Amanda and Lee sat on the couch for a little while after Billy and Francine left, not saying anything, just basking in their love or basking in the feel of being in one another's arms. Yet, the realization of the predicament that Dr. Smythe was in was very much a real thing and very much a part of their thoughts. After all, this situation could very well be about either one or both of them and was a reminder of what they did for a living. The further fact that they were in a relationship in this line of work made things even more complication.

However; as Lee held Amanda in his arms, he pushed back any thoughts about Dr. Smythe or anything else, except the memory of being intimate with Amanda last night and waking to see her holding the Tiffany box in her hand once again. Lee sighed as he breathed in the scent of Amanda's hair.

Amanda was having her own thoughts and memoires of last night, remembering the fee of being in Lee's arms and how she felt that morning when she'd awakened and held the ring box in her hand. Most of her fears and doubts were no longer there.

"Amanda?"

"Yes, Lee?"

"I know that we have to help Billy with Smythe, though I'd love to let his butt rot wherever they have him held…"

"Lee!" Amanda said and sat up a little, in which Lee promptly pulled her back into his arms.

"But that isn't til this evening so I was wondering…" Lee continued.

"Yeah?" Amanda questioned with a hint of a smile upon her lips.

"Well, until Billy and Francine showed up, we had plans to go out."

"Right."

"I say we go out anyway; besides there isn't much we can do til later this afternoon and your mother and the boys will be back tomorrow and…"

"Okay."

Lee smiled at her ready response and after giving her a gentle hug and kiss on the lips; they resumed looking at the newspapers until they decided what exactly it was that they were going to do for the remainder of the day.

/

Dr. Smythe remained tied to the chair; his eyes still blind folded as he attempted to wriggle free from the ropes that held him in place. He blinked several times as his eyes could see a slight beam of light peeking through somewhere from the right. He'd been offered food and water by one of his abductors; but he'd refused the offering of either. They'd kept him blindfolded and had attempted to feed him themselves. There were at least two men; as there were brief conversations in Russian. He only knew a few words; so was therefore unable to make out most of the very brief conversation.

"What is the meaning of this flimflam? I demand to be released!" The question had only garnished him a fork pushed towards his mouth and once he refused; one of the two men smacked him across the mouth, causing his lip to crack open.

"Stop!" Came a sharp deep voice.

"But…" another voice replied.

"We need him well!"

The back and forth went on for a few more exchanges, but went from broken English to full fledge Russian.

"Well, then, he starves!" With that, the plate was slammed across the floor and two sets of footsteps were heard moving fast and hard towards the light Dr. Smythe thought he could see.

"We called with our demands. They said they need more time—it is clearly a stall tactic."

"Well, if no exchange, then goodbye Dr. Smythe. They have 24 hours."

If only he could figure out how far away from the light he was. But just as he had the thought; the slamming of a door went off and with it, went the light.

Damn it! He thought to himself. What in the blazes was he going to do?