Summary: A/U story. Some elements of Lee's past have changed. Amanda's also. Some are still starkly real. Amanda and Lee in a "what if Amanda ended up at the Agency differently?" story. Rated R for violence, language and inferred intimacy.

Warnings—See Above

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are WB's and Shoot the Moon's, but certainly not mine. This is for entertainment only.

Thanks to: my trusty betas: Alley, Cal and Cheryl.

Involved

By Lynda

FIRST SECTION

Prologue

January 1982…

Amanda King was glad she had decided to take the training course with the FBI. She never thought she would talk herself into it. However, Joe was gone more and more to Estocia, and she needed more to do than take care of the boys. They were in elementary school full time and she wanted to keep occupied with more than just housework.

She hadn't intended on becoming a full time agent at first. Her interest lay more in secretarial work, which was where she initially began, with clerical duties. The section chief kept commending her when she pointed out things that he was ignoring. "Little things on big cases," he was always telling her.

Finally, it was Dotty who encouraged her. Amanda's mother told her she'd be there when the boys got home, and that she didn't mind keeping an eye on them, if the agent training was where Amanda's interests were.

The course was mentally and physically grueling, but after raising two sons, Amanda took the course by the horns and excelled. She trained at Quantico, and was in the barracks during the week. On weekends she was allowed to go home. She wasn't sure she'd like firearms training, but she kept up with her class, paying close attention to detail.

She graduated in the top ten percent of her class and was soon working cases in the field. She was fortunate to get posted to the Washington Field Office. She had discussed possibly moving, if she had to, with Joe.

He had not been opposed to the idea and was traveling a lot. One house would be the same to him as another, or so he said. The boys would have to change schools, but he was certain they'd adjust.

February1983…

Amanda's marriage was going downhill. She left for work early in the morning and put in a couple of hours overtime almost every day. She didn't want Jamie and Phillip to see their parents arguing all of the time, so she spent as much time at work as she could, except when Joe was out of town, and that was more often now.

With Joe out of the country so frequently, Phillip and Jamie were acting out. Once, Dotty had to pull them off each other over a toy. They constantly picked on each other, from grades to their favorite girl in their class. There was an occasion when Amanda had to go home to settle an argument.

Because of the unrest at home, Amanda had taken the first two weeks of the year to stay home and be with Phillip and Jamie. She saw Joe for one weekend during that time. Their sons' behavior calmed down, but then Amanda had to go back to work. Even with Dotty around, she worried that the boys' conduct would degrade again without Joe around.

She didn't feel like she had a lot of options. Arguing with Joe got her nowhere. Dotty was keeping out of their marital problems. That surprised Amanda, but she understood. She was just glad her mother was living with them, and was there when the boys got home from school.

Amanda was mulling over all of this while she stared at a job listing on the bulletin board. There had been talk of transfers lately, and she wasn't sure she wanted one.

"Amanda, are you going to lunch with us or not?" Chris Payne asked her. He was standing in the hall with two other agents.

"I've got a thermos of soup, so I'll be eating in today, Chris. Thank you for asking," Amanda took her eyes off the bulletin board to address her friend.

"Okay, catch you later." Chris walked toward the elevator with the others.

"Hello, Amanda," her section chief, David Blivins said as he walked down the hall.

"Hello, David," Amanda greeted him, bringing him to a stop next to her at the bulletin board.

"What has your eye now? The new Top Ten list is out next week," David mulled the bulletin board with her.

"This Agency thing, what's that about?" Amanda asked.

"Oh, them. They're our kissing cousins. They go under cover a lot. I need you here." He tried to discourage her.

"I was thinking, David, that maybe I'd like to try this Agency; I want to see what they can offer me."

"They've got a high killed-in-action rate, Amanda. I don't recommend it. The only reason we posted their notice is because the President ordered us to. You've got your sons and husband to worry about." They were also very successful on their missions, which her supervisor did not tell her. He wouldn't lie to her, but he didn't want to lose one of his top agents.

"I have to be honest with you. I could get transferred out of the Washington office, and I really don't want to have to move my family. Or move on my own and leave them behind. My children need me." Amanda said, looking him in the eye.

"I'd ask you to reconsider, but I know that look, Amanda. So I'll just say good luck instead," David offered as he turned back toward his office, "Would it help if I took you to lunch?"

Amanda grinned, "Sorry, I brought."

"I understand. Keep me apprised," David said and continued down the hall.

April 1983

Amanda's tempestuous marriage had settled down. She and Joe were arguing much less, and he seemed to agree with her continuing to have a job, even after she told him she was transferring to the Agency. She was putting some of her earnings away in a college fund for the boys. Joe had agreed this was a good idea. His paycheck would take care of all the household bills.

Joe was still in Estocia for one week out of the month, but Amanda was glad he was home more. He was able to work from an office in Virginia and still feel as though he was helping the Estocians. When he was home, the boys practically hung off him, whether he was watching TV or nagging them to do their homework.

Washington, D.C.

Agency Headquarters…

Billy Melrose sat in his office at the Agency, looking over the paperwork of one of his newest agents, Amanda King. Billy had decided she would be an asset to the Agency. Her recommendation from the FBI was a four star rating. Today, she would meet her partner.

She had been on staff for two weeks, studying the Agency's rules, regulations, and certification requirements. He wasn't going to put her through the entire training course, just the certification section. The same one he re-certified all the agents with.

Lee Stetson entered the office after he knocked twice. He eyed Amanda and then Billy.

"Lee, thanks for coming down," Billy greeted him.

"What's up Billy?" Lee asked him.

The section chief stood, "Lee, I'd like you to meet your new partner, Amanda King. Amanda King, Lee Stetson. Codename: Scarecrow."

Amanda stood up to shake Lee's hand, but he wasn't willing. Instead, he gave her a curt nod, folding his arms across his chest, "Hello."

Amanda withdrew her hand, but remained standing. She gave Lee a hesitant smile, even though he made her feel very out of place.

"Billy, I work better alone. I don't need anyone to babysit me," Lee argued immediately.

"Amanda, do me a favor and wait outside my office. This could get ugly," Billy gave her a smile. After she left, he turned his full attention back to Lee, "You work with whomever I say. Don't fight me on this, Lee. You'll lose." Billy said firmly. He had learned long ago not to be bullied by his agents.

"Give me a break, would you? I don't need her," Lee insisted, pointing his thumb toward the office window where Amanda stood with her back to them.

"Lee, you took over the Q Bureau two weeks ago. Have her file for you, I don't care, but you will get to know her and make her feel welcome. And take her with you on cases so she can learn the ropes. She has a very good recommendation from her prior job. You might have heard of the outfit…the FBI? Get used to having a partner again." Billy said, not giving in.

Lee snorted derisively, "Yeah, again. Those other two, and they were men, broke after a month and quit the business. You want her to quit, too?"

"Trust me, she's no quitter," Billy said sincerely. "Now, get out of my office."

"We'll see," was Lee's parting shot as he exited the office.

"Follow me. I'll show you the office," Lee ordered his new partner after he'd left the section chief's office.

Amanda followed silently. Now wasn't the time to show him how determined she could be. She didn't know what they had discussed while she waited in the bullpen, but Billy had given her some helpful information on her new partner the day before.

Billy had told her that Lee was a top agent and had had three partners. The first one was killed in the line of duty, and the other two had quit from the stress of the job. He also mentioned that Lee's parents had been spies, and that Lee had lost his parents when he was five years old. Her new partner was known for dating any single woman he could find, and for having impeccable manners. The fact that Amanda was married and had children was a major reason that she was chosen to be his partner.

Lee unlocked a door labeled "Film Library" and let Amanda in before him. She saw two desks in the room; one piled with a mess of papers and office supplies. The other was stark and empty. An economy sized refrigerator and a water cooler were to her left. On a small table sat a coffeemaker as well.

"That clean one's yours," Lee said gruffly, pointing to his right.

"What did I do?" Amanda asked as she put her purse on her new desk.

"What?" Lee asked, taking a seat at his.

"I really don't know why, but you seem upset with me, and we've only just met. So I'd like to at least know how I've offended you." She said, determined not to let him scare her off.

Lee sighed. Taking in a breath he told her, "Look, it's not you, okay? It's Billy. He thinks I need to be tamed or something. So every chance he gets, he saddles me with a new partner."

"I don't know what he told you, but I'm here to work cases. I wasn't told to keep an eye on you. If we have to be partners, I would like to get to know you better," Amanda said. She didn't care whether Lee liked her or not, but she hoped that he'd come around. Otherwise, she'd have to request a new partner, or work solo.

Lee was silent for a few moments, shuffling through the papers on his desk. Amanda reviewed the book she'd brought up. Billy had asked her to go over the certification requirements, telling her that she'd be tested at the end of the week. While Lee continued to sort through his desk, she helped herself to coffee and took down notes from the book.

"Studying for the CE?" Lee asked amicably, in a vast change of mood.

"The what? Oh, the Certification Exam, yes," Amanda said, glad that he seemed to be relaxing.

"It's not really that tough." Lee said, "I always pass with flying colors."

"How long have you been with the Agency?"

"Ten years. I'm the best there is," he boasted.

Amanda smiled. "So I hear,"

"And you're…married?" Lee asked.

"Yes, I married Joe King shortly after we graduated from college. He's a lawyer and his company is helping the hungry, in the country of Estocia. We've been married, eleven years, but it doesn't seem like it. He goes overseas for a week each month. We have two boys, Jamie and Phillip, and they're eight and ten. They think that having their mom as an agent is 'way cool'." She laughed a bit as she finished rambling.

"So, what's tougher? The mom thing, or the agent thing?" he inquired.

"If I had to pick I'd say being a mother. This job is something of a known quantity, but my boys…they always come at me with something new," she explained.

Before long, Amanda had told Lee almost her whole life story. He interrupted with a few questions. They only stopped their discussion long enough to refill their coffees. She left out the arguments she and Joe had had in the past. For now, things were okay with her marriage and Lee didn't need to know otherwise.

SECOND SECTION

Present

May 1984…

Amanda had been with the Agency for over a year now. Joe was only going to Estocia twice a month, for a weekend each time. He decided he wanted Amanda to quit working, but he was powerless to make her stay home. He reasoned that he was home more and wanted to see her. She reasoned back that she was happy working, and would not quit. The boys didn't seem to be affected by her working, and they were glad to have Joe home so much.

Lee had met her family on several occasions, when he stopped by to get Amanda's help on a last minute case. He had also seen them on Christmas and briefly at a family cookout, which some other agents also attended.

Lee got along with Joe just fine. He never had a thought of stealing his partner from her husband. She was too much a homemaker and far less a night lifer than he was. She kept busy after work with her husband and sons and that was fine with him.

Little by little, Amanda had given Lee small hints that things might not be okay at home. She wanted to work them out, or so she told him when he asked, and right now, things were better than ever.

Lee continued his dating sprees. Whenever he was free from working a night case, he was dating either other single agents, the girls from the steno pool, or a woman from one of the clubs he liked to check out. He had many one night stands, occasionally discussed his dates with Amanda, and she always listened to him, as a friend.

"King! Desmond! Stetson!" an enraged William Melrose called into the bullpen. Instantly, all three agents were in his office.

"What is it?" Lee Stetson asked.

"Sandy Carday got past security at Dulles, that's what. You three better find her by the weekend. She's got contacts in Arlington, and that's where she's expected to show up. For today, we let her fly under the radar, or think she is. So far she's been tracked heading toward Arlington, which will play nicely into our plans to capture her, as long as you three do your jobs."

"We always do," Francine said confidently.

"Hmm, recently, you have," Melrose replied, thinking of a case three months ago that Francine had botched royally and shaking his head to jiggle the memory away.

Francine was suddenly looking at her feet as she recalled the flubbed defection. The Czech defector could have given them so much information. Francine had not met him at the airport when he arrived and he'd hightailed it to the Czech embassy instead, telling his superiors about the aborted plan, saying he'd been tricked by the Americans.

"You mean, Sandy Carday the female mob kingpin? That Sandy Carday? I thought she was in hiding in Europe." Lee said.

"So did we, until this morning," Billy acknowledged, "Now, Lee, you and Amanda come up with a game plan and have it in my office by the end of the day."

"Sure thing," Lee nodded as the two of them exited the office, followed by Francine.

"Lee?" Francine called.

"I'm busy," he said, not turning around, "give me a few minutes and I'll call you from the Q."

"Don't bother." She shot back.

Lee motioned Amanda to go ahead without him and then turned to Francine, "What the hell do you want? I have to get a strategy together in the next two hours, and get it written up. Make it quick, huh?"

"I just…just wanted to talk about setting up dinner is all," Francine softened.

Lee brooded a moment before answering her, "I told you, it's over. What don't you get?"

"Lee, c'mon, over one little fight?" Francine implored him.

"It wasn't little, it was big. I don't want to get engaged. I don't want to be tied down at all right now. Leave me alone." He warned her as he backed away. She was making him angry and he didn't want to continue the discussion.

"I know what's happening. Don't think I don't," she told him.

He turned back to her, "And what do you think is going on, Francine? Huh?"

"I've seen her looking at you. Married or not I know what you're doing, or going to do," Francine said.

"Huh. Who's this that I'm supposed to be involved with?"

"Come on Lee. It's Amanda. I know," she said.

"You don't know anything. We're just friends. Leave it," Lee sniped, turning to leave again.

"Yeah, real good friends, Stetson," Francine called after him, answered by Lee with his middle finger as he headed to the elevator.

The Q Bureau was quiet as Amanda looked over the file and notes Mr. Melrose had given to her. Her brain was working overtime already on strategy—where to place teams for the capture of Carday, who to pick for the assignment.

This was the challenge she had transferred out of the FBI to find. She liked working with most of the people, and having the Q Bureau was convenient. She didn't have to deal with people she didn't like.

She could tell by the way he came in that Lee had had another discussion with Francine, and that it wasn't a friendly one. He slammed the door so hard that it didn't catch and swung back open by ten degrees.

While he made his way to his desk, she rose from hers, and closed it without a word, locking it too, as was their habit. She sat down again, not saying anything to him. She knew he would cool down on his own. He always did, no matter who it was that had gotten him in a bad mood.

Amanda hadn't liked Francine since beginning with the Agency. Francine did not like her because she was a homemaker, and could cook, clean, and take care of her family. Francine wasn't impressed that Amanda had been with the FBI. Amanda also didn't load herself down with makeup and perfume, and didn't care about looking glamorous, unless it was on a case with Lee. Even then, she did what her job required of her.

When she found out about Lee and Francine dating the month before, Amanda rolled her eyes, but told him she was staying out of their way, and that she didn't want to hear about their fights, unless it was truly over.

Francine was not the woman for Lee. Sure, she had money, and dressed very nicely. But Francine was greedy, emotionally. Amanda could tell that Francine thought of herself as the ultimate woman; Amanda also knew there was more to being a woman than sleeping with every rich man one could find.

Lee had obliged Amanda in not discussing his relationship with Francine. Things had been bad between him and Francine since the week before. Lee was very good about not directing his anger toward Amanda. He knew she didn't deserve it, and he respected her opinion on their cases. He wouldn't blow that by being mean.

Lee grabbed his coffee cup. Amanda had cleaned it earlier in the morning. It was an automatic behavior with her. She never left a dish dirty for ten minutes. He inspected it anyway and then filled it with water from the cooler. After two swallows and a run of his hand through his hair, he sat down.

"How's the setup look?" Lee asked casually as he sat at his desk. All trace of frustration was gone.

"Looks good. Want to hear what I think?" Amanda offered.

"Yeah, what do you think?" Lee said, getting up and listening as she pointed out the crucial places where they could make their strike.

By the time five o'clock whirled around, Lee and Amanda had worked out what, to them, was a reasonable plan. They made sure to include Francine as one of the team leaders, as always. In three days, the strategy would be put to the test.