DISCLAIMER: Scarecrow and Mrs. King are the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. My use of these characters is intended purely for entertainment, a few laughs and maybe a sigh or two
Title: Great Expectations 5/?
Author: Merel Inglis
Time Frame: Takes place after the show ended, the marriage is common knowledge
Summary: We know he can shoot with deadly accuracy, drop-kick a KGB agent in to the next day without mussing his hair, and bootleg his 'vett into any parking space in DC. But how will the charming and dashing Lee Stetson face the adventures of becoming a father?
Rating: G
Archive: Fine, but ask first
Author's Notes: Thank you, Pam, for taking the time to beta-read for me. Your feedback and interest in this story is much appreciated.
Lee pulled his 'vette into his assigned space in the parking garage. He flashed on the locks and alarm and gave the car a tender pat on the fender before heading over to the guard desk near the elevator doors.
"Hey, Sam, how's it going?" he asked the uniformed guard pleasantly, signing in.
"Just fine, Mr. Stetson, and you?" The young man smiled at him from behind the metal desk.
"Great, Sam, glad to be back." Stetson walked towards the elevator and it opened as if on cue. Just as the doors began to close he saw Sam stand up and wave at him.
"Oh, congrats, Mr. Stetson," the guard shouted out, just as the elevator doors closed in the face of the bewildered Scarecrow.
Strange, Lee thought. Wonder what that was about? He thought for a moment. Oh, I must have won the accounting department's football pool. A cocky, self-assured and slightly smug grin lit his features. He made a mental note to go and pick up his winnings before he left for the day.
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Lee checked his watch and picked up speed as he headed down the hall towards the bullpen. He was twenty minutes late for the staff meeting in Billy's office and he didn't want his head handed to him on a platter. Billy hated for anyone to be tardy, promptness being a major pet peeve of the Field Unit Director.
Scarecrow eased through the conference room door and quickly took the only chair available at the table, across from Amanda. He glanced at her as he took his seat, giving her a small wink and a smile. She returned his greeting with a nervous twitch of her lips and then looked down to pick a something on the sweater she was wearing. The smile ran from Scarecrow's face as he recognized she was obviously ill at ease over something. He caught Billy shooting him an annoyed look and he pulled a small notebook and pen from his suit jacket and tried to focus on the briefing. He scribbled some quick notes, trying to play catch-up on what he'd already missed.
A muffled chuckle and a snort from the far end of the table caught his attention. He looked up to see Feldman and Cranston smirking at him. Now what the hell is up with those two? Francine, who was sitting next to Phil Cranston, gave him a quick elbow in the ribs and shot him a dirty look.
"So, Scarecrow, do you have an update from Williamsburg?" Billy's voice pulled Lee's attention back to the briefing.
"Ah, yeah, Billy," he started, casting another glance down at Phil, who was trying, albeit not very hard, to hide a broad grin behind his hand. "The, ah, Hansen case is almost tied up," Lee started, giving Cranston a dirty look of his own. "We think we've located the leak. I briefed the security team and…" he paused, eyes and ears scanning the room slowly. From the numerous smirks, muted snickers, and cocky grins that graced the faces of the other meeting participants, Scarecrow knew that there was definitely something going on that he was not privy to. And he didn't like it. He looked back at Amanda, who was now studiously investigating one of her fingernails. She seemed utterly fascinated and engrossed in the inspection and would not meet his gaze.
"People, please." Billy shushed the room. "You were saying, Scarecrow?" He tried to hide his own amusement but failed miserably.
Lee raised an eyebrow at his boss, his eyes flashing his annoyance at what appeared to be a joke that everyone was in on but him. "We're expecting to make a bust within the week."
"What else are you 'expecting', Scarecrow?" Adam Harrison piped up from his perch on the other side of Francine. The question was met with numerous giggles and tittering and one sharp elbow to the ribs, once again delivered by Francine.
Lee scowled, his face turning an interesting shade of red. He glanced at Amanda to find that she'd left off her inspection of her manicure and was now disassembling her ballpoint pen.
"Well, thank you, Scarecrow, for that update." Billy broke through the chatter and Lee's obvious annoyance. "That about does it, people. Adam and Frank, check with Francine on the details of the Kerchevski list. Ann, if you have a moment, I need to talk with you. Meet me in my office in a few moments?"
It was well after five o'clock and the agents didn't waste a moment to find their way out of the conference and back to their individual offices and then home. Scarecrow stuffed his notepad and pen back into his jacket pocket and quickly skirted around Billy in the doorway to catch up to Amanda in the hallway.
"What is going on, Amanda?" He grabbed her elbow and slowed her pace.
"What's going on?" Amanda slowed to a jog, her husband retaining his grip on her arm.
Lee's eyes narrowed. "You heard me. What was that all about?" He motioned back in the general direction of the conference room.
"What was what all about?" Amanda shrugged, trying in vain to disengage herself from her husband's grasp.
"Um hm, just as I figured. You know what's going on. Spill it." They came to an abrupt halt in front of the elevators.
"Spill what?" Amanda asked, pushing at the elevator button for the fourth time. "I don't know what you're talking about, sweetheart."
"Like hell you don't!" Lee bristled. "Don't try to pull that coy act on me. Something is going on here," he glanced around, catching the curious glances and smiles those around them. You won't even look me in the eye, and you keep repeating every question I ask you. I know what that means, Mrs. Stetson."
"It means you're being silly, Lee." She rolled her eyes. "Everyone is just a little punchy…that's all. It's been a long day and an even longer meeting….most of which you missed."
"Don't change the subject," he stated flatly.
"I'm not changing the subject. Why would you even say that? So, how was Williamsburg?"
Lee narrowed his eyes at her again. "Amanda…" he started, the warning signs of his impending loss of temper quite clear. Just then the elevator dinged its arrival.
Amanda swung around and looked her husband square in the eye. "Look, please, Lee, just get on this elevator with me and come up to the Q-Bureau. I promise I will explain everything when we're there. Just not here, okay?" Her eyes pleaded with him. Okay, so I won't be able to break the news to him over a romantic dinner and a bottle of sparking cider…at least he won't learn he's going to be a father in the middle of an IFF corridor with all our co-workers gawking at us.
Lee frowned, then sighed and nodded his head in agreement. As the elevator doors opened, they were greeted with a puff of cigarette smoke and the steely gaze of Dr. Smyth.
"Late night, kiddies?" Smyth smiled from behind the cloud of smoke, an ebony cigarette holder clenched between his teeth. "Tsk, tsk, Scarecrow, don't you know that expectant mothers need their rest?"
"What?" Lee glared at the old man. He wasn't in the mood for jokes.
Amanda sagged against the wall, realizing that all hope was now lost. She scrunched her eyes closed, pinched the bridge of her nose, and tried not to listen to what was going to happen next. Become one with the wall, Amanda, you can do it.
"I'd say it's about time to take Mother Goose here home for a prenatal nap." Smyth smiled wickedly at the bewildered agent.
Scarecrow's mouth slowly dropped open as the implication of Dr. Smyth's verbal diatribe sank in. Slowly his gaze shifted from the lanky man's smirking face to his wife's beleaguered form. She looked like she was trying to fade into the wall.
Amanda peeked out over her fingertips; brown and hazel eyes connected. An eternity of silence passed as the two watched each other. Finally, Amanda, not knowing what else to do, smiled weakly at her husband.
"Surprise?" she offered up feebly.
"Oh, my gosh," Lee whispered.
To Be Continued