The nurse was removing the blood pressure cuff from her arm when Amanda heard a knock at the door. She looked up at the nurse's knowing look.

"He's right on time," the woman in white spoke warmly. "Probably a good thing I already took your blood pressure, I have a feeling I'd get a different reading now," she teased.

"Mom," the boys exclaimed as they rushed into the small room.

The two women exchanged surprised glances before nurse Mindi excused herself.

"You have black eyes, Mom! Did you get in a fight too?" Jamie asked in surprise.

"Fellas," Amanda cried. "I missed you. Come give me hugs," she sat up gingerly and held out her arms, ignoring the pain. "And it's from the accident, Jamie. I wasn't in a fight," she explained.

"Boys, be careful! Your mother's going to be sore," her mother scolded.

Amanda hugged them, thankful that she was still alive to experience this moment with her young sons. "I'm okay," she whispered to them and squeezed tighter.

"M-o-m," came the muffled voice of her oldest. "We can't . . . breathe!"

She let them up. "Sorry, I . . ."

Her mother handed her a tissue and guided the boys to take a seat. "Your mother is just a little emotional, Darlings."

"Thank you, Mother," she whispered as the two women hugged. Amanda patted the bed beside her to indicate that her mother should sit next to her.

"You're in better spirits this morning. Any particular reason, Darling?"

Amanda knew that tone. It was the tell-tale signs of an interrogation headed up by none other than Dotty West herself. "Just happy to be feeling better," she shrugged. "The ringing in my ears is lessening," she smiled gratefully. "The doctor said if I keep improving like I have, that I'll be sent home in a few days," she rushed in hopes of derailing her mother.

"Oh, that's wonderful. Isn't that wonderful, Boys?" the older woman asked her grandsons sitting quietly along the window.

"That's great, Mom," Phillip answered.

Amanda caught Jamie's reserved demeanor. "Jamie, is something wrong? You're awfully quiet."

Dotty got up off the bed and encouraged her youngest grandson to go sit next to his mother. "Go ahead, Jamie."

"Jamie, come here," she patted the bed. "Tell me what's got you so upset."

"It's just . . .," he stammered.

"He's just being a baby," Phillip grumbled and stuck his tongue out at his little brother.

"Phillip, don't tease your brother," Amanda warned. "Go ahead, Sweetheart," she soothed.

"I'm really sorry I forgot my glove at baseball practice, Mom. I didn't mean for you to get hurt," he cried as he buried his face into her side.

"Oh, no, Sweetheart! None of this was your fault –"

"But, if hadn't forgotten my glove, you wouldn't have gone out to the ballpark and you wouldn't have gotten hurt," he explained.

"If I hadn't had gone out then, it would have happened in the morning, when I took you and your brother to school," her stomach clenched at that realization and she gulped for air. "I'm so grateful that you forgot your glove and that I went out there that night to get it alone. If I hadn't," she swallowed down the bile that rose in her throat, "If anything would have happened to you guys, well, I'd just be devastated," she hugged him tighter. "So, no more guilt or worry, huh? The doctor says I'm going to be just fine." Phillip moved to her other side and sat down next to her allowing her to pull him into the hug. For a few moments, all was right with her world.

"What pretty flowers," her mother called out. "Who are they from, Darling," she asked with a knowing look.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

"I'm serious, Lee. She interrogated me in front of my own children," she groused as he laughed. Her mother had always been curious about her romantic life; believing that she was having an affair with a co-worker. She was even more emphatic now.

"Over flowers? How did she even know they were from me?" Lee continued stroking the back of her hand lying on the bed.

"I think the card tipped her off," Amanda picked up the small card off the high-top table next to her bed, careful not to snag her I.V. on anything, and handed him the card.

"Get better soon! Love, Lee," he shrugged as he read the card aloud. "What's so incriminating about that?"

"Oh, well . . . she focused on the 'love' part," she replied sardonically.

Lee threaded their fingers together and smiled at her shyly, "What's wrong with that? I'd like to focus on that part a bit myself."

"You would," she squeaked in surprise. When he simply nodded, she could feel the heat rising up her neck and face and thought a change of subject was in order. "She saw you, ya' know?"

He tore his eyes away from their joined hands and grinned up at her. "Oh, I know. She caught me red handed in the waiting room," he shook his head as if embarrassed.

"Some spy you are, Scarecrow. You can't even keep your cover with a grandmother from Arlington," she teased. "What will all the other spies think?" she shook her head in mock disappointment.

"Amanda, that woman could give the KGB a run for their money, I'm certain of it," he exclaimed defensively.

"Now you know how I've felt the past few years!"

"What did you tell her?"

"The truth. We work together and we're seeing where this new side of our relationship takes us," she shook her head matter-of-factly.

"Well, good," he nodded. "I'm glad I won't have to sneak around to see you anymore . . . at least where your personal life is concerned."

"Yeah, what are we going to do about the Agency?"

"As far as I'm concerned, it's none of their business. You'll be done with your re-certification soon, and we'll be partners as usual." He let go of her hand abruptly. "You do still want to be partners, don't you?"

"Of course, I do, Lee! Why would you think otherwise?"

He stood up and paced the small area in front of her hospital bed. "Amanda, you're in here because of me! Because I didn't trust you to tell me the truth, so I started an investigation that inadvertently nearly got you killed."

"Lee, you didn't know that visiting Tony was going to set in motion everything that happened. You were doing your job, what you were trained to do." Looking into his eyes and seeing his regret and guilt, she wanted to wash it all away. "I would have done the same thing in your shoes. Most people would."

He stopped mid-pace and stared at her, as if he was processing what she was saying. "But, I –"

"No," she interrupted. "We aren't going to speak about this anymore. Tony Caputo, and his friends did this and they are going to be in jail a long time and that's all that matters." She held out her hand for him to return to her side. "I want to focus on the future. Our future."

He came and sat down on the bed next to her and gave her a promising kiss. "Our future. That sounds nice," he whispered and then kissed her again, this time a bit more deeply.

"Knock, knock,"

Lee groaned as he pulled away from their kiss and stood to see who was interrupting them this time. She could see him relax when the man came into the room. Amanda strained to see around Lee.

"Mind if I come in to see the patient?" Harry Thornton asked.

"Hello, Sir. Please come in."

"Hello, Harry. Impeccable timing, as always."

The older man laughed at Lee's discomfort and strode over to Amanda's other side, maneuvering around the table. "This is for you," he said as he gave her a peck on the cheek and placed the planter on the table. "How are you feeling, Darlin'?"

"Better, thanks. They're beautiful, Sir. Thank you," she fingered the ornate pot and marveled at the two lovely orchids growing within.

"Yes, they are. They are a special hybrid, I call 'forte e bello," off her raised brow, he added, "Strong and beautiful, like the two of you."

"Oh, that's very sweet, Sir," Amanda smiled at the kind man.

"You ol' softy, Harry." Lee joked.

"Now, Amanda. You know what to do with that orchid if this guy ever gives you a hard time, and you need some help, right?"

"Right, Sir," she smiled and then laughed at the look of confusion on her partner's face. "Don't give me a hard time, and you won't have worry about it."

"What do you mean, give you a hard time," he grumbled and then Harry held up his hand to stop the impending argument. Lee mouthed to Amanda, "I don't give you a hard time," and she rolled her eyes and focused on their mutual friend.

"I wanted to talk to you about Marcus Ward, Amanda," Harry coaxed seriously. At her look of confusion, he corrected himself, "Sorry, you know him as Klein."

From her squirming, Lee could see she was clearly uncomfortable with the change in subject. "It's okay, Amanda. They're friends," Lee explained.

She looked to Lee and then back at Harry and then exclaimed, "You're the one that asked him to partner Lee with someone that would make him slow down and be more careful!"

"I did," he nodded. "And while I had the best of intentions in doing so, I think things got a little off kilter."

"Sir?"

"Amanda, I had no idea that Ward had threatened to expose you or hurt Lee if you didn't follow along with his plan. He went rogue, to say the least. I would never had allowed that, I promise you," he apologized sincerely. "I didn't know until Lee told me this morning and I've already met with him -"

"That was fast, you were just at my place a few hours ago, Harry," Lee interrupted.

"You are the best thing that could have ever happened to Lee and I've made sure that the two of you will be partners for as long as you both want to."

"What did you do, Harry?" Lee seemed almost afraid to ask.

"Don't you worry. I still have some clout when it comes to the Agency. And as for Ward, he's taking an early retirement. So, you won't have to worry about him anymore either."

"I hate to interrupt, but I need to check your vitals in a few minutes, Mrs. King," Mindi called from the doorway. "Dr. Liebowitz will be by shortly too, making his rounds."

Amanda nodded her understanding.

"Lee, why don't we leave Amanda alone so she can get checked out," when the younger man started to protest, Harry added, "I'll buy you lunch and then you can come back and visit."

Lee gave Amanda a questioning look. "Go ahead, Lee. I'm going to be busy anyway. Go enjoy lunch," she urged.

Harry reached down and gave her a fatherly-kiss on the top of her head. "Get some rest, Darlin.' We need you back to deal with this one," he teased.

"Thanks," she laughed. "I think. Thanks again for the beautiful orchids."

"You're welcome," he smiled warmly and moved toward the door.

Lee stood up from the chair beside Amanda and leaned over her bed to give her a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll be back shortly. Do you want me to bring you back anything?" he asked.

"Um," she looked up into his eyes and smiled, "A chocolate shake?"

"Whatever the lady wants, the lady gets," he spoke in a sexy tone and then kissed her. "I'll be back."

"Bye, you two behave yourselves," she called as she watched them leave her room.