When: Late June 1987

Summary: Slip-up's may actually make lives easier....

Disclaimer: I never have.....never will own these guys; nor will I ever make any money off of them.

Feedback: I appreciate constructive criticism. Flames burn me. I promise that I will finish soon.

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THE CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG.....PART 1

Amanda rolled over in her bed for what seemed like the thousandth time that night. This had to end soon. She did not get married to sleep in separate beds let alone different houses in different cities. Amanda Stetson missed her husband. She looked at the wedding set on her left hand and sighed; she would have to take it off again in the morning. They had managed to get in a "dinner date" about once a week and had spent just 3 weekends together since their wedding five months ago. Earlier this evening, dinner consisted of steaks, potatoes and a wonderful cabernet. "Dessert" was sweet and very intense. She dozed while her husband fell asleep and then turned over and watched his chest rise and fall with each restful breath. Then she dressed and left his apartment to sleep in her own cold bed. She had watched him sleep in the past and lately it seemed that he slept deeper and more peaceful than he had before. Too bad she couldn't say that about herself.

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Not far away from the white painted house on Maplewood Drive in Arlington, a man stirred in his sleep and woke up...alone. Damn, he had fallen asleep. She was gone. He really hated this. His gaze landed on his left hand to the gold band shining there, wishing he could keep it on. He did not get married to sleep in different beds in different cities. This secret marriage was the stupidest idea that he had ever had. He loved Amanda, more than he had ever thought possible. He had not come across anything about her that he didn't love. OK, there was that little fiasco with that list he had made. Dumb move, Stetson, really dumb move. They had almost had a fight over that one. But looking back, she knew that he was just trying to make the transition from singles to "marrieds" easier, he had just gone about it wrong.

His thoughts wandered to earlier in the evening. Mmmmm... In his memory he could feel her soft body as he held her close. He could smell her scent. He could feel her hands on him. He could recall every detail, every nuance of making love to his wife. The problem was that he wanted to repeat the experience again and again. That was hard to do when she slept in a different city. This would have to end soon; he was tired of cold showers. Sleep for him was restless and when the alarm rang, he did not feel refreshed, but happily anticipated seeing her at work later on that morning.

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Mrs. Marsden smiled as Lee waltzed into the foyer of the IFF office building. The past year or so he had changed. There was lightness to his step and a smile in his eyes almost every day that she saw him. He casually took a single rose out of the bouquet that he carried and with a romantic flair handed it to the normally stoic Agency receptionist/gatekeeper as she handed him his ID. "Good morning, Mrs. Marsden. Is Amanda in yet?"

She smiled again and was just about to tell him, "Not yet" when the person who was on the receiving end of his affection breezed through the door. "Oh, Good morning, Lee, Mrs. Marsden. The word of the day is raindrop." Amanda smiled and said thank you when handed her badge and Lee and Amanda ascended the stairway to the Q-Bureau, scarcely looking at each other for fear of giving away too much. Mrs. Marsden smiled to herself and thought, 'That's why both of them are so happy lately.' She had seen the flash of gold on each of their left hands. She didn't know how long they had been married, but it certainly suited both of them.

With the door closed behind them, Lee placed the roses on his wife's desk and pulled her close to him. "Good morning. How is the best wife a man could ever have this morning?"

"Better now that we are together again," Amanda wearily replied. She still hadn't woken up fully from her fitful sleep. "The roses are lovely. Thank you. Where did you find a florist that's open this early?"

"My secret." He whispered and closed his mouth on hers. They kissed long and passionately. A knock on the door broke them out of the romantic reverie that they were both in.

Amanda reached for the door with her left hand. She looked at her husband with a look of alarm, she had forgotten to take off her rings. Lee then remembered that he was still wearing his ring, too and silently held up his left hand for her to see. There was nothing they could do except hope that the person at the door wouldn't notice.

Francine floated into the Film Library with some files. She distantly said her good mornings to the lovers and was in a world of her own and not really paying attention to Lee or Amanda until she saw a flash on Lee's hand. Suddenly, the files were on the floor and the normally cool Francine Desmond was flustered. "What...Who...When...How....Why??"

Lee looked at his wife, slightly amused to see Francine like this. He then turned to Francine and tried to answer her. "Yes, I am married....to Amanda...February 13th....the JP in Marion County...and why else do people get married, Francine? I love Amanda."

"Look, you are the first to find out and we would appreciate it if you didn't say anything, OK?" Lee continued. "We would like to tell Billy ourselves and the rest of our family doesn't know yet. Now, what did you come up here for?"

"Yeah, sure. I needed to put these files in the vault and, I guess, now, to offer my congratulations." Francine was fully recovered by now and wondering how to keep her mouth shut this time. Lee and Amanda were amazed that she recovered so quickly. Francine picked up the fallen files, put them on the to-be-filed pile in the vault, smiled at both of them and made her way out of the office.

She closed the door softly on her way out, together but still not quite believing that Scarecrow had married Amanda. As Francine made her way back to the bullpen, she smiled. It seemed strange, especially after all that she had put them through, but she felt genuinely happy for the couple and honestly wished them nothing but the best. This thought surprised her and she chuckled to herself, just in time to see Billy.

"Are Lee and Amanda in the Q-Bureau?" The frazzled Section Chief asked his assistant.

"They sure are, Billy. And they are together." She replied enigmatically.

To be continued......................