Chapter Twelve

"Ugh this leg is really annoying Jamie," Eddie complained unable to move much. She had to sit in the backseat of the Mustang so that her leg could stay straight. Usually, she would sit in the front seat and Jamie would help her bend her legs so she was sitting normally. With this cast she was even more limited.

Jamie parked the Mustang in the driveway and set the parking break. Jamie quickly produced Eddie's wheelchair then smiling Jamie lifted Eddie out of the car into the wheelchair carefully. "It'll get better soon Eddie. Just think of it this way we're about to do your favorite activity, eating. Pop made meatloaf and potatoes."

"Haha funny," Eddie mocked as Jamie wheeled her inside. They were greeted by Henry smiling broadly. "Hey sweetheart." Henry leaned over and gave Eddie a big hug. Jamie had been off for a few days so Henry had not seen his girl. "How are you feeling? How's the leg?"

"It's good, I think it's good," Eddie replied. "My PT said that the color of my toes was good and we would try to build it back up some after the cast is off."

"That's good to hear," Henry replied. "Test this for me…"

While Henry provided Eddie with a taste test, Nikki walked over hands in pocket smiling at her favorite uncle and his whatever she was. Nikki didn't' like how Henry fussed over Eddie or that Jamie put so much focus on Eddie.

"This is really good, Henry. Next week, we'll make the mushroom chicken, I'm sorry I wasn't up to doing it this week."

"That's fine, sweetheart. You broke your leg, that's nothing to sneeze at. Go relax until dinner," Henry told Eddie. Eddie turned her chair, "Hey, Nikki. That's a great blouse."

"Thanks, Aunt Sydney got it for me," Nikki replied trying to get a reaction.

Eddie smiled, "She has great taste, she helped me pick out his skirt actually."

Nikki frustrated she did not get the desired response left the kitchen.

Eddie drove her chair to the living room and began chatting with Danny and Linda, and watching Jack and Sean play a video game. She was surprised but delighted to see Maria Baez was joining them for dinner. Apparently it was the fourth year that she had been partners with Danny and he had asked her to come and celebrate.

"Whoa, Sean, way to go, Buddy!" Eddie cheered as Sean made his character finish the final jump to claim the prize. "Come here and give me five. Look at what I learned this week!"

Slowly, Eddie lifted her arm from the elbow so it was slightly bent, then locked her wrist, she had not been able to do that since the accident.

"Yay!" Sean cheered and gave Eddie a gentle five and a hug.

Before the boys started another game, Henry called the family to the table. Eddie felt her face flush, probably from a cramp in her broken leg. She took two deep breaths the drove to the dining room. Frank hurriedly moved the chair that sat at her place out of her way.

"Jack, would you say grace?" Henry asked his oldest grandson.

Jack nodded and the family bowed their heads.

"I would like to propose a toast," Danny said when the prayer was said. "To finally keeping a partner long enough to make it worth celebrating!"

"Here, here," Jamie laughed. "Eddie and I were celebrating that after just one year."

Eddie took a bite of her supper, a headache beginning at the base of her skull. "Actually, you didn't come to my probation graduation. You had to play cards with Henry."

Henry's eyes fixed on Jamie, "You didn't go to Eddie's graduation to play cards with me?"

Jamie sighed, "No, Pop. I told Eddie that so she didn't get hurt feelings, but I didn't go because Sydney had a problem with Eddie at that point. I couldn't hurt my wife and I didn't want to hurt Eddie."

"So you lied to me," Eddie sighed.

"Yes," Jamie admitted as Erin scoffed.

"Oh my God," Erin sighed. "He was a married man and he still should be! He lied to you…you were partners that is nothing…"

"Actually," Baez broke in. "When you have bullets flying through the air at you, a partner is necessary, a partner is family, and a partner is probably the second most important person in a cop's life besides their spouse. I'm here celebrating a good partnership, it's not right to downplay it."

"Maria is absolutely right," Frank said seeing Eddie's face. "But it is a relationship only another cop understands. Erin and Sydney, even Linda there' no frame of reference for that."

Linda agreed that was true, her eyes trained on Eddie. She knew between the physical pain of her broken leg and Erin's barbs the younger woman was headed for some rough stuff.

Eddie felt her body growing weak and heavy. She felt her face flush deeper and the perspiration start. She felt her breathing go shallow and the dizziness set it. Eddie quickly excused herself. Maybe just a few deep breaths and a couple minutes to herself would help the episode pass.

"Eddie, are you okay?" Jamie asked realizing that Eddie was acting differently. Jamie was about out of his seat when Linda warned, "Stay calm, Jamie. Don't smother her."

"I have to check her pressure, Lin," Jamie countered but Linda stood

"No, she doesn't need you in that role when I am here. Let me check her pressure, if she needs care I'll do that. If she needs comfort; that is your job."

Linda hurried to get her BP cuff and check on Eddie. "Hey, you okay?" Linda asked looking Eddie over. Linda stroked Eddie's hair, it was soaked with perspiration.

"I…" Eddie began.

"I know," Linda soothed. "Let's get a look at this blood pressure." Linda inflated the cuff and listened getting a reading of 200/135. "All right, you're way up there, let's take care of this."

Linda sat Eddie directly upright except for her casted leg and supported her back with pillows. "I'm going to get the ice pack."

Linda poked her head into the dining room, "Pop, I need the ice pack for Eddie, her AD is acting up."

Jamie dried to jump out of his chair to help but Danny held him back, "Go in there as a boyfriend, let Linda treat her, Linda knows how to treat her."

Danny followed his brother to the living room. Jamie again tried to take charge of Eddie's care. "It's okay, Eddie," Jamie soothed. "Let's breathe. Look at me, Eddie."

"Danny," Linda said to her husband. "I have it."

"Jamie, just comfort her, Kid," Danny advised. "That's what she wants, watch.."

Danny slid his arms gently around Eddie, "Just take it easy, Linda is going to make it all better. Just try to relax."

Jamie watched as Danny helped comfort Eddie just by using his voice and a light touch. "Go on," Danny encouraged. He understood it was hard for Jamie to turn Eddie's care over but he had made her a promise to be a little more of a boyfriend.

Jamie stepped behind Eddie and gently held her, "I'm right here, Angel. I'm right here and Linda is fixing it. Don't be scared."

Eddie was always scared during episodes. She was trying to get Jamie's attention, Linda's someone, she felt the strange heavy feeling coming over her.

"Eddie," Jamie said gently. "Eddie, don't go out on me honey. Listen to me, listen to my voice, stay with us."

Linda was holding the ice pack on Eddie's neck and administering drops under her tongue trying to get her blood pressure down. When Linda saw that Eddie was not going to get out of this without a seizure, she looked at Jamie, "Help me lie her on the floor, she's going to seize."

Jamie picked Eddie up and laid her on the floor with her head in his lap. "Take it easy, Angel. Don't do this, baby. Don't go out on me, try to calm down."

All the while Jamie was holding Eddie in his arms, Linda was searching for the reason that she was having such a horrible episode. "I can't find it, everything is fine here. The catheter is good, the flow is fine, no wrinkles in the clothing…"

Then it began. Eddie's body went rigid and she began to have a seizure. Jamie stroked Eddie's hair and waited it out. It only took three minutes but brought the entire family to the living room. "Oh my God," Erin sighed. "How do you deal with this, Jamie. There's no reason for this."

"Erin," Linda snapped. "Let it go…she's already coming out of it. The ice packs are working."

Jamie leaned over and kissed Eddie's head, "That's my girl, open your eyes. Open those pretty blue eyes."

Eddie moaned, but she did open her eyes. Jamie's blue orbs were shining as his eyes locked with Eddies. If Danny had any doubt about his little brother having found the love of his life, he didn't anymore. From that minute he vowed to support Jamie.

"Jamie…" Eddie sighed and turned her head so she was closer to him. She liked this, she liked that Jamie was just sitting with her and holding her close, not manipulating her and treating her.

"Yeah, I'm here angel," Jamie soothed. "I'm here." Jamie kept kissing Eddie's head until she relaxed in his arms. "Dad, can I lie her down in your bed?" Jamie asked Frank. "She'll sleep a little now."

"Jamie, it's better to put her in the recliner and cover her," Linda advised.

Jamie lifted Eddie and tucked her into the chair, "Go finish," Eddie slurred telling Jamie she wanted him to enjoy the meal "Sleepy."

Jamie stroked Eddie's cheek, "Okay, angel. When you feel better I will feed you a little bit okay?"

Eddie nodded already closing her eyes.

The family settled back around the dinner table while Jamie was securing Eddie. "She's fine, she's going to sleep for hours," Jamie explained.

"Jamie, how can you deliberately put yourself through this," Erin asked. "Loyalty or friendship…"

"Love," Jamie replied quickly. "It's love, Erin. I love Eddie and I choose to take care of her and stand by her for the rest of our lives."

"And Mom, let's face it, people like that don't live normal life spans anyway so it's not like Uncle Jamie will be saddled forever."

Jamie dropped his fork, his face turning read. "You know there is nothing wrong with Eddie's ears and you better pray that she's asleep and didn't hear you! Pop, help me get Eddie in the car please. We are leaving, discuss that all you'd like."

Eddie blinked several times as Henry helped Jamie carry her out. Her eyelids kept falling despite her best effort to stay awake. "Jamie." She slurred trying to call his attention not understanding what was going on. One minute she was sleeping in the recliner and the next she was being carried to the car.

"It's all right, Angel," Jamie whispered. "We're going to go home okay?"

Eddie's head lolled on Jamie's shoulder and she murmured, "Kay."

"We'll talk to them Jamie, but not all of us feel that way," Henry tried to reason.

"I know, Pop but I can't take it anymore. I really care about her and hearing that hurts. The only thing that feels worse is knowing what it does to Eddie's spirit. I won't expose her to that anymore. See you tomorrow." With that Jamie turned and got into the car, pealing out of the driveway as fast as it was safe to so.

"I can't believe how Erin and Nikki are with Jamie and Eddie," Baez griped to Danny the next day. "I don't blame him for going and if I were him I'd stay away for a bit."

"Jamie was livid, I called and checked up on them and he said he's out for next week at least. Eddie is still really weak from last night. Pop is taking her to the doctor, Jamie and Linda think she has an ulcer under the cast."

"She's courageous," Baez replied. "She's living so well with this disability and Jamie…"

"The kid is gone," Danny replied. "I saw that last night, he's over the moon gone and personally, I'm happy for him. I don't want him to get hurt again. I really don't, we fight but he's my kid brother."

"I think he's going to get hurt a lot worse by Erin and Nikki's attitude than if something God forbid happened to Eddie. Get those two in hand and Jamie will be fine. God forbid something happens to Eddie, he'll hurt but won't he hurt more if he never experiences that at all?"

Danny nodded, "You know something Baez, being my partner for four years, rubbed off on you."

"Oh give me a break…"

A/N: Had to love Baez putting Erin in her place even so slightly. Poor Eddie so confused after her seizure, one minute in a snuggly recliner, then next shoved in a Mustang. Jamie has about had it. As always, love to hear from you so drop me a line.

Next Update – September 20th – Eddie continues to struggle physically and emotionally from her leg injury, Jamie and Eddie discuss some of their dating goals.