"I just want Daniel to be comfortable when he gets here," Laura insisted.

"I think he'll be happy to be anywhere other than a hospital room," Remington told her, looking around at the sparsely decorated room. Daniel's suitcase had been retrieved from Laura's loft- which had been put on the market along with the condo at the Rossmore Arms. He realized that Laura was watching him and smiled at her. "Seems a bit- impersonal, doesn't it?"

"I'm sure Daniel will put his own mark on the place once he's settled in."

Remington nodded. "I still think that I should have picked him up from the hospital."

"He asked Mildred to do it, remember?" Laura told him. "I think it's nice that they've become so close." She smiled at him. "I guess she and I were just fated to be attracted to con men with mysterious pasts."

"EX- con men, thank you," Remington said. He smiled as well. "I can still see Dr. Becker's face when Mildred told him that there was no need for him to send a nurse to take care of Daniel- that she could do it."

"Speaking of which, I'd better check the guest room-" Laura began, but Remington grabbed her arm before she could get through the door.

"Laura- you've checked and re-checked. Let's go over to the main house and *I'll* check on lunch, eh?"

She slipped her arm through his as they walked along the path toward their house. "I still can't quite believe that we're really buying this place," she told him, stopping for a moment to enjoy the view of the ocean from the deck.

Remington wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his head on top of hers. "Too good to be true, Miss Holt?" he asked.

"If it's a dream, I hope I never wake up," Laura told him, lifting a hand to his cheek.

"Shall I pinch you and see if you're dreaming?" he suggested, grinning devilishly.

"Depends on where you plan to pinch," Laura said with an inviting smile, turning into his arms.

"If Daniel and Mildred weren't due to arrive soon, I'd take you up on that invitation," he told her, dropping a light kiss onto her lips to punctuate the words.

"Well, there's always this afternoon," Laura suggested, pressing closer still.

"Sorry. We're supposed to meet Mr. Davis at the Museum, later, remember? To discuss the security system we've agreed to install there for his collection?" After the abortive robbery attempt, Gerald Davis had decided that keeping his collection at his home was too dangerous. So he had decided to loan it to the Museum now- on the condition that the Remington Steele Agency agree to oversee security.

"I can't believe that I let you talk me into working for that chauvinist again," Laura said, frowning.

"I believe that I pointed out that we had to find a way to pay for decorating the house- and Mr. Davis is *most* generous."

"I know," Laura said, following him into the kitchen through one of the sliding glass doors. "Smells good," she announced, sniffing appreciatively. She watched as Remington opened the oven and pulled out a dish. "What is it?"

"A vegetable casserole," Remington told her. "The nutritionist that Dr. Becker recommended gave me a cookbook. Becker wants Daniel to cut back on a few things-"

Laura smiled. "Rich food, cigars and alcohol," she recalled with a smile. "You ARE worried about him, aren't you?"

"It's nothing more than the concern I've always held for Daniel, Laura."

"But- you agreed to let him stay here-"

"I promised to listen to what he has to say. I owe him that."

"You've said that before. Is that why you wouldn't let me fully decorate the cottage?" Laura asked. "Because you didn't think that he would be here that long?"

Remington was at the stove, stirring something in a pan. He sighed at Laura's accusation. "Laura-"

"Because if that's the case, don't forget that this is *my* house, too. And there is no way in *hell* that I'm going to let you send Daniel away!" she declared.

"Laura-" he tried again. Remington turned to look at her. "Are you actually defending him? This *is*Daniel Chalmers we're talking about, isn't it? I remember a time when you were something *less* than his biggest fan."

"That was before," Laura said.

"Before you found out that he's also my father?" Remington responded, barely keeping his temper in check. "That he let me make a bloody fool of myself with the Earl when he could have simply told me-"

"No. Before that. *You* may think that all you owe Daniel is just the chance to explain, but *I* owe him a *lot* more than that."

"*You* owe him? For what?"

"He pulled you out of Brixton- saved you from heaven knows what. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't have been there to stop Kessler and Neff from stealing the Royal Lavulite- and you wouldn't have become Remington Steele. We would never have met." She put a hand on his arm. "Don't you see? He took a scrawny, illiterate, pickpocket and turned him into a gentleman. A man who could one day *become* Remington Steele." She lowered her voice. "I lost my father, Remington. I won't let you deliberately lose yours."

He pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her hair, drawing a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm well aware of all that Daniel's done for me. More than you are, I should think. Hell, he spent an entire six months trying to find me after I ran away from the boarding school that he tried to send me to."

Laura looked up at him. "I still can't quite see you in a boarding school," she said.

"Daniel thought it might finish polishing some of the rough edges, I suppose. It was a disaster. I didn't fit in with all those rich, spoiled boys. None of them had any idea what life was like in someplace like Brixton. Didn't know such places existed. Sons and grandsons and nephews of rich men, most with a title to look forward to one day -" he shook his head at the memory. "So, after about a month, I chucked it all and took off in the middle of the night."

"And Daniel spent the next six months looking for you and found you in a circus. The Great Savini," Laura recalled. "That's when you learned to eat fire and work the high trapeze."

"I couldn't believe it when I looked out into that crowd and saw him standing there. I thought I was in for it. I took off running right in the middle of the act- even thought I'd escaped him. But suddenly there he was, just like in Brixton. He offered to let me stay at the circus, if that was what I wanted. But he had a lure I couldn't resist."

"A con to pull?" Laura suggested.

"No. Food and a warm bed that I didn't have to share with anyone else. It was a smaller circus than Cordaro's," Remington recalled. "And not very profitable. Wound up scrounging for food when the crowds didn't show. What's strange is that I'd been planning to move on when Daniel found me. Another day or so and we'd have missed each other."

"Fate," Laura said simply. "It was fate that he found you the first time in Brixton. And again at the circus. Don't you see? You were meant to be with him. To have him taking care of you as best he could."

The telephone rang, and eager for a diversion, Remington picked it up before the sound faded. "Steele here . . . Frances . . . No, not yet . . . Laura? Yes, she's right here." He held out the telephone to her. "It's your sister."

Laura smiled tightly and took the phone, but told him, "We're not finished talking about this, by any means."

"Whatever you say, love," Remington replied with a satisfied smile. "I'm going outside. Enjoy your chat."

Laura watched him go, then put the telephone to her ear. "Hello, Frances . . . "

***

"You've got the instructions, Mildred?" Dr. Becker said as he peered into the window of the limo. "My telephone numbers-?"

"It's all right here, Nathan," Mildred assured him, patting the folder that lay beside her on the seat.

"Stop fussing, Nathan," Daniel said with a smile. "I'm in excellent hands."

"Hmm. Don't forget that I expect to see you in my office in a week."

"He'll be there," Mildred promised. "Daniel's right. Go home and visit your wife. I'm sure she's forgotten what you look like after all this time."

"My wife." Becker glanced at his watch. "Oh, good God. She invited my sister over for lunch-."

"The one who works for Immigration?" Daniel asked. "Stella, wasn't it?"

"Estelle," Becker corrected him. "Yes. Take care of him, Mildred. I'd had to see all of our hard work go down the tubes."

"I will."

"Thank you, Nathan," Daniel said sincerely, reaching across to shake the doctor's hand. "For everything."

"You were lucky this time, Daniel," Becker warned. "Next time-"

"Don't worry. I have no intentions of trying to foil- or conduct- anymore jewel thefts," Daniel said. "From now on, I'm officially retired. Content to spend my days watching the sand and surf from my garden."

Becker looked less than convinced. "Get out of here before I change my mind and re-admit you."

"Home, Fred," Mildred told the driver. "Thanks, Nathan," she said as the car pulled away. Glancing at Daniel, she saw that his smile had faded. "Hey. Come back."

"Back?"

"From wherever it is you were."

"Just thinking about what's going to happen when I see Harry," Daniel told her.

Mildred picked up his hand and held it. "Don't. Dwelling on it won't make it any better. Maybe it would be best to give it a few days, settle into the cottage before you and he-"

"No. I think it's best that we get it overwith as soon as possible," Daniel insisted. "It's like having the sword of Damocles hanging over my head, Mildred. I haven't been able to think clearly about anything else for the last two weeks."

"Anything?" Mildred questioned, looking at him with curious eyes.

"Well, almost anything," he admitted with a slight smile. "I want to thank you for all of the support you've given me, Mildred. I'm not sure-" He stopped, thoughtful. "No, that's not right. I *know* that I wouldn't have made it through without you."

Tears filled Mildred's eyes. "Oh, Daniel- I-"

Daniel smiled and pulled her close, handing her a handkerchief. "There, there. We'll have none of that. There's no reason to cry, my dear."

"I know. It's just- I don't know why I'm crying."

"Relief, perhaps," Daniel suggested. "Or lack of sleep?"

"I've been sleeping," Mildred insisted. After that first weekend, Daniel had told Mildred to return to her normal routine, and she had reluctantly done as he'd requested- with one variation. She had spent every evening at the hospital with him, pushing him to get better so that he could tell Remington the truth. But even the make up she used couldn't hide the dark circles under her eyes, and Daniel knew she hadn't slept upon returning home late at night before going to the Agency the next morning.

"Not enough, I'd wager." He gave her a brief kiss on the cheek. "But that's going to change."

"Daniel-"

"You've been taking care of me- I think it's time I took care of you."

"But- you're still recovering -" Mildred protested.

"We'll take care of other then, hmm?" he said. "You know, if I were a stronger, better man, I'd send you packing back to your place. Cut you loose from an invalid with only a year at most-"

"You don't know that. Nathan isn't sure how much improvement you can expect-"

Daniel shook his head. "You heard him as well as I did, Mildred. The damage is too extensive for me to expect a full recovery. I'll never be a hundred percent."

"And *you* are forgetting that he said that if your blood work keeps looking good, he might be able to increase the dosage. And you haven't had any of the side effects."

"Not yet," Daniel admonished.

"Aren't you the one who's been telling me to take each day as it comes?" Mildred reminded him. "Don't borrow trouble, Daniel. Please?"

He smiled, nodding. "Fair enough. And you won't forget what we agreed?"

"I still think that you should tell him-"

"Not until after we've settled things, Mildred," Daniel said. "I won't have him let me stay out of pity- or duty. Either of those would be insufferable. To be that close to him every day and know that he didn't care- *really* care-"

Mildred nodded. "I won't tell him what Nathan said," she promised again. "But I don't have to like it."

Daniel patted her hand in approval. "Thank you."

***

"I will, Frances," Laura promised as she watched Remington at the short retaining wall, his attention on the sand and surf beyond. "Let me check with Remington, and I'll let you know . . . No . . . No, Frances. I'm not just putting you off. I can't wait for you to see what I've done with the place . . . Next week . . . Tell Donald and the kids that I said hello . . . Bye." Hanging up, she took a deep breath, and started out to join Remington.

She only got to the edge of the deck before the limo appeared on the drive, turning toward the cottage parking area. A quick glance at Remington revealed that he was still at the wall, obviously lost in his own thoughts, so Laura moved through the garden toward the cottage, arriving as Fred opened the passenger side door. "Welcome home, Daniel," she said brightly, going to help him from the car. "Slowly, okay?"

"I do wish you and Mildred would stop treating me like an invalid," Daniel sighed. "Dr. Becker wouldn't have released me if he didn't think I was strong enough to let me come home." But just the same, Laura thought he leaned a little heavier on her arm than he would have before the hospital stay. "Where is Harry?" he asked, looking around.

"In the garden," Laura told him. "I don't think he heard the car."

Daniel turned to Fred, who was taking a small case out of the trunk of the car. "Just leave that inside the door, if you don't mind, Fred."

"I'll take care of it," Mildred said, "once we get you inside and settled."

Daniel shook his head. "I'm not going inside just yet," he told her, straightening to his full height and moving slightly away from Laura.

"But- I want to make sure that you like what I did with the cottage," Laura insisted.

"I'm sure it will be fine. But until EVERYthing is settled, I think it best that I not get too attached to the place."

Laura knew what he meant. "Daniel, why don't you wait? Remington's fixed lunch- and you can rest this afternoon, and then this evening, after dinner-"

"I've been resting for two weeks, Laura. It's best that I face this now. I don't think I'll be any stronger later."

"We'll go with you," Laura said, slipping an arm through his, but Daniel shook his head and gently refused the offer.

"I think this is something that Harry and I need to sort out on our own."

Mildred touched his hand. "Daniel-"

He took her hand in both of his. "I'll be fine," he promised, bringing her hand up to his lips. "You and Laura can wait on the deck. That way you'll be able to see what's going on, even if you can't hear what's being said."

"Aren't *I* allowed to know the story, Daniel?" Laura asked.

"Mildred will fill you in, I'm sure, my dear." He gave her kiss on the cheek, then resolutely turned toward the garden path.

Laura took Mildred's arm. "Come on, Mildred. Seems like you've got some explaining to do yourself."

***

Remington sat on the stone wall, letting the sound of the surf calm his frayed nerves. The urge to run was getting stronger. He'd done it so many times in his life when things had gotten too intense- except with Laura, of course. His trip to London last year didn't count. That had been a search for his past, for something that he could return to Laura and give her as proof of his commitment.

Gravel crunched on the walk behind him, and without turning, he asked, "How are Frances and the rest of the Pipers," thinking that it was Laura.

But Laura didn't answer, and suddenly some inner sense told Remington that it wasn't Laura standing behind him after all. Very slowly, he turned his head, rising to his feet at the same time. "Daniel."

"Hello, Harry. I believe that it's time for our talk."

To Be Continued . . .

---

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Original content ©2001 by Nancy Eddy