Time to Heal Prologue

Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended.

Title: Time to Heal

Author: LauriD

Time Frame: Five years after end of the show.

Synopsis: The return of an old enemy forces Amanda to face some painful memories and places the entire family in danger.

Author's Notes: This is my first fan fiction story and I hope you enjoy it. Feedback is welcome. *This story is being updated to correct a few character's names that were previously misspelled.*

Prologue

Amanda leaned against the wall of the large freezer and slowly slid to the floor. She tried not to think about how cold she really felt but she could barely feel her hands - they were going numb. Hugging herself she moved her hands up and down the side of her arms in an attempt to create some warmth. She was thankful she decided to wear her blue sweater this morning. It didn't seem to provide too much protection against the cold but she hated to think how much worse she would feel without it.

She had been working undercover at the restaurant for two weeks. Three more minutes and she would have been out the door with the evidence needed to prove the owners had been laundering money for a new terrorist organization; but they had been waiting for her. She still was not sure how her cover had been blown.

After they locked her in the freezer, her first reaction was to look for a way out. She searched the freezer for something, anything that would help her get the door open but there was nothing. She tried banging on the door and yelling for help but when no one came she started to pace and talk to herself. This helped to take her mind off the cold.

"Just hold on Amanda he's coming … he's coming", she mumbled. 'He' was Lee Stetson, a.k.a Scarecrow, her partner of eight years and husband of five years. Although he tried desperately not to show it, Amanda knew how on edge Lee was whenever she did an undercover assignment without him and now she had missed her last check-in with Billy. Yes, she knew he was coming. She just had to hold on.

But the colder she got the more her body just wanted to relax. In her mind she knew she had to get up and keep moving but she was too exhausted. Sleep - that's what she wanted now. Slowly her eyes closed and her mind began to drift.

She thought of a case a few years ago when she had also been locked in a freezer, except that time she had Francine to keep her company. She remembered Francine's confession about her addiction to chocolate and the laugh she and Lee shared when she later gave Francine a box of chocolates as a token of friendship. "Once on the lips, forever on the hips," she told Lee about her seemingly thoughtful gift. 'Would dying alone be better than dying with Francine?' Funny what your mind thought of in these situations. "No, Amanda" she told herself as she opened her eyes, "no thoughts … of dying." She was trembling uncontrollably now but she had to stay positive. Francine told her he wouldn't be able to save them then but she was wrong. "Lee came … for you then," she mumbled, "and … he is coming … for you now."

'How long have I been here?' she wondered. 'How long could a person stay in such conditions before freezing? Five minutes? No, I have been here longer than that. Thirty minutes?' She knew the answer from one of Phillip's old homework assignments but now she was too tired to remember. Slowly her eyes closed again as her thoughts drifted to her family:

'Mother was finally marrying Captain Curt after all these years. We still have so many things to take care of before the wedding. I hope they will be as happy as Lee and I have been. Phillip just went back to school. I can't believe he is in his second year at West Virginia University. If he has any hopes of improving his grades this year he must spend more time concentrating on his studies and less on girls. Jamie's a senior in high school now. He's blossomed in the last few years. I was surprised when he decided to give up the science club this year for the photography club and a chance to work on the school year book. He even managed to land a part-time job with the Arlington Gazette. And Emily, my beautiful baby girl, the surprise that forced Lee and I to come clean about our marriage. At four years old, she has her mother's brown curls and her father's hazel eyes, but oh that temperament, that is all Stetson. However, Lee swears her stubbornness comes more from me than him. I refuse to see how that could be possible.'

Amanda was unable to stop the numerous thoughts that invaded her mind: 'Would Lee be okay without me? Could he manage as a single father? The boys were grown now but what about Emily? Mother would be there for support. Would he remarry?' "Stop it Amanda…you … are not … going… to die… he will find you", she said aloud as she opened her eyes again.

Then she saw him, standing there in front of her in his black tux smiling. "Lee?" she whispered questioningly.

'Yes, I love you Amanda.'

"I love you too, Lee."

'I'm coming for you. Just hold on.'

"I know… I will"

'Don't give up'

"I won't."

'Don't give up … don't give it up'

"Don't give…'what'… up?" she asked in confusion as her eyes closed again. Those words sounded so familiar.

'Hi Amanda…remember me?' Amanda's body suddenly tensed at the sound of this new sinister voice that was not her husband's. 'I'm coming for you too.'

"No … leave me alone." Her words were barely a whisper. She wanted to run. Her mind told her she had to run but she couldn't move. "Lee … Lee … Lee …"

"Amanda." Her husband's voice was back but somehow it was clearer. "I'm here Amanda." Lee Stetson whispered to his wife as he quickly carried her from the freezer.

"I think she's coming around. Get me a blanket or something to put around her, we need to warm her up," Lee yelled at the other agents as he gently laid her down on the dining room floor and wrapped his jacket around her. She was extremely cold.

"Here," Francine said handing him a couple of clean white tablecloths she retrieved from the kitchen. "The paramedics are on their way."

"Did we get them," Lee asked through gritted teeth referring to the animals who tried to kill his Amanda.

"Yes, we have them in custody. She's going to be okay Lee."

"Lee," Amanda said again as she struggled to open her eyes at the sound of his voice.

"I'm here baby. You're going to be okay."

Amanda looked into the worried face of her husband and slowly raised her right hand to touch his face. 'It's you. You're really here,' she thought. Then she smiled, "I knew you'd get here in time," she whispered. "You always do."

Lee smiled back at her and pulled her into his arms. 'She's going to be alright. I got here in time. But, oh god, what if I had not … what if I had not.' Lee closed his eyes in an attempt to banish the thought from his mind.

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