Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King are copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot The Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This story is copyrighted to the author and may not be used without permission.

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" Conclusion

Author notes: Yes, I know the first part is out of sequence. It just made for a good lead in to the story.

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The blizzard lasted through the night. All flights out of Washington were canceled. The airline tried to call Mr. Stetson but got the answering machine. His travel agent canceled the single reservation in his name at the resort. "Well," she thought," Who wants to be in a beautiful tropical paradise alone at Christmas, anyway?"

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Not the Scarecrow! He had the gift he had been looking for all his life. She lay beside him in the bed, sleeping peacefully. The light outside his window indicated that dawn was on its way but not too soon. Lee never even thought about his planned trip. Nothing mattered except here and now. Tomorrow he would think about how this would affect his life. Later he would face the repercussions of getting involved with his partner. But now he wanted to watch the woman he loved sleeping.

Even in her sleep, Amanda felt his gaze on her. Stirring lazily, she stretched, feeling an ache in places that hadn't ached in years. She smiled with her eyes closed, knowing that Lee thought she was sleeping. Recalling some of their activities the night before, she wondered if either of them could move this morning. Opening her eyes Amanda gazed into the eyes of the man who completed her. With a lop sided grin, as his eyes returned from roving her body to find her staring at him.

" Oh, you're awake." Lee could feel himself blushing like a school boy caught checking out the new girl in class. "I, ah, I ah, was just going to make some coffee," he muttered, starting to rise from the bed.

"No coffee, remember? The party guests drank it all last night."

Lee froze in place, unsure what to do. Slowly he sank back onto the bed, watching her watch him. He usually didn't have this trouble the morning after. What was it about this woman that could tie him up in knots? Last night he had been in heaven when Amanda consented to share his bed. But this morning he felt as inept as if this had been his first time. Amanda, on the other hand, seemed to be perfectly at ease. She lay looking up at him with trust written on her face.

Amanda watched Lee struggle for words in the aftermath of last night. She knew that she loved him and last night had proved that he felt the same towards her. No one could have made love to her in the way that Lee had without being emotionally involved. There were no words to describe the feelings that were running through her, at this moment, as she remembered.

Lee had always disappeared when Amanda tried to get close. So she decided that it was time for a little bit of payback. Amanda stretched again, innocently letting the sheet fall to her waist. She watched Lee as his eyes feasted upon on her. 'Where is that suave, sophisticated secret agent persona now?' she though triumphantly to herself. She wanted to continue this little torture but was overcome with shyness and she lowered her eyes.

Lee watched as Amanda displayed herself to him. His breath caught in his throat and he just knew that he would never breath again. She held the pose for a few moments, staring into his eyes. Then a blush spread over her face and the Amanda he knew and loved reappeared before him. He smiled, feeling at peace, as he realized after all that had happened last night, Amanda was still the same wonderful woman with whom he had fallen in love. He intended to tell her and show her how he felt about her again and again before the day was over.

"Well, I usually keep an emergency supply hidden in the freezer. Let's see if that survived the onslaught." Lee bounced off the bed only to realize suddenly that he was shy about Amanda seeing him in the light of day unclothed. He grabbed for a pair of sweats that were laying over the nearby chair and pulled them on. He moved to the bathroom and pulled his robe out, offering it to Amanda. He turned his back and headed to the kitchen as she slipped out of bed and wrapped herself in the enveloping garment.

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Lee had unearthed the stash of coffee and started the coffee maker. He checked the fridge and the cabinets, discovering, as usual, that nothing, in the apartment, fit to eat.

Amanda followed Lee into the kitchen, feeling like a little girl playing dress-up in her mother's clothes. Lee's robe just brushing the floor as she walked over and took cups out of the cabinet. She had to keep pushing the sleeves up, out of the way.

Lee noticed the problem and came up behind her. Turning her around, he carefully rolled up one offending sleeve and then the other. Placing her arms back at her side, Lee took Amanda in his arms and held her close. Amanda shyly put her arms around his neck and they stood in silence. Lee leaned back so he could look at Amanda, searching her face for the answers to questions he had yet to ask. He could see in her eyes all the love and trust she had displayed last night in his bed.

"Amanda.." he began, "about last night…" He felt Amanda stiffen in his arms and her beautiful brown eyes began to fill with tears as her head dropped, chin tucked to her chest. He felt her begin to tremble slightly and cursed himself for causing her pain. He knew what she must be thinking. Hell, he'd said it every other time they had a near miss.

'Near misses!' he thought. His mouth quirked in a wry grin as he realized that he considered those occasions 'near misses.' Who had he been trying to fool all those times? Well, he wasn't going to "miss" this time.

Amanda knew what was coming. She had gotten the same speech, every time they had gotten close for the past 3 years. She chided herself for being a fool and thinking that last night had meant anything special to Lee. Trying to put on a brave face, she allowed him to tip her chin up so that once again he was gazing into her eyes.

Using his thumb to wipe away the lone tear that had escaped, he started again. "About last night…it was the best, most wonderful," he stopped to search for words as Amanda's face began to clear of the pain. "Amanda, I've wanted to say this all last night, but I didn't want you to think I was using a line to get you to bed."

Amanda couldn't breath. Was she really hearing these words or was this just another dream, like the many she had experienced in the past months? Looking at Lee, realizing what courage it took for him to say anything emotional, she remained quiet.

"Amanda King, I love you." Lee let out a deep breath, fighting the urge to crush her to him and devour her. 'Down, Stetson, that time will come later.' Amanda still had not moved, had not answered his statement. He saw her mind digest what he had just declared, and watched the glow that began inside her heart and expanded outward. Her face, no, her entire being, was filled with that glow until Lee was blinded by her happiness.

"Oh, Lee." She sighed. "Will you pinch me?"

Thrown by the non sequitur, Lee's face took on a quizzical expression" Pardon?"

"I just want to make sure that this isn't a dream. I have imagined this scene so many times in my head. I want to make sure it's real." Having said that, Amanda moved her chin and looked down, overcome with embarrassment and astounded at having revealed to Lee such an intimate thought.

Lee grinned at her words. He had had his share of those dreams as well. Usually, they were in much more romantic settings than his kitchen, and they ended with the two of them in bed. This dream had begun in the bedroom and ended in the kitchen. 'So much for the master of romance,' he thought to himself.

"I can do better than that," he said, nibbling on her neck. "Amanda, I have loved you for so long. At first I was just too stubborn to admit it to myself. Once I did, I was afraid to admit it to you."

Amanda moved her neck, allowing Lee to trace the sensitive line he had discovered last night. As she sighed in his arms, Lee could feel the heat rising in his body. Moving to her ear, his tongue began to delve in its secrets. Amanda began to shiver in his arms, her hands caressing his bare chest.

Feeling his heart accelerate and knowing that he could so very easily lose control of the moment, Lee forced himself to move slightly away from Amanda's warm, willing, soft body. A body separated from him only by the loosely tied robe that she was wearing, a body…Lee drug his mind back from THAT thought.

"Amanda, do you believe you're awake now?" he asked tenderly.

"I think so, I sure felt that," she answered. Looking up at Lee, Amanda could see in his eyes all the love he felt for her shining out of his soul. She searched for the words to express how she felt about him. Every thing that came to mind was too trite, too common, to express her feelings. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Amanda settled on four simple words.

"I love you, too."

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They stood in silence, trying to comprehend the impact of the moment. Last night's lovemaking could have been dismissed as an error in judgement but the words they had uttered this morning bound them together. Each knew in their heart that the events of the night before had not been a mistake but rather the culmination of the past few years. They both knew that moment had been approaching ever since Lee first picked Amanda up in the train station that fateful morning.

Lee wanted Amanda as more than a working partner. He had been a little slow picking up on his own need. But once he admitted it to himself, the pressure to tell her had grown until last night it had overcome him.

Amanda was delighted to finally see the frail hope, she had nourished for so long, bloom into something she had never known before. She knew all about 'The Scarecrow', all of his women, all of his adventures. He had certainly lived up to that reputation last night. But in the cold light of morning, he had confounded her with his admission.

Amanda and Lee gazed into each others eyes. After what seemed like forever, Lee spoke in a rueful voice. "Amanda, I never seem to get the settings right with you, do I?"

A smile played about Amanda's mouth as she considered just what kind of setting he had in mind for a declaration of love. "Well, Stetson, you can always keep trying until you find the perfect setting. I'm willing to repeat this scene as often as you need."

Pulling her closer to him, Lee murmured in her ear. "How about that special bottle of wine I keep promising you?"

"Umm, that sounds good. But don't you think it's a little early to be drinking wine? Especially without any food since last night."

"Who needs food when I've got you?" he went on, nibbling away at her neck and ear.

"Lee," Amanda began, only to find her mouth engulfed by his ,immediately switching her senses into overdrive. His hands loosened the tie on her robe ,giving him easier access to her delectable body. Amanda responded by with her hands exploring the planes of his bare chest. Lee's mouth began to wander lower, following the path his hands were blazing.

As the intensity of their emotions began to overwhelm them, Lee swept her up in his arms, once more, and carried her back to the bedroom. He laid Amanda on the bed, slipping the robe off of her shoulders and covered her naked body with his.

Intoxicating her with his touch, Lee moved up to claim possession of her lips once again. Ensnaring her soul, his hands continued exploring her soft curves and unexpected angles as he staked claim of her lips and her heart.

Amanda was lost, reveling in the moment. She had though last night had been magic but this morning Lee was taking her higher and higher. She ached for him to possess her. She could feel his manhood pressed against her. The light fabric of his sweat pants were no match for the insistence of its presence. Struggling to move, Amanda wriggled her hands free, reaching for the waist band, intent on seeking a more intimate encounter with this newly discovered side of Lee.

Lee willingly cooperated in her quest to disrobe him. He wiggled and pushed struggling to be free. Frustrated when the elastic became caught around his ankles, he rolled off Amanda and stood, quickly removing the sweat pants and throwing them across the room.

He started to rejoin Amanda on the bed when she held out her hand, causing him to pause. "What? Amanda, is something wrong?"

"No, not wrong, I was just admiring the view." She said with a low chuckle. "I must admit you look good in the morning light."

With a growl Lee advanced towards her as she scooted across the bed away from him, still giggling. He stopped and struck a "Mr. America" pose, flexing his chest muscles. Shifting around ,he struck another pose, showing off a different area of his anatomy. Amanda was staring, goggle eyed at the sight of Lee clowning around. He was the most delectable thing she had ever seen and suddenly she wanted to stop playing this game and get down to some very serious lovemaking. Her throat was dry and she could not speak as he struck yet another pose and spoke.

"So, do you like what you see?" he asked, affecting an Arnold Schwartzneggar like accent. Seeing the look in her eyes, and her mouth working but no sound coming out, Lee was suddenly struck with how very much he wanted to make love to this beautiful woman. He stopped posing and reached for her, taking her in his arms and kissing her with every ounce of passion he possessed.

Passion threatened to overwhelm them once again. Lee fought desperately to remember that he had to be careful. Pulling his mouth away from the delightful area it was exploring, he whispered in her ear. When she shook her head in the negative, Lee reached for the small square package he had put in the bedside drawer the night before. Taking a moment he turned his back to her to ensure that there would be no unwanted consequences of this morning. Then he devoted himself to making sure that Amanda would want a repeat of her experience.

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Flushed and exhausted, the two lovers dozed until the rumbling of Lee's stomach woke them up. Amanda poked him in that loud grumbling part of his anatomy. Dawn had come and gone in the aftermath of their morning adventure.

"Wake up, noisy." she said to Lee's stomach. His response was to wrap his arms around her, trapping her hands so she couldn't poke him again.

"Hey," he said. "Who is responsible for putting me to sleep?"

Amanda batted her eyes innocently at him. "I give up, who?"

Playfully, he shook her and giving her a quick peck on her nose, swung him legs off the bed and searched for something to put on. Amanda held out his robe to him and he slipped into it. He turned to her saying "I'll go see if that coffee is still drinkable."

Amanda rose and disappeared into the bathroom to freshen up. She raided Lee's closet , surveyed the selections and emerged wearing a George Town University sweatshirt. It hung on her like a dress, albeit a rather short one. Entering the living room, she saw that Lee had poured them both coffee and was gazing down at the street below. He handed her the coffee and snuggled up against her as they sat on the couch.

"Hum…I like how that shirt fits you. You should wear it more often." Amanda smiled into her cup. This was the 'Scarecrow' she had heard about around the water cooler.

"Oh, I bet you say that to all your women," she teased.

Lee looked at her, seeing in Amanda the only woman he wanted in his life from this moment on. In response, he stood and walked over to the desk. Opening the drawer, he reached in and withdrew four books. Taking them over to the fireplace, he struck a match and lit the edges. Amanda sat in silence as the flames took hold. She watched Lee' face as the flames consumed the books.

He rejoined her on the couch and said simply, "What other women?"

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After their coffee was finished, Lee heard Amanda's stomach growl and knew that they had to find a way out of his apartment. He had no food in the place.

"Amanda, do you think we can get to the car? We can't stay here, there's nothing to eat and I doubt the pizza place is delivering in this weather."

"Well, we can try. How deep do you think the drifts are? Are the streets plowed?" Getting up she could see that the plows indeed had been out and were beginning to clear the main streets.

Cleaning up and changing into warm clothes, they left the apartment. Lee grabbed his seldom used snow shovel from the back of the closet. Struggling through the drifts on the sidewalks, they slowly made their way to Amanda's car. Lee used the shovel to push the snow away from the tailpipe and doors. He wrestled open the passenger door as Amanda stood shivering, holding the overnight bag he had packed. He settled Amanda in the vehicle, starting it up, while he finished digging them out of the snow. After what seemed an eternity, he had enough cleared to be able to cautiously begin the drive to Amanda's home in Arlington.

The roads were treacherous and Lee concentrated on driving. Amanda sat silent beside him, concentrating on trying to appear relaxed. She knew that Lee did not need to see how scared she was as they slid their way home. Once Lee was able to maneuver into her driveway, Amanda let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding for the last mile. The blocks leading into her neighborhood had not been plowed and theirs was the first vehicle to brave the drifts.

Lee took the keys, grabbed his bag and hurried to break a path to the back door, cautioning Amanda to stay in the car until he returned for her. Amanda had begun to climb out of the car and had taken three steps into the back yard when she plunged face first into a snow drift as her foot refused to budge from the snow. She sat up only to find Lee standing over her, a rueful grin on his face as he contemplated her situation.

"Amanda King, " he started, hands on his hips in an unconscious imitation of Amanda scolding him. "When will you learn to wait in the car?"

"Shut up and help me up." Amanda struggled to free herself from the drift as Lee laughed helplessly. She was covered in snow from head to toe, looking like the Pillsbury Doughboy. When she began to advance on him with menace in her eyes, Lee turned to flee only to trip over a hidden obstacle and go sprawling. Amanda caught up to him, heaping snow onto him every time he dislodged a clump.

"Laugh at me, will you, Stetson? We'll see who's laughing now, won't we?"

Freeing himself from the encompassing snow, Lee began to pelt Amanda with snow as she turned and lurched towards the back door, squealing as the snow began to sift down her clothes. As they gained the sanctuary of the kitchen, breathless with cold and laughter Lee caught Amanda in his arms and kissed her. Caught by surprise at the passion in his lips, Amanda felt herself respond yet again to the magic effect that this man had on her. They stood dripping with melting snow until a cold clump slid off of Lee's head and landed squarely on Amanda's eye.

Jumping from the shock of the sudden cold in an area that had been warmed by Lee's kisses, Amanda moved away from him with a laugh and thrust a kitchen towel at Lee, using one on herself to wipe off the snow.

"Lee, we'll catch our deaths if we don't get out of these wet clothes. Come on," Taking him by the hand, Amanda lead the way upstairs so they could dry off and change. Dropping him off at the door to the bathroom, Amanda went to her room and firmly closed the door in the face of his plaintive "But, Amanda…"

Amanda showered and changed, smiling to herself all the while. She hurried downstairs to put together a meal for the two of them. She settled on grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade soup. By the time Lee emerged, clean, dry and drop dead gorgeous, lunch was on the table.

They applied themselves to the food with an appetite that spoke volumes about the activities of the previous hours. After Lee's second helping, he pushed away, looking up at Amanda with a twinkle in his hazel eyes.

"Lee Stetson, I know that look." Amanda stated. "What are you planning?"

Giving her his best "Little innocent me" gaze, Lee held out his hands and shrugged his shoulders. Amanda wasn't buying the act.

"Stetson…I'm warning you…I was trained by the best ,you know. I can pry any secret out of you, given enough time."

Lee's grin broadened. "Enough time, " he stated. "Well, Amanda, look out that window." The snow had started again while they had eaten. You couldn't see the tracks from their earlier entrance and the car was almost hidden by the snow drifting up against it by the blowing wind. " Time is something we seem to have plenty of at this moment. Just think, we can't get out and no one can get in. We have food, electricity and heat. What more could you ask for?"

"Oh, I can think of ONE other thing we might need," Amanda said with a sly grin.

Lee quirked an eyebrow in response. She stood and moved around the table to bend over and whisper in his ear. His eyes grew wide at her words and he gave a wicked grin.

Standing up beside her, Lee turned to take this wonderful woman in his arms once again. He marveled that he had been so blind when it came to his feelings about her and he vowed silently to make it up to her as often as possible.

"Well," he whispered into her ear. "I've got that covered, did you think ALL I brought was clothes, did you?"

Smiling at the blush that crept over her, Lee swung the love of his life into his arms and carried her up the stairs.

The End.