*DISCLAIMER** Scarecrow & Mrs. King is copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot The Moon Production Company. The original portions of this story, however, are copyrighted to the author. This story is for entertainment purposes only and cannot be redistributed without the permission of the author. Situations and some dialogue have been used from the episode "Bad Timing", written by Robert W. Gilmer. No infringement of copyright is intended.
Summary: This is a slightly alternate version of the fourth season episode "Bad Timing". This story is set at the end of January, 1987.
Part Four
Amanda lay quietly in Lee's arms, the rhythmic sound of his breathing reducing her to a state of pleasant drowsiness. They had been holding each other in silence like this for some time, simply enjoying the closeness of their newfound intimacy.
For the first time in a long while, Amanda was totally relaxed. She could feel Lee's fingers on her skin as they drew and redrew imaginary circles on her arm. They paused occasionally as his lips brushed tenderly through her hair, then almost unconsciously resumed their gentle stroking. After a while, his hands stilled and Amanda knew he had drifted off to sleep.
She stole a glance at him, looking up at his face through half-closed eyes. He looked utterly defenseless, his expression youthful and untroubled in sleep. Her heart swelled with love for him at this unusual display of vulnerability. It was a side of him he rarely let anybody see. Emotion was something that seldom came into play in his everyday world. But here, in the safety of her arms, he could finally let his feelings show. In a way, he had a secret life, too, she thought with a sad smile.
But his was the mirror image of hers. Scarecrow, the cool professional, was the complete antithesis of the man who lay so quietly beside her. His reality was grounded in the world of codes and counter–codes, where life was a game played by deadly rules and death was the penalty for deviation.
Amanda's reality, on the other hand, was her home and family. She still felt like a commuter in that shadowy place where Lee had lived most of his adult life. Despite her recent full-time status, her forays into that realm were still brief. Although she had been subjected to a first-hand glimpse of that grim universe when the terrorist Addi Birol kidnapped her. After her brief sojourn there, she felt she understood Lee better than she ever had before. She now knew exactly why he had such a hard time letting her in.
That experience was part of the reason she'd waited so long to take this final step. This was the life she wanted, the two of them here, together, like this. But at the same time, it scared her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized how much harder it would be for them to do their jobs now.
Amanda let out a long breath as she snuggled against him. She didn't want to think about the Agency or what they stood to lose tonight. There would be time enough for that in the cold light of day. Somehow they would have to find a way to bridge the gap between their personal and professional lives. They would do it together, she thought with a smile. There was nothing they couldn't accomplish as long as they had each other. They had proved that tonight. And right now she wanted nothing more than to stay here in this world, her head pillowed against the chest of the man she loved.
If only that were possible. She glanced at the clock with a frown. Unfortunately, her life as Amanda King had a prior claim on her. And the numerals on the clock testified that it was long past time to return to it.
For a minute she was tempted to call her mother and tell her that she had an all night work session. But the boys had a weekend trip planned and she really needed to touch base with them in the morning. And her mother would never buy the 'working late' excuse again. She'd practically worn that one out. Besides, she'd never pull it off in the morning. One look at her face and her mother would see right through her. She just wasn't up to dodging the endless barrage of questions.
Of course, she was a grown woman and entitled to a personal life. Her mother would probably be thrilled that she was in a serious relationship. The real problem was with herself, not her mother. She just wasn't ready yet to share the full details of her involvement with Lee.
She reached out to touch him, tenderly tracing his profile with her finger. She hated to wake him, but there wasn't any alternative. Much as she wanted to, she just couldn't spend the night. For a moment she debated letting him sleep, but she couldn't bear to leave him without a goodbye. She didn't want him to roll over and find her gone.
"Lee."
He stirred slightly, his arms tightening their grip, as if even in sleep he feared she might slip away.
"Lee," she repeated, gently shaking him. "Wake up, sweetheart. I've got to go."
He let out a deep breath as his eyes opened. He saw Amanda's face staring lovingly into his. His face broke out in a stunning smile as the evening fast-forwarded through his mind. He pulled her head down to him and tenderly kissed her. Looking into her eyes, his voice whispered only one word.
"Stay."
She smiled as her fingers moved over his lips, but she shook her head sadly. "I can't. It's past midnight. Mother…" Her voice trailed off as she saw the disappointment written across his features.
"Can't you come up with something to tell your mother?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"Nothing that she'd believe," Amanda replied with a sigh. "Besides, I have to be there in the morning for the boys."
He frowned slightly as he reluctantly released her. That was one argument he wouldn't even try to win. He knew how hard she struggled to balance all the parts of her life - her children, her mother, and her job. Not to mention their time together. He didn't want to add any more pressure to her already complicated life. Their secret relationship did enough of that already.
"Lee, you know how much I want to stay," she continued, her conflicting emotions reverberating in her voice. She sat up, staring down at him as she fought a losing battle with the tears that threatened to fill her eyes. "It's just that…" She choked on the last few words, turning away to hide her discomfiture.
"It's okay, Amanda," Lee said with resignation. Rising up, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing her lightly on her bare shoulder. "Really, it is." He could hear the distress in her tone and he added in a soft whisper, "we'll have other nights."
"I know, but it won't be the same. Tonight's special." She rested her head back on his shoulder as she blinked away her tears. What she wanted to do and what she needed to do were again in direct conflict. She briefly wondered if this would be the pattern of their life together. Their hellos cut all too short by the obligatory goodbyes.
"It was special for me, too," Lee murmured, his voice low and intense. "But it's only the first of many nights like this." His fingers absently played with a strand of her hair, twirling it around and around. "I promise."
"I'm going to hold you to that," she sighed, the corners of her mouth turning up in a smile as she turned to face him. "Starting tomorrow night. Mother and the boys will be out of town all weekend."
"All weekend?" he grinned, his eyebrows raised speculatively.
"Yeah."
"I guess we'll just have to think of something to keep us occupied then."
"I'm sure you'll come up with something," she grinned, her eyes now sparkling as she returned his look.
"I'll work on it," he laughed in response, giving her shoulder a playful squeeze. "Come on, let's get you home before they send out a search party."
He kissed her again, stifling a yawn as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"You don't have to get up," Amanda said quickly, seeing his fatigue. "It's late. Stay here and get some sleep."
"That's okay. I'll walk you to your car."
"Lee, you don't have to, really."
"Yes, I do…really." He leaned over to kiss her. "No arguments, okay?"
"Okay," she answered, smiling as she read the longing beneath his words. She wasn't quite ready to say goodnight yet, either.
Lee's eyes followed Amanda appreciatively as she bent to retrieve her scattered undergarments. He smiled wistfully at her as she headed for the bathroom to retrieve the rest of her clothes. She glanced back over her shoulder at him with a regretful smile. He knew in that instant that she felt the same way he did.
Consummating their relationship tonight had been a life altering experience. An experience he didn't want to end so precipitously. What he wanted to do was close his arms around Amanda, carry her back to his bed and make love to her again. But what he would do is get dressed and walk her to her car.
He rifled through the pile of clothes in his closet, grabbing a pair of jeans and a shirt. He knew this was just as difficult for her as it was for him. It occurred to him as he tucked in his shirt that their secret marriage was probably a totally lame idea. Saying goodbye after making love wasn't something that would get easier with practice.
Lee pushed these gloomy thoughts to the back of his mind and greeted Amanda with a smile as she emerged from the bathroom. "All set?"
She nodded quietly, slipping her hand comfortably into his. Their fingers interlocked automatically as they headed for the door. Lee paused for a minute to retrieve his wallet from the desk.
"As long as I'm out, I might as well pick up a couple things at the store," he said in response to her questioning look.
"At this hour?"
"Yeah," he said with a self-conscious smile. "It's only a couple blocks away and the walk will do me good. I need to do some thinkin'."
Amanda nodded quickly, her lips curling up in secret understanding. It had been an emotional evening for her, too. In a way she was looking forward to the drive home. It would give her the opportunity she needed to clear her head.
Hand in hand, they left the apartment, all too quickly finding themselves by the door of Amanda's Wagoneer. Sighing slightly, they leaned into each other, their arms instinctively going around each other one last time.
"Tomorrow seems years away instead of hours," Amanda murmured against his chest.
"It's not that far away," Lee rejoined, kissing her forehead tenderly. "Go home and get some sleep. You're gonna need it."
"Is that a promise?" she teased lightly.
"Absolutely." He flashed her a grin as he opened the door and helped her into the car. He watched as she pulled out of the parking lot, looking over her shoulder at him one last time before pulling out onto the deserted street. Lee headed slowly down the block towards the neighborhood store. As long as he was up, he might as well stop and get some coffee. He had a feeling he would need some in the morning. He was way too wound up to get much sleep.
He walked down the street, the darkness closing in on him. He breathed deeply, filling his lungs with the brisk January air. His spirits felt a little lighter as he looked up at the night sky. He smiled to himself as he remembered the evening's events. Every look and every touch was emblazoned forever on his mind and his heart. This wasn't the time to worry about things he couldn't control. Life had a way of working out. After all, in the insanity of their crazy business, he and Amanda had managed to find each other. They would find a way to make the best of this situation, too. He suddenly felt incredible as he strode briskly down the street, his heart buoyed by his dreams for the future. Never had he had so much to look forward to.
They came at him out of the darkness. He had the fleeting impression of three or four men, average build, dressed in nondescript clothing. His well-trained mind noted all this in a fraction of a second as they sprang at him from behind a large bush. Then it all went blank as one of them connected a slamming blow to his gut, knocking him backwards on the sidewalk. They quickly surrounded him.
The next few moments were filled with confusion. Lee lay helplessly on the hard concrete, momentarily stunned, until he was suddenly roused by the sound of a honking horn. His assailants hastily dispersed, disappearing into the darkness as the car screeched to a halt. He heard someone frantically calling his name and he groaned softly as he struggled to achieve a sitting position.
"Are you all right?" Amanda asked in a voice filled with concern. "Oh, my gosh." She helped him sit up, her hands moving over him as she gently examined him.
"They came out of nowhere," Lee stated in disbelief, automatically checking his back pocket. "I don't know…they got my wallet." He couldn't believe that he had actually been the victim of a mugging.
"All right, we've got to get you to the hospital," Amanda cried, more concerned with the state of his health than the state of his pockets.
"No, I, no… Amanda, I don't need to go to the hospital," Lee replied testily, rubbing his sore head with his hand.
"You've got a bump on your head - you might have a concussion," she reiterated firmly in a voice filled with concern.
"No, I don't want to go to a hospital – I don't like doctors, okay?" He looked at her for a moment, his eyes telling her that he had no intention of paying a midnight visit to the emergency room. "Ohh," he moaned as he swayed slightly, fighting the wave of dizziness that washed over him suddenly.
"You all right?" she asked, her voice riddled with doubt. " Ohh…" She caught him as he fell backward, using her arms to propel him forward.
"I will take a ride home, though," Lee agreed weakly, leaning on Amanda as they both struggled to help him stand.
"Okay, come on," she said in acceptance, knowing that this was the only assistance he'd allow her to give tonight. She took as much of his weight as she could carry as she helped him to the car. It was patently obvious that he was in worse shape than he would admit. Lee was so stubborn, she thought grimly as she half-carried, half-pushed him into the front seat. Once he made up his mind, there was no point in arguing with him. Well, she'd let him have his way tonight. But first thing in the morning, Lee Stetson would find himself in the doctor's office, whether he liked it or not.
"Count on it," she muttered determinedly to herself as she swiftly drove him home.
To be continued…