Steed and Emma drove up to Emma's flat in Tara's Lotus. After scrunching in Tara's vehicle to take her to the hospital, it was a relief to have just two people in the car. (Tomorrow, Emma would drive Tara's car home for her, since she would not be able to drive for a while. Then Mrs. Peel would take a taxi cab back to her own flat.)
The pre-dawn light was casting grey shadows on everything. Silvery leaves on a tree swayed restlessly in the light breeze. The whole town, for one hour, was asleep.
Steed and Peel entered her flat, solemn and silent. Suddenly, Emma spoke, "Thank you for saving my life."
Steed looked surprised at this comment. He had rescued her from many perils before, but she had never thanked him until now. "May I ask you why you suddenly felt the need to express your gratitude?"
"I won't ever see you again." Emma glanced forlornly at his stunned face.
He nearly staggered backwards in shock. "Why won't you see me again?"
"Because….because my husband is finally coming home, and I know it's not an impostor this time," she lied. "I received a telephone call from him yesterday." Emma wished she didn't love Steed, but as it was, she did. And being a respectable married woman who had to wait for the law to declare her husband dead, she would have to give Steed up. She wished there was an easier way to get out of her predicament, though, instead of lying to the man she loved.
Steed didn't believe her for a minute, but he also respected Emma's wishes. This thing, this palpable current that existed between them couldn't be denied. But if she didn't want him, what choice did he have? He cleared his throat nervously and replied, "Well, I guess this is the end. I mean, goodbye, my dear, and good luck." He tenderly kissed both of her cheeks. "If you ever need someone to help you solve a mystery or sample wine with you, just call on me."
"That won't ever happen," Emma said a bit too brusquely, fighting the urge to cry. "It was lovely seeing you again," she added, trying to make her decision less hurtful. Suddenly, her feelings got the better of her, and two large tears slid down her face.
"Emma….I..." He tried to form the words, but something wouldn't let him. He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. "I'll miss you," he managed to say. At least the brainwashing will let me do that much, he thought dully. With this last sentimental declaration, Steed exited her flat.
"Steed!" Emma shouted desperately after the dispirited shell of John Steed. But he had already left her apartment. And her life.
Catherine Gale was not one for subterfuge. Despite her two years of working with Steed, she had never enjoyed the lying and underhanded conniving it took to be a spy. She hadn't been happy with the woman she had become nor pleased with the man Steed had been programmed to be. But as a woman with a moral compass, she couldn't idly stand by as her friend's life was ruined, and if that meant she had to use duplicity and seduction one last time to save his life, then so be it.
Which is why she found herself with Mrs. Parker, of all people, embarking on mission SOS (Save Our Steed). Cathy had called Smyth early that morning promising to fill him in on who had given Steed his engagement ring. While she was entertaining Smyth in his office, Mrs. Parker was talking to the scientists in the reprogramming unit. The ladies' plans were going to intersect very shortly.
"So, Mrs. Gale, you said you had information for me?" Smyth fidgeted impatiently in his chair.
Cathy seated herself on the edge of his desk, making sure her skirt was raised several inches above the knee for full effect. "Yes, I know who took the ring." She very slowly crossed her legs.
Smyth had the decency to blush and look down at his lap. "So who was it?"
"That would be me."
When Smyth raised his head in surprise, he was met with the cold end of a pistol. He slumped over in his chair. The door swung open at the moment, and Mrs. Parker daintily stepped in with a man in a white lab coat. Cathy stood next to the desk now, feigning concern. "He started muttering about his head, and then he collapsed."
"Mother wants him deprogrammed right away before the brainwashing fries his mind completely!" Mrs. Parker exclaimed.
The scientist sighed and shook his head. "I told Mother messing with people's minds was dangerous. But did anyone listen? Noooo…"
As Smyth was dragged away, Cathy Gale and Mrs. Parker shook hands. Step one of SOS was complete. On to step two.
At noon, Cathy walked up to Steed's front door, sighing deeply. She determinedly knocked
the door and when no one answered, rang the doorbell. Finally, Steed heard the insistent chiming and opened the door. Cathy took one long look at his face and knew something was wrong.
He had dark circles under his lifeless eyes, and his lips formed a small frown. "Mrs. Gale, what a pleasant surprise," he said monotonously. He opened the door wider to usher her in.
Cathy solemnly walked into his flat, but before she could state her business, Steed began the cordial ceremony of being a host. "Would you like some coffee, Mrs. Gale, or maybe a cucumber sandwich. Mrs. Peel and I…" his voice trailed off. "Anyway, a friend of mine from my RAF days used to be enormously fond of cucumber sandwiches. Those were the days, going to the pub every night when things weren't going well; going to the pub every night when they were."
Thinking he was done rambling, Cathy began, "Steed, I need to talk to you. What happened yesterday at the old warehouse?"
Steed didn't answer but instead said, "I remember he used to rave when I didn't make my cucumber sandwiches."
"Steed, it's of the utmost importance that I speak to you."
"Well, then speak if it's so urgent—would you care for some brandy?" Steed began pouring a glass for her.
"I never indulge in spirits before lunch."
"Do you mind if I have a drink? Good." Steed began guzzling down the liquor as if it were water.
"Steed, listen to me, please." She stared at him, but he merely poured himself another glass.
"All right, you've forced me to take desperate measures." Mrs. Gale grabbed Steed by the arm and shoved him into a seat. "Now you'll have to answer me. What happened last night at the warehouse?"
"How do you know about that? I only reported the incident to Mother several hours ago."
"I was at the ministry when the news came in."
"Well, that's odd. I thought you had retired from the world of espionage."
"Call it one last hurrah. Anyway, what happened?"
"Two men kidnapped Mrs. Peel last night, and Tara and I saved her. Poor Tara got shot in the arm."
Cathy raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Will she be all right?"
"Yes. I'm supposed to go pick her up from hospital in an hour or so. What a faithful girl that Tara is, unlike Mrs. Peel." Steed's eyes sparked with anger as he spoke. "Why did she tell me to go away? We were perfectly happy—well, I thought so."
"And you still can't see how desperately in love with Emma you are." Cathy shook her head.
"You have an overactive imagination," he murmured automatically. He slapped a hand over his mouth. "Sorry, force of habit." His grey eyes were pained. "I couldn't say the words to her, Mrs. Gale. They literally wouldn't come from my mouth."
Cathy's visage softened with sympathy. "It's the programming. Don't worry, we'll soon sort you out."
"It doesn't matter anyways. Even if I could shout it from the rooftops that I have feelings for Mrs. Peel, she doesn't want to see me anymore. She told me her husband was coming home, and she didn't think it would be respectable to be friends with me, or something absurd like that."
Cathy jolted in alarm. "That can't be true! Either Emma is lying, or there's an impostor playing her husband again!"
"How did you know about the first impostor?"
"I didn't know his name, but every person that worked at the ministry as your partner knew about the fake Mr. Peel."
"That doesn't make any sense. Why would working with me require you to know about Mrs. Peel's fake husband?"
"Because the two are connected."
"First I was brainwashed to forget I was engaged, and now I was brainwashed to forget that there was an imposter playing Mr. Peel! If I didn't know any better, I would say you should get your head examined, not me."
"Don't be impertinent with me," Cathy snapped peevishly.
"But Mrs. Peel wasn't working as an agent until after you left," Steed protested. "Why would you need to know about her husband?"
Cathy explained rather impatiently, "Emma was familiar with the ministry before I ever was. You just don't remember."
"I don't understand what you're trying to tell me."
"If all men are as dense as you, I rejoice that my husband died when he did." Cathy's tone grew softer as she continued, "Don't you see, Steed? Emma and you were both brainwashed to forget that you were engaged to be married and to think that a made up man named Peter Peel was Emma's husband."
"Why would only us two be brainwashed? Why not you? Or Tara?"
"Because you and Emma are. engaged. to. each other." She spelled it out succinctly, in case the idea hadn't registered in Steed's brain yet. "Emma is the fiancée I spoke of that was erased from your memory."
Steed gawked at her for several minutes, momentarily forgetting his good manners. Then, he regained his composure enough to ask, "Do you have any proof of this?"
Cathy withdrew a several fold pieces of paper from her purse to reveal all the information from John and Emma's personnel files at the agency. Both of their data had explicit details on their relationship from when they met in 1961 to their reprogramming the next year.
"That's why Mother was so infuriated when Tara was trying to find Mrs. Peel—er Emma's file!" Steed remarked as he perused the papers. His heart rate started to accelerate. "No, I can't do this." He tossed the papers aside and clutched his head in his hands.
Cathy placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Steed. I have two agents working on the inside of the ministry. They're going to get you deprogrammed. And then you can help me bring in Emma."
"But she doesn't want to see me anymore."
"Probably because she thinks the feelings she has for you are indecent. She doesn't know her husband was created to keep a barrier between the two of you."
"Oh." A light was beginning to dawn in Steed's grey eyes. "Poor...Emma." He grinned, enjoying saying Emma's first name without having to worry about propriety.
"I must warn you that if Mother ever knew that you had found out the truth, he'd brainwash you again. He thinks that if you two get married, you'll start fooling around on the job."
"Of all the absurd ideas. I always wait until after a case!"
"This is no time for jokes. You must be very careful." Cathy marched towards the door. "We need to get you to the ministry now. The deprogramming process is much quicker than the brainwashing, but you'll be indisposed for several hours. I'll have to pick up Miss King for you from hospital."
"Thank you, Mrs. Gale. Poor girl, she'll be brokenhearted when she learns I'm spoken for." Little did he know that she had been aware of the true state of affairs since yesterday.
"Tara mustn't know the truth unless absolutely necessary," Cathy warned. "After you're done, please return these papers to their proper files before someone discovers that they're missing."
"May I have the papers to show to Mrs. P—Emma?"
"Oh, all right, but I don't want you to be caught with them."
"If there's one thing you shouldn't do, it's to worry about me." Steed mulled for a brief moment before stating ominously, "I think it's time to have a talk with our dear Mother."
"It will be very dangerous of you to confront Mother, but I'm with you all the way." Cathy smiled shortly, and the two exited the vicinity.
Emma stumbled out of her bedroom for the first time that day, a throbbing headache, the sure sign of a hangover, wracking her head. It was four o'clock in the afternoon, and how she had managed to sleep at all earlier that morning was an enigma to her. But she must have, for the last thing she remembered was staring at the ceiling, wondering why she had been so cruel to Steed.
Emma trudged to her kitchen, ready to make a repast of some sort out of the minuscule amount of food in her refrigerator. Grabbing for the eggs, she thought of Steed's stinger and realised he wouldn't be coming over to fix her one. Maybe she could fix herself a "national anthem," as Steed called his concoction.
After finishing her meal, which she hardly touched, Emma sat on her couch. She began skimming through a magazine, but her thoughts were elsewhere. What was Steed doing at the moment? Was he missing her as much as she was missing him?
As if answering her query, her front door swung open, and Steed came strolling into her living area, whistling merrily. "Good afternoon, my dear. How are you? My, you look gloomy. Are you sure you slept all right? Oh, it's probably that little hangover. I'll fix you my 'national anthem,' and you'll feel better in no time."
Emma's first reaction to seeing Steed in her flat was to fling her arms around him in happiness, but fortunately, she resisted that impulse. Her next impulse was to demand what he was doing in her flat, which she did with impunity. "What are you doing here after I specifically told you we couldn't see each other anymore?"
"I came to make you my stinger." Steed looked around, his eyes glistening with mischief. "Where's your husband, my dear?"
"He's—he didn't arrive yet," Emma lied rather awkwardly. "Please leave. It isn't right that you should be here."
Steed was paying no heed to her and had wandered into her kitchen. "I'll need Worcestershire sauce, one egg, salt, and, of course, a glass." Steed gathered all the ingredients and grabbed the nearest object, a coffee cup. As he mixed all the contents, he began humming "Rue Britannia" as if nothing was wrong.
Emma gazed desperately at this impudent man. "Steed, I'm going to have to remove that button from my door, so you can't get into my flat on your own anymore."
"That won't do any good if I'm standing here in your kitchen. Now drink this, my dear." Emma gave a cry of despair but willingly took the concoction. After consuming the disgusting mixture, she began shakily, "Please go away."
"How can you send me away when I'm madly in love with you?" Steed advanced towards her, grinning wildly. "Isn't that amazing? I can finally say it!"
"This isn't happening to me!" Emma moaned as she evaded his reaching arms.
"Emma, say you love me, and I'll go away forever." Steed stared earnestly at her, but she merely shook her head. He continued to fix her with puppy dog eyes.
Seeing that he wasn't budging, Emma mustered enough courage to proclaim, "Steed, I love you. There, I said it, so go away!" She dashed into her bedroom and shut the door.
"Did you really mean that, or were just trying to get rid of me?" Steed shouted to her through the door. "Oh, and call me 'John.'"
"Why should I call you 'John'?" Emma asked, avoiding the other question.
"It's only fitting since I'm calling you 'Emma.'"
"I did not give you permission to use my Christian name!" Emma yelled back at him.
"Emma...please open the door and come out." There was only silence in response. Steed realised he may have pushed the resolute Emma Knight too far. It was going to be very difficult to get her to the deprogramming facility if she was locked in her bedroom. "Let me know when you're ready to talk," he called. He marched loudly over to her front door and slammed it shut. Then he crept back to her bedroom and hid behind the door.
After several interminable minutes of quiet, she stepped out. Unfortunately for her, Steed was still standing silently outside, waiting. Before she could retreat to her room again, Steed grabbed her by the arms. "Now let's be perfectly honest with each other. Mr. Peel is not going to be coming home any time in the near future, is he?" Steed grunted in satisfaction as Emma nodded, chagrined. "Well, I have some news for you, my dear: Mr. Peter Peel doesn't even exist."
Emma gazed at him in shock and disbelief. "If you weren't so deadly serious, I would be scolding you for such a lie until I was blue in the face."
"Before you start reprimanding me, remember that you haven't exactly been the most truthful person as of late." Emma began to protest, but Steed checked her. "While we're on the subject of husbands and husbands-to-be, it may also interest you to know that Mrs. Gale's tale about me being brainwashed is one hundred percent true."
"You mean to tell me that you are engaged to be married, yet you have the audacity to make declarations of love to me?" Emma wrenched her arms out of his grasp and stalked to the front door.
Before she could yank it open and usher him out, Steed added, "You were also brainwashed to forget that you're engaged to me!"
Emma stared at him incredulously, her eyes nearly popping out of her head. For several minutes she stood by the front door, as silent as a mute. Finally she gained her speech back. "I think you have an—"
"Overactive imagination?" Steed supplied. "That's self-hypnosis talk for 'I'm coming too close to the truth so I must brush it off as rubbish.'
Her heart was hammering in her rib cage. "Could it really be true, Steed?" she gasped.
Steed retrieved the personnel files from his coat pocket and handed them to his affianced. While she was studying them, Steed retold the whole story of why they were brainwashed. He made sure to put special emphasis on One-Ten's ridiculous reasons for separating them.
Emma was growing dizzier by the minute. Steed stopped his explanation to pat her hand. "And now you will join Smyth and me as the first three successfully deprogrammed agents."
Emma arched a perfectly manicured brow. "Smyth?"
"Mrs. Gale needed an inside man so she tricked him into it this morning."
"Remind me to get a ridiculously expensive present for Mrs. Gale," Emma said as she was escorted to the agency.
Steed kept Mother occupied with a debriefing of yesterday's kidnapping, while Smyth, Mother's right hand man (as opposed to Rhonda, who was his right hand woman) authorised Emma's deprogramming. When Steed was done, Mrs. Parker arrived to distract Mother some more, and Smyth sneaked the personnel files back into the off-limits room.
When the process had finished, Emma was smuggled back out, and Steed took her home.
"That's why my memory of my husband has been hazy!" Emma concluded as they relived formerly lost memories. "Because he never existed in the first place. It was only an idea. Every little mystery makes sense now. Mother hired Richard Thoms to be my husband because he wanted to separate us again. Thoms was killed, Avery took over, and he almost succeeded in murdering us both."
"He wasn't even close to killing us," Steed argued defensively.
Emma ignored him and continued, "Now I know why the picture of my husband looked like you, because he is you!" She walked over to the large photo that was still facing the wall. She turned it over and gazed at it affectionately. "Husband 'Peter,' meet…fiancé John."
Steed tipped his bowler in jest. "Delighted to meet you, old chap. May I say that you are looking remarkably well this evening?" They both chuckled, utterly amused at their joke.
"To be perfectly serious, I'm very much relieved to find that this picture is of you. I was wrestling with the idea of why this photo that was taken on a romantic trip to Italy looked just like you."
"It's nice to remember that the 'business' trip I took to Italy was actually spent with you," Steed added with a wink.
"What I don't understand is why my locket has the initials E. K. P. carved on it instead of E. K. S."
Emma lifted the locket that was hanging around her neck and undid the latch. She and John examined it carefully, rubbing at the grudge to see the initials better. When most of the grime had been worn away, Emma could see that the melted letters did indeed say E. K. S.
"The melted letters were so dirty that I couldn't read it properly," she declared.
"How fortunate for every ministry head that the initials were illegible," Steed said dryly.
"I'm guessing the fire inspector that originally threw out my locket was actually an agency man," Emma surmised. "He didn't realise I had retrieved it."
Steed helped her put her necklace back on, and then he tenderly lifted her chin. "I wonder if I remember how to do this?" he teased. His eyes twinkled with mirth and love as he kissed Emma amorously on the lips. Emma returned the gesture with equal emotion, and the two seemed lost in another world for a moment.
"A wonderful performance, you two," came a husky voice. Mother wheeled into view, accompanied by Smyth. "It seems a shame that I have to break up this romantic business."
"If it bothers you that much, you could just leave us the way we are," Steed replied in a tranquil voice that hid his sarcasm rather efficiently. He held on to Emma as if Mother's irritatingly serene voice had the power to take her away from him.
"Before anything gets violent, perhaps we could reason the situation out together?" Emma suggested.
"What is there to work out, Miss Knight? You and Steed know you're engaged to each other, so now when you're on a case, you'll put the safety and well-being of each other before the mission. Even worse, you might force Steed to quit the ministry to keep him safe. We can't lose one of our top agents due to sentimentality."
"We already do put ourselves before the mission," Steed protested. "How does changing Emma's name and marital status stop that?"
"Now both of you might let your amorous feelings botch an assignment." Mother smiled menacingly before adding, "We'll just brainwash you to save time."
"How do you know that we will goof around during a case? We never did before when we didn't know the truth, and we had just as many feelings for each other then as we do now." Steed crossed his arms across his chest and waited for the answer.
"That was the whole point of programming Emma and you to think she was married to someone else. As long as she wasn't free, there remained a barrier that you couldn't cross because of your propriety. No respectable rogue would fool around with a married woman."
Steed tried to think of a proper response to that logic. As he was musing, Cathy suddenly burst through the door, Tara following behind her. "I had the most terrible premonition that you two were in trouble. I see that my intuition was not wrong." Cathy gave a side-eye to Smyth before adding, "I didn't have time to drop off Tara, or I would have done so."
"You're just in time to see Steed and Mrs. Peel get brainwashed again." Smyth nodded imperceptibly to Cathy.
She pulled out her gun and smiled foxily as Mother. "Sorry, I'm not in the mood."
Mother backed his chair into a wall, cowering before this strong woman. "Smyth, do something."
"Oh, I am." Smyth pulled out his own revolver and aimed it at his boss. "I'm sorry, Mother, but I was deprogrammed this morning, and I can no longer go along with the ministry's mad schemes."
"It appears you are outnumbered, four to one, and when I tell Tara the truth, it will be five." Steed sneered.
"I already know the truth," Tara faltered as she stepped forward. "Mother told me yesterday, and I was ordered to forget it all."
"How could you forget something as important as two people being brainwashed?" Emma asked in disbelief.
Tara didn't answer, so Steed said, "You knew I was spoken for yesterday, yet you deliberately started proclaiming your love for me, in hopes I shared the same feelings?! That's an abominable thing to do!" At Steed's chastisement, Tara began to cry quietly.
Steed immediately felt pity for the love struck lass and whirled around to face his superior. "Are you satisfied yet, Mother? You've now made countless people's lives miserable because of your own selfishness and stupidity." Steed advanced towards the obese man, fighting the urge to rap Mother's head with his brolly. "Can't you see that it's foolish to continue this procedure of brainwashing? You can't control people's lives just for your benefit and security! Someone will always displease you, and you just can't keep on programming them. After a while, they'll be more machine than human!"
Mother's head snapped back at this comment, his eyes lit up with understanding. Emma and Cathy were beaming proudly at his oration, and even Tara had quit her sniffling to listen.
"Brainwashing helps no one but the person doing it. Everyone who's aware of the ordeal is caught up in a network of lies that is a detriment, not only to the brainwashed victims, but to themselves. If you can't see the procedure in this way, then I'm afraid I can't work under you. I'll just have to join some other organisation."
Mother still did not speak, so Smyth added, "I cannot be your right hand man anymore either. I must join forces with Steed, even though I'm completely jealous of him."
"Why on earth are you jealous of Steed?" Emma asked.
"Steed always has the best of everything: the most beautiful women to work with, the most wonderful fiancée, the best missions. Everyone admires him, except the criminals, and even then some of the female villains seem to find him charming. I always get the second best with everything, including my wife. I had already been divorced for five years before I was programmed to forget my ex even existed."
"Well, maybe if you acted more like Steed, people would appreciate you more," Tara replied almost accusingly.
Cathy, who had been listening with deepest sympathy, cried, "Don't you dare start acting like that ladies' man, John Steed! You're fine the way you are—except for your tendency to be ruthless."
Smyth suddenly turned red with pleasure. "Mrs. Gale, I didn't know you felt that way! I always was so jealous when you and Steed were working together. But my programming prevented me from acting on my feelings." He walked over to Cathy and took her gently by the hand.
"That's one of the reasons I never told you, Smyth!" Cathy sighed but then smiled slightly. "Let's forget about the horrid past and think about the future, which involves helping all those who have been brainwashed." She got out of his tender grasp and turned to Mother, who seemed to still be brooding.
Tara tentatively addressed Steed, "I'm awfully sorry about my behaviour, Steed. I realise now that I could have never won your affection, so I…I release you." She knew she never had Steed to begin with, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.
She strolled over to him and gave him his engagement ring for Emma. "Cathy left it at your home, and I took it. I was planning on getting rid of it, but now I want you to have it, so you can—can give it back to Emma."
Steed gingerly slipped the ring into his coat pocket. "Thank you very much, Tara." He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. It seemed too much for the girl, for she crimsoned and almost toppled over in ecstasy.
"That reminds me," Emma began, "I thought all of my valuables related to my 'husband,' who I now know was Steed, were destroyed in a great fire, but there never was such a catastrophe."
"I can supply the answer to that, Miss Knight." Smyth rubbed his hands together nervously. "Everything was taken to a storage facility, with the understanding that once an agent was past his or her prime, they would get their memories and valuables back. You can come over any time and pick up your articles."
"With all this talk you'd think I wasn't going to brainwash you all again," Mother said suddenly.
All eyes turned expectantly towards this powerful man, and for a brief moment, no none dared breathe. Emma stood in a kung fu stance, ready to use the manoeuvre on Mother if need be. Steed stood next to his beloved, eager to assist her with anything. Cathy put her hand on the trigger, even though she really didn't want to use the weapon.
Mother gazed from one face to another and sighed. "As it is, I feel that I don't need to brainwash anyone. It was an antiquated and deeply flawed programme left over from the early days." He waved his hand dismissively. "So you two can continue your life together without any more interference from me."
"Steed, isn't it wonderful?" Emma cried as she flung her arms around his neck.
Steed swung her around several times before he stopped and kissed her gently on the lips. "We can continue spying until we're old and grey."
"I'll give them a couple months, and if it doesn't work out, I'll brainwash them again," Mother muttered inaudibly.
"Well, you certainly made a wise decision, Mother," was Cathy's response. She addressed the ecstatic couple. "My congratulations to the both of you. I knew we could do it." With that cheerful remark, she and Smyth exited the building together.
Tara was a little more dismal about the news. "I hope someday I can find another man like you, Steed, and that we'll be as happy as you two. My only question is, who's going to be my partner now?"
"I think I have the right chap for you, Tara," Mother replied. "Do you remember my nephew, Basil? He's a new agent and needs a fairly experienced person, like yourself, to be his partner.
Come, we can discuss the details at my office outside." He pointed out the window to a double decker bus, indicating his "office."
Tara took one last look at Steed before quitting the apartment. "I'll miss you, Steed."
"Don't be so gloomy, acting like we can never meet again. I'll come visit you as often as you like," Steed assured her.
"Maybe we could become good friends, Tara," Emma suggested optimistically.
Tara smiled a bittersweet smile and answered, "I sincerely hope so, Miss Knight." She exited the flat with Mother.
Once everyone had gone, Steed and Emma sat down on her sofa with relief. Steed patted his pocket until he found the ring. "Now that we're alone, I can finally give you back what belongs to you," he said huskily as he slipped the ring on her finger.
"What? You're not going down on one knee?" Emma joked.
"Live with the memory of the first time I did it, my dear, eight years and hundreds of missions earlier."
Emma smirked at his comment and admired the diamond. "I wonder," she began slowly, "where we should live? Here or at your flat?"
"We'll rent a new flat, so we won't have to argue about it."
"Sounds like a reasonable idea to me." Emma stood up and poured them some champagne from her personal bar. "How about we go out to dinner to celebrate our newfound engagement?"
"Splendid, I can finally take you to that little French Cafe I told you so much about." Steed sipped his champagne gingerly.
"Now, what should we do in the meantime?" Emma gazed at him for a suggestion.
Steed nearly choked on his champagne, since the answer seemed obvious to him. Raising his eyebrows, he turned the other way to regain his composure. Finally he managed to say seductively, "I'm sure we can think of something if we put our heads together."
Emma smiled demurely, finally catching on. "I hope you don't grow tired of me, Steed. You are going to be seeing an awful lot of me for an awfully long time."
"The more time we have together, the better."
Smiling, the two great Avengers exchanged their famous mutual glance and raised their glasses for a toast. "To many more years of being together!" Steed exclaimed.
"To us!" Emma added quietly, and Steed didn't need to ask what that meant. With Emma, he just knew.
Tag"Are you ready yet, my dear?" Steed asked as he set his bowler and brolly on the counter. He gazed in the direction of Emma's bedroom, wondering what was taking so long.
"I'm just about finished," Emma called as she stepped out of her room. She was trying, with great difficulty, to connect the clasp of her faux ruby necklace. Finally she managed to latch it, and she smiled provocatively at Steed.
"You'll love the cafe, Mrs. Peel," Steed exclaimed. "I even spruced up my trusty Bentley for the occasion."
Emma's smile vanished as he called her by her fake name. "Poor John, don't tell me that you were brainwashed again!"
"What are you talking about, Mrs. Peel? Brainwashing indeed! I never heard of anything so ridiculous. You must have an overactive imagination."
"What are we going to do?!"
Steed stared at her for a moment, the corners of his lips twitching, and then kissed her passionately. "Is that better, my dear? I promise I won't trick you again."
Emma picked up his bowler and swatted him on the nose with it. "That was a very naughty joke you played, giving me quite a fright." Steed merely grinned in response and escorted her out the door.
When Emma saw Steed's green Bentley, she came to a complete halt. "Are you positive all that is necessary?" She pointed to the car, indicating that the sprucing Steed had done was not appreciated by her. "Besides, isn't it a bit dishonest?"
"I don't see what's so dishonest about the trimming. We did just discover we were engaged, so eliminate the words, 'discovered we were,' and the sign is most befitting."
Emma shrugged and waited patiently as Steed helped her into the car and then hopped into the driver's seat. With a pop and a bang, his old jalopy took off down the street. The tin cans and other noisy objects that were tied to the back clattered behind them, and the sign which read "Just Engaged to be Married," billowed in the breeze. Steed turned a corner, and the two rode off into the sunset.
The End?