Chapter 9

''I have nothing to say to you,'' Steve growled at Michael. ''I wanna talk to my wife! If you don't get out of the way, I'll move you myself. That's a promise.'' He stepped threateningly toward his rival. ''You can wait in the other room - or you can wait in hell for all I care - but I'm going to talk to Jaime alone.''

''I don't think that's a good idea right now,'' Michael answered, refusing to budge from his stance between them.

''It's okay, Michael,'' Jaime said softly, placing a gentle hand on his arm. Michael stepped aside but hovered nearby and kept a wary eye on Steve. Jaime moved a little closer to her husband (although still out of his immediate reach). ''Steve...I love you...'' she whispered.

''Don't say that,'' Steve insisted. ''Don't you dare say that to me!'' Not only had she brought him here - and into their bedroom - but she had just touched him again!

''I. Love. You.'' Jaime said in a firm voice. Her doctors noticed that she was beginning to tremble slightly. It was time to put a stop to this, before things got any worse.

''Steve, I need to talk to you,'' Mark told him. ''Let's go outside.''

''And leave her alone with him? Not gonna happen!'' Steve announced. ''Not until I have my say.'' He looked at Jaime. ''How could you let this happen? Our vows meant nothing to you?''

''Steve, stop this!'' Mark ordered. ''You don't realize what you're saying; you're lashing out and you'll be regretting it later!''

''I know exactly what I'm saying!'' Steve snarled. ''And I've finally figured it all out -''

''We need to talk,'' Mark repeated.

Steve wasn't listening. ''You told me what he did was innocent,'' he ranted at his wife. ''And maybe it was. But you've turned to him instead of to me - and that says it all, doesn't it?''

''Noooo...'' Jaime sobbed. Her legs may have been bionically strong...but they could no longer hold her trembling body, and she sank to the floor.

''Congratulations,'' Steve said to Jaime...and to Michael (who was helping her to the bed). ''You're both getting exactly what you wanted. You deserve each other!'' He turned on his heels and headed toward the front door...with Mark in close pursuit.

''You need to listen to me!'' Mark insisted.

''No. I need to get outta here before I do something I'm not going to regret!''

''If you don't stop - right now - I'll get the State Police involved if I have to...but one way or another you're going to listen to me.'' Mark followed Steve outside, toward his car. He had no choice but to blurt it out - the part they hadn't told Jaime (because they didn't think she could handle it). ''Steve...this was the work of COBRA,'' he said urgently. Steve stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around. ''It seems Kingsley left one more parting shot. And if you walk out on Jaime now, you'll be letting him win.''

''What did he do to her?'' Steve asked in a broken voice, his back still to the doctor.

''Rudy believes he zapped her with that damned device of his. Only instead of hitting her brain, it hit her bionic ear...possibly the wiring attracted it. It saved her - and yet it didn't. The frequency jammer from the hotel wouldn't have had the effect it did, if that device hadn't already created the potential for further damage.''

''Is she...okay?'' Steve asked, scarcely able to find his own voice as raw, cold fear stabbed at his heart.

The answer came in the wail of a siren in the distance, heading in their direction. Michael poked his head out the front door. ''I need the oxygen from the trunk of the car!'' he called, throwing the keys to Mark. ''Hurry!''

The third floor was no longer the right place to take Jaime; Michael (joined by Rudy when they reached the hospital) took her straight to the ICU. Steve waited outside the glass cubicle with Mark. When the curtains were drawn, blocking their view of the activity inside and speaking volumes about the level of urgency, Steve began to pace.

''I'm glad you stayed,'' Mark told him quietly. ''Jaime's going to need you when she finds out what happened.''

Steve shook his head. ''She doesn't need me; not anymore. I caused this, Doc. I didn't mean to...but this is all my fault. I just need to know that she'll be okay, then...'' his voice choked with emotion. ''Then...I'll leave. The last thing Jaime needs right now...is me.''