Screen Captures Courtesy of Swoopes For personal use and select distribution only © June 2002 by Amber Stockton All the World's a Stage - tagalogueWritten by Richard Raskind (excerpts from the episode belong to him)
Lee tenderly gazed at Amanda as she reached to open the door to the Q-Bureau. His heartbeat increased, and he had to consciously maintain his even breathing. For several days, he had been waiting for the right time to talk to her. Something or someone always interrupted. Now, it seemed they were finally going to have some time alone. She slipped into the office, and he immediately followed. For a moment, he paused, then realized that there was no time like the present to say what he wanted to say. "Amanda?" "Yeah?" She turned to face him, her eyebrows raised slightly. "You know..." He slowly closed the door and contemplated whether or not he should lock it, deciding against it for fear it would communicate the wrong thing to her. "You and I do have a lot to talk about." He paused and nodded his head a little, then clasped his hands in front of him. "Yeah?" Lee lowered his voice. "Yeah." He watched her rubbing her fingers against the corner of his desk, then took a few steps forward and began to close the distance between them. "We have been ... getting to know each other," he said and spread out his arms, then brought them back to his side, "for what ... uh ..." "Three years," they said together as Lee stopped directly in front of her. "Mm-hm," she murmured. Her gaze dropped to his lips as she licked her own. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips in response to her obvious nervousness. It gave him some added reassurance to know that she felt the same as he. "And I think," he began and lowered his voice to a husky whisper as he reached out to clasp her hands in his, "there's a lot about you that I don't know ... but I'm sure going to enjoy trying to find out." Lee took another step closer and dipped his head. She tilted hers and closed her eyes. He felt his breath catch in his throat with anticipation. The slamming of a door startled them both, and Amanda jerked back. "Is Lee in the Q-Bureau?" Billy's voice was heard in the hall outside the door. "Yeah, I think so," Francine answered him. "Uh-ah," Amanda murmured, her voice signaling the impending intrusion. Lee immediately stepped towards the door and clicked the lock in place. "Lee?" Billy called, then wrapped several times on the door. "Amanda!" "No, not this time," Lee whispered with determination. Slowly walking back to Amanda, he hesitated when he stopped in front of her and reached for her hands. Every fiber in his being screamed for him to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. However, this time, he was going to take things slow. Amanda had become extremely important to him, and he wasn't about to do anything that could destroy the precious bonds of their relationship. Amanda glanced down, then slipped her hands from his grasp and slowly slid them up his chest to rest just below his shoulders, a habit he had come to find very endearing. He turned his head a little to the left to watch, then brought his gaze back to her and slipped his arms around her waist. It seemed that neither one of them really knew exactly how to proceed. Amazing that something as simple as this would have them both so nervous and unsure of themselves, considering all of the situations where they'd had to rely on each other's instincts to survive. Now, faced with something that should be pure instinct, they hesitated. Realizing just how ridiculous their uncertainty was, Lee chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah." She smiled in agreement and leaned towards him, her eyes drifting closed just before their lips touched for a brief moment. When she pulled back, he gazed down at her. His own eyes were mere slits, and he knew his feelings were clearly displayed in them. At her soft smile and shine in her eyes, he almost released a sigh of relief, but the one thing on his mind was tasting the sweetness of her lips again. She seemed to feel the same way. They tilted their heads at the same time to share a longer and more tender kiss. Lee moved his lips over hers and felt the immediate stirrings give way to a burst of passion inside of him. He marveled at all the reasons he had avoided this moment for so long. No, it certainly wasn't the first time they had shared a kiss, but it was the first time they had mutually been at the same place in their relationship. Although he had known about the hesitancy from them both, he was now more certain than ever about where they were headed. For the first time in his life, that thought didn't scare him at all. In fact, that realization only intensified what he was feeling and the result of that poured forth in his kiss. He increased the pressure of his lips and immediately felt her respond. That only heightened his response to her touch, her presence, the feel of her in his arms, and the dizzying awareness that kissing her caused. Before he knew what was happening, he deepened the kiss and felt her lips part. The overwhelming sensation was almost too much for him to handle, but he wasn't ready to break their embrace just yet. His arms tightened around her waist, and he felt her hands slide upward across his shoulders to become entwined in the hair at the nape of his neck as they pulled each other closer. Her touch caused him to shiver in delight. Everything in their relationship had been building up to this point, and he mentally cursed himself for allowing so much time to lapse before taking the plunge. Finally, more out of a need to catch his breath and calm the storm of raging emotions than because he wanted to pull back, he reluctantly pulled his lips from hers. He held his breath as he waited and watched for her initial reaction. Her eyes would say it all. She had only to open them and look at him, and he would know. Waiting for her to do so was agony. It felt like an eternity before she slowly opened her eyes and raised her gaze to his. The raw emotion he saw reflected in the brown depths, dark with passion, was enough to convince him that she felt the same as he. "I ... um ... think I need to sit down," she rasped, her voice barely even a whisper. Lee grinned a little and gave her a quick peck on the lips, then immediately led her to the two vinyl cushions set on a metal frame that served as a couch. He sat down beside her, their legs turned towards each other. His arms came around her again, and hers rested lightly against his chest as she struggled to regain her breathing. He was fighting that same battle, but he tried to be a little less obvious about it. As her eyes returned to normal, he could see the inner struggle she was having at the intensity of the kiss they had just shared. She almost seemed more uncertain about how he would react to her than how she was feeling. He wanted more than anything to reassure her that there was nothing wrong with what had happened. So, he softened his expression and slowly lifted the corners of his mouth into a tender smile. Her eyes searched his for several moments before a slow smile appeared on her lips as well. "Well!" Lee released a long sigh. "That was..." He paused, unable to find the words. "Yeah," she breathed. Deciding that he needed to lighten things a bit, he opted for something representative of what their relationship had become in recent months. "I must say, Mrs. King, your hidden skills and talents continue to amaze me," he teased. It didn't take her a second to recover. "And yours are quite impressive as well," she countered with a grin. "Tell me again why we've danced around this point for so long?" * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * Amanda saw right through him and knew what he was trying to do. After all the time she had waited for this moment, there was no way she was going to let him get away with it. She gave him an impish grin. "Because you kept backing away from it and insisting that we were just partners, and that everything was just business." "Because I...?" He paused. The twinkle in his eye an obvious indication he picked up on her tone. "Uh-huh, and I suppose you didn't do anything at all to avoid any of this, right?" "Not at all." She didn't hesitate with her reply and forced an expression of complete innocence. "So, all of those excuses about needing to get home, or the way you would hang around and look over my shoulder or find a reason to touch my hand or arm only to back away when I glanced at you. There was nothing to all of that, right? You were just doing your job?" She almost wilted beneath his intense gaze, but forced herself to remain strong. Not an easy thing to do with his arms securely around her waist and his face so close to hers. "Now you're getting the picture," she managed to say, although her voice sounded a strained even to her own ears. "And I guess all those times you agreed with me about it being only business and about us playing our covers was just your way of showing me your support as my partner, right?" She paused for a moment, then smiled. "Not exactly!" He raised his eyebrows and his eyes widened a little. "What's this? You're actually admitting to having a part to play in all of this?" "No, I'm correcting your assumptions about my reasoning for agreeing with you about playing our covers," she countered. "Would you care to elaborate a little on that?" "The reason I agreed with you was because I knew neither one of us was ready yet." When he started to protest, she placed a finger over his lips. Softening her voice and becoming serious, she continued. "Lee, you've made it no secret that there's a lot of issues in your life and your past that have made it very difficult for you to commit to a relationship." She removed her finger and rested her hand back on his chest. "I certainly haven't been the most eager to jump into anything either, for my own reasons. We both needed to make our own decisions and be sure about this. So, I did my best not to influence you in any way." "Amanda, your influence on me is the very thing that caused me to realize how special you are to me and how very much I wanted to make that commitment. If it hadn't been for you, I know I'd never have realized this was even possible. And, I certainly wouldn't have begun to question my lifestyle or the choices I had made in my life." He paused, then gave her waist a little squeeze. "So, even though you were intentionally keeping your distance, it was that very thing that was causing me to be drawn to you ... and I owe you a lot for it." She was moved by his open honesty and couldn't find words to form a reply. Instead, she leaned forward and placed her forehead against his and sighed. Although it had been settled in her mind for a few weeks, hearing his confession only helped to make her more certain than ever. The only problem was where they would go from here. They hadn't exactly professed their undying love for each other, but she knew they had both taken a major step in their relationship. One that needed a lot of guidance. "So, where do we go from here?" She was shocked he had spoken the very words she had been thinking. For a moment, she tried to recall if she had spoken them aloud. Pulling away from him with a start, she could only stare at him in amazement as her hands slipped from his shoulders to his forearms. She hadn't had someone read her mind so well since... "What I mean is we obviously have a lot to discuss." Lee's voice forced her to focus her attention fully on him. "So you said a few moments ago, and I agree." She nodded. "There's our working relationship to consider, not to mention the need to keep things hidden from everyone here at the Agency. Then, there's Mother and the boys..." "Whom we have successfully managed to avoid up to this point, so I don't think that will be a problem." He placed a quick kiss on her nose. "You don't know my mother," she countered. "We've managed to keep her in the dark up to this point, but we also weren't as involved before. She knows me pretty well, so it's not going to be easy." "Then, we'll just have to be extra careful. We already know we can come up with work-related reasons to be gone for days at a time, so it shouldn't be too hard to continue doing the same." He paused and glanced down. "There's just one problem," he murmured, and Amanda had to strain to hear him. "What problem?" When he didn't immediately reply, Amanda sensed he was struggling with something. She slipped one hand from his arm to his chin and gently encouraged him to look up at her. "Lee? What is it?" "Well, you've been here before ... in this part of a relationship, I mean." "What's that got to do with anything?" "I don't ... I'm not ..." He sighed. "I'm not really sure how to move on from here," he finally managed, lowering his chin once more. Amanda couldn't believe it. Here was this top government agent, who was known for being able to handle almost any situation or assignment that was thrown at him, most of the time without blinking an eye. However, the thought of a commitment in a relationship gave him the appearance of a little lost boy who needed reassurance to tell him he was doing fine. The bits and pieces she had learned about his past made her realize just how important it was for her to support him and encourage him. So, she once again lifted his chin and intently focused her gaze on him. "Lee," she began softly, "I may have experienced this stage in a relationship before, and I may have been married, but that doesn't make me an expert by any means. Each and every relationship is different, and the combination of the two people involved make each experience new and unique. So, in that sense, I'm no farther ahead than you in this. That's what makes this so special." She paused to release his chin, then slowly slid both hands back to his shoulders. "You and I are together in this, and we'll move forward together..." Her lips were mere inches from his. "Wherever that may take us." She pressed her lips to his in a lingering and tender kiss. A moment later, Lee pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. "You know, I think Valentine was working for the wrong person." He grinned. "You're leagues ahead of Kruchiev in the mind-controlling area." She grinned and shrugged. "Well, you're the one who mentioned my hidden talents.
ADD SOMETHING HERE ABOUT THE "LIPS" TIE LEE WORE IN THIS FINAL SCENE
I only wish Dr. Von Klausen and Mr. Martinet didn't have to endure the strain his actions are going to put on their relationship. They are obviously very much in love with each other." "As you said earlier, he was blackmailed quite heavily, and she knows it, so I'm sure they'll be fine." Amanda felt his arms slip a little further around her waist and watched his eyes darken. "You know what the hardest part about watching the two of them in that hotel room was?" "What?" "Having you standing so close to me and watching them embrace, wanting more than anything to do the same." The timbre of his voice sent shivers down her spine. "Well, there's nothing stopping you now, is there?" His eyebrows raised for a moment, as if he was surprised to hear such a forward remark from her. A moment later, the intensity of his gaze increased, and he grinned. "No, there isn't." She moistened her lips in anticipation and watched Lee do the same. Then, his lips touched hers in a slow and thorough kiss that left her breathless. Pulling away only briefly and taking a shuddering breath, she smiled. "You're right. It is going to be enjoyable finding out." Amanda moved her hands to clasp behind his neck, running her fingers through his hair. The shudder that coursed through him gave her a very heady sensation. As if by mutual force, their lips met again in a very powerful blend of emotion and attraction, merging two souls and leading them with assurance wherever the future would take them. (THE END) |
