Chapter 13

Keep him away, Jaime had pleaded, when she caught a glimpse of Michael. Of course, they couldn't do that. No one, not even Michael himself, had intended for Jaime to see him there but his presence was absolutely essential. At Steve's insistence, Michael would stay out of her cubicle entirely, letting Corinth perform all of the assessments...but Jaime's fate would still (by necessity) be in his hands once again when he performed his cell regeneration therapy. Should they keep that knowledge from her, now that she'd seen him? Was that fair...or was it the kindest thing they could do? Even Mark Conrad was struggling inwardly with the answer to that...

Oscar had some serious struggles of his own. By rights of the chain of command, while he was in charge of the hospital, Russ would normally be heading up the investigation into Jaime's shooting - but he was now a suspect. Or...was he? Should they take Jaime's word (or rather, the sign she had given) when she was fresh out of surgery and still not fully verbal? He'd asked Russ for his whereabouts at the time of the shooting, under the guise of 'asking everyone' - and naturally he'd answered that he'd been home in bed. It had been the middle of the night; where else would he be? Oscar prided himself on his ability to read people and Russ had seemed genuinely bewildered by the question...or rather, by the need for it. Jaime would have to be asked for clarification - as gently and carefully as possible - the next time she was awake...

Steve was torn between the need to remain at Jaime's side, to calm her if she should wake unexpectedly again and to be there when Corinth woke her up...and his other pressing need, which was to hunt Michael down and punch some sense into him. His lack of bionic strength wouldn't be a factor, given the intensity of his anger. He had learned from the nurses that yes, Michael had been inside Becca's cubicle - and he'd actually had the nerve to pick her up! The charges still hanging over his head were the only thing that kept Steve from teaching Michael a lesson he'd never forget. Jaime needed him here - not in jail or prison - but he paced like a caged animal from one side of her cubicle to the other in an effort to contain himself. Mark watched him carefully, prepared now to stop him with a needle, if necessary. Maybe Oscar would overlook a show of temper, given the circumstances...but they simply couldn't take the chance.

Steve looked at Jaime, her head swathed in bandages as she lay in sedated slumber, trying to keep himself grounded and his anger in check. It didn't work. Michael had put his hands on their daughter!! With a rage too strong for words (and still trying mightily to contain himself), Steve slammed his right fist into the tray table that had been stashed over by the window. Under normal circumstances (for him) the metal table would've bent to the floor with the force of his blow...but this time, of course, it didn't.

''Did it help?'' Mark asked quietly.

''Not in the least,'' Steve admitted.

''Would you like to go down the hall and talk?'' Mark suggested.

Steve shook his head. ''I'm not gonna leave her,'' he insisted. If he angled himself just right, sitting in a chair by Jaime's bed, he could see her and still see Becca through the glass wall, since he'd demanded the more opaque divider wall be pushed back. ''I'm not gonna leave them!'' He sank into the chair to keep watch over the two most important people in his life.

Rudy was lying quietly in his bed while he mulled over what to do. He had so little control now; he'd have to rest and grow stronger so he could return to the helm of the hospital - and let Oscar return to focusing on OSI business, where he was sorely needed. He'd requested - and been granted - a look at Jaime's brain scans and test results. While the thought of Michael Marchetti even setting foot in his facility burned him to the core, Rudy had to admit to himself that the young surgeon had done brilliant work with the initial reconstruction...on a patient who by all rights shouldn't even be alive. The latest notes in her file indicated that Jaime was aware and even somewhat verbal when she'd been allowed to awaken. (The fact that she'd actually seen Michael was not among the written notes.) Grudgingly, Rudy could see that his former protege had already done what very few - if any - others would've been able to do and his knowledge and expertise would be vital in returning Jaime to a normal life.

A few hours later, it was time. Oscar accompanied Corinth on his next visit to wake Jaime - and Steve knew immediately why his boss was there. While he'd have much preferred she not be pressed about the shooting (and potentially traumatized further), whoever had tried to kill her was still out there and she was their best key to finding him. He still had his own doubts about her 'message' in his hand; maybe she'd just been badly confused upon first waking.

''Let me ask her,'' he requested...and Oscar nodded silently.

Jaime opened her eyes to see Steve smiling reassuringly at her and she managed a small, lopsided smile back at him. As long as he was there by her side, Michael wouldn't dare try anything...would he?

Corinth stepped closer, bringing Oscar with him. ''Jaime...'' he began, then waited until he her focus shifted to him. ''Do you know who this man is?''

''Oscar,'' she answered almost promptly.

''Sweetheart, he's here because I need to ask you a question,'' Steve told her, ''and he needs to hear the answer...if you can give it.''

Jaime squeezed his hand in fearful anticipation. ''O...k...'' she answered slowly.

''Do you remember who shot you?''

Jaime closed her eyes for a few seconds that were as agonizing to the men surrounding the bed as they were to her. When she opened them, she gave her answer in a soft, pain-filled voice.

''It was...Russ...he...shot me.''

She'd come from nearly halfway around the world for this and it was finally blossoming into fruition...slower than she would've liked, but it was happening. The Austin woman was supposed to die...but she still would. Anja (she'd changed her name from the hated Americanized 'Anna' more than a decade ago) would see to it. In the meantime, the OSI was in turmoil. It was satisfying...for now. Soon, though, she promised herself. It will all happen soon enough.