Author Alerts: Holaཀ I'm back with the second chapter. The New Years Eve chapter. I don't really know what's going to come of it because as of right now, it's all off the top of my head. That's usually how I write anyway. I'm soooooooo sorry about how delayed this is. I've been so incredibly busy and I've been using every spare moment I could to get this done. I hope you enjoy itཀ

Disclaimer: Now, if I owned Strong Medicine, do you really think I would be sitting here in my bed with my lap top writing short stories on the best tv show in the world? No, cause I would be out there producing the best tv show in the world.

Beginning

Christmas Day went by along with that weekend and the following week. Les had taken a plane back to California on the twenty-seventh of December, which was that Monday, and returned within four days. Andy had made all he arrangements she needed to make at the clinic. Dr. Delgado said she would cover Andy's patients because after all, she was going to be there anyway and she wanted Andy to have a nice time in New York. Les, however, said that he was going to make all the arrangements for their weekend and told her not to worry about a thing, except how much warm clothing she would need.

So, with everything being taken care of and everybody really excited about their trip, Les, Andy, Jessie, and Lizzy piled into the car with their luggage shoved in the trunk, and headed for New York City. It was around mid-afternoon and would take them hours to get to their destination. They had planned to get there early enough to check into the hotel, then go to Times Square, but like most families in today's society, they were running late and if they had to, they would just go to Times Square and then the hotel. It didn't really matter to them much. They were happy with whatever and mostly because they were together.

Andy fiddled with the radio dials from the front seat of the car, as Les drove. The two teenage girls were seated in the back, each having their own little space. Lizzy was listening to her cd player and Jessie was on her cell phone.

"Yeah...oh I know..." She said and Andy glanced towards Les, giving him a questioning look of whether or not she should say something to Jessie. He nodded, knowing what she wanted to do.

"Jess?" Andy called, turning her head and shoulders slightly to look at her oldest daughter in the back seat.

Jessie mumbled a 'hold on' into the phone and then covered it with one hand while returning a stare at her mother. "Yes?"

"You've been on that thing since before we left."

"So..."

"So, tell them you'll talk to them when we get home and then say goodbye."

"But mom.."

"Do you want to pay for your phone bill?" Andy threatened and Les laughed.

"No.." Jessie mumbled before putting the phone back to her ear and said her goodbyes. She grunted and placed her headphones on and looked out the window.

Andy rolled her eyes and Les laughed again. "What?" She asked.

"Do you remember when we were teenagers?"

"I don't know. That was a long time ago," She responded sarcastically.

He laughed again and then fell silent, deciding not to continue the thoughts he had. Andy, however, looked over at him and found herself studying him the way she did Christmas Eve. She thought he seemed even more attractive in the daylight then he had in the small brightness of the Christmas tree. He was middle aged, she'll say that truthfully, and was getting older, but something inside of her just felt more and more attracted. It was probably all the years built with emotion in everything they had been through together. The balding spot on the back of his head didn't show his age nor did the small wrinkles around his eyes. Instead it showed his wisdom, his experiences. The soft green oblivion eyes captured moments of life that couldn't be captured by those outside of their own little world. Or at least what used to be their own little world. She had spent a lifetime continuing to grow in loving him and he had done the same. Sometimes, when she looked back on everything, she still doesn't understand how all of it, everything they had built together, had come crashing down and then been wrapped up in one envelope with divorce papers enclosed. Had she been wrong in not forgiving him for striking her? Had she been over-dramatic and pushed him away or had they been apart all along? She didn't know the answers and it only brought on another question, did she want to know the answers?

Andy's train of thoughts were broken by a soft voice behind her. It was Lizzy singing along to the words bouncing from her headphones to her eardrums. Andy turned around slightly and looked at her. Les also glanced at her in the rear view mirror of the car. Jessie noticed and turned her stare as well. It wasn't long before Lizzy stopped in mid-sentence and returned their looks, knowing that what she had been doing annoyed them.

"Sorry." She said loudly and took her headphones off.

"Why don't we play a game?" Les suggested.

"Game?" Jessie questioned, pulling her head phones off as well and looking curiously at her parents.

"Yeah, how about the game we always used to play on road trips..what was it called?"

"The Movie Line game..." Andy answered, raising one eyebrow at her ex-husband.

"Yeah, that one. Come on, Jessie you go first," He said.

"Umm ok..." Jessie replied and thought for a moment. She straightened her position in the back seat and adjusted her seat belt. The game they were playing is quite simple. Someone will quote a movie and somebody else has to guess the movie and the person who said it in the movie. Jessie opened her mouth and then closed it to reconsider. Deciding not to, she opened it again, "'I'll never let go Jackཀ'" She said.

"Oohཀ Titanic, Rose," Lizzy said before Andy or Les had a chance to answer.

"Yep," Jessie smiled. "Now it's your turn Lizzy."

"Umm..." The little girl thought for a few seconds, then spoke with a imperfect french accent. "'You believe him, a guy who...says, 'You shine like the light from the sun.'"

They all paused, trying to think of what it was. Jessie eventually went wide-eyed remembering and knowing the answer.

"Lizzy McGuire Movie, Isabella," She answered.

Lizzy nodded and now it was Jessie who was thinking again, while Andy and Les sat quietly in the front seat.

"'You lean on me and I'll lean on you that way we don't have to sleep with our heads in the mud.'" Jessie said with a Southern accent.

"Forrest Gump, Forrestཀ" Andy answered enthusiastically. Finally, something she knew. Les laughed at her but she ignored it. "Ok, my turn..." She thought. "'I'm just a girl...standing in front of a boy...asking her to love him.'"

"Notting Hill, Anna," Les said quickly but calmly and quiet. Andy knew he would know it because it was a movie that they used to watch together when it first came out. She adored it and he adored her. They exchanged glances, unaware of the two teenagers staring at them from the back seat.

"Your turn dad," Lizzy noted after awhile.

Les broke his concentration and thought a moment before responding. "'There's never an egg timer around when you need it.'"

Jessie laughed, knowing the answer off the top of her head. "The American President...umm...Leo."

Les nodded and looked over at Andy smiling. She smiled back and then focused her attention on the next quote.

"'I'm invisible...and I'm wet,'" Jessie said in character.

Lizzy got this one right off the bat this time. "The Princess Diaries, Mia."

They all laughed and smiled at the fun time they were having. They kept the game up for awhile before switching to song lyrics and then they went over to tv show quotes. Before they knew it they were on the outskirts of New York City and looking forward to the rest of their evening together.

Andy looked at her watch. "We're running late."

"It'll be ok. We'll just go to Times Square first, then check into the hotel. Cost less that way too so..." He trailed off and Andy nodded.

"Ok," She said quietly and looked out the window.

"You ok?" He asked, noticing something wrong.

She paused. "Yeah, I'm fine," She added and sighed, which basically contradicted what she had just said.

Les pulled onto another street and headed for a parking garage. They were going to leave the car and walk around for awhile before getting to the place where the ball would drop. Once he found a spot and paid for the entrance, they started getting out.

"Where are we going first?" Jessie asked.

Andy looked at Les and shrugged. He returned the glance and then looked at his oldest daughter. "I think we're just going to play things by ear for awhile. Just walk around."

"Basically window shop..." Jessie responded.

They laughed, grabbing everything they would need and headed out of the parking garage.

"There's a mall right around the corner. Do you girls want to go their first?"

"Sure," Jessie and Lizzy, walking slightly a few feet in front of their parents. When they approached the New York sidewalk, Andy noticed the sun just about gone. She put on her sunglasses anyway. Her and Les walked side by side with their daughters in front of them. When they reached the mall, Les gave Jessie and Lizzy ten dollars to go buy something small that they wouldn't mind carrying around all night. They girls headed off, leaving him and Andy alone, standing next to a beautiful fountain which served as the malls decoration, and little kids with pennies wishing well.

"So..." Andy kicked her feet around to show awkwardness and slight boredom.

"So..." He responded not feeding on her statement.

"This is really nice of you Les," She stated quietly. "I'm glad that you offered this. It's a nice get-a-way."

"Yeah, it is. Thank you for coming."

"You're welcome," Andy looked around as they fell silent. Les looked at her. He looked up and down her body before returning his gaze to the features of her face. Her green eyes glistened in the sun shining in from the mall's roof and her hair blew slightly in the breeze coming from the entrance doors. He couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she was and how forgiving she was being towards him.

Her voice broke his train of thoughts. "Look at that," She said and pointed to a few people on the other side of the fountain. It took a few minutes for him to stop staring at her and move his glance to who she was pointing to. His eyes saw what he knew was adorable. There was a man and woman, looked like husband and wife, who were leaning over their baby's stroller smiling.

"That's cute," He said quietly.

She turned back to him, watching him watch them. His gaze was true and powerful. "Yeah..it is..."

They walked around the mall for hours before heading towards Times Square. It was getting late, almost dark and Andy was amazed at how much energy her children had left. Her mind assumed that it was because they were young. She, however, had energy left because she was used to constantly moving around and constantly working, whatever that might mean.

"Mom!"

Andy snapped her head in her youngest child's direction. "What is it?"

"There's the ball!"

"Yep..." Andy nodded and smiled, shaking her head and glancing in Les's direction. They were standing in a crowd of thousands and all of them knew they would be there for at least another four to five hours. But they were all looking forward to it. It had been awhile since they had been anywhere together.

Andy walked ahead of Les, Jessie and Lizzy in front of her, as they made their way through the crowd. Everybody was squished together and it made it had to maneuver without bumping into others. His hand slightly held onto her back for a few minutes, making sure not to loose them.

Andy felt his hand and smiled slightly. She hadn't been held by the small of her back in a long time and even if it was by an ex-husband, she still liked it. The touch was comforting, letting her know that in the crowd of all the visitors to New York, she had someone who wouldn't let her get lost. It made her hope that in all the chaos of everyday life that she would have someone again to make sure she wouldn't get caught up in everything. Her mind thought that it wouldn't happen. She had had that once, then lost it, then she got had it again through an entirely different person and then she lost it again. Now, she felt there was potential to gain it again. It's just that, this time, she didn't want to lose it.

They arrived at the hotel, mostly exhausted and went to the front desk, carrying their luggage.

"Hi, Campbell," Les said to the receptionist and waited for her to find his name on her computer.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Campbell. You never specified on two rooms or one. Which is it?" She asked.

Les looked at Andy and the girls. "I didn't know if we should get Jessie an Lizzy their own room or all in one or what..." He trailed off, obviously feeling uncomfortable.

Andy looked from Jessie to Lizzy and smiled. "I think they'll be ok in their own room for one night," She said.

He nodded and turned back towards the receptionist. "Two it is."

"Of course," The woman said and got their keys ready.

Les, Andy, Jessie, and Lizzy walked down the hallway in the hotel. Their rooms were side by side and once they both got in, they discovered a door that connected the two rooms within. Andy walked in first and set her suitcase down on the bed nearest the bathroom.

"I'll take this one."

"Ok," Les responded and went to the opposite bed. They were neatly made and everything in the room was spotless. The heat was already running and there was a television inside an entertainment center next to the door leading to the other room. Andy doubted that they would use the television but thought they would have to use the door if Jessie and Lizzy got too loud or stayed up too late. The beds were double sizes and had red comforters with designs. There were chocolates on the pillows and a gorgeous lamp with the New York skyline picture on the bedside table.

Andy moved into the bathroom where towels were perfectly lined in a row for them. "I'm going to get a shower now," She said, slightly louder so he could hear her.

"Ok," He responded and a few seconds later he heard the water running. Les opened his suitcase and pulled out a bag full of coffee grounds and creamers. He moved into the small area between the main area of the room and the bathroom. There was a crack in the door to the bathroom and there was already steam emerging from inside. His eyes glanced toward the door as he set his coffee grounds next to the coffee maker that the hotel provides in every room. Andy was standing inside, he could tell, only part of her body was showing from where she was standing. Les tried his hardest to tear his eyes away but something locked inside of him. He wanted to watch her in a way he hadn't been able to in so long. Her jeans and shirt were lying on the floor in a small pile and her towels were placed perfectly on the toilet seat, waiting for her when she got out. Les could see her backside and the bottom of her legs. Andy's hand slide up her back and unsnapped her bra, pulling it off with her other hand and throwing it with her other clothing. Les swallowed hard and stood quietly in his place, unable to move. He thought she was so gorgeous and his mind flashed back to moments between them when they had been close. Andy removed her underwear, unaware of his presence outside the door. A few seconds later, she disappeared into the shower and Les broke from his trance, moving slowly back toward the beds, sighing. He wanted things to be the way they were but he knew that they couldn't just jump into things.

End

Hey guys...this chapter was really short and kind of pointless. I just wanted to throw in some scenes where there were Les and Andy connections. And part of me just wanted to really get something posted so forgive me if it's not my best work but it's something, right? I hope you review, whether you're happy with this chapter or not. And I can't promise that I'm not going to make you wait for the next chapter as long as you did for this chapter because life is really busy and hectic. I just got a job and I'm working every moment I can so I can pay my parents back for my car debt and other things. Please forgive me for not being on top of my writing lately. It's just how things are sometimes. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.