Chapter 1
Amanda Stetson sat at her desk, putting the finishing touches on the caseload files her and her partner had completed over the past year. As she flipped through the pages, Nick Grant's name caught her eye. A warm smile crossed her face as she glanced over at her husband's empty desk. They had been secretly married during that case.
A lot had changed in the last nine months. Lee had openly become more involved in her family life, getting to know each of her boys better on a one-on-one type basis. Phillip had taken to Lee immediately; however, she could sense that Jamie was still uncertain of his own emotions towards the new man in his mother's life.
Next week Lee would be joining them for Thanksgiving dinner, and this would be their first true "family" gathering. This "secret" marriage was becoming harder and harder to keep hidden from the outside world. Over the past few weeks they had been involved in several dangerous cases, some of which required their home and family to be under surveillance. Lee had insisted he stay in the house to protect his new family. They had successfully pulled off his overnight stays, with him slipping downstairs in the wee hours of the morning to sack out on the couch. They both felt safer with him in the house, just in case something went wrong.
She lifted her eyes from the paperwork at hand as the smell of dried flowers wafted through the air. She smiled as she rose to close the cracked window behind the arrangement, leaning carefully over the fragile flowers as she did so.
She smiled at the memory behind the flowers. They had mysteriously appeared her first day back at work after recovering from being shot during their honeymoon. Replacing a piece of baby’s breath that had fallen from the arrangement, she remembered seeing Francine exit the office just as she had arrived that day. Francine had mumbled her welcome back words as a blush crept into her cheeks and hastily retreated down the hall. Amanda had learned over the years that Francine had placed walls around her own heart concerning relationships, even those involving friends. Francine would never admit that she had placed the flowers there, but Amanda knew she had.
Returning to her desk, she thought of the day the Agency doctors had given her the green light to return to active duty. Amanda missed being out in the field and worried too much when she wasn’t there to watch her husband’s back. Lee had been a little overly protective of her during the first few cases, but after a long lecture from Billy, he had settled down and things had gotten back to normal.
The ringing of the telephone brought her out of her thoughts. "Hello?"
"Is the most beautiful woman I ever met going to be able to sneak away from work by three o'clock to meet her handsome husband at the airfield?" asked a husky voice.
A wide smile crossed her lips as she imagined the mischievous smile she was sure her husband was wearing. Amanda lowered her voice into a sensual tone. "Do you miss me?"
She received a robust laugh from the man on the other end of the phone. "I don't think ‘miss’ is quite the word I'd use."
"What would you say then?" Amanda continued the light flirting.
His tone became low and deep. "I don't think words can describe it. Why don't you just come on down here, and I'll show you?"
Amanda felt a slight blush creep into her cheeks. Even after being married for nearly a year, this man could still ignite her body with just his voice. Her voice cracked slightly as she responded, "I guess I'll just have to make sure I'm on time for that flight."
"Promise?"
"Oh, yeah. I promise. I just have to finish up some reports that my partner neglected to do last night and get them to Mr. Melrose before I head out."
"Your partner must've had some very important plans to have neglected his duties so. I guess he'll just have to make it up to you somehow."
Amanda laughed lightly at her husband's play of words. "Promises, promises."
"Oh, that's one promise I intend to keep, Mrs. Stetson. That is if you get here on time!"
Amanda pulled at the collar of her turtleneck sweater. Deciding the subject was heading to territory better discussed in private, she decided to change the subject. "I take it that you found Captain Kurt?"
Lee paused for a minute, trying to decide whether he should continue his playful tactics or not. "You're not going to get out of it that easily. We'll just have to continue our other conversation when you get here." Remaining silent, he waited for her response.
Amanda closed her eyes at the thought of her husband's insinuations. "Lee...Did you find Captain Kurt?"
A husky laugh once again came across the phone lines. "Yes, dear wife. I found him. He was more than willing to let us borrow one of his planes for our 'mission.' He just purchased a 1972 Cessna Skylane and is going to let us take it out on its maiden voyage. I'm so glad I can finally take you on a flight and not have to worry about someone shooting us down."
"Me, too." Amanda started signing forms to quicken her departure time while she continued their conversation.
Lee's voice softened. "I'm so glad your mother is going to marry him. It's nice to see her as happy as we are."
Amanda thought back to her mother's reception of Lee over the past few months. Her mother had immediately taken Lee in as one of the family, constantly hounding her about when they would stop fooling around and 'tie-the-knot.' Perhaps it was Lee's charm, or the fact that he genuinely cared for every member of her family, that made her mother want him to be a more permanent fixture in their lives.
"Amanda, are you still there?" Lee asked, concerned with her silence.
"Sorry. I was just thinking how things have changed. I couldn't agree with you more about her being happy. Although, I am going to miss her once she moves out of the house. You know, maybe it’s time we became a ‘real’ family too, Lee."
"I was thinking that same thing, Amanda. This part-time husband, stepfather, son-in-law thing is getting old. I want us to be a real family, and I want everyone to know that I’m here for the long haul. Maybe after this weekend we can work something out with the family situation. I'm sure it would make your mother extremely happy."
Smiling, Amanda nodded. "Maybe."
"Let's not talk about it over the phone, though. I want to have you here with me. So, hurry up with your partner's paperwork and get down here. Oh, and I already picked up your suitcase from the house, so there’s no need to make a stop there, especially since the boys will be with Joe after school."
"All right, I'll be there on time, I promise. I love you, Lee." Amanda replied.
"I love you, too. See you soon." Lee hung up the phone, and Amanda waited to hear the dial tone before hanging up herself. She looked at the phone briefly, replaying Lee's words in her head. 'I want us to be a "real" family.’ "Maybe this weekend will be a good opportunity for us to talk, without any interruptions," she said aloud to the empty room.
Looking quickly at her watch, she realized she had about half an hour before she needed to be on the road. She was glad Mr. Melrose had given them this "easy" assignment. All they had to do was meet up with one of Lee's informants near Cape Cod the next morning, then they would get the whole weekend to themselves.
Stacking the files neatly, she stood and entered the vault. Filing the packets that did not require Mr. Melrose's signature, she noticed that the Khruschev file had been placed in the wrong slot. As she moved it to the appropriate place, her mind wandered to the events occurring shortly after that case had ended.
Mr. Melrose had stopped by the Q-Bureau one evening as she and Lee were leaving. He had asked them to join him for dinner since Jeannie was out of town visiting relatives. They’d agreed and headed to Randy's. Amanda remembered that night very well. Mid-way through their appetizer, Mr. Melrose had made a toast to them. "Congratulations. May your life be long, and your marriage as happy as Jeannie and mine." Amanda closed the filing cabinet and exited the vault.
Placing the files that needed to be signed on the edge of her desk, she walked over to the window behind Lee's desk. It was a beautiful day, and the weatherman had called for more of the same for the next three days.
Her mind again drifted back to Mr. Melrose's toast. Lee had almost choked on his drink when Billy had said the word "marriage." Her own eyes had grown wide in shock, and all three remained momentarily silent. Lee had been the first to ask how their boss had known. Billy simply stated that he wasn't the Section Chief for nothing. The three had laughed at the true meaning behind that comment.
Lee had then probed their boss for more information on how he had really found out. Mr. Melrose had laughed and told them he’d known since the night in the safe house just before Christmas, during the fiasco with Andre Krutiov. He wasn’t sure when they had gotten married, but had a pretty good idea.
They had then spent the rest of dinner discussing the events that had led up to their wedding day. They were glad to finally be able to share their news with someone, especially Billy.
Turning from the autumn scene before her, she pulled on her coat and grabbed the files from her desk. She was thankful for her boss' observation skills; he had made their life much easier after that night. Mr. Melrose would occasionally give them special overnight assignments. Amanda suspected it was a direct result of the tension that had been growing between her and Lee, and their boss had realized how much they needed some true together time, away from work, family, and the prying eyes of the Agency.
Retrieving her purse from the back of her chair, she headed out of the office. Locking the Q-bureau door behind her, she headed down to the bullpen, wanting to drop the reports off with Mr. Melrose before leaving to meet Lee.
Lee stood near Captain Kurt’s hangar, watching for signs of Amanda’s car. Glancing at his watch, he noticed that it was already 3:05. ‘No need to panic; she’s only five minutes late,’ he told himself. Turning, he headed into the hangar to talk to the mechanic and double check that everything was cleared for the flight.
Amanda looked at the clock on her dashboard as she parked her car just outside Captain Kurt’s hangar. It said 3:10 p.m. "I hope Lee isn’t too worried," she said aloud as she grabbed her purse and headed out of the car.
Lee had heard her pull up and met her by the hanger door. "I was beginning to get worried," he said in a calm voice. "What took you so long?" He wrapped his arms around her waist.
Amanda smiled. "Ten minutes is hardly long, Lee. There was a bit of a traffic jam on the George Washington Parkway." She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
Lee wasn’t going to settle for just a quick kiss. He hadn’t seen his wife all day and took advantage of the fact that there were no Agency personnel around. Pulling her a little closer, he turned the quick kiss into a more passionate one.
The sound of a wrench dropping in the hangar brought them both back to reality.
"Come on, I’m anxious to get in the air." Lee reluctantly released her from the embrace but kept his hand on her lower back as the walked towards the plane.
Amanda stood a few feet from the plane and admired the small craft. "So, this is Captain Kurt’s latest toy?"
Lee looked over the front of the aircraft to see his wife’s approving smile. "Yep. He tells me that Jamie has taken quite an interest in his ‘toys,’ as you so fondly call them."
Amanda walked around the front of the plane to join her husband in his pre-flight check. "Jamie has mentioned once or twice about going up with Kurt. You don’t think he bought this plane to make friends with Jamie, do you?"
Lee shook his head as he focused on the prop for any nicks or dings. "Maybe. He’s trying hard to gain their acceptance into the family." He looked up and gave his wife a sheepish grin then continued to check the inlets for bugs and other debris.
Amanda followed and placed her hand on her husband’s back as he knelt beside the tire on the pilot’s side. "Toys may be an interesting distraction, but gaining trust and love is what will make it work for him."
Lee stood and walked the length of the wing, pausing to check the flaps and lights. "It’s hard to know where to start." Stopping his intense inspection, he turned and placed a quick peck on her lips. "I was just lucky to have the support of my loving wife to help me fit into the family."
Amanda smiled following a few steps back as he moved to the tail of the plane then repeated the inspection on the other side. "You didn’t need my help. You’ve done a wonderful job of making them comfortable around you. I think that before long you’ll have won them over completely."
Lee shoved his hands in his pockets and headed over to the tool chest beside the hangar door. "They made it easy on me. Even Jamie seems to be at ease with me now."
Amanda took a seat on a nearby stool as she watched her husband retrieve an injector cup to check the gasoline with. Her eyes softened as she continued to study the blue and white plane. It had been many years since she had watched a pre-flight check. Sighing, she pushed the memories to the back of her mind. "So, you really look like you know what you’re doing."
Lee nodded as he inspected the color of the gasoline. "Yep. I’ve done this a time or two. I might just give this little job to you, if we get to take many more excursions like this."
Amanda rose from her perch and went to stand beside her husband. "You might be teaching Jamie this before all is said and done."
Lee’s smile widened at the thought. "That would be a good thing, don’t you think?"
Amanda gave him a firm pat on the butt as she watched his eyes widen from the wheels beginning to turn in his head. "Yes. It would be good."
Lee grabbed her hand as she started over to retrieve her purse she had left on the floor beside the plane. "I know a few other things I could teach you that would be good."
Amanda gave him an innocent look as she allowed him to pull her hard against him. "You do?"
"Mmm…hmm…" Lee started to lean forward and show her a few ideas just as a mechanic cleared his throat and approached them from the back of the hangar.
The mechanic wiped his hands with a red rag as he approached. "Mr. Stetson, are you ready for me to help you push this baby out to the runway?"
Lee reluctantly released his wife and then returned to the plane. "I guess we’re burning valuable daylight." He then proceeded to kick the chocks out from in front of the wheels to allow the plane to be pushed outside.
Amanda stepped forward to put her hands on one of the wing struts and helped the men work the plane out into the open. Watching Lee push the tail gently down to get the top of it under the hangar doorframe, her mind wandered back to her own childhood experience. Her father would hoist her up to straddle the fuselage just in front of the tail to provide enough weight for the tail to clear the door. He had told her that was an important job for his co-pilot, and she’d eagerly performed her "duty" until she was too big.
Fifteen minutes later, they were taxiing towards the runway. Amanda watched her husband intently while he checked the instruments and listened to the tower personnel. Adjusting her headset, she realized she’d never been in a plane with Lee as the pilot before. Sure she had ridden with him in a helicopter a few times, but usually they were in a life-or-death situation. She was either looking out for the bad guys, or they were dodging bullets.
Looking out the window as the engine rumbled through its warm-up, her thoughts drifted to the last time she’d been in the passenger seat of a private plane. Her mind was so busy replaying that scene that she barely noticed the ground suddenly began to grow smaller as the tiny plane lifted off the runway.
Lee maneuvered the plane to an even coast at 6,000 feet altitude. Relaxing a bit, he glanced over at his preoccupied wife. Adjusting his mouthpiece, he asked, "Amanda, honey, everything okay?"
Amanda jumped at the sound of his voice so close to her ear. Turning to look at her husband, she replied, "Hmm…what?"
Lee’s eyebrows furrowed at the fact that her mind was obviously somewhere other than with him at the moment. "I asked if everything was okay. You seem a million miles away."
"Yeah, I’m fine." She noticed the worried frown forming on Lee’s forehead and added, "I was just thinking about the last time I sat in the passenger seat of a cockpit, not running from bad guys."
Locking his eyes with hers momentarily, he replied, "Oh, really. When was that?" Lee’s mind raced with this new information. She never ceased to amaze him. Just when he thought he knew everything there was to know about the beautiful woman beside him, she threw him another little tidbit of information about her life. This type of surprise was one of the many aspects of their relationship he enjoyed.
Amanda warmly smiled at his piqued interest. "Did I ever tell you that my father was a pilot?" She turned from his searching eyes and focused on the patchwork earth passing with deceptive slowness below.
Shaking his head, he placed his hand on his wife’s knee. "No, I don’t think you ever did."
Amanda returned her attention back to him at his gentle touch. "He was a helicopter pilot for a local news station. He used to take me up in small planes, but when I was about thirteen, he decided it was time for my first real ride in a whirlybird. Even though it drove Mother crazy, he continued to take me whenever he had the opportunity. Mother always had a fear of heights and hated it when I went up with Daddy." She paused as the happy memory fled through her mind.
A shadow of sadness now caressed her features as she took Lee’s hand in hers. Turning, once again, to look at the passing clouds, she continued, "Then when Daddy’s chopper went down during the war, it was a long time before she’d even step onto a plane. Sometimes, when she knew we would be required to take a flight for I.F.F., I’d hear her crying at night."
Lee squeezed her hand briefly before letting it go and returning his own hand to the controls. "I’m sorry, Amanda." Looking intently at the instruments, he put the plane on autopilot once they had reached 7,000 feet altitude.
Amanda looked over at her husband’s lean features, a smile returning to her lips. "It was a long time ago, Lee. Apparently, Mother has overcome her fears. She did fly out to California by herself. Not to mention the fact that she started taking flying lessons with Captain Kurt."
Glancing at the instruments to see that they were set to his satisfaction, he turned his attention to his wife. "I wish her first flight could have been under better circumstances."
Amanda reached over and softly caressed his cheek. "That’s all in the past, now, Lee. We have our future to look forward to."
Lee’s hazel eyes locked with hers as he took her hand from his cheek and grazed her fingers with his lips. "A wonderful future."
A slight giggle escaped Amanda’s lips. "The only time I was in the actual pilot’s seat was on our first case together. I guess I should’ve paid more attention to Daddy during our outings."
Entwining her fingers in his, he rested their hands in his lap. Chuckling, Lee remembered their first case all too well. "I guess your dad never let you fly the whirlybird then?"
Amanda’s eyes widened at his amusement at her expense. Shaking her head, she gave him her most brilliant smile. "Actually he would let me hold the controls, but no, he never let me fly it by myself. Besides, I think I handled that chopper pretty well."
Lee’s body shook slightly as he repressed the loud laugh that he wanted to let out. "Well, we made it out alive anyway."
Amanda noticed his efforts of repressing his laughter. Giving him a swat on the arm, she exclaimed. "I saved your butt!"
Lee regained his composure and brought her hand to his lips, kissing each knuckle. His voice held a new tone, one of seriousness. "You saved my butt that time and many more. I thank God every day I have you by my side." Releasing her hand at the sight of another small plane, he watched carefully to determine its heading. When it remained on the horizon line and appeared to grow larger, he adjusted the instruments to drop back down to 6,000 feet to assure that the plane would pass above them.
Amanda’s fingers found their way to his arm as he furrowed his eyebrows at the sight of the other plane slowly veering off to the right. A soft sigh escaped her lips when she felt his muscles twitch as she traced the outline of his arm through his blue wool sweater. "I love you, Mr. Stetson."
Satisfied that the other plane had maneuvered to a new heading, he readjusted back to 7,000 feet and returned the plane to autopilot. Taking her hand from his arm, he pulled her closer to place a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you, too."
"If you think about it, Lee. Things do tend to come full circle." Amanda turned her attention back to the clouds playing hide and seek with the sun.
Lee’s mind flashed to his parents and how they had come to be together. Then, looking over to his partner in life, he was thankful the same had happened to him. "They certainly do."
Amanda gently twisted her heart pendant in her fingers. "I can’t help but think how ironic life is sometimes. Mother always hated that Daddy flew, even when he was at home, just doing it for the station. Now she’s the one flying and marrying another pilot to boot."
Lee placed his hand on her knee, gently squeezing. "I guess love works in mysterious ways, doesn’t it?"
Amanda looked back at Lee with loving eyes, "Yes. Yes, it does." Then she once again watched the wonders of the sky.
Lee had never really thought much about the loss of her father. He knew that it had been a tragedy, but he had never delved further into the story behind his death. Amanda had lost a parent, just as he had lost both of his. True, it was different in that he was five at the time and she still had her mother, but losing a parent at any age is never an easy thing.
After a few moments of silence between them, Amanda returned her attention back to her husband. Watching him examine the instruments and noticing how at ease behind the controls he was, she realized there was something she’d been meaning to ask him. "So when are you going to tell me how you learned to fly?"
A mischievous smile crossed his face. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that."
Amanda tilted her head and looked at her husband. "Well?"
"Do you remember when I told you that Khai hid me out during an M.I.A. hunt in Cambodia?" She nodded, and he continued, "Well, after the hunt was over, he managed to get word to a pilot in the 101st Airborne Division. The pilot, Captain Nighthawk, swooped down and pulled my butt out of there like it was an everyday run for him. After that night, we stuck together like glue while I waited for the political bullshit to get cleaned up so I could meet up with my G-2 unit again. So, he put my butt in the pilot seat and told me to take off. I guess you could say he gave me a crash course in flying."
Amanda’s eyes twinkled at the knowledge that there had to be a wild story behind that adventure. "So, are you going to tell me about it?"
Lee played innocent. "About what?"
"Your flying lessons," Amanda pouted.
"Need to know, Amanda. Need to know." Lee huskily laughed.
She placed her hand on his knee and began to slowly slide it up towards his inner thigh. "I bet I have ways to torture you and get the information I need."
"Mrs. Stetson, are you proposing that I divulge government secrets?" A wicked smile crossed his lips.
"Mmm...hmm…" Amanda nodded and continued her exploration.
Lee turned passion-filled eyes towards her. "If you continue that, we may end up crashing."
Amanda slowly removed her hand and placed it back in her lap. "I’ll just interrogate you in the privacy of our room tonight."
Lee voice deepened at the thought of her promise. "I’ve been told that I’m one of the toughest agents to crack."
Amanda gave him a knowing look. "I have my ways, Scarecrow."
"That you do, Mrs. Stetson. That you do." Lee felt the heat rise in his body as she continued her sensual stare. Running his hand around the collar of his shirt, he decided to change the subject or land the plane in the middle of nowhere and have his way with his wife. Realizing that the latter was impossible at the moment, he turned the conversation back to his friend, the pilot. "Hey, I’ve got an idea."
Amanda looked at him through her eyelashes. Relishing in her ability to ignite her husband’s passion by just using simple words and a slight touch. "Really."
Shaking his head, Lee placed his hand over hers. "Amanda, I’m trying to be serious here."
"I was just curious as to what you had in mind," Amanda softly replied. Entwining her fingers through his, she continued to slide her hand back and forth over the faded denim that covered his thigh.
Taking a deep breath, Lee looked at his wife. "I won’t forget this."
Amanda warmly smiled. "I hope not." She watched as her husband shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Pulling her fingers from his, she leaned over and placed a brief kiss on his check. "So, what were you saying about an idea?"
"Well, Captain Nighthawk is living in a veterans’ facility in Boston, which is only a forty-five minute drive from the White Swan Bed and Breakfast. We’ve talked on the phone over the years, but I haven’t seen him in over six. What do you say I take you to meet him? He loves company, especially that of a beautiful woman."
Once again, she placed her hand on his knee. "Do you think I’d miss meeting a person from your past? I think it’s a wonderful idea."
Lee’s face held the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. "Great. After we meet up with Bird-eye we can head over to visit him."
Amanda was anxious to meet anyone Lee cared for. Not wanting the relaxed teasing to stop, however, she continued her taunting. "So, please tell me that ‘Nighthawk’ is a code name. You know like ‘Scarecrow’ and ‘Bird-eye.’"
Lee laughed. "Yeah, it is. His squadron gave him that name because he did most of his rescue missions at night."
"Sounds exciting. Care to tell me a few stories?" Her body trembled as he reached over and placed his warm hand on her leg. His strong fingers gently massaged her skin through the thin fabric of her black pants.
"How about I give you the PG-13 version now and the R version later tonight?" Lee’s eyes held a promising glint.
"Promises. Promises." Amanda looked once again at the sky. "Beautiful isn’t it."
"Yes." Lee continued to take glances at her instead of the breathtaking scenery around them.
Lee spent the next forty-five minutes telling Amanda stories about him and Captain Nighthawk. Amanda remained quiet when they reached the airfield on the Cape and marveled at how well her husband could land a plane. She sighed contentedly when they were on the ground, happy that he had landed Captain Kurt’s plane safely.
"It’s nice to actually take a flight with you and land on a runway." Amanda teased as she pulled off her headset and released her seatbelt.
Lee unclipped his belt, opened the door, and slid out. Walking around the small craft, he opened Amanda’s door and looked inside, his lips curling into a promising smile. "Maybe, if you behave yourself this trip, I may give you some flying lessons, little lady."
Amanda slid from her seat and put her right foot on the step plate on the wheel strut. Accepting the hand Lee offered, she gasped when he pulled her down to him in one swift motion.
Not giving her time to react, he pulled her tightly to him. Capturing her lips with his own, he allowed some of the pent up passion from their plane ride to show in his ever-deepening kiss.
"Wow!" Amanda whispered as she regained her breath from the kiss.
"Come on, I want to get our rental car and go get settled in. I want you to start your interrogation of me," Lee teased, helping her to stand steadily and walk away from the plane. Gathering their bags from the Cessna’s storage compartment, they headed away from the hangar and towards the airfield terminal.
Chapter 2
Amanda accepted the strong, powerful hand before her and exited the Chevy Blazer. "I still don't know why you wanted this vehicle when they had a beautiful red corvette with your name on it."
Lee squared his shoulders and pushed out his chest. "Why, Amanda Stetson, are you implying that I'm vain?"
Amanda couldn't help but laugh at the sight her husband made standing before her. "No. I just know what I've heard about the famous Scarecrow liking fast cars and fast-"
Lee playfully pulled her to him. "Don't even go there!"
Amanda turned her eyes, full of innocence and wonder, up at him. "Go where?"
Shaking his head he lowered his lips to capture hers. Allowing the sound of the ocean and the salty breeze of the air to take them to a place of solitude and peace, they quickly released the passion that had been sparking between them all day. The magic was quickly broken by the sound of a speeding bike breezing past them, barely missing Lee's heels. "What the hell?"
Amanda's laughter filled the air as she watched the teenage boy wave his apology while he continued to streak down the concrete sidewalk. Her attention had been so focused on the man before her she had not taken in the beauty of her surroundings. "Oh my gosh, Lee. This is beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it. I used to come here when I would visit Nighthawk. The couple that keep it up are great folks." Lee's smile widened at the appreciation he noted in his wife's soft brown eyes. "I always found it to be a nice getaway from the fast-paced life of D. C."
Amanda tilted her head to the side and a slight smile came to her lips. "You mean something normal, Stetson."
Lee nodded. "Yeah, I do."
Amanda pulled her right arm from around his waist and brushed back a few strands of hair that had found their way to his forehead. "So why did you stop coming to see the Captain?"
Lee's pleasant smile slowly faded. "That's a long story." His hands wondered down his wife's back. "Perhaps you would like to try your interrogation skills and get me to tell you about that, too?" His eyes held a new fire that burned heavily.
Amanda removed her left arm from his waist and gave him a quick pat on the butt. "Sounds like a plan. Why don't we get settled in and take it from there?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Lee chuckled as he went to the back of the Blazer to retrieve their luggage.
Lee stood silently observing his wife's radiant form. The evening had been perfect so far, starting with dinner and wine, and now a stroll along the beach.
Amanda felt his warm gaze flowing over her body. She smiled to herself. She loved the idea that they shared such a special connection. It was the kind of bond that allowed them each to know when the other was present or what the other was feeling. "Lee."
Shaking his head, Lee walked up behind her. "I was just watching the moonlight dance on your skin," he whispered as he nuzzled her neck.
Amanda tilted her head to give him better access. "Better be careful, Romeo. Those romantic words just might get you in trouble."
Lee pulled his lips away from her inviting neck and draped the coat he had retrieved for her over her shoulders. "You are known for finding trouble, Amanda."
Amanda turned to face him, her eyes holding the same twinkle as the stars above. "Me?"
Lee pulled her body tightly to his and returned his lips to her neckline. "Mmm... hmm..."
Amanda could feel her knees becoming weak as his soft lips moved lower down her neck. At the feel of her trembling under his touch he moved his lips back up her neck and took her mouth with his. The kiss intensified until he gently pulled away, nipping her lower lip as he did. "Would you mind if we continued our walk and saved this for later?"
She swallowed hard, trying to gain control of her own raging need. "I've always said, good things come to those who wait," she stated, letting out a little silvery laugh.
Lee took her right hand in his left and continued their journey down the beach. They remained quiet, listening to the roar of the ocean as it beat against the defenseless sand.
The smell of the salt water wafted to her nostrils and she sighed contentedly. "There’s nothing more relaxing than the feel of the ocean air is there," she said in a hushed voice.
She stopped walking when she noticed two Swans nestled together beside one of the dunes.
In response to her question and the sight of the two lovebirds, Lee pulled her to him and continued what he had started earlier near the house.
Amanda slid her arms beneath his jacket and trailed her fingernails down his back as he worked his magic. The feelings he stirred in her every time they kissed brought sensations of need and desire to her very core. She relished each private moment she had alone with her love, and this was no exception.
When Lee pulled back slightly, a moan of disappointment escaped her lips. "It's not nice to tease, Stetson," she complained, her voice thick with passion.
Lee warmly smiled at the brief disappointment that cast over her features as she spoke. He would've liked nothing more than to finish what they had started here and now, but he wanted to continue that in the privacy of their room. He had special arrangements made to have a warm fire, candlelight, and soft music awaiting them when they returned. Noticing a dune not far off, he pointed in its direction. "Amanda, do you mind if we sit for a minute?"
Amanda took his extended hand and walked with him over to the dune, watching the swans find their way back to the water.
"Amanda, we have a lot to talk about." Lee sat down on the dune and gently guided his wife to sit between his long legs.
She leaned her head back on his shoulder and placed her hand on his thigh. "I've heard that line before."
Lee pulled her closer, completely engulfing her in his strong arms. Her perfume and the slight scent of her hair nearly drove his current thoughts from his mind. Trying his best to regain his control, he looked out at the waves rolling in with the tide.
Amanda tilted her head back to look at him when he remained quiet. "Penny for your thoughts."
Lee rubbed his left hand over her arm, as he turned his attention back to his stunning wife. "You don't have to pay money for my thoughts, Mrs. Stetson."
Amanda adjusted slightly in his embrace and began to unbutton the top button of his blue shirt. "What is the price for your thoughts, then?"
Lee closed his eyes, envisioning what his wife had in mind. Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he slowly opened his eyes and looked down at his wife’s hands. "Amanda, we really need to talk about our 'secret' marriage," he said, his voice husky with lust as his wife had found her way to the second button of his shirt.
Amanda pulled back from her task, allowing her hand to rest on his thigh as she looked up into his hazel eyes. "Yes, we do have a few things to figure out, don’t we?"
Lee entwined her fingers in his, looking into her eyes for acceptance to what he was about to ask. " I don’t want to live this way anymore. I want to be a part of your life every minute from here on out."
Amanda shifted and sat up straight, facing her husband. Hands still entwined she lifted her free hand and gently stroked his cheek with her fingers. "I want to be with you, too."
Lee leaned forward to brush his lips against hers. "Then let’s tell the world that we’re engaged." There was a definite eagerness in his voice, and his eyes began to sparkle as he continued, "I just bet your mother would be thrilled to be able to throw us a wedding. We could have a small ceremony and plan it for sometime within the next month. That way, it wouldn’t affect your mother’s wedding in the spring and I can wake up Christmas morning with my present in my arms."
Shaking her head, she couldn’t help but smile at his eagerness. However, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was the right thing to do. Sighing, she once again laid her head on his shoulder. "Lee, are you sure this is the right thing to do? We started this to keep our family safe."
Lee stroked her hair with his right hand as he wrapped his left arm around her, pulling her close. "Amanda, it doesn’t make sense any more. I pick you up for work every morning. I take you home and stay with your family until I have to leave at night. On the days that we have off, we have to make excuses to hide out at my apartment, or we stay with the boys and do something. It’s not like the whole world can’t see how much you and your family mean to me. Billy already knows the truth, and everyone at the Agency knows how we feel, if they’ve paid any attention to us at all."
Amanda remained silent as she felt tears spring to her eyes. She knew he was right, and all she wanted was for him to become a part of her family. She just didn’t know if it was selfish of her to put her family at such a risk. "Lee…"
Lee placed his hand under her chin and lifted it up to look into her eyes. "This is right, Amanda. We should’ve done this from the start. Your family has accepted me as part of their life now. I love you, and you love me. I can’t think of any good reason we shouldn’t be together as a family. In the past few months, we’ve had to come up with good reasons for me to stay at the house to protect the family. I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I think it would be best for all of us if I was a twenty-four hour fixture in our household."
Amanda’s soft brown eyes locked with his. The moonlight flickered in his eyes as she saw his commitment and devotion to her family shine through. Nodding, she whispered, "I want you home, living with us, in our house, with our family."
Lee felt a new warmth flow through his veins. She had never called her home "our" house before. The conversation always tended towards her house and his apartment. "Then you agree that we should make a public announcement about our engagement."
"Yes." Amanda pulled his head down to capture his lips with her own. "I love you, Lee Stetson."
Lee felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He excitedly released the breath he wasn’t aware he was holding. "Let me take you back to the room and show you just how much I love you." Brushing his lips over hers slowly, he rose and extended his hand.
Amanda accepted his hand and rose to join him. The walk back to the room was done in silence. No words were needed to express where their new journey in life would take them. They were together, happy, in love, and soon, for better or worse, the whole world would know.
Lee lay awake in bed, watching the morning sun illuminating his wife’s creamy skin. They had spent the night taking pleasure in each other, body and soul. Although he had gotten very little sleep, he felt energized just watching her, holding her in his arms, and knowing that she was completely his for the rest of their lives. Gently smoothing the hair that had fallen over her eyes away from her face, his eyes fell upon the commitment of their love that lay nestled between her breasts on a simple gold chain. He smiled to himself, knowing he had made the right decision in preparing her surprise for later that day.
A soft sigh escaped her lips as she snuggled closer to him, her hand coming to rest on his chest and her head nestled against his shoulder. He wondered what he had done in his life to deserve such a gift as this.
"Been awake long?" Amanda’s eyes flittered open, and a soft smile came to her lips.
Lee didn’t answer in words. Instead, he took her face in his hands and renewed the consummation of their love that had ended only hours before.
Amanda watched the children frolic in the leaves of fall as she listened to her husband sing his morning lyrics in tune with the blow dryer. She pulled the gold chain from under her sweater and carefully removed the rings. Lost in thought of the promises made the night before, she hadn’t realized the hair dryer had stopped, nor had she heard her husband ease his way behind her.
Lee reached around her, placing his left hand on her waist and gently taking the rings in his right. "May I?"
Amanda nodded as he turned her to face him. Taking her left hand in his, he placed the set on her finger. Amanda smiled up at him as he pulled his own ring from his jean pocket. She in turn took his ring from him and began to place it on his finger. "Do you
think it’ll be all right for us to wear these out in public?"
Lee brought her into a tight embrace after she finished her task. "Yes. Nobody here knows us, and I’ve already told the Captain that I’m the luckiest man in the world."
Amanda pulled back from him, her eyes wide with shock. "You told him we’re married!"
A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "I had to tell somebody, besides Barney, of my good fortune." He gave her a soft kiss on her forehead and went to retrieve his shoes.
Amanda followed and sat on the edge of the bed as she watched him tie his shoelaces. "I guess I’m just being silly. In a few days, everybody will know that we are at least engaged."
Lee rose from the chair across from her and knelt before her. "Amanda, everything will work out, fine, you’ll see."
Amanda looked into the hazel eyes that held so many promises and found herself believing his words, but still felt a little hesitation over what results this step would have on their family’s lives. "What about Dr. Smyth and the rest of the Agency? I know Mother and the boys will be thrilled, but I don’t want to stop working with you. I couldn’t stand not knowing if you were safe or in danger, and not being there to watch your back."
Lee took her hands in his, reassuring her as he spoke. "Amanda, Billy will back us up. Our track record proves that we can work together without letting our personal relationship get in the way." Lee stopped as he watched Amanda shake her head, then he continued, "Well, not too much, anyway. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for us to move on to a different department anyway. I’m not as young as I used to be."
A silvery laugh escaped Amanda’s lips at the thought of her husband sitting behind a desk on a daily basis. "Somehow, I don’t think that would work, Scarecrow. At least not in the near future, you behind a desk, you’d get hives."
Lee joined her laughter. "Well, that’s just something that we’ll have to deal with when the time comes. I’m not letting you back out of this one on me. We are going to live together as man and wife."
Amanda gently pulled her hands from his and placed them on his shoulders. "I love you."
"I love you, too." The kiss that started out as a quick reassurance of their decision quickly began to mount into a more passionate one.
Amanda pulled away to catch her breath as he rose to his feet and extended his hand. "If we don’t leave soon, we’ll miss meeting our contact and end up spending the entire day in this bed." He nodded his head in the direction of the unmade bed and raised his eyebrows twice, indicating that he didn’t mind that idea one bit.
Amanda gently tugged at her lower lip with her teeth. "I have to say though, that idea does hold some merit."
"Unfortunately, I have other plans for us today, my dear. So, let’s get a move on." Lee took her hand and pulled her from the inviting bed.
Amanda playfully smacked his arm and reached for her jacket. "If you insist."
The happy couple left the White Swan hand in hand as they ventured off to visit Lee’s friend. "I can’t believe you actually ate breakfast."
Lee’s face beamed with pride as he patted his full stomach. "I worked up quite an appetite last night, in the wee hours of morning, first thing this morning, and then in the shower."
Amanda felt her cheeks become inflamed as she caught the eye of an elderly gentleman who seemed to be intently interested in their conversation, rocking a few feet back from them. "I’m just glad you ate." She pulled him towards their vehicle.
Lee looked to see where Amanda’s attention had fallen, and a wide smile crossed his lips as the elderly man gave an elaborate wink. As he opened the car door for his wife, the town echoed with the bells of the town clock. Amanda calculated, under her breath, as the last chime counted ten. "We’re really running late, Lee."
"It’s not my fault you’re so damn irresistible," Lee countered as he closed her door and headed for the driver’s side.
Amanda waited until he was securely behind the wheel before she commented, "Well, perhaps I should wear my hair up in curlers. You know, just like that lovely picture Francine used to paint of how a suburban housewife dresses."
Loud laughter filled the Blazer as the image played in Lee’s mind. Then he turned serious and leaned over to taste her lips yet again. "I guess it might disappoint Francine to know that it isn’t your hair that holds my interest."
Lee maneuvered into the parking lot of the marina, observing the fishermen who were beginning to unload their first bounty of the day. "Amanda, why don’t you go and grab us some coffee for the road. I think I need a caffeine boost for the trip to see the Captain."
Amanda tilted her head and held a puzzling expression. "Don’t you want me to go with you to meet your contact?"
Shaking his head, he unfastened the seatbelt he now had a habit of wearing. He’d never thought much about it until one particular car chase had resulted in him almost crashing through the windshield, so, at the request of his wife, he always fastened it as soon as he got in the car. "It’s a milk run. I’ll talk to him while you get our road trip supplies. That way we can get on the road quicker and back to our love nest faster."
"You have a one-track mind, Mr. Stetson," Amanda teased as she undid her own seatbelt and exited the Blazer.
Lee walked around and met her behind the vehicle. A mischievous smile playing on his lips, he pulled her into a tight embrace. "I’m not the one who wouldn’t let her husband sleep because of her desires last night."
Amanda playfully smacked him on his stomach and pulled away. "I didn’t hear you complaining."
Lee quickly grabbed her before she moved more than a few steps back. "Nope." Amanda pressed her lips to his briefly then turned to enter the small store. "Amanda, wait. Take my wallet. You’ll need more than your good looks to get what we need."
She rolled her bottom lip out slightly as she took his offering in hand. "At least I know I don’t need money with you."
"That’s for sure." Lee turned to go find his informant and finish Agency business quickly in anticipation of what lay ahead for them over the next few days.
Lee approached the out-of-place form dressed in a suit standing at the end of the pier. "Good morning, Bird-eye. Going to a party?"
The man’s sharp blue eyes narrowed at Lee. "Been there, done that. What took you so damn long, Stetson? You’re thirty minutes late!"
Lee shrugged his shoulders. "I got sidetracked. So, what’s so important that you had to drag me up here?"
Roger "Bird-eye" Jameson glanced around nervously as his wild blond hair gave in to the mercy of the wind. "You need to talk to Nighthawk."
Lee’s curiosity was piqued at the mention of his friend. "Why?"
The man’s tone became hushed as he explained. "There’s been a problem. Weasel’s returned to the United States, and he wants to check on his...mules."
Lee’s jaw tightened at the mention of Weasel. "I thought he was dead."
Bird-eye continued to nervously glance around at his surroundings. "I saw him with my own eyes. He says that there’s been a leak in his operation, and he wants to tie up all his loose ends. If ya’ know what I mean? I overheard him mention Nighthawk, and I thought you ought to know."
Lee ran his left hand through his hair as his body tensed. "What does he want with Nighthawk? He was never involved with any of Weasel’s operations."
Bird-eye shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe Weasel just thinks the Captain was. He may hold Nighthawk responsible for messing up one of his runs when the Captain rescued you during that M.I.A. raid all those years ago." Shuffling his feet, Bird-eye began to walk away from Lee. "I’ve gotta go before somebody sees me with you. Just take my word of warning that he’s back and he’s making sure that his mules remain quiet." With that said, the man turned and headed toward the docks.
Lee watched as the man scurried away into the throng of fishermen on the pier. He started back to the Blazer, walking at a much slower pace than his informant, contemplating the new information in his mind. He reached the vehicle just as Amanda exited the store, loaded with coffee and a bag overflowing with road munchies. A bright smile crossed his face and momentarily took his mind from the situation at hand as he helped her into the car and they headed to see Nighthawk.
Chapter 3
Amanda relaxed in the passenger seat as her husband maneuvered the Blazer through the old streets of Boston. Her eyes followed the trail of trees that adorned the sidewalks, abundant with the colors of fall. She glanced at her partner, who had remained quiet for most of the drive. Realizing that he only wore this demeanor when pondering the aspects of a case, she decided to ask what was on his mind. "So, when are you going to tell me what Bird-eye had to say?"
Lee exhaled a large breath and ran his right hand through his hair while his left remained on the wheel. He’d been trying to figure out how to tell her that this simple assignment may have led them into something much bigger.
Noting her husband’s lack of a response, she grew a little concerned. "Lee, what’s wrong?"
He decided it was probably best to just come right out and tell her. "Turns out an old nemesis of mine, by the name of Weasel, has returned to the States. Stan and I had a run-in with him while we were in Vietnam. We thought Weasel had been killed on one of the U.S. attacks on the Viet Cong, but apparently we were wrong. Bird-eye informed me that, for some reason, Weasel is looking for Nighthawk. I’m sorry, Amanda. Turns out this easy little assignment is turning into something much larger."
Amanda recognized the disappointment in his voice. Putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, she tried to reassure him. "Hey, we were sent here to do Agency business, and we should know by now that our ‘easy’ assignments always have ways of turning into something bigger." She glanced out the window in order to hide the disappointment showing on her own face from Lee.
Lee’s lips formed a crooked smile at his wife’s words and her sudden change of demeanor. He knew she was just as disappointed about this as he was. "I guess it’s a good thing we planned on coming to see the Captain after all. I’m really anxious to find out what he knows about Weasel."
"Why is that?" she asked, returning her gaze towards her husband.
"In all the years I’ve known the Captain, he never once mentioned Weasel or his operations. I can’t imagine anyone like the Captain having anything to do with a man like Weasel." Deciding to lighten the mood, he took in the sites of the city and commented. "You know, I’ve always loved Boston in the fall."
Amanda picked up on his not-so-subtle attempt to change the topic of conversation but decided to go along with it. "You know, I’ve never been to Boston before. It really is gorgeous, isn’t it?"
Lee warmly smiled at his wife’s statement. He knew he wasn’t fooling her, but he was glad she decided to go along with this route of conversation. "I’d say the view of the passenger is much more enticing than any fall foliage."
Amanda’s cheeks turned a slight shade of red. She never grew tired of getting compliments from Lee, but nevertheless, they still made her blush. "You’re just trying to stay on my good side, in hopes of repeating our earlier rendezvous, aren’t you?" she teased.
"Well, there is that, but I also like to keep my wife informed of my true feelings. It never hurts to remind her of these things; I wouldn’t want her to run off with the first young buck who asks," Lee bantered back.
A playful look of shock crossed Amanda’s face. "Now, what would I want with a younger man. I’ve got a perfectly great, loving, dashingly handsome spy for a husband. I believe it will take me years to uncover all your secrets, and by the time I do, I’ll be old and gray and what young ‘buck’ would want me then?"
Shaking his head, he let out a robust laugh. "You just keep thinking that you’ll find out all my secrets. I, on the other hand, still have quite a few things to uncover from my wife’s past, and believe me, I know many more methods of interrogation than you do. I’ll probably uncover all yours before you uncover half of mine."
"Just keep dreaming, Stetson," she smiled ruefully. "I’ve made quite a few friends at the Agency. And besides, I have my own ways of getting information, too. As Francine would say, I can talk a person to death."
Lee’s dimples deepened as he agreed that Amanda would definitely not have a problem talking anyone to death. "She does have a point."
Amanda playfully smacked his arm. "Dear husband, I would refrain from taking Francine’s side on that topic." Changing the subject, she asked, "How far is this place?"
"It shouldn’t be too much longer. It’s been a while since I visited, but I wrote down the directions before we left home." Reaching into his shirt pocket, he pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to his wife. "We should be reaching the exit shortly. I may need you to read me off the side street directions."
Ten minutes later, they pulled into the visitor’s parking lot. The veteran’s home was a cross between an old hospital and a retirement home. In a way it was reminiscent of the Birchwood, back in D.C., where their dear friend Rupert and the other retired agents resided.
Lee parked the Blazer and headed around to the passenger side. Amanda quickly put the directions in the glove compartment and reached behind the driver’s seat. She picked up the flower arrangement she had made Lee stop for. He had insisted that the Captain wouldn’t need anything, but she refused to see an old friend of Lee’s without bringing something. Besides, she was pretty sure from what Lee had told her that the old man rarely had visitors, and flower’s can always brighten up someone’s day. With the vase in hand, she opened her door and gladly accepted Lee’s assistance as she climbed out of the Chevy. Keeping her hand clasped in his, they headed towards the main entrance.
Once inside, while Lee checked in with the receptionist, Amanda walked over to the activity bulletin board and scanned through the options that the residence offered for the holiday. Hearing the young woman's poor attempt at flirting with her husband, she turned her attention back to them. A small grin crossed her lips as she watched the blonde give Lee directions to their destination.
Lee gave the all-but-drooling woman his infamous smile as he thanked her for her help, and headed over to where Amanda was standing. Handing her a visitor's tag he pointed down the hall. "Come on. The receptionist said the Captain should be in his room and that we’re free to head on up."
Pinning her tag to her shirt collar, she shook her head as she took Lee's hand to head down the hallway. Lee tilted his head to the side as he watched amusement cross his wife's face. "What?"
Amanda tightened her grip on his hand as they headed down the brightly colored hallways. "I can't take you anywhere. Don't you realize the effect your Stetson charm has on women?"
Lee glanced back at the receptionist, who was now engaged in conversation on the phone. Shrugging his shoulders, he bestowed the same smile on his wife. "Her? I was just being nice."
Amanda stifled a laugh forming in her throat as they made their way to the elevator. "Mmm...hmm."
Lee began to protest her assumption. "Amanda you know that--"
Her grin widened. "I know, Lee. I'm just giving you a hard time." Deciding to change the subject, since this one obviously seemed to unnerve her husband, she turned her attention to the walls that were adorned with paintings and pictures of what appeared to be of the staff and the residents. "It's nice to see that they add a touch of home to the atmosphere. I'm sure it makes the residents feel more at ease."
"Yeah, it kind of makes you forget where you really are," Lee agreed. Once inside the elevator, he pushed the button for the third floor. "I can’t wait to see the Captain. It’ll be great to see him again."
Amanda turned to look at her husband. He looked like a little kid going to see Santa Clause. "You’ve had a lot of replacement father figures in your life, haven’t you?"
Lee nodded thoughtfully. "I guess I have."
Squeezing his hand, she laid her head on his shoulder as the elevator numbers indicated they were on the second floor. "So what did you tell him about me?"
Lee let a small smile cross his lips. "Not too much, really. I just told him that I met this great mother of two who not only captured my heart, but also protects my rear."
At that moment, the elevator doors opened. Amanda smiled and lifted her head to place a kiss on his cheek, inhaling the scent of his familiar aftershave appreciatively. Exiting, they turned left towards the Captain’s quarters.
A few seconds later, they heard someone attempting to turn the door handle. As the door opened, a gray-haired man in a wheelchair looked up at Lee. "Lee, my boy! What national disaster has happened to steer you to my neck of the woods?"
Shaking his head at the Captain’s usual abrupt way with words, Lee extended his hand. "Hey, Captain. No national disasters this time. I just wanted to introduce you to my better half. She’s right--"
The sharp, unexpected sound of glass shattering caused Lee to spin around, automatically dropping into a crouch and reaching for his gun. What he saw caused his trained agent reactions to relax but set his newly-learned husband instincts into high gear. Amanda’s eyes were wide with shock, and her right hand was pressed against her lips, holding back what he was certain to be a scream. Rising, he took note of the shards of glass and scattered flowers surrounding her feet, the remains of the beautiful arrangement she’d been holding only moments before.
The Captain’s brown eyes narrowed at the sight of the brunette before him. Leaning forward in his wheelchair, he rubbed his tired eyes to assure himself that he wasn’t having delusions. Looking to Lee for understanding, his voice became hushed as he asked, "Panda? It can’t be my Panda?"
Taking a few steps back from the apparition before her, Amanda closed her eyes, not wanting to believe what she saw. "No!" she gasped then fled down the hallway.
Lee stood frozen as he watched his wife retreat from the doorway, his mind trying to register the scene before him. Glancing at the pale face of his friend, he replayed the words the Captain had spoken. ‘"Panda?" Only her father called her that.’ Looking at the gray-haired man who was now slumped dejectedly in his wheelchair, Lee decided he needed to re-affirm what had transpired before running after Amanda.
A loud sigh escaped the Captain’s mouth as he turned his wheelchair and headed for the window in his room.
Lee followed, his voice just above a whisper as he asked, "Captain, are you going to be okay?"
The captain looked out over the grounds of his residence. "What did you say you’re wife’s maiden name was?"
Lee suddenly realized that he’d never told the Captain that. He had always referred to Amanda, as "King." "Actually, her previous last name was King, but her maiden name is West."
The man nodded. "Lee, did I ever tell you that my last name is West?"
Lee’s eyes grew wide as the reason for his wife’s shocked reaction to seeing his friend was confirmed. "Captain, I better go find my wife." He quickly turned and headed in the direction of the stairwells.
By the time he had reached the main level, he had asked several hospital attendants if they had seen a very upset woman matching his wife’s description. He got an apologetic ‘no’ from each of them. The receptionist, however, was more helpful and informed him that she had seen Amanda go through the doors leading to the small gardens out back. Lee thanked the young woman and headed in the direction she had pointed.
Walking through the double glass doors, he saw Amanda sitting on a white bench staring straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to anything or anyone around her. Lee quietly approached and sat down beside her.
Amanda had felt his presence the moment he’d walked through the doors, and without hesitation, she leaned into him, pressing her head against his chest and let the tears flow. Lee wrapped one arm around her protectively and stroked her hair with the other.
"Oh, Lee," she said brokenly, pulling her head up to look into her husband's eyes. "Tell me this is some kind of a joke. Tell me that isn't my father sitting up there in that room. Please tell me it's just someone who looks like my father." Her eyes pleaded with Lee for a simple explanation, but he remained quiet as he tightened his hold on her.
Amanda placed her head back on his shoulder and continued. "It took my mother and me years before we recovered from losing him and got on with our lives. I, at least, had Joe, Phillip, and Jamie; Mother was all alone. Now, he may be alive and fully aware of who I am. Why didn't he come home to us? Didn't he love us anymore? Did he think we wouldn't love him anymore because he was in a wheelchair?"
"I wish I could tell you something that would make this seem easier," Lee said, his voice a comforting rumble against Amanda’s ear, "but I’m afraid I know just about as much as you do." Something between anger and hurt welled up inside him. Every time someone or something brought anguish to his wife’s life, the same emotions would churn in his soul. Swallowing the rush of emotions that hung in his throat, he decided to tell her what the Captain’s last words were before he’d left the room. "Before I came to find you the Captain said that his last name is West. I don’t know if that necessarily makes him your father, but it’s a very good possibility."
Amanda lifted her head and slowly sat up straight on the bench. Her eyes still held a distant look as she focused on her husband’s words, trying to make them register in her own mind. ‘My father is alive--might be alive--and sitting upstairs in a wheelchair.’ Shaking her head, she broke away from Lee, stood, and walked a few feet away from the bench before turning back to look at her husband. Wiping the tears from her face, she looked at Lee with eyes full of determination and a tiny glint of hope that he would agree with her. "No, it can’t be. That man is not my father. We buried him almost twelve years ago."
Lee knew all to well how hard it was to face the past. He had to help her realize that it could be her father up in that room. "Amanda, how do you know it was your father that was buried? Casualties of war usually end up with nothing more than a head marker."
Amanda narrowed her eyes, anger welling up inside her that he was not supporting her thoughts. "That man can’t be my father, Lee. He just can’t!"
Lee rose and closed the short distance between them. He had only heard his wife’s harsh tone of voice a few times in the past five years, and right now, he knew she was upset and not angry with him. His thoughts wandered to all the times he had used her as a whipping post to take out his own anger.
Wrapping his arms around her shaking body, he whispered into her hair. "Well, then maybe we should go find out if he is indeed your father and why he’s been in hiding all these years. I still need to touch base with him regarding all this business with Weasel. Do you feel up to it?"
The mention of Weasel brought Amanda out of her own brewing turmoil. Remembering that they were here on Agency business and that she needed to regain her professionalism in order to complete their assignment, she looked into her husband’s eyes. "I can’t say as I really feel up to this, but I guess we might as well get it over with."
Pulling away from Lee, she brushed the stray hair from her face and took on a look of determination. Softening her tone of voice she gave Lee a half smile. "Besides, Scarecrow, the agent in me is just a tinge curious about the man upstairs. If he is my father…I want to know why he never came home to us."
"That’s my girl." Lee smile showed his pride in her as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Taking her hand, they walked back into the hospital and headed towards the Captain’s room.
They reached room 3C and found the door to be slightly ajar. Lee’s agent training kicked in again and he motioned for Amanda to take position alongside the door. Pulling out his gun, he looked to her to see her acknowledge his request.
Nodding her acceptance, she molded herself against the stark white wall. Lee eased the door open with his foot, using the door as a shield to what was behind it. Surveying the room, he re-holstered his gun when he spotted the Captain, alone and looking out the window, as oblivious to his surroundings as Amanda had been a few minutes before.
"Captain, are you okay?" Lee asked as he approached his friend.
Captain Nighthawk nodded and turned his wheelchair to face Lee. "Didn’t your wife come back with you?"
Lee turned around to find that Amanda hadn’t come back into the room yet. "Amanda, the coast is clear," he called out.
Amanda took a deep breath and collected herself. "You’ll have to face the truth sooner or later," she mumbled to herself.
Lee was about to call her name again, when she slowly entered the room. She made eye contact with her husband but couldn’t bring herself to look at the man sitting in the wheelchair.
The Captain, however, had been watching her from the minute she had walked into the room. He looked at the face of the woman who now stood a few inches from him. Tears formed in his eyes as he remembered the face of the baby girl he’d watched grow up into a beautiful young woman.
Lee saw the look of distress on his wife’s face and turned to see the look of sadness that was etched on that of his friend. If the Captain was Amanda’s father, then this was not easy on either one of them. Since he wasn’t one to sit idly by and liked answers, he decided to break the silence. "Captain, this may seem like a very strange question, but its not one I ever thought to ask. What is your full name?"
The Captain nodded his understanding. "Lee, my boy, it’s not a strange question at all. I’m surprised in your line of work you never found out." Sighing, he replied in a voice just above a whisper, "My full given name is Frank Phillip West."
Lee’s head turned as the sound of a barely audible gasp left his wife’s lips. He saw her eyes begin to well up with tears. Afraid she might run out of the room again, he stepped forward and put his arm around her shoulder.
She looked into his eyes and shook her head. "No, Lee. It’s all right, I’m not planning on leaving this room until I get the truth," she reassured him. Mustering her courage, she
forced herself to look at the man who claimed to be her father. "Since you claim to be Frank West, can you tell me if you were ever married?"
Picking up the framed picture he was now holding in his lap, he wiped his hand over it lovingly. Looking up at the woman who looked like an older version of the little girl in the picture, he nodded. "Yes, I was. I married a woman by the name of Dorothea." A small smile came to his lips. "She always hated that name, she preferred to be called Dotty," he continued, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. He saw the look of recognition at the mention of his wife’s name. "We had a beautiful little girl who was the light of my life. By the look on your face, I gather that by saying her name was Amanda won’t come as any shock to you, will it?"
Shaking her head, Amanda could feel herself going weak. The man in the wheelchair, by all accounts, seemed to be her father. The scars of war had left his face disfigured and his body crippled, but his warm brown eyes were the same as she remembered when he had left them so many years ago.
Lee could feel his wife’s resistance fading, and tightened the grip he had on her shoulders. Leading her over to a nearby chair, his mind began wandering with the news he had just heard. He began to feel guilty that he’d never put any of the pieces together. He could have re-united Amanda with her father long ago if he’d only known, if he’d only asked the right questions. He was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of his wife’s voice.
"If you are my father, why did you let us believe you were dead? Why didn’t you contact us? Did you think we couldn’t handle your not having any legs? Did you think that believing you were dead would be better for us? Didn’t you think Mother and I were devastated that you were killed in the war?" Amanda let the questions fire. She was no longer upset, but angry.
"Panda? Oh my god! It really is you? Besides your mother, I don’t know of anyone that could talk that fast, say so much, and never take a breath." Tears began to form as he wheeled his chair over to the two. He slowly handed the picture to Lee.
Taking the picture into his shaking hands, Lee recognized the soft brown eyes that peered back at him from the picture frame. He had only been privileged to see a few of Amanda’s childhood photographs, but it was undeniable that this was her and the woman that had her arms around the little girl was definitely his mother-in-law.
Story Notes:
Disclaimers: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Production Company. This story, however, is copyrighted to the mentioned authors. This story is for entertainment purposes ONLY. If you would like to add it to an archive, please just let us know.
Summary: This story takes place after the series has ended. It’s a "sequel" of sorts to our story "More Than Meets the Eye." A man from Lee’s past turns Amanda’s family life upside down.
Author’s Notes: We did extensive research surrounding the Vietnam War and events that took place during that time. Some scenarios mentioned really did occur; we just added the wonderful world of SMK to them. Any airplane scenes mentioned we checked with a flight expert to handle any reality issues as we wrote. A very special thank you to Tammy for beta reading and being a true part of helping us write this story.
Timeframe: Thanksgiving the year they were married.
Summary: This story takes place after the series has ended. It’s a "sequel" of sorts to our story "More Than Meets the Eye." A man from Lee’s past turns Amanda’s family life upside down.
Author’s Notes: We did extensive research surrounding the Vietnam War and events that took place during that time. Some scenarios mentioned really did occur; we just added the wonderful world of SMK to them. Any airplane scenes mentioned we checked with a flight expert to handle any reality issues as we wrote. A very special thank you to Tammy for beta reading and being a true part of helping us write this story.
Timeframe: Thanksgiving the year they were married.