Late Sunday afternoon, Remington offered his hand to Laura as she alighted from the car. Tossing the keys to Holt, he indicated with a tilt of his head that the children should unload the luggage while Laura and he had a moment alone.

"Are you certain about this?" He didn't know why he bothered asking: Laura Holt did nothing unless she was certain.

"Sophie needs to be reminded family is not about blood, it's about love. Lina is already there and Catherine is on her way. Thomas will meet the three of you at Ashford and after your stay there, return to London with you. He'll be accompanying you to Greece, when we'd normally arrive." She glanced furtively at her daughter, then met his blue eyes with hers again. "it's what she needs, Mr. Steele." He pursed his lips and nodded his understanding. "We'll pick up gear so we can start our training there, which should give her and I plenty of one-on-one time. Elena is already planning to enlist her aid during mealtimes, Lina is planning shopping trips and Catherine was probably scheduling spa times as soon as we got off the phone. They all know how to get her to open up when she's tangled up in knots. With the four of us on it, we won't lose." She looked him in the eye and there he found fear hiding deep within where even Sophie would be able to identify it. "We can't lose her." He tugged her into his arms and with chin rested on the top of her head looked heavenward.

"And we won't. We just keep reminding her how much she is loved, until she finds her way—"

"In her own time," she finished for him, nodding her head then leaning back to look up at him. "Don't forget, I'm counting on you to charm Sister Ruth into allowing Sophie to take her finals remotely. Come to think of it, you better mention I'll be proctoring the tests." He lifted a single brow.

"Oh? Why is that?" Still in his embrace, she shrugged carelessly with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"She doesn't trust you. She says she knows a troublemaker when she sees one." He took offense.

"Trouble—Troublemaker? Remington Steele is a paragon of virtue, a man of integrity even." His eyes narrowed on her. "I'm sure you put her mind at ease?"

"Well," she drew out the word while tapping a finger to her chin, "I assured her that her instincts about people are sharp. She seemed pl—"

"Why is that tot ditty, "The Wheels of the Bus," suddenly playing in my head?" he groused. She patted her palm against his chest.

"'The Wheels on the Bus," Mr. Steele," she corrected easily. "It wouldn't have mattered anyway, Mr. Steele. Apparently, the childre have shared some amusing tales with their friends about you getting into trouble at home." He groaned aloud. If Iospeh got wind of Sister Ruth's opinion of him, he'd put his feet to the fire for certain. Apparently, another conversation about privacy was in order.

"Sister Ruth, however, thinks I'm that paragon of virtue you just mentioned." He wrinkled his nose at her. "Overnight the exams once you get them, no matter the cost. I don't want Soph overwhelmed with too many exams in one day. We'll return them, along with her sophomore essay, in the same manner. If Livvie tells you she doesn't need to study for her finals, don't push it. She has that mind of yours. You'll need to stay on her about her sophomore essay. It's due next Monday and worth 25% of her grade. If she doesn't ace it, she won't come out of Writing and Expositions with better than a C. Frances will be taking Holt to and from soccer since he and Alex are on the same team. She'll feed him before bringing him home, but you know he'll still be hungry when he gets there. You're on your own for his surfing lessons, but if you can't get away, Mildred and Rusty are prepared to take him. Livvie has three softball games this week and practice on the other two. Make sure you give our apologies for Sophie's absence to Coach Pearson. Livvie has cheerleading practice right after school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and gymnastics on Tuesday and Thursday. Let the gym…" Remington's head swam and he held up a hand in self-defense.

"Please tell me you've written this all down," he pleaded, otherwise he'd be trying to pick up Livie from gymnastics while she was tapping her toe across town at cheerleading. She grinned up at him.

"It's on your desk at work, on my desk here and at the Agency, and when you misplace those, Mildred, Rusty, Donald and Monroe each have copies."

"Glad to see you have so much faith in me," he grumbled, jokingly.

"I have faith in how well I know you," she countered. An obligatory…

"Pffft…" and he moved on to more concerning matters. "I don't sleep worth a damn without you at my side. We haven't been apart for more than a few days in the last sixteen years. It may well be the death of me." She touched her lips to his.

"I'll miss you, too…" she vowed, with a caress of her palm to his cheek, then looked back over her shoulder at the children. "But not if Sophie and I don't get a move on. Airport travel has turned into a nightmare since—" She didn't finish the thought. None of them wished to relive the memories of that agonizing day. He gave her another long hug before releasing her then claiming her hand in his. As the walked towards the kids, he whistled an airline member, indicating she should cart up the luggage and take it in. They arrived just in time to see Livvie grab her sister in a bear hug and not let loose.

"We haven't spent a day apart since we were three-years-old, Phie. What am I going to do without you?!" she wailed.

"Vie, don't cry. You'll make me cry," Sophie insisted with a wet voice. Her shoulders began to shake, making Livie clutch her tighter…

Until she realized her sister might have been crying… a little… but that could also be because she was laughing so hard. Releasing her and stepping bank, Livie scowled and stomped a foot, something she'd done since she could walk.

"It's not funny!" she protested.

"It is," Sophie disagreed, swiping at her eyes. "Mom and Da have taught us all our lives 'no PDA's,' yet here we are at LAX—" Livie immediately caught on.

"Where anyone can see us…"

"Who knows who has a camera…"

"And if it hit the papers the Agency phone would start ringing off the wall, driving Da crazy."

"He'd just go to the movies," Sophie shrugged, making both girls giggle.

"Ceart go leor, is leor sin ón mbeirt agaibh. Abair do chuid slán, más rud é, ar ndóigh, go bhfuil tú ag déanamh magadh faoi d'athair." The remark sent the girls into gales of laughter again, but the obediently hugged again.

"Take care of Charming for me," Sophie asked of her sister.

"I will. Phie…" Livie prepared to get worked up again.

"It's only three weeks," Sophie reminded as much as for herself as Livie. "Don't forget to train. Mom and I plan to beat all of you." Livie shriveled her nose.

"Great, you're on the beach in Oia and I'm sweating my a—behind," she corrected, with a quick glance in her parents' direction, "off training."

"Think of it as a head start. You'll need it," Sophie challenged.

"Wanna bet on it?"

"No!" Laura stopped the idea before it could really start. "Family rule: Only one bet at a time. Otherwise, I'll spend all my time refereeing and reminding." Sophie turned to her younger brother and have him a hug.

"Make sure Livie takes care of Charming?" He grinned much like his father.

"You got it."

"Hey! I'm right here." Sophie and Holt both shrugged and laughed.

"We see you," Holt assured. Livvie scowled at him.

"Remember who you're going home with little man," she said his nickname from childhood in a manner that was not complimentary.

"The two of you hooligans. Car," Remington directed, hitching a thumb over his shoulder. The pair turned and did as bade, although the teasing continued.

"Last time I checked, I was four inches taller than you," Holt jabbed.

"And you're still falling over your own two feet because you grew too quickly. You can run, but not get away…" she warned.

Remington shook his head, then turned and gathered his eldest child in his arms.

"Ní raibh mé riamh ar shiúl uait le fada, agus is cuma liom go léir," he said, quietly against her hair. It made his heart ache to think of his child half a world away from him.

"Ní bheidh sé chomh dona sin. Smaoinigh air mar chleachtas don choláiste i gceann cúpla bliain."

"Ní raibh an moladh sin ar a laghad ar a chompord."

"D'fhéadfainn Livvie a chur in iúl—" He cut her off before she could finish the thought.

"Tá tú chomh cruálach le do mháthair in amanna." She gave him a jaunty smile as she pulled from his embrace.

"Measaim go bhfuil go leor an moladh." He hummed and nodded his head slowly.

"Mar sin, an mbeadh sí."

"Alright, the two of you, knock it off. I might not be fluent in Gaelic but I certainly understand references to me being a cruel mother," Laura informed them, not sure if she should be really insulted or not. Again, she wasn't fluent… except in bedroom talk and words of love. Sophie's laugh told her she'd gotten it wrong, yet again.

"Not a cruel mother," she giggled, "Da said I am sometimes as cruel as you. Apparently talking about Livvie leaving for college is not—"

"…a subject for today," he stepped in this time. "Laura, do encourage our daughters to mirror your better attributes, if you don't mind."

"I think being bright and witty are two of my best attributes," she answered with a lift and drop of a shoulder, then an absent pat of his upper arm. "You'll be fine, Mr. Steele." He lifted and dropped his hands in feigned defeat, then focused on Sophie again. Stepping forward, he clasped one upper arm in his hand and held the other against the back of her head.

"Ba mhaith liom tú a bheith ag éisteacht liom, Sophie, agus ná déan dearmad ar fhocal a deirim. Is tú mo Xenos. Fiafraigh de Elena cad a chiallaíonn sé sin." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Is tú m'iníon, mo stór. Ná lig don am atá caite dearmad a dhéanamh ar an ngrá atá timpeallaithe agat ó thús an tsaoil. Tá grá agam duit. Bí sábháilte."

"I will," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I love you, Da." With that she abruptly turned and walked away several feet, standing with her back to her parents. He wrote it off to wishing to give he and Laura a little privacy to say goodbye. He took advantage, melding his lips to hers for a long moment…

Until the voice of a disapproving teen yelled out the car window…

"Steele family rule 263. No PDA!" Laura rolled her eyes and engaged.

"Family rule amended: No PDA unless it's with your spouse of fifteen-years." Livvie rolled her eyes, then smiling at her mother, waved a goodbye before closing the window.

"You better hope this next one isn't just like me," she commented. "We might not survive."

"Mmmmm," he hummed.

"So what was that furtive conversation about."

"Nothing furtive at all. Merely reminding her not to forget the love that's surrounded her from the start." He surprised her with a step back. "A reminder for you as well." Bending down, he watched her through his lashes and he bussed he wedding ring. A slight blush brushed over her skin, telling him she'd recalled the moment to which he was alluding. He drew her back into a final embrace. "Take care of our oldest and youngest, Laura and remember, agape mu, zoi mu." A hard kissed pressed to her cheek and he was gone, walking with purpose to the car.

Laura watched as he pulled away from the curb, then joined Sophie, slinging an arm around her shoulders.

"Looks like it's just us," she noted, cheerily, directing her towards the door of LAX….