Epilogue:

To better explain how much time has transpired from the beginning of the story. From NTA to IFF to Philip's shooting, about six months transpired. Philip's recovery and Lee's brand of justice to Amanda's leaving about two more months totaling about eight months.

Amanda has left IFF; a few weeks have gone by and Amanda is settling into a new routine. Lee has completed his management training and transferred to a secret location in the Pentagon. Leatherneck and Francine have grown close and partnered up together, but still working for Billy. It took some time, but Lee was able to vet his new team with Amanda helping on the sly.

Amanda convinces Lee to sell his vintage cycle, saying, "I've wanted you to get rid of that thing since the day I married you, but it wasn't my call to make. Now it is. Philip almost died from a brain injury. All it takes is a wipeout on that thing and it could kill you. I refuse to sit next to another hospital bed praying for my loved one to survive".

Lee agrees and says, "I've been thinking of selling her for some time; long before Philip got shot. I really don't need it and you never went with me on it, so it wasn't as much fun. I think I could sell it and the money I get can pay off the new car".

"Thank you, sweetheart,", Amanda says. "You don't know how much that means to me".

Meanwhile, summer is almost over, and Philip works hard on his rehab and practices all the vocal exercises his pathologist gave him. He no longer needs his cane and any injuries sustained are barely noticeable. Lee puts up a basketball hoop in the long driveway and invites the boy's friends over to play a few games. After his friends have gone home, he and Philip play a little one on one. Philip has really gotten interested in basketball despite what it almost cost him. Jamie usually goes inside and works in the darkroom his parents set up for him. A lot of the time he shoots digital, but his mother has taught him the basics of photography when she was growing up and he likes being able to create something from start to finish. Often after dinner, Philip will go back outside and shoot hoops by himself.

Amanda and Lee settle into domestic life. Often the way they end their days is Amanda rinses off the dishes and Lee puts them into the dishwasher. Many times, after Lee and Amanda taking a sensual shower together or exploring each other's bodies, they would get into bed, they would still hear the "thunk, thunk" of the ball hitting the backboard. Lee would open the window and yell down, "hey some of us are trying to sleep. Call it a night. We will see you tomorrow morning".

School begins and both boys are in middle school. Philip tries out for basketball and Jamie takes journalism classes and joins the yearbook and school newspaper.

Several months later, Lee is progressing at the Pentagon and now that the boys are in school, Amanda wants to find something for herself. She recalls what Francine said to her many, many years ago about her own photography studio. She has several still shots and pictures taken around the DC area and other exotic places she's been that didn't involve the agency. Six months later she opens a studio called "Walker Enterprises" in homage to Tom and Ellen. She advertises classes for students who primarily want to work with photographic film and the art of developing it themselves. She also teaches a class one night a week in digital photography.

Francine stops by the house more often and sometimes will bring her new boyfriend, Sam, who turns out to be Leatherneck.

One night when Lee arrives home from work, he walks through the door and the kitchen table is a mess. Amanda has piles of negatives all over the table. There is a light box and she is looking through a photo magnifier glass examining each one. He kisses her on her head and asks, "what are you doing?"

She replies, "I've been thinking of putting my own coffee table photo book out. I was thinking of researching and comparing them to black and white photos of the same location from 100 years ago and show people how much has changed".

Lee says, "that is a lot of work. How long will that take?".

"Yes, it is a lot of work", Amanda replies, "It could take more than six months of research, three months to work with a printer and six months or more to find a publisher. This is exciting and with you at work all day and the boys at school, I need something to do and book clubs and coffee klatches with the other neighbor's wives is not for me". Amanda decides not to use her own name and settles on using a pseudonym, using the first letter of her first name and then J. Edgar. Lee told her the story once of a case he and Billy worked on that was labeled as J Edgar's Ghost about the Hoover files that sounded like an interesting name to use. Soon she registers her name as AJ Edgar.

Philip and Jamie enter high school and Philip tries out for Junior Varsity Basketball, but within six months he is so good, they move him up to Varsity. Jamie takes more journalism classes and becomes editor of the newspaper and assistant editor of the yearbook in his junior year. Philip graduated from High School.

Lee and Amanda celebrate their 10-yr anniversary by taking a trip to Bali. On their return, Lee accompanies Philip to visit several colleges and universities. Philip applies for and gets his first choice. He attends Georgetown University later that fall majoring in economics and playing basketball. Since his family is not need-based, he doesn't qualify for a sports scholarship.

Jamie took extra classes and was able to take his senior year abroad working for National Geographic with a recommendation from his mother, who has become a famous photographer.

Billy has retired and with his kids grown, he and Jeannine move to North Carolina and he opens and manages a Deep-Sea Fishing Charter company. He has his blue Marlin mounted on the ship. Never caring for boating, he has a few employees and is content to sit on the dock with his rod and reel pretending to catch fish.

Francine takes over Billy's job and she marries "Sam". Lee gets a promotion at the Pentagon in charge of all operations. Jamie returns from abroad and starts college at the Rhode Island School of Design. Dotty and Curt retire to Florida.

Philip graduates and like his biological father decides to go into law, taking classes at GTU. Surprising his mother and father he wants to become a defense attorney defending the very same people his mother and father used to put away. Amanda's laughs and says, "how did that happen? It's probably your fault".

"My fault?" Lee protests. "Why would you say such a horrible thing?"

Still laughing, Amanda says, "I think it's his way of getting back at you for never letting him get a word in edgewise". Lee chuckles at that comment.

Both Philip and Jamie complete their education and Lee retires as Amanda publishes her final photography book. Philip joins a law firm in Virginia and Jamie gets an internship at the Washington Post. They move back home to celebrate their parents 20th wedding anniversary. Lee and Amanda renew their vows and he takes his still beautiful bride on a year-long trip around the world. Philip and Jamie take their parents to the airport and wave goodbye to them.

As they wait for their flight to be called, Lee has his arm around Amanda, and she rests her head on his shoulder. She says, "I love you, Mr. Stetson. You have made me a very happy woman for 20 years. I wouldn't change a thing in our lives".

Lee sits her up and takes her hand, kisses her and says, "I love you too Mrs. Stetson. I loved you from the first time I saw you at that art show. I wouldn't change a thing either".

Their flight is called, and he helps her up. In one hand he holds their bags and the other, he holds her hand. Are you ready for our next adventure?" He asks.

"As long as it is with you", she says with a smile.

THE END!