For personal use and select distribution only © February 2002 by Amber Stockton Mission of Gold - tagalogueWritten by Lynne Kelsey (excerpts from the episode belong to her)
Lee slowly opened the door to Amanda's room and made certain no one followed him. His gaze immediately sought out his bride before briefly turning back towards the door, hearing Dotty's voice fade away as he slowly shut it. He walked to the left side of the bed, sat in the chair and leaned forward, unable to keep the smile from his face at seeing her. His breath caught in his throat. He'd never seen a more beautiful sight. Amanda stirred and licked her lips, moaning softly. Her eyes fluttered open, and her mouth formed a small smile when her eyes focused on him, telling him she was glad to see him. "Hi," Lee said softly, a smile on his lips. "Hi," she replied in a voice just above a whisper, struggling to keep her eyes open. "What happened?" "I'll tell you all about it when you get better, okay?" She grinned. "Mmm. Did you get the number of that truck?" "You bet I did!" Amanda swallowed several times, lubricating her dry throat and mouth, then puckered her lips and leaned forward, silently asking for a kiss. He willingly complied and they shared a very sweet kiss. He pulled back only a few inches from her, his gaze fixed on her face. "No honeymoon tonight, pal," she teased with a grin. "Aw, shucks," Lee replied softly, matching her grin. "I want to go to sleep. Will you sit with me for a minute?" She sighed several times with fatigue. Lee silenty watched her for a moment or two. When she had drifted off to sleep, he whispered, "I love you, Mrs. Stetson," then leaned forward to place a tender kiss on her lips and lean back to take her hand in his. After the pain of not knowing if she was going to survive and the agony his heart had been through this past week, there was no way he was going to leave anytime soon. He was content to sit by her side and watch her sleep, something he could easily do for hours on end without the need to move. With the case on La Bodega solved, there was nothing else to occupy his mind, and no other reason to leave Amanda's side until she was ready to be released from the hospital. Truth be told, he was glad for the distraction Gus and Barney provided. He didn't know if he would have been able to handle the nearly paralyzing fear he felt flowing through his veins the moment he leaned into the car and saw Amanda's unconscious form in the passenger seat; the bullethole and crack in the windshield; the telltale spot of red on her white sweater. Looking back on the past week, he knew that working with Barney and Gus was the only thing that helped keep him sane. Gnawing guilt and worry would have made him go out of his mind. He would have constantly paced and wished there was something he could do. When he wasn't doing that, he would have been pacing at the hospital and visiting the nurse's station every five minutes, inquiring about Amanda's status. He sighed and tenderly stroked the back of Amanda's hand, lost in his thoughts. This case with La Bodega was definitely a necessary intrusion into his temporary anxious life. Now that it was done, he could focus on more appealing thoughts, such as what he and Amanda would do once she was out of the hospital, and how they were going to spend the remainder of their honeymoon. First, there was the dilemma of assuring Dotty that her daughter would be all right and that it was best that she return home to be with her grandsons, to give them the needed assurance that their mother was going to be fine. As much as he had come to admire and care about Dotty, more than two on a honeymoon was most assuredly a crowd. There was time to deal with that later. Right now, he wanted to be with his wife. The rest would fall into place when it was time. Even if he had to ask for an extension to allow Amanda the time needed to recover and be ready to travel home, he intended to do just that. He wasn't going to take any chances. No matter what he had to do or say, he was going to make certain he and Amanda at least had a few extra days ... alone. * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * "This really isn't necessary," Amanda protested as Lee pushed her through the automatic doors leading outside into the glorious Las Palmas sun. "I don't care if it is or not," he countered. "Doctor's orders, and I'm not about to do anything against what he dictates, not when I came so close to losing you." He fought hard to keep his throat from constricting over those last words, but his inflection wasn't lost on Amanda's keen hearing. She reached her left hand up and covered his as it gripped the handle of the wheelchair. "You're not getting rid of me that easily!" "That's good to know." Lee brought the chair to a stop on the passenger side of their new rental car. Setting the brakes on the chair, he moved around to squat down in front of Amanda. "Cuz I'm not letting you go that easily." He took her hand in his and lifted her fingers to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the back. "Now, let's get you into this car, so we can get back to our hotel." During the time Amanda was in the hospital, Lee had returned the first car to the rental car company and exchanged it for a different one. They had offered to simply replace the windshield, but he had requested another car. No reason to have any memories connected to the near-fatal experience. He moved to the side of the chair and started to reach down to lift her, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm. "This is something I can do myself." She stood slowly and turned toward the car. Lee smiled and opened the car door, offering her a hand as she settled into the plush seat. An attendant came to take the wheelchair back into the hospital, since Lee had assured them they wouldn't be needing it. Of course, that assurance was only accepted by the fact that a home health nurse would come to check on her once or twice before clearing Amanda to travel back home. Lee knew he had no choice but to agree, but having Amanda back with him was enough to make him agree to whatever wishes the hospital demanded. He closed the door after Amanda was tucked in securely, then walked around the front of the car, giving the hood a quick thump before making his way to the driver's side. He opened the door and folded his long legs into the car, then inserted the key into the ignition. Before starting the car, he turned to face Amanda and smiled. She smiled in return and reached her left hand out to clasp his right, leaning forward and meeting his lips for a very tender and loving kiss. Lee pulled away and smiled. "Ready?" "Definitely!" Lee started the car, put it in gear and carefully backed out of the parking space, then shifted gears to drive so he could maneuver his way out of the parking lot. It wasn't easy getting used to an automatic, and his left foot was constantly pressing toward the floor in a futile search for the clutch. By the time they reached their hotel, he still hadn't mastered it. At least they were here. He parked the car, then got out and walked around to Amanda's side of the car. When he opened the door, she immediately held out her hand with the keys in it, a teasing look in her eyes as she dropped the keys into Lee's hand. He shook his head and smiled, offering his hand as she got out of the car. Things were definitely getting back to normal. He shut the door and offered her his arm, then securely tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow as together, they walked into the hotel. Not a word was spoken as he led them to the front desk to check for any messages, and finding none, continued toward the elevators. The doors opened and they entered the surprisingly elegant car, something that didn't really match the overall simple decor of the hotel. There were a few plants that only grew in areas like southern California, but the furniture in the lounge appeared to be like any other hotel. Lee pressed the button for their floor and watched the numbers light up as the elevator passed each floor. Amanda sighed and placed her head on Lee's shoulder, tucking her arm closer to him. When the doors opened to their floor, Lee stepped back and allowed Amanda to precede him into the hallway. He led the way down the hall to their room and reached into his pocket for the room key when they stopped in front of the door. After opening the door, he gave it a little push, then dropped the key back into his pocket. Amanda started to take a step forward, but Lee stopped her by gently swinging her into his arms, mindful of her recent surgery. "Oh my gosh! Lee!" "What?" he asked innocently. "Can't I carry my bride over the threshhold?" He grinned, kicking the door shut with his foot and walking further into the suite. She reached her arms up to loosely drape around his neck. "We've already done that, remember?" "Yeah, but I feel like we've been given a second chance at this, and I'm gonna take advantage of every bit of it." He turned his head to gaze into her eyes and smiled. "You going to tell me you got a complaint to lodge?" A knowing look entered his eyes as he walked into the bedroom and to one side of the bed. The drapes were drawn, and the small amount of sunlight penetrating through them cast a rosy glow on the room. A pensive look passed over her face as she looked off into space, appearing to contemplate the question. "Hmm..." Lee pulled her closer to him and leaned down, his mouth a whisper away from hers. "Maybe this will help you make up your mind," he murmered before capturing her lips with his own in a very passionate kiss. "Mmm," she moaned in the back of her throat. "I missed you," she whispered when they broke apart, a Cheshire cat smile on her lips. "Me too," he replied in a husky voice, choked with emotion. The hotel might not be the Ritz, but their suite was very accommodating. There was a nice sitting room with a couch, overstuffed chair, coffee table, and television. To one side was a little kitchenette, complete with a mini refrigerator and two-burner stove. The bedroom had a queen-size bed with two chairs and a table in the corner by the doors that led to the patio, which extended the width of their suite and had another set of doors off the sitting room. It was a very pleasant place for them to find some peace and quiet for a few days. Lee gently placed Amanda on top of the comforter and sat next to her. He reached for her feet, carefully undid each shoe and removed them, then dropped them both to the floor. Sitting back a little further on the bed, he repositioned them both and drew her legs across his lap, taking first one foot, then the other, in his hands as he lovingly massaged them both. Amanda sank back against the pillows and closed her eyes, releasing a very contented sigh. "Mmm, you're gonna put me to sleep if you keep that up!" Lee chuckled. He released her feet and moved back on the bed as he slid up to recline on his side next to her. Leaning towards her, he placed his lips next to her ear. "That's the whole idea," he whispered, his breath blowing the hair around her ear. She opened her eyes and turned her head. "I feel like I've been sleeping for days!" "That's because you have!" He laughed, his face mere inches from hers. "Now that you mention it, I am a little sleepy," she confessed, unsuccessfully fighting a yawn. "Come here," he encouraged, turning to lay on his back as he extended his left arm and invited her to nestle closer to him. They shifted together as they both worked to find a comfortable position. "You know, I'm glad we were able to convince your mother that the boys needed her at home to reassure them you were all right." "It wasn't easy though." Amanda lovingly moved her hand across his chest. "No, but it didn't take her long to realize you were going to take good care of me." Lee smiled against Amanda's hair. "I certainly will. Glad your mother saw that. I'm not sure how welcome she would have been on the rest of our honeymoon." She smiled against his shoulder. "Yeah, three is definitely a crowd." Amanda sighed as she rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, her left arm resting lightly across his chest. Lee gathered her close to him, his left hand lovingly caressing her arm as his right hand draped across her and rested on her waist. After a few moments, Lee moved his right arm and reached for her chin, gently lifting it so he could gaze into her eyes. "Doctor gave strict instructions for you to take it easy and remain off your feet as much as possible for the next few days," he began, his voice lowering before his next words, "and I'm going to make certain those orders are followed." "Yes, sir!" Amanda replied playfully, puckering her lips slightly. Lee's laughter rumbled deep in his chest and he placed a sweet kiss on her lips, then pulled back and sighed. "I got something for you." He used his left hand to remove something from his right pinky, then held it up for her to see. "How'd you..." "They removed it for your surgery and left it with me. I figured it was about time you had it back on your finger." He reached for her left hand and slowly slipped the ring onto the third finger, then raised her hand to his lips and kissed the ring as well as her finger when he was done. "I love you, Mrs. Stetson," he whispered. A lazy smile formed on Amanda's lips. "I love [i]you[/i], Mr. Stetson!" Her voice was barely audible, and her eyes struggled to stay open. She sighed and gave up the fight, her head sinking against his shoulder as she relaxed. For several moments, Lee laid there with Amanda wrapped securely within his arms. Thoughts of just how close he had come to losing her invaded his mind and he released a shuttering breath. "Lee?" Amanda whispered, her voice laced with concern. "I'm all right, Amanda," he replied. "Just relax and go to sleep." "What's the matter?" "Amanda, I'm fine." He tried to dissuade her, but she would have nothing of it. "Lee, I know you're not being completely honest," she countered and lifted her head to gaze fully into his face. Her left hand came up to cup his cheek, and he turned to face her. "Now, tell me what's wrong." Realizing that she wasn't going to rest until he was honest, he released another sigh, then lifted his right hand to caress her silky cheek. "I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you ... and how close I came to losing you," he admitted. "Amanda, when I opened that car door and saw your lifeless body sitting in the seat, then saw the stain on your sweater, I feared the worst! If you hadn't come out of that surgery..." "Shhh!" She placed her hand over his lips. Her index finger traced the outline of his mouth before she lifted herself to place a soft kiss where her finger had been. "I did make it out, and we're still together. So, no more worries, all right?" He nodded and sighed. "Yeah." "Good!" she replied, then traced his lips again with her finger. "Now, what do you say we get some sleep, huh? I may have been doing a lot of that lately, but if I don't miss my guess, you didn't do much of it these past few days. I'm sure your body will appreciate it." She lifted her eyes to gaze into his, her love for him reflecting in her soft brown pools. "Besides," she began with a grin as her fingers moved from his lips to his chin and down his neck to his chest, "I'm looking forward to a few days of peace and quiet with you. I don't often get your undivided attention, and I intend to enjoy it!" He couldn't resist a smile at her words, not to mention her suggestive tone of voice, and he tightened his hold on her as he moved his face closer. "You've got me for the rest of our lives, Mrs. Stetson!" "And that's a promise I will make certain you keep." "Yes, ma'am," he retorted, then closed the distance between them and covered her lips with his own, engaging her in a tender but thorough kiss. "Mmm, I think I can definitely learn to enjoy this," she murmured once they parted, giving him a coy grin. "You do realize though, that you're stuck with me for the rest of our lives too." Lee smiled. "Aww, shucks." He lovingly guided her head to rest on his chest and allowing her to snuggle closer to him. Lee silently watched Amanda succumb to her body's need to rest. A feeling of peace washed over him. He moved his head to place a kiss on her nose, then leaned back against the pillows. Placing his right arm around her waist and pulling her more securely against him, he gave in to the cries for sleep from his own body. With his new bride alive and well and back in his arms, and the promise of a few uninterrrupted days of peace and quiet, Lee was convinced that there was nothing in the world better than the way he was feeling at that moment. No interruptions, no assignments, nothing. He intended to make the most of it. (THE END) |
