"Ms. Holt, how does it feel to be the city's newest hero?"
"How did you come up with the plan to save your husband and Philip Cameron?"
"Back off. Give the lady some room," Tony said, putting a comforting arm around Laura. "Her husband's in there fighting for his life, for god's sake." He turned Laura away. "There's a waiting area over here."
Laura smiled at gratefully up at him as they sat down, her gaze moving to where hospital security was already herding the reporters out of the emergency room. "Thanks."
"Figured you needed some time to regroup," he told her. "Unless you wanted to talk to them?"
"No. Not right now." She looked across to where they had taken Remington. "Do you think he'll be okay, Tony?"
"Yeah. Steele's unstoppable. Kinda like a freight train."
"Even trains can be de-railed, Tony."
"Not him." He glanced up to see Edward, Jessica and Philip Cameron entering the doors. "Look, you want something to drink?"
"No. Thanks anyway."
"I'm gonna go find some coffee. I'll be around," he told her.
Laura watched him move away as some part of her brain registered that something was very wrong. "Laura?" Jessica asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Jessica." Laura glanced down the hallway again, realizing what had sent Tony on his way so quickly. "Hello, Daddy. Philip."
"How is he?" Edward asked.
"I don't know. They just took him in. The paramedics were a little concerned about the blood type- but then, they always are."
"Blood type?" Philip questioned.
Jessica looked up at him. "My brother and I both have a rare blood type," she explained. "I suppose I should go and donate some blood-"
Laura took her hand. "Let's hear what the doctor has to say first," she said, nodding toward the doctor who was heading toward them.
"Mrs. Steele?" the harried looking doctor asked.
"I'm Laura Steele," Laura told him, knowing her voice was shaking with fear.
"I'm Dr. Morgan. Your husband's lost a lot of blood- he's in shock. We need to operate and remove the bullet, but we're going to wait until he's stable. We've started a transfusion."
"What about blood? Do you have enough of his type on hand?" Jessica asked. "I'm his sister, we have the same type-"
"It probably wouldn't hurt for you to donate a pint, ma'am. But we have enough on hand, I think, barring any complications."
"Is he conscious?" Laura asked. "Can I see him?"
"He's in and out," Dr. Morgan told her. "But I think we can let you in for a few minutes. The most important thing is for you to keep him quiet." Laura nodded. "Okay. I'll take you to him."
Jessica watched them leave, and stood up. "I think I'm going to donate that pint of blood."
"I'll go with you. Mine's not that rare, but every pint counts, right?" Philip asked.
"You don't have to-"
"Steele saved my life," he reminded her. "He was wounded because I did something stupid. I think I owe him quite a bit. Not the least of which having such a remarkable sister."
Jessica felt her cheeks go red at his comment, and looked over to Edward. "Edward?"
"You two go on. I think I'll call Mildred again, let her know what the doctor said so that she can relay it on to the children. No telling what those vultures out there are putting over the airwaves," he said, nodding toward the knot of reporters still hovering outside the ER.
***
Laura took Remington's hand in hers, trying to ignore the machines around the bed. They had removed his shirt, and bandaged his wound temporarily. He looked so pale, she thought, smoothing his dark hair from his forehead.
His blue eyes opened and focused on her with some difficulty.
"Hey there," she said in a quiet voice.
"Laura." He looked around the room. "Where-"
"You're in the hospital," she explained, looking over to where a nurse was writing on a clip board.
"What happened?"
"We'll talk about it later," Laura said. "Right now, you need to concentrate on getting stronger so they can remove that bullet from your shoulder."
Remington frowned. "Jessica?"
"She's fine. In fact, I think she's donating some blood." She shook her head. "You know, someone with a rare blood type should avoid getting shot," she teased.
"Hmm. Didn't duck quickly enough," Remington mused. "Zachary-" he frowned, as if he remembered something. "Familiar. His laugh. I've heard it- before."
"Jessica said that he knew who the two of you were."
"Can't . . . place it," he told her fretfully.
"It'll come to you," Laura assured him. "Get some rest."
"You . . . too."
Laura shook her head. "I'm not moving from this spot until you're ready to come home," she said.
"Kids. They need you . . . at home. Go home."
"It's good advice, Mrs. Steele," Dr. Morgan agreed, approaching the bed with the clipboard the nurse had been holding earlier. "There's nothing you can do here. We're going to move him up to a room before long, keep him there until he's strong enough for the surgery."
"I'm here, Doctor," Steele said. "Talk to me."
"You're a lucky man, Mr. Steele. That shoulder's probably a little painful, but we can't risk any pain medication until we're sure you're strong enough to handle it."
"A- *little* painful?" Remington repeated, wincing. "Understatement."
"When do you think they'll be able to remove that bullet, Dr. Morgan?" Laura asked.
"Tomorrow morning, probably. We *are* giving him antibiotics to keep infection down- and the transfusions will help."
"See?" Remington said, smiling. "I'll be fine. Go home." He squeezed her hand. "HOME," he repeated. "Not to the Lexington." His voice was stronger, too.
"I'm not going back to the Lexington, Rem," she told him. "Except to get my things. I've realized that I belong with my family."
Remington closed his eyes for a moment. "Thank God."
Laura felt the tears threaten to escape from her own eyes. "I'm so sorry. I feel like this is my fault somehow. If I hadn't-"
"Shh," Remington said, disentangling their hands to smooth her hair. "Shh. I understand, luv. It's okay. *I*'m okay."
Laura sniffed, and smiled at him. "I'm supposed to be keeping you calm, and here I am, crying."
"Understandable, with everything you've gone through," Remington said, taking her hand in his again. "And me without a handkerchief," he sighed, causing her to smile. "Go home. Get some rest."
She nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll go. But, you'll call me if anything changes, Doctor?" she asked.
"First thing," Dr. Morgan promised.
Laura leaned over Remington and gave him a kiss. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. Don't go anywhere without me, okay?"
"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied. "Give the kids and everyone else my love."
"I will."
Another kiss, a longer one this time. Remington watched her leave the examination room. "I need to see my sister, doctor." He needed to discuss his idea with her, see if she could get it set up ASAP.
"Mr. Steele, you're still in a weakened state. You really need to rest-"
"After I see my sister. I give you my word."
"Let me get you transferred to a room, first, deal?"
"Deal."
***
Edward convinced Laura that she could retrieve her meager possessions from the Lexington another day. "I think the most important thing right now is for you to get home," he told her.
"The kids are okay, aren't they?" Laura asked.
"Mildred said they were all glued to the television during the even newscast. She tried everything she could to distract them, but Megan and Daniel refused to budge. I wouldn't doubt they'll be waiting at the door when we get there."
"I hope they'll forgive me for putting them through all of this," Laura said, looking down at her hands.
"I think they will. With time. After all, you forgave me, didn't you?" he reminded her.
She smiled then. "Yes. I did."
***
Tony sat in his car, watching the converted warehouse on Tenth. If he could just talk to Jessica, explain how he felt- he sat up as a charcoal grey Porsche drew to a stop outside the building, then he sank back down in the seat as two people exited the vehicle. Philip Cameron took Jessica's arm to guide her toward the front steps and inside.
Tony settled into his seat to wait. Cameron would leave after Jessica was settled, and then he could go up and talk to her, straighten things out.
***
"You don't really have to stay, Philip. Remington's just being over protective. He tends to play big-brother sometimes."
"Play big brother?" Philip repeated, taking the key she dug out of her purse to put it into the padlock on the sliding door.
"He and I didn't meet until we were grown. Ten years ago, as a matter of fact. I came to Los Angeles looking for my brother- and hired Remington to find him."
"Only to discover that *he* was your long lost brother," Philip finished. "And now he tends to be over play the part, hmm?"
"Something like that. It's a long, sad, story." She looked around the loft. "Would you care for some coffee before you go?"
"Thanks. I think I will," he said, moving around the spacious room. "But I'm not going anywhere. Not for awhile, anyway. Remington asked me to keep an eye on you, remember?"
"I can take care of myself," Jessica told him, starting the coffee.
"Perhaps. But you've just been through a very stressful experience. We both have. I know that I wasn't looking forward to keeping company with my own thoughts this evening- and *my* brother wasn't shot. Of course, I don't *have* a brother, but-."
"You don't?"
"I was an only child. No family left to speak of. Margaret- my late wife- and I talked about started a family of our own, but- well, we were always so busy, and then she got sick -"
"I'm sorry," Jessica said softly. "I didn't mean to-"
He shook his head. "It's okay." He looked around the room. "Interesting place you have here."
"Thank you. Laura lived here before she and Remington married. When I arrived and decided to stay, I took it over and just- never found anyplace I liked better."
"I pictured a condo at the Savoy- or Rossmore. Art deco, perhaps." Jessica's soft laughter made him look at her. "What's so funny?"
"You just described Remington's old place at the Rossmore," she explained, pouring two cups of coffee. "Sugar or cream?"
"Black," he told her.
"That's easy enough."
"I think you'll find that I'm a very uncomplicated man, Jessica." He paused beside a table set up with a chess board. The marble pieces were lines up neatly along the side. "Do you play?"
"I haven't played in years. Laura and I used to have a game occasionally. And I taught Remington the rudiments of the game, and he's surprisingly good, but not much of a challenge, I'm afraid -"
He took his cup from her and smiled. "Care to play?"
"You play chess?"
"When I have the time," he told her, pulling out one of the chairs for her. "Shall we?"
***
"Mom!" Daniel said, throwing himself at Laura the moment she entered the house.
"How's Daddy?" Megan asked, looking past Laura, then hanging back as Patrick joined his brother.
"The doctor says he should be okay," Laura told them, then gave Mildred and Katherine each a hug. "Where's Agatha?" she asked, looking around.
"Remington gave her the weekend off," Katherine explained.
"Oh."
"What happened, Mom?" Daniel asked. "The TV says that you're a hero."
"Oh, I don't know about that."
"Don't be modest, Laura," Edward said. "It was all her plan that got them out of there."
"Did you go into the vents?" Patrick asked, his eyes wide.
"Yes, I did."
"Was it scary?"
"A little," Laura confessed. "But it helped me discover the way to save your Daddy and the others."
"How?"
"Well, why don't we save that for another time? It's getting late, and we've all had a long, tiring day. I think we could use some sleep."
"When's Daddy coming home?" Megan asked.
"A few days. The doctors have to remove the bullet in his shoulder, but they need to wait until he's stronger to do it. If things go well, I'd think he'd be home Monday- or Tuesday."
"Oh. Well, goodnight, then. I guess you'll be going back to your hotel-" Megan began, turning toward the stairs with a sad air.
"No, Megan. I'm home," Laura said.
The child stopped and turned, confusion in her eyes. "But- you didn't bring your suitcase back-"
"I didn't want to stop by and get it. I wanted to come home. To you and your brothers. If you *want* me back, that is." Laura waited, watching her daughter. The moment Megan began to move toward her, Laura opened her arms, accepting all three of her children's embrace.
"I love you, Mommy," Megan said, sniffing.
"I love you. Let's go up to bed, shall we? Tell Grandpa and Auntie Mildred and Aunt Katherine goodnight."
***
Tony was startled out of a light sleep by a bag lady pushing an overflowing grocery cart with squeaky wheels. "You'd think she'd have some oil in that thing," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Looks like she's got everything else."
The expensive sports car was still parked in front of the Jessica's building. Tony looked at his watch, and frowned. After midnight. Damn. Cameron was crazy to leave something like that sitting on the street in this neighborhood. For a moment, he considered slashing the tires, or keying the expensive paint job. Or maybe tossing a brick through the windshield.
Frustrated, Tony slapped the steering wheel, dismissing such juvenile ideas from his mind, then started the Rabbit and drove away.
***
Laura punched her pillow, trying once more to get comfortable. It wasn't working. Everytime she closed her eyes, she saw Remington's pale face. The door creaked open, and she sat up to find three anxious faces peering around the door. "We can't sleep," Daniel explained. "While you were gone, Dad let us sleep in here with him-"
Laura opened her arms and welcomed them onto the bed with her. "I'm glad you're home, Mommy," Patrick said as his dark eyes began to close.
"So am I, honey," Laura agreed. "So am I."
To Be Continued . . .