Sunday came around a lot faster than Jamie had anticipated. Danny had convinced him that Sunday dinner was just what he needed. Jamie stood outside his father's house where he could tell from the driveway everyone else was already there. Taking a deep breath he walked inside. The smell of a pot roast greeted him as he stepped inside the warm house.

"Hi Jamie." he heard his sister say from the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready soon."

Dinner was served exactly 14 minutes later. It was lively as ever. Danny and Erin were back at it again bickering about something that they would get over before the end of the meal. Nicki quipped in here and there about something that came up in conversation. Jamie wasn't really listening to his siblings until the topic of partners came up.

"Speaking of partners." Frank chimed in. "How's Eddie doing, Jamie?"

For some reason he couldn't really say, this really angered Jamie. His father only mentioning one of his fallen officers in passing, as a second thought.

"Fine." Jamie muttered trying to hold his tongue.

"Are you okay, son?" Frank asks.

That did it for Jamie. He could no longer hold his tongue.

"NO!" Jamie yelled. "I"m not f**king okay!"

Hearing the outburst from Jamie silenced the whole table. Forks clattered against plates as they dropped as the family sat in complete shock.

"My partner is dying!" Jamie yelled." And you ask if I'm okay?! How the hell can I be okay?! I should be there with her! Not here where everything in your life is f**king fine and dandy!"

Slamming his hands on the table Jamie stood up and stormed out of the room. The family stared at each other for a moment when Frank stood up and followed his youngest child out of the room leaving the rest of the family in complete silence.

-BB-

Frank found Jamie out on the deck staring out at the yard. He silently walked up beside his son. At first neither said anything. They just looked out at the big backyard. Finally Jamie spoke.

"I'm sorry Dad." Jamie said. "I didn't mean to explode like that."

"I know you're scared and upset but you can't take it out on your family." Frank tells him.

"I'm really scared, Dad." Jamie tells him. "I can't lose her, she's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Frank put his arm around him and pulled him close.

"When Lenny took one to the neck I nearly lost him and a lot like you I took it out on other people." Frank tells him. "The hurt that I felt was nothing like I have ever felt before."

Jamie's vision started to blur as tears filled his eyes. Trying to be a man he quickly wiped them away but he wasn't fast enough and a tear slipped down his cheek.

"Dad." Jamie says. "I think I love her. More than just a partner."

"I know bud." Frank says. "And that's okay. You can't help who you love. I know that when someone you love is dying it hurts so much it feels like you're dying."

"What do I do, Dad?" Jamie asks.

"You lean on the people who love you." Frank says. "They'll hold you up and have your back. In your case, they're right through that door."

"Thanks Dad." Jamie mumbled as he hugged him. "Please don't tell them that I cried."

"I won't." Frank says. "Are you ready to go back inside?"

"Yeah." Jamie said.

With that the two went inside just as two little snowflakes fell just where they were standing.