Monday evening, Lee and Amanda sat on the couch; Amanda's back pressed against Lee's chest, his hands gently massaging the tension filled areas just above her shoulder blades. It had been a busy day, from work to the visit to the hospital then the run in with Joe, then the office again, but the phone call with Joe had been the most challenging event of the day.

After dinner, Joe had phoned and Amanda had discreetly gone to her bedroom to take the call, leaving the remainder of the house to play UNO cards.

"Hi Amanda!"

"Hi Joe!"

"I would love to see you and the boys and talk instead of just doing this over the phone," He had begun.

"Of course, you can see the boys, but you can tell me over the phone why you are back in Arlington." She'd said, ignoring his comment about seeing her. "I haven't even told the boys yet that I saw you at the hospital, I wanted to wait until I spoke with you."

"Well, Amanda, the thing of the matter is, I'm back here to stay. I've taken a job at a law firm and I won't be returning to Eccostia."

A nerve had flared in Amanda's neck. "And, just when exactly did you make this decision?"

There was a pause over the phone that went on so long, that for a moment Amanda thought that Joe had hung up. "Joe, how long ago did you make this decision?"

"Um, a few months ago."

"And in all that time, you never thought to call or write the boys and tell them?"

"I just thought that I'd wait until I had acquired a position and then let them….and you know."

"Well, as usual…."

"Amanda, I don't see what the problem is….the boys will be happy to…"

"Of course, Joe, they will be happy, but you just don't do things like that, not this way."

"And I was hoping that…"

"Joe, I've got to go. The boys are still up and need to head to bed soon."

"But Amanda, when can I come by and see them?"

"Probably tomorrow. Let me take your number and I'll give you a call back."

"Okay Amanda."

After taking down Joe's number, she had said goodnight and hung up the phone. After she'd hung up the phone, she'd sat there in the bedroom for several minutes until she had composed herself, and then she'd gone downstairs and played one last hand of UNO with the boys before it was time for bed. And just as they went to their room, she told the boys that their father had returned to the states and would be back in their lives more regularly. Lee had discreetly remained in the den while she'd spoken to them. They had taken it pretty well, both equally glad that he was coming back but Jaimie wanted to know how that would affect her relationship with Lee.

"Oh, Jamie, your father coming back won't affect my and Lee's relationship at all."

"Good, Mom!"

She'd looked at him quizzically.

"We love dad of course," Jamie had said. "But we like Lee too and he seems to make you happy."

"And we want you to be happy," Philip had said.

"Aw fellows, come here." And with that, she'd given them a big hug.

"But you do like Lee don't you?"

"Yes!" They both had replied enthusiastically.

As Lee continued to rub Amanda's back, Amanda was able to forget about the conversation with Joe and slowly the pressure in her shoulders began to be relieved as she completely relaxed against Lee.

"Amanda?" Lee said softly.

"Hmm hmm?"

"What else do you think Joe wanted to say?"

"I don't know…"

"Don't you?"

"Well, maybe, oh, I don't know."

"Amanda!"

"Well maybe he wants to talk to me about us, us getting back together."

"I'm sure that's what he wants."

"You don't…"

"Amanda, I could feel it today, that Joe hasn't gotten over you and he wants you back."

"It doesn't matter what Joe wants. He can see the boys, that's it." She turned in his arms so that she could look in Lee's eyes. "I'm not in love with him anymore; it's you that I'm in love with."

Lee reached out and traced her lips with his fingertips. "I just hope he won't give you….us any trouble."

"Well, I think we can handle it he does. After all, we deal with bad guys all day, I think we can handle Joe." She settled back against Lee's chest and took comfort in the feel of his arms around her.

"I guess you're right," Lee answered her back.

"We should probably go upstairs," Amanda said softly.

"Yeah, hmm hmm," Lee replied back, but neither of them moved.

/

Bad guys! Dotty thought to herself. She'd just come down the steps to go to the kitchen for a glass of milk. Just what in God's name do they do all day, really? She turned around and went back upstairs and waited a few minutes before she actually came down. She thought about asking them about it, but she'd probably get the usual side step treatment. As she walked by the couch, she noticed that their eyelids were closed and that their breaths were slow and steady. Maybe I should wake them up and tell them to go upstairs... Instead, she went in the closet, retrieved a comforter and placed it over them before she got her milk from the kitchen and returned upstairs with a smile upon her face.

/

Joe lay in his hotel room with his own thoughts. That hadn't gone too well. What did he honestly think she was going to say? Had he quit his job and moved back here all for nothing? He wanted his family back, he knew that when he came back last time; but after returning to Africa, he had missed them even more; especially Amanda. At first seeing how she'd changed had frightened him, but then after he thought about it; it caused him to have different feelings about her.

But what about her relationship with Lee Stetson? He asked himself. Well, wasn't he part of the reason he'd come back too; Lee Stetson and the job, too dangerous for Amanda and for the boys? And just why were they at the doctor's, because of Lee or Amanda or both?