Chapter 16

Michael's face was swimming in and out of focus, but Jaime had something she needed to say and she kept going until she was able to get all of the words out. ''I just...wanted to...say...thank you. I...I know...you op...you operated...and saved me.''

Michael was puzzled. She'd been unconscious when he'd reached her room and taken her down to the OR. (And the last she'd heard, Rudy was removing him from her care.) How could she possibly know that?

But Jaime wasn't finished. ''I...saw you...'' Her voice was getting weaker; this was taking a lot of effort but she was stubborn and determined.

Her heart had stopped, very, very briefly at one point during the surgery, but she couldn't mean that, Michael thought. (Could she?)

She did. ''I watched you...and Rudy...and the...nurses...and...thank you.''

''All in a day's work,'' Michael told her modestly.

Jaime looked around the room, as much as her groggy eyes would allow. ''Where...where's Steve?''

''I'll get him for you,'' Mark told her, rising from his chair. He headed downstairs, out the rear exit and...Steve wasn't by the lake. He was gone. Mark cursed softly to himself, then much louder. Whether it was out of anger, guilt or fear of the unknown, Steve was cutting his own throat - killing his every chance to save his marriage. Still, it hadn't been that long; he couldn't have gotten very far. And maybe...he hadn't. Mark had one hunch, one idea to try, and if that didn't pan out, he'd have to figure out some way to let Oscar know - preferably without upsetting Jaime.

He headed inside, into the makeshift office he was using during his time at National, and picked up the phone. Please let me be right, he thought, dialing Steve and Jaime's house. With Jaime in the hospital for the foreseeable future, maybe Steve had returned home, to the last place they'd shared happy times together.

Steve picked up on the third ring. ''Yeah?''

''Steve, it's Mark. You need to get back to the hospital -''

''Did something happen to Jaime? What's wrong?''

''She's awake now - and she's asking for you.'' Mark heard the phone click in his ear. Steve had hung up. He called the house again immediately...but there was no answer.

Mark was at a loss. He spent a few more minutes redialing the house before giving up and reluctantly heading up to the ICU to notify Oscar that Steve was gone. Without pending charges or an unrepaired injury, it was unlikely that search teams would be sent out, but maybe there was still some way Oscar could help. He walked slowly, out of ideas and uncharacteristically out of words. Mark was nearly bowled over in the hallway...as Steve came barreling toward the ICU from the other direction, flying through the front entrance and down the hallway at bionic speed and not caring who saw him. He had made the ten minute drive in five or six.

Steve stopped to collect himself. He could see Michael on one side of Jaime's bed - and Rudy on the other. Oscar looked up and saw him standing there and came out to shake his hand. ''Good to see you, Pal,'' he said warmly.

''How's she doing?'' Steve asked.

''She's been in and out,'' Oscar told him. ''But when she's awake now, she's more coherent than she was at first. I'd say that's a good sign.''

''An excellent sign,'' Mark confirmed.

Michael turned and also came out of the cubicle. He and Steve would soon have to talk as two men(and they both knew it) but for now, there was only a worried husband speaking with his wife's doctor. ''She's doing well,'' Michael told Steve. ''Better than we'd expected, at this point. Keep in mind that this was major surgery and she's still quite weak but she's beginning to stabilize. We should be able to move her to a regular room in 12 to 24 hours.''

Steve shook the young doctor's hand, thanked him sincerely...and headed in to see Jaime. She was lying quietly, eyes open, still taking in everything around her and adjusting to the bright lights of the ICU. Rudy stepped back from the bed and into the background where he was available if needed and Steve felt his heart pounding in his chest as he took the chair closest to the bed and Jaime turned her head to look at him...and smiled. Steve smiled back and took her hand. ''Hi, Beautiful,'' he whispered.

''I love you,'' they said in near-perfect unison. The post-surgical fog was beckoning to Jaime (she was so tired) but she stayed in the moment, needing to see Steve's face and know that he was with her. Once again, the time for discussions was later; for now it was enough that they were together.

''That is a beautiful sight,'' Oscar told Mark softly, watching through the glass as the two hearts inside the cubicle began to try and mend. ''Are they going to be alright?''

''I hope so,'' Mark told him. ''That's a great start. Let's go get some coffee.'' They met Michael in the downstairs hallway, returning from the cafeteria with his own cup of coffee. It was time to begin sorting things out - and without needing consultation, the three men went into Michael's office and closed the door.

''Will you be staying on, as her doctor?'' Mark asked.

''I think so. As long as it's alright with Jaime...and with Steve.''

''And your objectivity?''

''I have to admit I've had thoughts of being with her again,'' Michael told them. ''She's an amazing woman - beautiful inside and out - but she belongs with someone else and I have to accept that.''

''Can you accept that?'' Oscar asked him.

''I'm going to try.''