Disclaimer: Scarecrow & Mrs. King is owned by Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. For entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.

An AU based on the episode Over the Limit. To my reckoning, this is when Lee finally realized how much he truly cared for Amanda and the whole tone of the show changed. Lee comes looking for Amanda after the bomb blast, but instead of finding her unharmed on the hill away from the action, he finds her badly injured near the speaking platform.

A Bad Day on the Bay

As soon he heard about the explosion, Lee jumped in his Corvette and sped to the park. All he could think about was that Amanda was there. It was an aching need for him to know that she was all right. He felt guilty that he had left her to her own devices and could not be there with her to hold her, to protect her.

The park was in a state of chaos, when he finally got there. As Lee glanced around, there was smoke and debris from the blast and people milling everywhere. Fire and rescue personnel were canvassing the area for victims. Some were dead and many were severely injured. His heart cried out, Amanda, where are you?

A scrap of red cloth that might have been Amanda's skirt near where the speaking platform had been caught his attention. He made his way toward it as fast as he was able. The scrap of cloth turned out to be Amanda. She lay curled on the ground on her right side. She had been too close to the blast. Her eyes were closed and Lee could see many cuts and bruises on her face and tatters in her clothes.

He immediately dropped to his knees next to her and carefully rolled her to her back. "Amanda? Amanda!" he said and tapped her gently on the face. No response. He touched her on the neck to see if he could find a pulse. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as her carotid pulsed under his fingers, rapid and thready. He could see her chest rising and falling with each struggling breath. He checked her over carefully for bleeding and broken bones. She had a deep cut on her forehead that needed attention and possibly stitches. She had a possible dislocated shoulder and a sprained wrist that probably happened when she was thrown to the ground. He took off his jacket to cover her, since she seemed like she may be going into shock.

Lee called Billy. "Amanda was at the park when the bomb went off, Billy. She was too close and she has been badly injured. I need an ambulance near the speaking platform and a NEST team assembled at Galilee General. Now!" Lee shouted.

"It'll be done in the next 15 minutes, Lee. She's gonna be all right. We'll get our best on this. I'll call Amanda's mother and tell her what happened," said Billy and hung up.

The ambulance arrived and Lee watched as the paramedics started an IV, bandaged the wound on her forehead, immobilized her arm and put an oxygen mask on her face. They lifted her to the stretcher and put her in the ambulance for transport. Lee jumped in and sat next to the paramedic, who carefully monitored her vital signs.

Lee held her hand and spoke to her. "Amanda, I'm sorry I wasn't there when the bomb went off. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you are all right. We make a great team, you and I. It just wouldn't be the same without you. Stay with me."

Amanda became aware that someone was holding her hand and speaking to her, but her ears were ringing so loud and her muddled brain could not make sense of the words. She groaned and moved her head as she struggled to stay above the blackness. Her eyes flickered open momentarily and she saw Lee sitting next to her.

Lee looked up when he heard her make a sound and saw her eyes flicker. "Amanda? Amanda!" he said.

Amanda was aware that he was calling her name. "Lee," was all she could get out before she took a deep breath and closed her eyes; everything went black again.

Lee thought, At least she recognizes me. The last time she had an accident, she forgot I and the Agency even existed.

They arrived at the hospital and Amanda was rushed into the Emergency Room. He held her hand until they went through the double doors. Lee's face fell as the doors closed in front of him. Was this how Amanda had felt all of those times she had stood outside of these doors or stubbornly kept vigil over his bed?

Billy and Francine came up behind him just then. Billy gently laid his hand on Lee's shoulder. "How is she?"

"She was conscious in the ambulance, but passed out again. Oh, Billy," he said and shook his head. "I found her not far from the speaking platform, where the bomb went off. She was a broken, crumpled heap. At first I thought she was dead, she was so still. I checked her pulse and found out she was alive. I tended to her most grievous hurts and then I called you. I can't lose another partner, Billy. I just can't."

"NEST is on it and I know Amanda won't go without a fight. She's strong, Lee. She'll pull through," Francine said and touched him on the forearm.

"It's probably going to be awhile. Let's go find someplace to sit down," said Billy and led Lee away from the double doors.

Lee sat down and held his head in his hands. He ran his fingers through his hair again and again. "Amanda's voice echoed in his head, 'You're talking about love, Lee and when you are talking about love, you have to be patient.'" Was he in love with Amanda? He cared about her very deeply and she was the best friend he ever had, but did he love her? Through her actions, time and again Amanda had shown him how much she cared for him and he had refused to see, to acknowledge that caring. He knew that he had hurt her so many times without knowing, because he cared a lot more than he let on. If they made it through this, he promised to do better and make it up to her somehow.

Billy stood up and touched Lee on the shoulder, as the doctor came in. "She is awake, but still out of it, due to a mild concussion and the pain medication. She needed 6 stitches in the laceration on her forehead. She has a dislocated shoulder and a sprained wrist. She had a large piece of debris embedded in her thigh, but luckily it missed the major artery. We'll have to observe her for a few days due to the concussion. She's gonna have a monster of a headache and tinnitus for awhile, but she'll be fine. We'll get her settled in a room and someone will come to get you." With that the doctor left.

Dotty came steaming up the hallway a few moments later. Lee stopped her. "Are you Amanda King's mother?"

"Yes, who are you?" she asked.

"We're with the film company. I'm Lee Stetson, Amanda's partner. This is Amanda's boss, Billy Melrose and this is Francine Desmond."

Dotty's eyes lit up, as a face was finally put with a name in her mind. So this was the mysterious man at work she had suspected of having Amanda's affections. She blinked and came back to the business at hand. She asked, "What happened? Where's Amanda?"

"There was an explosion at the park. Amanda was there and was injured in the blast. She has a mild concussion, a dislocated shoulder, sprained wrist and several stitches on her forehead from being thrown to the ground. She had a piece of debris lodged in her thigh. The doctor said she will have a headache and ringing in her ears for awhile, but she is going to be fine. She is being settled in a room and they will be down to get us in a little bit," said Lee.

A nurse came to get them after a little while and they took the elevator to the 4th floor. Dotty rushed down the hallway to the room the nurse indicated. The door was open a crack and Dotty peeked inside. Amanda lay on the bed, her arm in a sling and her head bandaged. There were cuts and bruises all over her face and neck. Her eyes were closed, though she didn't seem to be sleeping.

Dotty stepped inside Amanda's room and softly called her name. "Amanda? Amanda?"

Amanda opened her eyes and saw her mother standing beside the bed with a very worried expression on her face. She blinked a few times and said, "Mother, when did you get here? Did the film company call you?"

"Yes, dear. That nice Mr. Melrose," said Dotty. "There are a few people in hallway from the film company that probably want to see you. I'll be out there until they are done." Dotty went out and told them to go in.

Lee came in and immediately took her hand. "Amanda. I was so worried about you. I found you after the bomb went off and thought you were dead. But then I found a pulse and I did what could for you before the ambulance got there. I'm glad you're going to be all right," he said haltingly, as he made circles in her palm with the pad of his thumb.

"Were you in the ambulance with me? I seem to vaguely remember coming to for a moment and seeing you there beside me," Amanda said.

"Yes, I was there and I held your hand all the way to the ER door," Lee said.

Amanda smiled quirkily and said, "Thank you." She glanced away and saw Billy and Francine standing behind Lee. "Hello, sir. Hello, Francine," she said.

"We're glad you're going to be all right," said Billy and touched her on the lower leg. "We'd better get going and let Amanda's mother come back in."

Lee kissed her hand and let it drop. Amanda got the feeling he didn't want to leave. "Go. I'm all right," she said to Lee in particular.

Dotty came back in and sat on the edge of the bed. After a discussion about what happened, Dotty asked, "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes, Mother. They gave me something for the pain and I'm just gonna be sleeping for the next several hours. Go home. Tell the boys that I'm all right and I'll be home in a few days," Amanda answered.

As soon as her mother left, Lee peeked in the door. Amanda thought he must have been watching for her to leave so that he could come back. Amanda motioned for him to come in.

"They gave me some medicine for my pain and I'm about ready to drift off. All you'll be doing is watch me sleep, if you stay," Amanda said as Lee sat down on the bed and took her hand once again.

"It's okay. I don't have anything to do until morning," he said and smiled, as he watched Amanda's eyes drift closed and her body relax into sleep. He kissed Amanda's hand and said, "Sweet dreams, Amanda. I'll be here when you wake up." He made his way to the couch in the corner and sat down to begin his vigil, as Amanda had done too many times for him.