Chapter 15

Michael sat at his desk trying to collect himself while Steve returned to his wife's bedside. The baby wasn't his, after all and in a strange way, Michael was glad...and relieved. Jaime had been through too much already - quite a lot of it at his hand - and she didn't need his presence in her life for the next 18 years (and beyond). He was realistic enough to know that. It had taken walking back through the doors of National with a physician's stance for him to truly realize the magnitude of what he'd done...and how the after-effects would torture Jaime for a very long time. He wasn't sure how he could even begin to live with that but at least he could give her a 'normal' life back. Without him, even her very survival might still be in question. In his hands, Michael knew, she stood every chance of becoming whole again.

He ignored the sudden, shooting headache and the rage that went along with it - simply pushed it aside. He could do that now. In prison, he'd had nothing else to focus on but here he had other, more important things uppermost in his mind...like healing and the Hippocratic Oath. He had to learn to face the fact that the fury he'd unleashed on Jaime had begun here, in this very hospital - and maybe he would even speak to Mark Conrad about that, when he was ready - but for now, his intent had shifted from harm to the other side of the spectrum...healing. His hands had been healing hands for most of his adult life; he would see to it that they were never used for any other purpose, ever again.

So Steve's bionics had been turned down. Michael idly wondered when...and why. It was immaterial to him now, as he had no intention of doing Jaime any further harm...but he was definitely curious. Had it been necessitated by a health problem - or possibly by Austin's temper flaring out of control? Maybe he'd told Goldman off once too often; he'd always had a bit of a rebellious streak. The three people who knew the reason (Steve, Oscar and Rudy) would never let him in on it...and truth be told, he didn't care enough to concern himself with probing the issue.

''Feel better?'' Mark asked as he and Steve headed back down the hallway.

''Maybe. For now.''

''Sure beats putting your fist through a table.''

''Couldn't do that if I wanted to, Doc,'' Steve reminded him.

Mark sighed. He still had his work cut out for him with this very stubborn patient...but at least they had made some progress. Jaime was still sleeping soundly when Steve took his place beside her and Mark took his usual seat, where he would sit in silent support until one or the other of his patients needed him.

Russ hollered insistently for the guard. He wasn't sure why Oscar had put him here - there was NO evidence, since he'd been asleep in his bed at home! But as the headache stabbed through his brain like a red-hot knife, he knew one thing for certain: he had to Get! Out! He beat both fists on the metal bench in frustration and then howled in pain. He blinked rapidly as the intense pain from his hands brought him back to reality. Why in the hell had he just done that? He had absolutely no idea...

Corinth returned to Jaime's room a few minutes ahead of schedule and motioned Steve and Mark into the hallway. He had news that he blurted out because there was no way to soften it. ''Mark Russell is in the ER,'' he told them. ''He just fractured both of his wrists...and more than a few fingers. They're putting him out as we speak, so he's no threat to Jaime - but I thought you'd want to know.''

''Jack Hansen must be spitting nails,'' Steve speculated.

''He is - and so I am,'' Oscar asserted, joining them. He turned to Corinth. ''Is there any chance Michael's cell regeneration could be pushed up a day - or even two? And what are the chances it will make Jaime fully verbal again?''

''By one day...possibly,'' Corinth acknowledged. ''Provided she continues to improve in the meantime. But any more than that is just too risky.''

''We really need her fully verbal as soon as possible,'' Oscar stated flatly.

''We,'' Steve asked with quiet anger, ''or you? And I can't believe you'd even consider asking him to endanger Jaime's health - and her life - like that!''

''Of course I don't want to jeopardize her in any way,'' Oscar hurried to explain, ''but if the surgery can be moved up safely, we really need to do that. And yes Pal, you need it too. I'm certain you want Jaime's shooter brought to justice as soon as possible. I'm not sure what Russ is trying to pull with this little stunt of his, but a statement from Jaime will make these charges stick when we take him before a judge. Otherwise...we have nothing.''

''We have the statement she's already given,'' Steve told him emphatically. ''Witnessed by you, no less - that Russ is the one who shot her. I have trouble picturing it too...but she seemed quite clear about it. While you'd like to have more -''

''I have to have more!''

Corinth stepped between them and into the cubicle. They could argue it out as much as they needed to...but meanwhile he would check on his patient. Steve followed him, cutting his discussion with Oscar short (for now) because he had every intention of always being the first face Jaime saw when they woke her from sedation. He wasn't about to go back on that now. Oscar could wait...for the rest of the 'discussion'...and definitely for Jaime to have her surgery (until it could be deemed as safe as humanly possible). Steve still hoped that in Michael's hands, she would truly be safe but since there was no other possible choice, no one else performing the regeneration to the extent that Michael could, Steve had to place his trust - and Jaime's life - in his hands.

Anja waited almost-patiently for word from her contact and when it came, she grinned with satisfaction. Everything was going precisely as she'd re-envisioned it (once Plan A had failed). They had put him out...but that was no challenge. He'd broken through heavy sedation before, under a far more inferior device; he was the ideal subject for what she had planned...