In the Q Bureau, Amanda blinked back at Lee, stunned. "So what did Francine say?"

Lee lifted his shoulders. "She said it didn't sound like Jonathan. And she said he hates cats. Hated cats… with a passion." Lee sighed loudly. "In any case, she's convinced he didn't write it."

"But was it his handwriting? I mean, I'm not an expert but I'm sure the fellas down in Forensic Document Analysis could compare it to the statement he wrote. You know, during the whole mess with Brody?" Amanda stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, I know but that would mean bringing the Agency into something the locals have ruled as suicide. I think Billy's hands are tied on this one." Lee lifted his coffee mug to his lips. "Mmmmm, Amanda, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What's up, Sweetheart?" Amanda toyed with the pencil in her hands.

Lee smiled at his wife, his features softening. "I was thinking about Jamie's birthday coming up."

"You were, were you?" Amanda chuckled softly.

Lee grinned. "Yeah, it's hard to believe he's a teenager. It feels like yesterday he was eight years old and I was watching him through your kitchen window."

Amanda smiled shyly as she dropped her chin. "You were there for so long and they never knew."

"And now, we all live in the same house. We eat the same meals together and we even fight over what we're going to watch on TV sometimes." Lee chuckled as his grin widened, his dimples deepening. "Anyway, I was thinking he might not want a big party this year… now that he's in high school and all. He has a new group of friends… maybe he'd like to take a few of them and we could go do something."

"Like what, Sweetheart?"

Lee shrugged his shoulders. "That's where I'm a little stumped. I have a few ideas but I'm not sure they're good enough. Where do you think a few teenage boys would like to hang out for a few hours… or even a weekend?"

"I'm sure your ideas are just fine but let me think." Amanda tapped her lips with one finger. "What about camping? The weather is still nice enough to go and it's been a while for the boys."

"Camping? As in sleeping in a tent for the weekend? In the woods?" Lee questioned slowly.

"Yeah. Camping. The boys used to love to go camping when they were Junior Trailblazers."

Lee raised his coffee mug to his lips and thought. "I was actually thinking of something a little more… challenging. I heard about this new adventure course over in Cedarville. Think Station One, only no shooting course."

Amanda rested her chin in her hand and pulled her bottom lip with her teeth. "Adventure course, huh? I think you need to talk to Jamie about something like that."

"I know what you're thinking–"

"You couldn't possibly know what I'm thinking."

"You're thinking Jamie hasn't been into the whole sports and outdoorsy stuff other than astronomy lately, but I think he'd really enjoy this. He's been doing so well in the martial arts class he's been taking. It's like he's figured out his center, you know."

Amanda nodded. "I agree. He has seemed less clumsy lately."

Lee smiled at his wife. "You noticed it too? Anyway, It's either that or I thought we could take in a few of the museums in DC. Let him pick the ones he wants to go to and we just spend the entire weekend touring them." Lee leaned back in his chair and waited.

Amanda folded her arms across her chest. "Let's think about this, logically. You know, as well as I do, Philip will be all over the adventure course. He'd do anything where he thinks he can show up his brother, even on his birthday. This also brings up the fact we probably wouldn't be able to bring the girls."

"I thought we could do a little something at home to celebrate with them either before or after. I mean, let's face it, Amanda. They're not really going to know what's happening anyway. They're only five months old." Lee lifted his eyebrows and blinked at Amanda.

"That's very true, but birthdays should be celebrated with family first." Amanda folded her arms across her chest. "And we'll take pictures so how do you think the girls will feel in a few years looking back at those pictures to find out they weren't even there."

Lee chuckled softly. "Honestly, Amanda, I think you're taking this a little too far. I thought we could still do cake and presents with the family, maybe even Harry and Christina, the Colonel, Billy, Franc–"

"Woah! Slow down. First, you say you want to do something small with Jamie and his friends, now, you're planning a whole big party with our friends and family?" Amanda studied her husband's smiling face. "Sounds to me like you've finally got the family part down."

Lee furrowed his brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, you're completely in it now. Knee deep in the mud, as they say. There's no getting out, no matter how hard you try." Amanda pushed back her chair and moved to Lee's desk. She brushed her hand down his shoulder lovingly. "And I wouldn't want it any other way, Sweetheart."

Lee caught her hand in his and brought her fingers to his lips. "Me either. It's just… Jamie and I have finally connected, you know. I just want him to have a great day because you and I both know things can change by the minute."

"True. So, what do you want to do?"

Lee nodded slowly. "I think I need to have a conversation with Jamie tonight on our way to his martial arts class to see what he wants to do."

"I think that's a perfect idea."

A knock on the door startled the two of them. Francine stood in the doorway, her eyes slightly swollen. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, I just…" Her voice faltered as her bottom lip began to quiver.