**I don't own these characters, just a fan who wants to tell a story"
Erin moved quietly about her kitchen, being careful to not wake Jamie who lay asleep on the couch. She took a sip of her coffee, this isn't how she expected to spend her Saturday morning. Jamie and she had talked until three in the morning and it was just after eight now. She sighed, as much as she had hoped that Jamie would one day join her side, she never wanted to have that choice taken away. She knew his heart was being a cop.
"Erin, I have a girlfriend who can't work right now because she is still recovering, twins on the way, a mountain of student loan debt and I no longer have a job!"
"No, Jamie, your physical therapist said it was highly unlikely you would ever be able to regain full range of motion, there is still a chance you might be able to be a cop."
" he said 'basically impossible' that sounds pretty final."
"Jamie, you will figure something out. You are resilient, you and Eddie will make things work." Erin assured. "You still have your law degree, it won't be too hard for you to get a job that way."
"I haven't worked in law for years. Who would want to hire me?"
Erin was silent. "I know Jack is looking for another lawyer at his firm."
"The only job you can think of for me is with your ex-husband. You see how dire my predicament is. Jack is a defense attorney, I hate defense attorneys. God, I hate Jack too."
"It could be a start, I'm sure Jack would think about it. You could work there a couple of years and then I could see if I could get you into the DA's office maybe."
"I just...I thought I knew what my life would be like, Erin. This was never the plan."
"Have you thought about getting a second opinion from another physical therapist?" Erin questioned.
"I thought about it, but physical therapists are expensive and I can't afford one that isn't covered under my insurance." Jamie explained. "I'm not getting a lot from the department right now, I'm living off savings.
Erin's phone vibrating on the counter drew her out of her memory of last night.
"Hey, dad." Erin said quietly, trying not to wake Jamie.
"Have you heard from Jamie?"
"Yeah, he's at my place."
"Oh Thank God." Frank sighed.
"Why?"
"Eddie is frantic, she can't find him and he's not answering his phone."
"He's fast asleep on my couch, he had a rough night." Erin explained.
"Yeah, Eddie told me." Frank answered. "Would you give Eddie a call for me and let her know that Jamie is safe with you."
"Will do."
"How is he really? Eddie just said something happened." Frank asked.
"He's...it's his story to tell, but dad he's not good, but I think he'll be okay...someday." Erin responded. "I should call Eddie, love you dad. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Love you."
Erin hung up with Frank and called Eddie.
"Erin tell me you know where Jamie is!" Eddie said as soon as the call went through.
"Yeah, he's at my place. He fell asleep on my couch."
"Thank God!" Eddie exclaimed."I've been trying to find him for two hours."
"He showed up at my place at twelve thirty." Erin explained. "He fell asleep on the couch."
"Can you wake him and tell him I need him home. I've been terrified."
"I will try, but Eddie, he's, he's struggling." Erin said.
"I know, that's why I need him home." Eddie's voice was calmer now, but Erin could still feel her anger through the phone. "I'll text you when he leaves."
"Thanks Erin."
Erin hung up. "Jamie." She said softly while walking to the couch. "Time to get up."
Jamie stirred but didn't open his eyes.
"Jamie come on, you need to get up." Erin said louder this time.
"Please tell me that yesterday was just a bad nightmare."
"Sadly, it's the reality and Eddie is pissed and wants you home now."
Eddie couldn't explain what she was feeling. She was relieved that Jamie was at Erin's but she was so angry he hadn't told her where he was going.
She took a deep breath. She needed to be calm, Jamie was going through a lot. She needed to give Jamie some leeway. He was struggling, but Goddammit she was angry too. He couldn't just leave like that. She didn't know what could have happened or what he could have done. She didn't know how long she sat pacing the apartment but she was facing the window when she heard the door unlock and then open and close.
"Don't ever do that to me again." Eddie managed to say through her anger.
"I left a note saying I went for a drive." Jamie replied with a slight shrug. "I just needed some space."
"I don't care that you went for a drive Jamie. I don't care if you left a note, I'm angry because you weren't answering your phone. I called you, your dad called you, Danny called you! We couldn't find you!" Eddie cried whirling
"I was at Erin's." Jamie responded simply. He knew Eddie would be mad as soon as he saw that he had five missed calls from her, three from his dad, and six from Danny. He had messed up.
"I know that now Jamie!" Eddie exclaimed angrily. "I feared the worst. Jamie, you had just gotten terrible news, I knew you were struggling and I COULDN'T FIND YOU! I knew we still have your heavy dose painkillers in the apartment and I couldn't find those either. Do you realize what that could have done to me? What that did to me! Don't you realize where my mind must have gone! Jamie, I thought you could be dead." Eddie was barely keeping it together now. Tears had started to escape and drip down her face.
"I was fine! I just needed to talk to someone." Jamie responded.
"You could have told me. 'I'm going to Erin's to talk to her' I would have been fine with that. I just needed to know you were safe and I didn't know Jamie. I almost lost you once, I can't go through that again! I can't raise our kids by myself Jamie." Eddie was sobbing now.
Jamie paused. He tried to understand, to put herself into her shoes. This wasn't about the fact he had left. She was scared she was going to have to raise their kids alone.
"I didn't know where you were if you were alive, or what, for two hours Jamie. I was terrified...it was two hours of hell."
"Eddie, I'm sorry I made you feel that way." Jamie managed to say. "I wasn't thinking very clearly. I didn't plan to spend the night."
Eddie took a deep breath. "Thank you."
"I just-."
"I don't need an explanation, I just need you to promise me that if you leave in the middle of the night, you tell me, or text me. Just don't make me go through that again." Eddie interrupted.
"I promise I won't." Jamie assured her.
They both were quiet for a few minutes.
"Was that our first big fight as a couple?" Eddie questioned.
"I think so." Jamie answered.
Eddie looked at him.
"I was just so scared Jamie...I shouldn't have gotten that angry at you!" Eddie was crying again. "I should have heard you out before I lost it."
"Hey." Jamie soothed, coming over to her. "It's okay."
"No, it's not. I yelled at you, I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm a horrible girlfriend." Eddie sobbed.
"Eddie, look at me." Jamie said softly. Eddie's breath calmed as she forced herself to look at him.
"I'm here. I'm alive, I'm safe. You are not a horrible girlfriend. You are a great girlfriend. I screwed up. I shouldn't have just fallen off the map. I should have called or texted. You are right. I can't just leave you without letting you know where I'm going. I promise you, I am never going to leave you and make you raise our twins on your own. I promise! You understand?"
Eddie nodded, her breath still shaky and tears still streaming down her face.
"Come 'ere." Jamie said, as he pulled her into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry I scared you Eddie." Jamie apologized.
"And I'm sorry for yelling at you." Eddie managed out between sobs.
"We're gonna get through this, we've been through worse." Jamie assured her.
"Are we though?" Eddie questioned.
"Yeah. We'll figure something out." Jamie said, forcing himself to smile.
"Will we though?" Eddie asked.
Day 7
Chapter 7 of 12 Chapters of Christmas
Well... That took a darker turn than I expected when I thought this chapter up. I hope you guys liked that chapter. I promise things will get better! Everything will work out I just need to get all the pieces into place and once everything is in place then they can be happy again. Once again I'm sorry if this was a little angstier than I normally write but it needed to happen.
Love you guys! I also have been really appreciating your guys' feedback! Your reviews really mean a lot to me.
Eliza
