At last. The end. Thanks to everyone who followed along!

Thanks to Angie for the beta.

Chapter 9

As Laura was slammed up against the wall, her former client's hands at her throat, all she could think about was how grateful she was that her husband had insisted on a disguise. Otherwise, she would have been recognized.

The next thought that crossed her mind as the irate man did his best to choke the life out of her was how she wasn't going let anything stand in the way of consummating her very unconventional marriage. They hadn't waited so long, endured so much, to have it end with her neck being snapped like a twig.

Recalling her self defense training, she delivered a well placed knee to her attacker's groin and he went down with a sharp cry. A trembling hand swiped at her feet but she leapt over it, wrenched open the door and dove into the hallway.

Steele paced as far as the phone cord would reach and then glared at it when he turned around and stalked back the way he'd come. Laura still hadn't arrived and he was trapped on the phone making getaway arrangements for an abused wife and her infant son rather than our there looking for her. "Yes, yes, excellent. You'll meet her at the dock and take her straight away? Thank you, my good man." He gestured with the hand not holding the phone and rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, once the renovations are complete."

Carolina was in the small bathroom nursing her son. A task Steele was infinitely glad she'd decided to undertake in the privacy that room afforded.

"Indeed. I will give her Ladyship your regards. Carolina and her son will arrive tomorrow first thing. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Goodbye. Goodbye." He dropped the phone in its cradle with a heavy sigh and stalked to the window overlooking an ancient, neglected church. Raking his hand through his already mussed hair, he went over the evening in his mind. There wasn't anything he would have done, could have done, differently.

He paid Carolina no mind when she walked out and settled her baby in the bassinet on the narrow bed. When she joined him at the window, he didn't so much as glance at her.

"She has still not returned."

With effort, he controlled the fear in his response. "No."

"You are afraid she was detained."

She wouldn't have been so late otherwise.

He tried to find strength in the surety of his next words. "She can handle herself."

"But you still worry."

"She's my wife." The one and only.

"One day, maybe I will find a love such as yours."

His heart heavy, he offered her a strained smile. "It's worth waiting for."

A noise at the door sent Carolina scampering toward the bathroom with her baby. Steele clutched his fists in a fighting stance – just as a harried Laura burst through.

"Laura!"

Steele took two long strides and enfolded her tightly in his arms. He winced as the muscles in his still-healing chest pulled uncomfortably but he didn't care. She was here. She was safe. Long, sure fingers tilted her head and his mouth descended in a hungry, possessive claim. He didn't care if Carolina had a front and center view.

Laura clung to him, accepting his relieved embrace for a few fleeting moments before pulling away. "Where's-"

Carolina exited the bathroom with an embarrassed smile. "I am glad you have returned."

Steele glanced down at his wife and affected a blasé attitude he most certainly didn't feel. "Yes, what kept you?"

She rolled her eyes at him and he knew she'd seen through his façade. Instead, she turned her attention to the young woman standing in the bathroom doorway. "Your husband walked in just as I was about to leave."

"Oh no!"

Steele was reassured when Laura continued, "He didn't see through the disguise. He noticed his unconscious guard and tried to detain me."

"A foolish decision on his part."

She tugged the wig off her head. "I took a few different modes of transportation to get back here just to make sure he wouldn't be able to follow me."

Steele beamed with pride and resisted the urge to take her in his arms again. Instead she interrupted his joyful reverie with a question.

"Everything ready?"

Back to business. That was his Laura. "All sorted. Carlitos has secured transportation to Dublin."

In a move he would swear she'd picked up from him, one skeptical eyebrow rose above the other. "And Mikeline will be there to pick her up."

It was uncanny how well they could read one another's thoughts. Delight glimmered in his eyes as she quickly put together his previously undisclosed plan.

"Your powers of deduction are as sharp as ever, Laura." He turned to Carolina. "Mikeline will take you to Ashford Castle. They're in the midst of turning the place into a hotel, you see, and need competent help to complete the," he winked at Laura, innuendo clear, 'magical' transformation."

Despite being ignorant of his final plans, Laura took over. "You will be paid, of course, and you'll be free to come and go as you please."

Carolina sank onto the bed, checked the baby asleep in the bassinet. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if –"

"He won't be able to hurt you again," Laura said softly, a firm surety in her tone that even Steele couldn't match.

He dropped his hand to her hip and drew her close, hoping her need for independence in all things wouldn't rear its ugly head. To his delight, she leaned closer, wordlessly encouraging the close contact.

"He was the perfect husband at first," Carolina began slowly, eyes far away. "Took me to nice places, gave me nice things. He wanted a baby so badly. He blamed me for it taking so long. And when I finally got pregnant, everything seemed good again. But when Zareh was born everything changed."

"How so?" Laura asked and Steele winced. He knew this story. He'd lived it.

"I'd given him a son so I was no longer of any use. He tried to take Zareh from me. He would beat me for any little thing. He was planning to leave me in America and take our son back to his homeland. I would never have found him there." Her voice trembled, took on a desperate tone, "I paid a man a lot of money to bring us here."

"That man at the boarding house." It didn't need to be phrased as a question. He already knew the answer.

"You saw him? Oh yes, you would have. You were hired to find me, after all." The young mother smiled ruefully. "Yes. He was going to set false trails for us and arrange for us to disappear."

"You need not go back there," Laura said softly.

"He was there when my husband arrived." She dropped her head, ashamed, "He is not a forgiving man."

"I thought the bruising looked fresh." Laura's gaze was sympathetic.

"He thought I was cheating on him." The young mother's jaw tightened. "I would never do such a thing."

Steele checked his watch and reluctantly squeezed Laura's hip. "Time to go."

While Laura disappeared into the bathroom to finish changing, he pulled a sealed envelope out of his pocket. The baby was quiet as he peered into the bassinet.

"He's always been a quiet boy."

So had he. It was the first thing he could recall. Quiet. Stillness. If no one knew he was there, no one could hurt him.

"Some just know," he said quietly and offered up the envelope. "If you need more, there's a number."

Tears filled her eyes and she embraced him with more ferocity than he would have given credit for such a small slip of a girl. But then Laura stepped out of the bathroom and he was reminded that he was married to such a woman and amazing strength could be hidden in those of all sizes.

Gentle thumbs brushed away her tears and he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Mustn't be late."

He held the door open for Laura to precede him and then followed Carolina and her baby out the door. By the end of the evening, she would be sailing off to a safe and secure future for herself and her son.

Once again, they stood on the decrepit old dock and watched as Carolina and her baby boarded an equally rickety old boat. Steele couldn't completely mask the disgusted look at the sight of the transport his 'old friend' had secured.

A jovial Carlitos clasped Steele on the shoulder. "She'll hold together, hermanito! Don't you fret that pretty little head."

"She better, old man," Steele said with a smirk but the tone was laced with a warning that Carlitos at even his dumbest couldn't miss.

"Safe passage's what you're payin' me for. She'll get there."

Steele pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it over. Carlitos snatched it out of his hand and thumbed through the currency.

"The agreed upon sum plus a bonus for ongoing - silence."

"I've forgotten already," Carlitos winked. "Now if you don't mind, we'll be off. Got a delivery to make."

Steele's eyes darkened but Carlitos raised a reassuring hand. "No extra cargo this time." He made a show of crossing himself. "On my word."

"The only cargo you'd better be smuggling is Carolina and her baby, Carlitos." His eyes were hard and his voice had an edge that even caused Laura, who was standing beside him, to glance sharply in his direction.

"My word, hermanito."

"I'll hold you to it."

"I know you will. I haven't forgotten Venice." With a final wave, Carlitos hopped into the boat and cast off the line. They would meet a larger ship out to sea and from there sail on to Dublin.

Steele ignored Laura's questioning look. Venice. Beautiful city. Stunning architecture. Gregarious women. A lively part of his past he was hoping could be discussed later rather than sooner. Damn Carlitos. A man must keep some secrets. Though, as he stepped away from the dock, his feisty slip of a wife at his side, he admitted he had a lifetime more than most.

They watched until the boat disappeared into the evening mist and then made their way back to their nondescript car.

As he opened the passenger door, Laura whirled on him. "Venice?"

Delighted that she responded when long fingers wrapped around her slim waist and pulled her close, he bent and nipped at her lips. "After the honeymoon?" he asked hopefully, eyebrows dancing an innuendo-laced jig.

She tipped her head and he wasn't sure if he should be grateful or afraid that she'd agreed so readily. "After the honeymoon."

When they returned to their hotel, the beachside, elegant resort poised on the edge of the Mediterranean, Laura pushed all thought of her husband's mysterious past into the back of her mind. Tonight they were going to celebrate; a successful end to a perplexing and emotional case and the end of their unpleasantly enforced celibacy.

Her husband's taste in the finer things could never be questioned and this place was no exception. Furnished in an elegant art nouveau style with a large sitting room and fully stocked bar, she had eyes only for the entrance to the bedroom at the far end of the opulent suite.

But for all the impatience swimming in his eyes, the obvious restraint in his stride, he stopped at the bar and uncorked the waiting bottle of champagne. With a clink of their glasses and a suggestive wink, he toasted, "to us."

She took a sip and nearly moaned as the sweet liquid slipped over her tongue. "To new beginnings."

Those bewitching eyes focused so intently on her that she felt the answering tingle all the way to her toes.

He looped his arm around hers in their customary style and she sipped from his flute, trembled when he leaned down and whispered hotly against her cheek. "Together."

A silent understanding passed between them when he lifted the flute out of her hand and set the two aside. Hand in hand, they walked together to the opposite end of the suite and into the bedroom.

Without preamble, without staring longingly into one another's eyes, they stepped into one another's space. He wrapped delightfully long fingers around her waist while she draped her arms draped casually around his shoulders, head tilted to receive the first gentle, teasing kiss.

As his lips slanted across hers, she found herself yanked tightly up against the hard planes of his body. Coherent thought rapidly vanished as one hand delved into her hair to pull her deeper into his kiss, the other quite daringly sliding down to squeeze her backside.

She couldn't stop the breathy moan that escaped as she could feel the affect the close contact was having on his body. Exploration disintegrated into desperate desire when her fingers deftly slid down the center of his chest, slipping free the buttons along the way.

The sensual tour came to an abrupt halt when her fingers ghosted over the puckered remnants of a mostly healed scar. The very real and tangible reminder of how close she'd come to losing him.

She ended the kiss and forced herself to gaze down, her fingers twitching where they rested against his chest.

Her eyes slowly lifted to meet his and she was comforted by the understanding that swam there. He only offered a small nod of his head and a reassuring smile before pulling her back into his arms and resuming their kiss. Tongues battled, retreated, and advanced, neither having complete control or advantage over the other. All the while busy hands divested one another of suddenly very restrictive clothing.

When the tips of his fingers traced the clearly defined outline of her nipples through her bra, she tugged her mouth from his and sucked in a huge gasp of air.

The smoldering heat in his eyes and the answering, lopsided smirk on his lips sent her hands racing downward to teasingly trace the very solid length and breadth of him. She'd be damned if she gave him control so easily.

When his hands quickly circled her wrists and yanked them away, she returned his smirk with a smug one of her own.

"There'll be none of that." His voice strained and raspy.

She understood but couldn't resist the innuendo-laced wink. "Not this time anyway."

She took his hand and led him to the bed, stepped away and removed the remainder of her clothing. Heat suffused her cheeks but the way his eyes darkened as they traveled over her was enough of an encouraging response.

When he reached for her, the phone rang and the furious glare that he shot at it would have reaped an instant guffaw had they been watching this scene unfold on his couch in front of the television.

Instead, he shed his shirt and pulled her into his arms, determined, it seemed, to ignore the shrill ring.

After a few moments, she tore her mouth from his and rested her forehead against his chest.

"No."

An arm tightened around her and he tilted her chin up with a long finger. His eyes, narrowed with sluggish acceptance, searched hers for permission to continue. But she shook her head, swept his shirt off the floor and shrugged into it before making her way to the phone.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him anxiously brush a hand through his hair.

"Yes?" The annoyed tone didn't even register until after she'd answered.

"Hey Mrs. S, er, Laura."

No. No. No. No. Their meticulous secretary was not going to interrupt them again. Not this time. Through gritted teeth, Laura inquired, "Mildred."

She could see her husband firmly shake his head and was at her side in an instant.

"Mr. Abalian has been calling relentlessly-"

Steele lifted the phone out of her hand and growled into it. "Now is not a good time, Mildred."

He tilted the phone so that she could hear the conversation.

There was a split second's hesitation as Mildred followed the change. "Oh, hi Chief. How's Spain?"

Laura flushed under his suddenly intense scrutiny. "Getting better by the second – until the phone rang."

"Oh, sorry, Chief. But Mr. Abalian has been calling non-stop!"

Laura shook her head quickly to get his attention but was too late.

"What for? We solved his case."

She winced. He'd done it now. Opened the floodgates.

"His wife is apparently gone again."

"How is that our problem?"

"He wants to hire the agency to find her."

Laura shook her head in vehement refusal and was relieved when her husband raised a calming hand and nodded his agreement.

"Again?" The surprise he infused into his voice was impressive.

"Yes, Chief."

"Tell him no." She didn't even bristle when he didn't look to her for agreement.

"Chief…"

"We've got other cases, Mildred."

"No we don't. You said to put everyone on hold until you – oh, right."

Pride filled her as the impatience laced his voice. "Now if that's all…"

But Mildred was having none of his attempts to get her off the phone. "He offered to pay triple the last fee."

Leave it to Mildred to think about the good of the agency.

The lure of one case being able to pay so many of their expenses was a captivating one. But she would not sacrifice her morals to do it or the safety and well-being of a mother and her child.

This time, he did look at her. And she shook her head firmly. "We're unreachable, Mildred."

Mildred's tone was hesitant. "Yes, Chief. You're sure? It's a lot of money…"

An uncomfortable silence fell and Laura realized he was actually considering the request. Her ire grew.

"Tell him we'll get back to him in the morning with an answer. Don't call us. We'll call you." He quickly hung up andraised his hands in a recognizable mollifying gesture he'd used countless times.

"Now Laura..."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You should have just said no."

"We must be diplomatic-"

She leapt off the bed and stood over him, her attempt at intimidation lacked a certain factor wearing only his unfastened shirt. "Diplomatic!" She fumbled with the bottom buttons when his eyes wandered downward. "That man beat his wife. How can you sit there and say that we'll call him in the morning with our decision?" She paced away from him, angry. "We don't need all night to come to a decision. I'm going to make it right now. No. We will not be taking his case." Her temper frayed and she lit into him, all the while knowing in the rational part of her mind that he'd said or done nothing really to deserve her temper. He'd given an appropriately professional response.

When she whirled on him, she nearly swallowed her tongue. He simply sat there, hands folded in his lap, waiting for her to stop.

She took a deep breath and waited. An apology hung unsaid on her lips as he stood and cautiously approached her, his eyes hesitant. Without heels, she was significantly shorter and she had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes.

Long fingers slid into her hair and his palms cupped her cheeks. Her hands rested lightly on his chest and as his mouth hovered over hers, he whispered, "There's no way in hell I would agree to take this case. You have my word." He tugged her closer, clearly eager to resume their previous explorations. "And Remington Steele's word is his bond."

She smiled big and watched his eyes darken with resumed arousal when her fingers slid down his chest to expertly unfasten his belt. Without preamble, his pants hit the carpeted floor and her borrowed shirt followed. Determined hands skimmed across heated skin and slowly, she allowed herself to be lowered to the bed.

For a brief introspective moment, and before his hot, wet mouth wiped all coherent thought from her mind, she finally understood what had stubbornly eluded her for so long. What had driven them apart and together and apart again so many frustrating times she'd foolishly thought they would never work it out.

She would never have a conventional relationship with this man. With their strong, powerful personalities, their lives would be filled with a passion born of two very independent souls who found one another in the unlikeliest of places.

Over a set of precious gems she had been hired to protect.

Rare, expensive baubles he intended to steal.

The End

Author's Note: I didn't expect this to be so lengthy but the characters ended up having a lot to say. It was originally meant to be an 'interrupted' fic but turned into a much more lengthy 80 pages with a meddlesome plot when all was written, beta'd and edited.

Heartfelt thanks go to Angie whose critical comments pinpointed errors and inconsistencies that I'm glad never saw the light of day.

If you've enjoyed, or even disliked, this story, leave a review and let me know. I answer them if you sign in!