Author: Lynda Mayfield

Title: Alone in the Q

Summary: How does Lee spend his free time in the Bureau?

Warnings: N/A

Spoilers: N/A

Timeframe: post-season 4. Kinda a Michael story

The Challenge: Write a story where one or more characters is/are put into a seemingly innocent situation, that could end up bringing some well-kept secrets out into the open. Do the secrets stay hidden or come out in the open? Your story must also incorporate the following five words: JURY, LOUD, FIFTH, DUTY, FEAR.

May, 1991

Lee sat at his desk in the Q Bureau, thinking, puzzling. He stared at the monitor again, with a tinge of guilt running through him. Being on DUTY the Friday prior to Mother's Day was not preferable to him. Especially since his son, Michael, was only five months old. And it was The Scarecrow's FIFTH Friday duty in a row—his codename of no use in squirming out of the assignment.

The JURY, he felt, was still out as to how good he was at the fatherhood thing. Amanda praised him in his care of Michael, so that was a good sign. Over the years, he had been fatherly to both Phillip and Jamie, and Amanda appreciated that, too. Still, Lee had no idea how much he could love a person. Amanda had opened the door, but their son had loosed the floodgates. It was with pride that Lee glanced at the family photo in its frame on the desk – He and Amanda in the center with Phillip on his stepfather's right and Jamie on Amanda's left and Michael in his mother's lap.

The agent returned his attention to the monitor, pressing the mouse here and there on the screen as needed. He shouted, "Woo Hoo!" and then said, "Oh, shit, not so LOUD, Lee-boy. Someone might find out."

The door creaked open, and there stood Amanda, little Michael gurgling at his father from the crook of her elbow. Taking a few moments to admire his beautiful wife and child, he noticed that she wore her gold necklace/heart charm combination and sun earrings. Small studs that Michael would not try to yank. Since it was a warm spring day, the infant was wearing a sailor suit themed onsie, complete with white socks trimmed in navy blue, with anchors on the them.

"Find out what?" Amanda inquired.

"Um, nothing," the mighty Scarecrow felt his face flush. He couldn't lie to Amanda; didn't want to, really, not about this. In a way, it was a FEAR he could release. Not that he had much to fear from Amanda. Still, he could fib a little bit. "Just a surprise. Kinda."

She walked past her desk to come around to his right side. He clicked one more time with the mouse and sat back to take the baby from her. Michael was happy to see his father and gave him a squeal and a smile.

"You've been playing solitaire?" Amanda asked him.

"Yep. See that, I just won. It's my first time." He'd timed the last card so Amanda could see the winning display.

Amanda sounded doubtful, asking, "That's a surprise?"

Lee felt silly and smiled. "Well, it's a surprise to me. I never win."

"See, I knew you'd get along with these contraptions one day!" Amanda shook her head, smiling, "Playing solitaire in secret. I love your sense of danger."

"Hey, I'm only here cause that taskmaster, Billy, put me on duty."

"Well, I really do have a surprise for you, then."

"I can go home?" Lee was hopeful.

"No. But, after using his charming looks on the 'taskmaster,' Michael convinced him that you could take us to lunch. So, are you coming?" Amanda had headed toward the door, unaware that Michael just spit up on her husband.

"Amanda, yes, I'm coming, but wait! Look!" He shifted Michael to the crook of his right arm and indicated the mess on his shirt. Lee being a clever agent, the wastebasket was close by, in case the baby had to spit up again.

"Oh, honey!" Amanda gasped. "Maybe lunch wasn't a good idea. Here, let me take him."

Lee surrendered the child to his wife's care and looked around the office, nearly desperate to get some fresh air, sloppy shirt or otherwise. "No, no, lunch is a great idea. Let me go to the bathroom and wash this off so it doesn't set too badly. I've got a spare shirt, pressed and folded, in the vault. You two wait right here." Lee had grabbed paper towels from the top of a file cabinet to get the worst of the baby goop cleaned up."

"Wait, you keep a pressed and folded shirt in the vault?"

"Well, yeah. In all my time, you know, fighting the good fight, I've learned to keep a spare shirt somewhere near my desk or office. Since we got the Q, the vault has been the place." Lee shrugged.

"Now that's a secret I haven't paid much attention to," his wife admitted.

"Well, that's out now," Lee gave a chuckle, "I'll be right back."

"MMmmm, we'll be right here," Amanda said from his seat, a hand on the mouse, "Playing solitaire."

The End

A/N: I did play solitaire with a baby on my lap once, years ago, when my nephews were little.