Chapter Two

Lee got to the agency the next morning earlier than normal. He usually didn't but he knew that Amanda would be there and he wanted to see her. She was asked to be the understudy in that weird play Martinet was directing so she would be out of the office all day. After saying hello to Mrs. Marsden and being told that Mrs. King was upstairs, he decided to head down to the bullpen to find Francine first. He wanted her to get the surveillance tapes from the Soviet Embassy.

He saw Francine sitting at her desk and he went straight over to her. "Hey, Francine, can you get with Ernie and pull the surveillance tapes from the Soviet Embassy? I think we may find Valentine on them and I just want to make sure."

He looked at Francine and she wasn't paying a bit of attention to him. He didn't want to get frustrated with her but he was in a hurry to get up to the Q so he could see and talk to Amanda.

"Francine, have you heard a word I said?"

She stared at him. "What?"

He tried not to huff at her but he did. He knew he would regret it. "Francine, I have been talking to you for like five minutes! I need you to get video footage from the Soviet Embassy. Go back at least six months or so. I wanna see if Valentine has visited his Soviet friends anytime within the last year. Can you do that for me?"

She glared at him. Yep. Regretting it already he thought to himself. He braced himself for a nasty quip from her. " Clearly you underestimate my talents, Lee. I am more than just a pretty face around here. You need to remember that."

It wasn't as bad as he thought but she was still not in the mood. She stood up and said "Yes, I will go get with Ernie and see what we can come up with. Will you and Amanda be in the Q?"

At the mention of Amanda, Lee grinned. "Yeah, she's probably up there now trying to figure out that box and get Valentine's tax records. I am heading up there now. Thanks Francine. I owe you one!"

He headed towards the Q bureau. When he walked in Amanda was sitting at his desk typing away at the computer. She smiled at him and cheerily said "Good Morning! You are here early!"

Lee sighed "Um...yeah, I figured you were gonna be out of the office all day with that silly play so I figured I would get some stuff done and head home early…unless something comes up…"

He walked over to the desk and leaned over. He could smell her perfume and it was already getting to him. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless but he knew that it wasn't the time and place. He wanted her alone where there would be no distractions.

"So what have you been working on?" He leaned on the corner of his desk and smiled at Amanda.

"Oh well, I am waiting for the tax records for Valentine. It took a little while for your computer to start up. Plus I was running late…I had to make a bunch of cookies for Jamie's science class's party. So I was up late baking and I didn't get up as early as I wanted."

Lee smiled at her again. He loved her rants. At first they were a nuisance but as he got to know her he realized that they made her Amanda….and he loved her for them. He cleared his throat and said "Cookies? You wouldn't have made any extras for your favorite partner…would you?"

She smirked at him and said "Look in the drawer, Stetson."

Lee stood up and opened the bottom drawer of his desk. Inside was a bag full of cookies with a note from Amanda. To Lee…try not to eat them all at once. Love Amanda.

Lee beamed as he saw the last part…Love Amanda. Did she feel the same about him? He couldn't wait until their date on Friday night. He glanced over at her and said "Thanks Partner! You are the best! I promise I won't eat them in one sitting."

She chuckled "I have heard that before Stetson. Oh the computer is up….Okay…Carl Valentine's tax returns for 1981"

Lee looked at the computer screen "Whew…if that was a bad year for him, I'd love to see what a good one looked like! Francine's coordinating a five year screening of surveillance films from the Soviet Embassy…maybe we can catch Mr. Valentine in another lie, huh"

Amanda looked over at the clock and stood up. "Look, it's nearly ten o'clock I gotta get to rehearsal."

Lee reached over and grabbed her script. "You're really gonna memorize these lines, huh?"

"I've already memorized most of them."

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah"

Lee walked around the desk and stood in front of it. Amanda followed him, then leaned on the corner of the desk and faced him.

"Ah how about Act two Scene Two…the Chanteuse and the German soldier?'

"Go ahead"

Lee looked down at the script "You are the soul of decadence"

Amanda went in full character and Lee thought she was adorable. "Better than to be soulless"

"You see through me to that hollow place inside" Lee grumbled under his breath "Give me a break"

Amanda shook her head "Don't ad-lib...…..Your opacity is transparent"

Lee looked at her. He completely did not understand this play. It was weird. "Huh?"

"I'll explain the subtext later"

"Ah...well, perhaps that's why I drink…another. Maybe this one is the one to make me forget."

Amanda King then did something Lee would have never thought she would do in a million years. She moved close to him and put her hands on his chest. She looked right at him and said, "Wine really make you forget."

Lee couldn't take it. He was going to kiss her. He threw the script on his desk and put his arms around her waist. "I have another in mind. No hangover either."

Amanda laughed "That isn't your line"

In a very cheesy accent that Lee himself was surprised he did he said "Who cares!"

He pulled her close and could feel Amanda's heart beating. His was going crazy as well. They had been playing this will they or won't they scenario for far too long. She needed to know that he was serious. She leaned closer to them and just as their lips started touching the door to the Q bureau swung open.

Francine.

Amanda backed away from Lee as fast as she could but they both knew that Francine saw them. Francine smirked at them and said "Uh…we've got those Embassy tapes ready…but I see you've got your hands full."

Lee just stood there and put his hands in his pockets. He had nothing. Not one excuse. And yet Amanda quickly said "Rehearsing…just rehearsing." Lee was amazed how fast Amanda could come up with an excuse or a reason. She was incredible. Her quick thinking was not lost on Francine…she chuckled and said right back to Amanda "Oh…Oh…when is opening night?" She started giggling as she closed the door "Just a little joke"

Lee turned and looked at Amanda. She was blushing just as much as he was. They started laughing.

Amanda could hardly breathe from laughing and she finally got out "Well, the water cooler gossip will live on that for days!"

Lee rolled his eyes at her and said "She wouldn't dare!"

Amanda went up to him and smiled. "You don't know her very well then. I promise you. By the end of the day this will be all over the Agency."

Lee pulled her into his arms again. She relaxed in his arms and he knew they were okay. "You don't really care do you?"

Amanda shook her head. "Oh Lee, I have learned not to listen to the gossip around here. It's none of anyone's business what is going on with us or anyone else in the Agency. Let her have her fun." She reached up and kissed his cheek. She lingered for a minute and Lee could barely breathe. She moved close to his ear and whispered. "Looking forward to opening night... I have to get to the theater. See you later?"

Lee beamed at her. He leaned down and kissed her nose. He couldn't help it. She really did have a cute nose. "You know it. See you later."

Amanda slowly moved out of his arms and immediately Lee felt something was missing. She grabbed her sweater, purse and script and headed towards the door. She turned around and gave him one last smile as she said "Be careful….Bye!"

Lee stood there and let out a huge sigh. He laughed to himself thinking how much Amanda King changed his life and he was so glad she was in it.