Chapter 11

''We need to find Steve,'' Rudy told Mark and Oscar (who had flown out overnight). ''His arm is still malfunctioning. I gave him back the function in his fingers but Security released him too soon - and now he's left the hospital -''

''He left Jaime,'' Mark put in sadly.

''I can't guarantee he'll even keep the simple functions since I only did a preliminary patch job. And I'm not certain how extensive the damage is to the rest of his arm.''

''I've got my best teams trying to find him,'' Oscar assured them both.

''Hopefully soon,'' Rudy added, ''or he could be in serious trouble.''

Michael stayed with Jaime throughout the morning, watching her sleep when she dozed off and doing his best to comfort her when she was awake. His heart was going places that his mind was doing its best to deny. She looked so beautiful as she slept! Beautiful...but very fragile. Her skin was almost translucent and her lashes caught the tears that formed even while she was asleep. When she woke, Michael caressed her cheek, brushing away the last of the pain from her face with his tender touch. Jaime leaned into his hand, savoring the comfort he offered her.

She sat up in bed, her eyes scanning the room before coming to rest on Michael's face. ''Did they find Steve yet?''

''Not yet - but they're working on it. I'm here for you, Jaime,'' Michael said in a soft, gentle voice, ''and so are Mark and Rudy,'' he added quickly.

''I don't know what I'd do...if you weren't here...'' Jaime reached again for the solace of Michael's arms - and he didn't deny her. When her gaze locked into his with need in her eyes, he knew he should stop right there, ease her back down onto the pillow...but he couldn't. Her hazel eyes pulled him in and refused to let go. Their faces were only inches apart - and while the physician in him was inwardly screaming NO, the man in him lost control. Her gaze was questioning as her lips sought his...and he answered with a soft, feather-light kiss. This cannot happen! he told himself sternly. You need to stop it; she belongs to someone else now. But Jaime pressed in closer, needing solace desperately.

In her heart, Jaime was longing for Steve...but Michael's arms were warm and his lips were tender, offering the promise that no matter what happened, she wasn't alone.

Steve couldn't stop thinking, regretting what he had done and torturing himself with the knowledge that he had likely pushed Jaime straight into Michael's willing arms...but his guilt allowed him no way back. In his eyes, the damage he'd caused was irreparable and the best thing he could do for the woman he loved was to stay away, to avoid causing her any more pain. His right arm was quivering uncontrollably and he knew he was in trouble...so he did the only thing he could do. Ignoring the pain, he forced his right index finger under the edge of the cast on his left hand...and tore it off. He could barely stand to grip the knife - but once again, he saw no other option. Carefully, he widened the opening in the plasticine and began attempting to repair the damaged circuits and connections. He only succeeded in making things worse. Now he had no other choice. Reluctantly, he picked up the phone.

Rudy was still in his office, his thoughts on his 'kids' whose lives had just been ripped apart...and on his young protege who he knew had crossed the line. He ought to pull Michael from Jaime's care immediately; he knew that now. But he contemplated the fact that if the worst happened and Jaime needed surgery after all, her best hope for recovery still lay directly with Michael. It would mean looking the other way, much as he had done three years ago - but this time the situation was far more serious. There was a marriage involved - one that he hoped could still be saved. Rudy's own ethics were being sorely tested, as the best interests of his patient seemed to be in direct opposition to what he knew was the 'right' thing to do. It took several rings before the phone broke through his thoughts; when it finally registered and he answered Steve was on the other end.

''I need your help,'' Steve told him. He didn't want to come to the hospital and sought Rudy's reassurance that if he told him where he was, the doctor would come alone, without revealing his location.

Rudy knew he had to get Steve to come to him instead of the other way around. He tried subtly, telling his troubled patient that all of the equipment needed to repair his arm was there at the hospital. When that didn't work, as much as he hated to do it, Rudy told Steve that he would not come to him; he would have to return to National Medical to receive the care he needed so badly. It was at least partially the truth. Rudy could have granted Steve's request and gone to him (perhaps alerting Oscar's teams to his whereabouts) but he needed to get his friend back where he belonged- by his wife's side, to prevent her from needing to seek comfort from someone else...before it was too late.