2:15 AM (EST), Tuesday, May 5, 1981
Steve Austin. Former astronaut. OSI Agent. A man on the verge of emotional collapse. That morning, Oscar let it slip that Jaime had regained her memory a year ago. Once he realized he had said too much, Oscar had to be honest. "She remembers everything, Pal," were the words that reverberated in Steve's head as he poured himself yet another drink. Though Oscar had said those words gently, there had been no way to soften the blow. For the past year, Jaime had lived with the memories of their whirlwind courtship, their intense and all-consuming love for each other, their plans to build a future together...and he had not heard a word from her.
Almost six years had passed since Steve discovered had Jaime was still alive. During that time, he had always been certain that if she recovered her memory, she would return to him. Even when it became evident that her relationship with Chris Williams was serious, Steve was sure it couldn't compare to what the two of them had shared. But now, he had to accept the fact that he'd been wrong.
"She remembers everything, Pal." Unable to push those words out of his head, Steve threw the empty vodka bottle across the room and heard it shatter against the wall as he closed his eyes and passed out in his chair.
10:30 AM (EST), Tuesday, May 5, 1981
"Damn it," Oscar Goldman said. "I never should have told him about Jaime!"
"Don't blame yourself," Rudy Wells said. "He's been headed down this self-destructive path for months."
"I knew he'd been drinking too much," Oscar said. "I threatened to suspend him more than once. But alcohol poisoning. He could have died."
"He's not out of the woods yet," Rudy said. "But at least he has a chance. If his cleaning lady hadn't found him this morning…"
"I don't want to think about the 'if,'" Oscar said. "I guess we have to call his parents. They'll want to know. I'll have Callahan arrange transportation as I'm sure they'll want to fly in to be with him."
"What about Jaime?" Rudy asked.
"I don't know," Oscar said. "She's been angry with him ever since he found out he refused to go into Budapest to try to rescue Chris."
"But it wouldn't have mattered if he'd gone. Chris was killed shortly after the explosion."
"But Steve didn't know that. And Jaime can't seem to forgive him for not trying to save the man she loved."
"Can't forgive Steve, or can't forgive herself?" voicing that thought for the first time.
"Maybe we've been wrong to mind our own business all this time," Oscar said.
"Meddling couldn't have produced a worse result than the one we're dealing with right now," Rudy said in agreement.
6:30 PM (EST), Tuesday, May 5, 1981
"Mr. Goldman, Jaime Sommers on line one," Callahan said over the office intercom.
"Thank you," he replied.
Oscar took a deep breath before picking up the phone.
"Hi, Babe," he said, sounding as if all were normal.
"Oscar," she said, with a clear note of alarm in her voice, "I just got home from school and found a disconcertingly vague note from Helen and Jim saying they've gone to D.C. to be with Steve."
"That's right," Oscar said.
"What's wrong with him?" she asked so worriedly that no one would ever know she was angry with Steve.
"Jaime, I can't go into details over the phone, but Steve is in the hospital."
"It must be serious if Helen and Jim are there," Jaime said.
"It is serious. Very serious."
"Oh my God!" she said, detecting the gravity in his voice. "Oscar, I'm coming, too. Can you arrange a flight for me out of the air force base?"
"Babe, are you sure you want to do this?" he asked quietly.
"Oscar, I love Steve. I've always loved him. Of course I'm sure."
