Lee Stetson sat upright in bed, shaking. He had just had the most horrible nightmare. He had cried out in his dream, but what he wondered is if his cry had carried over into the real world. He glanced down at the sleeping figure next to him. I guess not, He thought. Amanda's a light sleeper. If I'd cried out, she'd be awake now. He smiled as he gazed longingly at his sleeping wife. He couldn't wait until tomorrow when Amanda had her postpartum check-up. He missed making love to her and he knew she missed it too. He quietly slipped out of bed.

When she was sure he was out of sight, Amanda slipped out after him and followed him as he walked through the house. He crept first to Phillip's room. He panicked for a moment seeing the empty bed, before remembering that he and Jamie were spending a couple of nights with Joe. He breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't believe what these nightmares were doing to his mind. He then made his way to the nursery. He walked in, saw the two cribs side by side, and glanced first at one, then the other. He noticed that his tiny daughter, Jennie, was awake. He walked over to her crib and picked her up before she had a chance to cry and wake her twin brother, Matt. He then went to the rocking chair sitting in the middle of the room and rocked gently with her in his arms, his nightmare forgotten for the moment.

He couldn't believe the miracle that unfolded before him every time he looked at his children. His life was so full now. He had a gorgeous, loving wife, two great teenage stepsons, two beautiful six-week-old babies, and a career that he loved.

The only thing he wished is that his parents could have lived to see their grandchildren. It wasn't fair. They were taken so young. They didn't really have much of a chance to live before they were killed. "Damn Blackthorne," he said, cursing the man who had taken his parents from him when he was only five. No wonder I'm having nightmares again. All I can think about is how my mom and dad weren't able to be there for me when I was growing up. I just worry so much that that's one day going to happen with my own children.

"Don't worry, Jennie, my baby. I'm going to be here to watch you grow up." Amanda nodded, having heard what she needed to hear and went back to bed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The following morning, in a secret CIA office, Jennifer Hamilton Stetson sat staring in disbelief at what she'd just been told. She stood up and slammed her fist on the desk.

"What do you mean, Thomas Blackthorne's been dead for two years?!" She exclaimed. "I should have been told about this! You mean to tell me that I've been hiding from him all this time when I could have spent that time looking for my son! I haven't seen him since he was five years old!" The man on the other side of the desk turned pale, but Jennifer didn't care. His father had helped her for years when she was in hiding. If her were still alive, this wouldn't have happened.

"I...I...I'm sorry, Ma'am," he stammered. "We just got this information today. It came from a top-secret government agency. They guard their records better than anybody else." He was getting rather annoyed with this woman, but he had promised his father that he would continue to help her. He just hoped no one would ever find out about it. He could lose his job. If it hadn't been for her excellent record with MI6 prior to the reports that were filed against her, he would never have taken such a chance, despite his father's dying wishes.

"So, what you're telling me is that your branch of the government doesn't communicate with their branch of the government?"

"Basically. All we really know is that some agent codenamed Scarecrow is the one who killed him. There was something about Blackthorne hiring a hit man to kill a political official and this agent shot him in self-defense."

"I see. And I don't suppose you've kept up on where my son is like you promised you would."

"Um..." He hesitated. "We've run every kind of background check on Lee Matthew Stetson that we can and well, it's...almost...well...almost like he doesn't exist. Even his driver's license records are sealed."

"I can't fathom how that could possibly be a problem for anyone at the CIA," she said haughtily. "Aren't you supposed to be the best at gathering intelligence?"

"We've tried, but all we keep getting is that to get any information on him, you have to have someone with a OSC-3 clearance or higher. There are very few people with security clearances that high the ones who have that aren't budging. All we really have are surveillance photos, but this guy, your son; he's like a spook. I have to wonder if he isn't an agent himself. Every time that we assign someone to him, he catches onto them and we have to start all over again. These pictures were taken about a year and a half ago at a DC restaurant called Emelio's." He handed her a picture of Lee sitting at the bar. Her heart leapt as she looked at the picture of Lee and saw her dead husband.

"He looks just like Matthew."

"Well, I don't know about that, Ma'am. I did talk to the bartender and he said that Mr. Stetson and his wife are regulars there."

"Lee's married?" Of course he is, you bloody idiot. she scolded herself. He's not the child you left behind. He's almost thirty-eight years old. He's probably been married for years.

"According to the bartender, he is. Also, if you want to find out any information on the Blackthorne case, I suggest you contact this man." He said as he handed her a business card. She took it and looked at it.

"William Melrose?"

"Yes. He's the head of that Scarecrow guy's unit. He wouldn't tell me Scarecrow's name or anything though, just a bunch of bull about national security and all that jazz. Since your son's records are sealed, he may be able to help you there as well."

"You didn't tell him why you were asking about Blackthorne, did you?"

"Of course not. That might have jeopardized your safety."

"And the other matter?"

"I'm sorry. We haven't had any luck with that."

She'd had all she could take."I guess I'll bloody well have to handle it myself then." The young agent only stared at her. "This means I'm free to go now, right? The threat to me is over and I can safely try to find my son?"

"That's what it means. I wish you well, Mrs. Stetson.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Amanda Stetson sat at the bar of Emelio's, waiting for her husband. She kept looking at her watch and glancing at the door expectantly. Norman, the bartender, saw her nervousness and walked over.

"Relax, Amanda. He'll be here." He said, trying to ease her mind.

"I'm just a little concerned. I'm ten minutes late and he's still not here." She said; ready to panic if he didn't get there soon. The life of an agent was always unpredictable. She'd worried about him even more since she'd been on maternity leave and couldn't be there in the field with him. She couldn't wait to go back to work tomorrow, but tonight was just for her and Lee. Her mother had agreed to watch the twins for the night. She'd just gotten a release from her doctor today. She was so lost in her thoughts; she didn't notice the woman who was sitting beside her.

"He probably just got stuck in traffic or something." The phone rang. Norman answered it. "Emelio's, Norman speaking...Yeah, she's right here...hold on. Oh, Mrs. Stetson." He called out jokingly to Amanda. The woman beside Amanda looked up from her drink at that. "There's someone who'd like to talk to you."

"Who?"

"Mr. Stetson." He said, smiling as he handed her the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Sweetheart, I'm sorry I'm late. I was wrapped up in something at work and lost track on time. I'm in the car on the way over there right now."

"Good. I was worried about you. I love you."

"I love you too." He said. "See you soon." She handed Norman the phone.

"Feel better, Amanda?"

"Yes. Thanks, Norman."

"Anytime. I've got to go check on these guys down at the end of the bar."

"OK." Amanda noticed that the woman next to her was staring at her. This annoyed her to no end. She was beginning to become paranoid when strangers stared at her because she never knew who she could trust. "Can I help you?" Amanda asked crisply.

"I'm sorry. I just overheard the bartender calling you Mrs. Stetson and I was thinking what an incredible coincidence it is." As she spoke, her British accent was undeniable.

"Really?" Amanda said sharply, still wondering what her intentions were. "How is that?"

"I'm a Mrs. Stetson too. Maybe there's some connection."

Amanda glanced at her warily. "I really don't think so. My husband's an orphan."

Jennifer's heart leapt as she thought that this woman's husband might well be the man she was looking for. "Well, maybe a distant relative then."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the only family my husband has besides me and our children, is an uncle and he's not a Stetson."

Children? Jennifer thought. Am I a grandmother? No, probably not. That cheeky young man probably didn't know what he was talking about when he said Lee comes here. That man wasn't anywhere near the agent his father had been, but what choice did she have? He was the only one she could trust at the time. She sighed.

"Hmmm. So sorry to have bothered you," She said as she made her way to the door, looking utterly defeated.

Later that evening, Lee and Amanda were sitting in their favorite booth, drinking coffee, dinner long over.

"So, did Norman keep you entertained while you waited for me?" Lee asked.

"A little bit. You know the strangest thing happened tonight. There was this woman here earlier, about maybe 60 years old or so, who heard him call me Mrs. Stetson and insisted that we had to be related somehow. She seemed so...I don't know...almost heartbroken when I told her that you don't have any family."

"Sure, I do." He teased. "I have you and our four great kids."

"I meant besides us." She said exasperated.

"I know you did." He winked at her, smiling his special "for Amanda only" smile.

"I'm glad you think this is so amusing. You didn't see this woman tonight. She acted like she was searching for something or someone."

"She's probably just a lonely woman with no family left, who's looking for some kind of companionship."

"You're probably right. I just wish you could have seen her face. She looked so utterly lost."

"That's one of the things I love about you. You always feel the need to take care of people, even perfect strangers." He leaned across the table and kissed her gently.

"So, are you ready to go back to work tomorrow?"

"Yes and no. I miss the agency, but I'm not sure I'm ready to leave Matt and Jennie alone."

"They'll hardly be alone. They have the most doting grandmother I've ever seen. She's probably got them all tucked into bed safe and sound at her house." After their secrets had been revealed upon Amanda discovering she was pregnant, they'd sold the house on Maplewood and bought a ranch with an old carriage house out back where Dotty was now living. They had plenty of room in the main house, but Dotty had insisted that they needed more privacy yet she still lived close enough to watch the kids when Lee and Amanda were gone.

"It's too bad your parents didn't live long enough to see their grandchildren. I'm sure they'd have been tickled pink."

"Yeah."

"I bet they'd be thrilled to see the fine man you've become." He nodded sadly.

"Amanda, why are you bringing this up?"

She gently took one of his hands in hers."Lee, I know you've been having nightmares again."

"Nightmares?" He said innocently as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Don't try to deny it. You've woken up in the middle of the night shaking every night for the past two months."

"I thought you were still asleep."

"I know you did. I was hoping you'd confide in me on your own. You can trust me, remember?" She reached for his other hand and squeezed it gently.

"I know. It's just hard to talk about."

"That's what I'm here for. Why won't you talk to me about what's troubling you?"

"It's not important really. It just goes back to an old daydream of mine when I was a kid."

"You want to tell me about it?" she probed. She had to help him through this. It was killing her to see the pain on his face every night.

"Why? It's silly, honestly."

"Because something is causing you to have those nightmares; it might help to talk about it."

"Well, when I was a kid, I used to have this fantasy that my parents weren't really dead, but that they were out there somewhere hiding from the bad guys and that they were going to come back for me one day and we'd be a real family. Crazy, huh?"

"Not at all."

"You didn't know you married such a fruitcake, did you?" He asked her as he hung his head. She picked up his chin and looked deeply into his eyes.

"I don't think you're a fruitcake, Sweetheart. I think you just had the kind of daydreams that any kid in your circumstances would have had."

"It's just that since right before the twins were born, I keep having this fear of history repeating itself. That with you and I both being agents like my parents were that we'll someday leave them to be raised by someone else, just like what happened to me."

"That's not going to happen to us."

"How can you be so sure? We deal with a bunch of nuts out there."

"How many times have you heard Billy say that you and I are the best agent team he's got?"

"I don't know. How many cases have we solved together over the last five years?"

"Hundreds."

"Then there you go. That's how many times Billy's said it, but just because he says it, doesn't mean I believe it. I just have this terrible feeling that something is going to happen and it has something to do with my parents."

"Well, you're not going to do anybody any good if all you do is worry. Why don't we go home? I went shopping today after my appointment and I think I've got just the thing to cheer you up."

"Really?" He asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Really," She said with a mischievous grin. "Now, Come on."