Truth Be Told

Chapter 8

Amanda and Lee were in Billy's office, ready to tell him why the rest of her family knew the truth about her career after Dr. Smyth revealed getting a phone call from Amanda's mother!

Billy sighed as he looked at Lee and Amanda. "Alright, you two. Spill whatever you have to so we can all get back to work here."

Lee, clearing his throat stated, "Okay. Well, it was unintentional that Jamie found out what he did about Amanda-"

Francine groaned, " Ugh! I said I was sorry and Amanda forgave me! Can we stop beating that dead horse already?"

Lee put up a hand. "Fine. But Jamie had been wondering about some things lately. He realized somehow that I was Scarecrow, and then, through a series of events, he began wondering about Amanda and me. Wondering how close we were to one another. Anyway, she and I went out to dinner the other night to figure things out, and-"

Amanda finished with a ramble answering, "Sir, we want to officially have a real relationship now, and we thought the only way to do it was to be honest with my mother and Phillip, since Jamie and Joe know about my career anyway, but my mother and Phillip were upset last night when we spoke to them about it. Anyway, the boys tried to help Mother and me work things out this morning, which is why I wound up taking them to school and was late getting here."

As Billy shook his head over Amanda's "speech", Francine remarked, "Uh, hold on a second. We're agents who have to hide what we do, and you both just blew all of it apart in one night?"

Lee commented with a shake of his head, "No, Francine! Not any classified stuff! Just our positions-that we were agents, not filmmakers. How stupid do you think we are?"

As Francine sat there shaking her head, Billy stated with a shrug, "Come to think of it, it may not be so bad after all-"

Francine protested, "How do you figure, Billy? I mean, one wrong word from Amanda's family, and we're screwed!"

Billy answered, "Not necessarily, Francine. We'll get them set up for defense classes, and give them security pointers and such. Besides, Lee and Amanda will help them."

Addressing Amanda, Billy responded, "Now, Amanda, you will have to talk to your family about keeping quiet, like Lee did with you in the beginning of your tenure here-"

As Amanda nodded, "Yes, Sir," Francine stood up immediately from where she sat on the couch and sighed stating, "I can't believe what I'm hearing. One wrong move from her family, and we could all be relocated. Doesn't anyone care about that?!"

As she headed to the door, Billy queried, "Francine, where are you off to?"

Francine replied, "I need a breather," and turning back to look at Lee in disbelief commented, "I suddenly feel like I don't know you at all any more..."

When she left, Amanda stated concernedly to Lee, " Lee, maybe you'd better go see if she's alright."

Lee shook his head and waved it off remarking with a shrug, "Don't worry. Whatever's eating at her, she'll go lick her wounds and be back stronger than ever. She's fine, Amanda."

But even Billy answered worriedly, "Scarecrow, go see what's wrong. This isn't like Desmond at all."

Lee groaned getting up from his chair beside Amanda responding to Billy with a gesture,"Okay. Geez, she acts all put out for some reason, and I have to chase after her? Great..."

Lee left, and Amanda answered, "Sir, what about what Dr. Smyth said? I mean, about my status changing because of this?"

But Billy shook his head. "Don't worry, Amanda. You and Lee will still be partners. I'll talk to Smyth after he calms down a bit..."

-SMK-

Lee, meanwhile, began searching the Agency looking for Francine, and ran into Leatherneck who said, "Hey, Ace. How's the "Vette running?"

Lee commented, "It's fine. Have you seen Francine anywhere?"

Leatherneck pointed in the opposite direction stating, "She went to take a walk...She okay? She barely said hello when I passed by her a little bit ago."

Lee shook his head answering, "Have no clue. Billy sent me scouting for her, though. See ya later."

It was a few minutes more before Lee found Francine on the other side of the building outside sitting on a bench, and seeing her expression, he answered, " There you are. Alright. What's this about you not knowing me any more? What do you mean by that?"

Francine responded with a gesture, "I meant that you've changed, and you don't even realize it, Scarecrow. What I mean is that two years ago, you stayed objective, no matter what was going on or who was involved. But recently, anything happening to Amanda King in there, and you're charging in on your white horse, ready to be there, whether or not she's in danger-"

Lee said incredulously, "Oh my God! Amanda was right. You are jealous-"

Francine scoffed, shaking her head. "Jealous? Of her? No, that's definitely not it. However, you never were that way around me-"

Lee cut her off commenting, "Because you and I had a different dynamic. You were a fully trained agent, and you knew your way around situations. Amanda didn't at the time! She did need help-"

Francine nodded. "Yes, Sandstorm and Station One proved that-"

Lee growled, "Hey! Again, she was new to the place!"

Francine replied quickly with a wince, "Alright! I'm sorry. I guess what I really want to know is why?"

Lee shrugged. "Why what?"

Francine sighed and swallowing, answered, "Why-Why men like you don't seem to exist anymore. I mean, don't misunderstand. It's not about us. But ever since-"

Francine grew quiet as Lee, now realizing whom she was referring to, sat down and lightly chuckled as he put his arm around her stating gently, "Oh, him-"

Francine nodded replying with a gulp, "Yeah...I mean, here I was, all ready to go down the aisle with Jonathan Stone, and he-"

Lee nodded as he stroked her shoulder answering softly, " I know. But you're better off without him, anyway. C'mon...it'll happen again someday for you, alright? Just don't storm the globe looking for it. When it's right, the guy will be there."

Francine amusingly stated with a shrug, "Yeah...And when he is, I could always drag my feet for three long years like you did with Amanda-"

Lee grimaced, commenting as he pulled her up quickly, "Ha, ha! Can it, already!"

As they made their way into the Agency, Francine replied smirking, "Wow, someone got touchy all of a sudden..."