Chapter Text
"Oh Amanda, thank God you're here!" Barney raced down the hospital corridor to greet her. "It's Lee!"
"No! No, no, no!" she chanted as she broke into a run and ran toward Lee's room. As she approached, Doctor Neely was coming out, blocking her way.
"Oh good, I was just coming to find you," he said.
"What's happened? What's wrong?" she asked, frantically trying to dodge around him.
"Nothing's wrong," said the doctor. "He's regained consciousness and I think he'd like to see you." He moved to let Amanda dart into the room.
Lee's tracheal tube had been removed and somehow he'd found the strength to grab his uncle's shirt. "Where. Is. Amanda?" he had just managed to grind out through the pain, when she flew across the room.
"I'm here! I'm here!" she exclaimed.
"Thank God," said Lee, releasing his uncle and letting Amanda snatch up his hand between hers. "I thought…" He sank back against the pillows, exhausted even by the small effort.
"I'm fine – I just stepped out on an important errand," she said. "I won't leave again."
"Important errand, huh? So did you get him?" he asked, watching her through half-closed eyes.
"We did," she smiled down at him, brushing her fingers through his hair gently. "You don't need to do a thing except get better."
"I hate hospitals," he said sleepily. "I wanna go home."
"I'll get you home as soon as I can," she soothed him. "You just hafta get a little bit stronger, okay?"
Lee's eyes opened wider and focused on his uncle who had moved to stand behind Amanda and Barney who was hovering near the door. "It must be bad if you're here," he said.
"Nah, you only have a few stitches. I was just in the neighborhood, visiting Barney," answered the Colonel, obviously trying to hide his emotions. "And he was here, just keeping Amanda company."
Lee laughed a little at his uncle's response, then gasped as the pain hit. "More than a couple of stitches, I think," he said.
Barney leaned out the door and called for a nurse.
"Maybe a bit more," teased Amanda and she pressed a hand gently down in his chest to keep him from moving again.
Lee's gaze dropped to her hand and the rings she was wearing and a soft smile went across his face. "Not much of a honeymoon, huh?" he said, too softly for his uncle to hear.
"Not just yet," she whispered. "But it's better now that you're awake."
"How long was I out?"
"Two days, almost three."
"So they know?"
"Barney guessed. Everyone else thinks it's a cover."
"A cover?" Lee frowned. "You didn't tell them?"
Amanda shrugged. "I didn't want to, not without you." She lifted his hand to her face, struggling to hide the tears that threatened. "We do things together, you and me, don't we?"
"I love you," Lee breathed out.
"I love you too." She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his gently, then pulled away so she could gaze at him again
"Colonel?" Lee raised his voice slightly. His uncle had moved away to continue giving them some privacy but he turned back instantly at Lee's call. "Colonel…" he stopped, struggling to catch his breath, then started again. "Uncle Robert… Barney… I'd like you to meet… Amanda Stetson." He smiled as his uncle's look of stupefaction turned into a grin. "My wife."