Friday, December 9, 1988
Lee
looked up, motioning as he saw who had rapped softly on his office window.
"I was wondering where you'd disappeared to, Houdini," he said as the
exhausted agent walked through the door.
"Had
a few things to finish up, but I wanted to say goodbye before I head out."
He grinned, taking in the surroundings with an appraising glance. "Never
thought I'd say this, but you actually look pretty good behind that desk,
Scarecrow."
"Never
thought I'd say this," Lee echoed with a laugh, "but it feels kind of
good, too. I think maybe it's finally starting to fit."
"That's
good to hear. Especially since it looks like I just signed up for an office of
my own."
"You
accepted the Section Chief job?"
His
friend nodded. "My flight leaves for New York in a few hours."
"Well,
Billy couldn't find a better man." He rose, extending his hand.
"Congratulations, John. If anyone deserves the promotion, you do."
Pierce gave an embarrassed cough, and Lee quickly looked away. "Uh, if
you're leaving, I'll walk you out," he told him, absently piling a few
scattered files neatly in the corner of his desk. "I'm on my way to the hospital to pick up Amanda."
"She
and the baby are okay then?"
"Yeah,
we were lucky." He nodded to the empty desk in the corner as they walked
through the bullpen. "Looks like she'll have to stay off her feet for the
duration, though."
"That's
a tough break."
"For
the Agency. But personally, I'm kind of glad she'll be at home from now
on. She's been pushing way too
hard." He laughed dryly as he pushed the button for the elevator. "I
guess that makes me a male chauvinist at heart."
"Or
a guy in love. There's probably a subtle difference."
"If
you say so. I don't think I'll debate that point with my wife though," he
added with a grin as the elevator opened.
Shoving
the coats aside, he stepped inside, Houdini right behind him. He felt the
familiar whoosh in his stomach as the elevator began its ascent. Old fashioned
or not, he really was relieved that Amanda would be taking some time away from
work before the baby was born. A break
would do them all some good. It appeared they had some pretty important family
issues to work through. The changes that were about to take place in their
family dynamic, for one thing; his evolving relationship with his partner and
best friend, for another. This respite
might just give them the time they all needed, and for that he was grateful.
Tossing
his I.D. to Mrs. Marsten, he nodded a goodbye as he exited the Georgetown
foyer, Houdini doing the same as he followed closely on his heels. He paused on
the steps, taking a deep breath of the brisk December air. The stiff breeze
tousled his hair, causing the sign that proclaimed the building 'I.F.F.' to
swing on its hinges with a grating squeak. He turned to his friend, offering
his hand again.
"Good
luck in New York," he smiled as John Pierce forcefully returned his grip.
"Thanks,
Scarecrow. As always, it was fun." He laughed, slapping his 'partner' on
the arm. "Desk or no desk, maybe we'll the chance to work together again
sometime."
Lee
raised an eyebrow. "Under better circumstances, I hope."
"Yeah."
Heading for the street, he waved a goodbye as he quickly hailed a passing cab.
"Hey,
Houdini," Lee called guiltily, briskly closing the distance between them
with a few long strides. He gave him an awkward smile, giving voice to the
words that, before Amanda, would probably have been left unsaid. "Thank you."
The
tall man narrowed his eyes, giving Lee a long look. "For what?"
"For
saving my life, for one thing; for helping with an unsanctioned operation, for
another. You took a chance, and I'm grateful."
Houdini
laughed lightly. "Life isn't much fun if you always have to play by the
rules, you know that." He paused to zip his jacket as the wind whipped up
again. "But as for saving your life," he continued, clearing his
throat with a short grunting sound, "I'm afraid I can't take credit for
that."
"Don't
be so modest. You pulled me out of there with a bunch of FMNL revolutionaries
breathing down my neck. If it wasn't for you. . ."
"You'd
probably be in their hands right now. I didn't do anything, Scarecrow - I
didn't have time." He paused again, looking his friend squarely in the
eye. "Joe King got you out of there, not me."
"Joe?"
Houdini
nodded. "He saw you go down and doubled back. Dragged you all the way to
that clearing." The seasoned agent whistled softly in admiration.
"I'm still not sure how he managed with that leg of his. When I set the
chopper down, he was holding them off with what was left of your ammo."
"My God," Lee exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. "I
thought you. . ."
"He
wanted it that way," Houdini said simply. "Made me promise not to say
anything. But I, uh, had a feeling you needed to know."
"You
were right. Thanks."
Houdini
started to say something, but changed his mind, shrugging instead as he stepped
into the cab. Lee stood watching, frozen on the sidewalk as the taxi
disappeared around the narrow street corner. Then, turning abruptly, he strode
purposefully to his car.
Joe
King certainly was full of surprises. Sliding behind the wheel, he reached for his car phone, dialing quickly
as he edged into the Georgetown traffic. He needed to tell Amanda that he would
be a little late; he had another stop to make at the hospital before he picked
her up.
*
* * * *
"Thanks,
fellas," Amanda said as Phillip and Jamie cleared away the last remains of
their 'welcome home' feast. "I can't remember when I've enjoyed a meal
more."
"Glad
you liked it, Mom," Jamie answered as he handed Phillip her tray. "We
thought since you had to, um, stay in bed, an indoor picnic might be kind of
fun. You know," he added with a lopsided grin, "like the ones you
always used to make for us when we were sick."
"That's
really sweet, Jamie, but you know I'm not sick, right? Just, uh. . ."
"On
hold temporarily," Lee finished with an impish grin.
"That's
a pretty good way to describe it," Amanda put in, giving her husband a
playful shove. Lee had told her that Jamie had been exceptionally quiet the
last couple of days, a warning sign they'd both learned to recognize. Some
extra reassurance usually did the trick.
"Well,
I think the picnic was a great idea," Lee encouraged, handing his tray
into the boy's waiting hands. "And it sure beats the food I've been eating
lately." Smiling, he included Phillip and Amanda in his gaze.
"I'll
bet," Phillip replied, watching the warm look that passed between his
mother and his stepfather with a growing smile. "Come on, Worm
Brain," he called to his brother, inclining his head towards the door.
"Let's go give Grandma a hand with these dishes."
"Phillip,
cut it. . ." Jamie began, breaking off as he caught his brother's
exaggerated nod. "Oh, ah, right, the dishes," he agreed with a
sheepish grin. Balancing the tray on his right arm, he headed for the door,
pausing for a minute before leaving. "I'm really glad you're okay, Mom," he said, his foot absently
knocking against the smooth woodwork. Giving Lee a bashful glance, he added
quickly, "Both of you." Turning abruptly, he tagged after his brother, faint strains of 'Hey,
Meathead, I told you not to call me that name' echoing back softly from the
hall.
"Ah,
the sweet sounds of home," Lee intoned, gifting Amanda with a dazzling
smile. "Back to the status quo?"
"We're
getting there. I just wish. . ." Her voice trailed off as she stroked her
hand protectively across her belly.
"What,
Amanda?" he prodded gently. At her noncommittal shrug, he continued,
"Are you still worrying about this business with Phillip? I know I should
have told you about that first party at Jeremy's house. I meant to," he
added hastily, "then everything hit the fan with Joe and. . . well, I was
worried about Jamie, and leaving you. . ."
"Lee."
She placed her fingers gently under his chin, her thumb brushing across his
lips to silence him. "I understand. I was a little preoccupied myself.
Phillip kind of got pushed to the back burner, I guess."
Lee
nodded. "I think things have been tougher on him than we realized."
He reached out, gently tucking a few stray hairs behind her ear. "If it's not Phillip, then what's
bothering you? Is it the baby?"
"Matthew,"
she said with a soft smile. "We said we'd start calling him that,
remember?"
"Yeah."
He gave her belly a gentle pat as he caught her eye. "But you didn't
answer my question."
"I'm
not really worried. . ." She looked down at her lap, absently brushing a
few leftover crumbs from the striped comforter. "I don't know. I
guess I just wish things would get back to. . . to normal."
"Be
careful what you wish for," he warned with a teasing laugh. "'Normal'
for us is a trainload of men in red hats and dodging stray bullets from the
KGB." He reached for her hand, running his thumb lightly across her palm.
"I, for one, could use a little 'abnormal'."
She
gave him a grateful glance, relieved he'd evidently elected not to force the
issue any more tonight. Squeezing his hand gently, she continued with a smile,
"I could get used to more evenings like this myself." She lovingly caught his eye, her smile
deepening as the moment lengthened.
"Come
here," he entreated, his voice little more than a whisper.
She
moved inside his open arms, resting against his chest in companionable silence.
She could feel her tension begin to drain away, her head rising and falling in
a lazy rhythm as Lee's breathing slowly evened out. His hand brushed tenderly across her arm in a feather-light
caress, and she closed her eyes, savoring the moment. Breathing deeply, her
thoughts drifted to days long forgotten, when such a simple touch could convey
so much. A friendship that had endured the test of time, a partnership built on
ever-growing respect, and the promise of love yet unspoken, but nonetheless
felt.
"Don't
let me go to sleep," she heard him murmur in a weary voice, fighting the
yawn that overtook him as his body relaxed completely. "If I do, I won't
wake up until morning."
She
opened her eyes, stealing a quick glance at her husband. His fading bruises
bore silent testimony to the recent ordeal, as did the fatigue his good humor
couldn't quite disguise. "You
don't need to wake up, you need to sleep," she admonished gently, her
finger tenderly tracing the tip of his ear where an errant bullet had left its
mark. "For a good twenty-four
hours, at least. Right here with me."
He
let out a soft groan, snuggling closer. "As tempting as that sounds, I
can't. I promised Phillip and Jamie I'd take them to the hospital
tonight."
"Oh,
Lee. They'd understand if you. . ."
"No,
really, I don't mind. They're both so anxious to go." He released her,
stretching lazily, then rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. Shaking
his head lightly, he reached for her again, his fingers seeking hers. "I
think they have some, uh, things they need to tell to their father."
She
nodded, looking down at their joined hands. "I overheard you before
dinner. With the boys."
He
sucked in a breath as he drew back to look at her. "Are you upset that I
told them about what Joe did for me? I know he didn't want to worry them
needlessly after the fact, but. . ."
"But
Phillip and Jamie are both growing up. They should know the truth about what
happened down there," she finished, pulling him back down beside her.
"You did the right thing. It's
time we stopped walking on eggshells around them – you, me and Joe."
In
a look filled with love, she saw Lee's tacit agreement. Reaching out, she trailed a finger lovingly
across his roughened cheek. "It's all so complicated, isn't it?"
"What
is, Sweetheart?" he replied, giving her finger a soft kiss as she touched
his lips.
She
sighed wistfully, her eye catching his. "Family."
Lee
chuckled lightly in response. "Tell me about it." Rolling over, he
crossed his hands behind his head, studying the tiny textured bumps on the
ceiling. "But worth every complicated minute," he added, his voice
deep and low. "You realize that when you come so close to losing it."
"Yeah."
Resting
her head against his shoulder, Amanda drew a cleansing breath, reveling in the
feeling of having her husband home again. The baby inside her kicked lightly, while from the kitchen below, she
could hear the faint sounds of her mother and the boys finishing the last of
the dinner dishes. No, it wasn't easy,
she thought with a bittersweet smile, not any of it - growing up, growing old,
growing a family. But, most days, the
joy outweighed the sorrow.
"We
have some time to work on it," Lee said, giving voice to her thoughts as
he laid a gentle hand on her stomach. "All of us – together."
She
rested her hand lightly on his. "Together. I do like the sound of that."
"Me,
too, Mrs. Stetson," he whispered warmly. "Me, too."