Here's what ran through my head as what happened between the shooting and Sunday Dinner. I have a few other ideas running through my head. I'll continue the story if some are interested and as time allows.
As always, I do not own the characters.
Please review and let me know if you want me to continue!
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Eddie couldn't breathe until Jamie finished handcuffing Donte Sorrento and turned around so she could get a good look at him. Air finally returns to her lungs as she gave his whole body a quick once over to make sure he was really standing in front of her, physically unharmed. Jamie took one stumbling step towards her as the reality of what had just happened, what could have happened to him, came crashing to the forefront of his conscience. That Eddie had just fulfilled the ultimate police duty of being the best partner.
"That was some shot. You saved my life." He said as they both remembered to breathe.
"Jamie," She said, still not believing that he was standing right in front of her, completely fine, "It was like I heard a voice. I swear to God." As if that would explain it all.
"That's called a radio." He said. Trying to make light of the emotional roller coaster they were both experiencing. She could punch him. If she wasn't in shock. If she didn't want to just grab him. And hold onto him. And make sure this was real. Make sure that he was really standing right in front her. She would have punched him.
"No, serious. Like I knew. I knew you were in trouble before you even were. Like I was warned." It all hit her like a ton of bricks. She nearly lost her best friend. She couldn't catch her breath. He nearly died! The way he was looking at her, she knew he was feeling it too. They were so in tune with each other, aware of the others body movements. She knew. She knew as soon as he started leaning towards her. She needed to hold him. To prove to herself that her brain wasn't playing tricks on her.
"Jamie" she said breathlessly, as they fell into each others arms. As they leaned on each other to steady themselves in the reality of the events that had just occurred. Assuring each other that they were both alright. She knew in that moment that their relationship would never be the same. She didn't care in that moment who saw her. She didn't care that she still wore the uniform. The emotions overwhelmed her and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer.
"I'd spend the 5 million on you." They stood in the middle of the street, still holding onto each other, as other squad cars came screeching to the scene. More and more officers rolled in as it spread over the radio that it was not only an officer involved shooting, but that it involved the perp responsible for five homicides. Eddie and Jamie hadn't moved. They stood there holding onto each other like no one else existed. Still holding onto each other to assure themselves they were both still alive. They only pulled apart when Sergeant Renzulli quietly walked up to them and placed his hand on Jamie's shoulder.
"You both ok?" He asks looking between the two of them. Janko rapidly nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Yes sir. All thanks to this one." He said pointing towards Eddie with his thumb and a smirk. Renzulli looked between the two officers again and had a feeling they were going to create extra paperwork for him in the near future. "Glad to hear it. Go get checked out my EMS and wait there for the detective on scene to get your initial statements. Then I'll take you back to the station to meet with the bureau shooting team." They both silently nodded knowing the protocol following a shooting. Eddie handing her gun to him for evidence before walking to the waiting EMTs.
They both had given their statements to the detective assigned the case, assured Renzulli, the paramedics, Danny, who heard the call over the radio, and Frank, who called his youngest after he had been informed by his team, that they were fine. They had been ushered back to the 12th where Jamie, and then Eddie, each had a brief meeting with internal investigative teams about the shooting. They were confident Eddie would be cleared. It was just formality. They'd both have to come back Monday or Tuesday for a more thorough interview. It's not like either of them were going to be busy. With the assassination attempt on Jamie, and Eddie with the standard time off for investigations after a shooting, they'd both most likely have at least a week paid time off.
Jamie had finished and gotten changed long before Eddie was done with her interview yet she found him waiting on a bench just outside of the ladies locker room. Wearing a dark plain T-shirt under that old worn out leather jacket he wore all the time. She couldn't read him. He was hunched over holding his phone but not really looking at the screen. Just staring, obviously lost in thought. She slowly walked up to him, still needing to change out of her uniform.
"Wait for me?" She asked. He looked up at her and simply nodded. He could hear the silent pleading in her question. It was more of a request. Neither wanted to be alone out of fear that an alternate reality would come true. She came back out fifteen minutes later in a simple sweater and jeans that hugged her body in all the right places. Her hair taken out of the perfect work bun and now brushing her shoulders in beautiful waves.
"I'm assuming you want to grab lunch somewhere? We didn't even make it to our meal." By the time they had finished all the paperwork, initial investigation and procedure it was early afternoon. "You must be starving."
She looked up at him and was clearly holding back emotion. "Can we actually just grab something from the corner and go back to your place or something?" She took a deep breath before she continued. "I just... I don't want..."
Jamie cut her off before she had to continue. "Of course. You don't need to explain. I get it. I don't really want to do a sit down restaurant either. We can go back to my place." They walked out of the precinct together. Shoulders millimeters apart. They stopped on the corner, grabbed chips and deli sandwiches and continued onto Jamie's apartment.
As soon as the door to his apartment clicked closed Eddie drew in a deep, ragged breath. The metaphorical guard that she had oh so carefully built up around herself ever since she saw the BMW pull away from the curb that morning came crashing down when it was finally just Jamie and herself. She didn't need to hide her true emotions around him. He could see right through her facade anyway. What would be the point?
"Hey, shh, shhh." He consoled her "Come here."
"Jamie." In one swift motion the sandwiches and her purse were dropped on the couch as she collided with his chest and his arms once again enveloped her body. This time shaking with silent sobs. Her arms came around and grabbed his shirt and held on tight as if at any moment he would disappear and the alternate reality that had been running through her head would come true. "I thought I lost you Jamie. When I saw you go down. I thought you were hit!" She sobbed into the crook of his neck. The last sentence coming out a whisper. As if it were possible, he held her even tighter. Trying to give her the assurance she needed. That he needed as well.
"Now you know how I felt when you were hit in the vest a couple weeks ago." Again, trying to make light of the fact he was nearly assassinated today. This time she did pull back and punch him in the shoulder. As she did though, she made eye contact with him and saw the unshed tears threatening to fall from his eyes. She rested her forehead against his as they held each other's gaze.
"What are we doing?" Jamie paused, collecting his thoughts before he continued. "If today taught me anything it was that life is too short for this crap. I'm erasing this line in the sand we've created for ourselves. You mean too much to me. I'm all in. I never want to let you go." Eddie closed the distance, crashing her lips onto his. The kiss was hungry. Filled with the emotion of nearly permanently losing one another to the dangers of their job. No longer held back by the reservations of screwing up their partnership. With years of pent up sexual tension. Hands started exploring. Eddie got weak in the knees and nearly lost her balance. Jamie took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her waist, spin them both around and back her up against the wall next to the entry closet. A quiet moan escaped her lips. They both had wanted this for so long. His hands found the hem of her sweater and slipped underneath it to make contact with the skin at her waist. Her hands were running through his hair, holding him as close as possible. His hands lowered to the top of her jeans and continued lower grabbing her butt before forcing her hips closer to his. She gladly obliged grinding her hips into his. He responded with a deep groan of his own.
"As much as I love this and where it is going, are your sure?" Jamie whispered.
Eddie looked deep into his eyes. "The greatest risk is not taking one... between the sheets." She said bringing up her fortune cookie from a few weeks prior. He couldn't help but laugh.
"Well then, as many times as I imagined this, the first time we make love was never on the floor of the entryway to my apartment."
"Imagined this a few times have you?"
"Like you haven't." He teased back.
She looks thoughtfully at him for half a second before kissing him forcefully. "Not out of the question in the future?" She asks with a nod to the floor in the entryway.
"Oh there will be plenty of time for that." He responded with a smirk. Eddie giggled as she lead the way to his bedroom.
—-
It was early Sunday morning and something had woken Jamie but he wasn't quite awake enough yet to figure out what it had been. He was suddenly reminded when Eddie kicked him again followed by what sounded like his name. He rolled over to see that her eyes were closed and her breathing was very rapid. She was still sleeping.
"Jamie!" Were those tears on her cheeks? She was having a nightmare.
"Eddie, baby, wake up! I'm here. I'm right here." Eddie's eyes flew open and looked directly into Jamie's. She sobbed as he pulled her into his body.
"Oh my god. It felt so real Jamie. But that time you didn't get out of the car. And then I missed the shot and he got away."
"Shh, I'm right here. I'm fine." Her head resting on his chest. He kisses the top of her head as she listens to his heartbeat. Assuring herself this isn't a dream. "It's going to take more than that to keep me from you now that I've got you." He takes a moment, debating with himself whether he should say it or not. Life is too short. "I love you too much, Eddie." Her head snapped up from his chest to look at him. It was probably just moments but to Jamie it felt like an eternity before she responded.
"I love you too, Jamie!" She wriggled up to give him a deep kiss. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"I pray you never have to find out." He kissed her forehead after he said it. She rested her head back on his chest and that's how she fell back to sleep. With his arms around her, one of her arms laying across his waist, and with her ear pressed against his chest listening to the steady beat of his heart.
—-
Once again Jamie woke up and was reminded of the previous days events. This time because Eddie was still wrapped around his body as if he was never going to get out of her grasp. Both metaphorically and literally. He smiled at the thought. He was perfectly ok with that. He glanced over at the clock on his dresser. It was barely 6am but he was wide awake thanks to his internal body alarm clock. He lay there holding Eddie, reflecting on everything that happened in the last 24 hours. He didn't want to give this up. This yet to be defined relationship he and Eddie had. He wasn't ready to give up their work partnership yet either. He was prepared that it may happen eventually. He would never hold her back if the opportunity for her to be promoted to detective or sergeant presented itself. Maybe they were being selfish and unrealistic. They couldn't have the best of both worlds. Or could they? He knew that patrol guide front to back. Were there written rules about relationships with coworkers? He couldn't remember any specifically but he wasn't exactly looking for them the last time he read through the handbook. Jamie looked over to his nightstand where his iPad lay. Glancing back down at Eddie who was still fast asleep on his chest. He gently reached over to grab the iPad so he wouldn't wake her. With one hand he unlocked the device, searched for the most recent NYPD Patrol Guide, and began his search.
A little over an hour later Eddie startled him when she suddenly asked, "Why the hell are you reading the patrol guide this early in the morning?" He was so intently reading that he hadn't noticed she had woken up.
"It's nearly 8am! It's not that early."
"Too early to be studying the patrol guide! Why are you reading that?" She asked again sitting up against the headboard.
"I always just assumed there were rules. There are none. I've read nearly this entire thing."
"Jamie I need more proper nouns. I don't think I'm following."
"Everyone always insinuated that we would be split up if we wanted to pursue a relationship with each other. There is absolutely nothing in the patrol guide anywhere forbidding married couples to be partners on the job. Only section about any type of relations with coworkers is the sexual harassment section."
"Woah, married? Are we there yet?" Jamie had been worried about scaring Eddie but the fact that she added the word yet to the end of her sentence gave him hope this would work.
"Who are we kidding? We've practically been dating for the last four years! Emotionally anyway." A satisfied grin slowly spread across his face as he added, "And after last night I think we know we're compatible physically as well." He started kissing her up her arm until he pushed himself up on his elbow to reach her lips. She grinned into the kiss in agreement.
"I hear you but even if it isn't a written rule in the guide book you know the brass isn't going to go for it. Hell, you really think your Dad will allow us to remain partners?" Eddie watched him as the wheels started turning in his head again.
"What if we convinced them? Like I said we've been basically dating since we met. I don't think that anything has changed for me in regards to the job. I would have taken a bullet for you before and I think everyone knows that. What if we made promises to each other?"
"Promises." She scrunches up her face. "Like vows? To prove that we can balance a personal and work relationship." He nods in affirmation. Eddie takes a moment to think. She intertwines her fingers with his and rests their joined hands on her knee in between them.
"I'll always have your back." She says, mostly in reference to yesterday's events and any similar scenario that may present itself in the future.
"If you fall behind, I'll wait up." Jamie viewed them as equals. Yes he had been her training officer but now they were equals. Both at work and, now, at home.
"I'll earn your respect and pay you respect every day we have." Her way of agreeing they were equals in every way.
"I'll be your scout, your night watchmen, and your calvary." Jamie respected her as his equal in every way but he still had a strong desire to protect her in every way that he could.
"Your medic, your chaplain, in our army of two." Jamie did not open up freely to many people but he could with Eddie. They were in this together. The two of them.
Jamie pauses a moment as a grin slowly spreads across his face. He suddenly breaks into song. "No retreat, no surrender." Eddie let out a howling laugh followed by a little snort as she tried to catch her breath.
"YES! Bruce Springsteen! That's a good one! No retreat, no surrender." She sings in return. "How long you been holding onto that one?" She asks.
"A little while." He says through his smile. He loved being the cause of her happiness. "You can count of me."
"And you can count on me." She finished with a deep kiss. "But seriously how long you been holding onto that Springsteen one?"
Jamie looked down to their joined hands. "Couple months. Ever since you stated going on and on about trying to get tickets to his broadway show really. How long have you been coming up with some of those? Didn't take you long to think of what to say."
"For a while maybe." She responded with a grin. "More seriously in recent months."
He looked back up into her eyes. "I'm serious Eddie, you're it for me. We work so well together both on and off the job. We're the perfect balance. You're my best friend. I don't have a ring right now but I've never been more sure of anything in this world. Edit Marie Janko, will you marry me?"
"Of course I'll marry you Jamie Reagan! Nothing would make me happier." She answered through a kiss. Grabbing either side of his face with her hands, pulling him down on top of her on the bed where they both had been sitting. The kiss quickly deepened with both tongues and hands exploring.
"Ahh I'm going to be a Reagan!" Eddie suddenly squealed pulling her mouth from his. Peppering kisses all over his face. "Wait, do you care if I hyphen my last name?"
"I honestly don't particularly care what you call yourself as long as you marry me." They continued kissing and exploring and celebrating until Jamie's phone went off twice alerting him to a text. Eddie stretched over to the nightstand to grab it for him.
"It's Danny. 'Lunch is at 1200 sharp. Try not to be late.' I'm late once and suddenly it's a thing." Jamie said, reading the text aloud. "You should come with me. Please?" He adds quickly in response to the look of panic that spreads across her face. "They'll know something's up. I'm too happy after what happened yesterday. They'll just interrogate me until I spill. Please?" He says again.
Slowly the look of panic is replaced with a giddy grin. "I get to attend the famous Reagan dinner?!"
"For the rest of your life."
"With my boss." The grin is replaced with a playful look of disgust.
"Just think of him as your father in law now."
"That doesn't help." She deadpans. "Can I call him Dad?" She then asks through laughter.
"Ha! I think he'd secretly really enjoy that." He whispers and he continues his exploration of her body. He was probably going to be late to dinner again.
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