Warning: This is sorta pre-slash. So if you have a thing against male/male pairings then don't complain or don't read.
I love Steph/Ranger. But since I am mainly a slasher as I was reading and searching through all the Plum Universe fics, a Ranger/Morelli plot started to form in my head (right in the middle of my uni semester as well – but now finally I have time to write!). And there's also the fact that I haven't found another slash fic written in this fandom – so basically Ranger and Joe were just screaming to be put together.
At the moment, I'm writing this as a one-shot – but if people are interested (and tell me so) then I do have a few more ideas to continue with. But people have to actually tell me this – because it's unlikely I'll write anymore if nobody is interested, except if I get really good inspiration or something.
I am also still working on my other fics (do not fear HP fans), but this one has jumped the line due to the twelfth book being released soon (yay!).
The Letters in Their Hands - Chapter One
They never think that I'm watching them from where I am now – but I am.
I saw both of them stand side by side as my coffin was placed into the ground – the blank masks in place and bodies held rigid the whole ceremony. Holding back, even when everyone around them was letting their emotions go.
While nobody else saw their secret smirks, and the mirth in their eyes for a split second, at Grandma Mazur's loud admiration for my open coffin – I did.
I must admit – it was extremely enjoyable to watch both of them be astonished by me and make them break composure – just by reading the letter I had left them each. Even after death I still like that I finally astonished each of them once.
"Oi. Morelli," I roused from my caffeine induced trace to watch Eddie Gazarra weave through the desks, till he was standing in front of my desk, "You have a visitor." I looked past him to where Mooner stood, a large black purse slung across one Lycra clad shoulder and surprisingly – looking non-high for once.
I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. What would Mooner visit me for?
Mooner just grinned; dug round in the purse for a little bit, and pulled out a cream coloured envelope. The shock of recognising whose handwriting had scripted my name across the front must have shown, since his grin got bigger. He handed the envelope to me with a "Dude," then gave me a wink and started to re-weave his way through the desks.
Gazzara just smiled, "Stephanie had some really strange friends Morelli," and walked off.
Looking at the envelope in my hand, with my cupcake's handwriting scrawled across the front made my heart ache. But I was curious as to what she would have written to me about before she died, so I carefully opened the envelope and the read the letter.
While her letter made the ache in my heart lessen slightly, it also caused confusion.
When I strode into Vinnie's office, I did a double take. There sitting on the dirty old couch was Mooner, decked out in an electric blue Lycra bodysuit with a black 'S' sewn onto the front.
Mooner just grinned at me, looking somewhat like the Cheshire Cat, and handed me a pale grey envelope with a wink, "Dude," then wandered out. Hmm… He didn't even seem stoned.
Looking at the envelope I recognised the handwriting straight away as Steph's. Knowing that Connie and Lula wouldn't be arriving for at least another hour, I sat down on the couch to read what Steph had written me.
By the end of her letter, I was laughing with tears – and agreeing with her as well. Grinning like the cat that got the milk (and really thanking God that Connie and Lula weren't in yet) I decided to act on Steph's suggestion.
It was a good suggestion.
It was a bloody terrific one.
I was hoping that spending sometime with Steph would give me some answers to the questions that arose after I read her letter, and this is why I was striding through the Trenton cemetery.
Coming up from behind, I saw a black clad figure sitting in front of Steph's headstone. Ranger. In his hand he held a well read letter, and a pale grey envelope lay on the grass beside him. As I got closer, I recognised the handwriting on the front – Steph's.
"So you got a letter as well?" Ranger nodded and grinned, "It seems the majority of Trenton got a letter from Steph. Every person who ever helped her, no matter how small, over the last five years, got one. It's as if she kept a record."
That was news to me. But doing something like that was definitely a thing Steph would have done.
Ranger continued to talk, "I've been seeing the letters all round town. Shop assistants in Macy's, pretty much every bakery in town, various 7/11's… even Cluck in a Bucket and McDonalds. Not to mention the cops. I heard some of them talking about framing the one she wrote for the whole station and hanging it up in the foyer."
At that I couldn't help but laugh. Ranger just continued to grin. It was the most emotion I've ever seen him display when not round Steph and it made him look younger… Less hard and untouchable.
When I stopped laughing, I looked at Ranger, who was staring intently at me. "I bet you're here to try and figure out some of Steph's comments in her letter." I nodded.
Ranger gave me, what Steph had dubbed the 200 watt smile, and stood up, "Perhaps I could help you."
How could Ranger help me with the cryptic comments Steph had made. "How?"
"Like this."
I just stood there, as Ranger put his hands on either side of my face, and gave me a gentle kiss on the mouth. I was too shocked to move or say anything once he was finished. My heart was thumping in my chest, and I know I had a shocked expression on my face.
With another smile thrown my way, Ranger picked up his letter and envelope, "Think about it," then walked off.
I don't think I'll be able to think of anything else now. But at least some of the questions posed by Steph's letter have been answered.
Mooner stretched out on his couch. All of the letters had been delivered. He'd finished his final promise to his dudette by delivering them. Except for one letter – but that depended on what happened between Ranger and Morelli. Pulling out a tattered exercise book, Mooner opened it up and ticked off the last two names, Ricardo Carlos Manoso and Joe Morelli. Steph had finished giving her thanks to everybody.