Search & Rescue Chapter 12

She rolled over to the melody of My Girl, swatting at the alarm clock. She was growing more and more agitated as even when she unplugged the clock it continued to play, opening her eyes and watching her phone vibrating on the nightstand, she picked it up, "Hello?"

"Mornin Red, sleep well?"

A smile covered her entire face, "I was lonely."

His blue eyes twinkled on the other end, "I was lonely too, but I had this dream..." he trailed off.

"Oh what kind of dream did you have?" She sat up now, enjoying this, 'pillow talk', she missed this, talking to him first thing in the morning..

"Well there was this beautiful woman, long legs, brown eyes, fiery red hair."

"Oh really?"

"Mmhmmm.."

"And?"

"And the rest I would rather show you." She felt her face flush at the intimation.

"Oh." she choked out. He laughed at her being flustered. "Bo Buchanan this isn't funny." She couldn't hide the amusement in her voice.

"I just wanted to say good morning and to tell you to have a great day. I'm looking forward to dinner. I'll pick you up at your room at 7, okay?"

"Okay," she hesitated, "and Bo?"

"Yeah, Red?"

"Thanks."

"Thanks?"

"For not giving up on me, on us...for showing me that moving on alone was silly."

"Not silly Red, impossible. I'll see you tonight."

* * *

 

Alexis walked out of the shower towel drying her hair when her cell phone started to ring. She ran over to the desk, dropping the towel on the floor as she grabbed her cell phone, she smiled when she saw his number appear on the screen, "Well good morning, handsome."

"Good morning, sweetheart. So any luck having those sweet dreams you were going to have?"

She smiled on the other end of the phone, blushing slightly as the memories of her deepest dreams rushed back, "Oh yeah...I most certainly did. And you?"

"Oh yeah, and they were amazing."

"How amazing?"

"So amazing that words would never do them justice, I'd much rather show you." Alexis smiled, her heart skipping a beat at the renewed intimacy they've found, and at the prospect of what's still to come.

"So since you aren't going to tell me about your dreams why did you call?"

"I just wanted to say good morning and hope that you and Nora have a great day at the spa, and that I can't wait to see you tonight."

"Well I can't wait either and when you see me next I'm going to be pampered and ready for a night out, so I hope you're ready."

"Oh, I think I've been waiting for this forever."

Alexis smiled and looked at the clock, "Well I better get going or I'm going to be late meeting Nora," She pauses for a moment, "Well I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Alexis." I love you, he said to the dial tone.

In the room down the hall she stared at her phone, "I love you, Ned." She stood up and finished dressing.

* * *
Bo throws on his coat and dials Ned. "Ned Ashton."

"Hey Ned, you want to meet for breakfast, discuss our plans for tonight?"

"Breakfast sounds great. I'll meet you down in the lobby...say 15 minutes?"

"That sounds great." He hung up and hit #4 on his speed dial.

"Buchanan Residence."

"Hey Nigel, can I talk to Matthew?"

"Of course sir, I'll get him."

"Hi Dad!"

"Hey buddy you behaving for grandpa?"

"Daaad."

Laughing, "Good, I'm glad to hear it, now I need you to do me a favor, can you do that?"

"Sure."

Bo sat down on the couch as he related what he wanted Matthew to do.

* * *

 

Ned hung up the phone and walked over to the terrace doors. He opened them stepping out onto the terrace, breathing in the crisp air. He took out his phone and dialed, "Em, it's me. How are my girls?"

"They're doing great. They miss you two very much. Alexis called about a half hour ago and spoke with both of them. They were both happy to hear from her."

"Listen, Em is Brook there, I need to talk to her about something really quick.”

“Sure let me get her."

Ned waited, smiling when he heard her footsteps running through the house, "Daddy..."

"Hey, Princess, listen I have something I need you to do."

"Okay, daddy what is it?” Ned leaned against the railing and explained exactly what he needed her to do.

* * *
Nora walked into the lobby at a few minutes before 9, she was standing there daydreaming about how much her life had changed in just a little more than 12 hours, and she couldn't believe how happy she was, she never even noticed as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to let your guard down? You don't know what kind of crazy man will just grab you in his arms, and take you away to a deserted island to make mad passionate love to you for the rest of your life."

She laughed as she turned to face him, "Is that an offer, cuz if it is I am afraid I am going to have to turn you down, because you see, I'm already taken," Bo looked at her his brow creased, "well not by someone who will spend the rest of his life making mad passionate love to me, but by someone who will dirty my carpets, leave fingerprints on my walls, and occasionally crawls into my bed to wait out a storm."

Joining her laughter, "Ahhh...Matthew…yes, we would have to bring him along."

"Yes, and then the mad passionate love would be out, because it would scar him for life."

He heard the elevator ding and looked over her shoulder to see Alexis walking toward them, "Well I guess I will leave you with your lady friend, and see if I can find another woman to sweep off her feet."

She swatted at him, "Don't you even think about it Commish."

He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, "You have a great day." Then he let go of her and shoved her towards Alexis, "Morning Alexis."

"Good morning, Nora...Bo", she smiles at them. They did remind her of her and Ned so much, "So what time are we supposed to be there?"

"We've got our first appointment at 10:00 that gives us an hour to eat and get there."

"Good, because I'm starved."

"Well then what are we waiting for?" She turned to look at Bo, "Would you like to join us?"

"No I have a date," he winked at her, as the elevator opened once again and Ned stepped off into the lobby.

Ned walked up and wrapped his arm around Alexis' waist, placing a kiss on her neck, "Good morning, Nora...Bo."

"Hello Ned," It was amazing how much Ned and Alexis reminded her of Bo and herself. Bo continued smiling at her as he looked at Ned, "Ready to go eat?"

"Sure am, I'm starving."

"Well, let's go then." He headed for the doors to the hotel, as much as he wanted to eat with Nora, they had things to talk about, with no ears in proximity. "Since the ladies are eating in the hotel restaurant I thought that we would grab a bite in the coffee shop around the corner, being a cop I'm a donut man anyway." He chuckled.

"The coffee shop is great. Whenever I've had enough of my family and the morning breakfast bar, I usually head to Kelly's, the local coffee shop. Besides, you can never go wrong with a jelly donut."

* * *

Nora walked into the restaurant followed by Alexis; they were shown to their table. As Nora sat down, she noticed a red rose with a card sitting on her seat, "Oh it looks like someone left something here." She picked it up to hand it to the waiter, she caught the writing on the envelope and the one word, "Red" she muttered. She smiled as she looked at the waiter, a blush rising to her cheeks, "Um never mind." She opened the card, "I'll be thinking of you. See you soon. Love Bo." She looked over at Alexis who was reading her own surprise. She shook her head at the similarities between them. And all the time both couples had lost due to stubborn pride, "No more."

Alexis smiled at the obvious joy on her friends face. The waiter assisted her with her seat and then walked over to a tray off to the side. He walked over and set the tray down in front of her. He hands her the card, "Take some time for yourself...and remember I'll be thinking of you every minute until we see each other tonight." She placed the card back in the envelope and lifted the lid off the tray, she smiled, "French toast, and two chocolate covered strawberries." She looked up at Nora who smiled, "He knows me sometimes more than I know myself."

* * *

"So," Bo said as he stirred the creamer in his coffee, "we are all set for tonight?"

"Yeah we're all set. I spoke with Brook and Emily and we are a go.”

Bo finished up his coffee, "All right then Mr. Ashton; I will meet you back in the hotel at 5:30 that should give us plenty of time to finish up before dinner."

"5:30 it is."

* * *

The waiter walked up to their table as they were finishing up. "Anything else I can get you Ms. Buchanan, Ms. Davis?"

Nora smiled, "Just the bill."

"That's been taken care of ma'am and your ride is waiting outside."

"Our ride?"

"Yes ma'am the driver is in the lobby."

She looked at Alexis, "Shall we?"

"We shall." she said picking up her purse and coat off the chair beside her.

The driver was waiting in the lobby as expected, "Ms. Buchanan, Ms Davis, this way please." They followed the driver out to the limo.

Nora took Alexis' arm and leaned in close, "If I didn't know better I would think we're being seduced." She laughed conspiratorially.

"Oh, I know we are." she smiles coyly, remembering all of Ned's past means of seduction.

* * *
They arrived at Beauty & Wellness NYC a short time later and walked up to the check in desk. "May I help you?"

"Yes, please, Nora Buchanan, Alexis Davis."

"Ah yes, 2 for the Champagne Package plus a manicure and pedicure."

Nora looked at Alexis, her brows furrowed in confusion, "Ah no, that's not right, we had the Rescue from Stress Package. Isn't that what we got Alexis?"

"I know that's what I signed up for."

The attendant looked again at her monitor, "Yes, that is what was originally ordered but it was upgraded first thing this morning, as well as paid in full, is there a problem?"

Nora realized what had happened, or rather who had happened, she shook her head, "There's no doubt about it Alexis; we are definitely getting our pants charmed off!" Looking back at the attendant, "No there's no problem at all, so where do we start and what exactly does the Champagne Package entail."

The attendant handed them each a pamphlet, "Your personal attendant will be with you shortly. You can have a seat over there while you wait." "Thank you."

Nora replied as she went to sit, glancing at the Champagne Package.

* * *

Bo was driving down the interstate when he snapped his fingers, "Perfect." He flipped open his phone and dialed the now familiar number.

“Ashton."

"Ned, about that surprise we were talking about earlier."

"Yes, what about it?"

"I was thinking, the kids will be out of school the last week of June, why don't we get together the first week of July, we'll start in Williamsburg, VA, for some history, go to Busch Gardens, then hit the beach for a couple days, take the kids to DC for the fourth, I have some friends on the force there that can make sure we get a good safe spot, then hit the Smithsonian. We can head back to the beach for the weekend and then home. What do you say?"

"I say you're on. I know Brook would love it, she's wanted us to take a family vacation for months now."

"Okay then I'll call a travel agent when I get home get it all lined up and have the itinerary, sent to us at the hotel. We can approve it when we get there, sign off on it and be able to give it to the girl’s tomorrow morning."

"They'll love it, I'm sure."

* * *
Nora laid with her eyes closed, in the Champagne body wrap a hot towel on her neck. She heard the door close as the attendant left, "Alexis, tell me I'm not dreaming, because if I am dreaming I don't want you to ever wake me up."

"Can't do it, I'm stuck in the same wonderful dream."

"It is wonderful isn't it?"

"I haven't felt this relaxed since the last time I went to a spa like this...it was over six years ago...back when Ned and I were together but married to other people."

She lay there knowing she was battling with consciousness, but she was certain Alexis said she and Ned were together but married to other people, that couldn't be what she said, "when you and Ned were married?"

Alexis laughed, "No...no Ned and I well each of us were married to our best friends but we...well we were still lovers. It's a really long and complicated story."

"Well, you know we have a really long and wonderful day ahead of us and if you care to share I think this is one story I would enjoy hearing."

Alexis smiles, "Well it all began when one of Ned's very distant very long lost cousins arrived in town, the designer Chloe Morgan. Her loving Uncle Herbert had left her quite a windfall of cash which she used to start up her design company. Unfortunately for Chloe her Uncle had a codicil in his will that stipulated that if she wasn't happily married within five years of his death and remain happily married for at least one year, her entire inheritance and everything that she purchased with it would revert back to his estate and be turned over to his widow."

”So I take it Ned, being the nice guy he is, married her?"

"Exactly. We both figured that neither one of us wanted to get married, despite how much we loved each other." she pauses for a moment remembering that conversation in her hotel suite as though it was yesterday, "Well anyway, the plan was to go to Vegas and get them hitched. So we flew down there on the ELQ jet. Things however didn't go as planned."

"Apparently." she chuckled, "I see how they got hitched, but what about you?"

"Well actually it wasn't Ned and Chloe that got married that night...It was Jax and I."

"Did I miss part of this story?"

"Yes, you see. Jax and Chloe had a connection, and well they started to fall in love, which is the reason she didn’t want to marry him, but anyway back to Vegas. Ned and Chloe were just about to begin the ceremony when her Aunt Gertrude walked in, with an affidavit from her lawyers in England stating that the definition of 'happily' in Uncle Herbert's will did not cover quickie weddings in Vegas. So Jax, being oh so quick on his feet, announced that it wasn't Ned and Chloe that were there to get married that night but him and me. So you see, what started out as Ned and Chloe getting married in Vegas to satisfy her Uncle's will ended up in Jax and I taking the plunge."

Nora chuckled, "Well, it could have been worse, it could have been a man with a 20 year obsession, or just an obsessive personality; I seem to attract those somehow."

Alexis' curiosity was now peaked, "Okay, I told you my story, now it's your turn...spill it."

"There isn't much to spill really, I was happily married to Bo, we had everything I ever wanted, and we were trying to have a child of our own, when suddenly our whole world turned upside down." She went back to that terrible time, "Bo's son was shot in the line of duty, he was a cop like Bo, and Bo withdrew completely. I thought he was going to die, and I was led to believe he couldn't father children, so in a moment of hysteria, I slept with a man who claimed to be my friend, to give Bo a child."

"Oh, God, Nora, I'm so sorry...for both of you."

"Don't be, I made a decision, the good news is Matthew was Bo's son, he missed his early years, but Matthew and Bo have a wonderful relationship now," she paused, "as a matter of fact I would say the only thing in my life that isn't perfect, is MY relationship with Matthew."

"What do you mean?"

"Matthew blames me for Bo and I not living together, he's not very happy with me right now."

"He sounds like Brook, Ned's daughter. I'm not her biological mother but ever since her mother died she and I have become really close and well I think once I had come back from the plane crash she expected us to move back in together. She was devastated when she found out we weren't."

"I couldn't move back in with Bo just because Matthew wanted it, it wouldn't have been fair to any of us, but now maybe...maybe we all will get happily ever after."

"That's the exact reasons we gave Brook for not being able to live together as a family, but like you said, hopefully after this weekend we can start moving in that direction."

"Hopefully."

The attendant walked in, "are you ladies ready for your full body massage?"

"Absolutely, although I am not sure I can handle much more relaxation."

"Me either. After this I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself."

"I feel sorry for Bo, after putting my body through all this refreshment I'll be lucky to stay awake for 10 seconds when I lay down tonight...as much as I want to show him how grateful I am, I'm not sure my body will cooperate."

"I know what you mean. I'll be lucky I don't fall asleep in my salad." They both laughed.

* * *

Bo walked into Asa's house, and nearly tripped over the bag by the door, "Matthew where are you, buddy?"

"Hello sir, Matthew is up in his room. Would you like me to go get him for you?"

"No thanks Nigel I'll take care of it." He headed up the stairs and walked in Matthew's room, he was laying on his bed a picture in his hands, "hey buddy, what you got there?"

He looked at his father, "Nothing," he tried to put it behind his back.

Bo reached for it, "Let me see." Hesitantly he handed it to him, it was a picture of the three of them from when Nora came home; they were all smiling. "You want this don't you, champ?"

"I don't understand why you and mom and I can't be together."

"Well, I'll tell you what...we'll talk to your mom about it tonight after dinner how does that sound?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think she might have changed her mind."

He hopped off the bed and ran towards the door, turning back to look at Bo, "what are you waiting for dad, let's go!" Bo laughed at his son's enthusiasm, it reminded him of Nora.

* * *

Ned walked through the gate leading through the courtyard at Wyndemere. He never liked this old house; even back when he owned it, but with Nikolas and Emily living here now the place suddenly lost its dreariness. He knocked on the door, "Mrs. Landsbury, so good to see you."

"Mr. Ashton, come on in. The girls are in the library waiting for you."

"Thank you," He walked down the long hallways until he reached the library. He peaked his head in, "Hey how are my girls?"

Brook looks up from her book, throwing it on the couch and running into her dad's arms, "Daddy you're here. Are you taking us to see mom now?"

"I sure am", He noticed Brook's face fall for a moment, "What's wrong, princess?"

"When we get home we're going to live one place and Alexis and Krissy are going to live someplace else. Why can't we be together daddy? I don't understand."

He picks her up and sets her down on his lap, "How about we talk to Alexis about that tonight after dinner, I bet she's changed her mind?"

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Cool", she hops off his lap and grabs his hand, "Let's go then. We're going to be late." She runs to the door and grabs her and Krissy's bag.

Emily walks in with Kristina who squirms out of her arms and runs over to Ned, "Dada." Ned scoops her up and pulls her close.

Ned kisses her forehead before turning his attention back to Emily, "Thank you for getting them ready so quickly."

"It's no problem at all; and Ned..."

"Yeah."

"Good luck."

He winks at her and takes Brook’s hand, "Alright you two, let's get going."

* * *
Nora took another sip of champagne as her pedicure was being done, "You know if I didn't feel done in after the body wrap, massage and facial, after drinking half a bottle of champagne, I am going to be out for the next week." She laughed and took another swallow.

Alexis held her glass out to her, "To girl talk and relaxation, and finally getting our happily ever after."

Nora held her glass towards her and they clinked. "Ms. Buchanan, Ms Davis, your driver will be here in 40 minutes. Take your time getting ready and feel free to let me know if you need anything else." Nora went to give the girl a tip, "Thank you ma'am but I have already been taken care of."

Nora smiled, "Of course you have." She shook her head, "Well the next time I feel like I need to be rejuvenated I know just where to come, who with and what attendant to ask for."

The attendant laughed, "Well it won't be long before you see me again, if I remember correctly you have the Rose Garden Package reserved 6 weeks from today."

Nora looked at the attendant startled, "I do?"

The attendant nodded, "Yes, you both do, the reservation was made this morning, and I was told if you wanted to change or add anything, to take whatever changes and add them to your reservation."

Nora looked at Alexis, "I could get very used to this."

"We sure know how to pick them, don't we?"

"I don't think I picked him, I think he picked me and I thank God every day for that."

"I know one thing for sure. I'll spend the rest of my life thanking Him for putting Ned in my life."

* * *
Bo opened the hotel room door, and was almost knocked down by Matthew running in, "Cool room dad, can I play a game?"

"Not right now buddy, we're expecting company remember?"

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Bo went to the door and opened it, "Hi Ned," he looked at Brook, "and this must be Brook,” and running his hand on Kristina's cheek, "and Kristina, they are beautiful girls Ned."

"Thank you, Bo." He looks around him and into the room where Matthew and Brook were sitting on the edge of the bed flipping through the channels, "You're son is the spitting image of you. You're one lucky man."

"Yes, I am." He held the papers out to Ned to look at. "Here's the itinerary for July, let me know what you think?"

"I'll take it back to the room and let you know at dinner tonight. I'm going to go get these two in bed, it's been a long day and they're both in need of a nap."

* * *

Nora walked in her room and prepared to put on the slinky black dress she had brought along to experience the NYC nightlife with. She was surprised when she found an attractive black pantsuit hung on the bathroom door, "Hey Red, hope you had a wonderful day, I missed you, and look forward to seeing you soon. Love, Bo."

She smiled as she shook her head and took the outfit out of the garment bag. "Okay Buchanan, what are you up to?"

* * *

Alexis walked into her room after her day of relaxation. She walked over to the nightstand beside the bed and found one purple iris sitting on the table and a note, "Hope your day was wonderful and I can't wait to see you." She brought the flower up to her nose, inhaling its scent. She walked towards the bathroom where she saw a red satin pantsuit hanging on the door with another note attached to the hanger, "You've always looked amazing in red. See you tonight. Love, Ned."

TBC....