Chapter Two - OSI Director's Office-next day-10am

Jaime opened the door to the outer office tentatively and peered inside. Callahan was still at her desk; the entire world hadn't turned upside down - yet.

"Hi, Jaime," Callahan said quietly. She buzzed the boss's intercom.

"Yes?" came a voice that, spite of the tinny, electronic tone, sounded very familiar to Jaime.

"Your 10am is here, Sir."

"Ok - tell her to come in."

Jaime tried to fake a smile to Callahan as she cautiously turned the knob. When the door opened, Jaime's smile disappeared and she froze in her tracks.

"Steve?"

He was even more shocked than she was. He'd been told the situation but not the woman's identity. Steve struggled to maintain his professionalism and objectivity. He hadn't seen Jaime in years, except for a few brief missions together, but this was tough to take in, to accept. On the other hand, there had always been signs: the lingering glances between her and Oscar, a touch, a smile. It was Steve's first day in his new job - the career of a lifetime, for him - and he was already being sorely tested. This was not the Jaime he'd grown up with, or the woman he'd loved so deeply (still did, if he was honest with himself) and had nearly married. This was a woman with her career and her future on the line, and the decision had been placed solely in his hands.

He stood to acknowledge her. "Thank you for coming," he said, motioning to the chair in front of the desk. "Sit down, and we'll talk. Coffee?"

"No thanks." They both sat down and their eyes met briefly as they tried to settle into brand-new roles.

My God, she's terrified, Steve thought to himself. He was first to speak. "Jaime, I'm not here to pin a scarlett letter on your chest, but I do have to find out what happened so I can make a decision that's right for the agency and fair to you." Jaime nodded, and Steve continued. "Do you have any objection to my recording this for the official record?"

"No, that's fine."

Steve found he now had two voices; the inner one that loved this woman: He's twice your age and your boss! Jaime, what the hell are you thinking? And there was the outer voice, assigned to interrogate her. "Jaime, did you have a sexual relationship with Oscar Goldman."

"Yes," she answered, her voice steady and calm. "I still do."

"When did this start?" We could've been so good together, Jaime...

"A week ago. The day I stole a set of OSI blueprints back for him."

"Who initiated the first sexual contact?" Please say he did; things will go so much easier...

"No one," she answered.

"Excuse me?"

"We both did. It just...happened."

"So you're saying you were both equally at fault?"
Jaime shook her head vehemently. "There was no one at fault Steve - I mean, Colonel -"

"Steve is fine."

"It wasn't anyone's fault, Colonel," she said. "We love each other, and we finally decided to express that."

You don't know what love is, Jaime, or you'd never have left me. "You realize, of course, that you've just admitted to several violations of the OSI's code of conduct."

"Then I guess you and I violated that code too, huh?" she said defiantly.

"That was a totally different situation! I'm not - I mean, I wasn't - your boss!"

"You still aren't, Colonel. I quit."

Steve turned off the tape recorder. "You probably want to re-think that. You could still be sent to the Island." Jaime was silent. "Without Oscar. And that would be for the rest of your life, for your own safety."

"You want me to stay on so you can fire me, right?"

"Wrong." I'd like to shake you until you come to your senses. "You're too valuable to lose, Jaime. Yes, you'll probably be disciplined, but we certainly don't want you to leave. I have to write up my report and make my recommendation to the Secretary, and I'll get back to you in a couple of days. Ok?"

"Alright," Jaime said. "Are we done here?"

"Yes. I'll call you when the decision is finalized."

"Thank you, Colonel."