Title: Impressionism
Author: Julie C.
Rating: G
Summary: In response to the songfic challenge, five scenes from a case story. Lee and Amanda in love and in Paris.
Timeline: Early fourth season, right after "Stemwinder."
Author's Note: The real challenge provided by this particular song was how not to make the story equally cheesy! I'm probably doing something totally different from what Stephanie intended, but that's what makes challenges interesting. The chapter titles are the names of works by Monet, as are a few other touches here and there. Lyrics to "Masterpiece" by Atlantic Starr are at the end.
Thanks to my gaggle of beta readers for catching one very big mistake and innumerable little ones! And thanks to Marni for pushing me to finish.
Disclaimer: Yea, all characters contained therein belong to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions, world without end, amen.
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Impressionism: A theory or style of painting originating and developed in France during the 1870s, characterized by concentration on the immediate visual impression produced by a scene. (American Heritage Dictionary)
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I. Le Quai du Louvre
Lee saw her in the distance, leaning her elbows on the railing overlooking the Seine, and his steps automatically quickened. Only a week ago they were officially reinstated at the Agency after the Stemwinder fiasco, and they were already off on a foreign assignment. This particular case seemed like more of an apology than a mission, consisting of several days in Paris with only a little work to do. He suspected that Billy knew something had changed between him and Amanda and had given them this case to show his wholehearted approval. Posing as reporters on the trail of a missing piece of artwork, they were supposed to do a drop here, a pick-up there, and report back to Washington.
Unfortunately, some last-minute paperwork on their reinstatment forced Lee to miss Monday night's flight to Paris. Now he was meeting Amanda on Wednesday morning on the famous Quai du Louvre, alongside the River Seine in the heart of Paris. He slowed down as he approached, angling his walk to come up behind her. Amanda was staring out over the river, apparently oblivious to the mid-morning bustle around her. Following her gaze, he understood how the view had caught her attention. The river was broad and calm, flowing smoothly underneath the arching stone bridges. The four- and five-story apartment buildings across the river displayed a palate of whites and yellows, topped with steep brown roofs, and the twin gothic towers of Notre Dame Cathedral loomed as a backdrop. A gentle breeze rustled the green chestnut leaves overhead, and the sunlight bathed everything in a golden glow.
Sure that her attention was captured by the view, he crept up behind her and murmured in her ear, "Hey there, good-looking."
She turned her head to grin at him. "Took you long enough. I saw you coming all the way from the corner."
Lee felt himself melting in her warm gaze. It had been nearly three days since he'd seen her, and he couldn't wait to hold her again. He reached out to pull her towards him, but she held up a hand against his chest. "Aren't we supposed to have some kind of recognition sequence?" she whispered.
"A-mand-a," Lee started with a sigh. Then he caught the mischievous expression in her eyes. "A recognition sequence, huh?" he asked, sliding one hand up her arm and resting it on her shoulder.
She nodded seriously, matching his gesture by snaking her other arm around his back. "So that I know you're really you. Now that I'm an agent-in- training, I have to be careful, you know."
Lee let her pull his body forward while his eyes swept over her face and focused on her mouth. "Something like this?" he murmured, bending his head to capture her lips.
"Mm." She wrapped both arms around him, and they stood there for a moment, lost in the kiss.
As she began to withdraw, Lee reached back to grab her hands. "Ah, ah, ah," he admonished. "Aren't you forgetting something?" At her quizzical look, he went on, "A recognition *sequence*, remember?"
"Oh, so you know I'm really me," she replied in that same serious tone, while her eyes continued to dance. When he nodded, she freed one hand and reached up to the back of his neck, pulling his mouth towards hers again. Her fingers toyed with his hair as they kissed, and Lee found himself wishing they weren't in quite so public a place.
"Wow." Amanda took a deep breath as their lips parted. "I guess I don't have to ask if you missed me."
"Oh, a little." He tried to sound nonchalant, but he knew the catch in his breath betrayed him. He had missed her, all right, and after no more than three days apart. Boy, did he have it bad.
"So what are we doing first?" she asked brightly. "Did you already check in to our hotel? We don't have to be anywhere till tonight, but it's a ways out of town, so we probably only have until dinner to look around. Not that we're here on vacation, I know, but since we do have a few hours, I thought --mmpf!" She broke off as his mouth descended on hers again.
When he drew back, he saw a broad smile on her face. "Is that a hint?" She gave his hands a squeeze.
"Maybe an excuse," he said, returning her smile. Yeah, he had it bad. Just the touch of her hand made him feel warm inside, like everything was right with the world. He crooked his elbow at her. "Walk with me?" he asked, gesturing towards the cobblestone walkway before them. The weather was warm for September, and he was looking forward to spending the day strolling down the streets of the City of Love with Amanda King on his arm.
She looked at him archly, raising an eyebrow. "You know, that's what got me into trouble in the first place, Stetson."
He reached up to touch her face. "And I will be eternally grateful that you did." Her eyes grew soft and warm, and he loved how she nestled her cheek against his palm. "Have I ever thanked you for walking with me that day?"
"Not in so many words." She turned her head slightly to kiss his palm. "But I think you've more than made up for it."
He couldn't resist the urge to pull her to him again, this time enfolding her in his arms as they kissed. He smiled against her lips as a thought occurred to him. Paris truly was the city of lovers, if they could get this wrapped up in each other within just a few minutes. He was definitely looking forward to the next several days.
Author: Julie C.
Rating: G
Summary: In response to the songfic challenge, five scenes from a case story. Lee and Amanda in love and in Paris.
Timeline: Early fourth season, right after "Stemwinder."
Author's Note: The real challenge provided by this particular song was how not to make the story equally cheesy! I'm probably doing something totally different from what Stephanie intended, but that's what makes challenges interesting. The chapter titles are the names of works by Monet, as are a few other touches here and there. Lyrics to "Masterpiece" by Atlantic Starr are at the end.
Thanks to my gaggle of beta readers for catching one very big mistake and innumerable little ones! And thanks to Marni for pushing me to finish.
Disclaimer: Yea, all characters contained therein belong to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions, world without end, amen.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Impressionism: A theory or style of painting originating and developed in France during the 1870s, characterized by concentration on the immediate visual impression produced by a scene. (American Heritage Dictionary)
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
I. Le Quai du Louvre
Lee saw her in the distance, leaning her elbows on the railing overlooking the Seine, and his steps automatically quickened. Only a week ago they were officially reinstated at the Agency after the Stemwinder fiasco, and they were already off on a foreign assignment. This particular case seemed like more of an apology than a mission, consisting of several days in Paris with only a little work to do. He suspected that Billy knew something had changed between him and Amanda and had given them this case to show his wholehearted approval. Posing as reporters on the trail of a missing piece of artwork, they were supposed to do a drop here, a pick-up there, and report back to Washington.
Unfortunately, some last-minute paperwork on their reinstatment forced Lee to miss Monday night's flight to Paris. Now he was meeting Amanda on Wednesday morning on the famous Quai du Louvre, alongside the River Seine in the heart of Paris. He slowed down as he approached, angling his walk to come up behind her. Amanda was staring out over the river, apparently oblivious to the mid-morning bustle around her. Following her gaze, he understood how the view had caught her attention. The river was broad and calm, flowing smoothly underneath the arching stone bridges. The four- and five-story apartment buildings across the river displayed a palate of whites and yellows, topped with steep brown roofs, and the twin gothic towers of Notre Dame Cathedral loomed as a backdrop. A gentle breeze rustled the green chestnut leaves overhead, and the sunlight bathed everything in a golden glow.
Sure that her attention was captured by the view, he crept up behind her and murmured in her ear, "Hey there, good-looking."
She turned her head to grin at him. "Took you long enough. I saw you coming all the way from the corner."
Lee felt himself melting in her warm gaze. It had been nearly three days since he'd seen her, and he couldn't wait to hold her again. He reached out to pull her towards him, but she held up a hand against his chest. "Aren't we supposed to have some kind of recognition sequence?" she whispered.
"A-mand-a," Lee started with a sigh. Then he caught the mischievous expression in her eyes. "A recognition sequence, huh?" he asked, sliding one hand up her arm and resting it on her shoulder.
She nodded seriously, matching his gesture by snaking her other arm around his back. "So that I know you're really you. Now that I'm an agent-in- training, I have to be careful, you know."
Lee let her pull his body forward while his eyes swept over her face and focused on her mouth. "Something like this?" he murmured, bending his head to capture her lips.
"Mm." She wrapped both arms around him, and they stood there for a moment, lost in the kiss.
As she began to withdraw, Lee reached back to grab her hands. "Ah, ah, ah," he admonished. "Aren't you forgetting something?" At her quizzical look, he went on, "A recognition *sequence*, remember?"
"Oh, so you know I'm really me," she replied in that same serious tone, while her eyes continued to dance. When he nodded, she freed one hand and reached up to the back of his neck, pulling his mouth towards hers again. Her fingers toyed with his hair as they kissed, and Lee found himself wishing they weren't in quite so public a place.
"Wow." Amanda took a deep breath as their lips parted. "I guess I don't have to ask if you missed me."
"Oh, a little." He tried to sound nonchalant, but he knew the catch in his breath betrayed him. He had missed her, all right, and after no more than three days apart. Boy, did he have it bad.
"So what are we doing first?" she asked brightly. "Did you already check in to our hotel? We don't have to be anywhere till tonight, but it's a ways out of town, so we probably only have until dinner to look around. Not that we're here on vacation, I know, but since we do have a few hours, I thought --mmpf!" She broke off as his mouth descended on hers again.
When he drew back, he saw a broad smile on her face. "Is that a hint?" She gave his hands a squeeze.
"Maybe an excuse," he said, returning her smile. Yeah, he had it bad. Just the touch of her hand made him feel warm inside, like everything was right with the world. He crooked his elbow at her. "Walk with me?" he asked, gesturing towards the cobblestone walkway before them. The weather was warm for September, and he was looking forward to spending the day strolling down the streets of the City of Love with Amanda King on his arm.
She looked at him archly, raising an eyebrow. "You know, that's what got me into trouble in the first place, Stetson."
He reached up to touch her face. "And I will be eternally grateful that you did." Her eyes grew soft and warm, and he loved how she nestled her cheek against his palm. "Have I ever thanked you for walking with me that day?"
"Not in so many words." She turned her head slightly to kiss his palm. "But I think you've more than made up for it."
He couldn't resist the urge to pull her to him again, this time enfolding her in his arms as they kissed. He smiled against her lips as a thought occurred to him. Paris truly was the city of lovers, if they could get this wrapped up in each other within just a few minutes. He was definitely looking forward to the next several days.