DISCLAIMER: Scarecrow and Mrs. King are the property of Warner Bros. and Shoot the Moon Productions. The author as for pure entertainment purposes - copyrights this story.

AUTHOR: angelsslave

RATING: PG – but strong awwww warning!

SYNOPSIS: The title speaks for itself – Lee is ending his current assignment in Europe – without Amanda. So many things have been left un-said between them, as to just how much they love each other.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Ever hear a song on the radio and think `wow' – I could write a story about that? Following my themes of song-fic I have based this story on Lee's absence in Amanda's life after confessing his feelings for her, and her coming to terms with him not being there…waiting, hoping he will return – safe and into her arms. If you look at this from both their point of views, the knowledge of the depths of feelings towards each other, yet frightening at the same time.

TIMELINE: after A.T.W.A.S. and before Stemwinder I&II

SUMMARY: Lee rushes back from a long assignment in Europe with one thing on his mind…Amanda.

SONG: holding on for you - LibertyX .

`Sunshine fades to grey the second I'm awake,

Minutes turn to hours without you…'

Lee Stetson sat up wearily in his bed, switching off the infernal noise bellowing out of his travel alarm clock - that was playing a hapless tune from a rock station. Stood up and stretched working out all the kinks in his over-worked body as he crossed the carpeted floor of his suite to draw back the curtains. Rome was always beautiful no matter what the season – from his view he could make out Mary Majors, the main cathedral in the city, close by it the Trivet
fountain – a popular meeting place for young or old and a romantic setting at night for would be lovers taking a stroll. At that thought his mind turned to a brown-eyed, raven- haired beauty smiling whimsically up at him, her laughter ringing out across the room. Except she wasn't here…. She was halfway across the world in Arlington, Virginia instead of here with him - taking in the beauty of Italy.

Assignments usually never bothered him before, all his life he had lived like a `gypsy' under the Colonels postings. From places like Germany and Hong Kong to south East Asia, Lee Stetson couldn't say he wasn't a well-traveled Intelligence Agent. His knowledge of the countries had helped him in his job – to be able to adapt in any situation was the most important first rule in becoming an undercover spy, and one that he found so easy to do. Assignments such as this
one `cracking an underground arms negotiation' would often have taking him away form D.C. more than a few weeks at a time.

But this time was different -because he had to leave behind his `partner' his friend and his now `girlfriend' Amanda King. He couldn't believe his ears when Billy Melrose – his section chief, had wandered in the Q Bureau with orders from Dr. Smyth that he had to leave A.S.A.P for Roma-Italy – on his own as he was going undercover as an `arms broker' and would be dealing with a lot of heavies who had been shipping weapons into the United States. The danger would be too intense for him to have his partner along – conclusion "Life sucked!" It had been three weeks since that day…three weeks of not seeing her animated face greet him with a kiss every morning she walked through the door, or hold his hand under the conference table as Billy gave them their morning briefing – unknown to the rest of the world around them….


xxx


`Time keeps marching on – summers been along,
And I'm still here alone – still waiting….'

Amanda King had just finished the report on the `Ormond' case for Billy – seeing the state her desk was in cluttered with old files and reports, set her mind to work on putting them all away again in the Vault. With a resounding `click' the door was closed and she leant on it resting her tired shoulders – the silence was deafening…"that's because you're not here!" Tears threatened to break to the surface and she just managed to squeeze them down, when Francine waltzed through the door, "Oh Amanda, Billy needs the…."

"It's on my desk Francine…I've just finished it!" She cast her eyes downwards to the floor picking out an imaginary pattern, as Francine Desmond located the file she was looking for,

"Oh here it is, thanks…Amanda?"

"Yes Francine?"

It took all her willpower to look in the direction of the senior agent, and not appear to have anything wrong with the slight dampness in her eyes.

Francine knew that there was more to this `partner' business between Scarecrow and Mrs. King than they were trying to let on. Just recently they had been locking the door to the office – something that didn't get done unless you had something or someone to hide. And Francine knew more than anyone just how charming Lee Stetson could be, having fallen for his charms in the past…and Amanda was no exception.

"Is everything alright? I mean you look a little distracted"

"Oh I'm fine really…thank you Francine I think I just have the beginnings of a headache." She moved away from the vault door and took her seat once again
behind her desk, picking up her pen hoping it looked as if she was busy – but Francine wasn't buying it one bit  `oh boy she's got it bad'

"Well okay if you are sure… gee it must be lonely up here all on your own some…without anyone to talk to. I mean Lee must be having a ball in Rome - you know romance capital, beautiful scenery…. not that Scarecrow ever needed the scenery to have a good time…."

"Goodbye Francine…"

`Bingo' just as she suspected Amanda had fallen for Lee Stetson's charms, just another lonely heart to add to the list of drooling females at the water cooler – how did he do it?

"Goodbye Amanda!"

The door shut behind her and Amanda dropped her head in her arms with a groan. Francine remarks only made her feel worse. She knew all too well just what type of man Lee was `had been' she had heard the rumors saw the devastating results, but he was different now – he had changed. Heaving a deep sigh she looked across to his desk smiling faintly, it was neat and tidy `for once' just as he had left it the morning he had received his orders to fly to Italy. She had been shocked to discover that she wasn't going with him, but not as shocked as he was. Closing her eyes she could still hear his arguments with Billy over the instructions that had been left by Dr. Smyth.

"And why can't she come with me? It's not as if Amanda hasn't been to Europe before."

"Dr. Smyth left specific instructions Scarecrow, one Agent - a MALE Agent, it could get dangerous and I for one don't want Amanda in the thick of it!"

"Aw c'mon Billy, Amanda has been in worse situations than a few gun-toting gangsters? She knows the procedure's she's done the training…"

"I'm well aware just how trained my agents are Scarecrow! And the answer is still no. I'm not going to over-ride a direct order from above; you are assigned to the case! Now I suggest instead of standing there arguing over it – you get yourself home and get packed…you leave in an hour."

It had been the worse day in her life; she didn't even get to see him off at the airport as he was going direct from D.C. under the guise of Ricky Marino, and wouldn't have any contact with the agency until he arrived. They had however a stolen moment in the Vault before he left to pack – not exactly the most romantic place in the world, Lee had been urgent with his kisses, whispering how much he was going to miss her and she had melted in his arms, feeling his strength holding onto it with all her being - quivering with an onslaught of emotion for this wonderful man who was being torn from her arms, for duty to
catch the `bad guys' and she had been powerless to do anything about it.

So she had resigned herself to the fact that she was on her own for the time being – going through each day at struggle trying to keep her mind of Lee and his deep laugh, his beautiful `oh how beautiful' hazel eyes that twinkled with mischief, his broad shoulders that fitted a suit oh so well in fact just about everything reminded her of Lee. The Q Bureau still lingered with his aftershave even after three weeks and she had gone over several times to his apartment – using a hairgrip pick locked her way in and fluffed up cushions that didn't need it, dusted when she knew he had a cleaning lady give the place a once over each week finding then the only comfort to her distress in his bedroom where she had woken up several times after crying herself to sleep hugging his pillow.

She had to admit to herself sooner or later – she had got it bad, three years it had taken them to stop all the tiptoeing around and admit that there was more to their friendship than `just good friends' and when Lee had turned the lock on the door of the office shutting out Billy who had came looking for them, she knew that things from then on were never going to be the same.  He had taken her in his arms and for the first time actually looked at her it wasn't some cover they were on and no-one else was in the room just Lee and Amanda totally alone and at that moment she thought she had died and gone to heaven. To see his eyes darken with a passion that he had hidden deep down inside for too long, to capture her lips in his and `Boy could he kiss…'

"Oh my gosh!"

The telephone beside her rang interrupting her over heated thoughts, picking up the receiver she cleared her throat pulling the collar of her blouse that had suddenly become restricted and spoke, "Q Bureau, Amanda King speaking?"

"Hey beautiful…it's me …... I needed to hear your voice!"


xxx


`I'm on my own a million miles away - temptation all around,
It won't be long so please be strong – `cos I'm holding for you.'

He had spent the morning roaming around the capital taking in the sites of the city, the heat was humid to say the least and thick smog hung in the air reminding him of home – and Amanda. Standing at the Coliseum sipping his coffee he watched as a trained agent does, the activity and people around him going about their business without a care in the world unknown to them that there was a bunch of crackpots smuggling in a shipment of arms right under their noses. The operation was to go down tonight, three weeks of planning and convincing the `Marconi Brothers' that he was a rich investor from Alabama with an axe to grind had been simple enough – the last part was to meet with his contact at the Coliseum to finalize the deal before tonight.

Scanning the crowd he still couldn't see him and with a frustrated sigh drank from his cup looking at the scenery once again. He had been in Rome before when his Uncle `The Colonel' was stationed out here; he had been fourteen at the time and hated every minute of it. The whole scenery thing hadn't appealed to him even then `building `s that looked like ruins and ruins that actually were buildings' Lee `skip' Stetson had discovered instead young Italian females and the rest they say is history.

But since meeting a young divorced mother from Arlington whose zest for life and wonder at actual historic architecture finding museums a fascinating place, had started to change his prospective. Whereas before the only appeal they had done for him was an ideal place for `necking' without getting caught, not that `necking' with Amanda King in a dark corner of an Italian museum sound like a bad idea – it would certainly relieve a lot of pent up stress, not to mention be mutually beneficial for both of them…

Clearing his throat suddenly feeling his collar of the shirt he was wearing was more like a noose, he turned to weave his way through the crowd who were pressed against the barrier, when a petite blonde collided with him knocking the half cup of coffee out of his hand and all down the front of the sundress she was wearing.

"Oh god I'm sorry I didn't see you there!" Lee felt like a complete klutz, fishing out of his pocket a handkerchief, but in seeing her didn't really know what to do with it,

"That's quite alright, I wasn't looking where I was going either…You're American?" The last part of her conversation was more of shock than anything, as
she accepted his handkerchief and applied it to her soiled dress.

Lee nodded as he brushed his hand through his hair a nervous trait he had. His contact hadn't shown up, he had been having heated thoughts about Amanda and a dark corner - and now he had gone a possibly destroyed a woman' dress – he didn't need any more distractions in his life right now.

"Me too, I didn't think I'd meet a fellow countryman in Rome and here I am, albeit a little wet!"

"Listen I'm really sorry for that, if you give me the hotel you are staying at I'll have the dressed taken care off."

She laughed a musical laugh making Lee feel a little bit better, she wasn't angry at his clumsiness `good sign' he so much didn't want her to make a scene in case he was being watched.

"Hey forget it…it'll wash out – besides it got me a chance to meet a really handsome man to show me the sights of this really romantic city!"

Oh-oh there it was the `come on' he hadn't spent all his life as a red-blooded male not to notice a woman when she was interested, the only difference being in the past he would have welcomed the distraction especially as he had the afternoon to kill, but not this time, not now, not…ever. Making his excuses was easy she held no comparison to Amanda – she was blonde possibly from a bottle, Amanda was dark and very much natural. She was petite and hour-glassed;
Amanda reached his shoulder which adding to the fact that he stood well over 6ft was tall for a woman and slim –athletic, his hands fitted her slim waist perfectly. She had icy blue eyes almost cat-like in shape, Amanda's were big brown pools of chocolate to him her best feature – he could drown in her expressive eyes forever and not care if the world fell apart around them. Her smile was pretty just the right proportion for her face – apart from the fact that it was cosmically made and false, hinging on her being a Model; Amanda's was warm and open and reached her eyes lighting up her face like an angel.

Right there he wanted nothing more than to catch the first flight out and red-eye it home to her and to hell with the mission. For the first time in Lee Stetson's life as an Intelligence Operative he had thought of risking his job, his career for the sake of a woman – but not just any woman Mrs. Amanda King was more than just `any woman' she would be the same person who would go through him for thinking such a ridiculous idea – right after Billy having him committed and Dr. Smyth have him hunted with a `shoot to kill' order. No there was only one thing left to do, he crossed road slipping through the traffic with ease and made his way back to his hotel, checking his watch for the time difference it would be evening in Washington and he knew she would be still there.
  
Deciding to ring Amanda was dangerous for his cover in case he was under surveillance, he was on a closed operation with his only contact being Billy when he made his check in - but he didn't care. Just hearing the in-take of her breath when she realized it was he was well worth it.

" OHMYGOSH L- Lee…is that really you? It's not safe…you'll get into so much trouble!"

Pleasure and panic filled her at the same time as she scanned the office as if the walls were listening  `well this was a government Intelligence building, couldn't it be possible they bugged even their own employees' Lee chuckled on the other end, "Amanda, calm down! I made check in everything's okay, I got Mrs. Marsden to dial your extension." His voice took on a husky timbre, as he spoke making her close her eyes, leaning into the earpiece more than was necessary.

"I've really missed you…it's so quiet here all on my own…when are you getting back? Ah I-I mean…I know you can't tell me anything over the phone I…I was just wondering Lee you could blow your cover this could be dangerous talking to me?"

"Manda…it could be dangerous if I don't, do you know how long it has been since I last spoke to you huh? Three…"

"Weeks two days and eighteen hours…but who's counting!"

He smiled into the phone even know she couldn't see it, god it was great to hear her voice again…he had thought, particularly the last few nights when he had had to go deep that it was possible that he had imagined her. They hadn't spent not nearly enough time together since coming to their senses over their relationship, a problem he intended to rectify when he got back – and now hearing her voice was like a warming balm to his over-reactive senses that where constantly switched on when he was working.

"I've missed you too…how have you been holding up?

Amanda played with the telephone cord anything to distract her fingers as they curled and uncurled wanting him there so she could reach out and touch him,
"Just awful, Dr. Smyth has been on everyone's backs since you left, Billy's put me on routine assignments with Derek Hoffman which is okay…." Her voice gave away just how tough it had been as she continued huskily, "But he's not you…."

Lee's chest plumbed up at the thought of Amanda's compliment, never one to lie about just how important people where to her, especially him. "Yeah I hear you…it's been hell here too without you there's nothing I want more right now than to have you in my arms showing you this place it's beautiful Amanda…just like you!"

She felt her eyes mist over as she choked down a sob listening to him, for a man of few words the ones he were saying where doing just fine at convincing her she was being missed, "Oh Lee…that's really sweet…" she heard a noise outside in the corridor, "Lee someone's coming…. you'd better go!"

"Oh… okay…damn I hate this, Amanda I lo…" `Click'   

He sat listening to the dialing tone - she had hung up obviously someone had disturbed her. Sighing he hung the handset back on it's cradle and stared at it…the time difference was hard to adjust to but at least he got hold of her before she went home. Now it was up to him to get to work bringing down the `Marconi operation' - and return home and prove to her just how much he had missed her.

There had been so many things he wanted to say to her so many ways he had wanted to express how he felt. He had been for the last three weeks in one of the most romantic cities in and she wasn't here to see it. Sure they had been to Europe before working but it was different back then - they weren't romantically involved, well not on a physical plane anyway. He had been close to telling her what was in his heart a feeling that was so new to him and was glad in some way they had been cut off. It gave him a chance to re-group on how he felt - making a promise to himself that when he told her he loved her, it wouldn't be on the telephone.


xxx



`Trust is all it takes people make mistakes,
`Cos we are only human let's face it…'


Amanda was furious that she had to cut Lee off and it was just as well as Dr. Smyth ambled through the door, smoking those annoying cigars that filled the room with an acrid smoke.

"Say King… Personal call?

"N-no sir it was…"

He dismissed her with a wave of his hand walking further into the room scanning it as if looking for Lee to jump out of a filing cabinet. "So… Scarecrow has he been in-touch yet?"

"No sir…I mean yes sir he made his check in…with B- I mean Mr. Melrose." She felt her throat constrict and she touch it nervously. She hated covering up for Lee especially as she was just as guilty for their secret relationship as he was. Luckily Dr. Smyth didn't notice her blatant slip or nervousness, as he was standing at Lee's desk with his back to her reading a closed file puffing on the infernal cigar of his. That was until she heard him chuckle as he tuned to face her,

"You know King… I haven't survived in this business all these years, with the knowledge that I can spot an agent lying thirty feet away – even a would be one at that!"

Amanda felt her face redden under his penetrating gaze as she lowered her eyes breaking contact - but he had seen enough. Satisfied with getting under yet another employees skin he turned to go, his hand on the handle as he paused throwing over his shoulder, "Oh King, if he does call - let him know I will have his hide as a rug if he breaks undercover again… K?"


After surviving round one with the in formable Dr. Smyth, Amanda's frazzled brain not to mention her aching feet finally made it home. Where she was greeted as usual with a mixture of Phillip and Jamie's events at school and her mother's evening at the country club with the remarkably handsome `Tony'. During dinner and the dishes her mind kept reverting back to her all too brief telephone call with Lee, and the emptiness that had settled around her heart again, knowing that he was thousands of miles away in danger  - well that came with the territory and she knew he could take care of himself, but they had
always done it together, and now she felt helpless – left out.  `No your not Amanda you know he would have taken you if he could' scolding herself she hung up the wet tea-towel and switched off the kitchen light.

Seeing her mother and the boys settled in front of the television watching a western, she slipped up to her room to draw herself a long bath filling it with lavender – a scent that Lee had often remarked as being his `favorite' reminding him of the first time they met. As she watched the bubbles grow and fill the all the corners of her Georgian bath she saw him in her mind standing there in her bathroom telling her `everything is going to be okay…wait for me…' a sob
escaped as she sat down on the lid of her toilet seat tears rolling down her cheeks,

"Oh Lee…please come back to me…"


She knew from that moment what she had known all along - she was hopelessly in love with him. It had taken Lee to go on this rotten assignment without her to make her realise, just how much he meant to her what was the saying `absence make the heart grow fonder' well that was certainly the case here. When he got back she was going to prove just how much he meant to her.


xxx


`My struggle through the day – pretend that I'm okay,
Make believe that you're here beside me…'

Contrary to Amanda's fears Lee's cover didn't get blown. With the help of the Policia and Italian Intelligence a certain Ricky Marino busted the `Marconi arms business' following a twelve hour sting which resulted in three of the Marconi gang being injured – one fatal.

He returned back to his hotel exhausted but happy it had been a success; calling Billy he reported back his investigation and let him know what flight he was going to be on.  Slipped into a well-deserved shower to wash the grime of sitting in a fish warehouse to 4:00am, when a vision appeared in front of him  - a tall leggy brunette with deep chocolate eyes and a smile that lit up the sky smiled at him through the steam telling him `I'm holding up…come back to me' and as quickly as it appeared it was gone. Shutting of the facet he leaned heavily on the wall of the cubicle – a pain ripping at his heart. He loved Amanda and it didn't take a genius to realize that he had always somehow been in love with her; it had just taken his mind a bit longer than his heart. Drying himself of he hurriedly dressed and grabbing his suitcase started throwing in the contents of the drawers in, not caring if the got wrinkled or not. He had a plane to catch
and a woman to kiss senseless.


`Yes I'm on my own a million miles away – temptation all around,
It won't be long so please be strong – cos I'm holding on to you.'

She was struggling through another restless night of sleep deprivation on her part self-inflicted. Every day it had gotten a little harder for her, but she had pulled through with the knowledge that Lee had made his check ins and Billy keeping her up to date the best he could on his whereabouts. But his call had shaken her up and the cool calm composure she had used quite successfully was beginning to crack. Every little sound she noticed every noise seemed
deafening. Getting up she went downstairs into the kitchen putting on the kettle to boil she took down the box of chamomile tea hoping it would soothe her overactive brain and allow her some peace at least.

`You are the one that I have truly believed in,
So don't ever think that I would ditch you baby.
Without a doubt you are my rhyme and my reason,
And I won't let you down…'


His plane touched down at Dulles Airport – and like a madman he ran through baggage, throwing his case into the boot of a waiting cab giving the driver the directions of his apartment. Stopping only briefly to pay him and throw his luggage into the downstairs foyer, he climbed into his `Vette' and drove in the direction of Maplewood Drive in Arlington. The long flight had drained him but he didn't care, he had spent over three weeks alone - and would request from
Billy some RnR if need be. But nothing was going to stop him from seeing Amanda…


`I'm on my own feeling blue – miles from home, I'm lost without you.
But I'll be strong keep holding on – keep holding on for you `

It was all calm and quiet in the house with everyone in bed, the only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the carriage clock on the mantelpiece and the beating of her own heart. Leaning her head back she closed her eyes trying to relax. It had been an exhausting time for her but finally it was over. Billy had called while she had been in bed with the news that Scarecrow's mission had been a success, and that he would be back on terra firma sometime tomorrow. Amanda had requested to go and pick him up and the request was granted, in a few hours she would be gazing into his hazel eyes bathing in his wonderful smile as he would take her in his arms - press his body up close and…. sleep decided to take over just as she was getting to the good part.


xxx


`Holding on…keep holding on for you…'


Lee had stood watching her from outside the French doors smiling, she was a perfect vision snuggled warm in her nightdress `although extremely conventional and looked like something out of 'A Little House On The Prairie' it somehow suited her. She looked exhausted with dark circles under her eyes and her skin was pale and fragile but no matter what or how she looked to him she's was beautiful. He wanted to leave her there with her dreams and come back in the morning, but his own selfishness took over his common thought. He had caught an earlier flight and had traveled across two time zones to be
here at this house in the middle of the night and he wasn't going to bed until he said `hello'

Slipping the lock pick out of the collar of his shirt he masterfully unlocked the catch and slipped inside. She had only one lamp lit which bathed the den with warm glow, that made it easier to Lee to search the shadows making sure no escapee children or wandering live-in mothers were skulking about. Satisfied there wasn't a soul in the room except a sleeping Amanda, he knelt on the floor beside her feet just looking at her - drinking in her features like a man dying of thirst before he lowered his head and captured her lips in his own.

Amanda was having a wonderful dream and she didn't want it to end. She was at work and Lee was there giving her that `look' his eyes smoldering as he inclines his head to one side indicating for her to follow him, as he walks out of the Bullpen and up to the second floor to the Q Bureau. Once inside his office he closes the door behind them hitting the lock and takes her in his arms – pushing her up against the wall making it known just what was on his mind. She feels giddy with excitement as he lowers his head his eyes never leaving hers, and with his teeth nips at her lower lip allowing a `whoosh' to escape from her, satisfied he has got her attention he then with his tongue licks the abrasion, causing now a groan to rumble deep in her throat or was it his – she could feel all her nerve endings explode into tiny stars as finally he takes her mouth in a rough passionate kiss….

"Mmmm…oh…."

Suddenly she was wide-awake staring into the golden depths of Lee Stetson's eyes that where now dark with desire, his crooked smile dancing with mischief, "God I've missed you…have you missed me?"

Her heart was hammering in her chest so loud she could've sworn he would hear it. He was here in her living room kissing her and she had been asleep dreaming or was it a dream. Reaching out she touched his cheek feeling the smoothness of his skin warm to the touch, smiling he turned his face and planted a moist kiss in the center of her palm sending shock waves up her arm and all over her body. Oh he was here alright very much in the flesh,

"Oh Lee you're here…your honest to goodness here!" She launched herself into his arms with a squeal as he wrapped his arms around her, feeling as if he had finally come home. They kissed and hugged and touched for what seemed like eternity, tears of laughter mingled at the awe of the depth of emotion that was felt.

As Amanda sat with him on the couch waiting the dawn to come, a contented sigh escaped her. There was nowhere else she would rather be than here in his arms listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. Leaning up she took his lips in hers kissing him gently…. no words needed to be spoken between them as they both leaned back watching the sky from the open doors thinking about their future…


THE END