No Harm Done

Chapter One

Most doctors would've thrown him out of the room – probably out of the hospital – but Steve inthe bed, holding Jaime in his arms, was exactly what Rudy had hoped to see. The next few weeks would be tough and challenging for her; Rudy was glad Steve would be there for encouragement and comfort.

"Any questions about the surgery tomorrow?" the doctor offered. "Jaime? Steve?"

"How long until Steve and I can...be together?" Jaime asked with a wicked smile.

"You're already together, Honey, and...oh." Rudy, fortunately wasn't easily embarrassed. "It'll be a long recovery – you know that. But your body'll let you know when you're ready."

"Oh, don't tell her that!" Steve admonished. "Unless you wanna lock the door on your way out..."

"Steve!" Jaime whacked him playfully on the arm. She turned to Rudy. "Gotcha, Doc. And...how long until I'm walking?"

They'd been over this part several times, but Jaime was probably hoping for a different answer, and Rudy (as always) was patient. "The first week, you won't be moving much at all; you'll be in a modern sort of traction, to allow your new hips to settle and the rest of your body to adjust and recover a bit. This is big-time major surgery, Honey."

"A whole week...ugh."

"After that, we'll play it by ear, but it'll be gradual, and probably not as rapid as you'd like – I know you're already restless -"

"That's an understatement," Steve agreed.

"It'll be a brand-new learning process for you," Rudy went on. "Your balance will be off at first – probably way off – because your center of gravity will change. It'll be almost like learning to walk all over again." He knew he didn't need to remind Jaime or Steve that there was also a remote possibility the operation would fail completely and Jaime would remain in her wheelchair. They were all well aware of that ugly fact, looming in the background.

"Rudy?" Jaime's voice sounded more tentative than before.

"Yes, Honey?"

"Will I...um...will I still be able to have kids someday?"

"Hopefully. Another bridge we'll have to cross when we get to it, but our goal is to cause as little disruption to the rest of your body as possible."

Jaime nodded and leaned a little closer to Steve, who could tell she was more nervous than she was letting on.

"I'm going to give you a shot now," Rudy told her, "so you can rest. The surgical team will be in to prep you first thing in the morning." He quickly administered the injection, smiled at the love radiating between the two people on the single bed, and headed for the door. "Call if you need anything at all."

"Thank you," Jaime answered, mustering a smile.

Steve turned a little, still holding her, so he could look into her eyes. "Thinking of having a baby, are you?" he challenged, grinning.

Jaime shrugged. "You never know..." They'd talked repeatedly about getting married, but so far, talk was as far as the subject had gone. "Maybe someday." Her eyelids were already beginning to grow heavier, and Steve kissed her softly before withdrawing from the bed and settling Jaime comfortably back onto the pillows.

"I love you..." Jaime whispered, drifting off to sleep.

"I love you too, Sweetheart."

- - - - - -

Even though he knew Jaime's surgery would take the better part of the day, Steve began pacing almost immediately. Jaime would walk again; she had to! He, of course, would love her just the same either way, but he knew if this surgery failed, Jaime's spirit (only recently revived after a brief period of rebellion and depression) would be crushed. He just wanted her healthy, alive and safe; the rest was icing on the cake.

The operation was especially touchy because both of her hips were being made bionic: not just the one damaged several months earlier in a shooting, which had put her in a wheelchair, but the healthy one as well. Replacing just the damaged one might have allowed her to walk, but to do more than that she'd need the equilibrium of the double replacement. It also entailed removal of healthy bone and tissue to replace it with bionics, which was something Rudy had never done before, but everyone's hopes were high that it would be successful – especially Jaime's.

Oscar joined him several hours into his vigil, bearing coffee and sandwiches. Steve gulped the coffee gratefully, but his stomach was too tense for anything more. "Maybe later," he told Oscar. "Thank you, though."

"She's in the best possible hands, Pal," Oscar reminded him.

"I know."

"Why don't you come and sit down?"

"I...can't. Maybe later."

Nine hours later, after Oscar had come and come a few more times to make his business calls and bring more coffee, Steve was still pacing. "Pal, you really need to sit down," Oscar told him. "Even if your legs can handle it, I'm getting worried about the floor." He was only half joking.

"Not right now. Later, maybe."

"Ok, but you're forcing my hand here." Oscar pulled himself up to his full height and found his most imposing 'I'm the Boss' voice. "Colonel Austin! In the chair – immediately!" Steve opened his mouth to protest but Oscar's face clearly showed he wasn't kidding. Once Steve had complied, Oscar Goldman disappeared, leaving Steve's friend in his place. "Feel better?" Oscar asked softly.

"Thanks. And Oscar, thank you for all the extra time off you've been giving me to be with Jaime."

"You're her best possible medicine; Rudy tells me you've been taking excellent care of our girl. Your assignment for the foreseeable future is to keep doing exactly that."

Steve nodded. "I will; thank you."

- - - - - -