SOS Episode Fillers

Part 2 – Covering The Captain's Ball

Continuation of the scene after the lifeboat rescue.

Suspicious that their cover had been blown and that they were being targeted, Lee and Amanda parted company with Emeliano. Lee was very concerned for Amanda's safety. As the walked across the deck, he draped his jacket around her shoulders and his arm snaked around her waist holding her tightly against him. Amanda interrupted the comfortable silence they had been walking in. "Lee, do you think we could go back to the Captain's Ball for a little bit?" she asked in a quiet, hopeful voice.

Lee stopped walking and turned her towards him, "Amanda," he argued "after the lifeboat scare, don't you think it would be safer just to go back to the cabin?"

Amanda could hear the concern in his tone; she looked into his eyes sensing the strength of his convictions. "Lee, we won't be able to sleep anyway. Will we? So, we might as well have a drink and a dance or two. It'll help us relax."

"A-man-da," Lee proceeded to argue.

"Lee, what can happen? You'll be with me and there'll be a crowd of people around us."

Lee could see her eyes pleading with him and knew that he could not deny this request. He leaned forward so his mouth was next to her ear and whispered seriously and emotionally. "OK, if you PROMISE not to leave my sight." He was moving away slowly when her hand reached up to his cheek to still him. Smiling softly she gave him a light kiss on the cheek and whispered, "thanks." Lee recovered quickly and in his best English accent said, "Well, then, to the Captain's Ball, my lady."

As they entered the Ballroom, Lee put his jacket back on. Amanda felt a little lost when he took it away until Lee returned his arm around her waist and held her securely against his side. His eyes scanned the room cautiously as they walked towards the center of the room. Amanda tried one last time to reassure him, "Lee, its OK. Really. Let's just play our cover and enjoy the ball." Reassured by her tone and the sparkle in her eye, he relaxed a little. With a flirty Stetson grin he drawled "dance or drink, my love?"

"Dance."

"Are you sure you can handle me playing my cover?" Lee smiled devilishly arching an eyebrow.

"Bring on the charm, Big Fella" Amanda laughed as he twirled her in his arms.

After 3 or 4 songs, they left the dance floor with notably lighter dispositions – smiling and a little winded. They had enjoyed the music and the comfort of being in each other's arms. As they walked towards a section of tables, they spotted Julie at one with a rather dejected looking man. Julie waved an invitation for Lee and Amanda to join them.

"You two looked wonderful out there!" Julie exclaimed. Amanda smiled at Lee response – he was beaming from praise finding it a nice change from the earlier browbeating she had given him. They were introduced to Jay Smithfield and learned that his dejected appearance was due to his fiancé's plight with seasickness coupled with nervousness of his impending marriage the next day. In an attempt to be reassuring to Jay and romantic around Julie, Lee wrapped his arm around Amanda's shoulder, leaned in to feather her shoulder with kisses and stated with a dashing smile, "Jay, when you have the right women, you can't imagine a day without her." Jay nodded and Julie cooed. Amanda shielded her shocked look – at which he gave a charming grin and whispered to her "how's that for playing my cover, my love?" Amanda could not help but shake her head and smile at his antics.

Lee took drink orders and Jay volunteered to go with him to help carry. Before he excused himself he whispered protectively in her ear, "I'm only going to be 20 feet away, but please make sure you can see me at all times." Amanda touched his cheek with her fingertips and promised that she would.

Julie watched Amanda watch him walk towards the bar. "Amanda you two look adorable together. Perfect. You're so lucky to have found him."

Unnerved Amanda said what was on her mind, "How can a man look so darn good in a tux!"

Amanda watched Lee stop at the bar. She gave him a reassuring smile when he looked back at her. Then Amanda smiled at Julie, "you shook him up this afternoon and that's not easy to do. He was really embarrassed."

Julie laughed "Amanda, I think you're the one who shook him up when you were sitting in his lap." With a devious smile Julie added, "Has he started begging for a massage yet?"

Amanda's cheek flushed. She decided that this was a great time to change the subject "Ahhhh, no. Are you having a good evening?"

"It's been typical. I saved a dress with a safety pin, found the ship's doctor when a lady in 3 inch heals sprained her ankle on the stairs, and have been entertaining Jay, my forlorn friend."

"But it's still not the same, huh?" Amanda supplied the part of the thoughts Julie had not voiced.

"It'll only be a couple more days and what's the saying 'the bad times make you enjoy the good ones more.'"

Amanda smiled and chimed "absence makes the heart grow fonder…"

Lee and Jay returned with the drinks. Lee looked visually relieved to be back at her side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders securely mindlessly caressing her shoulder with his fingertips. Sensing that her touch would comfort him, Amanda placed her hand on his leg near his knee squeezing him gently for effect. They shared an amusing and light-headed conversation between the four of them. Julie was telling stories and Lee and Jay countering and doing accents. Lots of laughs and a couple of drinks later, Lee and Amanda caught Julie looking longingly at the dance floor. Amanda gave Lee an encouraging squeeze, concern flooded his eyes. Amanda whispered, "I'll be fine. I'll stay right here" in his ear. Turning on the charm again, "Miss McCoy will you do me the honor of being the last 'other women' I dance with before I become a married man?" After Amanda nodded in encouragement Julie smiled and allowed Mr. Dashing to whisk her away to the dance floor.

Amanda smiled at Jay who had begun to sink in his chair and was starting to look like he had had too many drinks. Amanda moved into Julie's seat so they were next to each other.

Lee held Julie at a very respectable distance and maintained a charming conversation. After awhile Julie's tone became serious and she apologized "I am really sorry for getting on you while we were by the pool. I should not have given you such a hard time."

"It's OK, I deserved it."

"It's just not usually a good sign when a man ditches his fiancé on a honeymoon cruise and Amanda's such a nice person."

"Julie, really, you're absolutely right. I'm glad that you got on me. It woke me up."

"I can see that you really do love her and respect her."

Lee shielded his eyes and nodded his head slowly, he said to himself 'this woman is very intuitive, does she see right through me? Do I love Amanda? I do care a great deal for her, but love?' Changing the subject, Lee with the most casual and nonchalant look he could muster he asked Julie the question that had been on his mind all day "so, what's the deal about this sensual massage stuff?"

Julie chuckled and teased "are you having trouble getting that out of your mind?"

Lee felt the heat rise to his face "maybe" he conceded. Julie proceeded to explain to him that it was not about sex, but showing love, soothing, touching, dissolving tension, acceptance, and yes, maybe a little torture. Surprisingly as Julie explained, Lee was not thinking about the long string of women he might have already unknowingly used some of these techniques on, but instead he was wondering what Amanda might know that he didn't. The thought of Amanda having the upper hand with something like this had Lee feeling both intrigued and uneasy. Sneaking a guilty look at her, "would you get me a copy of the handout on it?" Julie laughed at him, but agreed.

A few turns and swirls later Julie felt Lee tense and with a glance at his face noticed that his jaw was clenched. She knew that he had been sneaking looks at Amanda regularly so she was not surprised when she followed his glare back to Amanda who was still consoling Jay.

"Lee, what's wrong? They're just talking."

Caught. Lee took a deep breath and responded in a low growl before he could censor his thoughts "he's touching her."

Julie patted his shoulder and he was surprised that it was almost as relaxing as when Amanda touched him. He saw Julie smiling into his eyes "Lee, relax, it's nothing. She loves you." To herself she mentally noted 'Jealousy issues. Men so can be so stupid!' Lee relaxed a little, but Julie could tell that he needed more reassurance, "Lee look, she is mothering Jay. He's touching her arm for support. She loves you. You can see it in her eyes when she looks at you, when she reaches for your hand." He forced a smile at Julie's misguided praise and thought 'at least we are playing our cover very convincingly. Even Julie thinks we're perfect for each other…'

Lee however was soon assaulted with deeper, darker thoughts – the jealously turned quickly into fear, the fear of losing her, the fear of her being taken from him, the fear of being alone again, the fear of not having her in his life, not having her to hold his hand. He was hit suddenly with the flashback of her hanging over the waves, thoughts he had tried to keep at bay 'What if she fell? I would have lost her forever. What if I was not there? How much longer could she have hung on? How would Phillip and Jamie make it without their mother?'

Julie watched the emotions play across his face. She did not know the cause, but did understand that he needed to be in Amanda's arms right now. She excused herself to go make a couple phone calls. She led Lee back to Amanda and said her 'goodnights' giving Amanda a hug. Lee did not return to his seat, but in a voice still thick with emotion said "Amanda, dance with me." Once on the dance floor, Lee pulled her tightly against him wrapping his arm almost fiercely around her waist and his left hand resting possessively against her bareback. Amanda wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. He held her tightly molding her to his frame. She could feel the intensity and tautness in his body from her cheek down to her knees. This was an uncharacteristically emotional display; she knew he would explain when he was ready.

After awhile she felt the tension start to dissolve. Lee's hand began caressing her back slowly and she realized she had one hand in his hair and the other just below massaging his neck. Whispering in a voice laden with emotions into her ear "It has been a long day, huh? I did not learn anything concrete about Orlando, I almost blew our cover for not being an attentive boyfriend, you almost got killed-" His arms crushed her even tighter against him. Amanda ran her hands around his waist under his jacket and held him tightly until his ragged attempts at breathing returned to normal. Any pretense of dancing was lost as they were motionless in each other arms clinging together, bodies comforting each other. For a moment Amanda just enjoyed feeling his body next to hers, his strength, the electricity. Neither were embarrassed by the way their bodies were responding – her chest pressed to his and his arm holding her hips into his. Amanda gently pulled away and ran her hands up his chest linking them around his neck, Lee whimpered involuntarily at the distance. As one hand moved to soothe the tension etched in his face. Looking into his eyes and seeing an unusual mix of fear, worry, and longing "Lee," she pleaded softly "don't think about it. I'm fine." Then to lighten the mood "never thought you would get in trouble for not being attentive to a woman's needs!"

With a deep breath and aware of the double meaning her statement, he loosened his hold a little to let her have a choice in the distance between their bodies. With conscious effort he tried to make his tone more playful and light "I'm sorry! I am doing better tonight, aren't I?"

"Much better," she answered honestly.

"You look beautiful tonight. Julie said that we're perfect together," Lee bragged. Amanda shut her eyes and thought about how perfect it felt to be in his arms right now. She had closed a little of the distance he had put between them so they could maintain the connection they both needed. She had felt so much closer to him both mentally and physically today and it felt so incredibly right. She had inadvertently returned her fingers to gently rubbing his nape.

"Amanda," Lee began tentatively after awhile. "Whatever you're doing to my neck, it seems to help me relax… was that something you learned in that massage class?"

"Lee!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Well?" he said with those puppy dog eyes.

"Maybe," she answered softly.

"Can you really turn a man into jello?"

"Lee!"

"Amanda!" he exclaimed at her coyness.

"I think it's need to know only."

"Amanda," pleading with those hazel eyes, "I really need to know." She shook her head slightly and laid her cheek back against his shoulder. After a couple minutes had passed he whispered softly and seductively in her ear, "Amanda, I really think I need to know." Amanda smiled into his shoulder. 'Men..' she thought to herself.