Chapter Two

When they arrived at the ambulance bay, Steve, Jaime, Rudy and Oscar switched to a private car and headed (unseen) to Maryland. By the time they got to the safe house, their strategy was in place. They took a few minutes over a couple of cups of coffee to sum things up and iron out any wrinkles.

"What about Christine?" Jaime wondered. "She must be going nuts, thinking you've been shot! Except...she wasn't at the reception, was she?"

"No; she left after the wedding," Oscar confirmed. "I had two of our men escort her somewhere safe...and she'll be joining me here very shortly."

Jaime nodded, impressed that the relationship had progressed to where Oscar trusted this woman enough to keep her in the loop. "So, she knows, then?" Jaime asked. "Why didn't we know until...after?"

"We needed you to react like people," Oscar explained. "Like my friends would react – not like agents who'd been waiting for this to happen. With Christine, I thought it was best that she not witness it at all. And where Russ and Peggy have gone, they won't hear anything about this."

"Hopefully," Rudy added, "by the time they come home, it'll all be taken care of."

"So, I'll be going to Oscar's office first thing in the morning," Steve summarized, "and we'll see what might crawl out from under a rock."

"Basically, yes," Oscar agreed. "Someone saw this as a perfect opportunity to seize power: with Russ out of the country and unreachable, they take me down and step right in. This could be anybody - possibly a faction we don't know about from the FBI or NSB. It could even be coming from within our own agency."

"I doubt that," Steve said. "But whoever's behind this, we'll get 'em."

"When you say we," Jaime began, pouting, "I still think that should include me."

"You gave birth to twins five weeks ago," Rudy told her (as if she needed reminding). "And you nearly died. You still haven't regained all of your physical strength – and your bionics aren't tuned back up yet."

"So tune 'em up and let me help!" Jaime insisted.

Rudy shook his head. "It's too soon. Your body isn't ready to support that kind of power. Maybe in another week or so – at the earliest. It's just too risky."

"He's right, Sweetheart," Steve agreed. "I may bring you in once things get going – solely to see what you can hear – but I'd rather not have you in the middle of this in the condition you're in. Besides," he concluded, kissing her cheek, "you've got a nursery to get ready."

Jaime smiled, slightly appeased at the thought. The first of the twins would be coming home within the next few days. "Alright, but if you need me," she told her husband. "Or if YOU need me," she said to Oscar, "just try and keep me away!"

----

Steve was in Oscar's office before 7am – and every phone line was already lit up and ringing. With Callahan out of the country (and not wanting to bring in an outsider at a time like this), the outer office remained dark. Steve sat down at Oscar's desk and stared at the blinking console for a moment before picking up the receiver and punching a random, flashing button.

"Oscar Goldman's office – this is Colonel Austin." It was a member of the press, trying to break through the news blackout. "Yes, I can confirm that he was shot. I'm sorry, but that's all the information I have at this time."

He punched another button. "Oscar Goldman's office. No – I canNOT confirm that he has died. If you print that, you will be subject to sanctions you can't even imagine."

----

Jaime flitted around the nursery, mindful of the need for frequent rest breaks (and even taking them occasionally). Steve had painted the walls a soothing lemon yellow (pink was not a color Jaime could easily stomach) and hung curtains that were a brighter version of the same shade – with Disney characters printed all over them. There was a Minnie Mouse lamp by the first crib, one with Daisy Duck by the other, and a big old-fashioned rocking chair in between.

After stocking the changing table with diapers, wipes and powder, Jaime decked out the first crib with a fitted Minnie sheet and a matching doll to await its new occupant. Surprisingly, Rosie (the smaller twin at birth) would be coming home first. Quickly overcoming some initial lung troubles, she'd rallied amazingly, her growth surpassing that of her twin, whose progress was much slower (but still reassuringly steady). Doctor Jeffries estimated that Annie would need another week or so in the hospital, just to be safe, and then the entire family would finally be together under one roof.

Jaime sat back in the rocker...and smiled.

----

Several hours into his day, Steve had become adept at bouncing from one phone line to the next, but they just keep lighting up, one after another. "Oscar Goldman's office...."

On the other end, there was dead silence...

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