It wasn't until they were on their way home that he finally opened up to explain himself.

"I'm really happy with what Carl, Eddie, and I worked out," he announced suddenly, breaking the silence only after building up a lot of courage to tell her what he needed to tell her.

Laura looked back at him and smiled. "Really? I'm glad. It didn't seem like it when you came back in."

Steve swallowed hard and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Yeah, well… Carl said something that I haven't been able to let go."

"Oh, God," Laura complained. "What'd he say now?"

"No, it's nothing bad," Steve promised. "He said that there's no more defining trait in a man than his loyalty and that I'm the most loyal man he knows."

Laura smiled softly. "Well, you are, Steve. You stick by anybody you care about, no matter how badly they treat you," she explained. She reached out and took his hand. "And as much as I'd like you to start standing up for yourself, I'm so glad you're so delusionally, self-sabotagingly, masochistically loyal because if you weren't, you never would've waited for me." She squeezed his hand gently.

Steve smiled softly. "I'm glad I'm a delusional masochist, too, Sugar Lips, but I'm actually not talkin' about you for once."

Laura chuckled. "Ok. Then what are we talking about?" she prompted, placing her other hand on top of theirs, still cupped together. She stroked the soft skin on the back of his hand.

"I don't think I can ditch Andy and Wes for Waterton," he said as he pulled his hand back for only a moment to make a left turn.

Laura pursed her lips. "Are you sure? You were so sure that it was the right move yesterday."

Steve nodded. "I know, but all day yesterday, I was thinking that it didn't matter how I acted. You were the only person who was ever going to accept me, but after talking to Carl and Eddie today… They never wanted me to act any differently than I normally do. I was projecting my own insecurities on them. They just wanted me to be myself. Sure, they hadn't intended to invite me, but it really was just because I wasn't a cop, not because I'm such a nerd. I don't need to be anybody but myself for anybody. Not for Carl and Eddie. Not for Wes and Andy. Not for you," he explained, squeezing her hand. "I am loyal, Laura Lee. Wes and Andy haven't done anything to deserve me going to work for the enemy. I don't leave people. Not for money."

Laura squeezed his hand back. "I never asked you to," she reminded him.

"I know," he agreed adamantly. "I know you didn't. It was me and my insecurities again. I thought I needed some extraordinary amount of money to keep you happy, but I don't. You're either going to want me for who I am or you won't. No amount of money's gonna change that. If it could, I woulda bought your love about a thousand gifts ago."

Laura laughed. "I don't need gifts, Steve, or tons of money. I think, someday, you're gonna stumble into a couple million dollars or so, but I don't need it."

Steve laughed and snorted. Snort. Snort. Snort. "If all you need is me, then you need me to stay where I am. You need me to stay the unquestioningly loyal man I've been for way too long."

Laura lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it. "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever gonna figure it out."

"What?" he asked. "You wanted me to turn Waterton down?"

"Of course, I did, Steve. I wanted you to do what would make you happy, and I knew that abandoning Wes and Andy for their biggest competitor was going to hurt you more than any amount of money could fix. That's why I didn't want you tell them you were considering the offer in the first place. Now, you've got some work to do tomorrow to restore their trust in you."

Steve nodded. "It's not gonna be easy."

"You'll figure it out. Call Waterton, turn down the offer, and go in tomorrow ready to start fresh. They'll be as glad to do it as you are," she promised.

"If you're such a smarty pants, why didn't you just tell me all this a couple weeks ago instead of letting me lose sleep over it?"

"You had to make this decision yourself, my love," she insisted.

"You know this means we're gonna have to return all those clothes you bought yesterday," he reminded her gently.

"I never took the tags off," she smiled cockily.

"Sneaky, little vixen," he scolded as he turned into their parking garage.

She giggled and let go of his hand, placing one on his thigh. "Actually, I did take the tags off one thing," she whispered, looking at him flirtily.

Steve glanced back at her and half-smiled when he saw the look on her face. "What's that?" he asked as he pulled into their space.

"A surprise I bought for you while you were eating your soft pretzel," she purred, as if there were any way to make the words "soft pretzel" sexy.

It was sexy to him! "Golly," he breathed. "You didn't have to get me a surprise." He said modestly as he turned off the car.

"I told you I'd do whatever you wanted me to in bed once you'd made a decision. Go upstairs, and call Waterton. I'll meet you in our boudoir," she cooed, grabbing his hand and leading him toward the elevator.

"Ooooo," he giggled. "Boudoir."

She pressed her body against him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so proud of the man you're becoming," she said softly, suddenly quite serious.

Steve felt the blood rush to his cheeks. "Really?"

"Yes, really," she agreed, nodding her head firmly. "You have always been loyal, kind, loving, brilliant, and every wonderful thing that you are, but seeing you begin to cement those qualities has been an incredible privilege. It's so good to see us finally finding our way out of that confusing, finding-ourselves stage, into this wonderful, knowing-ourselves stage. It's even better that we get to do it together," she explained, finishing just as the elevator dinged and opened to their floor.

He offered her his arm and led her down the hall. "I couldn't agree more, my sweet," he replied. He took his keys out of his pocket, forcing him to release her, and unlocked the door. He held it for her before following her in.

Laura turned to him as she began to walk backward toward the bedroom. "Go call Waterton. I'll meet you in bed," she said. She paused in the doorway of their bedroom. "Whatever you want," she promised, "even that naughty, naughty thing Drake asked if we'd ever done."

Steve swallowed hard and his eyes widened.

"Or not. Whatever you want," she promised again, blowing him a kiss and closing the door behind her.

Steve looked down at the tent in his pants. He had never imagined he'd have such a raging hard-on when he finally gave Waterton an answer.

He took a deep breath and walked back into the office. He pulled out his address book and dialed his number. He hoped he wouldn't mind he was calling so late, or better yet, he hoped he was calling so late he could just leave a message on his answering machine.

"Hello?" Gary answered after only two rings.

"Hello, Mr. Waterton. This is-"

"Steve Urkel!" he said excitedly.

"Yeah," Steve agreed. "How'd you know?"

Waterton rolled his eyes, but thankfully, Steve couldn't see that. "Steve, it's about time you called. I need an answer."

Steve cleared his throat. "Yeah, I-I know." He took a deep breath. "Mr. Waterton, I would like to thank you so much for reaching out to me. It was such an honor to see that my work is being recognized and valued elsewhere in the field, but-"

"But?" he repeated. "You're turning me down?" he scoffed.

"But I just can't leave Wes and Andy for their biggest competitor. They've been good to me. They don't deserve that."

"Oh, like they haven't poached some of my best people?!" he exclaimed.

Steve furrowed his brow. That didn't seem like something they would do.

"Harold Ford started in my labs, you know, and did they help him flourish? No. He's been a lab manager for almost a decade!"

Steve made a note to ask Harold about that. It seemed like information he would've mentioned while Steve was making this decision.

Waterton took a deep breath to calm himself. "C'mon, Urkel. Double your salary? I know they didn't offer you that much in a counter offer."

"It's not about the money, Mr. Waterton. It's about who I am. I can't just leave people who've been good to me."

"Fine," he barked. "What do I need to offer you then? Reimbursement for school? The right to patent in your name after a few years a product is on the market? Magazine interviews? A huge signing bonus? Relocation money for Boston? What do you need, Steve?"

Steve steeled his resolve in the face of Watertown's frustration. "I'm sorry, Mr. Waterton, but there's nothing you can tempt me with. This is about who I am as a man. I'm just too loyal to stray."

"What about that wife of yours, Steve? She must've wanted you to take the money."

"She didn't," Steve answered. "She wanted me to stay true to myself, and truly, I'm not the kind of man who leaves anyone."

"Sure, that's what she told you," Waterton scoffed. "Otherwise, she'd sound like a gold digging tramp."

Steve pursed his lips. He was making the right decision. "Have a good night, Mr. Waterton."

"Steve, wait! Don't hang-"

With that, Steve put the phone back in its cradle and finally exhaled. That was unpleasant, but it was done. He smiled softly to himself as he realized that after all that discomfort, he was going to get one heck of a reward. He did a little hop and a skip as he made his way to the door. He opened it slowly and stepped into their bedroom. He gasped as he saw her.

She was lying on the bed on the bed in a tiny, leopard-print teddy. The neckline plunged all the way down to her navel, barely containing her full breasts. It was clear that they'd both pop out with one wrong move. She was propped up on her elbow. Her hair was just the right amount of messy as a few inches of it covered her hand which was holding up her head. The tight, spotted fabric emphasized every curve, and in this position, he couldn't even see the best part yet.

"Humina, humina, humina," he stuttered.

Laura giggled and sat up. "You like?"

He nodded rapidly, panting like a dog and pounding his foot on the ground excitedly as if someone were scratching just the right spot behind his ears. He finished the display with a howl.

She smiled brighter. "Is it done? Did you call Waterton?"

He nodded without saying anything.

"Good," she replied. She patted the bed beside her. "Come sit by me, Baby. Lemme work all that tension out of your shoulders… and out of every other part of your body."

He felt a shiver travel up his spine. He walked over to her as confidently as he could and sat beside her.

She got on her knees behind him and started to massage his shoulders. "Oh, you are tense," she pouted before nibbling his ear. "How'd the call go?" She asked seriously.

Steve could tell she really wanted an answer this time, so he tried hard to focus less on her soft tongue in his ear and more on her question. "It was fine. He begged and bargained and threatened a little, but it's done."

"You should be so proud of yourself. You're only 21, and you already have companies fighting for the privilege of paying your salary."

Steve sat up a little straighter. She had a point. He'd been so caught up in the stress of all this that he'd forgotten to sit back and enjoy it. "Yeah, I guess I am proud."

Laura blew gently in his ear, and he shivered. She continued to knead the taut flesh of his back. "You should be," she whispered. She pulled his earlobe between her lips and began to suck on it.

"Oh, I am," he promised, reaching back to stroke her hair.

Laura pulled away from him and lay back on the bed. She propped herself up on her elbow to look at him. "So… I promised you anything you want tonight. What do you want, Baby?"

He smiled at her flirtatiously and lay beside her on the bed. "I just want you," he purred, reaching back and grabbing a handful of her full booty. He was surprised to feel her skin. "Uhh… Laura, there's a hole in your brand new teddy."

Laura laughed. "It's s'posed to be there. It gives my man easy access to my perfect booty," she teased, reaching back to squeeze his hand more firmly into her soft cheeks.

Steve blushed, thinking back to what Drake had said a few days ago. "W-well," he stammered, "I do love your big booty."

Laura smiled at him softly. She loved making him nervous. She raised her hands to the straps on her shoulders and tugged them over to reveal her breasts. She placed a hand on the back of his neck and pulled his face into her chest. "Let's start here," she suggested.

He happily buried his face deeper into her cleavage, pressing her breasts against either side of his face and kissing her again and again. He was relieved to be back doing something he was certain they were both comfortable with. He pushed her back in the bed and climbed between her legs, never removing his lips from her breasts. He took a nipple into his mouth.

"Oh, Steve," she cooed.

"Mmmm…" he moaned in response, staring up at her face, past her breast, in desire.

Laura smiled down at him. He looked so happy and so comfortable with her. She tickled the back of his neck, and she watched him try to suppress a sweet, innocent giggle. "I love you," she whispered.

Steve smiled and pulled a way just long enough to reply, "I love you, too." With that, he began to kiss his way down her body, pulling her teddy down with him. When he reached her womanhood, he pulled the lingerie down her shapely legs and over her feet. Then he tossed it to the ground and pushed her thick thighs apart. He began to kiss her inner thighs, slowly making his way closer and closer to her most private spot. Finally, just as she was beginning to grow impatient, he slipped his tongue between her intimate folds. He smiled again as he heard her inhale sharply as he pleasured her.

Steve stayed below her waist, pleasuring her immensely with his tongue and fingers, until he finally heard the most spectacular sound in the world.

"Ohhh," she exhaled as she orgasmed. She pushed him away, and her muscles relaxed into the bed. "Oh, Honey… Thank you," she said softly, her voice shaking slightly.

He smiled and kissed his way up her body, leaving a trail of his saliva and her juices everywhere his full lips touched. Finally, he kissed her lips. "You're welcome. Thank you for letting me do that. You know how I love it."

Laura smiled up at him and wiped his shining face with her thumb. "I'm so lucky to have a man who loves kissin' on me the way you do."

Steve smiled proudly, and then he had a thought. His face grew serious. He leaned into her neck and kissed it gently for a few moments as he contemplated his options. Then he leaned up to her ear. "Turn over," he whispered.

Laura's brow furrowed. "Why? I haven't even gone down on you, yet?"

Steve smiled softly. "Just turn over, my sweet."

Laura looked at him for another long moment, and then she did as she was told. She wasn't sure why, but she felt a little nervous as she felt his body come over her. Still, nothing happened. She felt his weight on top of her. Then she felt his lips on the back and sides of her neck and his hands trailing up and down her sides. She felt his hands over her back as he began to unbutton his dress shirt. She felt his bare skin against hers once his shirt was on the ground beside her teddy. She heard his hands fumble with his belt just before she felt the skin of his bare member pressed firmly between her cheeks.

When he was completely naked, he kissed up to her ear and whispered to her softly, "I wanna try something tonight."

Laura swallowed hard. "What is it?" she replied softly.

Steve frowned as his hand drifted down to the flesh of her butt and squeezed. "You know I don't like to say," he complained.

"Honey, you can tell me anything," she said, lifting her head and turning back to him slightly. "You know that."

Steve looked away from her. "I don't wanna say," he whined.

"Ok," she exhaled, turning back and laying her head down.

"Ok?" he asked.

"Ok," she said again. "I trust you, Steve. I know you'll stop if I tell you to stop. We can try it. Whatever it is."

Steve smiled and began to kiss her neck again. "I love you," he purred.

"I love you, too," she replied, giggling softly as he began to kiss down her sensitive spine.

His hands moved quickly to her butt. Each hand grabbed one full cheek and squeezed as he kissed the small of her back. Then he kissed lower, his lips covering every inch of her big butt in kisses.

Laura laughed as she relaxed. "Having fun down there?" she asked.

"Yes," he moaned back immediately.

Laura wiggled her hips slightly, rubbing her clit against the bedspread as he ravaged her butt cheeks. "I'm so glad," she purred.

Eventually, when he was feeling brave, his tongue made its way to the small of her back. He moved to the center and lowered it slightly, reaching the top of her butt crack. He slipped his tongue between her cheeks and just licked her gently, still nowhere near where he wanted to be.

Laura inhaled sharply. This was what she'd been expecting. This seemed to be what the guys had talked about at the poker game. She'd seen him staring at her butt a little more than usual. He was grabbing it more. They'd done it only from behind since Saturday night. She had known it was coming, but she had hoped he would talk about it with her first. She'd hoped that she'd know with a little more certainty what to expect. She at least needed to know if she was waiting on his fingers, his tongue, or his member. "Stop!" she said suddenly.

Steve pulled away from her immediately and sat up on the bed. He lifted his hands into the air, keeping them where she could see them.

Laura sat up and looked at him. He looked like he was feeling so guilty. She reached out and grabbed his hands, pulling them down to hold them. "It's ok, Baby. I liked that. I wanna do more. I just need to talk about it a little first."

Steve shifted nervously and looked away from her.

She moved closer to him. "I just need to know what's coming. You can't just shove a finger in there like you do… other parts of me. That's not how it works."

Steve swallowed hard and stared at the bed.

"Do you wanna have anal sex with me?" she asked gently.

Steve's eyes widened, and he gasped loudly. "LAURA!"

Laura barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "What, Steve? I'm just asking."

"No! I don't wanna do that!" he cried.

Laura glared at him. "Well, you don't have to say it like that."

Steve paused. She was more offended by him not wanting to do that than by the idea that he may want to do something that risqué? "Do you wanna… do… that?"

Laura hesitated. "I don't know, honestly. Isn't that a thing guys like more than girls?"

Steve pouted slightly. "I don't know! How should I know? I've never done it!"

Laura chuckled and looked away from him. "I wish I'd saved all those Cosmo's I read over the years. I usually skipped those articles because I was a virgin. Anal sex was the last thing on my mind."

Steve looked away too. "I'm sorry, Laura. I didn't mean to make things weird. Let's just make love."

"No," Laura said firmly, "I don't ever wanna just make love. I want making love to me to be the thing you wanna do!"

Steve looked back at her. "I do want to!" he said urgently.

"I know, but you wanted to try something, and I want to acknowledge that. I don't just wanna settle for something we always do. Steve, if you weren't planning on having anal sex tonight, what were you planning on doing?"

Steve looked away again. "Laura, I can't say it. I just… can't," he whined.

"Do you want me to start guessing? Because I don't think you'll like that either," she warned.

Steve took a deep breath and exhaled. "The guys at the poker game… were talking about… what you said, and when you asked me if the thing we'd never done was something I wanted to do, it got me thinking. I know I'm not ready for that, but I just thought… Tonight, I could just… kiss you a little before we made love."

"Kiss my butt?" she asked bluntly.

"Laura," Steve whined.

"You mean you wanted to eat my ass?" she clarified.

"LAURA!" he scolded.

Laura took a deep breath and sighed. She placed a hand on his back and rubbed it gently. "We can try that, Steve, if that's all you were trying to do. I was just afraid you were going to try something that… would require a lot of lube that you would completely forget to use," she laughed nervously.

He felt his cheeks flush. "I just wanted another way to make you feel good."

Laura smiled softly and grabbed his chin, turning his head to look at her. "Oh, yeah? It was all about pleasuring me? None of it was for you?" she challenged with a sly smile.

"W-well, I… I also wanted another way to… get lost in your perfect body."

Laura's smile grew wider and flirtier. "Oh, good answer," she whispered, turning around on all fours. "Baby, will you please eat my booty?" she cooed, wiggling it at him.

Steve licked his lips and got on his knees behind her. "Yes, dear," he purred before he dove right back in.

"Oh, MY GOD! That feels weird!" she exclaimed as she felt his tongue at her backdoor.

Steve pulled back slightly. "Good weird?" he asked hopefully.

"I don't know yet," she admitted with a nervous giggle. "Keep going." She wiggled her butt as she moved back toward him.

He grinned and began to kiss all over her cheeks. He moved more slowly this time, making his way back between her cheeks with his moist, soft tongue only when he was sure she had relaxed again. His tongue met her hole, and he felt her tense. He kissed her softly. "No, no, no, my pet," he whispered. "Relax. Just trust me." He heard her take a deep calming breath and exhale. He did the same. He kissed her several more times before his tongue came back out. He began to lick at her softly.

"Ooo," she whimpered softly.

"Mmmmmmm…" he moaned back loudly in encouragement. He pressed her full cheeks around his face, burying himself in one of his favorite parts of her body. This was the butt he used to stare at whenever he had the opportunity. This was the booty he had gawked at whenever she dropped a pencil, stretched before cheerleading practice, or wore a short skirt or a tight pair of shorts, which was pretty much all summer. This was the booty he had desperately wanted to pinch whenever they went bowling and grind against whenever she danced, and now it was his. It was his to touch and pinch and squeeze and smack. Now it was his to kiss and lick. It was his and hers and no one else's. He had caught dozens of men with their eyes glued to her full, meaty tushie. He had snapped at more than a few cads talking about it in the locker room in high school when Eddie wasn't around. This part of her was admired and desired when she was younger and now. It was still the part of her that caught a man's attention whenever Steve held her hand and walked her down the street, but she'd never let anybody else do this. This was something that only Steve would ever be allowed to do. It was something she trusted only him to do, so he had to do it right.

"Ok. Wow," she breathed. "This feels kinda ok. Still weird, but wow." She was starting to pant. She swallowed hard. "Do you… Um… Do you like it or…?"

Steve smiled against her pliable skin. He chuckled softly against her. Did he like it? He moved his fingers down to her vaginal entrance and slipped them inside her in a forward, quick motion.

"Oh, GOD!" she yelled in surprise.

He began to move his fingers in and out. He pulled back slightly as she did. "Do I like it?" he growled. "Gimme that big booty, Pumpkin Butt."

She giggled and moaned. "You are so weird," she laughed. "You are so weird and soooo sexy when you talk to me like that."

"Like what?" he questioned.

"Like you," she moaned.

He smiled and leaned back into her butt, beginning to pleasure her most newly available area. "Mmmmmm…" he moaned as he worked tongue around the edges of the hole.

"Ooooo…" Laura whined. "Move your fingers faster, Baby."

Steve readily complied, rubbing her G-spot more intensely.

"That's it," she agreed, biting her lip.

His hand made a loud, jarring sound as he slapped her butt cheek.

"Oo!" She jumped slightly before relaxing back into her position. She could hear his muffled giggling over the sounds of his gentle slurping. She smiled to herself. Then he did it again. "Ah! Steeeve!" she complained.

"You like it," he mumbled. "You know you do."

"Ohhhhh," she moaned. She jumped when he spanked her again and leaned her head closer to the mattress. "Finger me faster," she begged. When he adjusted, she moaned, "Yesssss. Don't stop. Please don't stop."

He certainly wasn't thinking about stopping.

"Ohhhh, Baby. Spank me again. Please, Baby. I need you to spank me again and again until I come," she whined, moving in rhythm with him.

"Bad girl," he growled as he spanked her again. "Bad, bad girl," he mumbled against her smooth skin, drooling all over her.

She grunted with every impact of his hand and wiggle of his tongue. Then she screamed as she went over the edge because that was the moment he chose to thrust his tongue forward, into her previously untouched hole. "Oh, GOOOOD!" she cried as she shook and trembled, collapsing into the bed.

He pulled away from her as she finished. He stared at her, sprawled across the bed, panting like an exhausted animal. He reached up and wiped his lips clean. "Well, Drake's certainly never gonna get the chance to see you like this," he chuckled, laying back on his back beside her.

Laura turned her head to meet his eyes. She rested her head on her arms. "That guy was such a jerk," Laura began with a sly smile, "but if he inspired you to try that, then I'm kinda glad we met him."

Steve grinned. "You liked it?"

"I did," she grinned back. "It's nice to do something different. I don't wanna do it every night or anything, but I wanna do it again… if you do."

"Whenever your little heinie is ready, my love."

Laura nodded and laid their silently for a moment. Then she rolled over. "Get on top of me," she ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am," he agreed, rolling back between her legs. He immediately lined himself up with her entrance.

"Take me, Steve," she whispered desperately just before he thrust hard and deep into her folds. "Ohhhh," she purred.

He smiled down at her as he pushed in deeper. "You're so beautiful," he purred, staring at her breasts which he could finally see again, "and you feel so good."

"Mmmm… So do you."

He moved his member in deeper and out further. He groaned loudly as he slid in again. "Ohhhhhh…"

Laura stared deeply into his loving eyes. She felt so connected to him as they fell back into their usual rhythm. She smiled softly to herself as she realized that she and Steve had a usual rhythm for this. They weren't just a couple of kids exploring each other's bodies anymore. They were husband and wife. When they were done experimenting, there was something familiar to come back to. There was something that had become a habit in their lives, and that made her feel so proud. She was proud of him for learning to be comfortable. She was proud of herself for learning how to love him right. She was proud of them for making it work, despite how easy that may have seemed right now. As she felt him coming inside of her, she knew they had many years of hard, rewarding work ahead of them to ensure that their marriage stayed this strong, but as he buried his face in her neck and held her close, she knew they could handle whatever life threw at them.

The next morning, the alarm went off far too early. Steve groaned loudly and slapped his hand against the snooze button. Then he turned back to Laura and spooned her again, pulling her tightly against his body.

She reached a hand back and gently stroked his cheek. "We have to get up, Baby," she said gently.

"No, we don't," he complained. "I just wanna stay in bed with my naked supermodel wife all day."

Laura chuckled and sat up, pulling away from him. "I want that too, Steve, but it's Monday. We've gotta get moving."

"I hate Mondays," he grumbled as he stood up, revealing his very obvious erection to his wife.

"Ok, Garfield. Go get in the shower," she laughed.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the bathroom. "Not alone!"

"Steve!" she laughed. "We don't have time."

Steve leaned in and turned on the shower before pulling her naked body flat against him again. "I will always have time for you," he whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Fifteen minutes later than usual, Steve was running toward the door, struggling to tie his tie.

"Baby, wait!" Laura ordered, grabbing his tie and choking him slightly as he tried to keep moving.

He stopped and looked at her in awe as she tied his tie with ease. "You're amazing," he gasped.

Laura laughed and leaned into his neck as she finished the knot. She got on her tiptoes and kissed him sweetly. "So are you. Now, go tell Wes and Andy the good news!" she said, straightening his lapels.

Steve nodded and kissed her back. "I love you, Pumpkin. I'll see you tonight," he said as he grabbed his briefcase and lunch.

"I love you, too! Good luck, Steve!" she called as he closed the door gently behind him.

Steve got to work exactly on time, which actually meant he was a little late. He had hoped to get there early enough to talk to Wes and Andy first thing, but he knew Harold would kill him if he missed valuable lab time to talk to the suits.

Steve made his way to the lab and immediately got to work, losing himself in science. He was so lost, he didn't even hear Harold waddle up behind him.

"Urkel!" he barked. "Watch those chemicals! You know they're both flammable."

"Yes, Sir," Steve nodded. While he didn't appreciate the tone or the implication that he didn't know the chemicals were dangerous, he realized that Harold was right. They were way too close to an open flame. He moved the chemicals and continued to write in his notebook. Then he noticed Harold had continued to stare at him. "Is there anything else, Dr. Ford?"

"Did you talk to Waterton yet?"

"Yes, I did," Steve said. "I've decided not to take the position."

Harold nodded sharply. "Good. I think that's for the best."

"Yeah, well, since you were so unhappy there, I figured it probably wouldn't be a great fit for me either," he replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

Harold pursed his lips.

"It's weird that you didn't mention you'd worked for him before, Dr. Ford," Steve said seriously. "That could've helped my decision."

Harold nodded. "You needed to make that decision for yourself, Urkel. Every scientist has to pick between financial gain and the pursuit of truth over and over and over again. I'm not here to define your morals for you. I'm just here to guide your scientific mind in the right direction and to make sure we make enough money for the suits to keep the doors open so we can keep doing what we do."

"Really?" Steve asked. "That's how you see yourself? I thought you've always had eyes on a promotion."

"I do! I'd love to be able to be that same guiding force for the whole company, but always in the name of science, Steve!" he explained, passion lighting up his eyes for the first time since Steve had met him. "Just because you step out of the lab doesn't mean you have to turn your back on Lady Science, but Waterton has. You made the right decision."

"Thank you, Harold," Steve said seriously. He paused for a moment. "Waterton said ForWard poached you, but if it wasn't for money, what did they offer you?"

"They actually offered me less money. I took a pay cut to work for them, but they offered me the chance to work for a company that cared about the ethical implications of every scientific endeavor. Mr. Forman and Mr. Ward may be businessmen in their heads, but they're scientists at heart. All they want is to discover how they can make the world a better place and hope it makes them a few million bucks along the way. That's the kind of men I want to work for, even if they never let me work alongside them."

Steve smiled softly. "I couldn't agree more, my friend."

Harold nodded. "Anyway, get back to work," he grumbled before turning sharply on his heel and stomping back toward his office.

Steve didn't notice when Wes and Andy walked in about an hour later either.

"Steve!" Wes boomed from less than a foot away from him, irritated that he hadn't noticed his presence.

Steve looked up, jumped, and yelped as he threw a beaker into the air. Luckily, it was empty, and Wes managed to catch it on the way down.

He set it back on the counter and glared at Steve. "Steve, today's the day you're supposed to answer Waterton. Don't tell me you're gonna tell him first. I thought we were close."

Steve frowned and turned off the Bunsen burner in front of him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you yet, Wes. I talked to Waterton last night because I wanted to make sure everything was settled before I talked to you and Mr. Ward again."

Wes swallowed hard. "I understand."

Andy just glared, waiting for the news.

"I've decided to stay with ForWard, assuming you'll still have me," Steve explained meekly.

Wes leapt into the air. "Yahoo!" he exclaimed as he pulled Steve in for a tight, bear hug.

Steve hugged him back, glad that Wes seemed more than ready to just move on from this mess.

"I knew it!" he laughed in relief. "I knew you wouldn't leave!" He pulled away from him and held onto his shoulders. "You've told him? It's officially over?" he confirmed again.

"Yes, Wes," Steve assured him, "and I'm sorry I put you both through all this."

"That's ok, Steve," Wes said sincerely. "We're just glad you made the right decision."

Steve looked back at Andy. "I really am sorry, Mr. Ward. It won't happen again."

Andy took a deep breath and exhaled. "You can call me Andy again," he grumped as he turned quickly and walked out the door.

Wes watched him walk out. Then he turned back to Steve. "Ok. You gotta tell me. Was it the extra vaca time or Andy's bad cop act?" he asked excitedly.

Steve smiled nervously. "You don't really have to give me a new deal."

"Oh, you're getting more time off, Kid. Non-negotiable," he said firmly. "So that really wasn't it? He really scared you out of it?" he asked uncomfortably. "Steve, I know he used a lot of legal jargon, but I never want you to feel trapped here."

Steve shook his head urgently. "Oh, no! Wes, no! It wasn't that! It was something my father-in-law said actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He reminded how important loyalty is, and he reminded me that that's one of my best traits. I don't leave people, Wes. If anything, I hang on way too long," he said with a gesture of his hand for emphasis.

Wes chuckled. "Well, way to go, Dad-in-law!" he chirped. "I'm glad you're staying for the right reasons," he said seriously.

"Me too," Steve nodded.

Wes looked at him for a long moment and then patted his back. "All right, Buddy. Either you need to take some of that vacation time now, or you've gotta get back to work, you slacker!" he grinned as he headed out of the room. He heard Steve laugh and snort as he exited the sliding doors.

When Steve got home that evening, he came with a bouquet of various flowers tucked under his arm. He slipped in the door, set his briefcase down, and glanced around for Laura. She was nowhere in sight, so he tiptoed into their bedroom. He saw the light on in the closet and sat at the edge of their bed to wait for her.

When Laura stepped out, she was wearing short shorts and a tank top without a bra. It had been a long day. She smiled at him flirtatiously when she saw him. "Steve Urkel, you are insatiable," she purred, leaning down to kiss him hello.

"I am?" He questioned as she pulled away.

She took the flowers from him and set them on the dresser behind him before she climbed into his lap. "Yes," she confirmed. "After all the new things we tried yesterday," she whispered leaning in to kiss his neck, "you can't even wait 'til bedtime to make love to me?"

He threw her down on the bed and climbed on top of her. "What makes you think I can't wait?" he purred.

Laura began to unbutton his shirt. "The flowers, the waiting for me on the bed, that look in your eye," she listed.

Steve smiled softly at her and kissed her forehead before he stood up. "Actually, my dear, that wasn't the plan at all."

Laura sat up. "It wasn't?" Damn. She was into it. Maybe that was her plan.

"Nope. These are just Monday flowers," he explained, handing them to her again.

She chuckled and stood to join him. "Monday flowers? What are Monday flowers?"

"Monday flowers are flowers I give you on some random day of the week-"

"So I can get Monday flowers on a Wednesday?" she confirmed.

"Uh-huh," he chuckled, pulling her closer. "They're flowers I give you on some random day of the week just to tell you that I'm happy, and you're why."

"I'm not the only reason why!" she corrected, hating that he was trying to give her all the credit for all the good feelings he'd worked for in life. "You have a good job! You have good friends! We're going back to school soon, and you're such a big nerd!"

Steve laughed and snorted. "No, I know, Sweetums. That's what I'm saying. Everything in my life is going right right now: my love life, my work life, my family life, my school life. My whole life is exactly what I wanted it to be at this age, but you're the reason why. If I didn't have you, I wouldn't have you, first of all. That would be the greatest tragedy. By far!" he exclaimed as she laughed. "But I also wouldn't have the job I do if I hadn't been killing myself trying to find a way to provide for you. I wouldn't have the family life I do if your family wasn't being pushed to include me in new ways because I'm finally, legally their problem. You have made my life what it is, and I want you to know how happy I am. I'm no longer "happy if" or "happy when". I'm just happy. My default state is happy, and that's because of you. Laura, if this is what happy feels like on a daily basis, I've never been happy. You changed my life." He paused for a long moment. "So… Monday flowers."

Laura's bright, lighthearted smile disappeared. She reached a hand out to cup his cheek. "I have never thought for a second of my life that my purpose in life was to make a man happy-"

"Oh, no!" he exclaimed in terror. "No, my pet! No, no, no! That's not what I meant! I swear!"

"No, Steve. I know that's not what you meant. Lemme finish." She cupped his cheek again after her hand had been jostled away by the rapid shaking of his head. "I've never believed that that was my purpose… until this very moment."

Steve went to argue again, but she placed a finger to his lips to stop him.

"I know that I'm here to do a lot more than that. I'm here to become an incredible lawyer and put bad guys away. I know that. I'm here to be a good daughter and sister and friend and, someday, mother, and I've known for a long time that I'm here to love you, Steve, but I never realized before today that I'm here to make you happy. I never realized that I'm the only thing that can do that for you. You are meant to do so much in this life, Steve, and I'm going to make sure that you are happy enough to accomplish everything you're meant to."

Steve paused for a moment. "That's not your job," he insisted.

"No," she agreed, "it's an honor."

His look of concern grew into a warm, embarrassed grin. "Thank you for loving me, Laura Lee," he whispered.

She cocked her head at him and leaned in to press her head into his chest as she embraced him. "Thank you for letting me."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the end of this episode. I hope you enjoyed it, even though it got a little graphic at some points. Maybe moreso than my other stories! (Maybe that's why you enjoyed it!) I look forward to publishing the next one, and I promise it's partly written, but I don't think I like the chapter by chapter format. I'm going to stick with lengthy one-shots for Season X. I'll still be continuing my other current story, "If I Don't Have You" on a chapter by chapter basis, but that next installment is a little further away. Thanks for all the ratings and reviews. Reviews are always a good reminder for me that I need to get on it and publish something. I also always check back to see if someone has just found an older story. That's always a fun review. Thanks for writing to me and reading. You all rock.