Lee might not have been able to persuade Amanda to get on a stretcher but he drew the line at not having her checked over at a hospital, no matter how much she complained.

"Humor me," he ordered. "Or the next time I end up in hospital…" he left the threat unfinished, but it was enough to have her capitulating, however ungraciously.

"I'm not even hurt," she protested again. "Just bumped and bruised and cold."

"Well, I promise to warm you up later," he teased, enjoying the blush and the snort of amusement that provoked. "But not until you get every one of those bumps and bruises checked out."

"Fine," she grumbled. "But I'm not staying there."

Before Lee could even agree, Amanda was distracted when she glanced up to see Francine waiting at the top of the boat ramp and began waving furiously. By the time they'd docked and Amanda had scrambled out and up the steps, Francine had managed to hide how happy she was to see them and had schooled her face into an expression of disapproval with her hands on her hips and one foot tapping ominously.

"Every damn time, Amanda King! Why can you never just stay where we put you?"

"Well, I'm glad to see you too, partner," Amanda teased her with a wink. She stepped back and took in the state of Francine's shoes after her underground adventures and gasped. "Oh no! Not your new Ferragamos!"

Francine barely managed to hide the twitch of her lips. "Well, I'm glad someone around here finally understands the severity of the situation!"

Amanda reached out to grab her hand, as they had done so often over the last few days of this cover. "I'll make it up you, I swear," she said solemnly. "Brownies for life."

"I'll hold you to that," mock grumbled Francine, squeezing her hand.

"It's the least I can do for my girlfriend, right?"

"If you two lovebirds are quite done, maybe we could move along?" interrupted Lee, rolling his eyes.

"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed Amanda. "I didn't even think! What about Brian? Is he okay?"

"He's fine," Francine reassured her. "He's over at the hospital already getting checked over. And Marion's with him. They're both fine, thanks to you."

Amanda's face cleared with relief, only for a moment though before her next thought. "And Lieutenant Volkenauer? I could hear him trying to stop them…"

"Is also fine," replied Francine, thumbing over her shoulder to where Dieter was in deep conversation with a cadre of French policemen. "But apparently not even tired of being dragged into our cases against his will," she went on with a grin.

"Oh no," said Amanda guiltily. "He said he was looking forward to going home."

"And now he can look forward to taking me out for dinner tonight like he promised," Francine smiled as Dieter glanced over and smiled at her. "Don't you worry about him."

Amanda didn't dare look at Lee, knowing she'd never be able to hold in the laughter bubbling up. She felt light-headed, almost giddy, back out here in the warmth of the day, Lee's hand in the small of her back, the sun shining so bright she could hardly keep her eyes open… and then suddenly she was swaying, and falling against Lee's side.

"Amanda?"

She could hear the panic in his voice and took a deep breath to try and steady herself and calm him down. "I'm fine, just… woozy." She sat down heavily on the pavement and put her head between her knees, ignoring the paramedics who were now swarming them.

"When was the last time you ate?" she heard Lee ask from where he'd sunk down behind her, wrapping his arms around her to hold her up. It seemed like an odd question until she realized he was interpreting the questions from the medics for her.

She shook her head, trying to get rid of the fuzzy feeling. "Last night?" she answered uncertainly. "I didn't eat breakfast…"

"No breakfast? You?" she could hear the note in his voice that meant he'd be teasing her about that later.

"I didn't sleep much and I was still upset," she said without thinking and felt Lee's arms squeeze her more tightly. "I'm sorry."

"And then you went spelunking with no pocket snacks?" said Lee lightly. "Your lack of preparation will have to go in my report, Mrs. King." Amanda sagged with relief, hearing him still teasing. "But for now, you will get on a stretcher with no arguing and you will go to a hospital to get checked – senior agent says so."

"Well at least they'll probably let me have the bed," she finally found the energy to tease him back and felt him laugh against her cheek.

"I have a much better bed in mind for you," he said for her ears only.

"Promises, promises," she said faintly as the medics lifted her onto a stretcher. "You're coming with me, right?"

"To the hospital or the bed?"

Her tired chuckle was music to Lee's ears.

It was oddly comforting to hear the sound of familiar bickering as she began to wake up a little while later. They'd given her something in the ambulance, something that had let her slip fully into welcome sleep and now, from the sounds she could hear beyond the low voices arguing beside her and from the feel of overly crisp sheets under her fingers, she knew she was in the hospital. She lay there getting oriented for a moment, and quietly enjoying the show that told her she was really safe.

"I'm going to take her back to the hotel once she's released - you can handle wrapping up everything with the police, right?'

"Of course I can." Francine sounded quite rightfully annoyed. "Don't forget this is my case. And for that matter, on this one, Amanda is my partner so if anyone should be taking care of her, it should be me!"

"Oh come on! You cannot be serious!"

"Of course, I'm not serious! God, Lee – as if she wants to spend time with anyone but you!"

"Oh." Lee sounded almost abashed at having been caught out so easily by Francine. "Well… umm… can you do me a favor? Can you find Dieter a room at the hotel? I want to keep Amanda with me tonight – you know, just to keep an eye on her."

"Is that what you're calling it now?"

"Francine – that is not what I mean and you know it!"

Even half-asleep, Amanda knew it was time to intervene before it got more heated. "Could you two stop talking about me like I'm not here? You know I hate it when you do that!"

Lee's hand wrapped around hers instantly. "You're awake?"

"Obviously," she grumbled. "But why am I still stuck in here?"

"You aren't – not for much longer anyway. They said they'd let you go after you finish this last IV bag."

Amanda twisted her head on the pillow and stared up at the bag of clear liquid hanging above her and looked at Lee with concern. "Why am I hooked up to that?"

"Nothing serious," Lee smiled down at her. "It's just hydration and a bit of nutrition until you were awake enough to eat something solid."

She struggled to sit up, despite Lee's efforts to stop her. "Okay, I'm awake and I'm starving. Let's get out of here and go eat."

"You're worse than Lee," commented Francine from the foot of the bed. "But easier to please, I bet." She pulled a Snickers bar from her pocket and tossed it into Amanda's lap.

"Best girlfriend ever," grinned Amanda as she snatched it up and tore open the wrapping.

"True," agreed Francine. She turned to Lee. "And yes, just throw Dieter's stuff in our room and I'll find him something. For one thing, the Marlers' room is empty since the Ambassador moved them into his residence for the night. So they're off our hands and under Marine guard at the Embassy."

"They're really okay?" asked Amanda around a mouth full of candy bar.

"They're fine – just shaken up," Francine confirmed. "Brian has a bump on the head, but that's it. They're flying home tomorrow morning but they want to see you before they go."

"Good," Amanda answered, relieved. "You should consider Brian for Station One," she added, sparkle in her eye. "He was a really quick study in evading Russian goons. And that whole absent-minded professor thing makes a great cover."

"I'll make sure to suggest it to Billy," laughed Francine before turning serious again. "Amanda, do you feel up to giving me a quick debrief that I can send off to Billy and share with Interpol? Then you can get out of here and we'll do a proper one when we get back to Washington."

"Francine…" Lee began to intervene, until Amanda lifted a hand to silence him.

"You go find me something more to eat and I'll be done by the time you get back." He still looked petulant so she went on, "You know it has to be done and the sooner I do it, the sooner we can get out of here!"

Lee opened his mouth, then closed it again resignedly when he saw the two women looking back at him expectantly. "Fine," he grumbled.

"It won't take long," promised Francine. "We all want to get out of here, not just you."

Oh that's right," he smirked. "Someone has a hot date with her latest conquest tonight."

"I promised him dinner and a lady never goes back on a promise," answered Francine loftily. "Now scoot."

He left the room and found Dieter just arriving on the hospital floor, his face lighting up with a smile when he saw Lee. "Your Amanda, she is alright?"

"My Amanda is more than alright, she's awake and already bossing me around. I've been demoted from rescue team to just being the guy who goes to get her a sandwich." Lee agreed with an answering grin, gesturing to the door behind him. "You already done with the gendarme bureaucracy?"

"As much as they need me to be for now. Sometimes it is good to have friends in many places, ja?" Dieter's smile reminded Lee of the first time he'd said that, all those weeks ago in Munich.

"It is – and now you have some more in America." Lee held out his hand. "I really owe you a lot."

Dieter took his hand and shook it solemnly. "It has been my pleasure."

"And now I have to ask you one last favor," Lee went on with a grimace. "I'm going to take Amanda back to the hotel once she's released and I want to keep an eye on her so-"

Dieter's smile broadened. "Our affair is over and you are kicking me out?"

"Yeah." Lee ran his hand over the back of his head, flushed with embarrassment. "Do you mind? Francine said she'd find you a new room."

"Of course not, Liebling. It was only a holiday romance, ja?" Dieter was laughing outright now.

"Better keep your voice down, Darling" Lee chuckled. "Or you'll never get that dinner with Francine."

Dieter's eyes brightened and he made a zipping motion across his lips before immediately asking, "Francine and Amanda… Are all American women so… kühn? Like Amazons?"

Lee searched his brain for a moment for the translation. "Brave?" he said finally. He looked over his shoulder at the two heads close together behind him and smiled. "No, those two are pretty special."

"I think you are right."