Behind Closed Doors
Author's note: These little snippets are scenes that all take place in elevators. Most are based on situations scripted for the show while others are merely imagined fillers. As the audience, we don't always get to see what goes on "behind closed doors". Now we do…
Chapter One: Season One
Part One: The First Time
Lee ushered Amanda into the closet so quickly she didn't even have time to take in the foyer of the Georgetown row house where he had brought her. Pulling her deeper into the closet, he adjusted the coats hanging behind them. "Why are we in a closet?" she asked reasonably.
A low whirr indicated that this was not an ordinary closet. Amanda felt the sudden lurch of the floor, and she gripped Lee's arm for balance.
Realization washed over her as she began to speak excitedly, "Oh! I get it! What a clever idea! It's like that TV show from the 60s! Get Smart. They went into their spy hideout by elevator, too, only theirs was designed to look like a phone booth. This one is a great design, really, 'cause who would ever think the coat closet is an elevator? And even better, an elevator to a spy's hideout! And from the foyer, you don't even see any buttons… Well, not that I was looking for any 'cause I wasn't expecting the door to lead to an elevator ..."
Lee stared down at the woman beside him. Oh my God! Do you EVER breathe? He tried to make sure his face didn't betray his thoughts, but her incessant blabbering was already getting on his nerves. He looked up towards the ceiling. At least I won't have to deal with her after Billy debriefs her.
She was still talking as the elevator doors slid open. "Gosh, what will they think of next?" Lee pushed her head down as they exited so she wouldn't bump the shelf. "Oh, thank you for that. That was really kind of you - I bet a lot of people bump their heads on that hat shelf, don't they?" She continued to ramble about what she was seeing as he led her down the hall, past the guards at the double doors, and through the bullpen. "Is it that dangerous down here you need guards by the doors? Don't you ever miss the sun? I'd miss the sunshine if I was always working in a windowless room. But I suppose you do get out now and again, don't you? That's how you and I met - outside, so I guess it's not all dark and gloomy all the time. Why do they call it the bullpen?"
Amanda abruptly, and mercifully - to Lee's relief - stopped rambling when they reached Billy's door. Francine sat at her desk outside Billy's office, idly paging through a magazine. When Lee and Amanda approached, she looked up with a bored expression. He gestured towards Francine, then towards Amanda. "Francine, Amanda. Amanda, Francine." Lee grinned at Francine who rolled her eyes. "Entertain her… or something." He shrugged, then rapped on Billy's door firmly, and upon hearing Billy's "Come!" demand, he opened the door and disappeared inside.
Part Two: There Goes the Neighborhood
Lee couldn't believe Amanda was back. Apparently, Billy had asked her to fill out some paperwork before he could hire her on as a courier or receptionist. So why did she ask for me when she arrived? She's Billy's problem, not mine.
She was going on and on about some job over at Honeycutt Typewriters, and Lee found himself encouraging her to pursue that career. He could see the hurt on her face as he dismissed her, but he really knew this was not the kind of job for a divorced mother of two. 9-5 office work was what she needed. Typing seemed much more her… style. Lee opened the door to the closet elevator as Amanda stated, "My skills speak for themselves. I type ninety words a minute."
I was right. Typing IS more her style, he thought. Lee started to back into the elevator. "Ah, ha. You'd be happier in an air-conditioned office instead of casing some dive with me."
Amanda smiled at his attempt to shake her off. "No doubt." She began walking towards him. "As far as I can see, espionage is highly overrated." She poked the file folder she was holding against his chest while pushing the door closed.
"Well…" Lee stammered. Not a lot of people made him stammer. But Amanda King did.
"Good-bye," she added sweetly, as the door clicked behind her.
Through the closet door, he heard her mutter, "They don't even pay overtime."
Lee squeezed his eyes shut. That woman! What is it about that woman! She's already driving me crazy. I thought I wouldn't have to see her any more, and now she thinks she's going to be working for me? With me? Lee ran his fingers through his hair and punched the button to level three. It's bad enough she thinks after one case she's qualified as a spy - er, intelligence operative - but come on, does she really think she'd be matched with the likes of me?
The elevator doors opened, and Billy was standing outside in the hallway, waiting for him. "We've got to get you a wife," he began.
Part Three: If Thoughts Could Kill
Amanda stood by the counter at the nurse's station, speaking to Lee on the phone. She was just about to hang up when she remembered something else she needed to tell him. She spoke in a hushed tone. "Oh, wait a minute. I didn't tell you about the little room yet."
Impatiently, Lee held the phone to his ear. "What little room?"
Amanda continued, "In the basement of this hospital, there's a little room. It's like a laboratory or something. And, I found some file folders down there-"
The call was immediately disconnected when Dr. Ogden Chrysler pressed the switch hook on the phone. Amanda whirled around to face him. His angry face was just inches from hers as he gripped her upper arms. Without a word, he spun her around and marched her to the service elevator.
Amanda protested. "Wait! What are you doing?" She thought fast. "I have patients who need me! Where are you taking me?"
Dr. Chrysler didn't say a word. He yanked open the glass doors and the gate, shoved her inside the elevator, and closed the door and gate behind him. He punched the button for the basement and turned her to face the doors. Then he clutched her hands together firmly behind her back.
Amanda's stomach sank as the elevator descended.. Her mind raced. I need to make a plan. After all, that self-defense class is supposed to prepare me for a situation just like this. I could get away from him if I put to good use what I have been taught. I just wish I had my purse with the doorknob in it. I knocked out Mad Dog Garrity last night, and he was ready for my attack. Okay, think, Amanda. It unnerved her that Dr. Chrysler still hadn't said a word. Should I shout? Would anyone hear me? She took a deep breath to calm herself. Okay, I know what to do. As soon as the doors open, I'll pull free, jab him in the gut, and make a run for it!
Amanda made a fist and tightened the muscles in her arms. Dr. Chrysler's response was to tighten his grip on her wrists. When he flung the gate and door aside, he felt her begin to struggle. She managed to free one hand, and he dodged Amand's fist, causing her to fall, twisting and squirming as she went down. With a hard tug, Dr. Chrysler regained control, and proceeded to drag her down the hall.
Part Four: Magic Bus
Lee held the door open for Amanda as she entered the foyer of the Agency. "You're not going. End of discussion."
Frustrated, Amanda headed towards the elevator. "It'll look funny if I don't go. I'm the one Mrs. Standish invited."
Lee opened the door to the closet and replied, "Amanda, these people are slime."
Amanda defended, "We don't know for sure if they're slime."
They entered the tight space of the elevator, with Lee moving further inside. "Look, Survivor Weekends are no picnic. It's rough out there."
As the elevator door slid closed behind her, Amanda pressed her body against Lee's so the door wouldn't hit her. She became very aware of their closeness, and her stomach flip-flopped. He was so handsome and strong, and even during their arguments, she often silently marveled at his perfection. She caught herself. His perfection? Lee? Stop it, Amanda. Lee is your partner. And you are not his type. Still, she could look.
Lee caught a whiff of Amanda's shampoo as he felt her body against his. He couldn't help but feel a little taken aback that he found her very attractive, even when they argued. Actually, I like her better when we're arguing, he thought. I like the spitfire I see when she fights back. Wait, this is Amanda. She's an annoyance, not a woman I'd actually be attracted to that way..
Yet the nearness of their bodies was jarring, and he couldn't help but feel a charge between them. He tried to shake it off. "Do you wanna run around for two days, and eat roots, and wear nothing but a loincloth?" Hmmm… Amanda in a loincloth…. Stop it, Lee!
Lee in a loincloth… Now, THAT I'd like to see. Stop it, Amanda! "They don't make you wear a loincloth." She stood her ground, yet her heart was racing, and she was having trouble breathing in the tight space.
To distract himself, he took Amanda's guest pass from her and clipped it to her lapel.
How she was able to keep talking she didn't know, but she managed to continue. "Besides, Mr. Standish thinks we're from the magazine. Now, don't you think he's gonna go out of his way to make us see how innocent everything is?" Amanda reached for his Agency ID and clipped it to his collar. She could barely breathe. She left her hands on his chest for an exhilarating moment.
It wasn't lost on either of them that what they were doing seemed perfectly natural and incredibly intimate.
"Besides, I saw the weasel-faced man!" She insisted..
"The weasel-faced man!" He groaned simultaneously. "I'm so tired of hearing about the weasel-faced man."
Amanda finally regained her senses. "Are you trying to blow our case?"
Lee saw the indignation return to her eyes. "It's not our case. It's my case," he corrected, immediately sorry for how harsh that sounded. He was saved by the elevator door opening. "Look, if you're not going to be reasonable, let's let Billy decide." He inhaled deeply, only now realizing how hard it had been to breathe in the elevator.
Amanda wasn't giving up. "Fine, we'll let Billy decide."
Lee laughed.
They turned the corner and headed towards the bullpen. Billy greeted them with a smile, his arms crossed. "She's going." He said simply, slightly amused.
Lee started to sweat. What exactly had Billy seen and heard?
Part Five: The A.C.M. Kid
"Hold the elevator, please!" Lee called, as he struggled with the packages he was carrying. They weren't heavy - they were just incredibly large and awkward. As he reached the elevator doors, he reminded himself he was strong enough to carry a woman, if need be. The bags of toys were bulky, and that's why he was having such a hard time.
It was only after he'd entered the elevator car that he noticed who was already inside. Lydia Lowell, his next-door neighbor, glared at him over the glasses perched on the end of her nose. "Uh, ha. Thanks, Mrs. Lowell." He immediately wished he had used the stairs. Even with his cumbersome packages, the stairs would have been more pleasant.
"Helloooo, Mr. Stetson." She drew out the hello. How she could make a greeting sound so sarcastic was beyond him. "Been shopping for one of your … lady friends?" She spied the large stuffed panda peeking out of the top of one of the bags. "And I've noticed they seem to be getting younger."
He let out an uncomfortable laugh. "No, Mrs. Lowell. These toys and games are not for one of my 'lady friends'. My - er, my nephew is visiting from Sheboygan. Since I don't know any other children, I thought I'd get some things to entertain him." Why am I explaining myself to her? He wondered silently.
Mrs. Lowell rolled her eyes with distaste. "Terrific. I moved to this building because I was told, 'no children allowed'. I hope he doesn't go running through the halls, making all kinds of noise. How old is this child?"
Lee smiled, turning on his irresistible charm. "The rule is no children under ten," he corrected. "Alexie is twelve, and no, he won't be running through the halls, making all kinds of noise." Why is this elevator so slow? Lee looked up at the elevator's ceiling, wondering how he could escape this moving prison.
Mrs. Lowell studied the man beside her. What do women see in him? Aside from his gorgeous face, amazing hair, and that oh-my-god body, what does he have going for him?
The door finally opened, and Lee gestured for Lydia to exit first. With a flip of her hair, she stepped out of the car and marched down the hall. Lee shook his head and laughed to himself. That woman would make a great prison guard.
He lifted the bags, exited the elevator, and trudged down the hall to his apartment.
Part Six: Always Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth
Amanda entered the elevator closet, pressed the button for the third level, and watched the door close in front of her. She closed her eyes, trying to organize her thoughts as the car descended.
Mumbling to herself, she rehearsed. "Mr. Melrose, Lee and I have been in some tight spots and so far we have always gotten out of them because of Lee's skills and my quick thinking, but I really think that I need some training because I might not always be able to think of a way to get us out of trouble, or Lee might not always be with me to figure out a way to escape."
She exited the elevator, crossed the bullpen, and knocked on Billy's door. After she'd announced why she was there, she blurted, "Shouldn't I know how to hit?"
Part Seven: Saved By the Bells
Lee stood in the hallway, silently watching two agents lead Rostov, the Russian prisoner, to the elevator. He quickly approached them. "I guess you guys can take a break. They want to see him down in recon." He smiled casually.
The two agents turned to face Lee. "No one told us," Jack said defensively.
"Oh come on, Jack. I can get a copy of the orders…"
His partner agreed. "Fine. You take him. We could use the break."
"Thanks," Lee said with a slight chuckle.
They walked away, leaving Rostov with Lee by the elevator doors.
The doors opened, and Lee began to guide Rostov inside, but then suddenly pulled him out into the hall again, around to the other side, and into the elevator which led up to the outside world. Silently, he urged the doors to close quickly.
The two agents noticed Lee's change of direction. One of them spoke, while the other picked up the phone to call in an alert. "Hey, I thought he was going to recon. Why is he taking the outside elevator?"
Mercifully, the doors closed, and Lee and Rostov began the ascent to city level. Lee clung to Rostov's sleeve, perhaps a little harder than he needed to, while he willed his heart to slow down. He tried to catch his breath, but he also knew he was not in the clear yet.
What have I done? Lee asked himself. Sweat pooled in his lower back and his mouth went completely dry. He gulped for air as he tried to swallow the panic of the enormity of his actions. I've just kidnapped a Russian spy to trade for Amanda's life. I am literally committing treason to get her back. He didn't have much time to think. He could hear the alarms blaring through the elevator shaft. Quickly, he grabbed a blindfold from the hat shelf, pulled it over Rostov's head, and covered his eyes. When the elevator reached its destination, he pushed open the doors and dragged Rostov through.
Part Eight: Remembrance of Things Past
Amanda followed Lee out of room 1204 of the King Edward Hotel and quietly closed the door behind her. She didn't want to annoy Eddie the Alcoholic any more than they already had. The partners hurried down the dimly lit hallway and punched the down button to call the elevator.
While they waited, Amanda tenderly rubbed the throbbing spot on her neck. The attack may have been brief, but the man had left his mark. She breathed out a soft, staggered sigh.
Lee glanced down at her, his heart melting from the look on her face. Gently, wordlessly, he slipped his hand into hers and gave it a tiny squeeze.
Amanda flashed him a slight smile as the car arrived and the doors opened.
They stepped inside. Just as the doors were closing, the elevator groaned and lurched. Instinctively, Lee hopped off, pulling Amanda with him.
"Uh, I think we'll take the stairs. For some reason, I don't trust this elevator," he explained with a wry smile.
"Yeah," Amanda agreed. "I can't believe I am saying this, but I think I'd rather WALK down twelve flights of stairs."
Part Nine: Savior
"Umm… Rosemary? It's not rosemary?" Mrs. Marston shook her head. "Sounds like rosemary." Desperately, Amanda tried appealing to Mrs. Marston's sympathy. However, Mrs. Marston was not at all sympathetic. "Mrs. Marston, do you think you could give me a little hint - " Amanda stopped, then answered herself. "No, of course, you couldn't." Mrs. Marston shook her head again. Amanda continued guessing, and it came to her. "Rosebud. Rosebud. Rosebud, of course."
Mrs. Marston gave her a rare smile. She handed Amanda her guest badge. "Have a nice day, Mrs. King."
"Yes, Mrs. Marston," Amanda replied feeling victorious. She crossed the foyer, opened the closet door, and stepped inside the elevator. As she turned around, and the doors began to slide closed, she said cheerily, "And you have a nice day too, Mrs. Marston."
While the elevator descended, Amanda shook her head and rolled her eyes, as if the solution to her forgetting the day's codeword was written on the ceiling.
Rosemary. Rosebush. Rose blossoms. Rosebud. How am I ever going to remember each day's word? If I'm ever going to be a full-time spy, I'm going to have to get better at remembering things. Maybe next time, I'll write it in my checkbook. I do think I'd have a better time remembering, though, if Mrs. Marston wasn't sitting there, staring at me, waiting for me to remember. That woman sure can make me feel intimidated.
Part Ten: Weekend
Lee and Amanda followed the bellhop into the elevator at the Cumberland Hotel. Mrs. Stetson. Mrs. Lee Stetson. That's what he called me. That's my name for this weekend. My name is his name: Mrs… Lee… Stetson. Her heart fluttered a little bit when she thought about it. She turned the wedding ring over and over on her finger. She was a little surprised at her reaction, but the idea of being Mrs. Lee Stetson was unexpectedly thrilling. Of course, there were some things they needed to sort out tonight, particularly about the sleeping arrangements. If only the bellhop wasn't standing here behind us. We really need to talk. She tugged at his sleeve and made a face at him, trying to convey her need to talk.
He acknowledged her with a nod and held up a finger. Then, with a devastating smile, he took her hand in his, brought it to his lips and gently kissed her fingers.
To Be Continued….