I Would Never Cause You Pain
Lee was pacing in the ER waiting room. Billy walked up to his friend and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Scarecrow, Francine just got a hold of me. Do you know her condition?"
Lee looked up in frustration. "I don't know! The N.E.S.T. team has been working on her for almost an hour!"
"Calm down Lee. Tell me what happened." Melrose tried to redirect his agent's attention. He knew Lee would run through fire if he thought it would help Amanda.
"Raul grabbed her from behind after knocking me out of the way. I should have checked the corner closer. It was dark, but that's no excuse. Amanda shot him before he slit her throat, but he cut her and somehow cracked or broke some of her ribs in the process. She fainted after the paramedics got there and they rushed her here." Lee answered gaining his composure after switching into agent mode. As he was finishing the doctor walked into the waiting room.
"Hi I'm Dr. Taylor. You must be the Lee Mrs. King is insisting that she see?"
"Yes, how is she? Can I go see her?" He asked impatiently.
"She doing fine. Her neck needed ten stitches but any scare should be very faint; it was a straight cut. Amanda also has two cracked ribs, which are making her breathing difficult, but our biggest concern at this point is shock. When she came in her temperature was very low as was her blood pressure and O2 stats."
"How can we help?" Billy asked.
"Right now, encourage her to talk about it. Is this the first time she's shot anyone?"
"Yes, and I was surprised to hear she had." Billy admitted.
"She didn't have a choice Billy! She was seconds away from never making another choice!" Lee shouted.
"Easy Scarecrow. I wasn't implying that she wasn't justified." Melrose reprimanded and turned to the doctor. "I'll notify Dr Pfaff."
"I've already done so. He said he'd be here in an hour."
Lee regarded the doctor, "How did Raul crack her ribs. It didn't look like his hold was that tight."
"We're waiting on a tox screen but my guess is drugs. Many drugs, especially when in overdose cause increased strength." Taylor answered.
Lee allowed his comment to sink in. After all his years in the field he preferred physical pain to drugs any day. A punch to the gut, that he could defend; toxins in the body, foreign soil. "Can I go see her?"
"Yes but not too long she does need her rest. I'd say not at all but considering the shock she needs all the support she can get. Does she have any family we should notify?"
"No, we'll take care of it." Lee answered before Billy and walked toward Amanda's room.
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Armon had just heard the news. Damn that brother of his. How many times had he told him 'never a warehouse the Feds always find you in a warehouse'. And besides that it's not very creative. His mother always told him to stick up for his family and now was definitely the time to honor his mother. Armon had heard stories about Scarecrow and his new partner. They were unbeatable or so the rumors flew. This Mrs. King would pay for making him an only child, and he had just the drug he had been wanting to test.
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Lee gently closed the door behind him as he walked into Amanda's room. She looked like she was sleeping but Lee could see the tension in her face and knew that her rest couldn't be sound. He quietly pulled a chair up to her bedside and took her hand. She jumped slightly at the touch and grimaced as pain reminded her of her cracked ribs. "Amanda, I'm sorry I startled you." He whispered.
"I'm okay. You seem to be saying sorry a lot lately." She teased.
"You seem to be saying your okay a lot lately." Lee answered seriously.
"I'm fine really. My side's just a little sore."
"Amanda you're not fine. I can see it in your eyes. You hate firing a gun let alone holding one. You need to talk to someone about this and Birol before it destroys you." He replied in one breath.
Tears were welling up in her eyes. When she spoke Lee could barely hear her, "I killed someone."
"I know. I'm sorry you were even in that position. It's my job to keep you safe."
"The whole time Addi had me, killing him was never an option in my eyes even if I was given the chance. While I sat in that white room not allowed to sleep I never thought about the boys. I don't know if I was protecting myself or what but as Raul was pushing his knife into my neck all I could think about was Phillip and Jamie. How could I hurt them by dying? Every time we've been in tight spots I never think about home. Staying focused on the task that's my job, but now it's different. Why is it different? How can I face them knowing I killed a man?" Amanda asked. Her tears where flowing down her face but her voice was calm and steady.
"I know how hard it is when feelings get in the way, but believe me those feelings make you a better agent. You taught me that Amanda King. Before we were partners I never thought about alternatives but now if I have time to think I do. Sometimes though there is no other way. You did the only thing you could do, don't second-guess yourself you'll drive yourself crazy with 'whatifs'. As far as facing Phillip and Jamie, do you have any idea how many deaths and drug deals Raul was responsible for? You made the world a safer place for your boys today."
"I love you." Amanda answered.
Lee took her in his arms and hugged her gently. Amanda deepened the hug pressing herself against him. "I love you too Amanda. With all my heart." After a few minutes Lee reluctantly broke the embrace. "Dr. Pfaff should be here soon. Once he clears you, you should be able to go home okay?" Amanda nodded. "After all you need to recuperate to fulfill my deepest desire." He said smiling.
Amanda pulled completely away. "No way. Armon wasn't at the warehouse."
"No but his brother was there. Armon must have left before we got there."
"Lee Phillip and Jamie are brothers and I don't know two people who disagree more." Amanda countered.
"I do." Dr Pfaff answered from the doorway. Neither Lee nor Amanda had heard his entrance.
"That's not funny." Lee answered back. "Amanda and I are partners. We're supposed to think differently so the one can pick up on details the other doesn't see." Lee knew when he was beat and threw up his hands in exasperation. He hated how Pfaff always saw right through him, but that was his job, but he didn't have to give him that 'you're not fooling anyone' look. "Okay I'm leaving. Amanda call me when you're ready to leave and I'll come and get you." She nodded and Lee walked out giving them some privacy.
"How are you feeling?" Lee heard Pfaff say and he left the hospital happy that Amanda had finally begun to open up. Lee knew all about suppressing emotions and he didn't want Amanda to be as miserable as he was before he met her. He smiled thinking of how Amanda had never given up on him, even when he pushed her away she pushed back just as hard. He was so deep in thought he never noticed the black Mustang following him.
To be Continued…