Chapter Four

The three men in Rudy's office heard Jaime's scream and, having just formulated a plan, sprang into action. Rudy was first to head to Jaime's room. His heart sank when he opened the door and saw Michael with a wild look in his eyes and Jaime's limp body in his arms. Rudy couldn't tell from the doorway if she was breathing. Had Michael already done the unthinkable?

"Michael, Son...what are you doing? What happened?"

"I love her. You have no right to keep us apart. Now no one can can keep us apart - ever again."

"Son, you can't take someone away by force and make them love you. Now, if you really love her -"

"Of course I do. Can't you see that? Can't you see what I'm doing for her?"

"I see that you're confused and hurting, Michael," Rudy said carefully. "If you really love her, show me by putting her back in her bed so we can take care of her. You and I can go down to my office and sort this all out." Rudy took a cautious step toward Michael and Jaime, his hand held out as though offering peace.

"No!" Michael backed away, removed a second syringe from his pocket and held the tip to Jaime's neck. "Don't make me do this, Rudy," he snarled, his eyes growing dark and menacing. "She's only resting now, but if you try and stop us, I swear to God, no one will have her - ever!" He was so pre-occupied with his tirade that he didn't hear the window behind him sliding open. Steve had planned to just storm in and take Michael down, but the needle at Jaime's neck changed things. He moved across the ledge and stood off to one side of the window, out of sight.

Michael moved toward the door and was blocked again, this time by Oscar. "You know I can't let you leave, Michael, unless you put Jaime down first."

Michael laughed. "Right - you'd let me leave if I give her up? I doubt it. I won't get two feet out the door before one of your sharpshooters takes me out. Not buying it. Sorry."

"If you try to leave this building with Jaime, they have my order to shoot," Oscar told him. "So there are two ways this can play out, Michael. Leave the building - alive - without Jaime, or you don't leave at all."

"Threats only work if someone's afraid of them, Goldman, and I'm not. My love - our love - is strong enough that I will risk my life to be with this woman. You need to get out of the way, now."

Silently, Steve leapt through the window , grabbed the arm that held the needle and jerked it back, hard. Holding tightly onto Michael's arm, he pried the needle from his hand and gave it to Rudy, then moved in front of the now-former-doctor and took Jaime from Michael's arms into his own.

Jaime moaned softly as Steve carried her down the hall to a different room (she didn't need to see whatever happened to Michael) and laid her gently in the bed. He brushed the hair from her face and tenderly stroked her forehead as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Welcome back," he said, his entire face smiling at her.

"Steve...I was so scared..." She sat up and threw her arms around him in relief. He held her close, rubbing her back to comfort her, until her trembling finally ceased.

Jaime didn't know who the future might find her with; maybe Steve, or Oscar, or someone entirely new. Or maybe (she always did have an independent streak) just herself. There was one thing she knew for certain: at this precise moment in time, these arms felt pretty damn good.

END