First chap = Disclaimers

Thanks for all the reviews. As for the last chapter, I freely admit I sort of rushed along the whole romance plot. I sort of needed to do that because the Non-Steve parts are developing faster and I don't want to tie up loose ends over with Mark, Jesse and Amanda while I'm in the middle of working with Steve.

It isn't the best solution, but hopefully it won't be too bad.

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It was an odd sensation, Steve reflected as he woke up to his wife. He had spent over a year of his life as a man with no past and no family. Now, he had one. Or, at least he had a wife. Not a girlfriend or a significant other.

He couldn't say that getting married had really solved anything. He still did not have his memory and her family was still not going to like the new development, provided that they even read the letters she sent out. Yet, he felt oddly contented. He had someone who swore to stay with him through his life. It was a vow people took everyday. It was also a vow that people broke everyday, especially in the brightly lit town they had married in.

But, the feeling of not being alone in his struggle, the feeling of having someone who loved him and cared about what happened to him, that filled part of the gaping hole that he carried with him. It allayed the fear that one day all of his memories would come crashing back and sweep him into an ocean of pain without a life vest. She would be with him if and when that ever happened. She had sworn that to him after the ceremony.

Steve's lips twitched in a smile as he recalled the short ceremony. Angel had bought a white dress suit from a local clothing shop. Steve had followed her example by purchasing a fancy business suit. They had agreed to go fairly simple, the big dress and tuxedo could wait until they had the "family" wedding. Angel had carried six long stemmed white roses as her bouquet. Jim had been the best man in charge of their rather simple gold wedding bands. The chapel secretary had been the other witness.

Much to Steve's relief, their wedding official did NOT double as an Elvis impersonator. The wedding had gone smoothly, just done with the basic vows. Their reception had been dinner in a fancy restaurant and a wedding dance with thirty other couples as part of the package deal from the chapel.

Unfocused blue eyes were suddenly scrutinizing Steve's features.

"Hey, there." Steve inwardly rolled his eyes at his trite comment.

"Hello, Mr. MacTyre." Angel smiled as she wrapped her arms around Steve's neck. Steve grinned in response and bent down to kiss her.

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Mark smiled as he entered BBQ Bob's. Friday Night was always busy, so he knew that Jesse would still be there even though they had closed an hour ago.

"Hey, Mark." Jesse called from where he stood behind the counter. "Have a seat, Amanda is already here. She just had to 'visit the ladies room.'"

Mark nodded his acknowledgment. He had to admit, he did not expect Jesse to be this cheerful about what he and Amanda were doing. The police department had actually requested that Mark stay on as a consultant even though Steve was gone. Apparently, they felt he was too much of an asset to let go.

Truthfully, Mark was glad. At first, he had thought that if ever saw another badge in his life, he couldn't handle it. But, after a while, he began to get the old sleuthing itch again. When the chief called to ask his opinion on a case, he had all but jumped at the chance. Of course, he would not be working on the amount of cases that he had with Steve, but they were still gratifying.

In a way, Mark could keep Steve's memory alive by helping the police.

When Amanda had suggested that they meet at Bob's to go over the autopsy report, Mark had been skeptical. Jesse still had some problems with letting go of Steve and the Homer Garlin case. Mark had not thought it would be a good idea to expose Jesse to another case, but he appeared to be mistaken. Jesse had not only been okay with the idea, he seemed genuinely thrilled that Mark was sleuthing again.

Unbeknownst to Mark, Jesse was more than thrilled with Mark's return to detective work. He was ecstatic. If Mark was going to help the police, he was one step closer to helping Jesse. So, Jesse might have to wheedle away Mark's defenses to get the older doctor to assist, but once Mark was on the bandwagon Amanda would be too. Jesse was sure that among the three of them, they could find Homer Garlin's murderer and remove the blot on Steve's good name.

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Steve closed his eyes and tried to block out the world around him. He was standing outside the house watching the sunset. The day that they had gotten back from the honeymoon, Angel had called her family. It did not go well.

Her father had just about hit the roof when his daughter told him she'd gotten married. He almost died from high blood pressure when he found out the rest of Steve's story. When Angel refused to get a divorce or Annulment, her father had fired Steve. Laughing at that point had not been a wise decision on Steve's part.

His new found father-in-law took a swing at him. Steve had reflexively sung back. Somehow pinning his father-in-law face down on the living room floor had not helped his case.

Angel had yelled at Steve and told him to go elsewhere for a while. Now, after she had checked out her father, she was back to arguing about Steve with him.

Steve shook his head. He had had no idea that his wife could yell so loudly. He hoped that she would forget the little hitting incident by the time he saw her again. Apparently, she had quite the temper when provoked.

A slamming door announced that Steve had company. His blustering father-in-law stalked up to him.

"Well, I don't know how you managed to woo her into actually wanting you, but it won't last. She may be stubborn, but she isn't stupid for long. Mark my words the instant that she dumps you I will make your life living hell."

Before Steve could respond, he strode off to his car and drove away. Steve shook his head and walked back into the house.

Angel looked up at him; her eyes were red rimmed from tears.

"I knew he was going to overreact, but I didn't think he'd be that bad. I'm sorry that he called you an opportunistic pimp, Steve."

"Hey, 'for better or worse' remember? You get my lack of any family, I get your screwed up one. I think we come up even."

She smiled at him and nodded.

"I love you."

"Do you really?" Steve's voice took on a teasing tone. "Well, I can think of a couple ways you could prove that affection."

Angel rolled her eyes. "You know, maybe you're just a teenager in disguise."

"Is that an insult or a compliment?"

"Most definitely an insult. You're really not angry about what my father said?"

"Nope, at least I'm not angry with you. Him, I'm angry at, but he said it; you didn't. I knew what I was getting into when I married you the same way you knew about me. I still married you. You still married me."

"We make quite the pair don't we."

"I think we do. You know, I thought I'd never get married. Now that I am, I'm not going to let go that easily." Steve smiled sadly as he spoke. His words reflected his life as he had felt it since he was washed up on the shore, but his mind was protesting that it reflected a greater truth.

His musings were washed away when angel leaned forwards and brushed her lips against his.

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More soon I promise ;)