Chapter Three

"...and I mean find her yesterday." James felt a tap on his shoulder. "I'm not done yet," he said sharply. "I don't have to tell you how urgent -" he looked at his operatives. They'd started out wide-eyed and were now all but laughing at him. "Someone care to tell me what you find funny about this?"

Once again, there was a tap on his shoulder. James whirled around, furious. "What?" Stephanie stood behind him, shaking her head in amusement. "What the - How...?"

"Didn't I tell you I can take care of myself?" she said, not seeming the least bit shaken.

"What about all that blood? Are you hurt?"

"Nope. Well, maybe a few bruised knuckles. One of them...uh...acquired a bloody nose. Gashed the other one's head pretty good when I hit him with a chair." She looked at the three stunned operatives. "Why don't you round everyone up and send 'em home?"

"So where were you?" James asked.

Steph shrugged. "Got 'em both cuffed, took 'em to lock-up."

"And with an office full of blood, you couldn't leave a 'Hey, I'm Alive' note for your assistant?"

"You said you were gone for the night. Tell ya what - buy me a drink and I'll forget all about it."

"Deal," James told her. "Just gotta drive my dad home first."

"I'll give him a ride," Jaime offered.

"Takes care of that," James said. "Shall we?" When he put an arm lightly around Stephanie's waist, she didn't pull away.

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Once they were alone, Jaime studied Steve's face quietly for a few moments. "You, my friend, look like you're in dire need of a cup or two of strong, black coffee and a friend to talk to."

Steve smiled sadly. "You're right - on both counts."

"I know," she said lightly. They got into her car and she drove the three blocks to the coffee shop. They chose a quiet booth and settled in.

"Talk to me?" she said softly.

"I probably shouldn't," Steve said, taking a healthy gulp of the coffee. "You don't need to be dragged into my problems."

"Steve, we've known each other for what - 60 years? That makes us sound ancient, but it's true. I can read you like a book, and I haven't seen you this down since Dad's funeral. You can talk to me about anything. Lord knows I've leaned on you enough times in the past..."

"It's Peggy. She's on the warpath. She'd string me up by my nether-regions if she knew we were having coffee together."

"C'mon - we've been friends practically forever. Hell, we have a daughter -" she saw Steve's raised eyebrow and instantly understood. "Oh."

"It isn't that I've suddenly got a daughter; it's that I have a daughter with you. She's acting like she thinks we had Kelly the 'normal' way. I mean, she's always felt threatened by the fact that we used to be so close, and the fact that we never really 'broke up'. Circumstances pushed us apart. Then we had the audacity to remain friends."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be." Steve took her hand, for emphasis and for human contact. "You didn't do anything wrong, and neither did I. I'm starting to think that if this hadn't happened with Kelly, she'd just find a different reason to be angry. Maybe she got hooked on the adrenaline - the thrill of the fight - from all those years at the OSI."

"It's possible..." Jaime conceded.

"Oscar has no problem with you and I being friends, does he?"

"Not that I know of. I just wish -"

"This is your emergency?" Peggy had come out of nowhere and was standing in front of the booth. "I should've known! Steve, you lied to me!"

"No, I didn't. There was blood all over the office and we couldn't find Stephanie, and -"

"Just save it! Jaime, you want him this badly, take him; he's always really been yours, anyway. I've had more than enough of playing second fiddle to you."

"Peggy -" Jaime began, very softly, trying to soothe her.

"You can save it, too." Peggy glared at Steve. "Your things will be on the porch in boxes in the morning. Have a good life together!" She stormed out of the coffee shop. Steve made no attempt to go after her.

"She's had enough?" he remarked bitterly. "Well, so have I."

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Stephanie and James were on their second drink and found that there really was a spark; they couldn't seem to stop gazing into each other's eyes.

"You know," Steph said in a breathless voice, "I'd never really noticed how...not ugly you are."

"Gee, thanks."

"The feet on my desk thing is keeping you from a perfect score."

"I'll make an effort."

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