Chapter Three

Steve focused warily on Jaime's hold on the gun. The hand that gripped it, the hand that steadied it and - most alarmingly - her finger on the trigger, were all shaking violently. He could be shot unintentionally as easily as he could be on purpose. Steve knew the danger he faced was serious, imminent and real.

His gaze drifted upward, and he caught a glimpse of Jaime's eyes as they darted frantically back and forth. The depth of the pain and terror that he saw there tore at Steve's heart, and any concern he'd had for his own safety evaporated, replaced by firm determination to ease her suffering any way he could.

"Jaime, you know me. You know that I'd never - ever - hurt you."

"I don't know you! You're trying to trick me!"

"No, I'm trying to help you. I love you, Jaime," Steve said in a soft, kind voice as he took another step closer. He thought about simply diving toward her and grabbing the weapon, but she was so close to the edge that the momentum would send them both tumbling down eight stories to the ground.

"Go away," she insisted, her grip on the gun (and on reality) growing even more tenuous.

"Please, let me help you," Steve said gently, his eyes never leaving her face as he took one more step forward.

"Leave me alone!"

"No. I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna do that." Another step, slow and steady, and Steve was less than fifteen feet away.

CR-RA-ACK! The gunshot startled Rudy and Oscar (on the other end of the wire) and made Jaime flinch, but Steve stood his ground, solid and unmoving. The shot was wild, the bullet sailing past his shoulder to break a window in the OSI building next door.

"Get back!" Jaime ordered. "I mean it - I...I'll kill you!"

"If I step back, will you talk to me?"

"Yes. No! Stop trying to trick me!" Jaime's eyes, wide and tear-filled, were finally looking straight at Steve. He did not step back.

"I love you, Jaime," he repeated. There seemed to be no response to her name, no matter how many times he used it.

"Who...are...you?" she whispered, her face softening even though she continued to threaten him with his own weapon.

Finally - contact! Steve thought with relief. "Sweetheart, we've known each other since we were little, little kids," he told her quietly. "We grew up together. We climbed trees, built a tree house, went ice skating and swam in the lake by your parents' summer cottage." Jaime's eyes still stared into his, so Steve kept talking. "I gave you your first kiss and took you on your first real date. I know you don't remember any of that right now; maybe you don't even believe me. That's ok. I also know that you're not feeling well and you're in a lot of pain. The one thing you do need to believe right now is that I can help you. I love you, Jaime. Will you let me help you?"

Very slowly, Jaime lowered the gun to her lap and nodded. Steve extended his hand and moved closer, but before he could help her get up, a chorus of voices began shouting from the OSI's roof.

"Freeze!" "Hands in the air!" "Don't move!" Two dozen black-suited 'penguins', having finally broken through Steve's barricade, flooded the roof of the building next door.

"You tricked me!" Jaime sobbed through fresh tears.

Steve was livid - and scared. They'd obviously heard gunfire and knew Jaime had a weapon. Any one of them could decide to be a 'hero' and shoot her. "Dammit, Oscar - get them the hell outta here!" he demanded. One by one, the penguins turned and headed back into the building. Satisfied, Steve turned his full attention back to Jaime.

"Sweetheart, I am so sorry."

"You...you...lied...to me." The little bit of composure she'd gained was gone.

"No, I didn't. I blocked that door, but they broke it down."

"I don't believe you." Jaime raised the gun again, this time aiming it at Steve's head.

Steve ignored the weapon, concerned only with the distraught woman behind it. He tried to sound as casual as possible. "So...why are you on top of a building with a loaded gun, anyway?"

"Gonna jump..."

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