Second Chances: Old Habits Die Hard
As his ten-year anniversary with Laurie approaches, Rick is reunited with
an old friend.
(A Simon & Simon/Six Million Dollar Man Character crossover story This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal
and are only being borrowed for a little while. .)
Chapter 1
"A.J. that was the best, I can't believe I got to see the Rough Rider again, and he remembered us!" His little brother smiled at the excitement of Rick, "Calm down, of course he recognized us, it was awfully nice of him to invite us on stage, though!" Rick pushed the elevator button, then turned, to see A.J. grinning away. "All right, A.J., now you can tell me how we got such good seats, and these V.I.P. bags!"
"In just a minute, let's dump this stuff in the room first, then I'll tell you all about it!" the younger Simon said. As Rick unlocked the door, he caught sight of a "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging on the knob. "A.J., did you put this here, you know they won't make up the room unless it's off!" Rick grumbled. As he went in the room, he caught sight of a tell tale purse on the room desk, then broke into laughter. "Laurie, it was you, wasn't it?" His wife came out of the bathroom, beaming. "Happy Anniversary, darling!" Rick caught her up in his arms, then whirled her around, "Happy Anniversary, yourself, sweetheart! What a wonderful gift!"
Laurie giggled, then breathlessly kissed her husband, "Did you and A.J. have a good time?" she managed, winded. Setting her down, he kissed her back, saying, "what do you think? It was outstanding! How did you arrange all of this?" "Oh, a little bird reminded me of how much you two liked the "Rough Rider", I didn't know you worked on a case for him. He remembered though, and his staff was nice enough to get everything together. Besides, when's the next time a Classic TV convention's going to come to Arizona?"
A.J. sat down, then pulled a signed tee shirt out of his bag. Tossing it to his sister-in-law, he told her, "Buck insisted on sending this to you, he loves your books and he really appreciated the signed copy for his granddaughter." "He didn't have to do that, how sweet!" she held up the shirt in front of her and pirouetted in front of the mirror. Rick looked at Laurie, after nearly 10 years of marriage, she could still surprise him. "Darlin', I forgot that you liked the old show, you should have come, too?" She came over to him as he sat on the bed, "no, Rick, this was for you and A.J., you were fans first of the show. Besides, we do stuff together all the time, I wanted you guys to have some fun on your own!" Rick held out his arms and embraced her, then looking at his brother, replied, "We did, sweetheart, and thank you. I'll always remember our 10th anniversary, which isn't until next week, by the way!" he chuckled. Kissing her again, he pulled her up as A.J. added, "Yeah, do you think any of us would have let him forget? Speaking of which, I'm buying dinner, who's hungry?"
After a festive dinner, Rick and Laurie walked A.J. out to the parking valet, enjoying the crisp October air. As he got into his sports car, A.J. embraced his sister-in- law, "Thanks again Laurie, for letting me share Rick's Anniversary gift, I had the best time!" "Any time, little brother," she grinned, kissing his cheek. He hugged Rick, then getting into his car, rolled down the window and asked, "Guys, could you give Linda a call and let her know I'll be home in a few minutes?" "Sure, A.J., just don't forget to give Ricky his present." he teased, putting his arm around Laurie.
As they started back to the hotel lobby, Laurie saw two men come out from behind a pillar, then was distracted by a nervous boy who appeared in front of them. "Excuse me, Mrs. Simon?" Laurie smiled, she had seen the youngster at a book signing the day before. "Yes, Peter, isn't it?" she replied.
He beamed at her, "You remembered, I, well, could you sign my book?" "Sure, Peter, but you should be home at this hour, won't your mother worry?" she glanced around to see if any adults were with him. She saw Rick was waiting by the entrance, a slight grin on his face.
"Uh, no, maa'm", he said, "My brother's with me", looking around as if afraid of something. She held out her hand and he put a well worn copy of "Rainbird" in it. She pulled a pen out of her purse, then opening to the title page, wrote "To Peter, who I hope will let his dreams carry him as far as he wants. Your friend, Laurel Light Simon." Handing him back the book, she offered her hand, saying, "Thank you for coming to see me, Peter, now promise me you'll go home now, remember, good stories only come to those who get enough sleep." "I promise," he hurriedly shook her hand and rushed away.
Joining her husband at the door, she frowned. "That was weird, Rick, that little boy was by himself at this hour," Rick gazed at her, then shook his head, "Maybe he was here for the classic TV show, I don't think the hotel would have let him wander around by his lonesome."
As they walked through the lobby, two security guards rushed by them, and Rick turned to see where they were going. Just as they were going to the elevator bank, a commotion was heard at the front entrance, then a couple of disheveled people came in, escorted by the guards who had gone past them a moment before.
Curious, Rick told Laurie to wait by the concierge desk, then walked over to the milling crowd, all asking questions. Before he could find out what had happened, a uniformed officer came through the revolving door, and he recognized their friend, Captain Ron Johnson of Phoenix PD. At the same time, he heard Laurie call "Rick!" and whirled to see a strange man grabbing her arm, as if trying to pull her away. "Laurie!" he yelled, and rushed back to her only to see the man let go and run through the crowd and out the side entrance.
"Sweetheart, are you ok, what happened?" he asked, steadying his wife. "I'm alright, just startled, "she gasped. "I was just standing there when that man came up to me and took my arm, saying I should mind my own business. When I called your name, he swore at me then ran. I don't understand, do you suppose he's drunk or something?"
At that moment Captain Ron came over to them, "Rick, Laurie, what just happened?" Rick told him of his wife's scare, then the policeman said, "That's nothing, two men just robbed a couple of people outside; they said it could have been worse only a little kid yelled at the robbers and they ran. We got one of them, but the man with the gun got away." "Kid? One just stopped Laurie for her autograph outside, he was acting kind of nervous, and after she thanked him he just ran." Rick replied, puzzled at the strange turn of events.
The Captain raised an eyebrow, "Well, it sounds like you two are lucky, the robbers couldn't have struck more then a minute later. Did you see anything unusual or out of place coming in?" "I did see two men standing at the corner by the parking aisle, but then Peter, that's the boy whose book I signed, came up and I didn't see anything after that." Laurie added. Rick looked down at his wife, then told their friend, "I'm taking her up stairs, something doesn't sound right here." Captain Ron agreed, "Good idea, Rick, let me come with you and take a full statement from you two."
After completing their statement, Captain Ron promised to follow up with them in the morning. Rick called A.J. to tell him what had happened and after reassuring him that they were all right, told his little brother he would see him on Monday.
As they settled into bed, Rick kept replaying the whole incident in his head, until he felt his wife's kiss on his cheek. "What's that for, sweetheart?" She cuddled closer to him, then whispered, "That's for coming to rescue me, my knight. I don't know what I'd do without you, darling."
A sense of relief went through him, and he held her close to him, kissing her hair. "I love you, Laurie." She turned to face him, murmuring, "I love you too, Rick." As he dozed off, he marveled once again, what would I have done without her for the last 11 years? He hoped he'd never have to find out.
As his ten-year anniversary with Laurie approaches, Rick is reunited with
an old friend.
(A Simon & Simon/Six Million Dollar Man Character crossover story This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal
and are only being borrowed for a little while. .)
Chapter 1
"A.J. that was the best, I can't believe I got to see the Rough Rider again, and he remembered us!" His little brother smiled at the excitement of Rick, "Calm down, of course he recognized us, it was awfully nice of him to invite us on stage, though!" Rick pushed the elevator button, then turned, to see A.J. grinning away. "All right, A.J., now you can tell me how we got such good seats, and these V.I.P. bags!"
"In just a minute, let's dump this stuff in the room first, then I'll tell you all about it!" the younger Simon said. As Rick unlocked the door, he caught sight of a "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging on the knob. "A.J., did you put this here, you know they won't make up the room unless it's off!" Rick grumbled. As he went in the room, he caught sight of a tell tale purse on the room desk, then broke into laughter. "Laurie, it was you, wasn't it?" His wife came out of the bathroom, beaming. "Happy Anniversary, darling!" Rick caught her up in his arms, then whirled her around, "Happy Anniversary, yourself, sweetheart! What a wonderful gift!"
Laurie giggled, then breathlessly kissed her husband, "Did you and A.J. have a good time?" she managed, winded. Setting her down, he kissed her back, saying, "what do you think? It was outstanding! How did you arrange all of this?" "Oh, a little bird reminded me of how much you two liked the "Rough Rider", I didn't know you worked on a case for him. He remembered though, and his staff was nice enough to get everything together. Besides, when's the next time a Classic TV convention's going to come to Arizona?"
A.J. sat down, then pulled a signed tee shirt out of his bag. Tossing it to his sister-in-law, he told her, "Buck insisted on sending this to you, he loves your books and he really appreciated the signed copy for his granddaughter." "He didn't have to do that, how sweet!" she held up the shirt in front of her and pirouetted in front of the mirror. Rick looked at Laurie, after nearly 10 years of marriage, she could still surprise him. "Darlin', I forgot that you liked the old show, you should have come, too?" She came over to him as he sat on the bed, "no, Rick, this was for you and A.J., you were fans first of the show. Besides, we do stuff together all the time, I wanted you guys to have some fun on your own!" Rick held out his arms and embraced her, then looking at his brother, replied, "We did, sweetheart, and thank you. I'll always remember our 10th anniversary, which isn't until next week, by the way!" he chuckled. Kissing her again, he pulled her up as A.J. added, "Yeah, do you think any of us would have let him forget? Speaking of which, I'm buying dinner, who's hungry?"
After a festive dinner, Rick and Laurie walked A.J. out to the parking valet, enjoying the crisp October air. As he got into his sports car, A.J. embraced his sister-in- law, "Thanks again Laurie, for letting me share Rick's Anniversary gift, I had the best time!" "Any time, little brother," she grinned, kissing his cheek. He hugged Rick, then getting into his car, rolled down the window and asked, "Guys, could you give Linda a call and let her know I'll be home in a few minutes?" "Sure, A.J., just don't forget to give Ricky his present." he teased, putting his arm around Laurie.
As they started back to the hotel lobby, Laurie saw two men come out from behind a pillar, then was distracted by a nervous boy who appeared in front of them. "Excuse me, Mrs. Simon?" Laurie smiled, she had seen the youngster at a book signing the day before. "Yes, Peter, isn't it?" she replied.
He beamed at her, "You remembered, I, well, could you sign my book?" "Sure, Peter, but you should be home at this hour, won't your mother worry?" she glanced around to see if any adults were with him. She saw Rick was waiting by the entrance, a slight grin on his face.
"Uh, no, maa'm", he said, "My brother's with me", looking around as if afraid of something. She held out her hand and he put a well worn copy of "Rainbird" in it. She pulled a pen out of her purse, then opening to the title page, wrote "To Peter, who I hope will let his dreams carry him as far as he wants. Your friend, Laurel Light Simon." Handing him back the book, she offered her hand, saying, "Thank you for coming to see me, Peter, now promise me you'll go home now, remember, good stories only come to those who get enough sleep." "I promise," he hurriedly shook her hand and rushed away.
Joining her husband at the door, she frowned. "That was weird, Rick, that little boy was by himself at this hour," Rick gazed at her, then shook his head, "Maybe he was here for the classic TV show, I don't think the hotel would have let him wander around by his lonesome."
As they walked through the lobby, two security guards rushed by them, and Rick turned to see where they were going. Just as they were going to the elevator bank, a commotion was heard at the front entrance, then a couple of disheveled people came in, escorted by the guards who had gone past them a moment before.
Curious, Rick told Laurie to wait by the concierge desk, then walked over to the milling crowd, all asking questions. Before he could find out what had happened, a uniformed officer came through the revolving door, and he recognized their friend, Captain Ron Johnson of Phoenix PD. At the same time, he heard Laurie call "Rick!" and whirled to see a strange man grabbing her arm, as if trying to pull her away. "Laurie!" he yelled, and rushed back to her only to see the man let go and run through the crowd and out the side entrance.
"Sweetheart, are you ok, what happened?" he asked, steadying his wife. "I'm alright, just startled, "she gasped. "I was just standing there when that man came up to me and took my arm, saying I should mind my own business. When I called your name, he swore at me then ran. I don't understand, do you suppose he's drunk or something?"
At that moment Captain Ron came over to them, "Rick, Laurie, what just happened?" Rick told him of his wife's scare, then the policeman said, "That's nothing, two men just robbed a couple of people outside; they said it could have been worse only a little kid yelled at the robbers and they ran. We got one of them, but the man with the gun got away." "Kid? One just stopped Laurie for her autograph outside, he was acting kind of nervous, and after she thanked him he just ran." Rick replied, puzzled at the strange turn of events.
The Captain raised an eyebrow, "Well, it sounds like you two are lucky, the robbers couldn't have struck more then a minute later. Did you see anything unusual or out of place coming in?" "I did see two men standing at the corner by the parking aisle, but then Peter, that's the boy whose book I signed, came up and I didn't see anything after that." Laurie added. Rick looked down at his wife, then told their friend, "I'm taking her up stairs, something doesn't sound right here." Captain Ron agreed, "Good idea, Rick, let me come with you and take a full statement from you two."
After completing their statement, Captain Ron promised to follow up with them in the morning. Rick called A.J. to tell him what had happened and after reassuring him that they were all right, told his little brother he would see him on Monday.
As they settled into bed, Rick kept replaying the whole incident in his head, until he felt his wife's kiss on his cheek. "What's that for, sweetheart?" She cuddled closer to him, then whispered, "That's for coming to rescue me, my knight. I don't know what I'd do without you, darling."
A sense of relief went through him, and he held her close to him, kissing her hair. "I love you, Laurie." She turned to face him, murmuring, "I love you too, Rick." As he dozed off, he marveled once again, what would I have done without her for the last 11 years? He hoped he'd never have to find out.