Happily Ever After Chapter 3~5

 Chapter Three

Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

Joe Morelli is a changed man. 

There's no question about that. The good and kind people of Trenton try not to stare and discreetly think to themselves. He has somehow(almost magically) become unhairy over night. He's still movie star handsome though he drools nonstop and looks eerily adorable with his tongue hanging out all the time. And whoever runs into him in the street or the park has to fight hard to suppress the urge to pat him on the head and say, "Good boy!".

Geez. The honest and hardworking people of this beautiful city wince and cringe a little and secretly cross themselves. The old saying is true, after all. Love is a most dangerous and tricky thing. It comes and goes like a ninja at its will. And the loss of love is so devastating that it will destroy a heart and break a man in a blink. Just take a look at the poor Italian Stallion. Even his goofy orange dog was effected and wouldn't stop howling for a couple days. 

Poor, poor Joseph. The kind and decent people sigh and wipe away their tears. First Stephanie. And then Vinnie. A man can only stand just so much pain. What has he done so wrong to deserve this? Hopefully he will find someone who is just right for him. Hopefully they will live happily ever after like Shrek and his princess.

Hopefully everyone will be happy. Just like Ranger and Stephanie...

Chapter Four

Mirror Mirror

Stephanie wakes up when the plane is about to land and yawns.  The both familiar and unfamiliar weight on her ring finger catches her attention. She becomes nervous and a bit uneasy. She's looking forward to starting a new life with Ranger, but now the fact that she has failed once in marriage feels too much like an unremovable stain all of a sudden. She's not a good cook or baker. She's never a great housekeeper. They are going to live in the Batcave(Yay!!!)and that means Ella won't be there to help her. And nope, there's no way she's going to let her tall dark handsome perfect muscular husband live on whatever food prepared by another woman(or takeouts, TV dinners, olive and peanut butter sandwiches and leftovers from her mother's dinner table). She wants to be able to cook something hot, healthy and delicious for her Batman once in a long, long while. She never likes feeling incapable. And she does have her pride, you know. She's now officially Mrs. Carlos Manoso. She won't allow anyone look at her dinner table, shake their head and say "Poor Ranger". She's Helen the Marvelous Chef and Great Pâtissière Plum's daughter, after all... 

 

The red-eyes sorceress looks into the ancient crystal mirror and in boiling rage bares her fangs. This is not what she has planned for Stephanie Plum. The silly wild-haired blue-eyed woman is supposed to be with the bad-tempered selfish hairy Italian and marry him when she accidentally get herself pregnant and live a ordinary life full of endless fights and quarrels. She's not supposed to marry the great grandchild of the Wizard. The angry sorceress snaps her fingers and summons her servants. She'll find out whoever are behind this and kill them all. She's impatient and merciless. She's powerful and evil. And she always gets what she wants. She's going to make things right. She narrows her eyes as the tall dark man holds Stephanie Plum's hand to his lips and kisses it. 

No! No! No! This is all wrong! This is not allowed! The sorceress hisses in resentment, clenches her fists and swears to herself. She'll make things right. She will tear them apart. She will send that woman to the place where she belongs. She'll make her become Stephanie Morelli.

For there will be no happily ever after for Stephanie Plum. Never!     

Chapter Five

A Red Red Rose

The moment the red-eyed sorceress clenches her fists in fury and snarl, the tall dark silent Sentry tilts his head a fraction and almost smiles. He and his siblings are the guardians of MAGIC. And they know this bitter cruel ugly old creature well. She was born under the Lucky Star and has a slight trace of magic in her blood. But unfortunately she's neither bright or dark enough, and thus doesn't have the true strength and talent needed to achieve greatness and cleverness. And she's allergic to true love and happiness. The Sentry closes his shining gold eyes and feels the menace in the sorceress voice as she barks out commands to her foul servants. Around him his equally tall, powerful and ferocious siblings look into the silver mirror and silently smile. They are brave, loyal and invincible. They are always ready for war. And now once again they will see to it that Fate and Love prevail.    

The fully-fenced 2-story 4-bedroom house is located in a small newly-developed upscale neighborhood 9 minutes' drive from the RangeMan building. Just like the serene 7-floor penthouse apartment, everything is sleek, simple, functional and tastefully designed. The well-equipped spotless kitchen is spacious and bright. The large German refrigerator is pack with fresh fruits, vegetables and cooked food. A vase of ruby red roses stands on the bedside table in the master bedroom. The king-size bed looks luxurious and comfortable. And outside in the living room on a table by the window, a chubby little hamster presses against the wall of his brand new hamster palace and waits in great excitement. He twitches his cute little tail happily and lets out a cheer as the heavy door opens. 


Stephanie and Ranger have come home. And now the three of them are going to live happily ever after together...Rex rolls his eyes and gives himself a mental slap. With one or two or three or even four beautiful little babies, of course.