The Alternative Universe Series
Toss the Twilight Zone experience of Season 5 into the proverbial trash can. These stories pick up after Steele of Approval. While Approval still exists, more importantly these stories look at season 4 as most of the viewers saw it - Laura and Remington had crossed that line, imbuing that Season with the "Mr & Mrs Steele" feeling that most experienced.
To get the most out of my stories, I recommend reading them in the following order:
Steele Forsaken (Part 1 of 3 in the A Holt New Beginning Series)
Steele Mending (Part 2 of 3 in the A Holt New Beginning Series)
A Holt New Beginning (Part 3 of 3 in the A Holt New Beginning Series; Takes place during and after Steele Searching)
Holt the Presses (Takes place during and after Steele Blushing)
The Holt Truth (Takes place during and after Forged Steele)
You've Gotta Know When to Holt 'Em (Takes place during Premium Steele)
Holt the Sugar (Takes place during and after Coffee, Tea or Steele)
Not So Merry Steele (After Dancer, Prancer, Donner and Steele)
Snippets of Steele (Missing scenes from Steele on the Air, Steele Inc, and Steele Spawning)
Holting Down the Fort (During Suburban Steele)
Steele Admired (During and After Santa Claus is Coming to Steele) - Coming Soon
Steele Moving Forward (Sensitive Steele) - Coming Soon
Her Holt Heart (Beg, Borrow through the end of Season 4 [No Bonds]) - Coming Soon
As usual, I do not own the characters. I simply borrow them.
Chapter 1: The Dog House
"Laura…" Remington elbowed his way past the bloke blocking his exit from the lift and scrambled after his headstrong, temperamental partner and lover. "Laura, wait… wait," he tried again, reaching for an arm, only for her to pick up the pace.
She had no choice but to stop and unlock the doors to the Agency, but he thought better of pleading at her feet in front of Frances, who was currently sniffling into his handkerchief. How? How had it all gone so wrong? he wondered. Frances had sounded legitimately upset when she'd called the office seeking out Laura's help. Convincing, even. Enough so that he'd tricked Laura into meeting up with her sister, knowing all would be forgiven in the end. There had been a murder, after all, and there was little Laura enjoyed more than a nice, juicy murder. Surely, that was reason enough to be a tad late to the East-West Convention, even if he was the keynote speaker, right?
Only there had been no evidence of a murder. No body lying on Frances's kitchen floor as she'd claimed. There had only been, and there still was, a hysterical sister Laura was now left to contend with.
"We'll use Mr. Steele's office, Frances," Laura directed her sister now. Laura narrowly missed colliding with her sister when she came to an abrupt stop.
"Oh, but Laura, Mr. Steele's your boss and I'm sure he's very busy," she fretted. "Don't you think we'd be in his way?" Remington winced when Laura's back stiffened at the words.
"Nonsense, Frances. What's mine is Laura's," he insisted, then winced again as she turned her head and shot him a murderous look.
"Yes, Frances, Mr. Steele is very generous," she replied in a treacly voice. "So much so, that he's volunteered to pick up the children at school and bring them here while you and I have a little chat." She turned to face him. "Haven't you, Mr. Steele." To his credit, he managed to both suffocate the groan of dread threatening in his throat, and to understand the warning for what it was: You've stepped in it once again, Mr. Steele, and if you have even a prayer of returning to my good graces you'll take this one like a champ. He bestowed a wide smile on Frances.
"Absolutely. Cleared my schedule. Whatever Laura and her family need is my top priority!" he agreed enthusiastically. "If you wouldn't mind providing me the address of the children's school…" He didn't miss the smirk that flashed across Laura's lips. Ahhh, dog house it is for certain then.
"I'll need to call the school. They won't just let anyone pick the children up, you know," Frances announced.
"Of course, of course. Help yourself to the phone in my office." Laura started to follow Frances, but he snatched her arm before she could get away. "Miss Holt and I'll be just a moment. We need to discuss… uhhh… the revision of tomorrow's schedule. Alright?" he asked shooing her the rest of the way into the office, adding, before closing the door, "Just a moment. I give you my word."
Pulling her arm away, Laura turned to face him, plopping her hands on her hips and glaring at him.
"You just couldn't leave it alone, could you?" she accused in a stage whisper. "Whatever it is, it's just her imagination, I tell you. Let's get in the limo and go to the convention. But would you do it? No!" she bit out. "Now look at her!" She flung her arm towards the office door. "It's going to take me all afternoon to convince her everything is fine and there's no need to go back to Connecticut, destroying Donald's career in the process!"
"She sounded so frightened, so sincere, Laura," he beseeched.
"Frances always sounds sincere, Mr. Steele," she retorted. "When she's certain Daniel's teacher is a Nazi fugitive, she sounds sincere! When she's absolutely convinced the bag of garbage someone disposed of in the woods on the side of the road is a body, she sounds sincere!" Her voice had been steadily rising as her rant continued.
"Laura, she'll hear you," he warned. She threw out her arms.
"I don't care if she hears me. Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get you that keynote address?" she demanded to know. "And just like when we were kids, Frances and her craziness barrels right over it!"
"Lau-ra…" he drew out her name in attempt to cajole her.
"You," she stabbed a finger into his chest, "Kids. Take them to lunch wherever they want. Until I'm finished with Frances, they're yours."
"Awww," he croaked while nodding slowly, but wisely decided, given the fire flashing in her eyes, now was not the wisest of times to argue. Lifting a hand, he scratched his jaw. "How many are there again?"
"Three." He swallowed hard, then could only keep nodding as she spoke, "And, Mr. Steele… All three had better be safe and accounted for when you get back."
With those parting words, she spun on her heel, entered his office and closed the door. He stared at the door for several long seconds, then with a swipe of his hand to mouth, left the Agency to meet Fred where he should be waiting downstairs.