Disclaimer: Remington Steele is owned by MTM. For entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.
Laura, having been legally married to Remington Steele for over two years now, is a new mother. These are her thoughts as she lays on the bed shortly after giving birth and watches as her husband plays with his newborn son. (Flashback to "Steele Knuckles and Glass Jaws.")
Laura roused slightly and tried not to groan. It had been a difficult delivery, but all was well with her and her newborn son. Her eyes remained closed and she could hear Remington singing softly, an Irish nonsense song, one she had heard before.
Bu Bumpa Bum, Bu Bumpa Bum. Laura opened her eyes and smiled as she saw her husband in the recliner, gently bouncing the baby and singing softly, perhaps so as not to wake her.
Her smile grew wistful as she remembered another time she had heard him singing the same song. She was leaning in the doorway at Remington's apartment out of his line of sight, watching unobtrusively as Remington sang his Irish ditty to another baby boy. Standing there, she had thought that he would make a good father someday and hoped that one day he would sing this song to their son. Even then, she loved him so much that it was almost a physical ache, as her heart swelled at this incredible sight.
Bu Bumpa Bum, Bu Bumpa Bum. Laura blinked and came back to the present to the realization that watching him now was a long ago wish fulfilled. She blinked again and as she turned her head, she became aware that she had also caught Remington's attention.
Remington smiled and said softly, "Awake at last, I see. You had been through so much and you were exhausted. You looked so pretty and peaceful, lying there, I didn't have the heart to wake you."
Laura smiled again and said nothing, but extended her arms, asking wordlessly to take the baby.
Like an old pro, Remington transferred the baby to a football hold and stood up. He gently deposited the baby in Laura's waiting arms. Laura scooted over a bit and Remington reclined along the edge of the bed.
Remington rested on one elbow, as he watched Laura dismantle the baby's tightly swaddled blanket. She was doing as just about every new mother did. She wanted to have a good look at her new son, count his fingers and toes, marvel at how tiny his hands and feet were, touch his cheek and feel the softness of his skin, smell his hair, look into his eyes, whisper of her love in his tiny ear, let him grasp her finger.
Remington looked up to meet Laura's gaze and reached to plant a gentle kiss on Laura's forehead. He touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. He drew in a long, deep breath. "I'm so proud of you. I have a son. We have a son," he crooned. "We're a family at long last." Then, he said the words that were almost impossible to say not so long ago, but came easily to his lips now, "I love you."
Laura touched his face and spoke for the first time, "I love you, too."
"With the whirlwind of activity the last few days we haven't had a chance to talk over what we want to name this little guy," Laura said. "Any thoughts?"
Remington drew back slightly and met Laura's gaze once again. One finger stroked the baby's cheek as he cocked his head to one side, thinking. Laura always thought he looked like an inquisitive bird when he did that. His eyes were a brilliant blue and a quirky half grin played about his lips, as his hand came to touch her face and curl around the back of her neck just below her ear, as it had done a hundred and one times before.
"How about Harry Daniel Holt Steele?" Remington said and nodded resolutely.
Laura grinned even wider. "Perfect."
Suddenly, Remington's hand tightened slightly on Laura's neck, as he asked, "How do you feel?"
"I'm in a little pain and I'm still really tired, but I'm okay," she answered.
Remington's grip tightened again, as he asked, "No. How do you feel?"
A certain wistfulness came into Laura's voice as she said in little more than a whisper, so low Remington had to strain to hear her, "Like I won the lottery. Like I suddenly have everything I ever wished for. I'm married to a wonderful man, whom I love very much. I have a beautiful, healthy baby boy. And I have a beautiful home and a thriving business. What more could I possibly want?"
"More children, perhaps?" Remington said, mock seriously.
"We'll discuss it when I recover from having this one and we get the hang of this parenting business," Laura chuckled and they kissed over the baby's head. And the newly christened Harry made not a sound, for he knew he was safe and warm and surrounded with love.