for him and a beer for me. I took a good pull of beer and settled back to watch the movie.

"Alan Rickman is amazing in this film." I commented.

Hal nodded, "He makes Gruber an excellent villain rather than a cartoon bond villain."

"Exactly!" I agreed, "he steals the show for me. I mean Bruce Willis is epic but Alan Rickman does evil so well, he's cold and calculating. Although it does make me laugh when he sends the message "now I have a machine gun ho ho ho."

Tank snorted, "See but that's why he is an idiot. Don't tell the enemy what weapons you have."

"You shouldn't give information to the enemy huh?" I snorted, "now where have I heard that before?" I said, twisting in Rangers lap to give him a pointed look.

Ranger just gave a slight smile. "It's good advice Babe." I rolled my eyes.

I settled back against him and tried to watch the movie. Ranger was stroking one hand up and down my arm. I was trying to focus on the movie, I really was, but he was making it a challenge. He moved the hair from one side of my neck and kissed my neck softly. I was having a hard job not to moan out loud. He knew where I liked to be kissed.

"Behave," I murmured to him.

I felt his lips curve against my neck.

"You can bet Babe that if we were dating, I'd still be applying pressure."

"Apply anymore and I'm going to take you into my bedroom and ride you like Zorro." I said in all seriousness, "I haven't had a social orgasm in months, you're killing me."

Tank was grinning. Crap, I forgot we had an audience.

"Sorry for the TMI." I said, blushing a bit.

There was a knock on the door. "Wahoo!" I shouted loudly, "Pizza's here!" I got off Ranger's lap and headed to the door.

Butterflies were in my tummy. It was go time. It was too soon for the pizza.

I opened the door, "What took you so-" I blinked. "Joe?"