AU AU and AU. Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Charlie's Angels and a little bit of The Rookies.
Time Frame: Between Season 2 and Season 3 of Scarecrow and Mrs. King; Summer 1985
Premises: CA = Sabrina did not stop working for Charlie after season 3 and is not married with no children. Jill hasn't stopped working for Charlie either (I just like her more than Kris, sorry ;) ).
The Rookies = Mike Danko is now a Lieutenant with the SCPD. He and Jill are parents to Mary Kate (7).
You should/could know the following episodes: Brunettes are in (SMK Season 2 Episode 6, DVD), Angel in Love (CA, Season 2, Episode 8, YT, DVD), Nightmare (The Rookies Season 3, Episode 24, YT)
5 chapters of ? are done so far. I really didn't want to publish until it was complete, but I drank today. ;D
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters from their respective series, but I enjoy playing with them and it was too tempting to let them meet.
Disclaimer 2: As I have read hundreds of fanfics of all 3 series in the last months, I could have been influenced by them. I hope I don't commit complete theft unknowingly and I apologize in advance if that's the case.
translated with Google
‐-SMK-CA-TR-
The doctor rushed into the treatment room around midnight without even looking at his patient or his mother. He took the X-rays out of the file and began to hang them up. "What do we have here? right wrist. Phillip King," he murmured, studying the file and the pictures. "No fracture." Only then did he turn around and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes!" Phillip looked triumphantly at his sighing mother. "I told you it wasn't broken, Mom!"
"But it's swollen and bruised, Phillip," his mother replied, frowning. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here with you at this time. Doctor..." Amanda eyed the other questioningly.
"Stewart," he replied immediately. The surprise had left his face and been replaced by confusion. He looked back from Amanda to the open file. "Mrs. King," he said slowly and thoughtfully.
"Dr. Stewart, can you still give him something for the swelling and pain?" she asked, smiling tightly.
The doctor cleared his throat. "Of course, of course." He began scribbling in the chart. "I'm prescribing him some mild painkillers and we're going to immobilize his joint with a tight bandage. You can ice it at home, Mrs. . . King." Now he was staring at her again while Phillip and Amanda waited for the promised treatment.
"Err.. thanks doctor." Her smile turned into a yawn and she quickly raised her left hand to cover it. "Sorry."
Dr. Stewart returned her smile, registered her missing wedding ring, and closed Phillip's file. "I'll send a nurse in and then you and your son are at home in no time, Mrs. King."
"Summer vacation," Amanda's eldest exclaimed, raising the fist of his good hand. "And if you patch me up in time, I'll get a ride to camp too, doc!"
He hesitated a little longer, finally nodded and left the room with long strides. Before that, he reached into his pocket, pulled out an inhaler and pumped a few puffs into his mouth. Then he grinned and shook his head briefly.
"Doctor?" The nurse in front of the door looked at him questioningly.
He handed her Phillip's file. "Get him a tight bandage and some painkillers to take home, Lana!"
She nodded eagerly and was about to pass him when he put a hand on her forearm. "Mrs. King... isn't married, is she?" he asked her with interest.
Lana grinned at the new doctor. "No, she's divorced. And don't worry, one of her two boys keeps ending up here, Dr. Stewart. So you can meet her more often."
"I don't plan to wait that long," he murmured with a wink.
The blond nurse raised an eyebrow and gave a short laugh, then disappeared into the treatment room.
Dr. Stewart stared at the door. He was busy. The ER was bursting at the seams, but he didn't want to miss the moment to catch Amanda alone. And he was lucky, Lana had decided to help him.
Mrs. King backed out with a "I'll wait for you outside the door then, sweetheart." She turned and looked at the doctor in surprise, surprised that he wasn't as busy as he seemed to be earlier. She smiled nervously and jerked her thumb at the closed door. "Lana and Phillip think he's too old to have his mother around," she explained, rolling her eyes. "You should see him when he's bleeding, then he's not too old for anything."
As the doctor just stared at her in fascination, Amanda started getting even more nervous and fumbling with her collar. What was the matter with the guy? First he ignored her and Phillip and now he just stared at her silently. "Everything .. everything alright with you, Dr. Stewart?"
He slapped himself internally. "Yes, yes," he stammered, giving her one of his disarming smiles. "You just remind me of someone, Mrs. King. And that confuses me."
"Oh." Amanda tucked her bottom lip between her teeth with a slight smile and tilted her head slightly.
"Would you," he began, taking a breath. Abruptly, he pulled out his asthma machine and calmed himself with two puffs. "Would you mind going out with me? How about dinner? Tomorrow?" He looked at his watch. "I mean today."
Amanda regarded him more closely than before. He seemed nice, in a weird way. His hair was the same color as Lee's, only longer, and he had beautiful blue eyes. She shook her head. "I'd prefer tomorrow, Doctor Stewart," Amanda then replied, laughing softly into his first disappointed and then delighted face.
"Michael, please."
Amanda nodded. "Michael. Amanda."
"Amanda," he repeated in an undertone she couldn't place. "Well tomorrow. I'll pick you up around 6pm?"
She nodded again and began searching in her purse for something to write on. "I'll give you my address and phone number, um, Michael."
"No need, it's all in Phillip's file." Amanda looked up, frowning. "If you don't mind," he added hastily.
"Oh, eh, no. I think."
"Doctor!" called a nurse from the next room. "Doctor Stewart!"
He sighed and held out his hand to her. "See you tomorrow, Amanda."
She just nodded and shook his hand.
Michael reluctantly let her go and rushed to his next emergency.
‐-SMK-CA-TR-
John Bosley looked at the pile of mail on his desk and rubbed his forehead. If he just kept delaying, he would at least have Sabrina to back him up. Reluctantly he pulled the first letter out of the envelope, sighed and began to read.
Suddenly the door to the office flew open and a cheerful, humming Jill walked in. "Good morning, Boz!" The blonde planted a kiss on his cheek and grimaced at his paperwork.
"Good morning, Jill. As always the first. Coffee's ready," he replied, smiling.
She strolled to the bar and filled a coffee cup. "Is our customer not here yet?"
"No, and he won't come either. He's a busy man. Charlie will fill us in."
"Oh, alright." She shrugged and sat down on the couch with her coffee.
As Bosley tried to concentrate on the letter again, there was a small commotion outside the door. A FUMP announced of bodies pressing against the unopened door.
"Stop it or we'll both be late!" came Sabrina's commanding voice.
"You're always last and now let me go first!" Kelly giggled and the doorknob turned wildly back and forth.
"I was at the door first! Hands off!"
Jill and Bosley exchanged amused looks.
"That's why we drove together so I wouldn't be the last," Sabrina growled.
"Bri, come on! Let me in front!" Another FUMP.
John looked at his watch and stood up.
There was a brief silence. Unsure, Bosley stopped in the middle of the room on his way to the door.
"Hey, wait a minute! You know about my bet! Of course!"
"Bet what bet?" Kelly laughed, unconvincingly. "Ow! For heaven's sake, Bri, you're breaking my hand!"
The door opened and Sabrina entered the office, closely followed by Kelly. The former pointed triumphantly at Bosley with her index finger. "The last day of the month, I did it! You owe me $20."
"Yes, yes, yes," John muttered, pulling a twenty dollar bill out of his wallet and handing it to her.
Kelly rubbed the fingers of her right hand and gave him an apologetic look.
"Sorry Boz, she brought out the big guns."
"I knew you were conspiring against me," Sabrina grumbled on the way to the bar and coffee.
"It seemed like a safe bet before you decided to come into the office with Kelly," Bosley replied with a grin. "Then I needed an ally."
Sabrina gave Kelly and Boz a withering look. The telephone rang.
John went back to his desk, picked it up and pressed the speakerphone.
"Good morning angel!"
"Good morning, Charlie!" came the voice from three female throats.
"And good morning, Bosley!"
"Good morning, Charlie," John answered and sat down at his table.
"Have you informed the angels what our next case will be?"
"I haven't had a chance yet," Bosley replied and gave a bittersweet smile to Sabrina, who was standing behind the bar. "Sabrina wasn't the last today because of the circumstances."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Circumstances, ha!" she grumbled to herself.
"Oh, congratulations, angel!"
"Thanks, Charlie!" It was Sabrina Bosley's turn to grin.
"Our next assignment will be to protect Thomas Worth during a conference."
Sabrina looked up from her coffee cup, eyes wide. "Thomas Worth, as in arms manufacturer Thomas Worth?"
"Exactly him," Charlie said. "He's one of the largest arms manufacturers for our military and will be attending a security conference in Washington DC next week. You'll be playing bodyguards mostly."
"Doesn't he have his own bodyguards?" Kelly asked confused.
"He suspects a leak in his security guards and will be traveling to DC with just you, Bosley, his deputy and his secretary. The event itself should be well enough protected. So you only have to protect him outside of it, at parties and in the hotel."
Bosley picked up a letter. "He gets a lot of threatening letters from .. pacifists."
"These are peace lovers," Kelly explained as everyone looked at Jill.
"I know what pacifists are!" the blonde growled, frowning.
"Now or did you know before?" Sabrina asked, giggling.
"Hey-"
"They probably aren't pacifists," Charlie laughed, stepping back into the conversation. "You have a week to deal with these threats. Then it's off to DC for a week. Bosley's cover will be that of another secretary. Jill and Kelly, you're Worth's bodyguards, Sabrina will be playing his new girlfriend, so she can watch him in his hotel room too."
Bri's forehead dropped to the bar with a soft KLONK. "Jill and Kelly are a lot better suited to this girlfriend stuff than I am, Charlie," came out dully from between her dark hair.
"The customer is king, Sabrina," Charlie replied regretfully. "He specifically asked you to do it."
Jill and Kelly chuckled softly.
"Is he handsome?" Jill asked interested.
John got up and handed her a magazine that showed a tall man in his early forties with sandy hair and piercing green eyes.
"I would sacrifice myself for the team, Charlie," Jill laughed immediately. The other two women laughed as well, mock-rolling their eyes.
"Should Sabrina drop out," Charlie began. Bri's face lit up. "Which she won't." Her gaze darkened again. "I will consider your... sacrifice, Jill."
"Oh damn it," Sabrina grumbled under her breath. Of all the covers, that was the worst.
"Until next time, angel!"
"See you, Charlie," came the chorus.
Bosley hung up. He pointed to the stack of mail with the threats. "Everyone takes a stack and then we go through them together!"
Kelly's mouth turned down in disapproval. "I need more coffee," she decided, heading to the bar to refill her cup.
After that, they went to work, combing through the letters for a serious threat.
-SMK-CA-TR-
"Jill? Jill, where's my shirt?" Lieutenant Danko stumbled half-dressed into the living room where his wife was waiting for him, smirking.
She was wearing her blue bathrobe, holding a coffee mug in one hand and Mike's shirt in the other. "Try this, sweetheart," she grinned, taking a sip of coffee.
A car could be heard outside, parked in their driveway.
There was a knock on the door as Mike grabbed the shirt and pulled it over his shirt. "Come in!"
When Terry entered the house, he was greeted by the sight of the couple kissing. "Come on you two," he mumbled in mock disgust. "Separate or I'll have to intervene!"
Jill and Mike laughed and broke up. "Remind me to tell you that in three months, Terry," Mike replied with a grin.
The phone rang and Jill picked it up as the men in the background continued their verbal duel. "For you, sweetheart!"
Her husband raised his eyebrows, stopped buttoning his shirt and picked up the phone. "Yes? ...err no sir. ...oh? … One week? .. Next week, sir?" He glanced at his wife. "There's no one else to do it?...I see, sir. Can I...yes? That would be possible?" He smiled tightly and gave Jill a quick wink. "In order. Yes, yes, send me all the documents today. See you sir." He hung up and stared at the phone.
"What? What?" came from his wife and Terry at the same time.
"Captain Miller was injured in an arrest last night and I'm due to represent him at a security conference in Washington DC next week." Mike frowned, the color suddenly draining from his face. "I hope I don't have to make a speech or anything hold..." He looked back at Jill. "You can come with me if you're free. The conference goes on for a whole week."
His wife sighed and shook her head slightly. "I don't think I'll get a week off on such short notice, Mike. Maybe a few days. And what about Mary Kate?"
"You could fly after and Mary Kate is always welcome with me and Stacy, although we'll probably have to lag behind Ryker," Terry interjected. "And I want a video of that if he has to give a speech!"
Jill laughed, put down her cup and shrugged. "I'm going to ask if I'm free today and call you right away, sweetheart. And I'm talking to Eddie and Mary Kate. But I'm sure I'll be terribly bored if you attend the events and I have to wait for you alone in the hotel room." With these words she stepped up to him and grabbed his shirt collar. They grinned at each other.
"We have to go, Lieutenant," Terry said impatiently, glancing at his watch.
"Washington has many beautiful sights, Jill. And we can spend time together afterwards without annoying interruptions from work." Mike kissed his wife on the cheek, lips and neck as he spoke.
"Oh come on, you guys are like teenagers! We're going to be late, Mike," his friend grumbled.
"Or annoying neighbors," Mike added with a final kiss and a sigh. "See you later, babe!"
"See you later, be careful sweetheart," she whispered and smirked.
Terry shook his head as they left the apartment together. "I hope after fifteen years of marriage Stacy and I will still be as in love with each other as you two are, man!"
-SMK-CA-TR-
Lee leafed through a file without motivation, his eyes darting to the rest of his pile on the desk. He sighed heartbreakingly. Frowning, he sat back, placed one leg on a corner of his desk and raised the file to his face. But instead of reading, he watched the bullpen's entrance. She was late. For a part-time employee. However, they also had a lot of work ahead of them this week and it was definitely too late for that.
Ten minutes later he saw Amanda hurrying down the hall and into the open plan office. She greeted the MPs and their colleagues in a friendly manner, then quickly sat down at her desk. She stowed her handbag in one movement in the lower drawer and then she took off her jacket. Taking a deep breath, she turned and looked over at her partner. But Lee was no longer sitting at his table and was suddenly right next to her.
Amanda flinched and pressed a hand to her heart. "Lee," she stretched out his name reprovingly. "Stop sneaking up on me!"
He raised his arms to the sides of his body. "I wasn't sneaking, Amanda. You're too late!"
"Good morning to you too," she grinned, getting up and walking to the coffee machine, followed by Lee and his chart. "I overslept. I had to take Phillip to the emergency room last night," she said, pouring herself some coffee into a cup. "He fell or slipped down the last few steps of the tree house before dinner and sprained his right wrist on the ground. It looked like a fracture at first, but luckily he'll be able to take it to summer camp this weekend. I don't know what else I would have done with him next week, during the conference." She drank some and grimaced. The coffee tasted as if Francine had made it.
"Oh. I hope he's not in too much pain," Lee replied compassionately, smiling softly.
Amanda tilted her head slightly and shrugged. "Ah, well, he really wants to go to camp. The pain is either not great enough or bearable."
Her partner scratched his chin and lifted the file, tapping it with his free hand. "Listen, one of Beaman's people got sick. Now we have another stack of people to check through." He gestured at his desk.
She raised her eyebrows and amused the corners of her mouth as well. "We?" she asked.
"You?" Lee put on his best puppy dog look, although he didn't get away with it as much on Amanda as he did on other people.
After setting down her cup, she walked over to his desk and looked at the stack. "How many are there?"
"Fifty," he answered softly from behind her.
"Fifty?!" Amanda's voice echoed through the bullpen, dumbfounded, and several colleagues looked over at them curiously. She lowered her voice again, nervously tapping a file with her index finger and tilting her head down. "What did he do the last few days that there are still so many left," she whispered angrily. Her fingertips danced over the files. Then she rubbed her forehead. "Are you still busy on site?"
Lee nodded. "I want to visit the hotel again today and continue working on the security concept. Billy may not like my previous concept, we need a lot more emergency services than we have available. Maybe we need to borrow people from another agency."
As if on cue, the sonorous voice of her department head sounded through the room. "Scarecrow, Amanda, my office!"
The two partners obediently walked across the bullpen and towards Billy Melrose's open door. While Amanda stressed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, Lee's left hand rested on the lower part of her back as usual.
Lee closed the office door behind them and then sat in the chair next to Amanda in front of her boss's desk.
After the usual morning greeting, Billy waved a post-it. "Scarecrow, you haven't checked your calls again," he scolded his best agent.
"Uh ah, Beaman surprised me with fifty more missing checks today, Billy," Lee tried to make excuses.
His department manager gave him a piercing look. "And how many of them have you done now?"
Amanda eyed her hands with interest and unsuccessfully suppressed a grin.
"Eh, thought Amanda, err, Amanda is much better suited for this." Billy's eyes stayed hard. Lee sighed. "None," he finally admitted.
"The conference is next week, Lee! You don't have much time left. And Amanda is only a part-timer while you're here pitying yourself for hours until she comes to work! If you need help-"
Lee leaned forward. "No, no, we can do it. We just need more people for the conference. I don't know how else I'm supposed to cover all hours of the day with security, Billy."
Melrose nodded and a crease formed between his brows. "I will talk with Dr. Smyth." Then he seemed to remember the post-it and handed the small piece of paper across the desk to Lee. "Augie Swann called five times. Apparently he has important information and he insists that Amanda accompany you."
Stetson looked over at his partner, who had previously stayed out of the conversation, and then looked at the note.
"Um, I'm really busy, sir," Amanda said with a sudden movement of her right hand. "Maybe Lee can visit Augie on his own."
"Amanda, your name here has six exclamation marks and multiple boxes around it," Lee said, showing her the paper. "You know Augie, err, is a lot more forthcoming when I have you around."
They looked at each other. "Fifty more checks, Lee," she said desperately.
"Please."
Amanda sighed and stood up. "Hurry up!"
Lee grinned at Billy. He just shook his head. Amanda King was just way too good for his manipulating agent. When they left him alone, he picked up the phone and dialed Dr. Smyth's number.
-SMK-CA-TR-
It was a hot day in Los Angeles and Sabrina parked in front of the dilapidated house with the big white sheet and the colorful peace sign on it. She looked past her partner through the car window. "Boz, I don't think they're a real threat. We should take her off our list."
Bosley wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and then opened the file. "Die, you bastard! Millions die every day because of you! If we kill you, we save lives!" he read and grinned. Then he turned the page and sighed. "They have several people with military training in their ranks."
Bri pulled the car key from the ignition and opened the door. "All right." She shouldered her purse with the gun inside and walked with Bosley across the street towards the house.
Half an hour later the door opened again and the two rushed back onto the street past a young, long-haired and bearded man. "Hey, if you change your mind, baby, I'm here and available," he called after Sabrina in a drugged voice.
They breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the safety of the car. "Ex-Army guys, stoned all the time now," Bosley said, tossing the file into Sabrina's backseat. "Hey, what's up?" He touched Bri's back as she leaned her forehead against the wheel.
"I'm tired, Boz," she said softly. "I like my job, but I'm over thirty and men still don't take me seriously. I'm always the little one, the baby, the girl. Ohh, I would like to show them my gun!"
"And they would have asked you, hey little one, what do you want with the toy?" John teased, catching a serious look. "Sorry."
"Our customer probably only saw our pictures and made his decision based on them. Either I fit into his girlfriend scheme or Jill and Kelly fit in and he doesn't want to get involved. Whatever it is, it's just wrong!" Sabrina looked at her friend for help.
Bosley sighed and met her gaze with understanding. "You wish he'd decided based on your qualifications."
"Exactly!" She raised her index finger.
"Okay, Sabrina, but there," he pointed to the house. "You wrapped the poor guy around your little finger and that's the only way we got the necessary information. And this isn't the first time, it's not the first time you're taking advantage of your attractiveness. Jill and Kelly do that too. You guys take advantage of the little one, the baby, the girl image on our cases."
Bri frowned. Bosley had a point. She started the engine. "Who's next on our list?"
"That would be lunch with Jill and Kelly at Tobi's Grill," John replied cheerfully.
"Best on the list so far," she said with a slight smile. "Maybe they've had better luck."
-SMK-CA-TR-
After the night shift's brief morning briefing with the day shift, Jill Danko intercepted her supervisor in the nurses' break room. "Um, Maggie, I know it's short notice, but could I maybe get a few days off next week?" she asked shyly.
Maggie looked at her questioningly, concerned. "Anything wrong with Mike or Mary Kate?"
"No, no," Jill dismissed, tilting her head to the side. "Well actually." She grinned weakly. "Mike got a call this morning. He is scheduled to substitute a colleague at a security conference in Washington D.C. next week. And sort of, well, I'd be allowed to go with him if I could get days off. And if it were just two or three days, I could fly after him."
Her boss smiled softly, put a hand on her arm and nodded. "Give me an hour to look at next week's roster, Jill, and I'll let you know."
"Thanks."
An hour later, Jill emerged from a patient's room, sweat beading on her forehead. Her hair was messy in her face and she straightened her uniform. Maggie laughed. "Is it your turn to see Mr. Penn today?"
"I share it with Jeff. We had hoped to confuse him with this. But I guess we were wrong," Jill sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. "It's amazing how fast an old and sick man can go!"
"According to Doctor Dorson, he can be discharged in two days," Maggie said thoughtfully, straightening up. "I'll read him the riot act again!" And with that, her resolute superior disappeared into the obtrusive old patient's room.
Jill folded her arms across her chest and heard Maggie scold Mr. Penn. If he continued to need the help of the Memorial staff then he would have to stop stalking the female nurses or she would arrange for him to leave the hospital immediately and in a hospital gown. Jill blinked in amusement at the thought. They had parted with Mr. Penn after his pushy ways had come to light, and Maggie's sermon was not the first of its kind. But no help came from "above" except from Maggie.
Shaking her head, Maggie stepped back out into the hallway. "I hope I don't get old like that," she murmured. "No sense of decency or common sense." She smiled now. "Jill, you can take all of next week off."
"Oh?" Jill looked surprised and a little disappointed.
"That doesn't mean we can't need you. But you've been training Nicole for the past few weeks. Nicole would now like to see if she can manage the full workload of a nurse. And that's why you can take time off!"
"You're firing me?" Jill asked, mock-terrified.
"Only when you're not enjoying your free time with Mike, Jill," Maggie replied with a wink, squeezing her forearm gently.
"Thank you Maggie! I'll call him right away," said Jill, now finally beaming with joy, and walked quickly to the registration counter with the phone.
-SMK-CA-TR-
Augie Swann's new office wasn't much cleaner than the three before it, Amanda decided. As always when visiting Augie, Amanda kept close to Lee and, as always, Lee enjoyed her closeness.
"Augie?!" Scarecrow called grumpily into the room and jumped after a "Yes?" sounded. The two agents turned around, confused.
"Lee," the poorly dressed man greeted his friend. "Amanda." Augie's voice softened ten shades and a wide grin graced his face. Just a second later, after a quick look into Lee's evil eyes, he corrected himself. "I mean, Mrs. King." He held out his hand. Amanda sighed inwardly, knowing full well what was to come. She was too well brought up not to shake his hand. And Augie was too devious to not to use this moment for a hand kiss. And Lee was too annoyed to let him get away with that. Or whatever Lee was, she hadn't quite figured it out yet.
"All right, Augie, what do you have for us," Scarecrow growled before Augie's lips had touched Amanda's hand. Glad for the distraction, she quickly pulled her hand away and smiled shyly.
Augie shook his head and walked over to his desk and leaned his back against it. "I want more than the usual rate today, Lee," he began negotiating his reward.
Lee raised his arms in confusion. "How much more, Augie?"
"I want a date with Amanda at the usual rate," Augie announced now confidently.
"What?! You little rat!" Lee rumbled and grabbed the surprised Augie by the collar.
"Lee," Amanda sighed, stepping next to the two men and putting a reassuring hand on her partner's arm. "Let go of him! We don't even know if his information is worth anything."
"Oh it's worth it, believe me," Swann said, voice shaking with fear. "It's definitely worth a date." Lee's grip tightened once more before releasing Augie grimly.
"So?" Augie asked.
Amanda smiled at him innocently. "Augie, I'm sorry, I'm meeting someone. I can't go out with you."
"You're meeting someone?" Lee asked in surprise. Something inside him contracted.
Augie narrowed his eyes in doubt. "Who is it?"
"His name is Dr. Michael Stewart," she replied immediately, without hesitation. "We met in the hospital two weeks ago when I had to take Jamie to the ER for his ankle," she lied expertly.
Swann's shoulders sagged. "All right, all right," he murmured in disappointment. Then he looked up into two equally disappointed green-brown eyes. "Frank Garson is arriving in Dulles on Saturday, Lee," he finally declared monotonously.
"Saturday?" Lee repeated, running a hand through his hair. "When exactly? What's he doing here? The conference attendees are coming here all weekend, too."
"I don't know when exactly and from where. It is rumored that this time he is on a mission to get a specific person. I have no idea who or who it is for, Lee. And," Augie paused dramatically. "He's been to see a plastic surgeon again. But I have a sketch of what he used to look like if that helps."
"Yes, yes, I'll take the sketch, Augie," Stetson said, fishing in his suit pants for cash. His informant meanwhile rummaged in the drawers of a crowded desk.
"Who is Frank Garson?" Amanda whispered to Lee.
"The courier," he replied, looking into her questioning eyes. "For the right fee he gets you information, things and people. And unfortunately he's very good at it."
Beaming with joy, Swann finally held a sheet of paper in his hand and exchanged it for Lee's banknotes.
"Augie!" Scarecrow whined desperately, holding up the drawing. "This is the best you've got?" Amanda stifled a grin as she looked at the picture, which contained more of a rough outline of a normal male's face.
The informant shrugged. "It's the only thing I have, Lee."
"All right, thanks." Stetson put the paper away. "See you next time!" They turned to go.
"Oh, Amanda?" She looked at Augie again. "If you, eh, end up seeing the doctor at some point, let me know!"
"I'll think about it," she replied with a small smile. Once they were out of the office and out of Augie's earshot, she added, "In case I ever want to go on a blackmailed date again!"
Lee laughed hoarsely and a little later held the door of his Corvette open for her. "Amanda, I'm sorry. If I had known, I wouldn't have taken you with me," he said ruefully.
"Not so bad. I was able to fend him off."
"Oh yeah," he grinned as he hoisted himself into the driver's seat. "You're just getting better at lying."
Amanda grimaced and smiled tightly. "It's less lies than an alternative, um, reality."
Lee frowned. "So there is a Dr. What's his name?"
"Dr. Michael Stewart," she replied, taking her eyes off his eyes. "Yes, there is. We're going out for the first time tomorrow night."
"Oh," was all he had to say. Furtively, Amanda glanced back at him, but Lee stared stoically at the road ahead. A slightly awkward silence fell in the car all the way back to the Agency. Lee sneered mental note to check out this doctor.
-‐-SMK-CA-TR-
Kelly and Sabrina grinned at each other as the waitress brought their orders. Cheeseburgers and fries were in front of Bosley and Jill. In the heat, the other two had opted for a chicken salad.
"I don't know about you, but that first morning shows that this is a pointless quest, doesn't it?" Kelly asked, spearing a piece of tomato.
John chewed on his burger and frowned. "I don't see any really serious threat in these letters either. But we get paid well, do you want to quit on day one?"
"Actually, when are we meeting our customer?" Jill asked, dunking her fries in ketchup.
"Just outside the airport on Saturday before we fly to D.C.," Bosley explained after a sip of lemonade.
"You're so quiet, Bri," Kelly stated, glancing sideways at her friend.
"I'm not sure, something doesn't add up," she murmured. Three pairs of eyes were now on her expectantly. She shrugged. "Looks like they want to keep us busy until we fly to Washington."
Jill put down her burger and wiped her hands on a napkin. "But for what reason?"
"Good question," Kelly grumbled. "Personally, I'll work our way through our list, but then I'll have enough! I won't be visiting lunatics again tomorrow and listening to sexist comments!"
Sabrina laughed. "Neither do I."
"Same as me," Jill agreed.
John sighed and leaned back in his chair. "All right, okay. It's definitely too warm for pointless investigations. I'll talk to Charlie about it."
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The house smelled wonderful when Jill got home. "Oh, have you already started dinner?" she asked, stepping into the large kitchen.
Eddie, a kitchen apron around his waist, looked up from his cutting board. "Mary Kate and I have finished our homework," he explained, winking at Jill's daughter, who was standing on a stool to reach the counter.
"Really?" the nurse asked, planting a kiss on the cheek of a vigorously nodding Mary Kate. "You were invited," she said to Ryker before kissing him as well. "That means you're a guest and don't have to lift a finger. But your retirement seems to make you even more active than you used to be, Eddie."
"Mmm. The chicken is almost done. I hope Mike isn't late today," her friend grumbled and continued to chop lettuce leaves.
Jill laughed uncontrollably.
"What?"
"You sound like me, Ed. Like a wife-in-waiting," she grinned. "I need to talk to you both. So please wait here while I freshen up." With these words she climbed the stairs. After ten minutes she came back in a blue, floor-length sundress. In the kitchen, Ryker and Mary Kate were now seated, their heads resting on their hands, and looking at Jill curiously. Jill smiled at the sight and lovingly stroked her daughter's dark hair.
"What is it Mommy?"
Taking a deep breath, Jill sat down. "Daddy has to fly to Washington for a conference next week and if I can and want to I can accompany him," she explained quietly. "That would mean you would have to spend your first week of vacation with Eddie or Terry and Stacy." She eyed Mary Kate expectantly.
Her daughter frowned. "OK."
Jill and Eddie exchanged a confused look.
"Um, okay? That would be ok with you, sweetheart?" Jill asked confused.
Mary Kate nodded. "I like Eddie, Terry and Stacy, Mommy."
Ryker laughed grudgingly. "We two are going to have a lot of fun together, aren't we Mary Kate?"
The girl grinned, showing the gap in her front teeth. "We always have fun, Uncle Eddie. You're almost as funny as Terry."
"Eddie?" Jill asked, taking his hand. "Would that be fine with you too? No plans to get thwarted by that?"
Ryker stood up. "I'm retired, Jill. And I can take Mary Kate fishing too. You two enjoy what little free time you have in Washington. Conferences like this can last all day." With that, he pulled her up from her chair and gave her a tight hug.
"Thanks, Eddie," Jill murmured into his shoulder.
"Always."
The back door flew open. "Am I late?" came Mike's voice.
"Daddy!" Mary Kate flew into her father's arms. Mike lifted her onto his arm and kissed her tenderly. Holding his daughter in his arms, he stepped towards the other two. "Hey, babe," he greeted Jill and kissed her softly . "Hey, Eddy!"
Ryker took a step back. "Don't you kiss me, Danko!"
"He cooked," Jill said with a smile.
Mike's eyes fell on Eddie's apron. "Oh, so a smack on the butt?"
His wife laughed and nodded. "That is the least."
Ryker gave the small, laughing family a wide berth and opened the oven with the chicken. "Dinner is in ten minutes. And if you touch me, you'll have to wear a cast in D.C., Danko!"
Mike put his daughter back on the floor and raised his arms. "All right, all right. I'm going to change. Arguing with my second wife would be stupid." Jill gave him a gentle elbow smack before he stormed out of the kitchen, laughing.
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TBC