"No. Wait," he said, and took a deep breath before taking one step, and then another, until he was in the center of the room. Suddenly Laura was there as well, her arms around him, showering him with kisses that he eagerly returned.
At last they just stood there, Laura's head on his chest, his hand tangled in her hair. It wasn't another dream. Laura was here, in is arms. "I'm sorry I wasn't there, Laura," he whispered.
"It wasn't your fault," she told him, looking up at him.
"I told Daniel not to call you."
"He didn't," she assured him. "I found you myself."
"You did?" He smiled curiously. "How?"
She smiled in return. "I'm a detective, remember? I do that kind of thing for a living, finding people."
He nodded. "And you do it very well, from what I've been reading lately in the local papers," he said, eyeing her carefully.
"So they tell me. But I DID have a little help on this one."
"Mildred?"
"No." She looked away from his eyes, focusing her gaze on the light blue of his pajamas visible above the dark blue robe. "I WAS angry," she admitted. "Furious. When you didn't show up, I was ready to write you off, to try and go on with my life."
"And what changed that?" he asked softly, saying a silent prayer of thanks that she hadn't done any such thing.
"Don't laugh."
"Never," he said solemnly, but she saw a little spark of devilment in those blue eyes.
"A movie."
He looked at her then. "A- movie, Laura?"
She nodded. "I was watching TV and there it was, in glorious color. Deborah Kerr, Cary Grant, -,"
"1957, 20th Century Fox," he finished. "An Affair To Remember"
"Suddenly I KNEW why you hadn't been there."
Remington smiled, then laughed softly. "I knew I'd finally corrupt you, Laura Holt."
She laughed as well, the icy fingers that had encircled her heart rapidly melting. "I learned something else as well, Mr. Steele," she said, looking up at him, her brown eyes filled with sincerity, - and love.
"And what would that be, Miss Holt?" he replied, mimicking her formality with a teasing smile.
"That success isn't important without someone to share it with."
"Really? And what does that mean, precisely?"
"It means that I'm VERY glad you're home- and well."
"So am I," he whispered. "So am I." The walking stick fell to the floor as he gathered her more fully into his arms and his lips met hers in a long kiss . . .
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Two weeks later, Laura sat before the fireplace, staring into the flames. "Here you go," Remington said, handing her a glass of champagne before slowly and carefully lowering himself to join her on the carpet.
Watching him, Laura frowned with concern. "You're sure you wouldn't rather we sit on the sofa?" she asked.
He paused, then settled back against a chair, shaking his head. "No. I'm fine," he assured her. "Just a slight twinge, that's all." Two weeks of therapy had returned him almost to the place he'd been before the accident- except for the occasional "twinge" of pain whenever he moved too quickly or the wrong way. He pulled her close, his arm around her. "There. That's better."
"Hmm," Laura agreed, resting her head on his shoulder. "Much better." These last two weeks had been wonderful. She had sent all of the agency's clients that she could elsewhere, sent Mildred to see her sister, and Daniel was in London, packing up his house there for the move to Los Angeles. As for Laura and Remington, they had spent almost every moment together, no cases, no clients, just the two of them. They had gone for long walks, shared the bed in the other room almost every night, and they had talked. Really talked, for the first time in their relationship. Laura had filled him in on what she had been doing during those months of separation, and Remington had done the same, then told her how he'd come to find out his real name. "I still can't believe that I didn't see the resemblance between you and Daniel," she sighed.
"I spent years with him and never saw it," he reminded her gently. "At least the mystery of my real name is solved."
Laura smiled. "Have you decided which name you're going to use?" she asked, looking up at his face, lifting a hand to brush a strand of dark hair from his forehead.
"I thought I'd let you pick," he said, his gaze moving to the flickering flames as he put a hand into his pocket. "Since I hope you'll be sharing it."
Laura's eyes widened as he opened his hand to reveal the gold ring that lay in the palm. "What's that?" she asked, her mouth suddenly gone dry.
Remington studied the ring for a moment. "Do you remember my telling you about visiting the convent where I was born?"
"Yes."
"Before my mother died, she asked the nun who was with her to give this to her son, so that he would have something of hers with him. The nun took it, but it was against policy to send personal items with a child who was adopted out. So the woman put it away, and forgot about it."
"Until you came to see her, looking for the truth." He nodded. "Her wedding ring?"
"After a fashion. When she and Daniel married, they didn't have the time or the money to buy her a proper ring, so she used the ring that her mother had left her. A family heirloom, supposed to be handed down from mother to daughter. Rose's paternal grandmother didn't have a daughter, and gave it to Rose's mother, who left it to Rose. Since Rose only had one child, she left it to me."
Laura peered at the ring. "It's an unusual design, isn't it?"
"It's called a Claddagh ring," he explained, giving it to her as he slowly rose to turn down the fire and take a sip of his wine.
She examined the crowned heart held by two delicate hands. "It's lovely."
"There's a legend that goes with it," he said, coming back to sit beside her.
"What's the legend?"
"Depending on how the ring is worn, it symbolizes the status of the wearer's heart." He thought for a moment, wanting to get it right. He'd had to do some research on the ring himself after it had been given to him. "Worn on the right hand, with the heart turned out, it means that your heart is free. Worn on the right hand with the heart turned in, it means that love is being considered." His eyes met hers in the dimly lit room, and he reached out to take her left hand in his. "And if it's worn on the left hand, with the heart turned in, it means two loves have been joined- forever."
Laura pulled her gaze from his to look at the ring in her hand. Very slowly, she placed the ring on her left hand, third finger, with the point of the heart toward her. Surprisingly, it fit as if made for her. Looking up, she smiled, wondering why she had never realized that the look in those incredible eyes had never been anything except love. Love for her. He took lifted her hand to his lips, touching the cool metal. "I love you, Laura Holt. And I will for the rest of my life."
"And I love you," she said in return, "More than I ever thought possible. Those three months forced me to realize that no matter what I did, my life wouldn't be complete without you in it."
"So," he said, putting his arm around her again. "What's it going to be? Mrs. Harrison Chalmers? Or Mrs. Remington Steele?" he asked.
"Oh, I don't know. It's not an easy decision. You can't very well suddenly become Harry Chalmers away from the office and Remington Steele AT the office, can you? Yet, you're already established as Remington Steele here. But I don't want Daniel to be hurt by your deciding not to use his name-," she said, sighing. A sudden idea occurred to her, animating her face. "I know what we can do."
"What?"
"Change your name. Legally, I mean. Now that we have a real birth certificate, it shouldn't be too hard to get your name changed."
"Change my name," he repeated, looking uncertain about the idea. "To what?"
"We'll keep them both. Remington Harrison Chalmers Steele."
"Best of both worlds, eh, Laura?" he asked, shaking his head. "I don't care what my name is," he told her. "As long as you're by my side, it doesn't matter."
"I agree, Harry," she replied, lifting her lips to his. "I'm not going anywhere- unless it's with you."
Remington - he'd thought of himself by that name for too long to stop now, he decided- rose to his feet and then held out a hand in silent invitation. He pulled Laura to her feet, and lifted her left hand to his lips once again, before leading her toward the bedroom- and into their future together. . .
The End
Author's note: If you'd like more information on Claddagh rings, go here. -N.E.