Marrying Dean

Disclaimer: The characters from Scarecrow and Mrs. King are the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. I have borrowed the characters without the consent or knowledge of Warner Brothers or Shoot the Moon. I will return them shortly. The extra characters and story are mine.

Timeframe: Summer between season 1 & season 2

Summary: 5th in 'Dean is a good guy' Who is getting married?

Hidden in the deep shadows beneath a lit window, a man listened to two women talking. "I was talking to Cynthia this afternoon. Dean was not there but left me a message. She told me that Dean will be happy to help the boys with their science projects," said Amanda. "I am so proud that they are doing summer projects."

Dotty said, "Cynthia has become a good friend of yours, hasn't she?"

Stetson heard the joy in Amanda's voice, "yes, she certainly has. We are going shopping for the wedding gown and bride's maids dresses on Saturday. Can you be ready at 10?

"Yes, Darling. Mrs. Morris will watch the boys," assured Dotty.

"Dean's proposal was so romantic," sighed the younger woman.

Lee Stetson felt like he had been kicked in the stomach.

"He proposed to you before, several times," her mother pointed out.

"Not like that he didn't," protested the daughter.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Missy?" asked Dotty in a concerned voice.

"Oh, yes, Mother. Have you seen the love in his eyes. The magic just flows," she smiled a brilliant smile.

Lee looked carefully in the window to see an extremely joyous woman look back at him. Her smile got even bigger as she saw him.

"Mother, I think I will bring in the laundry before it gets any later."

"Alright, Darling," agreed her mother. "You really are happy?"

"Yes, Mother. It couldn't be better," Amanda replied. She carried her basket out and started taking down the dry clothes. "Lee, stay there. Mother is still watching me."

"So you are going shopping for the wedding on Saturday?" he asked in a nonchalant way.

"Yes, we are. Why? Do you need me for something?" Amanda asked still beaming.

Lee felt uncomfortable but he did not understand why. Why would it matter to him if she got married? It was not as if they had a relationship. They could barely be called friends. "I wondered if you would go to the Daisy reception with me Friday night? But you probable won't. What with wedding plans to make and you have to think about Dean." He turned to duck under the hanging laundry.

"Lee, wait," she called softly.

"Amanda, do you need any help?" asked Dotty from the patio.

"No, Mother, part of it is still damp. I will leave it for a while longer," replied Amanda. "Now where did he go?" she wondered as she took down the dry clothes.

Friday morning Mrs. King sat at a desk transcribing a tape. Francine stopped beside her. "Are you excited to be going to the Daisy reception tonight?"

"No, Francine," answered Amanda, turning off the tape player.

The blond agent stared at her, "you aren't? The Daisy reception isn't exciting? My, aren't we getting finicky?"

"Perhaps it would be more exciting if I was going," explained the brunette.

"Billy told Lee to take you. Didn't he talk to you?" questioned the assistant section chief.

"Sort of," Amanda confessed.

Francine gave her a look that demanded an explanation.

"Lee came over and said he needed me to go to a reception Friday night, then he said I probably wouldn't and left." Amanda gave Francine a puzzled look.

Ms. Desmond glanced around the bullpen before saying in a sticky sweet voice, "I saw the morning weather report this morning. Your boyfriend -"

"Isn't it wonderful? Cynthia is such a great lady. Did you notice the way they look at each other; the love, the magic between them?" exclaimed Amanda excitedly. "Cynthia and I are going shopping for wedding dresses tomorrow."

"You really don't mind?" the agent asked.

"Oh, no! I told her to go get him. He is such a great guy. They are two of the most honorable people I have ever known. I noticed that they were in love but they weren't moving on it because Dean had proposed to me. I told Dean that I wasn't in love with him and that he should get Cynthia. Dean and I never had that magic. Cynthia asked me to be her matron-of-honor ," explained the happy woman.

Still not understanding Mrs. Kings point of view, Agent Desmond said in a chipper voice, "well congratulations, Amanda."

Scarecrow entered the bullpen in time to hear Francine congratulate Amanda. He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his carefully combed hair. Walking over to the ladies, the man said, "Amanda, congratulations."

Looking surprised she said, "thank you, Lee."

Francine greeted him and informed him, "Billy is going to want to know why you are not taking Amanda tonight."

Lee straightened up and demanded, "who said I wasn't taking Amanda? Amanda, I asked you last night." The look he gave her told her to agree with him.

The senior female agent watched curiously to see what Amanda was going to do.

"You did? Of course you did. You wondered if I would go with you to a reception Friday night," Amanda agreed.

"See, Francine, she's going. So what's the problem?" he asked, wearing his calm agent expression

The assistant section chief asked, "Amanda, he asked if you would go?"

"Yes, Francine," answered Amanda truthfully.

"I have heard you say that you don't like lying. Tell me, did you actually agree to go?" Francine interrogated her.

"Well, no. Mother came out," "Her mother was coming out," they said together.

Waving her hand in the air, the blond said, "enough." Francine walked away thinking about their strange relationship.

Looking boyishly grateful, Lee asked, "so when is the wedding?"

"I don't think the date is set yet, but I must be informed. After all I am in it," Amanda smiled at him.

"You will be informed ?"

"Yes, as soon as Dean and Cynthia decide!" Amanda suddenly understood. "Lee, I am not getting married. Dean is marrying Cynthia Holms.