Disclaimers: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Production Company. This story, however, is copyrighted to the mentioned authors. This story is for entertainment purposes ONLY. If you would like to add it to an archive, please just let us know.
Summary: This story takes place after the series has ended. It's a "sequel" of sorts to our story "More Than Meets the Eye." A man from Lee's past turns Amanda's family life upside down.
Author's Notes: We did extensive research surrounding the Vietnam War and events that took place during that time. Some scenarios mentioned really did occur; we just added the wonderful world of SMK to them. Any airplane scenes mentioned we checked with a flight expert to handle any reality issues as we wrote.
**A very special thank you to Tammy for beta reading and being a true part of helping us write this story.**
Timeframe: Thanksgiving the year they were married.
Rating: R (some suggestive situations and language)
Giving Thanks for What We Have
By Diane & Amy (Two Phantoms)
Chapter 20
Tightly wrapping her arms around her body to ward off the chill of the evening air, Dotty stood on the walkway in front of the White Swan, rocking back and forth on her heels, thankful to be back on solid ground once again. The boat ride the government agents had taken them on was definitely a wonderful change from being cooped up inside the bed and breakfast. It was not the time of year, however, to be jotting off onto the ocean for a quick boat ride. The water was choppy, the wind brisk, and the company anything but pleasant.
Looking up at the porch before her, her heart sank a little more. Jamie and Kurt sat side by side on the porch swing trying to maintain a calm appearance for her sake, but she knew they were just as anxious to find out what was taking so long as she was. A feeling of warmth filled Dotty as she watched Kurt drape his arm around her grandson's nervous body. Turning back to look down the busy street, she replayed the day's events in her mind.
The boat ride had ended early, and it wasn't until they had returned to the White Swan that they had learned the reason why. Frank had been waiting at the front door when they had entered the bed and breakfast. His face beamed with so much happiness that she thought he might burst. He had immediately blurted out that everyone was safe and on their way home before they had even made it completely through the door.
Jamie had almost jumped out of his skin with joy at the news. He had started running through the house looking for his mother, hoping to share the wonderful news with her. After searching the entire place, he came back into the living room, where Dotty and Kurt were sitting with Frank, the earlier joy that had been on his face, had been replaced with a look of confusion.
She had told her grandson, when he had asked where his mom was, that she and Lee had gone to see Phillip safely home. It wasn't exactly a lie. She had just learned from Frank that Amanda had, once again, run off with those government agents. Sighing as she looked down at her watch, she realized that those events had taken place almost six hours earlier and the sun would soon be setting.
Looking back down the street in anticipation of their arrival, she decided she would definitely be having a long talk with her daughter and soon-to-be-son-in-law. What were they thinking? Frank had tried to explain that she and Lee had gone along to comfort Phillip once he had been rescued, but Dotty was not so sure she believed it anymore. Too many secrets were being kept, and it almost made her mad to think that Frank knew the truth about just what those secrets were. She had always tried to be a good and understanding mother, but things were becoming too weird. Maybe, when things had died down, she would have to do some research on the lifestyles other filmmakers.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her youngest grandson yelling. "They're back! They're back!" She watched as Jamie dashed down the stairs towards the two vehicles that were just pulling into the lot.
In the lead sedan, Amanda looked over her at her husband to find him smiling at her. She could see Jamie's excitement as they neared the White Swan. She then saw the annoyed look on her mother's face as Dotty slowly walked towards the car, and Amanda realized that another long lecture would be coming sometime soon. Sighing she looked back at her husband, whose smile had faded as he spotted his mother-in-law. "Oh, boy."
Sighing, again, at the thought of the onslaught of questions her mother was sure to have, Amanda looked down at her peacefully sleeping child. He seemed so small nestled between herself and her husband. His body slightly tilted towards Lee with his head resting on her shoulder. Placing a gentle kiss in his soft brown hair, Amanda placed her arms around his shoulders. "Phillip, sweetheart, we're home.
Phillip's eyes snapped open, darting around with a dazed look, obviously seeking his abductor. "Please, just let me go home." He stiffened in his mother's arms, unaware of her presence. "I want to go home."
Amanda's eyes locked with her husband's as she pulled Phillip further into her arms. "Phillip." Closing her eyes at the feel of his body shaking, she began to gently stroke his hair. "Phillip. It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe, now. Lee and I are here with you."
Phillip blinked and looked from his mother and then to Lee. "I thought…that man."
The muscles in Lee's jaws twitched as he tried to hold his anger towards Weasel in check. His family had been through so much because of that man, and it appeared that they would continue to suffer from his effects for a long time to come. Placing his hand on Phillip's leg and taking a deep breath before speaking, hoping to keep the anger from his voice, he tried to reassure him. "Phillip, he's gone. He's going to be put so far away that he won't ever see the light of day again."
Phillip looked up at Lee with the same complete trust he always found when he looked into his mother's eyes. Giving him an almost shy smile of thanks, Phillip began to bow his head, and suddenly stopped, his eyes growing a bit wide.
Lee followed Phillip's gaze to where it rested on his gun holster. "Phillip, I--"
"Lee, I know you'll take care of us." A soft grin played across the boy's face. "I think you have been for a while now." Looking to his mother, he continued, "Hasn't he, Mom?"
Amanda placed another soft kiss on his cheek before looking up at her husband. "Yes, sweetheart, he has."
Gently squeezing Phillip's knee, Lee nodded his agreement. "And I always will."
Phillip let go of his mother and turned to fully face Lee. "You know that Jamie and I aren't little kids anymore. Maybe you and Mom could tell us a little more about what you really do."
A gasp from Amanda brought Phillip's eyes back to his mother. "Mom, I heard things while I was…" he paused, then before either adult could speak, continued, "while I was there." Glancing at his mother's worried look, he smiled back at Lee. "Besides that, I think I now know who's been the one smashing Grandma's flowers over the last few years. She keeps blaming Jamie and me."
Lee removed his hand from Phillip's knee and raked it through his hair.
Phillip looked back at his mother. "It all makes sense. When Lee started coming over on a regular basis, her flowers suddenly seemed to thrive again."
Lee closed his eyes at the obviously inherited observation skills. Opening his eyes to see the smiling face of his stepson, he shook his head. "I guess there's a lot that needs to be explained, Sport, but what do you say we keep this information just between the three of us until your mother and I have time to sort things out with your grandmother. Deal?"
Phillip's smile widened at the thought of having a secret that no one else in the family knew. "If I promise, will you let me take the 'Vette for a spin?"
Lee looked over Phillip, at the now-smiling woman sitting next to his stepson. "We'll see."
Phillip looked back at his mom and gave her a wink. "Deal."
Amanda placed her hand under Phillip's chin and turned his head to face hers again. "Phillip, you shouldn't discuss too much about what happened with Weasel with the rest of the family until we have time to talk to them. Okay?"
Phillip's face turned serious as he looked out the window to see his anxious brother talking to some men. "Okay, Mom."
Lee draped his arm around the boy's shoulders. "We're all going to get some help with dealing with what happened. We'll come through this together."
Phillip smiled softly at the promise. "Thanks, Lee."
Lee smiled. "No need to thank me. You're part of my family, and I thank you for accepting me as part of yours."
Amanda smiled, but it was a smile that held a trace of sadness. She knew this conversation about their careers was going to have to come sooner or later, but she had hoped that it would have happened sometime in the next couple of years. The thought that it was going to happen a lot sooner than later, made her realize just how the events of the past few days, were bringing them all closer together. Looking up, she noticed her mother and the others anxiously waiting outside the car, and she realized that a lot more secrets would soon need to be revealed. She put on a sterner face and pointed her right index finger at her son. "Remember, Phillip. Don't tell Jamie too much about what went on, especially about Lee and me."
Phillip nodded solemnly, his thoughts briefly returning to his ordeal. "I promise." Then he turned back to look at Lee. "Do I still have to talk to that agency guy again about what happened?"
Looking out the tinted windshield of the front window of the sedan, Lee saw Jamie step up beside the vehicle. "You already gave him your statement, but I think we may have to talk to him, and perhaps another friend of mine in a few days. You up to that, Sport?"
Shrugging his shoulders and stifling a yawn, Phillip smiled up at Lee. "You gonna be there with me and Mom?"
Hearing the front door of the sedan open, the threesome knew that it was time to face the rest of the family. Lee gave Phillip one last pat on the leg and looked over at Amanda. "I don't plan on being anywhere else."
Amanda looked out her window to see her youngest son eagerly awaiting their exit. "Phillip, are you ready?"
Phillip nodded as he reached across his mother for the door handle. Stopping at the feel of a strong hand on his shoulder, he glanced back at the worried face. "I promise."
Lee released the boy's small shoulder and graced him with his famous Stetson smile. "Good."
Amanda sighed, and then opened her car door to exit. Looking up to see her mother and Jamie smiling brightly, she couldn't help but have the overwhelming sense of complete peace. 'We're all home.'
At Dotty's gasp Amanda mustered a bright smile for her. "I'm fine, mother."
Dotty bent down to pick up the crutches that had haphazardly fallen from the vehicle. "I take it you hurt yourself worse than before."
Amanda shyly nodded as she accepted Jamie's help in exiting the vehicle. Saying a little prayer that her husband would come to her rescue yet again, she accepted her mother's waiting arms for support.
Making sure that his gun holster was safely hidden, Lee exited the vehicle. Walking over to the two women, he took possession of the crutches so Dotty could better hug her daughter. When they pulled out of the embrace, he tapped Amanda on the shoulder and held the crutches out to her, keeping his expression from showing the amusement he found in his wife's comical grimace.
Taking a step towards Dotty, Lee wrapped his mother-in-law in his arms and whispered. "She just needs some of your TLC."
Dotty pulled back and looked up at the somewhat rumpled, but extremely handsome, man next to her. "From the looks of it, you do, too."
Lee squeezed her shoulder, letting out a robust laugh. He then quickly brought his hand to his ribs to ease the pain that his sudden laughter had induced. "I won't object, that's for sure. Especially from such a beautiful woman."
Dotty's eyes narrowed as her lips pressed together tightly in an effort to hold back a smile at his overpowering attempt to get on her good side. "Flattery will get you everywhere, young man."
Phillip had watched his mother and Lee get out of the car and decided it was time to do the same. No sooner had his feet touched the ground than he was met with a hug from his brother. "Phillip, you're safe. I'm so…" he paused when he noticed the cloth sling that was wrapped around his brother's arm for the first time. "What happened to your arm?"
Phillip looked up at his mother and Lee before answering his brother. Closing his eyes as the frightful memories flooded back, he took a deep breath and looked back into the worried eyes of Jamie. "The guy that had me tried to get me to do something I didn't want to and then he got a little mad when I tried to get away."
Lee caught the look of shock on Dotty's face, whose attention was now focused on her grandsons. Taking a step forward, he placed his hand on Jamie's shoulder. "We'll catch you up on all the details later. The main thing is that everyone's home safe."
Jamie smiled up at the towering figure, and then embraced his brother, once again, this time cautious of the injury. "Welcome home, Phillip."
Phillip returned his hug as best he could. "I guess no basketball for awhile, huh, Dufus?"
Jamie welcomed the familiar teasing and released his brother with a wide smile on his face. "I'd just beat ya anyway, Meathead."
Silence filled the group as Dotty hugged her grandchildren to her chest. A shudder of emotions raced through Amanda's body as she watched tears of joy slide down her mother's cheeks.
Sliding his hands between the crutches and his wife's body, Lee wrapped his arms around her waist, and pressed his body to hers while they watched the joyous scene before them. "We're very proud of you for being so brave, Phillip," he boasted, hoping to keep everyone's spirits up.
Phillip turned at the sound of Lee's voice, his adrenaline trying to resurface over his exhaustion and medication. Momentarily forgetting the promise he had made to Lee, he broke from his grandmother's embrace, and leaning back against the car door, he began to tell about the events that had ended his captivity. "You should have seen Lee, Jamie, after the bomb went off. I heard Mom saying something about Lee still being in the building. Then when the paramedics had me in the ambulance I wanted to get away and help find Lee, but then Mom and Lee showed up. They looked like they'd been through a world war or something."
"Phillip, I think that's enough for now," Amanda said with an air of authority. She had seen her mother's face pale at the sound of a bomb exploding. She noticed, too, that Kurt had come up and put an arm around Dotty in a gesture of support. She wondered what would happen to her mother and Kurt when all was said and done.
Lee felt Amanda's posture change when Kurt had arrived, and he nodded. "The important thing," he tightened his embrace, "is that everyone made it out okay, and we're all safe and sound, now." He briefly kissed his wife's head and then, careful of her balance, disengaged himself and moved to her side.
Jamie had remained quiet as he listened to his brother's declaration of admiration for Lee. Thinking of the picture that remained tucked under his pillow, he turned to face the two people he counted on most in life. Taking a step away from his brother, he tentatively stepped closer to Lee.
Standing only inches from the man he knew would soon be a permanent fixture in his life, Jamie reached out his arms and wrapped them around Lee's waist. The words he spoke were barely above a whisper, but they echoed through his body as his heart opened fully. "You saved, Phillip, just like you said you would. We couldn't find a better person than you to have as a step-father."
Tears welled up in Lee's eyes as he hugged his stepson back. After a moment he said, "You boys mean the world to me. I would do anything--" Stopping at the lump of emotion that formed in his throat, he looked up at Phillip.
Phillip nodded his agreement as he joined in the embrace. "Ya know we love you, Lee."
Amanda felt as though her heart would break at the sight. Three of the most important men in her life were standing before her, sharing the most tender of moments.
Lee looked up at the intense eyes of his wife, and then looked back down at the boys nestled in his strong arms. He knew he had truly found a family of his own, and no matter where they were, as long as they were together, it would be home for him. "I love you both," he replied, his voice cracking.
Returning his gaze back to his wife, he saw the look of love in her eyes. The emotions that ran through his body were no longer scary, but he wasn't quite ready to show the entire family his weak side just yet. Trying his best to regain his composure, he released his hold on the boys. "Come on, let's go see about getting out of these clothes." Phillip nodded, and the three headed towards the porch.
Lee stopped briefly as he thanked the surrounding agents that had brought them home, as Jamie and Phillip continued to the house.
Jamie stopped halfway up the walk as he remembered the new member of the household that Phillip had not yet met. "Phillip."
Phillip glanced back at his brother. "Come on, Jamie. I'm starving. Hospital food stinks."
"I need to tell you something." Jamie took the few steps required to stand beside his now confused brother. "Grandpa West is here."
Phillip's brow creased as he looked back at Kurt and Dotty approaching them. "Weasel said something about Grandpa, but Grandpa died a long time ago. Didn't he?"
Jamie smiled at the bewildered look his brother held. "Nope. He's here."
Phillip looked up the steps to see a man in a wheelchair looking intently at the crowd in the yard. "Is that our grandfather?"
Jamie nodded as he stepped in front of Phillip and led the way into the house. "Come on, Meathead. Let me introduce you to him. He's really cool!"
Phillip glanced back, once again, to catch the watchful eyes of Lee on him. Seeing the reassuring smile on Lee's face and the acknowledgement of the truth in his eyes, he joined Jamie on the steps to the house. "Let's go meet him."
Amanda turned to follow when she noticed her father watching from inside the house. She couldn't quite tell if she saw joy or sadness on his face. However, as she looked closer, she realized that his gaze was on her mother and Kurt. New tears began to form as she realized that there was still one ending that had not yet been written. As she got closer, she had a feeling, from the look of sadness, of how this chapter of their lives would go.
Amanda waited at the bottom of the steps for her husband to assist her as her thoughts focused on her father, deciding that she would at least come up with some way of keeping the family together. If nothing else, her father was coming home with them.
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Wrapping a soft blue blanket securely around her shoulders and propping her injured ankle up on the pillow that had been left on the coffee table from the previous days, Amanda leaned back against the comforts provided by the couch. Her brown eyes slowly focused on the remnants of the government equipment that littered the living room. Lingering on the pile of files that had been haphazardly tossed into a box waiting for pickup, a pang of worry invaded her thoughts.
Lee leaned against the foyer wall, studying his wife's subdued manner. She had, once again, become uncharacteristically quiet after returning back at the bed and breakfast. He was sure that her thoughts mirrored his own. How were they going to handle telling her family the truth about their jobs? How was Smyth going to treat them now that they didn't have the protection of the President to keep them together as a team, especially now that he was aware of their marriage?
Amanda looked to the door at the sound of her husband's heavy sigh. Patting the cushion beside her, she smiled softly at his worried eyes. "Come here, big fella."
Pulling his hands from his pockets, Lee slowly walked over and joined her on the couch. Amanda instantly entwined her fingers with his as he sat beside her and placed her hands into his lap. Laying her head against the soft green flannel that covered her husband's shoulders, the light aroma of his soap and the dampness of his hair from his recent shower took her mind back to the first morning they had shared at the bed and breakfast.
Releasing her hands to wrap his arms around her small frame, Lee tucked her head under his chin, nestling his head into the silk of her brown hair. Completely blocking out the events of the previous days, they both sat in silence, enjoying the familiar comfort and feel of each other's bodies. Time slowed and almost seem to stop.
Amanda was the first to stir, pulling back slightly to look up, only to find her husband's eyes closed, lips slightly parted in a deep sleep. Trying to shift back into the same position she had pulled back from, she felt the soft groan in his chest as he began to wake.
Pulling her back close to his body, Lee placed the fingers of his left hand under her chin and tilted her face up to brush his lips against hers. "I'm sorry, baby. I guess I fell asleep on you."
Amanda placed her fingers on his lips as she began to trace their outline. "I think we all could do for a good nights sleep, but I think we need to talk some about what is going to happen when we get home."
Lightly running his fingers through the soft curls that rested against her neck, he couldn't resist tasting what his fingers stroked. "Shhh…There'll be plenty of time for that when we get there. Everything has pretty much been wrapped up here, for now." He placed a kiss next to her ear. "The boys are enjoying tall tales from your father in the kitchen, and your mother and Kurt have gone to the beach for some time alone. Let's just enjoy the time we have as a family until we have to go back to D.C." He placed another kiss a little lower on her neck.
Amanda closed her eyes as she titled her head to the left, giving him better access to the sensitive spots he knew so well. It had only been a few days since they had shared the luxury of a private moment, but it felt like an eternity. As he continued to place a hot trail down her neck, she ignored the exhaustion that had invaded her body and reacted upon the needs Lee was causing to well up in her.
Wrapping the fingers of her left hand into the damp hair that rested against her cheek, she placed her other hand on his right thigh and slowly massaged his muscles through the stone-washed denim of his jeans. Smiling at the soft groan that escaped his lips, she continued her delicate ministrations, quickly causing the material to tighten against his growing arousal.
Tensing slightly, as her hand glided over the strained material, he slid his hands down the outside of her legs, pulling them to stretch across his own. "Oh god, Amanda. I missed you…I need you."
Amanda's eyes quickly turned from a sparkling tease to intense passion as his lips trailed down her neck, across her throat, and then ventured further down. Feeling his hand ease beneath the blanket, she released a raspy breath as it found the soft mounds of her flesh. "Lee…"
Lee smiled against the warm skin of her chest as he felt her trembling hands tugging at the material of his shirt, trying to pull it free of his jeans. Never letting his lips leave her skin, he huskily whispered against her throat. "Let's take this someplace a little more private."
Amanda managed to nod her agreement as her body continued to react to his touch. Feeling him suddenly tense and pull at the blanket that covered her, she looked up.
Clearing his throat, Lee pulled away from her, taking part of the blanket with him to cover his lower body. "Hello, Dotty."
A knowing smile graced Dotty's face as she looked at the couple lost in each other. "Am I interrupting something?"
The scarlet red that crept into her daughter's cheeks, and the lowered eyes of her soon-to- be-son-in-law, answered her question. She thanked the good Lord every day that her daughter had found happiness, and after the past few days' events she could add to her prayers of thanks that her grandsons would have a wonderful man to help them grow into men.
The deep sound of Lee's voice brought her eyes back to the couple. "Is everything okay, Dotty?"
Her smile growing wider with each step she took towards the couple, she stood before the two. "Fine, Lee. I just wanted to say goodnight to you both."
Dotty glanced at her daughter to find the same expression she had worn as a child when she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Dotty began to chuckle as she looked back to Lee's darkened hazel eyes. 'Whew! What a cookie jar to get your hand caught in.' Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "You look after her for me tonight."
Unbelievable to Lee, he felt his cheeks warm at the insinuation in his mother-in-law's eyes. Continuing her wide smile, she leaned over her daughter and placed a kiss in her hair, as she whispered in her ear. "I love you, Amanda. Thank you."
Amanda looked up at her mother with questioning eyes, as Dotty released her and turned to leave. "For what, mother?"
Dotty glanced back before she left the room, her eyes falling on the handsome man that possessively held her daughter. "For not listening to your mother's warnings and stealing a Tollhouse cookie from the cookie jar."
Dotty could hear the confusion of the young couple by their whispered questions as she went up the steps to her bedroom. 'Ah yes," she thought with a smile, "the Tollhouse cookie. It's incredible looking on the outside…soft on the inside…and pure satisfaction once tasted.' A soft laugh escaped her as she reached her door and turned the knob.
Stopping just inside the doorway, her humor vanished as she looked at the empty bedroom where she would spend her night alone. She knew she had a lot of decisions to make in the upcoming days, and prayed that her life would find its way down the same path of happiness that her daughter had found.
~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Lee looked down at his contented wife as the sounds of his stepsons' good-natured teasing neared the living room. "So much for a little privacy."
Amanda shrugged her shoulders in apology as her sons entered the room, hands full of snacks. Lee's eyes widened again in appreciation of the teenagers' appetite. "You guys heading to bed?"
Grinning, both boys made their way over to the chairs opposite their "parents." Lee instinctively tightened his hold around Amanda's body as he felt her tremble at the sight of Phillip grimacing as he began to sit down.
Phillip looked at his mother's worried expression and returned it with a tired smile. "Yep. Believe it or not, I think I could sleep for a week."
Jamie's expression mirrored his mother's as he looked over at his brother. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll look after Phillip tonight."
Amanda smiled at the two young men before her. "I know you will, Jamie. Now you two had better head up to bed if you're going to help out with Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow."
Jamie snickered as he looked over at Phillip. "Yeah, we heard that Lee's supposed to help cook the turkey."
Amanda slowly shook her head at the boys teasing. "Now, boys, Lee's a very good cook."
Continuing their laughter at Lee's expense, Phillip stood slowly and walked over to Lee, placing his good hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, we know he can cook a great steak, he's a master at hamburgers, but what we want to see is him and Grandma in the kitchen together."
Lee tried to hide the smile that was bursting to come out. "I think I can handle your Grandmother."
Jamie had found his way to his mother's side by the time Phillip had started his commentary about their grandmother. "Grandma is like one of those KGB agents you see on television when it comes to her kitchen."
Lee looked over at his wife's shocked expression before glancing up at his oldest stepson. "I think I can handle her, boys. You might be surprised." Smiling at his wife's sudden squirming at the mention of KGB agents, he looked back up at Phillip. "Now go on up and get in bed. We have a lot to do tomorrow if we're going to fix dinner and check out Kurt's plane. We need to make sure it's ready for him, Jamie, and your Grandmother to fly back day after tomorrow."
Jamie's face beamed with excitement at Lee's words. "I can't wait." Looking at his brother, who still had his hand on Lee's shoulder, his face became serious. "I wish you'd go with us, Phillip."
Phillip tightened his grip on Lee as he smiled at his brother. "I'll catch the next flight. I don't mind riding back home with Mom and Lee."
Shrugging his shoulders, Jamie headed for the door. "Suit yourself, but it's gonna be a blast. Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight, Lee."
Phillip released Lee's shoulder and bent over to kiss his mother goodnight. Looking at his brother's retreating form, a weary smile tugged at his mouth as he turned back to look at the two adults. "I've had enough 'blast' to last me awhile." He then moved slowly to follow his brother up to their room.
Amanda and Lee both stared at the living room doorway until they could no longer hear the footsteps of their children. Lee gently pulled his wife's head back under his chin as he stroked her arm. "They'll be fine, Amanda. We'll all work through this together."
Amanda relaxed in his embrace with the knowledge that, together, their family could do anything. It would be a long path of healing, both physically and mentally, for them, but as a family there was nothing that was not possible. "I love you, Lee."
Gently pulling back from her, his eyes full of promises for the future, he placed his left hand on her cheek. "I love you, too." Giving her a mischievous smile, he trailed the fingers of his right hand down her back. "What would you say to a cup of hot cocoa and a romantic fire before I tuck you into bed for the night?" Lee cursed himself as he felt his wife tense beneath his hands. "I'm sorry, honey. I shouldn't have mentioned the fire."
Closing her eyes tightly to the images that would haunt her dreams for some time to come, she snuggled closer to her husband. "A fire would be nice, Lee. As long as you're here with me to help me get over my fears, I'll be fine."
Lee gently rocked her in his arms, swearing a silent promise to protect her until the day he died. "I'm not going anywhere."
Amanda smiled against the soft fabric that covered his chest, giving it a small pat with her hand. A soft laugh escaped her lips as she continued to rub the material against the hardness of his chest.
Tilting his head down to look into her eyes, he couldn't help but laugh at the mischief that was etched in her features. "What?"
Amanda shook her head slightly before pulling back to fully look at his face. "I was just thinking how you said you didn't like flannel, and now I hardly see you wearing anything else when you're relaxing."
Rolling his eyes at her comment, he pulled her back to his chest. "I never said I didn't like flannel."
Amanda worked her fingers in between the buttonholes of his shirt to feel his bare chest. "Yes, you did."
Trying to hide the uneasiness from his voice, he cleared his throat before speaking. "I didn't say that I didn't like flannel. I just didn't like wearing Dan's, and it was plaid, for god sakes!"
Amanda continued to chuckle as she corrected him. "Dean."
A tinge of jealously at the mention of another man in Amanda's life caused Lee to tense. "You never have told me what you were doing with his clothes at your house."
Amanda placed her hand firmly on his chest, careful not to touch the bandages that bound his ribs, and pushed herself up into a sitting position. "You'll just have to interrogate me over that cup of cocoa you mentioned, Scarecrow."
Lee raised his eyebrows at the challenge. "You know I'll get it out of you."
Amanda's eyes danced with amusement as she tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth. "Confident, aren't you?"
A smug smile came to his lips as he gently eased her back against the couch then placed her legs gently back to rest on the cushions as he stood. "I'm going to get that cocoa and start a fire. You just stay here and get prepared for Scarecrow's interrogation." Tucking the edges of the blanket around her legs, he leaned forward to brush his lips against hers. "I still have a few secret moves you haven't seen yet."
Amanda's soft laughter could be heard in the kitchen as he retrieved two mugs from the cabinet. Placing the teakettle on the stove to heat the water, he thought about his earlier conversation with Lorna. She and Mick had offered their master bedroom to himself and Amanda, noting that with their injuries, the steps would be way too difficult for them to climb.
Raising an empty mug towards the ceiling, he bowed slightly. "Thanks."
Realizing that he would have to find his way back to Kurt's room before the rest of the house awoke the next morning, he was just glad to know that they would have a few hours together as man and wife before heading back to their secret lives.
Leaning back against the counter while he waited for the water to boil, his thoughts drifted to the secret life that he had been leading over the past few months with his wife. Tilting his head back and placing his hands to his aching ribs, he closed his eyes. "Who are you kidding, Stetson. You've always lived a life full of secrets and lies…and no one to share them with."
Opening his eyes to stare at the wooden ceiling, a smile of satisfaction eased its way onto his lips. "Until now." Amanda was soon to be announced to the world as his wife, and there were no better sounding words to him than Amanda Stetson.
As he listened to the water begin to hiss, he made up his mind that it would indeed have to be a short engagement. They had a lot to decide when they got home, not only how to deal with the Agency's reaction, but whether they would reside in Arlington or buy a new house. The thoughts of starting their life in a new home excited him. Perhaps a new beginning for all of them as a family was needed in a new home, a place to make their own memories to treasure in their golden years together as man and wife.
Shaking his head slightly at the sentimental thoughts that raced through his head, he turned the stove off and began to pour the steaming water over the powered cocoa in the mugs. Slowly adding the marshmallows one at a time, he drifted again to the thoughts of Nighthawk living with them as their lives began together.
Placing the mugs on an empty tray that lay on the counter, he looked up at the wall, which was covered in pictures of children at play. He had never stopped to notice or to even think that other agents had lives with families outside the world of espionage. A shiver of pleasure went up his spine at the thought of adding a new member to the family. Perhaps, one day, a child of their own.
Returning to the living room with beverages in hand, he found his wife snuggled amongst the blanket, sound asleep. The peaceful expression on her face brought him as much pleasure as, if not more than, a night of heated passion. Setting the tray down on the end table near the door, he went to stand over her.
A soft moan escaped her lips as he eased her body from the couch into his arms. A pain shot through his side at the added weight of her body on his frame, but he never faltered as he carried her the distance to their room.
Stripping her of her clothing with the stealth his profession demanded, he did the same for himself and regretfully set the alarm clock to the wee hours of the morning. As he slipped beneath the covers of the king-size bed, his eyes looked over the bruised skin of his beloved, the dark areas standing out in the moonlight that poured through the window. Pushing back the demon of anger that threatened to emerge, he pulled her soft body against his rigid one.
As he watched the moonbeams dance across her face, he marveled at how well they fit together. It was as if they had been poured together at the beginning of time and then separated, only to find each other later in life. Closing his eyes to the feeling of peace that flowed from her into him, he drifted off to sleep with dreams of their family's future.
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Richard watched Amanda and Lee as they stood together on the front porch of the White Swan. They had invited him to join them in an early Thanksgiving feast, but he was going to make sure that all the equipment was safely returned to his agency's headquarters. Exhaling a puff of smoke from his cigarette, he opened his car door and followed the last van out of the parking lot. They had picked up the remaining equipment and tied up the remaining loose ends at the White Swan. Glancing once more at the cozy building, he let a gratified smile cross his lips.
He was glad that Nighthawk was reunited with his family and that everyone was back, safe and sound. Weasel's men had all been rounded up, thanks to the description they had gotten from Weasel's second-in-command, Dolenz. He laughed at the memory of Dolenz willingly giving himself up. Of course, anyone with brains would have when face-to-face with seven angry agents, all aiming guns at you.
The government could feel a little safer, now that they had retrieved the highly sought after list from Weasel's clutches. There was a lot of work to be done when news leaked out of just who was on that list, but that was for another day. Steering his car onto the main road, he headed towards his office to file his report and take care of a detail or two.
Nighthawk had asked him to do one last favor for him, and he too had a favor to ask the President concerning Dr. Smyth's dealings with Scarecrow and Mrs. King's future. After that, he could close the record books on Nighthawk West for good. The knowledge that Weasel no longer threatened the West family eased his conscience and Richard could now head home to his own family and be a full-time part of their lives.
Amanda paused as they entered the main foyer. The joyful sounds of her family working together to prepare a wonderful feast and prepare the table for dinner made a feeling of warmth flow through her.
Lee grew a bit concerned at his wife's sudden pause, but it was pushed aside when he saw the bright smile on her face. "Penny for your thoughts," he commented as he turned and placed a kiss on her cheek.
Amanda turned to meet his gaze and, leaning the single crutch she was using against the wall, wrapped her arms around his neck. "I was just thinking how lucky we are. I don't know what I would've done if anything had happened to Phillip or you. We have a wonderful family, you know that Mr. Stetson?"
Lee wrapped his arms around her waist and gently captured her lips with his. Breaking the kiss, he pulled her closer to him in a warm embrace. He nuzzled her hair with his nose and whispered into her ear, "Yes, dear wife, we do. Thank you for making me a part of it."
Before Amanda could answer, a crash sounded in the dining room. "Oh no." She reached out for her crutch. "I guess we better go see who just broke what," she said in a motherly tone.
Lee grasped her free hand as they made their way slowly towards the sounds of two teenage boys bickering. As they passed the living room, a movement caught Amanda's eye. She saw her mother and father over by the fireplace and raised a curious eyebrow at her husband. Lee nodded in understanding and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Watching the scene for a second, they then turned and continued in the direction of the dining room.
"So Frank, what will you do now?" Dotty asked.
Frank looked up at his wife. The glow from the fire danced on her golden hair. "Well, I feel as I've been given a second chance, somehow. Amanda's invited me to move in with her, Lee, and the boys. I hesitated at first, but she was most insistent. I realized it will give me a chance to get to know my grandsons, as well as our daughter, again."
Dotty noticed that Frank hadn't mentioned her in that scenario. She knew Amanda's house was too small for all of them, and it would take some time for her to adjust to living under the same roof with Frank again. "But…what about…us?"
Frank moved his wheelchair a little closer to his wife. He reached out and took her hand in his. "Dotty—I think 'us' died a long time ago. You've moved on, and I've been living in the past. I believe the only way to truly keep you in my life—is to make you happy. Captain Kurt makes you happy, doesn't he?"
Dotty guiltily nodded her head. "Frank, I'm not sure…"
Frank brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Dotty, I've asked Agent Fire to arrange for divorce papers to be drawn up. I want you to marry Kurt and continue moving on with your life. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but I realized that what we had was in the past, and you have a future waiting for you, as do I. I realized that our futures aren't meant to be made together. You'll always be in my heart." He paused and moved his gaze to the crackling fire. "It'll be hard for me to see you with another man, but I believe we can move forward as a part of our daughter's life as friends rather than trying to make something work that doesn't have a real chance." He released her hand and brought his gaze back to her eyes.
Tears welled up in Dotty's eyes, and for the first time in a long time, she found herself speechless. Bending down she wrapped her arms around his neck and simply whispered, "Thank you." Placing a kiss on his cheek, she slowly rose and wiped away the tears. She knew he was right and hoped beyond all hope that they could all be one big happy family.
"Shall we head into dinner?" she asked in a voice just above a whisper. She would wait till later to tell Kurt the news. It saddened her, somehow, that Frank would no longer be her husband; yet, she felt strangely at peace.
Frank shook his head. "No. You go on. I'll be in shortly." She nodded her understanding and quietly left the room to join their family.
Amanda had checked on the boys and, confirming that all was okay, she went to check on her parents. She had guiltily been watching from the hallway door and had seen the loving exchange between them. She watched as her mother headed into the dining room before slowly hobbling over and placing a hand on her father's shoulder.
Bending down she kissed his cheek. "You still love her don't you, Daddy?"
Frank slowly nodded. "Yes, but it's a love filled with respect for who she's become…mixed in with the memories of the woman I left behind all those years ago." Raising his hand, he patted hers. "Come on, I'm anxious to celebrate this Thanksgiving feast with my family." Moving his hand towards the wheel of the chair, he stopped and moved it to touch his daughter's hand again. "I love you, Panda," he said as he listened to the sounds of their busy family getting the feast ready.
"I love you, too, Daddy. Welcome home." Amanda left her hand on his shoulder as he turned and headed toward the dining room.
Frank's eyes grew moist at the image of his family before him as they entered the room. So many years alone, and now he was complete. Amanda grasped his hand as they drew near the head of the table where he was to sit. "Daddy, would you say grace for us?"
Frank joined hands with his son-in-law to his left and his daughter to his right. All heads looked towards him as a single tear found its way down his cheek. "Giving thanks for what we have would be an honor, my Panda." All heads bowed as he closed his eyes and began, "I give thanks for this wonderful feast, but most of all, I give thanks for my family."
The End
Or is it?