Chapter 1
Jaime barely spoke while they were on the chopper, other than telling Steve she was sorry, that she just had a bad headache...and then falling asleep. When it came time to board the transport plane back to Edwards AFB, Steve had trouble rousing her but once awake, she claimed the 'nap' had done her a world of good and that her headache was gone. Jaime was no longer cringing or even wincing in pain, so Steve believed her - and began questioning her more closely, to assuage his own fears.
''What kind of headache was it?'' he asked.
''It was just a headache. And you worry too much.''
Steve had known her for too long to buy such a simplistic explanation. This had been visible pain - and he needed to determine what to tell Rudy. ''Was it like when you rejected?'' he probed gently. He knew she didn't remember her initial bout with bionic rejection (the one that had killed her) but she'd experienced another serious incident recently. Please God...don't let it be that! he thought to himself.
''No, this went around the front of my head from my temples, especially the right side...but it didn't take over my whole body, like the pain when I was rejecting.''
''Sweetheart...Michael did another x-ray when he cleared you for this mission, right?''
''No. He used that brand-new machine - the...um...the MRI. Said it gives him a more detailed picture without the risks of radiation from too many x-rays,'' Jaime explained.
Steve nodded, filing the information away for future reference.
''I just don't see it,'' Rudy puzzled, looking at the images from Jaime's pre-mission MRI. ''There's nothing here to account for what Steve says happened to her.''
''I don't see anything either,'' Michael told him. ''And she passed every test with flying colors; as far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong with her.''
''Residual effects from her surgery?''
''Shouldn't be,'' Michael answered, deep in thought. ''But...I just don't know.''
''I don't need more tests!'' Jaime insisted. ''It was just a headache - and I'm fine now!''
''Sweetheart, if Michael and Rudy feel that - ''
''No. That machine...the MRI tube thing...it gives me the creeps!'' Jaime shivered, remembering. ''It's like a medieval torture chamber - or something out of a bad science fiction novel! No...I don't wanna do it again!''
''Jaime...''
''I opened my eyes and that thing was right there, spinning around, like an inch from my nose. I...it felt like I was suffocating, Steve! Michael had to put me out so he could finish! I'd rather take my chances with too many x-rays!''
Steve looked at the new MRI machine and had to admit to himself that Jaime was right; it did resemble a torture chamber. But if it was necessary...
''I'd like to do another MRI,'' Michael told him. ''I'll put her out again if she's nervous but it would be a great help in determining what - if anything - is wrong with her.''
''Something's definitely wrong,'' Steve insisted. ''I know what I saw.''
''Alright; we can use the first images as a baseline and compare them to a new test. Bring her in as soon as you can get her here.''
''Jaime said she'd rather have another x-ray,'' Steve said slowly. ''Looking at that...thing...I can't say that I blame her.''
Rudy shook his head. ''She's had too many x-rays already. I'm concerned about exposing her to more radiation. The MRI is safer. Do your best to talk Jaime into it.''
It wasn't easy, but Steve managed to persuade his wife to have the test. He sat and held her hand while the sedative took effect, then retired with Rudy to his office while Michael performed the scan. The results were encouraging...but very confusing. Another normal scan, no different than the one she'd had pre-mission, meant there was nothing the two doctors could pinpoint that might have caused Jaime's problem.
Maybe it was just a headache, after all.
That night, Jaime was shredding lettuce for a salad when she eavesdropped into the living room...just to see what Steve was doing. It was something she did all the time, without really even thinking about it...but a few minutes later Steve meandered into the kitchen and found his wife with her hand to her forehead again, massaging her temples. Her face was a ghostly shade of white (something that hadn't happened on the mission) and she looked like she was about to topple over. Steve wrapped his arms around her and led her toward the living room sofa.
''I'll call Michael,'' he said softly.
Jaime shook her head, trying to toss off the pain...and it seemed to work. ''Steve? I think...I'm okay now.'' Her words came out in a rush as she tried to calm her worried husband and keep him from calling her doctor. ''You don't need to call Michael. It doesn't hurt anymore - really! Please don't bother him with this! He's been okay since he said that stuff to me but...'' Jaime stopped, realizing she'd almost just spilled the beans about something she'd never intended for Steve to know. He'd managed to overcome the jealousy and hurt that had resulted from seeing her kissing Michael so passionately (a momentary aberration) and Jaime had never intended to tell him about what Michael had said to her, a few days before she'd been released from the hospital...
''You and Steve...you've patched things up?''
Jaime smiled. ''Yeah - we have.''
''If things don't work out - or if you change your mind - we were good together once too. And last week proved we could be good together again -''
''Michael -''
''If he doesn't give you what you need,'' Michael persisted, ''I want you to know I'm still here for you, Jaime. When you kissed me - you kissed me - there was something there! I know you felt it too.''
''Michael...no. It can't happen - ever again. I'm sorry...''
Michael nodded. ''I wanted to make sure you knew that...just in case.''
But...Steve had heard her slip of the tongue. ''What do you mean 'what he said to you'?'' he demanded. ''Jaime...did something else happen between you and Michael?''
