Title: C is for Crosshairs
Author: Mandie
Written: June 2004
Rating: PG
Archive: smkfanfic and If you'd like to put it anywhere else I'd be honored, but please ask me first!
Feedback: Absolutely!
Timeline: July 1995. Lee and Amanda have been married for 8 years.
Summary: Part of the Alphabet Challenge on smkfanfic. Amanda reflects on her life as she tries to solve a late-night mystery.
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is owned by Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Enterprises Limited. This story is for entertainment purposes only and the author is not making any money from the use of the characters. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Thank you to my betas Nectar and Ruth for looking this over. Any remaining errors are mine and mine alone. Thanks also go to Shelly for the title and for giving me something to ponder for weeks. This is what I came up with and I hope you enjoy it!
SMK SMK SMK
Amanda Stetson woke in the wee hours of the morning to the overwhelming feeling of being alone. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes before opening them, and then she glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand, which read 3:07 in bright green numbers.
Amanda rolled over to face her husband's side of the bed only to find it, as she had presumed, empty. The only proof that he had been there was the deep indentation in their mattress. Sleepily, Amanda threw the covers off of her body and got out of bed to search for her missing husband.
She walked lightly to avoid making a sound as she surveyed the master bedroom of their Rockville home for any signs of Lee Stetson. Moving toward the large adjoining bathroom, she opened the door and loudly whispered, "Lee?"
The only answer Amanda received was silence, so she began to walk toward the door that opened into the second floor hall. Her hand was hovering above the doorknob when she heard a loud crunch. A hundred thoughts flew through her mind. Was there a burglar? Was her mother, Lee, or one of their children hurt? Was the noise just the house settling, or was it in her imagination?
All of these questions raced through Amanda's mind in a period of a few seconds. Curious about what the noise had been, she quickly turned the doorknob and slowly pulled the door open, silently pleading it not to creak. If there really was a burglar in the house, Amanda didn't want to warn the person by making a loud noise.
She stopped in the hallway for a few seconds, listening for any more sounds. When she didn't hear any, she decided to check on her family to make sure they hadn't been disturbed by the noise.
Amanda stealthily moved to the door nearest to where she stood outside of her room. Pushing it open silently, she inspected the bright blue color of the door. She smiled at the memory of painting the door for their six year old son Matthew. He had begged and begged for a door that was painted blue, and Lee had easily given in. He loved to spoil their son, and though Amanda didn't want Matt to grow up getting everything he wanted, she understood that it was Lee's way of making up for the miserable childhood he himself had experienced.
Amanda observed her youngest son lying curled up on his 'big boy bed' as he liked to call it. For Matt, the day they had brought home his new bed had been one of the best of his life; while for Amanda it only told her how fast he was growing up and how old she was getting.
Shaking her head, Amanda left the room to check on her other two sons. Moving to the Rockville house seven years ago had been a strain on all of them, especially the two boys. Phillip and Jamie hated leaving their old buddies, but after a year they both had made new friends and were finally happy living where they were.
Although they had doubts about moving, they found that it had been a smart decision when Matt came along. If they had stayed in the old house they wouldn't have been comfortable because of the lack of room. In the other house Phillip and Jamie had shared a room, while their new house had enough rooms for each of them, plus one more that was used as a guest room and office. Lee had considered simply buying a house that was already built, but he decided against it when they were unable to find one to suit their needs. Amanda had tried in vain to convince him that it wouldn't be in the best interest of their family to dedicate so much time to building a new home, but she was now thankful that she had been unable to persuade him. She loved their house as much as anyone, and Lee had put a great deal of his time and energy into making it perfect for them.
Amanda entered Phillip's room, which he had only recently started using again. He had been in his second year of college, where he was studying to be a lawyer like his father, and had been living in a dorm on the campus. But unlike most of his friends, to Amanda's delight, her son had decided to spend his summers at home with his family.
Amanda glanced affectionately at her oldest son as she folded the clothes that Phillip had dropped on the floor and straightened the books he had dumped on his desk. Her eldest son was still as messy as ever, and she had a feeling that would never change.
Next she went to Jamie's room, which, unlike his brother's, was neat as a pin. Jamie was her middle child, but he would forever be her baby. He had the most difficulty adjusting to Rockville, but now he was very happy. He, too, would be going off to college in the fall, to study to become a doctor. Amanda gently smoothed Jamie's hair from his forehead and laid a light kiss there.
Jamie had always been troubled by his looks, especially after getting both glasses and braces in the same year. Phillip's constant teasing had done nothing to help the matter. Jamie had since gotten the braces removed and invested in contacts. Amanda had never thought he looked anything but handsome, but she was pleased he was so much happier with his appearance.
Amanda peeked in on her mother, who was also sound asleep. Dotty had also been upset about leaving the Arlington house, mostly because of the beautiful flower garden she had in their backyard. Lee promised Dotty that he would help her tend a new garden, and true to his word he had. The two of them had found a hobby they enjoyed doing together. Amanda knew that Lee enjoyed doing things with her mother since he had so few memories of his own. Furthermore, she knew Dotty loved to act as his mother to fill that void. Amanda could often find the two out in the garden on warm Sunday afternoons.
After she was satisfied that her family was asleep and safe, Amanda went to investigate the noise she heard earlier. She tiptoed down the stairs, avoiding the spot where they squeaked. At the base of the stairs Amanda bumped her foot against something hard, and she bent down to see what the object was.
Picking it up, Amanda found that the object was Matt's Crosshairs doll. According to the maker, Crosshairs was a weapons supervisor that could transform into a 'dual rocket-propelled grenade launcher'.
The previous year, Matt had begged for the transformer for Christmas. Amanda, who did not favor toys that promoted violence, had refused the request. However, Lee was quick to do anything for his son and bought Crosshairs despite Amanda's protests.
A quick inspection of Crosshairs showed that the toy had been smashed. Amanda remembered Matt playing with it earlier while it was still intact, so she assumed the toy was the source of the sound she had heard.
As Amanda set Crosshairs on the table by the stairs, she heard another noise, this one coming from the kitchen. This noise sounded like a piece of silverware hitting a bowl, and she instantly put two and two together. Her husband was missing, she had found Matt's doll crushed, and she heard the sounds of someone eating coming from the kitchen.
Since she and Lee had married, her husband had grown accustomed to home cooked meals. A recent trip to the doctor had confirmed that he had gained a few extra pounds. While the doctor didn't feel a diet was necessary, he encouraged Lee to lay off the sweets. Amanda realized that her husband was probably sitting at the table eating some of the fresh double chocolate chip ice cream that he loved but wasn't allowed to eat.
Amanda again picked up the Crosshairs doll, which would serve as her evidence, and walked into the kitchen. Sure enough, Lee sat at the table with a large bowl of his favorite ice cream.
Amanda stood in the doorway, waiting for Lee to notice her. When he finally looked up, she held up the evidence that had led her to the kitchen and raised her eyebrows.
Lee averted her gaze and grumbled loud enough that Amanda could hear him, "Damn you, Crosshairs . . ."
The End