12Disclaimer: "Scarecrow and Mrs. King is copyrighted to Warner Bros. and Shoot the Moon Productions. This story is for entertainment only. No infringement is intended.
Author's note: Takes place after 'Saved By The Bells'. We never see the fish tank in Lee's apartment after this episode. Later on, one appears in Amanda's family room that looks remarkably similar to the one Lee had. This is my answer to that. Flashbacks are in italics. .
Lee Stetson paced his living room in an increasingly agitated state. Although everything had ended well, he just couldn't stop thinking of the way things could have gone. He had been on top of the world after the capture of Rostov, being celebrated by his fellow agents and preparing for some much needed R and R. Little did he know that a simple request to watch his fish would result in Amanda being kidnapped in his name, nor did he know that he would commit treason in order to save her.
He raked his hands through his hair in frustration as he reviewed the events that had transpired. He may have still been unclear as to how Zinoviev's men had found his apartment in the first place, but he was positively baffled as to why they had ever mistaken Amanda for him. Talk about your bad intel! It was fortunate, though, that Zinoviev had such a small operation with bad intelligence or Amanda would never had stood a chance. She had told him how she had initially denied being Scarecrow but stopped when she realized that it was in her best interest to play along. One thing she would never do, he realized, was to give him up.
He shook his head in wonder… she wouldn't betray him, not even to save her own life. He thought back to when they were locked in the room together…Zinoviev's goon had come in and said "Scarecrow" and Amanda had replied in the affirmative. He had been so annoyed with her at the time, but now he realized that she was, once again, protecting him. He rubbed the back of his neck as he continued to pace. What had he ever done to warrant that blind trust? All he ever did was put her in one dangerous situation after another and how did he thank her? By taking advantage of her kind nature and getting her to watch his damn fish so he could go off cavorting! Even worse, he had lied to get her to agree to help him.
She told him she was baking a cake for Jamie's party…he thought about his own mother and how she must have done the same thing for him. His stomach clenched at the thought that his selfishness had almost caused Amanda's sons to suffer the same fate as he had. At the time, his only concern was to get her to watch his fish. His self-absorbed mind had determined that his request was more important than her caring for her family. When had he become this person, one who only cared about his own wants and needs? He hadn't always been that way, had he? He looked to the fish tank and smiled grimly. He knew the answer….
October, 1981…
Lee awoke to a pounding on the door and an even worse pounding in his head. He threw on his robe, grumbling as he left his bedroom and stumbled towards the door. He threw open the door and stared down the intruder. Kind brown eyes met his scowling ones and he relaxed slightly as his partner smiled at his distress.
"Have a little too much fun last night, Scarecrow?" He laughed at his friend's scowling face, knowing he had, in fact, tied on one too many last night.
"Knock it off, will ya? I just woke up. What are you doing here so early?" He opened the door to allow Andy to enter, closing it behind him.
"Early? Lee, it's almost noon!" Andy brushed passed him into the kitchen. "You need coffee, man." He started rummaging through his cabinets, quickly starting the coffee to brew.
"Yeah, thanks." He leaned against the counter and brushed his hand across his face in an effort to wake up. "So, you didn't answer my question. What brought you here?"
Andy reached up and took down two mugs before turning to him, smiling. "You did, actually. I was talking to Jennifer last night, and I think she helped me figure out a way to help you."
"Not this again," Lee groaned.
"Hear me out," Andy held up his hands, palms outstretched towards Lee. "I think I have just the thing to help you get over your fear."
Lee straightened up. "Now just a minute! I do not have a fear…" He began, defensively.
Andy interrupted him. "Yes you do, and you know it! Now, I think this might start you off in the right direction." He noticed Lee's look of indifference. "Can you keep an open mind, please?"
Lee sized him up and quickly gave a nod of acceptance. "Fine."
Andy's grin broadened. "Great! I'll be right back!" He hurried past Lee into the hall. Lee shook his head and headed for the now brewed coffee, filling both mugs. He added a dollop of cream to his own and carried both mugs into the living room, just in time to see Andy lugging in a rather large aquarium.
"What the hell is that?" Lee would have shouted, but the pounding in his head prevented a stronger outburst.
Andy set the cumbersome container on the floor. "It's an aquarium, Lee."
He rolled his eyes at his friend's sarcasm. "Yes, I know it's an aquarium. What is it doing in my apartment?"
"Well, where else are you going to keep your fish?"
Lee's eyes grew wide. "What fish? I don't have fish!" He was quickly growing agitated.
"Lee, sit down." Andy gestured towards the couch, an authoritative air in his voice.
Lee glared at his friend for a moment before relenting, surprised that he was so willing to listen to Andy. Lee sank onto the couch, grabbing his coffee in the hopes that it would clear some of the cobwebs caused by his overindulgence the night before. He took a long sip before lowering his mug. "Okay, I'm listening."
"I know you're not happy about the engagement…"
Lee held up his hand. "Ho…hold on. I am not unhappy. I'm glad you and Jen found each other." At his friend's incredulous look, he added, "Really!"
"Lee, I know it's been the two of us, out on the town, and I also know that you think you're not cut out for commitment." He continued, despite Lee's snort of derision. "Look, what happened with Dorothy was…awful, and Eva…well, she didn't know a good thing when she saw it." He saw Lee getting agitated and rushed on. "You deserve to be happy, Lee. You'll see…one day there will be the one for you, and you won't be able to remember feeling like this. Trust me."
He wanted to argue with him, tell him he was crazy, that he didn't feel this way but he knew he was right. The losses of first Dorothy and then Eva had affected him more than he thought he let on, but Andy knew. He had been the one to help him through Dorothy after he was assigned as his new partner. He hadn't wanted a partner. He never again wanted to feel that pain. Andy pushed his way in anyway with his kind heart and ability to put up with Lee when he was at his worst. He proved quickly to be a good agent, then ally, then friend. He was there for Lee when he returned from Italy, again taking the brunt of his anger and hurt. Andy was always there for him, and truth be told, he was a little upset about the engagement. He wanted his friend to be happy, he just wasn't ready to be put on the backburner. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and looked away to the mugs on the table. "Coffee's getting cold." He nodded towards the cup.
Andy stared at his friend for a moment longer and then sat beside him on the couch. He knew that he wouldn't get any further with him on the subject…at least not today. He reached out and took his mug from the table. "Thanks."
Lee nodded. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Lee cleared his throat. "So, I guess you should tell me about your great fish plan."
Andy's smile lit up the room. "Actually, it was Jen's plan, but she thought you should get a dog. Well, I wouldn't subject a dog to your temper, but I figured, fish! Now, there's something that might just stand a chance! The fact that they can't really hear your yelling was a big selling point!"
Lee laughed at his friend's exuberance. "So, what? Like goldfish? You think that having some little fish swimming around is suddenly going to make me marriage material?"
Andy returned that laughter. "Please, your reputation couldn't survive having cute little goldfish!" He pulled out a brochure from his back pocket and handed it to Lee.
He perused the information quickly. "Siamese fighting fish, huh? So what, I just feed these guys and it's gonna make me feel less afraid of commitment?" He tried to sound sincere but the laughter in his voice rang through.
Andy chuckled. "I know it seems a little flimsy, but you need to learn to care about something, and since you won't take care of yourself…"
"I take care of myself just fine!" Lee fired back.
Andy raised an eyebrow to him. "Oh yeah, you look great." His voice dripped with sarcasm.
Lee sighed, knowing he had him beat once again. "Well, your little plan seems to be missing something." At Andy's inquisitive look, Lee laughed. "Where's the fish?"
"Oh! Well, we have to have the fish guy come and set up the tank. The water needs to be acclimated first. They'll bring the fish by early next week after everything is settled.
"Wait…I have to have a fish guy now?" Lee grumbled.
"Well, yeah, but it's only once in a while to clean the tank and make sure the water is properly balanced. You are in charge of feeding them and keeping them alive!" He was pleased to see Lee starting to come around, so he decided to press a little further. "They, uh, they're good to talk to, ya know? I know they can't understand you or talk back or anything, but it can help to just sound things out. Plus, there's the benefit that it won't look like you're talking to yourself. I've had fish my whole life and I've always found them helpful. Of course, now I have Jen to talk to, but really, they help. Give it a chance, Lee."
Roused from his reverie, Lee remembered he had done exactly that, having many loud, drunken conversations with the fish after Andy had taken the bullet meant for him. He wanted to get rid of them, unable to bear the reminder of his friend's generosity, not understanding why he was alive while Andy had died. When it came time to do it, he just couldn't part with them. He had led the fish guys in to his apartment and had started to explain that he needed to find the fish a good home when he was overcome with grief. The pain had brought him to his knees as the sorrow poured out of him. Fortunately, Billy had stopped by at just the right time. He dismissed the men without an explanation and placed a comforting hand on Lee's shoulder. No words were needed as Billy just sat with Lee in his grief. It was the first time he had really mourned his partner's death, and it had all started as he was staring at the tank of fish.
It was after this that he had really begun talking to them, feeling like a part of Andy still lived through the conversations. A year later, and the fish bore the brunt of his frustration at being partnered with a housewife. He hadn't realized until now how many similarities existed between Andy and Amanda. He knew they would have been great friends. He could practically hear the jokes they would have made at his expense. He shuddered to think how he wouldn't have stood a chance of being a lone wolf, not with Andy's cajoling and Amanda's mothering. He sighed with the ache of knowing that meeting would never happen.
His pacing began to slow as he thought about Amanda, smiling as he thought of her at home, her biggest worry once again getting Pretzel the Clown to Jamie's birthday party. She deserved to have that, at the very least, and so much more. This 'simple housewife' had been mistaken for him and she had made him proud, thinking on her feet, saving both of their lives and helping him clear the treason charges leveled against him. He wasn't going to call her a partner – he was never going to have another one of those – but he knew she was a friend. His pacing stopped and his heart felt lighter than it had in days. He knew exactly what he needed to do but first, he needed to make some phone calls.
A few days later in the pre-dawn hours, he quickly and quietly let himself in to her house, leading the men carefully carrying the large aquarium. He had already decided to set it up in the den behind the sofa and it was quickly in position. A red ribbon adorned the front, with a name tag addressing the gift to Jamie. Amanda had mentioned to him how Jamie loved fish and had always wanted a pet. He knew they would have a good home, one much better than he could provide. He quickly crossed the room to Amanda's purse, which he knew she hung on the banister in the family room and slipped an envelope inside. He explained that he just couldn't keep them with his erratic schedule, and she'd be doing him a huge favor. He had already arranged the cleaning and maintenance of the tank, so she didn't have to worry about it.
He signed it simply, "Thanks, Lee."
