Mission of Gold: A Little Truth Anyone?
Author's Note: The story takes place season 4, episode 17, Mission of Gold. Everything that happens after the shooting is AU, my take on what Lee might have said and done once Amanda was shot. Per the suggestion of Leann Nickerson, I'm continuing this story. Besides the initial story from the episode, everything is AU! Even with Leann's suggestion, the story went down a different path than I had anticipated. Hope you enjoy.
A few days after Amanda's shooting, Dotty returned to Washington, DC. After retrieving her luggage, she phoned Joe to let him know she'd arrived safely and that he could bring the boys over in about an hour. He'd suggested picking her up, but she declined, again, having refused his offer of a ride over the phone when she talked to him when she was still in California.
After arriving at the house, Dotty placed her luggage in the hallway and then hung her purse and coat in the hallway closet before she sat down at the kitchen table and poured herself a glass of water. She took several small sips of water as she contemplated what and how exactly she was going to tell the boys about their mother's marriage. She was still sitting at the kitchen table when the doorbell rang about an hour later.
"Grandma!" The boys cried out running into the house giving her warm hugs and kisses on the cheek.
"Hi, Joe," Dotty greeted Joe with a hug.
"Hi Dotty," Joe greeted her back, returning her hug.
They all sat down in the living room.
Once settled comfortably, Joe asked as the boys looked on expectantly, "How is Amanda doing?"
"Amanda is doing well, much better, improving nicely. But it will be at least a few weeks before she can return home." Dotty answered then turned to the boys and said, "I will tell you more about how she's doing, but for now, I need you two to go upstairs. Put your things away, while I talk to your Dad for a moment."
"But Grandma—" Philip began but stopped at the stern look upon Dotty's face. "Aw, alright!"
Both Philip and Jamie went upstairs as requested leaving Dotty and Joe alone. Once Dotty felt that the boys were upstairs and out of earshot, she turned to Joe and asked, "Would you like a cup of coffee?"
"No, I'm fine. I want to know what you had to tell me, you said over the phone that you had something important to tell me, something concerning Amanda and Lee."
"Yes, that's right. I'm going to tell the boys this too, but I wanted you to know first. I've known since I was in California, but Amanda, Lee and I thought it was best if I waited until I came back to Arlington to share, well this piece of news," Dotty said stopping midstream as she tried to figure out just how to say what she had to say.
"What is it Dotty? Is Amanda's condition more serious than you led us to believe?"
"No, no Joe," Dotty said, reaching out and touching his arm. "It's just that…well… Amanda and Lee are married."
"What? Married?" Joe boomed loudly but quickly quieted down when Dotty placed her index finger to her lips.
"Yes, apparently, the vacation away that was supposed to be separate was for their secret wedding."
Joe was silent as he thought back to a conversation he and Amanda had just a few weeks ago. So, that's what she wanted to tell me that day when we met at the restaurant. It all makes perfect sense now. Joe thought to himself but said out loud instead, "But why did they want to hide it?" Joe questioned finally.
"Lee explained it, but it doesn't make much sense to me. Something about wanting to get to know the boys a little better before they sprung the marriage on them."
"Why didn't they just wait then, until the boys were more comfortable with the idea?" Joe asked. "Is there some other reason they needed to get married so quickly?" A baby maybe… Joe thought to himself.
"I don't know. That thought occurred to me too." Dotty shrugged her shoulders to Joe's question. "I think," Dotty said reflectively, "there's something else that they aren't telling us, something to do with their jobs, but I don't know for sure. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you before I told the boys about their…" Dotty sighed, "secret marriage."
Something to do with their jobs? Joe thought to himself. Hmm! That might explain it. Made some sense considering Lee does work for the Agency. "Thanks, Dotty. I appreciate your telling me, keeping me in the loop of things. I can't say I understand why Amanda didn't tell us, but we're family, and we'll get through this." Joe replied placing a comforting hand on Dotty's arm.
Joe and Dotty looked at one another for a moment before they called the boys down.
Once the boys were seated in the living room, Dotty said, "Now, boys I have something that I need to tell you. Don't worry, as I said earlier, your mother is healing nicely," Dotty said noticing the look of worry on each of their faces. "But there are going to be some changes when your mother gets home."
"What kind of changes?" Philip asked.
"Besides the obvious change with your mother needing to take things slow, there is another change that is going to occur…" Dotty paused, then continued, "You two do know that your mother and Lee have been dating for the past several months..." Dotty began.
"Yes!" Both boys answered nodding their heads.
"Well, when your mother took time away for this vacation, she and Lee went away together."
"Yeah, we figured that out, once you got that call from Lee," Philip said looking at Jamie.
"Why else would Lee be in California?" Jamie asked.
Joe and Dotty looked at one another before she continued, "That's true, good point. But just before they went to California, they well…you see…got married."
"Married?" Jamie and Philip exclaimed at the same time.
"When?" Philip asked.
"Where?" Jamie asked.
"In Marion County, the day before she was shot," Dotty answered.
"Why didn't Mom tell us?" Philip asked.
"Yeah, why was it a secret?" Jaimie piped in. "Is that why Lee's been hanging around so much?"
"Probably," Dotty explained the best she could according to what Lee had told her, explaining that Amanda and Lee had wanted the boys to get to know him better and feel more comfortable around him first before they revealed their marriage. But the extent of Amanda's injuries had changed Lee's feelings about things, so he'd told her. Dotty left out the fact that Lee had been scared to death that Amanda would die and that was why he'd decided to come clean. She also left out her thoughts about how she believed there was more to the story. "I don't understand it myself, but I'll let them explain it to you when they get home. Perhaps once Amanda's settled, and she is on her feet again, we can talk more about it, and it will all make more sense. Right now, the main thing I am concerned about is that Amanda gets better."
"I agree," Joe said.
"I know you boys may be upset—and you have every right to be—but she is your mother and…" Dotty stopped, her voice wavering as tears came to her eyes.
"We are upset, but Grandma we want Mom to be okay," Philip said, placing his hand on Dotty's hand.
"Mom will be okay," Jamie lamented.
"Everything will be alright," Joe said.
Once the boys tired of asking questions and there wasn't anything more that could be asked or answered without Amanda and Lee present, Joe kissed the boys goodnight and headed towards his car. While he drove, his mind wandered to Amanda and Lee.
Well, Amanda certainly was full of surprises! Definitely not the woman he'd married. Amanda, a secret marriage, to Lee Stetson, an intelligence operative? Who would've ever thought? Certainly not the person he would've pictured her with, but then again,did one ever picture their ex with someone else? Hell, who would've imagined that he'd be engaged himself again? The real question now was, how were they going to work things out with the boys? Between his engagement and Amanda's marriage, the most important thing now was to make sure they were affected as little as possible. He'd have to tell Carrie about the wedding, but it could wait. Best that he remained quiet about the marriage until Amanda was home.