Chapter 8

Jaime was careful to select what she hoped were exactly the right words. ''It really turns me on that you'd go to all that trouble, just for me,'' she told Michael, snuggling closer to him without actually pressing against him. Michael's arms pulled her the rest of the way, into direct contact and even though she was fully clothed, Jaime shuddered...nearly giving herself away. To cover what she hoped he hadn't noticed, she kissed him...hard. ''Tell me more about it,'' she said breathlessly. ''When did you switch my good ear for the bad one?''

''Well,'' Michael began (luxuriating in the way her body was curled against his), ''remember that first MRI, when I told you not to open your eyes? I know you; I knew you'd see that as a challenge. And you did.''

''That thing- it was spinning almost right against my nose!'' Jaime remembered. ''I'm not claustrophobic but...damn, that was horrible!''

Michael nodded. ''Yeah...I knew you'd look...and I knew how you'd take it. So I had to sedate you - put you out - for the rest of the scan.''

''And that was when you switched the ears? Very smart, Doctor,'' she purred.

''I thought so. Come closer...I need to taste those lips ,'' he commanded.

She had to make him believe she was further 'under his spell' than she actually was, so Jaime slowly complied. (Sorry, Steve...she thought silently.) ''So...why'd you do it? Switch the ears, I mean. You wanted...to hurt me?''

''Of course not. I hated that I had to cause you pain. I never wanted you to suffer...but you had to need me,'' Michael explained.

''And yet...you increased the voltage it was putting out...why?''

''The second MRI - while you were still 'under' - I turned it up a little bit more. I...never wanted to hurt you...but there was no way your husband'' (he spat out the word like it was poison) ''could keep me away from you while you were getting sicker.''

''You were so clever. And the end...it justified the means...right?'' Jaime deduced.

''That's right. Steve started going off the deep end. If we'd kept it up just a little bit longer, they might actually have had to put him away,'' Michael chuckled.

''That would've solved everything,'' Jaime pretended to agree.

''I never expected Oscar to send us on assignment together...'' he recalled. ''Sharing a hotel room was...special. But there was no way you could do what needed to be done...not when you were still so sick.''

''Did you drug me on the plane?''

''No. You were still drowsy and sleeping off the after-effects of those headaches.''

''They were awful, Michael! I wish there'd been some other way!''

''So do I - but there wasn't. So that first night, to be sure you'd be able to complete the mission without getting us both killed, I -''

''You turned down the voltage the bad ear was sending out?''

''I turned it off entirely. You still had full hearing capability...but with no shocks. And yes; there was a sedative in your drink. I had no other choice. I couldn't tell you what was happening. Not then.''

''You're right. I'd probably have knocked you out,'' Jaime admitted (meaning every word). ''It felt so good, acting like I was your wife...even for those couple of days.''

''Once Austin files those papers I sent him, we'll be together like that for real,'' Michael told Jaime. ''And forever.''

''Mmmmmm...I love that! And...I love you, Michael. What happened...that last night we were in Trinidad? You turned the voltage back up? Why...?''

''Yeah, I did. When we would've been on the transport plane home, I was going to ask you to listen and find out what was going on in the cockpit and as soon as you used your ear...''

''You made me that sick...because you love me?'' She kissed him to let him know she wasn't angry. ''I...we both...could've died in that cellar...''

''There was no way to know that would happen. If you hadn't tried to listen to what they were doing upstairs...'' Michael explained.

''Then I could've fought them off.''

''It was the only time in my life I've ever been relieved to see Steve Austin,'' he said ironically. ''Darling, it broke my heart...to see you with your face in the dirt...the way they treated you. For that...I'm so sorry.''

''You couldn't have known,'' Jaime told him, cupping his face in her hands. She almost had him! ''And when we got back...when Rudy was supposed to take care of me...''

''I made sure I was the only one who could help you - that you would need me in a way that even Austin couldn't deny.''

''Michael...what did you do?''

''I gave Rudy a little extra medicine before I took you for that last MRI. Nothing too serious - nothing that would actually kill him, especially when he was already in a hospital and surrounded by people who would take immediate action to help him. I just needed him out of commission for awhile...because I knew Austin would demand a new doctor for you...and I had to make sure I still had access. I didn't want to be away from you, not after everything we'd shared.''

''And my last MRI...I got even sicker after that...'' Jaime noted.

''I did it...'' he confirmed. ''I increased the voltage one last time. For us, Darling - so we could be together. I knew you wouldn't need to use your ear in the hospital - but once Austin took you home, it was bound to happen eventually...and it did. It brought you back to me. Rudy was unavailable, Doctor Corinth was eight hours away - and for a little while longer, you were mine.''

''You threw away everything you worked your whole life for...''

''For you. For us, Jaime. And now...you are my life. You're all that matters to me. I did it in the only way I knew how...and it worked. I hated having to make you so sick. And The Hole was no picnic either...''

''But it all worked out in the end,'' Jaime concluded, ''because we're finally together. Thank you, Michael...for everything.''

In the control room, Steve was seething at what he'd heard - but also grinning like a canary-fed feline. Jaime had done it! And they had it all on tape. ''Great work, Sweetheart,'' he exulted out loud. ''Now tell us where you are...''