Just a brief note before we start. I'm a fan of 24 and my favourite character of all is Mandy a beautiful terrorist who appears in just seven episodes. This was written as a fantasy that I had to get out of my system a few years ago

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I opened my eyes and looked at my alarm clock. I had fallen asleep on my bed late last night about seven o'clock. Luckily I was a day off tomorrow, or more correctly today, because it was just after Midnight, Tuesday morning.

The day of the California Presidential Primary I thought to myself grinning. My throat was really dry so I went downstairs for a drink. I poured myself a glass of Apple Juice and then another.

Might as well get ready for bed I thought. I was about to move upstairs when two hands gently appeared in front of my eyes.

"Guess who?" A soft American accent whispered in my ear. I inhaled taking in the exotic mixture of leather and perfume. It could only be one person.

"Hello Mandy." I said softly. She dropped her hands and I turned round. Mandy put her arms around my neck and kissed me, deeply and passionately on the lips.

"Hello, my darling." She said quietly when she'd finished, a single tear cascading down her left cheek. I began to caress her raven hair, tied back in a simple ponytail.

"Do you mind?" I asked when I reached the small band holding it in place.

"Go ahead." She told me. Slowly I pulled the band out letting her long hair fall down her back. The atmosphere between us was electric.

"I'm sorry." Mandy apologized as more tears ran down her cheeks. "I've been neglecting you terribly you haven't seen me for a year." I touched her face tenderly wiping her tear away with the back of my hand.

"It's been worth it." I told her. "You look beautiful." And she did. Apart from a black cotton top the rest of her outfit, her coat, long skirt and boots were all black leather.

"I knew you'd like it." Mandy said. "I heard this was one of your favourite outfits, so I thought I'd make the effort."

"What shall we do now?" I said my heart beating quickly. Mandy kissed me again.

"What ever you like" she told me.

"Let's go for a walk." I suggested. "Let me show you my village. I'll just need to lock up."

"That sounds lovely." Mandy said softly. "I'll be right here." Quickly I scurried round the house locking everything up and drawing the curtains, trying to focus properly. I soon found out how Mandy had come in. She'd gone through the conservatory.

When I'd finished I grabbed my coat and me and Mandy went on our walk. We did my standard perimeter walk which took in Eversley Park Estate, Wolsey Parade, the North Drive estate with the Primary School and back to my house again via Sherburn Crossroads.

We didn't talk much on the walk which lasted just under an hour, just silently walked hand-in-hand enjoying each other's company. When we arrived back we went up to my bedroom and Mandy showed me another reason why I had sorely missed her this past year.

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I woke up about eight o'clock later that morning. Mandy was sitting in my chair next to my desk. She had her top and skirt on, her jacket and boots were on the floor where she had put them earlier that day.

"Hello sleepyhead." She said softly. Her eyes were full of tears which meant only one thing.

"You're going away again aren't you?" I asked her. Mandy said nothing, but she didn't have to. The tears streaming down her face told me everything I needed to know. Quickly Mandy finished dressing. She was about to leave when I took her by the hand, giving her a kiss.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Mandy sobbed. "I promise it won't be a year before you see me again." We exchanged one final deep kiss