Disclaimer: Do not own Scarecrow and Mrs. King

Just an idea about why Jamie doesn't like Lee as much as everyone else.

Spies and Lies over Coffee and Cereal

Jamie King walked down the stairs early and noticed as he got the paper that Lee Stetson's car was still in the driveway. Why is he still here? He thought to himself as he went into the kitchen. Jamie stopped in the doorway and saw Lee sitting at the table and drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning, Jamie, did you sleep okay?" Lee asked; the look in Jamie's eyes didn't go unnoticed on Lee.

"What are you doing here this early?" Jamie asked ignoring Lee's question.

"Your mother didn't want me driving last night. She said it would be too dangerous to drive back to my apartment in the rain last night. I tried to tell her I would be fine, but she insisted and I so I listened to her. Which reminds me," he said while rising from his chair, "I need to fold my blanket she gave me to use. Do you know where this goes?"

"It goes in the closet by the front door. Have you eaten any breakfast?" Jamie asked.

Shaking his head Lee said, "No, I am not a breakfast person. Thanks anyway, Jamie."

"Don't tell Grandma that; she will force you to eat."

"Yeah I know; then why don't we keep that between us." Lee gave a half smile.

Jamie watched as Lee folded the blanket then went to set the paper on the table and grabbed a bowl for cereal. Jamie opened the fridge a little harder than he meant to and almost hit Lee as he came back into the kitchen.

"Whoa, what did the fridge do?" Lee asked.

Jamie just mumbled, "Nothing, why are you here?" He asked again as Lee went back to his coffee. Lee set the mug down and let out an exhausted breath.

"Jamie, we need to talk. I have tried sports, photography, and in general anything I can think of to find common ground with you. Why don't you tell me what it is about me that you hate so much? I want us to be friends, but friendship is a two way street. I am willing to meet you halfway, but you have to try too. If I did something to piss you off then tell me so I can at least explain or apologize for my actions."

Jamie looked at Lee and thought for a minute whether or not he wanted to go down this road. He knew his mom wouldn't be happy with him, but he wasn't sure what to do. He wanted it all out in the open, but how truthful Lee would be with him he wasn't sure.

"Are you sure about this Lee?"

"Yes, give me your worse Jamie."

"How long did you and mom plan on lying to us? Lying about how long you have known each other, worked together, where you work, what you do, and being married already?"

Lee sat and took in his words and thought he needed Amanda, but he asked for this."

"Okay before I answer that, I want to ask what makes you think you know we are lying about all of that?"

"A few things about you at first were bothering me. I keep on thinking I knew you from somewhere. How could I though? Then I remembered where I had seen you, first it was at a fast food place, you were one of the workers and you gave mom a card on our car." Lee felt his blood pressure start to rise as Jamie continued. "Then there was the one time I saw you in our neighborhood, I was out riding my bike heading to the park and I saw you and mom talking." Lee felt the color drain from his face a little; yes he needed Amanda. "There were other times I remember seeing your car and those were usually the times mom was outside and I always thought I heard her talking with someone; I guess it was you."

Jamie took a break from his list of Lee Stetson sightings to take a couple bites of his cereal, then he went right back to his affirmations of Lee's presence in their lives. "Then the biggest one was when Dad came home from Africa and you saved us from those men with guns. I saw how you looked at us and mom. You weren't just in the neighborhood; dad said that the people that helped were federal agents. So you lied about being a director at IFF and if mom works with you, then she can't be your assistant, can she?"

Before Lee could respond Jamie raised his hand in a way he knew Amanda had done so many times before, "Then you and mom disappeared and more federal agents were in our lives. I tried telling Philip about this, but he called me crazy. I asked Dad about you and he told me I needed to talk to you about my concerns. Mom was in California and shot, but you got the call before Grandma because you called her, not the hospital."

Lee noticed how Jamie's voice began to rise and he tried to calm him down before Amanda and Dotty heard him and was awakened. Philip thank goodness was at a friend's house and wouldn't know about this.

"Jamie, let me. . ." Lee started but Jamie slammed his fists on the table and got louder. Just as Lee feared Amanda and Dotty came to the entrance of the kitchen to see what was going on and both women stopped and to Lee's relief said nothing to indicate they were there.

"Jamie, you are right about everything. We have lied and have from the beginning. The things we haven't lied about is how we met, how long we have known each other, how long we have worked together. We have lied about what we do; your mother and I are federal agents. I recruited her and then spent the next few years trying to get her out of this crazy business. To tell the complete truth I would have probably been dead if not for your mother. She has saved my ass more than I care to remember in the last four years. Your mother was an emergency that day at the train station and I would move heaven and earth to make sure nothing ever happens to her and this family."

"What about California?"

"We were on our honeymoon and we went to visit a friend of mine I knew growing up and his friend and him were being shot at, I told your mother to get back in the car; thinking she would be safe. Instead the bullet went through the windshield and hit her. She would have been safer outside the car."

At the mention of the word honeymoon Amanda turned and pulled her mother back upstairs to start her own explanations for the stories Lee was telling their youngest son.

"Jamie, IFF is a cover for our job. Most of those premieres your mother was going to were assignments we were on. We lied about the marriage to everyone, you are the first person told, and well I think your mother is telling your grandmother right now. Our co-workers don't even know, because we wouldn't be allowed to work together. I asked your mother to keep our marriage a secret for your safety as well as your brother and grandmother. I am a really good agent and I have made a lot of enemies, I didn't want them coming after you guys to get to me. As long as I am in the field, you guys would be in danger. I asked your mother to wait until I came out of the field and give me a chance to be a part of your lives with a little more ease. After you boys got a little more use to the idea of me being around, your mother and I were going to have a new wedding on one of our anniversaries with you and our friends around. If the biggest truth is to be told here this morning, I was terrified. I never wanted to have the whole family and marriage gig; it wasn't for me. You see I was raised by my uncle after my parents died and I never wanted anyone to depend on me. Your mother taught me that we all need someone to lean on and care for us even when we don't care about ourselves. I know this is a lot to take in and by all means talk with your mother, she will be relieved, and she hated having to come up with all those stories."

Jamie looked at Lee and something in his eyes made him trust and believe him. He would talk with his mom but he still had a few questions for Lee.

"Since you and mom are already married, does my dad know at least?"

"No, your mother was going to tell him, but that was the day he told her about Carrie and him getting married. What is Carrie like?"

"She is nice. She wants to have a baby, but dad isn't sure about that. I think it because he missed so much of our lives because of his job, he doesn't want that to happen again. Carrie told him it didn't matter; she would go anywhere he needed to go for work. She says babies travel well." Jamie and Lee both gave a weak laugh at that. "Do you and mom want any more children? Did you really sleep on the couch?"

"Yes, I did sleep on the couch, your mother made me. My take on more children is if it happens it happens. Right now I am just trying to get you and your brother on board with tolerating me. I don't want to take Joe's place, I never could, I would like the chance to be a friend you could come to if you needed me. I love that you boys are getting this second chance with your dad; it makes me jealous."

Amanda and Dotty walked into the room at that moment allowing Amanda to say, "Now there is a word that Lee Stetson usually chokes on; did I hear you actually say the word jealous?" She bent down and gave Jamie a kiss and then Lee one.

"Is everything okay in here now?" She asked looking at Jamie.

"Do you want more babies? Are you changing your name and do we have to tell Philip?"

"Let's see, more babies, not today; changing my name yes I will, and telling Philip, we do have to tell him. Jamie, are you okay with everything Lee told you? Everything he told you about our jobs and our marriage; I mean it is a lot to take in for a twelve year old."

Jamie sat there looking at his cereal that had gone soggy and then told his mother, "If he makes you half as happy as you have been in the last year, then I am okay with it. Lee, will you move in here?"

Lee looked from his step-son to his mother-in-law and finally to his wife, "I think that could be arranged. Jamie, do you understand that even if I take a desk job you can't tell anyone what we do for a living. People have to believe your mother and I work for a documentary film company."

"I know, Lee, I wouldn't want to do anything to have you leave our family; not now that you have one."