Chapter Two

Steve had left his key when he'd picked up most of his things, two days earlier. That made it clear in his own mind, and in Peggy's, that this was real and official. He had left her for good; no looking back. The mood he was presently in, though, made the locked door no problem. He gave her the courtesy of knocking first, repeatedly, but when she didn't answer (and he knew she was home), he simply gave the knob a single, angry turn, no bionics required, and he was inside.

"Peggy? I need to talk to you - now. I know you're home -"

"What do you want?" she asked with even more hostility than he'd expected.

"I see you're all dried off from your little adventure in fountain diving," Steve noted. "Congratulations. You gained the attention of half of DC and all of NESSA, including our son."

"I suppose you'll be sticking up for your little tramp and saying it's all my fault."

"First of all, Jaime is not a tramp. Second, you bitch-slapped her in front of the Tranquility Fountain in the middle of a busy workday! You are extremely lucky she didn't hit you back!"

"Why are you defending her? She destroyed our marriage -"

"No," Steve said, very quietly, "you did that, all by yourself. It's been over for a long time, but you dotted the 'i's and crossed the 't's with the way you've been acting in the last week. Now you just need to sign these," he handed her a large manila folder, "and you'll make it legal and official."

"Divorce papers?"

"You got it."

Peggy tossed the folder aside. "Sorry - it's not gonna happen that way. I filed papers, too, and I'm charging you with infidelity."

"What?"

"I saw the lawyer this morning, and -"

Steve was livid. "I made you an offer that was more than fair. If you do this your way, you'll lose, and probably get nothing. You can't prove infidelity because nothing happened!"

"Get out, Steve."

Steve turned back once more on his way out. "If you happen to find Peggy Callahan somewhere in that head of yours, tell her I love her...and I miss her. You - I don't even know you anymore.

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Oscar was sitting on his front porch, belly-laughing harder than he'd laughed in years. "You threw her in the fountain?"

Jaime leaned over to kiss him, marveling at how young he looked. "Not exactly. I picked her up and put her in the fountain. No throwing involved. I was very gentle, unlike the slap she gave me."

"I'm proud of you, Babe. Wish I could've seen it."

"I feel awful for Steve, though. I know how much he loves her. This must be tearing him apart..."

"He'll be ok; it takes time."

Jaime nodded. "I'm gonna go visit Steffie - wanna come?"

"Thanks, but I think I'll just kick back and relax awhile."

"Need anything before I go?"

"You don't have to wait on me; I'm only 86." Oscar smiled. "Give her a kiss for me."

"You got it."

As he watched his wife drive away, Oscar's thoughts drifted back to the day, 40 years earlier, when Jaime's body had been crushed in a deadly sky-diving accident. Steve had begged Oscar to save her life by making her bionic, and Oscar had told him no, but Steve persisted in his pleas until Oscar, moved by the depth of his friend's love for this woman, had finally relented.

Oscar cringed at how close he'd come to never even getting to know the woman who'd made such a dramatic difference in his life. Jaime had unlocked his heart from the tiny cell he'd banished it to, and shown him that - unbelievably - there was actually life outside the world of the OSI. He wouldn't ever have tried to steal Jaime away from Steve; they'd grown up together, been childhood sweethearts and then so much more. When amnesia stole her memory and made her love for Steve unrecoverable, though, Jaime had turned to Oscar, and their friendship had grown into something much deeper. Oscar sometimes wondered about Steve's current feelings for Jaime, but he knew beyond any doubt that she'd never even think of being unfaithful. It simply wasn't in her.

"Hey, Oscar! Private daydream, or can anyone come in?" Steve stood on the step, grinning at him.

"Hi, Pal!" Oscar got up and the two men shook hands. "Can I get you anything? Coffee, brandy...?"

"No thanks. But I do need to talk to you, if you've got a few minutes."

"For you? Always! Sit down. What's on your mind?"

"Our wives."

"I hear they put on quite a show today," Oscar chuckled.

"I filed for divorce."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. Problem is, Peggy filed, too. That's why I'm here; thought I should warn you." Steve took a deep, steadying breath. Even though it wasn't true, it was ugly. "She's charging infidelity," he said quietly.

"That's ridiculous. She should know better. You would never -"

"With Jaime."

"Oh no...well, that proves she's completely lost her mind," Oscar noted.

"Yeah, I know. The really awful part is that she'll drag Jaime's reputation through the mud."

"Yours, too."

"I can deal with it," Steve answered. "I'm mainly concerned about your relationship, your marriage."

"Thanks, Pal, but we're solid. I know Jaime wouldn't...not even with you."

"Oscar, I hope you know I'd never give that a thought, either. I couldn't hurt the two of you like that. Jaime and I are close friends - we always will be - but nothing more."

"There's something I've never asked you before," Oscar said haltingly, "and I'll never bring it up again, but...Steve, are you still in love with Jaime?"

Steve chose his words carefully. He couldn't lie to one of his best friends. "In love, no. That takes two, and Jaime is still head-over-heels in love with you, which is how it should be. In terms of my own personal feelings, which I think is what you're asking -"

"Yes," Oscar confirmed.

"I won't lie to you. Yes, I love Jaime. I'd never act on that; I let her go over 36 years ago. But yes, I still do love her, very much."

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