Jamie sighed and rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands. It had been years since he'd studied his law books. What had he been thinking? In his mind, he remembered the hearing on Thursday afternoon, the voice of Eddie's lawyer playing in his mind.

"When someone gets thrown under the bus here, d'you think it'll be Prince Charming or Princess Nobody?"

The words echoed through his memory. Even before the jab, he'd been wary of their counsel. He knew any PBA-appointed attorney would be over-worked and over-loaded with cases. And he felt too strongly about this situation to let someone half-ass a hearing because they didn't have anything left to give. After Eddie's lawyer made it clear that he was unwilling to cooperate with their decision on a unified defense, and his own expressed her doubts that they'd even win, Jamie had known he couldn't let them continue. What kind of defense lawyer didn't even pretend to believe in their clients? Jamie chewed on the corner of his lip, thinking back to that moment.

"The facts show we did nothing wrong!" He insisted vehemently, on the verge of frustration as he looked from Eddie to his counselor. The middle-aged woman beside him was talking, but he was only half listening. Suddenly, an idea sparked. Jamie hesitated just a moment before leaning over to Eddie.

"This is ridiculous," he whispered, "They don't even care. I could do better than this in my sleep."

Pulling away, he met Eddie's skeptical gaze. She was frustrated, he could tell, but enough to go along with his plan? Do you trust me? He asked with a look. For a moment she didn't respond, her blue eyes searching his face. But then she nodded. He nodded back before standing up to request the dismissal of their counsel.

A knock on his door jolted Jamie out of his thoughts. Clearing his throat, he stood up to answer it.

"Hey, partner!" Eddie greeted him cheerfully, a six-pack of beer balanced precariously atop the box of pizza in her hands. "I thought you might need a break."

He let out a small laugh and nodded, stepping back to let her inside his apartment. Jamie snagged the beers off the top of the pizza box as she passed, closing the front door. He followed her to his kitchen and put the beers down on his counter. Taking out a couple, he popped the tops and then handed her one.

"Thanks," he smiled.

"It's the least I can do, considering you're going to save our asses in court on Monday."

He gave her a tight-lipped smile and took a long drink of beer. It was nice to hear her confidence in him, but he wasn't entirely sure it was warranted. What if he'd bitten off more than he could chew? Eddie handed him a slice and raised her beer.

"To victory!"

"To victory," he laughed, clinking the glass of his bottle against hers. Jamie shook his head and leaned against his counter. What if he failed? No, he pushed the self-doubt away, you know what to do. You have a good case, don't doubt yourself now.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, jerking his chin toward her to indicate her ribs.

"When is everyone going to stop asking that? I'm fine. I swear."

"You bruised your ribs falling down those stairs, don't—"

"I'm in pain, okay? But I'm handling it. Please stop asking."

"Okay," he conceded, shaking his head in exasperation.

They enjoyed their meal in silence for a while. Eddie was already on her third slice when Jamie spoke up.

"Hey, Eddie…thanks for trusting me."

Across from him she shrugged, taking a long pull on her beer. "You're my partner. I've got your back. And I know you've got mine."

Jamie finished off a third slice of pizza and opened another beer for both of them. Sighing, he crossed over to his couch and sat back down.

"I should get back to this. You staying?"

Eddie shrugged, walking over to the couch with yet another slice in her hand, and thumped down beside him.

"How does it feel, Harvard? Putting that big-name law degree to good use?"

Jamie just rolled his eyes. He reached for one of the books that lay open around him.

"If you're staying than move your ass," he instructed, nudging her side with one hand as he tugged at the book. Eddie shifted, allowing him to slide it out from under her.

"Jamie, why is this so important to you?"

He paused at the question, pen poised above the legal pad on his lap. Sighing, he shook his head and looked up at her. Why did he care about this? Because it wasn't our fault, he thought stubbornly.

"Growing up, I was always told to stand up for myself, for what I believe in. We did nothing wrong, Eddie. It was a horrible situation and its normal to feel guilty about it. But I'll be damned if I'm just going to roll over and let the boss use us as a political scapegoat so that she doesn't have to deal with the fallout. I respect myself and this job too much."

"Okay," she nodded thoughtfully, crossing one leg over the other as she propped her feet against his coffee table. "I can respect that. Do you think this is a Reagan thing?"

He scowled. "Reagan thing?"

"Yeah, you know…. Everyone puts you under a microscope, just because your dad's the PC. Do you think if—let's say this happened to Walsh and Reynolds and not us—do you think the boss would still have came down as hard? Do you think people would care as much? Or is this only a big deal because of who did it?"

Sighing, he dropped his pen and took a long drink of beer. She had a point, but he hadn't considered it before.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "But does it really matter? You should know by now that's just the way it is. And whether or not my last name factors into this we still did what we thought was right, what we're trained to do. We shouldn't be punished for doing our jobs."

"True." Eddie nodded absently, pressing her lips together thoughtfully. She readjusted on the couch and tipped her head back to stare at the ceiling.

He had finally settled back into a rhythm, riffling through book after book as his pen scratched against the legal notepad, when Eddie scoffed and dropped her feet to the carpet.

"I can't believe he called me Princess Nobody."

"Hmmm?" He wondered absently, reluctantly dragging his eyes away from the patrol guidebook up to hers.

Eddie rolled her eyes. "Princess Nobody? Really? So maybe my father's a crook. That doesn't make me nobody."

He scowled, unsure of what thoughts had prompted this. Eddie shook her head and tucked her legs underneath her with a huff.

"You're not nobody, you're Eddie."

"Not according to Mr. Lawyer!"

Jamie laughed and reached over to pat the top of her knee. "If you want, you can be my Cinderella."

"What? No! Ugh. Prince Charming," she muttered darkly. "Such bullshit."

"Does this really matter? He was being melodramatic to make a point—a point, which, by the way is invalid. You're my partner. We're a team. And we sink or swim together. My father's job is irrelevant."

"I know, I know." Eddie let out a sigh and then gave him a reassuring smile. "You're right, I'm sorry. Just stressed. I feel useless, Jamie. You're doing all the work here!"

"Last I checked, I am the one with a law degree."

"Oh, whatever!"

She grabbed one of the small throw pillows and tossed it at him. It bounced off his shoulder, flying over the back of the couch. Jamie shook his head in amusement.

"You brought dinner, remember? That's something."

"Doesn't count."

"Fine," he sat back against the couch, looking over at her. "Will it help if we go over the game plan? I'll tell you what I have so far, you tell me if you agree. Deal?"

"Deal."

...

"What happened to trusting me?" Jamie asked, looking over as Eddie fidgeted on the bench beside him.

"I do trust you," she promised. "One hundred percent. It's just…well, what if it doesn't work?"

"Then at least we tried."

She gave a curt nod and a short breath. "Right."

"It'll be fine," he promised.

A door opened to their left and their names were called. Jamie stood up, overcome with the overwhelming urge to grab her hand. He clenched his jaw, fighting it. They were here as partners. He had to stay professional. Settling for a reassuring smile, Jamie led the way into the courtroom with his partner only a step behind.

Jamie sucked in a deep, calming breath as they both sat down. How many times had he stood before a judge and pled his case in clinicals? How many cases had he successfully argued during his short-lived career in law? The nerves from the previous days disappeared, replaced with a calm confidence. He knew their case inside and out. All that was left to do was present the facts and trust that the judge would be fair and impartial.

After he made their case, Jamie sat back down and looked at Eddie. She gave him a small, approving smile. Uncertainty still shone in the depths of her eyes, but he knew it had nothing to with him and everything to do with fear. The moments ticked by agonizingly slow. Jamie resisted the urge to fidget in his seat. He readjusted his tie to keep his hands busy.

"Officers Reagan and Janko," Judge Alexander finally spoke, looking up from his notes. Jamie dared to meet the man's eyes for just a moment. "Despite my qualms about your dismissal of counsel, I have to admit that you presented a solid case. Well done, Officer Reagan."

Jamie nodded, giving the briefest of smiles as he let out a breath of relief. "Thank you, You Honor."

"I've considered your argument and have come to a decision." The judge paused, and he felt his breath hitch. He could feel Eddie doing the same beside him. "I am overruling this suspension. You both are cleared to return to work bright and early tomorrow."

Relief spread through him and Jamie let out a shaky breath. He couldn't help but glance at Eddie, whose face was covered with a smile. She nodded excitedly.

"Good job!" She whispered.

They gathered their things, smiling, and were about to exit the courtroom when a voice called out.

"Officer Reagan."

Jamie paused, turning around to face the judge once more. He was relieved to see the older man's smile. Eddie stopped beside him, waiting.

"Yes, Your Honor?"

"Your sister should be proud. Did she teach you all that?" He gestured lazily with one hand toward the defense table.

Chuckling, Jamie shook his head. "No, Your Honor."

"Then…?"

"He went to Harvard, Your Honor," Eddie said, beaming proudly at him. "Even has the piece of paper to prove it."

The man looked impressed. "A law degree from Harvard? And you're a cop?"

Jamie gave a small shrug. "I decided I wanted to help people before they got jammed up. Or…at least try to."

Judge Alexander nodded appreciatively. "I can respect that. Good luck, both of you."

"Thank you, Your Honor."

He and Eddie found their way to the lobby, where she let out a relieved sigh. Eddie nudged her shoulder against him as she grinned.

"You were amazing!"

"Thanks," Jamie laughed, loosening his tie. "I'm just glad I remembered everything. It's been almost nine years since I considered myself a lawyer."

"Do you ever miss it?" Eddie asked as they exited the building. "You were a natural in there, Jamie. It was impressive."

"Sometimes, yeah."

He squinted into the sun as they descended the stone steps together. "I got into law because I liked it. And sure, I always looked up to Erin. But it was really my mother that influenced it. She never wanted me to be a cop."

"But you did anyway?" She scowled, looking up at him as they reached his car and leaned against it.

"I struggled with it for a while," he admitted. "As a kid all I ever imagined was growing up to be just like my father, my grandfather. Hell, I even looked up to Danny!"

Eddie made a face and they both laughed. "But I knew Mom didn't want that. She was terrified of me getting hurt. I thank God every day that she wasn't here when Joe died. That would have destroyed her."

"Do you think if she was still here she'd be okay with it? With you becoming a cop?"

Jamie chewed on his bottom lip, thinking. Would she? Before joining the academy, he had thought long and hard about that. He had convinced himself that it was okay. That it didn't matter because Mom was gone and she wouldn't have to see him get hurt regardless. But he wasn't entirely sure. He'd like to think that if she hadn't died, if she were still with them and he still decided to join the academy, she would have come around eventually. He had always been able to talk her into anything as a boy. He liked to believe that she would have trusted his judgement after she got over her fear.

"Probably not. But I think, after a while, she would have respected my decision, even if she didn't like it."

"Well. I obviously didn't know her, but I bet she would have been proud of you in there, Jamie."

Sadness hit him like a tidal wave. She would have been proud, wouldn't she? He smiled sadly and nodded.

"Thank you."

"Anyway," Eddie cleared her throat. "We should go out for celebratory drinks! You got plans tonight?"

"All right," he laughed. "Text me the details?"

Eddie pushed away from his car with a nod. "You got it, partner! See you later."

And with that she disappeared, waving goodbye before getting into her car. Jamie smiled softly as he got into his own car and started the engine.

...

Jamie was just about to head out the door when his phone rang. Assuming it was Eddie, he didn't check the screen before answering.

"I'm literally about to walk out my door, Janko, I am not late."

A familiar chuckle crackled through the phone. Jamie paused. That wasn't Eddie…

"Plans with Eddie?" His sister's voice rang out from the other end, amused.

"Oh. Hey, Erin. Sorry," he laughed, pulling on his jacket and grabbing his keys. "What's up?"

"Nothing. I'm just calling to congratulate you on your successful hearing."

"Thanks," he mused. "It was a different experience for sure. It makes me wonder…"

"What life would be like if you decided to stay a lawyer?"

"Yeah."

He closed his door and locked it, pocketing his keys and heading for the elevator.

"Is that regret I'm hearing?"

"No," he laughed. Jamie punched the lobby button and leaned back against the side of the elevator. "I'm happy where I'm at. I think it's more…nostalgia. I was happy being a lawyer, too. But I think even if I had stuck it out longer I would have ended up on the beat."

"I have no doubt about that. It's in your blood." She scoffed, "always will be."

He couldn't deny that. Maybe that was why his mother pushed him so hard to go to law school. She was trying to delay the inevitable, for as long as possible.

"Well I won't keep you, obviously you have plans. Just wanted to say I'm proud of you, Jamie. Not only for remembering your courtroom etiquette after nine years, but for standing up for yourself. For Eddie."

"Thanks, sis."

"Anyway," she laughed, clearing throat. "I'll let you go. See you Sunday."

"Okay. See you then, Erin."

They both said goodbye and he checked a missed text message for the bar he was supposed to meet Eddie at. A small crowd had gathered by the time he arrived. He immediately found Eddie close to the bar surrounded by a few fellow officer friends. A few of Eddie's other friends were there too. He had almost reached the group when she turned to see him.

"Reagan!" She exclaimed, pushing through a few friends to rush forward and throw her arms around him. "'Bout time!"

"Hey," he laughed, returning her enthusiastic hug. "What I miss?"

She dragged him back to the group by the arm, completely ignoring his question as she grinned at the others. Walsh slapped his back and muttered congratulations as he passed.

"I just won at darts!" Eddie beamed at him. "Care to challenge me?"

"Uh—"

Before he could respond, a familiar—but less than welcome—figure appeared carrying to pint of beer in each hand. Barry. His stomach clenched and he had the sudden urge to punch something. What was he doing here?

"Here you go, babe," Barry said, handing Eddie one of the drinks and kissing her cheek. Did Jamie imagine the fleeting glance Barry threw in his direction?

"Oh. Thanks! Jamie's here. And about to get his ass kicked at darts."

He did his best to give her a cocky smile, to act like he wasn't pissed that he had to share their victory with Barry. He's her boyfriend now, he reminded himself. Jamie gathered a handful of green darts and turned to Eddie.

"Excuse me, but I'm the reigning champion. I think you're the one whose ass is about to be kicked."

Jamie took in a deep breath and tried not to feel the aching of his chest. You had your chance, he reminded himself. Eddie had come to him, told him flat out that she had feelings for him. And he'd confessed that he felt the same. But then he'd been an idiot and insisted that they should stay partners. Platonic, professional partners. This is your own fault, he thought, jaw clenched as he threw the first dart. Dumbass. As long as Eddie was happy, that was all that mattered. He finished his turn and nursed a beer while he watched Eddie throw her darts.

Barry hovered at her side, taking every opportunity and excuse he could find to touch her. What would Jamie give to be able to do that? To give in, to stop fighting, to break the rules for once in his life. He wanted to break the rules for her. Except now it was too late. Barry was back and he wouldn't be the guy to get in the way of that just because he was miserable. He couldn't do that to her. Enough men had treated her like crap in her life. Jamie refused to be one of them. Even if it meant he was only hurting himself.

"Dammit!" Eddie's last dart narrowly missed the bullseye, the one spot she needed to match if she was to beat him.

He managed to put on a triumphant smile just as she turned, huffing. Jamie shrugged lazily and drank his beer calmly.

"Better luck next time, Janko."

She sighed, but she was still smiling despite the disappointment. Barry leaned forward and whispered something into her ear. She laughed brightly, the sound making his heart ache even more. Jamie swallowed against the lump in his throat. He glanced down at the dregs of his beer before tipping the glass back and draining it.

Bitterly he thought about the information he had discovered throughout his research for their case. There was no official rule about partners being in a relationship. When he realized what he'd stumbled upon he had quickly gone over every book regarding NYPD policy and patrol codes he could find. There was nothing. Sure, it was a logical rule for obvious reasons. But if it wasn't an official rule than he had a chance—to convince his father, his grandfather. Chances were, they would never agree to him and Eddie staying patrol partners if they ever progressed their relationship past professional. But if they didn't have an official basis for their argument than at least Jamie had a bit more leeway to try.

It was only his luck that now he'd discovered a light at the end of the tunnel she was too far to reach.