As for her feelings for him, it was explained in the first "Laura"
episode that she had sexual and emotional hangups that her marriage had
exacerbated. She was willing to accept NEil's love as long as it didn't
get too intense or demanding. The suggestion was, as I saw it, that
given enough time, she would have been able to care just as deeply for
him. And the fact that he was willing to accept this "half a loaf" is
probably more proof of his love.
I think perhaps we hate to think of Neil as being able to love anyone in
the normal sense, so it's extremely tempting to assign all sorts of
unpleasant attributes to him as far as his interpersonal relationships
go. But even people living on the edge, which Neil certainly did! are
capable of at least a minimum amount of healthy needs and desires.
Laura's being in his field would have posed a very intersting (from a
psychological point of view) dilemma if their relationship had been
allowed to progress to an intimate affair or marriage. How would Neil
have been able to handle Laura's working at such a hazardous job? And
whether or not she kept her SB job, would he have been a better husband
(or lover) to her than he'd been to whatsername? Would he have come home
at night at a reasonable hour? Relaxed a bit? Wanted to raise a family?
Intruiging, isn't it?
Hilde Horvath