A/N: This is a sad story, so please take this as your tissue warning. This is a prequel to a much longer story that will be coming out this fall or winter when I get a majority of it written, so please stay tuned for that story along with the next installments of the Tough series and the Accidental Love series.
The doorbell rang once, then twice before Eddie registered the sound. She sat up as quickly as her seventh month baby belly would allow and got out of bed. Eddie braced her back and her stomach with her hand, "Daddy forgot his keys again," she laughed heading to the door.
Eddie opened the door and turned around before she saw that it was Frank standing there, not her Jamie. "I'm going to have to sew your keys to your clothes."
"Eddie," Frank said firmly but softly.
Eddie turned, all the color draining from her face. There was only one reason that Frank would be here, something happened to her Jamie.
"I'll get dressed," Eddie said in a rush and hurried to find comfortable attire.
Eddie was quiet in the SUV as they sped to St. Victor's hospital. It had only been ten hours ago when Jamie left their small home in Bay Ridge to go to work at the Brooklyn South precinct.
"You be good in there little one," Jamie cooed to Eddie's large baby belly. The baby had been kicking Eddie up and down on her bladder at night keeping her awake. "Let Mommy has some sleep."
"We'll be fine," Eddie replied rubbing the round belly. "I promise, I'm going to do a little laundry and rest my back on the couch."
"Good," Jamie replied. "I worry less when you promise to take it easy."
"Jamie, I'm only 28 weeks, I have plenty of time and Pop and your Dad are literally ten minutes away. I'm fine."
Jamie rubbed Eddie's belly again the cupped her face to kiss her goodbye. "I love you. Both of you."
"We love you back," Eddie laughed as Jamie headed out the door.
"What happened?" Eddie finally asked as they approached the hospital.
"There was a second perp," Frank replied. "Jamie was already off duty, he was going home but stopped at bodega for milk or juice, something. The clerk was acting off, he was being robbed Jamie tried to arrest the guy that he saw but the second one…Got him in two places."
Frank went around to help Eddie out of the car then they both hurried into the hospital. Danny was already there along with Erin, and Linda. Danny stepped over to Eddie and his father embracing them both. They took turns hugging then Eddie squared her shoulders, "I need to see him."
"He's in surgery now trying to remove the bullets," Linda explained. "One is lodged near his clavicle and the other is wedged between the T12 and L1 vertebrae, very close to the cord."
Eddie though she was going to be sick, she knew what that meant. Still if Jamie were alive she'd taken him however she could get him.
"Sit down, Eddie," Erin invited and helped Eddie sit in a chair. "I have some tea, is decaf for the baby."
Eddie took the tea, he hands shaking. She held the cup but did not drink it. She felt too sick as she sat and waited for news of Jamie.
Three hours later the doctor came out, "Commissioner Reagan." The older man took Frank's hand and shook it. "This is Jamie's wife, Edit." Frank helped Eddie stand up so she could face the doctor. Danny took a protective stance behind Eddie. He remembered their wedding day when Jamie spoke to him in the sacristy as they waited for the ceremony to begin.
"My kid brother is about to be a husband," Danny smiled. "About time too, I thought you were going to let this one get away."
Jamie laughed, "I almost did. I was so stupid that I almost let her get away. When she said she was getting serious with that guy…I knew it was time and she was more than ready so…"
"Good, I'm proud of you. You are going to be an incredible husband and an even better Sergeant. You have any questions for your big brother?" Danny asked playfully ribbing him.
"Yes," Jamie replied. "The same one that you asked Joe the day you married Linda. If anything happens to me, promise me you'll take care of her. Promise me you'll take care of Eddie and my family when there is one."
"Jamie, don't even talk like that," Danny said firmly.
"I know it's unlikely," Jamie replied softly. "But I need you say it, here in this church…"
"I promise kid," Danny said seriously praying he would never have to honor his word.
"We extracted the bullet near Jamie's collar bone and that will heal, however the bullet near his spine…There is significant cord involvement but more than that there was heavy bleeding. I'm very sorry, Mrs. Reagan, Commissioner…there's very little we can do. There is just too much damage. I don't know how or why he's still holding on but he is. That being said I don't think he'll make it through the night."
Eddie felt as if her knees were going to buckle underneath her and she instinctively reached for both Frank and Danny. The two men held the distraught young wife up with all their strength. "Danny hold her," Frank instructed his son. "Hold her. Erin, that chair."
Erin was in tears having heard her little brother's grim prognosis but his wife and baby needed the family just now.
It took only five minutes for Eddie to get her breath, he she put her hands on her belly and looked up at Frank and Danny, not a single tear still on her face. "I want to be with my husband when he dies," she said firmly.
Frank nodded, not wishing to deny her and needing to say a final goodbye himself.
The family quickly agreed that Eddie would remain at Jamie's bedside and the other family members would go in in groups of two to speak their piece. No one wished to deny Eddie her wish to be with Jamie when he was taken up to the angels.
Linda held Eddie's hand and went in first. Jamie was lying on the bed, paler than the sheets he was lying upon. His eyes were open to only slits but still lit up when he say Eddie. Eddie made her way to Jamie's side and reached down to take his hand.
"I'm sorry," Jamie croaked out barely able to speak he was already so weak.
"I know," Eddie replied. "It's all right, everything's all right." Eddie was determined not to show her fear, her anguish that would only make this harder.
"I wanted to…help that man and I…" Jamie stopped, grimacing in pain.
"Ssh," Eddie cooed stroking his hair, noting how clammy he felt. "Ssh, I know. I know, it's okay. It's okay, Jamie." Eddie took Jamie's limp hand and placed it on their child. "Our little one knows too, Daddy's a hero. The baby loves you so much, Jamie. Now, you'll be meeting our child before I do. He or she will come to the world knowing how much Daddy loves them. That is something very special. Stop apologizing, save you strength."
Eddie gave Jamie's hand a gentle squeeze, sitting on the edge beside Jamie. With her free hand Eddie brushed a hand through his hair.
Jamie blinked trying to look up at her taking in a deep breath. "Eddie, sit the bed up," he managed to croak. Nodding Eddie pulled the bed so it was on an angle and helped Jamie sit up.
Jamie slowly reached an arm around Eddie with his other hand in hers resting on her stomach. "I was going to teach him how to play football."
"What if it's a girl and besides you're a Jets fan." Eddie smirked at the attempted cocked eyebrow from Jamie.
"Very funny," he said smiling through the intensifying pain. Eddie watched as his blood pressure and heart rate dropped.
Eddie nodded to Linda. She came closer to the bed and kissed Jamie on the cheek. "I love you like you were my own brother, I'll miss you."
Jamie nodded, he knew he was dying, saying goodbye was just as hard on him as it was on the other family members. Eddie felt Jamie's hand hold onto her. She felt him put more strength in his grip even as the pressure in his grip drifted off.
While Eddie and Linda were inside, Danny had called Henry to bring the boys and Nikki. Frank had placed a call to Renzulli knowing the Sergeant would want to see his old boot before God called him.
Erin and Nikki went in next. Jamie tried to joke and smile to keep up a positive front but it was proving to be too much for his already taxed system. Eddie wet a soft cloth and wiped it across Jamie's forehead, anything to soothe this horrible time. In between visitors, Eddie helped Jamie drink and tried her best to make him comfortable.
Henry and Frank came together, Henry was bearing this so that he could support his son. Eddie could see the lines of pain on Frank's face, the last thing he wanted was to bury another boy. Frank held tight to Jamie's hand watching the monitors and Jamie's face. It was growing more and more pale and drawn. "Jamie, it's okay son," Frank soothed. "Eddie and the baby will be okay, we'll all be that much better with you up there watching over us."
Jamie drew a shallow breath, eyes rolling back in his head. "Danny…I need Danny."
Frank stood up and placed a gentle kiss on Jamie's forehead. "I love you, my Jamie," he whispered. "I'll see you soon."
Henry held Frank's arm as they went to the waiting room. "Danny, Jamie's asking for you," Frank said his voice cracking with tears.
"How's Eddie holding up?" Danny asked seeing with his own eyes how his father was handling this horrible time.
"Not a single tear," Henry bragged on the girl he'd come to see as his own daughter. "At least not in front of anymore. That girl isn't just a Reagan by marriage, she's got it in her blood."
Danny nodded and headed back to his brother's hospital room.
"Danny's coming Jamie," Eddie whispered. "He's coming, I know you need to talk with him."
"Ooh…" Jamie moaned in pain trying to move. His legs didn't move at all, the bullet next to his spine saw to that. It was getting more difficult to breathe. Jamie knew he didn't have long but he had to see his brother.
"I know," Eddie cooed kissing Jamie's clammy forehead. "I know." Eddie wasn't' sure how much longer Jamie could hold on; she wasn't sure how much longer she could watch him suffer.
Danny pushed the door open and put on a brave fake smile. "Hey, Kid," Danny whispered taking Jamie's free hand. "Heard you were wanting to see you older brother."
Jamie took a long shaking breathe, feeling his chest muscle spasm. "Remember the wedding…" Jamie rasped. "You promised."
Danny bit his lip as he felt tears start to run down his cheeks. "I remember baby brother," Danny replied. "I remember what I promised, and I'm going to keep it. Eddie and your baby won't want for a thing."
Jamie smiled and shut his eyes taking a shuttering breath, intense nerve pain overtaking him. "I know it hurts. Little brother. I know. Don't worry about your wife, don't worry about anything. Do you see Joey and Mom?"
Jamie smiled and nodded but didn't speak. "Then you fly…" Danny told Jamie gently. "You fly home Jesus. Tell Mom and Joe I love them okay? We'll miss you so much."
Danny kissed Jamie's cheek then looked Eddie, "I'm just going to be in the corner keeping my promise to Jamie, just pretend I'm not here."
Eddie nodded, "Help me lower the side of the bed?"
Danny lowered the rail and helped Eddie get her awkward pregnant body onto the bed. Eddie laid her head next to Jamie's letting him massage her belly with small weak touches. Hours passed, Frank and Henry visited again, Erin stopped in once more, but neither Danny nor Eddie left the room.
Just before sunrise, Jamie drew a long breath and let it out with a soft moan. Eddie leaned up on her elbow and met his wide eyes. Jamie tried to speak but it only came out as soft, "Aah…Uh…"
"It's okay," Eddie said gently. "You don't have to talk. I know what's in your heart. I know you love me."
Jamie closed his eyes in a long slow blink, the only way he was capable of affirming Eddie's words. "I love you," Eddie whispered. "We love you. It's okay to let go Jamie, I'm going to be okay, the baby is going to be okay."
Jamie opened his eyes, slowly and offered Eddie a small smile…that was the last thing he did before the monitor flat lined announcing Jamison Reagan was no more.
Eddie began to sob as soon as she was sure Jamie was gone. Danny moved in from his post in the corner of the room and put his arms around Eddie holding her close to him trying to absorb the pain. Danny cried as he held Eddie in his arms, his nephew or niece kicking against him as he did. "You were so brave, Eddie. So brave…I'm proud of you, Eddie."
"I want to…go see your Dad and Pop…" Eddie managed. "Just let me stop crying."
"Eddie, there's no shame in it. Dad's going to cry, Pop will cry…there's no shame in it. Your husband died." Danny kept his tone very gentle, but Eddie took a breath and put her back up. "No, I have a promise to keep."
Eddie kept her promise to Jamie, bearing up and biting back her tears. She promised her husband to be strong and she would not fail him. Through the wake, the funeral, and the days after Eddie kept up a brave front in front of the Reagan family. She knew the pain they were all experiencing losing a son, grandson, brother, and uncle.
Only in front of Danny would Eddie show her true emotions. Danny went over to their apartment every night after tour and every night he would find Eddie curled in the big easy chair, dressed in Jamie's pajamas or sweats, in tears.
Danny would sit with Eddie, hold her tight and rock her for sometimes hours, then Eddie would do the same for him. They were both suffering in a virtual wall of silence trying to bear up for everyone else. "I miss him," Danny confessed to Eddie. "We were ever the best of friends, but he was my kid brother, and I loved him."
Eddie nodded, "I know you did, anyone who would be here night after night keeping a promise had to love so deeply Danny."
"You going to be okay? You just passed thirty weeks now huh?"
Eddie nodded, "Yeah, Pop volunteered to be my labor coach, wasn't that cute?"
Danny smiled, "That was sweet but Pop doesn't drive."
"I know that's why, Danny, I'd like to ask you to drive us when the time comes. Would you be able to do that? If this baby's father isn't here to welcome him or her, I want the Godfather to be."
Danny smiled broadly and reached out to give Eddie a hug. "Absolutely, I'll be there. I have a promise to keep."
Over the next several weeks, as Eddie grew she rubbed her growing belly, spending time telling stories about Jamie to the active little one inside of her. When reaching her ninth month she simply lay on the chair, too big to do much of anything. Frank, Erin, Henry, and of course Danny took turns staying at the apartment helping the expectant Mom through the last rough weeks. Unfortunately for Eddie, when the baby decided to come, no one was there.
Slowly but surely the family was moving on from the loss of Jamie. Frank, Eddie, and Danny were stuck in a wave of grief, but even they were looking to the future. It had been almost three months since they lost Jamie.
"Go fish!" Sean laughed when Danny asked him for any "sevens". Danny was enjoying playing with his kids and settling back into life, though his presence was often not appreciated by his wife. Since Jamie died, Linda was more protective over the children and more demanding when it came to communication from him on the job. It was more stressful then Danny remembered with very little support in his grief, and more and more pressure than he remembered.
As Danny fished his phone rang. "Danny," Linda warned the shot a look at their sons. Danny ignored the look and checked his phone, "Hey, Eddie…" Danny listened to his sister-in-law. "Okay, okay, yeah, I'm on my way, I'll grab Pop."
"Sorry guys, I've got to go," Danny told the boys. "Your little cousin is going to be born, Aunt Eddie is going to the hospital."
"Danny, Frank or Erin can be there for Eddie, you and I can take the boys tomorrow as a family," Linda offered.
"I'm sorry, Linda," Danny replied. "But I have a promise to keep."
With that, Danny grabbed his keys and sped off to Brooklyn to help with the bittersweet welcoming of the newest Reagan.