Prologue
About
two weeks ago Amanda went into Billy's office to discuss the recent case she
and Lee worked on. Lee told Billy that Amanda was having problems coping with
the situation that took place.
"Hello
Amanda, please come in," Billy said as he opened the door to his office.
"Thank you
Sir" Amanda said as she closed the door behind her.
"Uh, Amanda, Lee tells me
that you are having problems with what happened the other day. You know you can
always talk to Dr. Phaff about it," he said.
"I know Sir it's just that I don't want to be
put in that situation again," she said.
"I know
Amanda, that's the hard part about this job," he was saying, but Amanda
interrupted him.
"Sir, Lee was held captive and had a gun to
his head" Amanda pointed out.
"I know and you did the
right thing; you shot the bad guy and freed Lee," Billy added, but Amanda was
determined to get her point across.
"I don't
think I could do that again," she said.
Billy turned
around and sat in his chair, "what are you saying Amanda?"
"I'm
resigning from the Agency," she stated and then handed him her resignation.
"I wish you
would reconsider this move Amanda," he pleaded.
"I'm sorry
Sir, my mind's made up," she said and then left his office, turned in her badge
and left the Agency.
That
night Amanda went over to Lee's apartment. Lee knew something was not right
when he answered the door.
"Hi," he
said.
"Hello," she
said and came into his apartment. She started to cry when Lee put his arm
around her, so he moved her over to his couch.
"Amanda,
what is it? Please tell me," he said.
"Lee, I
can't go on pretending that we are not married when we are in public," she
said, crying.
"Oh Amanda, we can change
that! It was a stupid idea to have it kept a secret anyway," he said, holding
her.
She sniffled. "That's not the only reason I came over
here. I need to tell you something," she said determined to tell him what she
told Billy earlier. Lee's face went into concerned mode when he heard this. The
next words that he heard tore his heart out of his chest. "I'm leaving the Agency," Amanda had said.
"Amanda why? You like
working there, you like your job, and not to mention your partner," he pleaded.
"There's something else,
Lee." Amanda took his hands in hers, "I
have to leave you."
Lee just looked at her. Finally he spoke, "Why Amanda? Whatever it is we can work it
out".
Amanda started to cry again because she saw that Lee
had tears in his eyes. "Lee, it's not
you; it's never been you," she said. She took a deep breath. "I couldn't bear to see you with a gun
pointed at your head ever again. It's my fault that you were captured and I…I
don't want to see you hurt because of me. I'm your weakness Lee. They all know
it," she was finished and Lee was speechless. He could not believe what he just
heard.
"If it's our jobs Amanda,
I'll ask Billy to transfer us to some desk jobs," he said, trying to reason
with her.
"You never liked working
behind a desk Lee. You are a good field agent and I just endanger you," she
said. They were still holding hands and then Lee began to speak.
"But I love you Amanda, you
are my wife, we shared vows 'for better or worse', we…," he started to continue
but Amanda stopped him.
"I love you too Lee but I
don't want to see you get hurt because of me. I've been thinking a lot about
this and I was offered a job working at the State Department," she stated.
"So, this is it? It took us
3 years to admit our feelings to each other and now after 1 year of marriage,
you're ending this?" Lee couldn't continue; he was heart broken.
Amanda was
too.
"I'm sorry
Lee, I have to go," and with that she left.
What
she didn't tell Billy or Lee was that Dr. Smythe knew about their secret
marriage and threatened to do something to Lee's job if she didn't quit her job
and her marriage.
A year later…
A
year went by and Amanda King was working at the State Department. She was
assigned to coordinate the Ambassador Dinner, where all US Embassy workers and
ambassadors got together yearly and celebrated. This year it was being held at
the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. As she pulled up to the Kennedy
Center, she remembered the times when Lee took her to see one of many
performers here. But that was in the past and she was working for the State
Department now.
'Why do I still think about
him, Dr. Smythe told me to end it and that's what I did,' she thought.
But deep down she always knew she would still
have feelings for him, after all they were married and had some great times
together. After she broke up with him, she moved to a different house but still
stayed in Arlington so her boys could stay at the same school. Amanda often
wondered what Lee was doing at the Agency and found herself many times driving
towards his apartment, but then realized that Dr. Smythe probably had her
followed every time.
As
she checked with things inside, Lee Stetson drove up in his silver corvette.
Billy was waiting for him outside. Lee saw him and walked over to where he was.
"Hi Billy,
what's up?" Lee said.
"Scarecrow,
um, I saw Amanda's car here, and she's inside," reported Billy.
Lee looked at him with a blank face and remembered
the day that she said she was leaving him and the Agency.
"Lee?" Billy
called.
"I'm fine
Billy, really", he replied. Lee laughed, " you know, it's been 1 year since she
walked out of my life!"
"I know Lee, if you don't want this detail, I
understand," Billy said sympathetically.
Lee
just shook his head and started making his way into the ballroom. The
festivities had already started when Lee entered the ballroom. He scanned the
room and saw Amanda across the way. She was wearing a black dress.
'She really hasn't changed,'
he thought. He looked down at his hand and noticed that he was wearing his
wedding band. He turned it a couple of times and took it off. 'Thank God Billy
didn't see it!' he thought and then went to go get a drink.
Amanda
went outside into the foyer to get something when she saw Billy Melrose there.
She didn't know the Agency was covering this. She walked over to him.
"Hello Amanda," he said.
"Hi Billy, how have you been?" she asked.
"Oh, I'm fine, we miss you at the Agency, how
have you been?" he asked.
Amanda looked at him and
said, "just fine, mother and the boys are doing well, too."
She
didn't want to ask about Lee, but she was curious. Billy told her that he was
here at the party doing security detail for the Agency. Lee got his drink and
went back into the ballroom and stopped. Amanda saw him at the bar and started
walking over to him. When he stopped, she stopped. They were standing pretty
close to one another.
"Hi," he
said.
"Hello
Lee," she said in a nervous tone. She wanted to hug him but she couldn't move.
He wanted to take her in his
arms and hold her but he froze. "How have you been?" Lee asked, not wanting to
say what he really wanted to say 'I miss you, come home with me.'
Lee reached out to touch her arm, but Amanda did not
pull back.
She just smiled and
said, " I'm just fine." She told him
what had been going on, that she moved, and that the boys were good.
He could tell she was lying just by her tone of
voice. He was nervous and she was probably equally nervous. He thought to
himself 'just tell her the way you have been feeling the past year' but he
didn't listen and just stood there.
Amanda asked him how he was
and he just replied with his suave attitude
"I'm ok." Amanda really wanted to say 'I'm not ok, I miss you so much,'
but she too ignored her feelings. 'I never thought it would be this hard when
Dr. Smythe told me to leave him,' she thought.
Lee
and Amanda just seemed to stand there as the activities were still going on for
the Ambassador Dinner.
"I should
really go," Lee said.
"Yeah, I
should get back too," Amanda sighed and pointed to a spot inside.
Lee looked
at her and hesitated in saying something that he would probably regret either
way if he said it or not. "Take care Amanda," was the only thing he said as he
walked away.
Amanda
saw him go and decided that it was now or never to resolve their separation. He
turned the corner entering the foyer and she ran after him. "Lee!" she exclaimed. He turned around and
saw she had tears in her eyes. "I have
to tell you the real reason I left. Dr. Smythe threatened your job if I didn't
leave the Agency and you. Somehow, he found out about our marriage. And I'm
still in love with you," she said.
He
took her in his arms and said, "Oh Amanda I still love you too, and I'm going
to kill
Dr. Smythe!" They stood there in each other's arms
for what seemed an eternity.
"I'm sorry I
left you, I missed you everyday," Amanda said.
Lee smiled, "I missed you too." He took his hands
and cupped her face, wiped her tears away, and kissed her.
"Will you
wait for me after this?" she asked.
"I'll be waiting right here for you," he said and he
released her from his embrace. She smiled back at him and then went back to the
ballroom.
Lee
walked over to where Billy was standing. Billy just had a smile on his face.
"What?" Lee
asked.
"So, how was
everything?" Billy said.
Lee looked
at him strangely and said, "you saw what happened?"
Billy
nodded.
Lee
then told Billy what Amanda told him about Dr. Smythe and how he forced her to
leave the Agency and end our relationship and if she didn't that his job would
be in jeopardy.
"Don't worry Lee, let me take care of Dr. Smythe,
you stay here and wait for Amanda," he said and congratulated Lee. "I told you
everything would work out in the end," he added.
"Yes you did
Billy, yes you did" Lee replied.
After the Ambassador dinner was over, Lee was
waiting for Amanda where he said he would be. After about 10 minutes, she
finally came out and went over by him.
"Everything's okay," Lee
said and then told her that Billy went to take care of Dr. Smythe.
Amanda looked at him, and then looked at both of
their hands. Something was missing.
Lee went in
his pocket and took out his wedding ring. Amanda went in her purse and took out
hers.
They put
their rings on each other's finger.
"Everything is fine now," she said.
They walked out together arm in arm and went over to
her house to catch up and to re-start their life. As they were driving, Lee
turned on the radio and a song was just starting to play.
It took me by surprise when
I saw you standing there,
Close enough to touch,
breathing the same air.
You asked me how I've been,
I guess that when I smiled and said just fine.
Oh, but baby I was lying.
What I really meant to say
is I'm dying here inside,
And I miss you more each
day, not a night I haven't cried.
And baby here's the truth,
I'm still in love with you.
That's what I really meant
to say.
And as you walked away, the
echo of my words,
Cut just like a knife, cut
so deep it hurts.
I held back my tears, held
onto my pride and I watched you go.
I wonder if you'll ever
know.
What I really meant to say
is I'm dying here inside,
And I miss you more each
day, not a night I haven't cried.
And baby here's the truth,
I'm still in love with you.
That's what I really meant
to say.
What I really meant to say
is I'm not that really strong,
No matter how I try, I'm
still holding on.
And here's the honest truth,
I'm still in love with you.
That's what I really meant
to say.
That's what I really meant
to say.
That's what I really meant
to say.
When the song was over, they both looked at each other and
held hands until they got to her house.
The End
