DISCLAIMER: The characters and settings described herein are the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot The Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

AUTHOR: ISIS

SYNOPSIS: Lee is forced to do the 'Peacock Dance', but it nearly all ends in disaster when Phillip mistakes his actions.

RATING: PG-13

TIMEFRAME: post-4th season

THE LAST DANCE

Lee Stetson groaned as the alarm rang far too early in the morning. He rolled over and immediately came into intimate contact with his sleeping wife. Despite his weariness, barely eased by the few short hours of sleep he had managed to grab, he was instantly awake as he felt Amanda start to stir against him. Other things started to stir as well. Soon, he had her wrapped in his strong embrace, his body pressed against hers and his face buried in her fragrant hair. She sighed and wriggled against him and he nearly lost what little control he had. He kissed her naked shoulder and nibbled sensually up the length of her neck to her earlobe. His hands moved urgently over her breasts, and stomach, before travelling down to the juncture between her thighs. Her soft moans and the way she tilted her head back, giving him greater access to her throat, told him she was just as awake as he was. He loosened his hold on her only long enough for her to turn towards him. Then he covered her body with his, his need now very evident. She smiled up at him, her eyes dark with desire. "Good morning, Lee," she breathed, gasping as he settled intimately against her.

"Good morning, Amanda," he whispered, and covered her mouth with his.

They made slow, sensual, passionate love, revelling in the relatively recent pleasure of waking up next to each other every morning, finally, truly, husband and wife. Afterwards, Lee brushed the hair back from his wife's flushed face and smiled down at her. "God, I love waking up next to you, my Amanda!" He pressed a tender kiss to her already swollen lips.

"Mmm. And I love how you show it, Lee," she replied, her hands moving eagerly over him, arousing him again.

Briefly, Lee surrendered himself to his wife's caresses, sorely tempted to make love to her again. But Billy was waiting and he still had to go by his apartment. "Amanda! Amanda!" he sighed regretfully, then rolled away from her to the other side of the bed with another groan. He heard her sigh with disappointment, then raise herself up in her elbows. Lee looked over and groaned again as the bedsheet slid down, almost but not quite revealing the soft body he had so recently kissed and caressed. Amanda met his smoldering gaze with a wry smile. She leaned over her husband and kissed him quickly, then slid away before he could grab her.

"Okay, Scarecrow. Up and at it!" Amanda grinned as he fell back against the pillows with a final groan, this one at her very bad choice of words.

"You are a wicked woman, Amanda Stetson," Lee complained. He grabbed his robe and wrapped it around himself, then headed into the bathroom to begin yet another frustrating day.

Half an hour later, he marched down the stairs, immaculately dressed in his suit and tie. Amanda, still in her robe, smiled at him warmly and handed him his coffee with a tender kiss. Then she went to the foot of the stairs and called up to her sons. "Jamie! Phillip! This is your last warning! Out of bed or I'm coming up there!"

Dotty looked up from her place at the table and grinned. "What is it about you men and getting up in the morning?" Lee grimaced as he caught Amanda's muffled snort. Dotty studied her son-in-law more closely, noting his tired eyes and weary expression. "Another late night, Lee? That's three in a row! Doesn't that film company of yours have any other directors?"

Lee stifled a yawn and smiled tiredly at his mother-in-law. "Yeah. But it seems like there's never anyone else available." He smiled ruefully at his wife. "And tonight's going to be more of the same."

Amanda met her husband's regretful look with quiet understanding. She knew that the case they were working on was urgent. She also knew that despite their best efforts, they were coming up empty. Any time now, Dr Smyth was going to be calling to complain. Lee was working extra hard on this, their first major case since they had revealed their marriage both to the Agency and her family. He was determined that Dr Smyth would have no excuse to justify splitting them up.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Jamie's appearance. "You're working again, Lee? Mom?"

"No, not your mother, just me," Lee replied hastily.

"I'll still be able to attend your photo class's show tonight, sweetheart," Amanda assured her youngest. She ruffled his hair affectionately.

But still his face fell. "That's great, Mom, but since Lee was the one who gave me the new camera, I was kind of hoping ...," Jamie trailed off.

Lee felt a knot form in his gut. He stood up and walked over to his stepson. "Look, I will do everything in my power to wrap up this ca ... er, editing job and be there tonight. Okay?"

Jamie smiled sadly. "Okay." Lee turned away, feeling like a heel. "And Lee?"

The newly minted stepfather swung back to his stepson eagerly, "Yeah?"

"I do know that you'll try to get there ... that it's not your fault if you can't," Jamie said shyly.

Lee smiled, more determined than ever, Dr Smyth or no, to be there for his stepson's first photography show. "Thank you, Jamie. I really appreciate you saying that."

Amanda watched the emotions flash across her husband's face and her eyes teared up. This man that she loved so much astonished her every day, with his love, his tenderness, his devotion, as well as his insecurity and fear of failing as a husband and father. She reached out and took Lee's hand in hers. Her husband smiled at her and for a moment they shared again a physical expression of the inexplicable connection that had been between the two of them since the moment they met.

That moment was lost as Phillip raced into the room. He stopped at the unusual silence and tension he felt. "What? What's going on?" he demanded, noticing Lee's tense stance, his mother's bright eyes, their clasped hands and Jamie's gloomy demeanor.

"Lee probably has to work again tonight," his brother explained, taking a seat on the stool at the breakfast nook and digging into his cereal.

Phillip brightened. "Is that all? Man, I thought someone had died! What's the big deal, other than the fact that Lee looks half beat."

"Gee, thanks, Phillip. You really know how to cheer a guy up!" Lee grinned ruefully.

Dotty frowned. "It's your brother's photography show, Phillip. We're all supposed to go."

"That? It's just a bunch of dumb pictures," Phillip replied dismissively.

"Phillip Joseph King!" his mother exclaimed. Her oldest cringed. "It may not be a big deal to you, but it's important to your brother."

Phillip had the grace to look contrite. "Sorry, Jamie," he apologized hastily.

Jamie looked embarrassed. "Look, it's not that important ..."

"It is, sweetheart. We're all very proud of you, and we're 'all' going to be there for you," Amanda stated, raising an eyebrow at her oldest.

Phillip hit his brother on the back. "Yeah, I can't wait." He shovelled down a few spoonfuls of cereal before his eyes brightened. "Say, isn't Ashley Cartwright in your teacher's sophomore class?"

Jamie looked at his brother. Behind him, Lee was kissing his wife good-bye and heading out the door as Dotty watched them curiously. "Yeah, why?"

"Will she be showing pictures at this display tonight?"

"I think so. That's the high school class. I really don't know."

Phillip looked down at his brother with all the contempt of a mighty high school freshman for a lowly junior high student. "Well, find out, dufus," he demanded, only to roll his eyes as his mother and grandmother chorused automatically, "Don't call your brother a dufus!"

Dotty watched her daughter as she watched her husband speed away in the nondescript sedan he had been driving ever since he had moved in with the family, much to the boys' dismay. Then she asked the question that had been plaguing her for so long. "Amanda, dear, why is it that Lee goes to work so much ahead of you? You both go to the same place. Why do you need two cars?"

Amanda cringed inwardly, knowing that she had been dreading this question. When she and Lee had decided to reveal their marriage to her family and the Agency, they had discussed security long and hard. Since her family was still unaware of the true nature of their jobs, it had been imperative to protect them. As a compromise, Lee had come up with the strategy they now used. The Agency was aware of their marriage, but in order to keep it a secret from the intelligence community at large, Lee retained his Corvette and a storage locker in his old apartment building, but leased the old clunker he drove and parked in her driveway. Every morning, he sneaked into his old apartment building in disguise, picked up his Corvette and drove the conspicuous car to the Agency. Amanda arrived in her Jeep as always. It was the only way he could keep their enemies from learning of the true nature of Scarecrow's relationship with his partner and her family. All knew Amanda King was Scarecrow's partner. Few knew that she was his wife. And he was determined to keep it that way.

Amanda sighed as she turned to her inquisitive mother. The two boys finished their breakfasts, seemingly disinterested. "Mother, Lee and I are working on different projects. With different schedules. It's only practical that we maintain two vehicles. Look at this week. If I had gone to work with Lee, he would have had to drive me home every night before going back. As it is, he's not getting home until one or two in the morning. Driving me home would have added another hour to his day."

"Well, it seems such a waste of gas. And that's another thing. Why are you working separately? Ever since we first heard about your Mr Stetson it was the two of you filming together, location hunting together, editing together. All night." Dotty looked her daughter in the eye. Jamie and Phillip listened carefully. "Is there something going on at work, Amanda? Have you been -- demoted -- or something? Is it because you and Lee are married now? Is this some kind of discrimination?"

Amanda stared at her mother in astonishment. Suddenly the secrecy of her job caught up with her and she wanted to reveal all, to tell her family what a wonderful and selfless person her husband really was; how he regularly put his life on the line for his country. But she knew she could not. So instead, she tried to laugh off her mother's suspicions. "No Mother. Everything is great at work!" Amanda laughed nervously. "Lee and I have just been assigned to different projects, that's all."

*Right. Ever since you've been married.* Dotty thought. She watched her daughter kiss her sons and head off up the stairs to prepare for her day.

Phillip was oblivious to the tensions around him. His mind was racing with possibilities. *Ashley Cartwright!* He'd had a crush on her from the moment he had seen her on stage as one of the cheerleaders at the junior pep rally. Unbelievably, she didn't seem to be seeing anyone. Phillip had looked at the burly football players, tall, lanky basketball players, and self-assured school leaders in shock. *How could they be missing such a treasure as Ashley Cartwright?* He was determined to win her heart. And she was going to be at Jamie's pathetic photo show. He would ask her then. He would invite her to the Halloween Dance. He pictured himself as -- say, the obviously besotted Scarecrow -- from The Wizard of Oz. And Ashley as Dorothy -- resplendent in long dark braids and a cute gingham dress. Or perhaps, Juliet, though he might have to wear tights to be her Romeo. His adolescent heart weighed the romance of Romeo against the embarrassment of tights very carefully. *Yeah, Romeo,* he decided, remembering the reactions of his fellow female freshmen to the play's 'Balcony Scene' when they had studied it in English class. Phillip ran the scenario over in his mind. They would meet. Phillip would tell her that his brother was also a photographer. They would look at her pictures, with Phillip impressing her with the knowledge he had gleaned from his younger brother. Then he would ask her to the dance, promising to provide her costume if she would let him . He pictured her shy, accepting smile in his mind's eye.

Then Phillip groaned inwardly. *Costumes cost money,* he thought, as his dismal finances came to mind. He had already spent his allowance for this month on a new baseball mitt, and he had cleaned out his savings account to pay for his share of season tickets to the Redskins games with his friend Nick and his father. And he still owed Jamie for money he had secretly borrowed to take Sarah Prentice to the Freshman Dance back in September. Money NOT well spent since she had started seeing that senior football player, Frank Chester, almost immediately after the dance.

Jamie listened as his brother groaned, and grinned. He could well imagine what was going through Phillip's head after he mentioned Ashley Cartwright. So he sat back and waited for the inevitable. "Say, Jamie, could you lend me some money? Just until we get our next allowance?"

Jamie grinned triumphantly. "What about the money you already owe me?"

Phillip turned pleading eyes on his younger brother. "I'll pay you back, I promise! I just need some money so I can ask Ashley to the Halloween dance." Jamie pretended to consider it. "I'll do all your chores until Halloween," Phillip added, trying to sweeten the deal.

Unfortunately, his mother chose that moment to return to the kitchen, dressed and ready for work. "What's this about doing Jamie's chores, Phillip?"

Phillip closed his eyes, knowing he was caught. "Phillip just wanted to borrow some money from me to take Ashley Cartwright to the Halloween dance," Jamie explained. Phillip glared at his brother.

Amanda looked at her oldest son sternly. "What have I told you about borrowing money, Phillip? We give you a good allowance so that you can learn to budget. If you are always borrowing money, you're not budgeting properly. I warned you about spending all your savings on those tickets, especially your first year in high school." Her expression softened and she reached out to run her hand lightly through her son's hair. "I want you to have a good time in high school, sweetheart. But I want you to learn to handle your money as well. So, no borrowing from your brother, okay?" She kissed the top of her son's down-turned head. "We'll talk more tonight. I've got to go."

Phillip watched his mother depart with a heavy heart. Then his expression brightened. As if reading his mind, his mother called out, "And don't go hitting Lee up either. He knows how I feel about borrowing. 'Bye!"

Phillip groaned again, his dreams of Ashley Cartwright quickly dissipating.

Dotty eyed her grandson with a smile. "You know, Phillip, you're fifteen years old. There are ways to earn money other than your allowance. Perhaps you should think about getting a part-time job."

Phillip looked at his grandmother in shock. "A job? But then I couldn't play basketball with the guys after school, or baseball on the weekends or have any fun at all!"

Dotty laughed. "I don't mean for you to work every waking hour, dear. You're not Lee." They both smiled ruefully. "But what about cutting a few lawns? Or raking leaves? Or babysitting?" Phillip grimaced. "Why don't you check at school? I'm sure the Guidance department gets call about jobs for teenagers all the time."

"Yeah, I think I will." Phillip slid off his seat and gave his grandmother a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Grandma." She smiled as he headed back upstairs to brush his teeth and grab his books for school.

*****************************

With having to change cars, and disguises, at his old building, Lee actually arrived at the Agency after his wife. He gave the word of the day to Mrs Marsden and clipped on his ID before heading down to the Bullpen for his meeting with Billy. He felt a great deal of trepidation since he had virtually nothing to report.

His bad feeling intensified as he caught a whiff of cigarette smoke. *Dr Smyth!* he groaned inwardly. He could already see the effect the Agency's leader had had on the Bullpen. Heads were down and agents were working diligently. Not that they didn't usually, but the normal hum and buzz was missing. Everyone was trying to be invisible. Not a few eyes gave Scarecrow a surreptitious look of commiseration as he entered the lion's den.

Lee took his seat beside his wife and smiled briefly. Francine and Billy were there. Everyone looked like they had already been raked over the coals. Lee groaned again. *Next victim,* he thought.

Sure enough, Dr Smyth turned his smirking face to Lee. "Well, Scarecrow, so good of you to join us. I hope you have better news for me than these three."

Lee met Billy's eyes ruefully, then began his sparse report. He could see the anger growing in the older man as he continued. Finally, he summed it up. "All we know for sure is that someone of great importance is coming to stay at the Soviet Embassy very soon and that the trip is completely secret. And unauthorized by the State department. As to who is coming, when or why, we still don't know."

Dr Smyth puffed angrily on his cigarette as he surveyed his agents. "Well, well, well. Isn't this just great? Four blind mice, I see." He turned to confront his top agent. "What's the matter, Scarecrow? Too busy playing househusband?" he taunted.

Amanda felt her husband tense up and placed a calming hand on his arm. Dr Smyth did not see it, but Billy did. He smiled at Amanda reassuringly. Then he answered for all of them. "Dr Smyth, everyone at this office has been working triple overtime to solve this puzzle. The Russians are just not talking."

"Well, be thankful that I too have been giving the matter some thought and I've found a weakness in the Russian wall. To breach it, I'm going to need Scarecrow. I hope that husbandhood has not weakened his 'dancing' skills."

"Sir?"

Dr Smyth reached behind him and retrieved the file he had tossed carelessly on Billy's desk when he walked in. He opened it and withdrew a picture which he passed to Lee. Amanda glanced over and saw a professionally taken picture of a blonde woman, pouting seductively at the camera, dressed in a slinky beaded gown which left little to the imagination. Her overly styled hair reached alarming heights and her make-up was excessive. "Natalia Borodin, the former Tasha Konchak, sweetheart of the Kremlin. She is the second wife -- and I use the term 'wife' loosely -- of Piotr Borodin, Security Attaché, currently assigned to the Soviet Embassy here in DC." Dr Smyth indicated the photo. "I want you to perform a Peacock Dance with her." He smiled as Lee's eyes immediately went to his wife. "Don't worry. Mrs Scarecrow can listen in!" Lee shot his boss a withering glance. Amanda pressed his arm again. "You can even wear your wedding ring, Scarecrow. Madame Borodin likes the challenge of a married man. Borodin, her third husband, was happily married for twenty years before she got her talons into him." He smirked at the couple before him. "So be careful on this one, Scarecrow. I didn't split you up. Don't let anything else do it." Dr Smyth was already halfway out the door. "Ta ta, children. I want results." Then he was gone.

Lee stared at the photo with distaste. "Billy, ..." he began. "You know Agency policy exempts married agents from this sort of thing."

"Agency policy also disallows married couples to be in the same office, let alone remain partners," Billy reminded his top agent. Lee sighed.

Amanda spoke up. "Lee, look, I'm all right with this. Anything to wrap this thing up." Lee looked at her incredulously. "Well, not ANYTHING!" she qualified.

Lee grinned and kissed her quickly.

"Pul-lease!" Francine objected, but Lee caught her unwilling smile and flashed his engaging grin back.

"Besides, I'm really curious to see how you fair," Amanda added with a wicked glint in her eye. "I know that some of your skills have certainly been -- shall we say -- refined -- since marriage, Scarecrow."

This time Francine's disgust was real. "O, yuck!" she complained "Too much information!" and left the office.

Billy met Amanda's eyes and laughed. "You are a wicked woman, Mrs Stetson," he announced.

Lee snorted and pointed to his wife. "I've been trying to tell you that, Billy," Lee exclaimed. Then he ducked his wife's carefully aimed punch.

Billy grinned at the couple then his expression grew serious. "Honestly, Lee. Are you all right with this? Amanda?"

The 'newlyweds' met their boss' concerned gaze steadily. Then they looked at each other.

Lee gazed at his wife steadily. *Amanda?* he thought.

Amanda met her husband's gaze steadily. She knew that the future of their partnership rested on her answer. She nodded wordlessly.

"Yes," they said in unison. Then they turned and smiled at each other, albeit uncertainly.

Billy relaxed and sat down. "Okay, then. Let's get this show on the road."

They spent the rest of the morning planning the initial contact and back-up surveillance.

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