Chapter Four

Jaime sat serenely on the bank of the river, eating her lunch and keeping her ears pealed for any signs of the search crews, dogs or (knowing Oscar) the Royal Canadian Mounties. She felt much calmer on a full stomach and stared out at the rippling water as she began to weigh her options. She did have deep feelings for Oscar and had thought she was in love with him. What if Steve was right, though, and it was merely passion? Was this how the rest of her life would be, if she chose to spend it with Oscar: search teams aiming to rope her and drag her in every time she yearned for a little private, quiet time to herself? Jaime was too much of a freespirit to be kept on such a short leash; she knew she could never adjust to that kind of life.

Then, there was Steve. He was almost like a third arm, an extra appendage - he was that much a part of her. Their lives had been intertwined for as long as she could remember, but did that mean their futures were, too? Was she still in love with him, or just staying with him because he was 'comfortable'?

Jaime looked closer at the river itself and saw a bottle bobbing toward her in the current. It looked like there was a piece of paper stuffed inside, and it reminded her of when she and Steve used to play 'pirates' and send each other messages via bottles in the stream. Smiling nostalgically, she waded out to retrieve the bottle, then sat back down to examine the contents.

Ahoy, Matey! it began, and Jaime shook her head - no possible way it could be...but it was. She read on: Not sure which river or stream you've chosen, so there are a half-dozen of these bottles floating around DC's waterways. I just hope one of them will find you. I understand what you're doing and why, so that's why I'm not out there scouring the countryside, searching for you. I know you'll come home again, when you're ready. I'm hoping your heart will let you know that 'home' still is and always will be with me. I love you, and I need you. Please come home soon. It was signed with a giant "S", exactly the way he'd signed his pirate messages as a little boy. Tears formed once again in her eyes, but this time they were happy ones, as she rose from the riverbank to follow what she knew her heart had been trying to tell her all along.

Steve and Oscar stood toe-to-toe in the office, their faces flushed with jealousy and fury, each silently daring the other to make the next move. Callahan decided that instead of calling Security on the Director of the OSI, she'd find someone like Russ, Jim or even Rudy, who could intercede and get them to stop. She was about to board the elevator when the doors opened and the subject of the fight herself stepped out into the outer office.

"Jaime...? You - might not wanna go in there. They're gonna hurt each other."

Jaime glanced over at the door, and although there was only silence at the moment, the tension was so palpable she could feel it in the air, could almost taste it. "Peggy, I want you to go downstairs and just hang out 'til this is over. I'll take care of it."

"But, Jaime, I -"

"Go now!"

Jaime opened the inner door so quietly that it made no noise and neither combatant noticed. She hadn't heard whatever had preceded this, but as she stood there Oscar's face turned from red with anger to reddish-purple with nearly uncontrollable fury. He pulled his arm back, preparing to take a swing, when Jaime stepped between them and grabbed the arm firmly in mid-air, right before it would've connected with Steve's face.

"What are you doing? Have you completely lost every last one of your brain cells? You might be wearing a suit and tie but you're acting like a caveman! I'm not a possession you can fight for and see who wins, and I'm not some fugitive who needs to be dragged back here by a dozen walking-talking robots!"

Having said her piece, Jaime turned to Steve and smiled. "Ahoy, Matey. Let's go home."

END