Scarecrow and Mrs. King: Midnight
Disclaimer: They are not mine. I never claimed, I promise not to try to claim them, or even think about it. The idea for the story is mine however, and I claim that. The characters belong to Shoot the Moon Productions and Warner Bros. You know the rest.
GI: Okay, this story takes place in the third season, I really wanted to stay with canon. I might have failed. I wrote an alternate ending that is very familiar, if you want it, I can post it too, but I liked this one much better. (By familiar I mean interruption.) Now I don't want to give any more away some I'm going to shut up.
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Amanda King sat on the couch sandwiched between her two sleeping sons. She watched the clock ticking on the bottom of the television screen as she tried to pay attention to Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. It didn't seem to interest her much except remind her of what she'd resolved to do last year and failed.
Thinking of the millions of people, who were in the same boat as she, should have provided comfort. Instead it succeeded only in claiming her a failure like the rest of America.
Lee Stetson sat on his couch, the comics had always held his attention before, what was his problem now. Dick Clark was bringing in another New Year, there shouldn't be a problem. Now that was something you could count on, Dick Clark at the head of each and every New Year, why couldn't his heart be as predictable as Dick Clark and the New Year? Instead of focusing on Dick and memories, the past or even the future, he mind was on Amanda King and the present.
He'd been invited to numerous New Year's Eve parties, by some of Washington's finest 'ladies' too. He'd turned them all down. Amanda was spending the evening at home with the boys. Dotty was attending a friend's party. If the only woman he cared to start the New Year with was at home, so was he. At his home. Across town.
"Maybe I'll just go check on her." Lee said to himself raising from the couch and beginning to search for his keys.
Amanda brought the tissue up to the corner of her eye. She spent 355 days a year cheerful and spunky for the sake of everyone else's happiness, Lord knows she deserved selfishness for her own pleasure. A year ago she'd promised herself to try and make Lee see her as more than an annoying tag-along. Maybe he had begun to, but she wasn't positive and she'd needed to be sure. Especially since the Sacker case had confused her to heaven, hell and back again. At times she felt like he was playing games with her heart and ultimately enjoyed it.
What was he thinking, she didn't want to see him. He wanted to see her, but she was probably having a blast at home with the boys, maybe even a PTA dad. What he wouldn't give to trade places with one of those guys.
He stared at the red light across the intersection in front of him. His hand tempted to make a 360 and go back home. Maybe he'd call Cathy. No, he had to know that she was okay. People went crazy on New Year's right? Justification in his mind was beginning to run short, but he didn't need to justify his actions, he had to reassure himself she was okay. He pulled just down the street of his heaven on earth 4247 Maplewood Drive. The words seemed to roll off his tongue.
"You can't see anything from here, all the lights are off except the one in back. Maybe I'll just walk over and make sure she's fine." He told himself as he stepped out of his car.
Lee looked in the back door, she stood at the counter pouring herself a glass of milk. She looked… sad. Almost as if she'd been crying. He smiled at her seeming tranquility, even if she had been crying.
She looked up, not at all startled by the knock at the door. Somehow, she'd known he'd be here. Smiling, she walked over to the door. "Hey." She smiled taking the cue he'd given her.
"Hey." He replied, damn, did he always have to feel like a teenager when he was this close to her. He took her hand and pulled her outside with him.
"The boys are asleep." Amanda answered his question before he had the chance to ask it. Lee nodded.
"Are you okay?" Lee asked, concerned by the redness her eyes held.
"Yeah, just thinking. Maybe I'll explain it sometime." Amanda hoped he'd get the hint and not ask her to expand.
Lee clenched his fists in anticipation as he carefully played out his plan. New Year's was the perfect excuse. If she didn't like it, New Year's would be the reason. As the ball in Times Square began to drop, he took one step closer, God she smelled good. He took a deep breath, fully prepared for it to be his last. She took a step, he hadn't expected that. Silence enshrouded the two as she rested her hands on his chest. Almost like pawns in a game, they could be used to brace herself, push him away, or moved quickly to pull him closer.
His head leaned in, "here goes nothin'" was the last clear thought he was allowed before closing his eyes.
Amanda followed and tried not to smile from the smell of his cologne. He would have to make first contact, she refused to be a victim.
And before either one knew it, their lips met. Claiming each other as their own before their minds were permitted. Before they'd claimed the rest of the them. The heat her mouth possessed led him to want more. She'd opened her mouth and granted him access. He could have what he wanted, all he had to do was take it.
Every ounce of his body wanted to go further. And that was what it took to pull back. He smiled at her, "Happy 1986 Amanda." Lee said before he ran, and was given the chance to respond. She would have sworn she heard him mumble "someday" as he rounded the corner of her house.
"Damn it Lee Stetson." Amanda shook her head and crossed arms. "One day I'm pulling you inside and locking the door."
Lee sat in the car and tried to clear his thoughts of what he'd just done. Then he made his New Year's resolution. He started the ignition and pulling away he said, "Eventually, I'll call my home, 4247 Maplewood."