Written by Scooplet
Concept by Cheryl and Scooplet
Scarecrow and Mrs. King characters are the property of Shoot the Moon Productions and Warner Bros. Television. No copyright infringement intended. Not for commercial use. Sarah Stetson and Matt Granger are my creation, however, so please respect my right to claim ownership of them—I do not authorize permission to use them in stories not authored by me.
I Know He Watches Me, Part Three
Chapter Seven
Wearily, Sarah trudged up the last flight of stairs. When she had spoken to Matt the day before, he had still not been able to confirm he was coming to visit. Nevertheless, Gary Carter, the lead agent, had taken pity on her and called it a day as things had grown quiet. It was not as early as she had hoped, but it was still only a little after six o'clock. Just a few more yards and she could take off her shoes, her shoulder holster, and her business suit. Exhausted and overly warm in the late spring New York humidity, she had it all worked out in her head. Maybe I'll eat a peanut butter sandwich while I take a bath. I can kill two birds with one stone and get to bed sooner.
The key already in her hand, Sarah reached to place it in the deadbolt. Out of habit, she glanced to the other side of the door to check for the small piece of paper she had wedged in against the doorjamb, fully expecting to pull it from its place and use it again the next morning.
But the paper was missing.
Her senses on full alert now, Sarah fumbled with the lock, stalling for time. Any intruder would be fully aware of her presence, if they did not know already. She did not want her hesitation to give away the fact that she knew someone had broken into her apartment. She thought briefly about calling for backup, but dismissed the idea. I have been pretty tired lately, she considered to herself. What if I forgot the slip of paper this time? Sarah hoped that she had simply been forgetful, but she knew better than to take any chances.
With her other hand, she reached for her Glock, thankful that she had learned to live without a purse and was not encumbered. She yawned—it was meant to throw off any intruders, but it was not much of an act.
Pushing the door open wide, Sarah slipped into the room along the wall. No one attempted to slam the door against her as she entered the apartment, so that was a good sign. Although it was still light out, the east-facing windows of her apartment allowed little natural light at this time of day. Coming from the fully-lit hallway, the small studio appeared nearly dark. She pulled back the slide on her handgun.
"Don't shoot me, sweetie. I was hoping to make it to twenty-six."
Sarah's eyes flew in the direction of the bed. A man who sounded like Matt and held the same general shape of her husband was perched on the edge. It was apparent in the dim late afternoon light that he had been sleeping there. She peered at him a moment and carefully set the handgun on a nearby table.
"Matt?" Sarah choked out her husband's name. Not sure whether to laugh or cry, she closed the door, turned on the lights, and threw herself at her husband.
"Umph." He chuckled a little, catching Sarah and wrapping his arms around her as she fell into his lap. After an enthusiastic kiss, they sat silently and stared at each other for a moment. Matt marveled at finally having his wife in his arms once again.
Sarah was overjoyed not only at seeing the man whom she had missed so terribly, but at the idea of seeing a familiar face. "Thank you for coming. Thank you so much." She hugged him tightly, her head against his chest.
"Hey, I couldn't miss our anniversary." His hand ran up and down her back idly, enjoying the moment.
"But it's your birthday, and only our four-month anniversary." Lifting her head, Sarah had a mischievous expression on her face. "You know, you broke into my apartment again. Old habits seem to die hard with you."
Matt stared at Sarah, uncomprehending. "But you had that key sent to me." Then realization dawned on him, and he grew sheepish. "Oh, yeah. You haven't forgotten how I broke into your apartment at Georgetown and your apartment at your parents' house."
"You just like stalking me, that's all."
"That's right." He smirked and glanced at her handgun. "But it's just a little too dangerous. I think I'll back off."
She frowned in return. "You aren't going to let me live this one down. I was just using the 'alarm system' you told me to use."
"And you executed it perfectly." Matt kissed her forehead. "I could have been a baddie."
"Well, I'm very glad it's you." Sarah stood, reluctantly, and busied herself with taking the magazine from her Glock and checking for rounds in the barrel. Satisfied, she placed everything in the bedside table drawer before going to the closet and slipping off her shoes, removing her shoulder holster, and hanging up her suit jacket. Matt watched with unabashed interest as she unzipped her skirt, slipped it off, and went to work on her stockings.
"It's so good to see you." Matt gazed at his wife, and she paused to stare back at him for a moment, fully aware of the double meaning of his words. She was thin, as he had expected she might be, but her color was a little better. Perhaps it was the excitement of thinking there had been an intruder in her apartment. Watching Sarah's expression, he hoped it was more than that, however.
All his plans to present the flowers to her, watch her open the card, and drink champagne together were quickly going out the window. Her long, slender legs had always been an enticement, and now that she had removed her skirt, they definitely were now. It had been over a month since they had last… He sat frozen in place, watching her. Waiting for dinner was sounding better and better. Before he could say anything, however, she had stepped into the bathroom.
"I'll be right out," she tossed over her shoulder.
Matt's mind was focused on one thing. He planned to be ready when Sarah came out of that bathroom. He rose from the bed and stepped out of his shoes. Then he checked himself. It had only been a few weeks since he had found Sarah, barely conscious, in the shower. What was he thinking?
Hearing her in the bathroom, he envisioned Sarah in her state of undress and faltered once again. He knew his fears were probably irrational. From the look on Sarah's face, he was fairly certain she knew what he had been thinking. And she had not seemed to mind. In fact, she seemed to welcome it.
Going to the kitchenette, Matt retrieved the vase of flowers and the card and brought them to the bedside table. He made another trip and brought the chilled champagne and the fluted glasses and set them on the other bedside table. After turning down the bed, he pulled off his belt and began to unbutton the top button of his jeans, but he stopped himself. What if she hasn't taken her pills? He had brought something with him, but doubted the wisdom of even considering what he now wanted so desperately. What if it's too soon? What if I hurt her?
The sound of the bathroom door opening stopped Matt's train of thought. Sarah stood there in the same state of undress as when she had entered the bathroom. His heart raced.
Slow down, Granger. Take this one step at a time. If it's the right thing to do, you'll know after a few minutes. For now he would content himself just to hold Sarah in his arms. He sat down on the bed and watched as Sarah walked towards him. It was obvious from her expression that she had not been fretting about what they might be about to do.
"Now do you believe me that's it's not a twin bed?" Sarah grinned mischievously as Matt glanced at the queen size bed.
"Yes. But we would have been fine in a twin," he chuckled as his eyes met hers.
Standing between his legs, Sarah cupped Matt's face in her hands and kissed him. As her hands slid into his hair, he wrapped his arms around her waist and he let his mouth wander along her jaw and down her throat to the open neckline of her blouse.
"Were you thinking of drinking the champagne before or after we—"
Matt froze. "I'm sorry, I should have considered asking you if you were ready for all of this." He pulled back, dropping his hands to his thighs. "I bought some Chinese food down the street, in case you hadn't had dinner. Or you could keep it for leftovers."
"Actually, I haven't eaten yet—at least nothing more than a protein bar late this afternoon." She reached out a hand to caress Matt's shoulder, and then brought her fingers to the top button of Matt's shirt. "But I think we both have our minds on something else."
The bouquet on the bedside table caught her eye and she turned to them, fingering the petals of one of the flowers. "It's your birthday, and you brought me flowers." She reached for the card. "Am I supposed to open this?" At his nod, she slid her finger under the flap and pulled out the card. After reading it a moment, she leaned down and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to save this card. It's really sweet. You always know just what to say."
"I guess it's kind of mushy, but I figured you wouldn't mind."
"I love it. And I wish I'd thought to get an anniversary card. Here you are, celebrating us, when it's your birthday and we should be celebrating you."
"It's our four-month anniversary. And in a couple of weeks, it will be the one-year anniversary of the day we met. Considering how we met, I think I owe you a bouquet of flowers."
Sarah sat down on the bed next to Matt and stared at the flowers for a moment before turning to him. "You don't owe me flowers or a card, but I love having the reminder of our anniversaries." She leaned over and kissed his cheek again. "Thank you." She picked up one of the champagne flutes. "Thank you for the champagne and the Chinese food. You are such a thoughtful man." She placed the glass back on the bedside table. "I love you so much. You keep doing so much for me. I wish I could do something for you—"
Matt stopped her with his mouth on hers. His hands were around her waist, under the blouse, as he reveled in the smoothness of her skin. Sarah tugged at the buttons of his shirt, eventually pulling it free from his pants. When the soft skin of her knuckles brushed his abdomen, he jerked back. Immediately Sarah's eyes met his, and he could see the hurt and confusion there. He looked down at her hands, which had dropped to her lap.
Matt was torn. He desperately wanted to make love to her, but she was so tired. Besides, what if Sarah were to get pregnant now? It had only been a few weeks since her miscarriage. His eyes met hers again, and he could not bear to see the hurt there. Who knew when they would be together again? Matt was anxious to have that connection with his wife.
As if sensing his thoughts, Sarah's expression changed, and she ran her hands over his exposed chest. He cocked his head to one side, watching as one hand slipped under his shirt and around to his back, just skimming the waist of his jeans. He flinched a little, a flicker of pleasure running through his body at her touch. His resolve was weakening quickly.
"Oh, Sarah. I don't want to hurt you. What if you were to get pregnant again?"
Sarah looked into Matt's eyes. "Matt. I'll be okay. I've healed by now." Her eyes shadowed momentarily, but her smile took away his concern. "And I've been taking my pills every day." She pushed his shirt off of his shoulders and he shrugged out of it.
He smoothed the hair away from her face, memorizing each detail of her features as he traced them with his fingertip.
She closed her eyes and sighed, clearly enjoying his touch.
"I love it when you make that sound."
Her voice was just a whisper. "Please love me."
"Oh, Sarah. I want to…" He kissed her temple and ran his hands over her back.
"Please. It won't hurt me."
I need to love my wife, he thought as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto the bed.
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It was over an hour later that they sat together in the middle of the bed, dipping their chopsticks into the Chinese food containers. Sarah reached over for her champagne flute and took a sip, and then turned back to Matt. "Ready to switch cartons again? I wouldn't mind some more chow mein, and I know you like the beef with broccoli."
"Sure." He eyed her a moment after they had traded the food containers. "You know, you look pretty cute in my shirt. But that leaves me sitting here in only a pair of boxers."
"My plan exactly." Sarah grinned mischievously. "When a girl has a hot husband, she's got to find ways to ogle him whenever possible."
Rolling his eyes, Matt responded, "Oh? Is that why you watched me reheat the food?"
Sarah laughed a little at his discomfort, and he smiled good-naturedly in return. Then she regarded him thoughtfully for a moment before scooting to the edge of the bed. "Maybe I should give you your gift early."
Now he grinned. "You did give me a gift already."
Going along with her husband's playful banter, Sarah rejoined, "Okay, the rest of your gift." She felt his eyes on her as she went to the closet and pulled out a bag.
"You didn't have to give me anything, you know."
"Of course I did. I had some fun getting this one—and picking out the card. I bought another one after I found out you were planning to come here." She handed him the bag.
Matt found the card inside the bag and opened it. Sarah had chosen a serious card, expressing her gratefulness for "all the thoughtful things" he was always doing for her. The message was as mushy as he had expected. "This is really sweet, honey. But do you know how much pleasure it brings me to be able to do things for you?" He touched her cheek and held her eyes with his own. "I know it's hard that we can't be together, and that you want to do things for me, too, but we've had this evening, and it's been pretty special."
"Yes it has." Sarah's eyes were glistening. She swallowed and looked down. "But this can't go on forever. I've thought about getting my teaching credential so I could get a job with one of the school districts. With a Master's, I could be hired at the high school level."
Matt regarded his wife for a long moment. "You didn't tell me about this. Do you really want to leave the Agency?" He had received a call that day during the train ride to New York. The people in San Antonio had no real news, but they had said they were considering his request. Had Matt wrongly assumed that Sarah still wanted to work in Analysis, even if it was not with her brother? He held his breath as he waited for her to answer.
"Truthfully? No. But I don't want to work in the field. And I don't want to live apart from you. No job is worth that." Sarah gestured to the gift bag. "But this is your birthday celebration. You should finish opening your gift."
Reaching inside the gift bag once again, Matt pulled out a box with a familiar logo on it. "How did you get the new iPhone? It's not supposed to be out yet."
"Well… Phillip called me last week to check up on me and I guess I whined about not being able to get you a gift. He told me that he had gotten a shipment of the phones to doctor up for security and offered to send one up here for me to give to you. Honestly, it was more effort to figure out how to pay for it. Phillip did a lot of the legwork for me."
"Well, it was perfect. This is pretty cool. Thanks so much, sweetie." Matt leaned over and kissed Sarah on the cheek. "I guess I should thank Phillip, too."
As he sat back, he grew serious again. "We left an important conversation unfinished. If we could live together in the same city, and you could do analysis work, would you want to stay at the Agency?"
"It would depend upon what you were doing. You have your dream job right now. I'm not making you sacrifice that. I could skip the teaching credential and become an instructor at a community college or work at a private school, if I can't find something at a museum."
Regarding Sarah thoughtfully, Matt did not reply right away.
"Why, what did you have in mind?" Sarah prompted him to respond.
"Nothing, for now." Matt busied himself with removing the phone from the box.
"Are you holding out on me, Agent Granger?"
Glancing up, Matt could see that Sarah would not let the comment go. "There's nothing to say at this point, honey. Honestly." He nodded to the phone in his hands. "For now, why don't you help me set this up?"
Matt could see from his wife's expression that she was frustrated, but he was thankful when she willingly retrieved his old phone from the bedside table and scooted closer so she could peer over his shoulder while he set up the new phone.
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Opening his eyes in the darkened apartment, Matt took a moment to reorient himself. The quiet, even breathing very close by told him that Sarah was still asleep. Without Sarah beside him every night, their bed at home had seemed cold and empty. He had missed waking up next to his wife. But worry was mingled with the pleasure of that experience. He wondered how much sleep she had gotten in the two weeks they had been apart. While her eyes had closed the moment she hit the pillow, he had lain awake, anxious over their possible move to San Antonio or England.
There had also been the guilt that kept him from sleeping, too. He had let something other than his common sense drive their activities earlier in the evening. While Sarah had insisted that she was "back to normal," he could see as the evening wore on that she had grown pale, and shadows had formed under her eyes. Clearly she was exhausted, and he had done nothing to help alleviate that.
Despite that worry, part of Matt wanted to chide himself for going on a guilt trip. Their lovemaking had been…
His memories of the night before were interrupted by the soft, sleepy voice of his wife. "Happy birthday, my love. You have the nicest smile on your face right now."
Rolling onto his side, Matt reached out to brush the hair out of Sarah's eyes. He allowed his hand to linger on her bare shoulder. "Good morning, beautiful. I was remembering last night."
"I bet you weren't thinking of the Chinese food or my gift."
"I think you know what was on my mind." This time that smile was directed at Sarah.
"It was pretty amazing, wasn't it?" She stretched, grinning. "But it had been a while." She grew serious, reaching out to touch Matt's cheek. "I love you so much. There are many wonderful things about being married to you, Mr. Granger."
"It's so good to be with you, and not just talking on the phone."
"I pray all the time that this assignment will end before we're supposed to go to Texas for your grandparents' anniversary party. What if I'm stuck here?"
Matt ran his hand over Sarah's hair. "We can't worry about that, Sarah. We need to trust the Lord." He leaned in to kiss her briefly. "You need to get ready for work."
Matt did not miss the look of disappointment on his wife's face as she sat up in the bed. He sat up with her, holding her hands in his. "I'd like to pray together now, if that's okay."
"Can we pray about whatever plan you have up your sleeve?"
A pang of guilt stabbed at Matt. Perhaps he should tell Sarah. But he could not get her hopes up, only to see them dashed. There had been enough of that in their lives lately. "I promise I'll tell you when I know something. There's nothing to tell right now."
After they prayed, Sarah kept a hold of Matt's hands. "I feel badly that I didn't get you a cake. Would you like to eat at the diner down the block? They make great pancakes."
"You know, I just want you all to myself as long as possible. Didn't I see some muffins in your freezer? And stuff for smoothies?"
"Sure. You know that. Someone who lived here before me probably bought the blender for mixing drinks. It worked out nicely."
"And you have muffins, right?"
"Yes, but they're from a bakery."
"That'll be fine. Do you have any candles around here?"
"I do…" Sarah smiled, finally following Matt's train of thought. Even a large candle in a holder next to a muffin was better than nothing.
Matt grinned back. It was good to see his wife happy.
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Sarah had just put her handgun away in the bedside table when her phone buzzed. Stepping over to see the display, she picked up the phone and answered the call.
"Grace! What a surprise!"
"Oh, really? Don't you have about ten missed calls from me now? I was beginning to get a complex."
"You're persistent, I'll give you that. And it was three calls. I was going to call you tonight. I get very little time to talk on the phone. If you had read my texts, you'd know that."
"I read them." Grace's sarcastic tone softened. "They working you like a dog up there? Sarah, you need to take care of yourself. If not for you, do it for Matt and the rest of your family. They're all worried about you."
Shifting restlessly in her seat at the small kitchenette table, Sarah hesitated before answering. It was hard to lie to Grace. "I suppose I am working hard. But I'm eating and going right to bed once I get off the phone with my husband—who will be calling me in about five or ten minutes if I don't call him first."
"That's just it. When did you eat dinner? Or should I say, what did you eat for dinner?"
"I had Italian for lunch. Salad, pasta, bread. It was filling."
A sigh came over the phone. "Uh huh. And a protein bar for dinner. Oh, Sarah. You are making me sound like my mother." A man's voice grew loud for a moment, and Sarah thought she heard someone calling Grace's name.
"You sound like a friend who cares. Thanks, Grace. How are you doing? Did I just hear a guy talking in the background?"
It was Grace's turn to hesitate, if only for a second or two. "Huh? Oh, that must be the television. Sorry. I forgot to turn it down. I went into my bedroom to change my clothes and decided to give you a call."
Sarah decided not to pursue things further. She knew Grace was not telling the truth, but it would not help to pressure the truth out of her.
Grace changed the subject. "So, are you making friends?"
Sarah kicked off her shoes and went to work on her slacks, trying to undo the top button with one hand. "I made friends with Larry Sanders and his wife. My lead agent doesn't make friends."
"You must have Carter. He'll keep you out of trouble, even if he is pretty stiff."
"Oh, I didn't say he wasn't a pro. But I've seen him head to the bar after work. He can't be too stiff."
"Who else is on your team?"
"It's changed a couple of times. But generally it's people who don't talk much. Since we have to listen in for random conversations and updates from our office, Carter makes us keep it quiet. No cell phones, that sort of thing."
"Sounds like all you do is work. I'd come up for a visit, but you probably wouldn't be there."
Sarah yawned. "I'm so sorry. That yawn just popped out. It's not you."
"I'll let you go, girlfriend. You take care, okay?"
The women exchanged goodbyes. In the split second it took for Grace to end the call, Sarah heard a man's voice again. It did not sound like a television. But Sarah was too tired to give it further thought as she went into the kitchen to pour herself a bowl of cereal. Her stomach would growl all night if she did not eat something.
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Placing his fingers on the clasp of his wife's necklace, Lee unfastened it as he had done many times before. The heart pendant held special meaning for both of them, and Lee had replaced the chain or the clasp for Amanda a few times over the years. Tilting his head to touch his lips to the curve of Amanda's throat, he lingered there.
Leaning up against him, Amanda enjoyed the moment. It was Lee who pulled away.
"You're tired, Mrs. Stetson. Let's get ready for bed."
She knew it would be fruitless to argue. Amanda was tired—and a little down. She knew Lee was, too, so she tried to think of something cheerful to say as she wiped the makeup off of her face. "I thought today's party went well. Both Jamie and Matt seemed to enjoy themselves."
"Sure." Lee was distracted as he reached for his toothbrush. He grabbed Amanda's, realized his mistake, put hers back, and took his instead.
"Phillip was being especially considerate, I noticed. Normally he picks on someone to tease, but he was on his best behavior."
After spitting and rinsing his mouth, Lee replied, "I know you're trying to be upbeat, Amanda, but let's face it. We all missed Sarah tonight. If she were just on an ordinary assignment, we wouldn't have felt that way." In a small fit of anger, he smacked his hand against the counter and winced, regretting his action.
Amanda ran a hand down Lee's arm as she soothed, "We both know Sarah was mistreated by Wong. But we also know that things are in motion to bring Matt and Sarah back together."
"But now she may be moving thousands of miles away. We just got her back a year ago."
"Lee, it may only be for a short time. And we have the freedom to take long weekends to visit them. It's far better that Sarah be doing something where she can use her education and strengths and be happy."
"If her health isn't already ruined."
Taking her husband by the hand, Amanda kissed Lee and drew him towards the bed. "Lee, I think we're both tired. Things will seem better in the morning."
After sliding under the covers, Lee yawned as Amanda snuggled up against him. His voice rumbled as he offered, "Maybe if you don't get up early and stay in bed with me, things will definitely seem better in the morning."
Her voice was sleepy, but Lee detected the note of amusement there. "Is that a promise, Scarecrow?"
Lee caressed his wife briefly, allowing his hand to linger familiarly on her hip. "Yeah. Now go to sleep."
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"You're going to do what?" Surprising himself with his loud response, Matt glanced around the bullpen. One or two other agents, busy at the computers, glanced up briefly. "Hold on, hon." He stood up from his desk, where he had been finishing a report for his latest assignment, and went out into the hallway. Spotting an empty conference room, Matt headed for it and shut himself inside.
"Matt, I can't talk for long." Sarah sounded rushed. "Like I said, we have to be at the new location in an hour. Carter managed to negotiate enough time for us to grab dinner."
Despite his concern for Sarah, Matt was grateful she would not be working all night on an empty stomach. He worried she might faint at an inopportune time, or endanger herself in some other way if she became too exhausted. But he kept his worry to himself. "Sounds like an urgent lead. You guys getting a breakthrough?"
"I don't know. I'm sorry, Matt. I have to go. I'll text you in the morning when I get to my apartment."
"Are you sure you have to work all night? I thought they knew about your health."
"Larry Sanders told me to go home, but the team will be short if I don't go. This could crack things wide open, and I'd get to come home sooner."
"And maybe still come to Texas?"
Sarah's voice faltered a little. "I won't get the entire ten days, but I'd get a few days anyway. I got a desk this morning. During our meeting, Carter and Larry Sanders were talking as if I was permanent."
Matt hesitated, briefly wondering if he should have told Sarah about the job possibility in San Antonio. But there had been no word in over a week. He needed to make another call and check on things.
"Honey, I'm sorry, but they're calling me. I miss you so much."
"I miss you, too. I'm praying for you, okay?"
"Thanks. I love you."
"Love you, too."
Matt stared at his display for a moment, studying the photo of Sarah that always appeared when she called him. It had been taken last week, when he had visited her in New York and she had given him the new phone. Her smile was a happy one, and he recognized the affection in her expression. They had enjoyed a brief few hours together. But the high definition screen also exposed the dark shadows under Sarah's eyes and the pallor of her skin. She was not as pale as she had been in the hospital or in the days after she had come home, but she did not look well.
Relishing the distraction of work, Matt found that he could avoid thinking of Sarah if he kept himself busy enough. Rene, eager to finish their long list of background checks before Patti went into labor, did not mind Matt's driven attitude. However at night, lying alone in bed, Matt had trouble sleeping. It was difficult to keep his mind off of his wife. In the few short months they had been married, he had grown so used to sharing the bed with her that it was now strange to sleep alone. Their one night together in the last three weeks had not been enough.
With Sarah out in the field until late at night, perhaps early in the morning, Matt knew he would worry more than ever. Things could not go on like this anymore. He sat down and prayed for a moment. Then he dialed a phone number with a San Antonio area code.
