For hours Billy had been agonizing over a decision. It was time to issue Amanda a code name.

He'd come up with several. But each reflected on how she'd changed Lee. Those wouldn't work and would give away the fact that he knew more about their relationship than they wanted public.

"You wanted to see us, Sir."

"Yes. After great thought I've made a decision. Amanda, your code name is now Rambling Rose. Your ability to confuse the enemy with one of your rambles is your greatest strength."

"I love it." Amanda replied.

"Perfect." Lee agreed. "Scarecrow and Rambling Rose."

So what do we know about the subject?" Billy Melrose looked around at the small band of agents standing around his desk.

This group he felt was the absolute best that the Agency had to offer. They could do anything, even if the world would blow apart.

"6ft, 3." Lee Stetson said, blond hair, hazel eyes.

"Slight limp in the left leg." Alex Winter said. Alex was new to IFF but they had all felt that he had been there for years.

"Blond hair, amazing hazel eyes with a ring of black around the edges." Francine added.

Lee groaned, "thanks for the commentary Francine."

"I call them the way I see them." she quipped back. "It's not his fault he's wanted in 5 countries."

"Actually it is." Lee began, agitation rising but Billy cut him off.

"People can we get back to business here? Now, what do we know about this um Seth Anderson. Do I need to remind you that we need to talk to him and see if he really is the terrorist called "Endgame."

"He usually wears custom made suits." Francine said quickly before Lee could make fun again. "Italian made."

'He has a mole on his left buttock." Amanda said causally. So casually, no one noticed what she had just said until Lee's head snapped up and he growled. "What did you say?"

'I said he has a mole on his left buttock." she dragged the words out this time, her eyes carefully searching each face as she did.

"Do you mean you saw him naked?" Lee and Francine asked, jealousy etched on one face, unbelief on the other."

"I think that's a very personal question, Scarecrow." Amanda shot back.

"Then why did you say that?"

"Because it's true and Mr. Melrose did ask for identifying marks."

"But there is absolutely no way you could know that, if you hadn't seen him au natural."

"If you say so" she shrugged.

"Why is it Amanda always has it going on with the bad guys." Francine said jealously.

"If he is a bad guy." Alex put in."

"Oh, he's got to be." Lee injected. "It all fits." and he gave Amanda a look that said he wasn't finished with her comment."

"People, people, back to work, please." Billy cut in again. "Now, once again, what do we know about this guy?"

"Obviously Amanda knows far more than she's letting on." Francine quipped.

"If Amanda knows him so well, maybe we should let her take over the case." Alex suggested.

"I didn't say I knew him that well." she protested, ignoring Francine's snort.

"Well you know him better than anyone else here." the blond made a wide sweeping motion with her hands.

"I didn't say that Francine." Amanda shook her head. "I merely said he had a mole on his left...."

"Let's not go over this again." Lee put up his hands in a stop motion. 'I doubt very much that any of us are going to be looking at Anderson's naked rear end."

"I just thought it might help." Amanda added quietly.

"Amanda doesn't need too." Francine made a face. "She already did."

"People!" Billy shouted. "Please, can we act like adults here!"

It was two hours later that everyone was excused, Francine and Alex to play spy at the swank hotel they heard Anderson was staying at, Lee and Amanda to do the paperwork end of it.

"I don't know why we have to be the pencil pushers." Lee growled as he sat down at his desk.

"Because someone has too." Amanda reminded him.

"That doesn't help."

She knew he was upset because he wanted to go in with guns blazing and take Seth Anderson on the spot. But the conclusion they had come to in their fact finding was that they had no real evidence. Sure, he had been three places that the terrorist Endgame has struck. But as she had found out in this crazy business of espionage, that usually didn't mean a thing. And secretly she was really hoping that he was innocent. Because she would hate to think that part of her teenage years had been marred by Seth's turning bad. Sitting down at her desk in the Q-Bureau, she picked up the map of Anderson's wanderings from the day before, but found her mind wasn't on the project. It was actually about 20 years in the past.

'*Okay, Ames, it's your turn." Bethany Foster ran into the hotel room, her face as red as the lobster they had eaten for dinner.

"I really don't think so." Amanda was sitting on the bed, twisting her long hair around her finger. "Let Caroline go instead."

"It's no big deal for me." the pretty brunette said. "But honest Ames, you should. You will get a big kick out of it."

"I, don't know." Amanda sighed. "I just don't think that he would appreciate it." and she shook her head.

"Who cares, if he appreciates it." Bethany was giggling. "I certainly appreciated it." Another one of their group came into the room, her eyes starry and her face a deep crimson.

"Bri, you didn't?" Amanda exclaimed, jumping up. "I thought I could count on you."

"I had to Ames," the girl collapsed on the other bed. "And trust me, it was worth it. I've never seen one up close before."

"That's hardly up close." Caroline snorted. "But it should give you a good idea of what one looks like."

"Why do I need to know now?" Amanda could feel all the blood rushing to her face. "I'll find out sooner or later."

"Because it would be embarrassing on your wedding night, when your new husband whips it out and you go. "honey, what's that?" Bethany settled on the floor.

"I think I could figure it out." Amanda shook her head. "I mean, I do know the parts of the body."

"But they are so much better when you see them on a real live human being." Bri sighed.

"Come on Amanda." Caroline rose to her feet. "I'll go with you. This is a prime time to see a guy's dick and you should be educated."

Amanda turned even more red at the term, but followed her friend out the door. As they walked down the hallway of the Sheraton, Amanda began to formulate a plan. She had heard that you could see the guys in the exercise shower room, but looking through a small hole in the wall. And she also knew that Seth Anderson the forward for their rival team was in there showering right now. And apparently it was his, um, thing that all the girls were going nuts about.

"He is incredibly filled out." one of their fellow cheerleaders said as she passed them in the hall. "But you better hurry, the guys are almost done."

"This way." Caroline, motioned, although Amanda knew she had never been to this hotel before either. They were all here for the big game between Washington Lee and the Maryland champs and everyone was going a bit wild. But this, she just wasn't sure about this.

They entered the weight room, Amanda's heart was pumping madly. She just wasn't going to look. That's all there was too it. She knew that Caroline would look, but since she had sex with her boyfriend on a regular basis it would just be because she might as well. But she Amanda would keep her eyes closed. Yes, that was it, she would keep her eyes closed and say she saw it.

Caroline took the first look, a whistle of appreciation low under her breathe. "This is a good one for you to see Ame. He's even circumcised."

Suddenly Amanda knew she had to see it, she just had too. And he would never know, now would he? With shaking legs, she lowered her body to look in the hole, but all she could see were guy's back! Darn! Why was it, the minute she decided she was going to bad, all she could see were backs? She knew what those looked like!

Suddenly, one of the other guys turned around and she was almost nose to penis with his um, well, his thing. "Oh My Gosh!" she let out in a loud voice, every guy looking up to see where the noise was coming from, the comely form of Seth Anderson, turning around for her to get a full view of his wonderful tight buttocks. He had the cutest mole, she noticed in the few seconds before hell broke loose. It was shaped like the state of Virginia and to her horror she almost reached through the hole to touch it! But just then the coach from the other team came in and she and Caroline had to go talk to their chaperons about their lewd behavior.

"Just wait until Mother finds out" Amanda lamented as she got in bed that night. "Me, Amanda West, busted for looking a guy's whatyoumadiggy."

"Penis!" Bri yelled."

"Dick." Bethany giggled.

"Cock." Caroline smiled.

"Whatever." Amanda rolled over, trying to forget it all, but the glory of the mole went into her dreams.*

****

Twenty years later, she still could conjure the image of it up, which was why she had opened her mouth and blurted it out at the meeting.
"Amanda." she whispered to herself. "Your code name is now What Have You Done?!" and suddenly she started to laugh, ignoring the dirty looks from Lee.

Well at least, she had Francine going crazy. And really, was that such a bad thing?

Absolutely not!

Fed Up


Lee anxiously paced the length of his section chief’s office, waiting for his wife to arrive. After what had seemed like ages, Billy had finally received a decision on the matter that had plagued Lee for months.

One week ago to the day, Lee had approached Billy regarding an important issue regarding Amanda. Though it hadn’t seemed quite as urgent to the section chief, he had convinced Billy that the matter needed to be taken care of immediately, in order for him to regain his sanity.

The problem had to do with what people called Amanda around the Agency. Six months ago they had come clean, announcing their marriage publicly to everyone at home and at the Agency. The effort of keeping their marriage a secret had been a huge strain, not only on their personal relationship, but on their partnership as well. However, even though everyone now knew that Amanda was the mighty Scarecrow’s wife, many of the agents still insisted on referring to her as Mrs. King.

Lee realized that many of them did this because they had known Amanda from that first day, when she’d come in after that whole Pilgrim’s Peach Puff affair; and others had met her during those first years when she was very green around the edges, and more a nuisance to him than anything. Still others had only met her after she’d been well established at the Agency, as Scarecrow’s unofficial, and then official partner. During those times, she had always been referred to as Mrs. King, or even Amanda King.

Now, however, that everyone knew she was no longer Amanda King, but Amanda Stetson, hearing Mrs. King spoken in the hallways was like a slap in the face. It wasn’t that Lee disliked Joe, and while he wouldn’t call him a friend, they got along fairly well; mostly for the sake of Phillip and Jamie, and to avoid causing Amanda any stress.

It wasn’t that Lee had anything against the name King either; after all it was his stepsons’ surname. However, the moment they had announced their marriage to everyone, she had publically declared that she was now Amanda Stetson, and hearing his colleagues call her King was a constant reminder that he wasn’t her first, nor her only husband. He didn’t begrudge her past, especially since his had been spread out over four little black books, but he didn’t need to be reminded of it at work. Work was their common ground, and Joe King should not intrude on it, unless it was a matter of national security.

The final straw had come when a new recruit had called her Mrs. King. Lee had a sneaking suspicion that the poor kid had probably only been following Beaman’s orders, but still it had rankled him and he had decided right then and there that it was high time Amanda be given a code name; something that would provide her with her own identity apart from him, and effectively distance her from her first marriage.

Lee glanced at his watch and then looked out the window into the bustling Bullpen. What was keeping her? Billy had called her almost fifteen minutes ago. It wasn’t like her to take this long to respond to a summons from their section chief.

“Scarecrow, please sit down.” Billy closed his eyes and rubbed his temple. “Your pacing is starting to get on my nerves. Amanda said she’d be here as soon as she could, but she needed to run down to Research first.”

Lee turned to look at his friend and boss, took a deep breath and then walked over to the couch and grudgingly sat down. “Sorry, Billy. It’s just that I can’t wait much longer. The minute you tell Amanda then you can make the official announcement, and I can go back to giving my full attention to my job.”

“Amen to that.” Billy nodded in agreement. “And you can stop giving the new recruits a reason to run from you every time they see you in the hallway.”

Lee shrugged somewhat apologetically. “Okay so maybe I have been a little hard on some of the freshman agents.”

“A little hard? Scarecrow, you’ve been an absolute monster. I always thought that if you got married you’d settle a little.” Billy stared across the room at his best agent and shook his head slightly. “But I didn’t realize it was going to make you even more unbearable to be around than before. And after you almost put James through a wall, some of the senior agents started to avoid you.”

“Okay, you’ve made your point.” Lee raised his hands in surrender. “I’ll make a point to visit one of Beaman’s classes and apologize.”

Billy’s eyebrows raised in disbelief. “The great Scarecrow, publically apologizing. Now that’s a first.”

“Well, while I still blame the incident with James entirely on Beaman.” Lee ran a hand through his hair. “I swear he did it on purpose,” he muttered more to himself than to Billy, then in a normal voice he concluded, “I realize I shouldn’t take it out on the rookies.”

“I spoke to Beaman and it wasn’t personal, Scarecrow.” Billy saw the look of skepticism that crossed his agent’s face. “He apologized; not only didn’t he realize how much it would upset you, but he just wasn’t thinking and used her name out of habit. It’s bound to happen, Scarecrow, especially she’s been known around here a lot longer as Amanda King, than as Amanda Stetson.”

“I know. I know.” Lee sighed again. “But I’m really hoping this will help.” He waved the certificate he was holding towards Billy.

Billy’s face brightened as he saw the object of their discussion enter the bullpen. “Well your wait is almost over, Scarecrow.”

Lee rose from his seat just as he heard the sound of his wife’s familiar knock on the office door and Billy waved Amanda in.

“I’m sorry it took me so long sir,” Amanda stated as she entered the office and smiling brightly at her husband, she shut the door and walked towards Billy’s desk.

“Don’t worry about it. I know how things go down in Research.” Billy motioned to a seat and nodded in Lee’s direction as Amanda sat down. “As I’m sure you’re aware, Lee and I have been working on securing a code name for you.” The brunette nodded, and he continued, “Well after a lot of brainstorming and research, a decision has finally been made.”

Amanda sat on the edge of her seat. While she knew that Lee was responsible for the code name, and she also knew the real reason behind it, the fact that she was getting a code name made her feel like she was finally going to be seen as a real agent. Not that her training hadn’t done that, but after the incident in California, and having to prove herself all over again to everyone, including her husband, a code name would mean her own identity in the intelligence community; something that was hers, and hers alone. She glanced expectantly towards her husband than back to the section chief, the words ‘so what is it?’ hanging on the tip of her tongue.

Lee started to hand the certificate to their boss, but when Billy shook his head and nodded towards Amanda, he realized that he was going to be the one to break the news to his wife. “Amanda, your code name is Nefertiti.”

The End

Author’s End Note: Nefertiti is known from Ancient Egyptian history as the prominent wife of Pharoah Akhenaten. At some time during his rule, she was elevated to co-regent, having been given equal status to that of her husband. Her name is meant to translates to “the beautiful (or perfect) one has arrived”. I see it as the perfect name for Amanda, as she was the perfect one to come along and be the Scarecrow’s partner.

The New Codename

"Are you sure?" Amanda asked.

"I'm in charge, and it's time. You've acquired the necessary education, experience and knowledge. Amanda, your code name is now Blue Leader."

"WHAT? But Cheryl, I mean, the Blue Leader we have now, won't she be upset?"

"Blue Leader is soon to be FORMER Blue Leader...she is retiring as of Saturday. Some retired politician has stolen her heart. I heard a story, once, of a woman who ran off with a car mechanic--"

"But, I can't!"

"Of COURSE you can. Regrettably, it's mostly a desk job. But that makes us even. So's mine."

"Sneaky, very sneaky." Amanda crossed her arms. "You're doing this on purpose."

"I always have ulterior mostives. I also happen to have the UTMOST confidence in you."

"Yes, sir."

"Don't you 'yes, sir' me."

"Then, how do I address YOU?"

"How you always have, of course, as Lee." He rounded his desk to embrace her.

"So what do my duties entail?" She asked, looking up at him.

"That's Red Leader's job," Lee gave a laugh. "Basically, you'll help me, as section chief, to share the worry over all the Agents we have out there."

"But, I have more power than you do." Amanda pointed out, still not understanding how she gained the position.

"No, just more secrecy. You will have agents on missions I might not know about, until I need to. I know I can trust you and that it will be for the protection of the nation."

"I accept, then. Better go see what I can learn from Red Leader and the *current* Blue Leader." Amanda headed to the door, reluctant to let go of her husband, and turned around, "Thank you, Lee."

"I'll see you at dinner." Lee said, confident as ever in his wife.

The End

Several years ago it'd been decided that one person would be in charge of code names on a rotating basis. This year Harry Thornton had been bestowed that honor.

One of the people he'd been asked to assign a name to was Amanda. It no longer seemed appropriate to call her Mrs. King now that she was a full time agent.

"Amanda, your code name is now Wonder Woman." Harry announced.

"Why Wonder Woman." Lee asked.

"Because my boy she tamed the Scarecrow and only a Wonder Woman could do that feat."

Amanda laughed. "He's right. I tamed the Scarecrow."

Amanda opened the door to the Q-Bureau. "Lee, are you in here?"

A loud bang and muffled curse told her someone was in the vault. She opened the vault door further and found her husband sitting on the floor among a messy pile of old case files. The way he was rubbing his head told her the loud bang she'd heard was his head hitting the bottom of the open drawer.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you." She squatted down so she could be eye level with him and rubbed the sore spot on his head. " What are you doing in here?"

"Well, since you're graduating Friday, it's up to the team leader to assign a code name to all field agents assigned to him. I'm just going through some old files to see if I can come up with one for you." He kissed her nose.

She sat next to him. "So, what have you come up with?"

"I'm trying to find the perfect name, something that sums up everything you are. There are too many things to sum up in one word. For instance," he picked up a folder and opened it. "I thought about how you saved my life that day at the train station and Life Saver should be your code name. Then all I thought about those little hard candies, and figured you'd be called Candy and Candy with an "i" is part of a past I want to forget. So Life saver is out."

"Good!"

"Then I remembered how you got me out of Mrs. Welch's home and that crazy outfit you had on. I thought about Scout as a code name for you. But then I only thought of Tonto's horse. So that name no good."

"No, I don't really want to be compared to a horse."

Next, I decided to be selfish and thought about how lucky I am to have found you not only as my partner at work, but my partner in life. You're my good luck charm and then Shamrock popped into my head."

"Shamrock. I like that one."

"Oh, Amanda you are much, much more than just a good luck charm." He kissed her full on the lips. “You've made everything magical for me since the day I met you. I love you very much."

"I love you, too, sweetheart."

"Amanda, your code name is now Magician."

End

"Amanda, did I told you or not to stay in the car? Of course I did, but like always you won't listen!"

Scarecrow's loud and angry voice made everyone in the bullpen cringe, well everyone but the person he was speaking with.
Lee Stetson was in full gear now, but for Amanda it was something she was used too, he gave her the same speech, every time they have a new case, and that for what? Almost eighteen months now.

She was sure to be right every time she followed him, so all his barking didn't offend or scare her.

What was hurting were Francine's words every time the blonde agent was around when Lee was angry, and today wasn't an exception.

"Amanda, dear, if you want to stay around here for a long time, you have to listen to the senior agent, every time he or she tell you to do something! What was this time Lee? I bet she followed you when you met that lowlife, your snitch-Auggie.”

“Oh, I know Amanda, your code name is now "Toto" even if Lee is the Scarecrow, that if... from some miracle you would became an agent one day; which I doubt!

Francine was sure Lee would join the laugh, but his "Can it Francine, Amanda isn't a dog!" left her speechless.

"Come on Amanda, Billy is waving from the office."

What Francine didn't know was, the fact that Lee's fury was toward Auggie not really toward Amanda. "How dared that lousy lowlife to ask her to join his mudwrestling bar!" This need a long discussion with Auggie but now wasn't the time.

Lee agonized over the possibilities.

As Amanda's partner, he'd been chosen to bestow her with a code name.

He'd come up with names, discarding them as not right. Not Amanda. He needed something perfect. He paced around the room.

The name dawned on him.

"Amanda, your code name is now Destiny."

"Why Destiny?"

"It was destiny the day we met. Destiny that we became partners. And Destiny that we fell in love. Fate. Destiny."

Amanda rose, walked around the desk, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Perfect. I always knew destiny had a hand in our life."

Code Names and Secrets


"Morning Scarecrow.....Amanda," Billy heartily greeted both of his best agents as they entered his office.

"What's up, Billy? You made it sound so urgent that we rushed right down here," Lee asked, noting the odd look on their boss's face.

"It's nothing serious....trust me, Lee. I just decided that it was time that Amanda was given a code name," Billy offered as he tried unsuccessfully to hide his sly smile.

"Why assign me a code name now, sir? Not that I'm complaining, but Mrs. King has kind of become my unofficial code name. I'm not sure I could respond to anything else, and I'm fine if you want that to be my code name. Really, sir, I like the sound of Scarecrow and Mrs. King," Amanda responded with her usual ramble.

"Amanda, I realize that you might have an unofficial code name, but I've been getting a lot pressure from Dr. Smyth to come up with something more official for you. So Amanda, your code name is now Isis."

"Isis? What kind of name is that, Billy? That sounds like some weird flower or something. But I know you, Billy, you don't just give out a code name without a reason," Lee challenged, as he tried to figure out what Billy was up to.

"You're absolutely right, Scarecrow. Code names can be a key to who an agent is and what he or she is like as a person. Let me explain how I came up with Amanda's code name. Isis was the ancient Egyptian Goddess who was celebrated as the ideal mother and WIFE," Billy explained, emphasizing the word `wife' and sounding rather proud of himself.

"An ideal mother and WIFE, sir? I'm not sure where you would get an idea like that. I mean, I appreciate that you think that I'm a good mother to the boys, but the last time I checked, I was divorced," Amanda responded nervously. She was silently praying that Lee could get them out of this discussion before she slipped up and said too much.

"Well, I was hoping that this would be your opportunity to finally come clean about your relationship. I told you before that I was happy for you and would do whatever it takes to help keep you together. Listen, you two should know that I already know all about your marriage and have for some time. Did you really think you keep something like that hidden here at the Agency?" Billy chastised.

"Now, I'm not trying to force you to admit that you're married to everyone, but I'm sure that keeping all these secrets is bound to be a strain on your relationship. Just think about it, it can't be healthy for your relationship to live apart. Plus I'm certain that, once I announce Amanda's new code name to everyone in the bullpen, someone who knows the mythology behind it will begin to ask questions." Billy explained as he offered them what he believed to be the perfect opportunity to come clean.

"Come on, that's blackmail, Billy! You can't really expect us to just walk out there and announce to everyone that we're married…just like that," Lee challenged, snapping his fingers to emphasize his point.

"Not blackmail, Scarecrow. It's just a friendly hand-in-the-back to push you in the right direction." Billy countered with a smile.

It’s All In the Name


Amanda sat across from Billy Melrose, alone in his office. It wasn’t often she was separated from Lee. The reason for this meeting was a complete mystery. Her marriage to Lee had gone public months ago. Not nearly the hubbub they expected occurred.

“I am sure, Amanda, that you’re curious as to why you’re here,” Billy began, giving her a smile before continuing, “It’s about your codename. You need one. I now have one.”

“Amanda, your codename is now ______.”


* * * * * ***** ***** * * * * *

“It’s what?” Lee asked again. Amanda had told him the story in the Q Bureau 3 times.

“That’s just how he said it. ‘Amanda, your codename is now Ditto.’ I really had no choice about it.”

“But why? What’s it mean?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I made a few too many copies. But he sure had a sly grin on his face when I left his office.”

“Well, why didn’t he explain?”

“He couldn’t. Leatherneck, Dr. Smyth, and Francine all rushed in, talking at once. He just said I should probably come up here now.”

“Poor guy. You were lucky to get out while the getting was good. Let’s see if we can ask him, right now.”

* * * * * ***** ***** * * * * *

Together, Lee and Amanda now stood across from Billy Melrose. His office had cleared about 20 minutes before. He was not at all surprised they were there.

“So, Billy, what’s with the name, huh?” Lee asked.

“I knew you’d both be down here to ask. The reason is, Amanda is your duplicate, in female form. Right down to the last certification exam. You both had the same 3 questions wrong and had taken the test in separate exam rooms! And, wherever you are, I can easily expect Amanda to be there, with you. I am happy to report, Lee, you’ve taken on some of your partner’s qualities as well. It’s a change for the better.”

Lee and Amanda eyed one another and then shrugged in unison.

“You see what I mean?” Billy asked in a voice full of amusement.

“Ditto it is!” Lee said, turning on his heel to leave the office. Billy began to laugh.

“Lee!” Amanda called, chasing after him.

“Let’s go up to the Q, Ditto,” was the last thing the chief heard as one of his best teams left the office. Billy, was amused that Lee took the explanation so casually and did not suggest another codename. The name fit her and now it would stick. * Good job, Billy, good job* he gave himself a mental pat on the back.

The End

Taming the Beast


Lee and Amanda stood pacing back and forth outside Billy’s office.

“Why is he taking so long?” Lee grumbled to his wife as he passed her for the fifth or was it sixth time.

Amanda shrugged. “I don’t know, but I just hope he doesn’t still expect the Rumbald case report on time.”

Lee was about to comment when Billy’s door opened, and Dr. Smyth, a smug smile on his face, walked out.

Dr. Smyth nodded slyly at the two agents who appeared to have stopped mid-stride and continued on his way out of the bullpen.

Amanda and Lee exchanged a quick glance at each other and then, without even waiting for their section chief to wave them in, entered Billy’s office.

“Well?” Lee huffed out as soon as they were inside and the door was closed.

Billy, his agent mask in place, looked from one agent to the other, then fixed his gaze solely on the one who had been the sole subject of discussion for the last three hours. “Amanda, your codename is now, Belle.”

“Bell?” Lee asked, dumfounded, “as in it tolls for thee? I don’t get it.”

Billy shook his head, doing his best to keep his face straight. “No, Belle as in Belle of Beauty and the Beast.”

Amanda smiled. “I like it sir, thank you.”

Lee, who had never read the story, didn’t quite understand the meaning behind the name. He glanced from his wife to his boss. “Does someone want to fill me in?”

Billy allowed the smile to show on his face now. “She’s the beauty that tamed the beast.” He looked directly at Lee when he said the last word, his smile spreading to an all out grin. “Now out of my office, Scarecrow and Belle. I expect the Rumbald report on my desk in one hour.”

Amanda, her face radiant, headed out of their section chief’s office with her husband right behind her, muttering and grumbling under his breath. Beauty and the Beast happened to be one of her favorite stories, and there was no denying that Lee could definitely be a beast at times…and not an altogether unpleasant one at that, but he had changed a great deal since she’d first met him almost five years ago.

Amanda glanced back at her husband, who opened his mouth to say something. She arched an eyebrow, daring him to protest that her codename wasn’t well suited for her, and he promptly closed it again. She turned her attention back on the hallway in front of her, smiling triumphantly as they made their way towards the elevator. Ah yes, she had indeed tamed the beast.

The End