Thank you all so much for your reviews. This started out being a one-shot and now has 12 chapters. That's the longest one-shot I've ever seen…LOL

So anyway, thank you for staying with me, this is the last part to wrap it all up. But then again, there might be a sequel at some point if there's a demand for it…(hint, hint, nudge, nudge)

The story is based on and inspired by my friend who agrees lobster tail and beer are the three things a Texas cowboy needs in life…

Disclaimer: As per usual, I don't own anything, I'm just having fun with JE's characters

Rating: K, T, whatever. No smut. Bad language…

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

Epilogue

With any luck, he'd decide that I was too dangerous to be around and would not make good on his threads, I thought. Hey, a girl can hope, right?

Six weeks later…

Since Morelli's cars hadn't been blowing up for years, his insurance didn't hesitate to send him a check for his destroyed car. I even went to pick out the new car with him, although he made me promise I wouldn't drive it. I could understand that.

I'd waited for two days after his car exploded for him to blow up as well, but he never did.

I quickly learned that Morelli's promise hadn't just been lip service. The day after his car blew up, he woke me at 5:30 to go running. I hate running, and he doesn't usually run either, but he said it was all part of the new 'us', so I went along. His plan was for us to go running every morning, but we compromised, and now we're running three times a week. If it's not raining, because that's where I draw the line. And if we're up till dawn having sex, it counts as exercise, so I don't have to go then either. Needless to say, Morelli never complaints when that happens. Whenever he can, he also drags me to they gym where I finally picked up self-defense lessons. I have to admit apprehending skips has already gotten easier. I'd only come home covered in garbage once in the past six weeks.

Our first day at the gun range was pretty embarrassing for me. It had been years since I'd been going on a fairly regular basis, and I hadn't gotten any better without practice. But Morelli was very patient with me, showing me the best ways to pull the gun and aim it in a hurry, reload it without dropping the bullets and such. And after a couple weeks, I usually shot the hearts out of the little paper guys.

The first time Morelli had pulled in one of the paper targets with a hole where the heart should have been, he grinned, "Yep, that's my girl. Takes your heart away if you're not careful." And then he'd kissed me.

We go to the gun range three times a week and I don't even whine about it anymore. For some reason, three times a week works for me. If I have to work out in the morning, I might as well end the day by shooting paper guys. And not that I would tell him, but Morelli with a gun, concentrating on the target, is one of the hottest sights I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. I'm really happy we go shooting in the evening, so that I can take him home to bed afterwards

Actually, after a week of the 'New Morelli', I stopped pinching myself when he did something completely unlike the old Morelli. I had slowly learned that the new Morelli was the one that was going to stay and I was happy about it. As it turned out, Morelli had been missing the same things in our relationship as I had, and we actually talked about it now. I had to learn how to share my feelings, and he had to learn to listen to them.

The best part is, Morelli changed for the better, but everything I loved about him stayed the same. Sex with him is still magic, we have great times outside the bedroom, and he endures my family.

Yeah, I'm happy. And now that I am, I can admit I wasn't happy before.

I'd loved Morelli for a long time without being able to tell him. And now I know I couldn't tell him because I wasn't sure we were in it for the long haul. I didn't want to wake up one day realizing I'd trusted the wrong man again. My marriage had really burned me on that one.

Now I have no trouble telling him whenever I feel like it. And I will never get tired of hearing him say it to me.

One day, Morelli was waiting for me outside the bonds office. He was leaning against his shiny new SUV and I was wishing I had a camera, he looked absolutely GQ.

"Hey handsome," I said and was greeted with a sexy smile. "Get in the car," Morelli said. It wasn't an order, but I was still unable to refuse. I slipped into the passenger seat and Morelli sat down next to me, winking.

"Okay, where are we going?" I asked, although I was pretty sure he wouldn't tell me. "Well, Cupcake, that's for me to know and you to wonder," he said cryptically and I rolled my eyes. Inwardly though, I was smiling. I loved that kind of surprise. It was Thursday afternoon, but since Morelli's shifts changed all the time, that didn't mean anything. I didn't know he had three days off.

That trip had ended up in Atlantic City, where we spent an incredible weekend gambling, shopping (well, I shopped, Morelli carried the bags), partying and relaxing. We went to two concerts and my voice was hoarse for days because I had to scream along to all the songs I knew.

That had been three weeks ago and the thought of it still made me smile every day.

We'd both been incommunicado during those three days, and I had some explaining to do when I got back to the office Monday morning. By then, I was thankfully less sore and was able to walk again. A full weekend with the Italian Stallion still wore me out, even though I was working out regularly now.

Lula and Connie had coaxed most of the details out of me and by the time I was finished, they were fanning themselves almost like they did when Ranger was around.

"I gotta give it to you, girl, I think Officer Hottie really deserves the nickname!" Lula said, grinning wide.

"Dayum," Connie agreed, "I honestly didn't think he had it in him. Not the hotness, that part is pretty obvious, but the power to put a smile on your face every day these days."

"Yeah," I said, "I always hoped he had it in him, now I know for sure." I rolled my eyes at my own corniness. But every now and then I caught myself thinking and talking like a cheesy romance novel, and I couldn't help it.

I was in love, pure and simple. And every day, Morelli showed me he was in love.

We haven't had a fight in six weeks. Well, okay, sometimes we disagree over what channel to watch. I don't consider boxing entertainment, he thinks American Idol is a sleeping pill. But not once did he ask me to find another job or something serious like that. And he never says I'm in over my head anymore.

I'd met Ranger that first week. I'd been wondering how to tell him that all the little things had to stop. I figured if Morelli could change, so could I. From here on out, Ranger and I were going to be friends without kissing.

But as it turned out, I'd been worrying unnecessarily. I was sitting on the couch in the bonds office when he came in to drop off a body receipt. He looked at me for a split-second, bent down and whispered "Outside," into my ear before he left.

I cleared my throat and followed him, determined to explain everything and withstand his charms. Or hotness. Whatever you want to call it, I was going to be strong.

Ranger nudged me into the alley next to the office and looked at me. He tucked a stray curl behind my ear and smiled. "I'm glad you worked it out, Babe," he said and left. I think I stood in that alley alone for a half hour, trying to figure out what'd just happened.

My personal life is better than it has been for years. I have one man that I am in love with and friends I love and can count on. And okay, a crazy family, but I love them just the same.

And my professional life followed suit. Morelli helps me out whenever he can, and sometimes I need his and Ranger's help. I always suspected Ranger had ESP, now I was sure. We hadn't talked about it, I hadn't told him about Joe's epiphany, and yet, the two of them got along great, Ranger never tried to steal a kiss or grope me whether Morelli was around or not.

Yeah, okay, so part of me is still afraid I'm gonna wake up and it was all a dream because it's all just too perfect.

But every morning when I wake up and see Morelli's face, I hope that, in case it is a dream, I never wake up.

Just yesterday, I signed us up for dance classes. I figured it would be my little 'revenge' for the gym and the gun range. Since I'm doing those for him, he's going dancing with me. So, okay, I'm going to the gym and practice shooting for myself, but still. But the real reason I signed us up is that I can't wait for Morelli to lead me over the dance floor. I figure that since I'm already thinking cheesy thoughts, I might as well add cheesy actions. I've always loved the old dance movies, but I'd forgotten most of the moves I've ever learned. So I decided Morelli and I were gonna do our own version of 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith'.

Okay, that was the very long version of saying I'm happy as a pig in shit and I owe it to a drunken phone call in the middle of the night. Maybe it's not correct that you should never drink and dial…

And then I heard this song on the radio today and had to pull over because I got all choked up. I'm glad I never told him to leave me alone that night.

I ain't gonna lie

I've been drinking here all night

With an old friend of mine

Her name is misery.

I ain't been crying

No I'm having a real good time with Miss Communication

She always talks to me.

I've got a lot of friends like them

They always meet me here to have a beer so I won't be alone

I never meant to bring them home.

I just called to tell you

That I was wrong and you were on my mind.

If you want I'll leave you alone right now

'Cause I know why you're saying, why you're saying

Don't come home.

I bet you're with him

Yeah, I heard you found somebody new

He probably listens to you

Like I never did.

Wish I was in your arms

Instead of talking to this machine about all the things I didn't do

Oh, what else is new?

I've spent a lot of time like that

Fading memories and drinking remedies so I won't be alone

Still can't believe you're gone.

I just called to tell you

That I was wrong and you were on my mind.

If you want I'll leave you alone right now

'Cause I know why you're saying, why you're saying

Don't come home.

Don't come home, no no, no.

Don't come home.

I spent the last day anywhere you could be found,

and I'd give anything if you'd turn back around

Anyways...

I just called to tell you

That I was wrong...can I come home?

The END

A/N: I hope you liked. Reviews are ALWAYS welcome, actually, they make my day.