Chapter 1

At 7am, Michael was on the phone with Rudy (who was still in DC). ''What, exactly, am I looking for?'' he asked.

''I'm not sure,'' Rudy admitted. ''But if there's something there, you'll see it more readily than I would. I couldn't find anything wrong with her but that frequency jammer was aimed right for her ear - and probably at very close range. She described an intense pain that was over almost as soon as it began. Call it something between a hunch and my being over-protective, but...''

''I understand,'' Michael told him. ''I'll do a full work-up, just to be on the safe side.''

''Thank you; we'll all feel better after that.''

''I don't wanna get up,'' Jaime sighed, wishing she could spend the morning - and the rest of their two weeks' vacation - exactly where she was at that moment, curled up across Steve's bare chest and enveloped in his strong, tender embrace. ''Besides, there's such a thing as being 'over-doctored' - and I think I hit that wall a month or two ago.''

''I'll fix breakfast for you, if that'd help,'' Steve offered.

''And when the fire department and Poison Control get here, it'd be a great excuse to miss this appointment,'' Jaime laughed...then kissed him. ''You can make the coffee though.''

''I'm deeply wounded by your lack of faith in my cooking!''

''Your other...talents...more than make up for it.''

Steve grinned. ''We'd better get up before I decide to have you for breakfast!''

''Yet another reason to skip this appointment...''

Like it or not, Jaime was at National promptly at 9; her husband saw to it. Michael shook Steve's hand and nodded warmly to Jaime, being even more careful than usual to maintain a professional demeanor...even if he had to force it.

''Is there something I should be worried about?'' Steve asked, once Jaime had been left in the capable hands of the x-ray technician.

''Probably just precautionary,'' Michael explained. ''Has Jaime experienced any further pain in her ear?''

''Just that initial blast...but it was pretty bad. Rudy 'tweaked' it back down before we left DC.''

Michael nodded. ''I know. Any headaches, dizziness...nausea?''

''No; she's been fine. At least...she keeps telling me she's fine,'' Steve concluded.

''You don't believe her?''

''I'm...not sure.''

''Your x-rays look fine; no abnormalities,'' Michael told Jaime.

''Great! So I can go home now?'' She was sitting on a bed in the third floor Bionic Wing, in her street clothes and clearly chomping at the bit to be done.

''There are a few more tests I'd like to run first and then we'll see.''

''Argh! Seriously?''

Michael pulled a chair up directly next to the bed so he wasn't towering over her. ''First though...I sent Steve down for coffee in case there might be anything you wanted to tell me privately.''

''About...?''

''Maybe you didn't want him to worry...and left a few things out. I know you had some pretty serious pain when your ear's signal first got scrambled. But was that all of the pain...or was there more?''

''Maybe...a little,'' Jaime admitted. ''But only on and off - and once Rudy turned it back down, everything's been fine. I'm okay, Michael!''

Michael looked directly into her eyes to see if she was telling the truth...and had to glance away, overwhelmed by feelings he didn't want to have. ''You didn't tell Rudy - or Steve - about the lingering pain?''

''It didn't linger, once Rudy took care of things!'' Jaime protested. ''So it didn't seem important, since it was already over - and anyhow they knew about the worst of it...I thought...everything was okay. Um...it is okay, right?''

''That's what we need to find out,'' Michael told her. He moved to perch on the edge of the bed to begin the rest of the exam. ''I need you to look straight at me. Good,'' he instructed. Concentrate, he reminded himself. She's your patient! He held up his index finger and slowly moved it forward until it was directly in front on Jaime's nose. ''Now follow my finger with just your eyes; don't move your head. Good.'' (The results were not what he'd hoped for.)

''Okay; now see that line on the floor, the design in the tile?'' he asked, pointing to a straight dividing line. Jaime nodded. ''I want you to walk it - slowly - all the way to the wall, looking at it as you go. Then when you come back, walk the same straight line looking at me instead.'' He took Jaime's hand to help her to her feet and watched closely as she began to walk. She seemed steady enough, following his directions and looking down at her feet as she went.

When she reached the wall, Jaime turned and her eyes met Michael's. She saw something there that she couldn't quite put her finger on...but her mind flashed back to a memory she no longer had. (Had she really kissed him once - maybe more than once - or was she imagining it?) She quickly pushed the random thought away. ''Keep looking at me,'' Michael reminded her, ''and walk the same straight line.'' Jaime took one step toward him, then another...then wavered slightly. Determined to finish (so she could go home), she took one more step - and lost her balance completely. It was only Michael's quick reflexes that kept her from falling to the floor in a heap.

Michael steadied Jaime in his arms and eased her back onto the bed...then held her in a reassuring embrace as he felt her begin to tremble. ''What...just happened?'' she asked, suddenly very frightened.

''I was about to ask the same thing,'' Steve said from the doorway. He hadn't seen Jaime stumble and fall; he only saw his wife in the arms of a former rival for her affection...and it chilled him to the core.