SCARECROW & MRS. KING

"Thunder in the Night"

by shel [email protected]

© february 2001

disclaimer: lee stetson, amanda king, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love belong to warner bros. and shoot the moon productions and possible other copyright holders. i certainly intended no infringement on their copyrights; i just wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear…

archiving: fanfiction.net – please ask me first if you'd like to place it elsewhere...

summary: saw a post in thefanfiction.net forum from Kelly D and thought i'd attempt her challenge of an all-dialogue story…

rating: basically "pg" though maybe it should be "pg-13" for some suggestiveness

time-frame: 4^th season: post-"one flew east"

note: please let me know if you enjoyed it and, if not, why not…and, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames…

"Amanda…"

"Mmmm…"

"Amanda!"

"Mmmm…"

"NO!"

"Lee? What is it?…Lee?"

"…Amanda?"

"Shhh, it's okay. You just had a bad dream….Shhhh, I'm here…"

"Nightmare..."

"Shhh….You're safe. I'm here. You're all right."

"…..Amanda…"

"It's okay, you don't have to talk…I've got you…Just relax…You're safe…"

"What?…"

"It's okay, Lee, it's just the thunder….Shhh…"

"…You're okay?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart."

"Woke you….Sorry…"

"It's okay, Lee. I'm sorry you had a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?…It's okay, you don't have to. Tell you what, how about we crawl back under the covers and wait out the storm?"

"I'm not afraid of the storm, Amanda."

"Did I say you were?"

"…No."

"I'm not afraid of storms either but I was when I was a little girl. Did I ever tell you that?"

"…No. I don't think so. I've never been afraid of them. Used to watch them from the window."

"Wow…I used to hide under the covers. I must've been about five. Usually the covers thing worked but, if it was a really bad storm, I'd run into my parents' bedroom and crawl in bed between them. Mother would usually turn over and go back to sleep. She can sleep through anything. I think Philip and Jamie inherited that from her. I've always been a light sleeper, well, I guess you know that by now. Anyway, Daddy would try to distract me from the storm by telling me stories. When I'd nod off, he'd carry me back to my bed. Pretty soon, though, I wasn't afraid of the storms but I'd still crawl into their bed during storms just so I'd hear Daddy's stories and -- what is it?"

"Sorry, when you said that, I suddenly remembered. All of it. It just came back to me. I can't believe I'd forgotten…"

"Remembered what?"

"When I was about five, I used to do the same thing with my parents."

"I thought you said you weren't afraid of storms."

"I wasn't. Nothing really phased me. My dad called me his 'fearless wonder'. And I did watch storms from the window. One night, we were having a really bad lightning and thunderstorm but it wasn't raining…just like tonight. Anyway, I was surprised because I didn't know you could have lightning and thunder without rain. It was pretty spectacular but I wanted a better view than from my window so I carefully went downstairs. I knew I wasn't supposed to but I went outside and sat on the back steps outside the kitchen and watched the sky."

"What happened?"

"My parents found me and were not amused. Imagine if Philip or Jamie snuck out of the house in the middle of the night and you went into his room to check on him and found his bed empty…Uh, huh, exactly what probably ran through my parents' minds. But I was five and all I wanted to do was watch the storm and I tried explaining that I didn't think they'd worry and that I was fine."

"They didn't buy it, huh?"

"They both gave me a stern scolding about leaving the house in the middle of the night. But, then…"

"Then what, Lee?"

"They sat down on the step with me. My dad pulled me into his lap and wrapped his free arm around my mom who held my hand and we watched the storm together. I looked up at them both, a little confused. I thought for sure I'd be grounded for life. But they looked at me and then at each other and, at the same time, said, 'He's your son.' There was this look in their eyes….I didn't get it but since they didn't seem to be mad at me anymore I figured I'd better not say anything. They whispered to each other but I think I might've started to fall asleep because I don't remember much of what they were saying. I don't know how long we were outside but it started to rain and my mom said it was time to go inside. I wanted to stay out a little longer. I tried telling them that it was just water but my dad agreed with her and carried me inside."

"Oh, Lee…"

"They tucked me in bed again and, as they left my room, I remember my mom saying something to my dad about feeling a bit sorry I wasn't like other kids who crawled into bed with their parents during a storm. She felt like she was missing out on some parental ritual. I didn't quite understand it but if she was unhappy…I don't remember what my dad said to her then but she laughed and they left my room together. I may have been sleepy but I made up my mind to change for her so that she wouldn't feel bad anymore…."

"What did you do?"

"Hmmm? Oh, the next time we had a storm, I ran straight into their bedroom crying about it. Took them by surprise but they let me crawl into their bed. I think they figured out I was pretending the next time I tried it but I don't think they minded. They'd tuck me in with them and Mummy would kiss my forehead and call me 'Daddy's fearless wonder' and I'd fall --"

"Mummy?"

"Hmm? What?"

"You said 'Mummy.'"

"I did?"

"Mmm, hmmm. Oh, there's nothing wrong with it. I guess I keep forgetting your mother was British and that you probably used all sorts of British terms and picked up a lot of her customs."

"There's not much British left in me, Amanda. My parents were killed not long after that and I grew up with my uncle. I pretty much blocked out most of my life with them. It wasn't until Blackthorne that it started coming back to me but it's still only bits and pieces."

"I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry. Come here…I love you and I'm so glad you shared with me…I'm -- um, Lee, not so tight, okay, I can't breathe."

"Sorry."

"Lee, come back, I'm only teasing. I shouldn't have. I'm sorry. I'm okay…Lee…"

"Why don't you go back to sleep? I'll go downstairs and do some reading in the living room."

"Lee Stetson, I can count on one hand the number of times we've had this house to ourselves overnight and I'm not about to waste the opportunity and sleep alone. Come back to bed….Please…"

"Amanda, I'm sorry…I guess I'm not very good company right now. Why don't you try going back to sleep?"

"How can I sleep when something's troubling you? I want to help."

"Amanda…"

"Please?"

"….All right…..Is this better?"

"Mmmm, much…You know, Lee, I think this past weekend was a real turning point for you and the boys. I know you got it started with Jamie when you showed interest in his photography during the Mayfield case but you really sealed it when you accepted Philip's invitation to the skateboard competition. I know you wanted to do something on your own with them but they were both thrilled that you could be there cheering them on. Even Jamie."

"I wanted to be there. We can plan something together for another weekend. I'm only sorry they didn't win."

"Maybe not the competition but I think they won something pretty special this weekend."

"Oh, what was that?"

"A stepfather."

"Amanda…"

"…….You keep that up, Stetson, and I'll let you keep me up the rest of the night."

"Amanda…About tonight…"

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"It's just…"

"Just what, sweetheart?"

"It was…I dreamed about…California."

"Oh."

"I came so close to losing you."

"But you didn't. I'm here, Lee, and I'm fine…What is it?"

"That's not what happens in my dreams…nightmares."

"What happens?…Lee, please, don't turn over, please, tell me."

"…You arrested exactly like I remember but…instead of the doctor telling us that you pulled through, he…he said…he said you'd…"

"Died?….Oh, Lee, it was a nightmare. It wasn't real. I'm here. I'm healthy. And I'm just where I want to be - in your arms. We're going to have a long and happy life together, Lee Stetson."

"Amanda…"

"Sweetheart, look at me……I'm fine. What happened in California wasn't your fault. It was simply an accident and I got hurt."

"It wasn't just a flesh wound, Amanda, you nearly died!"

"But I didn't…I'm not trying to downplay it, Lee. I know how bad it was. I may not remember the moment it happened and parts in the hospital may be a bit fuzzy but I remember enough. I remember why we were in California in the first place. I remember how I felt. I remember the look on your face. On Mother's face. I remember how hard it was to move. To breathe."

"Amanda…"

"Do you remember the conversation I had with Jamie the other day that you overheard? The one where I told him that it was knowing that he and Philip loved me that got me through California?"

"…Yeah, I remember."

"Well, I didn't tell Jamie the whole truth. He needed to hear what I told him but you need to hear the rest."

"Oh? What was the rest of it?"

"I hurt so badly then -- physically and emotionally. But there was someone by my side every step of the way. Someone who helped me through all the pain. Someone who comforted me or made me laugh no matter how much I grumbled. Someone who loved me and did anything necessary to help me recover no matter how mundane the task."

"Your mother loves you very much."

"Very funny, Stetson. I'm not talking about Mother and you know it."

"Who then?"

"My husband, that's who. A very dedicated, loyal, sensitive, caring, and loving man who also happens to be the best intelligence agent this country has on its payroll."

"…You forgot dashing and debonair."

"Lee…"

"Well, you didn't mentioned them and I know I've heard him described that way."

"I may have heard those rumors too."

"Amanda…"

"Okay, okay. Dashing and debonair. Are you happy, now?"

"Hmmm…I don't know. You didn't say it like you meant it."

"Okay, in addition to my previous description, my husband also happens to be the most dashing, debonair, and handsome man I know. And I love him with all my heart and --- mmm..…"

"….I love you, Mrs. Stetson."

"Lee…Let's go…"

"'Let's go'? What kind of romantic line is that? Amanda, where are you going?"

"Come on, grab your robe."

"Amanda, it's the middle of the night."

"Where's your sense of adventure, Scarecrow?"

"In the bed we're leaving."

"Stop your grumbling and get the hall lights; I don't want to trip down the stairs."

"Hey, slow down, you're going to pull my hand off."

"Okay, okay, just hurry up."

"Careful, you nearly missed that last step. What are you up to, Amanda?"

"You'll -- Wow, did you see that bolt?"

"Practically lit up the whole room. You still haven't told me what we're -- why are you opening the door? Amanda come back inside."

"I know we don't have back steps but would you join me on this bench?"

"You don't have to ask…Amanda…"

"….Pretty amazing isn't it?"

"Sure is…"

"Lee, you're not looking up….Lee…You know that drives me crazy."

"Does it?"

"Lee…"

"Thank you…"

"For what?"

"For giving me exactly what I needed tonight. For loving me. For -- hey, it's starting to rain. We'd better get back inside."

"Not yet…Besides, it's just a little water."

"…I love you, Amanda."

"And I love you, Lee…"

the end