SOLID STEELE BOND

By: Teresa Kopp

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First printed: More Red Holt Steele #13/14

Summary: Remington has special plans for his 10th wedding anniversary to Laura.

Disclaimer: This “Remington Steele” story is not-for-profit and is purely for entertainment purposes. The author and this site do not own the characters and are in no way affiliated with “Remington Steele,” the actors, their agents, the producers, MTM Productions, the NBC Television Network or any station or network carrying the show in syndication, or anyone in the industry.

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Los Angeles, California

May 1996

2:30p.m.

As Remington Steele gazed at a photograph of Laura and their three children, a loud crashing sound came from the outer office and caused him to look up. "What in the world was that?" he muttered to himself as he was rising out of his chair.

Just then, a flushed Mildred came into Remington's office. "Don't worry Mr. Steele, nothing's wrong. I just knocked over one of the plants when I was moving a couch around. That's all."

"Mildred, why were you moving a couch around? I thought that the reception area looked fine after we rearranged the furniture last week. Do you need any help?" Remington asked.

"Oh...uh...no, boss, I don’t need any help. I think you're right, the room does look fine. I'll just go back out and move the couch back to where it was," Mildred said hurriedly.

"If you're sure you don't need any help..." Remington let his sentence drift off.

"I'm sure, Boss."

"Mildred, will you let me know when Mrs. Steele gets back from her meeting over at the art museum?"

"Sure thing, Boss."

"I need to know the minute she gets here. After all, tonight is a very special occasion for us. And I want to make sure we get to Rochester's on time."

"Oh, that's right, today is your tenth wedding anniversary! Congratulations, Boss! Did you get everything worked out with your surprise for Mrs. Steele?"

"Of course I did. Thank you for all of the help you gave me. I couldn't have done it without you. But remember not to tell Laura, I want to keep it a surprise."

"Okay, Mr. Steele. Have a good time tonight." Mildred turned around and left Remington's office for her desk with a big smile pasted on her face the entire way.

In his office, Remington returned to his seat behind his desk, and picked up the photograph and wondered how he had been so lucky to have had a marriage last for ten years, especially since the idea of marriage had terrified him so much. Of course, having Laura as a wife made it easy for him to stay married. She was all he had ever wanted and more.

"Did he suspect anything, Mildred?" Laura Steele asked from behind a rather large box.

"No, Mrs. Steele, he didn't suspect anything. I just told him that I was rearranging the couches and that I knocked over a plant." Mildred said.

"I can't believe that I dropped this thing. I want to get it into my office and see if everything is still in once piece. Tell Mr. Steele that I'm here in about twenty minutes. Okay, Mildred?"

"All right, Mrs. Steele. What did you get for the boss, anyway?"

"Would you believe that I found a place that sells life-size cut-outs of famous actors? I found one of Humphrey Bogart and I thought that Remington would love that. Then I read a little blurb about a company that sells fantasy movie weekends in the Los Angeles Times, and I bought a trip for two for their Casablanca theme weekend. Just picture Mr. Steele and I as Bogart and Bergman."

"The boss will love the trip and the cut-out, Mrs. Steele. But how are you going to get that cutout home, without Mr. Steele finding it?"

"Well, that's where I need your help, Mildred. Would you and Bernard be able to get it to the house for me, after Mr. Steele and I leave for the criminology meeting over at UCLA?"

"Sure, just let me give Bernard a call. We'll get it over to your house as soon as you leave. Just let me know when your ready for me to tell the boss that you're here."

"Thanks, Mildred."

*****

2:55p.m.

"Mr. Steele, Mrs. Steele is back from the museum." Mildred's voice came crackling through the intercom.

"Thanks, Mildred. Why don't you go home for the day. We don't have anymore clients today, and Laura and I will be over at UCLA for the rest of the day." Remington said.

"Okay. See you later, Boss."

Remington got out of his chair and walked over to the door that connected his office with his wife's. Opening the door, he paused for a moment to look at Laura, who had her head bent over a file studying it. "Laura, darling, how did it go at the museum?"

With a big smile for her husband, Laura looked up at him and replied, "Everything went great. The curator has agreed to our recommendations about security for the Five Nudes Of Cairo exhibit, and he expects us down there on Monday to start updating the museum's security system."

"Good. I have a great evening planned to celebrate our anniversary tonight." Remington said with a wicked smile on his face.

Mirroring his grin, Laura replied, "I thought we did that this morning, darling."

"Oh, I promise that this is an even better way to celebrate our union. Although I wouldn't mind a repeat of this morning's celebrations." Remington said, reaching for his wife and giving her a steamy kiss.

"Since you are planning to take me out this evening, I assume you've found a sitter for the kids, right?" Laura asked after the kiss ended.

"Don't worry. I called Frances and asked her if she wouldn't mind keeping the little ones overnight. She said she would love to have the children spend the night. So after the meeting, all that has to be done is get you into a dress and me into a tux and go out to dinner."

"Sounds like a good plan. After dinner we can call Harry, Cassie, and Jenny to wish them a good night's sleep."

"That's a wonderful idea, Laura. We'd better get going for UCLA, we're late as it is." With that Remington and Laura left the office.

Four and a half hours later, the Steeles were on the dance floor at their favorite restaurant, dancing slowly to the tune of Unforgettable, and gazing at each other with nothing but love in their eyes.

"Did I ever tell you how glad I am that those Immigration officials 'forced' me to marry you, Remington?" Laura asked.

"Yes, I believe you have, darling. If I recall correctly, you tell me hundreds of times each day. Can you believe that we've been married for ten years? I never would have imagined it. Before I met you, this kind of a commitment had me scared to death." Remington replied, giving his wife a light kiss on her forehead.

"I was scared of it too, Remington. But somehow it just feels right with you. And we've been blessed with three beautiful and healthy children. Promise me that you'll never, ever leave me and the children. If you do leave me, I swear that I'll hunt you down and inflict bodily harm on you!"

"Laura, you know in your heart that I'll never leave you. I love you too much to do something stupid like that. You're the only place that I'll ever call home. You and our children are my life. Where did you get the insane idea that I'd leave you after all this time?" Remington asked, shocked by what Laura had said.

"I guess our anniversary got me thinking about my parents' marriage. I just got a little freaked out thinking that you would do to me what my father did to my mother." she replied.

"Darling, you should know by now that I'm not your father. In fact, I have a special surprise for you. Let's go." he said.

"Where are we going?" Laura asked, as they left the dance floor.

"You'll see." Remington paid for their bill and led Laura out into the warm, starry Southern California night.

Remington drove out of the restaurant's parking lot and didn't stop until he reached St. Margaret Church. He parked the car and both he and Laura got out. As they were walking up to the church, Laura asked, "What are we doing here at this time of night? No one is going to be here, Remington. "

Remington didn't reply, he just kept walking towards the rectory of the church. When he got to the door, he knocked. The door opened and revealed a priest. "Ahh, Mr. and Mrs. Steele, I presume?" the middle-aged priest asked.

"Now wait a minute, Remington. What is going on here?" Laura asked, sounding perturbed to be left out of the loop.

Remington reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small blue velvet box, and got down on one knee. Opening the box and revealing a diamond solitaire with a band encrusted with smaller diamonds, and a matching wedding ring, he looked at Laura and said, "This is your surprise darling. Since we didn't get the chance to have a proper wedding the first time we said our vows, and since we only renewed them at City Hall in front of Mildred a few weeks later, I thought that on the tenth anniversary of our original wedding, we could renew our vows in a church filled with our family. So, Laura Elizabeth Holt Steele, will you marry me again?"

With tears falling down her face, Laura looked at the man who meant more to her than life itself and replied, "Yes, of course I will marry you again. But will our family be able to make it on such short notice?"

"Darling, you really have underestimated me. Let's just go into the church and see what happens." Remington took the diamond solitaire out of the box and slipped it onto Laura's left ring finger and nestled it next to her plain gold wedding ring.

They went into the church with the priest, who turned on the lights. As soon as the lights went on, Remington and Laura heard cries of "Surprise!" echoing around the church. Laura stepped back into her husband's arms. She started to cry again when she saw the faces of her mother, her sister Frances, her brother-in-law Donald, Laurie Beth, Mindy, Daniel, Mildred and, most importantly, her children Harry, Cassie and Jenny. "How did you do this without me finding out? You had to have had this planned out for a long time!" she said.

"That, darling Laura, will be my little secret. I'll tell you about it later, on our fiftieth anniversary," Remington said with a smile.

Remington and Laura walked up to the altar and held hands while they renewed their vows.

When the time was right, Remington placed the diamond encrusted wedding band on to her hand next to her other two rings. When the priest told Remington to kiss his bride, Remington took Laura into his arms and gave her a long, warm kiss. They broke apart only when they heard discreet coughing and their children say, "Oh, gross! Mommy and Daddy are kissing! They're gonna get cooties!"

Laughing at the comment, the couple turned around to face the gathered crowd. As they made their way down the isle towards the door, Laura and Remington received congratulations and warm hugs from their loved ones. The happy group then retreated to a small reception at the Piper’s house.

*****

1:00 am.

The Steele's home

"Laura these have been the most wonderful ten, okay, fourteen years of my life. I can't believe how much my love grows for you every day. I love you more today than I did the day that I married you." Remington said, toasting his wife and their marriage.

"I’m so overwhelmed by what you did for me tonight, Remington. I can't find the words to say how much you mean to me, to tell you how much I love you. You've added both love and mystery to my life. You are my heart and soul," Laura said.

They clinked glasses, and Remington raised his to his lips while Laura set hers down. Remington looked at her with curiosity shining from his eyes and asked, "Why did you set your glass down, Laura?"

"Well, that brings me to my surprise for you. I think you'll like this even more than the cut-out and the fantasy weekend. Remington, my darling, adorable husband, how do you feel about becoming a father for the fourth time?" Laura asked, with a grin on her face.

END