Disclaimer- This story is for fan purposes only. All of the characters are property of their respective owners (not me) and are used here without permission.

Laura and the Lewises

During all those years of friendship and ambiguous flirting, Laura Hobson always knew that if the two of them ever did form a proper couple, Robbie Lewis would play for keeps. She knew that he would give himself to her completely. More importantly, she knew that he was a package deal: two grown kids and a grandson. You've wanted this for a long time, so stop being so nervous, Laura Hobson told herself. It didn't help. So there she was, two days after Christmas, sitting on a train bound for her boyfriend's daughter's house in Manchester.

She had worked over Christmas itself; she wanted to let those with families spend the holiday together. She had dutifully twiddled her thumbs in the lab (mercifully, it had been a relatively safe holiday in Oxford) before letting Lewis' former sergeant James Hathaway drag her to midnight mass. James had invited her out of sense of obligation, and she had accepted in a rather curmudgeonly fashion of which Robbie himself would be proud. Secretly, though, they were both happy for each other's company. As far as Laura was concerned, James was Robbie's family. The three of them were misfits- each in their own way- who had discovered that they were better off if they stuck together. But now a train was rushing Laura towards the original puzzle to which Robbie belonged. It was a puzzle with a missing piece—his late wife Val—and Laura knew that she didn't fit the mould. She wrung her hands nervously as she thought about ringing in the New Year with the Lewises.

Laura had tried to explain her apprehension to Robbie as he was packing to leave the week before.

"What could you possibly have to worry about?" He was giddy that she had agreed to spend time with the Lewis clan and wasn't doing a stellar job of assuaging her fears.

"I might be brilliant and sexy," (Robbie raised his eyebrows) "but when it comes to family dynamics, I always feel rather inadequate." (Robbie lowered them.)

"But our Lyn insisted that you come so you know that she'll be happy to see you. And the two of you have always gotten on well."

"We've only had a few dinners here and there… please try to understand, Robbie. The extended family visit has been the death knell of every serious relationship I've ever had."

"I'm sure that wasn't your fault, love. Those other blokes didn't know what they had to lose!"

"No, Robbie. It's me. It's just who I am. As soon as the mother hen realizes that I'm not the one to be a good wife to her boy and give her grandchildren, she starts poisoning his mind against me."

Robbie started to chuckle. "Laura, you're thinking about this upside-down. The mother hen has her own brood! Trust us; our Lyn is not expecting you to give her any little brothers or sisters. Quite the opposite; I imagine she'd give me quite a bit of grief if she thought that you and I were going to..."

"...procreate?" Laura supplied for him after his hesitation.

"Yeah. What's this all about, anyway? Laura Hobson doesn't care what people think of her!"

"That's just it, Robbie. I tend to speak my mind freely without consideration for what others might think, and I don't want to get into trouble with Lyn. What if I accidentally call your grandson an overgrown embryo?"

"You don't think that, do you?" Robbie did look sincerely alarmed.

"No, but only because he's a part of you. And I do love you." She added that and his face relaxed into his easy smile.

"Well, that's all that matters then. Look, Laura. Feminist overachievers make me uneasy too, but I'm a happier man because I faced me fears, no?"

Her anxious face broke out into a giggle as he swept her into his arms. "Fair enough, Robbie."

"Everything will be fine, love. Promise me you won't stew about this while I'm gone."

Laura let the rhythm of the train soothe her as the journey continued. She alighted at Manchester into the winter night and stood on the platform looking lost. Suddenly, she heard the love of her life call her name. Robbie Lewis was behind her; she turned, and he greeted her with a reassuring kiss. She needn't have worried about a thing.