A few hours later Steve shut the trunk of his car and was on his way to Rudy’s lab to see his wife and drop off the 2 suitcases he carried. He had a spring in his step in anticipation of seeing her not to mention seeing their children’s faces when he told them they would be spending tomorrow morning with their mother.

In the lab Rudy still could not get the machine working. Kayce sat patiently waiting to see if there was something else he wanted to do. Her thoughts kept returning to her meeting with Steve in the hallway. She did find herself physically attracted to him but was concerned that he wanted more emotionally than she could give right now. She didn’t want to hurt him and truly didn’t mind spending time with his children but where would it go from there?

Rudy had stopped fiddling with the malfunctioning equipment and was staring at Kayce sitting in his desk chair. He had view of her delicate profile as she stared unfocused across the room, obviously in deep thought about something.

He moved to perch himself on the edge of the desk. “Kayce…is there something wrong?”

She let out a sigh before responding. She was tired and it was only early afternoon. “I ran into Steve earlier.”

“You did?” He asked in surprise.

She nodded affirmatively. “He asked if I would spend some time with the children tomorrow and I said yes.”

”And now you are having second thoughts about being with them?”

“Not exactly.” She swiveled the chair and rested her forearms on the desktop. “I don’t know Rudy….Its just when I speak to Steve….” She let her voice drift off and her head lowered. “Kayce what is it?”

“I don’t know for sure but when we talk I get the feeling he is just waiting for me to look at him and say ‘Oh yeah, you’re Steve, my husband…let’s go home.’ I don’t want to hurt him but there is absolutely nothing there.” She stood with sadness enveloping her. “God I feel so alone.”

When she looked up at the doctor he saw the tears threatening to fall and he quickly moved around the desk. Allowing him to pull her into a comforting embrace she let the tears fall silently. He held her close and did his best to sooth her. He wasn’t aware that Steve was at the door and could hear everything he was saying.

“Kayce…You don’t remember this but I care about you very much and I will take care of you. Okay? You are not alone. We are in this together… you and me.”

She stepped back and was embarrassed by the wetness on her cheeks. He reached up and tenderly wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. She stared deeply into his chocolate brown eyes and saw nothing but love there.

Throwing her arms around him she spoke. “Thank you Rudy…I don’t know what I would do without you.”

As Steve stood and watched the scene play out he was suddenly transported back in time to Jaime and Michael. Recalling how easily Jaime fell in love with the tall doctor because he was always with her during her recovery….while everyone kept Steve away from her.

“Steve!” Rudy blurted out and swiftly moved away from Kayce. “How long have you been standing there?”

‘Long enough’ He thought. Forcing a smile he stepped forward and answered, “Not long.” He looked at Kayce and found the feeling of hopefulness that usually accompanied any meeting with her was missing. “Here are your things.”

”Thank you.” She said quietly.

Feeling the uncomfortable tension in the room Steve said his goodbyes. “Well I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Sure.” Rudy and Kayce watched as the handsome brown-haired man left the room.

On his way to the car Steve couldn’t help but remember the old adage, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” Sliding into his car he mumbled, “What do I do if they are one in the same?”

Seeing as how they missed lunch Rudy was able to talk Kayce into an early dinner. She walked with him the short distance to his favorite French restaurant just two blocks from the OSI building.

Steve had just left a meeting with his colleagues from NASA and was jogging across the street when he saw Rudy escorting Kayce through the front door of a small intimate restaurant. Forgetting about the Chinese carryout he was planning on getting to take home to Cassie and his kids he took a position across the street. In the shadows he was able to use his bionic eye to watch the pair through the large plate glass window without being noticed. It was early December and night had already begun to settle on the capital city.

The suspicious OSI operative watched as the pair was seated at a small table for two, the dim interior lighting making for a romantic setting. As the meal began he saw them talk and share a few laughs. All in all it looked like his best friend and his wife were having a fun time together, sending his blood pressure skyward. Turning to stop the torture he entered the building to his left to purchase the food he had promised. Leaving the Asian establishment he took another glance across the street to see the pair holding hands on the table. Mumbling under his breath he headed to his car before he made a scene by dragging the physician out to the curb.

Rudy was enjoying the easy conversation and reveled in Kayce’s stories of her rebellious childhood. He found himself sharing personal information of his own upbringing that he had never shared with anyone. He found the pretty woman a joy to spend time with. After the meal Kayce seemed to fall quieter. When asked she shared what was on her mind.

“I just find it frustrating that I can remember my first grade teacher’s name but not my husband and children.”

Rudy reached across the table, placing a gentle hand on hers. “Kayce…I wish I had a magic pill that would cure your amnesia but I don’t. The brain is a very complicated organ. All I can do is help you adjust to your life as it is and hope that, in time, your memory returns.”

“I know Rudy. I guess I should just be glad I’m alive and not with that Sheridan guy.” She stated with a softening tone. Wanting to lighten the mood Rudy smoothly changed the subject.

“So what are your plans tomorrow?” He asked and immediately saw the twinkle in her eyes.

“Well, I was thinking of maybe a trip to the zoo would be fun.”

The doctor smiled. “I know Kyle would like that.”

“I wonder if Steve will be spending the morning with us.” She said with some nervousness, her finger delicately tracing the rim of her wine glass.

“I don’t think so. He has meeting with NASA tomorrow. That’s probably why he asked you to watch them.”

She let out a purposeful sigh and commented, “I just hope I don’t slip and have Kyle realize I don’t know who he is. He seems like a very smart little boy.”

The sandy haired woman picked up her drink and listened to Rudy’s offer.

”You know…taking those two kids to the zoo might be a lot for one person. How about if I come along and give you a hand?” He was still concerned that something might happen to cause her memory to return and didn’t want her alone if it did…and there was the case of Sheridan being out on bail, something they decided as a group not to tell Kayce.

She smiled her gratitude. It was true she felt very uncomfortable around her offspring. “I don’t want to take you away from your work.”

“Well we aren’t doing your testing until tomorrow afternoon. I’ll just head back to the lab now and work on fixing the scanner.” She eyed him for a few minutes and was confident that tomorrow would be much less stressful for her if he was there.

”Are you sure?”

“Positive.” He smiled as reassurance.

“Alright. I think I’ll go home and relax a bit.”

The doctor walked her to her government vehicle and opened the door for her. “I probably won’t be home until after 11 pm.”

“I’ll be fine alone. Don’t worry.” He closed the door and watched her drive away.

At Rudy’s place Kayce did some reading until around 8:00 pm. She felt unusually tense thinking about the children and decided maybe a long hot shower would help her relax and sleep better, knowing tomorrow she would need every once of energy to keep up with two small children. She started the shower and undressed, stepping carefully under the hot cascading water.

“Steve, where have you been?” Cassie asked over the wailing infant she carried in her arms.

“I….I got held up…with some friends. I brought dinner.”

“I already fed the kids an hour ago.” She said as she peeked into the bag and smiled. “But I was holding out for Chef Wong’s.” With one hand she began removing the small white paper boxes from the bag. “Kyle’s reading in his room.”

“Here let me take her.” Steve reached over and took his red faced, one year old from Cassie. “Why’s she crying?”

”I think she’s cutting a tooth.” The young woman replied as she opened the cardboard containers.

“I’ll see if I can get her to sleep.” Steve responded as he left the kitchen. He knew if he stayed in the same room with Cassie she would immediately notice something was wrong.

”Don’t ya want anything to eat?” She called after him and got a muffled reply back.

”Help yourself….I’m not hungry.”

Rudy had fixed the component that was needed to make his new scanner operational. Sitting at his desk he hoped to get some paperwork done since he would not be at his lab tomorrow morning. Every time he tried to write a sentence his mind fell upon the lovely woman who was staying at his home. He sat back in his chair, pulled off his reading glasses, and thought long and hard on what was happening and why.

He had liked Kayce the moment he had met her. She was energetic, witty, intelligent and beautiful. It came as no surprise to him or Oscar that Steve would fall hard for her and he did. Rudy never envied Steve and looked upon Kayce in a purely platonic way. ‘When did it change?’ He asked himself silently.

Since her memory loss she was still the same vibrant woman she had always been but in some ways she was different. She was not as confident as she had been and didn’t seem to have any emotional ties to anyone which was the cause of her feeling alone and isolated. Yes she was Steve’s wife but in a way she wasn’t…at least not now. She needed someone…someone other than Steve who brought about too much anxiety for his patient.

‘Yes, she is my patient and that’s what I need to remember.’ He chided himself while rubbing the tiredness from his face.

After throwing the files in a drawer the scientist grabbed his coat and headed out the door, conceding that he would not be productive with so much weighing on his mind.

Kayce took her time bathing and let the soothing hot water melt the tightness from her muscles. She washed and conditioned her hair. With the loud running water she didn’t hear the front door quietly open, nor did she see the shadow outside the slightly opened bathroom door.

It was completely out of his character but Rudy stopped short of his bedroom door, surprised that Kayce had left the bathroom door ajar while showering but then remembered he said he wouldn’t be home for several more hours. Unable to stop himself, he stood unnoticed watching her through the shower door, her womanly silhouette visible through the lightly frosted glass. His conscience urged him to avert his eyes but the primal instinct in him kept his feet firmly planted where they were.

‘She’s beautiful’ He thought as the water was silenced and he saw her step out onto the small carpet holding a terrycloth towel in front of her wet form, it’s unfolded width only hiding some of the young woman’s assets. Up until now any sight of her had been medical in nature…now…standing there he was just a man and she just a woman. A woman who’s present situation addressed itself to his nurturing and protective nature.

Swallowing hard he pushed himself from the doorframe before anymore of her was exposed. The doctor stepped into his bedroom, his breathing fast and irregular, quickly shutting the door. He berated himself with the reminder that this woman he was aroused by was his best friend’s wife, even if she didn’t remember him.

Ashamed of his behavior he roughly tugged at his loose tie and threw it on the bed then dropped down on its edge. Rubbing his face he slowly got his body to stop its natural reaction. The knock on his door startled him.

“Come in.”

A slender arm moved the door open and she stood there smiling at him. He noticed her wet hair was pulled up onto a twisted towel and his subconscious reminded him that there was nothing between her skin and the thick robe she wore.

Steve lay on his back staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. His children were quietly tucked in their beds and Cassie was asleep in the guest room since it was late for her to drive home. He remembered a conversation he had with Dr. Marchetti years ago and it felt as if it was yesterday.

“What are your intentions with Jaime?” A concerned Steve asked the tall dark-hair scientist.

“Intentions?” Michael asked with confusion.

“Well, obviously you know she likes you a lot.” Steve chuckled uncomfortably.

“Would you like my medical opinion?”

“What do you mean?” It was Steve’s turn to be confused as the two men stopped walking and stood next to the Olympic sized pool.

“I mean Jaime is showing all the symptoms of the classic patient-doctor infatuation. Doctor saves woman’s life…woman looks at doctor with amazement, admiration…a kind of desire.” The two heads turned towards the young woman swimming laps oblivious to the conversation about her.

Not sure he wanted to know the answer Steve’s voice lowered. “And how does doctor look at woman?”

Michael looked at Steve and responded as honestly as he could. “Listen Steve…I’d be a liar if I told you I didn’t find Jaime incredibly attractive. Her mind is quick, her wit is sharp and she’s a lovely woman.” Squinting against the sun Michael turned back to the water.

“Yeah, I know.”

“And I know what you two shared before… and how hard this must be on you, her loss of memory of what you two had.” The brown eyes moved back to Steve.

“But she’s a new woman now.” Steve responded matter-of-factly.

Michael nodded. “Right…She’s trying to adjust to a whole new life.”

“Which I may not fit into.”

“Which neither one of us may fit into.” Michael offered to pacify the struggling man. He felt compassion for the former astronaut whose world was also turned upside down. “Look Steve, I’m not going to go out of my way to undermined any relationship you two may have had…at the same time I’m not blind to how terrific it would be to have her around a whole lot.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat Steve let a lone tear trickle to his pillow, his heart breaking for his wife who had lost her memory of him and their children. Feeling totally helpless and frustrated he tried to fall asleep but knew it would be impossible.

Rudy stood as she entered the room, his heart pounding against his ribs. She stepped close and observed his face for a moment.

“Is everything okay Rudy?”

Her soft voice slowly melted what little reserves he had. He just nodded as he looked into her deep blue eyes. She gave him a small smile. “I just want to thank you Rudy for everything. It’s been hard not knowing where I belong and having you so close has provided some emotional shelter.” She gazed into the warmest brown eyes she had ever seen, a strong feeling of security came over her.

Tentatively Rudy reached up to touch her pretty face and she didn’t resist. He spoke in a whispered voice that was almost unknown to him. “You know I would do anything for you Kayce…anything.”

The two stood within inches of each other, feeling the tension rise dramatically. It was Rudy who moved his head forward first. Kayce saw the subtle approach and hesitantly met him, their lips coming together in a soft, nervous kiss. Rudy never tasted anything so sweet.

His hands cupped her face and he saw her apprehension dissolve as he kissed her again, harder and deeper. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and their tongues met and danced together. Ignoring the feelings of guilt he continued his affectionate advances.

His lips moved down her neck to her collarbone when the pair was startled by the bedroom door slamming against the wall.

Kayce quickly tightened the collar of her robe while Rudy stuttered in vain.

“STEVE!…it’s not what you think…I…we….” Steve could not hear the words over the blood roaring through his ears. The look on his face was murderous and frightened those he was moving towards.

Kayce bravely stepped up. “Steve…let me explain…PLEASE!” Her husband remained silent, still moving slowly towards his old friend. “Steve!”

“Get out of here Kayce.” Steve ordered with a growl, his eyes locked on the doctor. “This is between me and Rudy.”

Kayce moved out of the room and Steve glared at the doctor. “Why Rudy?”

“I’m sorry Steve...it just got out of control. You have to believe that! Nothing really happened!” Rudy stepped back, away from his attacker, until his was backed against the wall.

“I’m going to take you apart piece by piece.” Steve moved forward and, using his bionic arm, grabbed Rudy’s arm with the intent of ripping it from his torso. The excruciating pain tore through his shoulder and the doctor cried out in agony.

Rudy sat up in the bed as the sweat poured from his body. He glanced around his room and saw he was alone. It took several deep breaths until he could move to don his robe before making his way to the kitchen.

He took a strong swig of whiskey when he was startled by Kayce’s voice. “Rudy are you okay?” He turned to see her face full of concern.

He let out a sigh. “Yes, I’m fine.” He turned away from her.

”I heard you cry out…”

“I’m sorry if I woke you...it was just a nightmare.”

She stepped towards him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and was surprised to feel him tense. Quickly she dropped her arm. “But you’re alright now?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. Please go back to bed.” He couldn’t even look at her after what he had dreamt.

“Alright.” She said with some confusion. Slowly she backed away then turned and left the room.

Rudy took one more drink before returning to his room, locking the door behind him.

At just before 9 am the following morning Steve, with his children in tow, rang the doorbell to Rudy’s residence. On the interior Kayce hesitated, taking a deep calming breath, before going to answer it. Over the enthusiastic greetings of her two children Kayce and Steve exchanged awkward pleasantries. Seeing the long, soft blonde hair falling loose around her shoulders as she knelt to hug the young ones caused Steve’s heart skipped a beat. The man wanted nothing more then to run his fingers through it and pull her lips to his for a passionate kiss.

Moving into the living room the anxious husband was surprised to see Rudy enter wearing causal clothes but he remained silent. The experienced doctor immediately noticed the dark circles under Steve’s eyes and the paleness in his face. It was obvious the former astronaut was not sleeping well these days.

“So what are we doing today Mommy?” Kyle asked, missing the adventures his mother used to plan for him.

She glanced at Steve and replied, “Well I thought we’d take a trip to the zoo.”

Kyle jumped off his feet. “The Zoooooo….!”

Steve smiled at his son’s unbridled happiness. His expression sobered watching his wife interact with their daughter whom she held in her arms. “Does that sound good to you Stephanie? Do you want to see some tigers and bears?” The little girl just giggled at the attention and nodded before throwing her little arms about Kayce’s neck with a loud, “Mommy!”.

Steve couldn’t help but wonder about the absence of Rudy’s business attire. “Are you sure you can handle them both at the zoo? Maybe I should go with you?” Steve offered.

Kayce froze, her anxiety remained when it came to this handsome man whom she was married to but couldn’t remember a thing about. She glanced at Rudy with a guilty look, not wanting to hurt Steve’s feelings by telling him she didn’t want him to come.

Rudy cleared his throat and replied for her, “Ah, that won’t be necessary Steve. I’m going with her. You go ahead to your meeting. We’ll be fine.” The brown eyes locked with Kayce’s and they shared a silent communication. Rudy effectively telling her I can handle this and hers giving him her gratitude.

Unfortunately the non-verbal interaction was misinterpreted by Steve and he clenched his jaw tightly. Thinking it would be better to discuss the subject later, without of his children present, he conceded. “Well, I need to be getting to my project meeting. Thanks for spending the morning with them. You can bring them by the OSI building when you’re done.” He moved to the door and Kayce, sensing his discomfort, swiftly followed.

“Steve?” She stopped him at the door and when he turned she suddenly wasn’t sure what to say. “Ummm…Don’t worry about the kids. I’ll take good care of them.”

He offered her a weak lopsided grin and replied, “I know you will.” He gave her a quick wink and disappeared.

At the NASA project meeting Steve gave his presentation on alternate fuel sources with forced enthusiasm. When it came time for him to take his seat he expended much energy to keep his mind from wandering to his wife and the doctor.

Across town at the zoo the foursome enjoyed seeing the variety of animals displayed for the public. By mid-morning Stephanie had fallen asleep on Kayce’s shoulder as the small group was sitting on a bench taking a break. When Kyle excitedly requested to go and feed the baby goats Rudy offered to take the slumbering child.

While mother and son wandered 200 feet away the physician was left alone with his thoughts. He still hadn’t forgiven himself for the dream he had had and he stared at the pretty young woman in the small corral. She laughed as Kyle made a disgusted face from having a goat eat from his hand and leave a large amount of saliva on his palm. Her uninhibited laugh rang out on the breeze.

Rudy quickly recalled the tongue lashing he had given his colleague when Jaime was showing signs of infatuation. Michael stated he was not actively pursuing her but it was obvious the tall, dark-haired scientist was enjoying her attention. Rudy was appalled at his unprofessional behavior especially when it was at Steve’s expense. Now here he was in a similar situation and didn’t know when it had even happened.

He watched as Kayce helped Kyle pick up and hold a small kid, his eyes beaming with delight at the little animal in his arms. Looking at Kayce Rudy tried to discern why it had been so easy to step over the edge, at least platonically thus far.

She still had the same personality, a quick wit, an intelligent mind, a dry sense of humor which, he recently noticed, rarely made an appearance since she had been rescued. She had always had a quiet but healthy self confidence about her which had disappeared along with her usual self assuredness. When they had met years ago she was the most independent and assertive woman he had ever met but she still had an air of grace about her. It was these attributes that made her stand out and cause Steve to fall hard for her. Rudy also admired these qualities but they never had any affect on him in any romantic sense.

The self confidence and self assuredness were the traits she was missing much of since her memory loss….which seemingly made her seem like a completely different person. Someone Rudy suddenly couldn’t help but have romantic feelings for.

Thinking back on his dream he decided to take it as a sign of what would befall him if he pursued his feelings. There was no doubt in his mind that Steve would lose control if the dream ever did come true. It was fortunate that Kayce had not picked up on his inappropriate thoughts. He wondered if Steve did.

For the kids the morning ended way too quickly and they began whining as they were taken by Kayce to Oscar’s office. She handed them off to a grateful Steve who accepted their hugs. Handing the younger one to Oscar Steve ran after Kayce who had made a swift exit.

Glancing to be sure they were alone in the hallway he inquired about her day.

“Where the children any trouble?”

“No, not really. Kyle is a real charmer.”

“Yeah I hear that a lot.”

Kayce felt her stomach tightening as the close proximity of the handsome man whom she knew wanted her with him. With a nervous tone she tried to excuse herself. “Well I need to get back to Rudy’s lab.” She turned to leave and he touched her arm lightly.

“Kayce, wait.” She turned back and saw the serious look on his face. “I was wondering…well, the least I could do for your help today is buy you dinner.”

The young woman froze. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings but she still felt incredibly uncomfortable around him. She couldn’t imagine how much more anxiety would come from being alone with him in a date-like setting. “I…ah….I don’t think that would be a good idea.” She replied softly.

“Kayce please…it’s just dinner. Please spend some time with me.” He desperately wanted to be alone with her, to talk with her, to hear her thoughts and share his. It was almost physically painful.

“I can’t Steve….” His eyes grew narrow as his frustration grew. She had nothing to fear from him so why was she avoiding him?

”Why not?” He asked in a tone much sterner then he intended.

She stepped back at the unexpected outburst. “I just can’t. I’m sorry.” With that she moved swiftly down the hall. He watched her go cursing himself for his insensitivity and inability to control his emotions. “Way to go Steve.” He mumbled to himself and returned to Oscar’s office.

Kayce took longer to arrive at Rudy’s lab, having stopped into the ladies’ room to dry her tears. Why did things have to be so complicated? Why did she have such anxiety around a man she apparently trusted implicitly before she lost her memory? Why did she have to hurt him just by being here?

A quick glance in the mirror told the blonde woman there was no amount of water that would prevent Rudy from knowing she had been crying and she didn’t have an hour to spend sitting in the restroom waiting for her eyes to lose their puffy redness. Taking a deep breath and standing tall she exited her private space.

“Kayce? Is everything alright?” The doctor asked the moment he caught a glimpse of her face. His sincere concern for her almost brought more tears but she held them back. Things were just feeling too overwhelming, the stress of the past week having a cumulative affect on her.

“Yeah Rudy, I’m fine. Let’s just get this done.” She slid into the seat and Linda attached the electrodes to the EEG while Rudy prepared the newly repaired scanner.

The testing went without incident. Kayce was asked a multitude of questions from different parts of her past. When the inquiry bordered on any time frame in and around her meeting Steve she had no answers. After half an hour the scientist could tell his patient was getting tired and ended the test.

With all her energy sapped Kayce didn’t even bother to ask the results, her head pounding from both the conversation with Steve and the constant questions. Rudy walked her to the door.

“How do you feel?” He noticed she was paler then normal.

“I’m okay. It’s just a headache. I think I’ll go home and lie down for awhile.”

”I think that’s a great idea.” He offered her a friendly smile then needed to relieve his curiosity, “Kayce what happened before you got here? What upset you so much?”

With her head bowed she swallowed back the tears, frustrated by not knowing why talking to Steve had caused such sadness. She paused and Rudy attempted a guess. “Was it the children?” She nodded her head then looked up.

“Steve and I talked a bit.”

”And?”

“He asked me to go out to dinner with him…alone.” Rudy’s anger flared slightly that Steve would push her when it was clear she wasn’t ready. Kayce saw the tense expression on the doctor’s face. “Its okay Rudy…he didn’t mean anything…he said it was to thank me for watching the children today.”

Seeing her force a smile he matched it not wanting to tire her anymore. He could get to the bottom of why it upset her so later. “Okay. I’ll see you tonight okay?”

“Thanks Rudy.” She kissed him lightly on the cheek and left. Leaving Rudy stunned at the door.

Moving back to his desk he picked up the phone to speak with Callahan. “Would you please have Steve stop by the lab before he leaves?......Thank you.” He put the phone down harder then usual getting Linda’s immediate attention. She saw the dark look on her boss’ face and chose to remain silent.

“You wanted to see me Rudy?” Steve asked in a casual tone. He had spent the last 3 hours punishing himself for his small outburst with Kayce. He had a feeling that was the reason he had been summoned to the lab. Rudy had known Steve for over a decade and if anyone knew he would feel poorly about his impulsive behavior it was Rudy. He wasn’t expecting the reaction his got from the usually cool headed physician.

The brown eyes were hard when he spoke. “How could you? What the hell were you thinking?” He stepped around his desk feeling incredibly protective of Kayce not thinking that Steve, being her husband, would be equally protective of her.

“I assume we are talking about my conversation with my wife?” Steve, not appreciating his friend’s tone, said with the emphasis on ‘my wife’.

“Of course we are!” Coming to stand in front of his friend Rudy continued to berate him. “Do you have any idea what she goes through on a daily basis…the emotional rollercoaster…not knowing where she belongs or if she will ever get her memories back.”

Steve’s hackles rose with each word that was forced from Rudy’s clenched teeth. “No Rudy I don’t know what she goes through on a daily basis because I’M NOT ALLOWED TO BE AROUND HER ON A DAILY BASIS!” He took a breath and couldn’t resist a menacing jab at the man he thought was moving in on his wife. “But maybe YOU could tell me since you seem to enjoy playing house with my wife and spending time with her AND my children.” The blue eyes turned icy as he watched Rudy fall silent, not admitting or denying anything. Steve started pacing.

“You don’t think I see it?? You don’t think it’s possible??? Need I remind you of Dr. Marchetti’s relationship with Jaime after her memory loss???” He glared at the shorter man trying to get his anger under control.

Rudy’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in an expression of complete shock, his mind going numb. He was stunned that Steve had seen right through him…seeing that his feelings for Kayce had turned romantic. A quick consideration of confessing was cut short, seeing no need to unburden himself only to add to Steve’s burden. So he stood speechless, recalling the nightmare he had last night.

Steve read the stunned expression as a result of his insinuation that the doctor was behaving inappropriately and realized he had just blatantly insulted the scientist.

“I’m sorry Rudy. I didn’t mean to imply you have behaved inappropriately...its just….”

Letting out the breath he was holding Rudy touched Steve on the shoulder, “It’s alright Steve. I understand the pressure this is putting on you.” Seeing his friend in such distress Rudy made a silent vow to bury his feelings for Kayce. “Maybe we can find a way for you to spend time with her where she won’t feel so anxious.”

“How?” He responded hopefully with a raised brow.

”Well, I was thinking of telling her about her bionics tomorrow. Maybe that would be an opportunity for you to step in.”

“Are you sure she needs to know now? I mean doesn’t she have enough on her plate already?”

“Steve, she has to know soon before she finds out by accident. I think that would be more devastating. Remember how you felt when you had amnesia and saw the wires in your arm?”

”Yeah, I guess your right…she should hear it from you.” He stood with his index finger tracing across his mouth as he considered the situation. He looked up and asked, “Where is she now?”

“She went home. She wasn’t feeling well.” The look of deep concern on Steve’s face caused Rudy’s to elaborate. “She had a headache after the test which doesn’t surprise me.”

“And me upsetting her didn’t help either did it?” Rudy hesitated before answering.

“I think it was a combination of the kids, the zoo, the testing….”

Noticing Rudy skipped over his conversation with Kayce Steve tossed out another question. “What did the test show?”

Rudy looked down at the results on his desk. “It showed normal brain impulses when she answered questions about her distant past but I’m afraid as we got closer to the present…more specifically about the time she left Montana and met you…the scan showed minimal electrical activity in that part of the brain.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means those brain cells may be dead and the memories that were stored in those cells may be irretrievable.” He paused letting the bad news sink in.

“You said ‘may be irretrievable’ so you’re not sure?”

”Steve, this is a very complicated area of science. I don’t think anyone can say for sure.” Steve just nodded and looked at the floor. “And I think you should know that I’m still worried about bionic rejection.”

Steve’s head snapped up with a look of raw fear on his face. “What?”

“She was in very bad shape when we got to her and had been for quite some time. She’s doing fine now but it’s only been 10 days since we got her back. I’m still keeping a close eye on her. I don’t want a repeat of Jaime.”

“You mean the brain hemorrhage?”

“Yes. If she makes it three or four more days without symptoms she’ll be in the clear.” Steve was lost in thought and didn’t respond. “Do you still want to be here tomorrow for her re-introduction to bionics?”

He looked up and there was a certainty in his eyes. “Absolutely. Cassie has been helping me with the kids. She’s with them now. I’ll ask her to watch them tomorrow and I’ll be here in the morning.”

Kayce was driving home and got stuck in the nightly Washington traffic jam. As she sat in an unmoving lane the patter of rain started on the roof of her car. Seeing as how it would be awhile before she got home she clicked on the radio and allowed the soft music to sooth her throbbing head. The swirling of emotions in her chest did not help the incessant thumping at her temples.

Closing her eyes she relaxed her head against the headrest. Suddenly she had a flash of a small plane in her head. It was vague and difficult to make out the details but the rain hitting the car roof sounded like the rain hitting the wing of a plane she had slept under. There was someone there with her in the wilderness that she couldn’t make out. In an instant the scene faded.

Suddenly a startling car horn got her attention alerting her that she was not moving along with the now accelerating traffic. As she got to Rudy’s house her head felt like it was being crushed in a vice. She just hoped Rudy had some aspirin in his medicine cabinet.

Kayce settled herself on her bed without changing out of her tailored, white blouse and black denim jeans. She had skipped dinner, her headache effectively chasing any appetite away. She did grab some water and two aspirin from the bathroom before curing up with a washcloth on her forehead. Half dozing, she wonder what other treatments might quell the blinding pain.

Rudy worked into the night, something he was used to. He needed to get back to his normal routine and he hoped it would help to limit his time alone with Kayce. If he threw himself into his latest project he could suppress any inappropriate feelings he had for her. Although he vowed to distance himself emotionally from the pretty woman he had picked up the phone a few times during the evening to call her only to replace the receiver on the cradle without dialing his home number. He wanted to know she was okay but because she had a long day and wasn’t feeling well, he didn’t want to wake her if she had fallen asleep.

Glancing at his watch he knew he had to go home sooner or later. ‘Just another hour’ he thought to himself after seeing it was a little after 11:00 pm. By then he would be so exhausted he would just fall into bed, too tired to think and, more importantly, too tired to dream.

Five hours after returning home Kayce was up and walking unsteadily back to the bathroom with her head bowed and her hands holding her temples. She removed the aspirin bottle from the cabinet to keep at her bedside, refilled her glass and walked slowly back to the bedroom. The first dose of the little white pills did nothing to ease her pain. She hoped another dose would provide some relief. Before taking the pills she stopped at her bedroom window, watching the rain pouring down from the blackness. It was almost midnight.

She stood transfixed, seeing the large drops of water hitting the cars parked outside. Suddenly a picture flashed in her head like a bolt of lightening. She closed her eyes and fought hard to solidify the image taunting her. There was a car, badly damaged, and pain….lots of pain. Then a baby cried loudly. As fast as it appeared it was gone. She was turning back to the bed when she felt like her head exploded. The instantaneous reaction to the pain caused her left hand to crush the drinking glass instantly and the opened bottle of aspirin to fall from her other hand. As darkness surrounded her she dropped heavily to the floor, pain-free but unconscious.

The roads were still wet when the doctor left the secure OSI building and headed home, an hour later then he had intended. It was obvious that a substantial storm had come through. Without daylight traffic he made it home just before1:30 am.

He entered his dark home, silencing his keys in a closed fist so not to wake his house guest. Placing his briefcase on the floor he walked quietly to her closed door. Telling himself he just wanted to look in on her to make sure she was okay he placed his hand on the doorknob. Before turning it he rested his head against the wood and let out a sigh, hoping he was doing this with good intentions.

As the room came into view he was surprised to see her bed unused. Suddenly his heart dropped into his stomach when his eyes fell upon Kayce lying unmoving on the carpeted floor. He moved swiftly across the room and onto his knees, swallowing the lump in his throat as his hand went for her neck. Rolling the lax head towards him he let out a breath, feeling a steady pulse beneath his fingers. In an attempt to rouse her he placed his hands on her upper arms, shaking her gently and loudly calling out her name several times. It didn’t work; his house guest remained unresponsive, not even moaning from the movements and sound.

With skilled efficiency he checked her over but found nothing unusual, no head injury, no bruises. On the carpet the doctor did notice the scattered pills and shattered glass that left a few remnants in her hand. Concluding her headache must have gotten much worse since she left his lab he hoped it wasn’t what he had feared the last 10 days. After carefully lifting her sleight form onto the bed he ran to call for an ambulance and retrieve his black bag.

Awaiting the ambulance he pulled out his pen light and checked her pupils, finding them equal and responsive. He then checked her blood pressure only to find it slightly below normal. Her breathing was deep and regular. Something was happening but he didn’t know what. He placed a hand on her forehead and noted there was no fever. Letting his hand caress her face he silently urged the emergency vehicles to arrive. He wanted her in the medical center for testing before her condition got any worse.

“Oh god Kayce, I’m sorry. I should have come home earlier…I’m so sorry.” He whispered with regret. It anything happened to her he would never forgive himself for arriving late.

Pulled from a restful slumber for no apparent reason, the red digital display on the bedside clock greeted Steve with 1:45 am when his eyes cracked opened. Unable to fall back to sleep he laid there quietly thinking of his conversation with Kayce, not paying much attention to the ambulance siren off in the distance. He felt bad for his reaction and the fear he had put in her eyes. Vowing to make an apology at first light Steve rolled onto his stomach and slowly fell back to sleep.

...Continued