Chapter 19

Mark wondered what Jaime's state of mind might be when she woke up. One of the things she'd said after the first sedative, as she was coming out of the flashback, was that Steve had drawn up annulment papers. Who would she see as the 'white knight' now - the husband who might (or might not) leave her but had taken a bullet for her...or the doctor who had so dramatically saved Steve's life (and her own)?

Oscar returned to let Mark know that Steve was out of surgery and on a ventilator in the ICU - but his chances for recovery looked excellent. ''Jaime knows about the annulment,'' Mark told him, in a quiet conference in the hallway. ''It was one of the last things Steve said to her before Kingsley came in.''

''Terrific,'' Oscar groaned.

''I don't know what her reaction to that will be, once Steve is alright and reality sinks in for her,'' Mark told him. ''I just...don't know.''

In her bed (and under the cloud of sedated sleep), Jaime was dreaming. She saw Steve reaching out for her but his image was fading. Just as she grasped his hand, he disappeared...and it was Michael's hand she was holding instead. She woke with a start to find Oscar beside her bed, smiling warmly at her.

''Must have been some dream,'' he guessed. His voice was smooth and kind, beckoning Jaime back to reality.

''Yeah...'' Jaime blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from her head. ''How's Steve?''

''Better than expected; they should be taking him off the ventilator and moving him to a regular room soon. You know, Babe...I have some 'pull' here. We could arrange to move another bed in here, if you'd like.''

''I...I'm not sure that's a good idea,'' Jaime said slowly. ''I do wanna see him though. I guess I have some decisions to make.''

''Oh?'' Oscar had to pretend to know nothing about the potential end to the Austins' marriage, wanting to hear what might come spontaneously from Jaime.

''I think...he wants to leave me,'' Jaime told him.

''Oh, I doubt that; what makes you think so?''

''Michael and me...we went...too far. And I do care about Michael an awful lot. Oscar, I don't know what to do!''

Unlike her doctors, Oscar did not have to remain neutral. ''I'm going to guess that your heart knows exactly what to do. Steve loves you. He's loved you for nearly your entire life. You have a marriage to think about here; you took those vows for a reason.'' He hoped he wasn't sounding too harsh, but he had to be honest with her.

''Oscar...I think I...I broke those vows. And I hurt him so badly! I didn't mean to...but I did.''

''It's not irreparable; not yet. But you have to know firmly in your own heart and mind what you want - and then have the courage to act on it. I would ask you which one you love, but I think I know the answer to that - and I'm fairly certain you do, too.''

Jaime nodded, deep in thought as exhaustion overtook her...and she closed her eyes. This time, when Steve's smile beckoned to her in her dreams, she reached for him...and joyfully fell into his arms.

While she slept, Oscar was making arrangements. Steve and Jaime would both be confined to their beds for at least the next few days, while they recovered from surgery...and in Oscar's opinion it was too long for them to be apart, while things between them were so delicate. It was time for them to face each other (and more importantly, to face what had happened to them)...whether they liked it or not.

Steve woke first...and in spite of some pretty severe pain, he smiled when he saw where he was. They'd positioned the beds in the same way as they'd been once before, with only two bed rails separating him from Jaime. He'd been placed to her left, so he could reach for his wife with his good (right) hand - and he did so, clasping her hand through the metal rails as he drifted back to sleep.

When Jaime's eyes drifted open, she felt a gentle hand encircling her own and she looked, expecting to see Michael beside her as the room came into focus. She might have been furious that Oscar had ignored her wishes (and he'd been willing to risk that)...but instead, Jaime squeezed her husband's hand a little tighter...and smiled as sleep took her away again.

''Oscar...'' Steve whispered, ''I need a favor.'' His boss (and friend) stepped closer to the beds. ''I need you to go to the house, get those annulment papers - they're on the desk in a big yellow envelope -''

''Steve...'' (This was not what Oscar had been hoping to hear.)

''And burn them!''