DISCLAIMER:The characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions
I'm just using them in my story.
TITLE: Peace on Earth Good Will Towards Men...and Women Part 1
RATING: PG
.
AUTHOR: bbfan
SUMMERY: An old 'friend' shows up with some bad news.
This takes place in Dec. 1990. All secrets are out, seeing Lee and Amanda have a 21/2 year old son Matthew William. They now live in a bigger house not far from the old one in Arlington. Philip is a senior and Jamie is a sophmore in high school. Dottie is married to Capt. Kurt and lives in the Carriage House they had built on their property. Comments greatly appreciated.
Amanda stood in the doorway to the living room watching the 'men' in her life 'decorate' the Christmas tree and listened as they sang Christmas carols way out of tune. She remembered that it wasn't to long ago that she could barely get Lee into the house at Christmas time, let alone see him decorate the Christmas tree with such enthusiasim. She smiled at the memory of it all. A loud crash and a very familiar wail brought her back to the present.
"OWWW! BOO-BOO!!!" Matt screamed at the top of his lungs. A stack of of ornaments fell on his head. Lee picked him up quickly to see if he had really hurt himself, but he appeared more scared than hurt.
Amanda went over to retrieve her crying son, but he didn't want her. He was extremely close to his father at this stage of his life and she totally understood. Philip and Jamie went through the same stage with Joe.
"I'll tell you what, why don't I take this little guy up and get his bath and you guys finish the tree." Lee tossed Matt up in the air which caused the boy to sob and laugh at the same time.
"Great idea honey," Amanda said with a smile of relief. "We'll finish down here and I'll make some hot chocolate to go with the cookies we baked earlier. She reached up and gave Matt a kiss and then kissed Lee.
Amanda quickly turned around to see the reaction on Philip and Jamie's face. Philip just smiled, but Jamie cringed and mumbled something about taking it to the bedroom.
Lee laughed out loud at Jamie's response, but Amanda just stood there with a shocked expression on her face. She couldn't believe Jamie said that. She could feel her face turning red with embarrassment.
Lee left the room with a giggling Matt in tow. Amanda and the boys went about their business decorating the tree.
"Mom?" Jamie asked.
"Yes Jamie?"
Jamie looked down at the floor. Amanda stopped what she was doing and went over to where he stood.
"Hey you, what's wrong?'
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I really didn't mean anything by it."
"I know honey. Hey come here." She took Jamie into her arms and gave him a hug for reassurence. "It just scares me how fast you two are growing up and that little comment you made just proves my point. Sometimes I forget that you are almost men and I want to keep you little for just a while longer."
The boys both smiled at her then they both planted a big kiss on her cheeks.
"All right you two let's get this tree done before Lee gets back down here."
They finally finished the tree and were in the kitchen getting the hot chocolate and cookies ready.
"Mom?" Philip asked as he put marshmellows in each of the hot, steamy cocoa.
"Yea"
Philip hesitated and then asked, "Why is it that every year Lee seems to get very excited about Christmas? I mean everyone gets excited, but he seems more excited...well... I mean he gets more excited than...ME!"
Amanda smiled. He definitely has her gift of rambling. she thought to herself.
"Well do you remember when I told you about Lee's childhood, how his parents died and how his Uncle, the Colonel, took him in?" Both boys nodded their heads yes. "Well after his parents died they didn"t celebrate Christmas like he did with his parents. They had Christmas dinner in the Mess Hall with the soldiers that didn't go home for the holidays. There was never a Christmas tree in their barracks or singing around the tree like we do. It was a very lonely time for a little boy. So over the years I guess Lee forgot how to celebrate the holidays."
Philip knew exactly how he felt. "You know mom, I think I know how he felt. I mean dad wasn't always around during the holidays when we were younger... I don't know I sometimes felt real bad about that, but I didn't want to ruin your Christmas, so I didn't say anything to you or grandma."
Amanda wanted to cry. She didn't realize that the absence of Joe had such an effect on her oldest son. He hid his feelings well. She walked over and gently put her hand on Philips face. She gathered him into her arms and hugged him. She whispered in his ear. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."
Philip released himself from her embrace and smiled at her. "It's alright mom, I'm way over that, besides you and grandma never failed to get me into the Christmas spirit. You did a good job." He squeezed her hand for reassurance.
"I love you." was all Amanda could say. Her son just grew up right in front of her. She was never more proud of him than at this moment.
Lee stood in the foyer listening to the conversation that was going on in the kitchen. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret when she mentioned his childhood, something he'd soon forget but he knew that he wouldn't. What Philip declared about his father surprised him though. He felt for the boy. No one should feel the pain of abandonment, especially a child.
He walked into the kitchen and snuck up on Amanda, and put his arms around her waist from behind. "You know I'm very lucky to have you and your wonderful sons to remind me what this holiday is all about. I thank you all."
Amanda leaned back into his embrace. She felt so close to him right now.
"Yea, well don't you ever forget that mister", she said teasing him. Lee kissed her on the neck.
"YUCK!" Jamie exclaimed and grabbed a handfull of cookies and his hot chocolate and went to the table.
They chuckled at his response and followed his lead to the table. They all were sitting at the table talking about what the boys wanted for Christmas when the door bell rang.
Philip jumped up and went to answer the door. In his excitement he spilled a little bit of his cocoa.
"Sorry about that!" he yelled as he went to answer the door. He opened the door to find a man standing off to one side, in the shadows so he couldn't get a good look at him. "Can I help you?" he asked. The man shuffled his feet as if he was very
nervous.
"Is your mother home?" he asked. Philip never heard an accent like the one the man possesed. He thought maybe it sounded... Russian, but he wasn't sure.
"If you'll just wait here I'll get her, Mr.?" he asked not knowing why he suddenly felt a little weird about this guy.
"It's a surprise for Christmas." he answered.
"I'll go and get her, just wait here."
Philip went quickly back into the kitchen. The look on his face concerned Amanda.
"Who was it sweetheart?" she asked and then glanced over to see if Lee had noticed the look on his face. He had.
"I don't know, I've never seen him before. He asked if my mother was home and when I asked who he was, he said it was a surprise. He has a funny accent, I think its Russian." He shrugged his shoulders not understanding any of it.
Amanda looked at Lee with an expression on her face telling him not to get too excited around the boys. He understood her completely. The boys knew what they did for a living, they even passed the Family of Agents course with flying colors. He didn't want to alarm them, but no one has ever tried to contact them at their home. This was not good, he could sense it.
"Boys, finish your hot chocalate. Lee and I will handle our visitor." She walked over to Lee and then turned around to face the boys. "Stay here until I come and get you, O.K."
The tone of her voice told the boys to listen to what she said. "We'll be right here." Jamie said flatly.
Lee took Amanda's hand and led her into the foyer. He put his finger up to his lips telling her to be quiet. He then went to the peep hole and looked outside. He could see a figure of a man standing in the shadows but couldn't make out the face. He stepped back and whispered something to Amanda.
Amanda stood close to the door. "Who is it?' she asked trying desperately to hide the fear in her voice.
"Amanda it's me, Yuri... Yuri Valov." the voice on the other side answered.
Amanda looked wildly at Lee. "What is he doing here. Lee he shouldn't be here. This is our home. If he knows we live here then the KGB, or what's left of them must know also." she whispered not wanting the boys to here their conversation.
"I don't know Amanda, but there is only one way to find out." And with that he swung open the door and in one swift move he had the Russian through the front door and pinned up against the wall.
"Is that the way you treat someone who has saved your life?" Yuri asked with a strained smile on his face.
Lee couldn't help but smiled at the Russian. He let loose of him and cleared his throat.
"Just the Russian ones who show up on my front steps." he answered looking at a very shocked Amanda.
Amanda thought quickly. She forcefully shoved Lee and Yuri into the den and shut the doors. She leaned against the door and took a deep breath to settle her frayed nerves. This does not get any easier she thought to herself.
She went into the kitchen to see the boys. They looked at her with fear in their eyes. "Fella's listen a friend of ours is here to visit with us so we will be in the den... visiting... so...," but before she could finish Jamie interrupted her.
"I think I'll go up and finish my reading assignment and then go to bed." He got up and went over to Amanda. He gave a kiss on the cheek and said goodnight.
"Yea, I think I'll go and call Jennifer and see what's up. You'll be alright...right?" he asked, hoping she would say yes.
"We'll be fine, like I said he is a friend." She couldn't quite look him in the eye. She really wasn't being dishonest with him, but she just didn't have time to explain everything to him.
"Goodnight mom." He kissed her on the cheek. "If Matt gets up I'll take care of him."
"Thanks Philip."
Amanda fixed Yuri a cup of hot chocolate and added it to the tray of cookies.and then took them to the den. She knocked on the door and Lee opened it for her. He took the tray from her and put it on the desk.
Yuri walked over to Amanda and held out his hand. "Hello Amanda."
Amanda took his hand and shook it. "Hello Yuri."
Lee cleared his voice nervously. "Now that that is out of the way I have only two questions, how did you know that I lived here and what in the hell are you doing here?"
Yuri smiled. "Ah, Americans always getting straight to the point. O.K. you really want to know. I followed Amanda one day from the grocery store to here and what I'm doing here is trying to save your country from a travesty by my own government."
I'm just using them in my story.
TITLE: Peace on Earth Good Will Towards Men...and Women Part 1
RATING: PG
.
AUTHOR: bbfan
SUMMERY: An old 'friend' shows up with some bad news.
This takes place in Dec. 1990. All secrets are out, seeing Lee and Amanda have a 21/2 year old son Matthew William. They now live in a bigger house not far from the old one in Arlington. Philip is a senior and Jamie is a sophmore in high school. Dottie is married to Capt. Kurt and lives in the Carriage House they had built on their property. Comments greatly appreciated.
Amanda stood in the doorway to the living room watching the 'men' in her life 'decorate' the Christmas tree and listened as they sang Christmas carols way out of tune. She remembered that it wasn't to long ago that she could barely get Lee into the house at Christmas time, let alone see him decorate the Christmas tree with such enthusiasim. She smiled at the memory of it all. A loud crash and a very familiar wail brought her back to the present.
"OWWW! BOO-BOO!!!" Matt screamed at the top of his lungs. A stack of of ornaments fell on his head. Lee picked him up quickly to see if he had really hurt himself, but he appeared more scared than hurt.
Amanda went over to retrieve her crying son, but he didn't want her. He was extremely close to his father at this stage of his life and she totally understood. Philip and Jamie went through the same stage with Joe.
"I'll tell you what, why don't I take this little guy up and get his bath and you guys finish the tree." Lee tossed Matt up in the air which caused the boy to sob and laugh at the same time.
"Great idea honey," Amanda said with a smile of relief. "We'll finish down here and I'll make some hot chocolate to go with the cookies we baked earlier. She reached up and gave Matt a kiss and then kissed Lee.
Amanda quickly turned around to see the reaction on Philip and Jamie's face. Philip just smiled, but Jamie cringed and mumbled something about taking it to the bedroom.
Lee laughed out loud at Jamie's response, but Amanda just stood there with a shocked expression on her face. She couldn't believe Jamie said that. She could feel her face turning red with embarrassment.
Lee left the room with a giggling Matt in tow. Amanda and the boys went about their business decorating the tree.
"Mom?" Jamie asked.
"Yes Jamie?"
Jamie looked down at the floor. Amanda stopped what she was doing and went over to where he stood.
"Hey you, what's wrong?'
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I really didn't mean anything by it."
"I know honey. Hey come here." She took Jamie into her arms and gave him a hug for reassurence. "It just scares me how fast you two are growing up and that little comment you made just proves my point. Sometimes I forget that you are almost men and I want to keep you little for just a while longer."
The boys both smiled at her then they both planted a big kiss on her cheeks.
"All right you two let's get this tree done before Lee gets back down here."
They finally finished the tree and were in the kitchen getting the hot chocolate and cookies ready.
"Mom?" Philip asked as he put marshmellows in each of the hot, steamy cocoa.
"Yea"
Philip hesitated and then asked, "Why is it that every year Lee seems to get very excited about Christmas? I mean everyone gets excited, but he seems more excited...well... I mean he gets more excited than...ME!"
Amanda smiled. He definitely has her gift of rambling. she thought to herself.
"Well do you remember when I told you about Lee's childhood, how his parents died and how his Uncle, the Colonel, took him in?" Both boys nodded their heads yes. "Well after his parents died they didn"t celebrate Christmas like he did with his parents. They had Christmas dinner in the Mess Hall with the soldiers that didn't go home for the holidays. There was never a Christmas tree in their barracks or singing around the tree like we do. It was a very lonely time for a little boy. So over the years I guess Lee forgot how to celebrate the holidays."
Philip knew exactly how he felt. "You know mom, I think I know how he felt. I mean dad wasn't always around during the holidays when we were younger... I don't know I sometimes felt real bad about that, but I didn't want to ruin your Christmas, so I didn't say anything to you or grandma."
Amanda wanted to cry. She didn't realize that the absence of Joe had such an effect on her oldest son. He hid his feelings well. She walked over and gently put her hand on Philips face. She gathered him into her arms and hugged him. She whispered in his ear. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."
Philip released himself from her embrace and smiled at her. "It's alright mom, I'm way over that, besides you and grandma never failed to get me into the Christmas spirit. You did a good job." He squeezed her hand for reassurance.
"I love you." was all Amanda could say. Her son just grew up right in front of her. She was never more proud of him than at this moment.
Lee stood in the foyer listening to the conversation that was going on in the kitchen. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret when she mentioned his childhood, something he'd soon forget but he knew that he wouldn't. What Philip declared about his father surprised him though. He felt for the boy. No one should feel the pain of abandonment, especially a child.
He walked into the kitchen and snuck up on Amanda, and put his arms around her waist from behind. "You know I'm very lucky to have you and your wonderful sons to remind me what this holiday is all about. I thank you all."
Amanda leaned back into his embrace. She felt so close to him right now.
"Yea, well don't you ever forget that mister", she said teasing him. Lee kissed her on the neck.
"YUCK!" Jamie exclaimed and grabbed a handfull of cookies and his hot chocolate and went to the table.
They chuckled at his response and followed his lead to the table. They all were sitting at the table talking about what the boys wanted for Christmas when the door bell rang.
Philip jumped up and went to answer the door. In his excitement he spilled a little bit of his cocoa.
"Sorry about that!" he yelled as he went to answer the door. He opened the door to find a man standing off to one side, in the shadows so he couldn't get a good look at him. "Can I help you?" he asked. The man shuffled his feet as if he was very
nervous.
"Is your mother home?" he asked. Philip never heard an accent like the one the man possesed. He thought maybe it sounded... Russian, but he wasn't sure.
"If you'll just wait here I'll get her, Mr.?" he asked not knowing why he suddenly felt a little weird about this guy.
"It's a surprise for Christmas." he answered.
"I'll go and get her, just wait here."
Philip went quickly back into the kitchen. The look on his face concerned Amanda.
"Who was it sweetheart?" she asked and then glanced over to see if Lee had noticed the look on his face. He had.
"I don't know, I've never seen him before. He asked if my mother was home and when I asked who he was, he said it was a surprise. He has a funny accent, I think its Russian." He shrugged his shoulders not understanding any of it.
Amanda looked at Lee with an expression on her face telling him not to get too excited around the boys. He understood her completely. The boys knew what they did for a living, they even passed the Family of Agents course with flying colors. He didn't want to alarm them, but no one has ever tried to contact them at their home. This was not good, he could sense it.
"Boys, finish your hot chocalate. Lee and I will handle our visitor." She walked over to Lee and then turned around to face the boys. "Stay here until I come and get you, O.K."
The tone of her voice told the boys to listen to what she said. "We'll be right here." Jamie said flatly.
Lee took Amanda's hand and led her into the foyer. He put his finger up to his lips telling her to be quiet. He then went to the peep hole and looked outside. He could see a figure of a man standing in the shadows but couldn't make out the face. He stepped back and whispered something to Amanda.
Amanda stood close to the door. "Who is it?' she asked trying desperately to hide the fear in her voice.
"Amanda it's me, Yuri... Yuri Valov." the voice on the other side answered.
Amanda looked wildly at Lee. "What is he doing here. Lee he shouldn't be here. This is our home. If he knows we live here then the KGB, or what's left of them must know also." she whispered not wanting the boys to here their conversation.
"I don't know Amanda, but there is only one way to find out." And with that he swung open the door and in one swift move he had the Russian through the front door and pinned up against the wall.
"Is that the way you treat someone who has saved your life?" Yuri asked with a strained smile on his face.
Lee couldn't help but smiled at the Russian. He let loose of him and cleared his throat.
"Just the Russian ones who show up on my front steps." he answered looking at a very shocked Amanda.
Amanda thought quickly. She forcefully shoved Lee and Yuri into the den and shut the doors. She leaned against the door and took a deep breath to settle her frayed nerves. This does not get any easier she thought to herself.
She went into the kitchen to see the boys. They looked at her with fear in their eyes. "Fella's listen a friend of ours is here to visit with us so we will be in the den... visiting... so...," but before she could finish Jamie interrupted her.
"I think I'll go up and finish my reading assignment and then go to bed." He got up and went over to Amanda. He gave a kiss on the cheek and said goodnight.
"Yea, I think I'll go and call Jennifer and see what's up. You'll be alright...right?" he asked, hoping she would say yes.
"We'll be fine, like I said he is a friend." She couldn't quite look him in the eye. She really wasn't being dishonest with him, but she just didn't have time to explain everything to him.
"Goodnight mom." He kissed her on the cheek. "If Matt gets up I'll take care of him."
"Thanks Philip."
Amanda fixed Yuri a cup of hot chocolate and added it to the tray of cookies.and then took them to the den. She knocked on the door and Lee opened it for her. He took the tray from her and put it on the desk.
Yuri walked over to Amanda and held out his hand. "Hello Amanda."
Amanda took his hand and shook it. "Hello Yuri."
Lee cleared his voice nervously. "Now that that is out of the way I have only two questions, how did you know that I lived here and what in the hell are you doing here?"
Yuri smiled. "Ah, Americans always getting straight to the point. O.K. you really want to know. I followed Amanda one day from the grocery store to here and what I'm doing here is trying to save your country from a travesty by my own government."