The Night Out

Amanda was still fuming when she got home later that afternoon. "Of all the nerve!" she huffed as she set the grocery sack on the counter.

"Of all the nerve, what dear?" she heard her mother ask form the family room.

"Oh nothing really mother." Amanda didn't really want to try and explain why she was having a bad day and she really didn't want to go into detail with her mother on
whom had put her in such a foul disposition. All she wanted to do was take a hot bath and curl up with a good book and forget about Lee Stetson.

"Amanda something is bothering you I can see it. Is it Dean? Do you two have a fight? I mean sometimes your father would do something that would just set me off. I
remember one time..."

"No Mother is wasn't Dean. In fact it was no one of importance. I think I will just go upstairs and lie down for a bit. I am kind of tired." Amanda said as she tried
to escape any more conversation with her mother. She saw a note out of the corner of her eye. "Mother what is this?"

"Oh Suzy from University called, I don't think I ever met her but she said that you would remember her, anyway she said she was in town for the night and would love to catch up with you and a few of your other friends that lived in the area." Before Dotty could say anymore Amanda thanked her and headed upstairs.

"Strange that girl."

Upstairs Amanda phoned her friend and made plans to meet downtown in a short while. With that Amanda decided that she would go all out. Suzy was her crazy, uninhibited
friend and so the girls were probably in for a fun night and Amanda thought she could just cut loose and forget about Lee.

Amanda met up with Suzy and two other friends from University. They ordered drinks and were sharing what was going on in their lives.

"Amanda, you look great!" Suzy gushed. "If I didn't know any better you are trying to forget a guy. Am I right? I remember once when Joe did something to make you upset we
went out and you just cut loose, kind of like what you are doing tonight. Is it someone your dating?"

"No, no it is nothing like that." Amanda paused for a minute and thought about making something up but Suzy was right and she figured why not explain the situation with them. So she started, "...I mean of all the nerve, right. I didn't have to help him, but I did.. His boss offered me a job, I mean I did ask, but he didn't have to say what he did after all that I have helped him with. For him to say `You can be replaced, you know.' Yes I do know, thank you very much." Amanda just let it all come out and she felt better for it.

The girls all listened then offered their support and suggestions. "Maybe he was just having a bad day, and you can always ask to transfer and quit and get another job." Suzy suggested. She had a sneaking feeling that there was more to this man then Amanda was letting on. Amanda doesn't usually get all worked up over nobody. But Suzy let it go at that.

They continued to have fun and dance and Amanda was really having a good time when someone tapped her on her shoulder and asked her to dance. When she turned around it
was none other than Lee.

"I am sorry but I don't really feel like it." With that said she left the dance floor and returned to the booth.

"Amanda that man is drop dead HOT!" The girls were confused.

"That `Man' thinks I can be replaced." The girls got it.

Lee couldn't believe his eyes when he arrived at the club. Amanda was there with some friends and she was a knock out. He had seen her dressed up before for functions but not like this. It got his blood boiling. `Wow there cowboy. This is Amanda and after you treated her today she will probably throw water on you.' But Lee couldn't stop staring and with that he walked up and asked her for a dance.

"She turned ME down. I mean I guess I should have expected it after I treated her, but I thought she would dance with me." He mumbled at the bar. The Bartender
overheard and suggested to Lee to go an apologize. "Well I guess it could hurt, could it," Lee said.

So off he went to swallow his pride and say he was sorry to the one women in the place that he shouldn't be thinking about but can't stop himself from doing so.

Amanda just groaned in frustration; this had to stop and stop now, before she got more mad then she was.

Truth to be told, she wasn't really mad, more annoyed of the stubborness of her dear husband.

She knew he wasn't used to fixing things around the house by himself, but hire someone to wash the second floor windows on their new house was just ridiculous.

Amanda knew she has to do something and fast if she wanted her windows washed before summer, the boys were busy cleaning the garage and the one left to wash them was Lee, but he refused loud and clear.

Hmmmmmmm but to make Lee Stetson to change his decision, was difficult, what she needed was a trick.

So she start aproaching the overstuffed armchair were her husband read his paper.

"Lee, you can be replaced, you know!"

Lee's eyes, flew up from the paper, in a questioning look.
Amanda, not paying more attention to him turned away, sweetly asking her mother.

"Mother, do you remember what a good job Dean did that year when he offered to help me wash the windows of the Arlington house? Do you remember how they sparkled in the sun?"

Dotty, look very uncomfortable, but seeing the playful twinkle in her daughter's eyes, decided to play along.

"Yes, dear I remember, he did a very good job."

"Do we still have, the old phone book? I think I'll give him a call, I know he would be more then happy to help me again."

Lee's tall frame materialized in seconds near the kitchen counter where his wife and mother-in-law were talking.

"Amanda, what do you mean by replaced, and why do you still have the phone number of Dan, Don, that damn weather guy?"

"The name is Dean Lee, and well if my own husband doesn't want to help me, I must get all them help I can, if I want my windows washed, and for sure I won't give any money to a stranger to do them.

Amanda with an angry look in her eyes turned away from her
husband, winked at a smiling Dotty, who pretended to begin searching for the phone book in a drawer.

Lee's voice rose just a little.

"Dotty, please leave that stupid book, I would be happy to wash those windows, heck! I'll wash all of them."

"No, sweetheart, those on second floor will do, come and I'll show what you have to do "

She sat alone in the small room. Eyes focused on the flashing screen, as she hammered away at the keys of the computer. Trying to make something imaginative and creative appear on the screen would be easier if somebody had informed her fingers she thought to herself. Nearly there, yes! Finally finished and able to hit the blue send
button, with a sigh of completion.

She waits, checks, forehead furrowing in disappointment.
*'Where is it?* Logs out, logs back in -- still nothing.
She waits, she reads all the other great slants on this weeks Scarecrow And Mrs King story challenge, chuckling as she marvels at the interesting directions the other authors have allowed their stories follow.

Her story should be there soon she muses, she didn't back it up, if it doesn't appear she'll have to try and remember it all and type it, yet again. When the tenth try comes up empty she snarls viciously at the screen.
"You can be replaced, you know!" Damn Yahell, damn it to hell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DAY 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When I blow this special whistle," Johnson tells his
henchman..."Blanco here is going to run like mad for 5 miles to the
bluffs!!! Our sweet Princess won't know what got into him!"

"FIVE MILES, YOU WANT ME TO RUN FIVE MILES!!!!" whinnied Blanco
loudly. He turned to El Diablo in the adjacent corral and
nickered, "Did you hear that El Diablo? This jackass wants me to run
five miles!"

To which El Diablo shook his head wildly causing the horse flies to
scatter and whinnied this reply to Blanco, "Next thing you know,
Johnson will enter you in the Kentucky Derby and expect you to win
the Triple Crown!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DAY 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Johnson was standing by the training ring on his ranch watching one
of his horse trainers by the name of Parker work with the Princess'
horse, Blanco. He was putting Blanco through the normal paces, the
walk, jog, and lope, when Johnson called out to him, "Let's try those
special maneuvers we've been working on, Parker."

Parker nodded indicating he was ready. Johnson blew the whistle.
The sound of the whistle was supposed to make Blanco take off in a
dead gallop, then stop short at the far fence and rear straight up.
Instead, when Blanco heard the whistle blow, he just whirled around
in circles in the middle of the ring.

"What the hell is that stupid horse doing, Parker?" Johnson yelled.

"I don't know, sir. He did the routine fine day before yesterday.
Let's try it again." Parker responded, irritated that the horse had
embarrassed him in from of the boss like this.

Johnson blew the whistle again, but all Blanco did this time was
plant his feet in place and refuse to move no matter how hard Parker
urged him to move.

Blanco looked over towards the adjacent corral and whinnied to El
Diablo, "I guess I showed them! I won't have to run those five miles
after all!"

El Diablo nodded his head in agreement with Blanco's plan.

"Dammit, Parker! You gonna let this nag get the best of you?" Johnson
yelled in frustration, as he stomped out into the middle of the ring
and looked Blanco squarely in the eyes.

"You can be replaced, you know." He told Blanco in an evil
voice. "I can always buy the Princess another horse, one that's more
beautiful than you anyway, you nag! Have you ever heard of Alpo, old
boy?"

To which, Blanco promptly proceeded to sneeze all over the front Mr.
Johnson's white suit to show him just what he thought about that!
Mr. Johnson, red-faced and really fuming by this time, just turned
and stomped off towards the house knowing it was too late to purchase
another horse. He decided they'd just have to convince Blanco to do
what they wanted him to do some other way. Obviously what they were
doing wasn't working well at all. Maybe the horse can be persuaded
to accept some kind of bribe, he thought, I mean horses do love to
eat after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

B5 - Season 1 - Scene extension - Eyes

Garibaldi stared first at Lennier then back to the now restored 1992
Kawasaki Ninja. Originally, Lennier had offered to help translate
the repair manual. The damn thing was in Japanese and he'd had a
hell of time figuring out what they were talking about. The pictures
only helped so much in rebuilding.

He never expected the Minbari to actually build the bike. After all
he'd been working on it for years whenever he had a spare moment or
time off from security. It'd been his purpose in life. Now it was
done. He'd have to find something else to occupy his time.

"Zabagabee. Zabagabee." Lennier chanted over the bike.

"What are you doing?"

Lennier turned around. "I am chanting the traditional Minbari
blessing for safe journey." He bowed to Michael and turned back to
the bike.

"To bad we can't ride it."

"It is quite rideable. I have installed a clean, efficient Minbari
power source in place of the combustion engine."

He could ride it! Michael became excited. His heart pounded at the
thought of racing through the station. He knew he'd probably get
into trouble if he did it. What the hell he was Chief of Security
and that should give him a few privileges. Like taking a spin on
this sleek machine.

"Come on, let's go." He pushed the motorcycle out of his quarters.
He started the engine and listened to it purr. Of course, he'd never
heard a combustion engine except on vids. They'd been outlawed years
ago on Earth. "Hop on."

"You wish me to hop on what?" Lennier stood ramrod straight
perplexed.

"Get on behind me." He patted the seat behind him.

"Now what shall I do?" Lennier asked as he settled onto the seat.

"Hold on." Michael gunned the engine and they shot down the corridor.

They zipped up and down various corridors and as he passed the
transport tube he saw Sinclair and Ivanova entering. He knew they'd
seen him. There'd be hell to pay later. But who cared. He was like
that daredevil from the twentieth century, Evel Knievel. He turned
the corner and the bike zoomed past faces blurred in shock.

He felt exhilarated. Like a little boy. He couldn't remember the
last time he had so much fun. He came to a stop before reaching the
Zocalo. If he went through there, he'd probably end up hitting
someone. He might be able to talk his way out of any trouble for
riding around the station but if he injured someone he'd be spending
some time in his own brig.

Lennier got off, checked the power source and fiddled with some other
gadgets. Michael wanted to get back on and continue riding. It
would be only a matter of time before a stop was put to their joy
riding.

"You can be replaced, you know." He hunched over the handlebars.

"If you wish." Lennier bowed and began to walk away.

"Hey, I was kidding," he yelled at the retreating Minbari. Dang race
they take everything you say literal. "Would you like to drive?"

Lennier turned around and Michael swore he saw a skip in his walk.

"I would be honored."

After explaining how to work the controls, Michael scooted back so he
could get on in front of him. As they sped down the corridor he
thought he heard Lennier yelling, "Woo Hoo."

End

A wise old owl
________________________________________

Just after their Christmas Eve wedding and awesome tropical
honeymoon, Lee was talking with Billy in the Q Bureau catching up on
what had been going on while Lee and Amanda had been on their
vacation. Lee was telling Billy of their run-in with Dr. Smyth after
the wedding.

"Billy, I gotta tell you, when Smyth showed up uninvited right after
our wedding ceremony, spouting his stupid nursery rhymes and
practically threatening us, if it hadn't been for Amanda, I'd have
punched him into next year!" Lee said as he paced around his desk.

"Well, thank goodness Amanda held you in check. That is all we need—
for you to beat up Dr. Smyth." Billy said while silently thanking
Amanda for keeping Lee under control. He'd have to remember to tell
her so as soon as he saw her.

"Yeah, and he came bearing gifts." Lee said holding up the gift
certificate Dr. Smyth had given them. "Told us to `pick up a bauble'
on him. The nerve…" Lee said with venom. "I plan on returning this
gift certificate to him today."

"Lee, perhaps you should let me handle it for you. I don't need you
going up to Smyth's office, throwing a fit and doing something we
will all regret." Billy told him, as the door to the office suddenly
swung open. There was Smyth puffing away on his cigarette and
staring the both of them down.

Smyth, looking directly at Lee, lyrically stated, "'A wise old owl
sat in an oak, The more he heard, the less he spoke; The less he
spoke, the more he heard; Why aren't we all like that wise old
bird?' Yes, Stetson, why indeed? You'd do well to take the advice
of this wise old owl and keep your mouth shut, especially when you
don't know who might be listening in. Remember when I told you I'd
have my eyes and ears on you and your little housewife? You are not
above the rules. You can be replaced, you know." Smith spat as he
turned and left the office, slamming the door almost hard enough to
break out the glass.

"I'd better get down there and smooth out his ruffled feathers."
Billy said with dread. "Do me a favor; keep a low profile for the
next several days, will you?" He asked Lee giving him that fatherly
look as only Billy could.

"Yeah, sorry Billy, I'll get Amanda in here ASAP to help me with that
assignment!" Lee said grinning sheepishly. And with that, Billy
exited leaving Lee to catch up on the messages and paperwork that had
accumulated on his desk while he and Amanda had been gone.

"You can be replaced, you know." Amanda matter-of-factly informed the
uncooperative appliance before her. "Of course, I'm not sure how I
can afford to do that right now, though."

"Who were you talking to Amanda?" Lee asked, as he sneaked into her
kitchen nearly startling her out of her skin.

"Oh my gosh, Lee, I wish you would stop doing that! You know how much
I hate it when you sneak up on me." Amanda chastised as soon as her
heart rate had returned to normal.

"Relax Amanda, I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing
after the eventful day we had. So you didn't answer my question…who
were you talking to just then?" Lee asked again.

"Oh, no one....I was just trying to get my dishwasher working
again." Amanda explained as she stood fiddling with every knob and
wire that she could find on it.

"You mean to tell me that the blue wire didn't work this time? I
thought you said it was ALWAYS the blue wire." Lee teased her as he
recalled their latest adventure.

"Very funny…I think the blue wire worked quite well for you today
when you were diffusing that nuclear bomb." Amanda sarcastically
responded.

"Oh, it did. I'm glad that you and your blue wire were there to save
the day, Amanda. So, is there anything that I can do to help you
with this?" Lee offered as Amanda's efforts to get the dishwasher
working again failed.

"Sure, you dry and I'll wash!" Amanda suggested as she handed Lee a
dishtowel and opened the dishwasher door to start pulling out the
dirty dishes.

Little jamie King was in tears, despite it was his birthday.

He didn't feel well, in fact he hadn't felt well since yesterday after lunch, but he didn't told a soul, he wanted his birthday party, and if his mother would knew he was sick she would cancelled it.

The second reason he was miserable, were the shushed whispers between his mom and grandma, about the beloved Pretzel the Clown.

Grandma said something about absence, and from what he knew, absence meant - he will not be here, like his dad who was absent for a long time from house.

Hot tears sprung again in his eyes, right when his brother enter the room with the ball in hand.

Looking at his brother Phillip shake his head and said.
"You can be replaced, you know, maybe I can convince mom, to give another brother less wormbrain."

All the sadness overwelhmed Jamie and he stormed out of the room in search of his mother. Amanda was baking, and the sight of her little son, in tears scared her.

"Jamie, what's wrong baby?"

"Mom, I can be replaced by another boy in his house? Phillip told me he would ask you for another brother."

Amanda hugged the little boy. "No, Jamie you will not be replaced by anyone, you are and will be my boy."

"But Phillip......."

"PHILLIP KING, come down right now!"

Up in the room it was Phillip's turn to be scared.

Dotty sat across the table from her daughter, Kurt sat on her right and her
sister Lillian on her left. She loved her daughter, she really did, but why
in heaven did she have to partner with her for this hand of Bridge.

Amanda had to be the worst Bridge player in creation. The pair was
two-hundred points down and it looked like Amanda just screwed up bidding on her
hand.

"You can be replaced, you know," Dotty snapped as she totaled up the points
in her hand.

"I'm sorry, Mother, but you knew I didn't know how to play this game."

"It's all right, dear. Lee's back from picking up the boys. I'm sure he
wouldn't mind taking your place."

End

Amanda sat down in the living room and stared out the window. As she stared she thought, `I am really glad we decided to buy this place after the baby was born. Lee was right, it is so peaceful.'

The boys were out with Lee horseback riding and they wouldn't be back for an hour or two and the baby just went down for a nap.

"And now I can have moment to myself." with a deep sigh and put her feet up. Just as her eyes began to shut she heard a car door shut. `Well I wonder who that can be.'
Amanda tried to beat the person to the door so they would not ring the doorbell, and possibly wake the baby, and she did. When she opened the door she saw the mailman with a big box, it was from Aunt Lillian.

"Oh my, it is probably baby gifts. Thank you so much for bringing it up. Have a good day Sam." Just as she was closing the door on the mailman, they dog woke up and realized someone was there so he proceeded to start barking at the mailman leaving, Amanda hushed him but it was to late. The dog woke the baby.

Amanda set down the box and turned to go and get the baby but stopped at the foot of the stairs. She turned to the dog, "You can be replaced, you know." The scruffy bog down
just looked up at her with sad brown eyes. "And how am I going to replace that." Amanda scoffed.

"Come on let's go get the baby."

"If you do not make the right decision, you can be replaced, you know."

"Replaced?!?!? How? You do not have the authority!" John declared still
reeling from the images Ambassador Kosh had just shown him. And Delenn had
same as admitted that Anna, his wife, could be alive if she had agreed to
work with the Shadows. Yet somehow Delenn didn't believe that and truthfully
neither did he.

Delenn looked at Kosh who nodded. "I may not be able to but he can."

"You can't replace me as captain of this station."

"No, but you are more than just the captain. You are the governor of Babylon
5. It's leader. If you can't handle the responsibility perhaps we need to
find someone who can."

John paced the room. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. General Hague
already had him on a secret mission to help get rid of President Clark. What
else could he be asked to do for this station and it's people?

"Look, captain," Delenn began lightly touching John's arm stopping his
movement. "We really don't want to replace you because we have begun to
trust you. But we are running out of time and we must know where everyone
stands." She continued to hold on to his arm and he looked down where she
held him. "Captain," she began squeezing his arm making him look up at her
and into her eyes, "you have to trust us," pleading with her eyes. "Go back
and visit Mr. Morden. Maybe there's something you missed."

John gently yet with enough force pulled his arm free. He shook his head and
then turned to glare at Kosh and Delenn. "You're wanting me to sacrifice
millions of lives to save billions? Let Mr. Morden go and let him continue
to help the Centauri bomb the Narns almost out of existence." Delenn nodded
despite not liking the choice of words he used. He shook his head, "Then
it's just a numbers game."

"This is far from a game, captain. We are sacrificing some now for the
future because if we don't there may be no future for anyone. You saw the
images and now you have to choose."

Sheridan had his arms at his sides and his fists balled up in frustration.
He let out a huge sigh. "All right…I can't make any promises but I will go
visit Mr. Morden and go from there," he said storming out of Delenn's
quarters.

Delenn let out the breath she had been holding for several moments. "Do you
think he will make the right decision?" she asked Kosh.

"Yes."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he already has," the Vorlon said cryptically before floating out of
Delenn's quarters.