Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King belong to Warner and Shoot the Moon - not me!
Author's Notes: Here's a story about Jamie falling in love and dealing with IFF on an even more personal level. There are a few references to my story "Boundaries," so read that one if you're at all confused. This is the first part ... I'll try not to be too long with the others.
Philip couldn't help but chuckle at the email he was reading. Jamie hadn't mentioned anything but the wonders of architecture, photography and jazz music since he arrived at Georgetown. It had been two years since Philip had helped move his younger brother's junk into the dorm. Not once had Jamie ever mentioned a girl.
'I think I'm in love.' It was all the email said, and all it had to say. Philip shook his head again and reached for the phone.
"Hey, is Jamie home?" He waited as the typical obscenities were exchanged between roommates across the apartment. A loud crash was heard as his younger brother picked up the phone.
"This is Jamie."
"So, my little brother is in love, huh? You haven't mentioned a girl, and all of the sudden you're in love. How long have you been dating her?"
"I'm not dating her. I haven't even spoken to her-"
"You WHAT? Oh, Jamie, come on. This is pathetic, even for you."
"I'll ask you to save the insults, Philip. I saw her for the first time Wednesday in my art history class. She's the most amazing thing I've ever seen," Jamie said, his smile evident through the phone.
"James, what isn't the most amazing thing you've ever seen? You said your two younger siblings were the most amazing things you'd ever seen at their births, respectively. You came home from your trip saying the Kremlin was the most amazing thing ever. Then it was the Parthenon, and the Taj Mahal. Really, Jamie. How amazing can this girl be?" Philip teased.
"Jenny and Matthew are the most amazing things I've ever seen. And those buildings are incredible. But this girl, she's unbelievable. She has these intense brown eyes, and her hair falls about her shoulders in just the right way-" Jamie was interrupted by Philip making gagging sounds into the phone.
"Listen, I know it's late notice, but I was thinking of going home this weekend. Do you want to come with me, or do you have a hot date up your sleeve?" Philip asked.
"What exactly do they pay you to do at Annapolis anyway? It seems to me you can't find anything better to do than dick around on the computer and harass your baby brother over the phone!"
"I represent that comment, smart ass. Now are you coming or aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'll be ready by the time you get here," Jamie answered.
"Leave your books at home, little brother. You remember what happened to your books last time Matty got a hold of them," Philip laughed.
"He was just jealous I was spending more time with the book than him. I won't make the same mistake twice," Jamie laughed with his brother. "I still can't believe he took a crayon to my ninety-five dollar literature book."
"Okay, I should be at your place by 4:30. Don't tell Mom and Lee, it'll be a surprise!"
"Okay, bye Phil," Jamie smiled as he hung up the phone. He glanced over at his desk. Stacks of books and notebooks beckoned him. He ignored them and looked higher, to the shelves. They were full of pictures. There he was, fourteen years old, and holding his baby sister for the first time. He cringed at the braces and glasses. Jamie glanced further down to the picture of Philip holding a one-year-old Jenny while Jamie held his newborn brother in his arms. William Matthew, they had named him, in honor of Lee's best friend and also his father. As he looked up along the walls, more pictures stared back at him. Christmas last year, as Jenny and Matty opened presents. Pictures of the wedding party at that tiny little church on that perfect Christmas Eve. Jamie laughed and looked back at the books. 'Better get a little work done before I leave,' he thought, and plopped down into his desk chair.
Lee smiled as he pulled into the driveway of his Rockville home. There was Philip's new truck, parked next to the garage. He wondered if Philip had managed to drag his younger brother off campus for the weekend. Before he had a chance to speculate more, the front door opened and two streaks of color flew across the front yard.
"Daddy!" the pair squealed as he stepped out of his car. Lee scooped the two bundles into his arms and kissed them each respectively, right on the nose.
"And what have my partners in crime been up to today?" he smiled.
"Philip and Jamie are here, Daddy!" Jenny squealed as she hugged her father's neck.
"And Jamie didn't even bring any books with him!" Matthew added as he ran back towards the house.
Jenny slipped her hand into her father's as they strode across the lawn. The feelings this simple gesture created in Lee hadn't changed since Jenny had reached for her father's hand for the first time. He was hooked.
Once inside, Jenny let go of his hand and ran across the living room to jump into her handsome big brother's lap. Philip grunted as she landed. Matty already had Jamie engrossed in a Lego project. Lee couldn't help but laugh as he surveyed the scene. It was just like the two older boys had never left.
He looked up, across the room. There was his beautiful wife, watching him intently. He caught his breath at her. They had been married almost a decade, and she hadn't changed a bit. Sure, there were a few more wrinkles and a few more gray hairs, but she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. It was that beauty that he saw now in his children, as he surveyed the room again.
She slipped her hand around his waist as she came to stand next to him.
"I miss this," she whispered, watching her children.
"Me too," he answered.
After dinner, Amanda took Jenny and Matthew upstairs for their baths, and Philip had run to the store to get a bottle of Lee's favorite wine. Lee and Jamie cleaned up the table, and then Lee had ducked into his study to wrestle with the computer. Jamie stepped out onto the freshly cut grass of his parents' back lawn, and then collapsed backwards to gaze up at the stars. He missed being home more and more every time he came to visit. It was the reason he was beginning to stay away for longer and longer.
The back door opened and shut, and Lee sat down next to him on the grass, and lit a cigar.
"Your mother hates these things, but it's been Billy's latest passion. He has me hooked," Lee smiled as he puffed the cigar and handed it to Jamie. Jamie took a small puff and passed it back to Lee.
"Oh, I miss that," he sighed.
"But you're healthier now for quitting. And so are your brother and sister," Lee said. It still made him proud to think of the day that Jamie had confided he was going to quit smoking. He was sixteen, and he couldn't be setting a bad example for his younger siblings. He had dropped it cold turkey, and picked up a terrible caffeine habit in its place.
The silence was comfortable. It was a warm September evening, and the sky was beautiful. Jamie heard Philip's truck rumble over the gravel and smiled. He missed these talks in the backyard with Philip and his father. He missed everything so much.
It wasn't long before Philip joined them on the grass and the conversation picked up. Philip loved navy life, especially since he hadn't been on a boat yet. His computer expertise had earned him a quick job at Annapolis behind a desk. Lee and Amanda had both been proud and relieved he wouldn't be moving all over the world.
"So, did you tell Lee about dream girl, Jamie?" Philip laughed. Jamie went three shades of red.
"Dream girl? Jamie, you didn't tell us you were dating anyone!" Lee replied.
"I'm not exactly dating anyone, Lee." Lee and Philip both laughed hysterically. Jamie became even redder. He had learned a lot from both men, but hadn't seemed to pick up their ease around women. "But I'm going to talk to her Monday in history. I swear I will!"
Lee and Philip continued to laugh. Jamie rolled his eyes and lay back down onto the grass. Philip and Lee were talking about the Redskins now, and Jamie was tuning them out. He thought back to when Lee had been the last person he'd ever expect to be lying next to on the grass of a backyard. And yet, here they were.
"Not a day goes by that your mother doesn't talk about how much she misses you two," Lee said after a silence. "And not a day goes by that I don't agree with her."
Philip and Jamie smiled. Lee had become more than a stepfather to both of them. He was Philip's mentor of sorts. And he had become Jamie's best friend. Even when Philip would tell him he was crazy, Lee would always back him up. Over the years, the 'step' had dropped in conversation when they talked about each other. They were Lee's sons, his source of pride and inspiration. Lee was their father, their hero.
About an hour later, Lee and Philip had nearly finished off the "fabulous" bottle of wine, and Jamie was beginning to doze out on the grass, when Amanda joined her boys in the backyard.
"They finally went to bed! You two get them so wound up they don't know what to do with themselves," she giggled as she plopped onto the ground in between her husband's legs. Lee wrapped his arms around his wife as Jamie watched the pair with admiration.
"I don't know if I've ever told you two what a good looking pair you make," Jamie smiled.
"Jamie, you tell us that every time you're home. Is something bothering you sweetheart? You just seem so sentimental lately," Amanda looked over at her son, who looked so very much like her now that he was older.
"I don't know, Mom. I just feel so incomplete being away from home. I have friends at school ... I don't know. I'm just anxious to meet that special 'someone.' I look at you and Lee and just stand amazed. You're more in love than you were when I was twelve," Jamie sighed, returning his gaze to the stars.
"That 'someone' is out there somewhere, Jamie. You just have to be patient. She'll arrive when you least expect it," Lee smiled, nuzzling his chin against Amanda's shoulder.
"I hope you're right, Lee," Jamie sighed. He smiled gently and turned his attention back up to the sky, tuning Lee and his mother out as his stepfather began talking about "new recruits."
Jamie raked his hand through his short brown hair and sighed loudly. Class was almost over, and his opportunity to talk to "dream girl" was fast approaching. He gazed at her from across the room. She was an angel; there was no doubt in his mind. He was startled when he realized she was looking back at him, amused at his complete detachment from the lecture. He blushed and turned his attention back to the professor.
"Well, class, I think that about wraps things up for today. Uh, is there an Elizabeth Anderson in this class?" the professor asked, surveying the classroom. Jamie's girl raised her hand.
"Excellent. I need to see you for a few minutes, if you have the time."
Jamie smiled. Elizabeth. Beth. Liz. He waited outside in the lobby for her to come out of the room, until he was late for his next class. He finally gave up and headed across campus to the Foreign Language building. He was taking a graduate level Russian course, and writing a thesis on Dostoevsky. Jamie was the darling of the Russian department, and his professors begged him on a daily basis to double major. But Jamie had his heart set on a Foreign Service degree, even though he had no idea what he'd do with it.
He had a large, loud argument in Russian with his professor, just for the sake of impressing the second year graduate students with his abilities. Jamie would have no problem disappearing into Russia and never returning. After his ordeal when he was fourteen, Jamie's way of dealing with his trauma was by developing a strange obsession with the country he had been held captive in. Amanda, and especially Lee, had been worried sick, but Jamie's psychiatrist had assured them this was a perfectly normal reaction. After class he talked to his professor for a few minutes, and then caught the bus back to his apartment.
Lee Stetson let out an exasperated growl and dropped his forehead to the desk. Four new recruits had come in this afternoon, and he'd sent them all back to their respective military branches. It was hard to believe how many jokers had been sent to such a serious branch of the government. Lee was waiting for his last appointment, which was now forty-five minutes late. He realized it was raining and traffic was pretty nasty, but this was national security! This person had been summoned by the President himself to join the ranks! And she was forty-five minutes late. Lee shook his head and flipped the radio on behind him.
Thirty minutes later, a soft knock sounded from the office door.
"Come!" Lee barked, and then shook his head again as he realized he had become Billy Melrose.
The door opened slowly, and a timid face peered around the door.
"I'm looking for Lee Stetson," she said with a slight British accent.
"You've found him."
"The door says William Melrose," the female smiled as she stepped into the room.
"Well, that's a long story, uh ... " Lee paused as he flipped through the five manila folders on his desk. "Elizabeth?"
"Yes, sir. Elizabeth Anderson. I'm sorry I'm late, but I don't ever check my messages until after all my classes. By the time my history class was over and I got my summons, I was supposed to be here," she smiled.
"Oh, don't worry about that, Elizabeth." Lee frowned when she mentioned she was still a student. Everyone knew college students made the worst agent candidates, and he couldn't believe one was standing in front of him. She didn't look a day over sixteen. He flipped through her file, and realized Elizabeth was the first agent candidate in six years to be recruited by Dr. Smyth himself. Lee read the sentence again in disbelief. What the hell was Smyth doing above ground to recruit anyone? How on earth had he met this girl? No matter, she was sure to stay in the program, student or not, if only because she had impressed Smyth.
"Where are you a student? What are you studying?"
"I'm a senior at Georgetown. I'm an International Politics major, minoring in Russian," she smiled. Lee realized his mouth was partially open and he snapped it shut.
"That's very surprising! It never occurred to me you might be - a... uh ..."
"Intelligent? A senior in college? Well, big things come in small packages, Mr. Stetson."
"I'll say. My son is a Russian minor at Georgetown, too, coincidentally. He's a Foreign Services major, and my wife and I are hoping he'll go into politics. He's such a smart boy," Lee smiled, as Beth watched his face light up as he talked about his son.
"Foreign Services is a tough major, sir. Sounds like you're training a family of spies," Beth laughed. Lee frowned. None of his children were getting into his business if he had anything to do with it.
"Not quite, Elizabeth. This boy has studied in Prague, Munich, and just came home from Moscow. I don't think he has any desire to get involved in international counterespionage."
"It sounds to me that's exactly what he's interested in!"
"Anyway, Elizabeth. Let me call the woman who you'll be working with most often, and we'll take you on a tour of the building. I encourage you to get excited. This woman is the best agent in my section," Lee smiled again.
Beth didn't make it back to her apartment until well after midnight. After eating dinner with Lee and Amanda, she had gone over to the library on campus to study. And since it was such a nice night after the rain all day, after studying she'd put the top down on the BMW and taken it for a spin on the Beltway.
She sat down at the kitchen table and sipped hot tea. The events of the day were still sinking in. Uncle Austin had finally recruited her into the Agency. He had been so adamant that she wouldn't work for the government, ever since she was little. She'd have to call him in the morning and find out what caused his sudden change of heart.
Uncle Austin! The man might as well have been her father. He'd done his best to raise her correctly, even though he wasn't there for her much in person. After her parents were killed, Austin sent her to school in London until she graduated. Beth was accepted to Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, and several other prestigious schools. And she'd done it all on her own, without her uncle pulling any strings for her. But Beth wanted to be close to the only remaining family that she had, which was why she chose Georgetown. She still hadn't seen much of Austin ... but they talked on the phone at least once a day and he made it a point to visit whenever he could.
He took care of her. He more than took care of her; he spoiled her. Upon her return to the states, she'd suggested taking the Metro to school everyday. Austin wouldn't hear of it. He wouldn't hear of her living in a dorm either. He bought and completely furnished a gorgeous apartment in the most secure complex in the city. And the first morning of classes, Beth discovered a set of keys in her tea mug. The silver BMW was parked right in front of her door.
Austin had always been overprotective of his niece, which was why Beth was so confused about his sudden decision to offer her a job. Not that it mattered; she already loved it. She loved her section chief, and her mentoring agent, Amanda. Lee assured her going through agent candidacy alone wasn't too hard; he'd done it himself a few years ago. She wasn't scared, just nervous about impressing her uncle.
She rinsed her mug out and shut off the lights on the way to her bedroom. She plopped down in front of the computer to check her email. One new message, from Austin Smyth. It simply read "I'll meet you outside of art history for lunch. Behave, darling." Beth smiled. She wasn't surprised that her uncle knew her class schedule. In fact, she would have been surprised if he hadn't.
After changing into her nightclothes, she slipped under the covers and thought about the boy she had caught staring at her in class that morning. She'd noticed him before. He had all the correct answers in class, all the time. He looked like he never paid attention to lecture, either. Every time Beth glanced back at him, he seemed to be engrossed in drawing something in the margin of his notebook, or twirling his pen around between his fingers.
She wondered what his name was, where he was from, what his family was like. Just by looking at him she could tell he was different. He wouldn't be the type to use her and disappear. He looked like the chivalrous type. The glasses and short brown hair made him look studious, but also very young. He seemed mysterious, but approachable.
Beth stopped herself. She had absolutely no time to think about dating, and something deep down told her that it wouldn't just be dating with this boy. He had commitment written all over him, and Beth didn't like the thought of commitment. Her life was too complicated as it was. And now that she was an agent candidate, national security played a part in any relationship she'd have for the rest of her life. She sighed and turned over, pushing the boy out of her mind and focusing on the sounds from a jazz club across the street.
Jamie sat at the bar of the jazz club, sipping iced tea. His mother would kill him if she knew he played well into the wee hours of the morning on Monday nights. It was the only night that he didn't have classes, and he couldn't possibly give up playing. It had been a good night, and now he was relaxing before catching the Metro back over to his apartment.
He wondered why Elizabeth hadn't come out of class. Maybe she had spotted him waiting for her and went the other way. He didn't like the feelings this girl was causing within him. He was incredibly vulnerable and self-conscious; she seemed invincible and confident. She was beautiful. Jamie couldn't get her out of his mind.
When he finally dragged into the apartment after four, he plopped down at the computer to check his email. One new message from Lee waited for him. It basically told him about the day, meeting the new recruit, who was "gorgeous and intelligent ... just like your mother." Jamie smiled. Good old Lee.
His first class was at noon, so Jamie decided to sleep for about five hours, and then get up and take a run before heading over to class. He undressed and climbed under the quilt. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
Unfortunately, the sound slumber he was afforded did not last. One of his roommates, Ben, woke him up at 7:30.
"What are you doing, dumbass? You're supposed to take me to the train station this morning, remember?" Ben yelled as he threw whatever he could get his hands on in Jamie's general direction. The sleeping King muttered a curse under his breath and hurried into his clothes.
Beth was in the Agency parking lot waiting for Lee and Amanda at seven. The three walked into the already bustling bullpen and into Lee's office. They chatted politely for a few minutes until Francine came in with the morning's assignments.
"This one's hot Lee, better give it to the rookie," she muttered as she dropped the folders onto his desk. Amanda rolled her eyes at Francine as the sarcastic senior agent exited the room.
Lee flipped through the folders and glanced up at Beth. She was watching his every move, waiting for her chance to do something to prove herself.
"Well, looks like Francine's instincts were functioning this morning, Elizabeth. We're sending you on a drop," Lee smiled as he looked over at his wife.
"A drop? Don't I need some kind of training before I - "
"No, Elizabeth. You'll go meet T.P. Aquinas over at the Library of Congress, and he'll give you your instructions. This is a minor little drop. Don't worry! You'll be done in time for your first class," Lee tried to reassure her.
Beth stood up to exit.
"You'll be fine, sweetheart. We'll see you this afternoon," Amanda said. Beth's expression softened a little, and she nodded in agreement before walking out the door.
"She'll be fine, Amanda. Absolutely fine."
"It's not her I'm worried about. It's that poor unsuspecting soul dropping their girlfriend off at the train station I'm worried about," she teased and leaned across the desk to give her husband a kiss.
"I'm not your girlfriend, Ben! Why couldn't you get Amy to bring your car back?" Jamie argued as they pulled up to the train station.
"Because Amy had class this morning, and you already promised me you'd do it! What's the big deal Jamie? This isn't like you!"
"I've had two hours of sleep Ben, don't start with me," he sighed.
Beth eased the BMW into a parking space and concealed the envelope inside her jacket before getting out of her car. Mr. Aquinas had told her to hand the envelope to a man in a dark suit. He'd have a red carnation pinned to his lapel. Beth's eyes scanned the crowd, not seeing a man matching the description. She was making her second pass by the ticket booth when she noticed she was being followed. There was a man and a woman, who were staying quite close behind her. She tried not to panic and ducked into the nearest restroom.
She stood in the stall trying to catch her breath and form a plan when she realized the woman had followed her into the restroom. There were several other people in the room with them, so Beth calmly stepped out of the stall and washed her hands, avoiding eye contact with the woman who was following her. She quickly made her way behind the ticket booth and scanned the crowd again for the man with the red carnation. Beth was facing the other direction when she smacked into the tall boy with glasses from her history class.
"Oh my gosh! I'm really sorry! I wasn't paying attention," Jamie stuttered as he helped the girl up. He froze in his shoes as he realized who it was.
Beth looked into his eyes. He seemed to be staring right through her.
"Could you walk with me for a second?"
"Me?" Jamie stood in disbelief and felt himself melt as he heard her speak with the gentle accent for the first time.
"Please. I'm in trouble," Beth pleaded with her eyes.
"Of course I'll walk with you," he replied, offering her his arm.
The pair following her was still close behind, but they were being more cautious now that Jamie was walking with Beth.
"Just look straight forward and act normal," she whispered.
"What's wrong? Why are you in trouble?"
"It's a long story and I don't have time to explain. Just take this envelope. I was supposed to give it to someone but he isn't here. Just keep it, don't open it, and don't lose it. I'll find you again and get it back," she whispered, slowly removing the envelope from her pocket.
"Listen, I have a car here, do you need to get out?"
"No. I need you to play along with me right now. I'm going to get on this train, and you're going to walk away like nothing out of the ordinary happened," she whispered again, this time looking up at Jamie.
"Okay," he replied, looking down at her.
Beth steered Jamie towards the train and he helped her up onto the first step.
"Have a great week, baby," she smiled, and leaned down to kiss him. "I'll call when I get there!" 'What a cover! He must think I'm nuts,' she thought.
"Make sure you call," Jamie managed, as he received a kiss from the beautiful woman. 'What did I just say? She must think I'm nuts,' he thought.
Beth's eyes pleaded with him to keep her secret as she stepped backwards onto the train. Then she broke into a run and darted through the passenger car. Jamie watched in horror as the pair boarded the car Beth had just run through. He was rooted to the ground. Then he remembered her plea. 'Walk away like nothing happened.'
He turned and began to walk, folding the envelope and stuffing it into the back pocket of his jeans. Jamie was almost to his roommate's car when he heard the gunshot.
Author's Notes: Here's a story about Jamie falling in love and dealing with IFF on an even more personal level. There are a few references to my story "Boundaries," so read that one if you're at all confused. This is the first part ... I'll try not to be too long with the others.
Philip couldn't help but chuckle at the email he was reading. Jamie hadn't mentioned anything but the wonders of architecture, photography and jazz music since he arrived at Georgetown. It had been two years since Philip had helped move his younger brother's junk into the dorm. Not once had Jamie ever mentioned a girl.
'I think I'm in love.' It was all the email said, and all it had to say. Philip shook his head again and reached for the phone.
"Hey, is Jamie home?" He waited as the typical obscenities were exchanged between roommates across the apartment. A loud crash was heard as his younger brother picked up the phone.
"This is Jamie."
"So, my little brother is in love, huh? You haven't mentioned a girl, and all of the sudden you're in love. How long have you been dating her?"
"I'm not dating her. I haven't even spoken to her-"
"You WHAT? Oh, Jamie, come on. This is pathetic, even for you."
"I'll ask you to save the insults, Philip. I saw her for the first time Wednesday in my art history class. She's the most amazing thing I've ever seen," Jamie said, his smile evident through the phone.
"James, what isn't the most amazing thing you've ever seen? You said your two younger siblings were the most amazing things you'd ever seen at their births, respectively. You came home from your trip saying the Kremlin was the most amazing thing ever. Then it was the Parthenon, and the Taj Mahal. Really, Jamie. How amazing can this girl be?" Philip teased.
"Jenny and Matthew are the most amazing things I've ever seen. And those buildings are incredible. But this girl, she's unbelievable. She has these intense brown eyes, and her hair falls about her shoulders in just the right way-" Jamie was interrupted by Philip making gagging sounds into the phone.
"Listen, I know it's late notice, but I was thinking of going home this weekend. Do you want to come with me, or do you have a hot date up your sleeve?" Philip asked.
"What exactly do they pay you to do at Annapolis anyway? It seems to me you can't find anything better to do than dick around on the computer and harass your baby brother over the phone!"
"I represent that comment, smart ass. Now are you coming or aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'll be ready by the time you get here," Jamie answered.
"Leave your books at home, little brother. You remember what happened to your books last time Matty got a hold of them," Philip laughed.
"He was just jealous I was spending more time with the book than him. I won't make the same mistake twice," Jamie laughed with his brother. "I still can't believe he took a crayon to my ninety-five dollar literature book."
"Okay, I should be at your place by 4:30. Don't tell Mom and Lee, it'll be a surprise!"
"Okay, bye Phil," Jamie smiled as he hung up the phone. He glanced over at his desk. Stacks of books and notebooks beckoned him. He ignored them and looked higher, to the shelves. They were full of pictures. There he was, fourteen years old, and holding his baby sister for the first time. He cringed at the braces and glasses. Jamie glanced further down to the picture of Philip holding a one-year-old Jenny while Jamie held his newborn brother in his arms. William Matthew, they had named him, in honor of Lee's best friend and also his father. As he looked up along the walls, more pictures stared back at him. Christmas last year, as Jenny and Matty opened presents. Pictures of the wedding party at that tiny little church on that perfect Christmas Eve. Jamie laughed and looked back at the books. 'Better get a little work done before I leave,' he thought, and plopped down into his desk chair.
Lee smiled as he pulled into the driveway of his Rockville home. There was Philip's new truck, parked next to the garage. He wondered if Philip had managed to drag his younger brother off campus for the weekend. Before he had a chance to speculate more, the front door opened and two streaks of color flew across the front yard.
"Daddy!" the pair squealed as he stepped out of his car. Lee scooped the two bundles into his arms and kissed them each respectively, right on the nose.
"And what have my partners in crime been up to today?" he smiled.
"Philip and Jamie are here, Daddy!" Jenny squealed as she hugged her father's neck.
"And Jamie didn't even bring any books with him!" Matthew added as he ran back towards the house.
Jenny slipped her hand into her father's as they strode across the lawn. The feelings this simple gesture created in Lee hadn't changed since Jenny had reached for her father's hand for the first time. He was hooked.
Once inside, Jenny let go of his hand and ran across the living room to jump into her handsome big brother's lap. Philip grunted as she landed. Matty already had Jamie engrossed in a Lego project. Lee couldn't help but laugh as he surveyed the scene. It was just like the two older boys had never left.
He looked up, across the room. There was his beautiful wife, watching him intently. He caught his breath at her. They had been married almost a decade, and she hadn't changed a bit. Sure, there were a few more wrinkles and a few more gray hairs, but she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. It was that beauty that he saw now in his children, as he surveyed the room again.
She slipped her hand around his waist as she came to stand next to him.
"I miss this," she whispered, watching her children.
"Me too," he answered.
After dinner, Amanda took Jenny and Matthew upstairs for their baths, and Philip had run to the store to get a bottle of Lee's favorite wine. Lee and Jamie cleaned up the table, and then Lee had ducked into his study to wrestle with the computer. Jamie stepped out onto the freshly cut grass of his parents' back lawn, and then collapsed backwards to gaze up at the stars. He missed being home more and more every time he came to visit. It was the reason he was beginning to stay away for longer and longer.
The back door opened and shut, and Lee sat down next to him on the grass, and lit a cigar.
"Your mother hates these things, but it's been Billy's latest passion. He has me hooked," Lee smiled as he puffed the cigar and handed it to Jamie. Jamie took a small puff and passed it back to Lee.
"Oh, I miss that," he sighed.
"But you're healthier now for quitting. And so are your brother and sister," Lee said. It still made him proud to think of the day that Jamie had confided he was going to quit smoking. He was sixteen, and he couldn't be setting a bad example for his younger siblings. He had dropped it cold turkey, and picked up a terrible caffeine habit in its place.
The silence was comfortable. It was a warm September evening, and the sky was beautiful. Jamie heard Philip's truck rumble over the gravel and smiled. He missed these talks in the backyard with Philip and his father. He missed everything so much.
It wasn't long before Philip joined them on the grass and the conversation picked up. Philip loved navy life, especially since he hadn't been on a boat yet. His computer expertise had earned him a quick job at Annapolis behind a desk. Lee and Amanda had both been proud and relieved he wouldn't be moving all over the world.
"So, did you tell Lee about dream girl, Jamie?" Philip laughed. Jamie went three shades of red.
"Dream girl? Jamie, you didn't tell us you were dating anyone!" Lee replied.
"I'm not exactly dating anyone, Lee." Lee and Philip both laughed hysterically. Jamie became even redder. He had learned a lot from both men, but hadn't seemed to pick up their ease around women. "But I'm going to talk to her Monday in history. I swear I will!"
Lee and Philip continued to laugh. Jamie rolled his eyes and lay back down onto the grass. Philip and Lee were talking about the Redskins now, and Jamie was tuning them out. He thought back to when Lee had been the last person he'd ever expect to be lying next to on the grass of a backyard. And yet, here they were.
"Not a day goes by that your mother doesn't talk about how much she misses you two," Lee said after a silence. "And not a day goes by that I don't agree with her."
Philip and Jamie smiled. Lee had become more than a stepfather to both of them. He was Philip's mentor of sorts. And he had become Jamie's best friend. Even when Philip would tell him he was crazy, Lee would always back him up. Over the years, the 'step' had dropped in conversation when they talked about each other. They were Lee's sons, his source of pride and inspiration. Lee was their father, their hero.
About an hour later, Lee and Philip had nearly finished off the "fabulous" bottle of wine, and Jamie was beginning to doze out on the grass, when Amanda joined her boys in the backyard.
"They finally went to bed! You two get them so wound up they don't know what to do with themselves," she giggled as she plopped onto the ground in between her husband's legs. Lee wrapped his arms around his wife as Jamie watched the pair with admiration.
"I don't know if I've ever told you two what a good looking pair you make," Jamie smiled.
"Jamie, you tell us that every time you're home. Is something bothering you sweetheart? You just seem so sentimental lately," Amanda looked over at her son, who looked so very much like her now that he was older.
"I don't know, Mom. I just feel so incomplete being away from home. I have friends at school ... I don't know. I'm just anxious to meet that special 'someone.' I look at you and Lee and just stand amazed. You're more in love than you were when I was twelve," Jamie sighed, returning his gaze to the stars.
"That 'someone' is out there somewhere, Jamie. You just have to be patient. She'll arrive when you least expect it," Lee smiled, nuzzling his chin against Amanda's shoulder.
"I hope you're right, Lee," Jamie sighed. He smiled gently and turned his attention back up to the sky, tuning Lee and his mother out as his stepfather began talking about "new recruits."
Jamie raked his hand through his short brown hair and sighed loudly. Class was almost over, and his opportunity to talk to "dream girl" was fast approaching. He gazed at her from across the room. She was an angel; there was no doubt in his mind. He was startled when he realized she was looking back at him, amused at his complete detachment from the lecture. He blushed and turned his attention back to the professor.
"Well, class, I think that about wraps things up for today. Uh, is there an Elizabeth Anderson in this class?" the professor asked, surveying the classroom. Jamie's girl raised her hand.
"Excellent. I need to see you for a few minutes, if you have the time."
Jamie smiled. Elizabeth. Beth. Liz. He waited outside in the lobby for her to come out of the room, until he was late for his next class. He finally gave up and headed across campus to the Foreign Language building. He was taking a graduate level Russian course, and writing a thesis on Dostoevsky. Jamie was the darling of the Russian department, and his professors begged him on a daily basis to double major. But Jamie had his heart set on a Foreign Service degree, even though he had no idea what he'd do with it.
He had a large, loud argument in Russian with his professor, just for the sake of impressing the second year graduate students with his abilities. Jamie would have no problem disappearing into Russia and never returning. After his ordeal when he was fourteen, Jamie's way of dealing with his trauma was by developing a strange obsession with the country he had been held captive in. Amanda, and especially Lee, had been worried sick, but Jamie's psychiatrist had assured them this was a perfectly normal reaction. After class he talked to his professor for a few minutes, and then caught the bus back to his apartment.
Lee Stetson let out an exasperated growl and dropped his forehead to the desk. Four new recruits had come in this afternoon, and he'd sent them all back to their respective military branches. It was hard to believe how many jokers had been sent to such a serious branch of the government. Lee was waiting for his last appointment, which was now forty-five minutes late. He realized it was raining and traffic was pretty nasty, but this was national security! This person had been summoned by the President himself to join the ranks! And she was forty-five minutes late. Lee shook his head and flipped the radio on behind him.
Thirty minutes later, a soft knock sounded from the office door.
"Come!" Lee barked, and then shook his head again as he realized he had become Billy Melrose.
The door opened slowly, and a timid face peered around the door.
"I'm looking for Lee Stetson," she said with a slight British accent.
"You've found him."
"The door says William Melrose," the female smiled as she stepped into the room.
"Well, that's a long story, uh ... " Lee paused as he flipped through the five manila folders on his desk. "Elizabeth?"
"Yes, sir. Elizabeth Anderson. I'm sorry I'm late, but I don't ever check my messages until after all my classes. By the time my history class was over and I got my summons, I was supposed to be here," she smiled.
"Oh, don't worry about that, Elizabeth." Lee frowned when she mentioned she was still a student. Everyone knew college students made the worst agent candidates, and he couldn't believe one was standing in front of him. She didn't look a day over sixteen. He flipped through her file, and realized Elizabeth was the first agent candidate in six years to be recruited by Dr. Smyth himself. Lee read the sentence again in disbelief. What the hell was Smyth doing above ground to recruit anyone? How on earth had he met this girl? No matter, she was sure to stay in the program, student or not, if only because she had impressed Smyth.
"Where are you a student? What are you studying?"
"I'm a senior at Georgetown. I'm an International Politics major, minoring in Russian," she smiled. Lee realized his mouth was partially open and he snapped it shut.
"That's very surprising! It never occurred to me you might be - a... uh ..."
"Intelligent? A senior in college? Well, big things come in small packages, Mr. Stetson."
"I'll say. My son is a Russian minor at Georgetown, too, coincidentally. He's a Foreign Services major, and my wife and I are hoping he'll go into politics. He's such a smart boy," Lee smiled, as Beth watched his face light up as he talked about his son.
"Foreign Services is a tough major, sir. Sounds like you're training a family of spies," Beth laughed. Lee frowned. None of his children were getting into his business if he had anything to do with it.
"Not quite, Elizabeth. This boy has studied in Prague, Munich, and just came home from Moscow. I don't think he has any desire to get involved in international counterespionage."
"It sounds to me that's exactly what he's interested in!"
"Anyway, Elizabeth. Let me call the woman who you'll be working with most often, and we'll take you on a tour of the building. I encourage you to get excited. This woman is the best agent in my section," Lee smiled again.
Beth didn't make it back to her apartment until well after midnight. After eating dinner with Lee and Amanda, she had gone over to the library on campus to study. And since it was such a nice night after the rain all day, after studying she'd put the top down on the BMW and taken it for a spin on the Beltway.
She sat down at the kitchen table and sipped hot tea. The events of the day were still sinking in. Uncle Austin had finally recruited her into the Agency. He had been so adamant that she wouldn't work for the government, ever since she was little. She'd have to call him in the morning and find out what caused his sudden change of heart.
Uncle Austin! The man might as well have been her father. He'd done his best to raise her correctly, even though he wasn't there for her much in person. After her parents were killed, Austin sent her to school in London until she graduated. Beth was accepted to Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, and several other prestigious schools. And she'd done it all on her own, without her uncle pulling any strings for her. But Beth wanted to be close to the only remaining family that she had, which was why she chose Georgetown. She still hadn't seen much of Austin ... but they talked on the phone at least once a day and he made it a point to visit whenever he could.
He took care of her. He more than took care of her; he spoiled her. Upon her return to the states, she'd suggested taking the Metro to school everyday. Austin wouldn't hear of it. He wouldn't hear of her living in a dorm either. He bought and completely furnished a gorgeous apartment in the most secure complex in the city. And the first morning of classes, Beth discovered a set of keys in her tea mug. The silver BMW was parked right in front of her door.
Austin had always been overprotective of his niece, which was why Beth was so confused about his sudden decision to offer her a job. Not that it mattered; she already loved it. She loved her section chief, and her mentoring agent, Amanda. Lee assured her going through agent candidacy alone wasn't too hard; he'd done it himself a few years ago. She wasn't scared, just nervous about impressing her uncle.
She rinsed her mug out and shut off the lights on the way to her bedroom. She plopped down in front of the computer to check her email. One new message, from Austin Smyth. It simply read "I'll meet you outside of art history for lunch. Behave, darling." Beth smiled. She wasn't surprised that her uncle knew her class schedule. In fact, she would have been surprised if he hadn't.
After changing into her nightclothes, she slipped under the covers and thought about the boy she had caught staring at her in class that morning. She'd noticed him before. He had all the correct answers in class, all the time. He looked like he never paid attention to lecture, either. Every time Beth glanced back at him, he seemed to be engrossed in drawing something in the margin of his notebook, or twirling his pen around between his fingers.
She wondered what his name was, where he was from, what his family was like. Just by looking at him she could tell he was different. He wouldn't be the type to use her and disappear. He looked like the chivalrous type. The glasses and short brown hair made him look studious, but also very young. He seemed mysterious, but approachable.
Beth stopped herself. She had absolutely no time to think about dating, and something deep down told her that it wouldn't just be dating with this boy. He had commitment written all over him, and Beth didn't like the thought of commitment. Her life was too complicated as it was. And now that she was an agent candidate, national security played a part in any relationship she'd have for the rest of her life. She sighed and turned over, pushing the boy out of her mind and focusing on the sounds from a jazz club across the street.
Jamie sat at the bar of the jazz club, sipping iced tea. His mother would kill him if she knew he played well into the wee hours of the morning on Monday nights. It was the only night that he didn't have classes, and he couldn't possibly give up playing. It had been a good night, and now he was relaxing before catching the Metro back over to his apartment.
He wondered why Elizabeth hadn't come out of class. Maybe she had spotted him waiting for her and went the other way. He didn't like the feelings this girl was causing within him. He was incredibly vulnerable and self-conscious; she seemed invincible and confident. She was beautiful. Jamie couldn't get her out of his mind.
When he finally dragged into the apartment after four, he plopped down at the computer to check his email. One new message from Lee waited for him. It basically told him about the day, meeting the new recruit, who was "gorgeous and intelligent ... just like your mother." Jamie smiled. Good old Lee.
His first class was at noon, so Jamie decided to sleep for about five hours, and then get up and take a run before heading over to class. He undressed and climbed under the quilt. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
Unfortunately, the sound slumber he was afforded did not last. One of his roommates, Ben, woke him up at 7:30.
"What are you doing, dumbass? You're supposed to take me to the train station this morning, remember?" Ben yelled as he threw whatever he could get his hands on in Jamie's general direction. The sleeping King muttered a curse under his breath and hurried into his clothes.
Beth was in the Agency parking lot waiting for Lee and Amanda at seven. The three walked into the already bustling bullpen and into Lee's office. They chatted politely for a few minutes until Francine came in with the morning's assignments.
"This one's hot Lee, better give it to the rookie," she muttered as she dropped the folders onto his desk. Amanda rolled her eyes at Francine as the sarcastic senior agent exited the room.
Lee flipped through the folders and glanced up at Beth. She was watching his every move, waiting for her chance to do something to prove herself.
"Well, looks like Francine's instincts were functioning this morning, Elizabeth. We're sending you on a drop," Lee smiled as he looked over at his wife.
"A drop? Don't I need some kind of training before I - "
"No, Elizabeth. You'll go meet T.P. Aquinas over at the Library of Congress, and he'll give you your instructions. This is a minor little drop. Don't worry! You'll be done in time for your first class," Lee tried to reassure her.
Beth stood up to exit.
"You'll be fine, sweetheart. We'll see you this afternoon," Amanda said. Beth's expression softened a little, and she nodded in agreement before walking out the door.
"She'll be fine, Amanda. Absolutely fine."
"It's not her I'm worried about. It's that poor unsuspecting soul dropping their girlfriend off at the train station I'm worried about," she teased and leaned across the desk to give her husband a kiss.
"I'm not your girlfriend, Ben! Why couldn't you get Amy to bring your car back?" Jamie argued as they pulled up to the train station.
"Because Amy had class this morning, and you already promised me you'd do it! What's the big deal Jamie? This isn't like you!"
"I've had two hours of sleep Ben, don't start with me," he sighed.
Beth eased the BMW into a parking space and concealed the envelope inside her jacket before getting out of her car. Mr. Aquinas had told her to hand the envelope to a man in a dark suit. He'd have a red carnation pinned to his lapel. Beth's eyes scanned the crowd, not seeing a man matching the description. She was making her second pass by the ticket booth when she noticed she was being followed. There was a man and a woman, who were staying quite close behind her. She tried not to panic and ducked into the nearest restroom.
She stood in the stall trying to catch her breath and form a plan when she realized the woman had followed her into the restroom. There were several other people in the room with them, so Beth calmly stepped out of the stall and washed her hands, avoiding eye contact with the woman who was following her. She quickly made her way behind the ticket booth and scanned the crowd again for the man with the red carnation. Beth was facing the other direction when she smacked into the tall boy with glasses from her history class.
"Oh my gosh! I'm really sorry! I wasn't paying attention," Jamie stuttered as he helped the girl up. He froze in his shoes as he realized who it was.
Beth looked into his eyes. He seemed to be staring right through her.
"Could you walk with me for a second?"
"Me?" Jamie stood in disbelief and felt himself melt as he heard her speak with the gentle accent for the first time.
"Please. I'm in trouble," Beth pleaded with her eyes.
"Of course I'll walk with you," he replied, offering her his arm.
The pair following her was still close behind, but they were being more cautious now that Jamie was walking with Beth.
"Just look straight forward and act normal," she whispered.
"What's wrong? Why are you in trouble?"
"It's a long story and I don't have time to explain. Just take this envelope. I was supposed to give it to someone but he isn't here. Just keep it, don't open it, and don't lose it. I'll find you again and get it back," she whispered, slowly removing the envelope from her pocket.
"Listen, I have a car here, do you need to get out?"
"No. I need you to play along with me right now. I'm going to get on this train, and you're going to walk away like nothing out of the ordinary happened," she whispered again, this time looking up at Jamie.
"Okay," he replied, looking down at her.
Beth steered Jamie towards the train and he helped her up onto the first step.
"Have a great week, baby," she smiled, and leaned down to kiss him. "I'll call when I get there!" 'What a cover! He must think I'm nuts,' she thought.
"Make sure you call," Jamie managed, as he received a kiss from the beautiful woman. 'What did I just say? She must think I'm nuts,' he thought.
Beth's eyes pleaded with him to keep her secret as she stepped backwards onto the train. Then she broke into a run and darted through the passenger car. Jamie watched in horror as the pair boarded the car Beth had just run through. He was rooted to the ground. Then he remembered her plea. 'Walk away like nothing happened.'
He turned and began to walk, folding the envelope and stuffing it into the back pocket of his jeans. Jamie was almost to his roommate's car when he heard the gunshot.