Chapter 14

It was like night and day. Jaime looked at Becca and her face lit up with the brightest of smiles as she slid a small, half-piece of cake in front of the child...then she looked across the table at her husband and her eyes grew dark. ''I don't...wanna...fight with you,'' she told him.

Steve kept his voice carefully neutral in front of their daughter. ''Are we fighting?'' he asked.

''No. But if you insist on defending that stuffed-shirt bureaucrat, we're about to.''

Mark was doing his best NOT to take stock of his surroundings. In terms of lock-ups, it was the best the OSI had to offer (and at least it was not The Hole) but it was still a cell and - temporarily at least - his freedom was gone at a time when he suspected his patients might be needing him most.

Jaime. If an issue cropped up, Mark knew she was too strong-willed to ask for (or accept) help from Irene. And since it appeared Oscar would be questioning her further about his treatment and their doctor-patient relationship, Jaime was sure to need help from someone. For this reason, Mark detested being locked up (and thus kept away from a patient who needed him).

Steve. Mark knew Steve would be needing him too, whether he realized it or not...

Jaime and Steve gave Becca her bath together and the trio sat on the floor of the child's room, playing 'tea party' until Becca's eyes began to droop. They tucked her into bed with her favorite droopy-eared bunny and one lullaby sent her drifting off to dreamland.

Now it was time. Steve sat back onto the sofa and Jaime cuddled next to him, settling into the comfort of his embrace as she leaned her head onto his chest. They sat together quietly like this for awhile, each reluctant to shatter the temporary sense of harmony.

Except...Steve had something to discuss - and there really wasn't a 'good time'. Tenderly, he smoothed the hair from her face and kissed her forehead...then took a deep breath. ''There's something we need to talk about,'' he began. He felt Jaime's body tense against him and he decided to just spill it; there really was no easy way to tell her. ''Oscar needs to talk to you,'' he told her.

''I did that already,'' Jaime sighed. ''And I'm done.''

''Sweetheart, he needs to talk to you...about Mark.''

''Done!'' Jaime repeated emphatically.

''He'll be over first thing tomorrow to take your statement.''

Jaime shook her head and sat up straight, pulling herself out of Steve's embrace. ''The hell he will! Not in my house!''

''Well, I can take you down to his office, if you'd rather - but he thought you'd be more comfortable here.''

Jaime laughed derisively, moving over to sit in Steve's overstuffed chair (away from him), clutching a pillow to her chest. ''That man doesn't...he doesn't wanna hear...what I have to say to him! He's worse than anything he's trying...to accuse Mark of! I don't...I can't stand him...and I will NOT help him! Not with this!''

''Jaime -''

''I won't!''

''Sweetheart, I'm really sorry, but you don't have much of a choice.'' The case against Mark dealt almost solely with his treatment of Jaime - and without the info that only she could provide, they were essentially going nowhere.

''Yeah, I know,'' Jaime grumbled. ''Freedom and democracy...they don't really exist in the OSI...do they? Oscar gets his jollies by pushing people around - innocent people! He hasn't...he never...Mark is locked up...with no charges! And that...that's okay with you?''

''Of course not!'' Steve countered. ''I hope they throw the book at him...and burn his license so he can't 'practice' on anyone ever again!''

Jaime's eyes filled with angry tears. ''How can you...I can't believe...you'd say that...after everything he's done for us!''

''Exactly what has that man 'done for us'...aside from experimenting on you in a locked room -''

''It worked, didn't it?''

''And nearly getting you killed!'' Steve finished, leaving out that it was his own behavior that had instigated the situation and his own hand that had (accidentally) stuck her with the needle.

But Jaime knew enough of what had happened that she wasn't about to let the 'oversight' slip by. ''Exactly WHO brought us all to National in the first place?'' she cried bitterly. ''Mark was there because...he was only...trying to help!''

''Jaime, please listen to me,'' Steve pleaded.

''NO!'' She winged the pillow at her husband's head and he ducked, causing it to hit a lamp. The crash woke Becca, who began to wail. For now, the fight was over...and the Austins had never needed Mark Conrad more...

Morning was fast approaching and Michael was on his third pot of coffee when his eyes lit up and he glowed with self-satisfaction. He'd done it! He smiled as he looked over his creation and knew in his heart that it was exactly what was needed to help Jaime...and after her, so many others! Sleep was the last thing on his mind. He would join Rudy on the trip to visit the Austins that morning and he couldn't wait any longer than that to see his discovery come to fruition. Jaime was as good as cured; he just knew it! And from there, the next part of his plan would take some finagling and good old-fashioned stealth...but it would all be well worth it!

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