Chapter Six
Steve had no idea about Rudy's possible connection to Jaime, but somehow he sensed that as much as he wanted and needed to be with her, the doctor just might need the same thing a little bit more. He tried to give Rudy that private time without feeling resentful, staying within sight and earshot, just outside the door to Jaime's room. Oscar placed the responsibility for finding Jaime's assailant into the hands of the NSB and returned to National to wait beside his friend.
Finally, Rudy rejoined them. "You can come in if you'd like. Jaime should be waking up any minute now."
Indeed, Jaime was stirring – her head tossing lightly back and forth on the pillow and her eyelids beginning to flutter. When consciousness finally returned, her first reaction was to look around for the 'snakes', but they were truly gone now. In their place, Jaime saw Steve and Rudy, one on each side of her bed, and Oscar standing a few feet away. All three men were grinning broadly at her and she managed a small smile of her own.
"Hi there, Beautiful," Steve said softly.
Rudy moved immediately into doctor mode, checking Jaime's vital signs and taking in every detail. "Welcome back, Honey. How do you feel?"
"My...side...hurts. What happened?" Jaime whispered.
"It was a pretty close call; you were shot, and that bed of sand you were sleeping in didn't help matters any," Rudy told her. "But we got the bullet out and the infection is already starting to heal. You'll be just fine." He wanted to say so much more, but this simply wasn't the time. "I'll give you something for the pain now." He and Steve each held one of Jaime's hands until the medicine took effect and she drifted off into a deep, healing sleep.
--
The following morning, while Jaime was in the capable hands of the lab techs for further testing, Rudy sat down with Steve in Jaime's hospital room. He explained about having known Jaime's mother many years earlier, exactly nine months before Jaime was born.
"Anne wasn't cheating on James when she met me," he said firmly. "They'd agreed to spend some time apart and were both seeing others, so..."
Steve was speechless at first, then gradually found his voice. "Does Jaime know yet? Have you run a test...?
"No, I only put the pieces together the morning Jaime went missing. And yes, I ran a test that day. I had to know."
"And...?" Steve prompted.
"James will always be her Dad – he raised her. Beyond that, I don't think it's fair to say anything one way or the other until I talk to Jaime...and that needs to wait until she's stronger."
Steve nodded, agreeing with what had been said and fully understanding what hadn't.
--
Two weeks later, her leg newly repaired and her strength having returned, Jaime took her first tentative but very eager steps on Steve's arm while Rudy cheered her on. After helping Jaime back into her bed, Steve kissed her then glanced at Rudy, saw the look on his face and the quick indicative nod and took his cue to leave. It was time. Once again, Steve waited anxiously in the hall with Oscar at his side, occasionally glanced through the glass of the closed door. He witnessed the tears that welled in Jaime's eyes and the gentle way Rudy embraced her in a long, comforting hug. Without needing any further explanation, Steve's heart knew the truth.
His intuition was confirmed when the door opened and Jaime walked out to join them, this time with a beaming Rudy supporting her. Both of their faces glowed with newly-discovered happiness. Jaime had been an orphan for many years, but she was finally able to once again bask in the warmth of a father's love.
END