Pretending

by

"Hurry up Sammy, we have to be on that plane in exactly 42 minutes." Chris paced in her bright, warm living room while Rita made one more round in the bathroom to make sure she got everything. "R-i-t-a!" he was extremely tense.

"Hold your pants on, I’m coming. Geez." she picked up the suitcase and glanced sadly around her bedroom for the last time. "I wonder if I’m ever going to see this room again." she wondered to herself. As she headed out the door, something caught her eye on the dresser. Stopping she lay her bags down and walked over to the dresser and picked up a picture frame. In the frame was a picture of Chris. Caressing his face she smiled and thought about the day it was taken.

<Three Months earlier>

"Snap" the sound of a camera went off, taking a picture of a sleeping Chris with a baby in his arms. Rita volunteered to baby-sit Kiesha’s little girl while she attended a conference in Miami. With Jillian out of town at a Medical conference, Chris did what he always did when she was gone, he practically lived at Rita’s house. He talked her into taking the baby to the beach and just relaxing.

"Sammy lets take "sweetness" here (he looked down at the baby girl in his arms and kissed her forehead) and go to the beach. Just the three of us, like a real live family," he smiled as he put his arm around her shoulder. The feeling of a baby on one arm and her on the other filled him with a yearning. How he wished this were their baby and that she loved him like he loved her. He had to admit that he loved it when Jillian went out of town. He loved spending every day and evening with his Sam.

Rita lowered the camera and couldn’t help but smile at her partner. He looked like an angel. Walking softly up to the hammock, she couldn’t resist reaching out and softly caressing his cheek. "Sam..." she whispered. Her heart was full of so much love for him. How she longed to see this same scene in the future, only with him holding their child. Realizing she was just foolishly dreaming, she shook her head. He doesn’t feel that way about her. He loved Jillian. He told her so.

With tears in her eyes, she sat down in the sand and watched him sleep.

<Back to the present>

"I’m taking this with me, I don’t care what anyone says," she said to herself. With the frame in her hands she opened her bag and slipped it in. As she zipped the bag closed, she thought about earlier that morning.

<3 Hours earlier>

Chris and Rita were sitting in Cap’s office, listening carefully to the plan that Cap had in store for them. They were being sent underground because they had to testify against the drug dealer Montoya. He was infamous for his high contacts in the FBI and many police departments around Florida. Because of this, they needed new, temporary identities and they needed to disappear. Cap was sending them undercover as a young newlywed couple to a small town in Indiana. Harry was the only one who knew where they were. Not even the FBI knew and Harry wanted to keep it that way.

Harry had an old friend that lived in a small farming town called Ingalls, Indiana. He laughed to himself seeing in his mind, Chris and Rita going to church socials and 4H county fairs. "It’s very important that you fit in and you need to make sure everyone thinks you’re really married." Chris looked at Rita after Harry’s last remark and smiled and wiggled his eyebrows up and down at her. She laughed and Cap looked at Chris over the top of his glasses. "This is not an invitation to drive your partner crazy Chris. You will behave like a gentleman." (H)e was looking at Chris the way a father looks at his daughter’s first date.

"Oh, of course Cap. That goes without saying." He tried to look at Cap like an innocent little boy, but when Cap turned his back, he winked at Rita. She just smiled and rolled her eyes at him. When Cap turned back around, he handed Chris two gold wedding bands.

"Here Lorenzo, put on your wedding ring." Chris took both rings and slipped his on first. Walking over to Rita she reached for hers, but Chris stopped her from taking it. He reached for her hand. When Rita saw what he was up to, her heartbeat skipped. He gently took her hand and while slipping the ring on her finger, he was looking seriously in her eyes. The air around them was so charged, they could feel the energy it radiated.

"With this ring, I thee wed." he whispered to her and she smiled into his beautiful blue eyes that had were so intense, she could literally feel him touching her with his eyes.

"Here are your tickets, you need to be on the plane in 2 hours," he looked a little startled at the intense looks on his detectives faces. "Hello, is anybody listening? Get your butts in gear and get moving. You have to pack and be on that plane in exactly.."" he looked down at his watch and then back up at them, "1 hour and 45 minutes." He was pleased to see them back in cop mode and heading for their desks." As they were leaving he embraced each one of them, "Be careful ok? No one knows where you are and its important not to take anything that can identify you. Understand?" With a hug and a smile, they both headed home to pack.

<back to present>

"Sammyyyyyyy please." His voice drew her attention back to the matter at hand.

Clearing her thoughts she replied, "I’m coming Sam." she watched as Chris came to meet her halfway up the stairs so he could carry her suitcase for her. "Thanks partner." She smiled at him and he gave her a weak version of his Lorenzo smile.

The worried look in his eyes mirrored the one in hers. They were both nervous about this assignment. A lot of things could go wrong. Reaching to rest her hand on his arm, she spoke quietly but tenderly, "Its going to be ok Sam." He smiled at her with more confidence and then they were on their way.

Once they got off the plane they saw a woman holding a sign indicating she was looking for Chris and Rita Lucas. Seeing the sign, Chris grabbed Rita’s hand and made their way over to the young woman.

"We’re Chris and Rita Lucas." He had a questioning, scrutinizing look in his eyes. "You are?" the young woman reached her hand out and shook Chris’ hand and then Rita’s.

"Hi! Welcome to Ingalls, Mr. and Mrs. Lucas," the woman smiled at them and she had the most amazing blue eyes that danced with life. "My name is Janet Lowell, and I own the boarding house you will be staying at for the next few weeks." She had Rita by the arm and she acted like they had been the best of friends for years. Rita smiled at the woman. She could tell she was a genuine person. "Lets go home, you must be tired," guiding Rita to her minivan with Chris following behind carrying their luggage.

"Please Janet, call us Chris and Rita. It was so nice of you to pick us up at the airport." Chris opened the door for Rita and she grinned at him and his eyes sparkled with mischief. Chris got in the van and sat next to Rita as Janet got into the driver’s seat.

"Oh, its no problem at all. It’s so exciting to have new faces around here. I’m sure everyone is going to want to come calling on you two." She turned around and grinned at them watching as Chris had a hold of Rita’s hand playing with her wedding band and Rita was looking up into his eyes and hers were just shining. "Awwww" she couldn’t help from escaping her lips.

Both Chris and Rita looked up at Janet and they blushed.

"You two look so much in-love." Janet had turned back around and was moving the van out into traffic as Chris looked at Rita and winked at her.

Twenty minutes later they were pulling up to a big house that sat in the middle of town. Chris and Rita couldn’t believe it. They were shocked. This town looked like something off of the golden age of television. Leaning over toward Rita, he whispered in her ear "Sammy, this looks like Mayberry." Rita laughed in response to him. "Do you have many boarders, Mrs. Lowell?" Chris asked as they started pulling the luggage out of the van.

Just as Janet was to answer a little girl in a bright pink tutu and pink ballet slippers came running out of the house screaming with laughter. "Momma!!" the little one grabbed her around her legs and hugged her while she smiled up at her mother.

"Hi sweetie." she bent down and wrapped her arms around the little one. Rita and Chris stood back watching the tender moment from a distance and smiling. "Were you good for Mrs. Peacock?" she took her by the hand and walked her over toward Chris and Rita.

"Yes Momma." the little girl’s expression changed as they got close to Chris and Rita. She hesitated and then hid behind her mother’s legs.

"Chris, Rita, this is my daughter Jamie." She pulled the little girl out from behind her. "Jamie say hi to Mr. and Mrs. Lucas." Chris couldn’t help but smile at the most beautiful little girl he thought he has ever seen. She looked like she was probably about 3 years old, with long blonde hair and big bright blue eyes. Her eyes got very big and Chris smiled even bigger. He knelt down in front of her and reached out to shake her hand.

"Hi Jamie. It’s nice to meet you." He just looked at his hand afraid to take it at first, but after a minute of looking at him closely she thought that he looked kind of nice.

"Hello." She shook his hand tentatively. Chris could tell she was frightened of him, so he tried to put her to ease.

"Has anyone ever told you that you look like a beautiful pink cupcake in that getup?" he smiled at her and then tickled her lightly in the stomach. She started to laugh as he tickled her tummy.

"No, I’m a Ballerina...you are silly, Mr. Lucas." she smiled at him and Rita noticed Chris’ eyes just shined with happiness.

"Well, I think you’re a cupcake and you can call me Chris, and I’m gonna call you cupcake." He tickled her tummy again and the little girl shook her head yes while Chris took her into his arms and hugged her. After a couple of minutes he set her back down and looked up at Rita and she had a soft look in her eyes as she watched the two of them play. "Cupcake, this is my wife, Rita." The look of love in his eyes as he said that, just about made Rita cry.

Reaching down to the little girl she said, "Hello, Jamie. Its very nice to meet you." She smiled at Jamie and the little one stood in front of her in awe.

While shaking Rita’s hand, Jamie spoke softly. "You are so beautiful. Are you a Ballerina too?"

Leaning down to the little one Rita replied with a big grin, "I was just going to say the same thing about you." She then tapped the little one on her nose and Jamie just smiled up a storm.

"Jamie, why don’t you show Chris and Rita to the room we fixed up for them today." Janet smiled as she saw how much her little one liked Chris and Rita already.

Excited Jamie took Chris and Rita’s hand and led them through the house. Rita noticed how quaint and charming it was as they walked past the living room up the stairs. When they got to their room, Rita noticed right away that it was just a bedroom, with only one bed. She stopped dead in her tracks and Chris could tell what was going through her mind. Whispering he replied, "don’t worry Sammy, we’ll figure something out." He laid his hand on her arm and then kissed her cheek.

Jamie ran over to the dresser and jumped up and down pointing out a vase full of wild flowers. "I picked these all by myself." She was so proud.

One day drifted into two and before they knew it, they had been in Ingalls for 3 weeks. They had a daily routine that included helping Janet in the kitchen with supper dishes, and watching Cupcake. Chris and Rita insisted since they were just hanging around the house anyway, that they could watch Jamie.

It was a quiet Wednesday afternoon and Chris was sitting at the kitchen table talking to Rita as she washed the lunch dishes. "Do you think they will remember that we are even here?" Chris looked up at Rita and grinned.

Turning to look at him and drying a dish she responded," I imagine they will as soon as they get tired of doing all of the dirty work while we’re gone," she laughed and then turned back around.

Chris took this chance to walk softly up behind her and he trapped her against the sink by putting a hand on each side of her on the counter. "Speaking of the dirty work." He spoke softly and huskily in her ear. The tone of his voice sent shivers up her spine and she laid down the dish and turned around in his arms, looking into his eyes with amusement.

With their faces so close to each other, it would have been difficult to slide a piece of paper between them, she laughed, "Sam? What are you thinking?" her eyes sparkled at the harmless flirting.

With humor and a little bit of arousal thrown in, he said, "Well, I was just thinking, isn’t there some little husbandly duty you would like me to perform for you?" he gave her a Eskimo kiss sliding his nose softly and slowly on hers, while he waited for her response.

"Well...." she took this moment to wrap her arms around his neck. "Yes, Chris there is one little husband duty I have been dying for you to do for me." she was looking down at his lips and then she looked up into his eyes and licked her dry lips. The look of surprise and arousal in his eyes made her grin.

Wrapping his arms around her and with his heart beating faster than he ever remembered it beating before he replied, "Name it Sammy, you know I would do ANYTHING, for you." The expression on his face grew serious as he watched her reach out her finger to play with his bottom lip as her lips curled into a teasingly arousing smile.

"Well, Chris......Would you......would you take out the trash it smells really bad..." when her request registered into his thick, aroused state, he reached down and started to tickle her.

"Very funny Sammy. I bet you think you’re so clever." He was grinning at her and she was trying desperately to get out of his grasp. "Let’s see how clever you think you are when I tickle you till you pee your pants." He was laughing and she was screaming from laughter.

"Please Sam...No...More...I’m sorry!" she had a hold of his hands now and they were laughing and looking into each other’s eyes. Just as it always happened, the air was suddenly filled with an energy so electrifying and pulsating. Chris now had a hold of her hands and he was pinning her arms behind her back while he was pulling her up against his body. He was slowly lowering his head to kiss her.

Rita was sure that she has never felt anything as wonderful as the way he was looking at her. She thought if he didn’t kiss her in the very next minute, she would explode. She closed her eyes and just as his lips were to touch hers, "Rita...when can we read more about Suzy?" an excited Jamie came bouncing through the kitchen door. Jamie stopped and noticed that Chris and Rita were about to kiss. "Ut-oh, Chwis is kissing Rita." she smiled shyly pointing her finger up at them and they looked down at her beautiful face and the thought came to them at the same time. Chris grabbed Jamie and both Chris and Rita kissed her at the same time, one on each cheek. Jamie giggled and then with her arm around Chris neck, she kissed him on the cheek and then did the same to Rita.

After the laughter settled down, Rita replied, "how about we find out what Suzy is up to today?" Chris put Jamie down and then volunteered to finish the dishes so they could read. Jamie started to skip into the living room while singing.

"Chwis was kissing Rita. Chwis loves Rita." Rita had her hand on the door and stopped to look back at Chris and they grinned at each other as the song Jamie was singing reached into the kitchen. Chris winked at Rita and she blushed and then headed into the living room. Once Rita was gone from the kitchen, Chris leaned up against the sink and exhaled a deep breath, then he shook his head and grinned.

Outside the kitchen, Rita leaned her head against the wall trying to get her mind and body back under control and again Jamie’s words sang through her mind and heart. "Chris love Rita....Chris was kissing Rita." smiling she let out a deep breath and headed for the living room to Jamie and the further adventures of "Suzy Pratt."

"Knock--Knock" Chris woke up to the sound of pounding on the door. He slept on the floor while Rita slept in the bed. Rita did mange to make him a very comfortable bed on the floor, but it was very difficult for him to know he was sleeping so close to her. He wanted to be much closer. The sleeping arrangement was not to his liking, but what was a guy to do. Again the sound of knocking on the door brought him back to the present.

"Chris? Rita?" the voice on the other side of the door was soft and warm. "Its me Janet. You wanted me to make sure you got up for church this morning." Chris opened the door a little (so she couldn’t see his bed on the floor) and thanked her and said they would be down soon.

After closing the door again and stretching out his long tired body, his eyes settled on his sleeping partner. She looked like an angel sleeping there all cuddled up in a ball. He grinned and wondered what she was dreaming about. Then he sat down on the bed and gently called her name. "Sammy...." he was looking at her with so much love. She didn’t stir a bit. He reached out and caressed her hair softly and called to her again. "Rita..its time to wake up sleepyhead." With this statement she started to open her eyes. When her eyes beheld him, she smiled immediately. To wake up and him be the first thing that she saw, she thought there wasn’t a better way to start the day.

"Hi, Sam." She stretched and yawned and sat up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Smiling back at her with bright eyes, "Good Morning Sunshine." He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Just then Jamie came bounding through the door again.

"Chwiss don’t you do anything else but kiss Rita?" she giggled with her hands up over her mouth. Reaching out to the little girl he grabbed her and threw her down on the bed and started to tickle her.

"Hey cupcake, you are supposed to knock before you enter a room. Got it?" he was smiling down at the little girl as she screamed with laughter. Rita got up from the bed and headed into the bathroom while laughing and watching Chris and Jamie play.

"Ok, Chwiss...stop....I’ll knock next time. I promise." She begged for him to stop tickling her. In a swift motion, he lifted her off the bed and deposited her outside their bedroom door and patted her butt.

"I’ll see you at the breakfast table cupcake." He winked at her and closed the door. Jamie looked at the closed door and smiled. Running down the hall she was calling her mother.

"Momma....I saw Chwis kissing Rita again."

Three hours later, Chris, Rita, Jamie came walking out the front door of the church. Chris and Rita were swinging her and she was laughing. Janet was talking to the minister and the sheriff was standing behind her. He was six foot two with blond curly hair and he watched Janet with soft tender blue eyes that screamed he was in-love with her. When Chris looked back at Janet, he noticed the way the Sheriff was staring.

"Hey Sammy, look up there and tell me what you see," he nodded his head toward Janet and the Sheriff. She turned her head back and a smile covered her face immediately. "It’s that obvious to you too huh?" he smiled at her and then took Jamie’s other arm and started spinning her around as Jamie screamed with laughter.

Janet and Tom (the Sheriff) stopped what they were doing and watched as Jamie and Chris played out in front of the church. The Sheriff looked at Janet and it bother him the way her eyes light up watching Chris. "I don’t like it Janet."

Janet’s mind cleared and with a smile she looked up at Tom, "What don’t you like?" She started walking down the stairs after telling the Minister good-bye.

"We don’t know anything about them. I don’t like the way they look. They don’t seem to act like a newlywed couple to me." He didn’t like the fact that Janet and Jamie like Chris and Rita so much. Especially Chris.

Janet didn’t have a clue that Tom was in-love with her. "What?" she took Tom’s arm (a gesture from being long time friends), "You are blind as a bat then Thomas Pruitt. The looks they give each other sometimes could melt steel. I don’t think I have seen any two people more in-love. You should see the way that they care for each other’s needs. They are always more concerned with the other then themselves." Janet looked up into Tom’s face and she had tears welled up in her eyes. "It reminds me of John." Tom placed his hand over her hand that was resting in the crook of his arm. He hated to see her in pain.

"Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you." His agony of causing her any pain so visible on his face. He reached up and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "Come on, it’s a beautiful day and I’m sorry if I said anything to hurt you." He smiled at her while his hands still held her face gently.

"No, you didn’t do anything to upset me old friend." she placed her hands over his and smiled. "Sometimes it seems like John is close to me that I can feel him. Especially when I am in the presence of that wonderful young couple." She looked over toward Chris and Rita. At that very moment, Chris wrapped his arm around Rita’s waist and the three of them (Chris, Rita and Jamie holding Rita’s hand) started walking down the street toward home.

Leaning to talk into Rita’s ear, Chris whispered, "did you see that Sammy? He has it bad for her." He smiled and Rita’s elbow ended up in his ribs.

"You have no romance in your soul, Christopher. That was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The way he looked into her eyes while caressing her cheeks with his hands." Rita looked at Chris and fanned her hand at her face. "I thought the temperature shot up 10 degrees from the look in his eyes." He stopped in his tracks and had a surprised look on his face. Jamie took this moment to run back to her mother.

"Hey how can you say I have no romance in me. Sammy I’m Captain Romance."

She reached up to stroke his cheek, "and how would I know this Christopher. I have never been the recipient of Chris Lore....." she stopped immediately and corrected herself " of Chris Lucas’ romantic interests." She smiled and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

Under his breath he responded, "that’s not from my choice." Rita didn’t clearly hear what he said.

"What was that Sam?" she took his hand and they started walking back home again.

"I said I take notice and that will be remedied soon." She looked up at him and grinned.

"Whatever you say Sam. Whatever you say." He let go of her hand again and wrapped his arm around her waist, they looked at each other and smiled. Chris had a spark in his eyes. He had something up his sleeve.

Little did Rita know that Chris saw a flier for the Harvest dance on the church bulletin board. He laughed to himself when he thought how much his life now seemed like a "Little House on the Prairie" episode. He was going to church, playgrounds with cupcake and Harvest dances. If Cap could see him now he would never believe it.

It took some doing, but Chris convinced Rita if they didn’t go to the Harvest dance, they would look suspicious. Everyone goes to the Harvest dance, (he nearly whined). When they arrived, Jamie saw Chris and Rita and ran up to them screaming their names.

"Chwis..Rita!!" Jamie went as fast as her three-year old legs would take her. When Chris spotted her running towards them he smiled and kneeled down as she ran into his arms. With arms wrapped tightly around Chris neck, he stood up and hugged her.

"Hi, cupcake. Where did you come from?" he pulled away holding her in his arms as she kissed him on the cheek. His eyes sparkled at the little girl. Rita couldn’t help but be touched by his obvious affection for Jamie.

"Over there...Momma's talking to the sher-ruff." She pointed over to her mom and then reached over to hug Rita. With her arms around Rita’s neck she left Chris arms and went into hers. "Hi Rita. I missed you. When are we going to read more about Suzy?" Rita hugged the little girl back and grinned.

"Mmmmm....I missed you too," she said squeezing the little one back. "How about tomorrow. If it’s all right with your Mommy." She brushed the bangs out of the little girl's eyes and kissed her forehead. Chris watched Rita and Jamie and wondered if this is what it was going to be like when they had a family. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that they would one day. He just had to convince her of that. "Sweetie, why don’t you show Chris and me where the punch is." She set her down and Jamie took Rita with one hand and Chris with the other and lead them over to the refreshment table.

An hour had passed and Chris and Rita were mingling with the town’s people when Chris spied Rita from across the room. She was laughing and she looked so natural in a place like this, in the sane world. As a bunch of children ran past him he reached his arm out and pulled Jamie out of the pack. He spun her around in the air trying to slow her down from the sprint she was in. He had her laughing. "Chwissssssssss....that was fun. Do it again." She smiled into his eyes as he held her in his arms.

"In a minute cupcake. I need you to do me a favor first." He grinned at how big her eyes got. She loved missions. He started to tickle her and she was laughing at the top of her lungs. Rita heard her laughter and looked over to see what Chris was doing to the child. When their eyes met, they both started smiling at each other and then Chris leaned down and whispered something into Jamie’s ear. Jamie shook her head that she understood and then started to cross the dance floor over to Rita.

Meanwhile Rita got a spark in her eye and she was questioning him from afar. What is he up to? She could tell by the way he looked at her that he had something on his mind.

Jamie walked over to Rita and tugged on her arm. Rita bent down so she could hear what Jamie had to say. "Rita? Chwis told me to tell you that he heard that you said he was cute." Rita looked up at Chris with shock and saw him grinning mischievously. Thinking two can play this game, she leaned down and whispered in Jamie’s ear. Chris laughed out loud as he saw Rita talking to her.

Chris was already kneeling down by the time Jamie met him again. "Chwis...Rita said to tell you that she heard that you said, that she said that you were not only cute, but nice too." Jamie looked at Chris and was confused. What was going on? Who knows? She just shrugged her shoulders. She was having fun with game they were playing. He smiled at Rita and then leaned in to talk in Jamie’s ear again. He covered his hand over her ear as if it was the biggest secret ever.

Jamie trampled her way back over to Rita as she said, "Rita....Chris said that you said that he said, you were the prettiest girl he has ever seen." Rita looked up at Chris and it seemed that all at once the air was electrified. She smiled at him with true affection. Meanwhile the band was starting to warm up and they were starting their first song.

Rita leaned over to whisper at Jamie, but Jamie grabbed her hand and was dragging her across the dance floor. "No Rita...come on." Rita was holding back and it was like Jamie was dragging her toward Chris. Chris stood up and as he saw Rita crossing the dance floor he could feel his heart beating faster. Jamie grabbed Chris hand and pulled them both out onto the dance floor. "Come on Chris." He looked at her startled and then Jamie stopped. They were standing out in the middle of the dance floor and the band was playing a slow ballad. Jamie put Rita’s hand in Chris’ and then put Chris’ arm around Rita’s waist.

"Here, now tell Rita yourself that she is pretty." Rita looked surprisingly at Chris and he grinned at her as he took her deeper in his arms.

As Jamie walked away, he said, "hey, thanks cupcake. I owe you one." and then he winked at her and she smiled as she skipped off.

As they swayed to the music, they were looking into each other’s eyes and grinning. The words to the song were having a strange effect on them. It was a boy and a girl and the song seemed to speak out to them.

<girl singing>

We’ve been friends for a long, long time.

You tell me yours secrets and I tell you mine. (Chris and Rita smile)

She’s left you all alone and you feel like no one cares,

but I’ve never failed you

I’ve always been there.

<boy singing>

You tell your stories, it sounds a bit like mine

It’s the same old situation,

It happens everytime.

Can’t we see it or maybe you and me

is what’s meant to be

or do we disagree?

<In unison>

What if I told you,

What if I said,

that I love you.

How would you feel?

What would you think?

What would we do?

Do we dare to cross that line

between your heart and mine,

or would I lose a friend

or find a love that would never end,

What if I said.

 

(Chris is staring completely serious into Rita’s eyes and he can see the questions in them. They mirror his)

<girl singing>

She doesn’t love you.

oh that’s plain to see.

I can read between the lines

of what you’re telling me.

<boy singing>

And he doesn’t hold you

the way a woman should be held. (Chris pulls Rita in closer. She has her head on his chest and he is caressing the small of her back.)

How long can I go on keeping these

feelings to myself? (He pulls back to look her in the eyes.)

<In unison>

What if I told you,

What if I said

that I love you?

How would you feel?

What would you think?

What would we do?

Do we dare to cross that line

between your heart and mine,

or would I lose a friend

or find a love that would never end,

What if I said.

Oh, we both had our share of loneliness.

So who to say that we can’t have a little happiness.

 

(Rita is looking deeply into his eyes and caressing Chris cheek.)

 

<boy>

And if I found mine in you.

<girl>

It would make my dreams come true.

<boy>

Or would you walk away?

I’ve always wondered,

since the day that we met.

What if I said?

<girl>

What if I said?

<In Unison>

What if I said?

(end of song)

As the music starts to fade away, Chris still has Rita in his arms and they can not take their eyes off of each other. Chris opens his mouth to speak, "Rita...." he wants to tell her so badly, but she puts her hand up over his mouth.

"Not here Sam." She wasn’t smiling anymore. There was something deeper and stronger in the spark of her eyes. "Later ok?" He takes her hand that is over his mouth into his hand and as he gently kisses the inside palm, he closes his eyes. Rita’s heart skipped a beat when she felt all the love and tenderness in his touch and kiss.

He opens his eyes slowly and she can see all the passion there. He questions her softly, "Promise?"

She smiled at him and then leaned into him, before their lips touch she whispers, "I promise with all my heart." and then she closed the space between them and kissed him softly, but passionately.

When their kiss ended, he pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her forehead, while exhaling his words, "Oh Sammy....."

Janet stood on the sidelines with the Tom and watched the display between Chris and Rita. Looking over at the sheriff she replied, "Do you doubt that they are a newlywed couple in-love now Sheriff." She smiled as she turned to watch the tender scene again.

Twenty minutes later, Chris was having a deep discussion with the sheriff when Rita and Janet came up to them and Rita grabbed Chris by the arm. He looked down at her hand on his arm and knew immediately something was wrong. She had a death grip on it and her knuckles were white. When he looked up into her face her eyes were shinny and scared, both women were. Taking Rita with one hand and a weeping Janet with other, he sat them down.

"What’s wrong Rita?" he was looking between the two women.

"Chris we can’t find Jamie." Rita was extremely concerned while Janet was sobbing.

"Wait a minute. Janet calm down, we’ll find her. When was the last time you remember seeing her?" he looked at Janet and lifted her chin in his hand. "Janet, come on...calm down." He could see her heart breaking in her eyes. "Do you think I would let anything happen to her?" he smiled trying to give her a little hope. Looking over at Rita he started questioning her. "Where have you looked?"

"The only thing I could get out of her was that the last time she saw her was with us." Looking at her watch she looked back at him with the worried expression again. "Chris...that was over 30 minutes ago." He took her face into his hands and talked straight into her eyes and heart.

"Come on Sammy.....you know we will find her." He stood up quickly and with Rita’s hand in his and they walked over to the sheriff. He was already calling head quarters to get a search party started. "Tom, can you stay here and sit with Janet. She needs you right now. Rita and I will start looking around the playground and the soccer field." He waited for the sheriff to acknowledge his statement and the sheriff handed him his radio.

"Take this with you Chris. That way we can all be in touch. I have another one in the trunk." Chris took the radio and with Rita in tow. They ran out of the hall and headed for the playground. One hour later, there was still no sign of Jamie anywhere. Chris and Rita searched every playground and playing field for miles around. It was like she disappeared off the face of the earth. Defeated, Rita sat down on the ground (in the playground by Jamie’s house) from exhaustion and fear.

"Where could she be Chris? Where in the world can a little 3 year old go?" she was starting to lose her composure. He sat down next to her and took her in his arms and rocked her trying to console her and himself. Looking up into his eyes with tears streaming down her cheeks, she looked in his eyes and saw they were shinny. "Chris....it’s dark. She has to be so afraid. She must be so scared." He took her hands into his and felt them shaking. "Chris...." she was begging him for the security she needed desperately. She couldn’t stand feeling helpless and it was tearing her apart.

He couldn’t stand the look in her eyes, they were devastated and so scared. He kissed her forehead and then leaned his chin against her forehead and spoke from the depth of his heart, "We’ll find her Sam. I won’t let you down. I can’t let you down." He pulled back and lifted her chin so that she had to look into his eyes. "I swear by the last breath in my body that no one will ever hurt you or Jamie. You are my world Sammy." He pulled her back into his arms while kissing her forehead again.

She responded to his declaration by reaching up and softly brushing her hand on his cheek. His eyes looked deeply into hers giving her the strength she desperately needed. God, she loved him. This she knew without a shadow of a doubt. "And you are mine." She said with tears running down her cheeks. He embraced her in his arms and for the first time she could feel all of the security she looked for all her life. In that one, gentle embrace, she found the love she wanted so desperately for as long as she could remember.

After a couple of minutes, he pulled back and she lay her head on his chin. She was starting to gain her wits back about her again. They had to find her. Where would she go? Chris sighed as he looked around the playground, memories from a couple of days ago filling his mind.

<Memory>

Chris and Jamie were going to the park. They decided to take the path down the street into the playground through the back entrance. It didn’t get used very much. Of course, Jamie being so excited took off running ahead of Chris and he was just grinning at her excitement.

"Jamie, watch out!" The little girl stopped in her tracks and looked back at Chris. He was pointing to a hole that the city was digging for a new sewer system. Running to catch up with her, he reached her and picked her up in his arms. "Wait for me young lady. We will get to the park, but please watch where you’re going." He was tickling her and she was laughing so hard.

"No Chwis...please don’t." Jamie begged while he tickled her harder.

<BAAM!!! WHOOSH> (Chris drawn out of his memory with a jolt)

He reached for Rita and she was practically flying through the air because he got up so fast. "Where are we going Sam?" He was so upset, he kept muttering to himself.

"Why didn’t I think of it sooner? Chris you are so stupid sometimes." He was furious and scared as they made their way to the back of the playground.

"Stop it Sam, you are not stupid. What’s going on?" Rita forced him to stop and tell him what he was thinking. She could see the terror and fright in his eyes.

"Sam, there is a big hole over there where they are laying sewer line. We almost fell into it the other day when Jamie and I came here the other day. Sam, I don’t know why, but I have this terrible feeling that she is in that hole." Starting toward the back of the playground again, they slowed their pace and started calling Jamie’s name again. "Jamie?......Jamie?" Chris put his hand up to Rita’s mouth after hearing a faint sound.

Running in full force toward the hole, he screamed her name again. "Jamie?" he knelt down next to the hole and he could hear a small faint voice. He was so relived. Laying down on the ground and leaning into the hole, he called out to her again. "Jamie....are you all right?" He could barely see her. He could see her little arm reaching up to him and she was hysterical.

"CHWIS...HELP ME?" she was screaming as if someone was killing her. "CHWIS!" and the terror in her voice broke his heart.

"Its ok cupcake. Calm down sweetie. Rita and I are here. Ok." Her babylike sobbing was killing him. Looking up at Rita he said, "I can see her Sam, but I can’t reach her. Sit on my legs Sam so I can lean down further." Without a second thought, Rita sat down on Chris’ legs and held on to him for dear life. "Damn I can barely touch the tips of her fingers." When Jamie felt his fingers briefly touch hers, she screamed when he lost contact again. She was terrified.

"Chwissssssssss" she was screaming and he couldn’t seem to calm her down. Rita got up off of Chris legs and he sat up (tucking them up against his chest) and rocked back and forth. The sound of her terrified screams was tearing his heart out.

"Think Lorenzo, THINK!" He was falling apart not being able to get to her. It was Rita who had to calm him down now.

"Settle down Chris. We found her, we know she is alive. She is just scared. We can help her now." She had him by both arms now and that is when a light came on in his eyes.

"Sammy, get on the radio and let them know we found her. Tell them to send a fire truck. They have ladders on them. Go I will stay here with her." Rita ran back to the car and got a flash light, blanket and ran back to Chris and Jamie. When she got back to them, Chris was again down leaning in the hole as much as he could. He stretched far enough that he had her hand in his. She was cold and shaking. He was soothing her and she was starting to calm down. When Chris heard Rita he started to get up again.

"NOOOOO!!! Don’t leave me Chwis!" Jamie screamed as if someone was scaring the very life from her body.

"Shhhhhh...Cupcake. I’d never leave you. I need to get you a blanket sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere." as soon as he got her calmed down again, he sat back up and took the blanket from Rita. He whispered to Rita, "Sam, I finally got a good grip on her and when I tried to pull her up she screamed bloody murder. I think her leg is broken. She said that her leg hurt real bad." She could see the worry in his face. Handing him the blanket she responded,

"They‘re are on the way Sam. Here’s a blanket. We need to keep her warm. I’m heading back to the car and to wait for the trucks call an ambulance too. I don’t want her to hear me do it. Keep her talking to you Sam. We don’t want her to go into shock." With saying that she ran back to her car and Chris leaned back down in the hole and started talking to the sobbing child.

"Hey cupcake. Here, I’m going to throw you down a blanket and I want you to put it over yourself ok? Guess what?" he was trying to put a cheery sound into his voice and get the little child’s mind on something else.

Hiccuping a sob she responded, "what Chwis?" She was now only sobbing softly, because he was leaning down holding her hand again. The grip she had on his hand was the most wonderful feeling in the world to Chris.

"They are sending the biggest fire truck in town down here to get you out of there. Man you are going to be the talk of the playground tomorrow." He started to worry because she was so quiet. She was exhausted from the fear and crying. Having Chris there with her comforted her tremendously. "Cupcake?" shaking her hand, he woke her up. "Cupcake, talk to me ok?"

"I’m so tired Chwis." The little one started to think about where she was again and started to cry again. "Please don’t leave me Chwis. I want Momma." His heart was breaking as she started heart aching sobs again.

"Shhhhhh...I’m here now and I won’t leave you Cupcake. Just hang on a little longer." Chris could hear the fire truck sirens in the distance and he closed his eyes and silently thanked God for them, and for letting them find Jamie. Chris’ body was starting to ache badly. The angle he was in was extremely painful to stay in for the period of time he had been in it, but there was no way he was going to let go of her hand again. She mentally couldn’t handle his withdrawal from her again. Trying to get her to stay alert he started talking to her again, "Hey Cupcake, hear that? That’s the calvary."

The little girl started to calm down tremendously and questioned him, "what’s cavary?" Chris smiled when she asked and left the "L"out of the word. Man he loved this little girl. Laughing he replied,

"That’s the good guy’s sweetie, they’re going to get you and me out of this hole." He smiled.

The little voice sounded so vulnerable, "is it my Momma too?" He wanted desperately to just grab this little girl whose hand he had. He wanted hold her until the fear subsided from both of them.

"Yes, Mommy is coming too. She’s going to be so proud of how brave you’ve been Cupcake. I’m very proud of you too." He noticed that she was awful quiet again. "Cupcake?" he shook her arm again and this time he didn’t get a response out of her. Panicked he screamed again, "J-A-M-I-E! Answer ME!!" She didn’t. "Oh, God, please no. RITA!!" He was calling up to Rita. She came running when she heard the terror in his voice. She was out standing by the road waiting so she could show the firemen where Chris and Jamie were. The firemen were right behind her.

"I’m coming Chris!!" she screamed back to him. As she made it back to the hole she grabbed his legs to let him know she was there.

"She’s in shock Rita. I can’t get her to answer me anymore. God Rita, what do I do?" Just then he heard the firemen bringing a ladder to the hole. Answering the fireman’s questions, Chris held on to the child’s hand. When the fireman told Chris to go ahead and let go of the child he refused. "I promised her I wouldn’t let go of her hand again and I won’t." His voice cracked with emotion when he said it.

Ten minutes later they were pulling Jamie up from the hole on a back board and indeed her leg was broken. She was in shock, too. As they put her on the gurney the paramedic pleaded with Chris to let go of the child’s hand. They tried to assure Chris that she would be ok. Chris couldn’t bring himself to let her go, until he heard a soft loving voice talk to him,

"Sam...." he knew that voice. He hadn’t taken his eyes off Jamie since they brought her out of the hole. The beautiful voice sounded again, "Sam...let her go. She will be all right now. They need to take her to the hospital. You kept your promise to her." She gently lifted his gaze to hers and the smile she gave him melted his heart. He let go of Jamie and as they watched the ambulance (with Janet and Tom inside) scream away into the dark night, Rita walked Chris back home.

Chris hadn’t spoken a word as Rita walked him up the stairs to their room and she laid him down on his bed on the floor. She started taking his shoes off and then his socks. She was aware that he was about to fall apart. The crisis was over and most people, when the adrenaline rush wears off, the full impact of what they just suffered breaks through. She sat next to him and the next thing she knew, he was crying. They weren’t just tears, they were heart aching sobs.

This sweet, wonderful man was the strongest person she knew. He could look killers in the eye looking down the barrel of their gun and not flinch. After he would walk away and laugh, but dealing with the pain and fear of a hurt little three year old girl was enough to bring him to his knees.

"God Rita...If anything would have happened to her.." he was hurting so much. She reached over to him and an embraced him and held him tightly to her.

"Shhhhh....it’s all right now. She’s ok Sam." She bent over and kissed his neck slowly, over and over again. "I’m so proud of you," Her kisses were soothing and calming him. He reached for her and brought her into his arms and lay her down next to him. Suddenly the air was charged with sparks of the passion to come.

Chris took her face gently in his hand. The look of love in her eyes was so powerful. He slowly brought her face up to his and softly kissed her. She moaned as his lips caressed hers with so much devotion and care.

She was starting to lose all sense of her surroundings, "Chris....." she moaned as the passion from five unbelievably long years started to course through her whole body. "Chris..." she pleaded.

The sound of need in her voice sent goose bumps up the back of his neck. As his mind stopped being in charge, he let his heart take over. He leaned her back and was lying on top of her in his bed. His slow, gentle kiss gave way to a wet, hot, intense, tongue-probing explosion. "God, Rita...I want you so much." He was on top of her and the feeling of her under him was more than he could bear. "Can I have you Rita, please?" he moaned to into her ear. His lips were searching for hers again and when they found hers they took possession with a passion that wouldn’t be denied.

Reaching down to caress him, she heard his deep groan as her hand ignited a fire that would never again die out. Whispering in his ear she spoke, "You had me at Hi, my name is Chris Lorenzo, it’s nice to meet you." He stopped what he was doing when what she said registered.

"What?" he couldn’t believe what she just said. He was so shocked that she looked up at him and smiled.

Putting her arms around his neck and smiling seductively she replied, "I wanted you the first time I saw you drive up in that Jag." She laughed at the expression on his face. Her expression grew serious as he gazed intensely into her eyes.

Stroking her cheek with the back of one hand while looking down into her dancing green eyes he softly spoke to her, "You are the love of my life. Do you know that? You were born for me. I know that now" he leaned his head down and softly nibbled on her lips. She took this chance to wrap her arms around him and bring him closer, never taking her eyes off him. He pulled back up and looked deeply into her eyes while a finger softly caressed her lips. "These lips were made to kiss me, and your body was designed to mold to mine and make love to mine."

His words were igniting a fire so deeply hot and arousing that she pulled him down on top of her, wrapped her legs around his torso and she took possesion of his lips. Her lips were seeking and tasting and starting a quiver to spread down his entire body. She groaned as he opened his mouth and his tongue went in search of hers. His hands were down around her waist and they were pulling her panties down and off her legs. All at once she anticipated what was about to happen and all of her desires were set loose. He once again settled down between her legs and she immediatley wrapped them back around his body. When she felt his hard manhood rubbing softly against her womanhood she couldn’t help but let out her desire by groaning.

Her groan landed straight on his loins and his hard manhood throbbed just from the thought of what was going to happen. "God, you taste so good." His husky voice said as his mouth was kissing and tasting her down the white soft column of her throat. "I want you. I want you for all time. You are mine, forever" He was losing control and his kisses were hot and his mouth covered hers with a hard, lustful kiss.

His confession did not land on deaf ears. She reached down and undid his belt, then button and then zipper. Just as his mind was registering what she was doing, she had him in her hands. "Rita, oh God, Rita." His head flew back with his eyes closed tightly absorbing the sensation of him in her hands.

With her legs wrapped around his waist, and one hand held tightly around his hard, throbbing arousal, her other hand came up to the back of his head and was bring him down to her. Her eyes were a fire hot green as she spoke to him, "and this," she squeezed the hand around his arousal gently, "this was made to be in me," as his lips descended on hers, she guided him gently into her. In unison they moaned at the joining.

"Finally......" Chris whispered into her ear as he started a slowly, deep rhythm.

"Finally indeed, Captain Romance," she replied back as her back arched up to help him in their ultimate goal. Bringing his head back up to look into her eyes he smiled and then she smiled in return. Lifting her hands up to hold his face, her thumb stroked across his lips and she repeated her response, "finally indeed." His eyes grew serious again and he leaned down to kiss her lips, picking up the pace again.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too." she said as their mouths met for another passion filled kiss.

When Chris walked into Jamie’s hospital room (Rita wanted to stop at the gift shop first. She wanted to give Chris a little time alone with Jamie), Jamie’s faced beamed her happiness with his arrival. "Chwis!" she put out her arms to welcome his embrace. When he got her in his arms he held on for along time. "Hello cupcake." he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek and nuzzle her neck.

"I missed you Chwis." Her statement was so soft and sincere.

"I missed you too, sweetie." He held her tighter in his arms. Jamie didn’t want to let go of him. Chris could tell she had something on her mind. "What’s the matter cupcake?" He pulled back (still holding her in his arms). Rita was standing in the door now, unnoticed.

"Chwis...." she was afraid to asking him the question on her mind.

"Yeah sweetie?" he brushed the bangs out of her eyes.

With big, soft beautiful blue eyes, she asked him, "Would you....would you be my daddy?" She looked at him with the most vulnerable eyes he has seen. No there was one other person that held even more vulnerability than hers. She had the most amazing green eyes that held the mysteries of the world in them.

Chris smiled at her and didn’t quite know what to say. "Well, sweetie. In order to be your daddy, I would have to married to your Mommy. I can’t do that can I?" The disappointment in her eyes hurt him a great deal. "Cupcake..." he pulled her up onto his lap, being careful with her leg in the cast, "I can’t be your daddy sweetie, but I can be your friend. And that is a very special thing to be too."

"Would you be my bestest friend?" She looked up at him and put her little hand on his cheek. He took it and put it in his and kissed her hand.

"I can be your very, most bestiest friend in the whole world!" He smiled at her and she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. She pulled away and questioned him again.

"You and Rita are going to be going away soon aren’t you?" She had a tear in her eyes. Children sense things, more than adults do so often.

"Well, friends don’t lie to each other so I do want to tell you the truth Jamie. Rita and I will be leaving in a few weeks. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t still be bestest friends." He hugged her close.

"But what will I do if I get hurt again and you are gone. Who will help me?" she almost looked afraid again. Chris took her face in his hands.

"I will always be there for you. All you have to do is call me."

"But what if you can’t find me?" she pleaded with huge questioning eyes.

"Hey, if I had to run, or crawl, if I had to swim a hundred rivers and climb a thousand walls, always know that I will find a way to get to where you are. There’s no place that far." He hugged her close to him again.

"I love you Chwis. Even if you aren’t my daddy." She had her arms around his neck again.

"And I love you too, Cupcake. I love you too." He had his eyes closed and was hugging Jamie close when Rita cleared her throat to let him know she was in the room. She had tears in her eyes as she walked over to the bed, with a big brown cuddly teddy bear.

"Rita!" Jamie got excited again and when she saw the bear, her eyes got huge. "W-O-W. Is that for me?" She looked at Rita then the bear and then at Rita again with hope in her eyes.

"For you and only you sweetie. This is Sam the bear." Jamie looked up at Rita and responded.

"Sam? Like you call Chwis Sam?" she smiled up at Rita.

"Yeah. Just like that." She sat down on the side of the bed next to Chris who was still holding Jamie on his lap. "See anytime you get scared or lonely, you just hug Sam and then it will be like you getting a hug from Chris." Rita looked up at Chris and smiled and the love he saw in her eyes made his heart swell. He reached down and grabbed Rita’s hand and mouthed, "Thank you Sammy."

Jamie took the bear and hugged it to herself and greeted the bear. "Hi Sam. I’m Jamie." She hugged the bear to her again and then lay her head on Chris’ shoulder. After a couple of minutes, she was sound asleep in Chris’ arms and Rita wished she had her camera again. As Chris sat on the hospital bed with a sleeping 3-year-old on his shoulder and looking deeply in to Rita’s eyes, he pulled her closer to him by her hand he was still holding.

"Come here Sammy." He said softly and seductively. She knew what he wanted, so she helped by leaning up to meet him more than halfway. "You’re something else you know that?" He said to her before their lips met.

"That’s funny, I was thinking the same thing of you." She smiled and then kissed him. He had one arm around a sleeping child and the other hand was cupping Rita’s face. An "Awwwwwwww" interrupted their tender and loving kiss. When they looked over at the door, Janet was standing in the doorway watching her daughter sleep in Chris’ arms and the newlyweds expressing their love to each the way newlyweds so often do.

"You two do know that is how you get these?" she had walked over to Chris and pulled her daughter off Chris and tucked her in. Janet always got such a kick out of teasing Chris and Rita.

Chris got off the bed and put his arms around Rita and spoke, "Oh really. I thought it took more than a kiss to have a baby." He smiled at her.

"That just shows you how much men know. Sometimes a kiss is all it takes and then we are done for." Janet smiled down at her daughter remembering the days of love and happiness with Jamie’s father. She looked up at Chris and Rita and laughed. "Once Jamie asked me where I found her, because one her friends told her that her parents said they found her in a punkin patch. Well anyway, she walked up to me asked where I found her and I replied, I found you hiding behind one of your father’s smiles sweetheart." Janet got tears in her eyes when she thought of that day and how close she came to losing Jamie yesterday.

Rita immediately went to her and pulled her into a hug. After a few minutes, she pulled back and smiled at her. "I understand about that smile thing Janet, believe me I understand about that." She and Janet laughed as they both looked at Chris and he had the most innocent smile on his face. He didn’t understand what they were laughing about.

Janet turned to Rita, "you don’t have a snowballs chance. You know that right?" Rita looked over at Chris and the love she felt for him was so overwhelming.

"Yeah, I know. Trust me I know." and Rita walked over to Chris and wrapped her arms around his waist.

What will happen with Janet and Tom? Where is Montoya? Surely he can’t let Chris and Rita get away can he? Look for twists and turns at every corner of Pretending Part II.

Thank you D, for your continued support and editing. You should do it for a living. (MY BANK ACCOUNT TENDS TO DISAGREE WITH YOU…BUT THANKS JOY!)