TIMELINE: Season 4 – after `Billy's Lost Weekend' and before `Photo Shoot'

SUMMARY: What is Amanda's dirty little secret that has Lee intrigued? What did he uncover about her during their `long weekend'?

RATING: PG-13

AUTHOR'S NOTES: while watching `Photo Finish' I came up with this idea. What did he discover about her that opened his eyes? (Minds out of the gutter please) I thought about something that in his mind was definitely not a `Mrs. King' trait. And as always a little songfic – I absolutely adore this song very romantic but yet poignant – Savage Garden – truly, madly, deeply

`I'll be your dream; I'll be your wish,
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your hope; I'll be your love,
Be everything that you need.
I'll love you more with every breath,
Truly, madly, deeply do.
I will be strong I will be faithful
`Cos I'm counting on…'



Monday morning

Lee set his coffee mug absently down as he scanned the reports in front of him every so often checking his watch for the time. `She should be here by now?' Clearing his throat more for distraction than having anything there to clear, he turned his attention once again to the file he had been reading. He was to say the least on edge; over the weekend he had just had and boy it was one helluva weekend, culminating in clearing Billy of some drug-induced insomnia, which could have ended his career - recovering a stolen disc and bringing an end to `the lost weekend he had, had'

He looked at his watch again this time getting up from his chair, to take a peek outside the window behind his desk, playing `I spy with my x-ray eye' to see if he could spot Amanda's wagoneer pulling up to the Georgetown garage, but still – nothing. Now what had him all worked up and hot under the collar I hear you all ask? The long weekend he had just spent - with the most amazing, sexy, mysterious `not anymore' woman that's what!

***

They had been planning this little get away for a week; Lee had got all the brochures of all the most peaceful and relaxing retreats possible, finally sticking with `Pine Tops' with guaranteed forecast snow `which never happened' to become better acquainted with each other. Something they had both been anxious to happen for a very long time indeed – after all they were engaged right? It seemed the natural thing to do.

He hadn't wanted to force her hand on the topic, deciding to play it close to his chest and take it easy. Savor actually having a relationship with this wonderful vivacious, charismatic…. his throat went dry, when he thought back to just what had transpired on the weekend which opened his eyes, and made him realize Amanda King had a very dark secret. This woman who was a mother to two young boys, and had her own mother living with her. Had been divorced and for nearly four years, turned his world upside down and inside out. And now he was having carnal thoughts about her at eight-thirty in the morning.

***

They had arrived at their cabin early on Saturday morning, feeling the crisp forest air that surrounded the sleepy home that was to be theirs until Monday. Billy had given them a long deserved break as a way of a thank you for all they had done for him - and Lee intended making the most of it with Amanda.

Settling in and un-packing the groceries that Amanda had insist they bring, the idea of eating out was tempting but she wanted to spend what time they had totally alone, without outside distraction.

Deciding to hike up the mountainside was somewhat a way of easing the tension between them. In all the years `Scarecrow' had wined and dined a bevy of beautiful woman, all with the same motive in mind. He had never any qualms of just what their attention had been of him - and he always obliged in whatever fantasies they wanted to evoke. But Amanda King had always been something else! She had used her feminine whiles not as a way of getting the better of him – but to be, as he…equal. They both knew the next step in their relationship would change everything, not in the land of espionage for that would never change. Their working relationship wouldn't suffer for it either, but it would make it difficult for him to sit across from her in the office and not want to kiss her senseless.

`A new beginning,
A reason for living,
A deeper meaning…'

He had found out so much about her over the few months they had been involved romantically, and had felt such a surge of emotion when he was with her, around her. His waking thoughts were always centered her; what she would be wearing, how she would feel in his arms - the way she wound her arms around his neck and scraped her nails through his hair drawing out a deep animal groan within him that he never knew was there. All the time with that satisfied smug look on her face, at the power she had `always had' over him. So this weekend was to cement the relationship once and for all and there was nothing in this world Lee Stetson was looking forward to more.

`I want to stand with you on a mountain,
I want to bathe with you in the sea.
I want to lay like this forever,
Until the sky falls down on me…'

The hike had taking them nearly an hour, but when they reached the top it was well worth it. All around them where Snowy Mountain peaks, green, green forest that stretched on for miles and a clear crisp air touched with a hint of pine settled all around them. Standing behind her, Lee wound his arms around her waist pulling her in snugly against his tall frame. Amanda let out a contented smile as she folded her hands over his leaning her head back as she took in the beauty of the world around them,

"Oh Lee…this is – just beautiful"

He leaned down and kissed the bridge of her nose, squeezing her tightly feeling a sense of peace for the first time in his life,"Yeah…she is!"

He was awarded with a blush that he found more of a treasure, than any of the gifts he would have gotten as a child. She was the most
expressive, natural person he had ever the fortune to meet. And now with a diamond solitaire on her ring finger…she was finally all his.

***

Amanda had prepared a feast of roast chicken and herb stuffing with baby potatoes and carrots, topped of with a very heavy chocolate sponge that made Lee groan with pleasure, as he finished off the last in his plate, and sat back on the cushions they had set on the floor in front of the crackling log fire. He had lit the fire after they had returned from the hike, and now it was blazing keeping of the chill of the evening that was settling outside. He had opened a crisp chardonnay to complement the chicken meal and it was going down smoothly along with the conversation that was never dull.

Amanda had talked about what her mother and her boys were getting up to and her excuse for getting away with him. The whole time he played
with her right hand over the coffee table they had converted, complete with red gingham tablecloth and candles they had dug out of the emergency cupboard, `the power was notorious for going out in a storm or heavy snow fall' drawing lazy circles along her pulse line of her wrist, and watching her pupils dilate with the pleasure it was evoking. That's the other fine thing he liked about her, her response to all his moves – he could watch her eyes forever, watch them darken and literally melt with his administrations. Time to move to the next phase…he kissed her hand laying it down on the table, as he got up and switched on the sound system that he had hooked up earlier. Letting the strains of a favorite love song drift in the air, as he offered his hand and she took it drawing her close into his embrace as they danced slowly, fitting perfectly as they had before to each other's rhythm.

`And when the stars are shinning
Brightly in the velvet sky,
I'll make a wish to send it to heaven
Then make you want to cry.
The tears of joy for all the
Pleasures in the certainty,
That we're surrounded by the
Comfort and protection of the
Highest powers – in lonely hours,
The tears devour you…'

There was nowhere else in the world he wanted to be right there and then, but in the arms of Amanda. Drowning in the depths of her love as they slowly danced and kissed, full of passion and promises - his heart swelling with emotion that made him – Lee Stetson want to cry. She felt amazing to touch all warm and snug in her soft clothing, her hair freed of its pins and restrictions, smelling of wild flowers and all woman. "I love you Amanda…"

It sounded so natural now coming from him, before he had been daunted at saying those words - they had after all spoke of promises he could
never have made in his past. But things had changed and so had he, no longer afraid of saying what he felt inside or thinking he would be
laughed at. He had come along way from Lee `the womanizer' to Lee `eyes only' and his eyes right now where only for Amanda. Smiling up at him her eyes spoke before she did, un-checked emotion swimming in their depths, "Oh…Lee I really love you too, so very much!"

***

A smile played on Lee's lips as he recalled how due to lack of snow, they had ended up the whole weekend indoors. Not that they had noticed of course…while it was glorious sunshine outside, inside the fire was just as warm. Including the newly discovered secret of a certain suburban housewife turned spy, a secret that he would carry with him to the grave with a mixture of humor and pent up sensuality.

"A-MAN-DA…"

"Oh NO!"

"Amanda King you come out from under those covers… NOW!"

Amanda slowly peeked her head from under the comforter to stare straight into two sparkling hazel eyes – dancing with mischief, "O-oh…n-no!"

"AH-ah…no way, you have some explaining to do young lady?"

Amanda groaned again as she tried to pull the cover up, but Lee stopped it with his hand enjoying the embarrassment she was going through – far too much.

"Now…let's see, where do I start…. oh yeah care to explain why after getting a full medical for your agency file, something we are all required to do! That Dr. Telford failed to mention under the section of any known marks, scars or TATOOE'S…"

"OH… gosh Lee…please stop it!"

"That would identify an agent in the field! So care to explain to me why you have two butterflies on your delectable right hip, and why I haven't know about them…until now?" His voice took on a huskiness towards the end, as he looked her up and down, causing her face to blush right to the roots of her hair. Sitting up a little straighter in the bed she idly played with the pattern adorning the downy comforter, as he lay across in all his glory – that was the other thing that was distracting her.

"Well…I'm waiting?"

"Oh LEE it was so long ago…"

"I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you…so fess up!"

***
Lee pulled the collar of his now restricting shirt and checked his watch – five minutes to nine and still no sign of her…. he knew they didn't have much time before their morning briefing with Billy which would take up a whole hour of their morning…a whole hour sitting across from her, watching her smiling as she listened with half an ear knowing full well Lee was watching…

`Oh can you see it baby?
You don't have to close your eyes,
`Cause it's standing right here before you.
All that you will need will surely come…'

"Oh this is really embarrassing…" Looking at Lee she knew he wasn't going to let up, the secret was out of the bag well; she knew he'd find out eventually…she just didn't think he would find it so amusing. "Well it happened while I was y'know, at University during my final year. A few of us decided it would be fun to fly to Honduras to see the sites an blow of some steam…"

Lee chuckled at Amanda's choice of words only to receive a pillow tossed at his direction, "Sorry…a hum…please continue!"

"Well my best friend Kitty Holcomb thought it would be fun to get a small tattoo done, y'know sort of something to remind her of our time
there as well as a look back at UNI…sounds daft now that I'm telling you this!"

Lee had started playing with her ankle that was visible under the covers, causing her breathing to become shallow as his hand inched slowly up her leg, "So did this Kitty get a tattoo?"

"N-no…she chickened out at the last minute, but by then it was too late. I was already on the other chair strapped down and `Eagle-Wing'
had already prepared the needle."

Lee barked with laughter, he couldn't help it – he just couldn't help it. The thought of a young teenage Amanda West being held down while her body was being engraved for life. A young girl that, pretty much like the woman she grew up to be was naïve to the virtues of life, and had sat through a lot of pain for a remembrance of her youth…well it had been the sixties…free love, free speech, free tattoos! He was rewarded yet again for his troubles with the other pillow, leaving the one she was lying against.

"It's not funny Lee…mother was mortified, she couldn't believe her daughter could do such a thing as go and get her body `marked' for life!"

"Oh I don't know…it's impressed the hell out of me…"

Amanda closed her eyes to the sensations Lee's hands were administrating on her legs and thighs…

"But you still haven't told me how Dr. Telford never found it?"

"Umm…oh right, well I never had to strip down for my medical, so it was never discovered and I never put it down on the medical report because I'm still kind of y'know embarrassed!"

"Don't be - because it's who you are Amanda and that can never change no matter how much you try to disguise it."

Amanda smiled at his honesty and loved him even more for it. He was right her mother had been angry her pure as the driven snow daughter had gone and done something that was rebellious but looked upon as a symbol in those days. She had gone and required as to how you would go about removing it. But if the shock of the price hadn't dampened her mood the thought of having all that pain again did. So she had kept it to herself until well, apart from Joe who had encouraged her along with her four friends that day to get it done. That was until she fell head over heels in love with this wonderful, exciting, dangerous – oh how dangerous he was looking at her like that…

***

`I want to stand with you on a mountain,
I want to bathe with you in the sea.
I want to lay like this forever,
Until the sky falls down on me…'

"So…are there anymore dirty little secrets Mrs. King has to tell or show me…? Umm"

She lifted the final pillow to throw only this time Lee was prepared and with a move so quick Amanda had no time to counteract, took the flying object out of her hand and pinned her down on the bed, they were both laughing breathlessly…until Lee stopped and looked at her, his eyes darkening as he lowered his head and captured her lips in a slow drugging kiss.

He pulled his fingers through his hair as he paced the floor in front of his desk, he had dropped her off at her house yesterday evening –
both not wanting to leave the quaint little cabin high on a mountaintop, to return to normality of sneaking around. Catching stolen moments when on one was looking, locking the door when they wanted peace and quiet, but that was going to change – yes sir! He didn't want the engagement to last any longer than was necessary. It was time to put down roots, they where both equal in everything and he meant `everything' he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, grow old and grey and he would still find the excuse to rib her about her dirty little secret!

Footsteps ascended the stairs up to the first floor – he looked wildly around him opting for sitting on the edge of her desk, as her key turned the lock and the door opened….

"Hello Gorgeous…"

THE END