I just want to thank everyone who had reviewed, you are so fabulous, and honestly I don't know what I would do without your kind words. I just want to throw out a special thank you to Dana Hale who is a constant reviewer, also Amina who wrote a very sweet comment last chapter. Sorry this took so long but I just quit one of my jobs so I have a lot more spare time. I love you all, thank you so much. Layna
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"Reagan, hey," Dennis called as he pulled on his jacket. Danny smiled and walked into the hospital room that was soon to be vacant, Dennis was being discharged today.
"Hey Denny, thought I'd come see you off and make sure you won't be using your attack as a sympathy card at the next poker game."
"Ha ha Reagan, I don't need sympathy I can kick your ass any time in a poker match." He stood up with the assistance of his wife only to be carefully seated in a wheelchair. "How's your kid brother doing, Eddie has been giving me updates though they haven't seem to be anything progressive."
"He's alive," Danny gave a sad smile.
"I'm sure he will be okay, he is a Reagan after all," Leslie smiled.
"Thank you Leslie, I believe so too." He lied, he was terrified, sure the Reagan men were strong but they weren't invincible, hell they lost Joe seven years ago and he fought for a full day before he passed away."Hey I'm surprised Janko isn't here to walk out with you," Danny noticed the missing member.
"Me too, she told me she would sure be here before she left last night."
"I'm sure she is trying to track down Hillgar, I was actually leaving to go help her and Baez."
"Who's with Jamie?"
"Renzulli, he had off today and volunteered to stay with him."
"I trust Tony, I just hope you can wrangle in Hillgar soon, I'd like to live out retirement in piece."
"Retirement," Danny was surprised Dennis was only 57.
"This stab would did some damage to my ticker, I got offered a desk job but honestly I'm tired and I think I ran my course but they gave me full benefits and my pension."
"That's great Dennis; let's just hope Jamie doesn't join you at 33."
"Nah, he's young, he will be okay Danny."
"I hope so but for now I have to go catch this scumbag, keep you and my kid brother safe." He moved to the door, "maybe you could let me win next poker night for saving your ass."
"Hey I need recuperation time, you get one freebee," Danny laughed. "Hey if you see Janko tell her thanks for stopping by."
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Eddie yanked hard trying to free only to be denied her freedom, she screamed in frustration as she fell to the cold basement floor that Adam locked her in. She did not know where she was or how long she had been down there all she knew was that she was trapped with a psychotic man. There were no windows in the place no way for her to see the outside world to navigate where in NYC she was if that was where she even was. The last thing she remembered was Adam pushing her through the parking garage with a gun to her side, a quick hit to the head caused her to black out and now here she sat alone.
"Adam!" She screamed. She had tried that for the past, what she thought to be half hour but he did not come downstairs and all she was really doing was losing her voice. She was terrified, she thought of what he was doing if he was not here at this house; he was probably trying to get to Jamie or Dennis. With her free hand she gingerly touched her head, it stung and the side of her face was covered in blood from the wound he created from the pistol whip to the head. A jingle of keys caused her to stand again this time she moved closer to the wall, trying to distance herself from him.
He appeared in the doorway with a bowl and a rag throw over his shoulder, he had a softer demeanor now as if he was now someone caring. He smiled at her, one of the charming smiles he used when they worked together; she squirmed away from him.
"Now Edit, we really need to clean this nasty cut." He dipped the rag in the bowl and began to wipe her face, which she protested.
"Don't touch me!" She said shoving him with her free arm.
"There is no need to throw a temper tantrum; I'm just trying to help."
"I don't want your help, you are the one who gave this to me; you are a monster."
"A monster, really, I don't think I am, all I am trying to do is make this work."
"Make what work, you and I are not a thing!" This made him angry and he swiftly backhanded her across the face causing her to let out a yelp of pain.
"See what you make me do, I don't want to hurt you but if you are going to continue to fight me I will have to."
"Just let me go Adam, this is not how you treat someone you like, you're a cop for God sakes!"
"I think you need to calm down, maybe you can stay here and think it over, you will love me Eddie, we were just meant to be."
"No we aren't, I don't love you, I love Jamie," She yelled back. She instantly regretted it as she saw the fury build up inside him only to have a sinister smile cross his face.
"Well then I guess we will have to fix that now wont we."
He carefully set down the bowl and turned to the only exit. "Adam, please, think about this, please," She screamed it but it was too late he closed the door behind him and she listened to him lock it. What had she just done she thought to herself as she began to sob.
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Nicki closed her textbook in frustration; law school was going to be a pain in her ass. She put her books on the floor and sprawled out in the chair, she really needed a break.
"I don't know Uncle Jamie, am I really supposed to be a lawyer?" She wished he could answer, he of all people knew about questioning a career choice. To be honest she knew that if he was awake and could talk to her he would say that she was smart and it was up to her, what her heart told her. She smiled and grabbed his hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Uncle Jamie, I know you're a fighter, we need you here, I need you here to see me through law school, see me succeed, you and Uncle Danny are two very important men in my life, and you two have been better father figures than my own." A tear trickled down her cheek but she held a small smile, "Don't tell Mom I said that, I think she would get too much joy knowing she is doing a really good job."
"As she should, it's a mother's mission in life to feel that way." Nicki jumped at the sudden arrival of her Aunt Linda who gave her an amused grin. Nicki quickly wiped the tears from her face and straightened up. "You don't have to hide that you're afraid, I am too, and I will admit that I've cried at least every three hours."
"I just can't imagine life without him; any losses in our family would be devastating."
"Like your Uncle Joe's, it tormented us, but Jamie is still hanging in there, I just talked to his doctor his brain activity has been on a steady rise." It had been a terrifying when the doctor first walked in to tell the family how Jamie had hypoxia, he had been on the out for almost two hours before Erin found him, he had lost a couple of liters of blood and that coupled with hypoxia had messed him up. He was no fighting for his life and slowly but surely he was winning but he was far from okay, far from out of the woods.
"That's good, I just will feel better when he wakes up and yells at all of us for fussing over him."
"Has Eddie been in today?"
"No, I am sure she is on the case."
"Yeah probably," She said unconvinced. She called Danny and he had told her Eddie hadn't been in yet, he reassured her that Eddie was probably with Jamie and now that Nicki just convinced that she felt uneasy. "You know what honey I'm going to give your uncle Danny an update, think you can stay a few minutes longer?"
"Yeah my class doesn't start for another two hours." Linda smiled and exited the room waving to Renzulli and Amelia. "I'll be right back, keep an eye on them."
"Of course Linda, with my life," Renzulli smiled. She gave him a quick one back as she pulled out her phone and hit Danny's number.
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"Okay, no I will I promise," Baez could sense the worry in Danny's voice as he spoke to Linda. "Okay, I love you too, bye." He flipped his phone shut and slammed his hand on the desk.
"What's wrong, is Jamie okay," Maria asked in concern.
"The kid's fine; Baez have you talked to Eddie today?" A look of dread passed over her face as she caught on to the bad news he had just received.
"Oh god, no, I haven't." It took them two seconds to jump up and run out the door.
"We were so worried about Dennis and Jamie that we forgot to leave someone with Eddie." He quickly buckled in and started his car before squealing off the curb and taking off towards Eddie.
"Danny she refused the protection," Baez felt just as bad but Eddie had denied any police protection.
"I know but we should have at least told her she had to stay with Jamie."
"She would have rather stayed on the case."
"And look where that got her," He took a quick left turn on to Eddie's street pulling the parking break up and exiting the car. Baez called in back up as they sprinted up the stairs to her apartment. The door was ajar, definitely not a good sign, Baez slowly pushed the door fully open, there were no signs of forced entry but there were subtle little hints of struggle, a picture on the call slightly crooked, a glass knocked over but no blood. They cleared the apartment and met back in her living room.
"Her purse is here, wallet, gun and keys; he took her here now the question is where." With Eddie now missing the stakes were higher, Adam now had a captive, one who he could hold over them in exchange for his freedom.
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"No Pop, you can't do that, its cheating and you wouldn't want to teach your grandsons cheating would you?" Linda and the boys sat with Henry playing some ridiculous game that the boys had chosen.
"It's not cheating it's just expanding the rules."
"Oh come one Pop, no way its cheating," Jack said putting his phone down for a minute.
"Fine," Henry grumbled moving his piece five spaces. Linda stood up and stretched, she had been sitting forever and she began to feel stiff. A nurse entered the room, she was new, she must have been Linda had never seen her around.
"Hi… Greta," Linda read her nametag as the nurse made her way to Jamie.
"Hello, Mrs. Reagan, how are we doing today?"
"Fine, I wasn't aware there was a shift change, where is Louis?"
"He had a family emergency, I'm covering for him," She looked over her vitals in his chart.
"How long have you been here for?"
"I've been here for years; actually I started on the second floor before making it here in the ICU."
"I've never seen you around." Linda looked at her unconvinced of this woman's story.
"We must just miss each other; do you work on this floor?"
"No I work in ED, for many years, I'm a nurse," Greta, who now had her back toward Linda, stiffened slightly at the mention of being a nurse. "You know his vitals were taken twenty minutes ago."
"Dr. Liebermann asked for them again."
"Right, listen I think maybe another nurse should come in." Henry who had been listening now stood up and put the kids behind him.
"A problem Linda," He asked.
"No I just prefer to know my nurses."
"We are very short today; I'm just doing my job."
"I just don't know you, please send Janice in." Greta sighed and walked out.
"What was that about?"
"I just had an uneasy feeling about her." She walked past him and into the doorway in between Renzulli and Amelia. "That woman, Greta, don't let her in here, and please keep an eye on her, I think Jamie is in more danger than we think.
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