Author: Lynda Mayfield

Summary: When the Stetsons try to get out of harm's way, it comes to them. Michael is nearly four.

~~Tissue Warning for angst~~

Timeline: Early August 1992

Disclaimer: The original characters are not mine; they belong to WB

Author's note: This was originally published somewhere around 10 years ago. By request, I am republishing it – after some editing.

Held Up

Amanda zipped the outside pocket of Phillip's suitcase, and then proceeded to put the same "care package" into Jamie's bag, in the same location. It was only a note with a dollar or so in change – in case they might need to call her, and to remind them that she loved them. Her elder sons were due to leave with Joe for Disney World, the next morning.

Phillip had graduated in June, and her ex-husband wanted to celebrate with both sons. The boys would fly down to Florida with Joe for a whole week. When he told her about the trip, she and Lee had decided to go with Michael to Ocean City that same weekend. Dotty and Captain Kurt were on a cruise that would return on Sunday. Mother would have the house to herself for a whole day!

Amanda remembered Lee telling her that Mr. Melrose had gladly given his agents a four-day weekend, starting with Friday – tomorrow. Lee said he joked with the section chief, asking if the world would be safe without his watchful eyes for that long, and Billy assured him it would. The top agent then hurriedly made his way out of the Agency with a swift goodbye to Billy, and a note to Mrs. Marston that he and Amanda would be back on Tuesday.

Amanda's thoughts returned to earlier this evening. Normally night owls, both Phillip and Jamie had turned in around an hour ago – ten at night. Immediately following dinner, they double-checked the other's job of packing. Also, there had not been any significant arguing in two days. It was obvious the teens wanted nothing to stop them leaving with their father, and she relished every peaceful moment.

Going to the beach with only one son would be different. A piece of her would be missing, but Amanda took solace in the fact that her children would have the time of their lives in Florida.

The next morning started in a state of pandemonium. Amanda had managed to get up and wake the two older boys as well as make sure they ate breakfast. Michael had joined the fray in the middle of the commotion, so Amanda had added him into the mix of breakfast and getting dressed. Lee did not wander downstairs until Joe's cab arrived, but her spouse was ready to go for the day.

Joe showed up half an hour late, and both Jamie and Phillip were bouncing off the walls, because he hadn't called. Soon after their father's arrival, the scene calmed down, and luggage was transferred to the waiting taxicab. Phillip on gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and brief hug. Always the snuggly one, Jamie held on to her for a few seconds and kissed her cheek as he headed off on his adventure.

"I'm going to miss them," Amanda said as she, Michael, and Lee waved to the older children. She could still feel the spots where her sons had kissed her goodbye, and could feel their arms around her.

"So am I," Lee agreed. "Now that they're off, are you ready to get ready to go?"

"Oh," Amanda said as she realized she was still in her nightgown and robe.

"Go ahead, I'll keep an eye on Michael." Lee sipped his steaming coffee.

"Okay. I shouldn't be long," Amanda gave her husband a peck on the cheek and wandered up the stairs.

After a while, and a few last minute items packed, three remaining family members piled into the Subaru Legacy Wagon. They were almost out of Virginia when Lee saw the fuel gauge nearing empty. He mentally kicked himself for not remembering to refuel the night before. Sighing, he looked for a highway sign indicating a gas station.

"Why the big sigh?" Amanda asked, looking up from the book she had begun when they left. It amazed Lee that she could read in the car without getting sick. .

"We're almost out of gas. I'm going to have to exit so I can refuel." He was reluctant to make the admission.

"That's okay, Sweetheart."

"I know, but if I'd done it yesterday, it wouldn't slow us down."

"Lee, we're on vacation. Take your time." She urged him.

"Yeah, Daddy, take your time," Michael piped up. He was happily strapped into his safety seat, watching the small TV/VCR unit they had plugged into the cigarette lighter. Amanda had taken Michael along to choose movies to rent, the day before.

"You're okay back there?" Lee asked.

"Yeah," Michael answered. He had his favorite stuffed animal, Mr. Rabbit, on his lap, and was using its head as a pillow. When Michael nodded, Mr. Rabbit did, too.

"He can probably use the bathroom break," Amanda said, peeking back at their son. He was focused on the television again, and had not heard her. One arm was holding on to the little rabbit. With a glance at her husband, she saw Lee was nodding in agreement.

"All right, if there's a sign, I better take it. We're on yellow as it is." Lee eyed the gas gauge, and then the road.

"There's one up ahead," Amanda pointed, "It says 'Batton, next exit.' I've never been to Batton."

"Me either. What's that exit number?"

"I don't know. It just says 'A'. The rest is all scratched off," she told him as they passed the sign and started along the horseshoe curve of the off ramp.

The gas station/Quick Mart was deserted except for two cars. One was an old Buick and the other was a new looking Audi. Lee guessed them to be employee vehicles. Their car was the only one fueling. Along the road, as far as he could see in either direction, there was nothing else. Once Lee started the fuel pump, he set it so it would stop when the tank was full and headed with Michael to the bathroom.

Five minutes later, the duo returned. Amanda hadn't moved from her spot in the car, where she was reading. The fuel pump had been off for a minute or two. Michael climbed back into his seat, but was waiting for Lee to get in before trying to buckle up.

He was too big for a toddler's seat, but Amanda found and purchased a booster seat that would accommodate the car's shoulder seat belts. It had not taken long for Michael to learn how to strap himself in, and let himself out.

Lee advised, "I'll be right back, I'm just going to go and pay for this."

"I want to go with Daddy," Michael said after a minute of waiting patiently.

"He'll be right back," Amanda said.

"But I want to see inside," he whined.

"Michael, by the time you get in there, he'll be coming out again."

"I don't care," the boy griped, and slid out of his seat, then opened the door, jumping to the ground. Amanda opened her door at the same time and got out. She let him go, but followed, figuring that Lee should be opening the Quick Mart door any second and then they would all get in the car again.

INSIDE The Mart:

"Amanda, no!" Lee shouted, followed by a whisper, "Oh, God."

She looked to her right and saw Lee, hands up. He was at the receiving end of a .357 Magnum, held by a hooded figure. She dared not attempt escape.

"Daddy!" Michael ran to his father as Lee shouted. The boy was still unaware of the situation. Lee moved his hands from their position above his head to hold his son to him; the boy standing just taller than his father's knees.

"What do you want me to do?" Amanda asked, her hands halfway up in surrender, her eyes on the hooded stranger.

Quickly, she eyed the young cashier. The name tag stated Jeremy. His complexion was a pasty white and he was more visibly afraid than either Lee or Amanda were letting on.

"Money. Give me all of it," said a man's voice, the Hispanic accent slight.

"My…my purse is in the car," Amanda admitted, "We were just coming in to get his father."

"Get over there, then. No funny moves, or I shoot," the man promised.

Lee was terrified. He watched Amanda pick up Michael as if everything were normal, but knew she must have been just as scared. Settled on her right hip, he looked around the room. There had been times when Lee and Amanda were on a case, and one or the other of them was at risk. He would die if something happened to her or Michael. He shook his head, trying to clear the thought away.

The sound of police sirens closing in caused the captor to turn his head, "What the hell! You're dead!"

A shot rang out toward where the cashier had been standing. Luckily, the boy had ducked before the gun was fired. Lee saw Amanda hug Michael closer to her. She turned to the right, so that her body was sideways against Lee's. Their son would be out of the line of fire that way, and he would not see immediately if anyone was shot.

"Why…did you…do that?" the robber asked, closing in on Jeremy.

Rising slowly, Jeremy answered, "I hit the panic button before I knew you had a gun, I thought it was a knife, man. I didn't think all these people would be in here, or I wouldn't have done it, I swear!"

Lee nodded to the young man's apology.

"Congratulations," the man said, turning away from Jeremy and taking his hand off the trigger, but keeping it close, "Everyone is now a hostage."

"His gun looks like yours, Daddy," Michael observed.

"Shhh," Lee said, trying to hope that the man hadn't heard it, but knowing he had. Lee felt a shot of adrenaline run through his veins, but ignored it. Now was not the time to do anything rash.

He had brought a gun along on the trip, but it was in the glove compartment. It was his PPK, not the Magnum. Although he sometimes practiced with his Magnum, it wasn't even kept at home. Michael might have seen it once, but Lee had no idea how his son would remember that.

"You're a cop, too?" the man asked.

"No, federal," Lee admitted. Maybe it would calm the man's fears to know the truth.

"Where's your gun?"

"I don't have one on me," Lee answered honestly. The man seemed satisfied but kept his aim on the Stetsons.

"Daddy, I'm hungry," Michael whispered loudly. He had been hushed, so he knew he had to talk quietly now.

Lee would have laughed at his son's statement, if he didn't have a gun pointed at him. Instead, he told Michael, "Well, um, why don't you get down, grab one of those candy bars."

"Yeah," Michael said, wiggling to get down and out of his mother's grasp.

"Hey," the gunman said, pointing the gun at the boy, "No funny stuff. In fact, you go with him, lady."

"Please, don't point your gun at him," Lee requested in a whisper, and at the same time, his wife gasped audibly.

"He's not going very far," Amanda protested, her hand around one of Michael's wrists, then moving to his hand.

"I want to keep it that way," the gunman retorted, moving his aim from the boy to the woman.

Lee wasn't happy to have Amanda as the target, but he knew she wouldn't make any sudden moves or do anything to make the man fire. This settled his nerves, but only a little. He tried to keep still, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

Amanda took Michael to the row of candy just under Jeremy's counter. The youngster put his hands on his hips, slowly deciding what he wanted. There was so much for him to choose from. Slowly, he brought a hand to his lips, index finger extended.

Lee watched them from his position against the wall. He knew exactly what Michael would pick, no matter how much candy was there. Amanda could take a chance, but logically, she wouldn't. There was no way to escape without leaving Michael behind.

When Lee had initially walked in and discovered the robbery in progress, his agent training had immediately kicked in. Lee reached for his gun before he was seen, and then groaned inside when he remembered he was unarmed and on vacation. He had looked around, seeing that the gunman was working alone. Lee was about to walk out the door when the robber told him to freeze. His chance to warn Amanda had flitted by. The gunman had proceeded to take his wallet, but had not patted him down for weapons.

"Hurry up!" the man yelled at Michael, jarring Lee back to the present. Startled, the little boy took two steps forward and made the choice his father had predicted: M&M's, two bags. Michael and Amanda returned to Lee's side, and the senior agent opened one of the bags of candy for his son.

"You know, you didn't have to yell at him. He's only a little boy," Amanda said indignantly.

The man didn't apologize. He only shrugged.

"What's the other bag for?" Jeremy asked to make conversation, if nothing else.

"Cause I'm gonna get hungry later," Michael said, not looking up from where he was seated between his parents' legs. He continued munching away happily on his candy.

"Listen, why don't you let us go? You have my wallet. You don't need us," Lee said.

"Where would you go, if you left? Straight to the police station, I bet. They're on the way, already. Why should I let you go?" the man asked.

"We were just going to the beach for a family vacation. That's where we'd go," Amanda knelt down to be closer to Michael. The little boy was picking out the reds to eat first, followed by the rest of what was in his hand.

"What are you, the Cleavers? I wish I could take my kids to the beach. Even for a few hours," the gunman admitted.

Lee thought that was curious. The man had been cold hearted enough to shoot at Jeremy, yet he longed to take his family on a vacation? Lee didn't know much about this town at all, other than its name, but it seemed obvious that life could be a struggle in Batton.

"What's your name?" Amanda asked.

"Why you want to know? So you can tell the cops? Just call me Enrico," the gunman said, one sentence followed quickly by the others.

"Enrico, you have children. Would you want them terrified by a strange man like this? Please, let us go," Amanda tried to exploit Enrico's soft side, assuming he had one. The gunman's dark brown eyes seemed to express conflicted sadness, and anger. She thought she possibly got through to him.

Just then, the police sirens became exponentially louder and then stopped altogether. Many car doors were opened and slammed shut.

"This is the Batton police department. Everyone, come out with your hands up!" came a call via bullhorn.

"Nobody…moves!" Enrico said, aiming the gun toward Lee. All four hostages obeyed.

After fifteen minutes of terrified silence, the phone rang. Jeremy didn't move to pick it up. Enrico nodded at him after ten rings, and the cashier answered.

"They want you." Jeremy held out the phone toward Enrico.

"No funny stuff, Mister Fed, or your family will regret it," Enrico told Lee, waving his gun around for effect.

"Right," Lee nodded his agreement.

Michael stood up and yanked on the hem of Amanda's T-shirt. "Mommy, where's Mister Rabbit? This would be much better if he were here."

"He's…you left him in the car," Amanda explained quietly, trying to hear what Enrico was telling the police negotiator.

"I need to go get him. Can you ask the man?" Michael insisted vociferously.

"Not now, Honey, really, we need to be quiet now, because he's upset," Amanda tried to explain to him, but Michael seemed not to care about the danger they were all in.

"Mommy, please?" Michael looked up at her with a face inherited from his father, the saddest puppy dog eyes in the world. Then he changed his mind. "Daddy and I can go get him. Daddy can do anything."

Michael took his father's hand and pulled him toward the door with no results.

Lee knelt down to explain to his son, "Enrico said not to go. We have to wait. But we'll go get your rabbit soon, okay, son?"

"But Daddy…" Michael turned his puppy dog look on his father, and stuck out his bottom lip in a pout to boot. Lee was forced to look away for a few seconds. He smiled briefly as he reminded himself how often he'd used the same look on his wife, and how well it worked.

"I am NOT talking to you people anymore!" Enrico suddenly shouted. He pulled the cord out from the mouthpiece and threw the handset away. The cord retracted toward Jeremy who zigged out of its way.

Enrico pulled off his mask in his rage, revealing a handsome young man. He was Hispanic, with a dark complexion and short, dark hair to match his dark brown eyes. His face was flushed with anger, and his nose flared with the frustration of the recently ended discussion. Thin lips were pressed together.

"You can ask now, right, Daddy?" Michael asked into Lee's ear. His father had shielded him from Enrico's possible rage and had not let Michael up from their crouching position yet.

"He's, he's a little grouchy right now, Michael," Lee said honestly, hoping that would quell his son's need for the favorite toy.

"I don't care," the youngster squirmed out of his father's reach and marching pointedly to Enrico, yanked on the man's khaki pants; "I want Mister Rabbit."

Enrico was taken aback by the child's boldness. He had been leaning against a doughnut display, brooding, and eyeing his hostages. He had not expected the little boy to break away from his father's grasp. Enrico thought then that his own two-year-old was active and probably wouldn't take well to restraint.

"Is that a pet or something?" Enrico asked.

"No, silly! It's my favorite stuffed buddy," Michael smiled charmingly at Enrico, "I want to go out to the car and get him. With Daddy."

"Please can he go?" Amanda asked as she watched Michael run to the doors of the store. He saw the police cars and backed up a little bit. She now noticed how shaky she was.

"He can go. But that's it." Enrico nodded, "Get him out there."

Amanda moved, but Lee stepped forward, "He wanted me, anyway."

"Lee…"

" 'Manda, I'm just going to put him outside so he can get his rabbit," Lee tried to reassure her as he enunciated every word. He knew the police would swarm their son, but Michael was listening and Lee didn't want him to be afraid.

"All right," she agreed, understanding. Michael had wanted him, and would have made it happen his way eventually.

"Here are the keys, Michael, in case the doors are locked," Lee pulled his key ring out of his pocket. The keys to the Q-Bureau were on it, too. He began sweating as he felt Enrico's angry stare. "Go on, son."

"You come with me. I don't like those police guys." Michael held tightly to Lee's arm when his father stood.

"Michael, just go." Lee said loudly.

"You too!"

"Michael, I mean it. Go, now, or it's trouble later!" Lee yelled. He was frustrated that Michael chose now to stand his ground. Like his mother, the stubborn boy did not want to wait in the car. Lee hoped the incentive of Mister Rabbit would be enough, but now Michael had a sudden case of separation anxiety.

"I don't wanna!"

Lee looked to Enrico who shook his head in the negative. Then Lee did something he prayed he wouldn't regret. He picked Michael up off the ground by the back of his denim overalls and the t-shirt underneath, opened the door, and flung the boy out with what he hoped was not damaging force.

Michael flew from his father and out the door. Lee pulled the latter shut, locking it, and not turning to see what happened after. Instead, he nervously ran his left hand through his hair and walked resolutely back to Amanda's side. Michael was safe now, so taking chances might not be such a bad idea.

Amanda was crying silent tears of relief, and Lee held her to him to comfort her. She had been on edge since this event started and the catharsis of tears was good for her. He knew he was thinking the same thing she was. Michael was okay. A moment later, they could hear him crying for them. The only evidence their son had been there was the second bag of M&M's and the empty wrapper from the first bag. Lee glared at Enrico hatefully.

Amanda wiped her eyes, no longer crying. She pulled herself together and held Lee's hand tightly in hers. She was certain everything would work out. Lee, she noticed, had combed his hand through his hair again, and was now making and unmaking a fist with his free hand.

"Hey, calm down. The kid's fine." Enrico said with little care in his tone.

Amanda started a sputtering cough. Lee patted her back in an effort to help her clear the problem. She stopped choking for a moment and looked into his eyes, then began again. Lee knew that look. His wife had a plan and he would find a way to play along.

"Look, she needs a drink. Can she get one out of that cooler there?" Lee asked, indicating the one Enrico was standing right next to. He knew the gunman would agree, because the only other refrigeration units were along the far wall, out of his line of sight.

"Yeah, go ahead." Enrico predictably allowed her.

Amanda cut back her coughing fit a little and faked a stumble toward where Enrico was standing. She opened a can of soda and took one sip, then two more fast ones.

"Better?" Enrico asked.

She nodded, standing mere inches from the armed robber, "Oh, yes, that's much better, thank you, I feel so much better."

"Back over there." Enrico ordered.

She was nodding compliance when she managed to literally choke on her drink again and flailed. Her accuracy was right on as she aimed the drink at Enrico's eyes, deliberately dumping the soda on him with the next upswing of her arm.

Lee had begun his advance on Enrico as soon as Amanda had begun her trip back to him. He quickly closed the distance, and grabbed the gun from Enrico's weakened grasp while the gunman sputtered and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. Feeling his wife behind him, her hands on the gun, he let her take it so that he could deal with the criminal with both hands.

Enrico was taken by complete surprise, and he fought with Lee, trying to punch him. Lee dodged, answering with a sidekick to the stomach, and Enrico fell backward, having slipped in the liquid from the mess Amanda made. Lee was on top of the other man in an instant, and with the hardest back fist he could manage he knocked the other man out. Enrico's head lalled to the right as he lay on the tile floor of the Quick Mart.

"Amanda, get the cops in here?" Lee requested, glad to be in control of the situation.

"What do I do?" Jeremy asked.

"Just stay there, kid." Lee let loose a long sigh of relief, shaking out his punching hand.

Lee, Amanda, and Jeremy the cashier were patted down for their own good by the police, a standard procedure to make sure the true culprit was under arrest. The federal agents were soon able to show proper ID, and allowed to continue their trip.

Michael ran to them from a police car where he was being watched by two officers. Lee felt a pang of guilt on first seeing his son's bruised and skinned wrists and hands. However, the feeling was lifted when Michael hugged him and said, "That's okay." The abrasions were forgotten, while the young boy told them about exploring the police car.

The investigating officer revealed that the gunman's real name was Eric, and that he had been unemployed off and on in the last year. They also said Eric was wanted for other, recent Quick Mart robberies in the area.

"I'm glad you're all right," Lee said, steering the car down the road.

"Am I in big trouble?" Michael asked, remembering how upset his father was with him before. He never forgot a thing his parents told him, and being warned of punishment was hard to forget.

"No, no, I said that because…I was scared, that's all." Lee assured him, his neck and face flushing in embarrassment at remembrance of the angry words he had spoken.

"Are we still going to the beach?" Michael asked, relieved.

"Sure are," Amanda said.

"Yay!" Michael cried, hugging the beloved Mr. Rabbit tightly to him as they road along.

AFTER CHECKING IN TO THE HOTEL:

"It's sad," Amanda, commented as they walked slowly on the beach, "I thought I was getting through to him. I don't understand why he did what he did."

"And we may never understand," Lee agreed, "I guess he thought it helped his family."

"There was a message from Phillip at the desk when we checked in– everyone made it to Florida fine, and they're having a great time with Joe."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Michael was ecstatic that we weren't going straight back home," Amanda noted.

"No need to cancel the trip. I'm going to treasure this time even more than I thought I would, when we set off this morning," Lee watched Michael running ahead, determined to find "the spot" for their blanket, chairs, and towels.

Amanda nodded, also watching the boy. He had power napped in the car with Mr. Rabbit, and was now expending all the energy from being cooped up. She remarked, "I'll sleep well, later, like he did in the car."

"No, you won't, Mrs. Stetson," Lee gave her a lascivious grin.

"Oh?" she held his right hand in hers as they continued walking on the sand, "Now I really can't wait till later.