Glancing over at his partner and wife, Lee Stetson smiled watching her intently working on the last of the reports pertaining to the case they had recently wrapped up. The late afternoon rays slipped through the window, alighting upon her auburn hair, causing tiny bits to sparkle radiantly in its caress. 'She looks so perfect just sitting there,' he thought with a sigh. "Even after six months I still can't believe she's my wife. It all seems like a dream. I married this woman!'
Amused with his own thoughts Lee slid back in his chair idly twisting his pen in his hands as he simply observed her go about her finishing touches. It amazed him the depths of love he felt for her. He'd never really considered himself the marrying type. Hell, he'd never expected to really be in a lasting relationship, marriage aside.
He'd done a complete turn around once Amanda had firmly adhered her position in his existence. The one-night stands he had so looked forward to and anticipated suddenly seemed cheap, and meaningless. Seeing her bright face in the early mornings made him feel guilty for the ways he'd spent his nights. That was before he'd even admitted to himself his true feelings for this beautiful woman!
He bit back a chuckle, shaking his head in wonder. 'You've made my life complete in so many ways. You taught me what it was to really be a man. I think you've touched everyone's life in this agency my love, and its all been for the better.' Over the years she had moved from being a hindrance and bother to a skilled addition that even Francine had to admit could hold her own. Now he had a partner, not only professionally but privately as well. 'And I'm not letting this one get away!'
Reaching out he quickly flipped the report he had been studying closed, and dropped his pen down ceremoniously on the desk as he drew his long form from the chair. "That's it, it's five o'clock on a Friday night. I'd call that quitting time, Mrs. Stetson. For the rest of the weekend you're all mine," he announced proudly.
He had plans, nothing extravagant, but after the last two weeks neither of them really felt like going away to a stuffy resort. They'd been pulled this way and that, barely having time to steal a fleeting kiss here and there. What he had going wouldn't require them leaving his apartment, much less their bed. He didn't need to go to a resort for that.
With Dotty heading out to visit Aunt Lillian tonight for four days, and the boys planning a camping trip with Joe and Carrie, that left them to fend for themselves, something Lee was more than looking forward to. Everyone would be gone by the time they swung by Amanda's to pick up a few things she would need. Their weekend officially started as of now.
Amanda looked up at him, giving him a quick smile, forcing Lee to suck in his breath before turning her attention back to the report. "Give me just a couple of more minutes, honey. I'm almost done." Her voice was like a finely tuned violin playing a melody on his heart- strings.
"I've waited two weeks, I guess a few more minutes isn't going to kill me," he complained, giving her a smile as she looked up. "I'm just kidding," he protested, holding out his hands. "I'm patient, really."
"Uh-huh," she muttered, lowering her eyes to the papers.
"Well I'm trying, you've got to give me that," he returned shyly, grabbing the file off his desk and turning to the file cabinet between them.
Stuffing it away into its specific slot, he moved behind her desk, glancing at the work over her shoulder before leaning down and tenderly being to massage and caress her neck muscles. "You're tense my love, I've got the perfect remedy for that," he whispered in a sultry tone, allowing his lips to brush along the lobe of her ear delicately.
"You do?" she baited lightly, turning her head to allow him better access as she tried to finish up writing.
"Uh-huh," he breathed, snaking his tongue along the inner folds of her ear. Brushing her hair back with the tips of his fingers, he slowly and leisurely explored her lower jaw and neck, first with his fingers, then his lips. "I thought we'd start with a warm, scented bubble bath, low lighting… perhaps a candle or two strategically placed throughout the bathroom, quiet music filtering in the air…"
"Oh that sounds nice," she purred, closing her eyes against his gentle kisses. "Are we talking those aromatic candles you bought down in Chinatown a while back?"
"Uh-huh, those are the ones," he agreed, nibbling along her throat.
"Hmmm… I love the way those smell. Go on," she pressed with a sigh.
"Add to that the perfect bottle of wine, a small tray of chocolate covered strawberries I have chilling in the refrigerator…"
"You got the strawberries too?" she asked excitedly, turning toward him.
He smiled, flashing her a pearly expression, sinking down beside her chair on one knee. "I pulled out all the stops for us this weekend. Only the best for my perfect wife," he teased, kissing her nose. "Besides, I remembered how much you loved them the last time."
"Oh Lee…" she leaned over, kissing him hard and fast on the lips, barely giving him time to register the touch before pulling away again. "I really wish you wouldn't go to all this trouble when we're together," she immediately began, shaking her head. "I don't have to be wined and dined, you have me Scarecrow," she teased, brushing his hair off his forehead. "I'd be just as happy curling up with you to watch tv."
"I know," he returned, caressing her arm. "I like to make you happy. We don't spend enough time together Manda, and when we do, well, I want it be special," he confessed, gazing into her eyes.
"Every time I'm with you it's special," she returned softly. The love he heard in her words made his heart swell. "Now let me sign these two forms so we can get out of here and begin the wonderful evening you've prepared for us."
"Okay, I'll leave you alone," he agreed, feeling her fingers slid along his temple, then down his jaw. With a sigh, he released her from his small embrace and rose, physically stepping away from her desk. He knew if he didn't put space between them, regardless of the night he had to look forward to, he wasn't going to be able to keep his hands to himself.
"I'll think I'll water the plants," he muttered more to himself than her. He no more than reached for the small watering bucket when the phone sitting on his desk rung shrilly, demanding his attention. "Oh no!' he moaned inwardly, jerking his head toward it quickly.
Amanda too had looked up startled at the sound. They exchanged expressions as it rung again, echoing through the stillness of the room. "This is not right! We should have been gone by now! It's our weekend!" he growled, shaking his head, refusing to move toward the phone.
"Lee, you have to answer the phone," she returned with a look.
"But I don't have to like it!" he shot back, stalking across the room and grabbing the phone quickly from its base as it began ringing for the fourth time. "Stetson!" he snapped crisply, dreading the conversation that was to come.
"Good I caught you before you left," William Melrose's voice filter through the receiver.
"No, we've left, you missed us by two minutes," Lee returned quickly. "Unless it's a natural emergency we're not having this conversation."
He could hear his section chief laughing lightly on the other end before speaking. "It's not an emergency, but I would like to see Amanda before you two head out. I'd like to ask a favor of her."
"It's not work?" Lee questioned skeptically, his muscles starting to relax slightly. 'We're not going to be interrupted!'
"Not per say, it's a favor," Billy repeated in a strange tone after a small hesitation.
"Billy…" he began, unsure of how to take his last response.
"Just have her stop down before she heads out, okay Scarecrow? You can do that right?" Billy questioned, preventing him from continuing his line of thought. "Thanks."
With that the phone clicked on the other end and Lee was left standing at his desk, holding a dead line. He frowned, lowering it slowly to the desk.
"Something important?" Amanda inquired, drawing his attention.
"A favor," he returned shaking his head. "That's all he would say. He wants to see you before we head out, to ask you a favor."
She grinned, "A favor, that's not so bad. Why do you have this look of doom and gloom? I'm sure it won't take long. We're off the active duty rooster this weekend. He didn't say it was an assignment right?"
"No, just a favor," he muttered.
"Then perk up Scarecrow, we'll be out of here and on our way to an ecstasy filled weekend in no time," she teased, closing her report quickly as she rose and headed toward the filing cabinet. "Come on, handsome, you can go with me."
Shutting the drawer, she gathered him up with a hand, swinging her purse over her shoulder as they passed her desk. Lee sighed, knowing he was seeing more into the conversation than there was. 'We deserve this weekend. I just don't want it messed up with something stupid. We're always interrupted!'
* * *
"Billy NO!" Lee hissed, his voice echoing venomously throughout the small office.
"Scarecrow I'm not asking you!" Billy shot back, giving him a look before returning his pleasant smile towards the slightly shocked Amanda. "It would just be until Monday," he tried to explain.
"Get someone else to do it!" Lee continued to rant, pacing the floor like a caged animal. "This is ridiculous!"
"There is no one else!" Billy informed him with strength. "She's got the perfect set up, a big house, a backyard…"
"Sir, if I may, how did we end up with… this to begin with?" Amanda questioned from where she sat.
"Princess Kimbobia arrived in the states a few hours ago under cover. She's slated to meet on the Senate hearings first thing Monday morning. Since we had to keep her arrival hush hush, she was smuggled in. Now we've got her tucked away safely with friends, but…" he sighed, shaking his head. "Until her aids show up Monday morning we have to house that too, I promised the princess personally that we'd take care of it," he confessed a bit embarrassed.
Everyone's attention dropped to the small cargo carrier sitting on the floor near his desk and its occupant. Small beady eyes stared back at them, watching the commotion with interest. "Then you take it home," Lee protested.
"I'd like to, but I can't. Jeannie's allergic to dogs."
Lee gave him a look. "That is not a dog."
"Lee…" Amanda called him down with just a word, giving him a look before returning her attention to the animal inside. Rising from her chair, she knelt down in front of the carrier, holding her fingers out to the small caged front. The animal immediately began wagging it's tail, licking affectionately at her fingers as she smiled.
"Look, give it to someone else," Lee protested again, "There's gotta be someone… anyone you can pawn that off on! How about Francine? She loves dogs!" he suggested hopefully, not knowing nor caring what Francine really thought about the animal, he just didn't want to be burdened with it. Not this weekend.
"Francine left this morning on assignment. She won't be back until Wednesday," Billy reminded him.
"How about…"
"Lee, I've tried. There's nobody. Amanda was my last hope. I dare not board him somewhere, if something happened to him the Princess would never forgive us. He's her pride and joy. Why are you fighting this so much? I'm not asking you to take care of him," he stated, giving his best agent a look.
"Well, it's just that… I mean she shouldn't be…" Lee sighed, running his hand cross his eyes as Billy began to smile. 'Oh this is just great! Just keep stumbling over your words Stetson, it can't get any worse!'
"Look," Billy interrupted, saving him the worry of thinking of something rational to say. "I know you two probably have plans or something this weekend, but he's not going to be any trouble. I thought Amanda's boys would enjoy him."
"The boys are with their father this weekend," Lee informed him dryly. "They went on a camping trip."
Billy's eyes widened slightly as he realized what he was saying. "Oh…"
"What's his name?" Amanda asked from the floor.
Both turned their attention toward her, seeing her smiling as she held the small bundle of white fluff in her arms. It had its front paws posted on her shoulder, nuzzling and licking at her face affectionately. Lee groaned, closing his eyes. /i>'She's getting attached to it!'
Billy quickly consulted the paper in front of him, looking back to Amanda. "Pewielum Vosh Dracon," he supplied with a shrug. "Don't ask," he added when he saw their looks.
"Pewee," Amanda muttered after a moment, looking down at the small animal. "We'll call you Pewee, it's much easier to remember don't you think, sweetheart?" she asked of the dog. He seemed perfectly happy with the nickname and continued to shower Amanda with his undying gratitude.
"Amanda, you're not seriously considering taking this rat thing…"
"He's not a rat Lee, he's a dog," she protested, giving him a hard look as she rose from the floor. "And yes I am, it's only for the weekend," she continued, stepping toward him. "Look at this face. Can you seriously stand there and tell me you'd rather he be boarded in some impersonal, sterile room where he wouldn't even be allowed out of his cage?"
"Yes," Lee answered quickly, then sighed as he saw the expression on her face. "All right fine, you want the dog, take the dog home," he muttered, dejected. 'Can I deny this woman anything? God when she looks at me like that I'd do anything for her.'
"Thank you," Billy breathed, relieved at Amanda's reaction. "I owe one, a big one."
"Yes you do," Lee returned dryly, absently reaching out to stroke the animal. The dog responded to his light touch by immediately turning his head and with a loud growl, snapped its little sharp teeth, nearly catching a finger before Lee jerked them back. "Hey! That little sucker tried to bite me!"
"You just startled him is all," Amanda protested, rocking the dog in her arms almost as if it was a baby. It continued to watch Lee, growling under it's breath as he returned its look with one of his own. "Shhh… it's all right Pewee, he's not going to hurt you… Shhh… it's okay now."
"Has he had his rabies shots?" Lee questioned, keeping clear of the animal's teeth range.
"He was cleared before he came into the country," Billy assured him with a smirk.
"Thank god for small miracles," he muttered dryly, eyeing the tiny animal his wife held close.
"Come on Lee, get his stuff," Amanda commanded lightly, motioning to the cage and small box of supplies. "Let's get him settled in at the house."
"Settled in…" he grumbled under his breath, stalking across the room.
As he drew the box of paraphernalia into his arms and hooked the cage with a finger, Billy held out a paper, grinning at him. "Here's his feeding schedule. Make sure you stick to it, and don't feed him anything that's not on the list or in the box. The Princess said he's got a very delicate stomach."
Glaring at him, Lee jerked the paper from his grasp and moved to the door as Amanda opened it. "Thank you, both of you. I really appreciate this!" Billy called after them.
"Yeah right," Lee grumbled.
TBC
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.