I stretched out across the couch, relaxing, dozing. It had been about a month since the Halloween party. I spent the night at the mansion with Ranger and the next day, we explored it. It was very old, even for New England. The original structure was built by Sir Dylan Thompson in 1638. It had been added on to over the next 370 years by each new family. Ranger had purchased Thompson Manor from an old woman who had been the last of line of a family that had owned and lived in it for over a century. I never did get him to admit why he bought it at the time, but I understood why he fell in love with it.

One of the maids, Estelle, told me all about the estate. The mansion had an upper and a lower ball room, scores of bedrooms, an enormous library that Ranger admitted had come with the estate and floors of unexplored territory. Out of the four and a half floors, we explored two of them. There were three wings and an enormous cellar system underneath. The Conservatory, filled with its plants and wicker chairs, was my favorite room. The gardens were extensive, but obviously with the onset of winter, there wasn't much to see now. There was in fact an apple orchard and a good chunk of forest surrounded Thompson Manor.

We only stayed in Pennsylvania for a few days then came back to Trenton. I hadn't told anyone that the party that everyone in the 'burg was raving about was thrown by Carlos Manoso or that Thompson Manor was the Batcave. My lips were sealed, but I have no doubt that Andy knew. He never said anything but I know he knew. He's Andy. You doubt him?

Want to know what's crazy? Nothing changed between us. I had finally seen the Batcave and nothing had changed. We still ate takeout together and crashed on the couch together to watch a game or a movie. We went to work, saw friends and I still didn't know every little thing about Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Life went on. I didn't need to know everything right away and I looked forward to learning more about that mysterious man. I knew all I needed to know and I tried to accept that there were things that I may never know. Did I need to know everything? No. Did I want to? Is the Pope Catholic?

Andy called me about ten minutes after we unlocked the door. He told me that he needed to talk to me about a few things. Naturally, I couldn't deny him a thing, so I jogged up to his apartment and met him at the door with a hug.

"Hey, sis." He held me close. I thought it was sweet until he started tickling me.

"Andy!" I pushed off. "Brat."

"Hey!" We slumped on the couch.

"So…"

"I, umm, have been acting pretty strange lately, haven't I?"

"No, not at all," Then I started remembering some of those strange things and Andy gave me a doubtful look. "Okay, yeah. Maybe just a little."

He sighed. "It's just something has been, uh, bothering me."

"Oh?" I was completely confused.

"I've got a thing for Marcus." He admitted and winced.

I just stared at him waiting.

"What?"

"Was there more to that or were you just finally realizing what we all knew?"

"Was I that obvious?"

"Umm…yeah. I think Ranger picked it up right away."

"Are you kidding me?"

"He's perceptive. It probably saved his life a few times."

Andy sagged a little on the couch.

"Hey, if it helps, it took me awhile."

"Marcus asked me out."

"He's gay?" I tried to figure out the likelihood there.

"He doesn't confine himself with labels."

"Naturally. What does that mean in the real world?"

"He's open?" Andy shrugged. I laughed and he joined me.

"What did you tell him?"

"What do you think?"

"So, you're over your insecurity issues?"

"I'm working on it."

And it was slow work. It was a very slow, easy relationship, but it worked, so I didn't say a word.

Jenna Carter was sentenced to three years probation with no jail time and her divorce went through. She kept the house and her ex got to keep his legs. It wasn't written in the settlement, but Jenna wasn't the quiet type. You don't piss off a Marine. Especially one with a family like hers. She legally went back to her maiden name, Hart. We had plans for lunch one of these days…

I was almost asleep thinking when the phone rang. I groaned and rolled off the couch. When I finally made it to the phone, I picked up to Mia giggling.

"Mia?"

"Oh, god, Steph! I had to tell you first. Guess what?" She waited and I realized that I was actually supposed to guess.

"Um, the aliens have landed and they want to be friends?"

"No, silly! Aw, I can't believe it!"

"What, Mia?"

"Joe proposed."

"Hunh."

"Isn't it great?" She didn't sound at all like herself. I'm pretty sure that I wasn't that happy when Joe proposed to me.

"That's, uh, great, Mia."

"Oh, I've got to go! Angie is making dinner for us and I get to meet Grandma Bella." Good luck with that.

"I'm happy for you, Mia." And I totally was. But wasn't this a little fast?

"Oh, me too, Steph, me too. Bye, kiddo!" She had to be on crack or something. I hung up and stared at my phone. Wow. The locks tumbled while I was still trying to understand the phone and Ranger walked in bringing food. The man is always welcome when there's food in his arms.

He looked at my position on the floor and shook his head with a grin. I rolled up to my feet and followed him out to the kitchen.

"Joe popped the question." I said, still a little perplex. They weren't the type of people to rush into anything.

"You okay with that, babe?" He looked at me with a slightly blank face. I looked up and grinned to him.

"I'm happy for them. And I'm happy for me." I kissed him and he pulled me closer. He tugged me up on to the counter and kissed me deeply. Then he pulled back slightly. He studied my face, looking as if he just got an idea in his own Ranger way. "What?" I asked him, kissing him. He pulled back again with a mega watt grin. He stepped away and grabbed my car keys off the counter. He took my hand and pulled me toward the door.

"Ranger? Where are we going?" He opened the door and pulled me out.

"I'm gonna teach you how to fly."

"How?" I asked perplexed when he hit the down button on the elevator. He kissed me again.

"How do you feel about driving very fast?" Then he pulled me onto the elevator.

Oh, boy.

A/N: Okay, guys...this is it for me. I hope you liked the story. It was a lot longer than I had planned. Thanks for reading! Thanks for the reviews! I love them, please don't stop.

I only owned my plot and the OCs. Everything else is Janet's. But you knew that, right?