A/N Now that we are on the summer hiatus I thought a fanfic would be fun. Hope you enjoy!

"Hey, it's almost eleven thirty," Eddie announced glancing at her watch. She and Jamie parked the patrol car to walk a beat for a few hours and get some exercise in the spring sunshine, covering the west block of their area. "Eighteenth Street is the next street over. That means we're not too far from Wong's and Dugan's Barbeque," she added, "and they both have Thursday specials. Whaddaya up for, Reagan? Chop sticks or sticky fingers?"

Jamie smiled. Her voice was bright and cheerful just like the weather. Even with her black police hat on he could see the sun shining off stray wisps of blond hair around her forehead that had escaped being pinned up underneath it. He felt happy. Happy because the radio had been quiet and happy to be outdoors on a beautiful, sunny day. And happy to be with his partner, whose blue eyes were the same color as the sky, which he never failed to notice. "I picked yesterday." He said. "It's your call."

Eddie thought about it. She knew he liked salads at lunch and remembered that Wong's always had a fresh, extensive salad bar this time of year. Plus they had left the RMP just up the street from there. "I haven't had a pot sticker in ages and we haven't seen Mr. Wong in a while, either."

"Wong's it is," Jamie agreed. "Let's take the short cut up here on the right—the alley way that connects over," he said reaching for the radio fastened to his shoulder. He turned his head to call in their position. "Central, Twelve-David—show us ten-sixty-three at Eighteenth and South Grafton." He looked back at her. "Hey, doesn't Wong's have that amazing salad bar this time of year?"

Eddie smiled inwardly to herself and gave an unassuming nod. "Now that you mention it, I think you're right."

He shot a look at her, slightly suspiciously, as they turned in to the alley. "Did you plan…?"

Without warning Eddie suddenly held up a hand to quiet him, her head poised to one side. "Wait. Hold on." She stood quietly, listening for something. "Did you hear that?"

Jamie paused a few feet in front of her. "Hear what?"

She cocked her head to one side. "It's a squeaking sound. You don't hear that?"

His eye's looked around as he tried to hear the noise in the shadowy canyon of the brick buildings around them—straining to hear whatever caught her attention. He shook his head, "I don't hear…." He stopped. "Wait, yeah. There," he said, looking up in front of them. "I think I heard something. A bird maybe?"

She shook her head. "I think it's coming from that dumpster up there," and pointed a few yards further up the alley where a blue trash receptacle stood holding up a brick building. Stepping around him Eddie started walking toward it, with Jamie in tow. She bent her head and listened and there it was again… Small, indecipherable, faint cries for help.

Together they pulled the dumpster a few inches away from the damp brick wall so Eddie could crawl behind it. "I see it! God, it's a kitten!" She said excitedly, bending down and reaching behind the dumpster. "Come here little one," Eddie murmured as she moved between the wall and the giant canister, her hand out stretched to a tiny black kitten with dirty white paws.

"Be careful." He kept one hand on her back, peering over her shoulder. "You got it?"

"Yeah, here she is." Eddie cooed in a gentle voice as she lifted up the small black and white kitten with white whiskers and markings on its face. "Oh, Jamie, look how tiny she is." She cuddled the little kitten in her hands. "Poor thing is soaking wet, probably from water coming off the drain pipe."

He looked upward and sure enough there was a pipe running from the roof down the side of the building. "I think you're right." He pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket. "Here, wipe it off with this."

"Thanks." Eddie examined the small animal as she gently rubbed its fur. "Oh, Jamie, it must only be a few weeks old."

"Yeah, it looks pretty young. Maybe its mother is nearby?"

They both glanced around but the alley was cold and deserted. "Doubtful," she added. "I think this little girl is all alone in the world."

He craned his neck to look at the backside of the kitten and smiled. "Little boy, actually."

"Really?" Eddie looked surprised as she carefully turned the kitten over in her hands to examine it.

"Pretty sure."

"Oh, you're right!" She propped the kitten back up again in her palm and held him against her chest to warm him up. "He looks like that cat in the cartoons, Sylvester. Remember that? Sylvester?" She looked the kitten in the face. "Hey, that would be a good name for you. Let's call you Sylvester." The kitten blinked back at her revealing its blue eyes.

Jamie tenderly rubbed the kitten's ears. "He's a tiny little guy to be all alone." The kitten purred at his touch, making him smile. "He's really cute. Looks like he's in pretty good health, too." He glanced at Eddie and could see she was warming up to the animal and he felt inclined to caution her. "We should take him to the animal shelter on the way back to the precinct, Eddie."

She cuddled Sylvester who purred against her and she spoke as they started walking again. "But the shelter has so many cats, Jamie. What if nobody wants him?"

He empathized with her worry. This time of year animal shelters overflowed with cats, but he tried to convince her anyway. "He's a kitten. He'll be adopted within the week."

She looked down at Sylvester whose eyes began to droop with sleep. "Poor thing. Probably hasn't eaten or been warm in days. Hey, maybe Mr. Wong has some milk we could give him?"

Jamie sighed and reached over and stroked Sylvester's soft black ears. "Yeah, I'm sure he does…and then we can take him to the shelter." Somehow he knew his words were falling on deaf ears.

~~88~~88~~88~~

Wong's was busy with the lunchtime crowd and Jamie and Eddie shared a small table in the front window, near the main door. Jamie's fork speared a crisp Romaine lettuce leaf and part of a tomato in his salad. He watched as Eddie took a bite of another pot sticker and gently petted Sylvester who was on the table between them, crouched over a small saucer of cream Mr. Wong provided. "You're keeping him, aren't you?" He could see it in her eyes and the way she cooed over the kitten. Her compassion and desire to help others in need were part of what he admired about her...what drew him to her. Maybe, he wondered, it's what drew her to him?

"Well, why not?" She said in an amused tone. "I could use a man in my life and cats are good roommates. They're self-sufficient."

"Is that what women want in a man? Self-sufficiency?"

Eddie eyed him sensing the double meaning in his voice and his question. "It just means it's easier with my shift work. Besides, maybe it was fate that took us down that alley? Maybe I was meant to help this little baby?" She smiled and ran several fingers over the soft downy fur on Sylvester's back and the kitten pressed up against her hand, small white drops of cream dripping from his mouth. Eddie poked a finger in to her napkin and carefully dabbed away the mess and whispered, "What do you think Sylvester? Do you want to come home with me?"

Jamie smiled and shook his head, taking another bite of salad. "Well at least before you keep him you should have a vet check him out just in case. I can help cover the vet bills."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. We found him together, so I'd like to help." He took another bite of his salad and playfully squinted. "But we can't call him Sylvester, Eddie. It's kind of a geek name."

Her face filled with a sarcastic smile. "Sylvester's not a geek name, Jamie. Look at Sylvester Stallone."

"Exactly. And he goes by Sly." He took a sip of water. "The little guy needs a better handle." He had an amused look in his eyes. "Sly. Now that's a guy's name."

"Sly?" Eddie looked back down at the kitten, which leaned up and rubbed his face against her jaw leaving creamy kisses on her cheek. "I still like Sylvest..."

The world was stopped by the sound of screams and a gun shot. Eddie and Jamie quickly shared a knowing glance and scrambled out of their seats. They headed for the door as Mr. Wong frantically appeared in the doorway. "A man in a black ski mask!" He shouted, pointing up the street. "He just ran out of the bank next door!"

As Jamie began running out the door behind Eddie, he pulled on the radio. "Central this is Twelve David! We have a ten-thirty in progress! Requesting back up at Midtown Bank on Eighteenth Street!"

Eddie was already further up the street than he was. She yelled over her shoulder. "I'll follow him!" She shouted. "You cut him off on nineteenth!" She added motioning her arm and pointing down a small side street.

"Yeah! Got it!" Jamie took the turn up the access road and disappeared.

Eddie caught up with the perp. He appeared to be a tall, muscular male suspect in a zip up flight suit and a ski mask. "Stop" She called out. "Police! Drop your weapon!"

The ski mask kept running but glanced over his shoulder, eyeing her. He spotted the turn on the next street up and knew he could get out on 19th.

Her determination to take him down pushed her legs faster as she followed him around the corner of 19th, a quiet, uninhabited street. "Stop or I'll shoot!" Her voice reverberated between the buildings.

That brought the perp to a stop. He turned and instead of evading her he lunged at her. Eddie pulled her baton out and shook it open. He grabbed it and jerked her to her knees, trying to pull it out of her hands. Eddie got her footing back and kicked him in the knee cap and the perp shrieked in pain. "Stop!" She yelled again.

The ski mask reached for her collar where her necktie was fastened and held her tightly. "Think you can take it bitch?" He growled as his fist slammed in to Eddie's jaw, her head snapping to one side from the force. Bloods splattered from her mouth on to the pavement and he hit her again.

"Stop!" She yelled again, struggling to keep her voice raised and getting back up to her feet. Eddie's free hand reached down and unsnapped her Glock.

He ignored her and used his free hand to pull a gun out of the pocket of his jacket. "You want me, bitch, you have to fight for it!"

Jamie was running as fast as he could and turned up to cut them off but didn't see Eddie or the perp at the corner. Panic set in and suddenly he heard a gunshot, the sound echoing all around and through him. His heart hammered in his chest. It wasn't Eddie's Glock, but something else….a Colt, maybe. "Oh, God!" He panted to himself, short of breath. Despite the pain in his legs he moved even faster finally reaching 19th and looked down to see the perp and Eddie.

The ski mask swung at her again, this time clocking her on the side of her head with the butt of his gun, near her eye. Her head snapped again, causing her blond hair to fall loose and fly in all directions. She found the baton on the pavement and swung again, catching him across his mouth. Blood spurted from his nose. "Stop," she said again struggling to keep her voice raised, but the sound of authority was fading. He held the gun up but she was able to kick it out of his hands, striking him again with the asp.

As Jamie was approaching from up the street he called out. "Stop! Police! Drop your weapon!"

The perp looked up and, catching Eddie off guard, grabbed her by the collar again. He jerked her up and struck her with full force across the face, causing her to go limp.

"Jesus!" Jamie breathed out. "Stop!" He was finally close enough to get the shot.

The ski mask turned and looked at him. Even with the mask on, Jamie could see the blood dripping from his mouth, chin, and eyes. He had retrieved his gun and waved it around, finally pointing it at Eddie's head.

Jamie stopped, his chest heaving as he swallowed gulps of air, his heart pounding. Keep steady, keep steady, keep steady…he told himself. He dropped to one knee and aimed his service weapon and spoke in a quieter voice knowing the perp could hear him. "Stop. Put her down. It's over!"

The ski masked looked over at him and back at Eddie. She was able to open one eye, her expression filled with determination. "If you try to hurt my partner," she whispered in a raspy voice, "You'll be eating a bullet for lunch."

The ski mask began to laugh and pulled her closer to him, his mouth close to hers as though he might kiss her.

Jamie put his finger on the trigger. "Freeze!"

He glanced back at Jamie, still laughing and called out to him. "You want this bitch? You'll have to fight for…"

Before he could finish his sentence the blast of Jamie's gun went off and the bullet slammed through the perp's eye, knocking him off balance. Eddie was dropped to the ground as the man fell to his knees and tumbled over on top of her.

"Eddie!" Jamie rushed up, shoving his gun back in to its holster. He worked to move the large, dead suspect off of her and felt his neck for a pulse. Nothing. He turned his attention to his partner. "Eddie…" He said in a softer tone. Her eyes fluttered open, one swollen shut and covered in blood, but she was still conscious. He reached for his radio and called in for assistance as he knelt down beside her. "Hey," he said more gently, "I called a bus. You okay?"

Eddie nodded and reached a hand out as she let him pull her in to his lap. "Yeah, I think so." Her voice was strained and hoarse. "Did we get him?"

"Yeah." He grinned in relief as he sat down beside her and cradled her in his arms. "You did it, Eddie." He let out a long breath and brushed a hand over her forehead. "You got him." He noticed that her hands were trembling so he took them in his and bent over and kissed them, wanting to hold her closer against him. "It's all over."

Her lips quivered as she let out a nervous laugh. "God, that guy was big." The feel of Jamie's warm hands and arms were bringing her back to life, carefully rubbing and holding her.

He brushed a hand over her hair and spoke gently, his face just above hers. "You were a hero today, Eddie."

"We were…." She said smiling up at him, reaching in to the pocket of her police jacket and pulled out the kitten. "And Sylvester." She looked up and saw the surprise on Jamie's face. Eddie shrugged. "I stuffed him in my pocket as we ran out of Wong's."

His smiled turned in to a laugh as he hugged her tighter against him, the sirens of the ambulance and patrol cars finally approaching. As Jamie held her, his fear and panic were replaced by the comfort that she was safe…they were safe. Sly squirmed between them and he tucked the little cat in to his and Eddie's hands. Footsteps of the EMTs raced toward them and despite her injuries, Jamie looked up and saw the sun reappear.

They could finally feel the warmth of it on their faces again.

A/N Hope you enjoy this one-please let me know what you think. :)