" Excellent. Excellent work Amanda!"

" Thank you sir"

"A successful Lisbon variation depends on teamwork!"

"Yes sir...Lee did all the dancing.." And with that Amanda walked out of Billy's office. She walked straight out of the Bullpen and towards the elevator. She pushed the button and waited for the elevator doors to open. She hoped that her partner, Lee, wouldn't suddenly walk up behind her, but as the doors opened and she got in, there was no sign of Lee. Amanda sighed as the elevator took her up to the Georgetown foyer and the stairs to the Q bureau. She opened up the closet door that hid the elevator to the Agency. She smiled and said hello to Mrs. Marsten. The older lady could tell something was the matter with Amanda but decided not to push the issue. She had heard that Mrs. King and Mr. Stetson were involved in a scenario called the Peacock Dance and it was clear that it greatly upset Mrs. King.

Mrs. Marsten watched Amanda walk up the stairs and into the solitude of the Q Bureau. She heard her slam the door a little harder than normal and sighed. She knew that the young couple were getting closer and she hoped that they finally were admitting their true feelings for one another. This case seemed like a set back and she hoped they would get back on track. She suspected to see Mr. Stetson any minute to come groveling as he always did when he knew he upset Amanda. He hated to upset her. She smiled and went back to her book waiting to see how long it would take for him to join Amanda in the Q bureau.

Amanda stood right inside the Q bureau door and took a deep breath. It took everything in her not to start crying. Amanda! You are a professional. Do not let this get to you. It was bad enough hearing it as it happened. Having to listen to it in Billy's office in front of Francine! I couldn't even look at her...let alone Lee. Just let it go. She thought to herself. She took another deep breath and sat down at her desk. She opened the file on her desk and began to work on her report for Mr. Melrose. She silently waited for Lee to come up and talk to her. He knew she was upset and he would grovel and beg forgiveness. She wanted to see him squirm a little bit on this one. He had put her in awkward situations before ….but that was before they started their personal relationship. They spent the entire summer together as much as they could. Candlelit dinners at his apartment, dinners out to Emilio's, picnics in the park on the weekends the boys were with Joe. She knew she was hopelessly in love with Lee Stetson. She also knew he was in love with her, he just wasn't ready to say anything to her. She always had feelings towards him but she wasn't sure at first how he felt. He always would try and push her away. She always thought it was because he was afraid to admit how he felt. She understood him better than he did himself and she waited patiently. Something changed in Lee this past year and he wanted to spend time with her outside the Agency. Her heart would flutter when Lee would give her one of his dimpled smiles and she knew they were finally on the right track.

But this Stemwinder case. This Peacock Dance. Having to listen to your partner kissing another woman just to get information was just ridiculous. She was having a hard time dealing with it. She hoped she was right about how Lee felt about her, but the thought of him with someone else was really starting to bother her. This was a part of the spy business she didn't like. Lee even reminded her of that when they were on the Tony Martinet case and they had to watch Tony and Maria Von Clausen at their hotel.

OH I wish he would just tell me how he feels! Maybe I need to tell him how I feel? Amanda was thinking as the door to the Q bureau opened. Lee Stetson stood in the doorway and gave her a big grin with all of his dimples showing. She smiled at him and went back to her report. He walked in and locked the door behind him. He walked over to the other side of her desk and sat on the corner. She looked up at him, tears starting to well up in her eyes. He sensed her pain and frustration regarding the situation and he wanted to calm her fears. He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled again at her.

"Ah Amanda, about last night and Sonya.."

"It's okay Lee. Really. I am a professional and I know that it was all about the case. Nothing more."

He leaned over and took her hands. He smiled at her and for a second was lost in her big brown eyes. Why can't I just tell her how I feel? Come on Lee. This is Amanda. You love her. She loves you. We can get through anything as long as we are together. She's hurt but won't admit it. How do I make her know that Sonya and that stupid peacock dance means nothing to me? Make her feel like she's yours. Lee was thinking to himself as he squeezed Amanda's hands. He leaned down and gently kissed her. She allowed him to kiss her but her tears gave her away. He immediately took his thumb and wiped it away.

"Amanda. Please. I need you to know that it means nothing. She means nothing. I know that we have just started seeing one another and this couldn't have come at a worse time but ….I need you to know …."

Amanda took a tissue from the box on her desk and dabbed her eyes. She saw how upset Lee was regarding this and he wasn't groveling. He was really concerned about her feelings and how she was handling all of this. It was so not like the old Lee...but he was now her Lee. He was the man she fell in love with. She smiled and kissed him once more this time with a bit more passion. Lee was taken by surprise and pulled her up into his arms and continued the kiss. When they broke apart Lee grinned at Amanda and asked " What was that for? Not that I mind. I was just kind of curious as to what I did to deserve a kiss like that?"

"For being you Lee. Just for being you. I am really okay. I understand."

Lee's mind was going in a hundred different directions. He could not believe how incredible this woman was. She had forgiven him for so many things in the three and a half years they have known one another. He was so lucky to have her in his life. He took her face in his hands and kissed her again.

"Okay. When this Stemwinder mess is over I am having you over to my place and cooking you a fantastic meal! Just you and me, a bottle of wine, and absolutely no distractions. What do you say to that Mrs. King"

Amanda snuggled closer to Lee and whispered "That would be wonderful Mr. Stetson." Lee was about to reach down and kiss her again when the phone on his desk rang loudly. Lee shook his head and went over to his desk. He picked up the receiver and said " Stetson , yeah Billy. Okay, Amanda and I will head over there then. Yeah, talk to you later."

Lee looked over at Amanda. She was dabbing her eyes and checking herself in the little mirror she had in her desk drawer. Lee smiled at her and thought about how absolutely beautiful she was and how much he truly loved her. And he was going to tell her at the right time...at dinner once this Stemwinder mess was over.

" Hey, that was Billy. We are meeting Dart at his office at 2 o'clock. What do you say we get out of here and have some lunch and then I want to check in with TP. I need to ask him to look into something for me."

Amanda smiled and stood up. She reached in the bottom drawer of her desk and grabbed her purse. Lee met her over at the door to the Q bureau and before he opened it Lee took Amanda in his arms and gave her another kiss.

"What was that for?" she asked him as one of her eyebrows raised and she smirked at him.

Lee winked at her and said " Just for being you Amanda. For being my Amanda." he opened the door and escorted her out of the room. They were back to their old bantering about where to have lunch. As they handed Mrs. Marsten their badges Lee didn't even realize he had leaned over and kissed Amanda's cheek right in front of her. They walked out of the doors to IFF and towards Lee's car. Mrs. Marsten giggled to herself and thought that Lee and Amanda were definitely back on track and nothing was in their way.