I just wanted to say thank you to Lanie for once again helping me iron out a few things. You're great! Happy reading!
Homecoming
Lee shifted in his airline seat on his way back to DC. His six weeks in Europe ran the gauntlet of his tactile skill. Starting in the UK he bounced like a wayward ball to Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and finally back to the UK. He had assisted in stopping three terrorist's attacks, one international banking heist, and an assassination attempt on two members of a royal family. He didn't realize how exhausted he was until the stewardess woke him, letting him know the plane would be landing in half an hour. Lee stood briefly to stretch his muscles; as he did, he noticed a woman with brown hair a few seats back and it took his thoughts to Amanda. He hadn't been able to call her in three weeks.
He smiled at the memory of their last phone call. He never thought she would have phone sex with him. It wasn't his intention when he called but then he couldn't resist a little payback for her actions in his car the night before he left.
He also began to wonder if she was now seeing someone else. He wouldn't blame her. She hadn't spoken to him in weeks. Amanda was beautiful; he knew that from the beginning. While he could honestly say that when he met her almost a year ago, it wasn't her beauty as much as her bravery that began to impress him more and more. He couldn't think about that at the moment; he would just have to deal with whatever awaited his returned. He was hopeful that she wasn't with anyone and still willing to try to have a relationship with him.
The ride to his apartment, he had to admit to himself, was filled with thoughts of two things, bed and Amanda. The longer he thought about the two he realized his mind was not separating them from one another. He wanted one as much as he wanted the other, preferably together. This only made him ponder more on the idea of what he wanted with her; was it purely sexual or was there more to it?
Walking into his darkened apartment, Lee habitually hit the button on the answering machine; freezing when he heard Amanda's raspy voice filling the room. "Lee, I haven't heard from you in a few days and wasn't sure if you could check this number from where you are. I just wanted you to know that I enjoyed our conversation the other night. I only wish it had been a face-to-face conversation. Those are always better with us. Goodnight."
He continued listening to similar messages from her that she had left for him. Letting him know that she hoped he was okay and safe. She let him know she was praying for him and even on one message let him know how much she missed him. Lee replayed that one over.
"Lee, I know you aren't there, but this has been the only way for me to hear your voice. I miss you and no one will tell me anything, especially Francine. She just rolls her eyes at me. Billy just smiles knowingly at me when I ask; I really need to hear from you. I hope you call soon; I really need to hear your voice to know you are okay."
Lee went to his room to change his clothes. Even with the late hour he knew he needed to hear her voice as much as she needed to hear his. He heard the fear in her voice with her last message; he never meant for her to feel that way, fearful for him.
On the third ring, Lee felt a shot of disappointment as he heard the word, "Hello?" It wasn't Amanda that answered. "Can I please speak with Amanda?"
"She isn't home right now, can I take a message?" Dotty asked, curious as to whom the man on the phone was. His silky voice was something to run with in a person's imagination.
"Uh, sure; let her know that Lee called and I am back in town. We work together. She um, she has the number."
"I'll let her know when she gets in from her date. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, thank you." Lee hung the phone up and went to make him a drink. Picking the phone up, Lee dialed Billy.
"Melrose, here," Billy answered his private number on the first ring.
"Billy, it's Lee. I'm back." Lee barked over the line.
Billy smiled at hearing the tenseness in Lee's voice. He must have tried to call Amanda first, Billy thought. "How was your European vacation?" With Lee's next comment he knew without a doubt, that this call had more to do with a certain civilian than letting him know he was back.
"Send Francine next time. Who is she dating?" Lee was blunt.
"Francine? I have no idea who she is dating. Why?"
"Cut the crap! You know damn well who I am talking about! Who is he? When did they start? How long has it been going on?" Lee grew more demanding.
Smiling at the obvious jealousy of his friend and coworker, Billy said, "Lee, it is all work related; just a cover and only for the last two weeks."
"It's only work, you swear?" Lee questioned.
"She didn't want this one. Her children had only been home a few days. They had to come home earlier than planned. Her mother had been gone longer than planned and she hadn't talked with you before this. It was as if she wanted your approval, which isn't the way this business works. It is my approval she needs." Lee let out a breath of relief as Billy told him about the assignment he had placed Amanda on and how within one or two days, the assignment should be over.
"Lee, trust me. Amanda is perfectly safe. She has always been in the line of sight of an agent. Not to mention, Leatherneck has her wired to the hilt. We have heard every word, breath of air... Hell, man, we probably could isolate her eyelashes blinking. All precautions have been taken. I'll see you in the morning bright and early."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Billy, the morning; are you bringing the coffee?" Lee laughed.
"No, Stetson, you are. Remember I like sugar in my coffee." Lee heard Billy laughing as he went to replace the receiver on the phone.
Lee went to take his shower. He got out and heard his phone was ringing. "Stetson," was all he could get out before he heard Amanda.
"Tell me this isn't a weird dream. You are home?"
Sitting down on his bed smiling at the sound of her voice, "I am home. How was your date?"
"Oh, Lee, it was just work, nothing more, I swear." She was hoping he believed her as she sat on her bed folding her legs underneath her.
"I know; I called Billy. I won't lie. It was hard to hear your mother tell me you were on a date. How are you? Billy said you didn't want to be on this case."
Quietly she blushed, and then answered him, "This is going to sound weird but I felt like I was cheating on you. Which I know is crazy because we never really defined anything between us, besides us being sexually attracted to each other, but Lee, those first days I was really nervous."
"What changed? What made you not so nervous any longer?"
"Ironically, it was something Francine told me. She told me to think of my time with Jasper as time with Joe when we first started dating. I took her advice. Well I changed it some, and it got a lot easier."
"Oh, yeah, and how did you change her method?"
"I just pretended he was you. I got to ask him all the things I could never ask you because you don't answer personal questions about yourself. Jasper doesn't care what you ask him as long as he can lead it back to nuclear science and politics."
"Amanda, you can't worry about me when Billy gives you an assignment."
"Oh, so you would have been okay with me getting closer to this man if you were here?"
"It doesn't matter how I feel about something Billy assigns to you. Billy is the boss."
"How do you feel about me and this case?"
"I hate it, but I sure am proud of how you have done it without me. Billy said the boys got back early. Is everything okay with their vacation?"
"Oh, it was fine. They just missed their friends and wanted to come home early. When Joe went back to Africa, they came home, but they did get to see him for about two weeks. It was a good visit for all of them."
"Glad to hear it. Did I get your mother all worked up with my message?"
"I have to admit she was curious as to why you were calling at that time while I was on a date with another man. I just confirmed what you told her that you had been gone and we work together. Lee, I hate to do this but I have an early morning breakfast with Jasper, so I will see you at the Agency tomorrow."
"Okay, I wished I had the time to let you know I was coming home; then maybe we could have made plans to see one another."
"Well, with mother and the boys back, it might be a little harder to do that." Amanda reminded him.
"Really; I was thinking it would be easy." Smiling Amanda whispered goodnight and hung the phone up. Knowing she wouldn't get any more sleep knowing he was home, Amanda grabbed her coat and keys, wrote a note to her mother and headed toward Lee's apartment.
Lee was lying in bed and almost asleep when he heard someone knocking on his door. Dragging himself from the covers, he pulled his robe on over his nightclothes then looked through the peek hole to see Amanda standing there.
He opened the door and before he could get a word out she flung herself into his arms kissing him as they backed into the apartment. "Hello and how are you?" Lee asked when their kiss broke apart.
"Better now that I have actually seen you." She pulled him closer to her to hold him around his waist.
"A-man-da, you called my apartment, had a conversation with me; where else would I have been?"
Blushing she admitted, "I just wanted to see you. Is that so bad? I wanted to hold you for a while and be in your arms again."
Holding her close he smiled saying, "That is never a bad thing in my book. Come on in and take your coat off." Walking to the couch Lee asked, "What did you tell your mother? I mean, here you are out on a 'date' with someone whom you have been seeing for a couple of weeks and then all of a sudden you rush out to meet another man at this late hour. Whatever will she think of you?"
"She was in bed. I left her a note in case she got up for tea or something."
"So, you came by just to see me in person, huh?"
"Don't get all cocky, Stetson, but yes I really wanted to see you. The last time we talked on the phone I was having a really bad day, but then you really didn't make it better for me."
Raising his eyebrows at her, "Really; because I could have sworn that was you calling my name over the phone. It sounded like I improved your day quite a bit there, Mrs. King."
"Well in that case explain to me about Judy."
Not this again, he thought. "What do you want to know about her? I mean hell you met her. She is as open as a person can get. She says what is on her mind, she has no filter, and she is a damn good agent."
"Lee, who are you talking about?" Genuine confusion was etched over her face.
"Judy Patterson. She works from another sister agency with her husband. We dated a couple of years ago before she met and married Aaron. We parted friends or so I thought until you told me how she had warned you against me like Billy and Francine."
"Billy was more of a fatherly warning, whereas Francine was more of a back-off-you-can't-handle-a-man-like-him warning. Lee, the Judy I was talking about was from our second case together, Judy Wainwright, one of the Connie Beth women. She was at the burger place I went to for dinner and she recognized me. She asked about you, I told her you were out of the country on business. She noticed I had no ring on and went into a tirade about how all men were liars and cheats. Then when I got home the first voice I heard was yours and I have to admit it was the last one I wanted to hear at that moment. I knew you were on assignment; I knew that Francine could have been partially right about you having to wine and dine women. I didn't want to hear it. I just wanted to eat and forget the whole damn day. I have to admit that I wasn't very fair to you. It wasn't doubt about us so much as it got me thinking that you do have a past; with wilder experiences; not that I don't have a few of my own, but..."
"But, having it in your face all the time must be hard. I know you have a past. You told me Joe wasn't your first. I don't want to think about it. Amanda, you have to understand that I have been in this business so long that things like this will come up, as much as I hate it. I just have to know that you trust in me and that if I am with you, I am only with you; unless of course, it is in the field and Billy orders me to not be with you."
"If he knew that we were together, would he still put you out there on the bait hook?"
"Yes, if he needed to; just like he did with you. Billy I believe already has a good idea about us."
"Lee, what are we? Can you define it for me?"
"We, Amanda, are indefinable because for us, we have never dated or been with anyone like us before."
"Lee, I have dated jocks before." Laughing and smacking his chest in fun.
Grabbing her hands in his, he said, "None as smart, handsome, or as stealthy as me."
"That is so true, Scarecrow." Leaning up to meet his lips, Amanda sighed as his lips found hers. Kissing her tenderly and slowly, Amanda opened to him allowing his tongue to explore her mouth. She fingered his hair that had grown out some in Europe, feeling its silky softness in contrast to his possessive kisses. Pressing her body closer to his, she began to moan as his hands moved over her back.
"Lee, I need you," She urged him as she stood, leading them to his bedroom and to his bed. Lee lay beside her, kissing her while his hands reacquainted themselves with her body. His eyes closed he knew every curve and line of her body. He had dreamed of it every night for the last six weeks. He knew at that moment that Amanda King was not just another casual affair. Surprisingly he was okay with that new awareness.
Hours later as Amanda started to leave Lee confessed, "Amanda, we are more than indefinable, we are words that haven't even been thought of yet."
Lee walked into the Georgetown foyer and greeted Mrs. Marston with a cheery smile and the code word to get his badge from her. "Good morning, I believe the word is homecoming."
"Nice to see you again, Mr. Stetson, how was your trip?"
"I really cannot complain about spending the summer in Europe, now can I?"
"I suppose not; have a nice day."
"I intend to, Mrs. Marston."
Lee walked into the bullpen and straight to Billy's office. Knocking he waited to be allowed access, then casually walking in he sat in one of the two chairs directly in front of Billy's desk.
"Lee, welcome back. I have a conference room for you, Francine, and Johnson for debriefing. I assume it will take most of the day since you were gone so long."
"I thought so too. How come you aren't sitting in today; you normally do?"
"We are bringing in Jasper this morning and I have to deal with that."
"This morning; Amanda is having breakfast with him this morning."
"I know that; I picked the restaurant they are eating at. Amanda reported in as she was supposed to and I feel like we have enough to bring him in now. We thought arresting her along with him would help her cover. They should be here at any moment."
Excitement in the bullpen made them both turn to see Amanda and Jasper being led in handcuffs while fighting the officers and each other. Lee and Billy both stood and walked out into the bullpen to watch the show.
"I swear I barely know him. Why are you arresting me?" Amanda pleaded.
"She knows as much as I do; don't let her fool you." Jasper spat out.
Amanda locked eyes with Lee briefly before finishing her rant through the bullpen and into an awaiting conference area. Lee walked to his conference room and awaited Francine and Johnson for his own debriefing.
Shortly after one, Lee told Francine that he was going to get some lunch and would return later to finish. He was starving. He hoped Amanda was still around to have lunch with him. Walking into the busy bullpen he spotted Amanda at his desk typing away at the computer and eating apple slices.
"Is that all you brought for lunch?" He asked as he sat on the corner of his desk.
"No, it was just a snack. I was waiting to see if she was going to let you have lunch or not today." Amanda pointed her eyes in the direction of Francine exiting the conference room with Johnson.
"I was wondering that myself. Well, would you like to go have some lunch with me before I have to go back in there?"
"I would love to; could you just give me about three minutes to finish and save what I have?"
"Ok; but only three minutes. I will go get the car and meet you out front; how does that sound?"
"Perfect; see you in three." Lee stood from the corner and Amanda watched him as he walked toward the elevators only to see him get stopped by Billy on the way. Smiling to herself she finish the last paragraph, saved the partial report, and then got her purse from the bottom drawer and went to meet up with Lee for lunch.
Francine was waiting for the elevator when she got there and she said, "Amanda, leaving for the day? I thought your report would take most of the day."
"Not really; I have been working on it ever since the beginning, but I thought before I clean it up and make sure it was completely ready, I would have some lunch."
"Where are you going; I am starved. Listening to all the great places Lee had dinners was driving me crazy; I missed breakfast this morning."
"I'm not sure where I am going; Lee asked me to lunch with him."
"Lunch; really, Amanda; what kind of "quick" lunch will you and Lee be getting?"
Stepping off the elevator Amanda responded with her best smile, "I never said it was going to be a quick lunch, Francine. Have a nice day." Amanda left the blonde standing with her mouth hanging open as she handed her visitor badge over to Mrs. Marston.
Amanda got into the awaiting car and Lee joking said, "You owe me four minutes."
"Take it from Francine." She couldn't help herself as she leaned over, grabbed Lee by his shirt collar, pulled him closed and kissed him deeply.
Breaking from the kiss a moment later, Lee smiled, "Wow! What brought that on?"
"Not seeing you for six weeks has had a weird effect on me you could say. I am almost ashamed to admit that the minute I saw you coming out of Billy's office, I wanted to run over and kiss you right there."
"You saw me last night and part of this morning although I know what you mean. I had the same feeling seeing you. I have to admit that seeing you in handcuffs gave me a completely different thought."
"Don't get any ideas about that one, Buster. I don't want to be restrained with you."
Pulling into the parking lot of Nedlinger's, Lee raised his eyebrow asking, "Have you been restrained with others before?"
"Not in any literal sense of the word. Lee, are we doing what everyone thinks we are doing or is this just some crazy affair?"
Looking her in the eyes, he answered as honestly as he could have, "Amanda at this moment you are the only woman I want to be with; in any sense of the word. Now how about we really catch up over some lunch?"
"Sounds good to me, I am starving."
On the way back to the Agency, they had made plans to see each other that night after work. Amanda went back to Lee's desk to finish her report as Francine and Johnson were going back into the conference room. Francine looked over at Lee sitting on the corner of his desk and yelled across the room, "Lover boy, time to finish this up."
Lee gave her a look she hadn't seen in years. She knew the statement wouldn't bother him; the man had a notorious reputation. Francine knew the look he shot her way was to let her know he knew how she was trying to embarrass Amanda. Amanda just laughed it off and said, "Well, you heard her, lover boy, you better get going."
"Yes, ma'am; I aim to please." Tipping an imaginary hat in her direction, Lee stood and walked into the conference room to finish his debriefing.
Amanda was just finishing her report and printing it out as Francine and Lee walked out of the conference room apparently in a heated discussion over something. Being across the room, she couldn't hear but the looks on both of their faces said that whatever was going on between them, it wasn't finished.
Lee stormed from the room and left Amanda wondering if their dinner plans had just changed between them for that night. Gathering all the items for her report, she went to turn it in to Billy and found Francine in the room now.
"Here is my report on the Jasper case, Sir. I will see you Monday. Have a nice weekend."
"Amanda, dear, the weekend isn't for another three days." Francine quipped while rolling her eyes in frustration toward Amanda.
"Yes, but I don't work again until Monday, Francine, have a nice weekend." Amanda just smiled brightly then left the room. Walking out of Billy's office Amanda saw Lee at his desk drumming a pencil on the desktop. "Looking for something?"
"Nope, someone, I could have sworn we had plans for this evening."
"We do. Just let me get my things." She bent over to get her purse from the bottom drawer when Lee reached over to move a strand of hair from her face. Amanda looked at him in surprise at the gesture that was made in front of anyone in the room.
The gesture wasn't lost on more than one agent in the room as Lee moved the hair from her face and neither were his statements about them having plans. Two female agents were making some comments as Francine past them and heard. Turning on the two Francine said, "Excuse me; the last time I checked this was a functional government agency, not high school. It is no one's business what Lee Stetson and Amanda King do or don't do. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Ms. Desmond." They answered in frightened unison.
Amanda told Lee she needed to go home to change first then she would meet him. "Just come to the apartment. I will stop and get us some Chinese; how does that sound?"
"Delicious; see you in a little bit." She leaned up and kissed him as he opened her car door for her.
Amanda walked into her house to the sound of silence. Walking into the kitchen she saw the note from her mother that said the boys went to Tommy's to spend the night and she was on a date and not to wait up for her. "Okay, I won't wait up; hopefully you don't either." She laughed as she bounced up the stairs.
Two hours later, Lee was slamming the phone down for the fourth time after trying Amanda's number and getting no answer. "Where the hell is she?" Putting the food containers in the fridge Lee turned, grabbed his car keys, and slammed his door as he decided to go and find her.
He pulled up to the front curb, not caring if he was seen or not. He saw the lights on. He didn't see Amanda's car. He went to the front door, knocking first then trying the doorbell. He didn't get an answer on either try. He went to check the door when behind him, he heard, "Can I help you?"
Lee turned to face Amanda's mother. He had seen her through the windows so many times. "Hello, Mrs. West. I am Lee Stetson. I called Amanda last night. We had plans for tonight but she never showed and she wasn't answering the phone. I just stopped by to see if she was okay."
"That is strange. Well let's just see what is keeping her." Dotty opened the door and then screamed as she saw Amanda lying on the stairs unconscious. Lee ran past Dotty to check Amanda's pulse.
"Amanda, Amanda, wake up!" She stirred enough to see Lee's face smiling before she went back out.