"Good morning, Mrs. Marsten today's word is 'steamboat'."

"Morning, Mrs. King. Mr. Melrose would like to see you."

Amanda accepted her badge and thanked her before heading to the elevator.

"Good morning sir, you asked to see me?"

"Good morning, Amanda. Yes, I was just explaining to Lee that the guys in crypto worked all night on what you brought back yesterday."

Amanda briefly glanced over at Lee before turning her attention back to her boss.

"What did they come up with, sir?"

"It looks like someone plans on assassinating a Senator at an upcoming event. There were three names listed, but it's not clear which one is danger."

"Are there any upcoming events where all three would be present, sir?"

"Don't you think we thought about that Amanda."

"I'm sorry I just thought..."

"Don't apologize, Amanda, it was a good question." Billy glared over at Lee.

"However, the answer is no, so I would like you and Lee to see what you can come up with."

Amanda looked over at Lee again, still feeling a bit drained from her argument with Joe last night; she wasn't sure she was ready for another day of Lee treating her like a nuisance. Turning her attention back to Mr. Melrose, she plastered a smile on her face.

"Of course, sir."

Lee and Amanda stood to leave neither looking at the other. Billy looked at Amanda:she looked tired and a bit out of sorts.

"Amanda, can you hang on for a few minutes?"

"Yes sir."

Glancing over at Lee and watching him leave she could already tell he was annoyed with her.

"Amanda, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine Sir."

"Amanda, right now I want you to think of me as your friend, not your boss: how are you doing?"

"Really, sir, I'm okay. It's just been a rough few weeks, and I guess with everything going on, I just haven't been sleeping well lately."

"I know Lee's been a bit of a bear lately..."

"It's not just Lee, sir, although I know he's upset with me I'm just not sure what I've done."

"You said it's not just Lee. Is there something I can help with?"

"No, not unless you can figure out how to get Joe to pay child support, or take a little interest in his sons lives, or stop trying to make me feel like I'm..."

Amanda stopped and looked down at the ground feeling a little embarrassed.

"Feel like what, Amanda?"

"Oh, well I guess I got a little annoyed with being put down first by Lee and then Joe when he assumed I was a secretary I told him I wasn't. I didn't tell him what my job was and not that I wouldn't be proud to be a secretary, but it was just so frustrating that he couldn't see that I could be more, but he's decided that I'm just lost in some silly fantasy and maybe I am. I mean Lee seems to see me as a big nuisance lately: I can't even breath without upsetting him."

Billy couldn't help smiling a little as he listened to Amanda ramble. He walked over to her and looked into her eyes. He wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her everything would work out, but right now he wasn't so sure of that himself.

"Amanda, I'm not completely sure what's troubling Lee lately, but you are doing a great job, and I'm not sure you hear that enough from me. As for Joe, I've watched you grow and change over the last two years: he only remembers what he left behind-he doesn't know the woman you've become."

"Thank you, sir."

"I mean it, Amanda. You and Lee make a great team, but alone you are really good too."

Amanda could feel her face turning red and she looked back down at the floor.

"Umm, well I better get upstairs and see what Lee and I can come up with."

Billy watched her leave, silently pleading with Lee not to break her heart: she's already had one man do that to her, and she deserved better. Sighing, he headed back to his desk. He cared about all of his agents, but Amanda and Lee were special to him, but there was only so much interfering in their personal lives he could do.

Entering the Q-Bureau, Amanda wondered which Lee she'd be working with today. The caring one who was her friend, or the one who didn't seem to want her around.

Lee watched her enter and felt a stab of guilt when he saw the trepidation in her eyes. He knew he had been harsh with her lately, but did he really want her to be afraid of him? Standing up and grabbing the folders he had pulled, he motioned for her to sit in the chair in front of his desk.

"Hi, I pulled a few files that I thought might help."

Amanda sat and looked at him for a moment relaxing a little, but not totally letting her guard down. He sounded formal, but at least he wasn't trying to chase her away by telling her he didn't really need her help.

"Okay, well I'll take Senator Greene and Senator Rickart. I requested copies of their current press releases so hopefully they will be here soon." Grabbing the files, she stood up and headed towards the couch needing to put a little distance between them.

Lee noticed how tired and strained her voice sounded; sighing he stood up and joined her over at the couch.

"Amanda, I ... I guess I should apologize."

"You guess? Lee I didn't do anything wrong yesterday and yet you treated me like I had. I just wish I knew what I've done to anger you."

Amanda's voice broke as she spoke and the guilt he felt when she first walked in grew. The truth was he was confused about why he had been acting the way he had been towards her.

"You haven't done anything…"

"Then why the anger towards me lately?"

"I don't know, but I promise to be better. Okay?"

Amanda nodded her head. She wanted to believe him, but she wasn't sure she could trust him right now.

The two of them worked together in silence for the next hour each going over the files in front of them. Lee looked over at Amanda and noticed she had leaned her head back it was hard to miss how exhausted she looked and he wondered if he was to blame for that too. Part of him wanted to ask, but decided that right now it would be best to keep their conversations just at a professional level.

"Anything good in your files?"

"I think we can rule out Senator Greene. He isn't scheduled for any public appearances and, well, I'M more controversial than this man; I just can't see a reason why anyone would want to kill him. However, just to be safe, we should ask Mr. Melrose to have a few babysitters sent over to him."

"What about your other Senator?"

"Well, he is very passionate about gun control, and he's scheduled for quite a few events in the next two weeks including one this Friday. What about your guy?"

"Well Senator Rose is on the Foreign Relations committee, and is scheduled to give two speeches: one on Friday and the other one next Thursday…looks like he is really pushing for more openness between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. He seems to have quite a list of enemies too."

While Amanda listened to Lee, she leafed through one of her files again. Something she had seen nagged at her, but at first glance she hadn't thought much of it since she had been concentrating more on his political dealings.

"Huh…"

"What?"

"Oh, I was just noticing something interesting in Senator Greene's financials. Seems he deposits $30,000 on the 8th of every month, but then a few days later, it's withdrawn… just seems a little odd."

"I thought you had ruled him out."

"I was double checking myself. Just didn't want to miss anything. Politically he seems pretty calm, but the money thing has me wondering if he has something to hide."

"Amanda, don't jump to conclusions."

"I'm not. Look, I don't think we can do anything more here-we need to get out and talk to the three Senators."

"The message said the assassination was going to happen at an upcoming event. Greene isn't scheduled for anything; you said so yourself. However, if it would make you feel better, we can hand over your financial findings to the guys in accounting. If there is something criminal happening, they'll find it."

Amanda tried not to show her annoyance. "Lee all I want to do is talk to the man..."

Lee stood up and paced, running his hand through his hair. "Amanda, it would be a waste of time, but if it makes you feel better we'll talk to him." Lee didn't even try to hide the patronizing tone from his voice.

"That apology lasted long. You're as bad as Joe."

"Don't compare me to your ex, I'm nothing like Joe."

"I'm really not on the mood to argue I did enough of that last night with Joe."

Lee stopped his pacing and stared at Amanda. "You saw Joe last night?"

"Yes, he stopped by. I didn't know he was coming over, but he did and... It's not important."

"We'll I'm sure it was an enjoyable evening. Tell me will I be invited to the wedding?"

"What?!"

"Well he is over an awful lot since he's returned. Just seems so ... Cozy."

She wanted to scream at him that she didn't want Joe that she wanted him, but instead she just shook her head and headed towards the door. When she realized he wasn't following she turned to him.

"Are you coming?"

Lee knew Joe was going to steal her away. He didn't want it to happen, but he didn't know how to stop it. Sighing he stood up to join her.

"Senator, all we are asking is if you have received any threats lately." Lee's patience was running thin. He was mad at himself for once again treating Amanda poorly, combined with both senators giving them a bit of a run around, he was ready to just throw in the towel for today, and call it quits.

"I receive threats all the time Agent Stetson, but I won't cower away from public events because some of my constituents don't like me."

"Sir, we aren't asking you to back down. Agent Stetson is just trying to find out if any if the threats have been out of the ordinary, or different than the normal run of the mill threats."

"Mrs. King I can't think of anything, but you can talk to my assistant, since he keeps track of these things. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for a committee meeting."

"Thank you, sir."

Amanda received a stack of mail from the Senator's assistant, and headed back to the car. Lee followed, wondering if Amanda planned to ever talk to, or even look at him again.

"We didn't get much from either one of the senators, but maybe we'll find something in the letters they gave us."

Amanda just nodded her head, but said nothing. She didn't even bring up the fact that they didn't interview Senator Greene. She was just so tired of fighting with him;something had to change, she just wasn't sure what. She didn't want to resign, but she wasn't sure what her options were.

"Look, Amanda, just go on home. We can look through this with fresh eyes in the morning."


Lee entered the Q-Bureau and saw Amanda busily looking through the letters the senators had given them.

"Morning"

Amanda raised her head a little to look at him, but didn't return his greeting.

"Did you find anything new?"

"No, not really."

Lee watched her for a few moments not really sure what to say. He couldn't remember ever feeling so lost or alone. His thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Yes Sir, we'll be down in a few minutes."

Amanda hung up the phone and looked over at Lee "That was Mr. Melrose. He'd like a report."

Lee nodded and the two of them headed downstairs.

"Ah, Amanda why don't you go fill in Billy. I uh need to take care of something."

She watched as he headed to the steno pool and turned his charm on. It was something she knew he hadn't done for awhile, and she thought maybe he had outgrown it. She listened to him laugh as he took one of the newer girls' hands and kissed it. She couldn't help but feel hurt, but knew she really didn't have the right to feel that way. If Lee had told her one time he told her a million: there was nothing between them. So why did she feel so rejected?

Francine sidled up to Amanda.

"Looks like our old Scarecrow is back in action. The girls in the steno pool were mourning his loss, but guess they can celebrate his return."

"Yeah, I umm guess so."

Both women watched as Lee chose his new playmate. A blonde who had apparently forgotten to put on all her clothes this morning because there was no way the small piece of cloth on her legs could be called a skirt. The two of them laughed at something Lee whispered in her ear. She playfully swatted at him, but then pulled him back towards her planting a small kiss on his lips. The kiss seemed to be a promise of things to come.

Lee guided his new friend a bit closer to where Amanda and Francine were standing. He wanted to make sure Amanda was able to hear him as he made his date.

"So what do you say. A little dinner, a little wine, a bit of dancing, and then a bit of dessert?" He finished his question with a smile and a wink.

"I'd love to, but I guess I thought maybe you had something going on with that little partner of yours. Although, now that I see her up close…well, I can see she just doesn't have what you need."

"No, Amanda means nothing to me. She's just someone I'm forced to work with and very hard to get rid of."

Francine looked over at Amanda and could tell how hurt she was by what he had just said, "I'm sorry Amanda."

Amanda turned away from the scene playing out in front of her and headed into Billy's office.