A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! I truly appreciate them. :) See the first chapter for the disclaimer. This is the second-to-last chapter. I hope you all enjoy this one, and please review. :)

Chapter Thirteen

"I don't blame him for needing back up," Lovato teased as she and Eddie made their way over to the bar for a refill.

"Oh, they haven't even started yet," Eddie replied. "Just wait."

"Until the Commissioners have left?"

Eddie nodded, signaling the bartender. "They usually take the kids with them."

"Should I be afraid?"

"They're pretty harmless, or at the very least, you could take them," Erin said from next to Lovato. "Erin Reagan."

"Jamie Lovato," she said, shaking Erin's hand.

"Nice to meet you. Eddie, haven't seen you in a while. How's everything going?"

"Not too bad," Eddie said. "How about you?"

"Pretty good. How's your new partner?"

"He's okay. I miss Jamie, though."

"I felt the same way after I left Flack," Lovato said. "Flack was a very good partner."

"Jamie too," Eddie said.

"Well, here's to our good partners becoming good friends and good partners to each other."

"Hear, hear."

"I'll drink to that," Erin added as she clinked glasses with the girls.

"Should we be worried?" Flack asked Jamie as he watched the girls at the bar.

"Only if Linda joins them, or they decide not to come back," Jamie replied.

"What happens if Linda joins them?"

"Then, we're in trouble, and they never leave the bar."

"Why would we be in trouble?"

"A question that will never be answered, because there is no logic when my sister and sister-in-law get together. Especially when girlfriends are involved."

"Girlfriends?" Flack asked, slightly amused. "I mean, I know when me and Lovato happened, but when did you and Janko…?"

"It was a figure of speech," Jamie attempted.

Flack chuckled lightly. "Oh, so this was fairly recent then."

"…Maybe."

"Nicely done." Flack extended his glass toward Jamie's. "Cheers."

"Cheers." The partners clinked glasses before each taking a drink of their respective beers. "So, you call her Lovato instead of Jamie?"

"Nah, she's Jamie, unless I'm talkin' to you."

Jamie smirked. "Wouldn't wanna get confused there?"

Flack snorted softly. "You two are nothing alike."

"Sure. I mean, I'm a dude you're not sleeping with…"

Flack cut him off with a shove, causing Jamie to laugh.

"Should we have really left them alone?" Eddie asks, looking back at Jamie and Flack.

"They're alone every day," Lovato replied. "What harm can they do to each other right now?"

"You don't know my brother when he's been drinking," Erin said, smiling.

"Oh, yeah, Jamie with alcohol leads to some interesting things," Eddie added.

"Really?" Lovato asked, tilting her head. "You don't say?"

"Is that right?" Erin asked, looking over at Eddie with a smile.

"Sure," Eddie said. "I've been out drinking with him enough to know."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's all you two were doing," Lovato said with a wink.

Eddie blushed slightly.

"Hey, I can't really talk," Lovato added. "I'm in the same boat as you."

"Really?" Erin said. "You and Flack?"

Lovato shrugged. "It just kinda… happened."

"What are you three up to?" Linda asked as she walked over.

"Oh, we're in for it now," Jamie said, tipping his glass toward the bar.

"Now would be a good time to go outside for a smoke, huh?" Flack asked.

"You know I don't smoke."

"Neither do I."

Jamie shook his head. "Yeah, maybe we should get some air."

The two made their way outside, standing in the alley next to the bar. "Should we duck out entirely?" Flack asked.

Jamie laughed. "Only if we don't like to live."

A shadow appeared, followed by flashes, as shots rang out through the alley.