Because of You – Part 6
Last Time:
Bo dials the phone. In the cabin, Nick jumps when he hears the phone but he answers it.
BO: Nick, it’s Bo.
NICK: So you found me. Now go away.
BO: Nick you know we can’t do that. How’s Matt?
NICK: He’s fine. Just fine.
BO: I want to see for myself. Can you send him out?
NICK: Do you think I’m a fool??? Matt and I are going to start a new life together. He’s staying here with me.
BO: Then I’m coming in.
NICK: No you’re not.
BO: I am Nick. I’m coming in unarmed. All I want to do is see Matt. That’s all. I have no intention of hurting you. I just want to see Matt.
Bo hangs up the phone and grabs a police vest from the sheriff. Nora just stares at him with tears in her eyes. Once Bo has the vest on he puts his hands on Nora’s waist and pulls her close. They rest their foreheads together as Nora cries harder. She runs her fingers through his hair but never looks him in the eyes.
NORA: Bring my baby out…okay?
BO: I will.
NORA: Bring you out too.
BO: I will. I gotta go.
NORA: I love you Bo.
BO: I love you too.
Nora pulls him into a deep kiss and then holds his hand until the last second as he walks around the car and towards the house.
BO: Nick…I’m coming in.
-------------------------------------
Bo walks slowly towards the cabin with his hands outstretched at his sides. Nora watches him intently as he makes his way to the door. She has her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
BO: Nick, I’m going to open the door and come in. I just wanted to let you know that so you weren’t caught of guard.
Bo slowly walks into the cabin and looks around to get his bearings. He closes the door behind him. Matt is sitting at the table eating cookies. Bo breathes a huge sigh of relief when he sees him. Matt looks up and sees that it’s Bo. He jumps up and runs into Bo’s arms. Bo scoops up Matt, hugs him tight and kisses the top of his head. Bo notices Nick in the corner with a gun in his hand. Nick had the gun at his side…not aimed at Matt or Bo.
MATT: Uncle Bo….did you come to go fishing too?
BO: Uhmmm yea I did buddy. Has Nick been taking care of you?
MATT: We’ve had a good time. (seeing Bo’s look) Did I do something wrong?
BO (hugging Matt tight): No buddy. No…you didn’t do anything wrong. (to Nick): How about we let Matt go outside?
NICK: Oh no Bo. I don’t think so.
BO: Come on Nick. It’s me you want. Not an innocent five-year-old boy. I was the one that hurt you. Not Matt. Look at him. He reminds me of your son Tony when he was this age. I know that you could never hurt a child. Please Nick, let him go.
NICK: Fine. But you stay.
BO: I’ll stay. I just want to send Matt out the door to his mom.
MATT: Mommy’s here?
BO: Yep. She’s waiting outside.
Bo slowly walks to the door with Matt in his arms…never taking his eyes off of Nick who has raised the gun little by little so it is pointing at Bo. Bo opens the door. When Nora sees them she gasps for joy. Bo puts Matt down on the porch and gives him a quick hug and a kiss. He points to Nora so Matt sees where she is.
BO: See your mom? I want you to run over there as fast as you can. Okay?
MATT (scared): ‘kay.
BO: Matt…there is nothing to be afraid of. I’ll make sure you get there okay. I love you.
MATT: I love you too.
BO: Okay…ready, set, go.
Matt runs as fast as he can into Nora’s waiting arms. Nora scoops him up the second he gets there and she holds him tight. She does a quick check to make sure that he is okay. She looks up, expecting Bo to be coming too but she sees him smile and walk back into the cabin.
NORA: What is he doing?
HANK: He made an exchange…himself for Matt.
NORA: Oh Bo….
--------------
Back in the cabin, Bo and Nick just stare at each other.
BO: What is this all about? Melanie, Hank, Matt?? What is this?
NICK: Like you don’t know. While I was in prison I had plenty of time to plot my revenge and it looks like I’ve been very successful. You’ve lost your sweet Melanie, Hank has lost his job. I should have kept that little boy just so Nora would feel what it’s like to lose a son.
BO: Lose a son? Nick…what are you talking about?
NICK: Because of the three of you I lost everything. I lost a career that I loved, my wife and son have moved to another state and I don’t even know where they are. I haven’t talked to my boy in over three years. Three years. All because of you.
BO: Nick we both know that you brought this on yourself. You were the one stealing guns and then selling them on the street. You cannot blame that on us.
NICK: You could have tried to help when Tony was sick.
BO: If I had known I would have tried to help but you never asked. You never asked Nick.
NICK: What would you have done if I did ask? Would you have helped?
BO: I would have done my darndest to make sure that Tony got the best care. You know that since this happened the health policies at the department have changed.
NICK: Too little, too late. I’ve still lost everything.
BO: Maybe I can help you find Tony. I’m sure he wants to see you.
NICK (waving the gun around): You wish. Alice has made it more than clear to me that my son hates me and never wants to see me again. I have nothing left…nothing.
BO: Nick, you need to calm down. I’m here to help you any way I can.
NICK: Give it up Bo. There is nothing you can do. We both know what happens next. I go back to prison for the rest of my life. I barely survived the last time. You know what it’s like to be a cop in prison. It’s worse than anything you can imagine. I can’t let that happen.
Nick slowly brings the gun to his head. Bo jumps at him to pull the gun away.
Outside, Nora held Matt until he fell asleep. She put him in the back of the car where he is sleeping soundly. Nora is pacing just waiting for Bo to come out. As she stares at the cabin for the hundredth time, she hears the gunshot. She turns and starts to run towards the cabin. Hank grabs her and holds her.
NORA: Hank, let me go. I gotta get in there.
HANK: No you don’t. We need to let the deputies here do their jobs. We don’t know what just happened in there. You need to stay right here. Bo would kill me if I let anything happen to you.
NORA: But Bo could be hurt in there.
HANK: All the more reason that you need to stay out here. That would mean that Manzo has the gun and he would kill either one of us if we showed our faces.
As they were talking the cabin door slowly opened. Nick came out first with his hands tied behind his back. Bo walked out behind him. The deputies ran forward and took control of Manzo. Hank let Nora go and she ran into Bo’s arms. He just held her tight.
NORA: Oh my god…are you all right?
BO: I’m fine Red. Especially with you holding me.
NORA: What happened? Are you sure you’re okay?
BO: I’m okay…really. Nick tried to kill himself but I pushed the gun away just in time. It went off but only grazed his shoulder.
NORA: Thank god. I was so scared. I can’t imagine losing you. I love you.
BO: I love you too. Where’s Matt?
NORA: He’s sound asleep in the car.
BO: Good. I need to talk to Antonio quick but then let’s go home.
NORA: Home. I love the sound of that.
Bo talks to Hank and Antonio and agree that charging Manzo can wait until the morning. Bo promises to meet them in Hank’s office in the morning to take care of all of the paper work. Bo and Nora decide to drive home rather than take the chopper. They want the time alone together. Nora puts the seat belt around Matt in the back seat and then slides into the front seat next to Bo. She rests her head on his shoulder and her arm around his waist, caressing his chest the whole way home. Bo keeps his arm wrapped tightly around Nora. They don’t talk much but they don’t need to. Their silence speaks volumes. They finally arrive at Nora’s house. They order a pizza for dinner and decide to watch a movie together. Bo and Nora snuggle on the couch while Matt lies quietly on the floor.
NORA (to Matt): Come on Tiger. The movie’s over and it’s time for bed.
MATT: Can Uncle Bo put me to bed?
Nora looks at Bo who quickly nods his head.
BO: Come on buddy. Let’s head upstairs.
NORA: He needs a bath and to brush his teeth. His PJs are in his closet.
BO (smiling): Yes mom.
Bo gives Matt a bath and makes him brush his teeth. He gets him into his PJs and settled into bed.
BO: You want me to read you a story?
MATT: Can you get into bed with me?
BO: Sure. (Bo climbs into the bed with Matt and wraps his arms around him) You were pretty quiet tonight. Is something wrong?
MATT (starts to cry): I’m sorry Uncle Bo
BO: Hey, hey ,hey. What are all these tears about?
MATT: I was a bad boy.
BO: You were NOT a bad boy.
MATT: I talked to a stranger. Mommy tells me all the time that I can’t talk to strangers and I did. I talked to him and then he took me away. He said that he was going to take me to the lake to fish with you and Uncle Hank. I thought he was a nice man but he wasn’t.
BO: Matt…look at me. Look at me. You did nothing wrong. Yes, you’re right…you shouldn’t talk to strangers but what happened was not your fault. This man was a bad man. This was not your fault. Understand?
MATT (sniffling): Sort of. Why would he try and take me from mommy?
BO: Because he was sick. He didn’t know what he was doing. But it’s all over now. He’s in jail and he will never hurt you or your mommy again.
MATT: Promise?
BO (smiling): Yes, I promise. You feel better?
MATT: Uh huh.
BO: Good. Then close your eyes and go to sleep.
MATT: Will you stay here until I fall asleep?
BO: I’ll stay right here.
Matt rolls onto his stomach and settles down into his bed. Bo slowly rubs Matt’s back as he drifts off to sleep. Bo lies on the bed for the longest time just watching him. Bo finally eases himself off the bed. He kisses Matt on the top of his head and walks out into the hall, closing Matt’s door behind him.
NORA (whispering): I love you.
Bo jumps and grabs his chest.
BO: Jeez Red…you gotta stop sneaking up behind me like that. But I love you too.
NORA (smiling): You were wonderful with him.
BO (smiling): You were spying on us?
NORA: Not spying per se. Just making sure that he got to bed okay.
BO: Did I do okay?
NORA: Perfect.
BO: I’m glad. I wasn’t sure exactly what to say but I was hoping that I did the right thing.
NORA: You are an amazing man Bo Buchanan.
Nora walks into his arms and kisses him deeply. She takes Bo’s hand and leads him into the bedroom where they continue kissing, touching, hugging.
NORA: It’s been a heck of a couple of months.
BO: Yea, but you’ve been by my side the whole time. I would never have made it without you. You’ve saved my life all over again.
NORA (looking him in the eyes): It was my pleasure. Do you really want to try “us” again?
BO: Yes, of course. Don’t you?
NORA (kissing him deeply): Yes I do. More than anything. I have no doubts. But what about Matt?
BO: Matt?? That little boy in there that stands this high, brownish-red hair, blue eyes and freckles?? That Matt?
NORA: (smiling) Yes, that Matt.
BO: Honey, I love him with every fiber of my being. Yes, I know that he is not mine but he is yours. He stole my heart the first time I held him. I want nothing more in this life than to help you raise him. I love him and I love you.
Nora walks over to the stereo and turns on a little Tony Bennett. She walks back to Bo and takes him in her arms.
NORA: Dance with me.
Bo pulls her tight against him and they melt together. They slowly dance around the room, as they continue kissing.
Because of you there's a song in my heart
Because of you my romance had its start
Because of you the sun will shine
The moon and stars will say you're mine
Forever and never to part
I only live for your love and your kiss
It's paradise to be near you like this
Because of you my life is now worthwhile
And I can smile
Because of you
NORA: It’s because of you that I can smile again.
BO (kissing her deeply): And it’s because of you that my sun will shine again.
Bo picks her up and gently lays her down on the bed where they rekindle a love that had never really been extinguished.
THE END!!!
|
|
|