Title: For All The Days Of Our Lives Author: Lanie Sparks Date: 3/27/99 Rating: PG Synopsis: Lee and Amanda are separated by tragedy.

Lee Stetson was at his apartment on his way out the door when the phone rang. He debated on whether or not to answer it. He looked at his watch. He was supposed to be at Amanda's in half an hour. He'd been looking forward to it all week. He hadn't gotten to spend much time with his "family" lately because of his and Amanda's heavy case load, but they'd finally gotten some good leads and wrapped some stuff up so now was the time for quality time together. Oh well, he thought. I might as well answer is and get it over with.

Lee slammed the phone down a few minutes later. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Damn! I should've just let that damned phone ring! What am I going to tell Amanda?"

At the King house, Amanda and Dotty were in the kitchen fixing dinner when Phillip and Jamie came thundering down the stairs.

"When's Lee getting here, Mom?" Jamie asked impatiently. "I want to show him my new video game."

"It's hard to tell, Sweetheart." Amanda replied. "He probably got hung up at work or something. 'I hope there's nothing wrong' she thought. She knew The Agency well enough to know that something simple could easily turn into something life-threatening in a matter of minutes. "Why don't you boys go get washed up for dinner? It'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Ok." they both said as they ran toward the bathroom just as the phone rang. Dotty picked it up,

"Hello?" she said in her usual cheerful tone.

"Hi, Dotty," Lee said.

"Lee, darling, where are you?" Amanda perked up when she heard that Lee was on the phone. "Your fan club is here waiting for you."

"I'll explain it later, Can I talk to Amanda, please?"

"Of course." She handed the phone to her daughter.

"Lee, what's going on? You're late."

"I don't have much time to talk."

"Where are you," she asked, getting worried.

"At the airport. I have to fly to Berlin in less than an hour."

Amanda had a million questions. She rattled them all off at once. "Why? What's going on? Why didn't you tell me about it? How long are you going to be gone? Do you want me to go with you? What can I do to help? Do you need me? We're supposed to be partners, remember?"

"Amanda, I promise, I'll explain it all when I get back. This just came up. I shouldn't be gone more than a day or two."

"What about our plans for tonight?" Tomight was the night they'd panned to tell the truth about their secret life.

"I'm sorry, Amanda. There's nothing I can do. We'll take care of it, this weekend. I have to go soon if I'm going to catch my plane

"Please be careful."

"I will. Take care of yourself and the boys and I'll see you all in a couple of days. I love you."

"I love you too." She said with a sigh as she hung up the phone. Dotty immediately picked up on her daughter's distress.

"He's not coming tonight, is he?"

"No. He has to fly out of the country right away on business."

"What kind of business can he conduct at this time of day?"

"I don't know, Mother. He didn't have a whole lot of time to talk. He had to get on a plane."

"You and your jet-setting men, I swear."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you were married to Joe for ten years and all he did was travel all over, leaving you alone with the boys. Now, you're a successful career woman, but you're still falling into the same trap. You're involved with a man who isn't ready to settle down yet."

"What? Mother, you're talking nonsense. Lee is committed to me and to the boys."

"Then why hasn't he asked you to marry him yet? You've been dating for how long now?"

"Over a year."

"See? I think it's been far too long. and tonight he just takes off at the drop of a hat without giving you any kind of notice."

"Mother, what's this all about? I thought you liked Lee."

"I do. He's good for you and he's good-looking and charming, but is he what you need?"

"Yes. He loves me and he's always looking out for me."

"I've never doubted that he loves you. I could tell that from the first time I met him, but that doesn't make me feel any better when he just takes off like this out of the blue." Amanda heard the boys heading back down the stairs.

"Look, Mother, why don't we talk about this later? I don't really want to discuss this in front of the boys."

"All right, Dear. I'm going to hold you to that."

Amanda nodded her head, knowing that was true. " are some things I need to tell you in private. Things you should have known about a long time ago."

Amanda sat silently staring at Dotty and wondering what was going on in her head. She had to know what she thought.

"Mother, aren't you going to say anything?"

"What do you want me to say, Amanda? You tell me this wild story about you and Lee eloping. Then you tell me that you two are spies. And I'm just supposed to accept this? The next thing you'll be telling me is that that sweet old lady, Emily Farnsworth is a spy too."

"Um...she is." Amanda replied.

Dotty laughed. "Amanda, this is just too much. You always did have a vivid imagination, but this is going too far."

"Mother, I'm serious. There have been spies in and out of this house for the past six years. More than you even know about."

"Well, now I know all about Mr. Melrose."

"Mr. Melrose is our supervisor. I've been working for him since 1983."

"Oh, Amanda, this is priceless. I love it!" She laughed. "Imagine you working for a man like that."

Amanda shook her head. After six years, she was finally trying to tell her the truth and she didn't believe her. "Mother, you have to believe me. This is not a joke. It's serious. I really am a spy. Why do you think I have to take off so suddenly on business. terrorists don't work nine to five. They strike whenever it's most inconvenient for the rest of the world."

Dotty was laughing so hard, her face was red. "Terrorists, Amanda? This is too funny. Oh, wait a minute, I know. This is for one of your documentaries, isn't it? You're doing something on comedy routines, right?"

"Mother, I wish you'd take me seriously. This is important. Lee is on mission that could possibly get him killed. You don't understand. Everytime he goes away without me, I worry constantly that he may not come back without having me there as backup."

"Backup? I think you've been watching too many of those crime shows on TV. I have to hand it to you, Amanda. You've certainly been entertaining this evening." Dotty stood up and started for the stairs. Amanda rose to stop her.

"Mother, wait." Oh, forget it, she thought. There's no convincing her.

"Yes, Dear?" She turned to face Amanda.

"Nothing. Good night, Mother.

"Good night, Love." She kissed her daughter and headed up the stairs.

Amanda sighed and flopped down on the couch. She didn't know how to convince her mother of the truth. She had to do it somehow. Keeping these secrets had been tearing her up inside. She was wondering where Lee was now and if he was ok. She drifted off to sleep dreaming about her husband.

Lee was agitated and apprehensive. He stood outside what looked like an abandoned building. This can't be right, He thought. He'd been in some seedy looking places, but this was crazy. He knew something was going on, but was unsure of what. He knew it had something to do with a rebellion against the reunification of Germany. From what he'd heard, there were many people who were quite happy with the way things had been for decades and wanted to keep it that way. He'd been hoping to meet his contact, get the information he needed and get back on a plane so he could be with his "family" again. He felt he was letting the boys down. He didn't want to be like their father. He'd missed countless events in their lives. Lee had made a promise to himself that he wouldn't be like that with them, but The Agency wasn't making it easy. He sighed and opened the door. He didn't have time to even react when the blast hit him and all he saw was black.