Sam ambled out of the little restaurant tucked on the hidden-away street and scanned around for where he'd parked his Corvette.

He was hugely relieved he'd been able to, well, relieve himself. He glanced back up at the slightly foreboding looking abbey, wondering what the hell he had come here for. He had foolishly supposed that after Diane abandoned Frasier at the altar that it all meant something - that he'd show up and she'd - well, he didn't quite know what. But instead she'd made it clear she was staying there and wouldn't be coming back to Cheers. She was nutty as a fruitcake, that one.

Still, it startled him how much he felt drawn to her - even after all of these months - even when she stood before him, bare of makeup, entombed in some kind of plain nun-like garb. In fact, he'd found it all pretty hot.

He reflexively shoved his hands in his pockets and crossed the street. It was then that he noticed a dark figure scurrying down the abbey steps - he noted the pinned up flaxen hair, the tall, sylph-like body. He knew her even from behind.

"Diane!" he hollered, before he had a chance to stop himself.

She turned, her eyes wide. He picked up his pace and approached, his heart thudding.

"Sam? Why are you still here?"

"Had to find myself a little boy's room - went to that restaurant over there. Have you been there?"

"No," she said, flicking her eyes down and not looking like she wanted to make conversation. He noted that she was rolling a small suitcase behind her. Now his heart really started lurching against his chest - dammit, why did she have such a visceral effect on him?

"Are you - uh - " he waved absently towards the abbey, "leaving?"

She looked up and nodded somberly.

"Yes, it's time to go. I had a moment of - well - I guess you could call it clarity. I can't hide out here forever."

"Well, can I give you a lift?" Damn him, what was wrong with him? What was it about her that made him say such things, against his very will, against his own self-interest?

He knew the answer to that - something about her just got to him, just put it right to him, a constant itch in his throat he needed to scratch, a continual faint ache in his chest.

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Come on! Are you going to walk back to Boston?"

"No, the train station is right up the street… that's how I came, and how I'll get home." Her face then softened, she blinked at him as a smile flittered along her lips. "But thank you, Sam."

She resolutely turned and started down the street, dragging her little suitcase behind her. She looked so forlorn, he wanted nothing but to catch up to her and grab her.

"Okay, then. Bye, Diane!"

"Bye, Sam!" She turned and gave a little wave. Again, his heart spasmed. God, how he hated her sometimes.

Sam got in his 'Vette and the engine purred to life. He rolled out of his parking space, and passed her as he drove slowly down the street. He got about a block away when he slammed on the brakes. Good thing there was no one driving behind him or he would have been rear-ended for sure.

He got out of the car and stood with his arms folded on the roof. Diane watched him with a half-amused glint in her eye as she approached.

"Yes, Sam, can I help you?"

"Would you get in the damn car?"

"Sam -"

"Just get in the car! Come on, Diane, don't be silly."

She tossed her head a bit and laughed at herself. "Oh all right, I guess I am being ridiculous."

Sam jogged around the car and relieved her of her suitcase, storing it in the trunk. Then he quickly opened the passenger side door for her and watched her glide in. He ran back around and slid into the driver's seat.

He took a deep breath, and cast a look her way. She looked back.

And, suddenly, with absolutely no warning, they hurled their bodies at each other over the seats, and were kissing fiercely. Sam was cradling her jaw with both hands and her hands were gripping his shoulders. The kissing was about as intense and passionate as he had ever experienced and he heard himself breathing her name in short lulls between lip locks.

Then a loud, violent, discordant sound startled both of them out of their fever. A driver was behind them, laying on the horn.

They looked into each other's eyes and laughed. Sam pulled the car over and the second he shifted into park, they were back at each other - devouring each other's mouths, breathing and sighing heavily, occasionally helplessly blurting,"I missed you." Their hands began to explore each other, Sam's fingers brushing over her nipples, hers relaxing softly onto his groin. They made out like teenagers in the grip of a hormonal frenzy - steaming up the windows.

Finally, their lips rested against each other, giving just the barest amount of space. Sam felt his fingers tangled in her upswept bun, unfastening the clips, letting her hair fall down and pour over her face. He was going to have her - right in the tight confines of his car - and he wasn't sure exactly how he was going to maneuver it, but by damn, nothing was going to stop him.

He began drawing his mouth along her neck, savoring the sweet tangy taste of her skin, and she sighed and tipped her chin onto his shoulder.

"Sam," she breathed, "there's a bed and breakfast up the street."

He heard her, but he couldn't stop himself, not now. His fingers expertly worked her dress buttons and soon the scoop of her neckline was loosened enough that he could slip his hand inside. He cupped her breast as his thumb grazed along her nipple. He brought his lips back to hers and they languidly explored each other mouths with their tongues.

Then it suddenly hit him - bed and breakfast! It was really only the "bed" part he cared about. Get a grip, Malone! He couldn't believe how little self-control he had with her.

With a little moan, he forced himself to pull away from her - it was like separating a part of his body from himself. "Oh, I like that idea," he said.

He took in the road ribboning out in front of him and wondered how he would even be able to concentrate enough to drive.

"How - how far is this?" he asked.

"Just right up the street." She leaned over and began kissing his neck, her lips velvet and open, slow and eager at the same time. Sam felt his erection, already cement hard, nearly groan with the pain of not being able to plunge into her right that second.

"Uh, Diane, if you want me to drive, you have to stop that."

She giggled and relaxed back into her seat, a Cheshire grin lighting up her face, her milky skin flushed bright pink. She seemed to positively revel in the power she had over him.

Sam drove - he wasn't sure how long - until she pointed to a quaint, old-fashioned building. "Right here, Sam, stop." His senses were so clouded he felt like he was under water.

He pulled almost directly in front of the bed and breakfast. He leapt out of the car so fast he forgot to close his door, and jogged around to her side. He opened the door and she stepped out, her face still glowing. She knew what she was going to get - and her whole body was alive with anticipation.

"Come on, come on," he muttered, tugging wildly at her fingers.

"Sam! Your door!"

He reluctantly left her - worried even a few seconds would give her time to reconsider - and slammed his door shut, not bothering to lock it. It felt like it only took two steps to get back around to her – but if he could have vaulted himself over the roof to shave off half a second, he would have.

He grabbed her by the hand and they entered the B&B's foyer. Sam saw a small silver bell on the empty counter and he began banging it furiously with his palm.

Soon - but not soon enough for Sam – a portly woman appeared.

"We need a room!" he said, breathlessly, his words tumbling out of him. He might as well of been demanding an ambulance for all the patience he had.

It seemed like it took a century for the woman to check them into a room, get his payment, and show them how the key worked. Sam thought he would lose his mind when he felt one of Diane's fingers deliberately tracing circles inside his palm.

When he finally got the key and room number, Sam pulled Diane quickly away, almost running with her down the hallway. He got the key in the door, opened it, and mercifully they were now both inside.

He flung her up against the back of the door, and began kissing her and yanking her buttons open at the same time. He pushed her neck long with one hand, opening up a field of sensitive flesh for him to devour. Diane began helping him with the buttons and soon her dress was completely shed, and she attacked his shirt buttons, simultaneously sucking on the nape of his neck and dragging her hand along his chest, squeezing the hair between her fingers. Then she dropped her hand down to his raging bulge, and gripped him firmly. He gave a sharp intake of breath.

"Did you miss me?" she whispered into the soft spot below his ear.

"Oh, god, yes, honey..." he said, his knees weakening, his body nearly collapsing into her. He never felt so vulnerable with a woman than when he was with her.

Unlike past times when they'd connected physically since their breakup, Diane seemed to have no reservations about what she wanted. Sam kept expecting her to change her mind and stop things - not that it would help her at this juncture - a grizzly bear wouldn't have been able to drag him out of this room.

But in a thick blur of heat, hands, lips, tongues, sighs, and moans, they inched their way to the bed, neither one of them exactly sure how they got there.

That's where they spent the entire day and most of the night, their souls breaking open with longing, their bodies cataclysmic with razor-sharp pleasure, until they became so hungry they had no choice but leave in search of food.

In the end, Diane decided she'd return to Cheers.