A/N: Sorry for the delay - on with the story!

"Absolutely not! The last thing this operation needs is two civilians-"

"Amanda King and Lee Stetson are hardly civilians! Both of them are highly trained agents, with certificates of valor signed by the president himself! They have put their own lives on the line for their country time and time again-"

"There are too many people who know about this operation as it is! The more people who get involved at this stage will only increase the risk of one of these girls getting hurt or even shot! And I sure as hell don't want to explain how that happened to the president or their families!"

"Have their families been informed?" I spoke up for the first time in several minutes.

Agent Johns swung his head to look at me. "No. So far we only have confirmation that Meg is alive – we haven't gotten visual confirmation on the other girls."

I nodded my head slowly as I digested this information. When Agent Johns had dropped the bombshell half an hour ago that Styles and Meg had been sighted at the ranch, everyone around the table had exploded in excitement. Billy and Lee demanded that we head for Mexico right away, not delaying another minute, but Agent Johns stated that a rescue op was already under way.

And that the Agency wasn't going to be part of it.

That's when Billy, Dr. Smyth, Angel, and Agent Johns began to argue. Lee actually let our bosses do most of the talking, sitting back and watching the fireworks with me and Francine. But all they seemed to be accomplishing was going around in circles and finally I put my fingers in my mouth and whistled. Silence fell around the table as everyone turned to stare at me.

"Good. Now that I have everyone's attention, I'd like to put my two cents in, if I may. I understand why from your perspective, Agent Johns, you want to keep Lee and I out of the raid. We're not DEA and you don't want to be held liable if anything should happen to us during the crossfire."

Agent Johns nodded. "Exactly."

I held up my hand. "But I do think Lee and I should go to Mexico – I think we could be vital in providing cover for Meg, and the other girls hopefully, in getting them out of Mexico, as well as providing emotional support."

Johns frowned. "I don't see why that's-"

"You don't think that's a priority?" I finished for him. "Agent Johns, these girls have been through hell. I am holding out hope that you will find all of them, and if so, Jennifer has been missing for two years, held in a foreign country being forced to help smuggle drugs and do God knows what else! She's going to need lots of tender loving care from a mother – or a mothering type such as myself, not the cold efficient agents you will have with you."

Johns grunted. "Okay, but what's he going for?" He pointed a finger at Lee.

I smiled. "Window dressing."

"A-man-da."

My grin grew as I turned to him and whispered. "Sorry, I couldn't pass up the opportunity!" I swung my chair back to the group. "He's my partner – we go in as a team. We can pose as husband and wife," I ignored the snort from Francine over my shoulder. "Professors from a big university, come to collect our students at the end of a research cycle. We'll get our fabrications department to make up passports and visas for all the girls – that way customs won't blink an eye and we'll sail right back across the border. Unless you had a better idea-" I held out my hands, shrugging my shoulders.

"It's a great idea," Lee grinned at me.

Johns grunted. "All right, but the two of you stay at the hotel the whole time – no following us to the ranch and messing up my raid!"

"Scouts honor." I pledged.

"All right, plane leaves in four hours – can you both be ready?"

Lee and I exchanged looks before nodding at Agent Johns. "We'll meet you at the airport."

"Mother? Are you home?" I called as Lee opened the front door and we both stepped inside the house.

"We're in the den, love."

I raised my eyebrows at the word 'we' and exchanged a nervous look with my husband. We had been hoping to catch Mother alone so that we could at least tell her a little bit about our mission before heading to the airport but if she was entertaining a neighbor or one of her girlfriends, that was out of the question. Lee closed the door as I crossed the foyer and entered the den only to stop short in the doorway.

"Hello, Amanda."

Joe.

"I know I should have called first – but you said not to until I'd made a final decision about Africa and well-" he cleared his throat and then his eyes widened as I felt my husband's hands rest on my shoulders.

"Joe."

"Lee – I – didn't realize you were back in town."

"Hmm, yes. Actually, Amanda and I are headed back to the airport. We just got an urgent assignment that needs our immediate attention-"

Dotty got to her feet and came to stand in front of us. "Now? Before the boys get home from school?"

I nodded. "I'm sorry, Mother – but that's the nature of our jobs. Hopefully we won't be gone long."

She looked between the two of us, her eyes finally settling on Lee. "You'll take care of her?"

"Yes."

"We'll take care of each other – just like always," I promised. "You'll watch the boys?"

Dotty shrugged. "Of course – do you need me to do anything else for you?"

I glanced at Joe who was pretending not to eavesdrop on our conversation. "I better talk to Joe – can you help Lee pack me a bag – couple changes of clothes, some toiletries-"

Dotty held up her hand. "I know how to pack an overnight bag for my little girl."

I grinned and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Mother."

Dotty grabbed Lee's hand. "Come on, Lee. Let's give them some privacy."

He shot me a look, but I smiled in reassurance, and he allowed himself to be tugged out of the den and up the stairs.

I turned to Joe, exhaling a sigh. "Why are you here, Joe?"

"To say good-bye."

I crossed my arms over my chest and sat on the edge of the sofa. "So, you're going back."

"I can't stay – I need some distance from –" he spread his hands out and waved them around, encompassing the house. "All this."

I exploded. "And what about the boys? What am I supposed to tell them – or are you going to stick around long enough to say good-bye to them yourself?"

"I want to pick them up from school and talk to them this afternoon – that is, if it's all right with you."

"And what do you plan to tell them?"

"The truth – at least, as much as they're entitled to. I'm going back because the Prime Minister and the people of Estoccia need me."

I winced. "And how do you think that is going to make your teenage sons feel? They need you too, Joe. They love you and you've missed out on so much of their lives already. Isn't there some way you can stay in DC?"

Joe shook his head. "I know it wasn't fair of me to expect you and the boys to be waiting for me when I came home – but well, I was. I mean, our marriage didn't end because we fell out of love, or we hated each other. It ended because I was geographically unavailable-"

I felt my temper flaring again and I did my best to bank the fires and speak calmly. "Joe, it wasn't that simple, and you know it. You were unwilling to compromise – both of us were, if I'm being honest. When we got married, we were so young and idealistic and thought we could take on the world – make a real difference. And then I got pregnant with Philip and suddenly, my focus narrowed to wanting to make a good, stable home for the three of us. My perspective shifted – and yours didn't. You still wanted to travel and be an ambassador of sorts to Third World countries and I got scared. Suddenly, I was six months pregnant, and I didn't want to drag an infant to all those places that wouldn't have the best medical care if something went wrong and then when it came time for school – where would he go? I didn't feel qualified to teach him myself. I still remember you coming home, over the moon with excitement when you got the assignment to Estoccia, telling me how much I would love Africa. You'd accepted the job on the spot – without even talking to me about it. Philip was only one month old-" I choked as the memory brought up all the emotions I'd been feeling at the time.

Joe stood in front of me, white faced, looking as if I'd slapped him. "I never – you never told me all this – how you felt – what you were going through-"

"I know. I just – I thought it made me a bad wife not to support you – but you need to know, Joe, that I wasn't happy – I just wanted this-" I waved my hands to encompass my house. "And you and Philip – and I thought there was something wrong with me that I wasn't enough to make you happy – to keep you here with us in Arlington."

"Oh Amanda, no, it wasn't you! I just – I wanted – I needed to go. I wanted to make a difference; you know?"

I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly before I replied. "I know – really, I do, Joe. I know that now – but you need to know it took me years to build my self-confidence, my self-worth back up to realize that I, Amanda King, am a sexy, desirable woman. When you came home, I was happy to see you – for the boys' sake. I knew that they still needed their father – and they always will. As for me, I'm willing to be your friend, even co-parent with you if the situation calls for it, but that's all. I'm not going to make excuses for your absence to the boys or clean up your messes. You can tell the boys the whole truth or a half-truth about why you're returning to Estoccia, I don't really care. Lee and I are together now, and the boys have given us their blessing, so even if they get upset with us for you leaving, I know that in time, we'll work it out."

Joe stared at me for long moment, and I wondered if he was thinking who this defiant woman in front of him was. Finally, he cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. "So, I can pick the boys up and take them out for pizza, say good-bye before bringing them back to the house?"

I nodded. "Just be sure to have them home by eight. They have homework and it's a school night. I'll be calling to check in and say good night."

"Take care of yourself, Amanda."

"You too, Joe."

He crossed to the French doors and with one last look back at me, left.

I sagged like a puppet who's had their strings cut as Lee's arms came around me from behind, his breath warm in my ear. "I'm so proud of you."

I grunted. "For telling my ex-husband off?"

He pulled me up and I stood, turning to press myself into his warm chest. He held me close, swaying us slightly back and forth. "No, for finally telling him how you felt all those years ago – how much his actions affected you – you've been keeping that inside for a very long time."

I shivered. "It was so long ago – and yet, when he came home, everything came roaring back. I know you wanted me to talk about it then, but I just – couldn't. I've never talked about it – not even with Mother."

He cupped the back of my neck, tugging lightly until my head fell back and our eyes locked. "I love you so much, Mrs. Stetson."

I cupped his face and drew it down to mine. "I don't think I can ever thank you enough for showing me that I deserve more than 'okay'."

He chuckled and kissed me soundly.

PRIVATE 747 AIRPLANE

CRUISING ALTITUDE: 38,000 FT

SOMEWHERE OVER THE USA/MEXICAN BORDER

"What's wrong?"

I turned my head from the window to see Lee studying me. "Nothing."

"Amanda, you're biting your nails-"

I yanked my hand out of my mouth. "I don't bite my nails."

"Oh yes, you do, Sweetheart. When you're worrying over something you don't sleep, you don't eat, and you bite your nails."

I narrowed my eyes. "Have you been talking to Mother?"

He captured my hand in his and kissed the back before linking our fingers together, resting them in his lap. "No, this is simply knowledge I've acquired after years of observing my partner. What's bothering you?"

I sighed. "I'm just thinking about the boys and how it's going with Joe – you know, what he's telling them. I know I said I didn't care what he told them but what if he tells them that it's my fault he's leaving and they blame me and-"

"A-man-da."

I snapped my mouth shut as he drew out my name into three separate syllables, caressing my fingers lovingly. "You know it's not your fault Joe's leaving – the fault lies with him – not you."

"I think you'll have a hard time convincing two teenage boys of that – all they're going to care about is that their father is leaving the country – again – and that it's my fault."

Lee shook his head. "I don't think Joe's going to put the blame on you – not after your conversation. I think you opened his eyes this afternoon and he realized for the first time how much you'd been hurt when he left you and Philip. Which, in my opinion makes the man certifiably crazy. I never would have left you."

"Lee – don't. You weren't there – you don't know. You and Joe are two entirely different people-"

"Exactly my point. I can't imagine what Joe King was thinking when he left you and his son to go gallivanting across the globe-"

"He was trying to make the world a better place – which isn't so different from what you and I do -"

"Oh, I beg to differ. You and I are still in the same city and come home to the boys every night – or at least, we very soon will." He took a deep breath when he saw the look on my face. "I'm sorry, Amanda, it's just – I've never been a fan of our mystery marriage – you know that. I've waited for so long for everyone to know that we're married so that I can come home to you and the boys every night – to be a real husband and father – and the fact that your first husband just went and threw that all away – it's incomprehensible to me."

I leaned over the armrest and pressed my lips to his, moaning softly as he increased the pressure and opened his mouth to me. The sound of a throat clearing had us pulling apart and I straightened Lee's tie as he ran a nervous hand through his hair before we turned to look up at Agent Johns standing next to us.

"Sorry for interrupting. May I?" he gestured to the empty seats facing us and Lee nodded.

Johns placed a briefcase on his lap and the locks snapped open as he pressed the latches. "Now, I've booked a suite for the two of you at the Hotel El Palmar in downtown Palma Sola, under the names Professor and Mrs. Stetson, though I understand both of you have Ph.D.'s for your cover stories-"

I nodded. "Lee has a doctorate of archaeology and ancient civilizations, focusing on the Mayan and Aztec peoples. I have a doctorate in art history, which allows me to accompany him on his travels."

Johns frowned at me. "Do either of you know anything about those fields?"

"We've both done enough research to hold conversations with the average person interested in those topics – don't worry, Agent Johns," Lee reassured the man. "We've done our homework."

Agent Johns grunted. "I hope so. Once we land in Mexico City, we'll be traveling separately to Palma Sola. You and Mrs. Stetson will have a car waiting for you when we land, and will spend the night at the embassy before driving over to the coast tomorrow. I will be leaving with the strike team immediately to set up surveillance, talk to my inside man, and set up the ambush."

"Is it absolutely necessary for us to stay the night in Mexico City at the embassy?"

"Yes. You need to look like the average, ordinary educational professors come to collect your research assistants, but be in no hurry to do so – and raise no suspicion among the local people. It is also necessary to talk to the US Ambassador and inform him what is going on-"

Lee frowned. "Hasn't that been done already?"

Johns shook his head. "Our president as well as El presidente decided to keep Mr. Evans in the dark until we actually set foot in Mexico and had proof that the Martinez brothers were involved in the cartel and had kidnapped American citizens. I need the two of you to debrief him so that when we return with the girls, he can help us get them through customs and back to the States."

"One question," I interrupted and waited for the man to look at me. "Who would have debriefed the ambassador if Lee and I hadn't come along?"

"Once you arrive in Palma Sola," Johns continued, ignoring my question entirely. "Check into your hotel and wait. Lounge by the pool, enjoy the four-star restaurant, but don't do anything that would arouse suspicion. I'm going to plan the raid for the middle of the night so expect to have some visitors around dawn and when they arrive – be ready to leave at once – with or without your luggage." He reached inside his briefcase and withdrew a piece of paper. "Here's confirmation of your hotel booking. I do hope that with your teaching credentials one of you speaks Spanish?"

"Si, senor," Lee drawled in a truly terrible accent, and I rolled my eyes.

"I've also included a map to Palma Sola and the hotel – it's in Spanish of course, so I'm glad one of you will be able to read it." He handed the paper to Lee before turning to stare at me. "I have a contact number for you where I can be reached but only if you have not heard from me forty-eight hours after reaching the hotel." He handed me the tiniest scrap of paper. "Memorize the number – I will come and take the paper as soon as we start our descent to Mexico City and destroy it."

He nodded to both of us as he snapped his briefcase shut and stood, moving away down the aisle. I looked at Lee, who rolled his eyes before grinning.

"Paranoid much?"

I shrugged. "Maybe he has a reason to be – I mean, drugs and guns, selling underage American girls – this is so much bigger than I thought it was when I initially signed on."

Lee sobered. "I can't believe that you got tangled up in a case of this magnitude when I was out of the country and unable to help you-"

"Hey – I wasn't alone. I had Emily, remember? The woman who taught you everything you know. And I knew you'd be back in time to help me wrap this thing up – I knew you'd rush things through on your end to get back to me."

He grinned sheepishly. "Francine wondered why I had such a fire under my ass. She'd never seen me work so quickly and efficiently without you by my side."

I smiled and leaned over to peck his cheek. When he didn't respond, I nudged his shoulder with my own. "Hey, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"I just – this case brought up a bunch of stuff from the past for me."

I nodded. "Sinclair?"

"I couldn't believe it when I got to the Agency and Billy told me you were missing and Sinclair was involved – the panic I felt when we got to the house and I heard that gunshot-"

"Shh," I soothed, wrapping my arm around his shoulders, drawing him to me. "I'm okay – he didn't hurt me – not back then and not now."

He closed his eyes and buried his face in the nape of my neck. "I know that I was such a jerk to you back then – and I never really apologized for my behavior-"

"Lee," I said soothingly, rubbing his back. "That's all water under the bridge-"

"No, I need you to understand why I said what I did – why I acted the way I did." He pulled away to sit up and looked me in the eye. "I was in love with you even then – though I didn't realize it. What I did know was that you had become my best friend, someone I needed in my life, someone I couldn't afford to lose, not like I had lost Eric or Emily. If I lost you, it would devastate me. So, when we had our fight about you resigning from the Agency, and earlier when I told you that someone more qualified should have taken the courier job, I don't want you to think that I didn't think you couldn't have done the job. I had every faith in your abilities by then. But I was terrified of losing you – of what could happen to you if I wasn't there to watch over you. You had this uncanny ability to get yourself into trouble, Amanda, and if I wasn't there to get you out of it – well, I shuddered to think what could happen to you."

"Oh Lee," I breathed his name on a soft sigh. "I figured this all out a long time ago-"

A shocked look crossed his face. "You did?"

"Uh-huh. Why do you think I was so patient and waited for you to be ready? I saw flashes of your true feelings for me, of how much you cared – which in the beginning you disguised as irritation, annoyance, and frustration. I clung to the hope that one day, you'd open your eyes and see that your partner, your best friend, the woman right in front of you, could be so much more."

"Amanda, I-"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. In a few minutes, we will start our final descent into Mexico City. Now would be a good time to make that last trip to the bathroom before I turn on the 'fasten seat belt' sign."

"Oh my gosh!" I gasped as I unfolded the tiny paper scrap in my hand. "Help me memorize this number before Agent Johns comes back and takes it away-"

Lee pressed a quick kiss to my lips. "Sure thing, Partner."

A/N: I want to apologize to any of you that have written stories about Joe/Amanda - I'm not hating on his character, really, I'm not. This is just where I think the writers might have taken his character if we'd gotten a S5. Because let's be honest here, who wouldn't still be in love with Amanda?

Coming up: what do the Stetsons find in Mexico? Are the missing girls there? And will everyone make it safely back home? Stay tuned and show me some love in reviews!