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Rating: G

Summary: After the tag for "The Boy Who Could Be King."

Disclaimer: Characters and original story belong to Warner Bros., Shoot the Moon Productions et al.

Author's Note: This is my first posted fanfic. I have no beta readers and really am not to sure what I am doing or if I should be doing it, so please bear with me!

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This beautiful couple sat, cozily together, with his left arm wrapped around her shoulder, hand caressing her arm sporadically. His right hand was tightly held between both of hers, and rested on his lap, then hers, was held up by his elbow on the arm rest; a real variety of places, but never fell from her grasp. His left and her right side were firmly pressed against each other, as they watched Billy Blue Note jam on his saxophone, oblivious to the thought that this musician was also William Melrose, section chief and their boss at the Agency. Had the thought entered their minds, they surely would have altered their positions. It was also the lack of conscious thought that found them like this, a beautiful couple in love, enjoying themselves purely, snuggled closely together.

The reality of their lives set in as Billy Blue Note finished his set. Everyone applauded and got up to to head for the restrooms, the bar or out to their cars. Lee and Amanda stood at a professional distance as they congratulated Mr. Melrose. Of course, Lee chided more than he congratulated. Billy informed the couple that it was far past Mr. Melrose' bed time and the headed for the door. Neither, Lee or Amanda, were ready to call it a night. As luck would have it, a new band was beginning to play soft jazz that was slow and easy to dance to. With a quick glance around the room, Lee was confident that all the Agency types were gone and swiftly asked Amanda to 'trip the light fantastic'. Amanda held out her hand in acceptance and then smiled a smile that betrayed the pleasure she took in Lee's request. It was evident, on the dance floor, that this elegant couple had let the subconscious take over again. They moved together, smoothly, as Lee pulled Amanda in, against his body. They did not speak as they slowly twirled the small dance floor. Their personal relationship seemed to move the furthest forward when there was an absence of spoken words. When this pair thought too much, they became awkward and stiff and all too eager to deny what they knew existed between one another. Somehow, when they were silent, the stresses of their partnership, in this most dangerous of professions, and their insecurities about each other fell away. It seemed, in the silence, neither bothered to question if the other felt the same way too. The reality was, when there were no words spoken, they were honest. The truth shone though the many veils each had thrown over this tender relationship.

Lee had gently laid the first veil upon Amanda, the first week he had met her. Of course, he found Mrs. King attractive, even adorable, at the train station. The package would surely have wound up in some one else's hand if he had not found that this tall brunette stood out in a crowd. Upon further interaction, he found her far too complicated. That intrigued him in a way that he had never known. Generally, all that Lee found intriguing about women was their bodies and how soon he could see them Au naturale. Amanda was more foreign to him than anyone he met on this spy travels, possibly in the most mundane of ways, but possibly not. It was a risk he was not going to take. And so this very first of veils was gently rested upon Amanda King. It blocked Lee from seeing her for who she was and filled in the gap with Francine Desmond's cliched idea of a frumpy suburban housewife. In fact, Amanda was many of the things in Francine's theory, but so much more, including absolutely gorgeous. The veil had done well by Lee. For a while anyway, all he saw was a ditsy, frumpy, boring woman, who got on his nerves.

This veil, like many of the others, mostly placed by Lee, had taken quite a beating from over use. There were rips and tears and some had completely disintegrated. Of course, new ones were being applied, all the time. Actually, it was the same one over and over. It kept slipping off, mostly in the silence. With each unveiling, one of this duo would rush to put it back on. For both, however, this chore was getting tiresome and becoming some what impossible to keep up with. Reality was now incredibly strong. It was blowing the veils away like the wind with dandelions in the summer.

These veils had lifted on the dance floor, as the jazz played softly in their ears. Obvious to any on lookers, this couple was in love. Amanda melted into Lee as he wrapped himself around her long, slender form like a most comforting blanket from youth. Playing against this gentle innocence was a steam that rose as one caressed the other. Their hands moved endlessly, caressing, rubbing, stroking, Memorizing. For the most part Lee's left hand rested in its' favorite spot, the small of Amanda's back. It was as if this space had been created for his hand. It fit perfectly and some how, always just fell into place. Though, on this night, not content with lying in its' home base, Lee's fingers and thumb glided back and forth and up and down across Amanda's small, warm, back. While his other hand slid through Amanda's hair, touched her face, or held her in a tight embrace. It was those fingers, though, that put them both in this state. A state full of shivers and tingles and weak knees. The steam created these feelings, but the gentle innocence had created a feeling of sheer contentment in the moment. That would not last long. A few more days of this intense love and desire, without verbal acknowledgement, would be all they could handle without spontaneous combustion of one sort or another. They could fall into the heat, taking a big step was too soon or they could just burn out completely. Unfortunately tonight was not one for words. As the music stopped, the parted clouds crashed back together and the veils fell over Lee Stetson and Amanda King once again.

Lee cleared his throat, while pausing a moment, trying to switch gears. He then offered Amanda a ride home to which she responded that she had her car and thanked him for the offer. Lee awkwardly patted her arm, not knowing exactly what to do with his appendages that, just moments earlier, had been relishing the feeling of Amanda King. As Lee wished her 'good night' , Amanda bowed her head in disappointment of the evenings end and discomfort at the current scene, and gave a quiet 'yeah' while staring at her feet. She then swiftly turned heel and was gone.

In the solitary darkness, on their way home, each was free of any veils and they both knew it really would be happily ever after, very soon.

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