A/N This story is dedicated to the members of the Yahoo SOSF group with great respect and friendship.

Thank you to Briroch for summary suggestion and some suggestions for the story. It is deeply appreciated. Thanks also to Briroch for checking this story over for me.

Thank you to Little Purple Butterflies for title suggestion. It is deeply appreciated.

Disclaimer: I make no profit off of anything related to "Streets of San Francisco" or the characters. I am not the creator of the series, that is Quinn Martin.

REGRET

Steve had been telling Mike for a long time he would get him on the skis one of these days. Finally the day had come that Mike eventually gave in and agreed to try skiing. He figured it would get Steve to shut up about it and he felt he owed him to give it a try - after all the hammerings Steve had to take at the Bowling Alley. And besides, you never know if you like something unless you try it.

When they went on their skiing trip the results were not what either had expected at first. Mike really seemed to get the hang of it and was doing good; - that is until the third day out -then it happened. Mike was on a novice slope with Steve helping him along. They had put in a couple of hours on the slope and Steve felt ready to call it a day. "Mike, if it's okay with you I'll do just one run down the more advanced slope and then meet you back at the hotel. Will you be alright here on your own?" Steve asked and Mike readily agreed. When Steve was gone Mike looked at the seemingly harmless slope again and thought: What the Heck, I'll give it just one more go...without Buddy Boy telling me what to do! But his skis over and he went headfirst into a tree. Now Mike ended up in the hospital and the doctors were not able to immediately revive him from unconsciousness.

Jeannie had just got home from college and found Mike's note he had left her in case she got home before he returned from his trip with Steve. She had to laugh at the thought of Mike letting Steve talk him into going skiing. She could see him watching a football or baseball game and fishing, there was no better fisherman she could think of - but skiing - he just was not the type.

When the phone rang Jeannie had expected it to be Mike saying they were on their way home that he had enough of this cold slush that Steve seemed to love so much. The news that the caller gave her was not what she had expected in the least and she struggled to maintain her composure.

"Jeannie, it's...uh...Steve. Listen there's been an accident, Mike's skis got crossed up and he went into a tree. They have him stabilized but he has not regained consciousness yet. They are airlifting him into San Francisco." Steve said nervously and he appeared to be worried.

"Do you know which hospital they are going to take him to?" Jeannie asked trying to stay calm.

"They were negotiating with General. I'm going to grab our stuff and will drive down as soon as I can." Steve told her. "I wasn't sure if you would be home yet or not, but hoped you might have made it in." he went on but still got no reply from Jeannie. "I'll see you when I get there." Steve finished hurriedly.

"Alright, I'll see you when you get in." Jeannie replied, anxious to get going.

When the airlift arrived at San Francisco General Jeannie was already there waiting. Once the doctor had examined him Mike and got him into ICU he went and spoke with Jeannie. The news she was given was not great but she knew it could have been much worse. She was allowed to see her father for just a minute or two, then went back to the waiting area. Captain Olsen arrived at the hospital and found Jeannie pacing up and down; she told him what the doctor had said and how Mike had looked when she was allowed to see him for a few moments.

"What came over that young man to take Mike skiing? He is not a young man anymore, Keller should have known better!" Olsen exclaimed angrily "When he arrives I am going to have a word with him, count on that."

"You will have to get in line. I have a few words to say to Steve, myself." Jeannie stated stubbornly.

They were both sitting in the waiting area when almost four hours later Steve walked into the hospital. He was told at the reception desk that Lieutenant Stone's daughter was in ICU waiting area so he headed that way. Jeannie who had almost four hours for her steam to build up looked at Steve with a cold stare and Olsen's look was not much better.

"Look, Jeannie, I'm sorry honestly." "He was doing good the first few days so I went onto another slope. I thought he would be okay on his own for just a little while." Steve explained trying to keep his composure.

"Steve, you knew he was not up for that kind of activity, and I would like to know what you were thinking?! Right now I feel like I have never been so angry with you before!" Jeannie responded, feeling her temper about to boil over at Mike's young partner.

Steve stood there not knowing what to say to her, afraid that anything he tried to say was just going to make her even angrier than she sounded already. Steve had realized as well that not answering her was not an option either, it was just making her temper flare higher and she was venting it all at him in a controlled tone of voice, but there was no doubt Jeannie was very upset with him.

"I thought he could try something new. I told him a long time ago, I wanted him to at least give it a try someday." Steve answered hoping to calm Jeannie Stone's temper.

"You are younger than him, you might be some sort of hot shot daredevil, but he is an older man who is not able to endure all the activities you can!" Jeannie exclaimed vehemently.

"She is right; you were an idiot Inspector Keller! The next time you get some hair brained scheme in your head about Mike, just don't! You might have cost us one of the finest men there is in SFPD, not to mention as a person. If I could, believe me - I would suspend you over this!" Olsen said jumping in with both barrels.

"Suspend me then, Captain! Fire me for all I care! You think you are any angrier at me than I am at myself, well you're not. Jeannie might have a right to be angrier at me but not you." Steve answered defensively. He was starting to lose his temper.

Jeannie looked at him like he was the lowest form of life on the planet then stormed off to talk to the doctor as she saw him coming from the room down the hall. Olsen followed her leaving Steve standing alone wondering if he would even be given any word of how his partner was doing. Jeannie sent sharp looks Steve's way until he finally gave up and left the facility.

Steve was dismayed and went to the department, where he was questioned by the other guys of homicide about Mike. He told them what little he knew, which was really nothing more than what had been relayed to them by Captain Olsen. He sat down at his desk and typed up a letter of resignation for personal reasons, just in case things got to be too much to take or he just decided he shouldn't stay since Jeannie was so angry about Mike's injury. Steve sat thinking that it was like seeing the sky turn green for him and Jeannie to not be able to talk to each other. He heard some rumor around the department as well, that Captain Olsen was going to make sure he was punished for this off duty incident in some form even trying to have him replaced as Mike's partner, if and when Mike was able to return to duty. If….that was a scary thought, Mike simply had to get well and come back!

The more Steve thought about it – did he really have to stay here? For at this time, nothing could hold him back other than making sure Mike was okay and even that had become more difficult since Jeannie would not allow him anywhere near Mike or her for that matter. Steve told the guys of homicide good bye and took his resignation up to Olsen's office and left it with his secretary to be put on his desk for him and then he was gone.

At the hospital Jeannie and Olsen were talking both totally unaware of the drastic measure Steve had taken concerning his career with SFPD and was fast putting distance between himself and San Francisco and the two people he had loved as family since the day they met.

"I'll talk to Steve later on when I know Mike is going to be okay. Right now he is my main concern, I know Steve feels guilty about all this but I am too angry and upset to deal with him right now." Jeannie said now starting to regret the quick temper displayed towards Steve.

"That is understandable, Jeannie. Your father is naturally your primary worry, rather than his partner. I know you two have always been close and maybe this wasn't all his fault but still it made me angry." Olsen replied more calmly.

"I know I don't think I had ever been so mad at him. It's like seeing the sky turn green to not know what to say to him or even to not want to talk to him. I feel bad we were both so rough on him though, but it is better right now that he is making himself scarce." Jeannie stated assuredly.

"I was told by the nurse that he called in to check on Mike and would call back later, so I guess he got the message when he was here earlier to just steer clear of you for now. I am sure in the end everyone will be okay once Mike is okay." Olsen answered with mixed feelings.

They both saw the doctor come towards them and that he was smiling. They rose expectantly and were greeted with the news that Mike was conscious and should be just fine and was asking for Jeannie and for Steve. The doctor told Jeannie she could see her father for a few minutes but he needed his rest so to not stay too long. Before she went with the doctor she turned to Captain Olsen asking a favor.

"Please find Steve and tell him Mike is awake and asking for him. He is probably at the department or his place. Tell him Jeannie said to come." Jeannie requested quickly.

"Alright it is against my better judgment but I will see if I can find the boy. I will be back as soon as I can." Olsen replied gruffly.

As Jeannie went off with the doctor, Olsen left the hospital to head to the department and homicide squad to find Steve and bring him back to the hospital. Once there, he found out that Steve had been around for a little while but then left after typing up something, told them good bye and was gone. Olsen went to his office to check in about messages, he was told by his secretary that Steve Keller had been there to leave something for him and she had put it on his desk. The Captain went into his office and when he picked up the letter off his desk he was stunned reading the words on the paper. His mind went into a slight whirlwind of how was he going to tell Mike and Jeannie this piece of news? The secretary heard his cry of surprise and hurried in to see what was wrong.

"What's the matter? Can I do anything?" Olsen's secretary asked worriedly.

"How long ago was it that he left this here?" Olsen snapped hurriedly.

"Possibly almost three hours ago. Should I have not have taken it and told him he needed to come back when you were here to give it to you personally?" Olsen's secretary replied anxiously wondering if she had done the wrong thing.

"No, it's fine but if you see him or he calls in to speak with me, tell him to get to General immediately. Mike Stone is awake and asking for him." Olsen said brusquely.

Captain Olsen called Steve's home number repeatedly and received no answer. Finally he put a call into the hospital ICU nurses' station and asked them for Jeannie Stone. When he got her on the phone he was not sure how to break this news of Steve's absence to her.

"He left a letter of resignation with my secretary. The people in homicide said he just told them good bye and left and he is not answering his home phone." Olsen explained

"He's gone? I can't believe this." I have a key to his place from Mike's pocket; I'll go there and check. I don't know how to tell Mike that Steve has left." Jeannie replied anxiously.

Jeannie gave Captain Olsen a list of every place she knew of where he could try to find Steve and went to check Steve's apartment for him. She noted there was quite a bit of clothing missing from the closet and drawers remained open as though he was in a hurry. She finally headed back to hospital and found Captain Olsen there waiting.

"I have checked most of the places you mentioned here in town and there is no sign of him nor has anyone seen him. What did you find at his apartment?" Olsen asked in a controlled voice.

"There was a good bit of clothing gone and it looked as though he was in a hurry to get out of there. I wish he would have waited, yes I was angry but I would have calmed down in a bit. Mike is going to be fit to be tied when he hears of this. "Jeannie said mournfully.

When the doctor finally allowed Jeannie to go back to see Mike again she asked if Captain Olsen could accompany her as she knew Mike was going to know something was wrong and felt it was best to go ahead and tell him of Steve's leaving rather than waiting as she had planned to do.

"Mike, Captain Olsen is here to see you." Jeannie said trying to sound cheerful.

"Listen, Mike there is something you need to know and please try to stay calm." Olsen stated worriedly.

"What is it?" Mike looked from Olsen to Jeannie and noticed she was trying to avoid his eyes, "Where's Steve? Didn't you tell him I wanted to see him?" Mike asked starting to feel more anxious.

"Mike, we tried to get in touch with him after he left the hospital. We can't find him, I checked his apartment and he was not there." Jeannie responded guiltily.

"He came by my office while I was here and gave my secretary a letter of resignation to leave for me." Jeannie gave me a list of places she could think of to look for him but he was not there and we still have some of the places to check." Olsen explained feeling a bit defensive.

"Rudy, if you accept that resignation, I promise you when I get out of here there will be hell to pay!" Mike exclaimed with heat in his tone.

Mike gave Captain Olsen a few more places than Jeannie, where he could check for Steve. Olsen left to go and put out calls to check for Steve. Before he left, Olsen had arranged with the doctor and nurses that if and when Steve ever called back to check on Mike's condition, they were to get Jeannie to the phone so she could talk to him and get him to come back, as Mike wanted to see him. Now there was nothing to do but wait and wonder where Steve had lost himself and if he would even try to return.