Chapter Twenty One

"Are you absolutely sure? Melissa asked as she fixed her dress one more time. "You don't have to do this, it was our pleasure to have you."

Eddie and Jamie had surprised Marcus and Melissa with a night at the Plaza and ticket to Radio City as a thank you for taking such good care of Eddie while he was staying with them. They offered their babysitting services overnight for little JJ, good practice Jamie called it.

"We are so sure," Eddie replied. "I can't get enough of that little guy and you two deserve it. Go and have fun."

Marcus was already dressed and waiting to leave. "She's worried, we've never left him overnight but who better? He loves Eddie, he watches her with those big eyes of his. He likes you to rock really pronounced, I think because he can't hear. He's good but if he gives you problems…"

"He'll be fine, we'll be fine. Eddie know what to do and I can help her execute it. We're fine."

Melissa appeared with her bag on her lap. She reached into the cradle and picked JJ up. "Now you mind your aunt and uncle and none of that all-night crying."

"He'll be an angel, I'm sure," Eddie assured her friend. "Go on now let me have my godson."

Melissa handed Eddie the chubby baby boy, at nearly four months JJ had met all his milestones. He held hit head up so it made it easier for Eddie to hold him without being worried. Melissa and Marcus headed out while Jamie and Eddie looked on.

"So what do you want to eat for dinner?" Jamie asked. "I can order or we can take the baby out, Marcus took the mustang so we have his car seat."

"It's pretty damp, I think we should keep him in,' Eddie replied. "Rudolph is on tonight we can watch it, he might like some of the dancing and the colors."

Jamie nodded, "You know it's nearly three, I think you should get out of the chair for a bit and rest, put your legs up…"

"He's so comfortable, he's nodding off," Eddie whispered even though JJ couldn't hear her.

"You can hold him again out of your chair, you and the baby need your rest. Come on now…"

Jamie took JJ and put the boy on his mat on the floor while helping Eddie transfer to couch. He carefully cuddled Eddie and covered her with the blanket before placing a half asleep JJ on her lap. Eddie looked down at the boy as he cuddled close. She looked beautiful like that, snuggled with a baby close. "That's about the most beautiful site…I'm still a little scared, but I think we are going to be blessed in a way that neither one of us could imagine."

Eddie smiled, "I know we are. I know it…" Eddie sighed and let her eyes close. She was exhausted and soon fell into a contented sleep.

Jamie tidied up a bit and sat down to do some studying. If he was going to be a father and give his son or daughter anything they needed he needed to make more money. Eddie's disability and his salary were okay for a family of two, but a family of three plus one dog that liked his chow required a raise.

Jamie was engrossed in refreshing his memory on criminal procedure for searches when JJ let out wail loud enough to wake the dead but not Eddie. Jamie hurried to get him and scooped him up, "None of that now," Jamie whispered rocking a little bit as the baby's cries grew.

Eddie stirred and opened her eyes, "It's about time for his bottle, I can hold him while you fix it." Eddie explained how to make up JJ's formula then tried to soothe the angry little baby until the food was ready. "You feed him…" Eddie offered the baby to Jamie.

Jamie took JJ into his arms and sat down on the rocking chair. "Here you go, little one…here you go, no more empty belly."

JJ began to suck his bottle eating very fast. "Look at him, he's half way through already."

Eddie watched as Jamie fed the baby, "He's drinking too fast, pull the bottle out for a minute and burp him. Let it settle or he'll get sick."

Jamie pulled the bottle back and was greeted with JJ's angry wail. "I don't think he likes that…" Jamie slowly rubbed the baby's back.

"Haven't you been around infants before? Even more than me."

"Well my last infant was Sean and I was only 22 when he was born and full of myself and busy…"

"I never held a baby before the one we delivered together on tour," Eddie replied. "We were a small family. I'm thankful that Melissa and Marcus had the family first, we can practice on JJ."

JJ accepted his bottle as soon as Jamie offered it and nearly drained it dry. He spit his bottle out and a little formula with it. He put the boy on his shoulder for a burp and patted. "You look so natural Jamie and he likes you. Regetti came by to help Marcus with something while we were apart and he hated him. He cried like a banshee."

"Well I'm pretty fond of him too," Jamie smiled. "It's getting to be suppertime, you 're eating for two, what should I order?"

"Uh kebabs and those tortilla things," Eddie replied. "No onions on mine."

JJ was good throughout dinner, sitting in his bouncy chair watching his aunt and uncle. Just as they were finishing up Jamie's phone rang. "It's Melissa," he laughed. "Here…" Jamie answered the call then handed it to Eddie.

"Hey, Melly," Eddie smiled. "He's being a little angel. Jamie fed him his bottle and he ate like a champ. Now, now he's in his bouncer we just ate our supper. Not at all…he's doing fine, stop worrying and have fun."

Eddie reassured Melissa for the next five minutes until a very unpleasant aroma began to fill up the kitchen. "Melly, I have to go now, Jamie's about to have to change JJ. I need to pay attention to this. Be safe, bye bye."

"Is that what that smell is?" Jamie asked as he finished the dished. "He seems pretty content, he's not fussing."

"Waaaaah! Waaaaah!" JJ proved Jamie wrong opening his lungs to sound his displeasure.

"His changing pads are in the bedroom, might be easier if you do it here the first time out."

Jamie got a diaper, wipes, plastic bags, and a new sleeper. "Okay, I'm going in…"

Eddie began to supervise Jamie's very first poop diaper. Jamie had an easy time getting the sleeper off, the diaper though had exceeded it's capacity and the poop exploded out the back. "Oh this is gross!"

Eddie burst out laugh, "He's known for spilling over his diaper."

The load in the boy's diaper was a lot for Jamie to handle even with two working hands. It took him a while to get the diaper off and disposed of then, get JJ clean. JJ started to kick his legs. "Jamie…" Eddie said seeing a telltale sign.

"Here we go baby boy," Jamie smiled then began to lift JJ's bottom to put on his diaper. "Uh Jamie," Eddie began again but it was too late. JJ began to pee straight up hitting his godfather right between the eyes.

Eddie couldn't help but laugh out loud as Jamie looked up at her, the pee dripping down his face. "You couldn't warn me?" He asked biting back a chuckle of his own.

"I tried," Eddie laughed. "Live and learn…"

When Jamie finished the diaper change, Eddie explained how to use the dirty diaper to cover the boy until the new diaper was ready to go. "Marcus does it that way all the time now, even for pee pee diapers. That was JJ doesn't get a chill and give out his own personal rinse."

"Well, Uncle Jamie will just have to give it a go next time," Jamie laughed. "Here you go…I have to shower then we'll get you to bathed and ready for bed."

Jamie left Eddie with JJ on her lap and Ray at her feet. "You like Ray don't you baby boy? Make nice to Ray?"

Ray laid his head closer so that JJ could explore him, he didn't mind that the baby pulled his tail or poked his ears, the little human didn't know better. "No, that's not how we make nice." Eddie laughed. "You are such a good boy Ray."

Jamie came out of the shower and saw Eddie cuddling their nephew. "You know, if I ever had doubts about this pregnant it was not about you making a good mother. You are going to make an excellent mother."

"It's going to be a huge undertaking though, Jamie," Eddie replied nuzzling JJ"s hair with her cheek. "Sit down we need to talk."

Jamie sat down beside Eddie's chair and pet Ray's head. "Jamie, I want to just say it and finish this part of the pregnancy on a high note. I understand, I really do, that you were motivated by fear and by love, but holding this little boy in my arms, I'm feeling all sorts of emotions wanting to protect hi an keep him safe. I don't want our boy or girl to ever know what happened between us. I don't want our baby to feel like it wasn't wanted."

"Eddie, it always was," Jamie sighed. "It wasn't the baby, it was…"

"I know," Eddie replied. "But that didn't make it hurt any less when you all but demanded that I end the life of this precious baby. I know it was fear, but Jamie, I need to know I can really count on you. Since this happened to me, I have been so reliant on you for everything sometimes even my very breath, I've needed you to help me and be there for me. I need your promise you are in this with me, that we will be partners as much as possible raising this family. That we'll be mentally equal even though physically we can't be."

Jamie stroked her hair softly, "I promise. I might get nervous but I won't go crazy on you. Not again. I love you both so much."

JJ squealed and kicked his legs back and forth. "I think he's on board, what about you Ray?"

The dog licked Jamie's hand and laid down by Eddie's feet. Jamie kissed Eddie's hand, "I couldn't love anything more than I do you and our baby and I promise you that I will never, ever behave like that again. I'm ashamed of it, Eddie. I'm so ashamed."

Eddie worked her hand up to cup Jamie's cheek, "With your promise it's behind us, I know why you felt like you did and you saw the wrong in it, it's fine now. It's fine."

Jamie touched his forehead to Eddie and she felt the tears on her chest. "Oh Jamie don't," Eddie soothed. "Don't cry, our little one will know it's father's deep love just like I do. This is a lucky baby Jamie, to have you as a Daddy."

"We're the lucky ones," Jamie replied. "We are being blessed with a precious little one and you will be healthy if God stays on our side. If I could take it back I would, at least the words not the sentiment."

"I know…it's getting late and JJ has to have another bottle before bed. We need to get cracking on the baths."

Jamie nodded, "I'll run the tub then come get you too. I'll try to do you both at once."

Before Eddie could protest Jamie as off eager to learn all he could about taking care of babies so he and Eddie could face their newest family member as partners.

A/N: Mostly just fluff, but we needed it after that after the angst filled chapters we just went through….thanks to all of you for sticking out on this by the way.

Next Update – March 31st – Jamie and Eddie tackle bed and bath time.