Disclaimer: These very fine characters belong to Shoot the Moon
Productions. I'm just borrowing, and no harm is meant. Really.
Fantasies
Amanda King rolled over on the crisp linens of her hospital bed. Her brown hair splayed wide on the pillow, making it seem like the material there was wrapped in a thin film of the finest silk. Although the bed was cool, she felt heated, hot, and uneasy. Her lips were parched, her heart was still trying to get up to normal speed, but she could FEEL again. And it felt like it had been so long since…
"No, Doc….how IS she?"
The voice filtered through the door, equally as heavy and spiced as the wood that comprised the portal. Amanda sighed and shifted…it was Lee.
"Mr. Stetson…you are not family…."
"I am tonight."
"Sir…"
A loud sigh and the voice continued as if through clenched teeth. "My partner, Doc…she's my partner."
There was a rustling of paper as if the doctor was tearing through the chart in search of this new information. "It doesn't say that anywhere here…"
"I'll make it say that if it will get me in there. You guys just don't ask the right questions to get those kinds of answers…"
"I can't let you in, Mr. Stetson; regardless…I have no knowledge…"
Amanda almost jumped as she heard the clipboard hit the floor. Feet shuffled on the floor, loudly and harshly. No other words were exchanged, but there was still the feeling of the presence of people. Her eyes flitted open, but all there was to see was a dimly lit room.
Until the door opened, that was.
Lee Stetson's head entered the room first, as if casing the place, assessing the situation. When all that he heard was the steady drip of the IV and the low whine of the heart monitor, he allowed the rest of his body to follow. His dark hair was sweaty on the ends, as was his face. Even with her eyes not quite steady, she could see a general sense of disarray about him that wasn't normal. I mean, she thought, it just wasn't…Lee. His gray suit was wrinkled and dirty looking as if it had been used as a welcome mat. But it was his eyes as he neared the bed that she just couldn't shake. They were intense. Intense hazel fire.
"Amanda?"
She smiled, lopsided, turning her head slightly on the pillow. "Hi Lee."
"They told me you were awake. Do you know where you are?"
Amanda turned her eyes to the IV hanging next to her with a slight grin. "From the interior decorating, I would say a hospital."
Lee returned her grin as he finally came to a stop next to the bed. "Georgetown General. Only the best for Victoria." He tilted his head to the side to catch her eyes. "I opted not to have them call your mother; they'll have you out of here in a few hours. Billy is heading the paperwork off at the nurse's station…"
"Mr. Melrose is here?" Amanda winced as little as her dry throat cracked on the last word.
"Yes, he'll get you home…" Lee touched her arm quickly and retracted his hand almost as fast. "I've got to go round up…"
"James." Amanda nodded her eyes serious. "And the others."
"You'll be fine?" Lee looked concerned. "I mean I can stay and send someone else to get those men…they aren't going anywhere…the house is locked down. If you would rather me take you home…"
"I'm fine," Amanda closed her eyes slightly and exhaled slowly. "I'll be fine. I just need…"
"Rest." Amanda's low alto voice coated Lee's baritone as they fell together over the word. She smiled sleepily, "Go take care of it."
He nodded slowly, his eyes never wavering. "I'll check on you later."
"'Kay" she agreed and sighed as a wave of sleep crashed over her consciousness.
Lee stood for a moment before backing slowly to the door. As quietly as he could, he pulled the door open and stepped out into the hall.
Amanda turned on the bed, careful of the IV in her arm. Hospital sheets…hospital beds were always so cold, not like her home, her own bed. And the air-conditioning…she always did have to bring a sweater when she worked in the hospital. She always thought that the uniforms that they issued to volunteers in the hospitals should have long sleeves. A person could catch a cold from this kind of chilly atmosphere.
As she resettled, her eyes closed completely. But it was not the cold pillow that she felt against her cheek, it was a strong shoulder covered in soft material- a material heated from the hot skin beneath it. It was not the cool air that caressed her forehead; it was a slightly sweaty neck and soft straight hair touching her skin.
Under her legs, it was not the lumpy hospital issue mattress, but a pair of hard, strong arms. These arms ended in hands that cupped her arm, her knee.
The beep of the heart monitor faded away only to be replaced by a remembered phrase echoed in rich tones "She doesn't deserve this…"
Amanda's face dissolved into a gentle smile. Someone had been her knight in shining armor that night. Someone with strong arms, long legs, a broad chest and a voice sounding remarkably close to Lee's. I have the weirdest fantasies, she thought. Imagine, Lee carrying me out of that house, keeping me flush against his chest as he strode to an ambulance. Strange fantasies, she thought and smiled gently, that will never happen.
It was a long time before she settled to sleep, with visions of hazel eyes watching her with concern.
Lee Stetson opened the door of the Porsche and settled behind the wheel. He couldn't imagine what was making his legs move slower than usual. He couldn't imagine what was drawing him back, at least in his mind, to that hospital room. He couldn't imagine what was making him not turn the key in the ignition of the car.
Maybe it was the night…it had been busy, it had been full.
As the car finally turned over and started, he decided that it was the adrenaline.
By the time the car was on the main road, he knew that he was lying to himself.
It was the need to make sure Amanda was okay, that she would be okay. The image of her lying prone on the bed, the syringe next to her on the coverlet shining and mocking him. The feel of her limp in his arms…the satin of the dress, her body warm and yet so lifeless.
It was the feel of the anger coursing through him. The pain of hearing which drug was used to hurt her. Then, the rush to the ambulance. Damn the mission, damn the men…all he needed to do was find her the antidote, get an IV and medical help….
He swept a hand across his forehead to stop the sweat, but it couldn't stop the thoughts that continued mercilessly.
The way that her eyes sparkled, their depths like chocolate on fire. Surrounded in diamonds, her eyes did their best to out shine them and won hands down. Her red lips falling slack, and not talking, rambling…just lifeless.
He shook his head. The wholesome mother from the suburbs had been a beautiful, exotic, mysterious woman that night. The image brought a smile to his face. It was short-lived, however. Where she was, remembering what had happened changed the course of his grin.
Lee shook his head with a sigh and tightened his hands on the wheel. It would never happen to her again, he would make sure of that. If he had to be with her every moment of every case, he thought, he would make sure this would never happen again. The next time he carried Amanda King, it would not be her unconscious body. It would be when those slender hands could cup his shoulder or run in his hair or gently trace his neck, or….
With a gulp, Lee slowed the car. Where had that come from? And why was he fantasizing about Amanda King of all people? Fantasies never materialized.
With a viscous shake of his head, Lee stepped on the pedal of the car and sped through the night. He had a job to do. He would check on Amanda after she was home and that would be that.
Fantasies
Amanda King rolled over on the crisp linens of her hospital bed. Her brown hair splayed wide on the pillow, making it seem like the material there was wrapped in a thin film of the finest silk. Although the bed was cool, she felt heated, hot, and uneasy. Her lips were parched, her heart was still trying to get up to normal speed, but she could FEEL again. And it felt like it had been so long since…
"No, Doc….how IS she?"
The voice filtered through the door, equally as heavy and spiced as the wood that comprised the portal. Amanda sighed and shifted…it was Lee.
"Mr. Stetson…you are not family…."
"I am tonight."
"Sir…"
A loud sigh and the voice continued as if through clenched teeth. "My partner, Doc…she's my partner."
There was a rustling of paper as if the doctor was tearing through the chart in search of this new information. "It doesn't say that anywhere here…"
"I'll make it say that if it will get me in there. You guys just don't ask the right questions to get those kinds of answers…"
"I can't let you in, Mr. Stetson; regardless…I have no knowledge…"
Amanda almost jumped as she heard the clipboard hit the floor. Feet shuffled on the floor, loudly and harshly. No other words were exchanged, but there was still the feeling of the presence of people. Her eyes flitted open, but all there was to see was a dimly lit room.
Until the door opened, that was.
Lee Stetson's head entered the room first, as if casing the place, assessing the situation. When all that he heard was the steady drip of the IV and the low whine of the heart monitor, he allowed the rest of his body to follow. His dark hair was sweaty on the ends, as was his face. Even with her eyes not quite steady, she could see a general sense of disarray about him that wasn't normal. I mean, she thought, it just wasn't…Lee. His gray suit was wrinkled and dirty looking as if it had been used as a welcome mat. But it was his eyes as he neared the bed that she just couldn't shake. They were intense. Intense hazel fire.
"Amanda?"
She smiled, lopsided, turning her head slightly on the pillow. "Hi Lee."
"They told me you were awake. Do you know where you are?"
Amanda turned her eyes to the IV hanging next to her with a slight grin. "From the interior decorating, I would say a hospital."
Lee returned her grin as he finally came to a stop next to the bed. "Georgetown General. Only the best for Victoria." He tilted his head to the side to catch her eyes. "I opted not to have them call your mother; they'll have you out of here in a few hours. Billy is heading the paperwork off at the nurse's station…"
"Mr. Melrose is here?" Amanda winced as little as her dry throat cracked on the last word.
"Yes, he'll get you home…" Lee touched her arm quickly and retracted his hand almost as fast. "I've got to go round up…"
"James." Amanda nodded her eyes serious. "And the others."
"You'll be fine?" Lee looked concerned. "I mean I can stay and send someone else to get those men…they aren't going anywhere…the house is locked down. If you would rather me take you home…"
"I'm fine," Amanda closed her eyes slightly and exhaled slowly. "I'll be fine. I just need…"
"Rest." Amanda's low alto voice coated Lee's baritone as they fell together over the word. She smiled sleepily, "Go take care of it."
He nodded slowly, his eyes never wavering. "I'll check on you later."
"'Kay" she agreed and sighed as a wave of sleep crashed over her consciousness.
Lee stood for a moment before backing slowly to the door. As quietly as he could, he pulled the door open and stepped out into the hall.
Amanda turned on the bed, careful of the IV in her arm. Hospital sheets…hospital beds were always so cold, not like her home, her own bed. And the air-conditioning…she always did have to bring a sweater when she worked in the hospital. She always thought that the uniforms that they issued to volunteers in the hospitals should have long sleeves. A person could catch a cold from this kind of chilly atmosphere.
As she resettled, her eyes closed completely. But it was not the cold pillow that she felt against her cheek, it was a strong shoulder covered in soft material- a material heated from the hot skin beneath it. It was not the cool air that caressed her forehead; it was a slightly sweaty neck and soft straight hair touching her skin.
Under her legs, it was not the lumpy hospital issue mattress, but a pair of hard, strong arms. These arms ended in hands that cupped her arm, her knee.
The beep of the heart monitor faded away only to be replaced by a remembered phrase echoed in rich tones "She doesn't deserve this…"
Amanda's face dissolved into a gentle smile. Someone had been her knight in shining armor that night. Someone with strong arms, long legs, a broad chest and a voice sounding remarkably close to Lee's. I have the weirdest fantasies, she thought. Imagine, Lee carrying me out of that house, keeping me flush against his chest as he strode to an ambulance. Strange fantasies, she thought and smiled gently, that will never happen.
It was a long time before she settled to sleep, with visions of hazel eyes watching her with concern.
Lee Stetson opened the door of the Porsche and settled behind the wheel. He couldn't imagine what was making his legs move slower than usual. He couldn't imagine what was drawing him back, at least in his mind, to that hospital room. He couldn't imagine what was making him not turn the key in the ignition of the car.
Maybe it was the night…it had been busy, it had been full.
As the car finally turned over and started, he decided that it was the adrenaline.
By the time the car was on the main road, he knew that he was lying to himself.
It was the need to make sure Amanda was okay, that she would be okay. The image of her lying prone on the bed, the syringe next to her on the coverlet shining and mocking him. The feel of her limp in his arms…the satin of the dress, her body warm and yet so lifeless.
It was the feel of the anger coursing through him. The pain of hearing which drug was used to hurt her. Then, the rush to the ambulance. Damn the mission, damn the men…all he needed to do was find her the antidote, get an IV and medical help….
He swept a hand across his forehead to stop the sweat, but it couldn't stop the thoughts that continued mercilessly.
The way that her eyes sparkled, their depths like chocolate on fire. Surrounded in diamonds, her eyes did their best to out shine them and won hands down. Her red lips falling slack, and not talking, rambling…just lifeless.
He shook his head. The wholesome mother from the suburbs had been a beautiful, exotic, mysterious woman that night. The image brought a smile to his face. It was short-lived, however. Where she was, remembering what had happened changed the course of his grin.
Lee shook his head with a sigh and tightened his hands on the wheel. It would never happen to her again, he would make sure of that. If he had to be with her every moment of every case, he thought, he would make sure this would never happen again. The next time he carried Amanda King, it would not be her unconscious body. It would be when those slender hands could cup his shoulder or run in his hair or gently trace his neck, or….
With a gulp, Lee slowed the car. Where had that come from? And why was he fantasizing about Amanda King of all people? Fantasies never materialized.
With a viscous shake of his head, Lee stepped on the pedal of the car and sped through the night. He had a job to do. He would check on Amanda after she was home and that would be that.