Happy Valentine’s Day – Love, Scarecrow

Author:  Amanda in WI

Rating: PG

Summary: Lee is in store for a surprise

Disclaimer:   The characters of Scarecrow & Mrs. King are property of Shoot the Moon and Warner Brothers.

Timeline: Set in February 1990 – marriage is known by all

Feedback: Yes, please.


This was Amanda Stetson's favorite time of year. Not only was Spring just around the corner, it was also that time of year for her and Lee to celebrate their anniversary and Valentine's Day. She never regretted marrying Lee on the 13th instead of the 14th - this way they could celebrate for 2 days and not just one.

She was at a loss as to what to get her wonderful husband for their anniversary this year and she only had five days to find something. For the last 2 years, he surprised her with his thoughtfulness and creativity. For their first anniversary, they took a trip to California with Dotty and the boys. They were typical tourists and they both felt that it was a healing trip. It was what they needed to make sense of the shooting that marred their honeymoon there. Last year he had taken her to Las Vegas. They enjoyed seeing the colorful shows, a few concerts, and she had finally learned how to play craps. It was just the two of them and she had felt a little guilty about leaving the boys at home.

No doubt he'll outdo me again this year, too. Little did she know at the time that a new watch for their first anniversary and a complete "makeover" for the Vette for their second weren't good enough. She tried to explain that he didn't need to spend so much money on her, but he wouldn't hear of it. Then, sure enough, the next day he'd buried her in flowers, chocolate, and jewelry.

'This is the year. I'm going to get him good,' she thought to herself, as she entered IFF and got her badge from Mrs. Marsten.

"Hello, Mrs. Marsten. How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Amanda. Oh, I'm supposed to remind you that today the movers are coming to take all the archived files from the 80's to the storage warehouse. They ask that you have all boxes marked and ready by 3:00 pm."

"That's fine. We're almost done anyway. See you later." Amanda walked up the stairs that led to the Q Bureau giving thanks that she'd made Lee help with boxing the old files in the beginning of the week. He said he had some "important" errands to run, and so he'd taken a vacation day today.

Entering the Q Bureau, Amanda looked at the piles of boxes that littered their small office. She only had 2 or 3 more boxes to go through and hopefully she'd be done by lunch.

A couple hours later, Amanda was working on the last box when she pulled out a calendar from 1980. 'Why the heck would we need to save a calendar from 1980?' she thought. Focusing on the front, she read the words "The 1980 Intelligence Calendar". She flipped open to the middle page, which showed Mr. July, Lars Olson, who was an agent in Norway. He was naked except for a Norwegian flag that barely covered his assets. Flipping through the months, Amanda was shocked to recognize some of the men that adorned this calendar - one was even KGB!

Her heart stopped when she finally came across Mr. February. There, smiling back at her, was her husband. Lee was wearing a pair of red silk boxers (his famous blue ones absent) and was holding a heart shaped box of chocolates and a dozen red roses with a white sash across his muscular chest asking someone to "Be Mine". Stifling a laugh, a light bulb went off in Amanda's mind and she grabbed the calendar and headed down to Billy's office.

The next few days found Amanda extremely busy. After getting Billy to go along with her plan, she had set the wheels in motion. This was sure to be the best anniversary/Valentine's present that her husband will ever get!

Finally, after days of hard work and running around, all was done and Lee Stetson was in for shock. Amanda snuck out of bed early that morning to prepare for the day. She showered and dressed without waking her husband and quickly headed off to work, leaving Lee a note that she had an errand to run and she'd meet him there.

Lee arrived at work at 9:30 am, and couldn't wait to see his wife. It was hard to believe that they'd only been married for three years. After getting his badge, and a flirtatious look that scared him from Mrs. Marsten, he ran up the steps towards his wife.

When he entered the Q Bureau, he found a pile of brightly wrapped presents and no wife. He noticed a white slip of paper taped to his computer screen and felt a stab of hurt when he read that Amanda wouldn't see him until tonight. He unwrapped all the presents, and as he looked down, he realized that he was missing something. A pair of red silk boxers, a long white piece of satin, a red marker, and a picture of a dozen red roses. 'What the hell is all this supposed to mean?' he asked himself. Then decided he'd just wait until tonight to ask Amanda.

Lee arrived home at 8:00 pm and was happy to see Amanda in the kitchen. Another present was wrapped and on the table. He quickly reached for Amanda and proceeded to give her a most passionate kiss that she wouldn't forget anytime soon.

When they released each other for air, he finally remembered his presents. "Um, Amanda, what did those presents represent in the Q this morning?"

"Nothing. I just couldn't think of anything to get you, so I bought the first few things that I saw. I hope you don't mind," she said sweetly.

"No, that's fine. You don’t have to get me anything. Just having you is present enough,” he whispered into her ear. “Now, how about we skip dinner and head upstairs?”

“Not yet, sweetheart. We still have to exchange presents.” Extricating herself from Lee’s arms, she walked over to the table and held out the large square box. “Happy anniversary.”

Lee wasn’t sure if he was being set up or not. This whole day had been weird and he didn’t like the feeling on not knowing exactly what was going on. “Thank you, Amanda.” Lee proceeded to tear off the shiny, red wrapping paper unveiling a new 1990 calendar with a picture of Amanda dressed as a scarecrow on the front. Trying to think what this represented, Lee gave his wife a winning smile. “Thank you. How did you get your picture on the cover?”

“Lee, why don’t you flip through the rest of the months before thanking me, ok?”

“Sure, why not?” Lee flipped open the calendar to the first page - February. There was Amanda in a red negligee hugging a huge white teddy bear.

March. Amanda dressed in a green sweater sitting in a pot of gold.

April. Amanda in a raincoat holding an Easter basket.

May. Amanda sitting in a huge flower garden dressed in a yellow sundress.

June. A picture of Phillip and Jaime by Lee’s corvette with a sign that proclaimed “Happy Father’s Day”

July. Amanda dressed patriotically holding two lit sparklers.

August. Amanda smiling in a very skimpy bathing suit on a sandy beach.

September. Dotty, Amanda, and the boys baking cookies.

October. Amanda sitting in a pumpkin patch next to a scarecrow.

November. Amanda and the boys raking leaves.

December. Amanda naked under a Christmas tree except for some strategically placed bows.

January. Dotty, Amanda, and the boys building a snowman.
 

“Wow! Amanda, this is great! How did you do this?” he exclaimed, his face showing his true love of his gift.

“I’m glad you like it. There’s a photographer who has this huge studio and he can make it look like the Bahamas or the North Pole. He had to come out to the house for the Vette picture, since I know you wouldn’t let it out of your sight,” she smiled.

“This is the best gift I’ve ever gotten. Obviously I like some pictures more than others, especially December,” he said with a devilish grin.

“Oh, stop it! There’s nothing indecent about that picture. It’s perfectly nice.”

“That it is, Amanda. That it is.” After a few seconds, Lee spoke up once again. “Let me go get your present. I’ll be right back.” Lee rushed up the stairs and then back down in record time. “Happy anniversary.”

Amanda smiled and ripped the paper off the gift. Nestled in the box were five tickets for a Caribbean cruise. “Oh my gosh! A cruise! We’re going on a cruise!” Amanda jumped into Lee’s arms and started kissing him enthusiastically. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, however if you count, you’ll notice that we’re taking Dotty and the boys with us. However, their rooms are on a different floor and there are plenty of things to keep them occupied,” he explained.

“That’s great. But what’s going to keep us occupied?” she asked knowingly.

“Why don’t I show you?” Lee said as he scooped her off of her feet and whisked her up the stairs towards their bedroom.
 
 
 

The next morning Lee once again woke up and found himself alone. He was surprised since they didn’t get to sleep until well after midnight. After rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he got out of bed to start his day.

Amanda entered the Q Bureau and smiled in satisfaction that everything was in order for today. ‘Lee’s going to be speechless!’ she thought, while also hoping that he wouldn’t get angry. She sat at her desk and noticed the small velvet box that sat on her desk. Opening it, her breath caught as she pulled out a diamond and ruby necklace. A small note expressed Valentine’s wishes and love from Lee.

‘I sure hope this doesn’t backfire.’
 

A few hours later Lee entered the foyer of IFF and was once again greeted warmly by Mrs. Marsten. He quickly dashed for the elevator and the safety it provided. Until he entered it.

The walls and ceiling were decorated with a picture of him, decked out in Valentine’s garb, with a cartoon conversation bubble stating “Happy Valentine’s Day. Love, Scarecrow”

It took Lee a minute for the recognition to hit, then remembered posing for this particular shot when he was a young agent who lost a bet. Smirking, he pulled them all down, promising to give Billy hell for this little joke.

Exiting the elevator, he stopped dead in his tracks. Lining the walls of the hall were hundreds of the same picture. People started yelling “Happy Valentines’ to you to, Scarecrow!”.

“BILLY!” he yelled and stormed into the bullpen. The same greeted him. Some people laughed. Some clapped. Some whistled. The bullpen was covered in the embarrassing print.

“Your wife really got you, didn’t she?” Francine asked.

“My wife? Amanda did this?” he asked incredulously.

“That’s right. She’s been plotting for days. It seems she found this picture in the boxes that were going to warehouse and couldn’t resist. I personally think it’s kind of cute,” she teased.

A loud applause broke Lee from his thoughts and turned around in time to see his wife heading towards him, her present from him around her slim neck. She was decked out in almost the same costume that graced him in the picture and understood the gifts she had waiting for him in the Q yesterday.

“This explains your calendar,” he said pulling her into his arms. “You are so beautiful.”

“Are you angry?” she asked.

“I was, but seeing you like this only makes me think of one thing.”

They put their arms around each other and kissed passionately. Breaking apart, he picked her up and carried out of the bullpen. With a glance over his shoulder he yelled, “Tell Billy we’re taking today off.”

The End.