Disclaimer: The characters in this story are copyrighted by Warner Brothers and Shoot The Moon Productions. It is meant for enjoyment purposes only. We retain the right to the plot, not the characters.

Author's Note: This is a very old tale that Kim Williamson and I started over fifteen years ago and one that was sadly, never completed as she and I lost touch. It was never published on this site, only on my own site. It has been left unattended for a long time because I never felt comfortable completing it without the co-author that I started it with, but since she and I had the entire thing mapped out including the ending, I thought it was long past time to write that ending. I am posting it here, but also wanted to give Kim credit as the idea was a joint effort. I've done a little editing, adding a few little bits here and there, and changed the child's name, but other than that, the idea is still the same. It is still not yet complete, but will be soon as I still have the outline Kim and I put together back in 1999. I hope you all enjoy it. To Kim, if you're still out there and want to continue this with me, message me, and you can jump on in.

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Amanda picked up the phone hesitantly and then put it back down again. Making this phone call was about the last thing she wanted to do but she needed someone to talk to and as bewildering as it seemed to her, Francine was the logical choice. Next to Billy and herself, Francine knew Lee better than anyone. That thought alone annoyed Amanda this morning. Francine wasn't the most understanding person in the world, but she could be objective and what Amanda needed right now was on objective opinion.

"You know you have to do it, Amanda," she said trying to give herself a pep talk, "Just do it and get it over with."

"Do what?" Lee queried as he entered the living room of his apartment straightening his tie. Amanda thinking that he was still in the shower and lost in her thoughts, jumped at the sound of his voice. Feeling like a child who had just gotten caught with their hand in the candy jar, she attempted to answer his question without giving too much away. "I was just about to call Francine."

"Francine? What for?" An early morning call to Francine had piqued Lee's curiosity.

"Well, "she hedged as she started to fiddle with his tie. "I just thought ...You know all the silly things that have gone on between Francine and myself...Well, I thought maybe we could go to lunch. Maybe have a nice woman-to-woman talk and...well...maybe just put all of this behind us since it's her day off and we really don't have a lot of time to do that." She hated not telling him the whole truth, but she knew that under the circumstances, he would not be the objective voice that she needed. He was a react-first-think-later kind of person which was the last thing she needed right now.

"Oh, I see. Let bygones be bygones, huh? Nice try but I can see right through you,"he said triumphantly as he kissed her lightly.

"Oh? And just what is it you think you see?" Amanda inquired a little worriedly. Had he already heard the news from Doctor Kelford? God, she hoped not. When she'd had her last physical, Kelford had sworn he'd keep her test results to himself until she'd had time to break the new to Lee and that he would give her the opportunity to tell Billy herself as well.

"Well I do have a birthday coming up next week". Oops, Amanda thought. With all that had been going on Lee's birthday had totally slipped her mind. "I bet you're planning another one of those big office parties which I hate and that Francine is helping you " Lee continued.

Amanda had to smile. He had no idea just how big his birthday surprise was going to be. "You caught me," she teased as he took her into his arms.

"Ok, I promise to act surprised if you promise me two small things in return."

"Hmm... why do I feel like I'm getting ready to sell my soul to the devil? Go ahead.."

"First, don't invite Bert from internal affairs. Last year after one drink he was going around challenging everyone to gunfights at the OK Corral."

"I think they need to look a little more closely at that man's background check" Amanda jokingly observed, "Okay. It won't be the same but no Bert this year. Now what is condition two?"

He pulled he closer "You promise me we skip out early so we can spend the rest of the evening doing what I want for my birthday" She smiled thinking of the activity she knew he had in mind.

"And what would that be Mr. Stetson?"

"Well, Mrs. Stetson, I'm sure if we put our heads together we can think of something that we'll both enjoy," Lee relied with a mischievous grin as he pulled her close to him.

She saw the anticipation in his eyes and smiled."I'm sure we can. Okay, you've got a deal."

"Good. Let's seal it with a kiss then." They shared a lingering kiss. Lee pulled back from their kiss, gazed at her adoringly, taking in the fact that she was still wearing her robe, and said, "You should get dressed for the day, not that I mind your current attire," He softly nuzzled her neck, then added, "But I don't think it would go over too well at the office. You know how the grapevine is and they would definitely say something if you showed up like that."

"Yeah, you're right," Amanda said as she planted a quick kiss to his lips, slipped out of his embrace and made a beeline for the bedroom, grateful that he'd given her just the excuse she needed to make her phone call without him overhearing.

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Francine Desmond was jolted out of a sound sleep by the ringing of the telephone. She looked at the clock on her nightstand and groaned. 'Who could be calling me at 7A.M. on my day off.' She picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She mumbled in a sleepy voice.

"Francine?" Amanda King said. "Did I wake you?"

"That's okay. I had to get up to answer the phone anyway." She said dryly as she yawned and stretched.

"I know it's early and I'm sorry, but I have to talk to somebody."

"Look Amanda, can't this wait until Wednesday when I come back into work, Jonathan and I had made plans to-"

Amanda interrupted "Francine I wouldn't ask you if this weren't really important" There was an urgency in her voice that concerned Francine.

"Amanda, are you alright?"

"I really don't want to get into this over the phone. Can you meet me for lunch?"

"Sure. What time?"

"About one O'clock at Emelio's. I'd really appreciate it, Francine."

"Just remember this the next time I need a favor. I'll see you at one" She replaced the receiver on the phone puzzled at the conversation that just took place. "What could Amanda need to talk to me about?" As she reviewed the few facts she had, an arm reached over her waist to pick up the alarm clock from the nightstand.

"Who was that , and don't they know this is our day off?" Jonathan Stone asked in annoyance as he looked at the time on the clock.

"That was Amanda. She wants to meet me for lunch about some kind of problem she's having."

"She's asking you for advice. That's strange. I wonder what that's all about. The two of you aren't exactly bosom buddies." The absurdity of it was starting to pique everyone's curiosity.

"Well, I'll find out this afternoon." Francine decided to put it out of her mind for the time being. Knowing Amanda it probably had something to do with the junior cliffwalkers or some other such nonsense. she thought. "For now, I just want to enjoy as much of my day off as possible." She said as she turned her attention back to the man lying beside her.

"I'm with you." He kissed her and pulled her close.

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Candice Davenport was sitting in a little cafe. She twirled her long blonde hair around her fingers nervously, her bright blue eyes anxious with worry. Her four-year -old daughter, Leah, sat next to her. She was getting antsy and finding ways that only a four-year-old can to wiggle. She didn't like sitting still.

"Mommy, when are we going to see my daddy?" she asked in her hazel eyes dancing in anticipation. She was bouncing up and down in her seat, her blonde curls bouncing along with her.

"Soon, Honey. Soon." Her mother replied. She loved to see the excitement in her daughter's eyes. Those eyes reminded her of Lee whom she hadn't seen in almost five years. Leah definitely had her father's eyes.

"Why haven't I ever seen him before? Doesn't he like me?" She asked, a little worried.

"He's never seen you, Sweetie," Her mother replied.

"But why hasn't he ever seen me?"

"Because, Leah, we were hiding from the bad people that were trying to take you away from me, remember?" She reminded her.

"Yeah. I 'member, but why didn't Daddy hide with us?"

"Because Daddy didn't know what was going on. He thought I was dead and you weren't born yet when the bad men started chasing me, so he doesn't know that he's your daddy yet."

"Why?"

"Because, I didn't know you were on the way until it was too late."

Leah thought about that for a minute and hung her head a little."What if he doesn't like me when he sees me?"

Candice pulled her small daughter into her lap "Sweetheart, your daddy will love everything about you. He'll love your pretty pink hair ribbons , the way you scrunch your cute little turned-up nose when I try to get you to eat peas, the way your eyes sparkle when you see a puppy, and especially the way you laugh so hard when someone tickles you right here," she said as she started tickling her daughter.

"Mommy, stop that" Leah pleaded amidst her giggling. When Candice finally relented her daughter's tone turned serious. "Are we going to be a real family? With a mommy and a daddy and maybe...a puppy?" She asked expectantly.

"A puppy?"Candice replied grateful that the girl's request had been for a pet and not a sibling.

"Well, you brung it up."

"Brought it up, Honey," She corrected her daughter. "As for a puppy, I'll let you discuss that with your father, although he's always loved animals so I don't really think he'll mind"

"Good." She said with a decisive nod, trying to be grown-up. "Mommy?"

"Yes, Leah?"

"Can I see the picture of my daddy again?"

"Of course." She took a worn snapshot out of her purse and handed it to Leah. The little girl smiled as she examined it lovingly. The man her mother had told her was her father stood in between two woman. Leah pointed to her mother. "That's you, right?"

"Yes. Do you remember me telling you who that other lady is?"

"She's my auntie Francine. She's the one I got my middle name from and she's your best friend...besides me, of course."

"Of course. We have to go see your auntie Francine before we see you daddy too."

"Why?"

Candice sighed at the eternal "why" of a four-year-old child. "Because I'm not sure where he's at. Your daddy doesn't live in the same place he used to and Auntie Francine can probably tell us where to find him."

"Do you think she has a little girl that can be my best friend?" Leah inquired.

"Hey now, I thought I was your best friend" Candice teased.

"No, I mean a best friend like Auntie Francine is your best friend"

"I'm not really sure. She might. She was supposed to marry a very nice man named Jonathan. They may have children by now. I guess we'll see when we get there."

"I'm so excited! I get a daddy and an aunt and maybe a real best friend for the first time ever. Boy, this is going to be a great day."

"I sure hope so," Candice said under her breath. She wasn't entirely sure. Nearly five years had passed since the last time she'd seen Lee and had no idea what his life was like now.

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"Isn't this quaint?" Francine observed in usual Francine fashion. Nothing that Amanda was associated with ever seemed to meet up to Francine's standards. For a minute Amanda regretted calling her. This was a mistake. Why on earth did I think Francine could help me? she thought.

"So, Amanda, what is it that is so urgent that it couldn't wait until Wednesday? I hope it's not something to do with those Junior cliffhangers."

"Junior Trailblazers," Amanda corrected.

"Because you know I'm just not very good with kids or domestic activities, but if you really need a hand I suppose I could learn...I mean how hard could it be, if you can do it," Francine continued.

Amanda, too exhausted to listen to Francine's belittlement of her life interrupted, "Francine, You've known Lee a long time."

"Next to Billy, I've known him longer than anyone else at the agency," said Francine smugly. Her expression changed to one of sincere concern "Is this about Lee? Well, Amanda, I hate to say 'I told you so' but I did warn you that Lee was the love them and leave them type. He'll never change. When I think of all the women he's tossed off to the side over the years...It just boggles the mind."

Amanda's anger was building with every word in Francine's tirade." Francine, it's not that."

"Oh, now, you can tell me. After all, you're in good company. Look at all the fabulous women Lee has left in the dust." Francine replied, pleased with herself that she had figured out the puzzle. "Honestly, Amanda, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner" She patted Amanda's hand sympathetically.

Amanda jerked her hand away and stood glaring down at her snarky co-worker."Francine, listen very carefully, Lee is not tossing me off to the side, leaving me in the dust or anything even remotely similar to that," Amanda uncharacteristically started to raise her voice "In fact, when I called you this morning, I was at his apartment, in his bedroom to be more specific." Francine raised her eyebrows in surprise at this. "Yes, Francine, I spent the night, as I have spent many nights there in the past year." Francine gave her a look of disbelief. "The reason I invited you here...which I am now beginning to regret, by the way... I wonder what in the world I was thinking. I must have been suffering from temporary insanity to think that you'd be remotely understanding. What I wanted to do is to tell you that I am pregnant with Lee's baby and that we have been married for four months and to get your opinion on how he'll take the news and how you think the agency will handle it, not only the news about the baby, but the news that we're married. The last thing that I would want is for the agency to use that as an excuse to split us up and since you've been Billy's assistant for a long time and you've known Lee for a long time, I though you, of all people, would know those things better than anyone." Finishing what she had to say Amanda suddenly realized as she watched Francine's jaw drop that she had just dumped the whole story right in her lap and not in the way that she had planned.. Oh well, she couldn't worry about that now because the room was starting to spin and get very dark.

"Amanda , Amanda are you ok." Francine jumped up just in time to keep Amanda from hitting the floor.