Definitely Something

Authored by Samella Trent

Author's Note: Originally published in Scarecrow and Mrs. King 35th Anniversary Fanzine: Service in Shadows, 2018.

A little AU story that offsets the last scene in All That Glitters, Season 4, episode 19. The story is set at the end of the episode when Lee and Amanda go by the hospital to visit Elisa Danton. This version starts off in the cafeteria of the hospital where Elisa Danton is sitting when Amanda comes into the cafeteria.

When watching this story, I always want more. I wanted to see what transpired in the hospital room between Amanda and Elisa. The beginning is slightly altered. I hope you enjoy the story.

Hospital Cafeteria

Elisa Danton sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria of the hospital. She was in the middle of the room, which was where she loved to be—in the center of things. She held a soda in one hand, unfortunately, taking sips from it while she looked around the room for anyone interesting. Even for all her influence, she couldn't get anything stronger to drink to save her life. She'd flirted and played around with two interns from the hospital, but they had to go back to work. Now bored, she'd meandered down to the cafeteria for a change of scenery and also to see what other mischief she could get into. She'd been there several minutes and watched as one boring person after another walked into the room. The most fun she'd had so far was watching as the counter person waited on each customer as though he was at a wake. His customer service skills certainly needed improvement. That was at least until a rather tall, slim, woman walked in. She wore very little makeup, but she was beautiful, not a classic beauty, but a looker nonetheless. And there was definitely something about her, though Elisa couldn't exactly put her finger on what it was.

The woman was only at the counter for a few minutes when Elisa noticed that the young mans' eyes lit up, a broad smile appeared on his lips and in a matter of moments, he was chuckling with laughter.

"Excuse me," she called to the woman. When she got closer, Elisa asked, "Whatever did you say to him?"

"What?" Amanda asked completely surprised.

"I wondered what you said to make him smile, then laugh. He seemed rather frosty with everyone else that he waited on, but you walked up and he was smiling, and then laughing, in a matter of minutes."

"Oh, I just asked him if they had anymore sandwiches."

"You're not serious."

"Well, then I told him about the time I helped my son with a project and we went to the riverfront to check out the wildlife. While we were there, a seagull came and snatched up one of our sandwiches and flew off with it."

"What? You're kidding me, aren't you?"

"Well, not exactly…we did go to the riverfront," she began slowly, "and there was a seagull, but he didn't really take our sandwiches. I just made up that part."

"But why?" Elisa was intrigued.

"He looked so miserable, seemed like he might be having a bad day."

"Well, I've been sitting here for a while and he's been a bear the whole entire time. He was even crusty with me when I asked for a soda." Elisa said. "I'm Elisa Danton by the way," she said as she extended her hand out to Amanda.

"I'm Mrs. King." Amanda returned the handshake. "Hi Ms. Danton, I know you, I mean I know who you are. I work with Lee Stetson, I'm his… partner."

Elisa stood up. "So, you are the great Scarecrow's partner."

"Yes, he will be here in a minute. As a matter-of-fact, we came to visit you. When you weren't in your room, we came down here to get something to eat and see if we couldn't find you, but then Lee remembered that he needed to call Mr. Melrose." Amanda said quickly.

"Breathe darling, it's okay," Elisa said.

"I'm sorry, I'm rambling, aren't I? I ramble when I get nervous. My mother says I can talk faster than anyone she knows. But, then she should know. She is the same way." Amanda said with a laugh.

"Why would you be nervous around me?"
"Oh no reason I guess, just that I've seen you in the magazines, in the society pages."

"Oh, that! That's nothing." She stood up and crooked her arm into Amanda's arm.

"It's your partnership with Lee that I want to hear all about." She'd of course heard rumors of how Lee got his most recent partner, but she was sure, that they were just that, rumors.

"There's not much to tell," Amanda said.

"Well I'm sure that's an understatement. How does your husband feel about your work?"

He is fine about it—in fact, it was his idea. Amanda thought to herself. "I'm divorced actually but I'm the mother of two boys."

"Just how did you meet Lee?"

"We met at the train station. He asked for my help one day during a case he was working on."

"What? I've never known Lee to ask anyone for help." Elisa was thoroughly intrigued by now. "Let's go up to my room, Lee is intelligent, I'm sure he'll figure out where we've gone."

Pay Phone in Hospital

Lee finished his call to Billy and was nearing the cafeteria when he remembered that he'd left the flowers by the pay phone. He was heading back around the corner to the cafeteria just as Amanda and Elisa headed into the elevator.

"Hey!" Lee called out, as he neared the elevator.

"Lee—I want to talk to your partner—alone," Elisa said as the elevator doors closed, leaving Lee standing by the doors, with a dumbfounded expression upon his face, the flowers still clutched in his hands.

Elisa Danton's Room

Elisa leaned back onto the pillows on her bed, Amanda seated in the chair to Elisa's right. Amanda had just finished the story about how she and Lee met. "So, you got on the train and there you were with this package that Lee had given you; and there were all these men wearing—what did you say—red masonic hats?"

"Yes, that's right; thirty men to be exact."

"Well, what happened after that?"

"After figuring out that it couldn't possibly be one of these men, I got off at the next stop. Lee later contacted me and he was livid."

"Yes, I do know Lee and his temper!"

Yes, I bet you do! Amanda thought to herself. "Yes, he does have a temper." But, he also has a soft side.

"Well, serves him right. Go on with the rest."

Amanda told the remainder of the story about how she actually helped rescue Lee.

"That was rather brave of you."

"Oh, I wasn't so brave. I just did what I had to do to help Lee—and the agency," Amanda said with a wistful look upon her face.

Hmm, a sudden thought came to Elisa. "So, are you and Lee strictly partners?"

"Yes, we're partners," Amanda began slowly.

"And?" Elisa questioned.

Amanda shrugged her shoulders.

"Darling, I find it a little difficult to believe the two of you aren't more than that."

"What? You mean having a thing?"

"A thing? I suppose that's one way of putting it." Elisa laughed out loud at that. "You are too funny indeed. I would probably use another word for it, an affair or lovers."

"Well, I wouldn't say that we were strictly partners." Amanda began cautiously.

"Do tell all!"

"Lee is my friend, my confidante, someone that I can really count on…" Amanda's voice trailed off as she thought perhaps she'd said too much already.

Hmm! Elisa noticed that Amanda's eyes lit up, that a flicker of light brightened in her eyes, only for a second, but Elisa was certain it was there. Elisa tried a different tactic.

"Do you know anything about a woman that Lee is seeing? I asked Billy Melrose about her, but he wouldn't tell me a thing."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Is he serious about anyone?"

"Oh, I do believe he's seeing someone exclusively," Amanda said slowly.

"Do you know who she is?"

"Oh, I can't tell you any specifics."

"Well, how did he meet her?"

"When he was out on an assignment," Amanda replied. That much was the truth.

"Is he serious about her?"

"I would think that he is."

"And, is she serious about him as well?"

"She is very serious about him, that much I know for sure."

"Oh, I see." There was a pause for a moment. "I don't know if you knew this, but Lee and I…well…used to have a thing, nothing serious mind you, but we used to get together to help take care of one another's needs. If you know what I mean?"

Yeah, I know what you mean. Amanda thought to herself as she nodded her head in agreement.

"But, the two most recent times he came by my place, he wasn't his old self at all, definitely not the Lee I remember."

"No?" Now it was Amanda's turn to ask questions. Of course, she trusted Lee completely, but it was nice to hear firsthand from Elisa herself, of Lee's fidelity to her.

"Yeah, he bee lined out of my place without as much as a kiss when he came by that morning. And that evening, he wasn't much better. I'd gone upstairs to change into something a little more appealing and he was downstairs writing me a note to tell me he was leaving. Good thing Lee heard the smoke alarm go off as he was leaving though…" Her voice trailed off a little at the thought of what could've happened to her that night if not for Lee.

"Yeah, it was a good thing he was there still, or you might've been injured more seriously."

"Or something worse," Elisa finished for her.

There was a knock on the door, and the door opened a crack. Lee stuck his head inside the door and asked hesitantly, with a wide grin upon his face, revealing his dimples. "Safe to come in?"

"Come in Lee, Darling," Elisa answered.

Lee stepped inside and placed the flowers on the small table adjacent to Elisa's bed; before he pulled up a chair next to Amanda.

"Amanda and I were just talking about the woman that's in your life."

"Oh, you were?" Lee lifted an eyebrow at Amanda.

"Ms. Danton, I mean, Elisa, wanted to know whether you were serious about someone or not," Amanda said.

"And, what did you tell her?" Lee asked.

"That I thought you might be, but I wasn't sure."

They didn't even realize it, but their eyes had flitted towards each other. Elisa watched as they locked their gaze upon one another for a few seconds, then they each turned away and looked back at Elisa.

"Oh, Lee, I grabbed some sandwiches for us. They're over there on my purse. I've been so busy talking to Ms. Danton I haven't eaten mine yet. But, yours is there just in case you want to eat it now."

"It's Elisa and oh go right ahead and eat."

"It's okay, I think I better go and call my mother."

"Thanks Amanda." Lee said as he picked up one of the sandwiches.

Once Amanda left the room, Elisa turned to Lee and asked unceremoniously, "Lee, out with it!"

"What?" Lee asked, as he took a bite from his sandwich.

"Do you mean to tell me there isn't anything between you and your partner?"

"She and I are close…friends," Lee said as he attempted to tell the truth without lying. "And she's the best—" Lee paused, "partner, I've ever had…or will ever have," he added the last part quietly, almost to himself.

"Lee, you've changed," Elisa said. "I remember a time when you didn't want a partner, said you didn't need one."

Lee smiled and shook his head back and forth. "That's right, there was a time when I didn't want or need anyone, or so I thought. Amanda and I work well together, she and I complete each other nicely…" his voice trailed off, before he could say too much.

But it was too late.

"So, she's the one." Elisa said.

"The one what?" Lee asked incredibly.

"Mrs. King, she is the one that has you out of circulation," Elisa snapped her fingers.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I won't be upset. Lee, just admit it. She is certainly something."

That was indeed the God's honest truth. Lee thought.

"Admit what?" Amanda asked, as she opened the door and walked back in the room.

"Oh, well, Elisa…" Lee began but fumbled over his own words.

"That you've just been found out. That I know the truth."

"Amanda," Lee began.

"Oh, Lee, I thought we weren't going to tell her that we were married, let alone tell her that we are involved. I thought we were going to wait until we'd finally told the agency and my family." Amanda suddenly stopped talking as she noticed the look upon Lee's face of surprise. "Oh my gosh!" She then turned to see Elisa's expression of amazement as well.

"Married?" Elisa quipped.

"Lee, I'm sorry." Amanda said.

Lee walked over to Amanda and pulled her into an embrace and kissed her on the cheek. "Sweetheart, it's okay," Lee assured Amanda.

"Well Lee, darling, you were always one for surprises. Though I must admit I wasn't expecting that much of a surprise. Having an affair—yes! Amanda, please excuse the term dearest, but never was I expecting for you to say married."

"Does Billy know?" Elisa asked.

"Well that's the thing of the matter—" Lee began.

"Neither Mr. Melrose nor my family know that we are married," Amanda finished.

"I got the impression that he knew more than he was letting on." Elisa said.

"He has alluded to the idea that he thinks we are together," Lee started.

"But we, neither of us, have actually admitted to anything," Amanda finished for Lee.

"But why all the secrecy? Lee don't get a big head, but Amanda, if I were married to a man like Lee, I certainly wouldn't be quiet about it. Not that marriage is my thing mind you."

"I won't." Lee said with a grin.

"It's because of my family…well our family. We are afraid for them, that they would be in jeopardy if people knew what we do for a living." Amanda answered.

"Of course, I'm no expert on the subject, not by any means, but don't you two think, that if your family knew what was going on, that they'd be more capable of keeping out of danger?"

"Well, then there is the little matter of our jobs and how Dr. Smyth might take it." Lee offered.

Elisa arched an eyebrow.

"You know how he is," Lee said.

"I know how he tries to be," Elisa said pointedly. "But let me handle him, if it comes to that. But, you have Billy and I doubt that he wants to break up your partnership. I've heard talk about just how great a team you two are."

Amanda and Lee looked at one another, Lee winked at her and they both smiled. They then turned to Elisa so they could continue their visit.

Hospital Hallway

As they left Elisa's room, Amanda said, "Lee, I really am sorry."

"About what? Oh, Amanda, it's okay. Truth of the matter is I'm kind of glad it happened. Apparently, I wasn't doing too great a job myself. She'd already guessed that we were together, just not married. But, she is just kind of like that; personable and able to get you to open up."

"What do we do now? Do you think she'll keep our secret?"

"Yes, I think we can trust her. She is nothing if not discreet."

"Oh, well that is good."
"But Amanda," Lee began quietly.

"Yes Lee?"

"I think that a phone call to Billy might be in order."

Amanda looked over at Lee's face and slowly she nodded her head in agreement. "But, don't you think we at least owe it to him to tell him in person?"

"Yes, of course. I just want to call first, to make sure he's still at the office."

"I agree!"

Elisa's Room

Well, she couldn't exactly say that she was happy about the fact that Scarecrow was off the market, but at least Amanda King or rather Mrs. Amanda Stetson, was someone she approved of. She wouldn't have been the person she would have thought Lee would end up with. But then again, who would've thought that he would end up serious, let alone married to anyone? Well, Elisa 'ol girl, time to look in your little black book again and find yourself a new playmate. It might even be time to update it, you never know who else in the book was off the market now. No point calling people that weren't available or at the very least available to mess around. She could certainly see why Lee had picked Amanda King, she was very smart, witty, dependable, and funny and there was just something about her, even from the beginning when she walked into the cafeteria. And Lee, obviously felt it too.

Pay Phone

"Hi Billy," Lee said when Billy picked up the phone.

"Hey Scarecrow," Billy replied then paused. "Did you forget something about your case?"

"No, I well…" Lee began.

"Lee, spit it out, is something wrong?" Billy questioned Lee.

"Well, no not exactly," Lee said hesitantly.

"Well, what is it? I've got a lot of paperwork to finish up."

When Lee hesitated still, Amanda took the phone out of Lee's hand. "Sir, this is Amanda."

"Hi Amanda."

"Lee and I just wanted to make sure that you were still going to be around for a little while. We have something important to tell you and we wanted to come back to the office so we could tell you in person."

Billy smirked to himself. All that in one breath, well at least she got it out. Billy thought to himself. "Sure, of course!"

"Thank you, Sir, we'll be there soon."

After hanging up the receiver, they left the hospital and headed towards Lee's car.

"After we tell Billy, then we will head on over to your house and tell your family," Lee said.

"Tell our family, you mean," Amanda corrected Lee.

"Yes, our family. I like the sound of that."

"So, do I."

Billy Melrose's Office

Well, maybe they're finally going to tell me exactly how things are between them. Billy thought to himself, as he stood and unlocked the top cabinet drawer, pulled out a folder, peaked at a document, then reclosed the drawer just as there was a knock on his door.

"Come in."

Francine walked into Billy's office.

Damn, I forgot that Desmond was still here. Billy thought to himself, as he quickly moved away from the file cabinet, a sheepish look upon his face.

"Billy, what are you doing?" Francine asked.

"Nothing. What are you still doing here?"

"I was just finishing the report from my last case. Billy what are you looking so secretive about?"

"Oh nothing," Billy replied as he discreetly pocketed the key he held in his hand.

You'll find out soon enough. Billy thought to himself.

"Well goodnight Billy!"

"Goodnight to you too, Francine."

Billy sat back down at his desk and waited patiently. He looked up and smiled when his two top agents walked into his office and closed the door.

"Lee! Amanda!" Billy greeted them.

"Sir!"

"Billy!"

"Lee and I have something we want to tell you…" Amanda began as she looked over at Lee.

"Yes, you see Amanda and I are…well…Sir, we are married."

"So, you finally decided to tell me," Billy said, as he stood up and retrieved the file folder from the file cabinet, opened the folder and pulled out the copy of a marriage certificate. "What? You knew?" Amanda and Lee questioned in unison.

"Yes, I've known for quite a while." Billy said, as he sat back, and grinned at the couple.

"But how did you find out?" Lee asked.

"What is it that we do for a living? Routine background check, a few months ago."

"Oh!" Lee and Amanda said in unison as they looked at one another.

"What I want to know is why you decided to hide it."

"Well, Sir…" Amanda began.

"It's a long story," Lee continued.

"Well, I'm listening."

"It started with that case, the one involving Khai…" Lee began.

Billy's Car

An hour later, as Billy drove home to his own wife and family, he couldn't help, but chuckle to himself. He'd been right on target! He couldn't wait until he got home to tell Jeanie. Yes, indeed, he'd made the right choice by putting those two together. He was pretty good with his instincts.

The End

Author's Note: Originally published in Scarecrow and Mrs. King 35th Anniversary Fanzine: Service in Shadows, 2018.