FAN FICTION: HAPPY NEW YEAR
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"Hey! Be careful with that, young man," Lindsay yelled in a shrill voice.
"That's a very expensive piece of luggage."

"Lindsay," Bo said touching her arm, "He didn't mean to drop it. It was an accident. Give the kid a break."

"Bo, a hotel as exclusive as this one should have reliable help."

"Would you want someone treating Will like that?"ss

"MY SON would never be a bell hop," Lindsay huffed.

Bo knew it was useless to reply. Lindsay's mean streak was becoming more and more apparent every day. Funny how he hadn't noticed it early on in their relationship. At first, he wrote it off to her insecurity, but he wasn't so sure anymore. Now she was arguing with the desk clerk. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take-- or wanted to take.

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Sam and Nora looked out of breath as they walked into the lobby. The streets of New York City were already getting crowded for the big New Year's Eve celebration just hours away.

"What in the world possessed us to do this?" Nora laughed.

"It's the year 2000. The New Millennium. All that Y2K stuff," Sam said, "we gotta be a part of something that only comes along once in a lifetime."

Nora had a doubtful look on her face, "I think we are absolutely out of our minds to come to one of the largest, most crowded cities in the world on New Year's Eve. The stroke of midnight may be a moment we live to regret!"

"Or remember forever." But Sam didn't know how soon that moment would come as he turned around, and found himself face to face with Bo and Lindsay.

"Why Bo, look who's here. My ex and your ex." Lindsay's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Is there such a thing as a Y2K-ex bug?"

Nora rolled her eyes. Bo just looked embarrassed. "Sam. Nora."

"Hello Lindsay, Bo," Sam said awkwardly. "Checking in or out?"

"In," Bo said.

"Us too. Fancy that. Well, Happy New Year," Sam said.

"You, too." Bo said as he and Lindsay got on the elevator and Sam and Nora went to the desk to check in.

Nora looked at Sam with an I-told-you-so smile. "Well, that was a millennium moment to remember."

Nora, calm down. I'm sure we won't see them again all weekend."

"Sam, Sam, Sam.. you poor naive, but sweet man. We're going to see them every time we turn around. I just know it."

"Forget them. We'll have a little champagne," Sam smiled, "and then dinner and dancing in the Regency Ballroom before ringing in the New Year."

They got in the elevators and went up to their room. Nora's spirit seemed deflated. "Well, we're here, so let's see this suite you're shelling out so much for."

Sam frowned as he opened the door to their suite. "Doesn't this make up for everything?"

Nora pulled back the drapes and looked at the view. "Yes. Yes, it's lovely."
But you could tell her heart wasn't really in it.

Later that night Bo and Lindsay arrived at the Regency Ballroom for dinner.
Lindsay had worked overtime on her appearance and you could tell it-- A little too much frou-frou! She was dressed in white from head to toe. Her white blouse with huge dolman sleeves had a wide Queen Anne collar that stood up like a picture frame around her white hair. Her white harem pants billowed like sails as she walked. Bo had to stifle a smile. He preferred a sleeker look, but he had to let Lindsay be Lindsay. She was a little perturbed that Bo hadn't given her any compliments on her appearance, but he honestly didn't think he could pull it off and sound genuine.

"Bo, I had this outfit designed especially for tonight. I thought white would be the perfect color to start off a new century."

"It's uh definitely uh one-of-a-kind, Lindsay. You'll stand out in the crowd, for sure. Ohhhh yeah."

Lindsay was pleased since she never really understood Bo's sense of humor, anyway. She batted her black-rimmed eyes at him. "Now dance with me."

"How about we wait until later," Bo stalled.

"Pleeeessee," Lindsay whined.

Bo got up and walked Lindsay to the dance floor just in time to see Nora and Sam come in. His heart skipped a beat and he actually stumbled when he saw Nora. Never had he seen her look so beautiful. He was glad Lindsay's back was to them as they were escorted to their table, and glad for the extra time to stare at Nora. Her dress was strapless, dark emerald green satin...straight and form-fitting with a slit halfway up the thigh.

"Oh man," he thought. The way she looked, the way she walked-- everything about her was elegant. All of her. She took his breath away. Every man in the place was looking at "his" Nora. Funny.. he still thought of her as "his"...even now.

He had a flashback to years ago when Andrew caught him in the jewelry department buying Nora the charm bracelet. (OLTL 1993, I think, but I don't know exact date).
"This woman is phenomenal, Andrew."
"Hey yeah, Nora.. she's got a real spark," Andrew said.
Bo remembered saying, "Yeah spark. She walks in any room and just brightens up the whole place-- you know all that electricity coming off her. You know that electromagnetic field just kept pulling me closer and closer-- and all of a sudden (snaps his fingers) ZAP!"

Bo?" Lindsay asked. "Earth to Bo."

"Huh?"

"We're in the middle of a dance floor and the best dancer I know is just standing here."

"Oh, sorry, Lindsay. I thought I had a cramp in my leg." Bo tried to cover but he wasn't fast enough. Lindsay turned around and saw Sam and Nora.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"Lindsay, please."

"Nora walks into a room and the world just stops."

"Lindsay, let's sit down and have a nice dinner, okay? I'm sorry."

Sam and Nora notice Bo and Lindsay as Lindsay becomes louder and louder.
"Nora. Oh, Nora. Could you come here please? Your ex-husband would like to dance with you," Lindsay screeched. "Or maybe he just wants to STARE at you."

Nora and Sam looked at each other.. not knowing what was going on, as Bo tried to get Lindsay to calm down, but she was on a tear. "I hope the three of you have a lovely evening. I'm leaving."

And with that she ran out of the ballroom. Both Bo and Sam followed her through the lobby. Nora walked along behind them wondering when they were going to stop falling for Lindsay's attention-getting stunts.

They saw Lindsay run out of the hotel into the crowd massing in the direction of Times Square. "Bo, let me try to talk to her. I've had more practice at it than you have," Sam said. "Take care of Nora."

"Gladly," Bo said under his breath.

But when he turned around he didn't see Nora anywhere. "Nora. Nora!"

"Bo? Over here!"

Nora was literally trapped in the middle of a group of drunk revelers. She tried to push her way out, but the people were packed so tightly together she couldn't. The momentum of the crowd was pushing her farther and farther down the street. Bo knew he had to think fast to get to her-- and then he saw the mounted patrol officer.

"Officer," he yelled showing his badge, "Bo Buchanan, police commissioner from Llanview, Pennsylvania. I need your help. That woman over there in the emerald dress.. she's wanted in Llanview on a variety of criminal charges. I've been after her for months."

"A woman like that? What could she be involved in?" the officer asked, not quite believing Bo's story.

Bo put on his best "serious" face, "Uh, she uh.. engineered one of the most elaborate investment fraud schemes I've ever seen.. swindled little old ladies out of their life's savings. She may look cute, but she's bad-- bad to the bone. No compassion-- zero, zilch."

"Swindled little old ladies? Nothing makes me madder. I'll be happy to help."

The officer directed his horse right through the crowd. When he got to Nora he leaned down and with one arm pulled her up on the horse. Nora was too shocked to do anything. The officer turned his horse around and made his way back to Bo.

"Here's your perp, Commissioner." He dropped Nora right off the horse into Bo's arms. "I hope you put her away for good." And then to Nora, "People like you make me sick.. swindling little old ladies."

"Thanks officer," Bo said with a weak smile.. feeling the heat from Nora's glare.

"You can put me down now-- and when did I become a swindler of little old ladies, Buchanan?" Nora asked in her sweetly sarcastic way.

Bo gave her that sheepish grin she found irresistible, "What did you want me to say-- that you took over where Heidi Fleiss left off?"

Nora had to turn away so he wouldn't see her smile, "I don't know whether to slug you or thank you."

"Let's get inside. It's freezing out here," Bo said.

"I smell like a stable."

"But you LOOK gorgeous," Bo said with eyes twinkling.

Nora couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. What was it with her and Bo? It reminded her of when they first met. There always seemed to be some kind of craziness going on.. but craziness of the most wonderful kind.

"Come on," Nora said, "there are a couple of very expensive bottles of champagne going to waste in there."

"I'm sure Sam will find Lindsay and they'll be right back," Bo said. "We can have a drink while we wait for them."

They sat down at the table and Bo poured the champagne. "What shall we toast to?"

"Rachel and Matthew," Nora said.

"Definitely. And Hank FINALLY has a girlfriend," Bo added.

"Good one! How about R.J. staying out of jail at least six months."

"A miracle. What about Renee and Pa finally getting it right."

"Absolutely. Just health and happiness for all our friends and family."

"And for us too-- you and me-- that we find happiness too.. you know.. like.. whatever," Bo said reaching for the right words."

"Yeah, for us too" Nora said softly.

Just then, the countdown to midnight began. Bo and Nora looked at each other with amused smiles.

"Who woulda thought?" Bo said. "Us. Here. Now."

"We've spent some great New Year's Eves together, but I didn't think this would be one of them," Nora said.

"How about just a hug? he said, it IS the beginning of the New Millennium."

"I think that would be perfectly appropriate."

But Nora was not at all prepared for what happened when Bo put his arms around her. When his cheek touched hers, she felt weak inside. She thought her knees were going to buckle.

As he put his face into her hair and stroked the back of her neck, Bo thought his heart was going to jump right out of his chest. He was afraid Nora could actually feel it. It was heaven touching her skin... feeling her body against his. He never wanted to let go. How could he have let her go in the first place? It was madness. Not the room-- his life in the past year. Everyone began to chant the countdown, but Bo and Nora just stood there holding each other.

"It's the champagne," Nora thought, but she knew it wasn't. It was being that close to Bo after so long. She had forgotten how wonderful his arms felt around her. How they made her feel safe and warm-- not on the outside-- on the inside. Being loved by Bo Buchanan was the best thing that had ever happened to her-- far more intoxicating than any champagne .

The hotel had set up a big screen and everyone watched as the ball dropped ceremoniously.
Nora pulled away with an embarrassed smile, avoiding Bo's eyes. She knew she would not survive that-- looking into those eyes.

"You know they made that ball especially for the millennium," Bo said. "It's like 500 pieces of intricately carved Waterford crystal."

"When did you become the millennium trivia expert?"

Bo shrugged his shoulders. "I don't even know where I read it. I just remember-- the ball even has a name-- The Star of Hope."

And when the pandemonium erupted, Bo couldn't help himself. He kissed her, and she kissed him back. Some may say it was the moment, but Bo and Nora knew it was the real deal. It was the past year that was surreal.

Bo lead Nora to the dance floor. The band played some of their old favorites by Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. Nora felt like she was doing something bad like eating a whole box of chocolates. But it felt so good, she couldn't stop-- allowing Bo to hold her as close as he wanted-- letting him know that she loved it in that silent way they had of communicating.

They were so into each other, they didn't even notice Sam and Lindsay walk into the room.

"I'm going to slap both of them," Lindsay shrieked.
She tried to break away from Sam, but he held her back.

"Lindsay, it's OVER. It's over for both of us. Stop while you have a shred of dignity left. Try and be a graceful loser for once. Bo and Nora belong together-- and you and I may as well stop trying to postpone the inevitable."
She protested, but Sam dragged her out of the room.

"As much fun as this is, this place is a little stuffy for my taste," Bo remarked as they danced.

"Then, why did you come here?"

"Oh, you know, Lindsay likes fancy places like this."

"Yeah, Sam too."

"Ya know what? Ya know where I wish I was right now?"

Nora put her hand to her head as if thinking really hard, "Uh, let me go back into my memory bank-- Bo Buchanan: favorite places. How about-- in bed. Watching an old movie. Eating popcorn?"

"You're almost right."

"Okay, pizza instead of popcorn."

"Try-- in bed. Watching an old movie. Eating popcorn. With you.

Nora raised her eyebrows at him and gave him the "I love you truly, madly, deeply" smile. "I think all of those things can be easily arranged."

"Then maybe I'm going to have a Happy New Year, after all."

They walked arm and arm to a balcony where a second wave of fireworks was just beginning.

"Look, I got them to do this just for you." Bo said.
"But an old movie and popcorn would have been so much cheaper!"

"I love you like crazy, Red.
"And I love you insanely, Bo Buchanan."

Bo held his hands up facing Nora. She placed her palms against his and they laced their fingers together. In that gesture all the sadness and anger and hurt of the past year fell away.

Around the world millions of people celebrated the passage of time-- a New Millennium. But for Bo and Nora, at that moment, time stood still.