Francine Desmond was still tapping her foot near her little red Mustang, in the same place where Lee Stetson left her minutes ago, seconds before hightailing his Vette toward that stupid PTA party.

She couldn't believe he would refuse her invitation to dinner or drinks, when other past cases or stakeouts finished at Ned or Randy. There were at least twelve or more months if she recalled well that he quietly withdraw himself from the social circle, from bars and
parties, from everything he was a permanent fixture before.

Francine needed to think and climb in the little car and took the way to the nearby park, then while there, she pulled her coat around and stayed at one of the little tables near the pond.

Her hands began to trail patterns on the table, using some lines there were already there. Looking better, she saw the lines were ones used by the people who played backgammon in the park.

"Backgammon" that little word brought pleasant memories and a dreamy smile on her face, those few times she played that special game with Lee. He was there when she needed him, truth to be told she wanted more but they were cut from the same material and need the space.

It was well known that Lee had four black books, but no one knew she had three, she, as well as him liked to play around looking for special little moments when all the stress of their job to be forgot.

She, Francine Desmond still did that - a real example was tonight’s date, but now when she thought better, lately Lee wasn't in the mood of wandering through the town. Every time she or any other agent tried to make him join, he always found an excuse and vanished. And it wasn't only their company he avoided; he wasn't seen with any of his usual backgammon partners.

"Maybe this evening’s party, was a sign he was changed, a sign that his backgammon player days were over, forever in the past" a fleeting thought passed through Francine's mind, and she knew it was the truth.

Lee seemed to be happy in this knew skin, and maybe, maybe his partner, Amanda had something to do with that; she changed him and while it was hard for the blonde agent to admit, Lee had changed Amanda too.

Making the way back to her car, another thought made it's way in Francine's mind, if Lee was changed maybe she had a chance too, she didn't want to admit but she was tired of playing that type of backgammon. Maybe she will find someone special too...

The little red car took speed toward her place taking home a blond agent and her new found hopes.

Lee was glad he got to work before Amanda showed up. He has been trying to think of a way all week to let Amanda know he feels about her. He came up with the idea to write her a letter. He called it the love letter. He sat behind his desk and picked up a pen and started writing. He stopped and threw the paper away. The he started again, only to throw the second piece of paper away. This was harder than he thought. Then on the third try he started again. This time he kept going and going and going. When he was done writing he had a three page love letter. He put the love letter in an envelope and sealed it. He went over to her desk and placed the love letter in the middle of her desk where she can see it when she walked in. Lee heard footsteps coming from the hall outside the Q bureau. He quickly made his way back over to his own desk and sat down waiting for her to enter the room. He had a huge smile on his face when she walked in the room.

When she noticed the smile she said. "Lee, what are you so happy about?"

Lee smiled and said. "Today is your lucky day."

Amanda sat behind her desk and looked at the envelope sitting in the middle of her desk. "What's this?"

"Open it and find out." He stood up and walked over to the corner of her desk and sat on it.

She opened the love letter and started reading. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She looked at Lee and said. "I love you, too." He leaned down and their lips met in a passionate kiss. This was definitely their lucky day.

ooo000ooo


It was a week before my wedding and I was sitting in the break room guiltily eating a chocolate bar. I knew I shouldn't be eating it, but I was nervous and when I'm nervous or upset, I eat chocolate.

Taking a sip of my cola I looked up to see Lee walking in. Pouring himself a cup of coffee from the machine he wandered over to my table and sat down with a sigh.

"What's up, Lee?" I thought he looked tired.

"Amanda's morning sickness is now all day sickness. She's exhausted and losing weight instead of gaining." His worry about his wife and partner was written all over his face.

"That can't be good. What does her doctor say?"

"That she'll be over it in a couple of weeks and then she'll start feeling better."

He was silent for a while, just staring into his coffee. Then he looked up at me, or rather he looked through me and started talking. At first I couldn't follow him, he mentioned something about ten letters and Paul Barnes and 'not exactly'. After a few minutes I couldn't take it any more.

"Lee." He didn't seem to hear me at first, so I tried again, a little louder this time. "Lee!" He finally stopped talking and stared at me, with an almost dumbfounded expression. "Lee, you've been living with Amanda for too long. That was a ramble worthy only of her. What are you talking about? What do ten letters have to do with the Wizard?"

"I'm sorry Francine. But a while ago I realized that almost every important event in my life had been accompanied by a phrase made up of just ten letters. Case in point, Paul Barnes and Wizard of Oz."

"Yeah, that really was a turning point in your career."

Lee nodded. "The biggest little phrase that made the most fundamental change in my life was Amanda King."

My eyes widened when I realized how many letters Amanda had in her name. "Oh my God, Lee, you're right." Then I mentally calculated the letters in both Paul's name and the source of Lee's codename, and my eyes grew even wider. "Ten little letters, who'd have thought?"

I started thinking back over my own life as I sipped at my soda. I realized that the most important thing in my life was made up of ten letters as well. He wasn't a thing though. He was a real life, gorgeous, hunk of manhood. And he was all mine.

"Lee, I just realized something." Lee looked up and raised his eyebrows at me. "Tony Nelson is ten letters..." I could feel the smile on my face and I could see it mirrored on Lee's.

"You see Francine, we're a lot alike in so many different ways."

End

One year had changed everything for Lee. Married to Amanda and he didn't have them anymore. Black books. Names and phone numbers. Never bothering with addresses. That could be discovered later.

Years he had spent looking for the quick lay, a one night escort or dinner companion. All of that was down the drain, now.

Yes, he had referred back to them once he'd asked Amanda to marry him. He didn't know why he kept them. Maybe, just maybe they were a security blanket for him. If he and Amanda argued, the black books were there for back up. Still, every time he opened one up during the engagement, he closed it again. Told himself he didn't need the black books, but kept them.

Three nights before the wedding, he burned them. There was a state park that he saw. It was illegal to enter after midnight but he knew his Agency status would get him out of any jams. He shoved them into a rusty barbecue pit that still had a few unburned chunks of charcoal. Lighting the pages of the last one, he threw it in with the rest.

Amanda never asked him about them, or for them. She didn't know much about them, except the time Paul Barnes came to town. It was about then that Lee realized he wouldn't need them a lot longer.

Now, he lay in bed with her on a Saturday, just before sunup, totally pleased they were gone. He didn't miss them. He had something better. Amanda. And he didn't need to write her name anywhere. It was already engraved on his heart.

The end

Lee walked up to the table with two steaming cups of coffee.

"The bagels are on their way" The man waiter announced from behind the counter.

Thanks they both said at the same time. It had been the first thing they had both said since leaving the office. There was an uncomfortable silence between them which they filled with drinking coffee until the bagels arrived.

"I ordered it the way you like it." Lee smiled.

"I missed you" Amanda said before she could stop herself. Lee tried not to show the sudden feeling of excitement in hearing those words.

Amanda blushed and quickly recovered her sudden weakness "You know it has been so hard being just a house wife for one week. Before I met you I had such a busy normal life. Now I have a busy life and everything is amazing, exciting, dangerous and life changing. You never know what is going to be thrown at you. This life is so addictive, it makes you use your brain in ways you never thought possible. I do things that I never imagined even when reading books, oh and I can't even read fiction any more because it is too dull, I read non-fiction now."

Lee shook his head and started to laugh. "what?" Amanda said as she started to laugh as well.

"You amaze me." Lee could not help himself he had missed Amanda King, she had the knack of annoying the hell out of him but she also knew how to make him laugh and how to get him to open up. she amazed him, she is intriguing and she is just so totally nuts in a good way. "I don't think there is anyone in the world quite like you."

Amanda blushed again and took a sip of her coffee. "I think I'll take that as a compliment."

They both relaxed "your bagel is getting cold." Amanda looked down at her salmon and cream cheese bagel, eating was the last thing she wanted to do, talking to Lee seemed so much more important. Then again he had bought it for her so she grabbed it with both hands and began to eat.

"You were probably wondering what I was doing last week."

Amanda shook her head not really able to speak.

"I was doing computer training intermediate stuff, I was curious about all these amazing things I saw you getting up to on the computer so asked for the training. I have also set up an advanced course for us both to go on. This kind of training is not just general computers, you get to learn about detecting hackers and how to hack. Do you think you are up for the challenge?"

She polished off her bagel before answering. "Wow, urm sure sounds like fun to me and this means I won't be on my own this time."

"Nope."

Amanda drank the last of her coffee, Lee was watching her and seemed content. It had been a while since she had seen him completely relaxed like that.

"I am certainly up for it. Now your turn, eat up otherwise I will have to get all motherly on you."

"Okay." Lee at his bagel and finished off his coffee.

"Lets get back to the Office before people start to get suspicious". Lee said

"suspicious?"

"Not in that way." I was just meaning they might be worried we are gone a long time.

"Ohhh..."


The End

(Ten little letters: “I missed you”; “You amaze me”; “Suspicious” (smiles).)

Lee sat at his desk, a square of parchment rested in the center. He'd been invited to the attend the State Dinner at the white house. A pat on the back from his Commander-In Chief for a job well done. He had a problem though. He couldn't attend the dinner stag, he needed an escort.

He thumbed through his mental rolodex searching for just the right woman. No one seemed to fit the bill.

"Good Morning, Lee."

Amanda's cheery voice called out to him. He watched her move around the Q-bureau. Graceful as a ballerina, she placed some fresh flowers in the vase on her desk. "Good morning, Amanda."

"What have you got there?" She stood in front of his desk and gestured at the envelope.

"Oh, this is nothing. So, what are you doing Friday night?"

"I don't have anything scheduled."

"Would you like to accompany me to the State Dinner at the White House?"

Her jaw dropped open. "Oh my gosh!"

"So, is that a yes?" He smiled when she simply nodded her head, and laughed as she picked up her purse and headed back out of the office. He'd finally made Amanda speechless.

She finally found her voice. "I'm taking the day off. I need to find something to wear." She closed the door behind her with a soft click.

End

Lee Stetson knotted the tie he would wear to the most important event in his life. As he looped it over and under and through, his mind traveled back over the miles of his past, with the woman he loves that had lead them to this day, when they would finally become man and wife. His relationship with Amanda King, soon to be Stetson, had evolved sometime through baby steps, sometimes through giant leaps and bounds. All their momentous occasions, had seemed to revolve around 10 little letters…

When they first met at the train station she was A LIFE SAVER. He was so grateful that she'd taken the package.

Yet he could remember plenty of times when he hadn't been so grateful. Like the many times, he'd found himself in his section chief's office complaining, "Amanda always does things her way, never listening when I as the trained agent, tell her to wait in the car, She's HARDHEADED Billy, just plain HARDHEADED."

At first, I'd get so frustrated every time Billy would team us up, he laughingly remembered. Eventually I came to appreciate Amanda's kind, compassionate, giving nature but when we first started working together, I am now ashamed to admit, I secretly nicked named her - PAIN IN BUTT. Lucky for me, Amanda is so forgiving in nature.

There have been so many times when I said stupid, hurtful things to her, just because I am not good with dealing with my emotions, but did she hold a grudge, nope, not my Amanda. Now this is not to say that she doesn't have a temper or ever get mad at me. The easy going Mrs. King has put up with a lot from me over the years, and for the most part, but I remember one particular occasion where I pushed my luck a little to far, and not only did she let me have it with both barrels, but after she finished empting her spleen, she barely said a word to me for the next two days. Those were two of the longest days of my life. I knew I had been wrong, but my pride kept me from apologizing right away. I tried everything, I could think of to get her to forgive me without me actually having to say the words. I turned on my most devastating smile. I turned the Stetson Charm on full force. Now normally, either one of the two would have had Amanda, laughing at my antics, shaking her head, and saying how can I resist you when you are so gosh darn cute when you do that, but not this time. That is when I realized, I'd really hurt her deeply, this time. The realization made me feel like a heel, but something good did come out of the situation, not only did I make a vow to never make her feel like that ever again, but I made a startling discovery. Somehow, someway, without me being consciously aware of it until that very moment, Amanda had changed my life forever. Never again in my life would I be alone, from that day forward, she would always be there for me. Amanda King had become my BEST FRIEND.

Since that day, we have been through a lot together. Situations that would have been impossible before, when I was all alone in this would, didn't seem so bad, because she was by my side. When no one else in this world believed in me, Amanda did. She put her life and reputation on the line, to help me. Her loyalty never wavered. Yet someone or something always steps in and tries to snatch her away from me. If I ever lose her, I don't think I could go one.

How could I go on, without the WOMAN I LOVE? When a man loves a woman, he should tell her so. It is also important that he show her. I don't remember much about my mother, because I was so young when she died, but I do remember one thing she used to tell me all the time, "Lee, always remember, Actions speak louder than words." I let my actions speak for themselves when I got down on one knee and "officially" proposed to her. A proposal of marriage is a momentous occasion and one a woman should look back on with gladness. I didn't want Amanda to only have a memory of my proposal that was tainted by her kidnapping. When she said yes, again, I wanted to shout it to the world. Unfortunately with our need for secrecy because of our jobs, I couldn't do that, but there was one person I could tell. A quick Call to California, where good old Barney was tickled Pink when I said, "I want you to say hello to Amanda, my NEW FIANCEE. Ten little letters have changed my life for the better time and time again, but like all good things it seems it is time for that to come to an end. Amanda and I will be moving in
to a new phase of our lives in a few moments when we say "I do". So we are going to move on to eleven little letters, because in a relationship it is always important to grow. As he exited the restroom and headed down the hall to wait to see if Amanda was ready, Lee knew exactly what the first 11 letter word would be, she was now, henceforth and forever more his – Life Partner.

Staring at the space around me, I marvel at how much my life has changed because of this one little room. When I first entered this place, I felt like Billy had sentenced me to a fate worse than death. I think I may have even threatened to use a cyanide capsule if he forced me to work here.

But as time went on, this office became a refuge. In a world of secrets, this was the place that had always kept ours safe from prying eyes, well almost always! It was the space that allowed my relationship with Amanda to grow from a reluctant partnership to an unwavering friendship to a love that still takes my breath away. It was within the confines of these four walls that I finally found the courage to shut out the world and just kiss the girl.

Within this room, Amanda managed to juggle the demands of her family life, the workload of agency training, and somehow still follow me into any situation no matter how many times I might have told her to stay in the car.

It was here in this very place that I prayed Amanda would not give up at the hands of a mad man and vowed to do whatever it took to get her back. And once I had her back, I made sure that she would be mine forever by placing that small blue box on her desk.

Throughout our mystery marriage, these four walls have allowed us time alone to be man and wife away from the demands of our family and the fate of our nation. It was within these walls that we agonized over how to be together as a family and still ensure that everyone could be safe.

Looking around me now, I realize that The Q Bureau helped to shape my life in ways I could have never imagined when I begged Billy to give it to anyone besides me. As I grabbed the last of my belongings and headed out of The Q Bureau one last time, I said a silent thank you for the life it has given me. I can only hope that the Section Chief office holds as much promise for us. Now this space will have new occupants whose secrets it will keep, but I doubt theirs will ever hold a candle to what Amanda and I share.

WASHINGTON The District of Columbia. Home of the United States PRESIDENTS since John Adams took up residence in the WHITE HOUSE.

Lee Stetson closed the brochure and placed it between two pages of the book Washington DC on $25 a day. He looked up toward the stone facade of the new apartment. He was ready to make a COMMITMENT to the REAL ESTATE company to sign the lease. Lee ran his fingers through his hair. He was a GOVERNMENT agent who went UNDERCOVER every day and risked his life to get vital information for HIS COUNTRY. He was Lee Stetson, COUNTERSPY. He could ACCOMPLISH this task.


end

Lee Stetson paced back and forth as much as the confines of the room would allow. He was nervous but more than that, he was anxious. It had been a long, drawn-out 36 hours and now that things were about to conclude, he was sequestered in this little room. It seemed like an eternity since he had been ushered into this place and he wanted more than anything to get back to his Amanda. She needed him, he was sure but they wouldn't allow him to see her.

Complications, they had said. That did not bode well for her. What complications and what was happening and why wasn't he able to see her, be with her, touch her? How cruel could they be? This was just another reason he hated hospitals. They were places where
loved ones were isolated from those that needed them the most. Ugh, another fifteen minutes had passed. If only he could get out and see what was happening. Maybe he could help. He assured them he wouldn't get in their way but the doctors were adamant. He was to leave immediately.

He was about to go insane. How long could this take, especially with all she had already endured? His mind flashed back to an inane statement he had once flippantly made about the stamina of the average housewife. Having seen Amanda in action he was now more
convinced than ever that he and every other male had indeed underestimated the stamina of the average woman – housewife or not.

"Mr. Steston?" a voice called but he didn't hear it at first. A little louder this time – "Mr. Stetson, please follow me."

He had a million questions on his mind but his throat constricted and he couldn't seem to verbalized them. Down the long corridor, turning right and then left and then left again, it seemed like he was in a maze.

"Nurse?"

Without giving him a look, she merely stated, "Hang on, we're almost there." With one more turn to the right she quietly announced, "We're here!"

Lee was confused. He had expected to be led to Amanda's room but that wasn't where he ended up. "I don't understand…I..uh. How's my wife? Where are we going?" He was finally able to voice his concerns.

"Now don't you fret. She's doing fine. You'll be able to see her in no time," she happily stated, "Now just follow me…it's like this for everyone the first time."

"Like what," he asked, but she merely nodded for him to look in the direction her head was inclined.

As he looked in the window, it took him a moment to realize what he was seeing. There before him wrapped in a pink blanket was a small bundle of joy wearing a tiny bracelet that said STETSON. He was mesmerized!

"Welcome to fatherhood," the nurse said as she patted him on the back.

The end

I look back over the lives of my sons and thing of all the changing. Well, first I changed my last name from West to King. Then the boys were born, then their father left us for his job. I was doing okay as a housewife/single mom.

Now, Phillip's voice is changing. He is so tall, and looks very much like his father. Also, his voice is cracking a bit. He'll have his dad's baritone, I think. He is entering junior high school so much sooner than I care to think about.

Jamie's only 2 years behind his brother. He looks like Mother, when she was young. If I can afford it, I will be putting him into contact lenses this year, as he asked. He's going to be a stunner, even in fifth grade.

I've got a job and fallen in love, in the space of 3 years. I didn't expect love. Particularly not with this man, this agent, my gorgeous man.

Once more, my last name is changing. It has to be secret for a while. In my heart and mind, it is already Stetson. The man I love is Lee Stetson, and the boys know it. I think they want us to be married, since I can't tell them, or Mother.

One thing is sure, as I watch my love for Phillip, Jamie, and Lee grow, the only changing it will do is to increase.

The End

Ten Letters words: Lee Stetson and My Last Name

Three ten letter phrases: Providence, Call me a Cab and Lee Stetson

Amanda was running very fast trying not to get caught she had lost sight of Lee when she turned a corner there were two of them in pursuit of her and trying to get disc she had acquired while doing computer training. She was doing advanced training in computing
organized by Lee when she had stumbled across someone who was hacking into the training system from the outside. She had managed to identify them and get her teacher to download the impostor’s details onto a 4inch floppy. She was meeting with Lee to let him know when they heard a shot come from the computer room. Lee pushed Amanda
through the door and followed behind her. It was in the warren of the training centre’s halls that she had lost him.

Amanda escaped from the men and managed to find Lee’s car and let herself in she opened the glove compartment and took out her small gun which she three into her bag, then she grabbed the spare disc on the back seat and had an idea. She took out her disc and put it under the car seat and got the disc with all her homework on it and put it into her bag. She made sure that there was nothing of real importance in her bag then got out of the car and ran back the way she had come.

It did not take long for one of the men to find her he snatched her bag off her and pulled along with him “Okay you are coming with me” Amanda acted like she was scared tried to grab her bag back.

Lee followed close behind watching where the man was taking her. “What have you got yourself into this time” Lee whispered to himself.

“Where is Lee Stetson?” He asked her.

“Out of your League” She commented.

They were back at the main computer room where the other man stood waiting.

“I think you have something I want Amanda King”

Amanda looked at her bag nervously that made the men look at it. Getting the hint he grabbed the bag off assistant and started to look through it.

“All I have is my assignment I was learning to write MS Dos and that is the disc teaching me how to do it. The teacher was in the middle of doing something strange with his computer when he gave me it to me.”

The man was about to put the disc in the computer when his assistant was pushed forward from behind. Lee jumped over the fallen man and floored the second man. The disc was folded in half as the man landed on it.

While Lee was distracted the other man started to get up Amanda first looked around the room to see if there was anything she could use to protect herself. The computers were very expensive and maybe not a good idea to use them as weapons instead she grabbed a chair and ran at the man pushing him over with sheer force the man fell to the floor again landing heavily on his back and winding himself. Amanda grabbed her bag and pulled out the small pearl handled gun “it is better you stay sitting”. She told him

Lee had landed the last punch on the other man who fell to the floor out cold.

Amanda looked over at Lee and smiled.

“Amanda you caught yourself a few hackers. Not bad for your first ever class.

Amanda looked confused at the men on the floor they were rather bruised but had smiles on their faces. The Teacher stood up and brushed off his clothing and shook his head. “Lee when you said she was good I had no idea.”

Amanda blushed. “Oh come on you can’t tell me this whole thing was a set up right from the start.” Amanda put her gun into her bag and stared at them in disbelief

“She has the workings of the divine providence behind her or some incredible intuition.” The teacher said.

Amanda smiled “I think it is not Providence but Lee Stetson who is behind me.” Amanda picked the disc off the floor it had sprung back into its original shape.

The teacher took it out of her hand and put it into the computer put in the command to show the contents of the disc. He frowned when he saw what was on it. “Where is the disc I gave you.”

“Well it’s in Lee’s car sir”

“You're good... Okay I think that is all for today we can finish off your training tomorrow.”

“Thanks sir”

Amanda and Lee left the computer room and went back to the car. Amanda was about to open the car door when she realized something that would annoy Lee greatly.

She did not have time to comment Lee had already noticed and turned to Amanda and started to speak “Aman….

“Lee Stetson remember you are my Providence, ten letters that describe my true guardian. Lee Stetson my Providence”

“Well here are ten letter for you since you locked my car keys in the car, Call Me a Cab”

“You’re a Cab, a cute cab when you’re angry but non the less a Cab.”

“You know just after our first case together you were on your way home with your groceries I drove by you in that yellow cab that I was going to use in my next case and you fell over and laughed the most wonderfully cute laugh I had ever seen. I could not help but smile back and you managed to talk me into giving you a lift to your house.”

“Yes I do I think that was the moment I felt that we could work together we could be partners."

“What you saying you decided we could be partners."

"Maybe"

"We should get a cab and go back to the hotel. We can discuss this further over Dinner it is on me.” He offered her his hand and she took it.