Simply Amazing

Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money out of it. I do, however, own a piece of fudge that I'm convinced came from Heaven. The song, Simply Amazing, belongs to Trey Songs, no matter how much Ranger rocks it.

A/N: This one's for Margaret…hopefully, this fluff will atone for the angst in "Te amo, Babe. Always."
Babe fluff, just for you, Margaret! Cheers!

Once upon a time…that's how happily-ever-afters begin, right?

Once upon a time, a man found himself speeding down the winding roads of New Jersey. He found his driving zone interrupted.

What thought could distract a Cuban God? Could distract Batman? Could distract the Mighty Manoso?

What, other than one blue-eyed, curly-haired, spitfire of a woman? Other than Wonder Woman? Other than the Bombshell Bounty Hunter herself?

Who other than his Babe?

###R&S###

RPOV

Finally, it was all over.

The government missions, going "In the Wind", but most of all, leaving my Babe. That all ended tonight. I felt lighter than I had in years. A rare grin lit up my face. I was going after my Someday.

I called Lester; annoying as my cousin was, I knew he would arrange tonight just how I wanted it. I also knew he would be happy for me. The clown had been on my case about making Steph mine since the day he met her.

"Yo," he answered.

"Santos."

"Ranger!" I had to smirk at the enthusiasm in his voice. "Man, when did you get back?"

"I was de-briefed a little while ago. I'm already en route home," I answered.

"So, cuz," I could hear the grin in his voice, "you called me, not Tank. You answered halfway like a normal person, instead of barking out your usual "Report!". You not only entertained my question, but added additional information voluntarily. This must be a social call," he teased.

"Mats, Saturday, 0500, cuz," I replied stoically, glad he couldn't see the smile on my face.

"Not that I'm looking forward to that or anything, Bossman, but that's 5 days from now," he observed in a puzzled tone. "What's going to happen between then and now?"

"That brings me to the reason I called you, Jackass," I answered. "I'm going to be off-line…and I need your help."

I waited for it to sink in.

"Oh, man!" he chuckled. "So you finally got your head out of your ass?"

"Make that Sunday too," I threatened.

"Ok, how about I help you and we keep the meeting to Saturday?" he bargained.

"Here's what I need you to do…"

Once I had explained and hung up the phone on my goofball cousin, I began to think about my Babe. I found my thoughts wandering to the morning after we slept together. That night was pure magic. I had never felt that way about a woman before and when I told her I'd ruin her for any other man, I never realised that she would also ruin me for other women.

I would never willingly admit it, but I was terrified waking up the next morning, Steph splayed across my chest. Terrified of just how much I felt for this little Bombshell of a woman in my arms. Terrified of how much I knew I loved her. Terrified I would lose her.

I pushed her away. Thankfully, we had found our way back to each other, and I didn't intend to let her go again. It was too painful the first time. I loved her and I was going to make her mine.

Her head is on my chest

The sun comes rolling in

We're lost in these covers

And all I feel is scared

I slowly kiss your face

Beautiful in every way…

You are.

I pulled up in front of her apartment and took a deep breath. Getting out of the Rangemen SUV, I noticed Morelli's SUV in the parking lot.

I felt like my feet had been swept out from underneath me. I was floored. Devastated. A small voice in the back of my head whispered mockingly, "You're too late…"

I turned around, about to speed back to Haywood, book a one-way flight to Miami and force myself to forget about the sexy, blue-eyed beauty that stole my heart. Before I could, though, a slideshow of images flashed before me.

My babe in the diner the day we met, jutting her chin out defiantly and refusing to be scared of the badass mercenary and trained killer who sat before her.

My babe smiling at me mischievously when she stuffed a piece of cake into my mouth.

My babe blushing when I flirted with her.

My babe pouting at me when I told her to eat better.

My babe trying to bargain her way out of a morning meeting so that she could sleep.

My babe glaring at me, her icy blue eyes spitting fire when I tried to force her into a safe house against her will.

My babe biting her lip in concern for me when I returned from a mission with a broken arm.

My babe asleep as I watched her from her chair in the corner of the room.

My babe writhing underneath me, panting with desire, her lips swollen from the attack of my own.

My babe kissing me goodbye before I left, with her usual parting words: "Don't get shot, Batman."

My babe looking at me like I was her hero. Like I was her Batman. Like I was her Dark Knight.

My babe.

"Fight for her." This instinct, I listened to, and within a few seconds I was outside her door making short work of her locks. I barged inside in time to see Morelli scramble to his feet and point his gun at me. Babe sat on the couch, looking at me stunned. Just as quick, I pulled my own gun from my waistband and had it aimed at him.

"Get. Out." I growled at him. "Before. I. Throw. You. Out."

"Ranger!" my Babe squeaked in a meek protest.

"She. Is. Mine," I enunciated in a snarl.

"Oh, yeah?" he smirked. I clicked off the safety of the gun.

"Yeah."

For a split second, things were tense, before my Babe burst out laughing. It took a second then Morelli was chuckling with her, shaking his head and putting his gun away. I was about to shoot a hole in the wall to release some of the rage that was building up when Morelli held out a placating hand to me.

"Hold up, Manoso," he sniggered. He walked over to Steph and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Told you so, Cupcake," he whispered. He swaggered out, still laughing. My gun was still in my hand and I was confused, at best.

"You're gonna shoot me too, Batman?" Babe asked, smirking at me. I quickly re-engaged the safety and returned it to my waistband. No sooner had I lodged it in then Babe launched herself at me. I caught her in my arms and she locked her legs around my waist and kissed me full on the lips. I recovered from my surprise and deepened the kiss, plunging my tongue into her mouth and almost groaning at the heavenly taste of hers. I plundered her mouth, licking nibbling sucking until we had to come up for breath.

"Joe and I broke up the day before you left for your mission, Batman. We're just friends," she explained breathlessly. "So…I'm yours, huh?" she grinned at me, happiness making her blue eyes sparkle.

"You always were, Babe," I growled, sucking a spot on her neck hard, marking her as mine and grinning against her skin when she gasped. "You always were."

I released her, through much effort on my part, and nudged her toward the bedroom. "Change, babe," I ordered her, "I'm taking you out."

"I'm surprised putting clothes on is what you want me to do, Batman," she arched her eyebrows suggestively.

"Playing with fire, Babe," I warned her, gently pushing her toward the room with a smack to her ass.

"Burn me, Batman," she teased, ducking into her bedroom out of sight.

I chuckled, feeling light with happiness. This girl was a real piece of work. A masterpiece of art.

The girl's a work of art

And I can't help but stare

Her smile's like the sunset

And the ocean is her hair

What she doing aint fair

But she knows me better

Than I know myself

I saw the SUV pull up outside and I met Santos at the entry to the stairwell. Taking the bunch of white roses and the diamond and sapphire bracelet from him, I confirmed that all my plans were ready.

"I brought you the Turbo," he told me, and we switched keys. "Man, you were out of the damn country for the past month. When did you get this gift for her?"

"Had it custom made for her about 2 years ago," I answered brusquely.

"Man," he chuckled. "Took you long enough."

I went back to her apartment to wait for her. As I waited, I admired the bracelet once more. It was a diamond bracelet with tiny sapphires making a swirl on the top. I put it back in its box as Babe walked into the lounge. I was mesmerised.

She was wearing a sleeveless, royal blue dress that ended at her knee with matching FMPs. Silver diamantes adorned the dress in ornate patterns and she let her curls down so they framed her beautiful heart-shaped face. Every curve was accentuated and the blue of the dress made her blue eyes stand out even more.

"Beautiful," I murmured reverently. I wrapped her in my arms, placing a chaste kiss to her forehead before handing her the roses. She beamed at me and placed the bouquet in a vase on her counter. When I handed her the bracelet box, her eyes lit up.

"Why am I getting a present, Ranger?" she asked, smiling excitedly.

"Because I love you, Babe," I answered. Her eyes melted and she smiled at me, tears welling up in her eyes. Quickly, I had her face cradled in my hands and I was wiping away at the offending moisture. "Tears, Babe?"

"Happy tears," she explained with a shaky laugh. "I never thought I'd hear you say that. I've wanted to hear it for so long. I love you too, Batman."

I kissed her hard, crushing her to me. When we finally pulled back, she opened the box and gasped.

"Ranger it's beautiful!" She bit her lip. "This must have cost you a fortune, Ranger, I can't take this."

"Babe, you can," I smiled persuasively at her. "If you must, consider it a late birthday present," I reasoned, even though I fully intended on getting her a proper birthday gift. "I know I missed your birthday last week."

"How do you know when my birthday is?"

"Babe."

"Oh, yeah, you're Batman," she scoffed.

"Employee files, Babe."

"That too," she grinned, as though conceding this point to me. "But you're still Batman. And this birthday gift, is still too extravagant, Ranger."

"Babe. Please?"

"Not playing fair, Batman," she groaned. "You know I hate refusing when you say please."

"Then don't refuse," I aimed a wolf-grin at her. She narrowed her eyes at me, contemplating a moment. Then, she stretched on her toes and kissed me hard.

"Thanks, Batman," she said breathlessly when we pulled apart. "I love it."

I smiled at her, all 200 watts, and carefully slipped the bracelet on to her wrist. It sat perfectly.

"It's beautiful," she smiled up at me.

"Only as beautiful as the woman wearing it, Babe," I winked at her before placing a slow, sensual kiss on her already swollen lips.

I held out a hand for her to take, stepping back before I ripped off her dress. She took it without a moment of hesitation and smiled brilliantly at me.

"Where we headed, Ranger?" she asked me as we got into the Turbo.

"Surprise, Babe."

"Damn man all but spills his heart and he won't even tell me where we're going," she grumbled under her breath. I chuckled lightly.

"Babe."

"Out loud?" she asked, blushing red.

"Yeah, Babe."

"Sorry."

Steph was quiet for the rest of the ride, and I began to wonder what she was thinking about.

"I smell smoke, Babe," I commented.

"Just thinking," she answered ruefully, sending a sheepish grin my way. "This feels surreal. It's like some romantic comedy…or well, in our case, a romantic action movie," she amended, "and I'm finally at the part where the hero wants me too. It's amazing."

"Babe," I softened, taking her hand and brushing kisses across her knuckles. "The difference is, this is real, and this is going to be much better than some cheesy movie."

"Looking forward to it," she giggled.

When I pulled up at Point Pleasant, Steph's eyes sparkled with excitement. Wordlessly, I led her down the beach to a little alcove we'd discovered a while back. Draped from wall to wall, were white fairy lights; they twinkled like stars over a small table that was set to a romantic masterpiece, with everything from all the right cutlery, right down to candles and rose petals over the tablecloth. Steph gasped as she took in the scene around her. I led her to her place and pulled her chair back.

"This is amazing, Ranger," she said softly. "How did you do all this? It doesn't even matter, I'm just so glad to be here with you."

"You have no idea, Babe."

I uncovered the dish of Tiramisu that Ella had made us. Halfway through, I decided that my pants wouldn't survive Steph's moans any longer, and I stood up. She paused, looking at me questioningly. I switched on the CD player that was nestled in a nook at the entrance then returned to her and held out a hand.

"Can I have this dance, Babe?" I asked formally.

"Sure," Steph giggled at my suave demeanour. "This dance, and every other dance you ask for in the foreseeable future."

I took her hand and pulled her body close to mine, securing one of my arms around her waist and the other was holding her hand to my chest. We danced slowly as the music filtered through the air around us.

"When I heard this song, I thought of you, Babe. I knew it had to be the first song I danced with you to," I confessed to her.

"Oh, Ranger," she murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck. "The lyrics are beautiful."

When it got to the second chorus, I twirled her out, then spun her back into me so that her back pressed into my chest and I had one hand gripping her hip and the other was still holding her hand. I leaned down, nuzzled her neck and kissed a path to her ear. In time to the music, I whispered the lyrics in her ear:

"See I'm a man, that don't believe in much

But I'll be damned, if I don't believe in us."

I nudged her face towards me so that I could look into her eyes for this line:

"Like when I said "I love you" for the first time

And the tears dropped from your eyes

Girl…don't you ever change."

I spun her in a semi-circle with lightning speed, pulling her flush against me as I continued to murmur the lyrics to her:

"She aint perfect, but she's worth it.

Every breath I breathe for this life I'm in,

And I know I might not deserve it,

But she loves me

And it's simply amazing

Simply amazing

And she loves me…

I leaned in and pressed my forehead against hers. As I whispered the last few lyrics, I kept my mouth just over hers so that each time I whispered a word, my lips brushed ever so lightly against hers:

"There is nothing in this world

That could keep me away from you

And there's nobody…

Who could ever compare to you."

I ditched the last chorus, opting instead for kissing the love of my life with enough fever to spark a flame. When I pulled back, I gazed into her endless, soulful blue eyes that were sparkling with both love and unshed happy-tears, and whispered one last time, for the record,

"You're simply amazing, Babe. And I love you, so, so much."

###R&S###

Once upon a time…that's how happily-ever-afters begin, right?

Once upon a time, a man speeding down a winding road found his driving zone interrupted with thoughts of the love of his life; his Babe.

Only one blue-eyed, curly-haired, spitfire of a woman can distract the Cuban God.

Only Wonder Woman could show Batman what true love is, and make him experience it too.

Only the Bombshell Bounty Hunter could make the Mighty Manoso claim his happily-ever-after.

Once upon a time, The Dark Knight stepped up and made the damsel in not-so-much distress, his.

And, considering how this story started…

…They lived, happily ever after.

A/N: Aww! Hope you enjoyed the fluff! Read and review! -JazMitch