Chapter 23

They lay there, wrapped around one another enjoying the peace that descended with the telling of Robbie's secret. Robbie gently stroked her back. He felt her body begin to relax and wondered if she had fallen asleep.

Kissing the top of her head he softly whispered, "You don't ever have to tell me Laura."

He felt the deep intake of breath. As she attempted to push away from him he pulled her tightly to him. She resisted for a moment then gave into his arms, "Robbie, I have to tell you. It's the only way I will ever be free."

He closed his eyes at her last statement. Did her comment mean she wasn't free of Malcolm Tucker? Was she still in love with him? He shook his trying to clear the thoughts. He returned his focus to her, "I just want you to know I don't care about what happened between the two of you. All I care about is the here and now, about us."

"I know Robbie. I need to tell you for me. I need you to know everything."

"Where do you want to start love?"

She pushed up and this time he let her. Kissing him softly she nodded toward the boxes, "Why don't you hand me the top box? We can start with my days at Lady Margaret Hall."

Robbie sat up and lifted the box from the stack. He handed the box to Laura before settling into the cushions. She let him settle before tucking into his side. Opening the box she was confronted by the photo of Ligeia and Peter.

Robbie felt the tension in her body, "I guess this is Peter Hawkins."

Laura took the photo from the box, "Yes, that's Peter. It was taken right before we all went our merry ways."

"Did you know about them?"

She shook her head, "I had no idea. It makes sense though."

"In what way?"

"She was with Alec for a long time. It was always very volatile. I think when it finally ended she needed someone who was calmer."

"Do you think he assaulted her?"

She shook her head, "I can't imagine he did. But, then, I couldn't imagine Ligeia would have twins and use my name. So maybe I am not the best judge."

"We've never talked about it. Do you want to?"

She shook her head, "What's to talk about? It happened. Without her here to defend herself it's a worthless exercise."

"Did Ellen know?"

"No, she was as stunned as I was. She never suspected anything. She knew Ligeia disappeared for a while. But so did I. We were all busy starting our careers, our lives. She popped back up and we went on. In hindsight, I guess she was a bit more reticent with me after… But by then I was so wrapped up in my own life. I thought I'd made a mistake in my career. I was just trying to figure out who I was."

He smiled at her curiously, "You thought you made a mistake with medicine."

She laughed, "No, I made a mistake with research. It was fine for Ellen and Ligeia. But I knew pretty quickly I wanted something more interactive."

"Is that how you ended up working with the police?"

Laughing she shook her head, "No, that was a happy accident."

"How do I not know this story?"

"It's not much of a story. I was in a pub one night desperately trying not to drink myself into a stupor. There was a man at the bar next to me with a file. He opened it and I looked over his shoulder."

"You, being nosy? I can't imagine."

She pushed into him smiling, "You might want to be thankful for my nosiness. If I hadn't looked at the file, I wouldn't have met him and ultimately I would never have met you."

"How is that?"

She kissed him, "The man was a Detective Superintendent working a cold case. I spotted a discrepancy in one of his photos. Apparently it was enough to send his investigators down another path. They closed the case and he spent the better part of the next three years talking me into working with the police. Well actually he tried to get me to work with him."

"Who is this man that I owe my life with you to?"

"No one important. I didn't work for him, he just started me down a career path."

Robbie dipped his hand into the box and drew out a few more pictures, "Why don't you tell me more about these pictures?"

She wrapped her hand around his curling into him. They went through the box looking at each photo and Laura told him the story of her days at Oxford.

Robbie watched her animatedly tell her stories. For a brief moment he wished he'd known her in those days. He thought back to all of those years he had wasted being scared and feeling guilty. He'd loved her for far longer than he had ever admitted. He leaned over and kissed her neck and was rewarded with a brilliant smile.

"Thank you Robbie."

He pushed her hair back from her face, "For what love?"

"For asking me to go through these photos. There are good memories I had pushed away."

"You can talk to me about anything Laura."

She pressed her forehead to his, "Can I talk to you about some lunch?"

Kissing her lightly he laughed, "I thought you'd never ask Dr. Hobson."

Putting the photos back in to the box, she handed it to him, "Why don't you pick a few to put out around the house while I make lunch?

He took the box and smiled as she stood. Setting the box next to him he pulled her back to him, into his lap, "You never have to thank me for listening Laura. Lord knows you've done your fair share over the years. It's about time I returned the favor."

"I know that Robbie. And I wasn't really thanking you for listening. I was thanking you for helping me to remember. There's a difference, you know."

Robbie nodded, understanding the distinction. He pulled her closer, kissing her with the lightest of touches. The memory of the night before still fresh in his mind. Laura deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He let her control the kiss, the contact. When she pulled away, breathless, he let her. She smiled at him, dazed, "I'll go make lunch now."

He nodded and released her. She walked past him bumping the boxes on the floor. He watched her walk away carrying the tea tray and smiled. As his hand dipped into the box to pick a few of his favorites he noticed the overturned boxes on the floor. He moved the box by his side to safety then leaned over to fix the other boxes.

The top one was easy to restore as its lid had stayed partially closed. He pushed the photos back inside and replaced the lid. The other one had somehow managed to open and the photos were strewn across the floor.

Dropping to his hands and knees he starting picking up the photos and returning them to the box. He hoped Laura didn't have some organization system he was destroying. It was as he was trying to put them all in the same direction one caught his eye.

It was a photo of Laura by herself. She was on a beach of some sort, wind was blowing her hair. She was smiling at someone off camera, blissfully happy. He traced the contours of her face thinking how young she looked. She was only slightly older when he first met her. She was lovely then but she was even more breathtaking now. He raked his eyes down the photo, looking past her serene smile and was stunned.

"Robbie, I should have told you the rule on the photos. You don't get to pick any where I look goofy."

He looked up at her before glancing back at the photo. Laura smiled at him but seeing the look on his face her eyes dropped to the picture in his hand.

"Laura, this photo, are you…" It was all she heard before the floor came rushing up to meet her. Robbie watched helplessly from across the room as she fainted.

Yep - I am cruel. I'm good with that.