Disclaimer – I don't own nor do I profit from any
characters or story lines from Scarecrow and Mrs. King. I just enjoy spending time with some very
special fictional characters.
Rated G for everyone
Title – Lee's California.
Timeline - After they have been married about 6 months,
everything's still a secret at work.
Joe, Dotty, and the boys know.
Synopsis – Lee is shot while on a family outing (happy
ending).
Any comments are greatly appreciated.
Billy hurries into the hospital from the parking garage. The smell hits him as soon as he enters the
building. All hospitals seem to have
the same smell. How he hates this part
of the job, even more now because the agent in trouble is a good friend. As he turns the corner into the surgical
waiting room, He sees Amanda standing and staring out a window. He stops and takes a deep breath then walks
into the room. She doesn't acknowledge
him but continues to stare off into space.
Billy reaches out to touch her arm and at the same time says
"Amanda" "It was just supposed to be a
family outing, sir. A trip to the
Science Center for Jamie to look at the photography exhibit. They came out of
nowhere. They were shooting at this kid,
people were screaming and diving for cover. They just turned and left. If I hadn't tripped and bumped into him…" a
sob almost came out but she held it together.
Lee would need her now more than ever.
She had to be strong. "Have the
doctors told you anything?" Billy asked?
"No, but it's bad. There was so
much blood. He called for me and when
he saw the boys and I were alright he passed out and never regained
consciousness." "Amanda could you
recognize the shooter?" Before she
could answer Dr Scardelli, the trauma surgeon with N.E.S.T., came into the
room. Mrs. Stetson. Amanda jumped to her feet. "Yes?" Your husband made it through the surgery but
the next 24 hours are going to be critical.
He has a collapsed left lung. We
had to put in a chest tube. Also one of
the bullets hit his spleen and we had to remove it. That's why he seemed to be bleeding so much." It's lucky he was so close to the
Shocktrauma unit." 'When can I see
him?' "He's going to be in recovery for
at least an hour. Then they are going
to move him to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. I remember what a rotten patient your husband was the last time
he was hospitalized, so I've decided to bend the rules and allow you to stay
with him as much as you want." "Thank
you Dr. Scardelli." Amanda thought to
herself that although he would never admit it out loud he was very frightened
by hospitals and doctors. "I'll send a nurse out to get you as soon as he's
settled. He's a fighter Mrs. Stetson,
if he wasn't he would not be alive right now."
Amanda let out the breath she had been holding for the last six hours
and sunk into the chair behind her. She
had missed the look Billy had given her when the Doctor called her Mrs. Stetson
and she had answered immediately. She
just didn't have the strength or the time to pretend. She was just so tired.
"Amanda, how long have you and Lee been married?" "About six months. At first no one knew but three months ago we told Mother and the
boys, then Joe. Lee's been living with
us since then. We were going to tell
you soon. I just found out I am
pregnant. Lee is…oh my gosh…what am I
going to do if…" "Stop Amanda you heard
what the doctor said. By the way where
are the boys?" "I sent them down to the
cafeteria to get something to eat.
Jamie is taking this pretty hard.
He's blaming himself because he wanted to see the exhibit." "Now we need to get you some clean clothes
and something to eat. Lee would be the
first one telling you to take care of yourself." Billy was worried. Amanda looked pale and exhausted. "My mother is bringing me clothes. Mother loves Lee almost as much as me." "Okay then lets just get you something to
eat and we can talk about what happened."
"Wait I want to check in with the nurse's station first. Sir do you think
Lee needs a guard. When whoever did
this finds out Lee's not dead, what if he decides to come and finish what he
started. We have been through this
before and that time he wasn't unconscious and was almost killed." "I think you are quite right Amanda. Let me go call Francine. She'll get a team here and then we go down
to the cafeteria…uh…Amanda?" "Yes" "I've already told you and Lee that your
relationship is fine with me. You
should have come and told me." We
didn't want to be split up Sir. Lee
needs me to watch his back. When I'm
not there he's not as careful," taking a deep breath to hold back her tears
Amanda continued, "I am his partner. He
needs me." "Well it's all water under
the bridge now. I'm going to make that
call. I'll be right back." Billy said
as he turned and walked toward the payphone by the elevators. He couldn't wait to see Francine's face when
she found out the news.
Billy got to the elevators just in time to see Dotty
West come charging off. "Oh, Mr.
Melrose, do you know where Amanda is?
"Just turn left and go straight down the hall. The surgical waiting room is there." "Amanda! How's Lee, have you seen the Doctor, Joe says not to
worry he can come and get the boys. How
did this happen sweetheart? Where are
the boys?" One look at her mother and
the tears Amanda had been holding in started to flow. "Mother what am I going to do if…?" "Amanda Stetson, you stop this right now. Lee is strong. He will fight his way back to you and our family. That man loves you. I could tell the first time I saw you
together. The look that comes into his
eyes when he looks at you still amazes me.
Now lets go get you changed into clean clothes. Alright?" Dotty said as she pulled Amanda in
to a big hug.
It was a quiet group who returned to the waiting
room forty-five minutes later. As they
set to wait for the nurse to come find them, each were thinking of their
injured friend. Joe had arrived right
after they got back from the cafeteria but neither of the boys was willing to
leave.
"Mrs. Stetson", the nurse called.
"Yes, that's me, is everything ok, can I see my
husband now?" Amanda hurried to her.
"Yes, come right this way. He's in S.I.C.U number three.
He's holding his own right now.
First before we go in. He's on a
machine that's helping him breath. He has a tube in his chest. It's draining a bloody fluid but that's ok
it's helping him breath also. Are you
ready?" the nurse asked.
Amanda took a deep breath and followed the
nurse. The first sight of Lee in that
bed almost made her knees buckle. There
seemed to be tubes everywhere and she didn't think she had ever seen him so
pale. She took a deep breath, wiped a tear that had escaped from her left eye
and went to the bed. She gently reached
down and ran her hand threw his hair.
"Lee, I love you," she whispered in his ear, "I'm here and I am not going to leave you until you wake up. I love you.
Please stay with me. I need
you. The boys need you. The boys are
here. They won't leave you either. I called Joe to come pick them up but they
said you would stay with them and they're staying with you. They love you too."
"Mrs. Stetson, here's a chair. My name is Kathy and I am going to be your
husband's nurse for the next 12 hours.
If you need anything just hit the call light and someone will be right
in." the nurse said as she started to leave the room.
"Excuse me, Kathy, could I ask a favor."
"Sure what can I do for you?"
"Could you make a note on the chart that there needs
to be a light on in the room at all times.
My husband doesn't like the dark."
"Of course Mrs. Stetson. I'll see that it's taken care of. Call if you need me."
As Amanda set holding onto Lee's hand, she knew now
a bit of how Lee had felt in California.
It must have been a hundred times worse for him because he had yet to
realize just how much a part of her family he had become. She started talking. "Lee do you remember that first day at the
train station? There I was in my
nightgown when this incredibly handsome man grabs me, shoves a package in my
hand and begs for my help. Right, like
I am someone that could ever happen to.
I still don't know why you picked me that day. I only know that it was the best thing that ever happened to
me. When we were in that swamp, being
chased by Peter Sacker and his men, you kept trying to apologize for choosing
me. All I wanted to do was tell you how much I loved you. I tried to but then I chickened out at the
last minute. It seemed like the whole
world was against us for a while. Every
time we got close someone would interrupt us.
By the time you got around to kissing me the first time I was about
ready to explode. Even then we had to
lock the door to kept Billy and Francine out.
If I would have known how much grief you would give me because you said
you loved me first, though I still don't think telling someone you love them
over the phone counts, I would have told you sooner. It was such a relief telling Mother and the boys. I love waking up in the morning and watching
you sleep. I love arguing with you and
especially making up. I love that you
love my, no our boys. I.."
"Mom, can I come in?" Jamie asked shyly.
"Sure sweetheart.
I'm just talking to Lee"
Jamie went to the other side of the bed and took
Lee's hand in his, "Lee, it's
Jamie. I'm sorry about this it's my
fault. I never should have asked to go
to that show."
"Wait Jamie.
This is not your fault. Lee has
grown to love photography as much as you.
All four of us had something we wanted to do at the Inner Harbor."
At that second an astonished Jamie cried, "MOM, he
just squeezed my hand."
Amanda looked up in time to see those hazel eyes
looking back at her full of love. They
slowly moved over to Jamie as he squeezed his hand again.
"Oh sweetheart, I am going to go get the nurse. Jamie keep an eye on him. I'll be right back," Amanda said over her shoulder as she quickly
left the room and scanned the hallway.
Jamie looked at Lee and quietly said, "thank you for
waking up. I don't know what we would
do without you now. Please Lee, please
don't leave us."
Once again Jamie felt a strong squeeze on his
hand. Lee's eyes seemed to be saying to
the boy – never.
Part Two
Twenty-four hours later, Lee was wide-awake. The doctor had come in late last night after
he woke up and took out the breathing tube.
The nurses told him he would probably be able to get the chest tube out
in another 24 hours. Man, he felt like
a tank had hit him. He lovingly looked
over to see his wife sleeping in the reclining chair the nurse had brought in
for her. She had held tightly onto his
hand all night as if it was a lifeline between them. The boys were sleeping on the sofa in his room after refusing to
go home with Joe. Dotty had gone home
but promised to come back that evening.
There was an agency guard posted at the door now. A little overkill Lee thought but Amanda had
insisted. The Baltimore city police had
sent over a detective with some mug shots and both Amanda and he had picked out
the same guy. The shooter had been a
small time drug dealer out for revenge.
It had been a simple random act of violence. For the first time in his life, Lee felt like he had a real
family. While laying there watching his
wife and step-sons sleep, he thought he was about the luckiest man in the
world. He would thank God every day for
the rest of his life that Amanda hadn't given up on him when he was being
stupid. He should have known he was
going to love her. From almost the
first there had been a connection between them. He remembered the first time he had looked into her eyes. In about ten seconds a bond had been formed
that grew stronger with each passing day.
One he had never had with anyone else.
Billy saw it right from the beginning.
When he had come in to talk with him earlier this morning, he had told
him, I knew you two would be good together.
A quiet knock and the door opened. "I just wanted to see if you needed anything
for the pain Mr. Stetson?"
"No thanks, just having my family here is all I
need."
"Ok, I have got to tell you, after what Dr.
Scardelli told us we expected a much worse patient."
At this point, Amanda joined into the conversation
and said, "you haven't seen anything yet.
He is the biggest complainer you ever met." The nurse was smiling as she left the room and said, "call me if
you need anything."
"There is something I need." Lee said in a pitiful tone.
"What is that sweetheart"
"My wife," he said as he patted the side of his
hospital bed. "I love you Mrs. Stetson"
"Not half as much as I love you Mr. Stetson. This has been the worst 48 hours of my
life."
"Now you know how I felt in California. They wouldn't let me in to see you except
fifteen minutes every two hours. It was
horrible, it felt like I was dying myself."
As Amanda leaned down to hold him she quietly said,
"I know now exactly how you felt. Don't
try this again buster. Oh by the way
the cat is out of the bag you know. The
nurse called me Mrs. Stetson in front of Billy and it didn't take him long to
figure out our secret. He was really
upset that we didn't tell him. He said
he would have done whatever he could to keep us together. He also said if we let him be godfather he
will forgive us both. Oh yeah," she said with a laugh, "He says he wants to be
there when we tell Francine."
Before she could say anything else the boys woke up
and came to the side of the bed. As
Amanda and the boys were all talking at once, Lee lay there and smiled. Yep he was the luckiest man in the
world. Not only did he have a beautiful
wife but two fine stepsons. He had a
mother-in-law whom he loved and a home.
More importantly he had something he had only had briefly before in his
life, a family. He was going to be just
fine. What was that Paul used to say to
him…oh yeah, "I hope one day you get a brain boy." He had been reckless and a loner, acting impulsively and not always
thinking before acting. Trouble had always seemed to find him. But then the scarecrow had made the trip to
Oz. While he was there, he met the
wizard, lost Dorothy, but somehow with Amanda's help found the courage to use
his brain and risk his heart again. No
he sure wasn't in Kansas anymore but somewhere far, far better.