Author's Note: This Steve/Laura story takes place approximately five years after the show ends, with some major changes to the end of the series. In this alternate universe, Laura marries Stefan and Steve goes to Russia. I know. That's a horrible ending. Good thing it didn't really happen, but this will be fun to explore. I do promise all of you Steve/Laura lovers, I am always writing toward their happy ending, though there will be lots of speed bumps along the way. To find out what has happened to Steve and Laura since this terrible alternate ending, read on. I promise my other series, Season X, will continue soon.

Content Warning: This story will contain some physical violence and graphic sex.

Chapter 1

Steve Urkel's life was not at all what he had hoped it would be in 2003. Oh, sure, he was a successful inventor, a PHD, the founder, majority shareholder, and CEO of a major corporation, a billionaire, and only twenty-five, but he didn't have the one thing he ever really wanted. He didn't have her.

He moved to Russia so that she could be happy, but his feelings never really went away. His company, Urkorp, moving to Chicago was only making his nostalgia worse. Every time he looked out of his office window at the cityscape, he thought about her. Every woman he saw brought her back to his mind and an ache back to his heart, though that was nothing new. That hadn't stopped since he had left for Russia in the first place.

On a warm day in May, he sat behind his desk in a well-tailored suit. He was crouched over schematics for Urkorp's latest invention, but he was having trouble concentrating. Something felt wrong. He felt like he was missing something important. He decided to clear his head, and he stepped onto the balcony. Being on the 101st floor meant that he had a fabulous view of the river, and thanks to Urkorp, it was no longer polluted. He stared for a long while, but was startled by a woman's voice behind him.

"Dr. Urkel?"

He jumped; thankfully the balcony had a sturdy railing. "Yes? Kelly! What's cookin', good lookin'?"

His intern furrowed her brow. She'd been with him since the company moved to Chicago seven months ago, but she was clearly still not used to his uniqueness.

"I just wanted to remind you that you have lunch with Ronald from the London office in about 45 minutes."

"Right," he replied. "Then I better run. Call my car for me, please?"

She nodded and left him alone again on the balcony.

Steve slipped inside and adjusted his suit in the mirror. Having a moment before his driver would be ready, he slid over to his bookshelf closest to the window and pulled out a book he kept hidden there. In a copy of The Great Gatsby, he kept the one thing that could cheer him up on a day like today. He never had liked the characters in Gatsby, but he had always felt a strong connection to some of the plot points. He understood what it was like to lose a great love and never recover. On page 98, representative of the last year he saw her, he kept his favorite picture. Sliding it out, he smiled to himself as he glimpsed the love of his life in the first and only polka dress she ever wore. She didn't want to have anything to do with his polka habit, but the night they went to Polkapalooza turned out to be the best night of his life. Looking at her picture, he could still hear their conversation from that night. He touched her face in the photo and whispered, "I love you, too, Laura Lee."

Laura walked into the second tallest building in Chicago clutching her purse nervously. She felt absolutely ridiculous. She knew her dress was too tight and her blazer had lost a button, but she didn't have any other choice. She was desperate.

She hadn't walked on heels this tall in months either. She wobbled into the Urkorp lobby and was taken aback by the giant picture she saw immediately as she walked in. She hadn't seen him in over five years, and she definitely hadn't expected to see him standing twenty-feet-tall the moment she walked in. She stared for a moment at the expression on his face in the blown-up photo. He was smiling, but something looked wrong. He didn't look like himself, or at least, he didn't look like a happy version of himself. That was the fakest smile she'd ever seen. She scoffed bitterly and continued to the circular front desk in the center of the room.

"Excuse me," she said to the woman behind the counter.

The woman held up one finger to Laura, expecting her to wait a moment. Laura sighed.

"Hidy-ho, you've reached Urkorp. This is Heather. How may I direct your call?"

Hidy-ho? Does everyone talk like that here? Is he running a company or a cult? Laura thought.

After transferring the call, Heather directed her attention to Laura. "Hidy-ho! Welcome to Urkorp! My name's Heather. How can I help you?"

Laura tried to smile politely, though her stress was diminishing her charm. "Hi, Heather. My name's Laura Winslow. I'm here to see Steve Urkel."

"Ok, Ma'am, hold on for just a moment," Heather said as she started to dial an extension.

Ma'am?

"Hi, Jeremy! This is Heather at the front desk. I have a Ms. Laura Winslow here to see Dr. Urkel."

Laura cringed. Uh-oh. She actually had to have an appointment? There was no secret code for the love of the boss's life?

"Uh-huh. Ok. Oh, good!" Heather said brightly into her headset.

Maybe Steve's assistant will know my name? He must talk about me all the time, right?

"Thanks, Jeremy!" Heather turned her attention back to Laura. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. It looks like you don't have an appointment, so I'm not going to be able to send you up to see Dr. Urkel today." Her smile was bright and phony.

Crap. "Ok," Laura continued. "How do I make an appointment?"

"Unfortunately, because Dr. Urkel is such an important part of Urkorp and such a well-known person, we don't give out appointments to just anyone who walks in. They're reserved for important business associates and dear family and friends."

Ouch. "I am a dear friend. Really, I'm family, so can I please make an appointment?"

"No, I'm sorry, Ma'am. Dr. Urkel's intern, Jeremy, checked, and your name is not on the list of people Dr. Urkel typically meets with."

Laura's jaw clenched. She officially no longer liked this woman or her condescending smile. "I really need to see him. What do you suggest I do?"

"He has a walk-in day every six months. He could see you then."

"When is that?"

"Well, his summer walk-in day was just two weeks ago, so about five-and-a-half months from now."

Girl. "This really can't wait that long."

"You could call him and make an appointment with him directly."

There's an idea, Airhead! "Great!" Laura smiled. "Can you give me his number?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. We don't give that out. I assumed you'd already have it, since you're such a close friend."

Laura was about ready to beat this woman to the ground, but she still needed her help, so she held off. "Is there some way I could leave him a note?" she gritted through a smile.

"Yes, our automatic mail sorter will send it to his office if you slip an addressed envelope into that slot there," she pointed. "You should know, though, that his interns do sort through his mail first, so he still may not get it."

"Is that my best shot?"

"Yes."

"Do you have an envelope?"

"Yes, but unfortunately, we don't–"

"Give them to walk-ins. Got it." Laura turned to sit on one of the couches in the lobby, not taking the time to say goodbye to Heather. Laura pulled out a pen and some paper. She didn't have an envelope, but she hoped she could fool the machine if she folded the paper correctly. When she finished her note, she folded it into a small rectangle. She addressed it like an envelope and slipped it into the machine. It gave her a notification that the message was on its way. Hopefully, it worked.

When Steve returned to his floor after his meeting with the London office, he paused in front of his pool of interns, as he always did, to check for any important messages. There were a few calls he needed to return, but nothing of import. As he started to slip back into his office, something in the junk mail pile caught his eye as his intern, Richard, was starting to shred the useless mail. Steve ripped the un-enveloped paper from his hands. It was addressed to him, and his heart pounded as he recognized the handwriting. He opened it to glance at the signature. It was signed, "Laura Lee" with a little heart. He clutched it harshly to his chest and tried to breathe calmly, so he wouldn't rip Richard's throat out for almost shredding this.

"RICHARD," Steve boomed in a way he never had to an intern.

Richard jumped. "Yeah, Dr. U?"

"Why were you going to shred this? Does this look like junk mail? Does this handwritten note look like it's trying to sell me a timeshare?"

All three of his interns stared at him in shock. He was never angry with them, even when they made much bigger mistakes than this. Now, as he scolded and waved that paper around, they all attempted to figure out why he would care so much about this letter.

"It's very clearly labeled, 'PERSONAL' and 'URGENT'," he spat. Steve couldn't believe this moron almost shredded the first communication he had from Laura in five years. What if she needed him? What if it was an emergency? WHAT IF SHE WANTED TO GET BACK TOGETHER?

"Do not EVER shred a personal letter like this AGAIN," he shouted as he slammed his office door to read the letter.

He leaned against the door and looked at it. His hands were shaking as he tried to read:

"Steve," it said, "I tried to see you today, but I couldn't get past Heather at the front desk. Apparently, I'm not on some list of people who can make appointments with you. I really need to see you. I'll show up at about lunchtime tomorrow and try again. Hopefully, this note finds you, and you can make sure you have time to meet me. I really need your help. Please, make time.

Laura Lee

He traced the little heart to the left of her name and stood there, shaking uncontrollably. She damn well was on that list!

He picked up his phone and dialed the front desk, planning to fire Heather on the spot.

"Hidy-ho, Dr. Urkel. This is Jasmine at the front desk. How can I help you today?"

"Connect me to Heather, please," he said quietly, forcing back his anger.

"Ok, not a problem. Please, hold."

Steve waited for a moment until he heard Heather's bubbly greeting, "Hidy-ho, Dr. Urkel! This is Heather at the front desk! How can I help you today?"

"Did a woman named Laura try to see me today?" he said curtly.

"Yes, but unfortunately she didn't have an appointment, so we had to send her away."

"Did you call up here?" he growled.

"Of course, Dr. Urkel," she said, beginning to sense his tone.

"Then why didn't you have someone check the master list?" he spat.

"I did!" she defended, "Jeremy said she wasn't on it."

"He did?" Steve asked, his voice softening. "Oh, gosh. I'm very sorry to have bothered you, Heather," he said apologetically. He really wasn't much of a yeller, but this mess was driving him up the wall.

Heather breathed an audible sigh of relief. "It's not a problem at all, Dr. Urkel. I'm happy to clear that up for you," she said, her pep returning. "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

"Yes, actually, there is," he replied. "Laura is coming back tomorrow at around lunchtime. Keep an eye out for her and make sure to send her up to me immediately."

"Ok, Dr. Urkel," she said, puzzled.

"Thank you, Heather," he quickly hung up the phone and stormed back out to fire Jeremy. "JEREMY!"

Jeremy leapt from his chair. "Yes, Dr. Urkel?"

"Heather told me you checked the master list for Laura Urquelle this morning. Are you blind?" he yelled.

"I didn't check the list for Laura Urquelle," he replied, ducking slightly.

"Then who did?"

"I checked the list, but not for Laura Urquelle. I checked the list for a Laura Winslow. Her name's not on it."

Winslow? "That's her maiden name," Steve replied, resting his face against his palm. "Please, add that to her entry on the list," he ordered, realizing he wasn't going to be able to take out any more of his frustrations on his interns. This was a huge error, but none of it was really their fault.

Steve took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm sorry," he said, addressing all three of them. "I know since I got back from lunch, I've been on a rampage, but we almost missed an extremely important visitor today. Thankfully, she's coming back tomorrow. I need you three to clear my whole day."

"Your whole day?" Kelly questioned. "You can't do that. Tomorrow you have–"

"Clear my whole day!" he barked. Softening again, "Please, this is very important." He paused, "In fact, clear my afternoon today, too. We can deal with the fall-out on Wednesday. I have to go to my tailor." He grabbed his light coat and turned to them. "If you ever hear the name Laura Urquelle or Laura Winslow, find me immediately. I don't care if I'm meeting with the President of the United States. Bush can wait. She is far more important." He turned abruptly to find his driver. He needed to get ready for tomorrow.

When Laura returned to Urkorp the next day, she sported the same ill-fitting outfit. Wearing it a second day only made her feel even more self-conscious. As she walked to the front desk, Heather waved her over.

"Hidy-ho! You've reached Heather at Urkorp. Please, hold," she said into her headset.

"Hi, there, Ms. Winslow. You can follow me," Heather stood and began to walk to the elevator bay. She stood in front of the one that was labeled "Private" and turned the key to call the elevator. "Dr. Urkel received your note yesterday and made sure to have us send you right up today. I am so sorry about the inconvenience," she said with a very insincere tone.

Laura grinned smugly. "Oh, that's totally fine, Heather. I'll be sure to let Steve know exactly how helpful you were," she said, imitating Heather's fake bubbly tone.

Heather nodded and said, "Have a nice day, Ma'am."

As the doors opened, Heather leaned in to push a button for Laura as she stepped in.

The doors closed and the elevator began to move. Laura looked at her reflection in the mirrored door. Straightening her dress and fixing her hair, she thought, Ma'am? Girl, I am like two years older than you.

She began to get queasy as she got closer and closer to his floor. After the way they had left things, she had hoped she would never have to see Steve Urkel again, but she really needed his help. She had never thought she'd be in this situation at twenty-five, but she wasn't at all surprised that Steve was in his. Five years without her and he became a billionaire. She couldn't help but think that she might have been the one holding him back.

As the doors opened, three young faces turned to stare at her. She could tell that the boys were checking out her body and that the girl was judging her clothes. Under their hot scrutiny, her face flushed. "Umm. Hi," she said uncomfortably, "I'm here to see Steve Urkel."

They all nodded simultaneously, not saying anything.

"So, do I need to wait out here or is he free?"

Again, simultaneously, the three pointed toward the door. She was starting to lean back toward her cult theory. She walked to the big mirrored wall and knocked twice on the double doors.

"Come in!" she heard Steve's high-pitched voice call. The butterflies in her stomach did flips as she heard his voice for the first time in five years. All that time and he never even bothered to call, though neither did she, she realized.

She turned the knob and slowly pushed on the heavy double door. As she entered, she was captivated by the huge office before her. It ran the length of the building, making it very long and thin. Every wall was windowed, making her realize that the mirrored wall outside must have been one-way glass. The view of the river was breathtaking, and she stared for a long moment before she glanced around the huge room. She couldn't figure out why anyone would need an office this size. It included a large sitting area, a conference table, a few doors that went off to labs, closets, and a bathroom, which was surrounded by the only solid walls. Of course, as she turned to her right, she noticed his huge desk and the seating area around it. Then, she finally noticed him.

The past five years had been very kind to Steve Urkel. His vast wealth allowed him to improve his wardrobe ten-fold. He was sporting a tailor-fitted navy blue suit that looked brand-new over a gray dress shirt and silver and navy striped-tie. His shoes were shiny, as was the very expensive platinum watch he wore on his left wrist. He still wore the same pair of thick glasses, but they suited him. She noticed that he had filled-out, too. His muscles were well-hidden under his suit, but it was clear that he was larger and much more defined. His face hadn't aged a day, but it did seem to have matured. She expected to see him with his mouth agape, jumping up and down, but he looked at her with his kind eyes and a soft but very genuine smile. He leaned against the desk, almost casually, and he had his hands in his pockets.

When Steve heard her knock on the door, he felt like his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. He moved quickly to take his carefully planned position leaning against his desk. He called to her, trying to sound calm as he invited her in. Upon seeing her beautiful face again, his heart immediately slowed. It was like no time had passed. He was no longer nervous. She brought him an incredible inner peace, like she often had in the past.

As she stepped through the door, he noticed with pride that she was surprised by his luxurious office. He smiled softly as he absorbed her incomparable beauty. Sure, he could see that she had changed a little, but he thought she was even more beautiful than she had been the last time he saw her. Her hair was a little longer with a slight curl. She wore makeup, but it was very subtle, so he could still get a good look at her gorgeous face. He noticed that she had the slightest little smile line forming on her face, which made him happy because that meant she was smiling. He took in every detail of her face and only then glanced at her body. He noticed she was very, very slightly heavier, a couple of pounds at most, but he adored her curves. In that tight dress, he could certainly see them too. She wore a black dress that completely covered her chest up to her neck and went down to her knees. Over that, she wore a light gray blazer. He moved his eyes down to her calves and noticed her spiked, four-inch heels. This woman was a model in the making.

Suddenly, her beautiful eyes met his, and he was filled with an incredible warmth. She smiled gently at him. He was worried she'd still be mad, and maybe she was, but he knew that in that moment, she was as glad to see him as he was to see her.

He took a few steps toward her as she crossed the room to meet him. As they approached, he opened his arms wide for a hug, only to get a hand in his gut as she reached out to shake his.

"Oh," he laughed a little, embarrassed. They had spent the majority of their lives together, and she only wanted a handshake?

Then he stuck out his right hand as she moved to hug him.

She laughed uncomfortably. This is quite an Urkel greeting, she thought.

Suddenly, she felt his hands gripping her shoulders. He leaned in to plant a kiss on each cheek. Then he slid his arms down, wrapped them tightly around her waist, and pulled her in for a deep, shameless hug. As she felt him relax against her, she slinked her arms around his neck and relaxed, as well. She felt like she hadn't been held like this in forever. No, that's an Urkel greeting, she thought as her lips curled into a serene smile as she felt him bury his face in her neck. She was glad it was only one-way glass.

He inhaled deeply. She smelled incredible. She smelled exactly the same. He came close to losing control and kissing her neck the way he used to when they were dating, but then he remembered she was married. That fact felt like bricks falling from the sky as he released her. He pulled away as slowly as he could, letting his hands slide down her arms to land in hers. He playfully swung their joined hands from side-to-side, unable to completely let go of her. Then she pulled away.

His eyes met hers again, and they shared a look that he could only interpret as regret. He saw regret, at least, though he may have been imagining it.

"Hi," she said, finally.

His smile grew and grew when he heard her voice. Soon he was bearing a classic Urkel grin, and she smiled back just as widely. "Hidy-ho, Laura Lee," he whispered. He reached forward to place a hand on her arm and turn her around. "C'mon," he said. "Let's sit and catch up."

She nodded and followed him to the seating area on the other side of the room. He took a seat on the black leather couch, and was disappointed when she sat on the couch across from him. He stared at her lovingly as the Chicago River framed her angelic face.

"So," he began, "Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled to see you, but what the heck are you doing here?"

She looked down at her hands. She didn't want to answer that question yet. "Umm… Can we start with an easier question?" she asked.

He raised his eyebrows. "Ok, sure. No sweat, my pet. How are you?" He hadn't said those words in years.

And she hadn't heard those words in years. She smiled. "I'm ok, Steve. How are you, Mr. Billionaire?"

"Lonely," he answered, possibly a little more honestly than he should have.

She scoffed bitterly, again, "Hm. Well, whose fault is that?"

That certainly took a turn. "Laura, I–"

"No," she interrupted. "I don't want to talk about that."

He nodded solemnly. If she didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't force her to. "Hey," he said, trying to change the subject, "I know the best little Spanish restaurant in the city. How does a little take-out sound? My treat!"

"Oh, no, thank you, Steve. I won't be staying that long."

His face fell. "Laura, we haven't seen each other in five years. You won't even stay for lunch?"

"No, Steve. I need a really big favor, and then I have to get home."

He sighed, feeling a rush of disappointment. "What do you need, Sweetums?"

"A job," she said matter-of-factly.

A job? Steve thought. Maybe I will get to see more of her. He beamed brightly at the realization, "No sweat, my pet! I'll call down to Legal right now, and we can have you working cases by tomorrow morning." He rose from his seat.

"No!" she said, standing, too. "Not Legal."

"Why not?" he asked, turning back to her.

"I didn't go to law school, Steve," she looked away from him, ashamed.

"What?" he demanded breathlessly.

"When I was applying for law schools, I found out I was pregnant, so Stefan and I decided I should stay home with the baby." She couldn't meet his eyes. She knew he had expected so much more of her. She couldn't bear to see the disappointment in his eyes.

"Pregnant? Baby? You're a mom, now?" Little did Laura know, it wasn't disappointment looking back at her, it was heartbreak. She had had a baby with someone else. He could feel himself beginning to hyperventilate. He sat on the arm of the sofa as he felt his knees give out. He knew she and Stefan would have kids eventually, but she was so young. Also, he had hoped to never have to know about it.

"Yes, Steve. I'm a mother of two baby boys."

Two?

"The oldest, Michael, just turned three, and the younger one, Elijah, is only eight months."

He noticed the change in her expression when she said their names. At least, he knew they knew made her happy.

"That's actually why I need your help, Steve. I have two little boys to support and only a Pre-Law Bachelors' degree. I was waitressing at night, but it wasn't enough money and the hours were terrible, so I quit. You know I'm not the type to ask for charity, Steve, and I'm sure I'm under-qualified, but I need a job with a decent salary, and health insurance, and normal hours. Please. You know I wouldn't come to you unless I was desperate." She was tearing up as she begged. She never wanted to beg anyone for help like this. She was far too proud. Begging Steve, though, was worse. It felt worse than going to her parents for help. There was no one in the world who believed in her more than Steve did, and it only took her five years without him to fall so flat on her face.

Steve was more than willing to help her, but he still didn't quite understand what was going on. "What about Stefan?" he asked, kicking himself for bringing him up. "Doesn't he make enough? Plus, I can't imagine he's comfortable with you working under me… I mean– for me." He blushed at his double entendre.

Still not meeting his eyes, she really started to cry, "Stefan and I got a divorce four months ago."

She was single again?! Steve tried to hide his excitement, which wasn't too difficult because he was able to put it behind a layer of genuine concern. Those two were crazy about each other. How could they have gotten divorced after so little time? "What happened, Laura?"

"We just couldn't make it work, Steve. He gave up his paternal rights, and I'm raising the kids all alone now. I only have my parents to help. We moved in with them, but I want to be able to give my kids a real home. I need your help, Steve. Please. I'll do anything."

For the shortest second of his life, he thought about what "anything" he could ask her for in return, but he shook that thought immediately out of his head and moved to sit by her. He wrapped his arm around her as she cried. "Laura, my love, please, don't cry. I'll take care of you. Don't worry." He kissed her forehead and stroked her back as she sobbed.

She sniffled and lifted her gaze to meet his for the first time since she had started to explain. "Thank you, Steve."

He smiled at her. "Ok," he said excitedly. "We just need a game plan. How about I start you off with a million dollars? If you need more, we can go from there, but that should be a good start to send you back to school and buy a nice house. Of course, we are going to need to set up college funds for the boys and find you a nanny–"

"What? No!" Laura scowled. "Steve! I don't want any of that. I just want a job. I want to earn a living."

"But, Babycakes, you can't go to law school, hold down a full-time job, and be a mom. You can do just about anything, Laura, but you're not Super Woman."

"I'm not going back to school, Steve. I just need a job, please."

Steve saw a familiar look of determination in her eyes. There was no changing her mind at this point. Giving in, for now, he thought hard for a moment. "Ok, Laura Lee, we let interns do a lot of our administrative work, even in Legal. I'm not sure what openings we have for someone with only a Pre-Law degree. I can make some calls, or… Nah."

"What? What was that 'nah'?"

"Well, I do know of one opening I could give you today, no application, no interview, but I don't think you'd want it."

"Steve," she implored, "you have no idea how desperate I am."

"Well, I'm looking for a new Head Administrative Assistant, HAA. That's my direct right-hand man. It pays really well, the benefits are good, you get to boss all my interns around and most of the other members of the administrative staff, and you are more than qualified."

"That sounds perfect, Steve. Why don't you want to give it to me? I promise I will work so hard," she felt gross practically begging him, but she needed a little experience on her résumé.

"I'd love to hire you for it, Sweetums, but I didn't think you'd want to… work closely with me." He pursed his lips.

"I can handle it if you can," she said, "but we have to keep things strictly professional."

"I can't make that promise, my pet," he admitted honestly.

"Steve," she pleaded, "c'mon, I need this job, but I can't work for you if you're going to make it weird."

"Well, what kind of weird?"

"Well, Steve, I'm not desperate enough to prostitute myself, so if it's gonna come down to 'Have sex with me or your fired' I'm going to choose fired," she said looking at the floor.

"Laura!" he looked at her, shocked that she could even come up with such a thing. "I would never do that to you! How could you even think that?"

"I don't know, Steve! You won't agree to keep things professional, so what am I supposed to do? If you ask me to have lunch with you is it a lunch meeting or a lunch date? Are business trips for work or for play? How many times will I be able to tell you 'No' before you get sick of having my constant rejection thrown in your face?"

"Well, maybe your rejection won't be so constant," he teased.

She glared at him. "It will be, Steve. I have young kids. I have no interest in dating, right now, and if I did… I still haven't forgiven you."

He knew he deserved that. The recent developments in her life only proved that further. "Laura," he said seriously, "you can turn me down as often as you like, but I can't promise I won't chase you. By the end of this, you'll definitely have a case for a lawsuit, but if you take this job, you will have it for as long as you want it. Please, never feel obligated to do something that makes you uncomfortable. It's just that our story is so complicated and so long, I can't turn it off Monday through Friday, Nine to Five."

That made sense, but she was still worried about how he'd react if she stuck to her guns. "I'm always going to turn you down, Steve."

"I'm always going to ask, Laura Lee."

"I want this job."

"I want you," he whispered.

Not a great start. "You can't have me."

"I can't promise professional, but I'd really be glad just to be your friend again. Do you think we can aim for that?"

"Maybe we can work on it."

"The job is yours, if you want it," he smiled.

"Thank you, Steve," she whispered as she teared-up again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her close.

After a precious moment, she pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Ok, so… Um. Maybe we should talk logistics?"

He just wanted to hold her again. She looked so vulnerable. Coming to him for help was so out of character. It broke his heart to know her situation was really that bad. Resigned to the fact that his moment as physical comforter was over, he resolved himself to aid her within the confines of their new relationship.

"You got it, Sweetheart!" He waved her over to his desk. He took a seat behind it, and she sat in one of the chairs on the other side.

As she sat and crossed her legs, she prayed that her dress wouldn't rip. She listened intently as he walked her through her duties. He was right; they weren't complicated, but they certainly needed to be done. He noted that while her hours sometimes required evening and weekend work, not to mention travel, he would be flexible with her when he could be. She didn't appreciate his special treatment, but she was in no position to turn it down.

Eventually, they arrived at salary. He wrote an enormous number down on a Post-It note and slid it across the desk to her. When she read it, she laughed aloud. "Absolutely not," she said.

"What? You don't think it's enough?"

"Steve! It's three times what you should be paying me."

He scoffed, "Please, it's not like I can't afford it. I like to keep my employees happy."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, so that's what you paid your last assistant?"

"Well, no," he admitted, "but my last HAA only had a high school diploma. You have a degree. You should make more!"

"Not that much more!" Laura insisted.

"Laura," Steve pleaded, "I want you to be comfortable."

"I'd be more comfortable if you paid me a reasonable salary," she maintained. "I am asking you for a big favor, Steve, but I'm not a charity case. I don't want to owe you that much. I want to be treated like a normal employee."

He inhaled deeply and held his breath for a moment. Exhaling loudly, he wrote down another number. He slid it to her and she shook her head.

"What were you paying your last assistant?"

"That's confidential," he said, writing down another number. "This is as low as I'm going."

She reached for it and looked at it critically. It was still too much. "Steve, please. Just add fifteen percent to what you were paying your last HAA. That's plenty for my degree."

"Fine," he said, writing down the final number, "but you will also have full-coverage family health insurance, three weeks of paid time off, a Christmas bonus, free childcare, and an expense account that will be very poorly monitored."

She laughed, "Fine! Stop twisting my arm." She took the note from him and gawked at the number. "Steve Urkel, don't you dare lie to me!"

"What do you mean?"

"There's no way you were paying your last assistant this much!"

"Yes, I was!" he insisted.

She narrowed her eyes at him. She used to be able to read his face like a book, but she was having trouble now. "You swear?"

"I swear on all things cheesy," he said, raising his right hand.

She shook her head, "You are too good a man, Steve Urkel."

He cocked his head at her adoringly, deeply touched by her compliment. "I've missed you so much."

She looked away from those big, puppy dog eyes. Noticing her resistance, he decided to give her a break, "So," he continued, "do you have any questions for me?"

"No, not right now."

He smiled brightly, "Well, then I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning at nine… That is, unless you would reconsider my lunch offer?" He looked at her, his eyes filled with hope.

She really did owe him lunch after all he decided to do for her. "I really can't today, Steve. Could we maybe do it tomorrow?"

Jackpot! I'm already wearin' you down again! "You got it, baby!" he said, shooting her his finger guns.

He stood to walk her out. "Do you have a minute to meet the interns? We can do a fuller meet-and-greet with more of the staff you will be working with tomorrow, but you really should meet the trio."

She stood to follow him, "Ok, but I really only have a minute."

They stepped out of his office and walked up to the three desks behind the larger one in the center of the waiting room she could only assume was her own.

"Richard, Jeremy, Kelly, this is Laura Winslow," he paused. "Wait, you did actually change your name back, right?"

She nodded.

"Oh, good. So," he continued speaking to the interns, though his eyes never left Laura, "this is Laura Winslow. She is a brilliant, strong, wonderful woman and she will be taking over the Head Administrative Assistant position tomorrow."

Laura looked away from his exaggerated compliments, and toward the interns. She waved, but noticed that they looked confused, if not annoyed. She could tell she'd have some convincing to do before she really had a team. She was confident she would earn their respect… eventually.

"I'm really looking forward to working with all of you," she said.

Steve's hand landed on her lower back. Well, that's certainly not going to help. She noticed that the young woman glared as Steve touched her and the guys exchanged a glance. They think I'm sleeping with him. Fantastic. That will make my life way easier. She pulled away from him.

He looked at her, surprised she moved, but he accepted it. "C'mon," he said to her. "I'll walk you out." He led the way to the elevator and hit the button.

"You really don't have to, Dr. Urkel."

Dr. Urkel? There was something about that that he found extremely sexy. He made note of that for later. "I want to, though," he crooned, wiggling his brow.

Oh, God… He's not helping. "You're the boss," she conceded as she stepped into the elevator.

"Darn right, I am," he growled as the doors closed. He stepped closer to her.

"Steve…" she warned.

"Yes, my pet," he cooed, a little too close to her ear.

"You have to be more professional in front of the interns. They think you only gave me the job because I'm hot or something."

"Oh, we can't have that. They need to know the real reason I gave you the job: because I worship you," he teased.

"No, they don't," Laura insisted. "Please. When we're alone, it's one thing. We have a very specific dynamic, but when we're with other people… Steve, if you really want me to do this job, people are going to have to respect me. You may have only given me this position because of our past, but you do think I can really do it, right?"

"Of course, you can, Laura Lee."

"Then treat me like it. Ok?"

"I will do my best," he promised as the doors opened. He walked across the lobby next to her, holding the door for her as she exited. He offered to walk her to her car, but she refused. They stood in the warm sun for a few moments.

Laura broke the silence. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You bet!"

Suddenly, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. His eyes remained open in surprise. All too soon, she pulled back. "Thank you, Steve." She quickly turned and left.

He stood there, watching her walk away until she turned the corner. He remained there for several minutes more. He was going to get to see Laura Winslow every day again. In that moment, he promised himself he would win her back and never let her go. He jumped into the air and kicked wildly. "Yahoo!" Then he went back to finish his day.