This is a story based on the episode, "Night Crawler". Something traumatic happens to Amanda when she is Birol's custody, and this story follows her path as her and Lee become engaged and married and work through this event. Lee moves a lot faster in this story than he does in the tv series. I made a few changes and I hope you enjoy this story.
Chapter 1 – Night Crawler, an Engagement, and Shock
Darkness encloses her.
Her head is throbbing.
Her eyes try to adjust to the darkness, but she grimaces in pain.
She continues to drift in and out of consciousness.
When she regains consciousness, she tries to recall what happened but can't.
Again, darkness overtakes her.
Four days before…
Lee and Amanda had been working on a case together regarding Addi Birol. They've pinned him down in an abandoned warehouse. Lee instructs Amanda to stay in the van as the team goes in the warehouse to catch Birol.
After a few moments, Amanda is still sitting in the van waiting on the team to wrap things up. Out of the passenger side mirror, she notices movement behind the van.
Amanda calls out on the radio.
"Dagger two, what's your status?"
No response from the radio and the man jumps into the passenger side of the van as Amanda tries to exit out of the driver's side door. The man pulls a gun and instructs Amanda to drive.
"Drive, now!"
Amanda, once again, tries to exit the van, but to no avail. The man leans back and strikes her across the face with the butt of the gun, knocking her unconscious.
"Stupid woman."
The man runs around the side of the van and pushes Amanda into the passenger seat as he floors the gas, leaving the team behind in the warehouse, unaware what has happened to Amanda.
Lee manages to run out into the street as he sees the van speed away down the street.
"Amanda!"
Lee heads back to the IFF office to meet with Billy about what happened with Amanda and to discuss plans to find her.
"Forget it, Scarecrow, the best thing you can do is to stay away."
"Ah, shoot, Billy! The guy is a terrorist with nothing to lose! And he has got Amanda, and he took her to get to me! Don't you see that?!"
"I know which one of my agents is in trouble…I always know…"
Lee struggles to keep it together during their conversation.
"…Does she know about Night Crawler?"
"Yes, she knows Night Crawler is my source and that is all! Birol won't believe her!"
Billy turns and picks up a small piece of paper that says, "Night Crawler for the woman".
"Night Crawler for the woman… Stay out of it, Lee. If he gets you, he'll use Amanda to break you and we'll lose the best source we've got! Could you watch Amanda suffer?"
In the corner sitting on the couch, Dr. Quidd speaks up.
"How'd he pick her out, Scarecrow?"
"Random. Or he figured the CSN crew for a front, or he figured out something else! I don't know if I knew I would've stopped him!"
"So, he duped all his lieutenants about the interview?"
"Yeah, and he outsmarted me, and he bagged Amanda all by himself… Now he has got us by the back pockets because we don't have a clue! I do this for a living, doc!"
Billy speaks out.
"Then act like a professional! Let Yusef and the ATAC team get her. We can't even let her family know until Birol makes this public. If you go charging after him, he'll simply eliminate the need, you know what I mean? Why don't you…bunk down in the TAC center, out of harm's way?"
Dr. Quidd chirps back in.
"I'll make it a medical order, Scarecrow. Put you out for a few days, it'll be best."
Lee becomes angry at the doctor's comment.
"Don't you try me!"
The doctor stands and walks up to Lee.
"Hey, easy. Think it over. Your first loyalty is to your source. Night Crawler's been at considerable risk for us. You owe it – "
"I know exactly what I owe, doc! And if I have to, I will pay it back in my own blood!"
Lee leaves Billy's office and heads back to the bull pen, studying a paper intently.
After looking over the paper, he whispers…. "Don't' give it up, Amanda."
Back to Amanda…
It's night outside and Amanda is inside a large house.
Amanda begins to hallucinate and hear Lee speak to her.
As she looks out in the darkness of the room, her eyes struggle to focus on one thing.
Her head is pounding, and she reaches up to touch her forehead, only for a sharp pain to hit her behind her eyes.
Again, she hears Lee's soothing voice in the darkness.
"Don't give it up, please! I'm coming to get you…Just don't give it up."
Amanda's voice whispers in the complete darkness around her.
"Lee?"
In the darkness, her mind brings an image of Lee in front of her.
"Oh! Lee!"
Amanda's head is still pounding as she winces from the pain.
"It's all right. You knew I'd come, didn't you?"
"Yeah, ha!"
"Did he hurt you?"
"No."
"I've come to take you home, Amanda. But you're going to have to wait a little while longer. I love you so much! I can't stand this! It's killing me! Remember, I love you!"
The vision of Lee begins to fade away as Amanda calls out for him.
"Oh, Lee! Don't go! LEE!"
She begins to cry and cups her face with her hands to cover her eyes.
Seconds later, the door opens and a bright light shines in. Amanda shields her eyes and sees a shadow standing in the door frame.
"Lee isn't here, Amanda. It's funny how the mind plays tricks on you when you're tired, but, uh, sleep deprivation is a disturbing thing."
"I'm a reporter for CSN. I'm doing my job; I don't know what you're doing."
"I'm trying to find a few things out."
"I thought you wanted an interview?"
"I got one – you. How did you find out about the airport?"
Amanda barely whispers. "A tip."
"From your lover? From Stetson?"
"No, from a source."
Birol grins slightly in the light.
"That's what this is all about, isn't it? But we'll get to that. So, Stetson thought he had me, hm?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just trying to do a story."
"About me? About catching me and putting me up for public display, is that your cover?"
Birol slowly approaches Amanda, and he slams his fist into a wooden table sitting close to Amanda in the darkness.
"Why don't you call CSN? Just call the station."
"You and Stetson, uh, cut me off from anything that would make this, uh…"
Birol tosses an item at the wall with such force that Amanda jumps. Birol comes face to face with Amanda.
"…easier on you… Drugs, hypnotic inducers…"
Birol reaches and turns a lamp that's sitting on the wooden table near Amanda. Amanda shields her eyes as her eyes try to adjust to the sudden bright light.
"Let's look at some pictures." Birol pulls out some pictures from his shirt pocket.
"You tell me who you know, who you don't know. If you don't feel like cooperating…in time, I'll insist."
Birol shows Amanda the first two photos which are of Phyllis who was at the airport carrying the blue suitcase. Next is a picture of Mara, but Amanda's face shows no reaction. Lee's picture is next. Amanda's face reacts slightly. Birol smiles.
Meeting with Francine
Lee and Francine are having a conversation in Francine's car.
"Billy took me off finding Amanda, Francine."
"It's rough, but – "
"It's common sense! Amanda is waiting for me to come and get her. She is counting on me, and I am helpless! He's gonna try for an ID on Night Crawler, he'll – "
Lee tries to regain his composure.
Francine notices his reaction and comments back, placing a hand on his arm.
"Don't think about it, all right? Just…just stick with what's practical!"
"I want to try and revive an old case. You still have those brown contact lenses?"
Francine's eyes become wide as she comments. "Magda Petrak?"
Lee goes to meet with Magda that evening at a small dress shop on the outskirts of town. He tells Magda about helping to save a life, but Magda knows how Addi is.
"She's in the hands of Addi. I was his mistress for three years before I defected, you know that. He has a power."
"A fatal attraction."
"Yes, to my whole family, it seems…This depends on much. He must believe that I never came West in my heart. He must have a desire…a wig wont' fool Addi, not if I can get him to take me to his bed."
"Well, that's the only edge he'll ever give away. You might be the one person that he trusts enough to see Amanda – if your sister gets you in…and he's interested enough to give you the chance."
A shadow walks into the room from the back of the shop. It's Mara.
"I'll get her in…One thing about Addi, he's always interested."
Back to Amanda…
As she drifts in and out of consciousness time and time again, she's uncertain how many days she's been locked in this dark room.
Each time Birol appears in the room, Amanda tries to observe small details about her surroundings as the light beams into the dark room.
Unfortunately, for Amanda, Birol gets pleasure out of making her pay for having feelings for Lee.
As her head pounds, darkness overtakes her.
As she lies on the cold, hard floor, she's in and out of consciousness and Lee emerges before her again in the darkness. She can barely make out his face.
"Lee?" Amanda barely murmurs.
"It's a special evening and I've got a very special question."
Since Amanda has been hallucinating frequently with each passing day, she knows her mind is playing tricks on her.
"Ah, come on. I know you're not here. My mind is playing tricks on me."
"Don't give it up, Amanda. Remember how much I love you."
"Don't give what up?"
Lee's image slowly begins to fade back into the darkness.
"Do you know her?"
Amanda is unsure who's voice is who's now.
Birol's voice yells out in the darkness.
"Do you know her?"
Amanda blinks in confusion and sees Birol standing in the door frame with the light shining behind him.
Birol is holding a small picture of Mara in his hand.
"Do you know her? Do you know her? I think you've seen her before!"
Birol crowds in on Amanda, hitting Amanda, as she jerks back from him.
"So, Night Crawler is my lieutenant, it's Mara. Disorientation, confusion – They can make us betray our best intentions. But it's interesting how you deal with your apparitions."
Amanda, still unsure of Birol, whispers out. "I was dreaming."
"Dream again." Birol reaches back and smacks Amanda, knocking her out cold.
Amanda's house…
Lee walks up the sidewalk to Amanda's front door and knocks.
Amanda's mother, Dotty, answers the door and welcomes Lee inside.
"Uh oh, wait, wait, wait. If you are the termite man, we can't possibly afford what you must charge."
Lee chuckles at Dotty. "No, I'm Lee Stetson, Mrs. West. I work with Amanda…"
"Oh! Yes!"
"We've talked on the phone."
Lee and Dotty shake hands.
"Hello, how are you? You look vaguely familiar."
"Well…"
As Dotty closes the front door, Lee glances around the house for a brief second.
"Well, I, uh, I was just picking up things from the den.
"Yes, I understand."
"Won't you come in? What's the occasion?"
Dotty leads Lee further into the home.
"Uh, just a social call. It's a very nice house you have."
"Well, it is a little cramped. Amanda's sons, Jamie and Philip, had a sock hop here this afternoon. Forty-fives all over the place."
Lee glances towards the kitchen and observes images of Amanda. Seeing these images of Amanda makes Lee recognize that he is now seeing Amanda in a different light. He's seeing the "domestic" side of Amanda, a side he didn't notice until now. He looks into her kitchen and feels her presence. He can visibly picture Amanda as a mother, daughter, and now, a wife.
Dotty continues chatting as Lee connects with Amanda.
Suddenly, Amanda appears to be standing there and as she turns around, is surprised to see Lee. Lee responds and Amanda grins at Lee.
Amanda's image whispers out to Lee, "I'm okay."
Her image fades with her beaming at him comfortingly.
Dotty, staring at Lee, clears her throat.
Lee's head snaps back around to Dotty.
"Sorry, what?"
"I was just curious, why is it that you said you came by?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was…uh… I was just thinking."
"I was just staring. You have no idea how many times I've wondered about you."
"Well, it's mutual. Listen, Amanda, will be at least another day or so. Uh, she didn't…Well, she didn't call or anything like that, did she?"
"No, uh…no, she didn't."
Back to Amanda…
Amanda strains her ears to hear something in the hallway.
She glances out in the darkness and the door suddenly opens.
She moves her head back due to the light hurting her eyes.
Birol enters the room, whistling. He seems happy. He walks over to Amanda and crouches in front of her and yanks off her heart pendant necklace.
Amanda protests and reaches out to get the necklace back from Birol. Birol grabs her wrist, staring Amanda down.
"No!"
"Sorry about that, but I need this for now. Don't worry, I won't lose it. I'm sure it has sentimental value."
He reaches out and brushes his thumb across Amanda's cheek, smiling at her. Amanda tries to move out of his reach. Birol leaves the room and seems way too happy.
Downstairs…
Birol and Mara meet in the stairway and kiss.
He is still holding the necklace in his hand. He seems to be pretty full of himself as he thinks his plan is finally coming together.
Taking a small notebook out of the back of his pocket, he turns to Mara.
"I might as well tell you I made love with your sister last night."
"It's not the first time." Mara stares at him intently.
"But I always come back to you. The practical view is best. Also, this time it was business…"
Trying to keep her cover, Mara reaches out and cups Birol's cheek.
Mara notices the heart necklace hanging out of one of Birol's pockets.
Birol hands Mara the note. "Deliver this like the first. It's my deadline. I'll move the woman a few more times until Stetson gives me Night Crawler, or I deliver Amanda to the Libyans."
To a photo booth…
Lee and Mara are talking in separate photo booths.
"It was in his pocket at the Maryland house. A heart shape on a chain."
"Yeah, Amanda wears one."
"Addi has a fetish. He wants nothing in his pockets to ID him. He checks every minute. He must have just put it there."
"This could be the break."
"Be cautious. Addi has six houses in DC, or more. He says he moves Amanda. We are never told where or when."
"Well, why do you think I'm sitting on my hands, huh? Do you know where she is?"
"I've drawn a map. It's taped under your seat."
Lee reaches down and pulls the map out from under his seat and studies it intently.
"I've gotta try. His new deadline only gives us twelve hours and this whole Libyan thing is too iffy. What's the risk to you?"
"Phyllis has been to the house. But Addi won't need much suspicion to kill her. I don't want to die, but I don't want her to die in my place."
Outside Birol's house
Lee and Francine meet outside of Birol's house to rescue Amanda and stop Birol once and for all.
"All right, if he's in there, he's not burning the midnight oil. I've got enough immobilizer to stiffen a division."
"You ready?"
"Yeah."
Francine injects Lee with the immobilizer.
"Okay, you're neutralized for ten minutes. How much silence before I come in after you?"
"Thirty minutes. If you lose signal, you go in there and get me, pronto. Okay, ready?"
"Mm-hm."
Lee climbs over the gate, jumping to the ground and crawls forward. He stops and releases a spray can near the ground, lighting up a red laser in front of him.
"He's got a laser alarm grid. Okay, here goes the gas."
Lee throws the canister through the window and quickly climbs in through the wall behind the smoke.
"You got a green light. I'm tracking you on frequency two point three one five."
In the staircase, Birol, holding a flashlight, comes slowly down the steps, coughing. As he reaches the bottom step, he falls forward, immobilized.
"It's GZP, zap gas, Birol…"
Birol now lays paralyzed on the floor, eyes wide. Lee handcuffs Birol to the stair well.
"You'll be stiff as a board for twenty minutes and then you'll feel like the bad end of a train wreck for a week. But it won't kill you. Francine, I got Birol. There's still no sign of Amanda. Keep a look outside. Some of his boys may be waiting in the wings."
Lee bends down over Birol, reaches into his pocket and takes out Amanda's heart necklace. He struggles to keep himself composed.
"Don't go away, huh? If you've hurt her, my business with you hasn't even started yet."
Upstairs…
Lee begins desperately searching the house. He runs upstairs and bursts into a dark room. He flashes the flashlight ahead of him, making out a body laying on the floor. It's Amanda! Lee runs over to her and crouches down beside her.
"Amanda! Amanda?"
As Lee looks down at Amanda, he realizes something isn't right. He reaches his hand over to her neck and begins to peel off a thin, latex mask that reveals his source, Night Crawler, who is Mara. Lee now realizes Mara has been found out by Birol.
"Oh, my gosh!"
As Lee is surprised, he steps back and collapses through a trap door on the floor and lands in a fishing net. He ends up dropping his flashlight, gun, and handcuffs through the fish net.
Birol woke up and had hidden a small explosive in his shoe to break the handcuffs. Birol heads down to the fish net to find Lee imprisoned.
"You should've slit my throat when you had the chance."
"When I get my hands around your neck, I'll – ah! Where's Amanda?"
"You found Night Crawler upstairs in the cell. So did I. She's not dead, you noticed. Nor is Amanda. My business with you has just started.
"Get me out of this stuff. Come on, get me out of it!"
"You should've come in here with an army, Stetson, but I knew you wouldn't. I know you so well."
Outside the house…
Francine is waiting patiently outside the house, keeping up with Lee's location.
But before she can do anything about it, the house explodes. Francine looks on with horror.
At IFF…
Billy and Francine meet in Billy's office and discuss what happened with Lee and Amanda. Billy mentions that they searched the house after the explosion and found no human remains in the ashes.
Billy is upset at Lee and Francine for disobeying direct orders. Now, Birol has both Lee and Amanda as hostages.
Francine still thinks their plan can work and begs Billy to give them another chance.
Back to another house…
Amanda has been moved to another house in a larger room. This time, there are windows and light shines in from outside. She's been in and out of consciousness now for days and isn't sure what's real and what's not.
Before she realizes it, she hears the door unlock and Birol pushes a man in a dark blue suit in the room by gun. Her eyes are still not concentrating, and she strains to make out the man staggering towards her.
Amanda finally makes out the man in the room with her.
"Lee?"
"Amanda!"
"Yeah?"
Lee rushes to her and sits down at the cot, observing her. Lee reaches out to hold her hand and Amanda smiles and reacts to him but is surprised that he is here. Lee reaches down and takes her in a forceful embrace.
"Oh! Amanda!"
"Oh, this is getting pretty good now, mm."
"Are you all right?"
"Oh, yeah, you know…"
"Huh?"
"I can actually feel you."
Lee reaches out and puts his hand up behind her head, rubbing his thumbs along her face. He notices the bruises, swelling, cuts and abrasions on her face and looks on with sympathy at what Birol has done to her.
"I think this is probably the best hallucination I've had yet."
Before she can even finish her sentence, Lee pulls her in for a passionate kiss.
"Mm! Mmm. Oh wow!"
Lee gently shakes her head to make her realize he's real.
"Amanda?"
"Yeah?"
"It is me! It is really me!"
Amanda smiles at him in disbelief and touches her hand on his cheek.
"Oh, it's not – "
"Yeah, go on feel it! See, it's me!"
"It is you?"
"Yes!"
Amanda holds Lee's face in her hands in shock that he's here before her.
"It's you?! You're here?!"
"Yeah!"
"Hello-o! Oh!"
Amanda smiles and jumps into Lee's embrace, hugging him and crying as she finally realizes he's real and standing before her and not just another hallucination.
Birol interrupts their embrace and enters the room.
"It's hello, it's good-bye. I've got Night Crawler. Why do I need her?"
He holds up his gun, thrusting it towards Lee and Amanda's direction and pulls the trigger twice, in quick succession, the clicking sounds of an empty chamber.
Amanda ducks behind Lee and Lee begins to charge towards Birol, but Birol quickly shouts and stops him.
"I do have a bullet under the hammer! Want it? I have an offer from the Libyans for her. I like it. It's up to you what happens. Give me a list of the ATAC team. Your assets here and abroad, your sources, your fronts. I'll be back in an hour."
Amanda buries her head in Lee's back and Birol throws a pen on the floor towards them, still aiming the gun at them and begins walking backwards toward the door. He again pulls the trigger before he leaves. Another shot that doesn't happen.
As Birol leaves the room and shuts the door, Lee releases the breath he was holding.
Amanda and Lee embrace again.
"Oh, I'm sorry I'm shaking so badly."
"I didn't notice. We must be shaking together, huh? Turn around, I've got a surprise for you."
Amanda turns around, unsteady on her feet.
Lee pulls her necklace from a pocket on his pants and fastens it for her around her neck.
"Now, it may need a new clasp, but I think it'll hold for now."
"How are mother and the boys?"
"They don't know a thing."
"Mm."
"Billy's decision was to keep them out of it, unless Birol went public or dragged it on."
"Good."
Lee turns Amanda back around to face him.
"I went to the house yesterday."
"You saw mother?"
"Yeah, yeah. It made me feel closer to you."
Lee reaches out again and takes in Amanda's injuries. He leans her forward and kisses her on her forehead. Amanda grabs Lee and pulls him in for an embrace. They kiss again and rest their foreheads together.
"Is there a way out of this?"
"Look, why don't you sit down, hm? You just sit there while I make out that list."
Lee bends down to pick up the pen near his foot and helps Amanda sit back on the cot. Lee walks over to the table in the corner and begins writing.
"No! You can't give him the list. You'll destroy everything you've done. He's not the only one, there are a million Birol's. You have to draw the line somewhere."
"Hey, look. I'm buying us some time, Amanda. I'm not gonna let him sell you to the Libyans!"
Amanda whispers as she glances down at her feet. "I'm not crazy about that part, either."
Lee glances back up at Amanda and walks over to her, kneeling in front of her and takes her hands in his.
"We might not make it out of this one."
"Yeah, I know, it really stinks, doesn't it?"
Amanda begins to cry, and Lee reaches out, pulling her face up to look at him.
"Hey…Amanda King, you are the best, the bravest, the smartest, most beautiful woman I have ever known."
Both begin to cry.
"I love you."
"Then, will you marry me?"
Amanda seems to be in shock by Lee's question but quickly answers.
"Will I marry you? Oh yeah, I'll marry you… We're the luckiest two people on the face of the earth."
Both laugh and pull each other into each other's arms. Amanda reaches out and grabs Lee's face, pulling it towards her. They embrace and kiss.
At Magda's Dress Shop…
Francine, dressed as Magda, listens to Billy on the other end of a headset. The Habib brothers are behind her waiting near the front door.
As Billy instructs Francine on the plans, Birol pulls up outside in a truck with Amanda passed out in the passenger side.
Francine informs the Habib Brothers that is Amanda King on the passenger side.
The Habib Brothers open a suitcase that has cash inside. Birol notices the cash doesn't add up to the five million he was promised.
A blue sedan parks at the curb, unbeknownst to Birol.
"Addi, it's a trick! Run!" Magda calls out to Birol as he turns to look at her.
Francine tries to run, but deliberately trips on a rug and falls back. Her wig falls off.
The Habib Brothers pull out their guns and both Birol and Magda run towards Birol's truck and drive off. Amanda is seated between them, her head tips over to Magda's shoulder.
"Those weren't the Habib brothers!"
"But that was you…except for the hair. Who set me up?!"
"The Agency! They found out about the trade. Addi, I don't know how!"
As Amanda sits up, she pulls her latex mask out, revealing she is Mara.
"It's off."
"But the-the Libyans will still pay!"
"Forget about the Libyans' money! You and I can make a new karbala. We'll even have martyrs."
Back at the shop, Billy mentions that Birol has bought it and they are now locked onto Magda's signal.
Back to Lee and Amanda…
Lee and Amanda are resting on the cot as Birol enters the room, tossing Mara in the room. He has his gun drawn.
"The list?"
"That's it."
Lee gives Magda a signal and she nods back towards Lee.
"I know enough to know you've done a surprisingly complete job. You'll both be remembered as heroes and martyrs of the people."
Behind Birol, Magda pulls a zap gas canister out of her pocket and activates it.
Birol aims his gun at Lee and Amanda.
Magda throws the canister towards them.
Birol turns towards Magda as the gas fog overtakes them. Lee seizes the opportunity and jumps Birol from behind.
Birol punches Lee, but Lee gets the upper hand and punches Birol, knocking him down on the ground and out cold.
Billy and the team run into the room to take Birol into custody.
Lee informs Billy about the zap gas and tells him and the team they should leave until it wears off. Billy informs Lee the team has been neutralized to the zap gas.
Lee walks back to Amanda, who is still sitting on the cot.
"Amanda?"
"Yeah, I don't feel so good."
"I know. Don't worry. Don't worry. It's zap gas and right now you won't be able to move, but let's just get comfortable…it only lasts a few minutes."
Lee and Amanda embrace on the cot.
"Better last longer than that."
Lee chuckles as they hold each other until the zap gas wears off.
The next day…
Lee steps into a hospital room, looking towards the bed, observing Amanda asleep.
He slowly steps into the room, making sure the door closes quietly so it doesn't wake Amanda up.
Amanda stirs in the bed, opening her eyes and seeing Lee walking towards her.
She whispers and smiles at Lee. "Hi…"
"Hey, how are you feeling?"
"I've been better."
Lee walks towards the side of the bed, taking Amanda's hand in his.
Amanda's face turns from joy to hurt as she asks Lee, "Is Birol in jail?"
Lee nods and informs Amanda she doesn't have to worry about him any longer.
"I wish I could've been there sooner, Amanda. I feel horrible how he treated you. Nobody should go through what you went through."
Amanda smiles slightly and grips Lee's hand harder.
"You found me before he could kill me. I'll always be thankful for that."
Lee smiles and takes the seat beside the bed, pulling it up to her bed, not moving his hand from hers.
Taking a deep breath, Lee spoke.
"I talked to the doctor before I came in here to see you. He said he wasn't sure how you made it so long. He said you must have been determined."
Amanda begins to tear up at Lee's comments.
"I had someone I was looking forward to seeing again."
Lee chuckles and rubs his thumb over her fingers.
Lee continues. "The doctor said you have a few broken ribs, cuts, scrapes, abrasions, a black eye that seems to be healing slowly, a busted lip…"
Lee hesitates. Amanda notices.
"What is it, Lee?"
"Amanda…"
Lee looks down at the floor, trying to compose himself.
"Lee, please, just tell me."
Lee takes a deep breath before continuing.
"Amanda, while you were in Birol's custody, he seems to, uh… seems to have… molested you… I'm sorry."
The words were like a knife to Amanda. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. When? How? She knew she was in and out of consciousness, but she was sure he hadn't done anything to her except hit her around a few times.
Silence fell between them as both tried to regain their understanding of what Lee had just told her.
Amanda couldn't look at Lee.
Seconds seemed to pass like hours before Lee commented.
"Amanda… look at me. Please."
Lee's pleading drew her mind out of her thoughts for a brief second and she glanced up at Lee. Lee saw the tears streaming down her face and his heart shattered for her.
Lee stood and got on the bed beside Amanda.
"Come here."
Lee pulled her in for an embrace and they laid there for a long time in silence.
A few days later…
Amanda had been released from the hospital and was at home recuperating. She had been in the kitchen getting a glass of milk to drink and came back into the living room to lay down on the couch.
As she sits down on the couch, she stops abruptly. In front of her is a small blue box with a white bow sitting on the coffee table before her.
She slowly opens the box. Inside is a black ring box. As she opens the ring box, her breath catches in her throat. Inside is a stunning diamond ring.
Amanda stares at the ring as Lee walks up behind the couch and quietly walks up to Amanda, smiling.
Amanda looks up, still holding the ring in her hand, in shock at Lee standing before her.
He sits down on the couch, takes the ring from Amanda, and puts it on her finger.
Amanda gazes at the ring on her finger.
Lee takes her hands in both of his and their eyes meet, and they smile at each other.
They pull each other into a fiery kiss as Lee holds Amanda's hand in his that shows the engagement ring.