"Nick Grant? The art thief, Nick Grant?" Amanda exclaimed.

"Yes! One in the same!" Lee said with great frustration in his voice.

"Let me see that." Amanda said as she took the newspaper from Lee.

Amanda scanned page 2 of the paper. She saw nothing mentioning Nick Grant.

"Lee, there is nothing here about Nick Grant. What are you talking about?"

"Bottom right. That picture right there with Washington's latest woman of the hour."

Amanda examined the picture and the caption that went with it: "Sophia Lantin presented the Children's National Medical Center with a $1,000,000 donation in the name of her late husband, Gerald Lantin, at last night's charity ball. (l to r Louise Johnston, Alfred Ashe, Sophia Lantin)"

"Lee, it doesn't say anything about Nick. It talks about a charity donation."

"Look at the picture!"

Amanda examined the picture more closely. She saw a picture of a dark-haired woman that looked to be about 50, a silver-haired tall man that stood next to her that seemed to be about the same age, and a blonde woman that Amanda assumed to be Sophia Lantin holding a piece of paper that resembled a check.

"Lee, I'm sorry but I just don't see Nick"

Lee grabbed the paper and pointed to the picture.

"Right there, Amanda! Nick is right there!"

"You mean the back of that man's head? You think THAT is Nick Grant? Oh come on, sweetheart! Don't you think you are jumping to conclusions here?"

"Amanda, it's more that the back of his head! It's the profile and yes, I think that is Nick Grant and no I don't think I am jumping to conclusions! I have been burned by that man too many times! He turns a town upside down and I am left holding the bag! Did I ever tell you about the hotel bill that I got stuck with in France because of him?"

"Yes, sweetheart. You did. I guess this man kind of looks like him but we don't know if it is him. And if it is, he is out at a charity ball in this picture. Maybe he's changed?"

Lee rolled his eyes at Amanda.

"Changed? No….Nick Grant doesn't CHANGE. It's just a matter of time before there is a mess I have to clean up thanks to him. Need I remind you of what happened last time he was in town?"

"No, I remember quite well. I thought that we were going to miss our appointment with the justice of the peace and have to postpone our wedding. I thought he was extradited back to Turkey after that whole thing."

"Well, we left him in custody and then went on vacation. Someone let Nick slip through the cracks and he disappeared somewhere. Now to land right back in my lap!"

"How come I never heard anything about this? All this time I thought he was in Turkey."

"Well, you were recovering from being shot and I was trying to deal with almost losing my wife of a few days, and trying to go back to work without you there all the time…it didn't seem important to bring up the subject of Nick Grant."

Lee was tightening his jaw so much that the muscles in his cheeks were dancing. The thought of Amanda lying helpless in that hospital bed, fighting for her life was almost too much for Lee to handle. He could feel the nightmare coming back to him. That in conjunction with Nick Grant was sending his blood pressure sky high.

"Lee….calm down. We don't know if it's him. And if it is, you can assign one of the newer agents to deal with him. It doesn't have to be you!"

Lee faced Amanda and took her hands in his.

"You're right. I am over reacting. We'll wait and see. I think Reynolds would be the perfect man to put on this should the case arise."

"See, there you go! Feel better?"

Amanda leaned forward and gave Lee a kiss. She stepped back and looked at him with a smile on her face. Lee then pulled her back closer to him and gave her a much deeper, more passionate kiss.

"Now I do!" he said.

Amanda kissed him back and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her big brown eyes smiling up at him.

"I love you, you know that?"

"Oh, Amanda. I love you, too. And, I can feel your baby belly as we hold each other!"

Lee smiled and beamed at Amanda as the first real signs of the baby were starting to show themselves. Had she not been as svelte as she was it probably would take another few weeks to show, but Lee could tell the difference. He stepped back and placed his hands on her stomach and seemed to marvel in the whole process. Amanda smiled as she watched Lee bonding with his child.

"I don't suppose we can keep this a secret much longer, can we?"

"Well, I think we still have a little time, sweetheart. You notice the changes in my body because you are looking for them and well, because you know my body…"

"Yes, I do!" Lee said with a flirtatious grin. Amanda smiled.

"What I mean is, I want to still hold off saying anything. I am just barely showing. My regular clothes still fit even though they are a bit tight. Probably around Christmas time it will all be out in the open."

"Ok….I'm just excited!"

Amanda smiled warmly as she saw Lee's eyes dance with excitement.

"How about I go make us some breakfast? Then maybe you can give Harry a call?"

"If you are hungry, make some breakfast, but don't go to that trouble for me. I am fine with coffee for now."

"Lee…."

Amanda stared at Lee.

"I know! I know! The most important meal of the day! Fine, I will have some eggs or pancakes or whatever it is that you feel like making! But not a huge portion, ok?"

"OK, it's a deal! Are you going to be able to drop the boys off at soccer practice this morning? Joe will pick them up and they are staying with him tonight since we are going to the embassy party. When is soccer season over, anyway?"

"Yup, I can drop them off. I am pretty sure that next week is it. Do the boys know they are going to Joe's?"

Lee and Amanda walked into the house.

"Yes they do. I think they are going to the movies tonight."

"Philip is tearing himself away from Jessica for the night?"

"Oh no. She's going with them!"

Lee chuckled. "That's my boy!"

Amanda backhanded him with the spatula she was holding as she gathered everything together to make pancakes.

"Hey! That's MY baby boy! Don't go pushing him to become a man too soon!"

"Amanda, I hate to tell you but puberty is doing that faster than I ever could!"

"I know. I know. I am just so thankful that he has you to talk to and come to with problems. He really loves you. I hope you know that."

Lee began to fill with pride and happiness. A giant grin crossed his face and he began to get the slightest tinge of blush in his cheeks.

"I love him, too. And Jamie. You know, I have been keeping a special eye out on them for years, Amanda. Long before we ever became involved. I just wanted to always make sure they were safe. I felt…..I don't know…drawn to them? Like it was my job to watch over them. Does that make sense?"

"Yes. It does!"

Amanda kissed Lee tenderly on the lips. They could hear the boys bounding down the stairs.

"Time to get breakfast going!"

"Ok, I am going to go call Harry and have a little chat about tonight with him. Be back in a little while. Morning, fellas!"

Lee passed the still groggy boys on the stairs. They nodded in his direction acknowledging his greeting but too sleepy to put it into words. Lee disappeared into his bedroom to make the call to Harry.

Philip and Jamie plopped down on the couch still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes.

"Morning, boys! How about some pancakes this morning?"

"Morning…..sure pancakes sound good." Jamie said as he clicked on the TV with the remote flipping through the channels and stopping on Bugs Bunny.

"Aren't you a little old for Saturday morning cartoons, doofus?" Philip said to Jamie trying to snatch the remote out of his hand.

"Hey….fellas, stop fighting. It's way too early in the day to be fighting. Don't forget that your dad is picking you up from soccer practice this afternoon."

"Yeah, mom. We know." Jamie answered back. "He said he was taking us to the movies tonight."

"What do you want to go with your pancakes? Do you want some eggs or some bacon or something?"

"BACON!" They both shouted!

SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK

Lee picked up the phone and began to dial Harry's number. He suddenly stopped and hung up the phone. There was another phone call he felt he needed to make first. Lee picked up the receiver and dialed the number to the agency.

"IFF.."

"This is Stetson. The word of the day is possum. Patch me though to Agent Reynolds."

Lee waited impatiently as the IFF operator connected his call to Reynolds. He had to get to the bottom of this Nick Grant thing. Was it or wasn't it him in that newspaper photo.

"Agent Reynolds…"

"Reynolds? This is Stetson. I have a job for you. I need you to drop whatever you are working on and do some research on a photo that was in this morning's paper."

"Ok….uh…but Sir? I am over in Italy on assignment. Ms. Desmond sent me here a few days ago. Do you want me to fly home?"

Lee cursed under his breath. He had forgotten that Reynolds was out of the country. Maybe Amanda was right. Maybe he was making way too much of this whole thing. What if it WAS Nick? Or….what if it wasn't.

"Uh, no….no, Reynolds. Sorry I forgot you were over there. When you come back, I can have you do some research on this person. Not a big deal. Stetson out."

Lee sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Something about that picture was eating away at him but he couldn't figure out what. His gut was saying that was Nick Grant, but he had no proof.

Lee picked up the phone and called the agency again.

"IFF…"

"This is Stetson. Word of the day is possum. Put me through to surveillance…...Hello. This is Scarecrow. I need you to research the where abouts of a Nick Grant, sometimes known as Sir Nicholas or Lord Nicholas. Last know where abouts was Washington, DC in February 1987. Check the data base…there is plenty in there to go on about him. Get back to me as soon as you have some answers for me. Thanks."

Lee felt better that someone was looking into this and that it didn't have to be him. Now, to talk to Harry. Lee dialed Harry's number.

"Hello?"

"Harry…it's Lee. How are you?"

"Oh, Lee! How are you, my boy? Everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. I was calling to talk to you about tonight's embassy party. You are planning on going, right?"

"Yes, we are planning on going. You know I am bringing Dotty, right?"

"Yeah, that is what I was calling to talk to you about. Amanda plans on having a chat with Dotty later this morning about the party and how she needs to not over react to anything that Amanda or I do at the party. You never know whose eyes are watching. Amanda thought it would be a good idea if I gave you a quick call and asked you to have the same talk with Dotty later."

"I understand. And I would be happy to chat with Dotty about tonight's party but I don't think you have anything to worry about. I plan on introducing her to a lot of people. I don't think she will have the time to worry about you or Amanda."

Lee began to laugh.

"Harry…..do you remember when I first starting talking to you about Amanda and how she never would do even the simplest things I told her to do like stay in the car? Where do you think she gets that from? Dotty is just as bad as Amanda if not worse sometimes."

Harry chuckled. "I guess you are right about that. Lee! Ok, will make sure she understands the point. Are you working to night?"

"Well, maybe? I got a message that some information was going to be passed to me about some diamond smuggling plot but I don't know who is supposed to pass it to me or when. It could turn out to be nothing at all. I am hoping the evening will be mostly pleasure and not too much business."

"OK, Lee. I will talk to Dotty. I will see you at the party! Give my love to Amanda!"

"Will do….take care."

Lee hung up the phone and laid back on the bed. He didn't know why he was letting the possibility of Nick being in Washington, DC so much bother him. He had once described Nick as fly paper-if you get near it, it gets stuck to you. Life was good right now; he didn't want Nick to get "stuck" to him and his family. Lee began to rub his right side remembering the bullet wound he received the last time Nick was in town from an angry husband firing at Nick. He and Amanda almost missed their own wedding with the justice of the peace because of Nick.

Lee's thoughts then drifted off to remembering their wedding and how incredibly happy he was that day. He never thought that he would get married. All the years of being a solo agent and not letting anyone get close to him….he never thought that he would want what he has right now: a family, a home and the most amazing wife that any man could ask for. Lee quickly clenched his jaw as he allowed the thought of Nick Grant coming into the happy picture and creating some king of havoc.

"Calm down. Let Surveillance handle it for now." Lee said aloud to himself. "Go back down stairs and have some breakfast with your family. And then maybe you and Amanda both can have a talk with Dotty."

"Talk with me about what, Lee?" Dotty said as she stood in the doorway to the bedroom.

To be continued…..