*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Author: a_bit_dotty

Rating: PG

Summary: What happened after Amanda's resignation went into the circular file? 'Brunettes Are In' filler.

Disclaimer: I don't own SMK, and I'm not making any money from this.

Author's note: tried to keep it in canon, ran into difficulties when I realized that this ep is in the wrong spot as far the timeline for season 2 goes (what *were* they thinking?). I still tried to stay within canon. Thanks to BohemianFling for the quick beta job.

Feedback: of course

 *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Lee peered around me, scanning the crowd that had formed. I cast a quick glance over my shoulder to see what so interesting. Everyone seemed to be absorbed in his or her own duties. We had been left to our own devices. "Well, partner, how about we sneak away from here and go get a drink?" Lee asked.

"Oh, no, I can't," I replied, my response automatic. "Mother and the boys should be home soon." I loved the way his lips would poke out just a little, giving him the pouty, disappointed look he often got when he didn’t get his way. Loved? No, it was . . . endearing. That’s it, endearing. As for his invitation, I realized I couldn’t turn him down. After all, he *had* just called me ‘partner’. "Well, ok, maybe one . . . one quick drink wouldn't hurt."

His face lit up and the shoulders that had slumped a little at my negative response now straightened. He positively beamed at my acceptance. "Terrific," he said enthusiastically.

-----------------------------

I was on my second glass of wine. I know that I’d said just one, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave. We’d chatted a little since we’d arrived at Nedlinger’s, but there hadn’t really been that much conversation. The bar was crowded, and I tried to seem interested in what was going on around us. The truth was that I could feel his gaze; he was staring at me. When I’d look at him, he’d quickly shift his eyes to something or someone behind me, but I knew that when I stopped looking at him, he would start looking at me again. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking.

"It amazes me," he said, his words drawing my attention to him. His eyes locked on mine, and I couldn’t tear my gaze from his.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Today, you were abducted and about to be sold to the highest bidder," he answered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Minutes later you're worried about being home for your family."

I shrugged. "Well, you know—"

He leaned across the table toward me. "You just take it all in stride. It never seems to get you down."

I shrugged again and smiled as I leaned forward conspiratorially and whispered, "Isn't that what a good secret agent does? Keeps his -- or her -- 'secret' life secret from their normal life?"

"Yes," he agreed, nodding his head, "but you seem to do it better than most."

"Well . . . " I was speechless. He’d just complimented me again. Quite the change from the man who’d stood in my living room just yesterday yelling at me. I could still hear his words echoing in my mind. They’d been hurtful words, words that he didn’t mean, he’d told me later.

"No, Amanda, I mean it," he continued now, looking me in the eye. "You've come a long way. I'm proud to call you my partner."

Lee didn’t compliment me on my work that often, at least not as outright as he was doing now. I knew that while he meant what he said this time, I didn’t know how long it would last. Sometimes I felt like a yo-yo on the end of a string. One day he’s asking for my help, the next he’s berating me for trying to work in this dark world of espionage. I’m hoping it’s just his concern for me at those times, that maybe he just doesn’t know how to express his feelings when I’m in danger and his relief when I’m safe. I’ve learned to take his compliments ‘in stride’ along with the kidnappings, and the shootings, and . . . everything else I’ve been through since I met him.

Shrugging my shoulders, I stumbled through a thank-you and glanced at my watch. "Mother and the boys should be home soon. I really should go."

Disappointment flickered across his features, quickly replaced by that Scarecrow stoicism. "So," he said, rising from his chair at the same time I got up from mine, "I guess I’ll see you tomorrow."

"Right," I agreed. "Tomorrow. Good night, Lee."

"Good night, Amanda," he responded sincerely. As I walked across the room to the door, I could still feel his gaze on me.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*