Second Chances

by Geroinya

As the last of her children leave the nest, Amanda King regrets a 12 year old decision.

**DISCLAIMER** This is for entertainment purposes only and no infringement is intended. The plot is mine but the characters belong to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. This is not for profit site.

Title: Second Chances, Part 1
Author: Lori Schadler
Rating: PG
Synopsis: Present day, 1999: As the last of her children leave the next, Amanda King has regrets a 12 year old decision. Little does she know that she will soon come face to face with a ghost from her past.

SECOND CHANCES
by Lori Schadler

AUGUST 1999 - SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

It was a beautiful late summer day, and Amanda watched as her daughter-in-law, Emma, worked diligently for her in the garden. The young girl wiped her brow on the sleeve of her Georgia Tech T-shirt and continued plucking weeds from between the wildflowers. Swinging the rear porch door open with a loud bang, Amanda stepped out into the sunlight.

Emma's head shot up from her work at the sound of the screen door hitting the woodwork. Covered in a large straw hat and wearing a comfortable white linen dress, her mother-in-law was Summer personified. And she always seemed to be untouched by time. A classic beauty. As far as Emma King could tell, Amanda looked no older than the photos of her with the boys when they were just small.

"Emma!" Amanda called. "Why don't you take a break and have some lemonade? Its too hot."

Emma smiled widely, relieved. "I thought you'd never ask." She approached the porch and collapsed into a wicker rocker next to Amanda. "Is Jamie back yet?"

Pouring the lemonade, Amanda answered, "Not yet. I wish you two wouldn't rush this move. You know you're welcome to stay with me as long as you need. There's plenty of room."

"Your the sweetest mom, really. But its time for us to be on our own. With graduate school over and Jamie taking the position at the college -- its the right time is all. We're ready." She took a big gulp of the sweet and sour liquid.

Amanda sighed, "I know it. Gosh, Philip's been gone for years now. You'd think I'd be used to my bird's leaving the nest. Do you realize that I've always lived with someone - mother, Joe, the boys. I've never been alone for more than a few nights."

"Are you all right? " Emma never saw Amanda so melancholy.

"Oh, of course. Just feeling a little sorry for myself I guess."

Emma touched her hand gently. "I think you're going to like the peace. Its so beautiful here. I can't tell you how I've enjoyed spending evenings sitting here on the porch - reading a book, nothing but the sound of a few crickets."

"Being alone gives you too much time with your own thoughts." And she brushed quickly at the lone tear that had escaped her lashes.

Not missing the gesture, Emma looked at her concerned. "Amanda? What is it?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry."

"Its not nothing," she insisted. "This is about more than losing a couple of freeloaders. You know you can talk to me."

"I think... I know, I'm afraid," she stated matter of factly.

"Of what?"

Amanda took a deep breath. "If I'm alone, I'll remember. I'll regret. I'll get lost in yesterday. And it will be very hard to go on from there."

"But you've had such a wonderful life. The boys adore you. You have a great relationship with their dad. You are so active in the preservation society. You've really made a mark here. Everyone knows and respects you. What could you possibly regret?"

Amanda shook her head and smiled sadly. "My life has been wonderful. But there is one part of it, that I will regret as long as I live. One horrible, miserable mistake."

"We all make mistakes Amanda," she tried to reassure her. "You can't be perfect. And you can't regret them. You just learn to live with them and move on."

"Not this kind of mistake. It haunts me. You know? Its with me everyday. And I push it away with my household and my foundations and volunteering. And it creeps in whenever I give it a moment to take hold." She shook her head vigorously, "And I'm not going to let it happen now. Let's talk about something more cheerful. How is the new apartment coming?"

"No you don't," Emma insisted. "This regret is about love. Isn't it?" Amanda was silent. Biting her lip. "Its easy to see. Nothing could overcome you as much a much as love. Is it Joe?"

Amanda laughed weakly, "No. Joe is wonderful. But I've never looked back on our relationship. It was what it was. And we had two wonderful children as a result. Its not Joe."

"Then who?" Emma asked.

"Oh Emma. No one knows this. Mother took it to the grave with her. I don't know if I can bring myself to tell another soul."

Emma put down her glass and took Amanda's hands. "You can trust me. You obviously need to talk about it. You have always been there for me. Let me?"

She shook her head in silent agreement and tried to gather he thoughts. "Where can I begin?" She searched for the words. "When the boys were young, I met a man. I worked with him for years. We started out as friends. It took forever to get him to open up. And forever for me to trust in my feelings. But it happened. It was a wonderful romance. The kind they write paperbacks about, you know?"

Emma smiled, "I think I do. What happened? Why didn't Jamie ever mention it to me?"

"He never knew. Only mother knew. Lee... that was his name... You see, Lee worked for the government. In intelligence."

"A spy?" She exclaimed.

"Yes."

"I did."

She scrunched her brow in a quizzical manner. "Are you trying to tell me that you are a spy?"

"Was a spy. Yes. I met Lee when he enlisted my help during an assignment. After that, the Agency would ask me to run interference, do odd jobs, small things that a middle-American mother of two was perfect at. Blending in. Except that I never did. I got into so much trouble you wouldn't believe. But Lee was always there, supporting me, even though he'd pretend that I was a nuisance."

"That's unbelievable," she scratched her head in awe. "And you fell in love, with the spy."

"Yes. We fell in love. It was dangerous. But we didn't care because we had each other. No one knew... about any of it. Not about the spy business, not about us. We found hours, minutes, anytime we could to be together. And finally, Lee asked me to be his wife. And it was heaven."

"He proposed?" Emma gasped. "What did you do?"

"I married him."

"You married....?" She stammered. "But how?"

"Lee and I were married secretly. And we continued to live apart. Happy in our secret knowledge that we loved each other enough to brave the separation. And it worked for a while. But it was difficult. It was stressful. We were afraid to put the boys, mother... in danger. If anyone knew about our marriage, it would have made them prime targets."

"But it happened, didn't it?" Emma understood.

"Yes. It happened. Even though our own people, the Agency, my family -- no one knew. Somehow those Iranian bastards found out."

Emma gasped at the unprecedented vulgarity coming from the lips of her mother-in-law.

"They kidnapped Philip," Amanda continued. He was just a teenager. He was gone for weeks. And I had to pretend that he was away at science camp."

"But he's all right now," Emma tried to put the pieces together. "He must know about your work..."

"No, he was weak when we found him. Ended up in the hospital for a bit. Dehydration, malnutrition. But he pulled through, save partial amnesia. And fearing he might someday remember, the Agency gave him a little drug to take that awful piece of history right out of his memory all together."

"Amazing," Emma breathed. "But what about you and Lee?"

"The weeks that Philip was missing were the worst in my life. And I had been though some horrible spots. I couldn't put them at risk anymore. I couldn't watch my children lose their lives, their memories." She brushed away more tears.

"You left him," Emma stated.

"You understand?" She asked. "I had to."

"I'm so sorry. What a choice you made." She touched her cheek softly. "But the boys are men now. Have you ever considered..."

"No," Amanda laughed gently. "No, I'm not the same person. I'm older... a lot older. And I'm sure he's moved on. Or maybe even..." She was swallowed up by her emotion.

"Can't you find out? I'm sure he's still alive. Even in that kind of work, from what you say -- he's probably got more lives than a cat."

"I wouldn't know where to begin. And I don't know if he could ever forgive me." She lost herself in a reverie of remembering.

She, tears streaming down her face. He, angry and full of emotion.

"We've been though worse than this Amanda. You're just tired," he insisted. "This was a rough one. Give it time."

"I can't do this anymore Lee," she sobbed.

"You can throw it all away, just like that?" He threw his hands in the air in frustration.

"Its the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. You know I lo...."

He grabbed her by the shoulders, hard. "Don't," he demanded. "Don't say it."

"I love you."

He shook her, as if shaking her would put the pieces back. "What do you know about love? Is this love?" He let go and his arms widened to make reference to the situation. "You have some sick sense of what love is Amanda Stetson. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to let you in? To love you?"

She couldn't stop crying. Her heart was broken. "I'm... so... sorry."

"So am I." He turned and left her alone.

Amanda crumpled to the floor and sobbed uncontrollably. "I do love you," she repeated over and over again.

"Lee," she breathed quietly.

"What's your name?" Emma asked softly.

"Amanda Stetson," she stated proudly. "Oh how I've missed that name."

"Its lovely. Thank you for trusting me with it," She sighed and pushed herself up from the rocker. "Tell you what. Why don't we have a girls night tonight. I'll call Carly and the three of us and drink wine and watch movies. Philip's in Atlanta. I know she's got nothing planned."

Amanda smiled weakly, "All right." She offered her hand to Emma, who in turn pulled her up from her chair. "The saddest movies you can find. That way I can cry my eyes out and pretend its for the heroine."

"Very therapeutic, a good cry," Emma agreed. "Message in a Bottle," "Out of Africa," maybe even "Casablanca." And remembering the premise, she gasped. "Oops, maybe not Casablanca."

Chapter Two

The following weeks were filled with busy preparations for moving Emma and Jamie into their new home. Through her work, Amanda found it easy to push aside the memories that had begun flooding back.

As she packed up the last of Jamie's things however, one remembrance slipped between the cracks. A baseball, signed by Babe Ruth. It had been a gift from Lee to Jamie. Jamie treasured it for its value, unaware that the man his mom dated for a time had actually been his step-father. Amanda now clung to it as if it were Lee Stetson's leather clad sleeve.

"Oh Lee," she cried. "I miss you so much."

Emma King stepped away from Jamie's door and deeper in the hallway. Having witnessed Amanda's misery countless times this week, she wasn't going to let this go on any longer. There was more to Amanda's loss than regret. And there was no reason she could not still be happy. What if this man was still alive and still available. What if he wondered about her as much as she wondered about him. Considering the way misunderstandings and pride had kept them apart in the beginning, there was no way either of them would be likely to try again now. Unless someone intervened.

Chapter Three

"But we've just moved in." Jamie King argued. "What on earth could you need to do back in Arlington?"

"Its just business baby. Please, don't be angry." Emma cuddled up to her husband. "It'll only be for a few days."

"You know I can't say no," He smiled. "But you tell that boss of yours that next time you need more notice when he's going to send you out of town."

"Yes sir," she replied and kissed him tenderly. "I like it when you're so forceful." She giggled and tip-toed into their new bedroom. Diving onto mattress that still lay on the floor.

*********************************

INTERNATIONAL FEDERAL FILM

"I've told you young lady, that none of our producers see anyone without an appointment. Now if you'll please..."

"You don't understand," Emma pleaded. "I must see Mr. Melrose. Its urgent."

Mrs. Marsten picked up the phone to request an escort out for Emma.

"I'm looking for Scarecrow. Do you know that name?" She begged.

It was obvious from dazed look on Marsten's face that she did. "As I've said, you need to make an appointment."

"And how exactly does one make an appointment with a spy?" Emma demanded.

"What's your name?" The receptionist asked.

"Emma King," she stated. And watched the recognition on the woman's face. "I see you remember that name too. Amanda King is my mother-in-law. Now can you please help me find Mr. Melrose?"

Mrs. Marsten was taken aback. Scarecrow and Mrs. King. A legendary spy couple around here. The younger set often referred to them for training -- and the more seasoned, like herself -- well, they remembered them with a nostalgic blend of fondness and respect. She'd call Billy for this one. "If you'll have a seat, I'll see what I can do."

************************

Francine Fielder ran to the Crypto Room. Still donning four inch heels and a dress by Liz Claiborne, the sprint was no easy task. "Billy! Billy, you're not going to believe this."

"Francine, can't you see I'm in the middle of something?" Several men flanked him around a wealth of sound equipment. "Can you repeat that back?"

A mirage of sounds came forth from the speaker -- doors clanging, voices hollering, whistles blowing -- but one voice was more prominent, yet still not decipherable.

"Run it again. Take out that background garbage and get back to me as soon as you can. I can't shake the feeling that this is important." He turned to leave the room.

"Billy!" Francine demanded.

"What!" He had forgotten her. "Francine, it's a busy morning. What is it that can't wait?"

"You have a visitor," she replied.

"A visitor?" he questioned. "Since when do we accept visitors at the Agency?"

"I think you'll accept this one. Her name is Emma King." Francine pointed in the direction of Billy's office where escorts were showing Emma to Billy's door.

***************************

"Mrs. King." God if that doesn't sound strange, he thought. "Mrs. King, I'm not sure what it is I can do for you. You realize we are a documentary film company."

Emma threw up her hands. "I realize that you do a great job pretending to be a documentary film company."

"Mrs. Marsten said you were related to someone who used to work here," Francine stated.

"Yes, Amanda King is my mother-in-law." Finally, she was getting somewhere.

Billy softened at the mention of her name. "How is Amanda?"

"She's healthy and beautiful and the most giving person I've ever known in my life. And that's why I'm here." She prayed for their assistance.

"Sounds like Amanda to me," Billy laughed softly. "But why are you here?"

"That woman is the only mother I have know for eight years now. She is the closest thing I've got -- and I love her dearly." She swallowed hard. "She's hurting, I want to help her. Its as simple as that."

Francine spoke up, "How exactly can we help you to help Amanda?"

Ignoring the uptight female and staring at Billy Melrose, Emma replied, "I think you know, don't you?"

Billy paused, then nodded sadly. "Francine, can you excuse us please?"

"Billy? What's this about?" She demanded.

"Francine. I still out-rank you. Please leave." Billy winked at Emma as Francine stormed out. "Unfortunately, she's really about level with me now, but I can still work my authoritative magic on her occasionally."

Emma laughed. "From the stories I have heard, that doesn't surprise me in the least Mr. Melrose."

Amanda had spent hours recounting her tales to Emma over the past few weeks. Just sitting in the office, she felt as though she had been there before. "You're looking for Lee, aren't you?" He asked.

"She doesn't know. She would probably skin me alive," Emma insisted.

"You realize I can't share classified information," he said.

Nervously she asked the inevitable question. "Is he alive, sir?"

"Very much so, yes. And still hard at work for our government." Billy smiled. "He's the absolute best man I've ever worked with. I love him like a son, if you want the truth."

"Is he married?"

"No. Never--" he stopped. "Well, not since..."

"I know the whole story. She confided in me recently," Emma explained. "No one else knows."

"He took it very hard. Too hard," Billy sighed. "He was never the same. He became like a machine, and while machines do excellent work, without care they tend to break down."

"Can you tell me where to find him?" Emma asked, hopefully.

Billy simply nodded in apprehensive agreement.

Chapter Four

THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL

Emma approached a man sitting on the monument steps with his back to her. He held In his hands a sketch book and worked the pencil vigorously. She was hesitant to speak. And simply stood taking him in for a moment.

"Can I help you?" he asked without turning.

"You spies are good, aren't you?" She laughed quietly. "No sneaking up on you, is there?"

He turned to determine if this woman was friend or foe. She didn't fit the terrorist MO, she was young and beautiful, and strangely familiar. A blonde, probably about 25. And her eyes seemed to be filled with tears.

"Who are you?" he asked. "Did Billy send you? I'm not AWOL for god's sake, I'm just taking a break."

He returned to his sketch, turning his back again.

"Billy didn't send me. Though he did give me an idea where I could find you Mr. Stetson." She didn't want to scare him off.

He lowered his head, his shoulders slumped in disgust. "Look if you're the agency's latest shrink, I think you should be warned -- I'm a bad seed. I won't let you pick my brain. I won't even pick my own. Why does everyone want to help you make sense of everything. Why can't some things just be what they are - history."

"Is Amanda history?" she asked, fighting back the tears.

Still he would not turn back around. But his head lifted in horrified recognition. "What do you know about Amanda King?" he demanded softly.

"Don't you mean Amanda Stetson?" she asked.

"Who are you?" He spun around. "Who are you!" He stood and made short work of the distance between them. Grabbing her arm. "Who are you?"

"Emma..." She shook with fear and sadness. "Emma King."

Of course, he thought. Now it all fell into place. He had seen her before, yet only from a distance. This woman was related to Amanda... had been in her presence recently. He knew it as sure as he knew his own name.

He dropped her arm and walked a few steps away. "Amanda." he breathed. "And that makes you--?

"I'm Jamie's wife," she replied hesitantly.

"Jamie..." he remembered. Then a horrible thought struck him to the core. "Is she all right? Has something happened to her? Where is she?"

"She's well. We live in Savannah now." She tried to sum up the past 12 years. "Dotty died a little over a year ago. She took it pretty hard. And now the boys are both out on their own. Jamie teaches English Lit at Georgia Tech. And Philip is an attorney, like his father."

Lee smiled faintly. "Just like Joe... Is she? Did they?..." He knew they remained close, and although his research had told him otherwise, something inside him always believed Joe would someday try to settle himself back into the life of Amanda King.

"Amanda and Joe?" She laughed, "Oh no. They get along well, but not that well. She's alone. That's why I'm here."

Lee's face lightened a bit. "She's not married?"

"Do you really think she could have?" Emma answered. "You must know how much she loves you."

"Loved me,." he replied bitterly.

"Can you really think it was such an easy decision for her to make? Her sons or her husband?" Emma asked. "The man she loved, or the children she gave life to?"

"We could have made it work. We could have kept the boys from any trouble," he replied. "She gave up."

"She never gave up. She never stopped loving you," Emma insisted.

"Really?" he asked sarcastically. "Then why in over ten years have I not once heard from her. Not once did she call or write. You can't just shut love off - pretend that its OK. She made me take a good look at myself. She made me realize that I was worthy of something more... and then she pulled it right out from under me."

"She's afraid," Emma choked. "Afraid that she hurt you too badly. Afraid of your reaction. And that you won't want her. That you don't want her."

Lee laughed and tried to keep the emotion from becoming unbearable. "Not want her? There isn't a day that goes by that I don't pick up the phone. You told me all about her, the boys.. but I know everything. I know about that white Victorian house, with the wildflowers growing all around the fence. And the way she stands on the widow's walk at dusk and stares out at the night sky. I know that she walks to the market on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and that she stops to rest on a park bench and feeds the birds stale bread. And I know that she still looks exactly the way she did the moment we stood before the preacher and said, 'I do'."

Emma was stunned. He had been watching her. Watching them. For years maybe. He hadn't let her go for a second.

"But what does she know of me?" he asked painfully. Does she know how I sit alone every night in a sterile apartment, drowning myself in work and only coming up for air when it seems like I might hit bottom? Does she know how I revisit the places we shared our precious time together? That I keep our table at Nedlinger's and drink myself into oblivion whenever it gets to painful?"

Emma could not answer. Tears were running down her face.

"No, I didn't think so," he said painfully.

"I can't say anything to take away your pain. But all I ask you is this -- remember the years you spent pretending that you didn't care for each other. Being so close, but never close enough. Remember how stubborn you were - both of you. You are her only regret. Not bad for a lifetime, to have one regret. I've known people who have regretted their decisions at every turn. But I have never seen a woman so consumed by the sadness over one-- one unselfish act of motherly love. It cost Amanda her heart, and I just wanted to see if there was any chance of getting it back for her. But I guess that's your responsibility - not mine."

And she walked away. Realizing that she had said all that she could. If Lee Stetson still loved Amanda King, and she knew that he did -- and if he could swallow his hurt and pride, the next move would be his.

Chapter Five

INTERNATIONAL FEDERAL FILM

A knock sounded at the door of Billy Melrose.

"Come in," he demanded.

A young male agent entered the room. "We've deciphered that recording sir. We were able to take away all the extraneous noise and we've got the message."

"Well go on," Billy insisted. "What is it?"

The agent pushed the play button on a small recording device. "Its hot as Hades in here. Hasn't anyone got a match?"

The agent looked perplexed. "It doesn't seem to make sense sir. Why would anyone in a place as hot as hell be asking for a match?"

Billy stood at his desk. "It's code you imbecile. Maybe you need a few more courses in crypto. Get out of here and tell Mrs. Fielding to get in here on the double."

Moments later Francine entered the office. "You wanted to see me Billy?"

"Talk about ironies. That tape we heard earlier…. The message we were trying to get out of Iraq. The code on the tape matches the identification codes of The Prince."

"Philip? Are you sure it was him?" Francine asked.

"Never more sure." Billy confirmed. "Call Lee in."

Later that day back at Billy's office. Francine renters. "Billy - he's gone. I've tried everything. His pager, his cell phone. Sent messages to his usual haunts. He's just disappeared."

Billy shook his head in acknowledgment. "Our visitor this morning - I have a feeling she convinced him to take a little trip."

"Emma King?" Francine asked. "Did you send her to see Lee?"

"I think we'll find Lee in Savannah," Billy stated assuredly.

Chapter Six

Two days had passed since Emma had returned from Virginia. She visited her mother-in-law on a regular basis and watched her slump into a depression the likes of which she had never imagined.

"Amanda... Mom, please," Emma begged. "Why don't we take a trip to the park. It's a beautiful Fall evening."

It had appeared that her talk with Lee Stetson hadn't been successful. She had figured him for following her back to Savannah. But there had been no sign in days.

Why didn't he come, she wondered. She was sure she had seen the need and urgency in his eyes. But for now, the urgency was in getting Amanda out of the dumper and into the world of the living.

"If you don't come with me, I'll be forced to walk alone." She smiled slyly, teasing, "Would you like to be responsible for some psychopath molesting me on the jogging trail?"

"Emma," she laughed softly. "Your so kind. I'm so glad Jamie found you. He doesn't know how lucky he is." She walked to the hall closet and grabbed a light jacked, "Just a short walk, OK?"

Emma felt she had won a major victory. "Well all right! You know, the world does go on when the children vacate the roost."

"I've heard that rumor," Amanda joked. "I don't believe it." The two laughed in unison.

In a vacant house across the street Lee Stetson watched his Amanda. She looked so beautiful, but so sad. Maybe the girl had been honest - she did seem to be unhappy. If the loss of what they had shared has caused this melancholy, maybe… well - he could talk to her at least. See how she had been. They were leaving the house. He would wait until she returned to confront her.

Amanda King watered the plants in her living room. "Sorry guys," she said. "I've been a little preoccupied. Been neglecting you I think." She continued her watering spree into the kitchen to a tall cactus standing on the tile. "Well, at least you aren't going to complain."

She heard a noise in the garden. "Oh not those darn rabbits again." And she walked out the back door to the flower bed. "Shoo!" she yelled.

When all was quiet, she took a moment to look at the stars. "Goodnight," she whispered.

"Goodnight," a voice replied.

Amanda laughed to herself. "There you go again," she mocked herself. "Voices."

As she turned to return to the house. A figure stepped out of the shadows. "I was wondering... if you've seen a man in a red hat?"

Amanda faltered, in danger of fainting. In response to her distress, Lee reached out to catch her. Her eyes locked with his, and for a breathless moment twelve years of sadness were transferred between them. "Lee...," she breathed.

She was pressed against him, just as he had caught her. He looked down to her delicate fingers, his hand wrapped around one of hers. A world of emotion gathered in his chest, he wanted to wrap her up in his arms. But he also wanted to push her away and let loose with an angry stream of accusations. Instead, he simply righted her and took a step back.

"Hello Amanda," he greeted her as if they were old friends who just simply bumped into one another.

"What are you... How did you..." She couldn't finish.

He wasn't prepared to tell her he had known her whereabouts for years. That he had watched after her since the day she left him. So instead he ignored her questions. "You look... beautiful."

She blushed slightly and whispered through ready tears. "What are you doing in my garden?"

"Where else would I be?" he replied in anguish. Truer words he had never spoken.

Confusion, sadness and elation made a strange concoction in her weary mind. She wanted to run to him and throw her arms around his neck. This was the man she had fought life and death to be with many times. The man she risked everything for -- almost. And he was standing here before her now as if he had never left. "I... I..," she stumbled. "I've missed you."

She shook her head, embarrassed. "I've missed you," she repeated. "I haven't seen you in twelve years and all I can say is, I've missed you. Way to go Amanda. The moment you've been dreaming about for years and all you can say is, I've missed you. I had lines, speeches prepared in my head for the chance, the small chance that one day this very thing would happen. And look at me. I'm a babbling fool. But then again, you should be used to that. I mean its not like twelve years can make a person stop chattering like a... like a... Oh, what chatters incessantly anyway?"

Lee laughed softly, "You do."

Amanda put a hand through her hair nervously. "Same old Amanda."

"Same old Amanda," he repeated. "I'm glad."

There was an awkward moment of silence, where neither of them knew how to continue. She didn't want to dream that he could be here because he had forgiven her. But he was here.

And he didn't want to let his arrogant pride surface. He just wanted to touch her. To hold her. But for the first time in a long time, fear was winning.

Finally, he spoke. "I've missed you too. Everyday."

"I'm so sorry." What more could she say. How could she ever find the words to take away what she had done to them both?

He nodded in silence. Knowing there was nothing more.

She watched him nervously. Afraid that like some rabbit in her vegetable garden, he would scurry away as soon as she got to close. She wanted to invite him in, but she was afraid the wrong words would send him bolting. But then something magical happened.

He smiled. That fabulous Lee Stetson grin. "Amanda..." he started.

She jumped in, feeling somehow that he had opened a door with that one word and body wrapping smile. "Would you like to sit on the porch? I can offer you a drink. Some wine? Sit with me for a while." She silently prayed he would accept.

"OK." He hesitantly made his way around the corner to the wide porch. Two white wicker rockers sat side by side. She had lit candles along the porch rail, and the candlelight cast beautiful shadows on the stained glass in the nearest window. "You've really done some wonderful things here."

"Thank you." She colored a bit, embarrassed by his simple praise. "Let me get that wine. I'll be right back."

Nervously she opened the door, watching him settle cautiously onto the railing, preferring it to the rocker. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath, praying he'd still be there when she returned.

He was. "He you are. " She handed him a glass of Cabernet.

As he took the glass, the proximity of their hands and bodies was dangerously close. And their eyes met again for a split second. "Thank you," he uttered unconsciously.

She took a seat and motioned for him to do the same. He didn't. Instead he settled back on the railing as she had left him, and took a sip from the glass. "You have a nice life here."

"Yes," she agreed, bittersweetly. "Its a lovely house. The boys are grown, wonderful men. You'd be..."

"Proud," he finished and shook his head in agreement. He was. Suddenly, being on the porch with Amanda, made him remember his mother-in-law, Dotty. "I'm sorry about your mother," he offered sadly.

A smile of remorse crossed her lips briefly. "It was painless. She died in her sleep, very peaceful. It was hard without her. We'd been together for a long time."

She reminisced, and something made her recall the funeral. "You sent flowers, didn't you? There was a large beautiful bouquet with no card. We assumed it got lost and of course we never asked... but now that you're here... I'm just realizing..."

He wordlessly acknowledged the flowers. "She was a wonderful lady. She gave me the greatest gift I've ever had."

Amanda looked a bit puzzled.

"You," he uttered softly.

Nervously Amanda glanced into her wine glass. "And you Lee...?"

"Nothing to tell really. You know the story. Hard nosed naive agent at 35, hard nosed indifferent agent at 48." He laughed to himself and Amanda looked saddened by his statement. He continued, "I'm semi-retired actually. Come out for a few of the big ones, but moslty I just-- well in fact, there's nothing to tell. I live a pretty simple life."

Amanda didn't like to see him like this. This was not the Lee Stetson she knew. Full of energy, full of conviction for his job. She imagined him a playboy -- as he had been when they first met. Flying off here or there on a moment's notice. Dining at elegant restaurants and dancing till dawn.

"Doesn't sound like you," she offered.

"No, it does," he insisted. "It sounds exactly like me."

He stood up abruptly from his perch on the rail and towered above her. "The problem is Amanda, you just don't know me anymore. The Lee Stetson you're remembering hasn't been around in over twelve years. He's long gone."

"I don't believe that," she whispered, cowering from his hostility.

"Don't you?" he scoffed. "He's dead Amanda. I held a great wake in his honor. You should have seen it. The drinking and mourning -- it went on for months, years some say. Hell, I toast the old boy every night. Sometimes every morning and afternoon too."

Amanda was crying softly now. Knowing that she had brought him to this. Wishing that she could turn back time and somehow make a decision that would have been good for everyone.

"Lee... please. Why did you come here?" she begged.

"I don't know. To put a marker on his grave maybe." He shook his head, trying to keep his own tears from falling. "You're a cold woman Amanda King. Not one letter. Not one phone call. For all you knew I was dead."

Amanda sobbed, "Do you think it was easy? I didn't call because I didn't want to hurt you any more than I already had. I thought if I left you alone, you'd pick up where you left off. I loved you so much. I love you still."

Hurt and afraid, Lee decided that anger was the best defense. "That's your problem I guess. Thanks for the wine." And with that he set down the glass and walked out of her front yard, slamming the gate behind him.

"Lee..." She cried silently burying her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with each sob.

*******************

Lost in her tears, Amanda didn't hear the footsteps on the porch. A hand reached down, touching her gently on the shoulder.

"Lee?" Amanda's voice asked, and she raised her head hoping to find him there. Instead she looked into the concerned face of her daughter-in-law.

"He was here," Emma realized. "Are you OK?"

"Not really," Amanda half laughed. "You went to see him in DC, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry." Emma knelt down next to the rocker. "I thought I was helping. What happened?"

Amanda wiped away her tears. "Twelve years of stolen memories. I hurt him so badly Emma." She broke down again.

Emma held her head tenderly against her shoulder. "He still loves you. I'm sure of it. If you could have seen him, heard the way he talked about you. Only love can cause a hurt that deep. And he's still reliving it. He's a proud man Amanda. I can see why you love him. But that pride... I think you've broken through it before. If anyone knows how--"

"Its late Emma." The thought of breaking through Lee's barriers for a second time exhausted her to the core. "I'm going to bed."

Emma stood up. "Isn't there anything....?"

"No." Amanda smiled stiffly. "I'm not angry. I appreciate what you did. But it didn't work. Lee can't forgive me. And I can't forgive myself." She turned and walked into the house, closing the door behind her.

Across the street, Lee Stetson watched Emma King walk down the road, get in her car and drive away. He watched the lights go out through Amanda's house, one by one. He imagined her walking through the rooms, a graceful flow in her step. When she wasn't being chased by bad guys she was pretty elegant, he thought.

He knew when she had readied herself for bed and finally arrived in the master suite. He saw the shadow of her form in the window -- a flow of material as she prepared for the long night. When the light went out he sighed heavily, imagining her gliding softly between the sheets, her head resting softly on the pillow, her body curled up in the fetal position. She always slept that way. He used to sneak into bed and form his own body around hers after a late night of tactical meetings with Billy. "My Amanda," he whispered.

He sat there in the window through the night -- just watching the silent house and remembering countless moments when the only thing they worried about was which terrorist might be after them that day.

A scream woke him from a light sleep. He jumped from the chair. It was her scream. He'd heard it far too many times to mistake it. He ran through the house and across the street. Breaking down her door and rushing up the staircase to her bedroom.

A struggle had obviously taken place there. Yet there was no sign of her. "Amanda!" he yelled. No answer. He ran into the hallway. "Amanda!" he tried again. From below he heard her voice in response. "Lee!"

A masked intruder dragged her through the kitchen at gun point. Wrapping his hand around her mouth. He threatened, "You try that again and I'll shoot you right here."

Her eyes widened with fear. She tried with all the courage she could muster to remember agency training. She had been in this situation before. Unfortunately there were no avenues. He had bound her hands behind her. But Lee was here. She could swear she heard him calling to her. Or had she hallucinated?

The intruder continued to drag her towards the back door, but a voice interrupted his progress. "Hold it right there."

It was Lee. Amanda turned to see her savior. A site she would never forget, so often he had come to her rescue. Her eyes pleaded with him for help.

"Let her go," he said, his voice raspy with emotion.

The intruder laughed, "I think you know better than that." And he turned to reveal the gun he had pointed at the back of Amanda's head. "I have no problem killing her here." His voice was foreign, Middle Eastern, hard to place.

"What is this all about?" Lee asked. "Who sent you here?"

"You'll find out soon enough." The intruder laughed again. And Amanda tried to scream. But it was too late, Lee was knocked out cold by the butt of a pistol. The intruder had an accomplice. "Two for the price of one. This should be very pleasing indeed."

Amanda gazed down at Lee's crumpled body in shock. An all to familiar situation -- and strangely she had mixed feelings about it. She was scared stiff but at the same time, there was an odd level of comfort - being in peril with Lee. Like coming home, except they weren't going home. They were captive for the umpteenth time in their lives. A strangled whisper left her lips, "Oh my gosh."

Chapter Seven

Amanda woke to the feeling of cold steel instead of the softness of her queen size mattress, and instantly she realized the awful memories in her head were not a dream. She was lying on the floor of a cargo plane, she and Lee Stetson the only occupants of the fuselage. Her attempts to wake him quietly were in vain, he was out cold. She tried to sit up and quickly recognized that her hands had been bound behind her, and rather crudely. Even with the absence of practice, she was able to make short work of the primitive shackles . "Like riding a bike," she said to herself.

She sat up against the side of the plane and rubbed her head in agony. Chloroform. She remembered this feeling too.

"Lee?" She tried to wake him again. He moaned softly but did not come around. She surmised that after the blow to the head, they had probably had to knock him out a second time, most likely with chloroform. The combination would make it more difficult for him to come around.

Amanda turned him gently and quickly undid the ropes that held his wrists. She gazed down at him lying on the floor and cautiously reached out and touched his cheek. Taking advantage of his unconscious state to do what she had longed to the night before. Touch him, feel his skin with her own. She rubbed her palm down one side and turned her hand to brush against him again. Smoothing his hair back, she sighed, "You're still a hunk," then laughed at the simplicity of the statement.

She tried again to wake him, shaking him at the shoulders. "Lee? Wake up Lee." Nothing. She lifted his head and placed it carefully in her lap. Not wanting him to rest it on the cold steel floor. Amanda studied his face and body. Her finger tracing his profile, his jaw line... his lips. How she wanted to kiss those lips. As she contemplated it, he began to wake. Moaning, he squinted and opened his eyes.

She gazed down at him and smiled. "Hi," she said.

He closed his eyes tightly and then opened them again. As if to determine if he were still asleep. "Amanda?"

Her hand rested on his head, her palm touched his cool skin and her fingers delved deeply into his hair. He glanced in that direction and looked back at her, questioning. She had forgotten herself and abruptly pulled her hand away, fearing his reaction to her touch. "Deja vu," she suggested.

Lee tried to sit up. And immediately grabbed at his forehead in pain. "Ow! Where are we?" he asked.

"On a plane," she replied in true Amanda fashion.

"As insightful as ever I see," he teased stiffly. And he rubbed his wrists, aware that they had been bound. He raised an eyebrow, impressed the Amanda still had some Agency skills.

"What's going on here Lee?"

He shrugged, "I'm as in the cold as you are Amanda." And then he remembered the night before. Her screams, the gun to her head. "Are you all right?" he asked in earnest. "They didn't hurt you?"

"I'm fine." She smiled at his concern. "But I never imagined I'd be in a position like this again. Lee, what are you working on? And why does it involve me?"

He sat up next to her against the wall of the plane. "I'm not working on anything. I told you I'm retired."

"Then how did you know... How did you happen to be in my house when I needed you last night?"

"Oh... that," Lee paused. This wasn't how he wanted her to find out. Hell, he didn't want her to find out at all.

She could read his face. She knew that he was thinking of hiding the truth from her. "Honesty," she pleaded.

He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the plane, contemplating where to begin and how much to share with her. They were back in a life or death situation and he had learned from past mistakes to take advantage of chances like this. There could never be another opportunity.

He sat up and turned toward her. "I was watching you."

"Watching me?" She asked.

"Amanda... that house across the street from you. The one you've been trying to buy and restore for years now-- " he hesitated. "I own it."

"You own the house across the street. Of course you do, how silly of me," she responsed sarcastically. "Why?"

"So that I could be there when Philip graduated high school, when Jamie went to the prom, when you were awarded the Savannah Chamber of Commerce Award, when Philip passed the bar, and when Dotty passed away. So I could watch you from up close, instead of wonder about you from afar."

"You've been spying on me?" She was dumbfounded.

"Well, it is what I do," he laughed hesitantly. "Not on a regular basis, just every now and then. Especially when something important happened in your life. Though I was sorry to miss Jamie's wedding. I was on assignment in Istanbul. Guess its why I didn't recognize Emma at first ."

"I would have sent you an invitation," she stated absently.

He continued, "I had to know that you were all right. And I needed to… I wanted to feel like I was still a part of..."

"My family?" she asked.

He shook his head, but did not speak.

"Lee, you will always be a part of us. I wish you would have just…"

He turned away. "What? Knocked on your door and said, 'Hey here I am! Let's all have dinner and chat over old times?'"

"So many mistakes," she muttered. "From the very beginning. Our timing was never right."

Uncomfortable with his feelings, Lee quickly changed the subject to the matter at hand. "Have you seen anyone? Do you remember anything about the guys who grabbed us?"

"No." She realized the conversation had changed courses. "It must just be us and who ever is flying this thing."

"Are you up to this?" he asked.

"Do I have a choice?" she laughed uneasily.

He stood, and wobbled a little. When he had gotten his bearings he reached a hand down to help Amanda. She looked at his open palm for a moment and remembered the many times he had held her hand, guiding her through tense moments. Some even worse than the one they now seemed to be facing.

Gingerly, she reached out and took it. He didn't miss the nuances. The memories were very real for him as well. And the simple act of holding her hand had been one he cherished for years. Long before he was ever able to admit his feelings to her or himself, he had taken pleasure in holding her slender fingers entwined safely in his strong ones.

When she rose to her feet they both let go abruptly and nervously laughed. "Some things never change," she suggested.

He simply shook his head in resigned agreement and continued his preparations for a surprise attack.

Chapter Eight

Apprehensive, but feeling a rush of adrenaline at the thought of working with Lee again, Amanda prepared for her role in the carefully constructed ploy.

Lying on the floor of the fuselage, she began moaning in feigned distress. Lee had returned to the floor, his hands behind his back, as if they were still tied together, his eyes closed as if still unconscious.

Seconds later one of the captors emerged from the cockpit. He approached Amanda speaking a foreign language she couldn't decipher. Doubled up on the floor, her hands behind her back in imaginary constraints, she whimpered, "I think its my appendix."

The captor looked at her curiously and repeated the word, "Appendix?"

"Ow," she moaned again and grimaced. "Doctor… please…? I think I'm going to…" And Amanda pretended to pass out.

He reached down to check her body for signs of life, and as he did - Lee reached from behind him and grabbed his gun, quickly knocking him senseless to the floor by clocking him on the back of the head with the automatic weapon.

Amanda sat up abruptly and looked up at Lee with a sparkle in her eyes. She smiled widely. "Not bad," she said, impressed.

"You can save the compliments for when we land," he said stoically. "Come on, lets hope there's just the two of them."

They made their way to the cockpit. Peering through the closed curtain, Lee could see that luck was on their side. Only one man remained. Lee motioned to Amanda to get behind him, and he shoved the curtain aside.

"Just keep flyin' buddy," he ordered. "We were getting a little bored back there - no in flight movie, no bloody mary's, not even a bag of peanuts. I am never flying this airline again."

"You cannot shoot me," the man replied in broken English. "You cannot fly plane."

Lee smiled mischievously. "You may be right. But maybe she can." Lee nodded in Amanda's direction.

The pilot looked nervous. "What do you want?"

"Who hired you?" Lee asked.

"I do not know."

"Who hired you?" Lee insisted.

"We never see, never meet… Just get paid, get dossier, do job, get paid some more." The pilot motioned to a file on the side of the co-pilots seat.

Lee picked it up and opened it with his free hand. As her perused it, he asked, "Who pays you?"

"I have a contact. I never see anyone," he insisted nervously. "I pick up at location and drop off. That is all."

Only half listening, Lee was more interested in the contents of the file. "It says here you have three targets. By the count here, I see two. Who is your third captive?"

"The first one… last week. Already in Saudi Arabia," he offered.

"Who was the target?" Lee asked.

"I don't know any name but Prince," the pilot replied.

Amanda's interest was piqued. "Like Prince Charles?"

"No Amanda… The Prince is an agent with IFF. He's been missing since early last week," Lee explained. "He was on assignment in Iraq. We figured he got himself mixed up with Hussain's boys. Not a captive in Saudi Arabia."

Amanda was even more curious. "Who is The Prince? Why would the three of us be linked?"

Lee shook his head in ignorance. "I've never met him. He's a D14. It's the most covert identity code the agency has. Only the agents who work closely with him know his name, see his face."

"A secret spy," Amanda uttered in amazement.

"Yes Amanda." Lee rolled his eyes. "I think you've been out of the loop for too long."

The pilot looked on with curiosity, and Lee confronted him. "Just fly this thing. No deviation. The flight pattern exactly as planned. You understand?"

The pilot nodded in agreement.

Lee settled in the co-pilot's seat, his gun constantly trained on his target. "Amanda, would you…" He motioned to the man's gun.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," She muttered, as she slipped the gun from the side of the pilot. "Yesterday my biggest worry was how to get a grant to fix up the old McKenna House and now I'm unarming a terrorist."

"Amanda--" Lee tried to interrupt.

"I mean, its not like I don't have the experience in this sort of thing," She motioned with the gun still in her hands. "But I didn't expect to rely on agency training again in my lifetime. There are just so many things you learn that you never-"

"Amanda." Lee pleaded. "Can you hand me the semi automatic weapon please?"

"Oh!" Amanda's eyes went wide. And she passed the weapon off as if it were a smelly old sneaker.

"What I still can't figure out," said Lee, "is why one of the agency's biggest talents is wrapped up with a retired agent and a housewife."

"I'm not a housewife," Amanda stated.

Lee looked up at her with sadness in his eyes. "Of course." Not a wife at all, he thought bitterly. "A philanthropist then," he suggested.

"Lee," She changed the subject. "What are we going to do when we land?"

He raised his eyebrows. He had no idea.

Chapter Nine

"I'm still not thrilled about the fact that my dress fit him." Amanda said, annoyed.

Lee finished tying a turban on Amanda's head. He let his hand brush the skin of her neck. Amanda stiffened at his touch and he backed away.

"Amanda, he's a small man." And he almost laughed.

She huffed, "I don't think its especially funny."

He sobered and glanced at the two captors, now bound, gagged and hooded, wearing Lee and Amanda's clothing. "No, I guess its not. I'm sorry that you're involved in this Amanda. I never thought-- I never wanted--"

Amanda could see this was difficult for him. "I know its not your fault Lee. Its OK."

He smiled half-heartedly and reached for a can of grease he'd found on board. "I'm really sorry about this too." And he delved his fingers into the goo, smearing a good portion all over Amanda's delicate skin.

"Ew." She puckered her face in disgust.

"Would you rather have them shoot the white woman on site?" He asked.

"No." She grimaced again at the goo. "But I get to do you next." And she grabbed a dollop of the grease in her fingers. Ready to attack.

"Uh uh..." He stopped her. "I think I can manage on my own thank you." He held her arm back.

She smiled at the touch of his hand on her, and he quickly dropped it away. "I'm going to see if I can get a secure channel on the radio -- get a message through to Billy. Keep an eye on Mrs. King there." He motioned to her decoy. And she smirked at his attempt at humor.

***************************

When they landed, Lee and Amanda disguised, greased up and with their faces covered with scarves, escorted their prisoners to the nearby hangar. As soon as they had secured themselves inside, a third terrorist emerged from a white unmarked van.

He spoke sharply in the same Arabic dialect the others had. Amanda stiffened. They were going to blow it. How could they respond without giving themselves away?

She was shocked when Lee spoke up. "They are all yours now." He replied to the man in his native tongue. "Where is our money?"

The man looked skeptically at Lee. "Why are you covered in this dirt?"

Calmly Lee replied that that they had needed to camouflage themselves in the event that they were met with hostile forces on landing. "We would be easily recognizable." He continued, "We are hunted men here."

The terrorist nodded in understanding and demanded that Lee load his captives into the back of the truck. As he shoved them in, Amanda gazed horrified at the feet of the man in her dress. The hair on this legs made it very apparent that he was either not a woman, or else a very unattractive one.

Lee followed her stare and quickly shoved the men into the van and shut the door. They looked at each other somewhat relieved.

Lee spoke up to the driver, who was about to radio his station to let them know of his arrival. "Our payment now," he demanded.

"Of course," the other replied, reaching into the front seat of the truck and retrieving a manila envelope. "The Karbala thanks you for your service."

Lee nodded in response, but inside he was reeling. The Karbala. It couldn't be. He quickly stepped over toward Amanda and whispered. "We've got to get out of here and find some transportation before we loose him."

Amanda whispered back, "Shouldn't we wait for reinforcements?"

"And if they don't come?" Lee asked.

She nodded hesitantly and they made their way quickly outside. Lee ordered her to wait behind a nearby building while he searched for a vehicle. While she waited she talked to herself. "I'm too old to be chasing terrorists around Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia! I'm in Saudi Arabia. No passport, no itinerary. I didn't even do this sort of thing when I worked for the agency. Now I'm in Saudi Arabia."

"Amanda!" Lee whispered loudly from around the corner, trying desperately to get her attention.

She came out of her diatribe, and quickly ran in his direction. He grabbed her hand and they jumped into a waiting hum vee. "Very unassuming," She noted.

"You want to try and find a decent ride in the middle of the desert?" He asked sarcastically.

With that - their friend from the hangar emerged in the white van. "Here we go," Lee said. And he began tailing him from a distance.

***************************

As they drove, Lee tutored Amanda on using the hum vee's radio to find a secure channel. "We've got to get in touch with the Saudi government. If this is what I think it is -- they are going to be as surprised as we were."

"They're dissidents?" Amanda asked, then the recollection hit her like a ton of bricks. "Lee," She asked horrified. "You don't think... Its not--"

Lee touched her hand gently. "Amanda, inside that hangar that goon thanked me on behalf of the Karbala."

"Adi Birol." She muttered weakly.

Lee tried to rally her. "We don't know that. It could just be a faction of his original resistance group. Birol's been in prison since we put him there. There is no way the Saudi's would have released him."

"What if he wasn't released?" She bit her lip. "What if he escaped?"

"Lets just go with what we know here. OK?" He grabbed her hand tighter, in reassurance. "Birol's been in prison for over 12 years. The Karbala resistance has been non-existent ever since. And even if it is him -- we've beaten him before, we can do it again."

Amanda shook her head in fear. "We were also much younger and had a lot more support back then."

"Hey!" He reprimanded her sharply. "I may be semi-retired, but I'm sharper than ever. And as for you, you've been right there with me this whole time. I would have liked to have seen the Amanda King I met at the train station undo those ropes or snooker a terrorist into a surprise attack."

"You've got a point there." She smiled feebly and squeezed his hand in return. "Thank you."

He looked down at their entwined fingers and said soberly, "Thank me when I get you back home to Savannah."

"Chateau Briand for two?" She asked.

"Only if you can promise, no interruptions," He replied slyly. And he looked at her lovingly for a moment before returning his sites to the vehicle they followed. "Amanda..." He wanted to apologize for running out last night.

But before he could finish the van made a sudden turn off. "What's this?" He asked. "This could be it. Get on that radio and send these coordinates to the Saudi's. And lets pray it gets through."

**************************

Inside the compound, the terrorist from the hangar unloaded the prisoners and shoved them into a holding area. Moments later, Lee and Amanda watched from a distance while three people returned to the cell.

Amanda gasped and Lee put his hand around her mouth to silence her. It was Adi Birol, but even worse was the fact that his cohort seemed to be Yusef, the agency's loan-out from Saudi Arabia. Lee recalled how he had told Yusef of his deepest fears about Amanda and Birol. He cringed to know that he had certainly planned all this with that knowledge in mind. "That son of a--" Lee cursed. "I can't believe it. The whole time we were working on tearing down the Karbala, he was preparing to build it back up again."

Seconds passed and a barrage of foreign curse words emerged from inside the holding cell. "You imbecile. Look at them! Do they look like an American couple to you?" Birol bellowed ordering Yusef to, "Take him out and shoot him. This can only mean that Stetson and Amanda King are on to my scheme. We must prepare to move."

Suddenly from behind Lee and Amanda came a voice, "Over here!" It was one of Birol's soldiers. "There is someone here."

Lee and Amanda scurried to duck the hail of bullets that ensued. "Just flush them out!" Birol ordered. "Don't kill them-- yet."

"Stay back!" Lee ordered Amanda, as he fired back in vain. They were easily outnumbered, 10 to 1. In moments, Amanda had been captured and Lee was surrendering himself to Birol's men.

"Bring them to my office." He ordered. "I have a surprise for them."

Chapter Ten

Inside Birol's make-shift office, Amanda and Lee sat in silence, until Lee decided to break it with another apology. "I'm sorry to have gotten you into this Amanda."

"What are you talking about?" She asked. "You had no idea Birol was free, or that he would come after us."

"No," he agreed. "But I did know that allowing you to work with me all those years ago would put you in considerable risk. Everything bad that's ever happened to you has been a direct result of you knowing me."

She shook her head in denial. "We've been through this before. I was a grown woman then, and I'm a grown woman now. I made my own choices. And I don't regret any of them." She stopped herself, knowing that was untrue.

"No," she continued. "There is one choice I would have made differently."

Lee looked up at her with all the hope he could muster. And she was ready to pour her heart out. But as timing always had worked against them, the door swung open and Birol entered.

"Well, well -- so nice of you to come celebrate at my coming out party." He smiled wickedly. "Its only fitting that since you were there when I went away, you should be here to see my return."

Lee stood to confront him. "What's this all about Birol. How did you get out of prison?" "I won't bore you with the details." He laughed. "But lets just say that when that guard wakes up, he's going to be shocked when he looks in the mirror. My own mother would swear he was her son."

Amanda spoke up, "Why have you brought us here?"

"Ah Amanda. Its so nice to see you again." He smiled a sinister grin and stroked Amanda's cheek. "I brought you here because I have a gift for you. A special treat, to thank you for our time together."

Lee lunged at him, disgusted with the idea of Birol touching her. "Get your hands off her." But before he could reach him, one of the soldiers put the butt of a semi automatic into his gut. Lee doubled over in pain and landed on the nearby cot.

"Lee!" Amanda screamed.

Determined, Lee tried to rise up and attack again, but this time the soldier punched him square in the jaw, sending him flying to the floor. Once down, the solider continued to kick him into submission.

"Please!" Amanda begged Birol.

"Very well. That's enough," He addressed the soldier. "You may go fetch our surprise now."

Birol stepped back and allowed Amanda to tend to Lee. She hovered over him and helped him to a more upright position. Her hand supporting his back, his head hung in pain, she cradled him. "Are you all right?" She whispered.

He moaned an affirmation, but it was hardly believable. A knock sounded at the door and Amanda looked up on edge. Birol smiled, "Now we will have fun!"

He opened the door and behind it was a tall Caucasian male, dressed in army fatigues and covered with a hood similar to the ones Amanda and Lee had used on the pilot and his accomplice. A soldier pushed the man into the room and closed the door behind him.

Birol stepped behind the man and pointed his gun at his back.

"The Prince?" Amanda asked quietly.

"Ah yes," Birol confirmed. "But what do you know of this Prince. Hm? He is very sly is he not? No one but key players aware of his identity. He was able to bring down my largest faction while I rotted in that hell hole. My quest he destroyed -- yet it only added fuel to the fire. For while most of the agency is unaware of his identity, I am very aware-- and very fortunate to know that his death will not only show me as a force to be reckoned with, but will also serve as payment for what you personally have done to me."

"Me?" Amanda asked. "I don't even know--"

Birol silenced her, as he pushed the gun further into the back of The Prince. "Ah, but you do know him! That is the joy in all this." And he ripped the hood away from the face of Philip King.

Amanda gasped, "Philip!"

And even in his weakened state, Lee was able to look up in horrified recognition. The Prince was Philip King. It was so obvious, why hadn't he figured it out before. "Philip," Lee whispered, and allowed Amanda to sit him upright.

When she had righted Lee, she jumped to her feet and towards her bruised and battered son. He was badly beaten, but aware. "Mom. I'm sorry for all this."

"Your sorry?" She whispered through imminent tears. "This is all my fault."

"No." Philip insisted.

Birol laughed heartily. "Well, I think I'll let you have a little family reunion before I crash the party. Don't get too comfortable. Rest assured, the end is coming for all of you."

When the door closed, Amanda rushed to Philip and threw her arms around him. "What's going on?" She cried. "I don't understand this."

Philip pulled her off him and ordered her, "Help Lee up, we need to work fast."

Stunned by his firm tone and calculated manner, Amanda quickly knelt to the floor and placed one of Lee's arms over her shoulder. Philip took the other side and they sat him on the cot.

"I'm all right." Lee insisted, and steadied himself.

Philip paced the floor. "I know that there is an air strip about six miles west of here. If we can manage to take out the guards, I think we should be able to contact the Saudi government."

"Its done." Lee explained. "On our way in here, Amanda radioed our coordinates. We just need to sit tight."

The Prince was not impressed. "And what if your message didn't get though? We need a plan to get out of this on our own."

Amanda was still in shock. "Philip, you've got to explain what you're doing here."

"This is not the time." He barked.

She cowered, hurt by the tone her first born had taken with her, even in the most dire of situations. Seeing her pain, Lee pushed himself to a standing position and faced his step-son.

"Now just a minute son. I'm as shocked as Amanda is to see you here. And I know better than anyone the importance of planning our tactical maneuvers. I'm also aware of your reputation and that you're one of the best in the business. But I'm pretty sure I outrank you here." Philip bowed his head in silent agreement. "Now your mother just asked you a question, and before we start planning how to deal with Birol and his men, I think you ought to take a few seconds and answer her."

Philip nodded and turned toward Amanda, who was seated on the cot. He knelt down in front of her and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry mom. I've known for days that Birol's plan was to bring you here. He's been taking pleasure every day in telling me about his plot to make us all suffer. But when I saw you, I just knew I had to let The Prince take control. He's stronger than Philip King. Philip's worried about his mom. But The Prince can play Birol's game without hesitation."

"How?" Amanda asked, addressing her son's station within the agency.

"When the Iranian's kidnapped me back in the late 80's--" He started.

"You remember that? I thought they erased your short term memory?"

"They didn't." Philip continued. "Even then, I knew more about the situation over here than you did. They decided to keep you in the cold, because of the personal risk. They couldn't take the chance that you would be too cautious because of family ties."

Lee was as stunned as Amanda. "So you've known all along. About me, about your mother and the agency."

"Since you stopped working together," Philip answered. "That's when I was recruited."

"You were just a boy!" Amanda shouted.

Philip half smiled. "It wasn't aggressive training at first. Remember all those scouting trips? Preparing for Eagle? They all took place at station one."

"So your not really an Eagle scout?" Amanda asked as lightheartedly as possible.

"Not quite. But better I think," He answered. "Wouldn't you agree Lee?"

Lee was sober. "Don't look for a compadre here Philip. If I get my hands on Billy -- a teenage boy, in agency training!"

Philip tried to defend himself. "It was just odd courier jobs at first, things that wouldn't get me in too much trouble. Nothing more dangerous than say, a suburban housewife could handle."

Lee and Amanda looked at each other defeated. He had them. Amanda spoke first. "Does your brother know?" And before he could answer she asked, "Your brother's not an agent too?"

"No," Philip laughed. "And he doesn't know a thing."

"All right spy family," Amanda took the lead. "If we're going to get out of this we better get to work."

Lee and Philip looked at each other, quite amused with their undaunted partner. "Is she always like this?" Lee asked in amusement.

"You should know," Philip smiled in response.

Chapter Eleven

Their plan completely devised in a matter of twenty minutes the three were left to their own thoughts until Birol's arrival. While Amanda rested on the cot, Philip cornered Lee on the other side of the room.

"Lee," He said. "About what happened before. You were right. I was out of line. I just wanted to thank you. I appreciate how you looked out after her. The way you've always looked out after her."

Lee scoffed. "Not well enough apparently. Her oldest son is an agent with IFF and we're all here in the hands of one of our most notorious adversaries. I'd say I've done a pretty lousy job of looking out for her actually."

"If that was true," he offered. "None of us would probably even be alive today and you know it. I never really think about it much, but faced with her participation in the agency -- it amazes me. To think of my mother running around in this business--"

"She's an amazing woman," Lee said appreciatively. "The best I've ever known."

Philip smiled warmly at Lee. "And when this is all over?"

"I'll see to it she finds all the peace she deserves." And then he added, "Without me."

"And you think that without you she can find it?" Philip smiled. "The only way she's ever going to be happy is if she's running avoidance patterns with you Scarecrow. She thrived on it. She occupied herself with nonsense for the past twelve years, and never in all that time have I seen her as alive as she's been right here in the middle of hell."

"Better safe than sorry." Lee insisted.

Philip had to ask. "Do you still love her?"

Lee was stunned. He wondered how much of the truth Philip King had uncovered about he and Amanda's relationship - working or otherwise.

Philip tried again. "Hard to believe if you could love her enough to marry her, and love her enough to let her go -- that you wouldn't love her enough to take her back."

"You know?" Lee asked.

"Billy." Philip stated bluntly.

Lee nodded. "Of course." And then he answered his question, "And of course I do."

The young man smiled. "Then its settled. When we get back to Savannah, you make an honest woman out of my mother Scarecrow."

"Its not that easy," Lee replied.

"Sure it is."

"What are you too talking about?" Amanda asked from her resting place on the cot.

"Business," They responded in unison, and then laughed out loud.

But their laughter was quickly halted, as the door swung open. "I'm so glad to hear you enjoying yourselves. I hope you had a nice time, since we must now break up this little reunion."

Chapter Twelve

Birol was practically giddy with the anticipation of killing the three people he hated most. He taunted them, asking how they would like to die. If they had any last words, etc.

"You're a sick man," Philip said.

"I would watch what you say boy," Birol threatened. "As it is, you now get to watch your mother die first."

Philip lunged for Birol, but was thwarted by his personal guard and sent flying onto the floor by the force of the man's fist.

"Philip!" Amanda yelled, and tried to attend to her son.

But Birol stopped her. "Take her," he ordered. And the guard stepped forward and grabbed Amanda King by the arm.

"Wait! Birol this is stupid." Lee attempted to intervene. "If you kill her, us-- you get nothing but the momentary satisfaction of watching us die." He swallowed hard. "But if you bargain with the US... just think of what leverage you will have with three American agents."

"Do you think I am stupid?" Birol asked. "I know that the only real bargaining chip here is The Prince. A retired agent and a simple woman - you are worthless to me, and of no real value to your government."

Lee was silent and rather insulted. He wasn't even 50 yet and Birol assumed he was worthless to his government. Maybe he was right. But now wasn't the time to assess his career. "All right. But what about The Prince. You can't kill him, you said so yourself."

"No," Birol stated. "I said he was worth more than you. I didn't say I cared. The Karbala will be seen as powerful and ruthless, and you will all die. Just exactly what I always wanted."

He looked at Lee and at the fear in Amanda's face, as the guard held his gun to her back. "Don't worry. I'm going to let you all have your last moments together. Its rather poetic, isn't it? The entire spy family dying together?"

Only the smallest hint of shock passed over Lee's face, but Birol didn't miss a beat. "Yes, of course I know your little secret. After Amanda's visions during her captivity with me, and then the rumors and bits of information I received while in prison, it wasn't hard to put together."

Then he turned to his guard, "Let's go. Mrs. Stetson has an appointment with her maker."

He turned to face Lee and Philip. "We'll be back for you shortly. I'm going to make sure you have a wonderful location for the execution. The best seat in the house."

"Lee!" Amanda screamed as she was shoved through the door.

"Hold on Amanda," he cried.

And the door was shut.

Lee bent to the floor and helped Philip to the cot. "About that plan of yours?"

"We don't have much time." He looked to Lee for answers. "Can she hold her own for now?"

Lee let out a slow sigh. "Someday I'll tell you stories. For now, lets get her and us out of this."

**********************************

When the guards returned to the cell, two of the agency's best were lying in wait. The first guard opened the door and found Philip laying on the floor, with the appearance of having been recently beaten.

Philip weakly looked up and muttered, "He said I was responsible for killing my mother. I think he escaped through the ventilation shaft." He motioned to the cot, which was now standing upright near the open air duct.

The first guard ordered the second to go and alert the others, and then started to enter the room to maintain a hold on the remaining hostage. But as he passed through the doorway, Lee jumped him from behind. Fists flying, he easily incapacitated the soldier.

When the man lay unconscious on the floor, Lee snickered, "Worthless, huh?"

"Come on," Philip pushed Lee toward the door and they made their way through the compound.

*****************************

Meanwhile, Birol had secured Amanda to a pole just outside the main building, her hands tied behind her back. He approached her, carrying a blindfold.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't have been more imaginative Amanda, but I don't have much time for theatrics these days. My movement is gaining momentum and I need to put all of my effort there. Not that this will be a disappointment mind you, I am sure as far as death scenes go, this will be quite dramatic."

Amanda begged, "Why are you doing this?"

"Why?" Birol spat. "You can't be so ignorant. I have sat in prison for twelve years counting the moments until I could do this very thing. I lost everything because of you -- and I will get it back because of you as well."

He placed the blindfold over her eyes. "No!" she pleaded. "Lee! Lee!"

"I wouldn't be so eager to see Lee. He will be here shortly," Birol assured her. "My guards should arrive with them any moment and when they do, you may say your last good-byes."

As Philip and Lee assessed the situation from a bunker nearby, they heard a strange rumbling. Gazing up at the sky, Philip pointed and shouted over the noise, "Here comes the Saudi Calvary." A helicopter loomed overhead.

"Damn," said Lee. "He'll try to use Amanda as cover."

In the compound yard, Birol had indeed lost it. "Guards! Guards! Move, move!" he yelled. The remaining men, about eight of them, scattered collecting weaponry and diving behind buildings and bunkers. When the volley of machine gun fire began, Birol quickly undid Amanda's restraints.

"What's going on?" she pleaded from behind the blindfold.

Birol replied, "The men in your life aren't very bright Amanda. Now I'm going to have to use you as my shield."

"You shield!" she screamed, but it was silenced by the sound of gunfire.

"Lee!" she screamed again.

"Shut up!" Birol ordered, and he continued to walk behind her into a nearby garage.

Philip and Lee followed, trying hard to avoid the battle between Birol's men and the helicopter. Jeeps carrying more militia were now arriving, and the shots rang out from every direction.

With all but a few of Birol's men down or in custody, Lee and Philip took their chance at rescuing Amanda. "Let me take Birol, you just get your mother out of here."

Philip agreed with a nod of his head. Hovering over a frantic Birol, the agents jumped from their perch on the adjacent building and easily separated him from Amanda. Instantly, Lee squared off with Adi Birol, striking him firmly in the jaw, knocking him off balance. Philip took the opportunity to grab Amanda and run to safety.

Momentarily caught up in making sure Philip and Amanda escaped, Lee was taken off guard by a recuperating Birol. The two men entered into a battle royal, each with angry vengeance fueling their aggression. Birol was losing, and after one particularly brutal blow, he fell away from Lee to the sandy ground. Weakened, but refusing to give in, Birol cautiously reached down into his pant leg and pulled out a small pistol. Slowly, as if pained and defeated, he turned back towards Lee who was regaining his strength above him.

With the Karbala soldiers in custody, Amanda and Philip carefully made their way to the safe haven of the Saudi army. Just as they were nearing their refuge, the sound of a single gun shot broke through the eerily silent compound.

Amanda turned back in horror, "Lee!"

Philip stopped her from running back. "Wait," he ordered. "I'll go." And he called for a Saudi soldier.

"Take her, and give me your weapon." He flashed his ID and spoke in an Arabic dialect. In seconds, he was off running in the direction of the shot.

******************************

US ARMY HEADQUARTERS, SAUDI ARABIA

Amanda found herself alone and frightened in a sterile room. She had no word on her son or Lee since Philip ran off in the desert. No matter how many times she asked the rigid government officials for answers, they refused to respond. Instead, they pelted her with question after question of their own. Debriefing her endlessly for the past three hours.

When the door opened, she took a deep breath and refused to turn around. "I will not answer any more of your questions until you tell the condition of my son and Agent Stetson."

"Not even if I'm the one asking the questions?" a familiar voice asked.

"Sir!" Amanda stood and crossed the room quickly.

"I think Billy will do," said her former boss, Billy Melrose. "Its been a long time." And he held out his arms to her.

She stepped into his welcoming hug and sighed. Then separating herself from the comfort of a friend, she took a step back and asked, "Where are they?"

"Why don't you have a seat?" He motioned to a nearby table.

Amanda obeyed reluctantly, "Just tell me. I can take it, you know I can."

"I do at that," Billy smiled faintly. "Philip's being debriefed. He's fine, he found Lee and Birol in a death grip and managed to put an end to it. Those two were hell bent on destroying each other."

"And Lee?" Amanda asked.

Billy sobered, "He took a bullet from Birol's gun. Its serious, but I've seen him pull through worse. Of course, he was a lot younger then." He reminisced, "We all were."

"Can I see them?"

"No one's going to be seeing Philip for a while. In fact, you may not get to talk to him until you all get back home. They want him tight as a drum until their able to get all the answers." Amanda nodded an understanding.

"But Lee, I think that's a definite possibility." He took her hand in his, and helped her to her feat. "Its good to see you again Amanda. Wish the circumstances could have been better."

"I've missed you too sir." She corrected herself, "Billy."

He walked her down the hall to a make-shift hospital room. Before she entered, Billy stopped her. "Amanda, I have no business in your personal life, but time and a lot of tough spots have made me about the closest thing Lee Stetson has to a father figure. I shouldn't even be here, I'm strictly admin now, but I couldn't sit it out."

Amanda shook her head, realizing this level of honesty was hard for the man who had given her and Lee their orders.

"Anyway... I'm sure it doesn't surprise you to know that I'm aware of what transpired between you and Lee all those years ago. Hell, an agent with my experience would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to have figured it out. But I kept my mouth shut. And I kept it shut when you called it quits, understanding your maternal need to keep your family safe. But I can't keep it shut now."

He put his hand on her arm, a plea for understanding. "I don't know how much you and Lee talked these last couple days, but if you've had any time together it can't be news to you that he's not the same man. He's alone, he's hard and frankly, he doesn't have a thing in this world to live for."

Amanda choked back guilty tears. "I know," she replied softly.

"The visit from your daughter-in-law, the way Lee high-tailed it to Savannah, hell the look on your face all tells me I'm not wrong about this. Give him a reason Amanda," he pleaded. "Pull him through this."

Amanda couldn't answer, aware that the next sound from her lips would be a strangled cry. She simply smiled faintly, turned and entered the room.

Francine Fielder sat at Lee's bedside. When Amanda entered, she stood abruptly, wiping away a tell-tale tear and approached her old nemesis. "Mrs. Stetson," she said simply and embraced her tightly.

As Francine released her from the unexpected hug, Amanda smiled warmly and said, "Thank you."

Without another word, the typically tenacious Francine Fielder changed faces and said, "I'll expect a full report as soon as you get back to the States." And she was gone.

Amanda approached Lee's unconscious form and perched herself on the edge of his bed. "Same old Francine. No wonder you're semi-retired." She laughed softly.

In a few quick glances she took in all the medical equipment, the bandages on his face where Birol had broken his perfect skin, the IV in his right hand, and the large wrap around his middle, where the doctor's had sewn up the hole put there by the madman.

"I need to talk to you," she said. "When you told me on the plane how you had been spying on me for the past twelve years, well... it unnerved me a little."

She reached out and touched his hand gently. "Not for the reasons you would think. Not because some guy has been staring at me and my family from across the road for the past decade plus," she said. "but because it was just so sad- remembering that during every one of those events in my life, I found myself secretly praying that out of no where you would appear. Just like you always had."

She wiped away a tear. "And here you were, just across the street. What I would have given to run right over to that house and drag you, kicking and screaming if I had to, to dance at our Anniversary party."

She laughed, "Bet you didn't know that, did you? How I'd shoo away my family and set myself up with a little dinner, dessert, and candlelight, every February 13th. It's become quite a little tradition for me."

She held his hand tighter. "Well Lee, the reason I'm spilling my guts here is because I'm trying to work up some nerve. See, I don't want to have to go through another one of those anniversary celebrations solo. I know I don't deserve it. I know I hurt you. But I'd like to be your partner again. We made a great team. And with Philip on board, and support like Emma and Jamie. I don't think we have much to lose."

The monotonous beep of the heart monitor was the only response that followed. Amanda sadly bent her head and lay it next to his side, tired and somewhat defeated. She continued to talk, "It might take some time, I realize that. I'm a difficult person to live with. You would have to get used to having me around a lot more, even more than when we were together. And I know I still have a lot to learn and relearn about being an agent, but I think with the right agency training..."

The flutter of something in her hair made her bolt upright. "Your fingers!" She exhaled. "You moved your fingers."

She grabbed his hand again. "Lee, can you hear me? If you can hear me, move your fingers again."

His lips slowly parted and a soft sound escaped them, "Of course I can hear you. If I was in another dimension I could hear you Amanda King." He smiled and slowly started to open his eyes.

"Stetson," she said adamantly.

He smiled faintly and clutched at her hand. "My things. There's something I need."

Amanda stood up and reluctantly let go of him. "Over here?" She asked, pointing to the table.

"The chain," he said.

She reached past the wallet and coins, gun and badge and picked up the long gold chain. On the end of it dangled his golden wedding band. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Bring it here," he asked.

She returned to his bedside, and removed the ring from the chain. "You've kept it with you all this time?"

"Its my good luck charm," he said weakly. "Put it on."

Amanda laughed nervously. "Didn't do you much good today." And she cautiously slid the band onto his ring finger.

"It didn't do me any good until today," he insisted.

Amanda grinned and reached into her blouse, pulling out the platinum chain that held her diamond heart pendant. Next to it, now lay her own wedding band. As she removed it she said, "I guess it's no good unless it has its mate."

"It's partner." Lee breathed. "May I?"

Carefully holding her hand in the one that was attached to the IV, he eased the ring onto her finger with his good hand, then placed it protectively over hers, to keep it close. "Partner's?" Amanda smiled. "I don't know Scarecrow, you've been running around solo for a long time now. Come to think of it, we're kinda right back where we started."

His grip tightened around her fingers and he pulled her in closer. "I kinda like the sound of that." Then after a second of thought, "Then again, maybe we could skip to the part where I say…there's still an awful lot I don't know about you, but I sure am going to enjoy finding out."

"Tell you what Mr. Stetson," she replied, inching even closer to his face. "You get yourself out of that bed, and we'll skip right to the 'for all the days of your life' line, deal?"

"Where'd you learn such great negotiating skills?" He asked, as he now brushed her cheek with his free hand.

"I had the best teacher," she answered. And she kissed his probing fingers.

The light touch of her lips inflamed the fire within him that had been smoldering for over a decade. Even in his weakened state, it was easy for him to reach his fingers into her raven hair and pull her in for a kiss that broke through all the barriers time had erected.

When breathlessly she finally pulled away, he protested. "Don't leave."

"Never," she replied, and nestled her head against his good side, his warm protective arm cradling her, his fingers stroking her hair.

In her comfort, she had an amusing concern, without raising her head she asked, "If Philip knows, and Jamie knows, and Billy knows and Francine knows… do you think it'll still be the same? Can we love each other without all that secrecy?"

"Oh," he whispered through the pain medication. "I've still got a few secrets."

Amanda smiled, "I was hoping you'd say that."

THE END

Look for BEGINNINGS, the next part in my new S&MK Trilogy, coming soon!

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