Title: I'll Stand By You - Part Three: Let's Make a Deal

Author: Court

Rating: R

Thanks to: Dottie, Briony, Barbara, Jewel, Leanne, Edene, Mary, Snippy, Kaytie, Carolyn, Sir Knight, Kiosha, Flora and Lindsey for the awesome feedback!!!  I hope you aren't disappointed with the ending.

Feedback: One of my favorite things! <blessed_23_83@yahoo.com>

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine - they're DEK's.


The weather had taken a sudden turn for the worse: thunder, lightening, violent winds and hard rain harshly replacing the delicate, peaceful atmosphere of the earlier night. It had come so quickly in fact, Bobby and Lindsay had no time to escape the pounding forces of nature - both getting drenched before making it to their car. They had been more content than distressed, though, finding the brighter side of the situation - stumbling down the hill in a fit of giggles.

Arriving at home, they enter their apartment building in anticipation - hoping to find warmth inside. No such luck: not only do they find the in-door temperature to be chilly, but soon they also discover the electricity is out - as the elevators don't work. Lindsay hears Bobby swear under his breath, and rubs his shoulder with a soft smile upon her lips. Returning her gesture, he smiles back, then leads them to the staircase. Hand in hand, they walk up - all seven floors. Bobby's joyous sigh as they reach their destination leads Lindsay to believe he may drop to the floor and kiss it.

They shiver as the cold air inside their apartment hits them, upon the opening of the door. Lindsay leaves Bobby's side in search of candles. He hangs their coats on the rack in the foyer, then takes a seat on the sofa. The darkness prevents him from seeing her as she moves back into the room, but the sharp clicking of the lighter alerts him to her position beside the bookshelf.

Deciding to watch her for the moment, he leans an elbow into back of the sofa cushions and grins. Taking in her lovely features, he laughs a little, thinking of how many times he'd done this same thing tonight alone. He couldn't help it. Now, with her hair wet from the rain...tiny droplets teasing her lips and neck...dripping down her soft, bared arms and legs...her little dress clinging to those curves - she takes his breath away.

Standing, he creeps behind her, allowing his arms to encircle her waist. "So," he whispers. "I was thinking...we've eaten...danced...talked...climbed a hill...drank wine...talked some more...made out...got rained on...and uh - climbed some stairs."

"Mmm hmmm..." she nods.

"Well, there's only one thing left to do..." he says huskily.

"Play Scrabble?" She jokes, turning to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You know, that was my first choice," he plays along. "but then, I took light of the fact that it's late...and we're alone..." he steps forward as he speaks, causing her to move backwards - eventually hitting the wall. He places his hands at each side of her head. "it's cold...and these darn, wet clothes are just dying to come off..." She breathes heavily in reaction to his words and the tone around them. "Bu-t, uh - if you wanna play Scrabble - I'm game."

"Okay," she mumbles, eying his lips.

"I'll go get the board," he says, turning away. Instantly, he is pulled back with an urgent force, as her hands move from the back of his neck to the lapels of his jacket; forming a strong hold on him, their mouth are joined. "Or not," he chuckles, as they pull back.

"You're not going anywhere," she hisses.

"Yes, ma'am," he smirks, leaning down to kiss her.

Again, he pulls away and stares into her eyes. He feels it is important to transmit the message of his seriousness...of his true need, desire to prove what she means to him. Behind her playfulness, he knows there remains a question of his devotion...even if it was just a little doubt, he wants it to vanish from her soul forever. The start of this night brought out her emotional outburst that still had him reeling, and despite his vows and their talk, he knows her fears aren't completely erased...no...that will take more than a night. Before long, she WILL believe that he'll never leave her - that she IS the woman he fell in love with...the woman he'll always love.

"Lindsay, I -" he begins,

"I know," she interrupts. Caressing his cheek, she promises. "I know. Just...show me."

Smiling, his eyes say everything as they burn into hers. His kiss is long, deep and slow...teasing her tongue with his own...moving his mouth over hers with a passion perfected in time...pressing her into the wall as his control begins to subside. Moaning, her eyes remain closed, while his lips graze her jaw line, leading up to her right ear.

"I love you," he whispers.

"I love you, too," she moans, as his lips return to hers.

Feathery kisses trail from her mouth, to her chin, down her neck...along her collarbone...brushing her shoulders as he slides her straps down...dropping his hands low to pull down the zipper of her dress. One quick motion unclasps her lacey bra...her breathing becomes ragged and her heart races wildly as he continues the journey over her body with his skilled hands, lips, teeth and tongue...suckling her breasts...nibbling at the soft, tender flesh of her stomach. She mutters without thinking, simply feeling... drifting away as the pleasure he envokes dismisses all rational thought.

Somewhere along the way, her fingers find his hair, forming a tight hold...yanking at it lightly as he directs his kisses to her legs, sliding her underwear down at a most excruciating pace.

Upon the sight of her legs shaking, he briefly wonders whether it's due to the lack of heating or a mere reaction to his actions. The answer is clear as he glimpses the sweat beads dotting her features. Moving back up, he is unclothed two hundred times faster - her motions are fierce, desperate...stumbling around blindly, eventually crashing quite miraculously onto their bed. There, Bobby further rattles his Linds...sucking her elbows as he'd done countless times before; she moans, voicing her need to have all of him.

Bobby doesn't object, and gives her what she wants. Joining them, he leans up, entwining their fingers before planting them firmly against the mattress. They move together slowly at first...whispering promises for their new tomorrow, reaffirming the love that is still very much alive...then, striving for more, speeding up, thrusting frantically...panting, moaning, grunting, sighing...crying out...calling names...breaking, shuddering as they find ecstacy.

Later, they rest in each other's arms...their room set aglow by a single candle Lindsay had lit before her venture to the living room. Lindsay leans up on an elbow, allowing her free hand to circle his chest. Looking up at him, her smile matches his. She looks down at her busy hand for a moment, then back up.

"Bobby?"

"Hmm?"

"I want us to try a case together...just us."

"Where did that come from?" He chuckles.

"I mean it," she says, her voice a little hightened. "Think about it...it's been forever."

"And there's a reason for that," he offers suggestively.

"Which is?"

"We never get any work done," he grins.

"I promise, I'll be good," she smiles sweetly.

"Why is this so important to you?"

"Well, for one, it'll mean more time together."

"That's always a plus..."

"Yeah," she nods, pausing briefly. "We make a great team, Bobby."

"Yes, we do," he whispers. Running his hand over her cheek, he studies her face. "There's something else..." She looks away. "Tell me."

"It's just...since I've been back...I've felt...disconnected in a way...like...like I don't belong." She stops, taking a breath. "I've been searching for that one link to bring me back...the one I know exists, and...I think...you're it. Finding myself again...my place...I can't do it alone. I need your help, Bobby."

"You have me, Linds...whatever you need." He moves closer. "We can co-chair as many cases as you want...I'd love it," he smiles as does she. "Lindsay...I know I've been wrong in the past...I know I can't just snap my fingers and make everything right, even though I'd like to. We've done something terrible, you and I..."

"What's that?" She breathes out, the intensity of his gaze moving her.

"We've put everything, everyone else before us...before out family. With Bobby Junior maybe not so much, but -" he stops, grinning fondly as memories flood his mind. "Remember taking long lunches just so we could make love for hours...forgetting food altogether..." she smiles "and the nights we'd just cuddle on the sofa talking nonsense..." he pauses, chuckling "the day we were late to court because you decided it would be fun to skinny dip instead of picnic..."

"Is that a complaint?" She giggles.

"Hell no!" He demands, kissing her quickly. "I miss taking you to Red Sox games..."

"Bobby, I've only been to two games with you!"

"Yeah, well...that place has an important significance now, thanks to you, and I think we should visit more often."

"Yeah, yeah, anything to see a baseball game..."

"Oh, but it's just not the same without your enthusiastic presence! Not to mention, you look so damn sexy in those little shorts and a baseball cap."

"Ugh," she groans. "You are such a man." He laughs. "Don't worry, babe, soon little Bobby will be old enough to take in my place. You can do the male bonding thing...it'll be great."

"Yeah," he grins.

"I miss all that, too, honey..." she says softly.

"So, you're willing to make the deal?"

"What deal?"

"To start doing all that stuff again, in exchange for more cases together."

"I can oblige to that," she grins. "But there's one condition..."

"What?"

"A vacation. Lord knows we have the money. And I am SO SICK AND TIRED of BOSTON!!!"

"Don't tell me how you really feel, now," he laughs.

She sighs. "Bobby, I love our life here...but a little time away would do us all some good. We could go some place warm...Bobby Junior would love it."

"So would I," he admits. "Let's do it."

"Really?!" She squeals, planting kisses all over his face.

He laughs, rolling them, so he lies over her. "Can we shake on it, now?"

"Um...well..."

"Don't tell me there's another condition," he moans.

"A tiny one..." she puts on her most pitiful face, protruding lip and all.

"Let's have it," he sighs.

"A house."

"AH," he smiles, nodding.

"We've never really discussed it, and it's time we do. I don't want to be old and grey in this apartment, Bobby." She closes her eyes. "I want a rose garden...a porch with a swing...a big yard for our kids..."

"Speaking of kidS..." he begins. "I don't want to wait too much longer for more...I'm not getting any younger, ya know."

"Tell me about it," she smirks.

"Funny," he says, pretending to be offended. "I'm serious, though. Our son's getting more bored with us by the day. He needs a playmate."

"I know...but..." She looks frustrated. "Bobby, I do want more children...it's important to me, too...I just - I just can't do it right now. We need to work on us, first...then bring more little Donnells into the picture."

"How long are we talking here?"

"I don't know...we've come a long way tonight. If we keep this up...I'm thinking our new edition could be on it's way by this time next year."

"I can live with that," he grins.

"You do understand, right? It's not that I don't want more...I LOVE being a mother. Bobby Junior is...oh, Bobby, it's beyond words to describe what having him means to me..."

"I understand. And you're right...everything you've been through...us...now's not the right time. When it is, we'll both know it." She nods. "So...let me get this straight...first, we go on vacation..." she nods again "then, we find a house...move in..." nod "spend our days re-defining 'us'...being more open with each other...never taking what we have for granted..." nod "and squeezing in baseball games, popcorn fights, skinny dipping and food-free lunches along the way..."

"Leading up to the arrival of a little me."

"A girl, huh?"

"Absolutely. I'll need someone to shop with while my boys are off to the game."

"And to teach the art of leaping across conference tables," he smirks.

"Ha, ha!" She swats him.

"Ow," he laughs. "I'll never forget that - the look on your face..." he chuckles.

"You didn't seem too amused at the time," she points out.

"Yeah, well..."

"Anyway..." He shakes his head, smiling from ear-to-ear dreamily. "What?"

"Nothing...just...this - right now...it's wonderful."

"Yes," she whispers, raising her hands to his cheeks.

"I don't want it to end...yet, I do...because..." he stops, looking at her lovingly. "Tomorrow looks so good."

Her answer isn't a verbal one: she pulls him closer and kisses him passionately. Their conversation ends as they get lost once more, but not before Bobby mumbles with a hint of laughter, "I guess we kissed on it." A love-dazed Lindsay is confused by his statement, but pays no mind to the matter, opting to continue on with much more important things.

Their love is rare, as is their bond. Mistakes will happen, and perfection may not be possible, but they believe what they do have is close enough.

~THE END ~
WHAT'D YA THINK? I HOPE YOU ENJOYED READING AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED WRITING THIS FIC. I WAS THINKING OF DOING AN EPILOGUE FROM A (FOR NOW) UN-NAMED PERSON'S POV. LET ME KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO WRITE A LITTLE BIT MORE...
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