Déjà Vu

Written by Susan Peisker

Concept by Cheryl Sannebeck and Susan Peisker

Scarecrow and Mrs. King characters are the property of Shoot the Moon Productions and Warner Bros. Television. No copyright infringement intended. Not for commercial use.

May 2011

Sarah Stetson peered through the windshield of her Corolla, sheets of rain obscuring her vision. If only she had left a little sooner. It wasn't a long drive from Georgetown to Arlington, but the rain had slowed the Wednesday evening traffic to a crawl and dinner would soon be on the table. She hated being late for Jamie's birthday party, and she needed to talk with her mom or her sister-in-law—someone—tonight.

Her graduate work had kept her busy—too busy to spend the kind of time she longed to spend with her family. Her boyfriend, Jeff, was close by and worked in the same department, but it seemed that their schedules never had synced up very well. When they were together, which had seemed to be more often lately, Jeff wanted to talk about his research. Sarah could not blame him. He was in the midst of a fascinating project on twentieth century political history. When Sarah had gone to his office and asked him to join her tonight, he had begged off, saying he had to cover a class for another instructor.

"But hey, I still want to get together tomorrow to talk over those pages in your thesis. Maybe we can go to lunch after, instead of eating in like we usually do. There's something I want to talk with you about." As a means of saving money, they often made sandwiches or ordered pizza and stayed at her apartment, her roommates often coming and going while they sat on the couch together.

"Oh? Another breakthrough in your research?"

"This isn't about research. But I'm hoping you'll think it's a breakthrough—sort of." He had smiled knowingly and kissed her cheek. Until the last few weeks, Jeff had not been demonstrative with his affection in front of others. Apparently he really did have something other than his research to talk about. And he wanted to spend some time alone with her.

Things with Jeff seemed to be moving quickly lately; it scared Sarah.

She thought back to the early days of their relationship at New York University. A grad student at the time, Jeff had taken Sarah under his wing when they met during her junior year. At some point they went from being just friends to something more. Sarah had not been entirely certain where their relationship stood until he had gotten the history fellowship at Georgetown University. Sarah had chosen Georgetown for graduate school because she wanted to be near her family again. Flattered by the attention, Sarah went along with Jeff's plan to join her there. Once she had been accepted to the master's program in international history, it only seemed natural that Jeff be her advisor.

Although they kept their relationship a secret, Jeff found ways to romance Sarah whenever he could. I enjoy spending time with Jeff; he's a thoughtful guy. They now considered themselves boyfriend and girlfriend, but sometimes Sarah thought that Jeff was more serious about their relationship than she was. She blushed a little. There was a reason they spent time at her apartment and not his. Jeff had no roommates. At least he hasn't pressured me. I just want to be sure it's the right person the first time. Besides, once I found The One, I always thought I would feel more of a spark—like Mom and Dad have. Now that Sarah was nearly done with her thesis, Jeff had been acting strangely. He seemed to be keeping a secret, and Sarah wasn't so sure she wanted to know what it was.

A horn blared nearby, startling Sarah out of her reverie. If only I could just get to the house soon. I need some time alone with Mom or Jennifer, she thought. Sarah desperately wanted to talk with her mother or Jamie's wife before she met with Jeff about her thesis.

Almost done! She was so close to really being able to be her own person, working in a career. The internship at the Smithsonian was set to become a permanent position. How many other grad students could say they had a job waiting in the wings? Sarah knew that Jeff was just about as thrilled as she was to have completed her degree.

Why am I not as excited about the two of us as he is? Sarah was looking forward to starting her new job at the Smithsonian. I've been working there all through grad school. Sarah remembered how Jeff had made the connections for Sarah even before she finished her undergraduate work in history and international relations at NYU. I guess we have had our future laid out all along. I just wasn't paying attention, was I? A knot formed in Sarah's stomach. If only I could just get home and talk with Jennifer… Both Philip and Jamie and their families would be there this evening. Instant friends when Jamie brought her home for the first time 14 years ago, Jennifer had become Sarah's confidant. She loved her mother, but perhaps this was a better talk to have with someone closer to her own age.

Red taillights brightened as the cars ahead slowed. The rain became even heavier and the wipers could not keep up. Sarah was having trouble making out the lines on the road. She decided to pull over.

As she maneuvered her Corolla to the side of the road, a flash of white in her rearview mirror caught her eye. A man in a white sweatshirt was running towards her car. Forget the rain! Sarah made sure her doors were locked and tried to get back onto the road. Too late! The man in the white sweatshirt reached the car before Sarah could merge. He yelled into her window something she couldn't make out. Now she was getting nervous. She fished around in her book bag for her cell phone, wanting to contact her dad or brothers. Or maybe I'll just call the police… Oh, why don't I keep pepper spray with me? The man knocked insistently on the window. She could hear his shouting now.

"Please! Please!"

He looks more scared than I am.

Sarah rolled down the window about two inches to try to make out what the stranger was saying. "Help me! Please! I'm in trouble. Please help."

Sarah looked at him sharply. The man was young—not much older than Sarah. He was tall, trim and muscular, and his wet hair looked like it was light brown. He didn't look sick and there was no car in sight. What is he doing here? Why doesn't he just go make a phone call? Where's his cell phone?

"Is this a joke?" She was shouting, since the rain was so loud. She wasn't even sure she wanted to hear the answer. "Please get away from my car." He wouldn't budge. She thought about driving away anyway.

"Please help. Please!"

Sarah finally made eye contact with him. His gray eyes were intense, pleading.

She gulped and said, "What do you want me to do?" I must be an idiot…

The man's face broke into a nervous smile. He pulled a small padded mailer out of from under his shirt. "Please take this and get off at the next exit. Go to the Railroad Car Café and give it to the man in the blue windbreaker and Philadelphia Phillies hat. That's all you have to do. You never have to think of this or me again."

Just then, out of the corner of her eye, Sarah saw three men running towards her car. Seeing them, the man in the white sweatshirt took off, his pursuers hot on his heels. As fast as Sarah could, she pulled back onto the road, fishtailing until she could get a handle on the slick pavement. Looking in her mirror, she saw the stranger sprinting away, the men not far behind.

Oh, my gosh! What have I gotten myself into? Thankful the rain was letting up, Sarah went as fast as traffic would allow and got off at the next exit, looking for the Railroad Car Café.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Sarah squinted as she stepped through the door of the brightly lit restaurant. She chided herself for the tenth time in the last five minutes. Well this may have been a dumb idea, Sarah Stetson, but you are not backing out now. She steeled herself. Not one to give up on a commitment, Sarah was determined to follow through on her promise. Hopefully this guy isn't in with nasty people. She looked around the restaurant.

Choking out a gasp, Sarah couldn't believe what she saw. On one side of the restaurant, there was a sea of red Philadelphia Phillies hats. Looking back out the window, the rain had stopped, and Sarah could see a tour bus in the parking lot, beyond where she had left her car.

Great! They must have been to the baseball game this afternoon. What do I do now?

Sarah saw the hostess approaching and quickly ducked out of the restaurant. She headed to her car and stuffed the envelope in her purse.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Phillip King opened the door wide for his sister and called to the family. "Look what the cat dragged in!" He turned back to Sarah and gave her a quick hug. "Hiya, Sis! You look terrible."

"Why, thank you, Phillip. You always were good for a compliment."

Soon a strong pair of arms enveloped her in a bear hug. "Hi, Pumpkin."

Sarah hugged back. Her father doted on her—while loving her half-brothers as his own, especially since their own father had died, he had special place in his heart for Sarah. Technically, she was his only child and the baby of the family. She looked up at him. His silver hair was neatly combed back from his face. Even though he was wearing his glasses, his hazel eyes twinkled at her.

"Hi, Daddy."

Lee Stetson smiled down at his daughter. He could never get over how beautiful she was…just like his Amanda. As tall as her mother, with the same soft brown hair, Sarah had hazel eyes that held a warmth that endeared her to others. It didn't matter if she looked a bit bedraggled from the weather. He had always thought Amanda was even more beautiful that way, too.

"Your mother has been keeping dinner warm, and trying not to let me see her anxiously peeking out the window. You had better go greet her." He gave Sarah a peck on the cheek and gently pushed her towards the kitchen. He watched as she walked into his wife's arms.

"Oh Sarah, I'm so glad you are here!" exclaimed Amanda. She hugged Sarah and lovingly smoothed her rumpled hair. "I was hoping that the rain hadn't slowed you down too much. I know you have a busy week with your thesis being done and all, but it is so nice you could come for Jamie's birthday dinner. I've made pot roast, just the way Jamie—and you—like it. Why don't you take a few minutes to say hello to everyone, then get ready to eat." Sarah smiled and thought she heard her father chuckle. Her father often teased her mother when she would forget herself and go off on a nervous ramble.

Jamie walked up and gave Sarah a quiet hug. "Glad you made it Sarah. Jenny, the kids, and I have been looking forward to seeing you. It's been a few weeks."

"Happy birthday, Jamie! I'm sorry I've been such a stranger. I was finishing my thesis…"

"Sarah!" Jennifer and the boys, Seth and David, soon surrounded Sarah and pulled her away. Jamie quietly joined them all in the den, where Sarah greeted Phillip's wife Amy and their daughter, Jessica.

Lee found Amanda in the kitchen, where she stood watching the happy gathering. He put his arm around her and drew her close. "Your baby is safe, my dear."

"Now, I wasn't worried."

"Oh, is that why you kept looking out the window for her car?" Lee gently cupped Amanda's chin and turned her face toward his.

She smiled a small smile. "You saw?"

"You wouldn't be my Amanda if you didn't care for your children the way you do."

"I guess I take after my mother. By the way, I think you looked a few times yourself."

Lee looked guilty, but pretended he didn't hear the last part of her comment. "I hope that your children don't have to make up stories to keep you happy the way you did for your mother when we first met."

"Oh, I doubt they could pull anything over on a couple of spies."

"Intelligence operatives."

Amanda gave Lee a playful swat, then a quick kiss. "I'd better get dinner on or we might as well forget about eating it."

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Sarah looked around the table. The men and boys were animatedly discussing the afternoon's baseball game. The women and Jessica were talking about Jessica's upcoming play at school. In the hubbub of her arrival, Sarah had forgotten the envelope. Now she stifled a feeling of panic.

How am I going to hide this from my family? Half of them work for the Agency—Mom and Dad are supposed to be the best pair of operatives ever—it's always been hard to get anything by them. Even though Phillip and Jamie don't work in the field, they still have picked up some of their tactics. Sarah determined to forget about the envelope. She needed to focus her energies on talking with Jennifer about Jeff. Hopefully they would have a chance to be alone before Jennifer had to get her boys home to bed.

Amanda looked at Sarah. It had been weeks since they'd had a heart to heart talk. Maybe they could have a little chat right now. The poor girl looked frazzled. "Sarah, would you please help me take these dishes to the kitchen?"

The conversations didn't stop as the two women stacked up the dishes and carried them out of the room.

Once they were alone, Amanda looked for an opportunity to begin her soft interrogation. She didn't shy away from using her training on her children…as long as it was in their best interests.

"So, your thesis is done?"

"Yes! I'm so excited! I just need to go over it one more time with Jeff tomorrow."

"Oh, I'm so glad!" Amanda pulled some plates out of the cupboard. "How is Jeff doing? Have you had much time to be together while you were finishing your thesis?"

Sarah hesitated. Now that she had an opportunity to talk about all that had been troubling her, she had no idea how to begin. Drawing a deep breath, she finally began, "Truth be told, he's been acting a little funny lately. Not in a bad way. We have been able to see each other almost every day, but it's like he's holding back when we talk. It's weird."

"Is it weird, Sarah, or is he waiting to talk with you about something important. Is he trying to give you a little space since you've had so much on your mind?"

"Oh, Mom." Sarah was dismissive. "What do you mean?" Sarah knew what Amanda meant. She was just stalling. She started to tense up and thought, Maybe I should have talked with Jennifer. Mom thinks this could be her future son-in-law. I am not ready for that kind of commitment.

"Oh, it's pretty obvious that Jeff has stayed by your side for a few years for a reason."

As much as she didn't want to hear it, she had to admit it was true. Her mother, a professional at reading people, was right. Why was she so set on denying what her mother could see? She knew the answer. This is why I didn't want to talk to Mom. I don't want to hear the truth.

Sarah looked at her mother, who had pulled out the birthday cake and was putting the candles on it. Before she could think of something to say, Amanda spoke again.

"You don't seem as excited as you were a few minutes ago when I asked you about your thesis."

"Can I help with anything?"

"Oh Jennifer, we didn't see you. Yes, please get the plates and forks. I'm about to light the candles."

"I couldn't help overhearing you talking about Jeff. I'm sorry to intrude. Is everything okay, Sarah? You look unhappy…"

I guess I sure wear my heart on my sleeve—or rather my face. Oh boy! Sarah searched for a reply.

"Oh, well...Mom thinks Jeff is getting serious. To be honest, I was hoping it was something else. He's been acting funny lately, and I just like things the way they are. We are such good friends. Why spoil it?"

"But Sarah, you've been together for almost four years." Jennifer glanced over at Amanda, and then looked back at Sarah.

"I know. It seems serious—but we really haven't been together that entire time. Being with Jeff is so comfortable. But I get stressed out just thinking about something more."

Amanda and Jennifer exchanged looks.

"Sarah," Jennifer said, "maybe you should take a little time away from Jeff. Marriage is a serious commitment. You know that. If you think Jeff is going to propose…"

Sarah felt the sudden urge to run away, but decided against it. She felt sick. Propose! I don't even want to think of that word! Somehow having the word spoken brought all of the confusing emotions to the surface, and Sarah was not prepared to deal with them. That long-coveted talk with Jennifer didn't seem so attractive any more. It was time to end the conversation. "Oh, gosh, well, I could just be imagining it. All I said was that he was acting funny."

"Listen, Sarah. Why don't you come stay in your grandmother's old apartment after you turn in your thesis? Your student housing lease is up in a couple of weeks. Your dad and I would love to have you close by, but we would leave you alone if you want. You have had a hard few months, and you could use the break before you start working full-time. You could live here until you decide on a place."

"Live here? Is my Sarah coming back home?" Lee walked in the room, a questioning look on his face. All three women looked at him. The Agency section chief, who had stared down many a KGB agent in his day, was suddenly uncomfortable. "Uh, shouldn't we have the cake? I think the kids all need to get home to bed."

Sarah was relieved. She needed time to think. Alone. It was definitely time for cake, then home. Georgetown home.

"Sorry, Lee. You caught us in the middle of a discussion. I invited Sarah to stay in Mother's old apartment until she had time to find a place of her own. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind." Lee looked at Sarah. He decided to wait until later to ask Amanda why their youngest looked so miserable. He reached over and put his arm around his daughter as they followed Amanda out of the kitchen singing "Happy Birthday" to Jamie.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Matt Granger leaned over to catch his breath. The rain had stopped, and he had finally eluded his three pursuers. I guess all that running we did in the Corps at A&M and in the Army come in handy in this line of work, he thought to himself. And keeping up his workout regime here in D.C. had been worth the hassle. He shifted his thoughts back to his mission. Chief Stetson is going to kill me. What was I thinking? I could have kept that envelope and brought it to the Agency or the contact myself. Who am I kidding? Those thugs almost got me. The contact would have been long gone by now, and I'm at least five miles from the drop. At least the contact's cover isn't compromised—I hope.

Matt looked around. Remembering his training, he mapped out in his head a route back to the Agency. Might as well face the firing squad now and get it over with. I'll be in more trouble if I wait. As he walked, Matt started to work on a way to tell his bosses what he had done. Matt was glad he was still under the watchful eye of his trainer, the section chief's wife. Her name was Amanda Stetson, but she went by the code name of Mrs. King. He wasn't sure why, because after over twenty-four years, all of the enemy operatives probably knew she and the Scarecrow were married. Certainly it was common knowledge at the Agency.

Matt knew he would end up meeting with both Mr. and Mrs. Stetson, and probably the bullpen supervisor, Mrs. Beaman. It was after nine at night. At least two of those three people would be in bad moods. It was just supposed to be a courier run, and he had blown it. His thoughts swirled inside his head. Why did I have to give the envelope away? Think man, think. How can I find that girl again?

Matt forced himself to remember as many details as he could from their brief meeting. The rain had been beating on his face, so his vision was off, but he could never forget how beautiful she was. She had soft brown hair, delicate features, smooth skin, and the most expressive hazel eyes. Eyes that were wide with fear. She must have been scared to death. Matt felt a pang of guilt. What have I gotten that poor girl into? Oh God, what if those gorillas try to track her down? I've got to remember something besides her gorgeous looks. I've been trained to observe. I need some details.

Matt had seen the girl rummaging through her book bag, probably looking for a phone—at least she hadn't pulled out pepper spray. On the seat next to her had been a gym bag with a logo on it. That's it! The bag was from Georgetown University! Maybe she'll head to the gym and I can find her there. I sure hope there is only one gym…

Matt was nearing the Agency back entrance. No foyer tonight—too risky. He stopped for a moment and listened, then looked carefully in every direction. Still no tails. Sighing a breath of relief, he quickly entered the building.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

The last dish wiped, Lee switched off the kitchen lights and followed Amanda upstairs. As he entered the room, he saw her attempt to unclasp her necklace. "Here, let me help you."

"Oh, thank you, Lee." Amanda held her hair aside and waited patiently while Lee worked at the necklace. It held special memories for them both—Amanda had worn the heart pendant since before they were married. He ignored the brief flashback to finding it in Adi Birol's pocket and focused on enjoying his wife's nearness. He handed her the necklace, but didn't move away. Amanda leaned back against him and sighed. "Tonight was nice."

Lee kissed Amanda's hair and slipped his arms around her. They stood together in silence for a moment. "Sarah seemed to have a lot on her mind tonight. Did she open up with you?"

"She's so like you, Lee. She keeps her feelings to herself." Amanda turned around and looked lovingly at her husband, and then went on. "Sarah is pretty sure that Jeff has been waiting until she finished her thesis…he seems ready to propose."

Lee stepped away and ran his fingers through his hair. He knew this was coming, but it still was hard to hear. Jeff is nice enough, but he reminds me of Dan, or Don, or was that Dean? Good old, dependable, boring whatever his name was. What did Amanda ever see in him, anyway? Knowing better than to voice his feelings out loud to her, he searched for something to say. "How does Sarah feel about it?"

"I know she's fond of Jeff, but she doesn't seem excited about the thought of him proposing. You know, when Phillip asked Sarah about her job at the Smithsonian, she practically babbled on about it. When Jennifer and I were talking about Jeff, Sarah acted like she wanted to bolt. Did you see how quickly she left after the cake?"

Lee was surprised and a little hurt by Sarah's sudden departure. "Now that you've told me about Jeff, it makes sense. She's not ready, and she's scared."

"Is that Daddy talking, or someone who understands how Sarah feels?" Amanda wasn't teasing Lee—he knew she was trying to work things out in her mind.

"Well, I'll admit that I am a little jealous. You know me too well. But, I also know my daughter. We are a lot alike. You remember that she picked NYU when her old boyfriend started to think about going to UVa with her? She tends to run when things get serious."

"Lee, why don't you call Sarah tomorrow and invite her to stay in Mother's old apartment? Maybe she'll talk with you. She's had a rough few months. Maybe she just needs some perspective. I'd hate for her to run away from a good relationship."

Lee didn't quite agree about the good relationship, but he was more than willing to talk his daughter into moving into the apartment over the garage. Maybe I can encourage her to take her time and not rush things.

"I will give her a call tomorrow." Lee pulled Amanda into his arms. "Right now, I'd like to change the subject." He leaned down to give her a kiss.

Amanda put her arms around his neck and drew closer as she kissed him back. She looked into his eyes. "I love you, Lee Stetson."

"I love you, Amanda Stetson." Kissing her more passionately this time, Lee caressed Amanda's back as they both moved towards the bed.

Then the phone rang.