Chapter Six

Steve was facing trouble of his own, down in the lab. Naud wasn't sure what Steve might've already uncovered, but his profits were being threatened, and he was determined to protect them at any cost. He pulled his gun. "Ok, Colonel - in the corner and face the wall."

Steve did as he was told, holding a picture of Jaime in his mind to sustain him. If he was really about to die, he wanted her face to be his last thought. Before he reached the corner, the sound of a shot from a larger, more powerful gun than Naud's interrupted the proceedings. Steve turned in time to see John Naud sinking slowly to the floor. Inspector Gregory stood in the doorway and - No! - he was holding Jaime firmly by the arm. Something told him she wasn't under arrest.

Gregory shoved her very roughly in Steve's direction. "Get over there and stand by your 'friend'."

Steve caught Jaime before she could fall or slam into the corner. "Look, Gregory," he said slowly, "Jaime just got out of The Hole -"

"Yesterday."

"Well, she didn't come here with me. I'm the one who was investigating; she doesn't know anything."

"Shut up!" Gregory barked. "The entire Bionic Project - and the whole OSI, for that matter - have been nothing but a thorn in my side since I came to the NSB -"

"Why?" Jaime challenged, "Because we go against your 'profit at any cost' theory?"

Steve wrapped a protective, comforting arm around Jaime, fully believing her mouth was about to get her shot.

Gregory sneered. "Woman plus mouth is not an attractive combination." He raised his gun. "I think you'll have to be first."

Steve began to step in front of her when he heard a shot from the doorway. The gun flew from the inspector's hand, his wrist bleeding profusely. Jack Hansen stood in the doorway, with a battalion of NSB agents behind him. "Next shot won't hit your arm," he said. "You're under arrest," he told Gregory, then turning to his agents, he added "Get him the hell out of my sight." Hansen looked at John Naud, lying on the floor, barely moving. "And call an ambulance."

Once she'd recovered from the shock, and when what had happened - and almost happened - had sunk in, Jaime threw her arms around Steve with a huge sigh of relief.

"It's over, Sweetheart," Steve whispered, holding her close.

They both turned to watch Gregory being arrested and handcuffed. "Shackles and a belly-chain would be nice," Jaime declared.

Hansen turned to the agents. "You heard the lady." He walked over to where Steve had eased Jaime into a chair and was gently rubbing her shoulders. "Miss Sommers, the most profuse apology would be nowhere near enough to make up for what happened to you, but please know that I am truly sorry. Your record will be immediately cleared, of course -"

"What about Oscar?" she asked.

"I've already radioed Headquarters with the order to release him." Hansen told them. "There's a car outside to take you both to his office, and then anywhere else you need or want to go."

"How did you know where to find us?" Steve queried.

"I got a phone call - a tip."

"From who?"

"From me," Ellis Hatch said, walking in the door and over to Hansen. "When you wouldn't let me come in with you, I knew you'd need help. Also knew Naud had to be stopped. I had no idea about the inspector, but now I'm doubly glad I called."

"So am I," Hansen said.

Steve and Jaime, in stereo, added "So are we."

"Your testimony against John Naud would very likely reduce your own sentence dramatically," Hansen told him.

Hatch looked directly at Jaime. "Selling my own device was one thing; what happened to you was something I simply couldn't live with. Alright, Mr. Hansen - I'm ready to go." As Hansen led him out the door, Doctor Hatch turned to look at Jaime and Steve one more time. "Stick together, kids, and you'll both be just fine."

------

Steve gazed happily at Jaime through the candlelight. He was eating very slowly, unable to take his eyes off of her, and the way her hair glittered like gold in the glowing, dancing light. They were having steak, lobster, and anything else they wanted to eat or drink, courtesy of Jack Hansen.

"You know," Jaime told him softly, "I'm starting to feel guilty, eating by myself." Their eyes met, and suddenly Jaime found food was one of the furthest things from her mind, as well. "We are so lucky," she added.

"Luck had nothing to do with it. We're the best team out there; always have been."

"You're right. I realized something today, though."

"That you don't wanna do this kind of work anymore? You'd rather have the house, white picket fence, 2.4 kids and a dog?" Steve said lightly. Jaime smiled at him. "Guess I shouldn't try so hard, huh?" he added.

"Steve, you don't have to try at all. I've got a feeling that's in our future; all of it."

"Oh, really?"

Jaime's eyes danced with happiness...and love. "What I realized is that, no matter who or what splits us apart, we keep ending up together again. Somebody up there is trying to tell us something."

It was Steve's turn to smile. "Like Doctor Hatch said, Sweetheart, as long as we're together, we'll both be just fine."

END