"Amanda?"

"Hmmm?"

"How many cards?"

"Hmmm." Amanda stared at the fan of playing cards in her hand, as if they would tell her what to do if she only listened hard enough. Lee and Amanda sat comfortably on the floor in Lee's living room, using his apartment as a temporary casino.

Lee tapped one of his chips on his coffee table warningly. "Amanda, They won't let you take this long at the casino."

"Go fish." She looked up at him from under her lashes.

Lee put his hand over the deck, his eyes threatening to take her up on her offer, before she protested, "No, you stop right there!" She looked doubtfully at her hand again and back up at Lee resignedly, "Ok, Ok, I want three cards."

"Three?"

"Three."

"All right, three cards for the lady." Lee dealt the cards with flourish. "Dealer takes two."

Amanda picked her cards up. Looking at what she'd been dealt, her face fell dramatically. She dropped her cards down on the carpet face up.

"Amanda!" Lee exclaimed, turning her cards back over quickly.

"What?! I didn't get what I wanted."

"Oh for crying-" Lee put his cards down onto the deck. "Amanda, you cannot just fold like that. Just because you didn't get what you wanted at first, doesn't mean you can't still win."

"Oh." Amanda did not seem terribly upset. "Well, what did you have?"

"I'm not going to tell you that! You didn't go far enough to get to see!"

Amanda, laughing at his earnestness, said, "Ok, fine."

"Look Amanda, unless you learn to bluff you are going to blow your cover tomorrow night SO fast" Lee snapped his fingers at her.

Amanda rolled her eyes, but nodded her head solemnly. "All right, lets try it one more time." Lee narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously as she gave him the Junior Trailblazers' version of scout's honor.

"Ante up." Lee dealt the cards again, shaking his head, smiling.

Amanda donned her best poker face and arranged her cards in her hand. Lee picked up his cards and looked up at Amanda.

"Amanda?"

"Yes?" Her voice was muffled from trying to keep her face still.

"Is that your attempt at a poker face?" Amanda nodded seriously. "You look like one of those heads on Easter Island."

Amanda's face broke into a smile as she settled back with a more relaxed version of her poker face. "Ok, Dealer, I would like one card please." She slid her discard across the floor.

"One card?"

"Yes, one card."

"One? Are you sure?"

"Lee, are you going to do this tomorrow night?"

"Of course not, okay, ONE card for the lady." He took the card from the top and placed the card on the carpet in front of her. As she reached for it Lee covered her hand with his. "You're sure now?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" She covertly added the card to her hand, her eyes widening.

"Amanda- don't"

"What? I didn't say a word!" She looked at him with wide innocent eyes. "Aren't you supposed to take some now?"

"Dealer takes two."

"Two?" Amanda mimicked sweetly.

"Yes, two - hey you watch it." Amanda covered her mouth to keep from laughing. "Ok, what do you want to do now?"

Amanda looked at her hand and then looked at Lee, saying, "I'll raise you."

Lee raised his eyebrows. "Ok, go ahead and put in your raise." Amanda plucked two chips into the pot. "Ok, I'll see your two cents and raise you another two," Lee said, adding his two chips to the pot, "Now you can raise or call or fold."

Amanda looked at her cards again and looked at Lee. "I want to raise again."

"Oh you do, do you?"

"Yes."

Lee gestured for her to proceed.

Amanda pushed all her chips into the pot and looked challengingly at Lee. "Amanda that's a whole two dollars you are giving me."

"Ha. We'll see about that."

"Well I'll see your two dollars and raise you another two."

Amanda's mouth dropped open. "But I don't have any more chips!"

Lee shrugged mischievously, "Well, what else have you got?"

"All right Stetson," Amanda said, as she thought for a moment, "I'll bet one weeks' laundry." Lee shook his head. "Dinner?" He shook his head. "Vacuuming? Typing? Cleaning your apartment?" Lee was shaking his head adamantly now. "Fine, one free coupon for whatever" Lee broke into a huge grin and she pointed a finger at him, emphasizing, "WITHIN reason."

"Deal."

"BUT- if I win" Amanda bit her lip, continuing, "if I win, you have to volunteer to be the Agency Santa Claus this Christmas!"

Lee drew back in mock horror. He threw down his cards. "This is too rich for my blood, I fold."

Amanda threw up her arms in triumph, exclaiming, "Ha!" as she bent forward, and encompassing all the chips in the pot in her arms, slid them towards her on the carpet.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't gloat like this tomorrow."

Amanda started stacking up her winnings in neat rows. "Oh, I won't."

"So what did you have anyway?" Lee asked casually.

"I'm sorry, you don't get to see. You didn't get that far." She still had the cards in her hands and now she put both hands behind her back.

"Amanda-" Lee held out his hand as he said, "as your senior agent, I order you to show me those cards."

Amanda shook her head, inching away from him. "Never."

Lee moved towards her stealthily and made a lunge for the cards sending Amanda toppling backwards. Lee landed on top of her, one hand under her back and one propping himself up off of the floor.

"Whoops!" She was pinned. After a moment Amanda's laughter died as she tried to catch her breath. She did not dare look up at Lee who was not laughing.

Lee was leaning slowly down towards her, his face coming towards hers

The shrill ring from the telephone startled Lee and he lost his balance, bumping heads with Amanda.

"Ouch!" Lee scrambled up from the floor holding his forehead and grabbing the phone with more force than necessary. "Yes?!"

Amanda stared up at the ceiling for a moment, a small smile forming on her lips. She rubbed her forehead, knowing they would have matching bumps the next day. Amanda pulled herself up from the ground and hastily gathered her things.

When Lee hung up the phone Amanda was standing near the door. "Lee, I'd better get going."

Lee followed her to the door. "Amanda?" he spoke her name hesitantly, searching her eyes.

Amanda smiled up at him and shook her head. There was a gleam in her eye. "I'll see you tomorrow, goodnight, Lee."

Lee watched as Amanda walked to the elevator. It wasn't until the doors closed behind her, though, that Lee realized Amanda still had the cards.