Disclaimer: "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" is the property of Warner Bros. and Shoot the Moon Productions. This story was written for entertainment purposes only.

As the cab pulled up in front of his Georgetown building, a bleary eyed Lee sat slumped in the backseat. He was feeling the effects of his nonstop flight home from West Germany and the prolonged debriefing that Billy had subjected him to. The light rain that had been falling all evening turned into a full-fledged downpour as he dragged his long frame from the vehicle and gathered his luggage. He quickly paid the driver and rushed towards the entrance to his building.

Using his right hand to keep a firm grip on his suitcase and garment bag, he struggled to use his carry-on bag laden left hand to open the door to the lobby of his apartment building. The doorman, who'd been reading a book, belatedly rushed to greet him.

"Good evening, Mr. Stetson. When I came on duty earlier, Henry didn't war- err… tell me to expect your arrival. If I'd known I would have been ready to greet you with an umbrella," he stated obsequiously, while hiding the paperback he'd been reading behind his back.

"An umbrella wouldn't have done much good in a downpour of this scale," Lee replied as he and his luggage were leaving a wet trail as he crossed the lobby. He noticed the other man looking at his soaked belongings with dismay. "Don't bother offering to help me get these things upstairs, you can get back to your reading," he stated as he continued on towards the elevator, leaving the doorman standing open-mouthed in his wake.

Entering the elevator, he allowed himself to sag momentarily. He was definitely feeling out of sorts, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why he was in such a funk. Granted, his simple assignment to make one stop in London had turned into a wild goose chase across Western Europe. In the past, he would have welcomed the opportunity to spend an extended period of time abroad at the Agency's expense, but this time his favorite haunts didn't hold the same appeal. With his thirty-sixth birthday approaching, he idly wondered if middle age was catching up with him.

When his flight had landed at National Airport, he'd been relieved to be arriving home. He'd been surprised and slightly disappointed that Amanda hadn't been at the gate to meet him. Instead, he'd been met and whisked off to the Agency by a rookie agent whom he'd never met before. The worn out agent had hoped to give Billy a quick update on his trip and delay his full debriefing until the next day. If he didn't spend too much time in Billy's office he could head up to the Q Bureau and see Amanda before she left for the day. He found not having had any contact with her in over a week strangely unsettling. Unfortunately for him, Billy insisted on a full debriefing on the spot, leaving him trapped at the Agency until eight in the evening D.C. time.

Two transatlantic flights and a week zigzagging through multiple time zones in Europe led to his being jetlagged and disoriented as he exited the elevator and trudged down the hall to his apartment. His thoughts turned to the last time that he and Amanda had returned from an assignment in Europe. As much as she'd undeniably enjoyed the time they'd spent abroad, she was also looking forward to returning to her waiting family. As he did then, he wondered what it would be like to have someone to come home to.

Putting his baggage down in front of his door, he shook his head imperceptibly- it was unlikely that he'd ever have anyone waiting for him he thought morosely. He fumbled for his keys, and then haltingly unlocked the door and pushed it open to reveal its semi-darkened interior. Knowing that he hadn't left any lights on he was immediately on guard, he reached for his gun and slipped further into the apartment, scanning for a possible intruder.

Rounding the sofa, he spotted his favorite brunette curled up and fast asleep. Had she missed him as much as he'd missed her? That was more than he dared to consider. It was enough to finally experience the warm rush of contentment that accompanies coming home to someone special.