Hello! Here's the last chapter of this story. Enjoy.
Friday, September 1st, 08:00 pm, Flatiron District
"I really appreciate you doing this, Eddie," Jamie thanked her when he opened the door to his apartment.
"That's what partner's do for each other, but for now you're stuck with me until this rain stops," Eddie said mildly irritated, brushing his gratefulness off as she walked inside and closed the door behind her. Jamie threw his keys on the counter and leaved his soaking wet jacket on the back of a chair. Eddie did the same with her jacket and removed the dripping hair from her face. She looked at Jamie when she realized he had stopped moving. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked with a laugh when their eyes connected.
"We aren't…" Jamie said with a mixture of surprise, relief and disappointment.
"We aren't what?" Eddie asked and twisted her hair over the sink.
"We aren't partners anymore," Jamie said after a pause and Eddie looked at him.
"I know," Eddie sighed dramatically. "Now I get to actually drive the car," she laughed and walked past him, heading for the couch. Jamie smiled after her and retrieved a pair of beers from the fridge and followed her. He handed her one of them and heaved himself down next to her while she flickered through the channels. For a while they did nothing but sip at their beers and look at the TV. Eddie turned it off with a sigh and left the remote on the table when she didn't find anything worth watching.
"I'm hungry," Eddie said all of a sudden.
"Pizza?" Jamie asked quickly and got to his feet to find a menu from a nearby place. The hospital food he had been eating the last twenty four hours hadn't been the best and right now he craved a pizza.
"Definitely…" Eddie complied, "Anything with mushrooms," she continued and moved to the window. Through the rain she could sense the cruiser a bit down the street. It was there to keep an eye on the front door of the building. In the kitchen, she could hear Jamie placing the order and hang up a minute later. Then the phone buzzed and Jamie answered it.
"Danny," Jamie replied with a sigh.
"Hey kid, did you get home in one piece?" Danny asked with a grin in his voice.
"Yeah, everything's good, we just ordered pizza," Jamie replied and glanced through the room at Eddie's back.
"Great, I'm on my way," Danny replied.
"I didn't even invite you," Jamie protested and sighed.
"Doesn't matter, I think I've figured out how to find them," Danny said, whisking away Jamie's protest.
"All right… it better be good," Jamie gave in.
"I promise, I'll make it up to you… and bring beers," Danny offered.
"Yeah, like that's going to change anything," Jamie muttered when he disconnected the call and sighed. "Fifteen minutes… and Danny's coming over," he announced loud enough so that Eddie could hear him and left his phone on the counter when he walked back. He placed his beer on the coffee table and moved over to the window. Looking over Eddie's shoulder, he spotted the squad car outside. "You think they'll do something stupid?" he asked her quietly and she shrugged, finding the reflection of her eyes in the glass.
"They're still out there… and they did get to you once," she said and turned around with worry in her eyes. "You don't think they'll try again?" she asked him and Jamie nodded subtly.
"I have better things to think about, right now," he mumbled and stepped closer and caught her hand in his. Eddie placed her other hand on his chest and looked at her fingers.
"We can't exactly blame it on the alcohol this time," she replied and looked up.
"Does it matter?" Jamie asked and kept his eyes on hers.
"Not anymore," Eddie whispered before their lips met. Breathless, they both took a step back when they heard the knocking on the door. "I'll get it," Eddie said and cleared her throat when she passed him and hurried to the door. Jamie followed her with his gaze for a moment and then walked to the coffee table to retrieve his beer. Eddie opened the door, expecting a delivery guy and froze for a moment when she recognized the man from the sketch, except he was twice the size of her. "REA…" was all she had time to shout when the surprisingly fast man grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into the wall. She fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes, eyes rolling and pink stars clouding her vision. Jamie had turned around in time to see the big man step over Eddie's still form. He recognized the boots and the face from the previous encounter with the man, only a day and a half ago.
"Janko!" he yelled, his pulse already pumping in his ears when he charged at the man. It might not have been the smartest move when he was unarmed and his opponent the size of his father, but he didn't think clearly. He couldn't. He didn't even get to lay a hand on the guy before he was hit in the left side with a fist, big enough to make a few of his ribs crack and send him to the floor.
"You've caused a lot of trouble for my business, Reagan," the man grunted irritated and kneeled next to a panting Jamie on the floor.
"Your business?" Jamie coughed when connecting the dots. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He was looking at the Chief's superior… who wasn't afraid to do his own dirty work, Jamie thought.
"Exactly," the big man said when he saw Jamie's eyes change to one of disgust. "You see, I took over the business from my father, but I started out as just another worker," the man snickered.
"You don't have a business anymore," Jamie replied and saw how the fury in the man's eyes boiled, before he was grabbed by the neck and hauled to his feet.
"Exactly," the big man hissed and squeezed. Jamie couldn't breathe. He clawed at the man's hands and fingers but little did it help. The blackness closed in on him and he saw æ2tiny explosions in his peripheral vision. He couldn't breathe, for Christ sake. Far away in the distance he heard someone yell. He couldn't hear what or who, but someone was there. The blood rushed through his ears and his eyes couldn't see anything now. He couldn't breathe, his mind screamed he was going to die, that he had to do something. He couldn't do anything, his body wouldn't listen, he had to free himself. The next second he could feel himself float midair, until he crashed to the floor. Suddenly he could breathe and he swallowed down the air in big greedy mouthfuls, which made him cough because his throat burned. He felt someone's hands on his chest and shoulders, pressing him down to the floor. He didn't have the strength to fight them anymore and as his vision and hearing gradually came back he realized he didn't have to. Eddie was leaning over him, talking to him, her hands checking him for injuries. A red streak trickled down her chin from her hairline. Jamie couldn't separate the words but he nodded anyway. Another face joined Eddie's above him started talking urgently to him.
"I'm fine, Danny," he wanted to say, but all that came out was a hoarse whisper and a gut wrenching cough.
"Sure you are, kid," Danny replied and padded him on his shoulder. "I'll call it in," he continued to Eddie and got to his feet.
Friday, September 1st, 08:30 pm, Flatiron District
"Go easy on him, Danny," Frank sighed on the line when Danny stepped out of his car, into the rain.
"Of course… it won't be more than ten minutes shoptalk," Danny replied and grabbed the six pack from the other seat together with the folder and two coffee cups. The latter was for the two uniforms in the cruiser.
"Great. Call me back when you are leaving," Frank said. Danny realized he couldn't carry all of it at once and was just about to finish the call when he heard two muffled barks from a gun. Instinctively he ducked and looked at the windows to Jamie's place. His blood froze solid in just a second. "Danny?" Frank almost yelled. He had heard it too.
"I'm fine… call for back up," Danny replied urgently and dropped what was in his hands. He slammed the door and ran for the door. Not even a minute later he had reached the right floor and drew his weapon before he entered the open door to Jamie's apartment.
"Jamie?" he called and noticed how his own voice had changed.
"In here," he heard Eddie call and he quickly moved ahead. Eddie was kneeling on the floor next to a very dazed Jamie. A huge man in had collapsed on the floor in front of them. He had landed on and trashed the coffee table and a bottle of beer was rolling aimlessly around. Danny could see the two shot closely together in the man's back.
"What happened? You all right?" Danny asked them and kneeled on the other side of Jamie when he holstered his weapon. "Don't move, kid," he said and Jamie tried to reply with his usual 'I'm fine'. He would have succeeded if he had had his voice and didn't cough up his intestines.
"Sure you are, kid," Danny replied when the coughing subsided and Danny padded him on his shoulder. "I'll call it in," he continued to Eddie and got to his feet. He forced himself to relax when he heard the approaching sirens. It sounded like there could be a dozen squad cars out there. He guessed that was what happened when the PC called in a 'shots fired, possible 10-13'. Danny grabbed his phone and redialed his last conversation. Before the first ring had finished he heard Frank's voice in his ear.
"Is he all right, Danny?"
"Yeah, he'll be fine…" Danny replied and couldn't stop smiling. He could hear the relief in his dad'. "Looks like Eddie shot the guy, the one from the sketch," he continued and looked at the couple on the floor. Officers spilled in through the door and Danny moved his jacket, so they could see his shield. They too relaxed and one of them called a bus.
"Oh, thank, God," Frank sighed and could almost have laughed.
"Yeah, lucky bastard," Danny replied and disconnected the call when he returned to his brother, now leaning on the back of the couch with an arm wrapped around his chest.
"What did I say last night, about you walking around like a cat with ten lives, huh?" Danny asked with a grin.
"Very funny, Danny... I think we need to go higher," Jamie smiled at his brother before he left again. He turned his gaze to Eddie on his other side. He lifted a hand to examine the cut on her hairline.
"Did I tell you how much I love you, Eddie?" he asked her when he his eyes locked on hers. Eddie froze for a second but then smiled.
"No, we didn't really get around to that," she replied with a smile when he pulled her in for a kiss.
"I love you, Eddie Janko," he whispered between the kisses.
"I love you too, Reagan," she mumbled when they separated, just as medics walked through the door and got to work on Jamie. The big guy was dead as a doornail and despite his size, only a little bit of blood had oozed out on the floor. One of the medics pressed a cooling bag, wrapped in a towel, in Eddie's hand and she pressed it gently to the wound on her head. She hadn't really realized how much it hurt until then, because she took in a sharp breath and cringed.
"Hey, Eddie, can you tell me what happened?" Danny ask her and she nodded distantly before she turned.
"We had just ordered pizza, so when it knocked on the door, I thought it was the delivery. When I opened the door, he forced himself inside and threw me at the wall. I think, I might have passed out for a minute or so. Next thing I see is the guy strangling Jamie. I knew Jamie had a weapon in his gym bag which was right in front of me and then…" she trailed of, knowing that Danny knew the rest of the story.
"Thank you,"
Sunday, September 3rd, 06:00 pm, Bay Ridge
"I have to say, Eddie, it's really good to have here," Erin said when she sliced the roast. Eddie stopped mixing the salad for a moment.
"It's great to be here," she replied and smiled at Erin. Linda and Nicky came through the door after walking in the bread and the potatoes.
"Everything set?" Linda asked when Nicky grabbed the beverages from the fridge.
"Ready," Erin and Eddie said at once.
"They are starving," Linda laughed when she helped Nicky out. 'They' would be the remaining six Reagan's in the living room, all of them laughing and shouting at the game in the TV.
"Sometimes I wonder, if they ever get something to eat," Erin laughed when she followed with the roast.
"I swear, I don't know where Danny puts all the food he's devouring. And the boys are starting to eat just like him," Linda said when Eddie put the salad on the table.
"I heard that," Danny called when he strolled into the dining room with. "And I've heard a little rumor, that I'm getting a run for my money tonight," he joked and looked at Eddie with a smile.
"What, Danny, are you scared of my girlfriend?" Jamie joked back when he followed his brother.
"Hell no… she's tiny," Danny replied with a laugh.
"Oh oh, watch out," Jamie laughed.
"You are going to regret that," Eddie threatened with a smile.
"Game on, Janko," Danny countered.
"He won't know what hit him," Jamie whispered loudly and had to duck from a playful punch from his brother, which made him winch. The doctor hadn't been happy to see Jamie again, which made it three visits in one week. His ribs were still bothering him, but he couldn't stop smiling, as the rest of the family trotted into the room and found their seats.
"The service was beautiful today, don't you think?" Linda asked and received agreeing nods and murmuring from around the table.
"Indeed it was," Frank replied and was only happy to have all his family assembled. This week had been from hell, to put it mildly.
"Who would like to say grace?" Henry asked the family around the table. The decision fell on Nicky and she said it beautifully. They all repeated her last word, amen, and followed suit with the sign of the cross. They ate for a few minutes until Frank cleared his throat.
"On behalf of everyone around this table, I would like to thank you, Eddie, for everything you've done," Frank began and kept his eyes on the blonde sitting between Jamie and Nicky. "This week, which hasn't been the best, could have been a whole lot worse, if you hadn't been partnered with Jamie," he continued and went silent for a few moments, reflecting. "I'm honored to have you on the force and around this table," He said while he lifted his napkin and revealed a small, flat box. He handed it to Erin on his right, who passed it along to Nicky and then to Eddie, who looked at it with big eyes when she held it in her hand. "Which is why, I'd like to give you the Medal for Valor," he continued and nodded to her. Everybody around the table looked at her when she opened the box with shaky fingers and looked at the medal. A tiny gasp escaped her lips and she cleared her throat when she looked at Frank.
"Thank you, Sir, it's an honor…" she said. She was at a loss for words, she didn't even know what to do.
"Congratulations, you've earned it," Frank replied with a smile. She hadn't just deserved to get the medal, she had earned it. Just like she had earned his trust. The Reagan's trust. She was part of the family now.
I really hoped you enjoyed this story, and I hope to not disappoint you in the future. You have all been a really amazing audience and I couldn't have finished this without your always positive response. Any last reviews? /K. :)