LOVE AT LAST

These events take place right after Nora fantasizes about Bo.

SAM: Hey, Nora! Why are you packing your bags?
NORA: Hi Sam! Could you take care of Matthew for a day or two? I have to get down to Washington, D.C.
SAM: What do you mean, Washington, D.C.? We're getting married in 3 days!
NORA: I know. But it's a court order. They are having a seminar on crime prevention. Only a few people from
Llanview are invited. This is an honor.
SAM: Why you?
NORA: That's what I wanted to know. They told me that they heard about the Spring Fling rape trial in 1993 and they said that it took a lot of guts to stand up and risk my career to make sure those boys did not get away with it. They said they wanted me as a speaker because that's exactly the motto they have for the next millenium:" The next Millenium. It is necessary to take risks to prevent crimes."
SAM: So, who else is gonna be there? Is Bo coming?
NORA: I don't know.
SAM: If he's going, I'm going.
NORA: Sam...
SAM: Don't start with me, alright!
NORA: Why are you so insecure about you and me? (angry) We're getting married in 3 days, for God's sake!
SAM: You don't remember what happened last night, do you?
NORA: (sure she did, playing innocent) No. What happened?
SAM: You were shouting out Bo's name in the middle of the night.
NORA: (lying) There is an explanation. I had a fight with him at the station and I must have been so into it that I dreamed about it.
SAM: I tell you something else. The last time we made love, which - by the way - was 3 months ago...
NORA: I was busy with cases...
SAM: Let me finish. The last time we made love, you shouted out Bo's name instead of mine.
NORA: No, I did not.
SAM: Yes, you did. You just can't remember.
NORA: (embarrassed) Let's change the subject, okay? I'll be back here in 3 days. We will get married on New Year's Eve and it will be wonderful. No further discussion.

Nora was very persistent. Sam dropped the subject. He was not happy though.

The same time: LPD
BO: (on the phone) Hi, Lindsay. I just wanted to call to tell you that I got an invitation - or better an order - to attend some crime prevention seminar in Washington, D.C. I have to leave tonight.
LINDSAY: Can I come?
BO: I thought you needed the time to prepare something special for New Year's Eve?
LINDSAY: Oh, you're gonna be back by then? That's fine. I thought you have to be there for a couple of days.
BO: No, just for 3.
LINDSAY: Okay, you take care. And don't stand me up for New Year's Eve. I want you to be here at the gallery at 8 p.m.
BO: Deal. Goodbye.
LINDSAY: Bye.

Bo and Nora take separate flights to Washington, D.C., but they check into the same hotel.

It's New Year's Eve. Bo called Lindsay to tell her that he might be back a little later than expected because of the seminar but he will be there before midnight. Nora did the same with Sam.

After Nora gave her speech, Bo was mesmerized.
BO:(to himself) What an incredible woman. She always tries to do the right thing. (has a hurting smile on his face) Even when she slept with Sam. She tried to do the right thing for me. I never had any reason to doubt her love before. Why didn't I fight for her? She is so special and I let her go.
Nora gets back to their table. The applause can still be heard.
NORA: What's wrong? Didn't you like my speech?
BO: (startled) Oh, it was great.
NORA: So what's wrong? You look like hell!
BO: I just thought that something's missing here. And it hurts.
NORA: Oh, I'm sorry. I know how much you must miss Lindsay.
BO: No, that's not it. I lost something and I don't know if I can find it again.
NORA: Do you want to tell me what it is?
BO: Perhaps some other time. This is your night. You mesmerized the whole room. Including me.
NORA: (pleased) Well, thank you.

It's close to 4 p.m. when the seminar is over. Bo askes Nora if she wants to have dinner with him before they go back to Llanview. Nora smiles but says that she has to go back because she doesn't want to be late for her wedding. Bo tells Nora that she can fly back with him in Asa's jet. So, she agrees to dinner.

They have a nice evening. They talk about a lot of things but they avoid to talk about their past. They even dance a couple of times.

It's close to 6 p.m. when they decide to go back to their rooms and prepare for departure. as they are on the elevator, the power fails.
BO: Great. At least they have a phone in here.

Bo calls the emergency number and tells the maintenance guy on duty what happened. the man tells him that there was a power failure in several buildings in this street and that he doesn't know when someone can get there to fix it. Bo talks to Nora about the situation they're in.
BO: I'm sorry, Nora. If I didn't insist on having dinner before we fly back, you would be back in Llanview by now.
NORA: That's okay. I wanted to have dinner, too. And we still have 4 hours to get back to Llanview.
BO: Do you remember the last time we were stuck in an elevator?
NORA: Yes, I do. It was before we started dating. I told you about the awkward incident where I went to be
interviewed for a job and I ended up undressing in the elevator because it was so hot. And when the doors flung open and my potential boss saw me in this little something I had on I was so embarrassed.
BO: Yeah, I remember. About that time the elevator started to move and you fell into my arms. And there was this spark...
NORA: We had a lot of sparks back then.
BO: Nora, we are stuck here for a while. Why don't we play "Do you remember?"?
NORA: Bo, I don't think this is a good idea. Do you really want to go there? It might bring back some bad memories for the both of us.
BO: But the good ones will outset the bad ones.
NORA: Okay, you're on.
BO: Let's start with something easy here, okay? Tell me about the best time you had when we were out for a movie.
NORA: That's really easy because we only went out a few times for a movie. Usually, we watched it at home. My memory tells me that the nicest time out on a movie was when we first started dating. we dresses up like back in the 70's and you picked me up from my office. You had borrowed Luna's Mustang. We had a lot of junk food but we never really watched the movie, did we?
BO: Yeah, we ended up in the back seat making out.
NORA: You tricked me, remember? I would never have followed you in the back seat of this car if it hadn't been for the cramp.
BO: (playing innocent) Oh, I forgot about my cramp. But I agree. It was the nicest movie date we had outside the house. What about in the house?
NORA: I don't really know. All of them were great. Most of the time we didn't even finish the movie.
BO: I guess my favorite was the one time we wanted to watch Tracy & Hepburn. Pa stopped by to tell me about Cord praying in his Country Club. You had your first of many arguments with Pa. We never really watched the movie but what I liked about it was the look on your face when I defended you and our relationship to my father. It was the first time I told you that I loved you.
NORA: What was wrong with my face?
BO: You know, Nora...you can show so many different emotions with your eyes. Your eyes always told me what was going on inside of you. The first look you had was hurt because my father offended you, but when I told my father that he insulted the woman I love it suddenly changed to a surprised look. And then your smile. Your eyes sparkled.
NORA: I was just so happy that the man I fell in love with, seemed to feel the same way about me.
BO: I did. Don't you ever doubt that. (noticing that they might hit a dangerous subject) What was you favorite
moment?
NORA: With you?
BO: In general.
NORA: That's hard. I had so many good moments in my life. Most of them I had when we were together. Rachel's birth was incredible. So was Matthew's. (pause) I'm sorry. i didn't want to go into this.
BO: No, I'm fine. I asked you to talk about memorable moments.
NORA: Our wedding and our honeymoon were also very special to me. Do you remember?
BO: How could I forget? We were married by Little Richard, all the dances, the Rock 'n Roll bash afterwards. I was just so happy that I found the one person I truly love.
NORA: And then the honeymoon...we rented some movies on our honeymoon in Hawaii. We never left the bed. I just married the most wonderful guy in the whole world. I had my arms around him and that was the only place I wanted to be.
BO: Me too.
NORA: What was the saddest moment you had so far?
BO: There were a couple. Drew's death, for once. But I think the moment that hurt the most was the moment I realized I had finally lost you...the love of my life.
NORA: Oh, don't go back to that dreadful Woman of the Year Banquet.
BO: I'm not talking about the banquet...
NORA: Then what are you talking about?
BO: I'm talking about last week when you told me that you're gonna marry Sam. I was so devastated because until then I was still hoping...
NORA: Hoping for what?
BO: Even after the divorce I still considered you my wife...
NORA: Bo, please. Don't make it so hard for me. i was just adjusting to my life with Sam...
BO: How could you use a term like "adjust" when you are going to marry the real love of your life tonight?
NORA: (very quiet) Because he isn't.
BO: Because he isn't what?
NORA: Gosh, Bo. Why didn't you tell me all of these things before? Why didn't you fight for me? Now, it's too late. You're in love with Lindsay and I am with Sam.
BO: Do you realize that you've never said "I'm with Sam because I love him"? Do you love him?
NORA: I do love him...in a way.
BO: Enough to marry him?
NORA: I don't know. (pause) I don't think so. But he's Matthew's father and he's good with him.
BO: I'm good with kids, too. Especially if it's my kid.
NORA: What are you talking about?
BO: Nora, I have to tell you something but you have to promise me not to be angry with me.
NORA: Okay. What is it?
BO: Lindsay told me that she wanted to bribe the lab technician so that the test results said that Sam's Matthew's father. And after all the stunts she had pulled I was not sure if she really just tried. So I went to the hospital and let the lab run another test.
NORA: And?
BO: (long pause) Nora, I'm Matthew's father.
NORA: What? (pause) I can't believe this. (very angry) Why did you keep this from me? (thinking) Sure, now I know. The first time I told you that the lab made a mistake and that you might be Matthew's father you were not very delighted - to say the least. (pause, still confused) I don't get it. Why are you telling me that now? Why do you want to be a part of Matthew's life all of a sudden? Did Asa promise you something for his heir?
BO: Nora, I always wanted to be part of Matthew's life, and of yours. Always. I didn't say anything before because you seemed to be happy with Sam. And that's all I ever wanted for you...to be happy even if it meant with another man. Things would have been so complicated if I had told you the truth before.
NORA: You would have given up your son just to see me happy?
BO: I've never really given up on him. He was always around. I've seen him many times. And I think it's the best if just the two of us know the truth. It'll be easier for Matthew.
NORA: How can you say that? It's not gonna be easier for Matthew - or for me for that matter. I just found out that I have a child with the only man I ever really loved and that I slept with Sam for nothing. I put my whole marriage at stake for nothing.

Nora was really upset. Bo drew her near him and laid his arms around her. He softly stroke her hair. She started to cry. Bo looked Nora deeply in her eyes and kissed away her tears. After he realized what he just did, he waited for her reaction. She looked up and into his eyes. And what she saw theremade her smile. She saw the love and desire he had for her and she moved forward to kiss him. First hesitantly, but then she opened his mouth with her tongue. It was the most passionate kiss they've ever shared. All the pain from the past year was in it. And yet the pain seems to be forgotten.
BO: (still not fully convinced) I just hope that this means what I think it means...
NORA: (smiling)Which is what?
Bo took one of his cigars out of his pocket, took the ribbon and knelt in front of Nora.
BO: I know it's not the perfect timing and it's definitely not the perfect ring, but would you take it until I can get you the real one? Nora, I love you. I will put my heart out on the line for you. And I don't think there's a better start for the next millenium. Red, will you marry me...again and make me the happiest man and father alive?
NORA: (very touched, crying) Yes, I will happily marry you again, Bo Buchanan.
BO: Then stop crying and kiss your former and future husband.
They share another passionate kiss.
BO: (looking at his watch) Happy New Year, Mrs Buchanan.
NORA: Happy New Year, Mr Buchanan. By the way, do you know which my all-time favorite kiss is?
NORA AND BO: This one. (They kiss again)

THE END