Title: Steele Talking It Over

Rating: T (PG-13)

Description: This story takes place after the lights go out at Ashford Castle. In the second part, the conversation continues Feedback is much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters; if I did, they would've had a much better ending than Season 5. This is all for entertainment, folks

Part V – Memories & Origins

After lunch, Laura had insisted on calling her mother in private, so Steele went for a walk around the grounds. He didn't mind the solitude, as it gave him time to think –about Daniel, about his future with Laura, about how he was going to keep immigration off their heels for two years.

The sound of a piano caught his ear as he passed by one of the first-level windows. He peered in to find Laura's brother playing intently, scribbling on a sheet of paper from time to time. Steele smiled, turning the corner to go inside.

"So Laura's not the only Holt with a musical ear, eh?" Steele said as he walked toward Bobby, who looked up at him in surprise.

"To tell you the truth, Laura's more of the piano person – I'm wretched on this thing. Give me a guitar any day."

"You play?"

"I try," Bobby half-laughed, looking back at his sheet music. "It's more of a dream than anything else."

"Dreams can come true, mate. Just look at me."

"You mean abandoned Irish waif turned dapper, acclaimed detective?"

"In a manner of speaking … Just out of curiosity, exactly what have you been told about me?"

"Well … if I believe Murphy Michaels, and he's pretty much a man of his word, you're an ex-thief who was living life fast and loose in Europe before you crashed into my sister's life."

"Ah, and I thought I'd won Murphy over in the end."

"Oh, he speaks better of you now … although he has his doubts about this whole marriage business."

"And I suppose he's not the only one, eh?" Steele said in a tentative voice.

"I don't know what you are, Mr. Steele," he sighed. "I don't like to judge people based on mistakes they may've made in their past. God knows, during my time in Peru, I've seen what people have had to do in dire circumstances, and I can't say I blame them."

"That's encouraging."

"At the same time, Laura's my sister, and I won't stand to see her heart broken one more time," Bobby said with resolve, giving Steele a dangerous stare.

"That's not my intention-"

"That's what my father said right before he left," Bobby said sharply. "He said it wasn't his intention to leave me or my sisters. He said he and mom couldn't see eye to eye, and he never intended for us to get hurt in the process. But we did, Mr. Steele, despite his best intentions."

"And I'm sorry for that, mate," Steele replied, "but I'm not your father. And I'm not going anywhere."

"Only time will tell," Bobby said, looking down and running a hand through his hair. "You know, this is all partly my fault anyway."

"How's that?" Steele asked, pulling up a chair.

"Before I left for the Peace Corps, Laura was really down on her luck," he sighed. "Everything she worked for was falling apart – her agency, her relationship with that twerp Wilson. I mean, she's probably told you about that."

"Some," Steele said simply, encouraging him to continue.

"Anyway, I was over her house and I remember we were watching the Oakland Raiders football game. That night they were playing the Steelers, who were having a rough season. Steelers lost a tough one – 45-34."

Bobby looked at Steele, who had a slightly confused look on his face.

"You're probably not that familiar with American football, are you, Mr. Steele?"

"I've been familiarizing myself over the years, but I wouldn't call myself a connoisseur if that's what you mean."

"Well, the thing is, I'm a Steelers fan. They were a dynasty back when I was growing up. Won the Super Bowl four times in six years."

"Sounds impressive," Steele remarked.

"Don't worry, this is going somewhere," Bobby assured him. "Anyway, in 1979, they celebrated their fourth championship. That same year, Laura started her own detective agency on the heels of her success at Havenhurst. It was a good year. Then came 1980. Not such a good year – for the Steelers or my sister."

"I see," Steele said. "A year full of strike-outs, eh?"

Bobby laughed. "That's baseball, Steele."

"Ah, yes, America's other favorite past-time. Sorry, press on."

"Well, it was October, and we were watching the Steelers game, and I made a joke about how she wasn't the only one having a rough season. Laura was buried in paperwork – mostly bills – and she looked up at me and just started crying."

Steele nodded, knowing how startling it could be to watch Laura's strength come crumbling down.

"I felt so bad," Bobby continued. "I hugged her and told her I was sorry, told her she was a damn good detective and that people would come around eventually, but nothing helped. She just kept saying how she was a failure, how she couldn't face mom or the rest of the family after all she'd been through."

"What did you do?"

"I tried to make her smile. So I said she could always invent a superior and blame everything on him."

Steele grinned. "Did the trick, eh?"

"She stopped crying, but she got that look in her eyes – you know, that determined 'no one's gonna stop me, so get the hell out of my way or I'll bowl you over' look."

"I know it well," Steele said with a smile.

"Then she looks at me, hugs me and calls me a genius. She's laughing at this point, a full-blown giggling fit, and I'm wondering if I should be calling 911. I thought she finally cracked."

"But she didn't, did she?" Steele said, his grin growing wider. He could picture the scene unfolding in his mind - his Laura going from despair to determination in the blink of an eye.

"Well, that's still up for debate," Bobby laughed. "It all still sounds pretty crazy to me."

"But it worked," Steele remarked.

"Well, up to now," Bobby cautioned. "I mean, I make one joke, and suddenly she was typing away, asking me to throw out names that evoked a suave, successful exterior… so I jokingly threw out the name on her typewriter and my favorite football team."

"And bingo, Remington Steele was born."

"She never told you that story?"

"A shorter version," Steele said.

"Maybe she just didn't want to mention me …" Bobby said sadly.

"Is that what's bothering you, mate? That Laura never told me about you?"

Bobby looked away. "We had a bit of a falling out before I left for Peru," he sighed.

"But you kept in touch," Steele noted, leaning forward.

"I was very much against her doing anything that could land her in trouble with the law. It kind of snowballed and things were brought up … we both said things we shouldn't have …"

"I've been there, mate," Steele said empathetically. "Laura and I have had our fair share of disagreements, but she's always come around. She's one of the most forgiving people I know. And she doesn't seem to hold a grudge where you're concerned."

"We worked it out to a point through letters when I first got to Peru," Bobby recalled. "But I think there are still a few things that need airing out."

Steele gave him a concerned look.

"Don't worry, man. I'm not here to crash your honeymoon. I promise not to bring anything up until we've got her in the clear with mother and Frances."

"Look, Robert, just because Laura didn't mention you to me, that doesn't mean she doesn't care. I mean, I think the only reason I ever found out about your mother or Frances was because they came right to the agency's doorstep."

"She's embarrassed of the family," Bobby sighed. "And I'm part of that family."

"She's also very protective," Steele replied. "Perhaps she was waiting until she was sure she could trust me to tell me about those people closest to her."

"Perhaps," Bobby replied. "And I suppose the fire didn't help."

"The fire?"

"When she lost her house, Steele. You were there, she told me," Bobby said. "I only found out after one of my letters to her was sent back to me. I wrote to Frances and she gave me her new address."

"That was a hard time," Steele recalled, pained by the memory. "We were barely 50 feet away when the bomb went off.

"Bomb?" Bobby said pensively. "Laura said it was a fire."

"Oh, uh … she was probably trying not to worry you," Steele swallowed.

"My God, how dangerous is this detective business?"

"I'd rather not think of that right now, mate," Steele replied hesitantly. Bobby shook his head.

"Anyway, Laura lost everything in that fire … explosion … whatever it was, including a lot of old pictures and movie reels. She wrote me, asking if I could send her a photo or two of us together. I told her I left all my stuff with mom in Connecticut, and I guess she didn't want to worry her, so …"

"So that could be why I never saw any photographs of a young Robert Holt at her loft." Steele kicked himself for not paying better attention to detail in those early days when he was in her home. He was more concerned about the white belts than the family photos on her wall. Thinking back, he could recall a photo of a young boy on her dresser.

"I did have one photo, but I didn't want to part with it," Bobby began, reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out his wallet, revealing a creased black and white photograph and handed it to Steele.

"Quite the collection of frogs you have there," Steele smiled, examining the picture. "How old were you?"

"I was eight, Laura was twelve. We had to bribe Frances to take the picture. Mom was so mad …"

"Oh?"

"Well, we smelled pretty awful, and she never liked us going out on our little expeditions along the city's sewer lines."

"Understandable, I suppose, but every child yearns for a good adventure now and then."

"We'll see if you're singing the same tune when your kids decide to go exploring," Bobby laughed. Steele arched his eyebrow at the thought. "I mean, that is, if you and Laura ever have kids. I don't mean to assume …"

"We want children," Steele said quietly, a wistful look spreading across his face as he pictured what their kids might look like. "As I said, I'm not going anywhere."

Bobby smiled. "Murphy was right about one thing."

"Oh?"

"You're not so bad once I get to know you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, mate."

"No problem," Bobby laughed, patting Steele on the shoulder as he stood up. "Thanks for the chat. I'm gonna take a shower and then see how Laura's phone call went."

"Yes, it appears I may not be in Abigail's good graces at the moment…"

"Half the planet's not in my mother's graces, Steele," Bobby laughed. "Besides, all you have to do is convince her your marriage is on the level. You've practically convinced me, so …"

"You still don't trust me."

"Trust is earned, Mr. Steele. Give me some time. And give my mother some time for that matter. You'd be amazed at how we Holts eventually come around."

"Oh, believe me, old chap, I know first-hand," Steele smiled.

To Be Continued…