Steele Upon a Christmas
Date: Tuesday, December 26, 2006
"Lori" <LLanham@fuse.net>
 
Thanks to Debra, as always for the great editing! Thanks to Zinger for
her thoughts and comments.
Characters from RS used without permission.
Permission to Archive
 
Steele Upon a Christmas
(AN- Set one year after "Dancer, Prancer, Donner, and Steele"… for the
sake of the story, "Bonds" and Season 5 never happened and by this
time Remington and Laura have "crossed the line.")
 
Laura Holt smiled as she checked off her Christmas list:
Mildred would love her subscription to the Forsyth House Romances Book
of the Month Club.
Frances would be thrilled with her gift as well. Laura was proud of
how well her sister was doing in her classes, even though Donald
wasn't ready for her to join the practice; and she knew Frances would
love the USC gear she'd gotten her as much as the designer outfit
Remington had insisted she buy for her.
The kids were easy; she always found the latest toys and picked up
something else that Frances said they needed. This year it was school
clothes. It seemed Mindy and Danny thought their mother's Connecticut
style wasn't working in California.
Donald was getting a golf outfit and the new Callaway driver he'd been
wanting. He'd been hinting at it for months--- every time they all got
together to play.
Her mother would love the Correia lamp that Laura just couldn't resist
buying. She knew Abigail would insist it was too much, but she would
be secretly thrilled.
She picked up something for Fred, her building manager and the doormen
at the Twin Century Buildings. She'd gotten gifts to send to Murphy
and to Bernice. And she'd even sent a little something to Wilson and
his wife, as they'd stayed in touch since she and Remington had
attended their wedding the previous spring.
She had managed to get through her list rather quickly, but there was
one last person to buy for… and his gift had to be perfect. She and
Remington were closer than ever, and she wanted him for once to have a
Christmas worth remembering. She'd been at the Beverly Center for
hours, but nothing shouted "Remington Steele."
She glanced at her watch and realized that she didn't have time to
continue shopping. She and Remington were going out to choose a
Christmas tree for his apartment. She was looking forward to
decorating the condo and getting him into the Christmas spirit. She
barely had time to take her packages back to the loft, change and get
to his apartment on time and she didn't want to give him any excuses
to change his mind. As she headed out of the mall, she rushed past a
travel agency and an idea began to form. Smiling to herself, she
realized that maybe Mr. Steele wouldn't be as hard to buy for as she
thought.
*~*~*~*~*
Laura wrapped her arms around Remington's right one and rested her
head against his shoulder as they walked through the Christmas tree
lot. Christmas was the only time of year that she sometimes regretted
living in California. Though she hated the cold, she loved the idea of
snow at Christmas--it was always one of the things that got her
through holiday visits to her mother in Connecticut. Since the Holts
weren't all together for Christmas last year and her daughters
couldn't make the trip east this year, either, Abigail had relented
and decided to come to Los Angeles for the holiday. She was staying at
the Pipers, where they would all gather for Christmas dinner.
This was Remington's first Holt family gathering and Laura was a
little nervous. Frances and Donald knew about Laura's relationship
with Remington as the four of them had been spending a lot of time
together. Laura found it very nice to be able to share this part of
her life with her sister. Remington and Donald had become friends. It
was all going so smoothly, but of course that couldn't last---not with
an impending visit from Hurricane Abigail. Her mother knew that Laura
was dating Remington, but she didn't know how serious they really
were. Moreover, Laura wasn't sure she was ready for her mother's
inevitable interference in her relationship.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Remington asked, looking down at her.
"I was thinking about my mother," she said, honestly. "I don't know if
I'm ready for her to know the truth about us."
"The truth?" he asked. "She knows we're together, doesn't she?"
"Yes, Mr. Steele, she knows we're together," Laura said with a sigh.
"But she doesn't know how together we are."
"Well, I shouldn't think that's something we have to tell her,
Darling," he said, as he stopped and took her in his arms.
"We won't have to," Laura told him, leaning her head back to look at
him. "She'll know."
He looked puzzled.
"Frances did," Laura went on. She reached up to kiss him.
Remington loved this development in their relationship. Here they were
in the middle of a Christmas tree lot- granted it was getting dark,
but still they were out in public- and Laura kissed him. She did not
think about what it might look like or what people would think- she
just kissed him. It was natural, it was right. He was looking forward
to Christmas with Abigail and the Pipers. He could only hope it would
be the first of many.
Breaking the kiss, he took Laura's hand in his. "What say we pick a
tree and go home?" he asked.
Home, she thought with a smile.
They had been practically living together for the past few months,
dividing their time between the loft and his condo. It did not matter
to her where they were, as long as they were together. She realized
that she was ready to take the next step in their relationship,
whatever that might be. She didn't know if she could suggest they move
in together, but it did seem silly to pay for two apartments when they
were spending nearly every night together.
She would have to give the idea some more thought. Whatever they
decided, they couldn't make any changes until after her mother went
back to Connecticut, anyway.
*~*~*~*~*
Laura stood before the beautifully lit tree. With the ornaments they'd
bought and some of the special ones she had brought from her loft, it
was an elegant sight. It really was perfect. The longer she looked at
it, the more she realized how romantic it was. Their first Christmas
tree- first of many, she hoped. She had helped Remington, over his
protests, to decorate the condo in Christmases past and she had put up
a tree when she lived with Wilson, but this was different. It was
something she and Remington had done together.
She smiled and leaned against him as he walked up behind her and
wrapped his arms around her waist.
"It's lovely," he said to her, admiring the tree.
"It is, isn't it?" she replied with a smile. He kissed her temple and
pulled her tighter into his embrace as she closed her eyes and enjoyed
the feel of his arms around her. "Perfect," she added with a quiet sigh.
Yes, perfect, he thought.
He could not imagine a more beautiful sight than Laura bathed in the
twinkling lights. His Laura. He knew now that she really was his. He
even sensed that she was ready to move their relationship forward. He
thought about the square velvet covered box tucked away safely in his
sock drawer. He had wanted to give it to her for so long. Now they
were both ready, but he thought that Christmas just wasn't the right
time. Though it could be very romantic, it was also predictable.
Remington Steele was nothing if not spontaneous. Besides, they were
spending Christmas with her family and when the moment came, he wanted
to have Laura all to himself. He would just have to wait a while… at
least, until Abigail left for Connecticut. Laura was always so tense
when her mother was around. As soon as the holidays were over, he
would ask Laura to be his bride.
She turned in his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist. She wanted
to stay this way forever. Relaxed. Happy. In love. They still hadn't
said the words, but she had begun to realize that they didn't need
them. She knew Remington loved her and she was sure that she loved
him---more than she'd ever loved anyone.
"You know what we need?" Laura asked. "Eggnog. You can't have a proper
holiday celebration without eggnog."
"I thought you might say that," Remington said, stepping from their
embrace. "Why don't you put on some music?"
He watched as she walked over to the stereo. She flipped through the
cassette tapes, smiling when she came across a brand new copy of
"Snowfall, The Tony Bennett Christmas Album." Maybe Remington was
adopting her love of the holiday, after all. She popped the tape into
the stereo and closed her eyes as the strains of "My Favorite Things"
filled the apartment.
He watched until she found the new Tony Bennett tape he'd bought for
her and then disappeared into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he
returned and carried a tray over to the coffee table. Laura nearly
squealed with delight when she saw two cups of eggnog sprinkled with
nutmeg flanking a tray of gingerbread men. Had she told him about her
grandmother's cookies? She was sure she hadn't, but knowing how much
she loved gingerbread cookies was just another way he showed her that
he loved her.
*~*~*~*~*
"Good morning, Mildred," Laura said as she entered the office.
"Good morning, Miss Holt."
"Any calls?" Laura asked.
Mildred shook her head.
"Appointments?"
Mildred shook her head.
"Peace on earth," Laura said, picking up the mail. "It's great for the
soul, but rotten for business."
"Where's the Boss?" Mildred asked.
"He had some errands," Laura said absently as she flipped through the
mail, "probably finishing his Christmas shopping." She stopped and set
the mail down on the desk. "You know, there's nothing going on here
and there's not likely to be anything coming up any time soon. Why
don't you go on home?"
Mildred started to protest.
"In fact," Laura continued, "we were going to close early this week
anyway. I think we should just go ahead and shut down until after the
first of the year. You could even go up to Seattle to visit Eunice."
"Oh, Miss Holt," Mildred responded, "that would be wonderful, but I
couldn't leave you and Mr. Steele in the lurch."
"Can you keep a secret, Mildred?" Laura asked with a twinkle in her
eye. When Mildred nodded, she continued. "We won't be here; I'm taking
Mr. Steele for a Christmas vacation. We're leaving the morning after
Christmas and we'll be back after the New Year."
Mildred grinned and raised her eyebrows, she loved their little "gal
to gal" chats, though they hadn't talked lately. Mildred could see
there had been a dramatic change in her bosses' relationship, but
Laura hadn't exactly confided in her about it. "Someplace romantic, I
hope," she said.
"I hope so, too, Mildred," Laura admitted, biting her lower lip. "I've
never been there myself, but it's a city with a lot of history and it
is supposed to be quite romantic."
"So things are going well with you two?" Mildred asked.
"Yes, Mildred," she said, nodding. "Things are going well."
*~*~*~*~*
"Things couldn't be going worse," Remington Steele muttered as he
flipped through yet another rack of designer dresses. He had been
shopping all morning and still couldn't find the perfect gift for
Laura. He had been shopping for Laura's gift for months, but nothing
seemed right. He knew how much she loved Christmas, and every year he
agonized over what to get her. And every year, it seemed to get
harder. The closer they became, the more perfect the gift had to be.
Although they still hadn't said the words, she knew that he loved her.
He could see that she was winning the hard fought battle of needing
words to support actions. He knew she loved him, as well. She'd shown
it to him in so many ways over the past several years. The fact that
she'd finally allowed their relationship to move forward said more
than anything, but it was certainly only one way that she'd shown her
love.
He thought about the ring that was waiting for her back at his
apartment. Knowing that he'd be giving it to her soon after the
holidays took a little of the pressure off of the gift giving. He knew
she would like anything he gave her. The realization seemed to make
the shopping easier. He soon had everything he needed and was headed
to the office.
*~*~*~*~*
He walked into the empty office and called out, "Laura!" When he
didn't see her, he poked his head into her office.
"Oh, hi," she said, looking up with a smile. "Get all your shopping
finished?"
"Yes," he answered, walking in to the office. He crossed the room and
leaned over to kiss her. "Where's Mildred?"
"I sent her home," Laura answered, then kissed him again. "Actually,
I sent her to Seattle."
"You sent her to Seattle?"
"Mmm-hmm," Laura nodded. "To visit her sister."
"But, Laura," Remington protested, "you do remember what happened the
last time we tried to run this place without her…"
"No problem," Laura said, interrupting. "We won't be here, either."
He looked at her quizzically.
"I thought we'd take an extra couple of days off," she said, answering
his unasked question. "You know how it is this time of year. We're not
exactly overrun with clients. Besides, it will give us time to unwind
and spend some time together… before we have to spend the holiday with
my family."
"I like the way you think, Miss Holt," he said, leaning in for another
kiss. "You know I'd never give up any opportunity to spend time alone
with you, but I am looking forward to visiting with your family."
Laura shook her head. "Come on," she said, standing. "Let's go home."
"Your place or mine?" he asked with a grin.
"Both, actually," she answered. "I have to run by the loft, but I'll
meet you at your apartment."
"Then I'll stop by the market and pick up some things for dinner," he
said, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Good idea," she said, leaning into his embrace. "I have a feeling
we'll need sustenance."
*~*~*~*~*
Several days later, and after a quiet, romantic Christmas Eve dinner,
Laura sat in front of the fire sipping champagne. Remington walked
over and sat down beside her. He leaned over toward the Christmas tree
and reached for a box.
"Merry Christmas, Love," he said as he handed Laura the large package.
Laura smiled and bit her bottom lip. Try as she might, she couldn't
help feeling like a little girl at Christmastime. She loved presents,
especially his. She looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of the man
she loved so much.
"Thank you," she said, practically giggling. She leaned over to kiss him.
"Don't thank me yet," he said with a wink. "Open it first."
He watched in amusement as she slowly and carefully removed the paper
from the package. She folded it and set it beside her before taking
the lid off the box.
"Oh, Rem," she said softly, "it's beautiful." She held up a beautiful
red halter dress. She knew he loved to see her in red and this dress
was just further proof of that. It wasn't something she would have
chosen, but she could imagine herself in it. More importantly, she
could imagine the look on his face when he saw her in it.
Remington continued handing her boxes and Laura continued opening them
until she had the complete ensemble to go with the dress… shoes, bag,
jewelry, and even beautiful lingerie that caused her to blush when she
opened the box. He'd thought of everything- but then again, he always did.
"Do you really like it?" he asked nervously.
"Oh, yes," she said, setting aside the box she'd been holding. She
threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. "It's perfect,"
she told him. "And I know exactly where I'm going to wear it."
She crawled across him to reach for a box from under the tree. She
handed it to him.
Remington held the box in his hands and looked at Laura curiously.
"It's light as a feather," he said, raising an eyebrow.
"Open it," she said with a grin. Laura was slightly nervous, hoping
that he would be happy with her surprise.
Remington tore off the paper and pulled back the lid of the box. He
again looked at Laura, his eyes full of curiosity. He turned his
attention back to the box he held in his hands. He moved away the
tissue paper. A grin spread across his face as he took out the folder
containing two plane tickets. He'd been trying to convince Laura to go
away with him for weeks and he was more than pleased that she had
planned a trip for them. He took the tickets out and read them, and
then he turned to Laura.
"Savannah, Georgia?" he asked.
She nodded. "It's a beautiful city, full of history," she said, "and
they say it's very romantic."
"Romantic is good," he agreed, leaning over to kiss her. "Thank you."
"I didn't know what to get you, and I wanted your gift to be perfect,"
she admitted, as she leaned in for another kiss. "But I just couldn't
find the right thing. Then, when I saw the travel agency, I realized
that a romantic adventure would be the perfect gift for the great
Remington Steele."
"Oh, Laura," he said, softly brushing her hair from her forehead. "I
got the perfect gift the day I became Remington Steele," he said
quietly before he kissed her. "That was the day you became a part of
my life."
"You do say the sweetest things, Mr. Steele," she said in her best
southern drawl.
Remington pulled her into his lap and kissed her. He held her close as
they enjoyed the silence and the firelight.
"We leave first thing Friday morning," Laura told him after a few
moments. "That will give us an excuse to leave Frances and Donald's
early."
"Laura, darling," he said, "I don't know why you're so worried about
our spending Christmas with your family. I'm looking forward to it."
"Do you remember how Frances and Donald acted when we first confirmed
for them that we were," she paused, "together?" As he nodded, she
continued. "It was excruciating. The curiosity, the goofy looks…."
"But we've spent so much time with them since then," he said,
interrupting her. "They and the children have been wonderful. You and
Frances have been getting along famously, and I've enjoyed getting to
know Donald better these last several months."
"I know," Laura said with a sigh. "You're right. I think it's really
my mother that I'm worried about."
"Don't," Remington said as he kissed her softly. "Abigail and I have
always gotten along. What's the matter?" he asked. "Do you think she
won't approve?"
Laura laughed. "No," she said. "Quite the opposite, in fact. She
thinks you're the catch of the century. She'll have us picking out
china patterns before dessert."
Remington filed that information away for later use. Having Abigail on
his side might just prove to be a good thing. But he didn't really
want to think about Abigail or the Pipers any longer. Tonight was just
about Laura and him. It was their private holiday celebration and he
had other plans for his lady love.
"Speaking of dessert," he said as he leaned in to place a series of
soft kisses on her neck. He then stood and held out his hand to her.
Laura stood and stepped into Remington's embrace. They kissed and held
each other for a long moment. Then he took her hand and led her to the
bedroom.
 
*~*~*~*~*
 
Christmas at the Pipers was quite festive. Remington enjoyed seeing
the holiday through the eyes of the children, especially Laurie Beth.
Maybe it was because she was the youngest or maybe because she
reminded him of how Laura might have been at that age, but Remington
Steele and the youngest Piper had developed a bond.
Frances had served coffee and dessert and the children were enjoying
their new toys while the adults looked on.
"Uncle Remington!" Laurie Beth called out over the noise of the
adults' conversation.
"Coming, darling," Remington instinctively called back as he
immediately made his way to the other side of the room where she was
playing with her new dollhouse.
Abigail raised an inquisitive eyebrow as they watched Remington focus
his attention on the little girl. "Uncle Remington?" she asked.
"It's just a form of respect, Mother," Laura answered. "The children
can't very well call him Mr. Steele all the time and Frances doesn't
like them calling adults by their first names. Laurie Beth actually
called him that on her own one day and we decided it would be all
right." Laura hated having to explain herself to her mother, and she
knew what Abigail was thinking.
"As long as the children aren't confused," Abigail said. "You and
Remington do seem to be awfully close these days, Dear."
"We are, Mother," Laura replied, praying that this conversation would
come to a quick and graceful end. Thankfully, Frances and Donald were
staying out of it. Laura was afraid of whose side they might end up on
if Abigail began to get too personal. Frances had been hinting at an
engagement for weeks.
Laura ignored her mother and turned her attention to Remington and
Laurie Beth. She felt her heart swell with love as she watched them
playing together. Her thoughts turned to a night so many years ago. It
was the night they had given Joseph Barber's grandson back to his mother….
****"Who knows? Remington Steele might prove a good father someday,"
she had said.
"You're dreaming, Laura," had been his reply.****
 
…"I don't think so, Mr. Steele," she said quietly.
Laura was pulled from her reverie by the ringing of the doorbell.
"I'll get it!" Danny said, racing to the front door with Mindy close
at his heels. He threw open the door before any of the adults could
get to it.
"Cool!" he exclaimed, as the rest of the family made their way to the
door.
There was no one there, but leaning up against the porch railing was a
shiny new sled with a big red bow on it.
"Who would give us this? It would have been awesome in Connecticut,
but there's no place to use it here," Danny commented as he stepped
out on the porch to read the tag hanging from the sled. He looked at
the tag and then looked at the adults standing in the doorway. "It's
for Uncle Remington," he said with surprise.
Remington swallowed the lump in his throat as he held Laura close. Her
voice was husky as she whispered to him, "One Flexible Flyer, coming
up." He smiled and pulled her closer, not surprised that once again,
they were on the same wavelength. Just moments earlier, when everyone
had rushed to the door, he'd slipped a small package under the
Christmas tree.
As everyone adjourned back to the den, they looked up as Mindy called
out, "Hey! There's another present! We must have missed one!" The
little girl scrambled over to the tree and picked up the package.
"It's for Aunt Laura," she said, handing the box to Laura.
Laura unwrapped the package and held back tears as a grin spread wide
across her face. She took Remington's hand in hers and brought it to
her lips. "Thank you," she said quietly.
Donald looked from the unshed tears in his sister-in-law's eyes to
those in his wife's. "A box of Parlaits?" he whispered in Frances'
ear. "What am I missing?"
"Daddy used to give Laura a box of them every year, they were her
favorite candy. I suspect the sled has some childhood significance for
Remington, as well," Frances answered in a whisper.
Donald held Frances close as they watched Laura and Remington. "Those
two really are the real deal, aren't they?" he asked.
"Yes, Donald," Frances answered. "They are."
*~*~*~*~*
Remington held Laura's hand across the arm rest as they each reclined
in the airplane seats. It had been a long night, even though they had
excused themselves from the Pipers' relatively early. He smiled as he
thought of the many ways he and Laura had found to express thanks to
each other for their Christmas gifts. He looked over at her as she
slept so peacefully. The flight to Georgia would take about four hours
and give them time to rest. This was one of the reasons they always
afforded themselves the luxury of traveling First Class.
*~*~*~*~*
Laura felt as if she'd stepped back in time as the taxi pulled up in
front of The River Street Inn. She'd chosen the bed and breakfast upon
the travel agent's recommendation of romance and the ambiance of the
Antebellum South. The agent had been right, it was beautiful. As she
climbed out of the car, Laura looked up at the wrought iron railings
of the private balconies. She had requested their room on the north
side and imagined standing in Remington's arms on one of those
balconies overlooking the Savannah River.
The inn was gorgeous and took up an entire block. It was built around
a central atrium open to all five floors. After checking in, Remington
and Laura decided to do some sightseeing and explore the historical
city. There was so much to see, beginning with the inn itself. As they
walked out onto the cobblestone alley beside the inn, Laura read aloud
from the brochures she'd been given by the concierge.
"Listen to this," she said. "The original two floors were built of
ballastones, and in 1853 came the addition of the final three floors
to accommodate the expanding and prosperous cotton industry. Alleys,
walks and bridges gave traders access to all floors from the bluff to
move cotton bales. Known as "Factor's Walk," after the professionals
who graded the cotton, these alleys and the riverside street of
ballastone add to the Inn's character. These stones were brought in
as ballast in the numerous ships that traveled here from Europe and
unloaded to make room for valuable cotton."
Remington wasn't really paying much attention to the history lesson as
he watched Laura read to him. He had always thought she was beautiful,
but lately he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He thought that this
must be what love was all about. He couldn't imagine a moment of his
life without Laura in it.
When he'd called Daniel to wish him a Merry Christmas, his old friend
had wished him well. Daniel told him that he'd known a very long time
ago that his old pal Harry had lost his heart to Laura Holt; what he
hadn't expected was how long it would take Harry to realize it. But
Remington had finally realized it, and he knew he'd give Laura her
"words" before they returned to Los Angeles.
Remington took Laura's hand as they walked along River Street. They
decided to stop for lunch when they walked up to Kevin Barry's Irish
Pub. Remington was impressed by the authentic atmosphere as they
entered and were seated. He ordered a Guinness and Laura a glass of
Chardonnay as they sat down to look over the menu.
Laura was thrilled that the atmosphere brought out such nostalgia in
her Remington Steele that he easily and happily regaled her with
stories of his past. He did consciously keep the stories to the more
positive ones; he didn't want to dampen the mood of their vacation.
They laughed and talked while he enjoyed a generous helping of
Shepherds Pie, and she, poached salmon. The leisurely lunch took up
most of the afternoon and afterwards, they decided to head back to the
hotel.
*~*~*~*~*
The city was beautiful at night, awash in Christmas lights. The
Southern Lights Festival was another reason Laura had chosen Savannah.
She loved the Christmas holidays so much and hoped that Remington
would grow to love them as much as she did. Along with the beautiful
lights, there were Christmas trees and decorations, concerts and
parades. She was looking forward to sharing all of this spirit of the
season with Remington.
Remington was enjoying watching Laura's delight in their surroundings
as they enjoyed the holiday decorations. The city was beautiful, the
weather was just right. It was chillier than Los Angeles, but not
cold- perfect snuggling weather and Remington planned to make the most
of it. He looked across the street and something caught his eye.
"Come on," he said, pulling at Laura's hand as he led her across the
street.
Laura smiled as she saw the horse and buggy. She stood by as Remington
spoke with the coachman. Within a few minutes, she was wrapped up in
the arms of the man she loved, sitting under a blanket.
Remington pulled Laura close as the carriage rolled along. This was
what he'd been longing for- Laura and him, alone with no case to work
on and no one to interrupt them. He looked over at the beautiful woman
he held in his arms. She had given him so much in the past four years…
a name, a profession, prominence, respectability, purpose, but most
importantly- her heart. It was time that he gave her what she had
waited so long to hear.
"Thank you," he said, pulling her in for a long kiss. They kissed and
held each other for a long time.
"You're welcome," Laura answered almost breathlessly. "For what?"
"Everything," he answered, kissing her again. "For planning this
trip," he said "For creating Remington Steele," he continued,
peppering her with kisses between his words. "For giving me a life…
for loving me."
She looked into his eyes, realizing anew just how very much she loved him.
"I love you, Laura," he said, his words strong but his voice soft.
Laura smiled through her tears as she listened to the words she'd
waited so long to hear. She had long ago realized that Remington loved
her as much as she loved him. She no longer needed to hear the words,
but she hadn't realized how much she'd still WANTED to hear them. She
thought back to the night so many months ago when she'd first known
for sure that he loved her. No, she thought, that was simply the night
I finally accepted what I'd known for a very long time.
After their "exploration" at the Freidlich spa, she'd begun to
understand that she and Remington really had to take the next step. It
was to the point that they had to DO something before one or both of
them ended up in the loony bin. But it wasn't until they'd been
presumed dead upon their return from Wilson's wedding that she knew
the moment had come. Once they'd returned to the land of the living,
Laura realized that the answers she'd been looking and waiting for had
been staring at her the whole time. Remington did love her, and he
wasn't going anywhere. If he were going to cut a fast tango through
her life, he'd have done it long ago. He hadn't. He was there- case
after case… day after day… and night after lonely night.
When they'd returned to his apartment after solving the case of the
missing Pick Six ticket, they'd enjoyed one of Remington's gourmet
meals. Afterwards, they were lying on the floor in front of the fire
talking about the case. Remington touched her back with his drink
glass and then rubbed his foot on her leg, reminding her of their
recent night on the run together. When he leaned in to kiss her, she
knew that she wouldn't be going home that night.
She remembered the next morning, feeling more comfortable than she
thought possible. She didn't feel like running, or hiding. She only
wanted to stay with Remington, so she did. They'd spent the entire day
in bed. It was the most incredible night and day of her life… up until
that point. Things had only gotten better from there.
Sure, they'd had their arguments. There were still times when Laura
had sent Remington home or left his place unexpectedly on occasion.
For the first few months it was awkward, neither of them knowing what
they should expect from the other, but both of them knowing that
they'd waited far too long for this development in their relationship.
And when they'd both finally allowed themselves to relax and enjoy the
new development, as they'd euphemistically called it, things had
progressed comfortably. Laura knew that they were now on the road to
"forever."
"Laura?"
Remington's voice pulled Laura from her reverie and back to the
present. She realized that she'd lost herself in her memories just
when he'd finally told her that he loved her. He deserved better.
"I'm sorry," Laura said, leaning up to kiss him. "I was just thinking
about how long I've waited for you to say those words… all the hoops
I've made you jump through…" She paused, shaking her head. "I love
you, too, you know."
"I do," he answered, bringing her in for a kiss that told her just how
much he did love her.
They spent the rest of the carriage ride seeing more of each other
than the sights, but neither of them seemed to mind.
*~*~*~*~*
The next few days went by rather quickly. Laura and Remington spent
their days seeing places like the Fountain in Forsyth Park and the
Owens-Thomas House. They took the Trolley tour and walked down the
cobblestones of Jones Street to enjoy the beautiful old homes. They'd
spent an entire day touring Wormsloe State Park, one of the only
remaining old plantation sites in the city.
Laura was pleased with her choice. Historic Savannah was indeed a very
beautiful and romantic city, and it was now a very important part of
her own personal history. The city would always hold a special place
in her heart for being the place that she and Remington finally said
"the words."
Their week was quickly coming to an end, but there was still another
place Laura wanted to see. She made plans to take Remington to dinner
at The Pirates House Restaurant. She'd read that the famous Savannah
restaurant was actually a tavern frequented by pirates who sailed the
Caribbean in 1794. And though it wasn't technically a movie reference,
she was sure that Remington would love the fact that events at the
Pirates House were the inspiration for Robert Lewis Stevenson's novel,
"Treasure Island."
Laura had been correct, Remington was absolutely enthralled with the
restaurant. He wandered through the Treasure Room looking over frames
containing pages from an early, very rare edition of the book. Then
he sat back and listened with interest as their host regaled them with
stories of the ghost of Captain Flint.
This time it was Remington's turn to give the history lesson as he
read to Laura from the menu, "The validity of The Pirates' House has
been recognized by The American Museum Society which lists this
historic tavern as a house museum. The property was acquired by the
Savannah Gas Company in 1948 and the buildings soon fell under the
magic of Mrs. Hansell Hillyer, wife of the president of the company,
who with great imagination, and skill transformed the fascinating
museum into its present use as a restaurant."
They enjoyed their dinner as much as they'd enjoyed the restaurant
itself, but Remington was thrilled when Laura suggested they make it
an early evening.
"You know, Mr. Steele," she said with an exaggerated sigh as they
walked out of the restaurant. "As beautiful as Savannah is, I think
I've seen my fill for today. Why don't we head back to the inn?"
Remington smiled at her suggestion and answered with a raised eyebrow,
"But Miss Holt, there's so much we've yet to see."
"There's only one sight I'm interested in tonight," Laura said, her
voice low and husky in that way that always set his passions blazing.
"Who am I to argue with that kind of logic?" Remington answered with a
grin as he wrapped his arm around Laura's waist.
She laid her head on his shoulder and leaned into his embrace as they
walked back to the inn. When they'd made their way to their room,
Remington opened the door as Laura preceded him inside.
"I think I'll draw a bath," she said seductively.
Remington watched as Laura went into the bathroom and began to fill
the large claw foot tub. Leaning over the tub, she poured in the
lavender scented bubble bath. Then standing, she walked back into the
bedroom. Remington was still standing beside the bed as she began
taking off her clothes. Wordlessly, she slipped on a short pink silk
robe and walked back to the bathroom.
She stopped in the doorway and turned back to Remington, asking, "Care
to join me, Mr. Steele?"
*~*~*~*~*
Remington fastened his cufflinks as Laura stepped into the red dress
he'd bought for her. It was an excellent choice, she looked amazing.
The dress fit her beautifully, and her hair was up with soft tendrils
framing her face and falling on her neck.
"Would you mind?" she asked, holding the halter straps out to him.
He took them from her and placed a trail of light kisses down the back
of her neck before tying the dress there.
She spun around, letting the full skirt swirl where it fell just below
her knees. Although it was cocktail length, it was formal enough for
their New Year's Eve riverboat cruise. Going to the chest of drawers
and pulling out a velvet box, she put on the beautiful gold and ruby
earrings that Remington had given her to go with the dress.
He walked up behind her and reached for the matching gold and ruby
bracelet. He kissed the inside of her wrist before clasping the
bracelet. He was happy he'd chosen a bracelet instead of a necklace.
The neckline of the dress needed no adorning. There was no question
about it, Laura looked absolutely beautiful.
Remington pulled on his tuxedo jacket as Laura stepped into her shoes
and picked up her bag. He helped her into her wrap before he held out
his arm to her.
"Shall we?"
*~*~*~*~*
It was about five minutes until midnight when the DJ began to play a
Frank Sinatra tune. Remington pulled Laura close as they glided across
the dance floor. The song was so appropriate for the evening and the
timing couldn't have been better.
When somebody loves you
It's no good unless he loves you - all the way
Happy to be near you
When you need someone to cheer you - all the way
Taller than the tallest tree is
That's how its got to feel
Deeper than the deep blue see is
That's how deep it goes - if it's real
It was real. More real than Remington had ever thought possible. And
for the first time in his life, he knew it. He leaned in to kiss the
woman he loved - the only woman he had ever or would ever love. They
continued to dance around the floor. When the song was over, he would
do what he'd waited to do for such a long time.
 
When somebody needs you
It's no good unless he needs you - all the way
Through the good or lean years
And for all the in between years - come what may
Who knows where the road will lead us
Only a fool would say
But if you'll let me love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you - all the way, all the way
As the song ended, Remington took Laura by the hand and led her toward
the exit. He stopped by the table to pick up her wrap.
"But it's almost midnight," she said.
"I know," he whispered.
"But we'll miss the toast," she protested.
"It's all right, Laura," he said, kissing her. "I just don't want to
share the moment with the world. We'll ring in 1987 privately out on
the deck. Okay?"
"Sure," she said with a smile. She held his hand and followed him outside.
They walked to a secluded area of the deck and Laura stood looking out
at the river that she'd come to love. Remington stood behind her,
wrapping his arms around her waist. He held her for a moment before
letting go and stepping back.
They could hear the crowd inside counting down, "10…9…8…"
"Laura," he said.
She turned around to see him in front on her, down on one knee. She
drew her hand to her mouth.
"…7…6…5…"
"I love you," he said, his voice a little less steady than he'd hoped.
"You've changed my life. I am the man that I am because of you. I
can't imagine life without you in it…" he took a deep breath and then
continued, saying, "You've already made an honest man of me. Will you
do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He opened the box to reveal the
ring.
"…4…3…2…"
"Oh, yes!" Laura immediately replied as he stood to take her in his arms.
"…1… Happy New Year!"
At the stroke of midnight, Remington pulled Laura close and kissed
her. Their kiss was like none they'd ever shared, full of love and
full of the promise of the future. As the kiss came to an end,
Remington stepped back and took Laura's left hand. With shaky hands,
he slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.
"It's beautiful," Laura said, looking down at the antique gold ring
featuring a European cut diamond. It was the most unique ring she'd
ever seen. "Where did you find it?"
"In London," he answered, taking her back into his arms. "When I went
looking for my name, I came across this ring in an estate shop. I had
planned to find out who I really was and come back to you. I was going
to give you my real name as proof of my commitment and ask you to
marry me."
"But you didn't ask," she said, realizing that he'd had the ring for
all those months.
"I couldn't," he answered. "I didn't have anything to offer you. Or at
least, I thought I didn't."
"You know I don't care about your name anymore," she said hoping to
reassure him.
"I know that now," he said, kissing her. "And that's a good thing,
because I'm quite happy being Remington Steele."
"And I'm rather pleased with your being Remington Steele, myself,"
Laura answered, returning his kiss.
They held each other close, kissing and cuddling as they watched the
buildings along the riverbank float by.
They were so lost in each other, at first, that they didn't even
notice as the other revelers poured out on to the deck. Their spot
along the railing allowed them the perfect view of the amazing
fireworks blazing overhead. But they were nothing compared to the
fireworks they'd create when they got back to their room.
*~*~*~*~*
Mildred was already at her desk when Remington and Laura arrived at
the office early on Monday morning. Since January 2nd fell on a
Friday, Laura had made the executive decision to extend everyone's
vacation by a few days. It gave her and Remington a full weekend to
celebrate their engagement at home.
"Good Morning, Chief," Mildred greeted them, "Miss Holt."
"Good Morning, Mildred," Laura said with a smile.
"Morning, Mildred," Remington replied, his hand never leaving the
small of Laura's back.
"Did you and Eunice have a good visit?" Laura asked.
"Terrific," Mildred answered, noticing that her `kids' only had eyes
for each other… even more so than usual. "You two look happy."
"We are," Laura answered, absently twirling the ring she was still
getting accustomed to wearing on her left hand- an action that did not
go unnoticed by Miss Krebs.
Sensing the beginnings of a "gal to gal chat," Remington kissed
Laura's temple and began to walk to his office.
"Will it be a long engagement?" Mildred asked with a twinkle in her eye.
Remington stopped in his tracks. He wanted to hear the answer to that
question himself… and he mentally kicked himself for not asking it. He
and Laura had been so happy these past few days just getting used to
the idea of getting married, he hadn't thought to bring up discussing
a date.
Laura shook her head. "No, I don't think so Mildred."
Remington smiled and let out a sigh of relief.
"We've waited almost five years- don't you think that's long enough?"
Laura announced with a wink as she disappeared into her office.
The end
AN--- All the Savannah sites and events are actually real, but the
Southern Lights Festival didn't actually begin until 2004

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