Unfinished Business, Unresolved Feelings chapter 22

Amanda was sitting at her desk in the Q Bureau buried in what Lee called 'busy work'. Although she would never admit it to Lee, she had come to find these assignments mind numbingly boring ,she'd much rather be out in the field. I think he's rubbed off on me over the last four years and I know that being around me has certainly changed him. It's been so hard to live with the two steps forward one step back nature of our relationship. Why did I think that that would change just because he was finally able to tell me that he loves me.

Amanda picked up the next file folder from the stack of case files on her desk. She had to write a brief summary of each case for Billy's monthly meeting with Dr Smyth. Amanda began to read through the material in the file but her mind returned to the phone conversation she'd had with Lee the previous evening. What's wrong with me? I've spent so much time encouraging him to reach out to me and then when he did I cut him off. Well I did have a right to be angry at him for taking off without a word to me but then again I suppose he's lived most of his life not having anyone who cared about his comings and goings. I've got to concentrate on these reports; there's nothing that I can do about Lee until he calls again.

While Amanda was thinking about Lee he was sitting in an airport terminal thinking about her. After spending a relaxed evening with his uncle and the Colonel's friend Meg Lee struggled to choose between staying longer with his uncle and going straight home to Amanda. Lee hated to cut his visit to his uncle short when they were finally getting their relationship on the right track but he ultimately decided that nothing was more important to him than making things right with Amanda. He'd headed home with the Colonel's blessings.

Lee had planned to call Amanda from the terminal while he was waiting for his connecting flight to board so that she would know when he'd be getting home. The moment Lee walked into the terminal he knew that he wouldn't be getting home anytime soon. The terminal was packed with travelers who were stranded when the airport authorities put a hold on all outgoing flights due to a dangerous storm system that was approaching the area. There's no point in calling Amanda now when I can't give her any idea when I'll be home. I guess I'll just have to surprise her. Not long after Lee settled in for what he hoped would be a relatively short wait the national weather service issued a tornado warning for the area where the airport was located.

Several hours later Amanda was still working her way through the stack of folders that were piled on the corner of her desk. Why is that stack still so high? Maybe it's because I've been thinking about Lee instead of concentrating on these files. That man has the ability to completely distract me even when he's; well wherever he is. Amanda's musings were interrupted by a perfunctory knock at the door. Billy came in before Amanda had had a chance to respond to his knock.

"Hello, Sir. I'm sorry I haven't made more progress with these reports. I'll stay late and continue to work on them. I don't have to get home; the boys are with their father for the weekend and Mother's away with a friend."

"That won't be necessary, my meeting with Dr Smyth isn't until Tuesday, and you'll have plenty of time to complete the reports." Billy looked at Lee's empty desk uncomfortably and then turned his attention back to Amanda. "Amanda, have you heard from Lee since he left town", Billy asked in what he hoped sounded like a casual voice.

"Yes, he called me last night. I didn't mention it to you because I thought that since he's been suspended that the Agency wasn't concerned with his whereabouts. Not that I could tell you where he is because I can't since he wouldn't tell me where he is. I'm sorry I know I'm rambling; it's just that I ended the call rather abruptly and now I'm waiting for him to call again so-"

"Amanda, I didn't come to find out where Lee is. I know where he was", Billy interrupted in a strained voice.

"How did you find out? Lee told me that he couldn't tell me where he was. He's visiting his uncle and the Colonel is working on something that is highly classified"

"Yes, that's true. When Lee arrived at the installation where his uncle is currently posted he was refused admittance so he tried to sneak in. He was caught by the military police so he showed them his Agency ID after they spotted the gun he was carrying. Ultimately he was escorted to the Colonel. The military police were trying to clean up loose ends earlier today so they called the Agency to verify that Lee's ID was current."

"Why are you telling me this? Is Lee in more trouble with the Agency because he snuck into the Air Force base with his Agency ID on him", Amanda fretted.

"No, I wish that was why I'm here. I had a question that only Lee could answer so I tried to get in touch with him through the Colonel." Billy looked at Lee's desk again as the knot in his stomach tightened. "Amanda, I think we should sit down while I tell you about my conversation with the Colonel." Amanda was becoming increasingly aware that there was something that Billy was avoiding telling her. Part of her wanted to run from the room but the other part needed to know what was wrong. If Lee needed her there was no place that she wouldn't go to in order to help him. Amanda sat down and looked at Billy expectantly.

"When I was connected to the Colonel's office he told me that Lee had decided to come home. He didn't like the way he left things with you. Lee was-"

"Lee's on his way home", Amanda interrupted in the desperate hope that if Billy didn't say what she thought he was going to say then it wouldn't be true.

"Amanda, please listen to me and then I will try to get answers to all your questions." Amanda nodded silently and waited to hear what Billy had come to tell her.