DISCLAIMER: Scarecrow & Mrs. King and all related characters, including Lee Stetson and Amanda King, named in this fan-fiction do not belong to me, but are the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. I promise to treat the characters gently and with great respect. The idea for this piece originated with the episode "Murder Between Friends" written by Mark Lisson and Bill Froehlich. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The concept and its execution are the property of the author.

SUMMARY: A filler scene for the episode "Murder Between Friends." How did they find the money for Amanda's raise?

RATING: G

TIMELINE: Late Second Season

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Many thanks to my betas, Larry, Shelly, and especially Panda. Their help has been invaluable.

LEE'S QUEST (MURDER BETWEEN FRIENDS - FILLER SCENE)

Lee Stetson entered the Bullpen; his arms loaded with computer printouts. He stopped outside of Billy Melrose's office and slowly scanned the area. Everything seemed quiet. Carefully, he lowered the stack of computer printouts onto the unused desk at his side. Taking a deep breath, he approached the door. Without knocking, he opened it and stuck his head inside.

"Hey, Billy?" he questioned.

"Lee," Melrose put down the report he was reading and motioned his friend in.

"Yeah, Billy, do you have some time to...uh...talk?" Lee asked. The question was unnecessary - earlier, while Billy was at an Internal Affairs meeting, Lee had slipped in and checked Billy's appointment calendar. Assuming that no unexpected crises arose, he knew his boss had two hours open.

Melrose noted the hesitation in his top agent and sat up straight in his chair. "Come on in. What do you need?"

"Um...well...need?" An uneasy smile crossed Lee's face as he looked around the office hoping for inspiration. He wanted to do this. No, he needed to do this. "Billy, I was just wondering if you had some time to talk about," he inhaled roughly, "well, Amanda?"

Billy leaned back in his chair, observed the man before him, and smiled knowingly. "What about Amanda?" he queried in as neutral a tone as possible.

"It's just that..." Lee's voice trailed off. He didn't know exactly how to broach the subject. "Well, you see, I...well..."

"Just spit it out man," Billy let loose, concern and frustration now clouding his expression as he tried to figure out Lee's unusual behavior.

"Okay! Okay!" Stetson sighed as he leaned against Billy's desk and began studying its wood grain. After a few moments, he fixed his eyes on Billy, an entreating look upon his face. "Listen, Billy, isn't there some way we can bring Amanda back into the Agency?" He started to pace the office, his fist opening and closing in time to his steps. "You know, she really came through for us when she helped us figure a way around Tucker's security system at the diplomatic mansion. If it weren't for her, President Nabuti might have died." He stopped his pacing and turned to face Billy. "For crying out loud, Billy, she saved his life. She doesn't have to be working with me," he added quickly. "I just, you know, feel sorry for her what with being out of work with the kids and all."

Billy repressed the smile that threatened to creep across his face. "Ah, yes, her boys..." he said sagely, "and her mother, too. Rough situation." He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes wearily. The weight of his job was often more than he cared to bear, but it was his job, good or bad. He gave his head a sad shake. "Lee, listen, I'd be glad to bring Amanda back, but I just can't see how. She made it crystal clear that she needs more money. I just don't have it." He looked at Lee, regret written in his eyes. "I hate to lose her, she's smart and resourceful, but face it, she can do much better in the private sector." He held his hands open in front of him and shrugged.

"I know, I know, but..." Lee paused, suddenly fascinated with a plaque on the wall. Abruptly, he spun around and charged forth before he changed his mind. "Isn't there some way? I know we can't double her salary like Jordan said he would, but can't we find some additional money?"

Billy studied the imploring look in Lee's eyes and shook his head slightly, wishing he could figure out exactly what was between Stetson and King. "Do you have any suggestions?"

A mischievous smile crossed Lee's face as he headed back toward Billy's desk. He rubbed his hands together expectantly, a devilish gleam in his eye. "Have I got an idea? Listen," he leaned forward conspiratorially. "What if we could, um, borrow some money from another fund?"

"Borrow?" came the confused response as Billy's eyebrows rose.

"Yeah, Billy, borrow," he grinned. "If we go over the accounts, there's got to be one or two that are…top heavy. We could, you know, even them out a little," he illustrated, his hands moving up and down like a balancing scale.

Realization lighted upon Billy and he smiled. "I see." He sat for a few moments lost in thought. "Okay, Scarecrow, go get the printouts, I have a little time and..."

Lee was out the door and back before Billy could pick up the file folder in front of him. Billy couldn't help but laugh at Stetson's unconcealed enthusiasm.

Lee rubbed his hand roughly over the back of his neck and sighed heavily. They had been scouring the accounts for half an hour now, and had yet to figure out a solution.

"Billy?" Lee questioned looking up at his boss. "How about snitch money? Hobart has a big balance, how about we cut some of that?"

Billy closed his eyes and shook his head. "Can't!" came his terse reply. He rubbed his fingers back and forth over his forehead, "Hobart has some high priced snitches, he needs every penny."

"Come on, Billy," Lee growled. "He can't possibly need that much."

"Lee!" Melrose's tone made it clear that he'd brook no arguments. "Hobart's snitches are high priced, but they always come through with valuable and reliable information. Sorry."

"Okay, okay, not snitch money," Lee muttered. He intently went back to studying the numbers before him. Without looking away from the printout, he thought back to the other day, the day Amanda announced she was leaving the Agency. He remembered how he'd felt oddly betrayed. He had tossed it off as the shock of the moment, but he couldn't shake it. When she had told him that she was leaving to work for Jordan, he'd found that he couldn't look at her, couldn't even say goodbye. He'd felt awkward, even abandoned. He had known she was leaving because she desperately needed the money, but somehow, to him, it had felt like a personal affront. He caught himself in this reverie, smirked at his absurd thoughts, and returned his attention to the information on the page in his hands.

Billy looked at his friend and found himself thinking about the odd relationship that had formed between Lee and Amanda since their unusual first meeting almost two years earlier. Billy was certain there was something special there, he just wished he could figure out what it was. Lee Stetson had begun to change since Amanda had come into his world, that was obvious, but why? Well, maybe time would tell. What was important now, was that they figure out a way to keep the two of them together.

Billy looked back at his printout. "Lee? What about surveillance money? Think we could trim that a bit?"

Lee got up, walked behind his boss, and peered over his shoulder at the figures on his desk. After a minute of serious deliberation, he responded. "Nah! Surveillance is already pretty tight. If we cut much more out of there," he gestured at the printouts, "we'll be doing all our surveillance sitting in cardboard boxes and I'm not sure we'll have enough to procure the boxes." He let out a disgusted breath as he reached up and nervously scratched his head. "Guess we'd better keep looking."

They continued their audit in silence. Lee finally spoke. "How about Entertainment? Can we trim the Entertainment fund?"

Billy shook his head sadly as he leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "Nope, that's already cut to the bone. As it is, the next Peacock Dance might have to be held at the 'No Tell Motel' out by the airport. Somehow, I just don't think that's going to make quite the right impression," he concluded, letting out a rueful laugh.

Stetson began rubbing his face with his hands. He stopped them at his mouth, looking at his boss, as a thought settled in his mind. He took a deep breath and began to put forth his thought.

"Billy, listen to what I have to say before answering me." He held up his hand like a crossing guard to drive home his words and didn't wait for any protest before he began again. "Look," he stood up, haphazardly threw the printouts onto Billy's desk, and began pacing. "Before the financial clamp downs, you gave me a raise." He turned to face Billy, leaned his hands on the desk, took a deep breath, and continued. "How about if you take that and give it to Amanda?" Quickly he added, "You don't have to tell her where it came from." Realizing how desperate he sounded, he tried to smooth the way. "Hell, I'd give it to her myself, just to make sure that damn paperwork gets done. That is, if I thought she'd take it from me. You know she can run rings around me when it comes to filling out reports."

Billy held his hand up to stop Lee's proposal. He could hear the concern in Lee's voice as well as see the distressed look on his face. Somehow, he knew Lee's attempt to transfer his raise to Amanda had nothing to do with undone paperwork. "Lee, I'm not taking your raise. You work too hard around here. We all do. You deserve that raise and more."

"Billy!" Lee said, exasperated. He rubbed his jaw and tried again. "I don't need that money, Billy. I do need the paperwork done or you're going to be on my back about it." He stole a glance in Billy's direction trying to judge his response. He knew he had to convince Billy to do something and this was the best idea he'd had so far. "Come on," he exhaled, "unless you can come up with anything better, I think this is the best we've got."

"No, Lee," Melrose responded patiently. "Let's keep looking."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Francine Desmond stuck her head into the office. "Billy, just wanted to remind you, you have a meeting with Jamison at State in half an hour." She looked at the papers strewn about the desk and floor and walked in. "What's going on here?" she pointed at the scattered piles. "Getting ready to have a bon fire?"

Billy looked at Lee. Lee looked at Billy. There was an awkward moment of silence as they tried to come up with a cover for their activities, knowing that Francine would do nothing but give them grief if she knew their real undertaking.

"In case you didn't hear me," Francine demanded, cutting into their thoughts, "I asked what was going on here?"

Lee jumped into the fray, sending Billy a silent message to follow his lead. "We were, um, just going over some of my past expense reports," he calmly explained as his finger drew small spirals in the direction of the printouts. "Seems in Billy's meeting with Internal Affairs, they had some questions about a few of my case expenses."

"That's right, Francine," Billy smoothly followed, his years as a high level agent coming to his aid, "Just trying to make sure Lee's reports are 'by the book'"

"By the book?" she snorted. "Good luck, Billy. Scarecrow never does anything 'by the book.'" Looking at Lee, her chin lowered, eyebrows raised, she caustically asked, "Afraid we'll have to pay it back?"

Billy gave her a condescending look and barked, "Give it a rest, Francine."

Getting the message, she bluntly repeated, "Thirty minutes at State, Billy," and left the room.

Both men let out a sigh and wordlessly began a renewed search of the financial information. After a few minutes, Lee put down his pile of papers and walked to the window facing the Bullpen. He stood stock-still as he studied something. An idea began germinating and he was turning it around in his mind as he evaluated its merits. He liked it. He was sure Billy wouldn't mind and somehow it just seemed so right.

William Melrose got up and stood next to Lee Stetson, following his gaze. He looked from the object, back to Lee, and back to the object once more. Stetson's idea seemed to enter his mind by osmosis.

"You don't think?" Billy opened.

"Oh, yes I do!" Lee answered with a twinkle in his eye.

"Let me see those numbers," they both said at once. Quickly they crossed the room, reached for the printouts and spread them across Billy's desk.

Lee thumbed through the pages until he found the appropriate account. "Bingo, Billy" he crowed. "Look at the size of this!"

Billy's broad smile and dancing eyes showed his pleasure. "By George," he thumped his desk with a fist. "You're right." He ran his index finger slowly over the numbers on the page. "There's enough here to take half and still leave a more than generous amount."

Lee slashed his fist through the air in triumph. "This is great, Billy, when can we tell Amanda?"

"Hold on, son. When I get back from the State Department, I'll go talk to Kemper in Accounting and see how we go about this." The smile remained on his face, but Lee noticed that Billy's shoulders had slumped and his confidence seemed to have faded. "It may be tricky to pull money meant for an agent and give it to a civilian."

Lee froze, feeling his victory being roughly torn away. Worse, he felt out of control. Exasperated, he slammed his fist into his hand. "Come on, we found the money, what difference does it make where it goes?"

"Scarecrow," Billy upbraided him. "You know very well that there are regulations concerning various funds and how they can be spent. You've put together enough budgets for your assignments," he barked. His heart ached for Lee. The only other time he'd ever see him show this much concern for a partner was after one had taken a bullet for him. He knew that had caused Lee such pain that, while he didn't quit, he had become reckless and more ruthless than even his job required. He shuddered to think of what might happen to him if they couldn't figure out a way to bring Amanda back. He softened his tone of voice and patted Lee on the back as he gently added, "Relax, we'll figure out a way."

The next morning, the Bullpen was abuzz with activity as agents, secretaries, and military personnel tended to their daily business. Lee and Billy were quietly discussing something that seemed to be of great import at Lee's desk. Stetson leaned back in his chair, his right leg crossed above his left.

"Well, how did your meeting with accounting go?" Lee asked, his fingers tapping on the toe of his shoe. He'd found it difficult to wait overnight to find out the answer. By the time Billy had returned from State, Kemper had gone home. Billy had assured Lee that he'd phone Kemper at home and see what they could figure out and let him know. Billy had called him late to tell im nothing would be definite until morning and to just hold tight. Lee was finding it hard to do that, he needed to know, one way or the other. He closed his eyes for a moment, unsure of whether he really wanted to hear the answer or not.

Billy sat down on the corner of Lee's paper cluttered desk. He looked at Lee soberly and began shaking his head. He ran his hand over his balding head and back around to his mouth where he rubbed his fingers across his lips. "Well, to tell you the truth..." He stopped.

"What? Would you just get to the point, huh, would ya?" Stetson asked, the tension dripping off his words as he sliced the air in front of him with his hands.

"The point? Hmmm?" He leaned over and patted Lee on the shoulder and delivered the news in as solemn a voice as he could muster. "I'm sorry, Lee, but…" At this point, he looked at his top agent and let the grin that was begging break through. "They approved it, Amanda gets the money."

Lee jumped out of his chair and let out a loud whoop. Catching himself and lowering his voice, he continued his little celebration. "They approved it? They approved it! That's terrific." He saw Francine cross the Bullpen to her desk and straightened his face as he sat back down. He leaned toward Billy and whispered, "Now, all we have to do is figure out how to tell Francine." He jerked his head slightly in her direction as he said her name.

"That may be the best part," Billy gloated. "Accounting volunteered to take care of it and send her an interoffice memo. We're off the hook."

"This just keeps getting better and better," Lee grinned. He had the distinct urge to get up and do a little dance right there in the Bullpen. He couldn't help himself; Amanda would be coming back. His friend, his partner would be coming back. He became aware of his jubilation and checked himself; after all, she was just his friend and partner, nothing more. He looked up and saw Billy grinning at him like a Cheshire cat and couldn't stop himself from grinning back.

"So, when can we tell Amanda?" Lee asked, trying to sound nonchalant as he stood and sauntered to the far side of his desk.

"Well, I'll call and ask her to come in later this morning. I'd guess that would be as good a time as any." Billy removed himself from Lee's desk and went to stand in front of him. He could see that Lee was desperately trying to contain the excitement he felt. "Do you want to tell her or shall I?"

Lee took a moment to think about it. "Yeah," he dragged his hand through his hair and cast an anxious eye toward the Bullpen doors. He wanted to tell her, he wanted to jump in the car and zoom over to Arlington and shout it to her, but he couldn't. He couldn't because...? He told himself that all this was just because he didn't want to lose a good partner, a good friend. Why else would this be so important to him? Deep down, he knew there might be more, but he wasn't ready to admit that to himself, not yet. "Why don't you do it, Billy, you're her supervisor."

Billy watched as a shade seemed to drop over Stetson's features. "Ah, but you're her partner and you're the one who figured out the solution to the problem."

"No, Billy, she doesn't need to know that, she'll just feel, well . . .you know."

"Yes, I know. How about we tell her together?"

Lee brightened at the thought. "Sure, together, that's a great idea. Sold."

"Sold, Scarecrow," Billy echoed and headed off toward his office.

THE END