Steele Targets

Part Three

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Remington woke, bathed in sweat, trying in vain to recall the details of his nightmare. All he could remember was that he'd been trying without luck to find Laura and the children. Drawing a deep, shuddering breath, he turned over, reaching out with the intent of pulling Laura to him for comfort - but his hand encountered cold sheets and an empty bed.

Remington opened his eyes, his heart beginning to pound as heavily as it had in his dream. "Laura?" he called, thinking she might be in the connecting bath. The room was silent, and Remington's fear increased. The police had searched the house as thoroughly as they could, but it was possible that they had missed something. Tossing back the bedclothes, Remington grabbed his robe and put it on, tying the belt as he went toward the door.

In the hallway, he heard sounds in the nursery, and paused by the partially open door. Laura's voice, he realized. And she was singing a lullaby. In the nearly two years since the twins' birth, Remington didn't think he had EVER heard her sing to them. He paused, relief flooding through him for more than one reason. They were safe. And Laura's maternal instincts were as sound as ever. Entering the room silently so not to disturb her, he remained by the door, listening as she rocked young Daniel back to sleep in the bentwood rocker that had been a gift from Mildred.

At last she looked up and saw him standing there as she was about to stand up to return their son to his small bed. "I'll do it," Remington offered in a quiet voice, moving forward to lift Daniel from her arms and lay him on the bed. Laura pulled the covers over him, tucking them in neatly, then paused to smooth his dark hair.

"I didn't hear him wake," Remington said. "Why didn't Agatha-?"

"He didn't," she said. "I had a- nightmare and needed to be sure they were all right, so I came in. He woke up then."

"Oh," Remington said, putting an arm around her as they looked down at the child. Laura moved to smooth the covers over Megan as well, touching her hair as she had Daniel's. Remington bent to give each child a light kiss on the cheek before drawing Laura from the room.

In the hallway, she turned into his arms. "Oh, Remington, if something ever happened to those two -"

"I know, love. I know."

She looked up at him. "It's things like this that make me wonder if I'm spending enough time with them. If I shouldn't just let you and Tony and Mildred take care of the agency and be a full time mother to my children."

"You've been talking to your mother again, haven't you?" Remington asked, believing he finally understood what had been going on. Abigail Holt had been doing what she did best: undermining Laura's confidence.

"It's not just Mother," Laura insisted. "I wonder sometimes if Daniel and Megan would even miss me if I weren't around."

"Of course they would," Remington told her, steering her back to their room. "You're their mother -"

Laura moved to the windows that overlooked the garden. "But whenever they come into a room where the both of us are, it's YOU they go to, not me. You're the one they prefer -"

"That's only because I've-"

"Taken the time away from other things to be with them," Laura finished. "Something I should be doing. But I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a doting mother," she said. "You know, the type that takes their children to soccer games and ballet lessons, and -"

Remington laughed softly, pulling her back against him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "You'll do fine, Laura. Don't worry. And DON'T listen to your mother. Not on this. Just because she and Frances thrive on that kind of life doesn't mean that you're not normal if you don't. Not everyone is like them. Thank goodness."

Laura placed her hands on his arms, leaning back, allowing him to support her as she did all too infrequently. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being you. For becoming the man I had in mind when I created Remington Steele. For loving me."

"Well, that last one's the easiest," he assured her.

Laura looked past the other wing toward the garage area, and seeing the dark upstairs apartment, she frowned. "I wonder how Harley and Mrs. Hobbs are doing?"

"Robert said when he called that the doctors were going to release Harley tomorrow," Remington reminded her. "And they don't think Mrs. Hobbs will suffer any permanent damage - beyond her inability to recall the actual attack, that is." When Laura shivered, Remington turned her into his arms. "Hey. They'll be fine. And so will we."

"It's just- the idea that he was HERE, in this house, looking through our things, -"

"I know. At least we know that he came here before meeting Agatha and the kids in the park. Mrs. Hobbs did say that the last thing she recalled was taking that casserole out of the freezer for Harley's dinner at ten in the morning, and seeing the truck outside before being grabbed from behind-"

She nodded. "Is her sister coming from Florida?"

"I think so. Robert was going to make the arrangements."

"How's he holding up? He's known them both for so long- "

"My grandfather's a great deal stronger than any of us give him credit for," Remington assured her. "Besides, Katherine's with him. I offered to come down to the hospital, but he insisted that we stay here." He ran a hand through her hair. "What say we go back to bed, Mrs. Steele?" he suggested, dropping a light, teasing kiss on her jaw, moving to nibble at her earlobe.

"I- That's a good idea," she agreed, and made to move away from his arms.

Remington placed a hand on his arm to stop her departure. "What's wrong, Laura?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, shrugging off his hand and removing her robe to climb back into their bed.

"It's not just the children you've been- distant with lately," he pointed out hesitantly. "For the last week, you've been practically pushing me away every time I try to do more than give you a kiss or comfort you."

"I've been busy," she reminded him. "We DO run an busy agency," she said as he sat down on the bed beside her.

"And we have two other full time operatives on staff, as well as your father when we need him. You've DELIBERATELY been taking more on these last few days," he accused.

"No I haven't," she said, but her eyes slid away from his to focus on the dark blue comforter. "Things have just been busy lately."

Remington looked at her for a long moment, then rose and went to his side of the bed, untying his robe, deliberately removing it and tossing it across the foot of the bed before climbing in. He turned onto his side, away from Laura. "Good night, Laura," he said.

Laura lay there, on her back, eyes studying the ceiling above her. He'd stop sulking in a minute, she told herself, wanting to feel his arms around her, needing the security of his embrace after today. But the minute turned into two, then five, and when she glanced at the clock beside the bed, she realized it had been almost an hour. He wasn't asleep. She could tell by his breathing. "Do you remember the trip we made to Seattle?" she asked at last. "To bring back Mr. Harmon's daughter?"

Remington turned onto his back, but he didn't look at her or attempt to touch her. "She took off as soon as she realized he'd sent us," he recalled. "And we wound up staying overnight in that horrible little motel because a monsoon hit -"

She smiled at his talent for overstatement. "It wasn't a monsoon, but it was a major storm." Laura slowly reached out to touch his hand. "Do you remember that night in that 'horrible' motel?" she asked.

Even in the dark she could see his grin. "Oh, yes, I remember. I started wondering if I needed to get you into a seedy little motel a little more often if it had that effect on you." He frowned. "But I don't see what that night has to do with-"

"I didn't have my birth control pills with me," Laura told him. He DID turn to look at her then. "We left so quickly that I didn't have a chance to pack, remember? And I didn't have them in my purse. They were here, in the bath-"

Remington raised himself up on his elbow, his eyes shadowed in the dark room. "Laura, are you telling me that you're-"

"I saw Dr. Phillips last week," she said.

"And you thought I'd be angry?" he asked.

"Well, we agreed to wait a few years, and -"

He leaned over her, "I love you. And I'm delighted -" he paused. "But you're not, are you?"

"It's just- I'm not ready to be a mother again yet. The twins aren't even two- and I can't find the time to be a mother to them. How am I EVER going to -"

"Shh," he said, dropping a kiss to her lips to silence her. "You'll manage. You always do, when it counts. This is why you didn't want to scale that fence at Leonard's isn't it?"

She nodded. "But I'm fine -"

"You should have told me." He lifted her into his arms. "I love you, Laura. You've no idea - The thought of ever losing you - or ANY of our children -" He buried his face in her neck.

"This is all your fault, you know that, don't you?" Laura accused, causing him to lift his eyes to hers, still not certain of her feelings about what she'd just told him.

"Mine?"

"You're too damn sexy for your own good, Remington Steele," she said, and at last he saw the teasing gleam in her eyes. "If you were less sexy, I might have been able to say no that night in Seattle. But there's just SOMETHING about you that makes that almost impossible."

"You never USED to have that problem," he reminded her, his hands slipping beneath her short nightgown to cup her hip. "As a matter of fact, my ego took quite a pounding from the repeating of that particular word."

"Well," Laura said as she slid her hands across his bare chest, "that was before I said yes once and found out what I was missing."

"Glad to hear it, Mrs. Steele," he said, lowering his lips to her breast, feeling the changes in her body already. She'd kept him at arms length to keep him from finding out before she'd been ready to tell him that she was going to have another child. Laura's hands moved lower, and he groaned against her skin. "It's been so long, Laura. As much as I love just holding you, having you next to me, I need YOU -"

She pushed him onto his back, stretching out on top of him. "Not as much as I need you - NOW, Remington."

**********

It was Laura's turn to wake alone the next morning. Hugging Remington's pillow wasn't nearly as satisfying as hugging the man himself, she decided, looking at the clock. "Nine?" she said, tossing back the covers and getting out of bed to grab her robe as the bedroom door opened to admit two tiny whirlwinds. She barely had time to tie the belt before they were upon her.

"Mommy!" Daniel said, taking her hand.

"Come, Mommy!" Megan insisted, as the two children began to drag her toward the door.

Laura laughed. "What's going on?" she asked them.

"Daddy fixt brefast," Daniel told her.

"He said we get you," Megan added.

"I see." The children probably thought it was Sunday, since Remington had taken to preparing his family breakfast on that day, just to keep his culinary skills honed, he'd insisted. But Laura knew that he enjoyed the time the four of them spent around the kitchen table on those mornings, just like an ordinary, everyday family. The family he'd never had growing up. So Laura let the children lead her down the stairs and into the kitchen. Buddy, laying on a blanket near the pantry door, greeted her with a wag of his tail when she entered the room.

Remington turned from the stove to look at him. "Why don't you and Megan put Buddy outside, Daniel, ey? I think he's been inside long enough." Daniel picked up the puppy and took him to the doggie door, while Megan held it open for him to push the dog through. They both looked up at their father, smiling. "Very good. Now, go wash your hands so we can eat." Both took off at a run. "No running indoors," Remington reminded them, smiling as they slowed to a walk. One they were through the door, he put his arms around Laura. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she said, returning his kiss. Then, as he returned to the stove she said, "We have to get to the office," she reminded him. "It's after nine-"

"Not today. I thought it might be better if we spend the morning here instead. Mildred and Edward are finishing the Carver investigation," he told her. "And she's sending what she's found on Henry Leonard over with Jessica."

"What about Tony?"

"He's outside, keeping an eye on the perimeter," Remington assured her as he slid some eggs onto a plate and carried them to the table.

"And Agatha?"

"She went to visit Mrs. Hobbs," he explained. "So, you see, we HAVE to stay here until she gets back to keep an eye on the little ones," he said as Daniel and Megan returned, holding out their hands for inspection. Remington made a show of looking at the two sets of little hands. "Excellent as always," he assured them, then lifted them into their chairs at the table before seating Laura and then sitting down across from her.

**********

Tony watched the small sports car turn into the drive and met it as the driver brought it to a stop in front of the house. "Jess. What the hell are you doing here?" he asked the dark haired woman who got out.

She removed her sunglasses, tossing them back inside the car as she looked at him. "Delivering some papers from Mildred to Remington and Laura," she said. "You look AWFUL, Antony. Did you get ANY sleep last night?"

"A couple of hours, but I'm fine," he said dismissing her concern. "I can't believe that he let you come out here. If that guy's watching the place, -"

"If he's watching the place, he already KNOWS that I'm Remington's sister, Antony," Jessica Beecham reminded him. "From what I understand, he's apparently done some research on Remington and Laura. I've little doubt whoever it is knows about me, and Katherine, and Robert, and precisely where to find us if that's what he wants to do."

"It's not bad enough I have to worry about keeping those two and the kids safe, now I have to worry about you being in the loft alone. After what that guy did to Mrs. Hobbs and Harley -"

Jessica took his hand. "I think Remington has an idea about that," she told him. "I saw several police cars patrolling the area on my way in, why don't you take a break and come inside with me? Get some rest?"

"Let me close the gates first," he said. "Go on inside. I'm right behind you."

Jessica watched him down the drive, then turned toward the house.

Laura glanced up as there was a knock on the door. "That's probably Jessica," Remington said, putting his napkin on the table and rising. "Wait here." She nodded.

"Auntie Jessica?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, darling. Aunt Jessica has some papers for Mommy and Daddy to look at."

**********

Jessica greeted her niece and nephew with a kiss, and refused Remington's offer of breakfast. "I've already had mine," she told him. "But I WILL have a cup of coffee. Don't get up. I think I can find it myself." She held out the folder that Mildred had sent. "Edward was with Mr. Carver when I dropped by the office. I got the impression that things were going well."

"Good. Thank you for bringing this out," Laura said, starting to glance through the report, only to have Remington take it from her and close it, placing it beside his plate. "What-"

He glanced at the children. "Time for that later," he said as Tony entered the kitchen through the back door. "Antony?"

"I suggested that he come inside and get some rest, Remington," Jessica told her half brother. "He's dead on his feet- and there are enough police cars in the area at the moment that I thought he needed a break."

"I closed the front gate," Tony informed him. "And," he said, going to the control panel near the door into the dining room to press a button, "I just turned on the alarm system." It was something that Laura and Remington hadn't really felt the need to use in this house, and the idea that they were having to do it now bothered them both.

Jessica put down her cup and moved toward Tony. "I'll help you upstairs," she said. "Which room can he use, Laura?"

"The- uh- front left corner room," Laura decided. "I suppose it's ready -"

"I don't much care at this point," Tony said. "Just need a couple of minutes, and I'll be fine. You don't have to come with me, Jess -"

"I think I do," she insisted, placing his arm across her shoulders. "It won't help matters for you to fall down the stairs and break a leg, now, will it?" She smiled at Remington, ignoring his silent warning to behave herself. "I'll be back down as soon as Antony is settled in," she said.

"Settled in," Remington repeated as the door closed behind them. "She'd best be back down in five minutes, or-"

Laura grinned. "Or?"

He turned back to see Daniel and Megan's eyes on him. "Or else I might just have to go and get her," he said.

**********

The room, as Jessica had expected, was perfectly suitable, awaiting only an occupant. She released Tony to pulled the covers back, then turned to find his arms around her. "Antony - Remington is expecting me back downstairs-"

"I doubt that," he said, then released her to sit down on the bed. "Don't worry, Jess. I'm too tired to try anything right now."

Jessica knelt and removed his shoes, then pushed him onto the pillow. "Put your legs under the covers, Antony," she said gently, then pulled the sheet over him.

"You're an angel, Jess. You know that?"

"No, I'm not. I'm just someone who worries about you."

"Not many people to do that these days," he muttered.

Jessica paused, recalling that he'd finally told her that he and his father hadn't spoken in years - that his father didn't understand his decision to be a private investigator instead of a police officer like him. As a result, Tony hadn't spoken to ANY of his family in a couple of years, and Jessica knew that it bothered him. "Well, I worry," she assured him, leaning over him to press a kiss to his lips. He returned the kiss drowsily.

"I'm glad." His breathing became even almost immediately, and Jessica remained where she was, watching him. Why couldn't she just give in, she wondered, admit to him how she felt about him? She was almost certain that he felt the same way, but they never seemed to find the time to talk about it. Whenever one was ready to talk, the other wasn't. There always seemed to be a case or a client that demanded attention. Jessica sighed, tucked the covers in more securely, and left him to sleep.

**********

"You're suggesting WHAT?" Tony asked an hour later as he stood in the parlour with his employers, Jessica, Robert, and Katherine. He looked outraged. "Are you CRAZY, Steele?"

"I don't see what's so crazy about the idea," Remington said calmly. "Having everyone stay here during this crisis seems the best solution. It gathers all of Henry Leonard's possible targets into one place, forcing the man to come here."

"Where he can simply pick you all off one by one," Tony pointed out. "Or plant a bomb - or-"

"Thank you for your show of support, Antony," Remington said archly.

"What about Laura's family?" Robert asked his grandson.

"Frances and her family are on vacation in Hawaii," Laura explained. "They're not due back for another week."

"And what about your mother, dear?" Remington's Aunt Katherine wanted to know.

"She's with them. They left two days ago, thank goodness, before all this began. And hopefully we'll have captured this man before they get back."

"What about Mildred and Edward?" Tony asked.

"They'll be here later," Remington told him. "I know the quarters might be a bit cramped- but with any luck, this shouldn't take more than a day or two -"

"What did Jarvis say about this plan?" Tony wondered.

"Well, he doesn't know about it yet," Laura admitted. "But it's really not that bad an idea, Tony. We can't keep an eye on everyone - so bringing them all together makes sense."

Tony sighed deeply, knowing that both Laura and Remington had made up their minds. "Okay. One more question: Sleeping arrangements. Seems to me, you've got a logistics problem. Six people. And only three bedrooms."

"I'm sure we can work something out, Antony," Remington said. "Perhaps Edward and Robert could double up in one of the rooms, two of the ladies can do the same, leaving the third for the other one - and you can stay in Harley's apartment over the garage, since he's ensconced in Mrs. Hobbs' room off the kitchen while he recuperates. See? Problem solved," he said quickly, considering the matter now closed. "Any other questions?"

**********

Jimmy Jarvis looked at the print taken from the gun that the Steeles had given him. It didn't make any sense, he mused. To hell with making sense, he thought. It was impossible, he thought, glancing at the rest of the report on the weapon. Shoving the papers into a folder, he rose and picked up his coat. "I'll be at the Steeles' house," he told the young officer at the watch desk. This information wasn't something he wanted to share over the telephone.

To Be Continued - - -

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Original content © 1999 by Nancy Eddy